Search

In this study, a ddPCR method for the detection of scale drop disease virus (SDDV) in yellowfin seabream (Acanthopagrus latus) was established based on Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR detection methods and principles. The reaction conditions were optimized, and the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and reproducibility were assessed. The results showed that threshold line position was determined to be 1900 by the ddPCR method; the optimum annealing temperature for SDDV detection by the ddPCR method was 60°C; the limit of detection was 1.4–1.7 copies/μL; the results of specific detection of other common viruses, except for SDDV specific amplification, were all negative; and the relative standard deviation (RSD) for the reproducibility validation was 0.77%. The samples of yellowfin seabream (Acanthopagrus latus) liver, spleen, kidney, heart, intestine, brain, blood, muscle, skin and ascites with three replicates, respectively, were tested using the ddPCR method, and the results were consistent with clinical findings. The ddPCR method established in this study has the advantages of high sensitivity, high specificity, good reproducibility and simple steps for the quantitative detection of SDDV, which could be used for the nucleic acid detection of clinical SDDV samples, and provided a new quantitative method for the diagnosis of yellowfin seabream SDDV in the early stage of pathogenesis.

The cyclic oxidation and topologically close-packed (TCP) phase precipitation behaviors of β-(Ni, Pt)Al coatings with different Pt/Al ratios at 1150 °C were investigated. In the initial oxidation stage, coatings with different Pt/Al ratios exhibited comparable high-temperature oxidation resistance, likely due to a similar level of Al absorption. Subsequently, oxide spallation was common for coatings with lower Pt/Al ratios due to the formation of fine-grained alumina and a “sandwich” structure (a multilayer porous structure) oxide scale. For coatings with higher Pt/Al ratios, severe rumpling occurred, and numerous cracks formed in the oxide scale. However, sufficient Al concentration in the outer zone and the improved deformation tolerance of the oxide scale enhanced the spallation resistance of the thermally grown oxide (TGO). Furthermore, a higher Pt/Al ratio promotes uphill diffusion of Al, which reduces its migration into the substrate, thereby diminishing TCP precipitation. Coatings with the same Pt/Al ratios but higher Pt and Al contents further reduced TCP precipitation after oxidation. This improvement is attributed to the initially lower Al concentration in these coatings' secondary reaction zone (SRZ) and their greater thickness.

The objective of this study is to review different methods to screen for the optimal model for preventing and treating chicken glandular and muscular gastritis syndrome. Twenty-four 40-day-old specific pathogen-free (SPF) chickens were randomly allocated into four groups (N = 6): polyethylene glycol + ammonium chloride group (M1 group), acetic acid + rhubarb group (M2 group), polyethylene glycol + rhubarb group (M3 group), and control group. The control group had free access to water, while the remaining groups received different doses of molding reagents added to their drinking water. The animal models were assessed based on clinical manifestations, histopathology findings, serological analysis, and composition of intestinal microbiota to establish an optimal approach for constructing an avian model of glandular and muscular gastritis. The SPF chickens in each model group exhibited typical symptoms of glandular and muscular gastritis, poor spirit, yellow loose stools with undigested feed, and enlargement and ulceration of the glandular and muscular stomach. Among these groups, the M3 group had the highest incidence rate of 100%. Compared to the control group, the body weight and body temperature of the chicken in the three model groups were reduced, and the glandular and muscular stomachs and duodenum showed different degrees of bleeding, mucosal abscission, and other pathological injuries. Additionally, the levels of serum IL-2 and α-amylase activity decreased while the content of IL-4 increased. After conducting 16s rDNA sequencing, it was observed that the abundance of Bacteroides, Faecalibacterium, and Ruminococcaceae UCG-014 was significantly increased in the model group compared to the control group. Conversely, there was a notable decrease in the levels of Megamonas and Lactobacillus, which are speculated to be associated with arachidonic acid metabolism, the NF-κB signaling pathway, and TNF signaling pathways. The combination of polyethylene glycol and rhubarb emerged as the most effective method for establishing the glandular and muscular gastritis model in SPF chickens. This constructed chicken model displayed distinct signs of damage to the glandular and muscular stomach, inflammatory response, and disturbance in the intestinal flora, thereby providing a foundation for future research on the prevention and treatment of this syndrome.

Abstract The appropriate and specific response of nerve cells to various external cues is essential for the establishment and maintenance of neural circuits, and this process requires the proper recruitment of adaptor molecules to selectively activate downstream pathways. Here, we identified that DOK6, a member of the Dok (downstream of tyrosine kinases) family, is required for the maintenance of peripheral axons, and that loss of Dok6 can cause typical peripheral neuropathy symptoms in mice, manifested as impaired sensory, abnormal posture, paw deformities, blocked nerve conduction, and dysmyelination. Furthermore, Dok6 is highly expressed in peripheral neurons but not in Schwann cells, and genetic deletion of Dok6 in peripheral neurons led to typical peripheral myelin outfolding, axon destruction, and hindered retrograde axonal transport. Specifically, DOK6 acts as an adaptor protein for selectivity-mediated neurotrophic signal transduction and retrograde transport for TrkC and Ret but not for TrkA and TrkB. DOK6 interacts with certain proteins in the trafficking machinery and controls their phosphorylation, including MAP1B, Tau and Dynein for axonal transport, and specifically activates the downstream ERK1/2 kinase pathway to maintain axonal survival and homeostasis. This finding provides new clues to potential insights into the pathogenesis and treatment of hereditary peripheral neuropathies and other degenerative diseases.

The application of interleukin-17 (IL-17) inhibitors, including secukinumab, ixekizumab, brodalumab, and bimekizumab, are associated with elevated risk of candidiasis. These medications interfere with the IL-17 pathway, which is essential for maintaining mucosal barriers and coordinating the immune response against Candida species. The observational data and clinical trials demonstrate the increased incidence of candidiasis in individuals treated with IL-17 inhibitors. Brodalumab and bimekizumab pose a greater risk than secukinumab in eliciting candidiasis, whereas the data regarding ixekizumab are equivocal. Higher doses and prolonged treatment duration of IL-17 inhibitors increase the risk of candidiasis by compromising the immune response against Candida species. Prior to prescribing IL-17 inhibitors, healthcare professionals should comprehensively evaluate patients’ medical histories and assess their risk factors. Patients should be educated on the signs and symptoms of candidiasis to facilitate early detection and intervention. Future research should focus on identifying the risk factors associated with candidiasis in patients receiving IL-17 inhibitors. Prospective studies and long-term surveillance are required to explore the impact of specific inhibitors on the incidence and severity of candidiasis and to evaluate the effectiveness of combination therapies, such as concurrent use of IL-17 inhibitors and prophylactic antifungal agents.

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) belongs to the coronavirus family and the coronavirus genus, causing contact enteric infection in pigs. It is one of the most serious diseases that threatens the pig industry. However, there is currently no specific drug to prevent and treat the disease, indicating that we need to be vigilant about the spread of the disease and the development of anti-PEDV drugs. The dried aerial parts of the plant Portulaca oleracea in the family Portulacaceous, whose decoction can be used to treat acute enteritis, dysentery, diarrhea, and other diseases. This study explored the potential mechanism of water extract of Portulaca oleracea (WEPO) in PEDV-induced pyroptosis in Vero cells. PEDV decreased the viability of Vero cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner, causing cell damage, upregulating the level of intracellular Nlrp3, and inhibiting the level of Gasdermin D (GSDMD) and the activation of Caspase-1. WEPO can inhibit PEDV-induced pyroptosis, reduce the elevation of inflammatory factors caused by infection, and exhibit a dose-dependent effect. Knockdown of Caspase-1 and GSDMD separately can induce the production of the inflammatory factor IL-1β to significantly decrease and increase, respectively. These results suggest that WEPO can inhibit cell pyroptosis caused by PEDV and that the Caspase-1 and GSDMD pathways play an important role in this process.

In this paper, a dual-wavelength narrow-linewidth fiber laser based on parity-time (PT) symmetry theory is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The PT-symmetric filter system consists of two optical couplers (OCs), four polarization controllers (PCs), a polarization beam splitter (PBS), and cascaded fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs), enabling stable switchable dual-wavelength output and single longitudinal-mode (SLM) operation. The realization of single-frequency oscillation requires precise tuning of the PCs to match gain, loss, and coupling coefficients to ensure that the PT-broken phase occurs. During single-wavelength operation at 1548.71 nm (λ1) over a 60-min period, power and wavelength fluctuations were observed to be 0.94 dB and 0.01 nm, respectively, while for the other wavelength at 1550.91 nm (λ2), fluctuations were measured at 0.76 dB and 0.01 nm. The linewidths of each wavelength were 1.01 kHz and 0.89 kHz, with a relative intensity noise (RIN) lower than −117 dB/Hz. Under dual-wavelength operation, the maximum wavelength fluctuations for λ1 and λ2 were 0.03 nm and 0.01 nm, respectively, with maximum power fluctuations of 3.23 dB and 2.38 dB. The SLM laser source is suitable for applications in long-distance fiber-optic sensing and coherent LiDAR detection.

Inflammation is associated with an increased risk of developing various cancers in both animals and humans, primarily solid tumors but also myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), a type of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) increasingly used in medical research and other fields, are leading to a rising human exposure. Our study demonstrated that exposing mice to MWCNTs accelerated the progression of spontaneous MOL4070LTR virus-induced leukemia. Additionally, similar exposures elevated pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) in a murine macrophage cell line. These effects were significantly reduced in immunodeficient mice and when mice were treated with methoxypolyethylene glycol amine (PEG)-modified MWCNTs. These findings underscore the necessity of evaluating the safety of MWCNTs, particularly for those with hematologic cancers.

IntroductionShrimp is an important aquaculture species worldwide. Vibrio parahaemolyticus (VP) is an opportunistic pathogen of Litopenaeus vannamei that can cause diseases such as acute hepatopancreatic necrotic disease (AHPND), resulting in significant losses to the shrimp farming industry.MethodsIn this study, We analyzed two shrimp populations by transcriptomics and non-targeted metabolomics, which exhibited significant differences in resistance to VP. Through integrated analysis, we identified genes and metabolites linked to the development of shrimp's resistance to VP.Results and discussionThe analysis revealed that the differential metabolism of flavonoid compounds, especially quercetin, significantly influences the expression of shrimp's resistance to VP. Supplementing feed with an appropriate quantity of quercetin has the potential to increase the expression of crucial genes in the NF-κB pathway, including TLR and AP1, along with the expression of the antibacterial peptide crustin, resulting in a decreased mortality rate. Together, these results indicate that an appropriate amount of quercetin can strengthen the immune response of shrimp to VP, thereby reducing the incidence of AHPND.

Interleukins (ILs) are vital in regulating the immune system, enabling to combat fungal diseases like candidiasis effectively. Their inhibition may cause enhanced susceptibility to infection. IL inhibitors have been employed to control autoimmune diseases and inhibitors of IL-17 and IL-23, for example, have been associated with an elevated risk of Candida infection. Thus, applying IL inhibitors might impact an individual’s susceptibility to Candida infections. Variations in the severity of Candida infections have been observed between individuals with different IL inhibitors, necessitating careful consideration of their specific risk profiles. IL-1 inhibitors (anakinra, canakinumab, and rilonacept), IL-2 inhibitors (daclizumab, and basiliximab), and IL-4 inhibitors (dupilumab) have rarely been associated with Candida infection. In contrast, tocilizumab, an inhibitor of IL-6, has demonstrated an elevated risk in the context of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) treatment, as evidenced by a 6.9% prevalence of candidemia among patients using the drug. Furthermore, the incidence of Candida infections appeared to be higher in patients exposed to IL-17 inhibitors than in those exposed to IL-23 inhibitors. Therefore, healthcare practitioners must maintain awareness of the risk of candidiasis associated with using of IL inhibitors before prescribing them. Future prospective studies need to exhaustively investigate candidiasis and its associated risk factors in patients receiving IL inhibitors. Implementing enduring surveillance methods is crucial to ensure IL inhibitors safe and efficient utilization of in clinical settings.

Collective emotions and actions represent foundational constructs in social psychology, significantly influencing societal dynamics and responses. Within this framework, the Self-Other Overlap (SOO) - wherein individuals perceive minimal distinction between their own and others' identities - has been identified as an impactful factor at the interpersonal level. However, the extrapolation of SOO's implications at the collective, group level remains an underexplored domain in contemporary research.In addressing this lacuna, the present research endeavors to elucidate the multifaceted implications of SOO on group emotions and actions, contextualized within societal challenges such as “food hygiene problems”. Utilizing validated instruments including the Self-Other Overlap Scale, Group-Based Anger Scale, Collective Action Tendency Scale, and Group Efficacy Scale for Coping Situations, this study adopts a tripartite situational experiment, engaging a collective sample of 359 participants, systematically recruited via the Credamo smart research platform to ensure representativeness.Study 1 examined the potential influence of variable SOO degrees on Group-Based Anger (GA) and Collective Action Tendency (CAT). Study 2 further refined the exploration, discerning the differential impacts of SOO targets on GA and CAT. Conclusively, Study 3 sought to ascertain the potential moderating role of Group Efficacy (GE) within the SOO-GA-CAT relationship.The empirical findings yielded several salient insights: notably, an augmentation in SOO levels corresponded with an amplification of GA and CAT. Furthermore, a delineation in SOO targets, specifically from external to ingroup entities, manifested in a pronounced augmentation of GA and CAT. Intriguingly, while elevated SOO predisposed heightened CAT, the modulatory effect of GE on CAT manifested predominantly in lower SOO contexts.In summation, the present study underscores the pivotal role of SOO magnitude and orientation as determinants of GA and CAT. The nuanced interplay between SOO degree and GE, particularly vis-à-vis CAT, provides a fresh scholarly perspective, contributing to the enriched understanding of group dynamics and collective behavioral paradigms.

Under simulated conditions typical of a high-temperature, high-pressure (HTHP) oil and gas reservoir in the South China Sea, dynamic corrosion evaluation experiments were performed on a three-layer screen structure and three types of sand retaining media. The results showed significant variations in corrosion morphology and rates among different screen components and materials. Corrosion products on the base pipe accumulated as cubic crystals, while the protective shroud showed surface needle-like corrosion products. Sand retaining media exhibited “coiled wire” corrosion products with cubic accumulations along seam edges. The 316L media showed a high corrosion risk, especially at temperatures between 140–150 °C. As CO2 partial pressure increased, corrosion rates generally rose. A new predictive method was developed to assess and compare the corrosion resistance and life of screens, achieving a compliance rate of over 90%. This method supports evaluating the corrosion life of screens in HTHP environments. For a typical well in the South China Sea gas field with 4% CO2, there is a high risk of screen corrosion. The screen media was identified as a failure site with a minimum corrosion life of about 5 years, while the protective shroud’s life was estimated at 11–12 years.

Summary: Sirt6, a member of the class III histone deacetylases (HDACs), functions in the regulation of genomic stability, DNA repair, cancer, metabolism and aging. Sirt6 deficiency is lethal, and newborn SIRT6-null cynomolgus monkeys show unfinished brain development. After the generation of a cortex-specific Sirt6 conditional knockout mouse model, we investigated the specific deletion of Sirt6 in NPCs at E10.5. This study found that Sirt6 deficiency causes excessive proliferation of neural precursor cells (NPCs) and retards differentiation. The results suggest that endogenous Sirt6 in NPCs regulates histone acetylation and limits stemness-related genes, including Notch1, in order to participate in NPC fate determination. These findings help elucidate Sirt6’s role in brain development and in NPC fate determination while providing data on species generality and differentiation.

Objective: The concept of “compensatory belief” pertains to an individual's conviction that the negative consequences of a specific behavior can be counteracted by engaging in a subsequent positive behavior. This study sought to devise a scale tailored to gauge compensatory beliefs concerning internet instant gratification behaviors. Methods: Utilizing the Credamo online questionnaire platform, data were amassed from two distinctive cohorts: organizational employees and college students. A collective 1064 responses were amassed. Results: The newly created Compensatory Belief Scale for Internet Instant Gratification Behavior was bifurcated into two versions: one tailored for employees (CBS-IIGB-E) and the other for college students (CBS-IIGB-S). Through an exploratory factor analysis, two factors were discerned, namely “Compensatory Beliefs for Working/Studying '' and “Compensatory Beliefs for Resting”. A confirmatory factor analysis validated this two-factor model with the following metrics for the employee version: SBχ2 = 54.88, df = 32, CFI = 0.974, TLI = 0.964, RMSEA = 0.064, SRMR = 0.047, and for the student version: SBχ2 = 19.26，df = 19，CFI = 0.999，TLI = 0.999，RMSEA = 0.008，SRMR = 0.033. The scores on the Internet Addiction Scale and the Smartphone Addiction Scale showed a positive correlation with the overall scores of the CBS-IIGB-E and the scores of its two factors. Conversely, the scores on the Self-control Scale exhibited a negative correlation with the total scores of the CBS-IIGB-E and the scores of its two factors. The correlation pattern with the criterion scales for the CBS-IIGB-S mirrored that of the CBS-IIGB-E, with the exception that the Self-control Scale only correlated with the two factors and not the overall score of the CBS-IIGB-S. The McDonald's Omega coefficients for the two factors of the CBS-IIGB-E were 0.84 and 0.86 respectively, and those for the CBS-IIGB-S were 0.82 and 0.87 respectively. Both scales demonstrated a test-retest reliability of 0.76. Significant differences in the scale scores across diverse target groups were observed in the simulation game of internet instant gratification behavior, thereby validating the predictive validity of the developed scales. Conclusion: The Compensatory Belief Scale for Internet Instant Gratification Behavior (CBS-IIGB) is a reliable and valid tool for measuring compensatory belief in situations where the allure of immediate internet gratification comes into conflict with long-term objectives, among both organizational employees (CBS-IIGB-E) and college students (CBS-IIGB-S).

Platinum plays a crucial role in the superior high-temperature oxidation resistance of Pt-modified nickel aluminide (PtAl) coatings. However, PtAl coatings usually serve in thermo-mechanical coupling environments. To investigate whether Pt contributes to the high-temperature mechanical properties of PtAl coating, stress rupture tests under 1100 °C/100 MPa were performed on PtAl coatings with varying Pt contents. The different coatings were obtained by changing the thickness of the electroplated Pt layer, followed by a diffusion heat treatment and the aluminizing process in the present work. The results of the stress rupture tests indicated that an increasing Pt content resulted in a significant decrease in the stress rupture life of PtAl-coated superalloys under 1100 °C/100 MPa. Theoretical calculations and microstructural analysis suggested that an increased coating thickness due to the Pt content is not the main reason for this decline. It was found that the cracks generated close to the substrate in high-Pt-coated superalloys accelerated the fracture failure.

In an era of swift societal changes and escalating consumerism, this paper presents an exploration of an innovative approach that integrates product marketing strategies, mixed reality (MR) technology, and affective neuroscience theories to actualize consumers’ existential dreams. MR, with its unique capacity to blend the virtual and real worlds, can enhance the consumer experience by creating immersive, personalized environments that resonate with consumers’ existential aspirations. Insights from affective neuroscience, specifically the brain’s processing of emotions, guide the development of emotionally engaging marketing strategies, which strengthen the connection between consumers, products, and brands. These integrated strategies not only present a novel blueprint for companies to deepen consumer engagement but also promise more fulfilling and meaningful consumer experiences. Moreover, this approach contributes to societal well-being and prosperity, marking a significant stride in the field of marketing.

Context A novobiocin derivative, XN4, has been shown to promote cell apoptosis in chronic myeloid leukaemia.Objective This study explores the mechanism by which XN4 promotes ferroptosis of gastric cancer (GC) cells.Materials and methods Human GC SGC-7901 and BGC-823 cells were treated with different XN4 concentrations (0, 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, 5.0, and 10.0 μmol/L) to evaluate effects of XN4. Additionally, cells were pre-treated for 24 h with si-NOX4, for 1 h with the iron chelator deferoxamine mesylate (DFO) or for 1 h with the lipid peroxidation inhibitor liproxstatin-1 before being treated with XN4 to analyse the mechanism of XN4.Results XN4 increased cell death (IC50 values of XN4 on SGC-7901 and BGC-823 cells: 1.592 ± 0.14 μmol/L and 2.022 ± 0.19 μmol/L) and Fe2+ levels in SGC-7901 and BGC-823 cells. These effects of 2.0 μmol/L XN4 were abolished by 100 μmol/L DFO treatment. XN4 enhanced transferrin and transferrin receptor expression to induce Fe2+ accumulation. XN4 decreased mitochondrial membrane potentials in GC cells, similar to erastin. Additionally, XN4 increased MDA, hydrogen peroxide, and ROS levels, but diminished total glutathione levels. Liproxstatin-1 (200 nmol/L) nullified the effects of XN4 (2.0 μmol/L) on MDA levels and cell death. Moreover, GPX4 levels decreased, but NOX4 and ferroptosis-related protein PTGS2 levels increased in GC cells following XN4 treatment, which was nullified by NOX4 knockdown.Discussion and conclusions The pro-ferroptotic role of XN4 in GC might enable it to become a promising drug for GC treatment in the future despite the need for extensive research.

Parity-time (PT) symmetry has garnered significant attention in the field of photonics owing to its remarkable properties. High-performance lasers, which require simultaneous gain and loss, serve as an ideal platform for harnessing the exceptional properties of PT symmetry. In this study, we present and experimentally verify a polarimetric PT-symmetry fiber laser that uses a polarization-maintaining fiber Bragg grating (PM-FBG). This design allows for tunable, switchable dual-wavelength operation with narrow linewidth and orthogonal single-polarization characteristics. By converting two equal-length yet distinct polarization states into two spatial subspaces sharing a common wavelength space, we can achieve PT symmetry. Regulating the polarization controllers (PCs) enables interconversion between PT-symmetry phases. During the PT-symmetric phase (or PT exact phase), a dual-wavelength laser is realized with wavelength fluctuations below 0.098 nm and power fluctuations below 2.175 dB. At this stage, light propagates through both ordinary and extraordinary wavelength-spaces. During the PT-broken phase, one waveguide has a net gain and the other incurs a net loss, leading to a single longitudinal mode (SLM) laser output. The wavelength and power fluctuations of left-wavelength λ1 and right-wavelength λ2 remain below 0.002 nm and 0.770 dB over a 20-minute period, during single-wavelength operation. By adjusting the axial strain on the PM-FBG, the laser output can be tuned within the wavelength range of 1549.754 nm to 1551.690 nm, while maintaining a linewidth variation of less than 0.130 kHz. As the wavelength is adjusted, the azimuth sum of λ1 and λ2 consistently remains close to 90 degrees, accompanied by degrees of polarizations exceeding 99%.

The polymorphism of the simple sequence repeat (SSR) in the 5′ untranslated coding region (5′-UTR) of the antiviral gene IRF (LvIRF) has been shown to be implicated in the resistance to viral pathogens in shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei (L. vannamei). In this study, we explored the potential of this (CT)n-SSR marker in disease resistance breeding and the hereditary property of disease resistance traits in offspring. From 2018 to 2021, eight populations were generated through crossbreeding by selecting individuals according to microsatellite genotyping. Our results demonstrated that shrimp with the shorter (CT)n repeat exhibited higher resistance to white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) or Decapod iridescent virus 1 (DIV1); meanwhile, these resistance traits could be inherited in offspring. Interestingly, we observed that the longer (CT)n repeats were associated with bacterial resistance traits. Accordingly, shrimp with longer (CT)n repeats exhibited higher tolerance to Vibrio parahaemolyticus infection. Taken together, these results indicate that the single (CT)n-SSR marker could be used to selective breeding for both resistance to virus and bacteria in shrimps.

The study of music has long been of interest to researchers from various disciplines. Scholars have put forth numerous hypotheses regarding the evolution of music. With the rise of cross-species research on music cognition, researchers hope to gain a deeper understanding of the phylogenic evolution, behavioral manifestation, and physiological limitations of the biological ability behind music, known as musicality. This paper presents the progress of beat perception and synchronization (BPS) research in cross-species settings and offers varying views on the relevant hypothesis of BPS. The BPS ability observed in rats and other mammals as well as recent neurobiological findings presents a significant challenge to the vocal learning and rhythm synchronization hypothesis if taken literally. An integrative neural-circuit model of BPS is proposed to accommodate the findings. In future research, it is recommended that greater consideration be given to the social attributes of musicality and to the behavioral and physiological changes that occur across different species in response to music characteristics.

This paper describes a novel compact fiber sensor with high sensitivity for the simultaneous measurement of underwater salinity and temperature by simulation. The structure is based on a highly birefringent, asymmetric, full-circular hole photonic crystal fiber (HB-A-FCH PCF), which achieves the birefringence value of 2.83 × 10-3 at the wavelength of 2.2 µm. In addition, with ethanol-filled specific air holes, the temperature sensitivity of HB-A-FCH PCF is remarkably improved. Therefore, considering the high birefringence property, we simulate a Michelson interferometer-based sensor setup with air holes as fluid microchannels and simultaneously measure salinity and temperature through the spectral responses of the x- and y-polarization state. Theoretical analysis shows the sensor can achieve the salinity and temperature sensitivity up to 5.1472 nm/% and −0.8987 nm/°C in x-polarized fundamental mode, respectively, whereas the salinity and temperature sensitivity up to 4.5386 nm/% and −0.8000 nm/°C in y-polarized fundamental mode, respectively.

Cognitive reappraisal is a widely utilized emotion regulation strategy that involves altering the personal meaning of an emotional event to enhance attention to emotional responses. Despite its common use, individual differences in cognitive reappraisal techniques and the spontaneous recovery, renewal, and reinstatement of negative responses across varying contexts may limit its effectiveness. Furthermore, detached reappraisal could cause distress for clients. According to Gross’s theory, cognitive reappraisal is an effortless process that can occur spontaneously. When guided language triggers cognitive reappraisal as an emotion regulation strategy in laboratory or counseling settings, clients experience improved emotional states, but this induced strategy may not necessarily guide them in regulating emotions in similar future situations. Therefore, effectively applying cognitive reappraisal techniques in clinical practice to help clients alleviate emotional distress in daily life remains a significant concern. Exploring the mechanism of cognitive reappraisal reveals that reconstructing stimulus meaning is akin to extinction learning, which entails fostering cognitive contingency that the original stimulus provoking negative emotions will no longer result in negative outcomes in the current context. However, extinction learning is a new learning process rather than an elimination process. The activation of new learning relies on the presentation of critical cues, with contextual cues often playing a vital role, such as a safe laboratory or consulting room environment. We propose a new understanding of cognitive reappraisal based on the schema theory and the dual-system theory, emphasizing the significance of environmental interaction and feedback in constructing new experiences and updating schemata. This approach ultimately enriches the schema during training and integrates the new schema into long-term memory. Bottom-up behavioral experiences as schema enrichment training provide the foundation for top-down regulation to function. This method can assist clients in activating more suitable schemata probabilistically when encountering stimuli in real life, forming stable emotions, and achieving transfer and application across diverse contexts.

Background We had previously advanced the concept of “Integrative Learning”, that is, “under the role of ‘meta-learning self’, learners actively integrate learning materials to achieve rapid and in-depth understanding of knowledge”, and designed an animal behavioral model to compare the effects of “Integrative Learning” (IL) vs. “Progressive Learning” (PL) in young rats. It was found that IL is more advantageous than PL. Here, we aim to examine whether the same phenomenon persist in older rats. Methods Fifteen 12-month-old male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were selected as subjects and randomly divided into the IL group and the PL group, and a 14-unit integrative T-maze was constructed for the study. Training and testing procedures contained three stages: the learning stage, the memory retention test stage and the Gestalt transfer learning stage. Data on young rats (1-month-old) from the previous study were also drawn here for comparisons on learning performance. Results (1) The 12-session learning stage can be divided into three sub-stages as each sub-stage represented the new opening of one third of the whole path in the PL group. There were significant interactions in total errors made between groups and sessions: the PL group had significantly fewer errors during Sub-stage One due to a much shorter path to be learned, however, the IL group’s errors made sharply dropped as learning progressed into Sub-stage Two and Three, and were maintained at a significantly lower level than the PL group during Sub-stage Three. (2) When compared with young rats, age had a main effect on the number of errors made—the 1-month-old groups learned overall better and faster than the older groups, whereas the pattern of group differences between the IL and PL learning modes remained consistent across young and older groups. (3) Unlike young rats, during the memory retention test stage and the Gestalt transfer learning stage, the IL group did not perform better than the PL group in older rats. Conclusions (1) “Integrative Learning” promotes learning but not memory in older rats. (2) Higher-order cognitive abilities that support meta-cognition, long-term retention and knowledge transfer might be deteriorating in older rats.

Helping behavior are actions aiming at assisting another individual in need or to relieve their distress. The occurrence of this behavior not only depends on automated physiological mechanisms, such as imitation or emotional contagion, that is, the individual’s emotion and physiological state matching with others, but also needs motivation to sustain. From a comparative and developmental perspective, we discover that the motivation for helping behavior has a deep foundation both phylogenetically and ontogenetically. For example, empathic concern for others, relieving personal distress and the desire for social contact are universal motivations across rodents, non-human primates and human early childhoods. Therefore, a circle-layered model integrating evidences for motivation for helping behavior from rodent to human early childhood research is proposed: the inner circle contains the emotional-behavioral system and the outer circle contains the affective-cognitive system. The application of this model has significance for both behavioral neuroscience research and cultivating prosocial behavior in human society.

Abstract As a natural antiviral regulator, phospholipid scramblase 1 (PLSCR1) has been shown to inhibit influenza virus replication in infected cells through interacting with NP of influenza A virus (IAV). But its antiviral function as well as the underlying regulatory mechanism has not been examined in vivo. In the present work, we show that PLSCR1 expression is decreased in H1N1 SIV-infected mice, and Plscr1 −/− mice are more susceptible to H1N1 SIV infection. By performing yeast two-hybrid screening, we identified immunoglobulin-like domain-containing receptor 1 (ILDR1) as a novel PLSCR1-binding partner. ILDR1 is highly expressed in the lungs, and its expression level is increased after virus infection. Interestingly, ILDR1 could not directly interact with virus NP protein, but could combine with PLSCR1 competitively. Our data indicates that there is a previously unidentified PLSCR1-ILDR1-NP regulatory pathway playing a vital role in limiting IAV infection, which provides novel insights into IAV-host interactions.

Abstract Background To explore the application value of free omental wrapping and modified pancreaticojejunostomy in pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). Methods The clinical data of 175 patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy from January 2015 to December 2020 were retrospectively analysed. In total, 86 cases were divided into Group A (omental wrapping and modified pancreaticojejunostomy) and 89 cases were divided into Group B (control group). The incidences of postoperative pancreatic fistula and other complications were compared between the two groups, and univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to determine the potential risk factors for postoperative pancreatic fistula. Risk factors associated with postoperative overall survival were identified using Cox regression. Results The incidences of grade B/C pancreatic fistula, bile leakage, delayed bleeding, and reoperation in Group A were lower than those in Group B, and the differences were statistically significant (P

In this paper, we propose and design a magnetic field and temperature sensor using a novel petaloid photonic crystal fiber filled with magnetic fluid. The PCF achieves a high birefringence of more than 1.43 × 10−2 at the wavelength of 1550 nm via the design of material parameters, air hole shape and the distribution of the photonic crystal fiber. Further, in order to significantly improve the sensitivity of the sensor, the magnetic-fluid-sensitive material is injected into the pores of the designed photonic crystal fiber. Finally, the sensor adopts a Mach–Zehnder interferometer structure combined with the ultra-high birefringence of the proposed petaloid photonic crystal fiber. Magnetic field and temperature can be simultaneously measured via observing the spectral response of the x-polarization state and y-polarization state. As indicated via simulation analysis, the sensor can realize sensitivities to magnetic fields and temperatures at −1.943 nm/mT and 0.0686 nm/°C in the x-polarization state and −1.421 nm/mT and 0.0914 nm/°C in the y-polarization state. The sensor can realize the measurement of multiple parameters including temperature and magnetic intensity and has the advantage of high sensitivity.

Toll-like receptors (TLR) play a crucial role in the detection of microbial infections in vertebrates and invertebrates. Mammalian TLRs directly recognize a variety of structurally conserved microbial components. However, invertebrates such as Drosophila indirectly recognize microbial products by binding to the cytokine-like ligand Spätzle, which activates signaling cascades that are not completely understood. In this study, we investigated the signaling events triggered by Toll in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a cell wall component of gram-negative bacteria, and Vibrio parahaemolyticus infection in the arthropod shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei. We found that five of the nine Tolls from L. vannamei bound to LPS and the RNAi of LvToll1, LvToll2, LvToll3, LvToll5, and LvToll9 weakened LvDorsal-L phosphorylation induced by V. parahaemolyticus. All nine Tolls combined with MyD88 via the TIR domain, thereby conferring signals to the tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6)-transforming growth factor-β activated kinase 1 binding protein 2 (TAB2)-transforming growth factor-β activated kinase 1 (TAK1) complex. Further examination revealed that the LvTRAF6-LvTAB2-LvTAK1 complex contributes to Dorsal-L phosphorylation and nuclear translocation during V. parahaemolyticus infection. Overall, shrimp Toll1/2/3/5/9–TRAF6/TAB2/TAK1–Dorsal cascades protect the host from V. parahaemolyticus infection, which provides a better understanding of how the innate immune system recognizes and responds to bacterial infections in invertebrates.

As a novel metaheuristic algorithm, fruit fly optimization algorithm (FOA) can effectively deal with the inversion problem of one-dimensional magnetotelluric data. However, FOA still has the disadvantage of premature convergence and falling into local extreme value. Therefore, based on standard FOA, we improve the FOA algorithm by introducing evolutionary strategies. Firstly, crossover and mutation strategies are introduced to improve the updating process of FOA population individuals. Secondly, by improving the variation scale factor, the global search and local search capabilities of the algorithm are balanced, and these improvements can accelerate the algorithm convergence. The improved algorithm is compared with other algorithms. After the benchmark function test, the improved algorithm has better optimization ability. Finally, the MT theoretical model and field data are used to test that the evolutionary strategy can effectively improve the convergence speed of the algorithm, and the inversion accuracy of the new algorithm is greatly improved.

Internet gratification behaviors (IGB) may lead to sub-optimal performance in schools and workplace as well as mental health problems such as Internet addiction. The present research examines this phenomenon, focusing on the compensatory belief (CB)—a belief that the negative impact of a certain behavior can be compensated or neutralized by another positive behavior—as a potential psychological mechanism for IGB. An interactive-narrative-style game-based assessment was designed and responses from a random-sampled population of 1,298 participants including college students and organizational employees were collected online. It was found that around 40% of college students and organizational employees would activate some kind of compensatory beliefs when facing with the internet temptation. Those who failed to perform compensatory behaviors afterwards were more likely to regret than those who were able to perform them, which was consistent with the prediction of the CB theory. This study expands the applicability of the CB theory to the field of internet addiction, enriches the understanding of the psychological mechanisms of internet addiction, and suggests that the interactive-narrative-style game-based assessment may be a practical method to study the CB.

In the world of globalization, knowledge workers have grown in importance to organizational development. Currently, the intelligence voice assistant (IVA) has a high degree of participation in people's lives, displaying a trend of becoming an emotional partner for humans. Therefore, whether the application of IVA can help enhance organizational communication for knowledge workers is worthy to be explored. This study adopted an interactive situation-simulation survey experiment to explore the impact of the application of IVA on knowledge workers' perceived supervisor support, psychological capital, and employee wellbeing, using a 2 (voice gender: male/female) by 2 (voice characteristics: machine-like/anthropomorphic) between-subject experimental design with two additional control groups (text-only/no-interaction). Besides, voice interviews were designed to understand what knowledge workers need from the IVA. Results show that: (1) There were pair-wise correlations among perceived supervisor support, psychological capital, and employee wellbeing of knowledge workers, and psychological capital played a complete mediating role between perceived supervisor support and employee wellbeing; (2) There were significant differences among the scores of different groups (the experimental groups, the text-only control group and the no-interaction control group) on perceived supervisory support and employee wellbeing, with the experimental groups overall better than the control groups. (3) Knowledge workers hope that the services provided by the IVA mainly include three categories: work support, emotional support and life support. In conclusion, this study shows that the use of IVA can significantly improve perceived supervisor support, psychological capital, and employee wellbeing of knowledge workers, and provide some useful directions for the product design.

Abstract Background Heart rate (HR) is an important vital sign for evaluating the physiological condition of a newborn infant. Recently, for measuring HR, novel RGB camera-based non-contact techniques have demonstrated their specific superiority compared with other techniques, such as dopplers and thermal cameras. However, they still suffered poor robustness in infants’ HR measurements due to frequent body movement. Methods This paper introduces a framework to improve the robustness of infants’ HR measurements by solving motion artifact problems. Our solution is based on the following steps: morphology-based filtering, region-of-interest (ROI) dividing, Eulerian video magnification and majority voting. In particular, ROI dividing improves ROI information utilization. The majority voting scheme improves the statistical robustness by choosing the HR with the highest probability. Additionally, we determined the dividing parameter that leads to the most accurate HR measurements. In order to examine the performance of the proposed method, we collected 4 hours of videos and recorded the corresponding electrocardiogram (ECG) of 9 hospitalized neonates under two different conditions—rest still and visible movements. Results Experimental results indicate a promising performance: the mean absolute error during rest still and visible movements are 3.39 beats per minute (BPM) and 4.34 BPM, respectively, which improves at least 2.00 and 1.88 BPM compared with previous works. The Bland-Altman plots also show the remarkable consistency of our results and the HR derived from the ground-truth ECG. Conclusions To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study aimed at improving the robustness of neonatal HR measurement under motion artifacts using an RGB camera. The preliminary results have shown the promising prospects of the proposed method, which hopefully reduce neonatal mortality in hospitals.

Cellulose paper, a material that is naturally derived, low cost, lightweight, eco-friendly, and mechanically deformable, plays important roles in producing next-generation flexible electronics. Following the booms in the development of functional electronics, the soft actuators built from cellulose paper have attracted great attention. In this focused review, the milestones and recent achievements of cellulose paper-based actuators are summarized. Electro-, thermal, moisture and magnetic actuation mechanisms are utilized to acquire energy from external stimuli. Corresponding functional materials and available fabrication techniques like film assembly and layer deposition are described. Programmable actions for the emerging applications in bionics, paper grippers and robots are realized by pursuing different strategies to control the responding deformation. Along with a conclusion, the existing challenges and possible solutions in evaluating and improving the performance of cellulose paper are summarized in the final section.

Personality disorders (PD) are usually treated with face-to-face sessions and/or digital mental health services. Among many schools of therapies, schema therapy stands out because rather than simply targeting the symptoms of PD, it cordially targets the cause of PD and heals the early maladaptive schema, thus is exceptionally good at soothing emotional disturbances before enacting cognitive restructuring, resulting in long-term efficacy. However, according to Piaget’s genetic epistemology, the unmet needs lie in the fact that the schemata that determine the adaptive behavior can only be formed in the interaction with the real world that the patient is living in and reconsolidated by the feedback from the object world upon the patient’s newly-formed behavior. Therefore, in order to reshape the patient’s schema modes to support adaptive behavior and regain emotional regulation capabilities of the healthy adult, one may have to reconstruct the object world surrounding the patient. Metaverse, the bestowed successor to the Internet with the cardinal feature of “the sense of full presence,” can become a powerful tool to reconstruct a new object world for the patient with the prescription of a psychotherapist, so as to transform the treatment techniques in schema therapy into the natural autobiographical experiences of patients in the new object world, thus gradually reshape the patient’s schema modes that can ultimately result in an adaptive, and more inclusive, interaction with the real world. This work describes the underlying theory, the mechanism, the process, and ethical considerations of such promising technology for the not-too-far future.

Abstract We investigated the effects of low and high doses of β-conglycinin and the ameliorative effects of sodium butyrate (based on high-dose β-conglycinin) on the growth performance, serum immunity, distal intestinal histopathology, and gene, protein expression related to intestinal health in hybrid grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus ♀ × E. lanceolatus ♂). The results revealed that the instantaneous growth rate (IGR) of grouper significantly increased, decreased, and increased in the low-dose β-conglycinin (bL), high-level β-conglycinin (bH) and high-level β-conglycinin plus sodium butyrate (bH-NaB), respectively. The feed coefficient ratio (FCR) was significantly increased in the bH and bH-NaB, serum levels of IFN-γ, IL-1β, and TNF-α were upregulated in the bH. The intestinal diameter/fold height ratio was significantly increased in the bH. Furthermore, there were increases in nitric oxide (NO), total nitric oxide synthase (total NOS), and peroxynitrite anion (ONOO−) in the bH, and decreases in total NOS and ONOO− in the bH-NaB. In the distal intestine, IL-1β and TGF-β1 mRNA levels were downregulated and upregulated, respective in the bL. The mRNA levels of TNF-α and IL-6 were upregulated in the bH, and downregulated in the bH-NaB, respectively. Occludin, claudin3 and ZO-3 mRNA levels were upregulated in the bL, downregulated in the bH and then upregulated in the bH-NaB. No significant differences were observed in the mRNA levels of IFN-γ and jam4. And the p-PI3K p85Tyr458/total PI3K p85 value was significantly increased in the bH and then decreased in the bH-NaB, and the total Akt value was significantly increased in the bH. These indicate β-conglycinin has a regulatory effect on serum immunity and affect distal intestinal development by modulating distal intestinal injury-related parameters. Within the distal intestinal tract, low- and high-dose β-conglycinin differentially affect immune responses and tight junctions in the distal intestine, which eventually manifests as a reduction in growth performance. Supplementing feed with sodium butyrate might represent an effective approach for enhancing serum immunity, and protects the intestines from damage caused by high-dose β-conglycinin.

Objective: To investigate the mechanism of Baitong decoction in the treatment of cold asthma through network pharmacology. Methods: The pharmacological database and analysis platform of the traditional Chinese medicine system (TCMSP) was used to search and screen for active components and potential targets of the three herbs in Baitong decoction (Fuzi, Ganjiang, and Congbai). The asthma disease targets were searched and screened using the GeneCards database and the parts intersecting with the action targets of the Baitong decoction was obtained. The interactions among the various targets were counted on the STRING website. Cytoscape 3.8.2 software was used for network analysis, and R program was used for biological process analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis. Molecular docking between drug components and targets was performed using the Protein Data Bank (PDB) and PubChem website, and Autodock and PyMOL software. Results: Forty-seven key target genes of Baitong decoction were found to interfere with cold asthma. The final core targets are JUN, PTGS2, and HMOX1. Cell biological processes, including oxidative stress, lipopolysaccharide response, heme binding, oxidoreductase activity, and G-protein-coupled amine receptor activity, were studied using Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis. KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that the signaling pathways found in this study included the tumor necrosis factor (TNF), lipid metabolism, and atherosclerosis signaling pathways. The docking results showed that PTGS2 has a high affinity for kaempferol, catechin (+), and deltoin, and that JUN has a great affinity for kaempferol. Conclusion: Lipopolysaccharide response and the TNF signaling pathway may play a key role in the therapeutic effect of Baitong decoction on cold asthma. Drug components, including kaempferol, catechin (+), and deltoin, may affect the TNF signaling pathway by targeting PTGS2 and JUN, thereby regulating the immune inflammatory response.

Rap2a, a member of Ras family small GTPases, plays a key role in growth and development. So far, no Rap2a homolog has been discovered in crustaceans. Herein, a Rap2a homolog from shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei, named LvRap2a, was cloned and identified. LvRap2a showed a high level of sequence conservation to other Rap2a homologs from different species. LvRap2a was found to be abundantly expressed in hemocytes, muscle, hepatopancreas and intestine tissues. Importantly, Rap2a knockdown effectively suppressed the length and weight of shrimp in a growth experiment. Mechanistically, we found that Rap2a could induce the expression of several Wnts, which are the positive regulators in cellular growth, differentiation, and tissue homeostasis. Moreover, LvRap2a expression was observed to be negatively regulated by LvDorsal (NF-κB), a transcription factor of innate immune signaling pathway. These results indicated that LvRap2a contributed to shrimp growth probably by activating the Wnt signaling pathway, and that LvRap2a could be the crosstalk between innate immunity and growth, as well as that LvRap2a could serve as a potential target for shrimp growth promotion.

Abstract Neurological manifestations are frequently reported in the COVID-19 patients. Neuromechanism of SARS-CoV-2 remains to be elucidated. In this study, we explored the mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 neurotropism via our established non-human primate model of COVID-19. In rhesus monkey, SARS-CoV-2 invades the CNS primarily via the olfactory bulb. Thereafter, viruses rapidly spread to functional areas of the central nervous system, such as hippocampus, thalamus, and medulla oblongata. The infection of SARS-CoV-2 induces the inflammation possibly by targeting neurons, microglia, and astrocytes in the CNS. Consistently, SARS-CoV-2 infects neuro-derived SK-N-SH, glial-derived U251, and brain microvascular endothelial cells in vitro. To our knowledge, this is the first experimental evidence of SARS-CoV-2 neuroinvasion in the NHP model, which provides important insights into the CNS-related pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2.

The techniques that harvest mechanical energy from low-frequency, multidirectional environmental vibrations have been considered a promising strategy to implement a sustainable power source for wireless sensor networks and the Internet of Things. However, the obvious inconsistency in the output voltage and operating frequency among different directions may bring a hindrance to energy management. To address this issue, this paper reports a cam-rotor-based approach for a multidirectional piezoelectric vibration energy harvester. The cam rotor can transform vertical excitation into a reciprocating circular motion, producing a dynamic centrifugal acceleration to excite the piezoelectric beam. The same beam group is utilized when harvesting vertical and horizontal vibrations. Therefore, the proposed harvester reveals similar characterization in its resonant frequency and output voltage at different working directions. The structure design and modeling, device prototyping and experimental validation are conducted. The results show that the proposed harvester can produce a peak voltage of up to 42.4 V under a 0.2 g acceleration with a favorable power of 0.52 mW, and the resonant frequency for each operating direction is stable at around 3.7 Hz. Practical applications in lighting up LEDs and powering a WSN system demonstrate the promising potential of the proposed approach in capturing energy from ambient vibrations to construct self-powered engineering systems for structural health monitoring, environmental measuring, etc.

Enterovirus A71 (EV-A71) can cause hand, foot and mouth disease with neurological and systemic complications, most frequently affecting children and infants. We describe a cis-acting replication element (cre) with a conserved stem-loop structure within the EV-A71 2C-coding region. By site-directed mutagenesis and reverse genetics using the EV-A71 full-length genome and the EV-A71 replicon containing the firefly luciferase reporter gene in place of the P1 region, the stem-loop structure and the AAACA in the loop of the cre were confirmed to be required for the EV-A71 replication phenotype. EV-A71 genomes containing a mutation at the first or third A residue of AAACA could not be recovered. Insertion of a wild-type cre from EV-A71 or poliovirus in the 5’UTR led to successful recovery of the replication of nonviable mutants. Furthermore, the cre mutants showed lower binding capacity with the host cellular factor IGF2BP2, knockdown of which resulted in a significant decrease in EV-A71 production. All the available evidence shows the location independence but functional importance of the interaction of the cre with the cellular host for efficient production of EV-A71, contributing to the growing body of knowledge regarding picornavirus cres.

BackgroundDermatitis is an important global health problem that not only affects social interaction and physical and mental health but also causes economic burden. Health problems or distress caused by dermatitis may be easily overlooked, and relevant epidemiological data are limited. Therefore, a better understanding of the burden of dermatitis is necessary for developing global intervention strategies.MethodsAll data on dermatitis, including atopic dermatitis (AD), contact dermatitis (CD) and seborrhoeic dermatitis (SD), were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease 2019 (GBD2019) database. The extracted age-standardized incidence rates (ASIR) and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) rates (ASDR) data were analysed by stratification, including by sex, country or region, and sociodemographic index (SDI) indicators. Finally, we analysed the correlation between the global burden of dermatitis and socioeconomic development status.ResultsAccording to the GBD 2019 estimate, the ASIR and ASDR for the three major types of dermatitis in 2019 were 5244.3988 (95% CI 4551.7244–5979.3176) per 100,000 person-years and 131.6711 (95% CI 77.5876–206.8796) per 100,000 person-years. The ASIR and ASDR of atopic dermatitis, contact dermatitis and seborrhoeic dermatitis are: Incidence (95%CI,per 100,000 person-years), 327.91 (312.76-343.67), 3066.04 (2405.38-3755.38), 1850.44 (1706.25- 1993.74); DALYs (95%CI, per 100,000 person-years), 99.69 (53.09-167.43), 28.06 (17.62-41.78), 3.93 (2.24-6.25). In addition, among the three dermatitis types, the greatest burden was associated with AD. According to the ASDR from 1990 to 2019, the burden of dermatitis has exhibited a slow downward trend in recent years. In 2019, the ASIR showed that the USA had the greatest burden, while the ASDR showed that Asian countries (such as Japan, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan) and some European countries (France, Estonia) had the greatest burden. According to SDI stratification and the three major dermatitis types, high ASIR and ASDR corresponded to high SDI areas (especially for AD).ConclusionThe burden of dermatitis is related to socioeconomic development status, especially for AD, which is positively correlated with the SDI. The results based on GBD2019 data are valuable for formulating policy, preventing and treating dermatitis and reducing the global burden of dermatitis.

Abstract Objective In this paper, we propose to evaluate the use of pre-trained convolutional neural networks (CNNs) as a features extractor followed by the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to find the best discriminant features to perform classification using support vector machine (SVM) algorithm for neonatal sleep and wake states using Fluke® facial video frames. Using pre-trained CNNs as a feature extractor would hugely reduce the effort of collecting new neonatal data for training a neural network which could be computationally expensive. The features are extracted after fully connected layers (FCL’s), where we compare several pre-trained CNNs, e.g., VGG16, VGG19, InceptionV3, GoogLeNet, ResNet, and AlexNet. Results From around 2-h Fluke® video recording of seven neonates, we achieved a modest classification performance with an accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of 65.3%, 69.8%, 61.0%, respectively with AlexNet using Fluke® (RGB) video frames. This indicates that using a pre-trained model as a feature extractor could not fully suffice for highly reliable sleep and wake classification in neonates. Therefore, in future work a dedicated neural network trained on neonatal data or a transfer learning approach is required.

Heat stress (HS) causes significant economic losses in the poultry industry every year. However, the mechanisms for the adverse effects of HS on avian follicular development are largely unknown. The aim of this study was to test whether HS induces apoptosis of follicular cells and impairs egg production by activating the FasL/Fas and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α systems. To this end, Hy-Line Brown laying hens, at 32 wk of age, were either exposed to HS of 35°C to 37°C or maintained at 24°C to 26°C (control) for 5 D. At the end of the HS period, follicle numbers, apoptosis, FasL/Fas and TNF-α activation, oxidative stress, and hormone secretion were examined in ovarian follicles. Egg production was observed daily during both the stressed (day S1–S5) and the poststress recovery (day R1–R15) periods. The results demonstrated that HS on hens significantly 1) decreased laying rates from day S3 to R6; 2) reduced numbers of large yellow and hierarchical follicles; 3) triggered apoptosis while increasing the expression of FasL, Fas, TNF-α, and TNF-receptor 1 in small and large yellow follicles; and 4) increased levels of oxidative stress, corticotrophin-releasing hormone, and corticosterone while decreasing the estradiol/progesterone ratio in follicular fluid in small and large yellow follicles. Taken together, the results suggested that hen HS impaired egg production by reducing the number of follicles through inducing apoptosis and that it triggered apoptosis in follicular cells by activating the FasL/Fas and TNF-α systems.

Abstract Edge caching is a promising technology to alleviate the burden on backhaul and improve the quality of experience (QoE) of users in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-enabled mobile edge networks, which has played an important role in wireless communication systems. However, owing to the selfish nature and limited battery life of the user equipments (UEs), only a limited part of the caching resources will be shared by the UEs. To drive the UEs to share more caching resources to improve the social welfare of the UAV-enabled mobile edge network, in this paper, we jointly design an edge caching strategy and reward contract optimization scheme. Aiming to maximize the utility of the UAV, a joint edge caching and contract optimization problem is formulated. Firstly, a novel edge caching strategy is proposed based on the content popularity. Then, an optimal reward contract is designed by reducing the restrictions. Finally, the system performance of the designed caching strategy and reward contract is evaluated compared with two benchmark caching schemes with no incentives. Simulation results show that the proposed scheme performs better than the other two schemes in terms of the utilities of the UAV and UEs, which proves the efficiency of our proposed scheme.

Objective: In a randomised controlled trial, we investigated the blood pressure (BP) lowering effect of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) in patients with moderate-severe obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS, an apnoea-hypopnoea index, AHI of 15 or higher) and nocturnal hypertension (night-time systolic/diastolic BP ≥120/70 mmHg). Methods: Sixty patients were randomly assigned to CPAP or sham CPAP, while maintaining their antihypertensive treatment. Ambulatory BP monitoring was performed at baseline (first run-in visit) and the end of follow-up. Clinic and home BP were measured at baseline and each of the monthly follow-up visits. Results: Of the 60 patients, 47 completed the 3-month study. CPAP (n = 26), compared with sham CPAP (n = 21), slightly and non-significantly reduced 24-h systolic/diastolic BP by −2.8/−2.5 mmHg (p ≥ 0.27), with a slightly greater between-group difference in the daytime (−4.0/−2.8 mmHg, p ≥ 0.29) than night-time (−0.2/−1.5 mmHg, p ≥ 0.50). The CPAP treatment did not significantly influence clinic or home BP during follow-up (p ≥ 0.27). Nonetheless, simple and partial correlation analyses showed that the ambulatory BP lowering effect was dependent on the daytime pulse rate at baseline (r ≥ 0.47, p ≤ 0.01). In patients with a daytime pulse rate greater than 85 beats/min, the mean changes in daytime systolic BP were significantly greater in the CPAP (n = 10) than sham CPAP group (n = 11), with a between-group mean difference of −10.1 mmHg (p = 0.048). Conclusions: The CPAP treatment did not show significant ambulatory BP lowering effect in patients with moderate-severe OSAS and nocturnal hypertension. However, it may be effective in lowering daytime BP in patients with a faster pulse rate.

We report a dual-wavelength fiber laser sensor based on a uniform fiber Bragg grating (UFBG) and a Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) film-coated long-period grating (LPG) as sensor probe for simultaneous detection of relative humidity (RH) and temperature. Two UFBGs and the LPG were inscribed in three single mode fibers utilizing phase/amplitude mask technology and mobile scanning technique via the 248 nm UV laser. In our experiment, the RH function based on the differential intensity measurement at dual-wavelength output from 30% to 85% is in a quadratic equation, and the RH sensitivity coefficient of 0.358 dB/% shows good linear relationship and stability from 55% to 85%. Meanwhile, the temperature sensitivity coefficients based on wavelength detection and differential intensity detection are 9.1 pm/°C and 0.21 dB/°C, respectively. The structure of dual-wavelength fiber laser sensor with high signal to noise ratio (SNR), narrow spectral width and good stability enables simultaneous measurement of the RH and temperature with high accuracy and good repeatability.

In recent times, with the advancement of digital imaging, automatic facial recognition has been intensively studied for adults, while less for neonates. Due to the miniature facial structure and facial attributes, newborn facial recognition remains a challenging area. In this paper, an automatic video-based Neonatal Face Attributes Recognition (NFAR) approach in a hierarchical framework is proposed by coalescing the intensity-based method, pose estimation, and novel dedicated neonatal Face Feature Selection (FFS) algorithm. The intensity-based method is used for face detection, followed by the facial pose estimation algorithm and FFS are dedicated to neonatal pose and face feature recognition, respectively. In this study, video-data of 19 neonates' were collected from the Children's Hospital affiliated to Fudan University, Shanghai, to evaluate the proposed NFAR approach. The results show promising performance to detect the neonatal face, pose estimation (-45°, 45°), and facial features (nose, mouth, and eyes) recognition. The NFAR approach exhibits a sensitivity, accuracy, and specificity of 98.7%, 98.5%, and, 95.7% respectively, for the newborn babies at the frontal (0°) facial region. The neonatal face and its attributes recognition can be expected to detect neonate's medical abnormalities unobtrusively by examining the variation in newborn facial texture pattern.

Objective: Classification of sleep-wake states using multichannel electroencephalography (EEG) data that reliably work for neonates. Methods: A deep multilayer perceptron (MLP) neural network is developed to classify sleep-wake states using multichannel bipolar EEG signals, which takes an input vector of size 108 containing the joint features of 9 channels. The network avoids any post-processing step in order to work as a full-fledged real-time application. For training and testing the model, EEG recordings of 3525 30-second segments from 19 neonates (postmenstrual age of 37 ± 05 weeks) are used. Results: For sleep-wake classification, mean Cohen's kappa between the network estimate and the ground truth annotation by human experts is 0.62. The maximum mean accuracy can reach up to 83% which, to date, is the highest accuracy for sleep-wake classification.

Background Burn patients are prone to infection as well as immunosuppression, which is a significant cause of death. Currently, there is a lack of prognostic biomarkers for immunosuppression in burn patients. This study was conducted to identify immune-related genes that are prognosis biomarkers in post-burn immunosuppression and potential targets for immunotherapy. Methods We downloaded the gene expression profiles and clinical data of 213 burn patients and 79 healthy samples from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Immune infiltration analysis was used to identify the proportion of circulating immune cells. Functional enrichment analyses were carried out to identify immune-related genes that were used to build miRNA-mRNA networks to screen key genes. Next, we carried out correlation analysis between immune cells and key genes that were then used to construct logistic regression models in GSE77791 and were validated in GSE19743. Finally, we determined the expression of key genes in burn patients using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Results A total of 745 differently expressed genes were screened out: 299 were up-regulated and 446 were down-regulated. The number of Th-cells (CD4+) decreased while neutrophils increased in burn patients. The enrichment analysis showed that down-regulated genes were enriched in the T-cell activation pathway, while up-regulated genes were enriched in neutrophil activation response in burn patients. We screened out key genes (NFATC2, RORA, and CAMK4) that could be regulated by miRNA. The expression of key genes was related to the proportion of Th-cells (CD4+) and survival, and was an excellent predictor of prognosis in burns with an area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.945. Finally, we determined that NFATC2, RORA, and CAMK4 were down-regulated in burn patients. Conclusion We found that NFATC2, RORA, and CAMK4 were likely prognostic biomarkers in post-burn immunosuppression and potential immunotherapeutic targets to convert Th-cell dysfunction.

In order to collect mechanical energy from human motions on pavement without an obvious disturbance, a piezoelectric harvester for small displacement is proposed. A seesaw mechanism is utilized to transmit the pressure displacement to piezoelectric beams. Benefitting from the superiority of used axially deformed beams, the designed scheme can produce a higher voltage than the ones based on the conventional bending cantilever. Favorable electrical energy is achieved by the manufactured prototype under a displacement lower than 1 mm. Two practical applications, including charging a capacitor and powering an environmental sensing node, demonstrate the feasibility of this energy harvester in supplying power for engineering devices. The proposed device shows a favorable capacity to capture energy from humans walking on pavements. Also, this category of axially deformed beam could provide ideas for developing piezoelectric harvesters under small displacements.