GLK transcription factors accompany ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL5 to orchestrate light-induced seedling development in Arabidopsis.

Light-induced de-etiolation is an important aspect of seedling photomorphogenesis. GOLDEN2 LIKE (GLK) transcriptional regulators are involved in chloroplast development, but to what extent they participate in photomorphogenesis is not clear. Here, we show that ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL5 (HY5) binds to GLK promoters to activate their expression, and also interacts with GLK proteins in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). The chlorophyll content in the de-etiolating Arabidopsis seedlings of the hy5 glk2 double mutants was lower than that in the hy5 single mutant. GLKs inhibited hypocotyl elongation, and the phenotype could superimpose on the hy5 phenotype. Correspondingly, GLK2 regulated the expression of photosynthesis and cell elongation genes partially independent of HY5. Before exposure to light, DE-ETIOLATED 1 (DET1) affected accumulation of GLK proteins. The enhanced etioplast development and photosystem gene expression observed in the det1 mutant were attenuated in the det1 glk2 double mutant. Our study reveals that GLKs act downstream of HY5, or additive to HY5, and are likely quantitatively adjusted by DET1, to orchestrate multiple developmental traits during the light-induced skotomorphogenesis-to-photomorphogenesis transition in Arabidopsis.

Significantly Enhanced Energy Density of Polyvinylidene Fluoride/Polyimide-Based Nanocomposites by Core-Shell BaTiO3@SiO2.

Improving the limited energy storage capacity of dielectric materials has long been an attractive challenge. In this work, a four-phase hybridized nanocomposite was designed. The linear polymer polyimide (PI) was added to the ferroelectric polymer polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and compounded with a nanoceramic BT@SiO2 with a core-shell structure. The results show that PVDF-PI/BT@SiO2 nanocomposites prepared by a straightforward spin-coating method have a significantly increased discharge energy density. The polymer blends obtain a tightly extended conformation in the amorphous region. Also, this provides an excellent matrix environment for the homogeneous dispersion of fillers. The core-shell structure, as a physical barrier, not only hinders the expansion of the breakdown path but also extends multiple polarization surfaces with gradient variations at the microscopic level. Therefore, the synergistic effect generated by polymer blending and core-shell structure effectively enhances the dielectric and stored energy characteristics of nanocomposites. The dielectric constant is stable at 11.39-18.7, and the dielectric loss is always lower than 0.136. The discharge energy density is 2.5 J/cm3, almost 110% higher than that of the BOPP films (about 1.2 J/cm3). These experimental results suggest that the composite system using core-shell structure and polymer blending is a new way to improve the energy density of dielectric materials.

Relationship between the magnitude of haemoglobin changes and long-term mortality in patients with sepsis: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Sepsis is a common and severe disease with a high mortality rate in intensive care unit (ICU). The hemoglobin (HGB) level is a key parameter for oxygen supply in sepsis. Although HGB is associated with the progression of inflammation in sepsis patients, its role as a marker following sepsis treatment remains unclear. Here, we studied the correlation between early temporal changes in HGB levels and long-term mortality rates in septic patients. METHOD: In this retrospective study of data on patients with sepsis from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC) IV database, the outcome was long-term mortality. Patients were divided based on the cut-off of the HGB percentage for receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve calculation. Kaplan-Meier (KM) survival curves and Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to analyse the associations between groups and outcomes. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to verify the results. RESULTS: In this study, 2042 patients with sepsis and changes in HGB levels at day 4 after admission compared to day 1 were enrolled and divided into two groups: group 1 (n = 1147) for those with reduction of HGB < 7% and group 2 (n = 895) for those with dropping ≥ 7%. The long-term survival chances of sepsis with less than a 7% reduction in the proportion of HGB at day four were significantly higher than those of patients in the group with a reduction of 7% or more. After adjusting for covariates in the Cox model, the hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for long-term all-cause mortality in the group with a reduction of 7% or more were as follows: 180 days [HR = 1.41, 95% CI (1.22 to 1.63), P < 0.001]; 360 days [HR = 1.37, 95% CI (1.21 to 1.56), P < 0.001]; 540 days [HR = 1.35, 95% CI (1.20 to 1.53), P < 0.001]; 720 days [HR = 1.45, 95% CI (1.29 to 1.64), P < 0.001]. Additionally, the long-term survival rates, using Kaplan-Meier analysis, for the group with a reduction of 7% or more were lower compared to the group with less than 7% reduction at 180 days (54.3% vs. 65.3%, P < 0.001), 360 days (42.3% vs. 50.9%, P < 0.001), 540 days (40.2% vs. 48.6%, P < 0.001), and 720 days (35.5% vs. 46.1%, P < 0.001). The same trend was obtained after using PSM. CONCLUSION: A ≥ 7% decrease in HGB levels on Day 4 after admission was associated with worse long-term prognosis in sepsis patients admitted to the ICU.

Geriatric nutrition risk index in the prediction of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in older adults with hyperlipidemia: NHANES 1999-2018.

BACKGROUND: Malnutrition is linked to a higher risk of unfavorable outcomes in various illnesses. The present investigation explored the correlation between inadequate nutritional condition and outcomes in older individuals diagnosed with hyperlipidemia. METHODS: The geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI) was used to evaluate the nutritional status. All patients were divided into two groups according to GNRI. A Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to assess the survival rates of different groups at risk of malnutrition. In addition, GNRI was used in COX proportional risk regression models to evaluate its predictive effect on both overall mortality and cardiovascular mortality among patients with hyperlipidemia. Furthermore, the study employed restricted cubic splines (RCS) to examine the nonlinear correlation between GNRI and mortality. RESULTS: The study included 4,532 elderly individuals diagnosed with hyperlipidemia. During a median follow-up duration of 139 months, a total of 1498 deaths from all causes and 410 deaths from cardiovascular causes occurred. The Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated significantly poorer survival among individuals at risk of malnutrition, as indicated by the GNRI. In the malnutrition risk group, the modified COX proportional hazards model revealed that a decrease in GNRI was associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality (HR=1.686, 95% CI 1.212-2.347) and cardiovascular mortality (HR=3.041, 95% CI 1.797-5.147). Furthermore, the restricted cubic splines revealed a non-linear association between GNRI and both all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality (p-value for non-linearity = 0.0039, p-value for non-linearity=0.0386). CONCLUSIONS: In older patients with hyperlipidemia, lower levels of GNRI are associated with mortality. The GNRI could potentially be used to predict all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality.

Association between weekend catch-up outdoor duration and prevalence of myopia: evidence from a cross-sectional, multi-center study in China.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed at investigating the relationship between the weekend catch-up outdoor duration (WCOD) and prevalence of myopia among students in China. METHODS: This cross-sectional study recruited participants in 107 schools (six cities, 30 districts) from China from May to June 2021. Demographic characteristics (age, grade, sex, ethnicity, BMI, resident, and parents' myopia), optically habits (bad writing habits, working/studying time per day, continuous working/studying time per day, and screen time per day) and outdoor duration (weekday and weekend) were obtained from questionnaire. WCOD was defined as outdoor time 1 h longer on weekends than on weekdays. Spherical equivalent (SE) of refractive error were measured with non-cycloplegic refraction. Adjusted multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the relationship between WCOD and prevalence of myopia. RESULTS: Students with myopia had shorter WCOD compared with those without myopia (P < 0.001). Adjusted multivariate logistic regression analyses showed negative associations between WCOD and prevalence of myopia in Chinese students, especially in students with WCOD of 2-3 h (OR = 0.577, P < 0.001) and 3-4 h (OR = 0.571, P = 0.004) when the weekday outdoor duration was 0.5-1 h, as well as students with WCOD of 2-3 h (OR = 0.614, P = 0.003) when the weekday outdoor duration was 1-2 h. Similar results were observed in students with high myopia. Students with high myopia had shorter WCOD compared with those without high myopia (P = 0.001). Negative associations between WCOD and prevalence of high myopia were significant in students with WCOD of 1-2 h when the weekday outdoor duration was < 0.5 h (OR = 0.585, P = 0.007) and 0.5-1 h (OR = 0.537, P = 0.018). CONCLUSION: Our study, for the first time, reported that a WCOD have a potential to reduce the prevalence of myopia and high myopia in Chinese students.

Desmoplastic fibroma in a child: a 9-year follow-up case report.

BACKGROUND: Desmoplastic fibroma is an extremely rare primary bone tumor. Its characteristic features include bone destruction accompanied by the formation of soft tissue masses. This condition predominantly affects individuals under the age of 30. Since its histology is similar to desmoid-type fibromatosis, an accurate diagnosis before operation is difficult. Desmoplastic fibroma is resistant to chemotherapy, and the efficacy of radiotherapy is uncertain. Surgical excision is preferred for treatment, but it entails high recurrence. Further, skeletal reconstruction post-surgery is challenging, especially in pediatric cases. CASE PRESENTATION: Nine years ago, a 14-year-old male patient presented with a 4-year history of progressive pain in his left wrist. Initially diagnosed as fibrous dysplasia by needle biopsy, the patient underwent tumor resection followed by free vascularized fibular proximal epiphyseal transfer for wrist reconstruction. However, a histological examination confirmed a diagnosis of desmoplastic fibroma. The patient achieved bone union and experienced a recurrence in the ipsilateral ulna 5 years later, accompanied by a wrist deformity. He underwent a second tumor resection and wrist arthrodesis in a single stage. The most recent annual follow-up was in September 2023; the patient had no recurrence and was satisfied with the surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Desmoplastic fibroma is difficult to diagnose and treat, and reconstruction surgery after tumor resection is challenging. Close follow-up by experienced surgeons may be beneficial for prognosis.

Anisometropia and its correction in children in northwest China: A study based on autorefraction data.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the prevalence and correction of anisometropia among primary school children in northwestern China. METHODS: A cross-sectional school-based study was conducted in Shaanxi Province. Visual acuity (VA) and autorefraction without cycloplegia were assessed in all participants, and some received axial length (AL) measurements. Anisometropia was categorised based on spherical equivalent (SE), cylindrical (CYL), and AL. The prevalence of anisometropia and refractive correction across different ages and sexes, and correlations between ocular parameters, were analysed. RESULTS: The study included 29 153 children aged 6-12 (mean age 9.52 ± 1.73 years) for VA and autorefraction measurements, and 1176 children for AL measurements. The prevalence of myopia (SE ≤ -0.50 D), hyperopia (SE ≥ +0.50 D), and anisometropia (interocular SE difference ≥1.00 D) was 65.26%, 15.09%, and 16.50%, respectively. Anisometropia severity, based on SE (χ2 = 443.758, p < 0.001), CYL (χ2 = 41.669, p < 0.001), and AL (χ2 = 95.505, p < 0.001), increased with age, with no significant differences between sexes. Interocular SE difference correlated with interocular spherical power (r = 0.806, p < 0.001), CYL (r = 0.21, p < 0.001), and AL (r = 0.365, p < 0.001). Additionally, interocular CYL difference was positively correlated with interocular AL difference (r = 0.16, p < 0.001). Despite the high prevalence of anisometropia, less than 30% of affected children received refractive correction. CONCLUSIONS: Anisometropia of SE, CYL, and AL increased progressively with age. Despite the elevated prevalence of anisometropia, the utilisation of refractive correction remained strikingly low.

Pin1 Downregulation Is Involved in Excess Retinoic Acid-Induced Failure of Neural Tube Closure.

Neural tube defects (NTDs), which are caused by impaired embryonic neural tube closure, are one of the most serious and common birth defects. Peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerase 1 (Pin1) is a prolyl isomerase that uniquely regulates cell signaling by manipulating protein conformation following phosphorylation, although its involvement in neuronal development remains unknown. In this study, we explored the involvement of Pin1 in NTDs and its potential mechanisms both in vitro and in vivo. The levels of Pin1 expression were reduced in NTD models induced by all-trans retinoic acid (Atra). Pin1 plays a significant role in regulating the apoptosis, proliferation, differentiation, and migration of neurons. Moreover, Pin1 knockdown significantly was found to exacerbate oxidative stress (OS) and endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERs) in neuronal cells. Further studies showed that the Notch1-Nrf2 signaling pathway may participate in Pin1 regulation of NTDs, as evidenced by the inhibition and overexpression of the Notch1-Nrf2 pathway. In addition, immunofluorescence (IF), co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP), and GST pull-down experiments also showed that Pin1 interacts directly with Notch1 and Nrf2. Thus, our study suggested that the knocking down of Pin1 promotes NTD progression by inhibiting the activation of the Notch1-Nrf2 signaling pathway, and it is possible that this effect is achieved by disrupting the interaction of Pin1 with Notch1 and Nrf2, affecting their proteostasis. Our research identified that the regulation of Pin1 by retinoic acid (RA) and its involvement in the development of NTDs through the Notch1-Nrf2 axis could enhance our comprehension of the mechanism behind RA-induced brain abnormalities.

Structural and sensory characteristics of ultrasonic assisted wet-heating Maillard reaction products of Giant salamander protein hydrolysates.

BACKGROUND: Chinese giant salamander protein hydrolysates (CGSPH) are beneficial to human health as a result of their high content of amino acids and peptides. However, the formation of bitter peptides in protein hydrolysates (PHs) would hinder their application in food industry. The ultrasound assisted wet-heating Maillard reaction (MR) is an effective way to improve the flavor of PHs. Thus, the effect of ultrasonic assisted wet-heating MR on the structure and flavor of CGSPH was investigated in the present study. RESULTS: The results indicated that the ultrasound assisted wet-heating MR products (MRPs) exhibited a higher degree of graft and more significant changes in the secondary and tertiary structures of CGSPH compared to traditional wet-heating MRPs. Moreover, ultrasound assisted wet-heating MR could significantly increase the content of small molecule peptides and reduce the content of free amino acids of CGSPH, which resulted in more significant changes in flavor characteristics. The changed in flavor properties after MR (especially ultrasound assisted wet-heating MRPs) were mainly manifested by a significant reduction in bitterness, as well as a significant increase in the content of aromatic aldehyde ester compounds such as furan-2-carbaldehyde, butanal, benzaldehyde, furfural, etc. CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasound assisted wet-heating MR between CGSPH and xylose could be a promising way to improve the sensory characteristics of CGSPH. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

[Analysis of Prenatal Ultrasound Manifestations in 15 Cases of Cantrell Syndrome]. / Cantrell综合征15ä¾‹äº§å‰è¶ å£°è¡¨çŽ°åˆ†æž.

Objective: Cantrell syndrome, a rare congenital disorder, is characterized by a unique collection of defects on the midline abdominal wall, the lower sternum, the anterior diaphragm, and the diaphragmatic pericardium in addition to some form of intracardiac defect. So far, most of the reports on fetuses with Cantrell syndrome worldwide are either case reports or literature reviews, and few comprehensive studies on fetuses with Cantrell syndrome have been reported, especially in domestic literature. This study aims to provide a detailed analysis of 15 cases of Cantrell syndrome fetuses, focusing on their prenatal ultrasound manifestations and postnatal examination outcomes. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted with 15 cases of fetuses diagnosed with Cantrell syndrome via prenatal ultrasound examinations between March 2018 and July 2023. Ultrasound examinations were performed in accordance with the Guidelines for Obstetric Ultrasound in China, including first-trimester fetal ultrasound scan and routine second-trimester fetal ultrasound scan. Gestational age was evaluated and nuchal translucency (NT) was measured during first-trimester fetal ultrasound scan at 11 to 13+6 weeks. The diagnostic criterion for NT thickening was NT≥3.0 mm and the screening of severe fetal structural malformations was performed, including the screening of the head, the neck, the thorax, the abdominal content, the abdominal wall, the limbs and other structures. During routine second-trimester fetal ultrasound scan, the fetal biometry was assessed and an anatomy survey was performed. Post-induction and postnatal outcomes of fetuses diagnosed with Cantrell syndrome by prenatal ultrasound were followed up by postnatal observation, inquiries with the electronic medical record system, or telephone follow-up. The prenatal ultrasound imaging manifestations and features of the fetuses with Cantrell syndrome, as well as their post-induction or postnatal examination results were comprehensively summarized and analyzed. Results: The study involved pregnant women of the average age of 30.1±3.5 years, with ultrasound diagnoses made between 11 to 26 weeks of gestation (mean: 13.4±4.0 weeks). Among the 15 cases, there were 10 singleton pregnancies and 5 cases of one twin in a pair of twins. These twins comprised 3 monochorionic diamniotic twins and 2 dichorionic diamniotic twins, with Cantrell syndrome present in one of the twins in all 5 cases. Thirteen cases were diagnosed by fetal ultrasound scan conducted in the first trimester, with 10 being singleton pregnancies and 3 being twin pregnancies (1 monochorionic diamniotic twins and 2 dichorionic diamniotic twins). One case was missed in the first-trimester ultrasound scan, resulting in a missed diagnosis rate of 7.1%. Two cases were diagnosed in second-trimester fetal ultrasound scan, both involving monochorionic diamniotic twins. One case was a referral from another hospital at 19 weeks, while the other was initially not diagnosed for Cantrell syndrome and was diagnosed at 26 weeks. Prenatal ultrasound examinations revealed a consistent pattern of abnormalities across all 15 fetuses, including manifestations of ectopic cordis combined with abdominal protrusion mass. Specifically, 4 cases were diagnosed with omphalocele, 4 with gastroschisis, and the remaining 7 had uncertain coverage of the membrane on the surface of the abdominal protrusion mass. Six fetuses had complete ectopic cordis, while nine had partial ectopic cordis. Fetal echocardiography was performed in 5 cases, revealing intracardiac malformations in 4 cases (80%). Notably, 2 cases were diagnosed in the second trimester, including one with right ventricular hypoplasia accompanied by interventricular septal defect and another with double outlet right ventricle accompanied by interventricular septal defect. Additionally, 2 cases were diagnosed in the first trimester, one with single atrium and single ventricle, and the other with complete transposition of the great arteries. Of the 15 cases of fetuses with Cantrell syndrome, 13 (86.7%) exhibited concomitant malformations in other systems. These included 7 cases of spinal malformations, 4 limb abnormalities, 3 umbilical cord abnormalities, 2 central nervous system malformations, 1 facial malformation, and 2 fetal hydrops. Spinal malformations were the most prevalent concomitant malformation, accounting for 46.7% of all cases. Among the 14 fetuses undergoing NT examination, 7 (50%) had increased NT, and 5 of them had cystic hygroma. All 10 singleton pregnancies underwent induced abortion, and the appearance of the induced fetuses was consistent with the prenatal ultrasound manifestations. In the twin pregnancies, 2 cases experienced intrauterine fetal death, while 2 underwent selective reduction. Notably, 3 of these cases exhibited postnatal appearances consistent with prenatal ultrasound manifestation, while 1 case showed an indistinct appearance after selective reduction during delivery. One case was lost to follow-up. Genetic testing was conducted for 4 induced fetuses, none of which yielded any relevant pathogenic or potentially pathogenic variants. Conclusion: In conclusion, Cantrell syndrome manifests prenatally with ectopic cordis combined with abdominal protrusion mass, often accompanied by intracardiac malformations and other concomitant malformations. While most cases can be diagnosed in the first trimester, there remains the possibility of missed diagnoses, which underscores the importance of close follow-up in the second trimester.

[Application of Fetal Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Prognosis Assessment of Fetuses With Congenital Pulmonary Cystic Diseases]. / äº§å‰ç£å ±æŒ¯åœ¨å ˆå¤©æ€§è‚ºå›Šæ€§ç–¾ç— èƒŽå„¿é¢„åŽè¯„ä¼°ä¸­çš„åº”ç”¨ç ”ç©¶.

Objective: The aim of this study is to explore the practical value of prenatal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the assessment of congenital cystic lung disease in fetuses, to evaluate the relative size of the lesion and the status of lung development, and to make an attempt at utilizing the strength of MRI in post-processing to obtain assessment indicators of the size of the lesion and the status of lung development, with which predictions can be made for the prognosis that these fetuses may face after birth. We retrospectively collected and analyzed the data of fetuses diagnosed with congenital cystic lung disease. Prenatal ultrasound examination of these fetuses led to the diagnosis that they were suspected of having congenital cystic lung disease and the diagnosis was confirmed by subsequent prenatal MRI. The fetuses were followed up to track their condition at birth (postnatal respiratory distress, mechanical ventilation, etc.), whether the fetuses underwent surgical treatment, and the recovery of the fetuses after surgical treatment. The recovery of the fetuses was followed up to explore the feasibility of prenatal MRI examination to assess fetal congenital pulmonary cystic disease, and to preliminarily explore the predictive value of prenatal MRI for the prognosis of fetuses with congenital pulmonary cystic disease. Methods: MRI fetal images were collected from pregnant women who attended the West China Second University Hospital of Sichuan University between May 2018 and March 2023 and who were diagnosed with fetal congenital pulmonary cystic disease by prenatal ultrasound and subsequent MRI. Fetal MRI images of congenital cystic lung disease were post-processed to obtain the fetal lung lesion volume, the fetal affected lung volume, the healthy lung volume, and the fetal head circumference measurements. The signal intensity of both lungs and livers, the lesion volume/the affected lung volume, the lesion volume/total lung volume, the cystic volume ratio (CVR), and the bilateral lung-liver signal intensity ratio were measured. The feasibility and value of MRI post-processing acquisition indexes for evaluating the prognosis of fetuses with congenital cystic lung disease were further analyzed by combining the follow-up results obtained 6 months after the birth of the fetus. Logistic regression models were used to quantify the differences in maternal age, gestational week at the time of MRI, CVR, and bilateral lung-to-liver signal intensity ratio, and to assess whether these metrics correlate with poor prognosis. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to assess the value of the parameters obtained by MRI calculations alone and in combination with multiple metrics for predicting poor prognosis after birth. Results: We collected a total of 67 cases of fetuses diagnosed with congenital cystic lung disease by fetal MRI between May 2018 and March 2023, and excluded 6 cases with no normal lung tissue in the affected lungs, 11 cases of fetal induction, and 3 cases of loss of pregnancy. In the end, 47 cases of fetuses with congenital cystic lung disease were included, of which 30 cases had a good prognosis and 17 cases had a poor prognosis. The difference in the difference between the signal intensity ratios of the affected and healthy sides of the lungs and livers of the fetuses in the good prognosis group and that in the poor prognosis group was statistically significant (P<0.05), and the signal intensity ratio of the healthy side of the lungs and livers was higher than the signal intensity ratio of the affected side of the lungs and livers. Further analysis showed that CVR (odds ratio [OR]=1.058, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.014-1.104), and the difference between the lung-to-liver signal intensity ratios of the affected and healthy sides (OR=0.814, 95% CI: 0.700-0.947) were correlated with poor prognosis of birth in fetuses with congenital cystic lung disease. In addition, ROC curve analysis showed that the combined application of lesion volume/affected lung volume and the observed difference in the signal intensity ratio between the affected and healthy lungs and liver predicted the prognosis of children with congenital cystic lung disease more accurately than the single-parameter judgment did, with the area under the curve being 0.988, and the cut-off value being 0.33, which corresponded to a sensitivity of 100%, a specificity of 93.3%, and a 95% CI of 0.966-1.000. Conclusions: Based on the MRI of fetuses with congenital cystic lung disease, we obtained information on lesion volume, lesion volume/affected lung volume, lesion volume/total lung volume, CVR, and bilateral lung-to-liver signal intensity ratio difference, all of which showing some clinical value in predicting the poor prognosis in fetuses with congenital cystic lung disease. Furthermore, among the combined indexes, the lesion volume/affected lung volume and bilateral lung-to-liver signal intensity ratio difference are more effective predictors for the poor prognosis of fetuses with congenital cystic lung disease, and show better efficacy in predicting the poor prognosis of fetuses with congenital cystic lung disease. This provides a new and effective predictive method for further assessment of pulmonary lung development in fetuses with congenital cystic lung disease, and helps improve the assessment and prediction of the prognosis of fetuses with congenital cystic lung disease.

Transcriptional insights of citrus defense response against Diaporthe citri.

Citrus melanose, caused by Diaporthe citri, is one of the most important and widespread fungal diseases of citrus. Previous studies demonstrated that the citrus host was able to trigger the defense response to restrict the spread of D. citri. However, the molecular mechanism underlying this defense response has yet to be elucidated. Here, we used RNA-Seq to explore the gene expression pattern at the early (3 days post infection, dpi) and late (14 dpi) infection stages of citrus leaves in response to D. citri infection, and outlined the differences in transcriptional regulation associated with defense responses. The functional enrichment analysis indicated that the plant cell wall biogenesis was significantly induced at the early infection stage, while the callose deposition response was more active at the late infection stage. CYP83B1 genes of the cytochrome P450 family were extensively induced in the callus deposition-mediated defense response. Remarkably, the gene encoding pectin methylesterase showed the highest upregulation and was only found to be differentially expressed at the late infection stage. Genes involved in the synthesis and regulation of phytoalexin coumarin were effectively activated. F6'H1 and S8H, encoding key enzymes in the biosynthesis of coumarins and their derivatives, were more strongly expressed at the late infection stage than at the early infection stage. Collectively, our study profiled the response pattern of citrus leaves against D. citri infection and provided the transcriptional evidence to support the defense mechanism.

Optimizing wavefront coding for extended depth of field: a synchronous algorithm for optical element and decoding optimization.

Wavefront coding (WFC) combines phase mask design and image restoration algorithm to extend the depth of field (DOF) for various applications. However, discrete design limits finding globally optimal solutions, increasing the complexity of system design, and affecting the accuracy and robustness of image restoration. An end-to-end imaging system design has emerged to break through these limitations by integrating optical design and image processing algorithms. In this study, we propose an algorithm that synchronously optimizes the optical elements and decoding algorithm in WFC using ray-tracing simulation. We also derive formulas for the optical layer's forward and backward propagation for joint optimization of the optical layer and decoding algorithm. Experimental verification demonstrates the algorithm's effectiveness in optimizing the WFC system and offers improved performance under a unified design framework.

The interface targeting hnRNPA2B1 regulates the repression of transthyretin against human retinal microvascular endothelial cells in high-glucose environment.

BACKGROUND: The interaction between transthyretin (TTR) and heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP)A2B1 is involved in the neovascularization of human retinal microvascular endothelial cells (hRECs) under hyperglycemic conditions. However, whether the TTR-hnRNPA2B1 interface can be altered and how this protein-protein interaction and associated downstream pathways are regulated is unclear. METHODS: We performed homologous sequential analysis and binding energy assays using Discovery Studio and designed substitution targeting three fragments of the interface (fragment 1: aa 34-39, -RKAADD-; fragment 2, aa 61-68, -EEEFVEGI-; and fragment 3, aa 96-102, -TANDSGP-) to disrupt or stabilize the TTR-hnRNPA2B1 complex and were subjected to Co-immunoprecipitation analysis. To investigate the effect of TTR-hnRNPA2B1 interface alterations on the physiological properties of hRECs, we performed CCK-8, EdU, migration, wound healing and tube formation assays. To study the downstream genes, we performed qRT-PCR and western blot. RESULTS: Nineteen TTR substitutions were recombinantly expressed in soluble form, results indicated that reducing the binding energy stabilized the TTR-hnRNPA2B1, while increasing the binding energy had the opposite effect. The native TTR significantly prohibited the proliferation, DNA synthesis, migration and tube formation capacities of hRECs, while fragment 1 always reduced these effects. However, the I68R and D99R substitutions in fragments 2 and 3, respectively, increased the inhibitory effect of TTR. Furthermore, our qRT-PCR and western blot results showed that the expression and protein levels of STAT-4, miR-223-3p and FBXW7 were also regulated by the alteration of the TTR-hnRNPA2B1 interface. CONCLUSION: This work suggests that the formation of the TTR-hnRNPA2B1 complex plays vital role in hyperglycemia, and modification of this interface regulates the TTR-mediated inhibition of hREC neovascularization via the STAT-4/miR-223-3p/FBXW7 pathway. This mechanism could have important implications for diabetic retinopathy treatment.

Effect of Dapagliflozin on Ventricular Remodeling and Prognosis in Patients with Coronary Atherosclerotic Heart Disease Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Objective: Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is a common cardiovascular complication in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and significantly increases the risk of disability and death in T2DM patients. Dapagliflozin inhibits blood glucose reabsorption, improves insulin resistance, and reduces the occurrence of long-term adverse cardiovascular events, indicating the importance of Dapagliflozin as a drug for type 2 diabetes patients and its close relationship with coronary atherosclerotic heart disease. At present, there are few studies on the effects of Dapagliflozin intervention on ventricular remodeling and myocardial microperfusion in patients with ACS combined with T2DM after PCI. Methods: Between January 2019 and August 2023, a total of 35 patients diagnosed with Coronary atherosclerotic heart disease and T2DM were chosen as the observation group using a multi-stage cluster sampling method. Concurrently, 35 patients with similar age, height, weight, and healthy physical examination results were selected as the control group during the same time frame. We collected demographic data, symptoms and underlying diseases of the two groups Before enrollment and 6 months after discharge and compared the data between the two groups. Subsequently, multivariate logistic regression analysis was employed to identify indicators with statistically significant differences and to summarize the potential risk factors that could impact ventricular remodeling in patients with Coronary atherosclerotic heart disease and T2DM. Results: There was significant difference in LDL-C between the two groups, and the difference was statistically significant (P < .05). After treatment, the levels of hs-CRP, FBG, HbAlc and IL-6 in both groups were significantly decreased, and the decrease was more obvious in the observation group, with statistical significance (P < .05). These results indicated that Dapagliflozin intervention could significantly inhibit postoperative inflammation in patients with ACS combined with T2DM after PCI. LVMI of Observation group patients was significantly higher than Comparison group, LVEDD and ESVI of Observation group patients were significantly lower than Comparison group. The difference was statistically significant (P < .05). These results indicated that Dapagliflozin intervention could significantly inhibit the improvement of blood glucose index, ventricular remodeling and myocardial microperfusion in patients with ACS combined with T2DM after PCI. After treatment, TIMI Flow Count Frame Count (CTFC) level and Myocardial Perfusion (TMPG) level in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the comparison group, and the difference was statistically significant (P < .05). These results indicated that Dapagliflozin intervention could significantly inhibit ventricular remodeling and improve myocardial microperfusion in patients with ACS combined with T2DM after PCI. Conclusion: Dapagliflozin intervention can significantly inhibit inflammatory indexes in patients with Coronary atherosclerotic heart disease combined with T2DM after PCI, promote the improvement of blood glucose indexes, ventricular remodeling and myocardial microperfusion, and reduce the risk of occurrence.

Association between periodontitis and uric acid levels in blood and oral fluids: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Uric acid, a formerly-known antioxidant that has recently been linked to numerous inflammatory diseases as a pro-inflammatory and -oxidative mediator in pathological conditions. It is imperative to reassess the association between periodontitis and uric acid locally and systematically. The aim of this systematic review was to systemically evaluate the association between periodontitis and the uric acid (UA) levels in blood, saliva and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF). METHODS: Relevant clinical studies up to January 28, 2023 were identified and retrieved from electronic databases including PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE and Web of Science, with periodontitis, uric acid, hyperuricemia and gout as the keywords. The weighted (WMD) or standardized mean difference (SMD) was calculated using fixed- or random-effect models. Methodological heterogeneity was assessed. RESULTS: Sixteen eligible observational studies and one RCT were enrolled, which included 1354 patients with periodontitis and 989 controls. Three sample types for UA detection were involved, including blood (n = 8), saliva (n = 9) and GCF (n = 1). Meta-analysis demonstrated an enhanced plasma UA concentration (WMD = 1.00 mg/dL, 95% CI 0.63 to 1.37, P < 0.001) but a decreased salivary UA level (SMD = -0.95, 95% CI -1.23 to -0.68, P < 0.001) in periodontitis versus control. Statistical heterogeneity among the plasma- and saliva-tested studies were moderate (I2 = 58.3%, P = 0.066) and low (I2 = 33.8%, P = 0.196), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Within the limitations of the enrolled studies, it seems that there is an association between periodontitis and increased blood UA and decreased salivary UA. (Registration no. CRD42020172535 in Prospero).

Impact of robotic and open surgery on patient wound complications in gastric cancer surgery: A meta-analysis.

This meta-analysis is intended to evaluate the effect of both robotic and open-cut operations on postoperative complications of stomach carcinoma. From the earliest date until June 2023, a full and systemic search has been carried out on four main databases with keywords extracted from 'Robot', 'Gastr' and 'Opene'. The ROBINS-I instrument has been applied to evaluate the risk of bias in nonrandomized controlled trials. In these 11 trials, a total of 16 095 patients had received surgical treatment for stomach cancer and all 11 trials were nonrandomized, controlled trials. Abdominal abscesses were reported in 5 trials, wound infections in 8 trials, haemorrhage in 7 trials, wound dehiscence in 2 trials and total postoperative complications in 4 trials. Meta-analyses revealed no statistically significantly different rates of postoperative abdominal abscesses among patients who had received robotic operations than in those who had received open surgical procedures (OR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.25, 3.36; p = 0.89). The incidence of bleeding after surgery was not significantly different from that in both groups (OR, 1.37; 95% CI, 0.69, 2.75; p = 0.37). Similarly, there was no significant difference between the two groups (OR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.52, 1.18; p = 0.24). No significant difference was found between the two groups (OR, 1. 28; 95% CI, 0.75, 2.21; p = 0.36). No significant difference was found between the two groups of patients who had received the robotic operation and those who had received the surgery after the operation (OR, 1.14; 95% CI, 0.78, 1.66; p = 0.49). Generally speaking, this meta-analysis suggests that the use of robotics does not result in a reduction in certain postsurgical complications, including wound infections and abdominal abscesses. Thus, the use of a microinvasive robot for stomach carcinoma operation might not be better than that performed on the surgical site after the operation. This is a valuable guide for the surgeon to select the operative method.

Long non-coding RNA DLGAP1-AS1 modulates the development of non-small-cell lung cancer via the microRNA-193a-5p/DTL axis.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is one of the most malignant cancers worldwide. A growing number of studies have suggested that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a key role in the progression of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Here, we report a novel lncRNA DLGAP1 antisense RNA 1 (DLGAP1-AS1) that exhibits oncogenic properties in NSCLC. The lncRNA DLGAP1-AS1 and denticleless protein homolog (DTL) presented upregulated expression, but microRNA-193a-5p (miR-193a-5p) showed downregulated expression in cancerous tissues of human lung samples from 48 patients with NSCLC. Partial loss of lncRNA DLGAP1-AS1 reduced malignant cell viability, migration, and invasion but induced apoptosis. Dual-luciferase reporter gene, RNA pull-down and RNA binding protein immunoprecipitation assays demonstrated enrichment of lncRNA DLGAP1-AS1 in miR-193a-5p and Argonaute 2, suggesting that lncRNA DLGAP1-AS1 modulated DTL, a putative target of miR-193a-5p. We also found that restoration of miR-193a-5p rescued NSCLC cell biological functions affected by overexpression of lncRNA DLGAP1-AS1. Silencing lncRNA DLGAP1-AS1 was found to reduce the tumorigenesis of NSCLC cells xenografted into nude mice, which was rescued by DTL overexpression. In conclusion, our study highlights a novel regulatory network of the lncRNA DLGAP1-AS1/miR-193a-5p/DTL axis in NSCLC, providing a potential therapeutic strategy for NSCLC.

Extended depth-of-field infrared imaging with deeply learned wavefront coding.

Wavefront coding (WFC) techniques, including optical coding and digital image processing stages, enable significant capabilities for extending the depth of field of imaging systems. In this study, we demonstrated a deeply learned far-infrared WFC camera with an extended depth of field. We designed and optimized a high-order polynomial phase mask by a genetic algorithm, exhibiting a higher defocus consistency of the modulated transfer functions than works published previously. Additionally, we trained a generative adversarial network based on a synthesized WFC dataset for the digital processing part, which is more effective and robust than conventional decoding methods. Furthermore, we captured real-world infrared images using the WFC camera with far, middle, and near object distances. Their results after wavefront coding/decoding showed that the model of deeply learned networks improves the image quality and signal-to-noise ratio significantly and quickly. Therefore, we construct a novel artificial intelligent method of deeply learned WFC optical imaging by applying infrared wavelengths, but not limited to, and provide good potential for its practical application in "smart" imaging and large range target detection.

Myocardial microvascular function assessed by CMR first-pass perfusion in patients treated with chemotherapy for gynecologic malignancies.

OBJECTIVES: Cancer chemotherapy potentially increases the risk of myocardial ischemia. This study assessed myocardial microvascular function by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) first-pass perfusion in patients treated with chemotherapy for gynecologic malignancies. METHODS: A total of 81 patients treated with chemotherapy for gynecologic malignancies and 39 healthy volunteers were prospectively enrolled and underwent CMR imaging. Among the patients, 32 completed CMR follow-up, with a median interval of 6 months. The CMR sequences comprised cardiac cine, rest first-pass perfusion, and late gadolinium enhancement. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the baseline characteristics between the patients and normal controls (all p > 0.05). Compared with the normal controls, the patients had a lower myocardial perfusion index (PI) (13.62 ± 2.01% vs. 12% (11 to 14%), p = 0.001) but demonstrated no significant variation with an increase in the number of chemotherapy cycles at follow-up (11.79 ± 2.36% vs. 11.19 ± 2.19%, p = 0.234). In multivariate analysis with adjustments for clinical confounders, a decrease in the PI was independently associated with chemotherapy treatment (ß = - 0.362, p = 0.002) but had no correlation with the number of chemotherapy cycles (r = - 0.177, p = 0.053). CONCLUSION: Myocardial microvascular dysfunction was associated with chemotherapy treatment in patients with gynecologic malignancies, and can be assessed and monitored by rest CMR first-pass perfusion. KEY POINTS: • Chemotherapy was associated with but did not aggravate myocardial microvascular dysfunction in patients with gynecologic malignancies. • Rest CMR first-pass perfusion is an ideal modality for assessing and monitoring alterations in myocardial microcirculation during chemotherapy treatment.