Targeting copper death genotyping associated gene RARRES2 suppresses glioblastoma progression and macrophages infiltration

BACKGROUND

Copper homeostasis is associated with malignant biological behavior in various tumors. The excessive accumulation of copper can induce tumor death, which is named cuproptosis, and it is also closely related to tumor progression and the formation of the immune microenvironment. However, the associations of cuproptosis with glioblastoma (GBM) prognosis and microenvironment construction are poorly understood.

METHOD

First, TCGA and GEO (GSE83300, GSE74187) merged datasets were used to analyze the association of cuproptosis-related genes (CRGs) with GBM. Then, we performed cluster analysis of CRGs in GBM from the GEO (GSE83300, GSE74187) and TCGA merged datasets. Subsequently, the prognostic risk model was constructed by least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) according to gene expression features in CRG clusters. Next, we performed a series of in-depth analyses, including tumor mutational burden (TMB) analysis, cluster analysis, and GBM IDH status prediction. Finally, RARRES2 was identified as a target gene for GBM treatment, especially IDH wild-type GBM. In addition, we further analyzed the correlation of CRG clusters and RARRES2 expression with the GBM immune microenvironment by ESTIMATE and CIBERSORT analyses. In vitro experiments were conducted to demonstrate that targeting RARRES2 inhibits glioblastoma progression and macrophage infiltration, particularly IDH wild-type GBM.

RESULTS

In the present study, we demonstrated that the CRG cluster was closely related to GBM prognosis and immune cell infiltration. Moreover, the prognostic risk model constructed with the three genes (MMP19, G0S2, RARRES2) associated with the CRG clusters could well evaluate the prognosis and immune cell infiltration in GBM. Subsequently, after further analyzing the tumor mutational burden (TMB) in GBM, we confirmed that RARRES2 in the prognostic risk model could be used as a crucial gene signature to predict the prognosis, immune cell infiltration and IDH status of GBM patients.

CONCLUSION

This study fully revealed the potential clinical impact of CRGs on GBM prognosis and the microenvironment, and determined the effect of the crucial gene (RARRES2) on the prognosis and tumor microenvironment construction of GBM, meanwhile, our study also revealed over-expressed RARRES2 is related to the IDH satus of GBM, which provides a novel strategy for the treatment of GBM, particularly IDH wild-type GBM.

Design of the Ionic Organic Nonlinear Optical Material NH4[LiC3H(CH3)O4] with Ultrawide Band Gap and Moderate Birefringence

Ionic organic crystals containing organic planar π-conjugated units has become one of the hot spots as nonlinear optical (NLO) materials. However, although this type of ionic organic NLO crystals commonly have remarkable second harmonic generation (SHG) responses, they also suffer from overlarge birefringences and relatively small band gaps that be hardly beyond 6.2 eV. Herein, a flexible π-conjugated [C3H(CH3)O4]2- unit was theoretically revealed, showing great potential for designing NLO crystals with balanced optical properties. Accordingly, through the reasonable NLO-favourable layered design, a new ionic organic material, NH4[LiC3H(CH3)O4], was successfully obtained. As expected, it achieves not only a large SHG effect (4×KDP), but also a suitable birefringence (0.06@546 nm) and an ultrawide band gap (>6.5 eV). This study provides a new flexible π-conjugated NLO-active unit, contributing to design more ionic organic NLO materials with excellent balanced optical properties.

A circular RNA produced by LRBA promotes cirrhotic mouse liver regeneration through facilitating the ubiquitination degradation of p27

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Accumulating circular RNAs (circRNAs) play important roles in tissue repair and organ regeneration. However, the biological effects of circRNAs on liver regeneration remain largely unknown. This study aims to systematically elucidate the functions and mechanisms of circRNAs derived from lipopolysaccharide-responsive beige-like anchor protein (LRBA) in regulating liver regeneration.

METHODS

CircRNAs derived from mouse LRBA gene were identified using CircBase. In vivo and in vitro experiments were conducted to confirm the effects of circLRBA on liver regeneration. RNA pull-down and RNA immunoprecipitation assays were used to investigate the underlying mechanisms. Clinical samples and cirrhotic mouse models were used to evaluate the clinical significance and transitional value of circLRBA.

RESULTS

Eight circRNAs derived from LRBA were registered in CircBase. The circRNA mmu_circ_0018031 (circLRBA) was significantly upregulated in the liver tissues after 2/3 partial hepatectomy (PHx). Adeno-associated virus serotype 8 (AAV8)-mediated knockdown of circLRBA markedly inhibited mouse liver regeneration after 2/3 PHx. In vitro experiments confirmed that circLRBA exerted its growth-promoting function mainly through liver parenchymal cells. Mechanistically, circLRBA acted as a scaffold for the interaction between E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase ring finger protein 123 and p27, facilitating the ubiquitination degradation of p27. Clinically, circLRBA was lowly expressed in cirrhotic liver tissues and negatively correlated with perioperative levels of total bilirubin. Furthermore, overexpression of circLRBA enhanced cirrhotic mouse liver regeneration after 2/3 PHx.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that circLRBA is a novel growth promoter in liver regeneration and a potential therapeutic target related to deficiency of cirrhotic liver regeneration.

A Three-Dimensional Neuromorphic Photosensor Array for Nonvolatile In-Sensor Computing

In-sensor computing hardware based on emerging reconfigurable photosensors can effectively reduce redundant data and decrease power consumption, which can greatly promote the evolution of machine vision. However, because of the complex device structures and low integration abilities, the common architectures mainly lie in two dimensions, resulting in low time and area efficiencies. Here we propose a three-dimensional (3D) neuromorphic photosensor array for parallel in-sensor image processing. It is constructed on a vertical Graphite/CuInP₂S₆/Graphite photosensor unit, where the directional Cu⁺ ion migrations after voltage pulse programming enable a reconfigurable photovoltaic effect and an in-sensor computing capability. With a memristor-like device structure, van der Waals interfaces, and a high uniformity with a low crosstalk problem, a 10 × 10 array is fabricated for intelligent image recognition. Furthermore, using a vertically stacked 3D 3 × 3 × 3 array, we demonstrate an in-sensor convolution strategy with high time and area efficiencies.

Diversity of blaPOM in carbapenem-resistant opportunistic pathogenic Pseudomonas otitidis in municipal wastewater

Metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs) encoding carbapenem resistance in wastewater are a well-known serious threat to human health. Twelve Pseudomonas otitidis isolates obtained from a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Hawaii were found to possess a subclass B3 MBL - POM (P. otitidis MBL), with a minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) range of 8-16 mg/L. The unrooted neighbor-joining phylogenetic tree showed that these bla_POM genes isolated in wastewater samples (n = 12) were distinctly different from other reference genes isolated from clinical, freshwater, animal, and soil samples except for isolates MR7, MR8, and MR11. MR7, MR8, and MR11 were found to have 4, 3, and 3 amino acid substitutions when compared to the type strain MC10330^T and were closely clustered to the clinical reference genes. The meropenem hydrolysis experiment showed that isolates with multiple amino acid substitutions completely hydrolyzed 64 mg/L of meropenem in 7 h. The emergence of the opportunistic pathogen P. otitidis chromosomally encoding bla_POM in the treated municipal wastewater is an alarming call for the spread of this MBL in the environment. Further studies are required to understand the mechanism and regulation of this carbapenem-resistant β-lactamase in order to fill in the knowledge gap.

Metabolomic analysis reveals the molecular responses to copper toxicity in rice (Oryza sativa)

Copper (Cu) is one of the essential microelements and widely participates in various pathways in plants, but excess Cu in plant cells could induce oxidative stress and harm plant growth. Rice (Oryza sativa) is a main crop food worldwide. The molecular mechanisms of rice in response to copper toxicity are still not well understood. In this study, two-week-old seedlings of the rice cultivar Nipponbare were treated with 100 μM Cu²⁺ (CuSO₄) in the external solution for 10 days. Physiological analysis showed that excess Cu significantly inhibited the growth and biomass of rice seedlings. After Cu treatment, the contents of Mn and Zn were significantly reduced in the roots and shoots, while the Fe content was significantly increased in the roots. Meanwhile, the activities of antioxidant enzymes including SOD and POD were dramatically enhanced after Cu treatment. Based on metabolomic analysis using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) methods, 695 metabolites were identified in rice roots. Among these metabolites, 123 metabolites were up-regulated and 297 were down-regulated, respectively. The differential metabolites (DMs) include carboxylic acids and derivatives, benzene and substituted derivatives, carbonyl compounds, cinnamic acids and derivatives, fatty acyls and organ nitrogen compounds. KEGG analysis showed that these DMs were mainly enriched in TCA cycle, purine metabolism and starch and sucrose metabolism pathways. Many intermediates in the TCA cycle and purine metabolism were down-regulated, indicating a perturbed carbohydrate and nucleic acid metabolism. Taken together, the present study provides new insights into the mechanism of rice roots to Cu toxicity.

Cooperation between Dual Metal Atoms and Nanoclusters Enhances Activity and Stability for Oxygen Reduction and Evolution

We have achieved the synthesis of dual-metal single atoms and atomic clusters that co-anchor on a highly graphitic carbon support. The catalyst comprises Ni₄ (and Fe₄) nanoclusters located adjacent to the corresponding NiN₄ (and FeN₄) single-atom sites, which is verified by systematic X-ray absorption characterization and density functional theory calculations. A distinct cooperation between Fe₄ (Ni₄) nanoclusters and the corresponding FeN₄ (NiN₄) atomic sites optimizes the adsorption energy of reaction intermediates and reduces the energy barrier of the potential-determining steps. This catalyst exhibits enhanced oxygen reduction and evolution activity and long-cycle stability compared to counterparts without nanoclusters and commercial Pt/C. The fabricated Zn-air batteries deliver a high power density and long-term cyclability, demonstrating their prospects in energy storage device applications.

Facile Synthesis of Ultra-microporous Pillar-Layered Metal-Organic Framework Membranes for Highly H2-Selective Separation

Recently, pillar-layered MOF materials have attracted much attention and shown great potential in separation application due to their fine pore size/channel and pore surface chemistry tunability and designability. In this work, we reported an effective and universal synthesis strategy for preparing ultra-microporous Ni-based pillar-layered MOF [Ni₂(L-asp)₂(bpy)] (Ni-LAB) and [Ni₂(L-asp)₂(pz)] (Ni-LAP) (L-asp = L-aspartic acid, bpy = 4,4'-bipyridine, pz = pyrazine) membranes on a porous α-Al₂O₃ substrate with high performance and good stability by secondary growth. Through this strategy, the seed size reduction and screening engineering (SRSE) is proposed to obtain uniform sub-micron size MOF seeds by high-energy ball milling-combined solvent deposition. This strategy not only effectively addresses the issue of obtaining the uniform small seeds being significant for secondary growth but also provides an approach for the preparation of Ni-based pillar-layered MOF membranes where the freedom of synthesizing small crystals is lacking. Based on reticular chemistry, the pore size of Ni-LAB was narrowed by making use of shorter pillar ligands of pz instead of the longer pillar ligand of bpy. The prepared ultra-microporous Ni-LAP membranes exhibited a high H₂/CO₂ separation factor of 40.4 with H₂ permeance of 9.69 × 10^-8 mol m^-2 s^-1 Pa^-1 under ambient conditions and good mechanical and thermal stability. The superiority of the tunable pore structure and the remarkable stability of these MOF materials showed great potential for industrial H₂ purification. More importantly, our synthesis strategy demonstrated the generality for preparation of MOF membranes, enabling the regulation of membrane pore size and surface functional groups by reticular chemistry.

CircRBM23 regulates the switch between osteogenesis and adipogenesis of mesenchymal stem cells via sponging miR-338-3p

BACKGROUND

The disruption of the balance between osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in bone marrow contributes to the adipocytes accumulation and bone loss, which leads to the development of osteoporosis (OP). The circular RNA (circRNA), circRBM23, was generated from the RNA binding motif protein 23 (RBM23) gene. It was reported that circRBM23 was down-regulated in OP patients, but it remains unknown whether its down-regulation is involved in the lineage switch of MSCs.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to explore the role and mechanism of circRBM23 in regulating the switch between osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation of MSCs.

METHODS

The expression and function of circRBM23 in vitro were detected by qRT-PCR, alizarin red staining, and oil Red O staining. The interactions between circRBM23 and microRNA-338-3p (miR-338-3p) were analyzed by RNA pull-down assay, FISH, and dual-luciferase reporter assay. MSCs treated with lentivirus overexpression of circRBM23 was applied for both in vitro and in vivo experiments.

RESULTS

CircRBM23 was expressed at lower levels in OP patients. Besides, circRBM23 was up-regulated during osteogenesis and down-regulated during adipogenesis of MSCs. CircRBM23 could promote the osteogenic differentiation but inhibit the adipogenic differentiation of MSCs. Mechanistically, circRBM23 acted as a sponge for microRNA-338-3p (miR-338-3p) to enhance the expression of RUNX family transcription factor 2 (RUNX2).

CONCLUSIONS

Our research indicates that circRBM23 could promote the switch from adipogenic to osteogenic differentiation of MSCs via sponging miR-338-3p. It might improve the understanding of the lineage switch of MSCs and provide a potential target for diagnosing and treating OP.

Construction of an Endogenously Activated Signal Amplification Assay for In Situ Imaging of MicroRNA and Guided Precise Photodynamic Therapy for Cancer Cells

The construction of a sensitive strategy for in situ visualizing and dynamic tracing intracellular microRNA is of great importance. Via the toehold-mediated strand displacement process, the catalytic hairpin assembly (CHA) could offer several hundreds-fold signal amplifications. However, the CHA may produce certain background interferences since microRNA may exist in normal cells. In this work, we constructed an endogenously and sequentially activated signal amplification strategy to provide the amplified dual-color fluorescence imaging of microRNA in living cancer cells, which was comprised of two successive reaction processes: the activation of the preprotective catalytic probe by the endogenous glutathione (GSH) and the subsequent catalytic hairpin assembly on the surface of the upconversion nanoprobe triggered by the specific microRNA. Since the concentration of GSH in cancer cells was much higher than that in normal cells and the extracellular environment, the activation of the designed nanoprobe could be controlled at the desirable site. With the merits of the endogenous initiation and selective activation, the designed nanoprobe could achieve the bioimaging of microRNA in living cancer cells with high precision and reliability. Furthermore, via the introduction of a photosensitizer molecule into the DNA strand, the designed nanoplatform could achieve the precise photodynamic therapy (PDT) for cancer cells and malignant tumors under the irradiation of the NIR laser. This work provided a new avenue to achieve the accurate imaging of intracellular microRNA and guided precise PDT, which would offer powerful hints to the early diagnosis and therapy of malignant tumors.

Burden, Trends, and Inequalities of Heart Failure Globally, 1990 to 2019: A Secondary Analysis Based on the Global Burden of Disease 2019 Study

Background Heart failure is a public health issue worldwide. However, no comprehensive study on the global burden of heart failure and its contributing causes has been reported. The present study aimed to quantify the burden, trends, and inequalities of heart failure globally. Methods and Results Heart failure data were extracted from the Global Burden of Diseases 2019 study. The number of cases, age-standardized prevalence, and years lived with disability in different locations from 1990 to 2019 were presented and compared. Joinpoint regression analysis was performed to assess trends in heart failure from 1990 to 2019. In 2019, the global age-standardized prevalence and years lived with disability rates for heart failure were 711.90 (95% uncertainty interval [UI], 591.15-858.29) and 63.92 (95% UI, 41.49-91.95) per 100 000 population, respectively. In general, the age-standardized rate decreased globally at an average annual percentage change of 0.3% (95% UI, 0.2-0.3). However, the rate increased at an average annual percentage change of 0.6% (95% UI, 0.4-0.8) from 2017 to 2019. Several nations and territories demonstrated an increased trend from 1990 to 2019, especially in less-developed countries. Ischemic heart disease and hypertensive heart disease accounted for the highest proportion of heart failure in 2019. Conclusions Heart failure remains a major health problem, with increased trends possible in the future. Efforts for prevention and control of heart failure should focus more on less-developed regions. It is essential to prevent and treat primary diseases such as ischemic heart disease and hypertensive heart disease for the control of heart failure.

Structural variations and environmental specificities of flowering time-related genes in Brassica napus

We found that the flowering time order of accessions in a genetic population considerably varied across environments, and homolog copies of essential flowering time genes played different roles in different locations. Flowering time plays a critical role in determining the life cycle length, yield, and quality of a crop. However, the allelic polymorphism of flowering time-related genes (FTRGs) in Brassica napus, an important oil crop, remains unclear. Here, we provide high-resolution graphics of FTRGs in B. napus on a pangenome-wide scale based on single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and structural variation (SV) analyses. A total of 1337 FTRGs in B. napus were identified by aligning their coding sequences with Arabidopsis orthologs. Overall, 46.07% of FTRGs were core genes and 53.93% were variable genes. Moreover, 1.94%, 0.74%, and 4.49% FTRGs had significant presence-frequency differences (PFDs) between the spring and semi-winter, spring and winter, and winter and semi-winter ecotypes, respectively. SNPs and SVs across 1626 accessions of 39 FTRGs underlying numerous published qualitative trait loci were analyzed. Additionally, to identify FTRGs specific to an eco-condition, genome-wide association studies (GWASs) based on SNP, presence/absence variation (PAV), and SV were performed after growing and observing the flowering time order (FTO) of plants in a collection of 292 accessions at three locations in two successive years. It was discovered that the FTO of plants in a genetic population changed a lot across various environments, and homolog copies of some key FTRGs played different roles in different locations. This study revealed the molecular basis of the genotype-by-environment (G × E) effect on flowering and recommended a pool of candidate genes specific to locations for breeding selection.

Differential impacts of salinity on antibiotic resistance genes during cattle manure stockpiling are linked to mobility potentials revealed by metagenomic sequencing

Livestock manure is an important source of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), and its salinity level can change during stockpiling. To understand how the salinity changes affect the fate of ARGs, cattle manure was adjusted of salinity and stockpiled in laboratory microcosms at low (0.3% salt), moderate (3.0%) and high salinity levels (10.0%) for 44 days. Amongst the five ARGs (tetO, bla_TEM, sul1, tetM, and ermB) and the first-class integrase (intI1) monitored by qPCR, the relative abundance of tetO and bla_TEM exhibited no clear trend in response to salinity levels, while that of sul1, tetM, ermB and intI1 showed clear downward trends over time at the lower salinity levels (0.3% and 3%) but not at the high salinity level (10%). Metagenomic contig construction of cattle manure samples revealed that sul1, tetM and ermB genes were more likely to associate with mobile genetic elements (MGEs) than tetO and bla_TEM, suggesting that their slower decay at higher salinity levels was either caused by horizontal gene transfer or co-selection of ARGs and osmotic stress resistant determinants. Further analysis of metagenomic contigs showed that osmotic stress resistance can also be located on MGEs or in conjunction with ARGs.

The impact of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on the prognosis outcomes of patients with percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass grafting: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is one of the main types of cardiovascular disease and is characterized by myocardial ischemia as a result of narrowing of the coronary arteries.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the impact of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) on outcomes in patients with CAD treated by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

METHODS

We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library for observational studies and post-hoc analyses of randomized controlled trials published before Jan 20, 2022, in English. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs), risk ratios (RRs), and hazard ratios (HRs) for short-term outcomes (in-hospital and 30-day all-cause mortality) and long-term outcomes (all-cause mortality, cardiac death, major adverse cardiac events) were extracted or transformed.

RESULTS

Nineteen studies were included. The risk of short-term all-cause mortality was significantly higher in patients with COPD than in those without COPD (RR 1.42, 95% CI 1.05-1.93), as were the risks of long-term all-cause mortality (RR 1.68, 95% CI 1.50-1.88) and long-term cardiac mortality (HR 1.84, 95% CI 1.41-2.41). There was no significant between-group difference in the long-term revascularization rate (HR 1.01, 95% CI 0.99-1.04) or in short-term and long-term stroke rates (OR 0.89, 95% CI 0.58-1.37 and HR 1.38, 95% CI 0.97-1.95). Operation significantly affected heterogeneity and combined results for long-term mortality (CABG, HR 1.32, 95% CI 1.04-1.66; PCI, HR 1.84, 95% CI 1.58-2.13).

CONCLUSIONS

COPD was independently associated with poor outcomes after PCI or CABG after adjustment for confounders.

Intense d-p Hybridization in Nb3 O15 Tripolymer Induced the Largest Second Harmonic Generation Response and Birefringence in Germanates

We herein report two asymmetric germanate crystals, KNbGe₃ O₉ and K₃ Nb₃ Ge₂ O₁₃ , with different structures and optical properties derived from divergent polymerized forms of GeO₄ and NbO₆ groups. Remarkably, K₃ Nb₃ Ge₂ O₁₃ achieved a rare combination of the strongest second harmonic generation (SHG) response of 17.5×KDP @ 1064 nm and the largest birefringence of 0.196 @ 546 nm in germanates. It features unique [Nb₃ O₁₂ ]_∞ tubular chains constructed by circular Nb₃ O₁₅ tripolymers. Theoretical calculations reveal that the d-p interactions in the Nb₃ O₁₅ group are responsible for outstanding optical properties. This work emphasizes the significance of the polymerizable functional units in obtaining high-performance nonlinear optical (NLO) crystals.

Fabrication of Z-scheme Cd0.85Zn0.15S/Co9S8dual-functional photocatalyst for effective hydrogen evolution and organic pollutant degradation

A Z-scheme Cd_0.85Zn_0.15S/Co₉S₈(CZS-CS) photocatalyst was reasonably fabricated by a simple solvothermal method for the effective visible-light-driven H₂evolution and organic pollutants degradation. The precise construction of the CZS-CS composites provided an efficient heterogeneous contact interface and abundant reaction sites for the proposed photocatalytic reaction. The homogeneous Co₉S₈nanocrystals were uniformly wrapped on the surface of Cd_0.85Zn_0.15S nanorods, forming an intimate-contact interface, markedly contributed to the light collection and effectively inhibited the charge-carrier recombination. The optimized CZS-CS-15 composites exhibited a special H₂production rate reaching 19.15 mmol·h^-1·g^-1, roughly 1915 and 4.5 times of pure Co₉S₈and Cd_0.85Zn_0.15S samples and 85% of tetracycline (TC) molecule within 15 min was degraded. Furthermore, trapping experiments confirmed that h⁺was the main active species for TC photodegradation. Moreover, the obtained photocatalysts manifested stability without apparent activity declines during the proposed reactions. Finally, the Z-scheme photocatalytic mechanism was verified to illustrate the characteristics of efficient charge transfer and high redox ability. This study provided a rational and learnable strategy for designing dual-functional Z-scheme heterojunction photocatalysts.

Identification and verification of FN1, P4HA1 and CREBBP as potential biomarkers in human atrial fibrillation

BACKGROUND

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common arrhythmia that can lead to cardiac complications. The mechanisms involved in AF remain elusive. We aimed to explore the potential biomarkers and mechanisms underpinning AF.

METHODS

An independent dataset, GSE2240, was obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. The R package, "limma", was used to screen for differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in individuals with AF and normal sinus rhythm (SR). Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was applied to cluster DEGs into different modules based on functional disparities. Enrichment analyses were performed using the Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery. A protein-protein interaction network was constructed, and hub genes were identified using cytoHubba. Quantitative reverse-transcription PCR was used to validate mRNA expression in individuals with AF and SR.

RESULTS

We identified 2, 589 DEGs clustered into 10 modules using WGCNA. Gene Ontology analysis showed specific clustered genes significantly enriched in pathways associated with the extracellular matrix and collagen organization. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis revealed that the target genes were mainly enriched for proteoglycans in cancer, extracellular matrix-receptor interaction, focal adhesion, and the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. Three hub genes, FN1, P4HA1 and CREBBP, were identified, which were highly correlated with AF endogenesis. mRNA expression of hub genes in patients with AF were higher than in individuals with normal SR, consistent with the results of bioinformatics analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

FN1, P4HA1, and CREBBP may play critical roles in AF. Using bioinformatics, we found that expression of these genes was significantly elevated in patients with AF than in individuals with normal SR. Furthermore, these genes were elevated at core positions in the mRNA interaction network. These genes should be further explored as novel biomarkers and target candidates for AF therapy.

Strain-Sensing Composite Nanofiber Filament and Regulation Mechanism of Shoulder Peaks Based on Carbon Nanomaterial Dispersion

Conductive polymer composite-based strain sensors are essential components of flexible wearable devices. However, nonmonotonic responses with shoulder peaks limit their practical application. Herein, we innovatively optimized the shoulder-peak phenomenon in a strain-sensing composite nanofiber filament by regulating carbon nanomaterial dispersion. Further, the preparation methods, characteristics, and performances of the filament strain sensors were systematically introduced. On this basis, transmission electron microscopy, finite element analysis, and mathematic and structural evolution models were used to explore the origin of shoulder peaks and explain the sensing mechanism of conductive networks. Results confirmed that the beacon tower-shaped conductive network designed by constructing nanofiller agglomerates could cause strain concentration and resist the Poisson transverse contraction of nanofibers, considerably improving the monotonicity and sensitivity of the sensor. The strain-sensing performance was optimal when the nanofillers were dispersed using 2.5 wt % of an anionic dispersant. The sensor exhibited a maximum detective strain of 120%, an ultralow detection limit of 0.01%, and high sensitivity and linearity of 9.66 and 0.996 within 20% strain, respectively. Moreover, it showed the advantages of a fast response time (120 ms), excellent durability (3000 cycles), anti-interference, washability, and antibacterial capability. Finally, a smart Kinesio tape was developed for protecting/treating the human body and detecting joint/muscle movement via simple sewing.

Habitual intakes of sugar-sweetened beverages associated with gut microbiota-related metabolites and metabolic health outcomes in young Chinese adults

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Reducing consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) is a global public health priority because of their limited nutritional value and associations with increased risk of obesity and metabolic diseases. Gut microbiota-related metabolites emerged as quintessential effectors that may mediate impacts of dietary exposures on the modulation of host commensal microbiome and physiological status.

METHODS AND RESULTS

This study assessed the associations among SSBs, circulating microbial metabolites, and gut microbiota-host co-metabolites, as well as metabolic health outcomes in young Chinese adults (n = 86), from the Carbohydrate Alternatives and Metabolic Phenotypes study in Shaanxi Province. Five principal component analysis-derived beverage drinking patterns were determined on self-reported SSB intakes, which were to a varying degree associated with 143 plasma levels of gut microbiota-related metabolites profiled by untargeted metabolomics. Moreover, carbonated beverages, fruit juice, energy drinks, and bubble tea exhibited positive associations with obesity-related markers and blood lipids, which were further validated in an independent cohort of 16,851 participants from the Regional Ethnic Cohort Study in Northwest China in Shaanxi Province. In contrast, presweetened coffee was negatively associated with the obesity-related traits. A total of 79 metabolites were associated with both SSBs and metabolic markers, particularly obesity markers. Pathway enrichment analysis identified the branched-chain amino acid catabolism and aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis as linking SSB intake with metabolic health outcomes.

CONCLUSION

Our findings demonstrate the associations between habitual intakes of SSBs and several metabolic markers relevant to noncommunicable diseases, and highlight the critical involvement of gut microbiota-related metabolites in mediating such associations.

The Therapeutic Application of Stem Cells and Their Derived Exosomes in the Treatment of Radiation-Induced Skin Injury

Radiation-induced skin injury (RISI) is a serious concern for nuclear accidents and cancer radiotherapy, which seriously affects the quality of life of patients. This injury differs from traditional wounds due to impaired healing and the propensity to recurrence and is divided into acute and chronic phases on the basis of the injury time. Unfortunately, there are few effective therapies for preventing or mitigating this injury. Over the last few decades, various studies have focused on the effects of stem cell-based therapies to address the tissue repair and regeneration of irradiated skin. These stem cells modulate inflammation and instigate tissue repair by differentiating into specific kinds of cells or releasing paracrine factors. Stem cell-based therapies, including bone marrow-derived stem cells (BMSCs), adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) and stromal vascular fraction (SVF), have been reported to facilitate wound healing after radiation exposure. Moreover, stem cell-derived exosomes have recently been suggested as an effective and cell-free approach to support skin regeneration, circumventing the concerns respecting direct application of stem cells. Based on the literature on stem cell-based therapies for radiation-induced skin injury, we summarize the characteristics of different stem cells and describe their latest animal and clinical applications, as well as potential mechanisms. The promise of stem-cell based therapies against radiation-induced skin injury contribute to our response to nuclear events and smooth progress of cancer radiotherapy.

Prediction of long-term water quality using machine learning enhanced by Bayesian optimisation

Water quality assessment is critical to better recognise the importance of water in human society. In this study, a new framework to predict long-term water quality is proposed by using Bayesian-optimised machine learning methods and key pollution indicators collected from monitoring stations in the Pearl River Estuary, Guangdong, China. The optimised stacked generalisation (SG-op) model achieved the best performance with the highest accuracy (0.992) and Kappa coefficient (0.987). Feature importance of the prediction model was consistent with key pollution indicators. The Spearman rank correlation coefficient was used to determine the significance level of the variation trends of different pollution indicators. The results show that the total phosphorus (TOP), dissolved oxygen (DO), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and petroleum (PET) among the key pollution indicators were on an upward trend in the study area. This framework can be applied to efficiently predict future water quality and to provide technical support for emergency pollution control.

Optical neural ordinary differential equations

Increasing the layer number of on-chip photonic neural networks (PNNs) is essential to improve its model performance. However, the successive cascading of network hidden layers results in larger integrated photonic chip areas. To address this issue, we propose the optical neural ordinary differential equations (ON-ODEs) architecture that parameterizes the continuous dynamics of hidden layers with optical ODE solvers. The ON-ODE comprises the PNNs followed by the photonic integrator and optical feedback loop, which can be configured to represent residual neural networks (ResNets) and implement the function of recurrent neural networks with effectively reduced chip area occupancy. For the interference-based optoelectronic nonlinear hidden layer, the numerical experiments demonstrate that the single hidden layer ON-ODE can achieve approximately the same accuracy as the two-layer optical ResNets in image classification tasks. In addition, the ON-ODE improves the model classification accuracy for the diffraction-based all-optical linear hidden layer. The time-dependent dynamics property of ON-ODE is further applied for trajectory prediction with high accuracy.