Human brain glycoform coregulation network and glycan modification alterations in Alzheimer's disease.

Despite the importance of protein glycosylation to brain health, current knowledge of glycosylated proteoforms or glycoforms in human brain and their alterations in Alzheimer's disease (AD) is limited. Here, we report a proteome-wide glycoform profiling study of human AD and control brains using intact glycopeptide-based quantitative glycoproteomics coupled with systems biology. Our study identified more than 10,000 human brain N-glycoforms from nearly 1200 glycoproteins and uncovered disease signatures of altered glycoforms and glycan modifications, including reduced sialylation and N-glycan branching and elongation as well as elevated mannosylation and N-glycan truncation in AD. Network analyses revealed a higher-order organization of brain glycoproteome into networks of coregulated glycoforms and glycans and discovered glycoform and glycan modules associated with AD clinical phenotype, amyloid-ß accumulation, and tau pathology. Our findings provide valuable insights into disease pathogenesis and a rich resource of glycoform and glycan changes in AD and pave the way forward for developing glycosylation-based therapies and biomarkers for AD.

First-principles studies on the electronic and contact properties of monolayer Ga2STe-metal contacts.

Monolayer (ML) Janus III-VI compounds have attracted the use of multiple competitive platforms for future-generation functional electronics, including non-volatile memories, field effect transistors, and sensors. In this work, the electronic and interfacial properties of ML Ga2STe-metal (Au, Ag, Cu, and Al) contacts are systematically investigated using first-principles calculations combined with the non-equilibrium Green's function method. The ML Ga2STe-Au/Ag/Al contacts exhibit weak electronic orbital hybridization at the interface, while the ML Ga2STe-Cu contact exhibits strong electronic orbital hybridization. The Te surface is more conducive to electron injection than the S surface in ML Ga2STe-metal contact. Quantum transport calculations revealed that when the Te side of the ML Ga2STe is in contact with Au, Ag and Cu electrodes, p-type Schottky contacts are formed. When in contact with the Al electrode, an n-type Schottky contact is formed with an electron SBH of 0.079 eV. When the S side of ML Ga2STe is in contact with Au and Al electrodes, p-type Schottky contacts are formed, and when it is in contact with Ag and Cu electrodes, n-type Schottky contacts are formed. Our study will guide the selection of appropriate metal electrodes for constructing ML Ga2STe devices.

[Mechanism of Guizhi Gancao Decoction against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury based on network pharmacology and experimental verification].

This study employed network pharmacology to investigate the effect of Guizhi Gancao Decoction(GGD) on myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury(MI/RI) in rats and decipher the underlying mechanism. Firstly, the chemical components and targets of GGD against MI/RI were searched against the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform(TCMSP), SwissTargetPrediction, and available articles. STRING and Cytoscape 3.7.2 were used to establish the protein-protein interaction(PPI) network for the common targets, and then Gene Ontology(GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were carried out for the core targets. The "drug-active component-target-pathway" network was built. Furthermore, molecular docking between key active components and targets was conducted in AutoDock Vina. Finally, the rat model of MI/RI was established, and the myocardial infarction area was measured. Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining and transmission electron microscopy(TEM) were employed to detect cardiomyocyte pathology and ultrastructural changes. Western blot was employed to determine the expression of related proteins in the myocardial tissue. A total of 75 chemical components of GGD were screened out, corresponding to 318 targets. The PPI network revealed 46 core targets such as tumor protein p53(TP53), serine/threonine kinase 1(AKT1), signal transducer and activator of transcription 3(STAT3), non-receptor tyrosine kinase(SRC), mitogen-activated protein kinase 1(MAPK1), MAPK3, and tumor necrosis factor(TNF). According to GO and KEGG enrichment analyses, the core targets mainly affected the cell proliferation and migration, signal transduction, apoptosis, and transcription, involving advanced glycation end products-receptor(AGE-RAGE), MAPK and other signaling pathways in cancers and diabetes complications. The molecular docking results showed that the core components of GGD, such as licochalcone A,(+)-catechin, and cinnamaldehyde, had strong binding activities with the core target proteins, such as MAPK1 and MAPK3. The results of animal experiments showed that compared with the model group, GGD significantly increase superoxide dismutase, decreased malondialdehyde, lactate dehydrogenase, and creatine kinase-MB, and reduced the area of myocardial infarction. HE staining and TEM results showed that GGD pretreatment restored the structure of cardiomyocytes and alleviated the pathological changes and ultrastructural damage of mitochondria in the model group. In addition, GGD significantly down-regulated the phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase and p38 and up-regulate that of extracellular regulated kinases 1/2 in the myocardial tissue. The results suggested that GGD may exert the anti-MI/RI effect by regulating the MAPK signaling pathway via the synergistic effects of Cinnamomi Ramulus and Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma.

The Association between Glymphatic System and Perivascular Macrophages in Brain Waste Clearance.

The glymphatic system suggests the convective bulk flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) through perivascular spaces and the interstitial spaces of the brain parenchyma for the rapid removal of toxic waste solutes from the brain. However, the presence of convective bulk flow within the brain interstitial spaces is still under debate. We first addressed this argument to determine the involvement of the glymphatic system in brain waste clearance utilizing contrast-enhanced 3D T1-weighted imaging (T1WI), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and confocal microscopy imaging. Furthermore, perivascular macrophages (PVMs), which are immune cells located within perivascular spaces, have not been thoroughly explored for their association with the glymphatic system. Therefore, we investigated tracer uptake by PVMs in the perivascular spaces of both the arteries/arterioles and veins/venules and the potential association of PVMs in assisting the glymphatic system for interstitial waste clearance. Our findings demonstrated that both convective bulk flow and diffusion are responsible for the clearance of interstitial waste solutes from the brain parenchyma. Furthermore, our results suggested that PVMs may play an important function in glymphatic system-mediated interstitial waste clearance. The glymphatic system and PVMs could be targeted to enhance interstitial waste clearance in patients with waste-associated neurological conditions and aging.

Lipoic acid-mediated oral drug delivery system utilizing changes on cell surface thiol expression for the treatment of diabetes and inflammatory diseases.

Lipoic acid (LA), which has good safety and oral absorption, is obtained from various plant-based food sources and needs to be supplemented through human diet. Moreover, substances with a disulfide structure can enter cells through dynamic covalent disulfide exchange with thiol groups on the cell membrane surface. Based on these factors, we constructed LA-modified nanoparticles (LA NPs). Our results showed that LA NPs can be internalized into intestinal epithelial cells through surface thiols, followed by intracellular transcytosis via the endoplasmic reticulum-Golgi pathway. Further mechanistic studies indicated that disulfide bonds within the structure of LA play a critical role in this transport process. In a type I diabetes rat model, the oral administration of insulin-loaded LA NPs exhibited a more potent hypoglycemic effect, with a pharmacokinetic bioavailability of 5.42 ± 0.53%, representing a 1.6 fold enhancement compared to unmodified PEG NPs. Furthermore, a significant upregulation of surface thiols in inflammatory macrophages was reported. Thus, we turned our direction to investigate the uptake behavior of inflammatory macrophages with increased surface thiols towards LA NPs. Inflammatory macrophages showed a 2.6 fold increased uptake of LA NPs compared to non-inflammatory macrophages. Surprisingly, we also discovered that the antioxidant resveratrol facilitates the uptake of LA NPs in a concentration-dependent manner. This is mainly attributed to an increase in glutathione, which is involved in thiol uptake. Consequently, we employed LA NPs loaded with resveratrol for the treatment of colitis and observed a significant alleviation of colitis symptoms. These results suggest that leveraging the variations of thiol expression levels on cell surfaces under both healthy and diseased states through an oral drug delivery system mediated by the small-molecule nutrient LA can be employed for the treatment of diabetes and certain inflammatory diseases.

vEpiNet: A multimodal interictal epileptiform discharge detection method based on video and electroencephalogram data.

To enhance deep learning-based automated interictal epileptiform discharge (IED) detection, this study proposes a multimodal method, vEpiNet, that leverages video and electroencephalogram (EEG) data. Datasets comprise 24 931 IED (from 484 patients) and 166 094 non-IED 4-second video-EEG segments. The video data is processed by the proposed patient detection method, with frame difference and Simple Keypoints (SKPS) capturing patients' movements. EEG data is processed with EfficientNetV2. The video and EEG features are fused via a multilayer perceptron. We developed a comparative model, termed nEpiNet, to test the effectiveness of the video feature in vEpiNet. The 10-fold cross-validation was used for testing. The 10-fold cross-validation showed high areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) in both models, with a slightly superior AUROC (0.9902) in vEpiNet compared to nEpiNet (0.9878). Moreover, to test the model performance in real-world scenarios, we set a prospective test dataset, containing 215 h of raw video-EEG data from 50 patients. The result shows that the vEpiNet achieves an area under the precision-recall curve (AUPRC) of 0.8623, surpassing nEpiNet's 0.8316. Incorporating video data raises precision from 70% (95% CI, 69.8%-70.2%) to 76.6% (95% CI, 74.9%-78.2%) at 80% sensitivity and reduces false positives by nearly a third, with vEpiNet processing one-hour video-EEG data in 5.7 min on average. Our findings indicate that video data can significantly improve the performance and precision of IED detection, especially in prospective real clinic testing. It suggests that vEpiNet is a clinically viable and effective tool for IED analysis in real-world applications.

Enhanced oral and pulmonary delivery of biomacromolecules via amplified transporter targeting.

Ligand-modified nanocarriers can promote oral or inhalative administration of macromolecular drugs across the intestinal or pulmonary mucosa. However, enhancing the unidirectional transport of the nanocarriers through "apical uptake→intracellular transport→basolateral exocytosis" route remains a hot topic and challenge in current research. Forskolin is a naturally occurring diterpenoid compound extracted from the roots of C. forskohlii. In our studies, we found that forskolin could increase the transcellular transport of butyrate-modified nanoparticles by 1.67-fold and 1.20-fold in Caco-2 intestinal epithelial cell models and Calu-3 lung epithelial cell models, respectively. Further mechanistic studies revealed that forskolin, on the one hand, promoted the cellular uptake of butyrate-modified nanoparticles by upregulating the expression of monocarboxylic acid transporter-1 (MCT-1) on the apical membrane. On the other hand, forskolin facilitated the binding of MCT-1 to caveolae, thereby mediating butyrate-modified nanoparticles hijacking caveolae to promote the basolateral exocytosis of butyrate-modified nanoparticles. Studies in normal mice model showed that forskolin could promote the transmucosal absorption of butyrate-modified nanoparticles by >2-fold, regardless of oral or inhalative administration. Using semaglutide as the model drug, both oral and inhalation delivery approaches demonstrated significant hypoglycemic effects in type 2 diabetes mice model, in which inhalative administration was more effective than oral administration. This study optimized the strategies aimed at enhancing the transmucosal absorption of ligand-modified nanocarriers in the intestinal or pulmonary mucosa.

Intramedullary nailing for irreducible spiral subtrochanteric fractures: A comparison of cerclage and non-cerclage wiring.

PURPOSE: Intramedullary nailing is the preferred internal fixation technique for the treatment of subtrochanteric fractures because of its biomechanical advantages. However, no definitive conclusion has been reached regarding whether combined cable cerclage is required during intramedullary nailing treatment. This study was performed to compare the clinical effects of intramedullary nailing with cerclage and non-cerclage wiring in the treatment of irreducible spiral subtrochanteric fractures. METHODS: Patients with subtrochanteric fractures admitted to our center from January 2013 to December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were enrolled in the case-control study according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria and divided into the non-cerclage group and the cerclage group. The patients' clinical data, including the operative time, intraoperative blood loss, hospital stay, reoperation rate, fracture union time, and Harris hip score, were compared between these 2 groups. Categorical variables were compared using Chi-square or Fisher's exact test. Continuous variables with normal distribution were presented as mean ± standard deviation and analyzed with Student's t-test. Non-normally distributed variables were expressed as median (Q1, Q3) and assessed using the Mann-Whitney test. A p value < 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: In total, 69 patients were included in the study (35 patients in the non-cerclage group and 34 patients in the cerclage group). The baseline data of the 2 groups were comparable. There were no significant difference in the length of hospital stay (z = -0.391, p = 0.696), operative time (z = -1.289, p = 0.197), or intraoperative blood loss (z = -1.321, p = 0.186). However, compared with non-cerclage group, the fracture union time was shorter (z = -5.587, p < 0.001), the rate of nonunion was lower (χ2 = 6.030, p = 0.03), the anatomical reduction rate was higher (χ2 = 5.449, p = 0.03), and the Harris hip score was higher (z = -2.99, p = 0.003) in the cerclage group, all with statistically significant differences. CONCLUSIONS: Intramedullary nailing combined with cable cerclage wiring is a safe and reliable technique for the treatment of irreducible subtrochanteric fractures. This technique can improve the reduction effect, increase the stability of fracture fixation, shorten the fracture union time, reduce the occurrence of nonunion, and contribute to the recovery of hip joint function.

m1A regulator-mediated methylation modification patterns correlated with autophagy to predict the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: N1-methyladenosine (m1A), among the most common internal modifications on RNAs, has a crucial role to play in cancer development. The purpose of this study were systematically investigate the modification characteristics of m1A in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) to unveil its potential as an anticancer target and to develop a model related to m1A modification characteristics with biological functions. This model could predict the prognosis for patients with HCC. METHODS: An integrated analysis of the TCGA-LIHC database was performed to explore the gene signatures and clinical relevance of 10 m1A regulators. Furthermore, the biological pathways regulated by m1A modification patterns were investigated. The risk model was established using the genes that showed differential expression (DEGs) between various m1A modification patterns and autophagy clusters. These in vitro experiments were subsequently designed to validate the role of m1A in HCC cell growth and autophagy. Immunohistochemistry was employed to assess m1A levels and the expression of DEGs from the risk model in HCC tissues and paracancer tissues using tissue microarray. RESULTS: The risk model, constructed from five DEGs (CDK5R2, TRIM36, DCAF8L, CYP26B, and PAGE1), exhibited significant prognostic value in predicting survival rates among individuals with HCC. Moreover, HCC tissues showed decreased levels of m1A compared to paracancer tissues. Furthermore, the low m1A level group indicated a poorer clinical outcome for patients with HCC. Additionally, m1A modification may positively influence autophagy regulation, thereby inhibiting HCC cells proliferation under nutrient deficiency conditions. CONCLUSIONS: The risk model, comprising m1A regulators correlated with autophagy and constructed from five DEGs, could be instrumental in predicting HCC prognosis. The reduced level of m1A may represent a potential target for anti-HCC strategies.

Unlocking the potential of fondaparinux: guideline for optimal usage and clinical suggestions (2023).

Background: Thromboembolic disease is associated with a high rate of disability or death and gravely jeopardizes people's health and places considerable financial pressure on society. The primary treatment for thromboembolic illness is anticoagulant medication. Fondaparinux, a parenteral anticoagulant medicine, is still used but is confusing due to its disparate domestic and international indications and lack of knowledge about its usage. Its off-label drug usage in therapeutic settings and irrational drug use are also common. Objective: The aim of this guideline is to enhance the judicious clinical application of fondaparinux by consolidating the findings of evidence-based research on the drug and offering superior clinical suggestions. Methods: Seventeen clinical questions were developed by 37 clinical pharmacy experts, and recommendations were formulated under the supervision of three methodologists. Through methodical literature searches and the use of recommendation, assessment, development and evaluation grading techniques, we gathered evidence. Results: This guideline culminated in 17 recommendations, including the use of fondaparinux for venous thromboembolism (VTE) prevention and treatment, perioperative surgical prophylaxis, specific diseases, special populations, bleeding and overdose management. For different types of VTE, we recommend first assessing thrombotic risk in hospitalized patients and then administering the drug according to the patient's body mass. In surgical patients in the perioperative period, fondaparinux may be used for VTE prophylaxis, but postoperative use usually requires confirmation that adequate hemostasis has been achieved. Fondaparinux may be used for anticoagulation prophylaxis in patients hospitalized for oncological purposes, in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) after resuscitation, in patients with cirrhosis combined with portal vein thrombosis (PVT), in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), and in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Fondaparinux should be used with caution in special populations, such as pregnant female patients with a history of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) or platelet counts less than 50 × 109/L, pregnant patients with a prethrombotic state (PTS) combined with recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA), and children. For bleeding caused by fondaparinux, dialysis may partially remove the drug. Conclusion: The purpose of this guideline is to provide all healthcare providers with high-quality recommendations for the clinical use of fondaparinux and to improve the rational use of the drug in clinical practice. Currently, there is a lack of a dedicated antidote for the management of fondaparinux. The clinical investigation of activated prothrombin complex concentrate (APCC) or recombinant activated factor VII (rFⅦa) as potential reversal agents is still pending. This critical gap necessitates heightened scrutiny and research emphasis, potentially constituting a novel avenue for future inquiries into fondaparinux sodium. A meticulous examination of adverse events and safety profiles associated with the utilization of fondaparinux sodium will contribute significantly to a more comprehensive understanding of its inherent risks and benefits within the clinical milieu.

A promising therapy for fatty liver disease: PCSK9 inhibitors.

BACKGROUND: Fatty liver disease (FLD) poses a significant global health concern worldwide, with its classification into nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and alcoholic fatty liver disease (AFLD) contingent upon the presence or absence of chronic and excessive alcohol consumption. The absence of specific therapeutic interventions tailored to FLD at various stages of the disease renders its treatment exceptionally arduous. Despite the fact that FLD and hyperlipidemia are intimately associated, there is still debate over how lipid-lowering medications affect FLD. Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/ Kexin type 9 (PCSK9) is a serine protease predominantly synthesized in the liver, which has a crucial impact on cholesterol homeostasis. Research has confirmed that PCSK9 inhibitors have prominent lipid-lowering properties and substantial clinical effectiveness, thereby justifying the need for additional exploration of their potential role in FLD. PURPOSE: Through a comprehensive literature search, this review is to identify the relationship and related mechanisms between PCSK9, lipid metabolism and FLD. Additionally, it will assess the pharmacological mechanism and applicability of PCSK9 inhibitors (including naturally occurring PCSK9 inhibitors, such as conventional herbal medicines) for the treatment of FLD and serve as a guide for updating the treatment protocol for such conditions. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was conducted using several electronic databases, including Pubmed, Medline, Embase, CNKI, Wanfang database and ClinicalTrials.gov, from the inception of the database to 30 Jan 2024. Key words used in the literature search were "fatty liver", "hepatic steatosis", "PCSK9", "traditional Chinese medicine", "herb medicine", "botanical medicine", "clinical trial", "vivo", "vitro", linked with AND/OR. Most of the included studies were within five years. RESULTS: PCSK9 participates in the regulation of circulating lipids via both LDLR dependent and independent pathways, and there is a potential association with de novo lipogenesis. Major clinical studies have demonstrated a positive correlation between circulating PCSK9 levels and the severity of NAFLD, with elevated levels of circulating PCSK9 observed in individuals exposed to chronic alcohol. Numerous studies have demonstrated the potential of PCSK9 inhibitors to ameliorate non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), potentially completely alleviate liver steatosis, and diminish liver impairment. In animal experiments, PCSK9 inhibitors have exhibited efficacy in alleviating alcoholic induced liver lipid accumulation and hepatitis. Traditional Chinese medicine such as berberine, curcumin, resveratrol, piceatannol, sauchinone, lupin, quercetin, salidroside, ginkgolide, tanshinone, lunasin, Capsella bursa-pastoris, gypenosides, and Morus alba leaves are the main natural PCS9 inhibitors. Excitingly, by inhibiting transcription, reducing secretion, direct targeting and other pathways, traditional Chinese medicine exert inhibitory effects on PCSK9, thereby exerting potential FLD therapeutic effects. CONCLUSION: PCSK9 plays an important role in the development of FLD, and PCSK9 inhibitors have demonstrated beneficial effects on lipid regulation and FLD in both preclinical and clinical studies. In addition, some traditional Chinese medicines have improved the disease progression of FLD by inhibiting PCSK9 and anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Consequently, the inhibition of PCSK9 appears to be a promising therapeutic strategy for FLD.

NAP1L1 regulates BIRC2 ubiquitination modification via E3 ubiquitin ligase UBR4 and hence determines hepatocellular carcinoma progression.

We have previously shown that nucleosome assembly protein 1-like 1 (NAP1L1) plays an important role in the abnormal proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. However, the effects of NAP1L1 on the malignant behaviour of HCC cells, including cell migration, invasion and apoptosis, remain unclear. Baculoviral IAP repeat-containing 2 (BIRC2) plays a key role in initiating the abnormal proliferation, apoptotic escape and multidrug resistance of HCC cells; however, the mechanisms through which its stability is regulated in HCC remain elusive. Here, we found that knockdown of NAP1L1 inhibited the proliferation of HCC cells and activated apoptotic pathways but did not remarkably affect the migratory and invasive abilities of HCC cells. In addition, knockdown of NAP1L1 did not alter the expression of BIRC2 at the transcriptional level but substantially reduced its expression at the translational level, suggesting that NAP1L1 is involved in the post-translational modification (such as ubiquitination) of BIRC2. Furthermore, BIRC2 was highly expressed in human HCC tissues and promoted the proliferation and apoptotic escape of HCC cells. Co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) assay and mass spectrometry revealed that NAP1L1 and BIRC2 did not bind to each other; however, ubiquitin protein ligase E3 component n-recognin 4 (UBR4) was identified as an intermediate molecule associating NAP1L1 with BIRC2. Knockdown of NAP1L1 promoted the ubiquitin-mediated degradation of BIRC2 through the ubiquitin-protein junction of UBR4, which in turn inhibited the proliferation and apoptotic escape of HCC cells and exerted anti-tumour effects. In conclusion, this study reveals a novel mechanism through which NAP1L1 regulates the ubiquitination of BIRC2 through UBR4, thereby determining the progression of HCC. Based on this mechanism, suppression of NAP1L1 may inhibit tumour progression in patients with HCC with high protein expression of NAP1L1 or BIRC2.

Cell surface patching via CXCR4-targeted nanothreads for cancer metastasis inhibition.

The binding of therapeutic antagonists to their receptors often fail to translate into adequate manipulation of downstream pathways. To fix this 'bug', here we report a strategy that stitches cell surface 'patches' to promote receptor clustering, thereby synchronizing subsequent mechano-transduction. The "patches" are sewn with two interactable nanothreads. In sequence, Nanothread-1 strings together adjacent receptors while presenting decoy receptors. Nanothread-2 then targets these decoys multivalently, intertwining with Nanothread-1 into a coiled-coil supramolecular network. This stepwise actuation clusters an extensive vicinity of receptors, integrating mechano-transduction to disrupt signal transmission. When applied to antagonize chemokine receptors CXCR4 expressed in metastatic breast cancer of female mice, this strategy elicits and consolidates multiple events, including interception of metastatic cascade, reversal of immunosuppression, and potentiation of photodynamic immunotherapy, reducing the metastatic burden. Collectively, our work provides a generalizable tool to spatially rearrange cell-surface receptors to improve therapeutic outcomes.

Enantioselective Construction of Quaternary Stereocenters via Cooperative Photoredox/Fe/Chiral Primary Amine Triple Catalysis.

The catalytic and enantioselective construction of quaternary (all-carbon substituents) stereocenters poses a formidable challenge in organic synthesis due to the hindrance caused by steric factors. One conceptually viable and potentially versatile approach is the coupling of a C-C bond through an outer-sphere mechanism, accompanied by the realization of enantiocontrol through cooperative catalysis; however, examples of such processes are yet to be identified. Herein, we present such a method for creating different compounds with quaternary stereocenters by photoredox/Fe/chiral primary amine triple catalysis. This approach facilitates the connection of an unactivated alkyl source with a tertiary alkyl moiety, which is also rare. The scalable process exhibits mild conditions, does not necessitate the use of a base, and possesses a good functional-group tolerance. Preliminary investigations into the underlying mechanisms have provided valuable insights into the reaction pathway.

The African swine fever virus MGF300-4L protein is associated with viral pathogenicity by promoting the autophagic degradation of IKKß and increasing the stability of IκBα.

African swine fever (ASF) is a highly contagious, often fatal viral disease caused by African swine fever virus (ASFV), which imposes a substantial economic burden on the global pig industry. When screening for the virus replication-regulating genes in the left variable region of the ASFV genome, we observed a notable reduction in ASFV replication following the deletion of the MGF300-4L gene. However, the role of MGF300-4L in ASFV infection remains unexplored. In this study, we found that MGF300-4L could effectively inhibit the production of proinflammatory cytokines IL-1ß and TNF-α, which are regulated by the NF-κB signaling pathway. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that MGF300-4L interacts with IKKß and promotes its lysosomal degradation via the chaperone-mediated autophagy. Meanwhile, the interaction between MGF300-4L and IκBα competitively inhibits the binding of the E3 ligase ß-TrCP to IκBα, thereby inhibiting the ubiquitination-dependent degradation of IκBα. Remarkably, although ASFV encodes other inhibitors of NF-κB, the MGF300-4L gene-deleted ASFV (Del4L) showed reduced virulence in pigs, indicating that MGF300-4L plays a critical role in ASFV pathogenicity. Importantly, the attenuation of Del4L was associated with a significant increase in the production of IL-1ß and TNF-α early in the infection of pigs. Our findings provide insights into the functions of MGF300-4L in ASFV pathogenicity, suggesting that MGF300-4L could be a promising target for developing novel strategies and live attenuated vaccines against ASF.

Biopsy or Follow-up: AI Improves the Clinical Strategy of US BI-RADS 4A Breast Nodules Using a Convolutional Neural Network.

OBJECTIVES: To develop predictive nomograms based on clinical and ultrasound features and to improve the clinical strategy for US BI-RADS 4A lesions. METHODS: Patients with US BI-RADS 4A lesions from 3 hospitals between January 2016 and June 2020 were retrospectively included. Clinical and ultrasound features were extracted to establish nomograms CE (based on clinical experience) and DL (based on deep-learning algorithm). The performances of nomograms were evaluated by receiver operator characteristic curves, calibration curves and decision curves. Diagnostic performances with DL of radiologists were analyzed. RESULTS: 1616 patients from 2 hospitals were randomly divided into training and internal validation cohorts at a ratio of 7:3. Hundred patients from another hospital made up external validation cohort. DL achieved more optimized AUCs than CE (internal validation: 0.916 vs. 0.863, P < .01; external validation: 0.884 vs. 0.776, P = .05). The sensitivities of DL were higher than CE (internal validation: 81.03% vs. 72.41%, P = .044; external validation: 93.75% vs. 81.25%, P = .4795) without losing specificity (internal validation: 84.91% vs. 86.47%, P = .353; external validation: 69.14% vs. 71.60%, P = .789). Decision curves indicated DL adds more clinical net benefit. With DL's assistance, both radiologists achieved higher AUCs (0.712 vs. 0.801; 0.547 vs. 0.800), improved specificities (70.93% vs. 74.42%, P < .001; 59.3% vs. 81.4%, P = .004), and decreased unnecessary biopsy rates by 6.7% and 24%. CONCLUSION: DL was developed to discriminate US BI-RADS 4A lesions with a higher diagnostic power and more clinical net benefit than CE. Using DL may guide clinicians to make precise clinical decisions and avoid overtreatment of benign lesions.

Implementation of near-infrared spectroscopy and convolutional neural networks for predicting particle size distribution in fluidized bed granulation.

Monitoring the particle size distribution (PSD) is crucial for controlling product quality during fluidized bed granulation. This paper proposed a rapid analytical method that quantifies the D10, D50, and D90 values using a Convolutional Block Attention Module-Convolutional Neural Network (CBAM-CNN) framework tailored for deep learning with near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy. This innovative framework, which fuses CBAM with CNN, excels at extracting intricate features while prioritizing crucial ones, thereby facilitating the creation of a robust multi-output regression model. To expand the training dataset, we incorporated the C-Mixup algorithm, ensuring that the deep learning model was trained comprehensively. Additionally, the Bayesian optimization algorithm was introduced to optimize the hyperparameters, improving the prediction performance of the deep learning model. Compared with the commonly used Partial Least Squares (PLS), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) models, the CBAM-CNN model yielded higher prediction accuracy. Furthermore, the CBAM-CNN model avoided spectral preprocessing, preserved the spectral information to the maximum extent, and returned multiple predicted values at one time without degrading the prediction accuracy. Therefore, the CBAM-CNN model showed better prediction performance and modeling convenience for analyzing PSD values in fluidized bed granulation.

Short-branched alkyl sulfobetaine-passivated CsPbBr3 nanocrystals for efficient green light emitting diodes.

Inorganic cesium lead bromide nanocrystals (CsPbBr3 NCs) hold promising prospects for high performance green light-emitting diodes (LEDs) due to their exceptional color purity and high luminescence efficiency. However, the common ligands employed for passivating these indispensable NCs, such as long-chain organic ligands like oleic acid and oleylamine (OA/OAm), display highly dynamic binding and electronic insulating issues, thereby resulting in a low efficiency of the as-fabricated LEDs. Herein, we report a new zwitterionic short-branched alkyl sulfobetaine ligand, namely trioctyl(propyl-3-sulfonate) ammonium betaine (TOAB), to in situ passivate CsPbBr3 NCs via a feasible one-step solution synthesis, enabling efficiency improvement of CsPbBr3 NC-based LEDs. The zwitterionic TOAB ligand not only strengthened the surface passivation of CsPbBr3 NCs with a high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of 97%, but also enhanced the carrier transport in the fabricated CsPbBr3 NC thin films due to the short-branched alkyl design. Consequently, CsPbBr3 NCs passivated with TOAB achieved a green LED with an external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 7.3% and a maximum luminance of 5716 cd m-2, surpassing those of LEDs based on insulating long-chain ligand-passivated NCs. Our work provides an effective surface passivation ligand design to enhance the performance of CsPbBr3 NC-based LEDs.

Functions of Phytochrome Interacting Factors (PIFs) in Adapting Plants to Biotic and Abiotic Stresses.

Plants possess the remarkable ability to sense detrimental environmental stimuli and launch sophisticated signal cascades that culminate in tailored responses to facilitate their survival, and transcription factors (TFs) are closely involved in these processes. Phytochrome interacting factors (PIFs) are among these TFs and belong to the basic helix-loop-helix family. PIFs are initially identified and have now been well established as core regulators of phytochrome-associated pathways in response to the light signal in plants. However, a growing body of evidence has unraveled that PIFs also play a crucial role in adapting plants to various biological and environmental pressures. In this review, we summarize and highlight that PIFs function as a signal hub that integrates multiple environmental cues, including abiotic (i.e., drought, temperature, and salinity) and biotic stresses to optimize plant growth and development. PIFs not only function as transcription factors to reprogram the expression of related genes, but also interact with various factors to adapt plants to harsh environments. This review will contribute to understanding the multifaceted functions of PIFs in response to different stress conditions, which will shed light on efforts to further dissect the novel functions of PIFs, especially in adaption to detrimental environments for a better survival of plants.

A nano-platform combats the "attack" and "defense" of cytoskeleton to block cascading tumor metastasis.

The cytoskeleton facilitates tumor cells invasion into the bloodstream via vasculogenic mimicry (VM) for "attack", and protects cells against external threats through cytoskeletal remodeling and tunneling nanotubes (TNTs) for "defense". However, the existing strategies involving cytoskeleton are not sufficient to eliminate tumor metastasis due to mitochondrial energy supply, both within tumor cells and from outside microenvironment. Here, considering the close relationship between cytoskeleton and mitochondria both in location and function, we construct a nano-platform that combats the "attack" and "defense" of cytoskeleton in the cascading metastasis. The nano-platform is composed of KFCsk@LIP and KTMito@LIP for the cytoskeletal collapse and mitochondrial dysfunction. KFCsk@LIP prevents the initiation and circulation of cascading tumor metastasis, but arouses limited suppression in tumor cell proliferation. KTMito@LIP impairs mitochondria to trigger apoptosis and impede energy supply both from inside and outside, leading to an amplified effect for metastasis suppression. Further mechanisms studies reveal that the formation of VM and TNTs are seriously obstructed. Both in situ and circulating tumor cells are disabled. Subsequently, the broken metastasis cascade results in a remarkable anti-metastasis effect. Collectively, based on the nano-platform, the cytoskeletal collapse with synchronous mitochondrial dysfunction provides a potential therapeutic strategy for cascading tumor metastasis suppression.