Identifying the habitat suitability of Pteris vittata in China and associated key drivers using machine learning models.

Pteris vittata (P. vittata) possesses significant potential in remediating arsenic (As) soil pollution. Understanding the habitat suitability of P. vittata in China and pinpointing the key drivers that influence its distribution can facilitate the identification of optimal areas for using P. vittata as a remediation tool for As-polluted soils. In this study, a comparative analysis was conducted using ten machine learning models to assess the habitat suitability of P. vittata based on 744 specimen records and 20 environmental factors. The key drivers affecting the distribution of P. vittata were also investigated based on the optimal model. The results indicate that the XGBOOST model was the most reliable and stable, achieving a coefficient of determination of 0.95. Approximately 24.47 % of China's land area was identified as suitable for P. vittata. Particularly, it was predominantly found in Hainan (45.9 %), Guangxi (92.96 %), Guangdong (91.68 %), Hunan (91.26 %), Guizhou (90.83 %), Chongqing (88.17 %), Fujian (85.70 %), Yunnan (77.44 %), Jiangxi (73.99 %) and Zhejiang (57.05 %). Furthermore, this study pinpointed the lowest temperature, annual temperature range, and mining density as key drivers, contributing 45.9 %, 31.9 %, and 7.2 %, respectively. Spatial correlation analysis revealed a significant correlation between mining density and the habitat distribution of P. vittata (Moran' I = 0.519). This study confirmed that both natural factors and anthropogenic activities affect the distribution of P. vittata and provided valuable insights for optimizing the application of P. vittata in soil phytoremediation and reclamation.

Oral viscous budesonide solution for enhanced localized treatment of eosinophilic esophagitis through improved mucoadhesion and permeation.

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the esophagus that is immune/antigen-mediated and often requires targeted treatment. In clinical practice, an oral viscous budesonide suspension prepared by adding sucralose to a budesonide suspension for inhalation (Pulmicort®) is used to treat adult EoE and enhance retention in the esophageal mucosa. Inspired by this off-label drug use, oral viscous budesonide solutions (OVBSs) were developed in this study, and their capacities for adhesion, permeation, and stability were explored. Given the insolubility of budesonide as a BCS II drug, we first evaluated its equilibrium solubility and found that Transcutol® HP was an excellent choice for creating an OVBS at a concentration of 0.2 mg/g. The rheological properties of the OVBSs were evaluated with a rheometer, and shear-thinning, which aids in swallowing, was observed. The addition of hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) increased the adhesion strength of the preparation, which was associated with the hydration and thickening mechanism. This result was confirmed in a dynamic gelation study and in vitro elution experiment conducted with porcine esophagus tissue. Furthermore, the permeabilities of the OVBSs in the porcine esophagus were evaluated with a Franz diffusion cell device. >80 % of the budesonide was released after 24 h, and the release profile was similar to that of the solution. To explore the storage conditions of OVBSs, critical factors such as pH, content, and impurities were determined. It was found that OVBSs exhibited different behaviors at different pH values and temperatures. Notably, the OVBSs containing 1.7 % HEC could be stored for >6 months at a temperature of 5 °C ± 3 °C and a pH of 4.5 without significant degradation. Overall, this study demonstrated that OVBSs have the potential to adhere to the esophageal mucosa, permeate the tissue, and remain stable during storage. Moreover, OVBSs exhibit a distinct advantage over traditional converted inhalation-to-oral budesonide therapies by enabling flexible dose adjustment in clinical applications, thereby potentially minimizing systemic side effects commonly associated with oral glucocorticoid administration.

A quadri-fluorescence SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus system for efficient antigenic characterization of multiple circulating variants.

The ongoing co-circulation of multiple severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) strains necessitates advanced methods such as high-throughput multiplex pseudovirus systems for evaluating immune responses to different variants, crucial for developing updated vaccines and neutralizing antibodies (nAbs). We have developed a quadri-fluorescence (qFluo) pseudovirus platform by four fluorescent reporters with different spectra, allowing simultaneous measurement of the nAbs against four variants in a single test. qFluo shows high concordance with the classical single-reporter assay when testing monoclonal antibodies and human plasma. Utilizing qFluo, we assessed the immunogenicities of the spike of BA.5, BQ.1.1, XBB.1.5, and CH.1.1 in hamsters. An analysis of cross-neutralization against 51 variants demonstrated superior protective immunity from XBB.1.5, especially against prevalent strains such as "FLip" and JN.1, compared to BA.5. Our finding partially fills the knowledge gap concerning the immunogenic efficacy of the XBB.1.5 vaccine against current dominant variants, being instrumental in vaccine-strain decisions and insight into the evolutionary path of SARS-CoV-2.

Comparison of aneuploidy for patients of different ages treated with progestin-primed ovarian stimulation or GnRH antagonist protocols.

RESEARCH QUESTION: Does euploidy status differ among patients of different ages treated with progestin-primed ovarian stimulation (PPOS) or gonadotrophin releasing hormone antagonist (GnRH-a) protocols? DESIGN: Patients undergoing PGT-A (n = 418; 440 cycles) were enrolled and grouped according to female age (<35 years and ≥35 years). Protocols were as follows: PPOS: <35 years (n = 131; 137 cycles); ≥35 years (n = 72; 80 cycles); GnRH-a: <35 years (n = 149; 152 cycles); ≥35 years (n = 66; 71 cycles). RESULTS: For cycles treated with PPOS in the older group, rates of euploid blastocyst per metaphase Ⅱ oocyte (15.48% versus 10.47%) and per biopsied blastocyst (54.94% versus 40.88%) were significantly higher than those treated with GnRH-a (P < 0.05). The mosaic rate per biopsied blastocyst was significantly lower for cycles treated with PPOS than cycles treated with GnRH-a (8.64% versus 23.36%) (P < 0.001). In the younger group, no significant difference was found between treatments (P > 0.05). In older and younger groups, the drug to inhibit LH surge was cheaper for cycles treated with PPOS compared with GnRH-a (P < 0.001). Generalized estimation equations based on binomial distribution female age and euploidy rate was significantly negatively correlated for all participants (ß -0.109, 95% CI -0.183 to -0.035, P = 0.004), and between GnRH-a protocol (reference: PPOS) and the euploidy rate in the older group (ß -0.126, 95% CI -0.248 to -0.004, P = 0.042). Multiple logistic regression indicated that ovarian stimulation protocol was not associated with ongoing pregnancy rate (OR 0.652, 95% CI 0.358 to 1.177; P = 0.14). CONCLUSIONS: PPOS is suitable for patients undergoing PGT-A, particularly older patients for the higher euploid blastocyst rate attained by PPOS protocol.

Three-dimensional pseudocontinuous arterial spin labeling with dual postlabeling delay for reflecting cerebral blood flow regulation in patients with hydrocephalus: a retrospective cross-sectional study.

Background: Three-dimensional pseudo-continuous arterial spin-labeling (3D pCASL) with dual postlabeling delay (PLD) captures both early and delayed cerebral blood flow (CBF), yet its potential in reflecting blood flow regulation in hydrocephalus patients remains uncertain. This study investigated the hemodynamic characteristics in patients with hydrocephalus and whether the difference in cerebral blood flow using short and long PLDs (ΔCBF = CBFPLD =2.5 s - CBFPLD =1.5 s) could reflect cerebral regulation and further aimed to demonstrate the associations between regional ΔCBF and the degree of ventricular dilatation. Methods: This retrospective study included consecutive patients with hydrocephalus and control participants attending The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University from December 2017 to December 2022. The CBF in 18 brain regions was manually delineated by two radiologists. Regional CBF and ΔCBF were compared via covariance analyses. The associations between ΔCBF and the degree of ventricular dilatation were investigated using linear regression analyses and interaction analysis. Results: In total, 58 patients with communicating hydrocephalus, 57 patients with obstructive hydrocephalus, and 52 controls were analyzed. CBF of the hydrocephalus groups was lower than that of the control group at the shorter PLD. CBF was higher at a longer PLD, with no difference between the hydrocephalus groups and the control group in some regions. The hydrocephalus groups showed a higher ΔCBF compared to the control group. Furthermore, in the left medial watershed (10.6±5.66 vs. 7.01±5.88 mL/100 g/min; P=0.038), communicating hydrocephalus exhibited greater ΔCBF than did obstructive hydrocephalus. ΔCBF of the right posterior external watershed [adjusted ß: 0.276; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.047-0.505; P=0.019] and right parietal cortex (adjusted ß: 0.277; 95% CI: 0.056-0.498; P=0.015) in the obstructive hydrocephalus group and ΔCBF of the left internal watershed (adjusted ß: 0.274; 95% CI: 0.013-0.536; P=0.040) in the communicating hydrocephalus group were associated with the degree of ventricular dilatation, respectively. Conclusions: Patients with hydrocephalus showed cerebral regulation in maintaining adequate CBF, resulting in longer arterial transit times. The ability to regulate CBF in brain regions represented by the watershed was associated with the degree of ventricular dilation.

A radiomics nomogram based on multiparametric MRI for diagnosing focal cortical dysplasia and initially identifying laterality.

BACKGROUND: Focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) is the most common epileptogenic developmental malformation. The diagnosis of FCD is challenging. We generated a radiomics nomogram based on multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to diagnose FCD and identify laterality early. METHODS: Forty-three patients treated between July 2017 and May 2022 with histopathologically confirmed FCD were retrospectively enrolled. The contralateral unaffected hemispheres were included as the control group. Therefore, 86 ROIs were finally included. Using January 2021 as the time cutoff, those admitted after January 2021 were included in the hold-out set (n = 20). The remaining patients were separated randomly (8:2 ratio) into training (n = 55) and validation (n = 11) sets. All preoperative and postoperative MR images, including T1-weighted (T1w), T2-weighted (T2w), fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR), and combined (T1w + T2w + FLAIR) images, were included. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) was used to select features. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to develop the diagnosis model. The performance of the radiomic nomogram was evaluated with an area under the curve (AUC), net reclassification improvement (NRI), integrated discrimination improvement (IDI), calibration and clinical utility. RESULTS: The model-based radiomics features that were selected from combined sequences (T1w + T2w + FLAIR) had the highest performances in all models and showed better diagnostic performance than inexperienced radiologists in the training (AUCs: 0.847 VS. 0.664, p = 0.008), validation (AUC: 0.857 VS. 0.521, p = 0.155), and hold-out sets (AUCs: 0.828 VS. 0.571, p = 0.080). The positive values of NRI (0.402, 0.607, 0.424) and IDI (0.158, 0.264, 0.264) in the three sets indicated that the diagnostic performance of Model-Combined improved significantly. The radiomics nomogram fit well in calibration curves (p > 0.05), and decision curve analysis further confirmed the clinical usefulness of the nomogram. Additionally, the contrast (the radiomics feature) of the FCD lesions not only played a crucial role in the classifier but also had a significant correlation (r = -0.319, p < 0.05) with the duration of FCD. CONCLUSION: The radiomics nomogram generated by logistic regression model-based multiparametric MRI represents an important advancement in FCD diagnosis and treatment.

Segmentectomy for ground glass-dominant invasive lung cancer with tumour diameter of 2-3 cm: protocol for a single-arm, multicentre, phase III trial (ECTOP1012).

INTRODUCTION: Previous studies demonstrated that wedge resection is sufficient for ground glass-dominant lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) with tumour diameter ≤2 cm, however, the optimal surgical type for ground glass-dominant LUAD with tumour diameter of 2-3 cm remains unclear. The purpose of this trial is to investigate the safety and efficacy of segmentectomy for ground glass-dominant invasive LUAD with tumour size of 2-3 cm. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We initiated a phase III trial to investigate whether segmentectomy is suitable for ground glass-dominant invasive LUAD with tumour size of 2-3 cm. This trial plans to enrol 307 patients from multiple institutions including four general hospitals and two specialty cancer hospitals over a period of 5 years. The primary endpoint is 5 year disease-free survival. Secondary endpoints are lung function, 5 year overall survival, the site of tumour recurrence and metastasis, segmentectomy completion rate, radical segmentectomy (R0 resection) completion rate and surgery-related complications. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This trial has been approved by the Ethics Committee of Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Centre (reference 2212267-18) and by the institutional review boards of each participating centre. Written informed consent is required from all participants. The study results will be published in a peer-reviewed international journal. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT05717803.

A glimpse into viral warfare: decoding the intriguing role of highly pathogenic coronavirus proteins in apoptosis regulation.

Coronaviruses employ various strategies for survival, among which the activation of endogenous or exogenous apoptosis stands out, with viral proteins playing a pivotal role. Notably, highly pathogenic coronaviruses such as SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV, and MERS-CoV exhibit a greater array of non-structural proteins compared to low-pathogenic strains, facilitating their ability to induce apoptosis via multiple pathways. Moreover, these viral proteins are adept at dampening host immune responses, thereby bolstering viral replication and persistence. This review delves into the intricate interplay between highly pathogenic coronaviruses and apoptosis, systematically elucidating the molecular mechanisms underpinning apoptosis induction by viral proteins. Furthermore, it explores the potential therapeutic avenues stemming from apoptosis inhibition as antiviral agents and the utilization of apoptosis-inducing viral proteins as therapeutic modalities. These insights not only shed light on viral pathogenesis but also offer novel perspectives for cancer therapy.

Distinct Gut Microbiota and Arachidonic Acid Metabolism in Obesity-Prone and Obesity-Resistant Mice with a High-Fat Diet.

An imbalance of energy intake and expenditure is commonly considered as the fundamental cause of obesity. However, individual variations in susceptibility to obesity do indeed exist in both humans and animals, even among those with the same living environments and dietary intakes. To further explore the potential influencing factors of these individual variations, male C57BL/6J mice were used for the development of obesity-prone and obesity-resistant mice models and were fed high-fat diets for 16 weeks. Compared to the obesity-prone mice, the obesity-resistant group showed a lower body weight, liver weight, adipose accumulation and pro-inflammatory cytokine levels. 16S rRNA sequencing, which was conducted for fecal microbiota analysis, found that the fecal microbiome's structural composition and biodiversity had changed in the two groups. The genera Allobaculumbiota, SMB53, Desulfovibrio and Clostridium increased in the obesity-prone mice, and the genera Streptococcus, Odoribacter and Leuconostoc were enriched in the obesity-resistant mice. Using widely targeted metabolomics analysis, 166 differential metabolites were found, especially those products involved in arachidonic acid (AA) metabolism, which were significantly reduced in the obesity-resistant mice. Moreover, KEGG pathway analysis exhibited that AA metabolism was the most enriched pathway. Significantly altered bacteria and obesity-related parameters, as well as AA metabolites, exhibited strong correlations. Overall, the phenotypes of the obesity-prone and obesity-resistant mice were linked to gut microbiota and AA metabolism, providing new insight for developing an in-depth understanding of the driving force of obesity resistance and a scientific reference for the targeted prevention and treatment of obesity.

Iodine nutritional status and its associations with thyroid function of pregnant women and neonatal TSH.

Introduction: Iodine serves as a crucial precursor for the synthesis of thyroid hormones and plays an import role in both pregnant women and their offspring. The relationships between iodine nutritional status and maternal thyroid function and neonatal outcomes remain inconclusive in areas with adequate iodine nutrition. This study aims to investigate their correlations. Methods: Blood, morning urine and 24-hour urine were collected from the pregnant women to measure thyroid functions, serum iodine concentration (SIC), morning urine iodine concentration (UIC) and 24-hour urine iodine excretion (24-hour UIE). Indicators of their offspring's neonatal indexes were recorded. Results: A total of 559 pregnant women were enrolled in this study. The iodine indicators including Tg, 24-hour UIE and morning UIC were significantly different among the euthyroid pregnant women and those with different thyroid disorders. The levels of FT3, FT4, and SIC exhibited a gradual decline and the concentration of TSH exhibited a gradual increase trend throughout the progression of pregnancy in euthyroid pregnant women. There were no significant differences in neonatal outcomes and neonatal TSH values among euthyroid pregnant women and thyroid disorders pregnant women. SIC had a significant impact on maternal FT4 levels throughout all three trimesters, with varying degrees of importance observed in each trimester. TSH level emerged as the primary determinant of FT4 during the first trimester, while SIC exerted a predominant influence on FT4 levels in the second and third trimesters. The prevalence of thyroid disorders in pregnant women was the lowest when the SIC of pregnant women was probable in the range of 60~70 µg/L, 24-hours UIE was in the range of 250~450 µg, and Tg was in the range of 9~21 µg/L. Maternal TSH exhibited a notable influence on neonatal TSH levels, particularly at the 50th and 75th quantiles. Among the iodine nutritional indicators, SIC and morning UIC demonstrated higher AUC values for abnormal FT4 and TSH, respectively. Discussion: The iodine nutrition status of pregnant women exerts an impact on their thyroid function and prevalence of thyroid disorders, and neonatal TSH was affected by maternal TSH. SIC may be a better indicator for iodine nutritional assessment than other indexes.

Multi-Objective Process Parameter Optimization of Ultrasonic Rolling Combining Machine Learning and Non-Dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm-II.

Ultrasonic rolling is an effective technique for enhancing surface integrity, and surface integrity is closely related to fatigue performance. The process parameters of ultrasonic rolling critically affect the improvement of surface integrity. This study proposes an optimization method for process parameters by combining machine learning (ML) with the NSGA-II. Five ML models were trained to establish relationships between process parameters and surface residual stress, hardness, and surface roughness by incorporating feature augmentation and physical information. The best-performing model was selected and integrated with NSGA-II for multi-objective optimization. Ultrasonic rolling tests based on a uniform design were performed, and a dataset was established. The objective was to maximize surface residual stress and hardness while minimizing surface roughness. For test specimens with an initial surface roughness of 0.54 µm, the optimized process parameters were a static pressure of 900 N, a spindle speed of 75 rpm, a feed rate of 0.19 mm/r, and rolling once. Using optimized parameters, the surface residual stress reached -920.60 MPa, surface hardness achieved 958.23 HV, surface roughness reduced to 0.32 µm, and contact fatigue life extended to 3.02 × 107 cycles, representing a 52.5% improvement compared to untreated specimens and an even more significant improvement over without parameter optimization.

Modulation of anti-cardiac fibrosis immune responses by changing M2 macrophages into M1 macrophages.

BACKGROUND: Macrophages play a crucial role in the development of cardiac fibrosis (CF). Although our previous studies have shown that glycogen metabolism plays an important role in macrophage inflammatory phenotype, the role and mechanism of modifying macrophage phenotype by regulating glycogen metabolism and thereby improving CF have not been reported. METHODS: Here, we took glycogen synthetase kinase 3ß (GSK3ß) as the target and used its inhibitor NaW to enhance macrophage glycogen metabolism, transform M2 phenotype into anti-fibrotic M1 phenotype, inhibit fibroblast activation into myofibroblasts, and ultimately achieve the purpose of CF treatment. RESULTS: NaW increases the pH of macrophage lysosome through transmembrane protein 175 (TMEM175) and caused the release of Ca2+ through the lysosomal Ca2+ channel mucolipin-2 (Mcoln2). At the same time, the released Ca2+ activates TFEB, which promotes glucose uptake by M2 and further enhances glycogen metabolism. NaW transforms the M2 phenotype into the anti-fibrotic M1 phenotype, inhibits fibroblasts from activating myofibroblasts, and ultimately achieves the purpose of treating CF. CONCLUSION: Our data indicate the possibility of modifying macrophage phenotype by regulating macrophage glycogen metabolism, suggesting a potential macrophage-based immunotherapy against CF.

Electrodynamic Interference and Induced Polarization in Nanoparticle-Based Optical Matter Arrays.

Optical matter (OM) arrays are self-organizing, ordered arrangements of nanometer- to micrometer-size particles, where interparticle forces are mediated by incident and scattered coherent light. The structures that form and their dynamics depend on the properties (e.g., material, size) of the constituent particles, as well as the incident and scattered light. While significant progress has been made toward understanding how the OM arrays are affected by the phase, polarization, and intensity profile of the incident light, the polarization induced in the particles and the light scattered by OM arrays have received less attention. In this paper, we establish the roles of electrodynamic interference, many-body coupling, and induced-polarization concomitant with the coherent light scattered by OM arrays. Experiments and simulations together demonstrate that the spatial profile and directionality of coherent light scattered by OM arrays in the far field are primarily influenced by interference, while electrodynamic coupling (interactions) and the associated polarization induced in the nanoparticle constituents have a quantitative wavelength-dependent effect on the total amount of light scattered by the arrays. Furthermore, the electrodynamic coupling in silver nanoparticle OM arrays is significantly enhanced by constructive interference and increases superextensively with the number of particles in the array. Particle size, and hence polarizability, also has a significant effect on the strength of the coupling. Finally, we simulate larger hexagonal OM arrays of Ag nanoparticles to demonstrate that the electrodynamic coupling and scattering enhancement observed in small OM arrays develop into surface lattice resonances observed in the infinite array limit. Our work provides insights for designing OM arrays to tune many-body forces and the coherent light that they scatter.

Six-gene prognostic signature for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease susceptibility using machine learning.

BACKGROUND: nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common liver disease affecting the global population and its impact on human health will continue to increase. Genetic susceptibility is an important factor influencing its onset and progression, and there is a lack of reliable methods to predict the susceptibility of normal populations to NAFLD using appropriate genes. METHODS: RNA sequencing data relating to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease was analyzed using the "limma" package within the R software. Differentially expressed genes were obtained through preliminary intersection screening. Core genes were analyzed and obtained by establishing and comparing 4 machine learning models, then a prediction model for NAFLD was constructed. The effectiveness of the model was then evaluated, and its applicability and reliability verified. Finally, we conducted further gene correlation analysis, analysis of biological function and analysis of immune infiltration. RESULTS: By comparing 4 machine learning algorithms, we identified SVM as the optimal model, with the first 6 genes (CD247, S100A9, CSF3R, DIP2C, OXCT 2 and PRAMEF16) as predictive genes. The nomogram was found to have good reliability and effectiveness. Six genes' receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC) suggest an essential role in NAFLD pathogenesis, and they exhibit a high predictive value. Further analysis of immunology demonstrated that these 6 genes were closely connected to various immune cells and pathways. CONCLUSION: This study has successfully constructed an advanced and reliable prediction model based on 6 diagnostic gene markers to predict the susceptibility of normal populations to NAFLD, while also providing insights for potential targeted therapies.

Isolation and Culture of Primary Human Mammary Epithelial Cells.

The mammary gland is a fundamental structure of the breast and plays an essential role in reproduction. Human mammary epithelial cells (HMECs), which are the origin cells of breast cancer and other breast-related inflammatory diseases, have garnered considerable attention. However, isolating and culturing primary HMECs in vitro for research purposes has been challenging due to their highly differentiated, keratinized nature and their short lifespan. Therefore, developing a simple and efficient method to isolate and culture HMECs is of great scientific value for the study of breast biology and breast-related diseases. In this study, we successfully isolated primary HMECs from small amounts of mammary tissue by digestion with a mixture of enzymes combined with an initial culture in 5% fetal bovine serum-DMEM containing the Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) inhibitor Y-27632, followed by culture expansion in serum-free keratinocyte medium. This approach selectively promotes the growth of epithelial cells, resulting in an optimized cell yield. The simplicity and convenience of this method make it suitable for both laboratory and clinical research, which should provide valuable insights into these important areas of study.

Systematic analyses of the factors influencing sperm quality in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection.

To figure out how does SARS-CoV-2 affect sperm parameters and what influencing factors affect the recovery of sperm quality after infection? We conducted a prospective cohort study and initially included 122 men with SARS-CoV-2 infection. The longest time to track semen quality after infection is 112 days and 58 eligible patients were included in our study eventually. We subsequently exploited a linear mixed-effects model to statistically analyze their semen parameters at different time points before and after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Semen parameters were significantly reduced after SARS-CoV-2 infection, including total sperm count (211 [147; 347] to 167 [65.0; 258], P < 0.001), sperm concentration (69.0 [38.8; 97.0] to 51.0 [25.5; 71.5], P < 0.001), total sperm motility (57.5 [52.3; 65.0] to 51.0 [38.5; 56.8], P < 0.001), progressive motility (50.0 [46.2; 58.0] to 45.0 [31.5; 52.8], P < 0.001). The parameters displayed the greatest diminution within 30 days after SARS-CoV-2 infection, gradually recovered thereafter, and exhibited no significant difference after 90 days compared with prior to COVID-19 infection. In addition, the patients in the group with a low-grade fever showed a declining tendency in semen parameters, but not to a significant degree, whereas those men with a moderate or high fever produced a significant drop in the same parameters. Semen parameters were significantly reduced after SARS-CoV-2 infection, and fever severity during SARS-CoV-2 infection may constitute the main influencing factor in reducing semen parameters in patients after recovery, but the effect is reversible and the semen parameters gradually return to normal with the realization of a new spermatogenic cycle.

Response of soil erosion resistance to straw incorporation amount in the black soil region of Northeast China.

Straw incorporation has been considered as an effective environmental management application to improve soil erosion resistance (SER) and organic carbon sequestration. SER is useful to evaluate soil erosion subjected to concentrated flow. Nevertheless, few studies have been performed to examine how SER varied with the amount of straw incorporation on sloping croplands in high latitude and cool regions. In the current study, the fixed bed scouring tests were conducted in a large hydraulic flume using undisturbed soil samples taken from Hebei small watershed in the black soil region of Northeast China. The response of SER to different straw incorporation amounts (0, 1.125, 2.25, 4.5, 6.75, 9.0 and 13.5 t ha-1) was quantified after three months of straw decomposition. The major influencing factors and the corresponding mechanisms were determined. The findings demonstrated that rill erodibility firstly decreased exponentially with straw incorporation amount (R2 = 0.93), while it slightly increased when straw incorporation amount was more than 9.0 t ha-1. Critical shear stress firstly increased logarithmically (R2 = 0.90) and then slightly decreased when the amount exceeded 9.0 t ha-1. Compared to the treatment of 0 t ha-1, rill erodibility reduced by 17.0%-92.8% and critical shear stress increased by 59.6%-127.2% across different treatments of straw incorporation. Rill erodibility had significant and negative correlations with soil organic matter content, aggregate stability, cohesion, root mass density, straw mass density and straw decomposition amount. The key mechanisms for promoting SER were derived by the direct and indirect effects of straw incorporation and its decomposition on soil physicochemical properties and crop roots. The amount of 9.0 t ha-1 was recommended as the optimum amount of straw incorporation in croplands in Northeast China. These findings are useful to understand how soil erosion resistance responds to the amount of straw incorporation and make rational environmental management policy for semi-humid and cool regions.

Wavelength encoding spectral imaging based on the combination of deeply learned filters and an RGB camera.

Hyperspectral imaging is a critical tool for gathering spatial-spectral information in various scientific research fields. As a result of improvements in spectral reconstruction algorithms, significant progress has been made in reconstructing hyperspectral images from commonly acquired RGB images. However, due to the limited input, reconstructing spectral information from RGB images is ill-posed. Furthermore, conventional camera color filter arrays (CFA) are designed for human perception and are not optimal for spectral reconstruction. To increase the diversity of wavelength encoding, we propose to place broadband encoding filters in front of the RGB camera. In this condition, the spectral sensitivity of the imaging system is determined by the filters and the camera itself. To achieve an optimal encoding scheme, we use an end-to-end optimization framework to automatically design the filters' transmittance functions and optimize the weights of the spectral reconstruction network. Simulation experiments show that our proposed spectral reconstruction network has excellent spectral mapping capabilities. Additionally, our novel joint wavelength encoding imaging framework is superior to traditional RGB imaging systems. We develop the deeply learned filter and conduct actual shooting experiments. The spectral reconstruction results have an attractive spatial resolution and spectral accuracy.

Morusin Alleviates Aortic Valve Calcification by Inhibiting Valve Interstitial Cell Senescence Through Ccnd1/Trim25/Nrf2 Axis.

The senescence of aortic valve interstitial cells (VICs) plays a critical role in the progression of calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD). However, the precise mechanisms underlying the senescence of VICs remain unclear, demanding the identification of a novel target to mitigate this process. Previous studies have highlighted the anti-aging potential of morusin. Thus, this study aimed to explore the therapeutic potential of morusin in CAVD. Cellular experiments reveal that morusin effectively suppresses cellular senescence and cause a shift toward osteogenic differentiation of VICs in vitro. Mechanistically, morusin activate the Nrf2-mediated antiaging signaling pathway by downregulating CCND1 expression and aiding Keap1 degradation through Trim 25. This activation lead to the upregulated expression of antioxidant genes, thus reducing reactive oxygen species production and thereby preventing VIC osteogenic differentiation. In vivo experiments in ApoE-/- mice on a high-fat Western diet demonstrate the positive effect of morusin in mitigating aortic valve calcification. These findings emphasize the antiaging properties of morusin and its potential as a therapeutic agent for CAVD.

Effect of salinity on biological nitrogen removal from wastewater and its mechanism.

The nitrogen discharge from saline wastewater will cause significant pollution to the environment. As a high-efficiency and low-cost treatment method, biological treatment has a promising application prospect in the removal of nitrogen from high-salt wastewater. However, the inhibitory effect of high salt on microorganisms increases the difficulty of its treatment. This review discusses the influence of salinity on the nitrogen removal process, considering both traditional and novel biological techniques. Common methods to enhance the effectiveness of biological nitrogen removal processes and their mechanisms of action in engineering practice and research, including sludge acclimation and inoculation of halophilic bacteria, are also introduced. An outlook on the future development of biological nitrogen removal processes for high-salt wastewater is provided to achieve environmentally friendly discharge of high-salt wastewater.