EGPDI: identifying protein-DNA binding sites based on multi-view graph embedding fusion.

Mechanisms of protein-DNA interactions are involved in a wide range of biological activities and processes. Accurately identifying binding sites between proteins and DNA is crucial for analyzing genetic material, exploring protein functions, and designing novel drugs. In recent years, several computational methods have been proposed as alternatives to time-consuming and expensive traditional experiments. However, accurately predicting protein-DNA binding sites still remains a challenge. Existing computational methods often rely on handcrafted features and a single-model architecture, leaving room for improvement. We propose a novel computational method, called EGPDI, based on multi-view graph embedding fusion. This approach involves the integration of Equivariant Graph Neural Networks (EGNN) and Graph Convolutional Networks II (GCNII), independently configured to profoundly mine the global and local node embedding representations. An advanced gated multi-head attention mechanism is subsequently employed to capture the attention weights of the dual embedding representations, thereby facilitating the integration of node features. Besides, extra node features from protein language models are introduced to provide more structural information. To our knowledge, this is the first time that multi-view graph embedding fusion has been applied to the task of protein-DNA binding site prediction. The results of five-fold cross-validation and independent testing demonstrate that EGPDI outperforms state-of-the-art methods. Further comparative experiments and case studies also verify the superiority and generalization ability of EGPDI.

MaC2H2-IDD regulates fruit softening and involved in softening disorder induced by cold stress in banana.

Chilling stress causes banana fruit softening disorder and severely impairs fruit quality. Various factors, such as transcription factors, regulate fruit softening. Herein, we identified a novel regulator, MaC2H2-IDD, whose expression is closely associated with fruit ripening and softening disorder. MaC2H2-IDD is a transcriptional activator located in the nucleus. The transient and ectopic overexpression of MaC2H2-IDD promoted "Fenjiao" banana and tomato fruit ripening. However, transient silencing of MaC2H2-IDD repressed "Fenjiao" banana fruit ripening. MaC2H2-IDD modulates fruit softening by activating the promoter activity of starch (MaBAM3, MaBAM6, MaBAM8, MaAMY3, and MaISA2) and cell wall (MaEXP-A2, MaEXP-A8, MaSUR14-like, and MaGLU22-like) degradation genes. DLR, Y1H, EMSA, and ChIP-qPCR assays validated the expression regulation. MaC2H2-IDD interacts with MaEBF1, enhancing the regulation of MaC2H2-IDD to MaAMY3, MaEXP-A2, and MaGLU22-like. Overexpressing/silencing MaC2H2-IDD in banana and tomato fruit altered the transcript levels of the cell wall and starch (CWS) degradation genes. Several differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were authenticated between the overexpression and control fruit. The DEGs mainly enriched biosynthesis of secondary metabolism, amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism, fructose and mannose metabolism, starch and sucrose metabolism, and plant hormones signal transduction. Overexpressing MaC2H2-IDD also upregulated protein levels of MaEBF1. MaEBF1 does not ubiquitinate or degrade MaC2H2-IDD. These data indicate that MaC2H2-IDD is a new regulator of CWS degradation in "Fenjiao" banana and cooperates with MaEBF1 to modulate fruit softening, which also involves the cold softening disorder.

Probiotics Armed with In Situ Mineralized Nanocatalysts and Targeted Biocoatings for Multipronged Treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

While oral probiotics show promise in treating inflammatory bowel disease, the primary challenge lies in sustaining their activity and retention within the inflamed gastrointestinal environment. In this work, we develop an engineered probiotic platform that is armed with biocatalytic and inflamed colon-targeting nanocoatings for multipronged management of IBD. Notably, we achieve the in situ growth of artificial nanocatalysts on probiotics through a bioinspired mineralization strategy. The resulting ferrihydrite nanostructures anchored on bacteria exhibit robust catalase-like activity across a broad pH range, effectively scavenging ROS to alleviate inflammation. The further envelopment with fucoidan-based shields confers probiotics with additional inflamed colon-targeting functions. Upon oral administration, the engineered probiotics display markedly improved viability and colonization within the inflamed intestine, and they further elicit boosted prophylactic and therapeutic efficacy against colitis through the synergistic interplay of nanocatalysis-based immunomodulation and probiotics-mediated microbiota reshaping. The robust and multifunctional probiotic platforms offer great potential for the comprehensive management of gastrointestinal disorders.

Uropathogenic Escherichia coli subverts host autophagic defenses by stalling pre-autophagosomal structures to escape lysosome exocytosis.

Urinary tract infections are primarily caused by uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC). UPEC infects bladder epithelial cells (BECs) via fusiform vesicles and escapes into the cytosol by disrupting fusiform vesicle membrane using outer membrane phospholipase PldA, and establishes biofilm-like intracellular bacterial communities (IBCs) for protection from host immune clearance. Cytosolic UPEC is captured by autophagy to form autophagosomes, then transport to lysosomes, triggering the spontaneous exocytosis of lysosomes. The mechanism by which UPEC evades autophagy to recognize and form IBCs remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate that by inhibiting autophagic flux, UPEC PldA reduces the lysosome exocytosis of BECs. By reducing intracellular PI3P levels, UPEC PldA increases the accumulation of NDP52 granules and decreases the targeting of NDP52 to autophagy, hence stalling pre-autophagosome structures. Thus, our results uncover a critical role for PldA to inhibit autophagic flux, favoring UPEC escapes from lysosome exocytosis, thereby contributing to acute UTI.

The Zinc Finger Protein MaCCCH33-Like2 Positively Regulates Banana Fruit Ripening by Modulating Genes in Starch and Cell Wall Degradation.

As zinc finger protein transcription factors (TFs), the molecular mechanism of Cys-Cys-Cys-His (CCCH) TFs in regulating plant development, growth and stress response has been well studied. However, the roles of CCCH TFs in fruit ripening are still obscure. Herein, we report that MaCCCH33-like2 TF and its associated proteins modulate the fruit softening of 'Fenjiao' bananas. MaCCCH33-like2 interacts directly with the promoters of three genes: isoamylase2 (MaISA2), sugar transporter14-like (MaSUR14-like) and ß-d-xylosidase23 (MaXYL23), all of which are responsible for encoding proteins involved in the degradation of starch and cell wall components. Additionally, MaCCCH33-like2 forms interactions with abscisic acid-insensitive 5 (ABI5)-like and ethylene F-box protein 1 (MaEBF1), resulting in enhanced binding and activation of promoters of genes related to starch and cell wall degradation. When MaCCCH33-like2 is transiently and ectopically overexpressed in 'Fenjiao' banana and tomato fruit, it facilitates softening and ripening processes by promoting the degradation of cell wall components and starch and the production of ethylene. Conversely, the temporary silencing of MaCCCH33-like2 using virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) inhibits softening and ripening in the 'Fenjiao' banana by suppressing ethylene synthesis, as well as starch and cell wall degradation. Furthermore, the promoter activity of MaCCCH33-like2 is regulated by MaABI5-like. Taken together, we have uncovered a novel MaCCCH33-like2/MaEBF1/MaABI5-like module that participates in fruit softening regulation in bananas.

Pulmo-protection of long-term swimming exercise via improving insulin sensitivity in monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertensive rats.

Exercise has been recognized as an effective intervention in the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), supported by numerous studies. However, the precise effects of exercise on pulmonary function remain to be fully elucidated. In this study, using a rat model of swimming exercise training and monocrotaline-induced PAH, we aimed to explore its impact on pulmonary morphology and function. Our investigations revealed that MCT-treated rats exhibited augmented mean pulmonary arterial pressure (MPAP) and pulmonary vascular remodeling, which can be attenuated by 4 weeks of swimming exercise training (60 min/day, 5 days/week). Notably, MCT-treated rats showed impaired pulmonary function, as manifested by decreased tidal volume and dynamic compliance, which were reversed by exercise training. Assessment of pulmonary substrate in PAH rats indicated a prominent pro-inflammatory substrate, evidenced by macrophage accumulation through quantitative immunohistological analysis of macrophage-like cell expression (CD68), and extracellular matrix remodeling, evaluated by Masson staining. Importantly, both the pro-inflammatory substrate and extracellular matrix remodeling were ameliorated by swimming exercise training. Additionally, serum biochemical analysis demonstrated elevated levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and Apolipoprotein B following MCT treatment, which were reduced with exercise intervention. Moreover, exercise enhanced systemic insulin sensitivity in both MCT-treated and untreated rats. Notably, MCT and exercise treatment both decreased fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels in rats, whereas exercise training reinstated FBG levels to normal in MCT-treated rats. In summary, our study suggests that swimming exercise confers a pulmonary protective effect in MCT-induced PAH rats, highlighting the potential importance of exercise-based rehabilitation in the management of PAH.

Ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction facilitates cartilage repair through increased the migration of mesenchymal stem cells via HIF-1α-mediated glycolysis pathway in rats.

OBJECTIVE: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can treat osteoarthritis (OA), but their therapeutic efficacy is poor to date due to low migration efficiency. This study aimed to determine whether ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction (UTMD) could ameliorate cartilage repair efficiency through facilitating the migration of MSCs via hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α)-mediated glycolysis regulatory pathway in OA model rats. METHODS: OA rats were treated with MSCs alone or in combination with UTMD, respectively, for 4 weeks. Cartilage histopathology, MSCs migration efficiency, von Frey fiber thresholds, and the expression levels of collagen II and MMP-13 were measured. Further, MSCs were extracted from the bone marrow of rats, cocultured with osteoarthritic chondrocytes, transfected to siRNA-HIF-1α, and subjected to UTMD for 4 days. Glucose consumption, lactate production, and cell migration efficiency were assessed. The protein expression levels of HIF-1α, HK2, PKM2, and GLUT1 were measured, respectively. RESULTS: In OA rat model, NC-MSCs + UTMD improved migration efficiency, increased collagen II expression, decreased MMP-13 expression, and delayed osteoarthritis progression. Silencing HIF-1α attenuated the effects induced by UTMD. In vitro, UTMD led to increases in MSC activity and migration, glucose consumption, lactate production, and the protein expression of HIF-1α, HK2, PKM2, and GLUT1 expression, all of which were reversed upon HIF-1α silencing. CONCLUSION: UTMD enhances MSCs migration and improves cartilage repair efficiency through the HIF-1α-mediated glycolytic regulatory pathway, providing a novel therapy strategy for knee osteoarthritis.

Calmodulin-like protein CML15 interacts with PP2C46/65 to regulate papaya fruit ripening via integrating calcium, ABA and ethylene signals.

It is well known that calcium, ethylene and abscisic acid (ABA) can regulate fruit ripening, however, their interaction in the regulation of fruit ripening has not yet been fully clarified. The present study found that the expression of the papaya calcium sensor CpCML15 was strongly linked to fruit ripening. CpCML15 could bind Ca2+ and served as a true calcium sensor. CpCML15 interacted with CpPP2C46 and CpPP2C65, the candidate components of the ABA signalling pathways. CpPP2C46/65 expression was also related to fruit ripening and regulated by ethylene. CpCML15 was located in the nucleus and CpPP2C46/65 were located in both the nucleus and membrane. The interaction between CpCML15 and CpPP2C46/65 was calcium dependent and further repressed the activity of CpPP2C46/65 in vitro. The transient overexpression of CpCML15 and CpPP2C46/65 in papaya promoted fruit ripening and gene expression related to ripening. The reduced expression of CpCML15 and CpPP2C46/65 by virus-induced gene silencing delayed fruit colouring and softening and repressed the expression of genes related to ethylene signalling and softening. Moreover, ectopic overexpression of CpCML15 in tomato fruit also promoted fruit softening and ripening by increasing ethylene production and enhancing gene expression related to ripening. Additionally, CpPP2C46 interacted with CpABI5, and CpPP2C65 interacted with CpERF003-like, two transcriptional factors in ABA and ethylene signalling pathways that are closely related to fruit ripening. Taken together, our results showed that CpCML15 and CpPP2Cs positively regulated fruit ripening, and their interaction integrated the cross-talk of calcium, ABA and ethylene signals in fruit ripening through the CpCML15-CpPP2Cs-CpABI5/CpERF003-like pathway.

A bamboo 'PeSAPK4-PeMYB99-PeTIP4-3' regulatory model involved in water transport.

Water plays crucial roles in expeditious growth and osmotic stress of bamboo. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanism of water transport remains unclear. In this study, an aquaporin gene, PeTIP4-3, was identified through a joint analysis of root pressure and transcriptomic data in moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis). PeTIP4-3 was highly expressed in shoots, especially in the vascular bundle sheath cells. Overexpression of PeTIP4-3 could increase drought and salt tolerance in transgenic yeast and rice. A co-expression pattern of PeSAPK4, PeMYB99 and PeTIP4-3 was revealed by WGCNA. PeMYB99 exhibited an ability to independently bind to and activate PeTIP4-3, which augmented tolerance to drought and salt stress. PeSAPK4 could interact with and phosphorylate PeMYB99 in vivo and in vitro, wherein they synergistically accelerated PeTIP4-3 transcription. Overexpression of PeMYB99 and PeSAPK4 also conferred drought and salt tolerance in transgenic rice. Further ABA treatment analysis indicated that PeSAPK4 enhanced water transport in response to stress via ABA signaling. Collectively, an ABA-mediated cascade of PeSAPK4-PeMYB99-PeTIP4-3 is proposed, which governs water transport in moso bamboo.

Relationships of serum FGF23 and α-klotho with atherosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND: Compelling evidence suggests that calcium/phosphorus homeostasis-related parameters may be linked to diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular events. However, few studies have investigated the association of fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23), α-klotho and FGF23/α-klotho ratio with atherosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to evaluate whether FGF23, α-klotho and FGF23/α-klotho ratio are associated with T2DM and further to explore the relationships between these three factors and atherosclerosis in Chinese patients with T2DM. METHODS: Serum FGF23 and α-klotho levels were measured via an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit, and the carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) was assessed via high-resolution color Doppler ultrasonography. The associations of serum FGF23, α-klotho and FGF23/α-klotho ratio with atherosclerosis in T2DM patients were evaluated using multivariable logistic regression models. RESULTS: This cross-sectional study involved 403 subjects (207 with T2DM and 196 without T2DM), 41.7% of the patients had atherosclerosis, and 67.2% of the carotid intima were thickened to a thickness greater than 0.9 mm. Compared with those in the lowest tertile, higher tertiles of FGF23 levels and FGF23/α-klotho ratio were positively associated with T2DM after adjusting for covariates, and serum α-klotho concentration was inversely correlated with T2DM (all P values < 0.01). Moreover, elevated serum FGF23 levels and FGF23/α-klotho ratio were positively associated with CIMT and carotid atherosclerosis in T2DM patients (all P values < 0.01). Further spline analysis similarly revealed linear dose‒response relationship (all P values < 0.01). And there was still significant differences in CIMT and carotid atherosclerosis between the highest group of α-klotho and the reference group in T2DM patients (P values = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: T2DM was positively linearly related to serum FGF23 concentration and FGF23/α-klotho ratio, and negatively correlated with serum α-klotho concentration. Furthermore, both FGF23 and FGF23/α-klotho ratio were positively correlated with CIMT and atherosclerosis in T2DM patients, while α-klotho was inversely correlated with both CIMT and atherosclerosis, although the associations were not completely significant. Prospective exploration and potential mechanisms underlying these associations remain to be further elucidated.

Human genetic associations of the airway microbiome in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Little is known about the relationships between human genetics and the airway microbiome. Deeply sequenced airway metagenomics, by simultaneously characterizing the microbiome and host genetics, provide a unique opportunity to assess the microbiome-host genetic associations. Here we performed a co-profiling of microbiome and host genetics with the identification of over 5 million single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) through deep metagenomic sequencing in sputum of 99 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and 36 healthy individuals. Host genetic variation was the most significant factor associated with the microbiome except for geography and disease status, with its top 5 principal components accounting for 12.11% of the microbiome variability. Within COPD individuals, 113 SNPs mapped to candidate genes reported as genetically associated with COPD exhibited associations with 29 microbial species and 48 functional modules (P < 1 × 10-5), where Streptococcus salivarius exhibits the strongest association to SNP rs6917641 in TBC1D32 (P = 9.54 × 10-8). Integration of concurrent host transcriptomic data identified correlations between the expression of host genes and their genetically-linked microbiome features, including NUDT1, MAD1L1 and Veillonella parvula, TTLL9 and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, and LTA4H and Haemophilus influenzae. Mendelian randomization analyses revealed a potential causal link between PARK7 expression and microbial type III secretion system, and a genetically-mediated association between COPD and increased relative abundance of airway Streptococcus intermedius. These results suggest a previously underappreciated role of host genetics in shaping the airway microbiome and provide fresh hypotheses for genetic-based host-microbiome interactions in COPD.

Acetate Ions Facilitated Immobilization of Highly Dispersed Transition Metal Oxide Nanoclusters in Mesoporous Silica.

The immobilization of tiny active species within inert mesoporous silica imparts a range of functions, enhancing their applicability. A significant obstacle is the spontaneous migration and aggregation of these species within the mesopores, which threaten their uniform distribution. To address this, we propose a postmodification method that involves grafting transition metal oxide nanoclusters into silica mesopores via interfacial condensation, catalyzed by acetate ions. Specifically, CuO nanoclusters, in the form of oligomeric [O1-x-Cu2-(OH) 2x]n2+, have a strong interaction with the silica framework. This interaction inhibits their growth and prevents mesopore blockage. Theoretical calculation results reveal that the acetate ion promotes proton transfer among various hydroxy species, lowering the free energy and thereby facilitating the formation of Cu-O-Si bonds. This technique has also been successfully applied to the encapsulation of four other types of transition metal oxide nanoclusters. Our encapsulation strategy effectively addresses the challenge of dispersing transition metal oxides in mesoporous silica, offering a straightforward and widely applicable method for enhancing the functionality of mesoporous materials.

Magnetic-guided nanocarriers for ionizing/non-ionizing radiation synergistic treatment against triple-negative breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a subtype of breast cancer with the worst prognosis. Radiotherapy (RT) is one of the core modalities for the disease; however, the ionizing radiation of RT has severe side effects. The consistent development direction of RT is to achieve better therapeutic effect with lower radiation dose. Studies have demonstrated that synergistic effects can be achieved by combining RT with non-ionizing radiation therapies such as light and magnetic therapy, thereby achieving the goal of dose reduction and efficacy enhancement. METHODS: In this study, we applied FeCo NPs with magneto thermal function and phototherapeutic agent IR-780 to construct an ionizing and non-ionizing radiation synergistic nanoparticle (INS NPs). INS NPs are first subjected to morphology, size, colloidal stability, loading capacity, and photothermal conversion tests. Subsequently, the cell inhibitory and cellular internalization were evaluated using cell lines in vitro. Following comprehensive assessment of the NPs' in vivo biocompatibility, tumor-bearing mouse model was established to evaluate their distribution, targeted delivery, and anti-tumor effects in vivo. RESULTS: INS NPs have a saturation magnetization exceeding 72 emu/g, a hydrodynamic particle size of approximately 40 nm, a negatively charged surface, and good colloidal stability and encapsulation properties. INS NPs maintain the spectral characteristics of IR-780 at 808 nm. Under laser irradiation, the maximum temperature was 92 °C, INS NPs also achieved the effective heat temperature in vivo. Both in vivo and in vitro tests have proven that INS NPs have good biocompatibility. INS NPs remained effective for more than a week after one injection in vivo, and can also be guided and accumulated in tumors through permanent magnets. Later, the results exhibited that under low-dose RT and laser irradiation, the combined intervention group showed significant synergetic effects, and the ROS production rate was much higher than that of the RT and phototherapy-treated groups. In the mice model, 60% of the tumors were completely eradicated. CONCLUSIONS: INS NPs effectively overcome many shortcomings of RT for TNBC and provide experimental basis for the development of novel clinical treatment methods for TNBC.

Risk factors for perioperative blood transfusion in patients undergoing total laparoscopic hysterectomy.

PURPOSE: The goal is to identify risk factors associated with receiving a blood transfusion during the perioperative period in patients who undergo total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH) using a large-scale national database. METHODS: In this retrospective analysis, data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) was utilized to review the medical records of all patients who underwent TLH from 2010 to 2019. The researchers identified patients who had received a blood transfusion during the perioperative period and compared with those who had not. The subsequent factors associated with blood transfusion were examined: hospital characteristics (type of admission and payer, patient demographics (age and race), bed size, teaching status, location, and region of hospital), length of stay (LOS), total charges during hospitalization, in-hospital mortality, comorbidities, and perioperative complications. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. The independent risk factors of perioperative blood transfusion after TLH was identified by performing multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: A total of 79,933 TLH were captured from the NIS database, among which 3433 (4.40%) patients received a perioperative blood transfusion. TLH patients affected by blood transfusion were 2 days longer hospital stays (P < 0.001), higher overall costs (P < 0.001), the patients who received a transfusion after a long-term hospitalization had a significantly higher rate of mortality (0.5% vs. 0.1%; P < 0.001). Perioperative blood transfusion after TLH was associated with chronic blood loss anemia, deficiency anemia, coagulopathy, congestive heart failure, fluid and electrolyte disorders, renal failure, metastatic cancer, sepsis, weight loss, deep vein thrombosis, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, shock, acute myocardial infarction, and pneumonia, stroke, hemorrhage, pulmonary embolism, and disease of the genitourinary system. CONCLUSION: Studying the risk factors of perioperative blood transfusion after TLH is advantageous in order to ensure proper management and optimize outcomes.

A retrospective analysis of the incidence and risk factors of perioperative urinary tract infections after total hysterectomy.

INTRODUCTION: Perioperative urinary tract infections (PUTIs) are common in the United States and are a significant contributor to high healthcare costs. There is a lack of large studies on the risk factors for PUTIs after total hysterectomy (TH). METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study using a national inpatient sample (NIS) of 445,380 patients from 2010 to 2019 to analyze the risk factors and annual incidence of PUTIs associated with TH perioperatively. RESULTS: PUTIs were found in 9087 patients overall, showing a 2.0% incidence. There were substantial differences in the incidence of PUTIs based on age group (P < 0.001). Between the two groups, there was consistently a significant difference in the type of insurance, hospital location, hospital bed size, and hospital type (P < 0.001). Patients with PUTIs exhibited a significantly higher number of comorbidities (P < 0.001). Unsurprisingly, patients with PUTIs had a longer median length of stay (5 days vs. 2 days; P < 0.001) and a higher in-hospital death rate (from 0.1 to 1.1%; P < 0.001). Thus, the overall hospitalization expenditures increased by $27,500 in the median ($60,426 vs. $32,926, P < 0.001) as PUTIs increased medical costs. Elective hospitalizations are less common in patients with PUTIs (66.8% vs. 87.6%; P < 0.001). According to multivariate logistic regression study, the following were risk variables for PUTIs following TH: over 45 years old; number of comorbidities (≥ 1); bed size of hospital (medium, large); teaching hospital; region of hospital(south, west); preoperative comorbidities (alcohol abuse, deficiency anemia, chronic blood loss anemia, congestive heart failure, diabetes, drug abuse, hypertension, hypothyroidism, lymphoma, fluid and electrolyte disorders, metastatic cancer, other neurological disorders, paralysis, peripheral vascular disorders, psychoses, pulmonary circulation disorders, renal failure, solid tumor without metastasis, valvular disease, weight loss); and complications (sepsis, acute myocardial infarction, deep vein thrombosis, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, pneumonia, stroke, wound infection, wound rupture, hemorrhage, pulmonary embolism, blood transfusion, postoperative delirium). CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that identifying these risk factors can lead to improved preventive strategies and management of PUTIs in TH patients. Counseling should be done prior to surgery to reduce the incidence of PUTIs. THE MANUSCRIPT ADDS TO CURRENT KNOWLEDGE: In medical practice, the identification of risk factors can lead to improved patient prevention and treatment strategies. We conducted a retrospective study using a national inpatient sample (NIS) of 445,380 patients from 2010 to 2019 to analyze the risk factors and annual incidence of PUTIs associated with TH perioperatively. PUTIs were found in 9087 patients overall, showing a 2.0% incidence. We found that noted increased length of hospital stay, medical cost, number of pre-existing comorbidities, size of the hospital, teaching hospitals, and region to also a play a role in the risk of UTI's. CLINICAL TOPICS: Urogynecology.

Associations between exposure to various air pollutants and risk of metabolic syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) is a widely observed metabolic disorder that is increasingly prevalent worldwide, leading to substantial societal consequences. Previous studies have conducted two separate meta-analyses to investigate the relationship between MetS and air pollutants. However, these studies yielded conflicting results, necessitating a thorough systematic review and meta-analysis to reassess the link between different air pollutants and the risk of developing MetS. METHODS: We conducted a comprehensive search of relevant literature in databases including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science up to October 9, 2023. The search was specifically restricted to publications in the English language. Following the screening of studies investigating the correlation between air pollution and MetS, we utilized random-effects models to calculate pooled effect sizes along with their respective 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We would like to highlight that this study has been registered with PROSPERO, and it can be identified by the registration number CRD42023484421. RESULTS: The study included twenty-four eligible studies. The results revealed that an increase of 10 µg/m3 in annual concentrations of PM1, PM2.5, PM10, NO2, SO2, and O3 was associated with a 29% increase in metabolic syndrome (MetS) risk for PM1 (OR = 1.29 [CI 1.07-1.54]), an 8% increase for PM2.5 (OR = 1.08 [CI 1.06-1.10]), a 17% increase for PM10 (OR = 1.17 [CI 1.08-1.27]), a 24% increase for NO2 (OR = 1.24 [CI 1.01-1.51]), a 19% increase for SO2 (OR = 1.19 [CI 1.04-1.36]), and a 10% increase for O3 (OR = 1.10 [CI 1.07-1.13]). CONCLUSION: The findings of this study demonstrate a significant association between exposure to fine particulate matter (PM1, PM2.5, PM10), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), ozone (O3), and the incidence of metabolic syndrome (MetS). Moreover, the results suggest that air pollution exposure could potentially contribute to the development of MetS in humans.

The 50% effective dose of hydromorphone and morphine for epidural analgesia in the hemorrhoidectomy: a double-blind, sequential dose-finding study.

BACKGROUND: Although previous studies have showed that epidural morphine can be used as a complement to local anesthetics for analgesia after postcesarean delivery under spinal anesthesia, there is little known about the analgesic dosage of epidural morphine and hydromorphone for hemorrhoidectomy. Therefore, we conducted this study to examine the potency ratio of hydromorphone to epidural morphine as well as effective analgesic dose for 50% patients (ED50) undergoing elective hemorrhoidectomy. METHODS: 80 patients under elective hemorrhoidectomy with combined spinal and epidural anesthesia(CSEA) in department of anesthesia, Dongguan Tungwah hospital. To assess the ED50, patients were treated with epidural morphine or epidural hydromorphone randomly using a biased coin method-determined dose with a sequential allocation procedure. Following surgery, standardized multimodal analgesia was administered to all patients. A pain response score of ≤ 3 (on a scale of 0-10) was determined to be the effective dose after 24 h following CSEA. The ED50 in both groups were determined using the probit regression and isotonic regression method. We also measured pain intensity by patient interview using a 10 point verbal numeric rating scale prospectively at 6, 12 and 24 h after CSEA, and adverse effects were also noted. RESULTS: The ED50 was 0.350 mg (95% CI, 0.259-0.376 mg) in hydromorphone group and 1.129 mg (95% CI, 0.903-1.187 mg) in morphine group, respectively, estimated by isotonic regression method. Regression analysis with the probit, the ED50 of epidural hydromorphone was 0.366 mg (95% CI, 0.276-0.388 mg) and epidural morphine was 1.138 mg (95% CI, 0.910-1.201 mg). Exploratory findings showed that there was no difference between the most frequent dosages of epidural hydromorphone or epidural morphine in the occurrence of nausea, vomiting and pruritus. When administered with epidural opioids at ED50 doses or higher, 97.5% (39/40) of epidural morphine patients and 97.5% (39/40) epidural hydromorphone of patients were satisfied with their analgesia. CONCLUSION: Effective hemorrhoidectomy analgesia requires a 3:1 ratio of epidural morphine to epidural hydromorphone. Both drugs provide excellent patient satisfaction.

Using Large Language Models to Address Health Literacy in mHealth: Case Report.

The innate complexity of medical topics often makes it challenging to produce educational content for the public. Although there are resources available to help authors appraise the complexity of their content, there are woefully few resources available to help authors reduce that complexity after it occurs. In this case study, we evaluate using ChatGPT to reduce the complex language used in health-related educational materials. ChatGPT adapted content from the SmartSHOTS mobile application, which is geared toward caregivers of children aged 0 to 24 months. SmartSHOTS helps reduce barriers and improve adherence to vaccination schedules. ChatGPT reduced complex sentence structure and rewrote content to align with a third-grade reading level. Furthermore, using ChatGPT to edit content already written removes the potential for unnoticed, artificial intelligence-produced inaccuracies. As an editorial tool, ChatGPT was effective, efficient, and free to use. This article discusses the potential of ChatGPT as an effective, time-efficient, and open-source method for editing health-related educational materials to reflect a comprehendible reading level.

F-box protein EBF1 and transcription factor ABI5-like regulate banana fruit chilling-induced ripening disorder.

Cold stress adversely affects plant production, both qualitatively and quantitatively. Banana (Musa acuminata) is sensitive to cold stress and suffers chilling injury (CI) when stored under 11°C, causing abnormal fruit softening. However, the mechanism underlying the abnormal fruit softening due to CI remains obscure. This study uncovered the coordinated transcriptional mechanism of ethylene F-box (EBF1) protein and abscisic acid-insensitive 5 (ABI5)-like protein in regulating chilling-induced softening disorders of Fenjiao banana. Cold stress severely inhibited the transcript and protein levels of EBF1, ABI5-like, and fruit softening-related genes. The ABI5-like protein bound to the promoters of key starch and cell wall degradation-related genes such as ß-amylase 8 (BAM8), pectate lyase 8 (PL8), and ß-D-xylosidase23-like (XYL23-like) and activated their activities. EBF1 physically interacted with ABI5-like and enhanced the transcriptional activity of the key starch and cell wall degradation-related genes but did not ubiquitinate or degrade ABI5-like protein. This promoted fruit ripening and ameliorated fruit CI in a manner similar to the effect of exogenous abscisic acid treatment. The ectopic and transient overexpression of EBF1 and ABI5-like genes in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and Fenjiao banana accelerated fruit ripening and softening by promoting ethylene production, starch and cell wall degradation, and decreasing fruit firmness. EBF1 interacted with EIL4 but did not ubiquitinate or degrade EIL4, which is inconsistent with the typical role of EBF1/2 in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). These results collectively highlight that the interaction of EBF1 and ABI5-like controls starch and cell wall metabolism in banana, which is strongly inhibited by chilling stress, leading to fruit softening and ripening disorder.

Strong interlayer coupling in p-Te/n-CdSe van der Waals heterojunction for self-powered photodetectors with fast speed and high responsivity.

Self-driven photodetectors, which can detect optical signals without external voltage bias, are highly attractive in the field of low-power wearable electronics and internet of things. However, currently reported self-driven photodetectors based on van der Waals heterojunctions (vdWHs) are generally limited by low responsivity due to poor light absorption and insufficient photogain. Here, we report p-Te/n-CdSe vdWHs utilizing non-layered CdSe nanobelts as efficient light absorption layer and high mobility Te as ultrafast hole transporting layer. Benefiting from strong interlayer coupling, the Te/CdSe vdWHs exhibit stable and excellent self-powered characteristics, including ultrahigh responsivity of 0.94 A W-1, remarkable detectivity of 8.36 × 1012 Jones at optical power density of 1.18 mW cm-2 under illumination of 405 nm laser, fast response speed of 24 µs, large light on/off ratio exceeding 105, as well as broadband photoresponse (405-1064 nm), which surpass most of the reported vdWHs photodetectors. In addition, the devices display superior photovoltaic characteristics under 532 nm illumination, such as large Voc of 0.55 V, and ultrahigh Isc of 2.73 µA. These results demonstrate the construction of 2D/non-layered semiconductor vdWHs with strong interlayer coupling is a promising strategy for high-performance and low-power consumption devices.