Uridine diphosphate glucosyltransferase is vital for fenpropathrin resistance in Bombyx mori (Lepidoptera).

The silkworm (Bombyx mori) is an important model lepidopteran insect and can be used to identify pesticide resistance-related genes of great significance for biological control of pests. Uridine diphosphate glucosyltransferases (UGTs), found in all organisms, are the main secondary enzymes involved in the metabolism of heterologous substances. However, it remains uncertain if silkworm resistance to fenpropathrin involves UGT. This study observes significant variations in BmUGT expression among B. mori strains with variable fenpropathrin resistance post-feeding, indicating BmUGT's role in fenpropathrin detoxification. Knockdown of BmUGT with RNA interference and overexpression of BmUGT significantly decreased and increased BmN cell activity, respectively, indicating that BmUGT plays an important role in the resistance of silkworms to fenpropathrin. In addition, fenpropathrin residues were significantly reduced after incubation for 12 h with different concentrations of a recombinant BmUGT fusion protein. Finally, we verified the conservation of UGT to detoxify fenpropathrin in Spodoptera exigua: Its resistance to fenpropathrin decreased significantly after knocking down SeUGT. In a word, UGT plays an important role in silkworm resistance to fenpropathrin by directly degrading the compound, a function seen across other insects. The results of this study are of great significance for breeding silkworm varieties with high resistance and for biological control of pests.

Bombyx mori voltage-dependent anion-selective channel induces programmed cell death to defend against Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus infection.

BACKGROUND: Voltage-dependent anion-selective channels (VDACs) serve as pore proteins within the mitochondrial membrane, aiding in the regulation of cell life and cell death. Although the occurrence of cell death is crucial for defense against virus infection, the function played by VDAC in Bombyx mori, in response to the influence of Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV), remains unclear. RESULTS: BmVDAC was found to be relatively highly expressed both during embryonic development, and in the Malpighian tubule and midgut. Additionally, the expression levels of BmVDAC were found to be different among silkworm strains with varying levels of resistance to BmNPV, strongly suggesting a connection between BmVDAC and virus infection. To gain further insight into the function of BmVDAC in BmNPV, we employed RNA interference (RNAi) to silence and overexpress it by pIZT/V5-His-mCherry. The results revealed that BmVDAC is instrumental in developing the resistance of host cells to BmNPV infection in BmN cell-line cells, which was further validated as likely to be associated with initiating programmed cell death (PCD). Furthermore, we evaluated the function of BmVDAC in another insect, Spodoptera exigua. Knockdown of the BmVDAC homolog in S. exigua, SeVDAC, made the larvae more sensitive to BmNPV. CONCLUSION: We have substantiated the pivotal role of BmVDAC in conferring resistance against BmNPV infection, primarily associated with the initiation of PCD. The findings of this study shine new light on the molecular mechanisms governing the silkworm's response to BmNPV infection, thereby supporting innovative approaches for pest biocontrol. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Deep medullary vein damage correlates with small vessel disease in small vessel occlusion acute ischemic stroke.

OBJECTIVES: We aim to investigate whether cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD) imaging markers correlate with deep medullary vein (DMV) damage in small vessel occlusion acute ischemic stroke (SVO-AIS) patients. METHODS: The DMV was divided into six segments according to the regional anatomy. The total DMV score (0-18) was calculated based on segmental continuity and visibility. The damage of DMV was grouped according to the quartiles of the total DMV score. Neuroimaging biomarkers of cSVD including white matter hyperintensity (WMH), cerebral microbleed (CMB), perivascular space (PVS), and lacune were identified. The cSVD score were further analyzed. RESULTS: We included 229 SVO-AIS patients, the mean age was 63.7 ± 23.1 years, the median NIHSS score was 3 (IQR, 2-6). In the severe DMV burden group (the 4th quartile), the NIHSS score grade (6 (3-9)) was significantly higher than other groups (p < 0.01). The grade scores for basal ganglia PVS (BG-PVS) were positively correlated with the degree of DMV (R = 0.67, p < 0.01), rather than centrum semivole PVS (CS-PVS) (R = 0.17, p = 0.1). In multivariate analysis, high CMB burden (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 25.38; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.87-345.23) was associated with severe DMV scores. In addition, BG-PVS was related to severe DMV burden in a dose-dependent manner: when BG-PVS score was 3 and 4, the aORs of severe DMV burden were 18.5 and 12.19, respectively. CONCLUSION: The DMV impairment was associated with the severity of cSVD, which suggests that DMV burden may be used for risk stratification in SVO-AIS patients. CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: The DMV damage score, based on the association between small vessel disease and the deep medullary veins impairment, is a potential new imaging biomarker for the prognosis of small vessel occlusion acute ischemic stroke, with clinical management implications. KEY POINTS: • The damage to the deep medullary vein may be one mechanism of cerebral small vessel disease. • Severe burden of the basal ganglia perivascular space and cerebral microbleed is closely associated with significant impairment to the deep medullary vein. • The deep medullary vein damage score may reflect a risk of added vascular damage in small vessel occlusion acute ischemic stroke patients.

Studying the role of Bombyx mori molybdenum cofactor sulfurase in Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus infection.

Molybdenum cofactor sulfurase (MoCoS) is a key gene involved in the uric acid metabolic pathway that activates xanthine dehydrogenase to synthesise uric acid. Uric acid is harmful to mammals but plays crucial roles in insects, one of which is the immune responses. However, the function of Bombyx mori MoCoS in response to BmNPV remains unclear. In this study, BmMoCoS was found to be relatively highly expressed in embryonic development, gonads and the Malpighian tubules. In addition, the expression levels of BmMoCoS were significantly upregulated in three silkworm strains with different levels of resistance after virus infection, suggesting a close link between them. Furthermore, RNAi and overexpression studies showed that BmMoCoS was involved in resistance to BmNPV infection, and its antivirus effects were found to be related to the regulation of uric acid metabolism, which was uncovered by inosine- and febuxostat-coupled RNAi and overexpression. Finally, the BmMoCoS-mediated uric acid pathway was preliminarily confirmed to be a potential target to protect silkworms from BmNPV infection. Overall, this study provides new evidence for elucidating the molecular mechanism of silkworms in response to BmNPV infection and new strategies for the prevention of viral infections in sericulture.

Connectome-based predictive modeling of Internet addiction symptomatology.

Internet addiction symptomatology (IAS) is characterized by persistent and involuntary patterns of compulsive Internet use, leading to significant impairments in both physical and mental well-being. Here, a connectome-based predictive modeling approach was applied to decode IAS from whole-brain resting-state functional connectivity in healthy population. The findings showed that IAS could be predicted by the functional connectivity between prefrontal cortex with the cerebellum and limbic lobe and connections of the occipital lobe with the limbic lobe and insula lobe. The identified edges associated with IAS exhibit generalizability in predicting IAS within an independent sample. Furthermore, we found that the unique contributing network, which predicted IAS in contrast to the prediction networks of alcohol use disorder symptomatology (the range of symptoms and behaviors associated with alcohol use disorder), prominently comprised connections involving the occipital lobe and other lobes. The current data-driven approach provides the first evidence of the predictive brain features of IAS based on the organization of intrinsic brain networks, thus advancing our understanding of the neurobiological basis of Internet addiction disorder (IAD) susceptibility, and may have implications for the timely intervention of people potentially at risk of IAD.

Genetic analysis and QTL mapping of seed hardness trait in a soybean (Glycine max) recombinant inbred line (RIL) population.

Seed hardness is a critical quality trait impacting both the suitability of soybeans for consumption and their processing. The primary objective of this study was to explore the genetic foundations underlying seed hardness in soybeans. A 234 recombinant inbred line (RIL) population was evaluated for seed hardness across three years (2015 in Gansu, 2016, and 2017 in Hainan). Notably, the parent varieties, Zhonghuang35 and Jindou21, displayed significant differences in seed hardness. Also, the RIL population exhibited a wide range of genetic variation in seed hardness, with coefficients of variation between 70.53 % and 94.94 %. The frequency distribution of this trait conformed to a relatively normal distribution, making it suitable for QTL analysis. Six QTLs associated with seed hardness were identified with three located on chromosome 2 and three on chromosome 16. The major QTL, qHS-2-1, consistently exhibited the highest percentage of PVE and LOD in Gansu 2015, Hainan 2016, and Hainan 2017, suggesting its central role in determining seed hardness. Further investigation revealed four genes within the qHS-2-1 interval potentially related to seed hardness. GO enrichment analysis provided insights into their functions, including factors such as Glyma.02G307000, a pectin lyase-like superfamily protein, which could influence seed hardness through its role in pectin lyase enzyme activity. Expression analysis of these candidate genes demonstrated significant differences between the two parent varieties, further highlighting their potential role in seed coat hardness. This study offers valuable insights into the genetic mechanisms governing soybean seed coat hardness, providing a foundation for future research and crop improvement efforts.

Circulating immunotherapy strategy based on pyroptosis and STING pathway: Mn-loaded paclitaxel prodrug nanoplatform against tumor progression and metastasis.

Immunotherapy has emerged as a promising strategy against tumors. However, its efficacy is limited by low immunogenicity, poor antigen presentation, and inadequate lymphocyte infiltration. Herein, we develop a nanoplatform (Mn-HSP) loaded with manganese ions (Mn2+) and paclitaxel (PTX) prodrug based on hyaluronic acid. PTX in Mn-HSP induces DNA damage and pyroptosis to release tumor-associated antigens (TAAs), enhancing tumor-specific adaptive immunity. Meanwhile, Mn2+ in Mn-HSP, together with PTX-induced DNA damage, activates the stimulator of interferon gene (STING) pathway to amplify innate immunity. Mn-HSP combines with adaptive and innate immunity, effectively enhancing the presentation of antigen-presenting cells (APCs) and promoting tumor infiltration of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). In turn, the granzyme B (GZMB) secreted by CTLs triggers pyroptosis again, thereby establishing a "circulating immunotherapy" against tumors. Our results demonstrate that Mn-HSP efficiently inhibits primary breast tumors, as well as rechallenge tumors and lung metastasis in vivo. Therefore, the circulating immunotherapy that combines pyroptosis mediated adaptive immunity and STING pathway amplified innate immunity provides a novel strategy for enhancing tumor immunotherapy.

Basolateral Amygdala Functional Connectivity in Alexithymia: Linking Interoceptive Sensibility and Cognitive Empathy.

Emotions rely on bodily states, and perceiving the emotions of others depends on awareness of one's own emotional state. However, the intercorrelations among interoception, alexithymia, and empathy are not well understood, and the neural mechanisms behind this connection are also largely unknown. To address these issues, 297 college students participated in this study, completing measures of interoceptive sensibility (IS), empathy and alexithymia and undergoing resting-state fMRI scans. The functional connectivity of the amygdala was analysed to identify the neural substrates of alexithymia, and mediation analyses were conducted to examine the mediation effect of alexithymia and alexithymia-specific amygdala functional connectivity on the relationship between IS and empathy. The results showed that higher levels of IS were associated with increased cognitive empathy through weakened alexithymia. Functional connectivity analysis indicated that right basolateral amygdala (BLA)-left precuneus connectivity was negatively related to alexithymia, while right BLA-left precentral gyrus connectivity was positively related to alexithymia. Furthermore, right BLA-left precuneus connectivity was found to mediate the impact of interoception on cognitive empathy. In conclusion, this study provides valuable insights into the relationships among IS, alexithymia, and empathy. The right BLA-left precuneus connectivity may serve as a shared neural substrate between interoception and cognitive empathy.

Inhibiting the NLRP3 Inflammasome with MCC950 Alleviates Neurological Impairment in the Brain of EAE Mice.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease that is characterized by demyelination and neuronal damage. Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) mice are used to model the disease progression of MS and mirror MS-like pathology. Previous researches have confirmed that inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome significantly alleviated the severity of EAE mice and the demyelination of spinal cord, but its effect on neuronal damage and oligodendrocyte loss in the brain remains unclear. In this study, female C57BL/6 mice were immunized with MOG35-55 and PTX to establish experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) model. MCC950, a selective NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitor, was used to investigate the effect of NLRP3 inflammasome on the pathological changes and glial cell activation in the brain of EAE mice by immunohistochemistry. Our results demonstrated that MCC950 ameliorated the neuronal damage, demyelination, and oligodendrocyte loss in the brain of EAE mice. This protective effect of MCC950 may be attributed to its ability to suppress the activation of glial cells and prevents microglia polarization to M1 phenotype. Our work indicates that inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome has the therapeutic effects of neuroprotection through immunomodulation and is a promising therapeutic strategy for MS.

MRI Assessment of Brain Frailty and Clinical Outcome in Patients With Acute Posterior Perforating Artery Infarction.

BACKGROUND: Global brain health has gained increasing attention recently. Imaging markers of brain frailty have been related to functional outcomes in previous studies on anterior circulation; however, little data are available on imaging markers and posterior circulation. PURPOSE: To investigate the impact of brain frailty on functional outcomes in patients with acute perforating artery infarction (PAI) of the posterior circulation. STUDY TYPE: Prospective. POPULATION: One hundred patients (60.78 ± 9.51 years, 72% men) with acute posterior circulation PAI (determined by diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)/time-of-flight MR angiography). FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: T1- and T2-weighted fast spin echo, T2-weighted fluid-attenuated inversion recovery, diffusion-weighted echo planar, gradient echo (susceptibility-weight imaging), and 3D time-of-flight MR angiography sequences at 3.0 T. ASSESSMENT: Periventricular and deep white matter hyperintensities (WMH), enlarged perivascular spaces (EPVS) in the basal ganglia and centrum semiovale area, lacunes, cerebral microbleeds (CMB), and total brain frailty score by calculating the above imaging characters were rated visually by three radiologists with 9, 10, and 11 years of experience and one neuroradiologist with 12. Infarction volume was assessed using baseline diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) data obtained within 24 hours of symptom onset. A modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score >1 on day 90 defined an adverse functional outcome. Associations between the imaging markers of brain frailty and functional outcomes were assessed. STATISTICAL TESTS: Fisher's exact test, Mann-Whitney U test, and multivariable binary logistic regression. A P value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Adverse prognoses (mRS > 1) were observed in 34 (34%) patients. Infarction volume, periventricular WMH, deep WMH, basal ganglia EPVS, CMB, and the brain frailty score were significantly associated with adverse functional outcomes. An increased brain frailty score was significantly associated with unfavorable mRS score on day 90 (odds ratio 1.773, 95% confidence interval 1.237-2.541). DATA CONCLUSION: Advanced MRI imaging markers of brain frailty, individually or combined as a total brain frailty score, were associated with worse functional outcomes after acute posterior circulation PAI. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 3.

Foliar spraying of exogenous uniconazole (S3307) at the flowering stage as an effective method to resist low-temperature stress on mung bean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek].

Low temperature is one of the major constraints on agricultural productivity worldwide and is likely to further increase. Several adaptations and mitigation strategies are required to cope with low-temperature stress. Uniconazole (S3307) could play a significant role in the alleviation of abiotic stress in plants. In this study, the effects of S3307 on the reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidant metabolism were studied in the leaves of mung bean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek]. The experimental results showed that the low-temperature induced accumulation of superoxide anion (O2-) production rate, and malonaldehyde (MDA) contents. Increased proline content and enzymatic antioxidants, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and peroxidase (POD), were found to alleviate oxidative damage under low temperatures. While, S3307 could reduce O2- production rate and MDA contents and increase the activities of SOD, POD, and CAT, slowed the decrease in ascorbic acid (AsA), dehydroascorbic acid (DHA), glutathione (GSH), and oxidized glutathione (GSSG), and promoted increase in soluble sugars (SS), soluble proteins (SP), and proline (Pro) content under low-temperature. At the same time, low temperature leads to lower 100 grain weight and number of grains per plant, which eventually causes yield reduction decreased. Foliar spraying of S3307 could alleviate the yield loss caused by low temperature, and the increase of S3307 treatment was 5.1%-12.5% and 6.3%-32.9% for the two varieties, respectively, compared with CK. In summary, exogenous S3307 pretreatment enhances plant tolerance to low-temperature by improving the antioxidant enzyme activities, increased non-enzymatic antioxidants content, and decreased O2- production rate and MDA contents and inducing alterations in endogenous S3307, and reduce the decrease in mung bean yield.

The 3D Printing of Novel Honeycomb-Hollow Pyramid Sandwich Structures for Microwave and Mechanical Energy Absorption.

Honeycomb sandwich (HS) structures are important lightweight and load-bearing materials used in the aerospace industry. In this study, novel honeycomb-hollow pyramid sandwich (HPS) structures were manufactured with the help of fused deposition modeling techniques using PLA and PLA/CNT filaments. The microwave and mechanical energy absorption properties of the HPS structures with different geometry parameters were studied. Compared with the HS structure, the HPS structure enhanced both microwave absorption and mechanical properties. The HPS structures possessed both broadband and wide-angle microwave absorption characteristics. Their reflection loss at 8-18 GHz for incident angles of up to 45° was less than -10 dB. As the thickness of the hollow pyramid increased from 1.00 mm to 5.00 mm, the compressive strength of the HPS structure increased from 4.8 MPa to 12.5 MPa, while mechanical energy absorption per volume increased from 2639 KJ/m3 to 5598 KJ/m3. The microwave absorption and compressive behaviors of the HPS structures were studied.

Connectome-based modeling reveals a resting-state functional network that mediates the relationship between social rejection and rumination.

Background: Rumination impedes problem solving and is one of the most important factors in the onset and maintenance of multiple psychiatric disorders. The current study aims to investigate the impact of social rejection on rumination and explore the underlying neural mechanisms involved in this process. Methods: We utilized psychological questionnaire and resting-state brain imaging data from a sample of 560 individuals. The predictive model for rumination scores was constructed using resting-state functional connectivity data through connectome-based predictive modeling. Additionally, a mediation analysis was conducted to investigate the mediating role of the prediction network in the relationship between social rejection and rumination. Results: A positive correlation between social rejection and rumination was found. We obtained the prediction model of rumination and found that the strongest contributions came from the intra- and internetwork connectivity within the default mode network (DMN), dorsal attention network (DAN), frontoparietal control network (FPCN), and sensorimotor networks (SMN). Analysis of node strength revealed the significance of the supramarginal gyrus (SMG) and angular gyrus (AG) as key nodes in the prediction model. In addition, mediation analysis showed that the strength of the prediction network mediated the relationship between social rejection and rumination. Conclusion: The findings highlight the crucial role of functional connections among the DMN, DAN, FPCN, and SMN in linking social rejection and rumination, particular in brain regions implicated in social cognition and emotion, namely the SMG and AG regions. These results enhance our understanding of the consequences of social rejection and provide insights for novel intervention strategies targeting rumination.

Generative Adversarial Network-based Noncontrast CT Angiography for Aorta and Carotid Arteries.

Background Iodinated contrast agents (ICAs), which are widely used in CT angiography (CTA), may cause adverse effects in humans, and their use is time-consuming and costly. Purpose To develop an ICA-free deep learning imaging model for synthesizing CTA-like images and to assess quantitative and qualitative image quality as well as the diagnostic accuracy of synthetic CTA (Syn-CTA) images. Materials and Methods A generative adversarial network (GAN)-based CTA imaging model was trained, validated, and tested on retrospectively collected pairs of noncontrast CT and CTA images of the neck and abdomen from January 2017 to June 2022, and further validated on an external data set. Syn-CTA image quality was evaluated using quantitative metrics. In addition, two senior radiologists scored the visual quality on a three-point scale (3 = good) and determined the vascular diagnosis. The validity of Syn-CTA images was evaluated by comparing the visual quality scores and diagnostic accuracy of aortic and carotid artery disease between Syn-CTA and real CTA scans. Results CT scans from 1749 patients (median age, 60 years [IQR, 50-68 years]; 1057 male patients) were included in the internal data set: 1137 for training, 400 for validation, and 212 for testing. The external validation set comprised CT scans from 42 patients (median age, 67 years [IQR, 59-74 years]; 37 male patients). Syn-CTA images had high similarity to real CTA images (normalized mean absolute error, 0.011 and 0.013 for internal and external test set, respectively; peak signal-to-noise ratio, 32.07 dB and 31.58 dB; structural similarity, 0.919 and 0.906). The visual quality of Syn-CTA and real CTA images was comparable (internal test set, P = .35; external validation set, P > .99). Syn-CTA showed reasonable to good diagnostic accuracy for vascular diseases (internal test set: accuracy = 94%, macro F1 score = 91%; external validation set: accuracy = 86%, macro F1 score = 83%). Conclusion A GAN-based model that synthesizes neck and abdominal CTA-like images without the use of ICAs shows promise in vascular diagnosis compared with real CTA images. Clinical trial registration no. NCT05471869 © RSNA, 2023 Supplemental material is available for this article. See also the editorial by Zhang and Turkbey in this issue.

Advances in the extracellular signal-regulated kinase signaling pathway in silkworms, Bombyx mori (Lepidoptera).

Signaling pathways regulate the transmission of signals during organism growth and development, promoting the smooth and accurate completion of numerous physiological and biochemical reactions. The extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathway is an essential pathway involved in regulating various physiological processes, such as cell proliferation, differentiation, adhesion, migration, and more. This pathway also contributes to several important physiological processes in silkworms, including protein synthesis, reproduction, and immune defense against pathogens. Organizing related studies on the ERK signaling pathway in silkworms can provide a better understanding of its mechanism in Lepidopterans and develop a theoretical foundation for improving cocoon production and new strategies for pest biological control.

A smart thermal-gated bilayer membrane for temperature-adaptive radiative cooling and solar heating.

Due to the huge energy consumption of traditional cooling- and heating-based electricity, passive radiative cooling and solar heating with a minimum carbon footprint using the outer space and Sun as natural thermodynamic resources have attracted much attention. However, most passive devices are static and monofunctional, and cannot meet the practical requirements of dynamic cooling and heating under various conditions. Here, we demonstrate a smart thermal-gated (STG) bilayer membrane that enables fully automatic and temperature-adaptive radiative cooling and solar heating. Specifically, this device can switch from reflective to absorptive (white to black) in the solar wavelength with the reduction in optical scattering upon ambient temperature, corresponding to a sunlight reflectivity change from 0.962 to 0.059 when the temperature drops below ∼30 °C, whereas its mid-infrared emissivity remains at ∼0.95. Consequently, this STG membrane achieves a temperature of ∼5 °C below ambient (a key signature of radiative cooling) under direct sunlight (peak solar irradiance >900 W m-2) in summer and a solar heating power of ∼550 W m-2 in winter. Theoretical analysis reveals the substantial advantage of this switchable cooling/heating device in potential energy saving compared with cooling-only and heating-only strategies when widely used in different climates. It is expected that this work will pave a new pathway for designing temperature-adaptive devices with zero energy consumption and provide an innovative way to achieve sustainable energy.

Functional connectivity mediating passive coping style and perceived stress in predicting anxiety.

BACKGROUND: Passive coping style (CS) and perceived stress play significant roles as influencing factors in the development of anxiety. However, the underlying neurobiological mechanism linking passive CS and perceived stress to anxiety susceptibility remains elusive. Thus, we aimed to investigate the relationships among passive CS, brain functional connectivity, perceived stress, and anxiety in young adults. METHODS: Data from the longitudinal Gene-Brain-Behavior Project(GBB) and Southwest University Longitudinal Imaging Multimodal Project(SLIM) were used. We confirmed the relationship among anxiety, passive CS and perceived stress. Then, we investigated the mediated functional connectivity between passive CS and perceived stress, and used these functional connections to predict present anxiety and follow-up anxiety one year later. RESULTS: Anxiety scores were significantly positively correlated with passive CS and perceived stress. At the brain network level, connections within the default mode network (DMN) and between the somatomotor network (SMN) and subcortical network (SUN) mediated the relationship between passive CS and perceived stress. Furthermore, present anxiety and follow-up anxiety one year later could be predicted by these mediated functional connections. Nodes with greater predictive contribution were mainly located in the left anterior cingulate gyrus (ACC), left inferior parietal gyrus (IPG), right superior frontal gyrus (SFG), and left middle frontal gyrus (MFG), mainly distributed on the DMN. CONCLUSION: These findings demonstrated that the mediated neurobiological mechanisms between passive CS and perceived stress could be used to predict present and future anxiety, which enhance understanding of the neurobiological basis of anxiety susceptibility in this passive CS and perceived stress and may have implications for early preventing and intervening mental disorders.

Transcriptomic analysis of the fat body of resistant and susceptible silkworm strains, Bombyx mori (Lepidoptera), after oral treatment with fenpropathrin.

The widespread use of pyrethroid pesticides has brought serious economic losses in sericulture, but there is still no viable solution. The key to solving the problem is to improve silkworm resistance to pesticides, which depends on understanding the resistance mechanism of silkworms to pesticides. This study aimed to use transcriptomes to understand the underlying mechanism of silkworm resistance to fenpropathrin, which will provide a theoretical molecular reference for breeding pesticide-resistant silkworm varieties. In this study, the fat bodies of two strains with differential resistance after 12 h of fenpropathrin feeding were analyzed using RNA-Seq. After feeding fenpropathrin, 760 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were obtained in the p50(r) strain and 671 DEGs in the 8y strain. The DEGs involved in resistance to fenpropathrin were further identified by comparing the two strains, including 207 upregulated DEGs in p50(r) and 175 downregulated DEGs in 8y. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis showed that these fenpropathrin-related DEGs are mainly enriched in the metabolism and transporter pathways. Moreover, 28 DEGs involved in the metabolic pathway and 18 in the transporter pathway were identified. Furthermore, organic cation transporter protein 6 (BmOCT6), a transporter pathway member, was crucial in enhancing the tolerance of BmN cells to fenpropathrin. Finally, the knockdown of the expression of the homologs of BmOCT6 in Glyphodes pyloalis (G. pyloalis) significantly decreased the resistant level of larvae to fenpropathrin. The findings showed that the metabolism and transporter pathways are associated with resistance to fenpropathrin in silkworm, and OCT6 is an effective and potential target not only for silkworm breeding but also for pest biocontrol.

Synthesized 7T MPRAGE From 3T MPRAGE Using Generative Adversarial Network and Validation in Clinical Brain Imaging: A Feasibility Study.

BACKGROUND: Ultra-high field 7T MRI can provide excellent tissue contrast and anatomical details, but is often cost prohibitive, and is not widely accessible in clinical practice. PURPOSE: To generate synthetic 7T images from widely acquired 3T images with deep learning and to evaluate the feasibility of this approach for brain imaging. STUDY TYPE: Prospective. POPULATION: 33 healthy volunteers and 89 patients with brain diseases, divided into training, and evaluation datasets in the ratio 4:1. SEQUENCE AND FIELD STRENGTH: T1-weighted nonenhanced or contrast-enhanced magnetization-prepared rapid acquisition gradient-echo sequence at both 3T and 7T. ASSESSMENT: A generative adversarial network (SynGAN) was developed to produce synthetic 7T images from 3T images as input. SynGAN training and evaluation were performed separately for nonenhanced and contrast-enhanced paired acquisitions. Qualitative image quality of acquired 3T and 7T images and of synthesized 7T images was evaluated by three radiologists in terms of overall image quality, artifacts, sharpness, contrast, and visualization of vessel using 5-point Likert scales. STATISTICAL TESTS: Wilcoxon signed rank tests to compare synthetic 7T images with acquired 7T and 3T images and intraclass correlation coefficients to evaluate interobserver variability. P < 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: Of the 122 paired 3T and 7T MRI scans, 66 were acquired without contrast agent and 56 with contrast agent. The average time to generate synthetic images was ~11.4 msec per slice (2.95 sec per participant). The synthetic 7T images achieved significantly improved tissue contrast and sharpness in comparison to 3T images in both nonenhanced and contrast-enhanced subgroups. Meanwhile, there was no significant difference between acquired 7T and synthetic 7T images in terms of all the evaluation criteria for both nonenhanced and contrast-enhanced subgroups (P ≥ 0.180). DATA CONCLUSION: The deep learning model has potential to generate synthetic 7T images with similar image quality to acquired 7T images. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 1.