Computational methods for alignment and integration of spatially resolved transcriptomics data

Most of the complex biological regulatory activities occur in three dimensions (3D). To better analyze biological processes, it is essential not only to decipher the molecular information of numerous cells but also to understand how their spatial contexts influence their behavior. With the development of spatially resolved transcriptomics (SRT) technologies, SRT datasets are being generated to simultaneously characterize gene expression and spatial arrangement information within tissues, organs or organisms. To fully leverage spatial information, the focus extends beyond individual two-dimensional (2D) slices. Two tasks known as slices alignment and data integration have been introduced to establish correlations between multiple slices, enhancing the effectiveness of downstream tasks. Currently, numerous related methods have been developed. In this review, we first elucidate the details and principles behind several representative methods. Then we report the testing results of these methods on various SRT datasets, and assess their performance in representative downstream tasks. Insights into the strengths and weaknesses of each method and the reasons behind their performance are discussed. Finally, we provide an outlook on future developments. The codes and details of experiments are now publicly available at https://github.com/YangLabHKUST/SRT_alignment_and_integration.

Influence of the liquid ionic strength on the resonance frequency and shell parameters of lipid-coated microbubbles

The correct measurement of the resonance frequency and shell properties of coated microbubbles (MBs) is essential in understanding and optimizing their response to ultrasound (US) exposure parameters. In diagnostic and therapeutic ultrasound, MBs are typically surrounded by blood; however, the influence of the medium charges on the MB resonance frequency has not been systematically studied using controlled measurements. This study aims to measure the medium charge interactions on MB behavior by measuring the frequency-dependent attenuation of the same size MBs in mediums with different charge densities. In-house lipid-coated MBs with C3F8 gas core were formulated. The MBs were isolated to a mean size of 2.35 μm using differential centrifugation. MBs were diluted to ≈8×105 MBs/mL in distilled water (DW), Phosphate-Buffered Saline solution (PBS1x) and PBS10x. The frequency-dependent attenuation of the MBs solutions was measured using an aligned pair of PVDF transducers with a center frequency of 10MHz and 100% bandwidth in the linear oscillation regime (7 kPa pressure amplitude). The MB shell properties were estimated by fitting the linear equation to experiments. Using a pendant drop tension meter, the surface tension at the equilibrium of ≈6 mm diameter size drops of the same MB shell was measured inside DW, PBS1x and PBS10x. The surface tension at the C3F8/solution interface was estimated by fitting the Young-Laplace equation from the recorded images. The frequency of the peak attenuation at different salinity levels was 13, 7.5 and 6.25 MHz in DW, PBS1x and PBS-10x, respectively. The attenuation peak increased by ≈140% with increasing ion density. MBs' estimated shell elasticity decreased by 64% between DW and PBS-1x and 36% between PBS-1x and PBS-10x. The drop surface tension reduced by 10.5% between DW and PBS-1x and by 5% between PBS-1x and PBS-10x, respectively. Reduction in the shell stiffness is consistent with the drop surface tension measurements. The shell viscosity was reduced by ≈40% between DW and PBS-1x and 42% between PBS-1x and PBS-10x. The reduction in the fitted stiffness and viscosity is possibly due to the formation of a densely charged layer around the shell, further reducing the effective surface tension on the MBs. The changes in the resonance frequency and estimated shell parameters were significant and may potentially help to better understand and explain bubble behavior in applications.

S-scheme heterojunction of crystalline carbon nitride nanosheets and ultrafine WO3 nanoparticles for photocatalytic CO2 reduction

Highly crystalline carbon nitride polymers have shown great opportunities in overall water photosplitting; however, their mission in light-driven CO2 conversion remains to be explored. In this work, crystalline carbon nitride (CCN) nanosheets of poly triazine imide (PTI) embedded with melon domains are fabricated by KCl/LiCl-mediated polycondensation of dicyandiamide, the surface of which is subsequently deposited with ultrafine WO3 nanoparticles to construct the CCN/WO3 heterostructure with a S-scheme interface. Systematic characterizations have been conducted to reveal the compositions and structures of the S-scheme CCN/WO3 hybrid, featuring strengthened optical capture, enhanced CO2 adsorption and activation, attractive textural properties, as well as spatial separation and directed movement of light-triggered charge carriers. Under mild conditions, the CCN/WO3 catalyst with optimized composition displays a high photocatalytic activity for reducing CO2 to CO in a rate of 23.0 µmol/hr (i.e., 2300 µmol/(hr·g)), which is about 7-fold that of pristine CCN, along with a high CO selectivity of 90.6% against H2 formation. Moreover, it also manifests high stability and fine reusability for the CO2 conversion reaction. The CO2 adsorption and conversion processes on the catalyst are monitored by in-situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS), identifying the crucial intermediates of CO2*-, COOH* and CO*, which integrated with the results of performance evaluation proposes the possible CO2 reduction mechanism.

Quantitative evaluation and mechanism analysis of soil chemical factors affecting rice yield in saline-sodic paddy fields

Salinization and sodication have become an important abiotic stress affecting soil fertility and crop production in the western of the Songnen Plain in Northeast China. And rice cultivation is considered as one of the most effective biological methods to reclaim saline-sodic soils and ensure food security. However, it is difficult to select the optimal measures to regulate rice growth for increasing yield, because the independent and comprehensive influences of the soil limitation factors on rice yield are not quantitatively evaluated. In this study, the hierarchical partitioning (HP) and the structural equation model (SEM) were used to quantitatively evaluate the influences of salinization parameters, salt ion concentrations and soil nutrients to identify the dominant limitation factors and obstacle mechanism for rice yield. The results showed that soil pH was the key index in salinization parameters, [CO32- + HCO3-] was the key index in salt ion concentrations and available nitrogen (AN) was the key index in soil nutrients to impact rice yield, which independent influences reached 53.7 %, 45.4 % (negative) and 53.2 % (positive), respectively. Soil pH was determined by [CO32- + HCO3-], and the negative effect of alkali stress on rice yield mainly caused by [CO32- + HCO3-] was greater than that of salt stress mainly caused by [Na+] in saline-sodic paddy fields. Among the soil chemical factors, soil pH and AN were the most important explanatory variables of rice yield in saline-sodic paddy fields, which standardized total effects were - 0.32 and 0.40, respectively. Furthermore, the AN showed a more significant negative correlation with soil pH and a higher yield-increasing potential in severe saline-sodic soils (9 ≤ pH < 10) than that in moderate saline-sodic soils (8 ≤ pH < 9). Therefore, decreasing [CO32- + HCO3-] and increasing the content of AN are key to improve rice yield in saline-sodic paddy fields.

USP14 negatively regulates IFN signaling by dampening K63-linked ubiquitination of TBK1 in black carp

USP14 regulates the immune related pathways by deubiquitinating the signaling molecules in mammals. In teleost, USP14 is also reported to inhibit the antiviral immune response through TBK1, but its regulatory mechanism remains obscure. To elucidate the role of USP14 in the RLR/IFN antiviral pathway in teleost, the homolog USP14 (bcUSP14) of black carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus) has been cloned and characterize in this paper. bcUSP14 contains 490 amino acids (aa), and the sequence is well conserved among in vertebrates. Over-expression of bcUSP14 in EPC cells attenuated SVCV-induced transcription activity of IFN promoters and enhanced SVCV replication. Knockdown of bcUSP14 in MPK cells led to the increased transcription of IFNs and decreased SVCV replication, suggesting the improved antiviral activity of the host cells. The interaction between bcUSP14 and bcTBK1 was identified by both co-immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescent staining. Co-expressed bcUSP14 obviously inhibited bcTBK1-induced IFN production and antiviral activity in EPC cells. K63-linked polyubiquitination of bcTBK1 was dampened by co-expressed bcUSP14, and bcTBK1-mediated phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of IRF3 were also inhibited by this deubiquitinase. Thus, all the data demonstrated that USP14 interacts with and inhibits TBK1 through deubiquitinating TBK1 in black carp.

[Preliminary observation of wearable balance diagnosis and treatment system in evaluating dynamic and static balance function in patients with vestibular vertigo]

A newly developed wearable balance diagnosis and treatment system was studied to evaluate the indexes of the abnormal balance function in patients with vestibular vertigo. A cross-sectional study was carried out. A total of 30 patients diagnosed with non-acute vestibular vertigo in the outpatient department of Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University from July 2022 to May 2023 were selected as the vertigo group, including 13 males and 17 females, and aged (45.7±13.9) years. Meanwhile, 20 healthy controls (8 males and 12 females) were included as the control group, with a mean age of (43.6±8.0) years. The static balance and limits of stability (LOS) function of all subjects were assessed with wearable balance diagnosis and treatment system developed under the leadership of Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University. In the static balance test, the ratio of eyes open with cushions to eyes open without cushions in the vertigo group was less than that of the control group[1.20% (0.92%, 1.53%) vs 1.49% (1.22%, 1.81%), P=0.008], indicating that patients with non-acute vestibular vertigo may compensate static balance ability earlier. In vertigo group, the directional control in 8 directions, the maximum excursion in anterior, posterior, right anterior and right posterior directions, the endpoint excursion in the posterior, right posterior, and left posterior directions were all smaller than those of the control group (all P<0.05). The reaction time in the left posterior direction of vertigo group was longer than that of the control group (all P<0.05). Those results indicated that the directional control, maximum excursion and endpoint excursion of LOS could be considered as important reference indexes for dynamic balance function.

Association Between Sleep Efficiency Variability and Cognition Among Older Adults: Cross-Sectional Accelerometer Study

Background

Sleep efficiency is often used as a measure of sleep quality. Getting sufficiently high-quality sleep has been associated with better cognitive function among older adults; however, the relationship between day-to-day sleep quality variability and cognition has not been well-established.

Objective

We aimed to determine the relationship between day-to-day sleep efficiency variability and cognitive function among older adults, using accelerometer data and 3 cognitive tests.

Methods

We included older adults aged >65 years with at least 5 days of accelerometer wear time from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) who completed the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST), the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease Word-Learning subtest (CERAD-WL), and the Animal Fluency Test (AFT). Sleep efficiency was derived using a data-driven machine learning algorithm. We examined associations between sleep efficiency variability and scores on each cognitive test adjusted for age, sex, education, household income, marital status, depressive symptoms, diabetes, smoking habits, alcohol consumption, arthritis, heart disease, prior heart attack, prior stroke, activities of daily living, and instrumental activities of daily living. Associations between average sleep efficiency and each cognitive test score were further examined for comparison purposes.

Results

A total of 1074 older adults from the NHANES were included in this study. Older adults with low average sleep efficiency exhibited higher levels of sleep efficiency variability (Pearson r=-0.63). After adjusting for confounding factors, greater average sleep efficiency was associated with higher scores on the DSST (per 10% increase, β=2.25, 95% CI 0.61 to 3.90) and AFT (per 10% increase, β=.91, 95% CI 0.27 to 1.56). Greater sleep efficiency variability was univariably associated with worse cognitive function based on the DSST (per 10% increase, β=-3.34, 95% CI -5.33 to -1.34), CERAD-WL (per 10% increase, β=-1.00, 95% CI -1.79 to -0.21), and AFT (per 10% increase, β=-1.02, 95% CI -1.68 to -0.36). In fully adjusted models, greater sleep efficiency variability remained associated with lower DSST (per 10% increase, β=-2.01, 95% CI -3.62 to -0.40) and AFT (per 10% increase, β=-.84, 95% CI -1.47 to -0.21) scores but not CERAD-WL (per 10% increase, β=-.65, 95% CI -1.39 to 0.08) scores.

Conclusions

Targeting consistency in sleep quality may be useful for interventions seeking to preserve cognitive function among older adults.

Population-based BRCA germline mutation screening in the Han Chinese identifies individuals at risk of BRCA mutation-related cancer: experience from a clinical diagnostic center from greater Shanghai area

BACKGROUND

Deleterious BRCA1/2 (BRCA) mutation raises the risk for BRCA mutation-related malignancies, including breast, ovarian, prostate, and pancreatic cancer. Germline variation of BRCA exhibits substantial ethnical diversity. However, there is limited research on the Chinese Han population, constraining the development of strategies for BRCA mutation screening in this large ethnic group.

METHODS

We profile the BRCA mutational spectrum, including single nucleotide variation, insertion/deletion, and large genomic rearrangements in 2,080 apparently healthy Chinese Han individuals and 522 patients with BRCA mutation-related cancer, to determine the BRCA genetic background of the Chinese Han population, especially of the East Han. Incident cancer events were monitored in 1,005 participants from the healthy group, comprising 11 BRCA pathogenic/likely pathogenic (PLP) variant carriers and 994 PLP-free individuals, including 3 LGR carriers.

RESULTS

Healthy Chinese Han individuals demonstrated a distinct BRCA mutational spectrum compared to cancer patients, with a 0.53% (1 in 189) prevalence of pathogenic/likely pathogenic (PLP) variant, alongside a 3 in 2,080 occurrence of LGR. BRCA1 c. 5470_5477del demonstrated high prevalence (0.44%) in the North Han Chinese and penetrance for breast cancer. None of the 3 LGR carriers developed cancer during the follow-up. We calculated a relative risk of 135.55 (95% CI 25.07 to 732.88) for the development of BRCA mutation-related cancers in the BRCA PLP variant carriers (mean age 42.91 years, median follow-up 10 months) compared to PLP-free individuals (mean age 48.47 years, median follow-up 16 months).

CONCLUSION

The unique BRCA mutational profile in the Chinese Han highlights the potential for standardized population-based BRCA variant screening to enhance BRCA mutation-related cancer prevention and treatment.

Establishing Multiple-Order Built-In Electric Fields Within Heterojunctions to Achieve Photocarrier Spatial Separation

Hybridizing two heterocomponents to construct a built-in electric field (BIEF) at the interface represents a significant strategy for facilitating charge separation in carbon dioxide (CO2)-photoreduction. However, the unidirectional nature of BIEFs formed by various low-dimensional materials poses challenges in adequately segregating the photogenerated carriers produced in bulk. In this study, leveraging zinc oxide (ZnO) nanodisks, a sulfurization reaction is employed to fabricate Z-scheme ZnO/zinc sulfide (ZnS) heterojunctions featuring a multiple-order BIEF. These heterojunctions reveal distinctive interfacial structures characterized by two semicoherent phase boundaries. The cathodoluminescence 2D maps and density functional theory calculation results demonstrate that the direction of the multiple-order BIEF spans from ZnS to ZnO. This directional alignment significantly fosters the spatial separation of photogenerated electrons and holes within ZnS nanoparticles and enhances CO2-to-carbon monoxide photoreduction performance (3811.7 µmol h-1 g-1). The findings present a novel pathway for structurally designing BIEFs within heterojunctions, while providing fresh insights into the migratory behavior of photogenerated carriers across interfaces.

Pork carcass composition, meat and belly qualities as influenced by feed efficiency selection in replacement boars from Large White sire and dam lines

This study evaluated carcass attributes, meat and belly qualities in finisher boars (n = 79) selected for feed efficiency (low, intermediate and high) based on estimated breeding value for feed conversion ratio within a Large White dam and sire genetic lines. The sire line had lower trimmed fat proportions and higher lean than the dam line (P < 0.01). Genetic lines expressed slight colour changes and drip losses (P < 0.05), with no differences in pH, marbling and cooking traits (P > 0.05). High-efficient animals presented the highest lean yield (P < 0.01), the lowest trimmed fat proportion (P < 0.01) and no effect on meat and belly quality attributes (P > 0.05) compared with other efficient groups. Interaction between efficiency group and genetic line was only detected for belly weight and thickness (P < 0.01). High-efficient animals offer a greater leanness level, with minimal impact on meat and belly quality traits.

New insights into GATOR2-dependent interactions and its conformational changes in amino acid sensing

Eukaryotic cells coordinate growth under different environmental conditions via mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1). In the amino-acid-sensing signalling pathway, the GATOR2 complex, containing five evolutionarily conserved subunits (WDR59, Mios, WDR24, Seh1L and Sec13), is required to regulate mTORC1 activity by interacting with upstream CASTOR1 (arginine sensor) and Sestrin2 (leucine sensor and downstream GATOR1 complex). GATOR2 complex utilizes β-propellers to engage with CASTOR1, Sestrin2 and GATOR1, removal of these β-propellers results in substantial loss of mTORC1 capacity. However, structural information regarding the interface between amino acid sensors and GATOR2 remains elusive. With the recent progress of the AI-based tool AlphaFold2 (AF2) for protein structure prediction, structural models were predicted for Sentrin2-WDR24-Seh1L and CASTOR1-Mios β-propeller. Furthermore, the effectiveness of relevant residues within the interface was examined using biochemical experiments combined with molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Notably, fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) analysis detected the structural transition of GATOR2 in response to amino acid signals, and the deletion of Mios β-propeller severely impeded that change at distinct arginine levels. These findings provide structural perspectives on the association between GATOR2 and amino acid sensors and can facilitate future research on structure determination and function.

Effects of fermented tofu processing wastewater on growth performance and meat quality of Xianghuang broilers

This study aimed to investigate the effects of fermented tofu processing wastewater (FTPW) on the growth performance and meat quality of Xianghuang broilers. A total of 160 six-week-old Xianghuang broilers were randomly assigned to control or FTPW groups with eight replicate pens of 10 birds each pen. Broilers received the same corn-soybean diet but different water. Broilers received ordinary water in the control group and 40% (volume: volume) FTPW (the solution has been filtered with four layers of sieve, containing Bacillus 1.52 × 10-7 CFU/mL) in FTPW group. The experiment lasted for 30 days. Results indicated that growth performance was not affected by treatment (p > 0.05). The value of pH45 min and a48 h increased and drip loss72 h and toughness decreased in breast muscle when broilers received FTPW solution compared with the control group (p < 0.05). The pH45 min, a45 min, a48 h value and crude fat concentration of thigh muscle were higher in FTPW group than that in control group (p < 0.05). Compared with control group, fibre area decreased but fibre density increased in thigh muscle when Xianghuang chickens supplemented with FTPW solution (p < 0.05). Supplementation of FTPW solution in drinking water significantly decreased malondialdehyde content in the breast muscle of Xianghuang chickens (p < 0.05). Gene expressions such as carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A (CPT1) and glycogen synthase of breast muscle were downregulated in experimental group when compared with control group. In conclusion, FTPW supplementation in drinking water could improve meat quality of Xianghuang broilers by regulating pH value, redness and fibre morphology.

USP46 promotes the interferon antiviral signaling in black carp by deubiquitinating TBK1

Ubiquitin-specific peptidase 46 (USP46) functions as a deubiquitinating enzyme, facilitating the removal of ubiquitin molecules attached to substrate proteins and playing a critical role in cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. However, its function in innate antiviral immunity is unknown. In this study we cloned and identified bcUSP46, a homolog of USP46 from black carp. We discovered that overexpression of bcUSP46 enhanced the transcription of interferon (IFN) promoters and increased the expression of IFN, PKR, and Mx1. In addition, bcUSP46 knockdown significantly inhibited the expression of ISG genes, as well as the antiviral activity of the host cells. Interestingly, when bcUSP46 was co-expressed with the RLR factors, it significantly enhanced the activity of the IFN promoter mediated by these factors, especially TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1). The subsequent co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP) and immunofluorescence (IF) assay confirmed the association between bcUSP46 and bcTBK1. Noteworthily, co-expression of bcUSP46 with bcTBK1 led to an elevation of bcTBK1 protein level. Further analysis revealed that bcUSP46 stabilized bcTBK1 by eliminating the K48-linked ubiquitination of bcTBK1. Overall, our findings highlight the unique role of USP46 in modulating TBK1/IFN signaling and enrich our knowledge of the function of deubiquitination in regulating innate immunity in vertebrates.

Rhodium(III)-Catalyzed Oxidative 1,3-Aryl Migration of α-Aryl Allylic Alcohols

A Rh(III)-catalyzed oxidative 1,3-aryl migration of α-arylallylic alcohols via Csp2-Csp3 σ bond activation has been developed. This method provides an efficient strategy to allow for allylic alcohol-based skeleton rearrangement, in which various secondary and tertiary α-arylallylic alcohols are rapidly converted to β-aryl-α, β-unsaturated ketones and aldehydes.

From Cd(SCN)2(CH4N2S)2 to Cd(SCN)2(C4H6N2)2: Controlling Sulfur Content in Thiocyanate Systems Significantly Improves the Overall Performance of UV Nonlinear Optical Materials

Combining a strong second-order nonlinear optical (NLO) effect (>1×KH2PO4 (KDP)), a large band gap (>4.2 eV), and a moderate birefringence in ultraviolet (UV) NLO crystals remains a formidable challenge. Herein, Cd(SCN)2(C4H6N2)2, the first example of a thiocyanate capable of realizing a phase-matched UV NLO crystal material, is obtained by reducing the sulfur (S) content in the centrosymmetric (CS) structure of Cd(SCN)2(CH4N2S)2. Compared to the "shoulder-to-shoulder" one-dimensional (1D) chain of Cd(SCN)2(CH4N2S)2, Cd(SCN)2(C4H6N2)2 has a different sawtooth 1D chain structure. Cd(SCN)2(CH4N2S)2 has second harmonic generation (SHG) inertia with a band gap of 3.90 eV and a UV cutoff edge of 342 nm, however, it possesses a large birefringence (0.35@546 nm). In contrast, the symmetry center breaking of Cd(SCN)2(C4H6N2)2 leads to remarkably strong SHG intensity (10 times that of KDP). Furthermore, it has a wide band gap (4.74 eV), short UV cutoff edge (234 nm), and moderate birefringence capable of phase matching (0.17@546 nm). This research indicates that thiocyanates are a promising class of UV NLO crystal materials, and that modulation of the sulfur content of CS thiocyanates is an effective strategy for the development of UV NLO crystals with excellent overall performances.

Improved small vessel visibility in diabetic foot arteriography using dual-energy CT

AIM

To test the feasibility and performance of dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) in foot arteriography of diabetic patients, where contrast medium is largely reduced within the small vessels.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 50 diabetic patients were enrolled prospectively, where DECT was acquired immediately after the CT angiography (CTA, group A) of the lower extremity. Two images were derived from the DECT data, one optimal virtual monochromatic image (VMI, group B) and one fusion image (group C), both of which were compared against the CTA image for visualising the foot arteries. The contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) were evaluated. The arterial course and contrast were graded each using a five-point scale. The clarity of small vessel depiction was quantified by comparing the number of plantar metatarsal arteries found in the maximum intensity projection image.

RESULTS

The median CNRs and SNRs obtained in group B were approximately 45% and 20% higher than those in groups A and C, respectively (p<0.05). Group B also received higher subjective scores on the posterior tibial artery and the foot arteries (all >3) than groups A and C. The number of visible branches of the plantar metatarsal arteries was found to be substantially higher (p<0.05) in group B (median=6) than in groups A (median=2) and C (median=4).

CONCLUSION

DECT was found to be superior to conventional CTA in foot arteriography, and beyond the lower extremity, it might be a general favourable solution for imaging regions with small vessels and reduced contrast medium.

Elevated MIF identified by multiple cytokine analyses facilitates macrophage M2 polarization contributing to postoperative recurrence in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps

BACKGROUND

Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) is characterized by tissue heterogeneity and high postoperative recurrence risk. This study aims to employ cytokine analyses to identify serum biomarkers associated with postoperative CRSwNP recurrence and elucidate underlying recurrent mechanisms.

METHODS

A prospective cohort study was conducted on CRSwNP patients undergoing functional endoscopic sinus surgery. Serum and tissue samples were collected and analyzed for multiple cytokines. Participants were followed for 3 years and categorized into recurrent and non-recurrent groups. Cytokine profiles were compared, and potential markers for recurrence were further assessed. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) expression in macrophages was modulated, and their polarization and cytokine secretion were assessed.

RESULTS

In the discovery cohort (21 recurrent and 40 non-recurrent patients), circulating cytokine profiles differed significantly, with 8 cytokines showing differential expression between the two groups. Among them, serum eotaxin, MIF, RANTES, and TRAIL exhibited promise in predicting recurrence. In the validation cohort (24 recurrent and 44 non-recurrent patients), serum eotaxin, MIF, and TRAIL levels were higher in recurrent cases. Tissue MIF was elevated in recurrent cases and had a strong predictive value for recurrence. Moreover, tissue MIF was co-expressed with CD206 in recurrent cases. Mechanistically, MIF overexpression promoted macrophage M2 polarization and TGF-β1, CCL-24, and MIF secretion, and MIF recombinant protein facilitated M2 polarization, and TGF-β1 and CCL-24 production, contributing to CRSwNP recurrence.

CONCLUSIONS

Serum-specific cytokine signatures were associated with postoperative recurrence risk in CRSwNP. Elevated MIF enhanced macrophage M2 polarization and cytokine secretion, contributing to the recurrent mechanisms of CRSwNP.

Surgical treatment of acromioclavicular joint dislocation of Rockwood III/IV: a retrospective study on clavicular hook plate versus arthroscopic TightRope loop titanium button

PURPOSE

To compare the clinical efficacy of arthroscopic TightRope loop titanium button and clavicular hook plate in the treatment of acromioclavicular joint (ACJ) dislocation of Rockwood III/IV.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of patients with ACJ dislocation in our hospital from January 2018 to December 2020 was conducted. The patients were assigned to be treated with arthroscopic TightRope loop titanium button (TR group) or clavicular hook plate (HP group). The preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative data and imaging findings of the two groups were compared.

RESULTS

A total of 58 eligible patients were enrolled in this study. Compared with HP group, TR group had shorter incision length and less blood loss during operation. Postoperative follow-up ranged from 12 to 24 months (mean 15.4 months). At 6 months and 12months postoperatively, compared with HP group, TR group had lower VAS and higher CMS, and the difference was statistically significant. At 12 months postoperatively, compared with HP group, TR group had lower ACJ gap and coracoclavicular joint(CCJ) distance, and the difference was statistically significant.In HP group, there were 3 cases of subacromial impact, 1 case of redislocation, 2 cases of traumatic arthritis and 2 cases of wound infection. There was 1 case of redislocation in TR group.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with clavicular hook plate, arthroscopic TightRope loop titanium button is minimally invasive, safe and effective in the treatment of ACJ dislocation, and has a good trend in clinical application.

[Eculizumab in patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria: a real-world study in China]

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of eculizumab in the treatment of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) in China. Methods: Data from PNH patients who received at least 3 months of full-dose eculizumab and were followed for at least 3 months between December 2022 and July 2023 were retrospectively collected. We evaluated changes in clinical and laboratory parameters after 1, 2, 3, and 6 months of eculizumab treatment. The rates of breakthrough hemolysis (BTH), extravascular hemolysis (EVH), and the occurrence of adverse reactions were also monitored. Results: The study included nine patients, six males and three females, with a median age of 54 (28-69) years. 5 of the patients had classic PNH, while 4 had PNH/AA. The number of episodes of hemoglobinuria was 5 (1-25) per month before eculizumab. 4 patients required blood transfusion, 5 had thrombosis and one had renal impairment before eculizumab. The median time to eculizumab was 6 (3-7) months and the followup period was 3 (3-6) months after treatment. The number of episodes of hemoglobinuria following eculizumab was 0 (0-1). During the followup period, no additional thrombotic events occurred. LDH at any time after eculizumab was lower than at baseline, and some patients' HGB increased. All transfused patients became transfusion-independent after receiving eculizumab. The FACIT-Fatigue score improved by an average of 17.3 points following treatment. 2 patients developed BTH and improved with symptomatic treatment. There were three adverse events that caused mild symptoms. There are no serious adverse events or deaths. Conclusion: Eculizumab can effectively control the hemolytic-related symptoms of PNH in China, reducing the need for blood transfusions to some extent, while also demonstrating a higher safety profile.

[The effect of Ba Duan Jin on the balance of community-dwelling older adults: a cluster randomized control trial]

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of a 6-month Ba Duan Jin exercise program in improving the balance of community-dwelling older adults. Methods: A two arms, parallel-group, cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted in 1 028 community residents aged 60-80 years in 40 communities in 5 provinces of China. Participants in the intervention group (20 communities, 523 people) received Ba Duan Jin exercise 5 days/week, 1 hour/day for 6 months, and three times of falls prevention health education, and the control group (20 communities, 505 people) received falls prevention health education same as the intervention group. The Berg balance scale (BBS) score was the leading outcome indicator, and the secondary outcome indicators included the length of time of standing on one foot (with eyes open and closed), standing in a tandem stance (with eyes open and closed), the closed circle test, and the timed up to test. Results: A total of 1 028 participants were included in the final analysis, including 731 women (71.11%) and 297 men (28.89%), and the age was (69.87±5.67) years. After the 3-month intervention, compared with the baseline data, the BBS score of the intervention group was significantly higher than the control group by 3.05 (95%CI: 2.23-3.88) points (P<0.001). After the 6-month intervention, compared with the baseline data, the BBS score of the intervention group was significantly higher than the control group by 4.70 (95%CI: 4.03-5.37) points (P<0.001). Ba Duan Jin showed significant improvement (P<0.05) in all secondary outcomes after 6 months of exercise in the intervention group compared with the control group. Conclusions: This study showed that Ba Duan Jin exercise can improve balance in community-dwelling older adults aged 60-80. The longer the exercise time, the better the improvement.

From C4H7N2Ge0.4Sn0.6Br3 to C6H11N2Ge0.4Sn0.6Br3: Effective Modulation of the Second Harmonic Generation Effect and Optical Band Gap by Planar π-Conjugated Organic Cation Size

In the search for nonlinear optical (NLO) materials with excellent overall performance, we have devoted ourselves to organic-inorganic hybrids consisting of anionic groups containing stereochemically active lone-pair (SCALP) electron cations and organic planar π-conjugated group cations. Accordingly, in this paper, two novel organic-inorganic hybrid metal halides, C4H7N2Ge0.4Sn0.6Br3 (I) and C6H11N2Ge0.4Sn0.6Br3 (II), have been synthesized. The powder second-harmonic technique shows that both C4H7N2Ge0.4Sn0.6Br3 and C6H11N2Ge0.4Sn0.6Br3 have moderately strong second-order nonlinear optical effects, which are about 2.03 (I) and 1.16 (II) times that of KH2PO4 (KDP), respectively. They also have different optical band gaps of 2.75 (I) and 2.88 eV (II) due to the different sizes of the organic cations, and their photoluminescent and thermal properties were also investigated. This work provides new structural insights for the design and modulation of organic-inorganic hybrid halide materials with multiple excellent optical properties.

Preparation of potential organic fertilizer rich in γ-polyglutamic acid via microbial fermentation using brewer's spent grain as basic substrate

Brewer's spent grain (BSG) is a main byproduct of the beer industry. BSG is rich in a variety of nutrients, and the search for its effective, high-value utilization is ongoing. Environmental probiotic factor γ-PGA was produced by fermenting Bacillus subtilis with BSG substrate and the fermenting grain components were analyzed. The γ-PGA yield reached 31.58 ± 0.21 g/kg of BSG. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and non-targeted metabolomics analyses revealed 73 new volatile substances in the fermenting grains. Furthermore, 2,376 metabolites were upregulated after fermentation and several components were beneficial for plant growth and development (such as ectoine, acetyl eugenol, L-phenylalanine, niacin, isoprene, pantothenic acid, dopamine, glycine, proline, jasmonic acid, etc). These results show that it is possible to synthesize adequate amounts of γ-PGA for use as a functional fertilizer.

Identification of natural xanthine oxidase inhibitors: Virtual screening, anti-xanthine oxidase activity, and interaction mechanism

Xanthine oxidase (XO) is a crucial target for hyperuricemia treatment(s). Naturally occurred XO inhibitors with minimal toxicity and high efficacy have attracted researchers' attention. With the goal of quickly identifying natural XO inhibitors, an integrated computational screening strategy was constructed by molecular docking and calculating the free energy of binding. Twenty-seven hits were achieved from a database containing 19,377 natural molecules. This includes fourteen known XO inhibitors and four firstly-reported inhibitors (isolicoflavonol, 5,7-dihydroxycoumarin, parvifolol D and clauszoline M, IC50 < 40 μM). Iolicoflavonol (hit 8, IC50 = 8.45 ± 0.68 μM) and 5,7-dihydroxycoumarin (hit 25, IC50 = 10.91 ± 0.71 μM) displayed the great potency as mixed-type inhibitors. Docking study and molecular dynamics simulation revealed that both hits could interact with XO's primarily active site residues ARG880, MOS1328, and ASN768 of XO. Fluorescence spectroscopy studies showed that hit 8 bound to the active cavity region of XO, causing changes in XO's conformation and hydrophobicity. Hits 8 and 25 exhibit favorable Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, and Excretion (ADME) properties. Additionally, no cytotoxicity against human liver cells was observed at their median inhibition concentrations against XO. Therefore, the present study offers isolicoflavonol and 5,7-dihydroxycoumarin with the potential to be disease-modifying agents for hyperuricemia.

Serratus Anterior Fascia for Immediate Implant-Based Breast Reconstruction: A Case Series of 65 Patients With Breast Cancer

OBJECTIVE

After immediate implant-based breast reconstruction (IIBR) after mastectomy, implant exposure or capsular contracture can occur. This study aimed to evaluate IIBR using serratus anterior fascia in patients with breast cancer.

METHODS

This retrospective case series study enrolled patients with breast cancer underwent IIBR using the serratus anterior fascia after mastectomy in the Department of Breast Surgery of Fujian Cancer Hospital between January 2021 and December 2022.

RESULTS

Sixty-five cases with breast cancer underwent IIBR using serratus anterior fascia were enrolled, with a median age of 39 years (range, 24-57 years) and body mass index of 21.32 kg/m 2 (range, 19-25 kg/m 2 ). The aesthetic outcomes of the reconstructed breasts showed good in 53 cases (81.6%), moderate in 11 cases (16.9%), and poor in 1 case (1.5%) due to offset position. Two cases showed poor wound healing, which improved after repeat suturing and 5 cases developed partial ischemic necrosis of the nipple, which scabbed and healed spontaneously.

CONCLUSIONS

Implant-based breast reconstruction using serratus anterior fascia may provide good aesthetic outcomes with few complications.

Navigating the landscape: Prospects and hurdles in targeting vascular smooth muscle cells for atherosclerosis diagnosis and therapy

Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) have emerged as pivotal contributors throughout all phases of atherosclerotic plaque development, effectively dispelling prior underestimations of their prevalence and significance. Recent lineage tracing studies have unveiled the clonal nature and remarkable adaptability inherent to VSMCs, thereby illuminating their intricate and multifaceted roles in the context of atherosclerosis. This comprehensive review provides an in-depth exploration of the intricate mechanisms and distinctive characteristics that define VSMCs across various physiological processes, firmly underscoring their paramount importance in shaping the course of atherosclerosis. Furthermore, this review offers a thorough examination of the significant strides made over the past two decades in advancing imaging techniques and therapeutic strategies with a precise focus on targeting VSMCs within atherosclerotic plaques, notably spotlighting meticulously engineered nanoparticles as a promising avenue. We envision the potential of VSMC-targeted nanoparticles, thoughtfully loaded with medications or combination therapies, to effectively mitigate pro-atherogenic VSMC processes. These advancements are poised to contribute significantly to the pivotal objective of modulating VSMC phenotypes and enhancing plaque stability. Moreover, our paper also delves into recent breakthroughs in VSMC-targeted imaging technologies, showcasing their remarkable precision in locating microcalcifications, dynamically monitoring plaque fibrous cap integrity, and assessing the therapeutic efficacy of medical interventions. Lastly, we conscientiously explore the opportunities and challenges inherent in this innovative approach, providing a holistic perspective on the potential of VSMC-targeted strategies in the evolving landscape of atherosclerosis research and treatment.

Influence of Femtosecond Laser Surface Modification on Tensile Properties of Titanium Alloy

Titanium alloy components often experience damage from impact loads during usage, which makes improving the mechanical properties of TC4 titanium alloys crucial. This paper investigates the influence of laser scanning irradiation on the tensile properties of thin titanium alloy sheets. Results indicate that the tensile strength of thin titanium alloy sheets exhibits a trend of initial increase followed by a decrease. Different levels of enhancement are observed in the elongation at break of a cross-section. Optimal improvement in the elongation at break is achieved when the laser fluence is around 8 J/cm2, while the maximum increase in tensile strength occurs at approximately 10 J/cm2. Using femtosecond laser surface irradiation, this study compares the maximum enhancement in the tensile strength of titanium alloy base materials, which is approximately 8.54%, and the maximum increase in elongation at break, which reaches 25.61%. In addition, the results verify that cracks in tensile fractures of TC4 start from the middle, while laser-induced fracture cracks occur from both ends.

Clinical considerations of CDK4/6 inhibitors in HER2 positive breast cancer

Deregulation of cell cycles can result in a variety of cancers, including breast cancer (BC). In fact, abnormal regulation of cell cycle pathways is often observed in breast cancer, leading to malignant cell proliferation. CDK4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) can block the G1 cell cycle through the cyclin D-cyclin dependent kinase 4/6-inhibitor of CDK4-retinoblastoma (cyclinD-CDK4/6-INK4-RB) pathway, thus blocking the proliferation of invasive cells, showing great therapeutic potential to inhibit the spread of BC. So far, three FDA-approved drugs have been shown to be effective in the management of advanced hormone receptor positive (HR+) BC: palbociclib, abemaciclib, and ribociclib. The combination strategy of CDK4/6i and endocrine therapy (ET) has become the standard therapeutic regimen and is increasingly applied to advanced BC patients. The present study aims to clarify whether CDK4/6i can also achieve a certain therapeutic effect on Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 positive (HER2+) BC. Studies of CDK4/6i are not limited to patients with estrogen receptor positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative (ER+/HER2-) advanced BC, but have also expanded to other types of BC. Several pre-clinical and clinical trials have demonstrated the potential of CDK4/6i in treating HER2+ BC. Therefore, this review summarizes the current knowledge and recent findings on the use of CDK4/6i in this type of BC, and provides ideas for the discovery of new treatment modalities.

Unsupervised corneal contour extraction algorithm with shared model for dynamic deformation videos: improving accuracy and noise resistance

BACKGROUND

In this study, an automatic corneal contour extraction algorithm with a shared model is developed to extract contours from dynamic corneal videos containing noise, which improves the accuracy of corneal biomechanical evaluation and clinical diagnoses. The algorithm does not require manual labeling and completes the unsupervised semantic segmentation of each frame in corneal dynamic deformation videos based on a fully convolutional deep-learning network using corneal geometry and texture information.

RESULTS

We included 1027 corneal videos at Tianjin Eye Hospital (Nankai University Affiliated Eye Hospital) from May 2020 to November 2021. The videos were obtained by the ultra-high-speed Scheimpflug camera, and then we used the shared model mechanism to accelerate the segmentation of corneal regions in videos, effectively resist noise, determine corneal regions based on shape factors, and finally achieve automatic and accurate extraction of corneal region contours. The Intersection over Union (IoU) of the extracted and real corneal contours using this algorithm reached 95%, and the average overlap error was 0.05, implying that the extracted corneal contour overlapped almost completely with the real contour.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared to other algorithms, the method introduced in this study does not require manual annotation of corneal contour data in advance and can still extract accurate corneal contours from noisy corneal videos with good repeatability.

Opportunities and challenges in enhancing the bioavailability and bioactivity of dietary flavonoids: A novel delivery system perspective

Flavonoids have multiple favorable bioactivities including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antitumor. Currently, flavonoid-containing dietary supplements are widely tested in clinical trials for the prevention and/or treatment of multiple diseases. However, the clinical application of flavonoids is largely compromised by their low bioavailability and bioactivity, probably due to their poor aqueous solubility, intensive metabolism, and low systemic absorption. Therefore, formulating flavonoids into novel delivery systems is a promising approach for overcoming these drawbacks. In this review, we highlight the opportunities and challenges in the clinical use of dietary flavonoids from the perspective of novel delivery systems. First, the classification, sources, and bioactivity of dietary flavonoids are described. Second, the progress of clinical research on flavonoid-based dietary supplements is systematically summarized. Finally, novel delivery systems developed to improve the bioavailability and bioactivity of flavonoids are discussed in detail to broaden the clinical application of dietary flavonoids.

A fluorescent probe based on modulation of ESIPT signaling for the highly selective detection of N2H4 and cell-imaging

The broad occurrence of the hydrazine (N2H4) residues in aqueousenvironment is a potential threat to human health. Currently, the mainstream strategy for designing N2H4-specific probes is to functionalize a fluorophore with nucleophilic sites for the reductionreaction with N2H4. In this work, we designed and synthesized an excited-state intermolecular proton transfer (inter-ESPT) fluorescent dye(2-amino-4-(4-methoxyphenyl)-7,8-dihydro-5H-spiro[quinoline-6,2'-[1,3]dioxolane]-3-carbonitrilem, DQN) and used it as a probe to sense N2H4. DQN exhibits blue fluorescence in conventional solvents, which is assigned to its normal emission. In the presence of N2H4, the probe DQN can anchor the N2H4 molecule via hydrogen binding, enabling DQN to undergo inter-ESPT process and light up its tautomeric fluorescence. From this basis, an inter-ESPT-based method for N2H4 detection was established, offering high selectivity and sensitivity (11.5 nM). Furthermore, we demonstrated that the probe DQN can recognize the proteins in living cells, affording cell-imaging. This research provides a promising sensing strategy for monitoring N2H4 in water environments and this inter-ESPT dye is a powerful tool for cell-imaging.

Germination of pecan seeds changes the microbial community

Endophytes are core of the plant-associated microbiome, and seed endophytes are closely related to the plant growth and development. Seed germination is an important part of pecan's life activities, but the composition and changes of microbes during different germination processes have not yet been revealed in pecan seeds. In order to deeply explore the characteristics of endophytes during the germination process of pecan, high-throughput sequencing was performed on seeds at four different germination stages. Findings of present study was found that the diversity and composition of microorganisms were different in different germination stages, and the microbial richness and diversity were highest in the seed endocarp break stage. It was speculated that the change of endophytes in pecan seeds was related to the germination stage. By evaluating the relationship between microbial communities, the core microbiota Cyanobacteria, Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria (bacterial) and Anthophyta and Ascomycota (fungal) core microbiota were identified in germinating pecan seeds. Finally, biomarkers in different germination processes of pecan seeds were identified by LEfSe analysis, among which Proteobacteria, Gamma proteobacteria and, Cyanobacteria and Ascomycota and Sordariomycetes were most abundant. Thus, this study will help to explore the interaction mechanism between pecan seeds and endophytes in different germination processes, and provide materials for the research and development of pecan seed endophytes.

Crystal Engineering of BiVO4 for Photochemical Sensing of H2 S Gas at Ultra-low Concentration

We report a photochemical bismuth vanadate (BiVO4 ) sensing material, which possesses a large proportion of (110) and (011) facets combined with the additional (111) facets, for the selective detection of ultra-low concentration hydrogen sulfide (H2 S) driven by visible light. Specifically, the obtained octadecahedron BiVO4 (Octa-BiVO4 ) performs a high response value (67) and short response time (47.4 s) to 100 ppm H2 S with good stability for nearly 100 days, as well as undisturbedness by moist air. With the combination of experimental and theoretical calculation results, the adsorption and carrier transfer behaviors of H2 S molecules on the Octa-BiVO4 crystal surface are investigated. By adjusting the ratio of different crystal facets and controlling the facets with characteristic adsorption, we achieve improved anisotropic photoinduced carrier separation and high selectivity for a specific gas. Furthermore, this facial facet engineering can be extended to the synthesis of other sensing materials, offering huge opportunities for fundamental research and technological applications.

Optimized Crystal Framework by Asymmetric Core Isomerization in Selenium-Substituted Acceptor for Efficient Binary Organic Solar Cells

Both the regional isomerization and selenium-substitution of the small molecular acceptors (SMAs) play significant roles in developing efficient organic solar cells (OSCs), while their synergistic effects remain elusive. Herein, we developed three isomeric SMAs (S-CSeF, A-ISeF, and A-OSeF) via subtly manipulating the mono-selenium substituted position (central, inner, or outer) and type of heteroaromatic ring on the central core by synergistic strategies for efficient OSCs, respectively. Crystallography of asymmetric A-OSeF presents a closer intermolecular π-π stacking and more ordered 3-dimensional network packing and efficient charge-hopping pathways. With the successive out-shift of the mono-selenium substituted position, the neat films give a slightly wider band gap and gradually higher crystallinity and electron mobility. The PM1 : A-OSeF afford favourable fibrous phase separation morphology with more ordered molecular packing and efficient charge transportation compared to the other two counterparts. Consequently, the A-OSeF-based devices achieve a champion efficiency of 18.5 %, which represents the record value for the reported selenium-containing SMAs in binary OSCs. Our developed precise molecular engineering of the position and type of selenium-based heteroaromatic ring of SMAs provides a promising synergistic approach to optimizing crystal stacking and boosting top-ranked selenium-containing SMAs-based OSCs.

Ferroptosis: an important player in the inflammatory response in diabetic nephropathy

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects millions of diabetic patients worldwide. The key to treating of DN is early diagnosis and prevention. Once the patient enters the clinical proteinuria stage, renal damage is difficult to reverse. Therefore, developing early treatment methods is critical. DN pathogenesis results from various factors, among which the immune response and inflammation play major roles. Ferroptosis is a newly discovered type of programmed cell death characterized by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation and excessive ROS production. Recent studies have demonstrated that inflammation activation is closely related to the occurrence and development of ferroptosis. Moreover, hyperglycemia induces iron overload, lipid peroxidation, oxidative stress, inflammation, and renal fibrosis, all of which are related to DN pathogenesis, indicating that ferroptosis plays a key role in the development of DN. Therefore, this review focuses on the regulatory mechanisms of ferroptosis, and the mutual regulatory processes involved in the occurrence and development of DN and inflammation. By discussing and analyzing the relationship between ferroptosis and inflammation in the occurrence and development of DN, we can deepen our understanding of DN pathogenesis and develop new therapeutics targeting ferroptosis or inflammation-related regulatory mechanisms for patients with DN.

[Efficacy of different regimens and prognostic factors in patients with first relapsed multiple myeloma treated after front-line bortezomib, cyclophosphamide, and dexamethasone]

Objective: To analyze the efficacy of second-line regimens and prognostic factors in patients with first-relapsed multiple myeloma (MM) treated with bortezomib, cyclophosphamide, and dexamethasone (BCD). Methods: A retrospective cohort study. Clinical data were collected in first-relapsed MM patients after BCD treatment from three tertiary hospitals in north China from July 2009 to October 2022. Patients were classified according to the second-line regimen into the immunotherapy group, single novel agent group [either proteasome inhibitor (PI) or immunomodulatory drug (IMiD)], combination treatment group (both PI+IMiD), and traditional treatment group. Responses to second-line regimens and survival data were analyzed. The Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis and the Cox proportional risk model was used for univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: A total of 217 patients were enrolled including 8.8% (19/217) in the immunotherapy group, 48.4% (105/217) in the PI/IMiD group, 29.9% (65/217) in the PI+IMiD group, and 12.9% (28/217) in the traditional treatment group. The median age was 62 years (range 31-83 years) and 56.2% (122/217) were males. The overall response rates (ORRs) in the four groups were 94.7% (18/19) vs. 56.2% (59/105) vs. 73.8% (48/65) vs. 32.1% (9/28) (χ2=24.55; P<0.001), respectively. The progression-free survival (PFS) of the second-line regimens (2ndPFS) was 17.7 vs. 9.0 vs. 9.2 vs. 4.6 months (χ2=22.74; P<0.001), respectively, among which patients in the PI/IMiD and PI+IMiD groups had comparable 2ndPFS (χ2=1.76; P=0.923). Patients with high-risk cytogenetic abnormalities (HRCAs) achieved the longest 2ndPFS of 22.0 months in the immunotherapy group (χ2=15.03; P=0.002). Multivariate analysis suggested that immunotherapy (HR=0.11, 95%CI 0.05-0.27), achievement of efficacy of partial response or better (HR=0.47, 95%CI 0.34-0.66), and non-aggressive relapse (HR=0.25, 95%CI 0.17-0.37) were independent prognostic factors of 2ndPFS. Conclusion: In this real-world study, immunotherapy was associated with a more favorable efficacy and PFS for first-relapsed MM patients after BCD treatment, with similar outcomes in patients with HRCAs.

VDR gene ApaI polymorphism and risk of postmenopausal osteoporosis: a meta-analysis from 22 studies

OBJECTIVE

The ApaI polymorphism (G > T, rs7975232) of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene in the risk of postmenopausal osteoporosis has been widely researched, and the results have yielded conflicts. Therefore, we performed an updated pooled analysis to comprehensively assess the association between VDR ApaI polymorphism and postmenopausal osteoporosis risk.

METHODS

We searched eligible studies about ApaI polymorphism and osteoporosis through the PubMed, Embase, CNKI and Wanfang databases; case-control studies containing available genotype frequencies of A/a were chosen. We used the odds ratio with 95% confidence interval to assess the strength of this association. Sensitivity analysis and publication bias assessment were performed. Trial sequential analysis (TSA) was performed to evaluate a sufficient sample.

RESULTS

Twenty-two studies assessed the relationship between ApaI polymorphism and the risk of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. The comprehensive analyses showed no significant association for ApaI polymorphism with postmenopausal osteoporosis in the overall population, equally valid for Asian and Caucasian subgroups with any genetic model. TSA still indicated the results were robust.

CONCLUSION

The present meta-analysis suggests that the VDR ApaI genotype may not affect the risk of postmenopausal osteoporosis in Asians and Caucasians.

Circular RNAs: An emerging precise weapon for diabetic nephropathy diagnosis and therapy

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a prevalent chronic microvascular complication associated with diabetes mellitus and represents a major cause of chronic kidney disease and renal failure. Current treatment strategies for DN primarily focus on symptom alleviation, lacking effective approaches to halt or reverse DN progression. Circular RNA (circRNA), characterized by a closed-loop structure, has emerged as a novel non-coding RNA regulator of gene expression, attributed to its conservation, stability, specificity, and multifunctionality. Dysregulation of circRNA expression is closely associated with DN progression, whereby circRNA impacts kidney cell injury by modulating cell cycle, differentiation, cell death, as well as influencing the release of inflammatory factors and stromal fibronectin expression. Consequently, circRNA is considered a predictive biomarker and a potential therapeutic target for DN. This review provides an overview of the latest research progress in the classification, functions, monitoring methods, and databases related to circRNA. The paper focuses on elucidating the impact and underlying mechanisms of circRNA on kidney cells under diabetic conditions, aiming to offer novel insights into the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of DN.

A Bioresorbable and Conductive Scaffold Integrating Silicon Membranes for Peripheral Nerve Regeneration

Peripheral nerve injury represents one of the most common types of traumatic damage, severely impairing motor and sensory functions, and posttraumatic nerve regeneration remains a major challenge. Electrical cues are critical bioactive factors that promote nerve regrowth, and bioartificial scaffolds incorporating conductive materials to enhance the endogenous electrical field have been demonstrated to be effective. The utilization of fully biodegradable scaffolds can eliminate material residues, and circumvent the need for secondary retrieval procedures. Here, a fully bioresorbable and conductive nerve scaffold integrating N-type silicon (Si) membranes is proposed, which can deliver both structural guidance and electrical cues for the repair of nerve defects. The entire scaffold is fully biodegradable, and the introduction of N-type Si can significantly promote the proliferation and production of neurotrophic factors of Schwann cells and enhance the calcium activity of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. The conductive scaffolds enable accelerated nerve regeneration and motor functional recovery in rodents with sciatic nerve transection injuries. This work sheds light on the advancement of bioresorbable and electrically active materials to achieve desirable neural interfaces and improved therapeutic outcomes, offering essential strategies for regenerative medicine.

Genome-wide association analysis of neck ring traits in NongHua ma male ducks

1. Male NongHua ma ducks have more colourful feathers than females, especially considering that the former have a distinctive neck ring that is different from that of females. This ring development might be influenced by sex selection, the environment, genetics and other elements.2. Genome-wide association analysis (GWAS) was used to locate candidate genes that affect the neck ring formation of male ducks to investigate the genetic basis of this phenomenon.3. In this study, the neck ring area and width of 180 male ducks were assessed at ages 80, 90, 100, 110 and 120 d. GWAS was used to identify associated genes. There were 0, 7, 14, 48 and 21 possible candidate genes annotated around the 0, 12, 25, 76 and 40 SNP loci n corresponding regions. A total of 13 candidate genes were identified around 21 SNP sites at the neck ring width of 120 d.4. These significant genes were annotated and GO and KEGG enrichment analyses were performed. All SNPs that exceeded the significance threshold were annotated and preliminarily screened as candidate genes affecting neck ring formation. From analysis of gene function and enriched KEGG pathways, genes such as THSD1, SLC6A4, DGAT2, PRKDC, B3GAT2, ROR1, GRK7, EXTL3, TXNDC12, COL4A2, PRKG1, ACTR3, were considered important candidate marker sites related to the neck ring. This provided a reference starting point for the genetic mechanism underlying duck feather colour.

Comparing dehulled hemp meal and canola meal as a protein supplement for lactating dairy cows

Effects of replacing canola meal with dehulled hemp meal in the diet of lactating dairy cows on the dry matter intake (DMI), milk production, milk fatty acid profile, blood metabolites, total-tract nutrient digestibility, and transfer of cannabinoids were determined in 12 lactating, nonpregnant Holstein cows. These cows were used in a 3 × 3 Latin square design with three 3-wk experimental periods consisting of 2 wk of adaptation and 1 wk of sampling. Cows received basal partial mixed rations supplemented with either 15% dry matter (DM) canola meal (CM15), 15% DM dehulled hemp meal (HM15), or 7.5% DM dehulled hemp meal and 7.5% DM canola meal (CM7.5HM7.5). Diets were formulated to be isoenergetic and isonitrogenous, but the HM15 and CM7.5HM7.5 diets contained, on average 1.2 percentage units more crude protein (CP) that the CM15 diet. The CP of the dehulled hemp meal contained less soluble protein than that of canola meal. Hence, the intake of soluble protein did not differ among diets. Canola meal contained less crude fat than hemp seed meal (3.46% vs. 8.25% DM). The lipid fraction of canola meal fat contained more oleic acid (C18:1 cis-9; 47.3 vs. 14.9 g/100 g of fatty acids, FA) and vaccenic acid (18:1 cis-11; 13.7 vs. 1.2 g/100 g of FA) and less linoleic acid (C18:2n-6; 21.9 vs. 55.7 g/100 g of FA) and α linolenic acid (C18:3n-3; 3.2 vs. 8.9 g/100 g of FA) than the lipid fraction of hemp seed meal. The hemp seed meal contained 4.9 µg/g cannabidiol, 5.1 µg/g cannabidiolic acid, and 0.1 µg/g tertahydroxycannabinolic acid A. Treatments did not differ in DMI, yields of milk, milk protein and milk fat, total-tract neutral detergent fiber digestibility, and blood plasma concentrations of β-hydroxybutyrate and nonesterified FA. Apparent total-tract DM digestibility was lowest in the HM15 treatment, whereas the CP digestibility and the concentrations of urea in blood, urine, and milk were lowest in the CM15 treatment. Cannabinoids were not detected in urine, milk, and blood plasma. Replacing canola meal with hemp seed meal increased milk fat contents of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), which were 3.42, 3.90, and 4.25 g/100 g of FA for the CM15, CM7.5HM7.5, and HM15 treatments, respectively. Especially, the milk fat contents of 18:2n-6 (1.99 vs. 1.56 g/100 g FA) and 18:3n-3 (0.31 vs. 0.43 g/100 g FA) were increased by hemp meal feeding. Especially, the milk fat contents of 18:2n-6 (1.99 vs. 1.56 g/100 g FA) and 18:3n-3 (0.31 vs. 0.43 g/100 g FA) were increased by hemp meal feeding. Our data show that hemp seed meal is a suitable and safe replacement for canola meal as a feed for lactating dairy cows and that this replacement increases CP digestibility and urea in urine, milk, and blood plasma, as well the PUFA content of milk fat.

Integrating spatial and single-cell transcriptomics data using deep generative models with SpatialScope

The rapid emergence of spatial transcriptomics (ST) technologies is revolutionizing our understanding of tissue spatial architecture and biology. Although current ST methods, whether based on next-generation sequencing (seq-based approaches) or fluorescence in situ hybridization (image-based approaches), offer valuable insights, they face limitations either in cellular resolution or transcriptome-wide profiling. To address these limitations, we present SpatialScope, a unified approach integrating scRNA-seq reference data and ST data using deep generative models. With innovation in model and algorithm designs, SpatialScope not only enhances seq-based ST data to achieve single-cell resolution, but also accurately infers transcriptome-wide expression levels for image-based ST data. We demonstrate SpatialScope's utility through simulation studies and real data analysis from both seq-based and image-based ST approaches. SpatialScope provides spatial characterization of tissue structures at transcriptome-wide single-cell resolution, facilitating downstream analysis, including detecting cellular communication through ligand-receptor interactions, localizing cellular subtypes, and identifying spatially differentially expressed genes.

Hyperon Polarization along the Beam Direction Relative to the Second and Third Harmonic Event Planes in Isobar Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200 GeV

The polarization of Λ and Λ[over ¯] hyperons along the beam direction has been measured relative to the second and third harmonic event planes in isobar Ru+Ru and Zr+Zr collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200  GeV. This is the first experimental evidence of the hyperon polarization by the triangular flow originating from the initial density fluctuations. The amplitudes of the sine modulation for the second and third harmonic results are comparable in magnitude, increase from central to peripheral collisions, and show a mild p_{T} dependence. The azimuthal angle dependence of the polarization follows the vorticity pattern expected due to elliptic and triangular anisotropic flow, and qualitatively disagrees with most hydrodynamic model calculations based on thermal vorticity and shear induced contributions. The model results based on one of existing implementations of the shear contribution lead to a correct azimuthal angle dependence, but predict centrality and p_{T} dependence that still disagree with experimental measurements. Thus, our results provide stringent constraints on the thermal vorticity and shear-induced contributions to hyperon polarization. Comparison to previous measurements at RHIC and the LHC for the second-order harmonic results shows little dependence on the collision system size and collision energy.

Chilling-induced peach flavor loss is associated with expression and DNA methylation of functional genes

INTRODUCTION

Flavor is a major contributor to consumer preference. Despite being effective at extending the fruit's commercial life, cold storage also results in a significant loss of flavor volatiles. To date, there has been few studies on the metabolic dynamics and the mechanism underlying the regulatory networks that modulate flavor loss during cold storage for fruit.

METHODS

The volatile contents were detected by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS). Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was used to identify structure genes and transcription factors (TFs). DNA methylation was analyzed by whole-genome methylation sequencing during cold storage.

RESULTS

We generated a temporal map, over hourly to weekly timescales, for the effects of chilling on flavor volatiles by combining metabolome, transcriptome, and DNA methylome in peach fruit. Based on the big data analysis, we developed a regulatory network for volatile formation and found that a decrease in volatiles during cold storage was significantly correlated with a decrease in the expression of synthesis genes. Moreover, TFs associated with these structure genes were identified. Expression of genes involved in ethylene biosynthesis was reduced while cold tolerance pathway was activated in response to low temperature. Functions of those genes were confirmed through transgenic experiments and across peach cultivars, suggesting our dataset is a useful tool for elucidating regulatory factors that have not yet been clarified in relation to flavor and cold tolerance. Genome wide DNA methylation was induced by chilling and peaked at 7 d followed by a decline during 28 d cold storage. Reduction of gene expression was accompanied by major changes in the methylation status of their promoters, including PpACS1, PpAAT1, PpTPS3 and PpMADS2.

CONCLUSION

Our study revealed the mechanism for chilling-induced flavor loss of peach fruit through time-course transcriptome and DNA methylome analysis.

Quality and safety of hemp meal as a protein supplement for nonlactating dairy cows

Hemp seed meal may be a suitable protein supplement for dairy cows, but its quality and safety as a dairy cow feed has not yet been fully investigated. As a result, dry matter intake (DMI), rumen fermentation, blood metabolites, total-tract digestibility, and concentrations of cannabinoids in blood plasma, urine, muscle, and adipose tissues were compared among nonlactating Holstein dairy cows receiving a basal partial mixed ration that was supplemented with either 10.2% dry matter (DM) hemp meal (HM treatment), 13.5% DM canola meal (CM treatment), or 6.25% DM hemp meal and 6.16% DM canola meal (HC treatment). Diets were formulated to be isoenergetic and isonitrogenous. Six nonlactating, nonpregnant Holstein cows were used in a repeated 3 × 3 Latin square design trial with three 3-wk experimental periods. The first 2 weeks of each served as adaptation. Sample and data collection occurred during the third week of each period. Neither the partial mixed ration nor canola meal contain cannabidiol (CBD), cannabidiolic acid (CBDA), d9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), or tetrahydrocannabinolic acid A (THCA). However, the hemp meal contained 3.0, 4.4, 0, and 0.1 μg/g DM of CBD, CBDA, THC, and THCA, respectively. Treatment did not affect DMI, pH, concentrations of volatile fatty acids or ammonia in the rumen, total-tract digestibilities of DM and crude protein, or blood plasma concentrations of glucose, urea, β-hydroxybutyrate, and nonesterified fatty acids. Hence, based on these metabolites, treatment did not affect the nutritional status of the cows. However, the total-tract neutral detergent fiber digestibility of the CM treatment (43%) was higher than that of the HM treatment (38%). No cannabinoids were detected in blood plasma, rumen fluid, and urine. Cannabinoids were also not detected in kidney, liver, urine, muscle, or adipose tissues at the end of the experiment when cows had undergone all treatments. Feces from all treatments did not contain detectable concentrations of THC or THCA, but feces of cows on the HC treatment contained 0.42 and 0.40 μg/g DM of CBD and CBDA, respectively. Feces of cows on the HM treatment contained 0.68 and 0.67 μg/g DM of CBD and CBDA, respectively. This indicated that most ingested CBD and CBDA were not absorbed but instead were excreted in the feces. Our data show dietary inclusion rates of up to 10.2% of DM. We find that hemp meal is a high-quality and safe protein supplement for nonlactating dairy cows.

TRIM25 negatively regulates IKKε-mediated interferon signaling in black carp

IKKε plays an important role in the activation of IRF3/IRF7 and the production of interferon (IFN), however, its regulation remains obscure in human. E3 ligase TRIM25 has been reported to manipulate the K63-linked ubiquitination of RIG-I, leading to the activation of RIG-I/IFN signaling. To elucidate the role of TRIM25 in teleost, a TRIM25 homolog (bcTRIM25) was cloned and characterized from black carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus). bcTRIM25 contains 653 amino acids, possessing conservative RING, B-box and SPRY domain, which is highly expressed in muscle, spleen and skin. bcTRIM25 knock-down enhanced the antiviral ability of host cells. bcTRIM25 over-expression alone in EPC cells attenuated bcIFNa promoter transcription in the reporter assays and impeded PKR and MX1 expression in qRT-PCR. Interestingly, co-IP assays indicated that bcTRIM25 interacted with bcIKKε and the induced bcIFNa promoter transcription by bcIKKε was notably hindered by bcTRIM25. Furthermore, bcIKKε-induced expression of interferon stimulated genes (ISGs) and antiviral activity were dampened by bcTRIM25. Further exploration showed that bcTRIM25 visibly enhanced the ubiquitination of bcIKKε but significantly attenuated the phosphorylation of bcIKKε. Thus, our data demonstrate for the first time in vertebrate that TRIM25 negatively regulates IKKε through enhancing its ubiquitination, which sheds a light on the regulation of IKKε/IFN signaling.

Localized Corneal Biomechanical Alteration Detected In Early Keratoconus Based on Corneal Deformation Using Artificial Intelligence

PURPOSE

This study aimed to develop a novel method to diagnose early keratoconus by detecting localized corneal biomechanical changes based on dynamic deformation videos using machine learning.

DESIGN

Diagnostic research study.

METHODS

We included 917 corneal videos from the Tianjin Eye Hospital (Tianjin, China) and Shanxi Eye Hospital (Xi'an, China) from February 6, 2015, to August 25, 2022. Scheimpflug technology was used to obtain dynamic deformation videos under forced puffs of air. Fourteen new pixel-level biomechanical parameters were calculated based on a spline curve equation fitting by 115,200-pixel points from the corneal contour extracted from videos to characterize localized biomechanics. An ensemble learning model was developed, external validation was performed, and the diagnostic performance was compared with that of existing clinical diagnostic indices. The performance of the developed machine learning model was evaluated using precision, recall, F1 score, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve.

RESULTS

The ensemble learning model successfully diagnosed early keratoconus (area under the curve = 0.9997) with 95.73% precision, 95.61% recall, and 95.50% F1 score in the sample set (n=802). External validation on an independent dataset (n=115) achieved 91.38% precision, 92.11% recall, and 91.18% F1 score. Diagnostic accuracy was significantly better than that of existing clinical diagnostic indices (from 86.28% to 93.36%, all P <0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Localized corneal biomechanical changes detected using dynamic deformation videos combined with machine learning algorithms were useful for diagnosing early keratoconus. Focusing on localized biomechanical changes may guide ophthalmologists, aiding the timely diagnosis of early keratoconus and benefiting the patient's vision.

The tunable anisotropic Rashba spin-orbit coupling effect in Pb-adsorbed Janus monolayer WSeTe

The spin-splitting properties of Pb-adsorbed monolayer Janus WSeTe are investigated based on first-principles calculations. The adsorbed system shows large Rashba splitting (the Rashba parameter is up to 0.75 eV Å), and we find that different adsorption layers (Te/Se adsorption layers) exhibit different significant features under spin-orbit coupling. Zeeman splitting and Rashba splitting co-exist at the high symmetry Γ point of the Te adsorption layer, while the Se adsorption layer exhibits anisotropic Rashba spin-orbit coupling. It was determined using k·p perturbation theory that Pb atom adsorption reduces the initial symmetry of the 2H-WSeTe monolayer and induces a strong spin-orbit coupling effect, so as to induce the anisotropic Rashba effect. Furthermore, the tunability of Rashba splitting was demonstrated by varying the adsorption concentration, adjusting the adsorption distance, and applying biaxial strain. This predicted adsorption system has potential value in spintronic devices.

XMAP: Cross-population fine-mapping by leveraging genetic diversity and accounting for confounding bias

Fine-mapping prioritizes risk variants identified by genome-wide association studies (GWASs), serving as a critical step to uncover biological mechanisms underlying complex traits. However, several major challenges still remain for existing fine-mapping methods. First, the strong linkage disequilibrium among variants can limit the statistical power and resolution of fine-mapping. Second, it is computationally expensive to simultaneously search for multiple causal variants. Third, the confounding bias hidden in GWAS summary statistics can produce spurious signals. To address these challenges, we develop a statistical method for cross-population fine-mapping (XMAP) by leveraging genetic diversity and accounting for confounding bias. By using cross-population GWAS summary statistics from global biobanks and genomic consortia, we show that XMAP can achieve greater statistical power, better control of false positive rate, and substantially higher computational efficiency for identifying multiple causal signals, compared to existing methods. Importantly, we show that the output of XMAP can be integrated with single-cell datasets, which greatly improves the interpretation of putative causal variants in their cellular context at single-cell resolution.