Haplotype-resolved chromosome-level genome assembly of Huyou (Citrus changshanensis).

Huyou (Citrus changshanensis) is a significant citrus species that originated in Zhejiang Province, China, where it is also primarily cultivated. It is valued for its distinctive flavor and notable health benefits, owing to its high content of bioactive compounds like naringin and limonin. However, the absence of a high quality reference genome has limited the exploration of these health-promoting compounds in Huyou and hindered research into the mechanisms behind its medicinal properties. In this study, we present a phased chromosome-level genome assembly of Huyou. By combining PacBio and Hi-C sequencing, we generated a primary genome assembly and two haplotypes, comprising nine pseudo-chromosomes, with sizes of 339.91 Mb, 323.51 Mb, and 311.89 Mb, respectively. By integrating transcriptome data and annotations of homologous species, we identified a total of 29,775 protein-coding genes in the genome of Huyou. Additionally, we detected lots of structural variants between the two haplotypes. This represents the first reference genome of Huyou, providing a valuable resource for future studies on its agricultural characteristics and medicinal applications.

Evaluating the Clinical Utility of Small Airway Function Assessment for Early Diagnosis of GOLD Stage 0 Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Objective: To investigate the clinical utility of small airway function indices for early identification of GOLD stage 0 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).Methods: This retrospective study enrolled 137 participants at our institution between January 2017 and December 2018, comprising 40 healthy controls, 46 individuals with GOLD stage 0 COPD, and 51 patients with established COPD. Pulmonary function was assessed using the PowerCube spirometry system (GANSHORN, Germany). Parameters evaluated included forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), FEV1/FVC ratio, and small airway function indicators.Results: The COPD cohort exhibited significantly lower values across all lung function measures compared to the other two groups, particularly for dynamic lung volume parameters such as FEV1%predicted and FEV1/FVC%. Small airway function indices, including FEV3%predicted, FEF75%predicted, FEF50%predicted, FEF25%predicted, and MMEF%predicted, were markedly decreased in the COPD group (all p-values <0.001). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis demonstrated that MMEF/FVC% and FEV3/FVC% had high diagnostic accuracy for COPD, with MMEF/FVC% exhibiting the optimal sensitivity and specificity.Conclusion: Small airway function indices, especially MMEF/FVC%, can serve as effective tools for early identification of GOLD stage 0 COPD. Incorporation of these findings into clinical practice may facilitate early diagnosis and intervention, thereby improving treatment outcomes and patient quality of life.

Comparison of proximal and distal laparoscopic ureteroureterostomy for complete duplex kidneys in children.

OBJECTIVE: To compare efficacy of proximal and distal laparoscopic ureteroureterostomy (UU) for complete duplex kidneys in children. METHODS: Patients who underwent laparoscopic UU for complete duplex kidneys between December 2016 and July 2022 were reviewed retrospectively. 71 patients who had normal lower pole moiety without vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) were recruited. All of them underwent ultrasound, voiding cystourethrography (VCUG), renal scintigraphy, and magnetic resonance urography preoperatively. Proximal laparoscopic UU was performed in 35 patients and distal laparoscopic UU in 36 patients. Double J stents were placed in normal lower pole moieties. Clinical data, including general information, diagnosis, surgical management, imaging characteristics, clinical symptoms and postoperative complications (classified according to the modified Clavien-Dindo classification), and length of stay were recorded. Measurement date comparisons between groups were performed by t test, counting date were analyzed by chi-square test. RESULTS: The study consisted of 71 patients (56 females and 15 males) with complete duplex kidneys (41 in left kidney and 30 in right kidney). The patients' mean age was 34 m (range 3-161 m) and follow-up ranged from 25 to 81 m. No significant difference was found in age and follow-up time between the two groups. Laparoscopic UU was performed in all patients successfully. The operation time of the two groups was 108.42 ± 26.95 min for distal UU vs 121.46 ± 35.15 min for proximal UU(p = 0.14). No significant difference in postoperative complications was seen between the two groups (22.2% vs 31.4%, p = 0.345). However, in terms of the grading of postoperative complications, the proximal UU group had a higher grade (3 of them had a grade of IV) and more serious complications. CONCLUSIONS: There was no significant difference in the overall incidence of complications between distal and proximal UU. Compared with proximal laparoscopic UU, distal laparoscopic UU is easier to perform with less injury to the peripheral tissues. Postoperative complications of proximal UU are more serious and more difficult to manage. We recommend complete duplex kidney ureteral reconstruction with distal UU.

Abscisic acid for acute respiratory distress syndrome therapy by suppressing alveolar macrophage pyroptosis via upregulating acyloxyacyl hydrolase expression.

OBJECTIVE: Abscisic acid (ABA) is a phytohormone that inhibits airway inflammation in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) mouse models. However, the molecular mechanism underlying this phenomenon remains unclear. METHODS: Serum ABA level in patients and mice was measured via liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). In-depth molecular mechanism was investigated through transmission electron microscopy, RNA-sequencing, and molecular docking in ARDS mice and cultured primary alveolar macrophages (AMs). RESULTS: We found that the serum ABA level was remarkably decreased in ARDS mice and patients. ABA inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced airway inflammation in mice; moreover, it downregulated genes associated with pyroptosis, as shown by RNA-sequencing and lung protein immunoblots. ABA inhibited the formation of membrane pores in AMs and suppressed the cleavage of gasdermin D (GSDMD) and the activation of caspase-11 and caspase-1 in vivo and in vitro; however, the overexpression of caspase-11 reversed the protective effect of ABA on LPS-induced pyroptosis of primary AMs. ABA inhibited intra-AM LPS accumulation while increasing the level of acyloxyacyl hydrolase (AOAH) in AMs, whereas AOAH deficiency abrogated the suppressive action of ABA on inflammation, pyroptosis, and intra-AM LPS accumulation in vivo and in vitro. Importantly, ABA promoted its intracellular receptor lanthionine C-like receptor 2 interacting with transcription factor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ, which ultimately leading to increase AOAH expression to inactivate LPS and inhibit pyroptosis in AMs. CONCLUSIONS: ABA protected against LPS-induced lung injury by inhibiting pyroptosis in AMs via proliferator-activated receptor γ-mediated AOAH expression.

A single infusion of engineered long-lived and multifunctional T cells confers durable remission of asthma in mice.

Asthma, the most prevalent respiratory disease, affects more than 300 million people and causes more than 250,000 deaths annually. Type 2-high asthma is characterized by interleukin (IL)-5-driven eosinophilia, along with airway inflammation and remodeling caused by IL-4 and IL-13. Here we utilize IL-5 as the targeting domain and deplete BCOR and ZC3H12A to engineer long-lived chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells that can eradicate eosinophils. We call these cells immortal-like and functional IL-5 CAR T cells (5TIF) cells. 5TIF cells were further modified to secrete an IL-4 mutein that blocks IL-4 and IL-13 signaling, designated as 5TIF4 cells. In asthma models, a single infusion of 5TIF4 cells in fully immunocompetent mice, without any conditioning regimen, led to sustained repression of lung inflammation and alleviation of asthmatic symptoms. These data show that asthma, a common chronic disease, can be pushed into long-term remission with a single dose of long-lived CAR T cells.

Fine-tuning nanoflower-like Fe/Co hybrids with high content oxyhydroxide accelerating oxygen evolution kinetics.

Iron hydroxide (FeOOH) is a potential active component in iron-based electrocatalysts for water electrolysis. However, its catalytic performance is constrained by its slow oxygen evolution reaction (OER) kinetics. Herein, we synthesized a nanoflower-like FeCo-hydro(oxy)oxides composite with tunable Fe/Co ratios (Fex-Coy) on nickel foam (NF) via a one-step electrodeposition technique. This method allows for precise control over the morphology and composition of the hybrid nanoflowers. The optimized Fe9-Co1 discloses favorable OER performance with a low overpotential of 222 mV at 50 mA cm-2 and demonstrates good stability exceeding 60 h at 10 mA cm-2. Further, an assembled Fe9-Co1(+)||Pt/C(-) dual-electrode configuration achieves a low cell voltage of 1.73 V at the current density of 100 mA cm-2 for water splitting, with long-term stability for 70 h and minimal degradation. Studies indicate that the distinctive nanoflower morphology of Fe9-Co1 enhances active site exposure, while both FeOOH and reconstructed CoOOH serve as catalytic centers, contributing to the observed OER performance. This work introduces a facile approach for synthesizing OER electrocatalysts, underscoring the role of the high-valence state of Fe/Co as active sites in the OER process.

Development and assessment of an immobilized bacterial alliance that efficiently degrades tylosin in wastewater.

Microbial degradation of tylosin (TYL) is a safe and environmentally friendly technology for remediating environmental pollution. Kurthia gibsonii (TYL-A1) and Klebsiella pneumonia (TYL-B2) were isolated from wastewater; degradation efficiency of the two strains combined was significantly greater than either alone and resulted in degradation products that were less toxic than TYL. With Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-sodium alginate (SA)-activated carbon (AC) used to form a bacterial immobilization carrier, the immobilized bacterial alliance reached 95.9% degradation efficiency in 1 d and could be reused for four cycles, with > 93% degradation efficiency per cycle. In a wastewater application, the immobilized bacterial alliance degraded 67.0% TYL in 9 d. There were significant advantages for the immobilized bacterial alliance at pH 5 or 9, with 20 or 40 g/L NaCl, or with 10 or 50 mg/L doxycycline. In summary, in this study, a bacterial consortium with TYL degradation ability was constructed using PVA-SA-AC as an immobilized carrier, and the application effect was evaluated on farm wastewater with a view to providing application guidance in environmental remediation.

[Changes in fingerprint and chromaticity values of Mori Cortex during stir-frying process].

This study aims to reveal the dynamics of the HPLC fingerprint, chromaticity values, and main chemical components of Mori Cortex during the stir-frying process. The fingerprints of raw and processed products of Mori Cortex were established. The content of mulberroside A, oxyresveratrol, kuwanon G, and kuwanon H in the samples and the chromaticity values of the samples were determined. Furthermore, the similarity evaluation of fingerprints and the correlation analysis between fingerprints and chromaticity values were carried out. The results showed that the fingerprints of raw and processed products of Mori Cortex had high similarity, and the overall changes in the content of the main chemical components in the stir-frying process were similar. According to the experience, when the stir-frying is moderate, the total chromaticity value difference |ΔE~*_(ab)| is above 1.5. With the extension of stir-frying time, the L~* and E~*_(ab) values keep decreasing, and the a~* value keeps increasing. The results of the correlation analysis between fingerprints and chromaticity values showed that peaks 1(5-hydroxy maltol), 2(mulberroside A), 3, 4, 6, 7, 11(oxyresveratrol), 14, 17(kuwanon G), and 18(kuwanon H) had significant correlations with the chromaticity values. Quantitative analysis of the four components with higher content showed that the content of the four components decreased to varying degrees when the stir-frying was excessive. In addition, 5-hydroxy maltol was produced after stir-frying of Mori Cortex, and the fingerprint and chromaticity values showed regular changes during the stir-frying process. The chromaticity can be included in the evaluation of the stir-frying process of Mori Cortex, which provides a reference for standardizing the quality of stir-fried Mori Cortex.

RGS2 attenuates alveolar macrophage damage by inhibiting the Gq/11-Ca2+ pathway during cowshed PM2.5 exposure, and aberrant RGS2 expression is associated with TLR2/4 activation.

Staff and animals in livestock buildings are constantly exposed to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which affects their respiratory health. However, its exact pathogenic mechanism remains unclear. Regulator of G-protein signaling 2 (RGS2) has been reported to play a regulatory role in pneumonia. The aim of this study was to explore the therapeutic potential of RGS2 in cowshed PM2.5-induced respiratory damage. PM2.5 was collected from a cattle farm, and the alveolar macrophages (NR8383) of the model animal rat were stimulated with different treatment conditions of cowshed PM2.5. The RGS2 overexpression vector was constructed and transfected it into cells. Compared with the control group, cowshed PM2.5 significantly induced a decrease in cell viability and increased the levels of apoptosis and proinflammatory factor expression. Overexpression of RGS2 ameliorated the above-mentioned cellular changes induced by cowshed PM2.5. In addition, PM2.5 has significantly induced intracellular Ca2+ dysregulation. Affinity inhibition of Gq/11 by RGS2 attenuated the cytosolic calcium signaling pathway mediated by PLCß/IP3R. To further investigate the causes and mechanisms of action of differential RGS2 expression, the possible effects of oxidative stress and TLR2/4 activation were investigated. The results have shown that RGS2 expression was not only regulated by oxidative stress-induced nitric oxide during cowshed PM2.5 cells stimulation but the activation of TLR2/4 had also an important inhibitory effect on its protein expression. The present study demonstrates the intracellular Ca2+ regulatory role of RGS2 during cellular injury, which could be a potential target for the prevention and treatment of PM2.5-induced respiratory injury.

Consistent community assembly but contingent species pool effects drive ß-diversity patterns of multiple microbial groups in desert biocrust systems.

One of the key goals of ecology is to understand how communities are assembled. The species co-existence theory suggests that community ß-diversity is influenced by species pool and community assembly processes, such as environmental filtering, dispersal events, ecological drift and biotic interactions. However, it remains unclear whether there are similar ß-diversity patterns among different soil microbial groups and whether all these mechanisms play significant roles in mediating ß-diversity patterns. By conducting a broad survey across Chinese deserts, we aimed to address these questions by investing biological soil crusts (biocrusts). Through amplicon-sequencing, we acquired ß-diversity data for multiple microbial groups, that is, soil total bacteria, diazotrophs, phoD-harbouring taxa, and fungi. Our results have shown varying distance decay rates of ß-diversity across microbial groups, with soil total bacteria showing a weaker distance-decay relationship than other groups. The impact of the species pool on community ß-diversity varied across microbial groups, with soil total bacteria and diazotrophs being significantly influenced. While the contributions of specific assembly processes to community ß-diversity patterns varied among different microbial groups, significant effects of local community assembly processes on ß-diversity patterns were consistently observed across all groups. Homogenous selection and dispersal limitation emerged as crucial processes for all groups. Precipitation and soil C:P were the key factors mediating ß-diversity for all groups. This study has substantially advanced our understanding of how the communities of multiple microbial groups are structured in desert biocrust systems.

The Moderation Effect of Approach Motivation Between Schizotypy and Creative Ideational Behavior.

Introduction: The schizotypy-creativity link has been studied from different perspectives over the past few decades, yet the results of this relationship are inconsistent in the literature. Previous studies have suggested that two basic motivational systems-Behavioral Inhibition System (BIS, avoidance motivation) and Behavioral Activation System (BAS, approach motivation)-underlie the relationship between schizotypy and creativity. Few empirical studies, however, have examined how the relationship interacts with other variables. This study fills these gaps and explores the role of the approach and avoidance motivation assessed by trait behavioral activation and inhibition in the link between schizotypy as a dimensional personality trait and creative ideational behavior as a measure of creativity. Method: Undergraduate students (N = 388) completed questionnaires including the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ) measuring 3 dimensions of schizotypy, Runco Ideational Behavior Scale (RIBS) measuring creative ideational behavior, and BIS/BAS Scales measuring trait behavioral motivation. Bivariate Pearson correlation was computed, and hierarchical linear regression was performed to explore the effects of schizotypy, BIS/BAS, and their interaction on creative ideational behavior. The conditional effect of schizotypy based on different levels of the moderator was further tested. Results: The total score, positive dimension and disorganized dimension of SPQ were all positively correlated with RIBS, BAS, and BIS. Negative dimension of SPQ was not significantly correlated with the RIBS score but was positively correlated with BIS. Additionally, after controlling gender and age, BAS significantly moderated the relationship between the positive and disorganized dimensions of schizotypy and creative ideational behavior measured by RIBS. However, BIS was not a significant moderator. Discussion: The findings of this study regarding the relationships between different dimensions of schizotypy, two motivational systems, and creative ideational behavior were mostly consistent with previous findings. The significant moderated effect of BAS on the relationship between two dimensions of schizotypy and creative ideational behavior made significant contributions to the understanding of the relationship between schizotypy and creativity.

Type II Crigler-Najjar syndrome: a case report and literature review.

Background: Crigler-Najjar syndrome (CNS) is caused by mutations in uridine 5'-diphosphate glucuronyltransferase (UGT1A1) resulting in enzyme deficiency and hyperbilirubinemia. Type II CNS patients could respond to phenobarbital treatment and survive. This study presents a rare case of type II CNS. Case summary: The proband was a 29-year-old male patient admitted with severe jaundice. A hepatic biopsy showed bullous steatosis of the peri-central veins of the hepatic lobule, sediment of bile pigment, and mild periportal inflammation with normal liver plate structure. The type II CNS was diagnosed by routine genomic sequencing which found that the proband with the Gry71Arg/Tyr486Asp compound heterozygous mutations in the UGT1A1 gene. After treatment with phenobarbital (180 mg/day), his bilirubin levels fluctuated between 100 and 200 µmol/L for 6 months and without severe icterus. Conclusion: Type II CNS could be diagnosed by routine gene sequencing and treated by phenobarbital.

Genome-Wide Identification, Expression Analysis and Functional Study of DELLA Genes in Chinese Cabbage (Brassica rapa L. ssp. pekinensis).

BACKGROUND: DELLA protein is a crucial factor which played pivotal roles in regulating numerous intriguing biological processes in plant development and abiotic stress responses. However, little is known about the function and information of DELLA protein in Chinese cabbage. METHODS: Using 5 DELLA gene sequences in Arabidopsis Thaliana as probes, 5 DELLA genes in Chinese cabbage were identified by Blast search in Chinese cabbage database (Brassica database (BRAD)). The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), ExPaSy, SWISS-MODEL, DNAMAN, MEGA 11, PlantCARE were used to identify and analyze the DELLA gene family of Chinese cabbage. Gene expression was analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The function of BraA10gRGL3 was verified by overexpression and phenotypic analysis of BraA10gRGL3 and yeast hybrid. RESULTS: In this study, 5 BraDELLAs homologous to Arabidopsis thaliana were identified and cloned based on the Brassica database, namely, BraA02gRGL1, BraA05gRGL2, BraA10gRGL3, BraA06gRGA and BraA09gRGA. All BraDELLAs contain the DELLA, TVHYNP, and GRAS conserved domains. Cis-element analysis revealed that the promoter regions of these 5 DELLA genes all contain light-responsive elements, TCT motif, I-box, G-box, and box 4, which are associated with GA signaling. Transcriptome analysis results proved that the expression of BraA02gRGL1, BraA05gRGL2, and BraA10gRGL3 in Y2 at different growth stages were lower than them in Y7, which is consistent with the phenotype that Y7 exhibited stronger stress tolerance than Y2. It is worth emphasizing that even through the overexpression of BraA10gRGL3-Y7 in Arabidopsis resulted in smaller leaf size and lower fresh weight compared to the wild type (WT) Arabidopsis: Columbia, a stronger response to abiotic stresses was observed in BraA10gRGL3-Y7. It indicated that BraA10gRGL3-Y7 can improve the stress resistance of plants by inhibiting their growth. Moreover, the yeast two-hybrid experiment confirmed that BraA10gRGL3-Y7 can interacted with BraA05gGID1a-Y7, BraA04gGID1b1, BraA09gGID1b3-Y2, and BraA06gGID1c, whereas BraA10gRGL3-Y2 cannot interact with any BraGID1. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, BraDELLAs play important role in plant development and response to abiotic stress. The differences in amino acid sequences between BraA10gRGL3-Y2 and BraA10gRGL3-Y7 may result in variations in their protein binding sites, thus affecting their interaction with the BraGID1 family proteins. This systematic analysis lays the foundation for further study of the functional characteristics of DELLA genes of Chinese cabbage.

Real Active Site Identification of Co/Co3O4 Anchoring Ni-MOF Nanosheets with Fast OER Kinetics for Overall Water Splitting.

Doping metals and constructing heterostructures are pivotal strategies to enhance the electrocatalytic activity of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). Nevertheless, effectively designing MOF-based catalysts that incorporate both doping and multiphase interfaces poses a significant challenge. In this study, a one-step Co-doped and Co3O4-modified Ni-MOF catalyst (named Ni NDC-Co/CP) with a thickness of approximately 5.0 nm was synthesized by a solvothermal-assisted etching growth strategy. Studies indicate that the formation of the Co-O-Ni-O-Co bond in Ni NDC-Co/CP was found to facilitate charge density redistribution more effectively than the Co-O-Ni bimetallic synergistic effect in NiCo NDC/CP. The designating Ni NDC-Co/CP achieved superior oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity (245 mV @ 10 mA cm-2) and robust long stability (100 h @ 100 mA cm-2) in 1.0 M KOH. Furthermore, the Ni NDC-Co/CP(+)||Pt/C/CP(-) displays pregnant overall water splitting performance, achieving a current density of 10 mA cm-2 at an ultralow voltage of 1.52 V, which is significantly lower than that of commercial electrolyzer using Pt/C and IrO2 electrode materials. In situ Raman spectroscopy elucidated the transformation of Ni NDC-Co to Ni(Co)OOH under an electric field. This study introduces a novel approach for the rational design of MOF-based OER electrocatalysts.

The association between lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio and all-cause mortality in obese hypertensive patients with diabetes and without diabetes: results from the cohort study of NHANES 2001-2018.

Objective: Obesity, hypertension and diabetes are high prevalent that are often associated with poor outcomes. They have become major global health concern. Little research has been done on the impact of lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) on outcomes in these patients. Thus, we aimed to explore the association between LMR and all-cause mortality in obese hypertensive patients with diabetes and without diabetes. Methods: The researchers analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2001-2018), which included 4,706 participants. Kaplan-Meier analysis was employed to compare survival rate between different groups. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression models with trend tests and restricted cubic splines (RCS) analysis and were used to investigate the relationship between the LMR and all-cause mortality. Subgroup analysis was performed to assess whether there was an interaction between the variables. Results: The study included a total of 4706 participants with obese hypertension (48.78% male), of whom 960 cases (20.40%) died during follow-up (median follow-up of 90 months). Kaplan-Meier curves suggested a remarkable decrease in all-cause mortality with increasing LMR value in patients with diabetes and non-diabetes (P for log-rank test < 0.001). Moreover, multivariable Cox models demonstrated that the risk of mortality was considerably higher in the lowest quartile of the LMR and no linear trend was observed (P > 0.05). Furthermore, the RCS analysis indicated a non-linear decline in the risk of death as LMR values increased (P for nonlinearity < 0.001). Conclusions: Increased LMR is independently related with reduced all-cause mortality in patients with obese hypertension, regardless of whether they have combined diabetes.

Vegetation dieback in the Mississippi River Delta triggered by acute drought and chronic relative sea-level rise.

Vegetation dieback and recovery may be dependent on the interplay between infrequent acute disturbances and underlying chronic stresses. Coastal wetlands are vulnerable to the chronic stress of sea-level rise, which may affect their susceptibility to acute disturbance events. Here, we show that a large-scale vegetation dieback in the Mississippi River Delta was precipitated by salt-water incursion during an extreme drought in the summer of 2012 and was most severe in areas exposed to greater flooding. Using 16 years of data (2007-2022) from a coastwide network of monitoring stations, we show that the impacts of the dieback lasted five years and that recovery was only partial in areas exposed to greater inundation. Dieback marshes experienced an increase in percent time flooded from 43% in 2007 to 75% in 2022 and a decline in vegetation cover and species richness over the same period. Thus, while drought-induced high salinities and soil saturation triggered a significant dieback event, the chronic increase in inundation is causing a longer-term decline in cover, more widespread losses, and reduced capacity to recover from acute stressors. Overall, our findings point to the importance of mitigating the underlying stresses to foster resilience to both acute and persistent causes of vegetation loss.

Prediction models for bioavailability of Cu and Zn during composting: Insights into machine learning.

Bioavailability assessment of heavy metals in compost products is crucial for evaluating associated environmental risks. However, existing experimental methods are time-consuming and inefficient. The machine learning (ML) method has demonstrated excellent performance in predicting heavy metal fractions. In this study, based on the conventional physicochemical properties of 260 compost samples, including compost time, temperature, electrical conductivity (EC), pH, organic matter (OM), total phosphorus (TP), total nitrogen, and total heavy metal contents, back propagation neural network, gradient boosting regression, and random forest (RF) models were used to predict the dynamic changes in bioavailable fractions of Cu and Zn during composting. All three models could be used for effective prediction of the variation trend in bioavailable fractions of Cu and Zn; the RF model showed the best prediction performance, with the prediction level higher than that reported in related studies. Although the key factors affecting changes among fractions were different, OM, EC, and TP were important for the accurate prediction of bioavailable fractions of Cu and Zn. This study provides simple and efficient ML models for predicting bioavailable fractions of Cu and Zn during composting, and offers a rapid evaluation method for the safe application of compost products.

Perineural invasion in cervical cancer: A multicenter retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of perineural invasion (PNI) diagnosis in cervical cancer, and to analyze the impact of PNI on the prognosis and postoperative adjuvant treatment decisions for cervical cancer. METHODS: A retrospective pathological review of PNI in cervical cancer was conducted from 2004 to 2016 in 15 hospitals. RESULTS: This study included a total of 1208 cases, comprising 273 cases with PNI and 935 cases without. The false positive rate and false negative rate of PNI diagnosis were 5.35% (50/935) and 33.33% (91/273), respectively. Adenocarcinoma, deep stromal invasion, lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI) (+), and margin involvement were independent risk factors for PNI. Both 5-year overall survival rate (OS) and 5-year disease-free survival rate (DFS) of PNI group were worse than non-PNI group. PNI was an independent risk factor for 5-year OS and 5-year DFS. In cases receiving standard postoperative adjuvant treatment, among those with two intermediate-risk factors, both 5-year OS and DFS were worse in the PNI group. Among cases with three intermediate-risk factors or at least one high-risk factor, there was no difference in 5-year OS between the two groups, but 5-year DFS was worse in the PNI group. CONCLUSION: The diagnosis of PNI in cervical cancer was not accurate. Adenocarcinoma, deep stromal invasion, LVSI, and margin involvement were independent risk factors for PNI. PNI was an independent risk factor for 5-year OS and DFS. PNI has the potential to serve as a new high-risk factor, thus providing guidance for postoperative adjuvant therapy.