MS-YOLOv8-Based Object Detection Method for Pavement Diseases.

Detection of pavement diseases is crucial for road maintenance. Traditional methods are costly, time-consuming, and less accurate. This paper introduces an enhanced pavement disease recognition algorithm, MS-YOLOv8, which modifies the YOLOv8 model by incorporating three novel mechanisms to improve detection accuracy and adaptability to varied pavement conditions. The Deformable Large Kernel Attention (DLKA) mechanism adjusts convolution kernels dynamically, adapting to multi-scale targets. The Large Separable Kernel Attention (LSKA) enhances the SPPF feature extractor, boosting multi-scale feature extraction capabilities. Additionally, Multi-Scale Dilated Attention in the network's neck performs Spatially Weighted Dilated Convolution (SWDA) across different dilatation rates, enhancing background distinction and detection precision. Experimental results show that MS-YOLOv8 increases background classification accuracy by 6%, overall precision by 1.9%, and mAP by 1.4%, with specific disease detection mAP up by 2.9%. Our model maintains comparable detection speeds. This method offers a significant reference for automatic road defect detection.

Prognostic Significance of mRNA Expression RBBP8 or Its Methylation in Gliomas.

Retinoblastoma-binding protein 8 (RBBP8) affects the prognosis of patients with malignancies through various mechanisms. However, its function in gliomas is unknown. Our study explored the effects of RBBP8 on the prognosis of glioma patients, as well as its regulatory role in the glioma immune microenvironment. We used various bioinformatics methods to analyze the transcriptional profiles and methylation data of RBBP8 in gliomas from multiple databases. Our results showed that the mRNA and protein expression of RBBP8 in gliomas was higher than that in normal tissues and positively correlated with malignant clinical features such as age and WHO grade. A Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that patients with high RBBP8 expression had a poor prognosis. Cox regression demonstrated that RBBP8 was an independent risk indicator and had good diagnostic value for the poor prognosis of glioma. Importantly, RBBP8 was positively correlated with many well-known immune checkpoints (e.g., CTLA4 and PDL-1). Finally, a gene set enrichment analysis revealed that RBBP8 was remarkably enriched in cancer-related pathways such as cell cycle, DNA replication and so on. In conclusion, this study is the first to elaborate on the value of RBBP8 in the pathological process of glioma for anti-tumor immunotherapy. In addition, the expression of RBBP8 and its methylation site, cg05513509, may provide potential targets for glioma therapy.

ITGB3BP is a potential biomarker associated with poor prognosis of glioma.

Despite the growing recognition of ITGB3BP as an essential feature of various cancers, the relationship between ITGB3BP and glioma remains unclear. The main aim of this study was to determine the prognostic and diagnostic value of ITGB3BP in glioma. RNA-Seq and microarray data from 2222 glioma patients were included, and we found that the expression level of ITGB3BP in glioma tissues was significantly higher than that in normal brain tissues. Moreover, ITGB3BP can be considered an independent risk factor for poor prognosis and has great predictive value for the prognosis of glioma. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis results showed that ITGB3BP contributes to the poor prognosis of glioma by activating tumour-related signalling pathways. Some small-molecule drugs were identified, such as hexestrol, which may specifically inhibit ITGB3BP and be useful in the treatment of glioma. The TIMER database analysis results revealed a correlation between the expression of ITGB3BP and the infiltration of various immune cells in glioma. Our findings provide the first evidence that the up-regulation of ITGB3BP correlates with poor prognosis in human glioma. Thus, ITGB3BP is a potential new biomarker that can be used for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of glioma.

Profiling Analysis of Circular RNA and mRNA in Human Temporal Lobe Epilepsy with Hippocampal Sclerosis ILAE Type 1.

Hippocampal sclerosis (HS) is the most common surgical pathology associated with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). However, the cause of TLE with or without HS remains unknown. Our current study aimed to illustrate the essential molecular mechanism that is potentially involved in the pathogenesis of TLE-HS and to shed light on the transcriptional changes associated with hippocampal sclerosis. Compared to no-HS group, 341 mRNA transcripts and 131 circRNA transcripts were differentially expressed in ILAE type 1 group. The raw sequencing data have been deposited into sequence-read archive (SRA) database under accession number PRJNA699348.Gene Ontology analysis demonstrated that the dysregulated genes were associated with the biological processes of vesicle-mediated transport. Enrichment analysis demonstrated that dysregulated genes were involved mainly in the MAPK signal pathway. Subsequently, A total of 441 known or predicted interactions were formed among DEGs, and the most important module was detected in the PPI network using the MCODE plug-in. There were mainly four functional modules enriched: ER to Golgi transport vesicle membrane, Basal transcription factors, GABA-gated chloride ion channel activity, CENP-A containing nucleosome assembly. A circRNA-mRNA co-expression network was constructed including 5 circRNAs(hsa_circ_0025349, hsa_circ_0002405, hsa_circ_0004805, hsa_circ_0032254, and hsa_circ_0032875) and three mRNAs (FYN, SELENBP1, and GRIPAP1) based on the normalized mRNA signal intensities. This is the first to report the circRNAs and mRNAs expression profile of surgically resected hippocampal tissues from TLE patients of ILAE-1 and no-HS, and these results may provide new insight into the transcriptional changes associated with this pathology.

Identification of PYGL as a key prognostic gene of glioma by integrated bioinformatics analysis.

Aim: PYGL has been reported to have carcinogenic effects in a variety of tumors. This study is the first to reveal the relationship between PYGL and the prognosis of glioma. Materials & methods: Analyzing the Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas database, the authors revealed the expression status and prognostic value of PYGL in gliomas and used quantitative real-time PCR to verify PYGL expression again. Subsequently, they used Gene Set Enrichment Analysis to explore the biological pathways that PYGL may participate in. The authors also used the tumor immune estimation resource database to explore the relationship between PYGL and tumor immune cells. Results: PYGL is involved in the malignant progression of glioma. Conclusions: PYGL can be used as a new biomarker and molecular target for evaluating the prognosis and immunotherapy of glioma.

Overexpression of GINS4 is associated with poor prognosis and survival in glioma patients.

BACKGROUND: GINS4, an indispensable component of the GINS complex, is vital for a variety of cancer. However, no known empirical research has focused on exploring relationships between GINS4 and glioma. Thus, this study aims to understand and explain the role of GINS4 in glioma. METHOD: First, we used the data in the CGGA, TCGA, GEO, GEPIA, and HPA databases to explore the expression level of GINS4 in glioma, the correlation between GINS4 expression and the clinical features of glioma, its impact on the survival of glioma patients, and verified the analysis results through RT-qPCR, IHC, and meta-analysis. Subsequently, GSEA enrichment analysis is used to find the potential molecular mechanism of GINS4 to promote the malignant process of glioma and the anti-glioma drugs that may target GINS4 screened by CMap analysis. Moreover, we further explored the influence of the GINS4 expression on the immune microenvironment of glioma patients through the TIMER database. RESULTS: Our results suggested that GINS4 was elevated in glioma, and the overexpression of GINS4 was connected with a vast number of clinical features. The next, GINS4 as an independent prognostic factor, which can result in an unfavorable prognosis of glioma. Once more, GINS4 may be participating in the oncogenesis of glioma through JAK-STAT signaling pathways, etc. 6-thioguanine, Doxazosin, and Emetine had potential value in the clinical application of drugs targeting GINS4. Finally, the expression exhibited a close relationship with some immune cells, especially Dendritic cells. CONCLUSION: GINS4 is an independent prognostic factor that led to a poor prognosis of glioma. The present study revealed the probable underlying molecular mechanisms of GINS4 in glioma and provided a potential target for improving the prognosis of glioma.

Overexpressed XRCC2 as an independent risk factor for poor prognosis in glioma patients.

BACKGROUND: XRCC2, a homologous recombination-related gene, has been reported to be associated with a variety of cancers. However, its role in glioma has not been reported. This study aimed to find out the role of XRCC2 in glioma and reveal in which glioma-specific biological processes is XRCC2 involved based on thousands of glioma samples, thereby, providing a new perspective in the treatment and prognostic evaluation of glioma. METHODS: The expression characteristics of XRCC2 in thousands of glioma samples from CGGA and TCGA databases were comprehensively analyzed. Wilcox or Kruskal test was used to analyze the expression pattern of XRCC2 in gliomas with different clinical and molecular features. The effect of XRCC2 on the prognosis of glioma patients was explored by Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) revealed the possible cellular mechanisms involved in XRCC2 in glioma. Connectivity map (CMap) was used to screen small molecule drugs targeting XRCC2 and the expression levels of XRCC2 were verified in glioma cells and tissues by RT-qPCR and immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS: We found the overexpression of XRCC2 in glioma. Moreover, the overexpressed XRCC2 was associated with a variety of clinical features related to prognosis. Cox and meta-analyses showed that XRCC2 is an independent risk factor for the poor prognosis of glioma. Furthermore, the results of GSEA indicated that overexpressed XRCC2 could promote malignant progression through involved signaling pathways, such as in the cell cycle. Finally, doxazosin, quinostatin, canavanine, and chrysin were identified to exert anti-glioma effects by targeting XRCC2. CONCLUSIONS: This study analyzed the expression pattern of XRCC2 in gliomas and its relationship with prognosis using multiple datasets. This is the first study to show that XRCC2, a novel oncogene, is significantly overexpressed in glioma and can lead to poor prognosis in glioma patients. XRCC2 could serve as a new biomarker for glioma diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis evaluation, thus bringing new insight into the management of glioma.

Methyl-CpG-Binding Domain Protein 3 Promotes Seizures by Recruiting Methyltransferase DNMT1 to Enhance TREM2 Methylation.

Epilepsy represents a hazardous neurological disorder, underpinned by a pathophysiological process that is yet to be fully understood. Here, we aimed to elucidate the effect of methyl-CpG-binding domain protein 3 (MBD3) on hippocampal neuronal damage in epileptic mice by targeting the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) pathway. The expression of MBD3 was determined by Western blot in a hippocampal neuronal culture (HNC) epileptic model established using the low Mg2+ECF culture method. The interaction between MBD3 and DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) was determined via co-immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry analysis. Bisulfite modification and sequencing was performed to evaluate the degree of methylation of triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2). The viability and apoptosis of hippocampal neurons were detected by CCK-8 and TUNEL assays, respectively. Finally, the effect of MBD3 was verified in vivo. MBD3 was highly expressed in the HNC model of epilepsy, with its interaction with DNMT1 found to promote the hypermethylation of TREM2 at site cg25748868. Additionally, decreased TREM2 and inhibited PI3K/Akt pathway was observed in the HNC epileptic model. Simultaneous inhibition of MBD3 and DNMT1 decreased the methylation level at cg25748868, up-regulated TREM2 expression, and activated the PI3K/Akt pathway, thereby arresting neuronal damage. Inhibition of MBD3 reduced the level of epileptic seizures, down-regulated cg25748868 methylation, activated TREM2-mediated signaling pathways, and alleviated hippocampal neuronal damage in the acute seizure mouse models. The present study unveiled that MBD3 and DNMT1 synergistically enhanced hypermethylation of cg25748868 in TREM2, and promoted the onset of epilepsy via inhibition of the PI3K/Akt pathway.

Life cycle of the ectoparasite Tachaea chinensis (Isopoda: Corallanidae) on the freshwater shrimp Palaemonetes sinensis (Decapoda: Palaemonidae).

In this study, we describe in detail the life cycle of Tachaea chinensis (Isopoda: Corallanidae), a branchial ectoparasitic isopod that infests the freshwater shrimp Palaemonetes sinensis in China. We obtained 14 ovigerous T. chinensis females (8.22-11.92 mm in length) and observed the development of embryos through 5 sequential ontogenetic stages within the brood pouches (marsupium) of these females. The number of eggs or mancae (post-larval juveniles) held in the female marsupium ranged from 31 to 86, with a mean ± SD of 61.25 ± 16.16 eggs. Female T. chinensis were semelparous, i.e. individuals died following the release of mancae from the marsupium. Released mancae were non-planktonic and immediately infective to host shrimps. However, only a few mancae successfully established contact with a host, and it is thus assumed that the remainder were predated by shrimp. Attached T. chinensis fed on the host hemolymph, and subsequent to host death, these isopods typically searched for a new host. We also found that T. chinensis exhibits a host preference: most mancae attached to P. sinensis rather than to Neocaridina sp. or Macrobrachium nipponense. This study provides valuable empirical data that will support future research on the prevention and control of parasitic isopod infections.

Antioxidant and immune responses of the Oriental river prawn Macrobrachium nipponense to the isopod parasite Tachaea chinensis.

Tachaea chinensis is a parasitic isopod that negatively affects the production of several commercially important shrimp species in China. To date, there have been no reports on the antioxidant and immune responses of host shrimps to isopod parasite infection or their underlying molecular mechanisms. In this study, we examined the specific activities of the immune and antioxidant enzymes of the shrimp Macrobrachium nipponense during the course of a 15-day isopod infection and evaluated expression of related genes. Acid phosphatase (ACP) and alkaline phosphatase (AKP) activities and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels showed significant peaks over 15 days of exposure in both the hepatopancreas and muscle (P < 0.05), whereas catalase (CAT) activity increased continuously during infection (P < 0.05), and lysozyme (LZM) activity increased only in the hepatopancreas (P < 0.05). After 6 days of exposure, expressions of glutathione S-transferase (GST), ACP, and AKP were significantly higher than at 12 days. Compared with the control group, at 12 days, S-(hydroxymethyl) glutathione dehydrogenase activity and glutathione metabolism pathways were significantly inhibited (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the NOD-like receptor signaling pathway and antigen processing and presentation pathways were also significantly inhibited at 12 days compared with that at 6 days (P < 0.05), indicating that T. chinensis parasitism could perturb the antioxidant and immune systems of shrimp hosts during the latter stages of infection. Additionally, the molting and mortality rates of M. nipponense increased the duration of parasitism. These findings indicate that M. nipponense can activate antioxidant and immune defense systems during the early period during isopod parasitism, whereas the parasite can negatively affect these host defense systems during the latter period. Our findings accordingly provide valuable insights into the antioxidant defense systems and immune function characterizing parasite-host interactions.

Comparative analysis of transcriptomes from different coloration of Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis.

Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis is probably the most important freshwater cultured crab in China. A tiny minority of brownish-orange individuals have been discovered in the long period of artificial breeding history of E. sinensiss. Those mutants are usually accompanied with slow growth rate, low molting frequency and poor survival rate, which may be the results of growth defects and immunodeficiency. To better understand the relationship between body color determination and the immune system as well as the related genes expression in E. sinensiss, we performed the whole-body transcriptome analysis in different color of first stage zoea (ZI) larvae using next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology. We randomly assembled 175.40 and 177.52million clean reads from the wild and mutant ZIs, respectively. Finally, we identified 7153 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (p < 0.05), with 5194 up-regulated and 1959 down-regulated. A total of 13 KEGG pathways related to immune system were detected among 248 pathways. Except the first whole-body RNA sequencing of color-specific transcriptomes for E. sinensis, this study will offer a better understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms of interaction between color determination and the immune system.

Metabolic responses of shrimp Palaemonetes sinensis to isopod Tachaea chinensis parasitization.

Tachaea chinensis, a parasitic isopod, negatively affects the production of several commercially important shrimp species in China. The mechanism of parasite-host interaction cannot be accurately described by transcriptomic and proteomic approaches individually. Here, comparative metabolite profiling was used to achieve a broad coverage of primary metabolite changes in Chinese grass shrimp Palaemonetes sinensis following T. chinensis parasitization. In total, 66 metabolites were significantly differentially accumulated between the control and infected groups; of these, 19 were upregulated and 47 were downregulated after T. chinensis infection. Moreover, the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis revealed that 10 pathways were significantly enriched. The protein digestion and absorption pathways were highly enriched, followed by the mineral absorption, aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis, biosynthesis of amino acids, and metabolic metabolism pathways. Parasitization by T. chinensis enhanced the glycolytic pathway and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle in P. sinensis, thereby releasing more energy for swimming, foraging, and evading predation. Glucogenic amino acids such as alanine, histidine, glutamine, and proline were consumed to generate glutamate and enhance the TCA cycle. Nucleotide-related metabolic pathways were downregulated, possibly because T. chinensis can secrete molecules to degrade nucleotides and inhibit hemostasis and inflammatory responses. These results suggest that the isopod parasite can increase the host's metabolic burden by enhancing the host's TCA cycle and secreting molecules to degrade host proteins, thereby enabling the parasite to feed on the host and inhibit an inflammatory response. The results will be a valuable contribution to understanding the metabolic responses of crustaceans to isopod parasitism.

The MicroRNA Expression Profiles of Human Temporal Lobe Epilepsy in HS ILAE Type 1.

Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is associated with neurodegeneration, often leading to hippocampal sclerosis (HS). Type 1 HS, which is characterized by severe neuronal loss and gliosis predominantly in regions CA1 and CA4, is the most common subtype and is associated with the best prognosis according to the ILAE classification system. MiRNAs participate in the biological processes underlying many nervous system diseases, including epilepsy. However, the miRNA expression profile of HS ILAE type 1 is not completely understood. A total of 14 patients were identified as having the ILAE subtype, as determined by NeuN immunohistochemistry (ILAE type 1 = 7; no-HS = 7). Next-generation sequencing and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction technology were used to validate the dysregulated miRNAs. Bioinformatics analysis of the predicted target genes was conducted using Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses. In total, 1643 mature miRNAs were detected in this study, along with 5 miRNAs that were upregulated and 2 miRNAs that were downregulated in the type 1 group. Bioinformatics analysis showed that 1545 target genes were predicted using the miRDB and Targetscan databases and that these predicted genes showed enrichment in pathways associated with nucleic acid binding, intracellular and cellular macromolecule metabolic processes, and the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. This study is the first to report the miRNA expression profile of HS ILAE type 1 compared with those of no-HS. These results provide new insights into the neuronal loss pathology of type 1 HS.

Impacts of circadian rhythm and melatonin on the specific activities of immune and antioxidant enzymes of the Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis).

Many physiological functions of crustaceans show a rhythmic change to adapt to daily environmental cycles. However, daily variation in the immune and antioxidant status and its possible correlation with circulatory melatonin levels during the daily cycle have not been reported in the Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis. In this study, the specific activities of immune and antioxidant enzymes of E. sinensis during the 24 h cycle and its relationship with injected doses of melatonin were evaluated. The results showed that the immune parameters in the hemolymph, such as total hemolymph count, alkaline phosphatase, lysozyme, acid phosphatase, and phenol oxidase, exhibited bimodal patterns during the 24 h cycle, these parameters were synchronized with the activity of antioxidant enzymes such as malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase, and catalase. However, there was only one peak in the muscle (during 1200-1600 h) and gills (during 0400-0800 h). The survival rate reached approximately 80% in 5 days when melatonin concentrations were lower than 0.05 g/L, significantly decreasing as melatonin concentrations increased. Four hours after melatonin injection, MDA levels in the muscle and hemolymph were significantly lower than those in the control group. Eight hours after melatonin injection, SOD levels in the hemolymph were significantly higher than those in the control group. These findings highlight the importance of considering circadian regulation of innate immunity when comparing immune responses at fixed times.

Comparative transcriptome analysis of Chinese grass shrimp (Palaemonetes sinensis) infected with isopod parasite Tachaea chinensis.

Parasitic isopods negatively affect reproduction and ingestion in several commercially important crustaceans; however, little is known about such parasite-host interactions. Therefore, we performed high-throughput sequencing of cDNA samples from Chinese grass shrimp Palaemonetes sinensis infected by parasitic isopod Tachaea chinensis and a non-infected control. We randomly assembled 46,858,882 and 41,110,746 clean reads from the parasitized and control groups, respectively. From these, we identified 1323 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (p < 0.05), of which 702 were up-regulated and 621 were down-regulated after T. chinensis infection, respectively. The up-regulated genes were enriched in 'ribosome', 'purine metabolism', and 'pyrimidine metabolism' signalling pathways, suggesting altered host nucleotide metabolite levels, possibly through the action of intracellular parasites transported by T. chinensis. Additionally, 14 representative DEGs involved in reproduction were down-regulated after parasitisation, indicating T. chinensis causes cascading effects in P. sinensis. Overall, parasitisation appeared to affect host immune response, metabolism, and gonadal development. In conclusion, the present study improves our understanding on the molecular mechanisms underlying interactions between isopod parasites and their crustacean hosts.

Characteristics Study of In-Situ Capacitive Sensor for Monitoring Lubrication Oil Debris.

As an essential part of engine health monitoring (EHM), online lubrication oil debris monitoring has recently received great attention for the assessment of rotating and reciprocating parts in aero-engines, due to its high integration, low cost and safe characteristics. However, it is be a challenge to find a suitable sensor operating in such a complex environment. We present an unconventional novel approach, in which a cylinder capacitive sensor is designed and integrated with the pipeline of an engine lubrication system, so that the capacitive sensor can effectively detect changes in the lubrication oil condition. In this paper, an attempt to illustrate the performance characteristics of the developed cylinder capacitive sensor is made, through an experiment system that simulates a real scenario of a lubrication oil system. The main aim of the research was to qualitatively describe the relationship between the sensor parameter and the lubrication oil debris. In addition, the effect of the temperature and flow rate of the lubrication oil on capacitance change was performed by several experiments and we figured out a compensation method. The experimental results demonstrated that the cylinder capacitive sensor can potentially be used for lubrication oil debris monitoring of the health condition of an aero-engine.

Therapeutic effectiveness of Donepezil hydrochloride in combination with butylphthalide for post-stroke cognitive impairment.

OBJECTIVE: To study the therapeutic effectiveness of donepezil hydrochloride (DPZ) in combination with butylphthalide (BP) for the treatment of post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI). METHODS: In this retrospective study, the clinical data of 125 PSCI patients treated at the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University from December 2019 to December 2023 were collected and analyzed. The patients were grouped into a joint group (n=75, receiving DPZ + BP) and a control group (n=50, receiving DPZ alone) according to their treatment regimen. Inter-group comparisons were then carried out from the perspectives of therapeutic effectiveness, safety (constipation, abdominal distension and pain, and gastrointestinal reactions), cognitive function (Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale [MoCA], Chinese Stroke Scale [CSS]), Activities of Daily Living Scale (ADL), and serum biochemical indexes (neuron-specific enolase [NSE], high-sensitivity C-reactive protein [hs-CRP], nitric oxide [NO], and malondialdehyde [MDA]). In addition, a univariate analysis was carried out to identify factors affecting therapeutic effectiveness in PSCI patients. RESULTS: The joint group showed significantly better therapeutic effectiveness compared to the control group (P<0.05). There was a significant correlation between the type of stroke, treatment method, and therapeutic effectiveness in PSCI patients (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the total incidence of adverse reactions (P>0.05). After the treatment, compared to the control group, the joint group demonstrated significant improvements in MoCA and ADL scores (all P<0.05) and reductions in CSS scores and levels of NSE, hs-CRP, NO, and MDA (all P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: DPZ in combination with BP is highly effective for the treatment of PSCI. It positively affects cognitive function and ADL, alleviates neurological deficits, and reduces abnormal serum biochemical indices without increasing the risk of adverse reaction.

Diagnostic Efficacy of Type B Vessels in the Japan Esophageal Society Classification for the Depth of Invasion of Superficial Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

AIM: The preoperative diagnostic method for superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SESCC) invasion depth based on the Japan Esophageal Society (JES) classification has been promoted. However, there have been a few investigations into its diagnostic performance in clinical settings. Therefore, we aimed to elucidate the actual diagnostic performance of the JES classification using a single-center retrospective study design. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 315 newly diagnosed SESCC patients who underwent narrow-band imaging magnifying endoscopy (NBI-ME) examination and received endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) or esophagectomy in our center during the past 5 years. To evaluate the diagnostic performance of JES classification in assessing the depth of invasion of SESCC, clinical data of these patients were collected, and the concordance between NBI-ME findings and postoperative pathology reports was analyzed. RESULTS: This study included a total of 338 lesions. The diagnostic accuracy of vascular morphology was 76.0%. The sensitivity (87.0%) and positive predictive value (PPV, 85.4%) of B1 vessels were high, but the specificity (42.0%) and negative predictive value (NPV, 45.3%) were low. The specificity (86.9% and 98.8%) and NPVs (87.5% and 96.8%) of B2 and B3 vessels were high, but the sensitivity (36.4% and 21.4%) and PPVs (35.1% and 42.9%) ware low. Furthermore, only a few lesions (n = 57) described avascular area, but the overall diagnostic accuracy was not ideal (21.1%). However, if lesions invading the superficial submucosa or shallower were included in the category of "suitable for ESD", the overall accuracy of the JES classification was found to be 95.6%. CONCLUSIONS: In actual clinical settings, the overall accuracy of the JES classification system decreases, but the diagnostic performance of each subtype retains its original characteristics. Additionally, this classification is appropriate for determining whether type 0-II SESCC lesions are suitable for ESD.

Efficient isomerization of glucose into fructose by MgO-doped lignin-derived ordered mesoporous carbon.

The conversion of glucose into fructose can transform cellulose into high-value chemicals. This study introduces an innovative synthesis method for creating an MgO-based ordered mesoporous carbon (MgO@OMC) catalyst, aimed at the efficient isomerization of glucose into fructose. Throughout the synthesis process, lignin serves as the exclusive carbon precursor, while Mg2+ functions as both a crosslinking agent and a metallic active center. This enables a one-step synthesis of MgO@OMC via a solvent-induced evaporation self-assembly (EISA) method. The synthesized MgO@OMCs exhibit an impeccable 2D hexagonal ordered mesoporous structure, in addition to a substantial specific surface area (378.2 m2/g) and small MgO nanoparticles (1.52 nm). Furthermore, this catalyst was shown active, selective, and reusable in the isomerization of glucose to fructose. It yields 41 % fructose with a selectivity of up to 89.3 % at a significant glucose loading of 7 wt% in aqueous solution over MgO0.5@OMC-600. This performance closely rivals the current maximum glucose isomerization yield achieved with solid base catalysts. Additionally, the catalyst retains a fructose selectivity above 60 % even after 4 cycles, a feature attributable to its extended ordered mesoporous structure and the spatial confinement effect of the OMCs, bestowing it with high catalytic efficiency.

UBE2S facilitates glioblastoma progression through activation of the NF-κB pathway via attenuating K11-linked ubiquitination of AKIP1.

BACKGROUND: Rapid proliferation is a hallmark of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) and a major contributor to its recurrence. Aberrant ubiquitination has been implicated in various diseases, including cancer. In our preliminary studies, we identified Ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2S (UBE2S) as a potential glioma biomarker, exhibiting close associations with glioma grade and protein phosphatase 1, regulatory subunit 105 (Ki67) expression levels. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remained elusive. NF-κB is an important signaling pathway that promotes GBM proliferation. Direct intervention targeting NF-κB has not yielded the expected results, prompting the exploration of new molecules for regulating NF-κB as a new direction. METHODS: This study employed methods including yeast two-hybrid and immunoprecipitation to uncover the interaction between UBE2S and A kinase interacting protein 1 (AKIP1). Laser confocal microscopy was used to observe the localization of UBE2S and AKIP1. Dual luciferase reporter genes were utilized to observe the activation of NF-κB. RESULTS: Our findings demonstrate that UBE2S deficiency significantly impedes GBM progression, both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, UBE2S plays a crucial role in recruiting Ubiquitin Specific Peptidase 15 (USP15), facilitating the removal of K11-linked ubiquitination on AKIP1. This action enhances AKIP1 stability within the GBM context. The resulting increase in AKIP1 levels further augments nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) transcriptional activity, leading to the upregulation of downstream genes regulated by the NF-κB pathway, thereby promoting GBM progression. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, our findings reveal the role of the UBE2S/AKIP1-NF-κB axis in regulating GBM progression and provide novel evidence supporting UBE2S as a potential drug target for GBM.