Effects of climate warming on soil nitrogen cycles and bamboo growth in core giant panda habitat.

Climate change can pose a significant threat to terrestrial ecosystems by disrupting the circulation of soil nitrogen. However, experimental analyses on the effect of climate change on soil nitrogen cycles and the implications for the conservation of key wildlife species (i.e., the giant panda, Ailuropoda melanoleuca) remain understudied. We investigated the effects of a 1.5 °C, 3 °C, and 4.5 °C temperature increase on nitrogen distribution in different soil layers of bamboo forest via an in-situ experiment and assessed the implications for the growth and survival of arrow bamboo (Bashania faberi), a critical food resource for giant pandas. Our results showed that warming treatments generally increased soil N content, while effects differed between surface soil and subsurface soil and at different warming treatments. Particularly an increase of 1.5 °C raised the subsurface soil NO3-N content, as well as the content of N in bamboo leaves. We found a significant positive correlation between the subsurface soil NO3-N content and the N content of arrow bamboo. An increase of 3-4.5 °C raised the content of total N and NO3-N in the surface soil and led to a reduction in the total aboveground biomass and survival rate of arrow bamboo. Limited warming (e.g., the increase of 0-1.5 °C) may promote the soil N cycle, raise the N-acetylglucosaminidase (NAG) enzyme activity, increase NO3-N in subsurface soil, increase the N content of bamboo, and boost the biomass of bamboo - all of which could be beneficial to giant panda survival. However, higher warming (e.g., an increase of 3-4.5 °C) resulted in mass death of bamboo and a large reduction in aboveground biomass. Our findings provide a cautiously optimistic scenario for bamboo forest ecosystems under low levels of warming over a short period of time, but risks from higher levels of warming may be serious, especially considering the unpredictability of global climatic change.

Recent progress in multifunctional, reconfigurable, integrated liquid metal-based stretchable sensors and standalone systems.

Possessing a unique combination of properties that are traditionally contradictory in other natural or synthetical materials, Ga-based liquid metals (LMs) exhibit low mechanical stiffness and flowability like a liquid, with good electrical and thermal conductivity like metal, as well as good biocompatibility and room-temperature phase transformation. These remarkable properties have paved the way for the development of novel reconfigurable or stretchable electronics and devices. Despite these outstanding properties, the easy oxidation, high surface tension, and low rheological viscosity of LMs have presented formidable challenges in high-resolution patterning. To address this challenge, various surface modifications or additives have been employed to tailor the oxidation state, viscosity, and patterning capability of LMs. One effective approach for LM patterning is breaking down LMs into microparticles known as liquid metal particles (LMPs). This facilitates LM patterning using conventional techniques such as stencil, screening, or inkjet printing. Judiciously formulated photo-curable LMP inks or the introduction of an adhesive seed layer combined with a modified lift-off process further provide the micrometer-level LM patterns. Incorporating porous and adhesive substrates in LM-based electronics allows direct interfacing with the skin for robust and long-term monitoring of physiological signals. Combined with self-healing polymers in the form of substrates or composites, LM-based electronics can provide mechanical-robust devices to heal after damage for working in harsh environments. This review provides the latest advances in LM-based composites, fabrication methods, and their novel and unique applications in stretchable or reconfigurable sensors and resulting integrated systems. It is believed that the advancements in LM-based material preparation and high-resolution techniques have opened up opportunities for customized designs of LM-based stretchable sensors, as well as multifunctional, reconfigurable, highly integrated, and even standalone systems.

Characterization of a novel adipose tissue located between abdominal lymph nodes and cervix/prostate in mice.

Perigonadal adipose tissue is a homogeneous white adipose tissue (WAT) in adult male mice, without any brown adipose tissue (BAT) present. However, there are congenital differences in the gonads between male and female mice. Whether heterogeneity existed in perigonadal ATs in female mice remains unknown. This study reported a perigonadal BAT located between abdominal lymph nodes and uterine cervix in female mice, termed lymph node-cervical adipose tissue (LNCAT). Its counterpart, lymph node-prostatic adipose tissue (LNPAT), exhibited white phenotype in adult virgin male mice. When exposed to cold, LNCAT/LNPAT increased UCP1 expression via activation of TH, in which abdominal lymph nodes were involved. Interestingly, the UCP1 expression in LNCAT/LNPAT varied under different reproductive stages. The UCP1 expression in LNCAT was upregulated at early pregnancy, declined at mid-late pregnancy, and reverted in weaning dams. Mating behavior stimulated LNPAT browning in male mice. We found that androgen but not estrogen or progesterone inhibited UCP1 expression in LNCAT. Androgen administration reversed the castration-induced LNPAT browning. Our results identified a perigonadal BAT in female mice and characterized its UCP1 expression patterns under various conditions.

Interventional effects of Pueraria oral liquid on T2DM rats and metabolomics analysis.

Pueraria lobata, commonly known as kudzu, is a medicinal and food plant widely used in the food, health food, and pharmaceutical industries. It has clinical pharmacological effects, including hypoglycemic, antiinflammatory, and antioxidant effects. However, its mechanism of hypoglycemic effect on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has not yet been elucidated. In this study, we prepared a Pueraria lobata oral liquid (POL) and conducted a comparative study in a T2DM rat model to evaluate the hypoglycemic effect of different doses of Pueraria lobata oral liquid. Our objective was to investigate the hypoglycemic effect of Puerarin on T2DM rats and understand its mechanism from the perspective of metabolomics. In this study, we assessed the hypoglycemic effect of POL through measurements of FBG, fasting glucose tolerance test, plasma lipids, and liver injury levels. Furthermore, we examined the mechanism of action of POL using hepatic metabolomics. The study's findings demonstrated that POL intervention led to improvements in weight loss, blood glucose, insulin, and lipid levels in T2DM rats, while also providing a protective effect on the liver. Finally, POL significantly affected the types and amounts of hepatic metabolites enriched in metabolic pathways, providing an important basis for revealing the molecular mechanism of Pueraria lobata intervention in T2DM rats. These findings indicate that POL may regulate insulin levels, reduce liver damage, and improve metabolic uptake in the liver. This provides direction for new applications and research on Pueraria lobata to prevent or improve T2DM.

Advancements and Challenges in Non-Invasive Sensor Technologies for Swallowing Assessment: A Review.

Dysphagia is a pervasive health issue that impacts diverse demographic groups worldwide, particularly the elderly, stroke survivors, and those suffering from neurological disorders. This condition poses substantial health risks, including malnutrition, respiratory complications, and increased mortality. Additionally, it exacerbates economic burdens by extending hospital stays and escalating healthcare costs. Given that this disorder is frequently underestimated in vulnerable populations, there is an urgent need for enhanced diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Traditional diagnostic tools such as the videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) and flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) require interpretation by clinical experts and may lead to complications. In contrast, non-invasive sensors offer a more comfortable and convenient approach for assessing swallowing function. This review systematically examines recent advancements in non-invasive swallowing function detection devices, focusing on the validation of the device designs and their implementation in clinical practice. Moreover, this review discusses the swallowing process and the associated biomechanics, providing a theoretical foundation for the technologies discussed. It is hoped that this comprehensive overview will facilitate a paradigm shift in swallowing assessments, steering the development of technologies towards more accessible and accurate diagnostic tools, thereby improving patient care and treatment outcomes.

Systematic review on fingerprinting development to determine adulteration of Chinese herbal medicines.

BACKGROUND: It has been a current research hospots using fingerprinting technology for quality control of Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs), which provides a scientific basis for establishment of overall quality control in accordance with the characteristics of CHMs. The fingerprinting technology for CHMs is diverse, and the research field covers many disciplines, such as analytical chemistry, pharmacology, pharmaceutics, biochemistry, and molecular biology. PURPOSE: To effectively understand the key areas and future directions of research regarding the fingerprint and adulteration of CHMs. METHODS/RESULTS: this paper analyzed 879 articles in this field in the Web of Science Core Collection from 2000 to 2023 with CiteSpace and VOSviewer, and systematically assessed the research process, hotspots, topic distribution among disciplines, etc. The most prominent contributors of fingerprint and adulteration of CHMs research are mainly from China, India, the United States, England, and Brazil. The knowledge domains of fingerprint and adulteration of CHMs research focus mainly on the topics of molecular authentication, DNA barcoding, HPLC, near-infrared spectroscopy, manage data, chemometrics, and electrochemical fingerprinting. Most countries have recognized the pharmaceutical potential of natural products, and have paid more attention to the fingerprint and adulteration of CHMs in the past decade. Future the research tends to focus more on molecular identification and authentication, and electrochemical and chromatographic fingerprinting in controlling the adulteration of CHMs. CONCLUSION: This research provides a valuable reference for scholars in related fields to analyze existing research results, understand the development trend, and explore new research directions.

Intrauterine hyperglycemia induces SIRT3-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction: the fetal origin pathogenesis of precocious osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVE: Diabetes and other metabolic and inflammatory comorbidities are highly associated with osteoarthritis (OA). However, whether early-life hyperglycemia exposure affects susceptibility to long-term OA is still unknown. The purpose of this study was to explore the fetal origins of OA and provide insights into early-life safeguarding for individual health. METHOD: This study utilized streptozotocin to induce intrauterine hyperglycemia and performed destabilization of the medial meniscus surgery on the knee joints of the offspring mice to induce accelerated OA. Cartilage degeneration-related markers, as well as the expression levels of mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes and mitophagy genes in the adult offspring mice, were investigated. In vitro, mitochondrial function and mitophagy of chondrocyte C28/I2 cells stimulated under high glucose conditions were also evaluated. The methylation levels of the sirt3 gene promoter region in the articular cartilage of intrauterine hyperglycemia-exposed offspring mice were further analyzed. RESULTS: In this study, we found that the intrauterine hyperglycemic environment could lead to an increase in individual susceptibility to OA in late adulthood, mainly due to persistently low levels of Sirt3 expression. Downregulation of Sirt3 causes impaired mitophagy in chondrocytes and abnormal mitochondrial respiratory function due to a failure to clear aged and damaged mitochondria in a timely manner. Overexpressing Sirt3 at the cellular level or using Sirt3 agonists like Honokiol in mouse models can partially rescue mitophagy disorders caused by the hyperglycemic environment and thus alleviate the progression of OA. CONCLUSION: Our study revealed a significantly increased susceptibility to OA in the gestational diabetes mellitus offspring, which is partly attributed to exposure to adverse factors in utero and ultimately to the onset of disease via epigenetic modulation.

Simulation and experimental study on rope driven artificial hand and driven motor.

BACKGROUND: Prosthetic hands have the potential to replace human hands. Using prosthetic hands can help patients with hand loss to complete the necessary daily living actions. OBJECTIVE: This paper studies the design of a bionic, compact, low-cost, and lightweight 3D printing humanoid hand. The five fingers are underactuated, with a total of 9 degrees of freedom. METHODS: In the design of an underactuated hand, it is a basic element composed of an actuator, spring, rope, and guide system. A single actuator is providing power for five fingers. And the dynamic simulation is carried out to calculate the motion trajectory effect. RESULTS: In this paper, the driving structure of the ultrasonic motor was designed, and the structural size of the ultrasonic motor vibrator was determined by modal and transient simulation analysis, which replace the traditional brake, realize the lightweight design of prosthetic hand, improve the motion accuracy and optimize the driving performance of prosthetic hand. CONCLUSIONS: By replacing traditional actuators with new types of actuators, lightweight design of prosthetic hands can be achieved, improving motion accuracy and optimizing the driving performance of prosthetic hands.

The impact of maternal age on aneuploidy in oocytes: Reproductive consequences, molecular mechanisms, and future directions.

Age-related aneuploidy in human oocytes is a major factor contributing to decreased fertility and adverse reproductive outcomes. As females age, their oocytes are more prone to meiotic chromosome segregation errors, leading primarily to aneuploidy. Elevated aneuploidy rates have also been observed in oocytes from very young, prepubertal conceptions. A key barrier to developing effective treatments for age-related oocyte aneuploidy is our incomplete understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved. The challenge is becoming increasingly critical as more people choose to delay childbearing, a trend that has significant societal implications. In this review, we summarize current knowledge regarding the process of oocyte meiosis and folliculogenesis, highlighting the relationship between age and chromosomal aberrations in oocytes and embryos, and integrate proposed mechanisms of age-related meiotic disturbances across structural, protein, and genomic levels. Our goal is to spur new research directions and therapeutic avenues.

Artificial intelligence facial recognition system for diagnosis of endocrine and metabolic syndromes based on a facial image database.

AIM: To build a facial image database and to explore the diagnostic efficacy and influencing factors of the artificial intelligence-based facial recognition (AI-FR) system for multiple endocrine and metabolic syndromes. METHODS: Individuals with multiple endocrine and metabolic syndromes and healthy controls were included from public literature and databases. In this facial image database, facial images and clinical data were collected for each participant and dFRI (disease facial recognition intensity) was calculated to quantify facial complexity of each syndrome. AI-FR diagnosis models were trained for each disease using three algorithms: support vector machine (SVM), principal component analysis k-nearest neighbor (PCA-KNN), and adaptive boosting (AdaBoost). Diagnostic performance was evaluated. Optimal efficacy was achieved as the best index among the three models. Effect factors of AI-FR diagnosis were explored with regression analysis. RESULTS: 462 cases of 10 endocrine and metabolic syndromes and 2310 controls were included into the facial image database. The AI-FR diagnostic models showed diagnostic accuracies of 0.827-0.920 with SVM, 0.766-0.890 with PCA-KNN, and 0.818-0.935 with AdaBoost. Higher dFRI was associated with higher optimal area under the curve (AUC) (P = 0.035). No significant correlation was observed between the sample size of the training set and diagnostic performance. CONCLUSIONS: A multi-ethnic, multi-regional, and multi-disease facial database for 10 endocrine and metabolic syndromes was built. AI-FR models displayed ideal diagnostic performance. dFRI proved associated with the diagnostic performance, suggesting inherent facial features might contribute to the performance of AI-FR models.

Evolving Evidence-Based Value Assessment of One-Time Therapies: Tisagenlecleucel as a Case Study.

BACKGROUND: Economic evaluation of one-time therapies during reimbursement decision-making is challenging due to uncertain long-term outcomes. The availability of 5-year outcome data from the ELIANA trial and real-world evidence of tisagenlecleucel, the first chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy, presents an opportunity to re-evaluate the predictions of prior cost-effectiveness analyses (CEAs). OBJECTIVE: To conduct a systematic literature review (SLR) of prior CEAs of tisagenlecleucel for pediatric/young adult relapsed or refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia (r/r ALL) and evaluate the impact of recently available 5-year efficacy data from ELIANA and advances in CAR-T manufacturing in an updated CEA model. METHODS: OVID MEDLINE/Embase and health technology assessment (HTA) databases were searched for full-text economic evaluations in English reporting cost-effectiveness results for tisagenlecleucel for r/r ALL. Evaluations with publicly reported incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were included in the SLR. Study screening and data abstraction were conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Data extracted included the country/currency, perspective, clinical trial evidence, model structures, long-term efficacy extrapolation approaches (i.e., overall survival [OS]), time horizon, discount rates, and outcomes (i.e., life years [LY], quality-adjusted LY [QALY], and ICERs). The CEA model reported in Wakase et al. was updated using 5-year OS data from ELIANA and the CAR-T infusion rate informed by real-world practice. RESULTS: Sixteen records corresponding to 15 unique studies were included in the SLR (11 publications and 5 HTA reports); all were conducted from the health care system perspective of the respective countries. Most studies found tisagenlecleucel to be cost effective, but all studies' projected 3- and 5-year OS rates for tisagenlecleucel were lower than the observed 3- and 5-year rates, respectively, derived from 5-year ELIANA data. When applying updated OS projections from the most recent ELIANA data cut and higher infusion rates of 92.5% (per the real-world infusion rate)-96.0% (per the manufacturer success rate) to the CEA of Wakase et al., the associated QALYs for tisagenlecleucel increased from 11.6 to 14.6-15.0, and LYs increased from 13.3 to 17.0-17.5. Accordingly, the ICERs for tisagenlecleucel decreased from ¥2,035,071 to ¥1,787,988-¥1,789,048 versus blinatumomab and from ¥2,644,702 to ¥2,257,837-¥2,275,181 versus clofarabine combination therapy in the updated CEA model. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Projections at launch of the likely cost effectiveness of tisagenlecleucel appear to have underestimated its ultimate economic value given more recent trial and real-world data. To balance uncertainty in initial valuation with the need to provide access to novel oncology therapies, payers can consider flexible reimbursement policies alongside ongoing assessments as new data emerge.

Direct Laser Processing and Functionalizing PI/PDMS Composites for an On-Demand, Programmable, Recyclable Device Platform.

Skin-interfaced high-sensitive biosensing systems to detect electrophysiological and biochemical signals have shown great potential in personal health monitoring and disease management. However, the integration of 3D porous nanostructures for improved sensitivity and various functional composites for signal transduction/processing/transmission often relies on different materials and complex fabrication processes, leading to weak interfaces prone to failure upon fatigue or mechanical deformations. The integrated system also needs additional adhesive to strongly conform to the human skin, which can also cause irritation, alignment issues, and motion artifacts. This work introduces a skin-attachable, reprogrammable, multifunctional, adhesive device patch fabricated by simple and low-cost laser scribing of an adhesive composite with polyimide powders and amine-based ethoxylated polyethylenimine dispersed in the silicone elastomer. The obtained laser-induced graphene in the adhesive composite can be further selectively functionalized with conductive nanomaterials or enzymes for enhanced electrical conductivity or selective sensing of various sweat biomarkers. The possible combination of the sensors for real-time biofluid analysis and electrophysiological signal monitoring with RF energy harvesting and communication promises a standalone stretchable adhesive device platform based on the same material system and fabrication process.

[Effects of Application of Different Organic Materials on Phosphorus Accumulation and Transformation in Vegetable Fields].

Presently, the improvement of soil organic matter is the basis to ensure food security, but the accumulation and transformation characteristics of soil phosphorus (P) as affected by organic matter remain unclear. The accumulation, transformation, and migration characteristics of soil P in different soil layers of vegetable fields were researched under the application of organic materials. Six treatments were set up in the experiment:control (no fertilization), traditional fertilizer application by farmers, biochar, chicken manure, food waste, and straw application. Available phosphorus (Olsen-P), water-soluble phosphorus (CaCl2-P) content, soil phosphorus forms, soil organic matter (SOM), and pH were determined during the pepper harvest period. In the 0-5 cm and 5-10 cm soil layers, the available phosphorus content of traditional fertilization of farmers was higher, and the available phosphorus content of the four organic materials was in the order of straw > biochar > chicken manure > food waste. Compared to that with food waste, the straw and biochar treatments increased soil available phosphorus by 59.6%-67.3% and 29.1%-36.9%, respectively. The straw treatment could easily enhance the soil labile P pool, and soil labile P in the 0-5 cm soil layer increased by 47.3% and 35.1% compared with that under the chicken manure and food waste treatments, respectively. With the increase in soil depth, the proportion of available phosphorus in the chicken manure treatment decreased the least, and available phosphorus of the 20-30 cm soil layer accounted for 55.9% of the topsoil layer but only accounted for 16.0%-34.0% under treatment with the other three materials. Compared with that under the traditional fertilization of farmers, the pH significantly increased by 0.18-0.36 units after the application of organic fertilizer, and the pH of the chicken manure and food waste treatments was significantly higher than that of biochar and straw (P < 0.05). SOM content under the biochar treatment significantly increased by 7.7%-17.6% compared to that under the other three organic materials. Among the four organic materials, the straw treatment boosted the labile P pool the most, which was conducive to the rapid increase in plant-available P. Phosphorus was most likely to migrate downward under the chicken manure treatment. In the field management based on soil fertility enhancement, the application of biochar could not only improve soil pH and SOM but also avoid excessive accumulation of phosphorus in the surface layer, which decreases environmental risks.

Emerging racial disparities among Medicare beneficiaries and Veterans with metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that Black men receive worse prostate cancer care than White men. This has not been explored in metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer (mCSPC) in the current treatment era. METHODS: We evaluated treatment intensification (TI) and overall survival (OS) in Medicare (2015-2018) and Veterans Health Administration (VHA; 2015-2019) patients with mCSPC, classifying first-line mCSPC treatment as androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) + novel hormonal therapy; ADT + docetaxel; ADT + first-generation nonsteroidal antiandrogen; or ADT alone. RESULTS: We analyzed 2226 Black and 16,071 White Medicare, and 1020 Black and 2364 White VHA patients. TI was significantly lower for Black vs White Medicare patients overall (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 0.68; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.58-0.81) and without Medicaid (adjusted OR 0.70; 95% CI 0.57-0.87). Medicaid patients had less TI irrespective of race. OS was worse for Black vs White Medicare patients overall (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 1.20; 95% CI 1.09-1.31) and without Medicaid (adjusted HR 1.13; 95% CI 1.01-1.27). OS was worse in Medicaid vs without Medicaid, with no significant OS difference between races. TI was significantly lower for Black vs White VHA patients (adjusted OR 0.75; 95% CI 0.61-0.92), with no significant OS difference between races. CONCLUSIONS: Guideline-recommended TI was low for all patients with mCSPC, with less TI in Black patients in both Medicare and the VHA. Black race was associated with worse OS in Medicare but not the VHA. Medicaid patients had less TI and worse OS than those without Medicaid, suggesting poverty and race are associated with care and outcomes.

The distinct hepatic metabolic profile and relation with impaired liver function in congenital isolated growth hormone-deficient rats.

Objective: Patients with growth hormone deficiency (GHD) with inadequate growth hormone levels are often correlated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, the potential mechanism of how GHD influences liver function remains obscure. In the present study, we aim to perform hepatic metabolomics in Lewis dwarf rats, which were the standard congenital isolated GH-deficient rat, to evaluate the characterizations of hepatic metabolic profiles and explore their relations with liver functions. Methods: Lewis dwarf homozygous (dw/dw) rats at 37 weeks (five females and five males), and Lewis dwarf heterozygous (dw/+) rats at 37 weeks (five females and five males) were analyzed in our study. Body lengths and weights, liver weights, serum alanine transaminase (ALT), and serum aspartate transaminase (AST) were measured. ELISA and RT-qPCR were used to assess IGF-1 levels in serum and liver, respectively. The non-targeted metabolomics was performed in the livers of dw/+ and dw/dw rats. Differential metabolites were selected according to the coefficient of variation (CV), variable importance in the projection (VIP) > 1, and P < 0.05. Hierarchical clustering of differential metabolites was conducted, and the KEGG database was used for metabolic pathway analysis. Results: The body weights, body lengths, liver weights, and IGF-1 levels in the serum and liver of dw/dw rats were significantly decreased compared with dw/+ rats. Dw/dw rats exhibited more obvious hepatic steatosis accompanied by higher serum ALT and AST levels. Hepatic metabolomics showed that a total of 88 differential metabolites in positive ion mode, and 51 metabolites in negative ion mode were identified. Among them, lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) 16:2, LPC 18:3, LPC 22:6, fatty acid esters of hydroxy fatty acids (FAHFA)18:1 were significantly decreased, while palmitoyl acid, dehydrocholic acid, and 7-ketolithocholic acid were significantly increased in dw/dw rats compared with dw/+ rats. These seven differential metabolites were significantly associated with phenotypes of rats. Finally, KEGG pathway analysis showed that the arginine and proline metabolism pathway and bile secretion pathway were mainly clustered. Conclusion: Lewis dw/dw rats with congenital isolated growth hormone deficiency (IGHD) showed liver steatosis and abnormal liver function, which could be potentially associated with the distinctive hepatic metabolic profiles.

OsUGT88C3 Encodes a UDP-Glycosyltransferase Responsible for Biosynthesis of Malvidin 3-O-Galactoside in Rice.

The diversity of anthocyanins is largely due to the action of glycosyltransferases, which add sugar moieties to anthocyanidins. Although a number of glycosyltransferases have been identified to glycosylate anthocyanidin in plants, the enzyme that catalyzes malvidin galactosylation remains unclear. In this study, we identified three rice varieties with different leaf color patterns, different anthocyanin accumulation patterns, and different expression patterns of anthocyanin biosynthesis genes (ABGs) to explore uridine diphosphate (UDP)-glycosyltransferases (UGTs) responsible for biosynthesis of galactosylated malvidin. Based on correlation analysis of transcriptome data, nine candidate UGT genes coexpressed with 12 ABGs were identified (r values range from 0.27 to 1.00). Further analysis showed that the expression levels of one candidate gene, OsUGT88C3, were highly correlated with the contents of malvidin 3-O-galactoside, and recombinant OsUGT88C3 catalyzed production of malvidin 3-O-galactoside using UDP-galactose and malvidin as substrates. OsUGT88C3 was closely related to UGTs with flavone and flavonol glycosylation activities in phylogeny. Its plant secondary product glycosyltransferase (PSPG) motif ended with glutamine. Haplotype analysis suggested that the malvidin galactosylation function of OsUGT88C3 was conserved among most of the rice germplasms. OsUGT88C3 was highly expressed in the leaf, pistil, and embryo, and its protein was located in the endoplasmic reticulum and nucleus. Our findings indicate that OsUGT88C3 is responsible for the biosynthesis of malvidin 3-O-galactoside in rice and provide insight into the biosynthesis of anthocyanin in plants.

Biomimetic Nano-Degrader Based CD47-SIRPα Immune Checkpoint Inhibition Promotes Macrophage Efferocytosis for Cardiac Repair.

CD47-SIRPα axis is an immunotherapeutic target in tumor therapy. However, current monoclonal antibody targeting CD47-SIRPα axis is associated with on-target off-tumor and antigen sink effects, which significantly limit its potential clinical application. Herein, a biomimetic nano-degrader is developed to inhibit CD47-SIRPα axis in a site-specific manner through SIRPα degradation, and its efficacy in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is evaluated. The nano-degrader is constructed by hybridizing liposome with red blood cell (RBC) membrane (RLP), which mimics the CD47 density of senescent RBCs and possesses a natural high-affinity binding capability to SIRPα on macrophages without signaling capacity. RLP would bind with SIRPα and induce its lysosomal degradation through receptor-mediated endocytosis. To enhance its tissue specificity, Ly6G antibody conjugation (aRLP) is applied, enabling its attachment to neutrophils and accumulation within inflammatory sites. In the myocardial infarction model, aRLP accumulated in the infarcted myocardium blocks CD47-SIRPα axis and subsequently promoted the efferocytosis of apoptotic cardiomyocytes by macrophage, improved heart repair. This nano-degrader efficiently degraded SIRPα in lysosomes, providing a new strategy for immunotherapy with great clinical transformation potential.

Intelligence Sparse Sensor Network for Automatic Early Evaluation of General Movements in Infants.

General movements (GMs) have been widely used for the early clinical evaluation of infant brain development, allowing immediate evaluation of potential development disorders and timely rehabilitation. The infants' general movements can be captured digitally, but the lack of quantitative assessment and well-trained clinical pediatricians presents an obstacle for many years to achieve wider deployment, especially in low-resource settings. There is a high potential to explore wearable sensors for movement analysis due to outstanding privacy, low cost, and easy-to-use features. This work presents a sparse sensor network with soft wireless IMU devices (SWDs) for automatic early evaluation of general movements in infants. The sparse network consisting of only five sensor nodes (SWDs) with robust mechanical properties and excellent biocompatibility continuously and stably captures full-body motion data. The proof-of-the-concept clinical testing with 23 infants showcases outstanding performance in recognizing neonatal activities, confirming the reliability of the system. Taken together with a tiny machine learning algorithm, the system can automatically identify risky infants based on the GMs, with an accuracy of up to 100% (99.9%). The wearable sparse sensor network with an artificial intelligence-based algorithm facilitates intelligent evaluation of infant brain development and early diagnosis of development disorders.

Current Research Status of Respiratory Motion for Thorax and Abdominal Treatment: A Systematic Review.

Malignant tumors have become one of the serious public health problems in human safety and health, among which the chest and abdomen diseases account for the largest proportion. Early diagnosis and treatment can effectively improve the survival rate of patients. However, respiratory motion in the chest and abdomen can lead to uncertainty in the shape, volume, and location of the tumor, making treatment of the chest and abdomen difficult. Therefore, compensation for respiratory motion is very important in clinical treatment. The purpose of this review was to discuss the research and development of respiratory movement monitoring and prediction in thoracic and abdominal surgery, as well as introduce the current research status. The integration of modern respiratory motion compensation technology with advanced sensor detection technology, medical-image-guided therapy, and artificial intelligence technology is discussed and analyzed. The future research direction of intraoperative thoracic and abdominal respiratory motion compensation should be non-invasive, non-contact, use a low dose, and involve intelligent development. The complexity of the surgical environment, the constraints on the accuracy of existing image guidance devices, and the latency of data transmission are all present technical challenges.

Bone mineral density in adults growth hormone deficiency with different ages of onset: a real-world retrospective study.

PURPOSE: Bone mineral density (BMD) impairment is one of the critical factors for long-term quality of life in adults growth hormone deficiency (AGHD). This study aims to investigate the annual changes in BMD in AGHD patients with different ages of onset and to identify predicting factors that influence BMD. METHODS: AGHD patients (n = 160) with available data for 4 years follow-up from a major tertiary medical center in China were retrospectively included (110 [68.8%] childhood-onset, 119 [74.4%] male). BMD of the axial bone (including total hip, neck of femur, and L1-4) derived from dual X-ray absorptiometry and final height were investigated at the first visit, 12 months, 24 months, 36 months, and 48 months thereafter. Low BMD was defined as Z-score ≤ -2. RESULTS: The prevalence of low BMD was 30.0% at baseline and 12.5% at 4 years of follow-up. The CO AGHD group presented a significantly lower BMD than the AO AGHD group at the baseline (P = 0.009). In contrast, the CO AGHD group had significantly greater median annual BMD change than the AO AGHD group (0.044 vs. -0.0003 g/cm2/year in L1-4, P < 0.001), indicating a significant difference in the overall BMD trend between CO and AO groups. Childhood-onset (odds ratio [OR] 0.326, P = 0.012), low serum testosterone (OR 0.847; P = 0.004) and FT4 (OR 0.595; P = 0.039) level were independent risk factors for BMD loss. CONCLUSION: The annual changes of BMD show a different pattern in AGHD patients with varying ages of onset. Patients with CO AGHD have a lower bone mass, and in general, appropriate replacement therapy is necessary for long-term bone health in AGHD patients.