A complete plant body consists of elements on different scales, including microscopic molecules, mesoscopic multicellular structures, and macroscopic tissues and organs, which are interconnected to form complex biological networks. The growth and development of plants involve the regulation of elements on different scales and their biological networks, which requires the coordinated operation of multiple molecules, cells, tissues, and organs. It is difficult to reveal the essence of multi-level life activities by a single method or technology. In recent years, the development of various novel imaging technologies has provided new approaches for revealing the complex life activities in plants. Using multi-modal imaging technologies to study the cross-scale network connections of plants from the microscopic, mesoscopic, and macroscopic levels is crucial for understanding the complex internal connections behind biological functions. This paper first summarizes multi-modal cross-scale imaging technologies, three-dimensional reconstruction, and image processing methods, outlines the basic framework of cross-scale network connection properties, and then summarizes the applications of multi-modal imaging technologies in elucidating plant multi-scale networks. Finally, this review systematically integrates the combined analysis of cross-scale 3D spatial structural data and single-cell omics, laying a theoretical foundation for the innovation of novel plant imaging technologies. Furthermore, it provides a new research paradigm for in-depth exploration of the interaction mechanisms among cross-scale elements and the principles of biological network connectivity in plant life activities.
Plants/metabolism* ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional/methods* ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted/methods* ; Multimodal Imaging/methods* ; Plant Physiological Phenomena

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the application value of targeted next-generation sequencing(tNGS)for rapid detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.From September 2021 to October 2024,1 178 clinical samples from hospitalized pa-tients at the Non-tuberculous Mycobacteria Disease Diagnosis and Treatment Center of Guangzhou Chest Hospital were collected,in-cluding 272 sputum samples,871 broncho alveolar lavage fluid(BALF)samples,and 35 other samples.These samples were analyzed with tNGS and the liquid culture+DNA microarray chip method(referred to as the"culture identification method"),and the detection results between methods were compared.The numbers of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex(MTBC)samples identified with tNGS and the culture identification method were 172 and 127,respectively,and the numbers of non-tuberculous mycobacteria(NTM)samples detected were 517 and 474,respectively.The detection rate of Mycobacterium was 56.88%with tNGS and was significantly lower(49.49%)with the culture identification method(χ2=13.27,P<0.05).For NTM identification,when sputum was used,the detection rate of tNGS was higher than that of the culture identification method(χ2=24.14,P<0.05).However,when BALF was used,no significant difference in detection rates was observed between tNGS and the culture identification method(χ2=3.97,P=0.06).When different sample types from the same patient were analyzed with tNGS for NTM,BALF was found to be a better choice than sputum(χ2=4.05,P<0.05).However,with the culture identification method,we observed no significant difference between sample types(χ2=2.72,P=0.10).Furthermore,both the MTBC and NTM sequences detected with tNGS were significantly higher in the culture-positive group than the culture-negative group.With increasing sequence numbers,the proportion of cases in the culture-positive group progressively rose,whereas an inverse trend was observed in the culture-negative group.With clinical diagno-sis as the reference standard,the sensitivity,specificity,and Kappa value of tNGS and the culture identification method in identifying mycobacterial diseases were 85.41%,91.32%,0.74 and 74.73%,93.15%,0.63,respectively.Compared with the culture identifica-tion method,tNGS for rapid detection of Mycobacterium exhibited excellent sensitivity,specificity and consistency,and its timeliness should help clinicians make precise individualized treatment plans earlier.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the application value of targeted next-generation sequencing(tNGS)for rapid detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.From September 2021 to October 2024,1 178 clinical samples from hospitalized pa-tients at the Non-tuberculous Mycobacteria Disease Diagnosis and Treatment Center of Guangzhou Chest Hospital were collected,in-cluding 272 sputum samples,871 broncho alveolar lavage fluid(BALF)samples,and 35 other samples.These samples were analyzed with tNGS and the liquid culture+DNA microarray chip method(referred to as the"culture identification method"),and the detection results between methods were compared.The numbers of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex(MTBC)samples identified with tNGS and the culture identification method were 172 and 127,respectively,and the numbers of non-tuberculous mycobacteria(NTM)samples detected were 517 and 474,respectively.The detection rate of Mycobacterium was 56.88%with tNGS and was significantly lower(49.49%)with the culture identification method(χ2=13.27,P<0.05).For NTM identification,when sputum was used,the detection rate of tNGS was higher than that of the culture identification method(χ2=24.14,P<0.05).However,when BALF was used,no significant difference in detection rates was observed between tNGS and the culture identification method(χ2=3.97,P=0.06).When different sample types from the same patient were analyzed with tNGS for NTM,BALF was found to be a better choice than sputum(χ2=4.05,P<0.05).However,with the culture identification method,we observed no significant difference between sample types(χ2=2.72,P=0.10).Furthermore,both the MTBC and NTM sequences detected with tNGS were significantly higher in the culture-positive group than the culture-negative group.With increasing sequence numbers,the proportion of cases in the culture-positive group progressively rose,whereas an inverse trend was observed in the culture-negative group.With clinical diagno-sis as the reference standard,the sensitivity,specificity,and Kappa value of tNGS and the culture identification method in identifying mycobacterial diseases were 85.41%,91.32%,0.74 and 74.73%,93.15%,0.63,respectively.Compared with the culture identifica-tion method,tNGS for rapid detection of Mycobacterium exhibited excellent sensitivity,specificity and consistency,and its timeliness should help clinicians make precise individualized treatment plans earlier.

Objective This study aims to analyze the proteomic characteristics of peripheral blood in patients with lung cancer coexistent with pulmonary tuberculosis(LC-PTB),identify the differential proteins compared with lung cancer(LC)patients,and conduct functional analysis on these proteins.Methods The study included 8 LC-PTB patients and 10 LC patients.The LC patients were newly diagnosed and confirmed by pathology and did not receive any anti-tumor treatment before,while the PTB patients were Mycobacterium tuberculosis positive at the time of sampling.Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(LC-MS/MS)was applied to perform proteomic mass spectrometry to assess the differential proteins,and then functional analysis was conducted via bioinformatics.Results A total of 5,185 proteins were detected between two groups.Through differential expression screening,190 proteins(58 upregulated and 132 downregulated)were identified to be differentially expressed.Subcellular localization analysis revealed that the differential proteins were mainly concentrated in the cytoplasm,nucleus,and extracellular matrix.KEGG pathway and GO analysis showed the roles of differential proteins in biological processes including immune response,metabolism,and secretion regulation.Protein interaction network analysis highlighted the importance of SORT1,SAR1B,RPS6KB1,VWF,SHC1,SRPRB,CTSD,TARDBP,RPLP0,PSMA2,RPS6,XPO1,PRKACB,and HLA-DRB1 in LC-PTB.Additionally,the expression changes in proteins like ADA2,MAP3K1,and GLS2 might be closely associated with the development of LC-PTB.Conclusions The proteomic profile comprehensively described the proteomic characteristics of LC-PTB and identified numerous differentially expressed proteins,which could provide further clues for research on biological mechanism of LC-PTB.

Background::Hyperglycemia frequently induces apoptosis in endothelial cells and ultimately contributes to microvascular dysfunction in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). Previous research reported that the expression of integrins as well as their ligands was elevated in the diseased vessels of DM patients. However, the association between integrins and hyperglycemia-induced cell death is still unclear. This research was designed to investigate the role played by integrin subunit β5 (ITGB5) in hyperglycemia-induced endothelial cell apoptosis.Methods::We used leptin receptor knockout (Lepr-KO) ( db/ db) mice as spontaneous diabetes animal model. Selective deletion of ITGB5 in endothelial cell was achieved by injecting vascular targeted adeno-associated virus via tail vein. Besides, we also applied small interfering RNA in vitro to study the mechanism of ITGB5 in regulating high glucose-induced cell apoptosis. Results::ITGB5 and its ligand, fibronectin, were both upregulated after exposure to high glucose in vivo and in vitro. ITGB5 knockdown alleviated hyperglycemia-induced vascular endothelial cell apoptosis and microvascular rarefaction in vivo. In vitro analysis revealed that knockdown of either ITGB5 or fibronectin ameliorated high glucose-induced apoptosis in human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs). In addition, knockdown of ITGB5 inhibited fibronectin-induced HUVEC apoptosis, which indicated that the fibronectin-ITGB5 interaction participated in high glucose-induced endothelial cell apoptosis. By using RNA-sequencing technology and bioinformatic analysis, we identified Forkhead Box Protein O1 (FoxO1) as an important downstream target regulated by ITGB5. Moreover, we demonstrated that the excessive macroautophagy induced by high glucose can contribute to HUVEC apoptosis, which was regulated by the ITGB5-FoxO1 axis. Conclusion::The study revealed that high glucose-induced endothelial cell apoptosis was positively regulated by ITGB5, which suggested that ITGB5 could potentially be used to predict and treat DM-related vascular complications.

Objective To study the changes in peripheral blood T lymphocytes in patients with ankylosing spondylitis and their correlation with the disease's severity and prognosis.Methods We selected 120 patients with ankylosing spondylitis treated between January 2020 and March 2023 as the research group and 120 healthy people who had medical examinations in the same period as the health group.We detected the changes in CD4+,CD8+and CD4+/CD8+values of peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets with flow cytometry,compared the differences in T lymphocyte subsets between the two groups,and analyzed the correlation with the disease severity of the patients.All the 120 patients with ankylosing spondylitis were followed up for 6 months after treatment to assess their prognosis.General information and T lymphocyte sub-groups CD4+,CD8+level,CD4+/CD8+value changes were compared among patients with different prognosis.We analyzed the value of T lymphocyte sub-groups in predicting the prognosis of patients with ankylosing spondylitis.Results In the research group CD4+and CD4+/CD8+were lower but CD8 1 was higher than those in the healthy group(P＜0.05).CD4+and CD4+/CD8 were lower but CD8+was higher in patients with advanced ankylosing spondylitis than in early and mid-term patients(P＜0.05).The ROC curve analysis showed that the AUC of CD4+,CD8+,and CD4+/CD8+combined diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis patients was 0.878,with higher diagnostic sensitivity than that of the single diagnosis(P＜0.05).In the poor prognosis group,CD8+was higher than that in the excellent prognosis group,but CD4+and CD4+/CD8 value were lower than the latter(P＜0.05).The results of Pearson test showed that CD4+and CD4+/CD8+were negatively correlated with the prognosis of patients with ankylosing spondylitis(r=-0.568,-0.656,P＜0.001).CD8+was positively correlated with the prognosis of patients with ankylosing spondylitis(r=0.623,P＜0.001).ROC curve analysis showed that the AUC of the combined diagnosis of CD4+,CD8+and CD4+/CD8+for ankylosing spondylitis patients was 0.910,and the diagnostic sensitivity was higher than that of single diagnosis(P＜0.05).Conclusion The abnormal levels of peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets in patients with ankylosing spondylitis are closely related to the severity and prognosis of the disease,and can be used as a reference indicator for diagnosing the severity and prognosis of ankylosing spondylitis.

The coronary plaque burden represents an essential tool for evaluating coronary blood flow and cardiovascular outcomes. However, the concept of "coronary plaque burden" does not accurately reflect the complex pathological progression of coronary artery disease. In this review, various aspects of the total coronary atherosclerosis burden are present, including its mechanics, geometrical characteristics, plaque morphology, coronary artery calcium deposition, and coronary inflammation, to provide a complete view. Different tools used to evaluate the coronary atherosclerosis burden are also assessed according to the most recent studies. Compelling evidence is provided by our findings to advocate for a comprehensive use of the term "coronary atherosclerosis burden" .

The coronary plaque burden represents an essential tool for evaluating coronary blood flow and cardiovascular outcomes. However, the concept of "coronary plaque burden" does not accurately reflect the complex pathological progression of coronary artery disease. In this review, various aspects of the total coronary atherosclerosis burden are present, including its mechanics, geometrical characteristics, plaque morphology, coronary artery calcium deposition, and coronary inflammation, to provide a complete view. Different tools used to evaluate the coronary atherosclerosis burden are also assessed according to the most recent studies. Compelling evidence is provided by our findings to advocate for a comprehensive use of the term "coronary atherosclerosis burden" .

As the incidence of male infertility has been increasing during recent years, it is urgent to reveal the pathogenesis of male infertility, as well as to develop the new drugs for treatment of male infertility, in order to solve the declining birth rate and aging problems. The construction and application of male infertile animal models is critical for drug development, which plays an important role in accurately evaluating the efficacy and mechanism of infertility treatment. A suitable infertility model not only can reduce the repeated drug efficacy evaluations, reduce animal usage and the cost of new drug development, but also has important reference value for subsequent clinical trial research. Male infertility laboratory animal models can be constructed through chemical, physical, endocrine, environmental estrogen, gene modification, and immune methods. This article mainly introduces the existing male infertility animal models available for drug development, and briefly introduces the application progress of each model to provide reference for the male infertility drug researchers.

In recent years, with the rapid development of life sciences, the use of laboratory fish in toxicology, genetics, developmental biology and medicine has increased dramatically, and they have gradually become important new model organisms. At the same time, the welfare of laboratory fish has also received increasing attention. Although the research level of experimental fish welfare is still in a relatively early stage compared to terrestrial experimental animals, developed regions such as Europe and America have established corresponding legal frameworks to safeguard the welfare of laboratory fish in research. This article elucidates the current developmental status of laboratory fish welfare, discusses the rationale behind the imperative to prioritize and enhance their welfare, deeply investigates factors influencing their welfare from the feeding stage and experimental stage. Moreover, it explores strategies for augmenting welfare standards, with the overarching aim of propelling the continual improvement of laboratory fish welfare in our country.