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The intake of high-fat diets (HFD) has been shown to diminish the muscle quality of aquatic animals. Sanguinarine, as an excellent additive, exhibits the capability to reduce fat deposition and alleviate inflammation. However, its role in the muscle quality reduction caused by HFD remains unclear. An eight-week trial was conducted to investigate the impacts of dietary supplementation of sanguinarine at 1200 μg/kg (HFDS; crude fat = 10%) on the muscle quality of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) in comparison to a basic diet (CON, crude fat = 5%). Each group had 3 replicates, with 40 fish per replicate. This experiment employed one-way ANOVA and Duncan's multiple comparisons of the means. The results showed that the HFD exhibited lower growth performance, reduced protein deposition, myofiber diameter, and muscle hardness, coupled with higher levels of fat deposition and inflammation when compared with the CON. However, HFDS improved growth performance (P < 0.05), fat metabolism (ppar-α ( P = 0.001), lpl (P < 0.001), atgl (P < 0.001), and cpt1 (P = 0.001) expression exhibited a significant elevation), protein deposition (the protein and mRNA levels of AKT (P = 0.004), PI3K (P = 0.027), TOR (P = 0.005), and P70S6K (P = 0.007) demonstrated a marked increase), myofiber diameter, muscle hardness, and the total content of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid. Furthermore, the HFDS reduced oxidative damage caused by fat deposition by significantly downregulating nf-κb (P < 0.001), il-1β (P < 0.001), il-6 (P < 0.001), il-8 (P = 0.003), and tnf-α (P < 0.001) expression and markedly upregulated nrf2 (P < 0.001), gpx4 (P < 0.001), cat (P < 0.001), sod (P < 0.001), and gr (P = 0.003) expression. The findings from this study suggest that sanguinarine has the potential to alleviate the adverse effects of HFD on growth and muscle quality, providing a theoretical foundation for its practical implementation.

Abstract Echovirus 25 (E25), a member of the Enterovirus B (EV-B) species, can cause aseptic meningitis (AM), viral meningitis (VM), and acute flaccid paralysis (AFP). However, systematic studies on the molecular epidemiology of E25, especially those concerning its evolution and recombination, are lacking. In this study, 18 strains of E25, isolated from seven provinces of China between 2009 and 2018, were collected based on the Chinese hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) surveillance network, and 95 sequences downloaded from GenBank were also screened. Based on the phylogenetic analysis of 113 full-length VP1 sequences worldwide, globally occurring E25 strains were classified into 9 genotypes (A–I), and genotype F was the dominant genotype in the Chinese mainland. The average nucleotide substitution rate of E25 was 6.08 × 10–3 substitutions/site/year, and six important transmission routes were identified worldwide. Seventeen recombination patterns were determined, of which genotype F can be divided into 9 recombination patterns. A positive selector site was found in the capsid protein region of genotype F. Recombination analysis and pressure selection analysis for genotype F showed multiple recombination patterns and evolution characteristics, which may be responsible for it being the dominant genotype in the Chinese mainland. This study provides a theoretical basis for the subsequent prevention and control of E25.

Abstract The severity of osteoarthritis (OA) and cartilage degeneration is highly associated with synovial inflammation. Although recent investigations have revealed a dysregulated crosstalk between fibroblast‐like synoviocytes (FLSs) and macrophages in the pathogenesis of synovitis, limited knowledge is available regarding the involvement of exosomes. Here, increased exosome secretion is observed in FLSs from OA patients. Notably, internalization of inflammatory FLS‐derived exosomes (inf‐exo) can enhance the M1 polarization of macrophages, which further induces an OA‐like phenotype in co‐cultured chondrocytes. Intra‐articular injection of inf‐exo induces synovitis and exacerbates OA progression in murine models. In addition, it is demonstrated that inf‐exo stimulation triggers the activation of glycolysis. Inhibition of glycolysis using 2‐DG successfully attenuates excessive M1 polarization triggered by inf‐exo. Mechanistically, HIF1A is identified as the determinant transcription factor, inhibition of which, both pharmacologically or genetically, relieves macrophage inflammation triggered by inf‐exo‐induced hyperglycolysis. Furthermore, in vivo administration of an HIF1A inhibitor alleviates experimental OA. The results provide novel insights into the involvement of FLS‐derived exosomes in OA pathogenesis, suggesting that inf‐exo‐induced macrophage dysfunction represents an attractive target for OA therapy.

ABSTRACTThe gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus can invade non-professional phagocytic cells by associating with the plasma protein fibronectin to exploit host cell integrins. Integrin-mediated internalization of these pathogens is facilitated by the local production of phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PI-4,5-P2) via an integrin-associated isoform of phosphatidylinositol-5′ kinase. In this study, we addressed the role of PI-4,5-P2-directed phosphatases on internalization of S. aureus. ShRNA-mediated knockdown of individual phosphoinositide 5-phosphatases revealed that synaptojanin1 (SYNJ1) is counteracting invasion of S. aureus into mammalian cells. Indeed, shRNA-mediated depletion as well as genetic deletion of synaptojanin1 via CRISPR/Cas9 resulted in a gain-of-function phenotype with regard to integrin-mediated uptake. Surprisingly, the surface level of integrins was slightly downregulated in Synj1-KO cells. Nevertheless, these cells showed enhanced local accumulation of PI-4,5-P2 and exhibited increased internalization of S. aureus. While the phosphorylation level of the integrin-associated protein tyrosine kinase FAK was unaltered, the integrin-binding and -activating protein talin was enriched in the vicinity of S. aureus in synaptojanin1 knockout cells. Scanning electron microscopy revealed enlarged membrane invaginations in the absence of synaptojanin1 explaining the increased capability of these cells to internalize integrin-bound microorganisms. Importantly, the enhanced uptake by Synj1-KO cells and the exaggerated morphological features were rescued by the re-expression of the wild-type enzyme but not phosphatase inactive mutants. Accordingly, synaptojanin1 activity limits integrin-mediated invasion of S. aureus, corroborating the important role of PI-4,5-P2 during this process.IMPORTANCEStaphylococcus aureus, an important bacterial pathogen, can invade non-professional phagocytes by capturing host fibronectin and engaging integrin α5β1. Understanding how S. aureus exploits this cell adhesion receptor for efficient cell entry can also shed light on the physiological regulation of integrins by endocytosis. Previous studies have found that a specific membrane lipid, phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2), supports the internalization process. Here, we extend these findings and report that the local levels of PIP2 are controlled by the activity of the PIP2-directed lipid phosphatase Synaptojanin1. By dephosphorylating PIP2 at bacteria-host cell attachment sites, Synaptojanin1 counteracts the integrin-mediated uptake of the microorganisms. Therefore, our study not only generates new insight into subversion of cellular receptors by pathogenic bacteria but also highlights the role of host cell proteins acting as restriction factors for bacterial invasion at the plasma membrane.

Unfermented jujube pulp (UFJP), fermented jujube pulp (FJP) in high and low doses were fed to constipated ICR mice. Defecation function, serum gastrointestinal regulatory peptide, fecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and gut microbial composition were assessed. Results showed that high-dose FJP could protect intestinal mucosa tissue, shorten the first black feces defecating time by 17 % and increase the number and wet weights of black feces by 72 % and 71 %, respectively, within 6 h. High-dose FJP significantly down-regulated the somatostatin level and up-regulated gastrin level in constipated mice, compared with low-dose FJP and UFJP. High-dose FJP intervention regulated the microbiota profile, which afterwards restored microbiota, like Bacteroidetes, Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus, to a less unhealthy state. This study provides convincing in vivo evidence that high-dose FJP supplementation through daily diet could be a promising approach to effectively alleviate constipation and modulate gut health.

The missing and abnormal data in power transformer operation and monitoring greatly affect the accuracy of fault diagnosis and thus threaten the stable operation of power systems. To conduct outlier detection and improve data quality for safety warning, this paper proposes a transformer operation data preprocessing method based on KNN (K-nearest neighbor) and LOF (local outlier factor) for power transformer operation data classification. Firstly, this paper analyzes the characteristics of transformer operation data. Secondly, the local reachable density of the input data is calculated by LOF algorithm. The local outlier factor score of the data is derived according to the local reachable density, and the abnormal data is output according to the abnormal score. Then, KNN algorithm is utilized to classify the relevant data around the abnormal value and missing value of the transformer. The data are filled or corrected according to the classification results. Thirdly, the elbow method is used to determine the optimal K value and cluster operation data by K-Means algorithm. Finally, the proposed method is applied and verified with real transformer operation data in case study. The results show the method can effectively detect and correct the abnormal and missing data, conduct transformer data cleaning and preprocessing and provide accurate and effective data samples for transformer fault diagnosis.

Cosmic metals are believed to originate from stellar and supernovae (SNe) nucleosynthesis, dispersed into the interstellar medium (ISM) through stellar winds and supernova explosions. In this paper, we present the clear evidence of metal enrichment by a Type Ic SN 2011jm in the galaxy NGC 4809, utilizing high spatial resolution integral field unit observations obtained from the Very Large Telescope/Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer. Despite SN 2011jm being surrounded by metal-deficient ISM (∼0.25 Z _⊙ ) at a scale about 100 pc, we clearly detect enriched oxygen abundance (∼0.35 Z _⊙ ) and a noteworthy nitrogen-to-oxygen ratio at the SN site. Remarkably, the metal pollution is confined to a smaller scale (≲13 pc). We posit that the enhanced ionized metal stems from stellar winds emitted by massive stars or previous SN explosions. This observation may represent the first direct detection of chemical pollution by stellar feedback in star-forming galaxies beyond the Local Volume.

BackgroundPrevious studies have emphasized the association between the intake of artificial sweeteners (AS) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), but the causative relationship remains ambiguous.MethodsThis study employed univariate Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to assess the causal link between AS intake from various sources and T2DM. Linkage disequilibrium score (LDSC) regression was used to evaluate the correlation between phenotypes. Multivariate and mediation MR were applied to investigate confounding factors and mediating effects. Data on AS intake from different sources (N = 64,949) were sourced from the UK Biobank, while T2DM data were derived from the DIAbetes Genetics Replication And Meta-analysis.The primary method adopted was inverse variance weighted (IVW), complemented by three validation techniques. Additionally, a series of sensitivity analyses were performed to evaluate pleiotropy and heterogeneity.ResultsLDSC analysis unveiled a significant genetic correlation between AS intake from different sources and T2DM (rg range: -0.006 to 0.15, all P < 0.05). After correction by the false discovery rate (FDR), the primary IVW method indicated that AS intake in coffee was a risk factor for T2DM (OR = 1.265, 95% CI: 1.035-1.545, P = 0.021, PFDR = 0.042). Further multivariable and mediation MR analyses pinpointed high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) as mediating a portion of this causal relationship. In reverse MR analysis, significant evidence suggested a positive correlation between T2DM and AS intake in coffee (β = 0.013, 95% CI: 0.004-0.022, P = 0.004, PFDR = 0.012), cereal (β = 0.007, 95% CI: 0.002-0.012, P = 0.004, PFDR = 0.012), and tea (β = 0.009, 95% CI: 0.001-0.017, P = 0.036, PFDR = 0.049). No other causal associations were identified (P > 0.05, PFDR > 0.05).ConclusionThe MR analysis has established a causal relationship between AS intake in coffee and T2DM. The mediation by HDL-C emphasizes potential metabolic pathways underpinning these relationships.

Background: Cell death is a key regulatory process in organisms and its study has become increasingly important in the field of cancer. While prior research has primarily centered on the individual pathways of cell death in cancer, there has been a lack of comprehensive investigation into the synergistic effects of multiple cell death pathways. Methods: Genes related to autophagy, apoptosis, necroptosis, pyroptosis, and cuproptosis was selected, and patients’ data was collected from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)project. Cell death features were identified using principal component analysis and combined to create a composite score. A scalable prediction model was then created using LASSO regression after a thorough assessment of the composite scores. The model was subsequently validated across multiple external datasets to establish its robustness and reliability. Results: The cell death features effectively represented the gene expression patterns in the samples. The composite score well predicted prognosis, clinical stage, mutation, tumor microenvironment, and immunotherapy effectiveness. The model built on composite scores accurately predicted prognosis and immunotherapy effectiveness across multiple datasets. GJB2 was identified as a potential biomarker. Conclusion: Models based on multiple cell death pathways have significant predictive power for prognosis and immunotherapy effectiveness in lung adenocarcinoma. This highlights the synergistic role of multiple cell death pathways in cancer development and offers a new perspective for cancer research.

Due to external factors such as political influences, specific events and sentiment information, stock prices exhibit randomness, high volatility and non-linear characteristics, making accurate predictions of future stock prices based solely on historical stock price data difficult. Consequently, data fusion methods have been increasingly applied to stock price prediction to extract comprehensive stock-related information by integrating multi-source heterogeneous stock data and fusing multiple decision results. Although data fusion plays a crucial role in stock price prediction, its application in this field lacks comprehensive and systematic summaries. Therefore, this paper explores the theoretical models used in each level of data fusion (data-level, feature-level and decision-level fusion) to review the development of stock price prediction from a data fusion perspective and provide an overall view. The research indicates that data fusion methods have been widely and effectively used in the field of stock price prediction. Additionally, future directions are proposed. For better performance of data fusion in the field of stock price prediction, future work can broaden the scope of stock-related data types used and explore new algorithms such as natural language processing (NLP) and generative adversarial networks (GAN) for text information processing.

Flexible sensors have gained popularity in recent years. This study proposes a novel structure of a resistive four-channel tactile sensor capable of distinguishing the magnitude and direction of normal forces acting on its sensing surface. The sensor uses EcoflexTM00-30 as the substrate and EGaIn alloy as the conductive filler, featuring four mutually perpendicular and curved channels to enhance the sensor’s dynamic responsiveness. Experiments and simulations show that the sensor has a large dynamic range (31.25–100 mΩ), high precision (deviation of repeated pressing below 0.1%), linearity (R2 above 0.97), fast response/recovery time (0.2 s/0.15 s), and robust stability (with fluctuations below 0.9%). This work uses an underactuated robotic hand equipped with a four-channel tactile sensor to grasp various objects. The sensor data collected effectively predicts the shapes of the objects grasped. Furthermore, the four-channel tactile sensor proposed in this work may be employed in smart wearables, medical diagnostics, and other industries.

PurposeTo address the challenge of declining pro-environmental behaviors in adolescence, this paper uses the theoretical foundations for subjective wellbeing to verify the influence of three latent dimensions of subjective wellbeing (life satisfaction, positive emotions, and negative emotions) on adolescents' pro-environmental consumption behaviors (PECBs). Furthermore, we explore the moderating effects of nations and regions in the relationship between subjective wellbeing and PECBs in adolescents.MethodBased on the international data from the Programme for International Student Assessment 2018 (PISA 2018), we construct a unique dataset that includes 57,182 samples related to the subjective wellbeing and PECBs of 15-year-old students from eight countries/economies. Specially, we employ an ordered probit model to test our hypotheses.FindingsBoth adolescents' life satisfaction and positive emotions can significantly improve their PECBs, while there is a significant negative association between negative emotions and PECBs. At the nation's level, adolescents' life satisfaction and negative emotions in developed countries/economies significantly impact PECBs. In contrast, the positive emotions of adolescents in developing countries/economies have more substantial effects on PECBs. At the regional level, the impact of all three dimensions of adolescents' subjective wellbeing on PECBs is more significant in rural than urban areas.Originality/valueThis paper provides a new perspective for understanding adolescents' PECBs from the insights of subjective wellbeing. Previous studies have examined the effects of life satisfaction or happiness on PECBs in adults. This paper examines the impact of subjective wellbeing on adolescents' PECBs from life satisfaction, positive emotions, and negative emotions, which suggests that promoting adolescents' subjective wellbeing can be an effective strategy for encouraging PECBs. From a comparative research perspective, we further analyze the differences between the nations at different levels of development, the rural and urban areas, providing a valuable reference for policymakers and practitioners in promoting pro-environmental behaviors among adolescents.

Summary: Temperature increases as light intensity rises, but whether light signals can be directly linked to high temperature response in plants is unclear. Here, we find that light pre-treatment enables plants to survive better under high temperature, designated as light-induced thermotolerance (LIT). With short-term light treatment, plants induce light-signaling pathway genes and heat shock genes. Blue light photoreceptor cryptochrome 1 (CRY1) is required for LIT. We also find that CRY1 physically interacts with the heat shock transcription factor A1d (HsfA1d) and that HsfA1d is involved in thermotolerance under light treatment. Furthermore, CRY1 promotes HsfA1d nuclear localization through importin alpha 1 (IMPα1). Consistent with this, CRY1 shares more than half of the chromatin binding sites with HsfA1d. Mutation of CRY1 (cry1-304) diminishes a large number of HsfA1d binding sites that are shared with CRY1. We present a model where, by coupling light sensing to high-temperature stress, CRY1 confers thermotolerance in plants via HsfA1d.

Abstract Astrophysics and cosmology in the coming decades urgently need a large field-of-view (FOV), highly multiplexed spectroscopic survey telescope satisfying challenging image quality and stability requirements. The 6.5 m MUltiplexed Survey Telescope (MUST) proposed by Tsinghua University will be constructed on the Saishiteng Mountain of Northwest China to improve the spectroscopic survey capability of ground-based optical telescopes. In this paper, we demonstrate the conceptual design of the optical system of MUST. MUST will adopt a 6.5 m primary mirror, a 2.45 m secondary mirror, and a multiple-element widefield corrector (WFC) to ensure excellent image quality with an 80% encircled energy size of image spots less than ~ 0.6 arcsec in diameter for the entire 3° FOV and the whole 50° zenith angle range. Thanks to its compact 6.5 m Ritchey-Chretien system and 20,000 optical fibers on its Cassegrain focus, MUST will carry out state-of-the-art wide-field spectroscopic surveys with efficiency ~ 19 times higher than the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) using a measure proposed by Ellis et al. Upon completion around 2029, MUST will be one of the world's most advanced wide-field spectroscopic survey telescopes and a new essential reference for the future development of wide-field survey telescopes. It will enable significant advances in many fields in astrophysics and cosmology.

Abstract This study aims to give a new perspective to the biomarkers in the lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) brain metastasis, pathways involved and potential therapeutics. We performed a comprehensive single-cell level transcriptomic analysis on one LUAD patient with circulating tumor cells (CTCs), primary tumor tissue and metastatic tumor tissue using scRNA-seq approach to identify metastasis related biomarkers. Further scRNA-seq were performed on 7 patients to validate the cancer metastatic hallmark. with single cells collected from either metastatic or primary LUAD tissues. Pathological and functional studies were also performed to evidence the critical role of RAC1 in the LUAD metastasis. Hallmark gene was verified based on immunohistochemistry staining, cytological experiment, survival information from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), and staining results from Human Protein Atlas (HPA) databases. PCA analysis revealed that CTCs were in the intermediate place between the metastatic group and primary group. In the unsupervised clustering analysis CTCs were closer to one of the metastatic tumor cells, implying heterogeneity of the metastatic tumor and origin of the CTCs were from metastatic site. Transitional phase related gene analysis identified RAC1 was enriched in metastatic tumor tissue (MTT) preferred gene set functioning as regulated cell death and apoptosis as well as promoted macromolecule organization. Compared with normal tissue, expression levels of RAC1 increased significantly in LUAD tissue based on HPA database. High expression of RAC1 predicts worse prognosis and higher-risk. EMT analysis identified the propensity of mesenchymal state in primary cells while epithelial signals were higher in the metastatic site. Functional clustering and pathway analyses suggested genes in RAC1 highly expressed cells played critical roles in adhesion, ECM and VEGF signaling pathways. Inhibition of RAC1 attenuates the proliferation, invasiveness and migration ability of lung cancer cells. Besides, through MRI T2WI results, we proved that RAC1 can promote brain metastasis in the RAC1-overexpressed H1975 cell burden nude mouse model. RAC1 and its mechanisms might promote drug design against LUAD brain metastasis.

Zero-voltage zero-current switching (ZVZCS) phase-shifted full-bridge (PSFB) converters have been widely used in high-power applications because of their high efficiency, low price, and easy control. Currently, the biggest problem with PSFB converters in operation is their high duty cycle loss. With the increase in current, duty cycle loss grows and degrades their performance. Focusing on this problem, a new ZVZCS PSFB converter is proposed in this paper. This topology adds an auxiliary circuit to minimize duty cycle loss. Moreover, the lagging-leg switches can obtain zero-current switching (ZCS) easily with the help of the circuit. The auxiliary circuit is built of four metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) and an auxiliary transformer, and extra voltage can be added to the primary coils when the direct-current (DC) voltage is small. This paper discusses its operation principles and characteristics, and an experiment of a 2 kW prototype was conducted, the results of which demonstrate the advantages of the presented circuits.

Information literacy is a basic ability for college students to adapt to social needs at present, and it is also a necessary quality for self-learning and lifelong learning. It is an effective way to reveal the information literacy teaching mechanism to use the rich and diverse information literacy learning behavior characteristics to carry out the learning effect prediction analysis. This paper analyzes the characteristics of college students’ learning behaviors and explores the predictive learning effect by constructing a predictive model of learning effect based on information literacy learning behavior characteristics. The experiment used 320 college students’ information literacy learning data from Chinese university. Pearson algorithm is used to analyze the learning behavior characteristics of college students’ information literacy, revealing that there is a significant correlation between the characteristics of information thinking and learning effect. The supervised classification algorithms such as Decision Tree, KNN, Naive Bayes, Neural Net and Random Forest are used to classify and predict the learning effect of college students’ information literacy. It is determined that the Random Forest prediction model has the best performance in the classification prediction of learning effect. The value of Accuracy is 92.50%, Precision is 84.56%, Recall is 94.81%, F1-Score is 89.39%, and Kapaa coefficient is 0.859. This paper puts forward differentiated intervention suggestions and management decision-making reference in the information literacy teaching process of college students, with a view to adjusting the information literacy teaching behavior, improving the information literacy teaching quality, optimizing educational decision-making, and promoting the sustainable development of high-quality and innovative talents in the information society.Our work involving research of the thinking and direction of the sustainable development of information literacy training proved to be encouraging.

The exacerbation of the energy crisis has led to the development of various self-powered sensors, resulting in rapid advancements in the energy field. The sensor based on the triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) is particularly effective in collecting mechanical energy from low-frequency and irregular movement. It can convert external mechanical forces directly into electrical signals, making it a self-powered (or self-driven) sensor. High-performance TENGs are widely used in flexible sensing, implantable power supplies, healthcare, and biomedical applications. This paper introduces TENG power generation methods, advantages, and disadvantages of TENG, summarizes the related research of TENG simulation, material selection, sensor fabrication, etc., and reviews applied research of TENG in manipulators. Finally, the current challenges and problems facing TENG-based sensors are discussed, and the future development of TENG technology is explored.

The thermoelectric generator (TEG) as a noise-free, pollution-free and environmentally friendly energy-conversion device has been intensively investigated in the last few decades. For different TEG applications, the characteristics of their heat sources determine the structural designs of the TEG systems. In this work, we categorized TEG heat sources into three types: body heat, natural sources of heat energy, and industrial waste heat. The up-to-date three maim structural designs of wearable TEGs including film TEG, micro-bulk TEG, and yarn TEG were reviewed. For TEG using natural heat sources, the major structural designs of TEG using solar energy, geothermal energy, and ambient heat energy were summarized. In terms of TEG using industrial waste heat, the structures of TEG systems applied in automotive, household stoves, and factories were concluded. Meanwhile, key thermal enhancement technologies including different heat exchangers, heat pipes, and phase change material (PCM) to improve the performance of these TEG systems, as well as challenges of each TEG system were also concluded. This review is expected to provide inspiration for the structural designs of TEG systems with different types of heat sources and to offer potential performance enhancement technologies for engineers and researchers in this field.

Abstract Background Volumetric muscle loss (VML) due to various reasons may cause motor dysfunction and tissue engineering has been proposed for muscle regeneration. However, developing three-dimensional (3D) tissue-engineered scaffolds that can mimic oriented cell growth of muscle tissues are challenging for regeneration medicine. Herein, we propose a novel self-curling 3D oriented scaffold (SCOS) composed of fish derived gelatin methacrylate (GelMA) and fish scales for repairing skeletal muscles. Methods Fish scales of tilapia were decellularized and decalcified. Then, SCOSs were constructed by ultraviolet-coating methylated fish gelatin on the back of fish scales. C2C12 myoblasts were cultured on SCOSs, and after induction of myogenic differentiation, SCOS/C2C12 transplants were prepared for in vivo experiments. Results Decellularized and decalcified fish scales (DDFSs) became soft and retained the original oriented microgroove surface structure that could induce oriented cell growth. SCOSs could self-curl into 3D structures when immersing in culture medium due to different swelling properties of fish GelMA and DDFSs. Cell experiments demonstrated that SCOSs enhanced the oriented growth and myogenic differentiation of C2C12 myoblasts. By integrating SCOSs and myogenic differentiated C2C12 myoblasts, the resultant SCOS/C2C12 transplants promoted de novo muscle regeneration and functional restoration of muscle activity in the mouse model of VML. Conclusions Our results suggest that SCOSs loaded with myogenic differentiated C2C12 myoblasts can promote muscle regeneration in mice with skeletal muscle injuries, indicating application prospects of such scaffolds in muscle tissue engineering and other related fields.

Brucella, a zoonotic facultative intracellular pathogenic bacterium, poses a significant threat both to human health and to the development of the livestock industry. Alanine racemase (Alr), the enzyme responsible for alanine racemization, plays a pivotal role in regulating virulence in this bacterium. Moreover, Brucella mutants with alr gene deletions (Δalr) exhibit potential as vaccine candidates. However, the mechanisms that underlie the detrimental effects of alr knockouts on Brucella pathogenicity remain elusive. Here, initially, we conducted a bioinformatics analysis of Alr, which demonstrated a high degree of conservation of the protein within Brucella spp. Subsequent metabolomics studies unveiled alterations in amino acid pathways following deletion of the alr gene. Furthermore, alr deletion in Brucella suis S2 induced decreased resistance to stress, antibiotics, and other factors. Transmission electron microscopy of simulated macrophage intracellular infection revealed damage to the cell wall in the Δalr strain, whereas propidium iodide staining and alkaline phosphatase and lactate dehydrogenase assays demonstrated alterations in cell membrane permeability. Changes in cell wall properties were revealed by measurements of cell surface hydrophobicity and zeta potential. Finally, the diminished adhesion capacity of the Δalr strain was shown by immunofluorescence and bacterial enumeration assays. In summary, our findings indicate that the alr gene that regulates amino acid metabolism in Brucella influences the properties of the cell wall, which modulates bacterial adherence capability. This study is the first demonstration that Alr impacts virulence by modulating bacterial metabolism, thereby providing novel insights into the pathogenic mechanisms of Brucella spp.

This study designs a spectrum data collection device and system based on the Internet of Things technology, aiming to solve the tedious process of chlorophyll collection and provide a more convenient and accurate method for predicting chlorophyll content. The device has the advantages of integrated design, portability, ease of operation, low power consumption, low cost, and low maintenance requirements, making it suitable for outdoor spectrum data collection and analysis in fields such as agriculture, environment, and geology. The core processor of the device uses the ESP8266-12F microcontroller to collect spectrum data by communicating with the spectrum sensor. The spectrum sensor used is the AS7341 model, but its limited number of spectral acquisition channels and low resolution may limit the exploration and analysis of spectral data. To verify the performance of the device and system, this experiment collected spectral data of Hami melon leaf samples and combined it with a chlorophyll meter for related measurements and analysis. In the experiment, twelve regression algorithms were tested, including linear regression, decision tree, and support vector regression. The results showed that in the original spectral data, the ETR method had the best prediction effect at a wavelength of 515 nm. In the training set, RMSEc was 0.3429, and Rc2 was 0.9905. In the prediction set, RMSEp was 1.5670, and Rp2 was 0.8035. In addition, eight preprocessing methods were used to denoise the original data, but the improvement in prediction accuracy was not significant. To further improve the accuracy of data analysis, principal component analysis and isolation forest algorithm were used to detect and remove outliers in the spectral data. After removing the outliers, the RFR model performed best in predicting all wavelength combinations of denoised spectral data using PBOR. In the training set, RMSEc was 0.8721, and Rc2 was 0.9429. In the prediction set, RMSEp was 1.1810, and Rp2 was 0.8683.

Herein, we propose a new method based on Fourier-transform near-infrared spectroscopy (FT-NIR) for detecting impurities in seed cotton. Based on the spectral data of 152 seed cotton samples, we screened the characteristic wavelengths in full-band spectral data with regard to potential correlation with the trash content of seed cotton. Then, we applied joint synergy interval partial least squares (siPLS) and combinatory algorithms with the competitive adaptive reweighted sampling method (CARS) and the successive projection algorithm (SPA). In addition, we used the sparrow search algorithm (SSA), gray wolf algorithm (GWO), and eagle algorithm (BES) to optimize parameters for support vector machine (SVM) analysis. Finally, the feature wavelengths optimized via the six feature wavelength extraction algorithms were modeled and analyzed via partial least squares (PLS), SSA-SVM, GWO-SVM, and BES-SVM, respectively. The correlation coefficients, Rc and Rp, of the calibration and prediction sets were subsequently used as model evaluation indices; comparative analysis highlighted that the preferred option was the inverse estimation model as this could accurately predict the trash content of seed cotton. Subsequently, we found that the accuracy of predicting the content of impurities in seed cotton when applying the optimized SVM model of SSA combined with the feature wavelengths screened via siPLS-SPA was optimal. Thus, the optimal modeling method for inverse impurity content was siPLS-SPA-SSA-SVM, with an Rc value of 0.9841 and an Rp value of 0.9765. The rapid application development (RPD) value was 6.7224; this is >3, indicating excellent predictive ability. The spectral inversion model for determining the impurity rate of mechanized harvested seed cotton samples established herein can, therefore, determine the impurity rate in a highly accurate manner, thus providing a reference for the subsequent construction of a portable spectral detector of impurity rate. This will help objectively and quantitatively characterize the impurity rate of mechanized harvested seed cotton and provide a new tool for rapidly detecting impurities in mechanized harvested wheat. Our findings are limited by the small sample size and the fact that the model developed for estimating the impurity content of seed cotton was specific to a local experimental field and certain varieties of cotton.

Water pollution exhibits distinct negative externalities, necessitating trans-regional collaborative governance among basin governments. However, few studies have examined the structural features of water pollution collaboration networks among local governments in China from a spatial analysis perspective. This study focuses on 27 central cities in the Yangtze River Delta, collecting 109 policy texts and evidence of cooperative actions on water pollution governance among these cities. By utilizing a combination of social network analysis and GIS spatial analysis, the research visualizes the results and delves into the overall structure and internal features of the network. The results indicate that the density of the water pollution cooperation network is 0.75, suggesting that a relatively stable and closely connected network for collaborative governance of water pollution has been formed. Furthermore, the water pollution cooperation in the Yangtze River Delta exhibits a typical “multi-center” network structure, with Shanghai–Suzhou, Nanjing, and Hangzhou as the core, forming three city clusters with tighter cooperation. Suzhou, Shanghai, and Jiaxing have the highest degree of centrality, which are 51, 46, and 44, respectively. The analysis of degree centrality reveals that cities with higher levels of economic development or those that serve as provincial capitals often play a leading role in the cooperation network. The study also observes that adjacent cities or local governments closer to the core cities are more likely to establish cooperative relationships; this phenomenon is not limited by provincial administrative boundaries.

Abstract The evolution of the East Asian winter monsoon (EAWM) during the Holocene remains controversial because of the lack of reliable proxies. In this study, a link between cross‐front transport and the EAWM was found in the North Yellow Sea, and the EAWM intensity could be imprinted in the leaked sediment, which permits reliable reconstruction of the EAWM on well‐preserved offshore deposition. By comparison with instrumental data, the wind speed of the EAWM since 4.4 ka was quantitatively reconstructed for the first time at high resolution (∼5 yr). The results show that the EAWM gradually weakened in the mid‐to‐late Holocene, which was likely controlled by solar insolation, and that there has been a negative relationship between the EAWM and temperature on the centennial scale since ∼2.0 ka; this relationship was reversed by increasing CO2 emissions during the Current Warm Period.

BackgroundTotal aortic root replacement (TRR) is certainly beneficial for aortic root disease, but does it still have an advantageous prognosis for patients compared to valve-sparing aortic root replacement (VSRR)? An overview of reviews was conducted to assess each of their clinical efficacy/effectiveness.Review methodsSystematic reviews (SRs)/Meta-analyses comparing the prognosis of TRR and VSRR in aortic root surgery were collected from 4 databases, all searched from the time of database creation to October 2022. Two evaluators independently screened the literature, extracted information and applied the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement, A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR 2) tool, Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE), and Risk of Bias in Systematic Reviews (ROBIS) to evaluate the quality of reporting, methodological quality, risk of bias, and level of evidence of the included studies.Main resultsA total of 9 SRs/Meta-analyses were ultimately included. In terms of the reporting quality of the included studies, PRISMA scores ranged from 14 to 22.5, with issues mainly in reporting bias assessment, risk of study bias, credibility of evidence, protocol and registration, and funding sources. The methodological quality of the included SRs/Meta-analyses was generally low, with key items 2, 7, and 13 having major flaws and non-key items 10, 12, and 16. In terms of risk of bias assessment, the overall assessment of the included 9 studies was high-risk. The quality of the evidence was rated as low to very low quality for the three outcome indicators selected for the GRADE quality of evidence rating: early (within 30 days postoperatively or during hospitalization) mortality, late mortality, and valve reintervention rate.ConclusionsVSRR has many benefits including reduced early and late mortality after aortic root surgery and reduced rates of valve-related adverse events, but the methodological quality of the relevant studies is low, and there is a lack of high-quality evidence to support this.Systematic Review Registrationhttps://www.PROSPERO, identifier: CRD42022381330.

A large number of existing studies have discussed the potential factors affecting pro-environmental behaviors (PEBs) in adolescents. However, few studies have focused on the possible impact of adolescents’ subjective wellbeing (SWB) on their PEBs. Why and how adolescents’ SWB affects their PEBs remains a puzzle. To unravel this puzzle, this paper aims to establish a suitable instrumental variable (IV) to correctly estimate the contribution of adolescents’ SWB to their PEBs. Using the international data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) ‘s Programme for International Student Assessment 2018, we construct a unique dataset of eight countries or economies, which includes 56,374 samples related to the SWB and PEBs of 15-year-old students. In this paper, the days of physical education classes in school per week are used as the IV. Through a two-stage least squares method, we find that the contribution of adolescents’ SWB to PEBs is significantly positive. We also find that the pathway by which SWB improves PEBs works through adolescents’ self-efficacy. Furthermore, the results indicate that the positive impact of SWB on PEBs is more pronounced among adolescents with better peer relationships and stronger multicultural values. Our findings highlight the influence of positive affects in cultivating adolescent’ PEBs and the importance of growing up surrounded by happiness.

This paper considers the finite-time cluster synchronization (FTCS) problem for a general class of nonlinear coupled neural networks (NCNN) with time-varying delays based on a new finite-time analysis method. By employing the theories of finite-time control and Lyapunov functional, novel sufficient conditions on FTCS of NCNN with transmission delays and coupled delays are proposed. Not resembling several previous results, the settling time estimation schemes are established without using classical finite-time stability lemmas. The new finite-time analysis method used in this paper combines the inequality method and Lyapunov functional theory and then obtains corresponding results according to the definition of finite-time stability. Furthermore, the results of proposed FTCS are obtained in a more general framework, which has a wider range of practical applications. Finally, a numerical example is presented to confirm the validity of the obtained control scheme.

Abstract Granulation, an ancient metal processing technique mainly applied to gold, has originated from West Asia, and later appeared at many different archaeological sites across the Eurasia. The distribution of granulated gold ornaments bearing diverse soldering techniques reveal the long-distance human interaction across the Eurasia. This paper presents the scientific analysis of the surface morphology and elemental composition of two granulated gold ornaments from Tushan Tomb No.2 pit in Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, which approximately dated to the first century CE of Han Dynasty. Multiple non-destructive analytical methods including Ultra-Depth Three-Dimensional Microscope, Energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (XRF) and Scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive X-Ray spectrometer (SEM-EDS) were conducted to obtain analytical data. The result indicates that tin-participated soldering technique has been adopted to accomplish the granulation. Although the usage of tin has been mentioned in a former study as “a secret of Etruscan granulation”, the lack of quantitative analyses leaves this assumption unconvinced. Our findings on Tushan ornaments throw light on this issue by illustrating the regular distribution pattern of the tin content at the joints, which appears to be intentionally added for certain amount. Although tiny in size, the gold granules record the secret of soldering techniques used in China and many other regions across the Eurasia during the ancient time, complementing the study of granulation techniques and reflecting the transmission and innovation along with the technological and cultural contacts.

Objective In this study, we aimed to identify long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) that play important roles in starvation stress, analyze their functions, and discover potential molecular targets to alleviate starvation stress to provide a theoretical reference for subsequent in-depth research. Methods We generated a piglet starvation stress animal model. Nine Yorkshire weaned piglets were randomly divided into a long-term starvation stress group (starved for 72 h), short-term starvation stress group (starved for 48 h), and the control group. LncRNA libraries were constructed using high-throughput sequencing of piglet ileums. Results We obtained 11,792 lncRNAs, among which, 2,500 lncRNAs were novel. In total, 509 differentially expressed (DE)lncRNAs were identified in this study. Target genes of DElncRNAs were predicted via cis and trans interactions, and functional and pathway analyses were performed. Gene ontology functions and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes analysis revealed that lncRNA-targeted genes mainly participated in metabolic pathways, cellular processes, immune system processes, digestive systems, and transport activities. To reveal the mechanism underlying starvation stress, the interaction network between lncRNAs and their targets was constructed based on 26 DElncRNAs and 72 DEmRNAs. We performed an interaction network analysis of 121 DElncRNA–DEmRNA pairs with a Pearson correlation coefficient greater than 0.99. Conclusion We found that MSTRG.19894.13, MSTRG.16726.3, and MSTRG.12176.1 might play important roles in starvation stress. This study not only generated a library of enriched lncRNAs in piglets, but its outcomes also provide a strong foundation to screen key lncRNAs involved in starvation stress and a reference for subsequent in-depth research.

Background: Reduced serum estrogen levels in postmenopausal patients not only aggravate bone loss but also impact myokine secretion. Emerging evidence has revealed the importance of myokines in bone metabolism, and exercise can interfere with the secretion of myokines. However, few studies have explored the impact of exercise on myokine secretion in the postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP) process. Methods: Ten-weeks-old C57B/L6 female mice were used for constructing the postmenopausal osteoporosis model. The expression levels of kynurenine aminotransferases (Kats) were detected by RT-PCR and Western Blot. The concentration of serum kynurenic acid (Kyna) was detected by HPLC-MS. Micro-CT analysis was used for determine the changes of bone mineral density and the microstructure. The primary osteoblast and osteoclast were isolated from mice to determine the effect and mechanism of Kyna on the bone formation and resorption. Results: In our research, we found a lower serum level of muscle-derived kynurenic acid (Kyna) in PMOP model mice, accompanied by a decreased level of kynurenine aminotransferases (Kats) in the gastrocnemius muscle. Moreover, treadmill-running exercise upregulated the muscle levels of KATs and increased the serum concentration of Kyna, which was positively correlated with the alleviation of bone loss. Furthermore, we found that exogenous Kyna treatment alleviated bone mineral loss and microstructure destruction in PMOP mice by inhibiting osteoclast maturation and increasing osteoblast viability. Mechanistically, we observed that Kyna reduced the NFκB p65 phosphorylation level by activating the Gpr35 receptor, which inhibited NFATc1 expression in osteoclasts and upregulated Runx2 expression in osteoblasts. Conclusion: Our results revealed that the muscle levels of Kats and serum level of Kyna were negatively correlated with the severity of PMOP. Exercise intervention and exogenous Kyna treatment alleviated the impairment of bone microstructure through the Gpr35 receptor, paving the way for a novel therapeutic intervention in PMOP. The Translational potential of this article: This study provides evidences that Kyna could increase the osteoblastgenesis and inhibit the osteoclastgenesis, which could be a novel therapeutic approach for osteoporosis treatment.

Highlights EIF3B is a prognostic biomarker for HNSCC risk; EIF3B promotes HNSCC progression in vitro and in vivo; EIF3B promotes CEBPB translation and activates the MAPK pathway; IL6R and CCNG2 are targets of EIF3B-regulated CEBPB translation.

Fagaceae are diverse family including trees of ecological and economic importance. This phylogenomic analysis of nuclear and plastid genomes reconstructs evolutionary history and finds evidence of multiple adaptive introgression events in this important plant family.

This research aims to explore the multi-focus group method as an effective tool for systematically eliciting business requirements for business information system (BIS) projects. During the COVID-19 crisis, many businesses plan to transform their businesses into digital businesses. Business managers face a critical challenge: they do not know much about detailed system requirements and what they want for digital transformation requirements. Among many approaches used for understanding business requirements, the focus group method has been used to help elicit BIS needs over the past 30 years. However, most focus group studies about research practices mainly focus on a particular disciplinary field, such as social, biomedical, and health research. Limited research reported using the multi-focus group method to elicit business system requirements. There is a need to fill this research gap. A case study is conducted to verify that the multi-focus group method might effectively explore detailed system requirements to cover the Case Study business's needs from transforming the existing systems into a visual warning system. The research outcomes verify that the multi-focus group method might effectively explore the detailed system requirements to cover the business's needs. This research identifies that the multi-focus group method is especially suitable for investigating less well-studied, no previous evidence, or unstudied research topics. As a result, an innovative visual warning system was successfully deployed based on the multi-focus studies for user acceptance testing in the Case Study mine in Feb 2022. The main contribution is that this research verifies the multi-focus group method might be an effective tool for systematically eliciting business requirements. Another contribution is to develop a flowchart for adding to Systems Analysis & Design course in information system education, which may guide BIS students step by step on using the multi-focus group method to explore business system requirements in practice.

The heat shock transcription factors (HSFs) family is widely present in eukaryotes including plants. Recent studies have indicated that HSF is a multifunctional group of genes involved in plant growth and development, as well as response to abiotic stresses. Here we combined the bioinformatic, molecular biology way to dissect the function of Hsf, specifically HsfB4 in wheat under abiotic stresses. In this study, we identified 78 TaHSF genes in wheat (Triticum aestivum) and analyzed their phylogenetic relationship and expression regulation motifs. Next, the expression profiles of TaHSFs and AtHSFs were analyzed in different tissues as well as in response to abiotic stress. Furthermore, to explore the role of HSFB4 in abiotic stress response, we cloned TaHSFB4-2B from the wheat variety, Chinese Spring. Subcellular localization analysis showed that TaHSFB4-2B was localized in the nucleus. In addition, We observed TaHSFB4-2B was highly expressed in the root and stem, its transcription was induced under long-term heat shock, cold, and salinity stress. Additionally, overexpression of TaHSFB4-2B suppressed seed germination and growth in Arabidopsis with salinity and mannitol treatment. It also modulated the expression of stress-responsive genes, including AtHSP17.8, AtHSP17.6A, AtHSP17.6C, CAT2, and SOS1, under both normal and stress conditions. From these finding, we propose that TaHSFB4-2B act as a negative regulator of abiotic stress response in the plant.

Chlorella vulgaris (C. vulgaris) powder is a novel non-grain single-cell protein with enormous potential to be a protein source. However, it is poorly studied in aquatic animals. The purpose of the present study was to explore the optimum replacement ratio of C. vulgaris powder and the influence of the substitution of soybean meal with C. vulgaris on grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) in terms of growth performance, intestinal integrity and the microbial community. Five isonitrogenous and isolipidic diets were formulated by replacing 0% (SM, containing 30% soybean meal), 25% (X25), 50% (X50), 75% (X75) and 100% (X100) soybean meal with C. vulgaris. The feeding trial period lasted 8 weeks. At the end of the experimental trial, the X50 group showed higher FW, WGR and PER than the SM group (p < 0.05). The feed conversion ratio (FCR) of the X50 group was significantly lower than that of the SM group (p < 0.05). The X50 group showed the highest value of the goblet cell number, intestinal amylase and trypsin activities when compared with the SM group (p < 0.05). Replacing 50% soybean meal with C. vulgaris improved the intestinal barrier integrity, as evidenced by upregulating zo-1, zo-2 and occluding transcript (p < 0.05), and alleviated oxidative stress by an increased SOD enzymatic activity and transcript level, probably mediated through the Nrf2-keap1 signaling pathway (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, the X50 group enhanced intestinal immunity, as manifested by increased ACP and LZM activities (p < 0.05), and downregulated the tlr-4, tlr-7, tlr-8 and il-6 through the tlr pathway (p < 0.05). The functionally predicting pathways related to the nitrate respiration and nitrogen respiration were observably activated in the X50 group (p < 0.05). The X50 group improved the biological barrier, as manifested by increased Firmicutes and Rhodobacter (p < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary C. vulgaris powder could promote the growth performance of grass carp by restoring intestinal morphology, increasing digestive enzyme activities, improving antioxidant properties and immunity and optimizing the microflora structure. A C. vulgaris powder replacement of 50% soybean meal was recommended as feed for grass carp.

Habitat loss and human threats are putting the marbled polecat (Vormela peregusna) on the brink of extinction. Numerous recent studies have found that climate change will further deteriorate the living environment of endangered species, leading to their eventual extinction. In this study, we used the results of infrared camera surveys in China and worldwide distribution data to construct an ensemble model consisting of 10 commonly used ecological niche models to specify potential suitable habitat areas for V. peregusna under current conditions with similar environments to the sighting record sites. Changes in the suitable habitat for V. peregusna under future climate change scenarios were simulated using mid-century (2050s) and the end of the century (2090s) climate scenarios provided by the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6). We evaluated the accuracy of the model to obtain the environmental probability values (cutoff) of the V. peregusna distribution, the current distribution of suitable habitats, and future changes in moderately and highly suitable habitat areas. The results showed that the general linear model (GLM) was the best single model for predicting suitable habitats for V. peregusna, and the kappa coefficient, area under the curve (AUC), and true skill statistic (TSS) of the ensemble model all exceeded 0.9, reflecting greater accuracy and stability than single models. Under the current conditions, the area of suitable habitat for V. peregusna reached 3935.92 × 104 km2, suggesting a wide distribution range. In the future, climate change is predicted to severely affect the distribution of V. peregusna and substantially reduce the area of suitable habitats for the species, with 11.91 to 33.55% of moderately and highly suitable habitat areas no longer suitable for the survival of V. peregusna. This shift poses an extremely serious challenge to the conservation of this species. We suggest that attention be given to this problem in Europe, especially the countries surrounding the Black Sea, Asia, China, and Mongolia, and that measures be taken, such as regular monitoring and designating protected areas for the conservation of vulnerable animals.

An eight-week trial was conducted to investigate the effects of sanguinarine supplementation (600 μg and 1200 μg/kg) in high-fat (crude fat: 10%) diets (HF) on the intestinal physiological function of Ctenopharyngodon idellus (initial weight 50.21 ± 0.68 g), based on a basic diet (5% crude fat, CON), which were named HFLS and HFHS, respectively. The results showed that the HF diet significantly impaired the intestinal immune and physical barrier function, and disrupted the balance of the intestinal microbiota in grass carp. Compared to the HF diet, sanguinarine supplementation significantly improved the levels of serum C4, C3, AKP, IgA, and IgM, and enhanced the intestinal antioxidant capacity (gr, CuZnsod, gpx4, cat, gsto, and nrf2 expression were significantly up-regulated). Sanguinarine significantly down-regulated the expression of claudin-15 and up-regulated the expression of claudin-b, claudin-c, occludin, and zo-1 by inhibiting MLCK signaling molecules. Additionally, sanguinarine significantly down-regulated the expression of il-6, il-1β, and tnf-α and up-regulated the expression of il-10, tgf-β2, and tgf-β1 by inhibiting NF-κB signaling molecules, thereby alleviating intestinal inflammation caused by HF diets. Furthermore, compared to the HF diet, the abundance of Fusobacterium and Cetobacterium in the HFHS diet increased significantly, while the abundance of Firmicutes and Streptococcus showed the opposite trend. In conclusion, the HF diet had a negative impact on grass carp, while sanguinarine supplementation enhanced intestinal antioxidant ability, alleviated intestinal barrier damage, and ameliorated the homeostasis of the intestinal microbiota.

Brucella suis, the causative agent of brucellosis, poses a significant public health and animal husbandry threat. However, the role of the alanine racemase (alr) gene, which encodes alanine racemase in Brucella, remains unclear. Here, we analyzed an alr deletion mutant and a complemented strain of Brucella suis S2. The knockout strain displayed an unaltered, smooth phenotype in acriflavine agglutination tests but lacked the core polysaccharide portion of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Genes involved in the LPS synthesis were significantly upregulated in the deletion mutant. The alr deletion strain exhibited reduced intracellular viability in the macrophages, increased macrophage-mediated killing, and upregulation of the apoptosis markers. Bcl2, an anti-apoptotic protein, was downregulated, while the pro-apoptotic proteins, Bax, Caspase-9, and Caspase-3, were upregulated in the macrophages infected with the deletion strain. The infected macrophages showed increased mitochondrial membrane permeability, Cytochrome C release, and reactive oxygen species, activating the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway. These findings revealed that alanine racemase was dispensable in B. suis S2 but influenced the strain’s rough features and triggered the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway during macrophage invasion. The deletion of the alr gene reduced the intracellular survival and virulence. This study enhances our understanding of the molecular mechanism underlying Brucella’s survival and virulence and, specifically, how alr gene affects host immune evasion by regulating bacterial LPS biosynthesis.

Smart cities have been a popular topic for the city stakeholders. A smart city is the next urban lifestyle that citizens expect. Due to the hypercompetitive and globalized economy, many cities have already started or are about to start their smart city projects. There is no uniform benchmark to evaluate the smart cities’ performance. Several organizations use their own indicators to evaluate smart cities worldwide or nationwide. This research paper leverages fuzzy logic to label smart city leaders and followers based on various organization’s evaluation meta results and then uses machine learning techniques to identify the key characteristics of leaders and followers. Based on the training data performance, the Support Vector Machine (SVM) is used to predict who will be the next smart city leader or follower. According to the proposed prediction framework, we have successfully predicted 30 smart city leaders and 20 followers.

Automatic layout generation, which means making computers enjoy creativity, is difficult yet exciting work. Up to now, how to generate reasonable and visually appealing layouts remains a complex challenge. In this paper, we propose a novel layout generation model based on Conditional Generative Adversarial Networks (L-CGAN), which can generate layouts simply and efficiently by positioning, scaling, and flipping the given primitives. To break the bottleneck of limitation of the fixed input size of Generative Adversarial Networks, we develop a pre-processing algorithm to enable the model to generate layouts with an unrestricted number of input elements. Moreover, a graph-constraint module is proposed to guide layout optimization. We demonstrate the competitive performance of our designs in diverse data domains such as handwriting digit layout generation (MNIST Layouts), scene layout generation (AbstractScene-Layouts), and document layout generation (PubLayNet).

Under the epidemic situation, it is more and more important to improve college students’ information literacy.In this paper, we are the first to propose an information literacy improvement model for college students based on smart learning environment. On the basis of previous studies and literature analysis, we describe the elements of the smart learning environment for the cultivation of college students’ information literacy.These elements, which we summarize as CIAP, consist of four aspects: conceptual level, intelligent level, action level and process level.Based on CIAP,we propose a new blended learning model to improve college students’ information literacy sustainably. The first is to expand learning resources by special topics; The second is to create a learning environment intelligently; The third is to clarify the interactive learning activities; The fourth is the innovative mutual learning process; The fifth is the timely verification of learning feedback; The sixth is the multiple optimization of learning evaluation.We have carried out targeted experiments to test the validity of the blended mode.Through the concrete empirical study of college students majoring in engineering technology in Chinese university, it is concluded that there is a statistically significant difference between the post-test data of the experimental class and the control class.The results prove that the blended learning based on smart learning environment proposed in this paper has a significant effect on the cultivation of information literacy of college students.This paper discusses the spiral development of information literacy enabled by the smart learning environment. Our work involving studies of the thinking and direction of the sustainable development of information literacy training proved to be encouraging.

The interaction between the permanent magnets and the armature teeth of the PMSM generates cogging torque. It causes vibration and noise. Therefore, this paper establishes the analytical formula of the cogging torque of the motor with auxiliary slots on the surface of the rotor. It shows that reasonable slots can weaken the cogging torque. But it’s essential to determine whether the air-gap flux density harmonics will increase appreciably by slotting. A V-type IPMSM with 8-pole, 48-slot is modeled to analyze the cogging torque. Two new rotor slot shapes—inwardly biased slots and outwardly biased slots—are proposed and researched to reduce the cogging torque of the V-type IPMSM. And they are compared with the traditional symmetrical auxiliary slots. Research shows that the inwardly biased slots and the symmetric auxiliary slots can obtain a better effect on the cogging torque than the outwardly biased slots. By the symmetrical auxiliary slots, the cogging torque is weakened by 75.88%, but the torque ripple increases from 22.36% to 29.60%. By the inwardly biased slots, the cogging torque is weakened by 75.64%, and the torque ripple drops from 22.36% to 12.95%. The inwardly biased slots could successfully suppress the torque ripple.

Abstract Background Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the common gastrointestinal malignancies, tumor heterogeneity is the main cause of refractory CRC. Syndrome differentiation is the premise of individualized treatment of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), but TCM syndrome lacks objective identification in CRC. This study is to investigate the correlation and significance of tumor heterogeneity and TCM syndromes classification in CRC. Methods In this study, we using scRNA-seq technology, investigate the significance of tumor heterogeneity in TCM syndromes classification on CRC. Results The results showed that 662 cells isolated from 11 primary CRC tumors are divided into 14 different cell clusters, and each cell subtype and its genes have different functions and signal transduction pathways, indicating significant heterogeneity. CRC tumor cell clusters have different proportions in Excess, Deficiency and Deficiency-Excess syndromes, and have their own characteristic genes, gene co-expression networks, gene functional interpretations as well as monocle functional evolution. Moreover, there were significant differences between the high expressions of MUC2, REG4, COL1A2, POSTN, SDPR, GPX1, ELF3, KRT8, KRT18, KRT19, FN1, SERPINE1, TCF4 and ZEB1 genes in Excess and Deficiency syndrome classification in CRC (P

Abstract Introduction Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is generally considered to be one of the most successful orthopedic surgical procedures. However, no research has been conducted on the postoperative mental health of patients who underwent different approaches of THA. This paper seeks to compare the differences among three THA approaches: the normal lateral approach (NLA), the direct anterior approach (DAA) and the orthopädische chirurgie münchen (OCM) regarding their influence on patients’ postoperative anxiety and depression. Method A total of 95 THA patients were recruited for this study. All patients’ preoperative information including results of Harris, SF-36 and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was carefully evaluated. Surgery-related data as well as five-day postoperative data were also collected. Three months after the surgery, a telephone follow-up was conducted to further evaluate patients’ HADS and SF-36 results. Result In the three-month postoperative evaluation of anxiety and depression, the NLA group scored significantly higher than both the DAA group and the OCM group, which was found relevant to the patient’s incision length and five-day postoperative VAS results. A correlation between anxiety scores and the days of postoperative hospitalization was also noticed. Further analysis of patients’ psychological state based on the SF-36 results revealed considerable differences in viability (VT) and social function (SF) between the NLA group and the OCM group. Other surgery-related data and postoperative data all demonstrated better results of the DAA group and the OCM group compared to the NLA group. Conclusion Among the three different surgical approaches of THA, DAA and OCM compared with NLA are found to ease patients’ postoperative anxiety and depression. Level of evidence III

Solar sailing enables efficient propellant-free attitude adjustment and orbital maneuvers of solar sail spacecraft with high area-to-mass ratios. However, the heavy supporting mass for large solar sails inevitably leads to low area-to-mass ratios. Inspired by chip-scale satellites, a chip-scale solar sail system named ChipSail, consisting of microrobotic solar sails and a chip-scale satellite, was proposed in this work. The structural design and reconfigurable mechanisms of an electrothermally driven microrobotic solar sail made of Al\Ni50Ti50 bilayer beams were introduced, and the theoretical model of its electro-thermo-mechanical behaviors was established. The analytical solutions to the out-of-plane deformation of the solar sail structure appeared to be in good agreement with the finite element analysis (FEA) results. A representative prototype of such solar sail structures was fabricated on silicon wafers using surface and bulk microfabrication, followed by an in-situ experiment of its reconfigurable property under controlled electrothermal actuation. The experimental results demonstrated significant electro-thermo-mechanical deformation of such microrobotic bilayer solar sails, showing great potential in the development of the ChipSail system. Analytical solutions to the electro-thermo-mechanical model, as well as the fabrication process and characterization techniques, provided a rapid performance evaluation and optimization of such microrobotic bilayer solar sails for the ChipSail.

Ocean fronts are widespread on the eastern China shelf, especially in winter and early spring. Previous studies have shown that sediments on the northern coast of the Shandong Peninsula could penetrate the coastal fronts and deposit on the southern coast of the Liaodong Peninsula, and this cross-front transport process is closely related to winter storms. However, the detailed mechanisms of cross-front transport remain unclear. In this study, through realistic numerical modeling and physical mechanism analysis, a dynamic mechanism involving cross-front transport triggered by winter storms was proposed, and two locations with the highest probability of frontal instability around the Shandong Peninsula were identified. In detail, forced by winter storms, the Lubei Coastal Current significantly intensifies first and causes frontal inertial instability in the early stage of the winter storm, favoring cross-front exchange between both sides of the front. Then, serving as a compensation current, the Yellow Sea Warm Current intensifies in the late stage of the winter storm, leading to the northward transport of the materials out of the front. Furthermore, the intensity, distance, and path of the cross-front transport under varying winter storms are also investigated. The winter storm, with longer duration, greater wind speed, and westward wind direction, tends to trigger stronger cross-front transport and longer transport distance. Transport paths also differ under different winter storms. This study provides a theoretical explanation for cross-front transport and analyzes the role of winter storms in it, providing some new ideas for nearshore materials dispersal to the sea, which is of great significance for future studies on pollutant diffusion, nutrient distribution, and sediment transport in coastal areas.

Abstract Background Fat deposition is an important economic consideration in pig production. The amount of fat deposition in pigs seriously affects production efficiency, quality, and reproductive performance, while also affecting consumers’ choice of pork. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) is effective in pig genetic studies. Therefore, this study aimed to identify modules that co-express genes associated with fat deposition in pigs (Songliao black and Landrace breeds) with extreme levels of backfat (high and low) and to identify the core genes in each of these modules. Results We used RNA sequences generated in different pig tissues to construct a gene expression matrix consisting of 12,862 genes from 36 samples. Eleven co-expression modules were identified using WGCNA and the number of genes in these modules ranged from 39 to 3,363. Four co-expression modules were significantly correlated with backfat thickness. A total of 16 genes (RAD9A, IGF2R, SCAP, TCAP, SMYD1, PFKM, DGAT1, GPS2, IGF1, MAPK8, FABP, FABP5, LEPR, UCP3, APOF, and FASN) were associated with fat deposition. Conclusions RAD9A, TCAP, SMYD1, PFKM, GPS2, and APOF were the key genes in the four modules based on the degree of gene connectivity. Combining these results with those from differential gene analysis, SMYD1 and PFKM were proposed as strong candidate genes for body size traits. This study explored the key genes that regulate porcine fat deposition and lays the foundation for further research into the molecular regulatory mechanisms underlying porcine fat deposition.

Abstract Purpose Growing evidence demonstrates that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a crucial role as competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) in tumor occurrence. The lncRNAs’ functions and clinical significance in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) remain unclear. The study aims to reveal the lncRNA-associated ceRNA regulatory network of LSCC and clarify its clinical relevance. Methods Here, we obtained LSCC transcriptome data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and identified the differential expression profile of lncRNAs, miRNAs, and mRNAs by the EdgeR R package. The function enrichment analysis of mRNAs was performed using clusterProfiler R package and GSEA3.0. Then, we constructed a ceRNA network and prognosis model based on lncRNAs through bioinformatic methods. Moreover, we explored the functions of prognosis-related lncRNA in LSCC by CCK-8 and transwell assay. Results 1961 lncRNAs, 69 miRNAs, and 2224 mRNAs were identified as differentially expressed genes in LSCC tissues. According to the transcriptome differential expression profile, a ceRNA network containing 61 lncRNAs, 21 miRNAs, and 77 mRNAs was established. Then, four lncRNAs (AC011933.2, FAM30A, LINC02086, LINC02575) were identified from the ceRNA network to build a prognosis model for LSCC patients. And we found that LINC02086 and LINC02575 promoted the proliferation, migration, and invasion of LSCC cells while AC011933.2 and FAM30A inhibited these biological functions in vitro. Furthermore, we validated that LINc02086/miR-770-5p/SLC26A2 axis promoted migration in LSCC. Conclusion Four lncRNAs of the ceRNA network were abnormally expressed and related to patient prognosis in LSCC. They played a significant role in the progress of LSCC via affecting the proliferation and metastasis of tumor cells.

Deng et al. assess the effects of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing in two transgenic mouse models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) for up to 2 years. They find that the genomic editing prevented the development of ALS-like pathology without any notable side-effects, which provides preclinical evidence of the effectiveness and long-term safety of the CRISPR/Cas9 therapeutic approach.