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V and Cr bimetals are utilized as interlayers in the vacuum diffusion bonding of TA2 Ti and 20# steel to prevent the formation of Ti–Fe intermetallic compounds and improve the interface compatibility. The microstructure and mechanical properties of the diffusion-bonded joints are investigated using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy combined with energy dispersive spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, nanoindentation, and tensile testing. The results indicate that the V/Cr bimetallic interlayer effectively inhibits the formation of Ti–Fe intermetallic compounds, with solid solutions without these compounds present at the Ti/V and steel/Cr interfaces. However, a 1–3-μm-thick continuous, hard, brittle vanadium carbide layer with hardness and elastic modulus value of 6.66 GPa and 201.55 GPa is unexpectedly discovered at the interface between V and Cr. The fracture morphology analysis reveals that the continuous carbide layer at the V/Cr interface is the primary cause of joint failure. The tensile strength of the joint remains relatively stable with an increase in the bonding temperature, whereas the elongation gradually decreases. A maximum tensile strength of 252 MPa is achieved with an elongation of 4.3%.

Maize (Zea mays L.) is an economically vital grain crop that is cultivated worldwide. In 2011, a maize foliar disease was detected in Lingtai and Lintao counties in Gansu Province, China. The characteristic signs and symptoms of this disease include irregular chlorotic lesions on the tips and edges of infected leaves and black punctate fruiting bodies in dead leaf tissues. Given favourable environmental conditions, this disease spread to areas surrounding Gansu. In this study, infected leaves were collected from Gansu and Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region between 2018 and 2020 to identify the disease-causing pathogen. Based on morphological features, pathogenicity tests, and multi-locus phylogenetic analysis involving internal transcribed spacer (ITS), 18S small subunit rDNA (SSU), 28S large subunit rDNA (LSU), translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF), and β-tubulin (TUB) sequences, Eutiarosporella dactylidis was identified as the causative pathogen of this newly discovered leaf blight. Furthermore, an in vitro bioassay was conducted on representative strains using six fungicides, and both fludioxonil and carbendazim were found to significantly inhibit the mycelial growth of E. dactylidis. The results of this study provide a reference for the detection and management of Eutiarosporella leaf blight.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the most common age-related neurodegenerative diseases and the most devastating form of senile dementia. It has a complex mechanism and no effective treatment. Exploring the pathogenesis of AD and providing ideas for treatment can effectively improve the prognosis of AD. Microglia were incubated with β-amyloid protein 1-42 (Aβ1-42) to construct an AD cell model. After microglia were activated, cell morphology changed, the expression level of inflammatory factors increased, cell apoptosis was promoted, and the expression of microtubule-associated protein (Tau protein) and related proteins increased. By up-regulating and down-regulating Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), the cells were divided into TLR4 knockdown negative control group(Lv-NC group), TLR4 knockdown group(Lv-TLR4 group), TLR4 overexpression negative control group(Sh-NC group), and TLR4 overexpression group(Sh-TLR4 group). The expression of inflammatory factors was detected again. It was found that compared with the Lv-NC group, the expression of various inflammatory factors in the Lv-TLR4 group decreased, cell apoptosis was inhibited, and the expression of Tau protein and related proteins decreased. Compared with the Sh-NC group, the expression of inflammatory factors in the Sh-TLR4 group increased, cell apoptosis was promoted, and the expression of Tau protein and related proteins increased. These results indicate that Aβ1-42 may promote microglial activation and apoptosis by binding to TLR4. Reducing the expression of TLR4 can reduce the occurrence of inflammatory response in AD cells and slow down cell apoptosis. Therefore, TLR4 is expected to become a new target for the prevention and treatment of AD.

Clostridium ramosum is an uncommon Clostridium but is one of the essential anaerobic bacteria that makes up the intestinal microbiota. A highly variable body temperature, the white blood cell count, or an elusory prognosis can reflect Clostridium ramosum infection, especially in patients with Fournier's gangrene. Fournier's gangrene is a rare soft-tissue infection with necrosis that occurs mainly in the perianal and genital regions, males being more susceptible. Here, we report a 70-year-old Chinese man with Fournier's gangrene and high levels interleukins who suffered from Clostridium ramosum infection, identified and verified by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and 16S rRNA sequencing. Fournier's gangrene severity index (FGSI) of the patient was measured once the patient was admitted to hospital. His FGSI was 6, indicating no abnormal condition. He had abnormally high interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and IL-10 levels, associated with severe inflammatory conditions. Despite the patient's resuscitation and standardized treatment with antimicrobial drugs, the symptoms did not improve. The patient's condition deteriorated, and he died on hospitalization day 5. Abnormally elevated IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10 levels were a novel finding in a case of Clostridium ramosum infection, leading to Fournier's gangrene. In the present case, a perianal abscess was the predisposing condition for Fournier's gangrene. Close attention should be paid to the isolation and identification of pathogenic Clostridium ramosum during the bacteriological examination of patients with perianal abscesses. IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10 may be critical biomarkers that supplement the FGSI for diagnosing Clostridium ramosum infection leading to Fournier's gangrene in immunosuppressed persons.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) stands as the most prevalent neurodegenerative condition worldwide, and its correlation with microglial function is notably significant. Dl-3-n-butylphthalide (NBP), derived from the seeds of Apium graveolens L. (Chinese celery), has demonstrated the capacity to diminish Aβ levels in the brain tissue of Alzheimer’s transgenic mice. Despite this, its connection to neuroinflammation and microglial phagocytosis, along with the specific molecular mechanism involved, remains undefined. In this study, NBP treatment exhibited a substantial improvement in learning deficits observed in AD transgenic mice (APP/PS1 transgenic mice). Furthermore, NBP treatment significantly mitigated the total cerebral Aβ plaque deposition. This effect was attributed to the heightened presence of activated microglia surrounding Aβ plaques and an increase in microglial phagocytosis of Aβ plaques. Transcriptome sequencing analysis unveiled the potential involvement of the AGE (advanced glycation end products) -RAGE (receptor for AGE) signaling pathway in NBP’s impact on APP/PS1 mice. Subsequent investigation disclosed a reduction in the secretion of AGEs, RAGE, and proinflammatory factors within the hippocampus and cortex of NBP-treated APP/PS1 mice. In summary, NBP alleviates cognitive impairment by augmenting the number of activated microglia around Aβ plaques and ameliorating AGE-RAGE-mediated neuroinflammation. These findings underscore the related mechanism of the crucial neuroprotective roles of microglial phagocytosis and anti-inflammation in NBP treatment for AD, offering a potential therapeutic target for the disease.

Background: In recent years, research on exosomal miRNAs has provided new insights into exploring the mechanism of viral infection and disease prevention. This study aimed to investigate the serum exosomal miRNA expression profile of dengue-infected individuals through a community survey of dengue virus (DENV) infection. Methods: A seroprevalence study of 1253 healthy persons was first conducted to ascertain the DENV infection status in Baiyun District, Guangzhou. A total of 18 serum samples, including 6 healthy controls (HC), 6 asymptomatic DENV infections (AsymptDI), and 6 confirmed dengue fever patients (AcuteDI), were collected for exosome isolation and then sRNA sequencing. Through bioinformatics analysis, we discovered distinct serum exosomal miRNA profiles among the different groups and identified differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs). These findings were further validated by qRT-PCR. Results: The community survey of DENV infection indicated that the DENV IgG antibody positivity rate among the population was 11.97 % in the study area, with asymptomatic infected individuals accounting for 93.06 % of the anti-DENV IgG positives. The age and Guangzhou household registration were associated with DENV IgG antibody positivity by logistic regression analysis. Distinct miRNA profiles were observed between healthy individuals and DENV infections. A total of 1854 miRNAs were identified in 18 serum exosome samples from the initial analysis of the sequencing data. Comparative analysis revealed 23 DEMs comprising 5 upregulated and 18 downregulated miRNAs in the DENV-infected group (mergedDI). In comparison to AcuteDI, 18 upregulated miRNAs were identified in AsymptDI. Moreover, functional enrichment of the predicted target genes of DEMs indicated that these miRNAs were involved in biological processes and pathways related to cell adhesion, focal adhesion, endocytosis, and ECM-receptor interaction. Eight DEMs were validated by qRT-PCR. Conclusion: The Baiyun District of Guangzhou exhibits a notable proportion of asymptomatic DENV infections as suggested in other research, highlighting the need for enhanced monitoring and screening of asymptomatic persons and the elderly. Differential miRNA expression among healthy, symptomatic and asymptomatic DENV-infected individuals suggests their potential as biomarkers for distinguishing DENV infection and offers new avenues of investigating the mechanisms underlying DENV asymptomatic infections.

Summary: Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has posed substantial morbidity and mortality burden to young children and older adults globally. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was reported to have altered RSV epidemiology and could have important implications for RSV prevention and control strategies. We aimed to compare RSV epidemiology in different phases of the COVID-19 pandemic with the pre-pandemic period by leveraging epidemiological, molecular, and serological data collected from a prospective respiratory pathogen surveillance and serology study. Methods: This study was based on the data during July 1, 2015 to November 30, 2023 from the Respiratory Pathogen Surveillance System (RPSS), a sentinel-hospital based surveillance system of acute respiratory infections consisting of 35 hospitals that represent residents of all ages from all 16 districts in Beijing, China. RSV infection status was tested by RT-PCR and gene sequencing and phylogenetic analysis was conducted among the identified RSV strains. We further supplemented RPSS data with three serology surveys conducted during 2017–2023 that tested RSV IgG levels from serum specimens. RSV detection rate was calculated by calendar month and compared across RSV seasons (defined as the July 1 through June 30 of the following year). RSV IgG positivity proportion was calculated by quarter of the year and was correlated with quarterly aggregated RSV detection rate for understanding the relationship between infection and immunity at the population level. Findings: Overall, a total of 52,931 respiratory specimens were collected and tested over the study period. RSV detection rates ranged from 1.24% (94/7594) in the 2017–2018 season to 2.80% (219/7824) in the 2018–2019 season, and from 1.06% (55/5165) in the 2022–2023 season to 2.98% (147/4938) in the 2021–2022 season during the pre-pandemic and pandemic period, respectively. ON1 and BA9 remained the predominant genotypes during the pandemic period; no novel RSV strains were identified. RSV circulation followed a winter-months seasonal pattern in most seasons. One exception was the 2020–2021 season when an extensive year-round circulation was observed, possibly associated with partial relaxation of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs). The other exception was the 2022–2023 season when very low RSV activity was observed during the usual winter months (possibly due to the concurrent local COVID-19 epidemic), and followed by an out-of-season resurgence in the spring, with RSV detection persisting to the end of the study period (November 2023). During the two seasons above, we noted an age-group related asynchrony in the RSV detection rate; the RSV detection rate in young children remained similar (or even increased with borderline significance; 43/594, 7.24%, and 42/556, 7.55% vs 292/5293, 5.52%; P = 0.10 and P = 0.06, respectively) compared with the pre-pandemic seasons whereas the detection rate in older adults decreased significantly (8/1779, 0.45%, and 3/2021, 0.15% vs 160/10,348, 1.55%; P

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is associated with high morbidity and mortality globally. tRNA-derived small RNAs (tsRNAs) have emerged as potential targets for cancer treatment. However, the specific impact of tsRNAs on HCC remains undiscovered. In this study, we aimed to investigate the biological significance of tsRNAs in HCC. First, we screened the differentially expressed tsRNAs in HCC tissues and normal tissues adjacent to the tumor (NAT) using high-throughput sequencing and the results showed that tRF-39-8HM2OSRNLNKSEKH9 was more highly expressed in HCC tissues than NATs. Agarose gel electrophoresis (AGE), nuclear-cytoplasmic separation assays and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) were employed to assess the characterization of tRF-39-8HM2OSRNLNKSEKH9. The relationship between the expression of tRF-39-8HM2OSRNLNKSEKH9 and clinicopathological parameters was evaluated and we found that it was positively associated with tumor size. The cell counting kit-8 (CCK8) assay, colony formation assay and EdU staining assay were employed to investigate the role of tRF-39-8HM2OSRNLNKSEKH9 in the proliferation of HCC cells. Additionally, transwell assays demonstrated that overexpression of tRF-39-8HM2OSRNLNKSEKH9 could accelerate cell migration capability. Taken together, tRF-39-8HM2OSRNLNKSEKH9 was highly expressed in HCC cells, serum and tissues, and it may play an oncogenic role in HCC cells through interacting with downstream mRNA targets.

The electron impact excitation process is important to investigate the ionization balance, the dynamical evolution of non-equilibrium plasmas, and the physical properties of plasmas. In dense plasmas, previous theories show that the electron impact excitation cross section is generally decreased compared with that in the case of isolated atoms or ions which applies to a dilute system. Investigations show that such decrease is caused by plasma screening. In this study, we propose a mechanism which increases the electron impact excitation cross section in dense plasmas. Due to the random collisions of the scattering electrons with other free electrons and ions in the plasma, the wavefunction of the scattering electrons can no longer be described by employing a plane wave distorted only by the scattering potential. The momentum of the scattering electrons is no longer a constant but changes with their distribution in a certain range, resulting in a phenomenon of transient spatial localization. The momentum broadening of the scattering electron is proposed to quantitatively describe such a localization. A theoretical formalism is developed to consider the transient spatial localization effect in the atomic collision theory and is applied to investigate the electron impact excitation processes of 1s2 1S0 → 1s2p 1P1o and 1s2 1S0 → 1s3p 1P1o of Si12+ embedded in dense plasmas. The results show that the calculated cross sections and rate coefficients are decreased by plasma screening, whereas their quantities are significantly increased in the dense plasmas by the transient spatial localization compared with those obtained by the isolated-atom model. These research findings provide new insight into the microscopic atomic process of the electron impact excitation and macroscopic physical properties such as the electron conductive opacity and the thermal conductivity.

Summary: The interactions between human and natural systems and their effects have unforeseen results, particularly in the management of water resources. Using water stress mitigation as an example, a water resources management effect index (WRMEI) was created to quantitatively evaluate the trends of water management effects. This revealed that the WRMEI was decreasing due to the impact of the water resources management process. The findings demonstrate that water resources management has unintended effects: there was a gap between the expectation of water stress to be mitigated and the actual results of water stress increasing. That is caused by human activities in water utilization: (1) increasing available water resources from water transfer was not utilized sparingly in the receiving cities—increased water transfers from external sources increase domestic water consumption per capita; (2) improving water efficiency has a positive effect on mitigating water stress, but the population growth decreased the efficiency. It was concluded that much greater attention needs to be paid to water conservation in residential and living use to counter these unintended water management effects.

The dual-phase AlCoCrFeNi2.1 eutectic high-entropy alloy (EHEA) presents a promising solution to the strength-ductility trade-off dilemma, making it a highly desirable option for structural materials with vast potential applications. However, the relationship between the mechanical properties and the unique as-cast heterostructures needs to be further revealed. Here, we conducted in-situ tensile experiments of the as-cast EHEA to unveil the mesoscopic/microscopic microstructural mechanisms of strength-ductility synergy via investigating the dynamic real-time plastic deformation behaviors and crystallographic information evolution, as well as characterizing the deformed microstructures via transmission electron microscopy. The results indicate that the sequential dominant heterogeneous deformation induced hardening resulting from the incompatible plastic deformation between different types of heterogeneous microstructures is the primary source of its remarkable strength-ductility synergy. Moreover, the unique elongated lamellar microstructures of the as-cast EHEA offer numerous phase boundaries, and the growth twins in the face-centered cubic (FCC) phase generate abundant twin boundaries, all of which contribute to boundary strengthening and further enhance the strength and ductility of the as-cast EHEA. Furthermore, abundant cross-slip and dislocation substructures in the FCC phase provide strain hardening for as-cast EHEA, while body-centered cubic phase contributes to the high strength through precipitation hardening. Consequently, the heterostructure induced multiple strengthening mechanisms are responsible for the high strength-ductility synergy in the as-cast EHEA. The present work provides a new perspective to explain the strength-ductility synergy of similar heterogeneous structured alloys.

ABSTRACT: The objective of this study was to determine the effect of dietary supplementation of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and n-6 PUFA on dry matter intake (DMI), energy balance, oxidative stress, and performance of transition cows. Forty-five multiparous Holstein dairy cows with similar parity, body weight (BW), body condition score (BCS), and milk yield were used in a completely randomized design during a 56-d experimental period including 28 d prepartum and 28 d postpartum. At 240 d of pregnancy, cows were randomly assigned to one of the 3 isoenergetic and isoprotein dietary treatments, including a control ration containing 1% hydrogenated fatty acid (CON), a ration with 8% extruded soybean (HN6, high n-6 PUFA source), and a ration with 3.5% extruded flaxseed (HN3; high n-3 PUFA source). The HN6 and HN3 diets had an n-6/n-3 ratio of 3.05:1 and 0.64:1 in prepartum cows and 8.16:1 and 1.59:1 in postpartum cows, respectively. During the prepartum period (3, 2, and 1 wk before calving), DMI, DMI per unit of BW, total net energy intake, and net energy balance were higher in the HN3 than in the CON and NH6 groups. During the postpartum period (2, 3, and 4 wk after calving), cows fed HN3 and HN6 diets both showed increasing DMI, DMI as a percentage of BW, and total net energy intake compared with those fed the CON diet. The BW of calves in the HN3 group was 12.91% higher than those in the CON group. Yield and nutrient composition of colostrum (first milking after calving) were not affected by HN6 or HN3 but milk yield from 1 to 4 wk of milking was significantly improved compared with CON. During the transition period, BW, BCS, and BCS changes were not affected. Cows fed the HN6 diet had a higher plasma NEFA concentration compared with the CON cows during the prepartum period. Feeding HN3 reduced the proportion of de novo fatty acids and increased the proportion of preformed long-chain fatty acids in regular milk. In addition, the n-3 PUFA-enriched diet reduced the n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio in milk. In conclusion, increasing the n-3 fatty acids concentration in the diet increased both DMI during the transition period and milk production after calving, and supplementing n-3 fatty acids was more effective in mitigating the net energy balance after calving.

Understanding the evolution of Fe–containing intermetallic compounds (Fe–IMCs) in Al–Si–Mg alloys is essential for improving the mechanical performances. This paper aims to systemically evaluate the influences of both the single addition of Mn or Mo, and the combined additions of Mn and Mo on the evolution of Fe–IMCs and mechanical performances of Al–Si–Mg cast alloys. Results reveal that the as–cast microstructures of these alloys are primarily composed of Al3M (M means Ti, Zr, or TiZr), α–Al, eutectic Si, Mg2Si, Q–Al5Cu2Mg8Si6, and some irregular Fe–IMCs. It is clear that the morphology and size of Fe–IMCs are significantly affected by the single or combined addition of Mn and Mo. Moderate Mn content facilitates the formation of Chinese script–like α–Al(FeMn)Si phases that are favorable to the mechanical properties. The combined addition of Mn and Mo refines the α–Al(FeMn)Si phases and promotes the formation of Chinese script–like α–Al(FeMnMo)Si phases. Furthermore, as the Mo level increases, β–AlFeSi, π–Al8FeMg3Si6, and α–Al(FeMn)Si disappear successively, which also helps improve the mechanical performances. In this article, maximum hardness, ultimate tensile strength, yield strength and elongation of 87.04 HV, 275.34 MPa, 139.70 MPa, 7.88% are obtained when Fe, Mn and Mo are added at 0.20wt.%, 0.02wt.%, and 0.27wt.%, respectively. The purpose of this work is to provide an efficient method to minimize or even eliminate the adverse effects of Fe–IMCs and thus improve the mechanical performances of Al–Si–Mg cast alloys.

Accurate estimation of a battery's state of health (SOH) is essential in battery management systems (BMS). This study considers a complete analysis of combining incremental capacity (IC), differential thermal voltammetry (DTV), and differential temperature (DT) for SOH prediction in cases of discharge. Initially, the IC, DTV, and DT curves were derived from the current, voltage, and temperature datasets, and these curves underwent smoothing through the application of Lowess and Gaussian techniques. Subsequently, discerning healthy features were identified within the domains where the curve exhibited substantial phase transitions. Utilizing Pearson correlation analysis, features exhibiting the utmost correlation with battery capacity degradation were singled out. Finally, the state-of-health (SOH) prediction model was constructed using a bidirectional long short-term memory (BILSTM) neural network. Two datasets were used to validate the model, and the experimental results demonstrated that the SOH prediction had a root mean square error (RMSE) below 1.2% and mean absolute error (MAE) below 1%, which verified the feasibility and accuracy. This approach quantifies the internal electrochemical reactions of a battery using externally measured data, further enabling early SOH predictions.

Lead-based reactor is a new type of reactor using liquid lead or lead-bismuth alloy as a coolant. As the core working element of the main pump, the impeller is subjected to a huge load when conveying heavy metal liquids and is highly susceptible to damage. In this study, we used ANSYS and FLUENT software to investigate the stress, deformation, and creep deformation of the nuclear main pump impeller under a liquid lead-bismuth environment by the fluid-solid coupling method. The maximum equivalent force of the impeller was located at the junction of the blade and hub, which was prone to fatigue damage under the action of alternating load. The stress, deformation, and creep characteristics of the impeller blade were observed to generally increase with rotational speed. Particularly, the junction of the blade root and hub exhibited high susceptibility to stress concentration and fatigue damage. At a flow rate of 0.64 m/s and a speed of 690 r/min, the maximum equivalent force was 16.7 MPa, which was lower than the yield strength of 316L stainless steel. Additionally, the maximum deformation was less than 0.63 mm. Over a five-year period, the creep of the impeller ranged from a minimum of 0.228% to a maximum of 0.447%, indicating that the impeller can reliably operate in a liquid lead-bismuth environment for at least five years.

Emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases have been on the rise, with a significant proportion being zoonotic. Rodents, as the natural reservoirs of numerous diverse zoonotic viruses, pose a substantial threat to human health. To investigate the diversity of known and unknown viruses harbored by rodents in Guangdong (southern province of China), we conducted a comprehensive analysis of viral genomes through metagenomic sequencing of organs from 194 rodents. Our analysis yielded 2163 viral contigs that were assigned to 25 families known to infect a wide range of hosts, including vertebrates, invertebrates, amoebas, and plants. The viral compositions vary considerably among different organs, but not in rodent species. We also assessed and prioritized zoonotic potential of those detected viruses. Ninety-two viral species that are either known to infect vertebrates and invertebrates or only vertebrates were identified, among which 21 are considered high-risk to humans. The high-risk viruses included members of the Hantavirus, Picobirnaviruses, Astroviruses and Pestivirus. The phylogenetic trees of four zoonotic viruses revealed features of novel viral genomes that seem to fit evolutionarily into a zone of viruses that potentially pose a risk of transmission to humans. Recognizing that zoonotic diseases are a One Health issue, we approached the problem of identifying the zoonotic risk from rodent-transmitted disease in the Guangdong province by performing next-generation sequencing to look for potentially zoonotic viruses in these animals.

Unlike the rod-like T–Al20Cu2Mn3 dispersoids, the spherical Al7(Cr, Mn) and Al6(Fe, Mn, Mo) precipitated in Al–Cu–Mg–Ag–Mn alloys with CrxMo(0.2-x) addition, retained the deformed substructure, and acted as a dispersion reinforcement. In this study, the precipitation behavior of dispersoids in Al–Cu–Mg–Ag–Mn alloys with various CrxMo(0.2-x) (x = 0.15, 0.10, 0.05 wt.%) at 400 °C/12 h + 515 °C/24 h homogenization was investigated. The compositional and structural evolution of dispersoids in Al–Cu–Mg–Ag–Mn alloys were investigated by optical microscopy and atomic resolution high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy. The effects of CrxMo(0.2-x) addition on morphology, size and number density of dispersoids inhibited the recrystallization behavior and improved the mechanical properties of alloys in varying degrees. When x = 0.15 in CrxMo(0.2-x), the large amount of Al7(Cr, Mn) precipitates to refine the T–Al20Cu2Mn3, and dispersoid-free zones (DFZ) significantly decreases. As x decreases to 0.05, the homogeneous Al6(Fe, Mn, Mo) dispersoids present the opposite precipitation trend of T–Al20Cu2Mn3 to compensate for the DFZ. During the deformation and subsequent heat treatment, the Al–Cu–Mg–Ag–Mn alloy with Cr0.05Mo0.15 addition maintains the highest substructure and dislocation density owing to the highest number density of spherical dispersoids, demonstrating excellent mechanical properties at ambient and elevated temperatures.

The deposition efficiency of gas tungsten arc (GTA) additive manufacturing is quite low despite its superior quality in comparison with other arc-based manufacturing processes. Therefore, V-shaped coupling dual GTA-based additive manufacturing (VCG-AM) process was proposed in this study to solve the problem. Thin-wall part with sound formation was acquired by VCG-AM, with the deposition efficiency reaching more than twice of conventional single GTA-based additive manufacturing (SG-AM) process. The microstructure of mainly polygonal ferrite and pearlite was obtained via both processes, and the grain size of VCG-AM was slightly larger than that of SG-AM, related with the higher heat input. The pearlite assembled near the grain boundary of the polygonal ferrite, and a larger volume fraction of pearlite formed in the VCG-AM sample due to the lower cooling rate. The average microhardness of the VCG-AM sample was a little lower than that of the SG-AM sample, while the impact absorbing energy and ultimate tensile strength was close. Both VCG-AM and SG-AM part demonstrates ductile fracture based on the tensile fracture analysis.

Regional ecological security is a pressing issue in the context of escalating human-environment conflicts. Ecological networks(ENs), the fundamental tool for characterizing ecosystems, have enabled further quantitative analysis at the micro level by integrating with complex networks in recent years. However, most studies neglect the unreliability of unweighted complex networks and the dynamic characteristics of ENs. This paper takes the Sichuan Basin as the research area and adopts the following methods. Firstly, it integrates landscape ecology and ecosystem services to construct the ENs using Linkage Mapper. Secondly, it introduces the cost-weighted distance as the weight to build complex networks and identifies potential pivot ecological sources and key ecological corridors based on the topological features of the weighted complex networks in 2000, 2010, and 2020. Thirdly, it applies circuit theory to detect ecological pinchpoints and ecological barrier points within the corridors as priority areas for ecological conservation and restoration. The results show that the ENs in the study area are denser on the northern and southern sides, and some ecological corridors change direction due to variations of resistance surfaces and landscape morphology. Through dynamic analysis of the weighted complex networks, 27 potential pivot ecological sources and 25 key ecological corridors are identified; then, 28 priority conservation areas and 10 priority restoration areas within these ecological corridors are extracted based on circuit theory. The study reveals a certain correlation between the distribution of ecological nodes and water bodies. Furthermore, comparing the weighted and unweighted complex network, we find that the weighted complex network is more reasonable, with 64.2% of ecological sources showing lower betweenness centrality than that in the unweighted network, reflecting the obstacles that urbanization poses to ecological networks. This study explores the impact of constantly changing resistance surfaces on the overall ENs and their components through dynamic analysis. The evolving topological features reflect the feedback of the ENs to external environmental changes, as well as the dynamic characteristics of the real ENs. Therefore, the findings of this study provide valuable references for ecological conservation and governance efforts in Sichuan Basin, promoting regional ecological security and the advancement of ecological civilization.

The fragile ecological environment and intensive human activities in the Loess Plateau region of China have led to serious soil erosion and adverse weather disasters. To address these issues, the Chinese government has implemented a series of large-scale ecological restoration projects with significant investments and broad public participation. Throughout this process, the ecosystems have undergone substantial artificial intervention. This study utilizes MODIS data to establish a remote sensing ecological index (RSEI) for evaluating the ecosystem quality of Shanxi Province, located in the eastern Loess Plateau, over the past 20 years (2000–2020). Furthermore, the study analyzed the natural and socio-economic factors that influence the local ecosystem quality using Geodetector analysis. The research findings revealed the following: 1) Over the 20-year period of large-scale ecological restoration projects, the ecosystem quality in Shanxi has significantly improved, as indicated by the average RSEI index increasing from 0.48 to 0.57. 2) The southern part of the province has experienced relatively better ecosystem recovery, while the ecosystem quality in the northern and western regions, particularly along the Yellow River, remains poor. 3) Overall, the major factors influencing ecosystem quality are natural geographical factors such as temperature and slope. However, with rapid urbanization, the negative impacts from socio-economic factors represented by GDP have intensified, particularly in the northern regions. Additionally, this study demonstrated that the geographically weighted regression model can better explain the local variations affecting the RSEI and exhibits a high degree of reliability. The research findings provide scientific and effective references for evaluating the ecosystem quality in the Loess Plateau and implementing ecological restoration projects.

Introduction: Septic shock in children is a highly heterogeneous syndrome involving different immune states and biological processes. We used a bioinformatics approach to explore the relationship between N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methylation and septic shock in children. Methods: A gene expression dataset including information on 98 children with septic shock was selected. To construct and evaluate a risk prediction model, machine learning was used to screen marker m6A regulators. Based on differentially expressed m6A regulators, molecular subtypes for paediatric septic shock were constructed. Subsequently, the differences in the m6Ascore, heterogeneity of immune cell infiltration, and heterogeneity of biological functions between the different subtypes were analyzed. Finally, real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was performed to validate the expression of the marker m6A regulators. Results: Fifteen differentially expressed m6A regulators were identified. Six marker m6A regulators, including LRPPRC, ELAVL1, RBM15, CBLL1, FTO, and RBM15B, were screened using the random forest method. The risk prediction model for paediatric septic shock constructed using m6A markers had strong consistency and high clinical practicability. Two subtypes of paediatric septic shock have been identified based on the differential expression pattern of m6A regulators. Significant differences were observed in RNA epigenetics, immune statuses, and biological processes between the two m6A subtypes. Differentially expressed genes between the two subtypes were enriched in cell number homeostasis, redox responses, and innate immune system responses. Finally, the six marker m6A regulators were verified in additional samples. Conclusions: Based on the heterogeneity of m6A methylation-regulated genes, two different subtypes of septic shock in children with different RNA epigenetics, immune statuses, and biological processes were identified, revealing the heterogeneity of the disease largely attributable to differential m6A methylation. The findings will help explore and establish appropriate individualized treatments.

It is interesting to study the impact of urbanization on climate in the Taihu Lake Basin. This study employed the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model to simulate the Taihu Lake Basin's urbanization effect on climate. The results show that as the area of urbanization increases, the downwind precipitation in the study area increases significantly. In addition, the urbanization of the land surface has a strong impact on the surface energy balance, which can not only strengthen the transportation of the sensible heat flux from the surface to the atmosphere but even affect the transportation of water vapor, resulting in a decrease in specific humidity at 2 m from the ground surface. The simulation results have important theoretical significance in understanding the impact of urbanization on regional climate.

Sarcopenia is a common skeletal muscle degenerative disease characterized by decreased skeletal muscle mass and mitochondrial dysfunction that involves microRNAs (miR) as regulatory factors in various pathways. Exercise reduces age-related oxidative damage and chronic inflammation and increases autophagy, among others. Moreover, whether aerobic exercise can regulate mitochondrial homeostasis by modulating the miR-128/insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) signaling pathway and can improve sarcopenia requires further investigation. Interestingly, zebrafish have been used as a model for aging research for over a decade due to their many outstanding advantages. Therefore, we established a model of zebrafish sarcopenia using d-galactose immersion and observed substantial changes, including reduced skeletal muscle cross-sectional area, increased tissue fibrosis, decreased motility, increased skeletal muscle reactive oxygen species, and notable alterations in mitochondrial morphology and function. We found that miR-128 expression was considerably upregulated, where as Igf1 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha were significantly downregulated; moreover, mitochondrial homeostasis was reduced. Four weeks of aerobic exercise delayed sarcopenia progression and prevented the disruption of mitochondrial function and homeostasis. The genes related to atrophy and miR-128 were downregulated, Igf1 expression was considerably upregulated, and the phosphorylation levels of Pi3k, Akt, and Foxo3a were upregulated. Furthermore, mitochondrial respiration and homeostasis were enhanced. In conclusion, aerobic exercise improved skeletal muscle quality and function via the miR-128/IGF-1 signaling pathway, consequently ameliorating mitochondrial homeostasis in aging skeletal muscle.

Post-Acute Infection Syndrome (PAIS) is a relatively new medical terminology that represents prolonged sequelae symptoms after acute infection by numerous pathogenic agents. Imposing a substantial public health burden worldwide, PASC (post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 infection) and ME/CFS (myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome) are two of the most recognized and prevalent PAIS conditions. The presences of prior infections and similar symptom profiles in PAIS reflect a plausible common etiopathogenesis. The human microbiome is known to play an essential role in health and disease. In this review, we reviewed and summarized available research on oral and gut microbiota alterations in patients with different infections or PAIS conditions. We discussed key theories about the associations between microbiome dysbiosis and PAIS disease development, aiming to explore the mechanistic roles and potential functions the microbiome may have in the process. Additionally, we discuss the areas of knowledge gaps and propose the potential clinical applications of the microbiome for prevention and treatment of PAIS conditions.

In this paper, we investigated the influence of calcium (Ca) on the electrochemical and corrosion properties of Al–Mg–Sn–Ga alloys in neutral and alkaline electrolytes, respectively. Results indicate that Ca element promotes the uniform dissolution of the anode and improve its discharge efficiency. The peak energy densities of the Al-0.5Mg-0.1Sn-0.05Ga-0.1Ca alloy in neutral and alkaline solutions are 3361 and 3581 Wh kg−1, respectively. Compared with calcium-free alloy, the increase is 5.3% and 26.5%, respectively. Additionally, the severe intergranular corrosion behavior of Al-0.5Mg-0.1Sn-0.05Ga alloy can be significantly inhibited by adding Ca element under alkaline conditions. Therefore, the addition of Ca element further optimizes the discharge performance of Al–Mg–Sn–Ga-based anodes and enhances its environmental adaptability.

High-throughput double cone specimens were used to study the influence of Mo on the microstructure evolution of Al–Cu–Mg–Ag alloy under a wide range of strain along the axis. The microstructure evolution was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). Results demonstrated that Al6(Fe, Mn, Mo) dispersoids formed in the Al–Cu–Mg–Ag alloy with the addition of 0.2% Mo during double-step homogenization. Meanwhile, rod-like Al20Cu2Mn3 and disk-like Al6(Fe, Mn, Mo) dispersoids segregated to opposite distribution in interdendritic regions and dendrite cores, respectively, which obviously eliminated the dispersoid-free zones and intragranular sparse regions. With different effective strains along the axis, Al6(Fe, Mn, Mo) dispersoids obviously reduced the transformation from Low-angle grain boundaries to High-angle grain boundaries. The nucleation and growth of dynamic recrystallization grains were effectively inhibited by the coupling of Al20Cu2Mn3 and Al6(Fe, Mn, Mo) dispersoids due to the obstruction of dislocation movement.

Modelling, predicting and analysing driver behaviours are essential to advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and the comprehensive understanding of complex driving scenarios. Recently, with the development of deep learning (DL), numerous driver behaviour learning (DBL) methods have been proposed and applied in connected vehicles (CV) and intelligent transportation systems (ITS). This study provides a review of DBL, which mainly focuses on typical applications in CV and ITS. First, a comprehensive review of the state-of-the-art DBL is presented. Next, Given the constantly changing nature of real driving scenarios, most existing learning-based models may suffer from the so-called “catastrophic forgetting,” which refers to their inability to perform well in previously learned scenarios after acquiring new ones. As a solution to the aforementioned issue, this paper presents a framework for continual driver behaviour learning (CDBL) by leveraging continual learning technology. The proposed CDBL framework is demonstrated to outperform existing methods in behaviour prediction through a case study. Finally, future works, potential challenges and emerging trends in this area are highlighted.

Metropolitan regions usually encounter sustainability difficulties such as overexploitation of resources, severe land scarcity, and ecological degradation, resulting in the progressive collapse of ecological networks (ENs). It is therefore essential to strengthen the construction and protection of ENs by integrating various resources, improving the quality of the urban ecological environment and creating a favourable living environment. Using the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area as a case study, in this paper, the ecological resistance indicator system that balances natural condition and human disturbance is rebuilt. In doing so, a construction scheme (applicable to highly urbanised areas) is established to simulate ENs at a more precise scale. Moreover, a local evaluation model of ENs is proposed and the spatial patterns of multiple indicators are fully summarised. The findings show that the ENs of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area exhibit apparent spatial disparity. Disturbance through human activities seriously affects the spatial pattern of ENs, leading to structural imbalance and quality impairment of ecological corridors. Based on our assessment, the construction of complementary ecological corridors in the “two green belts” planning of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area will improve structural problems. The findings of this paper can provide a reference to the harmonisation of urban development and ecological protection, by guiding the scientific management of ecological spaces in highly urbanised regions.

Summary: Fat storage and weight gain are dominant traits for hibernating mammals. However, excessive fat accumulation may cause liver damage. Here, we explore the lipid accumulation and metabolic processes of the Himalayan marmot (Marmota himalayana), a hibernating rodent species. We find that the unsaturated fatty acid (UFA) content in food was consistent with a large increase in the body mass of Himalayan marmots. Metagenomic analysis shows that Firmicutes Bacterium CAG:110 plays a synergistic role by synthesizing UFAs, which is demonstrated by fecal transplantation experiments, indicating that the gut microbiome promotes fat storage in Himalayan marmots for hibernation. Microscopic examination results indicate that the risk of fatty liver appears at maximum weight; however, liver function is not affected. Upregulations of UFA catabolism and insulin-like growth factor binding protein genes provide an entry point for avoiding liver injury.

Immune cell membrane coated nanomedicine was developed to neutralize cytokines via receptor-ligand interaction, which showed potential for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, cell membrane isolation and re-assembly process involved protein loss and spatial disorder, which reduced the sequestration efficiency towards cytokines. In addition, oral administration of probiotics was accepted for IBD treatment via gut microbiota modulation, but most probiotics showed weak adhesion to intestine mucosa and were quickly expelled from gastrointestinal tract. Herein, an intracellular hydrogelation technology was proposed to construct gelated peritoneal macrophage (GPM) with intact membrane structure, resulting from the avoidance of membrane isolation and re-assembly process. GPM efficiently neutralized multiple cytokines in vitro and in vivo to ameliorate inflammatory Caco-2 ​cells and colitis rats by regulating oxidative stress, inflammation level and intestinal barrier repair. Moreover, the probiotics (Nissle1917, EcN) were easily attached on GPM surface through specific recognition, to construct GPM-EcN conjugate for GPM hitchhiking delivery to colitis tissue. Conjugation process of GPM and EcN showed no damage on bacterial physiological function. Due to the chemical attachment on inflammatory cells, GPM carried the attached EcN hand-in-hand to accumulate in the colitis tissue of IBD rat, and enhanced intestine retention time of EcN in comparison to free EcN, which improved bacterial diversity, and shifted the microbiota community and acid metabolites to an anti-inflammatory phenotype. This study transferred the hydrogel synthesis from in vitro to intracellular cytoplasm, and came to a new insight of conjugating strategy of GPM and probiotics for hitchhiking delivery and combined anti-IBD treatment.

Mosquitoes are a formidable reservoir of viruses and important vectors of zoonotic pathogens. Blood-fed mosquitoes have been utilized to determine host infection status, overcoming the difficulties associated with sampling from human and animal populations. Comprehensive surveillance of potential pathogens at the interface of humans, animals, and the environment is currently an accredited method to provide an early warning of emerging or re-emerging infectious diseases and to proactively respond to them. Herein we performed comprehensive sampling of mosquitoes from seven habitats (residential areas, hospital, airplane, harbor, zoo, domestic sheds, and forest park) across five cities in Guangdong Province, China. Our aim was to characterize the viral communities and blood feeding patterns at the human-animal-environment interface and analyze the potential risk of cross-species transmission using meta-transcriptomic sequencing. 1898 female adult mosquitoes were collected, including 1062 Aedes and 836 Culex mosquitoes, of which approximately 12% (n = 226) were satiated with blood. Consequently, 101 putative viruses were identified, which included DNA and RNA viruses, and positive-stranded RNA viruses (+ssRNA) were the most abundant. According to viral diversity analysis, the composition of the viral structure was highly dependent on host species, and Culex mosquitoes showed richer viral diversity than Aedes mosquitoes. Although the virome of mosquitoes from different sampling habitats showed an overlap of 39.6%, multiple viruses were specific to certain habitats, particularly at the human-animal interface. Blood meal analysis found four mammals and one bird bloodmeal source, including humans, dogs, cats, poultry, and rats. Further, the blood feeding patterns of mosquitoes were found to be habitat dependent, and mosquitoes at the human-animal interface and from forests had a wider choice of hosts, including humans, domesticated animals, and wildlife, which in turn considerably increases the risk of spillover of potential zoonotic pathogens. To summarize, we are the first to investigate the virome of mosquitoes from multiple interfaces based on the One Health concept. The characteristics of viral community and blood feeding patterns of mosquitoes at the human-animal-environment interface were determined. Our findings should support surveillance activities to identify known and potential pathogens that are pathogenic to vertebrates.

The effect of different degrees of cold rolling on the short-term oxidation behavior of Fe-18Cr-8Ni stainless steel oxidized at 1000 °C in N2-21 vol%O2 for 3 h was investigated. The results show that cold rolling deformation reduces the grain size and coincident site lattice (CSL) grain boundary fraction of the alloy. When the deformation exceeds 20%, the oxidation mechanism changes from internal to external oxidation. And the critical concentration of Cr and Si required for forming the protective oxide scale decreases. The formation of continuous Cr2O3 and SiO2 layers on the alloy prevents the diffusion of oxygen from the surface to the matrix. The cold-rolling treatments improve the oxidation resistance of the Fe-18Cr-8Ni austenitic stainless steel at 1000 °C.

Summary: With the rapid expansion of transcriptome studies in many fishes, a great number of RNA-seq data have been published, allowing for a more systematic understanding of the general profiles and details of gene expression in fish. FishGET is dedicated to gathering and curating fish RNA-seq data to discover more new RNAs, including mRNA and lncRNA, thereby getting a more complete reference transcriptome and providing more comprehensive and accurate transcriptome annotations. We obtained a total of 1362 RNA-seq paired-end data of 8 fishes from 97 different studies, and then we performed transcript assembly, meta-assembly, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), functional annotations, neighbor location annotation, lncRNA type annotation, homology annotation. To promote research into fish genes at the transcriptional level, we developed a user-friendly web interface that allows users to view all information and makes use of multiple types of dynamic interactive visualization services.

Due to the increase in human population, habitat destruction, and the close interaction between humans, animals and the environment, these dynamic changes are a threat to the health of human, animal and environment. Therefore, we required intervention consisting of medical, veterinary, environment and other relevant disciplines and sectors in combination. If biological and environmental health is supposed to be optimum, cooperation and coordination is necessary between the multi-sectoral stakeholders responsible for the efforts. It not limits to a region or country on a worldwide scope. One Health encourages a collaborative, coordinated, and multidisciplinary approach to ensure the health and wellbeing of humans, animals, and the environment across different spatial levels, it aims to optimal health for lives and the environment, and recognizing the interconnection between people, animals, plants, and their shared environment. This review discussed the essential to integrate One Health in the areas of infectious diseases, food safety, antimicrobial resistance, ecological environment, and chronic diseases etc., and discuss the practice of One Health in each area with some examples, hoping that One Health will serve as a framework to solve the challenges and issues facing China.

The effect of cold pre-deformation combined with ageing treatment on age hardening behavior and associated intergranular corrosion (IGC) resistance of an Zn-bearing 5xxx aluminum alloy is investigated in this study. Results reveal that the strength of the alloy is improved greatly by the prior cold deformation basing on the synergistic effect of work hardening and ageing strengthening. With the combination of cold pre-deformation and ageing treatment, the peak yield strength of the alloy is 314.7 MPa, which increases by 110% than that of the T6 treated alloy. Moreover, the intergranular microstructure such as grain boundary precipitates can be optimized by coordinating the pre-deformation and ageing treatment. Hence, Al–Mg–Zn alloy with high strength and excellent IGC resistance can be obtained by combining the prior cold deformation and ageing treatment.

Background: In patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) combined with long bone fracture, the fracture healing is always faster than that of patients with single fracture, which is characterized by more callus growth at the fracture site and even ectopic ossification. Exosomes are nanoscale membrane vesicles secreted by cells, which contain cell-specific proteins, miRNAs, and mRNAs. Methods: In this study, we used exosomes as the entry point to explore the mechanism of brain trauma promoting fracture healing. We established a model of tibia fracture with TBI in mice to observe the callus growth and expression of osteogenic factors at the fracture site. Blood samples of model mice were further collected, exosomes in plasma were extracted by ultra-centrifugation method, and then identified and acted on osteoblasts cultured in vitro. The effects of exosomes on osteoblast differentiation at the cell, protein and gene levels were investigated by Western Blot and q-PCR, respectively. Furthermore, miRNA sequencing of exosomes was performed to identify a pattern of miRNAs that were present at increased or decreased levels. Results: The results suggested that plasma exosomes after TBI had the ability to promote the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts, which might be due to the increased expression of osteoblast-related miRNA in exosomes. They were transmitted to the osteoblasts at the fracture site, so as to achieve the role of promoting osteogenic differentiation. Conclusion: The TBI-derived exosomes may have potential applications for promoting fracture healing in future. The Translational Potential of this Article: Plasma exosomes early after TBI have the ability to promote osteoblast proliferation and differentiation. The mechanism may be achieved by miRNA in exosomes. Plasma exosomes may be used as breakthrough clinical treatment for delayed or non-union fractures.

The expanding applications of lanthanides (Ln) in various aspects have raised concerns about their biosafety. Slight changes in the chemical composition of environmental media can significantly affect the biological effectiveness of poorly water-soluble Ln; however, the knowledge of the effects of environmental factors on Ln toxicity remains limited. Here, the effects of pH, HCO3–, Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, Cl–, and SO42– on the bioefficacy and biotoxicity of Ln (La, Ce, Gd, and Ho) were comparatively studied using zebrafish (Danio rerio) as the test organism. In the standard water, the toxicity of Ln in zebrafish was significantly correlated with pH, HCO3–, and Ca2+-Mg2+ levels in the medium but not with the levels of Cl–, Na+, K+, and SO42–. At the beginning of the test, the four Ln were complexed with HCO3– in the medium to form precipitates. A decrease in pH or HCO3- concentration can promote the conversion of granular Ln to a soluble state, thus enhancing their bioavailability, biotoxicity, and bioaccumulation. At a pH of 5.0 and 0.2 mmol·L–1 HCO3–, where Ln precipitates were not found, the four Ln showed a consistent trend of 96 h-LC50 in zebrafish. These data indicate that the differences in the toxicities of the four Ln in the standard water may be due to differences in the effective states of the individual elements rather than the different toxicities of the elements. Overall, in biological toxicity assessments, Ln can be regarded as a group of elements with additive patterns of toxicity until the differences in their biological toxicity mechanisms are revealed, and the effects of pH and carbonate should be considered.

Municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are sinks of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) generated by human activities and are also sources of PFASs in aquatic environment. This study analyzed distribution, source and ecological risk of 14 PFASs in influent and effluent samples from 148 Chinese municipal WWTPs. Composition and concentrations of PFASs in the influents and effluents had obvious spatial differences. Fluoropolymer processing aids/wrappers and textile treatments/coatings were found to be the dominant sources in WWTP influents, which accounted for 78.34% of all sources. Consumption structure and metal and transportation equipment manufacturing affected the spatial differences of PFASs in WWTPs. Further, mean removal rate of total PFASs in all WWTPs was −5.45%. The conventional treatment processes can not effectively remove PFASs and no significant difference was found among different treatment processes. However, risk quotient values of PFASs in effluents were all below 0.1, indicating low risk or no risk to aquatic organisms. It should be noted that the composition, source and ecological risk of PFASs in east China were different from the other regions, which need more attentions. This study sheds insights into occurrences of PFASs in municipal WWTPs, which should be helpful for their control strategy development.

The seeds of Moringa oleifera Lam (MO) in India have various biological properties, such as anti-hyperglycemia, anti-fibrosis, and anti-oxidant. Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is one of the most serious complications in diabetes mellitus. However, the mechanism of renal protection of MO seeds in DN is unclear. In this study, the DN rat model was generated by a single streptozotocin (STZ) intraperitoneal injection, which was used to explore the renal dysfunction effects of MO seeds. Pathological examination of diabetic kidney exhibited a significant change in glomerular and tubular structures. MO seeds treatment in DN rats attenuated these changes dose-dependently. MO seeds could exert anti-inflammatory, anti-fibrosis and anti-oxidative effects by inhibiting the activation of the NF-κB and TGFβ1/Smad2/3 signaling pathways, and activating the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway, finally effectively attenuate renal injury of DN. And 4000 mg/kg MO seeds have the similar level of therapeutic effect as clinical doses of metformin.

Study region: Surface water bodies in Hunan Province, China. Study focus:: Surface water bodies (WB) are important for agriculture, aquiculture, and aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, yet monitoring and understanding the spatiotemporal dynamics of water bodies over large areas remain a major challenge. This study used all the available Landsat images and the Google Earth Engine (GEE) to map and analyze annual changes of all water bodies (>0.001 km2) in Hunan Province, China, from 1987 to 2020. New hydrological insights for the region:: A total of 76,928 WBs were detected with a total area of 4181.14 km2 (both were averages during the study period) with an interannual variability of − 117 and − 20.05 km2 year-1, respectively. Surface areas of small (0.001–1 km2), medium (1–50 km2), and large (>50 km2) WBs changed at various rates and directions. The size-abundance relationship of WBs followed the power scaling law with a positive trend in the scaling exponent, implying the fraction of small WB number has decreased over the past three decades. The temporal change of the size-abundance relationship, reflects the strong and dynamic imprints of both human activities and regional climate change. Future research should strive to understand the temporal change of the size-abundance relationship of WBs as it is important for water resources management and estimating the temporal changes of greenhouse gas fluxes from WBs over large areas.

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) causes infections in humans and animals. HEV have been identified in pig farms, markets and swine workers, but studies with parallel observations along the poultry and pork supply chains remains limited. This study aimed to characterize HEV infection risks in workers along the meat supply chain. Two rounds of cross-sectional surveys were performed among swine and poultry workers in pig and poultry farms, slaughterhouses, wholesale and retail live poultry markets, live pig markets and pork markets. Human sera from the workers and the general population were collected and tested for HEV specific IgM/IgG antibodies by commercial indirect-ELISA test kits. Risk factors of HEV seropositivity associated with different occupational settings were identified using logistic regression. 47.0% (156/332) of the swine workers and 40.2% (119/296) of the poultry workers were seropositive, compared to 26.1% (35/134) in the general population. Multivariable analysis showed that human HEV infection risk increased along the pork supply chain, with the highest risk at pig slaughterhouses (adjusted OR = 3.19, 95% CI = 1.49–6.88) and pork markets (adjusted OR = 2.02, 95% CI = 1.04–3.97), but no significant higher risk was observed among poultry workers. Swine occupational exposure is associated with HEV infection, especially in workers in pig slaughterhouses and pork markets. Strengthening control measures in these settings is important for HEV control and long term HEV elimination.

Wenzhou mammarenavirus (WENV) is a zoonotic pathogen newly discovered in east and southeast Asia. WENV has been found in wild rodent animals around the world while its standing is barely understood in Guangzhou city, where is known as a region of outbreak hotspot for zoonotic emerging infectious diseases. To investigate the prevalence and genomic characteristics of mammarenavirus in Guangzhou City, lung tissue samples from wild rodent species were collected from five districts of Guangzhou City in the year 2015 and 2016. The viral RNA was extracted and then subjected to mammarenavirus-specific PCR. The result revealed approximately 1.0% (3/306) nucleic acid positivity for lung tissue samples obtained from three rodent species: Mus musculus, Rattus flavipectus, and Rattus norvegicus. Viral metagenomic sequencing of three samples was then carried out and two full segment L and three full segment S sequences were obtained. Phylogenetics analysis indicated the sequences of the new mammarenavirus strain have 76.2% - 94.4% similarity to known WENV encoded genes, with the highest similarity to the WENV 9–24 strain. Population structure analysis grouped all known WENV into seven lineages, and this WENV Guangzhou strain was grouped with WENV 9–24 as well. Though the seroprevalence result was not available, our data provides the first nucleic acid evidence of circulating WENV in Guangzhou city, and it suggested WENV had a broader host tropism than previously known.

Cisplatin (DDP) is a commonly used chemotherapy drug, but DDP can cause skeletal muscle atrophy and cachexia. This study combined the DDP-induced C2C12 myotube atrophy model and the LLC tumour-bearing mouse cachexia model under DDP treatment to explore the effect and mechanism of naringenin (NAR) in alleviating skeletal muscle atrophy and cachexia. NAR alleviated the decreases in body weight, food intake, muscle, adipose tissue and kidney weight and forelimb grip strength in LLC tumour-bearing mice under DDP treatment and reduced the serum level of TNF-α. High dose NAR also enhanced the antitumour effect of DDP. NAR can prevent the cross-sectional area reduction of skeletal muscle fibres and prevent the change in fibre type ratio induced by DDP. NAR intervention inhibits the RIPK1/AMPK/NF-κB pathway in skeletal muscle, downregulates the expression of Atrogin1 and MuRF1, and inhibits the degradation of skeletal muscle protein. In C2C12 myotubes treated with DDP, NAR inhibited the RIPK1/AMPK/NF-κB pathway to reduce myotube cell atrophy, and the overexpression of RIPK1 reversed the therapeutic effect of NAR. These results indicate that NAR downregulates the expression of Atrogin1 and MuRF1 by regulating the RIPK1/AMPK/NF-κB pathway and alleviates DDP-induced skeletal muscle atrophy.