Faba bean and pea harvest index estimations using aerial-based multimodal data and machine learning algorithms.

Early and high-throughput estimations of the crop harvest index (HI) are essential for crop breeding and field management in precision agriculture; however, traditional methods for measuring HI are time-consuming and labor-intensive. The development of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with onboard sensors offers an alternative strategy for crop HI research. In this study, we explored the potential of using low-cost, UAV-based multimodal data for HI estimation using red-green-blue (RGB), multispectral (MS), and thermal infrared (TIR) sensors at 4 growth stages to estimate faba bean (Vicia faba L.) and pea (Pisum sativum L.) HI values within the framework of ensemble learning. The average estimates of RGB (faba bean: coefficient of determination [R2] = 0.49, normalized root-mean-square error [NRMSE] = 15.78%; pea: R2 = 0.46, NRMSE = 20.08%) and MS (faba bean: R2 = 0.50, NRMSE = 15.16%; pea: R2 = 0.46, NRMSE = 19.43%) were superior to those of TIR (faba bean: R2 = 0.37, NRMSE = 16.47%; pea: R2 = 0.38, NRMSE = 19.71%), and the fusion of multisensor data exhibited a higher estimation accuracy than those obtained using each sensor individually. Ensemble Bayesian model averaging provided the most accurate estimations (faba bean: R2 = 0.64, NRMSE = 13.76%; pea: R2 = 0.74, NRMSE = 15.20%) for whole growth stage, and the estimation accuracy improved with advancing growth stage. These results indicate that the combination of low-cost, UAV-based multimodal data and machine learning algorithms can be used to estimate crop HI reliably, therefore highlighting a promising strategy and providing valuable insights for high spatial precision in agriculture, which can help breeders make early and efficient decisions.

Hardware implementation of a mirror array-based optical intelligent reflecting surface for VLC: prototype and experimental results.

Faced with growing demands for high-speed and reliable communication systems, optical intelligent reflecting surfaces (OIRS) have recently attracted a lot of interest in visible light communication (VLC). With potential applications in a variety of scenarios, including indoor wireless communications and the Internet of Things (IoT), OIRS is expected to have a transformative impact on optical wireless communications. However, current research is predominantly theoretical, and the hardware implementation of OIRS is insufficient. Therefore, this paper introduces an OIRS prototype based on a mirror array, which is capable of adjusting the reflected lightwave by manipulating the orientation of individual OIRS units to realize an adjustable optical wireless communication environment. Additionally, a hardware platform with a configurable control system for OIRS-based VLC has been developed in this paper. Finally, experimental results demonstrate significant improvements in the amplitude of the received signal and the signal-to-noise ratio of the developed prototype, thereby verifying the enhancement of communication efficiency and the potential of practical OIRS deployment.

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio is associated with carotid intraplaque neovascularization in asymptomatic carotid stenosis patients.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been suggested as an available systemic inflammatory biomarker. This study aims to evaluate whether intraplaque neovascularization assessed by contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) is associated with NLR in asymptomatic carotid stenosis patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and forty-four asymptomatic patients with carotid luminal stenosis >30% were assessed using contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging. The contrast enhancement within the plaque was classified on a visual semiquantitative grading scale. The data collected included the patient's risk factors, laboratory results, cardiovascular disease history, and drug use history. Univariate and multivariate analyses were assessed to identify independent factors related to intraplaque neovascularization with adjustment for potential confounders. RESULTS: Patients with CEUS grade 2 plaques had a higher level of LDL-C (p < .001), neutrophil count (p < .001), and blood glucose (p = .005), but lower level of lymphocyte count (p = .021). The presence of grade 2 plaques was significantly associated with high NLR values (OR 1.21, 95% CI 1.03-1.43, p = .017). Patients were divided into four groups according to the quartile of NLR values. Compared to the patients in the first quartile of NLR (<1.73), the patients in the fourth NLR quartile (≥3.38) were characterized by the most prevalence of CEUS grade 2 plaques (OR 4.55, 95% CI 1.69-12.25, p = .003). Multivariate logistic regression analysis after adjusting various variables demonstrated NLR remained an independent risk factor for the presence of CEUS grade 2 plaques. CONCLUSION: Intraplaque neovascularization is significantly associated with NLR in asymptomatic carotid stenosis patients.

S100P contributes to promoter demethylation and transcriptional activation of SLC2A5 to promote metastasis in colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: SLC2A5 is a high-affinity fructose transporter, which is frequently upregulated in multiple human malignant tumours. However, the function and molecular mechanism of SLC2A5 in colorectal cancer (CRC) remain unknown. METHODS: We detected the expression levels of SLC2A5 in CRC tissues and CRC cell lines by western blotting, qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. CRC cell lines with stable overexpression or knockdown of SLC2A5 were constructed to evaluate the functional roles of SLC2A5 in vitro through conventional assays. An intrasplenic inoculation model was established in mice to investigate the effect of SLC2A5 in promoting metastasis in vivo. Methylation mass spectrometry sequencing, methylation specific PCR, bisulphite sequencing PCR, ChIP-qPCR and luciferase reporter assay were performed to investigate the molecular mechanism underlying transcriptional activation of SLC2A5. RESULTS: We found that SLC2A5 was upregulated in colorectal tumour tissues. Functionally, a high level of SLC2A5 expression was associated with increased invasion and metastasis capacities of CRC cells both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, we unveiled that S100P could integrate to a specific region of SLC2A5 promoter, thereby reducing its methylation levels and activating SLC2A5 transcription. CONCLUSIONS: Our results reveal a novel mechanism that S100P mediates the promoter demethylation and transcription activation of SLC2A5, thereby promoting the metastasis of CRC.

BET bromodomain is a novel regulator of TAZ and its activity.

Transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ) is a key transcriptional mediator of Hippo signaling that has been recently reported to mediate Wnt-activated transcription and serve as a component to suppress canonical Wnt/ß-catenin activity. The Bromodomain and Extra-terminal domain (BET) family of proteins can recognize the acetylated lysine chain on histones and plays a critical role in transcriptional regulation. However, the mechanisms underlying transcriptional repression by the BET bromodomain are poorly understood. Here, we found that BET bromodomain inhibition upregulated TAZ protein and its transcriptional output, independent of its well-established role as a mediator of Hippo and Wnt signaling. Additionally, JQ1, a synthetic BET inhibitor, suppressed Wnt/ß-catenin activity by upregulating TAZ. Although JQ1 upregulated TAZ, which is known to promote cell proliferation, it drastically suppressed the growth of colon cancer cells by inducing cell cycle arrest. Collectively, our study identified an unexpected transcriptional repression function of the BET bromodomain and a novel mechanism for TAZ upregulation.

Multichannel Sandstone Thin Sections Identification Based on Improved DeepLab V3 Plus Neural Network.

As an unconventional natural gas resource, tight sandstone gas is primarily stored in the minuscule pores between rocky sand grains. A thorough understanding of the pore structure characteristics of tight sandstone reservoirs is essential for formulating an extraction plan and enhancing the efficiency of gas field development. The pore structure and mineral composition in the sandstone can be directly observed by thin sections. Nevertheless, previous approaches for the automated identification of sandstone thin sections exhibit certain limitations including slow identification, low accuracy, and challenges in the recognition of particle sizes. To achieve more accurate and convenient mineral component identification, this study introduces a multichannel identification method built upon the enhanced DeepLab V3 Plus model. Initially, all 224 × 224 × 3 cross-polarized light (CPL) and orthogonal polarized light (XPL) sandstone thin sections were amalgamated into 224 × 224 × 6 multichannel (six channels) images. Subsequently, multiple networks were employed to train the three polarized data sets, and the optimal semantic segmentation architecture and data set were selected through filtering. Following that, embedding the attention mechanism into the semantic segmentation network enhanced the identification accuracy. Ultimately, mineral sizes were calculated to enable more precise classification and naming of sandstone thin sections. The results show that the new method outperforms in terms of recognition accuracy, achieving 89.8% for Mean PA and 81.2% for Mean IOU. The novel approach's enhanced level of detailing enables more precise identification of mineral composition and pore structure, a crucial aspect in evaluating reservoirs and predicting oil and gas production. It can also provide new insights into identifying and categorizing other thin sections with similar compositions.

TODO-Net: Temporally Observed Domain Contrastive Network for 3-D Early Action Prediction.

Early action prediction aiming to recognize which classes the actions belong to before they are fully conveyed is a very challenging task, owing to the insufficient discrimination information caused by the domain gaps among different temporally observed domains. Most of the existing approaches focus on using fully observed temporal domains to "guide" the partially observed domains while ignoring the discrepancies between the harder low-observed temporal domains and the easier highly observed temporal domains. The recognition models tend to learn the easier samples from the highly observed temporal domains and may lead to significant performance drops on low-observed temporal domains. Therefore, in this article, we propose a novel temporally observed domain contrastive network, namely, TODO-Net, to explicitly mine the discrimination information from the hard actions samples from the low-observed temporal domains by mitigating the domain gaps among various temporally observed domains for 3-D early action prediction. More specifically, the proposed TODO-Net is able to mine the relationship between the low-observed sequences and all the highly observed sequences belonging to the same action category to boost the recognition performance of the hard samples with fewer observed frames. We also introduce a temporal domain conditioned supervised contrastive (TD-conditioned SupCon) learning scheme to empower our TODO-Net with the ability to minimize the gaps between the temporal domains within the same action categories, meanwhile pushing apart the temporal domains belonging to different action classes. We conduct extensive experiments on two public 3-D skeleton-based activity datasets, and the results show the efficacy of the proposed TODO-Net.

Mitochondrial Morphology and Function Abnormality in Ovarian Granulosa Cells of Patients with Diminished Ovarian Reserve.

In this study, we examined the changes in the mitochondrial structure and function in cumulus granulosa cells of patients with diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) to explore the causes and mechanisms of decreased mitochondrial quality. The mitochondrial ultrastructure was observed by transmission electron microscope, and the function was determined by detecting the ATP content, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, the number of mitochondria, and the mitochondrial membrane potential. The expression of ATP synthases in relation to mitochondrial function was analyzed. Additionally, protein immunoblotting was used to compare the expression levels of mitochondrial kinetic protein, the related channel protein in the two groups. Patients with DOR had abnormal granulosa cell morphology, increased mitochondrial abnormalities, decreased mitochondrial function, and disturbed mitochondrial dynamics. Additionally, the silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1)/phospho-AMP-activated protein kinase (P-AMPK)-peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator 1 alpha (PGC-1α) pathway expression was decreased, which was speculated to be associated with the decreased mitochondrial mass in the DOR group. The mitochondrial mass was decreased in granulosa cells of patients in the DOR group. The mitochondrial dysfunction observed in granulosa cells of patients in the DOR group may be associated with dysregulation of the SIRT1/P-AMPK-PGC-1α-mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) pathway.

Membrane-associated NRPM proteins are novel suppressors of stomatal production in Arabidopsis.

In Arabidopsis, stomatal development and patterning require tightly regulated cell division and cell-fate differentiation that are controlled by key transcription factors and signaling molecules. To identify new regulators of stomatal development, we assay the transcriptomes of plants bearing enriched stomatal lineage cells that undergo active division. A member of the novel regulators at the plasma membrane (NRPM) family annotated as hydroxyproline-rich glycoproteins was identified to highly express in stomatal lineage cells. Overexpressing each of the four NRPM genes suppressed stomata formation, while the loss-of-function nrpm triple mutants generated severely overproduced stomata and abnormal patterning, mirroring those of the erecta receptor family and MAPKKK yoda null mutants. Manipulation of the subcellular localization of NRPM1 surprisingly revealed its regulatory roles as a peripheral membrane protein instead of a predicted cell wall protein. Further functional characterization suggests that NRPMs function downstream of the EPF1/2 peptide ligands and upstream of the YODA MAPK pathway. Genetic and cell biological analyses reveal that NRPM may promote the localization and function of the ERECTA receptor proteins at the cell surface. Therefore, we identify NRPM as a new class of signaling molecules at the plasma membrane to regulate many aspects of plant growth and development.

Case report: A Chinese patient with glutathione synthetase deficiency and a novel glutathione synthase mutation.

Glutathione synthetase deficiency (GSSD) is an autosomal-recessive metabolic disorder caused by glutathione synthetase (GSS) gene mutations. No more than 90 cases of GSSD have been reported worldwide; thus, the spectrum of GSS mutations and the genotype-phenotype association remain unclear. Here, we present a severely affected infant carrying a compound heterozygous GSS variation, c.491G > A, and a novel variant of c.1343_1348delTACTTC. We also summarize the clinical manifestations, treatment protocol, prognosis, and genetic characteristics of previously reported GSSD cases in China. In this case study, our patient presented with tachypnea, jaundice, intractable metabolic acidosis, and hemolytic anemia. Urinary-organic acid analysis revealed elevated 5-oxoproline levels. Further, this patient showed improved outcomes owing to early diagnosis and the timely administration of vitamins C and E. Therefore, our study indicates that in clinical cases of unexplained hemolytic anemia and metabolic acidosis, GSSD should be considered. Additionally, genetic testing and antioxidant application might help identify GSSD and improve the prognosis.

Si-Ni-San alleviates early life stress-induced depression-like behaviors in adolescence via modulating Rac1 activity and associated spine plasticity in the nucleus accumbens.

Background: Early life stress (ELS) is a major risk factor for depression in adolescents. The nucleus accumbens (NAc) is a key center of the reward system, and spine remodeling in the NAc contributes to the development of depression. The Si-Ni-San formula (SNS) is a fundamental prescription for treating depression in traditional Chinese medicine. However, little is known about the effects of SNS on behavioral abnormalities and spine plasticity in the NAc induced by ELS. Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect and the modulatory mechanism of SNS on abnormal behaviors and spine plasticity in the NAc caused by ELS. Methods: We utilized a model of ELS that involved maternal separation with early weaning to explore the protective effects of SNS on adolescent depression. Depressive-like behaviors were evaluated by the sucrose preference test, the tail suspension test, and the forced swimming test; anxiety-like behaviors were monitored by the open field test and the elevated plus maze. A laser scanning confocal microscope was used to analyze dendritic spine remodeling in the NAc. The activity of Rac1 was detected by pull-down and Western blot tests. Viral-mediated gene transfer of Rac1 was used to investigate its role in ELS-induced depression-like behaviors in adolescence. Results: ELS induced depression-like behaviors but not anxiety-like behaviors in adolescent mice, accompanied by an increase in stubby spine density, a decrease in mushroom spine density, and decreased Rac1 activity in the NAc. Overexpression of constitutively active Rac1 in the NAc reversed depression-related behaviors, leading to a decrease in stubby spine density and an increase in mushroom spine density. Moreover, SNS attenuated depression-like behavior in adolescent mice and counteracted the spine abnormalities in the NAc induced by ELS. Additionally, SNS increased NAc Rac1 activity, and the inhibition of Rac1 activity weakened the antidepressant effect of SNS. Conclusion: These results suggest that SNS may exert its antidepressant effects by modulating Rac1 activity and associated spine plasticity in the NAc.

The Value of Targeting CXCR4 With 68Ga-Pentixafor PET/CT for Subtyping Primary Aldosteronism.

CONTEXT: Primary aldosteronism (PA) is one of the leading causes of secondary hypertension, and its diagnostic subtyping consistently presents a clinical challenge. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the potential of 68Ga-Pentixafor positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in PA classification and its applicability in guiding the development of clinical treatment plans by increasing the sample size. METHODS: We prospectively enrolled 120 patients with either PA or nonfunctional adenoma (NFA) for analysis. All patients underwent 68Ga-Pentixafor PET/CT. Of these, 11 patients underwent adrenal venous sampling (AVS), 77 underwent adrenalectomy, 76 received pathological diagnoses, and 71 underwent immunohistochemical detection of aldosterone synthase (CYP11B2). Immunohistochemistry for C-X-C chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) was performed in 62 cases. Follow-up was conducted for all patients. RESULTS: Among the 120 patients, 66 were diagnosed with aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA), 33 with idiopathic hyperaldosteronism (IHA), and 21 with NFA. For APA patients, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of visual analysis using 68Ga-Pentixafor PET/CT were 92.40%, 94.40%, and 93.33%, respectively. Furthermore, for APA patients with a nodule greater than 1 cm in diameter, when the maximum standard uptake value was 7.3 or greater, the specificity was 100%; and for APA patients with a nodule less than 1 cm in diameter, 68Ga-Pentixafor PET/CT also exhibited high sensitivity. AVS was successfully performed in 5 patients. Among the 5 patients, the concordance rate between the AVS and 68Ga-Pentixafor PET/CT for PA subtyping was 60%. In the 77 patients who underwent adrenalectomy, 61 PET/CT scans displayed positive lesions, all of which benefited from the surgery. Additionally, the concordance rate between 68Ga-Pentixafor PET/CT imaging and CYP11B2 was 81.69%. CONCLUSION: 68Ga-Pentixafor PET/CT is a reliable and noninvasive functional imaging technique that demonstrates high accuracy in classifying PA and provides valuable guidance for clinical treatment decision-making.

High glucose facilitates cell cycle arrest of rat bone marrow multipotent adult progenitor cells through transforming growth factor-ß1 and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 signalling without changing Oct4 expression.

1. The transcription factor Oct4 is critical to the pluripotency, self-renewal and differentiation of stem cells. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of high glucose (HG) on the cell cycle progression of bone marrow multipotent adult progenitor cells (MAPC) and Oct4 expression, as well as the underlying mechanisms. 2. Rat MAPC were cultured in normal (5.5 mmol/L D-glucose) and HG (25.5 mmol/L D-glucose) media for up to 14 days. L-Glucose served as a high osmolarity control. Culture in HG media substantially increased the number of cells in the G(0)/G(1) phase and decreased the number in the S phase without changing the cell population in the G(2) phase. Expression of the cell cycle regulatory protein p21CIP/WAF-1 (p21), but not that of p27KIP-1 (p27), was significantly upregulated in cells cultured in HG media. Significant increases were seen in transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß1 levels in cells and MAPC-conditioned medium in the presence of HG, and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 phosphorylation was enhanced in cells cultured in the presence of HG medium without any changes in Akt phosphorylation. 3. Neutralizing TGF-ß1 antibody effectively prevented HG-induced increases in ERK1/2 phosphorylation, p21 expression and suppression of cell cycle progression of MAPC. Inhibiting ERK1/2 phosphorylation with PD98059 completely blocked HG-induced p21 expression and markedly reversed HG-induced inhibition of cell cycle progression in MAPC. The HG-induced suppression of cell cycle progression was not accompanied by inhibition of cell proliferation or Oct4 expression in these cells. 4. The data indicate that HG facilitates cell cycle arrest of rat MAPC through TGF-ß1-induced activation of ERK1/2 signalling and p21 expression, and that Oct4 expression in MAPC is independent of the cell cycle and/or TGF-ß1 or ERK1/2 signalling in HG medium.

[Effectiveness of systematic self-management education on blood sugar level of patients in the community with type 2 diabetes].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effectiveness of systematic self-management education on blood sugar level of patients in the community with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: A total of 248 patients with type 2 diabetes from 10 communities of Changsha were randomized into intervention or control groups in February 2009. The intervention group received systematic self-management education, while the other received routine community education. Before and after intervention, fasting plasma glucose, 2 h postprandial plasma glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin were measured, and evaluated between the 2 groups. RESULTS: Fasting plasma glucose, 2 h postprandial plasma glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin levels of patients with diabetes from the two groups were generally comparable at baseline (P>0.05). After the intervention, these three indicators were all statistically significant between the 2 groups (P<0.01, P<0.05, P<0.01, respectively). After intervention, blood sugar levels in the intervention group were obviously improved (P<0.01), while in the control group, fasting plasma glucose was not statistically improved (P>0.05), 2 h plasma glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin levels were improved (P<0.01, P<0.05, respectively). CONCLUSION: Systematic self-management education effectively encourages patients with type 2 diabetes to control their blood sugar levels, and deserves further promotion.

A Novel Method for the Intelligent Recognition of Lattice Fringes in Coal HRTEM Images Based on Semantic Segmentation and Fuzzy Superpixels.

High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) can directly obtain the lattice fringes and structure parameters of coal. Aiming at present problems in extracting lattice fringes in HRTEM images, such as unlocated fringe regions, single-threshold segmentation, unclassified fuzzy superpixels, and tedious fringe pruning, an intelligent recognition method based on semantic segmentation, deep neural networks, fuzzy superpixels, and other algorithms is proposed. For unlocated fringe regions, the fringe regions are automatically localized with semantic segmentation. The whole semantic segmentation network adopts DeepLab V3+ based on ResNet to reduce unnecessary operations brought by non-fringe regions. For single-threshold segmentation of the image, the image is chunked before anything else. The genetic-optimized watershed algorithm is applied to divide the fringe base maps and non-fringe ones in order to avoid the distortion caused by different lights and shades of the image. For the fuzzy superpixels between the fringes and non-fringes, a similarity category judgment method based on neighboring pixels is proposed to solve the problem of unclassified fuzzy superpixels and to enrich and perfect the information of the lattice fringe base map. Eventually, as for lattice fringe overlap caused by coals piling together, a similarity judgment method based on the fringes' characteristics is proposed to remove the bur portion of the lattice fringes and improve the pruning rate. Combining the above theories, a visualization tool based on MATLAB App Designer is designed, and the above four steps can be completed by this app to accurately display the results of coal aromatic lattice fringe identification in HRTEM images. Comparison with the lattice fringes drawn by leading experts shows that the fringes interpreted by this method are reliable. This method facilitates the extraction of lattice fringes in HRTEM, which lays the foundation for the labeling of HRTEM images in a variety of deep learning algorithms and facilitates the direct observation of coal structures by researchers.

Image Genetic Analysis and Application Research Based on QRFPR and Other Neural Network-Related SNP Loci.

The development of neuroimaging technology and molecular genetics has produced a large amount of imaging genetics data, which has greatly promoted the study of complex mental diseases. However, because the feature dimension of the data is too high, the correlation measure assumes that the data obey Gaussian distribution, and traditional algorithms often cannot explain these two types of data well. This article mainly studies image genetics analysis and its application based on neural network. In this paper, based on the theory and application technology of neural network, the tree structure is established by prior knowledge, that is, each SNP site is used as a leaf node of the tree, and the LD block and genome formed by the linkage imbalance of multiple SNP sites are used as intermediate nodes. Then, the hierarchical relationship of features was introduced. On this basis, a sparse learning method based on tree structure guidance is used to select features from multiple features of multiple SNPs locus regression candidate brain regions. Finally, the identification of SNPs in feature selection is used to predict quantitative traits of brain regions. The distribution of the typical vector values obtained by the algorithm in the experimental data is basically consistent with the distribution of the median of the actual data, and the correlation coefficient obtained is closest to the actual correlation coefficient in the data set. The average correlation coefficient of the algorithm reaches 82.3%, which is about 4.2% higher than the control algorithm. Experimental results show that this method can not only significantly improve the regression performance but also detect the risk gene SNPs loci with spatial clustering features and functional interpretation significance. It is practical and effective to use it in clinical trials.

miRNA-323a-3p promoted intracranial, aneurysm-induced inflammation via AMPK/NF-κB signaling pathway by AdipoR1.

BACKGROUND: An intracranial arterial wall which locally protrudes outward, typically in the capsule and fusiform, is called an intracranial aneurysm (IA). Among these aneurysms, 1-2% might spontaneously rupture before treatment. Anterior and posterior communicating aneurysms are more likely to rupture than other aneurysms, and an anterior communicating aneurysm is more likely to rupture than a posterior communicating aneurysm. OBJECTIVES: To identify the effects of miRNA-323a-3p expression in intracranial aneurysms and its potential regulatory mechanism. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients with IA and healthy volunteers were enrolled, and their serum samples were extracted for the detection of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 1ß (IL-1ß), IL-6, IL-18, and miRNA-323a-3p. Then, the regulatory effects of miRNA-323a-3p on the above inflammatory factors and AdipoR1/AMPK/NF-kb signaling were also detected in vitro. RESULTS: The downregulation of miRNA-323a-3p reduced the expression of inflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6, and IL-18) in an in vitro model in comparison with the control group. The overexpression of miRNA-323a-3p suppressed the protein expression of adiponectin receptor R1 (AdipoR1) and p-AMPK, and induced NF-κB-p65 protein expression in an in vitro model. CONCLUSIONS: We showed that AdipoR1 plasmid, AMPK activator 1 or si-NF-κB reduced the pro-inflammatory effects of miRNA-323a-3p in an in vitro model. The miRNA-323a-3p exacerbated the inflammatory reaction in IA through AMPK/NF-κB signaling by AdipoR1. Our findings suggest that miRNA-323a-3p targeting AdipoR1 is promising in further anti-inflammatory treatment of IAs.

Rutin-Loaded Stimuli-Responsive Hydrogel for Anti-Inflammation.

An active flavonoid compound rutin was incorporated into a guanosine phenylborate hydrogel (GBR) by a stimuli-responsive borate ester linkage for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The components and morphology of the drug delivery system were characterized by NMR, UV-vis spectroscopy, and AFM. Rheological measurements revealed the required injectability and self-healing ability, which contributed to its application in rectal administration. The cell assays proved the excellent compatibility and safety of the system, and a possible pathway to form multicellular aggregates. In vitro drug-release studies showed that the hydrogel exhibited good stability in physiological medium, and the drug was almost completely released (more than 90 wt % after 24 h of incubation) in acidic pH and excessive ROS-containing medium, realizing the dual-responsive release of pH/ROS. In vivo activities of the GBR hydrogel showed higher therapeutic efficacy than free rutin in a colitis mice model, and it could significantly inhibit overexpressed inflammatory cytokines, including TNF-α and IL-6. Degradation studies of the hydrogel provided further evidence for the safety of its in vivo application. The work provided a simple strategy to prepare a G-quadruplex drug carrier, which was expected to achieve multi-drug delivery.

Application of a cationic amylose derivative loaded with single-walled carbon nanotubes for gene delivery therapy and photothermal therapy of colorectal cancer.

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) are cylindrical graphitic helix molecules that exhibit superb mechanical and physical properties. Many polymers, such as polyethylene glycol and glycated chitosan, have been used to modify SWNTs to enhance the stability and biocompatibility of delivery systems; thus, a novel modification for SWNTs with amylose derivatives containing poly(L-lysine) dendrons (ADP@SWNT) is developed. Infrared spectra analysis, 1 H NMR analysis, circular dichroism spectra analysis and thermogravimetric analysis are used to characterize and confirm complex formation. The aqueous dispersion stability, cytotoxicity, gene transfection efficiency and photothermal effect of the complex are studied in vitro and in vivo. Results suggest that the ADP@SWNT complex is successfully synthesized with good water dispersion stability and pDNA transfection capacity. ADP@SWNT/TNFα inhibits tumor growth and metastasis both in vivo and in vitro, and the anti-tumor effect is enhanced by NIR irradiation, suggesting its high potential for application in tumor therapy.

Investigation on the prevalence and influencing factors of myopia among children and adolescents in Liyang city.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of myopia among children and adolescents in a local area (Liyang City) of China and analyze the influencing factors, so as to formulate corresponding preventive measures. METHODS: A questionnaire survey was conducted, mainly investigating subjects' age, gender, residence (urban/rural areas), parental myopia, daily time spent outdoors, daily sleep time, distance between computer screen and eyes, less than one punch (10 cm) from the chest to the edge of the desk when reading and writing, one inch (3 cm) between finger and pen tip when writing, number of in-school physical education (PE) classes, length of TV watching, and size of TV. The myopia of all participants was recorded. RESULTS: This study enrolled 7,948 children and adolescents, including 4,733 (59.55%) cases of myopia, 1,025 (12.90%) of astigmatism, 251 (3.16%) of hyperopia, and 699 (8.79%) of anisometropia respectively. There were 2,519 (53.22%) cases of myopia in the left eye and 2,214 (46.78%) in the right eye. Low, moderate, and high myopia were determined in 2,682 (56.67%), 1,583 (33.45%), and 468 (9.89%), respectively. In terms of spherical equivalent (SEQ), a statistically lower SEQ was observed in urban areas (-1.56±0.46 d) versus suburban counties (-1.17±0.33 d), and in females (-1.68±0.30 d) compared with males (-1.17±0.44 d). The mean SEQ gradually decreased with age. The prevalence of myopia was 63.84% (2,436/3,816) in females, statistically higher than that of 55.59% (2,197/4,132) in males (χ2=56.00, P < 0.0001). The incidence of myopia was statistically higher in urban areas (67.93% [3,321/4,889]) versus rural areas (46.16% [1,412/3,059]). Parental myopia, one inch between finger and pen tip when writing, daily time spent outdoors, daily sleep time, distance between computer screen and eyes, less than one punch from the chest to the edge of the desk when reading and writing, number of in-school PE classes, and daily length of TV watching were significantly correlated with the occurrence of myopia. CONCLUSIONS: Parents are advised to pay attention to daily time spent outdoors, sleep time, distance between the computer screen and the eyes, distance between the chest and the edge of the table when reading and writing, and length of TV watching of their children. As far as schools are concerned, PE activity time should be properly maintained to ensure that children have enough outdoor exercise time to reduce eye fatigue.