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Combined polymetallic exposure may be an influential factor in osteoporosis. This study aimed to explore the association between polymetallic combined exposure and osteoporosis. A total of 2115 participants were included. Plasma concentrations of 22 metals were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Osteoporosis was defined as a T ≤ − 2.5. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression, binary logistics regression, and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) model were used to explore the association between plasma metals and osteoporosis. LASSO regression showed that 10 metals were associated with osteoporosis in the total population (magnesium, calcium, manganese, nickel, cobalt, arsenic, selenium, rubidium, cadmium, aluminum) and women (magnesium, calcium, molybdenum, nickel, cobalt, arsenic, selenium, rubidium, cadmium, aluminum), and four metals associated with men (magnesium, cobalt, aluminum, iron). Logistics regression showed that in total population, magnesium (ORQ3 = 0.653, 95% CI = 0.446–0.954) was negatively correlated with osteoporosis, while aluminum (ORQ2 = 1.569, 95% CI = 1.095–2.248, ORQ4 = 1.616, 95% CI = 1.109–2.354) and cadmium (ORQ4 = 1.989, 95% CI = 1.379–2.870) were positively correlated; in women, magnesium (ORQ3 = 0.579, 95% CI = 0.379–0.883) was negatively correlated with osteoporosis, while aluminum (ORQ2 = 1.563, 95% CI = 1.051–2.326, ORQ4 = 1.543, 95% CI = 1.024–2.326) and cadmium (ORQ3 = 1.482, 95% CI = 1.003–2.191, ORQ4 = 1.740, 95% CI = 1.167–2.596) were positively correlated. BKMR model showed that combined polymetallic exposure had an overall positive effect on osteoporosis, magnesium was negatively associated with osteoporosis, and cadmium, selenium, and aluminum were positively associated with osteoporosis. Metal mixtures in plasma were associated with osteoporosis risk. Magnesium may reduce the risk of osteoporosis, while cadmium, selenium, and aluminum may increase the risk of osteoporosis. Future studies needed to explore correlations and mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conditional process models, including moderated mediation models and mediated moderation models, are widely used in behavioral science research. However, few studies have examined approaches to conduct statistical power analysis for such models and there is also a lack of software packages that provide such power analysis functionalities. In this paper, we introduce new simulation-based methods for power analysis of conditional process models with a focus on moderated mediation models. These simulation-based methods provide intuitive ways for sample-size planning based on regression coefficients in a moderated mediation model as well as selected variance and covariance components. We demonstrate how the methods can be applied to five commonly used moderated mediation models using a simulation study, and we also assess the performance of the methods through the five models. We implement our approaches in the WebPower R package and also in Web apps to ease their application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Differential Evolution (DE) stands as a potent global optimization algorithm, renowned for its application in addressing a myriad of practical engineering issues. The efficacy of DE is profoundly influenced by its control parameters and mutation strategies. In light of this, we introduce a refined DE algorithm characterized by adaptive parameters and dual mutation strategies (APDSDE). APDSDE inaugurates an adaptive switching mechanism that alternates between two innovative mutation strategies: DE/current-to-pBest-w/1 and DE/current-to-Amean-w/1. Furthermore, a novel parameter adaptation technique rooted in cosine similarity is established, with the derivation of explicit calculation formulas for both the scaling factor weight and crossover rate weight. In pursuit of optimizing convergence speed whilst preserving population diversity, a sophisticated nonlinear population size reduction method is proposed. The robustness of each algorithm is rigorously evaluated against the CEC2017 benchmark functions, with empirical evidence underscoring the superior performance of APDSDE in comparison to a host of advanced DE variants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrochar from waste biomass is a promising material for removing emerging contaminants (e.g., antibiotics) in water/soil environment. Abundant small-sized hydrochar particles (HPs) with a high content of reactive functional groups and high mobility are easily released into ecosystems through hydrochar applications. However, the photodegradation ability and corresponding structures of HPs are largely unknown, which hinder accurate estimation of the remediation effect of hydrochar in ecosystems. Herein, photodegradation performance of HP towards targeted norfloxacin (NOR, a typical antibiotic) under light irradiation (visible and UV light) were investigated after adsorption processes upon release into soil/water, and its reactive species and photoactive structures were clarified and compared with those of residual bulk hydrochar (BH) comprehensively. The results showed that: (1) photodegradation percentages of HPs were 4.02 and 4.48 times higher than those of BHs under UV and visible light, in which reactive species of both HPs and BHs were ·OH and ·O2−; (2) density functional theory (DFT) results identified that the main photoactive structure of graphitic-N decreased the energy gap (Eg) of HPs, and C=O, COOH groups improved electron donating ability of BHs; (3) well-developed graphitization structure of HP resulted from higher polymerization reaction was an significant photoactive structure involving its superior photodegradation ability relative to that of BH. The distinct heterogeneities of photodegradation ability in HP and BH and underlying photoactive structures provide an in-depth understanding of hydrochar application for removing emerging contaminants in soil/water environment. Identifying photoactive structures is helpful to predict photodegradation ability of hydrochar according to their abundance. Highlights: Photodegradation percentage of HP from hydrochar application was ~4 times superior to that of BH in degradation of NOR. Major reactive species of HPs and BHs (·OH and ·O2−) were generated from graphitic-N and C=O/COOH groups, respectively. Photoactivity of HPs superior to BHs was mainly generated from well-developed graphitization structure of former. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geotechnical particle image velocimetry (GeoPIV), as a type of digital image correlation (DIC), represents the state-of-the-art methodology for non-contact full-field deformation measurement in geotechnical engineering. Yet, when applying GeoPIV on sand specimens with interests in grain level, the discontinuities detection at grain boundaries remains as a challenge for 2D GeoPIV applications. In order to facilitate the full-field measurement for microscopic study, a method is proposed in this study to realize 2D pixel-level motion calculation using supervised optical flow algorithm with deep networks. Using digital images acquired from direct shear testing, the performance of this approach is demonstrated and compared with the prevailing GeoPIV method. Two series of experiments using small and large displacement modes were conducted, respectively, to demonstrate the method's ability of revealing greater insights on soil behavior at grain level. To verify its accuracy, performance benchmarking of the approach was also conducted. Besides, a method was proposed to evaluate the errors in experimental images to ensure the accuracy and precision. It was demonstrated that the proposed method can achieve accurate pixel-level motion field calculation using images of common size and that the deformation discontinuities among particles can be clearly presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The battery management system is employed to monitor the external temperature of the lithium-ion battery in order to detect any potential overheating. However, this outside–in detection method often suffers from a lag and is therefore unable to accurately predict the battery's real-time state. Herein, an inside–out frequency response approach is used to accurately monitor the battery's state at various temperatures in real-time and correlate it with the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) evolution of the graphite electrode. The SEI evolution at temperatures of −15, 25, 60, and 90 °C exhibits certain regular characteristics with temperature change. At a temperature of −15 °C, the Li+-solvent interaction of lithium-ion slowed down, resulting in a significant reduction in performance. At 25 °C, a LiF-rich inorganic SEI was identified as forming, which facilitated lithium-ion transportation. However, high temperatures would induce decomposition of lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF6) and lithium-ion electrolyte. At the extreme temperature of 90 °C, the SEI would be organic-rich, and LixPyFz, a decomposition product of lithium salts, was further oxidized to LixPOyFz, which led to a surge in the charge-transfer resistance at SEI (Rsei) and a reduction in Coulombic efficiency (CE). This changing relationship can be recorded in real time from the inside out by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) testing. This provides a new theoretical basis for the structural evolution of lithium-ion batteries and the regular characterization of EIS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pre BCR complex plays a crucial role in B cell production, and its successful expression marks the B cell differentiation from the pro-B to pre-B. The CD79a and CD79b mutations, encoding Igα and Igβ respectively, have been identified as the cause of autosomal recessive agammaglobulinemia (ARA). Here, we present a case of a patient with a homozygous CD79a mutation, exhibiting recurrent respiratory infections, diarrhea, growth and development delay, unique facial abnormalities and microcephaly, as well as neurological symptoms including tethered spinal cord, sacral canal cyst, and chronic enteroviral E18 meningitis. Complete blockade of the early B cell development in the bone marrow of the patient results in the absence of peripheral circulating mature B cells. Whole exome sequencing revealed a Loss of Heterozygosity (LOH) of approximately 19.20Mb containing CD79a on chromosome 19 in the patient. This is the first case of a homozygous CD79a mutation caused by segmental uniparental diploid (UPD). Another key outcome of this study is the effective management of long-term chronic enteroviral meningitis using a combination of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) and fluoxetine. This approach offers compelling evidence of fluoxetine's utility in treating enteroviral meningitis, particularly in immunocompromised patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elucidating the flow features around piles in local scouring processes is crucial for studies of local scouring mechanisms and scour depth estimates. This study details the flow turbulence characteristics of two submerged piles that are determined by solving the Navier-Stokes equations with the improved delayed detached eddy simulation model. This model is verified by comparing experimental and numerical results for hydrodynamic parameters with the literature for both square-crossing piles (SCPs) and circular-crossing piles (CCPs). Original topographies of flat and scoured beds (i.e., the initial and equilibrium scouring stages) are based on experimental results obtained by the authors in the present paper. SCP and CCP flow features in the scouring process are discussed. The results indicate that during the scouring process, the time-averaged drag coefficient and root mean square (rms) of the lift coefficient increase linearly in the CCP test, while the rms of the lift coefficient in the SCP test decreases linearly. Moreover, the minimum pressure coefficient is always located in the upstream corners in the SCP case but moves from 72.5° to 79.5° when the scour hole is completely developed in the CCP case. Downward flow behind the pile, which is generated by separated boundary layers above the top face of the pile, can reach the sand bed and turn the separated shear layers into patches of small vortices in the near-wake regions. Thus, the high shear stress zones are mainly at the scour edges under scoured-bed conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon (Si) particle with small size used as anode material has been recognized for its ability to reduce the damage caused by volume expansion in liquid lithium-ion batteries. However, whether the same mechanism still exists for different particle sizes of Si in all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs), these have not been systematically investigated. In this work, Si particles with various sizes ranging from 30 to 1000 nm are investigated as regards the effect of Si particle size. It is revealed that the performance of Si particles in ASSBs is influenced by a combination of factors, including uniformity of the Si oxide layer, tap density, and expansion degree, which are all related to size of the Si particles. In order to investigate the effect of different particle sizes of Si, micron, sub-micron, and nano-silicon are set up in this work for electrochemical performance testing of all-solid-state batteries. Among all, sub-micron Si exhibits smaller impedance increase due to its tight contact and fewer voids and cracks after cycle. Such a structure demonstrates excellent conductive network and achieve the high initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE) of Si (78.37%) by exploiting the passivation effect of sulfides (Li6SP5Cl) solid electrolyte (SE) on the Si anode and the high voltage stability of halide SE (Li3InCl6). This work has certain reference significance for improving the conductivity of Si anode in ASSBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Disturbance Storm Time (Dst) Index stands as a crucial geomagnetic metric, serving to quantify the intensity of geomagnetic disturbances. The accurate prediction of the Dst index plays a pivotal role in mitigating the detrimental effects caused by severe space-weather events. Therefore, Dst prediction has been a long-standing focal point within the realms of space physics and space-weather forecasting. In this study, a Temporal Convolutional Network (TCN) is deployed in tandem with the Integrated Gradient (IG) algorithm to predict the Dst index and scrutinize its associated physical processes. With these two components, our model can give the contribution of each input parameter to the outcome along with the forecast. The TCN component of our model utilizes interplanetary observational data, encompassing the vector magnetic field, solar-wind velocity, proton temperature, proton density, interplanetary electric field, and other relevant parameters for forecasting Dst indices. Despite the disparity in test sets, our model's forecast accuracy approximates the error levels of the prior models. Remarkably, the prediction error of these machine-learning models has become comparable to the inherent error between the Dst index itself and the actual ring-current strength. To understand the physical process behind the forecasting model, the IG algorithm was applied in our prediction model, in an attempt to analyze the underlying physical process of the machine-learning black box. In the temporal dimension, it is evident that the more recent the time, the more substantial the influence on the final prediction. Regarding the physical parameters, besides the historical Dst index itself, the flow pressure, the z -component of the magnetic field, and the proton density all significantly contribute to the final prediction. Additionally, IG attributions were analyzed for subsets of data, including different Dst-index ranges, different observation times, and different interplanetary structures. Most of the subsets exhibit an IG matrix with deviations from the mean distribution, which indicates a complex nonlinear system and sensitivity of the prediction to input values. These analyses align with physical reasoning and are in good agreement with previous research. The results affirm that the TCN+IG technique not only enhances space-weather forecast accuracy but also advances our comprehension of the underlying physical processes in space weather. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to the issue of insufficient model detection capability caused by the lack of labeled samples and the existence of new types of attacks in the industrial internet, a few-shot learning-based intrusion detection method is proposed.The method constructs the encoder of the prototypical network using a one-dimensional convolutional neural network (1D-CNN) and an attention mechanism, and employs the squared Euclidean distance function as the metric function to improve the prototypical network. This approach aims to enhance the accuracy of intrusion detection in scenarios with scarce labeled samples and the presence of new types of attacks.inally, simulation experiments are conducted on the few-shot learning-based intrusion detection system. The results demonstrate that the method achieves accuracy rates of 86.35% and 91.25% on the CIC-IDS 2017 and GasPipline datasets, respectively, while also exhibiting significant advantages in detecting new types of attacks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The antihypertensive effects of angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) are well recognized. However, conventional meta-analyses have reported inconsistent results on their efficacy and safety. Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of six ARBs (losartan, valsartan, irbesartan, telmisartan, candesartan, and olmesartan) commonly used to treat hypertension, using a network meta-analysis. Method: We retrieved randomized controlled trials on hypertension treatment using ARBs from the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CNKI, and Wanfang databases. The efficacy outcomes included absolute changes in office systolic and diastolic blood pressure from baseline, and 24-h ambulatory blood pressure. Safety outcomes were assessed by the total number of adverse events (AEs) during treatment. We conducted the network meta-analysis using the 'bugsnet' and 'gemtc' packages in R. Results: A total of 193 studies were included. Olmesartan had the highest surface under the cumulative ranking in reducing office systolic (91.4%) and diastolic blood pressure (87.2%). Candesartan has the highest ranking in lowering 24 h ambulatory systolic blood pressure (95.4%), while telmisartan reduced 24 h ambulatory diastolic blood pressure (83.4%). Olmesartan also ranked highest in safety (70.8%). Conclusion: Valsartan and losartan were less effective in lowering blood pressure than other drugs, with no significant differences. Olmesartan and telmisartan were associated with fewer AEs than losartan, although the incidence of adverse events was similar between the other blockers. Olmesartan and telmisartan demonstrated the best balance of antihypertensive efficacy and minimal adverse events. More research is needed to confirm whether telmisartan and olmesartan are optimal choices for controlling blood pressure in patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to enhance the stability of the turbocharger rotor system, the nonlinear dynamic characteristics of the turbocharger supported by tilting pad journal bearings are analyzed in this study. After the nonlinear oil film force model for tilting pad journal bearings is derived based on the short bearing approximation and considering the circumferential swinging of the pads, the nonlinear vibrations of the turbocharger supported by tilting pad journal bearings subjected to unbalanced excitation are investigated. Through an analysis of the vibration response of the rotor system at various rotational speeds, it was observed that the turbocharger rotor system supported by tilting pad journal bearings demonstrates improved stability performance in comparison to the other types of bearings in existing studies. The turbocharger exhibits stable periodic motion at low to medium rotational speeds and quasi-periodic motion at high rotational speeds. What's more, the impact of bearing parameters on the nonlinear dynamics characteristics of the turbocharger rotor system is discussed. Results from the discussion of bearing parameters indicate that increasing the pad preload, oil film viscosity, and pad angle, and reducing the radial clearance when the relative eccentricity is small can all increase the bifurcation point speed and enhance the system's stability. Furthermore, increasing the pad angle suppresses the amplitude of sub-synchronous vibrations in the rotor system. The research findings provide some suggestions for the design considerations for tilting pad bearings applicable to turbochargers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purposes: STAT1 is a transduction and transcriptional regulator that functions within the classical JAK/STAT pathway. In addition to chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis, bacterial infections are a common occurrence in patients with STAT1 gain-of-function (GOF) mutations. These patients often exhibit skewing of B cell subsets; however, the impact of STAT1-GOF mutations on B cell-mediated humoral immunity remains largely unexplored. It is also unclear whether these patients with IgG within normal range require regular intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy. Methods: Eleven patients (harboring nine different STAT1-GOF mutations) were enrolled. Reporter assays and immunoblot analyses were performed to confirm STAT1 mutations. Flow cytometry, deep sequencing, ELISA, and ELISpot were conducted to assess the impact of STAT1-GOF on humoral immunity. Results: All patients exhibited increased levels of phospho-STAT1 and total STAT1 protein, with two patients carrying novel mutations. In vitro assays showed that these two novel mutations were GOF mutations. Three patients with normal total IgG levels received regular IVIG infusions, resulting in effective control of bacterial infections. Four cases showed impaired affinity and specificity of pertussis toxin-specific antibodies, accompanied by reduced generation of class-switched memory B cells. Patients also had a disrupted immunoglobulin heavy chain (IGH) repertoire, coupled with a marked reduction in the somatic hypermutation frequency of switched Ig transcripts. Conclusion: STAT1-GOF mutations disrupt B cell compartments and skew IGH characteristics, resulting in impaired affinity and antigen-specificity of antibodies and recurrent bacterial infections. Regular IVIG therapy can control these infections in patients, even those with normal total IgG levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exciton–polaritons (polaritons) resulting from the strong exciton–photon interaction stimulates the development of novel low-threshold coherent light sources to circumvent the ever-increasing energy demands of optical communications1–3. Polaritons from bound states in the continuum (BICs) are promising for Bose–Einstein condensation owing to their theoretically infinite quality factors, which provide prolonged lifetimes and benefit the polariton accumulations4–7. However, BIC polariton condensation remains limited to cryogenic temperatures ascribed to the small exciton binding energies of conventional material platforms. Herein, we demonstrated room-temperature BIC polariton condensation in perovskite photonic crystal lattices. BIC polariton condensation was demonstrated at the vicinity of the saddle point of polariton dispersion that generates directional vortex beam emission with long-range coherence. We also explore the peculiar switching effect among the miniaturized BIC polariton modes through effective polariton−polariton scattering. Our work paves the way for the practical implementation of BIC polariton condensates for integrated photonic and topological circuits. Bound states in continuum have attracted attention in various platforms, and recently condensation of bound states in continuum polariton modes was demonstrated at low temperatures. Here the authors report the observation of such a state in a periodic air-hole perovskite-based photonic crystal at room temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To meet the growing demand for wearable smart electronic devices, the development of flexible lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is essential. Silicon is an ideal candidate for the anode material of flexible lithium-ion batteries due to its high specific capacity, low working potential, and earth abundance. The largest challenge in developing a flexible silicon anode is how to maintain structural integrity and ensure stable electrochemical reactions during external deformation. In this work, we propose a novel design for fabricating core–shell electrodes based on a copper nanowire (CuNW) array core and magnetron sputtered Si/C shell. The nanowire array structure has characteristics of bending under longitudinal stress and twisting under transverse stress, which helps to maintain the mechanical stability of the structure during electrode bending and cycling. The low-temperature annealing generates a small amount of Cu3Si alloy, which enhances the connection strength between Si and the conductive network and solves the poor conductivity problem of Si, which is known as a semiconductor material. This unique configuration design of CuNW@Si@C-400 °C leads to stable long cycle performance of 1109 mAh·g−1 after 1000 cycles and excellent rate performance of 500 mAh·g−1 at a current density of 10 A·g−1. Furthermore, the CuNW@Si@C-400 °C∥LiFePO4 (LFP) full battery demonstrates excellent flexibility, with a capacity retention of more than 96% after 100 bends. This study provides a promising strategy for the development of flexible lithium-ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endothelial cell damage and dysfunction are crucial factors in the development and early stages of coronary artery disease (CAD) and apoptosis plays a significant role in this process. In this study, We aimed to simulate the CAD vascular microenvironment by treating endothelial cells with tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) to construct an endothelial cell apoptosis model. Our findings revealed that the TNF-α model resulted in increased micro-RNA 223-3p (miR-223-3p) mRNA and Bax protein expression, decreased kruppel-like factor 15 (KLF15) and Bcl-2 protein expression, and decreased cell viability. More importantly, in the TNF-α-induced endothelial cell apoptosis model, transfection with the miR-223-3p inhibitor reversed the effects of TNF-α on Bcl-2, Bax expression. We transfected miRNA-223-3p mimics or inhibitors into endothelial cells and assessed miR-223-3p levels using RT-PCR. Cell viability was detected using CCK8. Western blot technology was used to detect the expression of Bcl-2, Bax, and KLF15. In summary, this study demonstrates the role and possible mechanism of miR-223-3p in endothelial cells during CAD, suggesting that miR-223-3p may serve as a promising therapeutic target in CAD by regulating KLF15. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose is to explore the analgesic effect of a single Nd:YAG laser dose after mandibular third molar extraction. This was a prospective randomized controlled clinical trial. Subjects were enrolled according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria and randomly divided into the experimental and control groups. In the experimental group, the wound was irradiated with the Nd:YAG laser (wavelength, 1064 nm; output power, 1.5 W; energy density, 45 J/cm2; and power density, 1.5/cm2, pulsed mode) immediately after mandibular third molar extraction for 120 s (30 s at each site). In the control group, the laser working tip was placed near the extraction site but not activated. The primary outcome was the visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores in both groups at 2, 4, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h and 7 days after surgery. Secondary outcomes included wound healing scores and adverse reactions. The VAS score was significantly lower in the experimental group than in the control group at 2 and 4 h after surgery, while there was no significant difference in the VAS score between the two groups at 12, 24, or 48 h or 7 days after surgery. There were no significant differences in the wound healing scores between the two groups on postoperative day 7. No adverse reactions were observed in any of the laser-irradiated areas. A single Nd:YAG laser dose was effective in reducing pain at 2 and 4 h after mandibular third molar extraction. China Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR2000033870 (Registration Date: 2020–6-15). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) caused by HBV, HCV infection, and other factors is one of the most common malignancies in the world. Although, percutaneous treatments such as surgery, ethanol injection, radiofrequency ablation, and transcatheter treatments such as arterial chemoembolization are useful for local tumor control, they are not sufficient to improve the prognosis of patients with HCC. External interferon agents that induce interferon-related genes or type I interferon in combination with other drugs can reduce the recurrence rate and improve survival in HCC patients after surgery. Therefore, in this review, we focus on recent advances in the mechanism of action of type I interferons, emerging therapies, and potential therapeutic strategies for the treatment of HCC using IFNs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the impact of quarantine measures and fireworks banning policy on chemical composition and sources of PM2.5 and associated health risks in small, less developed cities, we sampled in Guigang (GG), Shaoyang (SY), and Tianshui (TS), located in eastern, central, and north-western China, in 2020 Spring Festival (CSF). Mass concentration, carbonaceous, metals, and WSIIs of PM2.5 were analyzed. The study found high levels of PM2.5 pollution with the average concentration of 168.05 µg/m3 in TS, 134.59 µg/m3 in SY, and 125.71 µg/m3 in GG. A negative correlation was found between the urbanization level and PM2.5 pollution. Lockdown measures reduced PM2.5 mass and industrial elements. In non-control period (NCP), combustion and fireworks were the major sources of PM2.5 in GG and TS, and industry source accounted for a significant proportion in the relatively more urbanized SY. Whereas on control period (CP), soil dust, combustion, and road dust were the main source in GG, secondary aerosols dominated in SY and TS. Our health risk assessment showed unacceptable levels of non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks over the study areas, despite lockdown measures reducing health risks. As and Cr(VI), as the major pollutants, their associated sources, industry sources, and fireworks sources, posed the greatest risk to people at the sampling sites after exposure to PM2.5. This work supports the improvement of PM2.5 control strategies in small Chinese cities during the CSF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Animal studies demonstrated that deeper lesions could be achieved during radio-frequency catheter ablation (RFCA) by using half saline (HS) compared to normal saline (NS) as irrigation. Objectives: This study sought to compare the efficiency and safety of HS and NS for irrigation during RFCA of idiopathic outflow tract ventricular arrhythmia (OT-VA). Methods: In this multicenter, randomized controlled study, 167 patients undergoing RFCA of OT-VA were randomized 1:1 to receive HS- or NS-irrigated ablation. Acute success was defined as the absence of induced targeted premature ventricular contraction (PVC) at the end of the procedure. The 6-month success was defined as a ≥ 80% reduction of pre-procedural PVC burden. Results: There were no differences of baseline characteristics between the HS and NS group. Patients in HS group had shorter total ablation time (259.5 ± 155.5 S vs. 355.6 ± 230.7 S, P = 0.04) than that in NS group. The acute and 6-month success rates were similar between the HS and NS group (92.8 vs. 91.7%, P = 0.79; 90.9 vs. 92.1%, P = 0.79, respectively). No significant difference was observed in the incidence of steam pops between the HS and NS group (2.4 vs. 1.2%, P = 0.62). Conclusions: The ablation using HS irrigation achieved similar success rate and safety compared to that using NS irrigation but was associated with a shorter total ablation time. Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2200059205) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To understand the weaker geomagnetic activity in Solar Cycle 24, we present comparisons of interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs) fittings and in situ observation parameters in Solar Cycles 23 and 24. According to their in situ features, ICMEs are separated into two categories: isolated ICMEs (I-ICMEs) and multiple ICMEs (M-ICMEs). The number of I-ICMEs in Solar Cycles 23 and 24 does not show a strong difference, while the number of M-ICMEs, which have a high probability of causing intense geomagnetic storms, declines proportionally to the sunspot number in Solar Cycle 24. Despite no obvious variation in their distribution, the geoeffective ICMEs in Solar Cycle 23 have a larger average total magnetic field strength and a larger southern magnetic field than those of Solar Cycle 24. Since the average solar wind velocities of the two solar cycles differ, the geoeffective ICMEs in Solar Cycle 23 have a higher velocity and distinct speed distributions from those in Solar Cycle 24. The total magnetic flux and radius of I-ICMEs in Solar Cycle 23 are larger than those in Solar Cycle 24, while the axial magnetic field intensity is basically the same. We propose that geomagnetic activity in Solar Cycle 24 is lower than that of Solar Cycle 23, due to the smaller M-ICME number, the slower ICME speed, and absence of ICME events with significant southward magnetic field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As promising components of future integrated circuits (ICs), field-effect transistors (FETs) based on semiconducting nanomaterials are being extensively investigated. As the most essential component of ICs, inverters are favored to be demonstrated at the infant stage of emerging technologies. However, systematic research is absent to reveal how the parameters of transistors affect the performance of inverters, e.g. the voltage transfer characteristics (VTCs). In this work, systematic analysis about the dependency between transistor- and inverter-level metrics have been carried out for both complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) and monotype (p-type-only and n-type-only) technologies, which is further experimentally demonstrated by carbon nanotube FETs and ICs. We also propose guidelines towards the high noise margin and rail-to-rail inverter design based on nanomaterials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excessive phosphorus in water would cause eutrophication and deterioration of the ecological environment. Herein, the La-MOFs/Al2O3 composite was successfully prepared by the in situ hydrothermal synthesis method for granulation, which was conducive to exerting the phosphate adsorption capacity and facilitating practical application. The materials were characterized by SEM, EDX, XRD, BET, FTIR, and Zeta. In addition, the adsorption performance of La-MOFs/Al2O3 was evaluated through adsorption kinetics and isotherms, showing that the Langmuir adsorption capacity was 16.34 mgP·g-1 (25 °C) and increased with the water temperature. Moreover, the batch influence experiments of intimal pH, adsorbent dosage, coexisting ions, and stability tests were performed to analyze the potential for practical applications and verified through the natural micro-polluted water samples from Houxi River and Bailu Lake (China). The results indicated that the La-MOFs/Al2O3 was suited to a wide pH range of 4 to 10 and the phosphate removal efficiency remained above 70% after continuous use for four times, exhibiting excellent stability. It also had excellent selectivity in the presence of SO42-, Cl-, NO3-, and HCO3-, only decreased to 70.24% at high HCO3- ion concentration of 60 mg/L, respectively. And the La-MOFs/Al2O3 had excellent adsorption of total phosphorus, phosphate, and organic phosphorus in the actual river and lake water and completely removed dissolved phosphorus. Finally, a phosphate adsorption mechanism model involved in electrostatic interaction and ligand exchange was proposed. Therefore, La-MOFs/Al2O3 could be considered to be an excellent phosphorus adsorbent for application in the actual water environmental remediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, zeolite imidazolate frameworks-67 defined as ZIF-67 was prepared and confirmed. The obtained ZIF-67 was served as a synergist in intumescent flame-retarded polypropylene (PP) composites to improve the flame retardant efficiency and smoke suppression performance. The results of thermogravimetric analysis indicated that the residual char of IFR/ZIF-67 with the mass ratio of 95:5 greatly enhanced from 24.9 mass% for IFR to 63.5 mass%, and increased by 155.0%. It was ascribed the complexation effect of cobalt ion in ZIF-67 for IFR system. With the incorporation of 18 mass% IFR/ZIF-67, the PP/IFR/ZIF-67 samples (PP-4) achieved UL-94V-0 rating during vertical burning tests and the limiting oxygen index (LOI) value was as high as 31.1%. Compared with PP/IFR (PP-1) containing 18 mass% IFR, the peak heat release rate (peak-HRR), total heat release (THR), peak smoke production rate (peak-SPR) and total smoke production (TSP) of PP-4 were decreased by 33.1%, 33.8%, 31.0% and 21.1%, respectively. The char residue of PP-4 was as high as 27.4 mass% at the end of cone calorimeter test (CCT). The more expanded, sufficient and dense char layer were generated during combustion, and the flame retardancy and smoke suppression of PP-4 were significantly improved. Meanwhile, the pyrolysis gaseous products were inhibited to enter into combustion zone due to the isolation effect of the generated intumescent char layer. Consequently, the PP/IFR/ZIF-67 composites with excellent flame retardant performance and smoke suppression were obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the effects of CYP19A1 gene polymorphisms, plasma zinc, and urinary zinc levels and their interactions on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in residents of Gongcheng County, Guangxi, China. The case–control study was used for the investing. The MassARRAY System was applied to genotype the CYP19A1 genes rs752760, rs10046, rs10459592, and rs700518 in 540 study subjects. Plasma and urinary zinc concentrations were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Conditional logistic regression showed that rs752760 and plasma zinc were associated with T2DM risks with ORs of 0.593 (95% CI: 0.371–0.948) and 0.563 (95% CI: 0.356–0.889), respectively. Unconditional logistic regression analysis showed an association between urinary zinc levels and the risk of T2DM as well, with an OR of 0.352 (95% CI: 0.212–0.585). The results of the multiplicative interaction model showed that the rs752760 T allele was associated with a significantly reduced risk of T2DM with moderate/low plasma zinc levels, with ORs of 0.340 (95% CI: 0.161–0.715) and 0.583 (95% CI: 0.346–0.981), respectively, and the rs752760 T allele was also associated with a significantly decreased risk of T2DM with moderate/low urinary zinc levels, with ORs of 0.358 (95% CI: 0.201–0.635) and 0.321 (95% CI: 0.183–0.562), respectively. CYP19A1 rs752760 T allele and moderate/low plasma/urinary zinc levels reduce the risk of T2DM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nonlinear thermo-mechanic coupling effect refers to the interaction between the nonlinear dynamic characteristics of a dual-rotor system and the thermal effect of an intershaft bearing. In this paper, the nonlinear thermo-mechanic coupling effect of the dual-rotor system is proposed and studied by the operating radial clearance and dynamic load of the intershaft bearing. A nonlinear dynamic model of the dual-rotor system under the thermal effect of the intershaft bearing is established by considering nonlinear factors such as the Hertzian contact force and the operating radial clearance of the intershaft bearing. The dynamic load of the intershaft bearing is obtained based on the dynamic responses of the system. Based on this, a thermal effect model of the intershaft bearing considering the nonlinear dynamic characteristics of the system is proposed. The operating radial clearance of the intershaft bearing is attained according to the temperature field of the intershaft bearing. The thermo-mechanic coupling model of the dual-rotor system is presented by connecting the dynamic model and the thermal effect model. The results solved by numerical iteration show that the nonlinear dynamic characteristics of the dual-rotor system are deeply coupled with the thermal effect of the intershaft bearing, and become weaker. In turn, a complex nonlinear thermal effect affects the bearing due to the nonlinear dynamic characteristics of the system. Furthermore, the operating radial clearance of the intershaft bearing is closely related to the thermo-mechanic coupling effect of the system. The operating radial clearance decreases with increasing temperature, decreases with decreasing initial radial clearance, and decreases sharply in the resonance regions. Thus, the "negative clearance" may affect the operating radial clearance of the intershaft bearing, which endangers the operation of the rotor system. Moreover, the nonlinear characteristics of the thermo-mechanic coupling effect become stronger as the ambient temperature increases. The results presented in this paper provide insight into the mechanism of the nonlinear thermo-mechanic coupling effect and new theoretical guidances for the dynamic and thermodynamic design of the intershaft bearing in the dual-rotor system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastics, as a currently emerging pollutant, are gaining increasing attention from researchers in various fields. The purpose of this study is to summarize research development on microplastics in the field of neurotoxicity using bibliometric tools and visualization methods and to identify current research hotspots. The Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) was searched under the topics of "microplastics" and "neurotoxicity." A total of 33 published articles were obtained by exclusion and analyzed using CiteSpace (V6.1.R2). It was found that microplastic neurotoxicity research is currently on the rise, with the most research results being published in China, the most collaboration occurring between Italy and other countries, and the least collaboration occurring between authors. The focus and hotspots of future research on the neurotoxicity of microplastics may revolve around "accumulation" and "integrated biomarker response." These findings demonstrate the trends and frontiers in the field of microplastic neurotoxicity research and provide valuable information for subsequent research directions and potential collaborations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACH2-related immunodeficiency and autoimmunity (BRIDA) is an inborn error of immunity, newly reported in 2017, presenting with symptoms of immunoglobulin deficiency and ongoing colitis. Studies using a mouse model have demonstrated that BACH2 deficiency predisposes individuals to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE); however, no BACH2 deficiency has been reported in SLE patients. Here we describe a patient with BRIDA presenting with early-onset SLE, juvenile dermatomyositis, and IgA deficiency. Whole exome sequencing analysis of the patient and her parents revealed a novel heterozygous point mutation in BACH2, c.G1727T, resulting in substitution of a highly conserved arginine with leucine (R576L), which is predicted to be deleterious, in the patient and her father. Reduced BACH2 expression and deficient transcriptional repression of the BACH2 target, BLIMP1, were detected in PBMCs or lymphoblastoid cell lines of our patient. Notably, extreme reduction of memory B cells was detected in the patient's father, although he had no obvious symptoms. SLE symptoms and recurrent fever were relieved by treatment with prednisone combined with tofacitinib. Thus, we present the second report of BRIDA and demonstrate that BACH2 may be a monogenic cause of SLE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dedicator of cytokinesis 2(DOCK2) protein, an atypical guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEFs), is a member of the DOCKA protein subfamily. DOCK2 protein deficiency is characterized by early-onset lymphopenia, recurrent infections, and lymphocyte dysfunction, which was classified as combined immune deficiency with neutrophil abnormalities as well. The only cure is hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Here, we report two patients harboring four novel DOCK2 mutations associated with recurrent infections including live attenuated vaccine-related infections. The patient's condition was partially alleviated by symptomatic treatment or intravenous immunoglobulin. We also confirmed defects in thymic T cell output and T cell proliferation, as well as aberrant skewing of T/B cell subset TCR-Vβ repertoires. In addition, we noted neutrophil defects, the weakening of actin polymerization, and BCR internalization under TCR/BCR activation. Finally, we found that the DOCK2 protein affected antibody affinity although with normal total serum immunoglobulin. The results reported herein expand the clinical phenotype, the pathogenic DOCK2 mutation database, and the immune characteristics of DOCK2-deficient patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential mechanisms underlying the association between copper (Cu) exposure and impaired liver function are unclear. This study aimed to investigate the potential associations of dietary Cu intake and plasma Cu levels with liver function biomarkers. A cross-sectional study was performed to assess liver function biomarkers—namely, levels of total bilirubin (TBIL), direct bilirubin (DBIL), indirect bilirubin (IBIL), alanine transaminase (ALT), and aspartate transaminase (AST)—in 2376 subjects in Guangxi, China. Dietary Cu intake was determined from a food frequency questionnaire containing 109 common foods. Plasma Cu concentrations were determined by inductively coupled plasma‒mass spectrometry. Multiple linear regression and multivariate restricted cubic splines (RCS) were used to evaluate the correlations of plasma Cu levels and dietary Cu levels with liver function biomarkers. The covariate-adjusted results of the linear regression analysis showed that plasma Cu levels were significantly negatively correlated with serum IBIL (β = − 0.37), DBIL (β = − 0.22), and TBIL levels (β = − 0.32) (all p < 0.05), and dietary Cu was negatively correlated with serum AST levels (β = − 0.12, p < 0.05). The RCS analysis further indicated a negative linear relationship between dietary Cu levels and AST levels. In summary, our results suggested that the plasma Cu level is associated with serum bilirubin levels and that dietary Cu intake is associated with serum AST levels. Further studies are needed to validate these associations and elucidate the underlying mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the nourishment effect and disaster reduction efficiency of a fully dissipative dry beach under the impact of storms, this paper uses the measured topography and hydrodynamic data to establish a one-dimensional numerical model of the XBeach beach profile. By numerically modeling the change in the nourished profile for different dry beach widths under normal waves and storm conditions and the recovery process of the profile after the storm, the degree of response in dry beach nourishment for the fully dissipative beach is analyzed. The results show that under normal wave conditions, the response of the nourished dry beach is obvious. Sediment on the dry beach erodes heavily, and the shoreline moves landward over a long distance. With the increase in the width and size of the dry beach, the wave height at the bottom of the backshore profile decreases, the wave height attenuation rate increases continuously, and the wave elimination effect is remarkable. When the storm incident wave intensifies, the wave height attenuation rate of the nourished dry beach decreases, indicating that the smaller the storm intensity is, the more significant the wave reduction effect of the nourished dry beach is. At the same time, different profile arrangements of nourished dry beaches suffer from different degrees of erosion under storm conditions, with significant changes in profile morphology. With intensified storm action, the intensity of sediment erosion in the nourished dry beach increases, the nourishment is weakened, and the recovery effect of the profile after the storm is not obvious. The results of the numerical modeling highlight that the dry beach nourishment method can resist storms to a certain extent, but the overall effect is relatively limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with DEX (deficiency in ELF4, X-linked) were recently reported by our team and others, and cases are very limited worldwide. Our knowledge of this new disease is currently preliminary. In this study, we described 5 more cases presenting mainly with oral ulcer, inflammatory bowel disease-like symptoms, fever of unknown origin, anemia, or systemic lupus erythematosus. Whole exome sequencing identified potential pathogenic ELF4 variants in all cases. The pathogenicity of these variants was confirmed by the detection of ELF4 expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients and utilizing a simple IFN-b luciferase reporter assay, as previously reported. Our findings significantly contribute to the current understanding of DEX. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyperuricemia (HUA) endangers human health, and its prevalence has increased rapidly in recent decades. The current study investigated HUA's prevalence and influencing factors in Gongcheng, southern China. A cross-sectional investigation was conducted; 2128 participants aged 30–93 years were included from 2018 to 2019. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to screen HUA variables. A Bayesian network model was constructed using the PC algorithm to evaluate the association between influencing factors and HUA. The prevalence of HUA was 15.6% (23.2% in men, 10.7% in women). After screening the variables using a logistic regression analysis model, fatty liver disease (FLD), dyslipidemia, abdominal obesity, creatinine (CREA), somatotype, bone mass, drinking, and physical activity level at work were included in the Bayesian network model. The model results showed that dyslipidemia, somatotype, CREA, and drinking were directly related to HUA. Bone mass and FLD were indirectly associated with HUA by affecting the somatotype. The prevalence of HUA in Gongcheng was high in China. The prevalence of HUA was related to somatotype, drinking, bone mass, physical activity level at work, and other metabolic diseases. A good diet and moderate exercise are recommended to maintain a healthy somatotype and reduce the prevalence rate of HUA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cadmium (Cd), a common heavy metal in the environment, is associated with cognitive impairment. In the present study, we carried out a preliminary inquiry to explore whether Cd causes neurotoxicity by regulating the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway and affecting the expression of klotho genes in vivo and in vitro, providing clues for the mechanism of Cd-induced cognitive dysfunction. The rat samples were injected with Cd chloride solution for 14 weeks, and the memory function of the rats was detected. Different concentrations of Cd and JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway inhibitors were used to treat PC12 cells and thus detect the apoptosis rate. The protein expression levels of JAK2, p-JAK2, STAT3, p-STAT3, and klotho in rat and PC12 cell were detected by ELISA and Western blot, respectively. With the increase in exposure dose, the memory function of rats was severely impaired. The expression of p-JAK2 and p-STAT3 proteins was significantly up-regulated, whereas that of klotho was significantly down-regulated both in vivo and in vitro (p < 0.05). In comparison with the high-dose Cd exposure group, after adding tyrphostin AG490 (AG490), the apoptosis rate of PC12 cells increased, whereas the phosphorylation levels of JAK2 and STAT3 in the cells decreased significantly (p < 0.05). Cd exposure may cause neurotoxicity by regulating the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway and down-regulating klotho protein expression, leading to cognitive dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of computer vision, point clouds technique was widely used in practical applications, such as obstacle detection, roadside detection, smart city construction, etc. However, how to efficiently identify the large scale point clouds is still an open challenge. For relieving the large computation consumption and low accuracy problem in point cloud classification, a large scale point cloud classification framework based on light bottle transformer (light-BotNet) is proposed. Firstly, the two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) feature values of large scale point cloud were extracted for constructing point cloud feature images, which employed the prior knowledge to normalize the point cloud features. Then, the feature images are input to the classification network, and the light-BotNet network is applied for point cloud classification. It is an interesting attempt to combine the traditional image features with the transformer network. For proving the performance of the proposed method, the large scale point cloud benchmark Oakland 3D is utilized. In the experiments, the proposed method achieved 98.1% accuracy on the Oakland 3D dataset. Compared with the other methods, it can both reduce the memory consumption and improve the classification accuracy in large scale point cloud classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Extensive studies have revealed the link between heavy metals and CKD. Compared to single meta-elements, mixture of metals reflect real-life metals exposure scenarios and are of interest. However, the mechanism of action of metal mixture on renal function is unclear. Methods: This study aimed to explore the potential relationship between urinary arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), manganese (Mn), and chromium (Cr) contents with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) levels in 2775 participants. The levels of metals in urine were determined by inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry. We used linear regression models and the Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) to evaluate the association between metals and eGFR levels. Results: In linear regression analysis, urinary As (β = 2.723, 95%CI: 0.29, 5.157) and Pb (β = 3.081, 95%CI: 1.725, 4.438) were positively associated with eGFR in the total population. In the BKMR model, a mixture of the five metals had a positive joint effect on eGFR levels, while Pb (PIP = 0.996) contributed the most to eGFR levels. Pb was positively associated with eGFR levels in the total participants and women. As was positively correlated with eGFR levels in women. Pb and eGFR levels were positively correlated when the other metals were set at 25th, 50th, and 75th percentiles. Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, all five metals mixed exposure was positively associated with eGFR. Pb showed more important effects than the other four metals in the mixture, especially in women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proline-glutamic acid and proline-proline-glutamic acid (PE/PPE) family of proteins is widespread in pathogenic mycobacteria and plays different roles in mycobacterial physiology. While several PE/PPE family proteins have been studied, the exact function of most PE/PPE proteins in the physiology of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) remains unknown. PE_PGRS47 belongs to the PE/PPE family of proteins reported to help Mtb evade protective host immune responses. In this study, we demonstrate a novel role of PE_PGRS47. Heterologous expression of the pe_pgrs47 gene in a non-pathogenic Mycobacterium smegmatis, intrinsically deficient of PE_PGRS protein, exhibits modulated colony morphology and cell wall lipid profile leading to a marked susceptibility to multiple antibiotics and environmental stressors. Using ethidium bromide/Nile red uptake assays, Mycobacterium smegmatis expressing PE_PGRS47 showed higher cell wall permeability than the control strain. Overall, these data suggested that PE_PGRS47 is cell surface exposed and influences cell wall integrity and the formation of mycobacterial colonies, ultimately potentiating the efficacy of lethal stresses against mycobacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mediation analysis is widely used to study whether the effect of an independent variable on an outcome is transmitted through a mediator. Bayesian methods have become increasingly popular for mediation analysis. However, limited research has been done on formal Bayesian hypothesis testing of mediation. Although hypothesis testing using Bayes factor for a single path is readily available, how to integrate the Bayes factors of two paths (from input to mediator and from mediator to outcome) while incorporating prior beliefs on the two paths and/or mediation is under-studied. In the current study, we propose a general approach to Bayesian hypothesis testing of mediation. The proposed approach allows researchers to specify prior odds based on the substantive research context and can be used in mediation modeling with latent variables. The impact of prior odds specifications on Bayesian hypothesis test of mediation is demonstrated via both real and hypothetical data examples. Both R functions and a user-friendly R web app are provided for the implementation of the proposed approach. Our study can add to researchers' toolbox of mediation analysis and raise researchers' awareness of the importance of prior odds specifications in Bayesian hypothesis testing of mediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, cloud computing can provide efficient data storage and processing infrastructure for Internet of things (IoT). However, the complete centralization of cloud computing brings inevitable limitations, such as the inability to support real-time service response. Mobile edge computing can solve the problems caused by traditional cloud computing. By placing computing and storage resources at the edge of the mobile network near the user, mobile edge computing extends the ability of cloud computing at the edge of the network. The advantage of mobile edge computing is that it reduces the amount of data sent to the cloud. Therefore, data processing is more flexible and convenient. Mobile edge computing can realize lower latency and higher data processing ratio, which will play an important role in the future application of IoT. Firstly, a system model for the application scenario is established, which is a real-time and context aware service resource collaboration model. Then a service collaboration method based on mobile edge computing is designed, which mainly includes service function description, service collaboration process and algorithm design. Finally, the simulation experiments are carried out. Compared with the other two existing methods, our method can effectively reduce service execution time and improve the success ratio of service requests. So the method presented in this paper is more effective and reliable. We provide a solution for service collaboration method based on mobile edge computing in IoT, which can make better use of various service resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Certain metals play a role in the pathogenesis of diabetes. This study aimed to investigate the potential association of plasma magnesium (Mg) and dietary intake of Mg with glycaemic markers. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 2373 subjects in Guangxi, China. Dietary Mg was obtained through a food frequency questionnaire containing 109 common foods. Plasma Mg concentration was determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Multiple linear regression combined with multivariable restricted cubic spline (RCS) functions was applied to evaluate the association of plasma Mg and dietary Mg with haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and fasting plasma glucose (FPG). In linear regression, dietary Mg was significantly associated with FPG in the overall population (β = − 0.087, P < 0.05) and in women (β = − 0.098, P < 0.05). Plasma Mg was significantly associated with FPG in the overall population (β = − 0.096, P < 0.05) and in men (β = − 0.110, P < 0.05) and women (β = − 0.088, P < 0.05). In the RCS model, no non-linear association was found between dietary and plasma Mg and HbA1c levels. Dietary and plasma Mg are significantly negatively associated with fasting glucose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The connection between magmatism and the tectonic environment is essential yet highly debatable. The West Junggar, CAOB, outcropped a swarm of norite-gabbro dikes hosted in the Biesituobie batholith. The dikes are a family of mafic magma consisting of nortite, norite-gabbro, and gabbro with equigranular, porphyritic, and cumulate textures. The mafic dikes represent various chemical compositions due to the magma evolution suggested by the different lithological textures, especially for MgO, CaO, Sr, and Eu, possibly caused by the crystal fractionation. But commonly, they show depleted Nb, Ta, Zr, Hf, Ti, and enriched Ba, U. Geochronology study by LA-ICP-MS gives zircon U–Pb age of 265 ± 4 Ma, 269 ± 1 Ma, 270 ± 2 Ma for the mafic dikes, respectively. The mafic dikes show geochemical similarities with E-MORB type lava with minor subduction affinity. The low fraction on the LREE/HREE indicates that they were generated from a relatively shallow mantle with low pressure. The norite-gabbro dikes and the host batholith suggest a regional extension with crust thining upwelling of the mantle caused by strain partitioning. Regionally, the Permian extensional magmatism is distributed mainly in the "Yumin–Miaoergou axis, " perpendicular to the Darburt fault. The activation of the Darburt fault might cause the partition of regional transpression strain into simple shear along the strike-slip Darburt fault and pure shear perpendicular to the fault. The T-fracture parallel with the maximum principal stress of the pure shear causes crustal thinning and mantle upwelling, generating the extensional magmatism in the "Yumin–Miaoergou axis." This tectonic scenario might be the essential geodynamic background for extensional magmatism, which suggest that local extension might be coordinated with regional transpression, and a unified regional extension is not needed in such a model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose : Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 2 (RAC2) acts as a molecular switch and has crucial roles in cell signaling and actin dynamics. A broad spectrum of genetic RAC2 mutations can cause various types of primary immunodeficiency, with complete penetrance. Here, we report a novel heterozygous missense mutation in RAC2 with incomplete penetrance, and the associated phenotypes, in a Chinese family. Methods: Immunological phenotype was detected by flow cytometry. T cell receptor excision circles (TRECs) and K-deleting recombination excision circles (KRECs) were assessed by real-time quantitative PCR. Gene mutations were detected by whole-exome sequencing (WES) and confirmed by Sanger sequencing. Results: The proband was an 11-year-old girl who presented with recurrent respiratory infections, bronchiectasis, persistent Epstein-Barr virus viremia, infectious mononucleosis, encephalitis, and cutaneous human papillomavirus infections. Laboratory analyses revealed increased serum IgG and decreased IgM levels, reduced naïve CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, an inverted CD4+/CD8+ ratio, and low TREC and KREC numbers. The mutation resulted in increased production of reactive oxygen species, while impaired actin polarization in neutrophils; diminished proliferative responses, increased cytokine production and a dysregulated phenotype in T lymphocytes; as well as accelerated apoptosis and hyperactivity of AKT in HL-60 human leukemia cells. WES identified a c.44G > A mutation in RAC2 resulting in a p.G15D substitution. Despite sharing the same mutation as the proband, her father suffered from recurrent respiratory infections and bronchiectasis, and had similar immunological defects, whereas her sister was apparently healthy, other than cutaneous human papillomavirus infections, and only mild immunological defects were detected preliminarily. Conclusions: Our findings broaden the clinical and genetic spectra of RAC2 mutations and underline the importance of RAC2 gain-of-function mutations with complete or incomplete penetrance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic granulomatosis disease (CGD) is a rare inborn error of immunity, characterized by phagocytic respiratory outbreak dysfunction. Mutations causing CGD occur in CYBB on the X chromosome and in the autosomal genes CYBA, NCF1, NCF2, NCF4, RAC2, and CYBC1. Nevertheless, some patients are clinically diagnosed with CGD, due to abnormal respiratory outbursts, while the pathogenic gene mutation is unidentified. Here, we report a patient with CGD who first presented with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin disease and had recurrent pneumonia. He was diagnosed with CGD by nitro blue tetrazolium and respiratory burst tests. Detailed assessment of neutrophil activity revealed that patient neutrophils were almost entirely nonfunctional. Sanger sequencing detected a 6-kb insertion of a LINE-1 transposable element in the third intron of CYBB, leading to abnormal splicing and pseudoexon insertion, as well as introduction of a premature termination codon, resulting in predicted protein truncation. Clonal analysis demonstrated that the patient had somatic mosaicism, and the phagocytes were almost all variant CYBB, while the mosaicism rate of PBMC was about 65%. Finally, deep RNA sequencing and gp91phox expression analysis confirmed the pathogenicity of the mutation. In conclusion, we demonstrate that insertion of a LINE-1 transposon in a CYBB intron was responsible for CGD in our patient. Intron LINE-1 transposon element insertion should be examined in CGD patients without any known disease-causing gene mutation, in addition to identification of new genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work examines how culture and age interact to influence self-continuity and life satisfaction. Specifically, we compared Canadian and Chinese young (17–26 years old) and older adults (60–88 years old) in their sense of self-continuity and life satisfaction (N = 424). Consistent with past research, older adults reported greater self-continuity compared to their young counterparts, while cross-cultural comparisons showed that young Chinese reported greater self-continuity than young Canadians. In terms of life satisfaction, older adults again scored higher than younger adults, while cross-cultural comparisons indicated that, this time, young Canadians reported higher life satisfaction than young Chinese. Although the data were cross-sectional, indirect effects analyses showed that self-continuity mediated the effect of age on life satisfaction in both cultural groups, with the indirect effect stronger among Canadians than among Chinese. These findings highlight the importance of considering culture and age when examining psychological outcomes, and the potential of self-continuity as a mechanism to enhance overall life satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The removal and recovery of phosphate from water using adsorption technology require that the adsorbent material is easily separable from treated water. Continuous efforts are still awaited to develop additional efficient phosphate adsorbents that are economical to fabricate. In this study, hydrous zirconia-impregnated chitosan beads (HZCB) containing different Zr/chitosan ratios were synthesized using a facile scheme. We found that HZCB with a Zr/amine molar ratio of ~ 1 (HZCB-1) possessed excellent stability and phosphate removal performance. This optimized material was characterized with XRD, SEM, FTIR, XPS, specific surface area and point of zero charge measurements. The maximum adsorption capacity was 42.02 mg/g (at pH ~ 6.7). The adsorption kinetics were best described by a pseudosecond-order model, and the rate constant of HZCB-1 was much lower than that of its powder but was similar to the commercial bead product Ferrolox. The removal of phosphate depended substantially upon pH and was enhanced by lowering the pH. Good selectivity of HZCB-1 for phosphate was observed, although the coexistence of sulfate produced a significant negative effect. Direct coordination of phosphate to Zr atoms by replacing hydroxyls was the dominant adsorption mechanism (~ 85%), while chitosan also contributed to phosphate removal (~ 15%). Adsorbed phosphate was successfully eluted by an NaOH solution, and the material obtained after desorption and regeneration was able to be repeatedly used. The results of column studies indicated that this material could be implemented in long-term application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Our review explains the role of surfactant protein D (SP-D) in different kinds of bacterial infection based on its presence in different ocular surface tissues. We discuss the potential role of SP-D against invasion by pathogens, with the aim of identifying new prospects for the possible mechanism of SP-D-mediated immune processes, and the diagnosis, prognosis, or treatment of ocular bacterial infection. Methods: We reviewed articles about the role of SP-D in various ocular bacterial infections or infection-related ocular diseases through PubMed, Google Scholar, and the Web of Science databases. Results: SP-D acts as an important immune factor that can resemble molecules in different polymerization states and that defends against pathogen invasion. The increased SP-D production and secretion in tear fluid and the cornea after ocular bacterial infections such as Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa keratitis, and infection-related ocular diseases, was shown to have potential anti-inflammatory effects. The mechanisms of SP-D's action against ocular bacterial infections include presenting, aggregating, opsonizing, and phagocytizing antigens, as well as regulating anti-bacterial immunity processes, including toll-like receptor-5 (TLR-5) pathway and IL-8 effect, TLR-4 and TLR-2 pathways and other possible ways remained to be elucidated in more detail. The findings demonstrate the potential of SP-D as an important clinical diagnostic biomarker prognosis predictor, and target for ocular immunotherapy. Conclusion: SP-D participates in invasion by different ocular bacteria and infection-related ocular diseases through multiple immune mechanisms. This finding provides new prospects for the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of ocular bacterial infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]