Combined Machine Learning and High-Throughput Calculations Predict Heyd-Scuseria-Ernzerhof Band Gap of 2D Materials and Potential MoSi2N4 Heterostructures.

We present a novel target-driven methodology devised to predict the Heyd-Scuseria-Ernzerhof (HSE) band gap of two-dimensional (2D) materials leveraging the comprehensive C2DB database. This innovative approach integrates machine learning and density functional theory (DFT) calculations to predict the HSE band gap, conduction band minimum (CBM), and valence band maximum (VBM) of 2176 types of 2D materials. Subsequently, we collected a comprehensive data set comprising 3539 types of 2D materials, each characterized by its HSE band gaps, CBM, and VBM. Considering the lattice disparities between MoSi2N4 (MSN) and 2D materials, our analysis predicted 766 potential MSN/2D heterostructures. These heterostructures are further categorized into four distinct types based on the relative positions of their CBM and VBM: Type I encompasses 230 variants, Type II comprises 244 configurations, Type III consists of 284 permutations, and 0 band gap comprises 8 types.

Effects of perioperative low-dose naloxone on the immune system in patients undergoing laparoscopic-assisted total gastrectomy: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Low immune function after laparoscopic total gastrectomy puts patients at risk of infection-related complications. Low-dose naloxone (LDN) can improve the prognosis of patients suffering from chronic inflammatory diseases or autoimmune diseases. The use of LDN during perioperative procedures may reduce perioperative complications. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of LDN on endogenous immune function in gastric cancer patients and its specific mechanisms through a randomized controlled trial. METHODS: Fifty-five patients who underwent laparoscopic-assisted total gastrectomy were randomly assigned to either a naloxone group (n = 23) or a nonnaloxone group (n = 22). Patients in the naloxone group received 0.05 µg/kg-1.h- 1naloxone from 3 days before surgery to 5 days after surgery via a patient-controlled intravenous injection (PCIA) pump, and patients in the nonnaloxone group did not receive special treatment. The primary outcomes were the rates of postoperative complications and immune function assessed by NK cell, CD3+ T cell, CD4+ T cell, CD8+ T cell, WBC count, neutrophil percentage, and IL-6 and calcitonin levels. The secondary outcomes were the expression levels of TLR4 (Toll-like receptor), IL-6 and TNF-α in gastric cancer tissue. RESULTS: Compared with the nonnaloxone group, the naloxone group exhibited a lower incidence of infection (in the incision, abdomen, and lungs) (P < 0.05). The numbers of NK cells and CD8+ T cells in the naloxone group were significantly greater than those in the nonnaloxone group at 24 h after surgery (P < 0.05) and at 96 h after surgery (P < 0.05). Compared with those in the nonnaloxone group, the CD3 + T-cell (P < 0.05) and CD4 + T-cell (P < 0.01) counts were significantly lower in the naloxone group 24 h after surgery. At 24 h and 96 h after surgery, the WBC count (P < 0.05) and neutrophil percentage (P < 0.05) were significantly greater in the nonnaloxone group. The levels of IL-6 (P < 0.05) and calcitonin in the nonnaloxone group were significantly greater at 24 h after surgery. At 24 h following surgery, the nonnaloxone group had significantly greater levels of IL-6 (P < 0.05) and calcitonin than did the naloxone group. Compared with those in the naloxone group, the expression levels of TLR4 (P < 0.05) in gastric cancer tissue in the naloxone group were greater; however, the expression levels of IL-6 (P < 0.01) and TNF-α (P < 0.01) in the naloxone group were greater than those in the nonnaloxone group. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic total gastrectomy patients can benefit from 0.05 ug/kg- 1. h- 1 naloxone by reducing their risk of infection. It is possible that LDN alters the number of cells in lymphocyte subpopulations, such as NK cells, CD3 + T cells, and CD4 + T cells, and the CD4+/CD8 + T-cell ratio or alters TLR4 receptor expression in immune cells, thereby altering immune cell activity. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial was registered at the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry on 24/11/2023 (ChiCTR2300077948).

A Comparative Study of 2 Techniques to Avoid Bone Cement Loosening and Displacement After Percutaneous Vertebroplasty Treating Unstable Kummell Disease.

Objective: Percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) is currently the most common surgical procedure for unstable Kummell disease (KD), but bone cement loosening or displacement often occurs after the operation. We had been using percutaneous pediculoplasty (PPP) or a self-developed bone cement bridging screw system to avoid this severe complication. This study intends to compare the safety, advantages and disadvantages of these 2 novel surgical procedures through a 2-year follow-up evaluation. Methods: In accordance with the inclusion and exclusion criteria, from May 2017 to May 2021, 77 patients with single segmental unstable KD who had received the PVP-PPP combined therapy were included in the PPP group, and 42 patients with the same who had received the PVP-bone cement bridging screw system combined therapy were included in the screw group. All patients received the operation through unilateral approach. The changes in the vertebral body index (VBI), bisegmental Cobb angle, visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and the bone cement loosening rate and displacement rate at different follow-up time points were used to evaluate the clinical efficacy. Results: The average operation duration of the PPP group was 85.52±10.78 minutes (range, 70-115 minutes), and its average bone cement injection volume was 4.98±0.67 mL (range, 4-6 mL). The average operation duration of the screw group was 52.07±9.90 minutes (range, 36-65 minutes), and its average bone cement injection volume was 4.43±0.89 mL (range, 2.5-6 mL). Before operation, immediately after operation and at 6 months after operation, there was no significant difference in VBI or bisegmental Cobb angle between the screw group and the PPP group (p>0.05), while at 1-year and 2-year midterm postoperative evaluations, the screw group had higher VBI and bisegmental Cobb angle than the PPP group (p<0.05). Before operation, immediately after operation, at 6 months after operation and at 1 year after operation, there was no significant difference in VAS or ODI score between the screw group and the PPP group (p>0.05), while at 2 years after operation, the screw group still had higher VAS and ODI scores than the PPP group (p<0.05). No bone cement displacement occurred in both groups, but the rate of bone cement loosening was 14.29% in group PPP, and 0 in screw group (p<0.05). Conclusion: This 2-year follow-up study shows that the PVP-bone cement bridging screw system combined therapy had better midterm treatment efficacy than the PVP-PPP combined therapy in patients with unstable KD, and the bone cement bridging screw system is a preferred therapy with better anti cement loosening ability.

High Efficiency and Low Roll-Off Pure-Red Perovskite LED Enabled by Simultaneously Inhibiting Auger and Trap Recombination of Quantum Dots.

CsPbI3 perovskite quantum dots (QDs) could achieve pure-red emission by reducing their size, but the increased exciton binding energy (EB) and surface defects for the small-sized QDs (SQDs) cause severe Auger and trap recombinations, thus worsening their electroluminescence (EL) performance. Herein, we utilize the dangling bonds of the SQDs as a driving force to accelerate KI dissolution to solve its low solubility in nonpolar solvents, thereby allowing K+ and I- to bond to the surface of SQDs. The EB of the SQDs was decreased from 305 to 51 meV because of the attraction of K+ to electrons, meanwhile surface vacancies were passivated by K+ and I-. The Auger and trap recombinations were simultaneously suppressed by this difunctional ligand. The SQD-based light-emitting diode showed a stable pure-red EL peak of 639 nm, an external quantum efficiency of 25.1% with low roll-off, and a brightness of 5934 cd m-2.

The histone lysine methyltransferase MLL1 regulates the activation and functional specialization of regulatory T cells.

The activation and specialization of regulatory T cells (Tregs) are crucial for maintaining immune self-tolerance; however, the regulation of these processes by histone modifications is not fully understood. Here, we show that T cell-specific deletion of the lysine methyltransferase MLL1 results in a spontaneous lymphocyte proliferation phenotype in aged mice without disturbing the development of conventional T cells and Tregs. Treg-specific MLL1 ablation leads to a systemic autoimmune disease associated with Treg dysfunction. Moreover, RNA sequencing demonstrates that the induction of multiple genes involved in Treg activation, functional specialization, and tissue immigration is defective in MLL1-deficient Tregs. This dysregulation is associated with defects in H3K4 trimethylation at these genes' transcription start sites. Finally, using a T-bet fate-mapping mouse system, we determine that MLL1 is required to establish stable Th1-type Tregs. Thus, MLL1 is essential in optimal Treg function by providing a coordinated chromatin context for activation and specialization.

Deficiency of leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 aggravates thioacetamide-induced acute liver failure and hepatic encephalopathy in mice.

BACKGROUND: Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is closely associated with inflammatory responses. However, as a crucial regulator of the immune and inflammatory responses, the role of leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) in the pathogenesis of HE remains unraveled. Herein, we investigated this issue in thioacetamide (TAA)-induced HE following acute liver failure (ALF). METHODS: TAA-induced HE mouse models of LRRK2 wild type (WT), LRRK2 G2019S mutation (Lrrk2G2019S) and LRRK2 knockout (Lrrk2-/-) were established. A battery of neurobehavioral experiments was conducted. The biochemical indexes and pro-inflammatory cytokines were detected. The prefrontal cortex (PFC), striatum (STR), hippocampus (HIP), and liver were examined by pathology and electron microscopy. The changes of autophagy-lysosomal pathway and activity of critical Rab GTPases were analyzed. RESULTS: The Lrrk2-/--HE model reported a significantly lower survival rate than the other two models (24% vs. 48%, respectively, p < 0.05), with no difference found between the WT-HE and Lrrk2G2019S-HE groups. Compared with the other groups, after the TAA injection, the Lrrk2-/- group displayed a significant increase in ammonium and pro-inflammatory cytokines, aggravated hepatic inflammation/necrosis, decreased autophagy, and abnormal phosphorylation of lysosomal Rab10. All three models reported microglial activation, neuronal loss, disordered vesicle transmission, and damaged myelin structure. The Lrrk2-/--HE mice presented no severer neuronal injury than the other genotypes. CONCLUSIONS: LRRK2 deficiency may exacerbate TAA-induced ALF and HE in mice, in which inflammatory response is evident in the brain and aggravated in the liver. These novel findings indicate a need of sufficient clinical awareness of the adverse effects of LRRK2 inhibitors on the liver.

Four pairs of new enantiomeric guaiane sesquiterpenoids from the rhizomes of Alisma plantago-aquatica.

Four pairs of undescribed enantiomeric guaiane sesquiterpenoids, (±)-alismaenols A-D (1a/1b, 3a/3b-5a/5b), together with a pair of known ones (2a/2b) were isolated from the rhizomes of Alisma plantago-aquatica. The structures and relative configurations of the isolates were established by analysis of their 1D, 2D-NMR and HRESIMS data. Their absolute configurations were determined by comparison of their experimental CD spectra and calculated electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra or by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. All compounds (1a/1b-5a/5b) were evaluated for their inhibitory effects on nitric oxide (NO) production in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells, and compound 1a exhibited stronger activity (IC50 = 12.89 µM) than indomethacin (IC50 = 14.03 µM).

Gender-specific effects of polystyrene nanoplastic exposure on triclosan-induced reproductive toxicity in zebrafish (Danio rerio).

Nanoplastics (NPs) and triclosan (TCS) are ubiquitous emerging environmental contaminants detected in human samples. While the reproductive toxicity of TCS alone has been studied, its combined effects with NPs remain unclear. Herein, we employed Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering to characterize the coexposure of polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NPs, 50 nm) with TCS. Then, adult zebrafish were exposed to TCS at environmentally relevant concentrations (0.361-48.2 µg/L), with or without PS-NPs (1.0 mg/L) for 21 days. TCS biodistribution in zebrafish tissues was investigated using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. Reproductive toxicity was assessed through gonadal histopathology, fertility tests, changes in steroid hormone synthesis and gene expression within the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad-liver (HPGL) axis. Transcriptomics and proteomics were applied to explore the underlying mechanisms. The results showed that PS-NPs could adsorb TCS, thus altering the PS-NPs' physical characteristics. Our observations revealed that coexposure with PS-NPs reduced TCS levels in the ovaries, livers, and brains of female zebrafish. Conversely, in males, coexposure with PS-NPs increased TCS levels in the testes and livers, while decreasing them in the brain. We found that co-exposure mitigated TCS-induced ovary development inhibition while exacerbated TCS-induced spermatogenesis suppression, resulting in increased embryonic mortality and larval malformations. This co-exposure influenced the expression of genes linked to steroid hormone synthesis (cyp11a1, hsd17ß, cyp19a1) and attenuated the TCS-decreased estradiol (E2) in females. Conversely, testosterone levels were suppressed, and E2 levels were elevated due to the upregulation of specific genes (cyp11a1, hsd3ß, cyp19a1) in males. Finally, the integrated analysis of transcriptomics and proteomics suggested that the aqp12-dctn2 pathway was involved in PS-NPs' attenuation of TCS-induced reproductive toxicity in females, while the pck2-katnal1 pathway played a role in PS-NPs' exacerbation of TCS-induced reproductive toxicity in males. Collectively, PS-NPs altered TCS-induced reproductive toxicity by disrupting the HPGL axis, with gender-specific effects.

Number of Pregnancies and Risk of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease in Postmenopausal Women: A Cross-Sectional Study of NHANES from 1999 to 2018.

Background: Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) remains the most common cause of death in women. Pregnancy is an exposure unique to women leading to significant changes in maternal cardiovascular function. However, studies of the relationship between the number of pregnancies and ASCVD are rare. We aimed to clarify the association between the number of pregnancies and ASCVD. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we used publicly available data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 1999 to 2018. The number of pregnancies was divided into 0 (reference), 1, 2-3, 4-5, or ≥6, to create more stable estimates. A multiple logistic regression approach was used to examine the correlation between pregnancy and ASCVD in women aged 45 years or older who reported no menstruation in the past 12 months due to menopause, as well as in those aged 55 years or older, encompassing various age groups. We also separately estimated the association between the exposure of pregnancy and individual components of ASCVD. Results: In this study, age-adjusted data showed that women with six or more pregnancies had a doubled risk (odds ratio [OR]: 2.07) of ASCVD. The risk remained elevated at 1.69 times in women with four to five pregnancies and further increased to 1.90 times in women with six or more pregnancies, after adjusting for social factors. Similar patterns were observed when considering reproductive health and cardiovascular risk factors. Across the full population, every model that accounted for these variables consistently indicated that with an increasing number of pregnancies, we observed higher ORs for ASCVD risk (all p values <0.05). Conclusions: A higher number of pregnancies was associated with a higher risk of ASCVD after menopause, especially among women aged 45-64 years. Moreover, this association is particularly significant in the risk of stroke, cardiovascular heart disease, and heart attack.

Novel targets and their functions in the prognosis of uterine corpus endometrial cancer patients.

Aberrant mRNA expression is implicated in uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma (UCEC) oncogenesis and progression. However, effective prognostic biomarkers for UCEC remain limited. We aimed to construct a reliable multi-gene risk model using gene expression profiles. Utilizing TCGA data (543 UCEC samples, 35 controls), we identified 1517 differentially acting genes. Weighted gene co-expression complex analysis (WGCCA), hub gene screening, and risk regression analysis (RRA) were employed to determine prognosis-related genes and construct the risk model. Nomograms visualized risk scores and receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves assessed model performance. Seven novel prognosis-related hub genes (ANGPT1, ASB2, GAL, GDF7, ONECUT2, SV2B, TRPC6) were identified. The model's concordance index (C index) by multivariate Cox regression analysis was 0.79. ROC curves yielded AUCs of 0.811 (3-year) and 0.79 (5-year), demonstrating the model's efficacy in predicting UCEC survival. Our study proposes a promising seven-biomarker risk model for predicting UCEC prognosis, offering potential clinical utility.

Electroacupuncture Inhibits Neural Ferroptosis in Rat Model of Traumatic Brain Injury via Activating System Xc-/GSH/GPX4 Axis.

BACKGROUND: Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent regulating programmed cell death discovered recently that has been receiving much attention in traumatic brain injury (TBI). xCT, a major functional subunit of Cystine/glutamic acid reverse transporter (System Xc-), promotes cystine intake and glutathione biosynthesis, thereby protecting against oxidative stress and ferroptosis. OBJECTIVE: The intention of this research was to verify the hypothesis that electroacupuncture (EA) exerted an anti-ferroptosis effect via an increase in the expression of xCT and activation of the System Xc-/GSH/GPX4 axis in cortical neurons of TBI rats. METHODS: After the TBI rat model was prepared, animals received EA treatment at GV20, GV26, ST36 and PC6, for 15min. The xCT inhibitor Sulfasalazine (SSZ) was administered 2h prior to model being prepared. The degree of neurological impairment was evaluated by means of TUNEL staining and the modified neurological severity score (mNSS). Specific indicators of ferroptosis (Ultrastructure of mitochondria, Iron and ROS) were detected by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Prussian blue staining (Perls stain) and flow cytometry (FCM), respectively. GSH synthesis and metabolism-related factors in the content of the cerebral cortex were detected by an assay kit. Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-QPCR), Western blot (WB), and immunofluorescence (IF) were used for detecting the expression of System Xc-/GSH/GPX4 axisrelated proteins in injured cerebral cortex tissues. RESULTS: EA successfully relieved nerve damage within 7 days after TBI, significantly inhibited neuronal ferroptosis, upregulated the expression of xCT and System Xc-/GSH/GPX4 axis forward protein and promoted glutathione (GSH) synthesis and metabolism in the injured area of the cerebral cortex. However, aggravation of nerve damage and increased ferroptosis effect were found in TBI rats injected with xCT inhibitors. CONCLUSIONS: EA inhibits neuronal ferroptosis by up-regulated xCT expression and by activating System Xc-/GSH/GPX4 axis after TBI, confirming the relevant theories regarding the EA effect in treating TBI and providing theoretical support for clinical practice.

From cradle to grave: Deciphering sex-specific disruptions of the nervous and reproductive systems through interactions of 4-methylbenzylidene camphor and nanoplastics in adult zebrafish.

4-methylbenzylidene camphor (4-MBC) and micro/nanoplastics (MNPs) are common in personal care and cosmetic products (PCCPs) and consumer goods; however, they have become pervasive environmental contaminants. MNPs serve as carriers of 4-MBC in both PCCPs and the environment. Our previous study demonstrated that 4-MBC induces estrogenic effects in zebrafish larvae. However, knowledge gaps remain regarding the sex- and tissue-specific accumulation and potential toxicities of chronic coexposure to 4-MBC and MNPs. Herein, adult zebrafish were exposed to environmentally realistic concentrations of 4-MBC (0, 0.4832, and 4832 µg/L), with or without polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NPs; 50 nm, 1.0 mg/L) for 21 days. Sex-specific accumulation was observed, with higher concentrations in female brains, while males exhibited comparable accumulation in the liver, testes, and brain. Coexposure to PS-NPs intensified the 4-MBC burden in all tested tissues. Dual-omics analysis (transcriptomics and proteomics) revealed dysfunctions in neuronal differentiation, death, and reproduction. 4-MBC-co-PS-NP exposure disrupted the brain histopathology more severely than exposure to 4-MBC alone, inducing sex-specific neurotoxicity and reproductive disruptions. Female zebrafish exhibited autism spectrum disorder-like behavior and disruption of vitellogenesis and oocyte maturation, while male zebrafish showed Parkinson's-like behavior and spermatogenesis disruption. Our findings highlight that PS-NPs enhance tissue accumulation of 4-MBC, leading to sex-specific impairments in the nervous and reproductive systems of zebrafish.

Expert consensus on pediatric orthodontic therapies of malocclusions in children.

Malocclusion, identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of three major oral diseases, profoundly impacts the dental-maxillofacial functions, facial esthetics, and long-term development of ~260 million children in China. Beyond its physical manifestations, malocclusion also significantly influences the psycho-social well-being of these children. Timely intervention in malocclusion can foster an environment conducive to dental-maxillofacial development and substantially decrease the incidence of malocclusion or reduce the severity and complexity of malocclusion in the permanent dentition, by mitigating the negative impact of abnormal environmental influences on the growth. Early orthodontic treatment encompasses accurate identification and treatment of dental and maxillofacial morphological and functional abnormalities during various stages of dental-maxillofacial development, ranging from fetal stages to the early permanent dentition phase. From an economic and societal standpoint, the urgency for effective early orthodontic treatments for malocclusions in childhood cannot be overstated, underlining its profound practical and social importance. This consensus paper discusses the characteristics and the detrimental effects of malocclusion in children, emphasizing critical need for early treatment. It elaborates on corresponding core principles and fundamental approaches in early orthodontics, proposing comprehensive guidance for preventive and interceptive orthodontic treatment, serving as a reference for clinicians engaged in early orthodontic treatment.

Exploring potential predictors of Henoch-Schönlein purpura nephritis: a pilot investigation on urinary metabolites.

Henoch-Schönlein purpura nephritis (HSPN) is the most severe manifestation of Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP). This study aimed to determine the role of urine metabolomics in predicting HSPN and explore the potential mechanisms of HSP. A liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry-based untargeted metabolomics analysis was performed to investigate the urinary metabolic profiles of 90 participants, comprising 30 healthy children (group CON) and 60 patients with HSP, including 30 HSP patients without renal involvement (group H) and 30 HSPN patients (group HSPN). The differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) were identified using orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA), and subsequent bioinformatics analysis was conducted to elucidate the perturbed metabolic pathways. A total of 43 DEMs between H and HSPN groups were analyzed by the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Gene and Genome (KEGG) database, and the result indicates that glycine, serine and threonine metabolism, and cysteine and methionine metabolism were significantly disturbed. A composite model incorporating propionylcarnitine and indophenol sulfate was developed to assess the risk of renal involvement in pediatric patients with HSP.   Conclusion: This study reveals the metabolic alterations in healthy children, HSPN patients, and HSP patients without renal involvement. Furthermore, propionylcarnitine and indophenol sulfate may be potential predictive biomarkers of the occurrence of HSPN. What is Known: • HSP is the predominant type of vasculitis observed in children. The long-term prognosis of HSP is contingent upon the extent of renal impairment. In severe nephritis, a delay in appropriate treatment may lead to fibrosis progression and subsequent development of chronic kidney disease (CKD), even leading to renal failure. • The application of metabolomics in investigating diverse renal disorders has been documented. Urine is a robust and sensitive medium for metabolomics detection. What is New: • The metabolic profiles were identified in urine samples of healthy children and those with HSP at the early stage of the disease. Different metabolites were identified between HSP patients without nephritis and those who developed HSPN. • These different metabolites may affect oxidative stress in the progression of HSPN.

Cardiometabolic disease, cognitive decline, and brain structure in middle and older age.

INTRODUCTION: The presence of multiple cardiometabolic diseases (CMDs) has been linked to increased dementia risk, but the combined influence of CMDs on cognition and brain structure across the life course is unclear. METHODS: In the UK Biobank, 46,562 dementia-free participants completed a cognitive test battery at baseline and a follow-up visit 9 years later, at which point 39,306 also underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging. CMDs (diabetes, heart disease, and stroke) were ascertained from medical records. Data were analyzed using age-stratified (middle age [< 60] versus older [≥ 60]) mixed-effects models and linear regression. RESULTS: A higher number of CMDs was associated with significantly steeper global cognitive decline in older (ß = -0.008; 95% confidence interval: -0.012, -0.005) but not middle age. Additionally, the presence of multiple CMDs was related to smaller total brain volume, gray matter volume, white matter volume, and hippocampal volume and larger white matter hyperintensity volume, even in middle age. DISCUSSION: CMDs are associated with cognitive decline in older age and poorer brain structural health beginning already in middle age. Highlights: We explored the association of CMDs with cognitive decline and brain MRI measures.CMDs accelerated cognitive decline in older (≥60y) but not middle (<60) age.CMDs were associated with poorer brain MRI parameters in both middle and older age.Results highlight the connection between CMDs and cognitive/brain aging.

Antipathogenic Activities of Volatile Organic Compounds Produced by Bacillus velezensis LT1 against Sclerotium rolfsii LC1, the Pathogen of Southern Blight in Coptis chinensis.

This study explores the antipathogenic properties of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by Bacillus velezensis LT1, isolated from the rhizosphere soil of Coptis chinensis. The impact of these VOCs on the mycelial growth of Sclerotium rolfsii LC1, the causative agent of southern blight in C. chinensis, was evaluated using a double Petri-dish assay. The biocontrol efficacy of these VOCs was further assessed through leaf inoculation and pot experiments. Antifungal VOCs were collected using headspace solid-phase microextraction (SPME), and their components were identified via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The results revealed that the VOCs significantly inhibited the mycelial growth and sclerotia germination of S. rolfsii LC1 and disrupted the morphological integrity of fungal mycelia. Under the influence of these VOCs, genes associated with chitin synthesis were upregulated, while those related to cell wall degrading enzymes were downregulated. Notably, 2-dodecanone and 2-undecanone exhibited inhibition rates of 81.67% and 80.08%, respectively. This research provides a novel approach for the prevention and management of southern blight in C. chinensis, highlighting the potential of microbial VOCs in biocontrol strategies.

GLPanoDepth: Global-to-Local Panoramic Depth Estimation.

Depth estimation is a fundamental task in many vision applications. With the popularity of omnidirectional cameras, it becomes a new trend to tackle this problem in the spherical space. In this paper, we propose a learning-based method for predicting dense depth values of a scene from a monocular omnidirectional image. An omnidirectional image has a full field-of-view, providing much more complete descriptions of the scene than perspective images. However, fully-convolutional networks that most current solutions rely on fail to capture rich global contexts from the panorama. To address this issue and also the distortion of equirectangular projection in the panorama, we propose Cubemap Vision Transformers (CViT), a new transformer-based architecture that can model long-range dependencies and extract distortion-free global features from the panorama. We show that cubemap vision transformers have a global receptive field at every stage and can provide globally coherent predictions for spherical signals. As a general architecture, it removes any restriction that has been imposed on the panorama in many other monocular panoramic depth estimation methods. To preserve important local features, we further design a convolution-based branch in our pipeline (dubbed GLPanoDepth) and fuse global features from cubemap vision transformers at multiple scales. This global-to-local strategy allows us to fully exploit useful global and local features in the panorama, achieving state-of-the-art performance in panoramic depth estimation.

Bacillus velezensis LT1: a potential biocontrol agent for southern blight on Coptis chinensis.

Introduction: Southern blight, caused by Sclerotium rolfsii, poses a serious threat to the cultivation of Coptis chinensis, a plant with significant medicinal value. The overreliance on fungicides for controlling this pathogen has led to environmental concerns and resistance issues. There is an urgent need for alternative, sustainable disease management strategies. Methods: In this study, Bacillus velezensis LT1 was isolated from the rhizosphere soil of diseased C. chinensis plants. Its biocontrol efficacy against S. rolfsii LC1 was evaluated through a confrontation assay. The antimicrobial lipopeptides in the fermentation liquid of B. velezensis LT1 were identified using Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). The effects of B. velezensis LT1 on the mycelial morphology of S. rolfsii LC1 were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Results: The confrontation assay indicated that B. velezensis LT1 significantly inhibited the growth of S. rolfsii LC1, with an inhibition efficiency of 78.41%. MALDI-TOF-MS analysis detected the presence of bacillomycin, surfactin, iturin, and fengycin in the fermentation liquid, all known for their antifungal properties. SEM and TEM observations revealed that the mycelial and cellular structures of S. rolfsii LC1 were markedly distorted when exposed to B. velezensis LT1. Discussion: The findings demonstrate that B. velezensis LT1 has considerable potential as a biocontrol agent against S. rolfsii LC1. The identified lipopeptides likely contribute to the antifungal activity, and the morphological damage to S. rolfsii LC1 suggests a mechanism of action. This study underscores the importance of exploring microbial biocontrol agents as a sustainable alternative to chemical fungicides in the management of plant diseases. Further research into the genetic and functional aspects of B. velezensis LT1 could provide deeper insights into its biocontrol mechanisms and facilitate its application in agriculture.

SESAM mode-locked Yb:GdScO3 laser.

We report on the investigation of continuous-wave (CW) and SEmiconductor Saturable Absorber Mirror (SESAM) mode-locked operation of a Yb:GdScO3 laser. Using a single-transverse-mode, fiber-coupled InGaAs laser diode at 976 nm as a pump source, the Yb:GdScO3 laser delivers 343 mW output power at 1062 nm in the CW regime, which corresponds to a slope efficiency of 52%. Continuous tuning is possible across a wavelength range of 84 nm (1027-1111 nm). Using a commercial SESAM to initiate mode-locking and stabilize soliton-type pulse shaping, the Yb:GdScO3 laser produces pulses as short as 42 fs at 1065.9 nm, with an average output power of 40 mW at 66.89 MHz. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of passively mode-locking with Yb:GdScO3 crystal.

Prenatal transposition of great arteries diagnosis and management: a Chinese single-center study.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the diagnostic value of prenatal echocardiography for identifying transposition of the great arteries (TGA) during pregnancy and evaluating the associated outcomes. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 121 prenatally diagnosed patients with TGA at our hospital between January 2012 and September 2022. This analysis included prenatal ultrasound, prenatal screening, clinical management and follow-up procedures. Results: Among the 103 fetuses considered in the study, 90 (87.4%) were diagnosed with complete transposition of the great arteries (D-TGA), while 13 (12.6%) exhibited corrected transposition of the great arteries (CC-TGA). Diagnoses were distributed across the trimester, with 8 D-TGA and 2 CC-TGA patients identified in the first trimester, 68 D-TGA patients and 9 CC-TGA patients in the second trimester, and 14 D-TGA and 2 CC-TGA patients referred for diagnosis in the third trimester. Induction of labour was pursued for 76 D-TGA patients (84.4%) and 11 CC-TGA patients (84.6%), and 14 D-TGA patients (15.6%) and 2 CC-TGA patients (15.4%) continued pregnancy until delivery. Among the D-TGA patients, 9 fetuses (10.0%) underwent surgery, two of which were inadvertent fatality, while the remaining seven experienced positive outcomes. Additionally, seven TGA patients received palliative care, leading to four fatalities among D-TGA patients (5.2%), whereas 1 D-TGA patients and 2 CC-TGA patients survived. Conclusion: This study underscores the feasibility of achieving an accurate prenatal diagnosis of TGA during early pregnancy. The utility of prenatal ultrasound in the development of personalized perinatal plans and the application of multidisciplinary treatment during delivery are conducive.