Virtual reality skateboarding training for balance and functional performance in degenerative lumbar spine disease.

BACKGROUND: Degenerative lumbar spine disease (DLD) is a prevalent condition in middle-aged and elderly individuals. DLD frequently results in pain, muscle weakness, and motor impairment, which affect postural stability and functional performance in daily activities. Simulated skateboarding training could enable patients with DLD to engage in exercise with less pain and focus on single-leg weight-bearing. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of virtual reality (VR) skateboarding training on balance and functional performance in patients with DLD. METHODS: Fourteen patients with DLD and 21 age-matched healthy individuals completed a 6-week program of VR skateboarding training. The motion capture and force platform systems were synchronized to collect data during a single-leg stance test (SLST). Musculoskeletal simulation was utilized to calculate muscle force based on the data. Four functional performance tests were conducted to evaluate the improvement after the training. A Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was also employed for pain assessment. RESULTS: After the training, pain intensity significantly decreased in patients with DLD (p = 0.024). Before the training, patients with DLD took longer than healthy individuals on the five times sit-to-stand test (p = 0.024). After the training, no significant between-group differences were observed in any of the functional performance tests (p > 0.05). In balance, patients with DLD were similar to healthy individuals after the training, except that the mean frequency (p = 0.014) was higher. Patients with DLD initially had higher biceps femoris force demands (p = 0.028) but shifted to increased gluteus maximus demand after the training (p = 0.037). Gluteus medius strength significantly improved in patients with DLD (p = 0.039), while healthy individuals showed consistent muscle force (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: This is the first study to apply the novel VR skateboarding training to patients with DLD. VR skateboarding training enabled patients with DLD to achieve the training effects in a posture that relieves lumbar spine pressure. The results also emphasized the significant benefits to patients with DLD, such as reduced pain, enhanced balance, and improved muscle performance.

Regulatory mechanisms used by ZmMYB39 to enhance drought tolerance in maize (Zea mays) seedlings.

Drought is a significant abiotic stressor that limits maize (Zea mays L.) growth and development. Thus, enhancing drought tolerance is critical for promoting maize production. Our findings demonstrated that ZmMYB39 is an MYB transcription factor with transcriptional activation activity. Drought stress experiments involving ZmMYB39 overexpression and knockout lines indicated that ZmMYB39 positively regulated drought stress tolerance in maize. DAP-Seq, EMSA, dual-LUC, and RT-qPCR provided initial insights into the molecular regulatory mechanisms by which ZmMYB39 enhances drought tolerance in maize. ZmMYB39 directly promoted the expression of ZmP5CS1, ZmPOX1, ZmSOD2, ZmRD22, ZmNAC49, and ZmDREB2A, which are involved in stress resistance. ZmMYB39 enhanced drought tolerance by interacting with and promoting the expression of ZmFNR1, ZmHSP20, and ZmDOF6. Our study offers a theoretical basis for understanding the molecular regulatory networks involved in maize drought stress response. Furthermore, ZmMYB39 serves as a valuable genetic resource for breeding drought-resistant maize.

Impact of exogenous melatonin foliar application on physiology and fruit quality of wine grapes (Vitis vinifera) under salt stress.

Soil salinisation is an important abiotic stress faced in grape cultivating, leading to weakened plant vigour and reduced fruit quality. Melatonin as a novel hormone has shown positive exogenous application value. Therefore, this study used wine grape (Vitis vinifera ) 'Pinot Noir' as a test material to investigate the changes of foliar spraying with different concentrations of melatonin on the physiology and fruit quality of wine grapes in a field under simulated salt stress (200mmolL-1 NaCl). The results showed that foliar spraying of melatonin significantly increased the intercellular CO2 concentration, maximum photochemical quantum yield of PSII, relative chlorophyll and ascorbic acid content of the leaves, as well as the single spike weight, 100-grain weight, transverse and longitudinal diameters, malic acid, α-amino nitrogen and ammonia content of fruits, and decreased the initial fluorescence value of leaves, ascorbate peroxidase activity, glutathione content, fruit transverse to longitudinal ratio and tartaric acid content of plants under salt stress. Results of the comprehensive evaluation of the affiliation function indicated that 100µmolL-1 melatonin treatment had the best effect on reducing salt stress in grapes. In summary, melatonin application could enhance the salt tolerance of grapes by improving the photosynthetic capacity of grape plants under salt stress and promoting fruit development and quality formation, and these results provide new insights into the involvement of melatonin in the improvement of salt tolerance in crop, as well as some theoretical basis for the development and industrialisation of stress-resistant cultivation techniques for wine grapes.

Predicting the potential mechanism of Radix Chimonanthi Pracecocis in treating osteoarthritis by network pharmacology analysis combined with experimental validation.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Radix Chimonanthi Pracecocis(RCP), also known as Tiekuaizi, widely used by the Miao community in Guizhou, exhibits diverse biological activities and holds promise for the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA). However, there is a lack of contemporary pharmacological research in this area. AIMS OF THE STUDY: This study aims to explore the potential of targets and mechanisms of RCP in the treatment of OA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The chemical components of RCP were identified using UPLC-MS/MS, and active components were determined based on the Lipinski rule. RCP and OA-related targets were retrieved from public databases such as TCMSP and GeneCards. Network pharmacology approaches were employed to identify key genes. The limma package (version 3.40.2) in R 4.3.2 was used to screen for differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between OA and healthy individuals in GSE82107. DEGs were analyzed using an independent sample t-test and receiver operating characteristic analysis in GraphPad Prism 9.5.1. Additionally, molecular docking (SYBYL2.1.1) was used to analyze the binding interactions between the active components and target proteins. Finally, we established a papain-induced osteoarthritis (OA) rat model and treated it with RCP aqueous extract by gavage. We validated relevant indicators using real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction, western blot, immunohistochemistry, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. RESULTS: Seven active components and 53 targets were identified. The results of GO and KEGG enrichment analyses confirmed the significant role of RCP in the regulation of pyroptosis. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) was identified as a key gene involved in the main biological functions. Molecular docking analysis revealed that Praecoxin, Isofraxidin, Esculin, and Naringenin can bind to the nucleotide-binding domain, leucine-rich repeat, and pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) (T-Score > 5). Additionally, Praecoxin can bind to HIF-1α (T-Score > 5). In vivo experiments demonstrated that RCP significantly affects the NLRP3 inflammasome, which is regulated by the HIF-1α pathway. RCP inhibited pyroptosis and reduced synovial inflammation. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirmed the efficacy of RCP aqueous extract in the treatment of OA and identified seven active components (esculin, dihydrokaempferol, naringenin, praecoxin, carnosol, hydroxyvalerenic acid, isofraxidin) that may play an anti-pyroptosis role in the treatment of OA by downregulating the expression of HIF-1α and NLRP3 inflammasome.

Neurophysiological and neuroimaging markers of repetitive transcranial stimulation treatment response in major depressive disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis of predictive modeling studies.

Predicting repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) treatment outcomes in major depressive disorder (MDD) could reduce the financial and psychological risks of treatment failure. We systematically reviewed and meta-analyzed studies that leveraged neurophysiological and neuroimaging markers to predict rTMS response in MDD. Five databases were searched from inception to May 25, 2023. The primary meta-analytic outcome was predictive accuracy pooled from classification models. Regression models were summarized qualitatively. A promising marker was identified if it showed a sensitivity and specificity of 80% or higher in at least two independent studies. Searching yielded 36 studies. Twenty-two classification modeling studies produced an estimated area under the summary receiver operator curve of 0.87 (95% CI = 0.83 to 0.92), with 86.8% sensitivity (95% CI = 80.6 to 91.2%) and 81.9% specificity (95% CI = 76.1 to 86.4%). Frontal theta cordance measured by electroencephalography is closest to proof of concept. Predicting rTMS response using neurophysiological and neuroimaging markers is promising for clinical decision-making. However, replications by different research groups are needed to establish rigorous markers.

Outcomes after deep brain stimulation for elderly versus non-elderly patients with Parkinson's disease.

INTRODUCTION: The decision to offer deep brain stimulation (DBS) to elderly patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) presents challenges due to higher perceived risks and uncertain long-term benefits. Here, we aimed to compare the outcomes after DBS for elderly versus non-elderly patients with PD. METHODS: We analyzed data from our institutional cohort and retrieved publicly available data through a systematic review. The exposure was age at DBS electrode insertion, which was defined as elderly (≥70 years old) and non-elderly (<70 years old). The outcomes examined were changes in the Movement Disorders Society-Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) or UPDRS part III total score, levodopa-equivalent daily dose (LEDD), and adverse events. RESULTS: The included studies and our cohort comprised a total of 527 patients, with 111 (21.1 %) classified as elderly. There was no statistically significant difference in the change in MDS-UPDRS or UPDRS part III total score and generally no statistically significant difference in the change in LEDD between the elderly and non-elderly patients. Elderly patients had a higher incidence of wound infection (elderly 5.4 % vs non-elderly 1.9 %; p = 0.087) and inadequate wound healing (elderly 3.6 % vs non-elderly 1.4 %; p = 0.230), but this difference was not statistically significant. There was no significant difference in the incidence of mortality (elderly 0 % vs non-elderly 0 %; p = 1.000), stroke (elderly 0 % vs non-elderly 0.2 %; p = 1.000), and cognitive decline between the age groups. CONCLUSIONS: Notwithstanding the trend towards a higher risk of wound infection and inadequate wound healing, elderly patients have similar motor outcomes and levels of PD medication reduction as non-elderly patients after DBS for PD. Hence, age should not be used as the sole criterion for determining eligibility for DBS, and the decision to offer DBS to elderly patients should be personalized and made in a multidisciplinary setting, taking into consideration patient- and disease-related factors.

Stable Photo-Rechargeable Al Battery for Enhancing Energy Utilization.

The photovoltaic cells (PVs) are able to convert solar energy to electric energy, while energy storage devices are required to be equipped due to the fluctuations of sunlight. However, the electrical connection of PVs and energy storage devices leads to increased energy consumption, and thus energy storage ability and utilization efficiency are decreased. One of the solutions is to explore an integrated photoelectrochemical energy conversion-storage device. Up to date, the integrated photo-rechargeable Li-ion batteries often suffer from unstable photo-active materials and flammable electrolytes under illumination, with concerns in safety risk and limited lifetime. To address the critical issues, here a novel photo-rechargeable aluminum battery (PRAB) is designed with safe ionic liquid electrolytes and stable polyaniline photo-electrodes. The integrated PRAB presents stable operation with enhanced reversible specific capacity ∼191% under illumination. Meanwhile, a simplified continuum model is established to provide rational guidance for designing electrode structures along with charging/discharging strategy to meet the practical operation conditions. The as-designed PRAB presents energy saving efficiency ∼61.92% upon charging and energy output increment ∼31.25% during discharging under illumination. The strategy of designing and fabricating stable and safe photo-rechargeable non-aqueous Al battery highlights the pathway for substantially promoting the utilization efficiency of solar energy. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Accuracy of 3.0T magnetic resonance angiography for the detection of arteriovenous fistula dysfunction in hemodialysis patients requiring interventional therapy: a prospective study.

Background: Color Doppler ultrasonography (CDUS) is feasible to detect arteriovenous fistula (AVF) dysfunction in hemodialysis patients but is not sufficient to map the structure of fistula required for interventions. This study is designed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of three-dimensional time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiography (TOF-MRA) at 3.0T versus CDUS for AVF dysfunction, by using digital subtraction angiography (DSA) as reference. Methods: This prospective study enrolled 68 consecutive patients with dysfunctional AVF who underwent both CDUS and TOF-MRA at Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine. The analysis of the dysfunctional AVFs was divided into three regions: the feeding artery, fistula and draining veins. In the whole- and per-regional-based analyses, two observers who were blinded to the clinical and DSA results independently analyzed all CDUS and TOF-MRA datasets. The image quality and stenosis severity of the lesions on TOF-MRA were evaluated. A receiver operating characteristic curve was applied to analyze the detection of AVF dysfunction with TOF-MRA. Results: A total of 204 vessel regions were evaluated. The whole-region-based image quality of TOF-MRA was poorer in patients with a total occlusion (1.8±0.8) than in those with stenosis (2.7±0.6, P<0.001). In the whole-region analyses, TOF-MRA had higher sensitivity [99.1% (94.6-100.0%) vs. 82.9% (74.6-89.0%), P<0.001] and similar specificity [93.1% (85.0-97.1%) vs. 94.3% (86.5-97.9%), P=0.755] than CDUS. The per-region-based analyses showed that TOF-MRA yielded higher sensitivity [fistula region, 98.1% (88.4-99.9%) vs. 80.8% (67.0-89.9%); P=0.004; draining vein region, 100.0% (92.5-100.0%) vs. 85.0% (72.9-2.5%); P=0.003] and similar specificity [fistula region, 88.2% (62.3-97.8%) vs. 88.2% (62.3-97.9%); P>0.99; draining vein region, 100.0% (59.8-100.0%) vs. 87.5% (46.7-99.3%); P>0.99] than CDUS. Sensitivity and specificity of TOF-MRA were comparable to those of CDUS in feeding artery region. Conclusions: TOF-MRA is a feasible and accurate method to display AVF dysfunction in hemodialysis patients, and this method might fulfill the endovascular treatment planning requirements.

Psychometric properties and factor structure of the traditional Chinese version of the Community Integration Questionnaire-Revised in traumatic brain injury survivors.

This study aimed to translate and validate the traditional Chinese version of the Community Integration Questionnaire-Revised (TC-CIQ-R) in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). We included participants aged ≥20 years and diagnosed as having TBI for ≥6 months from neurosurgical clinics. The 18-item TC-CIQ-R, Participation Measure - 3 Domains, 4 Dimensions (PM-3D4D), Extended Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOSE), and Taiwanese Quality of Life After Brain Injury (TQOLIBRI) were completed. The sample included 180 TBI survivors (54% male, mean age 47 years) of whom 87% sustained a mild TBI. Exploratory factor analysis extracted four factors - home integration, social integration, productivity, and electronic social networking - which explained 63.03% of the variation, after discarding the tenth item with a factor loading of 0.25. For criterion-related validity, the TC-CIQ-R was significantly correlated with the PM-3D4D; convergent validity was exhibited by demonstrating the associations between the TC-CIQ-R and TQOLIBRI. Known-group validity testing revealed significant differences in the subdomain and total scores of the TC-CIQ-R between participants with a mean GOSE score of ≤6 and >7 (all P  < 0.001). The TC-CIQ-R exhibited acceptable Cronbach's α values (0.68-0.88). We suggest the 17-item TC-CIQ-R as a valid tool for rehabilitation professionals, useful for both clinical practice and research in assessing community integration levels following TBI.

Knocking Out Chloroplastic Aldolases/Rubisco Lysine Methyltransferase Enhances Biomass Accumulation in Nannochloropsis oceanica under High-Light Stress.

Rubisco large-subunit methyltransferase (LSMT), a SET-domain protein lysine methyltransferase, catalyzes the formation of trimethyl-lysine in the large subunit of Rubisco or in fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolases (FBAs). Rubisco and FBAs are both vital proteins involved in CO2 fixation in chloroplasts; however, the physiological effect of their trimethylation remains unknown. In Nannochloropsis oceanica, a homolog of LSMT (NoLSMT) is found. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that NoLSMT and other algae LSMTs are clustered in a basal position, suggesting that algal species are the origin of LSMT. As NoLSMT lacks the His-Ala/ProTrp triad, it is predicted to have FBAs as its substrate instead of Rubisco. The 18-20% reduced abundance of FBA methylation in NoLSMT-defective mutants further confirms this observation. Moreover, this gene (nolsmt) can be induced by low-CO2 conditions. Intriguingly, NoLSMT-knockout N. oceanica mutants exhibit a 9.7-13.8% increase in dry weight and enhanced growth, which is attributed to the alleviation of photoinhibition under high-light stress. This suggests that the elimination of FBA trimethylation facilitates carbon fixation under high-light stress conditions. These findings have implications in engineering carbon fixation to improve microalgae biomass production.

Gn protein expressed in plants for diagnosis of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus.

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) causes the highly fatal disease in humans. To facilitate diagnosis, the native form of subunit glycoprotein (Gn), a prime target for potential vaccines and therapies, was produced in Nicotiana benthamiana using a Bamboo mosaic virus-based vector system. By fusion with secretory signal tags, SSExt, derived from the extension protein, and the (SP)10 motif, the yield of the recombinant Gn (rGn) was remarkably increased to approximately 7 mg/kg infiltrated leaves. Ultimately, an rGn-based ELISA was successfully established for the detection of SFTSV-specific antibodies in serum samples from naturally infected monkeys. As validated with the reference method, the specificity and sensitivity of rGn-ELISA were 94% and 96%, respectively. In conclusion, utilizing well-suited fusion tags facilitates rGn production and purification in substantial quantities while preserving its antigenic properties. The rGn-ELISA, characterized by its commendable sensitivity and specificity could serve as a viable alternative diagnostic method for assessing SFTSV seroprevalence. KEY POINTS: • SFTSV Gn, fused with secretory signal tags, was expressed by the BaMV-based vector. • The plant fusion tags increased expression levels and eased the purification of rGn. • The rGn-ELISA was established and validated; its specificity and sensitivity > 94%.

E2F1-regulated USP5 contributes to the tumorigenic capacity of glioma stem cells through the maintenance of OCT4 stability.

Mesenchymal glioma stem cells (MES GSCs) are a subpopulation of cells in glioblastoma (GBM) that contribute to a worse prognosis owing to their highly aggressive nature and resistance to radiation therapy. Here, OCT4 is characterized as a criticial factor in sustaining the stemness phenotype of MES GSC. We find that OCT4 is expressed intensively in MES GSC and is intimately associated with poor prognosis, moreover, OCT4 depletion leads to diminished invasive capacity and impairment of the stem phenotype in MES GSC. Subsequently, we demonstrated that USP5 is a deubiquitinating enzyme which directly interacts with OCT4 and preserves OCT4 stability through its deubiquitination. USP5 was additionally proven to be aberrantly over-expressed in MES GSCs, and its depletion resulted in a noticeable diminution of OCT4 and consequently a reduced self-renewal and tumorigenic capacity of MES GSCs, which can be substantially restored by ectopic expression of OCT4. In addition, we detected the dominant molecule that regulates USP5 transcription, E2F1, with dual luciferase reporter gene analysis. In combination, targeting the E2F1-USP5-OCT4 axis is a potentially emerging strategy for the therapy of GBM.

Identification and genomic characterization of feline calicivirus from a leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) in Taiwan.

The leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) is an endangered wildlife that is protected under Taiwan's regulations. The body of a road-killed leopard cat was found to contain sequences of feline calicivirus (FCV), designated W109-1443. Analysis of the complete genomic sequence revealed that it shared approximately 81% similarity with a Chinese strain of FCV found in a domestic cat. Phylogenetic analysis of the VP1 gene indicated that the W109-1443 isolate belonged to genogroup II. Recombination analysis revealed that the W109-1443 isolate may have resulted from recombination between two FCV strains. Given the potential impact of FCV on the health and survival of wild felids, further investigation is necessary to assess its pathogenicity in the leopard cat population.

Brain tumor recognition by an optimized deep network utilizing ammended grasshopper optimization.

Brain tumors are abnormal cell masses that can get originated in the brain spread from other organs. They can be categorized as either malignant (cancerous) or benign (noncancerous), and their growth rates and locations can impact the functioning of the nerve system. The timely detection of brain tumors is crucial for effective treatment and prognosis. In this study, a new approach has been proposed for diagnosing brain tumors using deep learning and a meta-heuristic algorithm. The method involves three main steps: (1) extracting features from brain MRI images using AlexNet, (2) reducing the complexity of AlexNet by employing an Extreme Learning Machine (ELM) network as a classification layer, and (3) fine-tuning the parameters of the ELM network using an Amended Grasshopper Optimization Algorithm (AGOA). The performance of the method has been evaluated on a publicly available dataset consisting of 20 patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma that is compared with several state-of-the-art techniques. Experimental results demonstrate that the method achieves the highest accuracy, precision, specificity, F1-score, sensitivity, and MCC with values of 0.96, 0.94, 0.96, 0.96, 0.94, and 0.90, respectively. Furthermore, the robustness and stability of the method have been illustrated when subjected to different levels of noise and image resolutions. The proposed approach offers a rapid, accurate, and dependable diagnosis of brain tumors and holds potential for application in other medical image analysis tasks.

Complete response to front-line therapies is associated with long-term survival in HIV-related lymphomas in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: The prognosis for people living with HIV (PLWH) who develop lymphomas has been greatly improved by combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) and anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies. However, real-world clinical data on this patient group in Asia are limited. METHODS: Treatment outcomes were retrospectively examined for 104 PLWH with lymphomas between 2000 and 2019. The cohort comprised five PLWH with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and 99 with non-Hodgkin lymphomas, including 61 with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), 19 with Burkitt lymphoma (BL), nine with primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) and ten with other subtypes. RESULTS: The 5-year overall survival (OS) rates were as follows: HL (100%), PCNSL (76.2%), other subtypes (60.0%), BL (57.4%), and DLBCL (55.6%). Individuals who achieved complete response (CR) to front-line therapies had a significantly better 5-year OS rate than those without (96.2% vs. 17.8%, p < 0.001). PLWH who received cART for ≤6 months had significantly lower CD4+ T-cell counts at lymphoma diagnosis than those who received cART for longer periods (p = 0.048). Additionally, the 5-year OS rate was better for PLWH who received cART for ≤6 months before lymphomas diagnosis than those who received cART for longer periods (64.5% vs. 51.9%, p = 0.114). CONCLUSIONS: PLWH with DLBCL or BL had OS rates compatible to patients without HIV infection. Better outcomes for patients achieving CR to front-line therapy and those with shorter cART duration before lymphoma diagnosis suggest an underlying biological distinction in the lymphomas and the involvement of immunity, which warrants further studies.

Genome-wide identification of GRF transcription factors and their expression profile in stem meristem of broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum L.).

To understand the genome-wide information of the GRF family genes in broomcorn millet and their expression profile in the vegetative meristems, bioinformatic methods and transcriptome sequencing were used to analyze the characteristics, physical and chemical properties, phylogenetic relationship, chromosome distribution, gene structure, cis-acting elements and expression profile in stem meristem for the GRF family members. The results showed that the GRF gene family of millet contains 21 members, and the PmGRF gene is unevenly distributed on 12 chromosomes. The lengths of PmGRF proteins vary from 224 to 618 amino acids, and the isoelectric points are between 4.93-9.69. Each member of the family has 1-4 introns and 2-5 exons. The protein PmGRF13 is localized in both the nucleus and chloroplast, and the rest PmGRF proteins are located in the nucleus. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the 21 GRF genes were divided into 4 subfamilies (A,B,C and D) in broomcorn millet. The analysis of cis-acting elements showed that there were many cis-acting elements involved in light response, hormone response, drought induction, low temperature response and other environmental stress responses in the 2000 bp sequence upstream of the GRF genes. Transcriptome sequencing and qRT-PCR analyses showed that the expression levels of PmGRF3 and PmGRF12 in the dwarf variety Zhang778 were significantly higher than those of the tall variety Longmi12 in the internode and node meristems at the jointing stage, while the expression patterns of PmGRF4, PmGRF16 and PmGRF21 were reverse. In addition, the expression levels of PmGRF2 and PmGRF5 in the internode of Zhang778 were significantly higher than Longmi12. The other GRF genes were not or insignificantly expressed. These results indicated that seven genes, PmGRF2, PmGRF3, PmGRF4, PmGRF5, PmGRF12, PmGRF16 and PmGRF21, were related to the formation of plant height in broomcorn millet.

Genetic association between smoking and DLCO in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients.

BACKGROUND: Observational studies have shown that smoking is related to the diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide (DLCO) in individuals with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Nevertheless, further investigation is needed to determine the causal effect between these two variables. Therefore, we conducted a study to investigate the causal relationship between smoking and DLCO in IPF patients using two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. METHODS: Large-scale genome-wide association study (GWAS) datasets from individuals of European descent were analysed. These datasets included published lifetime smoking index (LSI) data for 462,690 participants and DLCO data for 975 IPF patients. The inverse-variance weighting (IVW) method was the main method used in our analysis. Sensitivity analyses were performed by MR‒Egger regression, Cochran's Q test, the leave-one-out test and the MR-PRESSO global test. RESULTS: A genetically predicted increase in LSI was associated with a decrease in DLCO in IPF patients [ORIVW = 0.54; 95% CI 0.32-0.93; P = 0.02]. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggested that smoking is associated with a decrease in DLCO. Patients diagnosed with IPF should adopt an active and healthy lifestyle, especially by quitting smoking, which may be effective at slowing the progression of IPF.

Serum proteins differentially expressed in gestational diabetes mellitus assessed using isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantitation proteomics.

BACKGROUND: As a well-known fact to the public, gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) could bring serious risks for both pregnant women and infants. During this important investigation into the linkage between GDM patients and their altered expression in the serum, proteomics techniques were deployed to detect the differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) of in the serum of GDM patients to further explore its pathogenesis, and find out possible biomarkers to forecast GDM occurrence. AIM: To investigation serum proteins differentially expressed in GDM were assessed using isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) proteomics and bioinformatics analyses. METHODS: Subjects were divided into GDM and normal control groups according to the IADPSG diagnostic criteria. Serum samples were randomly selected from four cases in each group at 24-28 wk of gestation, and the blood samples were identified by applying iTRAQ technology combined with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Key proteins and signaling pathways associated with GDM were identified by bioinformatics analysis, and the expression of key proteins in serum from 12 wk to 16 wk of gestation was further verified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: Forty-seven proteins were significantly differentially expressed by analyzing the serum samples between the GDM gravidas as well as the healthy ones. Among them, 31 proteins were found to be upregulated notably and the rest 16 proteins were downregulated remarkably. Bioinformatic data report revealed abnormal expression of proteins associated with lipid metabolism, coagulation cascade activation, complement system and inflammatory response in the GDM group. ELISA results showed that the contents of RBP4, as well as ANGPTL8, increased in the serum of GDM gravidas compared with the healthy ones, and this change was found to initiate from 12 wk to 16 wk of gestation. CONCLUSION: GDM symptoms may involve abnormalities in lipid metabolism, coagulation cascade activation, complement system and inflammatory response. RBP4 and ANGPTL8 are expected to be early predictors of GDM.

Increasing Risk of Dementia Among Patients with Subsequent Epilepsy Within 2 Years Post-Traumatic Brain Injury: A Population-Based Case-Control Study.

Background: Although the association between neurodegenerative diseases, such as dementia, and traumatic brain injury (TBI) has long been known, the association between dementia and TBI with epilepsy has been controversial. Aim: This data-driven population-based study is designed to investigate the association between dementia and epilepsy after TBI within a 2-year period. Methods: This case-control cohort study was conducted using the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2000 (LHID2000). We included 784 individuals ambulatory or hospitalized for TBI with epilepsy from 2001 to 2011, compared with 2992 patients with TBI without epilepsy who were matched for characteristics including sex, age, and healthcare resource use index date. Every participant was followed up for 5 years to ascertain any dementia development. Data were stratified and analyzed using the Cox proportional hazards regression. Results: Through the 5-year follow-up period, 39 patients (5.21%) with TBI with epilepsy and 55 (1.53%) with TBI without epilepsy developed dementia. TBI with epilepsy was independently associated with a >3.03 times risk of dementia after correcting for age, sex, and comorbidities. Conclusion: These findings suggest an increased risk of dementia in patients with TBI with epilepsy. Our research recommends that individuals with TBI and epilepsy be monitored more intensively.