Stomatal and Hydraulic Redundancy Allows Woody Species to Adapt to Arid Environments.

Functional redundancy is considered a pivotal mechanism for maintaining the adaptability of species by preventing the loss of key functions in response to dehydration. However, we still lack a comprehensive understanding of the redundancy of leaf hydraulic systems along aridity gradients. Here, photosynthesis (A), stomatal conductance (g) and leaf hydraulic conductance (K) during dehydration were measured in 20 woody species from a range of aridity index (AI) conditions and growing in a common garden to quantify stomatal redundancy (SR), the extent of stomatal opening beyond the optimum required for maximum photosynthesis (A), leaf hydraulic redundancy (HR), and the extent of leaf hydraulic conductance (K) beyond the optimum required for maximum g (g).

Perfluorooctanoic acid and its alternatives disrupt the osteogenesis and osteoclastogenesis balance: Evidence from the effects on cell differentiation process.

In the present study, we investigated the effects of a representative of the per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) chemical group, namely perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and its alternatives (perfluorobutanoic acid [PFBA] and the hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid [GenX]) on bone homeostasis, a process that mainly depends on osteoblast (OB) and osteoclast (OC) activities at the cellular level. C3H10T1/2 cells and bone marrow macrophages (BMMs) were respectively induced into OBs and OCs, and treated with PFOA, PFBA, and GenX at doses of 0.25, 2.

Expert consensus on apical microsurgery.

Apical microsurgery is accurate and minimally invasive, produces few complications, and has a success rate of more than 90%. However, due to the lack of awareness and understanding of apical microsurgery by dental general practitioners and even endodontists, many clinical problems remain to be overcome. The consensus has gathered well-known domestic experts to hold a series of special discussions and reached the consensus.

Adding Insult to Injury: When Atrial Fibrillation Encounters Left Bundle Branch Block.

Background: It is not uncommon that atrial fibrillation (AF) coexists with left bundle branch block (LBBB). Whether LBBB is an independent predictor of poor prognosis in AF patients remains undetermined. This study aims to investigate the impact of LBBB on the AF-related outcomes in non-valvular AF patients.

SHIP-1 regulates the differentiation and function of Tregs via inhibiting mTORC1 activity.

Cell metabolism is crucial for orchestrating the differentiation and function of regulatory T cells (Tregs). However, the underlying mechanism that coordinates cell metabolism to regulate Treg activity is not completely understood. As a pivotal molecule in lipid metabolism, the role of SHIP-1 in Tregs remains unknown.

Impact of different antiretroviral therapy regimens on bone mineral density in people living with HIV: a retrospective and longitudinal study in China.

Background: HIV infection and antiretroviral therapy (ART) are associated with bone loss of people living with HIV (PLWH), but limited studies exist on the impacts of ART regimens on bone mineral density (BMD) in China. This study evaluated BMD changes with three common ART regimens: tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) + lamivudine (3TC) + efavirenz (EFV), tenofovir alafenamide (TAF)-containing, and dolutegravir (DTG)-containing (non-TDF/non-TAF) therapies.

Methods: In this retrospective study, the prevalence of low BMD was analyzed in PLWH who underwent dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) before ART initiation.

Engineering the Reaction Pathway of a Non-heme Iron Oxygenase Using Ancestral Sequence Reconstruction.

Non-heme iron (Fe), α-ketoglutarate (α-KG)-dependent oxygenases are a family of enzymes that catalyze an array of transformations that cascade forward after the formation of radical intermediates. Achieving control over the reaction pathway is highly valuable and a necessary step toward broadening the applications of these biocatalysts. Numerous approaches have been used to engineer the reaction pathway of Fe/α-KG-dependent enzymes, including site-directed mutagenesis, DNA shuffling, and site-saturation mutagenesis, among others.

Drivers' reactions to real-world forward collision warnings at both macroscopic and microscopic longitudinal levels: A functional approach.

Understanding drivers' reactions to in-vehicle forward collision warnings (FCWs) is vital for advancing FCW design and improving road safety. However, past studies often used aggregated safety measures to analyze the drivers' reactions to FCWs, thereby at the microscopic level, limiting our ability to understand drivers' reactions to FCWs at particular timestamps immediately after FCWs are issued. Additionally, there has been a notable absence of studies at the macroscopic perspective focusing on analyzing how drivers' reactions to FCWs evolve over an extended period of time.

KPNB1-ATF4 induces BNIP3-dependent mitophagy to drive odontoblastic differentiation in dental pulp stem cells.

Background: Differentiating dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) into odontoblasts is a critical process for tooth self-repair and dentine‒pulp engineering strategies in the clinic. However, the mechanism underlying the regulation of DPSC odontoblastic differentiation remains largely unknown. Here, we demonstrated that BCL-2 interacting protein 3 (BNIP3)-dependent mitophagy is associated with importin subunit beta-1 (KPNB1)-activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4), which promotes DPSC odontoblastic differentiation.

Potential Roles of Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1 in Alzheimer's Disease: Beneficial or Detrimental?

The major pathological characteristics of Alzheimer's disease (AD) include senile plaques and neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), which are mainly composed of aggregated amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptide and hyperphosphorylated tau protein, respectively. The excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and neuroinflammation are crucial contributing factors to the pathological mechanisms of AD. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) is a transcription factor critical for tissue adaption to low-oxygen tension.

eEF2K as an important kinase associated with cancer survival and prognosis.

Eukaryotic Elongation Factor 2 Kinase (eEF2K), a member of the α-kinase family, services as a crucial negative regulator of protein synthesis, particularly under conditions of cellular stress. A pan-cancer analysis of eEF2K expression, genetic variants, and clinical relevance across multiple tumor types was performed using data from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and GEO. Our findings suggest that eEF2K has dual roles in cancer progression, with its expression correlating with patient prognosis.

Biocontrol Agents Inhibit Banana Fusarium Wilt and Alter the Rooted Soil Bacterial Community in the Field.

Banana is an important fruit and food crop in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. Banana production is seriously threatened by Fusarium wilt of banana (FWB), a disease caused by f. sp.

Recurrence scoring system predicting early recurrence for patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma undergoing pancreatectomy and portomesenteric vein resection.

Background: Pancreatectomy with concomitant portomesenteric vein resection (PVR) enables patients with portomesenteric vein (PV) involvement to achieve radical resection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, however, early recurrence (ER) is frequently observed.

Aim: To predict ER and identify patients at high risk of ER for individualized therapy.

Methods: Totally 238 patients undergoing pancreatectomy and PVR were retrospectively enrolled and were allocated to the training or validating cohort.

Postoperative serum tumor markers-based nomogram predicting early recurrence for patients undergoing radical resections of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Background: Early recurrence (ER) is associated with dismal outcomes in patients undergoing radical resection for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Approaches for predicting ER will help clinicians in implementing individualized adjuvant therapies. Postoperative serum tumor markers (STMs) are indicators of tumor progression and may improve current systems for predicting ER.

Association between arteriosclerosis, hemodynamic indices, and the risk of falls: receiver operating characteristic curve analysis for different indices in older individuals.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the risk factors for falls and evaluate the correlation between arteriosclerosis, hemodynamic indices, and the risk of falls in older individuals.

Method: This cross-sectional study included 920 individuals aged 60 and above from the cadre ward of the First Hospital of Jilin University. Data were obtained from the comprehensive geriatric assessment database of the cadre ward.

Effectiveness of different pharmacological or non-pharmacological interventions on preventing coughing during extubation: a protocol for a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Introduction: Coughing during extubation can lead to several postoperative complications, including surgical site bleeding, intracranial hypertension and high intraocular pressure. Currently, various pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions are employed in clinical practice to reduce coughing during extubation. However, it is unclear which of these interventions has the best preventive effect and the fewest adverse events.

Non-pharmacologic interventions for treating fear of cancer recurrence in patients with cancer: A network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of non-pharmacological interventions on fear of cancer recurrence in patients with cancer by synthesizing evidence from various studies using the net meta-analysis (NMA) approach. Additionally, the study sought to rank the efficacy of these interventions.

Methods: Two investigators independently searched the PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Web of Science databases to identify randomized controlled trials(RCTs) that met the inclusion criteria.

Cognitive Benefits of Reducing Indoor Particulate Matter Exposure During Sleep: New Evidence from a Randomized, Double-blind Crossover Trial.

There is increasing evidence that particulate matter (PM) pollution may adversely impact cognition. Considering that sleep is critical for cognitive health and occupies about one-third of human life, understanding the cognitive effects of indoor PM exposure during sleep and the potential cognitive benefits of reducing such exposure is crucial, yet currently unknown. This randomized, double-blind crossover intervention trial was conducted among 80 college students with real and sham PM filtration in their dormitories.

Bisphenol A and its metabolites promote white adipogenesis and impair brown adipogenesis in vitro.

Bisphenol A (BPA), an obesogen, can disrupt adipogenesis in vitro, but these studies did not distinguish adipocytes as white or brown. BPA can be metabolized into BPA-glucuronide (BPA-G) and BPA-sulfate (BPA-S). These metabolites are not completely inactive in the body, but the related studies remain limited.

PP2A licenses the FANCD2/FANCI complex for chromosome loading.

The Fanconi anemia (FA) pathway removes interstrand crosslinks (ICLs) between the Watson-Crick strands of the DNA double helix in humans. Central to the pathway is the FANCD2/FANCI complex, which must be loaded onto chromosomes. Here, we report the identification of a PP2A phosphatase complex, which specifically dephosphorylates an inhibitory cluster in FANCD2, thereby licensing its loading in response to DNA damage.

Effect of soil and community factors on the yield and medicinal quality of growth at different altitudes of the Funiu mountain.

Altitude and ecological factors significantly influence plant growth and the accumulation of secondary metabolites. However, current research on the impact of altitude and ecological factors on the yield and medicinal quality of is limited. This study established sampling sites in wild populations of across seven altitude ranges on Funiu Mountain.