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3,6-Dichlorosalicylic acid (3,6-DCSA) is the demethylation metabolite of herbicide 3,6-dichloro-2-methoxy benzoic acid (dicamba). Previous studies have shown that anaerobic sludge further transformed 3,6-DCSA through decarboxylation and dechlorination. However, the anaerobe, enzyme, and gene involved in the anaerobic degradation of 3,6-DCSA are still unknown. In this study, an anaerobic sludge that efficiently degraded dicamba was enriched, and a 3,6-DCSA decarboxylase, designated chlorosalicylic acid decarboxylase (CsaD), was partially purified and identified from the anaerobic sludge. Metagenomic analysis showed that the csaD gene was located in a gene cluster of metagenome-assembled genome 8 (MAG8). MAG8 belonged to an uncultured order, OPB41, in the class Coriobacteriia of the phylum Actinobacteria, and its abundance increased approximately once during the enrichment process. CsaD was a non-oxidative decarboxylase in the amidohydrolase 2 family catalyzing the decarboxylation of 3,6-DCSA and 6-chlorosalicylic acid (6-CSA). Its affinity and catalytic efficiency for 3,6-DCSA were significantly higher than those for 6-CSA. This study provides new insights into the anaerobic catabolism of herbicide dicamba. IMPORTANCE Dicamba, an important hormone herbicide, easily migrates to anoxic habitats such as sediment, ground water, and deep soil. Thus, the anaerobic catabolism of dicamba is of importance. Anaerobic bacteria or sludge demethylated dicamba to 3,6-DCSA, and in a previous study, based on metabolite identification, it was proposed that 3,6-DCSA be further degraded via two pathways: decarboxylation to 2,5-dichlorophenol, then dechlorination to 3-chlorophenol (3-CP); or dechlorination to 6-CSA, then decarboxylation to 3-CP. However, there was no physiological and genetic validation for the pathway. In this study, CsaD catalyzed the decarboxylation of both 3,6-DCSA and 6-CSA, providing enzyme-level evidence for the anaerobic catabolism of 3,6-DCSA through the two pathways. CsaD was located in MAG8, which belonged to an uncultured anaerobic actinomycetes order, OPB41, indicating that anaerobic actinomycetes in OPB41 was involved in the decarboxylation of 3,6-DCSA. This study provides a basis for understanding the anaerobic catabolism of dicamba and the demethylation product, 3,6-DCSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Problematic smartphone use (PSU) and its negative consequences among adolescents are so commonly observed that they have become a matter of public concern. Utilizing life history (LH) theory, this study aims to examine how childhood risks (i.e., childhood harshness and unpredictability) would be associated with adolescent PSU via cognitive and emotional processes of LH strategy and psychological distress. A sample of 459 Chinese high school students aged from 14 to 18 (M = 16.90) participated in this study and voluntarily completed an anonymous survey. The results showed that childhood unpredictability and psychological distress were positively correlated with PSU, whereas childhood harshness and the two processes of LH strategy were negatively correlated with PSU. Path analysis further supported a partial mediation model, in which childhood unpredictability increased PSU, via serial mediators of the emotional process of LH strategy and psychological distress. The findings support the efficacy of LH theory in elucidating the development of behavioral addiction. However, the direct and negative association of childhood harshness with PSU was unexpected. It implicates the complexity of childhood environment on adolescent behavioral addictions and warrants further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to achieve efficient and accurate detection of common corn leaf diseases such as leaf blight, gray spot disease, and rust, a corn leaf disease detection method based on CA-YOLOv8 was proposed. In this method, the Coordinate Attention(CA) attention mechanism was added after the feature map output from the Neck part to enhance the feature extraction capability of the model. The experimental results showed that the precision, recall and mean average precision(mAP) of the CA-YOLOv8 model on the test set were 94.08%, 90.53% and 97.38%, respectively. Compared with the YOLOv8, YOLOv8+SE and YOLOv8+CBAM models, the mAP was improved by 2.15, 0.86 and 2.35 percentage points, respectively. Compared with Faster R-CNN, YOLOv5s, YOLOv7, and YOLOv8 models, the mAP has increased by 63.53, 29.24, 3.21, and 2.15 percentage points, respectively. The study showed that the CA-YOLOv8 model can provide a technical reference for the development of a portable intelligent corn leaf disease detection system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Free fatty acid receptors 1 to 4 (FFA1 to FFA4) are class A G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). FFA1 to FFA3 share substantial sequence similarity, whereas FFA4 is unrelated. However, FFA1 and FFA4 are activated by long-chain fatty acids, while FFA2 and FFA3 respond to short-chain fatty acids generated by intestinal microbiota. FFA1, FFA2, and FFA4 are potential drug targets for metabolic and inflammatory conditions. Here, we determined the active structures of FFA1 and FFA4 bound to docosahexaenoic acid, FFA4 bound to the synthetic agonist TUG-891, and butyrate-bound FFA2, each complexed with an engineered heterotrimeric Gq protein (miniGq), by cryo-electron microscopy. Together with computational simulations and mutagenesis studies, we elucidated the similarities and differences in the binding modes of fatty acid ligands to their respective GPCRs. Our findings unveiled distinct mechanisms of receptor activation and G protein coupling. We anticipate that these outcomes will facilitate structure-based drug development and underpin future research on this group of GPCRs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I examined the validity and reliability of the Utrecht Homesickness Scale (UHS) in the cultural background of China by translating the original UHS into Chinese. The formal scale was formed through exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and checks of internal consistency reliability and test–retest reliability. The pretest and formal test samples comprised, respectively, 436 and 687 freshmen from universities in China. The final Chinese version of the UHS had 20 items separated into five dimensions: missing family, loneliness, missing friends, adjustment difficulties, and missing home. According to the statistical results, the Chinese version of the UHS has adequate psychometric properties and can be used to assess the homesickness of college freshmen in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanics of detachment (e.g., a cylindrical fibril separating from a dissimilar substrate) has been treated in the perspectives of contact mechanics and fracture mechanics theory along with numerical simulations, but systematic experimental studies on the adhesion of an individual microfibril is still scarce. In this work, we conducted a detailed experiment on the adhesion tests of individual cylindrical microfibrils, within a large range of varying diameters from 4 to 400 µm, made of three different polyurethanes with moduli among ~1-40 MPa. We confirmed the scaling effect of an individual microfibril, i.e., the adhesion σad of the individual fibril scales with fibrillar diameters D with an exponent of ~ -0.4 to -0.45. As the fibrillar diameter is reduced below 10 µm, the adhesion becomes unchanged and size insensitive. This result is in good agreement with the theoretical predictions. Furthermore, the effects of the Young's modulus and retraction rates during the adhesion tests on the adhesion strength were also investigated. Our experimental work will provide a guide for the optimal design of the micron-scale surfaces with improved adhesion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rigid fixation is mostly used in thoracolumbar spine surgery, which restricts the thoracolumbar spine segments moving and is not conducive to postoperative rehabilitation. We developed an adaptive-motion pedicle screw and established a finite element model of the T12-L3 segments of the thoracolumbar spine in osteoporosis patients based on the CT image data. A variety of internal fixation finite element models were established for mechanical simulation analysis and comparison. The simulation results showed that compared with the conventional internal fixation system, the mobility of the new adaptive-motion internal fixation system was improved by about 13.8% and 7.7% under the classic conditions such as lateral bending and flexion. in vitro experiments were conducted simultaneously with fresh porcine thoracolumbar spine vertebrae, and the axial rotation condition was taken as an example to analyze the mobility. The in vitro results showed that the mobility of the adaptive-motion internal fixation system had better mobility characteristics under axial rotation conditions, which was consistent with the finite element analysis. The adaptive-motion pedicle screws can preserve a certain degree of vertebral mobility, and avoid excessive vertebral restriction. It also increases the stress value of the intervertebral disk, which is closer to the normal mechanical transmission of the human body, avoiding stress masking and slowing down the degeneration of the intervertebral disk. The adaptive-motion pedicle screws can reduce the peak stress of the implant and avoid surgical failure due to implant fracture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective • RETREAT and CCFSS are two scoring systems specifically designed to predict postoperative recurrence in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). RETREAT and CCFSS are scoring systems designed to predict postoperative recurrence in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study aims to evaluate and compare the prognostic performance of two scoring systems, RETREAT and CCFSS, for predicting tumor recurrence after radical resection in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods • In this retrospective study, we analyzed the clinical data of 124 patients with HCC who underwent radical resection at our hospital between March 2017 and February 2020. The patients were categorized into a recurrence group (n = 41) and a non-recurrence group (n = 83) based on whether they experienced recurrence within 3 years of follow-up. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to compare the clinical characteristics between the two groups and identify factors associated with HCC recurrence. Additionally, we generated receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves to evaluate the predictive value of the RETREAT and CCFSS scoring systems for predicting HCC recurrence after surgery. Results • Significant differences (P < .05) were found in the postoperative relapse-free survival time, HBsAg positivity, preoperative ALT≥ 40 U/L, preoperative Alb < 40 g/L, pericardial invasion, RETREAT score, and CCFSS score between the two groups. A multi-factor logistic regression analysis was performed between postoperative relapse in HCC patients and HBsAg positivity, preoperative ALT ≥ 40U/L, preoperative Alb<40g/L, pericardial invasion, RETREAT score, and CCFSS score grading as independent variables. The analysis revealed that HBsAg positivity (OR = 6.039, 95%CI: 2.994~12.182), preoperative ALT ≥ 40 U/L (OR = 3.738, 95%CI: 2.016-6.931), preoperative Alb< 40g/L (OR = 3.655, 95%CI: 2.083-6.415), envelope invasion (OR = 3.119, 95%CI: 1.922-5.061), RETREAT score (OR = 6.867, 95%CI: 3.204- 14.719), and CCFSS score (OR = 3.228, 95%CI: 1.951-5.342) were significant factors influencing postoperative recurrence in HCC patients (P < .05). The RETREAT score had an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.853, with a sensitivity of 89.23% and a specificity of 93.87% (95%CI: 0.7567-0.950), while the AUC of the CCFSS score for predicting postoperative recurrence in HCC patients was 0.741, with a sensitivity of 78.57% and a specificity of 60.71% (95%CI: 0.609-0.873). Among the factors analyzed, including postoperative relapse-free survival time, HBsAg positivity, preoperative ALT≥ 40 U/L, preoperative Alb < 40 g/L, pericardial invasion, RETREAT score, and CCFSS score, statistically significant differences were observed between the recurrence and non-recurrence groups (P < .05). Conclusion • The RETREAT score demonstrates higher efficacy compared to the CCFSS score in predicting postoperative recurrence in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients and can serve as a valuable tool for the prognostic evaluation of HCC patients who undergo radical resection. The RETREAT score’s superiority can be attributed to its higher area under the curve (AUC) and improved sensitivity and specificity, which allow for better discrimination between positive and negative cases. This enhanced accuracy enables clinicians to make more informed decisions towards post-surgical management and treatment strategies, ultimately improving patient outcomes. Thus, the RETREAT score serves as a vital tool for personalized and targeted care towards HCC patients undergoing radical resection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The systematics of the potamid freshwater crab Cryptopotamon anacoluthon (Kemp, 1918) is clarified, and its generic position in Sinolapotamon Tai & Sung, 1975, is confirmed based on morphological comparisons, geographical information and phylogenetic analyses. A new species of Sinolapotamon, Sinolapotamon cirratum sp. nov. is described from the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China. Sinolapotamon cirratum sp. nov. is distinguished from its congeners by the combination of characters of its carapace, third maxilliped, anterolateral margin, and unique male first gonopod. Phylogenetic analyses based on partial COX1, 16S rRNA and 28S rRNA genes also support the species as new. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patient: Female, 65-year-old Final Diagnosis: Aortic occlusion Symptoms: Lower extremity pain Clinical Procedure: -- Specialty: Laboratory Diagnostics Objective: Rare disease Background: Acute aortic occlusion (AAO) is a rare emergency with high mortality. The typical clinical presentation is the sudden appearance of pain, paralysis, sensory disturbances, and mottling of the lower extremities. The etiology of AAO can be broadly classified into 3 categories: in situ thrombosis, arterial embolism, and occlusion of grafts. AAO is a rare consequence of myocardial infarction in the era of anticoagulation therapy, as part of the management of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Case Report: We report the case of a 65-year-old woman who presented with acute lower extremity pain and weakness after a myocardial infarction 2 weeks earlier. She was on standardized antiplatelet therapy, a high blood D-dimer level was found during a visit to the Emergency Department, a left ventricular mural thrombus was detected using bedside ultrasound, and computed tomography angiography revealed thrombotic occlusion of the abdominal aorta. AAO disease was diagnosed, but the patient refused further treatment and died after 7 days of follow-up. Conclusions: In recent years, anticoagulation has become part of the standard of care for patients with myocardial infarction or atrial fibrillation, which has led to a lower incidence of arterial embolism leading to AAO than in situ thrombosis. Depending on the type of occlusion, there are also differences in the surgical approach. A computed tomography angiography of the abdomen should be performed on all patients in whom AAO cannot be ruled out. Timely diagnosis and prompt surgical intervention are essential to preventing mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on improving the detection of measurable residual disease (MRD) in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Topics include the limitations of current MRD detection methods, the development of immunophenotypic strategy to enhance MRD detection sensitivity, and the ability of this approach to identify specific AML subpopulations and mutations.

The prevalence of workaholism has negative consequences on human health. Lack of sleep, a well-known problem among adults in modern society, is often attributed to overwork as a result of workaholism. Yet there is a lack of empirical research examining how and when workaholism will lead to sleep problems. To answer this question and to examine the longitudinal effect of workaholism on sleep in China, we investigate the mediating role of perceived evening responsibilities of work and the moderating effect of work autonomy. Two hundred and five Chinese working adults (58.0% female) voluntarily completed the online questionnaires at Time 1 (T1) and Time 2 (T2; 1-month later). Results showed that workaholism at T1 had a significant and positive correlation with sleep problem at T2. Further analysis suggested that perceived evening responsibilities of work fully mediated the relationship between workaholism and sleep problem. Work autonomy was shown to buffer the positive effect of workaholism on perceived evening responsibilities of work and attenuate the indirect effect of workaholism on sleep problem. While workers should be made aware of the negative impact of workaholism on sleep, organizations should also consider interventions to enhance employees’ autonomy and control of their work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A highly distinctive genus of pselaphine tribe Batrisini, Feabatrus gen. nov., is described based on Leonardo Fea's historical collection housed in the Museo Civico di Storia Naturale "G. Doria" di Genova, Italy. The genus includes two new species from Myanmar, F. myanmarensis sp. nov. and F. leonardoi sp. nov. Feabatrus gen. nov. is characterized and can be separated from related genera by large-sized body with long, suberect setae on the dorsal surface and antennae, pronotum with large marginal, discal and antebasal spines, elytra with a smooth disc and shallow discal striae, inner two basal foveae close, and lacking subhumeral fovea, distinct constriction between the elytra and the abdomen, and the female possessing an asymmetric genital complex as well as a fl at, sub-trapezoidal tergite 5 (VIII) that has a small nodule in the middle of the posterior margin. A single female from Yunnan, southwestern China, representing a third species, is briefl y described but left unnamed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a numerical investigation of the mechanical behaviour of segmental linings owing to the existence of voids in the composite lining. The composite lining was formed by mining outside and shield tunnelling inside with backfill in between. Finite element method was conducted to analyse the axial forces and bending moment for voids of different diameters at different positions. The results show that the axial forces in the transverse section increase near the crown and then invert and decrease on the left and right sides with an increase in the void centre angle (β) measured from the vertical axis. The increase in void diameter (d < 300 mm) induces an increase in the axial force on the left and right sides when β = 45◦ and 90◦, while it decreases near the crown and invert. The occurrence of voids leads to an increase in the bending moment in the entire segment section with an angle β. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent developments in mechanical metamaterials exemplify a new paradigm shift called mechanomaterials, in which mechanical forces and designed geometries are proactively deployed to program material properties at multiple scales. Here, we designed shell-based micro-/nanolattices with I-WP (Schoen's I-graph-wrapped package) and Neovius minimal surface topologies. Following the designed topologies, polymeric microlattices were fabricated via projection microstereolithography or two-photon lithography, and pyrolytic carbon nanolattices were created through two-photon lithography and subsequent pyrolysis. The shell thickness of created lattice metamaterials varies over three orders of magnitude from a few hundred nanometers to a few hundred micrometers, covering a wider range of relative densities than most plate-based micro-/nanolattices. In situ compression tests showed that the measured modulus and strength of our shell-based micro-/nanolattices with I-WP topology are superior to those of the optimized plate-based lattices with cubic and octet plate unit cells and truss-based lattices. More strikingly, when the density is larger than 0.53 g cm-3, the strength of shell-based pyrolytic carbon nanolattices with I-WP topology was found to achieve its theoretical limit. In addition, our shell-based carbon nanolattices exhibited an ultrahigh strength of 3.52 GPa, an ultralarge fracture strain of 23%, and an ultrahigh specific strength of 4.42 GPa g-1 cm³, surpassing all previous micro-/nanolattices at comparable densities. These unprecedented properties can be attributed to the designed topologies inducing relatively uniform strain energy distributions and avoiding stress concentrations as well as the nanoscale feature size. Our study demonstrates a mechanomaterial route to design and synthesize micro-/nanoarchitected materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reasonable design of the cavity shape of the damping hole effectively reduces the leakage rate of the hole-pattern damping seal (HPDS). A novel HPDS with dovetail-like diversion grooves was proposed, and the geometry outline of the dovetail-like diversion groove was described by using the hyperelliptic curve. Computational fluid dynamics commercial software was used to simulate the three-dimensional flow field of the dovetail-like hole-pattern damping seal (D-HPDS). The leakage characteristics of the damping seals with a typical circular hole, leaf-like hole, and dovetail-like hole were compared numerically and experimentally. The three-velocity zone model of HPDS was proposed to reveal the mechanism of leakage reduction effect of the D-HPDS compared with typical circular hole-pattern damping seal (C-HPDS). The influence of operating parameters and key geometric parameters on leakage characteristics of the D-HPDS was studied. The results show that the leakage rate of the D-HPDS can be reduced significantly in a wide range of operating conditions and seal clearance compared with the typical C-HPDS, and the maximum reduction amplitude of leakage rate reaches up to 25% at a relatively small pressure ratio. The main reasons for the leakage reduction of the D-HPDS can be explained by the fact that the change of outflow direction from the cavity induced by the interaction effect of adjacent cavities, further resulting in the formation of turbulent vortex in the cavity and the low-speed flow zone in the sealing gap. For the design goal of low leakage rate, the inclined angle of the dovetail-like diversion groove is appropriate between 45 deg and 55 deg, the tip extension ratio is appropriate between 0.8 and 0.95. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electronic health records (EHR) provide valuable resources for longitudinal studies and understanding risk factors associated with poor clinical outcomes. However, they may not contain complete follow-ups, and the missing data may not be at random since hospital discharge may depend in part on expected but unrecorded clinical outcomes that occur after patient discharge. These non-ignorable missing data requires appropriate analysis methods. Here, we are interested in measuring and analyzing individual treatment benefits of medical treatments in patients recorded in EHR databases. We present a method for predicting individual benefits that handles non-ignorable missingness due to hospital discharge. The longitudinal clinical outcome of interest is modeled simultaneously with the hospital length of stay using a joint mixed-effects model, and individual benefits are predicted through a frequentist approach: the empirical Bayesian approach. We illustrate our approach by assessing individual pain management benefits to patients who underwent spinal fusion surgery. By calculating sample percentiles of empirical Bayes predictors of individual benefits, we examine the evolution of individual benefits over time. We additionally compare these percentiles with percentiles calculated with a Monte Carlo approach. We showed that empirical Bayes predictors of individual benefits do not only allow examining benefits in specific patients but also reflect overall population trends reliably. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing the packing density and enhancing heat conducting of MOFs systems are crucial to their practical applications. For this purpose, MIL-101 was selected and undergone the incorporation of the activated carbon (AC), the densification by mixing expanded graphite (ENG) and employing 3D printing via PVA and bentonite clay. Structural characterizations and adsorption equilibrium tests of hydrogen were conducted. The effect of a honeycomb heat exchanging device (HHED), ENG and 3D printing on the thermal conductivity enhancement was evaluated by the charge/discharge tests of hydrogen on a 0.5 L storage vessel under a flow rate of 20 L/min at 77.15 K. It shows that the specific surface area and micro-pore volume of the sample have the largest values by incorporating AC about 1 wt% but decrease in mixing ENG and 3D printing. The mean limit isosteric heats of hydrogen adsorption on the samples prepared by 3D printing are larger than those on the ENG composites. In comparing with those of addition of ENG, the HEED and 3D printing respectively prolonged the effective charge duration about 3.1%, 11.5% by cutting down the temperature fluctuation about 11.1%, 14.8%. It suggests that 3D printing is more effective on densifying the MOFs by enhancing its thermal conductivity. • Relationship between added AC, ENG, bentonite clay and the structures of the sample. • Relationship between added ENG, bentonite clay and the thermal conductivity of the sample. • 3D printing is a better method for the densification of the MIL-101 than mixing the ENG. • 3D printing performs better on heat conducing enhancement than using heat exchanging devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the mesoscopic damage and permeability evolution characteristics of rock under freeze–thaw (F–T) cycles, freeze–thaw cycle experiments were carried out of shale under different F–T temperatures and numbers of cycles, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and permeability experiments of shale were conducted thereafter. On the basis of these experiments, the pores and permeability of the F–T shale were analyzed, and the existing permeability model is modified and improved; Therefore, the mesoscopic damage evolution characteristics and permeability evolution law of the F–T shale are obtained. It was found that with increasing number of cycles, the pore structure of the rock samples changed as the pore size expanded and the number of pores increased, and the average porosity also increased correspondingly. The influence of the F–T cycle temperature on the shale permeability was not as notable as that of the number of F–T cycles. Based on the SDR-REV permeability model, the spectral area ratio parameters of large pores and fractures in the T2 spectrum were considered for correction, and a direct relationship between the permeability, F–T temperature and number of cycles was obtained via regression analysis. Compared to the experimental results, it was found that the modified model achieved a good applicability. The damage and permeability characteristics of shale under different F–T conditions were analysed from a microscopic perspective, which could yield an important reference for engineering construction in frozen soil areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: Dichotomitin is one of the bioactive constituents isolated from Belamcanda chinensis. The goal of this study was to identify the metabolites of dichotomitin produced by liver microsomes and hepatocytes. Methods: Using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography and high-resolution mass spectrometry (UPLC/HRMS), the metabolites were profiled and identified. The exact masses, elemental compositions and product ions of the metabolites were used to characterize their structures. Results: A total of ten metabolites were found and identified. The main metabolites identified in the incubation samples were M6 (3',5,6,7-tetrahydroxy-4',5'- dimethoxyisoflavone) and M8 (8-hydroxydichotomitin). Opening of 1,3-benzodioxole, demethylation, hydroxylation, glucuronidation and sulfation were among the metabolic modifications for dichotomitin. A human recombinant cytochrome P450 enzyme study revealed that CYP 1A2, 2C19, and 2D6 facilitated the formation of M6, whereas CYP 1A2 catalyzed the formation of M8 exclusively. Conclusions: For the first time, data on the in vitro metabolic fates of dichotomitin were revealed in this work which would be helpful for us to understand the disposition of this bioactive constituent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Neoadjuvant therapy can lead to different tumor regression grades (TRG) in rectal cancer after neoadjuvant therapy. The purposes of this study are to investigate the relationships among TRG, pathologic complete response (pCR) and long-term survival, on the basis of reconstructed individual patient data (IPD).Methods: The PubMed, Embase, Ovid and Cochrane CENTRAL databases were searched. The primary endpoint was to evaluate the survival landscape of different TRGs after neoadjuvant therapy and the secondary endpoint was to evaluate the associations between pCR and survival. IPD were reconstructed with Kaplan-Meier curves.Results: The 10-year overall survival (OS) and 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) were clearly higher in the pCR group than in the non-pCR (npCR) group (80.5% vs. 48.3, 90.1% vs. 69.8%). Furthermore, the OS and DFS increased with improvement in tumor regression after neoadjuvant therapy. According to the IPD, the pCR group had longer OS (HR = 0.240, 95% CI = 0.177-0.325, p < 0.001) and DFS (HR = 0.274, 95% CI = 0.205-0.367, p < 0.001) than the npCR group. Better tumor regression was associated with better survival outcomes (p < 0.005). Direct calculation of published HR values yielded similar results.Conclusions: Our results indicate a positive relationship between better tumor regressions and improved survival benefits among the npCR group and patients with rectal cancer achieving pCR had much longer OS and DFS than patients achieving npCR, presenting a survival landscape of different TRGs and pCR in rectal cancer after neoadjuvant therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transmissible Gastroenteritis Virus (TGEV) infection is one of the leading causes of diarrhea in piglets. Intestinal immune system plays an important role in maintaining the intestinal mucosa's integrity and resisting infection by pathogens. However, the relationship between the immune response induced by TGEV infection and disease progression is unclear. Using the microarray data set GSE41756 from the Gene Expression Omnibus database, we analyzed porcine small intestinal epithelial cells at 6 and 12 h of TGEV infection. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected using the 'limma' R package. Gene Ontology, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment, and the proteinprotein interaction network analyses were performed with the detected DEGs. We found 56 DEGs (47 up-regulated and 9 down-regulated) after the intersection. Pathway enrichment analysis revealed that the DEGs were mainly associated with immune response, extracellular space, cytokine activity, and positive regulation of nuclear factor-ΰB import into the nucleus. This revealed the strong relationships among DEGs in the tumor necrosis factor signaling pathway, inflammatory bowel disease, and influenza A. Interleukin 6 (IL6), IL8, IL18, tumor necrosis factor, and tolllike receptor hub genes may play important roles during TGEV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid characterization of chemical analogues in potentially toxic complex matrix was essential for prevention of accidental poisoning. On the basis of the fragment ions possessed not only the same retention times (RT) but the same drift times (DT) on liquid chromatography-ion mobility-mass spectrometry (LC-IM-MS), an alternating frames (AF)-data independent acquisition (DIA) was utilized for simultaneous detection and rapid match of precursor/product ions with a fast switch of low/high collision energy (CE). A diagnostic ions guided 2D-locating strategy was developed for identification of chemical analogues in potentially toxic herbal medicines using LC-IM-MS. Firstly, the 2D-locations (RT, DT) of diagnostic ions were screened from high-fragment IM-MS frames according to their m/z. Then, the correlated precursor ions were extracted from the complex background interference in low-fragment IM-MS frames based on diagnostic ions' 2D-locations. Finally, the remained ions were characterized using double-bond equivalent analysis combined with MS/MS fragment interpretation. Totally, 236 diterpene alkaloids including eight compounds with potential new esterification types were characterized in processed lateral roots of Aconitum carmichaelii Debx. Moreover, the LC-IM-MS distribution regularities of diterpene alkaloids with various chemical structure types were further investigated and discussed. This study presented an innovative idea for revealing the chemical basis related to the toxicities of potentially poisonous herbal medicines to ensure the medication safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern technological advances have enabled one to manufacture nanoporous materials with a prescribed pore structure. This raises a possibility of using controllable pore-scale parameters (e.g., pore size and connectivity) to design materials with desired macroscopic properties (e.g., diffusion coefficient and adsorption capacity). By relating these two scales, the homogenization theory (or other upscaling techniques) provides a means of guiding the experimental design. To demonstrate this approach, we consider a class of nanoporous materials whose pore space consists of nanotunnels interconnected by nanotube bridges. Such hierarchical nanoporous carbons with mesopores and micropores have shown high specific electric double layer capacitances and high rate capability in an organic electrolyte. We express the anisotropic diffusion coefficient and adsorption coefficient of such materials in terms of the tunnels' properties (pore radius and inter-pore throat width) and their connectivity (spacing between the adjacent tunnels and nanotube-bridge density). Our analysis is applicable for solutes that undergo a non-equilibrium Langmuir adsorption reaction on the surfaces of fluid-filled pores, but other homogeneous and heterogeneous reactions can be handled in a similar fashion. The presented results can be used to guide the design of nanoporous materials with optimal permeability and sorption capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Jatropha curcas L. is an important non-edible oilseed crop with a promising future in biodiesel production. However, little is known about the molecular biology of oil biosynthesis in this plant when compared with other established oilseed crops, resulting in the absence of agronomically improved varieties of Jatropha. To extensively discover the potentially novel genes and pathways associated with the oil biosynthesis in J. curcas, new strategy other than homology alignment is on the demand. Results: In this study, we proposed a multi-step computational framework that integrates transcriptome and gene interactome data to predict functional pathways in non-model organisms in an extended process, and applied it to study oil biosyn‑ thesis pathway in J. curcas. Using homologous mapping against Arabidopsis and transcriptome profle analysis, we frst constructed protein–protein interaction (PPI) and co-expression networks in J. curcas. Then, using the homologs of Arabidopsis oil-biosynthesis-related genes as seeds, we respectively applied two algorithm mod‑ els, random walk with restart (RWR) in PPI network and negative binomial distribution (NBD) in co-expression network, to further extend oil-biosynthesis-related pathways and genes in J. curcas. At last, using k-nearest neighbors (KNN) algorithm, the predicted genes were further classifed into diferent sub-pathways according to their possible functional roles. Conclusions: Our method exhibited a highly efcient way of mining the extended oil biosynthesis pathway of J. curcas. Overall, 27 novel oil-biosynthesis-related gene candidates were predicted and further assigned to 5 sub-pathways. These fndings can help better understanding of the oil biosynthesis pathway of J. curcas, as well as paving the way for the following J. curcas breeding application [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Main observation and conclusion: Borane clusters and their derivatives have attracted extensive attention in inorganic chemistry due to their fascinating multi‐center bonding patterns and physicochemical properties. Here we report a systematic theoretical investigation on the geometry, electronic structure and chemical bonding of BnXn0/2‐ (n = 4, 6; X = H, F, Cl, Br, I, At, Ts) clusters, attempting to explore their bonding features, exceptional stability and the ligand effect. We find that the electronic structure and stability of BnXn0/2‐ clusters can be tuned by the size of the boron cage and electronegativity of the ligand. Fragment orbital energy matching and orbital overlap are of great importance to the covalency of the cluster. In addition to the ionic electrostatic interaction that dominates the bonding interaction and decreases as the ligand becomes heavier, multi‐center bonding covalency determined by the orbital interaction increases accordingly, attributing to the reducing electronegativity. The σ‐donations from the ligand to the boron cage as well as multi‐center two‐electron (nc‐2e) bonding contribute to the σ aromaticity and superb stability. This work reveals the foremost factors that determine the structure and stability of boron clusters, and provides insights into the nature of chemical bonding for species with boron cages and even bulk boron. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Oriental pselaphine genus Horniella Raffray, 1905 currently contains 29 species. In this paper, six new species are described: H. nantouensis Zhang, Hu & Yin, sp. nov. and H. taiwanensis Zhang, Hu & Yin, sp. nov. from Taiwan, China; H. bifurca Zhang & Yin, sp. nov. and H. haucki Zhang & Yin, sp. nov. from Thailand; H. khasiensis Zhang & Yin, sp. nov. from northern India; and H. sabahensis Zhang & Yin, sp. nov. from eastern Malaysia. In addition, H. aculeata Yin & Li, 2015, originally described from Yunnan, China, is newly recorded from Thailand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Postoperative pain management is an essential module for perioperative care, especially for enhanced recovery after surgery programs. Continuous wound infiltration (CWI) with local anesthetic may be a promising postoperative analgesic strategy. However, its analgesic efficacy and safety remain debatable. Methods: Embase and PubMed databases were systematically searched for relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs). RCTs assessing the analgesic efficacy and safety of CWI with local anesthetic for postoperative analgesia were selected. The outcomes contained pain scores during rest and mobilization, total opioid consumption, time to the first request of rescue analgesia, length of hospital stay, satisfaction with analgesia, time to return of bowel function, postoperative nausea and vomiting, total complication, wound infection, hypotension, and pruritus. The weighted mean difference and risk ratio were used to pool continuous and dichotomous variables, respectively. Results: A total of 121 RCTs were included. CWI with local anesthetic reduced postoperative pain during rest and mobilization at different time points, increased satisfaction with analgesia, shortened recovery of bowel function, and reduced postoperative nausea and vomiting compared with the placebo group, especially for laparotomy surgery. There were no significant differences in these clinical outcomes compared to epidural and intravenous analgesia. CWI with local anesthetic reduced the total opioid consumption and hypotension risk and did not increase total complications, wound infection, or pruritus. CWI with local anesthetic had a better analgesic efficacy without increased side effects for sternotomy surgery. However, CWI with local anesthetic did not translate into favorable analgesic benefits in laparoscopic surgery. Conclusion: CWI with local anesthetic is an effective postoperative analgesic strategy with good safety profiles in laparotomy and sternotomy surgery, and thus CWI with local anesthetic may be a promising analgesic option enhancing recovery after surgery programs for these surgeries. Plain Language Summary: Continuous wound infiltration (CWI) with local anesthetic may be a promising postoperative analgesic strategy, but its effect remains debatable. We performed this meta-analysis based on 121 high-quality articles (RCTs) to evaluate the analgesic efficacy and safety of CWI with local anesthetic. We found that CWI with local anesthetic could reduce postoperative pain, increase satisfaction with analgesia, shorten recovery of bowel function, and reduce postoperative nausea and vomiting, especially for laparotomy surgery. However, CWI with local anesthetic did not show favorable analgesic benefits in laparoscopic surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protein phosphorylation is a common post-translational modification that frequently occurs during plant-virus interaction. Host protein kinases often regulate virus infectivity and pathogenicity by phosphorylating viral proteins. The Barley stripe mosaic virus (BSMV) b protein plays versatile roles in virus infection and the coevolutionary arms race between plant defense and viral counter-defense. Here, we identified that the autophosphorylated cytosolic serine/threonine/tyrosine (STY) protein kinase 46 of Nicotiana benthamiana (NbSTY46) phosphorylates and directly interacts with the basic motif domain (aa 19-47) of γb in vitro and in vivo. Overexpression of wild-type NbSTY46, either transiently or transgenically, suppresses BSMV replication and ameliorates viral symptoms, whereas silencing of NbSTY46 leads to increased viral replication and exacerbated symptom. Moreover, the antiviral role of NbSTY46 requires its kinase activity, as the NbSTY46T436A mutant, lacking kinase activity, not only loses the ability to phosphorylate and interact with γb but also fails to impair BSMV infection when expressed in plants. NbSTY46 could also inhibit the replication of Lychnis ringspot virus, another chloroplast-replicating hordeivirus. In summary, we report a function of the cytosolic kinase STY46 in defending against plant viral infection by phosphorylating a viral protein in addition to its basal function in plant growth, development, and abiotic stress responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Neoadjuvant (chemo) radiotherapy is used as a standard treatment for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC), but there is no general consensus on either the efficacy of postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with LARC after neoadjuvant treatment and surgery, or whether the addition of oxaliplatin to adjuvant chemotherapy provides survival benefits. Methods. We performed a meta-analysis of data from the PubMed and Embase databases. We included patients with LARC who received neoadjuvant (chemo) radiotherapy and curative surgery. Overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), toxicity, and compliance were analyzed in the oxaliplatin/fluorouracil- (OX/FU-) based group compared with the FU-based group, and in the chemotherapy group compared with the observation group. Results. Twenty studies were included in the analysis. Our results indicated that adjuvant chemotherapy prolonged OS (hazard ratio HR = 0.78 , 95 % CI = 0.67 – 0.91) in patients with LARC treated with neoadjuvant (chemo) radiotherapy and surgery compared with those in the observation group. Subgroup analysis showed the same results in both the ypStage II and ypStage III groups. Compared with those in the observation group, patients in the chemotherapy group also showed an increase in DFS (HR = 0.75 , 95 % CI = 0.60 – 0.93). No significant increase was observed in OS (HR = 1.04 , 95 % CI = 0.87 – 1.24) or DFS (HR = 0.98 , 95 % CI = 0.76 – 1.27) when oxaliplatin was added to FU-based adjuvant chemotherapy, as compared with the FU-based treatment, and subgroup analysis also indicated no survival benefits in the clinical stage II, clinical stage III, ypStage II, and ypStage III groups. Conclusions. For patients with LARC who have already received neoadjuvant (chemo) radiotherapy and curative surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy improves OS over that in the observation group. Adding oxaliplatin to FU-based adjuvant chemotherapy does not confer survival benefits beyond those from FU-based adjuvant chemotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intestinal microbiota are closely related to host physiology. Over the long course of evolution and interaction, both commensal bacteria and their host have evolved multiple strategies to adapt to each other. However, in invertebrates, the regulatory mechanism of intestinal microbiota homeostasis is largely unknown. In the current study, a digestive tract-specific C-type lectin, designated as CTL33, was identified because of its abundance and response to bacteria in the intestine of kuruma shrimp (Marsupenaeus japonicus). Silencing of CTL33 expression led directly to intestinal dysbiosis, tissue damage, and shrimp death. CTL33 could facilitate biofilm formation by the intestinal bacteria. This function originated from its unique architecture, with a lectin domain responsible for bacteria recognition and a coiled coil region that mediated CTL33 dimerization and cross-linked the bacteria into a biofilm-like complex. By mediating the formation of a biofilm, CTL33 promoted the establishment of intestinal bacteria in intestine and maintained the homeostasis of the microbiota. Thus, to our knowledge, we demonstrated a new mechanism of C-type lectin-mediated biofilm formation by intestinal bacteria, providing new insights into intestinal homeostasis regulation in invertebrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enhanced dry adhesion of micropatterned polymeric surfaces has been frequently demonstrated. Among the design parameters, the cap geometry plays an important role to improve their performance. In this study, we combined experiments on single polyurethane mushroom-shaped fibrils (with a stalk diameter of 80 µm and height of 125 µm) against flat glass, with numerical simulations implementing a cohesive zone. We found that the geometry of the mushroom cap strongly affects the interfacial crack behavior and the pull-off stress. The experimental and numerical results suggest that optimal adhesion was accompanied by the appearance of both edge and interior interfacial cracks during separation. Finite elemental analyses revealed the evolution of the interfacial stress distributions as a function of the cap thickness and confirmed the distinct detachment mechanisms. Furthermore, the effect of the stalk diameter and the Young's modulus on the adhesive force was established, resulting in an optimal design for mushroom-shaped fibrils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the potential collaboration between historical figures Leonardo da Vinci and Nikola Tesla, suggesting that their complementary knowledge and skills could have led to the earlier invention of technologies like helicopters and submarines.

The gut microbiota plays a critical role in the anti-tumor immune response. There is increasing data showing that antibiotics (ATBs) change the composition of the gut microbiota and affect the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). However, this is the first meta-analysis to evaluate the association between ATB use and ICI efficacy in cancer patients to provide a better understanding of the strength of this association. We performed a literature search for relevant studies that evaluated the relationship between ATB use and ICI efficacy using the PubMed, Embase, and conference databases. The primary outcomes consisted of overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) measured by hazard ratios (HR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI). Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were also performed. A total of 19 eligible studies comprising 2,740 cancer patients treated with ICIs were included in the analysis. Our results indicated that ATB use was negatively associated with OS in cancer patients (HR = 2.37; 95% CI = 2.05–2.75; P <.001), without heterogeneity (I2 = 0.0%; P =.851). Moreover, ATB use significantly reduced PFS in patients treated with ICIs (HR = 1.84; 95% CI = 1.49–2.26; P <.001; I2 = 56.2%). Similar results were obtained in the subgroup analyses stratified by the time of ATB use and cancer type. Sensitivity analyses confirmed the stability of our results. Therefore, the findings of our meta-analysis indicated that ATB use is negatively associated with OS and PFS in cancer patients treated with ICI immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lattice metamaterials have demonstrated remarkable mechanical properties at low densities. As these architected materials advance toward real-world applications, their tolerance for damage and defects becomes a limiting factor. However, a thorough understanding of the fracture resistance and fracture mechanisms in lattice metamaterials, particularly for the emerging shell-based lattices, has remained elusive. Here, using a combination of in situ fracture experiments and finite element simulations, we show that shell-based lattice metamaterials with Schwarz P minimal surface topology exhibit superior fracture resistance compared to conventional octet truss lattices, with average improvements in initiation toughness up to 150%. This superiority is attributed to the unique shell-based architecture that enables more efficient load transfer and higher energy dissipation through material damage, structural plasticity, and material plasticity. Our study reveals a topology-induced intrinsic toughening mechanism in shell-based lattices and highlights these architectures as a superior design route for creating lightweight and high-performance mechanical metamaterials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since chemical processes are highly non-linear and multiscale, it is vital to deeply mine the multiscale coupling relationships embedded in the massive process data for the prediction and anomaly tracing of crucial process parameters and production indicators. While the integrated method of adaptive signal decomposition combined with time series models could effectively predict process variables, it does have limitations in capturing the high-frequency detail of the operation state when applied to complex chemical processes. In light of this, a novel Multiscale Multi-radius Multi-step Convolutional Neural Network (MsrtNet) is proposed for mining spatiotemporal multiscale information. First, the industrial data from the Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) process decomposition using Complete Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition with Adaptive Noise (CEEMDAN) extract the multi-energy scale information of the feature subset. Then, convolution kernels with varying stride and padding structures are established to decouple the long-period operation process information encapsulated within the multi-energy scale data. Finally, a reconciliation network is trained to reconstruct the multiscale prediction results and obtain the final output. MsrtNet is initially assessed for its capability to untangle the spatiotemporal multiscale relationships among variables in the Tennessee Eastman Process (TEP). Subsequently, the performance of MsrtNet is evaluated in predicting product yield for a 2.80 x 106 t/a FCC unit, taking diesel and gasoline yield as examples. In conclusion, MsrtNet can decouple and effectively extract spatiotemporal multiscale information from chemical process data and achieve a approximately reduction of 30% in prediction error compared to other time-series models. Furthermore, its robustness and transferability underscore its promising potential for broader applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Observational research findings have demonstrated correlations between diet and the process of aging. Nevertheless, there remains uncertainty regarding possible disruption caused by confounding variables. To elucidate the connections between diet and aging, we employed the Mendelian randomization analysis. Methods and Study Design: The exposure factor was the daily diet, whereas accelerated aging was measured through telomere length, facial aging (FA), frailty index (FI), and senescence-associated secretory phenotypes (SASPs), representing the outcome factors. The primary analysis employed IVW analysis, with additional MR-Egger and Weighted Median analyses conducted to assess the reliability of the findings. Furthermore, we analyzed the heterogeneity and pleiotropy of the results. Results: The results revealed that the consumption of salad/raw vegetables and oily fish exhibited a negative correlation with FA, whereas coffee intake showed a positive correlation with FA. On the other hand, the intake of cheese, oily fish, dried fruit, and cereal showed negative associations with FI. Additionally, coffee, alcohol, and pork intake were positively associated with FI. Lastly, the intake of bread exhibited a positively correlated with SASPs, while the intake of cheese and coffee showed a negative correlation with SASPs. Conclusions: Our study revealed that the consumption of cheese, vegetables, oily fish, dried fruit, bread, coffee, and alcohol was associated with the aging process. Interestingly, our findings suggest that coffee intake may accelerate aging, whereas intake of oily fish may delay the aging process. However, it is important to note that further well-designed prospective studies are required to validate our findings in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sensitivity analysis is an indispensable tool for studying the robustness and fragility properties of biochemical reaction systems as well as for designing optimal approaches for selective perturbation and intervention. Deterministic sensitivity analysis techniques, using derivatives of the system response, have been extensively used in the literature. However, these techniques suffer from several drawbacks, which must be carefully considered before using them in problems of systems biology. We develop here a probabilistic approach to sensitivity analysis of biochemical reaction systems. The proposed technique employs a biophysically derived model for parameter fluctuations and, by using a recently suggested variance-based approach to sensitivity analysis [Saltelli et al., Chem. Rev. (Washington, D.C.) 105, 2811 (2005)], it leads to a powerful sensitivity analysis methodology for biochemical reaction systems. The approach presented in this paper addresses many problems associated with derivative-based sensitivity analysis techniques. Most importantly, it produces thermodynamically consistent sensitivity analysis results, can easily accommodate appreciable parameter variations, and allows for systematic investigation of high-order interaction effects. By employing a computational model of the mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling cascade, we demonstrate that our approach is well suited for sensitivity analysis of biochemical reaction systems and can produce a wealth of information about the sensitivity properties of such systems. The price to be paid, however, is a substantial increase in computational complexity over derivative-based techniques, which must be effectively addressed in order to make the proposed approach to sensitivity analysis more practical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The leakage characteristics of clearance seals are affected by operating conditions, such as operating parameters and physical properties of the medium, and structural factors such as the clearance and surface structure of the seal. The reasonable design of the seal structure under different operating conditions is very important to ensure the excellent leakage resistance characteristics of the seal. Based on the self-developed plate test platform of the clearance seal, the leakage rate and outlet pressure under different seal clearance and static surface structure conditions have been obtained. The influence of structural factors such as the seal clearance values and its shape and the structure of the static surface on the leakage characteristics of the clearance seal is investigated. The influence mechanism of the structural factors on leakage characteristics of the seal is analyzed by the simulation of the three-dimensional flow field and the turbulent energy dissipation rate of the clearance seal. The results show that the leakage characteristics of the clearance seal are significantly affected by the seal clearance values and its shape, and the sealing surface structure on static and rotor. Under the same value of average seal clearance and compared to the parallel clearance seal, the seal with an axially inclined sealing clearance has better leakage control ability. However, the circumferentially inclined sealing clearance has little influence on leakage characteristics. The best choice of sealing surface structure under different seal clearance conditions is different. Among them, the smooth surface seal, the clearance seal with single-sided opening, and the clearance seal with double-sided holed are the optimal structures when the seal clearance is small (0.05–0.1 mm), moderate (0.3–0.4 mm), and large (0.8–1.0 mm) respectively. This phenomenon is the result of the combined effect of the direct air permeability effect in the sealing clearance, the vortex dissipation effect in the cavity, and the surface friction effect under different conditions. • Based on the innovative self-developed test rig, the clearance shape of the plate clearance seal can be controlled and measured by a spiral microprobe and a displacement sensor arranged at multiple points respectively. • The leakage characteristics under different seal clearances and static surfaces with various patterns have been obtained. The influence mechanism of multi-flow resistance effects are revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate the capability of the Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry (IMS-MS) for molecular characterization of reactive and short-lived alkyl nitrates (ANs) in atmospheric aerosols. We show significantly enhanced production of ion adducts from a selection of alkyl nitrates by clustering with inorganic anions such as chloride and nitrate during negative electrospray, a special chemical ionization mechanism in the condensed phase. This approach enables the detection of ANs that have low tendency to form molecular ions on their own by electrospray ionization. Molecular identity of each AN adduct is well constrained by the developed collision cross section vs. mass to charge ratio correlation, which provides a two-dimensional separation of the –ONO2 containing compounds on the basis of their molecular size and geometry. Structural information of AN molecules is further probed by the identification of characteristic fragments produced from the collision induced dissociation of parent AN adducts. Application of the IMS-MS technique is exemplified by the identification of hydroxy nitrates in secondary organic aerosols produced from isoprene photochemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a system of photocatalysis for NAD+ regeneration of enzymatic catalysis was constructed. The optimal conditions for the coupling reaction of photocatalysis and biocatalysis were explored. Blue light was chosen for the efficient reaction and the optimal concentration of VB2 (vitamin B2, riboflavin) was determined. NAD+-dependent (R)-1-phenylethanol dehydrogenase was used in the reaction for transforming (R)-1-phenylethanol to acetophenone. The byproducts of the reaction were just H2O and O2 by means of catalase. The coupling reaction of catalysis and photocatalysis can be used for obtaining (S)-1-phenylethanol through racemization of 1-phenylethanol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been a long-standing challenge in modern material design to create low-density, lightweight materials that are simultaneously robust against defects and can withstand extreme thermomechanical environments, as these properties are often mutually exclusive: The lower the density, the weaker and more fragile the material. Here, we develop a process to create nanoarchitected carbon that can attain specific strength (strength-to-density ratio) up to one to three orders of magnitude above that of existing micro- and nanoarchitected materials. We use two-photon lithography followed by pyrolysis in a vacuum at 900 °C to fabricate pyrolytic carbon in two topologies, octet- and iso-truss, with unit-cell dimensions of ∼2 μm, beam diameters between 261 nm and 679 nm, and densities of 0.24 to 1.0 g/cm³. Experiments and simulations demonstrate that for densities higher than 0.95 g/cm³ the nanolattices become insensitive to fabrication-induced defects, allowing them to attain nearly theoretical strength of the constituent material. The combination of high specific strength, low density, and extensive deformability before failure lends such nanoarchitected carbon to being a particularly promising candidate for applications under harsh thermomechanical environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plastid isoprenoids, a diverse group of compounds that includes carotenoids, chlorophylls, tocopherols, and multiple hormones, are essential for plant growth and development. Here, we identified and characterized SEED CAROTENOID DEFICIENT (SCD), which encodes an enzyme that functions in the biosynthesis of plastid isoprenoids in maize (Zea mays). SCD converts 2C-methyl-d-erytrithol 2,4-cyclodiphosphate to 1-hydroxy-2-methyl-2-(E)-butenyl 4-diphosphate in the penultimate step of the methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathway. In scd mutants, plant growth and development are impaired and the levels of MEP-derived isoprenoids, such as carotenoids, chlorophylls, and tocopherols, as well as abscisic and gibberellic acids, are reduced in leaves and seeds. This scd metabolic alteration varies among plant tissues and under different light conditions. RNA-sequencing of the scd mutant and wild type identified a limited number of differentially expressed genes in the MEP pathway, although isoprenoid levels were significantly reduced in scd seeds and dark-grown leaves. Furthermore, SCD-overexpressing transgenic lines showed little or no differences in isoprenoid levels, indicating that SCD may be subject to posttranslational regulation or not represent a rate-limiting step in the MEP pathway. These results enhance our understanding of the transcriptomic and metabolic regulatory roles of enzymes in the MEP pathway and of their effects on downstream isoprenoid pathways in various plant tissues and under different light conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There have been reports of hepatitis B outbreaks amongst diabetics in long-term care facilities, suggesting that risk of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is higher in this population. However, the magnitude of the risk and the incidence of HBV infection amongst the general diabetic population in China remains unknown. Data from a cohort study conducted in Mianyang City, Sichuan Province, China, were retrospectively analyzed in order to address this question. Demographic information was collected using a custom-designed questionnaire, and blood samples were tested for HBV using ELISA. We used multivariate logistic regression to explore the relationship between HBV infection and diabetes, while adjusting for age, sex, region, medical insurance, exposure history, and HBV vaccination. During 2013–2014, a total of 189766 adults were surveyed, of which 7382 were newly infected with HBV, corresponding to an incidence of 3.89%. In this study population, there were 4982 diabetic patients and 182710 non-diabetic individuals. Amongst those with diabetes, 265 (5.32%) were newly infected with HBV. In contrast, 7038 (3.85%) in the non-diabetic population were newly infected with HBV. The relative risk (RR) of HBV infection was 43% higher amongst those diagnosed with diabetes than amongst those not diagnosed (RR 1.43, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.26–1.63). These results suggest that the risk of HBV infection is higher amongst individuals diagnosed with diabetes mellitus in Mianyang City, Sichuan Province, China. Hepatitis B vaccination and continuous infection control practices may help to reduce HBV infection in diabetic patients, and should be considered for diabetes management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The prognostic value of preoperative anemia in gastric cancer remains unclear. Therefore, the purpose of the present study is to evaluate the prognostic value of preoperative anemia in gastric cancer. Methods. We searched Embase and PubMed databases for relevant studies from inception to March 2018. The prognostic value of preoperative anemia in gastric cancer was determined by calculating the hazard ratio (HR) and the corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) as effect measures. A random effect model was used in cases in which there was significant heterogeneity; otherwise, a fixed effect model was used. Statistical analyses were performed using Stata software. Results. Seventeen studies involving 13,154 gastric cancer patients were included. The estimated rate of preoperative anemia was 36% (95%CI=27-44%). The overall survival of preoperative anemia was poor (HR=1.33, 95%CI=1.21-1.45). Moreover, disease-free survival was significantly lower in patients with preoperative anemia compared with those without this condition (HR=1.62, 95%CI=1.13-2.32). These findings were corroborated by the results of subgroup analyses. Conclusions. The results indicate that preoperative anemia predicts poor prognosis in gastric cancer, including overall survival and disease-free survival. Therefore, preoperative anemia may be a convenient and cost-effective blood-derived prognostic marker for gastric cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International education (IE) is duty-bound to achieve the world-leading Chinese standard. The Chinese standard going global requires IE to eliminate barriers and to cultivate a large number of international talents who understand and accept Chinese standards. To this end, the structure entropy weighting method combined with Delphi technique and Fuzzy decision analysis was applied in this paper to construct an international education evaluation index system for Chinese standard going global. The international education path of Chinese standards going global strategy was clearly explained from three aspects: developing language education, and consolidating the communication foundation; promoting cultural education, and gaining value recognition; enhancing professional education, and implementing standard promotion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Since the outbreak of COVID-19, it has had a great negative impact on individual's physical and mental health. Negative emotions related to this pandemic also posed a major threat to mental health and increased social media use among young adults. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between COVID-19 anxiety and social media addiction, and further tested the mediation of depression and intolerance of uncertainty on such relationship. Methods: This study included 566 university students who aged 18 to 26 years old in China. All participants filled in an anonymous questionnaire, including main variables (i.e., social media addiction, depression, intolerance of uncertainty, and COVID-19 anxiety), and demographic information (i.e., age and gender). Results: The results showed COVID-19 anxiety was positively associated with social media addiction, depression, and intolerance of uncertainty. Depression and intolerance of uncertainly also had positive correlations with social media addiction. Moreover, depression and intolerance of uncertainty partially mediated the relationship between COVID-19 anxiety and social media addiction, respectively. Conclusions: Findings indicated that COVID-19 anxiety would have negative effect on social media addiction. It would also raise a higher level of depression as well as intolerance of uncertainty, and further increase more severity of social media addiction. The study provides insight into factors and mechanisms that contribute to the development of social media addiction in young adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The current meta-analysis evaluated the association between vitamin B12 intake and blood vitamin B12 level and colorectal cancer (CRC) risk.Design: The PubMed and EMBASE databases were searched. A dose-response analysis was performed with generalized least squares regression, with the relative risk (RR) and 95 % CI as effect values.Setting: The meta-analysis included seventeen studies.Subjects: A total of 10 601 patients.Results: The non-linear dose-response relationship between total vitamin B12 intake and CRC risk was insignificant (P=0·690), but the relationship between dietary vitamin B12 intake and CRC risk was significant (P<0·001). Every 4·5 μg/d increment in total and dietary vitamin B12 intake was inversely associated with CRC risk (total intake: RR=0·963; 95 % CI 0·928, 0·999; dietary intake: RR=0·914; 95 % CI 0·856, 0·977). The inverse association between vitamin B12 intake and CRC risk was also significant when vitamin B12 intake was over a dosage threshold, enhancing the non-linear relationship. The non-linear dose-response relationship between blood vitamin B12 level and CRC risk was insignificant (P=0·219). There was an insignificant association between every 150 pmol/l increment in blood vitamin B12 level and CRC risk (RR=1·023; 95 % CI 0·881, 1·187).Conclusions: Our meta-analysis indicates that evidence supports the use of vitamin B12 for cancer prevention, especially among populations with high-dose vitamin B12 intake, and that the association between CRC risk and total vitamin B12 intake is stronger than between CRC risk and dietary vitamin B12 intake only. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterobiaryls composed of pyridine and diazine rings are key components of pharmaceuticals and are often central to pharmacological function.We present an alternative approach to metal-catalyzed cross-coupling to make heterobiaryls using contractive phosphorus CÐC couplings, also termed phosphorus ligand coupling reactions. The process starts by regioselective phosphorus substitution of the CÐH bonds para to nitrogen in two successive heterocycles; ligand coupling is then triggered via acidic alcohol solutions to form the heterobiaryl bond. Mechanistic studies imply that ligand coupling is an asynchronous process involving migration of one heterocycle to the ipso position of the other around a central pentacoordinate P(V) atom.The strategy can be applied to complex drug-like molecules containing multiple reactive sites and polar functional groups, and also enables convergent coupling of drug fragments and late-stage heteroarylation of pharmaceuticals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]