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Abstract Aurora-B is a kinase that regulates spindle assembly and kinetochore-microtubule (KT-MT) attachment during mitosis and meiosis. SUMOylation is involved in the oocyte meiosis regulation through promoting spindle assembly and chromosome segregation, but its substrates to support this function is still unknown. It is reported that Aurora-B is SUMOylated in somatic cells, and SUMOylated Aurora-B contributes the process of mitosis. However, whether Aurora-B is SUMOylated in oocytes and how SUMOylation of Aurora-B impacts its function in oocyte meiosis remain poorly understood. In this study, we report that Aurora-B is modified by SUMOylation in mouse oocytes. The results show that Aurora-B colocalized and interacted with SUMO-2/3 in mouse oocytes, confirming that Aurora-B is modified by SUMO-2/3 in this system. Compared with that in young mice, the protein expression of SUMO-2/3 decreased in the oocytes of aged mice, indicating that SUMOylation might be related to mouse aging. Overexpression of Aurora-B SUMOylation site mutants, Aurora-BK207R and Aurora-BK292R, inhibited Aurora-B recruitment and first polar body extrusion, disrupting localization of gamma tubulin, spindle formation and chromosome alignment in oocytes. The results show that it was related to decreased recruitment of p-HDAC6 which induces the high stability of whole spindle microtubules including the microtubules of both correct and wrong KT-MT attachments though increased acetylation of microtubules. Therefore, our results corroborate the notion that Aurora-B activity is regulated by SUMO-2/3 in oocytes, and that SUMOylated Aurora B plays an important role in spindle formation and chromosome alignment.

Abstract Methyl bromide (CH3Br) is an important ozone-depleting substance whose use is regulated under the Montreal Protocol. Quantifying emissions on the national scale is required to assess compliance with the Montreal Protocol and thereby ensure the timely recovery of the ozone layer. However, the spatial-temporal patterns of China’s national CH3Br emissions remain unclear. Here we estimate the national emissions of CH3Br in China during 2011−2020 using atmospheric observations at 10 sites across China combined with an inversion technique (top-down) and compare those with an updated inventory of identified emission sources (bottom-up). Measured CH3Br mole fractions are enhanced well above the background mole fractions, especially at sites in eastern China. Top-down emission estimates exceed bottom-up estimates by 5.5 ± 1.4 gigagrams per year, with the largest fraction (60%) of observationally derived CH3Br emissions arising from underestimated or unidentified emissions sources. This study shows the potential impacts of the unaccounted emissions on stratospheric ozone depletion, with implications for the Montreal Protocol.

Abstract Background It is challenging to improve the effects of chemotherapy and reduce its adverse impact on the ovaries. Our previous study suggested that the combination of galaxamide could enhance the antitumor effect of cisplatin (CIS) in HeLa cell xenograft mice. However, their potential effects on ovarian tissues remain unknown. Methods The Hela tumor-bearing female BALB/c mice model was established and randomly divided into three groups: control group (PBS group), CIS group (0.3 mg/kg CIS group) and galaxamide group (0.3 mg/kg CIS + 3 mg/kg galaxamide-treated group). The serum sex hormones levels, ovarian morphology, functional and molecular characterisation were determined and compared with those of the control group. Results The hormonal effects indicated premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) associated with CIS-induced tumor-bearing mice. CIS induces the apoptosis in primordial and developing follicles and subsequently increases follicular atresia, eventually leading to follicle loss. After cotreatment, galaxamide significantly increased anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) and follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR) expression and prevented the CIS-induced PI3K pathway, which triggers follicle activation, apoptosis or atresia. Conclusion These findings demonstrate that galaxamide could attenuate CIS-induced follicle loss by acting on the PI3K signaling pathway by stimulating AMH and/or FSHR and thus provides promising therapeutic options for patients with cervical cancer.

Abstract Purpose Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) might markedly increase the survival of selected patients with refractory cardiac arrest. But the application situation and indications remained unclear. Materials and methods We respectively reviwed all adult patients who underwent ECPR from January 2017 to March 2021. Patient characteristics, initiation and management of ECMO, complications, and outcomes were collected and compared between the survivors and nonsurvivors. LASSO regression was used to screen risk factors. Multivariate logistic regression was performed with several parameters screened by LASSO regression. Results Data were reported from 42 ECMO centers covering 19 provinces of China. A total of 648 patients were included in the study, including 491 (75.8%) males. There were 11 ECPR centers in 2017, and the number increased to 42 in 2020. The number of patients received ECPR increased from 33 in 2017 to 274 in 2020, and the survival rate increased from 24.2% to 33.6%. Neurological complications, renal replacement therapy, epinephrine dosage after ECMO, recovery of spontaneous circulation before ECMO, lactate clearance and shockable rhythm were risk factors independently associated with outcomes of whole process. Sex, recovery of spontaneous circulation before ECMO, lactate, shockable rhythm and causes of arrest were pre-ECMO risk factors independently affecting outcomes. Conclusions From January 2017 to March 2021, the numbers of ECPR centers and cases in mainland China increased gradually over time, as well as the survival rate. Pre-ECMO risk factors, especially recovery of spontaneous circulation before ECMO, shockable rhythm and lactate, are as important as post-ECMO management,. Neurological complications are vital risk factors after ECMO that deserved close attention. Trial registration NCT04158479, registered on 2019/11/08. https://clinicaltrials.gov/NCT04158479

Abstract Understanding the neural, metabolic, and psychological mechanisms underlying human altruism and decision-making is a complex and important topic both for science and society. Here, we investigated whether transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) applied to two prefrontal cortex regions, the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC, anode) and the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC, cathode) can induce changes in self-reported emotions and to modulate local metabolite concentrations. We employed in vivo quantitative MR Spectroscopy in healthy adult participants and quantified changes in GABA and Glx (glutamate + glutamine) before and after five sessions of tDCS delivered at 2 mA for 20 min (active group) and 1 min (sham group) while participants were engaged in a charitable donation task. In the active group, we observed increased levels of GABA in vmPFC. Glx levels decreased in both prefrontal regions and self-reported happiness increased significantly over time in the active group. Self-reported guiltiness in both active and sham groups tended to decrease. The results indicate that self-reported happiness can be modulated, possibly due to changes in Glx concentrations following repeated stimulation. Therefore, local changes may induce remote changes in the reward network through interactions with other metabolites, previously thought to be unreachable with noninvasive stimulation techniques.

Due to regional differences in industrial structure levels, the development of the logistics industry in rural areas faces various challenges and opportunities. The objective is to explore how the high-quality development of the logistics industry influences rural revitalization at various tiers of industrial structure. It employs a benchmark regression model to dissect the influence that the logistics industry's high-quality development exerts on fostering rural revitalization. Moreover, a panel threshold model is employed to examines this impact across different levels of industrial structure. It demonstrates that enhancing the logistics industry significantly supports rural revitalization, with its impact varying across different levels of industrial structure. Hence, it is imperative to develop customized strategies for the logistics industry that account for the varying industrial structure in rural areas. It emphasizes the logistics industry's role in facilitating rural growth and recommends adopting tailored development strategies corresponding to the industrial structure's evolution to boost rural revitalization. Despite valuable insights, this study has limitations in reflecting regional trends and exploring other factors beyond the direct impact of logistics on rural revitalization, pointing to potential avenues for future research.

Abstract Abnormal granulosa cell (GC) death contributes to cyclophosphamide (CTX) induced primary ovarian insufficiency (POI). To investigate the contribution of GCs to POI, gene profiles of GCs exposed to CTX were assessed using RNA-Seq and bioinformatics analysis. The results showed the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were enriched in the ferroptosis-related pathway, which is correlated with upregulated heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) and downregulated glutathione peroxidase-4 (GPX4). Using CTX-induced cell culture (COV434 and KGN cells), the levels of iron, reactive oxygen species (ROS), lipid peroxide, mitochondrial superoxide, mitochondrial morphology and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) were detected by DCFDA, MitoSOX, C11-BODIPY, MitoTracker, Nonylacridine Orange (NAO), JC-1 and transmission electron microscopy respectively. The results showed iron overload and disrupted ROS, including cytoROS, mtROS and lipROS homeostasis, were associated with upregulation of HO-1 and could induce ferroptosis via mitochondrial dysfunction in CTX-induced GCs. Moreover, HO-1 inhibition could suppress ferroptosis induced GPX4 depletion. This implies a role for ROS in CTX-induced ferroptosis and highlights the effect of HO-1 modulators in improving CTX-induced ovarian damage, which may provide a theoretical basis for preventing or restoring GC and ovarian function in patients with POI.

Abstract Background Disorders of the gut microbiome could be responsible for the progression of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. In this study, we examined the effect of esmolol on the gut microbiome in a rat model of sepsis induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). Methods The animals (n = 32) were randomly divided into 3 groups: Sham group (sham operation + normal saline treatment, n = 8), CLP group (cecal ligation and puncture + normal saline treatment, n = 12), and CLP + ESM group (cecal ligation and puncture + esmolol treatment, n = 12). After 24 h, feces in the colon were collected for 16S rRNA gene sequencing and nitric oxide analysis. In addition, colon was removed for immunohistochemical staining of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). Results Four rats in the CLP group and two rats in the CLP + ESM group died. The abundance of Lactobacillus in the CLP + ESM group was higher than CLP group (P = 0.048). In the linear discriminant analysis effect size analysis, Norank f Muribaculaceae, Escherichia–Shigella and Lactobacillus were the predominant bacteria in the Sham group, CLP group and CLP + ESM group, respectively. The iNOS expression in colonocytes stained by brown in the CLP group were much more than Sham group (P = 0.001). Compared to CLP group, the iNOS expression in colonocytes reduced after esmolol treatment (P = 0.013). The concentration of nitric oxide in colon feces was different in Sham group, CLP group and CLP + ESM group (1.31 ± 0.15μmmol/l vs. 1.98 ± 0.27μmmol/l vs. 1.51 ± 0.14μmmol/l, P = 0.001). In addition, the concentration of nitric oxide in CLP group was higher than Sham group (P = 0.001) or CLP + ESM group (P = 0.001). Conclusions Esmolol increased the fecal abundance of Lactobacillus in a rat model of sepsis. Moreover, esmolol reduced the iNOS expression of colonocytes and the nitric oxide concentration of colon feces.

Abstract Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) is a potent greenhouse gas. Here we use long-term atmospheric observations to determine SF6 emissions from China between 2011 and 2021, which are used to evaluate the Chinese national SF6 emission inventory and to better understand the global SF6 budget. SF6 emissions in China substantially increased from 2.6 (2.3-2.7, 68% uncertainty) Gg yr−1 in 2011 to 5.1 (4.8-5.4) Gg yr−1 in 2021. The increase from China is larger than the global total emissions rise, implying that it has offset falling emissions from other countries. Emissions in the less-populated western regions of China, which have potentially not been well quantified in previous measurement-based estimates, contribute significantly to the national SF6 emissions, likely due to substantial power generation and transmission in that area. The CO2-eq emissions of SF6 in China in 2021 were 125 (117-132) million tonnes (Mt), comparable to the national total CO2 emissions of several countries such as the Netherlands or Nigeria. The increasing SF6 emissions offset some of the CO2 reductions achieved through transitioning to renewable energy in the power industry, and might hinder progress towards achieving China’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2060 if no concrete control measures are implemented.

Soil acidification has emerged as a critical limiting factor for the sustainable development of the tea industry. In this article, a comprehensive review of 63 original research articles focusing on the impact of amendments on the pH in tea plantations soil was conducted. Through meta-analysis, the effect of applying soil amendments to increase the pH of tea plantation soil and its influencing factors were investigated. The results revealed that lime had a significant impact, increasing the pH by 18% in tea plantation soil, while rapeseed cake had a minimal (2%) effect. It was observed that as the quantity of amendments and pH levels increased, so did their impact on the pH of tea plantation soil. Subgroup analysis within biochar showed varying effects, depending on soil pH, with an 11% increase in acidic soil. Among these amendments, biochar produced at pyrolysis temperature ranging from 501–600 °C and derived from animal waste demonstrated significant effect on increasing soil pH in tea plantations by 9% and 12%, respectively. This study offers valuable insights into improving and ensuring the health and sustainability of tea plantations.

Abstract Dichlorodifluoromethane (CFC‐12) is an ozone‐depleting substance and potent greenhouse gas, which was required to be phased out after 2010 under the Montreal Protocol. CFC‐12 emissions need to be quantitatively traced. However, estimates of CFC‐12 emissions in China based on atmospheric inversions are unavailable after 2010. Here, using atmospheric observations at nine sites across China and inversion techniques, we quantify CFC‐12 emissions in China during 2011–2020 (on average 11.0 ± 0.6 Gg yr−1). The emissions derived from observations are 8.5 times larger than the previously reported inventories. Apart from emissions from eastern China revealed in previous studies, this study reveals that 71% of national total emissions were from other parts of China. Moreover, this study reconciled the global CFC‐12 emissions during 2011–2020: 28% were traced to China by this study, 9% of emissions were traced in previous studies, while 63% remain untraced, indicating the need for more regional emission inversion studies.

The effects of irradiation on pork quality characteristics were investigated by combining sensory experiments, pork color, TBARS, volatile components, and differential metabolites. Pork irradiated at a dose of 1 kGy received the highest sensory scores, whereas pork irradiated at doses of 3 and 5 kGy obtained lower sensory scores, particularly with regard to odor. Irradiation makes pork more ruddy and promotes fat oxidation, leading to increased a* and TBARS values. The main volatile substances in irradiated pork were hydrocarbons, aldehydes, and alcohols, and hexanal, heptanal, and valeric acid were considered as important substances responsible for the generation of radiation-induced off-flavors. 65 differential metabolites were identified. l-pyroglutamic acid, l-glutamate, l-proline, fumarate acids, betaine, and l-anserine were considered as the main substances contributing to the differences in pork quality. In addition, metabolic pathways such as arginine biosynthesis, alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism were found to be considerably affected by irradiation.

Decoding movement intentions from motor unit (MU) activities remains an ongoing challenge, which restricts our comprehension of the intricate transition mechanism from microscopic neural drive to macroscopic movements. This study presents an innovative neuro-musculoskeletal (NMS) model driven by MU activities for online estimation of continuous wrist movements. The proposed model employs a physiological and comprehensive utilization of MU firings and waveforms, thus facilitating the localization of MUs to muscle-tendon units (MTU) as well as the computation of MU-specific neural excitation. Subsequently, the MU-specific neural excitation was integrated to form the MTU-specific neural excitation, which were then inputted into a musculoskeletal model to accomplish the joint angle estimation. To assess the effectiveness of this model, high-density surface electromyography and angular data were collected from the forearms of eight subjects during their performance of wrist flexion-extension task. Two pieces of $8\times 8$ electrode arrays and a motion capture system were employed for data acquisition. Following offline model calibration with a global optimization algorithm, online angle estimation results demonstrated a significant superiority of the proposed model over the state-of-the-art NMS models (p < 0.05), yielding the lowest normalized root mean square error ( $0.10~\pm ~0.02$ ) and the highest determination coefficient ( $0.87~\pm ~0.06$ ). This study provides a novel idea for the decoding of joint movements from MU activities. The research findings hold the potential to advance the development of NMS models towards the control of multiple degrees of freedom, with promising applications in the fields of motor control, biomechanics, and neuro-rehabilitation engineering.

Massive labile carbon and nitrogen inputs into lakes change greenhouse gas emissions. However, the rapid driving mechanism from eutrophic and swampy lakes is not fully understood and is usually contradictory. Thus, we launched a short-term and anaerobic incubation experiment to explore the response of greenhouse gas emissions and microbial communities to glucose and nitrate nitrogen (NO3−-N) inputs. Glucose addition significantly increased CH4 and CO2 emissions and decreased N2O emissions, but there were no significant differences. NO3−-N addition significantly promoted N2O emissions but reduced CH4 accumulative amounts, similar to the results of the Tax4Fun prediction. Bacterial relative abundance changed after glucose addition and coupled with the abundance of denitrification genes (nirS and nirK) decreased while maintaining a negative impact on N2O emissions, considerably increasing methanogenic bacteria (mcrA1) while maintaining a positive impact on CH4 emissions. Structural equation modeling showed that glucose and NO3−-N addition directly affected MBC content and greenhouse gas emissions. Further, MBC content was significantly negative with nirS and nirK, and positive with mcrA1. These results significantly deepen the current understanding of the relationships between labial carbon, nitrogen, and greenhouse emissions, further highlighting that labile carbon input is the primary factor driving greenhouse gas emissions from eutrophic shallow lakes.

Abstract We present data and analysis of a set of balloon‐borne sounding profiles, which includes co‐located O3, CO, CH4, and particles, over the northern Tibetan Plateau during an Asian summer monsoon (ASM) season. These novel measurements shed light on the ASM transport behavior near the northern edge of the anticyclone. Joint analyses of these species with the temperature and wind profiles and supported by back trajectory modeling identify three distinct transport processes that dominate the vertical chemical structure in the middle troposphere, upper troposphere (UT), and the tropopause region. The correlated changes in profile structures in the middle troposphere highlight the influence of the strong westerly jet. Elevated constituent concentrations in the UT identify the main level of convective transport at the upstream source regions. Observed higher altitude maxima for CH4 characterize the airmasses' continued ascent following convection. These data complement constituent observations from other parts of the ASM anticyclone.

Objective: To reveal the bacteriostatic activity of hybrid antimicrobial peptide NK-LPd, and discuss its further exploitation potential. Methods: Two glycines were utilized as the linker to connect the active fragments of NK-lysin and Piscidin, and the physicochemical properties and functional structures of the hybrid antimicrobial peptides were predicted by bioinformatics. The hybrid antimicrobial peptide NK-LPd gene was optimized according to Pichia pastoris codon preference principle. The optimized gene was amplified by gene splicing via overlap extension polymerase chain reaction (gene splicing by overlap extension polymerase chain reaction, SOE-PCR) and inserted into the secretory expression vector pPIC9K. The recombinant plasmid was chemically transformed into P. pastoris KM71 competent cells. The recombinant expression was induced by 0.5% methanol as the inducer, which products were purified by affinity purification and its activity was evaluated. Results: KM71/pPIC9K-NK-LPd was successfully constructed. After expression for 5 days, an expression product with a relative molecular mass of about 6 kDa was obtained in the supernatant, which was in line with the expected size. Bacteriostatic activity experiments showed that NK-LPd had strong bacteriostatic activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Compared with the parent peptides, the bacteriostatic activity of NK-LPd was significantly enhanced. Conclusion: The hybrid antimicrobial peptide NK-LPd was designed and expressed in P. pastoris KM71, and its bacteriostatic activity was superior to that of the parent peptides. This study could provide technical reference for the design and production of novel hybrid antimicrobial peptides.

Following recovery from the acute infection stage of the SARS-CoV-2 virus (COVID-19), survivors can experience a wide range of persistent Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC), also referred to as long COVID. According to the US National Research Action Plan on Long COVID 2022, up to 23.7 million Americans suffer from long COVID, and approximately one million workers may be out of the workforce each day due to these symptoms, leading to a USD 50 billion annual loss of salary. Neurological symptoms associated with long COVID result from persistent infection with SARS-CoV-2 in the nasal neuroepithelial cells, leading to inflammation in the central nervous system (CNS). As of today, there is no evidence that vaccines or medications can clear the persistent viral infection in olfactory mucosa. Recently published clinical data demonstrate that only 5% of long COVID anosmia patients have fully recovered during the past 2 years, and 10.4% of COVID patients are still symptomatic 18 months post-infection. Our group demonstrated that epigallocatechin-3-gallate-monopalmitate (EC16m) nanoformulations possess strong antiviral activity against human coronavirus, suggesting that this green-tea-derived compound in nanoparticle formulations could be developed as an intranasally delivered new drug targeting the persistent SARS-CoV-2 infection, as well as inflammation and oxidative stress in the CNS, leading to restoration of neurologic functions. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the mucociliary safety of the EC16m nasal nanoformulations and their efficacy against human coronavirus. Methods: Nanoparticle size and Zeta potential were measured using the ZetaView Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis system; mucociliary safety was determined using the MucilAir human nasal model; contact antiviral activity and post-infection inhibition against the OC43 viral strain were assessed by the TCID50 assay for cytopathic effect on MRC-5 cells. Results: The saline-based EC16 mucoadhesive nanoformulations containing 0.005 to 0.02% w/v EC16m have no significant difference compared to saline (0.9% NaCl) with respect to tissue integrity, cytotoxicity, and cilia beat frequency. A 5 min contact resulted in 99.9% inactivation of β-coronavirus OC43. OC43 viral replication was inhibited by >90% after infected MRC-5 cells were treated with the formulations. Conclusion: The saline-based novel EC16m mucoadhesive nasal nanoformulations rapidly inactivated human coronavirus with mucociliary safety properties comparable to saline, a solution widely used for nasal applications.

Abstract China is the largest greenhouse gas emitter in the world and has committed to mitigating global warming through achieving carbon neutrality by 2060. However, detailed information on China’s historical and projected emissions of fluorinated greenhouse gases, with high global warming potentials, is lacking. Here we establish a comprehensive and up-to-date inventory of China’s fluorinated greenhouse gas emissions and find that they show an accelerating growth rate, increasing from 5.5 to 221 million tons CO2-equivalent per year from 1990 to 2019. China has become the world’s largest emitter of fluorinated greenhouse gases and contributed 93% of the global emission increase during the period 1990−2019. We find that total emissions of fluorinated greenhouse gases from China are projected to increase to 506–1356 million tons CO2-equivalent per year in 2060 if there is no regulation, which is larger than the projected CO2 emissions under China’s carbon neutrality commitment for 2060.

Abstract. Background:. Immunotherapies such as adoptive immune cell infusion and immune-modulating agents are widely used for cancer treatment, and the concomitant symptoms, including cytokine release syndrome (CRS) or immune-related adverse events (irAEs), are frequently reported. However, clinical manifestations induced by mismatched donor granulocyte colony-stimulating factor mobilized peripheral blood mononuclear cell (GPBMC) infusion in patients receiving microtransplant (MST) have not yet been well depicted. Methods:. We analyzed 88 cycles of mismatched GPBMC infusion in patients with acute myeloid leukemia receiving MST and 54 cycles of chemotherapy without GPBMC infusion as a comparison. Clinical symptoms and their correlation with clinical features, laboratory findings, and clinical response were explored. Results:. Fever (58.0% [51/88]) and chills (43.2% [38/88]) were the significant early-onset symptoms after GPBMC infusion. Patients possessing less human leukocyte antigen-matching loci with the donor or those with unrelated donors experienced more chills (3 [2–5] loci vs. 5 [3–5] loci, P = 0.043 and 66.7% [12/18] vs. 37.1% [26/70], P = 0.024). On the other hand, those with decreased CD4+/CD8+ T-cell ratio developed more fever (0.8 [0.7–1.2] vs. 1.4 [1.1–2.2], P = 0.007). Multivariable analysis demonstrated that younger patients experienced more fever (odds ratio [OR] = 0.963, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.932–0.995, P = 0.022), while patients with younger donors experienced more chills (OR = 0.915, 95% CI: 0.859–0.975, P = 0.006). Elevated ultra-sensitive C-reactive protein levels in the absence of cytokine storm were observed following GPBMC infusion, which indicated mild and transient inflammatory response. Although no predictive value of infusion-related syndrome to leukemia burden change was found, the proportion of host pre-treatment activated T cells was positively correlated with leukemia control. Conclusions:. Mismatched GPBMC infusion in MST induced unique infusion-related symptoms and laboratory changes, which were associated with donor- or recipient-derived risk factors, with less safety and tolerance concerns than reported CRS or irAEs.

Abstract We aimed to identify the immune and Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling pathway related feature lncRNAs to construct the diagnostic nomograms for acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Two AIS-associated expression profiles GSE16561 and GSE22255 were downloaded from NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus, the former was the training set and the latter was the validation set. The differential expression genes (DEGs) and lncRNAs (DElncRNAs) related to TLR signaling pathway were identified between AIS and control groups. The single sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) was applied to evaluate the immune infiltration. The immune and TLR signaling pathway related DElncRNAs were determined. Three optimization algorithms were utilized to select the immune and TLR signaling pathway related feature lncRNAs to construct the diagnostic nomograms of AIS. Based on the lncRNA signature, a ceRNA network was constructed. 37 DEGs and 28 DElncRNAs related to TLR signaling pathway were identified in GSE16561. 16 immune cell types exhibited significant differences in distribution between AIS and control groups. 28 immune and TLR signaling pathway related DElncRNAs were determined. 8 immune and TLR signaling pathway related feature lncRNAs were selected. The diagnostic nomograms of AIS performed well in both datasets. A ceRNA network was constructed consisting of 7 immune and TLR signaling pathway related feature lncRNAs as well as 19 AIS related miRNAs and 21 TLR signaling pathway related genes. LINC00173, LINC01089, LINC02210, MIR600HG, SNHG14, TP73-AS1, LINC00680 and CASC2 may be the potential biomarkers of AIS diagnosis, and TLR signaling pathway may be a promising immune related therapeutic target for AIS.

Objective Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is the main cause of back pain, and its treatment is a serious socio‐economic burden. The safety and treatment of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has been established. However, the relationship between FMT and IDD still unclear. We aimed to explore whether FMT plays a role in IDD to provide a reference for the treatment of IDD. Methods An experimental model of IDD was established using 2‐month‐old male Sprague–Dawley rats. FMT was performed by intragastric gavage of IDD rats with a fecal bacterial solution. Rat serum, feces, and vertebral disc tissue were collected after surgery for 2 months. The levels of TNF‐α, IL‐1β, IL‐6, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)‐3, MMP‐13, Collagen II, and aggrecan in the serum or vertebral disc tissue were measured by an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay, immunohistochemistry, quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction, or western blotting. We also examined the pathology of the vertebral disc tissue using hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and safranin O‐fast green staining. Finally, we examined the gut microbiota in rat feces using 16 S rRNA gene sequencing. Results We found that the expression of TNF‐α, IL‐1β, IL‐6, MMP‐3, MMP‐13, NLRP3 and Caspase‐1 increased in the IDD group rats. In contrast, Collagen II and aggrecan levels were downregulated. Additionally, vertebral disc tissue was severely damaged in the IDD group, with disordered cell arrangement and uneven safranin coloration. FMT reversed the effects of IDD modeling on these factors and alleviated cartilage tissue damage. In addition, FMT increased the gut microbiota diversity and microbial abundance in rats treated with IDD. Conclusion Our findings suggest that FMT has a positive effect in maintaining cellular stability in the vertebral disc and alleviating histopathological damage. It affects the diversity and abundance of gut microbiota in rats with IDD. Therefore, FMT may serve as a promising target for amelioration of IDD.

Two-dimensional (2D) violet phosphorus (VP) plays a significant role in the applications of photonic and optoelectronic devices due to its unique optical and electrical properties. The ultrafast carrier dynamics and nonlinear optical absorption properties were systematically investigated here. The intra- and inter-band ultrafast relaxation times of 2D VP nanosheets were measured to be ~6.83 ps and ~62.91 ps using the pump–probe method with a probe laser operating at 1.03 μm. The nonlinear absorption coefficient βeff, the saturation intensity Is, the modulation depth ΔR, and the nonsaturable loss were determined to be −2.18 × 104 cm/MW, 329 kW/cm2, 6.3%, and 9.8%, respectively, by using the Z-scan and I-scan methods, indicating the tremendous saturable absorption property of 2D VP nanosheets. Furthermore, the passively Q-switched Nd:YVO4 laser was realized with the 2D VP nanosheet-based SA, in which the average output power of 700 mW and the pulse duration of 478 ns were obtained. These results effectively reveal the nonlinear optical absorption characteristics of VP nanosheets, demonstrating their outstanding light-manipulating capabilities and providing a basis for the applications of ultrafast optical devices. Our results verify the excellent saturable absorption properties of 2D VP, paving the way for its applications in pulsed laser generation.

This study explores the important role of assessing force levels in accurately controlling upper limb movements in human–computer interfaces. It uses a new method that combines entropy to improve the recognition of force levels. This research aims to differentiate between different levels of isometric contraction forces using electroencephalogram (EEG) signal analysis. It integrates eight different entropy measures: power spectrum entropy (PSE), singular spectrum entropy (SSE), logarithmic energy entropy (LEE), approximation entropy (AE), sample entropy (SE), fuzzy entropy (FE), alignment entropy (PE), and envelope entropy (EE). The findings emphasize two important advances: first, including a wide range of entropy features significantly improves classification efficiency; second, the fusion entropy method shows exceptional accuracy in classifying isometric contraction forces. It achieves an accuracy rate of 91.73% in distinguishing between 15% and 60% maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) forces, along with 69.59% accuracy in identifying variations across 15%, 30%, 45%, and 60% MVC. These results illuminate the efficacy of employing fusion entropy in EEG signal analysis for isometric contraction detection, heralding new opportunities for advancing motor control and facilitating fine motor movements through sophisticated human–computer interface technologies.

The neural mechanisms of inner speech remain unclear despite its importance in a variety of cognitive processes and its implication in aberrant perceptions such as auditory verbal hallucinations. Previous research has proposed a corollary discharge model in which inner speech is a truncated form of overt speech, relying on speech production-related regions (e.g. left inferior frontal gyrus). This model does not fully capture the diverse phenomenology of inner speech and recent research suggesting alternative perception-related mechanisms of generation. Therefore, we present and test a framework in which inner speech can be generated by two separate mechanisms, depending on its phenomenological qualities: a corollary discharge mechanism relying on speech production regions and a perceptual simulation mechanism within speech perceptual regions. The results of the activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis examining inner speech studies support the idea that varieties of inner speech recruit different neural mechanisms.

Soil extracellular enzyme activity (EEA) and enzyme stoichiometry are indicators of soil nutrient availability and microbial substrate limitation. However, the patterns in soil enzyme activities and stoichiometry, and their key drivers remain unclear during vegetation restoration in degraded sandy land. Here, soil ecosystems at five restoration stages of degraded sandy land were selected for investigation and we quantified the microbial nutrient limitation using EEA stoichiometry. The average C:N:P ratio for the nutrient-acquisition enzymes was 1:0.88:0.86, which differed from the global ratio of 1:1:1, indicating stronger microbial C limitation than N or P limitation. With vegetation restoration, the enzyme N:P ratio decreased, but the angle term used in vector analysis increased, indicating that the restored grassland transitioned from N-restricted (angle < 45°) to P-restricted (angle > 45°). Plant C inputs increased the soil nutrient content and significantly decreased the microbial C and N limitation but increased P limitation due to nutrient competition between plants and soil microorganisms. Decreased soil water levels caused by vegetation transpiration may have shifted the microbial limitation from N to P. The decreased fungi:bacteria ratio strengthened the microbial C and N or P limitations. On the basis of these findings, as measures to alleviate the associated nutrient limitations, we would recommend supplementation with phosphorus in the potential and slight stages of rocky desertification and the supplementary application of nitrogen in the moderate and severe stages during the restoration of degraded sandy ecosystems.

Abstract Inactivation of the p53 pathway is linked to a variety of human cancers. As a critical component of the p53 pathway, ubiquitin‐specific protease 7 (USP7) acts as a deubiquitinase for both p53 and its ubiquitin E3 ligase mouse double minute 2 homolog. Here, myeloid leukemia factor 2 (MLF2) is reported as a new negative regulator of p53. MLF2 interacts with both p53 and USP7. Via these interactions, MLF2 inhibits the binding of USP7 to p53 and antagonizes USP7‐mediated deubiquitination of p53, thereby leading to p53 destabilization. Functionally, MLF2 plays an oncogenic role in colorectal cancer, at least partially, via the negative regulation of p53. Clinically, MLF2 is elevated in colorectal cancer and its high expression is associated with poor prognosis in patients with colorectal cancer. In wild‐type‐p53‐containing colorectal cancer, MLF2 and p53 expressions are inversely correlated. These findings establish MLF2 as an important suppressor of p53 function. The study also reveals a critical role for the MLF2–p53 axis in promoting colorectal carcinogenesis.

This study aimed to evaluate the utility of sample entropy (SampEn) of surface electromyographic signals (sEMG) in quantifying neuromuscular changes after spinal cord injury (SCI). Using a linear electrode array, sEMG signals were obtained from the biceps brachii muscles of 13 healthy control subjects and 13 SCI subjects during isometric elbow flexion muscle contraction at various constant force levels. The SampEn analysis was performed on both the representative channel (emerging the largest signal amplitude) and the channel over muscle innervation zone (IZ) determined by the linear array. The SampEn values were further averaged across muscle force levels to examine difference between SCI survivors and control subjects. Results showed that SampEn values after SCI had a significantly greater range than those of the control subjects at the group level. Abnormal increases or decreases in SampEn were also found after SCI at the individual subject level. In addition, a significant difference was found between the representative channel and the IZ channel. SampEn is a valuable indicator for identifying neuromuscular changes after SCI, and the effect of the IZ on the sEMG examination is particularly noteworthy. The approach presented in this study may facilitate the development of appropriate rehabilitation methods to enhance motor recovery.

IntroductionAuditory verbal hallucinations (AVHs), or hearing non-existent voices, are a common symptom in psychosis. Recent research suggests that AVHs are also experienced by neurotypical individuals. Individuals with schizophrenia experiencing AVHs and neurotypicals who are highly prone to hallucinate both produce false positive responses in auditory signal detection. These findings suggest that voice-hearing may lie on a continuum with similar mechanisms underlying AVHs in both populations.MethodsThe current study used a monaural auditory stimulus in a signal detection task to test to what extent experimentally induced verbal hallucinations are (1) left-lateralised (i.e., more likely to occur when presented to the right ear compared to the left ear due to the left-hemisphere dominance for language processing), and (2) predicted by self-reported hallucination proneness and auditory imagery tendencies. In a conditioning task, fifty neurotypical participants associated a negative word on-screen with the same word being played via headphones through successive simultaneous audio-visual presentations. A signal detection task followed where participants were presented with a target word on-screen and indicated whether they heard the word being played concurrently amongst white noise.ResultsResults showed that Pavlovian audio-visual conditioning reliably elicited a significant number of false positives (FPs). However, FP rates, perceptual sensitivities, and response biases did not differ between either ear. They were neither predicted by hallucination proneness nor auditory imagery.DiscussionThe results show that experimentally induced FPs in neurotypicals are not left-lateralised, adding further weight to the argument that lateralisation may not be a defining feature of hallucinations in clinical or non-clinical populations. The findings also support the idea that AVHs may be a continuous phenomenon that varies in severity and frequency across the population. Studying induced AVHs in neurotypicals may help identify the underlying cognitive and neural mechanisms contributing to AVHs in individuals with psychotic disorders.

Background Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a clinically frequent postoperative complication in the elderly, which is mainly manifested by the occurrence of cognitive dysfunction after anesthetized surgery in patients. To explore the involvement of C/EBPα in microglial polarization in sevoflurane anesthesia induced cognitive impairment in aged rats. Methods Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were anesthetized by inhalation of 3% sevoflurane for 6 h to establish the POCD model. The histopathological structure of hippocampus was observed by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. Associative learning and memory function and spatial learning and memory function were assessed by conditioned fear test and water maze test. The concentrations of inflammatory factors in the hippocampus were measured by ELISA. The levels of microglial activation marker (Iba1) and microglial M1 (CD86) and M2 (CD206) polarization markers were determined by immunofluorescence staining and RT-qPCR, respectively. The transcriptional regulation of HDAC1 by C/EBPα was confirmed by dual luciferase reporter assay and ChIP assay. Results Sevoflurane-induced pathomorphological damage in the hippocampal tissue of aged rats, accompanied by elevated expression of C/EBPα. Silencing of C/EBPα alleviated hippocampal histopathological injury, inhibited M1 microglial activation and the expression of M1 marker CD86, enhanced the expression of M2 marker CD206. C/EBPα transcriptionally activated HDAC1. Knockdown of C/EBPα downregulated the expression of HDAC1 and STAT3 phosphorylated proteins, which inhibited the pro-inflammatory factors (IL-6 and TNF-α) and accelerated anti-inflammatory factors (IL-10 and TGF-β) secretion. In addition, silencing of C/EBPα caused rats to have a delayed freezing time in contextual conditioned fear, a shorter escape latency, and an increased number of platform crossings. Conclusion Inhibition of C/EBPα promotes the M2 polarization of microglia and reduces the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines to alleviate the cognitive dysfunction of sevoflurane-induced elderly rats by HDAC1/STAT3 pathway.

In order to effectively prevent the occurrence of risky accidents during bridge construction, this study proposes a bridge construction risk assessment method based on variable weight theory and the cloud model theory. Firstly, the fishbone diagram was used to identify risk factors in constructing a bridge construction risk index system. Secondly, according to the cloud model theory, the comment cloud model of each risk index was established by using the forward cloud generator. Finally, the risk factor weights were quantified according to the intuitionistic fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (IFAHP). Combined with the variable weight theory, a zoning variable weight function was constructed and the weights were reallocated. Through the mutual aggregation of the comment cloud model and weights, the risk level of construction bridges was obtained. The method takes full account of the fuzziness and randomness existing in the evaluation process, optimizes the distribution of weight values of indicators, and uses Delphi iteration to effectively eliminate the subjective defects of individuals. A construction bridge in Changchun was used as an example for risk assessment, and the advance of the method was well verified. The results demonstrate that the method is highly feasible and effective after accuracy verification and sensitivity analysis.

The recovery of the ozone layer relies on decreasing atmospheric mixing ratios of ozone-depleting substances (ODSs), including chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). A significant decline in the mixing ratio of trichlorofluoromethane (CFC-11 or $\mathrm{CCl_3F}$ ), the second most abundant CFC, has been observed since the mid-1990s. However, a slowdown in the decline after 2012 indicates a rise in emissions, particularly in Eastern Asia. Ground-based observations are lacking in southeastern China, limiting a thorough evaluation of CFC-11 levels and emissions in this region. A new Advanced Global Atmospheric Gases Experiment background station was established at Xichong (XCG), Shenzhen, China, to provide high-frequency continuous in situ observations. The annual mean CFC-11 mixing ratio, recorded from May 2022 to April 2023, is 221.64 ± 2.29 ppt. When compared with a monthly (MHD) or daily (MLO) observation, this value is found to be 0.45% to 5.36% higher than the northern hemispheric background. With the inverse modeling and interspecies correlation method, we estimate CFC-11 emissions in southeastern China between 1.23 ± 0.25 Gg yr ^−1 and 1.58 ± 0.21 Gg yr ^−1 , in line with the bottom-up estimation of 1.50 Gg yr ^−1 . Results indicate that CFC-11 emissions in the Pearl River Delta region have returned to levels before 2010, aligning with regional and global trends. Observations from XCG would compensate for the deficiency of CFC-11 measurements in southeastern China, paving the road for ODS studies in this region and beyond.

A recent estimate indicates that up to 23.7 million Americans suffer from long COVID, and approximately one million workers may be out of the workforce each day due to associated symptoms, leading to a USD 50 billion annual loss of salary. Post-COVID (Long COVID) neurologic symptoms are due to the initial robust replication of SARS-CoV-2 in the nasal neuroepithelial cells, leading to inflammation of the olfactory epithelium (OE) and the central nervous system (CNS), and the OE becoming a persistent infection site. Previously, our group showed that Epigallocatechin-3-gallate-palmitate (EC16) nanoformulations possess strong antiviral activity against human coronavirus, suggesting this green tea-derived compound in nanoparticle formulations could be developed as an intranasally delivered new drug to eliminate the persistent SARS-CoV-2 infection, leading to restored olfactory function and reduced inflammation in the CNS. The objective of the current study was to determine the compatibility of the nanoformulations with human nasal primary epithelial cells (HNpECs). Methods: Nanoparticle size was measured using the ZetaView Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA) system; contact antiviral activity was determined by TCID50 assay for cytopathic effect on MRC-5 cells; post-infection inhibition activity was determined in HNpECs; and cytotoxicity for these cells was determined using an MTT assay. The rapid inactivation of OC43 (a β-coronavirus) and 229E (α-coronavirus) viruses was further characterized by transmission electron microscopy. Results: A saline-based nanoformulation containing 0.1% w/v EC16 was able to inactivate 99.9999% β-coronavirus OC43 on direct contact within 1 min. After a 10-min incubation of infected HNpECs with a formulation containing drug-grade EC16 (EGCG-4′ mono-palmitate or EC16m), OC43 viral replication was inhibited by 99%. In addition, all nanoformulations tested for their effect on cell viability were comparable to normal saline, a regularly used nasal irrigation solution. A 1-min incubation of an EC16 nanoformulation with either OC43 or 229E showed an altered viral structure. Conclusion: Nanoformulations containing EC16 showed properties compatible with nasal application to rapidly inactivate SARS-CoV-2 residing in the olfactory mucosa and to reduce inflammation in the CNS, pending additional formulation and safety studies.

The ternary chalcogenide AgBiS2 has attracted widespread attention in the field of photovoltaic and photoelectric devices due to its excellent properties. In this study, AgBiS2 powders with an average diameter of 200 nm were prepared via a simple and convenient reflux method from silver acetate, bismuth nitrate pentahydrate, and n-dodecyl mercaptan. The adjustment of the ratios of Ag:Bi:S raw materials and of the reaction temperatures were carried out to investigate the significance of the synthesis conditions toward the composition of the as-synthesized AgBiS2. The results of XRD indicated that the powders synthesized at a ratio of 1.05:1:2.1 and a synthesis temperature of 225 °C have the lowest bismuth content and the highest purity. The synthesized AgBiS2 crystallizes in a rock salt type structure with the cubic Fm3¯m space group. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, ultraviolet–visible–near-infrared spectra, and photocatalytic degradation performance were employed to characterize the as-synthesized samples. The results demonstrated that AgBiS2 powders display thermal stability; strong absorption in the ultraviolet, visible, and partial infrared regions; and an optical bandgap of 0.98 eV. The obtained AgBiS2 powders also have a good degradation effect on the methylene blue solution with a degradation efficiency of 58.61% and a rate constant of 0.0034 min−1, indicating that it is an efficient strategy for sewage degradation to reduce water pollution.

Abstract Background Recent developments to segment and characterize the regions of interest (ROI) within medical images have led to promising shape analysis studies. However, the procedures to analyze the ROI are arbitrary and vary by study. A tool to translate the ROI to analyzable shape representations and features is greatly needed. Results We developed SAFARI (shape analysis for AI-segmented images), an open-source R package with a user-friendly online tool kit for ROI labelling and shape feature extraction of segmented maps, provided by AI-algorithms or manual segmentation. We demonstrated that half of the shape features extracted by SAFARI were significantly associated with survival outcomes in a case study on 143 consecutive patients with stage I–IV lung cancer and another case study on 61 glioblastoma patients. Conclusions SAFARI is an efficient and easy-to-use toolkit for segmenting and analyzing ROI in medical images. It can be downloaded from the comprehensive R archive network (CRAN) and accessed at https://lce.biohpc.swmed.edu/safari/ .

Ambipolar organic phototransistors (OPTs) operating in the near-infrared II (NIR-II) were successfully fabricated by using an organic planar-heterojunction channel layer and an organic–inorganic charge-transfer-complex (CTC) photosensitive layer. After optimizations of the ratio of vanadium pentoxide in CTC hybrid system and the substrate temperature of the deposited channel layer, the devices shows the most balanced output characteristics in the dark and under 1310 nm light illumination. These OPTs yielded significantly enhanced currents upon infrared light illumination with the photoresponsivities as high as 0.115 A/W for the n-channel, and 2.600 A/W for the p-channel, respectively. By analyzing the energy band of the heterojunction structure, the operating mechanisms of the balanced ambipolar NIR-II OPTs were derived. This work will be helpful to design the ambipolar infrared phototransistor and brings forward design thought of realization of optical complementary MOS logic circuits in the future.

Summary: The tumor suppressor p53 plays a pivotal role in tumor prevention. The activity of p53 is mainly restrained by the ubiquitin E3 ligase Mdm2. However, it is not well understood how the Mdm2-p53 pathway is intricately regulated. Here we report that the RNA binding protein RALY functions as an oncogenic factor in lung cancer. RALY simultaneously binds to Mdm2 and the deubiquitinating enzyme USP7. Via these interactions, RALY not only stabilizes Mdm2 by stimulating the deubiquitinating activity of USP7 toward Mdm2 but also increases the trans-E3 ligase activity of Mdm2 toward p53. Consequently, RALY enhances Mdm2-mediated ubiquitination and degradation of p53. Functionally, RALY promotes lung tumorigenesis, at least partially, via negative regulation of p53. These findings suggest that RALY destabilizes p53 by modulating the function of Mdm2 at multiple levels. Our study also indicates a critical role for RALY in promoting lung tumorigenesis via p53 inhibition.

Study Region:: Hulun Lake, the fifth largest lake in China. Study Focus:: The notable decline in water level (WL) caused by climate change is the primary challenge faced by Hulun Lake. However, the contribution of climate to water loss and its driving mechanisms remain unclear. The impact of climate on WL change was investigated using wavelet analysis and structural equation models. New Hydrological Insights for the Region:: In the past 60 years, the increasing potential evapotranspiration (ETp) caused by warming climate was the main reason for the WL decline (r=−0.67). For period I (1961–1997), reduced runoff due to increasing ETp caused an overall decrease in WL (r = 0.41). During the mid-1980s, the increase in rainfall driven by ENSO (r = −0.66) caused a slight increase in WL (r = 0.31). For period II (1998–2020), deforestation, farmland and urban area expansion were the main drivers behind the significant increase of ETp in the watershed (r = −0.22), which leads to reduced runoff and, consequently, a significant decrease in WL. The influence of climate on WL change weakened compared with that in the first period due to land use change (r = −1.08).

To address the problem of poor hydrodynamic conditions in Yilong Lake and to meet the water quality standards, the EFDC model was applied to propose an optimization plan for water supplement and outflow management of Yilong Lake. The model explores the impact of wind forcing, water supplement from external watersheds, outflow management and setting up an enclosure in the lake on the hydrodynamics in Yilong Lake. The results show that (1) the overall velocity of the water body of Yilong Lake is relatively slow, 90% of the area is lower than 0.01 m s−1, the central and eastern areas are faster and the western is slower. During the dry period and the wet periods of the year, improves the flow velocity of the water body in 90% of the area is increased by 80% compared to no wind velocity; (2) the increase in the amount of water supplement is significant for the improvement of the hydrodynamic conditions of water body; the water supplement volume at the two water supplement points of Mafangwan is conducive to improving the hydrodynamic conditions. If the total water supplement volume is increased by 10 million cubic meters per year which corresponds to water supplement volume increases at the Pubu and the Mafangwan by 33 and 35%, respectively, then water area with flow velocity greater than 0.007 m can be increased to 70%; (3) based on the demand for water quality, the water level management curves for different seasons are designed. It should be dominated by the eastern outflow, during the spring, coordinated by the southern and eastern outflows during the summer, and should be dominated by the southern outflow during the autumn and winter period. HIGHLIGHTS The hydrodynamics of Yilong Lake are analyzed comprehensively.; Water level, temperature and flow field are important factors.; Hydrodynamic conditions are better in winter than in summer.; Water supplement can significantly improve the hydrodynamic conditions of Yilong Lake.; Formed the outflow management opinion.;

Self-regulation effect (SRE) is a unique phenomenon in laser blown powder directed energy deposition (DED), which can dynamically compensate the sloping deposition surface (within an acceptable tolerance) induced by the fluctuation of the fabricating process or part warpage. For this reason, the layer-thickness is varying in DED and strongly dependent on SRE determined by the powder standoff distance (PSD) and the inter-layer temperature (ILT), especially for cantilever structures easily deformed. However, previous numerical studies on the thermo-mechanical analyses of DED usually adopt a fixed layer-thickness, missing the reality of the printing process and impairing the credibility and prediction accuracy of simulation. In this study, an improved modelling process considering SRE in DED is proposed to enhance the high-fidelity simulation. Two single-walls were firstly fabricated by DED on the baseplates clamped as cantilevers, to quantify the relationship between the deposited layer-thickness and PSD based on in-situ measurement. Meanwhile, the relationship between ILT and the difference value of the deposited layer-thickness under different inter-layer dwell times also was investigated by combining simulations with experiments. Next, two 3D coupled thermo-mechanical finite element (FE) models with and without SRE were established to examine the proposed modelling strategy. Finally, the thermo-mechanical responses and the geometric dimension predicted by the two models were compared with experimental data. The results illustrate that, compared with the traditional model without SRE, the proposed model significantly improves the mechanical and geometric predictions of the DED parts.

The organ-specific critical nitrogen (Nc) dilution curves are widely thought to represent a new approach for crop nitrogen (N) nutrition diagnosis, N management, and crop modeling. The Nc dilution curve can be described by a power function (Nc = A1·W−A2), while parameters A1 and A2 control the starting point and slope. This study aimed to investigate the uncertainty and drivers of organ-specific curves under different conditions. By using hierarchical Bayesian theory, parameters A1 and A2 of the organ-specific Nc dilution curves for wheat were derived and evaluated under 14 different genotype × environment × management (G × E × M) N fertilizer experiments. Our results show that parameters A1 and A2 are highly correlated. Although the variation of parameter A1 was less than that of A2, the values of both parameters can change significantly in response to G × E × M. Nitrogen nutrition index (NNI) calculated using organ-specific Nc is in general consistent with NNI estimated with overall shoot Nc, indicating that a simple organ-specific Nc dilution curve may be used for wheat N diagnosis to assist N management. However, the significant differences in organ-specific Nc dilution curves across G × E × M conditions imply potential errors in Nc and crop N demand estimated using a general Nc dilution curve in crop models, highlighting a clear need for improvement in Nc calculations in such models. Our results provide new insights into how to improve modeling of crop nitrogen–biomass relations and N management practices under G × E × M.

The logistics industry is closely related to the high-quality economic development. At different levels of industrial structure, the relationship between high-quality development of the logistics industry and the high-quality economic development will vary, resulting in different roles and paths in promoting economic development. However, there is still a lack of research on the relationship between high-quality development of the logistics industry and high-quality economic development at different levels of industrial structure, and further empirical research is needed. It used the benchmark regression model to analyze the impact of the high-quality development of the logistics industry on high-quality economic development, and the panel threshold model was used to analyze the impact of the logistics industry on high-quality economic development at different levels of industrial structure development. The results show that the high-quality development of the logistics industry has a positive role in promoting the high-quality economic development, and in different levels of industrial structure development, the impact of high-quality development level of logistics industry on the high-quality economic development is different. Therefore, it is necessary to further optimize the industrial structure, promote the deep integration and development of logistics and related industries, and continue to promote the high-quality development of the logistics industry. And when formulating development strategies for the logistics industry, governments and enterprises need to consider factors such as changes in industrial structure, the overall goals of national economy, people's livelihood, and social development, in order to provide solid support for achieving high-quality economic development. This paper demonstrates the importance of high-quality development of the logistics industry in high-quality economic development, and it encourages the adoption of different strategies at different stages of industrial structure development to promote high-quality development of the logistics industry, and achieve high-quality economic development.

BackgroundThe metagenomics next-generation sequencing (mNGS) is a promising technique for pathogens diagnosis. However, whether the application of mNGS in critically ill patients with pneumonia could cause anti-infection treatment adjustment and thereby affect the prognosis of these patients has not been explored.MethodsWe retrospectively collected the clinical data of patients diagnosed with pulmonary infection in the ICU of the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from January 2018 to January 2021. These patients with pneumonia were divided into mNGS group and no-mNGS group by whether being performed NGS or not. The clinical data, including demographics, illness history, APACHE II score, length of mechanical ventilation, length of stay in the hospital, length of stay in ICU and outcome, were collected. In addition, the data of pathogens and anti-infection treatment before and after NGS were also collected. Propensity score matching was performed to evaluate the mortality and deterioration rate between NGS group and non-NGS group.ResultsA total of 641 patients diagnosed with pneumonia were screened, and 94 patients were excluded based on exclusion criteria. Finally, 547 patients were enrolled, including 160 patients being performed NGS. Among these 160 patients, 142 cases had NGS-positive results. In addition, new pathogens were detected in 132 specimens by NGS, which included 82 cases with virus, 18 cases with fungus, 17 cases with bacteria, 14 cases with mycoplasma, and 1 case with mycobacterium tuberculosis. Anti-infection treatments were adjusted in some patients who performed NGS, including 48 anti-bacterial treatments, 20 antifungal treatments and 20 antiviral treatments. There were no significant differences in the mortality and deterioration rate between NGS and non-NGS group, but it exhibited a trend that the mortality and deterioration rate of NGS group was lower than non-NGS group after the propensity score matching analysis (15.8% vs 24.3%, P=0.173; 25.6% vs 37.8%, P=0.093).ConclusionNGS could affect the anti-infection treatments and had a trend of reducing the mortality and deterioration rate of critically ill patients with pneumonia.

Dichloromethane (CH2Cl2) is an unregulated ozone depleting substance whose emissions have strongly increased in recent years. Here, the authors show that rising emissions of dichloromethane in China between 2011 and 2019 can explain much of this global increase.

Abstract Objective To study the effect of the establishment of a Chest Pain Center (CPC) on the treatment delay of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients and the influencing factors of treatment delay in a large hospital in China. Methods The study subjects are 318 STEMI patients admitted between August 2016 and July 2019 to a large general hospital in Henan, China. Data were extracted from the electronic medical records after removing personal identifiable information. The interrupted time series regression was used to analyze the treatment delay of patients before and after the CPC establishment. Results After the CPC establishment, the patients’ pre-hospital and in-hospital treatment delays were significantly reduced. SO-to-FMC (Symptom Onset to First Medical Contact time) decreased by 49.237 min and D-to-B (Door to Balloon time) decreased by 21.931 min immediately after the CPC establishment. In addition, SO-to-FMC delay is significantly correlated with age, occupation, nocturnal onset, and the way to hospital. D-to-B delay is significantly associated with time from initial diagnosis to informed consent of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), catheterization lab activation time, and time for PCI informed consent. Conclusion The CPC significantly reduced the treatment delay of STEMI patients undergoing PCI.

The Poyang Lake wetland is home to many unique and threatened species. However, it has been severely degraded in recent decades due to the joint effects of human influence and climate change. Here we establish a wetland health index (WHI) for Poyang Lake, which considers five types of attributes (biological, water quality, sediment, land use and remote sensing, and socio-economic attributes) of the wetland to evaluate wetland conditions. Forty-nine variables across five categories were assembled as candidate metrics for the WHI through field surveys conducted in 2019 at 30 sample sites. Principal component analyses were performed to identify the most important variables in each of the five categories as the primary metrics of each index category (e.g., biological index). Eighteen variables were finally selected from the five categories to construct the WHI. The WHI scores varied from 0.34 to 0.80 at the 30 sample sites, with a mean of 0.55. The Poyang Lake wetland is generally in fair condition according to our WHI scores. Sample sites where connected rivers flow into the lake were assessed to be in a poor condition, highlighting the importance of reducing pollution input from rivers for wetland conservation. Scores of individual indices of the five categories were not highly correlated (0.29 ≤ pairwise Spearman’s r ≤ 0.69), suggesting that information provided by each index is different and might be complementary. The composite WHI as well as the individual category indices can provide comprehensive information on wetland conditions that would facilitate the development of more targeted and effective strategies for wetland management.

Quantum dots nanomaterials have attracted extensive interest for fluorescence chemical sensors due their attributes, such as excellent optical characteristics, quantum size effects, interface effects, etc. Moreover, the fluorescence properties of quantum dots can be adjusted by changing their structure, size, morphology, composition, doping, and surface modification. In recent years, quantum dots nanomaterials have been considered the preferred sensing materials for the detection of heavy metal ions and pesticide residues by the interactions between quantum dots and various analytes, showing excellent sensitivity, selectivity, and interference, as well as reducing the cost of equipment compared with traditional measurement methods. In this review, the applications and sensing mechanisms of semiconductor quantum dots and carbon-based quantum dots are comprehensively discussed. The application of semiconductor quantum dots, carbon quantum dots, graphene quantum dots, and their nanocomposites that are utilized as fluorescence sensors are discussed in detailed, and the properties of various quantum dots for heavy metal ion and pesticide residue determination are also presented. The recent advances in and application perspectives regarding quantum dots and their composites are also summarized.

Abstract. Background:. Glucose control is an important aspect in managing critically ill patients. The goal of this study was to compare the effects of sequential feeding (SF) and continuous feeding (CF) on the blood glucose of critically ill patients. Methods:. A non-inferiority randomized controlled trial was adopted in this study. A total of 62 patients who were fed enteral nutritional suspension through gastric tubes were enrolled. After achieving 80% of the nutrition target calories (25 kcal·kg−1·day−1) through CF, the patients were then randomly assigned into SF and CF groups. In the SF group, the feeding/fasting time was reasonably determined according to the circadian rhythm of the human body as laid out in traditional Chinese medicine theory. The total daily dosage of the enteral nutritional suspension was equally distributed among three time periods of 7 to 9 o’clock, 11 to 13 o’clock, and 17 to 19 o’clock. The enteral nutritional suspension in each time period was pumped at a uniform rate within 2 h by an enteral feeding pump. In the CF group, patients received CF at a constant velocity by an enteral feeding pump throughout the study. Blood glucose values at five points (6:00/11:00/15:00/21:00/1:00) were monitored and recorded for seven consecutive days after randomization. Enteral feeding intolerance was also recorded. Non-inferiority testing was adopted in this study, the chi-square test or Fisher test was used for qualitative data, and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for quantitative data to determine differences between groups. In particular, a repeated measure one-way analysis of variance was used to identify whether changes in glucose value variables across the time points were different between the two groups. Results:. There were no significant demographic or physiological differences between the SF and CF groups (P > 0.050). The average glucose level in SF was not higher than that in CF (8.8 [7.3–10.3] vs. 10.7 [9.1–12.1] mmol/L, Z = −2.079, P for non-inferiority = 0.019). Hyperglycemia incidence of each patient was more common in the CF group than that in the SF group (38.4 [19.1–63.7]% vs. 11.8 [3.0–36.7]%, Z = −2.213, P = 0.027). Hypoglycemia was not found in either group. Moreover, there was no significant difference during the 7 days in the incidence of feeding intolerance (P > 0.050). Conclusions:. In this non-inferiority study, the average blood glucose in SF was not inferior to that in CF. The feeding intolerance in SF was similar to that in CF. SF may be as safe as CF for critically ill patients. Trial Registration. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03439618; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/record/NCT03439618