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The evaluation of thermoelectric materials relies significantly on the thermoelectric figure of merit, ZT, which serves as a crucial parameter in assessing their properties. The accurate prediction of ZT values can be accomplished by utilizing machine learning models to learn material characteristics. However, factors such as the size of the dataset, model hyperparameters, and data quality can all impact the accuracy of machine learning. In contrast to previous research where high-dimensional features were simply discarded to transform them into low-dimensional ones, deep learning models such as autoencoder can extract more effective information. Therefore, in this article, the combination of autoencoders and the Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LightGBM) is employed to learn the chemical characteristics and ZT values of various materials. The reliability of the model was confirmed by achieving an R2 score of 0.94 during tenfold cross-validation. 130 000 materials were predicted and screened, the temperature dependence of the screened materials was studied in depth, and 13 materials with high ZT values were identified. Four of the 13 most promising candidates identified are existing thermoelectric materials, while nine are ideal candidates for future experimental studies and validation. This work utilizes autoencoders for extensive prediction and screening of promising materials, providing an effective approach for handling high-dimensional material data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sexual minority student-athletes (SMSAs) face discrimination and identity conflicts in intercollegiate sport, impacting their participation and mental health. This study explores the perceptions of Chinese SMSAs regarding their sexual minority identities, aiming to fill the current gap in research related to non-Western countries. Methods: A qualitative methodology was adopted, utilising the Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach with self-categorization theory as the theoretical framework. Participants were recruited through purposive and snowball sampling, and data were collected via semi-structured interviews, documents, and field notes. Sixteen former and current Chinese SMSAs participated in this study. Results: The study reveals four themes: hidden truths, prioritisation of athlete identity, self-stereotyping, and attempt. The results revealed that while SMSAs were common in intercollegiate sport, their identities were often concealed and not openly discussed. The predominant focus on athlete identity in sport overshadowed their sexual minority identities. Additionally, SMSAs developed self-stereotypes that influenced their thoughts and behaviours. The non-heterosexual team atmosphere in women's teams led to the development of intimate relationships among teammates. Conclusions: The findings from this study could be incorporated into existing sport policies to ensure the safe participation of SMSAs in Chinese intercollegiate sports. This research offers valuable insights for the development and implementation of inclusive policies. Future research in China could investigate the attitudes of coaches and heterosexual student-athletes toward sexual minority identities to inform targeted interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liver fibrosis is a chronic pathological condition lacking specific clinical treatments. Stem cells, with notable potential in regenerative medicine, offer promise in treating liver fibrosis. However, stem cell therapy is hindered by potential immunological rejection, carcinogenesis risk, efficacy variation, and high cost. Stem cell secretome‐based cell‐free therapy offers potential solutions to address these challenges, but it is limited by low delivery efficiency and rapid clearance. Herein, an innovative approach for in situ implantation of smart microneedle (MN) arrays enabling precisely controlled delivery of multiple therapeutic agents directly into fibrotic liver tissues is developed. By integrating cell‐free and platinum‐based nanocatalytic combination therapy, the MN arrays can deactivate hepatic stellate cells. Moreover, they promote excessive extracellular matrix degradation by more than 75%, approaching normal levels. Additionally, the smart MN arrays can provide hepatocyte protection while reducing inflammation levels by ≈70–90%. They can also exhibit remarkable capability in scavenging almost 100% of reactive oxygen species and alleviating hypoxia. Ultimately, this treatment strategy can effectively restrain fibrosis progression. The comprehensive in vitro and in vivo experiments, supplemented by proteome and transcriptome analyses, substantiate the effectiveness of the approach in treating liver fibrosis, holding immense promise for clinical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nursing students are faced with multiple challenges and have a higher probability of suffering from anxiety. The current study aims to explore the relation between empathy and anxiety, examining the mediation and moderation effects of insomnia and self-compassion, respectively. Methods: This study employed a convenient sampling method, recruiting 1,161 nursing students (female = 923, male = 238, Meanage = 18.37, SDage = 2.38) from three universities in China. These students completed the questionnaires online, including General Anxiety Disorder -7 (GAD-7), Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy-Nursing student (JSPE-NS), Youth Self-rating Insomnia Scale -8 (YSIS-8), and Self-Compassion Scale (SCS). The study employed latent variable structural equation models to analyze the relation and mechanisms between empathy and anxiety. Then, the mediated role of insomnia and the moderated role of self-compassion were examined. Results: The prevalence rates of anxiety and insomnia in the current sample are 18.24% and 26.76%, respectively. The results showed that empathy could negatively predict anxiety, with a significant mediating effect of insomnia between them (B = -0.081, p < 0.05, 95% CI [-0.197, -0.063]). Additionally, it was proven that self-compassion moderated the positive relation between insomnia and anxiety. With a higher level of self-compassion, the indirect effect of empathy on anxiety through insomnia was weaker (B = -0.053, p < 0.01, 95% CI [-0.095, -0.019]). When individuals showed a lower level of self-compassion, the indirect effect of empathy on anxiety through insomnia was stronger (B = -0.144, p < 0.01, 95% CI [-0.255, -0.059]). Conclusion: The analysis of this research proved that empathy was negatively related to anxiety, and insomnia served as a mediator between empathy and anxiety. Besides, the protective role of self-compassion on individuals' mental health was identified. The findings of the study suggest that the education of nursing students should highlight the significance of fostering empathy and self-compassion. The intervention on insomnia may be helpful in reducing the levels of anxiety since insomnia is a risky factor for anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fueled by renewable energy, the paradigm of "green hydrogen" production via water electrolysis stands as an imperative pathway toward the evolution of novel energy frameworks. Proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) emerges as a pivotal route for sustainable power generation, offering substantial advantages. However, the quest to enhance the efficiency of proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) encounters formidable obstacles, prominently centered on attaining a delicate equilibrium between heightened activity and prolonged stability of oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts. The pursuit of OER electrocatalysts that epitomize efficiency, longevity, and cost-effectiveness under high operating potential and corrosive acidic conditions assumes paramount importance in propelling the frontiers of electrochemical water splitting. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advancements in both noble and non-noble metal oxides utilized for acidic oxygen evolution reaction (OER). It underscores the significance of analyzing the instability of catalysts based on the OER mechanism, while delving into effective strategies aimed at bolstering the activity and stability of IrO2, RuO2, and transition metal (TM) oxide electrocatalysts. Finally, some insights are provided into the indirect challenges confronting current anode catalysts employed in proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzes, along with perspectives on future research avenues and potential directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Escherichia coli is known to easily contaminate noodles and form biofilms during noodle processing. Sheeting was a key step in the processing. The objective of our study was to investigate the influence of sheeting pressure on the viability of E. coli. Our findings revealed a significant reduction in the E. coli count (by 1.46 log CFU g−1), as well as their swimming diameter (by 46.7%) and biofilm formation (by 25.7%) following an additional 20 sheeting treatments. The expression of genes (flhC, flhD, rpoS, csgD and adrA) validated the weakening of E. coli survival due to sheeting pressure. Moreover, the alterations in dough texture properties had adverse effects on the survival of E. coli. These results highlight that sheeting pressure can effectively reduce E. coli viability in dough. The implications of our findings provide valuable insights for minimising microbial contamination in noodle production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From the perspective of optimization, most of the current mainstream remote sensing data fusion methods are based on traditional mathematical optimization or single objective optimization. The former requires manual parameter tuning and easily falls into local optimum. Although the latter can overcome the shortcomings of traditional methods, the single optimization objective makes it unable to combine the advantages of multiple models, which may lead to distortion of the fused image. To address the problems of missing multi-model combination and parameters needing to be set manually in the existing methods, a pansharpening method based on multi-model collaboration and multi-objective optimization is proposed, called MMCMOO. In the proposed new method, the multi-spectral image fusion problem is transformed into a multi-objective optimization problem. Different evolutionary strategies are used to design a variety of population generation mechanisms, and a non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) is used to optimize the two proposed target models, so as to obtain the best pansharpening quality. The experimental results show that the proposed method is superior to the traditional methods and single objective methods in terms of visual comparison and quantitative analysis on our datasets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep networks-based models have achieved excellent performances in various applications for extracting discriminative feature representations by convolutional neural networks (CNN) or recurrent neural networks (RNN). However, CNN or RNN may not work when handling data without temporal/spatial structures. Therefore, finding a new technique to extract features instead of CNN or RNN is a necessity. Gradient Boosted Decision Trees (GBDT) can select the features with the largest information gain when building trees. In this paper, we propose an architecture based on the ensemble of decision trees and neural network (NN) for multiple machine learning tasks, e.g., classification, regression, and ranking. It can be regarded as an extension of the widely used deep-networks-based model, in which we use GBDT instead of CNN or RNN. This architecture consists of two main parts: (1) the decision forest layers, which focus on learning features from the input data, (2) the fully connected layers, which focus on distilling knowledge from the decision forest layers. Powered by these two parts, the proposed model could handle data without temporal/spatial structures. This model can be efficiently trained by stochastic gradient descent via back-propagation. The empirical evaluation results of different machine learning tasks demonstrate the the effectiveness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The power sector is one of the major CO2-emitting industries in China. It is also the first key emissions control industry included in China's national carbon trading market established in 2021. Therefore, based on the data of 30 provinces and cities in China from 2015 to 2022, this study analyzes the impact of the national carbon market policy on the carbon emissions of the power industry based on the generalized Difference-in-Difference (DID) model. Based on the method of text analysis, this paper constructs the carbon market policy intensity index of each region and incorporates it into the DID model. Empirical analysis finds that the national carbon market policy can significantly inhibit the carbon emissions of the power industry. However, the heterogeneity analysis of 30 provinces and cities shows that the national carbon market policy has a significant impact on the regions that already have a carbon pilot, but not on the non-pilot regions. Therefore, this paper demonstrates the effectiveness of the national carbon market policy in the power industry emissions control, and also exposes the heterogeneity between regions, providing an important empirical basis for the inclusion of other energy-intensive industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The accuracy of artificial intelligence (AI) and experts in diagnosing early esophageal cancer (EC) and its infiltration depth was summarized and analyzed, thus identifying the advantages of AI over traditional manual diagnosis, with a view to more accurately assisting doctors in evaluating the patients' conditions and improving their cure and survival rates. Methods: The PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, Google, and CNKI databases were searched for relevant literature related to AI diagnosis of early EC and its invasion depth published before August 2023. Summary analysis of pooled sensitivity, specificity, summary receiver operating characteristics (SROC) and area under the curve (AUC) of AI in diagnosing early EC were performed, and Review Manager and Stata were adopted for data analysis. Results: A total of 19 studies were enrolled with a low to moderate total risk of bias. The pooled sensitivity of AI for diagnosing early EC was markedly higher than that of novices and comparable to that of endoscopists. Moreover, AI predicted early EC with markedly higher AUCs than novices and experts (0.93 vs. 0.74 vs. 0.89). In addition, pooled sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of invasion depth in early EC were higher than that of experts, with AUCs of 0.97 and 0.92, respectively. Conclusion: AI‐assistance can diagnose early EC and its infiltration depth more accurately, which can help in its early intervention and the customization of personalized treatment plans. Therefore, AI systems have great potential in the early diagnosis of EC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few methods have been used to characterize repeatedly measured biomarkers of chemical mixtures. We applied latent profile analysis (LPA) to serum concentrations of 4 perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) measured at 4 time points from gestation to age 12 years. We evaluated the relationships between profiles and z scores of height, body mass index, fat mass index, and lean body mass index at age 12 years (n  = 218). We compared LPA findings with an alternative approach for cumulative PFAS mixtures using g-computation to estimate the effect of simultaneously increasing the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for all PFAS. We identified 2 profiles: a higher PFAS profile (35% of sample) and a lower PFAS profile (relative to each other), based on their average PFAS concentrations at all time points. The higher PFAS profile had generally lower z scores for all outcomes, with somewhat larger effects for males, though all 95% CIs crossed the null. For example, the higher PFAS profile was associated with a 0.50-unit lower (β = −0.50; 95% CI, −1.07 to 0.08) BMI z score among males but not among females (β = 0.04; 95% CI, −0.45 to 0.54). We observed similar patterns with AUCs. We found that a higher childhood PFAS profile and higher cumulative PFAS mixtures may be associated with altered growth in early adolescence. This article is part of a Special Collection on Environmental Epidemiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional drying processes used to dry high-quality baijiu yeast-Sporidiobolus johnsonii A do not offer advantages such as high efficiency, high survival rate, and low energy consumption. Therefore, we investigated the damage inactivation mechanism of S. johnsonii A for the spray drying process. Subsequently, the combined drying process and equipment for spray + vacuum-microwave-vibration were designed. The results reveal selective permeability damage and collapse owing to gel and anti-hexagonal phase transitions of the cell membrane, resulting in S. johnsonii A inactivation and massive inactivation at 52 °C with a water content of 0.21 and at 71 °C with a water content of 0.07, respectively. The combined drying process developed in this study successfully dried S. johnsonii A with high efficiency (1.1 h) and excellent quality (85.4 ± 2 %). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recent studies have provided evidence supporting the functional role and mechanism of lactate in suppressing anticancer immunity. However, there is no systematic analysis of lactate metabolism-related genes (LMRGs) and ovarian cancer (OV) prognosis. Results: Six genes (CCL18, CCND1, MXRA5, NRBP2, OLFML2B and THY1) were selected as prognostic genes and a prognostic model was utilized. Kaplan-Meier (K-M) and Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analyses were further performed and indicated that the prognostic model was effective. Subsequently, the neoplasm_cancer_status and RiskScore were determined as independent prognostic factors, and a nomogram was established with relatively accurate forecasting ability. Additionally, 2 types of immune cells (Central memory CD8 T cell and Immature B cell), 4 types of immune functions (APC co inhibition, DCs, Tfh and Th1 cells), 9 immune checkpoints (BTLA, CTLA4, IDO1, LAG3, VTCN1, CXCL10, CXCL9, IFNG, CD27) and tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion (TIDE) scores were significantly different between risk groups. The expression of 6 genes were verified by quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) and the expression of 6 genes were higher in the high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC) samples. Conclusion: A prognostic model related to lactate metabolism was established for OV based on six genes (CCL18, CCND1, MXRA5, NRBP2, OLFML2B and THY1) that could provide new insights into therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flood forecasting using traditional physical hydrology models requires consideration of multiple complex physical processes including the spatio-temporal distribution of rainfall, the spatial heterogeneity of watershed sub-surface characteristics, and runoff generation and routing behaviours. Data-driven models offer novel solutions to these challenges, though they are hindered by difficulties in hyperparameter selection and a decline in prediction stability as the lead time extends. This study introduces a hybrid model, the RS-LSTM-Transformer, which combines Random Search (RS), Long Short-Term Memory networks (LSTM), and the Transformer architecture. Applied to the typical Jingle watershed in the middle reaches of the Yellow River, this model utilises rainfall and runoff data from basin sites to simulate flood processes, and its outcomes are compared against those from RS-LSTM, RS-Transformer, RS-BP, and RS-MLP models. It was evaluated against RS-LSTM, RS-Transformer, RS-BP, and RS-MLP models using the Nash–Sutcliffe Efficiency Coefficient (NSE), Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), Mean Absolute Error (MAE), and Bias percentage as metrics. At a 1-h lead time during calibration and validation, the RS-LSTM-Transformer model achieved NSE, RMSE, MAE, and Bias values of 0.970, 14.001m3/s, 5.304m3/s, 0.501% and 0.953, 14.124m3/s, 6.365m3/s, 0.523%, respectively. These results demonstrate the model's superior simulation capabilities and robustness, providing more accurate peak flow forecasts as the lead time increases. The study highlights the RS-LSTM-Transformer model's potential in flood forecasting and the advantages of integrating various data-driven approaches for innovative modelling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based plasma fatty acids are objective biomarkers of many diseases. Herein, we aim to explore the associations of NMR-based plasma fatty acids with the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and chronic liver disease (CLD) mortality in 252,398 UK Biobank participants. Here we show plasma levels of n-3 poly-unsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and n-6 PUFA are negatively associated with the risk of incident HCC [HRQ4vsQ1: 0.48 (95% CI: 0.33–0.69) and 0.48 (95% CI: 0.28–0.81), respectively] and CLD mortality [HRQ4vsQ1: 0.21 (95% CI: 0.13–0.33) and 0.15 (95% CI: 0.08–0.30), respectively], whereas plasma levels of saturated fatty acids are positively associated with these outcomes [HRQ4vsQ1: 3.55 (95% CI: 2.25–5.61) for HCC and 6.34 (95% CI: 3.68–10.92) for CLD mortality]. Furthermore, fibrosis stage significantly modifies the associations between PUFA and CLD mortality. This study contributes to the limited prospective evidence on the associations between plasma-specific fatty acids and end-stage liver outcomes. Different fatty acids have been associated to liver diseases. Here, the authors show that plasma levels of different circulating fatty acids are either negatively or positively associated with the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma and chronic liver disease mortality in the UK Biobank cohort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the impact of green mergers and acquisitions (green M&As) on corporate environmental performance. Applying the Differences-in-Differences (DID) model to a sample of Chinese heavy-polluting-industry companies listed on the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges from 2010 to 2022, our study results show that the adoption of green M&As by the listed Chinese heavy polluters can lower corporate environmental capital expenditure and significantly improve corporate environmental performance. Meanwhile, the positive effects of green M&As on environmental performance are also found to be stronger for state-owned enterprises, young enterprises, and enterprises located in areas with low financial investments in energy efficiency and environmental protection, according to a heterogeneity study conducted for this paper. The analysis of mediating effects shows that the green M&A of heavily polluting firms will have a catalytic effect on the improvement of firms' environmental performance by promoting their green technological innovation and, in turn, their environmental performance. Furthermore, the moderating effect analysis demonstrates that the quality of the firm's internal controls and the CEO's prior environmental experience are both factors that can support the beneficial impact of green M&A on the enhancement of the firm's environmental performance. This paper enriches the theoretical research system of green M&A and green investment driving mechanisms, and at the same time provides empirical support and strategic reference for the green strategy decision of heavy-polluting enterprises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we ponder a kind of discrete-time fractional-order complex-valued fuzzy BAM neural network. Firstly, in order to guarantee the quasi-projective synchronization of the considered networks, an original quantitative control strategy is designed. Next, by virtue of the relevant definitions and properties of the Mittag-Leffler function, we propose a novel discrete-time fractional-order Halanay inequality, which is more efficient for disposing of the discrete-time fractional-order models with time delays. Then, based on the new lemma, fractional-order h-difference theory, and comparison principle, we obtain some easy-to-verify synchronization criteria in terms of algebraic inequalities. Finally, numerical simulations are provided to check the accuracy of the proposed theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Executive functioning (EF) abilities develop through childhood, but this development can be impacted by various psychosocial environmental influences. Using longitudinal data from the Health Outcome and Measures of the Environment (HOME) Study, a prospective pregnancy and birth cohort study, we examined if psychosocial environmental factors were significant predictors of EF development. Study participants comprised 271 children and their primary caregivers (98.5% mothers) followed from birth to age 12. We identified four distinct EF developmental trajectory groups comprising a consistently impaired group (13.3%), a descending impairment group (27.7%), an ascending impairment group (9.95%), and a consistently not impaired group (49.1%). Higher levels of maternal ADHD and relational frustration appear to be risk factors for increased EF difficulty over time, while higher family income may serve as a protective factor delaying predisposed EF impairment. Important intervention targets might include teaching positive and effective parenting strategies to mothers whose children are at risk for EF dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The treatment of eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (E-CRSwNP) remains a challenge due to its complex pathogenesis. Inositol polyphosphate-4-phosphatase type IA (INPP4A), a lipid phosphatase, has been implicated in allergic asthma. However, the expression and function of INPP4A in E-CRSwNP remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the role of INPP4A in macrophages in E-CRSwNP. Methods: We assessed the expression of INPP4A in human and mouse nasal mucosal tissues via immunofluorescence staining. THP-1 cells were cultured and exposed to various cytokines to investigate the regulation of INPP4A expression and its functional role. Additionally, we established a murine nasal polyp (NP) model and administrated an INPP4A-overexpressing lentivirus evaluate its impact on NP. Results: The percentage of INPP4A + CD68 + macrophages among total macrophages decreased in the E-CRSwNP group compared to the control and the non-eosinophilic CRSwNP (NE-CRSwNP) groups, exhibiting an inverse correlation with an increased percentage of CD206 + CD68 + M2 macrophages among total macrophages. Overexpression of INPP4A led to a reduced percentage of THP-1 cells polarizing towards the M2 phenotype, accompanied by decreased levels of associated chemotactic factors including CCL18, CCL22, CCL24, and CCL26. We also validated the involvement of the PI3K-AKT pathway in the function of INPP4A in vitro. Furthermore, INPP4A overexpression in the murine NP model resulted in the attenuation of eosinophilic inflammation in the nasal mucosa. Conclusions: INPP4A deficiency promotes macrophage polarization towards the M2 phenotype, leading to the secretion of chemokines that recruit eosinophils and Th2 cells, thereby amplifying eosinophilic inflammation in E-CRSwNP. INPP4A may exert a suppressive role in eosinophilic inflammation and could potentially serve as a novel therapeutic strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Flavor is considered as a key quality attribute of fruit juice affecting consumer acceptance. During processing, the flavor loss of cloudy juice always occurs due to the variations of juice cloud particles. Pectin, a major component of cloud particles, plays an important role in cloud stability. In this work, we focused on the effects of variation of three pectin fractions caused by gentle centrifugation and clarification on the physicochemical properties, volatile content and sensory profile of heat‐sterilized muskmelon cloudy juice. Results: Centrifugation treatment reduced the total soluble solids and viscosity of cloudy juice and increased cloud stability. With centrifugation increased, the contents of most monosaccharides in the three pectin fractions were reduced. Most aroma‐active aldehydes and alcohols, such as (2E,6Z)‐nonadienal, 1‐octen‐3‐ol and (E)‐non‐2‐enal, after gentle centrifugation and clarification, were maintained, but most esters were decreased. The volatile compositions were highly related to the three pectin fractions. The addition of chelator‐soluble pectin and sodium carbonate‐soluble pectin could decrease the formation of dimethyl trisulfide and dimethyl disulfide in clarified juice, thereby improving the sensory profile. Conclusion: The results suggested that endogenous chelator‐soluble pectin and sodium carbonate‐soluble pectin can be used in heat‐sterilized fruit juice to improve flavor quality, with an emphasis on a significant reduction in volatile sulfur compounds. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thyroid hormones are essential for neurodevelopment. Few studies have considered associations with quantitatively measured autism spectrum disorder (ASD)‐related traits, which may help elucidate associations for a broader population. Participants were drawn from two prospective pregnancy cohorts: the Early Autism Risk Longitudinal Investigation (EARLI), enrolling pregnant women who already had a child with ASD, and the Health Outcomes and Measures of the Environment (HOME) Study, following pregnant women from the greater Cincinnati, OH area. Gestational thyroid‐stimulating hormone (TSH) and free thyroxine (FT4) were measured in mid‐pregnancy 16 (±3) weeks gestation serum samples. ASD‐related traits were measured using the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) at ages 3–8 years. The association was examined using quantile regression, adjusting for maternal and sociodemographic factors. 278 participants (132 from EARLI, 146 from HOME) were included. TSH distributions were similar across cohorts, while FT4 levels were higher in EARLI compared to HOME. In pooled analyses, particularly for those in the highest SRS quantile (95th percentile), higher FT4 levels were associated with increasing SRS scores (β = 5.21, 95% CI = 0.93, 9.48), and higher TSH levels were associated with decreasing SRS scores (β = −6.94, 95% CI = −11.04, −2.83). The association between TSH and SRS remained significant in HOME for the 95% percentile of SRS scores (β = −6.48, 95% CI = −12.16, −0.80), but not EARLI. Results for FT4 were attenuated when examined in the individual cohorts. Our results add to evidence that gestational thyroid hormones may be associated with ASD‐related outcomes by suggesting that relationships may differ across the distribution of ASD‐related traits and by familial likelihood of ASD. Lay Summary: The study examined the association between gestational thyroid hormone levels and ASD‐related traits in two pregnancy cohorts. Our results suggested higher levels of gestational free thyroxine levels and lower levels of thyroid‐stimulating hormone were associated with more ASD‐related traits in children, with variations depending on the degree of clinical impairment and the familial likelihood of ASD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fibrotic kidney injury from hepatocarcinogenesis seriously impacts treatment effect. Astragaloside IV (AS-IV), an extract of Astragalus membranaceus, has several pharmacological activities, which are useful in the treatment of edema and fibrosis. Nrf2/HO-1 is a key antioxidant stress pathway and help treatment of kidney injury. Smad3 phosphorylation is implicated in hepatocarcinogenesis. Our previous study clarified that Smad3 is differentially regulated by different phosphorylated forms of Smad3 on hepatocarcinogenesis. Therefore, we investigated the contribution of AS-IV on the therapy of kidney fibrosis from hepatocarcinogenesis. And the focus was on whether the phosphorylation of Smad3 and the regulation of Nrf2/HO-1 pathway were involved during AS-IV therapy and whether there is an effect of Nrf2 knockout on the phosphorylation of Smad3. We performed TGF-β1 stimulation on HK-2 cells and intervened with AS-IV. Furtherly, we investigated renal injury of AS-IV on Nrf2 knockout mice during hepatocarcinogenesis and its mechanism of action. On the one hand, in vitro results showed that AS-IV reduced the ROS and α-SMA expression of HK-2 by promoting the expression pSmad3C/p21 of and Nrf2/HO-1 and suppressed the expression of pSmad3L/PAI-1. On the other hand, the in vivo results of histopathological features, serological biomarkers, and oxidative damage indicators showed that Nrf2 knockout aggravated renal injury. Besides, Nrf2 deletion decreased the nephroprotective effect of AS-IV by suppressing the pSmad3C/p21 pathway and promoting the pSmad3L/PAI-1 pathway. The experimental results were as we suspected. And we identify for the first time that Nrf2 deficiency increases renal fibrosis from hepatocarcinogenesis and attenuates the therapeutic effects of AS-IV via regulating pSmad3C/3L signal pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, ceramic samples of Bi2Sr2Co2Oy + v wt% B2O3 (v = 0.0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4) were synthesized using the solid state reaction method, and the influence of B2O3 additive on their microstructure and thermoelectric properties were investigated. On one hand, the B2O3 additive acted as a sintering aid, enhancing carrier mobility. On the other hand, B2O3 dispersion served as a nano-second-phase, increasing hetero-interfaces and strengthen phonon scattering, thereby effectively suppressing lattice thermal conductivity. By dual optimization of both electric and thermal transport performance, the Bi2Sr2Co2Oy + 0.3 wt% B2O3 sample achieved a high ZT value (thermoelectric figure of merit) of 0.31 at 923 K, which was improved by approximately 33% compared with the pristine Bi2Sr2Co2Oy sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Results of toxicological studies indicate that phthalates and per-/polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), 2 classes of endocrine-disrupting chemicals, may alter the functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis. We evaluated the associations of urinary phthalate metabolites and serum PFAS during gestation and childhood with adolescent hair cortisol concentrations (pg/mg hair) at age 12 years, an integrative marker of HPA axis activity (n  = 205 mother-child pairs; Cincinnati, Ohio; enrolled 2003–2006). We used quantile-based g-computation to estimate associations between mixtures of urinary phthalate metabolites or serum PFAS and hair cortisol. We also examined whether associations of individual phthalate metabolites or PFAS with cortisol varied by the timing of exposure. We found that a 1-quartile increase in all childhood phthalate metabolites was associated with 35% higher adolescent hair cortisol (phthalate mixture ψ = 0.13; 95% confidence interval: 0.03, 0.22); these associations were driven by monoethyl phthalate, monoisobutyl phthalate, and monobenzyl phthalate. We did not find evidence that phthalate metabolites during gestation or serum PFAS mixtures were related to adolescent hair cortisol concentrations. We found suggestive evidence that higher childhood concentrations of individual PFAS were related to higher and lower adolescent hair cortisol concentrations. Our results suggest that phthalate exposure during childhood may contribute to higher levels of chronic HPA axis activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Owing to poor organ function reserve, older adults have a high risk of postoperative complications. However, there is no well-established system for assessing the risk of complications after hepatectomy in older adults. Methods: This study aimed to design a risk assessment tool to predict the risk of complications after hepatectomy in adults older than 75 years. A total of 326 patients were identified. A logistic regression equation was used to create the Risk Assessment System of Hepatectomy in Adults (RASHA) for the prediction of complications (Clavien‒Dindo classification ≥ II). Results: Multivariate correlation analysis revealed that comorbidity (≥ 5 kinds of disease or < 5 kinds of disease, odds ratio [OR] = 5.552, P < 0.001), fatigue (yes or no, OR = 4.630, P = 0.009), Child‒Pugh (B or A, OR = 4.211, P = 0.004), number of liver segments to be removed (≥ 3 or ≤ 2, OR = 4.101, P = 0.001), and adjacent organ resection (yes or no, OR = 1.523, P = 0.010) were independent risk factors for postoperative complications after hepatectomy in older persons (aged ≥ 75 years). A binomial logistic regression model was established to evaluate the RASHA score (including the RASHA scale and RASHA formula). The area under the curve (AUC) for the RASHA scale was 0.916, and the cut-off value was 12.5. The AUC for the RASHA formula was 0.801, and the cut-off value was 0.2106. Conclusion: RASHA can be used to effectively predict the postoperative complications of hepatectomy through perioperative variables in adults older than 75 years. Trial registration: The Research Registry: researchregistry8531. https://www.researchregistry.com/browse-the-registry#home/registrationdetails/63901824ae49230021a5a0cf/. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sensitivity of fluorescent sensors is crucial for their applications. In this study, we propose a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP)-coated optical fibre–hybrid waveguide-fibre sensing structure for ultrasensitive fluorescence detection. In such a structure, the MIP coated-hybrid waveguide acts as a sensing probe, and the two co-axially connected optical fibres act as a highly efficient probing light launcher and a fluorescence signal collector, respectively. For the dual-layered waveguide sensing probe, the inner hybrid waveguide core was fabricated using a hollow quartz nanoparticle–hybridized polymer composite with a low refractive index, and the outer MIP coating layer possesses a high refractive index. Simulations showed that this dual-layer configuration can cause light propagation from the waveguide core to the MIP sensing layer with an efficiency of 98%, which is essential for detection. To validate this concept, we adopted a popular fluorescent dye, rhodamine B, to evaluate the sensing characteristics of the proposed system. We achieved an extremely low limit of detection of approximately 1.3 × 10−19 g ml−1 (approximately 0.27 aM). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces the concept of equivalence operators based on overlap and grouping functions where the associativity property is not strongly required. Overlap functions and grouping functions are weaker than positive and continuous t-norms and t-conorms, respectively. Therefore, these equivalence operators do not necessarily satisfy certain properties, such as associativity and the neutrality principle. In this paper, two models of fuzzy equivalence operators are obtained by the composition of overlap functions, grouping functions and fuzzy negations. Their main properties are also studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Refractive index sensing is of great significance in biological detection. Especially, all-dielectric metasurfaces can greatly improve the sensitivity of biological detection. However, the Q factor and electric field enhancement of most metasurfaces are generally low, resulting in low sensitivity and figure of merit (FOM). Meanwhile, fabrication tolerances may result in inability to achieve high-performance refractive index sensing. Here, we use finite element method (FEM) simulation to design a conical hole structure on an all-dielectric metasurface. The toroidal dipole resonance based on a conical hole structure can achieve a large-area electric field enhancement and a high Q factor, thereby achieving a sensitivity of 540 nm/RIU and FOM of 154.3. Meanwhile, considering the real fabrication tolerance, the proposed structure can still achieve high-sensitivity sensing when the conical hole structure changes the ellipsoidal structure. Therefore, the high sensitivity, high FOM, and robustness of the proposed structure make it highly significant for practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Scrub typhus, caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi, is characterized by fever, eschars, lymphadenopathy, and rash. The absence of eschars in some cases makes it difficult to distinguish it from other diseases, complicating the diagnosis process. Atypical Scrub typhus is difficult to diagnose and often leads to delayed treatment. Therefore, early diagnosis and treatment through effective detection methods have high clinical value. Here, a case of scrub typhus with encephalitis symptoms is reported. Patients and Methods: A 64-year-old man and mNGS testing. Results: A 64-year-old man developed cough, headache, and fever, dismissing it as a respiratory tract infection. Initial treatment with cephalosporin antibiotics had minimal effect. Admission to the respiratory department showed inflammation in blood tests. Subsequent CT and further treatment provided no improvement. Multidisciplinary discussions and neurology department guidance were conducted to consider the suspected diagnosis of encephalitis in the patient. After improving the mNGS detection, the patient was diagnosed with "Orientia tsutsugamushi encephalitis". After treatment with doxycycline, the patient's symptoms were alleviated. He remained afebrile in follow-up and adhered well to medical advice. Conclusion: Our case demonstrates that it is difficult to distinguish Orientia tsutsugamushi encephalitis from central nervous system infectious diseases such as meningitis and encephalitis using conventional diagnostic methods, which may affect the treatment plan for the disease. mNGS is a useful and valuable method for early diagnosis of scrub typhus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose of Review: The purpose of this review was to describe the characteristics of breast cancer cells prone to developing bone metastasis and determine how they are regulated by the bone microenvironment. Recent Findings: The bone is a site of frequent breast cancer metastasis. Bone metastasis accounts for 70% of advanced breast cancer cases and remains incurable. It can lead to skeletal-related events, such as bone fracture and pain, and seriously affect the quality of life of patients. Breast cancer cells escape from the primary lesion and spread to the bone marrow in the early stages. They can then enter the dormant state and restore tumourigenicity after several years to develop overt metastasis. In the last few years, an increasing number of studies have reported on the factors promoting bone metastasis of breast cancer cells, both at the primary and metastatic sites. Summary: Identifying factors associated with bone metastasis aids in the early recognition of bone metastasis tendency. How to target these factors and minimize the side effects on the bone remains to be further explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The photon-to-photon conversion process has attracted great attention as it can carry out the conversion of photons in different wavelength regions and use the characteristics of different bands to achieve a variety of applications, including solar cells, temperature measurement, information security, luminous display, and biomedicine. According to the process of converting photons of different energy, the photon-to-photon conversion process can be simply divided into two categories: the downconversion process converting high-energy photons to lower-energy photons and the upconversion process converting the low-energy photons to higher-energy photons. Nanoscale materials and devices used in photon-to-photon conversion have been widely concerned and have been successfully applied in many fields, while the corresponding summaries of the representative work are very few as far as we know. In this review, recent advances and progress in photon-to-photon conversion in nanoscale materials and devices and their applications are summarized. Around this field, we then analyzed and summarized the prospects and challenges for its development in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome (HPS) is a rare autosomal-recessive disease characterized by ocular albinism (OA) or oculocutaneous albinism (OCA), platelet dysfunction, and other symptoms. This study aimed to analyze the molecular defect in two Chinese families with suspected OA, as well as to investigate the profile of HPS6 variants and their genotype-phenotype correlations. Methods: Seven members from two families were recruited and underwent clinical ophthalmologic examinations. The genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood leukocytes. Whole-exome sequencing was performed on the proband of family JX. The single coding exon of HPS6 was directly Sanger sequenced based on PCR amplification in all available family members. An additional 46 probands from families or sporadic cases with the pathogenic variants of HPS6 reported in the literature were reviewed. Results: We identified two different compound heterozygous truncating variants of HPS6 in probands with suspected OA from two independent families. The proband of family JX had c.1674dup and c.503-504del variants, and the other proband from family CZ had a nonsense variant of c.1114C>T and a frameshift variant of c.1556del. Among them, c.1674dup and c.1556del variants in HPS6 have not been reported previously. Therefore, our patients were diagnosed as HPS6 disease by molecular diagnostics. In the retrospective cohort of HPS6 patients, we delineated the profile of HPS6 variants and revealed a significant overlap between CpG islands and the variants of HPS6, suggesting a potential link between DNA methylation and HPS6 variants. We also observed a spatial aggregation of the variants in 3D structure of HPS6 protein, implying the possible functional significance of these structural regions. In addition, we did not find any significant genotype-phenotype correlation of HPS6, and neither did we observe a correlation between the truncation length of the HPS6 protein and the phenotype of HPS6 disease. Conclusion: Our research expands the spectrum of HPS6 variants, providing a comprehensive delineation of their profile and systematically investigating genotype-phenotype correlations in HPS6. These findings could offer potentially valuable clues for investigating the molecular mechanism underlying HPS6 pathogenesis, as well as aiding the clinical diagnosis of HPS6 patients and improving disease prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces the concept of (O, N)-difference, for an overlap function O and a fuzzy negation N. (O, N)-differences are weaker than fuzzy difference constructed from positive and continuous t-norms and fuzzy negations, in the sense that (O, N)-differences do not necessarily satisfy certain properties, as the right neutrality principle, but only weaker versions of these properties. This paper analyzes the main properties satisfied by (O, N)-differences, and provides a characterization of (O, N)-difference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an ecological factor of wetland ecosystems, dew condenses frequently and in large amounts. In the process of marsh wetland restoration, the differences in water depth and plant types in different restoration years may affect dew condensation and evaporation. In this study, by monitoring dew in natural marshes, unrestored marshes (farmlands), and marshes restored 15, 10, and 5 years ago in the plant growth period of 2022 in the Sanjiang Plain, China, it was found that the "cold and wet effect" of marshes was conducive to dew condensation and could prolong the evaporation time of dew. In the process of marsh restoration, the number of dew days increased from 106 days (farmland) to 122 days (15-year marsh restoration), and the duration increased from 791.1 ± 90.3 min (farmland) to 869.4 ± 100.5 min (15-year marsh restoration). The dew intensity increased from 0.06 ± 0.02 mm (farmland) to 0.13 ± 0.04 mm (15-year marsh restoration), and the annual dew amount increased from 35.10 mm/y (farmland) to 44.86 mm/y (15-year marsh restoration). The number of dew days and the duration were similar to those of natural marshes after 15 years of restoration. SO42−, Ca2+, NH4+ and NO3− were the main ions of dew in marsh in each restoration year and farmland. There was no significant difference in the ion concentration (Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, NH4+, F−, Cl−, NO2−, and SO42−) of natural marsh dew compared with that 15 years after restoration (p > 0.05), except for NO3−. The marsh restored after 15 years had basically restored the characteristics of natural marsh in terms of the quality and quantity of dew. This study showed that marsh restoration increased dew, and dew was a good indicator of the restoration effect of marshes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A burgeoning literature supports the effect of media coverage on public inflation expectations but ignores televised reports, particularly official TV news. Using bootstrap Granger non‐causality tests, this study demonstrates time‐varying causalities from the Chinese national broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) reports to households' inflation expectations during 2014Q1–2015Q4 and 2017Q1–2018Q4 with positive effects. This indicates that official TV news leads inflation expectations. Furthermore, positive causalities from CCTV reports to the expectation heterogeneity also exist, thus meaning that more official reports may exacerbate the disagreement among households' expectations, thereby contributing to the macroeconomic instability. The content conflict is a possible reason for the positive effect of CCTV reports on the inflation expectation disagreement of households. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of 3-month leuprorelin acetate (3-month LA, 11.25 mg) for the treatment of idiopathic central precocious puberty (ICPP) in Chinese girls. We conducted a single-center retrospective study in China on 28 girls with ICPP who received at least one year of 3-month LA treatment. Data from anthropometry, biochemistry, bone age (BA), and pelvic ultrasonography were assessed before and every 6 months during medication. At CPP diagnosis, the mean chronological age (CA) was 7.8±0.8 years, with bone age advancement (BA–CA) of 1.5±0.8 years. After treatment initiation, growth velocity decreased significantly from 8.5±1.6 cm/year to 5.8±1.1 cm/year at month 12 (p<0.001). GnRH-stimulated peak LH ≤3IU/L, the primary efficacy criterion, was observed in 27 out of 28 (96.4 %) children at month 3. Basal estradiol <20 pg/mL was achieved by all 28 girls (100 %) at month 6 and remained stable at month 12. Basal follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) decreased from 4.1±3.5 to 1.7±0.9 (p<0.001), and basal LH was also significantly reduced from 3.3±6.5 to 0.7±0.8 (p=0.035) at month 12. The mean predicted adult height (PAH) at treatment initiation was 152.7±5.8 cm, it increased significantly to 157.5±5.5 cm (p=0.007) after one-year treatment. Pubertal development was slowed in most patients, and in some cases, it was even reversed. Only one patient (3.6 %) reported local intolerance. Three-month leuprorelin acetate is a safe and effective treatment for suppressing the pituitary–gonadal axis and restoring impaired adult height in Chinese girls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inhalable messenger RNA (mRNA) has demonstrated great potential in therapy and vaccine development to confront various lung diseases. However, few gene vectors could overcome the airway mucus and intracellular barriers for successful pulmonary mRNA delivery. Apart from the low pulmonary gene delivery efficiency, nonnegligible toxicity is another common problem that impedes the clinical application of many non-viral vectors. PEGylated cationic peptide-based mRNA delivery vector is a prospective approach to enhance the pulmonary delivery efficacy and safety of aerosolized mRNA by oral inhalation administration. In this study, different lengths of hydrophilic PEG chains were covalently linked to an amphiphilic, water-soluble pH-responsive peptide, and the peptide/mRNA nano self-assemblies were characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The in vitro mRNA binding and release, cellular uptake, transfection, and cytotoxicity were studied, and finally, a proper PEGylated peptide with enhanced pulmonary mRNA delivery efficiency and improved safety in mice was identified. These results showed that a proper N-terminus PEGylation strategy using 12-monomer linear monodisperse PEG could significantly improve the mRNA transfection efficiency and biocompatibility of the non-PEGylated cationic peptide carrier, while a longer PEG chain modification adversely decreased the cellular uptake and transfection on A549 and HepG2 cells, emphasizing the importance of a proper PEG chain length selection. Moreover, the optimized PEGylated peptide showed a significantly enhanced mRNA pulmonary delivery efficiency and ameliorated safety profiles over the non-PEGylated peptide and LipofectamineTM 2000 in mice. Our results reveal that the PEGylated peptide could be a promising mRNA delivery vector candidate for inhaled mRNA vaccines and therapeutic applications for the prevention and treatment of different respiratory diseases in the future. Schematic illustration of proper PEGylation strategy of pH-responsive LAH4-L1 peptide-mRNA nano self-assemblies enhances the pulmonary delivery efficiency of aerosolized mRNA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to reveal the change laws of microstructure in apple slices during hot air‐explosion puffing drying, the microstructure images and parameters of apple slices under different drying conditions were obtained by using paraffin sectioning, microscopic observation, and image processing techniques with apples as raw material and CO2 as drying medium. Subsequently, the changes in internal cell and pore structure of dried apple slices were analyzed, as well as the relationship between micro‐parameters of apple slices and macro‐measurement indicators was further obtained. Results indicated that the overall cross‐sectional area, cross‐sectional perimeter, equivalent diameter, and porosity of cells increased by explosion puffing drying, while the cell roundness and wall roughness factors changed relatively little. Meanwhile, macro–micro parameters of expanded apples were fitted and analyzed. Then, the obtained mathematical model showed a nonlinear correlation as experimental and predicted results exhibited good agreement, with determination coefficients R2 more significant than 0.8, which could better expect the macro–microparameters to change in the drying process. The results of this research could provide an essential reference for exploring the change laws of tissue microstructure parameters in apples dried by hot air‐explosion puffing drying, with expansion and rehydration ratios under different experimental conditions, as well as optimizing the puffing drying process and designing corresponding drying equipment. Practical Applications: Fresh apples have high moisture content and are not easy to store, so drying is usually used to reduce the moisture content to extend shelf time and increase economic benefits. For the drying process of fruit and vegetable products, scholars mainly focused on the influence of microstructure parameters on moisture migration, drying rate, heat and mass transfer and other factors, but did not give a quantitative description of how microstructure parameters affect macroscopic parameters. In this article, the relationship between microstructural changes and macroscopic indicators was investigated by taking puffed apple slices as an example. Research could provide an essential reference for exploring the change laws of tissue microstructure parameters in apples dried by hot air‐explosion puffing drying, with expansion and rehydration ratios under different experimental conditions, as well as optimizing the puffing drying process and designing corresponding drying equipment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon trading and new energy markets are two key mechanisms for carbon reduction. However, theoretical analysis cannot reveal the complex links between carbon, green, and grey markets. Therefore, this study resorts to the frequency spillover index to explore the overall and directional connectedness of carbon-energy systems in China. The spillover effect indicates the cross-market propagation of information shocks and the potential ripple effects of specific shocks on system-wide changes. Dynamic spillovers suggest that the role of a certain market is not unchanged. In the time domain, both the overall and directional spillovers are closely related with the trading of carbon allowances and tend to show jumps at the beginning and end of the cycle. In the frequency domain, the short-term effects are much stronger than the medium- and long-term effects on all dimensions of the spillover effect. Comparatively, the grey energy is the main information transmitter at the high frequency, whereas it is the green energy playing such a role at medium and low frequencies. Comparing the overall spillovers on carbon markets, the effect of grey energy exceeds that of green energy. Even so, the carbon market plays an important role in the carbon-energy system with extremely significant effects on green and grey energy stocks at certain periods. The results provide profound implications for the management of carbon markets and portfolio optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Telemedicine has expanded due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the health care usage after telemedicine visits compared with similar in-person visits is not known. This study compared the 72-hour health care reutilization after telemedicine visits and in-person acute encounters in a pediatric primary care office. A retrospective cohort analysis was performed in a single quaternary pediatric health care system between March 1, 2020, and November 30, 2020. Reutilization information was collected for 72 hours following the index visit and included subsequent encounters within the health care system. The 72-hour reutilization rate for telemedicine encounters was 4.1% compared with 3.9% for in-person acute visits. Of revisits, patients who had a telemedicine visit most often sought additional care at the medical home, and patients with an in-person visit most often sought additional care to the emergency department or urgent care. Telemedicine does not result in higher total health care reutilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beyond three-dimensional (3D) architectures, polar semiconductor heterostructures are developing in the direction of two-dimensional (2D) scale with mix-dimensional integration for novel properties and multifunctional applications. Herein, we stacked 2D Janus MoSSe and 3D wurtzite GaN polar semiconductors to construct MoSSe/GaN polar heterostructures by polarity configurations. The structural stability was enhanced as binding energy changed from −0.08 eV/−0.17 eV in the N polarity to −0.24 eV/−0.42 eV in the Ga polarity. In particular, the polarity reversal of GaN in contact with Janus MoSSe not only determined the charge transfer direction but also significantly increased the electrostatic potential difference from 0.71 eV/0.78 eV in the N polarity to 3.13 eV/2.24 eV in the Ga polarity. In addition, strain modulation was further utilized to enhance interfacial polarization and tune the electronic energy band profiles of Janus MoSSe/GaN polar heterostructures. By applying in-plane biaxial strains, the AA and AA′ polarity configurations induced band alignment transition from type I (tensile) to type II (compressive). As a result, both the polarity reversal and strain modulation provide effective ways for the multifunctional manipulation and facile design of Janus MoSSe/III-nitrides polar heterostructures, which broaden the Janus 2D/3D polar semiconducting devices in advanced electronics, optoelectronics, and energy harvesting applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The FRAIL scale for evaluating frailty consists of five items: fatigue, resistance, aerobic, illness, and loss of weight. However, it is difficult to obtain a specific weight loss value. Since the Timed Up and Go Test (TUGT) is simple, accurate, and easy to perform, we replaced weight loss with the TUGT in the FRAIL scale, with the remaining four items unchanged, and named it the FRAIT scale. The aim of this study was to determine the value of the FRAIT scale in predicting the peri-operative outcome of hepatectomy. Methods: This model development study was conducted between January 2017 and December 2021. The reliability, validity and area under the curve (AUC) of the FRAIL/FRAIT scales were calculated. The frailty status of patients aged ≥ 75 years who underwent hepatectomy was measured using the FRAIL/FRAIT scales. Logistic regression was used to compare the relationship between FRAIL/FRAIT scores/grades and perioperative outcomes. Results: The AUCs for predicting operation duration, intraoperative bleeding, complications, and death based on the FRAIL score were 0.692, 0.740, 0.709, and 0.733, respectively, and those based on the FRAIT score were 0.700, 0.745, 0.708, and 0.724, respectively. The AUCs for predicting operation duration, intraoperative bleeding, complications, and death based on the FRAIL grade were 0.693, 0.735, 0.695, and 0.755, respectively, and those based on the FRAIT grades were 0.700, 0.758, 0.699, and 0.750, respectively. The FRAIL score has three effective predictors (intraoperative bleeding, complications, and death), while the FRAIT score has four effective predictors (operation duration, intraoperative bleeding, complications, and death). The FRAIL grade has two effective predictors (intraoperative bleeding and death), while the FRAIT grade has three effective predictors (operation duration, intraoperative bleeding, and death). Conclusions: This study describes a new and more effective tool for the assessment of preoperative frailty in older adults undergoing hepatectomy. The items of the FRAIT scale are easier to obtain than those of the FRAIL scale, and the predictive effect of the FRAIT scale is stronger than that of the FRAIL scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim. To evaluate volume and strain of the left atrium (LA) in people suffering from paroxysmal atrial fibrillation which is not valvular (NVPAF) using the new technology of left atrial automatic myocardial function imaging (AFILA) and to analyze prognostic factors in patients with NVPAF by follow-up. Methods. Between August 2019 and August 2022, a total of 80 NVPAF patients and 60 normal control patients who were hospitalized in the Department of Cardiology were included in the study. The LA volume and strain parameters of the two groups were analyzed. The differences in LA function (LAF) parameters were compared between the two groups to generate the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) and calculate the area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity of each parameter. Follow-up was conducted on the 80 NVPAF patients included, their treatment methods after admission and their rehospitalization due to heart events were recorded, and independent risk factors influencing the prognosis of NVPAF were obtained. Results. A total of 140 patients participated in the study, including 80 in the NVPAF group and 60 in the normal control group. There was no statistically significant difference in age and sex between the two groups. Compared to the normal group, the LA minimum volume (LAVmin), LA maximum volume (LAVmax), and volume at onset of LA contraction (LAVpreA) in the NVPAF group were significantly increased. The LA emptying fraction (LAEF) was significantly decreased, and LA reservoir strain (S_R), LA conduit strain (S_CD), and LA contractile strain (S_CT) were significantly compromised (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in LA evacuation volume (LAEV) reduction (P > 0.05). Logistic regression analysis of LAF parameters in NVPAF patients showed that LAEF and S_R were independently correlated with NVPAF (odds ratio values: 0.883 (0.827–0.943), P < 0.001; 0.916 (0.569–1.474), P = 0.047). The ROC curve results showed that LAEF had a high efficiency in the diagnosis of NVPAF, with P < 0.001, AUC of 0.843, sensitivity of 0.788, and specificity of 0.867. For the LA strain parameters, the S_R test efficiency was higher, with P < 0.001, AUC of 0.762, sensitivity of 0.713, and specificity of 0.783. There was a strong correlation between S_R and LAEF in patients with no end event and those with end event. The ROC curve revealed that the S_R was better than LAEF in predicting prognosis of patients with AF (AUC = 0.914, P < 0.0001 vs. AUC = 0.876, P < 0.0001). S_R of 10.5 and LAEF of 21 were the cut-off values for endpoint events in NVPAF patients, with sensitivity of 0.909 and 0.727 and specificity of 0.904 and 0.901, respectively. Conclusions. AFILA ultrasound technology comprehensively evaluated the LA size and function in patients with NVPAF. The LAEF and S_R were independently correlated with NVPAF and can determine the prognosis of patients with NVPAF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Baseflow is a stable part of streamflow and the main component of streamflow during the dry season. Baseflow plays an important role in the water cycle, and in ecological environment protection of the Yellow River basin (YRB). Taking the Zuli, Kuye, and Tuwei basins, and the Jingle sub-basin as examples, the baseflow was separated using a recursive digital filtering method. The intra-annual, inter-annual, and chronological characteristics of baseflow and the baseflow index (BFI) were analyzed, and driving factors were analyzed from the perspective of climate-change and human-impact factors. The results showed that: (1) The annual baseflow of the basins mainly declined, trending downward in all four test basins, while the BFI increased in two of the basins and remained nearly constant in the other two basins; however, the distributions of baseflow and the BFI were more uniform. (2) The intra-annual patterns for baseflow and the BFI showed changes between earlier and later periods. (3) Precipitation and soil and water conservation measures were the primary driving forces of baseflow change in the basins. The influence of the former weakened while the latter strengthened, and coal mining in the Kuye River and Tuwei River basins also influenced baseflow significantly. (4) When the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) < 0.375, the BFI of test watersheds gradually decreased with the increase in the NDVI. When 0.375 < NDVI < 0.65, the BFI of the basins gradually increased with the increase in the NDVI and the underlying surface continued to improve. When NDVI > 0.65, the increase rate of the BFI decreased and the soil and water conservation capacity of the underlying surface tended to be stable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we consider a type of discrete-time fractional-order complex-valued fuzzy neural networks. First, based on symbolic functions and complex-valued theory, two new inequalities are established to study synchronization problems of networks. Secondly, two simple and original control strategies including linear feedback controller and adaptive controller which can better reduce the control cost, are designed to guarantee quasi-projective synchronization and Mittag-Leffler synchronization of the considered networks, then sufficient synchronization criteria with simplified algebraic conditions are established on the basis of our established lemmas and some inequality techniques. Finally, numerical simulations are given to check effectiveness of the proposed results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As urbanization continues to advance globally, the issue of "urban ailments" has become increasingly prominent. To promptly identify problems arising from urban development, it is crucial to investigate not only the quality of human habitats at the city and regional scales but also the micro-level living environments. Indeed, studying residential living conditions enables the specific problems within urban planning to be unearthed, facilitating timely adjustments for the improvement of urban habitation. However, a precise and objective methodology for accurately measuring the quality of residential living environments is still lacking. In recent years, the urban renewal concept has proven to be proactive in enhancing the living environment quality of residential areas. In this study, we focus on residential areas within Hangzhou's Binjiang District, China, and integrate diverse datasets including real estate websites, digital mapping platforms, remote sensing imagery, points of interest (POIs), and land-use planning data. By examining and analyzing the urban renewal concept, we establish a comprehensive set of evaluation indicators for the living environment quality in residential areas, including five aspects: residential and environmental factors; transportation and communication; education and culture; lifestyle and leisure; and healthcare and well-being. Subsequently, a holistic assessment of the Binjiang District is conducted. Our research findings demonstrate that in the context of urban renewal, the proposed living environment quality evaluation method, based on multi-source data, exhibits significantly higher practicality and effectiveness. The residential environment in Binjiang District exhibits a spatial pattern with higher quality in the northern regions and lower quality in the southern regions. Across different dimensional layers, the residential and environmental quality shows a higher trend along the river areas and a lower trend in the internal areas, as well as higher quality in newly developed sections compared to older ones. The transportation and communication quality exhibits a decreasing trend radiating from multiple core areas. In other dimensions, there is a concentration of high-quality residential areas in the administrative vicinity and surrounding Binjiang University Town. Hotspot analysis further substantiates a significant spatial correlation between the quality of the living environment and the degree of agglomeration, highlighting a positive relationship between the two factors. This study provides a solid basis for the spatial planning of urban public service facilities and holds significant research and practical value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]