SymTC: A symbiotic Transformer-CNN net for instance segmentation of lumbar spine MRI.

Intervertebral disc disease, a prevalent ailment, frequently leads to intermittent or persistent low back pain, and diagnosing and assessing of this disease rely on accurate measurement of vertebral bone and intervertebral disc geometries from lumbar MR images. Deep neural network (DNN) models may assist clinicians with more efficient image segmentation of individual instances (discs and vertebrae) of the lumbar spine in an automated way, which is termed as instance image segmentation. In this work, we proposed SymTC, an innovative lumbar spine MR image segmentation model that combines the strengths of Transformer and Convolutional Neural Network (CNN). Specifically, we designed a parallel dual-path architecture to merge CNN layers and Transformer layers, and we integrated a novel position embedding into the self-attention module of Transformer, enhancing the utilization of positional information for more accurate segmentation. To further improve model performance, we introduced a new data synthesis technique to create synthetic yet realistic MR image dataset, named SSMSpine, which is made publicly available. We evaluated our SymTC and the other 16 representative image segmentation models on our private in-house dataset and public SSMSpine dataset, using two metrics, Dice Similarity Coefficient and the 95th percentile Hausdorff Distance. The results indicate that SymTC surpasses the other 16 methods, achieving the highest dice score of 96.169 % for segmenting vertebral bones and intervertebral discs on the SSMSpine dataset. The SymTC code and SSMSpine dataset are publicly available at https://github.com/jiasongchen/SymTC.

Research on the mechanism of sea buckthorn leaf Fu tea in the treatment of hyperlipidemia.

Background: Hyperlipidemia (HLP) presents a significant challenge to global public health. Mounting evidence suggests that statins, the recommended first-line lipid-lowering agents, have significant adverse effects. Consequently, the quest for natural and efficacious alternative therapies is steadily emerging as a research priority for HLP prevention and treatment. Consumption of tea, which is rich in diverse biologically active compounds with the capacity to regulate lipid metabolism and combat obesity, has emerged as a promising alternative therapy. Sea buckthorn leaves are rich in a multitude of biologically active substances, have a hypolipidemic effect, and can be used as a raw material for tea because of their unique flavor. There is a suggestion that combining Aspergillus cristatus with tea could modify or boost the lipid-lowering active compounds present in tea, thereby increasing its efficacy in regulating lipid metabolism. Results: Sea Buckthorn Leaf Fu Tea (SBLFT) was obtained by fermentation when sea buckthorn leaves contained 42 % moisture, inoculated with Aspergillus cristatus 0.2 mL/g, and incubated for 8 d at constant temperature. Animal experiments demonstrated that SBLFT significantly inhibited body weight gain in HLP rats and reduced lipid content and serum oxidative stress. In addition, liver tissue sections and functional indices showed that SBLFT can improve liver morphology and function abnormalities. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction results indicated that the expression of Liver kinase B1 (LKB1), adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK), acetyl CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1), and sterol-regulatory element binding protein-1 (SREBP1c) gene related to lipid metabolism was altered. Conclusion: SBLFT improved HLP, specifically via promoting the expression of LKB1 in the liver of HLP rats, activating AMPK, and inhibiting ACC1 and SREBP1c expression, resulting in the inhibition of fatty acid and triglyceride synthesis-related enzymes at the transcriptional level.

Redescription of two species of Neoperla Needham, 1905 (Plecoptera, Perlidae) and new distribution records of Neoperlamnong Stark, 1987 in China.

Background: Two species of Neoperla from Guizhou Province, China, N.bituberculata Du, 2000 and N.dashahena Du, 2005 were described with brief morphological descriptions available only in Chinese and original illustrations being somewhat blurry. Recently, we examined type material of these two species and re-described them with clear colour pictures for the first time. New information: In this paper, detailed English descriptions and colour pictures of Neoperlabituberculata and N.dashahena are provided for the first time. The type locality of N.mnong Stark is from Vietnam and its geographical distribution is also discussed. Additionally, we also recorded the distribution of N.mnong Stark, 1987 in Guizhou, Hunan and Jiangxi Provinces of China for the first time and provided a geographical distribution map of this species.

Anti-CTLA-4 m2a Antibody Exacerbates Cardiac Injury in Experimental Autoimmune Myocarditis Mice By Promoting Ccl5-Neutrophil Infiltration.

The risk for suffering immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs)-associated myocarditis increases in patients with pre-existing conditions and the mechanisms remain to be clarified. Spatial transcriptomics, single-cell RNA sequencing, and flow cytometry are used to decipher how anti-cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 m2a antibody (anti-CTLA-4 m2a antibody) aggravated cardiac injury in experimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM) mice. It is found that anti-CTLA-4 m2a antibody increases cardiac fibroblast-derived C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 1 (Cxcl1), which promots neutrophil infiltration to the myocarditic zones (MZs) of EAM mice via enhanced Cxcl1-Cxcr2 chemotaxis. It is identified that the C-C motif chemokine ligand 5 (Ccl5)-neutrophil subpopulation is responsible for high activity of cytokine production, adaptive immune response, NF-κB signaling, and cellular response to interferon-gamma and that the Ccl5-neutrophil subpopulation and its-associated proinflammatory cytokines/chemokines promoted macrophage (Mφ) polarization to M1 Mφ. These altered infiltrating landscape and phenotypic switch of immune cells, and proinflammatory factors synergistically aggravated anti-CTLA-4 m2a antibody-induced cardiac injury in EAM mice. Neutralizing neutrophils, Cxcl1, and applying Cxcr2 antagonist dramatically alleviates anti-CTLA-4 m2a antibody-induced leukocyte infiltration, cardiac fibrosis, and dysfunction. It is suggested that Ccl5-neutrophil subpopulation plays a critical role in aggravating anti-CTLA-4 m2a antibody-induced cardiac injury in EAM mice. This data may provide a strategic rational for preventing/curing ICIs-associated myocarditis.

Microseismic comprehensive evaluation method for coal burst: a case study in the Zhaolou Coal Mine.

To explore the multiparameter precursor characteristics of pre- and post-coal burst. Based on a coal burst of LW 1305 in the Zhaolou Coal Mine, an early warning method combining stress‒strain curve and microseismic multiparameter is proposed. The research results show that coal burst was induced by the intrinsic static high-stress concentration and the strong external impact loading generated by fracturing of the key stratum. The precursors mainly characterize the enhancement trend of the S value, the sudden and sharp increase in the A(t) value, the continuous and abnormal decrease in the b value, the increasing absolute value of Z sharply and larger than 2, the continuous and abnormal decrease in the Qt value, and the dominant frequency moving to the low-frequency band. Essentially, many micro-fissures inside the key stratum initiated, converged and connected to form macro-fractures, which was verified by the attenuation rate of the K value. Considering the time-varying effect of the overlying stratum movement, the curves of the six parameters agree well with those of stress vs. strain, which indicates that it is reasonable to take the observed zone as a whole system to investigate the variation in the multiple parameters and fracturing of the key stratum. The research results can be applied to the monitoring, early warning and control of coal burst so that effective safety measures can be taken in real time.

Development and validation of a preoperative radiomics-based nomogram to identify patients who can benefit from splenic hilar lymphadenectomy: a pooled analysis of three prospective trials.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to use preoperative computed tomography images to develop a radiomic nomogram to select patients who would benefit from spleen-preserving splenic hilar (No.10) lymphadenectomy (SPSHL). METHODS: A pooled analysis of three distinct prospective studies was performed. The splenic hilar lymph node (SHLN) ratio (sLNR) was established as the quotient of the number of metastatic SHLN to the total number of SHLN. Radiomic features reflecting the phenotypes of the primary tumor (RS1) and SHLN region (RS2) were extracted and used as predictive factors for sLNR. RESULTS: This study included 733 patients: 301 in the D2 group and 432 in the D2+No.10 group. The optimal sLNR cutoff value was set at 0.4, and the D2+No.10 group was divided into three groups: sLNR=0, sLNR≤0.4, and sLNR>0.4. Patients in the D2+No. 10 group were randomly divided into the training (n=302) and validation (n=130) cohorts. The AUCs value of the nomogram, including RS1 and RS2, were 0.952 in the training cohort and 0.888 in the validation cohort. The entire cohort was divided into three groups based on the nomogram scores: low, moderate and high SHLN metastasis burden groups (LMB, MMB and HMB, respectively). A similar 5-year OS rate was found between the D2 and D2+No. 10 groups in the LMB and HMB groups. In the MMB group, the 5-year OS of the D2+No. 10 group (73.4%) was significantly higher than that of the D2 group (37.6%) (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The nomogram showed good predictive ability for distinguishing patients with various SHLN metastasis burdens. It can accurately identify patients who would benefit from SPSHL.

Antibody Levels and Infection Status of Pertussis in the Population under Pertussis Resurgence in Guangxi in 2018: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

Objective: Pertussis cases have increased markedly since 2018 in Guangxi. The aim of this study was to evaluate antibody levels and the infection status of pertussis in the resident population. Method: A total of 10,215 serum samples from residents were collected from August-November 2018 and tested for anti-pertussis IgG and toxin IgG using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: Of the collected samples, 1,833 (17.94%) tested positive for anti-pertussis IgG, with the median concentration of 16.06 IU/mL. Antibody level < 10 IU/mL accounted for more than 60% in children under 4 years of age, but declined with age, whereas the percentages of the other three levels (10-40, 40-50, and ≥ 50 IU/mL) increased almost with age ( P < 0.001). Moreover, 7,924 samples were selected for anti-pertussis toxin IgG, of which 653 (8.24%) tested positive (≥ 40 IU/mL) with the median concentration of 5.89 IU/mL, and 204 participants (2.56%) had recent pertussis infection (≥ 100 IU/mL). Among the different age groups, the highest rates of positivity and recent infection were observed at 11-20 years of age, the lowest positivity rate at 5 years of age, and the lowest recent infection rate at 4 years of age ( P < 0.001, P = 0.005, respectively). Conclusion: The survey results showed that all age groups in Guangxi lacked immunity against pertussis, which was one of the main factors contributing to the resurgence of pertussis in 2018. In addition, the prevalence of pertussis is relatively high in Guangxi, and its incidence is seriously underestimated, especially in adolescents and adults.

A Multivariate Logistic Regression Analysis of Risk Factors for Peri-implant Bone Loss.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate multiple risk factors of peri-implant bone loss. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A case-control study was conducted on patients who had received dental implants treatment from January 2018 to December 2021. Implants with bone loss were included in the case group, and implants with no bone loss were included in the control group. Risk factors including history of periodontitis, abutment connection type, implant surface, diameter, location, three-dimensional position, opposing dentition, adjacent teeth, prosthetic type, retention type and custom abutment were evaluated. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to evaluate these risk factors, providing corresponding odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: A total of 776 implants in 479 patients were included in the analysis. The number of implants in the case group and the control group were 84 and 692, respectively. Cement-retained prostheses (OR=2.439, 95%CI=1.241-4.795) and nonplatform switch design (OR=2.055, 95%CI=1.167-3.619) were identified as weak risk factors. Horizontal deviation (OR=4.177, 95%CI=2.265-7.703) was a moderate risk factor. Vertical deviation (OR=10.107, 95%CI=5.280-19.347) and implants located in the mandibular molar region (OR=10.427, 95%CI=1.176-92.461) were considered high risk factors. CONCLUSION: Implants in the molar region, cement retained, non-platform switch design, and poor three-dimensional implant positioning are identified as significant risk factors for peri-implant bone loss.

Effect of smoking on prostate cancer: Results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003-2018 and Mendelian randomization analyses.

INTRODUCTION: The controversial relationship between smoking and prostate cancer (PCa) risk prompted us to conduct a cross-sectional study using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database and apply Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses in order to clarify the possible causal effect of smoking on PCa risk. METHODS: Using univariate and multivariate logistic regression methods, a secondary analysis of the pooled 2003-2018 NHANES dataset was performed to explore the association between smoking and PCa risk. Propensity-score matching was used to reduce selection bias. Then, we conducted subsequent MR analysis study to investigate the potential causal effect of smoking on PCa risk, with genetic variants of four exposure factors including the lifetime smoking index, light smoking, smoking initiation, and the amount of smoking per day obtained from genome-wide association studies, and PCa summary statistics obtained from three database populations. Inverse-variance weighting was the primary analytical method, and weighted median and MR-Egger regression were used for sensitivity analyses. The MR results for the three PCa databases were combined using meta-analysis. RESULTS: The study included 16073 NHANES subjects, comprising 554 with PCa and 15519 without PCa. Logistic regression before and after matching did not reveal any significant association. Meta-analysis of the MR results also did not support an association of PCa risk with lifetime smoking index (OR=0.95; 95% CI: 0.83-1.09), light smoking (OR=1.00; 95% CI: 0.95-1.06), smoking initiation (OR=0.99, 95% CI=0.99-1.00), or the amount of smoking per day (OR=1.00; 95% CI: 0.99-1.00) and PCa risk. CONCLUSIONS: There was no evidence for an association between smoking and the risk of PCa. Further studies are needed to determine if there are any associations of other forms of smoking with the risk of PCa at different stages.

NIR-II emissive anionic copper nanoclusters with intrinsic photoredox activity in single-electron transfer.

Ultrasmall copper nanoclusters have recently emerged as promising photocatalysts for organic synthesis, owing to their exceptional light absorption ability and large surface areas for efficient interactions with substrates. Despite significant advances in cluster-based visible-light photocatalysis, the types of organic transformations that copper nanoclusters can catalyze remain limited to date. Herein, we report a structurally well-defined anionic Cu40 nanocluster that emits in the second near-infrared region (NIR-II, 1000-1700 nm) after photoexcitation and can conduct single-electron transfer with fluoroalkyl iodides without the need for external ligand activation. This photoredox-active copper nanocluster efficiently catalyzes the three-component radical couplings of alkenes, fluoroalkyl iodides, and trimethylsilyl cyanide under blue-LED irradiation at room temperature. A variety of fluorine-containing electrophiles and a cyanide nucleophile can be added onto an array of alkenes, including styrenes and aliphatic olefins. Our current work demonstrates the viability of using readily accessible metal nanoclusters to establish photocatalytic systems with a high degree of practicality and reaction complexity.

Exploration for the Priority of HIV Intervention: Modelling Health Impact and Cost-Effectiveness - Six Cities, Eastern China, 2019-2028.

Introduction: In order to enhance the effectiveness of resource allocation, regions must tailor their responses to their specific epidemiological and economic situations. Methods: Utilizing Spectrum software, we projected the cost-effectiveness of 10 chosen HIV interventions in six cities in eastern China from 2019 to 2028. We assessed three scenarios - Base, Achievable, and Idealized - for each city. The analysis included the projected number of HIV infections and deaths averted, as well as the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios for each intervention in the six cities. Results: In Shijiazhuang, Wuxi, Yantai, and Zhenjiang, cities with initially low antiretroviral therapy (ART) coverage, ART showed significant effectiveness, especially for males. Conversely, in Foshan and Ningbo, where ART coverage was notably high, oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for men who have sex with men (MSM) proved effective in the Idealized scenario. MSM outreach, ART for males, and ART for females demonstrated cost-effectiveness across all six cities in both Achievable and Idealized scenarios at the predefined thresholds for each city. Discussion: Maintaining an appropriate coverage rate for outreach to MSM can lead to cost-effectiveness. In cities with low ART coverage, scaling up ART remains a crucial intervention. In regions with high ART coverage, consideration may be given to the utilization of oral PrEP for MSM individuals, requiring budget allocation.

Detection of α-thalassemia South-East Asian deletion based on a fully integrated digital polymerase chain reaction system DropXpert S6.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to establish a droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) assay for South-East Asian (SEA) deletion based on a fully integrated digital PCR system DropXpert S6. METHODS: A total of 151 whole blood samples, 10 chorionic villus samples, and 17 amniotic fluid samples were collected, including 106 SEA heterozygotes, 43 normal individuals, 10 Hb Bart's hydrops details, and 19 SEA deletions combined with other genotypes.Genotypes of these samples were determined by the Gap-PCR method. We perform a series of optimizations of the ddPCR system to ensure the performance of the entire ddPCR reaction, such as droplet stability, fluorescence clustering, sensitivity, and accuracy. RESULTS: Our assay exhibited 99.4% (177/178) accuracy compared with the Gap-PCR method, and the minimum detection limit of DNA was 0.1 ng/µL.Both targets have reliable linearity, R2 = 0.9999 for the α-thalassemia SEA deletion allele and R2 = 1 for the wild-type allele. The coefficient of variation for α-thalassemia SEA deletion allele detection at 2 and 10 ng/µL concentrations was 5.42% and 1.91%, respectively. In contrast, the coefficient of variation for wild-type allele detection was 4.06% and 1.83%, demonstrating its high quantitative accuracy. In addition, the DropXpert S6 PCR system showed some advantages over other ddPCR instruments, such as reducing testing costs, simplifying and automating the workflow. CONCLUSIONS: The DropXpert S6 PCR system provided a highly accurate diagnosis for α-thalassemia SEA deletion and can be used to detect α-thalassemia as an alternative method.

Effects of taurine on metabolomics of bovine mammary epithelial cells under high temperature conditions.

High temperature induces heat stress, adversely affecting the growth and lactation performance of cows. Research has shown the protective effect of taurine against hepatotoxicity both in vivo and in vitro. This study aimed to investigate the effect of taurine on the metabolomics of mammary epithelial cells of dairy cows under high-temperature conditions. Mammary epithelial cells were exposed to 0 mmol/L (HS, control), 8 mmol/L (HT-8), and 32 mmol/L (HT-32) of taurine, then incubated at 42°C for 6 h. Metabolomics analysis was conducted using Liquid Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer (LC-MS). Compared with the HS group, 2,873 and 3,243 metabolites were detected in the HT-8 group in positive and negative ion modes. Among these, 108 and 97 metabolites were significantly upregulated in positive and negative ion modes, while 60 and 166 metabolites were downregulated. Notably, 15 different metabolites such as palmitic acid, adenine and hypoxanthine were screened out in the HT-8 group. Compared with the HS group, 2,873 and 3,243 metabolites were, respectively, detected in the HT-32 group in the positive and negative ion modes. Among those metabolites, 206 metabolites were significantly up-regulated, while 206 metabolites were significantly downregulated in the positive mode. On the other hand, 497 metabolites were significantly upregulated in the negative mode, while 517 metabolites were reported to be downregulated. Noteworthy, 30 distinct metabolites, such as palmitic acid, phytosphingosine, hypoxanthine, nonanoic acid, and octanoic acid, were screened out in the HT-32 group. KEGG enrichment analysis showed that these metabolites were mainly involved in lipid metabolism, purine metabolism and other biological processes. Overall, our study indicates that taurine supplementation alters the metabolites primarily associated with purine metabolism, lipid metabolism and other pathways to alleviate heat stress in bovine mammary epithelial cells.

[Application of LA-UNet network model in remote sensing classification of urban green space]. / LA-UNet网络模型在城市绿地遥感分类中的应用.

The accurate identification and monitoring of urban green space is of great significance in urban planning and ecological management. In view of the complex background of urban green space, the traditional remote sensing classification technology is prone to the problem of misalignment and adhesion. Taking Yuhua District of Changsha City as the research area and Gaofen-2 (GF-2) remote sensing image as the data source, we proposed a remote sensing classification method for urban green space based on the LA-UNet model, which was based on the UNet model. We introduced the DWTCA channel attention mechanism module to improve the attention of the network to green space information, and used the CARAFE module to up sample the extracted features to achieve accurate classification of trees, shrubs and other land types in the complex background of the city. The results showed that the LA-UNet model had the best classification effect of urban green space when using standard false color remote sensing images. The overall accuracy and mean intersection over union were 96.3% and 90.9%, which were 2.8% and 6.1% higher than the UNet model, respectively. In the Potsdam public dataset, the overall accuracy and mean intersection over union of the LA-UNet model were also better than those of the UNet model, which increased by 0.9% and 1.8%, respectively, indicating that the LA-UNet model had good robustness and versatility. In summary, the proposed LA-UNet model could effectively alleviate the problems of misalignment and adhesion of urban green space, with advantages in the remote sensing classification of urban green space. The improved LA-UNet model had a smaller parameter volume than the UNet model, which could effectively improve the classification accuracy of urban green space. This study would provide a methodological reference for the accurate classification and understanding the spatial distribution of urban green space.

One-step electrodeposition synthesis of NiFePS on carbon cloth as self-supported electrodes for electrochemical overall water splitting.

Electrocatalytic water splitting (EWS) for hydrogen production is considered an ideal strategy for utilizing renewable energy, reducing fossil fuel consumption, and addressing environmental pollution issues. Traditional noble metal electrocatalysts have excellent performance, but their cost is high. Developing efficient, stable, and relatively inexpensive dual functional electrocatalysts is crucial for promoting large-scale EWS hydrogen production processes. Herein, a simple one-step electrodeposition method was used to grow nickel-iron phosphorus-sulfides (NiFePS) on the surface of hydrophilic treated carbon cloth (CC). The resultant NiFePS/CC with a phosphorus to sulfur ratio of 1:4 exhibited the best electrocatalytic performance, requiring only -91 mV and 216 mV overpotentials to generate the current densities of 10 mA·cm-2 in hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER), respectively. When it was used as a bifunctional electrocatalyst to overall water splitting (OWS), a voltage of 1.536 V can generate a current density of 10 mA·cm-2. The excellent electrocatalytic performance can be ascribed to two factors: 1) the CC with excellent conductivity serves as a growth substrate, reducing the impedance of charge transfer from the electrode to the electrolyte and accelerating the electron transfer rate; 2) The large number of ultra-thin nanosheets formed on the surface of the catalyst increase the electrochemical specific surface area, expose more reaction sites, and thus improve the electrocatalytic reaction performance. This work provides a new approach for designing efficient non-noble metal electrocatalysts for water splitting.

Single-cell transcriptomic profiling reveals decreased ER protein Reticulon3 drives the progression of renal fibrosis.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) poses a significant global health dilemma, emerging from complex causes. Although our prior research has indicated that a deficiency in Reticulon-3 (RTN3) accelerates renal disease progression, a thorough examination of RTN3 on kidney function and pathology remains underexplored. To address this critical need, we generated Rtn3-null mice to study the consequences of RTN3 protein deficiency on CKD. Single-cell transcriptomic analyses were performed on 47,885 cells from the renal cortex of both healthy and Rtn3-null mice, enabling us to compare spatial architectures and expression profiles across 14 distinct cell types. Our analysis revealed that RTN3 deficiency leads to significant alterations in the spatial organization and gene expression profiles of renal cells, reflecting CKD pathology. Specifically, RTN3 deficiency was associated with Lars2 overexpression, which in turn caused mitochondrial dysfunction and increased reactive oxygen species levels. This shift induced a transition in renal epithelial cells from a functional state to a fibrogenic state, thus promoting renal fibrosis. Additionally, RTN3 deficiency was found to drive the endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition process and disrupt cell-cell communication, further exacerbating renal fibrosis. Immunohistochemistry and Western-Blot techniques were used to validate these observations, reinforcing the critical role of RTN3 in CKD pathogenesis. The deficiency of RTN3 protein in CKD leads to profound changes in cellular architecture and molecular profiles. Our work seeks to elevate the understanding of RTN3's role in CKD's narrative and position it as a promising therapeutic contender.

Historic dog Furs Unravel the Origin and Artificial Selection of Modern Nordic Lapphund and Elkhound dog Breeds.

The origins and extreme morphological evolution of the modern dog breeds are poorly studied because the founder populations are extinct. Here, we analyse eight 100 to 200 years old dog fur samples obtained from traditional North Swedish clothing, to explore the origin and artificial selection of the modern Nordic Lapphund and Elkhound dog breeds. Population genomic analysis confirmed the Lapphund and Elkhound breeds to originate from the local dog population, and showed a distinct decrease in genetic diversity in agreement with intense breeding. We identified eleven genes under positive selection during the breed development. In particular, the MSRB3 gene, associated with breed-related ear morphology, was selected in all Lapphund and Elkhound breeds, and functional assays showed that a SNP mutation in the 3'UTR region suppresses its expression through miRNA regulation. Our findings demonstrate analysis of near-modern dog artifacts as an effective tool for interpreting the origin and artificial selection of the modern dog breeds.

Antioxidant effect of gallic acid on retinal ganglion cells in glaucoma model.

To evaluate the protective effect of gallic acid on the optic nerve by studying the inhibitory effect of gallic acid on oxidative stress in retinal ganglion cells. 100 male SD rats were randomly divided into four groups: normal control group, simple high IOP group, 0.5% gallic acid experimental group, and 1% gallic acid experimental group. HE staining, immunofluorescence, DHE staining, Western blot, and q-PCR were used to observe the antioxidant effect of gallic acid on the retina of acute ocular hypertension rats. HE staining of the retina of SD rats confirmed that the nucleus of RGCs was clear, the thickness of the RNFL was regular in the normal control group, and the nucleus of RGCs was ruptured and lysed in the simple high intraocular pressure (IOP) group and the gallic acid group, and the thickness of the RNFL was significantly thickened, but the thickness of the RNFL in the gallic acid group was significantly reduced compared with that in the simple high IOP group (p < 0.05). DHE staining showed that ROS content in the simple high IOP group was significantly increased compared with the normal control group, and ROS content was significantly decreased after the application of gallic acid (p < 0.05). Immunofluorescence staining with Brn-3a antibody confirmed that the number of RGCs was significantly reduced in the simple high IOP group compared with the normal control group, whereas after application of gallic acid, the number of RGCs was significantly more in the gallic acid group than in the simple high IOP group (p < 0.05). Western Blot and q-PCR confirmed that hypoxia-inducing factor 1α (HIF-1α) protein content and transcription level were significantly increased in the retinal tissue of the simple high IOP group, and gallic acid could inhibit HIF-1α protein content (p < 0.05) and reduce transcription factor level (p < 0.05). Gallic acid exerts a protective effect on RGC by inhibiting oxidative stress in rats with acute IOP elevation.

Accurate Density Prediction of Sesquiterpenoid HEDFs and the Multiproperty Computing Server SesquiterPre.

Accurate and rapid evaluation of density is crucial for evaluating the packing and combustion characteristics of high-energy-density fuels (HEDFs). This parameter is pivotal in the selection of high-performance HEDFs. Our study leveraged a polycyclic compound density data set and quantum chemical (QC) descriptors to establish a correlation with the target properties using the XGBoost algorithm. We utilized a recursive feature elimination method to simplify the model and developed a concise and interpretable density prediction model incorporating only six QC descriptors. The model demonstrated robust performance, achieving coefficients of determination (R 2) of 0.967 and 0.971 for internal and external test sets, respectively, and root-mean-square errors (RMSE) of 0.031 and 0.027 g/cm3, respectively. Compared to the other two mainstream methods, the marginal discrepancy between the predicted and actual molecular densities underscores the model's superior predictive ability and more usefulness for energy density calculation. Furthermore, we developed a web server (SesquiterPre, https://sespre.cmdrg.com/#/) that can simultaneously calculate the density, enthalpy of combustion, and energy density of sesquiterpenoid HEDFs, which greatly facilitates the use of researchers and is of great significance for accelerating the design and screening of novel sesquiterpenoid HEDFs.