Mechanically induced localisation of SECONDARY WALL INTERACTING bZIP is associated with thigmomorphogenic and secondary cell wall gene expression.

Plant growth requires the integration of internal and external cues, perceived and transduced into a developmental programme of cell division, elongation and wall thickening. Mechanical forces contribute to this regulation, and thigmomorphogenesis typically includes reducing stem height, increasing stem diameter, and a canonical transcriptomic response. We present data on a bZIP transcription factor involved in this process in grasses. Brachypodium distachyon SECONDARY WALL INTERACTING bZIP (SWIZ) protein translocated into the nucleus following mechanostimulation. Classical touch-responsive genes were upregulated in B. distachyon roots following touch, including significant induction of the glycoside hydrolase 17 family, which may be unique to grass thigmomorphogenesis. SWIZ protein binding to an E-box variant in exons and introns was associated with immediate activation followed by repression of gene expression. SWIZ overexpression resulted in plants with reduced stem and root elongation. These data further define plant touch-responsive transcriptomics and physiology, offering insights into grass mechanotranduction dynamics.

Pt1.8Pd0.2CuGa Intermetallic Nanocatalysts with Enhanced Methanol Oxidation Performance for Efficient Hybrid Seawater Electrolysis.

Seawater electrolysis is a potentially cost-effective approach to green hydrogen production, but it currently faces substantial challenges for its high energy consumption and the interference of chlorine evolution reaction (ClER). Replacing the energy-demanding oxygen evolution reaction (OER) with the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) represents a promising alternative, as the MOR occurs at a significantly low anodic potential, which cannot only reduces the voltage needed for electrolysis but also completely circumvents the ClER. To this end, developing high-performance MOR catalysts is a key. Herein, we report a novel quaternary Pt1.8Pd0.2CuGa/C intermetallic nanoparticles (i-NPs) catalyst, which shows a high mass activity (11.13 A mgPGM -1), a large specific activity (18.13 mA cmPGM -2), and outstanding stability toward alkaline MOR. Advanced in-situ surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), online differential mass spectrometry (DEMS) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the introduction of atomically distributed Pd in Pt2CuGa intermetallic markedly promotes the oxidation of key reaction intermediates by enriching electron concentration around Pt sites, resulting in weak adsorption of carbon-containing intermediates and favorable adsorption of the synergistic OH- groups near Pd sites. Using Pt1.8Pd0.2CuGa/C i-NPs as anodic catalysts, we demonstrate MOR-assisted seawater electrolysis that continuously operates under 1.23 V for 240 h in simulated seawater and 120 h in natural seawater without notable degradation, showing great potential for energy-saving and cost-competitive hydrogen production from seawater. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Efficacy and safety analysis of non-radical surgery for early-stage cervical cancer (IA2 ~ IB1): a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: Radical hysterectomy has long been considered as the standard surgical treatment for early-stage cervical cancer (IA2 to IB1 stages), according to the 2009 International Federation of Obstetrics and Gynecology. This study aims to conduct an in-depth evaluation of the effectiveness and safety of non-radical surgery as an alternative treatment for patients with early-stage cervical cancer. Methods: A systematic search of online databases including PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library was conducted to identify relevant literature on surgical treatment options for early-stage cervical cancer. Keywords such as "cervical cancer," "conservative surgery," "early-stage," "less radical surgery," and "simple hysterectomy" were used. Meta-analysis was performed using Stata 15.0 software, which included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and cohort studies. Results: This meta-analysis included 8 eligible articles covering 9 studies, with 3,950 patients in the simple hysterectomy (SH) surgery group and 6,271 patients in the radical hysterectomy (RH) surgery group. The results indicate that there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of the Overall Survival (OS) (HR = 1.04, 95% CI: 0.86-1.27, p = 0.671; Heterogeneity: I2 = 33.8%, p = 0.170), Disease Free Survival (DFS) (HR = 1.39, 95% CI: 0.59-3.29, p = 0.456; Heterogeneity: I2 = 0.0%, p = 0.374), Cervical Cancer Specific Survival (CCSS) (HR = 1.11, 95% CI: 0.80-1.54, p = 0.519; Heterogeneity: I2 = 11.9%, p = 0.287) and recurrence rate (RR = 1.16, 95% CI: 0.69-1.97, p = 0.583; Heterogeneity: I = 0.0%, p = 0.488). However, the mortality rate (RR = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.10-1.67, p = 0.006; Heterogeneity: I2 = 35.4%, p = 0.158) and the rate of postoperative adjuvant therapy (RR = 1.59, 95% CI: 1.16-2.19, p = 0.004; Heterogeneity: I2 = 92.7%, p < 0.10) were higher in the SH group compared to those in the RH group. On the other hand, the incidence of surgical complications was lower in the SH group (RR = 0.36, 95% CI: 0.21-0.59, p = 0.004; Heterogeneity: I2 = 0.0%, p = 0.857) than that in the RH group. Subgroup analysis revealed that patients in the IB1 stage SH group had a significantly higher mortality rate compared to those in the RH group (RR = 1.59, 95% CI: 1.23-2.07, p < 0.001; Heterogeneity: I2 = 0.0%, p = 0.332). However, there was no significant difference in mortality rates between the two groups for patients at stage IA2 (RR = 0.84, 95% CI: 0.54-1.30, p = 0.428; Heterogeneity: I2 = 26.8%, p = 0.243). In the subgroups positive for Lymphovascular Space Invasion (LVSI), patients in the SH group had a significantly higher mortality rate than those in the RH group (RR = 1.34, 95% CI: 1.09-1.65, p = 0.005; Heterogeneity: I2 = 41.6%, p = 0.128). However, in the LVSI-negative subgroups, there was no significant difference in mortality rates between the two groups (RR = 0.33, 95% CI: 0.01-8.04, p = 0.499). Conclusion: For patients with early-stage cervical cancer patients at IA2 without LVSI involvement, comparisons between the two groups in terms of OS, DFS, CCSS, recurrence rate, and mortality rates revealed no statistically significant differences, indicating that the choice of surgical approach does not affect long-term survival outcomes for this specific patient group. For patients at IB1 and IA2 stages with LVSI involvement, while there were no significant differences between the two groups in OS, DFS, CSS, and recurrence rate, a significant increase in mortality rates was observed in the SH group. This indicates a potential elevated risk of mortality associated with SH in this subset of patients. Notably, the incidence of surgical complications was significantly lower in the SH group compared to the RH group, highlighting the safety profile of SH in this context. Significantly, among patients in the SH group, an increase in the rate of postoperative adjuvant treatment is associated with a higher occurrence of treatment-related complications. To facilitate more precise patient selection for conservative surgical management, future prospective studies of superior quality are imperative to gain deeper insights into this matter. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO (CRD42023451609: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42023451609).

Development and validation of prognostic nomographs for patients with cervical cancer: SEER-based Asian population study.

To develop and validate a nomograph to predict the long-term survival probability of cervical cancer (CC) patients in Asia, Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) were used to collect information about CC patients in Asia. The patient data were randomly sampled and divided into a training group and a validation group by 7:3. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression was used to screen key indicators, and multivariate Cox regression model was used to establish a prognostic risk prediction model for CC patients. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and decision curve analysis (DCA) were adopted to comprehensively evaluate the nomogram model. LASSO regression and multivariate Cox proportional hazards model analysis showed that age, American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) Stage, AJCC T, tumor size, and surgery were independent risk factors for prognosis. The ROC curve results proved that the area under curve (AUC) values of the training group in 3 and 5 years were 0.837 and 0.818, The AUC values of the validation group in 3 and 5 years were 0.796 and 0.783. DCA showed that the 3- and 5-year overall survival (OS) nomograms had good clinical potential value. The nomogram model developed in this study can effectively predict the prognosis of Asian patients with CC, and the risk stratification system based on this nomogram prediction model has some clinical value for discriminating high-risk patients.

Elucidation of Spatial Cooperativity in Chemo-Immunotherapy by a Sequential Dual-pH-Responsive Drug Delivery System.

Combining immune checkpoint blockade with chemotherapy through nanotechnology is promising in terms of safety and efficacy. However, the distinct subcellular distribution of each ingredient's action site makes it challenging to acquire an optimal synergism. Herein, a dual-pH responsive hybrid polymeric micelle system, HNP(αPDL16.9, Dox5.3), is constructed as a proof-of-concept for the spatial cooperativity in chemo-immunotherapy. HNP retains the inherent pH-transition of each polymer, with stepwise disassembly under discrete pH thresholds. Within weakly acidic extracellular tumor environment, αPDL1 is first released to block the checkpoint on cell membranes. The remaining intact Doxorubicin-loaded micelle NP(Dox)5.3 displays significant tropism toward tumor cells and releases Dox upon lysosomal pH for efficient tumor immunogenic cell death without immune toxicity. This sequential-released pattern boosts DC activation and primes CD8+ T cells, leading to enhanced therapeutic performance than single agent or an inverse-ordered combination in multiple murine tumor models. Using HNP, the indispensable role of conventional type 1 DC (cDC1) is identified in chemo-immunotherapy. A co-signature of cDC1 and CD8 correlates with cancer patient survival after neoadjuvant Pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy in clinic. This study highlights spatial cooperativity of chemo- and immuno-agents in immunoregulation and provides insights into the rational design of drug combination for future nanotherapeutics development.

Genome-wide association studies identified OsTMF as a gene regulating rice seed germination under salt stress.

Introduction: Salt tolerance during seed germination is an important trait for direct seeding and low-cost rice production. Nevertheless, it is still not clear how seed germination under salt stress is regulated genetically. Methods: In this study, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) were performed to decipher the genetic basis of seed germination under salt stress using 541 rice varieties collected worldwide. Results and discussion: Three quantitative trait loci (QTLs) were identified including qGRG3-1 on chromosome 3, qGRG3-2 on chromosome 5, and qGRG4 on chromosome 4. Assessment of candidate genes in these loci for their responses to salt stress identified a TATA modulatory factor (OsTMF) in qGRG3-2. The expression of OsTMF was up-regulated in both roots and shoots after exposure to salt stress, and OsTMF knockout mutants exhibited delayed seed germination under salt stress. Haplotype analysis showed that rice varieties carrying OsTMF-Hap2 displayed elevated salt tolerance during seed germination. These results provide important knowledge and resources to improve rice seed germination under salt stress in the future.

Classification of peanut pod rot based on improved YOLOv5s.

Peanut pod rot is one of the major plant diseases affecting peanut production and quality over China, which causes large productivity losses and is challenging to control. To improve the disease resistance of peanuts, breeding is one significant strategy. Crucial preventative and management measures include grading peanut pod rot and screening high-contributed genes that are highly resistant to pod rot should be carried out. A machine vision-based grading approach for individual cases of peanut pod rot was proposed in this study, which avoids time-consuming, labor-intensive, and inaccurate manual categorization and provides dependable technical assistance for breeding studies and peanut pod rot resistance. The Shuffle Attention module has been added to the YOLOv5s (You Only Look Once version 5 small) feature extraction backbone network to overcome occlusion, overlap, and adhesions in complex backgrounds. Additionally, to reduce missing and false identification of peanut pods, the loss function CIoU (Complete Intersection over Union) was replaced with EIoU (Enhanced Intersection over Union). The recognition results can be further improved by introducing grade classification module, which can read the information from the identified RGB images and output data like numbers of non-rotted and rotten peanut pods, the rotten pod rate, and the pod rot grade. The Precision value of the improved YOLOv5s reached 93.8%, which was 7.8%, 8.4%, and 7.3% higher than YOLOv5s, YOLOv8n, and YOLOv8s, respectively; the mAP (mean Average Precision) value was 92.4%, which increased by 6.7%, 7.7%, and 6.5%, respectively. Improved YOLOv5s has an average improvement of 6.26% over YOLOv5s in terms of recognition accuracy: that was 95.7% for non-rotted peanut pods and 90.8% for rotten peanut pods. This article presented a machine vision- based grade classification method for peanut pod rot, which offered technological guidance for selecting high-quality cultivars with high resistance to pod rot in peanut.

A multifactorial study of mass movement in the hilly and gully Loess Plateau based on intensive field surveys and remote sensing techniques.

Mass movements, driven by various non-linearly correlated factors, exhibit high randomness, posing vast difficulties for field observations and subsequent investigations into the underlying mechanisms. In this study 157 mass movement incidents (including collapses, slump and spalling) and their primary influencing factors were surveyed in a small catchment of the hilly and gully Loess Plateau, China, through intensive field investigations and remote sensing techniques. The spatial pattern of mass movement and its relation with the influencing factors were assessed, while the relative impact of different factors was studied using the canonical correlation analysis. Results showed that 1) Mass movements predominantly occurred on gully slopes steeper than 70°. Collapses were the main type of mass movement, accounting for 87.9 % of the number of samples. 2) With regard to the impact of individual factors, rainstorms (rainfall intensity >50 mm day-1) significantly enhanced the occurrence frequency, erosion area and erosion volume of mass movement. The occurrence frequency and erosion area / volume were highest at a soil dry bulk density of 1.34 g cm-3 and 1.54 g cm-3, respectively. Mass movement occurred most frequently on unvegetated or unrooted gully slopes, where the resisting effect of vegetation on mass movement was absent. Gully slopes with smooth rather than rugged profiles were also found to be typical areas of mass movement. The occurrence frequency of mass movement decreased with the elevated topographic wetness index (TWI) and distance to slope top and increased with the distance to channels. 3) For the relative impact of different factors, rainfall and shear strength were key factors facilitating and resisting the onset of mass movement, respectively, while topography exerted the greatest influence on the erosion area and volume. This study revealed the relative influence of different factors on occurrence and scale of mass movement, providing a useful reference for modelling and control of the problem.

Development of a droplet digital polymerase chain reaction assay for the sensitive detection of total and integrated HIV-1 DNA.

BACKGROUND: Total human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) DNA and integrated HIV DNA are widely used markers of HIV persistence. Droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) can be used for absolute quantification without needing a standard curve. Here, we developed duplex ddPCR assays to detect and quantify total HIV DNA and integrated HIV DNA. METHODS: The limit of detection, dynamic ranges, sensitivity, and reproducibility were evaluated by plasmid constructs containing both the HIV long terminal repeat (LTR) and human CD3 gene (for total HIV DNA) and ACH-2 cells (for integrated HIV DNA). Forty-two cases on stable suppressive antiretroviral therapy (ART) were assayed in total HIV DNA and integrated HIV DNA. Correlation coefficient analysis was performed on the data related to DNA copies and cluster of differentiation 4 positive (CD4 + ) T-cell counts, CD8 + T-cell counts and CD4/CD8 T-cell ratio, respectively. The assay linear dynamic range and lower limit of detection (LLOD) were also assessed. RESULTS: The assay could detect the presence of HIV-1 copies 100% at concentrations of 6.3 copies/reaction, and the estimated LLOD of the ddPCR assay was 4.4 HIV DNA copies/reaction (95% confidence intervals [CI]: 3.6-6.5 copies/reaction) with linearity over a 5-log 10 -unit range in total HIV DNA assay. For the integrated HIV DNA assay, the LLOD was 8.0 copies/reaction (95% CI: 5.8-16.6 copies/reaction) with linearity over a 3-log 10 -unit range. Total HIV DNA in CD4 + T cells was positively associated with integrated HIV DNA ( r = 0.76, P <0.0001). Meanwhile, both total HIV DNA and integrated HIV DNA in CD4 + T cells were inversely correlated with the ratio of CD4/CD8 but positively correlated with the CD8 + T-cell counts. CONCLUSIONS: This ddPCR assay can quantify total HIV DNA and integrated HIV DNA efficiently with robustness and sensitivity. It can be readily adapted for measuring HIV DNA with non-B clades, and it could be beneficial for testing in clinical trials.

Thin-film transistor for temporal self-adaptive reservoir computing with closed-loop architecture.

Reservoir computing is a powerful neural network-based computing paradigm for spatiotemporal signal processing. Recently, physical reservoirs have been explored based on various electronic devices with outstanding efficiency. However, the inflexible temporal dynamics of these reservoirs have posed fundamental restrictions in processing spatiotemporal signals with various timescales. Here, we fabricated thin-film transistors with controllable temporal dynamics, which can be easily tuned with electrical operation signals and showed excellent cycle-to-cycle uniformity. Based on this, we constructed a temporal adaptive reservoir capable of extracting temporal information of multiple timescales, thereby achieving improved accuracy in the human-activity-recognition task. Moreover, by leveraging the former computing output to modify the hyperparameters, we constructed a closed-loop architecture that equips the reservoir computing system with temporal self-adaptability according to the current input. The adaptability is demonstrated by accurate real-time recognition of objects moving at diverse speed levels. This work provides an approach for reservoir computing systems to achieve real-time processing of spatiotemporal signals with compound temporal characteristics.

Memristor-based storage system with convolutional autoencoder-based image compression network.

The exponential growth of various complex images is putting tremendous pressure on storage systems. Here, we propose a memristor-based storage system with an integrated near-storage in-memory computing-based convolutional autoencoder compression network to boost the energy efficiency and speed of the image compression/retrieval and improve the storage density. We adopt the 4-bit memristor arrays to experimentally demonstrate the functions of the system. We propose a step-by-step quantization aware training scheme and an equivalent transformation for transpose convolution to improve the system performance. The system exhibits a high (>33 dB) peak signal-to-noise ratio in the compression and decompression of the ImageNet and Kodak24 datasets. Benchmark comparison results show that the 4-bit memristor-based storage system could reduce the latency and energy consumption by over 20×/5.6× and 180×/91×, respectively, compared with the server-grade central processing unit-based/the graphics processing unit-based processing system, and improve the storage density by more than 3 times.

Floral-promoting GmFT homologs trigger photoperiodic after-effects: An important mechanism for early-maturing soybean varieties to regulate reproductive development and adapt to high latitudes.

Soybean (Glycine max) is a typical short-day plant, but has been widely cultivated in high-latitude long-day (LD) regions because of the development of early-maturing genotypes which are photoperiod-insensitive. However, some early-maturing varieties exhibit significant responses to maturity under different daylengths but not for flowering, depicting an evident photoperiodic after-effect, a poorly understood mechanism. In this study, we investigated the postflowering responses of 11 early-maturing soybean varieties to various preflowering photoperiodic treatments. We confirmed that preflowering SD conditions greatly promoted maturity and other postflowering developmental stages. Soybean homologs of FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT), including GmFT2a, GmFT3a, GmFT3b and GmFT5a, were highly accumulated in leaves under preflowering SD treatment. More importantly, they maintained a high expression level after flowering even under LD conditions. E1 RNAi and GmFT2a overexpression lines showed extremely early maturity regardless of preflowering SD and LD treatments due to constitutively high levels of floral-promoting GmFT homolog expression throughout their life cycle. Collectively, our data indicate that high and stable expression of floral-promoting GmFT homologs play key roles in the maintenance of photoperiodic induction to promote postflowering reproductive development, which confers early-maturing varieties with appropriate vegetative growth and shortened reproductive growth periods for adaptation to high latitudes.

Slow conduction velocity predicts atrial fibrillation recurrence after radiofrequency ablation.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the progression of electrophysiological phenomena in atrial fibrillation (AF) and elucidate the association between the left atrial conduction velocity (LACV) and AF recurrence after pulmonary vein isolation. METHODS: A total of 188 AF patients (121 paroxysmal AF and 67 persistent AF) who underwent PVI for the first time were enrolled in this prospective study. The left atrium was mapped using a 20-pole electrode catheter combined with the CARTO3 system. The conduction distances and conduction times of the left atrium from the Bachmann bundle area to the mitral isthmus were calculated. Anterior, posterior, and septal LACV were calculated as conduction distance divided by conduction time. RESULTS: The anterior, posterior, and septal LACVs in the AF recurrence group were slower than those in the nonrecurrence group (anterior: 0.807 [0.766, 0.848] and 1.048 [1.000, 1.093] m/s, p < .05; posterior: 1.037 [0.991, 1.084] vs. 1.315 [1.249, 1.380] m/s, p < .05; septal: 0.904 [0.862, 0.946] vs. 1.163 [1.107, 1.219] m/s, p < .05). The best cut-off value of anterior LACV for predicting AF recurrence was 0.887 m/s (sensitivity 73.9% and specificity 76.5%). Multivariate analysis showed slow anterior LACV <0.887 m/s was an independent predictor of AF recurrence with an adjusted odds ratio of 1.42 (1.04, 1.94). CONCLUSIONS: Slowing conduction velocity is a predictor of AF recurrence after pulmonary vein isolation.

Phased gap-free genome assembly of octoploid cultivated strawberry illustrates the genetic and epigenetic divergence among subgenomes.

The genetic and epigenetic mechanisms underlying the coexistence and coordination of the four diverged subgenomes (ABCD) in octoploid strawberries (Fragaria × ananassa) remains poorly understood. In this study, we have assembled a haplotype-phased gap-free octoploid genome for the strawberry, which allowed us to uncover the sequence, structure, and epigenetic divergences among the subgenomes. The diploid progenitors of the octoploid strawberry, apart from subgenome A (Fragaria vesca), have been a subject of public controversy. Phylogenomic analyses revealed a close relationship between diploid species Fragaria iinumae and subgenomes B, C, and D. Subgenome A, closely related to F. vesca, retains the highest number of genes, exhibits the lowest content of transposable elements (TEs), experiences the strongest purifying selection, shows the lowest DNA methylation levels, and displays the highest expression level compared to the other three subgenomes. Transcriptome and DNA methylome analyses revealed that subgenome A-biased genes were enriched in fruit development biological processes. In contrast, although subgenomes B, C, and D contain equivalent amounts of repetitive sequences, they exhibit diverged methylation levels, particularly for TEs located near genes. Taken together, our findings provide valuable insights into the evolutionary patterns of subgenome structure, divergence and epigenetic dynamics in octoploid strawberries, which could be utilized in strawberry genetics and breeding research.

Cobalt-nickel phosphide supported on reduced graphene oxide for sensitive electrochemical detection of bisphenol A.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a commonly utilized phenolic contaminant in several manufacturing processes, contributing to environmental pollution. Therefore, the detection of BPA holds significant importance for monitoring water quality. In this work, we report a robust electrochemical detection method for BPA utilizing cobalt-nickel bimetal phosphide nanoparticles (CoNiP) supported on reduced graphene oxide (rGO). The CoNiP@rGO-modified glassy carbon electrode exhibits remarkable electrochemical activity in BPA detection. The detection mechanism is controlled by adsorption-mediated electron transfer, showcasing a low limit of detection (LOD) at 0.38 nM and a high sensitivity of 96.4 A M-1 cm-2 within the linear range of 0.001-8 µM. Furthermore, our developed sensor demonstrates good reproducibility and successfully detected BPA in actual water samples. The electrochemical activity of CoNiP@rGO was also characterized for hydroquinone (HQ) detected through a diffusion-controlled mechanism, displaying an excellent sensitivity of 36.4 A M-1 cm-2 across a broad linear range. These findings underscore the promising potential of CoNiP@rGO as a candidate for electrochemical detection of phenolic contaminants, especially in the sensing of BPA in environmental water samples. This efficacy is attributed to the modulation of its electronic properties, combined with its large electroactive surface area and low electron-transfer resistance.

IFM calculator: An algorithm for interfragmentary motion calculation in finite element analysis.

BACKGROUND: Interfragmentary motion (IFM) is a complex state that significantly impacts the healing process of fractures following implant placement. It is crucial to fully consider the IFM state after implantation in the design and biomechanical testing of implants. However, current finite element analysis software lacks direct tools for calculating IFM, and existing IFM tools do not offer a comprehensive solution in terms of accuracy, functionality, and visualization. METHODS: In our study, we developed a Python-based algorithm for calculating IFM that addresses limitations. Our algorithm automatically calculated IFM distances, sliding distances, gaps, as well as the angles and rotation of the two fracture surfaces using all nodes on both sides of the fracture ends. Researchers could input data and selected desired parameters in the interface. The algorithm then performed the necessary calculations and presented the results in a clear and concise manner. The algorithm also provided comprehensive data export capabilities, allowing researchers to customize analyses based on specific needs.To provide a more intuitive demonstration of the calculation process and usage of IFM-Cal, we conducted simulations in Ansys using two rectangular blocks to compare the accuracy and function of three different methods (Point based method, contact tool and IFM-Cal). RESULTS: The point-based method and the contact tool could not accurately calculate IFA, while IFM-Cal could provide a comprehensive evaluation of IFA. In simulation 1, the IFM distances calculated using the point sampling method, contact tool, and IFM-Cal were 2.00 mm, 3.15 mm, and 2.00 mm, respectively. In simulation 2, both the point sampling method and contact tool failed to calculate the interfragmentary angle (IFA), while the IFM-Cal algorithm estimated an angle of -7.87°, which had a small error compared to the ground-truth value of 7.9°. CONCLUSION: We have developed an algorithm for computing IFM which can be utilized in finite element analysis and biomechanical experiments. By conducting comparative simulations with other existing algorithms, we have demonstrated the superior accuracy and expanded evaluation capabilities of our algorithm.

Developmental stages and episode-specific regulatory genes in andromonoecious melon flower development.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Given the lack of specific studies on floral development in melon (Cucumis melo L.), we carried out an extensive study involving morphological and transcriptomic analyses to characterize floral development in this species. METHODS: Using an andromonoecious line, we analysed the development of floral buds in male and hermaphrodite flowers with both light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Based on flower lengths, we established a correlation between the developmental stages and four main episodes of floral development and conducted an extensive RNA sequencing analysis of these episodes. KEY RESULTS: We identified 12 stages of floral development, from the appearance of the floral meristems to anthesis. The main structural differences between male and hermaphrodite flowers appeared between stages 6 and 7; later stages of development leading to the formation of organs and structures in both types of flowers were also described. We analysed the gene expression patterns of the four episodes in flower development to find the genes that were specific to each given episode. Among others, we identified genes that defined the passage from one episode to the next according to the ABCDE model of floral development. CONCLUSIONS: This work combines a detailed morphological analysis and a comprehensive transcriptomic study to enable characterization of the structural and molecular mechanisms that determine the floral development of an andromonoecious genotype in melon. Taken together, our results provide a first insight into gene regulation networks in melon floral development that are crucial for flowering and pollen formation, highlighting potential targets for genetic manipulation to improve crop yield of melon in the future.

Efficacy and safety of mirvetuximab soravtansine in recurrent ovarian cancer with FRa positive expression: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of mirvetuximab soravtansine in treating recurrent ovarian cancer with folate receptor alpha (FRa) expression. METHODS: A comprehensive search was conducted on online databases, including PubMed, Cochrane Library, and EMBASE, to identify relevant literature about the efficacy and safety of mirvetuximab soravtansine in recurrent ovarian cancer with FRa-positive expression. The keywords were the following: recurrent ovarian cancer, mirvetuximab soravtansine, FRa, and antibody-drug conjugate. Furthermore, studies that satisfied the necessary qualifications were carefully evaluated for further meta-analysis. RESULTS: This meta-analysis involved the examination of seven trials with a total of 631 patients. According to the pooled data, the objective response rate (ORR) was 36% (95%CI: 27%-45%). Similarly, the disease control rate (DCR) was 88% (95% CI: 84-91%). Furthermore, the median progression-free survival (PFS) was determined to be 6.1 months (95% CI: 4.27-7.47). The overall response rate and PFS for platinum-resistant ovarian cancer were found to be 29% (95% CI: 25-32%) and 6.26 months (95% CI: 4.67-7.85), respectively. The most often observed adverse events (AEs) in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer (OC) receiving mirvetuximab soravtansine were blurred vision (all grades: 45%, Grade III: 2%), nausea (all grades: 42%, Grade III: 1%), and diarrhea (all grades: 42%, Grade III: 2%). These AEs were specifically associated with the safety profile of mirvetuximab soravtansine in this patient population. CONCLUSION: The efficacy of mirvetuximab soravtansine in treating recurrent ovarian cancer with FRa-positive expression is satisfactory, and the safety is tolerable.

Recent Advances in Hybrid Seawater Electrolysis for Hydrogen Production.

Seawater electrolysis (SWE) is a promising and potentially cost-effective approach to hydrogen production, considering that seawater is vastly abundant and SWE is able to combine with offshore renewables producing green hydrogen. However, SWE has long been suffering from technical challenges including the high energy demand and interference of chlorine chemistry, leading electrolyzers to a low efficiency and short lifespan. In this context, hybrid SWE, operated by replacing the energy-demanding oxygen evolution reaction and interfering chlorine evolution reaction (CER) with a thermodynamically more favorable anodic oxidation reaction (AOR) or by designing innovative electrolyzer cells, has recently emerged as a better alternative, which not only allows SWE to occur in a safe and energy-saving manner without the notorious CER, but also enables co-production of value-added chemicals or elimination of environmental pollutants. This review provides a first account of recent advances in hybrid SWE for hydrogen production. The substitutional AOR of various small molecules or redox mediators, in couple with hydrogen evolution from seawater, is comprehensively summarized. Moreover, how the electrolyzer cell design helps in hybrid SWE is briefly discussed. Last, the current challenges and future outlook about the development of the hybrid SWE technology are outlined.

Distribution pattern, molecular transmission networks, and phylodynamic of hepatitis C virus in China.

In China, few molecular epidemiological data on hepatitis C virus (HCV) are available and all previous studies were limited by small sample sizes or specific population characteristics. Here, we report characterization of the epidemic history and transmission dynamics of HCV strains in China. We included HCV sequences of individuals belonging to three HCV surveillance programs: 1) patients diagnosed with HIV infection at the Beijing HIV laboratory network, most of whom were people who inject drugs and former paid blood donors, 2) men who have sex with men, and 3) the general population. We also used publicly available HCV sequences sampled in China in our study. In total, we obtained 1,603 Ns5b and 865 C/E2 sequences from 1,811 individuals. The most common HCV strains were subtypes 1b (29.1%), 3b (25.5%) and 3a (15.1%). In transmission network analysis, factors independently associated with clustering included the region (OR: 0.37, 95% CI: 0.19-0.71), infection subtype (OR: 0.23, 95% CI: 0.1-0.52), and sampling period (OR: 0.43, 95% CI: 0.27-0.68). The history of the major HCV subtypes was complex, which coincided with some important sociomedical events in China. Of note, five of eight HCV subtype (1a, 1b, 2a, 3a, and 3b), which constituted 81.8% HCV strains genotyped in our study, showed a tendency towards decline in the effective population size during the past decade until present, which is a good omen for the goal of eliminating HCV by 2030 in China.