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Ecological restoration of rare earth element (REE) mining areas has become a key component in the sustainable development of the ion-adsorption-type REE industry. Current studies on ecological restoration assessments are mainly based on a comparison of REE mining ranges conducted over two or more periods, therefore, the dynamic evolution of spatial patterns for REE mining and vegetation recovery remains to be elucidated. Rapid advances in remote sensing techniques, along with the cloud-based Google Earth Engine (GEE), can provide an effective and convenient observation strategy for monitoring the environment in mining areas. In this study, we propose a hybrid method consisting of a random forest (RF) classifier and Landsat-based detection of trends in disturbance and recovery (LandTrendr) to identify and monitor the disturbance of REE mining and vegetation recovery in REE mining areas in the southern Jiangxi Province of China from 1988 to 2021 based on the GEE platform. The results reveal that REE mining activities were widespread in the study area, and the spatial distribution of REE mining areas was highly dispersed. The total area of REE mining in the study region was 93.14 km2, and the greatest REE mining activity was observed in the year 2006. As of 2021, the vegetation coverage area in the REE mining zone reached 47.44 km2, with a recovery rate of 50.93%. Among the seven counties in the study area, Longnan county had the lowest level of vegetation recovery in REE mining areas. A total of 95% of the vegetation recovery events in REE mining areas lasted between 1 and 18 years. These observations suggest that LandTrendr efficiently captured REE mining-induced disturbances and vegetation recovery and offers important reference data for the formulation of mining area restoration strategies. The results can provide a referable basis for the ecological restoration of southern Jiangxi Province, China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In robot grinding, the path planning has always been the main factor affecting the grinding efficiency. To improve the accuracy and automation level of robot grinding, a novel path planning method based on workpiece point cloud is proposed for the grinding of weld seam on curved surface. First, the point cloud of workpiece is obtained by the binocular structured light camera. After data preprocessing, this paper presents a novel approach of tangent planes determination based on the idea of point cloud slicing, which involves 3D projection and image binary extraction. Second, an approach for extracting the weld feature points is proposed based on the deviation term. By calculating the intersecting points between tangent planes and workpiece point cloud, this approach identifies the weld profile and extracts the feature points located in weld center. Then, to reduce the vibration in grinding, the feature points are polynomial fitted to generate a continuous weld grinding path, and a method of posture planning for grinding tool is presented based on grinding tool model and grinding process. Finally, this paper builds the "robot + 3D vision" platform and designs the grinding actuator, the effectiveness of this proposed method is verified by experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the central control component in aerospace products, SRAM-based FPGA finds extensive application in space. In its operational context, the space radiation environment introduces single event effect (SEE) and space electrostatic discharge effect (SESD) in FPGAs. This paper investigates SEE and SESD in SRAM-based FPGA using an integrated simulation method that combines device-level and circuit-level analyses. The findings reveal that the distinction in signal transmission primarily lies in the number of upsets and their correlation with the initial state. SEE can lead to single-bit or multi-bit upsets in SRAM, while SESD typically induces multi-bit upsets (MBU) in SRAM. Furthermore, the logic upset caused by SEE exhibits almost no correlation with the initial state of SRAM. Conversely, the upset caused by SESD is linked to the initial state, and the threshold voltage of Single Event Upsets (SEU) in different initial states is not uniform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An electrochemical sensor for detecting ketoprofen was constructed by in-situ grown copper cobaltate (CuCo2O4) nanoneedle arrays on a carbon cloth (CC) substrate. The resulting porous nanoneedle arrays not only expose numerous electrochemically active sites but also significantly enhance the electrochemical apparent active area and current transmission efficiency. By leveraging its electrochemical properties, the sensor achieves an impressive detection limit for ketoprofen of 0.7 pM, with a linear range spanning from 2 pM ~ 2 µM. Furthermore, the sensor exhibits remarkable reproducibility, anti-interference capabilities, and stability. Notably, the developed sensor also performed ketoprofen detection on real samples (including drug formulations and wastewater) and demonstrated excellent recognition ability. These exceptional performances can be attributed to the direct growth of CuCo2O4 nanoneedle arrays on the CC substrate, which facilitates a robust electrical connection, provides abundant electrocatalytic active sites, and expands the apparent active area. Consequently, these improvements contribute to the efficient trace detection capabilities of the ketoprofen sensor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbazole compounds are widely used in determining the direction of petroleum migration, but the effect of thermal maturity on carbazoles is still ambiguity. In this paper, using compaction pyrolysis simulation experiments, artificial mature samples with vitrinite reflectance (Ro) range from 0.38 to 3.0% were acquired. And the content and composition change characteristics of carbazole compounds were analyzed in coal source rocks. The experimental results showed that thermal maturity controls the generation of a large amount of carbazole compounds in coal rocks. Compared with the low mature stage, the content of carbazole compounds was about 10–100 times higher in the mature stage. With the increasing maturity, in the coal sample, the content of carbazole compounds showed a trend of first increasing and then decreasing. In derivatives of carbazole, the corresponding maturity for the maximum generation of ethylcarbazole (EC), dimethylcarbazole (DMCA), methylcarbazole (MCA), carbazole (CA) and benzocarbazole (BCA) performed the increasing sequence. With the increasing maturity, the relative abundance of 2-MCA, 1,7-DMCA and benzo[a]carbazole increased with the increasing maturity, while 4-MCA, 1,4-DMCA and benzo[c]carbazole gradually decreased. Benzocarbazole ratio [a]/[a] +[ c] varies only in a narrow range 0.36–0.61 in the entire maturity range, suggesting limited maturity dependence. The experimental conclusion provides more theoretical basis for future geochemical analysis using carbazole compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BAZ2A, an epigenetic regulatory factor that affects ribosomal RNA transcription, has been shown to be highly expressed in several cancers and promotes tumor cell migration. This study explored the expression and mechanism of BAZ2A in tumorigenesis at the pan-cancer level. The Cancer Genome Atlas, Gene Expression Omnibus databases and TIMER2.0, cBioPortal and other tools were used to analyze the level of expression of BAZ2A in various tumor tissues and to examine the relationship between BAZ2A and survival, prognosis, mutation and immune invasion. In vitro experiments were performed to assess the function of BAZ2A in cancer cells. Using combined transcriptome and proteome analysis, we examined the possible mechanism of BAZ2A in tumors. BAZ2A exhibited high expression levels in multiple tumor tissues and displayed a significant association with cancer patient prognosis. The main type of BAZ2A genetic variation in cancer is gene mutation. Downregulation of BAZ2A inhibited proliferation, migration, and invasion and promoted apoptosis in LM6 liver cancer cell. The mechanism of BAZ2A in cancer development may involve lipid metabolism. These results help expand our understanding of BAZ2A in tumorigenesis and development and suggest BAZ2A may serve as a prognostic and diagnostic factor in several cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BAZ2A, an epigenetic regulatory factor that affects ribosomal RNA transcription, has been shown to be highly expressed in several cancers and promotes tumor cell migration. This study explored the expression and mechanism of BAZ2A in tumorigenesis at the pan-cancer level. The Cancer Genome Atlas, Gene Expression Omnibus databases and TIMER2.0, cBioPortal and other tools were used to analyze the level of expression of BAZ2A in various tumor tissues and to examine the relationship between BAZ2A and survival, prognosis, mutation and immune invasion. In vitro experiments were performed to assess the function of BAZ2A in cancer cells. Using combined transcriptome and proteome analysis, we examined the possible mechanism of BAZ2A in tumors. BAZ2A exhibited high expression levels in multiple tumor tissues and displayed a significant association with cancer patient prognosis. The main type of BAZ2A genetic variation in cancer is gene mutation. Downregulation of BAZ2A inhibited proliferation, migration, and invasion and promoted apoptosis in LM6 liver cancer cell. The mechanism of BAZ2A in cancer development may involve lipid metabolism. These results help expand our understanding of BAZ2A in tumorigenesis and development and suggest BAZ2A may serve as a prognostic and diagnostic factor in several cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the pace of life accelerating, multitasking has become the norm in daily life. According to research, multiple cognitive processes, including numerical reasoning, comprehension, and writing, are negatively affected by multitasking. However, only a few studies have investigated the relationship between multitasking and metacognition. In this study, the effect of multitasking on metacognition was examined using a prospective monitoring paradigm (prediction of subsequent recall performance). In Experiment 1, the participants simultaneously studied word pairs (primary task) and differentiated between different sound pitches (secondary task) and then predicted their performance in a subsequent memory test for the studied word pairs (prospective metacognitive monitoring). The accuracy of metacognitive evaluation with multitasking was then compared with that without multitasking. In Experiment 2, sounds and icons of real-life applications were used to improve the ecological validity of the experiment in the secondary task. The results indicated that multitasking impaired metacognition in both artificial and real-life simulated scenarios. In addition, the participants who engaged in more media multitasking in their daily lives exhibited poorer metacognitive monitoring abilities in single tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: By radiomic analysis of the postcontrast CT images, this study aimed to predict locoregional recurrence (LR) of locally advanced oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) and hypopharyngeal cancer (HPC). Methods: A total of 192 patients with stage III–IV OPC or HPC from two independent cohort were randomly split into a training cohort with 153 cases and a testing cohort with 39 cases. Only primary tumor mass was manually segmented. Radiomic features were extracted using PyRadiomics, and then the support vector machine was used to build the radiomic model with fivefold cross-validation process in the training data set. For each case, a radiomics score was generated to indicate the probability of LR. Results: There were 94 patients with LR assigned in the progression group and 98 patients without LR assigned in the stable group. There was no significant difference of TNM staging, treatment strategies and common risk factors between these two groups. For the training data set, the radiomics model to predict LR showed 83.7% accuracy and 0.832 (95% CI 0.72, 0.87) area under the ROC curve (AUC). For the test data set, the accuracy and AUC slightly declined to 79.5% and 0.770 (95% CI 0.64, 0.80), respectively. The sensitivity/specificity of training and test data set for LR prediction were 77.6%/89.6%, and 66.7%/90.5%, respectively. Conclusions: The image-based radiomic approach could provide a reliable LR prediction model in locally advanced OPC and HPC. Early identification of those prone to post-treatment recurrence would be helpful for appropriate adjustments to treatment strategies and post-treatment surveillance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To clarify the interocular asymmetry of corneal morphological descriptors and evaluate its discriminant ability of keratoconus (KC). Methods: This retrospective study recruited 344 normal participants and 290 KC patients, randomized to training and validation datasets. Interocular correlation and agreement were evaluated on 44 corneal morphological descriptors derived from Schiempflug tomography. Logistic regression models were constructed using binocular data and of which diagnostic performance was evaluated using the area under receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC), net reclassification improvement (NRI), and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI). Results: Interocular agreement of corneal descriptors is better in the normal than in KC except for dimensions of cornea and anterior chamber. The interocular asymmetry increases along with the severity of KC. Interocular asymmetry in maximum anterior keratometry, mean anterior keratometry and higher-order aberrations of anterior surface show high AUC above 0.950. Binocular logistic regression index reaches an AUC of 0.963 with high specificity (95.2%) and brings gain to monocular parameters in distinguishing the normal eyes from KC (NRI = 0.080 (0.042 ~ 0.118), P < 0.001) and IDI = 0.071 (0.049 ~ 0.092), P < 0.001). Interocular asymmetry benefits even more in subclinical keratoconus (SKC) detection reflected by NRI (0.4784 (0.2703–0.6865), P < 0.001) and IDI (0.2680 (0.1495–0.3866), P < 0.001) measures. Conclusion: Interocular asymmetry is a well-characterized feature of KC and related to the severity. It is feasible to apply the interocular asymmetry in diagnosis of KC and SKC as a replenishment of monocular parameters and in progression tracking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the clinical efficacy and feasibility of the surgical treatment of thoracic spinal tuberculosis using one-stage posterior instrumentation, transpedicular debridement, and hemi-interbody and unilateral posterior bone grafting. Methods: Fifty-six patients with thoracic spinal tuberculosis who underwent surgery performed by a single surgeon between September 2009 and August 2020 were enrolled in this study. Based on data from the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and Cobb angle before surgery, after surgery, and at the most recent follow-up, clinical effectiveness was assessed using statistical analysis. The variables investigated included operating time, blood loss, complications, neurological function, and hemi-interbody fusion. Results: None of the patients experienced significant surgery-associated complications. At the last follow-up, 23 of the 25 patients (92%) with neurological impairment showed improvement. The thoracic kyphotic angle was significantly decreased from 24.1 ± 9.9° to 13.4 ± 8.6° after operation (P < 0.05), and the angle was 14.44 ± 8.8° at final follow-up (P < 0.05). The Visual Analog Scale significantly decreased from 6.7 ± 1.4 preoperatively to 2.3 ± 0.8 postoperatively (P < 0.05) and finally to 1.2 ± 0.7 at the last follow-up (P < 0.05). Bone fusion was confirmed in 56 patients at 3–6 months postoperatively. Conclusions: One-stage posterior transpedicular debridement, hemi-interbody and unilateral posterior bone grafting, and instrumentation are effective and feasible treatment methods for thoracic spinal tuberculosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Preeclampsia is a common pregnancy complication with serious potential risks for maternal and neonatal health. Early prediction of preeclampsia is crucial for timely prevention, surveillance, and treatment to improve maternal and neonatal outcomes. This systematic review aimed to summarize the available evidence on the prediction of preeclampsia based on Doppler ultrasound of uterine arteries at different gestational ages. Methods: A systematic literature search and meta-analysis were conducted to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the pulsatility index of Doppler ultrasound of uterine arteries for predicting preeclampsia. The timing of ultrasound scans within and beyond 20 weeks of gestational age was compared to assess its effect on the sensitivity and specificity of the pulsatility index. Results: This meta-analysis included 27 studies and 81,673 subjects (3309 preeclampsia patients and 78,364 controls). The pulsatility index had moderate sensitivity (0.586) and high specificity for predicting preeclampsia (0.879) (summary point: sensitivity 0.59; 1-specificity 0.12). Subgroup analysis revealed that ultrasound scans performed within 20 weeks of gestational age did not significantly affect the sensitivity and specificity for predicting preeclampsia. The summary receiver operator characteristic curve showed the pulsatility index's optimal range of sensitivity and specificity. Conclusions: The uterine arteries pulsatility index measured by Doppler ultrasound is useful and effective for predicting preeclampsia and should be implemented in the clinical practice. The timing of ultrasound scans at different gestational age ranges does not significantly affect the sensitivity and specificity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the clinical efficacy and feasibility of the surgical treatment of thoracic spinal tuberculosis using one-stage posterior instrumentation, transpedicular debridement, and hemi-interbody and unilateral posterior bone grafting. Methods: Fifty-six patients with thoracic spinal tuberculosis who underwent surgery performed by a single surgeon between September 2009 and August 2020 were enrolled in this study. Based on data from the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and Cobb angle before surgery, after surgery, and at the most recent follow-up, clinical effectiveness was assessed using statistical analysis. The variables investigated included operating time, blood loss, complications, neurological function, and hemi-interbody fusion. Results: None of the patients experienced significant surgery-associated complications. At the last follow-up, 23 of the 25 patients (92%) with neurological impairment showed improvement. The thoracic kyphotic angle was significantly decreased from 24.1 ± 9.9° to 13.4 ± 8.6° after operation (P < 0.05), and the angle was 14.44 ± 8.8° at final follow-up (P < 0.05). The Visual Analog Scale significantly decreased from 6.7 ± 1.4 preoperatively to 2.3 ± 0.8 postoperatively (P < 0.05) and finally to 1.2 ± 0.7 at the last follow-up (P < 0.05). Bone fusion was confirmed in 56 patients at 3–6 months postoperatively. Conclusions: One-stage posterior transpedicular debridement, hemi-interbody and unilateral posterior bone grafting, and instrumentation are effective and feasible treatment methods for thoracic spinal tuberculosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vitamin K2 (menaquinone, VK2, MK) is an essential lipid-soluble vitamin that plays critical roles in inhibiting cell ferroptosis, improving blood clotting, and preventing osteoporosis. The increased global demand for VK2 has inspired interest in novel production strategies. In this review, various novel metabolic regulation strategies, including static and dynamic metabolic regulation, are summarized and discussed. Furthermore, the advantages and disadvantages of both strategies are analyzed in-depth to highlight the bottlenecks facing microbial VK2 production on an industrial scale. Finally, advanced metabolic engineering biotechnology for future microbial VK2 production will also be discussed. In summary, this review provides in-depth information and offers an outlook on metabolic engineering strategies for VK2 production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During our investigation of diatom biodiversity in Xizang, two species exhibited unique morphological features discriminative from all previously known genera. Herein we describe these two species and describe as new the genus, Spargeria gen. nov. The new genus features narrow to wide rectangular valves, narrow valve mantles, filiform raphe branches that occur on the valve face only, terminal raphe fissures straight or slightly deflected to same side, bow-tie shaped central areas, chambered striae present on the valve face only, being absent from the mantle, wider striae near the axial area and very narrow near the margin, multiseriate striae with small and round areolae that are occluded externally. Comparatively, Spargeria zhuii sp. nov. has larger and robust valves, radiate striae, with one divergent stria near the apices, while Spargeria chenia sp. nov. is smaller, with narrow valves, striae slightly radiate in the middle, becoming convergent or parallel near apices. This new genus belongs to the family Pinnulariaceae, and it was compared and contrasted with other genera of this family. Our work suggests the need for continued studies to document the biodiversity of diatoms in Xizang. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excellent soft magnetic properties of the amorphous and nanocrystalline alloys are attributed to their unique microstructure. In this work, Fe73.5Si13.5-xNb3Cu1B9Px (x = 0, 3.5, 7, 10 at. %) amorphous ribbons have been fabricated using the melt spinning technique. The effect of annealing temperature (475 ~ 600 ℃) on the microstructure and soft magnetic properties have been studied. According to the results, the thermal stability of FeSiNbCuBP amorphous alloys was improved by the partial substitution of Si by P. Moreover, it was found that the grain growth of α-Fe (Si) phase can be restrained by the appropriate amount of P addition and result to a grain refinement of the alloys during annealing. Base on refinement grain size (9 nm) and optimal crystallization volume fraction (47%), Fe73.5Si10Nb3Cu1B9P3.5 nanocrystalline alloy with low coercivity of 0.02 A/m and high effective permeability of 3.22 × 104 was developed after annealed at 525 ℃. Besides, we propose that the migration of free electrons from P to Fe could diminish the saturation magnetization of these alloys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Refractory/relapsed idiopathic multicentric Castleman disease (R/R iMCD) has limited treatment options. With studies showing increased mTOR activation in iMCD patients, sirolimus becomes an attractive and promising therapy for R/R iMCD. Here we report the results of a retrospective study involving 26 R/R iMCD patients treated with sirolimus-containing regimen. The median age at sirolimus initiation was 40.5 years (23–60), with a median prior treatment line of 2 (1–5). 18 patients (69.2%) achieved symptomatic and biochemical response, with a median time to at least overall partial remission of 1.9 months (0.5–14.6). The median follow-up time from sirolimus initiation was 11.7 months (1.6–50.7) and the median time to next treatment (TTNT) was 46.2 months. No patients died at the end of follow-up. Most of the patients in the cohort are in ongoing responses and continue sirolimus therapy. Sirolimus is well tolerated with minor adverse effects. In conclusion, sirolimus is effective for R/R iMCD patients with good tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ganoderma lucidum is known for its bioactive compounds, such as polysaccharides and triterpenoids, which are crucial in food and medicine. However, liquid fermentation encounters challenges in terms of strain differentiation and stability. In this research, we employed atmospheric room temperature plasma mutation and a microbial microdroplet culture system to identify strains with enhanced biomass and triterpenoid production. The three mutant strains, YB05, YB09, and YB18, exhibited accelerated growth rates and antagonized the initial strain G0023 more effectively than the controls. Notably, YB18 displayed the fastest growth, with a 17.25% increase in colony radius. Shake flask cultivation demonstrated that, compared with the initial strain, YB05 and YB18 had 26.33% and 17.85% greater biomass, respectively. Moreover, the triterpenoid production of YB05 and YB18 surpassed that of the control by 32.10% and 15.72%, respectively, as confirmed by colorimetric detection. Importantly, these mutant strains remained stable for five generations. This study revealed a comprehensive screening system utilizing atmospheric pressure, room temperature plasma mutation technology and microbial droplet cultivation. This innovative approach offers a promising pathway for obtaining advantageous Ganoderma strains for liquid fermentation. The methodology of atmospheric room temperature plasma mutation and microbial microdroplet culture systems is detailed for better comprehension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, as-received Zn powder and as-prepared Zn@(ZnWO4/ZnO) core–shell powder were used as feedstocks for plasma spraying to prepare Zn-based composite coatings and nano-ZnO was co-deposited by chemical vapor deposition induced by plasma spraying. The composition and morphology were controllable within certain range by plasma spraying power. The photocatalytic activities of the coatings were analyzed by the degradation efficiency of methyl orange (MO) solution. It was found the photocatalytic activity can be improved with ZnWO4 decoration. The Zn/ZnO/ZnWO4 coating which presented tremella-like surface morphology was testified to have the best photocatalytic activity under UV light irradiation among all coatings. On the other hand, the chemical surface modification with 1H,1H,1H,2H-perfluorodecyltriethoxysilane (FAS-17) was implemented to produce superhydrophobic coatings. Among all modified coatings, the ZnWO4-containing coating with tremella-like surface structure presented the best superhydrophobicity. By the cyclic wetting and tape adhesion experiments, the tremella-like structure was proved to make a great improvement on the robustness of the Zn-based superhydrophobic coatings. The superhydrophobic and photocatalytic properties provide the possibility for the application of the coating in the fields of antifouling, antibacterial, and photocatalytic degradation of organics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we consider the following perturbed fractional Hamiltonian systems { t D ∞ α (− ∞ D t α u (t)) + L (t) u (t) = ∇ u W (t , u (t)) + ∇ u G (t , u (t)) , t ∈ ℝ , u ∈ H α (ℝ , ℝ N) , where α ∈ (1 / 2 , 1 ] , L ∈ C (ℝ , ℝ N × N) is symmetric and not necessarily required to be positive definite, W ∈ C 1 (ℝ × ℝ N , ℝ) is locally subquadratic and locally even near the origin, and perturbed term G ∈ C 1 (ℝ × ℝ N , ℝ) maybe has no parity in u. Utilizing the perturbed method improved by the authors, a sequence of nontrivial homoclinic solutions is obtained, which generalizes previous results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Members of the permease gene family are responsible for important biological functions in the growth and development of rice. Here, we show that OsAAP8 is a constitutive expression gene, and its translated protein is localized on the cell membrane. Mutation of the OsAAP8 can promote the expression of genes related to protein and amylopectin synthesis, and also promote the enlargement of protein bodies in its endosperm, leading to an increase in the protein, amylopectin, and total amino acid content of grains in OsAAP8 mutants. Seeds produced by the OsAAP8 mutant were larger, and the chalkiness traits of the OsAAP8 mutants were significantly reduced, thereby improving the nutritional quality and appearance of rice grains. The OsAAP8 protein is involved in the transport of various amino acids; OsAAP8 mutation significantly enhanced the root absorption of a range of amino acids and might affect the distribution of various amino acids. Therefore, OsAAP8 is an important quality trait gene with multiple biological functions, which provides important clues for the molecular design of breeding strategies for developing new high-quality varieties of rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aimed to explore the long-term impacts of exposure to earthquake in adolescence on later-life cognitive function in China.Data were from the 2015 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). Our analytical sample comprised 4394 participants aged 49 to 78 from two birth cohorts born between 1937 and 1966: exposed cohort during adolescence (born between 1952 and 1966), and non-exposed cohort during adolescence (born between 1937 and 1951). We defined earthquake exposure as the exposure severity of the 1976 Great Tangshan Earthquake (GTE). We selected community environmental characteristics as our key moderators. A difference-in-differences (DID) method was employed to estimate the long-term impact of the GTE on later-life cognitive function.We found that exposure to the earthquake during adolescence resulted in higher scores of later-life cognitive function (for males: β = 2.18; 95% CI: 0.70–3.66; for females: β = 1.22; 95% CI: 0.11–2.33). For males, this impact was moderated by community environmental characteristics including the old-age allowance program (β = 3.07; 95% CI: 1.94–4.19) and the condition of basic community infrastructures (β = 1.52; 95% CI: 0.84–2.19).Our study supports the post-traumatic growth theory. This finding suggest that individuals with early-life traumatic exposure need to be focused on. Additionally, improving the conditions of community infrastructures and establishing a community environment with comfort and security may be pretty important for promoting cognitive function and post-traumatic growth.Methods: This study aimed to explore the long-term impacts of exposure to earthquake in adolescence on later-life cognitive function in China.Data were from the 2015 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). Our analytical sample comprised 4394 participants aged 49 to 78 from two birth cohorts born between 1937 and 1966: exposed cohort during adolescence (born between 1952 and 1966), and non-exposed cohort during adolescence (born between 1937 and 1951). We defined earthquake exposure as the exposure severity of the 1976 Great Tangshan Earthquake (GTE). We selected community environmental characteristics as our key moderators. A difference-in-differences (DID) method was employed to estimate the long-term impact of the GTE on later-life cognitive function.We found that exposure to the earthquake during adolescence resulted in higher scores of later-life cognitive function (for males: β = 2.18; 95% CI: 0.70–3.66; for females: β = 1.22; 95% CI: 0.11–2.33). For males, this impact was moderated by community environmental characteristics including the old-age allowance program (β = 3.07; 95% CI: 1.94–4.19) and the condition of basic community infrastructures (β = 1.52; 95% CI: 0.84–2.19).Our study supports the post-traumatic growth theory. This finding suggest that individuals with early-life traumatic exposure need to be focused on. Additionally, improving the conditions of community infrastructures and establishing a community environment with comfort and security may be pretty important for promoting cognitive function and post-traumatic growth.Results: This study aimed to explore the long-term impacts of exposure to earthquake in adolescence on later-life cognitive function in China.Data were from the 2015 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). Our analytical sample comprised 4394 participants aged 49 to 78 from two birth cohorts born between 1937 and 1966: exposed cohort during adolescence (born between 1952 and 1966), and non-exposed cohort during adolescence (born between 1937 and 1951). We defined earthquake exposure as the exposure severity of the 1976 Great Tangshan Earthquake (GTE). We selected community environmental characteristics as our key moderators. A difference-in-differences (DID) method was employed to estimate the long-term impact of the GTE on later-life cognitive function.We found that exposure to the earthquake during adolescence resulted in higher scores of later-life cognitive function (for males: β = 2.18; 95% CI: 0.70–3.66; for females: β = 1.22; 95% CI: 0.11–2.33). For males, this impact was moderated by community environmental characteristics including the old-age allowance program (β = 3.07; 95% CI: 1.94–4.19) and the condition of basic community infrastructures (β = 1.52; 95% CI: 0.84–2.19).Our study supports the post-traumatic growth theory. This finding suggest that individuals with early-life traumatic exposure need to be focused on. Additionally, improving the conditions of community infrastructures and establishing a community environment with comfort and security may be pretty important for promoting cognitive function and post-traumatic growth.Conclusions: This study aimed to explore the long-term impacts of exposure to earthquake in adolescence on later-life cognitive function in China.Data were from the 2015 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). Our analytical sample comprised 4394 participants aged 49 to 78 from two birth cohorts born between 1937 and 1966: exposed cohort during adolescence (born between 1952 and 1966), and non-exposed cohort during adolescence (born between 1937 and 1951). We defined earthquake exposure as the exposure severity of the 1976 Great Tangshan Earthquake (GTE). We selected community environmental characteristics as our key moderators. A difference-in-differences (DID) method was employed to estimate the long-term impact of the GTE on later-life cognitive function.We found that exposure to the earthquake during adolescence resulted in higher scores of later-life cognitive function (for males: β = 2.18; 95% CI: 0.70–3.66; for females: β = 1.22; 95% CI: 0.11–2.33). For males, this impact was moderated by community environmental characteristics including the old-age allowance program (β = 3.07; 95% CI: 1.94–4.19) and the condition of basic community infrastructures (β = 1.52; 95% CI: 0.84–2.19).Our study supports the post-traumatic growth theory. This finding suggest that individuals with early-life traumatic exposure need to be focused on. Additionally, improving the conditions of community infrastructures and establishing a community environment with comfort and security may be pretty important for promoting cognitive function and post-traumatic growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to a comprehensive analysis of regional geology–geophysics, this article focuses on structural conditions for dry hot rocks in the middle section of the northern margin of the North China Block and adjacent areas, revealing the controlling effect of the structure of dry hot rock reservoirs. Based on processing the latest high-precision data from an aeromagnetic survey, studying the characteristics of aeromagnetic anomalies such as geophysical field boundaries, anomaly zones, and anomaly dislocation lines, and quantitative calculation results of wavelet analysis and other methods, this study discusses the characteristics, scales, and cutting relationships and further clarifies the levels, active periods, and relative strengths of the faults in the middle section of the northern margin of the North China Block and its adjacent areas. According to their aeromagnetic data and aeromagnetic identification mark, faults in the studying region are determined in detail. The study region mainly develops four groups of regional faults. The main faults in this region are in the near-EW, NE, SN, and NW directions. Their interlacing and overlapping constitute the complex structural features of the study area and control regional magmatic activity. The deep faults are important channels for upwelling deep heat sources and the eruption or intrusion of magma. The control degree of regional faults in different directions on magmatic activity differs. Next, we discuss the fault system and its mutual control and propose that the faults in the near-NW direction also have great importance in tectonic evolution in the northern part of the North China Block and merit more attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article titled "Retraction Note: A New Porous Metal–Organic Framework Constructed from 2, 5-Thiophenedicarboxylate and Melamine Ligands: Catalysis Dye Degradation and Anti-tumor Activity in Myocardioma" has been retracted by the Editor-in-Chief and the Publisher of the Journal of Cluster Science. The retraction was prompted by evidence of systematic manipulation of the publication process, including issues with citations, phrasing, figures, and ethics approval statements. The authors have not responded to correspondence regarding the retraction. Springer Nature, the publisher, remains neutral in regards to jurisdictional claims and institutional affiliations. [Extracted from the article]

Thermoelectric generation (TEG)-based waste heat recovery technology is an example of a low-grade energy recovery application. This study proposes a waste heat recovery system that can store the recovered energy and run low-power automotive car lamps. Experimental analysis was conducted to examine the output characteristics of the TEG-based waste heat recovery system, focusing on how the structural components and operational parameters influenced these characteristics. The study also explored and optimized the working strategy of the system for driving light-emitting diode (LED) car lamps. Both the dynamic output characteristics of the system and the lighting attenuation rule of the lamps were evaluated. The results revealed that increasing the heating temperature would improve the recovered energy of the system. However, when a high-power LED chip was used for heat generation instead of an electrically controlled heating plate, a slightly larger amount of energy was collected at the expense of a slightly lower thermoelectric conversion rate. Furthermore, connecting a supercapacitor to the waste heat recovery system for energy storage increased the operational time of the lamps. The supercapacitor also served as a buffer for power and voltage fluctuations caused by variations in the heating temperature. These findings demonstrate that the waste heat recovery system not only meets the requirements of the LED car lamps but can also power other low-voltage and low-power devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) are commonly used first-line drugs for treating cerebral thrombosis and stroke in China. However, the synchronized and targeted delivery of active ingredients in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) poses a significant challenge for modern TCM formulations. Methods: Bovine serum albumin (BSA) was modified using 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC), an analog of acetylcholine, and subsequently adsorbed the major PNS onto the modified albumin to produce MPC-BSA@PNS nanoparticles (NPs). This novel delivery system facilitated efficient and synchronized transport of PNS across the blood–brain barrier (BBB) through active transport mediated by nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Results: In vitro experiments demonstrated that the transport rates of R1, Rg1, Rb1, and Rd across the BBB were relatively synchronous in MPC-BSA@PNS NPs compared to those in the PNS solution. Additionally, animal experiments revealed that the brain-targeting efficiencies of R1 + Rg1 + Rb1 in MPC-BSA@PNS NPs were 2.02 and 7.73 times higher than those in BSA@PNS NPs and the free PNS group, respectively. Conclusions: This study presents a simple and feasible approach for achieving the targeted delivery of complex active ingredient clusters in TCM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Propagating chiral magnetic waves (CMW) are expected to exist in chiral plasmas due to the interplay between the chiral magnetic and chiral separation effects induced by the presence of a chiral anomaly. Unfortunately, it was pointed out that, because of the effects of electric conductivity and dissipation, CMW are overdamped and therefore their signatures are unlikely to be seen in heavy-ion collision experiments and in the quark gluon plasma. Nonetheless, the chiral anomaly plays a fundamental role in Weyl semimetals and their anomalous transport properties as well. Hence, CMW could be potentially observed in topological semimetals using table-top experiments. By using a holographic model for strongly coupled Weyl semimetals, we investigate in detail the nature of CMW in presence of Coulomb interactions and axial charge relaxation and estimate whether, and in which regimes, CMW could be observed as underdamped collective excitations in topological materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Emergency presentation (EP) of cancer, a new cancer diagnosis made following an emergency department (ED) visit, is associated with worse patient outcomes and greater organizational stress on healthcare systems. Pancreatic cancer has the highest rate of EPs among European studies but remains understudied in the U.S. Aims: To evaluate the association between pancreatic cancer EPs and cancer stage, treatment, and survival. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study among patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma diagnosed from 2007 to 2019 at a tertiary-care Veterans Affairs medical center. Electronic health records were reviewed to identify EP cases, defined as a new pancreatic cancer diagnosis made within 30 days of an ED visit where cancer was suspected. We used multivariate logistic regression models and Cox proportional hazards models to examine the associations between EPs and cancer stage, treatment, and survival. Results: Of 243 pancreatic cancer patients, 66.7% had EPs. There was no difference in stage by EP status. However, patients diagnosed through EPs were 72% less likely to receive cancer treatment compared to non-emergency presenters (adjusted OR 0.28; 95% CI 0.13–0.57). Patients with EPs also had a 73% higher mortality risk (adjusted HR 1.73; 95% CI 1.29–2.34). This difference in mortality remained statistically significant after adjusting for cancer stage and receipt of cancer treatment (adjusted HR 1.47; 95% CI 1.09–1.99). Conclusions: Pancreatic cancer EPs are common and independently associated with lower treatment rates and survival. Enhanced understanding of process breakdowns that lead to EPs can help identify care gaps and inform future quality improvement efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gypsification is a common problem in weathered calcareous relics. In previous studies, the solutions of barium hydroxide in water and methanol were used as protectants for gypsification calcareous relics and showed significant differences in permeability. In this study, the underlying reasons for permeability differences between these two solutions were investigated using optical microscopy, ultraviolet–visible spectrophotometry, X-ray diffractometry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, the phenolphthalein test and physical property characterizations. The results indicated that the permeability differences were primarily caused by the solutions' reactivity. Specifically, owing to the high reactivity of barium hydroxide in water, it reacted rapidly with atmospheric CO2 and gypsum (the weathering product) to generate barium carbonate, barium sulfate and calcium hydroxide precipitates. These precipitates hindered the penetration of solution into weathered relics. In contrast, barium hydroxide in methanol did not react with atmospheric CO2 or weathered relics, which also kept the solution in a liquid state during the infiltration process. Therefore, the solution of barium hydroxide in methanol exhibited high permeability. Based on the above findings, this study is meaningful for applying barium protectants in the conservation of gypsification calcareous relics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objectives: Despite being clinically utilized for the treatment of infections, the limited therapeutic range of polymyxin B (PMB), along with considerable interpatient variability in its pharmacokinetics and frequent occurrence of acute kidney injury, has significantly hindered its widespread utilization. Recent research on the population pharmacokinetics of PMB has provided valuable insights. This study aims to review relevant literature to establish a theoretical foundation for individualized clinical management. Methods: Follow PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines, Pop-PK studies of PMB were searched in PubMed and EMBASE database systems from the inception of the database until March 2023. Result: To date, a total of 22 population-based studies have been conducted, encompassing 756 subjects across six different countries. The recruited population in these studies consisted of critically infected individuals with multidrug-resistant bacteria, patients with varying renal functions, those with cystic fibrosis, kidney or lung transplant recipients, patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) or continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), as well as individuals with obesity or pediatric populations. Among these studies, seven employed a one-compartmental model, with the range of typical clearance (CL) and volume (Vc) being 1.18–2.5L /h and 12.09–47.2 L, respectively. Fifteen studies employed a two-compartmental model, with the ranges of the clearance (CL) and volume of the central compartment (Vc), the volume of the peripheral compartment (Vp), and the intercompartment clearance (Q) were 1.27–8.65 L/h, 5.47–38.6 L, 4.52–174.69 L, and 1.34–24.3 L/h, respectively. Primary covariates identified in these studies included creatinine clearance and body weight, while other covariates considered were CRRT, albumin, age, and SOFA scores. Internal evaluation was conducted in 19 studies, with only one study being externally validated using an independent external dataset. Conclusion: We conclude that small sample sizes, lack of multicentre collaboration, and patient homogeneity are the primary reasons for the discrepancies in the results of the current studies. In addition, most of the studies limited in the internal evaluation, which confined the implementation of model-informed precision dosing strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep learning has achieved great success in academic benchmarks but fails to work effectively in the real world due to the potential dataset bias. The current learning methods are prone to inheriting or even amplifying the bias present in a training dataset and under-represent specific demographic groups. More recently, some dataset debiasing methods have been developed to address the above challenges based on the awareness of protected or sensitive attribute labels. However, the number of protected or sensitive attributes may be considerably large, making it laborious and costly to acquire sufficient manual annotation. To this end, we propose a prototype-based network to dynamically balance the learning of different subgroups for a given dataset. First, an object pattern embedding mechanism is presented to make the network focus on the foreground region. Then we design a prototype learning method to discover and extract the visual patterns from the training data in an unsupervised way. The number of prototypes is dynamic depending on the pattern structure of the feature space. We evaluate the proposed prototype-based network on three widely used polyp segmentation datasets with abundant qualitative and quantitative experiments. Experimental results show that our proposed method outperforms the CNN-based and transformer-based state-of-the-art methods in terms of both effectiveness and fairness metrics. Moreover, extensive ablation studies are conducted to show the effectiveness of each proposed component and various parameter values. Lastly, we analyze how the number of prototypes grows during the training process and visualize the associated subgroups for each learned prototype. The code and data will be released at https://github.com/zijinY/dynamic-prototype-debiasing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: There is still limited knowledge regarding the dynamics of soil microbial community structures and functional groups during forest secondary succession after rubber monocultures (RP) abandonment. Methods: Bacterial and fungal communities and functions were investigated for the soil from six forest stands with three replicate plots. Selected stands included an RP, four spontaneous secondary forest stands that formed after RP abandonment at 1 (SF_1), 10 (SF_10), 20 (SF_20), and 40 (SF_40) years, as well as a primary forest (PF, approximately 100 years). Results: After RP abandonment, the alpha-diversity metrics of soil microbial communities increased during the first 40 years of succession but decreased in PF. The biomarkers Proteobacteria and Mortierellomycota increased significantly (P < 0.05) by 84% and 633% in PF, respectively, while Firmicutes showed a significant decrease of 89% in comparison with SF_1. Secondary succession increased the relative abundance of bacterial functional groups related to carbon cycling and fungal functional groups (especially ericoid mycorrhizal). Soil pH was the main edaphic factor in shaping microbial communities and functions. In addition, soil moisture and seasonal variations had direct impacts on fungal communities and bacterial functions. Conclusions: Collectively, these findings suggest that different successional trajectories occur in bacteria and fungi, owing to their divergent responses to the changes in season, soil moisture, and nutrients. Specifically, the frequent shifts in bacterial dominant phyla during succession, as well as the increased susceptibility of diversity and functional groups to season, indicate that bacteria respond more quickly to disturbances compared to fungi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nucleic acid modifications have attracted increasing attention in recent years since they have been found to be related to a number of diseases including cancer. Previous studies have shown that the early development of endometrial cancer (EC) is often accompanied by changes in methylation levels of related genes, and the expression of related proteins that regulate reactive oxygen species (ROS) shows significant differences in EC cells and tissues. However, it has not been reported whether nucleic acid modifications related to methylation or ROS can serve as biomarkers for EC. Accurate quantification of these nucleic acid modifications still has challenges because their amounts in urine are very low and the interferences in urine are complicated. In this study, a novel dispersive solid-phase extraction (DSPE) method based on chitosan-carbon nanotube-Al2O3 (CS-CNT-Al2O3) has been established for the analysis of 5-hydroxymethyluracil (5 mU), 5-methyl-2′-deoxycytidine (5-mdC), 5-hydroxymethyl-2′-deoxycytidine (5-hmdC), 5-formyl-2′-deoxycytidine (5-fdC), and 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in EC patient urine samples coupled with UHPLC-QE-Orbitrap-MS/MS and HPLC–UV. Firstly, the synthesis of the CS-CNT-Al2O3 nanocomposite was conducted by a sono-coprecipitation method and was characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR). Under the optimal extraction conditions of DSPE, we successfully quantified 5 mU, 5-mdC, 5-hmdC, 5-fdC, and 8-OHdG in urine samples from 37 EC patients and 39 healthy controls. The results showed that there were significant differences in the levels of 5-mdC, 5-hmdC, 5-fdC, and 8-OHdG in EC patients compared to the healthy control group. The receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was carried out to evaluate the potential of 5-mdC, 5-hmdC, 5-fdC, and 8-OHdG to distinguish EC patients from healthy volunteers. The area under the curve (AUC) for 5-mdC, 5-hmdC, 5-fdC, and 8-OHdG was 0.7412, 0.667, 0.8438, and 0.7981, respectively. It indicated that 5-mdC, 5-hmdC, 5-fdC, and 8-OHdG had certain potential in distinguishing between EC patients and healthy volunteers and they could act as potential non-invasive biomarkers for early diagnosis of EC. Moreover, the present study would stimulate investigations of the effects of nucleic acid modifications on the initiation and progression of EC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cell migration is an essential manner of different cell lines that are involved in embryological development, immune responses, tumorigenesis, and metastasis in vivo. Physical confinement derived from crowded tissue microenvironments has pivotal effects on migratory behaviors. Distinct migration modes under a heterogeneous extracellular matrix (ECM) have been extensively studied, uncovering potential molecular mechanisms involving a series of biological processes. Significantly, multi-omics strategies have been launched to provide multi-angle views of complex biological phenomena, facilitating comprehensive insights into molecular regulatory networks during cell migration. In this review, we describe biomimetic devices developed to explore the migratory behaviors of cells induced by different types of confined microenvironments in vitro. We also discuss the results of multi-omics analysis of intrinsic molecular alterations and critical pathway dysregulations of cell migration under heterogeneous microenvironments, highlighting the significance of physical confinement–triggered intracellular signal transduction in order to regulate cellular behaviors. Finally, we discuss both the challenges and promise of mechanistic analysis in confinement-induced cell migration, promoting the development of early diagnosis and precision therapeutics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, we report a novel wheat-infecting marafivirus, tentatively named "Triticum aestivum marafivirus" (TaMRV). The full-length genome sequence of TaMRV comprises 6,437 nucleotides, excluding the poly(A) tail. Pairwise sequence comparisons and phylogenetic analysis revealed that TaMRV may represent a novel species within the genus Marafivirus in the family Tymoviridae. We also observed a mass of isometric particles with a diameter of about 30 nm in ultrathin sections of infected wheat leaf tissue. In addition, the leafhopper Psammotettix alienus was identified as a vector for this virus. This is the first report of the occurrence of a wheat-infecting marafivirus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-light image enhancement based on deep learning has achieved breakthroughs recently. However, the current methods based on deep learning have problems with inadequate resolution enhancement or inadequate contrast. To address these problems, this paper proposes a resolution and contrast fusion network with ConvLSTM (RCFNC) for low-light image enhancement. The network is mainly constructed by four parts, including resolution enhancement branch, contrast enhancement branch, multi-scale feature fusion block (MFFB), and convolution long short-time memory block (ConvLSTM). Specifically, to improve the resolution of the low-light image, a resolution enhancement branch consisting of multi-scale differential feature blocks is proposed, using residual features at different scales to enhance the spatial details of image. To enhance the contrast of the image, a contrast enhancement branch consisting of adaptive convolution residual blocks is introduced to learn the mapping relationship between global and local features in the image. In addition, a weighted fusion is performed using MFFB to better balance the resolution and contrast features obtained from the above branches. Finally, to improve the learning capability of the model, ConvLSTM is added to filter redundant information. Experiments on the LOL, MIT5K, and five benchmark datasets show that RCFNC outperforms current state-of-the-art methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: The innovation of this work mainly lies in the auto-regulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) balance effective by combination of ROS antibacterial and ROS scavenging anti-inflammatory functions with a core–shell nanoplatform (CeO2@ZIF-8/Au), which can not only achieve high antibacterial efficiency, but also promote wound healing, and provide a new idea for the nano-catalytic system in the field of wound healing of bacterial infection. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) plays important roles in living organisms. While ROS is a double-edged sword, which can eliminate drug-resistant bacteria, but excessive levels can cause oxidative damage to cells. A core–shell nanozyme, CeO2@ZIF-8/Au, has been crafted, spontaneously activating both ROS generating and scavenging functions, achieving the multi-faceted functions of eliminating bacteria, reducing inflammation, and promoting wound healing. The Au Nanoparticles (NPs) on the shell exhibit high-efficiency peroxidase-like activity, producing ROS to kill bacteria. Meanwhile, the encapsulation of CeO2 core within ZIF-8 provides a seal for temporarily limiting the superoxide dismutase and catalase-like activities of CeO2 nanoparticles. Subsequently, as the ZIF-8 structure decomposes in the acidic microenvironment, the CeO2 core is gradually released, exerting its ROS scavenging activity to eliminate excess ROS produced by the Au NPs. These two functions automatically and continuously regulate the balance of ROS levels, ultimately achieving the function of killing bacteria, reducing inflammation, and promoting wound healing. Such innovative ROS spontaneous regulators hold immense potential for revolutionizing the field of antibacterial agents and therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Colitis is a global disease usually accompanied by intestinal epithelial damage and intestinal inflammation, and an increasing number of studies have found natural products to be highly effective in treating colitis. Anemoside B4 (AB4), an abundant saponin isolated from Pulsatilla chinensis (Bunge), which was found to have strong anti-inflammatory activity. However, the exact molecular mechanisms and direct targets of AB4 in the treatment of colitis remain to be discovered. Methods: The anti-inflammatory activities of AB4 were verified in LPS-induced cell models and 2, 4, 6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic (TNBS) or dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis mice and rat models. The molecular target of AB4 was identified by affinity chromatography analysis using chemical probes derived from AB4. Experiments including proteomics, molecular docking, biotin pull-down, surface plasmon resonance (SPR), and cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA) were used to confirm the binding of AB4 to its molecular target. Overexpression of pyruvate carboxylase (PC) and PC agonist were used to study the effects of PC on the anti-inflammatory and metabolic regulation of AB4 in vitro and in vivo. Results: AB4 not only significantly inhibited LPS-induced NF-κB activation and increased ROS levels in THP-1 cells, but also suppressed TNBS/DSS-induced colonic inflammation in mice and rats. The molecular target of AB4 was identified as PC, a key enzyme related to fatty acid, amino acid and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. We next demonstrated that AB4 specifically bound to the His879 site of PC and altered the protein's spatial conformation, thereby affecting the enzymatic activity of PC. LPS activated NF-κB pathway and increased PC activity, which caused metabolic reprogramming, while AB4 reversed this phenomenon by inhibiting the PC activity. In vivo studies showed that diisopropylamine dichloroacetate (DADA), a PC agonist, eliminated the therapeutic effects of AB4 by changing the metabolic rearrangement of intestinal tissues in colitis mice. Conclusion: We identified PC as a direct cellular target of AB4 in the modulation of inflammation, especially colitis. Moreover, PC/pyruvate metabolism/NF-κB is crucial for LPS-driven inflammation and oxidative stress. These findings shed more light on the possibilities of PC as a potential new target for treating colitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new strain of Bacillus velezensis NDB was isolated from Xiangshan Harbor and antibacterial test revealed antibacterial activity of this strain against 12 major pathogenic bacteria. The whole genome of the bacterium was sequenced and found to consist of a 4,214,838 bp circular chromosome and a 7410 bp circular plasmid. Furthermore, it was predicted by AntiSMASH and BAGEL4 to have 12 clusters of secondary metabolism genes for the synthesis of the inhibitors, fengycin, bacillomycin, macrolactin H, bacillaene, and difficidin, and there were also five clusters encoding potentially novel antimicrobial substances, as well as three bacteriocin biosynthesis gene clusters of amylocyclicin, ComX1, and LCI. qRT-PCR revealed significant up-regulation of antimicrobial secondary metabolite synthesis genes after 24 h of antagonism with pathogenic bacteria. Furthermore, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry revealed that it can secrete surfactin non-ribosomal peptide synthase and polyketide synthase to exert antibacterial effects. GC-MS was used to analyze methanol extract of B. velezensis NDB, a total of 68 compounds were identified and these metabolites include 16 amino acids, 17 acids, 3 amines, 11 sugars, 11 alcohols, 1 ester, and 9 other compounds which can inhibit pathogenic bacteria by initiating the antibiotic secretion pathway. A comparative genomic analysis of gene families showed that the specificity of B. velezensis NDB was mainly reflected in environmental adaptability. Overall, this research on B. velezensis NDB provides the basis for elucidating its biocontrol effect and promotes its future application as a probiotic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pasteurella multocida is an important bacterial pathogen that can cause diseases in both animals and humans. Its elevated morbidity and mortality rates in animals result in substantial economic repercussions within the livestock industry. The prevention of diseases caused by P. multocida through immunization is impeded by the absence of a safe and effective vaccine. Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) secreted from the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria are spherical vesicular structures that encompass an array of periplasmic components in conjunction with a diverse assortment of lipids and proteins. These vesicles can induce antibacterial immune responses within the host. P. multocida has been shown to produce OMVs. Nonetheless, the precise characteristics and immunomodulatory functions of P. multocida OMVs have not been fully elucidated. In this study, OMVs were isolated from P. multocida using an ultrafiltration concentration technique, and their morphology, protein constitution, and immunomodulatory properties in RAW264.7 cells were studied. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) revealed that the OMVs exhibited typical spherical and bilayered lipid vesicular architecture, exhibiting an average diameter of approximately 147.5 nm. The yield of OMVs was 2.6 × 1011 particles/mL. Proteomic analysis revealed a high abundance of membrane-associated proteins within P. multocida OMVs, with the capability to instigate the host's immune response. Furthermore, OMVs stimulated the proliferation and cellular uptake of macrophages and triggered the secretion of cytokines, such as TNF-ɑ, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, and TGF-β1. Consequently, our results indicated that OMVs from P. multocida could directly interact with macrophages and regulate their immune function in vitro. These results supported the prospective applicability of P. multocida OMVs as a platform in the context of vaccine development. Key points: • Preparation and characterization of P. multocida OMVs. • P. multocida OMVs possess a range of antigens and lipoproteins associated with the activation of the immune system. • P. multocida OMVs can activate the proliferation, internalization, and cytokine secretion of macrophages in vitro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is heterogenous in phenotype and microenvironment. Dynamic phenotypic reprogramming, leading to heterogeneity, is prevalent in SCLC, while the mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) possess comprehensive roles in cancer progression, while their function in phenotypic reprogramming of SCLC remain elusive. Here, we obtained transcriptome data of SCLC tissues from publicly available databases, subsequently estimated abundance of CAFs. We found CAF-abundant SCLC exhibited non-neuroendocrine (Non-NE) characteristics. Supporting this, the positive correlation of expression level of α-SMA, the CAF marker, and expression level of REST, protein typically expressed in Non-NE type SCLC, was identified in SCLC tissue arrays. Moreover, we revealed that fibroblasts inhibited NE markers expression and cell proliferation of SCLC cells in the co-culture system comprising lung fibroblasts and SCLC cells, indicating a phenotypic reprogramming from NE to Non-NE. During this process, fibroblast-derived IL-6 activated the JAK2/STAT3 signaling, upregulated c-MYC expression, and subsequently activated the NOTCH pathway, driving phenotypic reprogramming. Moreover, CAF-enriched SCLC exhibited increased immune cell infiltration, elevated expression of immune activation-related signatures, and checkpoint molecules. Our data also highlighted the chemoresistance induced by fibroblasts in SCLC cells, which was effectively reversed by JAK inhibitor. In conclusion, fibroblasts induced phenotypic reprogramming of SCLC cells from NE to Non-NE, likely contributes to inflamed immune microenvironment and chemoresistance. These findings provide novel insights into the clinical implications of CAFs in SCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the association of uric acid (UA) with adverse outcomes and its potential mediator in patients with left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) and pulmonary hypertension (PH). We retrospectively analyzed 234 patients with LVDD and PH. The baseline characteristics of patients with low UA (≤ 330 µmol/L) group were compared with high UA (> 330 µmol/L) group. Adverse outcomes included all-cause mortality, cardiac death and heart failure (HF) hospitalization. Their association with UA and the mediator were evaluated using Cox regression and mediation analysis. The mediation proportion was further quantified by the R mediation package. During a mean follow-up of 50 ± 18 months, there were 27 all-cause deaths, 18 cardiovascular deaths and 41 incidents of HF hospitalization. Multivariable Cox regression analysis showed UA was an independent risk factor of adverse outcomes in LVDD and PH patients, even after adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, medical histories, systolic blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride, eGFR, BNP and medications. The hazard ratios (HRs) for UA (per 10 µmol/L increase) were as below: for all-cause mortality, HR 1.143, 95% CI 1.069–1.221, P < 0.001; for cardiac death, HR 1.168, 95% CI 1.064–1.282, P = 0.001; for HF hospitalization, HR 1.093, 95% CI 1.035–1.155, P = 0.001. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) played a partial mediation role in the association, and the mediation proportion for NLR on the UA-adverse outcomes were 21%, 19% and 17%, respectively. In patients of LVDD with PH, higher UA level was independently correlated with adverse outcomes. Furthermore, NLR partially mediated the effect of UA on the risk of all-cause mortality, cardiac death and HF hospitalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted a study to investigate the impact of the laser direct metal deposition (LMD) process on the microstructure, mechanical properties, temperature fields, and stress fields of 24CrNiMo steel in order to determine the optimal process parameters. The optimal parameters were determined to be a laser power of 1400 W, scanning speed of 7 mm/s, and powder feed rate of 8 g/min. When these optimal parameters were used, the formed specimens exhibited a high densely of up to 97.5 %. The microstructure of the specimens formed different parameters primarily consisted of bainite, martensite and ferrite. The specimens formed under various process conditions demonstrated good toughness, with a maximum tensile strength of 1131±20 MPa and an elongation of 16±1.8 %. Additionally, there was little difference in wear resistance and wear morphology among the specimens formed under different processes. The predominant wear mechanisms include abrasive wear, adhesive wearand oxidative wear. Increasing laser power and decreasing scanning speed resulted in a gradual increase in the temperature gradient gradually, leading to higher residual stresses in the formed specimens. Longitudinal stresses concentrated on both sides of the deposited layer, while the transverse stresses concentrated on one side of the deposited layer. The simulation results of the temperature field and stress field were consistent with the experimental results, with errors within the range of 10 %–20 %. This study demonstrated that the simulated models of temperature and stress fields effectively captured the fundamental phenomena in the LMD process, providing valuable tools for predicting and optimizing temperature distribution and stress in the LMD process. These findings contribute to the understanding and enhancement of the LMD process for 24CrNiMo steel, making it applicable for various applications requiring superior microstructure and mechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) act as a group of signaling molecules in rice functioning in regulation of development and stress responses. Respiratory burst oxidase homologues (Rbohs) are key enzymes in generation of ROS. However, the role of the nine Rboh family members was not fully understood in rice multiple disease resistance and yield traits. In this study, we constructed mutants of each Rboh genes and detected their requirement in rice multiple disease resistance and yield traits. Our results revealed that mutations of five Rboh genes (RbohA, RbohB, RbohE, RbohH, and RbohI) lead to compromised rice blast disease resistance in a disease nursery and lab conditions; mutations of five Rbohs (RbohA, RbohB, RbohC, RbohE, and RbohH) result in suppressed rice sheath blight resistance in a disease nursery and lab conditions; mutations of six Rbohs (RbohA, RbohB, RbohC, RbohE, RbohH and RbohI) lead to decreased rice leaf blight resistance in a paddy yard and ROS production induced by PAMPs and pathogen. Moreover, all Rboh genes participate in the regulation of rice yield traits, for all rboh mutants display one or more compromised yield traits, such as panicle number, grain number per panicle, seed setting rate, and grain weight, resulting in reduced yield per plant except rbohb and rbohf. Our results identified the Rboh family members involved in the regulation of rice resistance against multiple pathogens that caused the most serious diseases worldwide and provide theoretical supporting for breeding application of these Rbohs to coordinate rice disease resistance and yield traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lactobacillus paracasei (L. paracasei), a common probiotic lactobacillus, has important functions in the food industry and human health. However, different strains of L. paracasei inevitably show differences in activity and colonization resistance, leading to differentiation in their functions, as well as their physical or chemical properties. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the characteristics of L. paracasei R3 (L.p R3) isolated from healthy human feces and determine whether the criteria for edible probiotics is met. The hemolysis type, biofilm-forming ability, antibiotic susceptibility, toxicity, and effective activity of L.p R3 were determined by establishing its probiotic activity traits in vitro and in vivo. The results showed that L.p R3 had a moderate biofilm formation ability, was sensitive to 11 antibiotics, was resistant to eight antibiotics, and was not hemolytic. The culture characteristics, morphology, and biochemical responses of the strain were consistent with the seed batch characteristics. In toxicity assays, L.p R3-fed mice showed no abnormalities in body weight, growth, or various organs. Additionally, L.p R3 was found to be effective in the prevention and treatment of colorectal cancer. In conclusion, our results revealed that L.p R3 has potential value as an edible probiotic without toxic side effects and alleviated the tumor progression of colorectal cancer in mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pasteurella multocida is an important bacterial pathogen that can cause diseases in both animals and humans. Its elevated morbidity and mortality rates in animals result in substantial economic repercussions within the livestock industry. The prevention of diseases caused by P. multocida through immunization is impeded by the absence of a safe and effective vaccine. Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) secreted from the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria are spherical vesicular structures that encompass an array of periplasmic components in conjunction with a diverse assortment of lipids and proteins. These vesicles can induce antibacterial immune responses within the host. P. multocida has been shown to produce OMVs. Nonetheless, the precise characteristics and immunomodulatory functions of P. multocida OMVs have not been fully elucidated. In this study, OMVs were isolated from P. multocida using an ultrafiltration concentration technique, and their morphology, protein constitution, and immunomodulatory properties in RAW264.7 cells were studied. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) revealed that the OMVs exhibited typical spherical and bilayered lipid vesicular architecture, exhibiting an average diameter of approximately 147.5 nm. The yield of OMVs was 2.6 × 1011 particles/mL. Proteomic analysis revealed a high abundance of membrane-associated proteins within P. multocida OMVs, with the capability to instigate the host’s immune response. Furthermore, OMVs stimulated the proliferation and cellular uptake of macrophages and triggered the secretion of cytokines, such as TNF-ɑ, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, and TGF-β1. Consequently, our results indicated that OMVs from P. multocida could directly interact with macrophages and regulate their immune function in vitro. These results supported the prospective applicability of P. multocida OMVs as a platform in the context of vaccine development. Key points: • Preparation and characterization of P. multocida OMVs. • P. multocida OMVs possess a range of antigens and lipoproteins associated with the activation of the immune system. • P. multocida OMVs can activate the proliferation, internalization, and cytokine secretion of macrophages in vitro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epigenetic dysregulation that leads to alterations in gene expression and is suggested to be one of the key pathophysiological factors of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Here, we found that α-synuclein preformed fibrils (PFFs) induced histone H3 dimethylation at lysine 9 (H3K9me2) and increased the euchromatic histone methyltransferases EHMT1 and EHMT2, which were accompanied by neuronal synaptic damage, including loss of synapses and diminished expression levels of synaptic-related proteins. Furthermore, the levels of H3K9me2 at promoters in genes that encode the synaptic-related proteins SNAP25, PSD95, Synapsin 1 and vGLUT1 were increased in primary neurons after PFF treatment, which suggests a linkage between H3K9 dimethylation and synaptic dysfunction. Inhibition of EHMT1/2 with the specific inhibitor A-366 or shRNA suppressed histone methylation and alleviated synaptic damage in primary neurons that were treated with PFFs. In addition, the synaptic damage and motor impairment in mice that were injected with PFFs were repressed by treatment with the EHMT1/2 inhibitor A-366. Thus, our findings reveal the role of histone H3 modification by EHMT1/2 in synaptic damage and motor impairment in a PFF animal model, suggesting the involvement of epigenetic dysregulation in PD pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a correction notice for an article titled "A new methodology to reveal potential nucleic acid modifications associated with the risk of endometrial cancer through dispersive solid-phase extraction coupled with UHPLC-QE-Orbitrap-MS/MS and HPLC-UV." The correction addresses an error in Table 4 of the original article, where the order of literature numbers in column 8 was incorrect. The correct order should be "32, 33, 34, 35, 36" instead of "28, 29, 30, 31, 32." The correction has been made to the original article. The document also includes a note from the publisher stating their neutrality regarding jurisdictional claims and institutional affiliations. [Extracted from the article]

In order to measure the migration parameters of nuclides in bentonite more conveniently, an improved through-discharge electromigration method was developed. In this method, the nuclides first were driven by the electric field to migrate through the bentonite column fast, then discharged with the carrier fluid, and finally collected automatically for measurement. Meanwhile, based on the analysis of the important process in the method, the solution equation for deriving the migration parameters of nuclides was established. Furthermore, two kinds of through-discharge electromigration devices were designed in term of the different nuclide sorption behaviors onto the bentonite, and the electromigration breakthrough curves of 88Sr and 239Pu in bentonite were obtained for the first time. The result indicated that the improved electromigration technology was quite efficient for acquiring the migration parameters of 88Sr with weak adsorption capacity. However, it was found that more experimental data were needed to support the analysis of 239Pu migration behavior because of its complex electrochemistry reaction with bentonite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

JAK2-unmutated erythrocytosis or non-polycythemia vera erythrocytosis is a rare condition comprising both acquired and hereditary forms. Although acquired erythrocytosis has been well-studied, hereditary erythrocytosis remains poorly studied. Genetic alterations associated with hereditary erythrocytosis include mutations in erythropoietin receptor and erythropoietin (EPO), altered oxygen affinity mutations, and variants associated with the oxygen-sensing pathway. We established a molecular diagnostic approach based on these genes and retrospectively evaluated. Peripheral blood from 56 erythrocytosis patients, lacking JAK2 mutation, were screened for oxygen-sensing pathway abnormalities. Two novel mutations were identified in the EGLN1 gene: NM_022051.2:c.712G > C (p.Gly238Arg) and NM_022051.2:c.122A > C (p.Tyr41Ser) in two patients separately. Notably, both reported heterozygous mutations were absent in the population database. Predictions using multiple computer software indicated that these two missense mutations were harmful and induced a highly conserved amino acid change in EGLN1. Patients with the two mutations exhibited normal serum EPO levels and high hemoglobin and hematocrit levels. Additionally, three other variants of genes were identified in the oxygen-sensing pathway, including endothelial PAS domain protein 1 (EPAS1) rs184760160(2/56), and EGLN1 rs186996510(2/56), rs555121182(2/56). These variants were categorized as benign or likely benign. Our findings provide a framework for etiological research and highlight the importance of screening for genetic mutations associated with erythrocytosis in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]