Identification of the CsFtsH genes from Camellia sinensis reveals its potential role in leaf color phenotype.

The filamentation temperature-sensitive H (FtsH) metalloprotease participates in the chloroplast photosystem II (PSII) repair cycle, playing a crucial role in regulating leaf coloration. However, the evolutionary history and biological function of the FtsH family in albino tea plants are still unknown. In this study, 35 CsFtsH members, including 7 CsFtsH-like (CsFtsHi1-CsFtsHi7) proteins, mapping onto 11 chromosomes in 6 subgroups, were identified in the 'Shuchazao2' tea genome, and their exon/intron structure, domain characteristics, collinearity, protein interaction network, and secondary structure were comprehensively analyzed. Furthermore, real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) analysis revealed that the expression levels of CsFtsH1/2/5/8 were significantly positively correlated with the leaf color of tea plants. The subcellular localization revealed that they were located in the chloroplast. The transgenic Arabidopsis has demonstrated that CsFtsH2 and CsFtsH5 could restore the chlorophyll content and chlorophyll fluorescence intensity in var1 and var2 mutants, respectively. Moreover, protein-protein interactions have confirmed that CsFtsH1 with CsFtsH5, and CsFtsH2 with CsFtsH8 could form a hetero-comples and function in chloroplasts. In summary, this study aims to not only increase the understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms of CsFtsH but also to provide a solid and detailed theoretical foundation for the breeding of albino tea plant varieties.

Evaluation of Major Physical and Mechanical Properties of Trembling Aspen Lumber.

Trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) is one of the major species within Populus, a predominant genus of hardwoods in North America. However, its utilization has been limited to pulp and paper or wood-based composite boards. This study aimed at evaluating the major physical and mechanical properties of trembling aspen lumber, with an ultimate objective of using this species to produce engineered wood products (EWPs). The testing materials consisted of 2 × 4 (38 mm × 89 mm) trembling aspen lumber pieces in lengths of 8, 10, and 12 feet (2.44, 3.05, and 3.66 m) with two visual grades, select structural (SS) and No. 2. Machine Stress-Rated (MSR), and longitudinal stress wave (LSW), edgewise third-point bending (EWB), and axial tension tests were conducted on the lumber. It was found that, (1) by increasing the maximum knot size by a half-inch from one-quarter inch, the minimum modulus of elasticity (MOE) measured using the MSR, the mean, and the fifth-percentile ultimate tensile strength (UTS) decreased by about 8.8%, 20.1%, and 29.8%, respectively. (2) Approximately 44% of the trembling aspen lumber met the 1450f-1.3E grade for MSR lumber, and 62% qualified for the 1200f-1.2E grade. (3) There was a great potential for manufacturing cross-laminated timber (CLT) of grade E3, with a rejection rate of about 29%. (4) The mean UTS and MOE values of the SS-grade trembling aspen lumber were 22.88 MPa and 9519 MPa, respectively, being 25.5% and 11.3% lower than that of Spruce-Pine-Fir (S-P-F) lumber. The fifth-percentile UTS and MOE values were 11.57 MPa and 7404 MPa, respectively, marking a decrease of 13.3% and 1.5% compared to the S-P-F lumber. (5) The oven-dried specific gravity (SG) of the trembling aspen wood was 0.40, which was about 3.5% larger than the value provided in the Wood Handbook.

Relations between school climates and bullying behaviors in Chinese adolescents: The mediating role of prosocial tendency.

This research investigated the relationships between school climates and bullying behaviors in Chinese adolescents, and tested the mediating effect of prosocial tendency according to the seesaw effect. School climates were operationalized using three constructs: subjective diversity of student development goals, teacher support, and peer trust. Bullying behaviors included traditional (i.e., physical, nonphysical, and relational) and cyber bullying behaviors. We recruited 538 adolescents from three schools in Beijing, China (286 girls, 252 boys; average age = 12.47) and asked them to fill out the surveys measuring school climates and prosocial tendency at the outset and to report school bullying behaviors three months later. The results showed that subjective diversity of student development goals and peer trust were directly associated with less cyber bullying behavior. Moreover, teacher support and peer trust were indirectly associated with less traditional bullying behaviors via prosocial tendency. Our findings extend the existing literature on the relationships between school climates and bullying behaviors by incorporating different types of bullying behaviors, concentrating on Chinese adolescents from a cultural viewpoint, and tapping into the underlying mechanism via revealing prosocial tendency as a mediator. Theoretical and empirical contributions of this study, as well as practical implications are discussed.

The Ideal Chinese Lip: Impact of Lip Contours and Proportions.

BACKGROUND: The lips are one crucial determinant of facial attractiveness. Current studies investigating lip attractiveness were mostly conducted in Caucasians, and the results could not directly apply to Asians. Aside from lip proportions, lip contours play an important role in attractiveness but it is unclear how people perceive different lip contours. The aim of this study was to investigate the aesthetic perception of various lip shapes by Chinese to identify the most attractive lip morphology for women and men, respectively. METHODS: 303 Chinese participants were invited to rate the attractiveness of identical lip images with different contours and proportions in a young female and a young male. Stratified analyses were performed to assess the effect of gender, age and occupation on the preference of lip shapes. RESULTS: The lips that were rated to be most attractive had a flat upper vermilion border, an M-shaped oral fissure and a U-shaped lower vermilion border in both genders. Most respondents considered an upper-to-lower vermilion proportion of 1:1 to be more attractive, regardless of the gender of the lip models, and the lip thickness-to-width proportions of 1:2 and 1:2.5 were perceived most attractive for female and male, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study adds to our understanding of how lip contours contribute to attractiveness and that Chinese have distinctive aesthetic preferences for lip morphology, which possibly stem from racial characteristics and cultural differences. With such knowledge, practitioners may better tailor the treatment strategy when performing lip rejuvenation procedures. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE III: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Highly Stable and Selective Ni/ZrO2 Nanofiber Catalysts for Efficient CO2 Methanation.

Ni-based oxides are promising catalysts for CO2 methanation. However, Ni-based catalysts also have some unresolved issues and drawbacks in practical applications. The activity and selectivity of Ni-based catalysts in CO2 methanation at low temperatures still need to be improved. Here, Ni/ZrO2 nanofibers with high surface areas (up to 101.2 m2/g) were prepared by electrospinning methods. The Ni/ZrO2-ES (also named as 66Ni/ZrO2) catalyst showed excellent catalytic performance in CO2 methanation (the CO2 conversion = 81% and CH4 selectivity = 99% at 350 °C) and excellent stability for 100 h, which was better than most reported Ni/ZrO2 catalysts. However, the comparison sample Ni/ZrO2-CP prepared by the coprecipitation method had poor catalytic performance (the CO2 conversion = 54% and CH4 selectivity = 90% at 350 °C). Within 100 h, the CO2 conversion decreased to 30% and the CH4 selectivity decreased to 52%. Both EPR and O1S XPS confirmed that Ni/ZrO2 nanofibers can form more reactive oxygen species vacancies, and CO2-TPD confirmed that nanofibers had more CO2 adsorption sites compared with the control sample Ni/ZrO2-CP. In situ DRIFTS analysis showed that bidentate carbonate and monodentate carbonate were key intermediates in CO2 methanation. The catalytic performance of Ni/ZrO2 nanofiber catalysts would be attributed to higher dispersion of Ni species on the surface of nanofibers, high specific surface area (101.2 m2/g), more oxygen vacancies, more CO2 adsorption sites, and the synergistic effect between Ni nanoparticles and ZrO2 nanofibers. This work may inspire the rational design of Ni/ZrO2 nanofiber catalysts with rich oxygen vacancies for low-temperature CO2 methanation.

Tough and elastic hydrogels based on robust hydrophobicity-assisted metal ion coordination for flexible wearable devices.

Flexible wearable sensors that combine excellent flexibility, high elasticity, sensing capabilities, and outstanding biocompatibility are gaining increasing attention. In this study, we successfully develop a robust and elastic hydrogel-based flexible wearable sensor by modulating molecular structures combined with metal ion coordination. We leverage three N-acryloyl amino acid monomers, including N-acryloyl glycine (AG), N-acryloyl alanine (AA), and N-acryloyl valine (AV) with different hydrophobic groups adjacent to the carboxyl group, to copolymerize with acrylamide (AM) in the presence of Zr4+ for hydrogel preparation in one step (P(AM3-AG/AA/AV0.06)-Zr0.034+ hydrogels). Our investigation reveals that the P(AM3-AV0.06)-Zr0.034+ hydrogel with the most hydrophobic side group demonstrates superior mechanical properties (1.1 MPa tensile stress, 3566 kJ m-3 toughness and 1.3 kJ m-2 fracture energy) and resilience to multiple tensile (30% strain, 500 cycles) and compression cycling (50% strain, 500 cycles). Moreover, the P(AM3-AV0.06)-Zr0.034+ hydrogel exhibits good biocompatibility and high conductivity (1.1 S m-1) and responsivity (GF = 16.21), and is proved to be suitable as a flexible wearable sensor for comprehensive human activity monitoring.

Association of weight-adjusted waist index with hyperuricemia and gout among middle-aged and older adults in America: a cross-sectional analysis of NHANES 2007-2014.

OBJECTIVES: The weight-adjusted waist circumference index (WWI), a novel obesity indicator, gives better accuracy in assessing both muscle and fat mass. Our goal was to evaluate the relationship between WWI and the occurrence of hyperuricemia/gout among middle-aged and older adults in America. METHODS: We analyzed the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from the 2007-2014 cycles. Logistic regression analyses, subgroup analyses, and restricted cubic splines (RCS) were performed to evaluate the association between WWI and hyperuricemia/gout prevalence. RESULTS: A total of 5332 adults aged 50 years and above were included in this study. The prevalence of hyperuricemia and gout was 23.20% and 6.70% respectively. The fourth quartile of WWI was associated with a 56% higher risk for hyperuricemia, compared with the first quartile (OR = 1.56, 95% CI 1.07-2.27, P trend < 0.001). A similar association was found between continuous WWI increase and OR of hyperuricemia in the fully adjusted model (OR = 1.35, 95% CI = 1.13-1.61, P < 0.05). However, WWI was not significantly associated with the prevalence of gout. The RCS model suggested a significant linear relationship between WWI and the risk of hyperuricemia/gout. Stratification analysis showed that the positive associations of WWI with the risk of hyperuricemia were more pronounced in participants who were women, aged 50-59, smokers, no physical activity, non-diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest a positive correlation between WWI and hyperuricemia among middle-aged and older adults in America. Employing WWI as a tool for hyperuricemia prevention may be meaningful. Key Points • Weight-adjusted waist circumference index is a new obesity evaluation index. • Weight-adjusted waist circumference index is associated with hyperuricemia not gout. • The association is more pronounced in participants who were women, aged 50-59, smokers, no physical activity, non-diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia.

Dual Causes Generation Assisted Model for Multimodal Aspect-Based Sentiment Classification.

Multimodal aspect-based sentiment classification (MABSC) aims to identify the sentiment polarity toward specific aspects in multimodal data. It has gained significant attention with the increasing use of social media platforms. Existing approaches primarily focus on analyzing the content of posts to predict sentiment. However, they often struggle with limited contextual information inherent in social media posts, hindering accurate sentiment detection. To overcome this issue, we propose a novel multimodal dual cause analysis (MDCA) method to track the underlying causes behind expressed sentiments. MDCA can provide additional reasoning cause (RC) and direct cause (DC) to explain why users express certain emotions, thus helping improve the accuracy of sentiment prediction. To develop a model with MDCA, we construct MABSC datasets with RC and DC by utilizing large language models (LLMs) and visual-language models. Subsequently, we devise a multitask learning framework that leverages the datasets with cause data to train a small generative model, which can generate RC and DC, and predict the sentiment assisted by these causes. Experimental results on MABSC benchmark datasets demonstrate that our MDCA model achieves the state-of-the-art performance, and the small fine-tuned model exhibits superior adaptability to MABSC compared to large models like ChatGPT and BLIP-2.

pH-responsive bioadhesive with robust and stable wet adhesion for gastric ulcer healing.

Development of bioadhesives that can be facilely delivered by endoscope and exhibit instant and robust adhesion with gastric tissues to promote gastric ulcer healing remains challenging. In this study, an advanced bioadhesive is prepared through free radical polymerization of ionized N-acryloyl phenylalanine (iAPA) and N-[tris (hydroxymethyl) methyl] acrylamide (THMA). The precursory polymer solution exhibits low viscosity with the capability for endoscope delivery, and the hydrophilic-hydrophobic transition of iAPA upon exposure to gastric acid can trigger gelation through phenyl groups assisted multiple hydrogen bonds formation and repel water molecules on tissue surface to establish favorable environment for interfacial interactions between THMA and functional groups on tissues. The in-situ formed hydrogel features excellent stability in acid environment (14 days) and exhibits firm wet adhesion to gastric tissue (33.4 kPa), which can efficiently protect the wound from the stimulation of gastric acid and pepsin. In vivo studies reveal that the bioadhesive can accelerate the healing of ulcers by inhibiting inflammation and promoting capillary formation in the acetic acid-induced gastric ulcer model in rats. Our work may provide an effective solution for the treatment of gastric ulcers clinically.

Atomic layer deposited TiO2 nanofilm on titanium implant for reduced the release of particles.

Objective: Titanium implants are widely used in surgeries for their biocompatibility and mechanical properties. However, excessive titanium particle release can cause implant failure. This study explores Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) to coat commercially pure titanium (Cp-Ti) with TiO2, aiming to improve its frictional and corrosion resistance while reducing particle release. By comparing TiO2 films with varying ALD cycle numbers, we assess surface properties, particle release, friction, and corrosion performance, providing insights into mitigating particle release from implants. Methods: Cp-Ti surfaces were prepared and coated with TiO2 films of 100, 300, and 500 ALD cycles. Surface characterization involved SEM, EDX, and XRD. Friction was tested using SEM, nanoindentation, and ICP-MS. Corrosion resistance was evaluated through immersion tests and electrochemical analysis. Cytotoxicity was assessed using BMSCs. Results: Surface characterization revealed smoother surfaces with increased ALD cycles, confirming successful TiO2 deposition. Friction testing showed reduced friction coefficients with higher ALD cycles, supported by nanoindentation results. Corrosion resistance improved with increasing ALD cycles, as evidenced by electrochemical tests and reduced titanium release. Cytotoxicity studies showed no significant cytotoxic effects. Conclusion: ALD-coated TiO2 films significantly enhance frictional and corrosion resistance of titanium implants while reducing particle release. The study underscores the importance of ALD cycle numbers in optimizing film performance, offering insights for designing implants with improved properties.

Gut microbiota and autoimmune neurologic disorders: a two-sample bidirectional Mendelian randomization study.

Background: Increasing evidence has suggested that alterations in the gut microbiome are correlated with autoimmune neurologic disorders, yet the causal relationship between them has yet to be established. Methods: From the published genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary statistics, we obtained data on the gut microbiota and three autoimmune neurologic disorders (Multiple Sclerosis, Guillain-Barré Syndrome, and Myasthenia Gravis). We then implemented a two-sample Mendelian Randomization (MR) to determine the causal relationship between the gut microbiota and the diseases. To validate the results, we conducted a series of sensitivity analyses. Finally, to verify the direction of causality, a reverse-causality analysis was done. Results: We discovered that a higher relative abundance of the genus Ruminococcus2 (OR: 1.213, 95% CI: 1.006-1.462, p = 0.043, PFDR = 0.048) and the genus Roseburia (OR: 1.255, 95% CI: 1.012-1.556, p = 0.038, PFDR = 0.048) were associated with a higher risk of MS. Furthermore, the higher the abundance of the class Mollicutes (OR: 3.016, 95% CI: 1.228-7.411, p = 0.016, PFDR = 0.021), the genus Eubacterium (hallii group) (OR: 2.787, 95% CI: 1.140-6.816, p = 0.025, PFDR = 0.025), and the phylum Tenericutes (OR: 3.016, 95% CI: 1.228-7.411, p = 0.016, PFDR = 0.021) was linked to a greater probability of GBS. Additionally, the higher the abundance of the genus Ruminococcaceae UCG005 (OR: 2.450, 95% CI: 1.072-5.598, p = 0.034, PFDR = 0.036), the genus Holdemania (OR: 2.437, 95% CI: 1.215-4.888, p = 0.012, PFDR = 0.024), genus Lachnoclostridium (OR: 3.681, 95% CI: 1.288-10.521, p = 0.015, PFDR = 0.025) and the genus Eubacterium (ruminantium group) (OR: 2.157, 95% CI: 1.211-3.843, p = 0.003, PFDR = 0.016) correlated with a greater chance of MG occurrence. No SNPs were identified as outliers through sensitivity analysis. Then, the results of the reverse MR analysis did not indicate any reverse causality. Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate a causal relationship between the gut microbiota and three autoimmune neurologic disorders, providing novel insights into the mechanisms of these autoimmune neurologic disorders that are mediated by gut microbiota.

Feasibility Analysis of Individualized Low Flow Rate Abdominal Contrast-Enhanced Computed Tomography in Chemotherapy Patients: Dual-Source Computed Tomography With Low Tube Voltage.

PURPOSE: The aim of the study is to investigate the feasibility of using dual-source computed tomography (CT) combined with low flow rate and low tube voltage for postchemotherapy image assessment in cancer patients. METHODS: Ninety patients undergoing contrast-enhanced CT scans of the upper abdomen were prospectively enrolled and randomly assigned to groups A, B, and C (n = 30 each). In group A, patients underwent scans at 120 kVp with 448 mgI/kg. Patients in group B underwent scans at 100 kVp with 336 mgI/kg. Patient in group C underwent scans at 70 kVp with of 224 mgI/kg. Quantitative measurements including the CT number, standard deviation of CT number, signal-to-noise ratio, contrast-to-noise ratio, subjective reader scores, and the volume and flow rate of contrast agent were evaluated for each group. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference in the subjective image scores within the three groups except for the kidney (all P > 0.05). Group C showed significantly higher CT values, lower noise levels, and higher signal-to-noise ratio and contrast-to-noise ratio values in the majority of the regions of interest compared to the other groups (P < 0.05). In group C, the contrast agent dose was decreased by 46% compared to group A (79.48 ± 12.24 vs 42.7 ± 8.6, P < 0.01), and the contrast agent injection rate was reduced by 22% (2.7 ± 0.41 vs 2.1 ± 0.4, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The use of 70 kVp tube voltage combined with low iodine flow rates prove to be a more effective approach in solving the challenge of compromised blood vessels in postchemotherapy tumor patients, without reducing image quality and diagnostic confidence.

Identifying the Quantitative Trait Locus and Candidate Genes of Traits Related to Milling Quality in Rice via a Genome-Wide Association Study.

Milling quality directly affects production efficiency in rice, which is closely related to the brown rice recovery (BRR), the milled rice recovery (MRR) and the head milled rice recovery (HMRR). The present study investigated these three traits in 173 germplasms in two environments, finding abundant phenotypic variation. Three QTLs for BRR, two for MRR, and three for HMRR were identified in a genome-wide association study, five of these were identified in previously reported QTLs and three were newly identified. By combining the linkage disequilibrium (LD) analyses, the candidate gene LOC_Os05g08350 was identified. It had two haplotypes with significant differences and Hap 2 increased the BRR by 4.40%. The results of the qRT-PCR showed that the expression of LOC_Os05g08350 in small-BRR accessions was significantly higher than that in large-BRR accessions at Stages 4-5 of young panicle development, reaching the maximum value at Stage 5. The increase in thickness of the spikelet hulls of the accession carrying LOC_Os05g08350TT occurred due to an increase in the cell width and the cell numbers in cross-sections of spikelet hulls. These results help to further clarify the molecular genetic mechanism of milling-quality-related traits and provide genetic germplasm materials for high-quality breeding in rice.

Enhanced carboxylation of furoic salt with CO2 by ZnCl2 coordination for efficient production of 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid.

C-H carboxylation of furoic acid (FA) with CO2 is an atom-efficient strategy to produce 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (2,5-FDCA) from lignocellulose. The existing carbonate-promoted CO2 carboxylation processes rely on the use of large amounts of expensive Cs2CO3 as a deprotonating reagent and molten salt. Substitution of Cs with other cheap and abundant alkali ions (such as K and Na) can reduce the use of Cs, but it faces the problem of a low yield of 2,5-FDCA. This study found that the addition of catalytic amounts of ZnCl2 as a Lewis acid can increase the yield of 2,5-FDCA in the CO2 carboxylation reaction of Na/K-FA in a molten salt reaction system. 1H NMR analysis and DFT calculations confirmed that ZnCl2 coordinates with the furan ring through electron transfer from the conjugated furan ring to Zn2+, thereby activating the H at the C5 position of Na/K-FA. This coordination lengthened the C5-H bond and lowered its heterolytic dissociation energy, making it more susceptible to being deprotonated by CO32- and subsequently carboxylated by CO2. The developed Lewis acid coordination strategy provides a new idea for the efficient construction of C-C bonds between CO2 and aromatics through carbonate-promoted C-H carboxylation.

Metabolic profile of follicular fluid in patients with ovarian endometriosis undergoing IVF: a pilot study.

RESEARCH QUESTION: What are the metabolic characteristics of follicular fluid in patients with ovarian endometriosis undergoing IVF? DESIGN: This was an exploratory cohort study on endometriosis. In total, 19 infertile patients with ovarian endometriosis diagnosed by laparoscopy, and 23 controls matched in terms of age and body mass index (women with infertility due to male or tubal factors) were enrolled in this study. All patients underwent IVF treatment with a gonadotrophin-releasing hormone antagonist protocol, and follicular fluid was collected at oocyte retrieval. The metabolomics of follicular fluid samples was analysed using an ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography Orbitrap Exploris mass spectrometer (UHPLC-OE-MS). The best combination of biomarkers was selected by performing stepwise logistic regression analysis with backward elimination. RESULTS: Fifteen metabolites were identified as biomarkers associated with endometriosis. A final model containing 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine, biotin, n-acetyl-L-methionine and n-methylnicotinamide was constructed. Receiver operating characteristic analysis confirmed the value of these parameters in diagnosing endometriosis, with sensitivity of 94.7% and specificity of 95.7%. Enrichment analysis via the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genome showed that 15 metabolites were enriched in eight metabolic pathways. CONCLUSION: Metabolomics based on UHPLC-OE-MS effectively characterized the metabolomics analysis of follicular fluid in patients with ovarian endometriosis. These findings may provide a new basis for better understanding of how diseases progress, and for the discovery of new biomarkers.

Interactions between intestinal microbiota and metabolites in zebrafish larvae exposed to polystyrene nanoplastics: Implications for intestinal health and glycolipid metabolism.

Previous studies have shown the harmful effects of nanoscale particles on the intestinal tracts of organisms. However, the specific mechanisms remain unclear. Our present study focused on examining the uptake and distribution of polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NPs) in zebrafish larvae, as well as its toxic effects on the intestine. It was found that PS-NPs, marked with red fluorescence, primarily accumulated in the intestine section. Subsequently, zebrafish larvae were exposed to normal PS-NPs (0.2-25 mg/L) over a critical 10-day period for intestinal development. Histopathological analysis demonstrated that PS-NPs caused structural changes in the intestine, resulting in inflammation and oxidative stress. Additionally, PS-NPs disrupted the composition of the intestinal microbiota, leading to alterations in the abundance of bacterial genera such as Pseudomonas and Aeromonas, which are associated with intestinal inflammation. Metabolomics analysis showed alterations in metabolites that are primarily involved in glycolipid metabolism. Furthermore, MetOrigin analysis showed a significant correlation between bacterial flora (Pedobacter and Bacillus) and metabolites (D-Glycerate 2-phosphate and D-Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate), which are related to the glycolysis/gluconeogenesis pathways. These findings were further validated through alterations in multiple biomarkers at various levels. Collectively, our data suggest that PS-NPs may impair the intestinal health, disrupt the intestinal microbiota, and subsequently cause metabolic disorders.

Automated 3D Perioral Landmark Detection Using High-Resolution Network: Artificial Intelligence-Based Anthropometric Analysis.

BACKGROUND: 3D facial stereophotogrammetry, as a convenient, non-invasive and highly reliable evaluation tool, has shown great potential in pre-operative planning and treatment efficacy evaluation of plastic surgery in recent years. However, it requires manual identification of facial landmarks by trained evaluators to obtain anthropometric data, which consumes large amount of time and effort. Automatic 3D facial landmark localization may facilitate fast data acquisition and eliminate evaluator error. OBJECTIVES: In this paper, we propose a novel deep-learning method based on dimension-transformation and key-point detection for automated 3D perioral landmark annotation. METHODS: The 3D facial model is transformed into 2D images on which High-Resolution Network is implemented for key point detection. The 2D coordinates of key points are then mapped back to the 3D model using mathematical methods to obtain the 3D landmark coordinates. This program was trained with 120 facial models and validated in 50 facial models. RESULTS: Our approach achieved satisfactory accuracy of 1.30 ± 0.68 mm error in landmark detection with an average processing time of 5.2 ± 0.21 seconds per model. And subsequent analysis based on these landmarks showed an error of 0.87 ± 1.02 mm for linear measurements and 5.62 ± 6.61° for angular measurements. CONCLUSIONS: This automated 3D perioral landmarking method could serve as an effective tool that enables fast and accurate anthropometric analysis of lip morphology for plastic surgery and aesthetic procedures.

Hemolytic Properties of Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) in In Vitro Systems.

Epidemiological studies have suggested that inhalation exposure to particulate matter (PM) air pollution, especially fine particles (i.e., PM2.5 (PM with an aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 microns or less)), is causally associated with cardiovascular health risks. To explore the toxicological mechanisms behind the observed adverse health effects, the hemolytic activity of PM2.5 samples collected during different pollution levels in Beijing was evaluated. The results demonstrated that the hemolysis of PM2.5 ranged from 1.98% to 7.75% and demonstrated a clear dose-response relationship. The exposure toxicity index (TI) is proposed to represent the toxicity potential of PM2.5, which is calculated by the hemolysis percentage of erythrocytes (red blood cells, RBC) multiplied by the mass concentration of PM2.5. In a pollution episode, as the mass concentration increases, TI first increases and then decreases, that is, TI (low pollution levels) < TI (heavy pollution levels) < TI (medium pollution levels). In order to verify the feasibility of the hemolysis method for PM toxicity detection, the hemolytic properties of PM2.5 were compared with the plasmid scission assay (PSA). The hemolysis results had a significant positive correlation with the DNA damage percentages, indicating that the hemolysis assay is feasible for the detection of PM2.5 toxicity, thus providing more corroborating information regarding the risk to human cardiovascular health.

Research strategies of small molecules as chemotherapeutics to overcome multiple myeloma resistance.

Multiple myeloma (MM), a cancer of plasma cells, is the second most common hematological malignancy which is characterized by aberrant plasma cells infiltration in the bone marrow and complex heterogeneous cytogenetic abnormalities. Over the past two decades, novel treatment strategies such as proteasome inhibitors, immunomodulators, and monoclonal antibodies have significantly improved the relative survival rate of MM patients. However, the development of drug resistance results in the majority of MM patients suffering from relapse, limited treatment options and uncontrolled disease progression after relapse. There are urgent needs to develop and explore novel MM treatment strategies to overcome drug resistance and improve efficacy. Here, we review the recent small molecule therapeutic strategies for MM, and introduce potential new targets and corresponding modulators in detail. In addition, this paper also summarizes the progress of multi-target inhibitor therapy and protein degradation technology in the treatment of MM.

Population Genetic Analyses and Trichothecene Genotype Profiling of Fusarium pseudograminearum Causing Wheat Crown Rot in Henan, China.

In China, Fusarium pseudograminearum has emerged as a major pathogen causing Fusarium crown rot (FCR) and caused significant losses. Studies on the pathogen's properties, especially its mating type and trichothecene chemotypes, are critical with respect to disease epidemiology and food/feed safety. There are currently few available reports on these issues. This study investigated the species composition, mating type idiomorphs, and trichothecene genotypes of Fusarium spp. causing FCR in Henan, China. A significant shift in F. pseudograminearum-induced FCR was found in the present study. Of the 144 purified strains, 143 were F. pseudograminearum, whereas only 1 Fusarium graminearum was identified. Moreover, a significant trichothecene-producing capability of F. pseudograminearum strains from Henan was observed in this work. Among the 143 F. pseudograminearum strains identified, F. pseudograminearum with a 15ADON genotype was found to be predominant (133 isolates), accounting for 92.36% of all strains, followed by F. pseudograminearum with a 3ADON genotype, whereas only one NIV genotype strain was detected. Overall, a relatively well-balanced 1:1 ratio of the F. pseudograminearum population was found in Henan. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that has examined the Fusarium populations responsible for FCR across the Henan wheat-growing region.