YOLO-ED: An efficient lung cancer detection model based on improved YOLOv8.

In recent years, You Only Look Once (YOLO) models have gradually been applied to medical image object detection tasks due to their good scalability and excellent generalization performance, bringing new perspectives and approaches to this field. However, existing models overlook the impact of numerous consecutive convolutions and the sampling blur caused by bilinear interpolation, resulting in excessive computational costs and insufficient precision in object detection. To address these problems, we propose a YOLOv8-based model using Efficient modulation and dynamic upsampling (YOLO-ED) to detect lung cancer in CT images.

Phosphorylation of the transcription factor PoWRKY31 by PoKIN10 activates lignin biosynthesis to improve tree peony drought tolerance.

The SNF1-Related Protein Kinase 1 (SnRK1) signaling cascade is highly conserved and plays a crucial role in coordinating various cellular processes in plants. However, its regulatory mechanisms in stress responses remain largely unclear. Here, we started from the perspectives of transcriptional regulation, protein-protein interaction, and posttranslational modification, and through the integration of multiple molecular biology approaches and functional validation methods, we conducted a detailed analysis of the mechanisms by which PoKIN10 (SnRK1 catalytic subunit), PoWRKY31, PoWRKY75, and PoCCoAOMT participate in drought tolerance in tree peony.

Sequential Activation of N-OH and C-H to Yield a Square Metal-Organic Network Featuring Heterogeneous Nodes on Ag(100).

The incorporation of heterogeneous nodes can significantly enhance the catalytic and optoelectronic properties of metal-organic networks (MONs) because of the resulting uneven charge distribution and unique metal centers. On-surface synthesis (OSS) has emerged as a powerful strategy for constructing advanced MONs with heterogeneous metal-organic nodes. Herein, we report the fabrication of an MON featuring N-Ag-C heterogeneous nodes, achieved via thermally induced sequential N-OH and C-H activation on Ag(100).

Inhibition of Cholesterol Synthesis in T Cells Protects the Liver Against Steatosis, Inflammation, and Oxidative Stress in Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is a manifestation of systemic metabolic disease defined by abnormal lipid metabolism and causes liver disease. Inflammation driven by immune cells has been linked to liver damage, fibrosis, and the progression of MASH. Here, single-cell transcriptome analysis disclosed the increasing hepatic infiltration of CD8 T cells in a murine methionine- and choline-deficient (MCD) diet-induced MASH model.

Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation alleviates inflammation-induced depression by modulating peripheral-central inflammatory cytokines and the NF-κB pathway in rats.

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the mechanisms of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) in a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute inflammatory depression model in rats, focusing on the regulation of peripheral pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and the effects on the NF-κB signaling pathway in the prefrontal cortex.

Methods: A depressive-like behavior model was established via intraperitoneal injection of LPS, and rats were randomly assigned to a normal group, a model group, and a taVNS intervention group. Behavioral assessments included the sucrose preference test (SPT), open field test (OFT), and elevated plus maze test (EPM) to evaluate depressive-like behaviors.

Hippocampal Transcriptome Analysis in a Mouse Model of Chronic Unpredictable Stress Insomnia.

: This study aimed to develop a model for understanding stress-induced sleep disturbances and to explore the potential interactions between sleep disturbances and mood disturbances. : The chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) group was established using the CUMS method, while the CUMS+Noise group was subjected to an additional 8-h exposure to noise in conjunction with the CUMS protocol. Each group was tested for anxiety and depressive-like behavior using the open-field, elevated plus maze, tail suspension, and forced swimming tests in male C57BL/6J mice.

CCCNet: Criss-cross attention enhanced cross layer refinement network for lane detection in complex scenarios.

Lane detection plays a crucial role in autonomous driving systems by enabling vehicles to comprehend road structure and ensure safe navigation. However, the current performance of lane line detection models, such as CCNet, exhibits limitations in handling difficult driving conditions like shadows, nighttime, no lines,and dazzle, which significantly impact the safety of autonomous driving. In addition, due to the lack of attention to both the global and local aspects of road images, this issue becomes even more pronounced.

Rapid characterization of the chemical composition and metabolic transformation of flavonoids in Da-Cheng-Qi Decoction guided by feature-based molecular networking and sequential metabolism strategy.

Flavonoids in Da-Cheng-Qi Decoction (DCQD), especially polymethoxyflavones (PMFs) and hydroxylated polymethoxyflavones (OH-PMFs), remain to be further explored considering their various biological activities. This study proposed an integrated strategy combining feature-based molecular networking (FBMN) and sequential metabolism strategy for the flavonoids analysis in DCQD extracts and in vivo. Firstly, based on FBMN annotation, a total of 102 flavonoids were identified in DCQD, including 14 flavones, 18 flavanones, 3 flavonols, 8 PMFs, 16 OH-PMFs aglycones and 43 OH-PMFs glycosides, among which 35 OH-PMFs glycosides were first reported as potential new compounds and the isomers of PMFs and OH-PMFs were innovatively discriminated by RDA fragmentation ions A, A and B.

Methionine Metabolism Dictates PCSK9 Expression and Antitumor Potency of PD-1 Blockade in MSS Colorectal Cancer.

Nutrient metabolisms are vitally interrelated to cancer progression and immunotherapy. However, the mechanisms by which nutrient metabolisms interact to remodel immune surveillance within the tumor microenvironment remain largely unexplored. Here it is demonstrated that methionine restriction inhibits the expression of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), a key regulator of cholesterol homeostasis and a potential target for cancer immunotherapy, in colorectal cancer (CRC) but not in the liver.

Robust and optimal control of open quantum systems.

Recent advancements in quantum technologies have highlighted the importance of mitigating system imperfections, including parameter uncertainties and decoherence effects, to improve the performance of experimental platforms. However, most of the previous efforts in quantum control are devoted to the realization of arbitrary unitary operations in a closed quantum system. Here, we improve the algorithm that suppresses system imperfections and noises, providing notably enhanced scalability for robust and optimal control of open quantum systems.

Metal Nanoclusters as Highly Efficient, Versatile Type-II Photoinitiators via Generating Radicals from Non-Conventional Hydrogen Donors.

Development of highly efficient photocatalysis or photoinitiation systems that are applicable to various types of illumination source is critical to virtually all the light-driven applications. Here, we report a generalizable strategy to achieve highly sensitive, versatile photoinitiation systems based on the combination of metal nanoclusters with non-conventional hydrogen donors (co-initiators). Discovery of this type-II photoinitiation pathway in metal nanoclusters not only improves their two-photon initiation sensitivity by up to three-orders-of-magnitude, it further opens the door for metal nanoclusters to trigger the photopolymerization using the low-power UV light-emitting diodes.

Targeting Lactic Acid Modification in Ischemic Heart Diseases: Novel Therapeutics and Mechanism.

Ischemic heart disease (IHD), especially acute myocardial infarction (AMI), has a high mortality rate and poses a great threat to human health. When myocardial infarction occurs, the structure and function of the myocardium are significantly damaged, and its metabolisms switch from oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis, producing lactate. Lactylation, as a newly discovered post-translational modification (PMT) in recent years, is involved in the regulation of gene expression, and cell proliferation.

TRPV4 as a Novel Regulator of Ferroptosis in Colon Adenocarcinoma: Implications for Prognosis and Therapeutic Targeting.

Background: Colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4), a calcium-permeable non-selective cation channel, has been implicated in various cancers, including COAD. This study investigates the role of TRPV4 in colon adenocarcinoma and elucidates its potential mechanism via the ferroptosis pathway.

Blocking GP130 binding in interleukin-11 through site-specific PEGylation attenuates bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice.

Recent insights have identified interleukin-11 (IL-11) as a pivotal profibrotic cytokine, with its signaling through IL-11Rα and GP130 receptors emerging as a promising therapeutic target for fibrotic diseases. Herein, we developed receptor-biased IL-11 via site-specific PEGylation at the GP130 binding interface, aiming to explore its therapeutic potential for bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice. By conducting single site-directed cysteine mutagenesis at site II or site III of IL-11, we refined the conjugation site, demonstrating that mutation at site III exhibits heightened sensitivity to GP130 binding and signaling.

Association between pyrrolizidine alkaloids exposure and risk of abnormal serum indices-Insights from a descriptive cross-sectional study in Yunnan Province.

The hazard of pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) has been widely reported in animal studies but rarely in population-based research, especially reports about daily exposure. A single-centre descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 552 Lahu Autonomous County residents recruited in 2021. Blood PAs exposure biomarker (pyrrole- protein adduct, PPA) and serum biochemical indices were measured.

Pathways linking loneliness and depressive symptoms among Chinese adolescents: The mediating role of sleep disturbance.

Background: Despite growing evidence linking loneliness and depressive symptoms, the underlying pathways remain unclear. This study aims to assess the impact of loneliness on depressive symptoms among Chinese adolescents and investigate the potential mediating role of sleep disturbance.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between November and December 2021.

The development and validation of a prognostic prediction modeling study in acute myocardial infarction patients after percutaneous coronary intervention: hemorrhea and major cardiovascular adverse events.

Background: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is one of the most important diagnostic and therapeutic techniques in cardiology. At present, the traditional prediction models for postoperative events after PCI are ineffective, but machine learning has great potential in identification and prediction of risk. Machine learning can reduce overfitting through regularization techniques, cross-validation and ensemble learning, making the model more accurate in predicting large amounts of complex unknown data.

Regulation of hippocampal miRNA expression by intestinal flora in anxiety-like mice.

This study investigated the possible interaction between gut flora and miRNAs and the effect of both on anxiety disorders. The model group was induced with chronic restraint stress (CRS) and each group was tested for anxiety-like behaviour by open field test and elevated plus maze test. Meanwhile, the gut flora was analysed by 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing.

Functional Characterization of the Gene under Drought Stress.

With persistent elevation in global temperature, water scarcity becomes a major threat to plant growth and development, yield security, agricultural sustainability, and food production. Proline, as a key osmolyte and antioxidant, plays a critical role in regulating drought tolerance in plants, especially its key biosynthetic enzyme, delta-1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthase (P5CS), which always positively responds to drought stress. As an important woody oil crop, the expansion of cultivation needs to address the issue of plant drought tolerance.

Does the internal surface treatment technique for enhanced bonding affect the color, transparency, and surface roughness of ultra-transparent zirconia?

Purpose: To investigate the effects of different surface treatments and thicknesses on the color, transparency, and surface roughness of ultra-transparent zirconia.

Methods: A total of 120 Katana ultra-translucent multi-layered zirconia specimens were divided into 12 groups according to the thickness (0.3, 0.

Etiologies of Persistent Aminotransferase Elevations in Chronic Hepatitis B Patients Treated with Nucleos(t)ide Analogs.

Background/Aims: Recent studies revealed that patients with persistent aminotransferase elevations after antiviral treatment had higher risk of hepatic events; yet its underlying causes remain unclear. Our study aimed to investigate the etiologies of persistent aminotransferase elevations in patients treated with nucleos(t)ide analogs (NAs). Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients who had been receiving NA treatment for over a year and had an aminotransferase level greater than 40 IU/mL (more than twice, with a 3-month interval) and subsequently underwent a liver biopsy.

Generating synthetic computed tomography for radiotherapy: SynthRAD2023 challenge report.

Radiation therapy plays a crucial role in cancer treatment, necessitating precise delivery of radiation to tumors while sparing healthy tissues over multiple days. Computed tomography (CT) is integral for treatment planning, offering electron density data crucial for accurate dose calculations. However, accurately representing patient anatomy is challenging, especially in adaptive radiotherapy, where CT is not acquired daily.

Multi-stage 3D-printed guide for precise restoration of severely inclined teeth based on target restorative space guidance: a case report.

In clinical dentistry, addressing unique conditions such as tilted, elongated, and torsion teeth during preparation can be effectively managed through digital tooth morphology design. The production of a multi-stage 3D-printed guide offered a more efficient and accurate solution. This article presented a case of significant inclination, elongation, and torsion in the maxillary and mandibular canines that were successfully treated using crown restoration modification.

Engineering the Blackbody Absorption of the Au-Branch-on-Au-Plate Heterostructures.

Utilizing the strong ligand control effects of l-cysteine (l-Cys), the growth of Au on Au triangular nanoplate (AuTN) seeds was continuously tuned from layer-by-layer (the Frank-van der Merwe) to layer-plus-island (the Stranski-Krastanov), and island (the Volmer-Weber) growth modes, leading to the formation of a series of Au-on-AuTN heterostructures. Within the window of VW growth mode (featured by the growth of Au spikes and branches on AuTNs), the effective localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) coupling led to the selective strengthening of the "valley" absorptions, leading to smooth and flat absorption curves. Interestingly, through engineering the number/density, size, and branching degree of the Au branches, except for the black color, full spectrum absorption within 400-1300 nm wavelength was achieved on Au-branch-on-AuTN structures.

A Water Environment-Based Simulated Method for Ultrasonic Testing of Slag Inclusion Weld Defects Based on Improved VMD.

The identification of slag inclusion defects in welds is of the utmost importance in guaranteeing the integrity, safety, and prolonged service life of welded structures. Most research focuses on different kinds of weld defects, but branch research on categories of slag inclusion material is limited and critical for safeguarding the quality of engineering and the well-being of personnel. To address this issue, we design a simulated method using ultrasonic testing to identify the inclusion of material categories in austenitic stainless steel.