Machine learning prediction models for in-hospital postoperative functional outcome after moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury.

AIM: This study aims to utilize machine learning (ML) and logistic regression (LR) models to predict surgical outcomes among patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) based on admission examination, assisting in making optimal surgical treatment decision for these patients. METHOD: We conducted a retrospective review of patients hospitalized in our department for moderate-to-severe TBI. Patients admitted between October 2011 and October 2022 were assigned to the training set, while patients admitted between November 2022 and May 2023 were designated as the external validation set. Five ML algorithms and LR model were employed to predict the postoperative Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) status at discharge using clinical and routine blood data collected upon admission. The Shapley (SHAP) plot was utilized for interpreting the models. RESULTS: A total of 416 patients were included in this study, and they were divided into the training set (n = 396) and the external validation set (n = 47). The ML models, using both clinical and routine blood data, were able to predict postoperative GOS outcomes with area under the curve (AUC) values ranging from 0.860 to 0.900 during the internal cross-validation and from 0.801 to 0.890 during the external validation. In contrast, the LR model had the lowest AUC values during the internal and external validation (0.844 and 0.567, respectively). When blood data was not available, the ML models achieved AUCs of 0.849 to 0.870 during the internal cross-validation and 0.714 to 0.861 during the external validation. Similarly, the LR model had the lowest AUC values (0.821 and 0.638, respectively). Through repeated cross-validation analysis, we found that routine blood data had a significant association with higher mean AUC values in all ML and LR models. The SHAP plot was used to visualize the contributions of all predictors and highlighted the significance of blood data in the lightGBM model. CONCLUSION: The study concluded that ML models could provide rapid and accurate predictions for postoperative GOS outcomes at discharge following moderate-to-severe TBI. The study also highlighted the crucial role of routine blood tests in improving such predictions, and may contribute to the optimization of surgical treatment decision-making for patients with TBI.

Unraveling genomic regions and candidate genes for multiple disease resistance in upland cotton using meta-QTL analysis.

Verticillium wilt (VW), Fusarium wilt (FW) and Root-knot nematode (RKN) are the main diseases affecting cotton production. However, many reported quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for cotton resistance have not been used for agricultural practices because of inconsistencies in the cotton genetic background. The integration of existing cotton genetic resources can facilitate the discovery of important genomic regions and candidate genes involved in disease resistance. Here, an improved and comprehensive meta-QTL analysis was conducted on 487 disease resistant QTLs from 31 studies in the last two decades. A consensus linkage map with genetic overall length of 3006.59 cM containing 8650 markers was constructed. A total of 28 Meta-QTLs (MQTLs) were discovered, among which nine MQTLs were identified as related to resistance to multiple diseases. Candidate genes were predicted based on public transcriptome data and enriched in pathways related to disease resistance. This study used a method based on the integration of Meta-QTL, known genes and transcriptomics to reveal major genomic regions and putative candidate genes for resistance to multiple diseases, providing a new basis for marker-assisted selection of high disease resistance in cotton breeding.

GhSINA1, a SEVEN in ABSENTIA ubiquitin ligase, negatively regulates fiber development in Upland cotton.

Protein ubiquitination is essential for plant growth and responses to the environment. The SEVEN IN ABSENTIA (SINA) ubiquitin ligases have been extensively studied in plants, but information on their roles in fiber development is limited. Here, we identified GhSINA1 in Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum), which has a conserved RING finger domain and SINA domain. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis showed that GhSINA1 was preferentially expressed during fiber initiation and elongation, especially during initiation in the fuzzless-lintless cotton mutant. Subcellular localization experiments indicated that GhSINA1 localized to the nucleus. In vitro ubiquitination analysis revealed that GhSINA1 has E3 ubiquitin ligase activity. Ectopic overexpression of GhSINA1 in Arabidopsis thaliana reduced the number and length of root hairs and trichomes. Yeast two-hybrid (Y2H), firefly luciferase complementation imaging (LCI), and bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) assays demonstrated that the GhSINA1 proteins could interact with each other to form homodimers and heterodimers. Overall, these results suggest that GhSINA1 may act as a negative regulator in cotton fiber development through homodimerization and heterodimerization.

Tripartite motif-containing protein 31 confers protection against nonalcoholic steatohepatitis by deactivating mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase 7.

BACKGROUND AIMS: As a global health threat, NASH has been confirmed to be a chronic progressive liver disease that is strongly associated with obesity. However, no approved drugs or efficient therapeutic strategies are valid, mainly because its complicated pathological processes is underestimated. APPROACH RESULTS: We identified the RING-type E3 ubiquitin transferase-tripartite motif-containing protein 31 (TRIM31), a member of the E3 ubiquitin ligases family, as an efficient endogenous inhibitor of transforming growth factor-beta-activated kinase 1 (mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase 7; MAP3K7), and we further confirmed that TRIM31 is an MAP3K7-interacting protein and promotes MAP3K7 degradation by enhancing ubiquitination of K48 linkage in hepatocytes. Hepatocyte-specific Trim31 deletion blocks hepatic metabolism homeostasis, concomitant with glucose metabolic syndrome, lipid accumulation, up-regulated inflammation, and dramatically facilitates NASH progression. Inversely, transgenic overexpression, lentivirus, or adeno-associated virus-mediated Trim31 gene therapy restrain NASH in three dietary mice models. Mechanistically, in response to metabolic insults, TRIM31 interacts with MAP3K7 and conjugates K48-linked ubiquitination chains to promote MAP3K7 degradation, thus blocking MAP3K7 abundance and its downstream signaling cascade activation in hepatocytes. CONCLUSIONS: TRIM31 may serve as a promising therapeutic target for NASH treatment and associated metabolic disorders.

Development of a quadruple PCR-based gene microarray for detection of vaccine and wild-type classical swine fever virus, African swine fever virus and atypical porcine pestivirus.

BACKGROUND: Classical swine fever (CSF), African swine fever (ASF), and atypical porcine pestivirus (APPV) are acute, virulent, and contagious viral diseases currently hampering the pig industry in China, which result in mummification or stillbirths in piglets and mortality in pigs. Diagnostic assays for the differentiation of infection and vaccination of CSFV, in addition to the detection of ASFV and APPV, are urgently required for better prevention, control, and elimination of these viral diseases in China. METHODS: A quadruple PCR-based gene microarray assay was developed in this study to simultaneously detect wild-type and vaccine CSFV strains, ASFV and APPV according to their conserved regions. Forty-two laboratory-confirmed samples, including positive samples of 10 other swine viral diseases, were tested using this assay to confirm its high specificity. RESULTS: This assay's limit of detections (LODs) for the wild-type and vaccine CSFV were 6.98 and 6.92 copies/µL. LODs for ASFV and APPV were 2.56 × 10 and 1.80 × 10 copies/µL, respectively. When compared with standard RT-PCR or qPCR for CSFV (GB/T 26875-2018), ASFV (MARR issue No.172), or APPV (CN108611442A) using 219 clinical samples, the coincidence was 100%. The results showed that this assay with high sensitivity could specifically distinguish ASFV, APPV, and CSFV, including CSFV infection and immunization. CONCLUSION: This assay provides a practical, simple, economic, and reliable test for the rapid detection and accurate diagnosis of the three viruses and may have good prospects for application in an epidemiological investigation, prevention, and control and elimination of these three diseases.

Acute ischemic Stroke combined with Stanford type A aortic dissection: A case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Acute aortic dissection (AAD) is a high mortality disease that can lead to acute ischemic strokes (AIS). Some of the patients with AAD combined with AIS initially present with neurological symptoms, which can easily lead to missed or delayed AAD diagnosis. This is attributed to the lack of physician awareness or the urgency of patient thrombolysis. Intravenous administration of thrombolytic therapy (IVT) for AAD is associated with poor prognostic outcomes. We report a patient with AIS combined with AAD who developed a massive cerebral infarction after receiving IVT for a missed AAD diagnosis. CASE SUMMARY: A 49-year-old man was admitted to a local hospital with an acute onset of left-sided limb weakness accompanied by slurred speech. The patient had a history of hypertension that was not regularly treated with medication. Physical examination revealed incomplete mixed aphasia and left limb hemiparesis. Cranial computed tomography (CT) scan showed bilateral basal ganglia and lateral ventricular paraventricular infarct lesions. The patient was diagnosed with AIS and was administered with IVT. After IVT, patient's muscle strength and consciousness deteriorated. From the local hospital, he was referred to our hospital for further treatment. Emergency head and neck CT angiography (CTA) scans were performed. Results showed multiple cerebral infarctions, and aortic dissection in the ascending aorta, innominate artery, as well as in the right common carotid artery. Then, the CTA of thoracoabdominal aorta was performed, which revealed a Stanford type A aortic dissection and aortic dissection extending from the aortic root to the left external iliac artery. Laceration was located in the lesser curvature of the aortic arch. AAD complicated with AIS was considered, and the patient was immediately subjected to cardiovascular surgery for treatment. The next day, the patient underwent aortic arch and ascending aortic replacement and aortic valvuloplasty. CONCLUSION: Clinical manifestations for AAD combined with AIS are diverse. Some patients may not exhibit typical chest or back pains. Therefore, patients should be carefully evaluated to exclude AAD before administering IVT in order to avoid adverse consequences.

Novel Structural Variation and Evolutionary Characteristics of Chloroplast tRNA in Gossypium Plants.

Cotton is one of the most important fiber and oil crops in the world. Chloroplast genomes harbor their own genetic materials and are considered to be highly conserved. Transfer RNAs (tRNAs) act as "bridges" in protein synthesis by carrying amino acids. Currently, the variation and evolutionary characteristics of tRNAs in the cotton chloroplast genome are poorly understood. Here, we analyzed the structural variation and evolution of chloroplast tRNA (cp tRNA) based on eight diploid and two allotetraploid cotton species. We also investigated the nucleotide evolution of chloroplast genomes in cotton species. We found that cp tRNAs in cotton encoded 36 or 37 tRNAs, and 28 or 29 anti-codon types with lengths ranging from 60 to 93 nucleotides. Cotton chloroplast tRNA sequences possessed specific conservation and, in particular, the Ψ-loop contained the conserved U-U-C-X3-U. The cp tRNAs of Gossypium L. contained introns, and cp tRNAIle contained the anti-codon (C-A-U), which was generally the anti-codon of tRNAMet. The transition and transversion analyses showed that cp tRNAs in cotton species were iso-acceptor specific and had undergone unequal rates of evolution. The intergenic region was more variable than coding regions, and non-synonymous mutations have been fixed in cotton cp genomes. On the other hand, phylogeny analyses indicated that cp tRNAs of cotton were derived from several inferred ancestors with greater gene duplications. This study provides new insights into the structural variation and evolution of chloroplast tRNAs in cotton plants. Our findings could contribute to understanding the detailed characteristics and evolutionary variation of the tRNA family.

BOP1 Silencing Suppresses Gastric Cancer Proliferation through p53 Modulation.

Block of proliferation 1 (BOP1) is a key protein involved in ribosome maturation and affects cancer progression. However, its role in gastric cancer (GC) remains unknown. This study aimed to explore the expression of BOP1 in GC and its potential mechanisms in regulating GC growth, and the relationship between BOP1 level in cancer tissues and survival was also analyzed. The expression of BOP1 was examined by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in a cohort containing 387 patients with primary GC. Cultured GC cells were treated by siRNA to knock down the BOP1 expression, and examined by CCK-8 assay and plate clone formation to assess cell proliferation in vitro. Apoptotic rate of cultured GC cells was detected by flow cytometry with double staining of AnnxinV/PI. The xenografted mouse model was used to assess GC cell proliferation in vivo. Western blot and IHC were also performed to detect the expression levels of BOP1, p53 and p21. Patients with higher level of BOP1 in cancer tissues had significantly poorer survival. BOP1 silencing significantly suppressed GC cell proliferation both in vitro and in vivo. It blocked cell cycle at G0/G1 phase and led to apoptosis of GC cells via upregulating p53 and p21. BOP1 silencing-induced suppression of cell proliferation was partly reversed by pifithrin-α (a p53 inhibitor). Our study demonstrated that BOP1 up-regulation may be a hallmark of GC and it may regulate proliferation of GC cells by activating p53. BOP1 might be considered a novel biomarker of GC proliferation, and could be a potential indicator of prognosis of GC patients. BOP1 might also be a potential target for the treatment of GC patients if further researched.

Inhibiting endogenous tissue plasminogen activator enhanced neuronal apoptosis and axonal injury after traumatic brain injury.

Tissue plasminogen activator is usually used for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke, but the role of endogenous tissue plasminogen activator in traumatic brain injury has been rarely reported. A rat model of traumatic brain injury was established by weight-drop method. The tissue plasminogen activator inhibitor neuroserpin (5 µL, 0.25 mg/mL) was injected into the lateral ventricle. Neurological function was assessed by neurological severity score. Neuronal and axonal injuries were assessed by hematoxylin-eosin staining and Bielschowsky silver staining. Protein level of endogenous tissue plasminogen activator was analyzed by western blot assay. Apoptotic marker cleaved caspase-3, neuronal marker neurofilament light chain, astrocyte marker glial fibrillary acidic protein and microglial marker Iba-1 were analyzed by immunohistochemical staining. Apoptotic cell types were detected by immunofluorescence double labeling. Apoptotic cells in the damaged cortex were detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated digoxigenin-dUTP-biotin nick-end labeling staining. Degenerating neurons in the damaged cortex were detected by Fluoro-Jade B staining. Expression of tissue plasminogen activator was increased at 6 hours, and peaked at 3 days after traumatic brain injury. Neuronal apoptosis and axonal injury were detected after traumatic brain injury. Moreover, neuroserpin enhanced neuronal apoptosis, neuronal injury and axonal injury, and activated microglia and astrocytes. Neuroserpin further deteriorated neurobehavioral function in rats with traumatic brain injury. Our findings confirm that inhibition of endogenous tissue plasminogen activator aggravates neuronal apoptosis and axonal injury after traumatic brain injury, and activates microglia and astrocytes. This study was approved by the Biomedical Ethics Committee of Animal Experiments of Shaanxi Province of China in June 2015.

[Leucine-rich Glioma-inactivated Protein 1 Antibody-associated Encephalitis:Report of Two Cases].

Leucine-rich glioma-inactivated protein 1(LGI1)antibody-associated encephalitis is an autoimmune brain disease mainly seen in mid-aged and elderly people.Its main clinical manifestations include abnormal mental behaviors,facial-arm dystonia,hyponatremia,and hypokalemia.Immunotherapy with gamma globulin and/or hormone is effective.Two patients with LGT1 antibody-associated encephalitis were diagnosed in our center between January 2018 and October 2018,with typical clinical findings.The disease was cursed after immunoglobulin and hormone treatments.

Vascular endothelial growth factor A promotes platelet adhesion to collagen IV and causes early brain injury after subarachnoid hemorrhage.

The role of vascular endothelial growth factor A in platelet adhesion in cerebral microvessels in the early stage of subarachnoid hemorrhage remains unclear. In this study, the endovascular puncture method was used to produce a rat model of subarachnoid hemorrhage. Then, 30 minutes later, vascular endothelial growth factor A antagonist anti-vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 antibody, 10 µg, was injected into the right ventricle. Immunohistochemistry and western blot assay were used to assess expression of vascular endothelial growth factor A, occludin and claudin-5. Immunohistochemical double labeling was conducted to examine co-expression of GP Ia-II integrin and type IV collagen. TUNEL was used to detect apoptosis in the hippocampus. Neurological score was used to assess behavioral performance. After subarachnoid hemorrhage, the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor A increased in the hippocampus, while occludin and claudin-5 expression levels decreased. Co-expression of GP Ia-II integrin and type IV collagen and the number of apoptotic cells increased, whereas behavioral performance was markedly impaired. After treatment with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 antibody, occludin and claudin-5 expression recovered, while co-expression of GP Ia-II integrin and type IV collagen and the number of apoptotic cells decreased. Furthermore, behavioral performance improved notably. Our findings suggest that increased vascular endothelial growth factor A levels promote platelet adhesion and contribute to early brain injury after subarachnoid hemorrhage. This study was approved by the Biomedical Ethics Committee, Medical College of Xi'an Jiaotong University, China in December 2015.

A Solution-Processed Transparent NiO Hole-Extraction Layer for High-Performance Inverted Perovskite Solar Cells.

A highly transparent NiO layer was prepared by a solution processing method with nickel(II) 2-ethylhexanoate in non-polar solvent and utilized as HTM in perovskite solar cells. Excellent optical transmittance and the matched energy level lead to the enhanced power conversion efficiency (PCE, 18.15 %) than that of conventional sol-gel-processed NiO-based device (12.98 %).

Metallic Ni3 P/Ni Co-Catalyst To Enhance Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution.

Metallic Ni3 P/Ni can be used as a co-catalyst to replace noble metal Pt for efficient photocatalytic hydrogen evolution, due to its excellent trapping-electron ability. The applications of metallic Ni3 P/Ni co-catalyst on CdS, Zn0.5 Cd0.5 S, TiO2 (Degussa P25) and g-C3 N4 are further confirmed, indicating its versatile applicability nature like Pt.

Isolation of single Pt atoms in a silver cluster: forming highly efficient silver-based cocatalysts for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution.

The atomically controlled transition of nanohybrids and their effects on charge-carrier dynamics are highly desirable for fundamental studies in photocatalysis. Herein, for the first time, a method combining atomic monodispersity and single-atom alloy was used to prepare a new form of highly efficient silver-based cocatalysts (Ag25 & Pt1Ag24) on graphitic carbon nitride, representing a novel photocatalytic system for hydrogen evolution.

Development of Microtiter Plate Culture Method for Rapid Screening of ε-Poly-L-Lysine-Producing Strains.

ε-Poly-L-lysine (ε-PL) produced by Streptomyces albulus possesses a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity and is widely used as a food preservative. To extensively screen ε-PL-overproducing strain, we developed an integrated high-throughput screening assay using ribosome engineering technology. The production protocol was scaled down to 24- and 48-deep-well microtiter plates (MTPs). The microplate reader assay was used to monitor ε-PL production. A good correlation was observed between the fermentation results obtained in both 24-(48)-deep-well MTPs and conventional Erlenmeyer flasks. Using this protocol, the production of ε-PL in an entire MTP was determined in <5 min without compromising on accuracy. The high-yielding strain selected through this protocol was also tested in Erlenmeyer flasks. The result showed that the ε-PL production of the high-yielding mutants was nearly 45% higher than that of the parent stain. Thus, development of this protocol is expected to accelerate the selection of ε-PL-overproducing strains.

Protection of FK506 against neuronal apoptosis and axonal injury following experimental diffuse axonal injury.

Diffuse axonal injury (DAI) is the most common and significant pathological features of traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, there are still no effective drugs to combat the formation and progression of DAI in affected individuals. FK506, also known as tacrolimus, is an immunosuppressive drug, which is widely used in transplantation medicine for the reduction of allograft rejection. Previous studies have identified that FK506 may play an important role in the nerve protective effect of the central nervous system. In the present study, apoptosis of neuronal cells was observed following the induction of experimental DAI. The results demonstrated that it was closely related with the upregulation of death­associated protein kinase 1 (DAPK1). It was hypothesized that FK506 may inhibit the activity of DAPK1 by inhibiting calcineurin activity, which may be primarily involved in anti­apoptosis following DAI induction. Through researching the expression of nerve regeneration associated proteins (NF­H and GAP­43) following DAI, the present study provides novel data to suggest that FK506 promotes axon formation and nerve regeneration following experimental DAI. Therefore, FK506 may be a potent therapeutic for inhibiting nerve injury, as well as promoting the nerve regeneration following DAI.

Controllable Synthesis of Hexagonal WO3 Nanoplates for Efficient Visible-Light-Driven Photocatalytic Oxygen Production.

Facilitating charge-carrier separation and transfer is fundamentally important to improve the photocatalytic performance of semiconductor materials. Herein, two-dimensional hexagonal WO3 nanoplates were synthesized by a two-step route: rapid evaporation and solid-phase sintering. The as-prepared WO3 exhibits an enhanced activity of photocatalytic water oxidation compared to bulk monoclinic WO3 . The electron dynamics analysis reveals that a more efficient charge-carrier separation in the former can be obtained, the origin of which can be attributed to an increased number of surface defects in hexagonal WO3 nanoplates. This work not only presents a novel and simple method to produce two-dimensional hexagonal WO3 nanoplates, but also demonstrates that surface defects and two-dimensional geometric structures can promote the charge separation, which may be extended to the design of other efficient photocatalysts.

One-step fabrication of porous oxygen-doped g-C3N4 with feeble nitrogen vacancies for enhanced photocatalytic performance.

Porous oxygen-doped graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) with feeble nitrogen vacancies was fabricated through thermal polycondensation of melamine with an appropriate amount of polyvinylpyrrolidone. After optimization, the bandgap of g-C3N4 can be narrowed by 0.2 eV and the specific surface area expanded, which contribute to increasing the utilization of solar energy. Consequently, the optimized g-C3N4 exhibits impressive enhancement in photocatalytic hydrogen evolution performance, by nearly 5 times compared with the pristine one under the irradiation of visible light.

A Bilobalide-Producing Endophytic Fungus, Pestalotiopsis uvicola from Medicinal Plant Ginkgo biloba.

For screening bilobalide (BB)-producing endophytic fungi from medicinal plant Ginkgo biloba, a total of 57 fungal isolates were isolated from the internal stem, root, leaf, and bark of the plant G. biloba. Fermentation processes using BB-producing fungi other than G. biloba may become a novel way to produce BB, which is a terpene trilactones exhibiting neuroprotective effects. In this study, a BB-producing endophytic fungal strain GZUYX13 was isolated from the leaves of G. biloba grown in the campus of Guizhou University, Guiyang city, Guizhou province, China. The strain produced BB when grown in potato dextrose liquid medium. The amount of BB produced by this endophytic fungus was quantified to be 106 µg/L via high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), substantially lower than that produced by the host tissue. The fungal BB which was analyzed by thin layer chromatography (TLC) and HPLC was proven to be identical to authentic BB. The strain GZUYX13 was identified as Pestalotiopsis uvicola via morphology and ITS rDNA phylogeny. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report concerning the isolation and identification of endophytic BB-producing Pestalotiopsis spp. from the host plant, which further proved that endophytic fungi have the potential to produce bioactive compounds.

Rapidly increased vasopressin promotes acute platelet aggregation and early brain injury after experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage in a rat model.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the dynamic expression of vasopressin and its potential role in rat brain tissue after experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 10min, 1h, 6h, 24h, 48h and 72h groups. The SAH model was established by endovascular puncture. ELISA and immunohistochemistry were performed to evaluate dynamic expression of vasopressin. Immunohistochemistry of GPIIb/IIIa integrin was used to assess platelet aggregation. Double immunofluorescence labeling was carried out to observe the reaction between vasopressin and platelet. Early brain injury was evaluated by apoptotic cells counting. Neurobehavioral score was performed to assess neuroprotective role of SR 49059 (a selective antagonists of vasopressin receptor). RESULTS: In peripheral blood and hypothalamus, vasopressin increased rapidly at 6h and 24h. Expression of GPIIb/IIIa integrin peaked at 24h in cortex and hippocampus. Immunofluorescence showed that vasopressin and GPIIb/IIIa integrin located at the same site. Administration of SR 49059 significantly decreased platelet aggregation and number of apoptotic cells. The neurobehavioral score was promoted significantly after the intervention. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that rapidly increased vasopressin could induce platelet aggregation and contribute to early brain injury after SAH.