Structural-functional connectivity decoupling in multiscale brain networks in Parkinson's disease.

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease associated with functional and structural alterations beyond the nigrostriatal dopamine projection. However, the structural-functional (SC-FC) coupling changes in combination with subcortical regions at the network level are rarely investigated in PD.

Methods: SC-FC coupling networks were systematically constructed using the structural connectivity obtained by diffusion tensor imaging and the functional connectivity obtained by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging in 53 PD and 72 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs).

Mutation in FvPAL2 leads to light red strawberry fruits and yellow-green petioles.

In recent years, light red or white strawberries have attracted much attention because of their unusual color, however, the mechanism of strawberry color formation, especially light red strawberry color, is not well understood. By EMS mutagenesis of woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca), we identified two mutants, rg40 and rg120, with light red fruit and yellow-green petiole, and allelic hybridization and BSA mixed-pool sequencing revealed that the phenotype was caused by mutation in the FvPAL2 protein in the anthocyanin synthesis pathway. Enzyme activity experiments showed that the mutant FvPAL2 protein barely catalyzed the substrate conversion normally, thus blocking anthocyanin synthesis, which in turn led to a decrease in anthocyanin accumulation in fruits and petioles.

Insight into the microbial diversity and community in the sacrificial pits of Sanxingdui site (Sichuan, China).

Introduction: The Sanxingdui site (Sichuan, China) is the typical representative of the ancient Shu culture, which lasts from the late Neolithic to early Western Zhou. The sacrificial pits are located in the core region of Sanxingdui site, and numerous artifacts are unearthed including ivory, seashells, bronzes, pottery, jade, stone, gold, bone, and horn products. The function of the pits and buried artifacts has always been the focus, but the microbiome around artifacts attracts less attention.

Global, regional, and national burden of HIV and tuberculosis and predictions by Bayesian age-period-cohort analysis: a systematic analysis for the global burden of disease study 2021.

Objective: To assess sex, age, regional differences, and the changing trend in human immunodeficiency virus and tuberculosis (HIV-TB) in different regions from 1990 to 2021, and project future trends.

Methods: Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 data were analyzed to assess HIV-TB incidence, death, prevalence, and DALY rates from 1990 to 2021, including different types of TB co-infections (drug-susceptible, multidrug-resistant, and extensively drug-resistant). Bayesian age-period-cohort models were used to forecast age-standardized DALY rates through 2035.

Genetic variation in Arabidopsis thaliana reveals the existence of natural heat resilience factors for meiosis.

Heat interferes with multiple meiotic processes, leading to genome instability and sterility in flowering plants, including many crops. Despite its importance for food security, the mechanisms underlying heat tolerance of meiosis are poorly understood. In this study, we analyzed different meiotic processes in the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) accessions Columbia (Col) and Landsberg erecta (Ler), their F1 hybrids, and the F2 offspring under heat stress (37°C).

Topical riboflavin versus 5-aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy for the treatment of mild to moderate acne: A split-face randomized study.

Background: ALA-PDT has been widely used in mild to moderate acne vulgaris worldwide. However, very few studies used riboflavin-PDT to treat acne vulgaris.

Objective: To investigate the efficacy and adverse events of riboflavin-PDT to treat mild to moderate facial acne, and compare it with ALA-PDT on a non-inferiority basis.

High-Quality SnSe Thin Films for Self-Powered Devices and Multilevel Information Encryption.

As semiconductor technology advances toward miniaturization and portability, thin films with excellent thermoelectric performance have garnered increasing attention, particularly for applications in self-powered devices and temperature-responsive sensors. The high Seebeck coefficient of SnSe thin films makes them promising for temperature sensing, but their poor electrical conductivity limits their potential as thermoelectric generators. In this work, high-quality -axis oriented SnSe thin films were deposited on quartz substrates by using magnetron sputtering.

SLC25A21 correlates with the prognosis of adult acute myeloid leukemia through inhibiting the growth of leukemia cells via downregulating CXCL8.

In recent years, targeting mitochondrial apoptosis has emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy for Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). The SLC25 family of mitochondrial carriers plays a critical role in maintaining mitochondrial function and regulating apoptosis. However, the role of SLC25A21, an oxodicarboxylate carrier, in AML progression and its potential as a prognostic biomarker remain underexplored.

Whole slide image based prognosis prediction in rectal cancer using unsupervised artificial intelligence.

Background: Rectal cancer is a common cancer worldwide and lacks effective prognostic markers. The development of prognostic markers by computational pathology methods has attracted increasing attention. This paper aims to construct a prognostic signature from whole slide images for predicting progression-free survival (PFS) of rectal cancer through an unsupervised artificial intelligence algorithm.

Association between periodontal disease and atherosclerosis: a bibliometric analysis.

Background: In recent years, the relationship between periodontal disease (PD) and atherosclerosis (AS) has garnered significant scholarly attention. Chronic inflammation induced by PD may promote the onset and progression of AS through multiple mechanisms. Given the increasing global incidence of both PD and AS, which adversely affects patients' quality of life and longevity, further investigation into the interplay between PD and AS is of substantial clinical importance.

Exosomes in esophageal cancer: function and therapeutic prospects.

Esophageal cancer (EC) is one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide. Exosomes are a type of extracellular vesicles produced by eukaryotic cells and present in all body fluids. Recent studies have revealed that exosomes can be used as a tool for cell signaling and have great potential in cancer diagnosis and treatment strategies.

Transient flow field characteristics of scraper pump based on viscosity wall strategy.

This study presents an innovative scraper pump design. The design utilizes the synchronized movement of the upper and lower scrapers of the rotor to adjust the cavity volumes on either side, facilitating efficient fluid transfer. Unlike previous studies, scraper pumps face the challenge of dynamic contact between the scraper and the rotor due to their unique structure.

Clinical Characteristics and Survival Outcomes of Patients With Primary and Secondary Plasma Cell Leukemia According to the 2021 Definition: A Single Center Retrospective Study.

Introduction: Plasma cell leukemia (PCL) is a rare malignancy with poor overall survival (OS). Recently, its diagnostic criteria were revised by lowering the threshold of circulating plasma cells from ≥ 20% to ≥ 5%.

Methods: Between 2010 and 2024, patients with primary PCL (pPCL) and secondary PCL (sPCL) were identified at a tertiary center.

A core-shell structured crystalline@amorphous MnO with enhanced plasma catalytic degradation performance for volatile organic sulfur compounds and degradation mechanism exploration.

A crystalline@amorphous MnO (HT@RT) plasma catalyst was successfully constructed in this study to address the problem of odor pollution, especially from volatile organic sulfur compounds (VOSCs) with low olfactory thresholds. Complete conversion of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) at 140 J/L was achieved, and the ozone concentration in the exhaust gas was maintained below 5 ppm. Deeper mineralization of DMS was achieved in the HT@RT sample than in the individual HT and RT samples.

Photon-counting phase-stabilized dual-comb ranging.

Dual-comb ranging (DCR), with its superior overall performance compared to traditional ranging technologies, has recently attracted widespread interest in the research community. Nevertheless, the ranging distance or the material of the targets is limited by the detection sensitivity of optical asynchronous linear sampling. This limitation restricts the application of DCR in several highly significant scenarios.

MAFB-mediated CEBPA regulated human urothelium growth through Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

MAFB is essential for regulating male-type urethral differentiation, and especially, its variation can contribute to hypospadias in mice. However, the potential mechanism is still unclear. Here we observed that the basic leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factor MAFB and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha (CEBPA) could promote human urothelium SV-HUC-1 growth.

Luminescence Properties of Bi-Doped GdO Phosphor under UV and X-ray Excitation.

X-ray excited luminescence in scintillators plays a crucial role in applications ranging from medical diagnostics to industrial quality inspection and scientific research. This study explores the potential of Bi-doped GdO phosphors as next-generation scintillators, leveraging their broad-spectrum emission characteristics to achieve higher light yields. We synthesized GdO:Bi phosphors in two crystalline phases─cubic and monoclinic─using a high-temperature solid-phase method.

Comparison of functional characterization of cancer stem cells in different tumor tissues of pseudomyxoma peritonei.

Background: Pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) is a rare malignant peritoneal tumor that readily recurs and metastasizes. Studies have shown that cancer stem cells (CSCs) play an important role in tumor recurrence, metastasis, and prognosis.

Objective: In this study, our aim was to isolate CSCs from various tissues of PMP patients and compare their proliferation, migration, and anti-inflammatory abilities.

Bisphenol A disrupts the neuronal F-actin cytoskeleton by activating the RhoA/ROCK/LIMK pathway in Neuro-2a cells.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an environmental endocrine disruptor that is widely present in the environment and has been reported to affect neuronal cytoskeleton and neural function. However, the exact molecular mechanisms remain unclear. In the present study, the effects of BPA on cytoskeleton rearrangement were examined, and the associated signaling pathways, which were influenced by the RhoA/ROCK/LIMK pathway in Neuro-2a cells in vitro, were identified.

Peierls Distortion Induced Giant Linear Dichroism, Second-Harmonic Generation, and In-Plane Ferroelectricity in NbOBr.

The Peierls distortion plays an essential role in governing the in-plane ferroelectricity and nonlinear optical characteristics of anisotropic niobium oxide dihalides, such as NbOCl and NbOI. Despite its significance, experimental investigation into the structural, optical, and ferroelectric properties of NbOBr has been lacking. Here, the successful fabrication of centimeter-sized, high-quality NbOBr single crystals, enabling direct observation of Peierls distortion using aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy, is reported.

Low protein diet influences mineral absorption and utilization in medium-growing yellow-feathered broilers from 1 to 30 days of age.

Reduced-protein diet can save protein ingredients and reduce nitrogen (N) losses. However, the effect of low protein diet on the mineral uptake and utilization in broilers needs to be explored. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of low-protein diet on the growth performance, N deposition, mineral contents in serum, tissues and excreta, and the activities and gene expression of related enzymes in tissues of medium-growing yellow-feathered broilers, so as to elucidate the relationship between dietary protein level and the absorption and utilization of minerals in broilers.

Integrated Transcriptomic Analyses of Liver and Mammary Gland Tissues Reveals the Regulatory Mechanism Underlying Dairy Goats at Late Lactation When Feeding Rumen-Protected Lysine.

Although low-protein diets can improve the nitrogen utilization efficiency and alleviate economic pressures in ruminants, they may also negatively impact dairy performance. Rumen-protected lysine (RPL) supplementation can improve the health status and growth performance of ruminants without compromising nitrogen utilization efficiency and feed intake. In this study, a total of thirty-three multiparous dairy goats in the late-lactation period were randomly divided into three groups that were separately fed the control diet (namely the protein-adequacy group), the low-protein diet (namely the protein-deficient group), and the RPL-supplemented protein-deficient diet (namely RPL-supplementation group) for five weeks.