Signatures of a strange metal in a bosonic system.

Fermi liquid theory forms the basis for our understanding of the majority of metals: their resistivity arises from the scattering of well defined quasiparticles at a rate where, in the low-temperature limit, the inverse of the characteristic time scale is proportional to the square of the temperature. However, various quantum materials1-15-notably high-temperature superconductors1-10-exhibit strange-metallic behaviour with a linear scattering rate in temperature, deviating from this central paradigm. Here we show the unexpected signatures of strange metallicity in a bosonic system for which the quasiparticle concept does not apply. Our nanopatterned YBa2Cu3O7-δ (YBCO) film arrays reveal linear-in-temperature and linear-in-magnetic field resistance over extended temperature and magnetic field ranges. Notably, below the onset temperature at which Cooper pairs form, the low-field magnetoresistance oscillates with a period dictated by the superconducting flux quantum, h/2e (e, electron charge; h, Planck's constant). Simultaneously, the Hall coefficient drops and vanishes within the measurement resolution with decreasing temperature, indicating that Cooper pairs instead of single electrons dominate the transport process. Moreover, the characteristic time scale τ in this bosonic system follows a scale-invariant relation without an intrinsic energy scale: h/τ ≈ a(kBT + γµBB), where h is the reduced Planck's constant, a is of order unity7,8,11,12, kB is Boltzmann's constant, T is temperature, µB is the Bohr magneton and γ ≈ 2. By extending the reach of strange-metal phenomenology to a bosonic system, our results suggest that there is a fundamental principle governing their transport that transcends particle statistics.

Downregulation of JAM3 occurs in cholangiocarcinoma by hypermethylation: A potential molecular marker for diagnosis and prognosis.

Junctional adhesion molecular 3 (JAM3) is downregulated by hypermethylation in cancers but is unclear in cholangiocarcinoma. The JAM3 expression level was checked in cholangiocarcinoma cell lines and tissues. Methylated JAM3 was detected in cell lines, tissues and plasma cell-free DNAs (cfDNA). The roles of JAM3 in cholangiocarcinoma were studied by transfection of siRNA and pCMV3-JAM3. The survival analysis was based on the Gene Set Cancer Analysis (GSCA) database. JAM3 was downregulated in HCCC-9810 and HuCCT1 cell lines and tissues by hypermethylation. Methylated JAM3 was detected in cfDNAs with 53.3% sensitivity and 96.6% specificity. Transfection of pCMV3-JAM3 into HCCC-9810 and HuCCT1 induced apoptosis and suppressed cell proliferation, migration and invasion. The depletion of JAM3 in RBE cells using siRNA decreased apoptosis and increased cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Hypermethylation of JAM3 was associated with tumour differentiation, metastasis and TNM stage. Downregulation and hypermethylation of JAM3 were related to poor progression-free survival. Junctional adhesion molecular 3 may function as a tumour suppressor in cholangiocarcinoma. Methylated JAM3 DNA may represent a non-invasive molecular marker for the early detection of cholangiocarcinoma and prognosis.

Orthogonality of non-coaxial Laguerre-Gaussian beams.

The conventional orthogonality of Laguerre-Gaussian (LG) beams is widely recognized and serves as the fundamental basis for mode division multiplexing utilizing LG beams as channels. However, this conventional orthogonality holds true only when two LG beams share the same axis. Whether non-coaxial LG beams, with parallel axes separated by a distance, are orthogonal to each other remains an open question. To address this issue and reveal the orthogonality of non-coaxial LG beams, we analytically derive the projection of one LG beam onto another. This projection exhibits a helical phase and a rotationally symmetric amplitude with dark rings present. These dark rings indicate that two non-coaxial LG beams are indeed orthogonal to each other when their axes are appropriately separated. Furthermore, any pair of non-coaxial LG beams within a set also exhibit orthogonality when their axes are fixed at a certain separation distance. This novel form of orthogonality predicts an innovative compound multiplexing technique that simultaneously combines mode and space, enabling more efficient packing of multiple LG beams within a single transmission aperture while maintaining parallel and closely spaced beam axes.

High-dose ascorbate exerts anti-tumor activities and improves inhibitory effect of carboplatin through the pro-oxidant function pathway in uterine serous carcinoma cell lines.

OBJECTIVE: Uterine serous carcinoma is a highly aggressive non-endometrioid subtype of endometrial cancer with poor survival rates overall, creating a strong need for new therapeutic strategies to improve outcomes. High-dose ascorbate (vitamin C) has been shown to inhibit cell proliferation and tumor growth in multiple preclinical models and has shown promising anti-tumor activity in combination with chemotherapy, with a favorable safety profile. We aimed to study the anti-tumor effects of ascorbate and its synergistic effect with carboplatin on uterine serous carcinoma cells. METHODS: Cell proliferation was evaluated by MTT and colony formation assays in ARK1, ARK2 and SPEC2 cells. Cellular stress, antioxidant ability, cleaved caspase 3 activity and adhesion were measured by ELISA assays. Cell cycle was detected by Cellometer. Invasion was measured using a wound healing assay. Changes in protein expression were determined by Western immunoblotting. RESULTS: High-dose ascorbate significantly inhibited cell proliferation, caused cell cycle arrest, induced cellular stress, and apoptosis, increased DNA damage, and suppressed cell invasion in ARK1 and SPEC2 cells. Treatment of both cells with 1 mM N-acetylcysteine reversed ascorbate-induced apoptosis and inhibition of cell proliferation. The combination of ascorbate and carboplatin produced significant synergistic effects in inhibiting cell proliferation and invasion, inducing cellular stress, causing DNA damage, and enhancing cleaved caspase 3 levels compared to each compound alone in both cells. CONCLUSIONS: Ascorbate has potent antitumor activity and acts synergistically with carboplatin through its pro-oxidant effects. Clinical trials of ascorbate combined with carboplatin as adjuvant treatment of uterine serous carcinoma are worth exploring.

Intermittent energy restriction inhibits tumor growth and enhances paclitaxel response in a transgenic mouse model of endometrial cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Overweight/obesity is the strongest risk factor for endometrial cancer (EC), and weight management can reduce that risk and improve survival. We aimed to establish the differential benefits of intermittent energy restriction (IER) and low-fat diet (LFD), alone and in combination with paclitaxel, to reverse the procancer effects of high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity in a mouse model of EC. METHODS: Lkb1fl/flp53fl/fl mice were fed HFD or LFD to generate obese and lean phenotypes, respectively. Obese mice were maintained on a HFD or switched to a LFD (HFD-LFD) or IER (HFD-IER). Ten weeks after induction of endometrial cancer, mice in each group received paclitaxel or placebo for 4 weeks. Body and tumor weights; tumoral transcriptomic, metabolomic and oxylipin profiles; and serum metabolic hormones and chemocytokines were assessed. RESULTS: HFD-IER and HFD-LFD, relative to HFD, reduced body weight; reversed obesity-induced alterations in serum insulin, leptin and inflammatory factors; and decreased tumor incidence and mass, often to levels emulating those associated with continuous LFD. Concurrent paclitaxel, versus placebo, enhanced tumor suppression in each group, with greatest benefit in HFD-IER. The diets produced distinct tumoral gene expression and metabolic profiles, with HFD-IER associated with a more favorable (antitumor) metabolic and inflammatory environment. CONCLUSION: In Lkb1fl/flp53fl/fl mice, IER is generally more effective than LFD in promoting weight loss, inhibiting obesity-related endometrial tumor growth (particularly in combination with paclitaxel), and reversing detrimental obesity-related metabolic effects. These findings lay the foundation for further investigations of IER as an EC prevention and treatment strategies in overweight/obesity women.

LINC00472 Regulates Ferroptosis of Neurons in Alzheimer's Disease via FOXO1.

INTRODUCTION: The objective of the study was to explore the molecular mechanism of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) LINC00472 in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and identify potential novel targets for AD therapy. METHOD: Ferroptosis-related lncRNAs were screened by GEO database. AD mouse model was constructed for in vivo experiments. The content of Aß protein and tau protein hyperphosphorylation were examined in hippocampal tissue samples of mice. Subsequently, HT22 cells were induced with Aß25-35 to establish a neuronal injury model of AD in vitro. The expression of FOXO1, a key gene for ferroptosis, was verified by overexpressing/knocking down the LINC00472. The effects of LINC00472 on ROS and lipid peroxidation content, GPX4, and tau protein in AD model cells were examined by ROS assay, MDA assay, Western blot, and qRT-PCR. Subsequently, the expression of iron ion, FTH, TfRC, and Fpn protein were detected in AD cells. RESULTS: The level of FOXO1 was positively correlated with the degree of AD. In vivo experiments showed that the expression of Aß and tau hyperphosphorylated were significantly reduced in the inhibitor group and iron was significantly reduced relative to the AD group. In the AD cell model, the content of lipid peroxide was upregulated, GPX4 protein and mRNA were decreased, and phosphorylation of tau protein was enhanced in the AD cell model relative to the control group. Whereas knocking down LINC00472 inhibited the upregulation of lipid peroxide, decreased the level of GPX4, and enhanced tau protein phosphorylation, and reduced iron accumulation in AD cells. CONCLUSIONS: LINC00472 affects ferroptosis in AD by regulating iron accumulation in neuronal cells.

Exploring Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae NXNK2203 infection in sheep: insights from histopathology and whole genome sequencing.

BACKGROUND: Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (M. ovipneumoniae) is a significant pathogen causing respiratory infections in goats and sheep. This study focuses on investigating vulnerability of Hu sheep to M. ovipneumoniae infection in the context of late spring's cold weather conditions through detailed autopsy of a severely affected Hu sheep and whole genome sequencing of M. ovipneumoniae. RESULTS: The autopsy findings of the deceased sheep revealed severe pulmonary damage with concentrated tracheal and lung lesions. Histopathological analysis showed tissue degeneration, mucus accumulation, alveolar septum thickening, and cellular necrosis. Immunohistochemistry analysis indicated that M. ovipneumoniae was more in the bronchi compared to the trachea. Genome analysis of M. ovipneumoniae identified a 1,014,835 bp with 686 coding sequences, 3 rRNAs, 30 tRNAs, 6 CRISPRs, 11 genomic islands, 4 prophages, 73 virulence factors, and 20 secreted proteins. CONCLUSION: This study investigates the vulnerability of Hu sheep to M. ovipneumoniae infection during late spring's cold weather conditions. Autopsy findings showed severe pulmonary injury in affected sheep, and whole genome sequencing identified genetic elements associated with pathogenicity and virulence factors of M. ovipneumoniae.

Neurological function and drug-refractory epilepsy in Sturge-Weber syndrome children: a retrospective analysis.

Epilepsy in Sturge-Weber syndrome (SWS) is common, but drug-refractory epilepsy (DRE) in SWS has rarely been studied in children. We investigated the characteristics of epilepsy and risk factors for DRE in children with SWS. A retrospective study was conducted to analyze the clinical characteristics of children with SWS with epilepsy in our hospital from January 2013 to October 2022. Univariate and multivariate logistic analyses were performed to investigate the factors influencing DRE in children with SWS. A total of 35 SWS children with epilepsy were included (51% male; mean age of presentation 3.6 ± 0.5 years), 71% of children with SWS had their first seizure within the first year of life, and the most common type of seizure was focal seizure (77%). Eleven (31%) patients developed DRE. The median age of onset for the first seizure was 1.0 years and all these cases were of SWS type I. Multivariate logistic analysis revealed that stroke-like episodes and seizure clusters were risk factors for DRE in SWS children. A poor neurological function group was observed in twenty-five children with SWS. Status epilepticus was a risk factor that affected the neurological function of SWS children with epilepsy.  Conclusion: The study explored the epileptic features of children with SWS. The results revealed that stroke-like episodes and seizure clusters are risk factors for DRE in children with SWS. The occurrence of status epilepticus impacts the neurological function of SWS children with epilepsy. Thus, long-term follow-up is necessary to monitor outcomes. What is Known: • Sturge-Weber syndrome (SWS) is a rare neurocutaneous disorder, over 75% of children with SWS experience seizures, and 30-57% develop drug-refractory epilepsy (DRE), which leads to a poor outcome. • Drug-refractory epilepsy in SWS has been rarely studied in children, and the risk factors associated with DRE are unclear. What is New: • Clinical features of SWS children with drug-refractory epilepsy. • In SWS, stroke-like episodes and seizure clusters are risk factors of DRE, the occurrence of status epilepticus impacts the neurological function.

Differential diagnosis of gastric low- and high grade dysplasia using C6orf15 protein.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of C6orf15 protein in gastric endoscopic biopsy specimens and its usage as an ancillary diagnostic biomarker in determining the grade of gastric dysplasia. METHODS: We selected 102 patients with gastric endoscopic biopsy specimens from Jinling Hospital. These were divided into four groups: 22 cases of gastric mucosal benign lesions, 28 with low-grade dysplasia (LGD, intestinal-type: 21 cases，foveolar-type: 7cases), 28 with high-grade dysplasia (HGD, intestinal-type: 20 cases，foveolar-type: 8 cases), and 24 cases of gastric adenocarcinoma. We examined the expressions of C6orf15, P53, and Ki67 in 102 gastric endoscopic biopsy specimens, including 47 cases with accompanying endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) specimens, using immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: In gastric HGD and gastric adenocarcinoma, the c6orf15 protein exhibits diffuse and strong cytoplasmic expression in tumor cells. Conversely, in gastric LGD and benign gastric mucosal lesions, the c6orf15 protein shows negative or faint yellow cytoplasmic staining. The expression rate of C6orf15 in high-grade gastric dysplasia (HGD, 93 %) and gastric adenocarcinoma (100 %) was significantly higher than in the gastric mucosal benign lesion group (0 %) and the low-grade dysplasia (LGD, 7 %) group (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The detection of C6orf15 protein expression could serve as a valuable adjunctive diagnostic tool for distinguishing between gastric HGD, LGD, and benign lesions. The combined assessment of C6orf15, P53, and Ki67 expressions may be beneficial in determining the grade of gastric dysplasia and evaluating the risk of progression in gastric mucosal lesions in clinical practice.

EphB3 protein is a potential ancillary diagnostic biomarker for thyroid cancers.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of ephrin type B receptor 3 (EphB3) in thyroid tumors and its usage as an ancillary diagnostic biomarker for thyroid tumors. METHODS: Formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue samples (78 cases) and FNAC samples (57 cases) were assessed with the EphB3 antibody using immunohistochemistry. PTC and other thyroid follicular tumors were compared regarding their EphB3 expression. Sanger sequencing was used to assess for the presence of a BRAF V600E mutation. RESULTS: EphB3 was positive in 81.8 % (27/33) of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), 83.3 % (5/6) of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), 25 % (1/4) of hyperplastic/adenomatoid nodule (HN), 14.3 % (1/7) of follicular adenoma (FA), and negative in follicular tumors of uncertain malignant potential (FT-UMP) (0/13), noninvasive follicular neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear features (NIFTP) (0/7), thyroid follicular carcinoma (TFC) (0/4), Hashimoto's thyroiditis (0/4), and normal thyroid follicular tissues (0/33). In cellular blocks, EphB3 was positive in 87.1 % (20/23) of PTC, 75 % (3/4) of MTC, 20 % (2/10) of HN, and negative in atypia of undetermined significance/follicular lesion of undetermined significance (AUS/FLUS) (0/20) and normal thyroid follicular cells (0/10). CONCLUSION: EphB3 is expressed in the majority of PTC, but less so in benign follicular nodules. EphB3 expression in fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) specimens can be used as a diagnostic tool to differentiate thyroid cancer from other follicular lesions in its differential diagnosis, especially AUS/FLUS and PTC.

Unraveling the relationship between soil carbon-degrading enzyme activity and carbon fraction under biogas slurry topdressing.

Biogas slurry, a by-product of the anaerobic digestion of biomass waste, predominantly consisting of livestock and poultry manure, is widely acclaimed as a sustainable organic fertilizer owing to its abundant reserves of essential nutrients. Its distinctive liquid composition, when tactfully integrated with a drip irrigation system, unveils immense potential, offering unparalleled convenience in application. In this study, we investigated the impact of biogas slurry topdressing as a replacement for chemical fertilizer (BSTR) on soil total organic carbon (TOC) fractions and carbon (C)-degrading enzyme activities across different soil depths (surface, sub-surface, and deep) during the tasseling (VT) and full maturity stage (R6) of maize. BSTR increased the TOC content within each soil layer during both VT and R6 periods, inducing alterations in the content and proportion of individual C component, particularly in the topsoil. Notably, the pure biogas slurry topdressing treatment (100%BS) compared with the pure chemical fertilizer topdressing treatment (CF), exhibited a 38.9% increase in the labile organic carbon of the topsoil during VT, and a 30.3% increase in the recalcitrant organic carbon during R6, facilitating microbial nutrient utilization and post-harvest C storage during the vigorous growth period of maize. Furthermore, BSTR treatment stimulated the activity of oxidative and hydrolytic C-degrading enzymes, with the 100%BS treatment showcasing the most significant enhancements, with its average geometric enzyme activity surpassing that of CF treatment by 27.9% and 27.4%, respectively. This enhancement facilitated ongoing and efficient degradation and transformation of C. Additionally, we screened for C components and C-degrading enzymes that are relatively sensitive to BSTR. The study highlight the advantages of employing pure biogas slurry topdressing, which enhances C component and C-degrading enzyme activity, thereby reducing the risk of soil degradation. This research lays a solid theoretical foundation for the rational recycling of biogas slurry.

[Analysis of ADAR gene variants in a Chinese pedigree affected with Dyschromatosis symmetrica hereditaria in conjunct with developmental delay].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical characteristics and genetic etiology for a Chinese pedigree affected with Dyschromatosis symmetrica hereditaria (DSH) in conjunct with developmental delay. METHODS: A child who had presented at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University on May 28 2021 for abnormal skin pigmentation of the extremities and growth retardation for over 2 years was selected as the study subject. Clinical data of the child and his pedigree (11 individuals from three generations) was collected. The child was subjected to whole exome sequencing, and candidate variant was verified by Sanger sequencing. RESULTS: The child, a two-year-and-seven-month-old male, had hyper- and hypopigmentation on his hands, feet and face, in addition with delayed development. All members of his pedigree had typical presentation of DSH. A heterozygous c.2657G>A variant was found in exon 8 of the ADAR gene in the child, his mother, and elder sister. Based on the guidelines from the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG), the variant was predicted as likely pathogenic (PM1+PM2_Supporting+PP1+PP3). CONCLUSION: The c.2657G>A variant of the ADAR gene probably underlay the DSH in this pedigree.

[Analysis of a child with CLN1 neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis in conjunct with Hereditary hyperferinemia cataract syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical data and genetic characteristics of a child with CLN1 neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis in conjunct with Hereditary hyperferritinemia cataract syndrome (HHCS). METHODS: A child who was admitted to the PICU of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University in November 2020 was selected as the study subject. Clinical data of the child was collected. Genetic testing was carried out for the child, and the result was analyzed in the light of literature review to explore the clinical and genetic characteristics to facilitate early identification. RESULTS: The patient, a 3-year-old male, had mainly presented with visual impairment, progressive cognitive and motor regression, and epilepsy. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging revealed deepened sulci in bilateral cerebral hemispheres, and delayed myelination. The activity of palmitoyl protein thioesterase was low (8.4 nmol/g/min, reference range: 132.2 ~ 301.4 nmol/g/min), whilst serum ferritin was increased (2417.70 ng/mL, reference range: 30 ~ 400 ng/ml). Fundoscopy has revealed retinal pigment degeneration. Whole exome sequencing revealed that he has harbored c.280A>C and c.124-124+3delG compound heterozygous variants of the PPT1 gene, which were respectively inherited from his father and mother. Neither variant has been reported previously. The child has also harbored a heterozygous c.-160A>G variant of the FTL gene, which was inherited from his father. Based on the clinical phenotype and results of genetic testing, the child was diagnosed as CLN1 and HHCS. CONCLUSION: The compound heterozygous variants of the PPT1 gene probably underlay the disorders in this child. For children with CLN1 and rapidly progressing visual impairment, ophthalmological examination should be recommended, and detailed family history should be taken For those suspected for HHCS, genetic testing should be performed to confirm the diagnosis.

Head-to-head comparison of perfluorobutane contrast-enhanced US and multiparametric MRI for breast cancer: a prospective, multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MP-MRI) has high sensitivity for diagnosing breast cancers but cannot always be used as a routine diagnostic tool. The present study aimed to evaluate whether the diagnostic performance of perfluorobutane (PFB) contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) is similar to that of MP-MRI in breast cancer and whether combining the two methods would enhance diagnostic efficiency. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a head-to-head, prospective, multicenter study. Patients with breast lesions diagnosed by US as Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) categories 3, 4, and 5 underwent both PFB-CEUS and MP-MRI scans. On-site operators and three reviewers categorized the BI-RADS of all lesions on two images. Logistic-bootstrap 1000-sample analysis and cross-validation were used to construct PFB-CEUS, MP-MRI, and hybrid (PFB-CEUS + MP-MRI) models to distinguish breast lesions. RESULTS: In total, 179 women with 186 breast lesions were evaluated from 17 centers in China. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for the PFB-CEUS model to diagnose breast cancer (0.89; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.74, 0.97) was similar to that of the MP-MRI model (0.89; 95% CI 0.73, 0.97) (P = 0.85). The AUC of the hybrid model (0.92, 95% CI 0.77, 0.98) did not show a statistical advantage over the PFB-CEUS and MP-MRI models (P = 0.29 and 0.40, respectively). However, 90.3% false-positive and 66.7% false-negative results of PFB-CEUS radiologists and 90.5% false-positive and 42.8% false-negative results of MP-MRI radiologists could be corrected by the hybrid model. Three dynamic nomograms of PFB-CEUS, MP-MRI and hybrid models to diagnose breast cancer are freely available online. CONCLUSIONS: PFB-CEUS can be used in the differential diagnosis of breast cancer with comparable performance to MP-MRI and with less time consumption. Using PFB-CEUS and MP-MRI as joint diagnostics could further strengthen the diagnostic ability. Trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov; NCT04657328. Registered 26 September 2020. IRB number 2020-300 was approved in Chinese PLA General Hospital. Every patient signed a written informed consent form in each center.

Loss of ARHGAP40 expression in basal cell carcinoma via CpG island hypermethylation.

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common malignant tumour arising from the basal cells of the epidermis or follicular structures. The aetiology of BCC is a multifactorial combination of genotype, phenotype and environmental factors. The pathogenesis of BCC remains unclear, with diverse and complex signalling pathways involved. ARHGAP40 is a Rho GTPase-activating protein (RhoGAP). Rho GTPases play a crucial role in the formation and progression of numerous cancers. The expression levels and roles of ARHGAP40 in BCC have not been explored. Here, ARHGAP40 expression was detected in a set of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples of basal cell carcinoma, paracancerous normal skin and benign skin lesions. The epigenetic mechanism that downregulates ARHGAP40 in basal cell carcinoma was investigated. We found that ARHGAP40 is expressed in normal basal cells and most benign skin lesions but lost in most basal cell carcinomas. We detected CpG island hypermethylation at the promoter-associated region of ARHGAP40. Our data suggest that ARHGAP40 is downregulated in BCC due to hypermethylation. ARHGAP40 protein is a potential novel biomarker for distinguishing trichoblastoma from BCC. This report is preliminary, and extensive research into the role of ARHGAP40 in BCC carcinogenesis and its potential as a treatment target is required in the future.

Disentangling the impact of biogas slurry topdressing as a replacement for chemical fertilizers on soil bacterial and fungal community composition, functional characteristics, and co-occurrence networks.

The application of biogas slurry topdressing with drip irrigation systems can compensate for the limitation of traditional solid organic fertilizer, which can only be applied at the bottom. Based on this, we attempted to define the response of soil bacterial and fungal communities of maize during the tasseling and full maturity stages, by using a no-topdressing control and different ratios of biogas slurry nitrogen in place of chemical fertilizer topdressing. The application of biogas slurry resulted in the emergence of new bacterial phyla led by Synergistota. Compared with pure urea chemical topdressing, the pure biogas slurry topdressing treatment significantly enriched Firmicutes and Basidiomycota communities during the tasseling stage, in addition to affecting the separation of bacterial and fungal α-diversity indices between the tasseling and full maturity stages. Based on the prediction of community composition and function, the changes in bacterial and fungal communities caused by biogas slurry treatment stimulated the ability of microorganisms to decompose refractory organic components, which was conducive to turnover in the soil carbon cycle, and improved multi-element (such as sulfur) cycles; however it may also bring potential risks of heavy metal and pathogenic microbial contamination. Notably, the biogas slurry treatment reduced the correlation and aggregation of bacterial and fungal symbiotic networks, and had a dual effect on ecological randomness. These findings contribute to a deeper comprehension of the alterations occurring in soil microbial communities when substituting chemical fertilizers treated with biogas slurry topdressing, and promote the efficient and sustainable utilization of biogas slurry resources.

Microwave ablation without subsequent lumpectomy versus breast-conserving surgery for early breast cancer: a propensity score matching study.

PURPOSE: To compare the efficacy of ultrasound-guided percutaneous microwave ablation (MWA) without subsequent lumpectomy and breast-conserving surgery (BCS) in patients with early breast cancer (BC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective cohort study enrolled 106 patients with early BC (T0/1/2 N0/1 M0) treated by MWA (n = 21) or BCS (n = 85) from October 2014 to December 2020. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to balance the baseline characteristics between MWA and BCS groups. The tumor progression, overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS), complications, and cosmetic results were compared. RESULTS: After PSM, there were 21 patients with balanced baseline characteristics in each group. After a median follow-up of 43 months (range, 15-89 months), there was no significant difference in tumor progression (10% vs 2%, p = 0.18), OS (96% vs 99%, p = 0.36), DSS (100% vs 99%, p > 0.99), and complications (0% vs 19%, p = 0.58). The operation time of MWA was shorter (60 min vs 101 min, p < 0.001) than that of BCS. For the management of metastatic lymph nodes, five (5/21, 24%) patients with six metastatic nodes underwent ablation in the MWA group and three patients (3/21, 14%) with six metastatic nodes underwent axillary lymph node dissection in the BCS group. All the patients in the MWA group reported excellent cosmetic results, but 29% of BCS patients expressed dissatisfaction with breast asymmetry (10%) and scar formation (19%) (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This pilot study indicated that in selected early BC patients, microwave ablation without subsequent lumpectomy had comparable tumor control effect with breast-conserving surgery and better cosmetic results at an intermediate follow-up.HighlightsMWA without subsequent lumpectomy has a comparable interim survival effect and better cosmetic results as BCS in the treatment of selected early breast cancer.MWA has the potential to be a viable and promising therapeutic option for breast cancer patients reluctant or intolerant to surgery with the advantage of minimal invasion.

Analysis of histopathology and changes of major cytokines in the lesions caused by Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae infection.

BACKGROUND: Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (M. ovipneumoniae) is one of the main pathogens of sheep pneumonia, causing a series of clinical symptoms, such as depression, anorexia, hyperthermia, cough, dyspnea, and tract secretions. In recent years, the prevalence of M. ovipneumoniae pneumonia has become increasingly serious in sheep farms in Ningxia, China, leading to the death of sheep, and causing significant economic losses. In this study, the pathological organs infected by M. ovipneumoniae were collected to observe histopathological change, to determine the tissue localization of M. ovipneumoniae, and to analyze the cytokine changes, which lays a basis for the diagnosis and pathogenesis of M. ovipneumoniae disease. RESULTS: In this study, M. ovipneumoniae was detected in 97 of 105 samples collected from 13 large-scale sheep farms for nucleic acid by PCR. One representative isolate per farm was isolated from 13 farms. The lesions caused by M. ovipneumoniae were mainly in the trachea, bronchus, and lung, including necrosis of tracheal mucosal epithelial cells, disintegration of some epithelial cells, edema of mucosal lamina propria, with inflammatory cell infiltration, cytoplasmic vacuolization of epithelial cells of bronchial mucosa, massive infiltration of inflammatory cells in the alveolar space of lung, necrosis and hyperplasia of alveolar epithelial cells. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that the proportion of M. ovipneumoniae positive area in the lung was the largest, followed by that in the bronchus and trachea. Compared to healthy animals, diseased animals exhibited up-regulated gene expression levels of IL-1ß, IL-6, and NF-κB in the trachea, bronchus, and lungs. In contrast, the expression of IL-10, IL-12, and IFN-γ was primarily limited to the trachea and bronchus. The expression of IL-1ß showed differential patterns across different lung regions, with variations observed among lung lobes. Additionally, other cytokines consistently showed significant up-regulation specifically in the bronchus. CONCLUSIONS: M. ovipneumoniae is primarily found in the lungs of infected individuals. NF-κB, an essential transcription factor, is involved in the regulation of IL-1ß transcription. IL-12 may enhance the cytotoxic function of natural killer cells during M. ovipneumoniae infection. Those findings demonstrate the distinct expression profiles of cytokines in various anatomical sites throughout disease progression, suggesting the potential role of bronchial tissue as a major site of immune response.

Expression of the prognostic marker IL-8 correlates with the immune signature and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: IL-8 has been implicated in the malignant progression of various types of cancers; however, the precise molecular mechanisms associated with IL-8 in breast cancer (BRCA) are unclear. METHODS: We analyzed the clinical signature and immune characteristics of BRCA patients and its correlation with IL-8 expression using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) datasets. The role of IL-8 in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) was verified through Western blotting, Cell Counting Kit-8 assay, and wound healing assays, as well as cell invasion experiments. RESULTS: Through a comprehensive bioinformatics study, we determined that high IL-8 expression was associated with poor prognosis. Enrichment analysis revealed that high IL-8 expression was enriched in immune-related processes and cancer-related signaling pathways. In addition, IL-8 was associated with most of the immune-infiltrating cells, and high IL-8 expression indicated poor response to immunotherapy. Importantly, we found that IL-8 induced EMT in vitro. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, our data indicate that IL-8 may be a potential and valuable prognostic marker in BRCA, which may induce adverse outcomes by modulating the immune response and promoting EMT in BRCA patients.

A High-Precision Vehicle Detection and Tracking Method Based on the Attention Mechanism.

Vehicle detection and tracking technology plays an important role in intelligent transportation management and control systems. This paper proposes a novel vehicle detection and tracking method for small target vehicles to achieve high detection and tracking accuracy based on the attention mechanism. We first develop a new vehicle detection model (YOLOv5-NAM) by adding the normalization-based attention module (NAM) to the classical YOLOv5s model. By exploiting the YOLOv5-NAM model as the vehicle detector, we then propose a real-time small target vehicle tracking method (JDE-YN), where the feature extraction process is embedded in the prediction head for joint training. Finally, we present extensive experimental results to verify our method on the UA-DETRAC dataset and to demonstrate that the method can effectively detect small target vehicles in real time. It is shown that compared with the original YOLOv5s model, the mAP value of the YOLOv5-NAM vehicle detection model is improved by 1.6%, while the MOTA value of the JDE-YN method improved by 0.9% compared with the original JDE method.