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In this study, advanced oxidation-protective CrSi coatings were developed and deposited on N-type (Zr,Ti)Ni(Sn,Sb) and P-type (Zr,Ti)Co(Sn,Sb) thermoelectric (TE) materials using an environmentally friendly closed field unbalanced magnetron sputtering PVD system. The oxidation behaviour of the CrSi-coated and uncoated samples was evaluated through static oxidation tests at 500 °C and 600 °C for 10h and 50 h, respectively. In addition, the samples were exposed to cyclic oxidation tests between 25 °C and 500 °C for 10, 30 and 50 cycles, with each cycle consisting of 1h of oxidation at 500 °C, to examine the coating ability to withstand thermal shock, which is involved in the service of TE devices. The surface morphology, cross-section layer structure, elemental distribution and phase constitution were analysed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDX) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The mass gain after the oxidation tests was measured and calculated for each sample to study the oxidation kinetics. The uncoated samples exhibited a considerable amount of oxidation, leading to change in the surface morphologies, and the formation of alternated layers including oxide products (Zr(Ti)O2, SnO2) and Ni3Sn4 compound for the N-type and (Zr(Ti)O2, SnO2, Sb2O4) and CoSb compound for the P-type material, after static and cyclic oxidation tests. The experimental work in this study has, for the first time, demonstrated that the CrSi coatings developed with very high thermal stability and oxidation resistance can effectively protect both the N-type and P-type materials from oxidation and sublimation even during cyclic oxidation tests. The strong affinity of Cr and Si to oxygen can trap oxygen, retard its inward diffusion and thus protect the TE material substrate from oxidation. This finding could pave the way towards the further development of long-life high-performance TE generators and devices, thus contributing to the net zero target.

Hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) has been identified as a Class I human carcinogen, but its carcinogenic mechanism is currently unclear. There is still a lack of understanding of its associations with early pulmonary inflammatory damages. Inflammation is an important stage before the occurrence of tumors, and under the long-term stimulation of inflammation, it can promote the development of tumors. In this study, the aim is to explore the effect of Cr(VI) exposure on pulmonary inflammation and its relationship with the mechanism of inflammation cancer transformation. We established a Cr(VI) exposure model in SD rats using tracheal instillation of potassium dichromate solution, and collected samples at the time of cessation of exposure and 14 days after cessation of exposure. Analyzing the experimental results, it was found that the lung index increased after exposure to Cr(VI), promoting the occurrence of apoptosis in lung tissue cells and exacerbating lung tissue damage. The damage situation improved after exposure termination; Inductively coupled plasma mass (ICPRQ) spectrometer detection found that the exposed group had significantly increased levels of blood chromium, blood manganese, blood copper, blood arsenic, urine chromium, urine copper, and urine lead; After two weeks of repair, blood chromium and blood manganese levels were significantly lower than those in the same dose group of the exposure group, while blood copper levels were significantly higher than those in the same dose group of the exposure group. There was no significant difference in blood arsenic levels between the exposure group and the exposure group. Urine chromium and urine lead levels were significantly lower than those in the same dose group of the exposure group, while urine copper levels only increased. At the same time, it was found that Cr(VI) exposure caused disruption of oxidative stress levels in rat lung tissues. After 14-day exposure, Cr(VI) significantly decreased and oxidative stress levels significantly decreased. Further investigation revealed that Cr(VI) induces activation of inflammasomes NLRP3, AIM2, and their signaling pathways in lung inflammatory injuries, but this condition persists even after cessation of exposure. The study suggested that in hexavalent chromium induced lung tissue injuries in rats, NLRP3 and AIM2 inflammasomes and their signaling pathways activation. Furthermore, the characteristic of sustained activation after cessation of exposure was also indicated. These results provide new ideas and references for further elucidating the mechanisms of Cr(VI), lung inflammation and inflammation cancer transformation.

Objective: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is deemed as an emerging global epidemic, whereas the underlying pathogenic mechanism remains to be clarified. We aimed to systemically analyze all the NAFLD-related gene expression datasets from published human-based studies, by which exploring potential key factors and mechanisms accounting for the pathogenesis of NAFLD. Methods: Robust rank aggregation (RRA) method was used to integrate NAFLD-related gene expression datasets. For fatty liver study, adeno-associated virus (AAV) delivery and genetic knockout mice were used to create IGFBP2 (Insulin-like growth factor binding protein 2) gain- or loss-of function models. Western blot, Co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP), immunofluorescent (IF) staining, luciferase assay, molecular docking simulation were performed to reveal the IGFBP2-EGFR-STAT3 axis involved. Key axis protein levels in livers from healthy donors and patients with NAFLD were assessed via immunohistochemical staining. Results: By using RRA method, the present study identified IGFBP2 being the most significantly down-regulated gene in all NAFLD subjects. The decreased IGFBP2 expression was further confirmed in the liver tissues from patients and animal models of NAFLD. IGFBP2 deficiency aggravated hepatic steatosis and NASH phenotypes and promoted lipogenic gene expression both in vivo and in vitro. Mechanistically, IGFBP2 directly binds to and regulates EGFR, whereas blockage of the IGFBP2-EGFR complex by knockdown of IGFBP2 resulted in the EGFR-STAT3 pathway activation, which in turn promoted the promoter activity of Srebf1. By using molecular docking simulation and protein-protein interaction analysis, the sequence of 233-257 amino acids in IGFBP2 was characterized as a key motif responding for its specific binding to EGFR and the protective effect against hepatic steatosis. Conclusions: The current study has, for the first time, identified IGFBP2 as a novel protector against hepatosteatosis. The protective effect is mediated by its specific interaction with EGFR and thereby suppressing the EGFR-STAT3 pathway. Therefore, pharmaceutically targeting the IGFBP2-EGFR-STAT3 axis may provide a theoretical basis for for the treatment of NAFLD/NASH and the associated diseases.

In Northeast China, permafrost is controlled by a combination of biotic, climatic, physiographic, and anthropogenic factors. Due to the complexity of these governing or influencing factors, it is challenging to exactly describe the features of the Xing’an permafrost in Northeast China. By integrating remote sensing (RS) and geographic information system (GIS) technologies, we have quantified these influencing factors of permafrost changes as an important approach to understanding the nature of latitudinal and mountain permafrost in Northeast China at the mid-latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. In this study, we combine Geographical Detector (Geodetector) model, trend analysis, and multi-source RS data to quantify the controlling or influencing factors of permafrost thermal state and of permafrost changes, and explain the interactions among permafrost, environment, and climate. The results indicate that, at the regional scale, changes in the thermal state of permafrost are primarily governed or influenced by mean annual land surface temperature (MALST), precipitation, and snow cover duration (SCD). Topographic factors also affect the spatial patterns of permafrost development. Additionally, in the context of climate warming, the insulation effect of snow cover on the permafrost is weakened, or has been weakening. Moreover, the interactive effects among various factors significantly enhance their explanatory power for changes in the thermal state of permafrost. The study emphasizes the complexity of the interactions among permafrost, climate, and the environment, and highlights the significance of understanding these interactions for regional socio-economic development, ecological management, carbon pool stabilization, and research on future climate change in Northeast China.

In this study, the fabricated Hf-free N-type (Zr,Ti)Ni(Sn,Sb) and P-type (Zr,Ti)Co(Sn,Sb) thermoelectric materials were subjected to cyclic oxidation testing at 500 °C for 10, 30, and 50 cycles. The oxidation behaviour of the materials was systematically investigated by evaluating mass gain to study the oxidation kinetics and by analysing surface morphology, phase constitution and elemental distribution to investigate the oxidation mechanism. The results indicated that both of the materials were severely oxidised during the cyclic oxidation testing, and the mass gain followed the parabolic kinetics and the parabolic rate constant (kp) being 0.006165 mg2cm−4s−1 and 0.000109 mg2cm−4s−1 for the N-type and the P-type TE materials, respectively. Alternated multilayers of Ni3Sn4+SnO2+(Zr,Ti)O2 and CoSb + SnO2+Sb2O4+(Zr,Ti)O2 were identified on the surface of the N-type and P-type materials, respectively, after the cyclic testing, which would deteriorate the thermoelectric performance of the materials. The outcome of this study strongly suggests that it is essential to improve the oxidation resistance and the thermal stability of the N-type (Zr,Ti)Ni(Sn,Sb) and P-type (Zr,Ti)Co(Sn,Sb) thermoelectric materials for high-temperature applications.

In recent years, the utilisation of oxygen-deficient zirconia (ZrO2-α), commonly referred to as black zirconia, has garnered considerable attention due to its potential applications for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), gas sensors, biomedical implant materials, and photocatalysis. However, current methods employed to manufacture ZrO2-α exhibit noticeable limitations regarding their scalability, environmental sustainability, and cost-effectiveness. Our recent work has successfully demonstrated the feasibility for bulk conversion of conventional white zirconia into oxygen-deficient black zirconia through direct current (DC) plasma treatment (i.e. plasma blackening). This study elucidates the conditions for plasma blackening and provides a unique mechanism for the bulk transformation of zirconia. A systematic investigation of different plasma technologies (DC, active-screen plasma), treatment configurations (contact conditions, cathode material, and cathode potential), and treatment parameters (voltage, temperature, duration) uncover the crucial variables that influence the feasibility and rate of the reduction process. The reduction of zirconia is shown to initiate from localised contacting points at the cathode-facing surface and grow, with a hemispherical shape, towards the anode-facing surface. A series of development stages are proposed for the process, namely: bulk oxygen vacancy conductance, surface activation, oxygen vacancy generation and a moving cathode front. The findings of this study provide insights into the underlying mechanisms involved in the bulk-reduction of zirconia and help to pave the way towards future scalable and cost-effective generation of oxygen-deficient zirconia.

Using recycled concrete fines (RFs) as a supplementary cementitious material in blended cement systems offers potential benefits for the construction industry. This study investigated the mechanical properties, hydration development, and microstructural evolutions of blended Portland cement systems incorporating different particle-size distributions of untreated RFs. The results highlighted that finer RFs improved the compressive strength of mortar and influenced hydration by promoting monocarbonate formation. The incorporation of RFs optimizes the pore structure in the early stage but increases porosity. RFs affected the distribution of capillary pores and created a rougher and more complex surface compared to inert mineral admixtures. Furthermore, the particle size of RFs impacted the fractal dimension of multi-scale pore sizes.

Objective: Diabetic retinopathy is one of the major complications of diabetes. In this study, a diabetic retinopathy risk prediction model integrating machine learning models and SHAP was established to increase the accuracy of risk prediction for diabetic retinopathy, explain the rationality of the findings from model prediction and improve the reliability of prediction results. Methods: Data were preprocessed for missing values and outliers, features selected through information gain, a diabetic retinopathy risk prediction model established using the CatBoost and the outputs of the mode interpreted using the SHAP model. Results: One thousand early warning data of diabetes complications derived from diabetes complication early warning dataset from the National Clinical Medical Sciences Data Center were used in this study. The CatBoost-based model for diabetic retinopathy prediction performed the best in the comparative model test. ALB_CR, HbA1c, UPR_24, NEPHROPATHY and SCR were positively correlated with diabetic retinopathy, while CP, HB, ALB, DBILI and CRP were negatively correlated with diabetic retinopathy. The relationships between HEIGHT, WEIGHT and ESR characteristics and diabetic retinopathy were not significant. Conclusion: The risk factors for diabetic retinopathy include poor renal function, elevated blood glucose level, liver disease, hematonosis and dysarteriotony, among others. Diabetic retinopathy can be prevented by monitoring and effectively controlling relevant indices. In this study, the influence relationships between the features were also analyzed to further explore the potential factors of diabetic retinopathy, which can provide new methods and new ideas for the early prevention and clinical diagnosis of subsequent diabetic retinopathy.

Summary: Tumor vasculature often exhibits disorder and inefficiency. Vascular normalization offers potential for alleviating hypoxia and optimizing drug delivery in tumors. However, identifying effective agents is hindered by a lack of robust screening. We aimed to establish a comprehensive method using the zebrafish functional xenograft vasculature platform (zFXVP) to visualize and quantify tumor vasculature changes. Employing zFXVP, we systematically screened compounds, identifying PF-502 as a robust vascular normalization agent. Mechanistic studies showed PF-502 induces endothelial cell-cycle arrest, streamlines vasculature, and activates Notch1 signaling, enhancing stability and hemodynamics. In murine models, PF-502 exhibited pronounced vascular normalization and improved drug delivery at a sub-maximum tolerated dose. These findings highlight zFXVP’s utility and suggest PF-502 as a promising adjunctive for vascular normalization in clinical settings.

Emerging alternatives to perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), including 6:2 chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonate (F-53B) and p-perfluorous nonenoxybenzene sulfonate (OBS), have been widely detected in the real environment as PFOS restriction. However, the toxicity in plants and the underlying mechanism of F-53B and OBS remain scarce, especially compared to PFOS. PFOS and their emerging alternatives pose significant potential risks to food, especially for crops, safety and human health with the great convenience of high chemical stability. Germination toxicity, oxidative stress biomarkers, and metabolomics were used to compare the relative magnitudes of toxicity of PFOS and its alternatives in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). PFOS, F-53B, and OBS inhibited wheat germination compared to the control group, with germination inhibition rates of 45.6%, 53.5%, and 64.3% at 400 μM PFOS, F-53B, and OBS exposure, respectively. Moreover, oxidative stress biomarker changes were observed in PFOS, F-53B, and OBS, with OBS being more pronounced. The chlorophyll concentrations in wheat shoots increased, and the anthocyanin concentration decreased along with the increased exposure concentration. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity increased in wheat root but decreased in the shoot. Peroxidase (POD) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration increased, whereas catalase (CAT) activity decreased. Regarding metabolomics, PFOS, F-53B, and OBS exposure (10 μM) significantly altered 85, 133, and 134 metabolites, respectively. According to KEGG enrichment analysis, F-53B specifically affects lipid metabolism, whereas OBS causes an imbalance in amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism. These findings suggested that PFOS, F-53B, and OBS have distinct toxic mechanisms. Thus, our results indicated that the relative size of the toxicity in wheat is as follows: OBS > F-53B > PFOS, and this finding provides a new reference basis for the phytotoxicity assessment of F-53B and OBS.

Bisphenol A and its structural analogues (BPs) are widely used chemicals in electronics devices. To get insight into the occupational exposure to the full-time employees compared with the residents, urinary BPs in workers dismantling e-waste and in nearby residents were compared. Only 4 BPs among the tested 8 congeners, bisphenol AF (BPAF), bisphenol A, bisphenol S (BPS), and bisphenol F (BPF), were extensively detected with the detection frequencies of 100%, 99%, 98.7%, 51.3%. The median concentration of bisphenol A was 8.48 ng/mL, followed by BPAF (1.05 ng/mL), BPS (0.115 ng/mL), and BPF (0.110 ng/mL). The 4 detected BPs had a median concentration (Σ4BPs) ranging from 0.950 to 64.5 ng/mL in all volunteers, with a median value of 10.2 ng/mL. Result indicated the median concentration of ∑4BPs in worker’s urine was significantly higher (14.2 ng/mL) than those in residents in nearby towns (4.52 ng/mL and 5.37 ng/mL) (p

Background: This study clarified the associations between dairy consumption during pregnancy and all pregnancy complications. Methods: Literature searches were performed in PubMed, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library. The final search date was October 22, 2021. Tabular textual descriptions and effect direction plots were used to display the results of the included studies. The effects were synthesized for each outcome by vote counting based on the direction of effect. Results: Twenty-seven studies, including 28 reports, were included in the systematic review. There were 59,973 participants assessed for gestational weight gain, 15,696 participants assessed for gestational diabetes mellitus, and 72,938 participants assessed for pre-eclampsia. Based on vote counts in the direction of effect, the relationship between dairy consumption and the above outcomes tended to be neutral. Conclusions: Dairy consumption during pregnancy was not clearly associated with common pregnancy complications. Additional high-quality research is warranted to confirm our conclusion.

Four species of Giardia out of nine have been identified in rodents based on molecular data: G. muris, G. microti, G. cricetidarum, and G. duodenalis. A total of seven G. duodenalis assemblages (A, B, C, D, E, F, G) have been identified in rodents to date. The zoonotic assemblages A and B are responsible for 74.88% (480/641) of the total identified genotypes in rodents by statistic. For sub-assemblage A in humans, AII is responsible for 71.02% (1397/1967) of the identified sub-assemblages, followed by AI with 26.39% (519/1967) and AIII with 1.17% (23/1967), indicating a significantly greater zoonotic potential for G. duodenalis infections in humans originating from animals. For sub-assemblages of type A in rodents, AI was identified in 86.89% (53/61), and AII in 4.92% (3/61). For assemblage B, 60.84% (390/641) were identified in rodents as having zoonotic potential to humans. In environmental samples, the zoonotic assemblages A and B were responsible for 83.81% (533/636) in water samples, 86.96% (140/161) in fresh produce samples, and 100% (8/8) in soil samples. The same zoonotic potential assemblage A or B simultaneously identified in humans, rodents, and environment samples had potential zoonotic transmission between humans and animals via a synanthropic environment. The infections and zoonotic potential for G. duodenalis were higher in farmed rodents and pet rodents than that in zoo, lab, and wild rodents. In conclusion, the role of rodents in zoonotic transmission of giardiasis should be noticed. In addition to rodents, dogs, cats, wild animals, and livestock could be involved in the zoonotic transmission cycle. This study aims to explore the current situation of giardiasis in rodents and seeks to delineate the role of rodents in the zoonotic transmission of giardiasis from the One Health perspective.

In this study, self-sensing materials have been developed owing to their ability to indicate material damage through an evident optical signal. For this, fluorescent core–shell microcapsules were synthesized by in situ polymerization in an oil-water emulsion. These microcapsules, embedded in a black epoxy resin, release a revealing substance during damage processes that allow microcracks detection in the material. The morphology, chemical structure, size distribution, thermal stability and mechanical properties of the fabricated microcapsules were characterized. Furthermore, the mechanical and optical characterizations of the composite were performed. As result, it has been shown how the microcracks cannot be observed under visible light but it was possible to identify and detect them under a conventional 254 nm ultraviolet (UV) lamp, introducing an additional functionality in the material for damage detection/monitoring.

Summary: Lysosomal amino acid accumulation is implicated in several diseases, but its role in insulin resistance, the central mechanism to type 2 diabetes and many metabolic diseases, is unclear. In this study, we show the hepatic expression of lysosomal membrane protein solute carrier family 7 member 14 (SLC7A14) is increased in insulin-resistant mice. The promoting effect of SLC7A14 on insulin resistance is demonstrated by loss- and gain-of-function experiments. SLC7A14 is further demonstrated as a transporter resulting in the accumulation of lysosomal γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which induces insulin resistance via inhibiting mTOR complex 2 (mTORC2)’s activity. These results establish a causal link between lysosomal amino acids and insulin resistance and suggest that SLC7A14 inhibition may provide a therapeutic strategy in treating insulin resistance-related and GABA-related diseases and may provide insights into the upstream mechanisms for mTORC2, the master regulator in many important processes.

With rapid development of technologies in medical diagnosis and treatment, the novel and complicated concepts and usages of clinical terms especially of surgical procedures have become common in daily routine. Expected to be performed in an operating room and accompanied by an incision based on expert discretion, surgical procedures imply clinical understanding of diagnosis, examination, testing, equipment, drugs and symptoms, etc., but terms expressing surgical procedures are difficult to recognize since the terms are highly distinctive due to long morphological length and complex linguistics phenomena. To achieve higher recognition performance and overcome the challenge of the absence of natural delimiters in Chinese sentences, we propose a Named Entity Recognition (NER) model named Structural-SoftLexicon-Bi-LSTM-CRF (SSBC) empowered by pre-trained model BERT. In particular, we pre-trained a lexicon embedding over large-scale medical corpus to better leverage domain-specific structural knowledge. With input additionally augmented by BERT, rich multigranular information and structural term information is transferred from Structural-SoftLexicon to downstream model Bi-LSTM-CRF. Therefore, we could get a global optimal prediction of input sequence. We evaluate our model on a self-built corpus and results show that SSBC with pre-trained model outperforms other state-of-the-art benchmarks, surpassing at most 3.77% in F1 score. This study hopefully would benefit Diagnostic Related Groups (DRGs) and Diagnosis Intervention Package (DIP) grouping system, medical records statistics and analysis, Medicare payment system, etc.

Organophosphate esters (OPEs) are increasingly added in electronic products as alternative flame retardants, which may result in high occupational exposure of electronic waste recycling employees. This study investigated occupational exposure to OPEs in an e-waste recycling site in northern China, with intent to explore the impacts of occupational exposure and dismantling manipulation mode. Human urine samples from three sites with different distances from the core dismantling area, including employees from family workshops and plants with centralized management and residents from nearby areas, were collected and analyzed for OPEs’ metabolites (mOPEs). The urinary ∑mOPEs’ median concentrations (0.910 ng/mL) of all employees were significantly higher than those of residents in Ziya Town (0.526 ng/mL) and Jinghai downtown (0.600 ng/mL), suggesting the risk of occupational OPEs’ exposure associated with e-waste dismantling. However, the spatial variation was insignificant for residents with different distances from the e-waste recycling site. Besides, OPEs’ exposure levels were significantly affected by manipulation modes and the urinary ∑mOPEs’ median concentrations in the employees of family workshops (1.05 ng/mL) were significantly higher than those in plants with centralized management (0.667 ng/mL). The result suggests that mechanical dismantling and active ventilating measures can reduce the OPEs’ occupational exposure risk. Moreover, ∑mOPEs were higher in volunteers with age above 50 years old and in the underweight subgroup. Finally, different categories of mOPEs in human urine showed associations with corresponding OPEs in dust samples in the same area.

Background: Panax ginseng, as one of the most widely used herbal medicines worldwide, has been studied comprehensively in terms of the chemical components and pharmacology. The proteins from ginseng are also of great importance for both nutrition value and the mechanism of secondary metabolites. However, the proteomic studies are less reported in the absence of the genome information. With the completion of ginseng genome sequencing, the proteome profiling has become available for the functional study of ginseng protein components. Methods: We optimized the protein extraction process systematically by using SDS-PAGE and one-dimensional liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. The extracted proteins were then analyzed by two-dimensional chromatography separation and cutting-edge mass spectrometry technique. Results: A total of 2,732 and 3,608 proteins were identified from ginseng root and cauline leaf, respectively, which was the largest data set reported so far. Only around 50% protein overlapped between the cauline leaf and root tissue parts because of the function assignment for plant growing. Further gene ontology and KEGG pathway revealed the distinguish difference between ginseng root and leaf, which accounts for the photosynthesis and metabolic process. With in-deep analysis of functional proteins related to ginsenoside synthesis, we interestingly found the cytochrome P450 and UDP-glycosyltransferase expression extensively in cauline leaf but not in the root, indicating that the post glucoside synthesis of ginsenosides might be carried out when growing and then transported to the root at withering. Conclusion: The systematically proteome analysis of Panax ginseng will provide us comprehensive understanding of ginsenoside synthesis and guidance for artificial cultivation.

Background: Air pollutants are found associated with various health effects in chronic obstructive pulmonary patients. Given the complicate chemical components of air pollutants, it is not clear which components are the main risk factors for these health effects. Objectives: Based on the COPD in Beijing (COPDB) study and exposome concept, we examined comprehensively the air pollution components to screen out high-risk factors for systemic inflammation of COPD patients. Methods: Concentrations of PM with aerodynamic diameter ≤ 2.5 μm (PM2.5), ultrafine and accumulated-mode particles (UFPs and Acc), PM2.5-contained carbonaceous components/elements/water soluble ions, gaseous pollutants, temperature, and relative humidity (RH) were continuously monitored around participants. Urinary polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and cotinine, and serum tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) were measured from 53 COPD and 82 non-COPD participants. Lifestyle variables were recorded using follow-up questionnaire. Linear mixed effects (LME) models were used to assess the associations of TNFα differences with exposure to air pollutants, meteorological variations, and lifestyle. Results: In COPD patients, the associations of TNFα differences with exposure to ozone, Cd, UFPs, Acc, 2-hydroxydibenzofuran, temperature and RH parameters, and several elements in PM2.5 were significant in certain time-windows. For example, per interquartile range (IQR) increase in average ozone concentration 14 d before visits was associated with 17.3% (95% confidence interval: 6.8%, 27.7%) TNFα difference. Associations between ozone, Cd, UFPs, Acc, the maximum value of RH, and 2-hydroxydibenzofuran exposure and TNFα differences remained robust in two-pollutant models, and contributed to 19.0%, 10.5%, 2.2%, 1.6%, 2.1%, and 1.5% TNFα differences, respectively. Among the high-risk factors for COPD patients, the responses to UFPs, Acc, and 2-hydroxydibenzofuran were not robust in non-COPD participants. Discussion: Ozone, Cd, UFPs, Acc, PAHs exposure and RH variation were high-risk factors of systemic inflammation for COPD patients, and the profile of high-risk factors were different from those in general population.

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a nonischaemic heart muscle disease with structural and functional myocardial abnormalities. TTN truncating mutations are a common cause of DCM, occurring in ∼25% of familial cases of DCM and in 18% of sporadic cases. In this study, we generated a human induced pluripotent stem cell line ZZUNEUi023-A from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of a Kazakh DCM patient with the p. Arg26562Ter (c. 79684C>T) mutation in TTN using non-integrative Sendai virus. This cell line expressed pluripotency markers, showed normal male karyotype and could differentiate into all three germ layers in vitro.

Selection and utilization of plants with high salt tolerance can be efficient to rapidly construct or restore the vegetation of the tropical coral islands. Here, we investigated the response of Guettarda speciosa, a typical tropical coastal plant, to salt stress. Different morphological, physiological and biochemical changes in G. speciosa plants after being subjected to NaCl stress based on the salt content of the reference seawater were studied. The results showed that G. speciosa can be tolerant to 25 g L−1 NaCl which corresponds to 2.5% salt content of seawater. A series of adaptive mechanisms were triggered to cope with salt-stress, including the increase in the thickness of leaf epidermis and palisade tissue to limit water loss, changes in photosynthetic pigments, and antioxidant defense mechanisms. Osmoregulatory substances and antioxidant enzymes worked together to cope with membrane lipid peroxidation caused by the accumulation of reactive oxygen species under salt stress and maintain the stability of osmotic potentials. Our findings indicated that G. speciosa has a strong salt tolerance but probably could not tolerate prolonged seawater immersion, which limit its coastal distribution. Therefore, G. speciosa can be considered for vegetation construction and ecological restoration in tropical coral islands such as those in South China Sea.

Summary: A key step in trajectory inference is the determination of starting cells, which is typically done by using manually selected marker genes. In this study, we find that the quantile polarization of a cell’s principal-component values is strongly associated with their respective states in development hierarchy, and therefore provides an unsupervised solution for determining the starting cells. Based on this finding, we developed a tool named VECTOR that infers vectors of developmental directions for cells in Uniform Manifold Approximation and Projection (UMAP). In seven datasets of different developmental scenarios, VECTOR correctly identifies the starting cells and successfully infers the vectors of developmental directions. VECTOR is freely available for academic use at https://github.com/jumphone/Vector.

Simulated digestion and fermentation in vitro by human intestinal microbiota of anthocyanins from Lycium ruthenicum Murray were investigated in this study. It was shown that the anthocyanins from L. ruthenicum were not digested in simulated saliva, gastric and small intestine fluids. Under fermentation in vitro, the anthocyanins from L. ruthenicum interacted with intestinal microbiota and promoted the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) due to microbial fermentation. The anthocyanins from L. ruthenicum significantly increased the relative abundances of Bifidibacterium and Allisonella, and reduced the relative abundances of Prevotella, Dialister, Megamonas and Clostridium. Moreover, the anthocyanins from L. ruthenicum not only exhibited similar effect as inulin on the production of SCFAs (promoting the formation of acetic, propionic and butyric acids), but also showed a dynamic and multiple regulatory effects on intestinal microbiota. Therefore, the anthocyanins from L. ruthenicum might have a positive role in maintaining intestinal health.

Phthalic acid esters (PAEs) are one important category of additives in plastics, which are ubiquitous products of e-waste recycling areas, where PAEs are released to the environment intensively and higher exposure level is expected for the employees. This study investigated human exposure levels of PAEs in an e-waste recycling area (Ziya Circular Economy Park (ZCEP) in Tianjin, China) with intending to explore the impacts of residence spatial variation and dismantling manipulation mode. We collected 157 urine samples from three sites around ZCEP with different distances from the core dismantling site and urinary phthalate metabolites (mPAEs) concentrations were measured and were compared among these three sites. The exposure levels of PAEs exhibited spatial variation according to the distance from the core dismantling site, and urinary median ∑mPAEs concentrations (389 ng/mL) of the employees in ZCEP were significantly higher than those of residents in Ziya town (285 ng/mL) and the downtown of Jinghai district (207 ng/mL) (p 0.05). Besides, there was no correlation between exposure levels of different PAEs and their physicochemical parameters like the logKow (p > 0.05). Keywords: Occupational exposure, Phthalic acid esters, E-waste recycling area, Dismantling manipulation modes

Mesenchymal hamartoma of the liver (MHL), a common benign hepatic tumor in children, is not commonly associated with other congenital malformations. We describe a novel case of MHL extending through a localized chest wall defect. A 15-day-old Han female presented with a red, staghorn-shaped skin mass overlying the left chest wall. Ultrasound, CT and MRI showed masses in the left chest wall and liver that appeared connected. Laparoscopy identified a mass on the left lateral liver lobe that extended through an intercostal space to connect with the mass outside the left chest wall. The masses were surgically resected. Pathology indicated MHL with a localized chest wall defect. There were no complications or recurrence.

Obesity-related inflammation of metabolic tissues, including visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and liver, are key factors in the development of insulin resistance (IR), though many of the contributing mechanisms remain unclear. We show that nucleic-acid-targeting pathways downstream of extracellular trap (ET) formation, unmethylated CpG DNA, or ribonucleic acids drive inflammation in IR. High-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice show increased release of ETs in VAT, decreased systemic clearance of ETs, and increased autoantibodies against conserved nuclear antigens. In HFD-fed mice, this excess of nucleic acids and related protein antigens worsens metabolic parameters through a number of mechanisms, including activation of VAT macrophages and expansion of plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) in the liver. Consistently, HFD-fed mice lacking critical responders of nucleic acid pathways, Toll-like receptors (TLR)7 and TLR9, show reduced metabolic inflammation and improved glucose homeostasis. Treatment of HFD-fed mice with inhibitors of ET formation or a TLR7/9 antagonist improves metabolic disease. These findings reveal a pathogenic role for nucleic acid targeting as a driver of metabolic inflammation in IR.

ABSTRACT: Oxidative stress is a frequent concern in the breeding of laying hens, and limit the healthy development of poultry. Dexamethasone (DXM) has been demonstrated to induce oxidative stress. Conversely, betaine is an alkaloid with a potent antioxidant activity. The study was designed to investigate the ameliorative effect of betaine on DXM-induced oxidative stress in laying hens. The results revealed that DXM treatment significantly decreased laying rate, shell strength, albumen height, Haugh unit, egg weight, folk weight and albumen weight, alongside increased malondialdehyde (MDA) and decreased total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) in serum and liver (P < 0.05). In contrast, dietary betaine addition reversed those parameters mentioned above (P < 0.05). Hepatic RNA-seq analysis showed that there existed 110 up- and 88 down-regulated genes in DXM group when compared with the control. Meanwhile there were 117 upregulation and 169 downregulation genes in BT group when compared with DXM group. Besides, we found that dietary betaine addition significantly down-regulated cell adhesion molecules, glycerolipid metabolism and glycolysis gluconeogenesis pathways. In addition, a total of 44 and 94 differential metabolites were identified respectively from Con vs. DXM and DXM vs BT. More importantly, dietary betaine addition significantly increased the levels of pantothenic acid, gamma-Aminobutyric acid, equol and choline, all of which were related to antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Furthermore, gut microbiota analysis indicated that the Chao and Observed_species indexes were remarkably higher in BT group (P

ABSTRACT: The hyperplasia and hypertrophy of preadipocytes were closely related to lipid deposition in animals. Butyric acid was reported to be involved in lipid metabolism. The aim of the current study was to investigate the effect of butyric acid on the proliferation and differentiation of the immortalized chicken preadipocyte 2 (ICP2). ICP2 were treated respectively with 12mM butyric acid for 48h in proliferation trial and 4mM butyric acid plus 200 μM oleic acid for 3 d in differentiation trial. For the proliferation trial, RNA-seq analysis revealed that 2039 genes were significantly up-regulated and 780 genes were significantly down-regulated with 12 mM butyric acid after 48 h treatment. Concurrently, Cell cycle, DNA replication and p53 signaling pathways were down-regulated in Butyric acid group. More importantly, 12 mM butyric acid restrained the expression of cell proliferation genes such as PCNA, CDK1 and CDK2 in Butyric acid group (P < 0.05), and the protein expression levels of PCNA and CDK1 were also significantly decreased (P < 0.05). The Oil red staining revealed a fewer presence of red fat droplets in ICP2 following treatment with 4 mM butyric acid, accompanied by decreased levels of total cholesterol (TC) and triglycerides (TG). RNA-seq analysis shown that the number of up and down-regulated genes were 2095 and 1042 respectively in OAB group (oleic acid+butyric acid) when compared with OA group (oleic acid). Meanwhile the AMPK signaling pathway, FOXO signaling pathway and focal adhesion were significantly enriched in OAB group. Additionally, 4 mM butyric acid inhibited the expression of lipid differentiation genes including FABP4, C/EBPα, PPARγ and LPL in OAB group (P < 0.05), as well as lipogenesis proteins such as FABP4, C/EBP-α and PPARγ (P < 0.05). In conclusion, 12 mM butyric acid effectively inhibited the proliferation of ICP2 by slowing down cell cycle progression, while 4 mM butyric acid alleviated lipid deposition by reducing the production of lipid droplets through inhibiting the expression of lipid differentiation marker genes and proteins.

ABSTRACT: A suspected outbreak of duck astrovirus (DAstV) disease occurred in a large Muscovy duck farm in Guangdong Province, China, in June 2022, which severely affected the production performance and health of Muscovy ducks. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of DAstV disease in Southeast China. Herein, we employed semi-nested PCR ethodto screen 5203 swab and liver samples from 11 Muscovy duck farms in 5 provinces of China for the presence of DAstV. Among them, 1356 samples (26.06%, 1356/5203) tested positive for DAstV, out of which 11 DAstV strains were isolated after 10 generations of blind transmission through Leghorn male hepatoma (LMH) cells and performed their whole-genome sequencing. The alignment results showed that the 11 DAstV isolates exhibited relatively low homology (15.4%–75%) with the astrovirus isolates from other species published in GenBank, whereas their homology (nucleotide: 90.4%–99.99%; amino acid: 94%–99.8%) with the DAstV type 1 (DAstV-1) reference strain was higher, indicating considerable homology. The results indicated that DAstV-1 was the main pathogenic factor. Herein, we successfully recreated the clinical symptoms of natural infection in 28-day-old specific-pathogen-free (SPF) ducks using the DAstV-1-GDB-2022 strain. The primary clinical manifestations included liver enlargement, hemorrhaging, and disruptions in liver function. Additionally, we confirmed the cross-species transmission potential of DAstV-1, marking the first occurrence of clinical symptoms of DAstV in 28-day-old SPF chickens. Our findings provide new perspectives on the epidemiology and pathogenicity of DAstV-1 and may help in advancing the development of DAstV vaccines.

Aim: To discover novel methylation-related differentially expressed genes (MRDEGs) for cervical cancer, with a focus on their potential for early diagnosis and prognostic assessment. Materials & methods: We integrated data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. TCGA-MRDEGs were identified by analyzing differentially methylated genes (DMGs) and their correlation with gene expression. We examined GEO datasets GSE39001, GSE9750, and GSE46306 for GEO-MRDEGs. Overlapping MRDEGs were subjected to overall survival (OS) analysis to identify prognostic markers. The expression and methylation levels of these genes were validated in a total of 30 tissue samples, comprising 20 from cervical cancer patients and 10 from normal cervical tissues, using qRT-PCR and MassARRAY EpiTYPER Assay. Results: A total of 314 TCGA-MRDEGs and 40 GEO-MRDEGs were identified. Intersection analysis yielded 10 overlapping MRDEGs. Notably, NOVA1, GSTM5, TRHDE, and CXCL12 were found to have reduced expression and increased methylation in cervical cancer, which correlated with poor prognosis. The methylation status and expression levels of these genes were confirmed in tissue specimens. Conclusion: We identified four MRDEGs as potential prognostic biomarkers for cervical cancer. Their clinical utility is highlighted, but further validation in larger cohorts is required to establish their clinical significance.

This study investigated the impact of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) on inflammation and growth in oral epithelial cells, with a focus on the role of Interleukin-37 (IL37). Oral epithelial cells, including HOEC and HSC-3 cells, were employed in the research. The results revealed that HPV significantly induced inflammation in both types of oral epithelial cells, concurrently promoting cell growth and inhibiting apoptosis. IL37, a cytokine, was found to mitigate HPV-induced inflammation in oral epithelial cells. Moreover, IL37 counteracted HPV's effects on apoptosis and cell viability in oral epithelial cells. The study also identified a reduction in autophagy in HPV-infected oral epithelial cells, a phenomenon alleviated by IL37. Furthermore, chemical inhibition of autophagy was observed to attenuate HPV-induced inflammation and growth in oral epithelial cells. These findings contribute valuable insights into the pathogenesis of inflammation in oral epithelial cells associated with HPV and oral cancers, offering potential avenues for novel therapeutic strategies.

Negative behaviors at the workplace always disturb the management of the firms. This research investigates the link between the dark triad and various types of Knowledge hiding (Evasive hiding, Playing dumb, and Rationalized hiding) in firms. In addition, this study explores perceived organizational politics as a mediator. The design of this study is quantitative and positivist. The data were collected in three waves (45 days gap) with a random sampling approach from 383 personnel/staff working in Chinese commercial banking firms. The data were analyzed using the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) technique and Smartpls-4 software. This study confirms that dark-triad has a positive relation with knowledge hiding, except psychopathy and Machiavellianism, which have no significant correlation with playing dumb and evasive hiding, respectively. Perceived organizational politics significantly mediate the association between dark triad personality traits and the types of knowledge hiding. Employees with political skills and a trust-based culture can counter the dark-triad personalities and discourage the knowledge-hiding culture. For effective management of knowledge-hiding issues in firms, codifying implicit and explicit Knowledge and developing knowledge repositories can discourage a knowledge-hiding culture.

Background: The pathogenesis of pulmonary senescence involves immune system dysregulation, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction. The effects on lung function of niacin, an essential coenzyme involved in mitochondrial energy metabolism with known antioxidant properties, are poorly understood. Methods: This cross-sectional study used data from the 2007–2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, including spirometry data and niacin intake information of 9706 adults. This study investigated various spirometry measures, such as forced expiratory volume in 1 s, forced vital capacity, pulse expiratory flow, (forced expiratory volume in 1 s)/(forced vital capacity)ratio, and predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 s and forced vital capacity percentages. Additionally, a secondary analysis was conducted using Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Foundation Spirometry Grade criteria to assess the relationship between niacin intake, airflow limitation, and obstruction. Multivariate regression models were used to adjust for relevant covariates. Results: The study included 9706 U S. adults (4788 men and 4918 women) with a median age of 46.2 years. After adjusting for relevant factors, a positive correlation was observed between niacin intake and lung function. Compared to the lowest quintile of niacin intake (Q1, ≤14.5 mg/day), individuals in the highest quintile (Q5, >34.5 mg/day) exhibited significant increases in lung function parameters, including forced expiratory volume in 1s (69.84 mL, p = 0.003), pulse expiratory flow (254.48 mL, p

Flexible sensors show the wide range of applications in electronic products. However, challenges remain in developing sensors with internal complex construction, excellent flexibility, elasticity and strength. In this paper, a prepolymer (PU-PDMS-OH-HEMA) contain polyurethane (PU) segments and polysiloxane (PDMS) segments was synthesized, and the photosensitive resins with low viscosity for 3D printing were prepared by mixing prepolymers with diluents and photoinitiators. The resultant cured photosensitive resins showed the improved mechanical properties. The PDMS-OH-30 sample exhibit the excellent mechanical properties, with tensile strength and elongation at break of 10.03 MPa and 1046.15 %, respectively, and the resin viscosity of 62 cP. Conductive ionic liquids were added to the above photosensitive resins to prepare flexible sensors, which show the electrical sensitivity and stability. The findings in the work propose a contribution to the development of highly flexible 3D printing resins for fabricating flexible sensors.

Pancreatic cystic lesions, frequently detected in abdominal imaging, pose diagnostic challenges due to their varying malignancy potential. This review article focuses on the crucial role of molecular diagnostics in differentiating these lesions, with an emphasis on the significance of KRAS and GNAS mutations identified through endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA). The use of next-generation sequencing (NGS) is highlighted for its precision in detecting genetic changes, crucial for accurate diagnosis and guiding management decisions.Integration of molecular studies into standardized reporting for pancreaticobiliary cytopathology is also discussed, enhancing diagnostic accuracy. The potential of precision oncology, informed by molecular insights, is explored for targeted treatments of pancreatic cystic lesions.Commercial platforms like PancreaSeq® Genomic Classifier and PancraGEN® are assessed for their effectiveness in analyzing pancreatic cystic fluid, proving beneficial in cases where traditional methods fall short.In summary, molecular studies are indispensable in evaluating pancreatic cystic lesions, offering a pathway to more personalized treatment and management strategies in patient-centered care.

Serous fluids, encompassing pleural, pericardial, and peritoneal fluids, exhibit a wide spectrum of neoplastic and non-neoplastic conditions. Malignant effusions commonly result from metastasis, particularly from adenocarcinomas, and less frequently from primary malignant mesothelioma. Cytologic assessment of serous effusions remains an invaluable tool, especially with the expanding role of ancillary techniques available to resolve diagnostically challenging cases. The recently introduced International System for Reporting Serous Fluid Cytopathology (TIS) establishes a standardized reporting system with five distinct diagnostic categories: nondiagnostic (ND), negative for malignancy (NFM), atypia of undetermined significance (AUS), suspicious for malignancy (SFM), and malignant (MAL). Understanding the distribution of malignancy in serous fluids by site of origin in effusion cytology is important, especially in patients with an unknown primary. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) combined with clinical and radiologic data plays a crucial role in confirming malignancy, establishing the primary site, determining the stage, predicting prognosis, monitoring recurrence, and influencing medical management. This review aims to provide an overview of TIS reporting system, emphasizing its malignant category. It provides updates on the distribution of malignancies in serous fluids and discusses valuable IHC panels based on differential diagnosis, addressing challenging cases within this context.

The mesenchymal tumors of the pancreas account for approximately 1–2% of all pancreatic neoplasms and they are not commonly encountered in our daily practice. When these rare entities are seen during endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA) with rapid onsite evaluation (ROSE) or EUS-guided fine-needle biopsy (FNB) specimens sampled from the pancreas, it is usually difficult to establish a diagnosis solely based on cytohistology due to the significant overlapping cytomorphological features among these neoplasms. Ancillary studies including immunohistochemical stains and molecular testing are critical to reach the correct final diagnosis. Here, we reviewed the pancreatic mesenchymal neoplasms diagnosed with EUS-FNA cytology specimens or EUS-FNB small biopsy specimens. Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST), solitary fibrous tumors (SFT), paraganglioma, perivascular epithelioid cell tumor (PEComa), and Granular cell tumor were discussed in detail each with a representative case from our practice collections. The characteristic cytohistological features and immunostaining markers for each entity are highlighted for differential diagnosis. In summary, cytopathologists need to be vigilant for these rare entities and perform necessary immunostaining to establish an accurate diagnosis.

The development of clean and green manufacturing of superalloys has attracted widespread attention. The returned scrap of superalloys, however, contains a significant amount of oxygen (O), nitrogen (N), and inclusions, which cannot be used effectively, and thus resulting in substantial waste generation. In this study, the electron beam drip melting (EBDM) is used to deeply remove the O, N and inclusions in a single crystal superalloy. The concentration of O and N can be reduced to 0.57 and 0.55 ppmw after drip melting, with removal rates of 97.9 % and 83.8 % respectively. The number density of inclusions experienced a significant decrease, dropping from 12.90 to 0.18 mm−2, representing a reduction of 98.6 %. The intense Marangoni convection will gather the surface inclusions in the central area of the electron beam spot. The inclusions get close to each other to form cavities, and thus the aggregation reaction occurs to form inclusion clusters. Due to the dissolution and decomposition reactions caused by the local overheating and bombardment of electron beam, the inclusions can be removed effectively. The generated O and N are eliminated through mass transfer and evaporation reactions, while the remaining inclusions on the surface can be artificially removed. The electron beam drip melting can be used for the preparation of superalloys with extremely low levels of O, N and inclusions.

Objectives: The clamshell isothermal nucleic acid amplification analyzer RTisochip-S, a next-generation instrument featuring improved structural design, enhanced functional integration, reduced cost, and increased portability, was assessed for its suitability in clinical respiratory pathogens detection. Methods: The certificated detection kit for lower respiratory tract bacteria (LRTB-kit) was applied to evaluate the performance of RTisochip-S via sensitivity, specificity, and repeatability analysis. The clinical specimens, including 51 sputum specimens and 10 bronchoalveolar lavage fluid specimens, were simultaneously detected on both RTisochip-S and a certificated reference instrument (RTisochip-A) to assess the consistency. Results: The results indicated that RTisochip-S fulfills the sensitivity, specificity, and repeatability requirements of the LRTB-Kit, and the results of clinical specimens on the two instruments were consistent. Conclusions: RTisochip-S is satisfying the clinical detection of respiratory pathogens while enhancing portability and compactness, making it more well-suited for point-of-care testing (POCT) applications.

Summary: It is a significant challenge to assess the functions of many uncharacterized genes in human malaria parasites. Here, we present a genetic screening tool to assess the contribution of essential genes from Plasmodium falciparum by the conditional CRISPR-/deadCas9-based interference and activation (i/a) systems. We screened both CRISPRi and CRISPRa sets, consisting of nine parasite lines per set targeting nine genes via their respective gRNAs. By conducting amplicon sequencing of gRNA loci, we identified the contribution of each targeted gene to parasite fitness upon drug (artemisinin, chloroquine) and stress (starvation, heat shock) treatment. The screening was highly reproducible, and the screening libraries were easily generated by transfection of mixed plasmids expressing different gRNAs. We demonstrated that this screening is straightforward, robust, and can provide a fast and efficient tool to study essential genes that have long presented a bottleneck in assessing their functions using existing genetic tools.

Several urine cytology classifications have been published in the literature. However, global acceptance in the field of urine cytology was only gained in 2016 after The Paris System for reporting urinary cytology was published. Despite this Paris System and its shifted focus toward the detection of high-grade urothelial carcinoma, the perceived weakness of low sensitivity and indeterminate diagnoses when screening with urine cytology remains unresolved. To overcome these shortcomings, investigators have studied a variety of emerging ancillary tests to augment urine cytology (UroVysion, ImmunoCyt/uCyte+, BTA-stat/TRAK, NMP22, SCD-A7, URO17, CellDetect, UroMark, UroSEEK). Furthermore, with the advent of digital cytology, the creation of artificial intelligence tools has created innovative opportunities to aid with urine cytology. This review article discusses the lessons learned in the evolution of reporting systems, explores the merit and challenges of ancillary tests, and calls attention to potential utility of applying artificial intelligence in urine cytology.

ABSTRACT: Excess abdominal fat reduces carcass yield and feed conversion ratio, thereby resulting in significant economic losses in the poultry industry. Our previous study demonstrated that dietary addition of folic acid reduced fat deposition and changed gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acid. However, whether folic acid regulating abdominal fat deposition was mediated by gut microbiota was unclear. A total of 210 one-day-old broiler chickens were divided into 3 groups including the control (CON), folic acid (FA), and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) groups. From 14th day, broiler chickens in CON and FA groups were given perfusion administration with 1 mL diluent daily, while 1 mL fecal microbiota transplantation suspension from FA group prepared before was perfusion in FMT group receiving control diets. The result showed that abdominal fat percentage was significantly lower in FA and FMT groups when compared with CON group (P < 0.05). Morphology analysis revealed that the villus height of jejunum and ileum were significantly higher in FMT group (P < 0.05), and the villus height of jejunum was also significantly higher in FA group (P < 0.05), while the diameter and cross-sectional area (CSA) of adipocytes were significantly decreased in FA and FMT groups when compared with CON group (P < 0.05). Western blot results indicated that the expression levels of FOXO1 and PLIN1 in FMT group were significantly increased (P < 0.05), whereas the expression levels of PPARγ, C/EBPα, and FABP4 were significantly decreased (P < 0.05). Additionally, the Chao1, Observed-species, Shannon and Simpson indexes in FA and FMT groups were significantly higher (P < 0.05), but the microbiota were similar between FMT and FA groups (P < 0.05). LEfSe analysis determined that Lactobacillus, Clostridium and Dehalobacterium were found to be predominant in FA group, while Oscillospira, Shigella, and Streptococcus were the dominant microflora in FMT group. Furthermore, these cecal microbiota were mostly involved in infectious disease, cellular community prokaryotes, cell motility and signal transduction in FA group (P < 0.05), whereas functional capacities involved in signal transduction, cell motility, infectious disease and environment adaptation were enriched significantly of cecal microbiota in FMT group (P < 0.05). In summary, both fecal microbiota transplantation from the broiler chickens of dietary added folic acid and dietary folic acid addition effectively reduced abdominal fat deposition, indicating that the regulatory effect of folic acid on abdominal fat deposition was mediated partly by gut microbiota in broiler chickens.

Purpose: Male breast cancer treatment involves multimodality therapy, including radiation therapy; nevertheless, few men have received proton therapy (PT) for it. Further, heart disease is an established leading cause of death in men, and radiation therapy heart dose correlates with cardiac toxicity, highlighting the need for cardiac-sparing radiation techniques. Thus, we provide a descriptive analysis of PT in a male breast cancer cohort. Patients and Methods: Men who received PT for localized breast cancer between 2012 and 2022 were identified from a prospective database. Toxicities were prospectively recorded by using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE), version 4.0. Results: Five male patients were identified. All had estrogen receptor (ER)–positive, Her2neu-negative disease and received adjuvant endocrine therapy. One had genetic testing positive for BRCA2, one had a variant of unknown significance (VUS) in the APC gene, and one had a VUS in MSH2. Median age was 73 years (range, 41–80). Baseline comorbidities included obesity (n = 1), diabetes (n = 1), hypertension (n = 4), history of deep vein thrombosis (n = 1), personal history of myocardial infarction (n = 3; 1 with a pacemaker), and a history of lung cancer (n = 1). All received PT to the left chest wall and comprehensive regional lymphatics. One received passive-scattering PT, and 4 received pencil beam scanning. One patient received a boost to the mastectomy incision via electrons. Median heart dose was 1 GyRBE (range, 0–1.0), median 0.1-cm3 dose to the left anterior descending artery was 7.5 GyRBE (range, 0–14.2), and median follow-up was 2 years (range, 0.75–6.5); no patient experienced a new cardiac event, and all remain free from breast cancer recurrence and progression. Conclusion: In a small case series for a rare diagnosis, PT to the chest wall and regional lymphatics, including internal mammary nodes, resulted in low cardiac exposure, high local regional disease control rates, and minimal toxicity. Proton therapy should be considered for treating men with breast cancer to achieve cardiac sparing.

In this paper, the high temperature oxidation behavior of superalloys prepared by the electron beam smelting (EBS) and vacuum induction melting (VIM) at 900 °C and 1000 °C is investigated. Experimental results indicate that EBS alloys show better oxidation resistance and oxide layer integrity. The relationship between the growth rates of Al2O3 and Ta2O5 and the oxygen partial pressure at the oxide/substrate interface is explained by the growth model of n-type semiconductor oxides. Lower oxygen partial pressure can be achieved at the oxide/substrate interface due to the higher purity of the EBS alloys. This effectively slows down the growth rate of the n-type semiconductor oxides such as Al2O3 and Ta2O5 and the thickening rates of the other n-type oxides, which ultimately leads to better oxidation resistance.

In this research, the ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) conditions of the water-soluble polysaccharide (FCPS) from Ficus carica fruits were optimized using the response surface methodology. The optimal FCPS yield was 7.97 % achieved by conducting ultrasound-assisted extraction four times at a solid–liquid ratio of 1:20 (g/mL) and an ultrasound temperature of 70 °C. Then, the structure, antioxidant properties, hypoglycemic effects, and immunomodulatory activities of FCPS were evaluated. FCPS was characterized as irregular, rough-surfaced, flaky materials consisting of pyran-type polysaccharides with α- and β-glycosidic linkages, and composed of multiple monosaccharides and only one homogeneous concentrated polysaccharide component (FCPS1) with a molecular weight of 4.224 × 104 Da. The results suggested FCPS exhibited remarkable antioxidant activity in vitro, as evidenced by improved cell viability and reduced the reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. Meanwhile, FCPS effectively improved liver-related insulin resistance by promoting glucose consumption in hepatocytes and activated the immune response through activation of murine bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (DCs) and upregulation of interleukin 6 (IL6) and interleukin 12 (IL-12) expression. The findings demonstrate the efficacy of the UAE technique in isolating FCPS with biological functionality and FCPS could potentially serve as a beneficial organic antioxidant source and functional food, carrying important implications for future studies.

Purpose: Treatment for bilateral breast cancer with radiation therapy is technically challenging. We evaluated the clinical and dosimetric outcomes of a small series of patients with synchronous bilateral breast cancer, including a photon dosimetric comparison, to identify optimal treatment planning approaches. Materials and Methods: We reviewed a registry of patients (simultaneously) diagnosed with synchronous bilateral breast cancers who underwent postoperative definitive adjuvant proton therapy at our institution between 2012 and 2021. All patients were treated with double-scattered proton or pencil-beam scanning therapies. For comparison, intensity-modulated radiation therapy photon plans optimized for organ sparing and coverage were generated after treatment. Results: Six patients were included. The median patient age was 66 years; all were female with no history of breast cancer or radiation therapy. Two (33%) patients received breast/chest wall–only treatments, 1 (17%) required breast plus level I axillary treatment to one side and breast plus regional nodal irradiation (RNI) to the other, and 3 (50%) received bilateral breast/chest plus RNI; dosimetric results are reported for each group’s median. Analysis showed clinical target coverage was comparable between proton and photon techniques (V95% of 96.4% with proton, 97.8% with photon). However, protons could deliver superior organ sparing at clinically relevant dose metrics for virtually all structures: a 6.7 Gy absolute reduction in the mean heart dose (7.5 Gy with photons to 0.7 Gy with protons), a 47% to 57% relative reduction in D0.1cm3 to coronary arteries, a 54% relative reduction in lung V20 Gy, and an absolute 7.6 Gy reduction to the brachial plexus. There was also greater esophagus and spinal cord sparing. The overall survival rate was 100% at 1.5 years of median follow-up (0.5–4.9), and all patients were free of disease. For toxicity, all patients had some form of acute side effects: 66% experienced grade 2 breast/chest pain or soreness; 100% had grade 2 radiation dermatitis or skin induration; 33% had grade 2 fatigue; and 17% had grade 2 esophagitis (per the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events [CTCAE] version 5.0; US National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland). Subacute toxicity (within 6 months) was observed for 17% of patients with delayed onset of grade 3 dermatitis in the setting of preexisting lupus, 17% with a delayed surgical wound complication, and 17% with grade 2 soft tissue fibrosis. No grade 4 or 5 events were observed. Conclusions: Substantial dose reductions to multiple organs at risk while maintaining target coverage make proton the preferred modality for bilateral breast cancer treatment when available.

Purpose: To determine the rib fracture rate in a cohort of patients with breast cancer treated with proton therapy. Patient and Methods: From a prospective database, we identified 225 patients treated with proton therapy between 2012 and 2020 (223 women; 2 men). Clinical and dosimetric data were extracted, the cumulative incidence method assessed rib fracture rate, and Fine-Gray tests assessed prognostic significance of select variables. In-field rib fracture was defined as a fracture that occurred in a rib located within the 10% isodose line. Out-of-field rib fracture was defined as a fracture occurring in a rib location outside of the 10% isodose line. Results: Of the patients, 74% had left-sided breast cancer; 5%, bilateral; and 21%, right-sided. Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry scans showed normality in 20%, osteopenia in 34%, and osteoporosis in 6% (test not performed in 40%). Additionally, 57% received an aromatase inhibitor. Target volumes were breast ± internal mammary nodes (IMNs) (16%), breast and comprehensive regional lymphatics (32%), chest wall ± IMNs (1%), and chest wall/comprehensive regional lymphatics (51%). Passive-scattered proton therapy was used for 41% of patients, 58% underwent pencil-beam scanning (PBS), and 1% underwent a combination (passive scattering/PBS), with 85% of patients receiving a boost. Median follow-up was 3.1 years, with 97% having >12-month follow-up. The 3-year cumulative in-field rib fracture incidence was 3.7%. Eight patients developed in-field rib fractures (1 symptomatic, 7 imaging identified) for a 0.4% symptomatic rib fracture rate. Median time from radiation completion to rib fracture identification was 1.8 years (fractures were identified within 2.2 years for 7 of 8 patients). No variables were associated with rib fracture on univariate analysis. Three fractures developed outside the radiation field (0.9% cumulative incidence of out-of-field rib fracture). Conclusion: In this series of patients with breast cancer treated with proton therapy, the 3-year rib fracture rates remain low (in-field 3.7%; symptomatic 0.4%). As in photon therapy, the asymptomatic rate may be underestimated owing to a lack of routine surveillance imaging. However, patients experiencing symptomatic rib fractures after proton therapy for breast cancer are rare.

ABSTRACT: Excess abdominal fat is a common phenomenon in broiler chickens. Gut microbiota could regulate lipid metabolism through their effects on short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) production. This study was conducted to investigate the potential relationship between abdominal fat development and cecal microorganism populations. Abdominal fat and cecum contents were collected at 3, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, and 42 d of age. The results showed that abdominal fat weight increased with age. The abdominal fat percentage was higher between 7 and 21 d of age than at 3 d (P < 0.05), and it increased again at 28 to 42 d (P < 0.05). Morphological analysis showed that adipocyte diameter and cross-sectional area (CSA) increased significantly after 14 d of age (P < 0.05). Moreover, gut microbiota analysis indicated that the Chao1 and Shannon indices were higher between 14 and 28 d than at 3 d of age (P < 0.05). Furthermore, LEfse analysis revealed that Faecalibacterium, Anaerotruncus, Anaeroplasma, Subdoligranulum, and Clostridium emerged to become dominant at 14 d. A greater abundance of Bacteroides, Ruminococcus, Dehalobacterium, and Lactobacillus were determined at 28 d when compared with 14 d of age. Parabacteroides, Ochrobactrum, Lactobacillus, Blautia, Alistipes, Dehalobacterium, Odoribacter, and Suuterella were found to be predominant at 42 d. PICRUSt analysis revealed that amino acid metabolism, lipid metabolism, and terpenoids and polyketides metabolism were elevated at 14 d; the immune and digestive systems were significantly developed at 28 d. In addition, cecum propionic acid and butyric acid contents gradually increased (P < 0.05), while the isobutyric acid contents gradually decreased with advancing age (P < 0.05). Correlation analysis among SCFAs, differential genera and abdominal fat suggested that Coprobacillus, Shigella, and Butyricicoccus had negative correlations with propionic acid, butyric acid, and abdominal fat weight, but positive correlations with isobutyric acid. Isobutyric acid was identified as being negatively associated with abdominal fat weight, while the reverse was found for propionic acid and butyric acid. In conclusion, abdominal fat development is correlated with the emergence of specific microbes and d 14 may be a pivotal age for establishing this relationship.

With the rapid development of 3D printing technology, products with improved performance are in demand. In this study, photosensitive bismaleimide resin (N,N′-(4,4′-diphenylmethane) bismaleimide–4,4′-diaminodiphenyl methane–glycidyl methacrylate; BDM-DDM-GMA) and acrylic liquid-crystal resin (ALCR) were used to obtain new 3D printing BDM/ALCR resins. The resultant 3D-printed products exhibited excellent heat resistance and mechanical properties, and only small amounts of both resins were required to achieve the optimal formulation of a single resin. When 10% of BDM-DDM-GMA and 5% of ALCR were used, their T-5% and Tmax were 329.2 and 459.1 °C, respectively, Tg was 117.4 °C, tensile strength was 81.7 MPa, elongation at break was 14.3%, flexural strength was 134.8 MPa, and impact strength was 5.2 kJ m−2. The use of BDM-DDM-GMA and ALCR fulfills the expectation that the two components can synergistically enhance the performance of 3D printing resins, the presence of the imide ring increases the overall rigidity at the molecular level, and the mesocrystalline domain formed by the stacking of liquid crystal molecules enhances its resistance when subjected to external forces. After the physical printing tests, all products exhibited good surface properties and excellent interlayer bonding. As a result, BDM/ALCR resins with excellent mechanical properties and heat resistance have great potential for applications in aerospace, automotive parts, and electronic components.