Synthesis of core-shell silicon-carbon nanocomposites via in-situ molten salt-based reduction of rice husks: A promising approach for the manufacture of lithium-ion battery anodes.

Silicon (Si) has gained substantial interest as a potential component of lithium-ion battery (LIB) anodes due to its high theoretical specific capacity. However, conventional methods for producing Si for anodes involve expensive metal reductants and stringent reducing environments. This paper describes the development of a calcium hydride (CaH2)-aluminum chloride (AlCl3) reduction system that was used for the in-situ low-temperature synthesis of a core-shell structured silicon-carbon (Si-C) material from rice husks (RHs), and the material was denoted RHs-Si@C. Moreover, as an LIB anode, RHs-Si@C exhibited exceptional cycling performance, exemplified by 90.63 % capacity retention at 5 A g-1 over 2000 cycles. Furthermore, the CaH2-AlCl3 reduction system was employed to produce Si nanoparticles (Si NPs) from RHs (R-SiO2, where SiO2 is silica) and from commercial silica (C-SiO2). The R-SiO2-derived Si NPs exhibited a higher residual silicon oxides (SiOx) content than the C-SiO2-derived Si NPs. This was advantageous, as there was sufficient SiOx in the R-SiO2-derived Si NPs to mitigate the volumetric expansion typically associated with Si NPs, resulting in enhanced cycling performance. Impressively, Si NPs were fabricated on a kilogram scale from C-SiO2 in a yield of 82 %, underscoring the scalability of the low-temperature reduction technique.

Characteristics of Serum Lipid Metabolism among Women Complicated with Hypertensive Disorders in Pregnancy: A Retrospective Cohort Study in Mainland China.

Background: Altered maternal serum lipid metabolism is associated with hypertensive disorders in pregnancy (HDP). However, its range in pregnancy and characteristic among different subgroups of HDPs are unclear. Methods: Pregnant women with HDP who underwent antenatal care and delivered in Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University during January 2018 to August 2022 were enrolled. The levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC), apolipoprotein (Apo)-A, B, and E, free fatty acids (FFA), and small and dense low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (sdLDL) were measured during 4-16 weeks and 28-42 weeks of pregnancy. Results: A total of 2648 pregnant women were diagnosed with HDP, 1,880 of whom were enrolled for final analysis, including 983 (52.3%) preeclampsia (PE), 676 (36.0%) gestational hypertension (GH), and 221 (11.7%) chronic hypertension (CH). For all HDPs, serum TC, TG, LDLC, HDLC, Apo-A, Apo-B, Apo-E, and sdLDL increased significantly during pregnancy, while FFA decreased significantly. Notably, the levels of TC, LDLC, Apo-B, and sdLDL in PE group were equal to or lower than those in CH group at 4-16 weeks of pregnancy, but increased greatly during pregnancy (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Maternal serum lipid levels changed through pregnancy among women with HDPs. Women complicated with PE seem to have undergone a more significant serum lipid change compared to those with GH or CH.

Association between abnormal uterine artery pulsatility index and the risk of fetal congenital heart defects: a hospital-based cohort study.

To explore the associations between high uterine artery pulsatility index (UtA-PI) values and congenital heart disease (CHD) risk and whether they differed between singleton and multiple pregnancies. This hospital-based cohort study involving 52,047 pregnant women who underwent prenatal examinations from 2012 to 2016. Infants born to the included pregnant women were followed until 42 days after birth to identify those with CHDs. Generalized estimating equations were used to estimate the associations of high right UtA-PI (> 95th percentile) values with maternal preeclampsia and fetal CHDs. Logistic regression analyses were conducted using path analysis models to quantify the effect of high right UtA-PI values on fetal CHD risk. A total of 42,552 women and 43,470 infants (147 with CHDs) were included. Preeclampsia risk was associated with a high right UtA-PI in singleton-pregnant women (adjusted PR, 3.01; 95% CI 2.57-3.52). CHD risk was marginally associated with a high right UtA-PI in singleton-pregnant women (adjusted PR, 2.26, 95% CI 1.03-4.95). Considering only two factors, 96.0% of the fetal CHD risk was mediated by preeclampsia in singleton-pregnant women, while 93.8% of the risk was related to a high right UtA-PI in multiple-pregnant women. A high right UtA-PI was marginally associated with an increased fetal CHD risk in singleton-pregnant women and might play an important role in multiple-pregnant women. Further studies are warranted to confirm these findings given the high loss to follow-up rate.

Syntactic Errors in Older Adults with Depression.

Background and Objectives: This study investigated the differences in syntactic errors in older individuals with and without major depressive disorder and cognitive function disparities between groups. We also explored the correlation between syntax scores and depression severity. Materials and Methods: Forty-four participants, assessed for dementia with the Mini-Cog, completed the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (TGDS-15) and specific language tests. Following a single-anonymized procedure, clinical psychologists rated the tests and syntax scores. Results: The results showed that the depressive disorders group had lower syntax scores than the non-depressed group, primarily on specific subtests. Additionally, cognitive test scores were generally lower among the depressed group. A significant relationship between depression severity and syntax scores was observed (r = -0.426, 95% CI = -0.639, -0.143). Conclusions: In conclusion, major depressive disorder is associated with reduced syntactic abilities, particularly in specific tests. However, the relatively modest sample size limited the sensitivity of this association. This study also considered the potential influence of cultural factors. Unique linguistic characteristics in the study's context were also addressed and considered as potential contributors to the observed findings.

Prenatal Magnetic Resonance Imaging helps Discover Cerebellar Dysplasia or Malformations in Foetuses.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to characterize and assess the diagnostic value of prenatal magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in detecting fetal cerebellar hypoplasia/dysplasia and developmental malformations. METHODS: Reports of suspected intracranial abnormalities were retrospectively collected on ultrasound screening (US), and MR images of fetuses were reviewed at our institution over a 5-year period on picture archiving and communication system (PACS) servers. Two experienced radiologists recorded major abnormalities and coexisting abnormalities at the reading of the census. The results of the MRI were compared against the US in each case. RESULTS: For prenatal MR imaging, we enlisted a total of 121 patients (mean gestational week, 24.5 ± 4.7 weeks). This included 28 cases with normal findings of MR imaging, 62 cases with findings of cerebellar hypoplasia or dysplasia, and the remaining 31 cases with other abnormities findings. Cerebral malformations cases included agenesis of the corpus callosum, cerebral hemorrhage, hydrocephalus, holoprosencephaly, ventriculomegaly, and brainstem/gyri malformation. Cerebellar abnormalities included vermis absence, cerebellar tonsil hernia, Dandy-Walker malformation, Blake's pouch cysts, arachnoid cysts, and intracranial hemorrhage. Other systemic malformation cases included tethered cord syndromes (9 cases), cleft lip and palate (1 case), club foot (1 case), and cardiac malformation (1 case). In 12 cases (24.5%), compared to the US, MR imaging proved the value of confirming the diagnosis and/or even yielded more findings on abnormalities. CONCLUSION: Prenatal MR imaging can better visualize systemic malformations coexisting with cerebellar abnormalities. MR imaging, a complementary means to the US, can aid in prenatal counseling and treatment selection for term delivery.

A pan-cancer analysis reveals the diagnostic and prognostic role of CDCA2 in low-grade glioma.

BACKGROUND: Cell division cycle associated 2 (CDCA2), a member of the cell division cycle associated proteins (CDCA) family, is crucial in the regulation of cell mitosis and DNA repair. CDCA2 was extensively examined in our work to determine its role in a wide range of cancers. METHODS: CDCA2 differential expression was studied in pan-cancer and in diverse molecular and immunological subgroups in this research. Additionally, the diagnostic and prognostic significance of CDCA2 in pan-cancer was also evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and Kaplan-Meier (KM) curves. Prognostic value of CDCA2 in distinct clinical subgroups of lower grade glioma (LGG) was also investigated and a nomogram was constructed. Lastly, potential mechanisms of action of CDCA2 were interrogated including biological functions, ceRNA networks, m6A modification and immune infiltration. RESULTS: CDCA2 is shown to be differentially expressed in a wide variety of cancers. Tumors are diagnosed and forecasted with a high degree of accuracy by CDCA2, and the quantity of expression CDCA2 is linked to the prognosis of many cancers. Additionally, the expression level of CDCA2 in various subgroups of LGG is also closely related to prognosis. The results of enrichment analyses reveal that CDCA2 is predominantly enriched in the cell cycle, mitosis, and DNA replication. Subsequently, hsa-miR-105-5p is predicted to target CDCA2. In addition, 4 lncRNAs were identified that may inhibit the hsa-miR-105-5p/CDCA2 axis in LGG. Meanwhile, CDCA2 expression is shown to be associated to m6A-related genes and levels of immune cell infiltration in LGG. CONCLUSION: CDCA2 can serve as a novel biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis in pan-cancer, especially in LGG. For the development of novel targeted therapies in LGG, it may be a potential molecular target. However, to be sure, we'll need to do additional biological experiments to back up our results from bioinformatic predictions.

Post-translational modification of CDK1-STAT3 signaling by fisetin suppresses pancreatic cancer stem cell properties.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic cancer stem cells (CSCs) promote pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) tumorigenesis and chemoresistance. Cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1) plays an important role in tumor initiation in other tumors, but the function of CDK1 in PDAC remains unclear. Fisetin is a bioactive flavonoid with anti-tumor properties in multiple tumors, while its function in CSCs remains elusive. RESULTS: In this study, we demonstrated that CDK1 was correlated with prognosis and was highly expressed in pancreatic cancer tissue and gemcitabine-resistant cells. Silencing CDK1 impaired tumor stemness and reduced a subset of CSCs. We found that fisetin blocked the kinase pocket domain of CDK1 and inhibited pancreatic CSC characteristics. Using acetylation proteomics analysis and phosphorylation array assay, we confirmed that fisetin reduced CDK1 expression and increased CDK1 acetylation at lysine 33 (K33), which resulted in the suppression of CDK1 phosphorylation. Silencing CDK1 or STAT3 suppressed tumor stemness properties, while overexpressing CDK1 or STAT3 showed the opposite effect. Mutation or acetylation of CDK1 at K33 weakened STAT3 phosphorylation at Y705, impairing the expression of stem-related genes and pancreatic cancer stemness. In addition, lack of histone deacetylase 3 (HDAC3), which deacetylates CDK1, contributed to weakening STAT3 phosphorylation by regulating the post-translational modification of CDK1, thereby decreasing the stemness of PDAC. Moreover, our results revealed that fisetin enhanced the effect of gemcitabine through eliminating a subpopulation of pancreatic CSCs by inhibiting the CDK1-STAT3 axis in vitro and in vivo. CONCLUSION: Our findings highlight the role of post-translational modifications of CDK1-STAT3 signaling in maintaining cancer stemness of PDAC, and indicated that targeting the CDK1-STAT3 axis with inhibitors such as fisetin is a potential therapeutic strategy to diminish drug resistance and eliminate PDAC.

Sirtuin4 impacts mitochondrial homeostasis in pancreatic cancer cells by reducing the stability of AlkB homolog 1 via deacetylation of the HRD1-SEL1L complex.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly malignant tumor with a poor prognosis. As a tumor inhibitor, the specific tumor suppressor mechanism of Sirtuin4(SIRT4) in PDAC remains elusive. In this study, SIRT4 was found to inhibit PDAC by impacting mitochondrial homeostasis. SIRT4 deacetylated lysine 547 of SEL1L and increased the protein level of an E3 ubiquitin ligase HRD1. As a central member of ER-associated protein degradation (ERAD), HRD1-SEL1L complex is recently reported to regulate the mitochondria, though the mechanism is not fully delineated. Here, we found the increase in SEL1L-HRD1 complex decreased the stability of a mitochondrial protein, ALKBH1. Downregulation of ALKBH1 subsequently blocked the transcription of mitochondrial DNA-coded genes, and resulted in mitochondrial damage. Lastly, a putative SIRT4 stimulator, Entinostat, was identified, which upregulated the expression of SIRT4 and effectively inhibited pancreatic cancer in vivo and in vitro.

Comparison of the left and right ventricular size and systolic function of low-risk fetuses in the third trimester: Which is more dominant?

Objective: To quantify fetal cardiovascular parameters utilizing fetal-specific 2D speckle tracking technique and to explore the differences in size and systolic function of the left and right ventricles in low-risk pregnancy. Methods: A prospective cohort study was performed in 453 low-risk single fetuses (28+0-39+6 weeks) to evaluate ventricular size [i.e., end-diastolic length (EDL), end-systolic length (ESL), end-diastolic diameter (ED), end-systolic diameter (ES), end-diastolic area, end-systolic area, end-diastolic volume (EDV), and end-systolic volume (ESV)] and systolic function [i.e., ejection fraction (EF), stroke volume (SV), cardiac output (CO), cardiac output per kilogram (CO/KG), and stroke volume per kilogram (SV/KG)]. Results: This study showed that (1) the reproducibility of the interobserver and intraobserver measurements was good to excellent (ICC 0.626-0.936); (2) with advancing gestation, fetal ventricular size and systolic function increased, whereas right ventricular (RV) EF decreased and left ventricular (LV) EF was not significantly changed; (3) LV length was longer than RV length in diastole (2.24 vs. 1.96 cm, P < 0.001) and systole (1.72 vs. 1.52 cm, P < 0.001); (4) LV ED-S1 and ES-S1 were shorter than the RV ED-S1 and ES-S1 (12.87 vs. 13.43 mm, P < 0.001; 5.09 vs. 5.61 mm, P < 0.001); (5) there were no differences between the LV and RV in EDA or EDV; (6) the mean EDV ratio of right-to-left ventricle was 1.076 (95% CI, 1.038-1.114), and the mean ESV ratio was 1.628 (95% CI, 1.555-1.701); (7) the EF, CO and SV of the LV were greater than the RV (EF: 62.69% vs. 46.09%, P < 0.001; CO: 167.85 vs. 128.69 ml, P < 0.001; SV: 1.18 vs. 0.88 ml, P < 0.001); (8) SV and CO increased with ED-S1 and EDL, but EF was not significantly changed. Conclusion: Low-risk fetal cardiovascular physiology is characterized by a larger RV volume (especially after 32 weeks) and greater LV outputs (EF, CO, SV, SV/KG and CO/KG).

H+-pyrophosphatases enhance low nitrogen stress tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis and wheat by interacting with a receptor-like protein kinase.

Introduction: Nitrogen is a major abiotic stress that affects plant productivity. Previous studies have shown that plant H+-pyrophosphatases (H+-PPases) enhance plant resistance to low nitrogen stress. However, the molecular mechanism underlying H+-PPase-mediated regulation of plant responses to low nitrogen stress is still unknown. In this study, we aimed to investigate the regulatory mechanism of AtAVP1 in response to low nitrogen stress. Methods and Results: AtAVP1 in Arabidopsis thaliana and EdVP1 in Elymus dahuricus belong to the H+-PPase gene family. In this study, we found that AtAVP1 overexpression was more tolerant to low nitrogen stress than was wild type (WT), whereas the avp1-1 mutant was less tolerant to low nitrogen stress than WT. Plant height, root length, aboveground fresh and dry weights, and underground fresh and dry weights of EdVP1 overexpression wheat were considerably higher than those of SHI366 under low nitrogen treatment during the seedling stage. Two consecutive years of low nitrogen tolerance experiments in the field showed that grain yield and number of grains per spike of EdVP1 overexpression wheat were increased compared to those in SHI366, which indicated that EdVP1 conferred low nitrogen stress tolerance in the field. Furthermore, we screened interaction proteins in Arabidopsis; subcellular localization analysis demonstrated that AtAVP1 and Arabidopsis thaliana receptor-like protein kinase (AtRLK) were located on the plasma membrane. Yeast two-hybrid and luciferase complementary imaging assays showed that the AtRLK interacted with AtAVP1. Under low nitrogen stress, the Arabidopsis mutants rlk and avp1-1 had the same phenotypes. Discussion: These results indicate that AtAVP1 regulates low nitrogen stress responses by interacting with AtRLK, which provides a novel insight into the regulatory pathway related to H+-pyrophosphatase function in plants.

Nanostructured MoS2 with Interlayer Controllably Regulated by Ionic Liquids/Cellulose for High-Capacity and Durable Sodium Storage Properties.

Low intrinsic conductivity and structural instability of MoS2 as an anode of sodium-ion batteries limit the liberation of its theoretical capacity. Herein, density functional theory simulations for the first time optimize MoS2 interlayer distance between 0.80 and 1.01 nm for sodium storage. 1-Butyl-3-methyl-imidazolium acetate ([BMIm]Ac) induces cellulose oligomers to intercalate MoS2 interlayers for achieving controllable distance by changing the mass ratio of cellulose to [BMIm]Ac. Based on these findings, porous carbon loading the interlayer-expanded MoS2 allowing Na+ to insert with fast kinetics is synthesized. A carbon layer derived from [BMIm]Ac and cellulose coating the composite prevents the MoS2 from contacting electrolytes, leading to less sulfur loss for a more reversible specific capacity. Meanwhile, MoS2 and carbon have a strong interfacial connection through MoN binding, contributing to enhanced structural stability. As expected, while cycling 250 times at 0.1 A g-1 , the MoS2 -porous carbon composite displays an optimal reversible capacity at 517.79 mAh g-1 as a sodium-ion batteries anode. The cyclic test of 1.0 A g-1 also shows considerable stability (310.74 mAh g-1 after 1000 cycles with 86.26% retentive capacity). This study will open up new possibilities of modifying MoS2 that serves as an applicable material as sodium-ion battery anode.

Observer-Based Dynamic Event-Triggered Semiglobal Bipartite Consensus of Linear Multi-Agent Systems With Input Saturation.

Observer-based dynamic event-triggered semiglobal bipartite consensus (SGBC) is investigated for linear multi-agent systems (MASs) with input saturation under a competitive network. Based on the estimated relative information and low-gain feedback technology, distributed dynamic event-triggered control (DETC) protocols are proposed for solving the observer-based SGBC problems for MASs under a fixed topology and a jointly connected topology, respectively. It is turned out that the SGBC of MASs can be achieved under the proposed protocols. By using gauge transformation and the Lyapunov theory, the bipartite consensus conditions are obtained. Moreover, Zeno behaviors will be excluded. Finally, two simulation examples are presented to verify the theoretical results efficiently.

Genome-wide association study of agronomic traits related to nitrogen use efficiency in wheat.

KEY MESSAGE: GWAS identified 347 QTLs associated with eight traits related to nitrogen use efficiency in a 389-count wheat panel. Four novel candidate transcription factor genes were verified using qRT-PCR. Nitrogen is an essential nutrient for plants that determines crop yield. Improving nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) should considerably increase wheat yield and reduce the use of nitrogen fertilisers. However, knowledge on the genetic basis of NUE during wheat maturity is limited. In this study, a diversity panel incorporating 389 wheat accessions was phenotyped for eight NUE-related agronomic traits across five different environments. A total of 347 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for low nitrogen tolerance indices (ratio of agronomic characters under low and high nitrogen conditions) were identified through a genome-wide association study utilising 397,384 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the MLM (Q + K) model, including 11 stable QTLs. Furthermore, 69 candidate genes were predicted for low nitrogen tolerance indices of best linear unbiased predictions values of the eight studied agronomic traits, and four novel candidate transcription factors (TraesCS5A02G237500 for qFsnR5A.2, TraesCS5B02G384500 and TraesCS5B02G384600 for qSLR5B.1, and TraesCS3B02G068800 for qTKWR3B.1) showed differing expression patterns in contrasting low-nitrogen-tolerant wheat genotypes. Moreover, the number of favourable marker alleles calculated using NUE that were significantly related to SNP in accessions decreased over the decades, indicating a decline in the NUE of the 389 wheat varieties. These findings denote promising NUE markers that could be useful in breeding high-NUE wheat varieties, and the candidate genes could further detail the NUE-related regulation network in wheat.

The interactions of CAP and LYN with the insulin signaling transducer CBL play an important role in polycystic ovary syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder characterized by hyperandrogenism, ovulatory dysfunction, and insulin resistance. Evidence suggests that aberrations in insulin signaling-associated pathways may underlie PCOS pathogenesis. Our aim was to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying PCOS and associated insulin resistance using in silico analyses, in vitro cell models, and in vivo murine models. METHODS: R-based bioinformatics analysis was performed on granulosa cell microarray data from three human cohorts: healthy control, PCOS patients without insulin resistance, and PCOS patients with insulin resistance. Transgenic human granulosa cell models were utilized for in vitro studies. Transgenic murine models of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)-induced PCOS were utilized for in vivo studies. RESULTS: Sorbin and SH3 Domain Containing 1 (SORBS1), the parent gene of the insulin receptor-associated Casitas B-lineage lymphoma protein (CBL)-associated protein (CAP), is a key downregulated gene in PCOS patients with insulin resistance. CAP binding to CBL reduced CBLY731 phosphorylation, CBL-phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) p85α interactivity, protein kinase B (Akt)S473 phosphorylation, and NFκB-induced inflammatory marker expression but enhanced CRKII-mediated membrane GLUT4 translocation in granulosa cells. In contrast, the tyrosine kinase Lck/Yes-Related Novel Protein (LYN) is upregulated in PCOS patients with insulin resistance. LYN binding to CBL enhanced CBLY731 phosphorylation, CBL-PI3K p85α interactivity, AktS473 phosphorylation, and NFκB-induced inflammatory marker expression but did not impact membrane GLUT4 translocation. In PCOS mice, Cap overexpression, Cap transactivation by metformin, or enhancing Cbl-CrkII binding improved insulin sensitivity and ovarian dysfunction (i.e., estrous cycle disruption, cyst-like follicle formation, and sex hormone dysregulation). In contrast, Lyn knockdown, Lyn inhibition by PP2, or CBL-PI3K p85α blockade improved only ovarian dysfunction. Cbl3YF phosphomutant overexpression (which enhances Cbl-CrkII binding but blocks Cbl-PI3K p85α binding) ameliorated both ovarian dysfunction and insulin resistance. CONCLUSIONS: The interactions of CAP and LYN with CBL, and the resulting effects on CBL phosphorylation and activity, may play an important role in PCOS pathogenesis. Targeting these players may be a viable therapeutic strategy for PCOS.

SiMYB19 from Foxtail Millet (Setaria italica) Confers Transgenic Rice Tolerance to High Salt Stress in the Field.

Salt stress is a major threat to crop quality and yield. Most experiments on salt stress-related genes have been conducted at the laboratory or greenhouse scale. Consequently, there is a lack of research demonstrating the merit of exploring these genes in field crops. Here, we found that the R2R3-MYB transcription factor SiMYB19 from foxtail millet is expressed mainly in the roots and is induced by various abiotic stressors such as salt, drought, low nitrogen, and abscisic acid. SiMYB19 is tentatively localized to the nucleus and activates transcription. It enhances salt tolerance in transgenic rice at the germination and seedling stages. SiMYB19 overexpression increased shoot height, grain yield, and salt tolerance in field- and salt pond-grown transgenic rice. SiMYB19 overexpression promotes abscisic acid (ABA) accumulation in transgenic rice and upregulates the ABA synthesis gene OsNCED3 and the ABA signal transduction pathway-related genes OsPK1 and OsABF2. Thus, SiMYB19 improves salt tolerance in transgenic rice by regulating ABA synthesis and signal transduction. Using rice heterologous expression analysis, the present study introduced a novel candidate gene for improving salt tolerance and increasing yield in crops grown in saline-alkali soil.

Transcriptome Differences in Response Mechanisms to Low-Nitrogen Stress in Two Wheat Varieties.

Nitrogen plays a crucial role in wheat growth and development. Here, we analyzed the tolerance of wheat strains XM26 and LM23 to low-nitrogen stress using a chlorate sensitivity experiment. Subsequently, we performed transcriptome analyses of both varieties exposed to low-nitrogen (LN) and normal (CK) treatments. Compared with those under CK treatment, 3534 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected in XM26 in roots and shoots under LN treatment (p < 0.05, and |log2FC| > 1). A total of 3584 DEGs were detected in LM23. A total of 3306 DEGs, including 863 DEGs in roots and 2443 DEGs in shoots, were specifically expressed in XM26 or showed huge differences between XM26 and LM23 (log2FC ratio > 3). These were selected for gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analyses. The calcium-mediated plant-pathogen interaction, MAPK signaling, and phosphatidylinositol signaling pathways were enriched in XM26 but not in LM23. We also verified the expression of important genes involved in these pathways in the two varieties using qRT-PCR. A total of 156 transcription factors were identified among the DEGs, and their expression patterns were different between the two varieties. Our findings suggest that calcium-related pathways play different roles in the two varieties, eliciting different tolerances to low-nitrogen stress.

Impact of epidural labor analgesia using sufentanil combined with low-concentration ropivacaine on maternal and neonatal outcomes: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Whether epidural administered sufentanil combined with low-concentration ropivacaine affected labor progress as well as maternal and neonatal outcomes still remained unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of epidural sufentanil plus ropivacaine on maternal and neonatal outcomes. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study. Data of singleton full-term pregnancy women who received epidural labor analgesia for vaginal delivery from May 2018 to June 2020 were collected. Parturients were divided into two groups (the R group and the SR group) according to different medication regimens for epidural labor analgesia. The implementation of epidural analgesia during labor was performed with 0.167 % ropivacaine in the R group and 0.1 % ropivacaine in combination with 0.5 µg/ml sufentanil in the SR group. The primary outcome of our study included the duration of labor progress and the incidence of maternal fever, postpartum hemorrhage, fetal distress and neonatal Apgar scores less than 7 at 1 and 5 min. The secondary outcome included the incidence of episiotomy, instrumental delivery, caesarean section and grade III meconium-stained amniotic fluid. RESULTS: There were a total 3778 deliveries during the study period, 1994 and 1784 parturients were included in the R group and in the SR group, respectively. The length of the first stage of labor was remarkably shorter in the R group in comparison to the SR group (548.0 ± 273.0 vs. 570.9 ± 273.0, P = 0.013). No significant difference was found in the incidence of maternal fever, postpartum hemorrhage, fetal distress and in the neonatal Apgar scores less than 7 at 1 and 5 min between two groups. Other Maternal outcomes were comparable in the R group and the SR group. CONCLUSIONS: 0.5 µg/ml sufentanil plus 0.1 % ropivacaine for epidural labor analgesia prolonged the duration of the first stage of labor, but did not have additional impact on maternal and neonatal outcomes compared with the sole 0.167 % ropivacaine. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical Research Information Service with registration number ChiCTR2100045162 . Registered 7 April 2021.

FGF21 Serum Levels in the Early Second Trimester Are Positively Correlated With the Risk of Subsequent Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Propensity-Matched Nested Case-Control Study.

Background: As an important endocrine hormone regulating glucose metabolism, fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is increased in individuals with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) after 24 gestational weeks. However, it is unknown whether the increase in FGF21 precedes the diagnosis of GDM. Methods: In this nested case-control study, 133 pregnant women with GDM and 133 pregnant women with normal glucose tolerance (NGT) were identified through propensity score matching, and serum FGF21 levels were measured at 14 to 21 gestational weeks, before GDM is routinely identified. The differences in FGF21 levels were compared. The association between FGF21 and the occurrence of GDM was evaluated using logistic regression models with adjustment for confounders. Results: The serum FGF21 levels of the GDM group at 14 to 21 gestational weeks were significantly higher than those of the NGT group overall (P < 0.001), with similar results observed between the corresponding BMI subgroups (P < 0.05). The 2nd (OR 1.224, 95% CI 0.603-2.485), 3rd (OR 2.478, 1.229-5.000), and 4th (OR 3.419, 95% CI 1.626-7.188) FGF21 quartiles were associated with greater odds of GDM occurrence than the 1st quartile after multivariable adjustments. Conclusions: The serum FGF21 levels in GDM groups increased in the early second trimester, regardless of whether participants were stratified according to BMI. After adjusting for confounding factors, the FGF21 levels in the highest quartile were associated with more than three times higher probability of the diagnosis of GDM in the pregnancy as compared to levels in the first quartile.

Heterogeneous deniable authenticated encryption for location-based services.

The location-based services can provide users with the requested location information. But users also need to disclose their current location to the location-based service provider. Therefore, how to protect user's location privacy is a major concern. In this paper, we propose a heterogeneous deniable authenticated encryption scheme called HDAE for location-based services. The proposed scheme permits a sender in a public key infrastructure environment to transmit a message to a receiver in an identity-based environment. Our design utilizes a hybrid encryption method combing the tag-key encapsulation mechanism (tag-KEM) and the data encapsulation mechanism (DEM), which is well adopted for location-based services applications. We give how to design an HDAE scheme utilizing a heterogeneous deniable authenticated tag-KEM (HDATK) and a DEM. We also construct an HDATK scheme and provide security proof in the random oracle model. Comprehensive analysis shows that our scheme is efficient and secure. In addition, we give an application of the HDAE to a location-based services system.

Advantages of Small Bone-Window Craniotomy Under Microscope Combined Postoperative Intracranial Pressure Monitoring in the Treatment of Hypertensive Intracerebral Hemorrhage.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to analyze the clinical effect of small bone-window craniotomy with microscope combined postoperative ICP monitoring, and further explore an appropriate treatment for HICH patients. METHODS: One hundred fifty patients with HICH were selected according to inclusion and exclusion criteria and divided into 3 groups at random, 50 each group. Patients in 3 groups were treated with conventional craniotomy, small bone-window craniotomy and small bone-window craniotomy combined ICP monitoring respectively. The surgical efficiency, treatment effect and outcomes were recorded and analyzed. RESULTS: The intraoperative blood loss and operation time of small window groups were significantly less than that of conventional group, and the hematoma clearance rate in small window groups were significantly higher than in conventional group (P < 0.05). Compared with conventional group, the hospital stays and mannitol dose used were less in small window groups and least in small window combined ICP monitoring group (P < 0.05). The complication rate in small window combined ICP monitoring group was 10%, which was significantly lower than in conventional group (26%, P < 0.05), while no significant difference was found between small window group (18%) compared with the other 2 groups respectively (P > 0.05). The difference of morality rate between 3 groups wasn't significant (P > 0.05). Three treatment significantly increased the Barthel index score, and the improvement of small window combined ICP monitoring group was significantly higher than in other 2 groups respectively (P < 0.05), while the difference between this two groups wasn't significant (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Small bone-window craniotomy is more efficient and convenient than conventional craniotomy in the treatment of HICH. In the meantime, small bone-window craniotomy simultaneous with ICP monitoring significantly improved clinical effect and treatment outcomes of HICH patients.