An insertion in the promoter of a malate dehydrogenase gene regulates malic acid content in apple fruit.

Malic acid is an important flavor determinant in apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.) fruit. One known variation controlling malic acid is the A/G single nucleotide polymorphism in an aluminum-activated malate transporter gene (MdMa1). Nevertheless, there are still differences in malic acid content in apple varieties with the same Ma1 genotype (Ma1/Ma1 homozygous), such as 'Honeycrisp' (high malic acid content) and 'Qinguan' (low malic acid content), indicating that other loci may influence malic acid and fruit acidity. Here, the F1 (Filial 1) hybrid generation of 'Honeycrisp' × 'Qinguan' was used to analyze quantitative trait loci for malic acid content. A major locus (Ma7) was identified on chromosome 13. Within this locus, a malate dehydrogenase gene, MDH1 (MdMa7), was the best candidate for further study. Subcellular localization suggested that MdMa7 encodes a cytosolic protein. Overexpression and RNA interference of MdMa7 in apple fruit increased and decreased malic acid content, respectively. An insertion/deletion (indel) in the MdMa7 promoter was found to affect MdMa7 expression and malic acid content in both hybrids and other cultivated varieties. The insertion and deletion genotypes were designated as MA7 and ma7, respectively. The transcription factor MdbHLH74 was found to stimulate MdMa7 expression in the MA7 genotype but not in the ma7 genotype. Transient transformation of fruit showed that MdbHLH74 affected MdMa7 expression and malic acid content in 'Gala' (MA7/MA7) but not in 'Fuji' (ma7/ma7). Our results indicated that genetic variation in the MdMa7 (MDH1) promoter alters the binding ability of the transcription factor MdbHLH74, which alters MdMa7 (MDH1) transcription and the malic acid content in apple fruit, especially in Ma1/Ma1 homozygous accessions.

Molecular diagnosis, clinical evaluation and phenotypic spectrum of Townes-Brocks syndrome: insights from a large Chinese hearing loss cohort.

BACKGROUND: Townes-Brocks syndrome (TBS) is a rare genetic disorder characterised by multiple malformations. Due to its phenotypic heterogeneity and rarity, diagnosis and recognition of TBS can be challenging and there has been a lack of investigation of patients with atypical TBS in large cohorts and delineation of their phenotypic characteristics. METHODS: We screened SALL1 and DACT1 variants using next-generation sequencing in the China Deafness Genetics Consortium (CDGC) cohort enrolling 20 666 unrelated hearing loss (HL) cases. Comprehensive clinical evaluations were conducted on seven members from a three-generation TBS family. Combining data from previously reported cases, we also provided a landscape of phenotypes and genotypes of patients with TBS. RESULTS: We identified five novel and two reported pathogenic/likely pathogenic (P/LP) SALL1 variants from seven families. Audiological features in patients differed in severity and binaural asymmetry. Moreover, previously undocumented malformations in the middle and inner ear were detected in one patient. By comprehensive clinical evaluations, we further provide evidence for the causal relationship between SALL1 variation and certain endocrine abnormalities. Penetrance analysis within familial contexts revealed incomplete penetrance among first-generation patients with TBS and a higher disease burden among their affected offspring. CONCLUSION: This study presents the first insight of genetic screening for patients with TBS in a large HL cohort. We broadened the phenotypic-genotypic spectrum of TBS and our results supported an underestimated prevalence of TBS. Due to the rarity and phenotypic heterogeneity of rare diseases, broader spectrum molecular tests, especially whole genome sequencing, can improve the situation of underdiagnosis and provide effective recommendations for clinical management.

Spns1 is an iron transporter essential for megalin-dependent endocytosis.

Proximal tubule endocytosis is essential to produce protein free urine as well as to regulate system wide metabolic pathways, such as the activation of Vitamin D. We have determined that the proximal tubule expresses an endolysosomal membrane protein, protein spinster homolog1 (Spns1), which engenders a novel iron conductance that is indispensable during embryonic development. Conditional knockout of Spns1 with a novel Cre-LoxP construct specific to megalin-expressing cells led to the arrest of megalin receptor-mediated endocytosis as well as dextran pinocytosis in proximal tubules. The endocytic defect was accompanied by changes in megalin phosphorylation as well as enlargement of lysosomes confirming previous findings in Drosophila and Zebrafish. The endocytic defect was also accompanied by iron overload in proximal tubules. Remarkably, iron levels regulated the Spns1 phenotypes, because feeding an iron deficient diet or mating Spns1 knockout with divalent metal transporter1 (DMT1) knockout rescued the phenotypes. Conversely, iron loading wild type mice reproduced the endocytic defect, These data demonstrate a reversible, negative feedback for apical endocytosis, and raise the possibility that regulation of endocytosis, pinocytosis, megalin activation, and organellar size and function is nutrient-responsive.

Diverse Self-assembly Pathways in Nematic Compartment Network: Topological Percolation and Pathfinding.

The self-assembly of nematic molecules in microcompartments with unambiguously defined surface anchoring is well predictable and is likely to have a single stable topological structure. Here, in contrast, a confined nematic system comprising an array of microcompartments interconnected by channels is demonstrated, exhibiting diverse molecular assembly pathways leading to the formation of four types of topological structures and twelve different patterns randomly distributed. Intercompartment communication via channels plays a crucial role in the diversity of patterns and distributions. It determines the sizes and structures of domains separated by channel defects. The domain structure, which features a pathfinding algorithm and reverse tree structure, can be modelled by an isotropically directed bond percolation with additional restrictions. This system serves as a model for controlled randomness and restricted growth of networks, with potential applications in anticounterfeit protection as a physically unclonable function (PUF) with multiple-level communication protocols.

DNA methylation of IFI44L as a potential blood biomarker for childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus.

BACKGROUND: IFN-induced protein 44-like (IFI44L) promoter methylation has been demonstrated to serve as an effective blood diagnostic biomarker for adult-onset SLE. However, its utility as a diagnostic marker for childhood-onset SLE (cSLE) remains to be verified. METHODS: Initially, we conducted a differential analysis of gene methylation and mRNA expression patterns in cSLE whole blood samples obtained from the public GEO database to determine IFI44L gene expression and assess the methylation status at its CpG sites. Subsequently, we collected clinical whole blood samples from 49 cSLE patients and 12 healthy children, employing an HRM-qPCR-based IFI44L methylation detection technique to evaluate its diagnostic efficacy in pediatric clinical practice. RESULTS: A total of 26 hypomethylated, highly expressed genes in cSLE were identified by intersecting differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differentially methylation genes (DMGs). GO enrichment analysis for these 26 genes indicated a robust association with type I IFN. Among the overlapping genes, IFI44L exhibited the most pronounced differential expression and methylation. In subsequent clinical validation experiments, IFI44L methylation was confirmed as an effective blood-based diagnostic biomarker for cSLE, achieving an AUC of 0.867, a sensitivity of 0.753, and a specificity of 1.000. CONCLUSIONS: IFI44L methylation is a promising blood biomarker for cSLE. IMPACT: IFI44L promoter methylation was reported to serve as a highly sensitive and specific diagnostic marker for adult-onset SLE. However, the diagnostic efficacy of IFI44L in childhood-onset SLE (cSLE) still remains to be confirmed. In this study, we utilized bioinformatics analysis and conducted clinical experiments to demonstrate that IFI44L methylation can also serve as a promising blood biomarker for cSLE. The findings of this study can facilitate the diagnosis of cSLE and broaden our understanding of its molecular mechanisms, with a particular focus on those related to type I interferons.

[Risk factors and prognosis of pediatric silent lupus nephritis with class â ¢ to â ¤]. / 儿童⠢~â ¤åž‹æ— ç—‡çŠ¶æ€§ç‹¼ç–®æ€§è‚¾ç‚Žçš„å±é™©å› ç´ åŠé¢„åŽåˆ†æž.

OBJECTIVES: To study the risk factors and prognostic characteristics of pediatric silent lupus nephritis (SLN) with class Ⅲ to V. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted to collect clinical data from 30 children diagnosed with SLN at the Department of Pediatrics, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, from May 2007 to April 2023. Based on renal pathological classification, the patients were divided into a class Ⅱ group (12 cases) and a class Ⅲ to Ⅴ group (18 cases). The risk factors for the occurrence of class Ⅲ to Ⅴ SLN were analyzed, and the prognostic characteristics were summarized. RESULTS: Among the 30 SLN patients, the median follow-up time was 61.50 months. There were no statistically significant differences in the proportions of patients who discontinued glucocorticoids or achieved low disease activity status, nor in the annual decline rate of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) between the class Ⅱ and class Ⅲ to V groups (P>0.05). However, three patients in the class Ⅱ group progressed to stage 1 chronic kidney disease (CKD), while eight patients in the class III to V group reached stage 1 CKD, and four patients reached stage 2 CKD. Among the 26 female SLN patients, serum complement C3 levels in the class III to V group were lower than those in the class Ⅱ group (P<0.05). Serum C3 levels in SLN patients, as well as in female SLN patients, were negatively correlated with the fluorescence intensity of IgA, IgG, and C3 immune complexes in the kidneys (P<0.05). Additionally, serum C3 levels in female SLN patients were negatively correlated with the renal pathological activity index (P<0.05). Binary logistic regression analysis indicated that being female and having low serum complement C3 levels were risk factors for the occurrence of class Ⅲ to V SLN in children (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Class Ⅲ to V SLN is not uncommon among SLN children, and there remains a risk of long-term renal function progression. Being female and having low serum complement C3 levels are identified as risk factors for class Ⅲ to V SLN in children.

[Correlation of anti-C1q antibodies with active systemic lupus erythematosus and lupus nephritis in children]. / 抗C1qæŠ—ä½“ä¸Žå„¿ç«¥æ´»åŠ¨æ€§ç³»ç»Ÿæ€§çº¢æ–‘ç‹¼ç–®å’Œæ´»åŠ¨æ€§ç‹¼ç–®æ€§è‚¾ç‚Žçš„ç›¸å ³æ€§åˆ†æž.

OBJECTIVES: To study the correlation of anti-C1q antibodies with active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and lupus nephritis (LN) in children, as well as their diagnostic value for active SLE and LN. METHODS: A retrospective selection of 90 hospitalized children with SLE at the Children's Medical Center of Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University from January 2016 to March 2019 as the SLE group, all of whom were tested for anti-C1q antibodies. A control group was formed by collecting 70 hospitalized children with other autoimmune diseases (OAD) during the same period. The differences in anti-C1q antibody levels were compared between two groups.The correlation of anti-C1q antibodies with various indicators of SLE and LN was analyzed, and the diagnostic value of anti-C1q in SLE and LN was evaluated. RESULTS: The serum levels of anti-C1q antibodies in the SLE group were higher than those in the OAD group (P<0.05). The SLE disease activity index score was positively correlated with anti-C1q antibodies (rs=0.371, P<0.001) and positively correlated with anti-double-stranded DNA antibodies (rs=0.370, P<0.001). The sensitivity and specificity of anti-C1q antibodies for diagnosing active SLE were 89.90% and 53.90%, respectively, with an area under the curve of 0.720 (P<0.05) and a critical value of 5.45 U/mL. The sensitivity and specificity of anti-C1q antibody levels for diagnosing active LN were 58.50% and 85.00%, respectively, with an area under the curve of 0.675 (P<0.05) and a critical value of 22.05 U/mL. CONCLUSIONS: Anti-C1q antibodies can serve as non-invasive biomarkers for evaluating the activity of SLE or predicting the activity of LN in children.

[Clinical characteristics of children with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis]. / å„¿ç«¥æŠ—ä¸­æ€§ç²’ç»†èƒžèƒžè´¨æŠ—ä½“ç›¸å ³æ€§è¡€ç®¡ç‚Žä¸´åºŠç‰¹å¾åˆ†æž.

OBJECTIVES: To study the clinical characteristics of children with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 25 children diagnosed with AAV at the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University from January 2010 to June 2022. RESULTS: Among the AAV children, there were 5 males and 20 females, with a median age of onset of 11.0 years. Involvement of the urinary system was seen in 18 cases (72%); respiratory system involvement in 10 cases (40%); skin involvement in 6 cases (24%); eye, ear, and nose involvement in 5 cases (20%); joint involvement in 4 cases (16%); digestive system involvement in 2 cases (8%). Eleven cases underwent kidney biopsy, with 5 cases (46%) showing focal type, 2 cases (18%) showing crescentic type, 2 cases (18%) showing mixed type, and 2 cases (18%) showing sclerotic type. Immune complex deposits were present in 5 cases (45%). Seven cases reached chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage V, with 2 cases resulting in death. Two cases underwent kidney transplantation. At the end of the follow-up period, 2 cases were at CKD stage II, and 1 case was at CKD stage III. Of the 16 cases of microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) group, 13 (81%) involved the urinary system. Of the 9 cases of granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), 6 cases (66%) had sinusitis. Serum creatinine and uric acid levels were higher in the MPA group than in the GPA group (P<0.05), while red blood cell count and glomerular filtration rate were lower in the MPA group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: AAV is more common in school-age female children, with MPA being the most common clinical subtype. The onset of AAV in children is mainly characterized by renal involvement, followed by respiratory system involvement. The renal pathology often presents as focal type with possible immune complex deposits. Children with MPA often have renal involvement, while those with GPA commonly have sinusitis. The prognosis of children with AAV is poor, often accompanied by renal insufficiency.

Cascade-Gates Guarded Asymmetrical Nanochannel Membrane: An Interference-Free Device for Straightforward Detection of Trace Biomarker in Undiluted Serum.

Accurate detection of trace biomarkers in biological samples is a key task in diagnostic testing, but it remains challenging due to the high concentration of other physiologically relevant interferences. This work presents a new electrochemiluminescence (ECL) sensing device based on a bio-inspired nanochannel membrane (NM) guarded with two differential gates. The recognition event at the aptamer gate is followed by the permitting of stimulator transport toward the metal-organic framework (MOF) gate. Proof of concept application is evaluated using cytochrome C (Cytc) as the analyte, and glucose, a commonly existing nutriment as the stimulator. The oxidase-mimic plasmonic nanoparticles induce an effective release of ECL luminophore from the MOF gate. This cascade-gates guarded NM can effectively separate biological matrices from the detection cell. Consequently, the proposed system can achieve direct sensing of 1.0 nm Cytc in undiluted serum within the threshold concentrations of leukemia and lymphoma, making it attractive for point-of-care applications.

Functional Materials for Water Restoration: A "Fish Cage" for Efficient Capture of Pb(II) Ions.

In this work, a "fish cage" material for trapping Pb(II) ions has been successfully obtained, which is a novel clathrate functionalized metal-oganic framework (Cage-MOF) by introducing free adsorption sites (SO42-). The three-dimensional (3D) cage structure of Cage-MOF gives it a larger contact area and can capture "swimming fish" (Pb(II)) like a "fishing cage" in a water solution. This is the first high-efficiency adsorption material obtained by introducing free coordination groups. Cage-MOF not only has excellent water stability but also improves the selectivity and affinity for Pb(II) ions in water because of the presence of sulfate adsorption sites, and its adsorption capacity is as high as 806 mg/g. This work shows a novel and effective idea for the synthesis of water restoration materials.

Patterns of Event-Level Concurrent Substance Use During Sex Among Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex with Men in Metro Vancouver.

This study identified patterns of sexualized substance use among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM) and examined associated risk factors for sexually transmitted and blood borne infections (STBBI). Data were from a longitudinal cohort recruited using respondent-driven sampling between Feb-2017 and Feb-2019. Participants reported on events with up to five of their most recent sexual partners. Latent class analysis examined patterns of concurrent substance use 2 h prior to or during sex. Multinomial regression identified demographic, partner-level, and event-level factors associated across 11,877 sexual events reported by 757 participants. Most combinations of substance use were rare, but most drugs were frequently combined with other drugs when they were used prior to or during a sexual event. Six latent classes of concurrent event-level substance use were identified. The referent class (58.8% of events) was characterized by limited use of any drugs. The Common Drug Use class (12.1%) was characterized by use of alcohol, cannabis, and poppers and the Licit Drug Use class (21.6%) was characterized by use of alcohol alone. The Party 'N' Play (PnP) class (2.3%) was characterized by use of crystal methamphetamine GHB, Poppers, and Erectile Drugs; The Multi-use (3.5%) class was characterized by the PnP substances plus alcohol and ecstasy; and the Cannabis + class was characterized by use of Cannabis, Erectile Drugs, and Ecstasy. Relative to the referent class, all other classes were associated with events with more behavioural and network risk factors for STBBIs-highlighting the need for harm reduction interventions for gbMSM who use these drugs.

A DFT study on methanol decomposition over single atom Pt/CeO2 catalysts: the effect of the position of Pt.

Pt/CeO2 catalysts exhibit excellent catalytic performance for the methanol dehydrogenation (MD) reaction. In this work, MD reactions on three systems of Pt1/CeO2(110)), Pt7/CeO2(110), and Pt1/Ce1-xO2(110) are investigated via density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The CH3OH adsorption, electronic structure of the catalyst, and mechanism of methanol decomposition (MD) are systematically calculated. The results reveal that the d-band center of the Pt atom moves away from the Fermi level in the order of Pt1/CeO2(110) < Pt7/CeO2(110) < Pt1/Ce1-xO2(110), and the order of the activity of the MD reaction is Pt1/CeO2(110) < Pt7/CeO2(110) < Pt1/Ce1-xO2(110). The results of the microkinetic dynamics simulation verify that only Pt1/Ce1-xO2(110) is conducive to the decomposition of methanol at low temperatures (373 K), and the products CO and H2 are easily dissociated from the catalyst surface. This work uncovers that both the small size and the Ce vacancy substituted sites of Pt favor the performance of the Pt/CeO2 catalyst, and provides theoretical guidance for the construction and design of efficient metal-support catalysts for the MD reaction.

Early antidepressant treatment response prediction in major depression using clinical and TPH2 DNA methylation features based on machine learning approaches.

OBJECTIVE: To identify DNA methylation and clinical features, and to construct machine learning classifiers to assign the patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) into responders and non-responders after a 2-week treatment into responders and non-responders. METHOD: Han Chinese patients (291 in total) with MDD comprised the study population. Datasets contained demographic information, environment stress factors, and the methylation levels of 38 methylated sites of tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (TPH2) genes in peripheral blood samples. Recursive Feature Elimination (RFE) was employed to select features. Five classification algorithms (logistic regression, classification and regression trees, support vector machine, logitboost and random forests) were used to establish the models. Performance metrics (AUC, F-Measure, G-Mean, accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value) were computed with 5-fold-cross-validation. Variable importance was evaluated by random forest algorithm. RESULT: RF with RFE outperformed the other models in our samples based on the demographic information and clinical features (AUC = 61.2%, 95%CI: 60.1-62.4%) / TPH2 CpGs features (AUC = 66.6%, 95%CI: 65.4-67.8%) / both clinical and TPH2 CpGs features (AUC = 72.9%, 95%CI: 71.8-74.0%). CONCLUSION: The effects of TPH2 on the early-stage antidepressant response were explored by machine learning algorithms. On the basis of the baseline depression severity and TPH2 CpG sites, machine learning approaches can enhance our ability to predict the early-stage antidepressant response. Some potentially important predictors (e.g., TPH2-10-60 (rs2129575), TPH2-2-163 (rs11178998), age of first onset, age) in early-stage treatment response could be utilized in future fundamental research, drug development and clinical practice.

Sex-Related Discrepancies in the Access to Optimal Care and Outcomes After Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury: A Retrospective Cohort Study Using Data From a Canadian Registry.

OBJECTIVE: To compare males and females who were stratified into subgroups corresponding to premenopausal, perimenopausal, and postmenopausal ages, regarding access to optimal care and their outcomes after traumatic spinal cord injury (tSCI). STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Eighteen acute care centers and 13 rehabilitation facilities across Canada. PARTICIPANTS: This study included 5571 individuals with tSCI at C1-L2 who were enrolled in the Rick Hansen Spinal Cord Injury Registry from July 2004 to September 2019 (N=5571). Females were compared with males in the younger (aged ≤40 years), middle-aged (ages 41-50), and older (aged >50 years) subgroups. INTERVENTION: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Females were compared with males in each subgroup with regard to their demographic data, pre-existing comorbidities, injury characteristics, management choices, access to optimal care, and clinical, neurologic, and functional outcomes after tSCI. RESULTS: In the younger subgroups, females (n=408) were significantly younger, had a greater proportion of aboriginals and transportation-related tSCIs, underwent surgical treatment more often, and had a greater sensory score change than males (n=1613). In the middle-aged subgroups, females (n=174) had a greater proportion of high-thoracic tSCIs than males (n=666). In the older subgroups, females (n=660) were significantly older, had more fall-related and less severe tSCIs, had a shorter stay at the rehabilitation center, had less spasticity, and were discharged home less often than males (n=2050). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest some sex-related differences in individuals' demographics and injury characteristics, but fewer discrepancies between females and males regarding their access to optimal care and outcomes after tSCI. Overall, future clinical trials could consider inclusion of males and females of all age groups to enhance recruitment and augment generalizability.

Relationships of work stress and interpersonal needs with industrial workers' mental health: a moderated mediation model.

OBJECTIVES: This study explores whether feelings of defeat (i.e., a sense of failed struggle and losing rank; referred to as defeat for simplicity) mediated the effect of work stress on depression/anxiety, the effect of interpersonal needs on depression/anxiety for Chinese industrial workers, and the possible moderating role of social support. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Shenzhen, China in 2019, in total, 2023 industrial workers (of 2700 invited; response rate = 75%) completed a self-administered survey consisted of Job Stress Scale, Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire, Defeat Scale, Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale, two face-valid questions for social support, as well as sociodemographic information. Moderated mediation model was tested and loop plots were applied to probe into the conditional effects of work and interpersonal stress on depression and anxiety symptoms. RESULT: Both the direct and indirect effect of work stress on depression and anxiety through defeat were significant (Work stress→ Depression: B = 0.035, p < .001, Work stress→ Defeat→ Depression: B = 0.034, p < .001; Work stress→ Anxiety: B = 0.038, p < .001, Work stress→ Defeat→ Anxiety: B = 0.045, p < .001). Meanwhile, defeat mediated the relationship of interpersonal needs with depression partially and the relationship of interpersonal needs with anxiety totally (Interpersonal needs→ Anxiety: B = 0.133, p < .001, Interpersonal needs→ Defeat→ Anxiety: B = 0.010, p = .537). Social support moderated the indirect path between interpersonal needs and depression/anxiety and buffered the effect. CONCLUSION: The mediating role of defeat and the moderator role of social support in the relationship between stress and depression/anxiety were confirmed in industrial workers. Workers who reported more work and interpersonal stress would report more defeat feelings, and then exhibited more depression and anxiety symptoms; this mediation effect was stronger for those who had lower social support, respectively.

Older liver grafts from donation after circulatory death are associated with impaired survival and higher incidence of biliary non-anastomotic structure.

BACKGROUND: Grafts from older donors after circulatory death were associated with inferior outcome in liver transplants in the past. But it has seemed to remain controversial in the last decade, as a result of modified clinical protocols, selected recipients, and advanced technology of organ perfusion and preservation. The present study aimed to examine the impact of older donor age on complications and survival of liver transplant using grafts from donation after circulatory death (DCD). METHODS: A total of 944 patients who received DCD liver transplantation from 2015 to 2020 were included and divided into two groups: using graft from older donor (aged ≥ 65 years, n = 87) and younger donor (age < 65 years, n = 857). Propensity score matching (PSM) was applied to eliminate selection bias. RESULTS: A progressively increased proportion of liver transplants with grafts from older donors was observed from 1.68% to 15.44% during the study period. The well-balanced older donor (n = 79) and younger donor (n = 79) were 1:1 matched. There were significantly more episodes of biliary non-anastomotic stricture (NAS) in the older donor group than the younger donor group [15/79 (19.0%) vs. 6/79 (7.6%); P = 0.017]. The difference did not reach statistical significance regarding early allograft dysfunction (EAD) and primary non-function (PNF). Older livers had a trend toward inferior 1-, 2-, 3-year graft and overall survival compared with younger livers, but these differences were not statistically significant (63.1%, 57.6%, 57.6% vs. 76.9%, 70.2%, 67.7%, P = 0.112; 64.4%, 58.6%, 58.6% vs. 76.9%, 72.2%, 72.2%, P = 0.064). The only risk factor for poor survival was ABO incompatible transplant (P = 0.008) in the older donor group. In the subgroup of ABO incompatible cases, it demonstrated a significant difference in the rate of NAS between the older donor group and the younger donor group [6/8 (75.0%) vs. 3/14 (21.4%); P = 0.014]. CONCLUSIONS: Transplants with grafts from older donors (aged ≥ 65 years) after circulatory death are more frequently associated with inferior outcome compared to those from younger donors. Older grafts from DCD are more likely to develop NAS, especially in ABO incompatible cases.

[Application of artificial intelligence in the diagnosis of prostate cancer].

With the rise of precision medicine, the continuous expansionWith the rise of precision medicine, the continuous expansion the collective push from many other the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in prostate cancer diagnosis is increasingly becoming a focal point. AI technology can effectively utilize diverse detection methods such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Positron Emission Tomography (PET), and whole pathology slide imaging to efficiently identify and differentiate between benign and malignant lesions. The encouraging results from numerous studies herald the enormous potential of this field. This article aims to provide a comprehensive summary and analysis of the research progress made in AI for prostate cancer diagnosis, in order to better grasp the trends in this area of development.

Use of Gay Chatlines and Online Dating Platforms as Potential Mediators or Moderators in the Relationship Between Loneliness, Self-Rated Attractiveness and Human Immunodeficiency Virus Acquisition Risk Among Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex With Men in Vancouver, Canada.

BACKGROUND: Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM) remain disproportionately affected by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Interaction between psychosocial factors likely plays a role in HIV acquisition risk. We aimed to analyze the association of loneliness and self-rated attractiveness with HIV acquisition risk, and determine whether these associations were mediated by gay telephone chatlines or online dating platforms. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included HIV-negative gbMSM 16 years or older enrolled into the Momentum Health Study from February 2012 to February 2015. Loneliness, self-rated attractiveness (exposures) and use of gay chatlines or online dating platforms (mediators) were assessed through self-interviews. Human immunodeficiency virus acquisition risk (outcome) was assessed by the HIV Incidence Risk Index. Weighted logistic regression modeled the association and moderation effect between exposures and outcome. Mediation models estimated 3-way direct effect among exposures, mediators, and outcome. RESULTS: Of 542 gbMSM, those who were lonely (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.54; 95% confidence intervals [CI], 1.04-2.28) and attractive (aOR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.04-2.76) had increased odds for HIV acquisition risk. Our moderation analysis demonstrated a heightened joint effect among lonely and attractive participants (aOR, 1.70; 95% CI, 1.08-2.65). Use of gay telephone chatlines or online dating platforms mediated 30.5% of the association between loneliness and HIV acquisition risk, but did not mediate attractiveness and HIV acquisition risk. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the provision of interventions focusing on mental health support and safer sex practices through gay telephone chatlines or online dating platforms is promising to help alleviate the HIV burden among gbMSM.

Design, synthesis and anti-breast cancer evaluation of biaryl pyridine analogues as potent RSK inhibitors.

In order to discover and develop the new RSK kinase inhibitor, 50 pyridyl biaryl derivatives were designed and synthesized with LJH685 as the lead compound and their anti-tumor ability was tested. The results showed that the ability of 7d compound to inhibit the phosphorylation of YB-1 was comparable to that of LJH685. Among them, after preliminary screening, compound 7d showed good activity in inhibiting cell proliferation. Therefore, we took 7d as an example and performed molecular docking analysis on it. Judging from the overlapping combination diagram with LJH685, the results have verified that compound 7d has a similar skeleton to LJH685 and has a similar docking effect with RSK. Therefore, compound 7d is in line with the RSK inhibitor we designed and could be developed to a promising anti-tumor drug in the future.

Influence and interaction of resting state functional magnetic resonance and tryptophan hydroxylase-2 methylation on short-term antidepressant drug response.

BACKGROUND: Most antidepressants have been developed on the basis of the monoamine deficiency hypothesis of depression, in which neuronal serotonin (5-HT) plays a key role. 5-HT biosynthesis is regulated by the rate-limiting enzyme tryptophan hydroxylase-2 (TPH2). TPH2 methylation is correlated with antidepressant effects. Resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) is applied for detecting abnormal brain functional activity in patients with different antidepressant effects. We will investigate the effect of the interaction between rs-fMRI and TPH2 DNA methylation on the early antidepressant effects. METHODS: A total of 300 patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and 100 healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled, of which 60 patients with MDD were subjected to rs-fMRI. Antidepressant responses was assessed by a 50% reduction in 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD-17) scores at baseline and after two weeks of medication. The RESTPlus software in MATLAB was used to analyze the rs-fMRI data. The amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF), regional homogeneity (ReHo), fractional ALFF (fALFF), and functional connectivity (FC) were used, and the above results were used as regions of interest (ROIs) to extract the average value of brain ROIs regions in the RESTPlus software. Generalized linear model analysis was performed to analyze the association between abnormal activity found in rs-fMRI and the effect of TPH2 DNA methylation on antidepressant responses. RESULTS: Two hundred ninety-one patients with MDD and 100 HCs were included in the methylation statistical analysis, of which 57 patients were included in the further rs-fMRI analysis (3 patients were excluded due to excessive head movement). 57 patients were divided into the responder group (n = 36) and the non-responder group (n = 21). Rs-fMRI results showed that the ALFF of the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) was significantly different between the two groups. The results showed that TPH2-1-43 methylation interacted with ALFF of left IFG to affect the antidepressant responses (p = 0.041, false discovery rate (FDR) corrected p = 0.149). CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated that the differences in the ALFF of left IFG between the two groups and its association with TPH2 methylation affect short-term antidepressant drug responses.