Differential Responses of Rice Genotypes to Nitrogen Supply: Impacts on Nitrogen Metabolism and Chlorophyll Fluorescence Kinetics.

Nitrogen (N) availability significantly influences plant metabolism and productivity. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of low N stress and subsequent N supplementation on key enzymes of nitrogen metabolism, nitrogen metabolism-related substances, and chlorophyll a fluorescence kinetic parameters in rice genotypes with different nitrogen utilization efficiencies. We used the Jijing 88 (low-N tolerant) and Xinong 999 (low-N sensitive) as test materials.

Flexible ag-SiO microsphere SERS substrate integrated microfluidic Chip for fungal pathogen detection in rapeseed crop.

Rapeseed Sclerotinia stem rot, caused by Sclerotinia fungi, is a devastating agricultural disease-causing massive yield losses globally. However, the current rapeseed Sclerotinia stem rot detection and control using Raman spectroscopy is limited, and unable to meet the demand for high-precision detection and integration of various types of Sclerotinia stem rot fungus. In this study, a flexible 3D core-shell Ag-SiO microsphere SERS substrate integrated with a pumpless multichannel microfluidic chip was proposed.

Blood Pressure Responses During Exercise Were Associated With Average Home Blood Pressure and Home Blood Pressure Variability: The Electronic Framingham Heart Study.

Background: Abnormal exercise blood pressure (BP) responses are associated with hypertension and cardiovascular disease, but their relationship with home BP over a mid- to long-term time span is unknown.

Methods: At an FHS (Framingham Heart Study) research examination (2016-2019), participants underwent maximum incremental ramp cycle ergometry cardiopulmonary exercise testing with BP measured every 2 minutes. At the same exam, English-speaking participants enrolled in the electronic FHS with an iPhone were provided with a digital BP cuff to measure home BP weekly for 1 year.

Standardized training assessment of residents in obstetrics and gynecology on entrustable professional activities.

Background: Entrustable professional activity (EPA) presents trainees' tasks or responsibilities which are entrusted to the unsupervised execution once they have attained sufficient specific competence. EPAs evaluation emphasize the integrity of medical behavior, directly reflecting the clinical ability of trainees and reflect the trust of trainers. Compared with other evalution method, EPAs evaluation is more close to clinical practice and can better reflect clinical competence.

Response of Photosynthesis and Chlorophyll Fluorescence to Nitrogen Changes in Rice with Different Nitrogen Use Efficiencies.

Nitrogen is a key element in promoting crop growth and development and improving photosynthesis. This study aimed to study the response of two rice genotypes to the restoration of N supply after varying periods of N deficiency. We used the low-nitrogen-tolerant rice Jijing 88 (JJ 88) and the nitrogen-sensitive rice variety Xinong 999 (XN 999) as test materials.

Entrustable professional activities for pediatric and subspecialties residency training in China.

Background And Objectives: Outcome-based medical education is the latest focus in the past decade, and Entrustable Professional Activities(EPAs) have emerged as efficient vehicles to assess physicians. However, few studies have discussed the use of EPAs for residency training in pediatric medicine and its subspecialties. We conducted a pilot study to examine the feasibility of EPAs as a component of the clinical program of assessment in pediatric standardized residency training.

Patterns of Adherence to Home Blood Pressure Monitoring Among Men and Women in the Electronic Framingham Heart Study.

Background: Worldwide, there are differences in hypertension control by sex. The use of home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM) is associated with lower average blood pressures and higher medication adherence. However, little is known about adherence trajectories and sex differences in HBPM.

Amidoxime-functionalized carboxymethylcellulose based porous hydrogels adsorbent fabricated from oyster shell stabilized Pickering emulsions for enhanced adsorption of Gd and Er.

Rare earth elements are strategic resources with diverse applications. However, during mining, wastewater rich in these elements is generated, leading to the loss of valuable rare-earth resources and poses a significant environmental threat. Therefore, a sustainable strategy for recycling rare earth elements from secondary sources is essential.

Hydrogen generators-protected mesenchymal stem cells reverse articular redox imbalance-induced immune dysfunction for osteoarthritis treatment.

Stem cell therapy has revolutionized the management of osteoarthritis (OA), but the articular dysregulated redox status diminishes cell engraftment efficiency and disrupts immune homeostasis, therefore compromising the overall therapeutic efficacy. Here, we present hydrogen (H) generators-backpacked mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) which preserve the biological functions and survival of transplanted cells and reverse articular immune dysfunction, mitigating OA. Specifically, post systemic transplantation, H generators-laden MSCs home to OA joints, and upon stimulation in acidic OA environment, H produced from the generators remodels articular redox balance, thereby relieving the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, decreasing cell apoptosis rate, and maintaining pluripotent and paracrine functions of MSCs.

Rejuvenation Modulation of Nucleus Pulposus Progenitor Cells Reverses Senescence-Associated Intervertebral Disc Degeneration.

The decreased regeneration potential of aging nucleus pulposus resident progenitor cells (NPPCs) fails to resist intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD), and strategies to remodel the regeneration capacity of senescent NPPC are urgently needed. A decrease in Klotho gene expression in NPPCs of both old mice and humans exacerbates the impaired regenerative functionality of NPPC. Here, an NPPC-targeted lipid thymine nanoparticle (NT-LNP) is reported for the in situ manipulation of the regenerative repair potential of NPPCs, restoration of degenerated nucleus pulposus tissue, and mitigation of IVDD.

Mechanistic insights into surfactant-induced transformation of chromium-bearing schwertmannite and chromate redistribution during dissolution and recrystallization.

Schwertmannite (Sch) is a typical metastable iron hydroxysulfate mineral found in acid sulfate soil and mine drainage, and it is susceptible to environmental factors and the transformation and concomitant release and re-adsorption of trapped heavy metals. Therefore, understanding the mechanism that induces Sch transformation and governs heavy metal redistributions is integral for both environmental science and geochemistry research. Given the widespread environmental accumulation of surfactants through human activities, an important yet understudied question arises: How do surfactants influence the transformation of Sch under such environmental conditions? To answer this query, this study investigated the transformation of chromium (Cr)-bearing schwertmannite (Sch-Cr) induced by anionic and cationic surfactants and the subsequent redistribution of Cr(VI).

Baseline Smartphone App Survey Return in the Electronic Framingham Heart Study Offspring and Omni 1 Study: eCohort Study.

Background: Smartphone apps can be used to monitor chronic conditions and offer opportunities for self-assessment conveniently at home. However, few digital studies include older adults.

Objective: We aim to describe a new electronic cohort of older adults embedded in the Framingham Heart Study including baseline smartphone survey return rates and survey completion rates by smartphone type (iPhone [Apple Inc] and Android [Google LLC] users).

Multi-indicator assessment of heavy metal pollution in Qinzhou Harbour sediments: Unraveling ecological and human health risks.

The study of heavy metal content in the sediments of the coastal zone of Qinzhou Harbour was used to analyse the level, distribution and sources of heavy metal pollution in the region and its hazards to the ecological environment and human health. The results showed that the average concentrations of Mn, Ni, Cr, Cu, and Pb exceeded background values along the shores of Qinzhou Harbour, Guangxi. Comprehensive assessments using Igeo, RI, and PLI identified Cu, Ni, and Pb as primary contaminants in the area, presenting slight to moderate ecological risks and biological toxic effects.

Decreased histone H3K9 dimethylation in synergy with DNA demethylation of Spi-1 binding site contributes to ADAMTS-5 expression in articular cartilage of osteoarthritis mice.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is defined by articular cartilage degeneration, synovial membrane inflammation, and abnormal bone remodeling. Recent study has discovered that OA development is linked to an aberrant epigenetic modification of OA-related genes. Our previous research showed that DNA demethylation in ADAMTS-5 promoter region had a substantial impact on ADAMTS-5 expression in the mouse OA model.

The effectiveness of intravenous zoledronic acid in elderly patients with osteoporosis after rotator cuff repair: a retrospective study.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of zoledronic acid (ZA) on postoperative healing and functional rehabilitation in osteoporotic patients with rotator cuff (RC) injury. 96 Patients were divided into three groups according to bone mineral density and ZA use (Group A: normal BMD; Group B: osteoporosis and intravenous ZA use; Group C: osteoporosis, without ZA use). Radiologic, functional and Serological outcomes were evaluated 6 months after surgery.

Association analysis of mitochondrial DNA heteroplasmic variants: Methods and application.

We rigorously assessed a comprehensive association testing framework for heteroplasmy, employing both simulated and real-world data. This framework employed a variant allele fraction (VAF) threshold and harnessed multiple gene-based tests for robust identification and association testing of heteroplasmy. Our simulation studies demonstrated that gene-based tests maintained an appropriate type I error rate at α = 0.

Exploring Unique Extracellular Vesicles Associated Signatures: Prognostic Insights, Immune Microenvironment Dynamics, and Therapeutic Responses in Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma.

Extracellular vesicles play an important role in the progression of pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) through the transfer of proteins, mRNAs, and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). However, the intricate interplay between extracellular vesicles-related lncRNAs and the tumor microenvironment (TME) remains poorly elucidated. Consequently, our investigation aimed to delineate the association between extracellular vesicles-related lncRNAs and the PAAD microenvironment.

Silver coated PS microsphere array SERS microfluidic chip for pesticide detection.

Carbendazim and acetamidine are pesticides that widely used to control pests and diseases in oilseed rape. In this paper, a rapid, accurate and reliable method was proposed for the detection of carbendazim and acetamidine with SERS microfluidic chip technology. Ag-ps(Polystyrene microspheres) microsphere SERS substrate was prepared by spin coating and magnetron sputtering deposition of Ag.

Agreement Between Apple Watch and Actical Step Counts in a Community Setting: Cross-Sectional Investigation From the Framingham Heart Study.

Background: Step counting is comparable among many research-grade and consumer-grade accelerometers in laboratory settings.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the agreement between Actical and Apple Watch step-counting in a community setting.

Methods: Among Third Generation Framingham Heart Study participants (N=3486), we examined the agreement of step-counting between those who wore a consumer-grade accelerometer (Apple Watch Series 0) and a research-grade accelerometer (Actical) on the same days.

Polyethylene imine-modified photonic crystal microfluidic chip for highly sensitive detection of microbial spores.

To address the lengthy cycles, complex operations, high costs, and insufficient sensitivity of biomarker detection in traditional biological control agents, photonic crystal treated with PEI was developed for highly sensitive detection of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum microbial spores. By incorporating gelatin molecules, photonic crystal is endowed with excellent photothermal stability and high stability in aqueous solutions. The photonic crystal surface is conferred a positive charge by PEI, which can be used to enhance the adsorption of spores.

g-CN modified natural low-grade dolomite-palygorskite: Removal capacity and adsorption mechanism for Gd.

Rare earth elements (REEs) pose significant environmental challenges due to the wastewater generated during their extraction. Developing efficient adsorbents with simple, economical and eco-friendly methods for removing and recovering REEs from wastewater is highly demanded but full of challenges. This study creates a novel adsorbent (g-CN/0.

Smartphone App Designed to Collect Health Information in Older Adults: Usability Study.

Background: Studies evaluating the usability of mobile-phone assessments in older adults are limited.

Objective: This study aims to identify design-based barriers and facilitators to mobile app survey completion among 2 samples of older adults; those in the Framingham Heart Study and a more diverse sample from a hospital-based setting.

Methods: We used mixed methods to identify challenging and beneficial features of the mobile app in participants from the electronic Framingham Heart Study (n=15; mean age of 72 years; 6/15, 40% women; 15/15, 100% non-Hispanic and White) and among participants recruited from a hospital-based setting (n=15; mean age of 71 years; 7/15, 47% women; 3/15, 20% Hispanic; and 8/15, 53% non-White).

Seismic noise in South China Sea: High-quality time-frequency analysis from 0.01 to 125 Hz.

An efficient and precise time-frequency analysis method for real-time ocean bottom seismometer (RTOBS) data in the South China Sea (SCS) is presented. Overcoming the limitations of conventional methods, the method involves temporal segmentation, unique frequency octaves, and Fourier transforms to generate power spectral density (PSD) and probability density function profiles. The method demonstrates superior precision, computational efficiency, and full-bandwidth (0 to Nyquist) capability compared to traditional techniques, as validated through theoretical and empirical evaluations.

Paucatalinone A from Paulownia Catalpifolia Gong Tong Elicits mitochondrial-mediated cancer cell death to combat osteosarcoma.

As the global cancer burden escalates, the search for alternative therapies becomes increasingly vital. Natural products, particularly plant-derived compounds, have emerged as promising alternatives to conventional cancer treatments due to their diverse bioactivities and favorable biosafety profiles. Here, we investigate Paucatalinone A, a newly discovered geranylated flavanone derived from the fruit of Gong Tong, notable for its significant anti-cancer properties.