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Background Lysine acetylation in protein is one of the most important post-translational modifications (PTMs). It plays an important role in essential biological processes and is related to various diseases. To obtain a comprehensive understanding of regulatory mechanism of lysine acetylation, the key is to identify lysine acetylation sites. Previously, several shallow machine learning algorithms had been applied to predict lysine modification sites in proteins. However, shallow machine learning has some disadvantages. For instance, it is not as effective as deep learning for processing big data. Results In this work, a novel predictor named DeepAcet was developed to predict acetylation sites. Six encoding schemes were adopted, including a one-hot, BLOSUM62 matrix, a composition of K-space amino acid pairs, information gain, physicochemical properties, and a position specific scoring matrix to represent the modified residues. A multilayer perceptron (MLP) was utilized to construct a model to predict lysine acetylation sites in proteins with many different features. We also integrated all features and implemented the feature selection method to select a feature set that contained 2199 features. As a result, the best prediction achieved 84.95% accuracy, 83.45% specificity, 86.44% sensitivity, 0.8540 AUC, and 0.6993 MCC in a 10-fold cross-validation. For an independent test set, the prediction achieved 84.87% accuracy, 83.46% specificity, 86.28% sensitivity, 0.8407 AUC, and 0.6977 MCC. Conclusion The predictive performance of our DeepAcet is better than that of other existing methods. DeepAcet can be freely downloaded from https://github.com/Sunmile/DeepAcet .

Objectives The aim of this meta-analysis was to estimate the clinical use value of 11 C-FMZ and 18 F-FDG in PET for the localization of epileptogenic zone and to provide evidence for practitioners’ clinical decision-making. Methods We searched PubMed and Embase in a time frame from inception to May 31, 2020. Studies utilizing FMZ or FDG-PET or FDG-PET/MRI used in patients with epilepsy, with EEG or surgical outcomes as the gold standard and corresponding outcomes such as concordance rates of PET or PET/MRI scan compared with reference standard, absolute numbers of participants with true-positive (TP), false-positive (FP), true-negative (TN), and false-negative (FN) results in FDG or FMZ PET. Pooled concordance rates, overall sensitivity, and specificity of 11 C-FMZ-PET and 18 F-FDG-PET were calculated. Results In total, 44 studies met the inclusion criteria. The pooled concordance rates of FDG-PET, FMZ-PET, and FDG-PET/MRI coregistration compared with reference standard were 0.67 (95% CI: 0.60–0.73), 0.75 (95% CI: 0.57–0.93), and 0.93 (95% CI: 0.89–0.97), respectively. The concordance rate of 18 F-FDG-PET in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) was 0.79 (0.63; 0.92). The overall sensitivity and specificity of 18 F-FDG-PET were 0.66 (95% CI: 0.58–0.73) and 0.71 (95% CI: 0.63–0.78), respectively. 11 C-FMZ-PET displayed an overall sensitivity of 0.62 (95% CI: 0.49–0.73) and specificity of 0.73 (95% CI: 0.59–0.84). Conclusions Both 11 C-FMZ PET and 18 F-FDG PET are the choice of modalities for the localization of epileptogenic zone, especially when coregistered with MRI. Key Points • 11 C-FMZ-PET may be more helpful than 18 F-FDG-PET in the localization of epilepsy foci. • Coregistration of FDG-PET and MRI is recommended in the localization of epileptogenic zone.

•The novel Aβ-targeted PET radioligand [18F]-Florbetazine had distinct binding profiles in AD patients and healthy controls in the dynamic PET study.•[18F]-Florbetazine PET show high gray-to-white contrast in AD patients that are favorable in visual read.•SUVR of a static [18F]-Florbetazine PET scan can be used to differentiated HCs and AD patients. [18F]-Florbetazine ([18F]-92) is a selective PET tracer for β-amyloid (Aβ) depositions with a novel diaryl-azine scaffold to reduce lipophilicity and to achieve higher gray-to-white matter contrast. We aimed to assess its diagnostic value in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and pharmacokinetics characteristics in human subjects. Six healthy controls (HCs) and nine AD patients underwent dynamic PET examination with [18F]-Florbetazine and a structural MRI scan. The time-activity-curves (TACs) for volumes of interest (VOIs) in cerebral cortex, cerebellar cortex and cerebral white matter was depicted and their standardized uptake value ratios (SUVRs) with cerebellar cortex as reference were compared between HCs and AD patients. The cerebral gray-to-white matter SUV ratio (GWR) was also calculated. In HCs, radioactivities in the cerebral cortex VOIs were homogeneously low and at the same level as in cerebellar cortex, while in AD patients, cortical VOIs expected to contain Aβ exhibited high radioactivity. Cerebral cortex SUVRs remain relatively low in HCs while keep increasing along with time in AD patients. After 15 min, the cerebral cortex SUVRs became significant higher in AD patients compared to HCs with 100 % discrimination accuracy. In AD patients, GWR remained over 1.3 for all time intervals and visual inspection showed lower uptake in cerebral white matter compared to cerebral cortex. [18F]-Florbetazine PET showed high uptake on Aβ plaques and high gray-to-white contrast in AD patients that are favorable in visual read. [18F]-Florbetazine can be potentially used for detection and quantification of Aβ depositions in the living human brain. [Display omitted]

•[18F]Florbetazine SUVRs can be reliably converted into Centiloid units, with higher quantification precision than [11C]PiB.•The standard SPM pipeline using the whole cerebellum as the reference region is robust across different spatial resolutions for Centiloid calibration of [18F]Florbetazine.•The FreeSurfer pipeline provides greater precision for amyloid quantification but may require resolution-specific Centiloid calibration for [18F]Florbetazine. [18F]Florbetazine ([18F]FBZ) is a novel Aβ tracer with imaging characteristics similar to [11C]PiB. This study aimed to establish Centiloid conversion equations for [18F]FBZ and to evaluate its quantification precision relative to [11C]PiB across different image-processing pipelines and effective image resolutions (EIRs). Paired [11C]PiB and [18F]FBZ PET scans were acquired in 53 participants. Centiloid conversion equations for [18F]FBZ standardized uptake value ratio (SUVR), derived from both the standard SPM pipeline and a FreeSurfer pipeline, were calculated following the Level-2 analysis proposed by Klunk et al. The variance ratio of Centiloids derived from [18F]FBZ SUVR to those derived from standard [11C]PiB SUVR in YCs was computed to compare quantification precision. Additionally, the linear relationships between [18F]FBZ and [11C]PiB SUVR were evaluated under different EIRs. The Centiloid conversion equation for [18F]FBZ SUVR using the standard SPM pipeline was: Centiloid=98.6 × [18F]FBZ SUVRstd–99.8 (variance ratio=0.92). For the FreeSurfer pipeline, the conversion was: Centiloid=110.1 × [18F]FBZ SUVRfs–108.1 (variance ratio=0.55). Robust linear correlations between [11C]PiB and [18F]FBZ SUVR were observed across EIRs with the SPM pipeline, whereas regression parameters varied across EIRs with the FreeSurfer pipeline. [18F]Florbetazine SUVR can be reliably converted to Centiloid units. Compared with [11C]PiB, [18F]FBZ demonstrated equal or improved quantification precision, supporting its broader use in clinical and research Aβ imaging. [Display omitted]

Background The aim of this study was to assess the mechanical differences of composite resin sealing the screw access channel with different-positioned openings by a three-dimensional finite element analysis. Methods A 3D finite element model of dental implant at the site of mandibular first molar was established using computer-aided design (CAD). Models of sealing composite resin with different thicknesses were applied under 200 N static loading, and the optimal thickness was then selected via stress distribution analysis of composite resin models. Angulated screw channel (ASC) was used to vary the position of implant screw access opening. 200 N static loading was then applied to composite resin models with the selected thickness at different stages of a chewing cycle, and the stress of sealing composite resin in screw access channel with different-positioned openings was compared. Results The stress within composite resin model was stably at a lower level when the thickness was no less than 3 mm. Varying the position of implant screw access opening influenced stress distribution of sealing composite resin. In contrast with the opening located at central fossa, both maximum von Mises stress and shear stress of sealing composite resin (4.503 MPa and 1.032 MPa) was reduced when the opening was on the lingual side of central fossa (3.974 MPa and 0.9464 MPa) but was increased when the opening was on the buccal side of central fossa (5.695 MPa and 2.162 MPa). Conclusions The stress was significantly lower at the site of mandibular molar when the position of screw access opening was designed on the lingual side of central fossa. Within the limits of the present in silico investigation, this study provided a new design strategy for screw-retained implant prosthesis to reduce the mechanical complications caused by the incomplete sealing of screw access opening.

To address the increasing demand for miniaturization and integration in artificial satellites, the development of foldable and efficient deployable structures is crucial. This study presents a novel, intelligent variable structure that leverages NiTi shape memory alloy (SMA) to achieve an impressive deployable/foldable ratio exceeding eightfold. The structure’s extension and contraction can be precisely controlled through temperature regulation, providing significant adaptability. A key innovation of this design is the joint-driving mechanism, which uses multiple SMA corrugated plates to convert the material’s strain into rotational movement at the structure’s joints. Through optimization using the Optimal Latin Hypercube and Multi-Island Genetic Algorithm methods, the performance of a single SMA corrugated plate was significantly enhanced, resulting in improved torque output and rotation capability. Incorporating this optimized plate into the joint-driving mechanism enables the intelligent structure to achieve a maximum deployable/foldable ratio of 8.96 and a deployable angle of 20.62°. Furthermore, motion simulations allowed us to optimize the number of SMA corrugated plates, confirming the system’s ability to transmit significant deformation from the driving element to the entire structure. The numerical validation of this intelligent variable structure demonstrates its exceptional deployable/foldable ratio, highlighting its promising potential for various engineering applications.

In this study, we collected 709 specimens of the sharpbelly Hemiculter leucisculus from the Yuanjiang River at monthly intervals between May 2017 and January 2019. An increment was formed annually in the lapillar otoliths, with the formation of annuli occurring between May and August, and peaking in June. Fish spawned from April to October, with a peak period between May and June. The radius of the first annulus varied apparently among individuals, reflecting differences in the duration of the growth period prior to annulus formation owing to extended spawning seasons. Three types of first annulus observed could reflect differences in the periods when the fish were born. The age of sampled fish ranged from 0 to 4 years, among which 1- and 2-year age classes predominated. The mean standard length (SL) at age and growth rate of this population did not differ significantly from those of other native populations. Analysis of life history traits indicated no obvious correlation with either latitude or habitat, whereas SL distribution and age composition were found to vary along a latitudinal gradient. Furthermore, mean SL at age and growth rate showed differences between native and invasive populations. Relatively stable life history traits of this species may explain its dominant status in diverse ecosystems, with plasticity in terms of body size and growth contributing to its successful invasion of different habitats.

Global population growth and accelerated urbanization have triggered a sharp decline in cropland quantity coupled with progressive degradation of its quality. Scientifically and rationally evaluating land suitability has thus emerged as a pressing issue demanding immediate attention, providing critical foundations for sustainable utilization and conservation of arable resources. This study employs a literature review and inductive-deductive approaches to trace the historical development, mainstream frameworks, and assessment methodologies of cropland suitability assessment. Furthermore, against the backdrop of technological transformation, it examines how emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and blockchain can be effectively integrated into the cropland suitability assessment process. It is found that (1) due to the evolution of social, economic, technological, and ideological conditions caused by the continuous development of history, the evaluation of the suitability of cropland presents stage characteristics, gradually developing from the initial phase dominated by experience to the phase of spatiotemporal data-driven and intelligence; and (2) in the past, the assessment framework of cropland suitability was mostly constructed based on natural factors such as soil properties, topography, climate, etc., and socio-economic factors such as the construction of farmland infrastructure and the accessibility of transportation networks were not sufficiently considered. Cropland suitability assessment methods are more and more diversified, scientific, and objective; among them, the multi-criteria decision-making method is the most widely used. (3) In the context of intelligence, the future of cropland suitability assessment should follow the development guideline of combination, union, and integration and actively guide the attempted exploration of blockchains, quantum computing, and other emerging technologies in the field so as to promote the innovative development of cropland suitability assessment. This paper not only makes up for the lack of comprehensive research in the field of cropland suitability assessment at the theoretical level but also, more importantly, points out the potential direction and entry point for future related research.

The compromise between lateral resolution and usable imaging depth range is a bottleneck for optical coherence tomography (OCT). Existing solutions for optical coherence microscopy (OCM) suffer from either large data size and long acquisition time or a nonideal point spread function. We present volumetric OCM of mouse brain ex vivo with a large depth coverage by leveraging computational adaptive optics (CAO) to significantly reduce the number of OCM volumes that need to be acquired with a Gaussian beam focused at different depths. We demonstrate volumetric reconstruction of ex-vivo mouse brain with lateral resolution of 2.2  μm, axial resolution of 4.7  μm, and depth range of ∼1.2  mm optical path length, using only 11 OCT data volumes acquired on a spectral-domain OCM system. Compared to focus scanning with step size equal to the Rayleigh length of the beam, this is a factor of 4 fewer datasets required for volumetric imaging. Coregistered two-photon microscopy confirmed that CAO-OCM reconstructions can visualize various tissue microstructures in the brain. Our results also highlight the limitations of CAO in highly scattering media, particularly when attempting to reconstruct far from the focal plane or when imaging deep within the sample.

Introduction Complaint about attention disorders is common among breast cancer patients who have undergone chemotherapy, which may be associated with the default mode network (DMN). To validate this hypothesis, we investigated the DMN functional connectivity (FC) change and its relationship with the attention function in breast cancer patients (BC) using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). Methods Twenty-two BC treated with chemotherapy and 22 healthy controls (HC) were recruited into this study. The FC between the DMN’s hubs and regions of the dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (dMPFC) and medial temporal lobe (MTL) subsystems was respectively calculated for each participant. Results The statistical result showed significantly lower connectivity in dMPFC and MTL subsystems in the BC group. In addition, the partial correlation analysis result indicated that the low connectivity of some brain regions in MTL subsystem was correlated with attention dysfunction following BC chemotherapy. Conclusion These results suggest that the functional disconnection in MTL subsystem of the DMN may have association with attention function of BC after chemotherapy.