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Assembly buildings, in the context of the low-carbon transformation of the construction industry, achieve superior outcomes in terms of carbon emission reduction, enhancement of building uniformity, and optimization of resource utilization as compared to traditional buildings. However, the supply chain for assembly building is marked by a significant susceptibility to risk and a need for timely fulfillment of requirements. This paper examines the risk of disruption and capacity limitations in the assembly building supply chain resulting from supply disruptions. It establishes a three-tier supply chain for assembly buildings, including primary component suppliers, backup suppliers, assembly manufacturers, and retailers. The study compares the optimal decision-making and coordination strategies of the supply chain members under centralized, decentralized, and joint agreements. The supply chain dual-source procurement decision coordination model is constructed by incorporating capacity constraints and analyzing the effects of supply disruption probability, repurchase coefficient, revenue sharing coefficient, cost, and other parameters on the expected profits of the supply chain members using arithmetic simulation. Research has indicated that when the likelihood of a disturbance occurring rises, the anticipated financial gain for the main provider decreases, while the predicted financial gain for the secondary supplier increases. The implementation of a collaborative agreement between the assembly maker and the parts backup provider would result in much greater anticipated profits compared to the decentralized decision-making approach. The impact of the revenue sharing coefficient on the predicted earnings of retailers and assembly manufacturers is more significant compared to the repurchase coefficient. The selection bias between NA and NB techniques under capacity constraints mostly arises from the assertiveness of the wholesale asking prices of inexpensive component suppliers, leading assembly manufacturers to increasingly prefer the NA option. This paper's research successfully achieves the contractual coordination of the assembly building supply chain, enhances the resilience of the assembly building supply chain, and promotes the long-term sustainable development of the assembly building supply chain.

Abstract Background The pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA) involves the progressive degradation of articular cartilage. Exosomes derived from mesenchymal stem cells (MSC-EXOs) have been shown to mitigate joint pathological injury by attenuating cartilage destruction. Optimization the yield and therapeutic efficacy of exosomes derived from MSCs is crucial for promoting their clinical translation. The preconditioning of MSCs enhances the therapeutic potential of engineered exosomes, offering promising prospects for application by enabling controlled and quantifiable external stimulation. This study aims to address these issues by employing pro-inflammatory preconditioning of MSCs to enhance exosome production and augment their therapeutic efficacy for OA. Methods The exosomes were isolated from the supernatant of infrapatellar fat pad (IPFP)-MSCs preconditioned with a pro-inflammatory factor, TNF-α, and their production was subsequently quantified. The exosome secretion-related pathways in IPFP-MSCs were evaluated through high-throughput transcriptome sequencing analysis, q-PCR and western blot analysis before and after TNF-α preconditioning. Furthermore, exosomes derived from TNF-α preconditioned IPFP-MSCs (IPFP-MSC-EXOsTNF−α) were administered intra-articularly in an OA mouse model, and subsequent evaluations were conducted to assess joint pathology and gait alterations. The expression of proteins involved in the maintenance of cartilage homeostasis within the exosomes was determined through proteomic analysis. Results The preconditioning with TNF-α significantly enhanced the exosome secretion of IPFP-MSCs compared to unpreconditioned MSCs. The potential mechanism involved the activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in IPFP-MSCs by TNF-α precondition, leading to an up-regulation of autophagy-related protein 16 like 1(ATG16L1) levels, which subsequently facilitated exosome secretion. The intra-articular administration of IPFP-MSC-EXOsTNF−α demonstrated superior efficacy in ameliorating pathological changes in the joints of OA mice. The preconditioning of TNF-α enhanced the up-regulation of low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 (LRP1) levels in IPFP-MSC-EXOsTNF−α, thereby exerting chondroprotective effects. Conclusion TNF-α preconditioning constitutes an effective and promising method for optimizing the therapeutic effects of IPFP-MSCs derived exosomes in the treatment of OA. Graphical Abstract

Joint diseases greatly impact the daily lives and occupational functioning of patients globally. However, conventional treatments for joint diseases have several limitations, such as unsatisfatory efficacy and side effects, necessitating the exploration of more efficacious therapeutic strategies. Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-derived EVs (MSC-EVs) have demonstrated high therapeutic efficacyin tissue repair and regeneration, with low immunogenicity and tumorigenicity. Recent studies have reported that EVs-based therapy has considerable therapeutic effects against joint diseases, including osteoarthritis, tendon and ligament injuries, femoral head osteonecrosis, and rheumatoid arthritis. Herein, we review the therapeutic potential of various types of MSC-EVs in the aforementioned joint diseases, summarise the mechanisms underlying specific biological effects of MSC-EVs, and discuss future prospects for basic research on MSC-EV-based therapeutic modalities and their clinical translation. In general, this review provides an in-depth understanding of the therapeutic effects of MSC-EVs in joint diseases, as well as the underlying mechanisms, which may be beneficial to the clinical translation of MSC-EV-based treatment.The translational potential of this article: MSC-EV-based cell-free therapy can effectively promote regeneration and tissue repair. When used to treat joint diseases, MSC-EVs have demonstrated desirable therapeutic effects in preclinical research. This review may supplement further research on MSC-EV-based treatment of joint diseases and its clinical translation.

Abstract The American Heart Association (AHA) recently redefined cardiovascular health (CVH) with the introduction of Life's Essential 8 (LE8), which encompasses eight areas (diet, physical activity, nicotine exposure, sleep duration body mass index, non-HDL cholesterol, blood glucose, and blood pressure). This study aimed to explore the relationships between both the aggregate and individual CVH metrics, as defined by Life's Essential 8, and cognitive function in older adults in the United States. This cross-sectional, population-based study analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted between 2011 and 2014, focusing on individuals aged 60 years and older. CVH was categorized as low (0–49), moderate (50–79), or high (80–100). Cognitive function was assessed through the CERAD tests, Animal Fluency test, and Digit Symbol Substitution test. Multivariable logistic models and restricted cubic spline models were employed to investigate these associations. This study included a total of 2279 older adults in the United States. Only 11% of adults achieved a high total CVH score, while 12% had a low score. After further adjustment for potential confounding factors, higher LE8 scores were significantly associated with higher scores on CERAD: delayed recall score (0.02[0.01, 0.03]; P

Abstract A single‐layered W band circularly polarised (CP) antenna array fed by a sequential feeding network using compact gap waveguides (GWs) with reduced pins is presented. The radiating element consists of a pair of cross slots and an open‐ended rectangular cavity integrated into the top metal plate of the GW. A sequential rotation network (SRN) consisting of hybrid groove gap waveguide (GGW) and ridge gap waveguide (RGW) structure is presented. Due to the fact that conventional GWs with multiple rows of pins occupy large lateral size, thus making them difficult to realise a single‐layered CP array fed by SRN. Compared with conventional GW with multiple rows of pins, compact GGW with a single row of pins is deployed here to make the presented SRN more compact, thus combining SRN and multiple CP radiators in the same layer. Particularly, a comprehensive investigation on the choice of the GGW groove depth is carried out. The groove depth is designed carefully such that the electric‐field energy is more confined along the GGW line, and less rows of pins are required. For proof‐of‐concept demonstration, the proposed array has been fabricated and measured, exhibiting an overlapped bandwidth of 10.64% (89–99 GHz) and a peak gain of 19.48 dBi at 94 GHz. It presents a promising candidate for W band wireless applications.

Abstract Background Radiomics provided opportunities to quantify the tumor phenotype non-invasively. This study extracted contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) radiomic signatures and evaluated clinical features of bone metastasis in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). With the combination of the revealed radiomics and clinical features, the predictive modeling on bone metastasis in NSCLC was established. Methods A total of 318 patients with NSCLC at the Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute & Hospital was enrolled between January 2009 and December 2019, which included a feature-learning cohort (n = 223) and a validation cohort (n = 95). We trained a radiomics model in 318 CECT images from feature-learning cohort to extract the radiomics features of bone metastasis in NSCLC. The Kruskal-Wallis and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression (LASSO) were used to select bone metastasis-related features and construct the CT radiomics score (Rad-score). Multivariate logistic regression was performed with the combination of the Rad-score and clinical data. A predictive nomogram was subsequently developed. Results Radiomics models using CECT scans were significant on bone metastasis prediction in NSCLC. Model performance was enhanced with each information into the model. The radiomics nomogram achieved an AUC of 0.745 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.68,0.80) on predicting bone metastasis in the training set and an AUC of 0.808(95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.71,0.88) in the validation set. Conclusion The revealed invisible image features were of significance on guiding bone metastasis prediction in NSCLC. Based on the combination of the image features and clinical characteristics, the predictive nomogram was established. Such nomogram can be used for the auxiliary screening of bone metastasis in NSCLC.

Objective To investigate the feasibility of leucocyte-reduced pooled platelet concentrates from whole blood stored at 4℃, and provide theoretical basis for the components preparation. Methods The collected 400 mL ACD-B anticoagulant whole blood was randomly divided into two groups, stored at 4℃ and room temperature. The buffy coat was prepared within 6 hours and store at 22℃ until next day to prepare leucocyte-reduced pooled platelet concentrates. Platelet samples on day 1, 3, 5 and 7 were taken for the blood cell count and related parameter detection. The pH, glucose and lactic acid content were determined to reflect the metabolic status, and the thromboelastography, platelet aggregation rate and PAC-1 and CD62P expression were determined to reflect the function and activation of platelets. The difference in platelets between two groups were analyzed. Results With the extension of storage time, the count of leucocyte-reduced pooled platelet concentrates decreased gradually, but the platelets distribution width (PDW), mean platelet volume (MPV) and platelet-larger cell ratio (P-LCR) increased gradually in two groups, with no statistical significance (P>0.05).The pH and glucose contents in two groups gradually decreased, but the lactic acid content gradually increased, with no significant difference (P>0.05). The thrombelastogram showed MA value that reflecting platelet function has no significant change during the storage, and there was no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). The aggregation rates decreased while the expression of PAC-1 and CD62P increased gradually with the prolongation of preservation time, with no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). Conclusion There is no significant difference in platelet count, function and activation between whole blood stored at 4℃ and at room temperature within 6 hours. Whole blood stored at 4℃ within 6 hours can be considered as the raw material for leucocyte-reduced pooled platelet concentrates.

Abstract The aim of this study was to develop and validate predictive models for assessing the risk of death in patients with acute diquat (DQ) poisoning using innovative machine learning techniques. Additionally, predictive models were evaluated through the application of SHapley Additive ExPlanations (SHAP). A total of 201 consecutive patients from the emergency departments of the First Hospital and Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University admitted for deliberate oral intake of DQ from February 2018 to August 2023 were analysed. The initial clinical data of the patients with acute DQ poisoning were collected. Machine learning methods such as logistic regression, random forest, support vector machine (SVM), and gradient boosting were applied to build the prediction models. The whole sample was split into a training set and a test set at a ratio of 8:2. The performances of these models were assessed in terms of discrimination, calibration, and clinical decision curve analysis (DCA). We also used the SHAP interpretation tool to provide an intuitive explanation of the risk of death in patients with DQ poisoning. Logistic regression, random forest, SVM, and gradient boosting models were established, and the areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs) were 0.91, 0.98, 0.96 and 0.94, respectively. The net benefits were similar across all four models. The four machine learning models can be reliable tools for predicting death risk in patients with acute DQ poisoning. Their combination with SHAP provides explanations for individualized risk prediction, increasing the model transparency.

Abstract Background Postoperative delirium (POD) often occurs in oncology patients, further increasing the medical and financial burden. Robotic technology in lower abdominal tumors resection reduces surgical trauma but increases risks such as carbon dioxide (CO2) absorption. This study aimed to investigate the differences in their occurrence of POD at different end-tidal CO2 levels. Method This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Affiliated Hospital of He Bei University (HDFY-LL-2022-169). The study was registered with the Chinese Clinical Trials Registry on URL: http://www.chictr.org.cn , Registry Number: ChiCTR2200056019 (Registry Date: 27/08/2022). In patients scheduled robotic lower abdominal tumor resection from September 1, 2022 to December 31, 2022, a comprehensive delirium assessment was performed three days postoperatively using the CAM scale with clinical review records. Intraoperative administration of different etCO2 was performed depending on the randomized grouping after intubation. Group L received lower level etCO2 management (31-40mmHg), and Group H maintained the higher level(41-50mmHg) during pneumoperitoneum. Data were analyzed using Pearson Chi-Square or Wilcoxon Rank Sum tests and multiple logistic regression. Preoperative mental status score, alcohol impairment score, nicotine dependence score, history of hypertension and diabetes, duration of surgery and worst pain score were included in the regression model along with basic patient information for covariate correction analysis. Results Among the 103 enrolled patients, 19 (18.4%) developed postoperative delirium. The incidence of delirium in different etCO2 groups was 21.6% in Group L and 15.4% in Group H, respectively, with no statistical differences. In adjusted multivariate analysis, age and during of surgery were statistically significant predictors of postoperative delirium. The breath-hold test was significantly lower postoperatively, but no statistical differences were found between two groups. Conclusion With robotic assistant, the incidence of postoperative delirium in patients undergoing lower abdominal tumor resection was not modified by different end-tidal carbon dioxide management, however, age and duration of surgery were positively associated risk factors.

Abstract Objectives This study aimed at exploring how using different kinds of sheaths will affect the very first ablation procedure of apprentices. Methods 15 patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation were randomized to used fixed-curve, conventional steerable or visualized steerable sheath, and received complete isolation of pulmonary veins. All ablations were the very first procedure performed by 15 ablation apprentices. The use of fluoroscopy and catheter stability during the PVI were analyzed. Results Procedure duration was much longer in the fixed-curve group (116.8 ± 27 vs. 62.2 ± 17 vs. 60.4 ± 17, p

The effect of high strain rate on adiabatic shear susceptibility and microstructures in Al0.4CoCrFeNi high-entropy alloy (HEA) was examined using a split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) and hat-shaped specimens. The results exhibit a clear strain-hardening effect at high strain rates within the experimental range in six specimen groups. The adiabatic shear band (ASB) with an approximately 1 μm wide was formed at 1.05 × 105 s−1 due to thermoplastic instability resulting from adiabatic temperature rise. The central region of the ASB consists of ultrafine and equiaxed recrystallized grains with a typical size of 100 nm. Comparison of metallographic observation and calculation shear voltage-time, the dynamic shear stress-time curves and the dissipation energy, it was found that the adiabatic shear susceptibility of Al0.4CoCrFeNi HEA increases with increased strain rate. The thermodynamic and kinetic calculations indicate that dynamic recrystallization can occur in the shear band based on the rotational dynamic recrystallization (RDR) mechanism.

Abstract The second-order nonlinear Hall effect (NLHE) in non-centrosymmetric materials has recently drawn intense interest, since its inherent rectification could enable various device applications such as energy harvesting and wireless charging. However, previously reported NLHE systems normally suffer from relatively small Hall voltage outputs and/or low working temperatures. In this study, we report the observation of a pronounced NLHE in tellurium (Te) thin flakes at room temperature. Benefiting from the semiconductor nature of Te, the obtained nonlinear response can be readily enhanced through electrostatic gating, leading to a second-harmonic output at 300 K up to 2.8 mV. By utilizing such a giant NLHE, we further demonstrate the potential of Te as a wireless Hall rectifier within the radiofrequency range, which is manifested by the remarkable and tunable rectification effect also at room temperature. Extrinsic scattering is then revealed to be the dominant mechanism for the NLHE in Te, with symmetry breaking on the surface playing a key role. As a simple elemental semiconductor, Te provides an appealing platform to advance our understanding of nonlinear transport in solids and to develop NLHE-based electronic devices.

Abstract Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) have versatile applications in luminescence, whereas identifying optimal synthesis conditions has been challenging due to numerous synthesis parameters and multiple desired outcomes, creating an enormous search space. In this study, we present a novel multi-objective optimization strategy utilizing a machine learning (ML) algorithm to intelligently guide the hydrothermal synthesis of CQDs. Our closed-loop approach learns from limited and sparse data, greatly reducing the research cycle and surpassing traditional trial-and-error methods. Moreover, it also reveals the intricate links between synthesis parameters and target properties and unifies the objective function to optimize multiple desired properties like full-color photoluminescence (PL) wavelength and high PL quantum yields (PLQY). With only 63 experiments, we achieve the synthesis of full-color fluorescent CQDs with high PLQY exceeding 60% across all colors. Our study represents a significant advancement in ML-guided CQDs synthesis, setting the stage for developing new materials with multiple desired properties.

Abstract Objective This cross‐sectional study aimed to determine the epidemiology of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions related to COVID‐19 in China. Methods This study was conducted by 45 tertiary Grade‐A hospitals in China. Online and offline questionnaire data were obtained from patients infected with COVID‐19 between December 28, 2022, and February 21, 2023. The collected information included basic demographics, medical history, smoking and drinking history, vaccination history, changes in olfactory and gustatory functions before and after infection, and other postinfection symptoms, as well as the duration and improvement status of olfactory and gustatory disorders. Results Complete questionnaires were obtained from 35,566 subjects. The overall incidence of olfactory and taste dysfunction was 67.75%. Being female or being a cigarette smoker increased the likelihood of developing olfactory and taste dysfunction. Having received four doses of the vaccine or having good oral health or being a alcohol drinker decreased the risk of such dysfunction. Before infection, the average olfactory and taste VAS scores were 8.41 and 8.51, respectively; after infection, they decreased to 3.69 and 4.29 and recovered to 5.83 and 6.55 by the time of the survey. The median duration of dysosmia and dysgeusia was 15 and 12 days, respectively, with 0.5% of patients having symptoms lasting for more than 28 days. The overall self‐reported improvement rate was 59.16%. Recovery was higher in males, never smokers, those who received two or three vaccine doses, and those that had never experienced dental health issues, or chronic accompanying symptoms. Conclusions The incidence of dysosmia and dysgeusia following infection with the SARS‐CoV‐2 virus is high in China. Incidence and prognosis are influenced by several factors, including sex, SARS‐CoV‐2 vaccination, history of head‐facial trauma, nasal and oral health status, smoking and drinking history, and the persistence of accompanying symptoms.

Background: Congenital pseudarthrosis of the tibia (CPT) is a dominant health challenge in pediatric orthopedics. The essential process in the development of CPT is the limited capacity of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from CPT to undergo osteogenic differentiation. Our research aimed to elucidate the role and mechanism of methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3) in the osteogenic differentiation process of CPT MSCs. Methods: The osteogenic differentiation medium was used to culture MSCs, and the detection of osteogenic differentiation was performed using Alizarin Red S and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) assays. Gene or protein expression was assessed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), Western blot, or immunofluorescence (IF) staining. The m6A modification of Homeobox D8 (HOXD8) was verified by methylated RNA immunoprecipitation (MeRIP) assay. Interactions between METTL3 and HOXD8 or HOXD8 and integrin alpha 5 (ITGA5) promoter were validated by the luciferase reporter gene, RIP, and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays. Results: METTL3 overexpression enhanced CPT MSCs' osteogenic differentiation. METTL3 stabilized the HOXD8 in an m6A-dependent manner. Moreover, the overexpressed ITGA5 up-regulated the CPT MSCs’ osteogenic differentiation. Further, HOXD8 could transcriptionally activate ITGA5. METTL3 increased the transcription of ITGA5 via HOXD8 to enhance the osteogenic differentiation of CPT MSCs. Conclusion: METTL3 promoted osteogenic differentiation via modulating the HOXD8/ITGA5 axis in CPT MSCs.

Descriptors play a pivotal role in enzyme design for the greener synthesis of biochemicals, as they could characterize enzymes and chemicals from the physicochemical and evolutionary perspective. This study examined the effects of various descriptors on the performance of Random Forest model used for enzyme-chemical relationships prediction. We curated activity data of seven specific enzyme families from the literature and developed the pipeline for evaluation the machine learning model performance using 10-fold cross-validation. The influence of protein and chemical descriptors was assessed in three scenarios, which were predicting the activity of unknown relations between known enzymes and known chemicals (new relationship evaluation), predicting the activity of novel enzymes on known chemicals (new enzyme evaluation), and predicting the activity of new chemicals on known enzymes (new chemical evaluation). The results showed that protein descriptors significantly enhanced the classification performance of model on new enzyme evaluation in three out of the seven datasets with the greatest number of enzymes, whereas chemical descriptors appear no effect. A variety of sequence-based and structure-based protein descriptors were constructed, among which the esm-2 descriptor achieved the best results. Using enzyme families as labels showed that descriptors could cluster proteins well, which could explain the contributions of descriptors to the machine learning model. As a counterpart, in the new chemical evaluation, chemical descriptors made significant improvement in four out of the seven datasets, while protein descriptors appear no effect. We attempted to evaluate the generalization ability of the model by correlating the statistics of the datasets with the performance of the models. The results showed that datasets with higher sequence similarity were more likely to get better results in the new enzyme evaluation and datasets with more enzymes were more likely beneficial from the protein descriptor strategy. This work provides guidance for the development of machine learning models for specific enzyme families.

Objective The Côte d'Ivoire Basin, which is located in the equatorial section of West Africa and features large-scale strike-slip transform zones, is a typical transformed passive continental margin basin. This area is currently a hot spot for oil and gas exploration and has great exploration potential but has an uneven distribution of hydrocarbons both horizontally and vertically. Methods Based on previous results, well data, seismic data and new discoveries, this paper focuses on the differential controls of hydrocarbon distribution from two perspectives: structure and sedimentation. Results The results show that the basin has experienced three main tectonic-sedimentary evolution stages, namely, intracontinental rift, ocean-continent transition, and passive margin, forming the "narrow west-wide east" axe structure. The basin has a narrow and steep transform margin in the west, a wide and gentle divergent margin in the east, and a transitional margin in the central region, which controls the overall oil and gas distribution of "less in the west and more in the east" in macro-scale. The main response area of the strike-slip transformation stress in the central transitional margin and the central uplift developed many structural traps, which were sourced from both the northern and southern depression and ultimately controlled the distribution of the Albian oil and gas reservoirs. Conclusion The palaeomorphology formed by the strike-slip transform zone plays an important role in controlling the spatial distribution of both the Upper Albian-Cenomanian reservoirs in the early stage and the Turonian reservoirs in the late stage. The stepped or intra-slope ponds on slopes formed by strike-slip transform zone are often the most favourable sand-rich places and benefit stratigraphic-lithologic traps. Additionally, the distribution of oil and gas reservoirs has good consistency with the distribution of sedimentary systems; that is, the transformation controls the reservoirs, and the distribution controls the oil and gas reservoirs.

Abstract Nonlinear optical activities, especially second harmonic generation (SHG), are key phenomena in inversion-symmetry-broken two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs). On the other hand, anisotropic nonlinear optical processes are important for unique applications in nano-nonlinear photonic devices with polarization functions, having become one of focused research topics in the field of nonlinear photonics. However, the strong nonlinearity and strong optical anisotropy do not exist simultaneously in common 2D materials. Here, we demonstrate strong second-order and third-order susceptibilities of 64 pm/V and 6.2×10−19 m2/V2, respectively, in the even-layer PdPSe, which has not been discovered in other common TMDCs (e.g., MoS2). Strikingly, it also simultaneously exhibited strong SHG anisotropy with an anisotropic ratio of ~45, which is the largest reported among all 2D materials to date, to the best of our knowledge. In addition, the SHG anisotropy ratio can be harnessed from 0.12 to 45 (375 times) by varying the excitation wavelength due to the dispersion of $${\chi }^{(2)}$$ χ ( 2 ) values. As an illustrative example, we further demonstrate polarized SHG imaging for potential applications in crystal orientation identification and polarization-dependent spatial encoding. These findings in 2D PdPSe are promising for nonlinear nanophotonic and optoelectronic applications.

Abstract Background The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of preoperative concurrent chemoradiotherapy (preCRT) for locally advanced rectal cancer in older people who were classified as “fit” by comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA). Methods A single-arm, multicenter, phase II trial was designed. Patients were eligible for this study if they were aged 70 years or above and met the standards of “fit” (SIOG1) as evaluated by CGA and of the locally advanced risk category. The primary endpoint was 2-year disease-free survival (DFS). Patients were scheduled to receive preCRT (50 Gy) with raltitrexed (3 mg/m2 on days 1 and 22). Results One hundred and nine patients were evaluated by CGA, of whom eighty-six, eleven and twelve were classified into the fit, intermediate and frail category. Sixty-eight fit patients with a median age of 74 years were enrolled. Sixty-four patients (94.1%) finished radiotherapy without dose reduction. Fifty-four (79.3%) patients finished the prescribed raltitrexed therapy as planned. Serious toxicity (grade 3 or above) was observed in twenty-four patients (35.3%), and fourteen patients (20.6%) experienced non-hematological side effects. Within a median follow-up time of 36.0 months (range: 5.9-63.1 months), the 2-year overall survival (OS), cancer-specific survival (CSS) and disease-free survival (DFS) rates were 89.6% (95% CI: 82.3-96.9), 92.4% (95% CI: 85.9-98.9) and 75.6% (95% CI: 65.2-86.0), respectively. Forty-eight patients (70.6%) underwent surgery (R0 resection 95.8%, R1 resection 4.2%), the corresponding R0 resection rate among the patients with positive mesorectal fascia status was 76.6% (36/47). Conclusion This phase II trial suggests that preCRT is efficient with tolerable toxicities in older rectal cancer patients who were evaluated as fit based on CGA. Trial registration The registration number on ClinicalTrials.gov was NCT02992886 (14/12/2016).

This study investigates the compression deformation behavior of an Mg-Gd-Y-Nd-Zr alloy at temperatures ranging from 293 K to 573 K and strain rates ranging from 293K to 573K and strain rates ranging from 1000 s−1 to 2100 s−1 using a split Hopkinson pressure bar. A modified Johnson-Cook (JC) constitutive model and a backpropagation neural network (BPNN) model based on the improved whale optimization algorithm (IWOA) are established. Four statistical metrics, including correlation coefficient (R), mean absolute error (MAE), mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), and root mean square error (RMSE), are employed to evaluate the predictive accuracy of the two models. The findings indicate that the flow stress of the alloy is sensitive to strain, strain rate, and temperature. Increasing strain and strain rate or decreasing deformation temperature results in higher flow stress. Error calculations revealed that the modified Johnson-Cook constitutive model has an R of 0.98731, a MAPE of 7.3653%, a MAE of 19.6305 MPa, and a RMSE of 26.5704 MPa. In contrast, the model established using the IWOA-BPNN has an R of 0.99996, a MAPE of 0.58894%, a MAE of 1.2671 MPa, and a RMSE of 1.7709 MPa. The IWOA-BPNN model demonstrates higher accuracy and accurately predicts the flow stress of the alloy.

Abstract DltB, a model member of the Membrane-Bound O-AcylTransferase (MBOAT) superfamily, plays a crucial role in D-alanylation of the lipoteichoic acid (LTA), a significant component of the cell wall of gram-positive bacteria. This process stabilizes the cell wall structure, influences bacterial virulence, and modulates the host immune response. Despite its significance, the role of DltB is not well understood. Through biochemical analysis and cryo-EM imaging, we discover that Streptococcus thermophilus DltB forms a homo-tetramer on the cell membrane. We further visualize DltB in an apo form, in complex with DltC, and in complex with its inhibitor amsacrine (m-AMSA). Each tetramer features a central hole. The C-tunnel of each protomer faces the intratetramer interface and provides access to the periphery membrane. Each protomer binds a DltC without changing the tetrameric organization. A phosphatidylglycerol (PG) molecule in the substrate-binding site may serve as an LTA carrier. The inhibitor m-AMSA bound to the L-tunnel of each protomer blocks the active site. The tetrameric organization of DltB provides a scaffold for catalyzing D-alanyl transfer and regulating the channel opening and closing. Our findings unveil DltB’s dual function in the D-alanylation pathway, and provide insight for targeting DltB as a anti-virulence antibiotic.

Abstract Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with circulating inflammation. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) derived from gut microbiota (GM) regulate leukocyte function and inhibit the release of inflammatory cytokines, which are partly mediated by the G-protein-coupled receptor 43 (GPR43) signaling. This study aimed to investigate the expression of GPR43/NOD-like receptors family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) in leukocytes and the interaction with intestinal SCFAs levels in AF patients. Methods Expressions of GPR43 and NLRP3 mRNA in peripheral blood leukocytes from 23 AF patients and 25 non-AF controls were detected by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Expressions of leukocyte GPR43 and NLRP3 protein were evaluated by western blot analysis. The levels of plasma IL-1β were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The fecal SCFAs levels based on GC/MS metabolome of corresponding 21 controls and 14 AF patients were acquired from our published dataset. To evaluate the expression of NLRP3 and GPR43 and the release of IL-1β, human THP-1 cells were stimulated with or without SCFAs (acetate, propionate, and butyrate), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and nigericin in vitro, respectively. Results Compared to the controls, the mRNA expression in peripheral leukocytes was significantly reduced in AF patients (P = 0.011) coupled with the increase in downstream leukocyte NLRP3 mRNA expression (P = 0.007) and plasma IL-1β levels (P

Abstract Background Whole-mount histopathology (WMH) has been a powerful tool to investigate the characteristics of prostate cancer. However, the latest advancement of WMH was yet under summarization. In this review, we offer a comprehensive exposition of current research utilizing WMH in diagnosing and treating prostate cancer (PCa), and summarize the clinical advantages of WMH and outlines potential on future prospects. Methods An extensive PubMed search was conducted until February 26, 2023, with the search term “prostate”, “whole-mount”, “large format histology”, which was limited to the last 4 years. Publications included were restricted to those in English. Other papers were also cited to contribute a better understanding. Results WMH exhibits an enhanced legibility for pathologists, which improved the efficacy of pathologic examination and provide educational value. It simplifies the histopathological registration with medical images, which serves as a convincing reference standard for imaging indicator investigation and medical image-based artificial intelligence (AI). Additionally, WMH provides comprehensive histopathological information for tumor volume estimation, post-treatment evaluation, and provides direct pathological data for AI readers. It also offers complete spatial context for the location estimation of both intraprostatic and extraprostatic cancerous region. Conclusions WMH provides unique benefits in several aspects of clinical diagnosis and treatment of PCa. The utilization of WMH technique facilitates the development and refinement of various clinical technologies. We believe that WMH will play an important role in future clinical applications.

Abstract Brainbow is a genetic cell-labeling technique that allows random colorization of multiple cells and real-time visualization of cell fate within a tissue, providing valuable insights into understanding complex biological processes. However, fluorescent proteins (FPs) in Brainbow have distinct excitation spectra with peak difference greater than 35 nm, which requires sequential imaging under multiple excitations and thus leads to long acquisition times. In addition, they are not easily used together with other fluorophores due to severe spectral bleed-through. Here, we report the development of a single-wavelength excitable Brainbow, UFObow, incorporating three newly developed blue-excitable FPs. We have demonstrated that UFObow enables not only tracking the growth dynamics of tumor cells in vivo but also mapping spatial distribution of immune cells within a sub-cubic centimeter tissue, revealing cell heterogeneity. This provides a powerful means to explore complex biology in a simultaneous imaging manner at a single-cell resolution in organs or in vivo.

Background: Chronic inflammation plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of overweight/obesity. Nuclear receptor subfamily 2, group E, member 1 (NR2E1) is one of the nuclear receptor family proteins that play crucial roles in regulating numerous life processes. In this study, we attempted to detect NR2E1 levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of overweight/obese people and preliminarily elucidate the regulatory role of NR2E1 in obesity-related chronic inflammation. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the clinical and biochemical data from 62 overweight/obese people and 70 control subjects. PBMCs of the participants were collected for detection of NR2E1 levels. PBMCs isolated from the control subjects were treated with different concentrations of palmitic acid (PA). We also transfected p-EGFP-N1-NR2E1 plasmids into PBMCs and treated them with PA, then detected TNF-α and IL-6 concentrations in the supernatant of PBMCs. Results: The NR2E1 mRNA and protein levels in overweight/obese people were both significantly higher than those in normal-BMI people (p

BackgroundDifferentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) has been increasingly common in women of reproductive age. However, the evidence remains mixed regarding the association of DTC with adverse pregnancy outcomes in pregnant women previously diagnosed with DTC.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective cohort study in the Peking University Third Hospital in Beijing, China between January 2012 and December 2022. We included singleton-pregnancy women with a pre-pregnancy DTC managed by surgical treatment (after-surgery DTC) or active surveillance (under-surveillance DTC). To reduce the confounding effects, we adopted a propensity score to match the after-surgery and under-surveillance DTC groups with the non-DTC group, respectively, on age, parity, gravidity, pre-pregnancy weight, height, and Hashimoto's thyroiditis. We used conditional logistics regressions, separately for the after-surgery and under-surveillance DTC groups, to estimate the adjusted associations of DTC with both the composite of adverse pregnancy outcomes and the specific mother-, neonate-, and placenta-related pregnancy outcomes.ResultsAfter the propensity-score matching, the DTC and non-DTC groups were comparable in the measured confounders. In the after-surgery DTC group (n = 204), the risk of the composite or specific adverse pregnancy outcomes was not significantly different from that of the matched, non-DTC groups (n = 816; P > 0.05), and the results showed no evidence of difference across different maternal thyroid dysfunctions, gestational thyrotropin levels, and other pre-specified subgroup variables. We observed broadly similar results in the under-surveillance DTC group (n = 37), except that the risk of preterm birth, preeclampsia, and delivering the low-birth-weight births was higher than that of the matched, non-DTC group [n = 148; OR (95% CI): 4.79 (1.31, 17.59); 4.00 (1.16, 13.82); 6.67 (1.59, 27.90)].ConclusionsDTC was not associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes in pregnant women previously treated for DTC. However, more evidence is urgently needed for pregnant women with under-surveillance DTC, which finding will be clinically significant in individualizing prenatal care.

Abstract While shallow creep along the Haiyuan fault is a key element in estimating earthquake potential, both the creep rate and spatial distribution inferred from InSAR and repeating earthquakes are still controversial. In this study, we resolve two potentially separated creeping patches along the Laohushan fault (LHSF) based on dense near‐field GPS measurements of 39 stations. The largest creeping patch, which extends ∼20 km along‐strike and ∼9 km down‐dip with a slip rate of 4.2 mm/yr, spatially correlates with seismicity, especially repeating earthquakes. The locked segment is capable of producing an earthquake of Mw 7.3 ± 0.1, with moment rate of (1.08 ± 0.39) × 1017 N⋅m/yr, possibly following the cycle since the 1092 M8 event. The lack of GPS measurements in the near‐field makes it unclear whether the 8 km section between these two patches is slowly creeping below detection threshold or has relocked due to change in environmental condition.

Epoxy resin composites are a type of polymer-based materials with wide application scopes. A mass of fillers was added to improve thermal properties which may degrades mechanical properties at the same time. In addition, the common heat-curing process takes several hours to completely cure. To improve the performance of epoxy resin composites of low-content fillers, we prepare UV-heat dually curable epoxy resin with silicate ester. The overall curing time of UV-heat curing process is about half of the traditional thermal-curing process. The breakdown voltage of epoxy resin modified by silicate ester is up to 181 MV/m, which is increased by 50 % compared to pure epoxy resin. The silicate ester curing agent can react with both epoxy resin and silica fillers and can thus improve the dispersion of the fillers in the matrix and enhance the interaction between fillers and the resin. As a result, the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of the composites was greatly reduced. The CTE of silicate ester-modified epoxy resin composites is 93 ppm/K and 137 ppm/K over the temperature range below and above its Tg, respectively, which is 25 % lower than those of normal epoxy resin composites.

BackgroundGlioma is a highly heterogeneous malignancy of the central nervous system. This heterogeneity is driven by various molecular processes, including neoplastic transformation, cell cycle dysregulation, and angiogenesis. Among these biomolecular events, inflammation and stress pathways in the development and driving factors of glioma heterogeneity have been reported. However, the mechanisms of glioma heterogeneity under stress response remain unclear, especially from a spatial aspect.MethodsThis study employed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and spatial transcriptomics (ST) to explore the impact of oxidative stress response genes in oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs). Our analysis identified distinct pathways activated by oxidative stress in two different types of gliomas: high- and low- grade (HG and LG) gliomas.ResultsIn HG gliomas, oxidative stress induced a metabolic shift from oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis, promoting cell survival by preventing apoptosis. This metabolic reprogramming was accompanied by epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and an upregulation of stress response genes. Furthermore, SCENIC (Single-Cell rEgulatory Network Inference and Clustering) analysis revealed that oxidative stress activated the AP1 transcription factor in HG gliomas, thereby enhancing tumor cell survival and proliferation.ConclusionOur findings provide a novel perspective on the mechanisms of oxidative stress responses across various grades of gliomas. This insight enhances our comprehension of the evolutionary processes and heterogeneity within gliomas, potentially guiding future research and therapeutic strategies.

Abstract Maturation of the secondary antibody repertoire requires class‐switch recombination (CSR), which switches IgM to other immunoglobulins (Igs), and somatic hypermutation, which promotes the production of high‐affinity antibodies. Following immune response or infection within the body, activation of T cell‐dependent and T cell‐independent antigens triggers the activation of activation‐induced cytidine deaminase, initiating the CSR process. CSR has the capacity to modify the functional properties of antibodies, thereby contributing to the adaptive immune response in the organism. Ig CSR defects, characterized by an abnormal relative frequency of Ig isotypes, represent a rare form of primary immunodeficiency. Elucidating the molecular basis of Ig diversification is essential for a better understanding of diseases related to Ig CSR defects and could provide clues for clinical diagnosis and therapeutic approaches. Here, we review the most recent insights on the diversification of five Ig isotypes and choose several classic diseases, including hyper‐IgM syndrome, Waldenström macroglobulinemia, hyper‐IgD syndrome, selective IgA deficiency, hyper‐IgE syndrome, multiple myeloma, and Burkitt lymphoma, to illustrate the mechanism of Ig CSR deficiency. The investigation into the underlying mechanism of Ig CSR holds significant potential for the advancement of increasingly precise diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.

Accessible silicate reservoirs on Earth (i.e., the depleted mantle and continental crust) are depleted in Nb relative to chondrites, as expressed by their subchondritic Nb/Ta ratios. Mixtures of continental crust and depleted mantle cannot produce chondritic Nb/Ta ratios; therefore, another geochemical reservoir with a superchondritic Nb/Ta ratio is necessary to balance the low Nb contents of the continental crust. We investigated alkaline igneous rocks with superchondritic Nb/Ta ratios (20.4–24.8). Their high Nb/Ta ratios were inherited from their lithospheric mantle source rather than being produced by magmatic differentiation. Geochemical data show that an enriched mantle domain with superchondritic Nb/Ta ratios can be produced by the interaction of subducted carbonate-rich sediment-derived melts with the lithospheric mantle, and the enriched lithospheric mantle is a potential superchondritic reservoir.

Inflammasomes play pivotal roles in inflammation by processing and promoting the secretion of IL-1β. Caspase-1 is involved in the maturation of IL-1β and IL-18, while human caspase-4 specifically processes IL-18. Recent structural studies of caspase-4 bound to Pro-IL-18 reveal the molecular basis of Pro-IL-18 activation by caspase-4. However, the mechanism of caspase-1 processing of pro-IL-1β and other IL-1β-converting enzymes remains elusive. Here, we observed that swine Pro-IL-1β (sPro-IL-1β) exists as an oligomeric precursor unlike monomeric human Pro-IL-1β (hPro-IL-1β). Interestingly, Seneca Valley Virus (SVV) 3C protease cleaves sPro-IL-1β to produce mature IL-1β, while it cleaves hPro-IL-1β but does not produce mature IL-1β in a specific manner. When the inflammasome is blocked, SVV 3C continues to activate IL-1β through direct cleavage in porcine alveolar macrophages (PAMs). Through molecular modeling and mutagenesis studies, we discovered that the pro-domain of sPro-IL-1β serves as an 'exosite' with its hydrophobic residues docking into a positively charged 3C protease pocket, thereby directing the substrate to the active site. The cleavage of sPro-IL-1β generates a monomeric and active form of IL-1β, initiating the downstream signaling. Thus, these studies provide IL-1β is an inflammatory sensor that directly detects viral protease through an independent pathway operating in parallel with host inflammasomes.

Objective Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) poses a significant clinical challenge because the long-term benefits of immune checkpoint blockade therapy are limited. A comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms underlying immunotherapy resistance in HCC is imperative for improving patient prognosis.Design In this study, to systematically investigate the characteristics of cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) subsets and the dynamic communication among the tumor microenvironment (TME) components regulated by CAF subsets, we generated an HCC atlas by compiling single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) datasets on 220 samples from six datasets. We combined spatial transcriptomics with scRNA-seq and multiplexed immunofluorescence to identify the specific CAF subsets in the TME that determine the efficacy of immunotherapy in HCC patients.Results Our findings highlight the pivotal role of POSTN+ CAFs as potent immune response barriers at specific tumor locations, as they hinder effective T-cell infiltration and decrease the efficacy of immunotherapy. Additionally, we elucidated the interplay between POSTN+ CAFs and SPP1+ macrophages, whereby the former recruits the latter and triggers increased SPP1 expression via the IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathway. Moreover, we demonstrated a spatial correlation between POSTN+ CAFs and SPP1+ macrophages, revealing an immunosuppressive microenvironment that limits the immunotherapy response. Notably, we found that patients with elevated expression levels of both POSTN+ CAFs and SPP1+ macrophages achieved less therapeutic benefit in an immunotherapy cohort.Conclusion Our research elucidates light on the role of a particular subset of CAFs in immunotherapy resistance, emphasizing the potential benefits of targeting specific CAF subpopulations to improve clinical responses to immunotherapy.

Abstract Graphitic carbon nitride (CN), as a nonmetallic photocatalyst, has gained considerable attention for its cost‐effectiveness and environmentally friendly nature in catalyzing solar‐driven CO2 conversion into valuable products. However, the photocatalytic efficiency of CO2 reduction with CN remains low, accompanied by challenges in achieving desirable product selectivity. To address these limitations, a two‐step hydrothermal‐calcination tandem synthesis strategy is presented, introducing carbon quantum dots (CQDs) into CN and forming ultra‐thin CQD/CN nanosheets. The integration of CQDs induces a distinct work function with CN, creating a robust interface electric field after the combination. This electric field facilitates the accumulation of photoelectrons in the CQDs region, providing an abundant source of reduced electrons for the photocatalytic process. Remarkably, the CQD/CN nanosheets exhibit an average CO yield of 120 µmol g−1, showcasing an outstanding CO selectivity of 92.8%. The discovery in the work not only presents an innovative pathway for the development of high‐performance photocatalysts grounded in non‐metallic CN materials employing CQDs but also opens new avenues for versatile application prospects in environmental protection and sustainable cleaning energy.

BackgroundSmall extracellular vesicles derived from mesenchymal stem cells (MSC-sEVs) have emerged as a promising therapy for treating type II diabetic cutaneous wounds. Currently, the evidence supporting the use of MSC-sEVs for treating diabetic skin wounds remains inconclusive and is limited to preclinical studies. To facilitate the clinical translation of cell-free therapy, conducting a comprehensive systematic review of preclinical studies assessing the efficacy of MSC-sEVs is imperative.MethodsA systematic search was conducted on PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases until June 14, 2023, to identify studies that met our pre-established inclusion criteria. The outcome indicators comprised wound closure rate (primary outcome), neovascular density, re-epithelialization rate, collagen deposition, and inflammatory factors (secondary Outcomes). A fixed-effects model was employed in instances of low heterogeneity (I2

IntroductionDespite observational studies suggest hypotheses indicating a potential link, the precise causal connection between sarcopenia and digestive system illnesses has not been clearly defined.MethodsWe first use Linkage Disequilibrium Score Regression (LDSC) testing to determine the genetic correlation of traits associated with sarcopenia and 10 specific gastrointestinal diseases. Subsequently, we performed a set of bidirectional Mendelian Randomization (MR) analyses to gauge the genetic inclination towards sarcopenia-related traits in relation to each gastrointestinal condition, individually, across the FinnGen, UK Biobank, and other extensive collaborative consortia. The analytical outcomes were synthesized using a fixed-effects meta-analytic model. For outcomes indicating substantial causal impacts, mediation MR analyses were executed. Additionally, a battery of sensitivity analyses was conducted to evaluate the study’s strength and dependability.ResultsOur findings established a strong causal link between appendicular lean mass and gastroesophageal reflux disease (OR = 0.8607; 95% CI: 0.8345–0.8877; p

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of mortality worldwide. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common subtype of lung cancer with a generally poor prognosis. In recent years, advances in targeted therapy and sequencing technology have brought significant improvement in the therapeutic outcomes of patients with advanced NSCLC. Targeted inhibitors directed against specific mutated or rearranged oncogenes, such as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK), and receptor tyrosine kinase ROS proto-oncogene 1(ROS1) among others, exhibit promising anti-tumor activity. Unfortunately, some patients develop acquired resistance and disease progression soon after initial remission. Despite the continuous development of new drugs and strategies to overcome drug resistance, it is still a major challenge in the treatment of NSCLC. The landscape of targeted therapy for NSCLC is evolving rapidly in response to the pace of scientific research. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive review of tumor target antigens and agents related to targeted therapy in NSCLC.

Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a myocardial-specific microvascular disease caused by diabetes that affects the structure and function of the heart and is considered to be the leading cause of morbidity and death in patients with diabetes. Currently, there is no specific treatment or preventive drug for DCM, and there is an urgent need to develop new drugs to treat DCM. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has rich experience in the treatment of DCM, and its characteristics of multi-target, multi-pathway, multi-component, and few side effects can effectively deal with the complexity and long-term nature of DCM. Growing evidence suggests that myocardial fibrosis, inflammation, oxidative stress, apoptosis, cardiac hypertrophy, and advanced glycation end product deposition were the main pathologic mechanisms of DCM. According to the pathological mechanism of DCM, this study revealed the potential of metabolites and prescriptions in TCM against DCM from the perspective of signaling pathways. The results showed that TGF-β/Smad, NF-κB, PI3K/AKT, Nrf2, AMPK, NLRP3, and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways were the key signaling pathways for TCM treatment of DCM. The aim of this study was to summarize and update the signaling pathways for TCM treatment of DCM, to screen potential targets for drug candidates against DCM, and to provide new ideas and more experimental evidence for the clinical use of TCM treatment of DCM.

Abstract Parents’ beliefs and attitudes toward their children with Tourette syndrome (TS) influence treatment-seeking behaviors. This study aimed to explore and describe the Chinese parents’ perspectives on the causes of TS for their children. A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews was conducted with the parents of TS patients from a children’s hospital in western China from June to July 2021, and thematic analysis was performed to transcribe interviews and identify themes. A total of 13 participants were interviewed in this study. Five themes were developed in relation to the cognition of the causes of TS in parents, including physical problems, parenting and education problems, mental problems, bad habits, and neurological problems. Due to the insufficient awareness of TS, most parents repeatedly seek medical advice that they regarded the symptoms as physical problems or neurological problems. They generally felt guilty and blamed themselves for their parenting styles and education methods. And some parents attributed it to the poor psychological quality or the bad habits of children. Study findings showed a lack of scientific understanding of the causes of TS among parents further hindered the timely effective treatment for patients and affected the family relationships, which highlights the importance of public education and raising awareness of the disease.

Abstract. Background:. Differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) is commonly diagnosed in women of child-bearing age, but whether pregnancy influences the prognosis of DTC remains controversial. This study aimed to summarize existing evidence regarding the association of pregnancy with recurrence risk in patients previously treated for DTC. Methods:. We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane, and Scopus based on the prespecified protocol registered at PROSPERO (CRD42022367896). After study selection, two researchers independently extracted data from the included studies. For quantitative data synthesis, we used random-effects meta-analysis models to pool the proportion of recurrence (for pregnant women only) and odds ratio (OR; comparing the risk of recurrence between the pregnancy group and the nonpregnancy group), respectively. Then we conducted subgroup analyses to explore whether risk of recurrence differed by response to therapy status or duration of follow-up time. We also assessed quality of the included studies. Results:. A total of ten studies were included. The sample size ranged from 8 to 235, with participants’ age at pregnancy or delivery ranging from 28 to 35 years. The follow-up time varied from 0.1 to 36.0 years. The pooled proportion of recurrence in all pregnant patients was 0.13 (95% confidence intervals [CI]: 0.06–0.25; I2: 0.58). Among six included studies reporting response to therapy status before pregnancy, we observed a trend for increasingly higher risk of recurrence from excellent, indeterminate, and biochemically incomplete to structurally incomplete response to therapy (Ptrend 0.05) or the OR of recurrence in studies with a comparison group (P >0.05). Two included studies that focused on patients with distant metastasis also did not show a significant difference in disease recurrence between pregnancy and nonpregnancy groups (OR: 0.51 [95% CI: 0.14–1.87; I2: 59%]). Conclusion:. In general, pregnancy appears to have a minimal association with the disease recurrence of DTC with initial treatment. Clinicians should pay more attention to progression of DTC among pregnant women with biochemical and/or structural persistence. Registration:. PROSPERO, https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/; No. CRD42022367896.

The grain refinement mechanism in the adiabatic shear band (ASB) of solution treated Ti–10V–2Fe–3Al alloy was investigated under high strain rates using a split Hopkinson pressure bar and hat-shaped specimens. The TEM results show that elongated and parallel grains are the major characteristics of the transition region between the matrix and the centre of the ASB. The central region of the ASB consists of ultrafine and equiaxed recrystallized grains with a typical size of 100 nm. According to the classical one-dimensional Fourier heat conduction equation and recrystallization theory calculations, it is proved that ultrafine and equiaxed recrystallized grains did not undergo significant growth during the cooling stage after deformation. The thermodynamics and kinetics calculated results indicate that instant grain refinement within the ASB is due to the rotational dynamic recrystallization (RDR) that occurs during the deformation process.

High torque ripple limits the application area of the switched reluctance motor (SRM). To solve this problem, the sliding mode control algorithm is applied to the speed control in SRM. However, the uncertainty of motor parameters significantly impacts the electromagnetic torque of SRM. Therefore, a neural network sliding mode controller (NNSMC) based on parameter online learning is designed in this paper. The internal parameters of SRM are learned online through speed error, resulting in the combined control of the neural network and sliding mode. The Lyapunov stability method is used to prove the stability of the algorithm. The simulation results show that the proposed method can effectively learn the parameters of SRM, reduce torque ripple and improve the operational performance of the motor.

The microstructural evolution in adiabatic shear localization in Al0.4CoCrFeNi high-entropy alloy (HEA) was examined through a forced shear technique by a split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) using hat-shaped specimens. The TEM results show that the elongated and parallel grains are the major characteristics of the transition region. The central region of the adiabatic shear band (ASB) is primarily composed of ultrafine and equiaxed recrystallized grains with sizes ranging from 50 to 250 nm, with a typical size of 100 nm. It is found that the plastic deformation of the majority of large grains (100–250 nm) is primarily mediated by dislocation slip. To effectively coordinate this deformation, twins with varying thicknesses were generated within the grains (50–100 nm) through cross-slip of dislocations and dynamic overlapping of four stacking faults (SFs) of dissociated dislocations, respectively. According to the classical one-dimensional Fourier heat conduction equation and recrystallization theory calculations, it is proved that ultrafine and equiaxed recrystallized grains did not undergo significant growth during the cooling stage after deformation. The thermodynamics and kinetics calculated results indicate that instant grain refinement within the ASB is due to the rotational dynamic recrystallization (RDR) that occurs during the deformation process.

In response to local sudden disasters, e.g., high-rise office or residential building fire disasters, road occupation can cause conflicts, and traffic directions may be opposite between evacuation vehicles and rescue vehicles; moreover, lane contraflow can be adopted to meet these surge traffic demands. However, lane contraflow that provides more roads for rescue vehicles reduces the traffic supply in the evacuation direction. It is unclear how to control the number of contraflow roads used by rescue vehicles to coordinate evacuation and rescue traffic operations. Here, we adjust the critical rescue traffic volume of reversing the normal road traffic direction to control rescue contraflow. Additionally, we propose a multiobjective mixed integer linear programming formulation for evacuation and rescue traffic optimization. Additionally, considering that the upper limit of the critical rescue traffic volume is unknown and that the proposed formulation includes multiple objectives and multi-priority vehicle classes, a three-stage solving algorithm is developed. Next, a large-scale evacuation and rescue traffic optimization result dataset is obtained for the Nguyen–Dupuis road network, and the impact of different rescue contraflow control plans on evacuation and rescue traffic is studied based on data-driven statistical analysis. The results show that by adjusting the optimal rescue traffic route, the critical rescue traffic volume for reversing the normal road traffic direction can reduce the interference of rescue traffic to evacuation traffic operation performance without reducing rescue traffic operation performance, and can be used to coordinate evacuation and rescue traffic operation under rescue contraflow.

Background : Warm acupuncture (WA) has analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. However, the underlying mechanism of these effects remain unclear. Objectives: To explore the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of WA and the potential underlying mechanism in male Sprague-Dawley rats with non-compressive lumbar disk herniation (LDH) caused by autologous nucleus pulposus (NP) transplantation. Methods : We used low-frequency (2 Hz) electrical stimulation and WA (40℃) to treat GB30 and BL54 acupoints in rats for 30 mins per day. We monitored the paw withdrawal threshold of rats during the experiment and measured serum cytokine levels using commercial kits. Dorsal root ganglion (DRG) tissue pathology was analyzed via H&E staining. We used qRT-PCR to measure the mRNA expression levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α genes in DRG. Western blot was used to analyze the expression levels of IL-1β, IL-6, TNFα, P-p38MAPK, p38MAPK, P-IκBα, IκB α, and NF-κB p65 proteins. Results : WA treatment significantly increased the pain threshold of rats, reduced serum IL-6, PEG2, NO, SP, NP-Y, and MMP-3 levels, and effected histopathological improvements in the DRG in rats. Moreover, WA treatment significantly downregulated the expression levels of inflammation-associated genes (Il-1β, Il-6, and Tnf-α) and proteins (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, P-p38MAPK, P-IκBα, and NF-κB p65) in the DRG of non-compressive LDH rats. Conclusion : WA can alleviate pain and inhibit inflammatory response in rats with non-compressive LDH caused by autologous NP transplantation, and these effects are likely associated with the inhibition of the p38MAPK/NF-κB pathway.