Deep learning of pretreatment multiphase CT images for predicting response to lenvatinib and immune checkpoint inhibitors in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma.

Objectives: Combination therapy of lenvatinib and immune checkpoint inhibitors (CLICI) has emerged as a promising approach for managing unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the response to such treatment is observed in only a subset of patients, underscoring the pressing need for reliable methods to identify potential responders. Materials & methods: This was a retrospective analysis involving 120 patients with unresectable HCC. They were divided into training (n = 72) and validation (n = 48) cohorts. We developed an interpretable deep learning model using multiphase computed tomography (CT) images to predict whether patients will respond or not to CLICI treatment, based on the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors, version 1.1 (RECIST v1.1). We evaluated the models' performance and analyzed the impact of each CT phase. Critical regions influencing predictions were identified and visualized through heatmaps. Results: The multiphase model outperformed the best biphase and uniphase models, achieving an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.802 (95% CI = 0.780-0.824). The portal phase images were found to significantly enhance the model's predictive accuracy. Heatmaps identified six critical features influencing treatment response, offering valuable insights to clinicians. Additionally, we have made this model accessible via a web server at http://uhccnet.com/ for ease of use. Conclusions: The integration of multiphase CT images with deep learning-generated heatmaps for predicting treatment response provides a robust and practical tool for guiding CLICI therapy in patients with unresectable HCC.

[Characteristics, Ecological Risk Assessment, and Source Apportionment of Soil Heavy Metals in the Yellow River Floodplain of Yinchuan City].

In order to study the status and sources of heavy metal pollution in Yinchuan Yellow River floodplain soils, we used inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to determine the presence of eight heavy metals in 92 soil samples from the Yinchuan Yellow River floodplain and used enrichment factors, geological accumulation index, and potential ecological risk index to analyze and evaluate the characteristics of heavy metal pollution in the study area. Combined correlation analysis, absolute factor analysis-multiple linear regression model (APCS-MLR), positive matrix factorization (PMF), and geostatistics were used to analyze the sources of soil heavy metals. The results showed that the content of eight heavy metals in the surface soil of the Yellow River floodplain in Yinchuan City were lower than the screening value of soil pollution risk in agricultural land; Cu and Pb contents were lower than the background value of Yinchuan City soil, and the contents of the remaining six elements were higher than the background value. The coefficients of variation of Zn and Cd were large and in the medium variation level and were influenced by anthropogenic activities. The heavy metal content varied between different land types and generally showed that wasteland > abandoned farmland > woodland > cultivated land. The average content of Cu and Pb in forest and arable soils was lower than the regional background value, whereas the rest of the heavy metals in different land types were higher than the soil background value. The analysis of enrichment factors showed that Zn and Cd were slightly enriched in the study area, and the cumulative index method and the evaluation of the potential risk of single heavy metals indicated that more than 60% of the sites in the study area were contaminated with Cd at a medium or higher potential ecological hazard. The comprehensive evaluation results of potential ecological risk showed that the overall ecological risk level of the study area was mild. From the distribution of heavy metal ecological risk comprehensive index sample points, only one point was in moderate ecological hazard, and the pollution point showed very few. Comprehensive correlation analysis, APCS-MLR model, PMF model, and geostatistical analysis results confirmed that Zn and Cd in the study area were mainly derived from human activities such as agricultural activities and transportation, and the remaining heavy metals were derived from soil parent materials. The results of this study can provide a scientific basis for the ecological protection and sustainable development of the Yellow River in Yinchuan City.

Tight focusing of the vector optical field with polarization varying along complex curves of the Poincaré sphere.

Different from the scalar optical field with spatially uniform polarization, the vector optical field exhibits inhomogeneous distribution of polarization on the cross section. Manipulating the variation of polarization in a single optical beam is important to acquire a flexible and controllable focused optical field. Previous studies mainly focused on the vector optical field with its polarization varying along a circular trajectory of the Poincaré sphere. Here, we demonstrate the tight focusing behaviors of the vector optical field with the polarization varying along complex curves of the Poincaré sphere, which is generated by the joint modulation of azimuthal phase and amplitude distributions of orthogonally polarized components. The longitudinal polarization component with a multipolar pattern in rotational symmetry can be achieved with similar distribution of the total focused field. The transverse and longitudinal spin angular momentum distributions in the focal space are discussed. Approximately pure transverse spin angular momentum can be constructed and manipulated in the focal space, which provides the possibility to manipulate the 3D spin flux for the applications of nano and spin photonics.

In silico genome-wide analysis of homeodomain-leucine zipper transcription factors in Cannabis sativa L.

HD-Zip (Homeodomain-Leucine Zipper) is a family of transcription factors unique to higher plants and plays a vital role in plant growth and development. Increasing research results show that HD-Zip transcription factors are widely involved in many life processes in plants. However, the HD-Zip transcription factor for cannabis, a valuable crop, has not yet been identified. The sequence characteristics, chromosome localization, system evolution, conservative motif, gene structure, and gene expression of the HD-Zip transcription factor in the cannabis genome were systematically studied. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to verify its function. The results showed that cannabis contained 33 HD-Zip gene members. The number of amino acids is 136-849aa, the isoelectric point is 4.54-9.04, and the molecular weight is 23264.32-93147.87Da. Many cis-acting elements are corresponding to hormone and abiotic stress in the HD-Zip family promoter area of cannabis. Sequencing of the transcriptome at 5 tissue sites of hemp, stems, leaves, bracts, and seeds showed similar levels of expression of 33 members of the HD-Zip gene family at 5 tissue sites. Bioinformatics results show that HD-Zip expression is tissue-specific and may be influenced by hormones and environmental factors. This lays a foundation for further research on the gene function of HD-Zip.

Analysis of factors impacting postoperative pain and quality of life in patients with mixed hemorrhoids: A retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Hemorrhoids are among the most common and frequently encountered chronic anorectal diseases in anorectal surgery. They are venous clusters formed by congestion, expansion, and flexion of the venous plexus in the lower part of the rectum. Mixed hemorrhoids bleed easily and recurrently, and this can result in severe anemia. Hence, they may have a negative effect on the health of the patient and surgical treatment is required. Milligan-Morgan hemorrhoidectomy has been widely used since 1937 for the treatment of grade III and IV hemorrhoids. However, most patients experience different degrees of postoperative pain that may cause anxiety. AIM: To assess the factors influencing pain scores and quality of life (QoL) in patients with mixed hemorrhoids post-surgery. METHODS: The clinical data of patients with mixed hemorrhoids who underwent Milligan-Morgan hemorrhoidectomy were collected retrospectively. The basic characteristics of the enrolled patients with mixed hemorrhoids were recorded, and based on the Goligher clinical grading system, the hemorrhoids were classified as grades III or IV. The endpoint of this study was the disappearance of pain in all patients. Quantitative data were presented as mean ± SD, such as age, pain score, and QoL score. Student's t-test was used to compare the groups. RESULTS: A total of 164 patients were enrolled. The distribution of the visual analog scale pain scores of all patients at 3, 7, 14 and 28 d after surgery showed that post-surgery pain was significantly reduced with the passage of time. Fourteen days after the operation, the pain had completely disappeared in some patients. Twenty-eight days after the surgery, none of the patients experienced any pain. Comparing the World Health Organization Quality of Life - BREF self-reporting questionnaire scores of patients between 14 and 28 d after surgery, we observed that the quality-of-life scores of the patients post-surgery had significantly improved. There were six items that were compared at 14- and 28-d post-surgery. The mean QoL score 28 d after surgery (4.79 ± 0.46) was higher than that at 14 d post-surgery (3.79 ± 0.57). The mean health condition score 28 d after surgery (4.80 ± 0.41) was also higher than that at 14 d post-surgery (4.01 ± 0.62). The mean physical health score 28 d after surgery (32.10 ± 2.96) was significantly higher than that at 14 d post-surgery (23.41 ± 2.85). The mean psychological health score 28 d after surgery (27.22 ± 1.62) was significantly higher than that at 14 d post-surgery (21.37 ± 1.70). The mean social relations score 28 d after surgery (12.21 ± 1.59) was significantly higher than that at 14 d post-surgery (6.32 ± 1.66). The mean surrounding environment score 28 d after surgery (37.13 ± 2.88) was significantly higher than that at 14 d post-surgery (28.42 ± 2.86). The differences in quality-of-life scores at day 14 and day 28 post-surgery were observed to be statistically significant (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Milligan-Morgan hemorrhoidectomy can significantly improve the postoperative QoL of patients. Age, sex, and the number of surgical resections were important factors influencing Milligan-Morgan hemorrhoidectomy.

Identification of a novel inflammatory-related gene signature to evaluate the prognosis of gastric cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer (GC) is a highly aggressive malignancy with a heterogeneous nature, which makes prognosis prediction and treatment determination difficult. Inflammation is now recognized as one of the hallmarks of cancer and plays an important role in the aetiology and continued growth of tumours. Inflammation also affects the prognosis of GC patients. Recent reports suggest that a number of inflammatory-related biomarkers are useful for predicting tumour prognosis. However, the importance of inflammatory-related biomarkers in predicting the prognosis of GC patients is still unclear. AIM: To investigate inflammatory-related biomarkers in predicting the prognosis of GC patients. METHODS: In this study, the mRNA expression profiles and corresponding clinical information of GC patients were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database (GSE66229). An inflammatory-related gene prognostic signature model was constructed using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator Cox regression model based on the GEO database. GC patients from the GSE26253 cohort were used for validation. Univariate and multivariate Cox analyses were used to determine the independent prognostic factors, and a prognostic nomogram was established. The calibration curve and the area under the curve based on receiver operating characteristic analysis were utilized to evaluate the predictive value of the nomogram. The decision curve analysis results were plotted to quantify and assess the clinical value of the nomogram. Gene set enrichment analysis was performed to explore the potential regulatory pathways involved. The relationship between tumour immune infiltration status and risk score was analysed via Tumour Immune Estimation Resource and CIBERSORT. Finally, we analysed the association between risk score and patient sensitivity to commonly used chemotherapy and targeted therapy agents. RESULTS: A prognostic model consisting of three inflammatory-related genes (MRPS17, GUF1, and PDK4) was constructed. Independent prognostic analysis revealed that the risk score was a separate prognostic factor in GC patients. According to the risk score, GC patients were stratified into high- and low-risk groups, and patients in the high-risk group had significantly worse prognoses according to age, sex, TNM stage and Lauren type. Consensus clustering identified three subtypes of inflammation that could predict GC prognosis more accurately than traditional grading and staging. Finally, the study revealed that patients in the low-risk group were more sensitive to certain drugs than were those in the high-risk group, indicating a link between inflammation-related genes and drug sensitivity. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, we established a novel three-gene prognostic signature that may be useful for predicting the prognosis and personalizing treatment decisions of GC patients.

Cross-kingdom RNA interference mediated by insect salivary microRNAs may suppress plant immunity.

Communication between insects and plants relies on the exchange of bioactive molecules that traverse the species interface. Although proteinic effectors have been extensively studied, our knowledge of other molecules involved in this process remains limited. In this study, we investigate the role of salivary microRNAs (miRNAs) from the rice planthopper Nilaparvata lugens in suppressing plant immunity. A total of three miRNAs were confirmed to be secreted into host plants during insect feeding. Notably, the sequence-conserved miR-7-5P is specifically expressed in the salivary glands of N. lugens and is secreted into saliva, distinguishing it significantly from homologues found in other insects. Silencing miR-7-5P negatively affects N. lugens feeding on rice plants, but not on artificial diets. The impaired feeding performance of miR-7-5P-silenced insects can be rescued by transgenic plants overexpressing miR-7-5P. Through target prediction and experimental testing, we demonstrate that miR-7-5P targets multiple plant genes, including the immune-associated bZIP transcription factor 43 (OsbZIP43). Infestation of rice plants by miR-7-5P-silenced insects leads to the increased expression of OsbZIP43, while the presence of miR-7-5P counteracts this upregulation effect. Furthermore, overexpressing OsbZIP43 confers plant resistance against insects which can be subverted by miR-7-5P. Our findings suggest a mechanism by which herbivorous insects have evolved salivary miRNAs to suppress plant immunity, expanding our understanding of cross-kingdom RNA interference between interacting organisms.

Iodine Nutrition, Thyroid-stimulating Hormone, and Related Factors of Postpartum Women from three Different Areas in China: A Cross-sectional Survey.

Objective: Studies on the relationship between iodine, vitamin A (VA), and vitamin D (VD) and thyroid function are limited. This study aimed to analyze iodine and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) status and their possible relationships with VA, VD, and other factors in postpartum women. Methods: A total of 1,311 mothers (896 lactating and 415 non-lactating) from Hebei, Zhejiang, and Guangxi provinces were included in this study. The urinary iodine concentration (UIC), TSH, VA, and VD were measured. Results: The median UIC of total and lactating participants were 142.00 µg/L and 139.95 µg/L, respectively. The median TSH, VA, and VD levels in all the participants were 1.89 mIU/L, 0.44 µg/mL, and 24.04 ng/mL, respectively. No differences in the UIC were found between lactating and non-lactating mothers. UIC and TSH levels were significantly different among the three provinces. The rural UIC was higher than the urban UIC. Obese mothers had a higher UIC and a higher prevalence of excessive TSH. Higher UICs and TSHs levels were observed in both the VD deficiency and insufficiency groups than in the VD-sufficient group. After adjustment, no linear correlation was observed between UIC and VA/VD. No interaction was found between vitamins A/D and UIC on TSH levels. Conclusion: The mothers in the present study had no iodine deficiency. Region, area type, BMI, and VD may be related to the iodine status or TSH levels.

Cayratia albifolia C.L.Li exerts anti-rheumatoid arthritis effect by inhibiting macrophage activation and neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs).

BACKGROUND: Cayratia albifolia C.L.Li (CAC), commonly known as "Jiao-Mei-Gu" in China, has been extensively utilized by the Dong minority for several millennia to effectively alleviate symptoms associated with autoimmune diseases. CAC extract is believed to possess significant anti-inflammatory properties within the context of Dong medicine. However, an in-depth understanding of the specific pharmaceutical effects and underlying mechanisms through which CAC extract acts against rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has yet to be established. METHODS: Twenty-four Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups, with six rats in each group. To induce the collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) model, the rats underwent a process of double immunization with collagen and adjuvant. CAC extract (100 mg/kg) was orally administered to rats. The anti-RA effects were evaluated in CIA rats by arthritis score, hind paw volume and histopathology analysis. Pull-down assay was conducted to identify the potential targets of CAC extract from RAW264.7 macrophage lysates. Moreover, mechanism studies of CAC extract were performed by immunofluorescence assays, real-time PCR and Western blot. RESULTS: CAC extract was found to obviously down-regulate hind paw volume of CIA rats, with diminished inflammation response and damage. 177 targets were identified from CAC extract by MS-based pull-down assay. Bioinformatics analysis found that these targets were mainly enriched in macrophage activation and neutrophils extracellular traps (NETs). Additionally, we reported that CAC extract owned significant anti-inflammatory activity by regulating PI3K-Akt-mTOR signal pathway, and inhibited NETosis in response to PMA. CONCLUSIONS: We clarified that CAC extract significantly attenuated RA by inactivating macrophage and reducing NETosis via a multi-targets regulation.

Baicalin administration could rescue high glucose-induced craniofacial skeleton malformation by regulating neural crest development.

Hyperglycemia in pregnancy can increase the risk of congenital disorders, but little is known about craniofacial skeleton malformation and its corresponding medication. Our study first used meta-analysis to review the previous findings. Second, baicalin, an antioxidant, was chosen to counteract high glucose-induced craniofacial skeleton malformation. Its effectiveness was then tested by exposing chicken embryos to a combination of high glucose (HG, 50 mM) and 6 µM baicalin. Third, whole-mount immunofluorescence staining and in situ hybridization revealed that baicalin administration could reverse HG-inhibited neural crest cells (NCC) delamination and migration through upregulating the expression of Pax7 and Foxd3, and mitigate the disordered epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process by regulating corresponding adhesion molecules and transcription factors (i.e., E-cadherin, N-cadherin, Cadherin 6B, Slug and Msx1). Finally, through bioinformatic analysis and cellular thermal shift assay, we identified the AKR1B1 gene as a potential target. In summary, these findings suggest that baicalin could be used as a therapeutic agent for high glucose-induced craniofacial skeleton malformation.

Mpox virus Clade IIb infected Cynomolgus macaques via mimic natural infection routes closely resembled human mpox infection.

Generating an infectious non-human primate (NHP) model using a prevalent monkeypox virus (MPXV) strain has emerged as a crucial strategy for assessing the efficacy of vaccines and antiviral drugs against human MPXV infection. Here, we established an animal model by infecting cynomolgus macaques with the prevalent MPXV strain, WIBP-MPXV-001, and simulating its natural routes of infection. A comprehensive analysis and evaluation were conducted on three animals, including monitoring clinical symptoms, collecting hematology data, measuring viral loads, evaluating cellular and humoral immune responses, and examining histopathology. Our findings revealed that initial skin lesions appeared at the inoculation sites and subsequently spread to the limbs and back, and all infected animals exhibited bilateral inguinal lymphadenopathy, eventually leading to a self-limiting disease course. Viral DNA was detected in post-infection blood, nasal, throat, rectal and blister fluid swabs. These observations indicate that the NHP model accurately reflects critical clinical features observed in human MPXV infection. Notably, the animals displayed clinical symptoms and disease progression similar to those of humans, rather than a lethal outcome as observed in previous studies. Historically, MPXV was utilized as a surrogate model for smallpox. However, our study contributes to a better understanding of the dynamics of current MPXV infections while providing a potential infectious NHP model for further evaluation of vaccines and antiviral drugs against mpox infection. Furthermore, the challenge model closely mimics the primary natural routes of transmission for human MPXV infections. This approach enhances our understanding of the precise mechanisms underlying the interhuman transmission of MPXV.

Gender differences in gastrointestinal, biopsychosocial and healthcare-seeking behaviors in Chinese patients with irritable bowel syndrome predominant with diarrhea.

BACKGROUND: Evidences of comparison of sex difference in Chinese irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients were few. We aim to compare gender difference in the biopsychosocial characteristics of Chinese patients of IBS predominant with diarrhea (IBS-D). METHODS: IBS-D patients meeting Rome III criteria were enrolled. We administered IBS symptom questionnaires, evaluation of psychological status (HAMD and HAMA scales) and IBS quality of life (IBS-QOL), dietary habits, healthcare seeking behaviors, and compared biopsychosocial characteristics between male and female patients. RESULTS: Four hundred and ninety patients were enrolled including 299 males and 191 females. More female patients reported abdominal pain associated with defecation (84.3% vs. 74.9%, P = 0.014) while males reported more abdominal discomfort (39.8% vs. 26.7%, P = 0.003). Females had higher IBS symptom score (9.7 ± 1.7 vs. 9.4 ± 1.4, P = 0.025) and more of females had severe abdominal pain/discomfort (17.8% vs. 12.4%, P = 0.013) while there were no significant differences of other bowel symptoms. Females reported higher incidence of comorbid anxiety state (64.9% vs. 52.8%, P = 0.008) and depression state (35.6% vs. 19.7%, P < 0.001) than males. Female patients also had lower IBS-QOL score (70.2 ± 20.4 vs. 75.1 ± 16.8, P = 0.028) and more frequent consultations, as well as less response for dietary modification than males. CONCLUSIONS: Chinese female patients with IBS-D had more prominent psychosocial disorders compared to male patients and their abdominal symptoms had minor differences.

[Safe Utilization Effect of Passivator on Mild to Moderate Cadmium Contaminated Farmland].

In order to study the safe utilization of acid cadmium （Cd） contaminated soil， light and moderate Cd-contaminated farmland in Shangluo， Shaanxi Province was taken as the research object， and lime， biochar， and calcium magnesium phosphate fertilizer were applied. Through the wheat-maize rotation experiment， the safe utilization effect of different amounts of passivator on Cd-contaminated soil was explored， and the best ratio of passivator was selected. The results showed that： ① the soil quality could be improved to varying degrees by applying the passivator. ② After the application of amendments， the grain yield of wheat and maize increased to different degrees. ③ The lime 2 340 kg·hm-2 （C3） treatment had the best effect， which increased the soil pH of wheat and corn by 1.453 and 1.717 units， respectively， and reduced the available Cd content by 34.38% and 30.20%， respectively. ④ The application of biochar 1 800 kg·hm-2 （B2） treatment had the best effect on reducing the Cd contents in wheat roots， straws， and grains， which were significantly reduced by 53.60%， 38.86%， and 52.96%， respectively， compared with that in CK. The Cd content in wheat grains was reduced to 0.09 mg·kg-1， which was lower than the limit value of wheat Cd （0.1 mg·kg-1） specified in the "National food safety standard food pollutant limit" （GB 2762-2017）. The application of the biochar 1 260 kg·hm-2 （B1） treatment had the best comprehensive effect on reducing the Cd contents of maize roots， straws， and grains， which were significantly reduced by 43.74%， 53.20%， and 94.57%， respectively， compared with that in CK. The Cd content of maize grains was reduced to 0.001 9 mg·kg-1， which was far lower than the limit value of maize Cd （0.1 mg·kg-1） specified in the "National food safety standard food pollutant limit" （GB 2762-2017）. Therefore， under the conditions of the field experiment， considering the influence of various indexes， biochar had the best effect on farmland soil in the wheat-maize rotation area with mild to moderate Cd pollution.

Effects of therapeutic hypercapnia on the expression and function of γδT cells in transplanted lungs in rats.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of therapeutic hypercapnia on the expression and function of gamma delta T (γδ T) cells during ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) after lung transplantation. METHODS: We randomly divided male Wistar rats into three groups (n = 6 in each group), the control group (group N), the IRI group (group I), and the therapeutic hypercapnia group (group H). We then assessed pulmonary edema, neutrophil infiltration, wet-to-dry (W/D) weight ratio, and microscopic histopathology and separately measured the levels of γδT cell surface antigen (TCR) and Interleukin-17 (IL-17) using flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). RESULTS: The infiltration of neutrophils and the expression of TCR and IL-17 were significantly increased in the I group compared to the control, and the biopsy edema in group I was more severe. Arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) was decreased after reperfusion in group I compared with the control group. W/D weight ratio, neutrophil infiltration, and the expression of TCR and IL-17 decreased drastically in the H group compared to the I group. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that γδ T lymphocytes were directly involved in lung injury. In addition, therapeutic hypercapnia effectively reduced the expression of γδ T cells and IL-17, and this has the potential to become a treatment strategy for IRI and an intervention to improve lung function.

Muramyl dipeptide causes mitochondrial dysfunction and intestinal inflammatory cytokine responses in rats.

INTRODUCTION: Intestinal flora and the translocation of its products, such as muramyl dipeptide (MDP), are common causes of sepsis. MDP is a common activator of the intracellular pattern recognition receptor NOD2, and MDP translocation can cause inflammatory damage to the small intestine and systemic inflammatory responses in rats. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of MDP on the intestinal mucosa and distant organs during sepsis and the role of the NOD2/AMPK/LC3 pathway in MDP-induced mitochondrial dysfunction in the intestinal epithelium. METHODS: Fifty male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into five treatment groups: lipopolysaccharide (LPS) only, 1.5 and 15 mg/kg MDP + LPS, and 1.5 and 15 mg/kg MDP + short-peptide enteral nutrition (SPEN) + LPS. The total caloric intake was the same per group. The rats were euthanized 24 hours after establishing the model, and peripheral blood and small intestinal mucosal and lung tissues were collected. RESULTS: Compared to the LPS group, both MDP + LPS groups had aggravated inflammatory damage to the intestinal mucosal and lung tissues, increased IL-6 and MDP production, increased NOD2 expression, decreased AMPK and LC3 expression, increased mitochondrial reactive oxygen species production, and decreased mitochondrial membrane potential. Compared to the MDP + LPS groups, the MDP + SPEN+LPS groups had decreased IL-6 and MDP production, increased AMPK and LC3 protein expression, and protected mitochondrial and organ functions. CONCLUSIONS: MDP translocation reduced mitochondrial autophagy by regulating the NOD2/AMPK/LC3 pathway, causing mitochondrial dysfunction. SPEN protected against MDP-induced impairment of intestinal epithelial mitochondrial function during sepsis.

Assessment of land use change of ecological green wedge and cooling island effect: A case study of Wuhan, China.

The construction of urban ecological green wedges, which can mitigate the heat island effect through cooling and ventilation effects, is an important way to enhance the adaptation of cities to climate change. Dynamic monitoring and periodic assessment of both the conservation status and cooling effect of ecological green wedges is a key to ensure the heat mitigation benefits. Based on multi-source remote sensing data, we systematically analyzed the land use changes of six ecological green wedges in Wuhan in 2013 and 2020 using the methods of Markov transfer matrix, land use dynamics, and comprehensive index of land use degree, and evaluated the changes in surface temperature of the ecological green wedges and their cooling island effect. Results showed that the ecological green wedges in Wuhan generally had a large amount of construction land encroaching on ecological land from 2013 to 2020, with the water decreased the most. With the continuous deterioration of ecological green wedges, their land surface temperatures showed rising trends, together with significant weakening trends in cooling island effects. Among all the six wedges, the Dadonghu, Tangxun, and Wuhu exhibited relatively better ecological conservation, slighter land use change and lower overall development degree. Qinglinghu and Houguanhu demonstrated average levels of conservation. Fuhe experienced the most severe change under the significant influence of the westward policy of Wuhan City, with the proportion of water decreasing by 7.1%, warming up by 3.00 ℃, and the largest reduction in cooling distance for the cooling island effect, amounting to about 210 m. The results provided scientific evidence for the urban heat island mitigation-oriented planning and management of ecological green wedges for Wuhan City.

Superstructured Optoionic Heterojunctions for Promoting Ion Pumping Inspired by Photoreceptor Cells.

Photoreceptor cells of vertebrates feature ultrastructural membranes interspersed with abundant photosensitive ion pumps to boost signal generation and realize high gain in dim light. In light of this, superstructured optoionic heterojunctions (SSOHs) with cation-selective nanochannels are developed for manipulating photo-driven ion pumping. A template-directed bottom-up strategy is adopted to sequentially assemble graphene oxide (GO) and PEDOT:PSS into heterogeneous membranes with sculptured superstructures, which feature programmable variation in membrane topography and contain a donor-acceptor interface capable of maintaining electron-hole separation upon photoillumination. Such elaborate design endows SSOHs with a much higher magnitude of photo-driven ion flux against a concentration gradient in contrast to conventional optoionic membranes with planar configuration. This can be ascribed to the buildup of an enhanced transmembrane potential owing to the effective separation of photogenerated carriers at the heterojunction interface and the increase of energy input from photoillumination due to a synergistic effect of reflection reduction, broad-angle absorption, and wide-waveband absorption. This work unlocks the significance of membrane topographies in photo-driven transmembrane transportation and proposes such a universal prototype that could be extended to other optoionic membranes to develop high-performance artificial ion pumps for energy conversion and sensing.

Expression of cyclin-dependent kinase 9 is positively correlated with the autophagy level in colon cancer.

BACKGROUND: Cyclin-dependent kinase 9 (CDK9) expression and autophagy in colorectal cancer (CRC) tissues has not been widely studied. CDK9, a key regulator of transcription, may influence the occurrence and progression of CRC. The expression of autophagy-related genes BECN1 and drug resistance factor ABCG2 may also play a role in CRC. Under normal physiological conditions, autophagy can inhibit tumorigenesis, but once a tumor forms, autophagy may promote tumor growth. Therefore, understanding the relationship between autophagy and cancer, particularly how autophagy promotes tumor growth after its formation, is a key motivation for this research. AIM: To investigate the relationship between CDK9 expression and autophagy in CRC, assess differences in autophagy between left and right colon cancer, and analyze the associations of autophagy-related genes with clinical features and prognosis. METHODS: We collected tumor tissues and paracarcinoma tissues from colon cancer patients with liver metastasis to observe the level of autophagy in tissues with high levels of CDK9 and low levels of CDK9. We also collected primary tissue from left and right colon cancer patients with liver metastasis to compare the autophagy levels and the expression of BECN1 and ABCG2 in the tumor and paracarcinoma tissues. RESULTS: The incidence of autophagy and the expression of BECN1 and ABCG2 were different in left and right colon cancer, and autophagy might be involved in the occurrence of chemotherapy resistance. Further analysis of the relationship between the expression of autophagy-related genes CDK9, ABCG2, and BECN1 and the clinical features and prognosis of colorectal cancer showed that the high expression of CDK9 indicated a poor prognosis in colorectal cancer. CONCLUSION: This study laid the foundation for further research on the combination of CDK9 inhibitors and autophagy inhibitors in the treatment of patients with CRC.

Design and construction of a refrigerator-cooled adiabatic calorimeter for heat capacity measurement in liquid helium temperature region.

Heat capacity is a fundamental thermodynamic property of a substance. Although heat capacity values and related thermodynamic functions are available for many materials, low-temperature heat capacity measurements, especially for novel materials, can still provide valuable insights for research in physics, chemistry, thermodynamics, and other fields. Reliable low-temperature heat capacity data are typically measured using classical adiabatic calorimeters, which use liquid helium as the refrigerant to provide a cryogenic environment for heat capacity measurements. However, liquid helium is not only expensive but also not easy to obtain, which greatly limits the application of adiabatic calorimetry. In this work, an accurate adiabatic calorimeter equipped with a Gifford-MacMahon refrigerator was designed and constructed for measuring the heat capacity of condensed matter in the temperature range from 4 to 100 K. The Gifford-MacMahon refrigerator was utilized to provide a stable liquid helium-free cryogenic environment. A simple mechanical thermal switch assembly was designed to facilitate switching between the refrigeration mode and the adiabatic measurement mode of the calorimeter. Based on the measurement results of standard reference materials, the optimized repeatability and accuracy of heat capacity measurements were determined to be within 0.8% and 1.5%, respectively. The heat capacity of α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles was also investigated with this device. Furthermore, this adiabatic calorimeter only requires electricity to operate in the liquid helium temperature range, which may significantly advance the research on low-temperature heat capacity based on adiabatic calorimetry.

Salivary proteins potentially derived from horizontal gene transfer are critical for salivary sheath formation and other feeding processes.

Herbivorous insects employ an array of salivary proteins to aid feeding. However, the mechanisms behind the recruitment and evolution of these genes to mediate plant-insect interactions remain poorly understood. Here, we report a potential horizontal gene transfer (HGT) event from bacteria to an ancestral bug of Eutrichophora. The acquired genes subsequently underwent duplications and evolved through co-option. We annotated them as horizontal-transferred, Eutrichophora-specific salivary protein (HESPs) according to their origin and function. In Riptortus pedestris (Coreoidea), all nine HESPs are secreted into plants during feeding. The RpHESP4 to RpHESP8 are recently duplicated and found to be indispensable for salivary sheath formation. Silencing of RpHESP4-8 increases the difficulty of R. pedestris in probing the soybean, and the treated insects display a decreased survivability. Although silencing the other RpHESPs does not affect the salivary sheath formation, negative effects are also observed. In Pyrrhocoris apterus (Pyrrhocoroidea), five out of six PaHESPs are secretory salivary proteins, with PaHESP3 being critical for insect survival. The PaHESP5, while important for insects, no longer functions as a salivary protein. Our results provide insight into the potential origin of insect saliva and shed light on the evolution of salivary proteins.