Predicting Severe Radiation Pneumonitis in Patients With Locally-Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer After Thoracic Radiotherapy: Development and Validation of a Nomogram Based on the Clinical, Hematological, and Dose-Volume Histogram Parameters.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the risk factors for severe radiation pneumonitis (RP) after thoracic radiotherapy (RT) in patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), develop a prediction model to identify high-risk groups, and investigate the impact of severe RP on overall survival (OS).

Methods: We retrospectively collected clinical, dosimetric, and hematological factors of patients with stage III NSCLC receiving thoracic RT without immunotherapy. The primary and secondary end points were severe RP and OS, respectively.

HDAC11 in ovarian granulosa cells coordinates LH in the maturation of oocytes in Tan sheep.

Oocyte maturation plays an important role in supporting mammalian reproduction. Histone deacetylase 11 (HDAC11), the only member of the class IV histone deacetylase family and the smallest histone deacetylases (HDACs), has been shown to regulate oocyte maturation in mice and pigs. However, the epigenetic effects of HDACs in follicular granulosa cells in response to LH induction remain elusive in sheep.

Vapour-liquid-solid-solid growth of two-dimensional non-layered β-BiO crystals with high hole mobility.

Currently, p-type two-dimensional (2D) materials lag behind n-type ones in both quantity and performance, hindering their use in advanced p-channel transistors and complementary logic circuits. Non-layered materials, which make up 95% of crystal structures, hold the potential for superior p-type 2D materials but remain challenging to synthesize. Here we show a vapour-liquid-solid-solid growth of atomically thin (<1 nm), high-quality, non-layered 2D β-BiO crystals on a SiO/Si substrate.

Facilitating Maize Seed Germination Under Heat Stress via Exogenous Melatonin.

Seed germination is a critical phase during which plants are particularly sensitive to environmental stresses, especially heat stress, due to the high metabolic and physiological activities required for initial growth. Melatonin (MT), a key antioxidant, is crucial for assisting plants in managing abiotic stresses. While the impact of melatonin on heat stress has been explored in other developmental stages or species, this is the first study to specifically focus on its role during maize seed germination under heat stress.

Exploring ABI5 regulation: Post-translational control and cofactor interactions in ABA signaling.

Abscisic acid insensitive 5 (ABI5) is a pivotal transcription factor in abscisic acid (ABA) signaling, playing an essential role in plant growth and responses to abiotic stress. This key regulator is subject to multifaceted regulation, especially on post-translational mechanisms. Recent research has shed light on the post-translational regulation of ABI5, encompassing both post-translational modifications (PTMs) and the modulation of its transcriptional activity.

Instantaneous self-recovery and ultra-low detection limit hydrogel electronic sensor for temporomandibular disorders intelligent diagnosis.

Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) intelligent diagnosis promises to elevate clinical efficiency and facilitate timely TMD management for patients. However, development of TMD intelligent diagnostic tools with high accuracy and sensitivity presents challenges, particularly in sensing minute deformations and ensuring rapid self-recovery. Here we report a biocompatible hydrogel electronic sensor with instantaneous self-recovery (within 2.

Degenerated vision, altered lipid metabolism, and expanded chemoreceptor repertoires enable Lindaspio polybranchiata to thrive in deep-sea cold seeps.

Background: Lindaspio polybranchiata, a member of the Spionidae family, has been reported at the Lingshui Cold Seep, where it formed a dense population around this nascent methane vent. We sequenced and assembled the genome of L. polybranchiata and performed comparative genomic analyses to investigate the genetic basis of adaptation to the deep sea.

The role of gut microbiota in a generalist, golden snub-nosed monkey, adaptation to geographical diet change.

Changes in diet causing ecological stress pose a significant challenge to animal survival. In response, the gut microbiota, a crucial part of the host's digestive system, exhibits patterns of change reflective of alterations in the host's food component. The impact of temporal dietary shifts on gut microbiota has been elucidated through multidimensional modeling of both food component and macronutrient intake.

Near-infrared spectroscopy combined with support vector machine for the identification of Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum (L.) Gaertn) adulteration using wavelength selection algorithms.

The frequent occurrence of adulterating Tartary buckwheat powder with crop flours in the market necessitates an urgent need for a simple analysis method to ensure the quality of Tartary buckwheat. This study employed near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) for the collection of spectral data from Tartary buckwheat samples adulterated with whole wheat, oat, soybean, barley, and sorghum flours. The competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS) and successive projection algorithm (SPA) were deployed to identify informative wavelengths.

A Comparative Study of Methods for Calculating the Dislocation Density in GaN-on-Si Epitaxial Wafers.

A series of characterization methods involving high-resolution X-ray diffraction (HR-XRD), electron channel contrast imaging (ECCI), cathodoluminescence microscopy (CL), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were applied to calculate the dislocation density of GaN-on-Si epitaxial wafers, and their performance was analyzed and evaluated. The ECCI technique, owing to its high lateral resolution, reveals dislocation distributions on material surfaces, which can visually characterize the dislocation density. While the CL technique is effective for low-density dislocations, it is difficult to accurately identify the number of dislocation clusters in CL images as the density increases.

Quantitative characterization of the crosslinking degree of hydroxypropyl guar gum fracturing fluid by low-field NMR.

As a widely used water-based fracturing fluid, the performance of hydroxypropyl guar gum fracturing fluid is closely related to the degree of crosslinking, the quantitative characterization of which can reveal a detailed crosslinking mechanism and guide the preparation of fracturing fluid gels with an excellent performance. However, the commonly used high-temperature rheology method for evaluating the performance of fracturing fluids only qualitatively reflects the degree of crosslinking. In this study, low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) was used to characterize the degree of crosslinking in guar gum fracturing fluid gels.

A Supramolecular Antibiotic Targeting Drug-Resistant through the Inhibition of Virulence Factors and Activation of Acquired Immunity.

The bacterium is an exceptionally resilient opportunistic pathogen, presenting formidable challenges for treatment due to its proclivity for developing drug resistance. To address this predicament, we have devised a self-assembled supramolecular antibiotic known as dHTSN1@pHP, which can circumvent the drug resistance mechanism of and effectively combat infection by impeding the secretion of key virulence factors through the inhibition of the type III secretion system while simultaneously mobilizing immune cells to eradicate . Furthermore, dHTSN1@pHP was ingeniously engineered with infection-targeting capabilities, enabling it to selectively concentrate precisely at the site of infection.

Interrelationships among College Students' Perceptions of Smart Classroom Environments, Perceived Usefulness of Mobile Technology, Achievement Emotions, and Cognitive Engagement.

Cognitive engagement is a crucial factor that shapes successful learning outcomes, but our understanding of the factors that influence such engagement in the smart classroom context remains limited. This study aims to narrow this research gap by exploring the relationships among college students' perceptions of the smart learning environment, perceived usefulness of mobile technology, achievement emotions, and cognitive engagement. A total of 1293 college students completed an online questionnaire survey, and 1076 valid responses were received.

The U-box E3 ubiquitin ligase PUB35 negatively regulates ABA signaling through AFP1-mediated degradation of ABI5.

Abscisic acid (ABA) signaling is crucial for plant responses to various abiotic stresses. The Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) transcription factor ABA INSENSITIVE 5 (ABI5) is a central regulator of ABA signaling. ABI5 BINDING PROTEIN 1 (AFP1) interacts with ABI5 and facilitates its 26S-proteasome-mediated degradation, although the detailed mechanism has remained unclear.

Enhancing semantic segmentation in chest X-ray images through image preprocessing: ps-KDE for pixel-wise substitution by kernel density estimation.

Background: In medical imaging, the integration of deep-learning-based semantic segmentation algorithms with preprocessing techniques can reduce the need for human annotation and advance disease classification. Among established preprocessing techniques, Contrast Limited Adaptive Histogram Equalization (CLAHE) has demonstrated efficacy in improving segmentation algorithms across various modalities, such as X-rays and CT. However, there remains a demand for improved contrast enhancement methods considering the heterogeneity of datasets and the various contrasts across different anatomic structures.

A Simply Synthesized Shaking-induced Small Molecule System with Repeatable and Instantaneous Discoloration Response.

Force-related discoloration materials are highly valuable because of their characteristics of visualization, easy operation, and environment friendliness. Most force-related discoloration materials focus on polymers and depend on bond scission, which leads to insensitivity and unrecoverable. Small-molecule systems based on well-defined molecular structures and simple composition with high sensitivity would exhibit considerable mechanochromic potential.

Clinical predictors of severe radiation pneumonitis in patients undergoing thoracic radiotherapy for lung cancer.

Background: Severe radiation pneumonitis (RP), one of adverse events in patients with lung cancer receiving thoracic radiotherapy, is more likely to lead to more mortality and poor quality of life, which could be predicted by clinical information and treatment scheme. In this study, we aimed to explore the clinical predict model for severe RP.

Methods: We collected information on lung cancer patients who received radiotherapy from August 2020 to August 2022.

Research on defect detection of bottle cap interior based on low-angle and large divergence angle vision system.

During the machine vision inspection of the inner section of bottle caps within pharmaceutical packaging, the unique conca bottom and convex side walls often create obstructions to the illumination. Consequently, this results in challenges such as irregular background and diminished feature contrast in the image, ultimately leading to the misidentification of defects. As a solution, a vision system characterized by a Low-Angle and Large Divergence Angle (LALDA) is presented in this paper.

Genome-Wide Analysis of Transcription Factor Gene Family and Gene Expression Profiles during Anthocyanin Synthesis in Common Walnut ( L.).

The gene family, encoding plant transcriptional regulators, participates in many metabolic pathways of plant physiology and development, including flavonoid metabolism and anthocyanin synthesis. This study proceeded as follows: the gene family was analyzed genome-wide, and the family members were identified and characterized using the high-quality walnut reference genome "Chandler 2.0".

Evaluating the spatial accessibility and spatial layout optimization of HIV/AIDS healthcare services in Shandong Province, China.

Improving access to HIV/AIDS healthcare services is of great concern to government and policymakers striving to strengthen overall public health. How to reasonably allocate HIV/AIDS healthcare resources and maximize the equality of access to healthcare services across subdistrict areas has become an urgent problem to be solved. However, there is limited research on this topic in China.

The Effect of the Barrier Layer on the Uniformity of the Transport Characteristics of AlGaN/GaN Heterostructures on HR-Si(111).

The high transport characteristics of AlGaN/GaN heterostructures are critical components for high-performance electronic and radio-frequency (RF) devices. We report the transport characteristics of AlGaN/GaN heterostructures grown on a high-resistivity (HR) Si(111) substrate, which are unevenly distributed in the central and edge regions of the wafer. The relationship between the composition, stress, and polarization effects was discussed, and the main factors affecting the concentration and mobility of two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) were clarified.

An Experimental Investigation of the Precipitation Utilization of Plants in Arid Regions.

What represents a water source for the ecological restoration of a plant in an arid region is still up to debate. To address this issue, we conducted an in situ experiment in the Ulan Buh Desert of China, to study desert plants absorbing atmospheric water vapor. We selected Tamarisk, a common drought-salt-tolerant species in the desert, for ecological restoration as our research subject, used a newly designed lysimeter to monitor precipitation infiltration, and a sap flow system to track reverse sap flow that occurred in the shoot, branch, and stem during the precipitation event, and observed the precipitation redistribution process of the Tamarisk plot.

Induction immunochemotherapy followed by definitive chemoradiotherapy for unresectable locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer: a multi-institutional retrospective cohort study.

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of induction immunochemotherapy followed by definitive chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for unresectable locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC). We identified unresectable stage III NSCLC patients who received induction immunochemotherapy. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were the primary endpoints.