Enhanced MRI Radiomics Based Model for Predicting Recurrence or Metastasis of Nasopharyngeal Cancer (NC) Undergoing Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy: A Retrospective Study.

Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma (NC) refers to the malignant tumor that occurs at the top and side walls of the nasopharyngeal cavity. The NC incidence rate always dominates the first among the malignant tumors of the ear, nose and throat, and mainly occurs in Asia. NC cases are mainly concentrated in southern provinces in China, with about 4 million existing NC. With the pollution of environment and pickled diet, and the increase of life pressure, the domestic NC incidence rate has reached 4.5-6.5/100000 and is increasing year by year. It was reported that the known main causes of NC include hereditary factor, genetic mutations, and EB virus infection, common clinical symptoms of NC include nasal congestion, bloody mucus, etc. About 90% of NC is highly sensitive to radiotherapy which is regard as the preferred treatment method; However, for NC with lower differentiation, larger volume, and recurrence after treatment, surgical resection and local protons and heavy ions therapy are also indispensable means. According to reports, the subtle heterogeneity and diversity exists in some NC, with about 80% of NC undergone radiotherapy and about 25% experienced recurrence and death within five years after radiotherapy in China. Therefore, screening the NC population with suspected recurrence after concurrent chemoradiotherapy may improve survival rates in current clinical decision-making.

NC is one of the prevalent malignancies of the head and neck region with poor prognosis. The aim of this study is to establish a predictive model for assessing NC prognosis using clinical and MR radiomics data.

Nitrogen Effects Endowed by Doping Electron-Withdrawing Nitrogen Atoms into Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Fluorescence Emitters.

Unveiling innovative mechanisms to design new highly efficient fluorescent materials and, thereby, fabricate high-performance organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) is a concerted endeavor in both academic and industrial circles. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been widely used as fluorescent emitters in blue OLEDs, but device performances are far from satisfactory. In response, we propose the concept of "nitrogen effects" endowed by doping electron-withdrawing nitrogen atoms into PAH fluorescence emitters. The presence of the n orbital on the imine nitrogen is conducive to promoting electron coupling, which leads to increased molar absorptivity and an accelerated radiative decay rate of emitters, thereby facilitating the Förster energy transfer (FET) process in the OLEDs. Additionally, electronically withdrawing nitrogen atoms enhances host-guest interactions, thereby positively affecting the FET process and the horizontal orientation factor of the emitting layer. To validate the "nitrogen effects" concept, cobalt-catalyzed multiple C-H annulation has been utilized to incorporate alkynes into the imine-based frameworks, which enables various imine-embedded PAH (IE-PAH) fluorescence emitters. The cyclization demonstrates notable regioselectivity, thereby offering a practical tool to precisely introduce peripheral groups at desired positions with bulky alkyl units positioned adjacent to the nitrogen atoms, which were previously beyond reach through the Friedel-Crafts reaction. Blue OLEDs fabricated with IE-PAHs exhibit outstanding performance with a maximum external quantum efficiency (EQEmax) of 32.7%. This achievement sets a groundbreaking record for conventional blue PAH-based fluorescent emitters, which have an EQEmax of 24.0%.

A Study on the Microstructure Regulation Effect of Niobium Doping on LiNi0.88Co0.05Mn0.07O2 and the Electrochemical Performance of the Composite Material under High Voltage.

High-nickel ternary materials are currently the most promising lithium battery cathode materials due to their development and application potential. Nevertheless, these materials encounter challenges like cation mixing, lattice oxygen loss, interfacial reactions, and microcracks. These issues are exacerbated at high voltages, compromising their cyclic stability and safety. In this study, we successfully prepared Nb5+-doped high-nickel ternary cathode materials via a high-temperature solid-phase method. We investigated the impact of Nb5+ doping on the microstructure and electrochemical properties of LiNi0.88Co0.05Mn0.07O2 ternary cathode materials by varying the amount of Nb2O5 added. The experimental results suggest that Nb5+ doping does not alter the crystal structure but modifies the particle morphology, yielding radially distributed, elongated, rod-like structures. This morphology effectively mitigates the anisotropic volume changes during cycling, thereby bolstering the material's cyclic stability. The material exhibits a discharge capacity of 224.4 mAh g-1 at 0.1C and 200.3 mAh g-1 at 1C, within a voltage range of 2.7 V-4.5 V. Following 100 cycles at 1C, the capacity retention rate maintains a high level of 92.9%, highlighting the material's remarkable capacity retention and cyclic stability under high-voltage conditions. The enhancement of cyclic stability is primarily due to the synergistic effects caused by Nb5+ doping. Nb5+ modifies the particle morphology, thereby mitigating the formation of microcracks. The formation of high-energy Nb-O bonds prevents oxygen precipitation at high voltages, minimizes the irreversibility of the H2-H3 phase transition, and thereby enhances the stability of the composite material at high voltages.

Preparation of Yellowing-Resistant Waterborne Polyurethane Modified with Disulfide Bonds.

Waterborne polyurethane, renowned for its lightweight properties, excellent insulation capabilities, and corrosion resistance, has found extensive application in fields such as construction, automotive, leather, and thermal insulation. Nevertheless, during operational usage, waterborne polyurethane materials, akin to other polymeric substances, are susceptible to oxidative aging manifestations like yellowing, cracking, and diminished mechanical performance, significantly curtailing their utility. Consequently, the synthesis of yellowing-resistant polyurethane assumes pivotal significance. This study integrates dynamic reversible reactions into the synthesis process of polyurethane by introducing the dynamic reversible compound 2-hydroxyethyl disulfide as a chain extender, alongside the incorporation of a UV absorber to enhance the polyurethane's resistance to yellowing. When the disulfide bonds absorb heat, they undergo cleavage, yielding thiols that spontaneously recombine into disulfide bonds at ambient temperatures, allowing for the continuous breaking and reformation of disulfide bonds to absorb heat. Concurrently, in collaboration with the UV absorber, the detrimental effects of ultraviolet radiation on the polyurethane material are mitigated, thereby augmenting its resistance to yellowing. This study scrutinizes the positioning of UV absorber addition, the quantity of UV absorber, and the molar ratio of 1,4-butanediol to 2-hydroxyethyl disulfide, characterizing the functional groups of polyurethane through infrared and Raman spectroscopy. It is observed that the successful preparation of yellowing-resistant polyurethane is achieved, and evaluations on the modified polyurethane through color difference, tensile, and centrifugal tests reveal that the optimal yellowing resistance is attained by adding a UV absorber at a mass fraction of 1% to 3% prior to chain extension, resulting in a color change grade of 2, denoting slight discoloration. Simultaneously, the other properties of polyurethane exhibit relative stability. Notably, when the molar ratio of 1,4-butanediol to 2-hydroxyethyl disulfide is 3:2, the overall performance of the polyurethane remains stable, with exceptional yellowing resistance capabilities attaining a color change grade of 2.

Quantum Carnot thermal machines reexamined: Definition of efficiency and the effects of strong coupling.

Whether the strong coupling to thermal baths can improve the performance of quantum thermal machines remains an open issue under active debate. Here we revisit quantum thermal machines operating with the quasistatic Carnot cycle and aim to unveil the role of strong coupling in maximum efficiency. Our analysis builds upon definitions of excess work and heat derived from an exact formulation of the first law of thermodynamics for the working substance, which captures the non-Gibbsian thermal equilibrium state that emerges at strong couplings during quasistatic isothermal processes. These excess definitions differ from conventional ones by an energetic cost for maintaining the non-Gibbsian characteristics. With this distinction, we point out that one can introduce two different yet thermodynamically allowed definitions for efficiency of both the heat engine and refrigerator modes. We dub them excess and hybrid definitions, which differ in the way of defining the gain for the thermal machines at strong couplings by either just analyzing the energetics of the working substance or instead evaluating the performance from an external system upon which the thermal machine acts, respectively. We analytically demonstrate that the excess definition predicts that the Carnot limit remains the upper bound for both operation modes at strong couplings, whereas the hybrid one reveals that strong coupling can suppress the maximum efficiency rendering the Carnot limit unattainable. These seemingly incompatible predictions thus indicate that it is imperative to first gauge the definition for efficiency before elucidating the exact role of strong coupling, thereby shedding light on the ongoing investigation on strong-coupling quantum thermal machines.

Regioselective N-Trideuteromethylation of Tautomeric Polyaza Heterocycles.

Methods for regioselective N-trideuteromethylation of tautomeric polyaza heterocycles are highly sought-after. Disclosed herein is an N-trideuterated methylation reaction of imidazoles and pyrazoles with high regioselectivity and deuterium purity using easily available CF3SO3CD3 as the -CD3 source. This method enables the easy synthesis of important deuterium-labeled azoles, including dimetridazole-d3, ipronidazole-d3, hydroxy dimetridazole-d3, and ronidazole-d3.

Near-infrared fluorescent probe for sensitive detection and imaging of DNA G4s in living cells.

G-quadruplexs (G4s), four-stranded nucleic acid secondary structures, which formed by guanine-rich sequences play a vital role in human biological systems. Studies have shown that the formation of G4s is closely related to tumor development and apoptosis, which is considered as a new target for the development of anti-tumor drugs. Therefore, it is important to develop novel probes for G4s imaging. In this article, we engineered a near-infrared fluorescent probe (TOH) which can be activated by DNA G4s in living cells and tumor. TOH exhibits high selectivity to the structure of DNA G4s with the limit of detection for DNA G4s (Mito-0.5-2) is calculated to be 0.43 nM. Imaging studies of different cell lines revealed that the brighter fluorescence in cancer cell lines than in normal, indicating that DNA G4s maybe highly express in tumor cell lines. Simultaneously, TOH is also introduced into live tumor tissue imaging and found that the fluorescence intensity of tumor is the brightest relative to normal tissue, further validating the high expression of DNA G4s structures in tumor tissue. These features demonstrate TOH not only have the ability to image DNA G4 structures in real time, but also may have tumor diagnostic capabilities.

Genome-wide identification of SAMS gene family in Cucurbitaceae and the role of ClSAMS1 in watermelon tolerance to abiotic stress.

S-Adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) is widely involved in plant growth, development, and abiotic stress response. SAM synthetase (SAMS) is the key enzyme that catalyzes the synthesis of SAM from methionine and ATP. However, the SAMS gene family has not been identified and their functions have not been characterized in most Cucurbitaceae plants. Here, a total of 30 SAMS genes were identified in nine Cucurbitaceae species and they were categorized into 3 subfamilies. Physicochemical properties and gene structure analysis showed that the SAMS protein members are tightly conserved. Further analysis of the cis-regulatory elements (CREs) of SAMS genes' promoter implied their potential roles in stress tolerance. To further understand the molecular functions of SAMS genes, watermelon SAMSs (ClSAMSs) were chosen to analyze the expression patterns in different tissues and under various abiotic stress and hormone responses. Among the investigated genes, ClSAMS1 expression was observed in all tissues and found to be up-regulated by abiotic stresses including salt, cold and drought treatments as well as exogenous hormone treatments including ETH, SA, MeJA and ABA. Furthermore, knockdown of ClSAMS1 via virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) decreased SAM contents in watermelon seedings. The pTRSV2-ClSAMS1 plants showed reduced susceptibility to drought, cold and NaCl stress, indicating a positive role of ClSAMS1 in abiotic stresses tolerance. Those results provided candidate SAMS genes to regulate plant resistance against abiotic stresses in Cucurbitaceae plants.

Pro-CRISPR PcrIIC1-associated Cas9 system for enhanced bacterial immunity.

The CRISPR system is an adaptive immune system found in prokaryotes that defends host cells against the invasion of foreign DNA1. As part of the ongoing struggle between phages and the bacterial immune system, the CRISPR system has evolved into various types, each with distinct functionalities2. Type II Cas9 is the most extensively studied of these systems and has diverse subtypes. It remains uncertain whether members of this family can evolve additional mechanisms to counter viral invasions3,4. Here we identify 2,062 complete Cas9 loci, predict the structures of their associated proteins and reveal three structural growth trajectories for type II-C Cas9. We found that novel associated genes (NAGs) tended to be present within the loci of larger II-C Cas9s. Further investigation revealed that CbCas9 from Chryseobacterium species contains a novel ß-REC2 domain, and forms a heterotetrameric complex with an NAG-encoded CRISPR-Cas-system-promoting (pro-CRISPR) protein of II-C Cas9 (PcrIIC1). The CbCas9-PcrIIC1 complex exhibits enhanced DNA binding and cleavage activity, broader compatibility for protospacer adjacent motif sequences, increased tolerance for mismatches and improved anti-phage immunity, compared with stand-alone CbCas9. Overall, our work sheds light on the diversity and 'growth evolutionary' trajectories of II-C Cas9 proteins at the structural level, and identifies many NAGs-such as PcrIIC1, which serves as a pro-CRISPR factor to enhance CRISPR-mediated immunity.

Structural and Property Characterizations of Dual-Responsive Core-Shell Tecto Dendrimers for Tumor Penetration and Gene Delivery Applications.

Core-shell tecto dendrimers (CSTDs) with excellent physicochemical properties and good tumor penetration and gene transfection efficiency have been demonstrated to have the potential to replace high-generation dendrimers in biomedical applications. However, their characterization and related biological properties of CSTDs for enhanced tumor penetration and gene delivery still lack in-depth investigation. Herein, we attempted to design three types of dual-responsive CSTDs for thorough physicochemical characterization and investigation of their tumor penetration and gene delivery efficiency. Three types of CSTDs were prepared through phenylborate ester bonds of phenylboronic acid (PBA)-decorated generation 5 (G5) poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers as cores and monose (galactose, glucose or mannose)-conjugated G3 PAMAM dendrimers as shells and thoroughly characterized via NMR and other techniques. We show that the produced CSTDs displayed strong correlation signals between the PBA and monose protons and similar hydrodynamic diameters, and possess dual reactive oxygen species- and pH-responsivenesses. The dual-responsive CSTDs were proven to have structure-dependent tumor penetration property and gene delivery efficiency in terms of small interference RNA for gene silencing and plasmid DNA for gene editing, thus revealing a great potential for different biomedical applications. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Transcriptome and Metabolome Analysis of Rice Cultivar CBB23 after Inoculation by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae Strains AH28 and PXO99A.

Bacterial leaf blight (BLB), among the most serious diseases in rice production, is caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo). Xa23, the broadest resistance gene against BLB in rice, is widely used in rice breeding. In this study, the rice variety CBB23 carrying the Xa23 resistance gene was inoculated with AH28 and PXO99A to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with the resistance. Transcriptome sequencing of the infected leaves showed 7997 DEGs between the two strains at different time points, most of which were up-regulated, including cloned rice anti-blight, peroxidase, pathology-related, protein kinase, glucosidase, and other coding genes, as well as genes related to lignin synthesis, salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, and secondary metabolites. Additionally, the DEGs included 40 cloned, five NBS-LRR, nine SWEET family, and seven phenylalanine aminolyase genes, and 431 transcription factors were differentially expressed, the majority of which belonged to the WRKY, NAC, AP2/ERF, bHLH, and MYB families. Metabolomics analysis showed that a large amount of alkaloid and terpenoid metabolite content decreased significantly after inoculation with AH28 compared with inoculation with PXO99A, while the content of amino acids and their derivatives significantly increased. This study is helpful in further discovering the pathogenic mechanism of AH28 and PXO99A in CBB23 rice and provides a theoretical basis for cloning and molecular mechanism research related to BLB resistance in rice.

Dendrimer/metal-phenolic nanocomplexes encapsulating CuO2 for targeted magnetic resonance imaging and enhanced ferroptosis/cuproptosis/chemodynamic therapy by regulating the tumor microenvironment.

The combination of ferroptosis, cuproptosis, and chemodynamic therapy (CDT) would be a potential strategy for tumor diagnosis and enhanced treatment. However, the therapeutic effect was severely limited by the lack of specific delivery of catalytic ions and the low Fenton reaction efficiency in tumor microenvironment (TME) with excess glutathione, limited acidity and insufficient endogenous hydrogen peroxide. In this work, p-carboxybenzenesulfonamide (BS), a carbonic anhydrase IX (CA IX) inhibitor, was modified on the surface of generation-5 poly(amidoamine) dendrimer to load copper peroxide nanoparticles, which were complexed with iron (Fe)-tannic acid (TF) networks for targeted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and enhanced ferroptosis/cuproptosis/CDT by regulating TME. The formed CuO2@G5-BS/TF nanocomplexes with an average size of 39.4 nm could be specifically accumulated at tumor site and effectively internalized by metastatic 4T1 cells via the specific interaction between BS and CA IX over-expressed on tumor cells. Meanwhile, the inhibition of CA IX activity could not only decrease the intracellular pH to accelerate Fe3+/Cu2+ release, H2O2 self-supply and Fenton reaction, but also suppress tumor metastasis by alleviating the extracellular acidity in TME. Moreover, the reduction of Fe3+/Cu2+ by intracellular glutathione (GSH) could further amplify ROS generation and enhance CDT efficacy, and the GSH depletion could in turn inhibit GPX-4 mediated antioxidant reaction to induce ferroptosis, resulting in effective therapeutic efficacy. In vivo experimental results demonstrated that CuO2@G5-BS/TF could provide better tumor MR imaging, effectively inhibit the growth and metastasis of 4T1 breast tumors, and be metabolized without significant systemic toxicity. Thus, CuO2@G5-BS/TF nanocomplexes provided a new approach for targeted MR imaging and enhanced ferroptosis/cuproptosis/CDT of triple-negative breast cancer. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Taking the advantage of dendrimer and metal-phenolic system, stable CuO2@G5-BS/TF nanocomplexes with an average size of 39.4 nm were synthesized to efficiently load Fe3+ and CuO2 nanoparticles for TNBC treatment and MR imaging. CuO2@G5-BS/TF nanocomplexes could target tumor cells overexpressing CAIX via the specific binding with BS, and the inhibition of CAIX activity could not only decrease the intracellular pH to accelerate Fe3+/Cu2+ release, H2O2 self-supply and Fenton reaction, but also suppress tumor metastasis by alleviating the extracellular acidity. The reduction of Fe3+/Cu2+ by intracellular GSH could further amplify ·OH generation, and the GSH depletion could in turn inhibit GPX-4 mediated antioxidant reaction to induce ferroptosis, resulting in effective therapeutic efficacy by enhanced ferroptosis/cuproptosis/CDT via tumor microenvironment regulation.

Akkermansia muciniphila improves gastric cancer treatment by modulating the immune microenvironment.

Background: Gut microbiota is pivotal in tumor occurrence and development, and there is a close relationship between Akkermansia muciniphila (AKK) and cancer immunotherapy. Methods: The effects of AKK and its outer membrane proteins on gastric cancer (GC) were evaluated in vitro and in vivo using cell counting kit-8 assay, flow cytometry, western blotting, ELISA, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. Results: AKK outer membrane protein facilitated apoptosis of GC cells and exerted an immunostimulatory effect (by promoting M1 polarization of macrophages, enhancing expression of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-related cytokines and suppressing that of Treg-related cytokines). Additionally, AKK and its formulation could inhibit tumor growth of GC and enhance the infiltration of immune cells in tumor tissues. Conclusion: AKK could improve GC treatment by modulating the immune microenvironment.

Akkermansia muciniphila (AKK) is a type of bacteria found in the human gut that is good for the immune system. We wanted to investigate the effect of AKK on cancer. We extracted a protein from AKK called Amuc. AKK and Amuc inhibited the growth of stomach cancer by encouraging the action of immune cells. AKK may therefore be able to treat stomach cancer.

Simple fabrication of electrochemical sensor based on integration of dual signal amplification by the supporting electrode and modified nanochannel array for direct and sensitive detection of vitamin B2.

Development of simple and reliable sensor for detecting vitamin content is of great significance for guiding human nutrition metabolism, overseeing the quality of food or drugs, and advancing the treatment of related diseases. In this work, a simple electrochemical sensor was conveniently fabricated by modification a carbon electrode with vertically-ordered mesoporous silica film (VMSF), enabling highly sensitive electrochemical detection of vitamin B2 (VB2) based on the dual enrichment of the analyte by the supporting electrode and nanochannels. The widely used glassy carbon electrode (GCE), was preactivated using simple electrochemical polarization, The resulting preactivated GCE (p-GCE) exhibited improved potential resolution ability and enhanced peak current of VB2. Stable modification of VMSF on p-GCE (VMSF/p-GCE) was achieved without introducing another binding layer. The dual enrichment effect of the supporting p-GCE and nanochannels facilitated sensitive detection of VB2, with a linear concentration ranged from 20 nM to 7 µM and from 7 µM to 20 µM. The limit of detection (LOD), determined based on a signal-to-noise ratio of three (S/N = 3), was found to be 11 nM. The modification of ultra-small nanochannels of VMSF endowed VMSF/p-GCE with excellent anti-interference and anti-fouling performance, along with high stability. The constructed sensor demonstrated the capability to achieve direct electrochemical detection of VB2 in turbid samples including milk and leachate of compound vitamin B tablet without the need for complex sample pretreatment. The fabricated electrochemical can be easily regenerated and has high reusability. The advantages of simple preparation, high detection performance, and good regeneration endow the constructed electrochemical sensor with great potential for direct detection of small molecule in complex samples.

Prediction of High-Risk Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor Recurrence Based on Delta-CT Radiomics Modeling: A 3-Year Follow-up Study After Surgery.

Background: Medium- to high-risk classification-gastrointestinal stromal tumors (MH-GIST) have a high recurrence rate and are difficult to treat. This study aims to predict the recurrence of MH-GIST within 3 years after surgery based on clinical data and preoperative Delta-CT Radiomics modeling. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical imaging data of 242 cases confirmed to have MH-GIST after surgery, including 92 cases of recurrence and 150 cases of normal. The training set and test set were established using a 7:3 ratio and time cutoff point. In the training set, multiple prediction models were established based on clinical data of MH-GIST and the changes in radiomics texture of enhanced computed tomography (CT) at different time periods (Delta-CT radiomics). The area under curve (AUC) values of each model were compared using the Delong test, and the clinical net benefit of the model was tested using decision curve analysis (DCA). Then, the model was externally validated in the test set, and a novel nomogram predicting the recurrence of MH-GIST was finally created. Results: Univariate analysis confirmed that tumor volume, tumor location, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet lymphocyte ratio (PLR), diabetes, spicy hot pot, CT enhancement mode, and Radscore 1/2 were predictive factors for MH-GIST recurrence (P < .05). The combined model based on these above factors had significantly higher predictive performance (AUC = 0.895, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [0.839-0.937]) than the clinical data model (AUC = 0.735, 95% CI = [0.6 62-0.800]) and radiomics model (AUC = 0.842, 95% CI = [0.779-0.894]). Decision curve analysis also confirmed the higher clinical net benefit of the combined model, and the same results were validated in the test set. The novel nomogram developed based on the combined model helps predict the recurrence of MH-GIST. Conclusions: The nomogram of clinical and Delta-CT radiomics has important clinical value in predicting the recurrence of MH-GIST, providing reliable data reference for its diagnosis, treatment, and clinical decision-making.

Nanotechnology-enabled sonodynamic therapy against malignant tumors.

Sonodynamic therapy (SDT) is an emerging approach for malignant tumor treatment, offering high precision, deep tissue penetration, and minimal side effects. The rapid advancements in nanotechnology, particularly in cancer treatment, have enhanced the efficacy and targeting specificity of SDT. Combining sonodynamic therapy with nanotechnology offers a promising direction for future cancer treatments. In this review, we first systematically discussed the anti-tumor mechanism of SDT and then summarized the common nanotechnology-related sonosensitizers and their recent applications. Subsequently, nanotechnology-related therapies derived using the SDT mechanism were elaborated. Finally, the role of nanomaterials in SDT combined therapy was also introduced.

Nucleic acid-sensing-related gene signature in predicting prognosis and treatment efficiency of small cell lung cancer patients.

Introduction: Nucleic acid-sensing (NAS) pathways could induce innate and adaptive immune responses. However, rare evidence exhibited how the core genes of the NAS pathways affected the immune response and prognosis of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients. Methods: We conducted a comprehensive bioinformatic analysis based on the RNA profiles of 114 SCLC patients, including 79 from cBioPortal, 21 from GSE30219, and 14 from our sequencing data. The multiplex immunohistochemistry (mIHC) was used to characterize the role of NAS related genes in the tumor microenvironment (TME) of SCLC. Results: A prognostic model (7NAS risk model) was constructed based on 7 NAS-related genes which was demonstrated as an independent prognostic index. The low-risk group was identified to have a better prognosis and an immune-activated microenvironment in both the public datasets and our dataset. Intriguingly, mIHC data showed that CD45+ immune cells, CD8+ T lymphocytes, and CD68+ macrophages were prevalently enriched in low-risk SCLC patients and positively correlated with IRF1 expression. Additionally, Patients in the low-risk group might have superior responses to chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Conclusion: Conclusively, this study created a new risk model based on genes associated with NAS pathways which could predict the prognosis and response of treatment in patients with SCLC.

Environmentally related microcystin-LR-induced ovarian dysfunction via the CCL2-CCR10 axis in mice ameliorated by dietary mulberry.

Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) is a reproductive toxin produced by cyanobacteria in the aquatic environment and can be ingested by humans through drinking water and the food chain, posing a threat to human reproductive health. However, the toxic mechanisms and prospective interventions for MC-LR-induced ovarian dysfunction at environmental doses are unknown. The mulberry fruit is a traditional natural product of plant origin, with various pharmacological effects, such as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Here, mice were exposed to MC-LR (10, 100 µg/L) in drinking water for 90 days, during which mice were gavage 600 mg/kg/week of mulberry fruit extract (MFE). It was found that MC-LR can accumulate in mouse ovaries, causing sexual hormone disturbance, inflammatory infiltration, and ovarian pathological damage. Results from RNA-seq were shown that CCL2, a chemokine associated with inflammatory response, was significantly increased in mouse ovary after MC-LR exposure. Further investigation revealed that MC-LR exposure aggravates apoptosis of granulosa cells via the CCL2-CCR10 axis-mediated Jak/Stat pathway. Importantly, MFE can significantly ameliorate these ovarian dysfunction phenotypes by inhibiting the activation of the CCL2-CCR10 axis. This study broadened new insights into the ovarian toxicity of MC-LR and clarified the pharmacological effects of mulberry fruit on ovarian function protection.

SEG-SLAM: Dynamic Indoor RGB-D Visual SLAM Integrating Geometric and YOLOv5-Based Semantic Information.

Simultaneous localisation and mapping (SLAM) is crucial in mobile robotics. Most visual SLAM systems assume that the environment is static. However, in real life, there are many dynamic objects, which affect the accuracy and robustness of these systems. To improve the performance of visual SLAM systems, this study proposes a dynamic visual SLAM (SEG-SLAM) system based on the orientated FAST and rotated BRIEF (ORB)-SLAM3 framework and you only look once (YOLO)v5 deep-learning method. First, based on the ORB-SLAM3 framework, the YOLOv5 deep-learning method is used to construct a fusion module for target detection and semantic segmentation. This module can effectively identify and extract prior information for obviously and potentially dynamic objects. Second, differentiated dynamic feature point rejection strategies are developed for different dynamic objects using the prior information, depth information, and epipolar geometry method. Thus, the localisation and mapping accuracy of the SEG-SLAM system is improved. Finally, the rejection results are fused with the depth information, and a static dense 3D mapping without dynamic objects is constructed using the Point Cloud Library. The SEG-SLAM system is evaluated using public TUM datasets and real-world scenarios. The proposed method is more accurate and robust than current dynamic visual SLAM algorithms.