Polystyrene nanoplastics induce apoptosis, autophagy, and steroidogenesis disruption in granulosa cells to reduce oocyte quality and fertility by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT pathway in female mice.

BACKGROUND: Nanoplastics (NPs) are emerging pollutants that pose risks to living organisms. Recent findings have unveiled the reproductive harm caused by polystyrene nanoparticles (PS-NPs) in female animals, yet the intricate mechanism remains incompletely understood. Under this research, we investigated whether sustained exposure to PS-NPs at certain concentrations in vivo can enter oocytes through the zona pellucida or through other routes that affect female reproduction. RESULTS: We show that PS-NPs disrupted ovarian functions and decreased oocyte quality, which may be a contributing factor to lower female fertility in mice. RNA sequencing of mouse ovaries illustrated that the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway emerged as the predominant environmental information processing pathway responding to PS-NPs. Western blotting results of ovaries in vivo and cells in vitro showed that PS-NPs deactivated PI3K-AKT signaling pathway by down-regulating the expression of PI3K and reducing AKT phosphorylation at the protein level, PI3K-AKT signaling pathway which was accompanied by the activation of autophagy and apoptosis and the disruption of steroidogenesis in granulosa cells. Since PS-NPs penetrate granulosa cells but not oocytes, we examined whether PS-NPs indirectly affect oocyte quality through granulosa cells using a granulosa cell-oocyte coculture system. Preincubation of granulosa cells with PS-NPs causes granulosa cell dysfunction, resulting in a decrease in the quality of the cocultured oocytes that can be reversed by the addition of 17ß-estradiol. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides findings on how PS-NPs impact ovarian function and include transcriptome sequencing analysis of ovarian tissue. The study demonstrates that PS-NPs impair oocyte quality by altering the functioning of ovarian granulosa cells. Therefore, it is necessary to focus on the research on the effects of PS-NPs on female reproduction and the related methods that may mitigate their toxicity.

Genome-wide analysis of HD-Zip genes in Sophora alopecuroides and their role in salt stress response.

We aimed to identify HD-Zip (homologous domain leucine zipper) family genes based on the complete Sophora alopecuroides genome sequence. Eighty-six Sophora alopecuroides HD-Zip family (SaHDZ) genes were identified and categorized into four subclasses using phylogenetic analysis. Chromosome localization analysis revealed that these genes were distributed across 18 chromosomes. Gene structure and conserved motif analysis showed high similarity among members of the SaHDZ genes. Prediction analysis revealed 71 cis-acting elements in SaHDZ genes. Transcriptome and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analyses showed that under salt stress, SaHDZ responded positively in S. alopecuroides, and that SaHDZ22 was significantly upregulated afterward. Functional verification experiments revealed that SaHDZ22 overexpression increased the tolerance of Arabidopsis to salt and osmotic stress. Combined with cis-acting element prediction and expression level analysis, HD-Zip family transcription factors may be involved in regulating the balance between plant growth and stress resistance under salt stress by modulating the expression of auxin and abscisic acid signaling pathway genes. The Sophora alopecuroides adenylate kinase protein (SaAKI) and S. alopecuroides tetrapeptide-like repeat protein (SaTPR; pCAMBIA1300-SaTPR-cLUC) expression levels were consistent with those of SaHDZ22, indicating that SaHDZ22 may coordinate with SaAKI and SaTPR to regulate plant salt tolerance. These results lay a foundation in understanding the salt stress response mechanisms of S. alopecuroides and provide a reference for future studies oriented toward exploring plant stress resistance.

A chain mediation model reveals the association between metacognition and quality of life in hematologic tumor patients.

The study aims to explore the relationship among metacognition (MC), fear of disease of progression (FoP), psychological distress (PD), and quality of life (QoL), and verify whether FoP and PD have a chain mediating effect between MC and QoL. 231 hematologic tumor patients in a large tertiary hospital were investigated by using Meta-Cognitions Questionnaire-30, Fear of Progression Questionnaire-Short Form, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy scale. Data analyses were performed using IBM SPSS (version 25.0) and the PROCESS macro (version 4.1). The results showed that the direct impact of MC on QoL was not statistically significant. However, the indirect influence of MC on QoL manifest through the independent influences of PD and FoP, as well as the chain mediating effect of "PD → FoP." In addition, all four dimensions of QoL (physical, social and family, emotional, and functional) satisfy the chain mediation model, except for the social and family domain. These insights advance our comprehension of the intricate interplay between MC and QoL, underscoring the importance of improving MC to alleviate patients' PD, mitigate FoP, and ultimately improve the QoL of hematologic tumor patients.

Screening of a Prognostic Gene Signature for Relapsed/Refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia Based on Altered Circulating CircRNA Profiles.

Background: Relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (R/R-AML) has dismal prognosis due to chemotherapy resistance. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have shown emerging roles in chemotherapy resistance in various cancers including hematologic malignancies. However, the potential roles of circRNAs in AML progression and drug resistance remain largely undetermined. Methods: In this study, circulating circRNAs expression profiles were analyzed among R/R-AML, de novo AML and healthy controls (HC) using a human circRNA Array. Bioinformatic analysis was carried out to explore the differentially expressed circRNAs (DE-circRNAs). GO, KEGG pathway analysis, along with circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network analysis, were conducted to identify the potential biological pathways involved in R/R-AML. Finally, the UALCAN database was used to assess the prognosis of different target DE-circRNAs-related mRNAs. Results: Forty-eight DE-circRNAs were upregulated, whereas twenty-seven DE-circRNAs were downregulated in R/R-AML samples. Up-regulated DE-circRNAs in R/R-AML samples were mainly enrichment in the biological processes and pathways of cell migration, microRNAs in cancers, Rap1 and Ras signaling pathways. Six DE-circRNAs were randomly selected to further explore their relationships with R/R-AML. GO and KEGG pathway analyses of the six candidate DE-circRNAs-related target mRNAs were mainly involved in the regulation of signal transduction and Ras signaling pathway. By overlapping our RNA-sequencing results of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in R/R-AML samples with the candidate DE-circRNAs-predicted target mRNAs, we identified sixty-eight overlapping targeted mRNAs. Using UALCAN database analysis, we identified that AML patients with six upregulated DE-circRNA-related genes (ECE1, PI4K2A, SLC9A6, CCND3, PPP1R16B, and TRIM32) and one downregulated gene DE-circRNA-related genes (ARHGAP10) might have a poor prognosis. Conclusion: This study revealed the overall alterations of circRNAs in R/R-AML. DE-circRNAs and their related genes might be used as potential early, sensitive and stable biomarkers for AML diagnosis, R/R-AML monitoring, and even as novel treatment targets for R/R-AML.

Genome-Wide Identification of CHYR Gene Family in Sophora alopecuroides and Functional Analysis of SaCHYR4 in Response to Abiotic Stress.

Sophora alopecuroides has important uses in medicine, wind breaking, and sand fixation. The CHY-zinc-finger and RING-finger (CHYR) proteins are crucial for plant growth, development, and environmental adaptation; however, genetic data regarding the CHYR family remain scarce. We aimed to investigate the CHYR gene family in S. alopecuroides and its response to abiotic stress, and identified 18 new SaCHYR genes from S. alopecuroides whole-genome data, categorized into 3 subclasses through a phylogenetic analysis. Gene structure, protein domains, and conserved motifs analyses revealed an exon-intron structure and conserved domain similarities. A chromosome localization analysis showed distribution across 12 chromosomes. A promoter analysis revealed abiotic stress-, light-, and hormone-responsive elements. An RNA-sequencing expression pattern analysis revealed positive responses of SaCHYR genes to salt, alkali, and drought stress. SaCHYR4 overexpression considerably enhanced alkali and drought tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana. These findings shed light on SaCHYR's function and the resistance mechanisms of S. alopecuroides, presenting new genetic resources for crop resistance breeding.

Unraveling electronic origins for boosting thermoelectric performance of p-type (Bi,Sb)2Te3.

P-type Bi2-xSbxTe3 compounds are crucial for thermoelectric applications at room temperature, with Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 demonstrating superior performance, attributed to its maximum density-of-states effective mass (m*). However, the underlying electronic origin remains obscure, impeding further performance optimization. Herein, we synthesized high-quality Bi2-xSbxTe3 (00 l) films and performed comprehensive angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) measurements and band structure calculations to shed light on the electronic structures. ARPES results directly evidenced that the band convergence along the [Formula: see text]-[Formula: see text] direction contributes to the maximum m* of Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3. Moreover, strategic manipulation of intrinsic defects optimized the hole density of Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3, allowing the extra valence band along [Formula: see text]-[Formula: see text] to contribute to the electrical transport. The synergy of the above two aspects documented the electronic origins of the Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3's superior performance that resulted in an extraordinary power factor of ~5.5 milliwatts per meter per square kelvin. The study offers valuable guidance for further performance optimization of p-type Bi2-xSbxTe3.

Topological Electronic Transition Contributing to Improved Thermoelectric Performance in p-Type Mg3Sb2- xBix Solid Solutions.

Topological electronic transition is the very promising strategy for achieving high band degeneracy (NV) and for optimizing thermoelectric performance. Herein, this work verifies in p-type Mg3Sb2- xBix that topological electronic transition could be the key mechanism responsible for elevating the NV of valence band edge from 1 to 6, leading to much improved thermoelectric performance. Through comprehensive spectroscopy characterizations and theoretical calculations of electronic structures, the topological electronic transition from trivial semiconductor is unambiguously demonstrated to topological semimetal of Mg3Sb2- xBix with increasing the Bi content, due to the strong spin-orbit coupling of Bi and the band inversion. The distinct evolution of Fermi surface configuration and the multivalley valence band edge with NV of 6 are discovered in the Bi-rich compositions, while a peculiar two-step band inversion is revealed for the first time in the end compound Mg3Bi2. As a result, the optimal p-type Mg3Sb0.5Bi1.5 simultaneously obtains a positive bandgap and high NV of 6, and thus acquires the largest thermoelectric power factor of 3.54 and 6.93 µW cm-1 K-2 at 300 and 575 K, respectively, outperforming the values in other compositions. This work provides important guidance on improving thermoelectric performance of p-type Mg3Sb2- xBix utilizing the topological electronic transition.

Lactic acid induced defense responses in tobacco against Phytophthora nicotianae.

Induced resistance is considered an eco-friendly disease control strategy, which can enhance plant disease resistance by inducing the plant's immune system to activate the defense response. In recent years, studies have shown that lactic acid can play a role in plant defense against biological stress; however, whether lactic acid can improve tobacco resistance to Phytophthora nicotianae, and its molecular mechanism remains unclear. In our study, the mycelial growth and sporangium production of P. nicotianae were inhibited by lactic acid in vitro in a dose-dependent manner. Application of lactic acid could reduce the disease index, and the contents of total phenol, salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid (JA), lignin and H2O2, catalase (CAT) and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activities were significantly increased. To explore this lactic acid-induced protective mechanism for tobacco disease resistance, RNA-Seq analysis was used. Lactic acid enhances tobacco disease resistance by activating Ca2+, reactive oxygen species (ROS) signal transduction, regulating antioxidant enzymes, SA, JA, abscisic acid (ABA) and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) signaling pathways, and up-regulating flavonoid biosynthesis-related genes. This study demonstrated that lactic acid might play a role in inducing resistance to tobacco black shank disease; the mechanism by which lactic acid induces disease resistance includes direct antifungal activity and inducing the host to produce direct and primed defenses. In conclusion, this study provided a theoretical basis for lactic acid-induced resistance and a new perspective for preventing and treating tobacco black shank disease.

Enhancing the carbon content of coal gangue for composting through sludge amendment: A feasibility study.

Cocomposting coal gangue and sludge eliminates the challenge of utilizing coal gangue. However, there is limited understanding about the feasibility of cocomposting sludge and coal gangue, as well as the composting indicators, functional microorganisms, and safety risks involved. Therefore, this study evaluated the feasibility of enhancing carbon composting in coal gangue by incorporating sludge along with sawdust as a conditioner. Three laboratory-scale reactors were designed and labeled as T1 (20 % coal gangue, 60 % sludge, and 20 % sawdust), T2 (40 % coal gangue, 40 % sludge, and 20 % sawdust), and T3 (60 % coal gangue, 20 % sludge, and 20 % sawdust). Seed germination and plant growth assessments were conducted to ensure compost stability and assess phytotoxicity to cabbage (Brassica rapa chinensis L.) in terms of growth and biomass. The results indicated that the temperature, pH, EC and ammonia nitrogen of all three reactor conditions met the requirements for product decomposition. Composting was successfully achieved when the sludge proportion was 20 % (T3). However, when the sludge proportion was markedly high (T1), the harmlessness of the compost was reduced. The germination indices of T1, T2, and T3 reached 95 %, 122 %, and 119 % at maturity, respectively. This confirmed that the harmless cycle, which involved promoting condensation and aromatization, enhancing decay, and reducing composting time, was shorter in T2 and T3 than in T1. Coal gangue can also serve as a beneficial habitat for microorganisms, promoting an increase in their population and activity. Potting experiments in sandy soil revealed that the mechanism of action of compost products in soil included not only the enhancement of soil nutrients but also the improvement of soil texture. The results of this study suggest that using coal gangue as a raw material for composting is an efficient and environmentally friendly approach for producing organic fertilizers.

A time-course transcriptome analysis revealing the potential molecular mechanism of early gonadal differentiation in the Chinese giant salamander.

The Chinese giant salamander (CGS) Andrias davidianus is the largest extant amphibian and has recently become an important species for aquaculture with high economic value. Meanwhile, its wild populations and diversity are in urgent need of protection. Exploring the mechanism of its early gonadal differentiation will contribute to the development of CGS aquaculture and the recovery of its wild population. In this study, transcriptomic and phenotypic research was conducted on the critical time points of early gonadal differentiation of CGS. The results indicate that around 210 days post-hatching (dph) is the critical window for female CGS's gonadal differentiation, while 270 dph is that of male CGS. Besides, the TRPM1 gene may be the crucial gene among many candidates determining the sex of CGS. More importantly, in our study, key genes involved in CGS's gonadal differentiation and development are identified and their potential pathways and regulatory models at early stage are outlined. This is an initial exploration of the molecular mechanisms of CGS's early gonadal differentiation at multiple time points, providing essential theoretical foundations for its captive breeding and offering unique insights into the conservation of genetic diversity in wild populations from the perspective of sex development.

Glycine max acyl-acyl carrier protein thioesterase B gene overexpression alters lipid content and fatty acid profile of Arabidopsis seeds.

The fatty acyl-acyl carrier protein thioesterase B (FATB ) gene, involved in the synthesis of saturated fatty acids, plays an important role in the content of fatty acid and composition of seed storage lipids. However, the role of FATB in soybeans (Glycine max ) has been poorly characterised. This paper presents a preliminary bioinformatics and molecular biological investigation of 10 hypothetical FATB members. The results revealed that GmFATB1B , GmFATB2A and GmFATB2B contain many response elements involved in defense and stress responses and meristem tissue expression. Moreover, the coding sequences of GmFATB1A and GmFATB1B were significantly longer than those of the other genes. Their expression varied in different organs of soybean plants during growth, with GmFATB2A and GmFATB2B showing higher relative expression. In addition, subcellular localisation analysis revealed that they were mainly present in chloroplasts. Overexpression of GmFATB1A , GmFATB1B , GmFATB2A and GmFATB2B in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana plants increased the seed oil content by 10.3%, 12.5%, 7.5% and 8.4%, respectively, compared to that in the wild-type and led to significant increases in palmitic and stearic acid content. Thus, this research has increased our understanding of the FATB family in soybeans and provides a theoretical basis for subsequent improvements in soybean quality.

Application and clinical economic evaluation of three intervention methods in high-dose methotrexate chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis in acute lymphoblastic leukemia / 中国感染控制杂志

Objective To explore the clinical efficacy and cost-effectiveness of honey,low-temperature oxygen ato-mization and conventional mouthwash on chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis(CIOM)in patients with acute lym-phoblastic leukemia(ALL).Methods 129 ALL patients who were hospitalized in the hematology department of a tertiary first-class hospital in Yinchuan City of Ningxia from February to May 2023 and met the inclusion and exclu-sion criteria were selected,they were randomly divided into honey group,low-temperature oxygen atomization group,and conventional mouthwash group,with 43 cases in each group.During chemotherapy period,the honey group applied honey to oral mucosa surface,the low-temperature oxygen atomization group inhaled granulocyte stimulating factors through low-temperature oxygen atomization,the conventional mouthwash group gargled with prescribed mouthwash.Results There were 7(16.28％),9(20.93％),and 20(46.51％)patients with CIOM in honey group,low-temperature oxygen atomization group,and conventional mouthwash group,respectively.The in-cidence and severity of CIOM among three groups of patients were statistically different(H=11.598,P=0.003).Honey and low-temperature oxygen atomization were superior to conventional mouthwash in the prevention and treatment efficacy on CIOM in ALL patients(both P＜0.05),but the efficacy was no statistically different between honey and low-temperature oxygen atomization(P＞0.05).The cost of honey group was lower than low-tempera-ture oxygen atomization group and conventional mouthwash group(both P＜0.05),although the low-temperature oxygen atomization group has certain therapeutic effect,its cost was much higher than that of the honey group and the conventional mouthwash group(both P＜0.05).Conclusion Honey has a better prevention and treatment effect on CIOM in ALL patients,and can also reduce the hospitalization cost of patients.

Comparison between an SGLT2 inhibitor and insulin in tumor-to-tissue contrasts in 18F-FDG PET imaging of diabetic mice.

18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG PET) has been widely utilized for tumor diagnosis. Hyperglycemia affects the 18F-FDG uptake and reduces tumor-to-tissue contrasts, however, ideal hypoglycemic drugs are lacking. This study compared the role of insulin with the novel widely used hypoglycemic drug, sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, on 18F-FDG PET imaging in diabetic conditions. The streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic C57BL/6N mice were inoculated with B16 (mouse melanoma) cells to establish the xenograft tumor model. After the mice had been administrated with dapagliflozin (30 mg/kg, IG) or insulin (0.75 U/kg, IP) for one hour, 9.25 MBq/10 g 18F-FDG was injected. Biodistributions were detected by gamma counting and microPET imaging. The results showed dapagliflozin did not significantly affect the 18F-FDG uptake in tumors but reduced uptake in reference tissues, resulting in a significant increase in the tumor-to-skeletal muscle ratio. Conversely, insulin increased 18F-FDG uptake in tumors without significant reduction in uptake in reference tissues; Although there was an observable improvement in tumor imaging, it did not reach significantly statistical differences. This study suggests that insulin and SGLT2 inhibitor yield comparable effects on the quality of 18F-FDG PET imaging in diabetic patients. Nevertheless, SGLT2 inhibitors would be more suitable when skeletal muscle is used as reference tissue.

Remediation of Pb(II) and Cd(II) in polluted waters with calcium thioglycolate-modified straw biochar.

The pollution of water bodies by heavy metals (HMs) such as Pb(II) and Cd(II) poses a serious environmental risk. Herein, rice straw biochar (RBC) modified with calcium thioglycolate was used to remove Pb(II) and Cd(II) from aqueous solutions. The adsorption performance of the modified biochar was investigated via adsorption kinetics and isotherm model fitting. Furthermore, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to elucidate the modification and adsorption mechanisms. The results showed that the modification process loaded sulfur-containing functional groups, calcium carbonate, and calcium oxalate crystals on the biochar surface, considerably enhancing its complexation performance and ion-exchange capacity. The equilibrium adsorption amounts for Pb(II) and Cd(II) reached 124.92 and 65.44 mg g-1 in unary systems, respectively; they reached 121.34 and 39.43 mg g-1 in a binary Pb(II) and Cd(II), respectively. Moreover, the optimal adsorption conditions were as follows: pH = 6, temperature = 25 °C, dosage = 0.8 g L-1, and contact time = 2 h. In the binary Pb(II) and Cd(II) system, the adsorption process obeyed the Langmuir competitive adsorption model, which means that one adsorption site on the modified biochar was effective for only one heavy-metal ion, and the modified biochar was more selective for Pb(II) than for Cd(II). The adsorption mechanism, which was dominated by chemisorption, mainly involved complexation, precipitation, ion exchange, and cation-π interactions. Meanwhile, adsorption and desorption experiments indicated that the modified biochar exhibited satisfactory recycling performance, demonstrating its feasibility as an inexpensive and efficient heavy-metal adsorbent for polluted water.

Overexpressing GmCGS2 Improves Total Amino Acid and Protein Content in Soybean Seed.

Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) is an important source of plant protein, the nutritional quality of which is considerably affected by the content of the sulfur-containing amino acid, methionine (Met). To improve the quality of soybean protein and increase the Met content in seeds, soybean cystathionine γ-synthase 2 (GmCGS2), the first unique enzyme in Met biosynthesis, was overexpressed in the soybean cultivar "Jack", producing three transgenic lines (OE3, OE4, and OE10). We detected a considerable increase in the content of free Met and other free amino acids in the developing seeds of the three transgenic lines at the 15th and 75th days after flowering (15D and 75D). In addition, transcriptome analysis showed that the expression of genes related to Met biosynthesis from the aspartate-family pathway and S-methyl Met cycle was promoted in developing green seeds of OE10. Ultimately, the accumulation of total amino acids and soluble proteins in transgenic mature seeds was promoted. Altogether, these results indicated that GmCGS2 plays an important role in Met biosynthesis, by providing a basis for improving the nutritional quality of soybean seeds.

Pregnancy-related low back/pelvic girdle pain: Prevalence, severity, and risk factors in Zhengzhou, China.

BACKGROUND: Pregnancy-related low back pain (LBP) and pelvic girdle pain (PGP) significantly affect the quality of life of pregnant women. Understanding their severity and risk factors may help prevent and alleviate such pain and their resulting dysfunction. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the prevalence, severity, and biopsychosocial risk factors of pregnancy-related LBP and PGP in Zhengzhou, China. METHODS: The Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), Chinese version of the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ), and other questionnaires were self-administered by 1020 pregnant women undergoing treatment at a tertiary hospital between July and December 2019. Binary logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with pregnancy-related LBP and/or PGP. RESULTS: The prevalence of LBP and/or PGP during pregnancy was 63.0%, and most participants (80.4%) had both. The mean NPRS and RMDQ disability scores were 2.44 ± 2.10 and 6.66 ± 4.65, respectively. A higher gestational body mass index, LBP and/or PGP during menstruation, history of pregnancy-related LBP and/or PGP, and constant pressure were significantly associated with pregnancy-related LBP and/or PGP. Subjective support was a protective factor against LBP and/or PGP. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of LBP and/or PGP was high. The risk factors should be included in routine prenatal care to identify patients at risk of LBP and/or PGP.

Global, regional, and national burden of chronic respiratory diseases and associated risk factors, 1990-2019: Results from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019.

Background: The burden of chronic respiratory diseases has changed over the three decades. This study aims to describe the spatiotemporal trends of prevalence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALY) due to chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs) worldwide during 1990-2019 using data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 (GBD 2019). Methods: The prevalence, mortality, and DALY attributable to CRDs and risk factors from 1990 to 2019 were estimated. We also assessed the driving factors and potentiality for improvement with decomposition and frontier analyses, respectively. Results: In 2019, 454.56 [95% uncertainty interval (UI): 417.35-499.14] million individuals worldwide had a CRD, showing a 39·8% increase compared with 1990. Deaths due to CRDs were 3.97 (95%UI: 3.58-4.30) million, and DALY in 2019 was 103.53 (95%UI: 94.79-112.27) million. Declines by average annual percent change (AAPC) were observed in age-standardized prevalence rates (ASPR) (0.64% decrease), age-standardized mortality rates (ASMR) (1.92%), and age-standardized DALY rates (ASDR) (1.72%) globally and in 5 socio-demographic index (SDI) regions. Decomposition analyses represented that the increase in overall CRDs DALY was driven by aging and population growth. However, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was the leading driver of increased DALY worldwide. Frontier analyses witnessed significant improvement opportunities at all levels of the development spectrum. Smoking remained a leading risk factor (RF) for mortality and DALY, although it showed a downward trend. Air pollution, a growing factor especially in relatively low SDI regions, deserves our attention. Conclusion: Our study clarified that CRDs remain the leading causes of prevalence, mortality, and DALY worldwide, with growth in absolute numbers but declines in several age-standardized estimators since 1990. The estimated contribution of risk factors to mortality and DALY demands the need for urgent measures to improve them. Systematic review registration: http://ghdx.healthdata.org/gbd-results-tool.

Analysis of oil synthesis pathway in Cyperus esculentus tubers and identification of oleosin and caleosin genes.

The tubers of the widely distributed Cyperus esculentus are rich in oil, and therefore, the plant is considered to have a high utilization value in the vegetable oil industry. Oleosins and caleosins are lipid-associated proteins found in oil bodies of seeds; however oleosins and caleosins genes have not been identified in C. esculentus. In this study, we performed transcriptome sequencing and lipid metabolome analysis of C. esculentus tubers at four developmental stages to obtain the information on their genetic profile, expression trends, and metabolites in oil accumulation pathways. Overall, 120,881 non-redundant unigenes and 255 lipids were detected; 18 genes belonged to the acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), malonyl-CoA:ACP transacylase (MCAT), ß-ketoacyl-ACP synthase (KAS), and fatty acyl-ACP thioesterase (FAT) gene families involved in fatty acid biosynthesis, and 16 genes belonged to the glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (GPAT), diacylglycerol acyltransferase 3 (DGAT3), phospholipid:diacylglycerol acyltransferase (PDAT), FAD2, and lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase (LPAAT) gene families playing important roles in triacylglycerol synthesis. We also identified 9 oleosin- and 21 caleosin-encoding genes in C. esculentus tubers. These results provide detailed information on the C. esculentus transcriptional and metabolic profiles, which can be used as reference for the development of strategies to increase oil content in C. esculentus tubers.

Platelet and ferritin as early predictive factors for the development of macrophage activation syndrome in children with Kawasaki disease: A retrospective case-control study.

Objective: To investigate the early predictive factors for Kawasaki disease complicated with macrophage activation syndrome (KD-MAS). Methods: We performed a retrospective case-control study in children with KD from August 2017 to August 2022, involving 28 cases with KD-MAS and 112 cases not developing KD-MAS. Based on the univariate analysis, binary logistic regression was used to identify the early predictive factors for KD-MAS development, and the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis was carried out to obtain the optimal cut-off value. Results: Two predictive factors were associated with the development of KD-MAS, which were PLT (OR = 1.013, 95%CI, 1.001-1.026), and serum ferritin (OR = 0.991, 95%CI, 0.982-0.999). The cut-off value of PLT was 110 × 109/L, and the cut-off value of serum ferritin was 548.4 ng/ml. Conclusion: Children with KD who had a PLT count under 110 × 109/L, and a serum ferritin level over 548.4 ng/ml are more likely to develop KD-MAS.

Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of diacylglycerol acyltransferase genes in soybean (Glycine max).

Background: Soybean (Glycine max) is a major protein and vegetable oil source. In plants, diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT) can exert strong flux control, which is rate-limiting for triacylglycerol biosynthesis in seed oil formation. Methods: Here, we identified soybean DGAT genes via a bioinformatics method, thereby laying a solid foundation for further research on their function. Based on our bioinformatics analyses, including gene structure, protein domain characteristics, and phylogenetic analysis, 26 DGAT putative gene family members unevenly distributed on 12 of the 20 soybean chromosomes were identified and divided into the following four groups: DGAT1, DGAT2, WS/DGAT, and cytoplasmic DGAT. Results: The Ka/Ks ratio of most of these genes indicated a significant positive selection pressure. DGAT genes exhibited characteristic expression patterns in soybean tissues. The differences in the structure and expression of soybean DGAT genes revealed the diversity of their functions and the complexity of soybean fatty acid metabolism. Our findings provide important information for research on the fatty acid metabolism pathway in soybean. Furthermore, our results will help identify candidate genes for potential fatty acid-profile modifications to improve soybean seed oil content. Conclusions: This is the first time that in silico studies have been used to report the genomic and proteomic characteristics of DGAT in soybean and the effect of its specific expression on organs, age, and stages.