Search

This paper investigates the corrosion behavior of Fe-SG series metals with different graphite nodule counts to molten Al by using the ultrasonic vibration hot-dip aluminum experimental method. Fe-SG series metals to aluminum melt exhibited a much better corrosion resistance compared to H13 tool steel. As the graphite nodule count increases, the hot melting loss rate of Fe-SG series metals gradually decreases, indicating an improvement in corrosion resistance to aluminum melt. Scanning and EDS analysis of the samples after hot-dip aluminum testing revealed that the thickness of the product layer increased progressively with the extension of hot-dip aluminum time. Through the analysis of the structure and composition of the product layer, it was found that the corrosion products in H13 steel were composed of Fe2Al5 and FeAl3. In addition to the two phases, the product layer of the Fe-SG series metals also contained granularly distributed Fe–Al–Si intermetallic compounds within the Fe2Al5 phase. This resulted in a better corrosion resistance to aluminum melt.

The poor wear and corrosion resistance of Mg alloys are hampering wider application. Micro-arc oxidation can improve the wear and corrosion resistance, but the resulting coatings have relatively low hardness, high friction coefficient, and surface porosity, rendering them susceptible to failure in the field. Herein, ZrO2 nanocrystalline and extrinsic graphite-doped MAO coatings are prepared on the ZK61 Mg alloy using a control electrolyte containing potassium fluorozirconate and nano-graphite. The ZrO2 nanocrystals formed in situ are uniformly distributed in the amorphous coating, while the extrinsic graphite is mainly located in the amorphous structure. The size and number of pores decrease after introducing ZrO2 and graphite into the MAO coating. Compared with doping with a single element, co-doping increases the content of ZrO2 and graphite in the MAO coating. Furthermore, ZrO2 densifies the porous Mg(OH)2 corrosion product and blocks the penetration of the corrosive medium to improve the corrosion resistance. The optimized sample shows corrosion potential and corrosion current density of −1.012 V and 1.425 × 10−7 A·cm−2, which are significantly better than the singly doped MAO coating. Graphite doping decreases the friction coefficient, while ZrO2 doping decreases the wear rate. The ZrO2 and graphite co-doped C10Zr10 coating demonstrates self-lubricating properties, resulting in a significantly reduced wear rate from 2.832 × 10−4 mm3·N−1·m−1 to 1.04 × 10−5 mm3·N−1·m−1. The results reveal that co-doping improves the properties of MAO coatings on Mg alloys.

Abstract Post-transcriptional regulation mediated by RNA binding proteins is crucial for male germline development. Insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein 1 (IGF2BP1), an RNA binding protein, is specifically expressed in human and mouse male gonads and is involved in manifold biological processes and tumorigenesis. However, the function of IGF2BP1 in mammalian spermatogenesis remains poorly understood. Herein, we generated an Igf2bp1 conditional knockout mouse model using Nanos3-Cre. Germ cell deficiency of Igf2bp1 in mice caused spermatogenic defects in an age-dependent manner, resulting in decreased numbers of undifferentiated spermatogonia and increased germ cell apoptosis. Immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry analysis revealed that ELAV-like RNA binding protein 1, a well-recognized mRNA stabilizer, interacted with IGF2BP1. Single cell RNA-sequencing showed distinct mRNA profiles in spermatogonia from conditional knockout versus wide type mice. Further research showed that IGF2BP1 plays a vital role in the modulation of spermatogenesis by regulating Lin28a mRNA, which is essential for clonal expansion of undifferentiated spermatogonia. Thus, our results highlight the crucial effects of IGF2BP1 on spermatogonia for the long-term maintenance of spermatogenesis.

Abstract Accurate assessment of the mechanical properties of organic matter, clay matrix, and bulk shale during maturation remains a challenge. Here, we aim to assess the mechanical properties of organic-rich shale during maturation using a combination of nanoindentation methods and various geochemical analyses, i.e., mineral composition, mass loss rate, chemical structure of organic matter, and Rock-Eval analyses. Results show that the evolution of mechanical properties of organic matter in shale during maturation can be divided into: the main oil-generation stage, and the condensate oil and gas generation stage. The stiffening of organic matter in the shale is mainly due to increased aromaticity and condensation of aromatic groups. The clay matrix experiences a slight decrease in hardness and Young’s modulus at low maturity levels due to the generation of liquid hydrocarbons. However, overall, the clay matrix becomes stiffer as the shale matures due to shale dehydration, expulsion or cracking of liquid hydrocarbons, transformation of clay minerals, and hardening of organic matter. The Young’s modulus and hardness of bulk shale generally increase with increasing maturity. This is closely related to the hardening of organic matter and clay matrix, as well as the development of the more compact and dense microstructure in the shale.

Abstract Rechargeable batteries with high durability over wide temperature is needed in aerospace and submarine fields. Unfortunately, Current battery technologies suffer from limited operating temperatures due to the rapid performance decay at extreme temperatures. A major challenge for wide-temperature electrolyte design lies in restricting the parasitic reactions at elevated temperatures while improving the reaction kinetics at low temperatures. Here, we demonstrate a temperature-adaptive electrolyte design by regulating the dipole-dipole interactions at various temperatures to simultaneously address the issues at both elevated and subzero temperatures. This approach prevents electrolyte degradation while endowing it with the ability to undergo adaptive changes as temperature varies. Such electrolyte favors to form solvation structure with high thermal stability with rising temperatures and transits to one that prevents salt precipitation at lower temperatures. This ensures stably within a wide temperature range of ‒60 −55 °C. This temperature-adaptive electrolyte opens an avenue for wide-temperature electrolyte design, highlighting the significance of dipole-dipole interactions in regulating solvation structures.

Abstract Direct current optimal power flow (DC‐OPF) problems need to be solved more frequently to maintain safety and economic power system operation. Traditional solvers take too much time to get optimal results. To overcome it, a new self‐supervised augmented Lagrangian neural network (ALNN) is proposed to solve DC‐OPF problem. The proposed ALNN consists of two neural networks: the control net and the penalty net. The control net predicts active power of generators; the penalty net updates the Lagrangian multipliers. The equality constraints are embedded into the control net to guarantee no equality violations. The generalized reduced gradient method is used to reduce theviolations of inequality constraint. The effectiveness of the proposed model is demonstrated on IEEE 118‐bus. The results show that with the help of equality embedding, the equality constraints are always satisfied, which in turn improves the feasibility of ALNN. Compared to the state‐of‐art models, the proposed model has higher feasibility and less constraint violations without comprising optimality. What is more, most of the inactive constraints can be found during the training process and then they are used to speed up the post‐processing part.

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the intravitreal dexamethasone implant in naive and refractory patients with diabetic macular edema (DME). METHODS: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Medline databases were searched. The main outcomes were best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central retinal thickness (CRT). The secondary outcomes included mean number of injections, intraoperative or postoperative complications including intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation and cataract. RESULTS: Ten comparative studies involving a total of 1000 DME eyes including 402 naive eyes and 598 refractory eyes were selected. The postoperative BCVA in the naive group was significantly better than in the refractory group [mean difference (MD) -0.11, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.17 to -0.05, P=0.0003; MD 8.69, 95%CI 5.08 to 12.30, P

In the present research, the NaF assisted plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) is designed to fabricate the high-content ZnO nanoparticles doped coating on AZ31B alloy. The microstructure, phase constituents and corrosion behavior of the PEO coatings are investigated systematically. The results reveal that the introduction of NaF promotes the formation of MgF2 nanophases in the passivation layer on Mg alloy, decreasing the breakdown voltage and discharge voltage. As a result, the continuous arcing caused by high discharge voltage is alleviated. With the increasing of NaF content, the Zn content in the PEO coating is enhanced and the pore size in the coating is decreased correspondingly. Due to the high-content ZnO doping, the PEO coating protected AZ31B alloy demonstrates the better corrosion resistance. Compared with the bare AZ31B alloy, the high-content ZnO doped PEO coated sample shows an increased corrosion potential from -1.465 V to -1.008 V, a decreased corrosion current density from 3.043×10-5 A·cm-2 to 3.960×10-8 A·cm-2 and an increased charge transfer resistance from 1.213×102 ohm·cm2 to 2.598×105 ohm·cm2. Besides, the high-content ZnO doped PEO coated sample also has the excellent corrosion resistance in salt solution, exhibiting no obvious corrosion after more than 2000 h neutral salt spraying and 28 days’ immersion testing. The improved corrosion resistance can be ascribed to the relative uniform distribution of ZnO in PEO coating which can transform to Zn(OH)2 and form a continuous protective layer along the corrosion interface.

Abstract Background Our aim was to evaluate the influence of staged goal directed therapy (GDT) on postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs), intraoperative hemodynamics and oxygenation in patients undergoing Mckeown esophagectomy. Methods Patients were randomly divided into three groups, staged GDT group (group A, n = 56): stroke volume variation (SVV) was set at 8–10% during the one lung ventilation (OLV) stage and 8–12% during the two lung ventilation (TLV) stage, GDT group (group B, n = 56): received GDT with a target SVV of 8–12% During the entire surgical procedure, and control group (group C, n = 56): conventional fluid therapy was administered by mean arterial pressure (MAP), central venous pressure (CVP), and urine volume. The primary outcome was the incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications within Postoperative days (POD) 7. The secondary outcomes were postoperative lung ultrasound (LUS) B-lines artefacts (BLA) scoring, incidence of other complications, the length of hospital stay, intraoperative hemodynamic and oxygenation indicators included mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), cardiac index (CI), cardiac output (CO), oxygenation index (OI), respiratory indices (RI), alveolar-arterial oxygen difference (Aa-DO2). Results Patients in group A and group B had a lower incidence of PPCs (7/56 vs. 17/56 and 9/56 vs. 17/56, p

Abstract Background Ocular toxicity is a severe adverse effect that limits the chronic clinical use of the antiarrhythmic drug amiodarone. Here, we aimed to evaluate the cytoprotective effect of artemisinin and explore the potential signalling pathways in human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cell cultures. Methods D407 cell cultures were exposed to amiodarone and the impact of artemisinin was evaluated. The key parameters included lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). We also assessed the protein levels of cleaved caspase-3, cleaved poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), phosphorylated adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK)ɑ (p-AMPK), calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase 2 (CaMKK2), and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). Results Artemisinin reduced the cytotoxicity induced by amiodarone, as reflected by decreased LDH release, ROS generation, and MMP disruption. Additionally, artemisinin increased p-AMPK, CaMKK2, and Nrf2 protein levels. Inhibition of AMPK, CaMKK2, or Nrf2 abolished the cytoprotective effect of artemisinin. AMPK activation and Nrf2 knockdown further supported its protective role. Conclusions Artemisinin protected RPE cells from amiodarone-induced damage via the CaMKK2/AMPK/Nrf2 pathway. The in vivo experiments in mice confirmed its efficacy in preventing retinal injury caused by amiodarone. These results suggest that an artemisinin-based eye formulation could be repurposed for treating amiodarone-induced ocular toxicity.

Due to the increasing demand for goods movement, externalities from freight mobility have attracted much concern among local citizens and policymakers. Freight truck-related crash is one of these externalities and impacts urban freight transportation most drastically. Previous studies have mainly focused on correlation analyses of influencing factors based on crash density/count data, but have paid little attention to the inherent uncertainties of freight truck-related crashes (FTCs) from a spatial perspective. While establishing an interpretable analysis model for freight truck-related accidents that considers uncertainties is of great significance for promoting the robust development of urban freight transportation systems. Hence, this study proposes the concept of FTC hazard (FTCH), and employs the Bayesian neural network (BNN) model based on stochastic variational inference to model uncertainty. Considering the difficulty in interpreting deep learning-based models, this study introduces the local interpretable modelagnostic explanation (LIME) model into the analysis framework to explain the results of the neural network model. This study then verifies the feasibility of the proposed analysis framework using data from California from 2011 to 2020. Results show that FTCHs can be effectively modeled by predicting confidence intervals for effects of built environment factors, in particular demographics, land use, and road network structure. Results based on LIME values indicate the spatial heterogeneity in influence mechanisms on FTCHs between areas within the metropolitan regions and alongside the freeways. These findings may help transport planners and logistic managers develop more effective measures to avoid potential negative effects brought by FTCHs in local communities.

Abstract Dysregulation of the gut microbiome has associated with the occurrence and progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). To determine the diagnostic capacity of this association, we compared fecal microbiomes across 104 participants including non-NAFLD controls and NAFLD subtypes patients that were distinguished by magnetic resonance imaging. We measured their blood biochemical parameters, 16 S rRNA-based gut microbiota and fecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Multi-omic analyses revealed that NAFLD patients exhibited specific changes in gut microbiota and fecal SCFAs as compared to non-NAFLD subjects. Four bacterial genera (Faecalibacterium, Subdoligranulum, Haemophilus, and Roseburia) and two fecal SCFAs profiles (acetic acid, and butyric acid) were closely related to NAFLD phenotypes and could accurately distinguish NAFLD patients from healthy non-NAFLD subjects. Twelve genera belonging to Faecalibacterium, Subdoligranulum, Haemophilus, Intestinibacter, Agathobacter, Lachnospiraceae_UCG-004, Roseburia, Butyricicoccus, Actinomycetales_unclassified, [Eubacterium]_ventriosum_group, Rothia, and Rhodococcus were effective to distinguish NAFLD subtypes. Of them, combination of five genera can distinguish effectively mild NAFLD from non-NAFLD with an area under curve (AUC) of 0.84. Seven genera distinguish moderate NAFLD with an AUC of 0.83. Eight genera distinguish severe NAFLD with an AUC of 0.90. In our study, butyric acid distinguished mild-NAFLD from non-NAFLD with AUC value of 0.83. And acetic acid distinguished moderate-NAFLD and severe-NAFLD from non-NAFLD with AUC value of 0.84 and 0.70. In summary, our study and further analysis showed that gut microbiota and fecal SCFAs maybe a method with convenient detection advantages and invasive manner that are not only a good prediction model for early warning of NAFLD occurrence, but also have a strong ability to distinguish NAFLD subtypes.

Abstract Metal micro/nanoparticle ink-based printed circuits have shown promise for promoting the scalable application of flexible electronics due to enabling superhigh metallic conductivity with cost-effective mass production. However, it is challenging to activate printed metal-particle patterns to approach the intrinsic conductivity without damaging the flexible substrate, especially for high melting-point metals. Here, we report a pressure-constrained sonication activation (PCSA) method of the printed flexible circuits for more than dozens of metal (covering melting points from room temperature to 3422 °C) and even nonmetallic inks, which is integrated with the large-scale roll-to-roll process. The PCSA-induced synergistic heat-softening and vibration-bonding effect of particles can enable multilayer circuit interconnection and join electronic components onto printed circuits without solder within 1 s at room temperature. We demonstrate PCSA-based applications of 3D flexible origami electronics, erasable and foldable double-sided electroluminescent displays, and custom-designed and large-area electronic textiles, thus indicating its potential for universality in flexible electronics.

Abstract The underlying evolutionary mechanisms driving global expansions of pathogen strains are poorly understood. Vibrio parahaemolyticus is one of only two marine pathogens where variants have emerged in distinct climates globally. The success of a Vibrio parahaemolyticus clone (VpST3) in Latin America- the first spread identified outside its endemic region of tropical Asia- provided an invaluable opportunity to investigate mechanisms of VpST3 expansion into a distinct marine climate. A global collection of VpST3 isolates and novel Latin American isolates were used for evolutionary population genomics, pangenome analysis and combined with oceanic climate data. We found a VpST3 population (LatAm-VpST3) introduced in Latin America well before the emergence of this clone in India, previously considered the onset of the VpST3 epidemic. LatAm-VpST3 underwent successful adaptation to local conditions over its evolutionary divergence from Asian VpST3 isolates, to become dominant in Latin America. Selection signatures were found in genes providing resilience to the distinct marine climate. Core genome mutations and accessory gene presences that promoted survival over long dispersals or increased environmental fitness were associated with environmental conditions. These results provide novel insights into the global expansion of this successful V. parahaemolyticus clone into regions with different climate scenarios.

Abstract Background Ectoine as an amino acid derivative is widely applied in many fields, such as the food industry, cosmetic manufacturing, biologics, and therapeutic agent. Large-scale production of ectoine is mainly restricted by the cost of fermentation substrates (e.g., carbon sources) and sterilization. Results In this study, Halomonas cupida J9 was shown to be capable of synthesizing ectoine using xylose as the sole carbon source. A pathway was proposed in H. cupida J9 that synergistically utilizes both WBG xylose metabolism and EMP glucose metabolism for the synthesis of ectoine. Transcriptome analysis indicated that expression of ectoine biosynthesis module was enhanced under salt stress. Ectoine production by H. cupida J9 was enhanced by improving the expression of ectoine biosynthesis module, increasing the intracellular supply of the precursor oxaloacetate, and utilizing urea as the nitrogen source. The constructed J9U-P8EC achieved a record ectoine production of 4.12 g/L after 60 h of xylose fermentation. Finally, unsterile production of ectoine by J9U-P8EC from either a glucose-xylose mixture or corn straw hydrolysate was demonstrated, with an output of 8.55 g/L and 1.30 g/L of ectoine, respectively. Conclusions This study created a promising H. cupida J9-based cell factory for low-cost production of ectoine. Our results highlight the potential of J9U-P8EC to utilize lignocellulose-rich agriculture waste for open production of ectoine.

Creep behavior is a very important attribute of shale and is crucial in the design of hydraulic fracturing schemes to ensure the long-term stable development of shale gas. However, how different shale minerals, organic matter, bedding planes, and pores affect the micro-creep behavior of Upper Ordovician Wufeng and Lower Silurian Longmaxi (WF–LMX) Formation shales is poorly understood. In this study, we employed a nanoindentation mechanical testing technique alongside rock mineralogical, major elemental, and pore analyses to investigate the creep behavior and influencing factors of WF–LMX shales at the microscale. The results show that (1) the creep displacement (Δh) and indentation creep parameter (CIT) are each positively correlated with clay, total pore volume, and clay + total organic carbon (TOC) contents but negatively correlated with the content of quartz, excess SiO2, and TOC. We found weak or no correlation between the occurrence of minor rock constituents, such as feldspar, carbonates, and pyrite, and the shale creep properties; (2) the creep parameters (Δh, CIT, and stress exponent (n)) exhibit anisotropy due to the layering of shale, with values 7.3%–24.2% higher in the plane perpendicular to bedding (X1) than those in the plane parallel to bedding (X3). The creep displacement exhibits negative correlations with Young's modulus, hardness, and stress exponent (n), especially for the X1 direction; (3) compared with those of China's Yanchang shale, the stress exponents of WF–LMX shale are relatively high (8.5–30), indicating that the average creep capacity of WF–LMX shale is relatively weak. Overall, nanoindentation technology has shown great potential in studying shale creep and provides quantitative data support for macroscopic shale creep research.

Listeria monocytogenes is capable of forming biofilms on the food contact surfaces, increasing the risk of food contamination by this pathogen. The disinfectant benzalkonium chloride (BC) is commonly used to control L. monocytogenes in the food industry. This study aimed to investigate effects of BC on L. monocytogenes biofilms. Biofilm biomass was measured by the microplate method with crystal violet staining. Results from the broth microdilution method showed that the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of BC against L. monocytogenes 10403S was 8 μg.mL-1. Sub-MICs of BC inhibited the biofilm formation and lethal concentrations of BC removed mature biofilms of L. monocytogenes 10403S. The presence of BC reduced extracellular proteins and exopolysaccharides in biofilms. Additionally, upregulation of quorum sensing gene luxS and agrBDCA and downregulation of flagellum motility genes flaA, motA, and motB were observed in the presence of BC. The BC disinfectant has an excellent anti-biofilm activity against L. monocytogenes.

Abstract Federated learning (FL) enables users to train the global model cooperatively without exposing their private data across the engaged parties, which is widely used in privacy-sensitive business. However, during the life cycle of FL models, both adversaries’ attacks and ownership generalization threaten the FL models’ copyright and affect the models’ reliability. To address these problems, existing model watermarking techniques can be used to verify FL model’s ownership. However, due to the lack of credible binding from “model extracted watermarks” to “ownership verification”, it is difficult to form a closed-loop watermarking framework for copyright protection. Therefore, starting from the shortcomings of the current watermark verification scheme, this article proposed WFB, a blockchain-empowered watermarking framework for ownership verification of federated models. Firstly, we propose a improved watermark generation algorithm to solve the credibility issue of watermarks. Secondly, we propose a watermark embedding method in federated learning, while blockchain technology is used to ensure the credible storage of watermark information throughout the process. Thirdly, the credibility of ownership verification is improved because of the watermark authenticity. Experimental results demonstrate the fidelity, effectiveness and robustness of WFB, with other superiorities such as improving process security and traceability.

Abstract Background There is a contradiction in the use of microbiota-therapies, including probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics, to improve the condition of patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The aim of this review was to evaluate the effect of microbiota-therapy on liver injury, inflammation, and lipid levels in individuals with NAFLD. Methods Using Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases were searched for articles on the use of prebiotic, probiotic, or synbiotic for the treatment of patients with NAFLD up to March 2024. Results Thirty-four studies involving 12,682 individuals were included. Meta-analysis indicated that probiotic, prebiotic, and synbiotic supplementation significantly improved liver injury (hepatic fibrosis, SMD = -0.31; 95% CI: -0.53, -0.09; aspartate aminotransferase, SMD = -0.35; 95% CI: -0.55, -0.15; alanine aminotransferase, SMD = -0.48; 95% CI: -0.71, -0.25; alkaline phosphatase, SMD = -0.81; 95% CI: -1.55, -0.08), lipid profiles (triglycerides, SMD = -0.22; 95% CI: -0.43, -0.02), and inflammatory factors (high-density lipoprotein, SMD = -0.47; 95% CI: -0.88, -0.06; tumour necrosis factor alpha, SMD = -0.86 95% CI: -1.56, -0.56). Conclusion Overall, supplementation with probiotic, prebiotic, or synbiotic had a positive effect on reducing liver enzymes, lipid profiles, and inflammatory cytokines in patients with NAFLD.

Abstract Low-dimensional multiferroics, which simultaneously possess at least two primary ferroic order parameters, hold great promise for post-Moore electronic devices. However, intrinsic one-dimensional (1D) multiferroics with the coexistence of ferroelectricity and ferromagnetism are still yet to be realized, which will be not only crucial for exploring the interplay between low-dimensionality and ferroelectric/ferromagnetic ordering but also significant in rendering application approaches for high density information technologies. Here, we present a theoretical prediction of intrinsic multiferroicity in 1D molybdenum oxytrihalides nanowires, especially focusing on MoOBr3 nanowires which could be readily extracted from experimentally synthesized van der Waals MoOBr3 bulk materials. Due to the spatial inversion symmetry spontaneously broken by Mo atoms’ displacements, MoOBr3 nanowires exhibit 1D ferroelectricity with small coercive electric field and exceptional Curie temperature (~570 K). Additionally, MoOBr3 nanowires also possess 1D antiferroelectric metastable states. On the other hand, both ferroelectric and antiferroelectric MoOBr3 nanowires exhibit ferromagnetic ordering on account of the half-filled Mo-d yz orbitals, a moderate tensile strain (~5%) can greatly boost the spontaneous polarization (~40%) and a mild compress strain (~−2%) may readily switch the magnetic easy axis of ferroelectric MoOBr3 nanowires. Our work holds potential candidates for developing innovative devices that exploit intrinsic multiferroic properties, enabling advancements in novel electronic and spintronic applications.

Abstract The establishment of an elastostatic stiffness model for over constrained parallel manipulators (PMs), particularly those with over constrained subclosed loops, poses a challenge while ensuring numerical stability. This study addresses this issue by proposing a systematic elastostatic stiffness model based on matrix structural analysis (MSA) and independent displacement coordinates (IDCs) extraction techniques. To begin, the closed-loop PM is transformed into an open-loop PM by eliminating constraints. A subassembly element is then introduced, which considers the flexibility of both rods and joints. This approach helps circumvent the numerical instability typically encountered with traditional constraint equations. The IDCs and analytical constraint equations of nodes constrained by various joints are summarized in the appendix, utilizing multipoint constraint theory and singularity analysis, all unified within a single coordinate frame. Subsequently, the open-loop mechanism is efficiently closed by referencing the constraint equations presented in the appendix, alongside its elastostatic model. The proposed method proves to be both modeling and computationally efficient due to the comprehensive summary of the constraint equations in the Appendix, eliminating the need for additional equations. An example utilizing an over constrained subclosed loops demonstrate the application of the proposed method. In conclusion, the model proposed in this study enriches the theory of elastostatic stiffness modeling of PMs and provides an effective solution for stiffness modeling challenges they present.

Abstract Gastric cancer represents a significant public health challenge, necessitating advancements in early diagnostic methodologies. This investigation employed attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy to conduct a multivariate analysis of human serum. The study encompassed the examination of blood samples from 96 individuals diagnosed with gastric cancer and 96 healthy volunteers. Principal component analysis (PCA) was utilized to interpret the infrared spectral data of the serum samples. Specific spectral bands exhibiting intensity variations between the two groups were identified. The infrared spectral ranges of 3500 ~ 3000 cm⁻1, 1700 ~ 1600 cm⁻1, and 1090 ~ 1070 cm⁻1 demonstrated significant diagnostic value for gastric cancer, likely attributable to differences in protein conformation and nucleic acids. By employing machine learning algorithms to differentiate between gastric cancer patients (n = 96) and healthy controls (n = 96), we achieved a sensitivity of up to 89.7% and a specificity of 87.2%. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis yielded an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.901. These findings underscore the potential of our serum-based ATR-FTIR spectroscopy examination method as a straightforward, minimally invasive, and reliable diagnostic test for the detection of gastric cancer.

Abstract Spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a very serious kind of stroke. If the outcome of patients can be accurately assessed at the early stage of disease occurrence, it will be of great significance to the patients and clinical treatment. The present study was conducted to investigate whether non-contrast computer tomography (NCCT) models of hematoma and perihematomal tissues could improve the accuracy of short-term prognosis prediction in ICH patients with conservative treatment. In this retrospective analysis, a total of 166 ICH patients with conservative treatment during hospitalization were included. Patients were randomized into a training group (N = 132) and a validation group (N = 34) in a ratio of 8:2, and the functional outcome at 90 days after clinical treatment was assessed by the modified Rankin Scale (mRS). Radiomic features of hematoma and perihematomal tissues of 5 mm, 10 mm, 15 mm were extracted from NCCT images. Clinical factors were analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression to identify independent predictive factors. In the validation group, the mean area under the ROC curve (AUC) of the hematoma was 0.830, the AUC of the perihematomal tissue within 5 mm, 10 mm, 15 mm was 0.792, 0.826, 0.774, respectively, and the AUC of the combined model of hematoma and perihematomal tissue within 10 mm was 0.795. The clinical-radiomics nomogram consisting of five independent predictors and radiomics score (Rad-score) of the hematoma model were used to assess 90-day functional outcome in ICH patients with conservative treatment. Our findings found that the hematoma model had better discriminative efficacy in evaluating the early prognosis of conservatively managed ICH patients. The visual clinical-radiomics nomogram provided a more intuitive individualized risk assessment for 90-day functional outcome in ICH patients with conservative treatment. The hematoma could remain the primary therapeutic target for conservatively managed ICH patients, emphasizing the need for future clinical focus on the biological significance of the hematoma itself.

Abstract Profiling antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the Yellow River of China’s Henan Province is essential for understanding the health risks of antibiotic resistance. The profiling of ARGs was investigated using high-throughput qPCR from water samples in seven representative regions of the Yellow River. The absolute and relative abundances of ARGs and moble genetic elements (MGEs) were higher in summer than in winter (ANOVA, p

Abstract Introduction It has been reported that non-intubated anesthesia can be used successfully in adult trachea reconstruction. Herein, our center reported a case of a child undergoing non-intubated trachea reconstruction for benign tracheal tumors. Case description In January 2023, it was decided to attempt tracheal resection and reconstruction (TRR) in an 8-year-old child with an inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor under non-intubated spontaneous breathing. After anesthesia induction, the laryngeal mask airway (LMA) was inserted. Thereafter, a bilateral superficial cervical plexus block was performed with 15 mL of 0.25% ropivacaine injected into each side. The patient was induced to resume spontaneous breathing by artificially assisted ventilation with an oxygen flow of 2 to 5 L/min and FiO2=1. After tracheotomy, the oxygen flow was increased to 15 L/min to improve the local oxygen flow to maintain the pulse oxygen saturation (SpO2) above 90% under spontaneous breathing. The patient had stable spontaneous breathing after tracheal anastomosis. The anastomosis was perfect without leakage. The LMA was removed and oxygen was given by the nasal catheter under light sedation at post anesthesia care unit (PACU). Conclusion Tracheal reconstruction under spontaneous breathing may be an alternative anesthesia method for upper tracheal surgery in children.

In this paper, the mechanical properties, work hardening characteristics and deformation mechanism of lean duplex stainless steel (LDSS) S32101 produced by direct cold rolling were studied under different temperature conditions. The yield strength (YS) and tensile strength (TS) of S32101 decreased with the increase of deformation temperature, while the elongation increased first and then decreased. The TS of S32101 at −70 °C was 1052.6 MPa, the elongation remained 57.2%, and the product of strength and elongation (PSE) was as high as 60.2 GPa·%, which was mainly due to the synergistic strengthening of transformation induced plasticity (TRIP) and twinning-induced plasticity (TWIP) effects in austenite at cryogenic temperatures. The efficiency of grain refinement at cryogenic temperature was improved by TRIP effect and deformation twins (DTs), indicating that it had the potential to be applied at low temperature (−70 ∼ −30°C). Moreover, the high density nanotwins and the strong interaction between the dislocation and nanotwin bundles also contributed to strain hardening at low temperatures and thus better comprehensive mechanical properties could be achieved.

Abstract Background The Aedes albopictus mosquito is of medical concern due to its ability to transmit viral diseases, such as dengue and chikungunya. Aedes albopictus originated in Asia and is now present on all continents, with the exception of Antarctica. In Mozambique, Ae. albopictus was first reported in 2015 within the capital city of Maputo, and by 2019, it had become established in the surrounding area. It was suspected that the mosquito population originated in Madagascar or islands of the Western Indian Ocean (IWIO). The aim of this study was to determine its origin. Given the risk of spreading insecticide resistance, we also examined relevant mutations in the voltage-sensitive sodium channel (VSSC). Methods Eggs of Ae. albopictus were collected in Matola-Rio, a municipality adjacent to Maputo, and reared to adults in the laboratory. Cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences and microsatellite loci were analyzed to estimate origins. The presence of knockdown resistance (kdr) mutations within domain II and III of the VSSC were examined using Sanger sequencing. Results The COI network analysis denied the hypothesis that the Ae. albopictus population originated in Madagascar or IWIO; rather both the COI network and microsatellites analyses showed that the population was genetically similar to those in continental Southeast Asia and Hangzhou, China. Sanger sequencing determined the presence of the F1534C knockdown mutation, which is widely distributed among Asian populations, with a high allele frequency (46%). Conclusions These results do not support the hypothesis that the Mozambique Ae. albopictus population originated in Madagascar or IWIO. Instead, they suggest that the origin is continental Southeast Asia or a coastal town in China. Graphical Abstract

Abstract Objectives To develop and validate a novel interpretable artificial intelligence (AI) model that integrates radiomic features, deep learning features, and imaging features at multiple semantic levels to predict the prognosis of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) patients at 6 months post-onset. Materials and methods Retrospectively enrolled 222 patients with ICH for Non-contrast Computed Tomography (NCCT) images and clinical data, who were divided into a training cohort (n = 186, medical center 1) and an external testing cohort (n = 36, medical center 2). Following image preprocessing, the entire hematoma region was segmented by two radiologists as the volume of interest (VOI). Pyradiomics algorithm library was utilized to extract 1762 radiomics features, while a deep convolutional neural network (EfficientnetV2-L) was employed to extract 1000 deep learning features. Additionally, radiologists evaluated imaging features. Based on the three different modalities of features mentioned above, the Random Forest (RF) model was trained, resulting in three models (Radiomics Model, Radiomics-Clinical Model, and DL-Radiomics-Clinical Model). The performance and clinical utility of the models were assessed using the Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (AUC), calibration curve, and Decision Curve Analysis (DCA), with AUC compared using the DeLong test. Furthermore, this study employs three methods, Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP), Grad-CAM, and Guided Grad-CAM, to conduct a multidimensional interpretability analysis of model decisions. Results The Radiomics-Clinical Model and DL-Radiomics-Clinical Model exhibited relatively good predictive performance, with an AUC of 0.86 [95% Confidence Intervals (CI): 0.71, 0.95; P

Abstract Background Human carcinoembryonic antigen cell adhesion molecule 1 (CEACAM1) is an inhibitory cell surface protein that functions through homophilic and heterophilic ligand binding. Its expression on immune cells in human tumors is poorly understood. Methods An antibody that distinguishes human CEACAM1 from other highly related CEACAM family members was labeled with 159Tb and inserted into a panel of antibodies that included specificity for programmed cell death protein 1 (PD1) and PD-L1, which are targets of immunotherapy, to gain a data-driven immune cell atlas using cytometry by time-of-flight (CyTOF). A detailed inventory of CEACAM1, PD1, and PD-L1 expression on immune cells in metastatic lesions to lymph node or soft tissues and peripheral blood samples from patients with treatment-naive and -resistant melanoma as well as peripheral blood samples from healthy controls was performed. Results CEACAM1 is absent or at low levels on healthy circulating immune cells but is increased on immune cells in peripheral blood and tumors of melanoma patients. The majority of circulating PD1-positive NK cells, innate T cells, B cells, monocytic cells, dendritic cells, and CD4+ T cells in the peripheral circulation of treatment-resistant disease co-express CEACAM1 and are demonstrable as discrete populations. CEACAM1 is present on distinct types of cells that are unique to the tumor microenvironment and exhibit expression levels that are highest in treatment resistance; this includes tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells. Conclusions To the best of our knowledge, this work represents the first comprehensive atlas of CEACAM1 expression on immune cells in a human tumor and reveals an important correlation with treatment-resistant disease. These studies suggest that agents targeting CEACAM1 may represent appropriate partners for PD1-related pathway therapies.

In this study, the high-temperature evolution of eutectic carbides in a medium-alloy steel was investigated as well as their precipitation mechanism. Results revealed that MC and M6C eutectic carbides in the steel appeared during the final solidification due to the segregation of Mo and V and the melt undercooling. These eutectic carbides consist of blocky shapes with varying orientations, and rod-like shapes with the same orientation. Further investigation was confirmed that the carbides (MC and M6C) exhibited an intergrowth behavior. The cooling rate had a direct influence on the secondary dendrite arm spacing (SDAS), which decreased from 180 to 130 μm as the rate ranged from 0.6 to 21.9 °C/min. After holding for 0, 25, 50, and 80 h, respectively, the volume percentage of eutectic carbides exhibited a significant decreasing trend from 2 to 0.2%. Additionaly, the carbides exhibited irregular morphology after holding for 0–50 h, respectively, and which was transformed into the rod-like shape with a small size distributed along the grain boundaries after holding for 80 h. This phenomenon was attributed to the mutual diffusion between Mo, V, and other alloying elements in the carbides and Fe element in the steel matrix.

To promote the construction industry and establish a green environment, the integration of sustainable building materials is urgently required. This study presents the influences of three materials (silica fume, fly ash, and recycled ceramic powder (RCP)) and different RCP dosages (0%, 10%, 20%, and 30%) on the mechanical properties and microstructure of concrete at different temperatures. The study presents the results of comprehensive flow tests, printability assessments, mechanical evaluations under different loading directions, high-temperature analyses, digital image correlation, X-ray powder diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The experimental findings indicate the successful printing of all samples, with wall structure failure occurring only at a height of 730 mm. Furthermore, compared to those of other materials, the RCP displays a superior heat resistance, with a significant increase in compressive strength (28.9%) to 53.9 MPa at 300 °C. Additionally, the introduction of the RCP into 3D-printed concrete results in an anisotropic behaviour, with an initial enhancement in the mechanical strength, followed by attenuation as the RCP content increases. Microstructural analysis reveals enhanced interfacial adhesion with RCP addition, albeit accompanied by the emergence of numerous pores. The optimal mixture, which is designated as RCP-2-0-1 with 20% of the cement replaced by RCP, exhibits a significant anisotropic compressive strength (55.9 MPa) and an adequate anisotropic flexural strength (12.49 MPa) and impressive heat resistance (11.7% increase in compressive strength at 300 °C). This renders it a suitable sustainable impact-resistant thermal material for use in structural applications.

Based on the waterflooding development in carbonate reservoirs in the Middle East, in order to solve the problem of the poor development effects caused by commingled injection and production, taking the thick bioclastic limestone reservoirs of Cretaceous in Iran-Iraq as an example, this paper proposes a balanced waterflooding development technology for thick and complex carbonate reservoirs. This technology includes the fine division of development units by concealed baffles and barriers, the combination of multi well type and multi well pattern, and the construction of balanced water injection and recovery system. Thick carbonate reservoirs in Iran-Iraq are characterized by extremely vertical heterogeneity, development of multi-genesis ultra-high permeability zones, and highly concealed baffles and barriers. Based on the technologies of identification, characterization, and sealing evaluation for concealed baffles and barriers, the balanced waterflooding development technology is proposed, and three types of balanced waterflooding development modes/techniques are formed, namely, conventional stratigraphic framework, fine stratigraphic framework, and deepened stratigraphic framework. Numerical simulations show that this technology is able to realize a fine and efficient waterflooding development to recover, in a balanced manner, the reserves of thick and complex carbonate reservoirs in Iran and Iraq. The proposed technology provides a reference for the development optimization of similar reservoirs.

Abstract Background Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) is a particular type of breast cancer with the highest mortality rate. Essential oils are concerned more and more as potential anti-cancer drugs. Methods TNBC cells were treated with different concentrations of navel orange peel essential oil (NOPEO), and then a variety of experiments were performed to investigate the changes in the growth and progression of TNBC cells. MTT assay was performed to detect the proliferation of TNBC cells. The changes of cell cycle and apoptosis were analyzed by FACS. In order to explored the migration of TNBC cells, scratch wound assay was carried out. Western blotting and qPCR were used to examine the expression of proteins and mRNA of related genes. Furthermore, RNA-seq was used to analyze the altered genes and explored the possible signal pathway. Results NOPEO demonstrated dose- and time-dependent suppression of TNBC cell growth. TNBC cells showed an increased percentage of G2/M-phase cells and the protein levels of CyclinB1 and CyclinD1 were decreased after NOPEO treatment. The apoptotic cells were increased in the NOPEO treated TNBC cells. The migration mobility was significantly inhibited by NOPEO. In total, 1376 genes were found to be up-regulated and 1335 genes were down-regulated after NOPEO treatment. According to KEGG and GO pathways, the differentially expressed genes were related to MAPK, Jak/stat and FoxQ signaling pathways. Conclusion This investigation explored the bio-activity and molecular mechanisms of NOPEO against TNBC cells. These results indicated that NOPEO could suppress TNBC growth and migration perhaps via the MAPK and Jak/stat signaling pathways, which may provide theoretical reference for anticancer drug development. NOPEO may be a potential natural product for the chemotherapeutic of TNBC.

Abstract Nonequilibrium dynamics governed by electron–phonon (e-ph) interactions plays a key role in electronic devices and spectroscopies and is central to understanding electronic excitations in materials. The real-time Boltzmann transport equation (rt-BTE) with collision processes computed from first principles can describe the coupled dynamics of electrons and atomic vibrations (phonons). Yet, a bottleneck of these simulations is the calculation of e–ph scattering integrals on dense momentum grids at each time step. Here we show a data-driven approach based on dynamic mode decomposition (DMD) that can accelerate the time propagation of the rt-BTE and identify dominant electronic processes. We apply this approach to two case studies, high-field charge transport and ultrafast excited electron relaxation. In both cases, simulating only a short time window of ~10% of the dynamics suffices to predict the dynamics from initial excitation to steady state using DMD extrapolation. Analysis of the momentum-space modes extracted from DMD sheds light on the microscopic mechanisms governing electron relaxation to a steady state or equilibrium. The combination of accuracy and efficiency makes our DMD-based method a valuable tool for investigating ultrafast dynamics in a wide range of materials.

Abstract Background Gastric precancerous lesions are a critical stage in the development of gastric cancer or gastric adenocarcinoma, and their outcome plays an important role in the malignant progression of gastric cancer. Coptidis Rhizoma has a good effect on Gastric precancerous lesions. However, the specific mechanisms of its action remain incompletely elucidated. Methods Network pharmacology and molecular docking techniques were used to explore the active ingredients and molecular mechanism of Coptidis Rhizoma in treating gastric precancerous lesions. The active compounds of Coptidis Rhizoma and their potential gastric precancerous lesions related targets were obtained from TCMSP, GeneCards, and OMIM databases. An interaction network based on protein–protein interactions (PPIs) was constructed to visualize the interactions between hub genes. Analysis of GO enrichment and KEGG pathway were conducted using the DAVID database. An investigation of interactions between active compounds and potential targets was carried out by molecular docking. Finally, animal experiments were conducted to verify the effect and mechanism of Coptidis Rhizoma in treating precancerous lesions of gastric cancer. Results A total of 11 active compounds and 95 anti-gastric precancerous lesions targets of Coptidis Rhizoma were screened for analysis. GO enrichment analysis showed that the mechanism of Coptidis Rhizoma acting on gastric precancerous lesions involves gene expression regulation and apoptosis regulation. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed that Coptidis Rhizoma against gastric precancerous lesions involving the AKT /HIF-1α/VEGF signalling pathway. Molecular docking simulations indicated potential interactions between these compounds and core targets involved in anti-gastric precancerous lesions activity. In addition, it was confirmed in vivo that Berberine and Coptidis Rhizoma may reverse atrophy and potential intestinal metaplasia by inhibiting the expression of p-AKT, HIFA, and VEGF. Conclusion Bioactive compounds in Coptidis Rhizoma have the potential to prevent atrophy and intestinal metaplasia. These compounds function by regulating the proteins implicated in AKT /HIF-1α/VEGF signalling pathways that are crucial in gastric epithelial cell differentiation, proliferation and maturation.

PurposeThis study aimed to compare postoperative gastrointestinal symptoms between patients who underwent laparoscopic distal gastrectomy with Roux-en-Y (R-Y) and Billroth-II with Braun (B-II B) reconstruction.MethodsThis observational study retrospectively analyzed 151 patients (110 in R-Y group and 41 in B-II B group) who underwent laparoscopic distal gastrectomy from January 2020 to December 2021. A comparison was made regarding surgical outcomes, perioperative nutritional and inflammatory markers, postoperative dietary patterns, and gastrointestinal symptoms between the two groups.ResultsThe operation time was longer in the R-Y group than the B-II B group (261.00 ± 56.17 min versus 239.88 ± 57.78 min, p = 0.046). However, there were no significant differences in the length of hospital stay, ASA classification, complications, nutritional and inflammatory indexes, or recovery of postoperative diet between the two groups. Additionally, there were no significant differences in the occurrence of postoperative gastrointestinal symptoms in the post-discharge week (PDW) 1 and postoperative month (POM) 1 between the B-II B and R-Y groups.ConclusionsAbdominal distention emerged as the main gastrointestinal symptom burden in patients with gastric cancer undergoing laparoscopic distal gastrectomy. Both Billroth-II with Braun and R-Y reconstructions exhibited a high and similar incidence of gastrointestinal symptoms in the short term. Therefore, medical staff should pay attention to the management of gastrointestinal symptoms in these patients postoperatively.

Acute leukemia (AL) is a rare yet perilous malignancy. Currently, the primary treatment for AL involves combination chemotherapy as the cornerstone of comprehensive measures, alongside hematopoietic stem cell transplantation as a radical approach. However, despite these interventions, mortality rates remain high, particularly among refractory/recurrent patients or elderly individuals with a poor prognosis. Acetylation, a form of epigenetic regulation, has emerged as a promising therapeutic avenue for treating AL. Recent studies have highlighted the potential of acetylation regulation as a novel treatment pathway. Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACis) play a pivotal role in modulating the differentiation and development of tumor cells through diverse pathways, simultaneously impacting the maturation and function of lymphocytes. HDACis demonstrate promise in enhancing survival rates and achieving a complete response in both acute myeloid leukemia and acute T-lymphoblastic leukemia patients. This article provides a comprehensive review of the advancements in HDACi therapy for AL, shedding light on its potential implications for clinical practice.

PurposeAnalyze the clinical manifestations, laboratory tests, and imaging data of testicular torsion to provide clinical insights for timely and accurate diagnosis and treatment of testicular torsion.MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 67 pediatric patients suspected of testicular torsion, admitted and subjected to surgical exploration from June 2018 to June 2023. Based on whether the torsed testicle was excised during surgery, the patients were divided into orchiectomy group (40 cases) and orchidopexy group (27 cases). Combining clinical symptoms, signs, ultrasound examinations, and laboratory tests, the study aimed to summarize the influencing factors on the onset, diagnosis, and treatment of testicular torsion.ResultsThe clinical manifestations of all 67 pediatric patients were generally typical. Color Doppler Flow Imaging (CDFI) and surgical exploration were performed for all cases, and the results were consistent. Testicular color doppler ultrasound suggested reduced or absent blood flow, leading to surgical treatment in all cases. All patients had unilateral testicular torsion, with 46 cases (68.66%) on the left side and 21 cases (31.34%) on the right side. Intrafunicular torsion occurred in 60 cases (89.55%), while extrafunicular torsion occurred in 7 cases (10.45%). The onset distribution was as follows: 20 cases in spring, 16 cases in summer, 16 cases in autumn, and 15 cases in winter. Univariate analysis indicated significant statistical differences in age, degree of testicular torsion, duration of symptoms, NEUT, NLR, and occurrence of tunica fluid between the two groups of patients. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the duration of symptoms and the occurrence of hydrocele were independent risk factors for determining testicular viability.ConclusionTesticular torsion is more common in children and adolescents, with clinical manifestations including scrotal pain, scrotal redness and swelling, abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. In the early stages of testicular torsion, inflammatory markers in the blood increase, and preoperative ultrasound indicates hydrocele. This suggests that the testicle is in an early twisted state, with good viability and potential for preservation.

Goji berries are a small-fruited shrub with industrial importance whose fruit considered beneficial in both fresh and dried forms. Current germplasms of goji berries include small fruits with a short shelf life, less sweet and bitter taste, and a lack of appropriate genetic information. This study aimed to employ whole genome resequencing to generate an ultra-dense bin linkage map and to elucidate the genetic basis of goji fruit quality and size using quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping analysis in a cross-pollinated hybrid population. To achieve this goal, human sensory tests were carried out to determine the bitter taste (BT) and sweet taste (ST), and to quantify the soluble solid content (SSC), fruit firmness (FF), and fruit size-related traits of fresh goji fruits over three or four years. The results revealed that the goji bin linkage map based on resequencing spanned a total length of 966.42 cM and an average bin interval of 0.03 cM. Subsequent variant calling and ordering resulted in 3,058 bins containing 35,331 polymorphic markers across 12 chromosomes. A total of 99 QTLs, with individual loci in different environments explaining a phenotypic variance of 1.21-16.95% were identified for the studied traits. Ten major effects, including colocalized QTLs corresponding to different traits, were identified on chromosomes 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, and 8, with a maximum Logarithm of Odds (LOD) of 29.25 and 16.95% of explained phenotypic variance (PVE). In addition, four stable loci, one for FF, one for fruit weight (FW), and two for fruit shape index (FSI), were mainly mapped on chromosomes 5, 6, and 7, elucidating 2.10-16.95% PVE. These findings offer valuable insights into the genetic architecture of goji fruit traits along with identified specific loci and markers to further improve and develop sweeter, less bitter and larger fruited goji berry cultivars with extended shelf life.

Macrophage-based cell therapeutics is an emerging modality to treat cancer and repair tissue damage. A reproducible manufacturing and engineering process is central to fulfilling their therapeutic potential. Here, we establish a robust macrophage-manufacturing platform (Mo-Mac) and demonstrate that macrophage functionality can be enhanced by N1-methylpseudouridine (m1Ψ)-modified mRNA. Using single-cell transcriptomic analysis as an unbiased approach, we found that >90% cells in the final product were macrophages while the rest primarily comprised T cells, B cells, natural killer cells, promyelocytes, promonocytes, and hematopoietic stem cells. This analysis also guided the development of flow-cytometry strategies to assess cell compositions in the manufactured product to meet requirements by the National Medical Products Administration. To modulate macrophage functionality, as an illustrative example we examined whether the engulfment capability of macrophages could be enhanced by mRNA technology. We found that efferocytosis was increased in vitro when macrophages were electroporated with m1Ψ-modified mRNA encoding CD300LF (CD300LF-mRNA-macrophage). Consistently, in a mouse model of acute liver failure, CD300LF-mRNA-macrophages facilitated organ recovery from acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity. These results demonstrate a GMP-compliant macrophage-manufacturing process and indicate that macrophages can be engineered by versatile mRNA technology to achieve therapeutic goals.

Zizania latifolia has been observed to generate floating mats due to water level fluctuations and wind-waves, leading to significant detrimental impacts on both water quality and biodiversity. The key to controlling and monitoring the spread and movement of Zizania floating is the early detection of outbreaks and the clarification of its formation mechanisms in response to water levels and wind actions. The temporal and spatial resolutions of conventional remote sensing monitoring methods are challenging to satisfy the requirements for continuous and accurate tracking of Zizania floating, which undergoes daily movement. This study develops a timely and accurate monitoring method for Zizania floating by calculating the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) from high spatiotemporal resolution PlanetScope (PS) imagery and building a decision tree on the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform. Taking the Zizania floating outbreak in Honghu Wetland as the subject of our study, we extracted the continuous movement trajectories of Zizania floating from May to September 2019. Subsequently, we analyzed the interrelationship between the formation of Zizania floating and hydrometeorological factors. We then investigated the effects of Zizania floating on water quality and biodiversity. The results show that: (1) The integration of PS imagery and the GEE platform holds the potential to simplify the workload of remote sensing data processing. Based on the difference in NDVI between water bodies and Zizania floating, the dynamic expansion and reduction areas of the Zizania floating were successfully extracted by setting the threshold at 0.3, enabling timely and accurate tracking. (2) Abrupt fluctuations in water levels during brief time intervals serve as the primary trigger for Zizania floating. Additionally, wind speed during the same timeframe acts as a catalyst for the emergence of Zizania floating, with wind direction influencing its movement. (3) The outbreak of Zizania floating significantly elevates the concentrations of total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), chemical oxygen demand (CODmn), and total ammonia nitrogen (TAN), while concurrently reducing the dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration in water bodies. The prolonged presence and movement of Zizania floating has reduced the biodiversity of the wetland ecosystem. Zizania floating mats present unique challenges due to their unpredictability, complicating the monitoring and tracking processes. It is necessary to develop a prompt, accurate, and cost-effective detection program for Zizania floating to reduce the risk it poses to wetland ecosystems.

Abstract Due to the high degree of automation, automated guided vehicles (AGVs) have been widely used in many scenarios for transportation, and traditional computing power is stretched in large-scale AGV scheduling. In recent years, quantum computing has shown incomparable performance advantages in solving specific problems, especially Combinatorial optimization problem. In this paper, quantum computing technology is introduced into the study of the AGV scheduling problem. Additionally two types of quadratic unconstrained binary optimisation (QUBO) models suitable for different scheduling objectives are constructed, and the scheduling scheme is coded into the ground state of Hamiltonian operator, and the problem is solved by using optical coherent Ising machine (CIM). The experimental results show that compared with the traditional calculation method, the optical quantum computer can save 92% computation time on average. It has great application potential.

Abstract Although long-read sequencing enables the generation of complete genomes for unculturable microbes, its high cost limits the widespread adoption of long-read sequencing in large-scale metagenomic studies. An alternative method is to assemble short-reads with long-range connectivity, which can be a cost-effective way to generate high-quality microbial genomes. Here, we develop Pangaea, a bioinformatic approach designed to enhance metagenome assembly using short-reads with long-range connectivity. Pangaea leverages connectivity derived from physical barcodes of linked-reads or virtual barcodes by aligning short-reads to long-reads. Pangaea utilizes a deep learning-based read binning algorithm to assemble co-barcoded reads exhibiting similar sequence contexts and abundances, thereby improving the assembly of high- and medium-abundance microbial genomes. Pangaea also leverages a multi-thresholding algorithm strategy to refine assembly for low-abundance microbes. We benchmark Pangaea on linked-reads and a combination of short- and long-reads from simulation data, mock communities and human gut metagenomes. Pangaea achieves significantly higher contig continuity as well as more near-complete metagenome-assembled genomes (NCMAGs) than the existing assemblers. Pangaea also generates three complete and circular NCMAGs on the human gut microbiomes.

Abstract Inter-satellite link (ISL) plays an essential role in current and future Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). In this study, we investigate the impact of ISL observations on precise orbit determination for BeiDou-3 Navigation Satellite System (BDS-3) Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellites based on different Extended CODE Orbit Models (ECOM). Thanks to the better observation geometry of the Ka-band ISL data compared to the L-band data for BDS-3 MEO satellites, the ISL solution substantially reduces Orbit Boundary Discontinuity (OBD) errors, except for C30, which suffers from unstable Ka-band hardware delay. From the external quality analysis, ISL significantly enhances the reliability of the orbit of MEO satellites manufactured by the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST). The standard deviation (STD) of the satellite laser ranging (SLR) residuals is approximately 2.5 cm, and the root mean square (RMS) is reduced by 10–23% compared to L-band solutions. Besides, the Sun-elongation angle dependent systematic error in SLR residuals nearly vanishes based on the reduced 5-parameter ECOM (ECOM1) or extended 7-parameter ECOM (ECOM2) with ISL data. This is because the ISL reduces the correlation between state parameters and solar radiation pressure (SRP) parameters as well as those among SRP parameters, leading to a more accurate estimation of both orbit and SRP perturbations, particularly those along B direction. This confirms that the deficiency of the SRP models for BDS-3 CAST satellites can be compensated by using better observation geometry from ISL data. On the other hand, for the satellite manufactured by Shanghai Engineering Center for Microsatellites (SECM), the ISL allows for a more accurate estimation of the Bc 1 parameter in the ECOM1 model. This only reduces linear systematic error, possibly because the impact generated by the satellite bus cannot be entirely absorbed by the B-direction parameters.

Abstract Developing accurate wind speed forecasting methods is indispensable to integrating wind energy into smart grids. However, current state‐of‐the‐art wind speed forecasting methods are almost data‐driven deep learning models, which may incur potential adversarial cyberattacks. To this end, this paper proposes an adversarial false data injection attack tactic to investigate such a cyber threat. First, targeting the deep learning‐based short‐term wind speed forecasting model, an optimization model is constructed to obtain the optimally false data that should be injected into the forecasting model input so as to expand the prediction deviation as much as possible. Then, as the optimization model is non‐differentiable, a particle swarm optimization‐based method is developed to solve the optimization problem, in which the near‐optimal solution is able to be explored, directing the false data that should be injected. At last, numerical studies of the proposed attack tactic are conducted on different‐hour ahead wind speed forecasting models, revealing the feasibility and effectiveness.

Abstract Extensive inverter‐based power sources (IPS) impose significant challenges on the restoration of high renewable penetrated power systems (HRPPS). To enhance HRPPS resilience, the proper utilization of IPSs must be implemented. Combining frequency dynamics of IPSs and synchronous generators, this paper proposes a coordinated restoration method for multi‐type power sources after a major blackout. First, interactions between synchronous generators and IPSs are systematically analyzed. Based on this, output characteristics and constraints of IPSs in the power sources restoration process are quantified. Second, the dynamic frequency regulation capability (DFRC) of restored systems is quantified based on a unified transfer function structure model. Then the maximum power disturbance that restored systems can bear is derived based on DFRC indices including the maximum frequency deviation and the rate of change of frequency. Third, considering interactions between power sources and the DFRC of restored systems, a coordinated restoration optimization model of multi‐type power sources is proposed. Finally, case studies based on a modified IEEE 39‐bus system are simulated to verify the applicability and superiority of the proposed method. Meanwhile, results show that the proposed method for quantifying DFRC is more suitable for HRPPSs than traditional inertia‐based methods.

Abstract Background Cerebral malaria (CM) is the most lethal complication of malaria, and survivors usually endure neurological sequelae. Notably, the cytotoxic effect of infiltrating Plasmodium-activated CD8+ T cells on cerebral microvasculature endothelial cells is a prominent feature of the experimental CM (ECM) model with blood–brain barrier disruption. However, the damage effect of CD8+ T cells infiltrating the brain parenchyma on neurons remains unclear. Based on the immunosuppressive effect of the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway on T cells, our previous study demonstrated that the systemic upregulation of PD-L1 to inhibit CD8+ T cell function could effectively alleviate the symptoms of ECM mice. However, it has not been reported whether neurons can suppress the pathogenic effect of CD8+ T cells through the PD-1/PD-L1 negative immunomodulatory pathway. As the important inflammatory factor of CM, interferons can induce the expression of PD-L1 via different molecular mechanisms according to the neuro-immune microenvironment. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the direct interaction between CD8+ T cells and neurons, as well as the mechanism of neurons to alleviate the pathogenic effect of CD8+ T cells through up-regulating PD-L1 induced by IFNs. Methods Using the ECM model of C57BL/6J mice infected with Plasmodium berghei ANKA (PbA), morphological observations were conducted in vivo by electron microscope and IF staining. The interaction between the ECM CD8+ T cells (immune magnetic bead sorting from spleen of ECM mice) and primary cultured cortical neurons in vitro was observed by IF staining and time-lapse photography. RNA-seq was performed to analyze the signaling pathway of PD-L1 upregulation in neurons induced by IFNβ or IFNγ, and verified through q-PCR, WB, IF staining, and flow cytometry both in vitro and in vivo using IFNAR or IFNGR gene knockout mice. The protective effect of adenovirus-mediated PD-L1 IgGFc fusion protein expression was verified in ECM mice with brain stereotaxic injection in vivo and in primary cultured neurons via viral infection in vitro. Results In vivo, ECM mice showed infiltration of activated CD8+ T cells and neuronal injury in the brain parenchyma. In vitro, ECM CD8+ T cells were in direct contact with neurons and induced axonal damage, as an active behavior. The PD-L1 protein level was elevated in neurons of ECM mice and in primary cultured neurons induced by IFNβ, IFNγ, or ECM CD8+ T cells in vitro. Furthermore, the IFNβ or IFNγ induced neuronal expression of PD-L1 was mediated by increasing STAT1/IRF1 pathway via IFN receptors. The increase of PD-L1 expression in neurons during PbA infection was weakened after deleting the IFNAR or IFNGR. Increased PD-L1 expression by adenovirus partially protected neurons from CD8+ T cell-mediated damage both in vitro and in vivo. Conclusion Our study demonstrates that both type I and type II IFNs can induce neurons to upregulate PD-L1 via the STAT1/IRF1 pathway mediated by IFN receptors to protect against activated CD8+ T cell-mediated damage, providing a targeted pathway to alleviate neuroinflammation during ECM. Graphical Abstract

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many online lessons for emergency remote teaching (ERT) were recorded. However, little is known about how these recordings can be reused as resources for students’ active learning. This study aimed to design a post-video learning approach that uses recorded videos of lessons to remediate students’ learning losses associated with the pedagogical challenges of ERT. Two classes (54 students in total) with two teachers of general studies and mathematics in a Hong Kong primary school participated in a quasi-experimental study in which they used an approach integrating video selection, visualizations of classroom dialogues, a discussion forum, and quizzes for 10 weeks. After the intervention, the students’ mathematics knowledge had improved significantly relative to a comparison group, while the general studies class did not show significant changes. Eight students and two teachers were interviewed about their experiences with the post-video learning approach. The approach appeared to be a pedagogically meaningful way of engaging students in active learning activities and addressing the challenges raised by ERT by recycling recorded lessons. The results of this study also suggest that recorded lessons can be useful learning materials beyond tertiary education as they cater to younger learners’ needs in video-based learning by, for example, segmenting class videos, using visualization for easier viewing, and including discussion forums and quizzes for enhanced interaction. The design implications of using video segments and visualized representations of classroom interactions as learning materials and how to foster knowledge co-construction through forums and quizzes are also discussed.