Inducing spin polarization via Co doping in the BiVO4 cell to enhance the built-in electric field for promotion of photocatalytic CO2 reduction

The efficiency of CO2 photocatalytic reduction is severely limited by inefficient separation and sluggish transfer. In this study, spin polarization was induced and built-in electric field was strengthened via Co doping in the BiVO4 cell to boost photocatalytic CO2 reduction. Results showed that owing to the generation of spin-polarized electrons upon Co doping, carrier separation and photocurrent production of the Co-doped BiVO4 were enhanced. CO production during CO2 photocatalytic reduction from the Co-BiVO4 was 61.6 times of the BiVO4. Notably, application of an external magnetic field (100 mT) further boosted photocatalytic CO2 reduction from the Co-BiVO4, with 68.25 folds improvement of CO production compared to pristine BiVO4. The existence of a built-in electric field (IEF) was demonstrated through density functional theory (DFT) simulations and kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM). Mechanism insights could be elucidated as follows: doping of magnetic Co into the BiVO4 resulted in increased the number of spin-polarized photo-excited carriers, and application of a magnetic field led to an augmentation of intrinsic electric field due to a dipole shift, thereby extending carrier lifetime and suppressing charges recombination. Additionally, HCOO- was a crucial intermediate in the process of CO2RR, and possible pathways for CO2 reduction were proposed. This study highlights the significance of built-in electric fields and the important role of spin polarization for promotion of photocatalytic CO2 reduction.

PSE-Net: Channel pruning for Convolutional Neural Networks with parallel-subnets estimator

Channel Pruning is one of the most widespread techniques used to compress deep neural networks while maintaining their performances. Currently, a typical pruning algorithm leverages neural architecture search to directly find networks with a configurable width, the key step of which is to identify representative subnet for various pruning ratios by training a supernet. However, current methods mainly follow a serial training strategy to optimize supernet, which is very time-consuming. In this work, we introduce PSE-Net, a novel parallel-subnets estimator for efficient channel pruning. Specifically, we propose a parallel-subnets training algorithm that simulate the forward-backward pass of multiple subnets by droping extraneous features on batch dimension, thus various subnets could be trained in one round. Our proposed algorithm facilitates the efficiency of supernet training and equips the network with the ability to interpolate the accuracy of unsampled subnets, enabling PSE-Net to effectively evaluate and rank the subnets. Over the trained supernet, we develop a prior-distributed-based sampling algorithm to boost the performance of classical evolutionary search. Such algorithm utilizes the prior information of supernet training phase to assist in the search of optimal subnets while tackling the challenge of discovering samples that satisfy resource constraints due to the long-tail distribution of network configuration. Extensive experiments demonstrate PSE-Net outperforms previous state-of-the-art channel pruning methods on the ImageNet dataset while retaining superior supernet training efficiency. For example, under 300M FLOPs constraint, our pruned MobileNetV2 achieves 75.2% Top-1 accuracy on ImageNet dataset, exceeding the original MobileNetV2 by 2.6 units while only cost 30%/16% times than BCNet/AutoAlim.

Polycarbonyl polymer with zincophilic sites as protective coating for highly reversible zinc metal anodes

The Zn anode of aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs) have suffered from a series of rampant side reactions such as dendrite growth and corrosion, which seriously affect the reversibility and stability of Zn anodes. Herein, a polycarbonyl polymer poly(1,4,5,8-naphthalene tetracarboxylic anhydride anthraquinone) imine (PNAQI) as the protective coating is synthesized through a simple solvothermal method with the raw materials of the equimolar 1,4,5,8-naphthalenetetracarboxylic dianhydride (NTCDA) and 2, 6-aminoanthraquinone (2,6-DAAQ). A series of characterizations such as contact angle measurement and ex-situ XRD analysis confirm that it can effectively prevent some side reactions. Moreover, CO on PNAQI can regulate the uniform distribution of zinc, thereby preventing the occurrence of zinc dendrites. Finally, the PNAQI@Zn//PNAQI@Zn symmetrical cell demonstrates a long cycle life exceeding 1000 h at current density of 1.0 mA cm-2 and a capacity of 1.0 mAh cm-2. The result significantly outperforms the cycling performance of the cell with bare zinc anode. Especially, the full battery of PNAQI@Zn//NH4V4O10 demonstrates an excellent capacity retention and prolonged cycle life (96.9 mAh/g after 1000 cycles at 1.0 A/g) compared to Zn//NH4V4O10. This work provides an effective, simple and low-cost solution for developing high-performance AZIBs.

Osthole inhibits GSK-3β/AMPK/mTOR pathway-controlled glycolysis and increases radiosensitivity of subcutaneous transplanted hepatocellular carcinoma in nude mice

PURPOSE

Osthole possesses anti-tumor activities. However, whether osthole can have a radiosensitization effect on hepatic cancer remains unclear. Here, an HCC-LM3 cells-inoculated subcutaneous transplanted tumor was adopted to explore the effect of osthole.

METHODS

The tumor-bearing mice were treated with 100 mg/kg osthole for 12 days, 4 Gy irradiation twice, or their combination. The tumor volume and weight, lactic acid content, glycolytic enzyme activities, and protein expression of glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK-3β), p‑GSK-3β, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), p‑mTOR, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), p‑AMPK, glucose transporter 1/3, and pyruvate kinase M2 were determined. The GSK-3β-overexpressed HCC-LM3 or SK-Hep‑1 cell models were also adopted to verify the effects of osthole on expression of these proteins.

RESULTS

The tumor volume and weight, lactic acid content, and glycolytic enzyme activities in tumor tissues were lower in the osthole + radiation group than in the radiation group. Moreover, osthole could reverse the radiation-induced increments of p‑GSK-3β/GSK-3β and p‑mTOR/mTOR protein ratios and the expression of glucose transporter 1/3 and pyruvate kinase M2 proteins in tumor tissues, and increase the protein ratio of p‑AMPK/AMPK. The effects of osthole on these glycolysis-related proteins were also observed in GSK-3β-overexpressed HCC-LM3 or SK-Hep‑1 cell models.

CONCLUSION

Osthole has a radiosensitizing effect on subcutaneous transplanted hepatocellular carcinoma, and its mechanism may be related to inhibition of GSK-3β/AMPK/mTOR pathway-controlled glycolysis.

The causal impact of maternal smoking around birth on offspring ADHD: A two-sample Mendelian randomization study

BACKGROUND

The previous literature highlights a relationship between maternal smoking around birth (MSAB) and offspring attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). These studies have focused on the causal effects of MSAB on offspring ADHD.

METHOD

A Mendelian randomization analysis was conducted using summary statistics. Data on MSAB were obtained from a recent study including 391,992 participants. ADHD data were obtained from six sources for 246,888 participants. The present study used five methods to examine the causal impact from outcomes on exposures. The inverse variance weighted (IVW) was the main method of analysis, while the other four methods were supplementary methods.

RESULT

The IVW revealed that MSAB was a risk factor for offspring ADHD (OR: 2.54; 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 1.61-4.00, p = 6.04 × 10-5). Concerning ADHD in both sexes, MSAB was associated with females (OR = 3.96, 95 % CI: 1.99-7.90, p = 8.98 × 10-5) and males (OR = 3.74, 95 % CI: 1.74-5.72, p = 1.48 × 10-4). In different diagnosis periods for ADHD, MSAB increased the risk of childhood (OR = 3.63, 95 % CI: 2.25-5.87, p = 1.31 × 10-7), late-diagnosed (OR = 2.99, 95 % CI: 1.74-5.14, p = 7.33 × 10-5), and persistent (OR = 4.77, 95 % CI: 1.88-12.14, p = 1.03 × 10-3) ADHD. The final analysis did not reveal heterogeneity.

CONCLUSIONS

A causal impact of MSAB on offspring ADHD was observed. These findings highlight the need for careful consideration of prenatal exposure (MSAB) during the assessment of offspring ADHD. Additionally, it can provide targeted guidance for prenatal interventions. Future studies should analyze the effects of different doses of maternal smoking on ADHD.

Comparative transcriptome analysis identifies candidate genes related to sucrose accumulation in longan (Dimocarpus longan Lour.) pulp

Sucrose content is one of the important factors to determine longan fruit flavor quality. To gain deep insight of molecular mechanism on sucrose accumulation in longan, we conducted comparative transcriptomic analysis between low sucrose content longan cultivar 'Qingkebaoyuan' and high sucrose content cultivar 'Songfengben'. A total of 12,350 unique differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected across various development stages and different varieties, including hexokinase (HK) and sucrose-phosphate synthase (SPS), which are intricately linked to soluble sugar accumulation and metabolism. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) identified magenta module, including DlSPS gene, was significantly positively correlated with sucrose content. Furthermore, transient expression unveiled DlSPS gene play crucial role in sucrose accumulation. Moreover, 5 transcription factors (MYB, ERF, bHLH, C2H2, and NAC) were potentially involved in DlSPS regulation. Our findings provide clues for sucrose metabolism, and lay the foundation for longan breeding in the future.

GPR65 sensing tumor-derived lactate induces HMGB1 release from TAM via the cAMP/PKA/CREB pathway to promote glioma progression

BACKGROUND

Lactate has emerged as a critical regulator within the tumor microenvironment, including glioma. However, the precise mechanisms underlying how lactate influences the communication between tumor cells and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), the most abundant immune cells in glioma, remain poorly understood. This study aims to elucidate the impact of tumor-derived lactate on TAMs and investigate the regulatory pathways governing TAM-mediated tumor-promotion in glioma.

METHODS

Bioinformatic analysis was conducted using datasets from TCGA and CGGA. Single-cell RNA-seq datasets were analyzed by using UCSC Cell Browser and Single Cell Portal. Cell proliferation and mobility were evaluated through CCK8, colony formation, wound healing, and transwell assays. Western blot and immunofluorescence staining were applied to assess protein expression and cell distribution. RT-PCR and ELISA were employed to identify the potential secretory factors. Mechanistic pathways were explored by western blotting, ELISA, shRNA knockdown, and specific inhibitors and activators. The effects of pathway blockades were further assessed using subcutaneous and intracranial xenograft tumor models in vivo.

RESULTS

Elevated expressions of LDHA and MCT1 were observed in glioma and exhibited a positive correlation with M2-type TAM infiltration. Lactate derived from glioma cells induced TAMs towards M2-subtype polarization, subsequently promoting glioma cells proliferation, migration, invasion, and mesenchymal transition. GPR65, highly expressed on TAMs, sensed lactate-stimulation in the TME, fueling glioma cells malignant progression through the secretion of HMGB1. GPR65 on TAMs triggered HMGB1 release in response to lactate stimulation via the cAMP/PKA/CREB signaling pathway. Disrupting this feedback loop by GPR65-knockdown or HMGB1 inhibition mitigated glioma progression in vivo.

CONCLUSION

These findings unveil the intricate interplay between TAMs and tumor cells mediated by lactate and HMGB1, driving tumor progression in glioma. GPR65, selectively highly expressed on TAMs in glioma, sensed lactate stimulation and fostered HMGB1 secretion via the cAMP/PKA/CREB signaling pathway. Blocking this feedback loop presents a promising therapeutic strategy for GBM.

Reprogramming Photoresponsive Liquid Crystalline Elastomer via Force-Directed Evaporation

Incorporating photothermal agents into thermoresponsive liquid crystalline elastomers (LCEs) offers remote and spatio-temporal control in actuation. Typically, both the light responsiveness and actuation behaviors are fixed since the agent doping and mesogen alignment are conducted before network formation. Here, we report an approach that enables programming photoresponsive LCEs after synthesis via force-directed evaporation. Different photothermal agents can be doped or removed by swelling the fully cross-linked LCEs in a specific solution, achieving the introduction and erasing of the photoresponsiveness. Moreover, the network swelling deletes the registered alignment, which allows for redefining the molecular order via re-evaporating the solvent with force imposed. This "one stone, two birds" strategy paves the way to simultaneously program/reprogram the actuation mode and responsiveness of LCEs, even in a spatio-selective manner to achieve complex actuations. Our approach is expandable to three-dimensional (3D) printed LCEs to access geometrically sophisticated shape-changing.

Repeatedly Programmable Liquid Crystal Dielectric Elastomer with Multimodal Actuation

Dielectric elastomers (DEs) are actuatable under an electric field, whose large strain and fast response speed compare favorably with natural muscles. However, the actuation of DE-based devices is generally limited to a single mode and cannot be reconfigured after fabrication, which pales in comparison to biological counterparts given the ability to alter actuation modes according to external conditions. To address this, liquid crystal dielectric elastomers (LC-DEs) that can alter the dielectric actuation modes based on the thermally triggered shape-changing are prepared. Specifically, the two shapes through the LC phase transition possess different bending stiffness, which leads to distinct actuation modes after an electric field is applied. Moreover, the two shapes can be individually programmed/reprogrammed, that is, the one before the transition is regulated through force-directed solvent evaporation and the one after the transition is via bond exchange-enabled stress relaxation. As such, the multimodal dielectric actuation behaviors upon temperature change can be readily diversified. Meanwhile, the space charge mechanism endows LC-DEs with the significantly reduced driving e-field (8 V µm-1) and bidirectional actuation manners. It is believed this unique adaptivity in the actuation modes under a low electric field shall offer versatile designs for practical soft robots.

[Evaluation of safety of early enteral nutrition in patients with severe intra-abdominal infection and intestinal fistulas]

Objective: To evaluate the safety of early enteral nutrition (EEN) support in patients with severe intra-abdominal infection and intestinal fistulas. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study. We collected relevant clinical data of 204 patients with severe intra-abdominal infection and intestinal fistulas who had been managed in the No. 1 Department of General Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University between 1 January 2017 and 1 January 2020. The patients were allocated to EEN or delayed enteral nutrition (DEN) groups depending on whether enteral nutrition had been instituted within 48 hours of admission to the intensive care unit. The primary outcome was 180-day mortality. Other outcomes included rates of intraperitoneal hemorrhage, septic shock, open abdominal cavity, bloodstream infection, mechanical ventilation, and continuous renal replacement therapy. Risk factors for mortality were analyzed by logistic regression. Results: There were no significant differences in hematological data or other baseline characteristics between the two groups at the time of admission to the intensive care unit (all P>0.05). However, septic shock (31.2% [15/48] vs. 15.4% [24/156], χ2=4.99, P=0.025), continuous renal replacement therapy (27.1% [13/48] versus 9.0% [14/156], χ2=8.96, P=0.003), and 180-day mortality (31.2% [15/48] vs. 7.7% [12/156], χ2=15.75, P<0.001) were significantly more frequent in the EEN than the DEN group (all P<0.05). Multivariate regression analysis showed that older age (OR=1.082, 95%CI:1.027-1.139,P=0.003), worse Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II scores (OR=1.189, 95%CI: 1.037-1.363, P=0.013), higher C-reactive protein (OR=1.013, 95%CI:1.004-1.023, P=0.007) and EEN (OR=8.844, 95%CI:1.809- 43.240, P=0.007) were independent risk factors for death in patients with severe intra-abdominal infection and intestinal fistulas. Conclusion: EEN may lead to adverse events and increase mortality in patients with both enterocutaneous fistulas and severe abdominal infection. EEN should be implemented with caution in such patients.

Multimodal Autonomous Locomotion of Liquid Crystal Elastomer Soft Robot

Self-oscillation phenomena observed in nature serve as extraordinary inspiration for designing synthetic autonomous moving systems. Converting self-oscillation into designable self-sustained locomotion can lead to a new generation of soft robots that require minimal/no external control. However, such locomotion is typically constrained to a single mode dictated by the constant surrounding environment. In this study, a liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) robot capable of achieving self-sustained multimodal locomotion, with the specific motion mode being controlled via substrate adhesion or remote light stimulation is presented. Specifically, the LCE is mechanically trained to undergo repeated snapping actions to ensure its self-sustained rolling motion in a constant gradient thermal field atop a hotplate. By further fine-tuning the substrate adhesion, the LCE robot exhibits reversible transitions between rolling and jumping modes. In addition, the rolling motion can be manipulated in real time through light stimulation to perform other diverse motions including turning, decelerating, stopping, backing up, and steering around complex obstacles. The principle of introducing an on-demand gate control offers a new venue for designing future autonomous soft robots.

FLRT2 mediates chondrogenesis of nasal septal cartilage and mandibular condyle cartilage

Nasal septal cartilages (NSCs) and mandibular condyle cartilages (MCCs) are two important cartilages for craniomaxillofacial development. However, the role of FLRT2 in the formation of NSCs and MCCs remains undiscovered. NSCs and MCCs were used for immunocytochemistry staining of collagen II, toluidine blue staining, and alcian blue staining. Quantitative reverse transcription‑PCR and western blot were used to detect mRNA and protein expressions of FLRT2, N-cadherin, collagen II, aggrecan, and SOX9. Cell proliferation of MCCs and NSCs was tested by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay and cell counting kit‑8 assay. Cell migration of MCCs and NSCs was examined by wound healing assay and Transwell. Chondrogenesis of MCCs and NSCs were similar in morphological characteristics, while different in cell proliferation, migration, and extracellular matrix. FLRT2 promotes the proliferation and migration of NSCs. There were up-regulation of N-cadherin and down-regulation of collagen II, aggrecan, and SOX9 in NSC with knock down FLRT2. The current study, as demonstrated by Xie et al., reveals that FLRT2 overexpression in Sprague-Dawley neonatal rats promotes the proliferation and migration of NSCs and MCCs, decreases N-cadherin while increases collagen II, aggrecan, and SOX9 in NSC and MCCs. Altogether, FLRT2 mediates chondrogenesis of NSCs and MCCs.

In pursuit of feedback activation: New insights into redox-responsive hydropersulfide prodrug combating oxidative stress

Redox-responsive hydropersulfide prodrugs are designed to enable a more controllable and efficient hydropersulfide (RSSH) supply and to thoroughly explore their biological and therapeutic applications in oxidative damage. To obtain novel activation patterns triggered by redox signaling, we focused on NAD(P)H: quinone acceptor oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1), a canonical antioxidant enzyme, and designed NQO1-activated RSSH prodrugs. We also performed a head-to-head comparison of two mainstream structural scaffolds with solid quantitative analysis of prodrugs, RSSH, and metabolic by-products by LC-MS/MS, confirming that the perthiocarbamate scaffold was more effective in intracellular prodrug uptake and RSSH production. The prodrug was highly potent in oxidative stress management against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity. Strikingly, this prodrug possessed potential feedback activation properties by which the delivered RSSH can further escalate the prodrug activation via NQO1 upregulation. Our strategy pushed RSSH prodrugs one step further in the pursuit of efficient release in biological matrices and improved druggability against oxidative stress.

Genomic nursing science revealed the prolyl 4-hydroxylase subunit alpha 2 as a significant biomarker involved in osteosarcoma

Backgrounds

This study aims to explore the clinical value of P4HA2 (prolyl 4-hydroxylase subunit alpha 2) in Osteosarcoma (OSC), and assess its potential to provide directions and clues for the practice of precision nursing.

Methods

The GSE73166 and GSE16088 datasets were used to explore the P4HA2 expression in OSC. We then used the clinical data of patients obtaining from TARGET database to assess the prognostic value of P4HA2 in OSC. We also evaluated the predictive value of prognostic model based on P4HA2-related genes. Further, GSEA analysis was performed to explore related pathways.

Results

The P4HA2 mRNA expression was higher in OSC than that in normal tissues and other bone cancer samples. Survival analysis found that P4HA2 high expression caused poor overall survival (OS) of patients with OSC and P4HA2 presented a favorable performance for predicting OS. Specifically, P4HA2 high expression statistically influenced the OS of patients with age≥15 years old and those with or without metastasis. Cox regression analysis indicated the independent prognostic value of P4HA2 in OSC, and nomogram analysis revealed its significant contribution to the survival probability of patients. We further established a prognostic model based on P4HA2-related genes, finding that prognostic model had a good prediction ability on OS. These results supported the clinical significance of P4HA2 in OSC. GSEA analysis suggested that P4HA2 was significantly related to the MAPK signaling pathway. In addition, P4HA2-associated natural killer cell-mediated cytotoxicity and T cell receptor signaling pathway were also predicted.

Conclusions

This study revealed that P4HA2 can serve as an important prognostic biomarker for OSC patients, and it may become a promising therapeutic target in OSC treatment.

Discovery of Novel PD-L1 Small-Molecular Inhibitors with Potent In Vivo Anti-tumor Immune Activity

Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) has surfaced as a promising therapeutic target for various cancers due to its pivotal role in facilitating tumor immune evasion. Herein, we report a series of novel small-molecule PD-L1 inhibitors exhibiting remarkable inhibitory activity against the PD-1/PD-L1 interaction (X18: IC50 = 1.3 nM) and reinstating the suppressive effect of PD-L1 on T cells (X18: EC50 = 152.8 nM). Crystallographic studies revealed the binding mode of X18 and PD-L1. Through a rational prodrug design approach, we have successfully optimized the oral pharmacokinetic properties of X22, effectively addressing the poor oral pharmacokinetic profile of PD-L1 small-molecule inhibitors. Notably, X22 demonstrated significant antitumor efficacy in murine models of MC38 and CT26 colon cancer through the upregulation of tumor infiltration and cytotoxicity of CD8+ T cells partially. These findings offer promising prospects for the advancement of PD-L1 inhibitors as innovative agents in cancer immunotherapy.

LncRNAs act as modulators of macrophages within the tumor microenvironment

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been established as pivotal players in various cellular processes, encompassing the regulation of transcription, translation, post-translational modulation of proteins, thereby influencing cellular functions. Notably, lncRNAs exert a regulatory influence on diverse biological processes, particularly in the context of tumor development. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) exhibit the M2 phenotype, exerting significant impact on crucial processes such as tumor initiation, angiogenesis, metastasis, and immune evasion. Elevated infiltration of TAMs into the tumor microenvironment (TME) is closely associated with a poor prognosis in various cancers. LncRNAs within TAMs play a direct role in regulating cellular processes. Functioning as integral components of tumor-derived exosomes, lncRNAs prompt the M2-like polarization of macrophages. Concurrently, reports indicate that lncRNAs in tumor cells contribute to the expression and release of molecules that modulate TAMs within the TME. These actions of lncRNAs induce the recruitment, infiltration, and M2 polarization of TAMs, thereby providing critical support for tumor development. In this review, we survey recent studies elucidating the impact of lncRNAs on macrophage recruitment, polarization, and function across different types of cancers.

Vitexin enhances radiosensitivity of mouse subcutaneous xenograft glioma by affecting the miR-17-5p/miR-130b-3p/PTEN/HIF-1α pathway

PURPOSE

Vitexin can cooperate with hyperbaric oxygen to sensitize the radiotherapy of glioma by inhibiting the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α. However, whether vitexin has a direct radiosensitization and how it affects the HIF-1α expression remain unclear. This study investigated these issues.

METHODS

The SU3 cells-inoculated nude mice were divided into control, radiation, and vitexin + radiation groups. The vitexin + radiation-treated mice were intraperitoneally injected with 75 mg/kg vitexin daily for 21 days. On the 3rd, 10th, and 17th days during the vitexin treatment, the radiation-treated mice were locally irradiated with 10 Gy, respectively. In vitro, the microRNA (miR)-17-5p or miR-130b-3p mimics-transfected SU3 cells were used to examine the effects of vitexin plus radiation on expression of miR-17-5p- or miR-130b-3p-induced radioresistance-related pathway proteins. The effects of vitexin on miR-17-5p and miR-130b-3p expression in SU3 cells were also evaluated.

RESULTS

Compared with the radiation group, the tumor volume, tumor weight, and expression of HIF-1α, vascular endothelial growth factor, and glucose transporter-1/3 proteins, miR-17-5p, and miR-130b-3p in tumor tissues in the vitexin + radiation group decreased, whereas the expression of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) protein increased. After treatment of miR-17-5p or miR-130b-3p mimics-transfected SU3 cells with vitexin plus radiation, the PTEN protein expression also increased, the HIF-1α protein expression decreased correspondingly. Moreover, vitexin decreased the miR-17-5p and miR-130b-3p expression in SU3 cells.

CONCLUSION

Vitexin can enhance the radiosensitivity of glioma, and its mechanism may partly be related to the attenuation of HIF-1α pathway after lowering the inhibitory effect of miR-17-5p and miR-130b-3p on PTEN.

Endoscopic Supracerebellar Infratentorial Transpineal Approach for Posterior-Medial Thalamic Lesions: Surgical Technique and Clinical Experience

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Accessing lesions in the posterior-medial thalamus can be challenging because of their deep location and intricate neurovascular anatomy. This study aims to describe the techniques and feasibility of the endoscopic supracerebellar infratentorial transpineal approach for treating posterior-medial thalamus lesions.

METHODS

We reviewed and analyzed the clinical outcomes and endoscopic surgical experience of 11 patients with posterior-medial thalamic lesions. The first 4 cases used the endoscopic midline supracerebellar infratentorial transpineal approach, whereas the subsequent 7 cases used the endoscopic contralateral paramedian supracerebellar infratentorial transpineal approach. All cases involved the upward transposition of the pineal gland to access the posterior-medial thalamus. The extent of resection and the endoscopic techniques were the main focus of analysis. Neurological examinations and MRI/computed tomography follow-up were conducted for 3-12 months after surgery.

RESULTS

The pathology of the group included 6 gliomas, 1 cavernous malformation, 1 inflammation, 1 melanoma, and 2 hematomas. All 11 patients achieved gross total resection (6 patients, 54.5%) or subtotal resection (5 patients, 45.5%) with no new neurological deficits. Most patients (9 patients, 81.8%) experienced improvement in Karnofsky Performance Status after surgery. Postoperative hydrocephalus occurred in 2 patients (18.2%) and was relieved by endoscopic third ventriculostomy.

CONCLUSION

The endoscopic supracerebellar infratentorial transpineal approach is an effective approach for removing posterior-medial thalamic lesions that require access through the third ventricle surfaces of the thalamus. The endoscopic contralateral paramedian supracerebellar infratentorial transpineal approach provides a more superior and lateral view of the posterior-medial thalamic lesions.

Altering Spin Distribution of Tb2Pc3 via Molecular Chirality Manipulation

Manipulating the chirality of the spin-polarized electronic state is pivotal for understanding many unusual quantum spin phenomena, but it has not been achieved at the single-molecule level. Here, using scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy (STM/STS), we successfully manipulate the chirality of spin distribution in a triple-decker single-molecule magnet tris(phthalocyaninato)bis(terbium(III)) (Tb2Pc3), which is evaporated on a Pb(111) substrate via molecular beam epitaxy. The otherwise achiral Tb2Pc3 becomes chiral after being embedded into the self-assembled monolayer films of bis(phthalocyaninato)terbium(III) (TbPc2). The chirality of the spin distribution in Tb2Pc3 is manifested via the spatial mapping of its Kondo resonance state from its ligand orbital. Our first-principles calculations revealed that the spin and molecular chirality are associated with a small rotation followed by a structural distortion of the top Pc, consistent with the experimental observation. By constructing tailored molecular clusters with the STM tip, a single Tb2Pc3 molecule can be manipulated among achiral and differently handed chiral configurations of spin distributions reversibly. This paves the way for designing chiral spin enantiomers for fundamental studies and developing functional spintronic devices.

Educational attainment, income, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: A mediation analysis based on two-step Mendelian randomization

Previous studies have reported the relationship between educational attainment and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, the mechanism of this relationship remains unknown. It is well known that educational attainment correlates with income. Therefore, based on summary data from a genome-wide association study we used two-step Mendelian randomization (MR) to explore the role of income between education and ADHD. The inverse variance weighted (IVW) method was used in our analysis. The IVW results suggested that educational attainment and income were protective factors against ADHD. Educational attainment affects ADHD through income [ADHD: Beta = -0.68, 95% confidence interval (CI) = -0.87, -0.49; female: Beta = -0.87, 95% CI = -1.28, -0.47; male: Beta = -1.01, 95% CI = -1.34, -0.68; childhood: Beta = -0.52, 95% CI = -0.74, -0.30; late-diagnosed: Beta = -0.78, 95% CI = -1.11, -0.47; persistent: Beta = -0.82, 95% CI = -1.33, -0.31]. Income also affected ADHD through educational attainment [female: Beta = -1.08, 95% CI = -1.35, -0.83; male: Beta = -1.16, 95% CI = -1.57, -0.77; persistent: Beta = -1.48, 95% CI = -2.09, -0.94]. In the final analysis, data with heterogeneity were analyzed using IVW random effects results. The mechanism is that income will mediate the relationship between educational attainment and ADHD.

Microglia enhance post-anesthesia neuronal activity by shielding inhibitory synapses

Microglia are resident immune cells of the central nervous system and play key roles in brain homeostasis. During anesthesia, microglia increase their dynamic process surveillance and interact more closely with neurons. However, the functional significance of microglial process dynamics and neuronal interaction under anesthesia is largely unknown. Using in vivo two-photon imaging in mice, we show that microglia enhance neuronal activity after the cessation of isoflurane anesthesia. Hyperactive neuron somata are contacted directly by microglial processes, which specifically colocalize with GABAergic boutons. Electron-microscopy-based synaptic reconstruction after two-photon imaging reveals that, during anesthesia, microglial processes enter into the synaptic cleft to shield GABAergic inputs. Microglial ablation or loss of microglial β2-adrenergic receptors prevents post-anesthesia neuronal hyperactivity. Our study demonstrates a previously unappreciated function of microglial process dynamics, which enable microglia to transiently boost post-anesthesia neuronal activity by physically shielding inhibitory inputs.

A Light Multi-View Stereo Method with Patch-Uncertainty Awareness

Multi-view stereo methods utilize image sequences from different views to generate a 3D point cloud model of the scene. However, existing approaches often overlook coarse-stage features, impacting the final reconstruction accuracy. Moreover, using a fixed range for all the pixels during inverse depth sampling can adversely affect depth estimation. To address these challenges, we present a novel learning-based multi-view stereo method incorporating attention mechanisms and an adaptive depth sampling strategy. Firstly, we propose a lightweight, coarse-feature-enhanced feature pyramid network in the feature extraction stage, augmented by a coarse-feature-enhanced module. This module integrates features with channel and spatial attention, enriching the contextual features that are crucial for the initial depth estimation. Secondly, we introduce a novel patch-uncertainty-based depth sampling strategy for depth refinement, dynamically configuring depth sampling ranges within the GRU-based optimization process. Furthermore, we incorporate an edge detection operator to extract edge features from the reference image's feature map. These edge features are additionally integrated into the iterative cost volume construction, enhancing the reconstruction accuracy. Lastly, our method is rigorously evaluated on the DTU and Tanks and Temples benchmark datasets, revealing its low GPU memory consumption and competitive reconstruction quality compared to other learning-based MVS methods.

Eavesdropping on wastewater pollution: Detecting discharge events from river outfalls via fiber-optic distributed acoustic sensing

Wastewater discharge from outfall pipes can significantly impact river water quality and aquatic ecosystems. Effective outfall monitoring is critical for controlling pollution and protecting public health. This study demonstrates a novel distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) approach for detecting wastewater discharge events from outfall pipes located along rivers. Controlled field experiments were conducted in an industrial park river to systematically evaluate DAS performance. DAS detects vibrational signals imparted to suspended fiber-optic cables by turbulent wastewater flows, predominantly within 10-30 Hz, enabling continuous monitoring along entire river lengths. Vibrational power analysis locates outfalls with meter-level accuracy, while time-frequency techniques discern discharge timing and characteristics. Cable type and outfall-fiber separation influence on detection capability was assessed. Thermoplastic-jacketed tight buffer cables optimized detection through enhanced vibrational coupling. Vibrational energy decreased exponentially with separation, highlighting benefits of proximal deployment for sensitivity. However, detection range scales with discharge flow rate. Frequency centroid proved a robust feature with potential for automated discharge identification. Overall, DAS enables high spatiotemporal resolution monitoring to pinpoint concealed outfalls minimally invasively. This positions DAS as a promising tool supporting improved water governance through early pollution warnings and rapid source localization via outfall vibrational signatures emanating across river networks.

A novel theta-controlled vibrotactile brain-computer interface to treat chronic pain: a pilot study

Limitations in chronic pain therapies necessitate novel interventions that are effective, accessible, and safe. Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) provide a promising modality for targeting neuropathology underlying chronic pain by converting recorded neural activity into perceivable outputs. Recent evidence suggests that increased frontal theta power (4-7 Hz) reflects pain relief from chronic and acute pain. Further studies have suggested that vibrotactile stimulation decreases pain intensity in experimental and clinical models. This longitudinal, non-randomized, open-label pilot study's objective was to reinforce frontal theta activity in six patients with chronic upper extremity pain using a novel vibrotactile neurofeedback BCI system. Patients increased their BCI performance, reflecting thought-driven control of neurofeedback, and showed a significant decrease in pain severity (1.29 ± 0.25 MAD, p = 0.03, q = 0.05) and pain interference (1.79 ± 1.10 MAD p = 0.03, q = 0.05) scores without any adverse events. Pain relief significantly correlated with frontal theta modulation. These findings highlight the potential of BCI-mediated cortico-sensory coupling of frontal theta with vibrotactile stimulation for alleviating chronic pain.

Cognitive outcomes in patients with essential tremor treated with deep brain stimulation: a systematic review

Introduction

Essential tremor (ET) is a common neurological disease. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) to the thalamic ventral intermediate nucleus (VIM) or the adjacent structures, such as caudal zona incerta/ posterior subthalamic area (cZi/PSA), can be effective in treating medication refractory tremor. However, it is not clear whether DBS can cause cognitive changes, in which domain, and to what extent if so.

Methods

We systematically searched PubMed and the Web of Science for available publications reporting on cognitive outcomes in patients with ET who underwent DBS following the PICO (population, intervention, comparators, and outcomes) concept. The PRISMA guideline for systematic reviews was applied.

Results

Twenty relevant articles were finally identified and included for review, thirteen of which were prospective (one also randomized) studies and seven were retrospective. Cognitive outcomes included attention, memory, executive function, language, visuospatial function, and mood-related variables. VIM and cZi/PSA DBS were generally well tolerated, although verbal fluency and language production were affected in some patients. Additionally, left-sided VIM DBS was associated with negative effects on verbal abstraction, word recall, and verbal memory performance in some patients.

Conclusion

Significant cognitive decline after VIM or cZi/PSA DBS in ET patients appears to be rare. Future prospective randomized controlled trials are needed to meticulously study the effect of the location, laterality, and stimulation parameters of the active contacts on cognitive outcomes while considering possible medication change post-DBS, timing, standard neuropsychological battery, practice effects, the timing of assessment, and effect size as potential confounders.

Analysis of Diffusion-Weighted and T2-Weighted Imaging in the Prediction of Distinct Granulation Patterns of Somatotroph Adenomas

OBJECTIVE

The heterogeneity of the somatotroph adenomas, especially for sparsely granulated (SG) and densely granulated (DG) subtypes, has attracted great attention in identifying their imaging biomarker. The purpose of the current study was to compare the diagnostic performance of diffusion-weighted and T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences for preoperatively distinguishing the granulation patterns of somatotroph adenomas.

METHODS

Thirty-two patients with a clinical diagnosis of somatotroph adenomas from October 2018 to March 2023 were included in this study. Coronal diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and T2-weighted MRI sequence data were collected from 3.0T MRI and compared between SG and DG groups. The immunohistochemistry was used to confirm the electron microscopy pathologic subtypes and Ki67 expression levels of somatotroph adenomas postoperatively.

RESULTS

Patients in the SG group had significantly higher signal intensity (SI) ratio of DWI (rDWI) (P < 0.001), lower SI ratio of apparent diffusion coefficient (rADC) (P < 0.001), and higher SI ratio of T2-weighted imaging (P = 0.011). The combined diagnosis index of rDWI and rADC had the highest diagnostic efficiency in predicting SG adenomas (sensitivity, 93.3%; specificity, 88.2%; P < 0.001). The rDWI and rADC values had positive and negative correlations with the Ki67 index and tumor maximum diameter, respectively. Lower rADC×103 was an independent predictor for SG adenomas.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicated that compared with previously used T2-weighted imaging, the DWI sequence, especially the combined diagnosis index of rDWI and rADC, could more efficiently distinguish the granulation patterns of somatotroph adenomas preoperatively.

Hierarchies in Visual Pathway: Functions and Inspired Artificial Vision

The development of artificial intelligence has posed a challenge to machine vision based on conventional complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) circuits owing to its high latency and inefficient power consumption originating from the data shuffling between memory and computation units. Gaining more insights into the function of every part of the visual pathway for visual perception can bring the capabilities of machine vision in terms of robustness and generality. Hardware acceleration of more energy-efficient and biorealistic artificial vision highly necessitates neuromorphic devices and circuits that are able to mimic the function of each part of the visual pathway. In this paper, we review the structure and function of the entire class of visual neurons from the retina to the primate visual cortex within reach (Chapter 2) are reviewed. Based on the extraction of biological principles, the recent hardware-implemented visual neurons located in different parts of the visual pathway are discussed in detail in Chapters 3 and 4. Furthermore, valuable applications of inspired artificial vision in different scenarios (Chapter 5) are provided. The functional description of the visual pathway and its inspired neuromorphic devices/circuits are expected to provide valuable insights for the design of next-generation artificial visual perception systems.

TRIM14 suppressed the progression of NSCLC via hexosamine biosynthesis pathway

Tripartite Motif 14 (TRIM14) is an oncoprotein that belongs to the E3 ligase TRIM family, which is involved in the progression of various tumors except for non-small-cell-lung carcinoma (NSCLC). However, little is currently known regarding the function and related mechanisms of TRIM14 in NSCLC. Here, we found that the TRIM14 protein was downregulated in lung adenocarcinoma tissues compared with the adjacent tissues, which can suppress tumor cell proliferation and migration both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, TRIM14 can directly bind to glutamine fructose-6-phosphate amidotransferase 1 (GFAT1), which in turn results in the degradation of GFAT1 and reduced O-glycosylation levels. GFAT1 is a key enzyme in the rate-limiting step of the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway (HBP). Replenishment of N-Acetyl-D-glucosamine can successfully reverse the inhibitory effect of TRIM14 on the NSCLC cell growth and migration as expected. Collectively, our data revealed that TRIM14 suppressed NSCLC cell proliferation and migration through ubiquitination and degradation of GFAT1, providing a new regulatory role for TRIM14 on HBP.

Identification of a basement membrane gene signature for predicting prognosis and estimating the tumor immune microenvironment in prostate cancer

Basement membrane plays an important role in tumor invasion and metastasis, which is closely related to prognosis. However, the prognostic value and biology of basement membrane genes (BMGs) in prostate cancer (PCa) remain unknown. In the TCGA training set, we used differentially expressed gene analysis, protein-protein interaction networks, univariate and multivariate Cox regression, and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression to construct a basement membrane-related risk model (BMRM) and validated its effectiveness in the MSKCC validation set. Furthermore, the accurate nomogram was constructed to improve clinical applicability. Patients with PCa were divided into high-risk and low-risk groups according to the optimal cut-off value of the basement membrane-related risk score (BMRS). It was found that BMRS was significantly associated with RFS, T-stage, Gleason score, and tumor microenvironmental characteristics in PCa patients. Further analysis showed that the model grouping was closely related to tumor immune microenvironment characteristics, immune checkpoint inhibitors, and chemotherapeutic drug sensitivity. In this study, we developed a new BMGs-based prognostic model to determine the prognostic value of BMGs in PCa. Finally, we confirmed that THBS2, a key gene in BMRM, may be an important link in the occurrence and progression of PCa. This study provides a novel perspective to assess the prognosis of PCa patients and provides clues for the selection of future personalized treatment regimens.

Clinical characteristics and novel strategies of immune checkpoint inhibitor rechallenge therapy for non-small cell lung cancer: a comprehensive review

Treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has entered the immunotherapy era, marked by significant survival improvements due to the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). However, owing to factors, such as disease progression, long-term use, and side effects, some patients discontinue immunotherapy, resulting in limited subsequent treatment option and a negative impact on their survival and quality of life. We have collected relevant data which reveal that ICI rechallenge may be an effective clinical strategy. However, many factors affect the efficacy of rechallenge, including patient characteristics, initial treatment drugs, treatment duration, efficacy, toxicity, and side effects. Additionally, the side effects of rechallenge and mechanisms of reversing drug resistance play crucial roles. Identifying suitable candidates, optimizing treatment plans and duration, enhancing treatment efficacy, and minimizing toxicity and adverse effects in rechallenges are pressing clinical needs. Addressing these issues can provide guidance for the clinical use of immunotherapy rechallenges to better serve patients. This review focuses on the clinical considerations and strategies for immune therapy rechallenges in NSCLC.

A privacy-preserving scheme with multi-level regulation compliance for blockchain

With the increasing presence of blockchain-based distributed applications in various aspects of daily life, there has been a growing focus on the privacy protection of blockchain ledgers and the corresponding regulatory technologies. However, current mainstream solutions primarily concentrate on the verifiable encryption of blockchain transaction addresses and contents, neglecting the regulatory requirements for private transactions. Moreover, the few monitorable solutions suffer from issues such as excessive centralization and a single-minded approach to regulatory content. To address these deficiencies, this paper proposes a blockchain privacy-preserving scheme that supports multi-level regulation through the utilization of zero-knowledge proofs (zk-SNARKs) and attribute-based encryption (ABE). Firstly, by leveraging zk-SNARKs, this scheme achieves blockchain privacy-preserving within an account model, enabling the concealment of user transaction addresses and values. Secondly, by employing attribute-based encryption, a multi-level regulatory model is developed alongside the privacy protection measures, allowing for selective disclosure of transaction content. Finally, we analyze the security of the proposed scheme and compare it with other schemes, discussing its advantages in terms of privacy, security, and regulatory capabilities, we also provide a preliminary evaluation of the scheme's efficiency through experiments. In conclusion, the scheme demonstrates strong privacy by relying on mathematical proofs through zk-SNARKs to ensure security while comprehensively safeguarding content. It also achieves multi-level regulation on the foundation of privacy protection, with comprehensive regulatory coverage and decentralized regulatory authority.

Application and evaluation of molecular docking for aptamer and small molecular interaction - A case study with tetracycline antibiotics

Molecular docking (MD) analysis is currently the most commonly used theoretical simulation method to investigate the interaction of aptamers (receptors) and small molecules (ligands) and understand the recognition mechanism between them at a molecular level. Using the specific aptamers of tetracycline antibiotics (tetracycline (TET), oxytetracycline (OTC), doxycycline (DOC)) as the docking models, three steady-state aptamers of tertiary structures (SATS) were established for each aptamer with the UNAFold and RNAComposer tools. The binding free energy (BFE), docking score (DS), and binding site (base) of the specific ligands (TET, OTC, and DOC) with their respective SATS were obtained by molecular docking. The results revealed one or more binding sites in the established SATS of the aptamers. The BFE and DS of different binding sites of one specific SATS varied significantly. The results also revealed that the site with the highest BFE represented the most dominant binding site, even if it was not the SATS with minimum energy. The BFE values could also be used to evaluate the affinity and specificity of the aptamer to its target. For the first time, this study proposes a method for MD analysis of the aptamer and its target based on different SATS, clarification of the binding mode, and prediction of the binding sites (bases). This study provides a theoretical basis for tailoring; structural optimization; and base modification of aptamers; identifying aptamers with high affinity and specificity.

The expression of UNC5D is abnormal in the early stage of colorectal tumors associated with its proliferation and migration

OBJECTIVE

Colorectal adenomas are an important precancerous lesion of colorectal adenoma with a high incidence. This study aims to explore new prognostic targets for colorectal adenomas through bioinformatics techniques.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this study, data from 29 colonic adenomas and 38 normal colonic mucosa in GSE37364 were analyzed to screen for differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Then, batch survival analysis, construction of risk model, mutation analysis, Cox regression analysis and expression analysis were performed on DEGs to determine the hub genes of this study. Finally, immune correlation analysis and cell experiments were carried out on the hub gene to explore its potential mechanism.

RESULTS

In our study, a total of 431 up-regulated and 809 down-regulated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. Among these, Unc-5 Netrin Receptor D (UNC5D) emerged as a pivotal gene associated with colorectal adenoma. Notably, UNC5D expression levels were found to be significantly higher in normal tissues compared to colorectal adenoma tissues. Furthermore, our analysis demonstrated that UNC5D showed promising diagnostic potential for patients with colon adenocarcinoma. In vitro experiments revealed that the overexpression of UNC5D had a profound impact on the behavior of colorectal tumor cells. Specifically, it led to a substantial reduction in the proliferation, motility, and invasion of these tumor cells. Additionally, UNC5D was shown to exert control over STAT1/STAT3 phosphorylation, which in turn regulated the expression of PD-L1 in response to interferon (IFN) stimulation. These findings highlight the significant role of UNC5D in modulating immune responses and the development of colorectal adenoma. UNC5D emerges as a potential diagnostic biomarker and an attractive immunotherapeutic target in the context of colorectal malignancies. These results call for further exploration of UNC5D-based strategies for the diagnosis and treatment of colorectal adenoma and adenocarcinoma.

CONCLUSIONS

In addition to having the potential to be used as a diagnostic biomarker and an immunotherapeutic target in colorectal malignancies, UNC5D is necessary for the growth of colorectal adenomas. Additionally, UNC5D controlled STAT1/STAT3 phosphorylation to suppress the growth of colorectal cancers by regulating IFN-induced PD-L1 expression.

Single-pulse electrical stimulation artifact removal using the novel matching pursuit-based artifact reconstruction and removal method (MPARRM)

Objective.Single-pulse electrical stimulation (SPES) has been widely used to probe effective connectivity. However, analysis of the neural response is often confounded by stimulation artifacts. We developed a novel matching pursuit-based artifact reconstruction and removal method (MPARRM) capable of removing artifacts from stimulation-artifact-affected electrophysiological signals.Approach.To validate MPARRM across a wide range of potential stimulation artifact types, we performed a bench-top experiment in which we suspended electrodes in a saline solution to generate 110 types of real-world stimulation artifacts. We then added the generated stimulation artifacts to ground truth signals (stereoelectroencephalography signals from nine human subjects recorded during a receptive speech task), applied MPARRM to the combined signal, and compared the resultant denoised signal with the ground truth signal. We further applied MPARRM to artifact-affected neural signals recorded from the hippocampus while performing SPES on the ipsilateral basolateral amygdala in nine human subjects.Main results.MPARRM could remove stimulation artifacts without introducing spectral leakage or temporal spread. It accommodated variable stimulation parameters and recovered the early response to SPES within a wide range of frequency bands. Specifically, in the early response period (5-10 ms following stimulation onset), we found that the broadband gamma power (70-170 Hz) of the denoised signal was highly correlated with the ground truth signal (R=0.98±0.02, Pearson), and the broadband gamma activity of the denoised signal faithfully revealed the responses to the auditory stimuli within the ground truth signal with94%±1.47%sensitivity and99%±1.01%specificity. We further found that MPARRM could reveal the expected temporal progression of broadband gamma activity along the anterior-posterior axis of the hippocampus in response to the ipsilateral amygdala stimulation.Significance.MPARRM could faithfully remove SPES artifacts without confounding the electrophysiological signal components, especially during the early-response period. This method can facilitate the understanding of the neural response mechanisms of SPES.

Intestinal epithelial SNAI1 promotes the occurrence of colorectal cancer by enhancing EMT and Wnt/β-catenin signaling

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a prevalent cause of cancer and mortality on a global scale. SNAI1, a member of the zinc finger transcription superfamily, is a significant contributor to embryonic development and carcinogenesis through the process of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). While prior research utilizing CRC cells and clinical data has demonstrated that SNAI1 facilitates CRC progression through diverse mechanisms, the precise manner in which epithelial SNAI1 regulates CRC development in vivo remains unclear. In this study, colitis and colitis-associated CRC were induced through the use of intestinal epithelium-specific Snai1 knockout (Snai1 cKO) mice. Our findings indicate that Snai1 cKO mice exhibit a reduced susceptibility to acute colitis and colitis-associated CRC compared to control mice. Western-blot analysis of colon tissues revealed that Snai1 cKO mice exhibited a higher overall apoptosis level during tumor formation than control mice. No significant differences were observed in the activation of the classical p53 signaling pathway. However, Snai1 cKO mice exhibited weakened EMT and Wnt/β-catenin pathway activation. In summary, our study has provided evidence in vivo that the intestinal epithelial SNAI1 protein suppresses apoptosis, amplifies the EMT, and activates the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways in both early and late phases of CRC formation, thus promoting the development and progression of colitis-associated CRC.

ViT-MVT: A Unified Vision Transformer Network for Multiple Vision Tasks

In this work, we seek to learn multiple mainstream vision tasks concurrently using a unified network, which is storage-efficient as numerous networks with task-shared parameters can be implanted into a single consolidated network. Our framework, vision transformer (ViT)-MVT, built on a plain and nonhierarchical ViT, incorporates numerous visual tasks into a modest supernet and optimizes them jointly across various dataset domains. For the design of ViT-MVT, we augment the ViT with a multihead self-attention (MHSE) to offer complementary cues in the channel and spatial dimension, as well as a local perception unit (LPU) and locality feed-forward network (locality FFN) for information exchange in the local region, thus endowing ViT-MVT with the ability to effectively optimize multiple tasks. Besides, we construct a search space comprising potential architectures with a broad spectrum of model sizes to offer various optimum candidates for diverse tasks. After that, we design a layer-adaptive sharing technique that automatically determines whether each layer of the transformer block is shared or not for all tasks, enabling ViT-MVT to obtain task-shared parameters for a reduction of storage and task-specific parameters to learn task-related features such that boosting performance. Finally, we introduce a joint-task evolutionary search algorithm to discover an optimal backbone for all tasks under total model size constraint, which challenges the conventional wisdom that visual tasks are typically supplied with backbone networks developed for image classification. Extensive experiments reveal that ViT-MVT delivers exceptional performances for multiple visual tasks over state-of-the-art methods while necessitating considerably fewer total storage costs. We further demonstrate that once ViT-MVT has been trained, ViT-MVT is capable of incremental learning when generalized to new tasks while retaining identical performances for trained tasks. The code is available at https://github.com/XT-1997/vitmvt.

3D printing of self-healing personalized liver models for surgical training and preoperative planning

3D printing can produce intuitive, precise, and personalized anatomical models, providing invaluable support for precision medicine, particularly in areas like surgical training and preoperative planning. However, conventional 3D printed models are often significantly more rigid than human organs and cannot undergo repetitive resection, which severely restricts their clinical value. Here we report the stereolithographic 3D printing of personalized liver models based on physically crosslinked self-healing elastomers with liver-like softness. Benefiting from the short printing time, the highly individualized models can be fabricated immediately following enhanced CT examination. Leveraging the high-efficiency self-healing performance, these models support repetitive resection for optimal trace through a trial-and-error approach. At the preliminary explorative clinical trial (NCT06006338), a total of 5 participants are included for preoperative planning. The primary outcomes indicate that the negative surgery margins are achieved and the unforeseen injuries of vital vascular structures are avoided. The 3D printing of liver models can enhance the safety of hepatic surgery, demonstrating promising application value in clinical practice.

Digital Laser Direct Writing of Internal Stress in Shape Memory Polymer for Anticounterfeiting and 4D Printing

Shape memory polymers (SMPs) are a type of smart shape-shifting material that can respond to various stimuli. Their shape recovery pathway is determined by the internal stress stored in the temporary shapes. Thus, manipulating the internal stress is key to the potential applications of SMPs. This is commonly achieved by the types of deformation forces applied during the programming stage. In contrast, we present here a digital laser direct writing method to selectively induce thermal relaxation of internal stress stored in the two-dimensional (2D) shape of a thermoplastic SMP. The internal stress field, while invisible under natural light, can be visualized under polarized light. Consequently, the digital stress pattern can be used for anticounterfeiting. In addition, further uniform heating induces the release of the programmed internal stress within the 2D film. This triggers its transformation into a three-dimensional (3D) shape, enabling 4D printing. The simplicity and versatility of our approach in manipulating internal stress and shape-shifting make it attractive for potential applications.

Effect of low‑frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on cognitive function in rats with medial temporal lobe epilepsy

Epilepsy, especially the medial temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), can result in cognitive impairment. Low‑frequency repetitive magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been verified to suppress neural excitability and reduce seizures. Given its potential in modifying cortical activity, we aimed to investigate its impact on cognitive function in the context of epilepsy, a condition where the use of rTMS has not been extensively explored. However, the influence on cognitive function has not yet been investigated. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of low‑frequency rTMS on cognitive improvement in epileptic rats. Rats used in this study were randomly divided into five groups: the sham group, the epilepsy group, and three epilepsy groups treated with rTMS at different frequencies. Each group underwent the Morris water maze test to investigate hippocampus‑dependent episodic memory, to evaluate their cognitive performance. Further assessments included patch clamp and western blot techniques to estimate the synaptic function in the hippocampus. Comparison between groups showed that low‑frequency rTMS significantly reduced spontaneous recurrent seizures and improved spatial learning and memory impairment in epileptic rats. Additionally, rTMS remodeled the synaptic plasticity affected by seizures and notably enhanced the expression of AMPAR and synaptophysin. Low‑frequency rTMS can antagonize the cognitive impairment caused by TLE, and promote synaptic connections.

The role of military service in preventing depression in China: evidence from a nationally representative longitudinal survey

BACKGROUND

Despite recognition in the West that military veterans experience more mental health issues than the general population, little research has focused on this subject in China. This study examined the associations between male veterans' military experience and depression in China.

METHODS

A sample of 12,914 men including 669 veterans was included in the final analysis and propensity score matching, multivariable regressions and fixed effect model were used.

RESULTS

The military experience was associated with a lower likelihood of depression in male veterans. In the subgroup analysis, military experience was associated with a lower likelihood of depression among married and urban male veterans. Military experience was also associated with a lower likelihood of depression in both "junior college and above" and "below junior college" groups. In contrast, evidence was lacking regarding the associations between military experience and depression for unmarried and rural veterans.

CONCLUSIONS

Individual characteristics could influence the relationship between military experience and depression in male veterans, and the mental health of veterans should be paid more attention and guaranteed.

Point-NAS: A Novel Neural Architecture Search Framework for Point Cloud Analysis

Recently, point-based networks have exhibited extraordinary potential for 3D point cloud processing. However, owing to the meticulous design of both parameters and hyperparameters inside the network, constructing a promising network for each point cloud task can be an expensive endeavor. In this work, we develop a novel one-shot search framework called Point-NAS to automatically determine optimum architectures for various point cloud tasks. Specifically, we design an elastic feature extraction (EFE) module that serves as a basic unit for architecture search, which expands seamlessly alongside both the width and depth of the network for efficient feature extraction. Based on the EFE module, we devise a searching space, which is encoded into a supernet to provide a wide number of latent network structures for a particular point cloud task. To fully optimize the weights of the supernet, we propose a weight coupling sandwich rule that samples the largest, smallest, and multiple medium models at each iteration and fuses their gradients to update the supernet. Furthermore, we present a united gradient adjustment algorithm that mitigates gradient conflict induced by distinct gradient directions of sampled models and supernet, thus expediting the convergence of the supernet and assuring that it can be comprehensively trained. Pursuant to the provided techniques, the trained supernet enables a multitude of subnets to be incredibly well-optimized. Finally, we conduct an evolutionary search for the supernet under resource constraints to find promising architectures for different tasks. Experimentally, the searched Point-NAS with weights inherited from the supernet realizes outstanding results across a variety of benchmarks. i.e., 94.2% and 88.9% overall accuracy under ModelNet40 and ScanObjectNN, 68.6% mIoU under S3DIS, 63.6% and 69.3% mAP@0.25 under SUN RGB-D and ScanNet V2 datasets.

Chemical upcycling of commodity thermoset polyurethane foams towards high-performance 3D photo-printing resins

Polyurethane thermosets are indispensable to modern life, but their widespread use has become an increasingly pressing environmental burden. Current recycling approaches are economically unattractive and/or lead to recycled products of inferior properties, making their large-scale implementation unviable. Here we report a highly efficient chemical strategy for upcycling thermoset polyurethane foams that yields products of much higher economic values than the original material. Starting from a commodity foam, we show that the polyurethane network is chemically fragmented into a dissolvable mixture under mild conditions. We demonstrate that three-dimensional photo-printable resins with tunable material mechanical properties-which are superior to commercial high-performance counterparts-can be formulated with the addition of various network reforming additives. Our direct upcycling of commodity foams is economically attractive and can be implemented with ease, and the principle can be expanded to other commodity thermosets.

Multishape Programming of Shape Memory Polymer Assemblies Fabricated by Vat Photopolymerization-Based 3D Printing and Interfacial Welding

The combination of three-dimensional (3D) printing and shape memory polymers (SMP) enables programmable shape morphing of complex 3D structures, which is commonly termed four-dimensional (4D) printing. The process requirements of vat photopolymerization-based 3D printing impose limitations on the molecular structure design of SMPs, making it challenging to achieve triple- or multiple-shaped memory effects. Herein, we printed SMPs with different Tg values and obtained an SMP assembly through interfacial welding. The welding process is facilitated by the dynamic exchange of hindered urethane bonds at the interface. The resulting SMP assembly exhibits a quadruple shape memory effect, enabling programmable sequential deformation. The advantage of this approach is that the molecular design and the corresponding thermodynamic properties of different welding SMP components can be independently adjusted, enabling a greater range of shape and functional variations in the final 3D SMP assembly.

SETD4 inhibits prostate cancer development by promoting H3K27me3-mediated NUPR1 transcriptional repression and cell cycle arrest

The suppressor of variegation enhancer of zeste-trithorax (SET) domain methyltransferases have been reported to function as key regulators in multiple tumor types by catalyzing histone lysine methylation. Nevertheless, our understanding on the role of these lysine methyltransferases, including SETD4, in prostate cancer (PCa) remains limited. Hence, the specific role of SETD4 in PCa was investigated in this study. The expression of SETD4 in PCa cells and tissue samples was downregulated in PCa cells and tissue specimens, and decreased SETD4 expression led to inferior clinicopathological characteristics in patients with PCa. knockdown of SETD4 facilitated the proliferation of PCa cells and accelerated cell cycle progression. Mechanistically, SETD4 repressed NUPR1 transcription by methylating H3K27 to generate H3K27me3, subsequently inactivated Akt pathway and impeded the tumorigenesis of PCa. Our results highlight that SETD4 prevents the development of PCa by catalyzing the methylation of H3K27 and suppressing NUPR1 transcription, subsequently inactivating the Akt signaling pathway. The findings suggest the potential application of SETD4 in PCa prognosis and therapeutics.

High speed underwater hydrogel robots with programmable motions powered by light

Stimuli-responsive shape-changing hydrogels are attractive candidates for use as underwater soft robots. The bottleneck lies in the low actuation speed inherently limited by the water diffusion between hydrogels and their surrounding environment. In addition, accessing complex motions is restricted by the material fabrication methods. Here we report a hitherto unknown mechanism to achieve high-speed and programmable actuations for a disulfide crosslinked thermally responsive hydrogel. The dynamic photo-activated disulfide bond exchange allows photo-mechanical programming to introduce spatio-selective network anisotropy. This gives rise to an actuation behavior dominated by thermally driven conformation change of the locally oriented polymer chains instead of the common mass-diffusion-based mechanism. With the incorporation of photothermal fillers, light-powered oscillation at frequencies as high as 1.7 Hz is realized. This, coupled with the versatility of the programming, allows access to robots with diverse high-speed motions including continuous swimming, step-wise walking, and rotating.

Corrigendum: Epigenetic-mediated downregulation of zinc finger protein 671 (ZNF671) predicts poor prognosis in multiple solid tumors

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2019.00342.].

Identification of genetic risk loci and causal insights associated with Parkinson's disease in African and African admixed populations: a genome-wide association study

BACKGROUND

An understanding of the genetic mechanisms underlying diseases in ancestrally diverse populations is an important step towards development of targeted treatments. Research in African and African admixed populations can enable mapping of complex traits, because of their genetic diversity, extensive population substructure, and distinct linkage disequilibrium patterns. We aimed to do a comprehensive genome-wide assessment in African and African admixed individuals to better understand the genetic architecture of Parkinson's disease in these underserved populations.

METHODS

We performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in people of African and African admixed ancestry with and without Parkinson's disease. Individuals were included from several cohorts that were available as a part of the Global Parkinson's Genetics Program, the International Parkinson's Disease Genomics Consortium Africa, and 23andMe. A diagnosis of Parkinson's disease was confirmed clinically by a movement disorder specialist for every individual in each cohort, except for 23andMe, in which it was self-reported based on clinical diagnosis. We characterised ancestry-specific risk, differential haplotype structure and admixture, coding and structural genetic variation, and enzymatic activity.

FINDINGS

We included 197 918 individuals (1488 cases and 196 430 controls) in our genome-wide analysis. We identified a novel common risk factor for Parkinson's disease (overall meta-analysis odds ratio for risk of Parkinson's disease 1·58 [95% CI 1·37-1·80], p=2·397 × 10-14) and age at onset at the GBA1 locus, rs3115534-G (age at onset β=-2·00 [SE=0·57], p=0·0005, for African ancestry; and β=-4·15 [0·58], p=0·015, for African admixed ancestry), which was rare in non-African or non-African admixed populations. Downstream short-read and long-read whole-genome sequencing analyses did not reveal any coding or structural variant underlying the GWAS signal. The identified signal seems to be associated with decreased glucocerebrosidase activity.

INTERPRETATION

Our study identified a novel genetic risk factor in GBA1 in people of African ancestry, which has not been seen in European populations, and it could be a major mechanistic basis of Parkinson's disease in African populations. This population-specific variant exerts substantial risk on Parkinson's disease as compared with common variation identified through GWAS and it was found to be present in 39% of the cases assessed in this study. This finding highlights the importance of understanding ancestry-specific genetic risk in complex diseases, a particularly crucial point as the Parkinson's disease field moves towards targeted treatments in clinical trials. The distinctive genetics of African populations highlights the need for equitable inclusion of ancestrally diverse groups in future trials, which will be a valuable step towards gaining insights into novel genetic determinants underlying the causes of Parkinson's disease. This finding opens new avenues towards RNA-based and other therapeutic strategies aimed at reducing lifetime risk of Parkinson's disease.

FUNDING

The Global Parkinson's Genetics Program, which is funded by the Aligning Science Across Parkinson's initiative, and The Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research.

Role of endoscopic third ventriculostomy in patients undergoing resection of pulvinar area lesions: Preliminary clinical results

BACKGROUND

Patients with pulvinar area lesions may develop hydrocephalus at any stage. The role of endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) in this setting remains unclear.

METHOD

We retrospectively enrolled 15 patients with a mean age of 43 years who underwent endoscopic resection of pulvinar area lesions using the supracerebellar infratentorial approach (SCITA). We compared the different modalities of hydrocephalus management and their outcomes.

RESULTS

Nine of 15 patients (60.0%) had preoperative obstructive hydrocephalus. Five patients underwent ETV before tumor resection, and none developed postoperative hydrocephalus. Four patients underwent one-stage surgery for tumor removal, and one patient with a polymorphous low-grade neuroepithelial tumor of the young required postoperative ETV. Another patient with diffuse astrocytoma and hydrocephalus underwent concurrent lamina terminalis fenestration and endoscopic resection via the SCITA, which resulted in the resolution of hydrocephalus. The preoperative ETV group had no major postoperative complications, while the non-ETV group had three (0/5 vs. 3/4, P = 0.048). The ETV group also had a shorter intensive care unit stay; however, the difference was not significant (1.2 vs. 2.8; P = 0.188). ETV was effective in alleviating symptoms of postoperative hydrocephalus in patients with midbrain-invading tumors.

CONCLUSION

Endoscopic surgery via the SCITA can address both tumor and hydrocephalus issues in some cases but has a higher surgical risk and postoperative hydrocephalus rate. Preoperative ETV can prevent these complications and improve postoperative outcomes.

LncIRF1 promotes chicken resistance to ALV-J infection

The pathogenesis of avian leukosis virus subgroup J (ALV-J) is complex and our understanding of it is limited. Based on our previous research, we explored the relationship between ALV-J infection and regulatory factor 1&7 (IRF1 and IRF7), interferon beta (IFNβ), and the newly identified long noncoding RNA IRF1 (LncIRF1). LncIRF1 is 1603 nt and exists in the cytoplasm and nucleus. After the occurrence of ALV-J infection, the expression levels of LncIRF1, IRF1, IRF7, and IFNβ varied in different chicken tissues. In DF1 cell lines of chicken embryo fibroblast cells (DF1 cells) the expression levels of LncIRF1, IRF7, IRF1, and IFNβ increased when ALV-J infection. Similarly, after LncIRF1 overexpression and the ALV-J challenge, the expression levels of IRF1, IRF7, and IFNβ increased, while increased LncIRF1 inhibited the proliferation of DF1 cells. Interference with LncIRF1 did not affect IRF1, IRF7, and IFNβ. However, expression levels of IRF1, IRF7, and IFNβ decreased due to LncIRF1 interference after the ALV-J challenge. An assay of the RNA-binding domain abundant in apicomplexans indicated that most of the proteins bound to LncIRF1 are related to cell proliferation and viral replication and these proteins also interact with IRF1, IRF7, and IFNβ. We suggest that LncIRF1 plays an important immunomodulatory role in the anti-ALV-J response.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-023-03773-y.