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Despite their importance as components for flexible electronics, most stretchable hydrogels suffer from incomplete recovery after deformation, are prone to failure upon long-term repeated stretching, and cannot be exploited at subzero temperatures because of the freezing of their constituent water. Consequently, strategies for circumventing these drawbacks are highly sought after. This study describes the synthesis of a doubly (chemically and physically) crosslinked hydrogel from gelatin and methacrylic acid and demonstrates the suitability of this material for the fabrication of high-performance stretchable and environment-resistant supercapacitors and strain sensors. The performance of this supercapacitor (areal capacitance = 1,210.2 mF/cm2 at a current density of 1 mA/cm2, maximum energy density = 158.8 μW⋅h/cm2, maximum power density = 659.5 μW/cm2) was superior to that of most of integrated supercapacitors reported to date and was hardly affected by stretchable, low temperatures, bending, ice-cold water and strong acid/alkali solutions or long-term storage. Additionally, a strain sensor based on the above hydrogel was capable of accurately capturing human body motions when affixed to skin and recognising mouse movement (even in humid environments) after implantation into mouse legs. Our work may pave the way to high-performance stretchable and environment-resistant wearable electronics.

Abstract This paper addresses the energy management control problem of solar power generation system by using the data-driven method. The battery-supercapacitor hybrid energy storage system is considered to smooth the power fluctuation. A new model-free control method is utilized in the stand-alone photovoltaic DC-microgrid to provide the power to meet the demand load, while guaranteeing the DC bus voltage is stable. Furthermore, the proposed data-based power management control strategy only needs I/O data. Numerical simulations with real data verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Abstract Background The diagnosis of peripheral isolated nodular lesions that are suspected as pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) is challenging, which are not easily accessible via conventional bronchoscopy. This study evaluated the combined use of Xpert MTB/RIF assay and endobronchial ultrasonography with a guide sheath (EBUS-GS) for detecting MTB infection in peripheral lung bands, for early detection of PTB. Methods The clinical data of 232 patients with suspected peripheral nodular PTB who underwent EBUS-GS between June 2020 and October 2023 were retrospectively reviewed. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and area under the curve (AUC) of acid-fast bacilli smear, culture, Xpert MTB/RIF assay, and pathological examination were calculated. To assess diagnostic accuracy, the results of the four methods were directly compared with the final clinical diagnosis. Results In total, 146 and 86 patients were clinically diagnosed with peripheral nodular PTB and non-PTB, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and AUC values of combined Xpert MTB/RIF assay and EBUS-GS were 47.26%, 100.0%, 100.0%, 52.76%, and 0.74; those of acid-fast bacilli smear were 8.22%, 97.67%, 85.71%, 38.53%, and 0.53; those of culture were 31.51%, 100.0%, 100.0%, 46.24%, and 0.66; and those of pathological examination were 23.97%, 97.67%, 94.59%, 43.08%, and 0.61, respectively. Conclusion The diagnostic accuracy of the combined Xpert MTB/RIF assay and EBUS-GS was significantly better than that of other conventional tests. Hence, this novel technique can be routinely applied for diagnosing and managing peripheral nodular PTB.

Abstract Background This paper reviews the scope of research on kinesiophobia in patients after cardiac surgery. Further, it reviews the current situation, evaluation tools, risk factors, adverse effects, and intervention methods of kinesiophobia to provide a reference for promoting early rehabilitation of patients after cardiac surgery. Methods Guided by the scoping methodology, the Web of Science, PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, China Biomedical Literature Database, VIP Database, Wanfang Database, CNKI, and other databases were searched from database inception until July 31, 2024. The studies obtained were screened, summarised and systematically analysed by two researchers. Results Eighteen studies (16 cross-sectional studies, one qualitative study, and one randomised controlled trial) were included. The incidence of kinesiophobia in patients after cardiac surgery was 39.20–82.57%, and the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia Heart (TSK-SV Heart) was used to evaluate this incidence. The influencing factors of kinesiophobia in patients after cardiac surgery included demographic characteristics, pain severity, frailty, exercise self-efficacy, disease-related factors, and psychosocial factors. Kinesiophobia led to adverse health outcomes such as reduced recovery, prolonged hospital stays, and decreased quality of life in patients after cardiac surgery, and there were few studies on intervention methods for postoperative kinesiophobia. Conclusion The kinesiophobia assessment tools suitable for patients after cardiac surgery should be improved, and intervention methods to promote the early recovery of patients after major clinical surgery and those with difficult and critical diseases should be actively researched.

Abstract Background NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation is indispensable for atherogenesis. Mitophagy has emerged as a potential strategy to counteract NLRP3 inflammasome activation triggered by impaired mitochondria. Our previous research has indicated that dihydromyricetin, a natural flavonoid, can mitigate NLRP3-mediated endothelial inflammation, suggesting its potential to treat atherosclerosis. However, the precise underlying mechanisms remain elusive. This study sought to investigate whether dihydromyricetin modulates endothelial mitophagy and inhibits NLRP3 inflammasome activation to alleviate atherogenesis, along with the specific mechanisms involved. Methods Apolipoprotein E-deficient mice on a high-fat diet were administered daily oral gavages of dihydromyricetin for 14 weeks. Blood samples were procured to determine the serum lipid profiles and quantify proinflammatory cytokine concentrations. Aortas were harvested to evaluate atherosclerotic plaque formation and NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Concurrently, in human umbilical vein endothelial cells, Western blotting, flow cytometry, and quantitative real-time PCR were employed to elucidate the mechanistic role of mitophagy in the modulation of NLRP3 inflammasome activation by dihydromyricetin. Results Dihydromyricetin administration significantly attenuated NLRP3 inflammasome activation and vascular inflammation in mice on a high-fat diet, thereby exerting a pronounced inhibitory effect on atherogenesis. Both in vivo and in vitro, dihydromyricetin treatment markedly enhanced mitophagy. This enhancement in mitophagy ameliorated the mitochondrial damage instigated by saturated fatty acids, thereby inhibiting the activation and nuclear translocation of NF-κB. Consequently, concomitant reductions in the transcript levels of NLRP3 and interleukin-1β (IL-1β), alongside decreased activation of NLRP3 inflammasome and IL-1β secretion, were discerned. Notably, the inhibitory effects of dihydromyricetin on the activation of NF-κB and subsequently the NLRP3 inflammasome were determined to be, at least in part, contingent upon its capacity to promote mitophagy. Conclusion This study suggested that dihydromyricetin may function as a modulator to promote mitophagy, which in turn mitigates NF-κB activity and subsequent NLRP3 inflammasome activation, thereby conferring protection against atherosclerosis.

Abstract Background Microbiological diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) is hampered by a low pathogen burden, low compliance and unreliable sputum sampling. Although endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchoscopic lung biopsy (EBUS-TBLB) has been found to be useful for the assessment of intrapulmonary nodules in adults, few data are available for the clinical diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis. Here, we evaluated EBUS-TBLB as a diagnostic procedure in adult patients with radiologically suspected intrapulmonary tuberculous nodules. Methods This was a retrospective analysis of patients admitted with pulmonary nodules between January 2022 and January 2023 at Hangzhou Red Cross Hospital. All patients underwent EBUS-TBLB, and lung biopsy samples were obtained during hospitalization. All samples were tested for Mycobacterium tuberculosis using acid‒fast smears, Bactec MGIT 960, Xpert MTB/RIF, next-generation sequencing (NGS), and DNA (TB‒DNA) and RNA (TB‒RNA). The concordance between different diagnostic methods and clinical diagnosis was analysed via kappa concordance analysis. The diagnostic efficacy of different diagnostic methods for PTB was analysed via ROC curve. Results A total of 107 patients were included in this study. Among them, 86 patients were diagnosed by EBUS-TBLB, and the overall diagnostic rate was 80.37%. In addition, 102 enrolled patients had benign lesions, and only 5 were diagnosed with lung tumours. Univariate analysis revealed that the diagnostic rate of EBUS-TBLB in pulmonary nodules was related to the location of the probe. The consistency analysis and ROC curve analysis revealed that NGS had the highest concordance with the clinical diagnosis results (agreement = 78.50%, κ = 0.558) and had the highest diagnostic efficacy for PTB (AUC = 0.778). In addition, Xpert MTB/RIF + NGS had the highest concordance with the clinical diagnosis results (agreement = 84.11%, κ = 0.667) and had the highest efficacy in the diagnosis of PTB (AUC = 0.826). Conclusion EBUS-TBLB is a sensitive and safe method for the diagnosis of pathological pulmonary nodules. Xpert MTB/RIF combined with NGS had the highest diagnostic efficacy and can be used in the initial diagnosis of PTB.

Abstract With an increasing affinity towards patient‐centric care, sharing real‐time sensitive data for collaboration between multiple parties with finer access control becomes critical. Most existing studies based on the blockchain technology in the medical field discuss various application scenarios and security aspects, without focusing on data ownership, secure data sharing, or finer access control. In this work, a non‐fungible token (NFT)‐based system is proposed to implement a health record marketplace. The system leverages the NFT technology to provide dual ownership along with finer access control and efficiency in data sharing. The advantage of permissioned blockchain along with InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) are taken for off‐chain data storage to improve security and efficiency. Because price determination is critical in the market, Stackelberg game theory is utilized to determine pricing strategies for both data owners and consumers. Also, to efficiently achieve finer access control, a popularity‐based adaptive NFT management scheme using reinforcement learning is proposed. Simulation experiments are carried out to demonstrate accuracy and efficiency of our proposed schemes.

Cerebral veins are responsible for the outflow drainage of brain interstitial fluid (ISF). The importance of cerebral venous drainage has been emphasized in various neurological diseases. Impaired venous outflow may lead to brain edema, blood–brain barrier (BBB) disruption, inflammatory responses and hemorrhagic complications. With the development of imaging technologies, several imaging-based signs for venous assessment are proposed. Therapies targeting cerebral venous drainage have shown beneficial outcomes in cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) in clinic, however more insight into the cellular and molecular level should be elucidated. Here we review the pathological changes following cerebral venous drainage impairment, summary the advances in image-based evaluation, address the potential molecular mechanisms, and discuss venous drainage-focused therapies. A better understanding of cerebral venous drainage and its underlying mechanism will promote the pharmacological development and clinical management of CVST.

BackgroundsDupilumab has demonstrated remarkable efficacy and safety in clinical trials for moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD). However, long-term real-world evidence, especially in the Chinese population, remains limited.ObjectiveTo investigate the long-term efficacy and safety of dupilumab for moderate-to-severe AD in a real-world clinical setting in China and analyze factors that may influence its long-term treatment outcomes.MethodsThis prospective, observational real-world study included moderate-to-severe AD patients from the AD cohort of the dermatology department of Chongqing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine who received dupilumab treatment for≥52 weeks. Efficacy and adverse events were assessed at baseline, weeks 4, 16, 24, and 52. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictive factors for achieving EASI 50 and EASI 75 at week 52.ResultsA total of 124 patients were included. At week 52, EASI, SCORAD, IGA, NRS, and DLQI scores were significantly improved compared to baseline. The proportions of patients achieving EASI-50/75 were 50.81%/29.84%, 72.58%/42.74%, 75%/53.23%, and 67.74%/41.94% at weeks 4, 16, 24 and 52, respectively. Female sex, absence of atopic comorbidities, higher baseline EASI, and medication compliance were positive predictive factors for 52-week EASI-50/75. Eosinophil elevation predicted lower EASI-50 attainment. Nineteen adverse events occurred during the 52-week period (incidence rate: 14.52%), mostly mild and manageable.ConclusionsDupilumab demonstrated significant efficacy and a low incidence of adverse events over 52 weeks in Chinese patients with moderate-to-severe AD, making it an effective and safe long-term treatment option. Predictive factors were identified to guide treatment optimization.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the current status and trends of pressure ulcer care studies over the past two decades using bibliometric and visual analysis, with the objective of providing guidelines for the development of relevant clinical practices or further research. Methods: We conducted a search on the Web of Science Core Collection database using the subject terms “pressure ulcers” or “pressure injuries” for the period from January 2002 to December 2021. Bibliometric tools such as CiteSpace (version 5.8.R3), VOS viewer (version 1.6.17) and the R software 4.0.3 were used to visualize and analyze annual publications, country, institution, author, keyword and cited literature. Results: We identified 5102 publications related to pressure ulcers during the 20-year period, including 4034 articles published in 1557 journals. The number of annual publications on the relevant topics has been increasing annually at an annual growth rate of 4.89 %. The keyword cluster analysis of these studies can be divided into four areas: epidemiology, risk assessment, caring intervention and prognostic analysis. Keyword temporal analysis revealed that the “Braden score” was the most commonly used keyword over a long-term span. The dissemination of knowledge and student training on pressure ulcers have become hot topics of research in recent years. Additionally, pressure ulcer care in COVID-19 patients has emerged as another research hotspot due to the pandemic. Conclusion: Bibliometric analyses have shown that there has been a steady increase in research on pressure ulcer care, with studies related to pressure ulcer risk scores accounting for a large portion of this research. In recent years, education on pressure ulcer-related knowledge and pressure ulcer care in COVID-19 patients have emerged as research hotspots. Future research on pressure ulcer care in the elderly may be a research hotspot as the aging population progresses.

Abstract The aim of this study was to determine the role of lncRNA PART1 and downstream FUT6 in tumorigenesis and progression of head and neck cancer (HNC). Bioinformatics analysis and qRT-PCR revealed that lncRNA PART1 was expressed at low levels in HNC patients. The proliferation, apoptosis, migration and flow cytometry results showed that low expression of lncRNA PART1 inhibited apoptosis and promoted HNC cell migration and proliferation. In addition, animal experiments have also shown that low expression of lncRNA PART1 can promote tumor growth. LncRNA PART1 overexpression promoted apoptosis and inhibited HNC cell migration and proliferation. Through bioinformatics analysis, FUT6 was found to be expressed at low levels in HNC and to be correlated with patient survival. Immunohistochemical and qRT-PCR results revealed that FUT6 was underexpressed in tumour tissues and HNC cells. Cell and animal experiments showed that overexpression of FUT6 could inhibit tumour proliferation and migration. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that lncRNA PART1 was positively correlated with FUT6. By qRT-PCR and western blot, we observed that after knockdown of lncRNA PART1, both the mRNA and protein expression levels of FUT6 were reduced. The above results indicated that lncRNA PART1 and FUT6 play an important role in HNC, and that lncRNA PART1 affected the development of tumor by downstream FUT6.

Abstract Rice blast, caused by Magnaporthe oryzae (M. oryzae), is one of the most common and damaging diseases of rice that limits rice yield and quality. The mediator complex plays a vital role in promoting transcription by bridging specific transcription factors and RNA polymerase II. Here, we show that the rice mediator subunit OsMED16 is essential for full induction of the diterpenoid phytoalexin biosynthesis genes and resistance to the ascomycetous fungus M. oryzae. Mutants of Osmed16 show reduced expression of the DP biosynthesis genes and are markedly more susceptible to M. oryzae, while transgenic plants overexpressing OsMED16 increased the expression of the DP biosynthesis genes and significantly enhanced resistance to M. oryzae. Interestingly, OsMED16 is physically associated with the WRKY family transcription factor OsWRKY45, which interacts with the phytoalexin synthesis key regulator transcription factor OsWRKY62. Further, OsMED16-OsWRKY45-OsWRKY62 complex could bind to the promoter regions of phytoalexin synthesis-related genes and activate their gene expression. Our results show that OsMED16 may enhance rice tolerance to M. oryzae via directly manipulating phytoalexin de novo biosynthesis.

Abstract The surfaces of lotus leaves with micro- and nano-waxy cuticle structures are superhydrophobic and possess a self-healing ability to regain hydrophobicity after damage. Inspired by this phenomenon, the problem of water-repellent coatings used in natural environments failing to perform after damage can be solved if these coatings are endowed with rapid self-repair and self-growth functions. However, there has been almost no exploration into the hydrophobicity self-repair process in lotus leaves. The changes in surface morphology during the hydrophobicity recovery process are not understood. There is a lack of research on the hydrophobicity recovery in lotus leaves. In this study, the damage and recovery experiments on lotus leaf surfaces were carried out in an artificial climate chamber, and the water repellency recovery process and typical water repellency roughness parameters regained time were obtained. Upon analyzing the differences in the recovery process of different damage types, the recovery mechanism after lotus leaf surface damage was obtained. Finally, it was found that the microscopic roughness determined the static contact angle (WCA) of the lotus leaf surface, and the nanoscopic roughness determined the rolling angle (SA). The dual factors of the recovery of the extruded epidermal tissue and the regeneration of the epidermal wax crystals determined the hydrophobicity recovery process in damaged lotus leaves.

The linkage between biocides and antibiotic resistance has been widely suggested in laboratories and various environments. However, the action mechanism of biocides on antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) spread is still unclear. Thus, 6 quaternary ammonium biocides (QACs) with different bonded substituents or alkyl chain lengths were selected to assess their effects on the conjugation transfer of ARGs in this study. Two conjugation models with the same donor (E. coli DH5α (RP4)) into two receptors, E. coli MG1655 and pathogenic S. sonnei SE6-1, were constructed. All QACs were found to significantly promote intra- and inter-genus conjugative transfer of ARGs, and the frequency was highly impacted by their structure and receptors. At the same environmental exposure level (4 × 10-1 mg/L), didecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride (DDAC (C10)) promoted the most frequency of conjugative transfer, while benzathine chloride (BEC) promoted the least. With the same donor, the enhanced frequency of QACs of intra-transfer is higher than inter-transfer. Then, the acquisition mechanisms of two receptors were further determined using biochemical combined with transcriptome analysis. For the recipient E. coli, the promotion of the intragenus conjugative transfer may be associated with increased cell membrane permeability, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and proton motive force (PMF)-induced enhancement of flagellar motility. Whereas, the increase of cell membrane permeability and decreased flagellar motility due to PMF disruption but encouraged biofilm formation, maybe the main reasons for promoting intergenus conjugative transfer in the recipient S. sonnei. As one pathogenic bacterium, S. sonnei was first found to acquire ARGs by biocide exposure.

Objective This study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of nanopore sequencing for the early diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis (TBM) using cerebrospinal fluid and compared it with acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear, mycobacterial growth indicator tube culture and Xpert Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB)/rifampicin (RIF).Design Single-centre retrospective study.Setting The Tuberculosis Diagnosis and Treatment Center of Zhejiang Chinese and Western Medicine Integrated Hospital.Participants We enrolled 64 adult patients with presumptive TBM admitted to our hospital from August 2021 to August 2023.Methods We calculated the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of AFB smear, culture, Xpert MTB/RIF and nanopore sequencing to evaluate their diagnostic efficacy compared with a composite reference standard for TBM.Results Among these 64 patients, all tested negative for TBM by AFB smear. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV were 11.11%, 100%, 100% and 32.2% for culture, 13.33%, 100%, 100% and 2.76% for Xpert MTB/RIF, and 77.78%, 100%, 100% and 65.52% for nanopore sequencing, respectively.Conclusion The diagnostic accuracy of the nanopore sequencing test was significantly higher than that of conventional testing methods used to detect TBM.

BackgroundThe benefits of home enteral nutrition (HEN) are increasingly recognized, with more scholars focusing on this field. This study aimed to comprehensively identify collaborative networks, analyze, and track research trends, focus on current hotspots, and accurately predict the forefront and focus of home enteral nutrition.MethodsA computer search of the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) was conducted for studies related to home enteral nutrition published from January 1, 2004, to December 31, 2023, and select them in compliance with the PRISMA guidelines. The CiteSpace software was used for bibliometric visualization and comparative analysis of countries, institutions, journals, references, and keywords.ResultsA total of 1,113 documents were included, showing a steady annual increase in publication volume. The United States and the Mayo Clinic were the top publishing country and institution, with 302 and 41 papers, respectively. “CLIN NUTR” had the highest number of publications, totaling 221, while “ESPEN guideline on home enteral nutrition” was the most cited reference, with 43 citations. The most prolific author was Manpreet S with 29 papers.ConclusionThe management of HEN is a current research hotspot. The safety of HEN and how to improve patient compliance are critical areas for researchers to consider. Future research could focus on these aspects. The blurring of boundaries between hospital and home care and how to utilize telemedicine technologies to serve more patients deserve in-depth exploration. Researchers worldwide should combine their unique characteristics and advantages to strengthen international cooperation.

Studies have shown that a lot of traditional Chinese medicines could improve the immunity of the body. Dangdi oral liquid (DDO) was mainly composed of Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels (Danggui), Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch. (Dihuang), Achyranthes bidentata Bl. (Niuxi), Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. (Gancao). In this study, the rapid ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF/MS) method was used to identify the potentially effective compounds of DDO. Then the immune activity of DDO was measured by lymphocyte proliferation, macrophage phagocytic function, NK cell activity, delayed type hypersensitivity reaction, hemolytic plaque number, sIgA content and immune organ index. The results showed that a total of 51 compounds were identified. In addition, DDO could significantly promote the lymphocyte proliferation, improve macrophage phagocytic ability, NK cell activity, hemolytic plaque number, sIgA content and immune organ index compared with control group, and the medium dose possessed the best efficacy (P＜0.05). These results indicated that DDO could enhance the immunity of mice.

Summary: Bronchoscopic-assisted discrimination of lung tumors presents challenges, especially in cases with contraindications or inaccessible lesions. Through meta-analysis and validation using the HumanMethylation450 database, this study identified methylation markers for molecular discrimination in lung tumors and designed a sequencing panel. DNA samples from 118 bronchial washing fluid (BWF) specimens underwent enrichment via multiplex PCR before targeted methylation sequencing. The Recursive Feature Elimination Cross-Validation and deep neural network algorithm established the CanDo classification model, which incorporated 11 methylation features (including 8 specific to the TBR1 gene), demonstrating a sensitivity of 98.6% and specificity of 97.8%. In contrast, bronchoscopic rapid on-site evaluation (bronchoscopic-ROSE) had lower sensitivity (87.7%) and specificity (80%). Further validation in 33 individuals confirmed CanDo’s discriminatory potential, particularly in challenging cases for bronchoscopic-ROSE due to pathological complexity. CanDo serves as a valuable complement to bronchoscopy for the discriminatory diagnosis and stratified management of lung tumors utilizing BWF specimens.

As a climate-sensitive region， precipitation over the Qinghai-Xizang （Tibetan） Plateau significantly impacts the water cycle and the climate of East Asia.Therefore， it is important to study its changes.Precipitation is an important variable in the global hydrological cycle and one of the major climate systems affected by climate change.To investigate the ability of the global climate models to simulate precipitation over the Qinghai-Xizang （Tibetan） Plateau and examine possible changes in future precipitation under the new model and scenarios， this paper uses the latest monthly precipitation data from the 31 climate models of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project 6 （CMIP6） and the CN05.1 precipitation observation data set provided by the National Climate Center to evaluate the ability of the CMIP6 model to simulate precipitation over the Qinghai-Xizang （Tibetan） Plateau.Furthermore， better models are selected to project the future precipitation of the Qinghai-Xizang （Tibetan） Plateau under different Shared Socioeconomic Pathway （SSP） scenarios.The results show that the model distribution of observed precipitation over the Qinghai-Xizang （Tibetan） Plateau from 1995 to 2014 is characterized by a decrease from southeast to northwest and a summer precipitation concentration.Most of the models can simulate the precipitation distribution and seasonal trend， but almost all of them overestimate the precipitation phenomenon， and the average precipitation of multiple modes is 102% higher than that observed.In general， the latest model of CMIP6 has a poor ability to simulate precipitation over the Qinghai-Xizang （Tibetan） Plateau， and the average relative deviation index of the model from the observation is 102%， indicating that most of the models are not satisfactory， and EC-Earth3-Veg-LR， MPI-ESM1-2-LR， EC-Earth3-Veg， and MRI-ESM2-0 are selected as the better modes after quantitative analysis of all the models， which can roughly reflect the precipitation characteristics of the Qinghai-Xizang （Tibetan） Plateau.Climate models show the slowest increase of precipitation over the Qinghai-Xizang （Tibetan） Plateau under the SSP1-2.6 scenario and the fastest increase under SSP5-8.5.From SSP1-2.6 in the small radiative forcing scenario to SSP5-8.5 in the large scenario， the recent （from 2021 to 2040） precipitation increase on the plateau is difficult to find a large difference in each scenario， but there is a significant increase in the mid （from 2041 to 2060） and late （from 2081 to 2100） scenarios， indicating that carbon emission intensity has a small impact in the short term and a large impact in the long term.The future increase in precipitation mainly occurs in the area south of the Nianqing Tanggula Mountains， from a seasonal point of view， the summer increase is the largest， followed by spring and autumn， the smallest increase is in winter， so we should pay attention to the future summer and spring precipitation changes over the Qinghai-Xizang （Tibetan） Plateau and take coping measures.

As electric vehicles rapidly gain popularity, battery swapping stations have emerged as key infrastructure to enhance the convenience of electric vehicles. Accurately estimating the State of Charge (SOC) of batteries during the battery swapping process is critical for ensuring efficient operation and optimizing battery management. This paper proposes a digital twin framework and establishes a data-driven model for SOC estimation. The model, Ensemble Weighted Network (EWN), is embedded in the digital twin framework. It has three remarkable processes: multi-model ensemble, accuracy weight scaling, and time weight scaling. The multi-model ensemble combines five popular SOC estimating learners, to avoid the accuracy limitations of a single estimation model. The accuracy weight scaling and time weight scaling strategies are put forward to assign appropriate weights to each model, addressing significant fluctuations in estimation capability among different models across various periods. The results show the root mean square error, mean absolute error, and mean absolute percentage error of the model are less than 1.10%, 0.96%, and 1.92% respectively. Furthermore, we conduct experiments on public datasets to prove the proposed model has high estimation accuracy and robustness for different temperatures and battery types. Finally, the visualization of the digital twin is built, allowing operators to monitor and manage the batteries.

Abnormal heating will reduce the insulation performance of composite insulators or even cause insulator fracture, and the abnormal heating phenomenon is more serious under high-humidity conditions. Therefore, in this paper, the voltage withstand test of abnormal heating composite insulators caused by aging and damp sheath, decay-like core rod, and contamination were carried out under different ambient humidity. The heating and discharge of composite insulators were observed by infrared thermal imager and ultraviolet imager, and its temperature characteristics were analyzed from the aspects of heating range, heating shape, and temperature difference. In addition, in order to study the abnormal heating mechanism of composite insulators, the micro-morphology, chemical groups and dielectric properties of the silicon rubber of composite insulators with aging and damp sheath and the decay-like core rod were also measured. It is found that the temperature characteristics of the three types of abnormal heating composite insulators are different, and the temperature difference increases with the increase of humidity. The deterioration of silicone rubber and core rod material is the internal reason for the abnormal heating of composite insulators, and high-humidity conditions will exacerbate the heating phenomenon.

Background/Objectives: Physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) absorption models are instrumental for assessing drug absorption prior to clinical food effect studies, though discrepancies in predictive and actual outcomes are observed. This study focused on immediate release formulations of weakly basic water-insoluble compounds, namely rivaroxaban, ticagrelor, and PB-201, to investigate factors that could improve the predictive accuracy of PBPK models regarding food effects. Methods: Comprehensive in vitro experimental results provided the basis for the development of mechanistic absorption models, which were then combined with mechanistic disposition models to predict the systemic exposure of the model drugs in both fasted and fed states. Results: The developed PBPK models showed moderate to high predictive accuracy for food effects in Caucasian populations. For the Chinese population, the ticagrelor model’s initial overestimation of fed-state absorption was addressed by updating the permeability parameters from Caco-2 cell assays to those derived from parallel artificial membrane permeability assays in FaSSIF and FeSSIF media. This refinement was also applied to the rivaroxaban and ticagrelor models, leading to a more accurate representation of absorption in Caucasians. Conclusions: This study highlights the importance of apparent permeability in enhancing the predictive accuracy of PBPK absorption models for weakly basic water-insoluble compounds. Furthermore, the precipitation of PB-201 in the two-stage transfer experiments suggests that precipitation may not be a universal phenomenon for such compounds in vivo. Consequently, the precipitation rate constant, a theoretically essential parameter, should be determined based on experimental evidence to avoid overparameterization and ensure robust predictive accuracy of PBPK models.

The development and utilization of clean energy is becoming more extensive, and wind power generation is one of the key points of this. Occasionally, wind turbines are faced with various extreme environmental impacts such as icing, lightning strikes and so on. In particular, the icing of wind turbines increases icing–wind loads, and results in a reduced power output. And blades broken down lead to large-area shutdown accidents caused by high-speed rotating, which seriously affects the reliability and equipment safety of wind power generation. Relevant institutions and researchers at home and abroad have carried out a lot of research on this. This paper summarizes the formation and influencing factors of wind turbine icing, the influence of icing on wind power generation, and defense technologies. First, it introduces the formation conditions and mechanisms of icing in wind farm regions and the relationship between meteorological and climatic characteristics and icing, and analyzes the key influence factors on icing. Then, the impact of icing on wind turbines is explained from the aspects of mechanical operation, the power curve, jeopardies and economic benefits. And then the monitoring and safety status of wind turbines icing is analyzed, which involves collecting the relevant research on anti-de-icing in wind power generation, introducing various anti/de-icing technologies, and analyzing the principle of icing defense. Finally, this paper summarizes wind turbine icing and its defense technologies, and puts forward the future research direction based on the existing problems of wind power generation icing.

Killer cell lectin-like receptor G1 (KLRG1) has traditionally been regarded as an inhibitory receptor of T cell exhaustion in chronic infection and inflammation. However, its exact role in hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains elusive. CD8+ T cells from 190 patients with chronic hepatitis B were analyzed ex vivo for checkpoint and apoptosis markers, transcription factors, cytokines and subtypes in 190 patients with chronic hepatitis B. KLRG1+ and KLRG1- CD8+ T cells were sorted for transcriptome analysis. The impact of the KLRG1-E-cadherin pathway on the suppression of HBV replication mediated by virus-specific T cells was validated in vitro. As expected, HBV-specific CD8+ T cells expressed higher levels of KLRG1 and showed an exhausted molecular phenotype and function. However, despite being enriched for the inhibitory molecules, thymocyte selection-associated high mobility group box protein (TOX), eomesodermin (EOMES), and Helios, CD8+ T cells expressing KLRG1 produced significant levels of tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interferon (IFN)-γ, perforin, and granzyme B, demonstrating not exhausted but active function. Consistent with the in vitro phenotypic assay results, RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data showed that signature effector T cell and exhausted T cell genes were enriched in KLRG1+ CD8+ T cells. Furthermore, in vitro testing confirmed that KLRG1-E-cadherin binding inhibits the antiviral efficacy of HBV-specific CD8+ T cells. Based on these findings, we concluded that KLRG1+ CD8+ T cells are not only a terminally exhausted subgroup but also exhibit functional diversity, despite inhibitory signs in HBV infection.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is one of the major clinical problems to be solved urgently, because of its high malignancy, poor targeted therapy effect and easy occurrence of drug resistance and metastasis. Here, methyltransferase DNMT1 was identified as a key factor mediating PTX resistance for TNBC. Decitabine (DEC), an inhibitor of DNMT1, can inhibit the proliferation and metastasis of TNBC cells and reverse PTX resistance. In this study, we reported a new delivery system (DEC/PTX NPs@αPD-L1) co-loaded with DEC and PTX modified by anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibody (αPD-L1), which can overcome drug resistance and metastasis through multi-mode synergistic effect. αPD-L1 increases the enrichment of nanoparticles in tumor tissue through active targeting effect, and blocks PD-L1 on the surface of TNBC cells, thereby activating anti-tumor immune while enhancing internalization of nanoparticles by tumor cells. Inside tumor cells, DEC inhibits EMT process and cancer stem cells to overcome PTX resistance and metastasis. PTX can not only exerts direct tumor killing effect, but also inhibit Treg cells from remodeling immune microenvironment, and induces efficient immunogenic death in cooperation with DEC. This delivery system, realizing tumor-specific synchronized chemoimmunotherapy, represents a promising therapeutic platform for TNBC.

3He is a splendid neutron detection material due to its high neutron reaction cross section, gaseous state, and nonelectronegative and nonpoisonous nature. With the worldwide problem of the “3He supply crisis” arising, boron-lined gaseous neutron detectors are being widely used in neutron detection to replace 3He neutron detectors. In this work, to reduce the scattering neutron background coming from the substrate of a boron-lined neutron detector in the application of neutron scattering, a new design of the boron-lined gaseous neutron detector composed of a boron-lined multichip converter and a multiwire proportional chamber was proposed. The electron drift efficiency matrix simulated by Garfield++ (Version 2023.4) and the values and positions of electron energy deposition simulated by Geant4 were obtained. The α, 7Li, and total charged particle energy deposition spectra were acquired via coupling calculations of the electron drift efficiency matrix and the values and positions of electron energy deposition, and the width of the slit was selected as 3 mm. The boron-lined multilayer converter neutron detector (BMCND) was tested using a 241Am–239Pu mixture α source, and the total count rate of α charged particles was measured as 599.5 s−1, which is 89% of the theoretical α particle emission rate of 672.9 s−1. The drift voltage experiments showed that 1200 V is enough to acquire a relatively ideal count, and a 2500 V drift voltage was confirmed, considering the higher count and instrument safety. We also performed the neutron detection experiments using a photo-neutron source, and a characteristic spectrum shape of “two stairs” was measured. When borated polyethylene was used to shield the BMCND, the detected total count decreased while keeping the characteristic spectrum shape, demonstrating that the BMCND was equipped with the ability to detect neurons, indicating that BMCNDs have the potential to be an outstanding 3He alternative neutron detector.

Objective: University and college counseling centers (UCCCs) are a front-line support for the mental health needs of autistic students, though little is known about clinician attitudes, comfort level, and training in autism. Participants: 89 UCCC clinicians were recruited via email listservs. Methods: The authors developed a survey which assessed attitudes, comfort level, and training in autism. Results: The majority of clinicians (82.0%, n=73) had interacted with autistic students in the past year, and reported high levels of comfort with treating anxiety and depression. However, a smaller number reported confidence in their ability to diagnose autism. Training on autism emerged as an important deficit, as 31.5% of the clinicians denied receiving training either in their educational program or the UCCC. Conclusions: In this pilot study, clinicians reported a discrepancy between self-reported levels of comfort with autistic college students and past training, highlighting continuing education as an important area for future intervention.

The lot-sizing problem aims at determining the products to be produced and their quantities for each time period, which is a difficult problem in production planning. This problem becomes even more complicated when practical aspects such as limited production capacity, bill of materials, and item substitution are considered. In this paper, we study a new variant of the lot-sizing problem, called the multi-level capacitated lot-sizing problem with substitution and backorder. Unlike previous studies, this variant considers substitutions at both the product and component levels, which is based on the real needs of manufacturers to increase planning flexibility. Backorders are allowed, but should be delivered within a certain time limitation. We formulate this problem using a mathematical programming model. A matheuristic approach is proposed to solve the problem. This first generates an initial feasible solution using a relax-and-fix algorithm, and then improves it using a hybrid fix-and-optimise algorithm. The proposed algorithm is calibrated with a full factorial design of experiments, and its efficiency is well validated. Finally, through extensive numerical experiments, we analyse the properties of this new lot-sizing problem, such as the effect of substitution options, and the influence of backorder time limitation, and provide several useful managerial insights for manufacturing companies to save costs in production planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential of plasma cfDNA methylation patterns in reflecting tumour methylation changes, focusing on three candidate sites, cg02469161, cg11528914, and cg20131654. These sites were selected for verification, with a particular emphasis on their association with breast cancer. Methods: We conducted a comprehensive analysis of 850k whole-methylation sequencing data to identify potential markers for breast cancer detection. Subsequently, we investigated the methylation status of the genes Ran-binding protein 3 (RANBP3), Lymphocyte cytoplasmic protein 2 (LCP2), and GRB2 related adaptor protein 2 (GRAP2), situated at the specified sites, using cancer and canceradjacent tissues from 17 breast cancer patients. We also examined the methylation patterns in different molecular subtypes and pathological grades of breast cancer. Additionally, we compared the methylation levels of these genes in plasma cfDNA to their performance in tissues. Results: Our analysis revealed that RANBP3, LCP2, and GRAP2 genes exhibited significant methylation differences between cancer and cancer-adjacent tissues. In breast cancer, these genes displayed diagnostic efficiencies of 91.0%, 90.6%, and 92.2%, respectively. Notably, RANBP3 showed a tendency towards lower methylation in HR+ breast cancer, and LCP2 methylation was correlated with tumour malignancy. Importantly, the methylation levels of these three genes in plasma cfDNA closely mirrored their tissue counterparts, with diagnostic efficiencies of 83.3%, 83.9%, and 77.6% for RANBP3, LCP2, and GRAP2, respectively. Conclusions: Our findings propose that the genes RANBP3, LCP2, and GRAP2, located at the identified methylation sites, hold significant potential as molecular markers in blood for the supplementary diagnosis of breast cancer. This study lays the groundwork for a more in-depth investigation into the changes in gene methylation patterns in circulating free DNA (cfDNA) for the early detection not only of breast cancer but also for various other types of cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wood surface defect detection poses challenges due to the diverse range of defects, making accurate localization and identification difficult. In this study, we introduce an enhanced approach for detecting flaws on wood surfaces by leveraging an augmented version of the YOLOv8s algorithm. To improve the focus on problematic target qualities, we initially constructed a HAM (hybrid attention module) structure within the Backbone. This structure incorporates spatial and channel attention techniques, enhancing the ability to identify defects. Additionally, we enhance the feature fusion capabilities by augmenting the expansion convolution module, reducing information loss during the connection with the Neck network. This augmentation improves the target receptive field, ensuring critical information preservation for effective diagnosis of wood surface defects. Furthermore, we introduce ghost convolution to enhance feature expression while minimizing the number of parameters. This approach optimizes the model's overall performance. Through extensive testing, our proposed GH-YOLOv8s model demonstrates accurate detection of five distinct types of wood surface defects, including defect types such as Live Knot, Dead Knot, Resin, Knot with crack, and Crack, achieving a mean average precision (mAP) of 98.4%. This performance surpasses the original model by 2.0% and maintains a high FPS (Frames Per Second) rate of 163.9, this means it can achieve efficient object detection in real-time scenarios. Moreover, our approach outperforms commonly used target detection methods, establishing its superiority in wood surface defect detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of global climate change has led to an increase in extreme rainfall events, causing fluctuations in terrigenic inputs that significantly affect aquatic communities. Lake Changhu, the third-largest freshwater lake in Hubei Province, plays a crucial role as a reservoir of aquatic germplasm resources in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River. In recent years, the lake has experienced a series of extreme rainfall events. In response to recent extreme rainfall events, a 42-day mesocosm experiment was conducted to understand the effect of terrigenic inputs on various aspects of phytoplankton in Lake Changhu, such as species composition, abundance, biomass, diversity, community turnover rates, resource use efficiency, and stability. The experiment involved the application of different terrigenic treatments, including a control group (CK, using lake water), low terrigenic input (LT), medium terrigenic input (MT), and high terrigenic input (HT). The results showed a noticeable shift in phytoplankton composition from a co-dominated state of Chlorophyta and Cyanobacteria in the CK treatment to a Cyanobacteria-dominated state in the other terrigenic treatments. Furthermore, the terrigenic inputs increased phytoplankton abundance, community turnover rates, diversity, and resistance. Comparatively, the diversity index of phytoplankton increased by 82.61%, 73.83%, and 70.41% in the LT, MT, and HT treatments, respectively, in contrast to the CK treatment. However, phytoplankton abundance decreased by 6.99%, 15.55%, and 14.76% in the LT, MT, and HT treatments. Additionally, the resource use efficiency decreased by 1.94%, 5.16%, and 14.19% in the LT, MT, and HT treatments, respectively, compared to the CK treatment. These findings provide valuable insights into monitoring and managing the water ecology in Lake Changhu, offering a scientific basis for implementing effective management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Inflammation underlies many conditions causing excess morbidity and mortality among people with HIV (PWH). A handful of single-trait epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS) have suggested that inflammation is associated with DNA methylation (DNAm) among PWH. Multi-trait EWAS may further improve statistical power and reveal pathways in common between different inflammatory markers. We conducted single-trait EWAS of three inflammatory markers (soluble CD14, D-dimers and interleukin-6) in the Veterans Aging Cohort Study (n = 920). The study population was all male PWH with an average age of 51 years, and 82.3% self-reported as Black. We then applied two multi-trait EWAS methods—CPASSOC and OmniTest—to combine single-trait EWAS results. CPASSOC and OmniTest identified 189 and 157 inflammation-associated DNAm sites, respectively, of which 112 overlapped. Among the identified sites, 56% were not significant in any single-trait EWAS. Top sites were mapped to inflammation-related genes including IFITM1, PARP9 and STAT1. These genes were significantly enriched in pathways such as “type I interferon signaling” and “immune response to virus.” We demonstrate that multi-trait EWAS can improve the discovery of inflammation-associated DNAm sites, genes and pathways. These DNAm sites might hold the key to addressing persistent inflammation in PWH.

Abstract Background Limited data on the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) during pregnancy on newborn outcomes are available. This study aimed to characterize and compare the clinical outcomes of newborns from women with and without the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection during late pregnancy. Method This was a retrospective cohort study of women who were either infected or not infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus during late pregnancy. The neonatal complications associated with COVID-19-positive pregnant women were investigated and analyzed. Results Among 2063 pregnant women over 28 weeks of gestation, 1.2%, 3.3%, and 18.7% of patients with multiple pregnancies, abnormal fetal positions, and lack of maternal or neonatal follow-up data, respectively, were excluded. Patients who were COVID-19-negative (60.6%) and -positive (16.2%) remained for further analysis. SARS-CoV-2 infection was significantly associated with higher SARS-CoV-2 infection rates in newborns (0% vs. 1.49%, P

Abstract Nutrition support is an important care component for patients on hemodialysis. Also, patient self-management is important to maintaining proper nutritional intake during hemodialysis. This cross-sectional study investigated the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) towards nutrition support and management among hemodialysis patients treated at the West China Hospital of Sichuan University between January and March 2023. Among 445 (95.91%) valid questionnaires, 58.43% were filled out by male patients. The knowledge, attitude, and practice scores were 11.44 ± 1.80 (possible range: 0–13), 30.29 ± 3.22 (possible range: 8–40), and 31.27 ± 5.67 (possible range: 8–40), respectively. Age > 60 years (OR = 0.487, 95%CI: 0.260–0.913, P = 0.025) and junior college or undergraduate or above (OR = 2.606, 95%CI: 1.621–4.189, P

Abstract Introduction This study analyzed and discussed the characteristics of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) in patients with endometrial carcinoma (EC) to explore the PBLs’ clinical application value. Methods This single-center case‒control study analyzed the clinical data of patients with EC and uterine fibroids who underwent surgery at the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University between October 2018 and October 2023 retrospectively. The Center for Clinical Molecular Medical Detection of our hospital performed PBLs detection using flow cytometry, and recorded the detection results in the electronic medical records system. Between-group and subgroup comparisons of PBLs in patients with EC were analyzed using t-test or Mann–Whitney U test. The effect of surgery on PBLs in patients with EC was assessed using a paired t-test or the Wilcoxon signed rank test. Results The immune function of patients with EC was significantly lower than that of healthy people (P < 0.05) and those with benign uterine diseases (P < 0.05) and was related to body mass index (BMI), hypertension, diabetes, and blood lipids (P < 0.05). In patients with EC, the PBLs counts decreased significantly after surgery (P < 0.05) and more kinds of lymphocytes were affected in the laparoscopic surgery group than in the open surgery group. Conclusions With the decrease of PBLs counts, the immune status of patients with EC is impaired. Metabolic syndrome (Mets), including obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and high blood lipids, also affects the immune function of patients with EC. And for EC patients, the effect of laparoscopic surgery is greater than that of open surgery. PBLs has the potential to be one of indicator during the diagnosis and treatment of EC. Trial registration This study was retrospectively registered by the Ethics Committee of the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University (approval number K2023-578).

ObjectiveTo construct an early warning model of maintenance hemodialysis （MHD） capacity overload based upon basic dialysis data, ultrasound and routine blood biochemistry and examine its clinical effectiveness. Methods From January 2023 to December 2023, 603 patients on MHD were retrospectively reviewed. They were assigned into two sets of modeling （n = 402） and validation （n = 201） according to a ratio of 2:1. The relevant clinical were collected. And the influencing factors of MHD capacity overload in modeling set were analyzed by univariate and LASSO-Logistic regression. The risk prediction nomogram model was constructed. And consistency index, calibration curve, receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curve and decision curve were utilized for verifying the prediction model internally and externally. Results Serum albumin, Kt/V, RRF and left ventricular ejection fraction （LVEF） in overload group were lower than those in normal group. NT-proBNP, ultrasonic lung B-line and right atrial diameter were higher than those in normal group （P＜0.05）. LASSO results indicated that serum albumin, Kt/V, RRF, LVEF, NT-proBNP, ultrasonic lung B-line and right atrial internal diameter were Top 7 characteristic variables of volume overload in MHD. Logistic regression results revealed that Kt/V, serum albumin, RRF and LVEF were the protective factors for MHD volume overload. And NT-proBNP, ultrasonic lung B-line and right atrial diameter were the risk factors for MHD volume overload （P＜0.05）. The risk prediction nomogram model of capacity overload was constructed according to the influencing factors of Logistic regression. Consistency index in modeling and validation sets was 0.860 and 0.814, respectively. Calibration curve showed that the incidence of MHD capacity overload predicted by the model in modeling and validation sets was basically consistent with the actual incidence. ROC curve indicated that the area under the curve as predicted by the model in modeling and validation sets was 0.917（95%CI: 0.886-0.948） and 0.916（95%CI: 0.869-0.962）. Decision curve revealed that when the high-risk threshold of modeling set was 0-0.7 and the high risk threshold of validation set 0-0.7. The model had an excellent clinical net benefit. Conclusion In MHD patients, the occurrence of volume overload is affected by serum albumin, Kt/V, RRF, LVEF, NT-proBNP, ultrasonic lung B-line and right atrial diameter. The early warning model built according to the factors related to volume overload has excellent predictive capability and clinical benefit.

Abstract Broadening gene therapy applications requires manufacturable vectors that efficiently transduce target cells in humans and preclinical models. Conventional selections of adeno-associated virus (AAV) capsid libraries are inefficient at searching the vast sequence space for the small fraction of vectors possessing multiple traits essential for clinical translation. Here, we present Fit4Function, a generalizable machine learning (ML) approach for systematically engineering multi-trait AAV capsids. By leveraging a capsid library that uniformly samples the manufacturable sequence space, reproducible screening data are generated to train accurate sequence-to-function models. Combining six models, we designed a multi-trait (liver-targeted, manufacturable) capsid library and validated 88% of library variants on all six predetermined criteria. Furthermore, the models, trained only on mouse in vivo and human in vitro Fit4Function data, accurately predicted AAV capsid variant biodistribution in macaque. Top candidates exhibited production yields comparable to AAV9, efficient murine liver transduction, up to 1000-fold greater human hepatocyte transduction, and increased enrichment relative to AAV9 in a screen for liver transduction in macaques. The Fit4Function strategy ultimately makes it possible to predict cross-species traits of peptide-modified AAV capsids and is a critical step toward assembling an ML atlas that predicts AAV capsid performance across dozens of traits.

ObjectiveRice plays a crucial role in daily diet. The rice industry involves numerous links, from paddy planting to the consumer's table, and the integrity of the quality control data chain directly affects the credibility of rice quality control and traceability information. The process of rice traceability also faces security issues, such as the leakage of privacy information, which need immediate solutions. Additionally, the previous practice of uploading all information onto the blockchain leads to high storage costs and low system efficiency. To address these problems, this study proposed a differential privacy-enhanced blockchain-based quality control model for rice, providing new ideas and solutions to optimize the traditional quality regulation and traceability system.MethodsBy exploring technologies of blockchain, interplanetary file system (IPFS), and incorporating differential privacy techniques, a blockchain-based quality control model for rice with differential privacy enhancement was constructed. Firstly, the data transmission process was designed to cover the whole industry chain of rice, including cultivation, acquisition, processing, warehousing, and sales. Each module stored the relevant data and a unique number from the previous link, forming a reliable information chain and ensuring the continuity of the data chain for quality control. Secondly, to address the issue of large data volume and low efficiency of blockchain storage, the key quality control data of each link in the rice industry chain was stored in the IPFS. Subsequently, the hash value of the stored data was returned and recorded on the blockchain. Lastly, to enhance the traceability of the quality control model information, the sensitive information in the key quality control data related to the cultivation process was presented to users after undergoing differential privacy processing. Individual data was obfuscated to increase the credibility of the quality control information while also protecting the privacy of farmers' cultivation practices. Based on this model, a differential privacy-enhanced blockchain-based quality control system for rice was designed.Results and DiscussionsThe architecture of the differential privacy-enhanced blockchain-based quality control system for rice consisted of the physical layer, transport layer, storage layer, service layer, and application layer. The physical layer included sensor devices and network infrastructure, ensuring data collection from all links of the industry chain. The transport layer handled data transmission and communication, securely uploading collected data to the cloud. The storage layer utilized a combination of traditional databases, IPFS, and blockchain to efficiently store and manage key data on and off the blockchain. The traditional database was used for the management and querying of structured data. IPFS stored the key quality control data in the whole industry chain, while blockchain was employed to store the hash values returned by IPFS. This integrated storage method improved system efficiency, ensured the continuity, reliability, and traceability of quality control data, and provided consumers with reliable information. The service layer was primarily responsible for handling business logic and providing functional services. The implementation of functions in the application layer relied heavily on the design of a series of interfaces within the service layer. Positioned at the top of the system architecture, the application layer was responsible for providing user-centric functionality and interfaces. This encompassed a range of applications such as web applications and mobile applications, aiming to present data and facilitate interactive features to fulfill the requirements of both consumers and businesses. Based on the conducted tests, the average time required for storing data in a single link of the whole industry chain within the system was 1.125 s. The average time consumed for information traceability query was recorded as 0.691 s. Compared to conventional rice quality regulation and traceability systems, the proposed system demonstrated a reduction of 6.64% in the storage time of single-link data and a decrease of 16.44% in the time required to perform information traceability query.ConclusionsThis study proposes a differential privacy-enhanced blockchain-based quality control model for rice. The model ensures the continuity of the quality control data chain by integrating the various links of the whole industry chain of rice. By combining blockchain with IPFS storage, the model addresses the challenges of large data volume and low efficiency of blockchain storage in traditional systems. Furthermore, the model incorporates differential privacy protection to enhance traceability while safeguarding the privacy of individual farmers. This study can provide reference for the design and improvement of rice quality regulation and traceability systems.