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Background: While the significant association between leisure activities and frailty risk among older adults is well-established, the impact of integrated leisure activity scores and different categories of them on frailty trajectories over time remains unclear. Methods: This study utilized longitudinal data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS), which enrolled participants aged 65 years and older between 2002 and 2018. Frailty trajectories were derived using group-based trajectory modelling, and based on these trajectories, subjects were classified into various categories. Leisure activity was measured by integrated scores as well as three distinct categories: physically, cognitively, and socially stimulating activity. The effect of leisure activity on frailty trajectories was examined using multinomial logistic regression. Results: By analysing data from 2,299 older adults, three frailty trajectories were identified: non-frail, moderate progressive, and high progressive. The results indicated that an increase in the score of integrated leisure activity was associated with 11% (odds ratio [OR] 0.89; 95% Confidence Interval [CI] 0.85–0.93) and 14% (OR 0.86; 95% CI 0.80–0.91) decrease in the likelihood of being in the moderate and high progressive frailty trajectories, respectively. Engaging in physically stimulating activity lowered the odds of belonging to the moderate and high progressive trajectory by 43% (OR 0.57; 95% CI 0.40–0.81; OR 0.57; 95% CI 0.36–0.92, respectively). Participation in socially stimulating activity showed a lower odd of being in the moderate progressive trajectory (OR 0.68; 95% CI 0.49–0.93) and the high progressive trajectory (OR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.39–0.95). The effects of leisure activities on frailty trajectories were observed not to vary by age, education level and retirement status. Conclusions: This study suggests that older adults should be encouraged to increase both the amount and variety of their leisure activities. Physically stimulating activities should be considered the primary choice, followed by socially and cognitively stimulating activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and covalent organic frameworks (COFs) with highly ordered porous structure, tunable bandgap, large specific surface area and structural diversity, provide an appealing platform for the development of stimulus response, sensing, imaging and optoelectronics. Among various tuning methods, pressure engineering using the diamond anvil cell is a highly powerful in-situ technique, which can efficiently modulate the structural and optical properties of MOFs/COFs. This is beyond the realization of traditional chemical methods. This review outlines the research progress in the experiment-oriented discovery of new phases or unique properties under high pressure, including phase transition, abnormal compression, photoluminescence (PL) discoloration and enhancement. Notably, the improvement of PL quantum yield in MOFs could be achieved by pressure-treated engineering and hydrogen-bonding cooperativity effect. We also propose and establish the relationship between structure and optical properties under high pressure. Finally, the challenge and outlook of the current fields are summarized. We hope that this review will supply guidance for comprehending the development of high-pressure MOF/COF-related research fields, and offer novel strategies for designing more high-performance MOF/COF materials to ultimately expand their applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the rapid prevalence and advancement of patent commercialization, tacit knowledge sharing during this process is increasingly being scrutinized. To explore the factors affecting tacit knowledge sharing in patent commercialization, this paper constructed a tripartite stochastic evolutionary game model to analyze the complex game interaction between inventors, enterprises, and patent intermediaries. Due to uncertainty in the external environment, Gaussian white noise was introduced into replicator dynamic equations, and numerical simulation was used to describe the tripartite dynamic evolution. The results showed the following: (1) inventors and enterprises with similar levels of relevant capabilities are more likely to achieve better results in sharing tacit knowledge. (2) The implementation of an effective market reputation evaluation system has the potential to enhance implicit knowledge sharing in the realm of patent commercialization. (3) The percentage of payments of the two‐stage payment contract will affect the behavior of inventors and enterprises. (4) The stability of the equilibrium solution is closely tied to the intensity of Gaussian white noise, which can lead to deviations from the original trajectory of equilibrium strategies. Greater external uncertainty makes tacit knowledge sharing more challenging. This study will provide constructive suggestions for promoting tacit knowledge sharing among participants in patent commercialization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An analytical solution is presented for the interaction of an I-core coil with a metal tube of finite length. Using the Truncated Region Eigenfunction Expansion (TREE) method, the impedance variation of the I-core coil is expressed in a closed form. Notably, the 1D finite element method (1D FEM) is adopted to calculate the complex eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of the steel tube, by which the overflow issue of complex eigenfunctions has been surmounted. And the 1D FEM also simplifies the calculation in the ferrite core region immensely. A performant algorithm is obtained due to the matrix formalization and the high speed of the sparse eigenvalue solver. The tubes made of aluminum alloy and stainless steel are investigated by the proposed method and tested in the experiment. The high reliability and efficiency of the proposed method are proved, and the results are also validated by the comparison with simulation and measurement data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Stroke is a globally dangerous disease capable of causing irreversible neuronal damage with limited therapeutic options. Meldonium, an inhibitor of carnitine-dependent metabolism, is considered an anti-ischemic drug. However, the mechanisms through which meldonium improves ischemic injury and its potential to protect neurons remain largely unknown. Methods: A rat model with middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was used to investigate meldonium's neuroprotective efficacy in vivo. Infarct volume, neurological deficit score, histopathology, neuronal apoptosis, motor function, morphological alteration and antioxidant capacity were explored via 2,3,5-Triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining, Longa scoring method, hematoxylin and eosin staining, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling assay, rotarod test, transmission electron microscopy and Oxidative stress index related kit. A primary rat hippocampal neuron model subjected to oxygen–glucose deprivation reperfusion was used to study meldonium's protective ability in vitro. Neuronal viability, mitochondrial membrane potential, mitochondrial morphology, respiratory function, ATP production, and its potential mechanism were assayed by MTT cell proliferation and cytotoxicity assay kit, cell-permeant MitoTracker® probes, mitochondrial stress, real-time ATP rate and western blotting. Results: Meldonium markedly reduced the infarct size, improved neurological function and motor ability, and inhibited neuronal apoptosis in vivo. Meldonium enhanced the morphology, antioxidant capacity, and ATP production of mitochondria and inhibited the opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus during cerebral ischemia–reperfusion injury (CIRI) in rats. Additionally, meldonium improved the damaged fusion process and respiratory function of neuronal mitochondria in vitro. Further investigation revealed that meldonium activated the Akt/GSK-3β signaling pathway to inhibit mitochondria-dependent neuronal apoptosis. Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that meldonium shows a neuroprotective function during CIRI by preserving the mitochondrial function, thus prevented neurons from apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Central Asian vortex (CAV) is a kind of typical regional cyclonic vortex in the North Hemisphere and its important component, Central Asian moist vortex (CAMV), is one of the key systems causing Central Asian heavy precipitation. This study focused on the main characteristics and interannual forcing sources of January CAMV, which has led to rapid increase of Central Asian heavy snowfall during several decades, mainly discussing about the individual and cooperative effect of boreal surface thermal anomalies on CAMVs. The results indicate that the January CAMV demonstrates significantly interannual variability in its annual activity days, moreover, this interannual variability has been experiencing decadal enhancement since 2004, which explains the decadal increase in contemporaneous Central Asian heavy snowfall amount. The "northern moist vortex" (NMV) featuring the low vortex in the northern Central Asia accompanying the European and Tibetan Plateau Ridge, represents the typical circulation configuration of January CAMV. The interannual frequency of NMV is highly related to preceding North Pacific Victoria mode (VM), mid-latitude North Atlantic sea surface temperature (MNA) as well as the land-sea temperature contrast (LSTC) between Africa and eastern North Atlantic. Among them, VM and MNA could respectively stimulate circumglobal and Atlantic-Eurasian wave train structures into northern Central Asia. While, LSTC could excite anomalous lower-level cyclonic circulation over the Mediterranean entrance, accelerating and lifting the entrance of African-Asian jet stream via the way of "eddy-driven jet stream", thereby strengthening the docking of the African-Asian jet stream with the North Atlantic jet stream and enhancing the waveguide effect of two jet streams. When these three surface thermal factors coexist on the interannual scale, VM tends to play a leading role for contributing more than 50% to NMVs in three factors. While, MNA and LSTC play unneglected roles of "relay" to further modulate NMVs, and the cooperative effect of multiple surface thermal anomalies is the key to impacting January CAMVs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Congenital cataracts, which can arise due to a combination of factors like environmental influences and genetic predisposition, significantly impact children's visual health globally. The occurrence rate of congenital cataracts varies from 0. 63 to 9.74 per 10,000 births. There are 7.4 instances per 10,000 children, with the highest occurrence seen in Asia. Symptoms of the disease include clouding of the lens and visual impairment. Timely identification of the condition plays a crucial role in the management and outlook of pediatric patients. Objective: This investigation aimed to discover causative mutations in four separate Chinese family lineages. Methods: The detailed clinical data and family history of four Chinese families with autosomal dominant congenital cataracts were carefully documented. Examination of the Whole Exome Sequencing was utilized to identify the genetic anomalies present in the familial cases. Subsequent validation of the identified mutations was carried out using PCR and Sanger sequencing. Following this, various computational predictive programs were utilized to evaluate how the mutations impact the structure and function of the protein. Results: The sequencing results reveal four potential disease-causing mutations: c.436G > A (p.V146M) of CRYBB2 Family 1, c.26G > T (p.R9I) of GJA3 in family 2, c.227G > A (p.R76H) of GJA8 in family 3, c.-168G > T of FTL in family 4. Among them, the causative mutation in Family GJA3 is novel, and Family FTL is a rare cataract syndrome. These familial mutations showed complete co-segregation with the affected individuals, with no presence in unaffected family members or the 100 controls. Several bioinformatic prediction tools also support the likely pathogenicity of these mutations. Conclusion: Our findings expand the mutational and phenotypic spectrum of genes associated with congenital cataracts and provide clues to the pathogenesis of congenital cataracts. These data also demonstrate the importance of NGS technology for the molecular diagnosis of congenital cataract patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phonological awareness (PA) is an important predictor and outcome of reading. Yet, little is known about the reciprocal relation between PA and reading across development without consistent reading experience (e.g., as a result of limited access to quality education and late enrolment in school). We tested the hypothesis that variable reading experience in childhood influences neural activation in regions involved in language and reading processing—left frontal and temporoparietal cortex. Sixty‐nine primary‐school children (Mage = 10.4) from rural low‐literacy communities in Côte d'Ivoire completed a PA task while undergoing functional near‐infrared spectroscopy neuroimaging (fNIRS) neuroimaging and a reading battery. We observed differences in left inferior frontal and bilateral temporoparietal activation for younger versus older children with similar reading skills, suggesting neural activations for phonological processing depends on the age when children have reading experience. Without consistent access to quality education, children may miss out on reciprocal interactions between phonological processing and reading shaping language processing in the brain. We examined neural activation underlying phonological processing (an important predictor and outcome of reading) in children without consistent reading experience as a result of limited access to quality education in communities with high risk of illiteracy—rural Côte d'Ivoire. Younger versus older children with similar reading skills showed different neural activation for phonological processing. Children with limited, late‐childhood reading experience may miss out on reciprocal interactions between phonological processing and reading shaping language processing in the brain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As mobile internet and Internet of Things technologies rapidly advance, the amount of spatio-temporal big data have surged, and efficient and secure management solutions are urgently needed. Although cloud storage provides convenience, it also brings significant data security challenges. Blockchain technology is an ideal choice for processing large-scale spatio-temporal big data due to its unique security features, but its storage scalability is limited because the data need to be replicated throughout the network. To solve this problem, a common approach is to combine blockchain with off-chain storage to form a hybrid storage blockchain. However, these solutions cannot guarantee the authenticity, integrity, and consistency of on-chain and off-chain data storage, and preprocessing is required in the setup phase to generate public parameters proportional to the data length, which increases the computational burden and reduces transmission efficiency. Therefore, this paper proposes a collaborative storage mechanism for spatio-temporal big data based on incremental aggregation sub-vector commitments, which uses vector commitment binding technology to ensure the secure storage of on-chain and off-chain data. By generating public parameters of fixed length, the computational complexity is reduced and the communication efficiency is improved while improving the security of the system. In addition, we design an aggregation proof protocol that integrates aggregation algorithms and smart contracts to improve the efficiency of data query and verification and ensure the consistency and integrity of spatio-temporal big data storage. Finally, simulation experiments verify the correctness and security of the proposed protocol, providing a solid foundation for the blockchain-based spatio-temporal big data storage system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren, is a highly invasive species. Some native ants may show aggression towards S. invicta and thus suppress S. invicta invasion. However, only a few such native ants have been identified, and the available data are largely limited to their behaviors. Here, we not only observed the aggression levels between native ants and S. invicta, but also investigated their abundance in various habitats, the seasonal dynamics of their abundance, and their spatial distribution in habitats with S. invicta. Two ant species, Monomorium chinense and Nylanderia bourbonica, were demonstrated to show aggression towards S. invicta and could kill a large proportion of S. invicta. However, another ant, Iridomyrmex anceps, did not show aggression. M. chinense and N. bourbonica are more abundant in green belts (e.g., lawns) and grasslands relative to woodland and farmland. Their abundance is quite low in the early months of the year but increases in later parts of the season. M. chinense and N. bourbonica are restricted to marginal habitats, but after control of S. invicta, they can rebound rapidly within a few weeks. M. chinense and N. bourbonica have the potential to suppress S. invicta invasion in some habitats. Native ants have long been considered for their potential to suppress the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), a highly invasive and destructive species. However, the knowledge in this field is limited to behavioral observations of a few related native ants. In this study, by setting up a series of ant combinations of three native ants, i.e., Monomorium chinense Santschi, the robust crazy ant Nylanderia bourbonica Forel, and Iridomyrmex anceps Roger, with S. invicta, we observed the aggression levels and mortality rates. Using baited vials, we also investigated the abundance of native ants in four types of habitats in Eastern China that are preferred by S. invicta (woodland, green belts on roadsides, grassland, and farmland), as well as their seasonal abundance when co-existing with S. invicta and their spatial distribution before and after control of S. invicta. We found that M. chinense and N. bourbonica show a degree of aggression towards S. invicta and can kill substantial proportions of S. invicta under laboratory conditions, but I. anceps does not. Both M. chinense and N. bourbonica can occur in each type of habitat investigated and are more abundant in green belts (particularly lawns with turf) and grasslands relative to other habitats. In grasslands with S. invicta, M. chinense maintained a low density before early July; however, its abundance increased thereafter and reached a peak in September. N. bourbonica also had a low density early in the season and increased steadily from April. Its abundance began to decrease substantially from November. In grasslands invaded by S. invicta, both M. chinense and N. bourbonica were restricted to sites close to the margins before S. invicta was controlled; however, they spread to a larger range within a few weeks after control of S. invicta. In conclusion, M. chinense and N. bourbonica have the potential to suppress S. invicta invasion in habitats that are abundant with these two native ants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies have introduced the weight-adjusted waist circumference index (WWI) as a viable obesity indicator that may better reflect centripetal obesity and its associated risks. In examining the connection between WWI and prostate-specific antigen (PSA), this study leveraged data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003–2010, including 5732 participants. Our initial analysis indicated a significant positive association between WWI and PSA levels. However, subsequent models that adjusted for covariates such as age, race, and a range of metabolic and cardiovascular health-related factors revealed that the strength and significance of this relationship were attenuated. Model 1 showed a highly significant correlation (p < 0.0001). Yet, in Model 2, which accounted for age and race, the association softened (p = 0.0520). Moreover, when a full spectrum of health covariates was included in Model 3, the association was no longer significant (p = 0.9775). These findings suggest that while an unadjusted correlation exists, its potential use as a diagnostic predictor is limited without considering the broader health context. Therefore, it is crucial to review such data with multiple considerations in mind, and extensive attention should be paid to the evaluation of covariates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the varying data distributions in different domains, transferring sentiment classification models across domains is often infeasible. Additionally, labeling data in specific domains can be both costly and time-consuming. To address these challenges, multi-source cross-domain sentiment classification leverages knowledge from multiple source domains to aid in sentiment classification in the target domain, utilizing labeled data from these sources. This paper introduces a novel multi-source cross-domain sentiment classification method that leverages collaborative training and selective ensemble classification. By utilizing unlabeled data from the target domain and labeled data from multiple source domains, our method reduces the need for manual labeling and enhances classification accuracy. Empirical evaluations on the Amazon multi-domain review dataset show that our approach achieves an average accuracy of 0.8932 ± 0.012 (0.95 confidence interval), demonstrating significant improvements in robustness and efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prediction of vessel trajectories plays a crucial role in ensuring maritime safety and reducing maritime accidents. Substantial progress has been made in trajectory prediction tasks by adopting sequence modeling methods, containing recurrent neural networks (RNNs) and sequence-to-sequence networks (Seq2Seq). However, (1) most of these studies focus on the application of trajectory information, such as the longitude, latitude, course, and speed, while neglecting the impact of differing vessel features and behavioral preferences on the trajectories. (2) Challenges remain in acquiring these features and preferences, as well as enabling the model to sensibly integrate and efficiently express them. To address the issue, we introduce a novel deep framework VEPO-S2S, consisting of a Multi-level Vessel Trajectory Representation Module (Multi-Rep) and a Feature Fusion and Decoding Module (FFDM). Apart from the trajectory information, we first defined the Multi-level Vessel Characteristics in Multi-Rep, encompassing Shallow-level Attributes (vessel length, width, draft, etc.) and Deep-level Features (Sailing Location Preference, Voyage Time Preference, etc.). Subsequently, Multi-Rep was designed to obtain trajectory information and Multi-level Vessel Characteristics, applying distinct encoders for encoding. Next, the FFDM selected and integrated the above features from Multi-Rep for prediction by employing both a priori and a posteriori mechanisms, a Feature Fusion Component, and an enhanced decoder. This allows the model to efficiently leverage them and enhance overall performance. Finally, we conducted comparative experiments with several baseline models. The experimental results demonstrate that VEPO-S2S is both quantitatively and qualitatively superior to the models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid-state electrolytes, as the key component of all solid-state Li metal batteries, address thermal runaway and safety issues of current Li-ion batteries but still face the challenge of Li dendrites. Experimental and theoretical studies demonstrated that Li dendrites grow along the interior cracks of SSEs, in which the conduction of electrons within solid-state electrolytes plays a pivotal role. In this review, the effects of cracks and electron conduction on Li dendrite growth were revealed through advanced characterization techniques and theoretical calculations and the strategies for suppressing Li dendrite growth are summarized, focusing on blocking electron conduction and suppressing the formation of cracks within solid-state electrolytes. This work presents a systematic review of recent progress in Li dendrite growth and provides a deep insight into its causes and solutions, which are crucial for the application of solid-state electrolytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate three types of textures designed to enhance the tribological performance of static and dynamic pressure thrust bearings. Design/methodology/approach: To explore the effects of different types of textures on tribological performance, the Reynolds equation is modified using lubrication theory and computational fluid dynamics methods while considering the influence of cavitation and turbulence on the physical field. In addition, the tribological performance is optimized through an improved selection algorithm based on Pareto envelope (PESA). Findings: The results indicate that textured thrust bearings exhibit superior tribological performance compared to untextured ones. The circular texture outperforms other textures in terms of load-bearing and friction performance, with improvements of approximately 28.8% and 18.9%, respectively. In addition, the triangular texture exhibits the most significant temperature improvement, with a reduction of approximately 1.93%. Originality/value: The study proposes three types of textures and evaluates the friction performance of thrust bearings by modifying the Reynolds equation. In addition, the optimal texture design is determined using an improved selection algorithm based on PESA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Adding ZaoShao liquor (high‐concentration liquor) is one of the most important steps in the brewing process of Shaoxing Jiafan wine, a product protected by Chinese geographical indications. The focus of this study is the effect of different additive amounts of liquor on the flavor of end products. RESULTS: In this study, four kinds of Shaoxing Jiafan wine were brewed by changing the amount of ZaoShao liquor. Headspace solid‐phase microextraction and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry were used to detect the flavor substances of four kinds of Jiafan wine. The difference in flavor of four kinds of Jiafan wine was evaluated by electronic nose analysis technology and verified by sensory evaluation. Finally, the reliability of the experimental results was verified through an aroma reconstruction experiment of rice wine. In this study, the differences in flavoring substances under different amounts of ZaoShao liquor were verified from various angles. The results showed that the flavors of the four kinds of wines were significantly different. CONCLUSION: The composition of flavor substances in Shaoxing rice wine varies with the amount of ZaoShao liquor. This study provided a scientific basis for the improvement of production technology of Shaoxing wine. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We collected 599 policies related to medical treatment combination issued by local governments from October 2010 to December 2022 to study the differences and characteristics of medical treatment combination policies in different regions of China. Descriptive statistics and the structural topic model were used to compare medical treatment combination policies in four major economic regions (West, Central, East, Northeast) of China from three dimensions: the number of policies issued, policy types and policy topics. The study shows that: the structure of Chinese local medical treatment combination policy system was not balanced and was characterized by an emphasis on implementation rules rather than standard specifications; the construction of hierarchical diagnosis and treatment service system and the management model of medical treatment combination are hot topics, while the topics such as supporting measures and disease prevention and treatment have not received widespread attention. The construction of medical treatment combination in each region shows diversified exploration. The local government needs to issue relevant policies according to the regional differences, so as to supplement the shortcomings of the policy and promote the improvement of the policy system of the regional medical treatment combination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate and continuous monitoring of cerebral blood flow is valuable for clinical neurocritical care and fundamental neurovascular research. Transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasonography is a widely used non-invasive method for evaluating cerebral blood flow1, but the conventional rigid design severely limits the measurement accuracy of the complex three-dimensional (3D) vascular networks and the practicality for prolonged recording2. Here we report a conformal ultrasound patch for hands-free volumetric imaging and continuous monitoring of cerebral blood flow. The 2 MHz ultrasound waves reduce the attenuation and phase aberration caused by the skull, and the copper mesh shielding layer provides conformal contact to the skin while improving the signal-to-noise ratio by 5 dB. Ultrafast ultrasound imaging based on diverging waves can accurately render the circle of Willis in 3D and minimize human errors during examinations. Focused ultrasound waves allow the recording of blood flow spectra at selected locations continuously. The high accuracy of the conformal ultrasound patch was confirmed in comparison with a conventional TCD probe on 36 participants, showing a mean difference and standard deviation of difference as −1.51 ± 4.34 cm s−1, −0.84 ± 3.06 cm s−1 and −0.50 ± 2.55 cm s−1 for peak systolic velocity, mean flow velocity, and end diastolic velocity, respectively. The measurement success rate was 70.6%, compared with 75.3% for a conventional TCD probe. Furthermore, we demonstrate continuous blood flow spectra during different interventions and identify cascades of intracranial B waves during drowsiness within 4 h of recording.A conformal ultrasound patch can be used for hands-free volumetric imaging and continuous monitoring of cerebral blood flow [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beneficial fungi are well known for their contribution to insects' adaptation to diverse habitats. However, where insect-associated fungi reside and the underlying mechanisms of insect-fungi interaction are not well understood. Here, we show a pellet-like structure on the legs of mealybugs, a group of economically important insect pests. This at-leg pellet, formed by mealybugs feeding on tomato but not by those on cotton, potato, or eggplant, originates jointly from host secretions and mealybug waxy filaments. A fungal strain, Penicillium citrinum, is present in the pellets and it colonizes honeydew. P. citrinum can inhibit mealybug fungal pathogens and is highly competitive in honeydew. Compounds within the pellets also have inhibitory activity against mealybug pathogens. Further bioassays suggest that at-leg pellets can improve the survival rate of Phenacoccus solenopsis under pathogen pressure, increase their sucking frequency, and decrease the defense response of host plants. Our study presents evidences on how a fungi-associated at-leg pellet provides multiple protections for mealybugs through suppressing pathogens and host defense, providing new insights into complex insect × fungi × plant interactions and their coevolution. A Penicillium citrinum-associated pellet at mealybugs' legs, which forms on mealybugs feeding on tomato and originates jointly from plant secretions and waxy filaments, provides multiple protections for mealybugs through suppressing pathogens and host defense. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the SNARC effects in symbolic numerals and non-symbolic numerosity have been observed in different studies, little is known about their developmental trajectory and potential relationship. The present study aims to explore the development of the symbolic and non-symbolic SNARC effects across different age groups, and further examine the relationship between these two SNARC effects. Experiment 1 measured 36 6-to-7-year-old children, 59 7-to-8-year-old children, 69 8-to-9-year-old children, and 31 adults from China using parity judgment tasks. The results showed that the non-symbolic SNARC effect emerged in all age groups. While, the symbolic SNARC effect only emerged in 8-to-9-year-old children as well as adults. Experiment 2 measured 53 6-to-7-year-old children, 83 7-to-8-year-old children, 85 8-to-9-year-old children, as well as 31 adults from China with the magnitude comparison tasks. We found that both the symbolic and non-symbolic SNARC effects emerged in 7-to-8-year-old children, 8-to-9-year-old children as well as adults. Both experiments showed that for children and adults with significant symbolic SNARC effects and non-symbolic SNARC effects, the size of these two SNARC effects did not show significant differences. In addition, these two SNARC effects were both dissociated in two types of tasks. These findings are important for clarifying how symbolic and non-symbolic spatial-numerical associations develop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to study the influence of cylindrical texture parameters on the lubrication performance of static and dynamic pressure thrust bearings (hereinafter referred to as thrust bearings) and to optimize their lubrication performance using multiobjective optimization. Design/methodology/approach: The influence of texture parameters on the lubrication performance of thrust bearings was studied based on the modified Reynolds equation. The objective functions are predicted through the BP neural network, and the texture parameters were optimized using the improved multiobjective ant lion algorithm (MOALA). Findings: Compared with smooth surface, the introduction of texture can improve the lubrication properties. Under the optimization of the improved algorithm, when the texture diameter, depth, spacing and number are approximately 0.2 mm, 0.5 mm, 5 mm and 34, respectively, the loading capacity is increased by around 27.7% and the temperature is reduced by around 1.55°C. Originality/value: This paper studies the effect of texture parameters on the lubrication properties of thrust bearings based on the modified Reynolds equation and performs multiobjective optimization through an improved MOALA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibiotic resistance in Gram-negative bacteria remains one of the most pressing challenges to global public health. Blocking the transportation of lipopolysaccharides (LPS), a crucial component of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria, is considered a promising strategy for drug discovery. In the transportation process of LPS, two components of the LPS transport (Lpt) complex, LptA and LptC, are responsible for shuttling LPS across the periplasm to the outer membrane, highlighting their potential as targets for antibacterial drug development. In the current study, a protein–protein interaction (PPI) model of LptA and LptC was constructed, and a molecular screening strategy was employed to search a protein–protein interaction compound library. The screening results indicated that compound 18593 exhibits favorable binding free energy with LptA and LptC. In comparison with the molecular dynamics (MD) simulations on currently known inhibitors, compound 18593 shows more stable target binding ability at the same level. The current study suggests that compound 18593 may exhibit an inhibitory effect on the LPS transport process, making it a promising hit compound for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore methods for achieving clean application of reactive dyes from the source, three polyfunctional reactive dyes (YMR-1–YMR-3) using different diamine compounds as bridge groups were developed. The three dyes showed different solubility in water, which was 230, 100, and 160 g/L, respectively, at 25 ℃. The three reactive dyes were used to dye cotton fabrics through an energy-saving cold pad-batch dyeing technique. The factors influencing on the dyeing performance in the cold pad-batch dyeing technique were also comprehensively studied. The maximum fixation values of YMR-1, YMR-2, and YMR-3 were 94.19, 90.79, and 92.18%, respectively. Levelness of the cotton fabrics dyed with the three dyes was investigated and further discussed. The results showed that the dyed cotton fabrics exhibited good levelness with a low color difference value (ΔE < 0.40). The dry rubbing fastness of the cotton fabrics dyed with the three dyes was grade 4, and the corresponding wet rubbing fastness was grade 3 or 2–3. The staining fastness of the dyed cotton fabrics was grade 4–5 or 4. The light fastness of the cotton fabric dyed with YMR-1 was grade 4, and that of YMR-2 and YMR-3 was grade 3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mangiferin is one of the main bioactive ingredients in leaves of Mangifera indica. But the poor liposolubility and low bioavailability restrict its application. This study aimed to esterify mangiferin with lipase to improve its lipophilicity, and evaluate its antioxidant activity and hypoglycemic properties. Four fatty acids (palmitic acid, lauric acid, stearic acid, oleic acid) were selected for enzymatic esterification with mangiferin by single‐factor experiments. Under the following optimum reaction conditions of tetrahydrofuran (THF):tert‐amyl alcohol (2:1) was used as solvent, water activity was 0.31, TLIM lipase was 45 mg mL–1, The ratio of mangiferin to fatty acid was 1:50, and the substrates were pretreated by ultrasonic for 0.5 h, then reacted at 55°C for 21 h, the resulting conversion rates of mangiferin‐esterified derivatives exceeded 70.0%. Lipophilicity, antioxidant, and PTP1B inhibitory activity of mangiferin‐esterified derivatives were determined. The results demonstrated that compared with mangiferin, the ability to scavenge DPPH radicals decreased by about 9%, but the lipophilicity was increased by 10–30 times, and the lipid antioxidant capacity was also improved significantly. Moreover, the inhibitory activity of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) exhibited minimal alteration. This indicates that esterification can not only improve the lipophilicity of mangiferin, but also improve its lipid antioxidant capacity. Practical Applications: In the study, a series of mangiferin‐esterified derivatives were synthesized and their lipophilicity, antioxidant properties, and PTP1B inhibitory activity were determined. The results indicated that, compared with the untreated mangiferin, the mangiferin‐esterified derivatives exhibited superior lipid antioxidant and hypoglycemic activities. Furthermore, the enzymatic esterification method employed in this study offered greater economic and environmental advantages when compared to chemical catalysis. Therefore, the preparation of mangiferin derivatives through enzymatic esterification were deemed feasible with potential application value for enhancing lipid antioxidant capacity in high‐fat foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease, characterized by progressive memory loss and cognitive impairment due to excessive accumulation of extracellular amyloid-β plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles. Although decades of research efforts have been put into developing disease-modifying therapies for AD, no "curative" drug has been identified. As a central player in neuro-inflammation, microglia play a key role inbrain homeostasis by phagocytosing debris and regulating the balance between neurotoxic and neuroprotective events. Typically, the neurotoxic phenotype of activated microglia is predominant in the impaired microenvironment of AD. Accordingly, transitioning the activity state of microglia from pro-inflammatory to anti-inflammatory can restore the disrupted homeostatic microenvironment. Recently, stem cell therapy holds great promise as a treatment for AD; however, the diminished survival of transplanted stem cells has resulted in a disappointing long-term outcome for this treatment. This article reviews the functional changes of microglia through the course of AD-associated homeostatic deterioration. We summarize the possible microglia-associated therapeutic targets including TREM2, IL-3Rα, CD22, C5aR1, CX3CR1, P2X7R, CD33, Nrf2, PPAR-γ, CSF1R, and NLRP3, each of which has been discussed in detail. The goal of this review is to put forth the notion that microglia could be targeted by either small molecules or biologics to make the brain microenvironment more amenable to stem cell implantation and propose a novel treatment strategy for future stem cell interventions in AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To prospectively investigate associations between the features of gut microbiota at the fourth week after birth in preterm infants and neurodevelopment from 1 month of corrected age to 6 months of corrected age (MCA). Seventy-seven preterm infants were recruited from three NICUs of three tertiary hospitals between Apr 2021 to Sep 2022. Stool samples were collected during the fourth week after birth. Illumina MiSeq high-throughput sequencing technology was used to detect the composition and diversity of gut microbiota. Neurodevelopment assessments of preterm infants were conducted at 1, 3, and 6 MCA using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire, the third edition (ASQ-3). Spearman correlation, a generalized linear mixed model (GLMM), and permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) analysis were used to horizontally and prospectively explore the associations between gut microbial and ASQ-3 dimension scores at each time point. The GLMM showed no significant associations between the alpha diversity and neurodevelopmental trajectory from 1 to 6 MCA. The beta diversity was significantly associated with gross motor scores at 1, 3, and 6 MCA (R2 = 0.067, p = 0.001; R2 = 0.039, p = 0.020; R2 = 0.031, p = 0.047); communication scores at 3 MCA (R2 = 0.030, p = 0.040); and fine motor scores at 6 MCA (R2 = 0.035, p = 0.022). After adjusting for covariates, the GLMM showed that the relative abundance of Klebsiella was negatively associated with gross motor score trajectory from 1 to 6 MCA (β = − 1.449; 95% CI, − 2.275 to − 0.572; p = 0.001), while the relative abundance of Lactobacillus displayed a positive association (β = 1.421; 95% CI, 0.139 to 2.702; p = 0.030). Moreover, the relative abundance of Streptococcus was negatively associated with fine motor trajectory from 1 to 6 MCA (β = − 1.669; 95% CI, − 3.305 to − 0.033; p = 0.046). Conclusion: Our results suggest a possible association between the neonatal gut microbial diversity; the relative abundance of Klebsiella, Streptococcus, and Lactobacillus; and neurodevelopment from 1 to 6 MCA. In the future, clinical staff can focus on the window period of gut microbiota colonization, and implement probiotics targeted at the dominant genera to improve the neurodevelopment of preterm infants. What is Known: • In the fields of biology and medicine, current studies suggest that gut microbiota may play an important role in the critical window period of neurodevelopment through the gut-brain axis pathway. • Extensive preclinical research has implied the vital role of the initial gut colonization in the long-term neurodevelopment of children. What is New: • The early-life gut microbiota was associated with neurodevelopment in preterm infants within 6 months of corrected age (MCA). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple and practical methods have been provided for the mutual inductance between rectangular and circular coils with parallel axes. The 2D Integral solution is given for the coils without the axial overlap. To improve the efficacy of the proposed approach for the partial or full axial overlap, the series solution derived by the truncated region eigenfunction expansion (TREE) is provided. Both integral and TREE expressions show very high accuracy through comparison with the finite element method simulation and experiment results. Numerical comparisons reveal that the TREE solution is the most efficient while keeping sufficient accuracy, and it is also applicable to all sorts of coil positions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetes management requires constant monitoring and individualized adjustments. This study proposes a novel approach that leverages digital twins and personal health knowledge graphs (PHKGs) to revolutionize diabetes care. Our key contribution lies in developing a real-time, patient-centric digital twin framework built on PHKGs. This framework integrates data from diverse sources, adhering to HL7 standards and enabling seamless information access and exchange while ensuring high levels of accuracy in data representation and health insights. PHKGs offer a flexible and efficient format that supports various applications. As new knowledge about the patient becomes available, the PHKG can be easily extended to incorporate it, enhancing the precision and accuracy of the care provided. This dynamic approach fosters continuous improvement and facilitates the development of new applications. As a proof of concept, we have demonstrated the versatility of our digital twins by applying it to different use cases in diabetes management. These include predicting glucose levels, optimizing insulin dosage, providing personalized lifestyle recommendations, and visualizing health data. By enabling real-time, patient-specific care, this research paves the way for more precise and personalized healthcare interventions, potentially improving long-term diabetes management outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite the growing interest in hospital rehabilitation services for communities, studies on existing community-based rehabilitation (CBR) services remain scarce owing to limitations in the development of community health services and regional cultural diversity. As a guaranteed measure for ensuring the quality of rehabilitation services and achieving the desired service outcomes, clear roles and responsibilities in multidisciplinary teams and effective service delivery are particularly important. Objective: This scoping review aimed to determine the scope of community stroke rehabilitation programs involving existing multidisciplinary teams and to analyze the implementation content and implementers' functional roles to provide guidance for future CBR programs. Methods: The scoping review design followed the methodology of the Joanna Briggs Institute and was based on the normative scoping review framework proposed by Arksey and O'Malley. The comprehensive CBR framework was proposed by World Health Organization-guided data charting and analysis. Results: Of the 22,849 identified citations, 74 studies were included, consisting of 6,809 patients with stroke and 49 primary caregivers, most of whom were from China. The most common working mode in CBR programs was a dual approach involving both healthcare professionals in medical institutions and community healthcare professionals. The number of programs in each discipline was in the following descending order: nursing, medical care, rehabilitation, psychology, nutrition, and public health. Among these, multidisciplinary teams comprising medical, nursing, and rehabilitation disciplines were the most common, with a total of 29 programs. Disciplinary members were mainly responsible for implementing their respective disciplinary content, with physicians providing guidance for the programs. More than 82.4% of the studies reported 2–4 intervention strategies. The intervention forms of rehabilitation content were the most diverse, whereas preventive interventions were more homogeneous than others. Physical function and socio-psychological measurements were the most commonly reported outcomes. Conclusion: CBR services implemented by multidisciplinary teams can effectively achieve functional and emotional improvement in patients with stroke, and nurses are the most involved in implementation, especially in community settings. The results further emphasize the importance of strengthening the exploration of nurses' maximum potential to implement CBR plans in future practice. Trial registration: The registration information for this scoping review can be found at osf.io/pv7tg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The mineralization rate of soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) is important for determining soil C storage as well as nutrient supply and retention. Soil C and N decomposition processes are microbially driven and are therefore expected to be influenced by the balance between soil resource availability and microbial resource demand. However, we lack understanding of how the microbial uptake and mineralization of soil C and N is affected by different levels of fertilization and crop rotation patterns in agricultural systems. Materials and methods: Soils from a field experiment including five levels of N fertilization (0 kg N ha−1 (control, 0), 84 kg N ha−1 (low N application), 95 kg N ha−1 (moderate N application), 105 kg N ha−1 (conventional N application) and 115.5 kg N ha−1 (high N application)) were used to determine soil C and N mineralization and retention, in either a tobacco plantation either under tobacco monoculture or tobacco-maize rotation. Results and discussion: Nitrogen fertilizer application increased net N mineralization (40–307%), net nitrification (150–400%), microbial NUE (131–373%) and CUE (16–57%) but decreased respiration (11–42%) in monoculture system, due to the significant higher DOC concentration and microbial C limitation. However, N fertilizer application increased net N mineralization (67–400%), net nitrification (50–544%), and microbial NUE (84–438%) but reduced microbial respiration (56–71%) and CUE (8–39%) in rotation system, due to the lower microbial activity caused by significant higher microbial C and N limitation and poorer C quality. Therefore, fertilization aggravated microbial resource limitation and lowered quality indicated by elemental stoichiometry in rotation system, leading to decoupling of microbial respiration and metabolism. Conclusions: Together, our results suggest that elemental stoichiometry and enzyme activities can be used to predict soil C and N cycling under different agricultural management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scutellaria Linn., which belongs to the family Lamiaceae, is a commonly used medicinal plant for heat clearing and detoxification. In particular, the roots of S. baicalensis and the entire herb of S. barbata have been widely used in traditional medicine for thousands of years. The main active components of Scutellaria, including: baicalein, wogonin, norwogonin, scutellarein, and their glycosides have potential or existing drug usage. However, the wild resources of Scutellaria plants have been overexploited, and degenerated germplasm resources cannot fulfill the requirements of chemical extraction and clinical usage. Metabolic engineering and green production via microorganisms provide alternative strategies for greater efficiency in the production of natural products. Here, we review the progress of: pharmacological investigations, multi-omics, biosynthetic pathways, and metabolic engineering of various Scutellaria species and their active compounds. In addition, based on multi-omics data, we systematically analyze the phylogenetic relationships of Scutellaria and predict candidate transcription factors related to the regulation of active flavonoids. Finally, we propose the prospects of directed evolution of core enzymes and genome-assisted breeding to alleviate the shortage of plant resources of Scutellaria. This review provides important insights into the sustainable utilization and development of Scutellaria resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent advances in wearable ultrasound technologies have demonstrated the potential for hands-free data acquisition, but technical barriers remain as these probes require wire connections, can lose track of moving targets and create data-interpretation challenges. Here we report a fully integrated autonomous wearable ultrasonic-system-on-patch (USoP). A miniaturized flexible control circuit is designed to interface with an ultrasound transducer array for signal pre-conditioning and wireless data communication. Machine learning is used to track moving tissue targets and assist the data interpretation. We demonstrate that the USoP allows continuous tracking of physiological signals from tissues as deep as 164 mm. On mobile subjects, the USoP can continuously monitor physiological signals, including central blood pressure, heart rate and cardiac output, for as long as 12 h. This result enables continuous autonomous surveillance of deep tissue signals toward the internet-of-medical-things. A wearable ultrasound patch monitors subjects in motion using machine learning and wireless electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep learning (DL) algorithms used for DOTATATE PET lesion detection typically require large, well-annotated training datasets. These are difficult to obtain due to low incidence of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs) and the high cost of manual annotation. Furthermore, networks trained and tested with data acquired from site specific PET/CT instrumentation, acquisition and processing protocols have reduced performance when tested with offsite data. This lack of generalizability requires even larger, more diverse training datasets. The objective of this study is to investigate the feasibility of improving DL algorithm performance by better matching the background noise in training datasets to higher noise, out-of-domain testing datasets. 68Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT datasets were obtained from two scanners: Scanner1, a state-of-the-art digital PET/CT (GE DMI PET/CT; n = 83 subjects), and Scanner2, an older-generation analog PET/CT (GE STE; n = 123 subjects). Set1, the data set from Scanner1, was reconstructed with standard clinical parameters (5 min; Q.Clear) and list-mode reconstructions (VPFXS 2, 3, 4, and 5-min). Set2, data from Scanner2 representing out-of-domain clinical scans, used standard iterative reconstruction (5 min; OSEM). A deep neural network was trained with each dataset: Network1 for Scanner1 and Network2 for Scanner2. DL performance (Network1) was tested with out-of-domain test data (Set2). To evaluate the effect of training sample size, we tested DL model performance using a fraction (25%, 50% and 75%) of Set1 for training. Scanner1, list-mode 2-min reconstructed data demonstrated the most similar noise level compared that of Set2, resulting in the best performance (F1 = 0.713). This was not significantly different compared to the highest performance, upper-bound limit using in-domain training for Network2 (F1 = 0.755; p-value = 0.103). Regarding sample size, the F1 score significantly increased from 25% training data (F1 = 0.478) to 100% training data (F1 = 0.713; p < 0.001). List-mode data from modern PET scanners can be reconstructed to better match the noise properties of older scanners. Using existing data and their associated annotations dramatically reduces the cost and effort in generating these datasets and significantly improves the performance of existing DL algorithms. List-mode reconstructions can provide an efficient, low-cost method to improve DL algorithm generalizability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paraquat (PQ) is an irreplaceable insecticide in many countries for the advantage of fast-acting and broad-spectrum. However, PQ was classified as the most prevailing poisoning substance for suicide with no specific antidote. Therefore, it is imperative to develop more effective therapeutic agents for the treatment of PQ poisoning. In the present study, both the RNA-Seq and the application of various cell death inhibitors reflected that ferroptosis exerts a crucial regulatory role in PQ poisoning. Moreover, we found PQ strengthens lipid peroxidation as evidenced by different experimental approaches. Of note, pretreatment of iron chelation agent DFO could ameliorate the ferroptotic cell death and alleviate the ferroptosis-related events. Mechanistically, PQ treatment intensively impaired mitochondrial homeostasis, enhanced phosphorylation of AMPK, accelerated the autophagy flux and triggered the activation of Nuclear receptor coactivator 4-ferritin heavy chain (NCOA4-FTH) axis. Importantly, the activation of autophagy was observed prior to the degradation of ferritin, and inhibition of autophagy could inhibit the accumulation of iron caused by the ferritinophagy process. Genetic and pharmacological inhibition of ferritinophagy could alleviate the lethal oxidative events, and rescue the ferroptotic cell death. Excitingly, in the mouse models of PQ poisoning, both the administration of DFO and adeno-associated virus-mediated FTH overexpression significantly reduced PQ-induced ferroptosis and improved the pathological characteristics of pulmonary fibrosis. In summary, the current work provides an in-depth study on the mechanism of PQ intoxication, describes a framework for the further understanding of ferroptosis in PQ-associated biological processes, and demonstrates modulation of iron metabolism may act as a promising therapeutic agent for the management of PQ toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abnormal alterations in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2, neu, and erbB2) are associated with the development of many tumors. It is currently a crucial treatment for multiple cancers. Advanced in molecular biology and further exploration of the HER2-mediated pathway have promoted the development of medicine design and combination drug regimens. An increasing number of HER2-targeted drugs including specific monoclonal antibodies, tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), and antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The emergence of ADCs, has significantly transformed the treatment landscape for various tumors, such as breast, gastric, and bladder cancer. Classic monoclonal antibodies and novel TKIs have not only demonstrated remarkable efficacy, but also expanded their indications, with ADCs in particular exhibiting profound clinical applications. Moreover the concept of low HER2 expression signifies a breakthrough in HER2-targeted therapy, indicating that an increasing number of tumors and patients will benefit from this approach. This article, provides a comprehensive review of the underlying mechanism of action, representative drugs, corresponding clinical trials, recent advancements, and future research directions pertaining to HER2-targeted therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asthma exacerbations caused by respiratory viral infections are a serious global health problem. Impaired antiviral immunity is thought to contribute to the pathogenesis, but the underlying mechanisms remain understudied. Here using mouse models we find that Cullin5 (CUL5), a key component of Cullin-RING E3 ubiquitin ligase 5, is upregulated and associated with increased neutrophil count and influenza-induced exacerbations of house dust mite-induced asthma. By contrast, CUL5 deficiency mitigates neutrophilic lung inflammation and asthma exacerbations by augmenting IFN-β production. Mechanistically, following thymic stromal lymphopoietin stimulation, CUL5 interacts with O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) and induces Lys48-linked polyubiquitination of OGT, blocking the effect of OGT on mitochondrial antiviral-signaling protein O-GlcNAcylation and RIG-I signaling activation. Our results thus suggest that, in mouse models, pre-existing allergic injury induces CUL5 expression, impairing antiviral immunity and promoting neutrophilic inflammation for asthma exacerbations. Targeting of the CUL5/IFN-β signaling axis may thereby serve as a possible therapy for treating asthma exacerbations.Asthma may be exacerbated by respiratory viral infection, but the cellular and molecular mechanisms are still unclear. Here the authors show, using mouse models of asthma with influenza infection, that asthma-induced cullin5 in alveolar macrophages suppresses IFN-β production to promote neutrophilic inflammation but dampens antiviral immunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liaoning score has been developed and validated to predict the risk of esophageal varices in liver cirrhosis. This study aimed to further modify the Liaoning score by combining clinical and laboratory parameters to predict the long-term outcome of cirrhotic patients. First, 474 cirrhotic patients were retrospectively enrolled from Shenyang, China as the training cohort. Independent predictors for death were identified by competing risk analyses, and then a new prognostic model, called as modified Liaoning score, was developed. Its performance was externally validated at three centers from Fuzhou, China (n = 1944), Jinan, China (n = 485), and São Paulo, Brazil (n = 221). Age, total bilirubin (TBIL), albumin (ALB), serum creatinine (SCr), and Liaoning score were independently associated with death in the training cohort. Modified Liaoning score = 0.159×Liaoning score + 0.010×TBIL(µmol/L)+0.029×age(years)+0.011×SCr(µmol/L)-0.037×ALB(g/L). The area under curve of modified Liaoning score was 0.714 (95%CI = 0.655–0.773), which was higher than that of Child-Pugh score (0.707, 95%CI = 0.645–0.770), MELD score (0.687, 95%CI = 0.623–0.751), and Liaoning score (0.583, 95%CI = 0.513–0.654). A modified Liaoning score of ≥ 1.296 suggested a higher cumulative incidence of death in liver cirrhosis (p < 0.001). Modified Liaoning score still had the highest prognostic performance in Chinese and Brazilian validation cohorts. Modified Liaoning score can be considered for predicting the long-term outcome of cirrhotic patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ADAR (Adenosine Deaminases Acting on RNA) proteins are a group of enzymes that play a vital role in RNA editing by converting adenosine to inosine in RNAs. This process is a frequent post-transcriptional event observed in metazoan transcripts. Recent studies indicate widespread dysregulation of ADAR-mediated RNA editing across many immune-related diseases, such as human cancer. We comprehensively review ADARs' function as pattern recognizers and their capability to contribute to mediating immune-related pathways. We also highlight the potential role of site-specific RNA editing in maintaining homeostasis and its relationship to various diseases, such as human cancers. More importantly, we summarize the latest cutting-edge computational approaches and data resources for predicting and analyzing RNA editing sites. Lastly, we cover the recent advancement in site-directed ADAR editing tool development. This review presents an up-to-date overview of ADAR-mediated RNA editing, how site-specific RNA editing could potentially impact disease pathology, and how they could be harnessed for therapeutic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the oyster hydrolysates, unfermented hydrolysate with goat milk/milk protein, and fermented oyster hydrolysates (fortified with goat milk/milk protein) were prepared to explore the quality and gastroprotection of different fermented hydrolysates. The content of Lys, Leu, and Val increased after fermentation with goat milk protein (OYF-GP) addition, while unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs) exhibited a downward trend. "Grass," "acidic," "milky," "fishy," and "metallic" were identified as the key sensory attributes. Forty-two volatiles were totally identified by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry in different fermented oyster hydrolysates. 4-Hexen-1-ol, hexanoic acid, 2-pentenyl-furan, and acetic acid contributed for the aroma profile of OYF-GP. Moreover, OYF-GP possesses potential gastric ulcer prevention activity, which could alleviate oxidative stress and reduce the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-β, and NF-κB protein). The research demonstrates the relation of quality and bioactivities in fermented oyster hydrolysates and provides a reference for the intensive processing of oyster industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) suffers from brain functional reorganization and developmental delays during childhood, but the underlying neurodevelopmental mechanism is unclear. This paper aims to investigate the intra- and internetwork functional connectivity (FC) changes, and their relationships with developmental delays in PWS children. Methods: Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging datasets of PWS children and healthy controls (HCs) were acquired. Independent component analysis was used to acquire core resting-state networks (RSNs). The intra- and internetwork FC patterns were then investigated. Results: In terms of intranetwork FC, children with PWS had lower FC in the dorsal attention network, the auditory network, the medial visual network (VN) and the sensorimotor network (SMN) than HCs (FWE-corrected, p < 0.05). In terms of internetwork FC, PWS children had decreased FC between the following pairs of regions: posterior default mode network (DMN) and anterior DMN; posterior DMN and SMN; SMN and posterior VN and salience network and medial VN (FDR-corrected, p < 0.05). Partial correlation analyses revealed that the intranetwork FC patterns were positively correlated with developmental quotients in PWS children, while the internetwork FC patterns were completely opposite (p < 0.05). Intranetwork FC patterns showed an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.947, with a sensitivity of 96.15% and a specificity of 81.25% for differentiating between PWS and HCs. Conclusion: Impaired intra- and internetwork FC patterns in PWS children are associated with developmental delays, which may result from neural pathway dysfunctions. Intranetwork FC reorganization patterns can discriminate PWS children from HCs. Registration number on the Chinese Clinical Trail Registry: ChiCTR2100046551. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) poses significant challenges due to limited treatment options despite its complex pathogenesis involving cellular and molecular mechanisms. This study investigated the role of transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) channels in regulating M2 macrophage polarization in IPF progression, potentially offering novel therapeutic targets. Using a bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis model in C57BL/6J mice, we assessed the therapeutic potential of the TRPA1 inhibitor HC-030031. TRPA1 upregulation was observed in fibrotic lungs, correlating with worsened lung function and reduced survival. TRPA1 inhibition mitigated fibrosis severity, evidenced by decreased collagen deposition and restored lung tissue stiffness. Furthermore, TRPA1 blockade reversed aberrant M2 macrophage polarization induced by bleomycin, associated with reduced Smad2 phosphorylation in the TGF-β1-Smad2 pathway. In vitro studies with THP-1 cells treated with bleomycin and HC-030031 corroborated these findings, highlighting TRPA1's involvement in fibrotic modulation and macrophage polarization control. Overall, targeting TRPA1 channels presents promising therapeutic potential in managing pulmonary fibrosis by reducing pro-fibrotic marker expression, inhibiting M2 macrophage polarization, and diminishing collagen deposition. This study sheds light on a novel avenue for therapeutic intervention in IPF, addressing a critical need in the management of this challenging disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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SUMMARY: Whole‐genome duplication (WGD) leads to the duplication of both coding and non‐coding sequences within an organism's genome, providing an abundant supply of genetic material that can drive evolution, ultimately contributing to plant adaptation and speciation. Although non‐coding sequences contain numerous regulatory elements, they have been understudied compared to coding sequences. In order to address this gap, we explored the evolutionary patterns of regulatory sequences, coding sequences and transcriptomes using conserved non‐coding elements (CNEs) as regulatory element proxies following the recent WGD event in opium poppy (Papaver somniferum). Our results showed similar evolutionary patterns in subgenomes of regulatory and coding sequences. Specifically, the biased or unbiased retention of coding sequences reflected the same pattern as retention levels in regulatory sequences. Further, the divergence of gene expression patterns mediated by regulatory element variations occurred at a more rapid pace than that of gene coding sequences. However, gene losses were purportedly dependent on relaxed selection pressure in coding sequences. Specifically, the rapid evolution of tissue‐specific benzylisoquinoline alkaloid production in P. somniferum was associated with regulatory element changes. The origin of a novel stem‐specific ACR, which utilized ancestral cis‐elements as templates, is likely to be linked to the evolutionary trajectory behind the transition of the PSMT1‐CYP719A21 cluster from high levels of expression solely in P. rhoeas root tissue to its elevated expression in P. somniferum stem tissue. Our findings demonstrate that rapid regulatory element evolution can contribute to the emergence of new phenotypes and provide valuable insights into the high evolvability of regulatory elements. Significance Statement: This study demonstrates that the rapid evolution of regulatory elements can drive the emergence of novel phenotypes in plants. Our investigation, in particular, revealed that the evolution of stem‐specific high‐expression patterns of BIAs genes in P. somniferum was linked to rapid changes in regulatory elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]