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Abstract Despite the critical role of mRNA stability in post-transcriptional gene regulation, research on this topic in wheat, a vital agricultural crop, remains unclear. Our study investigated the mRNA decay landscape of durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. ssp. durum, BBAA), revealing subgenomic asymmetry in mRNA stability and its impact on steady-state mRNA abundance. Our findings indicate that the 3’ UTR structure and homoeolog preference for RNA structural motifs can influence mRNA stability, leading to subgenomic RNA decay imbalance. Furthermore, single-nucleotide variations (SNVs) selected for RNA structural motifs during domestication can cause variations in subgenomic mRNA stability and subsequent changes in steady-state expression levels. Our research on the transcriptome stability of polyploid wheat highlights the regulatory role of non-coding region structures in mRNA stability, and how domestication shaped RNA structure, altering subgenomic mRNA stability. These results illustrate the importance of RNA structure-mediated post-transcriptional gene regulation in wheat and pave the way for its potential use in crop improvement.

The research aims to investigate the effects of proportion and age of maintenance on the strength and economy of filling materials, in order to provide theoretical guidance and technical support for the management of coal mined-out area. Firstly, adjustments are made to the proportioning and maintenance age of the fill materials, and experiments are conducted to explore the strength performance of materials under different proportions. Secondly, GANs is utilized to expand the dataset, and an MLP-LSTM network is constructed to predict the strength of materials experiencing different maintenance ages under various proportions. Finally, integrating practical engineering applications, an economic viability prediction analysis is conducted to examine the cost of fill materials under different proportions and maintenance ages, along with their influencing factors. The results indicate that appropriate adjustments to proportioning can effectively enhance the strength of fill materials, whereas excessively high or low proportions may lead to unstable or surplus strength. Extending the maintenance age can to some extent improve the material’s strength, but it also increases maintenance costs, necessitating a comprehensive balance in terms of economic viability. Consequently, this research offers a theoretical foundation and practical guidelines for optimizing mixture proportions and selecting appropriate curing ages, providing valuable insights for enhancing the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of coal mined-out area filling treatments.

Introduction Postoperative delirium (POD) is a common neurological complication after surgery among older patients, characterised by acute disturbances in consciousness, attention and cognition, usually occurring within 24–72 hours after surgery. POD has a significant impact on the prognosis of older patients undergoing major cardiovascular surgery, including increased length of hospital stay, hospital costs and readmission rates, with an incidence rate as high as 26%–52%. Computerised cognitive training (CCT) refers to difficulty-adaptive training in cognitive domains such as attention, memory and logical reasoning, using systematically designed tasks. Existing studies have shown that CCT has reduced the risk of delirium in non-cardiac surgery patients with at least minimal compliance. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of preoperative CCT on the incidence of POD in older patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery, to clarify the dose–effect relationship between different training time of preoperative CCT and POD and to explore the minimum effective time target that can significantly lower the incidence of POD.Methods and analysis This is a prospective, single-blind, randomised controlled trial that aims to enrol 261 older patients scheduled for elective cardiac surgery at the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University. The patients will be randomised into three groups: group C will be the routine care group (no CCT prior to surgery); group L will be the low-dose time group (with a total of 5 hours of CCT prior to surgery) and group H will be the high-dose time group (with a total of 10 hours of CCT prior to surgery). The primary outcome is the incidence of delirium within 7 days after surgery. Secondary outcomes include postoperative mild neurocognitive disorder (NCD) and postoperative major NCD (30 days up to 1 year), time of onset and duration and severity of delirium, and all-cause mortality within 1 year after surgery. The results of this study are of significant importance for establishing effective, patient-centred and low-risk prevention strategies for POD/postoperative NCD.Ethics and dissemination This study protocol has been approved by the Ethics Committee of the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University (Ethics Number: XYFY2023-KL149-01). All participants will provide written informed consent, and the results of the study will be published in international peer-reviewed academic journals and presented at academic conferences.Trial registration number ChiCTR2300072806.

The variation of coal seam thickness is one of the important factors affecting the pressure relief of large-diameter drilling hole. We have established an elastic model of pressure relief of large-diameter drilling hole based on the principle of equivalent elastic modulus. Taking two working faces of a mine as engineering background, we have studied key issues of large-diameter drilling hole regarding coal seam thickness, including the stress distribution characteristics and energy release laws, and the pressure relief and energy release mechanism. Several phenomena of engineering significance have been revealed by our research. Firstly, when the parameters of large-diameter drilling hole are the same, the stress of primary rock, tangential stress and plastic zone range of thin coal seam are greater than those of thick coal seam. Secondly, the peak stress around the large-diameter drilling hole decreases nonlinearly with the increase of coal seam thickness. When the coal seam thickness increases from 1 m to 9 m, the peak stress drops by 12.9%, from 23.2 MPa to 20.2 MPa. Likewise, the pressure relief and energy release rate also decreases with the increase of coal seam thickness. When the coal seam thickness increases from 1 m to 9 m, the pressure relief and energy release rate of large-diameter drilling hole decreases from 68.7% to 45.8%, indicating that better pressure relief effect can be achieved in thin coal seam. Moreover, when the parameters of large-diameter drilling hole are the same, the increase of coal seam thickness causes decrease of the tangential stress and thereby results in the decrease of the range of coal fragmentation zone and plastic zone, and the amount of the released elastic energy, which reduces the pressure relief energy release rate. The coal seam thicknesses of working faces 1208 and 1203 of a certain mine are 9.08 m and 4.95 m, respectively. Although the same set of large-diameter drilling hole parameters is adopted for these two working faces, the one with thicker coal seam suffers from more serious surrounding rock deformation and failure. By optimizing the parameters of large-diameter drilling hole based on our research, the average amount of drilling cuttings decreased from 2.48 kg/m to 1.76 kg/m. Therefore, we suggest that as the coal seam thickness increases, measures such as reducing drilling spacing and increasing drilling diameter should be considered in order to guarantee the expected pressure relief effect.

Abstract The failure of coal mine overburden is mainly caused by fractures under bending loads. The energy evolution characteristics of coal and rock fractures are closely related to coal mine disasters such as rock burst. To obtain the characteristics of energy release and accumulation of coal and rock under bending load, three‐point bending tests of coal, mudstone, and sandstone were carried out respectively. The strength characteristics and fracture propagation process of coal and rock under bending load were studied. The strain energy evolution rules of coal and rock were calculated and obtained. The fracture mechanism of coal and rock was discussed by analyzing the critical strain energy release rate. The results show that the fracture complexity of sandstone and mudstone is greater than that of coal. The microstructure and its directivity in coal and rock indirectly affect their fracture characteristics through the elastic modulus characteristics. The distribution of parameters such as peak load of fracture, fracture energy, and crack length of coal and mudstone samples is discrete, while that of sandstone samples is concentrated. The deformation energy density of coal and rock basically shows a linear increase trend at the prepeak stage. The deformation energy density evolution characteristics at the postpeak stage are mainly affected by the load drop. It is important to establish the internal relationship between the meso structural characteristics and macro mechanical properties for solving engineering problems.

Abstract Objective Sleep problems and their detrimental effects on adolescents’ physical and mental health have received substantial attention. Prior studies have focused mainly on the direct association between sleep and mental health; however, little is known about the underlying mediating mechanism. To address this gap, the present study constructed a chain mediation model to examine the association between sleep deficiency and mental health status in adolescents, by introducing two mediating variables-physical health perception and school adjustment. Methods A sample of 7530 senior high school students completed a battery of self-report questionnaires measuring their sleep duration, mental health status, physical health perception, and school adjustment. Data were collected from the Database of Youth Health at Shandong University. All the measures showed good reliability and validity in the present study. Data were analyzed using SPSS 25.0 and the SPSS PROCESS. Results The results were as follows: (1) Sleep duration was significantly associated with physical health perception and mental health. (2) Physical health perception partially mediated the association between sleep and mental health. (3) Physical health perception and school adjustment played a chain mediating role between sleep and mental health. In conclusion, sleep not only directly associated with mental health among adolescents, but also influences mental health by the chain mediating effect of perception of physical health and school adjustment. Conclusion These findings in the present study contribute to understanding the mechanisms underlying the association between sleep and mental health and have important implications for interventions aimed at improving mental health status among adolescents in China. Our results indicated that promoting adequate sleep duration and improving sleep quality are possible key mental health promotion strategies for adolescents.

Abstract Plants, as sessile organisms, deploy transcriptional dynamics for adapting to extreme growth conditions such as cold stress. Emerging evidence suggests that chromatin architecture contributes to transcriptional regulation. However, the relationship between chromatin architectural dynamics and transcriptional reprogramming in response to cold stress remains unclear. Here, we apply a chemical-crosslinking assisted proximity capture (CAP-C) method to elucidate the fine-scale chromatin landscape, revealing chromatin interactions within gene bodies closely associated with RNA polymerase II (Pol II) densities across initiation, pausing, and termination sites. We observe dynamic changes in chromatin interactions alongside Pol II activity alterations during cold stress, suggesting local chromatin dynamics may regulate Pol II activity. Notably, cold stress does not affect large-scale chromatin conformations. We further identify a comprehensive promoter-promoter interaction (PPI) network across the genome, potentially facilitating co-regulation of gene expression in response to cold stress. Our study deepens the understanding of chromatin conformation-associated gene regulation in plant response to cold.

Abstract Background This study aimed to evaluate the characteristics of mandibular protrusive condylar trajectory in adolescents with skeletal Class II Division 1 malocclusion and the changes of condylar trajectory during mandibular advancement (MA) treatment using clear functional aligners. Methods This prospective study consisted of a cross-sectional study and a longitudinal study. In cross-sectional study, sixty-one adolescents were divided into two groups: Class I (n = 30) and Class II Division 1 (n = 31). The condylar trajectory was measured and compared using the Mann–Whitney U test. The longitudinal study was the MA treatment group using clear functional aligner and consisted of 16 participants from Class II Division 1group. The condylar trajectory was collected at three-time points: pre-treatment (T1), during MA treatment at approximately 3 months (T2, 105.6 days average), and at the end of MA treatment (T3, 237.6 days average). The changes at T1, T2, and T3, as well as the symmetry between the left and right condyles across all groups, were examined using the Wilcoxon paired test. Results A greater increase in the anteroposterior displacement and space displacement during protrusive movements was observed in the Class II Division 1 group compared with that in the Class I group, with a large difference being observed in the left and right condylar movements. The condylar anteroposterior displacement and space displacement decreased significantly at T2 and increased significantly at T3; however, no significant difference was observed between T1 and T3. A significant difference was observed between the condylar movement on the left and right sides at T1; however, no significant difference was observed at T2 and T3. Conclusions Adolescents with Class II Division 1 malocclusion had higher protrusive capacity than those with Class I. Moreover, their left and right condylar motion was more asymmetric. The range of condyle motion decreased first and then increased during MA therapy, and the left and right condyle movement became more symmetrical, which may be the adaptive response of neuromuscular function to the changes in jaw position.

Abstract Background Our study aimed to use three-dimensional (3D) spatial morphological measurement methods to compare the influence of Twin-Block and clear functional aligners on the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) of adolescent Class II division 1 malocclusion mandibular retraction patients. We also aimed to explore the similarities and differences in the effects on the TMJ upon using Twin-Block and clear functional aligner. Methods Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) data of 49 patients with Class II division 1 malocclusion (Twin-Block group: 24; clear functional aligner group: 25) were collected before and after functional orthodontic treatment, and a 3D model of the TMJ was reconstructed using MIMICS 21.0 software. Eighteen measurement parameters, including the anterior, superior, and posterior joint spaces, were measured and compared using the 3D model. Results After the two groups underwent functional appliance treatment, the height, volume, and surface area of the condyle, length of the mandibular ramus and mandibular length increased; The retro-displaced condyle moved to the middle position of the articular fossa, while the rest of the condylar position did not change significantly. Remodeling of the articular fossa after treatment was not evident. The superior joint space of the clear functional aligner group increased, but there was no significant change after Twin-Block appliances treatment. Conclusions Both appliances promote condylar growth and sagittal and vertical development of the mandible in adolescent Class II division 1 malocclusion mandibular retraction patients. The length of the mandibular ramus showed a more significant increase following treatment with the Twin-Block appliances than with clear function aligners.

BackgroundThe escalation of global population aging has accentuated the prominence of senile diabetes mellitus (SDM) as a consequential public health concern. Oxidative stress and chronic inflammatory cascades prevalent in individuals with senile diabetes significantly amplify disease progression and complication rates. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) emerges as a pivotal player in enhancing blood sugar homeostasis and retarding complication onset in the clinical management of senile diabetes. Nonetheless, an evident research gap persists regarding the integration of TCM’s renal tonification pharmacological mechanisms with experimental validation within the realm of senile diabetes therapeutics.AimsThe objective of this study was to investigate the mechanisms of action of New Shenqi Pills (SQP) in the treatment of SDM and make an experimental assessment.MethodsNetwork analysis is used to evaluate target pathways related to SQP and SDM. Mitochondrial-related genes were obtained from the MitoCarta3.0 database and intersected with the common target genes of the disease and drugs, then constructing a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network making use of the GeneMANIA database. Representative compounds in the SQP were quantitatively measured using high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) to ensure quality control and quantitative analysis of the compounds. A type 2 diabetes mice (C57BL/6) model was used to investigate the pharmacodynamics of SQP. The glucose lowering efficacy of SQP was assessed through various metrics including body weight and fasting blood glucose (FBG). To elucidate the modulatory effects of SQP on pancreatic beta cell function, we measured oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), insulin histochemical staining and tunel apoptosis detection, then assessed the insulin-mediated phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase A (Akt)/glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) pathway in diabetic mice via Western blotting. Additionally, we observe the structural changes of the nucleus, cytoplasmic granules and mitochondria of pancreatic islet β cells.ResultsIn this investigation, we identified a total of 1876 genes associated with senile diabetes, 278 targets of SQP, and 166 overlapping target genes, primarily enriched in pathways pertinent to oxidative stress response, peptide response, and oxygen level modulation. Moreover, an intersection analysis involving 1,136 human mitochondrial genes and comorbidity targets yielded 15 mitochondria-related therapeutic targets. Quality control assessments and quantitative analyses of SQP revealed the predominant presence of five compounds with elevated concentrations: Catalpol, Cinnamon Aldehyde, Rehmanthin D, Trigonelline, and Paeonol Phenol. Vivo experiments demonstrated notable findings. Relative to the control group, mice in the model group exhibited significant increases in body weight and fasting blood glucose levels, alongside decreased insulin secretion and heightened islet cell apoptosis. Moreover, β-cells nuclear condensation and mitochondrial cristae disappearance were observed, accompanied by reduced expression levels of p-GSK-3β protein in islet cells (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01). Conversely, treatment groups administered SQP and Rg displayed augmented expressions of the aforementioned protein markers (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01), alongside preserved mitochondrial cristae structure in islet β cells.ConclusionOur findings suggest that SQP can ameliorate diabetes by reducing islet cell apoptosis and resist oxidative stress. These insulin-mediated PI3K/AKT/GSK-3β pathway plays an important regulatory role in this process.

Aiming at the difficult problems of the large deformation in weakly cemented soft rock roadways, the reasons of large deformation are analyzed for roadways in Hongqingliang coal mine. On this basis, the principle of step by step combined support technology based on allowable deformation + limiting shape for weakly cemented soft rock roadway is proposed, and the optimal support parameters of step by step combined technology are determined by FLAC3D. Step by step combined support technology includes the primary support of anchor bolt + anchor cable + initial shotcrete and the secondary support of U-shaped steel shed + filling flexible material behind shed + control of key parts. The comparative analysis on the site shows that the deformation rate and final deformation amount of the surrounding rock after the step by step combined support are less than those of the primary support, and the deformation of the surrounding rock can be controlled effectively after the secondary support is added. Step by step combined support is superior to the traditional bolt + anchor cable combined repair in terms of economy and efficiency. The optimal construction period of each working procedure of the step by step combined technology is 28 days after the completion of the first support, and the step by step combined support based on allowable deformation + limiting shape is an effective way to control the surrounding rock of soft rock roadway.

ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of using indocyanine green (ICG) injected intracutaneously through the lower limbs and perineum for visualized tracking, localization, and qualitative assessment of pelvic lymph nodes (LNs) in bladder cancer to achieve their accurate resection.MethodsFirst, ICG was injected into the LN metastasis model mice lower limbs, and real-time and dynamic in vivo and ex vivo imaging was conducted by using a near-infrared fluorescence imaging system. Additionally, 26 patients with bladder cancer were enrolled and divided into intracutaneous group and transurethral group. A near-infrared fluorescence imaging device with internal and external imaging probes was used to perform real-time tracking, localization, and resection of the pelvic LNs.ResultsThe mice normal LNs and the metastatic LNs exhibited fluorescence. The metastatic LNs showed a significantly higher signal-to-background ratio than the normal LNs (3.9 ± 0.2 vs. 2.0 ± 0.1, p < 0.05). In the intracutaneous group, the accuracy rate of fluorescent-labeled LNs was 97.6%, with an average of 11.3 ± 2.4 LNs resected per patient. Six positive LNs were detected in three patients (18.8%). In the transurethral group, the accuracy rate of fluorescent-labeled LNs was 84.4%, with an average of 8.6 ± 2.3 LNs resected per patient. Two positive LNs were detected in one patient (12.5%).ConclusionFollowing the intracutaneous injection of ICG into the lower limbs and perineum, the dye accumulates in pelvic LNs through lymphatic reflux. By using near-infrared fluorescence laparoscopic fusion imaging, physicians can perform real-time tracking, localization, and precise resection of pelvic LNs.

Background: Radiotherapy has become a standard treatment for chest tumors, but a common complication of radiotherapy is radiation lung injury. Currently, there is still a lack of effective treatment for radiation lung injury. Methods: A mouse model of radioactive lung injury (RILI) was constructed and then treated with different cycles of hydrogen inhalation. Lung function tests were performed to detect changes in lung function.HE staining was used to detect pathological changes in lung tissue. Immunofluorescence staining was used to detect the polarization of macrophages in lung tissue. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect changes in cytokine expression in lung tissues. Western Blot was used to detect the expression of proteins related to the NF-κB signalling pathway. Results: Lung function test results showed that lung function decreased in the model group and improved in the treatment group.HE staining showed that inflammatory response was evident in the model group and decreased in the treatment group. Immunohistochemistry results showed that the expression of pro-inflammatory factors was significantly higher in the model group, and the expression of pro-inflammatory factors was significantly higher in the treatment group. The expression of pro-inflammatory factors in the treatment group was significantly lower than that in the model group, and the expression of anti-inflammatory factors in the treatment group was higher than that in the model group. Immunofluorescence showed that the expression of M1 subtype macrophages was up-regulated in the model group and down-regulated in the treatment group. The expression of M2 subtype macrophages was up-regulated in the treatment group relative to the model group. Western Blot showed that P–NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65 was significantly increased in the model group, and P–NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65 was decreased in the treatment group. Conclusion: Hydrogen therapy promotes macrophage polarization from M1 to M2 subtypes by inhibiting the NF-κB signalling pathway, thereby attenuating the inflammatory response to radiation lung injury.

Since the protocol for counterfactual quantum communication was proposed, complete counterfactuality can be achieved as there are no physical particles in the transmission channel. However, it relies on some restrictive factors, such as requiring an infinite number of beam splitters and no degradation. We conducted numerical simulations to assess the reliability of quantum communication combined with the actual test environment and found that the inevitable degradation, including component losses or path losses, limits the number of beam splitters. Furthermore, we carried out the experimental simulation of a high-reliability direct communication protocol using the method of controllable-signal attenuation. The peak reliability of μ1=27.6±0.22 that was obtained was much higher than the current communication protocol of the chained interferometer system. The optimized experimental equipment could compensate the system’s balance under various restrictive conditions and make it possible to achieve 100% reliability with imperfect interferometers.

Abstract Background To investigate changes in the three-dimensional (3D) spatial morphology of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and condyle position in adult patients with Class II division 2 malocclusion using a 3D spatial measurement method and to investigate the similarities and differences in the effects of fixed appliance and clear aligner treatments on the TMJ. Methods Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) data of 47 adult patients with Class II division 2 malocclusion (25, fixed appliance group; 22, clear aligner group) were collected before and after treatment. Mimics 21.0 was used to reconstruct the TMJ 3D model. Fourteen measurement items, such as the anterior, upper, and posterior joint spaces, were measured directly on the 3D model and compared. Results Post-orthodontic treatment, the shape and position of the condyle changed in adult patients with Class II division 2 malocclusion. Reduction in the anterior joint space and increase in the posterior joint space after orthodontic treatment were significant in both fixed appliance and clear aligner treatments; the condyle moved forward to the center of the fossa. The superior joint space and depth of the glenoid fossa increased after clear aligner treatment, but there was no significant change after fixed appliance treatment. Conclusions The condylar shape and position in patients with Class II division 2 malocclusion changed significantly post-treatment, indicating that the condyle undergoes adaptive reconstruction during orthodontic treatment in these patients. These results provide a reference for diagnosis, design of treatment plan, and monitoring of treatment in orthodontic clinics.

Abstract Background Increased preoperative red cell distribution width (RDW) is associated with poor prognosis in several cancers, but the relationships between preoperative RDW and changes in RDW (ΔRDW) and colorectal cancer (CRC) prognosis remain unclear. Our study aimed to demonstrate the prognostic significance of increased preoperative RDW and ΔRDW for CRC. Methods In this retrospective analysis, we enrolled 833 patients who underwent CRC surgery between 2015 and 2019 at the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, China. ΔRDW in our study was defined as RDW at 1 month after discharge minus preoperative RDW. According to receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, we used cut‐off values of 13.5% for RDW, 0.9% for ΔRDW. The cumulative survival rate was determined using the Kaplan–Meier method, and significant differences were evaluated by the log‐rank test. Multivariable Cox regression model was applied to clarify the independent risk factors for overall survival (OS), which were used to construct a nomogram prediction model. The competing risk method was also applied, and we analyzed only patients with early‐stage disease (stage 0‐II) for sensitivity analysis. Results Multivariable Cox regression analysis demonstrated that age, RDW, ΔRDW, postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy, CEA, CA19‐9, ASA, TNM stage, and pathological type were independent factors for OS in CRC patients (all p

Abstract Background Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a severe complication of diabetes. Currently, no effective measures are available to reduce the risk of DKD progression. This study aimed to establish a weighted risk model to determine DKD progression and provide effective treatment strategies. Methods This was a hospital-based, cross-sectional study. A total of 1104 patients with DKD were included in this study. The random forest method was used to develop weighted risk models to assess DKD progression. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to validate the models and calculate the optimal cutoff values for important risk factors. Results We developed potent weighted risk models to evaluate DKD progression. The top six risk factors for DKD progression to chronic kidney disease were hemoglobin, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), serum uric acid (SUA), plasma fibrinogen, serum albumin, and neutrophil percentage. The top six risk factors for determining DKD progression to dialysis were hemoglobin, HbA1c, neutrophil percentage, serum albumin, duration of diabetes, and plasma fibrinogen level. Furthermore, the optimal cutoff values of hemoglobin and HbA1c for determining DKD progression were 112 g/L and 7.2%, respectively. Conclusion We developed potent weighted risk models for DKD progression that can be employed to formulate precise therapeutic strategies. Monitoring and controlling combined risk factors and prioritizing interventions for key risk factors may help reduce the risk of DKD progression.

Abstract Radiation pneumonitis (RP) affects both patients and physicians during radiation therapy for lung cancer. To date, there are no effective drugs for improving the clinical outcomes of RP. The activation of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) improves experimental acute lung injury caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, acid inhalation, and sepsis. However, the effects and underlying mechanisms of ACE2 in RP remain unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers on RP and ACE2/angiotensin-(1–7)/Mas receptor pathway activation. We found that radiotherapy decreased the expression of ACE2 and that overexpression of ACE2 alleviated lung injury in an RP mouse model. Moreover, captopril and valsartan restored ACE2 activation; attenuated P38, ERK, and p65 phosphorylation; and effectively mitigated RP in the mouse model. Further systematic retrospective analysis illustrated that the incidence of RP in patients using renin-angiotensin system inhibitors (RASis) was lower than that in patients not using RASis (18.2% vs. 35.8% at 3 months, p = 0.0497). In conclusion, the current findings demonstrate that ACE2 plays a critical role in RP and suggest that RASis may be useful potential therapeutic drugs for RP.

It is challenging to find actual standard test roads (ASTRs) to evaluate the measuring performance of the Traffic Speed Deflectometer (TSD), leading to misjudgment of its evaluation results. To address this issue, a method to construct virtual standard test roads (VSTRs) using in-service roads is proposed. Firstly, the principle of TSD based on the Laser-Doppler effect to measure pavement deflection is introduced, and the shortcomings of traditional evaluation methods are reviewed and summarized. Secondly, an adaptive construction method for VSTRs is proposed based on the K-means clustering algorithm. It layers the Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD) measurements on in-service roads and reconstructs them as virtual roads with stable deflections but different ranges. Thirdly, two new indexes, the coefficient of variation $CV_{k}$ and the influence coefficient of speed $ICS_{k}$ , are proposed to replace the traditional indexes, such as repeatability and correlation coefficient. Finally, the feasibility of evaluating TSD performance based on VSTRs and the new indexes is verified by experiments. Results show that the newly constructed VSTRs solve the problem that the ASTRs are challenging to obtain, reducing the experimental requirements for evaluating TSD, and the new indexes achieve an efficient and scientific evaluation of TSD.

During evolution, plants have adapted to habitats with distinct temperature ranges. In this study, scientists report that a specific RNA structure motif, RNA G-quadruplex (RG4) is enriched across genomes of plant species growing in colder climates.

ABSTRACT DndABCDE-catalyzed DNA phosphorothioation (PT), in which the nonbridging oxygen is swapped with a sulfur atom, was first identified in the bacterial genome. Usually, this modification gene cluster is paired with a restriction module consisting of DndF, DndG, and DndH. Although the mechanisms for the antiphage activity conferred by this Dnd-related restriction and modification (R-M) system have been well characterized, several features remain unclear, including the antiphage spectrum and potential interference with DNA methylation. Recently, a novel PT-related R-M system, composed of the modification module SspABCD paired with a single restriction enzyme, SspE, was revealed to be widespread in the bacterial kingdom, which aroused our interest in the interaction between Dnd- and Ssp-based R-M systems. In this study, we discussed the action of Dnd-related R-M systems against phages and demonstrated that the host could benefit from the protection provided by Dnd-related R-M systems against infection by various lytic phages as well as temperate phages. However, this defense barrier would fail against lysogenic phages. Interestingly, DNA methylation, even in the consensus sequence recognized by the Dnd system, could not weaken the restriction efficiency. Finally, we explored the interaction between Dnd- and Ssp-based R-M systems and found that these two systems were compatible. This study not only expands our knowledge of Dnd-associated R-M systems but also reveals a complex interaction between different defense barriers that coexist in the cell. IMPORTANCE Recently, we decoded the mechanism of Dnd-related R-M systems against genetic parasites. In the presence of exogenous DNA that lacks PT, the macromolecular machine consisting of DndF, DndG, and DndH undergoes conformational changes to perform DNA binding, translocation, and DNA nicking activities and scavenge the foreign DNA. However, several questions remain unanswered, including questions regarding the antiphage spectrum, potential interference by DNA methylation, and interplay with other PT-dependent R-M systems. Here, we revealed that the host could benefit from Dnd-related R-M systems for a broad range of antiphage activities, regardless of the presence of DNA methylation. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the convergence of Dnd- and Ssp-related R-M systems could confer to the host a stronger antiphage ability through the additive suppression of phage replication. This study not only deepens our understanding of PT-related defense barriers but also expands our knowledge of the arms race between bacteria and their predators.

Based on the engineering background of weakly cemented roadways and adjacent chambers in Western China, a numerical simulation method was used to examine the changes in stress distribution and increment in the surrounding rock of weakly cemented roadways adjacent to chambers. The results show that the surrounding rock stress of the weakly cemented roadway adjacent to the chambers increases by approximately 30%. The vertical stress of the surrounding rock mainly expands along the vertical direction, and the expansion range is 7–12 times that of the chamber height. The horizontal stress of the surrounding rock mainly expands along the horizontal direction, and the expansion range is 3–6 times that of the chamber width. Based on the support idea of “allowable deformation” + “relief pressure” + “maintaining roadway shape”, the support technology of weakly cemented roadways adjacent to chambers is established with “full section U-shaped steel shed + filling flexible materials between the steel shed and surrounding rock + patching the roof bolt + laying concrete on floor”. An engineering test based on the above support technology was carried out, and it was found that the deformation of the weakly cemented roadway adjacent to the chambers was 0 in 20 days.

Cognitive dysfunction is increasingly recognized as a complication and comorbidity of diabetes, supported by evidence of abnormal brain structure and function. Although few mechanistic metabolic studies have shown clear pathophysiological links between diabetes and cognitive dysfunction, there are several plausible ways in which this connection may occur. Since, brain functions require a constant supply of glucose as an energy source, the brain may be more susceptible to abnormalities in glucose metabolism. Glucose metabolic abnormalities under diabetic conditions may play an important role in cognitive dysfunction by affecting glucose transport and reducing glucose metabolism. These changes, along with oxidative stress, inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and other factors, can affect synaptic transmission, neural plasticity, and ultimately lead to impaired neuronal and cognitive function. Insulin signal triggers intracellular signal transduction that regulates glucose transport and metabolism. Insulin resistance, one hallmark of diabetes, has also been linked with impaired cerebral glucose metabolism in the brain. In this review, we conclude that glucose metabolic abnormalities play a critical role in the pathophysiological alterations underlying diabetic cognitive dysfunction (DCD), which is associated with multiple pathogenic factors such as oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation, and others. Brain insulin resistance is highly emphasized and characterized as an important pathogenic mechanism in the DCD.

ObjectiveThis study aimed to evaluate the awareness rate of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) among the general public in China and provide data about prostate cancer (PCa) for related scientific research.MethodsA cross-sectional survey of PSA awareness was conducted in multiple regional populations using an online questionnaire. The questionnaire included basic information, knowledge about PCa, the awareness rate and application of PSA, and future expectations toward applying PSA screening in clinical practice. The study applied the methods of Pearson chi-square analysis and Logistic regression analysis.ResultsA total of 493 valid questionnaires were included. Two hundred and nineteen respondents (44.4%) were males, and 274 (55.6%) were females. Of all respondents, 212 (43.0%) were under 20 years old, 147 (29.8%) were 20–30 years old, 74 (15.0%) were 30–40 years old, and 60 (12.2%) were over 40 years old. There are 310 people (62.9%) with medical educational background and 183 (37.1%) without. One hundred eighty-seven (37.9%) of the respondents were aware of PSA, and 306 (62.1%) were unaware of PSA. Statistically significant differences were obtained between the two groups regarding different ages, educational backgrounds, occupations, departments, and habits of knowing medical knowledge (all p < 0.05). In addition, the differences between the group of aware of PSA (AP) and the group unaware of PSA (UAP) in terms of whether they had been exposed to PSA screening and whether they had exposure to PCa patients or related knowledge were also observed (all p < 0.05). Age ≥30 years, medical educational background, understanding of medical knowledge, exposure to PCa patients or related knowledge, exposure to PSA screening, and status as a graduate student and above were independent factors for the occurrence of PSA awareness events (all p < 0.05). In addition, age ≥ 30 years, medical educational background, and awareness of PSA were independent factors for future expectations toward PSA (all p < 0.05).ConclusionsWe first analyzed the public awareness of PSA. Cognition degrees of PSA and PCa awareness vary among different populations in China. Therefore, we should designate corresponding widespread scientific educational programs for different populations to increase the awareness rate of PSA.

SrTiO3 (STO), a room-temperature paraelectric material in bulk form, has been a rich playground for emergent phenomena for decades. As an emerging material, great attention has been paid to freestanding 2D STO thin films. Recently, the room-temperature ferroelectricity has been unveiled in strained STO thin films; however, it remains an open question whether the strain-free freestanding 2D STO thin film is room-temperature ferroelectric or not. Here, we report the electric field-induced out-of-plane ferroelectric polarization in large-scale, freestanding, and strain-free 2D STO membranes at room temperature. High-resolution piezoresponse force microscopy measurements show that polarization in freestanding strain-free STO membranes can be switched by electric field and persist for an hour. The first-principles calculations suggest that the intrinsic defects such as oxygen vacancies could be linked to the observed spontaneous out-of-plane polarization in 2D STO membranes, which could be further enhanced by external electric field due to the induced symmetry breaking. Our work reports the unprecedented room-temperature ferroelectric polarization in strain-free freestanding 2D STO membranes, unlocking the great potential of freestanding 2D STO for the applications in novel electronic and logic-in-memory devices.

Abstract Environmentally friendly degradable sensors with both hazardous gases and pressure efficient sensing capabilities are highly desired for various promising applications, including environmental pollution monitoring/prevention, wisdom medical, wearable smart devices, and artificial intelligence. However, the transient gas and pressure sensors based on only identical sensing material that concurrently meets the above detection needs have not been reported. Here, we present transient all-MXene NO2 and pressure sensors employing three-dimensional porous crumpled MXene spheres prepared by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis technology as the sensing layer, accompanied with water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol substrates embedded with patterned MXene electrodes. The gas sensor achieves a ppb-level of highly selective NO2 sensing, with a response of up to 12.11% at 5 ppm NO2 and a detection range of 50 ppb–5 ppm, while the pressure sensor has an extremely wide linear pressure detection range of 0.14–22.22 kPa and fast response time of 34 ms. In parallel, all-MXene NO2 and pressure sensors can be rapidly degraded in medical H2O2 within 6 h. This work provides a new avenue toward environmental monitoring, human physiological signal monitoring, and recyclable transient electronics.

Abstract Background Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is a serious chronic complication of diabetes. This study aimed to establish weighted risk models for determining DFU occurrence and severity in diabetic patients. Methods This was a multi-center hospital-based cross-sectional study. A total of 1488 diabetic patients with or without an ulcer from three tertiary hospitals were included in the study. Random forest method was used to develop weighted risk models for assessing DFU risk and severity. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to validate the models and calculate the optimal cut-off values of the important risk factors. Results We developed potent weighted risk models for evaluating DFU occurrence and severity. The top eight important risk factors for DFU onset were plasma fibrinogen, neutrophil percentage and hemoglobin levels in whole blood, stroke, estimated glomerular filtration rate, age, duration of diabetes, and serum albumin levels. The top 10 important risk factors for DFU severity were serum albumin, neutrophil percentage and hemoglobin levels in whole blood, plasma fibrinogen, hemoglobin A1c, estimated glomerular filtration rate, hypertension, serum uric acid, diabetic retinopathy, and sex. Furthermore, the area under curve values in the models using plasma fibrinogen as a single risk factor for determining DFU risk and severity were 0.86 (sensitivity 0.74, specificity 0.87) and 0.73 (sensitivity 0.76, specificity 0.58), respectively. The optimal cut-off values of plasma fibrinogen for determining DFU risk and severity were 3.88 g/L and 4.74 g/L, respectively. Conclusions We have established potent weighted risk models for DFU onset and severity, based on which precise prevention strategies can be formulated. Modification of important risk factors may help reduce the incidence and progression of DFUs in diabetic patients.

Abstract SeS2 has become a promising cathode material owing to its enhanced electrical conductivity over sulfur and higher theoretical specific capacity than selenium; however, the working Li–SeS2 batteries have to face the practical challenges from the severe shuttling of soluble dual intermediates of polysulfide and polyselenide, especially in high-SeS2-loading cathodes. Herein, a natural organic polymer, Nicandra physaloides pectin (NPP), is proposed to serve as an effective polysulfide/polyselenide captor to address the shuttling issues. Informed by theoretical calculations, NPP is competent to provide a Lewis base-based strong binding interaction with polysulfides/polyselenides via forming lithium bonds, and it can be homogeneously deposited onto a three-dimensional double-carbon conductive scaffold to finally constitute a polysulfide/polyselenide-immobilizing interlayer. Operando spectroscopy analysis validates the enhanced polysulfide/polyselenide trapping and high conversion efficiency on the constructed interlayer, hence bestowing the Li–SeS2 cells with ultrahigh rate capability (448 mAh g−1 at 10 A g−1), durable cycling lifespan (≈ 0.037% capacity attenuation rate per cycle), and high areal capacity (> 6.5 mAh cm−2) at high SeS2 loading of 15.4 mg cm−2. Importantly, pouch cells assembled with this interlayer exhibit excellent flexibility, decent rate capability with relatively low electrolyte-to-capacity ratio, and stable cycling life even under a low electrolyte condition, promising a low-cost, viable design protocol toward practical Li–SeS2 batteries.

Abstract Radiation-induced lung injury (RILI) is one of the most common complications associated with radiotherapy, characterized by early-stage radiation pneumonia and subsequent radiation pulmonary fibrosis. However, effective therapeutic strategies for RILI are currently lacking. Recently, an increasing number of studies reported that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can enhance the regeneration of damaged tissue, modulate the inflammatory response, reduce the levels of fibrotic cytokines and reactive oxygen species, and inhibit epithelial-mesenchymal transformation. Interestingly, MSCs can also exert immunosuppressive effects, which highlights a new potential therapeutic activity of MSCs for managing RILI. Here, we reviewed the potential applications and therapeutic mechanisms of action of MSCs in RILI, which will represent a good compendium of information for researchers in this field.

Abstract Background mRNA processing is critical for gene expression. A challenge in regulating mRNA processing is how to recognize the actual mRNA processing sites, such as splice and polyadenylation sites, when the sequence content is insufficient for this purpose. Previous studies suggested that RNA structure affects mRNA processing. However, the regulatory role of RNA structure in mRNA processing remains unclear. Results Here, we perform in vivo selective 2′-hydroxyl acylation analyzed by primer extension (SHAPE) chemical profiling on Arabidopsis and generate the in vivo nuclear RNA structure landscape. We find that nuclear mRNAs fold differently from cytosolic mRNAs across translation start and stop sites. Notably, we discover a two-nucleotide single-stranded RNA structure feature upstream of 5′ splice sites that is strongly associated with splicing and the selection of alternative 5′ splice sites. The regulatory role of this RNA structure feature is further confirmed by experimental validation. Moreover, we find the single-strandedness of branch sites is also associated with 3′ splice site recognition. We also identify an RNA structure feature comprising two close-by single-stranded regions that is specifically associated with both polyadenylation and alternative polyadenylation events. Conclusions We successfully identify pre-mRNA structure features associated with splicing and polyadenylation at whole-genome scale and validate an RNA structure feature which can regulate splicing. Our study unveils a new RNA structure regulatory mechanism for mRNA processing.

Nonvolatile resistive switching memristance devices with a high on/off ratio are desirable for nanoelectronics such as resistive random‐access memory (RRAM) and in‐memory computing. Here, bipolar resistive switching in point‐contacted W/LaAlO3/SrTiO3(111) heterojunctions is reported, in which a Schottky barrier is formed at the metal/oxides interface, and 2d electron gas is formed at the interface of perovskite oxides. A negative differential resistance is observed in the RESET process. The result shows that the observed resistive switching is strongly associated with oxygen‐vacancies (OVs) in oxides with dominating contributions from electron hopping between OV trap sites, and can be controlled by oxygen annealing and electron injection. Remarkably, a method is developed by continuous RESET processes to increase the high resistance state by 1–3 orders of magnitude, with an on/off ratio enhanced from ≈10 to ≈104. The work provides a promising pathway to understand conduction mechanism of oxides memristors and promote its application in RRAM and in‐memory computing.

Abstract Background Excision Repair Cross-Complementation group 6-like (ERCC6L) has been shown to exhibit carcinogenic effect in several malignant tumors. However, the function and molecular mechanism of the ERCC6L in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have not been investigated extensively. Methods Immunohistochemistry analyses were used to detect ERCC6L expression in a HCC tissue microarray, and the Chi-square test was used to assess the correlation between ERCC6L expression and patients’ clinicopathological features. shRNA was used to down-regulation ERCC6L expression in HCC cell lines. MTT assay, plate clone formation assay, flow cytometry, caspase 3/7 activity and migration assays were performed to evaluate the impact of ERCC6L on HCC cells in vitro. Nude mice xenograft models were used to assess the role of ERCC6L in vivo. The regulatory of mechanism of PI3K/AKT pathway was evaluated by western blotting. Results ERCC6L was highly expressed in HCC tissue compared with tumor adjacent tissues in 90 paired samples. ERCC6L expression positively correlated with gender, tumor encapsulation, and pathological stage. Patients with low ERCC6L expression had significantly longer OS than those with high ERCC6L expression. Knockdown of ERCC6L expression significantly inhibited proliferation, invasion and metastasis in vitro and tumor growth in vivo, and it promoted cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Mechanistic analyses revealed that PI3K/AKT and NF-κB signaling pathway were inhibited by silencing ERCC6L. Conclusion These results demonstrate that ERCC6L plays a critical role in HCC progression, and thereby might be a potential therapeutic target for HCC patients.

Abstract Background Guanine-rich sequences are able to form complex RNA structures termed RNA G-quadruplexes in vitro. Because of their high stability, RNA G-quadruplexes are proposed to exist in vivo and are suggested to be associated with important biological relevance. However, there is a lack of direct evidence for RNA G-quadruplex formation in living eukaryotic cells. Therefore, it is unclear whether any purported functions are associated with the specific sequence content or the formation of an RNA G-quadruplex structure. Results Using rG4-seq, we profile the landscape of those guanine-rich regions with the in vitro folding potential in the Arabidopsis transcriptome. We find a global enrichment of RNA G-quadruplexes with two G-quartets whereby the folding potential is strongly influenced by RNA secondary structures. Using in vitro and in vivo RNA chemical structure profiling, we determine that hundreds of RNA G-quadruplex structures are strongly folded in both Arabidopsis and rice, providing direct evidence of RNA G-quadruplex formation in living eukaryotic cells. Subsequent genetic and biochemical analyses show that RNA G-quadruplex folding is able to regulate translation and modulate plant growth. Conclusions Our study reveals the existence of RNA G-quadruplex in vivo and indicates that RNA G-quadruplex structures act as important regulators of plant development and growth.

Abstract Background Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been proposed to be responsible for tumor recurrence and chemo-resistance. Previous studies suggested that miR-153 played essential roles in lung cancer. However, the molecular mechanism of miR-153 in regulating the stemness of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the role of miR-153 in regulation of the stemness of NSCLC. Methods The stemness property of lung stem cancer cells was detected by sphere formation assay, immunofluorescence, and Western blot. Luciferase reporter assay was performed to investigate the direct binding of miR-153 to the 3′-UTR of JAG1 mRNA. Animal study was conducted to evaluate the effect of miR-153 on tumor growth in vivo. The clinical relevance of miR-153 in NSCLC was evaluated by Rt-PCR and Kaplan-Meier analysis. Results MiR-153 expression was decreased in lung cancer tissues. Reduced miR-153 expression was associated with lung metastasis and poor overall survival of lung cancer patients. Jagged1, one of the ligands of Notch1, is targeted by miR-153 and inversely correlates with miR-153 in human lung samples. More importantly, we found that miR-153 inhibited stem cell-like phenotype and tumor growth of lung adenocarcinoma through inactivating the Jagged1/Notch1 axis. Conclusion MiR-153 suppresses the stem cell-like phenotypes and tumor growth of lung adenocarcinoma by targeting Jagged1 and provides a potential therapeutic target in lung cancer therapy.

Seed size is an important determinant of plant yield. Here, Liu et al. show that a KIX-PPD repressor complex and MYC transcription factors interact with the G-box motif in the promoter of GRF-INTERACTING FACTOR 1 to regulate seed size by influencing cell proliferation and elongation in the integument.

This work focused on the application value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) image segmentation algorithm based on fully convolutional DenseNet neural network (FCDNN) in glioma diagnosis. In this work, based on the fully convolutional DenseNet algorithm, a new MRI image automatic semantic segmentation method cerebral gliomas semantic segmentation network (CGSSNet) was established and was applied to glioma MRI image segmentation by using the BraTS public dataset as research data. Under the same conditions, compare the differences of dice similarity coefficient (DSC), sensitivity, and Hausdroff distance (HD) between this algorithm and other algorithms in MRI image processing. The results showed that the CGSSNet network segmentation algorithm significantly improved the segmentation accuracy of glioma MRI images. In addition, its DSC, sensitivity, and HD values for glioma MRI images were 0.937, 0.811, and 1.201, respectively. Under different iteration times, the DSC, sensitivity, and HD values of the CGSSNet network segmentation algorithm are significantly better than other algorithms. It showed that the CGSSNet model based on the DenseNet can improve the segmentation accuracy of glioma MRI images, and has potential application value in clinical practice.

Intelligent traffic system (ITS) is one of the effective ways to solve the problem of traffic congestion. As an important part of ITS, traffic index prediction is the key of traffic guidance and traffic control. In this paper, we propose a method integrating pattern feature to sequence model for traffic index prediction. First, the pattern feature of traffic indices is extracted using convolutional neural network (CNN). Then, the extracted pattern feature, as auxiliary information, is added to the sequence-to-sequence (Seq2Seq) network to assist traffic index prediction. Furthermore, noticing that the prediction curve is less smooth than the ground truth curve, we also add a linear regression (LR) module to the architecture to make the prediction curve smoother. The experiments comparing with long short-term memory (LSTM) and Seq2Seq network demonstrated advantages and effectiveness of our methods.

Droplet-based microfluidics has been widely applied in enzyme directed evolution (DE), in either cell or cell-free system, due to its low cost and high throughput. As the isolation principles are based on the labeled or label-free characteristics in the droplets, sorting method contributes mostly to the efficiency of the whole system. Fluorescence-activated droplet sorting (FADS) is the mostly applied labeled method but faces challenges of target enzyme scope. Label-free sorting methods show potential to greatly broaden the microfluidic application range. Here, we review the developments of droplet sorting methods through a comprehensive literature survey, including labeled detections [FADS and absorbance-activated droplet sorting (AADS)] and label-free detections [electrochemical-based droplet sorting (ECDS), mass-activated droplet sorting (MADS), Raman-activated droplet sorting (RADS), and nuclear magnetic resonance-based droplet sorting (NMR-DS)]. We highlight recent cases in the last 5 years in which novel enzymes or highly efficient variants are generated by microfluidic DE. In addition, the advantages and challenges of different sorting methods are briefly discussed to provide an outlook for future applications in enzyme DE.

Objective This study aimed to detect circulating microRNA (miR)-17 and miR-20a levels in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), and to investigate whether circulating miR-17 levels are associated with PAH. Methods Thirty-five PAH patients and 20 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. Circulating miR-17 and miR-20a levels were measured using real-time PCR analysis. Results miR-17 levels were significantly increased in PAH patients compared with healthy controls. They were also higher in PAH patients at World Health Organization functional class (WHO FC) III–IV than WHO FC I–II PAH patients. There was no significant difference in miR-20a levels between PAH patients and controls. miR-17 had a high area under the corresponding receiver operating characteristic curve. Further, we found that circulating miR-17 levels correlated with the 6-minute walk distance, mean pulmonary artery pressure, and mean right atrial pressure in PAH patients. Conclusion Circulating miR-17 levels may be associated with human PAH. Therefore, miR-17 could be used as a diagnostic index and prognostic factor for PAH patients.

G-proteins regulate sugar-responsive growth in plants. Here the authors show that brassinosteroid (BR) signaling is also involved in sugar responses and present evidence that the BR receptor BRI1 and its co-receptor BAK1 can phosphorylate G-protein subunits to regulate sugar signaling in Arabidopsis.

Abstract Background There may be great individual variability in the hemodynamic effects of this dexmedetomidine. For this reason, the dose must be carefully adjusted to achieve the desired clinical effect. Whether a loading dose of dexmedetomidine produces hemodynamic side effects during the anesthesia maintenance is unknown. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of a loading dose of dexmedetomidine combined with propofol or sevoflurane on hemodynamics during anesthesia maintenance. Methods Eighty-four patients who were scheduled for general surgery under balanced general anesthesia were randomly allocated into 4 groups (n = 21): the propofol and dexmedetomidine group, the sevoflurane and dexmedetomidine group, the propofol and normal saline group, or the sevoflurane and normal saline group. The hemodynamic indexes at the time of just before, 5 min after and the end of study drug infusion (dexmedetomidine or normal saline) were recorded. The incidence rates of increasing blood pressure at the end of study drug infusion (greater than 20% compared to baseline or before study drug infusion) were evaluated. Results Mean arterial pressure increased significantly (P

High-resolution meteorological data products are crucial for agrometeorological studies. Here, we study the accuracy of an important gridded dataset, the near-surface temperature dataset from the 5 km × 5 km resolution China dataset of meteorological forcing for land surface modeling (published by the Beijing Normal University). Using both the gridded dataset and the observed temperature data from 590 meteorological stations, we calculate nine universal meteorological indices (mean, maximum, and minimum temperatures of daily, monthly, and annual data) and five agricultural thermal indices (first frost day, last frost day, frost-free period, and ≥0 °C and ≥10 °C active accumulated temperature, i.e., AAT0 and AAT10) of the 11 temperature zones over mainland China. Then, for each meteorological index, we calculate the root mean square errors (RMSEs), correlation coefficient and climate trend rates of the two datasets. The results show that the RMSEs of these indices are usually lower in the north subtropical, mid-subtropical, south subtropical, marginal tropical and mid-tropical zones than in the plateau subfrigid, plateau temperate, and plateau subtropical mountains zones. Over mainland China, the AAT0, AAT10, and mean and maximum temperatures calculated from the gridded data show the same climate trends with those derived from the observed data, while the minimum temperature and its derivations (first frost day, last frost day, and frost-free period) show the opposite trends in many areas. Thus, the mean and maximum temperature data derived from the gridded dataset are applicable for studies in most parts of China, but caution should be taken when using the minimum temperature data.

In the research of physical layer security, cooperative jamming is a special and novel research area. The artificial jamming signal is introduced into the wire-tap system to interfere the eavesdroppers and decrease their signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratios, then the system secrecy capacity can be improved. The background and state-of-the-art of cooperative jamming were reviewed and the future potential research topics were pointed out. Currently, the artificial jamming signal can be divided into four categories. Additionally, in the research of cooperative jamming, self-jamming and introducing jamming systems are investigated with simple and complex scenarios.

Toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems play important roles in bacteria persister formation. Increasing evidence demonstrate the roles of TA systems in regulating virulence factors in pathogenic bacteria. The toxin HigB in Pseudomonas aeruginosa contributes to persister formation and regulates the expression of multiple virulence factors and biofilm formation. However, the regulatory mechanism remains elusive. In this study, we explored the HigB mediated regulatory pathways. We demonstrate that HigB decreases the intracellular level of c-di-GMP, which is responsible for the increased expression of the type III secretion system (T3SS) genes and repression of biofilm formation. By analyzing the expression levels of the known c-di-GMP metabolism genes, we find that three c-di-GMP hydrolysis genes are up regulated by HigB, namely PA2133, PA2200 and PA3825. Deletion of the three genes individually or simultaneously diminishes the HigB mediated regulation on the expression of T3SS genes and biofilm formation. Therefore, our results reveal novel functions of HigB in P. aeruginosa.

We examined the bone properties of BXD recombinant inbred (RI) mice by analyzing femur and tibia and compared their phenotypes of different compartments. 46 BXD RI mouse strains were analyzed including progenitor C57BL/6J (n=16) and DBA/2J (n=15) and two first filial generations (D2B6F1 and B6D2F1). Strain differences were observed in bone quality and structural properties (P