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ABSTRACT Objective Percutaneous pedicle screw fixation (PPSF) technique requires a very precise entry point of the Jamshidi needle, which leads to repeated adjustments, damaging the pedicle and increasing radiation exposure. This study was designed to propose an improved percutaneous pedicle screw fixation technique‐trajectory dynamic adjustment (TDA) technique, and evaluate its feasibility and assess the clinical outcomes. Method A total of 445 patients with lumbar spondylolisthesis or lumbar spinal stenosis associated with instability from June 2017 to May 2022 were included in the retrospective study. They were randomly separated into two groups. Two hundred thirty‐one patients underwent TDA technique (TDA group). Two hundred fourteen patients underwent traditional PPSF technique (PPSF group). All patients underwent postoperative CT to assess the accuracy of screw placement, superior facet joint violation (FJV). The evaluated clinical outcomes were needle insertion time, radiation exposure, blood loss, hospital stay, the Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score, the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores for lower back pain (LBP), and leg pain, lumbar interbody fusion rate, and postoperative complications. The independent‐sample t test and paired t‐test were used for continuous data. The contingency table and Mann–Whitney U test were used for categorical data. Results The time of the insertion in TDA group was significantly lower than that in PPSF group (p 0.05). Overall, there was no significant difference in the proportion of clinically acceptable screws between the two groups (p > 0.05). In addition, the lateral screw misplacement in TDA group was higher. Moreover, FJV rate was significantly lower than that in PPSF group (p 0.05). Conclusion Compared to traditional PPSF technique, TDA technique is a safer and more effective procedure which has shorter surgical time, lower radiation exposure, and lower facet joint violation rate.

Abstract Aims This study aimed to analyse the global prevalence and disability trends of heart failure (HF) from 1990 to 2019, considering both sexes and country‐specific economic strata. Methods This study conducted a secondary analysis employing data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study. The analysis is stratified by sex and Socio‐demographic Index (SDI) levels. Through age‐period‐cohort and Joinpoint regression analyses, we investigated the temporal trends in HF prevalence and years lived with disability (YLDs) during this period. Results Between 1990 and 2019, the global prevalence of HF surged by 106.3% (95% uncertainty interval: 99.3% to 114.3%), reaching 56.2 million cases in 2019. While all‐age prevalence and YLDs increased over the 30 year span, age‐standardized rates decreased by 2019. Countries with higher SDI experienced a more pronounced percentage decrease compared with those with lower SDI. Longitudinal analysis revealed an overall improvement in both prevalence and YLDs for HF, albeit with notable disparities between SDI quintiles and sexes. Ischaemic heart disease and hypertensive heart disease emerged as the most rapidly increasing and primarily contributing causes of HF, albeit with variations observed across different countries. The average annual percentage change for prevalence and YLDs over the period was −0.26% and −0.25%, respectively. Conclusions This study offers valuable insights into the global burden of HF, considering factors such as population aging, regional disparities, sex differences and aetiological variations. The findings hold significant implications for healthcare planning and resource allocation. Continued assessment of these trends and innovative strategies for HF prevention and management are crucial for addressing this pressing global health concern.

Abstract The virulent bacteria‐induced host immune response dominates the occurrence and progression of periodontal diseases because of the roles of individual virulence factors from these pathogens in the initiation and spread of inflammation. Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) as a pathogenic entity have recently attracted great attention as messenger bridges between bacteria and host tissues. Herein, the novel role of OMVs derived from Fusobacterium nucleatum in the occurrence of periodontitis is dissected. In a rat periodontitis model, it is found that OMVs derived from F. nucleatum caused deterioration of periodontitis by enhancing inflammation of the periodontium and absorption of alveolar bone, which is almost equivalent to the effect of F. nucleatum itself. Furthermore, that OMVs can independently induce periodontitis is shown. The pathogenicity of OMVs is attributed to multiple pathogenic components identified by omics. After entering human periodontal ligament stem cells (hPDLSCs) by endocytosis, OMVs activated NLRP3 inflammasomes and impaired the mineralization of hPDLSCs through NF‐κB (p65) signaling, leading to the final injury of the periodontium and damage of alveolar bone in periodontitis. These results provide a new understanding of OMVs derived from pathogens and cues for the prevention of periodontitis.

Abstract Commencing with the breakdown of the diabetic osteoimmune microenvironment, multiple pathogenic factors, including hyperglycemia, inflammation, hypoxia, and deleterious cytokines, are conjointly involved in the progression of diabetic periodontal bone regeneration. Based on the challenge of periodontal bone regeneration treatment and the absence of real‐time feedback of blood oxygen fluctuation in diabetes mellitus, a novel self‐adaptive hyperthermia supramolecular cascade nano‐reactor ACFDG is constructed via one‐step supramolecular self‐assembly strategy to address multiple factors in diabetic periodontal bone regeneration. Hyperthermia supramolecular ACFDG possesses high photothermal conversion efficiency (32.1%), and it can effectively inhibit the vicious cycle of ROS‐inflammatory cascade through catalytic cascade reactions, up‐regulate the expression of heat shock proteins (HSPs) under near‐infrared (NIR) irradiation, which promotes periodontal bone regeneration. Remarkably, ACFDG can provide real‐time non‐invasive diagnosis of blood oxygen changes during periodontal bone regeneration through photoacoustic (PA) imaging, thus can timely monitor periodontal hypoxia status. In conclusion, this multifunctional supramolecular nano‐reactor combined with PA imaging for real‐time efficacy monitoring provides important insights into the biological mechanisms of diabetic periodontal bone regeneration and potential clinical theranostics.

Abstract Patients with glycogen storage disease type Ib (GSD‐Ib) frequently have inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). however, the underlying etiology remains unclear. Herein, this study finds that digestive symptoms are commonly observed in patients with GSD‐Ib, presenting as single or multiple scattered deep round ulcers, inflammatory pseudo‐polyps, obstructions, and strictures, which differ substantially from those in typical IBD. Distinct microbiota profiling and single‐cell clustering of colonic mucosae in patients with GSD are conducted. Heterogeneous oral pathogenic enteric outgrowth induced by GSD is a potent inducer of gut microbiota immaturity and colonic macrophage accumulation. Specifically, a unique population of macrophages with high CCL4L2 expression is identified in response to pathogenic bacteria in the intestine. Hyper‐activation of the CCL4L2‐VSIR axis leads to increased expression of AGR2 and ZG16 in epithelial cells, which mediates the unique progression of IBD in GSD‐Ib. Collectively, the microbiota‐driven pathomechanism of IBD is demonstrated in GSD‐Ib and revealed the active role of the CCL4L2‐VSIR axis in the interaction between the microbiota and colonic mucosal immunity. Thus, targeting gut dysbiosis and/or the CCL4L2‐VISR axis may represent a potential therapy for GSD‐associated IBD.

Abstract The Lhasa‐Qiangtang collision closed the Meso‐Tethys Ocean, but the exact timing of this event remains hotly debated. Here, we present geochronological and paleomagnetic analyses conducted on Cretaceous volcanics from western Qiangtang to constrain the Lhasa‐Qiangtang collision in western Tibet. Our investigations yield a paleolatitude of ∼30.5 ± 5.0°N for western Qiangtang during ca. 110–100 Ma. A reanalysis of previously acquired Mesozoic‐Cenozoic paleomagnetic data from western Qiangtang suggests a stationary position during ca. 136–34 Ma. Examination of paleomagnetic data from western Lhasa reveals a significant reduction in northward paleolatitudinal motion during the Early Cretaceous, dropping from ∼12.3 cm/yr to nearly zero. Integration of our paleomagnetic findings with available geological records has led to conclude that the Lhasa‐Qiangtang collision in western Tibet occurred at ca. 132 Ma. Additionally, we infer that crustal shortening on the order of ∼1,000 km happened between Lhasa and Qiangtang during the Early Cenozoic.

The optimization of coal dust management in fluidized mining environments is of paramount importance, yet it is currently impeded by a gap in understanding chemical dust suppression mechanisms. This study combines indoor experiments with molecular simulation to investigate the mechanisms by which three anionic surfactants with different hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups (SDBS, SDS, and SLS) influence coal wettability. Using hydrophobic bituminous coal as the experimental subject, basic physical and chemical properties are analyzed through proximate analysis, XRD, and FTIR. The effect of different surfactants on coal wettability is characterized based on sedimentation experiments, while the coal–surfactant–water three-phase model examines the equilibrium adsorption configuration, water molecule diffusion coefficient, and interaction energy in different adsorption systems. The surface free energy of coal dust and its components is measured before and after surfactant adsorption, verifying the adsorption-wetting mechanism of surfactants at the coal–water interface. Results show that anionic surfactants enhance wettability through a bidirectional adsorption mechanism at the coal–water interface: the hydrophobic tail adheres to the coal surface via van der Waals forces, while the hydrophilic head faces the water phase, driven by electrostatic and hydrogen bonding interactions. This coordinated adsorption process alters water diffusion and the surface free energy of coal, thereby improving wettability. SDBS, due to its benzene ring, significantly amplifies the bidirectional adsorption effect, achieving the most substantial improvement in coal dust wettability. The findings provide a robust theoretical framework for developing dust control strategies in fluidized mining operations, advancing the field toward more efficient and sustainable mining practices.

Abstract Retinal degeneration (RD), a group of diseases leading to irreversible vision loss, is characterised by retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) or retinal neuron damage and loss. With fewer risks of immune rejection and tumorigenesis, stem cell‐secreted extracellular vesicles (EVs) offer a new cell‐free therapeutic paradigm for RD, which remains to be investigated. Human retinal organoid‐derived retinal progenitor cells (hERO‐RPCs) are an easily accessible and advanced cell source for RD treatment. However, hERO‐RPCs‐derived EVs require further characterisation. Here, we compared the characteristics of EVs from hERO‐RPCs (hRPC‐EVs) with those of human embryonic stem cell (hESC)‐derived EVs (hESC‐EVs) as controls. Based on in‐depth proteomic analysis, we revealed remarkable differences between hRPC‐EVs and hESC‐EVs. A comparison between EVs and their respective cells of origin demonstrated that the protein loading of hRPC‐EVs was more selective than that of hESC‐EVs. In particular, hESC‐EVs were enriched with proteins related to angiogenesis and cell cycle, whereas hRPC‐EVs were enriched with proteins associated with immune modulation and retinal development. More importantly, compared with that of hESC‐EVs, hRPC‐EVs exhibited a lower correlation with cell proliferation and a unique capacity to regulate lipid metabolism. It was further confirmed that hRPC‐EVs potentially eliminated lipid deposits, inhibited lipotoxicity and oxidative stress, and enhanced phagocytosis and survival of oleic acid‐treated ARPE‐19 cells. Mechanistically, hRPC‐EVs are integrated into the mitochondrial network of oleic acid‐treated ARPE‐19 cells, and increased the level of mitochondrial fatty acid β‐oxidation‐related proteins. Thus, organoid‐derived hRPC‐EVs represent a promising source of cell‐free therapy for RD, especially for blinding diseases related to abnormal lipid metabolism in RPE cells.

Crowns have been recommended to treat decayed teeth and rebuild teeth function. The dental management of children with autism is a tremendous challenge for pediatric dentists due to the impaired behaviors and communication disorders. In this context, a 5-year-old boy with autism was treated to solve carious lesions under the assistance of general anesthesia. The posterior occlusal function was restored, and the crossbite existing in the primary anterior teeth was approached merely by NuSmile® zirconia crowns (ZCs) rather than orthodontic intervention. We conducted an 18-month period. Throughout the long-term follow-up, the boy’s masticatory efficiency was remarkably improved and the anterior teeth had transferred into the correct position with adequate overbite to maintain the new relationship, thus ameliorating the appearance of tissue on the labial surface and enhancing his quality of life and oral health.

Abstract Background Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) suffer from a high incidence of premature ovarian failure, which might be due to cyclophosphamide gonadal toxicity, immune abnormalities, or other reasons. This study aimed to investigate whether the transplantation of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (HUC‐MSCs) can improve ovarian reserve function in lupus mice. Methods We used MRL/lpr mice to observe changes in ovarian structure and secretory function in SLE. Lupus mice and controls were injected with HUC‐MSCs at Weeks 12 and 16. We detected serum concentrations of the sex hormones estradiol (E2), follicle‐stimulating hormone (FSH), and anti‐Müllerian hormone (AMH), using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays. Hematoxylin and eosin staining showed ovarian tissue structure and enabled the counting of follicles. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and insulin‐like growth factor 1 (IGF‐1) expression in ovarian tissue was observed by immunohistochemistry. Results Ovarian function in lupus mice was abnormal, as indicated by decreased serum E2 and AMH concentrations, and increased FSH concentrations. HUC‐MSC transplantation caused significant upregulation of serum E2 and AMH and downregulation of FSH (all p

Abstract Objective Kawasaki disease (KD) can lead to permanent damage to coronary structures, the pathogenesis of which remains unknown. This experiment was designed to investigate whether miR‐223‐3p secreted in the serum of KD patients affects the proliferation and apoptosis of HCAECs in KD by regulating FOXP3. Methods Blood samples were collected in acute febrile phase of KD, after IVIG treatment, and from healthy controls. Transfected into HCAECs cells by synthetic FOXP3 siRNA/NC. A co‐culture system was established between HCAECs cells transfected with FOXP3 siRNA/NC and THP1 cells added with three sera. Results Compared with the control group, the expressions of miR‐223‐3p, RORγt, and Th17 in serum of KD patients were significantly upregulated, and the expressions of TGF‐β1, FOXP3 and Treg were significantly downregulated. At the same time, the levels of IL‐6, IL‐17, and IL‐23 were significantly increased, and the levels of IL‐10 and FOXP3 were significantly decreased. After IVIG treatment, the patient's above results were reversed. The serum of KD patients increased the expression of miR‐223‐3p and inhibited the expression of FOXP3 in HCAECs cells. IVIG serum is the opposite. Overexpression of miR‐223‐3p also promoted the apoptosis of HCAECs. In addition, serum from KD patients promoted apoptosis, whereas serum after IVIG treatment inhibited apoptosis. KD patient serum downregulated the expression of FOXP3, Bcl2, TGF‐β1 and IL‐10 in cells, and upregulated the expression of caspase3, Bax, IL‐17, IL‐6, and IL‐23. The opposite results were obtained with IVIG‐treated sera. Conclusion miR‐223‐3p secreted in serum of KD patients can regulate the expression of FOXP3 and affect the proliferation, apoptosis, and inflammation of cells.

Abstract The relationship between conventional lipid parameters and arterial stiffness (AS) has been verified by previous studies. However, it remains unknown whether non‐conventional lipid parameters have certain predictive effect on AS represented by brachial‐ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV). Therefore, the study was to explore the relationship between remnant cholesterol (RC) and other non‐conventional lipid parameters and AS in the general population free from cardiovascular disease. The study included 912 participants aged 24–84 years from a medical health checkup center of Murakami Memorial Hospital. Logistic regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to examine the association between non‐conventional lipid parameters and AS. The results showed that compared with non‐AS group, the AS group had higher RC, non‐high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (Non‐HDL‐C), atherogenic index of plasma (AIP), lipoprotein combine index (LCI), atherosclerosis index (AI), triglycerides/HDL‐C (TG/HDL‐C), Castelli's risk index I (CRI‐I) and Castelli's risk index II (CRI‐II). Then, the authors divided participants into two groups by the optimal cutoff point of 23.6 of RC determined by Youden index. The baPWV was significantly higher in higher RC group compared with lower RC group, and RC was positively correlated with baPWV. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that, regarding lower RC as reference, higher RC was independently associated with higher risk of AS, independent of other risk factors (OR = 1.794, 95% CI: 1.267‐2.539, p = .001). The area under the curve of AS predicted by RC was higher than that of other non‐conventional lipid parameters (almost all p < .05). The findings indicated that increased RC was a significant predictor of AS.

Abstract Carcinoma arising from a mucinous cystic neoplasm (MCN) of the pancreas is termed MCN with associated invasive carcinoma (MCN‐AIC) in the fifth WHO classification of digestive tumors (2019). The prognosis of this malignancy varies depending on the relationship of the invasive carcinoma to the cyst capsule, but limited data are available. This study identified 165 surgically resected MCNs including 15 MCN‐AICs from a single center between 2008 and 2018 and analyzed their clinicopathologic features. The results confirmed that non‐invasive MCNs were completely cured by surgery. All MCN‐AICs showing an encapsulated invasion pattern (defined as invasive carcinoma limited to the ovarian‐type stroma, cystic septa, and capsule) had an excellent prognosis with a 5‐year survival rate of 100%, even when the size of the invasive component was up to stage T2. By contrast, MCN‐AICs with extracapsular involvement had unfavorable clinical outcomes. Our study demonstrates that the pattern of invasion of MCN‐AIC can predict patient prognosis. Pathologic stage T1 and T2 encapsulated MCN‐AICs may be completely cured with surgical resection alone or when combined with postoperative chemotherapy.

Abstract Bone implant‐associated infections induced by bacteria frequently result in repair failure and threaten the health of patients. Although black phosphorus (BP) material with superior photothermal conversion ability is booming in the treatment of bone disease, the development of BP‐based bone scaffolds with excellent photothermal stability and antibacterial properties simultaneously remains a challenge. In nature, chloroplasts cannot only convert light into chemical energy, but also hold a protective and defensive envelope membrane. Inspired by this, a self‐defensive bone scaffold with stable photothermal property is developed for infected bone defect therapy. Similar to thylakoid and stroma lamella in chloroplasts, BP is integrated with chitosan and polycaprolactone fiber networks. The mussel‐inspired polydopamine multifunctional “envelope membrane” wrapped above not only strengthens the photothermal stability of BP‐based scaffolds, but also realizes the in situ anchoring of silver nanoparticles. Bacteria‐triggered infection of femur defects in vivo can be commendably inhibited at the early stage via these chloroplast‐inspired implants, which then effectively promotes endogenous repair of the defect area under mild hyperthermia induced by near‐infrared irradiation. This chloroplast‐inspired strategy shows outstanding performance for infected bone defect therapy and provides a reference for the functionality of other biomedical materials.

Abstract The present study aimed to investigate the role of apigenin and the molecular mechanism of miR‐152‐5p and bromodomain containing 4 (BRD4) in the proliferation, invasion, and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) of cervical carcinoma cells. Quantitative real‐time PCR was used to detect the transfection efficiency and the expression of miR‐152‐5p and BRD4. Western blotting was conducted to evaluate the protein level of BRD4, E‐cadherin, N‐cadherin, and MMP9. Luciferase reporter assay was performed to confirm whether miR‐152‐5p bound to BRD4. MTT and Transwell invasion assay were applied to determine the cell proliferation and invasion, respectively. MiR‐152‐5p was downregulated and BRD4 was upregulated in cervical carcinoma tissue. Besides, miR‐152‐5p could directly bind to BRD4 in Hela and CaSki cells. In addition, apigenin inhibited proliferation, invasion, and EMT of Hela and CaSki cells by regulating miR‐152‐5p/BRD4 axis. Apigenin suppresses proliferation, invasion, and induced EMT of cervical carcinoma cells by regulation of miR‐152‐5p/BRD4 axis.

Abstract Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) is the most common leukaemia in adults in the UK. Ibrutinib, an oral Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor (BTKi) for CLL approved by the UK's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence in January 2017, represented a major shift in CLL management. Real‐world data on ibrutinib use in routine clinical practice will inform patients’ and physicians’ decision‐making. We conducted a retrospective medical chart review of UK patients with CLL who initiated ibrutinib between January 2017 and July 2018. Data for 259 patients were contributed by 34 haematology‐oncology specialists, with a median follow‐up duration of 16.7 months. Median age at ibrutinib initiation was 71 years. Ibrutinib first‐line monotherapy was prescribed in 20.1% of patients. Ibrutinib was permanently discontinued in 15.4% of patients, mostly owing to progressive disease. Adverse events (AEs) were reported in 151 patients (58.3%). The most common were bruising (19.3% of patients), cytopenias (17.0%) and diarrhoea (11.6%). Ibrutinib dose reduction was observed in 14.3% of patients and was temporarily discontinued in 10.4% of patients, with the main reason for both being toxicity. These results expand the real‐world evidence on ibrutinib therapy and demonstrate a high burden of AEs, highlighting the need for more tolerable BTKis.

Abstract A strong mining disturbance may cause the superposition of local stresses and serious disasters such as crushed supports and severely destroyed roadways. To study the distribution law of mining‐induced stress under hard roof conditions, an advance abutment pressure distribution model was developed. By monitoring the support pressure, a novel method of reckoning intensive factors was proposed, and then, the pressure distribution characteristics were obtained. An innovative in situ test of the mining‐induced stress increment was performed. At the Tongxin coal mine, the field monitoring of no. 8309 working face revealed the following. (a) The peak position of the fully mechanized working face with a hard roof was 5.9 m away from the mining face in which the average intensive factor K was 1.48. The pressure of the single props developed could be roughly divided into the fluctuation, slow increase, and stable stages. (b) A theoretical model of the stress evolution of the working face was proposed. Using an in situ uniaxial compression test, a law governing the variation of the advance abutment pressure was developed. The peak strength was reported to be 36 MPa, which is consistent with the advance prop pressure. (c) Mining‐induced stress violently fluctuated during the process of top coal caving; the K values in the supports in the middle of the working face and their rates of growth were apparently higher than those in the end supports. A Gaussian distribution of K was established for this phenomenon. The results obtained provide first‐hand data for safe and efficient mining under similar geological conditions.

Abstract Hereditary spherocytosis (HS) is often misdiagnosed due to lack of specific diagnostic methods. Our study summarized clinical characteristics and described the diagnostic workflow for mild and moderate HS in Chinese individuals, using data from 20 adults, 8 of whom presented a familial history for HS. We used scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to diagnose HS. We observed reduced eosin maleimide fluorescence activity (5.50 mean channel fluorescence (MCF) units) in the 10 cases of HS, which differed significantly when compared with 10 normal adults (15.50 units), iron deficiency anemia (15.50 MCF units), and megaloblastic anemia (12.00 MCF units) values (P

Abstract Considerable calcification and stenosis frequently occur in the radial artery (RA) in diabetic nephropathy. PTA was performed successfully using a balloon to expand and restrictively tear the longitudinal axis of the RA. This approach seems to be a useful measure of promoting the maturation of AVF in diabetic nephropathy.

Abstract Cordyceps is a large group of entomogenous, medicinally important fungi. In this study, we sequenced, assembled, and annotated the entire mitochondrial genome of Ophiocordyceps xuefengensis, in addition to comparing it against other three complete cordyceps mitogenomes that were previously published. Comparative analysis indicated that the four complete mitogenomes are all composed of circular DNA molecules, although their sizes significantly differ due to high variability in intron and intergenic region sizes in the Ophiocordyceps sinensis and O. xuefengensis mitogenomes. All mitogenomes contain 14 conserved genes and two ribosomal RNA genes, but varying numbers of tRNA introns. The Ka/Ks ratios for all 14 PCGs and rps3 were all less than 1, indicating that these genes have been subject to purifying selection. Phylogenetic analysis was conducted using concatenated amino acid and nucleotide sequences of the 14 PCGs and rps3 using two different methods (Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian analysis), revealing highly supported relationships between O. xuefengensis and other Ophiocordyceps species, in addition to a close relationship with O. sinensis. Further, the analyses indicated that cox1 and rps3 play important roles in population differentiation. These mitogenomes will allow further study of the population genetics, taxonomy, and evolutionary biology of medicinally important cordyceps species.

Abstract Geophysical methods have been increasingly used to characterize the Earth's critical zone (CZ) and monitor hydrological processes occurring within it. For a quantitative interpretation, geophysical studies of CZ materials are necessary, and thus require more sophisticated laboratory setups. In this study, we develop a hydrogeophysical soil column system to measure key hydraulic and electrical properties of regolith in CZs. The developed soil column system consists of two components: (a) a novel hydrogeophysical probe that measures pore water pressure and electrical potential in soils and (b) a cylindrical cell to hold soil samples. The system can be arranged to perform both saturated flow and drainage tests. The saturated flow test is similar to the traditional constant head experiment for determining the hydraulic conductivity and streaming potential coupling coefficient. The drainage tests can produce transient responses of cumulative overflow, pore water pressure, and streaming potential. These transient data can be used to estimate the sample's electrical and hydraulic properties with the coupled, stochastic hydrogeophysical inversion. A sand sample is used to demonstrate the procedures of applying this new system. The measured saturated hydraulic conductivity and streaming potential coupling coefficient of the sand are within the typical ranges of sands reported in the literature. The inversion‐estimated soil parameters can well reproduce the measured transient responses during the drainage test of the sample. Moreover, the inversion‐estimated saturated properties are in good agreement with those independently measured in the saturated flow test, showing the robustness of the developed system.

Abstract In Western Himalayan Syntaxis, the India‐Asia continental collision occurred at ca. 50 Ma, while its uplift history and exhumation mechanism are still in dispute despite decades of studies. A new type of eclogite was found in Naran, located ca. 30 km southwest of the Upper Kaghan Valley. Phase equilibrium calculations and thermobarometer performed on the Naran eclogite documented the peak‐P metamorphic condition of 720–780°C at 2.4–2.8 GPa. Two further exhumation stages were identified with the first one at high‐P granulite‐facies conditions of 750–800°C at 1.6–1.9 GPa, and the second at amphibolite‐facies conditions of 550–630°C at 0.5–0.8 GPa. SIMS U‐Pb dating of metamorphic zircons yielded an age of 46 ± 2 Ma, which is interpreted to constrain the high‐P metamorphism age along the northwestern margin of the Indian plate. SIMS U‐Pb dating of rutile yielded a cooling age of 26 ± 3 Ma, which is interpreted as cooling age in the amphibolite facies. The average speculated exhumation rate of the Naran massif (∼3 mm a−1) was much lower than that recovered from the Upper Kaghan Valley massif (86–143 mm a−1). The tectonic and metamorphic evolution of the whole Western Himalayan Syntaxis shows the difference in temporal and spatial change within the Paleogene era, indicating the inconsistent exhumation histories of the continental slices. Such a multi‐slice exhumation process was probably related to the closure of the Neo‐Tethys ocean and the break‐off of the Indian lithospheric slab.

Abstract Hydraulicproperties of soils could play an important role in affecting the partitioning of precipitation in the critical zone. In addition to traditional approaches, in the last two decades, many geophysical methods have been used to aid the hydrologic characterization and measurement of geological materials. In particular, the self‐potential (SP) method shows great potential in these hydrogeophysical applications. The objective of this study is to evaluate whether the addition of SP data can improve the estimation of hydraulic properties of soils in an outflow experiment. A stochastic, coupled hydrogeophysical inversion was developed, in which the governing equations were solved using the finite volume method and the parameter estimation was conducted using a Bayesian approach associated with the Markov chain Monte Carlo technique. The results show that the addition of SP data in the inversion could reduce the uncertainty related to the estimated hydraulic parameters of soils and the length of the associated 95% confidence interval can be shortened by ∼1/3. It is also shown that the electrical properties of soils at saturated and unsaturated conditions may also be estimated from the outflow experiment when SP data are available. Compared with hydraulic parameters, the accuracy of the estimated electrical properties is slightly lower. Among them, the saturated streaming potential coupling coefficient Csat has the highest accuracy and lowest uncertainty since Csat directly influences the magnitude of SP signals. The accuracy of other electrical parameters is lower than that of Csat (and hydraulic parameters), and the associated uncertainty can be one order of magnitude larger.

Abstract The utilization of binders has severely hindered ionic diffusion and electron transfer in the traditional lithium‐ion battery. Herein, a self‐standing hard carbon film using nanocellulose as precursor has been constructed as binder‐free electrodes via two‐step thermal treatment. The cyclization and aromatization of small molecular fragments promote the formation of hyper‐crosslinked framework with abundant welded junctions. Importantly, carbon nanofibers not only serve as an inter‐connected conductive network for fast electron transfer, but also as an interlinked mechanical skeleton for convenient Li+ diffusion and electrode structural stability. Furthermore, the optimized carbon film, with accessible redox‐active carbonyl groups (CO) and abundant micropores, is beneficial for Li+ accommodation. It exhibits high reversible capacity of 513.1 mAh g−1 at 50 mA g−1 and excellent cycle stability to extend over 1000 cycles without signs of decay. This study provides an efficient strategy for the design of high‐performance biomass‐derived anode materials with stable‐structure for alkaline batteries.

Inula cappa (Buch.-Ham. ex D. Don) DC has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat malaria, dysentery, and hepatitis. Previous studies have shown that chlorogenic acid is the effective ingredient of plants in this family. And the research of the chlorogenic acid in Inula cappa will help to further improve the effective resource utilization rate of this plant. Therefore, it is necessary to establish an accurate method to characterize the chlorogenic acid components in Inula cappa. In this study, a simple, fast, and sensitive UHPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap mass spectrometry method was established, which can simultaneously analyze known and unknown ingredients in a short time (within 30 minutes) in Inula cappa. According to the diagnosis fragmentation ions, retention time, and bibliography, 68 chlorogenic acid derivatives were identified in Inula cappa. The results of this experiment lay the foundation for the active substances and quality control of Inula cappa and provide a theoretical basis for whether Inula cappa can be an alternative to the endangered wild medicinal materials of the same family.

As shallow resources are exhausted, deep resources are gradually being exploited; consequently, mining disasters and accidents have increased significantly over time. During mining, a deep rock mass experiences complex mining-induced stress evolution, damage accumulation, and deformation failure processes, and the mechanical and acoustic properties of the rock constantly change. To better understand the variation in the mechanical and acoustic properties of rock under loading and unloading conditions, uniaxial loading-unloading experiments with real-time ultrasonic P-wave velocity monitoring were conducted on sandstone specimens drilled from a coal seam roof. The test results show that the axial stress level is directly related to the P-wave velocity. A logarithmic relationship exists between the ultrasonic P-wave velocity and stress in the tested sandstones. The wave velocity increase caused by the unit axial pressure increase is significantly lower than that at the initial loading stage after entering the higher stress level. The energy evolution of sandstone during loading and unloading is closely related to the stress loading history and reflects the damage accumulation in the rock. Under elastic loading, the energy accumulation is mainly reflected by an increase in elastic energy, and less energy is dissipated during the elastic loading period. Stress unloading causes high energy dissipation, resulting in irreversible strain and damage accumulation, which provides a good basis for using ultrasonic testing to preliminarily judge the failure of a specific rock and formulate corresponding engineering measures.

This study aimed to investigate the mechanism of antibacterial activity level inhibition of dihydromyricetin (DMY) against specific spoilage bacteria of grouper. Firstly, the specific spoilage bacteria of grouper in the cold storage process are Pseudomonas antarctica (P. antarctica), which are selected by calculating the spoilage metabolite yield factor. It was determined that the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of DMY against grouper spoilage bacteria were 2.0 mg/mL and 6.4 mg/mL, respectively. DMY was added to the matrix of chitosan and sodium alginate, and DMY emulsions of different concentrations (0 MIC, 1 MIC, 2 MIC, 4 MIC) were prepared and characterized by differential calorimetry methods. Through analyzing cell permeability, enzyme activity, and images of the confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM), we further studied the antibacterial mechanism of DMY emulsion on specific spoilage bacteria. The results showed that, with the increase of DMY concentration in the treatment group, the leakage of nucleic acid and protein increased significantly, the activity of ATPase and three critical enzymes in the Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas (EMP) pathway decreased significantly, and the activity of AKPase did not decrease significantly, . The metabolic activity and viability are reduced considerably. Analysis of the above results shows that DMY inhibits the growth and reproduction of P. antarctica by interfering with the metabolic activity of bacteria and destroying the function of bacterial cell membranes but has no inhibitory effect on the activity of AKPase. This study proves that DMY could be an effective and natural antibacterial agent against specific spoilage bacteria in aquatic products.

Background. Circulating adiponectin has been suggested to be associated with atrial fibrillation (AF). However, whether the association differs by age and gender remains unknown. We performed a case-control study to evaluate the above association. Methods. AF patients who underwent 24-hour long-range 12-channel electrocardiogram examination at our center were included in this study, and people with normal sinus rhythm (NSR) were included as controls. All participants underwent echocardiography and heart rate variability tests. Biochemical parameters and adiponectin levels were also evaluated. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were used to determine the predictive efficacy of adiponectin for AF, and multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the potential independent predictors of AF. Results. Overall, 84 patients with AF and 84 people with NSR were included. Serum adiponectin was significantly higher in AF patients compared to that in controls (P6.098 μg/mL) had predictive efficacy for AF, with an area under the curve of 0.660 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 577–0.742). The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that higher adiponectin was an independent predictor of AF in the overall participants (odds ratio [OR] 1.224, 95% CI 1.018–1.471, P=0.032). Subgroup analysis showed that higher adiponectin was independently associated with AF in women (OR 1.893, 95% CI 1.160–3.089, P=0.011) and in patients aged

Individual microgrids can improve the reliability of power systems during extreme events, and networked microgrids can further improve efficiency through resource sharing and increase the resilience of critical end-use loads. However, networked microgrid operations can be subject to large transients due to switching and end-use loads, which can cause dynamic instability and lead to system collapse. These transients are especially prevalent in microgrids with high penetrations of grid-following inverter-connected renewable energy resources, which do not provide the system inertia or fast frequency response needed to mitigate the transients. One potential mitigation is to engage the existing generator controls to reduce system voltage in response to a frequency deviation, thereby reducing load and improving primary frequency response. This study investigates the use of a reinforcement-learning-based controller trained over several switching transient scenarios to modify generator controls during large frequency deviations. Compared to previously used proportional–integral controllers, the proposed controller can improve primary frequency response while adapting to changes in system topologies and conditions.

The development of smart grid technologies has resulted in increased interdependence between power and communication systems. Many of the operations in the existing power system rely on a stable and secured communication system. For electrically weak systems and time-critical applications, this reliance can be even greater, where a small degradation in communication performance can degrade system stability. However, despite inter-dependencies between power and communication systems, only a few studies have investigated the impacts of communication system performance on power system dynamics. This study investigates the dependencies of power system dynamics operations on a communication system performance. First, a detailed, dynamic networked microgrid model is developed in the GridLAB-D simulation environment, along with a representative multi-traffic, multi-channel, multi-protocol communication system model, developed in the network simulator (ns-3). Second, a hierarchical engine for large-scale infrastructure co-simulation framework is developed to co-simulate microgrid dynamics, its communication system, and a microgrid control system. The impact of communication system delays on the dynamic stability of networked microgrids is evaluated for the loss of generation using three use-cases. While the example use-cases examine microgrid applications and the impact to resiliency, the framework can be applied to all levels of power system operations.

Background. This study aimed to evaluate the risk factors of HCC development in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related DC and who underwent long-term antiviral therapy. Methods. Data from 308 patients with HBV-related DC and long-term antiviral therapy were collected and retrospectively reviewed. Cox regression analysis was used to analyze independent risk factors of HCC development. Results. Data from 129 patients with definite records were analyzed. The median follow-up time was 5 years (range, 1 to 8 years). At the end of the follow-up, 41 (31.8%) patients developed HCC, and the time from DC diagnosis to HCC incidence who received antiviral therapy was 4.4 years (range, 1–7 years). The incidence of HCC was higher in males (30/78, 38.5%) than in females (11/51, 21.6%) (P = 0.04). Patients who developed HCC were significantly older than those who did not develop HCC (P

Okanin is a major flavonoid found in Coreopsis tinctoria Nutt., arousing huge interest recently for its considerable biological characteristics including antioxidant, antineurotoxic, and antidiabetic activities. An ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography triple-quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) was successfully used to determine okanin in rat plasma after oral administration of okanin. Bavachalcone acted as an internal standard (IS). By gradient elution, IS and analyte were separated on a C18 column for 7 min at a flow rate of 0.25 mL/min with acetonitrile-0.1% acetic acid mobile phase. The stability, matrix effect, extraction recovery, accuracy, precision, linearity, and selectivity of the method were firstly demonstrated. The major pharmacokinetic parameters of okanin in rat plasma were then measured using the developed UPLC-MS method. An UPLC-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) was finally established to obtain the specific and accurate mass of okanin in rat plasma after oral administration, and its proposed fragmentation was further elaborated.