Systematic Analysis of DNA Demethylase Gene Families in Foxtail Millet (Setaria italica L.) and Their Expression Variations after Abiotic Stresses.

DNA methylation is a highly conserved epigenetic modification involved in many biological processes, including growth and development, stress response, and secondary metabolism. DNA demethylase (DNA-deMTase) genes have been identified in some plant species; however, there are no reports on the identification and analysis of DNA-deMTase genes in Foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.). In this study, seven DNA-deMTases were identified in S. italica. These DNA-deMTase genes were divided into four subfamilies (DML5, DML4, DML3, and ROS1) by phylogenetic and gene structure analysis. Further analysis shows that the physical and chemical properties of these DNA-deMTases proteins are similar, contain the typical conserved domains of ENCO3c and are located in the nucleus. Furthermore, multiple cis-acting elements were observed in DNA-deMTases, including light responsiveness, phytohormone responsiveness, stress responsiveness, and elements related to plant growth and development. The DNA-deMTase genes are expressed in all tissues detected with certain tissue specificity. Then, we investigated the abundance of DNA-deMTase transcripts under abiotic stresses (cold, drought, salt, ABA, and MeJA). The results showed that different genes of DNA-deMTases were involved in the regulation of different abiotic stresses. In total, our findings will provide a basis for the roles of DNA-deMTase in response to abiotic stress.

Vertically Integrated Monolithic Neuromorphic Nanowire Device for Physiological Information Processing.

This study demonstrates the conceptual design and fabrication of a vertically integrated monolithic (VIM) neuromorphic device. The device comprises an n-type SnO2 nanowire bottom channel connected by a shared gate to a p-type P3HT nanowire top channel. This architecture establishes two distinct neural pathways with different response behaviors. The device generates excitatory and inhibitory postsynaptic currents, mimicking the corelease mechanism of bilingual synapses. To enhance the signal processing efficiency, we employed a bipolar spike encoding strategy to convert fluctuating sensory signals to spike trains containing positive and negative pulses. Utilizing the neuromorphic platform for synaptic processing, physiological signals featuring bidirectional fluctuations, including electrocardiogram and breathing signals, can be classified with an accuracy of over 90%. The VIM device holds considerable promise as a solution for developing highly integrated neuromorphic hardware for healthcare and edge intelligence applications.

Hypoxic Exosomal circPLEKHM1-Mediated Crosstalk between Tumor Cells and Macrophages Drives Lung Cancer Metastasis.

Intercellular communication often relies on exosomes as messengers and is critical for cancer metastasis in hypoxic tumor microenvironment. Some circular RNAs (circRNAs) are enriched in cancer cell-derived exosomes, but little is known about their ability to regulate intercellular communication and cancer metastasis. Here, by systematically analyzing exosomes secreted by non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells, a hypoxia-induced exosomal circPLEKHM1 is identified that drives NSCLC metastasis through polarizing macrophages toward to M2 type. Mechanistically, exosomal circPLEKHM1 promoted PABPC1-eIF4G interaction to facilitate the translation of the oncostatin M receptor (OSMR), thereby promoting macrophage polarization for cancer metastasis. Importantly, circPLEKHM1-targeted therapy significantly reduces NSCLC metastasis in vivo. circPLEKHM1 serves as a prognostic biomarker for metastasis and poor survival in NSCLC patients. This study unveils a new circRNA-mediated mechanism underlying how cancer cells crosstalk with macrophages within the hypoxic tumor microenvironment to promote metastasis, highlighting the importance of exosomal circPLEKHM1 as a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for lung cancer metastasis.

RBMS1 Coordinates with the m6A Reader YTHDF1 to Promote NSCLC Metastasis through Stimulating S100P Translation.

Metastasis is the leading cause for the high mortality of lung cancer, however, effective anti-metastatic drugs are still limited. Here it is reported that the RNA-binding protein RBMS1 is positively associated with increased lymph node metastasis in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Depletion of RBMS1 suppresses cancer cell migration and invasion in vitro and inhibits cancer cell metastasis in vivo. Mechanistically, RBMS1 interacts with YTHDF1 to promote the translation of S100P, thereby accelerating NSCLC cell metastasis. The RRM2 motif of RBMS1 and the YTH domain of YTHDF1 are required for the binding of RBMS1 and YTHDF1. RBMS1 ablation inhibits the translation of S100P and suppresses tumor metastasis. Targeting RBMS1 with NTP, a small molecular chemical inhibitor of RBMS1, attenuates tumor metastasis in a mouse lung metastasis model. Correlation studies in lung cancer patients further validate the clinical relevance of the findings. Collectively, the study provides insight into the molecular mechanism by which RBMS1 promotes NSCLC metastasis and offers a therapeutic strategy for metastatic NSCLC.

Validation of the Chinese version of academic goals orientation questionnaire in nursing student: a study based on SEM and IRT multidimensional models.

OBJECTIVE: To translate the Academic Goals Orientation Questionnaire (AGOQ) into Chinese and to determine the validity and reliability of the (AGOQ) in Chinese nursing students based on SEM and IRT multidimensional models. METHODS: The participants were 654 nursing students with an age range of 17-26 years (mean age 21.61 ± 1.73 years). The psychometric properties of AGOQ were investigated based on a dual analytical perspective of structural equation modeling (SEM) and item response theory (IRT). RESULTS: The Cronbach's α value of the questionnaire is 0.895. A four-factor model was obtained by exploratory factor analysis, which explained the variance of 71.892%. With confirmatory factor analysis, a new four-factors model was built and showed an acceptable goodness-of-fit, chi-square/degree of freedom (CMIN/DF) = 4.008, goodness of fit index (GFI) = 0.932, adjusted goodness of fit index (AGFI) = 0.905, comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.952, incremental fit index (IFI) = 0.952, Tucker Lewis index (TLI) = 0.941. In the analysis part of IRT, according to the comparison between Akek's information criterion (AIC) and Bayesian information criterion (BIC), we choose the Graded Response Model (GRM) for analysis. The results show that the difficulty value is monotonically increasing, and the discrimination of all items is greater than 0.19, which shows that 16 items can be retained. CONCLUSIONS: This study tested the psychometric characteristics of AGOQ of nursing students in China. The results confirmed that the Chinese version of AGOQ has good psychometric characteristics and can be used to measure the academic goal orientation of nursing students in China.

A Predictive Model for Identifying Low Medication Adherence Among Patients with Cirrhosis.

Purpose: This study aims to identify the novel risk predictors of low medication adherence of cirrhosis patients in a large cohort and construct an applicable predictive model to provide clinicians with a simple and precise personalized prediction tool. Patients and Methods: Patients with cirrhosis were recruited from the inpatient populations at the Department of Infectious Diseases of Tangdu Hospital. Patients who did not meet the inclusion criteria were excluded. The primary outcome was medication adherence, which was analyzed by the medication possession ratio (MPR). Potential predictive factors, including demographics, the severity of cirrhosis, knowledge of disease and medical treatment, social support, self-care agency and pill burdens, were collected by questionnaires. Predictive factors were selected by univariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis. Then, a nomogram was constructed. The decision curve analysis (DCA), clinical application curve analysis, ROC curve analysis, Brier score and mean squared error (MSE) score were utilized to assess the performance of the model. In addition, the bootstrapping method was used for internal validation. Results: Among the enrolled patients (460), most had good or moderate (344, 74.78%) medical adherence. The main risk factors for non-adherence include young age (≤50 years), low education level, low income, short duration of disease (<10 years), low Child-Plush class, poor knowledge of disease and medical treatment, poor social support, low self-care agency and high pill burden. The nomogram comprised these factors showed good calibration and good discrimination (AUC = 0.938, 95% CI = 0.918-0.956; Brier score = 0.14). In addition, the MSE value was 0.03, indicating no overfitting. Conclusion: This study identified predictive factors regarding low medication adherence among patients with cirrhosis, and a predictive nomogram was constructed. This model could help clinicians identify patients with a high risk of low medication adherence and intervention measures can be taken in time.

A study on the "community-hospital-community" model of community nursing practice teaching for undergraduate nursing students.

OBJECTIVE: To improve the quality of community nursing teaching practice and cultivate undergraduate nursing students who meet the quality accreditation standards of our nursing profession, and to explore the establishment of an undergraduate nurse practice model. METHODS: Using the methods of literature review, survey, expert consultation, and discussion, we established the steps and contents of community practice teaching for undergraduate nursing students, and implemented them for the students of Grades 2014, 2015, and 2016, and evaluated the "community-hospital-community" practice model through various forms, such as student self-evaluation, faculty evaluation, exit examination, and evaluation by certified experts. RESULT: A three-stage community nursing practice model of "community-hospital-community" was established for undergraduate nursing students. After three stages of practice, nursing undergraduates successfully passed the practical assessments and achieved excellent grades in each stage that met the requirements of the training program. In the first stage (community probation), community probation emphasizes a fundamental understanding of the community, using free clinics, health education, and home visits as entry points to effectively cultivate students' job competence and proficiency in nursing operations and nurse-patient communication skills. In the second stage (internship in the hospital), through nursing internships in various systems, students are trained to integrate theoretical knowledge with practical skills and consolidate their understanding of fundamental knowledge, theory, and techniques. They are capable of preventing, diagnosing, intervening, and providing health education for common, frequent, urgent and critical complications in various clinical systems. They can formulate nursing plans and implement whole-person care. In the third stage (returning to the community for internship), students can master basic skills such as nursing operations and patient communication skills, and then they can enter the community internship. CONCLUSION: The community nursing practice model of "community- hospital- community" for undergraduate nursing students can systematically train undergraduate nursing students' ability to work in the community.

Mixed-Dimensional Nanoparticle-Nanowire Channels for Flexible Optoelectronic Artificial Synapse with Enhanced Photoelectric Response and Asymmetric Bidirectional Plasticity.

A mixed-dimensional dual-channel synaptic transistor composed of inorganic nanoparticles and organic nanowires was fabricated to expand the photoelectric gain range. The device can actualize the sensitization features of the nociceptor and shows improved responsiveness to visible light. Under electrical pulses with different polarities, the apparatus exhibits reconfigurable asymmetric bidirectional plasticity. Moreover, the devices demonstrate good operational tolerance and mechanical stability, retaining more than 60% of their maximum responsiveness after 100 consecutive/bidirectional and 1000 flex/flat operations. The improved photoelectric response of the device endows a high image recognition accuracy of greater than 80%. Asymmetric bidirectional plasticity is used as punishment/reward in a psychological experiment to emulate the improvement of learning motivation and enables real-time forward and backward deflection (+7 and -25°) of artificial muscle. The mixed-dimensional optoelectronic artificial synapses with switchable behavior and electron/hole transport type have important prospects for neuromorphic processing and artificial somatosensory nerves.

Predicting metabolic syndrome by obesity- and lipid-related indices in mid-aged and elderly Chinese: a population-based cross-sectional study.

Objective: To predict the optimal cut-off values for screening and predicting metabolic syndrome(MetS) in a middle-aged and elderly Chinese population using 13 obesity and lipid-related indicators, and to identify the most suitable predictors. Methods: The data for this cross-sectional investigation came from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), including 9457 middle-aged and elderly people aged 45-98 years old. We examined 13 indicators, including waist circumference (WC), body mass index (BMI), waist-height ratio (WHtR), visceral adiposity index (VAI), a body shape index (ABSI), body roundness index (BRI), lipid accumulation product index (LAP), conicity index (CI), Chinese visceral adiposity index (CVAI), triglyceride-glucose index (TyG-index) and their combined indices (TyG-BMI, TyG-WC, TyG-WHtR). The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was used to determine the usefulness of indicators for screening for MetS in the elderly and to determine their cut-off values, sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve (AUC). Association analysis of 13 obesity-related indicators with MetS was performed using binary logistic regression analysis. Results: A total of 9457 middle-aged and elderly Chinese were included in this study, and the overall prevalence of the study population was 41.87% according to the diagnostic criteria of NCEP ATP III. According to age and gender, the percentage of males diagnosed with MetS was 30.67% (45-54 years old: 30.95%, 55-64 years old: 41.02%, 65-74 years old: 21.19%, ≥ 75 years old: 6.84%). The percentage of females diagnosed with MetS was 51.38% (45-54 years old: 31.95%, 55-64 years old: 39.52%, 65-74 years old: 20.43%, ≥ 75 years old: 8.10%). The predictive power of Tyg-related parameters was more prominent in both sexes. In addition, LAP and CVAI are also good at predicting MetS. ABSI had a poor prediction ability. Conclusions: Among the middle-aged and elderly population in China, after adjusting for confounding factors, all the indicators except ABSI had good predictive power. The predictive power of Tyg-related parameters was more prominent in both sexes. In addition, LAP and CVAI are also good at predicting MetS.

Preoperative prediction of lymphovascular invasion of colorectal cancer by radiomics based on 18F-FDG PET-CT and clinical factors.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the value of a clinical radiomics model based on Positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) radiomics features combined with clinical predictors of Lymphovascular invasion (LVI) in predicting preoperative LVI in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods: A total of 95 CRC patients who underwent preoperative 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET-CT examination were retrospectively enrolled. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to analyse clinical factors and PET metabolic data in the LVI-positive and LVI-negative groups to identify independent predictors of LVI. We constructed four prediction models based on radiomics features and clinical data to predict LVI status. The predictive efficacy of different models was evaluated according to the receiver operating characteristic curve. Then, the nomogram of the best model was constructed, and its performance was evaluated using calibration and clinical decision curves. Results: Mean standardized uptake value (SUVmean), maximum tumour diameter and lymph node metastasis were independent predictors of LVI in CRC patients (P < 0.05). The clinical radiomics model obtained the best prediction performance, with an Area Under Curve (AUC) of 0.922 (95%CI 0.820-0.977) and 0.918 (95%CI 0.782-0.982) in the training and validation cohorts, respectively. A nomogram based on the clinical radiomics model was constructed, and the calibration curve fitted well (P > 0.05). Conclusion: The clinical radiomics prediction model constructed in this study has high value in the preoperative individualized prediction of LVI in CRC patients.

Relationship between baseline and changed serum uric acid and the incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus: a national cohort study.

Objective: To explore the correlation between baseline serum uric acid (SUA) and SUA changes with the incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) among middle-aged and older individuals. Method: Binary logistic regression was used to calculate the odds ratio (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of the effects of baseline and changes in SUA on the incidence of T2DM. Stratified analysis was conducted based on sex, and the SUA levels were classified into four quartiles to assess the effect of baseline and relative changes in SUA on the incidence of T2DM. Furthermore, interaction analysis was performed between body mass index (BMI) and SUA, age and SUA, and sex and SUA. Results: In the cohort study, the highest quartiles of SUA were significantly correlated with an increased incidence of T2DM among females in model 1 [OR = 2.231 (1.631, 3.050)], model 2 [OR = 2.090 (1.523, 2.867)], model 3 [OR = 2.075 (1.511, 2.849)], and model 4 [OR = 1.707 (1.234, 2.362)]. The highest quartiles of SUA had a statistically significant effect on the incidence of T2DM among all participants in model 1 [OR = 1.601 (1.277, 2.008)], model 2 [OR = 1.519 (1.204, 1.915)], model 3 [OR = 1.597 (1.257, 2.027)], and model 4 [OR = 1.380 (1.083, 1.760)]. Regarding the relative change of SUA, the highest quantiles of SUA were significantly correlated with an increased incidence of T2DM among females in model 1 [OR = 1.409 (1.050, 1.890)], model 2 [OR = 1.433 (1.067, 1.926)], and model 3 [OR = 1.420 (1.056, 1.910)], and there was a statistically significant correlation with incident T2DM among all participants in model 4 [OR = 1.346 (1.079, 1.680)] after adjusting for all covariates. However, there was no significant correlation between baseline, relative, and absolute changes in SUA and the incidence of T2DM among males. The interaction analysis demonstrated that sex, BMI, and the relative changes in SUA had a combined effect on the incidence of T2DM, while age and the changes in SUA had a joint effect on the incidence of T2DM only in females. Conclusion: There was a positive association between SUA and the incidence of T2DM for all participants. However, significant sex differences in incidence were observed only in women, not men.

Development and validation of the OSASH score to predict overall survival of hepatocellular carcinoma after surgical resection: a dual-institutional study.

OBJECTIVE: To develop and validate a risk score based on preoperative clinical-radiological parameters for predicting overall survival (OS) in patients undergoing surgical resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: From July 2010 to December 2021, consecutive patients with surgically-proven HCC who underwent preoperative contrast-enhanced MRI were retrospectively enrolled. A preoperative OS risk score was constructed in the training cohort using a Cox regression model and validated in a propensity score-matched internal validation cohort and an external validation cohort. RESULTS: A total of 520 patients were enrolled, among whom 210, 210, and 100 patients were from the training, internal validation, and external validation cohorts, respectively. Independent predictors for OS included incomplete tumor "capsule," mosaic architecture, tumor multiplicity, and serum alpha-fetoprotein, which were incorporated into the "OSASH score." The C-index the OSASH score was 0.85, 0.81, and 0.62 in the training, internal, and external validation cohorts, respectively. Using 32 as the cutoff point, the OSASH score stratified patients into prognostically distinct low- and high-risk groups among all study cohorts and six subgroups (all p < 0.05). Furthermore, patients with BCLC stage B-C HCC and OSASH-low risk achieved comparable OS to that of patients with BCLC stage 0-A HCC and OSASH-high risk in the internal validation cohort (5-year OS rates, 74.7 vs. 77.8%; p = 0.964). CONCLUSION: The OSASH score may help predict OS in HCC patients undergoing hepatectomy and identify potential surgical candidates among those with BCLC stage B-C HCC. CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: By incorporating three preoperative MRI features and serum AFP, the OSASH score may help predict postsurgical overall survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and identify potential surgical candidates among those with BCLC stage B and C HCC. KEY POINTS: • The OSASH score incorporating three MRI features and serum AFP can be used to predict OS in HCC patients who received curative-intent hepatectomy. • The score stratified patients into prognostically distinct low- and high-risk strata in all study cohorts and six subgroups. • Among patients with BCLC stage B and C HCC, the score identified a subgroup of low-risk patients who achieved favorable outcomes after surgery.

In situ 15 N-N2 O site preference and O2 concentration dynamics disclose the complexity of N2 O production processes in agricultural soil.

Arable soil continues to be the dominant anthropogenic source of nitrous oxide (N2 O) emissions owing to application of nitrogen (N) fertilizers and manures across the world. Using laboratory and in situ studies to elucidate the key factors controlling soil N2 O emissions remains challenging due to the potential importance of multiple complex processes. We examined soil surface N2 O fluxes in an arable soil, combined with in situ high-frequency measurements of soil matrix oxygen (O2 ) and N2 O concentrations, in situ 15 N labeling, and N2 O 15 N site preference (SP). The in situ O2 concentration and further microcosm visualized spatiotemporal distribution of O2 both suggested that O2 dynamics were the proximal determining factor to matrix N2 O concentration and fluxes due to quick O2 depletion after N fertilization. Further SP analysis and in situ 15 N labeling experiment revealed that the main source for N2 O emissions was bacterial denitrification during the hot-wet summer with lower soil O2 concentration, while nitrification or fungal denitrification contributed about 50.0% to total emissions during the cold-dry winter with higher soil O2 concentration. The robust positive correlation between O2 concentration and SP values underpinned that the O2 dynamics were the key factor to differentiate the composite processes of N2 O production in in situ structured soil. Our findings deciphered the complexity of N2 O production processes in real field conditions, and suggest that O2 dynamics rather than stimulation of functional gene abundances play a key role in controlling soil N2 O production processes in undisturbed structure soils. Our results help to develop targeted N2 O mitigation measures and to improve process models for constraining global N2 O budget.

Clinical observation of neutralizing antibody DXP-604 for treatment critical COVID-19 patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant.

From January to March 2022, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Delta (B.1.617.2) infection was prevalent in Yuzhou and Zhengzhou. DXP-604 is a broad-spectrum antiviral monoclonal antibody, which has excellent viral neutralization ability in vitro and a long half-life in vivo, with good biosafety and tolerability. Preliminary results showed that DXP-604 can accelerate recovery from Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant in hospitalized patients with mild to moderate clinical symptoms. However, the efficacy of DXP-604 has not been fully studied in high-risk severe patients. Here, we prospectively enrolled 27 high-risk patients, two groups were divided, in addition to receiving standard of care (SOC), 14 of them additionally received the neutralizing antibody DXP-604 therapy, and another 13 intensive care unit (ICU) patients simultaneously underwent SOC as a control group matched for age, gender, and clinical type. The results revealed lower C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, lactic dehydrogenase and neutrophil counts, and higher lymphocyte and monocyte counts from Day 3 post-DXP-604 treatment compared with SOC treatment. Besides, thoracic CT images showed improvements in lesion areas and degrees, along with changes in blood inflammatory factors. Moreover, DXP-604 reduced the invasive mechanical ventilation and mortality of high-risk SARS-CoV-2 infected patients. The ongoing clinical trials of DXP-604 neutralizing antibody will clarify its utility as a new attractive countermeasure for high-risk COVID-19.

Predicting hypertension by obesity- and lipid-related indices in mid-aged and elderly Chinese: a nationwide cohort study from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study.

BACKGROUND: Currently, the study outcomes of anthropometric markers to predict the risk of hypertension are still inconsistent due to the effect of racial disparities. This study aims to investigate the most effective predictors for screening and prediction of hypertension (HTN) in the Chinese middle-aged and more elderly adult population and to predict hypertension using obesity and lipid-related markers in Chinese middle-aged and older people. METHODS: The data for the cohort study came from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), including 4423 middle-aged and elderly people aged 45 years or above. We examined 13 obesity- and lipid-related indices, including waist circumference (WC), body mass index (BMI), waist-height ratio (WHtR), visceral adiposity index (VAI), a body shape index (ABSI), body roundness index (BRI), lipid accumulation product index (LAP), conicity index (CI), Chinese visceral adiposity index (CVAI), triglyceride-glucose index (TyG-index) and their combined indices (TyG-BMI, TyG-WC, TyG-WHtR). To compare the capacity of each measure to forecast the probability of developing HTN, the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was used to determine the usefulness of anthropometric indices for screening for HTN in the elderly and determining their cut-off value, sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve (AUC). Association analysis of 13 obesity-related anthropometric indicators with HTN was performed using binary logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: During the four years, the incident rates of HTN in middle-aged and elderly men and women in China were 22.08% and 17.82%, respectively. All the above 13 indicators show a modest predictive power (AUC > 0.5), which is significant for predicting HTN in adults (middle-aged and elderly people) in China (P < 0.05). In addition, when WHtR = 0.501 (with an AUC of 0.593, and sensitivity and specificity of 63.60% and 52.60% respectively) or TYg-WHtR = 4.335 (with an AUC of 0.601, and sensitivity and specificity of 58.20% and 59.30% respectively), the effect of predicting the incidence risk of men is the best. And when WHtR = 0.548 (with an AUC of 0.609, and sensitivity and specificity of 59.50% and 56.50% respectively) or TYg-WHtR = 4.781(with an AUC of 0.617, and sensitivity and specificity of 58.10% and 60.80% respectively), the effect of predicting the incidence risk of women is the best. CONCLUSIONS: The 13 obesity- and lipid-related indices in this study have modest significance for predicting HTN in Chinese middle-aged and elderly patients. WHtR and Tyg-WHtR are the most cost-effective indicators with moderate predictive value of the development of HTN.

Obesity- and lipid-related indices as a predictor of obesity metabolic syndrome in a national cohort study.

Objective: Metabolic syndrome is a common condition among middle-aged and elderly people. Recent studies have reported the association between obesity- and lipid-related indices and metabolic syndrome, but whether those conditions could predict metabolic syndrome is still inconsistent in a few longitudinal studies. In our study, we aimed to predict metabolic syndrome by obesity- and lipid-related indices in middle-aged and elderly Chinese adults. Method: A national cohort study that consisted of 3,640 adults (≥45 years) was conducted. A total of 13 obesity- and lipid-related indices, including body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), conicity index (CI), visceral adiposity index (VAI), Chinese visceral adiposity index (CVAI), lipid accumulation product (LAP), a body shape index (ABSI), body roundness index (BRI), and triglyceride glucose index (TyG-index) and its correlation index (TyG-BMI, TyG-WC, and TyG-WHtR), were recorded. Metabolic syndrome (MetS) was defined based on the criteria of the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (2005). Participants were categorized into two groups according to the different sex. Binary logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the associations between the 13 obesity- and lipid-related indices and MetS. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve studies were used to identify the best predictor of MetS. Results: A total of 13 obesity- and lipid-related indices were independently associated with MetS risk, even after adjustment for age, sex, educational status, marital status, current residence, history of drinking, history of smoking, taking activities, having regular exercises, and chronic diseases. The ROC analysis revealed that the 12 obesity- and lipid-related indices included in the study were able to discriminate MetS [area under the ROC curves (AUC > 0.6, P < 0.05)] and ABSI was not able to discriminate MetS [area under the ROC curves (AUC < 0.6, P > 0.05)]. The AUC of TyG-BMI was the highest in men, and that of CVAI was the highest in women. The cutoff values for men and women were 187.919 and 86.785, respectively. The AUCs of TyG-BMI, CVAI, TyG-WC, LAP, TyG-WHtR, BMI, WC, WHtR, BRI, VAI, TyG index, CI, and ABSI were 0.755, 0.752, 0.749, 0.745, 0.735, 0.732, 0.730, 0.710, 0.710, 0.674, 0.646, 0.622, and 0.537 for men, respectively. The AUCs of CVAI, LAP, TyG-WC, TyG-WHtR, TyG-BMI, WC, WHtR, BRI, BMI, VAI, TyG-index, CI, and ABSI were 0.687, 0.674, 0.674, 0.663, 0.656, 0.654, 0.645, 0.645, 0.638, 0.632, 0.607, 0.596, and 0.543 for women, respectively. The AUC value for WHtR was equal to that for BRI in predicting MetS. The AUC value for LAP was equal to that for TyG-WC in predicting MetS for women. Conclusion: Among middle-aged and older adults, all obesity- and lipid-related indices, except ABSI, were able to predict MetS. In addition, in men, TyG-BMI is the best indicator to indicate MetS, and in women, CVAI is considered the best hand to indicate MetS. At the same time, TyG-BMI, TyG-WC, and TyG-WHtR performed better than BMI, WC, and WHtR in predicting MetS in both men and women. Therefore, the lipid-related index outperforms the obesity-related index in predicting MetS. In addition to CVAI, LAP showed a good predictive correlation, even more closely than lipid-related factors in predicting MetS in women. It is worth noting that ABSI performed poorly, was not statistically significant in either men or women, and was not predictive of MetS.

Clear Cell Adenocarcinoma Arising from Endometriosis in Abdominal Wall Cesarean Section Scar: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Background: Endometriosis developing in a cesarean section (CS) scar is an unusual event. Malignant transformation arising on the background of scar endometriosis in the abdominal wall is extremely rare. Herein we report a case of clear cell carcinoma (CCC) arising in the abdominal wall from endometriosis tissues following CS and review previous literature. Case Presentation: A 48-year-old gravida 2 para 1 female presented with an abdominal wall mass at her CS scar, which increased in size and became painful in the last 2 years. Physical examination showed a multilocular solid mass of about 13 cm, at the previous CS scar. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a 12.8cm × 7.7cm multi-septate cystic lesion on the anterior abdominal wall, and histological examination showed that CCC was caused by the transformation of abdominal wall endometriosis (AWE). Conclusion: An endometriosis-associated malignancy should be considered in the differential with any enlarging mass in the abdominal wall scar.

Value of multimodal MRI radiomics and machine learning in predicting staging liver fibrosis and grading inflammatory activity.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the value of radiomics models created based on non-contrast enhanced T1 weighted (T1W) and T2W fat-saturated (T2WFS) images for staging hepatic fibrosis (HF) and grading inflammatory activity. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Data of 280 patients with pathologically confirmed HF and 48 healthy volunteers were included. The participants were divided into the training set and the test set at the proportion of 4:1 by the random seed method. We used the Pyradiomics software to extract radiomics features, and then use the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator to select the optimal subset. Finally, we used the stochastic gradient descent classifier to build the prediction models. DeLong test was used to compare the diagnostic performance of the models. Receiver operating characteristics was used to evaluate the prediction ability of the models. RESULTS: The diagnostic efficiency of the models based on T1W & T2WFS images were the highest (all p < 0.05). When discriminating significant fibrosis (≥ F2), there were significant differences in the AUCs between the machine learning models based on T1W and T2WFS images (p < 0.05), but there were no significant differences in area under the receiver operating characteristic curves between the two models in other groups (all p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The radiomics models built on T1W and T2WFS images are effective in assessing HF and inflammatory activity. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE: Based on conventional MR sequences that are readily available in the clinic, namely unenhanced T1W and T2W images. Radiomics can be used for diagnosis and differential diagnosis of liver fibrosis staging and inflammatory activity grading.

A bioinspired flexible neuromuscular system based thermal-annealing-free perovskite with passivation.

Brain-inspired electronics require artificial synapses that have ultra-low energy consumption, high operating speed, and stable flexibility. Here, we demonstrate a flexible artificial synapse that uses a rapidly crystallized perovskite layer at room temperature. The device achieves a series of synaptic functions, including logical operations, temporal and spatial rules, and associative learning. Passivation using phenethyl-ammonium iodide eliminated defects and charge traps to reduce the energy consumption to 13.5 aJ per synaptic event, which is the world record for two-terminal artificial synapses. At this ultralow energy consumption, the device achieves ultrafast response frequency of up to 4.17 MHz; which is orders of magnitude magnitudes higher than previous perovskite artificial synapses. A multi-stimulus accumulative artificial neuromuscular system was then fabricated using the perovskite synapse as a key processing unit to control electrochemical artificial muscles, and realized muscular-fatigue warning. This artificial synapse will have applications in future bio-inspired electronics and neurorobots.

Analysis of CT signs, radiomic features and clinical characteristics for delta variant COVID-19 patients with different vaccination status.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the characteristics of peripheral blood, high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) imaging and the radiomics signature (RadScore) in patients infected with delta variant virus under different coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccination status. METHODS: 123 patients with delta variant virus infection collected from November 1, 2021 to March 1, 2022 were analyzed retrospectively. According to COVID-19 vaccination Status, they were divided into three groups: Unvaccinated group, partially vaccinated group and full vaccination group. The peripheral blood, chest HRCT manifestations and RadScore of each group were analyzed and compared. RESULTS: The mean lymphocyte count 1.22 ± 0.49 × 10^9/L, CT score 7.29 ± 3.48, RadScore 0.75 ± 0.63 in the unvaccinated group; The mean lymphocyte count 1.55 ± 0.70 × 10^9/L, CT score 5.27 ± 2.72, RadScore 1.03 ± 0.46 in the partially vaccinated group; The mean lymphocyte count 1.87 ± 0.70 × 10^9/L, CT score 3.59 ± 3.14, RadScore 1.23 ± 0.29 in the fully vaccinated group. There were significant differences in lymphocyte count, CT score and RadScore among the three groups (all p < 0.05); Compared with the other two groups, the lung lesions in the unvaccinated group were more involved in multiple lobes, of which 26 cases involved the whole lung. CONCLUSIONS: Through the analysis of clinical features, pulmonary imaging features and radiomics, we confirmed the positive effect of COVID-19 vaccine on pulmonary inflammatory symptoms and lymphocyte count (immune system) during delta mutant infection.