Search

Citrus fruit that suffer mechanical damage experience a decline in quality and economic value. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements have revealed a correlation between impedance (ǀZǀ4Hz) and extracellular fluid resistance (Re) with mechanical damage. This correlation is attributed to the disruption of cellular structures by mechanical damage that results in increased free water content and shortened current pathways, consequently decreasing the impedance values. However, owing to individual differences in samples, the damage-sensitive parameters in data are nonlinear separable. To address this issue, a method based on the selection frequency with a support vector machine (SVM) is proposed. This model demonstrated high accuracy, achieving 100% accuracy for model of ǀZǀ and θ as variables. However, the generalizability of the established model requires further systematic research. These findings provide new solutions for the application of electrochemical impedance for fruit quality detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The facial coloration of sheep is not only a critical characteristic for breed and individual identification but also serves as a significant indicator for assessing genetic diversity and guiding selective breeding efforts. Methods: In this study, 201 Ujumqin sheep were used as research objects and 1713 head image data were collected. We delineated feature points related to the facial coloration of Ujumqin sheep and successfully developed a head color recognition model (YOLOv8-CBAM) utilizing the YOLOv8 architecture in conjunction with the CBAM attention mechanism. Results: The model demonstrated impressive performance in recognizing four head color categories, achieving an average precision (mAP) of 97.7% and an F1 score of 0.94. In comparison to YOLOv8n, YOLOv8l, YOLOv8m, YOLOv8s, and YOLOv8x, the YOLOv8-CBAM model enhances average accuracy by 0.5%, 1%, 0.7%, 0.7%, and 1.6%, respectively. Furthermore, when compared to YOLOv3, the improvement is 1%, while YOLOv5n and YOLOv10n show increases of 1.4% and 2.4%, respectively. Discussion: The findings indicate that the smaller model exhibited superior performance in the facial color recognition task for Ujumqin sheep. Overall, the YOLOv8-CBAM model achieved high accuracy in the head color recognition task, providing reliable technical support for automated sheep management systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Right-sided colon cancer is a prevalent malignancy. The standard surgical treatment for this condition is laparoscopic right hemicolectomy, with ileocolic anastomosis being a crucial step in the procedure. Recently, intracorporeal ileocolic anastomosis has garnered attention for its minimally invasive benefits. However, there remains a paucity of rigorously designed, large-scale, international multicenter randomized controlled trials to definitively assess the safety and efficacy of intracorporeal ileocolic anastomosis in laparoscopic right hemicolectomy for right-sided colon cancer. Methods: This study is an international, multicenter, randomized, controlled, open-label, non-inferiority trial designed to compare the safety and efficacy of intracorporeal versus extracorporeal ileocolic anastomosis in patients with right-sided colon cancer undergoing right hemicolectomy. The primary endpoint is the anastomotic leakage rate within 30 days post-surgery. The main secondary endpoint is the 3-year disease-free survival rate post-surgery. A comprehensive quality assurance protocol will be established before the trial begins, including CT review, pathological evaluation, and the standardization and assessment of surgical techniques. Discussion: This study aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of intracorporeal ileocolic anastomosis following right hemicolectomy in patients with right-sided colon cancer. The anticipated outcome is that intracorporeal ileocolic anastomosis will show an anastomotic leakage rate and a 3-year disease-free survival rate comparable to those of extracorporeal anastomosis, while offering the added benefit of faster postoperative recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: HD is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder caused by the expansion of CAG repeats in the HTT. Silencing the expression of mutated proteins is a therapeutic direction to rescue HD patients, and recent advances in gene editing technology such as CRISPR/CasRx have opened up new avenues for therapeutic intervention. Methods: The CRISPR/CasRx system was employed to target human HTT exon 1, resulting in an efficient knockdown of HTT mRNA. This therapeutic effect was substantiated in various models: HEK 293 T cell, the HD 140Q-KI mouse, and the HD-KI pig model. The efficiency of the knockdown was analyzed through Western blot and RT-qPCR. Additionally, neuropathological changes were examined using Western blot, immunostaining, and RNA sequencing. The impact on motor abilities was assessed via behavioral experiments, providing a comprehensive evaluation of the treatment's effectiveness. Results: CRISPR/CasRx system can significantly reduce HTT mRNA levels across various models, including HEK 293 T cells, HD 140Q-KI mice at various disease stages, and HD-KI pigs, and resulted in decreased expression of mHTT. Utilizing the CRISPR/CasRx system to knock down HTT RNA has shown to ameliorate gliosis in HD 140Q-KI mice and delay neurodegeneration in HD pigs. Conclusions: These findings highlight the effectiveness of the RNA-targeting CRISPR/CasRx as a potential therapeutic strategy for HD. Furthermore, the success of this approach provides valuable insights and novel avenues for the treatment of other genetic disorders caused by gene mutations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar thermochemical conversion technologies are promising for effectively utilizing solar energy by capturing the full spectrum of solar radiation. To overcome the challenges of low energy conversion efficiency and intermittency faced by solar thermochemical conversion, these technologies can be effectively integrated with membrane reactor technology. Although the performance of solar thermochemical membrane reactors has been experimentally tested, the chemical reactions and oxygen transport mechanisms during the energy conversion process remain poorly understood. This study introduces a resistance network model to elucidate the interactions between interfacial reactions and bulk diffusion during simultaneous oxidation-reduction reactions on both sides of the membrane. We analyzed the oxygen flux of the membrane reactor under various operating conditions using this model to identify the reaction/transport-limiting side of the overall process. The most effective solar membrane reactor configuration utilizes natural gas and CO2, facilitating clean conversion of fossil fuels with significant advantages in fuel production and energy efficiency. Introducing CH4 lowers the overall reaction temperature, maintains low oxygen partial pressure on the sweep side, and produces a synthesis gas with a 2:1 H2/CO molar ratio. Finally, a sensitivity analysis was used to explore the relationship between overall fuel production performance and operational parameters, highlighting the critical role of this research in enhancing the reaction and transport performance of membrane reactors and advancing the development of solar-driven thermochemical fuel production technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global seaweed industry annually consumes approximately 600,000 tons of dried algal biomass to produce algal hydrocolloids, yet only 15–30% of this biomass is utilized, with the remaining 70–85% discarded or released as scum or wastewater during the hydrocolloid extraction process. This residual biomass is often treated as waste and not considered for further commercial use, which contradicts the principles of sustainable development. In reality, the residual algal biomass could be employed to extract additional biochemical components, such as pigments, proteins, and cellulose, and these ingredients have important application prospects in the food sector. According to the biorefinery concept, recycling various products alongside the principal product enhances overall biomass utilization. Transitioning from traditional single‐product processes to multi‐product biorefineries, however, raises operating costs, presenting a significant challenge. Alternatively, developing value‐added utilization technologies that target seaweed waste without altering existing processes is gaining traction among industry practitioners. Current advancements include methods such as separation and extraction of residual biomass, anaerobic digestion, thermochemical conversion, enzymatic treatment, functionalized modification of algal scum, and efficient utilization through metabolic engineering. These technologies hold promise for converting seaweed waste into alternative proteins, dietary supplements, and bioplastics for food packaging. Combining multiple technologies may offer the most effective strategy for future seaweed waste treatment. Nonetheless, most research on value‐added waste utilization remains at the laboratory scale, necessitating further investigation at pilot and commercial scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Laparoscopic right hemicolectomy has become the standard surgical procedure for the treatment of right colon disease; however, the choice of anastomosis remains controversial. This study aimed to compare the safety and efficacy of intracorporeal anastomosis and extracorporeal anastomosis in laparoscopic right hemicolectomy. Methods: A systematic literature search was performed in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library. Randomized controlled trials that compared intracorporeal anastomosis with extracorporeal anastomosis in patients with laparoscopic right hemicolectomy until June 4, 2023, are selected. The primary outcomes measured were incidence of anastomotic leakage within 30 days post-operation. Statistical analyses were performed using Review Manager (version 5.4.1). Results: Seven RCTs, including 720 patients, were eligible for the meta-analysis. The incidence of anastomotic leakage showed no significant difference between the intracorporeal anastomosis group and the extracorporeal anastomosis group (RR 0.93, 95% CI: 0.49, 1.76, p = 0.83, and I2 = 0%). However, the intracorporeal anastomosis group had significantly lower rates of postoperative ileus (RR 0.67, 95% CI: 0.45–0.99, p = 0.04, I2 = 46%) and surgical site infections (RR 0.34, 95% CI: 0.16–0.74, p = 0.007, I2 = 0%) compared to the extracorporeal anastomosis group. Additionally, patients in the intracorporeal anastomosis group experienced earlier postoperative passage of gas and stool (WMD –0.39, 95% CI: −0.60, −0.19, p = 0.0002, and I2 = 67%; WMD −0.53, 95% CI: −0.85, −0.21, p = 0.001, and I2 = 75%), as well as shorter hospital stays (WMD –0.46, 95% CI: −0.74, −0.18, p = 0.001, and I2 = 34%). Conclusion: In laparoscopic right hemicolectomy, intracorporeal anastomosis does not increase the incidence of anastomotic leakage within 30 days post-operation compared to extracorporeal anastomosis. In addition, intracorporeal anastomosis resulted in faster recovery of bowel function. This suggests that intracorporeal anastomosis is safe and effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Generally, the measurement of power line current is done by measuring the magnetic field around it, so how to increase the magnetic field at the sensor head is the key to achieve high sensitivity detection. A ferrite magnetic circuit (FMC) system was proposed to improve the conversion efficiency of transmission line current to magnetic field at the sensor head. The FMC is designed as a rectangular structure with a slit in which the sensing head is placed. The magnetic field generated by the current is concentrated at the sensing head by using the high permeability of ferrite. The simulation results shows that the magnetic field in the slit is mainly determined by magnetic permeability, the length and the cross-sectional area of the magnetic bar. It monotonically increases with the increasing of magnetic permeability, and decreased gradually with the slit width increasing. It increased rapidly at first and then increased slowly with the increasing of the cross-sectional area of the magnetic bar. It has a good practical value to improve the sensitivity of optical fiber current sensor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colorectal cancer has the highest mortality rate of all digestive system diseases. Considering the debate about cytokines and biases that exist in traditional observational study designs, we performed a two‐sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to explore the association of circulating cytokines with CRC risk. In this study, we used cytokine genetic variants from a recently published genome‐wide association study (GWAS) including 14,824 European‐ancestry participants. Summary‐level data for colorectal cancer were obtained from genome‐wide association analyses of the FinnGen consortium. In addition, we conducted independent supplementary analyses using genetic variation data of colorectal cancer and cytokines from a large public GWAS in 2021. Among 91 circulating factors, we only found IL‐12B to be significantly associated with CRC risk (odds ratio [OR]: 1.19; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.00–1.42; p =.046). We used 2021 data for analysis and found that higher Interleukin‐12p70 levels (IL‐12p70) were revealed to have a significant positive association with CRC risk (OR: 1.27; 95% CI: 1.13–1.43; p < 1.22 × 10−3). Moreover, CRC was suggestively correlated with an elevated level of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) (OR: 1.17; 95% CI: 1.02–1.35; p =.026), macrophage colony‐stimulating factor (M‐CSF) (OR: 0.85; 95% CI: 0.76–0.96; p =.005), IL‐13 (OR: 1.15; 95% CI: 1.02–1.30; p =.028), IL‐10 (OR: 1.23; 95% CI: 1.01–1.49; p =.037), and IL‐7 (OR: 1.19; 95% CI: 1.02–1.39; p =.024). Our MR studies support that one cytokine IL‐12 is significantly associated with CRC risk and that five cytokines VEGF, M‐CSF, IL‐13, IL‐10, and IL‐7 are associated with CRC risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fascinating realm of silicon quantum dots (Si QDs) has attracted considerable attention for their exceptional optical characteristics and potential applications in the optoelectronic industry. However, there remains a scarcity of research that directly compares the impacts of diverse surface modification methods on the electronic structure and charge transfer properties of Si QD nanomaterials. Considering this scientific challenge, we employ the first-principle calculations to conduct the following investigations. To begin, we have innovatively introduced the concept of the adjacent coordination number (ACN) to establish a quantitative correlation between the band gap (Eg) and the doping sites of boron (B) atoms across various sizes of Si QDs. Additionally, a combination of Total Density of States (TDOS), Partial Density of States (PDOS) and orbital component analysis reveals that the subtle dipole effect near the B-doping site significantly contributes to the reduction in the band gap, providing valuable insights into the complex impact of different doping sites on the electronic arrangement and structure of Si QDs. Ultimately, our absorption spectroscopy, charge transfer and Quantum Theory of Atoms in Molecules (QTAIM) analysis of organic molecule coupling Si QDs reveal the formation of dipoles on the surface and the correlation between charge migration direction and binding sites. This phenomenon not only amplifies the presence of conjugated coupling states but also significantly enhances the charge transfer capability of Si QDs. These valuable insights will provide significant advantages to scientists and researchers endeavoring to tailor the electronic structure and optical attributes of Si QDs using a diverse array of modification techniques to meet specific application requirements. The surface functionalization of Si QDs involves doping or coupling site selection and the establishment of charge transfer bridges is crucial for the formation of dipole–dipole interaction which may not only play a role in regulating band gap structures but also exert significant control over the charge transfer capacity of Si QDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work focuses on the class of $ \mathcal {L} $ L -positive semidefinite matrices A such that $ AA_{(\mathcal {L})}^{(\dag)}-A_{(\mathcal {L})}^{(\dag)}A $ A A (L) (†) − A (L) (†) A is nonsingular, where $ A_{(\mathcal {L})}^{(\dag)} $ A (L) (†) is the generalized Bott-Duffin inverse of A with respect to a subspace $ \mathcal {L} $ L . We give some equivalent characterizations for the nonsingularity of $ AA_{(\mathcal {L})}^{(\dag)}-A_{(\mathcal {L})}^{(\dag)}A $ A A (L) (†) − A (L) (†) A , $ AA_{(\mathcal {L})}^{(\dag)}+A_{(\mathcal {L})}^{(\dag)}A $ A A (L) (†) + A (L) (†) A and $ I_{n}-A(A_{(\mathcal {L})}^{(\dag)})^2A $ I n − A (A (L) (†) ) 2 A mainly by rank equalities and subspace operations, among which relations are pointed out. Meanwhile we show the inverses of their general versions in a decomposition form. In addition, the continuity of this class of matrices is discussed based on the continuity of the generalized Bott–Duffin inverse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The named entities of agricultural diseases and pests are featured by complex word-formation and universal phenomena of word combination and entity embedding; in particular, in the domain of Chinese agricultural diseases and pests, there exist a lot of problems including various entity naming modes, fuzzy entity boundary, inadequate feature extraction and inconsistent labeling of entity boundary. To address the above problems, this article combined discourse topic and attention mechanism and proposed the Attention-based SoftLexicon with TF-IDF (ASLT) for agricultural diseases and pests entity recognition. By dividing the words sets based on the positions of characters in the words, merging the discourse topic features into the calculation of lexical information, and introducing the attention mechanism, the recognition accuracy of Chinese agricultural diseases and pests entities can be enhanced. In order to improve the interpretability of the model, we designed a flow chart to explain the major principles and steps, and explained the model through visual methods. This article selected 1061 Chinese agricultural news texts and constructed the Corpus of Chinese Named Entities of Diseases and Pests (CCNEDP), in which 7806 agricultural diseases and pests named entities in total were labeled. According to the present experimental results, the proposed ASLT method can effectively recognize the entities in Chinese agricultural texts and achieve favorable recognition on CCNEDP, with the recognition accuracy, the recall rate and the value of F1 of 93.57, 92.79 and 93.18%, respectively. By contrast with the other entity recognition methods, ASLT shows enhanced recognition performance in terms of accuracy and operating efficiency. The implementation of this work is publicly available at https://github.com/azureskymoon/Lexicon-TFIDF-DTopic-master/tree/master. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A parallel dual‐cavity fiber‐optic Fabry‐Perot (F‐P) salinity sensor based on hollow core fiber and a ceramic ferrule is proposed. The sensor is comprised of a F‐P reference cavity and a F‐P sensing cavity in parallel. The reference cavity is a closed cavity that is fusion spliced with a segment of single‐mode optical fiber (SMF) and a small piece of silica tube (ST). The sensing cavity is an open liquid cavity that is connected by a ferrule after inserting two single‐mode fibers into a ceramic core, facilitating the replacement of salt water. Variations in the salinity of salt water will affect the change in refractive index of optical path, and then change the output spectral structure. By precisely controlling the length of two cavities, the free spectral range (FSR) of the sensing cavity is approximately equal to the FSR of the reference cavity, resulting in the generation of the Vernier effect, which improves the sensitivity of the sensor to salinity greatly. From the experimental results, it can be seen that the sensor sensitivity to salinity reaches −0.78 nm/‰ (−3809.68 nm/RIU) in the salinity range from 35‰ to 20‰ at room temperature of 25°C, which is 10.8 times higher than the sensitivity of a single sensing cavity. The enhancement factor is generally consistent with theoretical analysis results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Right hemicolectomy is the standard treatment for right-sided colon cancer. There is variation in the technical aspects of performing right hemicolectomy as well as in short-term outcomes. It is therefore necessary to explore best clinical practice following right hemicolectomy in expert centres. Methods: This snapshot study of right hemicolectomy for colon cancer in China was a prospective, multicentre cohort study in which 52 tertiary hospitals participated. Eligible patients with stage I–III right-sided colon cancer who underwent elective right hemicolectomy were consecutively enrolled in all centres over 10 months. The primary endpoint was the incidence of postoperative 30-day anastomotic leak. Results: Of the 1854 patients, 89.9 per cent underwent laparoscopic surgery and 52.3 per cent underwent D3 lymph node dissection. The overall 30-day morbidity and mortality were 11.7 and 0.2 per cent, respectively. The 30-day anastomotic leak rate was 1.4 per cent. In multivariate analysis, ASA grade > II (P < 0.001), intraoperative blood loss > 50 ml (P = 0.044) and D3 lymph node dissection (P = 0.008) were identified as independent risk factors for postoperative morbidity. Extracorporeal side-to-side anastomosis (P = 0.031), intraoperative blood loss > 50 ml (P = 0.004) and neoadjuvant chemotherapy (P = 0.004) were identified as independent risk factors for anastomotic leak. Conclusion: In high-volume expert centres in China, laparoscopic resection with D3 lymph node dissection was performed in most patients with right-sided colon cancer, and overall postoperative morbidity and mortality was low. Further studies are needed to explore the optimal technique for right hemicolectomy in order to improve outcomes further. This snapshot study was a prospective, multicentre, cohort study to explore the clinical practise and outcome of right hemicolectomy in China. In high-volume expert centres, laparoscopic resection with D3 lymph node dissection was performed in most patients with right-sided colon cancer, and overall postoperative morbidity and mortality were low. The risk factors of morbidity and anastomotic leak were identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accumulation of misfolded proteins leads to many neurodegenerative diseases that can be treated by lowering or removing mutant proteins. Huntington's disease (HD) is characterized by the intracellular accumulation of mutant huntingtin (mHTT) that can be soluble and aggregated in the central nervous system and causes neuronal damage and death. Here, an intracellular antibody (intrabody) fragment is generated that can specifically bind mHTT and link to the lysosome for degradation. It is found that delivery of this peptide by either brain injection or intravenous administration can efficiently clear the soluble and aggregated mHTT by activating the lysosomal degradation pathway, resulting in amelioration of gliosis and dyskinesia in HD knock‐in (KI‐140Q) mice. These findings suggest that the small intrabody peptide linked to lysosomes can effectively lower mutant proteins and provide a new approach for treating neurodegenerative diseases that are caused by the accumulation of mutant proteins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on two new matrix classes related to the CMP inverse of a square matrix, called the CMP and co-CMP matrices. Some of their characterizations are identified based on the core-EP decomposition and subspace operations. And, we show an equivalence relationship between the co-CMP matrix set and the intersection of the core matrix set and the co-EP matrix set. The nonsingularity of other matrices closely associated with the co-CMP matrices is considered, and their inverses are presented in a decomposition form. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to determine the optimal strategy and driving factors of the critical nodes of pesticide packaging waste recycling by constructing the recycling process of "village collection–town transport–county management." Counties, towns, and villages are the central nodes of collection, coordination, and communication in the recycling process. Their strategy selection and influencing factor analysis are related to the development of recycling. The county processing center, township transit center, and village recycling center were selected to construct a game model, and strategy and parameter assumptions were made to obtain the optimal strategy combination. The results showed that strict supervision, professional transportation and strict implementation are the best strategies for counties, towns and villages, respectively. Simulation analysis confirmed that factors such as cost, reward restricted the strategy selection of each subject. The higher the supervision, transport, and input costs, the lower the enthusiasm of counties, towns, and villages to participate in recycling, respectively. Reasonable control of reward could help each participant choose a stable strategy. The study provided the idea of a pilot before promotion for the government and emphasized the importance of controlling incentive policies and relative costs to improve the recycling process of pesticide packaging waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Proper stamen filament elongation is essential for plant self‐pollination and reproduction. Several phytohormones such as jasmonate and gibberellin play important roles in controlling filament elongation, but other endogenous signals involved in this developmental process remain unknown.We report here that three EPIDERMAL PATTERNING FACTOR‐LIKE (EPFL) family peptides, EPFL4, EPFL5 and EPFL6, act redundantly to promote stamen filament elongation via enhancing filament cell proliferation in Arabidopsis thaliana. Knockout of EPFL4‐6 genes led to shortened filaments due to defective filament cell proliferation, resulting in pollination failure and male sterility.Further genetic and biochemical analyses indicated that the ERECTA family and the SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS RECEPTOR KINASE (SERK) family RLKs form receptor complexes to perceive EPFL4‐6 peptides and promote filament cell proliferation. Moreover, based on both loss‐ and gain‐of‐function genetic analyses, the mitogen‐activated protein kinase cascade MKK4/MKK5‐MPK6 was shown to function downstream of EPFL4‐6 to positively regulate cell proliferation in stamen filaments.Together, this study reveals that an EPFL peptide signaling pathway composed of the EPFL4‐6 peptide ligands, the ERECTA‐SERK receptor complexes and the downstream MKK4/MKK5‐MPK6 cascade promotes stamen filament elongation via enhancing filament cell proliferation to ensure successful self‐pollination and normal fertility in Arabidopsis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some new characterizations of the generalized Bott–Duffin inverse are proposed by using range, nullspace and matrix equations. We extend the famous fact that the rank equation characterizes the inverse of matrices to the generalized Bott–Duffin inverse, and give its several representations. Additionally, we show the relationships between the generalized Bott–Duffin inverse and two classes of nonsingular bordered matrices and apply them to the Cramer's rules of two classes of restricted linear equations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we proposed a method of extracting feature parameters for deep neural network prediction based on the vectorgraph storage format, which can be applied to the design of electromagnetic metamaterials with sandwich structures. Compared to current methods of manually extracting feature parameters, this method can automatically and precisely extract the feature parameters of arbitrary two-dimensional surface patterns of the sandwich structure. The position and size of surface patterns can be freely defined, and the surface patterns can be easily scaled, rotated, translated, or transformed in other ways. Compared to the pixel graph feature extraction method, this method can adapt to very complex surface pattern design in a more efficient way. And the response band can be easily shifted by scaling the designed surface pattern. To illustrate and verify the method, a 7-layer deep neural network was built to design a metamaterial broadband polarization converter. Prototype samples were fabricated and tested to verify the accuracy of the prediction results. In general, the method is potentially applicable to the design of different kinds of sandwich-structure metamaterials, with different functions and in different frequency bands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Transanal total mesorectal excision (taTME) is a promising surgical procedure for middle and low rectal cancer; however, it is linked to significant morbidity. This study aimed to determine the incidence of postoperative surgical complications and anastomotic leakage following taTME and to identify their associated risk factors. Methods: The prospective clinical data of 114 patients, who underwent taTME and primary anastomosis for mid-low rectal cancer between November 2016 and June 2022, were retrospectively analyzed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify clinical characteristics and risk factors for predicting surgical complications and anastomotic leakage. Results: Surgical complications occurred in 40 (35.1%) patients within the first 30 days following surgery. Based on the Clavien–Dindo classification, minor complications (Clavien–Dindo grades I + II) accounted for 30.7%, while major complications (Clavien–Dindo grades III + IV) accounted for only 4.4%. None of the patients died within 30 days. The incidence of anastomotic leakage was 15.8%: 4.4% as grade A (5 cases), 9.6% as grade B (11 cases), and 1.8% as grade C (2 cases). Preoperative T3-4 was identified as an independent risk factor for surgical complications (p = 0.031) by multivariate analysis. American Society of Anesthesiology score ≥ 3 (P = 0.021) and incomplete total mesorectal excision specimens (P = 0.030) were significantly associated with the risk of anastomotic leakage. Conclusions: In this study, the incidence of surgical complications and anastomotic leakage in taTME aligned with previously reported rates. Preoperative T3-4 was significantly associated with surgical complications. American Society of Anesthesiology score ≥ 3 and incomplete TME specimens independently increased the risk of anastomotic leakage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fumonisin FB is produced by Fusarium moniliforme Sheld, of which FB1 is the most common and the most toxic. The establishment of a rapid detection method is an important means to prevent and control FB1 pollution. A highly sensitive fluorescent sensor based on an aptamer for the rapid detection of fumonisin B1 (FB1) in corn was established. In this study, 5-carboxyfluorescein (FAM) was labeled on the aptamer of FB1 (F10). F10 was adsorbed on the surface of graphene oxide (GO) by π-π stacking. The FAM fluorescence signal could be quenched by fluorescence resonance energy transfer between fluorescent molecules and graphene oxide (GO). In the presence of FB1, the binding efficiency of the aptamer to GO was reduced. Therefore, the content of FB1 in corn samples was determined by fluorescence measurements of mixed FAM-labeled F10, GO and corn samples. This method had a good linear relationship in an FB1 concentration range of 0–3000 ng/mL. The equation was y = 0.2576x + 10.98, R2 = 0.9936. The limit of detection was 14.42 ng/mL, and the limit of quantification was 43.70 ng/mL. The recovery of a spiked standard in the corn sample was 89.13–102.08%, and the time of detection was 30 min. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fumonisin B1 (FB1) is a strong mycotoxin that is ubiquitous in agricultural products. The establishment of rapid detection methods is an important means to prevent and control FB1 contamination. In this study, an improved enzyme-linked oligonucleotide assay (ELONA) method was designed and tested to detect the contents of FB1 in maize (corn) samples. F10 modified with biotin was bound to an enzyme label plate that was coated with streptavidin (SA) in advance, and carbon dots (CDs) were used to catalyze the color of tetramethylbenzidine (TMB). The complementary chain of F10 was modified with an amino group and coupled with CDs to obtain conjugates. The sample and conjugates were then added to the enzyme plate coated with F10 (an FB1 aptamer). Upon completion of the color reaction, the absorbance was measured at 450 nm. The LOD of this method was 4.30 ng/mL and the LOQ was 13.03 ng/mL. We observed a linear relationship in the FB1 concentration range of 0–100 ng/mL. The standard curve was y = −0.001482 × x + 0.3463, R2 = 0.9918, and the experimental results could be directly measured visually. The recovery of the maize sample was 97.5–99.23% and 94.54–99.25%, and the total detection time was 1 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

P. Notoginseng Saponins (PNS), the main active component of herbal medicine Panax notoginseng, has been widely used to treat cerebrovascular diseases. It has been acknowledged that PNS exerted protection on nerve injuries induced by ischemic stroke, however, the long-term impacts of PNS on the restoration of neurological defects and neuroregeneration after stroke have not been thoroughly studied and the underlying molecular mechanism of stimulating neurogenesis is difficult to precisely clarify, much more in-depth researches are badly needed. In the present study, cerebral ischemia injury was induced by microsphere embolism (ME) in rats. After 14 days, PNS administration relieved cerebral ischemia injury as evidenced by alleviating neurological deficits and reducing hippocampal pathological damage. What's more, PNS stimulated hippocampal neurogenesis by promoting cell proliferation, migration and differentiation activity and modulated synaptic plasticity. Increased number of BrdU/Nestin, BrdU/DCX and NeuroD1-positive cells and upregulated synapse-related GAP43, SYP, and PSD95 expression were observed in the hippocampus. We hypothesized that upregulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression and activation of Akt/mTOR/p70S6K signaling after ME could partially underlie the neuroprotective effects of PNS against cerebral ischemia injury. Our findings offer some new viewpoints into the beneficial roles of PNS against ischemic stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, the common cooking fume purification devices are mostly based on electrostatic technology. There are few researches on the microscopic process of coalescence and electric field parameters' optimization. In this paper, COMSOL MultiphysicsTM was used to simulate the electrostatic coalescence of oil droplets in the coupling field of an electric field and flow field. The degree of deformation of oil droplets (D) and the starting coalescence time (tsc) were used to evaluate the coalescence process. The feasibility of the model was verified through experimental results. The effects of voltage, flow speed and oil droplet radius on tsc were investigated, and the parameters were optimized by the response surface method and Matrix correlation analysis. It can be concluded that increasing the voltage, flow speed and oil droplet radius appropriately would be conducive to the coalescence of oil droplets. When the oil droplet radius was in the range of 0–1.5 mm, it promoted the coalescence of oil droplets. The influence of various factors on oil droplet coalescence was flow speed > voltage > oil droplet radius. The optimal result obtained by simulation was that when the radius of the oil droplet was 1.56 mm, the voltage 12 kV and the flow speed 180 mm/ms, the shortest coalescence time of oil droplets was 16.8253 ms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Due to the lack of large-scale clinical trials, the treatment strategies of small bowel adenocarcinoma (SBA) are controversial, especially for stage II patients. According to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guideline, few lymph nodes (LNs) examined (<5 for duodenum or <8 for jejunal/ileal primary location) are one of the high-risk features for stage II patients, for whom adjuvant chemotherapy is recommended. This consensus is originally drawn from data in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Database (SEER) between 1988 and 2010. However, the surgical modalities and chemotherapy strategies changed a lot after 2004 for SBA patients. The previous data may not represent a true picture of current therapeutics. Thus, we reanalyzed the SEER database and updated the cutoff point of LN numbers resected with respect to cancer-specific survival (CSS) using the latest SEER information. Methods: Patients diagnosed with stage II SBA and who underwent curative surgery between 2004 and 2018 were extracted from the SEER database. CSS was calculated using the Kaplan–Meier method and compared by log-rank test. Maximum survival differences based on total LNs examined for duodenal and jejunoileal tumors were determined separately with the cut-point analysis and maximum log-rank χ2 statistic. A nomogram model was constructed based on the multivariate Cox analysis to predict 5‐ and 10‐year CSS and was then validated with an internal cohort. Results: A total of 935 stage II SBA patients met the inclusion criteria. The greatest difference in survival was found in patients who had removal of at least 5 LNs for duodenal and 12 LNs for jejunoileal tumors. Multivariate Cox analysis showed that age, T stage, histology grade, primary site, and LN numbers were independent prognostic factors for survival. The C index of nomogram model was 0.701 (95% CI, 0.661–0.741, p < 0.001). Conclusions: The number of LNs harvested is an important prognostic factor for survival in stage II SBA patients. LN number examined <5 remains a high-risk factor for duodenum, but the cutoff point for jejunal/ileal tumors should rise from 8 to 12. Appropriate radical lymphadenectomy should be performed in stage II SBA surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To identify, systematically review and synthesize the evidence on the effectiveness of biofeedback therapy in patients with bowel dysfunction following rectal cancer surgery.Data Sources: Four electronic databases (PubMed 1974-2021; Embase1980-2021; Cochrane databases and the trial registers) were systematically searched by reviewers from inception through March 2021.Study Selection: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), cohort studies, and case series studies were included for adults with bowel dysfunction following rectal cancer surgery. All participants received an intervention of biofeedback treatment. Any outcomes that can evaluate the patient's bowel function were the primary research endpoint, while the quality of life was the second endpoint. The disagreements between the two reviewers were resolved after discussion and the third independent reviewer's ruling. As a result, 12 of 185 studies met selection criteria and were included in the review.Data Extraction: We designed an electronic data extraction form and data were extracted independently. The methodological quality of included studies was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias, the MINORS scale, and the Institute of Health Economics scale.Data Synthesis: Meta-analyses were conducted for case series only and narrative syntheses were completed. Key findings included significant improvements in bowel function as well as health-related quality of life after biofeedback therapy. (Wexner score: t=7, MD=3.33; 95% CI [2.48, 4.18]) and (Vaizey score: t=3, MD=2.46; 95% CI [1.98, 2.93]). Subgroup analysis of Wexner score: receiving electrical stimulation therapy (t=3, MD=2.36; 95% CI [1.51, 3.22]), not receiving electrical stimulation (t=4, MD=3.79;95% CI[2.66, 4.93]); not receiving adjuvant chemoradiotherapy (t=3, MD=2.42;95% CI[1.61, 3.24]), chemotherapy and radiotherapy (t=1, MD=4.10; 95% CI [2.90, 5.30]), radiotherapy and chemotherapy on parts of patients (t=2, MD=3.46;95% CI [1.41, 5.51]), chemotherapy (t=1, MD=4.81; 95% CI [3.38, 6.24]); performing ISR (t=2, MD=3.32;95% CI [0.37, 6.27]), performing AR (t=4, MD=3.08; 95% CI [2.12, 4.04]), performing PLRAS surgery (t=1, MD=4.10;95% CI[2.90, 5.30]).Conclusion: Although biofeedback therapy may improve intestinal function and quality of life as well as anal function reflected by ARM after surgery, patient satisfaction is still unclear. Due to the scarcity of data, good-quality research is required to delve deeper.Clinical Trial Registration Number: CRD42020192658. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposes an experimental implementation of temperature sensing system to study the enhanced Vernier effect using two polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-cavity Fabry-Perot interferometers (FPIs) arranged in parallel. However, these devices exhibited opposite responses to temperature; that is, with an increase (or decrease) in temperature, the two FPIs shifted in red and blue wavelength directions, respectively. This indicated that the sensitivity amplification of their parallel configuration was considerably larger than that generated by the traditional Vernier effect. Experimental results showed that the temperature sensitivities of the two FPIs were −0.42 and 1.36 nm/°C while that of their parallel structure was −14.6 nm/°C corresponding to an amplification factor of 10.7, which was much larger than that (8.2) of the traditional Vernier effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A noncontact rapid microvibration measurement method is proposed based on multichannel projector-camera system and phase shift profilometry. The multichannel characteristics of color image can be used to calculate vibration information dynamically by collecting only one piece of image. The waveform within a frequency range from 0.1 to 2 Hz is measured accurately by means of this vibration measurement technology, and minimum vibration amplitude is about 163 um. The system can be achieved by a standard low cost commercial charge coupled device camera with 30 frames/s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

B Lysosome b In article number 2301120, Xiao-Jiang Li, Sen Yan, Shihua Li, and their colleagues utilized a small intrabody peptide linked to lysosomes to effectively reduce mutant proteins, offering a novel approach for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. A Specific Mini-Intrabody Mediates Lysosome Degradation of Mutant Huntingtin (Adv. Sci. 31/2023) The cover image depicts a rocket, with its head representing the signal being transported to the lysosome, and its tail representing a segment of the intrabody that can recognize the Huntington protein. [Extracted from the article]

For non-ellipsoidal extended targets and group targets tracking (NETT and NGTT), using an ellipsoid to approximate the target extension may not be accurate enough because of the lack of shape and orientation information. In consideration of this, we model a non-ellipsoidal extended target or target group as a combination of multiple ellipsoidal sub-objects, each represented by a random matrix. Based on these models, an improved gamma Gaussian inverse Wishart probability hypothesis density (GGIW-PHD) filter is proposed to estimate the measurement rates, kinematic states, and extension states of the sub-objects for each extended target or target group. For maneuvering NETT and NGTT, a multi-model (MM) approach based GGIW-PHD (MM-GGIW-PHD) filter is proposed. The common and the individual dynamics of the sub-objects belonging to the same extended target or target group are described by means of the combination between the overall maneuver model and the sub-object models. For the merging of updating components, an improved merging criterion and a new merging method are derived. A specific implementation of prediction partition with pseudo-likelihood method is presented. Two scenarios for non-maneuvering and maneuvering NETT and NGTT are simulated. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Long course radiotherapy plus neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by resection (total mesorectal excision, TME) has accepted widespread recognized in the treatment of locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). Tislelizumab, an anti-PD1 humanized IgG4 monoclonal antibody, has been demonstrated with clinical activity and is approved for treating recurrent/refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma and locally advanced/metastatic urothelial carcinoma in China. However, the safety and efficacy of long course (neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, NCRT) plus tislelizumab followed by TME for LARC is still uncertain.Methods: This NCRT-PD1-LARC trial will be a prospective, multicenter and phase II clinical trial designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of LARC patients treated with long course NCRT plus tislelizumab followed by TME. This trial will consecutively enroll 50 stage II/III LARC patients (cT3N0M0 and cT1-3N1-2M0) with the tumor distal location ≤ 7 cm from anal verge at 7 centers in China. The enrolled patients will receive long course radiotherapy (50 Gy/25 f, 2 Gy/f, 5 days/week) and three 21-day cycles capecitabine (1000 mg/m2, bid, po, day1-14) plus three 21-day cycles tislelizumab (200 mg, iv.gtt, day8), followed by TME 6-8 weeks after the end of radiotherapy. The primary efficacy endpoint will be the pathological complete response (pCR) rate, which is defined as absence of viable tumor cells in the primary tumor and lymph nodes.Discussion: To our knowledge, this trial is the first multicenter clinical trial in China to assess the safety and efficacy of NCRT plus anti-PD1 therapy followed by TME to treat patients with LARC. NCRT followed by TME was recognized as the most recommended treatment against LARC while could not be completely satisfied in clinic. This study expects to provide a solid basis and encouraging outcomes for this promising combination of radiotherapy, chemotherapy and immunotherapy in LARC.Trial Registration: Name of the registry: ClinicalTrials.gov.Trial Registration Number: NCT04911517. Date of registration: 23 May 2021. URL of trial registry record: https://www.Clinicaltrials: gov/ct2/show/NCT04911517?id=BFH-NCRTPD&draw=2&rank=1 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amanita poisoning is one of the most deadly types of mushroom poisoning. α-Amanitin is the main lethal toxin in amanita, and the human-lethal dose is about 0.1 mg/kg. Most of the commonly used detection techniques for α-amanitin require expensive instruments. In this study, the α-amanitin aptamer was selected as the research object, and the stem-loop structure of the original aptamer was not damaged by truncating the redundant bases, in order to improve the affinity and specificity of the aptamer. The specificity and affinity of the truncated aptamers were determined using isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), and the affinity and specificity of the aptamers decreased after truncation. Therefore, the original aptamer was selected to establish a simple and specific magnetic bead-based enzyme linked immunoassay (MELISA) method for α-amanitin. The detection limit was 0.369 μg/mL, while, in mushroom it was 0.372 μg/mL and in urine 0.337 μg/mL. Recovery studies were performed by spiking urine and mushroom samples with α-amanitin, and these confirmed the desirable accuracy and practical applicability of our method. The α-amanitin and aptamer recognition sites and binding pockets were investigated in an in vitro molecular docking environment, and the main binding bases of both were T3, G4, C5, T6, T7, C67, and A68. This study truncated the α-amanitin aptamer and proposes a method of detecting α-amanitin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bionic electronic skin can accurately sense and locate surface pressure, which is widely demanded in many fields. Traditional electronic skin design usually relies on grid-architecture sensor arrays, requiring complex grid and interconnection arrangements as well as high cost. Grid-less planar sensors can solve the problem by using electrodes only at the edges, but they usually require the use of mapping software such as electrical impedance tomography to achieve high precision. In this work, a design method of high-precision grid-less planar pressure sensors based on the back-propagation (BP) neural network is proposed. The measurement precision of this method is demonstrated to be over two orders of magnitude higher than that of a grid-structure sensor array with the same electrode distribution density. Moreover, this method can be used for irregularly-shaped and non-uniform sensors, which further reduces the manufacturing difficulty and increases the application flexibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air pollution shows a generally decreasing trend from the north to the south in China since 2013 (GB3095-2012, the current standard for monitoring). However, an opposite observation was recorded in 2017, especially in winter. In this study, we collected monitoring data of six air pollutants in 2016 and 2017, from a northern city (Beijing) and a southern city (Nanjing) for comparison. As air pollution was highly dependent upon meteorological conditions, we further analyzed their relationships to explain this abnormal phenomenon. Seasonal averaged PM2.5, PM10, SO2, CO, and NO2 were negatively correlated with wind scale (WS) while 8-h O3 exhibited an opposite relationship. Relative humidity (RH) has opposite effects on the concentrations of different pollutants in Beijing and Nanjing. The 8-h O3 showed the closest positive correlation with temperature (T), which is due to its formation mechanism. In Beijing, decreased RH, together with more wind from northwest in winter, resulted in an improved air quality in 2017. In Nanjing, WS, RH, T, and wind direction fluctuated within a narrow range in each season, leading to relatively stable pollutant concentrations. These results suggest that meteorological conditions are important factors to evaluate the air quality and implement control measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the real world, multi-objective optimization problems always change over time in most projects. Once the environment changes, the distribution of the optimal solutions would also be changed in decision space. Sometimes, such change may obey the law of symmetry, i.e., the minimum of the objective function in such environment is its maximum in another environment. In such cases, the optimal solutions keep unchanged or vibrate in a small range. However, in most cases, they do not obey the law of symmetry. In order to continue the search that maintains previous search advantages in the changed environment, some prediction strategy would be used to predict the operation position of the Pareto set. Because of this, the segment and multi-directional prediction is proposed in this paper, which consists of three mechanisms. First, by segmenting the optimal solutions set, the prediction about the changes in the distribution of the Pareto front can be ensured. Second, by introducing the cloud theory, the distance error of direction prediction can be offset effectively. Third, by using extra angle search, the angle error of prediction caused by the Pareto set nonlinear variation can also be offset effectively. Finally, eight benchmark problems were used to verify the performance of the proposed algorithm and compared algorithms. The results indicate that the algorithm proposed in this paper has good convergence and distribution, as well as a quick response ability to the changed environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For Dempster–Shafer evidence theory, how to measure the uncertainty of basic probability assignment (BPA) is still an open question. Deng entropy is one of the methods for measuring the uncertainty of Dempster–Shafer evidence. Recently, some limitations of Deng entropy theory are found. For overcoming these limitations, some modified theories are given based on Deng entropy. However, only one special situation is considered in each theory method. In this paper, a unified form of the belief entropy is proposed on the basis of Deng entropy. In the new proposed method, the scale of the frame of discernment (FOD) and the relative scale of a focal element with reference to FOD are considered. Meanwhile, for an example, some properties of the belief entropy are obtained based on a special situation of a unified form. Some numerical examples are illustrated to show the efficiency and accuracy of the proposed belief entropy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]