Ultrafast structural dynamics of UV photoexcited ,-1,3-cyclooctadiene observed with time-resolved electron diffraction.

Conjugated diene molecules are highly reactive upon photoexcitation and can relax through multiple reaction channels that depend on the position of the double bonds and the degree of molecular rigidity. Understanding the photoinduced dynamics of these molecules is crucial for establishing general rules governing the relaxation and product formation. Here, we investigate the femtosecond time-resolved photoinduced excited-state structural dynamics of ,-1,3-cyclooctadiene, a large-flexible cyclic conjugated diene molecule, upon excitation with 200 nm using mega-electron-volt ultrafast electron diffraction and trajectory surface hopping dynamics simulations.

Novel associations between KCNQ1 rs231840 polymorphism and preeclampsia in Chinese gestational women: A case-control candidate genetic study.

Preeclampsia is a complex disorder with genetic and environmental interactions. In this study, we analyzed the associations of KCNQ1gene polymorphisms with preeclampsia in Chinese pregnant women. The 3 candidate single-nucleotide polymorphisms rs231840, rs2237892, and rs2237895 were genotyped in this case-control study; clinical and biochemical data were included and SNPs were gathered from 248 individuals with preeclampsia and 237 controls.

Positional differences in the micro- and ultra-structural variations of ray parenchyma cells during the transformation from sapwood to heartwood.

Ray parenchyma cells are involved in the initiation of heartwood formation. The position within a ray influences the timing of ray parenchyma cell differentiation and function; however, there is little information concerning the positional influence on the cellular changes of ray parenchyma cells from sapwood and heartwood. In this study, radial variations in morphology, size, and ultrastructure of ray parenchyma cells were studied by combined transmission electron microscopy and optical microscopy.

Large-volume fully automated cell reconstruction generates a cell atlas of plant tissues.

The geometric shape and arrangement of individual cells play a role in shaping organ functions. However, analyzing multicellular features and exploring their connectomes in centimeter-scale plant organs remain challenging. Here, we established a set of frameworks named Large-Volume Fully Automated Cell Reconstruction (LVACR), enabling the exploration of three-dimensional (3D) cytological features and cellular connectivity in plant tissues.

Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of oridonin derivatives as novel NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitors for the treatment of acute lung injury.

Acute lung injury (ALI) is a severe respiratory disorder closely associated with the excessive activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. Oridonin (Ori), a natural diterpenoid compound, had been confirmed as a specific covalent NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitor, which was completely different from that of MCC950. However, the further clinical application of Ori was limited by its weak inhibitory activity against NLRP3 inflammasome (IC = 1240.

Analysis of the efficacy of angiojet percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy combined with catheter-directed thrombolysis versus catheter-directed thrombolysis alone in the treatment of subacute iliofemoral deep venous thrombosis in elderly patients.

Purpose: To analysis the clinical efficacy of Angiojet percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy (PMT) combined with Catheter-Directed Thrombolysis (CDT) compared to CDT in treatment of subacute iliofemoral deep venous thrombosis (IFDVT) in elderly patients.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of the clinical data of 117 elderly patients hospitalized for subacute IFDVT was conducted. The patients'basic perioperative data and 2-years follow-up data were compared.

EMCMDA: predicting miRNA-disease associations via efficient matrix completion.

Abundant researches have consistently illustrated the crucial role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in a wide array of essential biological processes. Furthermore, miRNAs have been validated as promising therapeutic targets for addressing complex diseases. Given the costly and time-consuming nature of traditional biological experimental validation methods, it is imperative to develop computational methods.

Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of novel sesquiterpene lactone derivatives as PKM2 activators with potent anti-ulcerative colitis activities.

Pyruvate kinase isoform 2 (PKM2) is closely related to the regulation of Th17/Treg balance, which is considered to be an effective strategy for UC therapy. Parthenolide (PTL), a natural product, only possesses moderate PKM2-activating activity. Thus, five series of PTL derivatives are designed and synthesized to improve PKM2-activated activities and anti-UC abilities.

Opening the black box: explainable deep-learning classification of wood microscopic image of endangered tree species.

Background: Traditional method of wood species identification involves the use of hand lens by wood anatomists, which is a time-consuming method that usually identifies only at the genetic level. Computer vision method can achieve "species" level identification but cannot provide an explanation on what features are used for the identification. Thus, in this study, we used computer vision methods coupled with deep learning to reveal interspecific differences between closely related tree species.

Three-dimensional reconstruction and multiomics analysis reveal a unique pattern of embryogenesis in Ginkgo biloba.

Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba L.) is one of the earliest extant species in seed plant phylogeny. Embryo development patterns can provide fundamental evidence for the origin, evolution, and adaptation of seeds.

Targeting carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1A (CPT1A) induces ferroptosis and synergizes with immunotherapy in lung cancer.

Despite the successful application of immune checkpoint therapy, no response or recurrence is typical in lung cancer. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been identified as a crucial player in immunotherapy-related resistance. Ferroptosis, a form of cell death driven by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation, is highly regulated by cellular metabolism remolding and has been shown to have synergistic effects when combined with immunotherapy.

Convolutional sparse coding for compressed sensing photoacoustic CT reconstruction with partially known support.

In photoacoustic tomography (PAT), imaging speed is an essential metric that is restricted by the pulse laser repetition rate and the number of channels on the data acquisition card (DAQ). Reconstructing the initial sound pressure distribution with fewer elements can significantly reduce hardware costs and back-end acquisition pressure. However, undersampling will result in artefacts in the photoacoustic image, degrading its quality.

Analyses of high spatial resolution datasets identify genes associated with multi-layered secondary cell wall thickening in Pinus bungeana.

Background And Aims: Secondary cell wall (SCW) thickening is a major cellular developmental stage determining wood structure and properties. Although the molecular regulation of cell wall deposition during tracheary element differentiation has been well established in primary growth systems, less is known about the gene regulatory processes involved in the multi-layered SCW thickening of mature trees.

Methods: Using third-generation [long-read single-molecule real-time (SMRT)] and second-generation [short-read sequencing by synthesis (SBS)] sequencing methods, we established a Pinus bungeana transcriptome resource with comprehensive functional and structural annotation for the first time.

Ultrafast electronic relaxation pathways of the molecular photoswitch quadricyclane.

The light-induced ultrafast switching between molecular isomers norbornadiene and quadricyclane can reversibly store and release a substantial amount of chemical energy. Prior work observed signatures of ultrafast molecular dynamics in both isomers upon ultraviolet excitation but could not follow the electronic relaxation all the way back to the ground state experimentally. Here we study the electronic relaxation of quadricyclane after exciting in the ultraviolet (201 nanometres) using time-resolved gas-phase extreme ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy combined with non-adiabatic molecular dynamics simulations.

Dosimetric Effect of Thymus and Thoracic Duct on Radiation-Induced Lymphopenia in Patients With Primary Lung Cancer Who Received Thoracic Radiation.

Purpose: Radiation-induced lymphopenia is a well-recognized factor for tumor control and survival in patients with cancer. This study aimed to determine the role of radiation dose to the thymus and thoracic duct on radiation-induced lymphopenia.

Methods And Materials: Patients with primary lung cancer treated with thoracic radiation therapy between May 2015 and February 2020 with whole blood count data were eligible.

IGF2BP3 Enhances the Growth of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Tumors by Regulating the Properties of Macrophages and CD8 T Cells in the Tumor Microenvironment.

Background And Aims: Overexpression of IGF2BP3 is associated with the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, its role in regulating tumor immune microenvironment (TME) is not well characterized. Here, we investigated the effects of IGF2BP3 on macrophages and CD8 T cells within the TME of HCC.

Spatial organization and connectivity of wood rays in Pinus massoniana xylem based on high-resolution μCT-assisted network analysis.

Spatial organization and connectivity of wood rays in Pinus massoniana was comprehensively viewed and regarded as anatomical adaptions to ensure the properties of rays in xylem. Spatial organization and connectivity of wood rays are essential for understanding the wood hierarchical architecture, but the spatial information is ambiguous due to small cell size. Herein, 3D visualization of rays in Pinus massoniana was performed using high-resolution μCT.

Insights into asynchronous changes of cell wall polymers accumulated in different cell types during conifer xylem differentiation.

An improved understanding of the events involved in cell wall polymers deposition during xylem development could provide new scientific ways for molecular regulation and biomass utilization. Axial and radial cells are spatially heterogeneous and have highly cross-correlated developmental behavior, whereas the deposition of corresponding cell wall polymers during xylem differentiation is less studied. To clarify our hypothesis that cell wall polymers of two cell types accumulated asynchronously, we performed hierarchical visualization, including label-free in situ spectral imaging of different polymer compositions during the development of Pinus bungeana.

The G allele of SNP rs3922 reduces the binding affinity between IGF2BP3 and CXCR5 correlating with a lower antibody production.

Effective vaccines that function through humoral immunity seek to produce high-affinity antibodies. Our previous research identified the single-nucleotide polymorphism rs3922G in the 3'UTR of CXCR5 as being associated with nonresponsiveness to the hepatitis B vaccine. The differential expression of CXCR5 between the dark zone (DZ) and light zone (LZ) is critical for organizing the functional structure of the germinal center (GC).

Discovery of Novel Sesquiterpene Lactone Derivatives as Potent PKM2 Activators for the Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis.

The pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) can significantly affect the differentiation of Th17 and Treg cells; thus, it is considered a promising target for UC therapy. Herein, five series of () derivatives are designed, synthesized, and biologically evaluated. Among them, exhibits excellent immunomodulatory activity against T-cell proliferation and potent PKM2 activating activity.

Safety, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of SHR7280, an oral gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor antagonist, in healthy men: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 1 study.

Background: Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonists are a promising therapeutic approach for treating hormone-dependent prostate cancer. Currently, the mainstream GnRH antagonists are polypeptide agents administered through subcutaneous injection. In this study, we evaluated the safety, pharmacokinetics (PK), and pharmacodynamics (PD) of SHR7280, an oral small molecule GnRH antagonist, in healthy men.