Genetic interaction network of quantitative trait genes for heading date in rice.

Several quantitative trait genes (QTGs) related to rice heading date, a key factor for crop development and yield, have been identified, along with complex interactions among genes. However, a comprehensive genetic interaction network for these QTGs has not yet been established. In this study, we use 18K-rice lines to identify QTGs and their epistatic interactions affecting rice heading date.

Effect of hyperthermia combined with opioids on cancer pain control and surgical stress in patients with gastrointestinal cancer.

Background: Surgical palliative surgery is a common method for treating patients with middle and late stage gastrointestinal tumors. However, these patients generally experience high levels of cancer pain, which can in turn stimulate the body's stress and undermine the effect of external surgery. Although opioid drugs have a significantly positive effect on controlling cancer pain, they can induce adverse drug reactions and potential damage to the body 's immune function.

[Intrathyroid thymic carcinoma: report of a case].

Intrathyroid thymic carcinoma（ITTC） is a rare thyroid tumor that lacks typical clinical manifestations and imaging features, making preoperative diagnosis challenging.The primary treatment for ITTC is radical surgery; however, the effectiveness of adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy post-surgery is not well-established. This paper presents a case of ITTC , analyzing the clinical data and correlating it with the literature to explore the clinical manifestations, diagnostic approach, treatment, and prognosis of ITTC.

A feasibility study of using virtual noncontrast images synthesized from dual-energy computed tomography for radiotherapy treatment planning.

Background: In the traditional computed tomography (CT) simulation process, patients need to undergo CT scans before and after injection of iodine-based contrast agent, resulting in a cumbersome workflow and additional imaging dose. Contrast-enhanced spectral CT can synthesize true contrast-enhanced (TCE) images and virtual noncontrast (VNC) images in a single scan without geometric misalignment. To improve work efficiency and reduce patients' imaging dose, we studied the feasibility of using VNC images for radiotherapy treatment planning, with true noncontrast (TNC) images as references and explored its dosimetric advantages compared to using TCE images.

Two mixed-valent cerium oxo clusters: synthesis, structure, and self-assembly.

Studies on cerium oxo clusters (CeOCs) are not only significant for understanding the redox and hydrolysis behaviors of Ce(III/IV) ions but also crucial for the rational synthesis of novel clusters and nanoceria with specific Ce(III)/Ce(IV) ratios. Here, two sets of reactions were conducted using cerium nitrate and HO-oxidized cerium nitrate, resulting in the formation of two distinct mixed-valent CeOCs [Ce Ce O(OH)(PhCO)(DMF)] (Ce) and [Ce Ce O(OH)(PhCO)(DMF)] (Ce). These two clusters exhibit different structures and Ce(III)/Ce(IV) ratios, demonstrating the critical role of cerium oxidation states and the occurrence of redox reactions in cluster formation.

Corrosion Resistance of CrO, ZrO, and MnO Oxide Films to Lead-Bismuth Eutectic: A Comparative Study.

In this study, the stability of CrO, ZrO, and MnO oxide films in high-temperature liquid lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) was systematically investigated using both experimental and first principles calculation methods. The research findings indicated that CrO demonstrated superior structural integrity at corrosion temperatures of both 600 °C and 700 °C and displayed exceptional resistance to LBE corrosion. ZrO demonstrates resistance to LBE infiltration.

Interaction between walkability and fine particulate matter on ischemic heart disease: A prospective cohort study in China.

Background: Previous studies have suggested that neighborhoods characterized by higher walkability are related to a reduced risk of ischemic heart disease (IHD), whereas exposure to PM is positively associated with risk of IHD. Nevertheless, their joint impact on IHD warrants further investigation.

Methods: This prospective cohort study was performed in Yinzhou, Ningbo, China, comprising 47,516 participants.

Grafting Buffer Layer Strategy onto the Nanofiltration Membrane to Enhance Antifouling Properties toward Highly Efficient Desalination.

Water treatment and seawater desalination are two areas in which nanofiltration (NF) membranes have gained significant attention. The permeability and contamination resistance of NF membranes are crucial for their application in ion separation. Herein, a zwitterion monomeric -sulfobutylpiperazine (PIPBS) was designed and synthesized through an in situ ring-opening reaction between 1,4-butylsulfonic acid lactone and piperazine.

Assessment of the potential for carbon sink enhancement in the overlapping ecological project areas of China.

Ecological engineering can significantly improve ecosystem carbon sequestration. However, few studies have projected the carbon sink trends in regions where ecological engineering projects overlap and have not considered the different climate change conditions and land use scenarios. Using the ensemble empirical mode decomposition method and machine learning algorithms (enhanced boosted regression trees), the aims of this study to elucidate the stability of carbon sinks and their driving mechanisms in areas where ecological projects overlap and to predict the potential enhancement in carbon sinks under varying climate and human activity scenarios.

Metabolic marker-assisted genomic prediction improves hybrid breeding.

Hybrid breeding is widely acknowledged as the most effective method for increasing crop yield, particularly in maize and rice. However, a major challenge in hybrid breeding is selecting desirable combinations from a vast pool of potential crosses. Genomic selection (GS) has emerged as a powerful tool to tackle this challenge, but its success in practical breeding depends on prediction accuracy.

The chromosome-level genome assembly of an endangered herb Bergenia scopulosa provides insights into local adaptation and genomic vulnerability under climate change.

Background: Global climate change poses severe threats to biodiversity and ecosystem stability. Rapid climate oscillations potentially lead to species geographic range shifts, population declines, and even extinctions. The rare and endangered species, being critical components of regional biodiversity, hold the key to understanding local adaptation and evolutionary processes shaping species distributions.

Pretreatment with growth differentiation factor 15 augments cardioprotection by mesenchymal stem cells in myocardial infarction by improving their survival.

Background: The clinical application of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in myocardial infarction (MI) is severely hampered by their poor survival. Pretreatment is a key strategy that has been adopted to promote their therapeutic efficacy. This study aimed to investigate the benefit of growth differentiation factor 15-pretreated MSCs (GDF15-MSCs) in enhancing cardiac repair following MI and to determine the underlying mechanisms.

Interobserver variability of clinical target volume delineation in patients undergoing breast-conserving surgery without surgical clips: a pilot study on preoperative magnetic resonance simulation.

Background: In patients undergoing breast-conserving therapy without surgical clip implantation, the accuracy of tumor bed identification and the consistency of clinical target volume (CTV) delineation under computed tomography (CT) simulation remain suboptimal. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of implementing preoperative magnetic resonance (MR) simulation on delineations by assessing interobserver variability (IOV).

Methods: Preoperative MR and postoperative CT simulations were performed in patients who underwent breast-conserving surgery with no surgical clips implanted.

The Influence of Grain Size on Microstructure Evolution in CeO under Xenon Ion Irradiation.

Large-grained UO is considered a potential accident-tolerant fuel (ATF) due to its superior fission gas retention capabilities. Irradiation experiments for cerium dioxide (CeO), used as a surrogate fuel, is a common approach for evaluating the performance of UO. In this work, spark plasma sintered CeO pellets with varying grain sizes (145 nm, 353 nm, and 101 μm) and a relative density greater than 93.

Outdoor light at night, air pollution and risk of incident type 2 diabetes.

Background: Air pollution and outdoor light at night (LAN) have been reported to be related to type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, their interaction with risk of T2D remains uncertain. Therefore, our study aimed to explore the relationship between outdoor LAN, air pollution and incident T2D.

Stability of gross primary productivity and its sensitivity to climate variability in China.

Identifying the stability and sensitivity of land ecosystems to climate change is vital for exploring nature-based solutions. However, the underlying mechanisms governing ecosystem stability and sensitivity, especially in regions with overlapping ecological projects, remain unclear. based on Mann-Kendall, stability analysis method, and multiple regression method, this study quantified the stability and sensitivity of gross primary productivity (GPP) to climate variables [temperature, vapor pressure deficit (VPD), soil moisture, and radiation] in China from 1982 to 2019.

Genetically predicted frailty index and risk of chronic kidney disease.

Previous findings have reported the association between frailty and chronic kidney disease. However, the causality remains ambiguous. This study aimed to determine whether frailty index is causally associated with chronic kidney disease.

Individual curved-needle interstitial template created using three-dimensional printing for brachytherapy for distal parauterine tumor recurrence.

Background: Achieving a clinically acceptable dose distribution with commercial vaginal applicators for brachytherapy of recurrent parauterine tumors is challenging. However, the application of three-dimensional (3D) printing technology in brachytherapy has been widely acknowledged and can improve clinical treatment outcomes.

Purpose: This study aimed to introduce an individual curved-needle interstitial template (ICIT) created using 3D printing technology for high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy with interstitial treatment to provide a clinically feasible approach to distal parauterine and vaginal cuff tumors.

Characterization of kilovoltage x-ray image guidance system with a novel post-processing algorithm on a new slip ring-mounted radiotherapy system.

Purpose: This study evaluates the performance of a kilovoltage x-ray image-guidance system equipped with a novel post-processing optimization algorithm on the newly introduced TAICHI linear accelerator (Linac).

Methods: A comparative study involving image quality tests and radiation dose measurements was conducted across six scanning protocols of the kV-cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) system on the TAICHI Linac. The performance assessment utilized the conventional Feldkamp-Davis-Kress (FDK) algorithm and a novel Non-Local Means denoising and adaptive scattering correction (NLM-ASC) algorithm.

Whole transcriptome sequencing indicated the Anti-tumor immunity of NLRP3 in breast cancer.

Breast cancer (BC) is a prevalent cancer of the female reproductive system and a major contributor to cancer-related mortality. The activation of NLRP3, a key inflammasome, has been extensively associated with tumor-related molecular and cellular processes; however, the regulatory mechanisms and specific role of NLRP3 in breast cancer remain incompletely elucidated. This study aimed to evaluate the molecular mechanisms of NLRP3-related genes in BC.

Comparative Effectiveness of Interventional Therapy versus Exercise Rehabilitation in Stable Angina Patients with Severe Coronary Artery Stenosis.

Background: Management strategies for stable angina include pharmacotherapy, revascularization, and exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation (CR). The optimal treatment for stable angina patients with severe coronary artery stenosis remains unclear. This study aimed to compare interventional therapy with exercise rehabilitation in this population.

Multiplex Profiling of miR-122 for Preclinical and Clinical Evaluation of Drug-Induced Liver Injury by a Full-Scale Platform.

Diagnostic and monitoring for drug-induced liver injury (DILI) predominantly rely on serum aminotransferases. However, owing to their widespread expression across multiple organs, a significant challenge emerges from the absence of reliable biomarkers for DILI diagnosis. Herein, we introduce a concept for DILI detection, circumventing the nonspecific elevation and delayed release of aminotransferases and then straightforwardly focusing on the core feature of DILI, abnormal gene expression caused by drug overdose.

A dosimetric comparison of brachytherapy sources for endometrial cancer: an electronic brachytherapy and an iridium-192 source with multichannel cylinders and a three-dimensional technique.

Background And Purpose: Ir192 vaginal brachytherapy (IBT) is commonly used for patients with postoperative endometrial cancer (EC). We devised a novel multichannel vaginal applicator that could be equipped with an electronic brachytherapy (EBT) device. We aimed to explore the differences in physical parameters between the EBT and IBT.