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Background: Cerebral collateral circulation (CCC) considerably improves the prognosis of patients with symptomatic carotid stenosis (SCS). This study evaluated the diagnostic value of plasma microRNAs (miRNAs) in determining CCC status in patients with SCS. Methods: This single-center observational study enrolled patients with ≥50% carotid artery stenosis diagnosed using Doppler ultrasound. CCC was assessed using cerebrovascular digital subtraction angiography (DSA). Quantitative reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction was used to determine the expression levels of plasma miRNAs. A multivariate logistic regression model and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were used to analyze the diagnostic value of plasma miRNA expression in determining CCC status. Results: A total of 43 patients were enrolled (28 with CCC and 15 without CCC). The plasma expression levels of miR-126-3p, miR-132-3p, and miR-210-3p were significantly higher and those of miR-16-3p and miR-92-3p were significantly lower in patients with CCC. After adjusting for age, gender, drinking history, comorbidities and degree of SCS, miR-92a-3p, miR-126-3p, miR-132-3p, and miR-210-3p were found to be significantly associated with CCC establishment (p < 0.05). ROC curve analysis indicated a high diagnostic value of these miRNAs in determining CCC status [area under the curve (AUC): 0.918–0.965], with miR-126-3p exhibiting the highest predictive performance (AUC: 0.965). Subgroup analysis revealed that patients with CCC who had 50%–70% stenosis showed significantly higher expression level of miR-126-3p, whereas those with CCC who had 70%–99% stenosis showed significantly higher expression levels of miR-126-3p, miR-132-3p, and miR-210-3p as well as significantly lower expression levels of miR-15a-3p, miR-16-3p, and miR-92a-3p. Conclusion: The results indicate that these six plasma miRNAs have promising diagnostic value in determining CCC status in varying degrees of SCS. These miRNAs can serve as biomarkers for CCC status following SCS, with miR-126-3p showing the strongest positive correlation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As part of efforts to mass higher education, China introduced state-sponsored student loans around the turn of the century, a progressive social policy reflecting the country's move toward increased marketization and decentralization in delivering educational services. The loan scheme, open to low-income students, is a voluntary policy transfer that draws on lessons from abroad. Unexpectedly, it stalled soon after implementation. Subsequent local experimentation brought it back on track. This article uses the Dolowitz and Marsh policy transfer framework to identify and explain the unsuccessful transfer. It also uses Heilmann's model to examine the local experimentation that brought about institutional change nationwide. The article argues that policy transfer, in conjunction with policy experimentation, provides practical frameworks for capturing the subtleties of China's hierarchical governance and the different complications experienced throughout the policy process. The article thus contributes to the integration of policy transfer and experimentation as a broader toolbox for policy analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the predictive effect of emotion on language achievement has been substantially established, little is known about whether language achievement could, in turn, shape a constellation of emotions in second language/L2 learning, especially in the field of languages other than English. Given this, grounded on the control-value theory, this tentative study aims to fill the gap by investigating the predictive effect of language achievement on emotions (enjoyment, boredom, and anxiety) and digging into the mediating relationships between them in the underlying L2 Chinese learning mechanism through structural equation modeling. Three hundred and seven (N = 307) young students from a cram school in New Zealand participated in this study. The results indicated that students' learning achievement, directly and indirectly, predicted three frequently experienced emotions in the multiple mediation model. In addition, positive and negative emotions interacted with each other in the L2 Chinese learning context. The finding of this study validated and extended the application of control-value theory in L2 Chinese learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Spermidine (SPD) is an intermediate compound in the polyamine metabolism which takes critical part in a variety of cellular processes. In particular, it has been reported to exert anti-aging effects, suppress the age-related diseases, and extend lifespan across species. However, whether it has the favorable influence on the quality of postovulatory aged oocytes remains elusive. Methods: Immunostaining and fluorescence intensity measurement were used to evaluate the effects of postovulatory aging and SPD supplementation on the oocyte fragmentation, spindle/chromosome structure, actin polymerization, dynamics of cortical granules (CGs) and ovastacin, mitochondrial distribution and function, as well as autophagy levels. In addition, in vitro sperm binding assay and in vitro fertilization (IVF) experiment were applied to assess the impacts of postovulatory aging and SPD supplementation on the sperm binding ability and fertilization capacity of oocytes. Results: Here, we showed that supplementation of SPD during postovulatory aging could relieve the deterioration of porcine oocytes. Specifically, we found that postovulatory aging impaired the oocyte quality by damaging the morphological integrity of oocytes, maintenance of spindle/chromosome structure, and dynamics of actin cytoskeleton. Postovulatory aging also weakened the sperm binding ability and fertilization capacity of oocytes by compromising the distribution pattern of CGs and their content ovastacin. Notably, supplementation of SPD attenuated these defects in postovulatory aged porcine oocytes via strengthening mitochondrial function, eliminating excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS), inhibiting apoptosis, and enhancing autophagy levels. Conclusion: Altogether, our findings demonstrate that SPD supplementation is a feasible approach to ameliorate the quality of postovulatory aged oocytes, which can be potentially applied to the human assisted reproductive technology (ART) and in vitro production of animal embryos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

About 80% of persons with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in the United States are non‐US‐born. Despite improvements in infant hepatitis B vaccination globally since 2000, work remains to attain the World Health Organization's (WHO) global 2030 goal of 90% vaccination. We explore the impacts on the United States of global progress in hepatitis B vaccination since 2000 and of achieving WHO hepatitis B vaccination goals. We simulated immigrants with HBV infection arriving to the United States from 2000 to 2070 using models of the 10 countries from which the largest numbers of individuals with HBV infection were born. We estimated costs in the United States among these cohorts using a disease simulation model. We simulated three scenarios: a scenario with no progress in infant vaccination for hepatitis B since 2000 (baseline), current (2020) progress and achieving WHO 2030 goals for hepatitis B vaccination. We estimate current hepatitis B vaccination progress since the 2000 baseline in these 10 countries will lead to 468,686 fewer HBV infections, avoid 35,582 hepatitis B‐related deaths and save $4.2 billion in the United States through 2070. Achieving the WHO 2030 90% hepatitis B infant vaccination targets could lead to an additional 16,762 fewer HBV infections, 989 fewer hepatitis B‐related deaths and save $143 million through 2070. Global hepatitis B vaccination since 2000 reduced prevalence of HBV infection in the United States. Achieving the WHO 2030 infant vaccination goals globally could lead to over one hundred million dollars in additional savings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The trigger generator made with a spiral generator (SG) has the advantages of light weight, compact structure, and low cost and has promising applications in the pulsed power field. This paper introduces a compact solid-state high-voltage pulse trigger system based on an improved SG, which has improved repetition rate and lowered the demands for semiconductor switches' maximum current and current rise rate when compared with previous studies. The improvement is achieved by winding outward an additional layer of the passive layer and low-voltage metal strip, which realizes a significant reduction of the peak current and current rise rate of the discharge switch. The final dimension of the trigger is 25 × 10 × 10 cm3, excluding the power supply. An experiment carried out in single shot mode shows that the peak value of the output pulse can reach 50 kV with a leading edge of 57 ns. Repetitive experiments were carried out up to 1 kHz, with the peak voltage of the output pulse being 30.5 kV, the leading edge being 48 ns, and the jitter being 0.84 ns. Finally, the generator is used to trigger a gas switch, and it works stably and reliably. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) play a key role in maintaining immune homeostasis and preventing autoimmunity through their immunosuppressive function. There have been numerous reports confirming that high levels of Tregs in the tumor microenvironment (TME) are associated with a poor prognosis, highlighting their role in promoting an immunosuppressive environment. In breast cancer (BC), Tregs interact with cancer cells, ultimately leading to the suppression of immune surveillance and promoting tumor progression. This review discusses the dual role of Tregs in breast cancer, and explores the controversies and therapeutic potential associated with targeting these cells. Researchers are investigating various strategies to deplete or inhibit Tregs, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors, cytokine antagonists, and metabolic inhibition. However, the heterogeneity of Tregs and the variable precision of treatments pose significant challenges. Understanding the functional diversity of Tregs and the latest advances in targeted therapies is critical for the development of effective therapies. This review highlights the latest approaches to Tregs for BC treatment that both attenuate Treg-mediated immunosuppression in tumors and maintain immune tolerance, and advocates precise combination therapy strategies to optimize breast cancer outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medicago truncatula is a key model plant for studying legume plants, particularly alfalfa (Medicago sativa), due to its well-defined genetic background. Plant-specific GASA (Gibberellic Acid Stimulated Arabidopsis) genes play various roles in plant growth and development, abiotic stress, and hormone responses. However, limited information is available on GASA research in Medicago. In this study, 26 MtGASAs were identified and analyzed for its structure, evolution, and expressions. Sequence alignments and phylogeny revealed that 26 MtGASAs containing conserved GASA domains were classified into three clades. The chromosomal locations and gene synteny revealed segmental and tandem repetition evolution. Analysis of cis-regulatory elements indicates that family members likely influence various hormone signaling pathways and stress-related mechanisms. Moreover, the RNA-seq and qRT-PCR analyses revealed that 26 MtGASAs were extensively involved in abiotic stresses and hormone responses. Notably, seven MtGASA genes (MtGASA1, 10, 12, 17, 23, 25 and 26) were all dramatically activated by NaCl and Mannitol treatments, and four MtGASAs (MtGASA7, 10, 23 and 24) were significant activated by GA3, PBZ, ABA, and MeJA treatments. Collectively, this study is the first to identify and describe GASA genes in Medicago on a genome-wide scale. The results establish a basis for functional characterization, showing that these proteins are essential in responding to various abiotic stresses and hormonal signals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Studies have shown that deep‐learning radiomics (DLR) could help differentiate glioblastoma (GBM) from solitary brain metastasis (SBM), but whether integrating demographic‐MRI and DLR features can more accurately distinguish GBM from SBM remains uncertain. Purpose: To construct and validate a demographic‐MRI deep‐learning radiomics nomogram (DDLRN) integrating demographic‐MRI and DLR signatures to differentiate GBM from SBM preoperatively. Study Type: Retrospective. Population: Two hundred and thirty‐five patients with GBM (N = 115) or SBM (N = 120), randomly divided into a training cohort (90 GBM and 98 SBM) and a validation cohort (25 GBM and 22 SBM). Field Strength/Sequence: Axial T2‐weighted fast spin‐echo sequence (T2WI), T2‐weighted fluid‐attenuated inversion recovery sequence (T2‐FLAIR), and contrast‐enhanced T1‐weighted spin‐echo sequence (CE‐T1WI) using 1.5‐T and 3.0‐T scanners. Assessment: The demographic‐MRI signature was constructed with seven imaging features ("pool sign," "irregular ring sign," "regular ring sign," "intratumoral vessel sign," the ratio of the area of peritumoral edema to the enhanced tumor, the ratio of the lesion area on T2‐FLAIR to CE‐T1WI, and the tumor location) and demographic factors (age and sex). Based on multiparametric MRI, radiomics and deep‐learning (DL) models, DLR signature, and DDLRN were developed and validated. Statistical Tests: The Mann–Whitney U test, Pearson test, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator, and support vector machine algorithm were applied for feature selection and construction of radiomics and DL models. Results: DDLRN showed the best performance in differentiating GBM from SBM with area under the curves (AUCs) of 0.999 and 0.947 in the training and validation cohorts, respectively. Additionally, the DLR signature (AUC = 0.938) outperformed the radiomics and DL models, and the demographic‐MRI signature (AUC = 0.775) was comparable to the T2‐FLAIR radiomics and DL models in the validation cohort (AUC = 0.762 and 0.749, respectively). Data Conclusion: DDLRN integrating demographic‐MRI and DLR signatures showed excellent performance in differentiating GBM from SBM. Level of Evidence: 3 Technical Efficacy: Stage 2 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the process of promoting the commercialization of proton exchange membrane fuel cells, the long-term durability of the fuel cell has become a key consideration. While existing durability tests are critical for assessing cell performance, they are often time-consuming and do not quickly reflect the impact of actual operating conditions on the cell. In this study, improved testing protocols were utilized to solve this problem, which is designed to shorten the testing cycle and evaluate the degradation of the cell performance under real operating conditions more efficiently. Accelerated durability analysis for evaluating the MEA lifetime and performance decay process was carried out through two testing protocols—open circuit voltage (OCV)-based accelerated durability testing (ADT) and relative humidity (RH) cycling-based ADT. OCV-based ADT revealed that degradation owes to a combined mechanical and chemical process. RH cycling-based ADT shows that degradation comes from a mainly mechanical process. In situ fluoride release rate technology was employed to elucidate the degradation of the proton exchange membrane during the ADT. It was found that the proton exchange membrane suffered more serious damage under OCV-based ADT. The loss of F− after the durability test was up to 3.50 × 10−4 mol/L, which was 4.3 times that of the RH cycling-based ADT. In addition, the RH cycling-based ADT had a significant effect on the catalyst layer, and the electrochemically active surface area decreased by 48.6% at the end of the ADT. Moreover, it was observed that the agglomeration of the catalysts was more obvious than that of OCV-based ADT by transmission electron microscopy. It is worth noting that both testing protocols have no obvious influence on the gas diffusion layer, and the contact angle of gas diffusion layers does not change significantly. These findings contribute to understanding the degradation behavior of proton exchange membrane fuel cells under different working conditions, and also provide a scientific basis for developing more effective testing protocols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oil derived from Psidium guajava seeds (TKSO) exhibits an abundance of diverse unsaturated fatty acids, notably oleic, linoleic, and α-linolenic acids, conferring substantial health advantages in addressing metabolic irregularities and human diseases. This research endeavor focused on elucidating the impacts of TKSO on colonic inflammatory responses and intestinal microbiota alterations in a murine model of colitis induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS), demonstrated that substantial supplementation with TKSO reduces the severity of colitis induced by DSS. Furthermore, TKSO effectively attenuated the abundance and expression of proinflammatory mediators while augmenting the expression of tight junction proteins in DSS-challenged mice. Beyond this, TKSO intervention modulated the intestinal microbial composition in DSS-induced colitis mice, specifically by enhancing the relative presence of Lactobacillus, Norank_f_Muribaculaceae, and Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group, while concurrently diminishing the abundance of Turicibacter. Additionally, an analysis of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) revealed noteworthy elevations in acetic, propionic, isobutyric, and butyric acids, and total SCFAs levels in TKSO-treated mice. In summary, these findings underscore the potential of TKSO to reduce the severity of colitis induced by DSS in mice through intricate modulation of the intestinal microbiota, metabolite profiles, and intestinal barrier repair, thereby presenting a promising avenue for the development of therapeutic strategies against intestinal inflammatory conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]