Mapping Soil Properties in the Haihun River Sub-Watershed, Yangtze River Basin, China, by Integrating Machine Learning and Variable Selection.

Mapping soil properties in sub-watersheds is critical for agricultural productivity, land management, and ecological security. Machine learning has been widely applied to digital soil mapping due to a rapidly increasing number of environmental covariates. However, the inclusion of many environmental covariates in machine learning models leads to the problem of multicollinearity, with poorly understood consequences for prediction performance. Here, we explored the effects of variable selection on the prediction performance of two machine learning models for multiple soil properties in the Haihun River sub-watershed, Jiangxi Province, China. Surface soils (0-20 cm) were collected from a total of 180 sample points in 2022. The optimal covariates were selected from 40 environmental covariates using a recursive feature elimination algorithm. Compared to all-variable models, the random forest (RF) and extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) models with variable selection improved in prediction accuracy. The R2 values of the RF and XGBoost models increased by 0.34 and 0.47 for the soil organic carbon, by 0.67 and 0.62 for the total phosphorus, and by 0.43 and 0.62 for the available phosphorus, respectively. The models with variable selection presented reduced global uncertainty, and the overall uncertainty of the RF model was lower than that of the XGBoost model. The soil properties showed high spatial heterogeneity based on the models with variable selection. Remote sensing covariates (particularly principal component 2) were the major factors controlling the distribution of the soil organic carbon. Human activity covariates (mainly land use) and organism covariates (mainly potential evapotranspiration) played a predominant role in driving the distribution of the soil total and soil available phosphorus, respectively. This study indicates the importance of variable selection for predicting multiple soil properties and mapping their spatial distribution in sub-watersheds.

Comparison of open surgery versus endoscopic-assisted release for gluteal muscle contracture: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare the clinical outcomes of open surgery and arthroscopic release in gluteal muscle contracture (GMC). METHODS: Two independent reviewers YM and WL conducted a systematic search of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science to identify clinical trials that adhered to the PRISMA guidelines (Appendix A), spanning from inception to July 2023. Search items included (("gluteal" OR "gluteus") AND ("contracture" OR "fibrosis")). Research comparing open surgery or arthroscopic release was included. Clinical outcomes were compared using the risk ratio for dichotomous variables and the standardized mean difference for continuous variables. A P value < 0.05 was deemed statistically significant. RESULTS: Four studies with 453 patients met the selection criteria and were included in this review. Compared with open surgery, in the case of similar postoperative functional satisfaction (1.21, 95% CI = 0.46-3.17, P = 0.70), the arthroscopic release achieved advantages in postoperative complications (3.5, 95% CI = 1.75-7.03, P = 0.0004), cosmetic satisfaction (0.07, 95% CI = 0.01-0.65, P = 0.02), length size (5.65, 95% CI = 4.11-7.19, P < 0.001), and hospitalization duration (1.57, 95% CI = 0.89 to 2.26, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This research shows that both open surgery and arthroscopic release improve functional satisfaction. The arthroscopic release could result in fewer complications, better cosmetic satisfaction, shorter length size, and shorter hospitalization duration. Registration and protocol There is no registration and protocol for this meta-analysis.

Prognostic significance of lymphadenectomy in uterine leiomyosarcomas and endometrial stromal sarcomas: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

The clinical value of lymph node dissection remains controversial. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of lymphadenectomy on the prognosis of patients with uterine leiomyosarcomas (uLMS) or endometrial stromal sarcomas (ESS). PubMed, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library were searched for studies describing the prognostic significance of lymphadenectomy in uLMS or ESS. Quality assessments were performed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, relative hazard ratios and a random-effects model. Thirty-two retrospective cohort studies that included 26,693 patients in total were enrolled. Patients with uLMS or low-grade ESS (LG-ESS) had no survival benefits from lymphadenectomy. However, patients with high-grade ESS (HG-ESS), did show survival benefits of lymphadenectomy, with no heterogeneity. No significant evidence of publication bias was found. Lymphadenectomy had little prognostic effect on patients with early-stage uLMS or LG-ESS. The best treatment for HG-ESS is early, comprehensive hysterectomy with lymph node dissection.

Synergistic effects of 7-O-geranylquercetin and siRNAs on the treatment of human breast cancer.

AIMS: To investigate the antitumor effect of 7-O-geranylquercetin (GQ) combining with survivin siRNA (siSuvi) or IL-10 siRNA (siIL-10) to breast cancer. MAIN METHODS: Xenograft tumor model was established by subcutaneously inoculating human breast cancer MCF-7 cells in BALB/c nude mice. Transfection efficiency of siRNA mediated by cationic liposome CDO14 in MCF-7 cells and tumor bearing mice was measured by flow cytometer and living imaging sysytem, respectively. Cell viability was detected using CCK-8 assay. Cell apoptosis was determined by Hoechst33342 staining and AV-PI staining. Tumors bearing mice were administered with GQ by gavage, and/or with liposome CDO14 mediated siRNAs via tail intravenous injection. Expression levels of proteins and cytokines were detected by western blot and ELISA, respectively. KEY FINDINGS: Liposome CDO14 could deliver siRNA to tumor effectively. Combination of GQ and siSuvi promoted the antiproliferation and pro-apoptosis effects of GQ or siSuvi to MCF-7 cells, and reduced the level of survivin and raised the level of caspase-7 in cells. GQ combining with siSuvi inhibited the growth of tumor, down-regulated the expression of survivin and up-regulated the expression of caspase-7 in tumor tissue. Similarly, GQ combining with siIL-10 inhibited the growth of tumor, decreased the level of IL-10 and increased the level of TNF-α. These results revealed that GQ enhanced the pro-apoptosis effect of siSuvi on tumor cells and the modulating effect of siIL-10 on tumor microenvironment. SIGNIFICANCES: Synergistic anti-tumor effect of GQ and siRNAs against breast cancer proved that chemical drugs combining with siRNAs is a promising antitumor strategy.

7-O-geranylquercetin-induced autophagy contributes to apoptosis via ROS generation in human non-small cell lung cancer cells.

AIMS: To investigate the antitumor effects of 7-O-geranylquercetin (GQ), a novel O-alkylated derivative of quercetin, against non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines A549 and NCI-H1975 and the corresponding mechanisms. MAIN METHODS: Cell viability was assessed using MTT assay. The expression of proteins involved in apoptosis and autophagy was measured using western blotting. Besides, apoptosis was determined with DAPI staining, Annexin V-PI staining and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) assay, and autophagy was observed with TEM assay. Cell cycle and reactive oxygen species (ROS) level were detected using flow cytometry. KEY FINDINGS: GQ inhibited viability of A549 and NCI-H1975 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner without apparent cytotoxicity to normal human lung fibroblast cells. GQ down-regulated the expression of apoptosis-related proteins pro-caspase 3 and Bcl-2, and up-regulated the expression of cleaved-PARP and Bax in A549 and NCI-H1975 cells. Meanwhile, GQ-induced cell apoptosis could be attenuated by caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK. Besides, GQ induced autophagosome formation in A549 and NCI-H1975 cells, promoted the expression of autophagy-related proteins LC3-II and Beclin 1, and suppressed the expression of p62. Autophagy inhibition with chloroquine or Beclin 1 siRNA could effectively inhibit GQ-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, GQ treatment increased the generation of ROS, and ROS inhibitor N-acetylcysteine could reverse GQ-induced autophagy and apoptosis. Taken together, GQ could induce apoptosis and autophagy via ROS generation in A549 and NCI-H1975 cells, and GQ-induced autophagy contributed to apoptosis. SIGNIFICANCE: Our findings highlight that GQ is a promising anticancer agent for the treatment of lung cancer.

7-O-Geranylquercetin induces apoptosis in gastric cancer cells via ROS-MAPK mediated mitochondrial signaling pathway activation.

7-O-Geranylquercetin (GQ) is a novel O-alkylated derivate of quercetin. In this study, we evaluated its apoptosis induction effects in human gastric cancer cell lines SGC-7901 and MGC-803 and explored the potential molecular mechanisms. The results demonstrated that GQ lowered viability of SGC-7901 and MGC-803 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner without apparent cytotoxicity to human gastric epithelial cell line GES-1. GQ could induce apoptosis in SGC-7901 and MGC-803cells, and arrest the gastric cancer cells at G2/M phase. Mechanism study showed that GQ triggered generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), then activated p38 and JNK signaling pathways, subsequently led to mitochondrial impairment by regulating the expression of Bcl-2, Bcl-xl and Bax, and finally promoted the release of cytochrome c and the activation of caspases to induce apoptosis. In addition, Z-VAD-FMK (caspase inhibitor) could reverse GQ-induced apoptosis. SB203580 (p38 inhibitor) and SP600125 (JNK inhibitor) could rescue GQ-induced cell death and attenuate mitochondrial signal pathway activation. Furthermore, NAC (ROS inhibitor) could rescue GQ-induced cell death, reduce ROS generation, decrease the phosphorylation of p38 and JNK, and then attenuate the activation of mitochondrial signal pathway. Taken together, GQ induces caspase-dependent apoptosis in gastric cancer cells through activating ROS-MAPK mediated mitochondrial signal pathway. This study highlights the potential use of GQ as a gastric cancer therapeutic agent.