Genome-Wide Identification of the SPP/SPPL Gene Family and BnaSPPL4 Regulating Male Fertility in Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.)

Signal peptide peptidase (SPP) and its homologs, signal peptide peptidase-like (SPPL) proteases, are members of the GxGD-type aspartyl protease family, which is widespread in plants and animals and is a class of transmembrane proteins with significant biological functions. SPP/SPPLs have been identified; however, the functions of SPP/SPPL in rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) have not been reported. In this study, 26 SPP/SPPLs were identified in rapeseed and categorized into three groups: SPP, SPPL2, and SPPL3. These members mainly contained the Peptidase_A22 and PA domains, which were distributed on 17 out of 19 chromosomes. Evolutionary analyses indicated that BnaSPP/SPPLs evolved with a large number of whole-genome duplication (WGD) events and strong purifying selection. Members are widely expressed and play a key role in the growth and development of rapeseed. The regulation of rapeseed pollen fertility by the BnaSPPL4 gene was further validated through experiments based on bioinformatics analysis, concluding that BnaSPPL4 silencing causes male sterility. Cytological observation showed that male infertility caused by loss of BnaSPPL4 gene function occurs late in the mononucleate stage due to microspore dysplasia.

[Association between vitamin D level and grip strength in adults aged 50 and older in Shanghai]

Objective: To understand the association between vitamin D level and grip strength in people aged ≥50 years in Shanghai. Methods: Data were obtained from the WHO's Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health in Shanghai during 2018-2019. Logistic regression model was used to analyze the association between vitamin D level and grip strength, and a stratified analysis was conducted for different gender, age and dairy product intake groups. Restricted cubic spline was used to evaluate the dose-response association between vitamin D level and low grip strength. Results: A total of 4 391 participants were included in the study, including 2 054 men (46.8%), with an average age of (67.02±8.81) years. And 1 421 individuals (32.4%) had low grip strength; 1 533 individuals (34.9%) had vitamin D deficiency, and 401 individuals (9.1%) had vitamin D deficiency. After adjusted for confounding factors, the logistic regression results analysis showed that individuals with vitamin D deficiency had a higher risk for low grip strength (OR=1.41, 95%CI: 1.09-1.83). In men, after adjusting for confounding factors, vitamin D deficiency was positively associated with the risk for low grip strength (OR=1.67, 95%CI: 1.12-2.50), but there was no significant association between vitamin D level and grip strength in women (OR=1.30, 95%CI: 0.97-1.74). In age group 60-69 years and ≥80 years, there was significant association between vitamin D deficiency and low grip strength after adjusting for confounding factors (OR=1.57, 95%CI: 1.05-2.35; OR=2.40, 95%CI: 1.08-5.31). In people who had daily intake of dairy product <250 ml, there was positive association between vitamin D deficiency and low grip strength, but there was no significant association in people who had daily dairy product ≥250 ml after adjusting for confounding factors. The restrictive cubic spline demonstrated that risk of low grip strength might decreased with the increase of vitamin D levels, however, the difference was not significant (P>0.05). Conclusions: This study demonstrated that there is association between vitamin D level and grip strength. People with vitamin D deficiency have higher risk for low grip strength.

[Association between dietary pattern and frailty among people aged 50 years and over in Shanghai]

Objective: To investigate dietary patterns of individuals aged ≥50 in Shanghai and analyze their association with frailty. Methods: Using data from the third wave of the Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health in Shanghai conducted between 2018 and 2019. We collected the frequency and average intake of food by the food frequency questionnaire. Factor analysis was used to extract dietary patterns, and a frailty index was constructed using the ratio of the cumulative total score of health deficits to 35 health-related variables considered. We used an ordinal multinomial logistic regression model to analyze the association between dietary patterns and frailty. Results: A total of 3 274 participants aged (67.9±9.2) years were included in the study, including 1 971 (60.2%) men and 1 303 (39.8%) women. We extracted four dietary patterns: high-protein-nuts pattern, potato-bean-vegetable-fruit pattern, poultry-meat pattern, and high-oil-salt pattern. After adjusting for confounding factors, the logistic regression analysis showed that compared with the high-oil-salt pattern, the high-protein-nuts pattern was negatively associated with the risk of higher frailty (OR=0.743, 95%CI: 0.580-0.951). We did not find an association between dietary patterns and frailty between the different gender groups. In the age group 50-64, the high-protein-nuts and potato-bean-vegetable-fruit patterns were negatively correlated with a higher degree of frailty than the high-oil-salt pattern. In the low-level physical activity group, the high-protein-nuts pattern was negatively correlated with a higher degree of frailty than the high-oil-salt pattern (OR=0.509, 95%CI: 0.361-0.720). However, we found no significant effect of the high-protein nuts pattern, potato-bean-vegetable-fruit pattern, and poultry-meat pattern on the risk of higher frailty compared to the high-oil-salt pattern in the moderate to high level of physical activity group. Conclusions: Compared to the high-oil-salt pattern, dietary patterns with a higher intake of high-protein nuts, potatoes, legumes, and fruits and vegetables might be associated with a lower risk of higher frailty in residents aged 50-64 years of age than with a high oil and salt pattern. At the same time, it may have a more significant protective effect in people with lower physical activity levels. It is suggested that a diet rich in high-protein foods, nuts, potatoes, beans, vegetables, and fruits may help reduce and delay the risk of frailty.

Active learning prediction and experimental confirmation of atomic structure and thermophysical properties for liquid Hf_{76}W_{24} refractory alloy

The determination of liquid atomic structure and thermophysical properties is essential for investigating the physical characteristics and phase transitions of refractory alloys. However, due to the stringent experimental requirements and underdeveloped interatomic potentials, acquiring such information through experimentation or simulation remains challenging. Here, an active learning method incorporating a deep neural network was established to generate the interatomic potential of the Hf_{76}W_{24} refractory alloy. Then the achieved potential was applied to investigate the liquid atomic structure and thermophysical properties of this alloy over a wide temperature range. The simulation results revealed the distinctive bonding preferences among atoms, that is, Hf atoms exhibited a strong tendency for conspecific bonding, while W atoms preferred to form an interspecific bonding. The analysis of short-range order (SRO) in the liquid alloy revealed a significant proportion of icosahedral (ICO) and distorted ICO structures, which even exceeded 30% in the undercooled state. As temperature decreased, SRO structures demonstrated an increase in larger coordination number (CN) clusters and a decrease in smaller CNs. The alterations of the atomic structure indicated that the liquid alloy becomes more ordered, densely packed, and energetically favorable with decreasing temperature, consistent with the obtained fact: Both density and surface tension increase linearly. The simulated thermophysical properties were close to experimental values with minor deviations of 2.8% for density and 3.4% for surface tension. The consistency of the thermophysical properties further attested to the accuracy and reliability of active learning simulation.

Region-specific protection effect of preoperative oral antibiotics combined with mechanical bowel preparation before laparoscopic colorectal resection: a prospective randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Oral antibiotics (OA) combined with mechanical bowel preparation (MBP) significantly decrease the rate of surgical site infections (SSIs). However, the prophylactic effects in region-specific colorectal surgery have not been assessed.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A single-centre, single-blind, randomized controlled trial was conducted from 2019 to 2022. Patients were eligible if they were diagnosed with nonmetastatic colorectal malignancy, and laparoscopic colorectal surgery was indicated. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) to the experimental (OA+MBP preparation) or control group (MBP preparation). The randomization was further stratified by resected region. The primary outcome was the incidence of SSIs. Patients were followed up for 1 month postoperatively, and all complications were recorded.

RESULT

Between 2019 and 2022, 157 and 152 patients were assigned to the experimental and control groups, respectively, after 51 patients were excluded. The incidence of SSIs in the control group (27/152) was significantly higher than that in the experimental group (13/157; P =0.013), as was the incidence of superficial SSIs (5/157 vs. 14/152, P =0.027) and deep SSIs (7/157 vs. 16/152, P =0.042). After redistribution according to the resected region, the incidence of SSIs was significantly higher in the control group with left-sided colorectal resection (descending, sigmoid colon, and rectum) (9/115 vs. 20/111, P =0.022) but was similar between the groups with right-sided colon resection (ascending colon) (3/37 vs. 7/36, P =0.286). No differences were noted between the groups in terms of other perioperative complications.

CONCLUSION

OA+MBP before colorectal surgery significantly reduced the incidence of SSIs. Such a prophylactic effect was particularly significant for left-sided resection. This preparation mode should be routinely adopted before elective left-region colorectal surgeries.

[Comparison of efficacy and safety of transurethral thulium laser vapoenucleation of prostate and transurethral thulium laser enucleation of prostate in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia]

Objective: To compare early outcomes between transurethral thulium laser vapoenucleation of prostate and transurethral thulium laser enucleation of prostate for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Methods: Retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 1 638 BPH patients admitted to the Department of Urology of Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine from January 2018 to December 2021. There were 916 patients underwent transurethral thulium laser vapoenucleation of prostate (ThuVEP group) and 722 patients underwent transurethral thulium laser enucleation of prostate (ThuLEP group). The operation time, eliminated tissue weight, surgical complications, duration of post-operative catheter implantation were compared between the two groups. The improvement of International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), Quality of Life Index (QoL), maximum uroflow rate (Qmax) and post-void residual urine volume (PVR) at 1 month after operation was compared between the two groups. Results: There were no significant differences in age, preoperative and 1-month postoperative prostate volume, IPSS score, QoL score, Qmax, and PVR between the ThuVEP and ThuLEP group (all P>0.05). There were no significant differences in perioperative indicators such as operation time, cutting or enucleation time, tissue crushing time, tissue weight, hemoglobin change, catheter indwelling time, and postoperative hospital stay between ThuVEP group and ThuLEP group (all P>0.05). The incidence of minor gross hematuria after extubation in the ThuVEP group was 7.8% (56/916), which was lower than 9.4% (65/722) in the ThuLEP group (P=0.026); the incidence of temporary incontinence at 1 month after surgery was 5.2% (38/916) in ThuVEP group, lower than 11.9% (86/722) in ThuLEP group (P<0.001). A total of 3 patients (0.4%) in ThuLEP group required operative intervention for severe post-operation bleeding, but none of ThuVEP group suffered from this kind of surgical complications. Conclusions: ThuVEP has similar efficacy with ThuLEP for the treatment of BPH. ThuVEP can significantly reduce the incidence of post-operation temporary urine incontinence, and has much superiority in stanching bleeding.

Two complementary genes in a presence-absence variation contribute to indica-japonica reproductive isolation in rice

Understanding the evolutionary forces in speciation is a central goal in evolutionary biology. Asian cultivated rice has two subspecies, indica and japonica, but the underlying mechanism of the partial reproductive isolation between them remains obscure. Here we show a presence-absence variation (PAV) at the Se locus functions as an indica-japonica reproductive barrier by causing hybrid sterility (HS) in indica-japonica crosses. The locus comprises two adjacent genes: ORF3 encodes a sporophytic pollen killer, whereas ORF4 protects pollen in a gametophytic manner. In F₁ of indica-japonica crosses, pollen with the japonica haplotype, which lacks the sequence containing the protective ORF4, is aborted due to the pollen-killing effect of ORF3 from indica. Evolutionary analysis suggests ORF3 is a gene associated with the Asian cultivated rice species complex, and the PAV has contributed to the reproductive isolation between the two subspecies of Asian cultivated rice. Our analyses provide perspectives on rice inter-subspecies post-zygotic isolation, and will promote efforts to overcome reproductive barriers in indica-japonica hybrid rice breeding.

Evaporation kinetics during containerless chemical synthesis of ZIF-8 in levitated droplets

Zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 was synthesized in a containerless state via acoustic levitation. The cavitation effect of ultrasound affected the coordination connection of organic ligands in acoustically levitated droplets and they exhibited a conspicuous difference in the particle size distribution as compared with those under normal conditions. Herein, methanol was chosen as the solvent to investigate the influence of droplet evaporation on acoustic levitation synthesis. The kinetic parameters of droplet evaporation such as geometrical morphology transformation, concentration change and temperature evolution were measured for the levitation state. Surface evaporation resulted in the drastic deformation of the droplet during ZIF-8 synthesis and caused its vertical vibration and shape oscillation. The abrupt change of the levitation state aggravated the sound field effect on the containerless synthesis and caused a decrease of particle size distribution. A two-dimensional axis-symmetry model was used to visually simulate the sound field distribution during acoustic levitation synthesis based on the finite element method. The fabricated ZIF-8 was able to remove phthalic acid in wastewater through adsorption, and its kinetic features followed a pseudo second-order rate model.

Full-length transcriptome sequencing and transgenic tobacco revealed the key genes in the chlorogenic acid synthesis pathway of Sambucus chinensis L

Chlorogenic acid is a key chemical in antioxidation and antisepsis. Sambucus chinensis L. is a herbaceous plant rich in chlorogenic acid and a potential genetic resource for breeding high-chlorogenic acid plants. However, there are few studies on the synthesis pathway of chlorogenic acid in S. chinensis. Our study found chlorogenic acid accumulation in S. chinensis to be organ-specific, higher in leaves and buds but lower in roots, stems and fruits. A total number of 546,844 CCS (Circular Consensus Sequence), including 402,767 full-length non-chimeric (FLNC) and 39 annotated sequences related to the synthesis of chlorogenic acid, was obtained by single-molecule real-time sequencing technology (SMRT). qRT-PCR showed that a number of key genes involved in chlorogenic acid synthesis were differentially expressed in various tissues of S. chinensis. Transgenic tobacco revealed that ectopic expression of the HCT homologous gene HCT-45178 increased the content of chlorogenic acid. Our results should be the first report of full-length transcriptome data of S. chinensis, which help to understand the basis of chlorogenic acid synthesis and provide a novel strategy for breeding tobacco cultivars with higher levels of chlorogenic acid. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

SDG26 Is Involved in Trichome Control in Arabidopsis thaliana: Affecting Phytohormones and Adjusting Accumulation of H3K27me3 on Genes Related to Trichome Growth and Development

Plant trichomes formed by specialized epidermal cells play a role in protecting plants from biotic and abiotic stresses and can also influence the economic and ornamental value of plant products. Therefore, further studies on the molecular mechanisms of plant trichome growth and development are important for understanding trichome formation and agricultural production. SET Domain Group 26 (SDG26) is a histone lysine methyltransferase. Currently, the molecular mechanism by which SDG26 regulates the growth and development of Arabidopsis leaf trichomes is still unclear. We found that the mutant of Arabidopsis (sdg26) possessed more trichomes on its rosette leaves compared to the wild type (Col-0), and the trichome density per unit area of sdg26 is significantly higher than that of Col-0. The content of cytokinins and jasmonic acid was higher in sdg26 than in Col-0, while the content of salicylic acid was lower in sdg26 than in Col-0, which is conducive to trichome growth. By measuring the expression levels of trichome-related genes, we found that the expression of genes that positively regulate trichome growth and development were up-regulated, while the negatively regulated genes were down-regulated in sdg26. Through chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) analysis, we found that SDG26 can directly regulate the expression of genes related to trichome growth and development such as ZFP1, ZFP5, ZFP6, GL3, MYB23, MYC1, TT8, GL1, GIS2, IPT1, IPT3, and IPT5 by increasing the accumulation of H3K27me3 on these genes, which further affects the growth and development of trichomes. This study reveals the mechanism by which SDG26 affects the growth and development of trichomes through histone methylation. The current study provides a theoretical basis for studying the molecular mechanism of histone methylation in regulating leaf trichome growth and development and perhaps guiding the development of new crop varieties.

MSC-derived extracellular vesicles as nanotherapeutics for promoting aged liver regeneration

Aging is one of the critical factors to impair liver regeneration leading to a high incidence of severe complications after hepatic surgery in the elderly population without any effective treatment for clinical administration. As cell-free nanotherapeutics, mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles (MSC-EVs) have been demonstrated the therapeutic potentials on liver diseases. However, the effects of MSC-EVs on the proliferation of aged hepatocytes are largely unclear. In this study, we found MSCs could reduce the expression of senescence-associated markers in the liver and stimulate its regeneration in aged mice after receiving a two-thirds partial hepatectomy (PHx) through their secreted MSC-EVs. Using RNA-Seq and AAV9 vector, we mechanistically found that these effects of UC-MSC-EVs partially attributed to inducing Atg4B-related mitophagy. This effect repairs the mitochondrial status and functions of aged hepatocytes to promote their proliferation. And protein mass spectrum analysis uncovered that DEAD-Box Helicase 5 (DDX5) enriches in UC-MSC-EVs, which interacts with E2F1 to facilitate its nuclear translocation for activating the expression of Atg4B. Collectively, our data show that MSC-EVs act nanotherapeutic potentials in anti-senescence and promoting regeneration of aged liver by transferring DDX5 to regulate E2F1-Atg4B signaling pathway that induce mitophagy, which highlights the clinical application valuation of MSC-EVs for preventing severe complications in aged population receiving liver surgery.

A110 INCIDENCE AND PREDICTORS OF ASYMPTOMATIC ABNORMALITIES IN BIOCHEMICAL AND RADIOLOGIC PANCREATIC MARKERS FOLLOWING UNCOMPLICATED ERCP

Background

Post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) pancreatitis (PEP) is common. Its diagnosis relies on characteristic abdominal pain in addition to biochemical and/or radiographic evidence of pancreatic inflammation.

Purpose

Little is known regarding the frequency with which asymptomatic alterations in biochemical and/or imaging parameters occur following uncomplicated ERCP. We sought to assess the incidence and predictors of such alterations following uncomplicated ERCP.

Method

This study was an analysis of a prospectively maintained ERCP registry. All inpatients ³ 18 years old who underwent ERCP between 2018/09/01 and 2022/02/28 were identified. Patients with acute pancreatitis or abdominal pain following ERCP were excluded, as were patients with lipase levels ≥3x the upper limit of normal (ULN) within 7 days preceding ERCP. Primary outcomes were (1) asymptomatic lipase elevation within 48 hours of uncomplicated ERCP or (2) asymptomatic cross-sectional imaging findings of pancreatic inflammation within 14 days of ERCP.Descriptive statistics were presented as means with accompanying standard deviations (SD) and percentages by lipase categories and PEP, or by imaging categories. Multiple logistic regression was used to examine the associations of exposure variables with PEP or imaging findings.

Result(s)

A total of 646 patients were analyzed in the biochemical cohort, and 187 patients were analyzed in the radiologic cohort. In the biochemical cohort, 478 patients (74.0%) had no elevations in pancreatic enzymes, while 81 (12.5%) had elevations up to 2x ULN, 26 (4.0%) had elevations between 2-3x ULN, and 61 (9.4%) had elevations >3x ULN. In the radiologic cohort, 148 (79.1%) had no abnormalities on cross-sectional imaging within 14 days of ERCP, while 39 (20.9%) had one or more imaging finding typically associated with acute pancreatitis. Among these, 22 (11.8%) had peri-pancreatic fluid collections and 2.1-9.6% of patients had pancreatic findings that included edema, enlargement, inflammation, or fat-stranding. On multivariable analysis, predictors of lipasemia >3x ULN included balloon sphincteroplasty (odds ratio, OR, 2.29, 95% confidence intervals, CI, 1.08 to 4.85) and the placement of a common bile duct stent (OR 4.19, 95% CI 1.37 to 12.77), whereas cannulation of the pancreatic duct or performance of a pancreatogram were not significantly associated (OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.24 to 2.35 and OR 1.07, 95% CI 0.18 to 6.26, respectively).

Conclusion(s)

Over 25% of patients will have asymptomatic elevations in pancreatic enzymes following ERCP, while over 20% will have asymptomatic cross-sectional imaging findings suggestive of pancreatic inflammation. Clinical symptoms should guide post-ERCP care rather than biochemical or imaging parameters.

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Disclosure of Interest

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[Bushen Huoxue Fang improves recurrent miscarriage in mice by down-regulating the JAK2/STAT3 pathway]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the efficacy of Bushen Huoxue Fang (BSHXF, a traditional Chinese medicine formula) for improving recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) in mice and the role of tyrosine kinase (JAK2) and transcriptional activator (STAT3) signaling pathway in its therapeutic mechanism.

METHODS

Female CBA/J mice were caged with male DBA/2 mice to establish RSA mouse models, which were randomly divided into model group, dydrogesterone group and BSHXF group, with the female mice caged with male BALB/c mice as the control group (n=6). From the first day of pregnancy, the mice were subjected to daily intragastric administration of BSHXF, dydrogesterone, or distilled water (in control and model groups) for 12 days. After the treatments, serum levels of antithrombin III (AT-III), activated protein C (APC), tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA), progesterone, human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), and estradiol (E2) were detected in each group using ELISA. HE staining was used to observe the morphological changes of the endometrium of the mice. Western blotting was performed to determine the expressions of p-JAK2, p-Stat3 and Bcl-2 in the placenta of the mice.

RESULTS

Compared with the control mice, the mouse models of RSA showed a significantly increased embryo loss rate with decreased serum levels of AT-III, T-PA, progesterone, APC and HCG, increased placental expressions of p-JAK2, p-STAT3 and Bax, and decreased expression of Bcl-2 (P < 0.05). Treatments with BSHXF and dydrogesterone both increased serum levels of AT-III, t-PA and HCG in the mouse models; Serum APC level was significantly reduced in BSHXF group and serum progesterone level was significantly increased in dydrogesterone group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

BSHXF can improve the prethrombotic state and inhibit cell apoptosis by downregulating the JAK2/STAT3 pathway to increase the pregnancy rate in mouse models of RSA.

[Analysis of genotypes on 850 newborns with SLC26A4 single-allele mutation and the phenotypes of those with second variant]

Objective: To clarify the phenotypes of the newborns with SLC26A4 single-allele mutation in deafness genetic screening and second variant; to analyze the SLC26A4 genotype and hearing phenotype. Methods: 850 newborns born in Beijing from April 2015 to December 2019 were included and there were 468 males and 382 females. They received genetic deafness screening for 9 or 15 variants, with the result of SLC26A4 single-allele mutation. Firstly, three step deafness gene sequencing was adopted in this work, i.e., the first step was "SLC26A4 gene whole exons and splice sites" sequencing; the second step was "SLC26A4 gene promoter, FOXI1 gene and KCNJ10 gene whole exons" sequencing; and the third step was detection for "SLC26A4 gene copy number variation". Secondly, we collected the results of newborn hearing screening for all patients with the second mutation found in the three step test, and conducted audiological examinations, such as acoustic immittance, auditory brainstem response and auditory steady state response. Thirdly, for novel/VUS mutations, we searched the international deafness gene database or software, such as DVD, ClinVar and Mutation Taster, to predict the pathogenicity of mutations according to the ACMG guideline. Lastly, we analyzed the relationship between genotype and phenotype of newborns with SLC26A4 single allele mutation. Results: Among 850 cases, the median age of diagnosis was 4 months. In the first step, 850 cases were sequenced. A total of 32 cases (3.76%, 32/850) of a second variants were detected, including 18 cases (2.12%, 18/850) with identified pathogenic variants; 832 cases were sequenced and 8 cases of KCNJ10 gene missense variants were detected among the second step. No missense mutations in the FOXI1 gene and abnormal SLC26A4 gene promoter were detected; the third step sequencing results were all negative. Genotypes and hearing phenotypes included 18 cases combined with the second clear pathogenic variant, 16 cases (16/18) referred newborn hearing screening and 2 cases (2/18) passed in both ears; degree of hearing loss consisted of 18 profound ears (18/36), 13 severe ears (13/36) and 5 moderate ears (5/36); audiogram patterns comprised 17 high frequency drop ears (17/36), 14 flat ears (14/36), 3 undistinguished ears (3/36), and 2 U shaped ears (2/36); 11 cases underwent imaging examination, all of which were bilateral enlarged vestibular aqueduct. As for 22 cases of other genotypes, all passed neonatal hearing screening and the hearing diagnosis was normal, including 9 cases with VUS or possibly novel benign variants, 8 cases with KCNJ10 double gene heterozygous variants, and 5 cases with double heterozygous variants. Conclusions: The probability of individuals with SLC26A4 single-allele variant who merge with a second pathogenic variant is 2.12%, all of which are SNV, which can provide scientific basis for the genetic diagnosis and genetic counseling of SLC26A4 variants. Those who have merged with second pathogenic variant are all diagnosed with sensorineural hearing loss. Patients with KCNJ10 gene mutations do not manifest hearing loss during the infancy, suggesting the need for further follow-up.

Unraveling the Structure Transition and Peroxidase Mimic Activity of Copper Sites over Atomically Dispersed Copper-Doped Carbonized Polymer Dots

The lack of systematic structural resolution makes it difficult to build specific transition-metal-atom-doped carbonized polymer dots (TMA-doped CPDs). Herein, the structure-activity relationship between Cu atoms and CPDs was evaluated by studying the peroxidase-like properties of Glu-Cu-CPDs prepared by using copper glutamate (Glu) with a Cu-N₂ O₂ initial structure. The results showed that the Cu atoms bound to Glu-Cu-CPDs in the form of Cu-N₂ C₂ , indicating that Cu-O bonds changed into Cu-C bonds under hydrothermal conditions. This phenomenon was also observed in other copper-doped CPDs. Moreover, the carboxyl and amino groups content decreased after copper-atom doping. Theoretical calculations revealed a dual-site catalytic mechanism for catalyzing H₂ O₂ . The detection of intracellular H₂ O₂ suggested their application prospects. Our study provides an in-depth understanding of the formation and catalytic mechanism of TMA-doped-CPDs, allowing for the generation specific TMA-doped-CPDs.

[Frailty trajectories in people aged 50 years and above in China]

Objective: To identify distinct frailty trajectories in a cohort of nationwide community adults aged 50 years and above, and explore the relationship between frailty trajectories and their socioeconomic characteristics and behavioral factors at baseline survey. Methods: Data were from the three waves of "Global Ageing and Adult Health Research" (SAGE) by World Health Organization in China. The frailty index is generated from 32 items. Group-based trajectory modeling using a censored normal model was conducted to identify the patterns in frailty progression over time. Multinomial logistic regression model was used to examine the effect of socioeconomic status and behavioral factors on the frailty trajectories. Results: A total of 4 303 adults aged 50 years and above with complete data from all three rounds of project were included in the final analysis. Three frailty trajectories were identified: low and stable trajectory (LT) (56.8%), moderately increased trajectory (MT) (34.4%) and highly increased trajectory (HT) (8.8%). The results of the multinomial logistic regression analysis showed that the HT group was more likely to be women (OR=1.88, 95%CI:1.22-2.92) and rural residents (OR=1.87, 95%CI:1.29-2.70) compared with the LT group. In terms of household wealth per capita, there was a clear gradient in ORs, the people with lower household wealth were more likely to be classified in the HT group. Conclusion: This study identified three patterns of progression of frailty trajectories in population aged 50 years and above in China and highlighted that interventions should target those vulnerable populations with rapid progression of frailty.

Achieving of high-diet-fiber barley via managing fructan hydrolysis

High fructan content in the grain of cereals is an important trait in agriculture such as environmental resilience and dietary fiber food production. To understand the mechanism in determining final grain fructan content and achieve high fructan cereal, a cross breeding strategy based on fructan synthesis and hydrolysis activities was set up and have achieved barley lines with 11.8% storage fructan in the harvested grain. Our study discovered that high activity of fructan hydrolysis at later grain developmental stage leads to the low fructan content in mature seeds, simultaneously increasing fructan synthesis at early stage and decreasing fructan hydrolysis at later stage through crossing breeding is an efficient way to elevate grain diet-fiber content. A good correlation between fructan and beta glucans was also discovered with obvious interest. Field trials showed that the achieved high fructan barley produced over seven folds higher fructan content than control barley and pull carbon-flux to fructan through decreasing fructan hydrolysis without disruption starch synthesis will probably not bring yield deficiency.

Combined Transcriptome and Metabolome Profiling Provide Insights into Cold Responses in Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) Genotypes with Contrasting Cold-Stress Sensitivity

Low temperature is a major environmental factor, which limits rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) growth, development, and productivity. So far, the physiological and molecular mechanisms of rapeseed responses to cold stress are not fully understood. Here, we explored the transcriptome and metabolome profiles of two rapeseed genotypes with contrasting cold responses, i.e., XY15 (cold-sensitive) and GX74 (cold-tolerant). The global metabolome profiling detected 545 metabolites in siliques of both genotypes before (CK) and after cold-stress treatment (LW). The contents of several sugar metabolites were affected by cold stress with the most accumulated saccharides being 3-dehydro-L-threonic acid, D-xylonic acid, inositol, D-mannose, D-fructose, D-glucose, and L-glucose. A total of 1943 and 5239 differentially expressed genes were identified from the transcriptome sequencing in XY15CK_vs_XY15LW and GX74CK_vs_GX74LW, respectively. We observed that genes enriched in sugar metabolism and biosynthesis-related pathways, photosynthesis, reactive oxygen species scavenging, phytohormone, and MAPK signaling were highly expressed in GX74LW. In addition, several genes associated with cold-tolerance-related pathways, e.g., the CBF-COR pathway and MAPK signaling, were specifically expressed in GX74LW. Contrarily, genes in the above-mentioned pathways were mostly downregulated in XY15LW. Thus, our results indicate the involvement of these pathways in the differential cold-stress responses in XY15 and GX74.

[A prospective cohort study on the association between grip strength and cognitive function in adults aged 50 years and above]

Objective: To evaluate the association between grip strength (GS) and cognitive function in a population-based longitudinal cohort of Chinese adults aged ≥50 years. Methods: The study population of 3 600 adults was from the baseline survey and two rounds of follow up of World Health Organization (WHO) study of global ageing and adult health (SAGE) in five districts of Shanghai (Hongkou, Huangpu, Minhang, Qingpu and Pudong) after excluding individuals with self-report stroke and depression. The effects of baseline GS on cognitive function and its changes were evaluated. Factor analysis was applied to generate an overall cognition score based on verbal recall trials, verbal fluency test, forward digit span test and backward digit span test. Linear mixed effects model was used to examine the predictive capability of baseline GS for changes in cognitive function. Results: A total of 3 600 participants aged (61.2±8.1) years at baseline survey were included in this study, including 1 668 (46.3%) men and 1 932 (53.7%) women. The average of baseline GS and total cognitive function score were (28.19±12.18) kg and (58.93±14.56) respectively. Cognitive function score declined significantly during the follow-up, however, the changes were different among different age groups, education level groups and household income groups. After adjusted for age, education level, marital status, household income, co-morbidity of chronic conditions, drinking status, smoking status, physical activity level, vegetable/fruit intakes and BMI, no relationships between the baseline GS and cognitive score at baseline survey and at 1^st follow-up were observed, however, compared with lower GS quartile group, there was a significant relationship between higher baseline GS level and better cognitive function at 2^nd follow-up. The participants with highest GS quartile had better cognitive performance over time (male: β=1.938,95%CI:0.644-3.231,P=0.003, female: β=2.192,95%CI:0.975-3.409,P<0.001 and those aged 50-64 years: β=1.652,95%CI:0.646-2.659,P=0.001) than those with the lowest quartile. Conclusions: Higher baseline GS was significantly related to better cognitive function with slow decline. Thus, it is an indicator of cognitive function in middle-aged and elderly Chinese.

Hilbert-Coding Metasurface for Diverse Electromagnetic Controls

Metamaterials, or metasurfaces, allow the flexible and efficient manipulation of electromagnetic (EM) wave. Although the passive coding metasurfaces have achieved a great deal of functionality, they also need a complex design process. In this paper, we propose Hilbert-coding metasurfaces for flexible and convenient EM regulation by arranging Hilbert-coding metamaterial units of different orders. To demonstrate this behavior, we designed 12 metasurfaces, then fabricated and measured 6 samples. Validation results on 6 Hilbert-coding metasurfaces show the deflection angles of the four single beam patterns obtained are about 21°, 13°, 12°, and 39°, with energy values of 7.75 dB, 7.3 dB, 7.2 dB, and 7.7 dB, respectively, and the deflection angles of the dual-beam patterns are 28.5° and 20° with energy values of 10.05 dB and 11.4 dB, respectively. The results are quite consistent with the simulation data, further confirming the feasibility of our idea. In addition, there are potential applications in Wireless Communications and Radar-imaging, like EM beam scanning and EM field energy distribution control in communication and imaging scenarios.

[Temporal variation and influencing factors of albedo in a deciduous broad-leaved forest]

In situ measurement of albedo is important for estimating ecosystem energy budget and its remote sensing application. However, the measurement method of albedo on sloping land is limited and the difference in temporal variation in albedo between visible and near-infrared bands remains unclear. Taking a deciduous broad-leaved forest at the Maoershan Forest Ecological Station in Northeast China as an example, we explored the temporal variation and influencing factors of albedo for three bands: incident and reflected solar radiation (SR, 300-2800 nm), photosynthetically active radiation (PAR, 400-700 nm), and near infrared radiation (NIR, 700-2800 nm). The temporal difference in albedo measurements between the two installation methods of radiometers was analyzed. The results showed that, in sunny days, the diurnal variation in SR and NIR albedo had an asymmetric U-shaped curve around the local noon, while PAR increased from sunrise to sunset. In cloudy days, the albedo decreased sharply and then tended to be stable. The measurement with parallel sensors to the slope increased the daily mean value of albedo, but reduced the daily asymmetry of SR and NIR. For the whole growing season, the maximum albedos of SR, NIR and PAR in horizontal measurement were 0.16, 0.27 and 0.11, respectively, and the minimums were 0.07, 0.11 and 0.03, respectively. Albedo in the SR and NIR wavebands increased first and then decreased (the peak value was in July), while PAR showed a contrasting pattern. SR albedo was mainly controlled by NIR rather than PAR. The contribution of the influencing factors was ranked in the order of normalized difference vegetation index (61.7%-78.5%, representing leaf area index) > solar altitude angle (15.4%-36.9%) > clearness index (0.4%-36.9%).

Metformin: A promising drug for human cancers

Small-molecule chemical drugs are of great significance for tumor-targeted and individualized therapies. However, the development of new small-molecule drugs, from basic experimental research and clinical trials to final application in clinical practice, is a long process that has a high cost. It takes at least 5 years for most drugs to be developed in the laboratory to prove their effectiveness and safety. Compared with the development of new drugs, repurposing traditional non-tumor drugs can be a shortcut. Metformin is a good model for a new use of an old drug. In recent years, the antitumor efficacy of metformin has attracted much attention. Epidemiological data and in vivo, and in vitro experiments have shown that metformin can reduce the incidence of cancer in patients with diabetes and has a strong antagonistic effect on metabolism-related tumors. Recent studies have shown that metformin can induce autophagy in esophageal cancer cells, mainly by inhibiting inflammatory signaling pathways. In recent years, studies have shown that the antitumor functions and mechanisms of metformin are multifaceted. The present study aims to review the application of metformin in tumor prevention and treatment.

Floating synthesis with enhanced catalytic performance via acoustic levitation processing

Acoustic levitation supplies a containerless state to eliminate natural convection and heterogeneous crystal nucleation and thus provides a highly uniform and ultra clean condition in the confined levitating area. Herein, we attempt to make full use of these advantages to fabricate well dispersed metal nanoparticles. The gold nanoparticles, synthesized in an acoustically levitated droplet, exhibited a smaller size and improved catalytic performance in 4-nitrophenol reduction were synthesized in an acoustically levitated droplet. The sound field was simulated to understand the impact of acoustic levitation on gold nanoparticle growth with the aid of crystal growth theory. Chemical reducing reactions in the acoustic levitated space trend to occur in a better dispersed state because the sound field supplies continuous vibration energy. The bubble movement and the cavitation effect accelerate the nucleation, decrease the size, and the internal flow inside levitated droplet probably inhibit the particle fusion in the growth stage. These factors lead to a reduction in particle size compared with the normal wet chemical synthetic condition. The resultant higher surface area and more numerous active catalytic sites contribute to the improvement of the catalytic performance.

LncRNA ABHD11-AS1 promotes tumor progression in papillary thyroid carcinoma by regulating EPS15L1/EGFR signaling pathway

OBJECTIVES

lncRNA ABHD11 antisense RNA 1 (ABHD11-AS1) acts as an oncogene involved in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) occurrence and progression. ABHD11-AS1 exerts biologic functions by some miRNAs and proteins to regulate multiple targets. Identification of novel mechanism of ABHD11-AS1 could be helpful in therapeutic targeting for PTC treatment.

METHODS

Differentially expressed lncRNAs were selected from TCGA database. qRT-PCR analysis was applied to examine the expression of ABHD11-AS1 in PTC cell lines and tissues. The relationship of ABHD11-AS1 expression and clinicopathological features was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier analysis. Two PTC cell lines (TPC-1 and KTC-1) were transfected with pcDNA 3.1, pcDNA3.1-ABHD11-AS1, si-NC and si-ABHD11-AS1, respectively, to verify the ABHD11-AS1 oncogene-regulating capacity to promote tumor progression. The cell metastasis and proliferation had been evaluated both in vitro and in vivo.

RESULTS

High expression of ABHD11-AS1 was found in PTC tissues (P < 0.01), which was significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis (P < 0.05). ABHD11-AS1 overexpression noticeably promoted cell proliferation, migration, and invasion capabilities, which were obviously decreased upon ABHD11-AS1 knockdown. ABHD11-AS1 positively regulated EGFR/EPS15L1 pathway, as EGFR, EPS15L1, STAT3, and p-STAT3 were activated.

CONCLUSION

ABHD11-AS1 promotes tumor progression in PTC by regulating EPS15L1/EGFR pathway.

Ultraviolet-sensing metasurface for programmable electromagnetic scattering field manipulation by combining light control with a microwave field

Combining digital information science with metasurface technology is critical for achieving arbitrary electromagnetic wave manipulation. However, there is a scarcity of contemporary scholarly studies on this subject. In this paper, we propose an Ultraviolet (UV) sensing metasurface for programmable electromagnetic scattering field manipulation by combining light control with a microwave field. The active sensing of UV light and the real-time reaction of the scattering are achieved by integrating four UV sensors on the metasurface. On the metasurface, a UV sensor ML8511 and a voltage driver module are coupled to control each row of the Positive-Intrinsic-Negative (PIN) diodes. Due to the light sensing capability of the UV sensor, the on or off state of the PIN diode integrated into the programmable metasurface can be switched efficiently through the change of light. When the incident wave changes, various discrete data are transmitted to the FPGA. Then the FPGA performs the corresponding voltage distribution to control the state of the PIN diode. Finally, different metasurface coding sequences are generated to realize different electromagnetic functions. As a result, the spatial distribution of sensing light by sensors can be used to determine the electromagnetic field and connect sensing optical information with the microwave field. The simulation and measured results show that this design is feasible. This work provides a dimension for electromagnetic waves modulation.

[Cross-sectional study of association between dietary pattern and cognitive performance in people aged 50 and above years in Shanghai]

Objective: To investigate the association between dietary pattern and cognitive performance in local residents aged ≥50 years in Shanghai. Methods: Data were obtained from the second round of Study of Global Ageing and Adult Health (SAGE) survey in Shanghai. Dietary patterns were surveyed by factor analysis. Cognitive tests were conducted to assess subjects' cognitive performance, including verbal recall, verbal fluency and digit test. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to evaluate the relationship between dietary patterns and cognition performance. Results: A total of 4 132 subjects with complete dietary and cognitive performance test data were included. Factor analysis was used to obtain three dietary patterns: including plant-based pattern, high animal-food pattern, high salt-oil pattern. After controlling for gender, age, education level and other factors, it was found that plant-based pattern (β=0.26,95%CI: 0.17-0.36) and high animal-food pattern (β=0.18, 95%CI:0.06-0.29) were positively associated with total cognitive test score while high salt-oil pattern (β=-0.28, 95%CI:-0.85--0.07) was negatively associated with verbal fluency test score. Conclusion: A dietary pattern with high intake of plant food and appropriate intake of animal food might be associated with better cognitive function of residents aged ≥50 years.

Identification and charactering of APX genes provide new insights in abiotic stresses response in Brassica napus

Ascorbate peroxidase (APX) plays an important role in scavenging H₂O₂ and balancing ROS content in plant cells, which is of great significance for the growth and development of life and resistance to external stress. However, up to now, APXs in Brassica napus (B. napus) have not been systematically characterized. In this study, a total of 26 BnaAPX genes were identified, which were distributed on 13 chromosomes and divided into five phylogenetic branches. Gene structure analysis showed that they had a wide varied number of exons while BnaAPXs proteins contained more similar motifs in the same phylogenetic branches. qRT-PCR analysis of 26 BnaAPX gene expression patterns showed that three putative cytosol BnaAPX genes BnaAPX1, BnaAPX2, BnaAPX9, two putatice microsomal genes BnaAPX18 and BnaAPX25 were up-regulated rapidly and robustly under high salt, water shortage and high temperature stresses. In addition, the above three abiotic stresses led to a significant increase in APX activity. The results provide basic and comprehensive information for further functional characterization of APX gene family in B. napus.

Cambridge hybrid closed-loop algorithm in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes: a multicentre 6-month randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Closed-loop insulin delivery systems have the potential to address suboptimal glucose control in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes. We compared safety and efficacy of the Cambridge hybrid closed-loop algorithm with usual care over 6 months in this population.

METHODS

In a multicentre, multinational, parallel randomised controlled trial, participants aged 6-18 years using insulin pump therapy were recruited at seven UK and five US paediatric diabetes centres. Key inclusion criteria were diagnosis of type 1 diabetes for at least 12 months, insulin pump therapy for at least 3 months, and screening HbA1c levels between 53 and 86 mmol/mol (7·0-10·0%). Using block randomisation and central randomisation software, we randomly assigned participants to either closed-loop insulin delivery (closed-loop group) or to usual care with insulin pump therapy (control group) for 6 months. Randomisation was stratified at each centre by local baseline HbA1c. The Cambridge closed-loop algorithm running on a smartphone was used with either (1) a modified Medtronic 640G pump, Medtronic Guardian 3 sensor, and Medtronic prototype phone enclosure (FlorenceM configuration), or (2) a Sooil Dana RS pump and Dexcom G6 sensor (CamAPS FX configuration). The primary endpoint was change in HbA1c at 6 months combining data from both configurations. The primary analysis was done in all randomised patients (intention to treat). Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02925299.

FINDINGS

Of 147 people initially screened, 133 participants (mean age 13·0 years [SD 2·8]; 57% female, 43% male) were randomly assigned to either the closed-loop group (n=65) or the control group (n=68). Mean baseline HbA1c was 8·2% (SD 0·7) in the closed-loop group and 8·3% (0·7) in the control group. At 6 months, HbA1c was lower in the closed-loop group than in the control group (between-group difference -3·5 mmol/mol (95% CI -6·5 to -0·5 [-0·32 percentage points, -0·59 to -0·04]; p=0·023). Closed-loop usage was low with FlorenceM due to failing phone enclosures (median 40% [IQR 26-53]), but consistently high with CamAPS FX (93% [88-96]), impacting efficacy. A total of 155 adverse events occurred after randomisation (67 in the closed-loop group, 88 in the control group), including seven severe hypoglycaemia events (four in the closed-loop group, three in the control group), two diabetic ketoacidosis events (both in the closed-loop group), and two non-treatment-related serious adverse events. There were 23 reportable hyperglycaemia events (11 in the closed-loop group, 12 in the control group), which did not meet criteria for diabetic ketoacidosis.

INTERPRETATION

The Cambridge hybrid closed-loop algorithm had an acceptable safety profile, and improved glycaemic control in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes. To ensure optimal efficacy of the closed-loop system, usage needs to be consistently high, as demonstrated with CamAPS FX.

FUNDING

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

One-step fabrication of soft calcium superhydrophobic surfaces by a simple electrodeposition process

A simple, one-step electrodeposition process was rapidly performed on a metal substrate to fabricate calcium superhydrophobic surfaces in an electrolyte containing calcium chloride (CaCl₂), myristic acid (CH₃(CH₂)₁₂COOH), and ethanol, which can avoid the intricate post-processing of surface treatment. The morphology and surface chemical compositions of the fabricated superhydrophobic surfaces were systematically examined by means of SEM, XRD, and FTIR, respectively. The results indicate that the deposited surfaces were mainly composed of calcium myristate, which can dramatically lower surface free energy. The shortest process for constructing a superhydrophobic surface is about 0.5 min, and the maximum contact angle of the as-prepared surfaces can reach as high as 166°, showing excellent superhydrophobicity. By adjusting the electrodeposition time, the structure of the cathodic surface transforms from the turfgrass structure, loose flower structures, larger and dense flower structures, secondary flower structures, and then into tertiary or more flower structures. The superhydrophobic surfaces showed excellent rebound performance with a high-speed camera. After a pressing force, their hardness increases, but the superhydrophobic performance is not weakened. Inversely, the bouncing performance is enhanced. This electrodeposition process offers a promising approach for large areas of superhydrophobic surfaces on conductive metals and strongly impacts the dynamics of water droplets.

We investigated a one-step method for calcium superhydrophobic surface preparation and researched the formation process of loose, flower-like microstructures. Also, we found that the pressing force strongly impacts the dynamics of water droplets.

Systematic analysis of CCCH zinc finger family in Brassica napus showed that BnRR-TZFs are involved in stress resistance

BACKGROUND

CCCH zinc finger family is one of the largest transcription factor families related to multiple biotic and abiotic stresses. Brassica napus L., an allotetraploid oilseed crop formed by natural hybridization between two diploid progenitors, Brassica rapa and Brassica oleracea. A systematic identification of rapeseed CCCH family genes is missing and their functional characterization is still in infancy.

RESULTS

In this study, 155 CCCH genes, 81 from its parent B. rapa and 74 from B. oleracea, were identified and divided into 15 subfamilies in B. napus. Organization and syntenic analysis explained the distribution and collinearity relationship of CCCH genes, the selection pressure and evolution of duplication gene pairs in B. napus genome. 44 diploid duplication gene pairs and 4 triple duplication gene groups were found in B. napus of CCCH family and the segmental duplication is attributed to most CCCH gene duplication events in B. napus. Nine types of CCCH motifs exist in B. napus CCCH family members, and motif C-X_7/8-C-X₅-C-X₃-H is the most common and a new conserved CCH motif (C-X₅-C-X₃-H) has been identified. In addition, abundant stress-related cis-elements exist in promoters of 27 subfamily IX (RR-TZF) genes and their expression profiles indicated that RR-TZF genes could be involved in responses to hormone and abiotic stress.

CONCLUSIONS

The results provided a foundation to understand the basic characterization and genes evolution of CCCH gene family in B. napus, and provided potential targets for genetic engineering in Brassicaceae crops in pursuit of stress-tolerant traits.

Recent advances in the contribution of circRNAs to cisplatin chemotherapy resistance in cancers

Worldwide, cancer is a serious threat to the health of citizens of every country, with the incidence and mortality increasing year by year. Cisplatin is the first-line anticancer drug commonly used in clinics and is widely used for the treatment of solid tumors including lung, gastric, liver, bladder, and ovarian cancer. Although cisplatin-based chemotherapy has a high clinical response efficacy, patients will inevitably develop drug resistance after repeated using, leading to severe restrictions of its application. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a promising class of non-coding RNAs capable of promoting or suppressing cancer via functioning as miRNAs sponges. Recently, an increasing amount of evidence shows that circRNAs are closely related to the cisplatin resistance of cancers. Therefore, standing at the perspective of the cisplatin chemotherapy resistance, this paper reviews the research progress of circRNAs related to cisplatin resistance of various cancers.

Evolution of the Electromagnetic Manipulation: From Tunable to Programmable and Intelligent Metasurfaces

Looking back on the development of metamaterials in the past 20 years, metamaterials have gradually developed from three-dimensional complex electromagnetic structures to a two-dimensional metasurface with a low profile, during which a series of subversive achievements have been produced. The form of electromagnetic manipulation of the metasurface has evolved from passive to active tunable, programmable, and other dynamic and real-time controllable forms. In particular, the proposal of coding and programmable metasurfaces endows metasurfaces with new vitality. By describing metamaterials through binary code, the digital world and the physical world are connected, and the research of metasurfaces also steps into a new era of digitalization. However, the function switch of traditional programmable metamaterials cannot be achieved without human instruction and control. In order to achieve richer and more flexible function regulation and even higher level metasurface design, the intelligence of metamaterials is an important direction in its future development. In this paper, we review the development of tunable, programmable, and intelligent metasurfaces over the past 5 years, focusing on basic concepts, working principles, design methods, manufacturing, and experimental validation. Firstly, several manipulation modes of tunable metasurfaces are discussed; in particular, the metasurfaces based on temperature control, mechanical control, and electrical control are described in detail. It is demonstrated that the amplitude and phase responses can be flexibly manipulated by the tunable metasurfaces. Then, the concept, working principle, and design method of digital coding metasurfaces are briefly introduced. At the same time, we introduce the active programmable metasurfaces from the following aspects, such as structure, coding method, and three-dimensional far-field results, to show the excellent electromagnetic manipulation ability of programmable metasurfaces. Finally, the basic concepts and research status of intelligent metasurfaces are discussed in detail. Different from the previous programmable metamaterials, which must be controlled by human intervention, the new intelligent metamaterials control system will realize autonomous perception, autonomous decision-making, and even adaptive functional manipulation to a certain extent.

Modeling of Wetting Transition of Liquid Metals on Organic Liquid Surfaces

Wettability of liquid metal gallium is of vital significance in the field of modern industries, such as direct writing printing and microfluidics. A liquid interface is a recently developed and promising approach to regulate wettability but has not been well applied in liquid metals yet. This study focuses on the wetting performance of gallium droplets on organic liquid films. The results show that the organic liquid film could change the wetting state of the gallium droplet. Based on the solid substrate roughness and surface tension of the organic liquid, we could estimate whether the gallium droplet is in a slippery Wenzel or a Cassie state. Subsequently, we apply the thermodynamic stable model on different organic liquid films by spreading parameters to predict a priori whether an arbitrary combination of solid roughness and organic liquid is suitable for designing lubricant-infused surfaces (LIS) used in gallium droplets. More interestingly, we found that the "cloaking" could delay surface oxide formation, which will benefit the manipulation of liquid metal droplets. This paper would provide a better understanding of wettability of liquid metal on an organic liquid surface.

Resveratrol Relieves Hyperoxia-Induced Brain Injury in Neonatal Rats by Activating Sirt1

OBJECTIVE

Neonatal rats with hyperoxia-induced brain injury were treated with resveratrol to investigate its protective effects through analyzing changes in reactive oxygen species (ROS), Sirt1, p53, and acetylated p53 levels.

STUDY DESIGN

Neonatal rats were randomly divided into hyperoxia and resveratrol intervened groups. Rats in both groups were placed in a hyperoxia chamber for 7 days to induce hyperoxia-induced brain injury. The rats in the resveratrol intervened group were administered resveratrol 60 μg/g body weight daily, whereas those in the hyperoxia group were administered a dimethyl sulfoxide-based solvent. Brain tissues were collected, and hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and TUNEL staining, ROS measurements, real time-polymerase chain reaction, and western blotting were performed.

RESULTS

H&E and TUNEL staining revealed increased cell damage and apoptosis in brain tissue from hyperoxia-exposed animals compared with the findings in animals in the resveratrol intervened group. Real time-polymerase chain reaction and western blotting identified increases in Sirt1 expression and decreases in p53 expression in the resveratrol intervened group. In addition, acetylated p53 protein expression was lower in the intervened group than in the hyperoxia group.

CONCLUSION

Resveratrol alleviated brain apoptosis induced by hyperoxia in neonatal rats by upregulating Sirt1-mediated pathways, suggesting its potentially beneficial role in the treatment of brain injury induced by hyperoxia.

Heat shock preconditioning mesenchymal stem cells attenuate acute lung injury via reducing NLRP3 inflammasome activation in macrophages

OBJECTIVES

Acute lung injury (ALI) remains a common cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and to date, there is no effective treatment for ALI. Previous studies have revealed that topical administration of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can attenuate the pathological changes in experimental acute lung injury. Heat shock (HS) pretreatment has been identified as a method to enhance the survival and function of cells. The present study aimed to assess whether HS-pretreated MSCs could enhance immunomodulation and recovery from ALI.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

HS pretreatment was performed at 42 °C for 1 h, and changes in biological characteristics and secretion functions were detected. In an in vivo mouse model of ALI, we intranasally administered pretreated umbilical cord-derived MSCs (UC-MSCs), confirmed their therapeutic effects, and detected the phenotypes of the macrophages in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). To elucidate the underlying mechanisms, we cocultured pretreated UC-MSCs with macrophages in vitro, and the expression levels of inflammasome-related proteins in the macrophages were assessed.

RESULTS

The data showed that UC-MSCs did not exhibit significant changes in viability or biological characteristics after HS pretreatment. The administration of HS-pretreated UC-MSCs to the ALI model improved the pathological changes and lung damage-related indexes, reduced the proinflammatory cytokine levels, and modulated the M1/M2 macrophage balance. Mechanistically, both the in vivo and in vitro studies demonstrated that HS pretreatment enhanced the protein level of HSP70 in UC-MSCs, which negatively modulated NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation in alveolar macrophages. These effects were partially reversed by knocking down HSP70 expression.

CONCLUSION

HS pretreatment can enhance the beneficial effects of UC-MSCs in inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation in macrophages during ALI. The mechanism may be related to the upregulated expression of HSP70.

Systematic analysis of JmjC gene family and stress--response expression of KDM5 subfamily genes in Brassica napus

Background

Jumonji C (JmjC) proteins exert critical roles in plant development and stress response through the removal of lysine methylation from histones. Brassica napus, which originated from spontaneous hybridization by Brassica rapa and Brassica oleracea, is the most important oilseed crop after soybean. In JmjC proteins of Brassica species, the structure and function and its relationship with the parents and model plant Arabidopsis thaliana remain uncharacterized. Systematic identification and analysis for JmjC family in Brassica crops can facilitate the future functional characterization and oilseed crops improvement.

Methods

Basing on the conserved JmjC domain, JmjC homologs from the three Brassica species, B. rapa (AA), B. oleracea (CC) and B. napus, were identified from the Brassica database. Some methods, such as phylogenic analysis, chromosomal mapping, HMMER searching, gene structure display and Logos analysis, were used to characterize relationships of the JmjC homologs. Synonymous and nonsynonymous nucleotide substitutions were used to infer the information of gene duplication among homologs. Then, the expression levels of BnKDM5 subfamily genes were checked under abiotic stress by qRT-PCR.

Results

Sixty-five JmjC genes were identified from B. napus genome, 29 from B. rapa, and 23 from B. oleracea. These genes were grouped into seven clades based on the phylogenetic analysis, and their catalytic activities of demethylation were predicted. The average retention rate of B. napus JmjC genes (B. napus JmjC gene from B. rapa (93.1%) and B. oleracea (82.6%)) exceeded whole genome level. JmjC sequences demonstrated high conservation in domain origination, chromosomal location, intron/exon number and catalytic sites. The gene duplication events were confirmed among the homologs. Many of the BrKDM5 subfamily genes showed higher expression under drought and NaCl treatments, but only a few genes were involved in high temperature stress.

Conclusions

This study provides the first genome-wide characterization of JmjC genes in Brassica species. The BnJmjC exhibits higher conservation during the formation process of allotetraploid than the average retention rates of the whole B. napus genome. Furthermore, expression profiles of many genes indicated that BnKDM5 subfamily genes are involved in stress response to salt, drought and high temperature.

Optical-transparent metasurface for flexible manipulation and analog information modulation

Recently, optically-transparent metasurface based on indium tin oxide (ITO) film has attracted wide attention due to its remarkable optical and electromagnetic characteristics. However, most previous researches on the ITO film mainly focus on the absorption because of its prominent loss-resistance property, but neglecting the further exploration on programmable functions. Here, we present a programmable metasurface based on an optically-transparent ITO glass, on which varactors are integrated to achieve flexible amplitude manipulation range of about 25 dB. More importantly, the presented programmable design can be applied for direct modulation on the carrier incident wave with the desired pre-designed analog wave-form. Within the 10 MHz modulation speed, both programmable amplitude manipulation and analog information modulation are demonstrated in the measurements, showing good agreement with theoretical analysis and simulations. Combining both optical transparency and programmable modulation capability, the presented metasurface will promote the potential applications in wireless communication, internet of things and other smart scenarios.

A novel approach quantifying the periorbital morphology: A comparison of direct, 2-dimensional, and 3-dimensional technologies

BACKGROUND

The measurement of anatomical structures is critical in plastic and reconstructive surgery. However, few detailed and standardized measurements have been widely used in the periorbital region. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of a novel detailed and standardized protocol with 2D and 3D technologies, and explore the relationship between them and direct measurements.

METHODS

Fifty healthy Caucasians (100 eyes) between 20 and 68 years old were recruited and captured for 3D photographs by VECTRA M3 3D Imaging System. Subsequently, 24 landmarks were located on each 3D photographs following a standardized protocol, and then 19 linear and 3 angular periorbital variables were measured. Furthermore, two-dimensional (2D) and direct measurements were conducted on each subject and compared with 3D measurements and one another.

RESULTS

The grand r means across all measurements were 0.77, 0.78, and 0.88 for direct vs. 2D values, direct vs. 3D values, and 3D vs. 2D values, respectively. The mean absolute differences were 1 mm (ranging from 0.2 mm to 3.7 mm) between direct and 3D measurements, 1 mm (ranging from 0.04 mm to 2.4 mm) between direct and 2D measurements, and 1 mm and 6.6° (ranging from 0.04 mm or 0.5° to 3 mm or 12.8°) between 2D and 3D measurements.

CONCLUSIONS

This study verified the feasibility of this detailed and standardized landmark localization protocol for assessing the periorbital morphology with 2D and 3D technologies. This protocol may work as a bridge communicating with all studies involving any of the three technologies in the future.

[Association between grip strength, rapid gait speed and cognition in people aged 50 and above in Shanghai during 2009-2010]

Objective: To investigate the association between grip strength, rapid gait speed and cognition in people aged 50 and above in Shanghai. Methods: Cross-sectional data was collected from the World Health Organization (WHO) study on global ageing and adult health (SAGE) wave 1 (2009-2010). A questionnaire survey was conducted among 8 643 participants aged 50 years old and above selected by using multistage random cluster sampling strategies in Shanghai. Factor analysis was applied to evaluate and generate cognitive function overall score.Association between grip strength, rapid gait speed and cognition was examined by a two-level hierarchical linear model. Results: A total of 8 175 participants were included in this study, who were (62.9±9.7) years old, including 3 782 (46.3%) males. The average grip strength and rapid gait speed of participants were (27.46±12.01) kg and (1.44±0.43) m/s respectively. The average scores of verbal recall (VR), verbal fluency (VF), forward digit span (FDS), backward digit span (BDS) and total cognitive scores were (5.72±0.09), (12.67±0.35), (6.84±0.10), (4.32±0.14) and (60.50±0.95) respectively. Grip strength was positively associated with VR, VF, FDS, BDS and overall cognition (standardized β=0.036, 0.079, 0.042, 0.046 and 0.043 respectively, P<0.05), and rapid gait speed was also positively associated with VR, VF and overall cognition (standardized β=0.040, 0.031, 0.039 respectively, P<0.05) after adjusted for age, sex, residence, education level, marital status, household income, co-morbidity of chronic conditions, BMI, drinking, smoking, fruits, vegetables intake and physical activities. Conclusion: Grip strength and rapid gait speed are both positively associated with cognitive function of people aged 50 and above, which would be indicators to evaluate their cognition.

Optically Transparent Metasurface Absorber Based on Reconfigurable and Flexible Indium Tin Oxide Film

In this paper, we present a flexible, breathable and optically transparent metasurface with ultra-wideband absorption. The designed double layer of indium tin oxide (ITO) films with specific carved structure realizes absorption and electromagnetic (EM) isolation in dual-polarization, as well as good air permeability. Under the illumination of x- and y-polarization incidence, the metasurface has low reflectivity and transmission from about 2 to 18 GHz. By employing ITO film based on polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the presented metasurface also processes the excellent flexibility and optically transparency, which can be utilized for wearable device application. In addition, the dual-layer design enables mechanically-reconfigurable property of the metasurface. The transmission and reflection coefficients in two polarizations show distinct difference when arranging the different relevant positions of two layers of the metasurface. A sample with 14*14 elements is designed, fabricated and measured, showing good agreement with the simulation results. We envision this work has various potentials in the wearable costume which demands both EM absorption and isolation.

Genome-Wide Gene Expression Profiles Analysis Reveal Novel Insights into Drought Stress in Foxtail Millet (Setaria italica L.)

Foxtail millet (Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv) is an important food and forage crop because of its health benefits and adaptation to drought stress; however, reports of transcriptomic analysis of genes responding to re-watering after drought stress in foxtail millet are rare. The present study evaluated physiological parameters, such as proline content, p5cs enzyme activity, anti-oxidation enzyme activities, and investigated gene expression patterns using RNA sequencing of the drought-tolerant foxtail millet variety (Jigu 16) treated with drought stress and rehydration. The results indicated that drought stress-responsive genes were related to many multiple metabolic processes, such as photosynthesis, signal transduction, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, starch and sucrose metabolism, and osmotic adjustment. Furthermore, the Δ1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase genes, SiP5CS1 and SiP5CS2, were remarkably upregulated in foxtail millet under drought stress conditions. Foxtail millet can also recover well on rehydration after drought stress through gene regulation. Our data demonstrate that recovery on rehydration primarily involves proline metabolism, sugar metabolism, hormone signal transduction, water transport, and detoxification, plus reversal of the expression direction of most drought-responsive genes. Our results provided a detailed description of the comparative transcriptome response of foxtail millet variety Jigu 16 under drought and rehydration environments. Furthermore, we identify SiP5CS2 as an important gene likely involved in the drought tolerance of foxtail millet.

Laparoscopic colorectal resection combined with simultaneous thermal ablation or surgical resection of liver metastasis: a retrospective comparative study

Objective: Colorectal liver metastasis is a critical cause of mortality. However, the safety and long-term prognosis of simultaneous colorectal tumor resection along with hepatic lesion ablation are debated. The current analysis was conducted to further clarify the controversy.Methods: In this retrospective study, we collected data of 68 patients who underwent ablation or resection for liver lesions combined with simultaneous laparoscopic primary colorectal tumor resection between September 2011 and October 2016 at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University. Perioperative outcomes and long-term follow-up data were compared between patients in the resection and ablation groups.Results: Both groups had similar surgical duration (286.70 ± 78.33 vs. 313.67 ± 80.90 min), conversion rate (2 vs. 0), total expenses (81.51 ± 20.20 vs. 82.21 ± 27.81 kRMB, p = .914) and morbidities (11 vs. 24, p = .667). However, the postoperative hospital stays (12.82 ± 9.25 vs. 8.40 ± 2.38 d) and transfusion rates (56.52% vs. 8.89%) were significantly lower in the ablation group. The long-term overall survival (p = .714), disease-free survival (p = .680) and intra-hepatic recurrent-free survival (p = .496) were comparable between both groups.Conclusion: With respect to simultaneous treatment for both primary colorectal cancer and liver metastasis, hepatic lesion ablation was associated with lower blood loss and hospital stay duration than liver resection, without compromising the surgical safety and long-term prognosis.

Stillbirths in China: a nationwide survey

Objective

To estimate a stillbirth rate at 24 or more gestational weeks in 2015–2016 and to explore potentially preventable causes in China.

Design

A multi‐centre cross‐sectional study.

Setting

Ninety‐six hospitals distributed in 24 (of 34) provinces in China.

Population

A total of 75 132 births at 24 completed weeks of gestation or more.

Methods

COX Proportional Hazard Models were performed to examine risk factors for antepartum and intrapartum stillbirths. Population attributable risk percentage was calculated for major risk factors. Correspondence analysis was used to explore region‐specific risk factors for stillbirths.

Main outcome measures

Stillbirth rate and risk factors for stillbirth.

Results

A total of 75 132 births including 949 stillbirths were used for the final analysis, giving a weighted stillbirth rate of 13.2 per 1000 births (95% CI 7.9–18.5). Small for gestational age (SGA) and pre‐eclampsia/eclampsia increased antepartum stillbirths by 26.2% and 11.7%, respectively. Fetal anomalies increased antepartum and intrapartum stillbirths by 17.9% and 7.4%, respectively. Overall, 31.4% of all stillbirths were potentially preventable. Advanced maternal age, pre‐pregnant obesity, chronic hypertension and diabetes mellitus were important risk factors in East China; low education and SGA were major risk factors in Northwest, Southwest, Northeast and South China; and pre‐eclampsia/eclampsia and intrapartum complications were significant risk factors in Central China.

Conclusions

The prevalence of stillbirth was 13.2 per 1000 births in China in 2015–2016. Nearly one‐third of all stillbirths may be preventable. Strategies based on regional characteristics should be considered to reduce further the burden of stillbirths in China.

Tweetable abstract

The stillbirth rate was 13.2 per 1000 births in China in 2015–2016 and nearly one‐third of all stillbirths may be preventable.

The stillbirth rate was 13.2 per 1000 births in China in 2015–2016 and nearly one‐third of all stillbirths may be preventable.