Intrinsically disordered proteins SAID1/2 condensate on SERRATE for dual inhibition of miRNA biogenesis in Arabidopsis.

Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) SAID1/2 are hypothetic dentin sialophosphoprotein-like proteins, but their true functions are unknown. Here, we identified SAID1/2 as negative regulators of SERRATE (SE), a core factor in miRNA biogenesis complex (microprocessor). Loss-of-function double mutants of said1; said2 caused pleiotropic developmental defects and thousands of differentially expressed genes that partially overlapped with those in se. said1; said2 also displayed increased assembly of microprocessor and elevated accumulation of microRNAs (miRNAs). Mechanistically, SAID1/2 promote pre-mRNA processing 4 kinase A-mediated phosphorylation of SE, causing its degradation in vivo. Unexpectedly, SAID1/2 have strong binding affinity to hairpin-structured pri-miRNAs and can sequester them from SE. Moreover, SAID1/2 directly inhibit pri-miRNA processing by microprocessor in vitro. Whereas SAID1/2 did not impact SE subcellular compartmentation, the proteins themselves exhibited liquid-liquid phase condensation that is nucleated on SE. Thus, we propose that SAID1/2 reduce miRNA production through hijacking pri-miRNAs to prevent microprocessor activity while promoting SE phosphorylation and its destabilization in Arabidopsis.

Glycyrrhizin attenuates myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury by suppressing Inflammation, oxidative stress, and ferroptosis via the HMGB1-TLR4-GPX4 pathway.

Ferroptosis, a form of regulated cell death process, play an important role in myocardial ischemia‒reperfusion (I/R) injury. Glycyrrhizin (GL), a natural glycoconjugate triterpene, has the property to improve growth rate, immune regulation, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory. However, whether GL can attenuate myocardial I/R injury by modulating ferroptosis or other mechanisms are still unclear. In this study, SD rats underwent in vivo myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) surgery, while H9C2 cells were subjected to the hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) model for in vitro experiments. In addition, TAK-242, a TLR4-specific antagonist, and GL were also used to evaluate the effect and mechanisms of GL on the cardiac function and expression of ferroptosis-related gene and protein in vivo and vitro. The results show that GL decreased not only the expression of the inflammation-related factors (HMGB1, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-18 and IL-1ß), but also reduced the number of TUNEL-positive cardiomyocytes, and mitigated pathological alterations in I/R injury. In addition, GL decreased the levels of MDA, promoted antioxidant capacity such as GSH, CAT, Cu/Zn-SOD, Mn-SOD, and SOD in vivo and vitro. More importantly, GL and TAK-242 regulate ferroptosis-related protein and gene expression in I/R and H/R model. Surprisingly, GL may ameliorate cardiomyocyte ferroptosis and ultimately improves cardiac function induced by H/R via the HMGB1-TLR4-GPX4 axis. Therefore, we have highlighted a novel mechanism by which GL regulates inflammation, oxidative stress, and ferroptosis via the HMGB1-TLR4-GPX4 pathway to prevent myocardial I/R injury. GL appears to be a potentially applicable drug for the treatment of myocardial I/R injury.

Anode-Free Aqueous Aluminum Ion Batteries.

Aqueous aluminum ion batteries (AAIBs) possess the advantages of high safety, cost-effectiveness, eco-friendliness and high theoretical capacity. However, the Al2O3 film on the Al anode surface, a natural physical barrier to the plating of hydrated aluminum ions, is a key factor in the decomposition of the aqueous electrolyte and the severe hydrogen precipitation reaction. To circumvent the obnoxious Al anode, a proof-of-concept of an anode-free AAIB is first proposed, in which Al2TiO5, as a cathode pre-aluminum additive (Al source), can replenish Al loss by over cycling. The Al-Cu alloy layer, formed by plating Al on the Cu foil surface during the charge process, possesses a reversible electrochemical property and is paired with a polyaniline (cathode) to stimulate the battery to exhibit high initial discharge capacity (175 mAh g-1), high power density (≈410 Wh L-1) and ultra-long cycle life (4000 cycles) with the capacity retention of ≈60% after 1000 cycles. This work will act as a primer to ignite the enormous prospective researches on the anode-free aqueous Al ion batteries.

Hemogen/BRG1 cooperativity modulates promoter and enhancer activation during erythropoiesis.

Hemogen is a hematopoietic tissue-specific gene that regulates the proliferation and differentiation of hematopoietic cells; however, the mechanism underlying its function in erythropoiesis is unknown. We found that depletion of hemogen in human CD34+ erythroid progenitor cells and HUDEP2 cells significantly reduced the expression of genes associated with heme and hemoglobin synthesis, supporting a positive role for hemogen in erythroid maturation. In human K562 cells, hemogen antagonized the occupancy of corepressors nucleosome remodeling and histone deacetylase (NuRD) complex and facilitated LDB1 complex-mediated chromatin looping. Hemogen recruited SWI/SNF complex ATPase BRG1 as a coactivator to regulate nucleosome accessibility and H3K27ac enrichment for promoter and enhancer activity. To determine whether hemogen/BRG1 cooperativity is conserved in mammalian systems, we generated hemogen-knockout/knockin mice and investigated hemogen/BRG1 function in murine erythropoiesis. Loss of hemogen in embryonic days 12.5 to 16.5 fetal liver cells impeded erythroid differentiation through reducing the production of mature erythroblasts. Chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing in wild-type and hemogen-knockout animals revealed that BRG1 is largely dependent on hemogen to regulate chromatin accessibility at erythroid gene promoters and enhancers. In summary, the hemogen/BRG1 interaction in mammals is essential for fetal erythroid maturation and hemoglobin production through its active role in promoter and enhancer activity and chromatin organization.

Electrically tunable virtual image Luneburg lens using graphene.

Virtual image lenses play essential roles in various optical devices and applications, including vision correction, photography, and scientific instruments. Here, we introduce an approach for creating virtual image Luneburg lenses (LL) on graphene. Remarkably, the graphene plasmonic lens (GPL) exhibits electrically tunable virtual focusing capabilities. The design principle of the tunability is based on the nonlinear relationship between surface plasmon polariton (SPP) wave mode index and chemical potential of graphene. By controlling the gate voltage of graphene, we can achieve continuous tuning of virtual focus. A ray-tracing technique is employed to determine the required gate voltages for various virtual focal lengths. The proposed GPL facilitates adjustable virtual focusing, promising advancements in highly adaptive and transformative nanophotonic devices.

Artificial intelligence-based prognostic model accurately predicts the survival of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphomas: analysis of a large cohort in China.

BACKGROUND: Diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCLs) display high molecular heterogeneity, but the International Prognostic Index (IPI) considers only clinical indicators and has not been updated to include molecular data. Therefore, we developed a widely applicable novel scoring system with molecular indicators screened by artificial intelligence (AI) that achieves accurate prognostic stratification and promotes individualized treatments. METHODS: We retrospectively enrolled a cohort of 401 patients with DLBCL from our hospital, covering the period from January 2015 to January 2019. We included 22 variables in our analysis and assigned them weights using the random survival forest method to establish a new predictive model combining bidirectional long-short term memory (Bi-LSTM) and logistic hazard techniques. We compared the predictive performance of our "molecular-contained prognostic model" (McPM) and the IPI. In addition, we developed a simplified version of the McPM (sMcPM) to enhance its practical applicability in clinical settings. We also demonstrated the improved risk stratification capabilities of the sMcPM. RESULTS: Our McPM showed superior predictive accuracy, as indicated by its high C-index and low integrated Brier score (IBS), for both overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). The overall performance of the McPM was also better than that of the IPI based on receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve fitting. We selected five key indicators, including extranodal involvement sites, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), MYC gene status, absolute monocyte count (AMC), and platelet count (PLT) to establish the sMcPM, which is more suitable for clinical applications. The sMcPM showed similar OS results (P < 0.0001 for both) to the IPI and significantly better PFS stratification results (P < 0.0001 for sMcPM vs. P = 0.44 for IPI). CONCLUSIONS: Our new McPM, including both clinical and molecular variables, showed superior overall stratification performance to the IPI, rendering it more suitable for the molecular era. Moreover, our sMcPM may become a widely used and effective stratification tool to guide individual precision treatments and drive new drug development.

Nomogram Based on High-Resolution Vessel Wall MRI Features to Differentiate Moyamoya Disease From Atherosclerosis-Associated Moyamoya Vasculopathy.

BACKGROUND: The angiographic features of moyamoya disease (MMD) and atherosclerosis-associated moyamoya vasculopathy (AS-MMV) are similar, but the etiology and clinical treatment strategies are different. Differentiating MMD from AS-MMV helps to choose the appropriate treatment. PURPOSE: To investigate the feasibility of a nomogram based on high-resolution vessel wall (HR-VWI) MRI features to differentiate MMD from AS-MMV. STUDY TYPE: Retrospective. SUBJECTS: One hundred and two patients with MMD (N = 52) or AS-MMV (N = 50) in the training cohort (9-72 years; 54 females) and 70 patients with MMD (N = 42) or AS-MMV (N = 28) in the validation cohort (7-69 years; 33 females). FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: 3-T, three-dimensional time-of-flight MR angiography (3D-TOF-MRA), spin echo high-resolution 3D T1-weighted imaging (3D-T1WI), 3D T2-weighted imaging (3D-T2WI), and contrast-enhanced 3D-T1WI. ASSESSMENT: Image assessment was performed by three neuroradiologists (with 10, 15, and 18 years of experience). Demographic characteristic and image features were evaluated and compared. Independent factors of MMD were screened to construct a nomogram model in the training cohort. The validation cohort was used to validated its generality. STATISTICAL TESTS: Interclass correlation coefficient (ICC), kappa, t-test, χ2 test, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, area under the curve (AUC), calibration curve and concordance index (C-index). A P-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Significant differences were observed between MMD and AS-MMV in terms of age, vessel outer diameter, vessel wall thickening pattern, maximum thickness, dot sign, and anterior cerebral artery (ACA) involved. Age, outer diameter, dot sign, and ACA involved were independent factors. The C-index was 0.886 in the training cohort and 0.859 in the validation cohort. The ROC demonstrated high diagnostic efficacy with an AUC of 0.884 in the training cohort and 0.857 in the validation cohort. DATA CONCLUSION: A nomogram model based on age, vessel outer diameter, dot sign and ACA involved may effectively distinguish MMD from AS-MMV with good reliability and accuracy. EVIDENCE LEVEL: 4 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 2.

Appendicoscopy using single-operator cholangioscope in the management of acute obstructive appendicitis: a novel alternative (with video).

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The aim of this study was to investigate the safety and efficacy of appendicoscopy using a single-operator cholangioscope (SOC) for the management of acute obstructive appendicitis. METHODS: This study describes 110 cases of acute obstructive appendicitis managed with the use of appendicoscopy between January 2021 and June 2023. The success rate (technical + clinical), procedure time, time to abdominal pain relief according to a visual analog scale score, postoperative length of hospital stay, and adverse event rates were recorded and analyzed. RESULTS: The technical success rate of appendicoscopy was 96.4%, and the clinical success rate was 91.8%. The mean ± standard deviation procedure time was 20.9 ± 10 minutes. The abdominal pain score at 6 hours after the procedure was ≤3 (visual analog scale method) in 99.1% of patients. The average length of postoperative hospital stay was 3.5 ± 1.5 days. No adverse events occurred. CONCLUSIONS: Appendicoscopy seems to be a feasible and effective alternative therapy for the accurate diagnosis and treatment of acute obstructive appendicitis.

Population pharmacokinetics and dose optimization of levofloxacin in elderly patients with pneumonia.

AIMS: Levofloxacin is a quinolone antibiotic with a broad antibacterial spectrum. It is frequently used in elderly patients with pneumonia. The pharmacokinetic profile of elderly patients changes with age, but data on the pharmacokinetics of levofloxacin in these patients are limited. The aim of this study was to establish a population pharmacokinetic model of levofloxacin in elderly patients with pneumonia and to optimize individualized dosing regimens based on this newly developed model. METHODS: This is a prospective, open-label pharmacokinetic study in elderly patients with pneumonia. Blood samples were collected using an opportunistic approach. The plasma concentrations of levofloxacin were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. A population pharmacokinetic model was established using nonlinear mixed-effect model software. Monte Carlo simulations were used for dose simulation and dose optimization. RESULTS: Data from 51 elderly patients with pneumonia were used for the population pharmacokinetic analysis. A one-compartment model with first-order elimination was most suitable for describing the data, and the estimated glomerular filtration rate was the only covariate that had a significant impact on the model. The final model estimated that the mean clearance of levofloxacin in elderly patients with pneumonia was 5.26 L/h. Monte Carlo simulation results showed that the optimal dosing regimen for levofloxacin was 750 mg once a day in elderly patients with pneumonia, with a minimum inhibitory concentration of 2 mg/L. CONCLUSIONS: The population pharmacokinetic model of levofloxacin in elderly patients with pneumonia was established, and the dose optimization of levofloxacin was completed through Monte Carlo simulation.

Early recapture of response with tofacitinib 10 mg twice daily in patients with ulcerative colitis in OCTAVE Open following dose reduction or treatment interruption in OCTAVE Sustain.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Tofacitinib is an oral Janus kinase inhibitor for the treatment of ulcerative colitis. These post hoc analyses evaluated early improvement in patient-reported outcomes with tofacitinib 10 mg twice daily (BID) in OCTAVE Open among patients with ulcerative colitis who experienced treatment failure with placebo (retreatment subpopulation) or tofacitinib 5 mg BID (dose escalation subpopulation) during maintenance. METHODS: Endpoints based on Mayo subscores (rectal bleeding improvement, stool frequency improvement, and symptomatic [both rectal bleeding and stool frequency] improvement) were analyzed overall and by prior tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) failure status from month (M)1-M6 in OCTAVE Open. Changes from baseline in partial Mayo score, rectal bleeding subscore, and stool frequency subscore at M1 were also analyzed, by M2 clinical response status. RESULTS: At M1 of OCTAVE Open, 83.2%, 70.3%, and 64.4% of patients in the retreatment subpopulation (n = 101) had rectal bleeding improvement, stool frequency improvement, and symptomatic improvement, respectively. Corresponding values in the dose escalation subpopulation (n = 57) were 59.6%, 50.9%, and 38.6%. For both subpopulations, results were generally consistent regardless of prior TNFi failure. In the dose escalation subpopulation, mean decrease from baseline in partial Mayo score and stool frequency subscore at M1 was greater in patients with versus without a clinical response at M2. CONCLUSIONS: Rectal bleeding improvement and stool frequency improvement were achieved by M1 in many patients receiving tofacitinib 10 mg BID in both subpopulations, with no apparent difference by prior TNFi failure. Analyses were limited by small sample sizes for some subgroups.

Relationship between methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase C677T gene polymorphism and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin in early renal injury in H-type hypertension.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the relationship between the polymorphisms of the H-type hypertensive methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T gene and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) in early kidney injury. METHOD: A total of 279 hospitalised patients with hypertension were selected and grouped according to their homocysteine (Hcy) level. If their blood Hcy level was ≥ 10 µmol/L they were assigned to the H-type hypertensive group, and if it was < 10 µmol/L they were assigned to the non-H-type hypertensive group. Blood lipid indexes, renal function indexes and blood glucose indexes were collected, and the differences between the two groups were compared. Furthermore, MTHFR C677T genotype distribution and allele frequency and Hcy level of MTHFR C677T genotype were compared, and logistic multiple regression analysis was conducted for the correlation of different genotypes of MTHFR C677T and the early kidney injury marker NGAL. RESULTS: In the non-H-type hypertensive group, the levels of Hcy and NGAL, cystatin, blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, uric acid, serum ß2-microglobulin and urinary microalbumin-to-creatinine ratio increased significantly, and the glomerular filtration rate level decreased significantly, when compared with the H-type hypertensive group, with statistical differences (p < 0.05). The H-type hypertensive group and the non-H-type hypertensive group had significant differences in the CC, CT and TT genotypes and allele frequencies at the MTHFR C677T locus. The MTHFR C677T gene mutation rate of the H-type hypertensive group was significantly higher than that of the non-H-type hypertensive group. The H-type hypertensive group had higher levels of the TT genotype and CT genotype Hcy. There was a statistical difference (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase C677T polymorphism is correlated with the Hcy level, and its gene polymorphism will affect the Hcy level. Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase C677T polymorphism has an interactive effect with NGAL. Screening NGAL and reducing Hcy levels are valuable methods for the prevention and treatment of early renal injury in patients with H-type hypertension and help improve the prognosis of patients and their quality of life.

Plant biomass extracted eco-friendly natural surfactant enhanced bio-electrokinetic remediation of crude oil contaminated soil.

The current work investigates bioremediation (BIO) and electrokinetic (EK) remediation of crude oil hydrocarbons utilizing the biomass-electrokinetic (BIO-EK) approaches. The use of natural surfactants derived from plant biomass may improve remediation capacity by enhancing the solubility of organic pollutants. Sapindus mukorossi, a natural surfactant producer, was extracted from plant biomass in this study. The crude oil biodegradation efficiency was reported to be 98 %. In nature, FTIR confirms that plant biomass is lipopeptide. GCMS revealed that the crude oil (C7 - C23) was efficiently bio-degraded from lower to higher molecular weight. The application of natural surfactants in electokinetic remediation increased the plant biomass degradation of crude oil polluted soil by 98% compared to electrokinetic 55% in 2 days. Natural surfactant improves hydrocarbon solubilization and accelerates hydrocarbon electro migration to the anodic compartment, as confirmed by the presence of greater total organic content than the electrokinetic. This study proves that BIO-EK compared with a natural surfactant derived from plant biomass may be utilized to improve in situ bioremediation of crude oil polluted soils.

Identification and Verification of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress-Related Genes as Novel Signatures for Osteoarthritis Diagnosis and Therapy: A Bioinformatics Analysis-Oriented Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) has been reported to be closely associated with the development of osteoarthritis (OA), but the underlying mechanisms are not fully delineated. The present study was designed to investigate the involvement of ERS-related genes in regulating OA progression. METHODS: The expression profiles of OA patients and normal people were downloaded from the gene expression omnibus (GEO) database. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in datasets GSE55457 and GSE55235 were screened and identified by R software with the construction of the protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks. Through the STRING and Venn diagram analysis, hub ERS-related genes were obtained. Gene ontology (GO) and kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses were performed. Biomarkers with high diagnostic values of osteoarthritis (OA) were studied. The hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and micro-CT were applied to evaluate the establishment of the OA model. The expression levels of biomarkers were validated with the use of reverse transcription­quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and western blot. Finally, we evaluated the correlations of hub ERS-related genes with the immune infiltration cells via the CIBERSORT algorithm. RESULTS: A total of 60 downregulated and 52 upregulated DEGs were identified, and the following GO and KEGG pathway analyses verified that those DEGs were mainly enriched in biological process (BP), cellular component (CC), molecular function (MF), and inflammation-associated signal pathways. Interestingly, among all the DEGs, six ER stress-associated genes, including activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3), DEAD-Box Helicase 3 X-Linked (DDX3X), AP-1 transcription factor subunit (JUN), eukaryotic initiation factor 4 (EIF4A1), KDEL endoplasmic reticulum protein retention receptor 3 (KDELR3), and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA), were found to be closely associated with OA progression, and the following RT-qPCR and Western Blot analysis confirmed that DDX3X, JUN, and VEGFA were upregulated, whereas KDELR3, EIF4A1, and ATF3 were downregulated in OA rats tissues compared to the normal tissues, which were in accordance with our bioinformatics findings. Furthermore, our receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis verified that the above six ER stress-associated genes could be used as ideal biomarkers for OA diagnosis and those genes also potentially regulated immune responses by influencing the biological functions of mast cells and macrophages. CONCLUSION: Collectively, the present study firstly identified six ER stress-associated genes (ATF3, DDX3X, JUN, EIF4A1, KDELR3, and VEGFA) that may play critical role in regulating the progression of OA.

Silver Nanoparticles Encapped by Dihydromyricetin: Optimization of Green Synthesis, Characterization, Toxicity, and Anti-MRSA Infection Activities for Zebrafish (Danio rerio).

To achieve the environmentally friendly and rapid green synthesis of efficient and stable AgNPs for drug-resistant bacterial infection, this study optimized the green synthesis process of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using Dihydromyricetin (DMY). Then, we assessed the impact of AgNPs on zebrafish embryo development, as well as their therapeutic efficacy on zebrafish infected with Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light-scattering (DLS) analyses revealed that AgNPs possessed an average size of 23.6 nm, a polymer dispersity index (PDI) of 0.197 ± 0.0196, and a zeta potential of -18.1 ± 1.18 mV. Compared to other published green synthesis products, the optimized DMY-AgNPs exhibited smaller sizes, narrower size distributions, and enhanced stability. Furthermore, the minimum concentration of DMY-AgNPs required to affect zebrafish hatching and survival was determined to be 25.0 µg/mL, indicating the low toxicity of DMY-AgNPs. Following a 5-day feeding regimen with DMY-AgNP-containing food, significant improvements were observed in the recovery of the gills, intestines, and livers in MRSA-infected zebrafish. These results suggested that optimized DMY-AgNPs hold promise for application in aquacultures and offer potential for further clinical use against drug-resistant bacteria.

[Effects of humic acid water-soluble fertilizer on growth and physiological characteristics of Bupleurum chinense seedlings].

The effects of humic acid water-soluble fertilizer on the growth and physiological characteristics of Bupleurum chinense seedlings(Zhongchai No.1) were studied by using a single factor experiment design. When the seedling age was 60 days, the humic acid water-soluble fertilizer was diluted 1 200 times(T1), 1 500 times(T2), 1 800 times(T3), and 2 100 times(T4) for seedling treatment, respectively, and water was used as the control(CK). The effects of different treatments on growth indexes, biomass accumulation, root activity, antioxidant enzyme activity, membrane lipid peroxidation, and photosynthetic characteristics of B. chinense seedlings were analyzed after 30 days. The results showed that compared with CK, stem height, leaf number, root diameter, and root length of the B. chinense seedlings under T3 treatment were significantly increased by 36.82%, 37.03%, 42.78%, and 22.38%, respectively. Root fresh weight, leaf fresh weight, root dry weight, and leaf dry weight under T3 treatment were significantly increased by 90.36%, 98.68%, 123.84%, and 104.38%, respectively. In addition, humic acid water-soluble fertilizer also enhanced TTC reducing activity of the root of B. chinense seedlings, inhibited malonaldehyde(MDA) content, increased superoxide dismutase(SOD), peroxidase(POD), and catalase(CAT) enzyme activities, improved chlorophyll content, and enhanced P_n, G_s, T_r, and other photosynthetic parameters. In conclusion, the application of humic acid water-soluble fertilizer diluted 1 800 times can significantly promote the growth of B. chinense seedlings, enhance root vitality, improve seedling stress resistance, and enhance photosynthesis. The results of this study can provide a theoretical basis for fertilization of B. chinense seedlings.

Visualization Analysis of Artificial Intelligence Literature in Forensic Research.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the literature on artificial intelligence in forensic research from 2012 to 2022 in the Web of Science Core Collection Database, to explore research hotspots and developmental trends. METHODS: A total of 736 articles on artificial intelligence in forensic medicine in the Web of Science Core Collection Database from 2012 to 2022 were visualized and analyzed through the literature measuring tool CiteSpace. The authors, institution, country (region), title, journal, keywords, cited references and other information of relevant literatures were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 736 articles published in 220 journals by 355 authors from 289 institutions in 69 countries (regions) were identified, with the number of articles published showing an increasing trend year by year. Among them, the United States had the highest number of publications and China ranked the second. Academy of Forensic Science had the highest number of publications among the institutions. Forensic Science International, Journal of Forensic Sciences, International Journal of Legal Medicine ranked high in publication and citation frequency. Through the analysis of keywords, it was found that the research hotspots of artificial intelligence in the forensic field mainly focused on the use of artificial intelligence technology for sex and age estimation, cause of death analysis, postmortem interval estimation, individual identification and so on. CONCLUSIONS: It is necessary to pay attention to international and institutional cooperation and to strengthen the cross-disciplinary research. Exploring the combination of advanced artificial intelligence technologies with forensic research will be a hotspot and direction for future research.

Genomic Shifts, Phenotypic Clines, and Fitness Costs Associated With Cold Tolerance in the Asian Tiger Mosquito.

Climatic variation is a key driver of genetic differentiation and phenotypic traits evolution, and local adaptation to temperature is expected in widespread species. We investigated phenotypic and genomic changes in the native range of the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus. We first refine the phylogeographic structure based on genome-wide regions (1,901 double-digest restriction-site associated DNA single nucleotide polymophisms [ddRAD SNPs]) from 41 populations. We then explore the patterns of cold adaptation using phenotypic traits measured in common garden (wing size and cold tolerance) and genotype-temperature associations at targeted candidate regions (51,706 exon-capture SNPs) from nine populations. We confirm the existence of three evolutionary lineages including clades A (Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos), B (China and Okinawa), and C (South Korea and Japan). We identified temperature-associated differentiation in 15 out of 221 candidate regions but none in ddRAD regions, supporting the role of directional selection in detected genes. These include genes involved in lipid metabolism and a circadian clock gene. Most outlier SNPs are differently fixed between clades A and C, whereas clade B has an intermediate pattern. Females are larger at higher latitude yet produce no more eggs, which might favor the storage of energetic reserves in colder climate. Nondiapausing eggs from temperate populations survive better to cold exposure than those from tropical populations, suggesting they are protected from freezing damages but this cold tolerance has a fitness cost in terms of egg viability. Altogether, our results provide strong evidence for the thermal adaptation of A. albopictus across its wide temperature range.

Outcomes of Robotic Versus Laparoscopic Pancreatoduodenectomy Following Learning Curves of Surgeons: A Multicenter Study on 2255 Patients.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare robotic pancreatoduodenectomy (RPD) with laparoscopic pancreatoduodenectomy (LPD) in operative and oncologic outcomes. BACKGROUND: Previous studies comparing RPD with LPD have only been carried out in small, single-center studies with variable quality. METHODS: Consecutive patients from nine centers in China who underwent RPD or LPD between 2015 and 2022 were included. A 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM) was used to minimize bias. RESULTS: Of the 2,255 patients, 1158 underwent RPD and 1097 underwent LPD. Following PSM, 1006 patients were enrolled in each group. The RPD group had significantly shorter operative time (270.0 vs. 305.0 minutes, P<0.001), lower intraoperative blood transfusion rate (5.9% vs. 12.0%, P<0.001), lower conversion rate (3.8% vs. 6.7%, P=0.004), and higher vascular reconstruction rate (7.9% vs. 5.6%, P=0.040) than the LPD group. There were no significant differences in estimated blood loss, postoperative length of stay, perioperative complications, and 90-day mortality. Patients who underwent vascular reconstruction had similar outcomes between the two groups, although they had significantly lower estimated blood loss (300.0 vs. 360.0 mL; P=0.021) in the RPD group. Subgroup analysis on pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) found no significant differences between the two groups in median recurrence-free survival (14.3 vs. 15.3 mo, P=0.573) and overall survival (24.1 vs. 23.7 mo, P=0.710). CONCLUSIONS: In experienced hands, both RPD and LPD are safe and feasible procedures with similar surgical outcomes. RPD had the perioperative advantage over LPD especially in vascular reconstruction. For PDAC patients, RPD resulted in similar oncological and survival outcomes as LPD.

Effectiveness of Pentavalent Rotavirus Vaccine in Shanghai, China: A Test-Negative Design Study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate vaccine effectiveness (VE) of a live oral pentavalent rotavirus vaccine (RotaTeq, RV5) among young children in Shanghai, China, via a test-negative design study. STUDY DESIGN: We consecutively recruited children visiting a tertiary children's hospital for acute diarrhea from November 2021 to February 2022. Information on clinical data and rotavirus vaccination was collected. Fresh fecal samples were obtained for rotavirus detection and genotyping. To evaluate VE of RV5 against rotavirus gastroenteritis among young children, unconditional logistic regression models were conducted to compare ORs for vaccination between rotavirus-positive cases and test-negative controls. RESULTS: A total of 390 eligible children with acute diarrhea were enrolled, including 45 (11.54%) rotavirus-positive cases and 345 (88.46%) test-negative controls. After excluding 4 cases (8.89%) and 55 controls (15.94%) who had received the Lanzhou lamb rotavirus vaccine, 41 cases (12.39%) and 290 controls (87.61%) were included for the evaluation of RV5 VE. After adjustment for potential confounders, the 3-dose RV5 vaccination showed 85% (95% CI, 50%-95%) VE against mild to moderate rotavirus gastroenteritis among children aged 14 weeks to ≤4 years and 97% (95% CI, 83%-100%) VE among children aged 14 weeks to ≤2 years with genotypes G8P8, G9P8, and G2P4 represented 78.95%, 18.42%, and 2.63% of circulation strains, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: A 3-dose vaccination of RV5 is highly protective against rotavirus gastroenteritis among young children in Shanghai. The G8P8 genotype prevailled in Shanghai after RV5 introduction.

Electrically tunable graphene plasmonic lens: from Maxwell Fisheye Lens to Luneburg Lens.

A graphene plasmonic lens with an electrically tunable focal length is proposed and numerically investigated. The design philosophy of the proposed tunable lens is based on the nonlinear relationship of surface plasmon polariton (SPP) wave index with respect to chemical potential of graphene. By controlling the gate voltage of graphene, the proposed lens can be continuously tuned from a Maxwell Fisheye lens to a Luneburg lens. A ray-tracing method is employed to find out the corresponding gate voltages for various focal lengths. Full-wave EM simulations using COMSOL show that excellent focusing performances can be achieved. This work offers a new way in exploiting active transformational plasmonic elements in the mid-infrared region.