A single-cell sequence analysis of mouse subcutaneous white adipose tissue reveals dynamic changes during weaning.

Adipose tissue development begins in the fetal period, and continues to expand after birth. Dysregulation of adipose tissue during weaning may predispose individuals to lifelong metabolic disorders. However, the developmental remodeling of adipose tissue during weaning remains largely unexplored. Here we comprehensively compare the changes in mouse subcutaneous white adipose tissue from 7 days after birth to 7 days after weaning using single-cell RNA sequencing along with other molecular and histologic assays. We characterize the developmental trajectory of preadipocytes and indicate the commitment of preadipocytes with beige potential during weaning. Meanwhile, we find immune cells unique to weaning period, whose expression of extracellular matrix proteins implies potential regulation on preadipocyte. Finally, the strongest cell-cell interaction during weaning determined by the TGFß ligand-receptor pairs is between preadipocytes and endotheliocytes. Our results provide a detailed and unbiased cellular landscape and offer insights into the potential regulation of adipose tissue remodeling during weaning.

Integrated transcriptome and microRNA analysis reveals molecular responses to high-temperature stress in the liver of American shad (Alosa sapidissima).

BACKGROUND: Fish reproduction, development and growth are directly affected by temperature, investigating the regulatory mechanisms behind high temperature stress is helpful to construct a finer molecular network. In this study, we systematically analyzed the transcriptome and miRNA information of American shad (Alosa sapidissima) liver tissues at different cultivation temperatures of 24 â„ƒ (Low), 27 â„ƒ (Mid) and 30 â„ƒ (High) based on a high-throughput sequencing platform. RESULTS: The results showed that there were 1594 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 660 differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) in the LowLi vs. MidLi comparison group, 473 DEGs and 84 DEMs in the MidLi vs. HighLi group, 914 DEGs and 442 DEMs in the LowLi vs. HighLi group. These included some important genes and miRNAs such as calr, hsp90b1, hsp70, ssa-miR-125a-3p, ssa-miR-92b-5p, dre-miR-15a-3p and novel-m1018-5p. The DEGs were mainly enriched in the protein folding, processing and export pathways of the endoplasmic reticulum; the target genes of the DEMs were mainly enriched in the focal adhesion pathway. Furthermore, the association analysis revealed that the key genes were mainly enriched in the metabolic pathway. Interestingly, we found a significant increase in the number of genes and miRNAs involved in the regulation of heat stress during the temperature change from 24 °C to 27 °C. In addition, we examined the tissue expression characteristics of some key genes and miRNAs by qPCR, and found that calr, hsp90b1 and dre-miR-125b-2-3p were significantly highly expressed in the liver at 27 â„ƒ, while novel-m0481-5p, ssa-miR-125a-3p, ssa-miR-92b-5p, dre-miR-15a-3p and novel-m1018-5p had the highest expression in the heart at 30℃. Finally, the quantitative expression trends of 10 randomly selected DEGs and 10 DEMs were consistent with the sequencing data, indicating the reliability of the results. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, this study provides some fundamental data for subsequent in-depth research into the molecular regulatory mechanisms of A. sapidissima response to heat stress, and for the selective breeding of high temperature tolerant varieties.

Investigation of film Physical properties under various starch thermal treatments with emphasis on Retrogradation effects.

This study investigated the changes in the physical properties of cornstarch-based films as they were retrogradely aged at different temperatures. Using a casting method, the films were fabricated, and their effects on the mechanical properties, thermal stability, barrier properties, and essential properties were analyzed. With prolonged aging and retrogradation periods, reductions in film thickness, solubility, water content, and water vapor permeability of 5.35%, 9.92%, 29.61%, and 20.94%, respectively, were observed. In addition, the surface roughness decreased by 44.46% for Rq (root-mean-square roughness) and 45.61% for Ra (arithmetic average roughness), while the elongation at break decreased by 72.64%. Conversely, the tensile strength, maximum degradation rate, and maximum degradation temperature increased by 116.98%, 99.5%, and 3.21%, respectively. These results provide a fundamental understanding of the changes that occur in the properties of cornstarch-based films during aging and retrogradation.

Quantitative Assessment of Acute Intracranial Clot and Collaterals on High Resolution Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

INTRODUCTION: There has been an increasing demand for imaging methods that provide a comprehensive evaluation of intracranial clot and collateral circulation, which are helpful for clinical decision-making and predicting functional outcomes. We aimed to quantitatively evaluate acute intracranial clot burden and collaterals on high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (HR-MRI). METHODS: We analyzed acute ischemic stroke patients with internal carotid artery or middle cerebral artery occlusion in a prospective multicenter study. The clot burden was scored on a scale of 0-10 based on the clot location on HR-MRI. The collateral score was assigned on a scale of 0-3 using the minimum intensity projection from HR-MRI. Uni- and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to assess their correlation with clinical outcome (modified Rankin Scale >2 at 90 days). Thresholds were defined to dichotomize into low and high score groups and predictive performances were assessed for clinical and radiologic outcomes. RESULTS: Ninety-nine patients (mean age of 60.77 ± 11.54 years) were included in the analysis. The interobserver correlation was 0.89 (95% CI: 0.77-0.95) for the clot burden score and 0.78 (95% CI: 0.53-0.90) for the collateral score. Multivariable logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the collateral score (odds ratio: 0.41, 95% CI: 0.19-0.90) was significantly associated with clinical outcomes. A better functional outcome was observed in the group with clot burden scores greater than 7 (p=0.011). A smaller final infarct size and a higher diffusion-weighted imaging-Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography Score were observed in the group with collateral scores greater than 1 (all p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: HR-MRI offers a new tool for quantitative assessment of clot burden and collaterals simultaneously in future clinical practices and research endeavors.

Immune response regulation by transduced mesenchymal stem cells with decorin gene on bleomycin-induced lung injury, fibrosis, and inflammation.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary fibrosis is a pathological hallmark of lung injury. It is an aggressive disease that replaces normal lung parenchyma by fibrotic tissue. The transforming growth factor-beta-mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 3 (TGF-ß1-Smad3) signaling pathway plays a key role in regulating lung fibrosis. Decorin (DCN), a small leucine-rich proteoglycan, has a modulatory effect on the immune system by reversibly binding with TGF-ß and reducing its bioavailability. Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy is a new strategy that has an immune-modulatory capacity. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to introduce a new therapeutic approach to harness remodeling in injured lung. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Bone marrow MSCs were isolated and transduced by decorin gene. Lung injury was induced by bleomycin and mice were treated with MSCs, MSCs-decorin, and decorin. Then, oxidative stress biomarkers, remodeling biomarkers, bronchoalveolar lavage cells, and histopathology study were conducted. RESULTS: Reduced catalase and superoxide dismutase increased due to treatments. Elevated malondialdehyde, hydroxyproline, TGF-ß levels, and polymorphonuclear cells count decreased in the treated groups. Additionally, the histopathology of lung tissues showed controlled inflammation and fibrosis. CONCLUSION: Transfected decorin gene to MSCs and used cell therapy could control remodeling and bleomycin-induced lung injury.

ULI-ssDRIP-seq revealed R-loop dynamics during vertebrate early embryogenesis.

R-loop, a chromatin structure containing one RNA:DNA hybrid and one unpaired single-stranded DNA, plays multiple biological roles. However, due to technical limitations, the landscapes and potential functions of R-loops during embryogenesis remain elusive. Here, we developed a quantitative and high-resolution ultra-low input R-loop profiling method, named ULI-ssDRIP-seq, which can map global R-loops with as few as 1000 cells. By using ULI-ssDRIP-seq, we reveal the R-loop dynamics in the zebrafish from gametes to early embryos. In oocytes, the R-loop level is relatively low in most regions of the nuclear genome, except maternal-inherited rDNA and mitochondrial genome. The correlation between R-loop and CG methylation dynamics during early development is relatively weak. Furthermore, either up- or down-regulation of global R-loops by knockdown or overexpression of RNase H1 causes a delay of embryonic development with dramatic expression changes in zygotic and maternal genes. This study provides comprehensive R-loop landscapes during early vertebrate embryogenesis and demonstrates the implication of R-loops in embryonic development.

Development of a novel staging classification for Siewert II adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction after neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Stage classification for Siewert II adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (AEG) treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) has not been established. AIM: To investigate the optimal stage classification for Siewert II AEG with NAC. METHODS: A nomogram was established based on Cox regression model that analyzed variables associated with overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS). The nomogram performance in terms of discrimination and calibration ability was evaluated using the likelihood-ratio test, Akaike information criterion, Harrell concordance index, time-receiver operating characteristic curve, and decision curve analysis. RESULTS: Data from 725 patients with Siewert type II AEG who underwent neoadjuvant therapy and gastrectomy were obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that sex, marital status, race, ypT stage, and ypN stage were independent prognostic factors of OS, whereas sex, race, ypT stage, and ypN stage were independent prognostic factors for DSS. These factors were incorporated into the OS and DSS nomograms. Our novel nomogram model performed better in terms of OS and DSS prediction compared to the 8th American Joint Committee of Cancer pathological staging system for esophageal and gastric cancer. Finally, a user-friendly web application was developed for clinical use. CONCLUSION: The nomogram established specifically for patients with Siewert type II AEG receiving NAC demonstrated good prognostic performance. Validation using external data is warranted before its widespread clinical application.

A Clustering Approach for Atmospheric Phase Error Correction in Ground-Based SAR Using Spatial Autocorrelation.

When using ground-based synthetic aperture radar (GB-SAR) for monitoring open-pit mines, dynamic atmospheric conditions can interfere with the propagation speed of electromagnetic waves, resulting in atmospheric phase errors. These errors are particularly complex in rapidly changing weather conditions or steep terrain, significantly impacting monitoring accuracy. In such scenarios, traditional regression model-based atmospheric phase correction (APC) methods often become unsuitable. To address this issue, this paper proposes a clustering method based on the spatial autocorrelation function. First, the interferogram is uniformly divided into multiple blocks, and the phase consistency of each block is evaluated using the spatial autocorrelation function. Then, a region growing algorithm is employed to classify each block according to its phase pattern, followed by merging adjacent blocks based on statistical data. To verify the feasibility of the proposed method, both the traditional regression model-based method and the proposed method were applied to deformation monitoring of an open-pit mine in Northwest China. The experimental results show that for complex atmospheric phase scenarios, the proposed method significantly outperformed traditional methods, demonstrating its superiority.

Implementing a completely autotrophic nitrogen removal over nitrite process using a novel umbrella basalt fiber carrier.

The completely autotrophic nitrogen removal over nitrite (CANON) process is significantly hindered by prolonged start-up periods and unstable nitrogen removal efficiency. In this study, a novel umbrella basalt fiber (BF) carrier with good biological affinity and adsorption performance was used to initiate the CANON process. The CANON process was initiated on day 64 in a sequencing batch reactor equipped with umbrella BF carriers. During this period, the influent NH4+-N concentration gradually increased from 100 to 200 mg·L-1, and the dissolved oxygen was controlled below 0.8 mg L-1. Consequently, an average ammonia nitrogen removal efficiency (ARE) and total nitrogen removal efficiency (TNRE) of ∼90 and 80% were achieved, respectively. After 130 days, ARE and TNRE remained stable at 92 and 81.1%, respectively. This indicates a reliable method for achieving rapid start-up and stable operation of the CANON process. Moreover, Candidatus Kuenenia and Candidatus Brocadia were identified as dominant anammox genera on the carrier. Nitrosomonas was the predominant genus among ammonia-oxidizing bacteria. Spatial differences were observed in the microbial population of umbrella BF carriers. This arrangement facilitated autotrophic nitrogen removal in a single reactor. This study indicates that the novel umbrella BF carrier is a highly suitable biocarrier for the CANON process.

Early Drain Removal Versus Routine Drain Removal After Pancreaticoduodenectomy and/or Distal Pancreatectomy: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Early drain removal (EDR) has been widely accepted, but not been routinely used in patients after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) and distal pancreatectomy (DP). This study aimed to evaluate the safety and benefits of EDR versus routine drain removal (RDR) after PD or DP. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted on medical search engines from January 1, 2008 to November 1, 2023, for articles that compared EDR versus RDR after PD or DP. The primary outcome was clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula (CR-POPF). Further analysis of studies including patients with low-drain fluid amylase (low-DFA) on postoperative day 1 and defining EDR timing as within 3 days was also performed. RESULTS: Four randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and eleven non-RCTs with a total of 9465 patients were included in this analysis. For the primary outcome, the EDR group had a significantly lower rate of CR-POPF (OR 0.23; p < 0.001). For the secondary outcomes, a lower incidence was observed in delayed gastric emptying (OR 0.63, p = 0.02), Clavien-Dindo III-V complications (OR 0.48, p < 0.001), postoperative hemorrhage (OR 0.55, p = 0.02), reoperation (OR 0.57, p < 0.001), readmission (OR 0.70, p = 0.003) and length of stay (MD -2.04, p < 0.001) in EDR. Consistent outcomes were observed in the subgroup analysis of low-DFA patients and definite EDR timing, except for postoperative hemorrhage in EDR. CONCLUSION: EDR after PD or DP is beneficial and safe, reducing the incidence of CR-POPF and other postoperative complications. Further prospective studies and RCTs are required to validate this finding.

Analysis revealed the molecular mechanism of oxidative stress-autophagy-induced liver injury caused by high alkalinity: integrated whole hepatic transcriptome and metabolome.

Introduction: High-alkalinity water is a serious health hazard for fish and can cause oxidative stress and metabolic dysregulation in fish livers. However, the molecular mechanism of liver damage caused by high alkalinity in fish is unclear. Methods: In this study, 180 carp were randomly divided into a control (C) group and a high-alkalinity (A25) group and were cultured for 56 days. High-alkalinity-induced liver injury was analysed using histopathological, whole-transcriptome, and metabolomic analyses. Results: Many autophagic bodies and abundant mitochondrial membrane damage were observed in the A25 group. High alkalinity decreased superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity and the total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and increased the malondialdehyde (MDA) content in liver tissues, causing oxidative stress in the liver. Transcriptome analysis revealed 61 differentially expressed microRNAs (miRNAs) and 4008 differentially expressed mRNAs. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis revealed that mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), forkhead box O (FoxO), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and the autophagy signalling pathway were the molecular mechanisms involved. High alkalinity causes oxidative stress and autophagy and results in autophagic damage in the liver. Bioinformatic predictions indicated that Unc-51 Like Kinase 2 (ULK2) was a potential target gene for miR-140-5p, demonstrating that high alkalinity triggered autophagy through the miR-140-5p-ULK2 axis. Metabolomic analysis revealed that the concentrations of cortisol 21-sulfate and beta-aminopropionitrile were significantly increased, while those of creatine and uracil were significantly decreased. Discussion: The effects of high alkalinity on oxidative stress and autophagy injury in the liver were analysed using whole-transcriptome miRNA-mRNA networks and metabolomics approaches. Our study provides new insights into liver injury caused by highly alkaline water.

Synthesis of InAl-alloyed Ga2O3 nanowires for self-powered ultraviolet detectors by a CVD method.

Ga2O3 is a kind of wide-band gap semiconductor, which has great potential in deep ultraviolet detection because of its high efficiency and fast response. Doping can improve the photoelectric properties of Ga2O3 materials. In this paper, In and Al elements alloyed Ga2O3 nanowires (InAl-Ga2O3 NWs) were successfully grown on p-GaN using a cost-effective chemical vapor deposition method and a vertical structure. The GaN/InAl-Ga2O3 NWs p-n self-powered wide-gap UV photodetector (PD) was constructed based on sputtered gold film as the bottom and top electrodes, and spin coated with polymethyl methacrylate as the insulating layer in the vertical direction. The GaN/InAl-Ga2O3 UV PD exhibits excellent performances, including an extremely low dark current of 0.015 nA, a maximum photocurrent of about 16 nA at zero-bias voltage under 265 nm illumination, and a light-to-dark current ratio greater than 103. The responsivity is 0.94 mA W-1, the specific detectivity is 9.63 × 109 jones, and the good fast response/attenuation time is 31.2/69.6 ms. The self-powered characteristics are derived from the internal electric field formed between p-type GaN and n-type InAl-Ga2O3 NWs, which is conducive to the rapid separation and transfer of photogenerated carriers. This work provides an innovative mechanism of high-performance metal oxide nanowires for the application of p-n junction photodetectors, which can operate without any external bias.

Longitudinal associations between family functioning and generalized anxiety among adolescents: the mediating role of self-identity and cognitive flexibility.

BACKGROUND: Generalized anxiety (GA) is showing a high prevalence among adolescents nowadays; investigations on influencing factors and potential mechanisms are important to inform intervention development. The present two-wave study investigated the ways in which family functioning predicted GA six months later among adolescents, by considering the mediating role of self-identity and cognitive flexibility. METHODS: Adolescents were recruited from 27 randomly selected classes in two secondary schools in Chongqing and Fujian Province, China. Survey questionnaires assessing family functioning, self-identity, cognitive flexibility and GA were obtained from 1223 adolescents (Mage = 13.14, SD = 1.35) at two time points of the 6-month interval. RESULTS: The association between family functioning (T1) and GA (T2) was significant (r= -0.152, p < 0.01). Self-identity and cognitive flexibility sequentially mediated the relationship between family functioning (T1) and GA (T2) (with the indirect effect = -0.005, 95% CI = -0.007~ -0.002) after controlling for age, gender, and GA at baseline. Cognitive flexibility also showed a significant and direct mediating effect (with the indirect effect = -0.008, 95% CI = -0.012 ~ -0.005). CONCLUSION: Findings indicated that family functioning can be a protective factor of GA, and self-identity and cognitive flexibility act as a crucial role in the association between family functioning and GA. Future studies should adopt more time points and long-term follow-up assessments using more robust approaches to improve the reliability of the study findings. Findings may offer some implications that building a harmonious, open and warm family and guiding adolescents to develop self-identity as well as more flexible cognitive style could be helpful to prevent and cope with anxious emotion.

Pseudonectria keratitis-emerging pathogenic fungi in the eye.

BACKGROUND: Infectious keratitis, a significant contributor to blindness, with fungal keratitis accounting for nearly half of cases, poses a formidable diagnostic and therapeutic challenge due to its delayed clinical presentation, prolonged culture times, and the limited availability of effective antifungal medications. Furthermore, infections caused by rare fungal strains warrant equal attention in the management of this condition. CASE PRESENTATION: A case of fungal keratitis was presented, where corneal scraping material culture yielded pink colonies. Lactophenol cotton blue staining revealed distinctive spore formation consistent with the Fusarium species. Further analysis using Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) identified the causative agent as Fusarium proliferatum. However, definitive diagnosis of Pseudonectria foliicola infection was confirmed through ITS sequencing. The patient's recovery was achieved with a combination therapy of voriconazole eye drops and itraconazole systemic treatment. CONCLUSION: Pseudonectria foliicola is a plant pathogenic bacterium that has never been reported in human infections before. Therefore, ophthalmologists should consider Pseudonectria foliicola as a possible cause of fungal keratitis, as early identification and timely treatment can help improve vision in most eyes.

Association between organophosphorus pesticides and obesity among American adults.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate any connections between urinary organophosphorus pesticide (OPP) metabolites and adiposity measures. METHODS: In this study, data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) projects from 2003 to 2008, 2011 to 2012, and 2015 to 2018 were analysed. Obesity was defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m² or higher. Abdominal obesity was defined as a waist circumference (WC) over 102 cm for men and 88 cm for women. Four urinary OPP metabolites (dimethyl phosphate [DMP], diethyl phosphate [DEP], dimethyl phosphorothioate [DMTP], and diethyl phosphorothioate [DETP]) and adiposity measures were examined using multiple linear regression and logistic regression analyses. The correlations between a variety of urinary OPP metabolites and the prevalence of obesity were investigated using weighted quantile sum regression and quantile g-computation regression. RESULTS: In this analysis, a total of 9,505 adults were taken into account. There were 49.81% of male participants, and the average age was 46.00 years old. The median BMI and WC of the subjects were 27.70 kg/m2 and 97.10 cm, respectively. Moreover, 35.60% of the participants were obese, and 54.42% had abdominal obesity. DMP, DMTP, and DETP were discovered to have a negative correlation with WC and BMI in the adjusted models. DMP (OR = 0.93 [95% CI: 0.89-0.98]), DEP (OR = 0.94 [95% CI: 0.90-0.99]), DMTP (OR = 0.91 [95% CI: 0.86-0.95]), and DETP (OR = 0.85 [95% CI: 0.80-0.90]) exhibited negative associations with obesity prevalence. Similar correlations between the prevalence of abdominal obesity and the urine OPP metabolites were discovered. Moreover, the mixture of urinary OPP metabolites showed negative associations with adiposity measures, with DMTP and DETP showing the most significant effects. CONCLUSION: Together, higher levels of urinary OPP metabolites in the urine were linked to a decline in the prevalence of obesity.

The health implications of cumulative exposure to contextual (dis)advantage: Methodological and substantive advances from a unique data linkage.

Deleterious neighborhood conditions are associated with poor health, yet the health impact of cumulative lifetime exposure to neighborhood disadvantage is understudied. Using up to five decades of residential histories for 4,177 adult participants in the Survey of Health of Wisconsin (SHOW) and spatio-temporally linked neighborhood conditions, we develop four operational approaches to characterizing cumulative neighborhood (dis)advantage over the life course. We estimated their associations with self-reported general health and compared to estimates using neighborhood (dis)advantage at time of study enrollment. When cumulative exposures were assessed with the most granular temporal scale (Approach 4), neighborhood transport constraints (OR = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.08, 1.36), residential turnover (OR = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.07, 1.34), education deficit (OR = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.04, 1.32), racial segregation (OR = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.04, 1.38) and median household income (OR = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.75, 0.97) were significantly associated with risk of fair or poor health. For composite neighborhood disadvantage, cumulative exposures had a stronger association (OR = 1.05, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.08) than the cross-sectional exposure (OR = 1.03, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.06). Single point-in-time neighborhood measures underestimate the neighborhood and health relationship, underscoring the importance of a life course approach to cumulative exposure measurement.

Biocontrol potential and growth-promoting effect of endophytic fungus Talaromyces muroii SD1-4 against potato leaf spot disease caused by Alternaria alternata.

BACKGROUND: Alternaria alternata is the primary pathogen of potato leaf spot disease, resulting in significant potato yield losses globally. Endophytic microorganism-based biological control, especially using microorganisms from host plants, has emerged as a promising and eco-friendly approach for managing plant diseases. Therefore, this study aimed to isolate, identify and characterize the endophytic fungi from healthy potato leaves which had great antifungal activity to the potato leaf spot pathogen of A. alternata in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS: An endophytic fungal strain SD1-4 was isolated from healthy potato leaves and was identified as Talaromyces muroii through morphological and sequencing analysis. The strain SD1-4 exhibited potent antifungal activity against the potato leaf spot pathogen A. alternata Lill, with a hyphal inhibition rate of 69.19%. Microscopic and scanning electron microscope observations revealed that the strain SD1-4 grew parallel to, coiled around, shrunk and deformed the mycelia of A. alternata Lill. Additionally, the enzyme activities of chitinase and ß-1, 3-glucanase significantly increased in the hyphae of A. alternata Lill when co-cultured with the strain SD1-4, indicating severe impairment of the cell wall function of A. alternata Lill. Furthermore, the mycelial growth and conidial germination of A. alternata Lill were significantly suppressed by the aseptic filtrate of the strain SD1-4, with inhibition rates of 79.00% and 80.67%, respectively. Decrease of leaf spot disease index from 78.36 to 37.03 was also observed in potato plants treated with the strain SD1-4, along with the significantly increased plant growth characters including plant height, root length, fresh weight, dry weight, chlorophyll content and photosynthetic rate of potato seedlings. CONCLUSION: The endophyte fungus of T. muroii SD1-4 isolated from healthy potato leaves in the present study showed high biocontrol potential against potato leaf spot disease caused by A. alternata via direct parasitism or antifungal metabolites, and had positive roles in promoting potato plant growth.

An appearance quality classification method for Auricularia auricula based on deep learning.

The intelligent appearance quality classification method for Auricularia auricula is of great significance to promote this industry. This paper proposes an appearance quality classification method for Auricularia auricula based on the improved Faster Region-based Convolutional Neural Networks (improved Faster RCNN) framework. The original Faster RCNN is improved by establishing a multiscale feature fusion detection model to improve the accuracy and real-time performance of the model. The multiscale feature fusion detection model makes full use of shallow feature information to complete target detection. It fuses shallow features with rich detailed information with deep features rich in strong semantic information. Since the fusion algorithm directly uses the existing information of the feature extraction network, there is no additional calculation. The fused features contain more original detailed feature information. Therefore, the improved Faster RCNN can improve the final detection rate without sacrificing speed. By comparing with the original Faster RCNN model, the mean average precision (mAP) of the improved Faster RCNN is increased by 2.13%. The average precision (AP) of the first-level Auricularia auricula is almost unchanged at a high level. The AP of the second-level Auricularia auricula is increased by nearly 5%. And the third-level Auricularia auricula AP is increased by 1%. The improved Faster RCNN improves the frames per second from 6.81 of the original Faster RCNN to 13.5. Meanwhile, the influence of complex environment and image resolution on the Auricularia auricula detection is explored.

Higher homocysteine and fibrinogen are associated with early-onset post-stroke depression in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

Background: Post-stroke depression (PSD) is a well-established psychiatric complication following stroke. Nevertheless, the relationship between early-onset PSD and homocysteine (Hcy) or fibrinogen remains uncertain. Methods: Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients who met the established criteria were enrolled in this study. Early-onset PSD was diagnosed two weeks after the stroke. The severity of depressive symptoms was assessed by the Hamilton Depression Scale-17 items (HAMD-17), with patients scored ≥7 assigned to the early-onset PSD group. Spearman rank correlation analysis was employed to evaluate the associations between Hcy, fibrinogen, and HAMD scores across all patients. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to investigate the relationship between Hcy, fibrinogen, and early-onset PSD. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis was ASSDalso performed to detect the predictive ability of Hcy and fibrinogen for early-onset PSD. Results: Among the 380 recruited patients, a total of 106 (27.89%) patients were diagnosed with early-onset PSD. The univariate analysis suggested that patients in the PSD group had a higher admission National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, modified Rankin Scale score (mRS), Hcy, and fibrinogen levels than patients in the non-PSD group (P<0.05). The logistic regression model indicated that Hcy (odds ratio [OR], 1.344; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.209-1.494, P<0.001) and fibrinogen (OR, 1.57 6; 95% CI 1.302-1.985, P<0.001) were independently related to early-onset PSD. Area under curve (AUC) of Hcy, fibrinogen, and Hcy combined fibrinogen to predict early-onset PSD was 0.754, 0.698, and 0.803, respectively. Conclusion: This study indicates that Hcy and fibrinogen may be independent risk factors for early-onset PSD and can be used as predictive indicators for early-onset PSD.

The long non-coding RNA mir155hg promotes NLRP3-inflammasome activation and oxidative stress response in acute lung injury by targeting miR-450b-5p to regulate HIF-1α.

BACKGROUND: Acute lung injury (ALI) can cause multiple organ dysfunction and a high mortality rate. Inflammatory responses, oxidative stress, and immune damage contribute to their pathogenic mechanisms. We studied the role of the newly discovered lncRNA, Lncmir155hg, in ALI. METHODS: The levels of Lncmir155hg and miR-450b-5p from mice with ALI were detected via polymerase chain reaction analysis (qRT-PCR) and Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Pathological changes of lung were detected by HE (hematoxylin and eosin) staining, and HIF-1α, NOD-like receptor 3 (NLRP3) and caspase-1 protein changes were detected by immunohistochemistry. MLE-12 cells proliferation was detected by Cell-Counting Kit 8 analysis, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) was detected via flow cytometry. NLRP3, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein (ASC), and caspase-1 were measured via western blotting, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays detected the expression of Inflammatory factors. Lncmir155hg, miR-450b-5p, miR-450b-5p, and HIF-1α targets were predicted using LncTar and miRWalk and confirmed in dual-luciferase reporter assays. RESULTS: In mice with ALI and MLE-12 cells induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), Lncmir155hg was high-expressed and miR-450b-5p was low-expressed. sh-Lncmir155hg reduced the damage of lung tissue, the production of inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress reaction induced by LPS，miR-450b-5p reverses the effect of Lncmir155hg in mice. sh-Lncmir155hg decreased the protein levels of HIF-1α, NLRP3 and caspase-1 in LPS-induced lung tissues. sh-Lncmir155hg+miR-450b-5p inhibitor transfection reversed the effect of sh-Lncmir155hg on the expression of HIF-1α, NLRP3 and caspase-1. Lncmir155hg knockdown induced proliferation and inhibited NLRP3-inflammasome activation and oxidative stress in MLE-12 cells of ALI. miR-450b-5p was identified to have binding with Lncmir155hg, and inhibition of miR-450b-5p eliminated the effect of si-Lncmir155hg in MLE-12 cells of ALI. More importantly, miR-450b-5p was directly combined with HIF-1α, miR-450b-5p mimic promoted proliferation and inhibited activation of inflammasome associated proteins and reaction of oxidative stress, and HIF-1α overexpression abolished these effects. CONCLUSION: Lncmir155hg aggravated ALI via the miR-450b-5p/HIF-1α axis.