Cellobionate production from sodium hydroxide pretreated wheat straw by engineered Neurospora crassa HL10.

This study investigated cellobionate production from a lignocellulosic substrate using Neurospora crassa HL10. Utilizing NaOH-pretreated wheat straw as the substrate obviated the need for an exogenous redox mediator addition, as lignin contained in the pretreated wheat served as a natural mediator. The low laccase production by N. crassa HL10 on pretreated wheat straw caused slow cellobionate production, and exogenous laccase addition accelerated the process. Cycloheximide induced substantial laccase production in N. crassa HL10, enabling the strain to yield approximately 57 mM cellobionate from pretreated wheat straw (equivalent to 20 g/L cellulose), shortening the conversion time from 8 to 6 days. About 92% of the cellulose contained in the pretreated wheat straw is converted to cellobionate. In contrast to existing methods requiring pure cellobiose or cellulase enzymes, this process efficiently converts a low-cost feedstock into cellobionate at a high yield without enzyme or redox mediator supplementation.

Association of Hematological Biomarkers of Inflammation with 10-Year Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events and All-Cause Mortality in Patients with Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease: The ARIC Study.

Background: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and existing evidence indicates that MASLD affects the cardiovascular system through systemic inflammation. Our aim was to assess the association of hematological biomarkers of inflammation with the 10-year risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and all-cause mortality in MASLD patients. Methods: A total of 1858 MASLD participants from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities cohort study at visit 2 (1990-1992) were included. A total of 1338 non-MASLD participants were also included in the comparison. At baseline, hematological biomarkers of inflammation such as leukocytes, neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured. Participants were followed up for MACE and all-cause mortality for a period of 10 years. Multivariate adjusted Cox models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HR). Results: The 10-year MACE was higher in MASLD participants than in non-MASLD participants (20.8% vs 9.3%). Monocytes (HR 1.114, [95% CI, 1.022-1.216] per 1-SD, P=0.015) and CRP (HR 1.109 [95% CI, 1.032-1.190] per 1-SD, P=0.005) were associated with an increased 10-year risk of MACE, independent of other cardiovascular risk factors. This association was specific to the MASLD population. None of these hematological biomarkers demonstrated a significant association with 10-year all-cause mortality. Conclusion: Increased levels of monocytes and CRP were associated with an increased 10-year risk of MACE in the MASLD population. Hematological biomarkers of inflammation may help identify MASLD populations at higher risk for cardiovascular events.

GWO+RuleFit: rule-based explainable machine-learning combined with heuristics to predict mid-treatment FDG PET response to chemoradiation for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Objective.Vital rules learned from fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) radiomics of tumor subregional response can provide clinical decision support for precise treatment adaptation. We combined a rule-based machine learning (ML) model (RuleFit) with a heuristic algorithm (gray wolf optimizer, GWO) for mid-chemoradiation FDG-PET response prediction in patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer.Approach.Tumors subregions were identified using K-means clustering. GWO+RuleFit consists of three main parts: (i) a random forest is constructed based on conventional features or radiomic features extracted from tumor regions or subregions in FDG-PET images, from which the initial rules are generated; (ii) GWO is used for iterative rule selection; (iii) the selected rules are fit to a linear model to make predictions about the target variable. Two target variables were considered: a binary response measure (ΔSUVmean ⩾ 20% decline) for classification and a continuous response measure (ΔSUVmean) for regression. GWO+RuleFit was benchmarked against common ML algorithms and RuleFit, with leave-one-out cross-validated performance evaluated by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) in classification and root-mean-square error (RMSE) in regression.Main results.GWO+RuleFit selected 15 rules from the radiomic feature dataset of 23 patients. For treatment response classification, GWO+RuleFit attained numerically better cross-validated performance than RuleFit across tumor regions and sets of features (AUC: 0.58-0.86 vs. 0.52-0.78,p= 0.170-0.925). GWO+Rulefit also had the best or second-best performance numerically compared to all other algorithms for all conditions. For treatment response regression prediction, GWO+RuleFit (RMSE: 0.162-0.192) performed better numerically for low-dimensional models (p= 0.097-0.614) and significantly better for high-dimensional models across all tumor regions except one (RMSE: 0.189-0.219,p< 0.004).Significance. The GWO+RuleFit selected rules were interpretable, highlighting distinct radiomic phenotypes that modulated treatment response. GWO+Rulefit achieved parsimonious models while maintaining utility for treatment response prediction, which can aid clinical decisions for patient risk stratification, treatment selection, and biologically driven adaptation. Clinical trial: NCT02773238.

Association of overweight/obesity and overweight/obesity-related metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease in young adults with coronary artery calcification later in life.

AIM: The association of overweight/obesity and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) in young adulthood with subclinical atherosclerosis [coronary artery calcification (CAC) and abdominal aortic calcification (AAC)] by middle age is unknown. METHOD: In total, 2274 participants aged 28-39 years from the coronary artery risk development in young adults study at year 10 (1995-1996) who were re-examined 15 years later were included. CAC and AAC were measured at year 25 using computed tomography. We examined the utility of three young adult phenotypes (lean group; overweight/obese group; overweight/obese MASLD group) at year 10 in predicting CAC or AAC by middle age. Modified Poisson regression was used to estimate the association between groups and CAC, and AAC. Independent determinates of CAC and AAC were determined with linear regression models. RESULTS: Compared with individuals categorized as lean in young adulthood, the relative risk for CAC by middle age was 1.09 (95% confidence interval: 0.93-1.28) for those with overweight/obesity and 1.32 (95% confidence interval: 1.08-1.61) for those with overweight/obesity-related MASLD. For AAC, no difference was observed between these three groups. Group, systolic blood pressure and group × systolic blood pressure interaction were all the independent determinates for CAC. CONCLUSION: In this study, young adults with overweight/obesity-related MASLD have a higher risk of developing CAC by middle age. These abnormalities are only partially explained by traditional cardiovascular risk factors, and overweight/obesity-related MASLD has an independent impact on CAC. Our study provides evidence for identifying young adults at higher risk of developing subclinical atherosclerosis.

Enhancing the perception of saltiness and reducing NaCl levels in snacks through sensory interaction: Immobilizing NaCl nanocrystals in Litsea oleoresin-sunflower seed oleogels.

Excessive dietary salt intake leads to health issues, while reducing NaCl content compromises flavor. Therefore, identifying methods to decrease salt levels without sacrificing flavor is crucial. This study investigated the sensory interaction between the saltiness of NaCl and the pungency of Litsea oleoresin. Glyceryl monostearate (6.6%) and soy lecithin (4.4%) were used as gelling agents to create oleogels, which were then employed to immobilize NaCl nanocrystals, optimizing sensory interactions. NaCl nanocrystals (427.73 ± 61.98 nm) were encapsulated in a Litsea oleoresin-sunflower seed oleogel system with uniform distribution. Sensory evaluation indicated that the NaCl nanocrystal/Litsea oleoresin@oleogel system, with moderate pungency, significantly enhanced perceived saltiness intensity (29.00 ± 1.14, compared to the control, 18.48 ± 1.12) (P < 0.05). When applied to potato chips, this system noticeably increased saltiness perception. This research provides a promising approach for developing low-sodium yet flavorful foods.

Current advances of chlorinated organics degradation by bioelectrochemical systems: a review.

Chlorinated organic compounds (COCs) are typical refractory organic compounds, having high biological toxicity. These compounds are a type of pervasive pollutants that can be present in polluted soil, air, and various types of waterways, such as groundwater, rivers, and lakes, posing a significant threat to the ecological environment and human health. Bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) are an effective strategy for the degradation of bio-refractory compounds. BESs improve the waste treatment efficiency through the application of weak electrical stimulation. This review discusses the processes of BESs configurations and degradation performances in different environmental media including wastewater, soil, waste gas and groundwater. In addition, the degradation mechanisms and performance-enhancing additives are summarized. The future challenges and perspectives on the development of BES for COCs removal are briefly discussed.

Hybrid Double-Sided Tape with Asymmetrical Adhesion and Burst Pressure Tolerance for Abdominal Injury Treatment.

Patients with open abdominal (OA) wounds have a mortality risk of up to 30%, and the resulting disabilities would have profound effects on patients. Here, we present a novel double-sided adhesive tape developed for the management of OA wounds. The tape features an asymmetrical structure and employs an acellular dermal matrix (ADM) with asymmetric wettability as a scaffold. It is constructed by integrating a tissue-adhesive hydrogel composed of polydopamine (pDA), quaternary ammonium chitosan (QCS), and acrylic acid cross-linking onto the bottom side of the ADM. Following surface modification with pDA, the ADM would exhibit characteristics resistant to bacterial adhesion. Furthermore, the presence of a developed hydrogel ensures that the tape not only possesses tissue adhesiveness and noninvasive peelability but also effectively mitigates damage caused by oxidative stress. Besides, the ADM inherits the strength of the skin, imparting high burst pressure tolerance to the tape. Based on these remarkable attributes, we demonstrate that this double-sided (D-S) tape facilitates the repair of OA wounds, mitigates damage to exposed intestinal tubes, and reduces the risk of intestinal fistulae and complications. Additionally, the D-S tape is equally applicable to treating other abdominal injuries, such as gastric perforations. It effectively seals the perforation, promotes injury repair, and prevents the formation of postoperative adhesions. These notable features indicate that the presented double-sided tape holds significant potential value in the biomedical field.

Clinical and Molecular Characteristics of Patients with Bloodstream Infections Caused by KPC and NDM Co-Producing Carbapenem-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Purpose: Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC) and New Delhi metallo-ß-lactamase (NDM) co-producing carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (KPC-NDM-CRKP) isolates have been increasingly reported worldwide but have not yet been systematically studied. Thus, we have conducted a study to compare the risk factors, molecular characteristics, and mortality involved in clinical bloodstream infections (BSIs) caused by KPC-NDM-CRKP and KPC-CRKP strains. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 231 patients with BSIs caused by CRKP at Jinling Hospital in China from January 2020 to December 2022. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing, carbapenemase genes detection and whole-genome sequencing were performed subsequently. Results: Overall, 231 patients were included in this study: 25 patients with KPC-NDM-CRKP BSIs and 206 patients with KPC-CRKP BSIs. Multivariate analysis implicated ICU-acquired BSI, surgery within 30 days, and longer stay of hospitalization prior to CRKP isolation as independent risk factors for KPC-NDM-CRKP BSIs. The 30-day mortality rate of the KPC-NDM-CRKP BSIs group was 56% (14/25) compared with 32.5% (67/206) in the KPC-CRKP BSIs control group (P = 0.02). The ICU-acquired BSIs, APACHE II score at BSI onset, and BSIs caused by KPC-NDM-CRKP were independent predictors for 30-day mortality in patients with CRKP bacteremia. The most prevalent ST in KPC-NDM-CRKP isolates was ST11 (23/25, 92%), followed by ST15 (2/25, 8%). Conclusion: In patients with CRKP BSIs, KPC-NDM-CRKP was associated with an excess of mortality. The likelihood that KPC-NDM-CRKP will become the next "superbug" highlights the significance of epidemiologic surveillance and clinical awareness of this pathogen.

Obacunone, a Promising Phytochemical Triterpenoid: Research Progress on Its Pharmacological Activity and Mechanism.

Obacunone, a natural triterpenoid, is an active component of the herbs Dictamnus dasycarpus Turcz. and Phellodendron amurense Rupr, and an indicator of the herbs' quality. Owing to its multiple health benefits, several studies have investigated the multi-targeting potential action mechanisms of obacunone. To summarize recent developments on the pharmacological actions of obacunone and focus on the underlying molecular mechanisms and signaling networks, we searched PubMed, Europe PMC, Wiley Online Library, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Wanfang Medical Network, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure for articles published prior to March 2024. Existing research indicates obacunone has great potential to become a promising therapeutic option against tumors, fibrotic diseases, bone and cholesterol metabolism diseases, and infections of pathogenic microorganisms, among others. The paper contributes to providing up-to-date references for further research and clinical applications of obacunone.

Association between hepatitis A seropositivity and bone mineral density in adolescents and adults: a cross-sectional study using NHANES data.

BACKGROUND: Osteoporosis, characterized by decreased bone density and increased fracture risk, imposes significant physical, psychosocial, and financial burdens. Early detection and prevention are crucial for managing osteoporosis and reducing the risk of fractures. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the relationship between Hepatitis A seropositivity and bone mineral density (BMD) in adolescents and adults and to explore the potential link between Hepatitis A infection and osteoporosis risk. DESIGN AND SETTING: This cross-sectional study used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2011 to 2018 to evaluate the association between hepatitis A seropositivity and BMD in 15,693 participants. METHODS: Multivariable regression analysis was used to calculate the mean BMD and standard error for adolescents and adults, followed by an independent z-test to determine whether there was a significant difference between the seropositive and seronegative groups. RESULTS: Hepatitis A seropositive adolescents and adults had lower BMD than their seronegative counterparts, with significant differences in lumber spine (mean difference = -0.03 g/cm2, P < 0.01 for both age groups) and pelvis BMDs (mean difference = -0.02 g/cm2, P < 0.01 for the adult age groups), after adjusting for various covariates. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirmed that both adolescent and adult individuals seropositive for Hepatitis A antibodies had reduced BMD among both adolescents and adults, especially in the adult group. This finding suggests a possible link between Hepatitis A infection and risk of osteoporosis.

Association of postexercise blood pressure with cardiovascular outcomes and mortality: The CARDIA study.

Postexercise blood pressure (BP) may be a better predictor of cardiovascular risk than office BP, but there is a lack of data supporting this claim. We hypothesized that postexercise BP may be an important prognostic marker. Our aim was to evaluate the association of postexercise BP with major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and all-cause mortality. A total of 2581 participants (median age, 46 years; 55.9% women) from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study at year 20 (2005-2006) who underwent a graded exercise treadmill test using a modified Balke graded protocol were included. Postexercise BP was measured at baseline. Cox models were used to estimate the associations of postexercise BP with MACE and all-cause mortality. Participants were followed up until December 31, 2021. In the entire population, postexercise systolic BP showed no significant association with MACE or all-cause mortality, while postexercise diastolic BP was associated with MACE (hazard ratios [HR], 1.27 [95% CI, 1.06-1.52], per 10 mmHg increase) and all-cause mortality (HR, 1.26 [95% CI, 1.05-1.51], per 10 mmHg increase). In the normal BP group, postexercise systolic BP was not significantly associated with MACE or all-cause mortality, and postexercise diastolic BP was strongly associated with MACE (HR, 1.57 [95% CI, 1.18-2.09], per 10 mmHg increase). In this population-based cohort study, postexercise diastolic BP was significantly associated with the risk of MACE and all-cause mortality. Among individuals with normal BP, postexercise diastolic BP could identify those at a higher risk of cardiovascular events.

Self-adaptive pyroptosis-responsive nanoliposomes block pyroptosis in autoimmune inflammatory diseases.

Nanoliposomes have a broad range of applications in the treatment of autoimmune inflammatory diseases because of their ability to considerably enhance drug transport. For their clinical application, nanoliposomes must be able to realize on-demand release of drugs at disease sites to maximize drug-delivery efficacy and minimize side effects. Therefore, responsive drug-release strategies for inflammation treatment have been explored; however, no specific design has been realized for a responsive drug-delivery system based on pyroptosis-related inflammation. Herein, we report a pioneering strategy for self-adaptive pyroptosis-responsive liposomes (R8-cardiolipin-containing nanoliposomes encapsulating dimethyl fumarate, RC-NL@DMF) that precisely release encapsulated anti-pyroptotic drugs into pyroptotic cells. The activated key pyroptotic protein, the N-terminal domain of gasdermin E, selectively integrates with the cardiolipin of liposomes, thus forming pores for controlled drug release, pyroptosis, and inflammation inhibition. Therefore, RC-NL@DMF exhibited effective therapeutic efficacies to alleviate autoimmune inflammatory damages in zymosan-induced arthritis mice and dextran sulfate sodium-induced inflammatory bowel disease mice. Our novel approach holds great promise for self-adaptive pyroptosis-responsive on-demand drug delivery, suppressing pyroptosis and treating autoimmune inflammatory diseases.

Integrated Metabolome and Transcriptome Analysis of Gibberellins Mediated the Circadian Rhythm of Leaf Elongation by Regulating Lignin Synthesis in Maize.

Plant growth exhibits rhythmic characteristics, and gibberellins (GAs) are involved in regulating cell growth, but it is still unclear how GAs crosstalk with circadian rhythm to regulate cell elongation. The study analyzed growth characteristics of wild-type (WT), zmga3ox and zmga3ox with GA3 seedlings. We integrated metabolomes and transcriptomes to study the interaction between GAs and circadian rhythm in mediating leaf elongation. The rates of leaf growth were higher in WT than zmga3ox, and zmga3ox cell length was shorter when proliferated in darkness than light, and GA3 restored zmga3ox leaf growth. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between WT and zmga3ox were mainly enriched in hormone signaling and cell wall synthesis, while DEGs in zmga3ox were restored to WT by GA3. Moreover, the number of circadian DEGs that reached the peak expression in darkness was more than light, and the upregulated circadian DEGs were mainly enriched in cell wall synthesis. The differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) were mainly attributed to flavonoids and phenolic acid. Twenty-two DAMs showed rhythmic accumulation, especially enriched in lignin synthesis. The circadian DEGs ZmMYBr41/87 and ZmHB34/70 were identified as regulators of ZmHCT8 and ZmBM1, which were enzymes in lignin synthesis. Furthermore, GAs regulated ZmMYBr41/87 and ZmHB34/70 to modulate lignin biosynthesis for mediating leaf rhythmic growth.

Silicon eccentric shell nanoparticles fabricated by template-assisted deposition for Mie magnetic resonances enhanced light confinement.

We report a structure of silicon eccentric shell particles array, fabricated by the SiO2particles monolayer array assisted deposition of amorphous Si, for high-efficiency light confinement. The SiO2particles monolayer array is tailored to regulate its interparticle distance, followed by silicon film deposition to obtain silicon eccentric shell arrays with positive and negative off-center distancee. We studied the Mie resonances of silicon solid sphere, concentric shell, eccentric shell and observed that the eccentric shell with positive off-centeresupports superior light confinement because of the enhanced Mie magnetic resonances. Spectroscopic measurements and finite difference time domain simulations were conducted to examine the optical performance of the eccentric shell particles array. Results show that the Mie magnetic resonance wavelength can be easily regulated by the size of the inner void of the silicon shell to realize tunable enhanced light confinement. It was found silicon shell withD= 460/520 nm offered high enhanced light absorption efficiency at wavelength ofλ= 830 nm, almost beyond the bandgap of the amorphous silicon.

Advances in Hydrogels for Meniscus Tissue Engineering: A Focus on Biomaterials, Crosslinking, Therapeutic Additives.

Meniscus tissue engineering (MTE) has emerged as a promising strategy for meniscus repair and regeneration. As versatile platforms, hydrogels have gained significant attention in this field, as they possess tunable properties that allow them to mimic native extracellular matrices and provide a suitable microenvironment. Additionally, hydrogels can be minimally invasively injected and can be adjusted to match the shape of the implant site. They can conveniently and effectively deliver bioactive additives and demonstrate good compatibility with other functional materials. These inherent qualities have made hydrogel a promising candidate for therapeutic approaches in meniscus repair and regeneration. This article provides a comprehensive review of the advancements made in the research on hydrogel application for meniscus tissue engineering. Firstly, the biomaterials and crosslinking strategies used in the formation of hydrogels are summarized and analyzed. Subsequently, the role of therapeutic additives, including cells, growth factors, and other active products, in facilitating meniscus repair and regeneration is thoroughly discussed. Furthermore, we summarize the key issues for designing hydrogels used in MTE. Finally, we conclude with the current challenges encountered by hydrogel applications and suggest potential solutions for addressing these challenges in the field of MTE. We hope this review provides a resource for researchers and practitioners interested in this field, thereby facilitating the exploration of new design possibilities.

Reactivity and Dissolution Characteristics of Naturally Altered Basalt in CO2-Rich Brine: Implications for CO2 Mineralization.

Hydrothermally altered basaltic rocks are widely distributed and more accessible than fresh basaltic rocks, making them attractive feedstocks for permanent CO2 storage through mineralization. This study investigates the reactivity and dissolution behaviors of altered basalt during the reaction with CO2-rich fluids and compares it with unaltered basalt through batch hydrothermal experiments using a brine that simulates reservoir conditions with 5 MPa CO2 gas at 100 °C. When using basalt powders to evaluate reactivity, results show that although the leaching rates of elements (Mg, Al, Si, K, and Fe) from altered basalt were generally an order of magnitude lower than those from unaltered basalt in a CO2-saturated acidic environment, similar elemental leaching behavior was observed for the two basalt samples, with Ca and Mg having the highest leaching rates. However, in a more realistic environment simulated by block experiments, different leaching behaviors were observed. When the CO2-rich fluid reacts with altered basalt, rapid and preferential dissolution of smectite occurs, providing a significant amount of Mg to the solution, while Ca dissolution lags. This implies that when altered basalt is utilized for CO2 mineralization, the carbonation step may differ from that of fresh basalt, with predominant Mg carbonation followed by Ca carbonation. This rapid dissolution of Mg suggests that altered basalt is a promising feedstock for CO2 mineralization. This study provides theoretical support for developing technologies to utilize altered basalt for carbon storage.

Comparison of the ability of exosomes and ectosomes derived from adipose-derived stromal cells to promote cartilage regeneration in a rat osteochondral defect model.

BACKGROUND: Extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) offer promising prospects for stimulating cartilage regeneration. The different formation mechanisms suggest that exosomes and ectosomes possess different biological functions. However, little attention has been paid to the differential effects of EV subsets on cartilage regeneration. METHODS: Our study compared the effects of the two EVs isolated from adipose-derived MSCs (ASCs) on chondrocytes and bone marrow-derived MSCs (BMSCs) in vitro. Additionally, we loaded the two EVs into type I collagen hydrogels to optimize their application for the treatment of osteochondral defects in vivo. RESULTS: In vitro experiments demonstrate that ASC-derived exosomes (ASC-Exos) significantly promoted the proliferation and migration of both cells more effectively than ASC-derived ectosomes (ASC-Ectos). Furthermore, ASC-Exos facilitated a stronger differentiation of BMSCs into chondrogenic cells than ASC-Ectos, but both inhibited chondrocyte apoptosis to a similar extent. In the osteochondral defect model of rats, ASC-Exos promoted cartilage regeneration in situ better than ASC-Ectos. At 8 weeks, the hydrogel containing exosomes group (Gel + Exo group) had higher macroscopic and histological scores, a higher value of trabecular bone volume fraction (BV/TV), a lower value of trabecular thickness (Tb.Sp), and a better remodeling of extracellular matrix than the hydrogel containing ectosomes group (Gel + Ecto group). At 4 and 8 weeks, the expression of CD206 and Arginase-1 in the Gel + Exo group was significantly higher than that in the Gel + Ecto group. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that administering ASC-Exos may be a more effective EV strategy for cartilage regeneration than the administration of ASC-Ectos.

Association between hepatitis A seropositivity and bone mineral density in adolescents and adults: a cross-sectional study using NHANES data

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Osteoporosis, characterized by decreased bone density and increased fracture risk, imposes significant physical, psychosocial, and financial burdens. Early detection and prevention are crucial for managing osteoporosis and reducing the risk of fractures. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the relationship between Hepatitis A seropositivity and bone mineral density (BMD) in adolescents and adults and to explore the potential link between Hepatitis A infection and osteoporosis risk. DESIGN AND SETTING: This cross-sectional study used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2011 to 2018 to evaluate the association between hepatitis A seropositivity and BMD in 15,693 participants. METHODS: Multivariable regression analysis was used to calculate the mean BMD and standard error for adolescents and adults, followed by an independent z-test to determine whether there was a significant difference between the seropositive and seronegative groups. RESULTS: Hepatitis A seropositive adolescents and adults had lower BMD than their seronegative counterparts, with significant differences in lumber spine (mean difference = -0.03 g/cm2, P < 0.01 for both age groups) and pelvis BMDs (mean difference = -0.02 g/cm2, P < 0.01 for the adult age groups), after adjusting for various covariates. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirmed that both adolescent and adult individuals seropositive for Hepatitis A antibodies had reduced BMD among both adolescents and adults, especially in the adult group. This finding suggests a possible link between Hepatitis A infection and risk of osteoporosis.

Melatonin-Mediated Enhancement of Photosynthetic Capacity and Photoprotection Improves Salt Tolerance in Wheat.

The role of melatonin in plant growth and response to environmental stress has been widely demonstrated. However, the physiological and molecular regulation of salt tolerance in wheat seedlings by melatonin remains unclear. In this study, we investigated changes in phenotype, physiology, photosynthetic parameters, and transcript levels in wheat seedlings to reveal the role of melatonin in the regulation of salt tolerance in wheat. The results indicate that the application of exogenous melatonin significantly alleviates growth inhibition, reactive oxygen species accumulation, and membrane oxidative damage induced by salt stress in wheat. Additionally, exogenous melatonin increased antioxidant enzyme activity and regulated photosynthetic gas exchange. Transcriptomic data showed a significant up-regulation of genes encoding light-harvesting chlorophyll protein complex proteins in photosynthesis and genes related to chlorophyll and carotenoid biosynthesis under the influence of melatonin. These results suggest that exogenous melatonin improves salt tolerance in wheat seedlings by enhancing the antioxidant, photoprotective, and photosynthesis activities.

Maritime Infrared Small Target Detection Based on the Appearance Stable Isotropy Measure in Heavy Sea Clutter Environments.

Infrared small target detection plays a crucial role in maritime security. However, detecting small targets within heavy sea clutter environments remains challenging. Existing methods often fail to deliver satisfactory performance in the presence of substantial clutter interference. This paper analyzes the spatial-temporal appearance characteristics of small targets and sea clutter. Based on this analysis, we propose a novel detection method based on the appearance stable isotropy measure (ASIM). First, the original images are processed using the Top-Hat transformation to obtain the salient regions. Next, a preliminary threshold operation is employed to extract the candidate targets from these salient regions, forming a candidate target array image. Third, to distinguish between small targets and sea clutter, we introduce two characteristics: the gradient histogram equalization measure (GHEM) and the local optical flow consistency measure (LOFCM). GHEM evaluates the isotropy of the candidate targets by examining their gradient histogram equalization, while LOFCM assesses their appearance stability based on local optical flow consistency. To effectively combine the complementary information provided by GHEM and LOFCM, we propose ASIM as a fusion characteristic, which can effectively enhance the real target. Finally, a threshold operation is applied to determine the final targets. Experimental results demonstrate that our proposed method exhibits superior comprehensive performance compared to baseline methods.