Tin-oxo nanoclusters for extreme ultraviolet photoresists: Effects of ligands, counterions, and doping.

The extreme ultraviolet (EUV) nanolithography technology is the keystone for developing the next-generation chips. As conventional chemically amplified resists are approaching the resolution limit, metal-containing photoresists, especially tin-oxo clusters, seize the opportunity to embrace this challenge owing to their small sizes, precise atomic structures, and strong EUV absorption. However, atomistic insights into the mechanism for regulating their photolithographic behavior are lacking. Herein, we systematically explored the effects of ligands, counterions, and endohedral doping on the photophysical properties of tin-oxo cage clusters by first-principles calculations combined with molecular dynamics simulations. Photoresists assembled by allyl-protected clusters with small-size OH- or Cl- counterions have a high absorption coefficient at the EUV wavelength of 13.5 nm and a low energy cost for ligand detachment and superior stability to ensure high sensitivity and strong etch resistance, respectively. The photoresist performance can further be improved by endohedral doping of the metal-oxo nanocage with Ag+ and Cd2+ ions, which exhibit superatomic characteristics and are likely to be synthesized in laboratory. These theoretical results provide useful guidance for modification of metal-oxo clusters for high-resolution EUV photolithography.

High Performance Nacre Fibers by Engineering Interfacial Entanglement.

Biological materials exhibit fascinating mechanical properties for intricate interactions at multiple interfaces to combine superb toughness with wondrous strength and stiffness. Recently, strong interlayer entanglement has emerged to replicate the powerful dissipation of natural proteins and alleviate the conflict between strength and toughness. However, designing intricate interactions in a strong entanglement network needs to be further explored. Here, we modulate interlayer entanglement by introducing multiple interactions, including hydrogen and ionic bonding, and achieve ultrahigh mechanical performance of graphene-based nacre fibers. Two essential modulating trends are directed. One is modulating dynamic hydrogen bonding to improve the strength and toughness up to 1.58 GPa and 52 MJ/m3, simultaneously. The other is tailoring ionic coordinating bonding to raise the strength and stiffness, reaching 2.3 and 253 GPa. Modulating various interactions within robust entanglement provides an effective approach to extend performance limits of bioinspired nacre and optimize multiscale interfaces in diverse composites.

Development and validation of a risk score nomogram model to predict the risk of 5-year all-cause mortality in diabetic patients with hypertension: A study based on NHANES data.

Background: The present study aimed to develop and validate a prediction nomogram model for 5-year all-cause mortality in diabetic patients with hypertension. Methods: Data were extracted from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). A total of 3291 diabetic patients with hypertension in the NHANES cycles for 1999-2014 were selected and randomly assigned at a ratio of 8:2 to the training cohort (n = 2633) and validation cohort (n = 658). Multivariable Cox regression was conducted to establish a visual nomogram model for predicting the risk of 5-year all-cause mortality. Receiver operating characteristic curves and C-indexes were used to evaluate the discriminant ability of the prediction nomogram model for all-cause mortality. Survival curves were created using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared by the log-rank test. Results: The nomogram model included eight independent predictors: age, sex, education status, marital status, smoking, serum albumin, blood urea nitrogen, and previous cardiovascular disease. The C-indexes for the model in the training and validation cohorts were 0.76 (95% confidence interval: 0.73-0.79, p < 0.001) and 0.75 (95% confidence interval: 0.69-0.81, p < 0.001), respectively. The calibration curves indicated that the model had satisfactory consistency in the two cohorts. The risk of all-cause mortality gradually increased as the tertiles of the nomogram model score increased (log-rank test, p < 0.001). Conclusion: The newly developed nomogram model, a readily useable and efficient tool to predict the risk of 5-year all-cause mortality in diabetic patients with hypertension, provides a novel risk stratification method for individualized intervention.

Associations between life's essential 8 and metabolic health among us adults: insights of NHANES from 2005 to 2018.

BACKGROUND: Metabolic unhealth (MUH) is closely associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Life's Essential 8 (LE8), a recently updated cardiovascular health (CVH) assessment, has some overlapping indicators with MUH but is more comprehensive and complicated than MUH. Given the close relationship between them, it is important to compare these two measurements. METHODS: This population-based cross-sectional survey included 20- to 80-year-old individuals from 7 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) cycles between 2005 and 2018. Based on the parameters provided by the American Heart Association, the LE8 score (which ranges from 0 to 100) was used to classify CVH into three categories: low (0-49), moderate (50-79), and high (80-100). The MUH status was evaluated by blood glucose, blood pressure, and blood lipids. The associations were assessed by multivariable regression analysis, subgroup analysis, restricted cubic spline models, and sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: A total of 22,582 participants were enrolled (median of age was 45 years old), among them, 11,127 were female (weighted percentage, 49%) and 16,595 were classified as MUH (weighted percentage, 73.5%). The weighted median LE8 scores of metabolic health (MH) and MUH individuals are 73.75 and 59.38, respectively. Higher LE8 scores were linked to lower risks of MUH (odds ratio [OR] for every 10 scores increase, 0.53; 95% CI 0.51-0.55), and a nonlinear dose-response relationship was seen after the adjustment of potential confounders. This negative correlation between LE8 scores, and MUH was strengthened among elderly population. CONCLUSIONS: Higher LE8 and its subscales scores were inversely and nonlinearly linked with the lower presence of MUH. MUH is consistent with LE8 scores, which can be considered as an alternative indicator when it is difficult to collect the information of health behaviors.

Transcriptome analysis reveals the potential lncRNA-mRNA modules involved in genetic male sterility and fertility of Chinese cabbage (brassica rapa L. ssp. pekinensis).

BACKGROUND: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a crucial role in regulating gene expression vital for the growth and development of plants. Despite this, the role of lncRNAs in Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa L. ssp. pekinensis) pollen development and male fertility remains poorly understood. RESULTS: In this study, we characterized a recessive genic male sterile mutant (366-2 S), where the delayed degradation of tapetum and the failure of tetrad separation primarily led to the inability to form single microspores, resulting in male sterility. To analyze the role of lncRNAs in pollen development, we conducted a comparative lncRNA sequencing using anthers from the male sterile mutant line (366-2 S) and the wild-type male fertile line (366-2 F). We identified 385 differentially expressed lncRNAs between the 366-2 F and 366-2 S lines, with 172 of them potentially associated with target genes. To further understand the alterations in mRNA expression and explore potential lncRNA-target genes (mRNAs), we performed comparative mRNA transcriptome analysis in the anthers of 366-2 S and 366-2 F at two stages. We identified 1,176 differentially expressed mRNAs. Remarkably, GO analysis revealed significant enrichment in five GO terms, most notably involving mRNAs annotated as pectinesterase and polygalacturonase, which play roles in cell wall degradation. The considerable downregulation of these genes might contribute to the delayed degradation of tapetum in 366-2 S. Furthermore, we identified 15 lncRNA-mRNA modules through Venn diagram analysis. Among them, MSTRG.9997-BraA04g004630.3 C (ß-1,3-glucanase) is associated with callose degradation and tetrad separation. Additionally, MSTRG.5212-BraA02g040020.3 C (pectinesterase) and MSTRG.13,532-BraA05g030320.3 C (pectinesterase) are associated with cell wall degradation of the tapetum, indicating that these three candidate lncRNA-mRNA modules potentially regulate pollen development. CONCLUSION: This study lays the foundation for understanding the roles of lncRNAs in pollen development and for elucidating their molecular mechanisms in regulating male sterility in Chinese cabbage.

Current status of emergency medical service use in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction in China: Findings from China Acute Myocardial Infarction (CAMI) Registry.

BACKGROUND: The mortality rate of myocardial infarction in China has increased dramatically in the past three decades. Although emergency medical service (EMS) played a pivotal role for the management of patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), the corresponding data in China are limited. METHODS: An observational analysis was performed in 26,305 STEMI patients, who were documented in China acute myocardial infarction (CAMI) Registry and treated in 162 hospitals from January 1st, 2013 to January 31th, 2016. We compared the differences such as demographic factors, social factors, medical history, risk factors, socioeconomic distribution and treatment strategies between EMS transport group and self-transport group. RESULTS: Only 4336 patients (16.5%) were transported by EMS. Patients with symptom onset outside, out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and presented to province-level hospital were more likely to use EMS. Besides those factors, low systolic blood pressure, severe dyspnea or syncope, and high Killip class were also positively related to EMS activation. Notably, compared to self-transport, use of EMS was associated with a shorter prehospital delay (median, 180 vs. 245 min, P < 0.0001) but similar door-to-needle time (median, 45 min vs. 52 min, P = 0.1400) and door-to-balloon time (median, 105 min vs. 103 min, P = 0.1834). CONCLUSIONS: EMS care for STEMI is greatly underused in China. EMS transport is associated with shorter onset-to-door time and higher rate of reperfusion, but not substantial reduction in treatment delays or mortality rate. Targeted efforts are needed to promote EMS use when chest pain occurs and to set up a unique regionalized STEMI network focusing on integration of prehospital care procedures in China. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01874691), retrospectively registered June 11, 2013.

Low-frequency alternating magnetic field and CaCl2 influence the physicochemical, conformational and gel characteristics of low-salt myofibrillar protein.

In this study, the improvement mechanism of low-frequency alternating magnetic field (LF-AMF, 5 mT, 3 h) combined with calcium chloride (CaCl2, 0-100 mM) on the gel characteristics of low-salt myofibrillar protein (MP) was investigated. LF-AMF combined with 80 mM CaCl2 treatment increased solubility (32.71%), surface hydrophobicity (40.86 µg), active sulfhydryl content (22.57%), water-holding capacity (7.15%). Besides, the combined treatment decreased turbidity, particle size and intrinsic fluorescence strength of MP. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) results indicated that the combined treatment altered the secondary structure of MP by increasing ß-sheet and ß-turn, and reducing α-helix and random coil. The combined treatment also induced a high G' value and shortened T2 relaxation time for forming a homogeneous and compact gel structure. These results revealed that LF-AMF combined CaCl2 treatment could as a potential approach for modifying the gel characteristics of low-salt MP.

Effect of low-frequency alternating magnetic fields on the physicochemical, conformational and rheological properties of myofibrillar protein after iterative freeze-thaw cycles.

In this work, the effects of low-frequency alternating magnetic fields (LF-AMF) on the physicochemical, conformational, and functional characteristics of myofibrillar protein (MP) after iterative freeze-thaw (FT) cycles were explored. With the increasing LF-AMF treatment time, the solubility, active sulfhydryl groups, surface hydrophobicity, emulsifiability, and emulsion stability of MP after five FT cycles evidently elevated and then declined, and the peak value was obtained at 3 h. Conversely, the moderate LF-AMF treatment time can significantly reduce the average particle size, carbonyl content, and endogenous fluorescence intensity of MP. The rheology results showed that various LF-AMF treatment times would elevate the G' value of MP after iterative FT cycles. The FTIR spectroscopy results suggested that LF-AMF influenced the secondary structure of MP after multiple FT cycles, resulting in a depression in α-helix content and an increment in ß-folding proportion. Moreover, LF-AMF treatment induced the gradually lighter and wider myosin heavy chain bands of MP, implying that LF-AMF accelerated the degradation of macromolecular aggregates. Therefore, the LF-AMF treatment efficaciously ameliorates the structural and functional deterioration of MP after iterative FT cycles and could be used as a potential quality-improving technology in the frozen meat industry.

Sex Differences in Clinical Outcomes Associated With Quantitative Flow Ratio-Guided Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Background: FAVOR III China (Comparison of Quantitative Flow Ratio Guided and Angiography Guided Percutaneous Intervention in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease) reported improved clinical outcomes in quantitative flow ratio (QFR) relative to angiography-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), but the clinical impact of QFR-guided PCI according to sex remains unknown. Objectives: The authors sought to compare sex differences in the 2-year clinical benefits of a QFR-guided PCI strategy and to evaluate the differences in outcomes between men and women undergoing contemporary PCI. Methods: This study involved a prespecified subgroup analysis of the FAVOR III China trial, in which women and men were randomized to a QFR-guided strategy or a standard angiography-guided strategy. Sex differences in clinical benefit of the QFR guidance were analyzed for major adverse cardiac events (MACE), a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, or ischemia-driven revascularization within 2 years. Results: A total of 1,126 women and 2,699 men were eligible and the occurrence of 2-year MACE was similar between women and men (10.3% vs 10.5%; P = 0.96). Compared with an angiography-guided strategy, a QFR-guided strategy resulted in a 7.9% and 9.7% reduction in PCI rates in men and women, respectively. A QFR-guided strategy resulted in similar relative risk reductions for 2-year MACE in women (8.0% vs 12.7%; HR: 0.62; 95% CI: 0.42-0.90) and men (8.7% vs 12.4%; HR: 0.69; 95% CI: 0.54-0.87) (Pinteraction = 0.61). Furthermore, QFR values were not significantly different between men and women with various angiographic stenosis categories. Conclusions: A QFR-guided PCI strategy resulted in improved MACE in both men and women at 2 years compared with an angiography-guided PCI strategy. The FAVOR III China Study [FAVOR III China]; (NCT03656848).

Human milk sphingomyelin: Function, metabolism, composition and mimicking.

Human milk, which contains various nutrients, is the "gold standard" for infant nutrition. Healthy human milk meets all the nutritional needs of early infant development. Polar lipids mainly exist in the milk fat globule membrane, accounting for approximately 1-2% of human milk lipids; sphingomyelin (SM) accounts for approximately 21-24% of polar lipids. SM plays an important role in promoting the development of the brain and nervous system, regulating intestinal flora, and improving skin barriers. Though SM could be synthesized de novo, SM nutrition from dietary is also important for infants. The content and composition of SM in human milk has been reported, however, the molecular mechanisms of nutritional functions of SM for infants required further research. This review summarizes the functional mechanisms, metabolic pathways, and compositional, influencing factors, and mimicking of SM in human milk, and highlights the challenges of improving maternal and infant early/long-term nutrition.

Two-dimensional fullerene-based monolayer materials assembled by C80 and Sc3N@C80.

Construction of two-dimensional (2D) materials using fullerenes as building blocks has attracted particular attention, primarily due to their ability to integrate desired functionalities into devices. However, realization of stable 2D phases of polymerized fullerenes remains a big challenge. Here, we propose two stable 2D monolayer phases with covalently bridged C80 cages, namely α-C80-2D and ß-C80-2D, which are semiconductors with strong absorption in the long wave range and appreciable carrier mobility, respectively. The high stability originates from the bond energy released by the [2+2] cycloaddition polymerization of C80 is greater than the deformation energy of a cage. Starting from α-C80-2D, endohedral incorporation of the Sc3N molecule into each C80 cage leads to 2D semiconductors of α-Sc3N@C80-2D and α'-Sc3N@C80-2D, which possess exceptional stability and diverse physical properties, including unique electronic band structures, strong optical absorption in the visible (VIS) to near-infrared (NIR) regime, and anisotropic optical characteristics. Remarkably, a temperature-induced order-disorder transition in the α-Sc3N@C80-2D phase has been observed at elevated temperatures above 600 K. These findings expand the family of 2D carbon materials and provide useful clue for the potential applications of fullerene-assembled monolayer networks.

Optical Activity and Excitonic Characteristics of Chiral CdSe Quantum Dots.

Introduction of chirality to colloidal semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) triggers a chiroptical effect. However, there remains a knowledge gap in the mechanism of chirality transfer and amplification from molecules to QDs. By time-dependent density functional theory calculations combined with a correlated electron-hole picture, we explored the chiroptical activity of CdSe QDs decorated with different chiral monocarboxylic acids from an excitonic perspective. Our calculations showed strong circular dichroism (CD) signals in the visible region for the chiral CdSe QDs. The excitonic states with large CD originate from QDs, while the chiral molecules break the orthogonality between electric and magnetic transition dipoles, which synergistically facilitates the prominent dissymmetric effect. The considered monocarboxylic acid chiral molecules all favor the bidentate adsorption configuration of the carboxyl group on the CdSe surface, endowing an identical CD signature but distinct excitonic characteristics. These findings are crucial for the regulation of chirality and excitons in semiconductor QDs to develop excitonic devices.

Modulation of fried spring roll wrapper quality upon treatment of batter with maltogenic amylase, transglutaminase and bromelain.

BACKGROUND: Fried foods are favored for their unique crispiness, golden color and flavor, but they also face great challenge because of their high oil content, high calories and the existence of compounds such as acrylamide and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Long-term consumption of fried foods may adversely affect health. Therefore, it is necessary to explore fried foods with lower oil contents and a high quality to meet the demand. RESULTS: A method of enzyme treatment was explored to investigate the effects of maltogenic amylase (MA), transglutaminase (TG) and bromelain (BRO) on the physicochemical properties of the batter and the quality of fried spring roll wrapper (FSRW). The results showed that the MA-, TG- or BRO-treated batters had a significant shear-thinning behavior, especially with an increase in viscosity upon increasing TG contents. FSRW enhanced its fracturability from 419.19 g (Control) to 616.50 g (MA-6 U g-1), 623.49 g (TG-0.75 U g-1) and 644.96 g (BRO-10 U g-1). Meanwhile, in comparison with BRO and MA, TG-0.5 U g-1 endowed batter with the highest density and thermal stability. MA-15 U g-1 and TG-0.5 U g-1 displayed FSRW with uniform and dense pores, and significantly reduced its oil content by 18.05% and 25.02%, respectively. Moreover, compared to MA and TG, BRO-50 U g-1 improved the flavor of FSRW. CONCLUSION: MA, TG or BRO played a key role in affecting the physicochemical properties of the batter and the quality of FSRW. TG-0.5 U g-1 remarkly reduced the oil content of FSRW with a great potential in practical application. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Detection of Small-Molecule Interactions with Fibrillar Tau Protein Aggregates Using Microscale Thermophoresis.

Aggregated fibrillar tau protein is a pathological hallmark of several neurodegenerative diseases. Small molecules that bind to tau fibrils may be applied for their detection and quantification. This is of great importance as they can potentially be used for earlier diagnosis of disease and disease progression. Microscale thermophoresis (MST) enables the detection of biomolecular interactions in an aqueous environment in which no immobilization of either reaction partner is required. Here, an MST assay methodology is described for the detection of the interaction between a variety of small molecules and tau fibrils. The results of this study demonstrate that MST is a practical methodology to quantify interactions between small molecules and tau fibrillar aggregates.

Effects of fungal endophytes and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on growth of Echium vulgare and alkannin/shikonin and their derivatives production in roots.

Endophytic fungi as well as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are known to stimulate plant growth and production of secondary metabolites in medicinal plants. Here, 10 endophytic fungi isolated from roots of wild Alkanna tinctoria plants and 5 AMF purchased from the Glomeromycota in vitro collection were evaluated, during two successive three-month greenhouse experiments, on the growth of Echium vulgare and alkannin/shikonin and their derivatives (A/Sd) production in the roots. Some of the endophytic fungi tested significantly increased plant growth parameters as compared to the control: Cladosporium allicinum, Cadophora sp., Clonostachys sp., Trichoderma hispanicum and Leptosphaeria ladina increased root volume, Plectosphaerella sp. And T. hispanicum root fresh weight and root water retention and T. hispanicum plant water retention. However, none of these fungi impacted A/Sd production. Conversely, none of the AMF strains tested impacted plant growth parameters, but those inoculated with Rhizophagus intraradices MUCL 49410 had a significantly higher concentration of alkannin/shikonin (A/S), acetyl-A/S, ß,ß- dimethylacryl-A/S, isovaleryl-A/S and total A/Sd, compared to the control plants. Further studies are needed to investigate the mechanisms involved in the production of A/Sd in plants associated to specific endophytic fungi/AMF and on the cultivation conditions required for optimal production of these compounds.

Prolonged Dual Antiplatelet Therapy in Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients Without Revascularization: China Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry Study.

At least 12 months of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) is 1 of the standards of care following percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with acute coronary syndrome. However, study on prolonged DAPT for patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) without revascularization is limited. We studied 1,744 patients with AMI without revascularization from the China Acute Myocardial Infarction registry between January 2013 and September 2014. These patients were on DAPT and did not experience AMI, stroke, or bleeding events at the 12-month follow-up. We divided them into 2 groups: 12-month DAPT group (DAPT for at least 12 months but <18 months) and 18-month DAPT group (DAPT for at least 18 months). The primary outcome was 24-month all-cause death. Overall, 1,221 patients (70.0%) took DAPT for ≥12 months but <18 months, whereas 523 patients (30.0%) took DAPT for ≥18 months. The proportion of patients at high ischemic risk and the proportion of patients at high bleeding risk were similar in the 2 groups. At 24 months, the all-cause mortality rate of the 18-month DAPT group was significantly lower than that for the 12-month DAPT group (3.7% vs 5.9%, p = 0.0471). The adjusted hazard ratio for all-cause death also showed statistical significance (0.59, 95% confidence interval 0.35 to 0.99, p = 0.0444). In conclusion, DAPT for at least 18 months appears to be associated with lower 24-month mortality for non-revascularization AMI patients without events within 12 months after onset.

Precisión diagnóstica de la TC-RFF con un nuevo algoritmo de subpíxel grueso a fino en la detección de isquemia específica de lesión: un estudio multicéntrico prospectivo / Diagnostic accuracy of CT-FFR with a new coarse-to-fine subpixel algorithm in detecting lesion-specific ischemia: a prospective multicenter study

Introduction and objectives A new computed tomography-derived fractional flow reserve (CT-FFR) technique with a “coarse-to-fine subpixel” algorithm has been developed to generate precise lumen contours. The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic performance of this new CT-FFR algorithm for discriminating lesion-specific ischemia using wire-based FFR ≤ 0.80 as the reference standard in patients with coronary artery disease. Methods This prospective, multicenter study screened 330 patients undergoing coronary CT angiography (CCTA) and invasive FFR (median interval 2 days) from 6 tertiary hospitals. CT-FFR was evaluated in a blinded fashion with a “coarse-to-fine subpixel” algorithm for lumen contour. Results Between March 2019 and May 2020, we included 316 patients with 324 vessels. There was a good correlation between CT-FFR and invasive FFR (r=0.76, P<.001). The diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy on a per-vessel level were 95.3%, 89.8%, and 92.0% for CT-FFR, and 96.4%, 26.4%, and 53.1% for CCTA>50% stenosis, respectively. CT-FFR showed improved discrimination of ischemia compared with CCTA alone overall (AUC, 0.95 vs 0.74, P<.001) and in intermediate (AUC, 0.96 vs 0.62, P<.001) and “gray zone” lesions (AUC, 0.88 vs 0.61, P<.001). The diagnostic specificity, accuracy, and AUC for CT-FFR (71.9%, 82.8%, and 0.84) outperformed CCTA (9.4%, 48.3%, and 0.66) in patients or in vessels with severe calcification (all P<.05). Conclusions CT-FFR with a new “coarse-to-fine subpixel” algorithm showed high performance in identifying hemodynamically significant stenosis. The diagnostic performance of CT-FFR was superior to that of CCTA in intermediate lesions, “gray zone” lesions, and severely calcified lesions (AU)

Introducción y objetivos Se ha desarrollado una nueva técnica basada en tomografía computarizada para la evaluación de la reserva fraccional de flujo (TC-RFF) con un algoritmo de subpíxel «de grueso a fino» para generar contornos luminales precisos. El objetivo de este estudio es evaluar el rendimiento diagnóstico de este nuevo algoritmo de TC-RFF para discriminar la isquemia específica de lesión utilizando la evaluación invasiva de la RFF ≤ 0,80 como referencia en pacientes con enfermedad coronaria. Métodos Este estudio prospectivo y multicéntrico evaluó a 330 pacientes sometidos a angiografía coronaria no invasiva con TC (ACTC) y evaluación invasiva de la RFF (mediana del intervalo, 2 días) en 6 hospitales terciarios. La TC-RFF se evaluó a ciegas con un algoritmo de subpíxel «de grueso a fino» para la evaluación de la luz. Resultado Entre marzo de 2019 y mayo de 2020, se incluyó a un total de 316 pacientes con 324 vasos. Hubo una buena correlación entre la TC-RFF y la evaluación invasiva de la RFF (r=0,76; p<0,001). La sensibilidad, la especificidad y la exactitud diagnóstica por vaso fueron, respectivamente, del 95,3, el 89,8 y el 92,0% para la TC-RFF y del 96,4, el 26,4 y el 53,1% para la ACTC para las estenosis>50%. La TC-RFF mostró mejor discriminación de la isquemia que la ACTC sola en general (ABC=0,95 frente a ABC=0,74; p<0,001) y en lesiones intermedias (ABC=0,96 frente a ABC=0,62; p<0,001) y en «zona gris» (ABC=0,88 frente a ABC=0,61; p<0,001). La especificidad, la exactitud y el ABC diagnóstica de la TC-RFF (el 71,9%, el 82,8% y 0,84) superaron las de la ACTC (el 9,4%, el 48,3% y 0,66) en pacientes o vasos con calcificación grave (todos, p<0,05). Conclusiones La TC-RFF con un algoritmo de subpíxel «de grueso a fino» proporcionó un alto rendimiento en la identificación de estenosis hemodinámicamente significativas. El rendimiento diagnóstico de la TC-RFF fue superior al de la ACTC en lesiones intermedias, de «zona gris» y con calcificación grave (AU)

Prevalence and impact of diabetes in patients with valvular heart disease.

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of diabetes in valvular heart disease (VHD), as well as the relationship of diabetes with severity of valvular lesions and clinical outcome. A total of 11,862 patients with significant (≥moderate) VHD from the China Valvular Heart Disease study were included in the analysis. The primary outcome was the composite of all-cause death, hospitalization for heart failure, and myocardial infarction during two-year follow-up. The prevalence of diabetes was 14.5% (1,721/11,862) in VHD. After adjusting for patients' demographics, diabetes was associated with a significantly lower risk of severe valvular lesion in aortic regurgitation and mitral regurgitation (MR). In multivariable analysis, diabetes was identified as an independent predictor of two-year outcome in patients with MR (hazard ratio: 1.345, 95% confidence interval: 1.069-1.692, p = 0.011). More efforts should be made to enhance our understanding and improve outcomes of concomitant VHD and diabetes.

An insight into the gene expression evolution in Gossypium species based on the leaf transcriptomes.

BACKGROUND: Gene expression pattern is associated with biological phenotype and is widely used in exploring gene functions. Its evolution is also crucial in understanding species speciation and divergence. The genus Gossypium is a bona fide model for studying plant evolution and polyploidization. However, the evolution of gene expression during cotton species divergence has yet to be extensively discussed. RESULTS: Based on the seedling leaf transcriptomes, this work analyzed the transcriptomic content and expression patterns across eight cotton species, including six diploids and two natural tetraploids. Our findings indicate that, while the biological function of these cotton transcriptomes remains largely conserved, there has been significant variation in transcriptomic content during species divergence. Furthermore, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of expression distances across cotton species. This analysis lends further support to the use of G. arboreum as a substitute for the A-genome donor of natural cotton polyploids. Moreover, our research highlights the evolution of stress-responsive pathways, including hormone signaling, fatty acid degradation, and flavonoid biosynthesis. These processes appear to have evolved under lower selection pressures, presumably reflecting their critical role in the adaptations of the studied cotton species to diverse environments. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, this study provided insights into the gene expression variation within the genus Gossypium and identified essential genes/pathways whose expression evolution was closely associated with the evolution of cotton species. Furthermore, the method of characterizing genes and pathways under unexpected high or slow selection pressure can also serve as a new strategy for gene function exploration.

Identification of a highly conserved neutralizing epitope within the RBD region of diverse SARS-CoV-2 variants.

The constant emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants continues to impair the efficacy of existing neutralizing antibodies, especially XBB.1.5 and EG.5, which showed exceptional immune evasion properties. Here, we identify a highly conserved neutralizing epitope targeted by a broad-spectrum neutralizing antibody BA7535, which demonstrates high neutralization potency against not only previous variants, such as Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta and Omicron BA.1-BA.5, but also more recently emerged Omicron subvariants, including BF.7, CH.1.1, XBB.1, XBB.1.5, XBB.1.9.1, EG.5. Structural analysis of the Omicron Spike trimer with BA7535-Fab using cryo-EM indicates that BA7535 recognizes a highly conserved cryptic receptor-binding domain (RBD) epitope, avoiding most of the mutational hot spots in RBD. Furthermore, structural simulation based on the interaction of BA7535-Fab/RBD complexes dissects the broadly neutralizing effect of BA7535 against latest variants. Therapeutic and prophylactic treatment with BA7535 alone or in combination with BA7208 protected female mice from the circulating Omicron BA.5 and XBB.1 variant infection, suggesting the highly conserved neutralizing epitope serves as a potential target for developing highly potent therapeutic antibodies and vaccines.