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This study aimed to assess the potential of home monitoring using a monitoring application for the early prediction of acute exacerbations (AEs) in patients with fibrosing interstitial lung diseases (F-ILDs) by tracking symptoms, peripheral blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), and heart rate (HR). Data on symptoms, SpO2, and HR before and after a 1-min sit-to-stand test (1STST) were collected using an online home monitoring application. Symptoms were recorded at least 3 times a week, including cough intensity and frequency (Cough Assessment Test scale (COAT) score), breathlessness grade (modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) score), and SpO2 and HR before and after 1STST. Eighty-five patients with stable F-ILDs were enrolled. We observed a significant increase in COAT and mMRC scores, alongside a significant decrease in SpO2 before and after 1STST, 2 weeks before the first recorded AE. Furthermore, a combination of variables-an increase in COAT (≥ 4) and mMRC(≥ 1) scores, a decrease in SpO2 at rest (≥ 5%), and a decrease in SpO2 after 1STST (≥ 4%)- proved the most effective in predicting AE onset in patients with F-ILDs at 2 weeks before the first recorded AE. Home telemonitoring of symptoms, SpO2 holds potential value for early AE detection in patients with F-ILDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fruit neck length (FNL) is one of the important commercial characteristics of bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria), which is usually desirable by consumers based on their preferences. At present, there has not been extensive research on the genetics of bottle gourd FNL. In this study, an F2 segregating population was constructed using the long fruit neck material H16 and the short fruit neck material H06. Bulked segregant analysis and kompetitive allele-specific PCR techniques were used to identify candidate regions regulating FNL in bottle gourd. InDel markers were used to narrow the final candidate region interval to 0.16 Mb, which contained 8 genes. A combined analysis using a gene annotation library, real-time fluorescence quantitative expression, and sequence analysis of candidate genes in the region indicated that the HG_GLEAN_10011965 gene might be involved in the regulation of bottle gourd FNL and was named LsFNL1.1. Based on the most narrowed candidate gene interval, an InDel marker was developed for molecular marker assisted breeding of bottle gourd FNL. The phenotypic-genotype association rate of this InDel marker was 83%. This study provides a theoretical basis for further exploring the molecular mechanisms underlying bottle gourd fruit traits and can accelerate the breeding of varieties with desirable characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a common extramuscular manifestation of the anti-synthetase syndrome (ASS). Patients with ASS-ILD are at risk in developing a progressive fibrosing phenotype despite appropriate treatments. This study investigated the risk factors and the predictive value of multiple risk factors for progressive pulmonary fibrosis (PPF) in patients with ASS-ILD. Methods: Ninety patients with a diagnosis of ASS and evidence of ILD on high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) were recruited. Among them, 72 participants completed follow-up for more than 12 months. These patients were further divided into a PPF-ASS group (n = 18) and a non-PPF-ASS group (n = 54). Logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the risk factors for PPF. The predictive value of the combined risk factors for predicting PPF were analyzed by a ROC curve. Results: The PPF-ASS group had a higher rate of positive non-Jo-1 antibodies, a significantly higher neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and a significantly lower PaO2/FiO2 ratio and diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO%pred) than the non-PPF-ASS group. In addition, elevated serum Krebs von den Lungen-6 (KL-6) level and reticular opacities were significantly more common, and corticosteroid monotherapy at onset was administered more frequently in the PPF-ASS group. The median duration of follow-up was 37.4 months, survival was poorer in the PPF-ASS group, and the overall survival was 88.9%. Multivariate regression analysis further revealed that positive non-Jo-1 antibodies, NLR, and KL-6 were independent risk factors for PPF. These combined indexes had good accuracy (area under the curve = 0.874) in predicting PPF in patients with ASS-ILD. Conclusion: Positive non-Jo-1 antibodies, NLR, and serum KL-6 are independent risk factors for PPF in patients with ASS-ILD. Monitoring these markers can potentially predict PPF in this group of patients. Key Points • Positive non-Jo-1 antibodies, NLR, and serum KL-6 are independent risk factors associated with PPF in patients with ASS-ILD. • Monitoring non-Jo-1 antibodies, NLR, and serum KL-6 can potentially predict PPF in patients with ASS-ILD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present an exact purely azimuthal solution for the governing equations of three-dimensional wind-stress geophysical stratified flows over an impermeable flat bed and with a flat surface, with centripetal effects at arbitrary latitude. In general stratification (depending on the depth and latitude but not on the azimuthal direction), we consider the governing equation in the β -plane approximation. For the special two-layer model (due to the strong stratification), we analyze the problem in the f-plane approximation. Moreover, in the two-layer flows, we prove some monotonicity results with respect to the strength of the wind speed near the ocean's surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we consider two-dimensional steady periodic equatorial water waves of small amplitude, which propagate over a flat bed and beneath a free surface. In particular, we assume that the flow has a fixed mean-depth. After analyzing the existence of Laminar solution, we obtain the dispersion relations for the affine vorticity distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban heat island (UHI) represents important human-induced alterations in local climate that has extensive impacts on urban environments and the well-being of urban residents. Under the background of global warming and rapid urbanization, UHI effects will be greatly enhanced, which will further aggravate urban heatwaves and increase health risks to people therein. Therefore, to take adaptive mitigation measures, it is essential to thoroughly understand the meteorological mechanism responsible for the formation of UHIs. Here, we elucidate the roles of the main meteorological parameters in Shanghai's nocturnal UHI intensity (UHII) using long-term meteorological data from 1979 to 2013. The strongest mean nocturnal UHII values were found in autumn and winter, whereas the weakest UHII was found in summer. This seasonal pattern was associated with dense cloudiness, high relative humidity and precipitation, strong winds, and low atmospheric pressure. Negative relationships between the nocturnal UHII and the cloudiness, wind speed, relative humidity, and precipitation and a positive correlation between the UHII and atmospheric pressure were observed for Shanghai. The interactive effects of the wind speed, cloudiness, and relative humidity on the UHII indicate that a calm, dry, and clear-sky environment was optimal for maximum UHI formation. This study provides insights into the mechanisms governing the formation of UHIs and clarifies the key meteorological factors. In addition, our results support the accurate assessment of future climate change impacts on human health and societies by including the UHII as an important assessment index. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) is a Quasi-5G technology that will provide coverage for massive number of low-power consumption applications. Hence, the potential massive random access (RA) users call for a new RA scheme. In this paper, based on the key ideas of non-orthogonal multiple access and successive interference cancellation, the NB-IoT non-orthogonal random access (NB-NORA) scheme has been proposed to provide a more effective access performance for NB-IoT system. Further, the RA preamble (MSG1) transmission collision probability and initial layer 3 message (MSG3) outage performances are analyzed based on stochastic geometry, which is compared with the traditional NB-IoT orthogonal random access (NB-ORA) scheme. Simulation results show that the maximum throughput of MSG1 within NB-NORA scheme is double that within NB-ORA scheme, and the successful RA probability of NB-NORA is increased by about 75%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present an exact solution of the nonlinear governing equations for the geophysical waves propagating above the thermocline toward the east at arbitrary latitude. Based on the short-wavelength instability approach, we demonstrate the criteria for the hydrodynamical instability of such water waves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Publisher's note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. B Correction to: Clinical Rheumatology b https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-023-06570-3 The attributes of the affiliations for the authors Ziyao Zheng, Zhenping Zhang, Zhaojun Wang, Jing Xue, Shuhong Chi, Mengshu Cao were incorrect and has been corrected as follows: B Ziyao Zheng b SP B 2,5 b sp 2 Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, Ningxia, China 5 Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, General Hospital of Xinmi Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xinmi 452370, Henan, China B Zhenping Zhang b SP B 4 b sp 4 Department of Radiology, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, China B Zhaojun Wang b SP B 2,9 b sp 2 Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, Ningxia, China 9 Department of Critical Care Medicine, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, Ningxia, China B Jing Xue b SP B 6 b sp 6 Institute of Human Stem Cell Research, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, Ningxia, China B Shuhong Ch b i SP 7 sp 7 Department of Rheumatology, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, Ningxia, China B Mengshu Cao b SP B 8 b sp 8 Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Afliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, No. 321 Zhongshan Road, Nanjing 210008, Jiangsu, China The original article has been corrected. [Extracted from the article]

We study a model in a deep way for arctic gyre flows which are uniform in the azimuthal direction. Such a model is transformed to a nonlinear integral equation on infinite-interval. By functional-analytic techniques, we investigate the existence of solutions of the integral equation with general nonlinear oceanic vorticities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low temperature is one of the most common environmental stresses affecting plant growth and agricultural production. The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade plays a pivotal role in diverse signaling pathways related to plant development and stress responses. In this study, a novel MAPK gene, SlMPK7, in tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum) belonging to group B MAPK was isolated and functionally characterized. QRT-PCR analysis revealed that transcription of the MAPK SlMPK7 in tomato leaves was triggered by abiotic stresses and exogenous signaling molecules. Moreover, hydrogen peroxide (HO) and Ca mediated 4 °C-induced upregulated expression of SlMPK7 at the messenger RNA (mRNA) level. SlMPK7 was predominantly localized in the nucleus. Transgenic tomato overexpressing SlMPK7 accumulated less reactive oxygen species (ROS), more superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, catalase activities, more proline and soluble sugar contents, and more stress-responsive gene expression, leading to enhanced chilling stress tolerance compared with the wild-type plants. Collectively, these data demonstrate that SlMPK7 acts as a positive regulator in the response to chilling stress by regulating ROS homeostasis through activation of cellular antioxidant systems and modulating the transcription of stress-associated genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades are important intracellular signaling events that mediate signal transduction associated with plant responses to environmental stresses. In this study, tomato plants were subjected to treatments of low (4 °C) and high-temperature (42 °C) and exogenous application of methyl jasmonate, salicylic acid and hydrogen peroxide. Results show that tomato leaves from treated plants contained an elevated level of the MAPK gene ( SlMPK3). Transient expression assay of onion epidermal cells using pBI121-GFP constructs indicate that the SlMPK3 was predominantly localized in nuclei. In transgenic tobacco plants overexpressing SlMPK3, leaves contained less reactive oxygen species (ROS), more superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase activities, higher proline and soluble sugar contents, and an elevated transcript level of stress-responsive genes. Seeds derived from those SlMPK3 transgenic tobacco plants had a significant higher germination rate ( P < 0.05) under chilling stress (12 °C). The transgenic seedlings also developed larger root system under the same temperature treatment conditions. Taken together, these data demonstrate that SlMPK3 acts as a positive regulator in the response to low temperature stress by regulating ROS homeostasis through activation of cellular antioxidant systems and modulating the transcription of stress-associated genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to provide, in a β-plane approximation with centripetal forces, an explicit three-dimensional nonlinear solution for geophysical waves propagating at an arbitrary latitude, in the presence of a constant underlying background current. This solution is linearly unstable when the steepness of the wave exceeds a specific threshold. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypoxia induces plant stress, particularly in cucumber plants under hydroponic culture. In plants, calcium is involved in stress signal transmission and growth. The ultimate goal of this study was to shed light on the mechanisms underlying the effects of exogenous calcium on the mitochondrial antioxidant system, the activity of respiratory metabolism enzymes, and ion transport in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L. cv. Jinchun No. 2) roots under hypoxic conditions. Our experiments revealed that exogenous calcium reduces the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and increases the activity of antioxidant enzymes in mitochondria under hypoxia. Exogenous calcium also enhances the accumulation of enzymes involved in glycolysis and the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. We utilized fluorescence and ultrastructural cytochemistry methods to observe that exogenous calcium increases the concentrations of Ca2+ and K+ in root cells by increasing the activity of plasma membrane (PM) H+-ATPase and tonoplast H+-ATPase and H+-PPase. Overall, our results suggest that hypoxic stress has an immediate and substantial effect on roots. Exogenous calcium improves metabolism and ion transport in cucumber roots, thereby increasing hypoxia tolerance in cucumber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]