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In the design field, persona is widely used to help design teams understand their target users. However, existing persona tools have limitations such as insufficient interactivity, inability to arouse designers' empathy, and inability to finely segment users. We developed Vivid-Persona, which is a customisable persona tool offering an interactive and immersive experience. Designers can set the demographics and scenarios of the target user to customise a persona. The tool generates a realistic image of the persona using a Diffusion model. Embedded with the ChatGPT and SadTalker models, the persona can engage in real-time video chats with designers. The persona is augmented with facial expressions, based on the analysis of the emotions in utterances. A user study showed that Vivid-Persona effectively solves the problem of user segmentation, significantly enhancing the designer's perception of persona in terms of authenticity, clarity, empathy and willingness to use, as well as the quality of the output design solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gallium-tellurite glass is a new optical material with good transmittance in the infrared region up to 6.5 μ m. Three different tellurate glasses were prepared: TeO2–ZnO–Ga2O3(TZG), TeO2–ZnO–La2O3(TZL) and TeO2–ZnO–B2O3(TZB). X-ray diffraction indicates that no crystal precipitates in the three glass systems, which maintain a stable glass state. Raman scattering experiments and fluorescence emission spectroscopy measurements were carried out on the tellulate glasses doped with the same concentration of Tm 3 + . It was found that the phonon energy of TZG(TeO2–ZnO–Ga2O3)-doped thulium glass is the lowest, and the emission light at 1380 nm is the strongest with ∼ 5 1 nm fluorescence FWHM. These results show that Tm-doped TZG glass is a good luminescent material. Refractive indices were measured by the minimum deviation method. Sellmeier dispersion equation is obtained, which can be used to calculate the refractive index within visible and near-infrared spectral range. Furthermore, different Tm 3 + concentrations (0.4%, 0.8%, 1.2% and 2%) TZG glasses were prepared, the emission spectra and fluorescence lifetime were measured, and the emitted light was strongest when the thulium ion doping concentration is 1.2%. All the results suggest that these newly developed ternary tellurite glass systems are promising candidates for near/mid-infrared laser glass fibers, fiber amplifiers, or lasers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this article is to establish general principles for high frequency dispersive estimates for Maxwell's equation in the exterior of a perfectly conducting ball. We construct entirely new generalized eigenfunctions for the corresponding Maxwell propagator. We show that the propagator corresponding to the electric field has a global rate of decay in L 1 − L ∞ operator norm in terms of time t and powers of h. In particular we show that some, but not all, polarizations of electromagnetic waves scatter at the same rate as the usual wave operator. The Dirichlet Laplacian wave operator L 1 − L ∞ norm estimate should not be expected to hold in general for Maxwell's equations in the exterior of a ball because of the Helmholtz decomposition theorem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite significant advancements in cancer immunotherapy, many patients continue to respond poorly. Novel therapeutic strategies and drugs are urgently needed. Here, we found that CYP2E1 is upregulated in M2 macrophages. The CYP2E1 inhibitor, Q11, could inhibit M2 macrophage polarization, while CYP2E1 overexpression could promote it. Increased levels of CYP2E1 and M2 macrophages in the tumor microenvironment of HCC patients correlate with poor prognosis. Q11 could inhibit tumor cells by targeting M2 macrophages rather than directly attacking tumor cells. Both Q11 and Cyp2e1 knockout could effectively suppress tumor growth. Q11 reduces the production of CYP2E1 metabolites (±)9(10)-DiHOME and (±)12(13)-DiHOME, thus attenuating PPARγ activation and M2 macrophage polarization. In summary, our findings suggest that Q11 could suppress M2 macrophage polarization by modulating the CYP2E1/(±)9(10)-DiHOME or (±)12(13)-DiHOME/PPARγ axis, indicating that CYP2E1 may be a potential therapeutic target for HCC, and its inhibitor Q11 may be a potential drug for the treatment of HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sonogenetics is an innovative technology that integrates ultrasound with genetic editing to precisely modulate cellular activities in a non‐invasive manner. This method entails introducing and activating mechanosensitive channels on the cell membrane of specific cells using gene delivery vectors. When exposed to ultrasound, these channels can be manipulated to open or close, thereby impacting cellular functions. Sonogenetics is currently being used extensively in the treatment of various chronic diseases, including Parkinson's disease, vision restoration, and cancer therapy. This paper provides a comprehensive review of key components of sonogenetics and focuses on evaluating its prospects and potential challenges in the treatment of chronic disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To reduce the adverse effects of the flammability of epoxy resin (EP), addition of flame-retardants in EP is a common and effective strategy. A 9,10-dihydro-9-oxa-10-phosphaphenanthrene 10-oxide (DOPO) derivative, DOPI, has been synthesized by adding the double bond of itaconic acid (ITA) to DOPO, and was utilized for ligand exchange with terephthalic acid in MIL-53(Fe) to obtain the derived material of MIL-53(Fe)-DOPI. A series of blends were prepared by adding different proportions of MIL-53(Fe)-DOPI into EP. The fire resistance and mechanical properties of these blends were assessed. Among them, the 2 wt% MIL-53(Fe)-DOPI/EP blend displays a UL-94 V-1 rating and a limiting oxygen index (LOI) of 30.0% for combustion. The peak smoke production rate (p-SPR), peak CO production rate (p-COP) and peak HRR production rate (p-HRR) for combustion are respectively reduced by 26.56%, 41.2% and 39.9% compared to the same parameters for the combustion of pure EP. Based on the analysis of Py-GCMS, TG-FTIR, Raman and FE-SEM, a flame retardancy process has been proposed. Additionally, the tensile strength, flexural strength, flexural modulus and impact strength of a blend containing 3 wt% MIL-53(Fe)-DOPI in EP are respectively increased by 24.3%, 62.0%, 85.2% and 13.8% relative to those for unmodified EP. Therefore, MIL-53(Fe)-DOPI is an outstanding additive that can effectively reduce the formation of the smoke and toxic gas during combustion, at the same time, improving the mechanical properties of EP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To delineate the efficacy and safety profile of hemodiafiltration with endogenous reinfusion (HFR) for uremic toxin removal in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis (MHD). Patients who have been on MHD for a period of at least 3 months were enrolled. Each subject underwent one HFR and one hemodiafiltration (HDF) treatment. Blood samples were collected before and after a single HFR or HDF treatment to test uremic toxin levels and to calculate clearance rate. The primary efficacy endpoint was to compare uremic toxin levels of indoxyl sulfate (IS), λ-free light chains (λFLC), and β2-microglobulin (β2-MG) before and after HFR treatment. Secondary efficacy endpoints was to compare the levels of urea, interleukin-6 (IL-6), P-cresol, chitinase-3-like protein 1 (YKL-40), leptin (LEP), hippuric acid (HPA), trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) before and after HFR treatment. The study also undertook a comparative analysis of uremic toxin clearance between a single HFR and HDF treatment. Meanwhile, the lever of serum albumin and branched-chain amino acids before and after a single HFR or HDF treatment were compared. In terms of safety, the study was meticulous in recording vital signs and the incidence of adverse events throughout its duration. The study enrolled 20 patients. After a single HFR treatment, levels of IS, λFLC, β2-MG, IL-6, P-cresol, YKL-40, LEP, HPA, TMAO, ADMA, TNF-α, and FGF23 significantly decreased (p < 0.001 for all). The clearance rates of λFLC, β2-MG, IL-6, LEP, and TNF-α were significantly higher in HFR compared to HDF (p values: 0.036, 0.042, 0.041, 0.019, and 0.036, respectively). Compared with pre-HFR and post-HFR treatment, levels of serum albumin, valine, and isoleucine showed no significant difference (p > 0.05), while post-HDF, levels of serum albumin significantly decreased (p = 0.000). HFR treatment effectively eliminates uremic toxins from the bloodstream of patients undergoing MHD, especially protein-bound toxins and large middle-molecule toxins. Additionally, it retains essential physiological compounds like albumin and branched-chain amino acids, underscoring its commendable safety profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrafast carbon electrodes with high‐volumetric capacities are crucial for the fast‐developing sodium‐ion capacitors (SICs) but have rarely been achieved due to the negative correlation between electrode density and ion transport kinetics. Here, a top‐down strategy to achieve a compact carbon architecture with topological ion transport/diffusion pathways to address this obstacle is reported. The resulting freestanding carbon electrode exhibits a notable volumetric capacity of 242 mAh cm−3 at 0.05 A g−1 and unprecedented high‐rate capability of 107 mAh cm−3 at 50 A g−1. It achieves an optimal balance between energy density (60.2 Wh L−1) and power density (12859 W L−1) in a SIC device. The ultrafast and high‐volumetric performance is attributed to the synergistic effect of architecture‐enhanced rapid ion transport/diffusion and carbon nanostructure‐driven fast Na+ storage mechanisms involving adsorption/desorption, surface‐redox and solvated Na+ co‐intercalation reactions. The nanoarchitectured carbon electrodes show greatly improved Na+ diffusion coefficients throughout the potential range, resulting in an extremely short characteristic time (0.013 s) for fast Na+ storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both RNA and protein play important roles in the process of gene expression and regulation, and it has been widely discussed that the interactions between RNA and protein affect gene transcription, translation efficiency, and post-translational modification. As an important class of proteins, RNA-binding proteins bind to RNA and affect gene expression in various ways. Here, we review the structural and functional properties of RNA-binding proteins and illustrate the specific modes of interactions between RNA and RNA-binding proteins and describe the involvement of some representative RNA-binding protein families in this network of action. Furthermore, we also explore the association that exists between RNA-binding proteins and the onset of diseases, as well as their potential in terms of serving as a therapeutic tool for the treatment of diseases. The in-depth exploration of the interactions between RNA and RNA-binding proteins reveals the dynamic process of gene expression and regulation, as well as offering valuable insights to advance the progress in the dissection of disease mechanisms and research and discovery of drugs, which promote the development of molecular biology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the effects of the nurse–manager dualistic intervention (NMDI) program on work engagement and job crafting of ICU burnout nurses. Background: Work engagement is crucial for nurses' job performance and quality of clinical care. Personal and work resources are important antecedents of work engagement. However, few intervention studies focused on improving nurses' personal and work resources to promote work engagement and job crafting of burnout nurses. Methods: This was a quasi‐experimental study. One hundred and two ICU nurses from two tertiary hospitals in Shandong Province were recruited. Forty‐two ICU nurses from one hospital were set as the intervention group and underwent NMDI. Sixty ICU nurses from the other hospital constituted the control group, which received routine occupational health guidance from the hospital. Demographic characteristics, burnout, work engagement, and job crafting were collected at baseline (T0), postintervention (T1), and 3‐month postintervention (T2). Results: Compared to baseline, both work engagement and job crafting scores increased in the intervention group at postintervention (T1). At postintervention (T1), work engagement and job crafting were significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group (βworkengagement = 3.894, p = 0.016 and βjobcrafting = 6.104, p = 0.010), but the difference between the two groups was not significant at the 3‐month follow‐up (βworkengagement = 3.618, p = 0.066 and βjobcrafting = 3.554, p = 0.15). Conclusion: The NMDI program can significantly improve ICU burnout nurses' work engagement and job crafting. Nevertheless, the sustainability of these effects over time has been found to be limited, indicating that future research needs to explore and implement strategies to bolster the long‐term efficacy of this intervention. Implications for Nursing Management: Nurse managers are suggested to integrate the NMDI program into routine nursing management. Managers ought to prioritize appreciative and constructive dialog between themselves and nurses in order to support nurses in inquiring personal and work resources and encourage nurses to develop work plans to utilize resources. This will help to increase nurses' engagement and job crafting. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: ChiCTR2100047974 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prior research show that relative deprivation can decrease individuals' psychological well-being. However, the underlying mechanism between relative deprivation and psychological well-being remains unclear. To explore the mediating effects of self-efficacy and self-control on the relationship between relative deprivation and psychological well-being. 426 undergraduate students submitted the online survey that assessed their psychological well-being, relative deprivation, self-efficacy and self-control. Students experienced high levels of psychological well-being, moderate to high levels of relative deprivation and moderate levels of self-efficacy and self-control. Parallel mediators of self-efficacy and self-control on the relationship between relative deprivation and psychological well-being were significant (each p < 0.01). This study explores the underlying mechanism between relative deprivation and psychological well-being by identifying the parallel mediators of self-efficacy and self-control. Effective interventions should be taken to alleviate students' relative deprivation and promote their self-efficacy, self-control and psychological well-being during future pandemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cellular senescence can be induced in mammalian tissues by multiple stimuli, including aging, oncogene activation and loss of tumor suppressor genes, and various types of stresses. While senescence is a tumor suppressing mechanism when induced within premalignant or malignant tumor cells, senescent cells can promote cancer development through increased secretion of growth factors, cytokines, chemokines, extracellular matrix, and degradative enzymes, collectively known as senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). Previous studies indicated that senescent cells, through SASP factors, stimulate tumor cell invasion that is a critical step in cancer cell metastasis. Methods: In the current study, we investigated the effect of senescent cells on the motility of breast cancer cells, which is another key step in cancer cell metastasis. We analyzed the motility of breast cancer cells co-cultured with senescent cells in vitro and metastasis of the breast cancer cells co-injected with senescent cells in orthotopic xenograft models. We also delineated the signaling pathway mediating the effect of senescent cells on cancer cell motility. Results: Our results indicate that senescent cells stimulated the migration of breast cancer cells through secretion of GM-CSF and bFGF, which in turn induced activation of the JNK pathway in cancer cells. More importantly, senescent cells promoted breast cancer metastasis, with a minimum effect on the primary tumor growth, in orthotopic xenograft mouse models. Conclusions: These results have revealed an additional mechanism by which senescent cells promote tumor cell metastasis and tumor progression, and will potentially lead to identification of novel targets for cancer therapies that suppress metastasis, the major cause of cancer mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study of the implications of Asian tourism for climate change is critical to fulfilling the terms of the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow (COP26) and reaching the Sustainable Development Goals. Research has only recently begun to cover these topics. This paper examines climate risks, adaptation response, carbon emission, and mitigation in Asian tourism by reviewing the state-of-the-art and identifying gaps in previous research and future directions. More work has been done on East, Southeast, and South Asia than on Central, West, and North Asia, but great differences exist among needed research topics in these subregions. While some progress has been made on impact assessments of climate change and carbon emissions estimations, analysis and action remain mismatched. Often, one tourism sector is analyzed in isolation and only general suggestions are given for climate change adaptation and mitigation. This therefore highlights research that can facilitate the integrated analysis of climate change to inform policymakers and the public. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Patients with underlying diseases do not respond adequately to vaccines. Thus, continued research on the effects of vaccination in patients with comorbidities is crucial to evaluate the necessity of vaccination in this population. This study assessed the protective effects of inactivated vaccines on the severity and prognosis of COVID-19 in patients with comorbidities. Methodology: A real-world retrospective cohort study was conducted from April 7, 2022, to June 6, 2022, at the Fudan University Pudong Medical Center. The collected data included demographic characteristics, symptoms, clinical severity, and outcomes of the COVID-19 patients. Results: A total of 3,996 indigenous confirmed cases and asymptomatic infections with the Omicron variant were enrolled. Of these, 1322 (33.1%) patients had chronic comorbidities. Compared to others, COVID-19 patients with comorbidities were older, had lower vaccination rates, longer days of nucleic acid conversion and hospitalization, and a higher incidence of severe-critical illness and composite endpoint. Multivariable analyses suggested that in the comorbidity group, two-dose-(odds ratio [OR] 0.38, 95% CI 0.24-0.60; OR 0.20, 95% CI 0.08-0.51) and three-dose vaccinated patients (OR 0.26, 95% CI 0.14-0.47; OR 0.21, 95% CI 0.08-0.58) had a lower risk of aggravation and the composite endpoint; similar results were observed in the non-comorbidity group. Conclusions: Two or more doses of inactivated vaccines could prevent deterioration and poor prognosis in Omicron-infected patients, regardless of the presence of an underlying disease. Our findings support maximizing coverage with inactivated vaccines in highly vaccinated populations, such as those in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The pregnant women with intrahepatic cholestasis were at high risk of fetal distress, preterm birth and unexpected stillbirth. Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) was mainly caused by disorder of bile acid metabolism, whereas the specific mechanism was obscure. Methods: We performed proteomics analysis of 10 ICP specimens and 10 placenta specimens from patients without ICP through data-independent acquisition (DIA) technique to disclose differentially expressed proteins. We executed metabolomic analysis of 30 ICP specimens and 30 placenta specimens from patients without ICP through UPLC-MS/MS to identify differentially expressed metabolites. Enrichment and correlation analysis was used to obtain the direct molecular insights of ICP development. The ICP rat models were constructed to validate pathological features. Results: The heatmap of proteomics analysis showed the top 30 up-regulated and 30 down-regulated proteins. The metabolomic analysis revealed 20 richer and 4 less abundant metabolites in ICP samples compared with placenta specimens from patients without ICP, and enrichment pathways by these metabolites included primary bile acid biosynthesis, cholesterol metabolism, bile secretion, nicotinate and nicotinamide metabolism, purine metabolism and metabolic pathways. Combined analysis of multiple omics results demonstrated that bile acids such as Glycohyocholic acid, Glycine deoxycholic acid, beta-Muricholic acid, Noncholic acid, cholic acid, Gamma-Mercholic Acid, alpha-Muricholic acid and Glycochenodeoxycholic Aicd were significantly associated with the expression of GLRX3, MYL1, MYH7, PGGT1B, ACTG1, SP3, LACTB2, C2CD5, APBB2, IPO9, MYH2, PPP3CC, PIN1, BLOC1S1, DNAJC7, RASAL2 and ATCN3 etc. The core protein ACAT2 was involved in lipid metabolic process and animal model showed that ACAT2 was up-regulated in placenta and liver of pregnant rats and fetal rats. The neonates had low birth weight and Safranin O-Fast green FCF staining of animal models showed that poor osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation of fetal rats. Conclusion: Multiple metabolites-alpha-Muricholic acid, beta-Muricholic acid, Glycine deoxycholic acid and Glycochenodeoxycholic Acid etc. were perfect biomarkers to predict occurrence of ICP. Bile acids were significantly associated with varieties of protein expression and these proteins were differentially expressed in ICP samples. Our study provided several biomarkers for ICP detection and potential therapeutic targets for ICP development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Faced with the challenges presented by climate change, the necessity to navigate the sustainable development of China's skiing industry emerges as a pivotal and pressing concern, especially considering the region's vulnerability to climate variations and its burgeoning status as an emerging skiing destination. This study develops a methodology to assess the impact of climate change on ski resorts that is especially applicable in situations with limited climate station data and can be employed by ski industry stakeholders. A multiple linear regression (MLR) based on climate parameters from 1981 to 2010 is coupled with climate change projections under RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios for the 2020s, 2050s, and 2080s. To validate the precision of the MLR model assessment, the study compares the results with those of the SkiSim 2.0 model — a model widely applied in various countries and regions for evaluating the impact of climate change on the ski industry. Results from the MLR model reveal that there are comparatively modest decreases in skiing days in the northeast and northwest regions, contrasting with significant declines in the eastern, central, and southwestern areas. The findings of the MLR model are largely consistent with SkiSim 2.0, thereby broadly validating this approach. A series of implications and recommendations for further studies and industry applications are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractWhile evidence supports the link between physical activity and subjective well-being, fewer studies have explored this influence relationship from a social stratification perspective. The study thus examines whether the impact of physical activity on subjective well-being varies across different social classes, utilizing data from the China Family Panel Studies for the period 2018 to 2020. The results of multivariate logistic regression indicate that physical activity has the most significant impact on subjective well-being in the middle social class, followed by a moderate effect in the lower class, and no discernible effect in the high social class. These findings provide a valuable direction for effectively promoting subjective well-being across different social strata through sports participation. Our study contributes meaningfully to the literature on social stratification and health disparities in the context of physical activity and well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elevated circulating triglyceride levels have been linked to an increased risk of diabetes, although the precise mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate whether low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) for insulin resistance, and C-reactive protein (CRP) served as mediators in this association across a sample of 18,435 US adults. Mediation analysis was conducted using the PROCESS Version 4.3 Macro for SPSS. Simple mediation analysis revealed that all three potential mediators played a role in mediating the association. However, in parallel mediation analysis, where all three mediators were simultaneously included, HOMA for insulin resistance remained a significant mediator (indirect effect coefficient, 0.47; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.43–0.52; p < 0.05) after adjusting for all tested confounding factors. Conversely, LDL cholesterol (indirect effect coefficient, −0.13; 95% CI, −0.31–0.05; p > 0.05) and C-reactive protein (indirect effect coefficient, 0.01; 95% CI, −0.003–0.02; p > 0.05) ceased to be significant mediators. HOMA for insulin resistance accounted for 49% of the association between triglycerides and diabetes. In conclusion, HOMA for insulin resistance was the dominant mediator underlying the association between triglycerides and diabetes. Therefore, reducing triglyceride levels may hold promise for improving insulin sensitivity in diabetic patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Several observational studies demonstrated that pregnant individuals with COVID-19 had a higher risk of preeclampsia and preterm birth. We aimed to determine whether women with COVID-19 diagnosis had adverse pregnancy outcomes. Methods: A two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis in this study was used to evaluate the casual relationships between COVID-19 infection and obstetric-related diseases based on genome-wide association studies (GWAS) dataset. Inverse-variance weighted (IVW), MR-Egger and MR-PRESSO were used to infer the connection and estimate the pleiotropy respectively. Results: The significant connection was observed between COVID-19 and placental disorders with betaIVW of 1.57 and odds ratio (OR) of 4.81 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.05–22.05, p = 0.04). However, there were no associations between COVID-19 infection and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) (OR = 1.12; 95% CI: 0.85–1.45, p = 0.41), other disorders of amniotic fluid and membranes (OR = 0.90; 95% CI: 0.61–1.32, p = 0.59), Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy (ICP) (OR = 1.42; 95% CI: 0.85–2.36, p = 0.18), birth weight (OR = 1.02; 95% CI: 0.99–1.05, p = 0.19), gestational hypertension (OR = 1.00; 95% CI: 1.00–1.00, p = 0.85), spontaneous miscarriages (OR = 1.00; 95% CI: 0.96–1.04, p = 0.90) and stillbirth (OR = 1.00; 95% CI: 0.98–1.01, p = 0.62). Conclusion: There was no direct causal relationship between COVID-19 infection and maternal and neonatal poor outcomes. Our study could alleviate the anxiety of pregnant women under the COVID-19 pandemic conditions partly. Highlights: 1. COVID-19 was positively related to placental disorders. 2. COVID-19 didn't cause stillbirths, spontaneous miscarriages, gestational hypertension/pre-eclampsia, low birth weight, intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy, gestational diabetes and other disorders of amniotic fluid and membranes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impaired invasion ability of trophoblast cells is related to the occurrence of preeclampsia (PE). We previously found that pregnancy-specific beta-1-glycoprotein 1 (PSG1) levels were decreased in the serum of individuals with early-onset preeclampsia (EOPE). This study investigated the effect of PSG1 on Orai1-mediated store-operated calcium entry (SOCE) and the Akt signaling pathway in human trophoblast cell migration. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to determine the level of PSG1 in the serum of pregnant women with EOPE. The effects of PSG1 on trophoblast proliferation and migration were examined using cell counting kit-8 (CCK8) and wound healing experiments, respectively. The expression levels of Orai1, Akt, and phosphorylated Akt (p-Akt) were determined through Western blotting. The results confirmed that the serum PSG1 levels were lower in EOPE women than in healthy pregnant women. The PSG1 treatment upregulated the protein expression of Orai1 and p-Akt. The selective inhibitor of Orai1 (MRS1845) weakened the migration-promoting effect mediated by PSG1 via suppressing the Akt signaling pathway. Our findings revealed one of the mechanisms possibly involved in EOPE pathophysiology, which was that downregulated PSG1 may reduce the Orai1/Akt signaling pathway, thereby inhibiting trophoblast migration. PSG1 may serve as a potential target for the treatment and diagnosis of EOPE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the free-turning flight of butterflies (Idea leuconoe) and analyze the influence of body posture and asymmetric motions of left and right wings on aerodynamics and the asymmetric flow field structure. Three high-speed cameras were used in the biological experiment to observe the turning flight motions, and varied motion angles were calculated. The results showed that the body started to tilt to the right at 0.3 cycles and the flapping amplitude of the inner wing increased by 20.31% relative to the outer wing during a cycle. The outer wing showed a forward-then-backward deviation, whereas the inner wing exhibited the opposite trend. A three-dimensional numerical model with six degrees of freedom and prescribed motion functions was constructed to simulate the flight of butterflies. The results revealed that the roll angle was the primary factor influencing the direction of aerodynamic forces and had a similar mechanism as the banked turn of a fixed wing. During the downstroke, the outer wing provided the normal force while the inner wing contributed to the vertical force, and both wings generated horizontal thrust during the upstroke. The asymmetric wing motions and the lateral inflow velocity were the two major factors affecting the flow field structure. The difference in flapping amplitudes caused the inner wing to generate greater vertical-normal resultant force first. The asymmetric forewing-deviation angle and the lateral flow influenced the direction of the spanwise flow to enhance the strength of the leading-edge vortex and stabilize the attached flow for the outer wing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Power transformers are one of the most expensive and important equipment in the power system. Significant differences exist in the insulation lifespan of transformers that have been in operation for more than 20 years, and using identical maintenance or scrapping methods may result in significant economic losses. However, most existing transformer life assessment methods only consider the impact of moisture content on the life decay rate without considering the impact of oil circulation cooling modes, which leads to some evaluation errors. In this study, we established a new transformer life assessment method that considers the influence of moisture content and oil circulation cooling modes, which is more accurate than most life assessment methods. Then, the proposed life evaluation method was validated on the on-site transformers, demonstrating its accuracy and effectiveness. The novelty of this study is that it establishes a new on-site transformer life assessment method that considers the comprehensive effect of moisture content and oil circulation cooling mode, which helps to evaluate the remaining lifespan of power transformers more accurately and thus extends the transformer lifespan systematically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Since 2002, the Chinese Ministry of Education has conducted reform in the physical education (PE) curriculums of schools in China, with a focus on shifting from sports skills to regular participation in physical activity (PA) and promoting health. The aim of the study, therefore, is to examine the effects of school PE on the exercise habits of children and adolescents in China over time. METHODS: Data based on 5941 observations of 3708 individuals aged 6 to 17 were collected from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) for the period 2004 to 2015. The data were analyzed using the fixed‐effect Logit model and the random‐effect Tobit model. RESULTS: The likelihood of exercising outside of school is 20.2% higher for students who have school PE than those who do not. Our study found that increasing the duration of PE at school by 100%, increases the duration of out‐of‐school PA by 22.3%. The variety of the types of sports schools offer encourages students to participate in out‐of‐school physical activity. The likelihood of students exercising outside of school increases by 5.6% when 1 more exercise type is provided in school PE. In addition, soccer, basketball, badminton, and volleyball education increases students' participation in after‐school exercises. Soccer and basketball education, in particular, improves the duration of after‐school PA. CONCLUSIONS: To form exercise habits in children and adolescents, we encourage the promotion of a variety of physical activities in schools, especially team sports such as soccer and basketball. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To delineate the efficacy and safety profile of hemodiafiltration with endogenous reinfusion (HFR) for uremic toxin removal in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis (MHD). Methods: Patients who have been on MHD for a period of at least 3 months were enrolled. Each subject underwent one HFR and one hemodiafiltration (HDF) treatment. Blood samples were collected before and after a single HFR or HDF treatment to test uremic toxin levels and to calculate clearance rate. The primary efficacy endpoint was to compare uremic toxin levels of indoxyl sulfate (IS), λ-free light chains (λFLC), and β2-microglobulin (β2-MG) before and after HFR treatment. Secondary efficacy endpoints was to compare the levels of urea, interleukin-6 (IL-6), P-cresol, chitinase-3-like protein 1 (YKL-40), leptin (LEP), hippuric acid (HPA), trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) before and after HFR treatment. The study also undertook a comparative analysis of uremic toxin clearance between a single HFR and HDF treatment. Meanwhile, the lever of serum albumin and branched-chain amino acids before and after a single HFR or HDF treatment were compared. In terms of safety, the study was meticulous in recording vital signs and the incidence of adverse events throughout its duration. Results: The study enrolled 20 patients. After a single HFR treatment, levels of IS, λFLC, β2-MG, IL-6, P-cresol, YKL-40, LEP, HPA, TMAO, ADMA, TNF-α, and FGF23 significantly decreased (p < 0.001 for all). The clearance rates of λFLC, β2-MG, IL-6, LEP, and TNF-α were significantly higher in HFR compared to HDF (p values: 0.036, 0.042, 0.041, 0.019, and 0.036, respectively). Compared with pre-HFR and post-HFR treatment, levels of serum albumin, valine, and isoleucine showed no significant difference (p > 0.05), while post-HDF, levels of serum albumin significantly decreased (p = 0.000). Conclusion: HFR treatment effectively eliminates uremic toxins from the bloodstream of patients undergoing MHD, especially protein-bound toxins and large middle-molecule toxins. Additionally, it retains essential physiological compounds like albumin and branched-chain amino acids, underscoring its commendable safety profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complementarity and substitutability between products are essential concepts in retail and marketing. To achieve this, existing approaches take advantage of knowledge graphs to learn more evidence for inference. However, they often omit the knowledge that lies in the unstructured data. In this research, we concentrate on inferring complementary and substitutable products in e-commerce from mass structured and unstructured data. An improved knowledge-graph-based reasoning model has been proposed which cannot only derive related products but also provide interpretable paths to explain the relationship. The methodology employed in our study unfolds through several stages. First, a knowledge graph refining entities and relationships from data was constructed. Second, we developed a two-stage knowledge representation learning method to better represent the structured and unstructured knowledge based on TransE and SBERT. Then, the relationship inferring problem was converted into a path reasoning problem under the Markov decision process environment by learning a dynamic policy network. We also applied a soft pruning strategy and a modified reward function to improve the effectiveness of the policy network training. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method on standard Amazon datasets, and it gives about 5–15% relative improvement over the state-of-the-art models in terms of NDCG@10, Recall@10, Precision @10, and HR@10. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How do six collaborators - a medical sociologist, two law professors, and three graduate students at different stages of their PhD programs - meld their disparate perspectives into one coherent essay memorializing Lauren Edelman, who brought them together for a multi-year study of judicial reasoning in federal disability discrimination cases and then left them, so suddenly and so young, to carry on without her? But as Laurie's classmate, Catherine was delighted by her resistance to the usual monocular focus on legal doctrine, and frequently found Laurie's expansion of what was relevant and interesting about the cases to be the most edifying and inspiring part of class. Extending insights about intersectionality gleaned from our earlier work (Best, Edelman et al., [6]), studying disability cases let Laurie further theorize how cultural ideas about plaintiffs' characteristics shape litigation outcomes. Linda asked Laurie to describe her work on socio-legal endogeneity (which Linda could barely pronounce) in employment discrimination law (about which Linda knew quite a bit). [Extracted from the article]

Glioblastoma (GBM) is a devastating inflammation‐related cancer for which novel therapeutic targets are urgently required. Previous studies of the authors indicate Cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) as a novel inflammatory target and develop a specific inhibitor Q11. Here it is demonstrated that CYP2E1 overexpression is closely related to higher malignancy in GBM patients. CYP2E1 activity is positively correlated with tumor weight in GBM rats. Significantly higher CYP2E1 expression accompanied by increased inflammation is detected in a mouse GBM model. Q11, 1‐(4‐methyl‐5‐thialzolyl) ethenone, a newly developed specific inhibitor of CYP2E1 here remarkably attenuates tumor growth and prolongs survival in vivo. Q11 does not directly affect tumor cells but blocks the tumor‐promoting effect of microglia/macrophage (M/Mφ) in the tumor microenvironment through PPARγ‐mediated activation of the STAT‐1 and NF‐κB pathways and inhibition of the STAT‐3 and STAT‐6 pathways. The effectiveness and safety of targeting CYP2E1 in GBM are further supported by studies with Cyp2e1 knockout rodents. In conclusion, a pro‐GBM mechanism in which CYP2E1‐PPARγ‐STAT‐1/NF‐κB/STAT‐3/STAT‐6 axis fueled tumorigenesis by reprogramming M/Mφ and Q11 as a promising anti‐inflammatory agent for GBM treatment is uncovered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyelectrolyte complexation plays an important role in materials science and biology. The internal structure of the resultant polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) phase dictates properties such as physical state, response to external stimuli, and dynamics. Smallangle scattering experiments with X-rays and neutrons have revealed structural similarities between PECs and semidilute solutions of neutral polymers, where the total scattering function exhibits an Ornstein-Zernike form. In spite of consensus among different theoretical predictions, the existence of positional correlations between polyanion and polycation charges has not been confirmed experimentally. Here, we present small-angle neutron scattering profiles where the polycation scattering length density is matched to that of the solvent to extract positional correlations among anionic monomers. The polyanion scattering functions exhibit a peak at the inverse polymer screening radius of Coulomb interactions, q* ~ 0:2 Å-1. This peak, attributed to Coulomb repulsions between the fragments of polyanions and their attractions to polycations, is even more pronounced in the calculated charge scattering function that quantifies positional correlations of all polymer charges within the PEC. Screening of electrostatic interactions by adding salt leads to the gradual disappearance of this correlation peak, and the scattering functions regain an Ornstein-Zernike form. Experimental scattering results are consistent with those calculated from the random phase approximation, a scaling analysis, and molecular simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work investigates the effects of body angle and wing deformation on the lift of free-flying butterflies. The flight kinematics were recorded using three high-speed cameras, and particle-image velocimetry (PIV) was used to analyze the transient flow field around the butterfly. Parametric studies via numerical simulations were also conducted to examine the force generation of the wing by fixing different body angles and amplifying the chordwise deformation. The results show that appropriately amplifying chordwise deformation enhances wing performance due to an increase in the strength of the vortex and a more stabilized attached vortex. The wing undergoes a significant chordwise deformation, which can generate a larger lift coefficient than that with a higher body angle, resulting in a 14% increase compared to a lower chordwise deformation and body angle. This effect is due to the leading-edge vortex attached to the curved wing, which alters the force from horizontal to vertical. It, therefore, produces more efficient lift during flight. These findings reveal that the chordwise deformation of the wing and the body angle could increase the lift of the butterfly. This work was inspired by real butterfly flight, and the results could provide valuable knowledge about lift generation for designing microaerial vehicles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The aim of this study is to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the patient‐reported outcome measure assessing self‐efficacy in patients with inflammatory bowel disease, and recommend the most robust measurement. Design: A systematic review of psychometric properties. Data Sources: We performed systematic electronic searches in the following databases from inception to 26 May 2022: PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and PsycINFO via OVID. Review Method: This review evaluated the tools' quality in accordance with the Selection of Consensus‐Based Health Measurement Instruments 2018 system Evaluation guidelines. Results: Three patient‐reported outcome measures were identified in the five included studies. The "IBD‐yourself" questionnaire revealed very low evidence for a sufficient hypothesis test for construct validity, moderate evidence for insufficient internal consistency, and very low evidence for uncertain measurement error. Evidence from Inflammatory Bowel Disease Self‐Efficacy Scale validated internal consistency, structural validity, criterion validity, and hypothesis test for construct validity. However, evidence of moderate quality corroborated this reliability. The Adolescents and Young Adults Inflammatory Bowel Disease Self‐Efficacy Scale demonstrated very low evidence for sufficient internal consistency, moderate evidence for a sufficient hypothesis test for construct and content validity, and very low evidence for uncertain reliability. Conclusions: Compared with the other two measures, the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Self‐Efficacy Scale has higher quality evidence of higher overall ratings for some of its psychometric properties, but there were some methodological problems that must be further studied to determine their quality. Impact It is uncertain whether a scale to assess self‐efficacy in patients with inflammatory bowel disease has good measurement performance in clinical applications. This study first presents the methodological quality and psychometric properties of the self‐efficacy scale used to assess patients with inflammatory bowel disease, which is based on the Consensus‐Based Health Measurement Instruments standard. This study can help researchers and physicians decide which scale is the most suitable and reliable for patients with inflammatory bowel disease. No Patient or Public Contribution: Because this was a systematic review based on synthesizing information from previous studies, no human participants were included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three-dimensional printing (3DP) technology is a rapid prototyping technology that is widely used in the medical field. It can be combined with computer-aided design, material manufacturing, and other technologies to construct medical-related appliances, human implants and even cell-based models or biological tissues. In the field of ophthalmology, the technology can be used to manufacture ocular anatomical models, glasses, intraocular implants, microsurgical instruments, drugs, etc. It can also enable future 'bioprinting', involving the refractive and nervous systems of the eyeball, with excellent development prospects in the field. This review introduces the development of 3DP technology in ophthalmology and discusses its application and potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Perineural invasion (PNI) as the fourth way for solid tumor metastasis and invasion has attracted a lot of attention, and axon growth and possible nerve "invasion" to tumors has also become an important component of PNI. We aim to summarize the current theories on the molecular mediators and pathogenesis of PNI, add the latest scientific research progress, and especially explore the use of single-cell spatial transcriptomics in this invasion way, to obtain a better understanding of PNI. Perineural invasion (PNI) as the fourth way for solid tumors metastasis and invasion has attracted a lot of attention, recent research reported a new point that PNI starts to include axon growth and possible nerve "invasion" to tumors as the component. More and more tumor–nerve crosstalk has been explored to explain the internal mechanism for tumor microenvironment (TME) of some types of tumors tends to observe nerve infiltration. As is well known, the interaction of tumor cells, peripheral blood vessels, extracellular matrix, other non-malignant cells, and signal molecules in TME plays a key role in the occurrence, development, and metastasis of cancer, as to the occurrence and development of PNI. We aim to summarize the current theories on the molecular mediators and pathogenesis of PNI, add the latest scientific research progress, and explore the use of single-cell spatial transcriptomics in this invasion way. A better understanding of PNI may help to understand tumor metastasis and recurrence and will be beneficial for improving staging strategies, new treatment methods, and even paradigm shifts in our treatment of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims We investigated the association of fasting triglycerides with cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality. Methods and results This cohort study included US adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys from 1988 to 2014. CVD mortality outcomes were ascertained by linkage to the National Death Index records. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of triglycerides for CVD mortality. The cohort included 26 570 adult participants, among which 3978 had diabetes. People with higher triglycerides had a higher prevalence of diabetes at baseline. The cohort was followed up for a mean of 12.0 years with 1492 CVD deaths recorded. A 1-natural-log-unit higher triglyceride was associated with a 30% higher multivariate-adjusted risk of CVD mortality in participants with diabetes (HR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.08–1.56) but not in those without diabetes (HR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.83–1.07). In participants with diabetes, people with high triglycerides (200–499 mg/dL) had a 44% (HR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.12–1.85) higher multivariate-adjusted risk of CVD mortality compared with those with normal triglycerides (<150 mg/dL). The findings remained significant when diabetes was defined by fasting glucose levels alone, or after further adjustment for the use of lipid-lowering medications, or after the exclusion of those who took lipid-lowering medications. Conclusion This study demonstrates that fasting triglycerides of ≥200 mg/dL are associated with an increased risk of CVD mortality in patients with diabetes but not in those without diabetes. Future clinical trials of new treatments to lower triglycerides should focus on patients with diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flow cessation leads to severe degradation of river corridor landscape structure, habitat quality, and ecological functions. This study focuses on the representative river with ceased flow in northern China, the Yongding River plain section. Utilizing long-term, high-resolution satellite remote sensing imagery and the InVEST model, we analyzed the spatiotemporal evolution of landscape structure and habitat quality (HQ) before and after river corridor flow cessation over the past 50 years. The study further employs partial least squares regression (PLSR) to explore the impact of landscape structural changes on HQ and uses generalized additive models (GAMs) and geographical detector (GeoDetector) to quantitatively identify key factors affecting habitat degradation and their interactive effects. Results indicate that from 1967 to 2018, mid-channel bar, floodplain, and waterbody decreased sharply from 37.4% to 3.8%. The mean HQ value dropped from 0.58 to 0.34 after flow cessation. Although HQ slightly recovered post-2004, high-quality habitat areas remain absent. Different landscape structures significantly influence HQ, with increased size and area of the waterbody and forest patches positively contributing, while cultivated land, barren land, and built-up land generally have negative impacts. PLAND, LPI, MPS, and AWMPFD are key metrics for optimizing landscape structure and implementing habitat restoration in river management. Anthropogenic activities emerged as the primary driver of river corridor habitat degradation post-flow cessation. Different drivers exhibit complex linear and nonlinear effects on HQ. Based on these findings, we propose ecological management strategies for river corridors with ceased flow. This study is essential for a deeper understanding of river corridors' structural dynamics and degradation mechanisms, providing a scientific basis for effective ecological restoration and management. [Display omitted] • Quantified the impact of flow cessation on habitat quality (HQ) and landscape structure in river corridors. • The area ratio of waterbody, floodplain, and mid-channel bar decreased from 37.4% to 3.8% after flow cessation. • Variations in landscape structure of different landscape types have differential impacts on HQ. • The reduction and fragmentation of natural habitat patches were the key factors affecting HQ. • Considering nonlinear and interaction effects is vital for river ecosystem management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge graph embedding aims to advance learning performance by deliberating the complexity of hierarchical data structures in a finite-dimensional space. Most traditional Euclidean models struggle to accurately describe and navigate intricate hierarchical relationships between nodes. Hyperbolic embedding methods, particularly when combined with graph neural networks, offer promise in effectively modeling complex hierarchies in a limited-dimensional space. These methods can incorporate more information about nodes under the same conditions but are also more susceptible to interference from complex neighborhood features. This paper introduces HyperGatE, which novelty combines a hyperbolic graph hierarchical neighbor structure based on a gated filter and a hyperbolic isometric rotation model for knowledge graph completion. By analyzing the hierarchical structure of the knowledge base and using a gated mechanism to form multi-layer embedding networks of entity-relational paths, the gated selects diverse uneven multi-hop relations within the entity neighborhood and measures them through graph attention networks. Furthermore, the simplified hyperbolic isometric model allows for uncovering hierarchical structures in the data. HyperGatE experimentally surpasses some state-of-the-art Euclidean and hyperbolic space models in high and low dimensions across four well-known data, namely WN18RR, FB15k-237, NELL-995, and Kinship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an important polymer material, polyurethane brings convenience to daily life but also causes environmental problems, and the manufacturing of bio-based repairable, re-processable and sturdy materials can effectively reduce environmental pressure. Herein a low temperature recyclable polyurethane (PU) was developed with castor oil (CO) by combining isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI), dynamic disulfide bonds and hydrogen bonds. The castor oil-based PU showed impressive tensile strength (16.1 MPa) remarkable elongation at break (1055.8 %), and high bonding power (up to ∼6 MPa) with bonding wood chips. The dynamic disulfide bonds and hydrogen bonds imparted the bio-based PU with outstanding elastic recovery, impressive self-healing capability (up to ∼90 %), short relaxation time (5–6 min at 180°C), favorable shape memory behavior, and multiple recyclability. By mixing different proportions of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), recyclable and stretchable conductive composites are realized. In addition, an integrated system of high-efficiency bio-based solar photovoltaic generator is demonstrated for simulating the ambient sunlight-heat-electricity conversion, which provides some guidance for the efficient use of solar energy. [Display omitted] • Castor oil-based polyurethane with dynamic double cross-linked structure was prepared. • The polyurethane showed low-temperature self-healing ability, multiple recyclability and high bond strength. • Thermal-electric conversion voltage of the polyurethane composite reached ∼120 mV within 150 s. • It provides valuable guidance for developing multifunctional adhesive and photothermal conversion materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The MYC oncogenic family is dysregulated in diverse tumors which is generally linked to the poor prognosis of tumors. The members in MYC family are transcription factors which are responsible for the regulation of various genes expression. Among them, c-MYC is closely related to the progression of tumors. Furthermore, c-MYC aberrations is tightly associated with the prevalence of breast cancer. Tumor microenvironment (TME) is composed of many different types of cellular and non-cellular factors, mainly including cancer-associated fibroblasts, tumor-associated macrophages, vascular endothelial cells, myeloid-derived suppressor cells and immune cells, all of which can affect the diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic efficacy of breast cancer. Importantly, the biological processes occurred in TME, such as angiogenesis, immune evasion, invasion, migration, and the recruition of stromal and tumor-infiltrating cells are under the modulation of c-MYC. These findings indicated that c-MYC serves as a critical regulator of TME. Here, we aimed to summarize and review the relevant research, thus to clarify c-MYC is a key mediator between breast cancer cells and TME. DVLPdmoXAPbqrJeJ-uvGmg Video Abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the association of dietary intake of major types of fatty acids with heart disease mortality in a general adult cohort with or without a prior diagnosis of myocardial infarction (MI). This cohort study included US adults who attended the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys from 1988 to 2014. Heart disease mortality was ascertained by linkage to the National Death Index records through 31 December 2015. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of fatty acid intake for heart disease mortality. This cohort included 45,820 adults among which 1,541 had a prior diagnosis of MI. Participants were followed up for 532,722 person-years (mean follow-up, 11.6 years), with 2,313 deaths recorded from heart disease being recorded. Intake of saturated (SFAs) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) was associated with heart disease mortality after adjustment for all the tested confounders. In contrast, a 5% higher calorie intake from polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) was associated with a 9% (HR, 0.91; 95% CI 0.83–1.00; P = 0.048) lower multivariate-adjusted risk of heart disease mortality. Sub-analyses showed that this inverse association was present in those without a prior diagnosis of MI (HR,0.89; 95% CI 0.80–0.99) but not in those with the condition (HR, 0.94; 95% CI 0.75–1.16). The lack of association in the MI group could be due to a small sample size or severity and procedural complications (e.g., stenting and medication adherence) of the disease. Higher PUFA intake was associated with a favourable lipid profile. However, further adjustment for plasma lipids did not materially change the inverse association between PUFAs and heart disease mortality. Higher intake of PUFAs, but not SFAs and MUFAs, was associated with a lower adjusted risk of heart disease mortality in a large population of US adults supporting the need to increase dietary PUFA intake in the general public. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The slightest change in the extra/intracellular concentration of metal ions results in amplified effects by signaling cascades that regulate both cell fate within the tumor microenvironment and immune status, which influences the network of antitumor immunity through various pathways. Based on the fact that metal ions influence the fate of cancer cells and participate in both innate and adaptive immunity, they are widely applied in antitumor therapy as immune modulators. Moreover, nanomedicine possesses the advantage of precise delivery and responsive release, which can perfectly remedy the drawbacks of metal ions, such as low target selectivity and systematic toxicity, thus providing an ideal platform for metal ion application in cancer treatment. Emerging evidence has shown that immunotherapy applied with nanometallic materials may significantly enhance therapeutic efficacy. Here, we focus on the physiopathology of metal ions in tumorigenesis and discuss several breakthroughs regarding the use of nanometallic materials in antitumor immunotherapeutics. These findings demonstrate the prominence of metal ion-based nanomedicine in cancer therapy and prophylaxis, providing many new ideas for basic immunity research and clinical application. Consequently, we provide innovative insights into the comprehensive understanding of the application of metal ions combined with nanomedicine in cancer immunotherapy in the past few years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the growing demand for wearable computers, there is a need for material systems that can perform computational tasks without relying on external electrical power. Using theory and simulation, we design a material system that “computes” by integrating the inherent behavior of self-oscillating gels undergoing the Belousov–Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction and piezoelectric (PZ) plates. These “BZ-PZ” units are connected electrically to form a coupled oscillator network, which displays specific modes of synchronization. We exploit this attribute in employing multiple BZ-PZ networks to perform pattern matching on complex multi-dimensional data, such as colored images. By decomposing a colored image into sets of binary vectors, we use each BZ-PZ network, or “channel,” to store distinct information about the color and the shape of the image and perform the pattern matching operation. Our simulation results indicate that the multi-channel BZ-PZ device can detect subtle differences between the input and stored patterns, such as the color variation of one pixel or a small change in the shape of an object. To demonstrate a practical application, we utilize our system to process a colored Quick Response code and show its potential in cryptography and steganography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endophytic bacteria are widely distributed in plants and play an important function and potential role in promoting plant growth and acting against stresses. To examine the diversity and distribution of the endophytic bacteria in the sweet cherry of Dalian, China, the community structures in sweet cherry varieties and organs were investigated using Illumina-HiSeq sequencing. A total of 18,797,077 effective tags corresponding to 16S rRNA gene V3-V4 regions were obtained from all the samples. Consequently, 512-1200 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) per sample and 24 prokaryotic phyla in total were revealed. Among these, Proteobacteria was the dominant phylum, followed by Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidetes. Based on the alpha diversity and beta diversity analyses, a marked difference in endophytic bacterial diversity was evident among different organs; particularly, the diversity was higher in root than in stem or bark. Furthermore, there was significant correlation between the endophytic bacterial community and sweet cherry varieties. Identification of organ-specific OTUs, an indicator of organ-specific endophytic bacteria, and Linear Discriminant Analysis (LEfSe) revealed that there were 46 taxa differentially distributed among the three organs analyzed. In conclusion, by revealing the endophytic bacterial distribution among sweet cherry varieties and organs, our results suggested that organ type, but not genotype, can affect the composition of the endophytic microbiota of the sweet cherry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Angiogenesis plays a major role in atherosclerotic plaque development and instability. Our study aims to develop a novel optical and magnetic resonance (MR) dual-modality molecular imaging probe to early detect unstable plaques in vivo by targeting biomarkers of angiogenesis in murine models of atherosclerosis (AS). Methods: Immunofluorescence and western blot were used to detect the expression of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor 2 (VEGFR2) in activated Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVECs). After synthesis and identification of novel short peptide VRBP1-targeted VEGFR2, HUVECs were co-cultured with FITC-VRBP1 to test specific affinity of VRBP1. Then VRBP1-UCNPstargeting VEGFR2 were constructed by conjugating VRBP1 to the surface of NaGdF4:Yb,Er@NaGdF4 nanoparticles. The characterization of the nanoparticles was performed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), distribution of size, hydrodynamic size, zeta potential, absorption spectra, emission spectra, imaging intensity of different concentrations, binding affinity and cytotoxicity of nanoprobes in vitro. The upconversion luminescence (UCL) and MR imaging were performed to identify unstable atherosclerotic plaque in ApoE−/− mice in vivo and ex vivo. Morphological staining was used to verify AS model and angiogenesis, and Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-AES) was used to confirm accumulation of the nanoparticles after imaging. Results: After induced by hypoxia and ox-LDL, the expression of VEGFR2 in activated HUVECs was enhanced. FITC-VRBP1 can specifically bind to the HUVECs. Characterization of the nanoparticles showed that particles size is uniform with a stable structure, specific optical and MR signal, good binding affinity to VEGFR2 and low cytotoxicity. In vivo and ex vivo UCL imaging and quantitative analysis revealed that distinctive optical signal was observed in the regions of left carotid common arteries (LCCAs) of AS group after injection of VRBP1-UCNPs. Higher signal intensity on T1-weighted MR imaging appeared in the LCCA wall of AS group after injection. The results of morphological staining demonstrated angiogenesis in the atherosclerotic plaques, Gd ions in LCCAs, aortic arch and renal arteries bifurcations detected by ICP-AES confirmed accumulation of the nanoparticles in plaque. Conclusions: We successfully design and synthesize a novel UCNPs using peptide VRBP1 targeting to VEGFR2. In vivo imaging demonstrates that VRBP1-UCNPs can be used to perform optical/MR dual-modality imaging targeting angiogenesis in plaques, which is a promising technique to early detect unstable atherosclerosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dracocephalum heterophyllum Benth is well-known for its ability to alleviate liver heat. In this study, Dracocephalum heterophyllum Benth ethyl acetate extracts were evaluated on mouse models of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and liver fibrosis. After 6 and 8 weeks of treatment, serum parameters and gene expressions in tissue samples, as well as stained tissue sections, demonstrated that the ethyl acetate extracts were effective in treating these liver diseases. The principal bioactive constituent (rosmarinic acid) was identified and screened by high pressure liquid chromatography-1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl and affinity ultrafiltration-HPLC. The rosmarinic acid was separated from extracts with high purity by medium- and high-pressure liquid chromatography. Finally, the interactions between rosmarinic acid and the key targets of lipid metabolism, oxidative stress and inflammation were verified by molecular docking. Thereby, an indirect regulation of lipid and cholesterol metabolism and inhibition of liver inflammation and liver fibrosis by the studied extract has been observed. This study demonstrated that Dracocephalum heterophyllum Benth ethyl acetate extracts have the potential to treat nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and liver fibrosis, revealing their multi-target and multi-pathway therapeutic characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Net primary productivity (NPP) is an important indicator of carbon and water cycles in grassland ecosystems and is highly sensitive to climate change. This study focused on grassland and its sub-regions in Yunnan Province and analyzed the productivity of grassland ecosystems under different hydrothermal conditions from 2001 to 2021. The results indicated that grassland experienced a warming and drying trend, with an overall upward trend averaging 5.30 gC·m−2·a−1. Notably, the central Yunnan Plateau region boasted the highest productivity growth rate, reaching 7.67 gC·m−2·a−1. The response of grassland productivity to climate change under different hydrothermal conditions exhibited distinct spatial heterogeneity and complexity. Grasslands in the hot and humid zone of southwestern Yunnan presented the highest sensitivity to changes in precipitation, temperature, and solar radiation, at 3.08 (gC·m−2·a−1)/mm, 53.3 (gC·m−2·a−1)/°C, and 4.07 (gC·m−2·a−1)/(MJ·m−2), respectively. In the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau alpine region, rising temperatures contributed to productivity growth. In contrast, warmer temperatures and water stress led to a decline in grassland productivity in the hot and dry vally of the Jinsha River. In addition, grassland productivity showed variable lag effects in different hydrothermal regions. The areas where grassland productivity with a 3-month lag effects in response to temperature, precipitation, and solar radiation accounted for 25.26 %, 34.52 %, and 16.04 % of the region, respectively. The grassland productivity responses to temperature and precipitation exhibited a long lag effect, primarily observed in dry and hot areas. This study is crucial for guiding adaptive vegetation management in Yunnan grassland ecosystems under different hydrothermal conditions to better cope with climate change. [Display omitted] • The grasslands in Yunnan Province showed a warming and drying trend from 2001 to 2021. • The response of grassland productivity to climate change under different hydrothermal conditions showed obvious spatial heterogeneity. • The sensitivity of grassland growth to precipitation, temperature, and solar radiation was particularly pronounced in the hot and humid zone of southwestern Yunnan. • The lag effects of vegetation growth in response to climate factors vary spatially. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Tremella fuciformis exopolysaccharides (TFPS-1) was indigestible in simulated digestion. • Gut microbiota can utilize TFPS-1-I to improve the composition of the microbial community. • TFPS-1-I enhanced the metabolic functions of intestinal flora. • TFPS-1-I increased SCFAs production. Tremella fuciformis polysaccharides (TFPS) belong to natural bioactive macromolecule with both edible and medicinal value, possessing much bioactivities such as anti-tumor, antioxidant, antidiabetics, and immunomodulatory. Currently, the production of TFPS through submerged fermentation (TFPS-1) is gradually replacing the polysaccharides extracted from the fruiting body due to improved fermentation efficiency and reduced separation costs. However, it is still unclear about the effect of TFPS-1 on gastrointestinal digestion and gut microbial fermentation, which is directly related to the function of its biological activity. This study aimed to illustrate the effect of TFPS-1 on digestive process through in vitro digestion and fecal fermentation. TFPS-1 was indigestible during the simulated gastrointestinal tract. But TFPS-1 can be digested by intestinal flora leading to alterations in the total polysaccharides content, molecular weight, and apparent viscosity. Moreover, TFPS-1 regulated the composition of gut microbial, lowering the proportion of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes and enhancing the abundances of Parabacteroides and Bacteroides. The change of intestinal flora produced more short chain fatty acids and lowered the pH. The KEGG metabolic pathway analysis indicated that TFPS-1 enriched lipid metabolism, glycan biosynthesis and metabolism, and biosynthesis of other secondary metabolites. This study demonstrated that T. fuciformis fermented polysaccharide can be a potential prebiotic to optimize intestinal flora homeostasis and maintain host intestinal health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Leguminous forage has a higher soil water infiltration rate than gramineous forage. • Root properties indirectly improve soil properties during root decomposition. • Root properties play a major role in determining soil water infiltration capability. • Root length and root volume are key two factors influencing the infiltration process. Soil properties are generally altered during root decomposition, which impacts soil water infiltration. Gramineous and leguminous plants present distinct root properties, but it remains unclear whether the root or soil properties are primarily responsible for the soil infiltration capability during root decomposition. To identify the differences in the contributions of root and soil properties to soil infiltration capability between these two species during root decomposition, a potted plant in situ decomposition experiment was conducted using Bothriochloa. ischaemum (Gramineae) and Lespedeza. davurica (Leguminosae) during three root decomposition times (the 90th, 270th and 450th day). The results revealed that all the root properties (root length, root volume, average root diameter and root biomass) gradually decreased during root decomposition, especially the root length (RL) and root volume (RV) of L. davurica in 0–40 cm soil layer, with reductions of 55.35% and 58.73% at the 450th day compared with the 90th day. The reverse was true for the soil porosity and mean weight diameter of the soil aggregates. Compared to B. ischaemum , L. davurica presented relatively high initial infiltration rate (IIR), steady infiltration rate (SIR), and average infiltration rate (AIR) values at three root decomposition times. A great increase in the soil infiltration rate was observed for both species at the late decomposition stage (450th day), especially for L. davurica , with increases of 38.32%, 267.7%, and 137.1% in IIR, SIR, and AIR. The GLM analysis results revealed that root properties had a greater contribution to the soil infiltration capability. The key factors controlling the soil water infiltration process have been quantified as RL and RV. The present study indicates that leguminous forage presented greater soil infiltration capability during root decomposition. A great decrease in RL and RV within the upper soil layers increased the soil porosity and facilitated the formation of soil aggregates, thereby promoting water flow and ultimately improving the soil infiltration capability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the widespread application of growth regulators and nutrients to boost yield and quality of strawberry fruits has led to the rapid growth of strawberry industry globally. Although the effects of major nutrients on strawberry yield have been widely studied, investigations into the effect of trace elements such as boron remain limited. This study examined the effect of boron application on the yield and quality of "Benihoppe" strawberry fruits. Nutrient solutions with varying boron concentrations (0, 0.024, 0.048, 0.072, and 0.096 mM) were applied to the plants, and their effect on fruit quality was evaluated. The results indicated that boron application enhanced the yield per plant, nutrient composition (total amino acid and vitamin C content), antioxidant properties (total phenol) and volatile components (esters) in strawberry fruits. Specifically, treatment with 0.048 mM boron concentration significantly increased the accumulation of soluble sugars, such as sucrose, whose concentration was 154.29% higher than that of the control treated with 0 mM concentration. This enhancement is attributable to the regulated expression of sucrose phosphate synthase (maker-Fvb2-2-augustus-gene-229.38) and β-fructofuranosidase-1/2/3 (augustus-masked-Fvb5-4-processed-gene-2.0, maker-Fvb5-3-augustus-gene-272.30, and maker-Fvb5-1-augustus-gene-0.37) genes, which play crucial roles in sugar metabolism and enzyme activity. Overall, boron application enhanced the quality of "Benihoppe" strawberries. The findings of this study offer substantial theoretical and practical guidance for using boron fertilizers in strawberry farming. • Boron content in strawberry tissues increased after its exogenous application. • Boron application promoted the accumulation of amino acids and total phenol. • Exogenous boron application changed the types and content of volatile components. • Appropriate boron concentration promoted sugar accumulation in strawberry fruits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge graph embedding has found widespread application across various fields due to its inherent structured data. However, some non-graph-based models necessitate improvement in accurately describing complex hierarchical structures and connecting intricate relational paths. Graph neural networks embedding methods provide a promising direction for exploring complex hierarchical modeling, facilitating the flow of information from nodes along relational paths. Nevertheless, the deficient interpretable characterization by the saliency estimation in entities, which contributes to the efficient performance of the model, is difficult to comprehend. This paper proposes a novel model to mitigate the described phenomenon by intensifying the original structure of knowledge graphs. Specifically, it integrates the Axiomatic Fuzzy Set entity semantic extraction framework with a heterogeneous relationship self-attention mechanism to bolster node representation. Next, this framework incorporates a convolutional neural network model to increase the interaction capabilities of entities and relations. This interpretable entity-level attention mechanism complements the structural information of the knowledge graphs, enabling more comprehensive neighbor information capture and improving the ability to identify the correct entity location. Experimental validation on two relationally complex datasets demonstrates superior performance compared to current methods, obtaining a new Hit@1 value of 45.6% on WN18RR. • Propose a hierarchical graph neural network knowledge representation framework. • Employ the Axiomatic Fuzzy Set to capture underlying semantics between entities. • The model has interpretable entity-level and heterogeneous relational attention. • Estimates of proximity values between nodes are yielded by semantic descriptions. • Produce promising performance compared to other knowledge graph embedding models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cotton gauze is commonly used in initial emergency care. However, its high hydrophilicity and limited clotting capacity can lead to the excessive absorption of blood, resulting in unnecessary blood loss. Herein, an amphiphilic Janus cotton gauze with excellent moisture management and enhanced blood coagulation has been developed via in situ generating bioactive glass (BG) onto the cotton gauze (CG), and then attaching cardanol (CA) onto one side of the BG-loaded CG (CG@BG) via click reaction. The Janus gauze (CA-CG@BG) has asymmetric wetting properties with a hydrophilic side (CA-CG@BG HL) and a hydrophobic side (HB CA-CG@BG). When applied to hemostatic, the porous and active BG on CA-CG@BG HL can rapidly initiate coagulation cascade to form a robust thrombus. CA on HB CA-CG@BG can entangled with each other, creating a hydrophobic barrier that prevents blood from flowing out. The hemostatic performance of CA-CG@BG is superior to that of CG in both rats and pigs. Interestingly, CA-CG@BG possesses unidirectional exudate removal. When applied to wound healing, the exudate can penetrate the hydrophobic HB CA-CG@BG to the hydrophilic CA-CG@BG HL , resulting in faster wound healing than CG. CA-CG@BG exhibits excellent cytocompatibility and hemocompatibility. This unique Janus dressing shows promise as a potential material for clinical applications in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Saxifraga atrata is an important traditional Tibetan medicine used to treat cough and pneumonia, and has tremendous medicinal potential. In this study, we devised a technique to separate 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl inhibitors from a methanol extract of S. atrata. The material was first processed using MCI GEL CHP20P medium‐pressure liquid chromatography, yielding 1.1 g of the target fraction Fr2. Subsequently, online hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography‐1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl assay was used to identify prospective 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl inhibitors, and two 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl inhibitor fractions (Fr24 and Fr25) were identified from Fr2. Then, medium‐pressure preparation was continued using an XIon column to separate two 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl inhibitor fractions (Fr24 and Fr25). The target compound was concentrated in fractions Fr24 and Fr25 using reverse‐phase liquid chromatography during further separation procedures. Finally, the purity, structure, and 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl inhibitory activity of the isolated 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl inhibitors were determined. Two 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl inhibitors (adenosine with the half maximal inhibitory concentration of 66.87 ± 14.33 μM and (‐)‐4‐O‐(E)‐caffeoyl‐l‐threonic acid with the half maximal inhibitory concentration of 59.06 ± 5.02 μM) were isolated with purities exceeding 95%. The results showed that this technology is effective in the targeted separation of antioxidants from natural products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]