Band alignment of CoO(100)-water and CoO(111)-water interfaces accelerated by machine learning potentials.

Cobalt monoxide (CoO) nanomaterials have drawn attention for their remarkable photocatalytic water splitting without an externally applied potential or co-catalyst. The success of overall water splitting is due to the appropriate band edge positions of the catalyst, which span the redox potentials of water splitting. Typically, CoO nanomaterials possess complex morphologies, which consist of multiple active surfaces. As a result, the precise roles of the surfaces in the overall water-splitting process remain to be elucidated. In this work, we have undertaken a thorough investigation into the band alignments at the CoO(100)-water and CoO(111)-water interfaces using ab initio molecular dynamics and machine learning accelerated molecular dynamics simulations. The results of band alignment reveal that CoO(100) supports both the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction (HER) and the oxygen evolution reaction, whereas CoO(111) only facilitates the HER. Moreover, the variance in band positions between CoO(100) and CoO(111) results in an intrinsic potential difference, facilitating the migration of electrons toward CoO(100), while holes accumulate on CoO(111). The separation of photoexcited carriers effectively promotes water splitting in CoO.

GmBSK1-GmGSK1-GmBES1.5 regulatory module controls heat tolerance in soybean.

INTRODUCTION: Heat stress poses a severe threat to the growth and production of soybean (Glycine max). Brassinosteroids (BRs) actively participate in plant responses to abiotic stresses, however, the role of BR signaling pathway genes in response to heat stress in soybean remains poorly understood. OBJECTIVES: In this study, we investigate the regulatory mechanisms of GmBSK1 and GmBES1.5 in response to heat stress and the physiological characteristics and yield performance under heat stress conditions. METHODS: Transgenic technology and CRISPR/Cas9 technology were used to generated GmBSK1-OE, GmBES1.5-OE and gmbsk1 transgenic soybean plants, and transcriptome analysis, LUC activity assay and EMSA assay were carried out to elucidate the potential molecular mechanism underlying GmBSK1-GmBES1.5-mediated heat stress tolerance in soybean. RESULTS: CRISPR/Cas9-generated gmbsk1 knockout mutants exhibited increased sensitivity to heat stress due to a reduction in their ability to scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS). The expression of GmBES1.5 was up-regulated in GmBSK1-OE plants under heat stress conditions, and it directly binds to the E-box motif present in the promoters of abiotic stress-related genes, thereby enhancing heat stress tolerance in soybean plants. Furthermore, we identified an interaction between GmGSK1 and GmBES1.5, while GmGSK1 inhibits the transcriptional activity of GmBES1.5. Interestingly, the interaction between GmBSK1 and GmGSK1 promotes the localization of GmGSK1 to the plasma membrane and releases the transcriptional activity of GmBES1.5. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that both GmBSK1 and GmBES1.5 play crucial roles in conferring heat stress tolerance, highlighting a potential strategy for breeding heat-tolerant soybean crops involving the regulatory module consisting of GmBSK1-GmGSK1-GmBES1.5.

Analysis of Initial Outcomes of Gas-insufflation One-step Single-port Transaxillary (GOSTA) Robotic Thyroidectomy for Thyroid Cancer.

BACKGROUND/AIM: This study compared the initial outcomes of gas-insufflation one-step single-port transaxillary (GOSTA) robotic thyroidectomy with traditional open thyroidectomy for thyroid cancer at a single institution. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 77 patients who underwent thyroidectomy for differentiated thyroid cancer from January to June 2024. Exclusion criteria included benign nodules, Graves' disease, and previous thyroid surgeries. Two surgeons performed the procedures, with one having no prior robotic surgery experience. RESULTS: Of the 77 patients, 48 underwent open thyroidectomy and 29 underwent GOSTA thyroidectomy. The GOSTA group had a significantly lower mean age (40.1 vs. 47.6 years, p=0.002) and a higher proportion of female patients (p=0.040). The open group patients had more harvested lymph nodes than the GOSTA group patients (7.9 vs. 2.4, p<0.001). The GOSTA group patients had longer operation time (156.4 vs. 80.6 min, p<0.001), and had extended hospital stay than the open group patients (5.9 vs. 3.4 days, p<0.001). Complication rates were similar between the groups. CONCLUSION: GOSTA robotic thyroidectomy provides comparable safety and effectiveness to open thyroidectomy, with improved cosmetic outcomes despite longer operation times and hospital stays. This technique is feasible for surgeons without prior robotic experience, offering a viable alternative for patients prioritizing cosmetic results.

Mucosal Penetrative Polymeric Micelle Formulations for Insulin Delivery to the Respiratory Tract.

Purpose: Effective mucosal delivery of drugs continues to pose a significant challenge owing to the formidable barrier presented by the respiratory tract mucus, which efficiently traps and clears foreign particulates. The surface characteristics of micelles dictate their ability to penetrate the respiratory tract mucus. In this study, polymeric micelles loaded with insulin (INS) were modified using mucus-penetrative polymers. Methods: We prepared and compared polyethylene glycol (PEG)-coated micelles with micelles where cell-penetrating peptide (CPP) is conjugated to PEG. Systematic investigations of the physicochemical and aerosolization properties, performance, in vitro release, mucus and cell penetration, lung function, and pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) of polymeric micelles were performed to evaluate their interaction with the respiratory tract. Results: The nano-micelles, with a particle size of <100 nm, exhibited a sustained-release profile. Interestingly, PEG-coated micelles exhibited higher diffusion and deeper penetration across the mucus layer. In addition, CPP-modified micelles showed enhanced in vitro cell penetration. Finally, in the PK/PD studies, the micellar solution demonstrated higher maximum concentration (Cmax) and AUC0-8h values than subcutaneously administered INS solution, along with a sustained blood glucose-lowering effect that lasted for more than 8 h. Conclusion: This study proposes the use of mucus-penetrating micelle formulations as prospective inhalation nano-carriers capable of efficiently transporting peptides to the respiratory tract.

Effect of Paprika Powder on the Antioxidant Capacity of Emulsion-Type Sausages.

Antioxidant activity of freeze-dried paprika powder and storage properties of emulsion-type pork sausages containing diverse concentrations of this powder (0%, 1%, 2%, and 3%) were analyzed. Antioxidant activities of red and yellow paprika powders were analyzed by evaluating their 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), total phenol content (TPC), and total flavonoid content (TFC). The yellow paprika powder exhibited remarkably higher DPPH radical scavenging activity, FRAP values, and TPC than the red paprika powder (p<0.05), while TFC showed no remarkable difference between them (p>0.05). Storage properties of sausages containing the yellow paprika powder were analyzed by evaluating their water holding capacity, cooking yield, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS), and volatile basic nitrogen (VBN) values. The 3% yellow paprika powder group showed remarkably higher water-holding capacity and cooking yield compared to the 0% group (p<0.05). TBARS values were remarkably lower in the 2% and 3% yellow paprika powder groups than in the 0% group at all weeks (p<0.05). VBN value was remarkably lower in the 3% yellow paprika powder group than in the 0% group at all weeks (p<0.05). Overall, addition of 3% yellow paprika powder improved the storage properties of emulsion-type sausages.

Stereotactic body radiotherapy with sequential tislelizumab and chemotherapy as neoadjuvant therapy in patients with resectable non-small-cell lung cancer in China (SACTION01): a single-arm, single-centre, phase 2 trial.

BACKGROUND: Neoadjuvant immunotherapy with chemotherapy improves outcomes in patients with resectable non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Given its immunomodulating effect, we investigated whether stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) enhances the effect of immunochemotherapy. METHODS: The SACTION01 study was a single-arm, open-label, phase 2 trial that recruited patients who were 18 years or older and had resectable stage IIA-IIIB NSCLC from the Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China. Eligible patients received SBRT (24 Gy in three fractions) to the primary tumour followed by two cycles of 200 mg intravenous PD-1 inhibitor, tislelizumab, plus platinum-based chemotherapy. Surgical resection was performed 4-6 weeks after neoadjuvant treatment. The primary endpoint was major pathological response (MPR), defined as no more than 10% residual viable tumour in the resected tumour. All analyses were conducted on an intention-to-treat basis, including all patients who were scheduled for neoadjuvant treatment. The trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05319574) and is ongoing but closed to recruitment. FINDINGS: Between May 18, 2022, and June 20, 2023, 46 patients (42 men and four women) were enrolled and scheduled for neoadjuvant treatment. MPR was observed in 35 (76%, 95% CI 61-87) of 46 patients. The second cycle of immunochemotherapy was withheld in four (9%) patients due to pneumonia (n=2), colitis (n=1), and increased creatinine (n=1). Grade 3 or worse adverse events related to neoadjuvant treatment occurred in 12 (26%, 95% CI 14-41) patients. The most frequent treatment-related adverse event (TRAE) was alopecia (16 [35%] patients), and the most frequent grade 3 or worse TRAE was neutropenia (six [13%]). There was one treatment-related death, caused by neutropenia. No deaths within 90 days of surgery were reported. INTERPRETATION: Preoperative SBRT followed by immunochemotherapy is well tolerated, feasible, and leads to a clinically significant MPR rate. Future randomised trials are warranted to support these findings. FUNDING: BeiGene.

MiR-140-3p Improves Sensitivity to Docetaxel by Suppressing PD-L1/ABCG2/MVP Expression in Lung Adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) or lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) accounts for the majority of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and overexpression of programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) in these cells is known to induce tumor immune evasion or drug resistance. However, detailed studies are needed to determine whether microRNAs (miRNAs) that reduce PD-L1 expression can suppress drug resistance in NSCLC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Kaplan Meier plotter and Receiver Operating Characteristic plotter were used to determine the effect of specific miRNAs on survival and chemotherapy response in NSCLC patients. Cell viability, colony formation and invasion assays, and qPCR analyses were also performed. RESULTS: The expression of miRNA-140-3p (miR-140-3p) was lower in LUAD patients, compared to the normal group, and low expression of miR-140-3p was associated with poor survival of LUAD patients, but not in LUSC. The miR-140-3p mimic inhibited proliferation, colony formation, and invasion of LUAD cells. Interestingly, the expression of miR-140-3p was significantly lower in the group of LUAD patients who did not respond to docetaxel. In LUAD cells, combined treatment with miR-140-3p and docetaxel significantly reduced cell viability as well as the expression of ABCG2 and MVP, genes associated with drug resistance, compared to either treatment alone. Additionally, combined injection of miR-140-3p mimic and docetaxel significantly inhibited tumor growth compared to treatment with docetaxel alone. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the high expression of miR-140-3p in LUAD is correlated with good patient prognosis and may contribute to the treatment of LUAD, especially by increasing responsiveness to docetaxel.

TaMYB-CC5 gene specifically expressed in root improve tolerance of phosphorus deficiency and drought stress in wheat.

Phosphate deficiency and drought are significant environmental constraints that impact both the productivity and quality of wheat. The interaction between phosphorus and water facilitates their mutual absorption processes in plants. Under conditions of both phosphorus deficiency and drought stress, we observed a significant upregulation in the expression of wheat MYB-CC transcription factors through the transcriptome analysis. 52 TaMYB-CC genes in wheat were identified and analyzed their evolutionary relationships, structures, and expression patterns. The TaMYB-CC5 gene exhibited specific expression in roots and demonstrated significant upregulation under phosphorus deficiency and drought stress compared to other TaMYB-CC genes. The overexpression of TaMYB-CC5A in Arabidopsis resulted in a significant increase of root length under stress conditions, thereby enhancing tolerance to phosphate starvation and drought stress. The wheat lines with silenced TaMYB-CC5 genes exhibited reduced root length under stress conditions and increased sensitivity to phosphate deficiency and drought stress. In addition, silencing the TaMYB-CC5 genes resulted in altered phosphorus content in leaves but did not lead to a reduction in phosphorus content in roots. Enrichment analysis the co-expression genes of TaMYB-CC5 transcription factors, we found the zinc-induced facilitator-like (ZIFL) genes were prominent associated with TaMYB-CC5 gene. The TaZIFL1, TaZIFL2, and TaZIFL5 genes were verified specifically expressed in roots and regulated by TaMYB-CC5 transcript factor. Our study reveals the pivotal role of the TaMYB-CC5 gene in regulating TaZIFL genes, which is crucial for maintaining normal root growth under phosphorus deficiency and drought stress, thereby enhanced resistance to these abiotic stresses in wheat.

Identification of chitinase from Bacillus velezensis strain S161 and its antifungal activity against Penicillium digitatum.

Previous studies have demonstrated the presence of chitinase in Bacillus velezensis through extensive genomic sequencing and experimental analyses. However, the detailed structure, functional roles, and antifungal activity of these chitinases remain poorly characterized. In this study, genomic screening identified three genes-chiA, chiB, and lpmo10-associated with chitinase degradation in B. velezensis S161. These genes encode chitinases ChiA and ChiB, and lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase LPMO10. Both ChiA and ChiB contain two CBM50 binding domains and one catalytic domain, whereas LPMO10 includes a signal peptide and a single catalytic domain. The chitinases ChiA, its truncated variant ChiA2, and ChiB were heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli. The purified enzymes efficiently degraded colloidal chitin and inhibited the spore germination of Penicillium digitatum. Notably, even after losing one CBM50 domain, the resultant enzyme, consisting of the remaining CBM50 domain and the catalytic domain, maintained its colloidal chitin hydrolysis and antifungal activity, indicating commendable stability. These results underscore the role of B. velezensis chitinases in suppressing plant pathogenic fungi and provide a solid foundation for developing and applying chitinase-based biocontrol strategies.

Physical adsorption of OH- causes anomalous charging at oxide-water interfaces.

This study reveals a charging mechanism at oxide-water interfaces, solving the puzzle that challenges the traditional electrical double layer (EDL) model. We found that the experimentally measured zeta potential is caused by physically adsorbed OH-, instead of acidic dissociation of surface OHs and the first-layer water. This mechanism should apply for a wide range of material interfaces and could find applications in future.

Molecular O2 Dimers and Lattice Instability in a Perovskite Electrocatalyst.

Structural degradation of oxide electrodes during the electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is a major challenge in water electrolysis. Although the OER is known to induce changes in the surface layer, little is known about its effect on the bulk of the electrocatalyst and its overall phase stability. Here, we show that under OER conditions, a highly active SrCoO3-x electrocatalyst develops bulk lattice instability, which results in the formation of molecular O2 dimers inside the bulk and nanoscale amorphization induced via chemo-mechanical coupling. Using high-resolution resonant inelastic X-ray scattering and first-principles calculations, we unveil the potential-dependent evolution of lattice oxygen inside the perovskite and demonstrate that O2 dimers are stable in a densely packed crystal lattice, thus challenging the assumption that O2 dimers require sufficient interatomic spacing. We also show that the energy cost of local atomic rearrangements in SrCoO3-x becomes very low under the OER conditions, leading to an unusual amorphization under intercalation-induced stress. As a result, we propose that the amorphization energy can be calculated from the first principles and can be used to assess the stability of electrocatalysts. Our study demonstrates that extreme oxidation of electrocatalysts under OER can intrinsically destabilize the lattice and result in bulk anion redox and disorder, suggesting why some oxide materials are unstable and develop a thick amorphous layer under water electrolysis conditions.

Forensic height estimation using polygenic score in Korean population.

Height is known to be a classically heritable trait controlled by complex polygenic factors. Numerous height-associated genetic variants across the genome have been identified so far. It is also a representative of externally visible characteristics (EVC) for predicting appearance in forensic science. When biological evidence at a crime scene is deficient in identifying an individual, the examination of forensic DNA phenotyping using some genetic variants could be considered. In this study, we aimed to predict 'height', a representative forensic phenotype, by using a small number of genetic variants when short tandem repeat (STR) analysis is hard with insufficient biological samples. Our results not only replicated previous genetic signals but also indicated an upward trend in polygenic score (PGS) with increasing height in the validation and replication stages for both genders. These results demonstrate that the established SNP sets in this study could be used for height estimation in the Korean population. Specifically, since the PGS model constructed in this study targets only a small number of SNPs, it contributes to enabling forensic DNA phenotyping even at crime scenes with a minimal amount of biological evidence. To the best of our knowledge, this was the first study to evaluate a PGS model for height estimation in the Korean population using GWAS signals. Our study offers insight into the polygenic effect of height in East Asians, incorporating genetic variants from non-Asian populations.

Analytical method for studying acoustic fields radiated by general spherical sound sources in thermoviscous fluids.

The study of acoustic radiation from spherical sound sources plays a crucial role in understanding the thermoviscous effects in practical acoustic problems. However, finding a general solution of acoustic radiation from spherical sound sources in thermoviscous fluids remains a formidable challenge. To advance this issue, an analytical method is developed in this paper to calculate the acoustic field radiated by spherical sound sources with the isothermal boundary condition and arbitrary velocity boundary condition. The developed method is utilized to present the solutions of the acoustic field generated by an oscillating sphere and a general spherical sound source, and the accuracy and validity of these solutions are verified through analytical and numerical methods.

Designing a sparse sensor array for sound field reconstruction using compressive-equivalent source method.

The compressive-equivalent source method (C-ESM) can reconstruct the sound field radiated by sparsely distributed sound sources with a reduced number of sensors. To ensure the performance of the C-ESM, the transfer matrix between the sensors and equivalent point sources should exhibit sufficient incoherence. Given that the configuration of the sensor array affects this incoherence condition, concern regarding the sensor array design would arise. To address such concern, this paper proposes a sensor array design approach. The primary objective of this approach is to minimize the mean coherence of the transfer matrix within the developed iterative framework, providing the incoherence condition required by the C-ESM. Subsequently, the designed sensor array is utilized by the C-ESM for the reconstructions. The effectiveness and practicality of the proposed approach are validated through numerical simulations and experiments.

Step-induced double-row pattern of interfacial water on rutile TiO2(110) under electrochemical conditions.

Metal oxides are promising (photo)electrocatalysts for sustainable energy technologies due to their good activity and abundant resources. Their applications such as photocatalytic water splitting predominantly involve aqueous interfaces under electrochemical conditions, but in situ probing oxide-water interfaces is proven to be extremely challenging. Here, we present an electrochemical scanning tunneling microscopy (EC-STM) study on the rutile TiO2(110)-water interface, and by tuning surface redox chemistry with careful potential control we are able to obtain high quality images of interfacial structures with atomic details. It is interesting to find that the interfacial water exhibits an unexpected double-row pattern that has never been observed. This finding is confirmed by performing a large scale simulation of a stepped interface model enabled by machine learning accelerated molecular dynamics (MLMD) with ab initio accuracy. Furthermore, we show that this pattern is induced by the steps present on the surface, which can propagate across the terraces through interfacial hydrogen bonds. Our work demonstrates that by combining EC-STM and MLMD we can obtain new atomic details of interfacial structures that are valuable to understand the activity of oxides under realistic conditions.

Rice BARENTSZ genes are required to maintain floral developmental stability against temperature fluctuations.

BARENTSZ (BTZ), a core component of the exon junction complex, regulates diverse developmental processes in animals. However, its evolutionary and developmental roles in plants remain elusive. Here, we revealed that three groups of paralogous BTZ genes existed in Poaceae, and Group 2 underwent loss-of-function mutations during evolution. They showed surprisingly low (~33%) sequence identities, implying functional divergence. Two genes retained in rice, OsBTZ1 and OsBTZ3, were edited; however, the resultant osbtz1 and osbtz3 mutants showed similar floral morphological and functional defects at a low frequency. When growing under low-temperature conditions, developmental abnormalities became pronounced, and new floral variations were induced. In particular, stamen and carpel functionality was impaired in these rice btz mutants. The double-gene mutant osbtz1/3 shared these floral defects with an increased frequency, which was further induced under low-temperature conditions. OsBTZs interacted with OsMADS7 and OsMADS8, and the floral expressions of the OsTGA10 and MADS-box genes were correlatively altered in these osbtz mutants and responded to low-temperature treatment. These novel findings demonstrate that two highly diverged OsBTZs are required to maintain floral developmental stability under low-temperature conditions, and play an integral role in male and female fertility, thus providing new insights into the indispensable roles of BTZ genes in plant development and adaptive evolution.

The mechanism of interaction between tri-para-cresyl phosphate and human serum protein: A multispectroscopic and in-silico study.

Organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) pose the significant risks to the environment and human health and have become a serious public health issue. Tricresyl phosphates (TCPs), a group of aryl OPFRs, exhibit neurotoxicity and endocrine disrupting toxicity. However, the binding mechanisms between TCPs and human serum albumin (HSA) remain unknown. In this study, through fluorescence and ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) absorption spectroscopy, molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD), tri-para-cresyl phosphate (TpCP) was selected to explore potential interactions between HSA and TCPs. The results of the fluorescence spectroscopy demonstrated that a decrease in the fluorescence intensity of HSA and a blue shift were observed with the increasing concentrations of TpCP. The binding constant (Ka) was 2.575 × 104 L/mol, 4.701 × 104 L/mol, 5.684 × 104 L/mol and 9.482 × 104 L/mol at 293 K, 298 K, 303 K, and 310 K, respectively. The fluorescence process between HSA and TpCP involved a mix of static and dynamic quenching mechanism. The gibbs free energy (ΔG0) of HSA-TpCP system was -24.452 kJ/mol, -25.907 kJ/mol, -27.363 kJ/mol, and - 29.401 kJ/mol at 293 K, 298 K, 303 K, and 310 K, respectively, suggesting that the HSA-TpCP reaction was spontaneous. The enthalpy change (ΔH0) and thermodynamic entropy change (ΔS0) of the HSA-TpCP system were 60.83 kJ/mol and 291.08 J/(mol·>k), respectively, indicating that hydrophobic force was the major driving force in the HSA-TpCP complex. Furthermore, multispectral analysis also revealed that TpCP could alter the microenvironment of tryptophan residue and the secondary structure of HSA and bind with the active site I of HSA. Molecular docking and MD simulations confirmed that TpCP could spontaneously form a stable complex with HSA, which was consistent with the fluorescence experimental results. This study provides novel insights into the mechanisms of underlying the transportation and distribution of OPFRs in humans.

Totarol exhibits antibacterial effects through antibiofilm and combined interaction against vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis.

The rise of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) due to antibiotic overuse poses a significant threat to long-term care patients and those with impaired immune systems. Therefore, it is imperative to seek alternatives to overcome multidrug resistance. This study aimed to evaluate totarol, a natural compound derived from Podocarpus totara, for its antibacterial activity against vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis (VREF). Totarol exhibited potent antibacterial activity at a very low concentration of 0.25 µg/mL and demonstrated antibiofilm effects through biofilm inhibitory concentration and biofilm eradication concentration assays. Confocal laser scanning microscopy confirmed that totarol inhibited not only biofilm mass but also bacterial cell viability. The combinatorial use of sublethal concentrations of totarol and vancomycin showed antibacterial activity, as observed in the time-kill assay. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays revealed a concentration-dependent downregulation of key virulence genes (vanA, ace, asa, efaA, and esp) in VREF when exposed to totarol. In summary, totarol emerges as a promising adjuvant with vancomycin for inhibiting VREF, addressing vancomycin resistance and biofilm formation-critical challenges associated with VRE infection. Since this was an in vitro study, the role of totarol in the clinical implications of VREF treatment remains to be demonstrated.

Machine learning prediction model for gray-level co-occurrence matrix features of synchronous liver metastasis in colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Synchronous liver metastasis (SLM) is a significant contributor to morbidity in colorectal cancer (CRC). There are no effective predictive device integration algorithms to predict adverse SLM events during the diagnosis of CRC. AIM: To explore the risk factors for SLM in CRC and construct a visual prediction model based on gray-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) features collected from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). METHODS: Our study retrospectively enrolled 392 patients with CRC from Yichang Central People's Hospital from January 2015 to May 2023. Patients were randomly divided into a training and validation group (3:7). The clinical parameters and GLCM features extracted from MRI were included as candidate variables. The prediction model was constructed using a generalized linear regression model, random forest model (RFM), and artificial neural network model. Receiver operating characteristic curves and decision curves were used to evaluate the prediction model. RESULTS: Among the 392 patients, 48 had SLM (12.24%). We obtained fourteen GLCM imaging data for variable screening of SLM prediction models. Inverse difference, mean sum, sum entropy, sum variance, sum of squares, energy, and difference variance were listed as candidate variables, and the prediction efficiency (area under the curve) of the subsequent RFM in the training set and internal validation set was 0.917 [95% confidence interval (95%CI): 0.866-0.968] and 0.09 (95%CI: 0.858-0.960), respectively. CONCLUSION: A predictive model combining GLCM image features with machine learning can predict SLM in CRC. This model can assist clinicians in making timely and personalized clinical decisions.

Genetic evidence for a causal link between gut microbiota and arterial embolism and thrombosis: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study.

Background: Previous research has hinted at a crucial link between gut microbiota and arterial embolism and thrombosis, yet the causal relationship remains enigmatic. To gain a deeper understanding, we aimed to comprehensively explore the causal relationship and elucidate the impact of the gut microbiota on the risk through a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study. Methods: Genetic instrumental variables for gut microbiota were identified from a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of 18,340 participants. Summary statistics for IBS were drawn from a GWAS including 1,076 cases and 381,997 controls. We used the inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method as the primary analysis. To test the robustness of our results, we further performed the weighted median method, MR-Egger regression, and MR pleiotropy residual sum and outlier test. Results: We identified three bacterial traits that were associated with the risk of arterial embolism and thrombosis: odds ratio (OR): 1.58, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.08-2.31, p = 0.017 for genus Catenibacterium; OR: 0.64, 95% CI: 0.42-0.96, p = 0.031 for genus Dialister; and OR: 2.08, 95% CI: 1.25-3.47, p = 0.005 for genus Odoribacter. The results of sensitivity analyses for these bacterial traits were consistent (P<0.05). Conclusion: Our systematic analyses provided evidence to support a potential causal relationship between several gut microbiota taxa and the risk of arterial embolism and thrombosis. More studies are required to show how the gut microbiota affects the development of arterial embolism and thrombosis.