Search

Sensitive and accurate detection of protein biomarkers is crucial for disease diagnosis, especially for early diagnosis. Here, we describe surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-based CRISPR/Cas12a assays (S-CRISPR) for protein biomarker detection. Firstly, an S-CRISPR-driven enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (S-CasLISA) was developed utilizing a capture antibody coated on a microplate to recognize the target and a detection antibody labeled with active DNA to trigger the activity of CRISPR/Cas12a. With this assay, we achieved detection of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) as models at the picogram level. The limit of detection (LoD) of S-CasLISA was 0.17 pg mL−1 and in the range of 0.1 pg mL−1 to 10 ng mL−1. Further, we applied aptamer to S-CRISPR (S-Apt-CRISPR), combining the high sensitivity of SERS with the high selectivity of aptamers, while simplifying the operation process of CRISPR detection of protein biomarkers. The proposed S-Apt-CRISPR also could detect picogram-level PSA and without repeated washing steps. The LoD of S-Apt-CRISPR was 0.35 pg mL−1 and in the range of 0.1 pg mL−1 to 10 ng mL−1. Both SERS-based CRISPR/Cas12a assays were validated with clinical samples and demonstrated accuracy consistent with the chemiluminescence immunoassay. The introduction of the CRISPR/Cas12a system with SERS has the effect of improving the analytical capabilities of the system, thereby broadening and facilitating its application in the analysis of sensitive and accurate protein biomarkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), a noninvasive breast cancer, rarely metastasises to distant locations. When the initial lesion is stable, bone marrow metastasis (BMM) and bone marrow necrosis (BMN) are even less common. Here, we report the case of a 47-year-old female patient who underwent localized surgery and radiotherapy for right-sided DCIS. The patient also had a mutation in the breast cancer susceptibility gene 1 (BRCA1 , OMIM: 113705) and tested positive for the progesterone and estrogen receptors. After 11 years of disease-free survival, the patient developed severe thrombocytopenia, anemia, fever, malaise, generalized multifocal pain, and irregular vaginal bleeding. A nodule was later found in the right axilla, and a postoperative biopsy revealed tumor cells from the breast. After three bone marrow biopsies, Positron Emission Tomography, 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose, positron emission tomography, computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) scans, and other examinations, she was finally diagnosed with breast cancer BMM and BMN (stable primary lesion without bone metastasis). Despite symptomatic supportive treatment, the patient ultimately died rapidly as her condition deteriorated. In this case, we explored the possible mechanisms of BMM in this patient with DCIS by reviewing the literature related to this case and discussing the heterogeneous clinical presentation and pathologic phenotype. The diagnostic and therapeutic course of this case was extremely challenging. This suggests to clinicians that regular checkups and monitoring are necessary, even if the rate of distant metastasis from DCIS is low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the acute stage of stroke, stress hyperglycemia is common in both diabetic and nondiabetic patients. The associations between stress hyperglycemia and functional outcomes, as well as stroke recurrence were heterogeneous in previous studies. We aimed to demonstrate these associations in a general population of patients with ischemic stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA). We included patients with complete data on blood glucose and hemoglobin from The Third China National Stroke Registry. The stress hyperglycemia ratio (SHR) was calculated using fasting blood glucose (mmol/L) divided by glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (%). Outcomes included functional disability, recurrent ischemic stroke and TIA, combined vascular events, and all-cause mortality at 90 days. In total, 7186 patients were included (median age: 62 [54–70] years, male: 4864 [67.69%], TIA: 589 [8.20%]). SHR levels were significantly associated with functional disability (adjusted OR: 1.69, 95%CI: 1.22–2.33). For every 1 standard deviation increment in SHR, the risk of functional disability increased by 13%. Compared to the patients in SHR Tertile 1, those in Tertile 3 had a 1.31-fold increased risk of functional disability (95%CI: 1.08–1.60). There was a trend indicating that the risk of functional disability increased with higher SHR tertiles (P for trend = 0.0074). Stroke severity explained 42.94% of the total excess association between SHR and functional disability. However, neither SHR levels nor SHR tertiles were associated with recurrent ischemic stroke and TIA, combined vascular events, or all-cause mortality. This study found that admission stress hyperglycemia was associated with functional disability, which was partially mediated by stroke severity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Epidemiological studies associate an increase in breast cancer risk, particularly triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), with lack of breastfeeding. This is more prevalent in African American women, with significantly lower rate of breastfeeding compared to Caucasian women. Prolonged breastfeeding leads to gradual involution (GI), whereas short-term or lack of breastfeeding leads to abrupt involution (AI) of the breast. Our previous study utilizing a murine model demonstrated precancerous changes, specifically hyperplasia, a non-obligate precursor of breast cancer in the mammary glands of AI mice. Here we investigated mechanisms during early events of AI that prompts precancerous changes in mouse mammary glands. Methods: Uniparous FVB/N mice were randomized to AI and GI on postpartum day 7 when all pups were removed from AI dams. GI dams were allowed to nurse the pups till day 31. Cell death kinetics and gene expression were assessed by TUNEL assay and qPCR respectively. Immune cell changes were investigated by flow cytometry, cytokine array and multiplex immunofluorescence. 3D-organoid cultures were used for in vitro assay of luminal progenitor cells. Results: AI results in rapid cell death, DNA repair response, and immunosuppressive myeloid cells infiltration, leading to a chronically inflamed microenvironment. GI elicits a more controlled immune response and extended cell death. At the peak of cell death, AI glands harbored more immunosuppressive myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and CD206 + M2-like macrophages, known to promote oncogenic events, compared to GI glands. AI glands exhibit an enrichment of CCL9-producing MDSCs and CD206 + M2-like macrophages that promote expansion of ELF5 + /ERα- luminal cells, both in vitro and in vivo. Multiplex imaging of AI glands demonstrated an increase in ELF5 + /WNT5a + luminal cells alongside a reduction in the ELF5 + /ERα + population when involution appeared histologically complete. A significantly higher number of CD206 + cells in post involution AI gland attests to a chronically inflamed state induced by AI. Conclusions: Our findings reveal significant disparities between AI and GI gland dynamics at the early phase of involution. CCL9, secreted by immune cells at the peak of cell death promotes expansion of Elf5 + /ERα- luminal progenitor cells, the putative precursors of TNBC connecting early events of AI with increased breast cancer risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main challenges faced when detecting targets captured by UAVs include small target image size, dense target distribution, and uneven category distribution.In addition, the hardware limitations of UAVs impose constraints on the size and complexity of the model, which may lead to poor detection accuracy of the model. In order to solve these problems, a small target detection method based on the improved YOLOv8 algorithm for UAV viewpoint is proposed. The following improvements are made to the YOLOv8n model. Firstly, a bi-directional feature pyramid network (BiFPN) is introduced to enhance the fusion capability of the features. This improvement leads to better detection of small targets. Secondly, in the head part of the model, the original C2f module is replaced with the C3Ghost module. This change maintains the model's performance while significantly reducing the computational load. Lastly, the detection head adds a channel attention mechanism. This mechanism helps in filtering out unimportant information and enhancing the recognition of key features. The MPDIoU (Minimum Point Distance based IoU) loss function is improved, and the idea of inner-IoU loss function is adopted as a way to improve the model's learning ability for difficult samples. Experimental results on the VisDrone dataset show that the YOLOv8n model with these improvements improves 17.2%, 10.5%, and 16.2% in mean accuracy (mAP), precision (P), and recall (R), respectively, and these improvements significantly improve the performance of small target detection from the UAV viewpoint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Striatin-interacting protein 1 (Strip1) is a core component of the striatin interacting phosphatase and kinase (STRIPAK) complex, which is involved in embryogenesis and development, circadian rhythms, type 2 diabetes, and cancer progression. However, the expression and role of Strip1 in the mammalian cochlea remains unclear. Here we studied the expression and function of Strip1 in the mouse cochlea by using Strip1 knockout mice. We first found that the mRNA and protein expression of Strip1 increases as mice age starting from postnatal day (P) 3 and reaches its highest expression level at P30 and that the expression of Strip1 can be detected by immunofluorescent staining starting from P14 only in cochlear HCs, and not in supporting cells (SCs). Next, we crossed Strip1 heterozygous knockout (Strip +/−) mice to obtain Strip1 homozygous knockout (Strip1 −/−) mice for studying the role of Strip1 in cochlear HCs. However, no Strip1 −/− mice were obtained and the ratio of Strip +/− to Strip1 +/+ mice per litter was about 2:1, which suggested that homozygous Strip1 knockout is embryonic lethal. We measured hearing function and counted the HC number in P30 and P60 Strip +/− mice and found that they had normal hearing ability and HC numbers compared to Strip1 +/+ mice. Our study suggested that Strip1 probably play important roles in HC development and maturation, which needs further study in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study constructs a Stackelberg game model between low‐carbon manufacturers and capital‐constrained retailers. Considering the manufacturer's financing model, the manufacturer's investment model, and the internal blended financing model, it studies the optimal wholesale price of manufacturers. This paper investigates the impact of consumers' low‐carbon preference, the financing interest rate of manufacturers, investment ratio, investment return on carbon emission reduction investment, and supply chain pricing. The conditions for low‐carbon supply chain participants to choose the best financing mode and the impact of different financing models on the performance of low‐carbon supply chains were obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the actual operation of the bearing inevitably exists in both noise and variable working conditions, most of the traditional networks can only deal with them alone, and the fault identification result will be significantly reduced under such complex conditions. Therefore, Parallel Multichannel Deep Convolution Neural Network (PMDCNN) and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) are proposed as PMDCNN-LSTM model to enable better performance. And a local sparse structure is used to greatly reduce the number of model parameters, the Exponential Linear Unit (ELU) activation function is used to further improve accuracy and stability. The results show that the proposed method is strongly resistant to noise and variable working conditions, as verified by the Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) bearing dataset and bearing fault simulation experimental platform dataset. The comparison with other model shows that the proposed model has good applicability, strong stability and high accuracy of bearing fault identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bolt connection has characteristics of strong bearing capacity, easy maintenance and replacement, but the bolt connection structure often has loose failures during operation due to the detachability of the bolts. Bolts looseness and connection failure will not only affect the normal use of the mechanism, shorten the service life, and even cause casualties. Online monitoring and evaluation of bolt assembly tightness have attracted numerous interest. Automatic feature extraction plays a crucial role in intelligent state monitoring of mechanical systems, which can adaptively learn features from raw data and discover new state-sensitive features. A one-dimensional deep convolutional neural network (1D-DCNN) with eight convolutional layers and five pooling layers is proposed to achieve high precision in identification of bolt looseness. Firstly, the data overlap sampling is used to obtain the sufficient data so as to satisfy the requirements of 1D-DCNN. Then the 1D-DCNN carries out the process of feature extraction, feature selection and classification, which can take the free vibration signal of the bolt connection structure as input, and then fuse the feature extraction and assembly tightness classification process together to realize the intelligent detection of bolts looseness. The validity of the proposed method is verified by the data acquired from the free vibration excitation experiment of the bolt connection rotor of aero-engine. The results show that the adaptively learned features of the 1D-DCNN can represent the complex mapping relationship between the signal and the assembly state, and achieve higher accuracy than other methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the course of pipe jacking construction, the carrying-soil effect frequently arises, influenced by factors such as excavation unloading, ongoing disturbance from successive pipe sections, and the progressive accumulation of soil adhesion. The pipe jacking slurry serves as a critical agent for friction reduction and strata support, essential for the secure advancement of the construction process. This study introduces the Microbial-Induced Calcium Carbonate Precipitation (MICP) technology into the realm of pipe jacking slurry, aiming to enhance its friction-reduction capabilities and the stability of the soil enveloping the pipe. An optimal MICP-slurry formulation was determined using the uniform design approach. Subsequent model tests were carried out to assess the friction-reducing efficacy of the MICP-slurry, while the mechanism by which the MICP-slurry reinforces strata stability was investigated through soil mechanics and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses. The findings indicate that the optimal MICP-slurry composition is as follows: bentonite: sodium carboxymethyl cellulose: soda ash: polyacrylamide: xanthan gum = 12%: 0.31%: 0.36%: 0.25%: 0.54%. The MICP-slurry achieves a 42.2% reduction in the friction coefficient between the test block and the sand. In comparison with the untreated sample, the cohesion of the MICP-treated sample is enhanced by 38.12%, and the internal friction angle increases by 14.01%. SEM examination reveals that the calcium carbonate crystals precipitated by the MICP-slurry within the soil populate the pores, increase the inter-particle bite force, and bolster the soil's mechanical characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: During tumor progression, HER2 expression undergoes dynamic changes. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) can be used to monitor HER2 expression in real-time and hold potential for clinical application. This study aimed to evaluate the consistency of HER2 expression between primary tumors and CTCs in patients with breast cancer (BC). Methods: We used a previously established telomerase reverse transcriptase-based CTC detection method (TBCD) combined with anti-HER2 antibody to detect CTC and HER2-positive CTC (HER2 + CTC) in 4 ml of peripheral blood from patients with breast cancer prior to radiotherapy. The results indicated that the status of HER2 in CTC was inconsistent with the histological results. Results: Discordance in HER2 status between primary tumor and CTC was observed in 32.6% of patients (kappa value = 0.325, p = 0.03). And among patients with histologically HER2-negative breast cancer, the detection rate of HER2 + CTC was 32.1% (9/28). Conclusions: We found that the HER2 status of CTC in peripheral blood was inconsistent with the histological findings. Further research should explore the clinical significance of detecting HER2-positive CTCs, and it is desired that real-time HER2 status testing of CTCs could hold potential value for patients with breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While engaging in sports is widely recognized for enhancing wellbeing, limited research has examined the effects of watching sports events on individuals' subjective wellbeing. The mechanisms and pathways underlying this relationship remain unclear. Objectives: This study explores the correlation between watching sports events and the wellbeing of Chinese individuals, based on the theoretical framework of "spectator behavior → social interaction → emotional experience → happiness." The aim is to investigate the mediating effects of social interaction and emotional experience, providing insights for promoting greater participation in sports events and supporting the healthy development of the sports industry. Methods: The study involved 885 participants from five representative provinces and cities in China. Assessment tools included the Physical Activity Rating Scale, Social Interaction Questionnaire, Emotional Experience Questionnaire, and Subjective Wellbeing Scale. Data were analyzed using Stata and the PROCESS plug-in of SPSS for comprehensive multivariate statistical analysis. Results: Watching sports events significantly and positively affects subjective wellbeing, social interaction, and emotional experience (p < 0.001). Three mediating pathways were identified: (1) watching sports events → social interaction → subjective wellbeing (effect size: 0.024), (2) watching sports events → emotional experience → subjective wellbeing (effect size: 0.011), and (3) watching sports events → social interaction → emotional experience → subjective wellbeing (effect size: 0.003). Conclusion: The direct impact of watching sports events on subjective wellbeing was positive. Indirect effects were facilitated by the mediating roles of social interaction and emotional experience, with the effect of social interaction being more substantial than that of emotional experience. Implications: These findings suggest that watching sports events can serve as a catalyst for enhancing wellbeing, primarily through fostering social connections and enriching emotional experiences. Practically, this indicates the potential value of encouraging viewership of sports events as a means of promoting community engagement and mental health, thus contributing to the holistic growth of the sports sector and public health initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction/Background: Global warming greatly limits the productivity of rice. Rice plants are highly sensitive to heat stress at the flowering stage. The selection of heat-tolerant varieties is considered the most effective approach for ensuring global food security in the coming decades. Methods: Based on previous screening and QTL localization results, we selected tolerant varieties (Huang Huazhan, HZ) and susceptible varieties (Yang Dao6, YD) of rice and studied their physiological characteristics, gene expression responses, and proteomic differences of their anthers under heat stress. The differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were validated by real-time PCR. Results: The activities of the antioxidant enzymes CAT, SOD, POD, and APX were 8.36%, 9.56%, 20.61%, and 25.34% higher in HZ than in YD under heat stress, respectively. Similarly, the content of proline and soluble sugar was 8.32% and 14.47% higher in HZ than in YD, respectively. The content of MDA and H2O2 was 8.11% and 39.5% lower in HZ than in YD, respectively. The ratio of endogenous GA3/ABA in HZ was 10.65, which was significantly higher than that of YD (3.84). In addition, we validated the candidate genes LOC_Os08g07010 and LOC_Os08g07440 that our team located in 2021, and the result showed that the expression of these two heat-tolerant genes in the anthers was significantly higher in HH than in YH. DEPs involved in the response to heat stress were identified by TMT proteomics, five upregulated and three downregulated differential expression proteins in HH. DEPs were verified by RT-qPCR. Discussion: These results provide new insights into the physiological characteristics, dominant DEPs, and gene expression responses in both rice varieties under heat stress. Our results indicate that the antioxidant and osmoregulatory capacities, the ratio of endogenous GA3 and ABA, these DEPs are mainly involved in the pathways of phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis, carbohydrate metabolism, thiamine metabolism, protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum, and folding, sorting, and degradation were upregulated to a greater degree in HZ than in YD. Additional studies were performed to clarify the roles of these proteins in response to heat stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melatonin (MT) can improve plant resistance and fruit quality. The mechanism by which MT affects soluble sugar and organic acids accumulation in drupe fruits is not clear. In this study, 100 µmol/L MT was sprayed on the leaves of plum trees at the second stage of rapid fruit expansion (90 and 97 d after flowering), and the effects of MT on plum fruit quality and its effects on the soluble sugar-organic acid metabolism were investigated. At 28 d after MT treatment (at maturity), the longitudinal diameter, fruit weight, and vitamin C content of plum fruits were increased by 5.05%, 12.93%, and 56.09%, respectively, compared to the control. MT caused significant increase in the total soluble solids content and decreased the titratable acid content. MT increased the contents of total soluble sugar, sucrose, sorbitol, and citric acid after 21 and 28 days of treatment, while decreasing the contents of fructose, malic acid, quinic acid, and tartaric acid after 28 days of treatment. Additionally, MT increased the activities of sucrose synthase (catabolism direction), sucrose phosphate synthase, glucokinase, fructokinase, sorbitol oxidase, and NADP+-malic enzyme, and decreased the activities of soluble acid converting enzyme, cell wall insoluble converting enzyme, NAD+-sorbitol dehydrogenase, and NAD+-malic dehydrogenase after 21 or 28 days of treatment. Moreover, the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) after 21 and 28 days of treatment were accelerated starch and sucrose metabolism, galactose metabolism, fructose and mannose metabolism, as well as glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, and pentose phosphate metabolism pathways. In conclusion, exogenous MT increases soluble sugar content and decreases organic acid content in plum fruits by regulating various soluble sugar-organic acid metabolic pathways, thereby improving the fruit quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The efficacy and safety of recombinant human thrombopoietin (rhTPO) in children and adolescent patients with chronic primary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) remains unclear. A multicentre, randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled phase III trial was performed. Patients aged 6–17 years, diagnosed with ITP and resistant or relapsed to corticosteroid treatment were included. For the trial, part 1 was exploratory and part 2 was the main analysis, with part 1 determining whether part 2 was stratified by age. Patients in part 1 were treated with rhTPO (the 6‐ to 11‐/12‐ to 17‐year‐old groups; 1:1). Patients in part 2 were randomized (3:1) to receive either rhTPO treatment or placebo. Patients received rhTPO or placebo at a dose of 300 U/kg once daily for up to 14 days. A total of 68 patients were included [part 1 (12 patients), part 2 (56 patients)]. The total response rate (TRR) in part 1 was 50.0% (95% CI: 21.09%–78.91%). For part 2, the TRR was 58.5% (95% CI: 42.11%–73.68%) and 13.3% (95% CI: 1.66%–40.46%) in the rhTPO and placebo groups (FAS) respectively. The difference in TRR between the rhTPO group and placebo group was 45.2% (95% CI: 22.33%–68.08%) and 44.6% (95% CI: 21.27%–67.85%) on the FAS and per‐protocol set (PPS), respectively, which indicates the superiority of rhTPO treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oxidation of glycerol to dihydroxyacetone (DHA) represents an efficient and economical process route. Although preparing Au/CuO catalysts from plant constituents has emerged as a novel approach for synthesizing biocompatible products, the complexity of plant constituents means that the active components still need to be clarified, making it challenging to control catalytic activity. In this study, we effectively separated and identified the active components of Syringa oblata Lindl. (SoL) leaf using column chromatography, and synthesized a series of Au/CuO catalysts from the different separated samples. Glycerol catalytic evaluation experiments showed that the S3 fraction, mainly consisting of phenolic substances, exhibited the highest catalytic activity, with a glycerol conversion rate of 86.6% and DHA selectivity of 82.0%, exceeding the activity of most current catalysts. A series of experiments and characterizations demonstrated the differences in reducibility and protective ability among the separated samples, and the preparation and glycerol reaction conditions for optimal performance are systematically optimized. This work provides in-depth insights into the preparation of catalysts using plant-based methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Objective: To analyze whether there is an association between pre-pregnancy lipid parameters and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in women undergoing assisted reproductive technologies (ART), a group especially at risk for GDM, and if so, which parameter is associated the strongest. Methods: Data was collected at the Reproductive and Genetic Hospital CITIC-Xiangya in Changsha, China from January 2017 to December 2018. The measured lipid parameters include LDL (low-density lipoprotein), HDL (high-density lipoprotein), TC (total cholesterol), and TG (triglycerides). Results: 119 (15.5%) of the 767 patients developed GDM. On average, women who developed GDM were older, had a higher BMI, LDL, TC, and TG, and lower HDL. After adjusting for confounders, LDL and HDL showed a significant association with GDM (p < 0.05), but TC and TG did not. Binary LDL/HDL and TC/HDL ratios showed the strongest association with GDM incidence (OR 1.957 [95%CI 1.258–3.044] and 1.942 [1.243–3.034] respectively). Subgroup analysis showed that an elevated LDL/HDL ratio also increased GDM risk in subgroups with a typically lower prevalence of GDM, such as young women with a low BMI and low blood pressure. Both lipid ratios (LDL/HDL and TC/HD) show strong interactions with baseline age, fasting plasma glucose, and LH. Conclusions: In this cohort of Chinese women undergoing ART, pre-pregnancy LDL/HDL and TC/HDL were associated with GDM the strongest from the lipid parameters and could be useful to estimate GDM risk even before ART treatments and pregnancy. Clinical trial number: NCT03503006 registered on the 21st of March 2018 (on clinicaltrials.gov). https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03503006?locStr=Changsha,%20Hunan,%20China&country=China&state=Hunan&city=Changsha&cond=ivf&rank=2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant pest and disease management is an important factor affecting the yield and quality of crops, and due to the rich variety and the diagnosis process mostly relying on experts' experience, there are problems of low diagnosis efficiency and accuracy. For this, we proposed a Plant pest and Disease Lightweight identification Model by fusing Tensor features and Knowledge distillation (PDLM-TK). First, a Lightweight Residual Blocks based on Spatial Tensor (LRB-ST) is constructed to enhance the perception and extraction of shallow detail features of plant images by introducing spatial tensor. And the depth separable convolution is used to reduce the number of model parameters to improve the diagnosis efficiency. Secondly, a Branch Network Fusion with Graph Convolutional features (BNF-GC) is proposed to realize image super-pixel segmentation by using spanning tree clustering based on pixel features. And the graph convolution neural network is utilized to extract the correlation features to improve the diagnosis accuracy. Finally, we designed a Model Training Strategy based on knowledge Distillation (MTS-KD) to train the pest and disease diagnosis model by building a knowledge migration architecture, which fully balances the accuracy and diagnosis efficiency of the model. The experimental results show that PDLM-TK performs well in three plant pest and disease datasets such as Plant Village, with the highest classification accuracy and F1 score of 96.19% and 94.94%. Moreover, the model execution efficiency performs better compared to lightweight methods such as MobileViT, which can quickly and accurately diagnose plant diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing electromagnetic (EM) radiation pollution necessitates the development of low-cost, lightweight, and high absorption-dominated electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding composites. Herein, the isotactic polypropylene (iPP)/high-density polyethylene (HDPE)/carbon nanotubes (CNTs) nanocomposite foams were fabricated using a simple melt blending method, followed by an eco-friendly foaming process with supercritical CO2 as the blowing agent. The asymmetric bilayer structure of resulting iPP/HDPE/CNTs nanocomposite foams was produced by integrating iPP/CNTs and HDPE/CNTs segments, followed by a foaming process. Due to the different melt strength and viscoelasticity of iPP and HDPE, this asymmetric bilayer nanocomposite foams with identical CNTs content exhibited diverse structures and unique EMI shielding properties. Specifically, the HDPE/CNTs layer served as an absorption layer due to its relatively low electrical conductivity, whereas iPP/CNTs layer functioned as a reflective layer owing to its high electrical conductivity, leading to the formation of a distinct absorption-reflection-reabsorption interface within the iPP/HDPE/CNTs nanocomposite foams. Finally, the unique asymmetric structure endowed the nanocomposite foams with superior EMI shielding effectiveness of 37.32 dB, as well as a high absorption coefficient of 0.60, rendering the nanocomposite foams absorption-dominated EMI shielding materials and effectively preventing secondary EM wave pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signalling is key in the pathogenesis of chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, a certain level of NF-κB activity is necessary to enable tissue repair. Methods The relationship between activated and inactivated NF-κB signaling and the pathogenesis of CKD was investigated using mouse models of NF-κB partial inactivation (mutating cysteine at position 59 of the sixth exon on the NF-κB gene into alanine) and activation (mutating cysteine at position 59 of the sixth exon on the NF-κB gene into serine). Results The density of CD3, CD8, CD68 positive cells, as well as the expression of interleukin 6, Tumor necrosis factor receptor associated factor 1 and Nef-associated factor 1 in the kidney tissues of NF-κBC59A mice were reduced, whereas an opposing pattern was observed in the NF-κBC59S mice. Blood pressure, kidney fibrosis (analyzed by periodic acid–Schiff, Masson trichrome and Sirius Red staining, as well as α-SMA immunofluorescence), serum creatinine and urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio are markedly increased in NF-κB-activated and -inactivated mice compared with controls. Transmission electron microscopy indicated that the glomerular basement membrane was thicker in both NF-κBC59A and NF-κBC59S mice compared with wild-type mice. Conclusions Using mice models with partially activated and inactivated NF-κB pathways suggests that there is an apparently U-shaped relationship between blood pressure, kidney function as well as morphology and the activation of the NF-κB pathway. A certain optimal activity of the NF-κB pathway seems to be important to maintain optimal kidney function and morphology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unique challenges in shared control for telemanipulation-beyond teleoperation-include physical discrepancy between human and robot hands and the fine manipulation constraints needed for task success. We present an intuitive shared-control strategy that generates robotic grasp poses better suited for human perception of success and feeling of control while ensuring a stable grasp for task success. The robot’s motion follows an arbitration between following the user’s motion constraints and accomplishing the inferred task. The arbitration adapts based on the physical discrepancy between the human and robot hands. We have conducted a user study with a telemanipulation scenario to analyze the effects of task predictability, following, and user preference. The results demonstrated that intent-based approaches provide advantages over direct motion mapping strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On the basis of coordinated electrodeposition of carboxylated chitosan (CCS), we presented a green method to prepare Cu NCs and Cu NCs/CCS nanocomposite films. The method shows a range of benefits, such as the convenient and eco-friendly process, mild conditions, and simple post-treatment. The experimental results reveal that a homogeneous deposited film (Cu NCs/CCS nanocomposite film) is generated on the Cu plate (the anode) after electrodeposition, which exhibits an obvious red florescence. The results from TEM observation suggest there are nanoparticles (with the average particle size of 2.3 nm) in the deposited film. Spectral analysis results both demonstrate the existence of Cu NCs in the deposited film. Moreover, the Cu NCs/CCS film modified electrode is directly created through electrodeposition of CCS, which enables promising application in the electrochemical sensing. By means of fluorescence properties of Cu NCs, the Cu NCs/CCS film also owns the potential in fluorescence detection. Therefore, this work builds a novel method for the green synthesis of Cu NCs, meanwhile it offers a convenient and new electrodeposition strategy to prepare polysaccharide-based Cu NCs nanocomposites for uses in functional nanocomposites and bioelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mariculture exerts a direct influence on planktonic eukaryotic microorganisms protists. Previous studies have focused on phytoplankton, while the heterotrophic and parasitic protistan groups are unknown. Currently, in Muping Marine Ranch (MR) which is along the littoral zone of northern Yellow Sea of China, environmental DNA methods were employed to investigate the diversity and seasonal dynamics of near shore planktonic protists in response to mariculture. Through an integrated analysis of functional groups and a comparison to adjacent sea areas, we found a dominance of harmful algae blooms (HAB) species nearshore MR, and a significant reduction in the diversity of planktonic protists including photosynthetic, heterotrophic and parasitic groups. High nutrient and low salinity were suggested to drive the dominance of HAB species nearshore MR, which in return might inhibit predators, saprophytes and algal parasites. Our investigations revealed an Olisthodiscus luteus outbreak in spring, as well as significant seasonal variations in the planktonic protist community, which might be caused by the changes of temperature. The offshore hypoxia reduced the abundance of phytoplankton but increased mixotrophs and animal parasites of the protistan community nearshore MR. This study highlights the influence of mariculture on the overall community function of planktonic protists, and is helpful to assess the mariculture's impact on water health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The efficacy and safety of recombinant human thrombopoietin (rhTPO) in children and adolescent patients with chronic primary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) remains unclear. A multicentre, randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled phase III trial was performed. Patients aged 6–17 years, diagnosed with ITP and resistant or relapsed to corticosteroid treatment were included. For the trial, part 1 was exploratory and part 2 was the main analysis, with part 1 determining whether part 2 was stratified by age. Patients in part 1 were treated with rhTPO (the 6‐ to 11‐/12‐ to 17‐year‐old groups; 1:1). Patients in part 2 were randomized (3:1) to receive either rhTPO treatment or placebo. Patients received rhTPO or placebo at a dose of 300 U/kg once daily for up to 14 days. A total of 68 patients were included [part 1 (12 patients), part 2 (56 patients)]. The total response rate (TRR) in part 1 was 50.0% (95% CI: 21.09%–78.91%). For part 2, the TRR was 58.5% (95% CI: 42.11%–73.68%) and 13.3% (95% CI: 1.66%–40.46%) in the rhTPO and placebo groups (FAS) respectively. The difference in TRR between the rhTPO group and placebo group was 45.2% (95% CI: 22.33%–68.08%) and 44.6% (95% CI: 21.27%–67.85%) on the FAS and per‐protocol set (PPS), respectively, which indicates the superiority of rhTPO treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we investigated a distributed optimal control problem for the viscous Cahn-Hilliard-Oono system. In this system, chemotaxis, active transport, and nonlocal interaction of Oono's type were also taken into account. The system consisted of a viscous Cahn-Hilliard equation for the difference in volume fractions of the two components $ \varphi $ and a diffusion-reaction equation for the nutrient concentration $ \sigma $. Our aim was to achieve a desired goal of the difference in volume fractions of the two components by minimizing the cost functional of standard tracking type. To begin, the strong well-posedness of the state system was addressed. Then, we establish the existence of optimal controls. Afterward, we presented the Fréchet differentiability of the control-to-state operator $ \mathcal S $. Lastly, we derived the first-order necessary optimality conditions by considering the backward adjoint system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Approximately two-thirds of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is considered a "cold tumor" characterized by few tumor-infiltrating T cells and an abundance of immunosuppressive cells. Cilengitide, an integrin αvβ3 inhibitor, has failed in clinical trials as a potential anticancer drug. This failure implies that integrin αvβ3 may play an important role in immune cells. However, the expression and potential role of integrin αvβ3 in T cells of HCC patients remain unknown. Here, we established two HCC models and found that cilengitide had a dual effect on the HCC microenvironment by exerting both antitumor effect and immunosuppressive effect on T cells. This may partly explain the failure of cilengitide in clinical trials. In clinical specimens, HCC-infiltrating T cells exhibited deficient expression and activation of integrin β3, which was associated with poor T-cell infiltration into tumors. Additionally, integrin β3 functioned as a positive immunomodulatory molecule to facilitate T-cell infiltration and T helper 1-type immune response in vitro. Furthermore, T cells and platelet-derived microparticles (PMPs) co-culture assay revealed that PMPs adoptively transferred integrin β3 to T cells and positively regulated T cell immune response. This process was mediated by clathrin-dependent endocytosis and macropinocytosis. Our data demonstrate that integrin β3 deficiency on HCC-infiltrating T cells may be involved in shaping the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. PMPs transfer integrin β3 to T cells and positively regulate T cell immune response, which may provide a new insight into immune therapy of HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: The purpose of this study was to develop the gemcitabine-loaded drug-eluting beads (G-DEBs) for transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in rabbit renal tumors and to evaluate their antitumor effect using 2-deoxy-2-[(18)F]fluoro-D-glucose positron emission tomography/X-ray computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT). Methods: DEBs were prepared by polyvinyl alcohol-based macromer crosslinked with N-acryl tyrosine and N,N′-methylenebis(acrylamide). Gemcitabine was loaded through ion change to obtain G-DEBs. Their particle size and drug release profile were characterized. VX2 tumors were implanted in the right kidney of rabbits to establish the renal tumor model. The tumor-bearing rabbits received pre-scan by 18F-FDG PET/CT, followed by targeted transarterial injection of G-DEBs under digital subtraction angiography (DSA) guidance. The rabbits received another 18F-FDG PET/CT scan 10 or 14 days after the treatment. The therapeutic effect was further validated by histopathological analysis of the dissected tumors. Results: The average particle size of the microspheres was 58.06 ± 0.50 µm, and the polydisperse index was 0.26 ± 0.002. The maximum loading rate of G-DEBs was 18.09 ± 0.35%, with almost 100% encapsulation efficiency. Within 24 h, GEM was eluted from G-DEBs rapidly and completely, and more than 20% was released in different media. DSA illustrated that G-DEBs were delivered to rabbit renal tumors. Compared with the untreated control group with increased tumor volume and intense 18F -FDG uptake, the G-DEBs group showed significant reductions in tumor volume and maximum standard uptake value (SUVmax) 10 or 14 days after the treatment. Histopathological analysis confirmed that the proliferating area of tumor cells was significantly reduced in the G-DEBs group. Conclusions: Our results demonstrated that G-DEBs are effective in TACE treatment of rabbit VX2 renal tumors, and 18F-FDG PET/CT provides a non-invasive imaging modality to monitor the antitumor effects of TACE in renal tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Epidemiological studies have indicated that patients with heart failure (HF) who experience cognitive impairment (CI) have a poor prognosis. While poor self-management and compliance are suggested as contributing factors, they do not fully explain the underlying mechanisms of high risk of cardiac events in HF patients with CI. Given the interconnectedness of CI and the autonomic nervous system (ANS), both regulated by the central nervous system, this study investigated the relationship among cognitive function, metabolism in ANS-related brain regions, and major arrhythmic events (MAEs) in patients with HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Results: We retrospectively enrolled 72 patients with HFrEF who underwent gated myocardial perfusion imaging, heart and brain 18F-FDG positron emission tomography/computed tomography imaging, and cognitive testing. Cognitive function was evaluated using the Mini-Mental State Examination. During the follow-up period, 13 patients (17.8%) experienced MAEs. Patients with MAEs exhibited decreased cognitive function across various domains, including orientation, registration, and language and praxis (all p < 0.05). Patients with CI displayed a prolonged heart rate-corrected QT (QTc) interval and hypometabolism in the left hippocampus and bilateral caudate nuclei (all p < 0.05). Significant correlations were observed between cognitive function, QTc interval, and metabolism in ANS-related brain regions (all p < 0.05). Cox regression model analysis showed that the predictive value of cognitive function is not independent of the QTc interval and there is a significant interaction. The mediation analyses suggested that a prolonged QTc interval resulting from ANS disorder increased risk of MAEs in HFrEF patients with CI. Patients with CI exhibited reduced central autonomic network (CAN) connectivity. Conclusion: ANS dysfunction, exacerbated by reduced metabolism in ANS-related brain regions and CAN connectivity, contributed to an increased risk of MAEs in HFrEF patients with CI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder that poses significant challenges to patients and their families. Effective detection and prediction of epilepsy can facilitate patient recovery, reduce family burden, and streamline healthcare processes. Therefore, it is essential to propose a deep learning method for efficient detection and prediction of epileptic electroencephalography (EEG) signals. This paper reviews several key aspects of epileptic EEG signal processing, focusing on epilepsy detection and prediction. It covers publicly available epileptic EEG datasets, preprocessing techniques, feature extraction methods, and deep learning-based networks used in these tasks. The literature is categorized based on patient independence, distinguishing between patient-independent and non-patient-independent studies. Additionally, the evaluation methods are classified into general classification indicators and specific epilepsy prediction criteria, with findings organized according to the prediction cycles reported in various studies. The review reveals several important insights. Despite the availability of public datasets, they often lack diversity in epilepsy types and are collected under controlled conditions that may not reflect real-world scenarios. As a result, signal preprocessing methods tend to be limited and may not fully represent practical conditions. Feature extraction and network designs frequently emphasize fusion mechanisms, with recent advances in Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) and Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs) showing promising results, suggesting that new network models warrant further exploration. Studies using patient-independent data generally produce better results than those relying on non-patient-independent data. Metrics based on general classification methods typically perform better than those using specific epilepsy prediction criteria, though future research should focus on the latter for more accurate evaluation. Epilepsy prediction cycles are typically kept under 1 h, with most studies concentrating on intervals of 30 min or less. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: T cells have been implicated in various neurological conditions, yet their role in neonatal brain injuries remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the impact of perinatal factors on frequencies of T cell subsets in preterm infants and to explore the differences in blood genome expression profiles between preterm infants with and without brain injury. Materials and methods: Three cohorts of preterm infants were used. Blood samples were collected soon after birth for the first cohort and late timepoint for the second and third cohorts. In the first cohort (88 infants), flow cytometry measured the proportions of αβT and γδT cell subsets in peripheral blood, analyzing associations with gestational age, birth weight, sex, delivery type, and maternal conditions. The second cohort focused on the relationship between T cell subsets and brain injury. In the third cohort, transcriptome sequencing identified differentially expressed genes and pathways in infants with brain injury, highlighting immune-related changes. Results: Infants born at 29–30 weeks or with a birth weight of 1000–1500 g had significantly higher proportions of Vδ2+ T cells compared to those born at 30–32 weeks or with a birth weight > 1500 g, while no significant difference was found between infants born at < 29 weeks or with a birth weight < 1000 g. A negative correlation was observed between gestational age and Vδ2+ T cell frequency. No significant associations were found between Vδ2+ T cell proportions and perinatal factors other than gestational age or brain injury. Blood transcriptome analysis revealed 173 differentially expressed genes, characterized by downregulated interferon signaling and upregulated antimicrobial and neutrophil pathways in infants with brain injury. Conclusions: Gestational age and birth weight influence Vδ2+ T cell proportions in preterm infants, likely reflecting immune maturation. While no direct link to brain injury was found, altered immune pathways suggest potential biomarkers for prognosis, warranting further research into their roles and therapeutic implications in neonatal brain injuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photothermal therapy, as a therapeutic modality that uses photothermal agent (PTA) to convert light energy into thermal energy, has a promising future in the fields of bacterial clearance and tumor growth suppression. Among the various PTAs, conjugated polymers (CPs) have been highly emphasized due to their excellent photothermal conversion efficiency. However, CPs often exhibit complex structures and require cumbersome synthesis steps, which often make it difficult to achieve fast and convenient production. Here, we report the rapid synthesis of benzoquinone diamine conjugated polymer (BDCPs) through a simple polymerization process using p-benzoquinone and thiourea as raw materials. It is shown that BDCPs have good absorption in the NIR region and can be rapidly warmed up under light, which possesses good photothermal conversion ability. In addition, BDCP nanoparticles (BDCPNs) obtained by straightforward modification of BDCPs with polyethylene glycol can be stably dispersed in aqueous solution for a long time and maintain impressive photothermal conversion (37.8%). Moreover, cellular experiments affirm the excellent biocompatibility of BDCPNs. Under 808 nm laser irradiation, BDCPNs demonstrate potent inhibitory effects against Staphylococcus aureus (85%) and Escherichia coli (80%), as well as tumor cells (tumor inhibition rate: 84%), highlighting their superior photothermal therapeutic effects. We anticipate that this research will serve as a valuable reference for the swift and straightforward synthesis of photothermal polymers, facilitating their subsequent cost-effective promotion and application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neurotoxic effects of general anesthetics, particularly sevoflurane, on pediatric neurodevelopment are a global concern. This study investigated the molecular and metabolic impacts of repeated short exposures to sevoflurane in neonatal rats. Metabolomics analysis revealed significant changes in fatty acid and mitochondrial energy metabolism. Transcriptomic analysis identified altered gene expression related to neurodevelopment and mitochondrial function. Various analyses emphasized upregulation in oxidative phosphorylation and DNA repair pathways. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) identified key gene modules associated with sevoflurane exposure. Despite these acute changes, no significant long-term memory impairments were detected. These findings highlight the impact of sevoflurane on mitochondrial energy metabolism, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation, emphasizing its relevance to pediatric neurodevelopment. The absence of substantial long-term memory impairments provides insights into the safety and implications of sevoflurane use in pediatric anesthesia, calling for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide, with a 5-year survival rate of approximately 19%. With the advent of screening and diagnostic techniques such as low-dose spiral CT and liquid biopsy, the detection rate of early stage LUAD is increasing. Even in stage I LUAD, the cumulative 5-year recurrence rate after radical surgical resection is 17.9%. This may be related to the presence of microscopic residual disease (MRD), a potential source of recurrence and metastasis. Circulating tumour cells (CTCs) are key biomarkers in liquid biopsies, but the ability of dynamic CTC detection to monitor MRD and warn of recurrence in patients with early LUAD has not been validated. Here, we conducted a prospective study using the telomerase reverse transcriptase-based CTC detection method (TBCD) to evaluate perioperative and follow-up CTC levels for dynamic monitoring to evaluate its clinical efficacy in predicting postoperative recurrence in early-stage LUAD. By longitudinal dynamic monitoring of CTC, we accurately predicted recurrence within 2 years after surgery, with an AUC of 0.9786, demonstrating the clinical values of CTC in predicting recurrence. The median lead time from positive detection of CTC to radiological recurrence was 183 days, with the earliest CT recurrence predicted 354 days in advance. Taken together, our study demonstrates that longitudinal monitoring of CTC is effective in early warning of LUAD recurrence and provides valuable information on early detection and intervention strategies for the management of LUAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Charge transport layers are critical components in perovskite solar cells (PSCs) for achieving satisfied power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) and device stability. However, these layers often bring incompatible interfaces and complex fabrication, limiting the stability and scalability of PSC technology. Here an alternative strategy of salt‐based catalyzer (SBC) is proposed to regulate the heterogeneous nucleation of perovskite, which enables uniform and well‐controlled perovskite coverage directly onto the salt‐treated substrate without electron transport layers (ETLs). By carefully adjusting the cations, anions, and the thickness of SBC, high‐quality perovskite films along with superior buried interfaces suppress the carrier recombination losses and strengthen the interfacial stability, promoting the resultant device to achieve a record PCE of 23.04%, which represents the highest reported efficiency for ETL‐free PSCs. Meanwhile, the SBC technique can be well extended to large‐area, flexible, and module‐based devices. More encouragingly, the SBC‐based unencapsulated devices exhibit remarkable operational stability by retaining over 90% of initial efficiency for 1540 h under illumination and for 6312 h in an air environment. This work provides an advisable way to fabricate efficient and stable ETL‐free PSCs toward reliable and cost‐effective production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Image segmentation is a crucial task in the field of computer vision. Markov random fields (MRF) based image segmentation method can effectively capture intricate relationships among pixels. However, MRF typically requires an initial labeling field, and the number of classifications needs to be manually selected. To tackle these issues, we propose a novel medical image segmentation algorithm based on density peak clustering (DPC) and Markov random fields. Firstly, we improve DPC to make it applicable to grayscale images, named GIDPC. In the GIDPC method, local gray density and gray bias are defined to enable the automatic determination of the number of classifications. Then, GIDPC and MRF are combined to achieve image segmentation. Furthermore, a segmentation fusion method is employed to enhance the accuracy of image segmentation. We conduct comparison experiments on the whole brain atlas image library. Our proposed algorithm achieves high average values in uniformity measure, accuracy, precision and sensitivity, respectively. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm outperforms other image segmentation methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the effect of lycopene on blood-brain barrier and nerve damage in rats with cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) by regulating Janus kinase 2 (jAK2)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3 )/vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling pathway. Methods: Fifty CSVD rat models were prepared by in vitro injection of the same germ- line microemboli, and were randomly grouped into model group, low-dose lycopene (65 mg/kg) group, high-dose lycopene (85 mg/kg) group, AG490 (JAK2 inhibitor, 3.5 mg/kg) group, and high-dose lycopene (85 mg/kg)+AG490 (3.5 mg/kg) group, with 10 cases in each group, another 10 SD rats were regarded as sham operation group. After grouping with lycopene and AG490, cognitive ability of rats was detected by Morris water maze test and dark avoidance test; permeability of blood-brain barrier in rats was detected by Evans blue method; the number of rat hippocampal neurons was detected by Nissl staining; levels of inflammatory factors prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and oxidative stress factors catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA) in rats brain tissue were detected by kits; expressions of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)2, MMP9, tight junction-related proteins (ZO-1, Occludin) and JAK2/STAT3/VEGF pathway-related proteins in rats brain were detected by Western blotting. Results: Compared with sham operation group, the times of rats crossing the platform, the time of staying in the target quadrant, step through latency, the number of hippocampal neurons, levels of CAT and SOD in brain tissue, protein expressions of ZO-1, Occludin and VEGF, and p-JAK2/JAK2, p-STAT3/STAT3 were obviously decreased in model group (P<0.05), while the error times, Evans blue content, levels of brain tissue PGE2, TNF-α and MDA, and protein expressions of MMP2 and MMP9 were obviously increased (P< 0.05). Compared with model group, the times of rats crossing the platform, the time of staying in the target quadrant, step through latency, the number of hippocampal neurons, levels of CAT and SOD in brain tissue, protein expressions of ZO-1, Occludin and VEGF, and p-JAK2/JAK2, p-STAT3/STAT3 were all increased in low-dose lycopene group and high-dose lycopene group (P<0.05), while the error times, Evans blue content, levels of brain tissue PGE2, TNF-α and MDA, and protein expressions of MMP2 and MMP9 were all decreased (P<0.05), and high dose lycopene was more effective; the change trend of each index in AG490 group was opposite to that in lycopene groups, and AG490 could reverse the effect of lycopene. Conclusion: Lycopene can inhibit inflammation and oxidative stress in CSVD rats by activating JAK2/STAT3/VEGF signaling pathway, thereby reducing the blood-brain barrier and nerve damage, and improving their cognitive ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fine-grained low-alloy steels are prepared via hot rolling, warm rolling, and subsequent annealing in the intercritical zone, resulting in a microstructure consisting of a ferritic matrix and spherical cementite. Characterization of microstructure and mechanical properties indicated that when the average grain sizes decreased from 4.5 to 1.5 μm, a continuous improvement in yield strength and tensile strength was observed. Grain-refinement and precipitation strengthening of cementite are the key reasons for the significant increase in strength. Using crystal plasticity finite element methods, quasi-static tensile simulations were performed on steels with various grain sizes, and a set of crystal plasticity parameters suitable for fine-grained low-alloy steels was obtained. The simulation of size effects was innovatively performed by modifying the single-crystal strength based on the Hall–Petch relationship, and the simulations were in good agreement with the tested results. This provides a new, cost-effective, time-efficient, and highly reliable method for exploring the relationship between the mechanical properties and microstructure of fine-grained steel with complex microstructures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitochondria are vital for retinal cell function and survival, and there is growing evidence linking mitochondrial dysfunction to retinal degenerations. Although ARL3 mutations have been linked to multiple forms of retinal degeneration, the relationship between ARL3 and mitochondria remains unexplored. Herein, we investigated the effects of ARL3T31A, ARL3C118F, and ARL3T31A/C118F mutations on mitochondrial function in fibroblasts obtained from patients with ARL3‐related rod‐cone dystrophy. Our findings revealed that these mutations led to a decrease in mitochondrial respiration, an increase in the accumulation mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS), and induction of apoptosis in fibroblasts. Additionally, we conducted a comparative analysis of the effects of ARL3T31A, ARL3C118F, and ARL3T31A/C118F proteins on mitochondria in ARPE‐19 cells. Results showed that ARL3T31A and ARL3T31A/C118F not only affected mitochondrial function but also induced apoptosis in ARPE‐19 cells. Conversely, ARL3C118F primarily influenced cell apoptosis with minimal effects on mitochondrial function in ARPE‐19 cells. Transcriptome analysis further suggested the involvement of respiratory electron transport, response to ROS, and apoptotic signaling pathways in ARL3T31A/C118F cells. Our study demonstrated that ARL3‐related mutations play a significant role in the diversity of mitochondrial function, providing novel insights into the functional analysis of ARL3‐related mutations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The three-dimensional reconstruction of forests is crucial in remote sensing technology, ecological monitoring, and forestry management, as it yields precise forest structure and tree parameters, providing essential data support for forest resource management, evaluation, and sustainable development. Nevertheless, forest 3D reconstruction now encounters obstacles including higher equipment costs, reduced data collection efficiency, and complex data processing. This work introduces a unique deep learning model, CPH-Fmnet, designed to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of 3D reconstruction in intricate forest environments. CPH-Fmnet enhances the FPN Encoder-Decoder Architecture by meticulously incorporating the Channel Attention Mechanism (CA), Path Aggregation Module (PA), and High-Level Feature Selection Module (HFS), alongside the integration of the pre-trained Vision Transformer (ViT), thereby significantly improving the model's global feature extraction and local detail reconstruction abilities. We selected three representative sample plots in Haidian District, Beijing, China, as the study area and took forest stand sequence photos with an iPhone for the research. Comparative experiments with the conventional SfM + MVS and MVSFormer models, along with comprehensive parameter extraction and ablation studies, substantiated the enhanced efficacy of the proposed CPH-Fmnet model in addressing difficult circumstances such as intricate occlusions, poorly textured areas, and variations in lighting. The test results show that the model does better on a number of evaluation criteria. It has an RMSE of 1.353, an MAE of only 5.1%, an r value of 1.190, and a forest reconstruction rate of 100%, all of which are better than current methods. Furthermore, the model produced a more compact and precise 3D point cloud while accurately determining the properties of the forest trees. The findings indicate that CPH-Fmnet offers an innovative approach for forest resource management and ecological monitoring, characterized by cheap cost, high accuracy, and high efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cobalt (Co) is widely used in Fischer–Tropsch synthesis (FTS), converting synthesis gas, carbon monoxide + hydrogen (CO + H2), to long-chain hydrocarbons. The adsorption of CO on the Co surface is the key step in FTS. In this work, the effect of CO adsorption sites on the reactions between CO and H2 was investigated by using density functional theory (DFT). The energetics and structures of the reactions between the adsorbed CO (CO*) and H2/adsorbed H2 (H2*)/adsorbed H atom (H*) were calculated. The results show that the reaction between CO* and H2 is initiated by the molecular adsorption of H2 on the Co surface. The reactions between CO* and H2*/H* are influenced by CO adsorption sites. For the reaction system of CO* + H2*, it has the lowest reaction barrier when CO is adsorbed at the hcp site, while for CO* + H*, it has the lowest reaction barrier when CO is adsorbed on the top site. Kinetic analysis indicates that to improve the reactivity of CO + H2 in FTS, the adsorption of CO should be controlled to favour the top and bridge sites. This article is part of the theme issue 'Celebrating the 15th anniversary of the Royal Society Newton International Fellowship'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using multi-view images of forest plots to reconstruct dense point clouds and extract individual tree parameters enables rapid, high-precision, and cost-effective forest plot surveys. However, images captured at close range face challenges in forest reconstruction, such as unclear canopy reconstruction, prolonged reconstruction times, insufficient accuracy, and issues with tree duplication. To address these challenges, this paper introduces a new image dataset creation process that enhances both the efficiency and quality of image acquisition. Additionally, a block-matching-based multi-view reconstruction algorithm, Forest Multi-View Reconstruction with Enhanced Confidence-Guided Dynamic Domain Propagation (CDP-MVS), is proposed. The CDP-MVS algorithm addresses the issue of canopy and sky mixing in reconstructed point clouds by segmenting the sky in the depth maps and setting its depth value to zero. Furthermore, the algorithm introduces a confidence calculation method that comprehensively evaluates multiple aspects. Moreover, CDP-MVS employs a decentralized dynamic domain propagation sampling strategy, guiding the propagation of the dynamic domain through newly defined confidence measures. Finally, this paper compares the reconstruction results and individual tree parameters of the CDP-MVS, ACMMP, and PatchMatchNet algorithms using self-collected data. Visualization results show that, compared to the other two algorithms, CDP-MVS produces the least sky noise in tree reconstructions, with the clearest and most detailed canopy branches and trunk sections. In terms of parameter metrics, CDP-MVS achieved 100% accuracy in reconstructing tree quantities across the four plots, effectively avoiding tree duplication. The accuracy of breast diameter extraction values of point clouds reconstructed by CDPMVS reached 96.27%, 90%, 90.64%, and 93.62%, respectively, in the four sample plots. The positional deviation of reconstructed trees, compared to ACMMP, was reduced by 0.37 m, 0.07 m, 0.18 m and 0.33 m, with the average distance deviation across the four plots converging within 0.25 m. In terms of reconstruction efficiency, CDP-MVS completed the reconstruction of the four plots in 1.8 to 3.1 h, reducing the average reconstruction time per plot by six minutes compared to ACMMP and by two to three times compared to PatchMatchNet. Finally, the differences in tree height accuracy among the point clouds reconstructed by the different algorithms were minimal. The experimental results demonstrate that CDP-MVS, as a multi-view reconstruction algorithm tailored for forest reconstruction, shows promising application potential and can provide valuable support for forestry surveys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial infections are rapidly evolving and are among the greatest threats to human health. Infectious diseases from antibiotic-resistant bacteria rank as the fourth leading cause of preventable death. A multi-modality antibacterial strategy has become an emerging and attractive method to deal with bacterial drug resistance. Herein, tunable phase-change materials@Prussian blue microparticles (PCM@PB MPs) were designed by gas-shearing microfluidics, which show the synergistic effect of antibiotic-, photothermal- and chemodynamic-induced antibacterial properties. MPs exhibit significant antibacterial activity and biofilm-clearing abilities against S. aureus and E. coli, which represent Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. This research explored the use of MPs as a tri-modality antibacterial agent and provided valuable insights into their mechanism against bacterial cells. Furthermore, by combining the temperature-responsive properties of PCM with the photothermal properties of PB, a reliable vehicle with triggered drug release was designed, potentially fitting a niche in many applications in the coming years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: 11β-hydroxylase deficiency (11β-OHD), caused by homozygosity or compound heterozygosity CYP11B1 variants, is the second most common cause of congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). Due to the high degree of sequence identity between CYP11B1 and CYP11B2, chimeric genes, and complex structural variants (SVs), the conventional approach to gene testing for 11β-OHD is facing challenges. The study aimed to clarify the underlying genetic causes of two siblings of a Chinese family with 11β-OHD. Methods: Peripheral blood samples and clinical information were collected from subjects and their family members. Sex steroid concentrations were measured using LC-MS/MS. Long-range PCR-based next-generation sequencing (NGS), PCR assay and target long-read sequencing were used to detect the pathogenic variants. Results: Early onset hypertension, increased serum levels of adrenocorticotropin (ACTH), progesterone, testosterone, and decreased cortisol and potassium were detected in both affected siblings. Long-range PCR-based NGS identified a heterozygous missense variant (NM_000497.4:c.281 C > T, p.P94> L) in CYP11B1 gene in the two siblings. PCR detected no chimeric CYP11B2/CYP11B1 gene. We finally identified a second pathogenic variant in CYP11B1 gene via target long-read sequencing (T-LRS). This novel variant was a deletion-insertion variant and located chr8:143957269–143,957,579 (hg19) with the insertion of 'ACAG' (NM_000497.4:c.954 + 78_980delinsACAG), which was in trans with CYP11B1: c.281 C > T. Conclusions: Our study suggests that the integrated long-range PCR-based NGS and T-LRS seem to be the most reliable and accurate method for 11β-OHD genetic diagnosis and carrier sequencing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Time reversal has enabled many fundamental breakthroughs through the exquisite control over the complex systems. More recently, time reversal is predicted to be capable of enhancing the quantum sensing in unprecedented ways. Here, we report the experimental demonstration of time reversal based on a unitary and orthogonal squeezing interaction in an optical domain. Two cascaded degenerate optical parametric amplifiers are used to judiciously achieve a time reversal protocol. Finally, the concept of high-fidelity time reversal is demonstrated in the optical domain, offering remarkable opportunities for investigating many-body simulation and achieving quantum-enhanced sensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geophysical monitoring of CO2 geological sequestration represents a critical technology for ensuring the long-term safe storage of CO2 while verifying its characteristics and dynamic changes. Currently, the primary geophysical monitoring methods employed in CO2 geological sequestration include seismic, fiber optic, and logging technologies. Among these methods, seismic monitoring techniques encompass high-resolution P-Cable three-dimensional seismic systems, delayed vertical seismic profiling technology, and four-dimensional distributed acoustic sensing (DAS). These methods are utilized to monitor interlayer strain induced by CO2 injection, thereby indirectly determining the injection volume, distribution range, and potential diffusion pathways of the CO2 plume. In contrast, fiber optic monitoring primarily involves distributed fiber optic sensing (DFOS), which can be further classified into distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) and distributed temperature sensing (DTS). This technology serves to complement seismic monitoring in observing interlayer strain resulting from CO2 injection. The logging techniques utilized for monitoring CO2 geological sequestration include neutron logging methods, such as thermal neutron imaging and pulsed neutron gamma-ray spectroscopy, which are primarily employed to assess the sequestration volume and state of CO2 plumes within a reservoir. Seismic monitoring technology provides a broader monitoring scale (ranging from dozens of meters to kilometers), while logging techniques operate at centimeter to meter scales; however, their results can be significantly affected by the heterogeneity of a reservoir. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To establish the pathological diagnosis of UTUC before treatment is profitable. At present, the conventional pathological diagnostic methods have certain problems. Besides, the urine-based DNA methylation test have been already utilized to detect bladder cancer. Objective: To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of DNA methylation plus 17 genes mutation test and compare the combined test with cytology. Materials and methods: We included 45 patients from April 2019 to May 2022, all of whom underwent radical nephroureterectomy (RNU), nephrectomy, diagnostic ureteroscopy or tissue biopsy. Before surgery, the urine samples were collected for DNA methylation plus 17 genes mutation test and cytology. The test performance was calculated, and comparative ROC curves were drawn. Results: The median age of the patients was 67 years. The Kappa value of the DNA methylation plus 17 genes mutation test and tissue pathology was 0.59 (p<0.001). The sensitivity/specificity/PPV/NPV of DNA methylation plus 17 genes mutation test was 86/80/94/62% compared with 29/100/100/29% for cytology. The AUC of DNA methylation plus 17 genes mutation test was 0.829 (p<0.001).The mutated gene proportion of UTUC patients was 51.43% for TERT and 25.71% for TP53. Conclusion: The test performance of DNA methylation plus 17 genes mutation test was satisfactory, which may replace cytology in the future. Further multicenter studies with larger samples are needed to confirm the clinical value of this promising method. Novelty & impact statements: We evaluated the diagnostic efficacy of a urine-based liquid biopsy for the detection of UTUC and compared the combined test with cytology. We found satisfactory results and concluded that the test could partly replace cytology. Further studies are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring multiferroic materials that combine magnetic and ferroelectric properties is scientifically interesting and has important technical implications for many functions of nanoscale devices. In this work, spintronics and magnetoelectric coupling devices are proposed in two-dimensional (2D) layered ferromagnetic (FM)/ferroelectric (FE) van de Waals (vdW) heterostructures, VSeTe/Sc2CO2, employing density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The results indicate that the VSeTe/Sc2CO2 vdW heterostructure changes from a metal to a semiconductor in Sc2CO2-P↑ and Sc2CO2-P↓ polarization states. At the same time, the charge at the interface of the VSeTe/Sc2CO2 heterostructure will also be redistributed with the transformation of the ferroelectric polarization state, resulting in the change of the distribution of the electronic states near the Fermi level, and thus the change in the magnetic anisotropy energy (EMAE) of the heterostructure. Interestingly, biaxial strain brings reversibility and non-volatile regulation to the heterostructure of semiconductors and metals. The results provide an effective way to fabricate magnetoelectric coupling devices with 2D multiferroic heterostructures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plasma membrane repair is a fundamental homeostatic process of eukaryotic cells. Here, we report a new function for the conserved cytoskeletal proteins known as septins in the repair of cells perforated by pore-forming toxins or mechanical disruption. Using a silencing RNA screen, we identified known repair factors (e.g. annexin A2, ANXA2) and novel factors such as septin 7 (SEPT7) that is essential for septin assembly. Upon plasma membrane injury, the septin cytoskeleton is extensively redistributed to form submembranous domains arranged as knob and loop structures containing F-actin, myosin IIA, S100A11, and ANXA2. Formation of these domains is Ca2+-dependent and correlates with plasma membrane repair efficiency. Super-resolution microscopy revealed that septins and F-actin form intertwined filaments associated with ANXA2. Depletion of SEPT7 prevented ANXA2 recruitment and formation of submembranous actomyosin domains. However, ANXA2 depletion had no effect on domain formation. Collectively, our data support a novel septin-based mechanism for resealing damaged cells, in which the septin cytoskeleton plays a key structural role in remodeling the plasma membrane by promoting the formation of SEPT/F-actin/myosin IIA/ANXA2/S100A11 repair domains. Synopsis: The septin cytoskeleton is essential for plasma membrane repair. In response to wounding, septins are redistributed in a Ca2+-dependent fashion and are required for the formation of submembranous repair domains. The septin cytoskeleton is required for efficient plasma membrane repair of cells wounded mechanically or by transmembrane pores. The septin cytoskeleton is redistributed in a Ca2+-dependent fashion during plasma membrane repair to form filaments intertwined with F-actin and arranged in knob and loop-like structures. The septins control the formation of sub-membranous repair domains containing F-actin, myosin IIA, S100A11, and ANXA2. The septin cytoskeleton is essential for plasma membrane repair. In response to wounding, septins are redistributed in a Ca2+-dependent fashion and are required for the formation of submembranous repair domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]