Inhibition of neutrophil swarming by type I interferon promotes intracellular bacterial evasion.

Listeria monocytogenes (LM) possesses the ability to breach multiple barriers and elicit intricate immune responses. However, there remains a lack of explicit understanding regarding how LM evades innate immune surveillance within the body. Here, we utilized liver intravital imaging to elucidate the dynamic process of LM during infection in the liver. We discovered that LM can rapidly escape from Kupffer cells (KCs) through listeriolysin O (LLO) and proliferate within hepatocytes. Upon LM exposure to the hepatic sinusoids, neutrophils rapidly aggregate at the site of infection. Subsequently, LM can induce type I interferon (IFN-I) production primarily in the spleen, which acts systemically on neutrophils to hamper their swarming by deactivating the ERK pathway, thus evading neutrophil-mediated eradication. Furthermore, our findings suggest that virus-induced IFN-I suppresses neutrophil swarming, and COVID-19 patients exhibit impaired neutrophil aggregation function. In conclusion, our findings provide compelling evidence demonstrating that intracellular bacteria represented by LM can hijack host defense mechanisms against viral infections to evade immune surveillance. Additionally, impaired neutrophil swarming caused by IFN-I is one of the significant factors contributing to the increased susceptibility to bacterial infections following viral infections.

Gypenosides alleviate oxidative stress in the hippocampus, promote mitophagy, and mitigate depressive-like behaviors induced by CUMS via SIRT1.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The use and efficacy of Gynostemma [Gynostemma pentaphyllum (Thunb.) Makino], a versatile traditional Chinese herb, was first documented in the renowned pharmacopoeia, "Compendium of Materia Medica". Gypenosides (Gps), saponin components are the primary constituents responsible for its biological activities and clinical effects, which include antioxidant, immunoregulatory, antitumor, and neuroprotective properties. Pharmacological studies have shown that Gps has the potential to combat depression. However, the exact molecular mechanisms underlying its antidepressant effects remain unclear. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aims to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the antidepressant effects of Gps through antioxidative stress, utilizing an integrated approach that includes network pharmacology, molecular simulations, and experimental validation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) and were orally administered doses of Gps (50 and 100 mg/kg) and fluoxetine (10 mg/kg). The regulatory effects of Gps on depression-like behaviors in CUMS rats and their impact on oxidative stress levels in the hippocampus region were evaluated. Network pharmacology was used to investigate the mechanisms by which Gps affects oxidative stress in depression, and was accompanied by molecular docking and dynamics simulations. CUMS rats were treated orally with Gps (100 mg/kg) and injected with EX527 for rescue experiments to validate the role of SIRT1 in antioxidative stress and evaluate the impact of Gps on mitophagy. RESULTS: Gps ameliorated depression-like behaviors induced by CUMS in rats. The improvements observed included an increased sucrose preference, reduced immobility time in the tail suspension and forced swim tests, and an increased movement distance in the open-field test. Additionally, Gps effectively reduced reactive oxygen species, malondialdehyde, and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine levels in the hippocampus, while increasing the contents of ATP, catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione, indicating an increased capacity for antioxidative stress in the hippocampus. Furthermore, Gps increased the number of neuronal cells in the hippocampal CA1 region and the level of mitochondrial autophagy, with SIRT1 as a potential key target. Inhibition of SIRT1 expression by exposure to EX527 reversed the beneficial effects of Gps, further validating the critical role of SIRT1 in the regulation of oxidative stress and improving depression-like behavior. CONCLUSION: Gps improved the antioxidative stress capacity of the hippocampus and promoted mitophagy in CUMS rats through SIRT1, thus protecting hippocampal neurons and improving depression-like behavior.

The neural circuit of Superior colliculus to ventral tegmental area modulates visual cue associated with rewarding behavior in optical intracranial Self-Stimulation in mice.

Visual system is the most important system of animal to cognize the information in outside world, and reward-related visual cues are the key factors in the consolidation and retrieval of reward memory. However, the neural circuit mechanism is still unclear. Superior Colliculus (SC) receive direct input from the retina and belong to the earliest stages of visual processing. Recent studies identified a specific pathway from SC to ventral tegmental area (VTA) that underlie specific innate behaviors, eg. flight or freezing, approach behaviors and so on. In present research, we investigated that inhibition of SC to VTA circuit with chemogenetics suppressed light cue-associated reward-seeking behaviors, while activation of the SC-VTA circuit with chemogenetic technology triggered the reward-seeking behaviors in optical intracranial self-stimulation for VTA DA neurons (oICSS) in mice. These findings suggest that neural circuit of SC-VTA mediates the retrieval of reward memory associated with visual cues, which will provide a new field for revealing the neural mechanism of pathological memory such as addiction.

Structural Analysis and Anticoagulant Activity of Fucosylated Glycosaminoglycan from Sea Cucumber Phyllophorus proteus.

Phyllophorus proteus is a low-value sea cucumber from Indonesia and other tropical peripheral waters. In this study, a fucosylated glycosaminoglycan (FG) was extracted from P. proteus. It consists of GlcA, GalNAc, and Fuc, with a molecular weight of 67.1 kDa. The degraded FG (dFG) was prepared by ß-elimination. Structural analysis revealed that the main chain of dFG was composed of GalNAc and GlcA, linked alternately by ß1,3 and ß1,4 glycosidic bonds. The sulfate group was located at the 4 and 6 positions of GalNAc. Fuc was attached to the 3 position of GlcA by an α1,3 glycosidic bond, and the side chain of Fuc exhibited various sulfate substitutions. FG significantly prolonged the coagulation time of APTT, PT, TT, and FIB, surpassing the effect of LMWH, thereby demonstrating its ability to exert anticoagulant effects in both the endogenous and exogenous coagulation pathways. Conversely, dFG had no significant effect on the clotting time of PT, suggesting its lack of impact on the intrinsic coagulation pathway. This study elucidates the structural properties and potent anticoagulant activities of fucosylated glycosaminoglycan from P. proteus.

Discovery of a novel nanomolar angiotensin-I converting enzyme inhibitory peptide with unusual binding mechanisms derived from Chlorella pyrenoidosa.

Chlorella pyrenoidosa (C. pyrenoidosa) has been cultivated in large quantities and proven to be antihypertensive when consumed orally. However, the antihypertensive peptides derived from C. pyrenoidosa remains scarce. In this study, trypsin was chosen to prepare the hydrolysate of C. pyrenoidosa, which was then fractionated by column chromatography. And ninety-nine peptides were identified by LC-MS/MS, after which 10 peptides were chosen by docking-based virtual screening and demonstrated their ability to inhibit ACE. Among them, LVAKA (LV-5) had the lowest IC50 (26.66 µM). LV-5, LKKAP, and PGLRP were identified as non-competitive ACE inhibitory peptides with significant stability under extreme pH and high temperatures conditions. Both in silico and in-vitro simulated gastrointestinal digestion revealed that these three peptides could release ACE inhibitory peptide fragments upon digestion. Sequence optimization of LV-5 led to the discovery of LRAKA (LR-5), which was identified as a novel nanomolar ACE peptide with an IC50 of 350 nM in-vitro and a potent antihypertensive peptide in-vivo. Moreover, molecular dynamic simulation indicated that LR-5 interacted with an unconventional binding site on ACE. These findings underscore the potential of Chlorella as a source of antihypertensive peptides and suggest a promising future for the use of Chlorella-derived peptides in hypertension management.

Deep learning model based on primary tumor to predict lymph node status in clinical stage IA lung adenocarcinoma: a multicenter study.

Objective: To develop a deep learning model to predict lymph node (LN) status in clinical stage IA lung adenocarcinoma patients. Methods: This diagnostic study included 1,009 patients with pathologically confirmed clinical stage T1N0M0 lung adenocarcinoma from two independent datasets (699 from Cancer Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and 310 from PLA General Hospital) between January 2005 and December 2019. The Cancer Hospital dataset was randomly split into a training cohort (559 patients) and a validation cohort (140 patients) to train and tune a deep learning model based on a deep residual network (ResNet). The PLA Hospital dataset was used as a testing cohort to evaluate the generalization ability of the model. Thoracic radiologists manually segmented tumors and interpreted high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) features for the model. The predictive performance was assessed by area under the curves (AUCs), accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 score. Subgroup analysis was performed to evaluate the potential bias of the study population. Results: A total of 1,009 patients were included in this study; 409 (40.5%) were male and 600 (59.5%) were female. The median age was 57.0 years (inter-quartile range, IQR: 50.0-64.0). The deep learning model achieved AUCs of 0.906 (95% CI: 0.873-0.938) and 0.893 (95% CI: 0.857-0.930) for predicting pN0 disease in the testing cohort and a non-pure ground glass nodule (non-pGGN) testing cohort, respectively. No significant difference was detected between the testing cohort and the non-pGGN testing cohort (P = 0.622). The precisions of this model for predicting pN0 disease were 0.979 (95% CI: 0.963-0.995) and 0.983 (95% CI: 0.967-0.998) in the testing cohort and the non-pGGN testing cohort, respectively. The deep learning model achieved AUCs of 0.848 (95% CI: 0.798-0.898) and 0.831 (95% CI: 0.776-0.887) for predicting pN2 disease in the testing cohort and the non-pGGN testing cohort, respectively. No significant difference was detected between the testing cohort and the non-pGGN testing cohort (P = 0.657). The recalls of this model for predicting pN2 disease were 0.903 (95% CI: 0.870-0.936) and 0.931 (95% CI: 0.901-0.961) in the testing cohort and the non-pGGN testing cohort, respectively. Conclusions: The superior performance of the deep learning model will help to target the extension of lymph node dissection and reduce the ineffective lymph node dissection in early-stage lung adenocarcinoma patients.

A systematic review on the techniques, long-term outcomes, and complications of partial breast irradiation after breast-conserving surgery for early-stage breast cancer.

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of four techniques of partial breast irradiation (PBI) including interstitial brachytherapy (ISBT), balloon-based brachytherapy (BBT), Intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) and three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) in the treatment for early-stage breast cancer patients after breast-conserving surgery. A systematic search was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items of Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines using the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and Web of Science databases. The inclusion criteria were clinical trials and observational studies that reported on outcome measures of principal PBI techniques. The methodological quality of the included research data was assessed using bias risk assessment tool with the Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies (MINORS), and the research information were analyzed using data analysis software. Clinical studies were collected from the earliest available date until September 2023. Fifty-one studies were included, with a total sample size of 7708. The results of network meta-analysis (NMA) showed that ISBT can lower the local recurrence (SUCRA: 73.8%). In terms of reducing distant metastasis, 3DCRT may be the best choice (SUCRA: 52.5%). And IORT has the highest 5-year overall survival (SUCRA: 90%). Furthermore, ISBT also has the advantages of lowest risk with fat necrosis (SUCRA: 72.5%), infection (SUCRA: 78.3%) and breast pain (SUCRA: 86.2%). BBT may be the optimal solution for fibrosis (SUCRA: 76.9%) and hyperpigmentation (SUCRA: 66.7%). 3DCRT has lower incidence of telangiectasia (SUCRA: 56.7%) and better cosmetic result (SUCRA: 85%). Postoperative PBI treatment using ISBT after breast-conserving surgery in patients with early-stage breast cancer may be a more valuable choice based on the treatment efficacy and is associated with fewer late side-effects. Large-scale, prospective, long-term studies are warranted to clarify the role of different PBI techniques in selected patients.

Altered brain activity associated with premature ejaculation improved by electroacupuncture in rats.

Background: Premature ejaculation (PE) is linked with abnormal brain activity that is modifiable by electroacupuncture (EA). Aim: In this study we aimed to explore the central pathological mechanism underlying EA in treating PE. Methods: Six-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into a PE group (n = 8) and a control group (n = 8) according to ejaculatory frequency during copulatory behavior. All rats underwent EA at the Zusanli acupoint (ST-36) for 4 weeks. Magnetic resonance imaging data were collected before and after EA. Outcomes: The behavioral parameters, plasma norepinephrine levels, fractional amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (fALFF), and regional homogeneity (ReHo) were evaluated. Results: The PE group ejaculated more times with shorter latency compared with controls. After EA, the ejaculation frequency of the PE group decreased, and the ejaculation latency period increased, with no changes observed in the control group. Norepinephrine levels were higher in the PE group than in the controls and were positively correlated with ejaculation frequency and negatively correlated with ejaculation latency. The PE group showed lower fALFF in the right striatum and higher ReHo in the brainstem compared with controls. After EA, controls showed decreased fALFF in the right striatum, left olfactory bulb, and dorsal fornix and increased ReHo in the right interpeduncular nucleus, as well as decreased ReHo in the left striatum, prelimbic system, right basal forebrain region, septal region, and olfactory bulb, while the model group exhibited increased fALFF in the right hypothalamic region, decreased fALFF in the left globus pallidum and right basal forebrain region and increased ReHo in the right interpeduncular nucleus, as well as decreased ReHo in the left striatum, olfactory bulb, basal forebrain region, dentate gyrus, right dysgranular insular cortex, and striatum. Compared with the controls after EA, the model group showed increased ReHo of the right hypothalamic region and decreased ReHo of the right dysgranular insular cortex. Clinical Implications: These findings might enhance the understanding of PE and contribute to new, targeted therapies for PE. Strengths and Limitations: The therapeutic effects might be achieved by EA inhibiting the activity in brain regions involved in ejaculatory behavior. However, the curative effect of acupuncture might be underestimated due to some curative effects of sham acupuncture used in the control group. Conclusion: In conclusion, the ejaculatory frequency of rats may be reduced and ejaculation latency could be extended by EA at ST-36, which might be achieved by the effects of this treatment on brain activity.

Inter-observer consistency on subsolid nodule follow-up recommendation based on National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines in low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) lung cancer screening.

Background: Follow-up management of pulmonary nodules is a crucial component of lung cancer screening. Consistency in follow-up recommendations is essential for effective lung cancer screening. This study aimed to assess inter-observer agreement on National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guideline-based follow-up recommendation for subsolid nodules from low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening. Methods: A retrospective collection of LDCT reports from 2014 to 2017 for lung cancer screening was conducted using the Radiology Information System and keyword searches, focusing on subsolid nodules. A total of 110 LDCT cases containing subsolid nodules were identified. Two senior radiologists provided standardized follow-up recommendation. Follow-up recommendation was categorized into four groups (0-, 3-, 6-, and 12-month). To ensure overall balance and representativeness of the follow-up categories, 60 scans from 60 participants were included (distribution ratio 1:1:2:2). Cases were categorised into follow-up recommendation groups by five observers following NCCN guidelines. Fleiss' kappa statistic was used to evaluate inter-observer agreement. Results: Overall accuracy rate for follow-up recommendation among five observers was 72.3%. Chest radiologists' overall agreement was significantly higher than radiology residents (P<0.01). The overall agreement among the five observers was moderate, with a Fleiss' kappa of 0.437. For all paired readers, the mean Cohen's kappa value was 0.603, with 95% confidence interval (CI) from 0.489 to 0.716. Chest radiologists demonstrated substantial agreement, evidenced by a Cohen's kappa of 0.655 (95% CI: 0.503-0.807). In contrast, the mean Cohen's kappa among radiology residents was 0.533 (95% CI: 0.501-0.565). The majority of cases with discrepancies, accounting for 73.5%, were associated with the same risk-dominant nodules. A higher proportion of part-solid nodule was a risk factor for discrepancies. Of the 600 paired readings, major discrepancies and substantial discrepancies were observed in 27.5% and 4.8% (29/600) of the cases. Conclusions: In subsolid nodules, category evaluation of observer follow-up recommendation based on NCCN guidelines achieved moderate consistency. Disagreements were mainly caused by measurement and type disagreements of identical risk-dominant nodules. Part-solid nodule was a contributor for discrepancies in follow-up recommendation. Major and substantial management discrepancies were 27.5% and 4.8% in the paired evaluations.

Radiation-induced YAP/TEAD4 binding confers non-small cell lung cancer radioresistance via promoting NRP1 transcription.

Despite the importance of radiation therapy as a non-surgical treatment for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), radiation resistance has always been a concern, due to poor patient response and prognosis. Therefore, it is crucial to uncover novel targets to enhance radiotherapy and investigate the mechanisms underlying radiation resistance. Previously, we demonstrated that NRP1 was connected to radiation resistance in NSCLC cells. In the present study, bioinformatics analysis of constructed radiation-resistant A549 and H1299 cell models revealed that transcription coactivator YAP is a significant factor in cell proliferation and metastasis. However, there has been no evidence linking YAP and NRP1 to date. In this research, we have observed that YAP contributes to radiation resistance in NSCLC cells by stimulating cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Mechanistically, YAP dephosphorylation after NSCLC cell radiation. YAP acts as a transcription co-activator by binding to the transcription factor TEAD4, facilitating TEAD4 to bind to the NRP1 promoter region and thereby increasing NRP1 expression. NRP1 has been identified as a new target gene for YAP/TEAD4. Notably, when inhibiting YAP binds to TEAD4, it inhibits NRP1 expression, and Rescue experiments show that YAP/TEAD4 influences NRP1 to regulate cell proliferation, metastasis and leading to radiation resistance generation. According to these results, YAP/TEAD4/NRP1 is a significant mechanism for radioresistance and can be utilized as a target for enhancing radiotherapy efficacy.

Sea surface carbon dioxide during early summer at the Tuandao nearshore time series site.

To investigate air-sea CO2 flux at the Qingdao nearshore site and its temporal variations, a high-resolution continuous observation of surface carbon dioxide partial pressure (pCO2) was carried out at Zhongyuan Pier near Tuandao from May 25 to July 8, 2019. It was observed that during this period, surface pCO2 varied between ∼490 and ∼690 µatm, mainly associated with sea surface temperature. Surface pCO2 also displayed substantial diurnal variations, with an average amplitude of 64 ± 21 µatm, largely dominated by biological activities. During the observational period, this site acted as a source of atmospheric CO2, releasing 361 mmol CO2 m-2. The notable diurnal variations in air-sea CO2 flux, such as the observed average amplitude of 10.9 mmol m-2 d-1 in this study, pose a challenge for accurately estimating the air-sea CO2 flux in coastal regions without high-resolution observations.

Thermal Rectification Modulation of Parallel Multiple Carbon/Boron Nitride Heteronanotubes.

Thermal rectification (TR) efficiency has always been an important concern for thermal rectifiers. However, in practical terms, the amount of heat conduction is equally not negligible. To get high values on both of them, the carbon nanotube arrays with high thermal conductivity and large heat conduction areas were considered, along with carbon/boron nitride heteronanotubes (CBNNTs) with excellent TR property. In our work, multiple CBNNT models are constructed, and the TR ratio under different conditions is investigated using nonequilibrium molecular dynamics, with double CBNNTs (D-CBNNTs) aligned in parallel as the main analytical object. It is shown that weakening the intertube coupling is an available way to enhance the TR ratio, and adjusting the heteronanotube length and spacing can also effectively regulate the TR. In the process of changing the coupling coefficient, we analyzed both phonon changes and atomic vibrations and got a good correspondence, and the BN region is more variable in D-CBNNTs. In addition, the covariation of phonon localization and intertube phonon exchange with the coupling coefficient results in an invariant backward heat flux in the D-CBNNT. Furthermore, by adjusting the carbon proportion and lowering the coupling coefficient in the model, an excellent TR ratio in four CBNNTs was obtained and its heat flux is even larger than the value at a carbon percentage of 50% in larger coupling. We fully utilized the phonon density of states, phonon participation rate, and mean square displacement. Our results demonstrate the possibility of multiple CBNNTs as thermal rectifiers and provide theoretical guidance for heteronanotube arrays to be applied.

Environmental factors drive latitudinal patterns of fine-root architectures of 96 xerophytic species in the dry valleys of Southwest China.

Fine-root architecture is critical feature reflecting root explorative and exploitative strategies for soil resources and soil space occupancy. Yet, studies on the variation of fine-root architecture across different species are scare and little work has been done to integrate the potential drivers on these variations along a biogeographical gradient in arid ecosystems. We measured root branching intensity, topological index, and root branching ratios as well as morphological traits (root diameter and length) in dry valley along a 1000 km latitudinal gradient. Influence of phylogeny, environmental factors on fine-root architecture and trade-offs among root traits were evaluated. With increasing latitude, the topological index and second to third root order branching ratio decreased, whereas first-to-second branching ratio increased. Root branching intensity was associated with short and thin fine roots, but has no significant latitudinal pattern. As a whole, soil microbial biomass was the most important driver in the variation of root branching intensity, and soil texture was the strongest predictor of topological index. Additionally, mean annual temperature was an important factor influencing first-to-second branching ratio. Our results suggest variations in fine-root architectures were more dependent on environmental variables than phylogeny, signifying that fine-root architecture is sensitive to environmental variations.

Luminescent Ln-MOFs for Chemical Sensing Application on Biomolecules.

At present, the application of rare-earth organic frameworks (Ln-MOFs) in fluorescence sensing has entered rapid development and shown great potential in various analytical fields, such as environmental analysis, food analysis, drug analysis, and biological and clinical analysis by utilizing their internal porosity, tunable structural size, and energy transfer between rare-earth ions, ligands, and photosensitizer molecules. In addition, because the luminescence properties of rare-earth ions are highly dependent on the structural details of the coordination environment surrounding the rare-earth ions, and although their excitation lifetimes are long, they are usually not burst by oxygen and can provide an effective platform for chemical sensing. In order to further promote the development of fluorescence sensing technology based on Ln-MOFs, we summarize and review in detail the latest progress of the construction of Ln-MOF materials for fluorescence sensing applications and related sensor components, including design strategies, preparation methods, and modification considerations and initially propose the future development prospects and prospects.

Novel Genes Associated With Atrial Fibrillation and the Predictive Models for AF Incorporating Polygenic Risk Score and PheWAS-Derived Risk Factors.

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common atrial arrhythmia, presents with varied clinical manifestations. Despite the identification of genetic loci associated with AF, particularly in specific populations, research within Asian ethnicities remains limited. In this study we aimed to develop predictive models for AF using AF-associated single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from a genome-wide association study (GWAS) on a substantial cohort of Taiwanese individuals, to evaluate the predictive efficacy of the model. METHODS: There were 75,121 subjects, that included 5694 AF patients and 69,427 normal control subjects with GWAS data, and we merged polygenic risk scores from AF-associated SNPs with phenome-wide association study-derived risk factors. Advanced statistical and machine learning techniques were used to develop and evaluate AF predictive models for discrimination and calibration. RESULTS: The study identified the top 30 significant SNPs associated with AF, predominantly on chromosomes 10 and 16, implicating genes like NEURL1, SH3PXD2A, INA, NT5C2, STN1, and ZFHX3. Notably, INA, NT5C2, and STN1 were newly linked to AF. The GWAS predictive power using polygenic risk score-continuous shrinkage analysis for AF exhibited an area under the curve of 0.600 (P < 0.001), which improved to 0.855 (P < 0.001) after adjusting for age and sex. Phenome-wide association study analysis showed the top 10 diseases associated with these genes were circulatory system diseases. CONCLUSIONS: Integrating genetic and phenotypic data enhanced the accuracy and clinical relevance of AF predictive models. The findings suggest promise for refining AF risk assessment, enabling personalized interventions, and reducing AF-related morbidity and mortality burdens.

Environmental aridity driving latitudinal pattern of biomass allocation fractions in root systems of 63 shrub species in dry valleys.

Fine roots and absorptive roots play key roles in acquiring resources throughout soil profiles and determining plant functions along environmental gradients. Yet, the geographical pattern of carbon allocation in fine roots, particularly in absorptive roots, and their relations with plant sizes and evironment are less understood. We sampled 243 xerophytic shrubs from 63 species distributed along the latitudinal gradient (23°N to 32°N) in dry valleys of southwest China and synthetically measured biomass fractions of plant organs, especially fine roots and absorptive roots (1st to 3rd root order). We identified latitudinal patterns of biomass allocation fractions of organs and their relationships with plant sizes and environmental factors. The latitudinal patterns of both absorptive root and fine-root fractions followed weak unimodal distributions; stem biomass fraction increased with the latitude, while the leaf biomass fraction decreased. The fraction of fine-root biomass had negative relationships with plant height and root depth. The fractions of root, fine root, and absorptive root biomass were largely explained by soil moisture. Furthermore, fraction of fine-root biomass increased in a relatively humid environment. Overall, soil moisture was the most important factor in driving latitudinal patterns of biomass fraction. Our study highlighted that functional redistribution of root system biomass was the critical adaptive strategy along a latitudinal gradient.

Prediction of high thermal rectification behavior in carbon/C3N heteronanotubes based on nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations.

Carbon/C3N heteronanotubes (CC3NNTs) have garnered significant interest for their distinctive performance and versatility across various applications. However, the understanding of interfacial heat transport within these heterostructures remains limited. This study aims to enrich the field by constructing models of CC3NNTs through the bonding of CNTs and C3NNTs, and employs nonequilibrium molecular dynamics (NEMD) simulations to predict their heat flux and thermal rectification (TR) effects. Placing the heat source in the CNT region induces a stronger heat flux compared to the C3NNT region, thus demonstrating a pronounced TR effect. This effect can be attributed to the mismatch in phonon spectra, as evidenced by the cumulative correlation factor derived from the phonon density of states (phonon DOS). Using this approach, we predict that the TR ratio for zigzag CC3NNTs (ZCC3NNT) significantly exceeds that of armchair CC3NNTs (ACC3NNT). Notably, in contrast to ACC3NNT, ZCC3NNT exhibits the phenomenon of negative differential thermal resistance in the backward heat flux with a temperature difference of Δ = 120 K. This phenomenon can be attributed to a lower phonon participation ratio at Δ = 120 K compared to other values of Δ. Subsequently, given that ZCC3NNT demonstrates the most pronounced TR ratio at room temperature, we explored how stress-strain, system size, defect density, and interface position impact the TR ratio. These insights are invaluable for guiding the design of thermal rectifiers, smart thermal management systems, and microelectronic processor coolers.

The effect of spermatic cord block on reducing the risk of vagal reflex during microsurgical subinguinal varicocelectomy: A randomized trial.

Purpose: This study aimed to compare the risk of vagal reflex during microsurgical subinguinal varicocelectomy (MSV) under general anesthesia (GA) with or without additional local anesthetic (LA) spermatic cord block (SCB). Method: A single-center randomized controlled trial was conducted between January 2022 and June 2023.300 patients with left-sided grade Ⅲ varicocele were randomly divided into two groups: SCB group (n = 153) and control group (n = 147)（computer-generated random numbers list）. During MSV under GA, the SCB group was given of ropivacaine for SCB before pulling the spermatic cord, while the control group was directly lifted. The primary outcome was the reduction in the lowest heart rate in the SCB group as compared with the control group during spermatic cord traction (SCT). Secondary outcomes included the reduction in the lowest blood pressure in the SCB group as compared with the control group; and the reductions in the lowest heart rate and lowest blood pressure as compared with baseline during SCT. The number of times that surgery and medications were suspended because of symptomatic reflex bradycardia was also recorded. Adverse events were also recorded as secondary outcomes. Result: Five patients in the SCB group and 10 patients in the CG were excluded. The lowest heart rate and systolic blood pressure during SCT in the SCB group and the control group were significantly lower than the baseline values (P < 0.05). However, the decrease in the SCB group (70-73bpm VS 108-115 mmHg) was milder than that of the control group（66-72 bpm VS 105-114 mmHg）(P < 0.05). The number of surgeries and medication pauses due to symptomatic reflex bradycardia during surgery was significantly lower in the SCB group (2 VS 1) than in the control group (9 VS 7) (P < 0.05). Conclusion: SCB can effectively reduce the vagal reflex caused by pulling the spermatic cord during MSV, and reduce the risk of anesthesia and surgery.

Injectable agents for the induction of Peyronie's disease in model rats: a comparative study.

Peyronie's disease (PD) is a disorder characterized by fibrous plaque formation in the penile tissue that leads to curvature and complications in advanced stages. In this study, we aimed to compare four injectable induction agents for the establishment of a robust rat model of PD: transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1), fibrin, sodium tetradecyl sulfate (STS) combined with TGF-ß1, and polidocanol (POL) combined with TGF-ß1. The results showed that injection of TGF-ß1 or fibrin into the tunica albuginea induced pathological endpoints without causing penile curvature. The STS + TGF-ß1 combination resulted in both histological and morphological alterations, but with a high incidence of localized necrosis that led to animal death. The POL + TGF-ß1 combination produced pathological changes and curvature comparable to STS + TGF-ß1 and led to fewer complications. In conclusion, fibrin, STS + TGF-ß1, and POL + TGF-ß1 all induced PD with a certain degree of penile curvature and histological fibrosis in rats. The POL + TGF-ß1 combination offered comparatively greater safety and clinical relevance and may have the greatest potential for PD research using model rats.