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Abstract Background Given the critical importance of medication adherence in HIV/AIDS treatment, this study aims to compare medication adherence measured by self-report (SR) and indirect measurement among antiretroviral therapy (ART) patients, exploring the differences of adherence results measured by different tools. Methods We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library to identify all relevant literature published up to November 22, 2023, without language restrictions, reporting adherence to ART measured by both SR and indirect measurement methods, while also analyzing individual and group adherence separately. Discrepancies between SR and indirect measurement results were assessed using the Mann–Whitney U test or Wilcoxon signed-rank test, with correlations evaluated using the Pearson correlation coefficient. Following one-to-one comparisons, meta-epidemiological one-step analysis was conducted, and network meta-analysis techniques were applied to compare results obtained through specific adherence assessment tools reported in the identified articles. Results The analysis encompassed 65 original studies involving 13,667 HIV/AIDS patients, leading to 112 one-to-one comparisons between SR and indirect measurement tools. Statistically significant differences were observed between SR and indirect measurement tools regarding both individual and group adherence (P

In order to investigate the effects of different degrees of substitution (DS) on physicochemical properties of rice starch malate and on the quality of noodles, rice starch malate with different degrees of substitution (DS=0~0.603) was prepared. The solubility, swelling, gelatinization and rheological properties of rice starch malate were investigated, as well as its improvement effect on the cooking characteristics, texture characteristics and sensory characteristics of noodles. The results indicated that a new absorption peak appeared at a spectral wavenumber of approximately 1720 cm−1 on the infrared spectrum curve of malic acid starch esters. After esterification, the solubility of starch significantly increased (P

Abstract Improving access to HIV/AIDS healthcare services is of great concern to government and policymakers striving to strengthen overall public health. How to reasonably allocate HIV/AIDS healthcare resources and maximize the equality of access to healthcare services across subdistrict areas has become an urgent problem to be solved. However, there is limited research on this topic in China. It is necessary to evaluate spatial accessibility to improve the accessibility and equity of HIV/AIDS healthcare services. In this study, the improved multi-modal two-step floating catchment area (2SFCA) and inverted 2SFCA (i2SFCA) methods are used to measure the spatial accessibility of HIV/AIDS healthcare services and the crowdedness of the healthcare sites in Shandong Province, China. Then, the theoretical supply and the optimal spatial distribution of resources are calculated and visualized by minimizing the accessibility gaps between demand locations. This study showed that the spatial accessibility of HIV/AIDS service resources in Shandong Province was concentrated and unevenly distributed, and the accessibility scores in the marginal areas of prefecture-level cities were significantly lower than those in other areas. Regions with a large number of doctors had significantly higher levels of spatial accessibility. The ART accessibility scores in the southwest of Shandong Province were higher than those in other regions. As the travel friction coefficient increased, the accessibility scores formed an approximately circular cluster distribution centered on the healthcare sites in geographical distribution. More ART drugs needed to be supplied in marginal areas and more doctors were needed to work on HIV/AIDS in urban areas to address the spatial distribution imbalance of HIV/AIDS healthcare services. This study profoundly analyzed the spatial accessibility of HIV/AIDS healthcare services and provided essential references for decision-makers. In addition, it gives a significant exploration for achieving the goal of equal access to HIV/AIDS healthcare services in the future.

Melatonin is a conserved pleiotropic molecule in animals and plants. Melatonin is involved in many development processes and stress responses; thus, exploring its function in plants, particularly in horticultural plants, has become a rapidly developing field. Many studies have revealed that phytomelatonin acts as a plant biostimulant and increase its tolerance to various abiotic stressors, including extreme temperature, drought, osmotic disturbance, heavy metals, and ultraviolet (UV). Melatonin appears to have roles in the scavenging of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and other free radicals, affecting the primary and secondary metabolism of plants, regulating the transcripts of stress-related enzymes and transcription factors, and crosstalk with other hormones under different environmental conditions. This pleiotropy makes phytomelatonin an attractive regulator to improve resistance to abiotic stress in plants. The recent discovery of the potential phytomelatonin receptor CAND2/PMTR1 and the proposition of putative models related to the phytomelatonin signaling pathways makes phytomelatonin a new plant hormone. Based on relevant studies from our laboratory, this review summarizes the phytomelatonin biosynthetic and metabolic pathways in plants and the latest research progress on phytomelatonin in abiotic stress of horticultural plants. This study will provide a reference for elucidating the regulatory mechanism of phytomelatonin affecting the resistance to abiotic stress in plants.

Abstract Background Decitabine (DAC), a DNA methyltransferase inhibitor, has shown efficacy combined with chemotherapy for relapsed or refractory (R/R) acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in adults, but less is known about its efficacy in children. Accordingly, we conducted a study which involved a priming regimen consisting of DAC with cladribine, cytarabine, and granulocyte-stimulating factor (DAC-CLAG) and compared the efficacy and safety of this regimen with CLAG alone. Methods A total of 39 R/R AML children who received the CLAG or DAC-CLAG regimen in Shanghai Children’s Hospital were retrospectively enrolled in this non-randomized study. These regimens were studied sequentially over time. Twenty-two patients received CLAG from 2015, while 17 patients were administered epigenetic priming with DAC before CLAG from 2020. Patients were subsequently bridged to stem cell transplantation (SCT) or consolidation chemotherapy. Complete remission (CR) and adverse effects were analyzed by Fisher’s exact test, and survival was analyzed by the Kaplan–Meier method. Results DAC-CLAG conferred a numerically higher CR compared to CLAG (70.59% vs 63.64%; P = 0.740). High CR rates occurred in patients with good cytogenetics (P = 0.029) and prior induction without cladribine (P = 0.099). The 1-year event-free survival (EFS) was 64.71% ± 11.59% and 63.31% ± 10.35% in the DAC-CLAG and CLAG group (P = 0.595), and 1-year overall survival (OS) was 81.45% ± 9.72% and 77.01% ± 9.04%, respectively (P = 0.265). The 1-year OS and EFS after SCT were higher in the DAC-CLAG than in the CLAG cohort (100% vs 92.31% ± 7.39%, P = 0.072; 92.31% ± 7.39% vs 85.71% ± 9.35%, P = 0.158). Univariate analysis revealed that a good prognosis included good cytogenetics (P = 0.002), non-complex karyotype (P = 0.056), CR on reinduction (P

Soymilk is an ideal plant protein drink with rich nutritional value and can prevent and control diseases such as hyperlipidemia, hypertension, atherosclerosis, iron deficiency anemia, etc. Regular consumption can promote and protect human health, and can even be used as a high-quality food for the prevention of new crowns. However, the naturally occurring legume odor in soybeans reduces the acceptance of consumers, but also limits the further development of soybean products. This paper presents a systematic review of the volatile compounds (aldehydes, alcohols, furans, ketones) that can contribute to soybean milk legume odor and the reaction pathways leading to their formation, and further elaborates on the impact of legume odor on the development of soy milk. Subsequently, the development status of soymilk deodorization process is discussed from four aspects: Physical, chemical, biological, and masking, and the problems existing in the current soymilk deodorization research as well as the future research direction are summarized and prospected, with a view to providing theoretical basis for the development of low or no-soymilk deodorization soybean products and the promotion of soybean consumption.

Non-starch polysaccharides (NSPs) are complex polysaccharides other than starch, mainly including cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin, etc., which have good functional and processing characteristics. Non-starch polysaccharide can be attached to starch surface by mechanical processing, which makes amylose difficult to dissolve and weakens the aging characteristics of starch. In addition, non-starch polysaccharide can enhance the stability of the composite system through hydrogen bond interaction with starch, resist the mechanical shear damage of starch during processing, as well as hinder the direct contact of digestive enzymes with starch and inhibit the digestion of starch, and regulate the glycemic index. In this paper, the composite of non-starch polysaccharides and starch by non-covalent bond, chemical bond crosslinking and processing force are reviewed, which affects the changes of starch particle and crystal structure. In addition, the changes of gelatinization, aging, rheology, and other physicochemical properties as well as digestive properties of the non-starch polysaccharides- starch system are further summarized in order to provide a certain reference for the development of non-starch polysaccharide modified starch functional food.

Abstract Hemoglobin (Hb) Lepore is a rare deletional δβ-thalassemia caused by the fusion between delta-beta genes, and cannot be identified by traditional thaltassemia gene testing technology. The aim of this study was to conduct molecular diagnosis and clinical analysis of Hb Lepore in four unrelated Chinese families using third generation sequencing. Decreased levels of mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) and an abnormal Hb band were observed in the probands of the four families. However, no common α and β-thalassemia variants were detected in the enrolled families using polymerase chain reaction-reverse dot blot hybridization based traditional thalassemia gene testing. Further third-generation sequencing revealed similar Hb Lepore-Boston-Washington variants in all the patients, which were resulted from partial coverage of the HBB and HBD globin genes, leading to the formation of a delta-beta fusion gene. Specific gap-PCR and Sanger sequencing confirmed that all the patients carried a similar Hb Lepore-Boston-Washington heterozygote. In addition, decreased levels of MCH and Hb A2 were observed in the proband’s wife of family 2, an extremely rare variant of Hb Nanchang (GGT > AGT) (HBA2:c.46G > A) was identified by third-generation sequencing and further confirmed by Sanger sequencing. This present study was the first to report the similar Hb Lepore-Boston-Washington in Chinese population. By combining the utilization of Hb capillary electrophoresis and third-generation sequencing, the screening and diagnosis of Hb Lepore can be effectively enhanced.

Global aging has brought attention to addressing the elderly mobility dilemma, and a commitment to address inclusive transport in aging. Transport inclusion for older adults aims at establishing an age-friendly transport system. As a direct policy goal and promoting active aging as an indirect social goal, to help older populations gain access to transport and social opportunities. Based on the analysis of scientific knowledge mapping over the past 30 years, this study visualizes the hotspots and trends in elderly mobility research. Through a qualitative analysis of 138 papers, this paper reviews the theoretical foundations for transport inclusion and three themes of elderly mobility research, proposes a framework for public transport (PT) inclusion research as well as future research directions. The study suggests that transport inclusion can help enhance elderly health, social participation, and subjective well-being. It can improve their travel opportunities for active aging in four ways: opportunity accessibility, physical accessibility, age-friendly informationalization, and cost affordability. Future research should pay attention to examining the mechanism of perceived transport inclusion on active aging, expanding the multilevel research space of the capability approach (CA), and exploring the subjective-objective integrated research model for PT inclusion. This research contributes to the overall knowledge of the theoretical and empirical researches on PT inclusion for the elderly and promotes the integrated application of interdisciplinary knowledge in the field.

Abstract Background This study aims to explore the influence of career shocks on nurses’ occupational well-being through job crafting and the moderating role of supervisor autonomy support. Method The present study used a cross-sectional design. And the study included 714 frontline nurses in China, and we used structural equation modelling (SEM) to test our hypotheses. Results Job crafting mediated both the relationship between positive career shocks and occupational well-being and the relationship between negative career shocks and occupational well-being. Supervisor autonomy support moderated the indirect relationships. Conclusions Positive and negative career shocks could increase and impair nurses’ occupational well-being through job crafting, respectively. We contribute to helping nurses make sense of career shocks and preparing for career shocks, and hospital administrators and nurses’ direct supervisors can help nurse better cope with career shocks in attending job crafting activities and providing more autonomy supports.

Abstract Background Patients with immunocompromise were suspected to encounter a high risk for severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection on early period; however, data is lacking nowadays and immune response remain unclear. Methods In this retrospective study, internet questionnaire survey and medical records were acquired in pediatric hematology oncology patients. Clinical severity, immunological characteristics, and outcomes were analyzed from December 1, 2022 to January 31, 2023 at the 3rd year of pandemic in China. Results A total of 306 patients were included, with 21 patients (6.9%) asymptomatic, 262 (85.6%) mild severity, 17 (5.6%) moderate severity, 5 (1.6%) severe severity, and 1 (0.3%) critical severity. Seventy-eight (25.5%) patients were on intensive chemotherapy, and 32.0% children were on maintenance chemotherapy. Delays in cancer therapy occurred in 86.7% patients. Univariable analysis revealed active chemotherapy (P

Abstract Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) ranks as the third most common cause of cancer related death globally, representing a substantial challenge to global healthcare systems. In China, the primary risk factor for HCC is the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Aberrant serum glycoconjugate levels have long been linked to the progression of HBV-associated HCC (HBV-HCC). Nevertheless, few study systematically explored the dysregulation of glycoconjugates in the progression of HBV-associated HCC and their potency as the diagnostic and prognostic biomarker. Methods An integrated strategy that combined transcriptomics, glycomics, and glycoproteomics was employed to comprehensively investigate the dynamic alterations in glyco-genes, N-glycans, and glycoproteins in the progression of HBV- HCC. Results Bioinformatic analysis of Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets uncovered dysregulation of fucosyltransferases (FUTs) in liver tissues from HCC patients compared to adjacent tissues. Glycomic analysis indicated an elevated level of fucosylated N-glycans, especially a progressive increase in fucosylation levels on IgA1 and IgG2 determined by glycoproteomic analysis. Conclusions The findings indicate that the abnormal fucosylation plays a pivotal role in the progression of HBV-HCC. Systematic and integrative multi-omic analysis is anticipated to facilitate the discovery of aberrant glycoconjugates in tumor progression.

Wooden breast barriers the development of broiler industry, and traditional detection methods are time-consuming and inefficient. To investigate the feasibility of the hyperspectral imaging (HSI) technique for the detection of wooden breasts, four different grades of white feather chicken breast were selected and their HSI information of 400~1000 and 1000~2000 nm was collected. After spectral preprocessing and spectral variable selection, partial least squares discriminant (PLS-DA) models and support vector machine (SVM) models were developed based on full wavelength and characteristic spectral variables, as well as their fused HSI data. The results showed that SVM models showed better results than PLS-DA models to discriminate woody grades of chicken breasts. The overall discrimination rates based on the full HSI bands and selected spectral variables in 1000~2000 nm were higher than those of models in 400~1000 nm. Besides, the discrimination models based on fused HSI data of HSI bands and selected spectral variables provided the best results, with the overall discrimination rate of 96.7% for four different woody grades, and the accuracy of the four grades could reach more than 90%. The research results provided technical support for HSI to achieve rapid and non-destructive detection of wooden chicken breasts.

Cereal foods are the primary source of daily energy, protein, and dietary fiber intake for humans. With the continuous improvement of people's living standards, cereal foods' nutritional value, safety, and food quality have attracted much attention. Cereal metabonomics, as a new and rapidly developing branch of "metabonomics", has made rapid progress in quantifying and analyzing various metabolites. This article reviews the analysis process of metabolomics technology, and its application in the detection of component identification, the identification of flavor substances, the traceability of origin, and the product of new developments in cereal foods, and the development trend of metabonomics in cereal food field has prospected, to provide a reference for the in-depth development and application of cereal foods.

This paper studies a discontinuous Sturm-Liouville problem in which the spectral parameter appears not only in the differential equation but also in the transmission conditions. By constructing an appropriate Hilbert space and inner product, the eigenvalue and eigenfunction problems of the Sturm-Liouville problem are transformed into an eigenvalue problem of a certain self-adjoint operator. Next, the eigenfunctions of the problem and some properties of the eigenvalues are given via construction of the basic solution. The Green's function for the Sturm-Liouville problem is also given. Finally, the continuity of the eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of the problem is discussed. Especially, the differential expressions of the eigenvalues for some parameters have been obtained, including the parameters in the eigenparameter-dependent transmission conditions.

Abstract Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) combined with antiangiogenic therapy have shown encouraging clinical benefits for the treatment of unresectable or metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Nevertheless, therapeutic efficacy and wide clinical applicability remain a challenge due to “cold” tumors’ immunological characteristics. Tumor immunosuppressive microenvironment (TIME) continuously natural force for immune escape by extracellular matrix (ECM) infiltration, tumor angiogenesis, and tumor cell proliferation. Herein, we proposed a novel concept by multi-overcoming immune escape to maximize the ICIs combined with antiangiogenic therapy efficacy against HCC. A self-delivery photothermal-boosted-NanoBike (BPSP) composed of black phosphorus (BP) tandem-augmented anti-PD-L1 mAb plus sorafenib (SF) is meticulously constructed as a triple combination therapy strategy. The simplicity of BPSP's composition, with no additional ingredients added, makes it easy to prepare and presents promising marketing opportunities. (1) NIR-II-activated BPSP performs photothermal therapy (PTT) and remodels ECM by depleting collagen I, promoting deep penetration of therapeutics and immune cells. (2) PTT promotes SF release and SF exerts anti-vascular effects and down-regulates PD-L1 via RAS/RAF/ERK pathway inhibition, enhancing the efficacy of anti-PD-L1 mAb in overcoming immune evasion. (3) Anti-PD-L1 mAb block PD1/PD-L1 recognition and PTT-induced ICD initiates effector T cells and increases response rates of PD-L1 mAb. Highly-encapsulated BPSP converted 'cold' tumors into 'hot' ones, improved CTL/Treg ratio, and cured orthotopic HCC tumors in mice. Thus, multi-overcoming immune escape offers new possibilities for advancing immunotherapies, and photothermal/chemical/immune synergistic therapy shows promise in the clinical development of HCC. Graphical Abstract

Abstract To evaluate the success of pulpotomy in treating immature permanent teeth with irreversible pulpitis. This case series included patients with irreversible pulpitis admitted to the Department of Oral Medicine at the author’s Hospital between 2015 and 2020. The pulpotomies were carried out by clinicians with > 5 years of working experience. The follow-up findings and radiographic images were reviewed by two attending dentists. This study included 49 teeth from 48 children (25 boys and 23 girls). The follow-up was 23.3 ± 6.8 months (from 12 to 40 months). The success rate of pulpotomy was 85.7% (42/49). Pulpotomy failed in seven teeth (14.3%). The treatment success rate for traumatic crown fracture was lower than for dental caries and dens evaginatus (P 0.05). Pulpotomy might be successfully used to treat immature permanent teeth with irreversible pulpitis in young patients mainly caused by caries and a fractured tubercle of dens evaginatus.

Abstract Background This study aimed to determine the factors that contribute to the failure of bowel preparation in patients undergoing colonoscopy and to develop a risk prediction model. Methods A total of 1115 outpatients were included. Patients were randomly divided into two groups: the modeling group (669 patients) and the validation group (446 patients). In the modeling group, patients were further divided into two groups based on their success and failure in bowel preparation using the Boston Bowel Preparation Scale. A logistic regression analysis model was used to determine the risk factors of bowel preparation failure, which was subsequently visualized using an alignment diagram. Results After controlling for relevant confounders, multifactorial logistic regression results showed that age ≥ 60 years (OR = 2.246), male (OR = 2.449), body mass index ≥ 24 (OR = 2.311), smoking (OR = 2.467), chronic constipation (OR = 5.199), diabetes mellitus (OR = 5.396) and history of colorectal surgery (OR = 5.170) were influencing factors of bowel preparation failure. The area under the ROC curve was 0.732 in the modeling group and 0.713 in the validation group. According to the calibration plot, the predictive effect of the model and the actual results were in good agreement. Conclusions Age ≥ 60 years, male, body mass index ≥ 24, smoking, chronic constipation, diabetes mellitus, and history of colorectal surgery are independent risk factors for bowel preparation failure. The established prediction model has a good predictive efficacy and can be used as a simple and effective tool for screening patients at high risk for bowel preparation failure.

Ore production is usually affected by multiple influencing inputs at open-pit mines. Nevertheless, the complex nonlinear relationships between these inputs and ore production remain unclear. This becomes even more challenging when training data (e.g. truck haulage information and weather conditions) are massive. In machine learning (ML) algorithms, deep neural network (DNN) is a superior method for processing nonlinear and massive data by adjusting the amount of neurons and hidden layers. This study adopted DNN to forecast ore production using truck haulage information and weather conditions at open-pit mines as training data. Before the prediction models were built, principal component analysis (PCA) was employed to reduce the data dimensionality and eliminate the multicollinearity among highly correlated input variables. To verify the superiority of DNN, three ANNs containing only one hidden layer and six traditional ML models were established as benchmark models. The DNN model with multiple hidden layers performed better than the ANN models with a single hidden layer. The DNN model outperformed the extensively applied benchmark models in predicting ore production. This can provide engineers and researchers with an accurate method to forecast ore production, which helps make sound budgetary decisions and mine planning at open-pit mines.

The recombinant rice was prepared by twin-screw extrusion with broken japonica rice flour as raw material and a certain amount of resistant japonica rice starch. The study investigated the effects of die temperature, moisture content and screw speed on the quality of the recombinant rice. On the basis of single factor, the extrusion process conditions were optimized by response surface methodology. The pasting, rheological, cooking, and digestive properties of the recombinant rice were subsequently determined. The findings indicated that a composite score of 70.7±0.5 of recombinant rice was achieved at a die temperature of 100 ℃, moisture content of 28%, and screw speed of 96 r/min. The pasting properties indexes of recombinant rice were less than commercially available japonica rice, but slightly higher than blank recombinant rice, considering viscosity, retention value, and pasting temperature. The G' and G" of the recombinant rice were lower than those of commercially available japonica rice but slightly higher than those of the blank recombinant rice. Recombinant rice had higher water absorption, volume expansion, and cooking loss than blank recombinant rice and commercially available japonica rice. The recombinant rice had higher SDS and RS contents and lower RDS contents compared to the blank recombinant rice and commercially available japonica rice, which were respectively 51.62%, 9.37%, and 39.01%. The study results may serve as an experimental foundation for the creation of low-digestible recombinant rice products.

Abstract Background Environmental factors play an important role in developing mental disorders. This study aimed to investigate the associations of metal and nonmetal elements in drinking water with the risk of depression and anxiety and to assess whether diets modulate these associations. Methods We conducted a prospective cohort study including 24,285 participants free from depression and anxiety from the Yinzhou Cohort study in the 2016–2021 period. The exposures were measured by multiplying metal and nonmetal element concentrations in local pipeline terminal tap water samples and total daily drinking water intakes. Cox regression models adjusted for multi-level covariates were used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs). Results During an average follow-up period of 4.72 and 4.68 years, 773 and 1334 cases of depression and anxiety were identified, respectively. A 1 standard deviation (SD) increase in manganese exposure reduced the incidence of depression by 8% (HR 0.92, 95%CI 0.88 to 0.97). In contrast, with a 1 SD increase in copper and cadmium exposure, the incidence of depression increased by 6% (HR 1.06, 95%CI 1.01 to 1.11) and 8% (HR 1.08, 95%CI 1.00 to 1.17), respectively. The incidence of anxiety increased by 39% (HR 1.39, 95%CI 1.20 to 1.62), 33% (HR 1.33, 95%CI 1.03 to 1.71), and 14% (HR 1.14, 95%CI 1.03 to 1.25) respectively for a 1 SD increase in manganese, iron, and selenium exposure. Diets have a moderating effect on the associations of metal and nonmetal elements with the risk of anxiety. Stronger associations were observed in older, low-income groups and low-education groups. Conclusions We found significant associations between exposure to metal and nonmetal elements and depression and anxiety. Diets regulated the associations to some extent.

Abstract Background Emerging evidences suggest that aberrant metabolites contributes to the immunosuppressive microenvironment that leads to cancer immune evasion. Among tumor immunosuppressive cells, myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are pathologically activated and extremely immunosuppressive, which are closely associated with poor clinical outcomes of cancer patients. However, the correlation between MDSCs mediated immunosuppression and particular cancer metabolism remained elusive. Methods Spontaneous lung adenocarcinoma and subcutaneous mouse tumor models, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and immunofluorescence assay of patient-derived lung adenocarcinoma tissues, and flow cytometry, RNA sequencing and Western blotting of immune cells, were utilized. Results Metabolite profiling revealed a significant accumulation of acetic acids in tumor tissues from both patients and mouse model, which contribute to immune suppression and cancer progression significantly through free fatty acid receptor 2 (FFAR2). Furthermore, FFAR2 is highly expressed in the myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) from the tumor of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) patients which is greatly associated with poor prognosis. Surprisingly, whole or myeloid Ffar2 gene deletion markedly inhibited urethane-induced lung carcinogenesis and syngeneic tumor growth with reduced MDSCs and increased CD8+ T cell infiltration. Mechanistically, FFAR2 deficiency in MDSCs significantly reduced the expression of Arg1 through Gαq/Calcium/PPAR-γ axis, which eliminated T cell dysfunction through relieving L-Arginine consumption in tumor microenvironment. Therefore, replenishment of L-Arginine or inhibition to PPAR-γ restored acetic acids/FFAR2 mediated suppression to T cells significantly. Finally, FFAR2 inhibition overcame resistance to immune checkpoint blockade through enhancing the recruitment and cytotoxicity of tumor-infiltrating T cells. Conclusion Altogether, our results demonstrate that the acetic acids/FFAR2 axis enhances MDSCs mediated immunosuppression through Gαq/calcium/PPAR-γ/Arg1 signaling pathway, thus contributing to cancer progression. Therefore, FFAR2 may serve as a potential new target to eliminate pathologically activated MDSCs and reverse immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, which has great potential in improving clinical outcomes of cancer immunotherapy.

Abstract Objective This study aims to translate the Pectus Excavatum Evaluation Questionnaire(PEEQ) into Chinese, and to comprehensively assess subjective outcomes in quality of life of children with pectus excavatum. Methods The PEEQ was translated from English to Chinese as according to the PRO translation guidelines. Structural validity and reliability of the questionnaire were examined by validated factor analysis and Cronbach’s alpha coefficient analysis respectively. Results The results of the validation factor analysis for the Chinese PEEQ parent’s and child’s questionnaires demonstrated that the fit indicators for each dimension met the required criteria. The overall Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of parent’s and child’s questionnaires were 0.840 and 0.854. Both the item-level content validity index (I-CVI) and scale-level content validity index (S-CVI) of each sub-questionnaire were 1. Conclusion The Chinese version of the PEEQ parent’s questionnaire is suitable as a proxy assessment for patients with PE, but the child’s questionnaire needs further adjustments.

In eukaryotes, histone acetylation and deacetylation play an important role in the regulation of gene expression. Histone acetylation levels are reversibly regulated by histone acetyltransferases (HATs) and histone deacetylases (HDACs). Increasing evidence highlights histone acetylation plays essential roles in the regulation of gene expression in plant response to environmental stress. In this review, we discussed the recent advance of histone acetylation in the regulation of abiotic stress responses including temperature, light, salt and drought stress. This information will contribute to our understanding of how plants adapt to environmental changes. As the mechanisms of epigenetic regulation are conserved in many plants, research in this field has potential applications in improvement of agricultural productivity.

Di-(2-ethylhexyl)-phthalate (DEHP), as distinctive endocrine disrupting chemicals, has become a global environmental pollutant harmful to human and animal health. However, the impacts on offspring and mothers with maternal DEHP exposure are largely unknown and the mechanism remains elusive. We established DEHP-exposed maternal mice to investigate the impacts on mother and offspring and illustrate the mechanism from multiple perspectives. Pregnant mice were administered with different doses of DEHP, respectively. Metagenomic sequencing used fecal and transcriptome sequencing using placentas and livers from offspring have been performed, respectively. The results of the histopathology perspective demonstrated that DEHP exposure could disrupt the function of islets impact placentas and fetus development for maternal mice, and cause the disorder of glucose and lipid metabolism for immature offspring mice, resulting in hyperglycemia. The results of the metagenome of gut microbial communities indicated that the dysbiosis of gut microbiota in mother and offspring mice and the dominant phyla transformed through vertical transmission. Transcriptome analysis found DEHP exposure induced mutations of Ahcy and Gstp3, which can damage liver cells and affect the metabolism of the host. DEHP exposure harms pregnant mice and offspring by affecting gene expression and altering metabolism. Our results suggested that exposure of pregnant mice to DEHP during pregnancy and lactation increased the risk of metabolic disorders by altering key genes in liver and gut microbiota, and these results provided new insights into the potential long-term harms of DEHP.

Currently, solid waste accumulates significantly, including red mud (RM) and fly ash (FA). Meanwhile, traditional cement-based curing agents pose challenges due to their high energy consumption and substantial pollution during the remediation of heavy metal-contaminated soil. In light of the need for resource utilization of solid waste and demands for energy conservation and emission reduction, this study investigates the stabilization/solidification of Cu2+-contaminated loess using a novel curing agent. This agent comprises low-energy, environmentally friendly high-belite sulfoaluminate cement (HBSAC) and quicklime (CaO) mixed with RM and FA. The study evaluates the samples across various metrics, including mechanical properties, permeability, pH, conductivity, leached ion concentration, and microstructure, to systematically investigate the curing effect and mechanism of the new curing agent on contaminated soil. It conducts an assessment related to the economics and carbon emissions of the solidified body. The results show that the optimal ratio for the curing agent consists of RM and FA, CaO, and HBSAC at 20%, 5%, and 7%, respectively, with a water-to-solid ratio of 0.38 and a mass ratio of RM to FA at 13:2. This new curing agent not only possesses superior properties but also offers excellent economic benefits and reduces carbon emissions. It holds significant potential for applications in the remediation of Cu2+-contaminated soils.

The growing recognition of mulberries as a potent source of bioactive and nutritional compounds, coupled with their increasing global consumption, underscores the need for efficient off-season cultivation. This study explores the influence of both in-season and off-season cultivation on the yield, bioactive components, and antioxidant activity of ‘Taiwan Changguosang’ (Morus laevigata Wall.) in a greenhouse setting. Despite the lower fruit yield during the off-season, the off-season fruit exhibits higher levels of bioactive compounds, including total anthocyanins, polyphenols, and flavonoids compared to its in-season counterpart. Additionally, the off-season fruit demonstrates enhanced DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging and FRAP (ferric-reducing antioxidant power), attributed to climatic conditions during fruit development, particularly air temperature and solar radiation. Moreover, the off-season fruit proves to be more palatable, showcasing a favorable balance between sugar and acid. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and correlation analysis revealed a close association between antioxidant activity and the chemical contents of total polyphenols and flavonoids. This study underscores the feasibility and benefits of off-season cultivation for enhancing the nutritional profile and antioxidant potential of mulberries, providing valuable insights for optimizing cultivation practices.

Abstract Introduction Triptolide (TP), a natural product derived from the herbal medicine Tripterygium wilfordii, exhibits potent immunosuppressive activity. However, the mechanisms underlying its effects in rheumatoid arthritis remain incompletely understood. Methods Collagen‐induced arthritis (CIA) model was induced in Sprague−Dawley rats by immunization with bovine type II collagen, and TP was administrated as treatment. The therapeutic effect of TP was evaluated based on paw swelling, histopathology, and serum levels of inflammatory factors. Exosomes isolated from rat serum were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, and western blot analysis. Proteomic profiling of exosomes was analyzed by direct DIA quantitative proteomics analysis. Gene ontology and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes databases were employed for enrichment analysis related to molecular function, biological processes, and signaling pathways. Western blot analysis was used to analyze differentially expressed proteins. Results TP treatment ameliorated arthritic phenotypes in CIA rats as evidenced by reduced arthritis score, paw swelling, pathological injury severity scores, and serum levels of inflammatory cytokines. The proteomic analysis revealed that TP treatment significantly inhibited complement and coagulation cascades, interleukin‐17 signaling pathway, and cholesterol metabolism, which were reactivated in CIA rats. Importantly, lipocalin 2 (LCN2) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) levels were markedly upregulated in the CIA group but suppressed upon TP administration. Furthermore, in synovial tissues, LCN2 and MPO expression levels were also elevated in the CIA group but decreased following TP treatment. Conclusion Our findings demonstrate that TP alleviates CIA, possibly through modulation of exosomal LCN2 and MPO proteins.

IntroductionRescuing individuals at sea is a pressing global public health issue, garnering substantial attention from emergency medicine researchers with a focus on improving prevention and control strategies. This study aims to develop a Dynamic Bayesian Networks (DBN) model utilizing maritime emergency incident data and compare its forecasting accuracy to Auto-regressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) and Seasonal Auto-regressive Integrated Moving Average (SARIMA) models.MethodsIn this research, we analyzed the count of cases managed by five hospitals in Hainan Province from January 2016 to December 2020 in the context of maritime emergency care. We employed diverse approaches to construct and calibrate ARIMA, SARIMA, and DBN models. These models were subsequently utilized to forecast the number of emergency responders from January 2021 to December 2021. The study indicated that the ARIMA, SARIMA, and DBN models effectively modeled and forecasted Maritime Emergency Medical Service (EMS) patient data, accounting for seasonal variations. The predictive accuracy was evaluated using Mean Absolute Error (MAE), Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE), and Coefficient of Determination (R2) as performance metrics.ResultsIn this study, the ARIMA, SARIMA, and DBN models reported RMSE of 5.75, 4.43, and 5.45; MAE of 4.13, 2.81, and 3.85; and R2 values of 0.21, 0.54, and 0.44, respectively. MAE and RMSE assess the level of difference between the actual and predicted values. A smaller value indicates a more accurate model prediction. R2 can compare the performance of models across different aspects, with a range of values from 0 to 1. A value closer to 1 signifies better model quality. As errors increase, R2 moves further from the maximum value. The SARIMA model outperformed the others, demonstrating the lowest RMSE and MAE, alongside the highest R2, during both modeling and forecasting. Analysis of predicted values and fitting plots reveals that, in most instances, SARIMA’s predictions closely align with the actual number of rescues. Thus, SARIMA is superior in both fitting and forecasting, followed by the DBN model, with ARIMA showing the least accurate predictions.DiscussionWhile the DBN model adeptly captures variable correlations, the SARIMA model excels in forecasting maritime emergency cases. By comparing these models, we glean valuable insights into maritime emergency trends, facilitating the development of effective prevention and control strategies.

Two-dimensional metal chalcogenides have garnered significant attention as promising candidates for novel neuromorphic synaptic devices due to their exceptional structural and optoelectronic properties. However, achieving large-scale integration and practical applications of synaptic chips has proven to be challenging due to significant hurdles in materials preparation and the absence of effective nanofabrication techniques. In a recent breakthrough, we introduced a revolutionary allopatric defect-modulated Fe7S8@MoS2 synaptic heterostructure, which demonstrated remarkable optoelectronic synaptic response capabilities. Building upon this achievement, our current study takes a step further by presenting a sulfurization-seeding synergetic growth strategy, enabling the large-scale and arrayed preparation of Fe7S8@MoS2 heterostructures. Moreover, a three-dimensional vertical integration technique was developed for the fabrication of arrayed optoelectronic synaptic chips. Notably, we have successfully simulated the visual persistence function of the human eye with the adoption of the arrayed chip. Our synaptic devices exhibit a remarkable ability to replicate the preprocessing functions of the human visual system, resulting in significantly improved noise reduction and image recognition efficiency. This study might mark an important milestone in advancing the field of optoelectronic synaptic devices, which significantly prompts the development of mature integrated visual perception chips.

The purpose of the present work was to encapsulate zingerone (a bioactive compound from ginger) by self-assembling peptides derived from fish viscera. The encapsulation conditions were investigated and the structure of fish peptides-zingerone complex was characterized. The interaction between zingerone and fish peptides was investigated using fluorescence spectroscopy. Further research was performed on the in vitro release of zingerone and fish peptide-zingerone as well as their antiproliferative effects on colon epithelial Caco-2 cells. The results demonstrated that zingerone can be successfully encapsulated by self-assembling peptides derived from fish viscera with high encapsulation efficiency and loading capacity. Furthermore, transmission electron microscope and confocal laser scanning microscope observations revealed the successful encapsulation of zingerone by fish viscera peptides. In addition, in vitro release and antiproliferative activity against Caco-2 cells can be significantly increased by encapsulating zingerone via peptide self-assembly. The current study advances knowledge of encapsulation of bioactive compounds through peptide self-assembly.

Abstract Effective presentation of antigens by dendritic cells (DC) is essential for achieving a robust cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) response, in which cDC1 is the key DC subtype for high‐performance activation of CTLs. However, low cDC1 proportion, complex process, and high cost severely hindered cDC1 generation and application. Herein, the study proposes an in situ cDC1 recruitment and activation strategy with simultaneous inhibiting cancer stemness for inducing robust CTL responses and enhancing the anti‐tumor effect. Fms‐like tyrosine kinase 3 ligand (FLT3L), Poly I:C, and Nap‐CUM (NCUM), playing the role of cDC1 recruitment, cDC1 activation, inducing antigen release and decreasing tumor cell stemness, respectively, are co‐encapsulated in an in situ hydrogel vaccine (FP/NCUM‐Gel). FP/NCUM‐Gel is gelated in situ after intra‐tumoral injection. With the near‐infrared irradiation, tumor cell immunogenic cell death occurred, tumor antigens and immunogenic signals are released in situ. cDC1 is recruited to tumor tissue and activated for antigen cross‐presentation, followed by migrating to lymph nodes and activating CTLs. Furthermore, tumor cell stemness are inhibited by napabucasin, which can help CTLs to achieve comprehensive tumor killing. Collectively, the proposed strategy of cDC1 in situ recruitment and activation combined with stemness inhibition provides great immune response and anti‐tumor potential, providing new ideas for clinical tumor vaccine design.

Affect plays a pivotal role in fostering creative performance, and there is increasing recognition that different levels and types of affect may exert distinct impacts on creative performance. Drawing upon self-determination theory, this study aims to explore a novel classification of affect—affect under need satisfaction and need thwarting—and examine its relationship with creative performance. Study 1 involved 75 participants to investigate the content of affect under need satisfaction and need thwarting. Study 2 explores the relationship between affect and creative performance using a sample of 115 employees from Beijing. The findings unveiled nine types of affect under need satisfaction (e.g., moderate levels of excited) and eleven types of affect under need thwarting (e.g., low levels of afraid). Positive associations were observed between affect under need satisfaction and creativity, while negative associations were found between affect under need thwarting and creativity. Empirical evidence corroborating the significant role of the new classification of affect in enhancing employee creativity within the context of Chinese academia and researchers is presented.

Purpose: – This research conducted a thorough literature review to analyze current research on Employee Green Behavior (EGB) and its contexts. It identified key areas of emphasis in EGB and provided a precise roadmap for future research. Design/methodology/approach: The research on employee green behavior will be visually represented using bibliometric analysis. Additionally, we provided a comprehensive overview of the correlation between relevant theories and determinants of employee green behavior. We also offered specific suggestions for future research to deepen consumer researchers' understanding of this concept. Findings: A bibliometric analysis was conducted on 275 journal articles regarding employee green behavior sourced from the Web of Science database spanning 2012 to 2023. The study revealed an increasing focus on employee green behavior research across diverse fields such as management, economics, psychology, sociology, and law. China, the United States, and Italy emerged as the top three countries both in publication volume and literature centrality. The academic literature primarily centers on investigating antecedent variables of green employee behavior, broadly categorized into corporate social responsibility, organizational support, green human resource management, transformational and ethical leadership, organizational commitment, job satisfaction, responsible leadership, intentions, values, organizational identification, and organizational climate. To comprehensively analyze prior studies, content analysis was performed, outlining and scrutinizing four empirical areas including antecedents, mediators, moderators, and outcomes of employee green behavior. While research on antecedents and influencing mechanisms of green loyalty was prevalent among the influencing variables, boundary conditions such as moderators received relatively less attention. Originality/value: This comprehensive literature review offers a clear understanding of the conceptual content, organization, and assessment of employee green behavior. Furthermore, it includes a bibliometric analysis of 275 papers on employee green behavior published between 2012 and 2023 in the Web of Science database. The text analysis reveals insights into the theoretical foundation, antecedent and outcome variables, and processes of employee green behavior, providing valuable guidance for future research.

IntroductionHigher alcohols are volatile compounds produced during alcoholic fermentation that affect the quality and safety of the final product. This study used a correlation analysis of transcriptomics and metabolomics to study the impact of the initial addition of SO2 (30, 60, and 90 mg/L) on the synthesis of higher alcohols in Saccharomyces cerevisiae EC1118a and to identify key genes and metabolic pathways involved in their metabolism.MethodsTranscriptomics and metabolomics correlation analyses were performed and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differential metabolites were identified. Single-gene knockouts for targeting genes of important pathways were generated to study the roles of key genes involved in the regulation of higher alcohol production.ResultsWe found that, as the SO2 concentration increased, the production of total higher alcohols showed an overall trend of first increasing and then decreasing. Multi-omics correlation analysis revealed that the addition of SO2 affected carbon metabolism (ko01200), pyruvate metabolism (ko00620), glycolysis/gluconeogenesis (ko00010), the pentose phosphate pathway (ko00030), and other metabolic pathways, thereby changing the precursor substances. The availability of SO2 indirectly affects the formation of higher alcohols. In addition, excessive SO2 affected the growth of the strain, leading to the emergence of a lag phase. We screened the ten most likely genes and constructed recombinant strains to evaluate the impact of each gene on the formation of higher alcohols. The results showed that ADH4, SER33, and GDH2 are important genes of alcohol metabolism in S. cerevisiae. The isoamyl alcohol content of the EC1118a-ADH4 strain decreased by 21.003%; The isobutanol content of the EC1118a-SER33 strain was reduced by 71.346%; and the 2-phenylethanol content of EC1118a-GDH2 strain was reduced by 25.198%.ConclusionThis study lays a theoretical foundation for investigating the mechanism of initial addition of SO2 in the synthesis of higher alcohols in S. cerevisiae, uncovering DEGs and key metabolic pathways related to the synthesis of higher alcohols, and provides guidance for regulating these mechanisms.

The traditional reserve planning method implicitly includes inertia in the frequency response reserve without realizing separate and accurate planning for inertia reserve, and cannot consider the risk preference of the decision maker, which leads to the homogenization of small probability extreme events. This paper refines the reserve classification system, adds inertia reserve for the first time, and proposes an inertia reserve capacity planning method considering the risk preference of decision makers. Based on the Sequential Monte Carlo method, component state models for conventional units, wind turbines, and photovoltaic units are established, and system load shedding sets are obtained through probabilistic production simulation. Based on the inertia response characteristics, the system frequency response model with multiple types of source-storage-load regulation resources is established to track the system frequency trajectory after disturbance. The minimum inertia demand is determined based on Rate of Change of Frequency (RoCoF) constraints, and then an inertia mismatch penalty model is constructed to measure the loss caused by RoCoF exceeding limits. The total cost-benefit model of inertia reserve considering risk preferences is then established, and the feasibility of the planning scheme is verified. Based on the improved IEEE RTS79 case studies, it is demonstrated that the proposed inertia reserve capacity planning method can flexibly formulate the optimal planning scheme under different risk ranges according to the decision maker’s risk preferences and the grid’s risk tolerance capability, avoiding the extreme events to be submerged in the massive and frequent occurrence of ordinary events, and effectively improving the risk response capability of the power system to extreme events, thus providing a more targeted decision basis for system planning, scheduling, and operation control.

Abstract Background Umbilical cord blood-derived therapeutics, such as serum (UCS) and platelet-rich plasma (UCPRP), are popular treatment options in clinical trials and can potentially be utilized to address a clinically unmet need caused by preservatives, specifically benzalkonium chloride (BAK), present in ophthalmic formulations. As current clinical interventions for secondary injuries caused by BAK are suboptimal, this study will explore the feasibility of utilizing UCS and UCPRP for cornea treatment and investigate the underlying mechanisms associated with this approach. Methods Mice’s corneas were administered BAK to induce damage. UCS and UCPRP were then utilized to attempt to treat the injuries. Ocular tests were performed on the animals to evaluate recovery, while immunostaining, RNA-seq, and subsequent bioinformatics analysis were conducted to investigate the treatment mechanism. Results BAK administration led to widespread inflammatory responses in the cornea. Subsequent treatment with UCS and UCPRP led to the downregulation of immune-related ‘interactions between cytokine receptors’ and ‘IL-17 signaling’ pathways. Although axonal enhancers such as Ngf, Rac2, Robo2, Srgap1, and Rock2 were found to be present in the injured group, robust axonal regeneration was observed only in the UCS and UCPRP treatment groups. Further analysis revealed that, as compared to normal corneas, inflammation was not restored to pre-injury levels post-treatment. Importantly, Neuropeptide Y (Npy) was also involved in regulating immune responses, indicating neuroimmune axis interactions. Conclusions Cord blood-derived therapeutics are feasible options for overcoming the sustained injuries induced by BAK in the cornea. They also have potential applications in areas where axonal regeneration is required.

Abstract Objectives This study aims to decrease the scan time and enhance image quality in pediatric total-body PET imaging by utilizing multimodal artificial intelligence techniques. Methods A total of 270 pediatric patients who underwent total-body PET/CT scans with a uEXPLORER at the Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center were retrospectively enrolled. 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) was administered at a dose of 3.7 MBq/kg with an acquisition time of 600 s. Short-term scan PET images (acquired within 6, 15, 30, 60 and 150 s) were obtained by truncating the list-mode data. A three-dimensional (3D) neural network was developed with a residual network as the basic structure, fusing low-dose CT images as prior information, which were fed to the network at different scales. The short-term PET images and low-dose CT images were processed by the multimodal 3D network to generate full-length, high-dose PET images. The nonlocal means method and the same 3D network without the fused CT information were used as reference methods. The performance of the network model was evaluated by quantitative and qualitative analyses. Results Multimodal artificial intelligence techniques can significantly improve PET image quality. When fused with prior CT information, the anatomical information of the images was enhanced, and 60 s of scan data produced images of quality comparable to that of the full-time data. Conclusion Multimodal artificial intelligence techniques can effectively improve the quality of pediatric total-body PET/CT images acquired using ultrashort scan times. This has the potential to decrease the use of sedation, enhance guardian confidence, and reduce the probability of motion artifacts.

Classification algorithms are one of the important research topics in the artificial intelligence, widely applied in various scientific and engineering fields. Extreme learning machine is a single hidden layer feed-forward neural network algorithm. Compared with traditional neural network models, the training speed and the generalization ability are also better. In terms of methodology, this study first innovatively improves the traditional Grey Wolf Optimization (GWO) algorithm to enhance its convergence and search ability. Specific improvement measures include implementing the reverse learning strategy to reduce the initial dependence of the algorithm on population distribution, and adding exploration perception strategy to enhance its global search ability by calculating heuristic factors, so as to identify the global optimal solution more effectively. The results showed that the improved W-DH-ELM model had excellent performance on multiple standard data sets. In particular, the average accuracy was more than 90%, which was significantly higher than other benchmark classification models. In terms of operation efficiency, the running time of the new model on different data sets was significantly reduced, accounting for less than 25%, and the lowest running time was only 4.89%. These experimental results verify the effectiveness of the introduced intelligent optimization algorithm in improving the performance of traditional ELM model without changing the original model structure. The improved W-DH-ELM model not only maintains the fast training performance of ELM, but also has higher accuracy and stability, which shows its superiority in dealing with complex classification tasks. In summary, the weighted two-hidden layer extreme learning machine optimized by the improved GWO proposed in this study has significant advantages in classification problems, providing a new perspective for future machine learning applications and research.

Abstract Few existing reports have investigated the copy number variants (CNVs) in fetuses with central nervous system (CNS) anomalies. To gain further insights into the genotype–phenotype relationship, we conducted chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) to reveal the pathogenic CNVs (pCNVs) that were associated with fetal CNS anomalies. We enrolled 5,460 pregnant women with different high-risk factors who had undergone CMA. Among them, 57 subjects with fetal CNS anomalies were recruited. Of the subjects with fetal CNS anomalies, 23 were given amniocentesis, which involved karyotype analysis and CMA to detect chromosomal abnormalities. The other 34 cases only underwent CMA detection using fetal abortive tissue. In this study, we identified five cases of chromosome aneuploid and nine cases of pCNVs in the fetuses, with a chromosomal aberration detection rate of 24.56% (14/57). In the 23 cases that were given both karyotype and CMA analysis, one case with trisomy 18 was detected by karyotyping. Moreover, CMA revealed a further three cases of pCNVs, including the 1p36.33p36.31, 7q11.23, and 1q21.1q21.2 microdeletions, with a 13.04% (3/23) increase in CMA yield over the karyotype analysis. Additionally, three cases of trisomy 13, one case of trisomy 21, and six cases of pCNVs were detected in the other 34 fetuses where only CMA was performed. Furthermore, a higher chromosomal aberration detection rate was observed in the extra CNS anomaly group than in the isolated CNS anomaly group (40.91% vs 14.29%). In conclude, several pathogenic CNVs were identified in the fetuses with CNS anomalies using CMA. Among the detected CNVs, ZIC2, GNB1, and NSUN5 may be the candidate genes that responsible for fetal CNS anomalies. Our findings provides an additional reference for genetic counseling regarding fetal CNS anomalies and offers further insight into the genotype–phenotype relationship.

Abstract Previously we isolated three Fusarium strains (a F. sacchari strain namely GXUF-1, and another two F. commune strains namely GXUF-2 and GXUF-3), and we verified that GXUF-3 was able to cause sugarcane root rot to the chewing cane cultivar Badila. Considering that Fusarium spp. are a group of widely distributed fungal pathogens, we tested whether these three Fusarium isolates were able to cause root rot to Badila as well as sugar-making cane cultivar (Guitang42), using a suitable inoculation method established based on infection assays using Badila. We found that the three Fusarium strains were able to cause root rot symptoms to both Badila and Guitang42, to different extents. To better investigate the potential pathogenicity mechanisms, we performed Illumina high-throughput sequencing and analyzed the whole genomic sequence data of these three Fusarium strains. The results reveal that the assembly sizes of the three Fusarium strains were in a range of 44.7–48.2 Mb, with G + C contents of 48.0–48.5%, and 14,154–15,175 coding genes. The coding genes were annotated by multiple public databases, and potential pathogenic genes were predicted using proprietary databases (such as PHI, DFVF, CAZy, etc.). Furthermore, based on evolutionary analysis of the coding sequence, we found that contraction and expansion of gene families occurred in the three Fusarium strains. Overall, our results suggest a potential risk that the root rot disease may occur to the sugar-making canes although it was initially spotted from fruit cane, and provide clues to understand the pathogenic mechanisms of Fusarium spp. causing sugarcane root rot.

Abstract Background and aims Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) is considered a new biomarker for atherosclerosis, but its ability to predict cardiovascular outcomes has been controversial. This study aimed to address the lack of data on PCSK9, coronary heart disease (CHD) severity, and major cardiovascular events (MACEs) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods A total of 2984 T2DM patients underwent selective coronary angiography, and their serum PCSK9 levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Correlation and logistic regression analyses were performed to investigate the association between PCSK9 expression and CHD severity. This study used Cox regression analysis to assess the association between circulating PCSK9 levels and the risk of MACEs. Results Circulating PCSK9 levels were significantly higher in the CHD group than in the non-CHD group [554.62 (265.11) ng/mL vs. 496.86 (129.05) ng/mL, p

Abstract Background Mitochondrial dysfunction and lung cellular senescence are significant features involved in the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Cigarette smoke (CS) stands as the primary contributing factor to COPD. This study examined mitochondrial dynamics, mitophagy and lung cellular senescence in COPD patients and investigated the effects of modulation of mitochondrial fusion [mitofusin2 (MFN2) and Optic atrophy 1 (OPA1)] on CS extract (CSE)-induced lung cellular senescence. Methods Senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) component mRNAs (IL-1β, IL-6, CXCL1 and CXCL8), mitochondrial morphology, mitophagy and mitochondria-related proteins (including phosphorylated-DRP1(p-DRP1), DRP1, MFF, MNF2, OPA1, PINK1, PARK2, SQSTM1/p62 and LC3b) and senescence-related proteins (including P16, H2A.X and Klotho) were measured in lung tissues or primary alveolar type II (ATII) cells of non-smokers, smokers and COPD patients. Alveolar epithelial (A549) cells were exposed to CSE with either pharmacologic inducer (leflunomide and BGP15) or genetic induction of MFN2 and OPA1 respectively. Results There were increases in mitochondrial number, and decreases in mitochondrial size and activity in lung tissues from COPD patients. SASP-related mRNAs, DRP1 phosphorylation, DRP1, MFF, PARK2, SQSTM1/p62, LC3B II/LC3B I, P16 and H2A.X protein levels were increased, while MFN2, OPA1, PINK1 and Klotho protein levels were decreased in lung tissues from COPD patients. Some similar results were identified in primary ATII cells of COPD patients. CSE induced increases in oxidative stress, SASP-related mRNAs, mitochondrial damage and dysfunction, mitophagy and cellular senescence in A549 cells, which were ameliorated by both pharmacological inducers and genetic overexpression of MFN2 and OPA1. Conclusions Impaired mitochondrial fusion, enhanced mitophagy and lung cellular senescence are observed in the lung of COPD patients. Up-regulation of MFN2 and OPA1 attenuates oxidative stress, mitophagy and lung cellular senescence, offering potential innovative therapeutic targets for COPD therapy. Graphical Abstract

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are extensively utilized in industrial, biotechnological and medical fields because of their specific physical and chemical properties, which shown small size effects, surface and interface effects, quantum scale effects. Inevitably, wastewater containing AgNPs is leached into the soil. AgNPs in soil may be absorbed by plant roots and they affect plant growth. Understanding the complex interactions between AgNPs and plants is of crucial significance since plants are essential to the ecological environment as key players in ecosystems. Most previous reports have focused on AgNP phytotoxicity rather than positive effects in the plant field. This article reviews recent studies on the important aspects about nanoparticles including the green synthesis, absorption, migration, accumulation, biotransformation, biological effects, and the underlying molecular mechanisms of AgNPs affecting plants. We provide insights into the interactions between AgNPs and plants, helping to further understand AgNP-related effects and biosafety in agricultural production, as well as the practical application of various nanomaterials in agriculture.

Abstract Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a novel therapy that combines photosensitizers, light, and oxygen molecules to treat diseases such as joint lesions and microbial infections through photodynamic reactions. The photosensitizers are activated under specific wavelengths of laser radiation to generate reactive oxygen species, which alter the microenvironment of the diseased tissue, cause ischemia and target cell death, and thus effectively treat cancer. Now that there is growing evidence that nonlethal doses of PDT reduce inflammation and treat infections in multiple animal models of arthritis, PDT should be considered as a new option for the treatment of arthritis. This article presents a literature review of published original articles and review articles concerning photodynamic therapy and arthritis. We conducted a comprehensive literature search in PubMed, Web of Science and Google Scholar databases, excluding duplicated and irrelevant studies. In cases of duplicated research, we selected articles with higher impact factors for the review. In this review, we summarize the application and progress of PDT in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and infectious arthritis, and clarify the advantages and limitations of PDT for arthritis. PDT offers therapeutic value for patients with inflammatory and infectious arthritis through promoting vascular occlusion, cell death, and antibacterial therapy.

Abstract Online portfolio optimization with transaction costs is a big challenge in large-scale intelligent computing community, since its undersample from rapidly-changing market and complexity from varying transaction costs. In this paper, we focus on this problem and solve it by machine learning system. Specifically, we reformulate the optimization problem with the minimization over simplex containing three items, which are negative expected return, the elastic net regularization of transaction costs controlled term and portfolio variable, respectively. We propose to apply linearized augmented Lagrangian method (LALM) and the alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) to solve the optimization model in a higher efficiency, meanwhile theoretically guarantee their convergence and deduce closed-form solutions of their subproblems in each iteration. Furthermore, we conduct extensive experiments on five benchmark datasets from real market to demonstrate that the proposed algorithms outperform compared state-of-the-art strategies in most cases in six dimensions.

Abstract Purpose To report the planning benchmark case results of the POTENTIAL trial—a multicenter, randomized, phase 3 trial—to evaluate the value of internal mammary nodal (IMN) irradiation for patients with high-risk breast cancer. Methods All participating institutions were provided the outlines of one benchmark case, and they generated radiation therapy plans per protocol. The plans were evaluated by a quality assurance team, after which the institutions resubmitted their revised plans. The information on beams arrangement, skin flash, inhomogeneity corrections, and protocol compliance was assessed in the first and final submission. Results The plans from 26 institutions were analyzed. Some major deviations were found in the first submission. The protocol compliance rates of dose coverage for the planning target volume of chest wall, supraclavicular fossa plus axilla, and IMN region (PTVim) were all significantly improved in the final submission, which were 96.2% vs. 69.2%, 100% vs. 76.9%, and 88.4% vs. 53.8%, respectively. For OARs, the compliance rates of heart Dmean, left anterior descending coronary artery V40Gy, ipsilateral lung V5Gy, and stomach V5Gy were significantly improved. In the first and final submission, the mean values of PTVim V100% were 79.9% vs. 92.7%; the mean values of heart Dmean were 11.5 Gy vs. 9.7 Gy for hypofractionated radiation therapy and 11.5 Gy vs. 11.0 Gy for conventional fractionated radiation therapy, respectively. Conclusion The major deviations were corrected and protocol compliance was significantly improved after revision, which highlighted the importance of planning benchmark case to guarantee the planning quality for multicenter trials.