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Exploring the directionality of neural information in the brain is important for understanding brain mechanisms and neurodisease development. Granger causality analysis and the metabolic connectivity map can be used to investigate directional transmission of information between brain regions, but their differences in depicting functional effective connectivity are not clear.Using the Monash rs-PET/MR imaging data set, we conducted Granger causality and metabolic connectivity map analyses of the dopamine reward circuit in the brain. The dopamine reward circuit is a well-known system consisting primarily of the bilateral orbital frontal cortex, caudate, nucleus accumbens, thalamus, and substantia nigra. We validated these circuit pathways using Granger causality and the metabolic connectivity map for identifying effective connectivities against a priori knowledge by testing the significance of directed pathways (We found 3 types of effective connectivities in the dopamine reward circuit: long-range, neighborhood, and symmetric. Granger causality analysis revealed long-range connections in the orbital frontal cortex-caudate and orbital frontal cortex-nucleus accumbens regions. Metabolic connectivity map analysis revealed neighborhood connections in the nucleus accumbens-caudate, substantia nigra-thalamus, and thalamus-caudate regions. Metabolic connectivity map analysis also found symmetric connections in each of the bilateral nucleus accumbens, caudate, thalamus, and orbital frontal cortex-caudate regions. Different patterns in directional networks of the dopamine reward circuit were revealed by Granger causality and metabolic connectivity map analyses.Granger causality analysis primarily identified bidirectional cortico-nucleus connections, while the metabolic connectivity map primarily identified direct connections among neighborhood and symmetric regions. The results of this study indicated that investigations of effective connectivities should use an appropriate analysis method depending on the purpose of the study.

Maxwell fisheye lens was proposed to reach super-resolution with the addition of wave drain, and the interaction of multiple drains is theoretically predicted to improve subwavelength resolution further. In this paper we discuss the role played by port drains in optical absolute instruments, and verify by wave simulation that coupling nature for wave source and drain applies correctly in the picture of scanning imaging for absolute instrument. This work prospects for scanning near fields shaped from far-field wave propagation., Comment: Accepted in JOSA B

Microfibers are important components in the fabrication of fiber-reinforced materials, and the distribution and alignment of microfibers can affect the mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties of the fiber-reinforced materials. However, it remains a challenge to precisely align and distribute microfibers on a large scale at a high throughput. This paper reports a facile droplet-directed method to transport and self-align microfibers to micro trenches using droplets ejected from a non-contact dispenser. Employing super hydrophilic-super hydrophobic trenches with sizes matching the microfibers, the method can align and transport randomly dispersed fibers around trenches into the trenches as desired. We studied this alignment and transport mechanism and the results suggest that liquid volume is critical to allow the capillary force to be dominant leading to the success of the process. We demonstrated that microfibers having an aspect ratio of 200, a diameter of $15~\mu \text{m}$ and a length of 3 mm, can reliably self-align to super hydrophilic-super hydrophobic trenches and transport to the target location, achieving linear alignment accuracy of $0.5~\mu \text{m}$ and angular accuracy of 0.1°. The high accuracy and fast process of the proposed technique may greatly impact larger scale and high throughput construction of complex microstructures using microfibers. [2021-0108]

In recent years, the application of artificial intelligence technology in the field of orthodontics has gradually increased, and deep learning, as a hot direction, has also been rapidly applied in the detection, evaluation, diagnosis, prediction and effect evaluation. At present, deep learning research has the advantages of high efficiency and accuracy, but it also has limitations such as weak interpretability and insufficient data volume. This paper reviewed the proposal and development of deep learning, the application in orthodontic diagnosis and treatment, as well as the limitations and countermeasures of the popularization, and prospect of the future research.近年口腔正畸领域人工智能技术的应用研究逐渐增加，深度学习作为其中的热门方向，也迅速被应用于正畸诊疗的检测、评估、诊断、预测以及疗效评价等多个环节。目前，深度学习研究在表现出高效、准确优势的同时，也存在可解释性不强、数据量不足等限制。本文从深度学习的提出与发展、正畸诊疗中的应用以及推广的限制与对策三方面进行综述，并进行展望。.

The associative effects resulting from the proportions of neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and non fibre carbohydrate (NFC) were explored and assessed by in vitro gas production . Total mixed rations (TMR) composed primarily of alf a lfa and corn soybean concentrate were fed to growing cashmere goats. Treatments were defined by three proportions of NFC and NDF namely 2.00 ( TMR1), 2.35 ( TMR2), and 3.00 ( that were used to grow cashmere goats , and these TRMs were incubated for 48 h ours to evaluate their influence on associative effects. The results indicated that the associative influences of these treatments on gas production occurred within the cultures predominantly at 2 8 hours, and disappeared gradually as culture time was ex tended . TMR 2 and TMR3 incubation increased gas production compared with that observed in the other groups at all incubation times P > 0.05), and these groups exhibited positive associative effects, particularly during the early hours of incubation P

The gut microbiome promotes immune system development in early life, but the neonatal gut metabolome remains undefined. Here, we demonstrate that, distinct from adults, the neonatal mouse gut is enriched with neurotransmitters, and specific bacteria produce serotonin directly while downregulating monoamine oxidase A to limit serotonin breakdown. Serotonin inhibits mTOR activation to promote regulatory T cells and suppress T cell responses both ex vivo and in vivo in the neonatal intestine. Oral gavage of serotonin into neonatal mice leads to long-term immune tolerance toward both dietary antigens and commensal bacteria as well as alterations of the gut microbiome. Together, our study has uncovered unique microbiome-dependent mechanisms to maximize serotonin in the neonatal gut and a novel role for intestinal serotonin to promote immune tolerance in early life.

Early orthodontic treatment of malocclusion is becoming the hot topic in orthodontics. The characteristics of craniofacial and dental growth and development are very important in early orthodontics. The article focuses on early correction of malocclusion and normal growth and development recovery.错（牙合）畸形的早期矫治是目前口腔正畸医师关注的热点。颅颌面部软硬组织生长发育特点以及不同牙列时期的牙弓发育规律对错（牙合）畸形早期矫治成功与否至关重要，错（牙合）畸形早期矫治的重要目标是去除影响颅颌面生长发育的因素，使其恢复正常。本文重点从颅颌面及牙列生长发育的特点出发，讨论不同颅颌面生长型与不同牙列期错（牙合）畸形的早期矫治。.

The effect of intra-operative mechanical ventilation modes on pulmonary outcomes after thoracic surgery with one-lung ventilation has not been well established. We evaluated the impact of three common ventilation modes on postoperative pulmonary complications in patients undergoing lung resection surgery. In this two-centre randomised controlled trial, 1224 adults scheduled for lung resection surgery with one-lung ventilation were randomised to one of three groups: volume-controlled ventilation; pressure-controlled ventilation; and pressure-control with volume guaranteed ventilation. Enhanced recovery after surgery pathways and lung-protective ventilation protocols were implemented in all groups. The primary outcome was a composite of postoperative pulmonary complications within the first seven postoperative days. The outcome occurred in 270 (22%), with 87 (21%) in the volume control group, 89 (22%) in the pressure control group and 94 (23%) in the pressure-control with volume guaranteed group (p = 0.831). The secondary outcomes also did not differ across study groups. In patients undergoing lung resection surgery with one-lung ventilation, the choice of ventilation mode did not influence the risk of developing postoperative pulmonary complications. This is the first randomised controlled trial examining the effect of three ventilation modes on pulmonary outcomes in patients undergoing lung resection surgery.

Abdominal hernia (AH) is one of the most common clinical diseases. A large number of observational studies have found that obesity is an important risk factor for AH. However, the causal relationship between obesity and AH cannot be determined because of the clinical studies on AH induced by obesity are relatively few and only have some small- or medium-scale observational studies. Observational studies have so many confounding factors and reverse causality due to their shortcomings. From an evidence-based medicine perspective, they are not sufficiently convincing. Therefore, there is still a lack of high-quality, evidence-based medical evidence supporting a causal relationship between obesity and AH. A causal relationship between obesity and AH is also almost impossible to confirm by randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Our study based on Mendelian randomization (MR) may provide a higher level of evidence-based medical support for the relationship between obesity and AH. Body mass index (BMI) is the most common measure used for defining obesity. Finally, we employed two-sample Mendelian randomization (TSMR) to explore the causal relationship between BMI and AH.AH-related single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) data were obtained from the FinnGen Biobank (FB), and BMI-related single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) data were obtained from the UK Biobank (UKB). Genetic loci are used as instrumental variables (IVs), methods such as inverse variance weighted (IVW) were used for two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis, and the odds ratio (OR) value was used to evaluate the causal relationship between BMI and AH.The results of the horizontal pleiotropy test were calculated by Egger-intercept method: p = 0.34 0.05. The Cochran Q test of MR-Egger method and IVW method showed heterogeneity P = 0.03 0.05, so the IVW random effect model was used as the gold standard. We found a genetically determined 1-standard deviation (SD) increment of BMI causally increased a 66.0% risk of AH (N = 371 SNPs, OR = 1.66, 95% CI 1.46-1.89, p = 1.55E-14) based on the IVW random effect model which was almost consistent with the results of other seven methods.Our MR found genetic evidence for BMI and AH. The risk of developing AH increases with the number of BMI. This finding provides further evidence that maintaining a healthy BMI can prevent the development of AH. In addition, clinicians may need to focus on the potential risk of AH on some high-BMI patients.

A 53-year-old female patient with pulmonary nodules for more than 3 years was admitted to Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital because of cough and sputum with shortness of breath after exercise for 4 months. In the first two and a half years, her pulmonary nodules remained stable, after that the nodules increased obviously with interstitial changes. After admission, a venous thromboembolic (VTE) event was quickly detected with a marked increase in D-dimer. Then, based on the clues of VTE examination, bronchoscopy, gastroscope, positron emission tomography-CT, head magnetic resonance and other examinations were performed. The final pathological diagnosis was lung adenocarcinoma, mainly solid with mucus secretion, with mediastinal hilar lymph node metastasis, intrapulmonary metastasis and gastric metastasis. Gene detection of lung and stomach histopathological tissues showed positive EML4-ALK fusion gene. The patient received therapies with crizotinib, alectinib in sequence and anticoagulation. After 20-month treatment, a telephone follow-up showed that there was no significant limitation in her daily activities.患者女，53岁，因“发现肺部结节3年余，咳嗽、咳痰伴活动后气短4个月”入院。起初两年半余患者肺部结节影变化不明显，此后结节明显增多伴间质性改变。入院后首先以D-二聚体明显增高为线索，发现静脉血栓栓塞症（VTE）事件。此后又以VTE查因为线索，完善支气管镜病理、胃镜病理、正电子发射计算机断层显像（PET-CT）、头部磁共振等检查，最终病理证实为肺腺癌，以实性为主伴黏液分泌型，伴纵隔肺门淋巴结转移、肺内转移、胃转移。肺部及胃部病理组织基因检测均显示EML4-ALK融合基因阳性，给予患者依次口服克唑替尼、阿来替尼靶向药物以及抗凝等治疗20个月后电话随访，患者诉日常活动无明显受限。.

患者女，55岁。因“体检发现双肾肿物半个月余”入院，行双肾肿物切除。镜下显示肿瘤呈推挤样生长，与正常组织分界清，个别结节内见纤维化玻璃样变的分隔，间质极少。肿瘤细胞排列成腺管状、腺泡状、巢团状，间以丰富的薄壁血管。肿瘤细胞胞质丰富，部分嗜酸性颗粒状、部分淡染空泡状甚至透明，胞膜清晰；细胞核大，核仁清晰，可见奇异核，双核及核周空晕。免疫组织化学显示肿瘤表达PAX8、CD117及SDHB，部分表达细胞角蛋白7。患者外周血基因检测显示FLCN基因第11号外显子1285号碱基位缺失。结合患者胸部CT显示的多发肺大疱及面部的白色丘疹，诊断为Birt-Hogg-Dubé综合征相关肾细胞肿瘤。.

“Green” hydrogen produced using electrolysis and zero-carbon electricity may be a path for the EU to reduce its dependence on natural gas imports and support the green transition. The EU uses 10 Mt of natural gas yearly for hydrogen production, representing a potential 120 GW market for the wind industry. Placing the hydrogen production (electrolysers) near the energy source (wind turbines) instead of the consumer (e.g. fertiliser producers) changes the energy transportation from power to hydrogen and opens new design possibilities. This work investigates how an off-grid wind turbine designed for hydrogen production may differ from a traditional one. The paper first describes the numerical modelling framework used to estimate the hydrogen production and cost of a “hydrogen wind turbine.” The main parameters of the system (generator rating, rotor diameter, electrolyser rating and battery capacity) are then optimised to reduce the levelised cost of hydrogen (LCOH). Results show that an LCOH-optimised wind turbine should have a lower specific power (i.e. a larger rotor) than an LCOE-optimised design. We find a 7% LCOH reduction compared to the reference system, opening the door for future wind turbines designed directly for hydrogen production.

Gut microbiomes, such as the microbial community that colonizes the rumen, have vast catabolic potential and play a vital role in host health and nutrition. By expanding our understanding of metabolic pathways in these ecosystems, we will garner foundational information for manipulating microbiome structure and function to influence host physiology. Currently, our knowledge of metabolic pathways relies heavily on inferences derived from metagenomics or culturing bacteria in vitro. However, novel approaches targeting specific cell physiologies can illuminate the functional potential encoded within microbial (meta)genomes to provide accurate assessments of metabolic abilities. Using fluorescently labeled polysaccharides, we visualized carbohydrate metabolism performed by single bacterial cells in a complex rumen sample, enabling a rapid assessment of their metabolic phenotype. Specifically, we identified bovine-adapted strains of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron that metabolized yeast mannan in the rumen microbiome ex vivo and discerned the mechanistic differences between two distinct carbohydrate foraging behaviors, referred to as “medium grower” and “high grower.” Using comparative whole-genome sequencing, RNA-seq, and carbohydrate-active enzyme fingerprinting, we could elucidate the strain-level variability in carbohydrate utilization systems of the two foraging behaviors to help predict individual strategies of nutrient acquisition. Here, we present a multi-faceted study using complimentary next-generation physiology and “omics” approaches to characterize microbial adaptation to a prebiotic in the rumen ecosystem. Video abstract Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40168-020-00975-x.

Study question Does a history of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination (CoronaVac) in males influence male fertility, gamete and embryo development, and in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes? Summary answer CoronaVac vaccination in males may not have an adverse effect on patient’s performance or the gamete and embryonic development potential during ART treatments. What is known already Vaccines against COVID-19 have been approved for emergency use in several countries and regions, while concerns about the potential negative effect of vaccines on fertility contributed to vaccine hesitancy. It is urgent to explore the effect of CoronaVac on human fertility to help to overcome vaccine hesitancy about possible fertility impairment. Study design, size, duration A retrospective cohort study enrolled couples undergoing IVF cycles between June and August 2021 at Reproductive Medicine Centre, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology. According to the history of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in males, the participants were divided into the vaccination group and the non-vaccination group. Participants/materials, setting, methods A self-controlled study of semen analyses for males before and after CoronaVac vaccination was conducted. Baseline characteristics were matched using propensity score matching. Participants were categorized into the unexposed group (non-vaccination) and exposed group (vaccination), and the population was 271 for each. Semen parameters and IVF outcomes were the main outcomes. Main results and the role of chance Generally, no statistically significant differences were exhibited between the matched cohorts regarding embryo developmental parameters, including fertilization rate, cleavage rate, high-quality embryo rate, blastocyst formation rate, and available blastocyst rate, as well as clinical outcomes, such as implantation rate, biochemical pregnancy rate, and clinical pregnancy rate. Moreover, males after vaccination seemed to have fluctuated semen parameters including increased semen volume, lower motility, and decreased normal forms of sperms, while the motile sperm counts were similar. In addition, all semen parameters were above the lower reference limits. Limitations, reasons for caution It was a single-center retrospective cohort study with a small sample size, and the men enrolled were suffering from infertility, which limited the generalizability of the conclusions. In addition, the endpoint of the current is a confirmation of clinical pregnancy, a study with a longer period of follow-up was urgent. Wider implications of the findings Our findings suggested that CoronaVac vaccinations in males may not have adverse effects on patient’s performance or the gamete and embryonic development potential during ART treatments. Larger studies among a wider population with longer follow-up in the future are required to support and validate our observations. Trial registration number not applicable

Arterial stiffness is a common issue that may represent an indicator of vascular ageing. We aimed to investigate the association of arterial stiffness with the risk of functional disability and mobility limitation in older adults.Prospective cohort study.A total of 1699 older adults from the Rugao Longitudinal Ageing Study were included and analysed.Arterial stiffness was assessed by brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV). Functional disability and mobility limitation were evaluated by the activities of daily living and the Timed Up and Go test, respectively. The associations of baPWV and risk of functional disability and mobility limitation were analysed using logistic regression models. Restricted cubic spline regressions were applied to estimate the possible nonlinear relationships between them.During the 3.5-year follow-up, 97 (10.00%) and 285 (31.11%) individuals were defined as new-onset functional disability and mobility limitation, respectively. After adjusting for confounding factors, elevated baPWV was significantly associated with a higher risk of incident functional disability (odds ratio [OR] 1.18, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.06-1.31) and mobility limitation (OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.01-1.16). Additionally, consistent results were obtained from the stratified analyses of the different subgroups. Multivariable restricted cubic spline regression analysis further demonstrated that a near-linear association occurred between baPWV and the risk of incident functional disability and mobility limitation (P-overall0.01, P-nonlinear0.05).Arterial stiffness, as assessed by baPWV, was associated with the risk of functional disability and mobility limitation in this community-based cohort, and these associations were nearly linear.