CESA-MCFormer: An Efficient Transformer Network for Hyperspectral Image Classification by Eliminating Redundant Information.

Hyperspectral image (HSI) classification is a highly challenging task, particularly in fields like crop yield prediction and agricultural infrastructure detection. These applications often involve complex image types, such as soil, vegetation, water bodies, and urban structures, encompassing a variety of surface features. In HSI, the strong correlation between adjacent bands leads to redundancy in spectral information, while using image patches as the basic unit of classification causes redundancy in spatial information. To more effectively extract key information from this massive redundancy for classification, we innovatively proposed the CESA-MCFormer model, building upon the transformer architecture with the introduction of the Center Enhanced Spatial Attention (CESA) module and Morphological Convolution (MC). The CESA module combines hard coding and soft coding to provide the model with prior spatial information before the mixing of spatial features, introducing comprehensive spatial information. MC employs a series of learnable pooling operations, not only extracting key details in both spatial and spectral dimensions but also effectively merging this information. By integrating the CESA module and MC, the CESA-MCFormer model employs a "Selection-Extraction" feature processing strategy, enabling it to achieve precise classification with minimal samples, without relying on dimension reduction techniques such as PCA. To thoroughly evaluate our method, we conducted extensive experiments on the IP, UP, and Chikusei datasets, comparing our method with the latest advanced approaches. The experimental results demonstrate that the CESA-MCFormer achieved outstanding performance on all three test datasets, with Kappa coefficients of 96.38%, 98.24%, and 99.53%, respectively.

Effect of the molecular weight of DOM on the indirect photodegradation of fluoroquinolone antibiotics.

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is ubiquitous and widespread in natural water and influences the transformation and removal of antibiotics. Nevertheless, the influence of DOM molecular weight (MW) on the indirect photodegradation of antibiotics has rarely been reported. This study attempted to explore the influence of the molecular weight of DOM on the indirect photodegradation of two fluoroquinolone antibiotics (FQs), ofloxacin (OFL) and norfloxacin (NOR), by using UV-vis absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. The results showed that indirect photodegradation was considered the main photodegradation pathway of FQs in DOM fractions. Triplet-state excited organic matter (3DOM*) and singlet oxygen (1O2) were the main reactive intermediates (RIs) that affected the indirect photodegradation of FQs. The indirect photodegradation rate of FQs was significantly promoted in DOM fractions, especially in the low molecular weight DOM fractions (L-MW DOM, MW < 10 kDa). The results of excitation-emission matrix spectroscopy combined with parallel factor analysis (EEM-PARAFAC) showed that terrestrial humic-like substances had a higher humification degree and fluorophore content in L- MW DOM fractions, which could produce more 3DOM* and 1O2 to promote the indirect photodegradation of FQs. This study provided new insight into the effects of DOM at the molecular weight level on the indirect photodegradation of antibiotics in natural water.

Risk Assessment of CHD Using Retinal Images with Machine Learning Approaches for People with Cardiometabolic Disorders.

BACKGROUND: Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death worldwide, constituting a growing health and social burden. People with cardiometabolic disorders are more likely to develop CHD. Retinal image analysis is a novel and noninvasive method to assess microvascular function. We aim to investigate whether retinal images can be used for CHD risk estimation for people with cardiometabolic disorders. METHODS: We have conducted a case-control study at Shenzhen Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, where 188 CHD patients and 128 controls with cardiometabolic disorders were recruited. Retinal images were captured within two weeks of admission. The retinal characteristics were estimated by the automatic retinal imaging analysis (ARIA) algorithm. Risk estimation models were established for CHD patients using machine learning approaches. We divided CHD patients into a diabetes group and a non-diabetes group for sensitivity analysis. A ten-fold cross-validation method was used to validate the results. RESULTS: The sensitivity and specificity were 81.3% and 88.3%, respectively, with an accuracy of 85.4% for CHD risk estimation. The risk estimation model for CHD with diabetes performed better than the model for CHD without diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: The ARIA algorithm can be used as a risk assessment tool for CHD for people with cardiometabolic disorders.

Japanese encephalitis virus restricts HMGB1 expression to maintain MAPK pathway activation for viral replication.

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is a typical insect-borne flavivirus and an important zoonotic pathogen that causes human viral encephalitis and reproductive failure in pigs. Various strategies were utilized by JEV to facilitate its replication. It is important to identify key molecules that mediate JEV infection, as well as to investigate their underlying mechanism. In this study, the critical role of high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), a non-histone, DNA-binding protein, was assessed in JEV propagation. Upon JEV infection, the HMGB1 mRNA and protein levels were down-regulated at late infection in Huh7 cells. JEV replication was significantly enhanced with HMGB1 knock-down by siRNA and knock-out by the CRISPR/Cas9 system, whereas JEV growth was restricted in HMGB1-over-expressed Huh7 cells. Further investigation showed that HMGB1 suppressed MAPK pathway, and demonstrated that the weakening of MAPK pathway negatively regulated JEV infection. Together, these results suggested that JEV restricted HMGB1 expression to maintain MAPK pathway activation for viral replication. Our data showed that HMGB1 played a key role in JEV infection, providing the potential for the development of a novel drug to combat JEV infection.

Calibration and Testing of Small High-Resolution Transition Edge Sensor Microcalorimeters with Optical Photons.

Pulses of narrow line-width optical photons can be used to calibrate and test sub-2 eV full-width at halfmaximum (FWHM) energy resolution transition-edge sensor (TES) microcalorimeters at low energies (< 1 keV), where it is very challenging to obtain X-ray calibration lines comparable to (or narrower than) the detector resolution. This scheme depends on the ability to resolve the number of 3 eV photons in each pulse, which we have recently demonstrated up to photon numbers of about 300. At LTD-18 we showed preliminary results obtained with this technique on a 0.25 eV baseline resolution TES microcalorimeter designed for the ultra-high-resolution subarray of the Lynx mission. The line-shape was well described by a simple Gaussian. However, the difficulty of delivering photons to the small 46 µm square absorbers resulted in a large thermal crosstalk signal, whose random nature is expected to rapidly degrade the observed energy resolution towards higher photon numbers/energies. We have since improved the coupling between the optical fiber and the TES absorber and report here our current results.

Avian Influenza A Virus Polymerase Recruits Cellular RNA Helicase eIF4A3 to Promote Viral mRNA Splicing and Spliced mRNA Nuclear Export.

The influenza A virus replicates in a broad range of avian and mammalian species by hijacking cellular factors and processes. Avian influenza A viruses (AIVs) generally propagated poorly in mammalian cells, but some mutants of virus-encoded RNA polymerase components, especially PB2 subunit, can overcome host restriction. Host factors associated with PB2 may be essential for efficient AIV replication in mammalian cells. Here, we infected human cells with the PB2 Flag-tagged replication-competent recombinant AIV and identified cellular proteins that coprecipitate with PB2 protein by mass spectrometry. We confirmed one of the coprecipitating host factors, DEAD-box protein eIF4A3, that interacts with viral PB2, PB1, and NP proteins. Depletion of endogenous eIF4A3 significantly reduced virus replication. Later studies showed that eIF4A3 is essential for viral RNA polymerase activity and viral RNAs synthesis. Upon systematic dissection of the influenza virus progeny mRNA generation, from pre-mRNA processing to nuclear export, we found that the depletion of eIF4A3 resulted in significant defects in the ratio of M2 to M1 and NS2 to NS1, and the proportion of viral spliced mRNA in the nucleus increased, indicating that eIF4A3 plays a significant function in viral nascent intron mRNA splicing and spliced mRNA (M2 and NS2) nuclear export. Additionally, we confirmed that in specific deletion of eIF4A3, the synthesis of reduced NS2 can significantly impair neo-synthetized viral ribonucleoprotein (vRNP) nuclear export. Taken together, our findings revealed that eIF4A3 is a key mediator of AIV polymerase activity, mRNA splicing, and spliced mRNA nuclear export.

Carbodicarbenes: Unexpected π-Accepting Ability during Reactivity with Small Molecules.

An investigation of carbodicarbenes, the less explored member of the carbenic complex/ligand family has yielded unexpected electronic features and concomitant reactivity. Observed 1,2-addition of E-H bonds (E = B, C, Si) across the carbone central carbon and that of the flanking N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) fragment, combined with single-crystal X-ray studies of a model Pd complex strongly suggests a significant level of π-accepting ability at the central carbon of the NHC moiety. This feature is atypical of classic NHCs, which are strong σ-donors, with only nominal π-accepting ability. The unanticipated π-acidity is critical for engendering carbodicarbenes with reactivity more commonly observed with frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs) rather than the more closely related NHCs and cyclic (alkyl)(amino)carbenes (CAACs).

A highly pathogenic porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus candidate vaccine based on Japanese encephalitis virus replicon system.

In the swine industry, porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) is a highly contagious disease which causes heavy economic losses worldwide. Effective prevention and disease control is an important issue. In this study, we described the construction of a Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) DNA-based replicon with a cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter based on the genome of Japanese encephalitis live vaccine virus SA14-14-2, which is capable of offering a potentially novel way to develop and produce vaccines against a major pathogen of global health. This JEV DNA-based replicon contains a large deletion in the structural genes (C-prM-E). A PRRSV GP5/M was inserted into the deletion position of JEV DNA-based replicons to develop a chimeric replicon vaccine candidate for PRRSV. The results showed that BALB/c mice models with the replicon vaccines pJEV-REP-G-2A-M-IRES and pJEV-REP-G-2A-M stimulated antibody responses and induced a cellular immune response. Analysis of ELSA data showed that vaccination with the replicon vaccine expressing GP5/M induced a better antibodies response than traditional DNA vaccines. Therefore, the results suggested that this ectopic expression system based on JEV DNA-based replicons may represent a useful molecular platform for various biological applications, and the JEV DNA-based replicons expressing GP5/M can be further developed into a novel, safe vaccine candidate for PRRS.

Biological Characterizations of H5Nx Avian Influenza Viruses Embodying Different Neuraminidases.

The H5 subtype virus of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus has caused huge economic losses to the poultry industry and is a threat to human health. Until 2010, H5N1 subtype virus was the major genotype in China. Since 2011, reassortant H5N2, H5N6, and H5N8 viruses were identified in domestic poultry in China. The clade 2.3.4.4 H5N6 and H5N8 AIV has now spread to most of China. Clade 2.3.4.4 H5N6 virus has caused 17 human deaths. However, the prevalence, pathogenicity, and transmissibility of the distinct NA reassortment with H5 subtypes viruses (H5Nx) is unknown. We constructed five clade 2.3.4.4 reassortant H5Nx viruses that shared the same HA and six internal gene segments. The NA gene segment was replaced with N1, N2, N6, ΔN6 (with an 11 amino acid deletion at the 58th to 68th of NA stalk region), and N8 strains, respectively. The reassortant viruses with distinct NAs of clade 2.3.4.4 H5 subtype had different degrees of fitness. All reassortant H5Nx viruses formed plaques on MDCK cell monolayers, but the ΔH5N6 grew more efficiently in mammalian and avian cells. The reassortant H5Nx viruses were more virulent in mice as compared to the H5N2 virus. The H5N6 and H5N8 reassortant viruses exhibited enhanced pathogenicity and transmissibility in chickens as compared to the H5N1 reassortant virus. We suggest that comprehensive surveillance work should be undertaken to monitor the H5Nx viruses.

PB2-588 V promotes the mammalian adaptation of H10N8, H7N9 and H9N2 avian influenza viruses.

Human infections with avian influenza H7N9 or H10N8 viruses have been reported in China, raising concerns that they might cause human epidemics and pandemics. However, how these viruses adapt to mammalian hosts is unclear. Here we show that besides the commonly recognized viral polymerase subunit PB2 residue 627 K, other residues including 87E, 292 V, 340 K, 588 V, 648 V, and 676 M in PB2 also play critical roles in mammalian adaptation of the H10N8 virus. The avian-origin H10N8, H7N9, and H9N2 viruses harboring PB2-588 V exhibited higher polymerase activity, more efficient replication in mammalian and avian cells, and higher virulence in mice when compared to viruses with PB2-588 A. Analyses of available PB2 sequences showed that the proportion of avian H9N2 or human H7N9 influenza isolates bearing PB2-588 V has increased significantly since 2013. Taken together, our results suggest that the substitution PB2-A588V may be a new strategy for an avian influenza virus to adapt mammalian hosts.

[Protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 12 negatively regulates cardiac HERG channel currents].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 12 (PTPN12) in regulating cardiac HERG channel currents. METHODS: The plasmids pcDNA3.1-PTPN12-RFP and herg mutant constructed by PCR technique were transfected into HEK293 cells via Lipofectamine 2000, and the cells stably expressing PTPN12 selected with G418 were identified by Western blotting with anti-PTPN12 antibody. HERG channel current in cells expressing HERG alone (HEK293/HERG cells), cells overexpressing PTPN12 (HEK293/HERG cells transfected with pCDNA3.1-PTPN12-RFP), PAO-treated cells (PTPN12/HERG cells treated with PAO), and herg mutant cells (HEK293/HERGY327A-Y700A-Y845A cells transfected with pcDNA3.1-PTPN12-RFP) were recorded by patch-clamp technique. RESULTS: The plasmids pcDNA3.1-PTPN12-RFP and herg mutant were successfully constructed, and the stable expressing cell lines were established. Red fluorescence was obversed in HEK293/HERG cells transfected with pcDNA3.1-PTPN12-RFP, and the protein expression of PTPN12 was detected. Overexpression of PTPN12 significantly decreased HERG current density in HEK293/HERG cells, and this change was significantly weakened in the inhibitor group and herg mutant group. CONCLUSION: PTPN12 negatively regulates cardiac HERG channel cerrent possibly by decreasing the phosphorylation level of HERG tyrosine residues. This finding provides further insight into the regulatory mechanism of HERG channel and the pathogenesis of long QT syndrome.

Down-regulation of the human ether-a-go-go-related gene in rat cardiac hypertrophy.

INTRODUCTION: Cardiac hypertrophy is a risk factor for QT prolongation and cardiac sudden death. In this study, the authors examined the expressional regulation on the rat human ether-a-go-go-related gene (HERG), which encodes a structural subunit of the rapid component of the delayed rectifier potassium current (I(Kr)), during myocardial hypertrophy using rat as a model system. METHODS: Cardiac hypertrophy was established in Sprague-Dawley rats by coarctation of the abdominal aorta [left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) group]. Sham-operated rats were defined as control group (Ctrl group). Hemodynamic, morphologic and histologic parameters were recorded 6 weeks after operation. In addition, the expression of HERG was also determined using a combination of real-time polymerase chain reaction, Western blot and immunohistochemical analyses. RESULTS: Compared with the sham-operated Ctrl group, abdominal aortic coarctation induced LVH in the LVH group, as evidenced by significantly increased ratios of heart weight/left ventricular weight to body weight and enlarged left ventricular myocytes in the histologic sections. The hemodynamic profile revealed significant increases in heart rate and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, as well as a decrease in the maximal rate of left ventricular pressure fall in the LVH rats, when compared with the Ctrl rats. Electrocardiograms showed prolonged QT and corrected QT intervals. On the molecular level, a significant reduction of HERG, messengerRNA and protein was observed in LVH group, which was inversely correlated with prolonged corrected QT (r = -0.842, P = 0.000). CONCLUSION: The expressional down-regulation of HERG gene may constitute a novel mechanism for QT prolongation during cardiac hypertrophy.

Connexin43 interacts with Caveolin-3 in the heart.

Gap junctions (GJs), collections of multiple intercellular channels between neighboring cells, are specialized channels facilitating intercellular electrical and chemical communication. GJs are important for synchronizing coupling and coordinated contraction in the heart, and are crucial regulators of heart gene transcription, cardiac development, and protection of ischemic cardiomyocytes through second messenger communication. Identification of proteins that interact with Connexin43 (Cx43), the predominant protein in cardiac GJs, may contribute to the understanding of GJ functional regulation. Using a yeast two-hybrid system, we identified Caveolin-3 (Cav3) as a new Cx43-interacting protein. This interaction was confirmed by co-immunoprecipitation and co-localization experiments. CX43 interacts with Cav3, suggesting that Cav3 may participate in the functional regulation of GJs.