Exosomal miR-17-5p derived from epithelial cells is involved in aberrant epithelium-fibroblast crosstalk and induces the development of oral submucosal fibrosis.

Oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) is a chronic and inflammatory mucosal disease caused by betel quid chewing, which belongs to oral potentially malignant disorders. Abnormal fibroblast differentiation leading to disordered collagen metabolism is the core process underlying OSF development. The epithelium, which is the first line of defense against the external environment, can convert external signals into pathological signals and participate in the remodeling of the fibrotic microenvironment. However, the specific mechanisms by which the epithelium drives fibroblast differentiation remain unclear. In this study, we found that Arecoline-exposed epithelium communicated with the fibrotic microenvironment by secreting exosomes. MiR-17-5p was encapsulated in epithelial cell-derived exosomes and absorbed by fibroblasts, where it promoted cell secretion, contraction, migration and fibrogenic marker (α-SMA and collagen type I) expression. The underlying molecular mechanism involved miR-17-5p targeting Smad7 and suppressing the degradation of TGF-ß receptor 1 (TGFBR1) through the E3 ubiquitination ligase WWP1, thus facilitating downstream TGF-ß pathway signaling. Treatment of fibroblasts with an inhibitor of miR-17-5p reversed the contraction and migration phenotypes induced by epithelial-derived exosomes. Exosomal miR-17-5p was confirmed to function as a key regulator of the phenotypic transformation of fibroblasts. In conclusion, we demonstrated that Arecoline triggers aberrant epithelium-fibroblast crosstalk and identified that epithelial cell-derived miR-17-5p mediates fibroblast differentiation through the classical TGF-ß fibrotic pathway, which provided a new perspective and strategy for the diagnosis and treatment of OSF.

Mir22hg facilitates ferritinophagy-mediated ferroptosis in sepsis by recruiting the m6A reader YTHDC1 and enhancing Angptl4 mRNA stability.

BACKGROUND: Ferritinophagy-mediated ferroptosis plays a crucial role in fighting pathogen aggression. The long non-coding RNA Mir22hg is involved in the regulation of ferroptosis and aberrantly overexpression in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced sepsis mice, but whether it regulates sepsis through ferritinophagy-mediated ferroptosis is unclear. METHODS: Mir22hg was screened by bioinformatics analysis. Ferroptosis was assessed by assaying malondialdehyde (MDA), reactive oxygen species (ROS), and Fe2+ levels, glutathione (GSH) activity, as well as ferroptosis-related proteins GPX4 and SLC3A2 by using matched kits and performing western blot. Ferritinophagy was assessed by Lyso tracker staining and FerroOrange staining, immunofluorescence analysis of Ferritin and LC-3, and western blot analysis of LC-3II/I, p62, FTH1, and NCOA4. The bind of YTH domain containing 1 (YTHDC1) to Mir22hg or angiopoietin-like-4 (Angptl4) was verified by RNA pull-down and/or immunoprecipitation (RIP) assays. RESULTS: Mir22hg silencing lightened ferroptosis and ferritinophagy in LPS-induced MLE-12 cells and sepsis mouse models, as presented by the downregulated MDA, ROS, Fe2+, NCOA4, and SLC3A2 levels, upregulated GPX4, GSH, and FTH1 levels, along with a decrease in autophagy. Mir22hg could bind to the m6A reader YTHDC1 without affecting its expression. Mechanistically, Mir22hg enhanced Angptl4 mRNA stability through recruiting the m6A reader YTHDC1. Furthermore, Angptl4 overexpression partly overturned Mir22hg inhibition-mediated effects on ferroptosis and ferritinophagy in LPS-induced MLE-12 cells. CONCLUSION: Mir22hg contributed to in ferritinophagy-mediated ferroptosis in sepsis via recruiting the m6A reader YTHDC1 and strengthening Angptl4 mRNA stability, highlighting that Mir22hg may be a potential target for sepsis treatment based on ferroptosis.

Glomerulus-Targeted ROS-Responsive Polymeric Nanoparticles for Effective Membranous Nephropathy Therapy.

Membranous nephropathy (MN) is a common immune-mediated glomerular disease that requires the development of safe and highly effective therapies. Celastrol (CLT) has shown promise as a therapeutic molecule candidate, but its clinical use is currently limited due to off-target toxicity. Given that excess levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) contributing to podocyte damage is a key driver of MN progression to end-stage renal disease, we rationally designed ROS-responsive cationic polymeric nanoparticles (PPS-CPNs) with a well-defined particle size and surface charge by employing poly(propylene sulfide)-polyethylene glycol (PPS-PEG) and poly(propylene sulfide)-polyethylenimine (PPS-PEI) to selectively deliver CLT to the damaged glomerulus for MN therapy. Experimental results show that PPS-CPNs successfully crossed the fenestrated endothelium, accumulated in the glomerular basement membrane (GBM), and were internalized by podocytes where rapid drug release was triggered by the overproduction of ROS, thereby outperforming nonresponsive CLT nanotherapy to alleviate subepithelial immune deposits, podocyte foot process effacement, and GBM expansion in a rat MN model. Moreover, the ROS-responsive CLT nanotherapy was associated with significantly lower toxicity to major organs than free CLT. These results suggest that encapsulating CLT into PPS-CPNs can improve efficacy and reduce toxicity as a promising treatment option for MN.

Design of a dual hollow beam optical antenna based on a Fresnel lens-conical lens combination.

To improve the transmission efficiency of Cassegrain antennas and enable the simultaneous transmission of signals with different wavelengths in the antenna system, this study introduces Fresnel lenses and conical lenses in front of the Cassegrain antenna at the transmitting end. Reflective mirrors and focusing lenses are introduced at the receiving end. A detailed description is provided of the design process for the Fresnel lens, as well as the impact of various parameters on the hollow radius when combined with the conical lens. Based on the laws of vector reflection and refraction, simulations are performed to track the propagation of light through the entire communication system and lens pairs, providing transmission efficiency plots of the antenna system under deflection and off-axis conditions. Taking into account practical factors such as lens chamfer, transmittance, Cassegrain antenna reflectance, and material dispersion, the transmission efficiency of the antenna system at 1550 nm wavelength can still reach 93.45%. The proposed method not only improves the transmission efficiency of Cassegrain antennas, but also enables the transmission of different information through the inner and outer layers of the antenna system.

Exploring the mechanism of Jinlida granules against type 2 diabetes mellitus by an integrative pharmacology strategy.

Jinlida granule (JLD) is a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) formula used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, the mechanism of JLD treatment for T2DM is not fully revealed. In this study, we explored the mechanism of JLD against T2DM by an integrative pharmacology strategy. Active components and corresponding targets were retrieved from Traditional Chinese Medicine System Pharmacology (TCMSP), SwissADME and Bioinformatics Analysis Tool for Molecular Mechanisms of Traditional Chinese Medicine Database (BATMAN-TCM) database. T2DM-related targets were obtained from Drugbank and Genecards databases. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed and analyzed with STRING (Search Toll for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/proteins) and Cytoscape to get the key targets. Then, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Gene and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses were performed with the Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID). Lastly, the binding capacities and reliability between potential active components and the targets were verified with molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation. In total, 185 active components and 337 targets of JLD were obtained. 317 targets overlapped with T2DM-related targets. RAC-alpha serine/threonine-protein kinase (AKT1), tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin-6 (IL-6), cellular tumor antigen p53 (TP53), prostaglandin G/H synthase 2 (PTGS2), Caspase-3 (CASP3) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) were identified as seven key targets by the topological analysis of the PPI network. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses showed that the effects were primarily associated with gene expression, signal transduction, apoptosis and inflammation. The pathways were mainly enriched in PI3K-AKT signaling pathway and AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetic complications. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation verified the good binding affinity between the key components and targets. The predicted results may provide a theoretical basis for drug screening of JLD and a new insight for the therapeutic effect of JLD on T2DM.

Nylons with Highly-Bright and Ultralong Organic Room-Temperature Phosphorescence.

Endowing the widely-used synthetic polymer nylon with high-performance organic room-temperature phosphorescence would produce advanced materials with a great potential for applications in daily life and industry. One key to achieving this goal is to find a suitable organic luminophore that can access the triplet excited state with the aid of the nylon matrix by controlling the matrix-luminophore interaction. Herein we report highly-efficient room-temperature phosphorescence nylons by doping cyano-substituted benzimidazole derivatives into the nylon 6 matrix. These homogeneously doped materials show ultralong phosphorescence lifetimes of up to 1.5 s and high phosphorescence quantum efficiency of up to 48.3% at the same time. The synergistic effect of the homogeneous dopant distribution via hydrogen bonding interaction, the rigid environment of the matrix polymer, and the potential energy transfer between doped luminophores and nylon is important for achieving the high-performance room-temperature phosphorescence, as supported by combined experimental and theoretical results with control compounds and various polymeric matrices. One-dimensional optical fibers are prepared from these doped room-temperature phosphorescence nylons that can transport both blue fluorescent and green afterglow photonic signals across the millimeter distance without significant optical attenuation. The potential applications of these phosphorescent materials in dual information encryption and rewritable recording are illustrated.

Lysosome-related genes predict acute myeloid leukemia prognosis and response to immunotherapy.

Background: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a highly aggressive and pathogenic hematologic malignancy with consistently high mortality. Lysosomes are organelles involved in cell growth and metabolism that fuse to form specialized Auer rods in AML, and their role in AML has not been elucidated. This study aimed to identify AML subtypes centered on lysosome-related genes and to construct a prognostic model to guide individualized treatment of AML. Methods: Gene expression data and clinical data from AML patients were downloaded from two high-throughput sequencing platforms. The 191 lysosomal signature genes were obtained from the database MsigDB. Lysosomal clusters were identified by unsupervised consensus clustering. The differences in molecular expression, biological processes, and the immune microenvironment among lysosomal clusters were subsequently analyzed. Based on the molecular expression differences between lysosomal clusters, lysosomal-related genes affecting AML prognosis were screened by univariate cox regression and multivariate cox regression analyses. Algorithms for LASSO regression analyses were employed to construct prognostic models. The risk factor distribution, KM survival curve, was applied to evaluate the survival distribution of the model. Time-dependent ROC curves, nomograms and calibration curves were used to evaluate the predictive performance of the prognostic models. TIDE scores and drug sensitivity analyses were used to explore the implication of the model for AML treatment. Results: Our study identified two lysosomal clusters, cluster1 has longer survival time and stronger immune infiltration compared to cluster2. The differences in biological processes between the two lysosomal clusters are mainly manifested in the lysosomes, vesicles, immune cell function, and apoptosis. The prognostic model consisting of six prognosis-related genes was constructed. The prognostic model showed good predictive performance in all three data sets. Patients in the low-risk group survived significantly longer than those in the high-risk group and had higher immune infiltration and stronger response to immunotherapy. Patients in the high-risk group showed greater sensitivity to cytarabine, imatinib, and bortezomib, but lower sensitivity to ATRA compared to low -risk patients. Conclusion: Our prognostic model based on lysosome-related genes can effectively predict the prognosis of AML patients and provide reference evidence for individualized immunotherapy and pharmacological chemotherapy for AML.

A comparative analysis of alternative splicing patterns in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) in response to Moritella viscosa and sea lice (Lepeophtheirus salmonis) infection.

Moritella viscosa (M. viscosa) and sea lice (Lepeophtheirus salmonis) are severe pathogens that primarily infect the skin of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), which cause significant economic losses in the farming industry. However, the pathogenesis and molecular mechanisms underlying the host's immune defence at the post-transcriptional level remain unclear. Alternative splicing (AS) is an evolutionarily conserved post-transcriptional mechanism that can greatly increase the richness of the transcriptome and proteome. In this study, transcriptomic data derived from skin tissues of Atlantic salmon after M. viscosa and sea lice infections were used to examine the AS profiles and their differential expression patterns. In total, we identified 33,044 AS events (involving 13,718 genes) in the control (CON) group, 35,147 AS events (involving 14,340 genes) in the M. viscosa infection (MV) group, and 30,364 AS events (involving 13,142 genes) in the sea lice infection (LC) group, respectively. Among the five types of AS identified in our study (i.e., SE, A5SS, A3SS, MXE, and RI), SE was the most prevalent type in all three groups (i.e., CON, MV, and LC groups). Decreased percent-spliced-in (PSI) levels were observed in SE events under both MV- and LC-infected conditions, suggesting that MV or LC infection elevated exon-skipping isoforms and promoted the selection of shorter transcripts in numerous DAS genes. In addition, most of the differential AS genes were found to be associated with pathways related to mRNA regulation, epithelial or muscle development, and immune response. These findings provide novel insights into the role of AS in host-pathogen interactions and represent the first comparative analysis of AS in response to bacterial and parasitic infections in fish.

Clinical Observation and Cause Analysis of Perioperative Superior Cluneal Neuralgia in Vertebral Augmentation.

BACKGROUND: In our clinical practice, we observed that some osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture patients undergoing vertebral augmentation exhibited pain in the iliac crest region. This pain aligned with the diagnostic criteria for superior cluneal neuralgia (SCN) and affected treatment satisfaction. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to clinically observe patients undergoing vertebral augmentation in a hospital setting and analyze the etiology and risk factors associated with SCN. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Inpatient population of a single center. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed clinical data from 630 patients who underwent vertebral augmentation in our hospital from March 2022 to March 2023. Fifty-two patients enrolled in the study experienced pain that met the diagnostic criteria for superior cluneal neuralgia during the perioperative period of the vertebral augmentation procedures. Those patients were divided into 2 subgroups according to the conditions involved in the occurrence of SCN: Group A (26 patients) had either no preoperative SCN but developed it postoperatively, or had preoperative SCN that worsened or did not alleviate postoperatively. Group B (26 patients) had preoperative SCN that was relieved postoperatively. Additionally, 52 consecutive patients in March 2022 to March 2023. who did not experience SCN during the perioperative period were selected as the control group (Group C). Variables such as surgical segment, age, height, weight, body mass index, duration of hospitalization, chronic low back pain (CLBP), duration of pain, anesthesia, surgical approach, fracture pattern, preoperative visual analog scale (pre-op VAS) score, intraoperative VAS score, one-day VAS score, one-month VAS score, lumbar sacral angle, and sacral tilt angle were statistically described and analyzed. RESULTS: In our hospital, the incidence of SCN during the perioperative period of vertebral augmentation procedures is 8.25% (52/630). Among all the segments of patients who developed SCN during the perioperative period, the L1 segment had the highest proportion, which was 29.03% and 35.14% in Groups A and B, respectively. Group B and Group C showed significant differences in duration of hospitalization (P = 0.012), pre-op VAS scores (P = 0.026), and CLBP (P < 0.001). Group A had significantly higher VAS scores preoperatively (P = 0.026) and intraoperatively (P = 0.004) and in CLBP (P = 0.001) than did Group C. LIMITATIONS: This is a retrospective study. Single-center noncontrolled studies may introduce selection bias. The small sample size in each group might have also led to bias. CONCLUSION: Perioperative SCN associated with vertebral augmentation is significantly correlated with preoperative VAS scores and CLBP. In addition, intraoperative VAS scores might be a factor contributing to the nonalleviation or exacerbation of postoperative SCN.

Clinical outcomes of endoscopic resection for the treatment of intermediate- or high-risk gastric small gastrointestinal stromal tumors: a multicenter retrospective study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Many studies of gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumors (g-GISTs) following endoscopic resection (ER) have typically focused on tumor size, with most tumors at low risk of aggressiveness after risk stratification. There have been few systematic studies on the oncologic outcomes of intermediate- or high-risk g-GISTs after ER. METHODS: From January 2014 to January 2020, we retrospectively collected patients considered at intermediate- or high-risk of g-GISTs according to the modified NIH consensus classification system. The primary outcome was overall survival (OS). RESULTS: Six hundred and seventy nine (679) consecutive patients were diagnosed with g-GISTs and treated by ER between January 2014 and January 2020 in three hospitals in Shanghai, China. 43 patients (20 males and 23 females) were confirmed at intermediate-or high-risk. The mean size of tumors was 2.23 ± 1.01 cm. The median follow-up period was 62.02 ± 15.34 months, with a range of 28 to 105 months. There were no recurrences or metastases, even among patients having R1 resections. The 5-year OS rate was 97.4% (42/43). CONCLUSION: ER for intermediate- or high-risk gastric small GISTs is a feasible and safe method, which allows for a wait-and-see approach before determining the necessity for imatinib adjuvant or surgical treatment. This approach to g-GISTs does require that patients undergo close follow-up.

Sex-specific cardiac magnetic resonance pulmonary capillary wedge pressure.

Aims: Heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction disproportionately affects women. There are no validated sex-specific tools for HF diagnosis despite widely reported differences in cardiac structure. This study investigates whether sex, as assigned at birth, influences cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) assessment of left ventricular filling pressure (LVFP), a hallmark of HF agnostic to ejection fraction. Methods and results: A derivation cohort of patients with suspected pulmonary hypertension and HF from the Sheffield centre underwent invasive right heart catheterization and CMR within 24 h of each other. A sex-specific CMR model to estimate LVFP, measured as pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP), was developed using multivariable regression. A validation cohort of patients with confirmed HF from the Leeds centre was used to evaluate for the primary endpoints of HF hospitalization and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs). Comparison between generic and sex-specific CMR-derived PCWP was undertaken. A total of 835 (60% female) and 454 (36% female) patients were recruited into the derivation and validation cohorts respectively. A sex-specific model incorporating left atrial volume and left ventricular mass was created. The generic CMR PCWP showed significant differences between males and females (14.7 ± 4 vs. 13 ± 3.0 mmHg, P > 0.001), not present with the sex-specific CMR PCWP (14.1 ± 3 vs. 13.8 mmHg, P = 0.3). The sex-specific, but not the generic, CMR PCWP was associated with HF hospitalization (hazard ratio 3.9, P = 0.0002) and MACE (hazard ratio 2.5, P = 0.001) over a mean follow-up period of 2.4 ± 1.2 years. Conclusion: Accounting for sex improves precision and prognostic performance of CMR biomarkers for HF.

Leptin attenuates the osteogenic induction potential of BMP9 by increasing ß-catenin malonylation modification via Sirt5 down-regulation.

BMP9 has demonstrated significant osteogenic potential. In this study, we investigated the effect of Leptin on BMP9-induced osteogenic differentiation. Firstly, we found Leptin was decreased during BMP9-induced osteogenic differentiation and serum Leptin concentrations were increased in the ovariectomized (OVX) rats. Both in vitro and in vivo, exogenous expression of Leptin inhibited the process of osteogenic differentiation, whereas silencing Leptin enhanced. Exogenous Leptin could increase the malonylation of ß-catenin. However, BMP9 could increase the level of Sirt5 and subsequently decrease the malonylation of ß-catenin; the BMP9-induced osteogenic differentiation was inhibited by silencing Sirt5. These data suggested that Leptin can inhibit the BMP9-induced osteogenic differentiation, which may be mediated through reducing the activity of Wnt/ß-catenin signalling via down-regulating Sirt5 to increase the malonylation level of ß-catenin partly.

Modifying soil bacterial communities in saline mudflats with organic acids and substrates.

Aims: The high salinity of soil, nutrient scarcity, and poor aggregate structure limit the exploitation and utilization of coastal mudflat resources and the sustainable development of saline soil agriculture. In this paper, the effects of applying exogenous organic acids combined with biological substrate on the composition and diversity of soil bacterial community were studied in moderately saline mudflats in Jiangsu Province. Methods: A combination of three exogenous organic acids (humic acid, fulvic acid, and citric acid) and four biological substrates (cottonseed hull, cow manure, grass charcoal, and pine needle) was set up set up on a coastal saline mudflat planted with a salt-tolerant forage grass, sweet sorghum. A total of 120 kg ha-1 of organic acids and 5,000 kg ha-1 of substrates were used, plus two treatments, CK without application of organic acids and substrates and CK0 in bare ground, for a total of 14 treatments. Results: No significant difference was found in the alpha diversity of soil bacterial community among all treatments (p ≥ 0.05), with the fulvic acid composite pine needle (FPN) treatment showing the largest increase in each index. The beta diversity differed significantly (p < 0.05) among all treatments, and the difference between citric acid-grass charcoal (CGC) and CK treatments was greater than that of other treatments. All treatments were effective in increasing the number of bacterial ASVs and affecting the structural composition of the community. Citric acid-cow manure (CCM), FPN, and CGC treatments were found to be beneficial for increasing the relative abundance of Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi, and Actinobacteria, respectively. By contrast, all treatments triggered a decrease in the relative abundance of Acidobacteria. Conclusion: Among the 12 different combinations of exogenous organic acid composite biomass substrates applied to the coastal beach, the CGC treatment was more conducive to increasing the relative abundance of the salt-tolerant bacteria Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi and Actinobacteria, and improving the community structure of soil bacteria. The FPN treatment was more conducive to increase the species diversity of the soil bacterial community and adjust the species composition of the bacterial community.

PA28γ coordinates the cross-talk between cancer-associated fibroblasts and tumor cells to promote OSCC progression via HDAC1/E2F3/IGF2 signaling.

PA28γ overexpression is aberrant and accompanied by poor patient prognosis in various cancers, the precise regulatory mechanism of this crucial gene in the tumor microenvironment remains incompletely understood. In this study, using oral squamous cell carcinoma as a model, we demonstrated that PA28γ exhibits high expression in cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), and its expression significantly correlates with the severity of clinical indicators of malignancy. Remarkably, we found that elevated levels of secreted IGF2 from PA28γ+ CAFs can enhance stemness maintenance and promote tumor cell aggressiveness through the activation of the MAPK/AKT pathway in a paracrine manner. Mechanistically, PA28γ upregulates IGF2 expression by stabilizing the E2F3 protein, a transcription factor of IGF2. Further mechanistic insights reveal that HDAC1 predominantly mediates the deacetylation and subsequent ubiquitination and degradation of E2F3. Notably, PA28γ interacts with HDAC1 and accelerates its degradation via a 20S proteasome-dependent pathway. Additionally, PA28γ+ CAFs exert an impact on the tumor immune microenvironment by secreting IGF2. Excitingly, our study suggests that targeting PA28γ+ CAFs or secreted IGF2 could increase the efficacy of PD-L1 therapy. Thus, our findings reveal the pivotal role of PA28γ in cell interactions in the tumor microenvironment and propose novel strategies for augmenting the effectiveness of immune checkpoint blockade in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

p200CUX1-regulated BMP8B inhibits the progression of acute myeloid leukemia via the MAPK signaling pathway.

The full-length p200CUX1 protein encoded by the homology frame CUT-like protein (CUX1) plays an important role in tumors as a pro-oncogene or oncogene. However, its role and mechanism in acute myeloid leukemia remain unknown. p200CUX1 regulates several pathways, including the MAPK signaling pathway. Our data showed that p200CUX1 is lowly expressed in THP1 and U937 AML cell lines. Lentiviral overexpression of p200CUX1 reduced proliferation and promoted apoptosis and G0/G1 phase blockade, correlating with MAPK pathway suppression. Additionally, p200CUX1 regulated the expression of bone morphogenetic protein 8B (BMP8B), which is overexpressed in AML. Overexpression of p200CUX1 downregulated BMP8B expression and inhibited the MAPK pathway. Furthermore, BMP8B knockdown inhibited AML cell proliferation, enhanced apoptosis and the sensitivity of ATRA-induced cell differentiation, and blocked G0/G1 transition. Our findings demonstrate the pivotal function of the p200CUX1-BMP8B-MAPK axis in maintaining the viability of AML cells. Consequently, targeting p200CUX1 could represent a viable strategy in AML therapy.

Indirect Estimation of Heavy Metal Contamination in Rice Soil Using Spectral Techniques.

The rapid growth of industrialization and urbanization in China has led to an increase in soil heavy metal pollution, which poses a serious threat to ecosystem safety and human health. The advancement of spectral technology offers a way to rapidly and non-destructively monitor soil heavy metal content. In order to explore the potential of rice leaf spectra to indirectly estimate soil heavy metal content. We collected farmland soil samples and measured rice leaf spectra in Xushe Town, Yixing City, Jiangsu Province, China. In the laboratory, the heavy metals Cd and As were determined. In order to establish an estimation model between the pre-processed spectra and the soil heavy metals Cd and As content, a genetic algorithm (GA) was used to optimise the partial least squares regression (PLSR). The model's accuracy was evaluated and the best estimation model was obtained. The results showed that spectral pre-processing techniques can extract hidden information from the spectra. The first-order derivative of absorbance was more effective in extracting spectral sensitive information from rice leaf spectra. The GA-PLSR model selects only about 10% of the bands and has better accuracy in spectral modeling than the PLSR model. The spectral reflectance of rice leaves has the capacity to estimate Cd content in the soil (relative percent difference [RPD] = 2.09) and a good capacity to estimate As content in the soil (RPD = 2.97). Therefore, the content of the heavy metals Cd and As in the soil can be estimated indirectly from the spectral data of rice leaves. This study provides a reference for future remote sensing monitoring of soil heavy metal pollution in farmland that is quantitative, dynamic, and non-destructive over a large area.

Enhancing Sperm Motility Parameters in Patients with Asthenospermia: A Combined Approach of Acupuncture at Fusiguan Point and Tamoxifen Citrate Tablets.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of acupuncture at Fuguan point combined with tamoxifen citrate tablet on sperm motility parameters. METHODS: A total of 115 individuals with asthenospermia were categorized based on different treatment regimens: 53 patients in the control group (receiving tamoxifen citrate tablets) and 62 patients in the observation group (undergoing acupoint acupuncture in conjunction with tamoxifen citrate tablets). Both groups underwent a 3-month treatment period. The computer-assisted sperm analysis system was employed to measure various motility parameters of human sperm, including sperm motility rate, average path velocity (VAP), lateral swing amplitude (ALH), percentage of class a sperm, and percentage of class a + b sperm. RESULTS: Prior to treatment, no statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of sperm motility rate, VAP, ALH, percentage of class a sperm, and percentage of class a + b sperm (p > 0.05). Following treatment, both groups exhibited significant enhancements in sperm motility rate, VAP, ALH, percentage of class a sperm, and percentage of class a + b sperm compared to pretreatment levels (p < 0.05). Furthermore, all measured indicators in the observation group demonstrated significantly superior improvements than those of the control group, with the differences proving statistically significant (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The combination of acupuncture at Fusiguan point and tamoxifen citrate tablets exerts a notably positive effect on sperm motility in individuals diagnosed with asthenospermia.

Boost the Circularly Polarized Phosphorescence of Chiral Organometallic Platinum Complexes by Hierarchical Assembly into Fibrillar Networks.

Circularly polarized luminescence (CPL)-active molecular materials have drawn increasing attention due to their promising applications for next-generation display and optoelectronic technologies. Currently, it is challenging to obtain CPL materials with both large luminescence dissymmetry factor (glum) and high quantum yield (Φ). A pair of enantiomeric N N C-type Pt(II) complexes (L/D)-1 modified with chiral Leucine methyl ester are presented herein. Though the solutions of these complexes are CPL-inactive, the spin-coated thin films of (L/D)-1 exhibit giantly-amplified circularly polarized phosphorescences with |glum| of 0.53 at 560 nm and Φair of ~50 %, as well as appealing circular dichroism (CD) signals with the maximum absorption dissymmetry factor |gabs| of 0.37-0.43 at 480 nm. This superior CPL performance benefits from the hierarchical formation of crystalline fibrillar networks upon spin coating. Comparative studies of another pair of chiral Pt(II) complexes (L/D)-2 with a symmetric N C N coordination mode suggest that the asymmetric N N C coordination of (L/D)-1 are favorable for the efficient exciton delocalization to amplify the CPL performance. Optical applications of the thin films of (L/D)-1 in CPL-contrast imaging and inducing CP light generation from achiral emitters and common light-emitting diode lamps have been successfully realized.

Characteristics of pulmonary artery strain assessed by cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging and associations with metabolomic pathways in human ageing.

Background: Pulmonary artery (PA) strain is associated with structural and functional alterations of the vessel and is an independent predictor of cardiovascular events. The relationship of PA strain to metabolomics in participants without cardiovascular disease is unknown. Methods: In the current study, community-based older adults, without known cardiovascular disease, underwent simultaneous cine cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging, clinical examination, and serum sampling. PA global longitudinal strain (GLS) analysis was performed by tracking the change in distance from the PA bifurcation to the pulmonary annular centroid, using standard cine CMR images. Circulating metabolites were measured by cross-sectional targeted metabolomics analysis. Results: Among n = 170 adults (mean age 71 ± 6.3 years old; 79 women), mean values of PA GLS were 16.2 ± 4.4%. PA GLS was significantly associated with age (ß = -0.13, P = 0.017), heart rate (ß = -0.08, P = 0.001), dyslipidemia (ß = -2.37, P = 0.005), and cardiovascular risk factors (ß = -2.49, P = 0.001). Alanine (ß = -0.007, P = 0.01) and proline (ß = -0.0009, P = 0.042) were significantly associated with PA GLS after adjustment for clinical risk factors. Medium and long-chain acylcarnitines were significantly associated with PA GLS (C12, P = 0.027; C12-OH/C10-DC, P = 0.018; C14:2, P = 0.036; C14:1, P = 0.006; C14, P = 0.006; C14-OH/C12-DC, P = 0.027; C16:3, P = 0.019; C16:2, P = 0.006; C16:1, P = 0.001; C16:2-OH, P = 0.016; C16:1-OH/C14:1-DC, P = 0.028; C18:1-OH/C16:1-DC, P = 0.032). Conclusion: By conventional CMR, PA GLS was associated with aging and vascular risk factors among a contemporary cohort of older adults. Metabolic pathways involved in PA stiffness may include gluconeogenesis, collagen synthesis, and fatty acid oxidation.