Predicting invasion in early-stage ground-glass opacity pulmonary adenocarcinoma: a radiomics-based machine learning approach.

BACKGROUND: To design a pulmonary ground-glass nodules (GGN) classification method based on computed tomography (CT) radiomics and machine learning for prediction of invasion in early-stage ground-glass opacity (GGO) pulmonary adenocarcinoma. METHODS: This retrospective study included pulmonary GGN patients who were histologically confirmed to have adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS), minimally invasive adenocarcinoma (MIA), or invasive adenocarcinoma cancer (IAC) from 2020 to 2023. CT images of all patients were automatically segmented and 107 radiomic features were obtained for each patient. Classification models were developed using random forest (RF) and cross-validation, including three one-versus-others models and one three-class model. For each model, features were ranked by normalized Gini importance, and a minimal subset was selected with a cumulative importance exceeding 0.9. These selected features were then used to train the final models. The models' performance metrics, including area under the curve (AUC), accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity, were computed. AUC and accuracy were compared to determine the final optimal method. RESULTS: The study comprised 193 patients (mean age 54 ± 11 years, 65 men), including 65 AIS, 54 MIA, and 74 IAC, divided into one training cohort (N = 154) and one test cohort (N = 39). The final three-class RF model outperformed three individual one-versus-others models in distinguishing each class from the other two. For the multiclass classification model, the AUC, accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were 0.87, 0.79, 0.62, and 0.88 for AIS; 0.90, 0.79, 0.54, and 0.89 for MIA; and 0.87, 0.69, 0.73, and 0.67 for IAC, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: A radiomics-based multiclass RF model could effectively differentiate three types of pulmonary GGN, which enabled early diagnosis of GGO pulmonary adenocarcinoma.

Development of a nomogram for predicting acute pain among patients after abdominal surgery: A prospective observational study.

AIMS: To develop a nomogram to provide a screening tool for recognising patients at risk of post-operative pain undergoing abdominal operations. BACKGROUND: Risk prediction models for acute post-operative pain can allow initiating prevention strategies, which are valuable for post-operative pain management and recovery. Despite the increasing number of studies on risk factors, there were inconsistent findings across different studies. In addition, few studies have comprehensively explored predictors of post-operative acute pain and built prediction models. DESIGN: A prospective observational study. METHODS: A total of 352 patients undergoing abdominal operations from June 2022 to December 2022 participated in this investigation. A nomogram was developed for predicting the probability of acute pain after abdominal surgery according to the results of binary logistic regression. The nomogram's predictive performance was assessed by discrimination and calibration. Internal validation was performed via Bootstrap with 1000 re-samplings. RESULTS: A total of 139 patients experienced acute post-operative pain following abdominal surgery, with an incidence of 39.49%. Age <60, marital status (unmarried, divorced, or widowed), consumption of intraoperative remifentanil >2 mg, indwelling of drainage tubes, poor quality sleep, high pain catastrophizing, low pain self-efficacy, and PCIA not used were predictors of inadequate pain control in patients after abdominal surgery. Using these variables, we developed a nomogram model. All tested indicators showed that the model has reliable discrimination and calibration. CONCLUSIONS: This study established an online dynamic predictive model that can offer an individualised risk assessment of acute pain after abdominal surgery. Our model had good differentiation and calibration and was verified internally as a useful tool for risk assessment. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The constructed nomogram model could be a practical tool for predicting the risk of experiencing acute post-operative pain in patients undergoing abdominal operations, which would be helpful to realise personalised management and prevention strategies for post-operative pain. REPORTING METHOD: The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guidelines were adopted in this study. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: Before the surgery, research group members visited the patients who met the inclusion criteria and explained the purpose and scope of the study to them. After informed consent, they completed the questionnaire. The patients' pain scores (VAS) were regularly assessed and documented by the bedside nurse for the first 3 days following surgery. Other information was obtained from medical records.

Comparative transcriptome analysis of juniper branches infected by Gymnosporangium spp. highlights their different infection strategies associated with cytokinins.

BACKGROUND: Gymnosporangium asiaticum and G. yamadae can share Juniperus chinensis as the telial host, but the symptoms are completely different. The infection of G. yamadae causes the enlargement of the phloem and cortex of young branches as a gall, but not for G. asiaticum, suggesting that different molecular interaction mechanisms exist the two Gymnosporangium species with junipers. RESULTS: Comparative transcriptome analysis was performed to investigate genes regulation of juniper in responses to the infections of G. asiaticum and G. yamadae at different stages. Functional enrichment analysis showed that genes related to transport, catabolism and transcription pathways were up-regulated, while genes related to energy metabolism and photosynthesis were down-regulated in juniper branch tissues after infection with G. asiaticum and G. yamadae. The transcript profiling of G. yamadae-induced gall tissues revealed that more genes involved in photosynthesis, sugar metabolism, plant hormones and defense-related pathways were up-regulated in the vigorous development stage of gall compared to the initial stage, and were eventually repressed overall. Furthermore, the concentration of cytokinins (CKs) in the galls tissue and the telia of G. yamadae was significantly higher than in healthy branch tissues of juniper. As well, tRNA-isopentenyltransferase (tRNA-IPT) was identified in G. yamadae with highly expression levels during the gall development stages. CONCLUSIONS: In general, our study provided new insights into the host-specific mechanisms by which G. asiaticum and G. yamadae differentially utilize CKs and specific adaptations on juniper during their co-evolution.

Elevated O3 concentrations alter the compartment-specific microbial communities inhabiting rust-infected poplars.

Elevated ozone (O3 ) can affect the susceptivity of plants to rust pathogens. However, the collective role of microbiomes involved in such interaction remains largely elusive. We exposed two cultivated poplar clones exhibiting differential O3 sensitivities, to non-filtered ambient air (NF), NF + 40 ppb or NF + 60 ppb O3 -enriched air in field open-top chambers and then inoculated Melampsora larici-populina urediniospores to study their response to rust infection and to investigate how microbiomes inhabiting four compartments (phyllosphere, rhizosphere, root endosphere, bulk soil) are involved in this response. We found that hosts with higher O3 sensitivity had significantly lower rust severity than hosts with lower sensitivity. Furthermore, the effect of increased O3 on the diversity and composition of microbial communities was highly dependent on poplar compartments, with the microbial network complexity patterns being completely opposite between the two clones. Notably, microbial source analysis estimated that phyllosphere fungal communities predominately derived from root endosphere and vice versa, suggesting a potential transmission mechanism between plant above- and below-ground systems. These promising results suggest that further investigations are needed to better understand the interactions of abiotic and biotic stresses on plant performance and the role of the microbiome in driving these changes.

Characteristics of systematic lymph node dissection and influencing factors of sentinel lymph node biopsy using carbon nanoparticles in endometrial carcinoma: a single-center study.

BACKGROUND: Carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) are a new tracer for lymph node mapping, which can quickly reach and develop lymph nodes through a lymphatic network. This research investigated the characteristics of systematic lymph node dissection and sentinel lymph node biopsy mapped with CNPs in endometrial carcinoma. METHODS: We first applied CNPs to systematic lymph node dissection in 18 endometrial carcinoma patients as the study group and another 18 endometrial carcinoma patients who were not injected with anything served as the control group. Then, we applied CNPs to sentinel lymph nodes biopsy in 54 endometrial carcinoma patients. All 54 patients received systematic lymph node dissection after sentinel lymph node biopsy. The detection rate, sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of systematic lymph node dissection and sentinel lymph node biopsy by CNPs were respectively analyzed. A nomogram model for predicting the success of sentinel lymph node mapping was established. RESULTS: The average number of lymph nodes removed in the CNP-labeled study group was higher than that in the control group (p<0.001). CNPs improved the number of lymph nodes with a diameter ≤ 0.5cm. The detection rate, sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of sentinel lymph nodes biopsy by CNPs for endometrial carcinoma were 70.4%, 100%, 100%, and 100%, respectively. The nomogram model included factors of long menopause time, cervical cyst, and hard cervical texture, and the area of ROC curve was 0.816. CONCLUSIONS: CNPs improve the detection rate of small lymph nodes. CNPs can trace sentinel lymph nodes in evaluating lymph node metastasis in endometrial carcinoma.

Transcriptome Analysis of Apple Leaves Infected by the Rust Fungus Gymnosporangium yamadae at Two Sporulation Stages.

Apple rust disease caused by Gymnosporangium yamadae is one of the major threats to apple orchards. In this study, dual RNA-seq analysis was conducted to simultaneously monitor gene expression profiles of G. yamadae and infected apple leaves during the formation of rust spermogonia and aecia. The molecular mechanisms underlying this compatible interaction at 10 and 30 days postinoculation (dpi) indicate a significant reaction from the host plant and comprise detoxication pathways at the earliest stage and the induction of secondary metabolism pathways at 30 dpi. Such host reactions have been previously reported in other rust pathosystems and may represent a general reaction to rust infection. G. yamadae transcript profiling indicates a conserved genetic program in spermogonia and aecia that is shared with other rust fungi, whereas secretome prediction reveals the presence of specific secreted candidate effector proteins expressed during apple infection. Unexpectedly, the survey of fungal unigenes in the transcriptome assemblies of inoculated and mock-inoculated apple leaves reveals that G. yamadae infection may modify the fungal community composition in the apple phyllosphere at 30 dpi. Collectively, our results provide novel insights into the compatible apple-G. yamadae interaction and advance the knowledge of this heteroecious demicyclic rust fungus.

Comparative transcriptomics of Gymnosporangium spp. teliospores reveals a conserved genetic program at this specific stage of the rust fungal life cycle.

BACKGROUND: Gymnosporangium spp. are fungal plant pathogens causing rust disease and most of them are known to infect two different host plants (heteroecious) with four spore stages (demicyclic). In the present study, we sequenced the transcriptome of G. japonicum teliospores on its host plant Juniperus chinensis and we performed comparison to the transcriptomes of G. yamadae and G. asiaticum at the same life stage, that happens in the same host but on different organs. RESULTS: Functional annotation for the three Gymnosporangium species showed the expression of a conserved genetic program with the top abundant cellular categories corresponding to energy, translation and signal transduction processes, indicating that this life stage is particularly active. Moreover, the survey of predicted secretomes in the three Gymnosporangium transcriptomes revealed shared and specific genes encoding carbohydrate active enzymes and secreted proteins of unknown function that could represent candidate pathogenesis effectors. A transcript encoding a hemicellulase of the glycoside hydrolase 26 family, previously identified in other rust fungi, was particularly highly expressed suggesting a general role in rust fungi. The comparison between the transcriptomes of the three Gymnosporangium spp. and selected Pucciniales species in different taxonomical families allowed to identify lineage-specific protein families that may relate to the biology of teliospores in rust fungi. Among clustered gene families, 205, 200 and 152 proteins were specifically identified in G. japonicum, G. yamadae and G. asiaticum, respectively, including candidate effectors expressed in teliospores. CONCLUSIONS: This comprehensive comparative transcriptomics study of three Gymnosporangium spp. identified gene functions and metabolic pathways particularly expressed in teliospores, a stage of the life cycle that is mostly overlooked in rust fungi. Secreted protein encoding transcripts expressed in teliospores may reveal new candidate effectors related to pathogenesis. Although this spore stage is not involved in host plant infection but in the production of basidiospores infecting plants in the Amygdaloideae, we speculate that candidate effectors may be expressed as early as the teliospore stage for preparing further infection by basidiospores.

Development and Characterization of Novel Genic-SSR Markers in Apple-Juniper Rust Pathogen Gymnosporangium yamadae (Pucciniales: Pucciniaceae) Using Next-Generation Sequencing.

The Apple-Juniper rust, Gymnosporangium yamadae, is an economically important pathogen of apples and junipers in Asia. The absence of markers has hampered the study of the genetic diversity of this widespread pathogen. In our study, we developed twenty-two novel microsatellite markers for G. yamadae from randomly sequenced regions of the transcriptome, using next-generation sequencing methods. These polymorphic markers were also tested on 96 G. yamadae individuals from two geographical populations. The allele numbers ranged from 2 to 9 with an average value of 6 per locus. The polymorphism information content (PIC) values ranged from 0.099 to 0.782 with an average value of 0.48. Furthermore, the observed (HO) and expected (HE) heterozygosity ranged from 0.000 to 0.683 and 0.04 to 0.820, respectively. These novel developed microsatellites provide abundant molecular markers for investigating the genetic structure and genetic diversity of G. yamadae, which will help us to better understand disease epidemics and the origin and migration routes of the Apple-Juniper rust pathogen. Further studies will also be completed to dissect how human activities influence the formation of current population structures. Furthermore, these SSR (simple sequence repeat) markers can also be used as tools to identify virulence by mapping the whole genomes of different virulent populations. These markers will, thus, assist the development of effective risk-assessment models and management systems for the Apple-Juniper rust pathogen.

Comparative transcriptome analysis and identification of candidate effectors in two related rust species (Gymnosporangium yamadae and Gymnosporangium asiaticum).

BACKGROUND: Rust fungi constitute the largest group of plant fungal pathogens. However, a paucity of data, including genomic sequences, transcriptome sequences, and associated molecular markers, hinders the development of inhibitory compounds and prevents their analysis from an evolutionary perspective. Gymnosporangium yamadae and G. asiaticum are two closely related rust fungal species, which are ecologically and economically important pathogens that cause apple rust and pear rust, respectively, proved to be devastating to orchards. In this study, we investigated the transcriptomes of these two Gymnosporangium species during the telial stage of their lifecycles. The aim of this study was to understand the evolutionary patterns of these two related fungi and to identify genes that developed by selection. RESULTS: The transcriptomes of G. yamadae and G. asiaticum were generated from a mixture of RNA from three biological replicates of each species. We obtained 49,318 and 54,742 transcripts, with N50 values of 1957 and 1664, for G. yamadae and G. asiaticum, respectively. We also identified a repertoire of candidate effectors and other gene families associated with pathogenicity. A total of 4947 pairs of putative orthologues between the two species were identified. Estimation of the non-synonymous/synonymous substitution rate ratios for these orthologues identified 116 pairs with Ka/Ks values greater than1 that are under positive selection and 170 pairs with Ka/Ks values of 1 that are under neutral selection, whereas the remaining 4661 genes are subjected to purifying selection. We estimate that the divergence time between the two species is approximately 5.2 Mya. CONCLUSION: This study constitutes a de novo assembly and comparative analysis between the transcriptomes of the two rust species G. yamadae and G. asiaticum. The results identified several orthologous genes, and many expressed genes were identified by annotation. Our analysis of Ka/Ks ratios identified orthologous genes subjected to positive or purifying selection. An evolutionary analysis of these two species provided a relatively precise divergence time. Overall, the information obtained in this study increases the genetic resources available for research on the genetic diversity of the Gymnosporangium genus.

XIAP 3'-untranslated region serves as a competitor for HMGA2 by arresting endogenous let-7a-5p in human hepatocellular carcinoma.

X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein functions as an intrinsic regulator of apoptosis by inhibition of caspase activity and possesses a pivotal role in human cancer development and progression. A growing body of literature has demonstrated that microRNAs lead to the degradation or translational repression of messenger RNAs by binding to the non-coding region of messenger RNA at the 3'-untranslated region. Here, we revealed that the expression of HMGA2 is upregulated with X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein after transfection of X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein 3'-untranslated region in hepatocellular carcinoma cells, suggesting that X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein 3'-untranslated region serves as a competitor for microRNAs and prevent the co-targeted messenger RNA, HMGA2, from being suppressed. We further identified that let-7a-5p could bind to both the X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein 3'-untranslated region and HMGA2 3'-untranslated region. Moreover, we demonstrated that the forced expression of X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein 3'-untranslated region increases the oncogenicity of hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vitro. Cell functional analyses were performed to examine the association of HMGA2 status and X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein 3'-untranslated region. We have also measured the functional readout of let-7a-5p and HMGA2, an assay often employed to provide substantial evidence for the effects of X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein 3'-untranslated region on hepatocellular carcinoma cells. In general, our findings suggest that X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein 3'-untranslated region serves as a competitive endogenous RNA for HMGA2 to activate hepatocellular carcinoma progression by arresting endogenous let-7a-5p.

Can good ESG performance of listed companies reduce abnormal stock price volatility? Mediation effects based on investor attention.

Today, with a growing emphasis on sustainable economic development, corporate environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance is attracting increasing attention and favor from investors. This triggers a question: can good ESG performance of listed companies mitigate the "up and down" of the stock market by drawing investor attention? This paper utilizes the data from China's A-share listed companies from 2011 to 2020, with investor attention as a mediating variable, to explore how the ESG performance of listed companies influences abnormal stock price volatility. The findings suggest that stronger ESG performance of listed companies significantly reduces abnormal stock price volatility, in which investor attention plays a partial mediating role. This paper confirms the robustness of the findings through multiple robustness and endogeneity tests. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that listed companies with good ESG performance during the growth period are more likely to significantly mitigate abnormal stock price volatility. Similarly, firms that maintain commendable ESG performance in bear markets significantly reduce abnormal stock price volatility. These findings enrich the theoretical research on the impact of ESG performance on abnormal stock price volatility, provide empirical evidence for listed companies to emphasize ESG investment and encourage investors to consider ESG ratings. Additionally, the study provides a new perspective for government agencies to utilize corporate ESG performance to maintain the sound development of the capital market.

Time-Course Responses of Apple Leaf Endophytes to the Infection of Gymnosporangium yamadae.

Apple rust, caused by Gymnosporangium yamadae, poses a significant challenge to apple production. Prior studies have underscored the pivotal role played by endophytic microbial communities, intimately linked with the host, in influencing plant diseases and their pathogenic outcomes. The objective of this study is to scrutinize alternations in endophytic microbial communities within apple leaves at different stages of apple rust using high-throughput sequencing technology. The findings revealed a discernible pattern characterized by an initial increase and subsequent decrease in the alpha diversity of microbial communities in diseased leaves. A microbial co-occurrence network analysis revealed that the complexity of the bacterial community in diseased leaves diminished initially and then rebounded during the progression of the disease. Additionally, employing the PICRUSt2 platform, this study provided preliminary insights into the functions of microbial communities at specific disease timepoints. During the spermogonial stage, endophytic bacteria particularly exhibited heightened activity in genetic information processing, metabolism, and environmental information processing pathways. Endophytic fungi also significantly enriched a large number of metabolic pathways during the spermogonial stage and aecial stage, exhibiting abnormally active life activities. These findings establish a foundation for comprehending the role of host endophytes in the interaction between pathogens and hosts. Furthermore, they offer valuable insights for the development and exploitation of plant endophytic resources, thereby contributing to enhanced strategies for managing apple rust.

Is the identification of caseating granuloma in the intestine indicative of tuberculosis? a rare case of Crohn's disease.

BACKGROUND: Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic intestinal inflammatory disorder, the etiology of which remains unknown, and is characterized by symptoms such as chronic abdominal pain, diarrhea, obstruction, and perianal lesions. Histopathology is widely regarded as the preferred method for diagnosing CD, although the histological diagnosis may lack specificity. The identification of granulomas is commonly believed to be the most reliable diagnostic indicator for CD, surpassing all other clinical features in significance. Nevertheless, research indicates that the detection rate of granulomas in CD exhibits considerable variability. Furthermore, granulomas can manifest in various specific infections including tuberculosis and Yersinia, as well as in a range of diseases characterized by macrophage reactions such as sarcoidosis and drug-induced enteritis. Granulomas associated with CD typically do not exhibit necrosis. However, the formation of caseous granulomas may occur as a result of secondary infections related to anti-CD drug treatment or perforation of the intestinal wall. CASE PRESENTATION: In this study, we present a case of a 28-year-old female patient diagnosed with CD exhibiting histologic granulomas, including both caseating and non-caseating forms, which demonstrated a positive response to medical treatment. CONCLUSION: In clinical practice, various forms of granulomas may indicate diverse underlying diseases, yet lack specificity. It is suggested that the presence of caseous granulomas should not be considered as a definitive exclusion criterion for the diagnosis when clinical, endoscopic, imaging and other histopathological features are consistent with CD. This study is the first report of caseous granulomas in CD without concomitant tuberculosis infection.

Flavonoids and phenols from the stems of Ephedra equisetina.

Twelve undescribed compounds, including five flavonoids and seven phenols, were isolated from the stems of Ephedra equisetina Bunge. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods, including NMR spectroscopy and HRESIMS analysis. Their absolute configurations were elucidated by comparing their experimental and calculated ECD spectra. In the in vitro bioactive assay, all compounds were tested for their anti-asthmatic activities by releasing ß-Hex in C48/80-induced RBL-2H3 cells. The ß-Hex release rates of compounds 3, 8, 10, and 11 were 0.8502 ± 0.0231, 0.8802 ± 0.0805, 0.7850 ± 0.0593, and 0.8361 ± 0.0728, respectively, suggesting that compounds 3, 8, 10, and 11 have potential anti-asthmatic activities.

Five new compounds from the stems of Ephedra equisetina.

Five new compounds were identified from the stems of Ephedra equisetina Bunge. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods, involving UV, IR, NMR spectrum and HRESIMS analyses. The absolute configuration of compound 2 was proved by comparing their experimental and calculated ECD spectrum. The vitro bioactive assay of all compounds suggested that compound 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6 may have potential anti-asthmatic activities.

Metabolite-Mediated Responses of Phyllosphere Microbiota to Rust Infection in Two Malus Species.

Plants recruit beneficial microbes to enhance their ability to fight pathogens. However, the current understanding of microbial recruitment is largely limited to belowground systems (root exudates and the rhizosphere). It remains unclear whether the changes in leaf metabolites induced by infectious pathogens can actively recruit beneficial microbes to mitigate the growth of foliar pathogens. In this study, we integrated microbiome and metabolomic analyses to systematically explore the dynamics of phyllosphere fungal and bacterial communities and key leaf metabolites in two crabapple species (Malus sp. "Flame" and Malus sp. "Kelsey") at six stages following infection with Gymnosporangium yamadae. Our results showed that the phyllosphere microbiome changed during lesion expansion, as highlighted by a reduction in bacterial alpha-diversity and an increase in fungal alpha-diversity; a decreasing and then an increasing complexity of the microbial co-occurrence network was observed in Kelsey and a decreasing complexity occurred in Flame. In addition, nucleotide sugars, diarylheptanoids, and carboxylic acids with aromatic rings were more abundant in early stages of collection, which positively regulated the abundance of bacterial orders Pseudomonadales (in Kelsey), Acidimicrobiales, Bacillales, and Flavobacteriales (in Flame). In addition, metabolites such as flavonoids, lignin precursors, terpenoids, coumarins, and quaternary ammonium salts enriched with the expansion of lesions had a positive regulatory effect on fungal families Rhynchogastremataceae and Golubeviaceae (in Flame) and the bacterial order Actinomycetales (in Kelsey). Our findings highlight that plants may also influence phyllosphere microorganisms by adjusting leaf metabolites in response to biotic stress. IMPORTANCE Our findings demonstrate the response patterns of bacterial and fungal communities in the Malus phyllosphere to rust fungus G. yamadae infection, and they also reveal how the phyllosphere microbiome changes with the expansion of lesions. We identified several metabolites whose relative abundance varied significantly with lesion expansion. Using a framework for assessing the role of leaf metabolites in shaping the phyllosphere microbiome of the two Malus species, we identified several specific metabolites that have profoundly selective effects on the microbial community. In conclusion, our study provides new evidence of the ecological niche of the phyllosphere in supporting the "cry for help" strategy for plants.

Tree and shrub richness modifies subtropical tree productivity by regulating the diversity and community composition of soil bacteria and archaea.

BACKGROUND: Declines in plant biodiversity often have negative consequences for plant community productivity, and it becomes increasingly acknowledged that this may be driven by shifts in soil microbial communities. So far, the role of fungal communities in driving tree diversity-productivity relationships has been well assessed in forests. However, the role of bacteria and archaea, which are also highly abundant in forest soils and perform pivotal ecosystem functions, has been less investigated in this context. Here, we investigated how tree and shrub richness affects stand-level tree productivity by regulating bacterial and archaeal community diversity and composition. We used a landscape-scale, subtropical tree biodiversity experiment (BEF-China) where tree (1, 2, or 4 species) and shrub richness (0, 2, 4, 8 species) were modified. RESULTS: Our findings indicated a noteworthy decline in soil bacterial α-diversity as tree species richness increased from monoculture to 2- and 4- tree species mixtures, but a significant increase in archaeal α-diversity. Additionally, we observed that the impact of shrub species richness on microbial α-diversity was largely dependent on the level of tree species richness. The increase in tree species richness greatly reduced the variability in bacterial community composition and the complexity of co-occurrence network, but this effect was marginal for archaea. Both tree and shrub species richness increased the stand-level tree productivity by regulating the diversity and composition of bacterial community and archaeal diversity, with the effects being mediated via increases in soil C:N ratios. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide insight into the importance of bacterial and archaeal communities in driving the relationship between plant diversity and productivity in subtropical forests and highlight the necessity for a better understanding of prokaryotic communities in forest soils. Video Abstract.

Efficacy and Safety of Ultrasound-Guided High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Ablation in Women With Multiple Uterine Fibroids: An Exploratory Study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the work described here was to explore the clinical efficacy and safety of ultrasound-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (USg-HIFU) treatment in women with multiple fibroids and identify the characteristic parameters predicting USg-HIFU efficacy in multiple fibroids. METHODS: From February 2021 to August 2022, 138 patients with multiple fibroids (group A comprising 125 patients with two to four fibroids and 13 patients with five or more fibroids) and 149 patients with solitary fibroids (group B) were included. HIFU treatment information, efficacy comparisons and adverse events were recorded. A nomogram model of the characteristic parameters used to predict the efficacy of USg-HIFU in multiple fibroids was established. RESULTS: After USg-HIFU treatment, the statistical comparison of pre-operative versus post-operative symptom scores and fibroid volume in the two groups indicated obvious symptom relief and substantial shrinkage of fibroid volume (all p values <0.001). Nevertheless, group A required more energy and longer treatment and sonication times to achieve a 70% non-perfused volume (NPV) ratio, and had a lower energy efficiency factor than group B (all p values <0.05). No severe complications were observed in either group. The nomogram model included fibroid volume, fibroid location and signal intensity on T2-weighted imaging (T2WI). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve and the accuracy of the model were 0.698 and 0.686, respectively. CONCLUSION: USg-HIFU appears to be an effective and safe treatment option for multiple fibroids. Knowledge of the fibroid volume, location and signal intensity on T2WI may help determine the efficacy of USg-HIFU in multiple fibroids.

[Comparative transcriptomic analysis of the haustoria of Gymnosporangium yamadae and G. asiaticum].

To provide a theoretical basis for controlling the spread of rust disease, cultivating disease-resistant varieties and reducing yield losses, we investigated the transcriptome differences between Gymnosporangium yamadae and Gymnosporangium asiaticum at the haustorial stage and revealed a specialized selection mechanism for Gymnosporangium species to infect host plants. We sequenced the transcriptomes of the haustoria in rust-infected leaves when basidiospores of G. yamadae and G. asiaticum infected their hosts, and obtained 21 213 and 13 015 unigenes, respectively. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR validation of five genes selected from G. yamadae and G. asiaticum, respectively, showed that their expression profiles were generally consistent with the results of transcriptome analysis, demonstrating the reliability of the transcriptome data. We used seven databases such as Nr, GO, KEGG, and KOG to perform gene function annotation and enrichment analysis, and found that the genes from both rusts were mainly enriched in cellular processes, translation, and metabolism-related pathways. Moreover, we used SignalP, TMHMM online website and other software such as dbCAN, BLSAT, HMMER to show that there were 343 (2.51%) and 175 (2.79%) candidate effector proteins containing 14 and 5 proteases and 10 and 3 lipases in the haustoria of G. yamadae and G. asiaticum, respectively. Furthermore, we used OrthoFinder, BLAST and KaKs Calculator software to analyze the evolutionary relationship of the two fungi. Among one-to-one homologous genes, gene pairs with > 82% alignment were considered to be under conservative selection, and 12.37% under positive selection. Five effectors of G. asiaticum were under positive selection, and one of which was a lipase. No significant differences were found in the enrichment of expressed genes between G. yamadae and G. asiaticum, indicating the biological processes involved in haustoria were relatively conserved, despite the typical host selectivity between species. The low protein similarity between the two species suggested that they were under greater host selective pressure and there was significant evolutionary divergence, which might be related to the host-specific selection mechanism. In the haustorial, the main purpose of the effectors might be to regulate physiological processes in the plants rather than attacking the host directly, and G. yamadae and G. asiaticum might use plant lipids as energy sources.