Objectives. Urinary stem cells (USCs) have the capacity for unlimited growth and are promising tools for the investigations of cell differentiation and urinary regeneration. However, the limited life ...span significantly restricts their usefulness. This study is aimed at exploring the effect of integrin-linked kinase (ILK) on the smooth muscle cells (SMCs) differentiation of the dog USCs and investigating its molecular mechanism. Methods. An immortalized USCs cell line with the molecular markers and biological functions was prepared. After successfully inducing the differentiation of USCs into SMCs, the expression level of the unique key factor and its mechanisms in this process was determined through real-time polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, or Immunofluorescence staining. Results. We found that high cell density promoted USCs differentiation SMCs, and ILK was necessary for USCs differentiation into SMCs. Knocking down ILK decreased the expression of SMCs specific-marker, while using a selective ILK agonist increased the expression of SMCs specific-marker. Furthermore, ILK regulated SMCs differentiation in part through the activation of NF-κB pathway in USCs. A NF-κB activity assay showed overexpression of ILK could significantly upregulate NF-κB p50 expression, and NF-κB p50 acts as downstream signal molecular of ILK. Conclusion. High cell density induces the differentiation of USCs into SMCs, and ILK is a key regulator of myogenesis. Furthermore, NF-κB signaling pathway might play a crucial role in this process.
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FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Effects of yucca extract (YE) on feed efficiency, immune and antioxidative function in Arbor Acres broilers were studied. One hundred and twenty-eight fourteen-day-old broiler chickens were randomly ...divided into four treatments with four replicates of 8 birds each. These four diets were formulated by adding 0, 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg YE to the basal diet. The results showed that: diets supplemented with 100 and 200 mg/kg YE increased average body weight gain, feed efficiency, IgG, IgM, T-AOC, CAT and SOD levels, and have positive effects on inducing immune organs' maturation. In addition, 100 mg treatment mainly improved the feed efficiency whereas 200 mg treatment mainly acted on immunity and anti-oxidation. In conclusion, YE can be used as a feed additive due to its capability to improve feed efficiency, immune and antioxidative function in broilers.
Background
Studies on deep learning (DL)-based models in breast ultrasound (US) remain at the early stage due to a lack of large datasets for training and independent test sets for verification. We ...aimed to develop a DL model for differentiating benign from malignant breast lesions on US using a large multicenter dataset and explore the model’s ability to assist the radiologists.
Methods
A total of 14,043 US images from 5012 women were prospectively collected from 32 hospitals. To develop the DL model, the patients from 30 hospitals were randomly divided into a training cohort (
n
= 4149) and an internal test cohort (
n
= 466). The remaining 2 hospitals (
n
= 397) were used as the external test cohorts (ETC). We compared the model with the prospective Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System assessment and five radiologists. We also explored the model’s ability to assist the radiologists using two different methods.
Results
The model demonstrated excellent diagnostic performance with the ETC, with a high area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC, 0.913), sensitivity (88.84%), specificity (83.77%), and accuracy (86.40%). In the comparison set, the AUC was similar to that of the expert (
p
= 0.5629) and one experienced radiologist (
p
= 0.2112) and significantly higher than that of three inexperienced radiologists (
p
< 0.01). After model assistance, the accuracies and specificities of the radiologists were substantially improved without loss in sensitivities.
Conclusions
The DL model yielded satisfactory predictions in distinguishing benign from malignant breast lesions. The model showed the potential value in improving the diagnosis of breast lesions by radiologists.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
KEY MESSAGE : Cosuppression of an Arabidopsis Rubisco small subunit gene RBCS3B at Arabidopsis resulted in albino or pale green phenotypes which were caused by ROS accumulation As the most abundant ...protein on Earth, Rubisco has received much attention in the past decades. Even so, its function is still not understood thoroughly. In this paper, four Arabidopsis transgenic lines (RBCS3B-7, 18, 33, and 35) with albino or pale green phenotypes were obtained by transformation with a construct driving expression of sense RBCS3B, a Rubisco small subunit gene. The phenotypes produced in these transgenic lines were found to be caused by cosuppression. Among these lines, RBCS3B-7 displayed the most severe phenotypes including reduced height, developmental arrest and plant mortality before flowering when grown under normal light on soil. Chloroplast numbers in mesophyll cells were decreased compared to WT, and stacked thylakoids of chloroplasts were broken down gradually in RBCS3B-7 throughout development. In addition, the RBCS3B-7 line was light sensitive, and PSII activity measurement revealed that RBCS3B-7 suffered severe photoinhibition, even under normal light. We found that photoinhibition was due to accumulation of ROS, which accelerated photodamage of PSII and inhibited the repair of PSII in RBCS3B-7.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OBVAL, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
The coronavirus disease 2019, named COVID-19 officially by the World Health Organization (Geneva, Switzerland) on February 12, 2020, has spread at unprecedented speed. After the first outbreak in ...Wuhan, China, Chinese anesthesiologists encountered increasing numbers of infected patients since December 2019. Because the main route of transmission is via respiratory droplets and close contact, anesthesia providers are at a high risk when responding to the devastating mass emergency. So far, actions have been taken including but not limited to nationwide actions and online education regarding special procedures of airway management, oxygen therapy, ventilation support, hemodynamic management, sedation, and analgesia. As the epidemic situation has lasted for months (thus far), special platforms have also been set up to provide free mental health care to all anesthesia providers participating in acute and critical caring for COVID-19 patients. The current article documents the actions taken, lesson learned, and future work needed.
Artemisiae Argyi Folium is commonly used in clinical practice. Artemisiae Verlotori Folium, the dried leaves of Artemisia verlotorum, is often used as a folk substitute for Artemisiae Argyi Folium in ...Lingnan area. In this study, gas chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry(GC-MS) was used to detect the volatile oil components of 27 samples of Artemisiae Verlotori Folium and 13 samples of Artemisiae Argyi Folium, and the volatile components were compared between the two species. The internal standard method was combined with multi-reaction monitoring mode(MRM) to determine the content of six major volatile components. Hierarchical clustering analysis(HCA) and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA) were carried out for the content data. The results showed that the Artemisiae Argyi Folium samples had higher content and more abundant volatile oils than the Artemisiae Verlotori Folium samples. Artemisiae Argyi Folium mainly had the components with lower boiling points, while Arte
To develop and validate a radiomic nomogram for individualized prediction of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in HBV cirrhosis patients based on baseline magnetic resonance imaging examinations and ...clinical data.
364 patients with HBV cirrhosis from five hospitals were assigned to the training, internal validation, external validation-1 or external validation-2 cohort. All patients underwent baseline magnetic resonance image (MRI) scans and clinical follow-up within three-year time. Clinical risk factors and MRI-based features were extracted and analyzed. The radiomic signatures were built using the radiomics-score (Rad-score) that calculated for each patient as a linear weighted combination of selected MRI-based features. Prognostic performances of the clinical and radiomic nomograms were evaluated with Cox modeling in the training and validation cohorts.
Eighteen features were selected for inclusion in the Rad-score prognostic model. The radiomic signature from multi-sequence MRI yielded a concordance index (C-index) of 0.710, 0.681, 0.632 and 0.658 in the training, internal validation, external validation-1, external validation-2 cohorts, respectively. Sex and Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) class were the most prognostic clinical risk factors in univariate Cox proportional hazards analyses. The radiomic combined nomogram that integrated the radiomic signature with the clinical factors yielded a C-index of 0.746, 0.710, and 0.641 in the training, internal validation, and external validation-1 cohorts, respectively, which was an improvement over either the clinical nomogram or radiomic signature alone.
We developed an MRI-based radiomic combined nomogram with good discrimination ability for the individualized prediction of HCC in HBV cirrhosis patients within three-year time.
Abstract Bone morphogenetic protein-4 (BMP4) is a member of the bone morphogenetic protein family which plays an important role in bone formation, inflammation and cardiac hypertrophy. The aim of ...this study was to investigate the underlying molecular mechanism that BMP4-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. H9c2 cells were used to measure cell surface area and protein synthesis. Western blot was used to examine hypertrophic marker brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) protein expression and phosphorylation of ERK1/2. The results exhibited that cell surface area, protein synthesis and BNP protein expression were increased with BMP4 treatment. While PD98059 inhibited these effects of BMP4. In addition, BMP4 treatment increased phosphorylation of ERK1/2 in a time- and dose-dependent manner. PD98059 treatment decreased phosphorylation of ERK1/2 that was increased by BMP4. These results suggest that BMP4 induces cardiomyocyte hypertrophy through the activation of ERK1/2 cell signaling pathway.
•A new composite dike was identified from the Aksu blueschist terrane in NW Tarim.•The composite dike consists of deformed granites and undeformed diabases.•The metamorphic age of the Aksu Group can ...be precisely constrained at 800–780 Ma.•Tectonic switch from orogeny to intraplate extension occurred at mid-Neoproterozoic.
It is widely acknowledged that the Tarim Craton plays a crucial role in the supercontinent Rodinia. However, the timing and regime of the Neoproterozoic orogeny, as well as the subsequent tectonic evolution along the northern margin of the Tarim Craton, remain contentious. Recent research has revealed a composite dike in the Aksu blueschist terrane located in the NW Tarim, which sheds new light on the pivotal Neoproterozoic tectonic transition. This dike comprises deformed granites and undeformed diabases, resulting from two-episode igneous events shortly after the orogenic metamorphism. The granites exhibit S-type affinities, with high silica, calcic-alkalic, and peraluminous compositions. Enriched isotopic signatures and diagnostic inherited zircons suggest that they derived from the metasedimentary rocks of the accretionary complex. Conversely, the following diabase dike displays tholeiitic affinity, right-sloping REE patterns, enriched LILEs, and a pronounced depletion of high-field-strength elements. Moderately enriched Sr-Nd isotopes and chondrite-akin Hf isotopes of these diabases imply that they were likely derived from partial melting of the metasomatized subcontinental lithospheric mantle. Zircon U-Pb chronological results reveal that the crystallization of these granites occurred at around 780 Ma. When combined with the maximum depositional age of protolith of the Aksu Group metapsammite obtained by detrital zircon dating, the metamorphic age of the Aksu blueschist terrane is limited to a short duration of 800–780 Ma, which is similar to the syn-orogenic metamorphism and crustal melting in the NE Tarim margin constrained to 830–790 Ma. Structural and petrological analysis suggests that the granites underwent deformation and dynamic recrystallization, while the diabases did not. This likely reflects the post-orogenic processes followed by the extrusion of mafic dike swarm associated with lithospheric stretching. The composite dike highlights a rapid tectonic shift from orogeny to intraplate extension during the mid-Neoproterozoic (780–760 Ma). Widespread late Neoproterozoic intraplate mafic and A-type granitic magmatism occurred in the Tarim and its adjacent blocks (Central Tianshan, Yili, and Kazakhstan) along the southwestern Central Asian Orogenic Belt, indicating that these blocks shared a similar geodynamic evolution related to the breakup of Rodinia.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
In materials discovery, it is key to explore the structure-composition relationships and machine learning can be used as an effective tool. However, the complexity of conventional machine-learning ...and the lack of model interpretability make it difficult to derive simple descriptive formulas. Herein, we propose a new method to integrate extreme feature engineering and automated machine learning for exploring structure-composition relationships. Cubic perovskite oxides have attracted huge attention because of their excellent electrical-catalytic properties for electrocatalysts and fuel cells, exhibiting a universal formula of ABO3 with matching ionic sizes of A-site and B-site cations. The lattice constant is the only fundamental parameter of cubic crystal structure. In this work, we explore the structure-composition relationships between lattice constant and ionic radius of cubic perovskite oxides. Extreme feature engineering is applied to construct new descriptors and an important subset containing nine descriptors is obtained by recursive feature elimination. The optimal descriptor ln(1+rB) is found and the expression a=2.2527ln(1+rB)+2.8181 for the lattice constant a is obtained by linear regression algorithm, only related with B-site ionic radii. Thus, the influence of B-site ionic radii on the lattice constants is much more significant than others. The results indicate that the new method contributes to explore structure-composition relationships without a priori knowledge, accelerates materials design and optimization, and provides a new approach for materials discovery.
•Adaptively learning structure-composition relationships of cubic perovskite oxides.•A new method of extreme feature engineering and automated machine learning.•A lot of new descriptors are recursively and automatically extracted.•An optimal descriptor ln(1+rB) is successfully obtained.•Effect of B-site ionic radii on lattice constants is more significant than others.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
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