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The excitatory monosynaptic activation of hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cells is spatially segregated such that the proximal part of the apical dendritic tree in stratum radiatum (SR) receives input from the hippocampal CA3 region while the distal part in the stratum‐lacunosum‐moleculare (SLM) receives input mainly from the entorhinal cortex. The AMPA receptor‐mediated (AMPA) signalling of SLM synapses in slices from neonatal rats was previously found to considerably differ from that of the SR synapses. In the present study, AMPA signalling of SLM synapses in 1‐month‐old rats has been examined, that is, when the hippocampus is essentially functionally mature. For the SR synapses, this time is characterized by a facilitatory shift in short‐term plasticity, in the disappearance of labile postsynaptic AMPA signalling, a property thought to be important for early activity‐dependent organization of neural circuits, and the expression of an adult form of long‐term potentiation. We found that the SLM synapses alter their short‐term plasticity similarly to that of the SR synapses. However, the labile postsynaptic AMPA signalling was not only maintained but substantially enhanced in the SLM synapses. The long‐term potentiation observed was not of the adult form but like that of the neonatal SR synapses based on unsilencing of AMPA labile synapses. We propose that these features of the SLM synapses in the mature hippocampus will help to produce a flexible map of the multimodal sensory input reaching the SLM required for its conjunctive operation with the SR input to generate a proper functional output from the CA1 region. The SLM and SR regions of the hippocampus follow distinct developmental paths as they mature functionally. During maturation, the SLM synapses become more postsynaptically AMPA labile, a property thought to be a developmental feature adapted for the early activity‐dependent topographical organization of cortical areas. We propose that the AMPA lability presently observed allows for synaptic flexibility required for the adult SLM region to represent this complex multimodal sensory input. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Positioned at the head of the nephron, the renal corpuscle generates a plasma ultrafiltrate to initiate urine formation. Three major cell types within the renal corpuscle, the glomerular mesangial cells, podocytes, and glomerular capillary endothelial cells, communicate via endocrine- and paracrine-signaling mechanisms to maintain the structure and function of the glomerular capillary network and filtration barrier. Ca2+ signaling mediated by several distinct plasma membrane Ca2+ channels impacts the functions of all three cell types. The past two decades have witnessed pivotal advances in understanding of non-voltage-gated Ca2+ channel function and regulation in the renal corpuscle in health and renal disease. This review summarizes the current knowledge of the physiological and pathological impact of non-voltage-gated Ca2+ channel signaling in mesangial cells, podocytes and glomerular capillary endothelium. The main focus is on transient receptor potential and store-operated Ca2+ channels, but ionotropic N-methyl- d -aspartate receptors and purinergic receptors also are discussed. This update of Ca2+ channel functions and their cellular signaling cascades in the renal corpuscle is intended to inform the development of therapeutic strategies targeting these channels to treat kidney diseases, particularly diabetic nephropathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivation Spatially resolved single-cell transcriptomics have provided unprecedented insights into gene expression in situ , particularly in the context of cell interactions or organization of tissues. However, current technologies for profiling spatial gene expression at single-cell resolution are generally limited to the measurement of a small number of genes. To address this limitation, several algorithms have been developed to impute or predict the expression of additional genes that were not present in the measured gene panel. Current algorithms do not leverage the rich spatial and gene relational information in spatial transcriptomics. To improve spatial gene expression predictions, we introduce Spatial Propagation and Reinforcement of Imputed Transcript Expression (SPRITE) as a meta-algorithm that processes predictions obtained from existing methods by propagating information across gene correlation networks and spatial neighborhood graphs. Results SPRITE improves spatial gene expression predictions across multiple spatial transcriptomics datasets. Furthermore, SPRITE predicted spatial gene expression leads to improved clustering, visualization, and classification of cells. SPRITE can be used in spatial transcriptomics data analysis to improve inferences based on predicted gene expression. Availability and implementation The SPRITE software package is available at https://github.com/sunericd/SPRITE. Code for generating experiments and analyses in the manuscript is available at https://github.com/sunericd/sprite-figures-and-analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The seismic response of seabed is fundamental for researching the seismic response of marine structures. The one-dimensional transient response of an unsaturated seabed was studied in this paper. An analytical solution for a special case with infinite permeability coefficients and a semianalytical solution for a general case with arbitrary permeability coefficients were developed. The advantage of this semianalytical solution is that it can compute the behavior of unsaturated soils with very low permeability coefficients. During the derivation, the boundary conditions were transformed into homogeneous boundary conditions first, and then the eigenvalues and eigenfunctions were obtained. To obtain solutions in the time domain, the eigenfunction expansion method and the precise time-step integration method were employed. Through numerical examples, the reflection and transmission characteristics of three types of compression waves at the fluid–solid interface were elucidated. The impact of permeability coefficients and water saturation on the seismic response of the seabed was investigated through parametric analysis. When the soil is nearing saturation, even a slight change in saturation can lead to a drastic alteration in the seismic response of the nearly saturated seabed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CD8 + T cells exert a critical role in eliminating cancers and chronic infections, and can provide long-term protective immunity. However, under the exposure of persistent antigen, CD8 + T cells can differentiate into terminally exhausted CD8 + T cells and lose the ability of immune surveillance and disease clearance. New insights into the molecular mechanisms of T-cell exhaustion suggest that it is a potential way to improve the efficacy of immunotherapy by restoring the function of exhausted CD8 + T cells. Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) is an important executor of immune homeostasis and tolerance, inhibiting the expansion and function of many components of the immune system. Recent studies have shown that TGF-β is one of the drivers for the development of exhausted CD8 + T cells. In this review, we summarized the role and mechanisms of TGF-β in the formation of exhausted CD8 + T cells and discussed ways to target those to ultimately enhance the efficacy of immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on Branscombe et al.'s conceptualization of social identity threat, we developed and validated a multidimensional measure of this concept: the Social Identity Threat Scale (SITS). We conducted three studies that examined social identity threat to U.S. Americans (Study 1, N = 468; Study 2, N = 457) and e-cigarette users (Study 3, N = 395) when they read negative messages directed at their social groups. Results provided evidence for the reliability, criterion-related validity, and construct validity of the SITS. Moreover, findings showed that social identity threat can be represented by five types of threat—categorization, distinctiveness, competence, morality, and generalized threats. The measure can be an essential tool for future research on social identity threat and for studies of intergroup relations more broadly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary and motile cilia are thin, hair-like cellular projections from the cell surface involved in movement, sensing, and communication between cells. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are small membrane-bound vesicles secreted by cells and contain various proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids that are delivered to and influence the behavior of other cells. Both cilia and EVs are essential for the normal functioning of brain cells, and their malfunction can lead to several neurological diseases. Cilia and EVs can interact with each other in several ways, and this interplay plays a crucial role in facilitating various biological processes, including cell-to-cell communication, tissue homeostasis, and pathogen defense. Cilia and EV crosstalk in the brain is an emerging area of research. Herein, we summarize the detailed molecular mechanisms of cilia and EV interplay and address the ciliary molecules that are involved in signaling and cellular dysfunction in brain development and diseases. Finally, we discuss the potential clinical use of cilia and EVs in brain diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the recycling and remanufacturing mode and sales channel issues in the closed-loop supply chain. Specifically, this study establishes an e-commerce closed-loop supply chain consisting of a manufacturer and an e-commerce platform, and divides the recycling model into recycling by the manufacturer or recycling by the platform. Considering two common sales models in e-commerce platforms: the resale model and agency model, combined with the recycling model, four different research scenarios are formed. We use backward induction to solve the Stackelberg game problem and explore the remanufacturing and channel strategies of the manufacturer and the e-commerce platform. The research results show that for the manufacturer, under the same recycling model, when consumers' preference for remanufactured products and the sensitivity of recycling volume to recycling prices are low, he will prefer the resale model. Under the same sales model, the manufacturer always prefers the recycling model in which he is responsible for recycling. However, the choice of platform is contrary to that of the manufacturer. In the resale model, both the manufacturer and the platform will choose to recycle by themselves, which cannot achieve a win-win situation. Under the agency model, when consumers' preference for remanufactured products is high and the sensitivity coefficient of recycling volume to recycling price is low, supply chain members can achieve a win-win situation, and the scope of the win-win situation decreases as the unit production cost of new products increases. In addition, rising consumer preference for remanufactured products will lead to lower consumer surplus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the growing interest in incorporating textual glosses into second language (L2) reading in hypermedia and paper media, no agreements have been reached as to whether and what extent a textual gloss facilitates L2 learners' vocabulary acquisition in hypermedia and paper media. The present study meta-analysed the overall effects of textual glosses and different glossing types (i.e. language, location, and mode) on L2 vocabulary acquisition, as well as the moderation effects on the variability of L2 vocabulary acquisition effect sizes. Based on a comprehensive search, 20 studies involving 2,291 participants that have quantitatively documented the changes of L2 vocabulary gains through a pre-and-post textual glosses design were identified and coded in order to retrieve moderator variables. The results show the following: (1) textual glossing has a medium effect on L2 vocabulary acquisition; (2) the effect of textual glosses on L2 vocabulary acquisition persists over time; (3) glossing location and glossing mode significantly impact the effect of textual glosses on L2 vocabulary acquisition but glossing language has no definite effect; and (4) outcome measure is the only moderator variable among the three influencing factors on vocabulary acquisition. These results are further discussed with reference to existing studies and theory of second language acquisition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractObjectiveMethodResultConclusionTo detect the expression levels of LINC02446 and S100B in serum of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and explore their values as diagnostic and prognostic indicators for TBI.Abnormal expressed RNAs in brain injury were screened from the dataset GSE1131475. Serums were collected from moderate to severe TBI patients at 1–3 and 4–12 h post injury. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the expression levels of LINC02446 and S100B in serum. The Glasgow Outcome Scale was used for prognostic evaluation. The diagnostic and prognostic efficacy of LINC02446 and S100B in TBI was evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.The serum expression levels of LINC02446 and S100B in the TBI group were significantly increased. The expression levels of LINC02446 and S100B in the severe TBI group were significantly higher than those in the mild TBI group. ROC curve analysis showed that the combination of LINC02446 and S100B can distinguish TBI patients from healthy controls, as well as mild TBI from moderate to severe TBI. At the 6-month follow-up, the expression levels of LINC02446 and S100B in TBI patients with poor prognosis were significantly higher than those in patients with good prognosis, and ROC results showed their differentiation value. Moreover, the expression level of LINC02446 at 0–3 h can serve as an independent prognostic factor for poor prognosis.Serum LINC02446 and S100B hold clinical application value in the diagnosis and prognosis of TBI and are expected to become new potential biomarkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although carbonatite-alkaline complexes are the primary source of the world's niobium (Nb) supply, the mineralization style is largely variable in these complexes and the processes behind their formation are still poorly understood. Exemplifying with our new observations on the ~430 Ma Miaoya and Shaxiongdong carbonatite-syenite complexes in the southern Qinling orogenic belt, central China, show that disseminated Nb mineralization in these two deposits is pervasive throughout the entire complexes in both syenite and carbonatite. Both magmatic and hydrothermal processes have contributed to Nb mineralization in both deposits, despite differences in the mineralization style. The Nb-bearing minerals in the mineralized Miaoya syenites include magmatic U-poor pyrochlore, rutile, and ilmenite with minor amounts of columbite, and hydrothermal columbite and rutile, whereas those in the mineralized carbonatites are mainly magmatic U-poor pyrochlore, uranpyrochlore, U-rich betafite, and rutile with minor amounts of columbite, and hydrothermal columbite and rutile. On the other hand, the Nb-bearing minerals in the mineralized Shaxiongdong syenites include magmatic U-poor pyrochlore, titanite, rutile, and ilmenite, and hydrothermal fersmite, rutile, and ilmenite, whereas those in the mineralized carbonatites are mainly magmatic U-poor pyrochlore without any hydrothermal Nb-bearing minerals. Field observations, whole-rock chemical and Sr-Nd isotopic compositions strongly constrained that assimilation of U-rich rocks (e.g., the hosting Yaolinghe and Meiziya Groups) and magma differentiation are responsible for diverse magmatic Nb mineralization in the two deposits. On the other hand, the diverse assemblages of hydrothermal Nb minerals in Miaoya and Shaxiongdong are mainly controlled by variations in the nature of the fluids, which is constrained to be genetically related to ~220 and ~420 Ma hydrothermal events, respectively. In summary, both magma evolution (e.g., differentiation, assimilation) and late hydrothermal overprinting are responsible for the diverse Nb mineralogy in carbonatite-alkaline complexes, a situation that is commonly observed worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms is a major global health concern. Recently, there has been an increasing interest in antimicrobial peptides as a therapeutic option. This study aimed to evaluate the triple-action (broad-spectrum antibacterial, anti-biofilm, and anti-quorum sensing activities) of melittin, a membrane-active peptide present in bee venom. The minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration of the melittin were determined using the microdilution method and agar plate counting. Growth curve analysis revealed that melittin showed a concentration-dependent antibacterial activity. Scanning electron microscope analysis revealed that melittin treatment altered the morphology. Confocal laser scanning microscope revealed that melittin increased the membrane permeability and intracellular ROS generation in bacteria, all of which contribute to bacterial cell death. In addition, the crystal violet (CV) assay was used to test the anti-biofilm activity. The CV assay demonstrated that melittin inhibited biofilm formation and eradicated mature biofilms. Biofilm formation mediated by quorum sensing (QS) plays a major role in this regard, so molecular docking and molecular dynamics analysis confirmed that melittin interacts with LasR receptors through hydrogen bonds, and further evaluates the anti-QS activity of melittin through the production of virulence factors (pyocyanin, elastase, and rhamnolipid), exopolysaccharides secretion, and bacterial motility, that may be the key to inhibiting the biofilm formation mechanism. The present findings highlight the promising role of melittin as a broad-spectrum antibacterial, anti-biofilm agent, and potential QS inhibitor, providing a new perspective and theoretical basis for the development of alternative antibiotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the potential application of radiomics in predicting Tumor-Node-Metastasis (TNM) stage in patients with resectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Methods: This retrospective study included 122 consecutive patients (mean age, 57 years; 27 women). Corresponding tumor of interest was identified on axial arterial-phase CT images with manual annotation. Radiomics features were extracted from intra- and peritumoral regions. Features were pruned to train LASSO regression model with 93 patients to construct a radiomics signature, whose performance was validated in a test set of 29 patients. Prognostic value of radiomics-predicted TNM stage was estimated by survival analysis in the entire cohort. Results: The radiomics signature incorporating one intratumoral and four peritumoral features was significantly associated with TNM stage. This signature discriminated tumor stage with an area under curve (AUC) of 0.823 in the training set, with similar performance in the test set (AUC 0.813). Recurrence-free survival (RFS) was significantly different between different radiomics-predicted TNM stage groups (Low-risk vs high-risk, log-rank P = 0.004). Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses revealed that radiomics-predicted TNM stage was an independent preoperative factor for RFS. Conclusions: The proposed radiomics signature combing intratumoral and peritumoral features was predictive of TNM stage and associated with prognostication in ESCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immersive narratives—narratives viewed in immersive mediated environments—are a promising tool for increasing empathy and persuasion due to their presumed capacity to place viewers inside a story world. Empirical studies, however, have produced mixed findings. This meta-analysis synthesized findings on the effects of narratives viewed in high (vs. low) immersive environments on empathy and persuasion (k  = 25). It also examined the impact of narratives viewed in high (vs. low) immersive environments on presence and narrative transportation, psychological constructs associated with two key mechanisms identified in immersive narrative research. Results showed that narratives viewed in high (vs. low) immersive environments had small positive effects on empathy and persuasion. The effect of immersion level on presence was significant, positive, and strong, but the effect on transportation was not significant, perhaps due to the limited sample size (k  = 4). This study contributes to further understanding the potential of immersive narratives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the analgesic effect and safety of ultrasound‐guided thoracic paravertebral block (UG‐TPVB) in Chinese elderly patients undergoing video‐assisted thoracic lobectomy (VATL) and to study the influence of aging factors on these effects. Methods: This study was a single‐center, single‐blind, prospective, randomized, controlled trial. A total of 300 patients scheduled for VATL were recruited and randomly divided into the UG‐TPVB group (T group) and conventional anesthesia group (C group) according to the recruitment order, and subgroups were set up according to whether the age was ≥65 years old or not. The postoperative 12, 24, and 48 h static/dynamic visual analog scale (VAS) scores, intraoperative fentanyl consumption, postoperative extubation time, post‐anesthesia care unit (PACU) stay time, hospitalization days, postoperative complications, and other indicators were compared between the two groups. Results: The postoperative 12, 24, and 48 h static/dynamic VAS scores of the T group were significantly lower than those of the C group. The intraoperative fentanyl consumption, postoperative extubation time, PACU stay time, and postoperative hospitalization days were significantly lower than those of the C group. The incidence of postoperative 48 h urinary retention in the T group was significantly lower than that in the C group. These advantages showed no significant difference or slight difference between elderly patients and nonelderly patients, indicating that UG‐TPVB did not influence the analgesic effect and safety of VATL patients by age or age difference. Conclusion: UG‐TPVB is an effective and safe perioperative analgesia method for elderly VATL patients. Its application improves the quality of life and prognosis of elderly VATL patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most current data aggregation schemes treat data collected from smart devices as one-dimensional data and only support the aggregation of homogeneous types of data, but not the aggregation of multidimensional heterogeneous types of data. To address this problem, this paper proposes an edge-assisted hierarchical privacy-preserving multidimensional data aggregation mechanism (EPMA). In this mechanism, using a hierarchical aggregation framework assisted by edge computing, we propose a multi-region multidimensional data aggregation scheme that utilizes the homomorphic Paillier algorithm and Horner's law to achieve privacy aggregation while effectively reducing computation and communication overhead. It provides strong support for secure and efficient multidimensional data collection and communication. In particular, Horner's law allows different fine-grained aggregation results to be parsed from the aggregated ciphertexts, providing flexibility to meet different data analysis needs. In addition, we propose an efficient signature authentication method adopting lightweight elliptic curve encryption algorithms and bulk authentication techniques to ensure data integrity and identity validity. Finally, the security analysis proves that the EPMA mechanism is secure, and the theoretical analysis and simulation experiments illustrate that the EPMA mechanism has lower computational cost compared with other mechanisms and is more suitable for practical industrial application scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let $[t]$ be the integral part of the real number t and let $\mathbb {1}_{{\mathbb P}}$ be the characteristic function of the primes. Denote by $\pi _{\mathcal {S}}(x)$ the number of primes in the floor function set $\mathcal {S}(x) := \{[{x}/{n}] : 1\leqslant n\leqslant x\}$ and by $S_{\mathbb {1}_{{\mathbb P}}}(x)$ the number of primes in the sequence $\{[{x}/{n}]\}_{n\geqslant 1}$. Improving a result of Heyman ['Primes in floor function sets', Integers 22 (2022), Article no. A59], we show $$ \begin{align*} \pi_{\mathcal{S}}(x) = \int_2^{\sqrt{x}} \frac{d t}{\log t} + \int_2^{\sqrt{x}} \frac{d t}{\log(x/t)} + O(\sqrt{x}\,\mathrm{e}^{-c(\log x)^{3/5}(\log\log x)^{-1/5}}) \quad\mbox{and}\quad S_{\mathbb{1}_{{\mathbb P}}}(x) = C_{\mathbb{1}_{{\mathbb P}}} x + O_{\varepsilon}(x^{9/19+\varepsilon}) \end{align*} $$ for $x\to \infty $ , where $C_{\mathbb {1}_{{\mathbb P}}} := \sum _{p} {1}/{p(p+1)}$ , $c>0$ is a positive constant and $\varepsilon $ is an arbitrarily small positive number. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sharing the stories of people whose lives are impacted by Opioid Use Disorders (OUDs) can be a promising strategy to reduce stigma and increase support for beneficial public policies. Since a story can be told from a first-person or third-person point of view (POV), this study sought to (1) determine the relative persuasive effects of narrative POV and (2) identify the underlying psychological mechanisms, including character identification and psychological reactance, of such narratives. A one-way between-subjects experiment was conducted among a college student sample (N = 276). Narrative POV was manipulated by describing a college student's OUD experience from either the first- or third-person POV. Findings demonstrated that POV did not influence identification but had a significant effect on reactance. Specifically, the first-person (vs. third-person) POV narrative led to lower reactance, which was associated with participants' decreased desire to socially distance themselves from people with OUDs and stronger support for public health-oriented policies regarding OUDs. This study sheds light on the mixed findings revealed in the literature and has practical importance in health message design in the current opioid epidemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate the potential association between retinol intake and the risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The study included individuals diagnosed with T2DM between 2009 and 2018 from the NHANES database. Demographic and laboratory test data were collected for these individuals, as well as information on CKD diagnosis. Logistic regression models were utilized to estimate the relationship between different retinol intakes and the risk of CKD in patients with T2DM. A total of 3988 patients were included in the study. The mean prevalence of CKD in the T2DM population in the United States from 2009 to 2018 was 36.98 (0.02)%. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed a 26% decrease in the incidence of CKD in individuals with higher retinol intake compared to those with lower retinol intake in T2DM (OR = 0.74; 95% CI 0.56–0.98). Furthermore, an increase in retinol intake per 1-standard deviation (SD) was associated with a 16% decreased risk of the incidence of CKD (OR = 0.84; 95% CI 0.72–0.97). Lower retinol intake is an independent risk factor for the onset of CKD in patients with T2DM, and augmenting moderate quantities of retinol confers potential nephroprotective advantages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous studies have shown that extracts derived from animal spleens have anti-tumor effects, but the biological activity of ethanol extract obtained from pig spleen has not been tested. Therefore, in the present study, we used ethanol as the extraction solvent to obtain the pig spleen ethanol extract (PSE) with immune activity, which provided a theoretical basis for further development and utilization of pig spleen as an anti-tumor drug. Then the structure characteristics and immune activity of PSE were investigated. According to the characterization analysis results, PSE was a high-purity protein complex mainly composed of hydrophobic amino acids, with an average molecular weight of 2.66 × 106 Da. The secondary structure was mainly α-helix and β-sheet. In vivo , PSE inhibited the growth of the S180 tumor, and immune organ toxicity was not detected. PSE induced S180 tumor cells to block and apoptosis in the S phase through the ROS-mediated mitochondrial pathway. Meanwhile, PSE improved the immunity of the body, such as promoting the proliferation activity of lymphocytes and increasing the level of IgG. In conclusion, PSE had significant cytotoxic and antiproliferative effects on S180 sarcoma cells. [Display omitted] • PSE was obtained from pig spleen by ethanol extraction method. • PSE is a protein complex, which can inhibit the proliferation of S180 cells. • PSE improves the immunity of the body without obvious toxicity in vivo. • PSE induces S180 cells apoptosis through ROS-mediated mitochondrial pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To elucidate the mechanism of action of icariin to protect photoreceptor cells suffering from endoplasmic reticulum stress. Methods Thapsigargin(0. 2 μmol/L), was used to induce endoplasmic reticulum stress in the mouse cone cell line 661W. AlamarBlue staining was used to detect cell viability. The levels of proteins related to the unfolded protein response p-PERK,GRP78,CHOP were analyzed by Western blotting. The intracellular Ca2+ level was analyzed by fluorescence imaging and the F340/F380 ratio method. Permeability transition pore protein and the membrane potential in mitochondria were analyzed by fluorescence staining. The binding and interaction between icariin and SERCA2b were analyzed in vitro by molecular docking. Results Thapsigargin induced 661W cell death. Icariin significantly inhibited 661W cell death caused by thapsigargin in the concentration of 2. 22 - 20. 00 nmol/L (P < 0. 01). Thapsigargin induced the unfolded protein responses in 661W cells, significantly promoting the phosphorylation of PERK (Thr980) (P <0. 01) and increasing the protein levels of transcription factor CHOP (P <0. 01). Icariin (2. 0 μmol/L) significantly downregulated the expression of CHOP protein (P <0. 01) and had the trend of inhibitation of phosphorylation of PERK (Thr980). Within 10 minutes after thapsigargin acting on 661 W cells, the calcium ions in the cytosol increased. Icariin pretreatment (1. 0 μmol/L) inhibited an increase of intracellular calcium content. Thapsigargin induced the opening of mitochondrial permeability transition pores in 661W cells, which in turn caused a decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential. Icariin (2. 0 μmol/L) inhibited thapsigargin-induced mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening and mitochondrial membrane potential reduction. In vitro molecular docking analysis showed that icariin stably bound to the nucleotidebinding and phosphorylation domains of SERCA2b, with a binding energy of - 8. 776 kcal/mol and multiple hydrogen bonds. Conclusion Icariin partially antagonized the effect on the binding of thapsigargin and SERCA, which maintained Ca2+ homeostasis in cones, contributing to mitochondrial health. This may be one mechanism of action of icariin in cone cell protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study integrates cultivation and intergroup threat theories to examine media cultivation effects during the COVID-19 pandemic. We argue that U.S. media have consistently portrayed China as a threat and target of blame. The cultivation of media has thus resulted in perceived threat of and blame on Chinese people for the COVID-19 pandemic. Results of a cross-sectional survey in two samples (MTurk: N = 375; college: N = 566) showed that the amount of media consumption predicted stronger perceptions that Chinese people were a health threat, and also predicted blame on Chinese people for the COVID-19 outbreak. Threat perception and blame were further associated with support of media content that derogated China, stronger intentions to attack, and weaker intentions to help Chinese people. The findings have profound implications for intergroup threat and cultivation research, and practical importance for intergroup relations, especially when the global community finds itself in a public crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spin qubits based on silicon metal-oxide semiconductor (Si-MOS) quantum dots (QDs) are promising platforms for large-scale quantum computers. To control spin qubits in QDs, electric dipole spin resonance (EDSR) has been most commonly used in recent years. By delocalizing an electron across a double quantum dots charge state, "flopping-mode" EDSR has been realized in Si/SiGe QDs. Here, we demonstrate a flopping-mode spin qubit in a Si-MOS QD via Elzerman single-shot readout. When changing the detuning with a fixed drive power, we achieve s-shape spin resonance frequencies, an order of magnitude improvement in the spin Rabi frequencies, and virtually constant spin dephasing times. Our results offer a route to large-scale spin qubit systems with higher control fidelity in Si-MOS QDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ovarian stimulation is associated with an increased incidence of abnormal placentation. Uterine natural killer (uNK) cells are the major subpopulation of decidual immune cells, which are crucial for placentation. In a previous study, we found that ovarian stimulation impairs uNK cell density on gestation day (GD) 8.5 in mice. However, it was not clear how ovarian stimulation led to a reduction in the density of uNK cells. In this study, we constructed two mouse models, an in vitro mouse embryo transfer model and an estrogen-stimulated mouse model. We used HE and PAS glycogen staining, immunohistochemical techniques, q-PCR, Western blot, and flow cytometry to analyze the mouse decidua and placenta, and the results showed that SO resulted in a fetal weight reduction, abnormal placental morphology, decreased placental vascular density, and abnormal density and function of uNK cells. Our results suggest that ovarian stimulation resulted in aberrant estrogen signaling and may contribute to the disorder of uNK cells caused by ovarian stimulation. Together, these results provide new insights into the mechanisms of aberrant maternal endocrine environments and abnormal placentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune-mediated demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. The main pathological features are inflammatory reaction, demyelination, axonal disintegration, reactive gliosis, etc. The etiology and pathogenesis of the disease have not been clarified. The initial studies believed that T cell-mediated cellular immunity is the key to the pathogenesis of MS. In recent years, more and more evidence has shown that B cells and their mediated humoral immune and innate immune cells (such as microglia, dendritic cells, macrophages, etc.) also play an important role in the pathogenesis of MS. This article mainly reviews the research progress of MS by targeting different immune cells and analyzes the action pathways of drugs. The types and mechanisms of immune cells related to the pathogenesis are introduced in detail, and the mechanisms of drugs targeting different immune cells are discussed in depth. This article aims to clarify the pathogenesis and immunotherapy pathway of MS, hoping to find new targets and strategies for the development of therapeutic drugs for MS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lightweight concrete is one of the effective means to solve the problems of structural component weight, energy efficiency, and fire safety in modern civil engineering. Heavy calcium carbonate-reinforced epoxy composite spheres (HC-R-EMS) were prepared by the ball milling method, and HC-R-EMS, cement, and hollow glass microspheres (HGMS) were mixed into the mold by the molding method to prepare composite lightweight concrete. The relationship between the HC-R-EMS volumetric fraction, the initial inner diameter of the HC-R-EMS, the number of layers of HC-R-EMS, the HGMS volume ratio, the basalt fiber length and content, and the multi-phase composite lightweight concrete density and compressive strength was studied. The experimental results show that the density of the lightweight concrete ranges between 0.953–1.679 g/cm3 and the compressive strength ranges between 1.59–17.26 MPa, where the volume fraction of HC-R-EMS is 90%, the initial internal diameter is 8–9 mm, and the number of layers of HC-R-EMS is three. The lightweight concrete can meet the requirements of high strength (12.67 MPa) and low density (0.953 g/cm3). In addition, the addition of basalt fiber (BF) can effectively improve the compressive strength of the material without changing the density of the material. From a micro-level perspective, HC-R-EMS is closely combined with the cement matrix, which is conducive to increasing the compressive strength of concrete. Basalt fibers connect the matrix into a network, improving the maximum limit force of the concrete. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high-temperature oxidation behavior and mechanical properties of the Yb 2 Si 2 O 7 /Si environmental barrier coatings (EBCs) prepared by plasma spray-physical vapor deposition at 1250 °C and 1350 °C were investigated, and obvious delamination was observed after oxidation for 4000 h. The results showed that element diffusion occurred during oxidation, and the diffusion of oxygen led to the formation of thermal growth oxides (TGO), which induced pores and microcracks. The TGO played a role in hindering element diffusion, but the mismatching coefficients of thermal expansion and phase transition caused vertical and transverse cracks in the TGO layer. These cracks became channels for oxygen diffusion and ultimately resulted in delamination between TGO and the bonding coating (BC) layer. Furthermore, temperature significantly affects the oxidation kinetics of EBCs, and the oxidation within the BC layer alters its elastic modulus. The elastic modulus of the BC layer first increased and then decreased. The oxidation damage was more pronounced at 1350 °C. • Isothermal oxidation behavior of PS-PVD sprayed Yb 2 Si 2 O 7 EBCs at different temperature was investigated. • Significant delamination between the BC and TGO layers was found at 1350 °C for 4000 h. • The oxygen resistance of the coating in air environments at 1250 °C is better than that at 1350 °C. • The mechanical properties degradation of the coatings was discussed during oxidation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fabrics are soft against the skin, flexible, easily accessible and able to wick away perspiration, to some extent for local private thermal management. In this review, we classify smart fabrics as passive thermal management fabrics and active thermal management fabrics based on the availability of outside energy consumption in the manipulation of heat generation and dissipation from the human body. The mechanism and research status of various thermal management fabrics are introduced in detail, and the article also analyses the advantages and disadvantages of various smart thermal management fabrics, achieving a better and more comprehensive comprehension of the current state of research on smart thermal management fabrics, which is quite an important reference guide for our future research. In addition, with the progress of science and technology, the social demand for fabrics has shifted from keeping warm to improving health and quality of life. E -textiles have potential value in areas such as remote health monitoring and life signal detection. New e-textiles are designed to mimic the skin, sense biological data and transmit information. At the same time, the ultra-moisturizing properties of the fabric's thermal management allow for applications beyond just the human body to energy. E -textiles hold great promise for energy harvesting and storage. The article also introduces the application of smart fabrics in life forms and energy harvesting. By combining electronic technology with textiles, e-textiles can be manufactured to promote human well-being and quality of life. Although smart textiles are equipped with more intelligent features, wearing comfort must be the first thing to be ensured in the multi-directional application of textiles. Eventually, we discuss the dares and prospects of smart thermal management fabric research. Multi-directional applications of fabricated advanced textile, including personal thermal management, intelligent health monitoring and energy harvesting. [Display omitted] • Details the working mechanism, preparation process, properties of various types of thermal management fabrics and the latest research at home and abroad for a comprehensive discussion of the latest scientific achievements in the field. • Aspects of smart fabrics applied to living organisms include sensing, diagnosis and treatment, and protection, etc. By reviewing relevant research in recent years, studying state-of-the-art methods, and comparing the advantages and disadvantages of research method, the trend of smart fabrics has become clearer. • Smart fabrics in energy, not only research on solar desalination devices based on smart fabrics, but also smart fabrics can be linked to flexible batteries and generators, providing a new direction for energy harvesting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identification of biofilm growth footprints influencing on the biofilm detachment and breakup can advance research into how biofilms form. Thus, a gravity-driven ceramic membrane bioreactor (GDCMBR) was used to investigate the growth, detachment and breakup of biofilm using rainwater pretreated by electrocoagulation under 70-days continuous operation. The in-situ ultrasonic time-domain reflectometry (UTDR) technique was applied to non-invasively determine the biofilm thickness. Initially, the biofilm was slowly thickening, but it would collapse and became thinner after accumulating to a certain level, and then it thickened again in a later period, following a cyclic pattern of 'thickening - collapsing – thickening'. This is because the biofilm growth is related with the accumulation of flocs, however, excessive floc formation results in the biofilm being overweight till reaching the thickness limit and thus collapsing. Subsequently, the biofilm gradually thickens again due to the floc production and continuous deposition. Although the biofilm was dynamically changing, the water quality of treatment of the biofilm always remained stable. Ammonia nitrogen and total phosphorus have been almost completely removed, while COD Mn removal efficiency was around 25%. And total bacteria amount in the membrane concentrate was obviously higher than that in the influent with the greater microbial activity, demonstrating the remarkable enrichment effect on bacteria. The understanding of biofilm growth characteristic and footprint identification enables us to develop rational approaches to control biofilm structure for efficient GDCMBR performance and operation lifespan. [Display omitted] • Biofilm growth characteristic and footprint were determined by UTDR technology. • EC-GDCMBR biological purification layer growth was explored in two operation modes. • The biofilm accumulation follows a cycle of 'thickening - collapsing - thickening'. • The EC-GDCMBRs with 0.45 μm and 300 kDa membrane have similar biofilm evolutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of effective drug-loaded dressings has been considered a hot research topic for biomedical therapeutics, including the use of botanical compounds. For wound healing, adequate dressings can provide a good microenvironment for drug release, such as lidocaine. Biological macromolecular materials such as alginate show excellent properties in wound management. This study involves the preparation and evaluation of biocompatible multilayered-structure microspheres composed of chitosan, porous gelatin, and calcium alginate microspheres. The multilayered structure microspheres were named chitosan@ porous gelatin@ calcium alginate microspheres (CPAMs) and the drugs were rapidly released by the volume expansion of the calcium alginate microspheres. The in vitro release curve revealed that the peak release of lidocaine from CPAMs was reached within 18 min. After 21 min, the remaining lidocaine was then slowly released, and the active drug release was converted to a passive drug release phase. The initial release effect of lidocaine was much better than that reported in the published studies. Additionally, blood coagulation experiments showed that CPAMs coagulated blood in 60 s, and the blood liquidity of the CPAMs group was worse than that of the woundplast group. Therefore, the coagulation characteristics of CPAMs were superior to the commonly used woundplast containing lidocaine healing gel. These study outcomes indicated that the CPAMs acted as fast-release dressings for faster pain control and better coagulation properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise: Floral scent is a complex trait that mediates many plant–insect interactions, but our understanding of how floral scent variation evolves, either independently or in concert with other traits, remains limited. Assessing variation in floral scent at multiple levels of biological organization and comparing patterns of variation in scent to variation in other floral traits can contribute to our understanding of how scent variation evolves in nature. Methods: We used a greenhouse common garden experiment to investigate variation in floral scent at three scales—within plants, among plants, and among populations—and to determine whether scent, alone or in combination with morphology and rewards, contributes to population differentiation in Oenothera cespitosa subsp. marginata. Its range spans most of the biomes in the western United States, such that variation in both the abiotic and biotic environment could contribute to trait variation. Results: Multiple analytical approaches demonstrated substantial variation among and within populations in compound‐specific and total floral scent measures. Overall, populations were differentiated in morphology and reward traits and in scent. Across populations, coupled patterns of variation in linalool, leucine‐derived compounds, and hypanthium length are consistent with a long‐tongued moth pollination syndrome. Conclusions: The considerable variation in floral scent detected within populations suggests that, similar to other floral traits, variation in floral scent may have a heritable genetic component. Differences in patterns of population differentiation in floral scent and in morphology and rewards indicate that these traits may be shaped by different selective pressures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Camrelizumab (SHR-1210) is a humanized IgG4 monoclonal anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) antibody that has been shown to inhibit the binding of PD-1 to PD-L1, thereby blocking the immune escape of various types of cancer, including lung squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). Reactive cutaneous capillary endothelial proliferation (RCCEP) is the most common adverse event in camrelizumab-treated patients. Here, we introduce a case of LSCC with recall RCCEP induced by stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). A 76-year-old LSCC patient developed RCCEP when he received camrelizumab and chemotherapy. After discontinuing camrelizumab treatment, the RCCEP lesions spontaneously regressed and fell off. However, when the patient received subsequent SBRT, the RCCEP occurred again at the same sites. This case may provide clues for additional study of the immune reactivation effect of SBRT or the underlying mechanism of RCCEP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy density, which is an important indicator of the performance of solid propellants, is known to increase with the addition of 2,4,6,8,10,12-hexanitro-2,4,6,8,10,12-hexaazaisowurtzitane (CL-20). However, it remains unclear how CL-20 affects the decomposition of ammonium perchlorate (AP) and energy release. Here, the effects of CL-20 on the combustion performance and agglomeration of propellants were investigated. The addition of CL-20 decreased AP decomposition temperature and the energy required for the transformation of AP crystals from orthorhombic to cubic. The burning rate and pressure exponent of the propellant with 42% CL-20 were significantly higher than those of the propellant containing 20% CL-20. Thus, adding CL-20 to the propellant improves the energy characteristics and burning rate and the pressure exponent increases. At low combustion chamber pressure, the agglomeration of the propellant containing a high content of CL-20 will be blown away from the combustion surface only after staying on that surface for a short time. In this process, the probability of volume growth of the agglomeration after merging with other agglomerations greatly decreases, thus reducing the overall agglomerate particle sizes; further, the addition of a small amount of CL-20 to the propellant may lead to a reduction in agglomerate particle sizes. AP with a smaller particle size weakens the agglomeration in the combustion process and decreases the number of agglomerates with large particle sizes. These findings lay the foundation for the development of novel high-energy propellants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Gram-positive, endospore-forming, rod-shaped and aerobic bacterium, with swarming and swimming motility, designated strain DBTR6T, was isolated from the rhizosphere soil of tomato plants. Strain DBTR6T grew at 20–45 ℃ (optimum 30–37℃), pH 4–9 (optimum 7–8) and at salinities from 0 to 5% (optimum 1%). Phylogenetic analysis using 16S rRNA gene sequences showed this strain belonged to the genus Metabacillus and was most closely related to Metabacillus litoralis DSM 16303 T (98.3%) and Metabacillus sediminilitoris MCCC 1K03777T (98.3%). The DNA G + C content of the genomic DNA was 36.4%. The digital DNA–DNA hybridization value between strain DBTR6T and reference strains M. sediminilitoris MCCC 1K03777T and “M. bambusae” BG109T were less than 70% (26.7% and 26.0%), and the average nucleotide identity score were less than 95% (78.55% and 78.38%), and the Amino Acid Identity values calculated were less than 96% (79.99% and 80.18%), respectively, suggesting that strain DBTR6T represented a novel species in the genus Metabacillus. Chemotaxonomic analysis showed that strain DBTR6T contained MK-7 as the major respiratory quinone. The predominant fatty acids (> 10.0%) were iso-C15:0, anteiso-C15:0 and C16:0. The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol (DPG), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylglycerol (PG), glycolipids (GL) and three unidentified lipids (L). Based on the differential physiological properties, biochemical characteristics and genotypic data, strain DBTR6T represents a novel species of the genus Metabacillus, for which the name Metabacillus rhizolycopersici sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is DBTR6T (= ACCC 61900 T = JCM 35080 T). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymer composites with improved thermal and flame-retardant performance are imperative for fire-safe materials. Carbon-based nanomaterials have the advantages of low cytotoxicity, chemical inertness, cost-effectiveness, and biocompatibility. Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) as a new member of carbon-based nanomaterials were fabricated by pyrolysis method, and easy to be functionalized to fabricate nanocomposites as efficient flame retardant. Herein, polystyrene (PS) nanocomposites with introduction of modified graphene quantum dots (C-GQDs) were fabricated by the Pickering emulsion polymerization method. The C-GQDs with controllable chemical structure could be used as stabilizer in emulsion polymerization system and introduced to PS directly. Morphological and chemical characterization of PS nanocomposites revealed that the successful introduction of C-GQDs to PS, and C-GQDs were wrapped on the surface of PS microspheres. The flammability behavior of the PS nanocomposites was investigated by using microscale combustion calorimeters (MCC), and the peak heat release rate of PS nanocomposite was reduced 40% when compared with that of neat PS. The improved flame retardancy was mainly attributed to the C-GQDs promoting the formation of physical protective barrier on the surface, which impeded the permeation of heat and the pyrolysis products. Therefore, a facile method for preparing nanocomposite has been developed in this work, and C-GQDs could be used as flame retardants to reduce the flammability of polystyrene nanocomposites system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article considers some fundamental estimation problems on a general partitioned linear model with partial parameter restrictions. We shall derive analytical formulas for calculating the ordinary least-squares estimators (OLSEs) and the best linear unbiased estimators (BLUEs) of the whole and partial parameter vectors in the model and its reduced models, and establish identifying conditions for the equivalence of the OLSEs and BLUEs under among these models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With manganese substituted heteropoly tungstate β2-K6[SiW11Mn(H2O)O39]·xH2O as the active component, a composite photocatalyst β2-SiW11Mn/TiO2 was prepared by impregnation method. The composite catalyst was characterized by FT-IR, UV-Vis, XRD, SEM and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The catalytic activity was evaluated by the degradation of malachite green solution. The results showed that the degradation of malachite green under ultraviolet light reached 92.7% and the degradation effect under sunlight is better than that under ultraviolet light, reaching 97.2%. This indicates that polyoxometalates and titanium dioxide produced a synergistic effect to make the light response range expanded and reduced the reaction requirements. The catalytic degradation performance of pure titanium dioxide, heteropoly acid salt β2-SiW11Mn and the prepared catalyst β2-SiW11Mn/TiO2 on malachite green were studied. The results showed that the composite photocatalyst exhibited the best photocatalytic activity, confirming the significance of the material being compounded. Finally, the kinetics of the reaction were studied, and the reaction is a first-order reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the social-psychological determinants of the public's perceptions and intentions related to vaccination is key to promoting vaccination. The current study examines how individual differences in consideration of future and immediate consequences (CFC-F and CFC-I) impact risk perceptions of, and intentions to vaccinate against, COVID-19 and seasonal flu. A survey of 395 adults on Amazon Mechanical Turk during April and May of 2020 showed that CFC-F predicted vaccination intentions, whereas CFC-I did not. Moreover, CFC-F and CFC-I positively predicted affective risk perceptions, perceived susceptibility, and perceived severity of both COVID-19 and seasonal flu. Last, both CFC constructs had a positive indirect effect on vaccination intentions of COVID-19 and seasonal flu through increasing perceived severity of the corresponding disease. This study makes theoretical contributions to the CFC literature and offers valuable insights for the design of effective vaccine promotion messages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alcohol causes cancer, but many alcohol consumers are not aware of this risk. Research is needed to identify effective communication strategies to increase risk perceptions and decrease alcohol consumption. This study examined the effects of threatening and hedging languages in communicating the cancer risk associated with alcohol use. Results from a between-subjects experiment (N = 584) revealed a significant interaction effect: Threatening language combined with lexical hedges led to a higher perceived threat to drinker identity competence, which predicted higher intentions to reduce and stop drinking. Moreover, threatening language increased perceived threat to freedom, predicting greater reactance and lower behavioral intentions. Lastly, hedging increased perceived message tentativeness, predicting lower risk perceptions and behavioral intentions. Implications of our study were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To determine whether social media use, alcohol consumption, and sociodemographic factors predicted Americans' knowledge about alcohol-related cancer risk. Design: Health Information National Trends Survey (2020). Setting: United States. Subjects: A nationally representative sample (N = 3865; response rate = 36.7%). Measures: Knowledge about cancer risk of beer, wine, and liquor; social media use; demographics; smoking status; alcohol consumption; and cancer history. Analysis: Data were analyzed using multinomial multiple logistic regression with jackknife replicate weights. Results: Less than a third of U.S. adults (20.34-31.20%) were aware of cancer risk of alcohol. People who watched health-related YouTube videos were more likely to be well-informed (odds ratio [OR] = 1.55 [95% confidence interval 1.01, 2.36] for beer) and misinformed (OR = 1.68 [1.17, 2.43] for wine). Alcohol consumption predicted higher likelihoods of being misinformed about cancer risk of beer (OR = 1.03 [1.003, 1.05]). People who were older and had less education were less likely to be well-informed for all types of alcohol. Females (for liquor) and Blacks (for beer) were less likely to be well-informed and misinformed. Conclusion: Social media can be a source of both correct information and misinformation about alcohol and cancer risk. Health promotion should target older adults, people with less education, racial minorities, females, and people who consume alcohol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let q ≥ 3 be an integer, and let χ denote a Dirichlet character modulo q. For any real number a ≥ 0 , we define the generalized Dirichlet L -function as L (s , χ , a) = ∑ n = 1 ∞ χ (n) (n + a) s , where s = σ + i t with σ > 1 and t both real. It can be extended to all s using analytic continuation. For any integer m , the famous Gauss sum G (m , χ) is defined as G (m , χ) = ∑ a = 1 q χ (a) e a m q , where e (y) = e 2 π i y . This paper uses analytic methods to study the mean value properties of the generalized Dirichlet L -functions with the weight of the Gauss sums, and a sharp asymptotic formula is obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the dual influences of global climate change and human activities, inland lakes in arid areas are shrinking and drying up, and a large area of bare lake bed has become the source of the release of chemical dust. The aim of this study is to study the control of groundwater on the distribution and development of natural vegetation and the effects of the groundwater conditions on soil salinization. In this study, a typical modern dry lake in northern China, Chahan Lake, was taken as the study area. Through field investigations, field sampling and analysis, and statistical analysis, the influence of groundwater on the ecosystem of this dry lake was studied. The results revealed that the vegetation communities in the lakeside zone were Kalidium foliatum, Nitraria tangutorum, Suaeda glauca, Leymus chinensis, Chloris virgata, and Carex duriuscula communities from the dry lake bed outwards. The groundwater table suitable for vegetation growth in Chahan Lake is 2.0–3.0 m deep. The groundwater table suitable for the growth of Kalidium foliatum vegetation is 1.5–2.5 m deep. The groundwater table suitable for the growth of Leymus chinensis vegetation is 3.0–4.0 m deep. In Chahan Lake, the critical groundwater depth and total dissolved solids (TDS) for moderate salinization, severe salinization, and saline soil occurrence are 4.0 m and 2.0 g/L, 3.0 m and 3.0 g/L, and 1.5 m and 4.0 g/L, respectively. Regarding the prevention and control of salt-dust storms, the ecological threshold of the groundwater, which can effectively increase the vegetation coverage and prevent soil salinization, is groundwater depths of 2.0–4.0 m and TDS values of <2 g/L. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to evaluate the biomechanical stability of a novel lateral plate (NLP) that can be used in oblique lateral lumbar fusion (OLIF). In vitro biomechanical tests were performed on 6 fresh calf lumbar vertebrae specimens. The surgical segment was set at L3-L4. Each specimen was tested in the following order: intact state (INT); OLIF cage only/stand-alone (SA); cage supplemented with lateral screw-rod (LSR); cage supplemented with novel lateral plate (NLP); and cage supplemented with unilateral or bilateral pedicle screw-rod (UPS or BPS). A pure moment of ±7.5 Nm was applied to the specimen to produce 6 different motion directions, including flexion and extension, lateral bending, and axial rotation, and the range of motion (ROM) of L3-L4 in each direction was recorded. In addition to flexion-extension, NLP reduced the ROM of SA (P < 0.05). In flexion-extension, the ROM of NLP was similar to those of SA and LSR (P > 0.05); compared to pedicle screw-rod (PSD), the ROM of NLP was higher (P < 0.05). In lateral bending, the ROM of NLP was close to that of LSR and PSD (P > 0.05). In axial rotation, the ROM of NLP was higher than that of PSD (P < 0.05), and close to that of LSR (P > 0.05). NLP can enhance surgical segment stability in all directions of motion, similar to LSR, but weaker than UPS and BPS in flexion-extension and rotation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have been trying to find a miRNA that can specifically regulate the function of mycobacterial host cells to achieve the purpose of eliminating Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The purpose of this study is to investigate the regulation of mmu-let-7a-5p on macrophages apoptosis and its effect on intracellular BCG clearance. After a series of in vitro experiments, we found that mmu-let-7a-5p could negatively regulate the apoptosis of macrophages by targeting Caspase-3. The extrinsic apoptosis signal axis TNFR1/FADD/Caspase-8/Caspase-3 was inhibited after BCG infection. Up-regulated the expression level of mmu-let-7a-5p increase the cell proliferation viability and inhibit apoptosis rate of macrophages, but down-regulated its level could apparently reduce the bacterial load of intracellular Mycobacteria and accelerate the clearance of residual Mycobacteria effectively. Mmu-let-7a-5p has great potential to be utilized as an optimal candidate exosomal loaded miRNA for anti-tuberculosis immunotherapy in our subsequent research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immunosuppressive tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) account for a high proportion of the tumor tissue and significantly impede immunoefficacy. Furthermore, the signal regulatory protein α (SIRPα) expressed in TAMs adversely correlates with macrophage activation and phagocytosis, resulting in immunosurveillance escape. To address these difficulties, a mannose-modified, pH-responsive nanoplatform with resiquimod (R848) and 2′, 3′-cyclic GMP-AMP (cGAMP) co-encapsulation (named M-PNP@R@C) is designed to polarize TAMs and lower SIRPα expression. The co-delivery of R848 and cGAMP synergistically facilitates the polarization of TAMs from the anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype into the pro-inflammatory M1 phenotype, thereby enhancing antitumor immunotherapy. Remarkably, activation of the cGAMP-mediated stimulator of interferon genes (STING) in TAMs significantly downregulates the expression of SIRPα, which synergizes with the cluster of differentiation 47 (CD47) antibody for the dual blockade of the CD47-SIRPα axis. Further analysis of single-cell RNA sequencing indicates that STING activation downregulates SIRPα by regulating intracellular fatty acid oxidation metabolism. In vivo studies indicate that M-PNP@R@C significantly inhibits tumor growth with a potent antitumor immune response in melanoma graft tumor models. After synergy with anti-CD47, the double blockade strategies of the SIRPα/CD47 axis result in a notable inhibition of lung metastasis. A prolonged survival rate is observed after combination treatment with CD47 and programmed death ligand-1 antibodies for the triple immune checkpoint blockade. In summary, our study provides original insights into the potential role of the STING pathway in macrophage-based immunotherapy, thus offering a potential combinatorial strategy for cancer therapy. [Display omitted] • M-PNP@R@C induces TAMs polarization due to the dual effects of R848 and cGAMP. • STING activation in TAMs downregulates SIRPα expression via FAO metabolism regulation. • M-PNP@R@C dispalys high antitumor activity due to TAMs polarization and SIRPα downregulation mediated phagocytosis. • The double blockades of SIRPα/CD47 axis after combination with aCD47 inhibit lung metastasis. • The triple immune checkpoint blockades after further combination with aPD-L1 prolong survival rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the biomechanical stability of stand-alone (SA) oblique lateral interbody fusion (OLIF) under different bone mineral density conditions. The finite element model of L2-L5 was reconstructed and verified via computed tomography scan images (M0). The L4-L5 segment of SA OLIF was created based on the validation model. By changing bone mineral density, SA OLIF was established in the normal bone mineral density group (M1), osteopenia group (M2), and osteoporosis group (M3). A 500 N vertical axial preload was imposed on the superior surface of L2, and a 10 N-m moment was applied on the L2 superior surface along the radial direction to simulate 6 different physiological motions: flexion, extension, left and right lateral bending, left and right rotation. Compared with M0, the range of motion of the fusion segment was significantly reduced, and the maximum stress of the upper and lower end plates was significantly increased in all motion modes. Compared with M1, the maximum relative increases of range of motion, cephalic end-plate stress and tail end-plate stress of M2 in the L4-L5 segment were 39.1%, 9.9%, and 10.7%, and the maximum increases of the above parameters in M3 were 100%, 28.9%, and 31.6%. The maximum stress of the tail end plate of the M3 model during flexion was 54.617 MPa, which was very close to the yield stress of the lamellar bone (60 MPa). With the increase of the degree of osteoporosis, the maximum stress on the upper and lower end plates of the fusion segment increased significantly, thus increasing the potential risk of implant subsidence. SA OLIF could not provide sufficient stability for patients with osteoporosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Hypothesis: Stimuli-responsive Pickering emulsions have attracted considerable interest due to their widespread potential applications. Especially pH-responsive behavior could be easily implemented. In this work, we reported a pH-responsive Pickering emulsion based on amphiphilic graphene quantum dots at a low concentration which shows a great potential from the environmental and economic perspective. The stimuli responsive properties would make the smart Pickering emulsifiers recyclable and reusable. Experiments: The amphiphilic-adaptable graphene quantum dots functionalized by alkyl groups (C-GQDs) were synthesized by a facile one-step pyrolysis method. The pH-responsive emulsion performances were investigated, and the mechanism of pH-responsive of C-GQDs was studied by dynamic light scattering. Findings: The amphiphilicity of C-GQDs could be acquired controllably and effectively by this facile one-step pyrolysis method, which are able to stabilize Pickering emulsion at a very low concentration (0.001%). The amphiphilicity of C-GQDs are capable of changing in response to environmental stimuli. When the pH value of aqueous solution adjusts to 2, these C-GQDs aggregate in contrast to their stability in neutral condition due to the alternation of surface charges. The pH-responsive aggregation/ dispersion behavior of C-GQDs allows us to tune the interactions between oil-in-water emulsion droplets without introduction of destabilization agents. This will provide huge economic benefits in industrial applications in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morphine is used extensively in the clinical setting owing to its beneficial effects, such as pain relief; its therapeutic utility is limited because the prolonged use of morphine often results in tolerance and addiction. Astrocytes in the brain are a direct target of morphine action and play an essential role in the development of morphine tolerance. Primary cilia and the cilia-mediated sonic hedgehog (SHH) signaling pathways have been shown to play a role in drug resistance and morphine tolerance, respectively. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) play important roles as cargo-carrying vesicles mediating communication among cells and tissues. C57BL/6N mice were administered morphine for 8 days to develop tolerance, which was determined using the tail-flick and hot plate assays. EVs were separated from astrocyte-conditioned media using either size exclusion chromatography or ultracentrifugation approaches, followed by characterization of EVs using nanoparticle tracking analysis for EV size distribution and number, Western blotting for EV markers, and electron microscopy for EV morphology. Astrocytes were treated with EVs for 24 hours, followed by assessing primary cilia by fluorescent immunostaining for primary cilia markers (ARL13B and acetylated tubulin). Morphine-tolerant mice exhibited an increase in primary cilia length and percentage of ciliated astrocytes. The levels of SHH protein were upregulated in morphine-stimulated astrocyte-derived EVs. SHH on morphine-stimulated astrocyte-derived EVs activated SHH signaling in astrocytes through primary cilia. Our in vivo study demonstrated that inhibition of either EV release or primary cilia prevents morphine tolerance in mice. EV-mediated primary ciliogenesis contributes to the development of morphine tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]