2CFastICA: A Novel Method for High Density Surface EMG Decomposition Based on Kernel Constrained FastICA and Correlation Constrained FastICA.

This study presents a novel high density surface electromyography (EMG) decomposition method, named as 2CFastICA, because it incorporates two key algorithms: kernel constrained FastICA and correlation constrained FastICA. The former focuses on overcoming the local convergence of FastICA without requiring the peel-off strategy used in the progressive FastICA peel-off (PFP) framework. The latter further refines the output of kernel constrained FastICA by correcting possible erroneous or missed spikes. The two constrained FastICA algorithms supplement each other to warrant the decomposition performance. The 2CFastICA method was validated using simulated surface EMG signals with different motor unit numbers and signal to noise ratios (SNRs). Two source validation was also performed by simultaneous high density surface EMG and intramuscular EMG recordings, showing a matching rate (MR) of (97.2 ± 3.5) % for 170 common motor units. In addition, a different form of two source validation was also conducted taking advantages of the high density surface EMG characteristics of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, showing a MR of (99.4 ± 0.9) % for 34 common motor units from interference and sparse datasets. Both simulation and experimental results indicate that 2CFastICA can achieve similar decomposition performance to PFP. However, the efficiency of decomposition can be greatly improved by 2CFastICA since the complex signal processing procedures associated with the peel-off strategy are not required any more. Along with this paper, we also provide the MATLAB open source code of 2CFastICA for high density surface EMG decomposition.

SIRT3 protects endometrial receptivity in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.

BACKGROUND: The sirtuin family is well recognized for its crucial involvement in various cellular processes. Nevertheless, studies on its role in the human endometrium are limited. This study aimed to explore the expression and localization of the sirtuin family in the human endometrium, focusing on sirtuin 3 (SIRT3) and its potential role in the oxidative imbalance of the endometrium in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). METHODS: Endometrial specimens were collected from both patients with PCOS and controls undergoing hysteroscopy at the Center for Reproductive Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, from July to August 2015 and used for cell culture. The protective effects of SIRT3 were investigated, and the mechanism of SIRT3 in improving endometrial receptivity of patients with PCOS was determined using various techniques, including cellular bioenergetic analysis, small interfering ribonucleic acid (siRNA) silencing, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry, and flow cytometry analysis. RESULTS: The sirtuin family was widely expressed in the human endometrium, with SIRT3 showing a significant increase in expression in patients with PCOS compared with controls (P <0.05), as confirmed by protein and gene assays. Concurrently, endometrial antioxidant levels were elevated, while mitochondrial respiratory capacity was reduced, in patients with PCOS (P <0.05). An endometrial oxidative stress (OS) model revealed that the downregulation of SIRT3 impaired the growth and proliferation status of endometrial cells and reduced their receptivity to day 4 mouse embryos. The results suggested that SIRT3 might be crucial in maintaining normal cellular state by regulating antioxidants, cell proliferation, and apoptosis, thereby contributing to enhanced endometrial receptivity. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings proposed a significant role of SIRT3 in improving endometrial receptivity in patients with PCOS by alleviating OS and regulating the balance between cell proliferation and apoptosis. Therefore, SIRT3 could be a promising target for predicting and improving endometrial receptivity in this patient population.

Clustering index analysis on EMG-Torque relation-based representation of complex neuromuscular changes after spinal cord injury.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) resulting in complex neuromuscular pathology is not sufficiently well understood. To better quantify neuromuscular changes after SCI, this study uses a clustering index (CI) method for surface electromyography (sEMG) clustering representation to investigate the relation between sEMG and torque in SCI survivors. The sEMG signals were recorded from 13 subjects with SCI and 13 gender-age matched able-bodied subjects during isometric contraction of the biceps brachii muscle at different torque levels using a linear electrode array. Two torque representations, maximum voluntary contraction (MVC%) and absolute torque, were used. CI values were calculated for sEMG. Regression analyses were performed on CI values and torque levels of elbow flexion, revealing a strong linear relationship. The slopes of regressions between SCI survivors and control subjects were compared. The findings indicated that the range of distribution of CI values and slopes was greater in subjects with SCI than in control subjects (p < 0.05). The increase or decrease in slope was also observed at the individual level. This suggests that the CI and its sEMG clustering-torque relation may serve as valuable quantitative indicators for determining neuromuscular lesions after SCI, contributing to the development of effective rehabilitation strategies for improving motor performance.

Advances in research and application of artificial intelligence and radiomic predictive models based on intracranial aneurysm images.

Intracranial aneurysm is a high-risk disease, with imaging playing a crucial role in their diagnosis and treatment. The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence in imaging technology holds promise for the development of AI-based radiomics predictive models. These models could potentially enable the automatic detection and diagnosis of intracranial aneurysms, assess their status, and predict outcomes, thereby assisting in the creation of personalized treatment plans. In addition, these techniques could improve diagnostic efficiency for physicians and patient prognoses. This article aims to review the progress of artificial intelligence radiomics in the study of intracranial aneurysms, addressing the challenges faced and future prospects, in hopes of introducing new ideas for the precise diagnosis and treatment of intracranial aneurysms.

De novo transcriptome assembly database for 100 tissues from each of seven species of domestic herbivore.

Domesticated herbivores are an important agricultural resource that play a critical role in global food security, particularly as they can adapt to varied environments, including marginal lands. An understanding of the molecular basis of their biology would contribute to better management and sustainable production. Thus, we conducted transcriptome sequencing of 100 to 105 tissues from two females of each of seven species of herbivore (cattle, sheep, goats, sika deer, horses, donkeys, and rabbits) including two breeds of sheep. The quality of raw and trimmed reads was assessed in terms of base quality, GC content, duplication sequence rate, overrepresented k-mers, and quality score distribution with FastQC. The high-quality filtered RNA-seq raw reads were deposited in a public database which provides approximately 54 billion high-quality paired-end sequencing reads in total, with an average mapping rate of ~93.92%. Transcriptome databases represent valuable resources that can be used to study patterns of gene expression, and pathways that are related to key biological processes, including important economic traits in herbivores.

GCN5 mediates DNA-PKcs crotonylation for DNA double-strand break repair and determining cancer radiosensitivity.

BACKGROUND: DNA double-strand break (DSB) induction and repair are important events for determining cell survival and the outcome of cancer radiotherapy. The DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) complex functions at the apex of DSBs repair, and its assembly and activity are strictly regulated by post-translation modifications (PTMs)-associated interactions. However, the PTMs of the catalytic subunit DNA-PKcs and how they affect DNA-PKcs's functions are not fully understood. METHODS: Mass spectrometry analyses were performed to identify the crotonylation sites of DNA-PKcs in response to γ-ray irradiation. Co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP), western blotting, in vitro crotonylation assays, laser microirradiation assays, in vitro DNA binding assays, in vitro DNA-PK assembly assays and IF assays were employed to confirm the crotonylation, identify the crotonylase and decrotonylase, and elucidate how crotonylation regulates the activity and function of DNA-PKcs. Subcutaneous xenografts of human HeLa GCN5 WT or HeLa GCN5 siRNA cells in BALB/c nude mice were generated and utilized to assess tumor proliferation in vivo after radiotherapy. RESULTS: Here, we reveal that K525 is an important site of DNA-PKcs for crotonylation, and whose level is sharply increased by irradiation. The histone acetyltransferase GCN5 functions as the crotonylase for K525-Kcr, while HDAC3 serves as its dedicated decrotonylase. K525 crotonylation enhances DNA binding activity of DNA-PKcs, and facilitates assembly of the DNA-PK complex. Furthermore, GCN5-mediated K525 crotonylation is indispensable for DNA-PKcs autophosphorylation and the repair of double-strand breaks in the NHEJ pathway. GCN5 suppression significantly sensitizes xenograft tumors of mice to radiotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: Our study defines K525 crotonylation of DNA-PKcs is important for the DNA-PK complex assembly and DSBs repair activity via NHEJ pathway. Targeting GCN5-mediated K525 Kcr of DNA-PKcs may be a promising therapeutic strategy for improving the outcome of cancer radiotherapy.

"Qi Nan" agarwood restores podocyte autophagy in diabetic kidney disease by targeting EGFR signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus, contributing to end-stage renal disease with limited treatment options. The development of DKD is attributed to podocyte injury resulting from abnormal podocyte autophagy. Consequently, the restoration of podocyte autophagy is deemed a practicable approach in the treatment of DKD. METHODS: Diabetic mice were induced by streptozotocin and high-fat diet feeding. Following 8 weeks of "QN" agarwood treatment, metrics such as albuminuria, serum creatinine (Scr), and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) were evaluated. Renal histological lesions were evaluated by H&E, PAS, Masson, and Sirius red staining. Evaluation of the effects of "QN" agarwood on renal inflammation and fibrosis in DKD mice through WB, q-PCR, and IHC staining analysis. Cytoscape 3.7.1 was used to construct a PPI network. With the DAVID server, the gene ontology (GO) functional annotation and the Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) signaling pathways of the target enrichment were performed. Molecular docking and binding affinity calculations were conducted using AutoDock, while PyMOL software was employed for visualizing the docking results of active compounds and protein targets. RESULTS: The results of this study show that "QN" agarwood reduced albuminuria, Scr, and BUN in DKD mice, and improved the renal pathological process. Additionally, "QN" agarwood was observed to downregulate the mRNA and protein expression levels of pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic factors in the kidneys of DKD mice. Network pharmacology predicts that "QN" agarwood modulates the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling pathway. "QN" agarwood can increase the expression of LC3B and Nphs1 in DKD mice while reducing the expression of EGFR. CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrated that "QN" agarwood ameliorated renal injury in DKD by targeting EGFR and restoring podocyte autophagy.

Cellular senescence in cancer: molecular mechanisms and therapeutic targets.

Aging exhibits several hallmarks in common with cancer, such as cellular senescence, dysbiosis, inflammation, genomic instability, and epigenetic changes. In recent decades, research into the role of cellular senescence on tumor progression has received widespread attention. While how senescence limits the course of cancer is well established, senescence has also been found to promote certain malignant phenotypes. The tumor-promoting effect of senescence is mainly elicited by a senescence-associated secretory phenotype, which facilitates the interaction of senescent tumor cells with their surroundings. Targeting senescent cells therefore offers a promising technique for cancer therapy. Drugs that pharmacologically restore the normal function of senescent cells or eliminate them would assist in reestablishing homeostasis of cell signaling. Here, we describe cell senescence, its occurrence, phenotype, and impact on tumor biology. A "one-two-punch" therapeutic strategy in which cancer cell senescence is first induced, followed by the use of senotherapeutics for eliminating the senescent cells is introduced. The advances in the application of senotherapeutics for targeting senescent cells to assist cancer treatment are outlined, with an emphasis on drug categories, and the strategies for their screening, design, and efficient targeting. This work will foster a thorough comprehension and encourage additional research within this field.

Rbpj deletion in hepatic progenitor cells attenuates endothelial responses in a mouse model of cholestatic liver disease.

Background and Aims: Since the role of hepatic progenitor cells (HPCs) constituting ductular reactions in pathogenesis remains ambiguous, we aimed to establish the in vivo cause-and-effect relationship between HPCs and angiogenesis, a process associated with chronic liver disease progression. We previously demonstrated that peritumoral ductules are associated with angiogenesis in liver tumors and forkhead box L1 (Foxl1)- expressing murine HPCs secrete angiogenic factors in vitro. Therefore, we hypothesized that HPCs are capable of remodeling the vascular microenvironment and this function of HPCs is dependent on recombination signal binding protein for immunoglobulin kappa J region (RBPJ), a key effector of the Notch signaling pathway. Approach and Results: We generated HPC-specific Rbpj conditional knockout mice using Foxl1-Cre and treated them with the 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine-supplemented diet to induce cholestatic liver disease. Knockout mice displayed significant reduction of HPC proliferation and ductular reactions as well as attenuated vascular and fibrotic areas compared to control mice. Assessment of vascular endothelial growth factor A-positive areas in vivo and the effects of Rbpj shRNAs in vitro indicated that Rbpj knockout in HPCs reduces the total number of angiogenic factor-expressing cells rather than affecting angiogenic factor expression within HPCs. Single-nucleus RNA sequencing analysis indicated that conditional Rbpj knockout in HPCs induces transcriptional changes in endothelial cells and alters expression of genes involved in various functions of the endothelium. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that HPCs regulate endothelial responses to cholestatic liver disease and Rbpj deletion in HPCs attenuates these responses, identifying novel targets for modulating angiogenesis during disease progression.

Rocky desertification succession alters soil microbial communities and survival strategies in the karst context.

Rocky desertification is one of the most ecological problems in the karst context. Although extensive research has been conducted to explore how to restore and protect, the responses of soil fungi and archaea to rocky desertification succession remain limited. Here, four grades of rocky desertification in a karst ecosystem were selected, amplicon sequencing analysis was conducted to investigate fungal and archaeal community adaptation in response to rocky desertification succession. Our findings revealed that the diversity and community structure of fungi and archaea in soils declined with the aggravation of rocky desertification. As the rocky desertification succession intensified, microbial interactions shifted from cooperation to competition. Microbial survival strategies were K-strategist and r-strategist dominated in the early and late stages of succession, respectively. Additionally, the driving factors affecting microorganisms have shifted from vegetation diversity to soil properties as the intensification of rocky desertification. Collectively, our study highlighted that plant diversity and soil properties play important roles on soil microbiomes in fragile karst ecosystems and that environmental factors induced by human activities might still be the dominant factor exacerbating rocky desertification, which could significantly enrich our understanding of microbial ecology within karst ecosystems.

Management of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is an important cause of heart failure and arrhythmias, including sudden death, with a major impact on the healthcare system. Genetic causes and different phenotypes are now increasingly being identified for this condition. In addition, specific medications, such as myosin inhibitors, have been recently shown as potentially able to modify its symptoms, hemodynamic abnormalities and clinical course. Our article aims to provide a comprehensive outline of the epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in the current era.

A population study comparing tracheal and lung adenoid cystic carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Thoracic adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is rare, and the differences between tracheal and lung lesions have not been fully understood. METHODS: Patients were identified from a Chinese cancer center (FUSCC) (2005-2022) and the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database (2000-2019). Incidence was calculated and trends were quantified. Clinicopathological features and overall survival (OS) were analyzed. Nomograms predicting OS were constructed. RESULTS: Totally, 55 tracheal adenoid cystic carcinoma (TACC) and 25 lung and bronchus adenoid cystic carcinoma (LACC) were included in a Chinese cohort, 121 TACC and 162 LACC included in the SEER cohort. There were larger tumor sizes, more lymph nodes and distant metastases for LACC than TACC patients. TACC patients are more likely to get local treatments. Patients with LACC had significantly worse median OS than patients with TACC (SEER cohort: 68.0 months vs. 109.0 months, p = 0.001, Chinese cohort: 62.9 months vs. 124.8 months, p = 0.061). Age, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis and local treatment were identified as independent prognostic factors for OS of TACC. Distant metastasis and local treatment were identified for LACC. Specifically, surgery alone or in combination with radiotherapy is crucial for improving survival in both TACC and LACC. Only TACC benefits from radiotherapy alone, while chemotherapy does not improve survival for either. The nomograms constructed using these factors revealed good prognostic accuracy. CONCLUSIONS: LACC is more aggressive and has a worse prognosis than TACC. TACC patients have more opportunities for local treatment, which is important for the prognosis of both TACC and LACC. Nomograms were created for TACC and LACC to aid in personalized survival predictions and clinical decisions.

A scoring system to predict the technical difficulty of endoscopic resection for cardial submucosal tumors.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Endoscopic resection has been successfully used for the removal of digestive submucosal tumors (SMTs). However, the cardia has been considered a challenging location for endoscopic resection due to its narrow lumen and sharp angle. The objective of this study was to establish a clinical scoring model to grade the technical difficulty of endoscopic resection for cardial SMTs. METHODS: A total of 246 patients who suffered cardial SMTs and received endoscopic resection were included in this retrospective study. All of them were randomized into the training cohort (n = 123) or internal validation cohort (n = 123). Potential predictors were analyzed using univariate analysis. Then, covariates with P < 0.05 were selected for the multivariate logistic regression model. The ß coefficients from the logistic regression model were used to create a scoring system for technical difficulty prediction by rounding the score to the nearest integer of the absolute ß coefficient value. RESULTS: The clinical score consisted of the following factors: male gender (2 points), extraluminal growth (3 points), and maximum diameter ≥3 cm (3 points). The scoring model demonstrated good discriminatory power, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.860 and a 95% confidence interval of 0.763-0.958. The model also showed a good goodness of fit in the Hosmer-Lemeshow test (P = 0.979). In the training cohort, the probability of encountering technical difficulty in the easy (score = 0), intermediate (score = 1-3), difficult (score = 4-6), and very difficult (score >6) categories was 0, 6.8%, 33.3%, and 100.0%, respectively; similarly, in the validation cohort, it was 0, 5.6%, 22.2%, and 50.0%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This scoring system could serve as a valuable tool for clinicians in predicting the technical difficulty of endoscopic resection for cardial SMTs.

Association between lactate dehydrogenase and the risk of diabetic kidney disease in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the association between lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and the risk of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Methods: The study enrolled patients with diagnosis of T2D between 2009 and 2018 from the National Nutrition and Health Examination Survey (NHANES) database. Demographic information, laboratory test, and diagnostic data were collected. Restricted cubic spline (RCS) plots were used to assess the dose-effect relationship between LDH levels and the risk of DKD in patients with T2D. Based on LDH levels, individuals were divided into higher and lower groups using dichotomy, and multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to explore the relationship between different LDH levels and the risk of DKD in T2D patients. Stratified analysis was performed to assess the consistency of the result. Results: A total of 4888 patients were included in the study, with 2976 (60.9%) patients without DKD and 1912 (39.1%) patients with DKD. RCS plots showed that the risk of DKD increased with increasing LDH levels. Multifactorial logistic regression analysis revealed that T2D patients with higher LDH levels had a 45% increased risk of DKD compared to those with lower LDH levels (OR=1.45; 95% CI: 1.11-1.89). Furthermore, each standard deviation increase in LDH level was associated with a 24% increase in DKD incidence among T2D patients (OR=1.24; 95% CI: 1.07-1.44). Stratified analysis consistently supported these findings. Conclusions: LDH can serve as a valuable biomarker for screening DKD in patients with T2D.

[Evaluation of the feasibility of endoscopic tympanoplasty in two-person three-hand operation].

Objective:To study the difference of postoperative efficacy between two-person three-hand ear endoscopy and microscopic tympanoplasty in patients with chronic suppurative otitis media, and to explore the advantages and disadvantages of two-person three-hand ear endoscopy. Methods:A retrospective study was conducted on 100 patients who underwent tympanoplasty in the Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery of Hunan People's Hospital from April 2019 to March 2023, and they were divided into 2 groups with 50 cases each according to random number table method. Among them, 50 cases underwent endoscopic tympanoplasty in two-person three-hand（group A） and 50 cases underwent routine microscopic tympanoplasty（group B）. The operation and postoperative conditions of the two groups were followed up. Results:In group A, the mean operation time was（65.78±18.21） min, the mean intraoperative blood loss was（12.94±4.46） mL, the postoperative pain score was（1.82±0.60） points, and the mean postoperative hospital stay was（2.76±0.72） d. The mean operation time of group B was（89.45±20.38） min, the mean intraoperative blood loss was（22.78±5.74） mL, the postoperative pain score was（2.98±0.85） points, and the mean postoperative hospital stay was（3.82±0.75） d, which with statistical significance between the two groups（P<0.05）. Hearing in both groups was significantly improved 6 months after surgery, and the difference was statistically significant before and after surgery（P<0.05）, but there was no significant difference between the two groups before surgery and 6 months after surgery（P>0.05）. There were 2 cases in group A（4%） and 1 case in group B（2%） complicated with tympanic cord injury during operation, and the difference was not statistically significant（P>0.05）. There were 47 cases of A group（94%） of one-time healing of tympanic membrane after operation, 48 cases（96%） of group B, and the difference was not statistically significant（P>0.05）. Conclusion:There is no significant difference in cure rate and hearing improvement between two-person three-hand ear endoscopic tympanoplasty and conventional microscope surgery, and the operation time is significantly shortened, the amount of blood loss is less, and the postoperative recovery is faster. It has the advantages of clear operating field, two-person three-hand operation, minimally invasive, and can reach the range of middle ear tympanic sinus and mastoid apex, and the surgical complications are seldom, which is worth promoting.

Intelligence level evaluation and influencing factors analysis of equipment manufacturing industry in the Yangtze River Delta.

The Yangtze River Delta (YRD) bears the vital task of driving the growth of China's equipment manufacturing industry (EMI) intelligence as an advanced region. Fostering the transformation and upgrading of the EMI in the YRD and constructing a modern production mode is vital to developing and reforming China's manufacturing industry. This paper uses industrial robot data to assess the level of intelligence (LoI) in the EMI from 2016 to 2019. The OLS (ordinary least squares) model is used for the measurements, and the MQ (the modified contribution index) is used to estimate the degree of contribution from a host of variables. It is identified that the LoI is on the rise. However, excluding railways, aerospace, shipbuilding, and other transportation equipment manufacturing, the LoI is significantly higher than in other subsectors. It is also identified that technological innovation ability, human capital density, and enterprise cost pressure govern the industry's LoI. Moreover, while there is a difference in the main influencing factors in LoI within different industries, R&D investment, technological innovation ability, and enterprise cost pressure have the most significant impact across most equipment manufacturing sub-industries.