Search

The manipulations of nanoscale multi-channel vector beams (VBs) by metasurfaces hold potential applications in various important fields. In this paper, the metasurface with two sets of nanoslits arranged on elliptic curves was proposed to generate the dual-channel focused vector beams (FVBs). Each set of nanoslits was composed of the in-phase and the out-of-phase groups of nanoslits to introduce the constructive interference and destructive interference of the output light field of the nanoslits, focusing the converted spin component and eliminating the incident spin component at the focal point. The two sets of nanoslits for the channels at the two focal points were interleaved on the same ellipses, and by setting their parameters independently, the FVBs in the two channels are generated under illumination of linearly polarized light, while their orders and polarization states of FVBs were controlled independently. The generation of the FVBs with the designed metasurfaces was demonstrated by the finite-difference time domain (FDTD) simulations and by the experimental verifications. The work in this paper is of great significance for the generation of miniaturized multi-channel VBs and for broadening the applications of metasurfaces.

Hybrid organic-inorganic perovskite shows a great potential in the field of photoelectrics. Embedding methyl ammonium lead bromide (MAPbBr3) in a mesoporous silica (mSiO2) layer is an effective method for maintaining optical performance of MAPbBr3 at room temperature. In this work, we synthesized MAPbBr3 quantum dots, embedding them in the mSiO2 layer. The nonlinear optical responses of this composite thin film have been investigated by using the Z-scan technique at a wavelength of 800 nm. The results show plural nonlinear responses in different intensities, corresponding to one- and two-photon processing. Our results support that composites possess saturation intensity of ~27.29 GW/cm2 and varying nonlinear coefficients. The composite thin films show high stability under ultrafast laser irradiating. By employing the composite as a saturable absorber, a passively Q-switching laser has been achieved on a Nd:YVO4 all-solid-state laser platform to generate a laser at ~1 μm.

We investigated the optical spin Hall effect (OSHE) of the light field from a closed elliptical metallic curvilinear nanoslit instead of the usual truncated curvilinear nanoslit. By making use of the characteristic bright spots in the light field formed by the noncircular symmetry of the elliptical slit and by introducing a method to separate the incident spin component (ISC) and converted spin component (CSC) of the output field, the OSHE manifested in the spot shifts in the CSC was more clearly observable and easily measurable. The slope of the elliptical slit, which was inverse along the principal axes, provided a geometric phase gradient to yield the opposite shifts of the characteristic spots in centrosymmetry, with a double shift achieved between the spots. Regarding the mechanism of this phenomenon, the flip of the spin angular momentum (SAM) of CSC gave rise to an extrinsic orbital angular momentum corresponding to the shifts of the wavelet profiles of slit elements in the same rotational direction to satisfy the conservation law. The analytical calculation and simulation of finite-difference time domain were performed for both the slit element and the whole slit ellipse, and the evolutions of the spot shifts as well as the underlying OSHE with the parameters of the ellipse were achieved. Experimental demonstrations were conducted and had consistent results. This study could be of great significance for subjects related to the applications of the OSHE.

Determination of orbital angular momentum (OAM) states is a subject of crucial importance for their applications in areas ranging from classical physics to quantum information. Here, we propose the antiphase semicircular slit pair (ASSP) as a novel approach to determine the topological charge of OAM states. The ASSP contains two semicircular slits with a diameter increment and symmetrically arranged in upper and lower circle. It converts an incident OAM state into light field with two bright spots, of which the relative shift is twice as spot shift for a semicircular slit. Physically, we introduce the two models of equivalent spiral slit and the Young’s-like interference, obtaining two approximate linear relations between the shift and the incident topological charge. Analytically, the antiphase of the diffracted fields for the two semicircular slits cancels a main Bessel vortex term, and doubles the complement fields contained in that for a single semicircular slit, realizing the field with two bright intensity spots with the relative shift doubled. The diffracted field is fundamentally approximated as the weighted superposition of finite Bessel vortex eigenstates. Using shift between the bright spots, the determination of topological charge of OAM states becomes a feasible and convenient, and the experimental measurement conforms to the theory with satisfying accuracy.

We demonstrate that the interference pattern of the plasmonic and photonic modes can be controlled by changing the slit width of a square slit structure. Based on the analyses of the plasmonic and photonic modes of slits with different widths, we theoretically derived the expressions of wavefield generated by a square slit. A far-field scattered imaging system is utilized to collect the intensity distribution experimentally. Various interference patterns, including stripes, square-like lattice array, and diamond-like lattice array, have been observed by adjusting the slit widths. In addition, the results were validated by performing finite-difference time-domain simulations, which are consistent with the theoretical and experimental results.

We provide a detailed analysis of the three-dimensional cross correlation properties of speckle patterns in the deep Fresnel region scattered by random surface. Basing on Kirchhoff approximation, we first derive the quantitative relationship between the longitudinal correlation function and the fractal characteristics of random surface. A novel measuring method is proposed for extracting the roughness exponent of random surface from the longitudinal correlation function of speckles. In experiment, the speckle patterns deviating different distance from the object plane are acquired by a microscopic imaging system. The longitudinal correlation function of the speckles descends with the increase of deviating distance in the form of negative power law. By calculating the Fourier transform of the longitudinal correlation function, we obtain the roughness exponent of random surface by making linear fitting in the large spectrum region. The extracted results are in good agreement with those measured by an atomic force microscopic, which indicate our method has a satisfying accuracy.

Background: Particulated autograft cartilage implantation is a surgical technique that has been previously described for the repair of osteochondral lesions of the talus (OLT). It uses cartilage fragments harvested from the OLT that are minced into 1-2-mm 3 fragments and then immediately reimplanted back into the chondral defect and sealed with fibrin glue during a single-stage surgery. The purpose of this study was to characterize the suitability of these minced cartilage fragments as immediate autograft for the treatment of OLTs. Methods: Thirty-one patients undergoing primary arthroscopic surgery for their OLT consented to have their loose or damaged cartilage fragments removed and analyzed in the laboratory. Harvested specimens were minced into 1- to 2-mm 3 fragments and cell count, cell density, and cell viability were determined. In addition, physical characteristics of the OLT lesion were recorded intraoperatively and analyzed including size, location, Outerbridge chondromalacia grade of the surrounding cartilage, density of underlying bone, and whether the surgeon thought the OLT was primarily hyaline or fibrocartilage. Results: An average of 419 000 cells was able to be obtained from the harvested OLT fragments. The cells were 71.2% viable after mincing. Specimens from younger patients and from lesions with worse chondromalacia adjacent to the OLT had significantly higher cell numbers. Those from lateral lesions and with worse neighboring chondromalacia had a significantly higher cell density. None of the remaining physical OLT characteristics studied seemed to significantly affect cell number or viability. Conclusion: A large number of viable cells are available for immediate autografting by removing the loose or damaged cartilage from an OLT and mincing it into 1- to 2-mm 3 fragments. These can be reimplanted into the chondral defect in a single-stage surgery. Future clinical studies are needed to determine if the addition of these live autologous cells either alone or in conjunction with other techniques significantly improves the quality of the repair tissue and clinical outcomes. Level of Evidence: Level IV, case series.

Objective The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of sodium salicylate (SS) on semen preservation and metabolic regulation in goats. Methods Under the condition of low temperature, SS was added to goat semen diluent to detect goat sperm motility, plasma membrane, acrosome, antioxidant capacity, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and metabonomics. Results The results show that at the 8th day of low-temperature storage, the sperm motility of the 20 μM SS group was 66.64%, and the integrity rates of the plasma membrane and acrosome were both above 60%, significantly higher than those of the other groups. The activities of catalase and superoxide dismutase in the sperm of the 20 μM SS group were significantly higher than those of the control group, the contents of reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde were significantly lower than those in the control group, the MMP was significantly higher than that in the control group, and the contents of Ca2+ and total cholesterol were significantly higher than those in the control group. Through metabonomics analysis, there were significant metabolic differences between the control group and the 20 μM SS group. Twenty of the most significant metabolic markers were screened, mainly involving five metabolic pathways, of which nicotinic acid and nicotinamide metabolic pathways were the most significant. Conclusion The results indicate that SS can effectively improve the low-temperature preservation quality of goat sperm.

Conventional CO2 capture technologies often focus on the simple capture process, while the absorption and high-value utilization of carbon capture products have profound significance, especially when combined with the utilization of biomass energy. Novel ammonia-based CO2 capture coupled with selective silicon dissolution was proposed with process regulation of external fields (i.e. magnetic field, microwave field, ultrasound field) used to prepare nano silica. The results show that the magnetic field plays a dual role of “vibration stirring” and adding energy (11.2 J/mol) on the formation and dispersion of nano silica. The specific surface area of nano-silica is increased from 140.24 m2/g to 280 m2/g by microwave field (250 W), and its “internal heating” promotes the formation of crystal nuclei. The ultrasonic field reduces the primary particle size of nano-silica by 3.17 nm, and inhibits the particle growth through cavitation and mechanical vibration. It would provide parameter support and optimization guidance for the low-cost high-quality nano silica for high-value utilization of ammonia-based CO2 capture products.

Diversifying feed with annual legumes could help to reduce reliance on imported sources of alfalfa hay, ensuring a consistent supply of forage throughout year, and potentially decreasing the cost of raising ruminants. This study evaluated the varietal variability in hay yield, chemical composition, carbohydrate and protein fractions, and in vitro digestibility of five common vetch varieties used in this experiment during the full-flowering period in Jianghuai region during the 2022 crop season. Results showed that improved varieties (Lanjian No. 1 and Lanjian No. 2, 6.30 and 6.11 t DM/ha) had significantly higher hay yields than the local variety (333A, Longjian No. 1), with Lanjian No. 3 showing intermediate yields. Variety Lanjian No. 1 had the highest non-protein nitrogen concentration and in vitro digestibility, while Lanjian No. 2 had the highest starch concentration, fraction of intermediately degradable pectin and starch, and fraction of neutral detergent-soluble protein and acid detergent-soluble protein. Pearson correlation showed that hay yield was not significantly correlated with quality parameters. Principal component analysis showed that Lanjian No. 1 and Lanjian No. 2 received higher nutritive value. In summary, Lanjian No. 1 and Lanjian No. 2 had better potential use as high-protein feedstuffs for dairy cattle and sheep in the Jianghuai region based on yield, protein fractions, and in vitro digestibility.

Meat quality is important in the meat-production chain. Conflicting reports of the effects of feeding systems on sheep growth performance and meat quality exist. By way of meta-analysis, we reviewed the literature on the growth and slaughter performance, and meat quality of lambs that grazed solely on pasture, those that grazed on pasture but received a dietary supplement, and those were exclusively fed indoors. The relevant literature comprised 28 papers, from which response variables of interest were obtained. Compared with stall-fed sheep, pasture-grazing led to significantly (p < 0.05) lower average daily gain, slaughter live weight, hot carcass weight, cold carcass weight, and similar dressing percentage, but pasture-grazed sheep fed a supplement had similar (p > 0.05) values for each of these attributes to stall-fed sheep. The quality of the longissimus muscle from lambs that grazed either exclusively on pasture or pasture with a supplement had significantly (p < 0.05) lower lightness and intramuscular fat content, and significantly (p < 0.05) higher yellowness, Warner–Bratzler shear force, and protein content than meat from stall-fed sheep. We conclude that sheep that have fed exclusively on pasture have lower carcass yield and meat edibility, but improved meat quality, and that pasture-fed sheep that received a supplement had comparable carcass attributes, but greater meat color and health quality than stall-fed sheep.

ObjectiveGarlic skin (GAS) has been proven to improve the growth performance of fattening sheep. However, the mechanism by which GAS affects fattening sheep is not yet clear. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of adding GAS to feed on the growth performance, rumen and fecal microbiota, serum and urine metabolism, and transcriptomics of rumen epithelial cells in fattening sheep.MethodsGAS with 80 g/kg dry matter (DM) was added to the diet of fattening sheep to study the effects of GAS on gut microbiota, serum and urine metabolism, and transcriptome of rumen epithelial tissue in fattening sheep. Twelve Hu sheep (body weights; BW, 23.0 ± 2.3 kg and ages 120 ± 3.5 d) were randomly divided into two groups. The CON group was the basal diet, while the GAS group was supplemented with GAS in the basal diet. The trial period was 10 weeks, with the first 2 weeks being the pre-trial period.ResultsThe daily average weight gain of fattening sheep in the GAS group was significantly higher than that in the CON group (p

Purpose: This study explored the influence of team member exchange on employees’ knowledge hiding behaviors via job embeddedness and work alienation, with learning goal orientation acting as the boundary condition. Method: ology: This study adopted a quantitative multi-study research methodology to validate the proposed hypotheses, combining a time-lagged field study with 459 in-service employees and a scenario-based experiment with 128 university students at a northern university in China. Findings: In Study 1 (field study), team-member exchange was negatively associated with knowledge hiding, and job embeddedness and work alienation mediated this relationship. Perceptions of learning goal orientation can amplify the effect of team-member exchange on job embeddedness and work alienation, which in turn reduces knowledge hiding behaviors. A subsequent experiment (Study 2) almost replicated and supported these findings, but work alienation did not play a role as an intermediary in the relationship between team member exchange and knowledge hiding behavior. Practical implications: Managers should stimulate social exchanges among team members to inhibit knowledge hiding behaviors and prioritize individuals exhibiting higher learning goal orientations when deciding whom to hire. Originality: This research identifies and rationalizes how (underlying mechanisms) and when (contingencies) team-member exchange can make a difference in employees’ knowledge hiding behaviors, expanding and advancing further research on the knowledge hiding phenomenon from a team perspective.

In response to recent developments in adversarial attacks and defenses for object detection, relevant terms and concepts associated with object detection and adversarial learning were first introduced.Subsequently, according to the evolution process of the methods, a comprehensive retrospective analysis was conducted on the research achievements in the realm of adversarial attacks and defense methods for object detection.Particularly, attack methods and defense strategies were categorized based on the attacker knowledge and the deep learning lifecycle.Furthermore, an in-depth analysis and discussion of the characteristics and relationships among different approaches were provided.Lastly, considering the strengths and limitations of existing research, the imminent challenges and directions were summarized for further exploration in adversarial attack and defense of object detection.

Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of three feeding systems, i.e., indoor feeding (CON), indoor feeding with 4-h daily access to grazing artificial pasture (ITGP), and indoor feeding with 8-h daily access to grazing artificial pasture (IEGP), on the plasma antioxidant and immunological capacity, slaughter characteristics, meat quality and economic efficiency of Huang-huai lambs. Methods Thirty-three healthy Huang-huai rams with similar body weight (approximately 5 mo of age, 28.96±1.01 kg) were assigned equally to three experimental groups. When finished fattening, six lambs from each group were collect blood samples for plasma analyses and then slaughtered to determine slaughter characteristics and obtain biceps brachii muscle for further analysis of meat quality and fatty acid profile. Results Compared to CON group, animals submitted to ITGP and IEGP groups resulted in greater contents of serum glutathione peroxidase, immunoglobulins (IgA, IgG, and IgM), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), n-6 PUFA, and PUFA/saturated fatty acid (FA) ratio and lower palmitic/oleic acid ratio (p

Sheep and goats can efficiently convert low quality forage into high-quality meat which contains specific nutrients and quality traits. Carcass traits and quality attributes of sheep and goat meat depend upon several factors and one of most effective strategies amongst these is feeding regimens. In this review, the major aspects of feeding regimens affecting growth rate, carcass traits and quality attributes of sheep and goat meat are thoroughly discussed, with a particular focus on physical-chemical composition, flavor profile, and fatty acid (FA) profile. Grazing lambs and kids receiving concentrate or under stall-feeding systems had greater average daily gain and carcass yield compared with animals reared on pasture only. However, growth rate was higher in lambs/kids grazing on pastures of improved quality. Moreover, the meat of grazing lambs receiving concentrate had more intense flavor, intramuscular fat (IMF) content, and unhealthy FA composition, but comparable color, tenderness, juiciness, and protein content compared to that of lambs grazed on grass only. In contrast, meat of concentrate-fed lambs had more intense color, greater tenderness and juiciness, IMF and protein contents, and lower flavor linked to meat. Additionally, the meat of kids grazed on concentrate supplementation had higher color coordinates, tenderness, IMF content and unhealthy FA composition, whereas juiciness and flavor protein content were similar. In contrast, kids with concentrate supplementation had superior color coordinates, juiciness, IMF content and unhealthy FA composition, but lower tenderness and flavor intensity compared to pasture-grazed kids. Thus, indoor-finished or supplemented grazing sheep/goats had higher growth rate and carcass quality, higher IMF content and unhealthy FA composition compared to animals grazed on grass only. Finally, supplementation with concentrate increased flavor intensity in lamb meat, and improved color and tenderness in kid meat, whereas indoor-fed sheep/goats had improved color and juiciness as well as reduced flavor compared to pasture-grazed animals.

Microbial keratitis (MK) is the fourth leading cause of blindness globally, imposing a substantial burden on the healthcare system. This study aims to determine the cost composition of MK patients and explore factors influencing these expenses. We analyzed the demographics, clinical features, and costs of 602 MK patients treated at Beijing Tongren Hospital from June 2021 to October 2023. The analysis revealed the average total cost of treating MK was USD 1646.8, with a median of USD 550.3 (IQR: 333.3–1239.1). Patients with Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) incurred the highest median total costs at USD 706.2 (IQR: 399.2–3370.2). Additionally, AK patients faced the highest costs for ophthalmic exams and laboratory tests (both p < 0.001), while patients with fungal keratitis (FK) and viral keratitis (VK) experienced higher medication costs. Costs varied significantly with the severity of MK, especially for outpatients at severity level 4, which was markedly higher than levels 1–3 (USD 1520.1 vs. USD 401.0, p < 0.001). Delayed presentation also resulted in increased costs (USD 385.2 vs. USD 600.3, p < 0.001). Our study highlights the financial burden associated with MK treatment and underscores the importance of timely and accurate diagnosis and intervention.

The aim of this study was to determine whether the inclusion of 40% of common vetch (CV) hay as a feed ingredient in place of alfalfa hay (AH) would improve performance and ruminal fermentation and microbiota in fattening lambs. Twenty lambs were equally divided into two groups: control group (fed 40% AH with 20% rice straw) and CV group (fed 40% CV hay with 20% rice straw). Concerning hay quality, CV hay had greater in vitro digestibility of dry matter and neutral detergent fiber (p < 0.05) than AH. Lambs fed the CV diet had a higher average daily gain (ADG) and efficiency of feed and economy than lambs fed the control group. The NH3-N content and estimated methane produced per unit of ADG of the CV diet group were significantly lower (p < 0.05) than control group. Multiple differential microbial genera were identified, with Prevotella being the most dominant genus and a tendency towards higher (p = 0.095) in lambs offered CV diet. The higher Ruminococcus abundance (p < 0.05) was found in animals of the CV group compared to the control group. In summary, CV can be incorporated into lamb diets as a low-cost forage alternative to AH to improve feed efficiency and animal performance and to reduce methane produced per unit of ADG.

Abstract Acute liver failure (ALF) is a severe life-threatening disease associated with the disorder of the gut-liver axis. However, the cellular characteristics of ALF in the gut and related therapeutic targets remain unexplored. Here, we utilized the D-GALN/LPS (D/L)-induced ALF model to characterize 33,216 single-cell transcriptomes and define a mouse ALF intestinal cellular atlas. We found that unique, previously uncharacterized intestinal immune cells, including T cells, B cells, macrophages, and neutrophils, are responsive to ALF, and we identified the transcriptional profiles of these subsets during ALF. We also delineated the heterogeneity of intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) and found that ALF-induced cell cycle arrest in intestinal stem cells and activated specific enterocyte and goblet cell clusters. Notably, the most significantly altered IECs, including enterocytes, intestinal stem cells and goblet cells, had similar activation patterns closely associated with inflammation from intestinal immune activation. Furthermore, our results unveiled a common Ep300-dependent transcriptional program that coordinates IEC activation during ALF, which was confirmed to be universal in different ALF models. Pharmacological inhibition of Ep300 with an inhibitor (SGC-CBP30) inhibited this cell-specific program, confirming that Ep300 is an effective target for alleviating ALF. Mechanistically, Ep300 inhibition restrained inflammation and oxidative stress in the dysregulated cluster of IECs through the P38-JNK pathway and corrected intestinal ecology by regulating intestinal microbial composition and metabolism, thereby protecting IECs and attenuating ALF. These findings confirm that Ep300 is a novel therapeutic target in ALF and pave the way for future pathophysiological studies on ALF.

Acanthamoeba keratitis is a rare parasitic infection of the cornea that can lead to permanent blindness if not diagnosed and treated promptly. We collected data on the incidences of Acanthamoeba keratitis from 20 countries and calculated an annual incidence of 23,561 cases, with the lowest rates in Tunisia and Belgium, and the highest in India. We analyzed 3755 Acanthamoeba sequences from the GenBank database across Asia, Europe, North America, South America, and Oceania and genotyped them into T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T10, T11, T12, and T15. Many genotypes possess different characteristics, yet T4 is the most prevalent genotype. As efficient treatment against Acanthamoeba remains lacking, prevention from early diagnosis via staining, PCR, or in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM) becomes significant for the condition’s prognosis. IVCM is the most recommended approach for the early detection of Acanthamoeba. If IVCM is unavailable, PCR should be used as an alternative.

IntroductionThis study evaluated the effects of Isatis Leaf (ISL) on the growth performance, gastrointestinal tissue morphology, rumen and intestinal microbiota, rumen, serum and urine metabolites, and rumen epithelial tissue transcriptome of fattening sheep.MethodsTwelve 3.5-month-old healthy fattening sheep were randomly divided into two groups, each with 6 replicates, and fed with basal diet (CON) and basal diet supplemented with 80 g/kg ISL for 2.5 months. Gastrointestinal tract was collected for histological analysis, rumen fluid and feces were subjected to metagenomic analysis, rumen fluid, serum, and urine for metabolomics analysis, and rumen epithelial tissue for transcriptomics analysis.ResultsThe results showed that in the ISL group, the average daily gain and average daily feed intake of fattening sheep were significantly lower than those of the CON group (P < 0.05), and the rumen ammonia nitrogen level was significantly higher than that of the CON group (P < 0.01). The thickness of the reticulum and abomasum muscle layer was significantly increased (P < 0.05). At the genus level, the addition of ISL modified the composition of rumen and fecal microorganisms, and the relative abundance of Methanobrevibacter and Centipeda was significantly upregulated in rumen microorganisms, The relative abundance of Butyrivibrio, Saccharofermentans, Mogibacterium, and Pirellula was significantly downregulated (P < 0.05). In fecal microorganisms, the relative abundance of Papillibacter, Pseudoflavonifractor, Butyricicoccus, Anaerovorax, and Methanocorpusculum was significantly upregulated, while the relative abundance of Roseburia, Coprococcus, Clostridium XVIII, Butyrivibrio, Parasutterella, Macellibacteroides, and Porphyromonas was significantly downregulated (P < 0.05). There were 164, 107, and 77 different metabolites in the rumen, serum, and urine between the ISL and CON groups (P < 0.05). The differential metabolic pathways mainly included thiamine metabolism, niacin and nicotinamide metabolism, vitamin B6 metabolism, taurine and taurine metabolism, beta-Alanine metabolism and riboflavin metabolism. These metabolic pathways were mainly involved in the regulation of energy metabolism and immune function in fattening sheep. Transcriptome sequencing showed that differentially expressed genes were mainly enriched in cellular physiological processes, development, and immune regulation.ConclusionIn summary, the addition of ISL to the diet had the effect of increasing rumen ammonia nitrogen levels, regulating gastrointestinal microbiota, promoting body fat metabolism, and enhancing immunity in fattening sheep.

Category: Basic Sciences/Biologics; Arthroscopy Introduction/Purpose: Osteochondral lesions of the talus (OLT) are frequently treated with microfracture and may be augmented with decellularized extracellular matrix or particulated juvenile cartilage. The damaged OLT cartilage is often discarded. Infrequently it is used as a source for autologous chondrocyte expansion and implantation in a subsequent procedure. This resected cartilage has demonstrated variable chondrocyte viability. The influence of cartilage type on chondrocyte viability, whether frayed fibrocartilage from in vivo repair or delaminated hyaline cartilage, remains unknown. Also, little has been reported on the use of the OLT cartilage as a source for immediate cartilage autograft. The purpose of this study is to evaluate chondrocyte quantity and viability from the excised cartilage of OLTs at the time of arthroscopic debridement and microfracture. Methods: Patients aged 18 to 65 undergoing arthroscopic debridement and microfracture of talar OLTs were included. IRB approval of the study protocol was obtained. At the time of ankle arthroscopy, the cartilage from the OLT was collected either by GraftNet™ Autologous tissue collector (GraftNet™ Autologous Tissue Collector, Arthrex; Naples, FL) or manual collection and mincing of the specimen with a scalpel. Chondrocytes were isolated by overnight digestion with 2% collagenase in tissue culture medium at 37°C. The isolated cells were stained with Trypan Blue and counted for total cell number and viability (%), using an automated cell counter. Data collection included patient age, size and location of the OLT, intraoperative surgeon assessment of cartilage type (hyaline cartilage, fibrocartilage, or mixed fibro-hyaline cartilage), histologic determination of cartilage type, weight of the specimen, and chondrocyte cell count and viability. Results: Fourteen OLT specimens were collected. The average size was 0.831 (SD ± 1.10) cm 2 , and average weight 0.19 (SD ± 0.17) grams. Overall, the average number of chondrocytes was 1.12 x106 (SD ± 1.13 x106) cells/mm 2 and 3.99 x106 (SD ± 3.28 x106) cells/gram. The average viability was 72.36% (SD ± 12.25%). Using histologic determination of cartilage type, in hyaline specimens (n = 8, 57.14%) we found 1.08 x106 (SD ± 0.85 x106) chondrocytes/cm 2 , 70.73% (SD ± 11.73 %) viability. In fibrocartilage specimens (n = 2, 14.29%) we found 0.37 x106 (SD ± 0.10 x106) chondrocytes/cm 2 , 78.08% (SD ± 22.03%) viability. In mixed cartilage specimens (n = 4, 28.57%) we found 1.58 x106 (SD ± 1.80 x106) cells/cm 2 , 72.78% (SD ± 11.79%) viability. (Table 1) Conclusion: We found OLT chondrocyte viability of 72.36%, with a trend toward greater chondrocyte concentration and similar viability comparing hyaline and fibro cartilage, respectively. Cartilage type was consistent between intraoperative and histologic assessment in all but four specimens. OLT cartilage has the potential to serve as an immediate intraoperative chondrocyte autograft source for enhancement of talus cartilage repair procedures, eliminating the risk of donor site morbidity and additional surgeries as in culture-based methods. Further study with more patients may shed light on the accuracy of intraoperative cartilage classification, and differences in chondrocyte quantity and viability between cartilage types.

Category: Ankle Arthritis; Ankle Introduction/Purpose: Total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) has surpassed arthrodesis as the gold standard for treatment of end-stage ankle arthritis. The Zimmer Trabecular Metal Total Ankle Implant (Zimmer-Biomet, Warsaw, IN) differs from other newer- generation implants in the transfibular approach, non-mobile-bearing prosthesis, high-molecular-weight polyethylene, curved surface at every interface in the sagittal plane, and shallow resection depth. There is limited mid-term follow-up for this system. Therefore, we sought to report mid-term clinical, functional, and radiographic results we well as complications and survival for patients treated with the transfibular TAA at a minimum of 5-years follow-up. Methods: A retrospective review was performed on patients who underwent primary transfibular TAA by a single surgeon from October 2012 to January 2018. Inclusion criteria was a minimum of 5-years of follow-up with a completed consent for participation in the study and patient-reported outcome measures (PROM). Patient demographics and perioperative data were collected. PROMS included: 12-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12) physical (PCS) and mental (MCS) component scores; Ankle Osteoarthritis Scale (OAS); and Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Functional outcomes included range of motion (ROM) measured on weightbearing ROM radiographs. Radiographic outcomes included coronal and sagittal alignment. Adverse events and reoperations were reported using the Canadian Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (COFAS) Reoperation Coding System (CROCS). Of the consecutive 151 TAAs, 83 (55.0%) ankles are included in this study, evaluated at a mean of 5.8 years clinical and 6.3 years radiographic follow-up. Results: The average age was 60.6 years-old. Preoperative tibiotalar coronal deformity included 27 valgus (10°, range 2-20°) and 25 varus ankles (-9°, range -2--25°), successfully corrected to neutral postoperatively. The postoperative PROMs were: SF-12 PCS: 40.4, SF-12 MCS: 56.0, VAS: 2.3, AOS Pain: 17.0, and AOS Disability: 24.9. Radiographic postoperative tibiopedal ROM was 17.8° dorsiflexion and 21.8° degrees plantarflexion. The overall reoperation rate was 38.6%(n=32) at an average of 28.7 months postoperative. Most common were removal of the fibula hardware (n=21,25.3%) and medial gutter debridement (n=15, 18.1%). There were 3 (3.6%) cases of acute postoperative infection (< 3 months) treated with operative irrigation and debridement but retention of the metal components. There were no cases of septic or aseptic loosening or subsidence. The overall implant survival, defined by retention of the metal components, was 100%. Conclusion: Transfibular TAA is a safe and effective treatment for end-stage ankle arthritis at 5-year mid-term follow-up. This study confirms excellent clinical results including PROMs and ROM as well as radiographic alignment correction and maintenance. The survival rate was 100% for retention of the trabecular metal components. The survival rate to reoperation was 60.7% with patients commonly requiring removal of the fibula hardware or medial gutter debridement. Patients should be counseled on the risk of reoperation preoperatively for postoperative expectation management.

Abstract Solution growth of single-crystal ferroelectric oxide films has long been pursued for the low-cost development of high-performance electronic and optoelectronic devices. However, the established principles of vapor-phase epitaxy cannot be directly applied to solution epitaxy, as the interactions between the substrates and the grown materials in solution are quite different. Here, we report the successful epitaxy of single-domain ferroelectric oxide films on Nb-doped SrTiO3 single-crystal substrates by solution reaction at a low temperature of ~200 oC. The epitaxy is mainly driven by an electronic polarization screening effect at the interface between the substrates and the as-grown ferroelectric oxide films, which is realized by the electrons from the doped substrates. Atomic-level characterization reveals a nontrivial polarization gradient throughout the films in a long range up to ~500 nm because of a possible structural transition from the monoclinic phase to the tetragonal phase. This polarization gradient generates an extremely high photovoltaic short-circuit current density of ~2.153 mA/cm2 and open-circuit voltage of ~1.15 V under 375 nm light illumination with power intensity of 500 mW/cm2, corresponding to the highest photoresponsivity of ~4.306×10−3 A/W among all known ferroelectrics. Our results establish a general low-temperature solution route to produce single-crystal gradient films of ferroelectric oxides and thus open the avenue for their broad applications in self-powered photo-detectors, photovoltaic and optoelectronic devices.

Y-27632, as a cytoskeleton protector, is commonly used for low-temperature preservation of cells. Goat sperm are prone to damage to the cytoskeleton under low-temperature conditions, leading to a loss of sperm vitality. However, the Y-27632 small molecule has not yet been used in research on low-temperature preservation of goat semen. This study aims to address the issue of low temperature-induced loss of sperm motility in goats by using Y-27632, and explore the regulation of Y-27632 on goat sperm metabolism. At a low temperature of 4 °C, different concentrations of Y-27632 were added to the sperm diluent. The regulation of Y-27632 on the quality of low temperature-preserved goat semen was evaluated by detecting goat sperm motility, antioxidant capacity, mitochondrial activity, cholesterol levels, and metabolomics analysis. The results indicated that 20 µM Y-27632 significantly increased plasma membrane integrity (p < 0.05), and acrosome integrity (p < 0.05) and sperm motility (p < 0.05), increased levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) (p < 0.01), increased total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) (p < 0.05), decreased levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) (p < 0.01), and significantly increased mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). The levels of ATP, Ca2+, and TC in sperm increased (p < 0.01). Twenty metabolites with significant differences were identified, with six metabolic pathways having a significant impact, among which the D-glutamic acid and D-glutamine metabolic pathways had the most significant impact. The artificial insemination effect of goat semen treated with 20 μM Y-27632 was not significantly different from that of fresh semen. This study indicates that Y-27632 improves the quality of low-temperature preservation of sperm by protecting the sperm plasma membrane, enhancing sperm antioxidant capacity, regulating D-glutamine and D-glutamate metabolism, and promoting the application of low-temperature preservation of semen in artificial insemination technology.

Probiotics have been proven to improve the growth performance of livestock and poultry. The aim of this experiment was to investigate the effects of probiotic supplementation on the growth performance; rumen and intestinal microbiota; rumen fluid, serum, and urine metabolism; and rumen epithelial cell transcriptomics of fattening meat sheep. Twelve Hu sheep were selected and randomly divided into two groups. They were fed a basal diet (CON) or a basal diet supplemented with 1.5 × 108 CFU/g probiotics (PRB). The results show that the average daily weight gain, and volatile fatty acid and serum antioxidant capacity concentrations of the PRB group were significantly higher than those of the CON group (p < 0.05). Compared to the CON group, the thickness of the rumen muscle layer in the PRB group was significantly decreased (p < 0.01); the thickness of the duodenal muscle layer in the fattening sheep was significantly reduced; and the length of the duodenal villi, the thickness of the cecal and rectal mucosal muscle layers, and the thickness of the cecal, colon, and rectal mucosal layers (p < 0.05) were significantly increased. At the genus level, the addition of probiotics altered the composition of the rumen and intestinal microbiota, significantly upregulating the relative abundance of Subdivision5_genera_incertae_sedis and Acinetobacter in the rumen microbiota, and significantly downregulating the relative abundance of Butyrivibrio, Saccharofermentans, and Fibrobacter. The relative abundance of faecalicoccus was significantly upregulated in the intestinal microbiota, while the relative abundance of Coprococcus, Porphyromonas, and Anaerobacterium were significantly downregulated (p < 0.05). There were significant differences in the rumen, serum, and urine metabolites between the PRB group and the CON group, with 188, 138, and 104 metabolites (p < 0.05), mainly affecting pathways such as vitamin B2, vitamin B3, vitamin B6, and a series of amino acid metabolisms. The differential genes in the transcriptome sequencing were mainly enriched in protein modification regulation (especially histone modification), immune function regulation, and energy metabolism. Therefore, adding probiotics improved the growth performance of fattening sheep by altering the rumen and intestinal microbiota; the rumen, serum, and urine metabolome; and the transcriptome.

Arterial stiffness has been proved to be an important parameter in the evaluation of cardiovascular diseases, and Pulse Wave Velocity (PWV) is a strong indicator of arterial stiffness. Compared to regional PWV (PWV among different arteries), local PWV (PWV within a single artery) outstands in providing higher precision in indicating arterial properties, as regional PWVs are highly affected by multiple parameters, e.g., variations in blood vessel lengths due to individual differences, and multiple reflection effects on the pulse waveform. However, local PWV is less-developed due to its high dependency on the temporal resolution in synchronized signals with usually low signal-to-noise ratios. This paper presents a method for the noninvasive simultaneous measurement of two local PWVs in both left and right radial arteries based on the Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) technique via correlation analysis of the pulse pairs at the fossa cubitalis and at the wrist. Based on the measurements of five male volunteers at the ages of 19 to 21 years old, the average left radial PWV ranged from 9.44 m/s to 12.35 m/s and the average right radial PWV ranged from 11.50 m/s to 14.83 m/s. What is worth mentioning is that a stable difference between the left and right radial PWVs was observed for each volunteer, ranging from 2.27 m/s to 3.04 m/s. This method enables the dynamic analysis of local PWVs and analysis of their features among different arteries, which will benefit the diagnosis of early-stage arterial stiffening and may bring more insights into the diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases.

IntroductionUndernutrition spontaneously occurs in ewes during late gestation and the pituitary is an important hinge in the neurohumoral regulatory system. However, little is known about the effect of undernutrition on pituitary metabolism.MethodsHere, 10 multiparous ewes were restricted to a 30% feeding level during late gestation to establish an undernutrition model while another 10 ewes were fed normally as controls. All the ewes were sacrificed, and pituitary samples were collected to perform transcriptome, metabolome, and quantitative real-time PCR analysis and investigate the metabolic changes.ResultsPCA and PLS-DA of total genes showed that undernutrition changed the total transcriptome profile of the pituitary gland, and 581 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified between the two groups. Clusters of orthologous groups for eukaryotic complete genomes demonstrated that substance transport and metabolism, including lipids, carbohydrates, and amino acids, energy production and conversion, ribosomal structure and biogenesis, and the cytoskeleton were enriched by DEGs. Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes pathway enrichment analysis displayed that the phagosome, intestinal immune network, and oxidative phosphorylation were enriched by DEGs. Further analysis found that undernutrition enhanced the lipid degradation and amino acid transport, repressing lipid synthesis and transport and amino acid degradation of the pituitary gland. Moreover, the general metabolic profiles and metabolic pathways were affected by undernutrition, repressing the 60S, 40S, 28S, and 39S subunits of the ribosomal structure for translation and myosin and actin synthesis for cytoskeleton. Undernutrition was found also to be implicated in the suppression of oxidative phosphorylation for energy production and conversion into a downregulation of genes related to T cell function and the immune response and an upregulation of genes involved in inflammatory reactions enriching phagosomes.DiscussionThis study comprehensively analyses the effect of undernutrition on the pituitary gland in a pregnant sheep model, which provides a foundation for further research into the mechanisms of undernutrition-caused hormone secretion and metabolic disorders.

Potassium niobate (KNbO3, KNO) has been intensively investigated for photovoltaic performance because of its non-toxicity and excellent nonlinear optical properties. The corresponding photovoltaic current density, however, remains very low due to a wide bandgap. Chemical doping and strain engineering strategies have been employed to tailor the band structure to enhance photovoltaic current density. Nevertheless, the original current density is still at a level of several tens of nA/cm2, significantly limiting device applications. In this work, we report a lattice-gradient KNO film on (100) single-crystal 0.7 wt. % Nb doped SrTiO3 (NSTO) substrate processed by annealing, generating a polarization-gradient that allows us to generate a large current density via a built-in field. The film exhibits a remarkable short-circuit current density (Jsc) of 58.63 µA/cm2 under the 375 nm irradiation of 500 mW/cm2 light intensity, where the corresponding responsivity (117.26 µA/W) is ∼3.82 times higher than those of reported KNO-based materials. It was revealed that the annealing process driven interfacial structure evolution from disorder to atomic-scale smoothness, accompanied by the transformation of the polarization shielding mechanism. After this process, an intriguing lattice-gradient throughout the film was established to have a uniform polarization direction, possibly accounting for the improved photovoltaic current density of KNO film. These findings may trigger interest in developing KNO as a potential key material for lead-free optoelectronic or photodetector devices.

Objectives: To analyze the epidemiologic features, culture positivity, the fungal spectrum of different sites of ocular infection in North China over 20 years from 2001 to 2020. Methods: 11, 635 patients suspected of ocular fungal infection were reviewed. The demographic profile, fungal positive culture rate among different sites, the distribution, and trends of main pathogens among cornea and intraocular fluid were analyzed. Results: Among 11, 635 samples, the positive culture rate of ocular fungal infection was 23.6%. Most of samples (83.1%) were from cornea, and their culture positivity was 26.9%. Fungal keratitis occurred more often during the harvesting season (October to December; 34.0%) than in other seasons (average: 22.0%). Fusarium sp. (53.2%), Aspergillus sp. (15.9%) and Alternaria sp. (12.5%) were the most common fungal species of ocular mycotic infections in the past two decades in north China. 2562 organisms were identified from cornea, of which 1443 (56.3%) were Fusarium sp., 403 (15.7%) and 329 (12.8%) were Aspergillus sp., and Alternaria sp., respectively. Of the 120 fungi isolated from the intraocular fluid, the most common was Aspergillus sp. (33.3%), followed by Fusarium sp. (24.2%) and Candida sp. (15.0%). Conclusions: Fusarium sp., Aspergillus sp. and Alternaria sp. were the most common organisms in cases of fungal keratitis, while Aspergillus sp., Fusarium sp. and Candida sp. were the most frequent isolates for fungal endophthalmitis.

Small Tail Han (STH) sheep, a unique Chinese breed, is recognized for its early maturity, year-round estrus, and prolificacy. However, the molecular mechanism of its high prolificacy has not been fully elucidated. The Proteomics approach is feasible and effective to reveal the proteins involved in the complex physiological processes of any organism. Given this, we performed the protein expression profiling of ovarian tissues during the luteal phase using polytocous STH sheep (litter size ≥2, three consecutive lambings) and monotocous STH sheep (litter size =1, three consecutive lambings) (PL vs. ML), and the follicular phase using polytocous STH sheep (litter size ≥2, three consecutive lambings) and monotocous STH sheep (litter size =1, three consecutive lambings) (PF vs. MF), respectively. Parallel Reaction Monitoring (PRM) was conducted to validate the differentially abundant proteins (DAPs). The tandem mass tag (TMT) quantitative proteomic results showed that a total of 5,237 proteins were identified, of which 49 and 44 showed differential abundance in the PL vs. ML and PF vs. MF groups, respectively. Enrichments analyses indicated that the DAPs including TIA1 cytotoxic granule-associated RNA-binding protein-like 1 (TIAL1), nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT), and cellular retinoic acid-binding protein 1 (CRABP1) were enriched at the luteal phase, while TIAL1, inhibin beta-a-subunit (A2ICA4), and W5PG55 were enriched at the follicular phase, potentially mediating reproductive processes in polytocous ewes. Furthermore, six DAPs were verified using PRM, confirming the accuracy of the TMT data acquired in this study. Together, our work expanded the database of indigenous sheep breeds and provided new ovarian candidate molecular targets, which will help in the study of the genetic mechanisms of ovine prolificacy.

Defects of solar panels can easily cause electrical accidents. The YOLO v5 algorithm is improved to make up for the low detection efficiency of the traditional defect detection methods. Firstly, it is improved on the basis of coordinate attention to obtain a LCA attention mechanism with a larger target range, which can enhance the sensing range of target features in addition to fully capturing feature information; secondly, the weighted bidirectional feature pyramid is used to balance the feature information with excessive pixel differences by assigning different weights, which is more conducive to multi-scale Fast fusion of features; finally, the usual coupled head of YOLO series is replaced with decoupled head, so that the task branch can be performed more accurately and the detection accuracy can be improved. The results of comparative experiments on the solar panel defect detection data set show that after the improvement of the algorithm, the overall precision is increased by 1.5%, the recall rate is increased by 2.4%, and the mAP is up to 95.5%, which is 2.5% higher than that before the improvement. It can more accurately determine whether there are defects, standardize the quality of solar panels, and ensure electrical safety.

Telomerase determines cell lifespan by controlling chromosome stability and cell viability, m6A epigenetic modification plays an important role in the regulation of telomerase activity. Using CRISPR epigenome editing to analyze specific m6A modification sites in telomerase will provide an important tool for analyzing the molecular mechanism of m6A modification regulating telomerase activity. In this review, we clarified the relevant applications of CRISPR system, paid special attention to the regulation of m6A modification in stem cells and cancer cells based on CRISPR system, emphasized the regulation of m6A modification on telomerase activity, pointed out that m6A modification sites regulate telomerase activity, and discussed strategies based on telomerase activity and disease treatment, which are helpful to promote the research of anti-aging and tumor related diseases.

IntroductionManganese (Mn) is an essential trace element for livestock, but little is known about the optimal Mn source and level for yak.MethodsTo improve yak’s feeding standards, a 48-h in vitro study was designed to examine the effect of supplementary Mn sources including Mn sulfate (MnSO4), Mn chloride (MnCl2), and Mn methionine (Met-Mn) at five Mn levels, namely 35 mg/kg, 40 mg/kg, 50 mg/kg, 60 mg/kg, and 70 mg/kg dry matter (includes Mn in substrates), on yak’s rumen fermentation.ResultsResults showed that Met-Mn groups showed higher acetate (p < 0.05), propionate, total volatile fatty acids (p < 0.05) levels, ammonia nitrogen concentration (p < 0.05), dry matter digestibility (DMD), and amylase activities (p < 0.05) compared to MnSO4 and MnCl2 groups. DMD (p < 0.05), amylase activities, and trypsin activities (p < 0.05) all increased firstly and then decreased with the increase of Mn level and reached high values at 40–50 mg/kg Mn levels. Cellulase activities showed high values (p < 0.05) at 50–70 mg/kg Mn levels. Microbial protein contents (p < 0.05) and lipase activities of Mn-Met groups were higher than those of MnSO4 and MnCl2 groups at 40–50 mg/kg Mn levels.DiscussionTherefore, Mn-met was the best Mn source, and 40 to 50 mg/kg was the best Mn level for rumen fermentation of yaks.

Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (M. ovipneumoniae) causes a fatal infection in goats, leading to significant economic losses in the small-ruminant industry worldwide. The present study aimed to characterize the strains of M. ovipneumoniae infecting goats with pneumonia in Anhui Province, China. From November 2021 to January 2023, among 20 flocks, a total of 1320 samples (600 samples of unvaccinated blood, 400 nasal swabs, 200 samples of pleural fluid, and 120 samples of lung tissue) were obtained from goats with typical signs of pneumonia, such as a low growth rate, appetite suppression, increased temperature, discharge from the nose, and a cough. Necropsied goats showed increased pleural fluid, fibrinous pleuropneumonia, and attached localized pleural adhesions. M. ovipneumoniae isolated from the samples were subjected to an indirect hemagglutination test (IHA), PCR amplicon sequencing, phylogenetic analysis, and biochemical identification tests. The overall positivity rate of M. ovipneumoniae was 27.50%. Mycoplasmas were obtained from 80 (20.0%) nasal swabs, 21 (10.5%) pleural fluid samples, and 15 (12.5%) lung samples. PCR amplicon (288 bp) sequencing identified eight strains of M. ovipneumoniae. In a phylogenetic tree, the isolated strains were homologous to the standard strain M. ovipneumoniae Y-98 and most similar to M. ovipneumoniae FJ-SM. Local strains of M. ovipneumoniae were isolated from goats in Anhui province. The identified genomic features and population structure will promote further study of M. ovipneumoniae pathogenesis and could form the basis for vaccine and therapy development.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of sodium salicylate (SS) on the preservation and metabolic regulation of sheep sperm. Under 4 °C low-temperature conditions, SS (at 10 µM, 20 µM, 30 µM, and 50 µM) was added to the semen diluent to detect sperm motility, plasma membrane, and acrosome integrity. Based on the selected optimal concentration of SS (20 µM), the effects of 20 µM of SS on sperms’ antioxidant capacity and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) were evaluated, and metabolomics analysis was conducted. The results showed that on the 20th day of low-temperature storage, the sperm motility of the 20 µM SS group was 62.80%, and the activities of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were significantly higher than those of the control group (p < 0.01). The content of Ca2+, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and malondialdehyde (MDA) were significantly lower than those of the control group (p < 0.01), and the total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) was significantly higher than that of the control group (p < 0.05); mitochondrial activity and the total cholesterol (TC) content were significantly higher than those in the control group (p < 0.01). An ultrastructural examination showed that in the SS group, the sperm plasma membrane and acrosome were intact, the fibrous sheath and axoneme morphology of the outer dense fibers were normal, and the mitochondria were arranged neatly. In the control group, there was significant swelling of the sperm plasma membrane, rupture of the acrosome, and vacuolization of mitochondria. Using metabolomics analysis, 20 of the most significant differential metabolic markers were screened, mainly involving 6 metabolic pathways, with the amino acid biosynthesis pathway being the most abundant. In summary, 20 µM of SS significantly improved the preservation quality of sheep sperm under low-temperature conditions of 4 °C.

The study investigated the modification mechanism of modified ground calcium carbonate (GCC) mineral powder using in asphalt concrete. Two types of Titanate coupling agents, namely, K38S (TCA-K38S) and 201 (TCA-201), as well as sodium stearate coupling agent, were adopted to prepare modified GCC. The optimized preparation process was obtained through the orthogonal test. Two kinds of modified GCC were preferably selected to prepare asphalt concrete according to modification mechanism characterization, their performance was analyzed and evaluated at macro and micro levels. The study results show that, the optimal scheme of sodium stearate modified GCC is modification temperature of 80°C, modification time of 50 min, modifying agent dosage of 2.0%. The crystal structure of GCC remains unchanged after modification, with the original lattice structure being maintained. TCA-201 and sodium stearate exhibit better coating properties than that of TCA-K38S. The contact angles of TCA-201 and sodium stearate modified GCC are larger than that of TCA-K38S modified GCC. The in-service performance of AC-13C asphalt concrete modified with sodium stearate is found to be superior to that of TCA-201 modified AC-13C asphalt concrete. Compared with the unmodified AC-13C asphalt concrete, the Marshall modulus, residual stability, freeze-thaw splitting strength ratio, and maximum flexural tensile strain of sodium stearate modified AC-13C asphalt concrete are increased by 54.55%, 2.73%, 10.47%, and 26.41% respectively. This paper provides theoretical guidance for the application of GCC mineral powder in asphalt concrete.

Abstract Obesity induced by antipsychotics have plagued more than 20 million people worldwide. However, no drug is available to eliminate the obesity induced by antipsychotics. Here we examined the effect and potential mechanisms of a gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) modified by N-isobutyryl-L-cysteine on the obesity induced by olanzapine, the most prescribed but obesogenic antipsychotics, in a rat model. Our results showed that AuNCs completely prevented and reversed the obesity induced by olanzapine and improved glucose metabolism profile in rats. Further mechanism investigations revealed that AuNCs exert its anti-obesity function through inhibition of olanzapine-induced dysfunction of histamine H1 receptor and proopiomelanocortin signaling therefore reducing hyperphagia, and reversing olanzapine-induced inhibition of uncoupling-protein-1 signaling which increases thermogenesis. Together with AuNCs’ good biocompatibility, these findings not only provide AuNCs as a promising nanodrug candidate for treating obesity induced by antipsychotics, but also open an avenue for the potential application of AuNCs-based nanodrugs in treating general obesity.

Mentha haplocalyx Briq (MHB) and its components have been proven to improve the growth performance of livestock and poultry. The aim of this experiment was to investigate the effects of MHB addition on growth performance, rumen and fecal microbiota, rumen fluid, serum and urine metabolism, and transcriptomics of rumen epithelial cells in meat sheep. Twelve Hu sheep were selected for the experiment and fed with basic diet (CON) and a basal diet supplemented with 80 g/kg DM of Mentha haplocalyx Briq (MHB). The experimental period was 10 weeks with the first 2 weeks as the pre-trial period. The results showed that compared with the CON group, the average daily weight gain of meat sheep in the MHB group increased by 20.1%; the total volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentration significantly increased (p < 0.05); The thickness of the cecal mucosal layer was significantly reduced (p < 0.01), while the thickness of the colonic mucosal layer was significantly increased (p < 0.05), the length of ileal villi significantly increased (p < 0.01), the thickness of colonic mucosal layer and rectal mucosal muscle layer significantly increased (p < 0.05), and the thickness of cecal mucosal layer significantly decreased (p < 0.05); The serum antioxidant capacity has increased. At the genus level, the addition of MHB changed the composition of rumen and fecal microbiota, increased the relative abundance of Paraprevotella, Alloprevotella, Marinilabilia, Saccharibacteria_genera_incertae_sedis, Subdivision5_genera_incertae_sedis and Ornatilinea in rumen microbiota, and decreased the relative abundance of Blautia (p < 0.05). The relative abundance of Prevotella, Clostridium XlVb and Parasutterella increased in fecal microbiota, while the relative abundance of Blautia and Coprococcus decreased (p < 0.05). There were significant differences in the concentrations of 105, 163, and 54 metabolites in the rumen, serum, and urine between the MHB group and the CON group (p < 0.05). The main metabolic pathways of the differences were pyrimidine metabolism, taurine and taurine metabolism, glyceride metabolism, and pentose phosphate pathway (p < 0.05), which had a significant impact on protein synthesis and energy metabolism. The transcriptome sequencing results showed that differentially expressed genes were mainly enriched in immune regulation, energy metabolism, and protein modification. Therefore, adding MHB improved the growth performance of lambs by altering rumen and intestinal microbiota, rumen, serum and urine metabolomics, and transcriptome.

To improve the global optimization ability and convergence speed of the swarm intelligence algorithm, we proposed a new swarm intelligence optimization algorithm, namely the Oryctolagus cuniculus algorithm. This includes five mechanisms: the determination of safety zones, the cave escape, the agglomeration of Oryctolagus cuniculi, the maintenance of the Oryctolagus cuniculus king, and the zone competition. Each solution is represented by each Oryctolagus cuniculus’s position (including zone number and specific location number). The grass density and safety index at the location of the Oryctolagus cuniculus represents its fitness value. The determination of safety zones implies that predators such as eagles hunt Oryctolagus cuniculi in dangerous zones, and the zone without predators is considered a safety zone. The cave escape refers to the act of Oryctolagus cuniculi using a connected cave system to flee from a dangerous zone and reach a secure zone, thereby evading potential predators. We select the Oryctolagus cuniculus with higher fitness values as the king of each zone, and the Oryctolagus cuniculi gather towards the Oryctolagus cuniculus king. This mechanism ensures that Oryctolagus cuniculus mainly searches in zones with abundant grass and quickly finds the optimal solution. In the maintenance of the Oryctolagus cuniculus king, we choose the one with higher fitness values as the Oryctolagus cuniculus king. Zone competition is induced by an increase in the number of Oryctolagus cuniculi in zones with abundant grass by ordering the fitness values of each zone, and vice versa. We apply the Oryctolagus cuniculus algorithm to the inversion method of the asteroid spectra reflectance template. The experimental results show that compared with artificial rabbit optimization, this algorithm has a faster rate of convergence and better solution, effectively screens the reflectance template, and improves the Doppler difference velocimetry accuracy. In addition, the application of the Oryctolagus cuniculus algorithm to the knapsack problem also performs effectively.

To solve the problem of the non-linear Fourier phase shift caused by the wavelength shift in the celestial spectrum velocimetry, a celestial spectrum velocimetry method based on non-uniform discrete Fourier transform and compressed sensing is proposed. First, according to the properties of the non-uniform discrete Fourier transform with non-periodic celestial spectra, the non-linear relationship between the spectral wavelength shift and the Fourier phase shift is deduced theoretically. And then, the discrete cosine transform is used to decompose and reconstruct the spectrum to construct the phase dictionary of the non-periodic spectrum. In this dictionary, the spectral wavelength shift has a non-linear relationship with the Fourier phase shift. Finally, the non-uniform Fourier transform matrix is used as the measurement matrix. And the Doppler wavelength shift is estimated by using a non-linear and super-resolution matching algorithm to estimate the velocimetry. Experimental results show that when the spacecraft’s velocity is high, the celestial spectrum velocimetry method with non-linear Fourier phase shift (CSV-NFPS) can effectively measure the velocity from the spectrum, and its accuracy approaches the theoretical Cramer-Rao lower bounds (CRLB). Compared with the traditional Taylor method, the CSV-NFPS has an average accuracy improvement of 16.18% and a computational complexity reduction of 25.07%. In short, our method eliminate the non-linear bias in the celestial spectrum velocimetry and reduce a certain computational complexity.

Summary: Assays detecting blood transcriptome changes are studied for infectious disease diagnosis. Blood-based RNA alternative splicing (AS) events, which have not been well characterized in pathogen infection, have potential normalization and assay platform stability advantages over gene expression for diagnosis. Here, we present a computational framework for developing AS diagnostic biomarkers. Leveraging a large prospective cohort of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and whole-blood RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data, we identify a major functional AS program switch upon viral infection. Using an independent cohort, we demonstrate the improved accuracy of AS biomarkers for SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis compared with six reported transcriptome signatures. We then optimize a subset of AS-based biomarkers to develop microfluidic PCR diagnostic assays. This assay achieves nearly perfect test accuracy (61/62 = 98.4%) using a naive principal component classifier, significantly more accurate than a gene expression PCR assay in the same cohort. Therefore, our RNA splicing computational framework enables a promising avenue for host-response diagnosis of infection. Motivation: Host-based response assays (HRAs) can often diagnose infectious disease earlier and more precisely than pathogen-based tests. However, the role of RNA alternative splicing (AS) in HRAs remains unexplored, as existing HRAs are restricted to gene expression signatures. We report a computational framework for the identification, optimization, and evaluation of blood AS-based diagnostic assay development for infectious disease. Using SARS-CoV-2 infection as a case study, we demonstrate the improved accuracy of AS biomarkers for COVID-19 diagnosis when compared against six reported transcriptome signatures and when implemented as a microfluidic PCR diagnostic assay.

Summary: Background: Fungal keratitis (FK) is a leading cause of corneal blindness in developing countries due to poor clinical recognition and laboratory identification. Here, we aimed to identify the distinct clinical signature of FK and develop a diagnostic model to differentiate FK from other types of infectious keratitis. Methods: We reviewed the electronic health records (EHRs) of all patients with suspected infectious keratitis in Beijing Tongren Hospital from January 2011 to December 2021. Twelve clinical signs of slit-lamp images were assessed by Lasso regression analysis and collinear variables were excluded. Three models based on binary logistic regression, random forest classification, and decision tree classification were trained for FK diagnosis and employed for internal validation. Independent external validation of the models was performed in a cohort of 420 patients from seven different ophthalmic centers to evaluate the accuracy, specificity, and sensitivity in real world. Findings: Three diagnostic models of FK based on binary logistic regression, random forest classification, and decision tree classification were established and internal validation were achieved with the mean AUC of 0.916, 0.920, and 0.859, respectively. The models were well-calibrated by external validation using a prospective cohort including 210 FK and 210 non-FK patients from seven eye centers across China. The diagnostic model with the binary logistic regression algorithm classified the external validation dataset with a sensitivity of 0.907 (0.774, 1.000), specificity 0.899 (0.750, 1.000), accuracy 0.905 (0.805, 1.000), and AUC 0.903 (0.808, 0.998). Interpretation: Our model enables rapid identification of FK, which will help ophthalmologists to establish a preliminary diagnosis and to improve the diagnostic accuracy in clinic. Funding: The Open Research Fund from the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2021YFC2301000) and the Open Research Fund from Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Big Data-Based Precision Medicine, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Beihang University & Capital Medical University (BHTR-KFJJ-202001) supported this study.

Abstract This paper studies the power production optimization problem of multiple offshore wind farms (OWFs) considering different maintenance demands and requirements under the wind power uncertainty. A decentralized robust operation optimization model is developed, in which OWFs and a maintenance service provider (MSP) are treated as individual stakeholders with different interests but coupled by maintenance resources. Based on the analytical target cascading (ATC) algorithm, the model is decoupled into independent models for MSP and each OWF. The operation and objectives of individual entities can be autonomously optimized only considering their own conditions. For each OWF, the power production planning coupled with maintenance scheduling is formulated as a two‐stage robust optimization model and solved by a column‐and‐constraint generation (C&CG) algorithm to tackle the wind power uncertainty. Numerical experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed model and the applicability of the integrated solution method to the studied problem. Results illustrate that the developed model shows a better guarantee for individual interests of OWFs, lower communication burden, and better information privacy than the centralized optimization model, especially in large‐scale systems. The integrated solution framework can guarantee a quick convergence and optimality. Moreover, it reduces impacts of uncertain factors on power productions and maintenance schemes.

Abstract Background There is an obvious correlation between ulcerative colitis and colorectal cancer, and the risk of colorectal cancer in patients with ulcerative colitis is increasing. Therefore, the combination therapy of anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor drugs may show promising to inhibit colon cancer. 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) with anti-inflammatory function is effective for maintaining remission in patients with ulcerative colitis and may also reduce colorectal cancer risk. Histone deacetylase (HDAC) plays an essential role in the progression of colon cancer. Butyric acid (BA) is a kind of HDAC inhibitor and thus shows tumor suppression to colon cancer. However, the volatile and corrosive nature of BA presents challenges in practical application. In addition, its clinical application is limited due to its non-targeting ability and low bioavailability. We aimed to synthesize a novel dual-prodrug of 5-ASA and BA, referred as BBA, to synergistically inhibit colon cancer. Further, based on the fact that folate receptor (FR) is over-expressed in most solid tumors and it has been identified to be a cancer stem cell surface marker in colon cancer, we took folate as the targeting ligand and used carboxymethyl-β-cyclodextrin (CM-β-CD) to carry BBA and thus prepared a novel inclusion complex of BBA/FA-PEG-CM-β-CD. Results It was found that BBA/FA-PEG-CM-β-CD showed significant inhibition in cell proliferation against colon cancer cells SW620. It showed a pro-longed in vivo circulation and mainly accumulated in tumor tissue. More importantly, BBA/FA-PEG-CM-β-CD gave great tumor suppression effect against nude mice bearing SW620 xenografts. Conclusions Therefore, BBA/FA-PEG-CM-β-CD may have clinical potential in colon cancer therapy. Graphical Abstract

Category: Ankle; Other Introduction/Purpose: Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a devastating complication of arthroplasty. The well known PJI risk factors are useful for identifying high-risk patients but would be even more helpful for clinical decision-making if they are converted to a risk assessment scores. The Mayo Prosthetic Joint Infection Risk Score was based on the data of total hip and knee arthroplasty and has not been validated for application for total ankle arthroplasty. Methods: A series of 398 consecutive cases of total ankle arthroplasty, with minimal follow-up of 6 months, was reviewed for Mayo Periprosthetic Joint Infection Risk Score (Mayo score) and PJI. The patients' Mayo scores and PJI was examined by logistic regression. T-test was performed to compare the Mayo score between the non-infected TAA cases and infected cases. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) was used to identify the critical value of Mayo score for total ankle arthroplasty. Results: There were 12 cases of PJI or 3.0% in the series. Of the 398 patients, the Mayo scores were in the range from -4 to 13 (median 2; interquartile range (IQR) 0-4). Preliminary analysis showed that, by logistic regression, the probability of PJI was increased as increases of the Mayo scores (Fig A). The mean Mayo score of the PJI patients (8.6+-1.8) was significantly greater than the rest of the patients (mean Mayo score 1.9+-3.4; p < .0001). ROC analysis showed that, when a Mayo score was greater than 5, the patient has a high probability of PJI (sensitivity = 100%; specificity = 86.9%; Fig B). Conclusion: This study showed a high correlation between the Mayo score and PJI in total ankle arthroplasty, which is the same trend as in total knee and hip arthroplasty. The preliminary results suggest that strategically focusing on the patients, who have a Mayo score > 5, could be a more efficient approach to prevent PJI after total ankle arthroplasty.