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Ferromanganese nodules are important marine storehouses for critical metals and windows for changing oceans. Although advanced in situ analytical techniques have been applied to visualize the elemental distribution in the nodule cross‐sections, their spatial distribution remains largely uncertain. This study addresses this gap by employing micro X‐ray fluorescence mapping of parallel nodule cross‐sections to delineate the spatial distributions of critical metals (Mn, Fe, Co, Ti, Ni, and Cu) in three Co‐rich ferromanganese nodules from the northwestern Pacific Ocean. The 10‐layer Os isotopic compositions of one nodule closely align with the well‐documented marine Os isotope evolution of seawater, providing a chronological framework and a maximum age of ∼36 Ma for these nodules. Three concentric chemostratigraphic layers, labeled L1, L2, and L3, were identified from the inside out, based on microscopic structures and the distributions of critical metals. The early growth stage was marked by Mn‐rich, Si‐rich, and high Mn/Fe ratios, suggesting a diagenetic‐driven process attributed to high paleoproductivity conditions because of the low latitude of the study area at that time. The subsequent growth stages are all hydrogenetic in origin to be rich in Fe, Co, and Ti with low Mn/Fe ratios. The apparent detritus present during the second growth stage of the nodules may correspond to the stronger bottom currents in the early Miocene. The final mineralization stage indicates a more stable environment with diminished bottom current activity, leading to the formation of a dense, laminar hydrogenetic layer. Plain Language Summary: The present study bridges the knowledge gap on the spatial distribution of critical metals through the innovative use of micro X‐ray fluorescence mapping on parallel sections of three nodules in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. Os isotope stratigraphy establishes a chronological framework and a maximum age of ∼36 Ma for these nodules. Distinct concentric chemostratigraphic layers, labeled L1, L2, and L3, have been identified in these nodules. The early growth stage of the nodules is characterized by Mn‐rich, Si‐rich and high Mn/Fe ratios, indicative of a diagenetic‐driven process under high paleoproductivity conditions due to the low historical latitude. The subsequent stages are all hydrogenetic in origin to be rich in Fe, Co, and Ti with low Mn/Fe ratios. The apparent detritus present during the second growth stage of the nodules may correspond to the stronger bottom currents in the early Miocene. The final mineralization stage suggested a period of environmental stability with reduced current activity, forming of a hydrogenetic layer enriched in Fe, Co, and Ti. This study not only enhances our understanding of the complex processes that govern the formation and evolution of ferromanganese nodules but also provides deeper insight into the historical shifts within our oceans. Key Points: Ferromanganese nodule was dated via Os isotope stratigraphy and has a maximum age of ∼36 MaMulti‐element integrated maps were produced to assist in obtaining clearer chemostratigraphy images of ferromanganese nodulesSpatial distribution of critical metals and chemostratigraphy in ferromanganese nodules were visualized via multiple parallel cross‐sections [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Federated edge learning (FEEL) provides a promising device‐edge collaborative learning paradigm, which enables edge devices to parallel participate in model co‐creation while preserving user privacy, opening countless opportunities to enable edge intelligence. With the growing demand for intelligent services, extensive FEEL deployment is inevitable. Nevertheless, existing FL schemes neglect two unique features (i.e., resource heterogeneity and data heterogeneity) in real‐world edge learning and thus may negatively affect the training efficiency and accuracy. Specifically, (1) heterogeneous and limited device resources cause massive laggards, which bring intolerable training delay; (2) heterogeneous data distribution causes device quality divergence, bringing severe training accuracy degradation. This article proposes a split‐based FEEL framework and an adaptive model splitting and quality‐aware device association scheme (MSDA) to tackle the aforementioned challenges. MSDA contains two levels: at the model splitting level, according to device capability and model structure, an adaptive splitting mechanism is proposed to provide a low‐latency and privacy‐preserving model splitting strategy for each device and guide subsequent device association. At the device association level, each device is simulated as a player with a quality weight in the potential game. Then a quality‐aware decentralized device association mechanism is designed to ensure that more high‐quality devices upload local updates before the deadline with the help of the edge server. Finally, experimental results demonstrate that MSDA yields significant improvements, achieving up to 3.1×$$ \times $$ training speedup and 39% accuracy improvement compared to state‐of‐the‐art methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New coupling scheme substrate‐integrated waveguide (SIW) diplexers based on dual‐mode cavities are proposed for millimetre‐wave applications. Dual‐mode SIW cavities are simultaneously employed in common input and coupling cavity to produce filtering transmission poles and transmission zero (TZ). A common input SIW cavity with two orthogonal modes is employed instead of the traditional T‐junction for circuit miniaturisation, insertion‐loss reduction, and intrinsically high isolation. A critical dual‐mode SIW cavity with diagonally distributed modes has been employed in each channel to realise a controllable stopband TZ for high selectivity of passband's skirt. To further improve channel isolation and passbands' selectivity, a SIW diplexer based on dual‐ and single‐mode cavities is proposed, and four‐pole responses for each passband channel are designed. For the verification, two millimetre‐wave diplexers have been fabricated and tested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coumestan represents a biologically relevant structural motif distributed in a number of natural products, and the rapid construction of related derivatives as well as the characterization of targets would accelerate lead compound discovery in medicinal chemistry. In this work, a general and scalable approach to 8,9‐dihydroxycoumestans via two‐electrode constant current electrolysis was developed. The application of a two‐phase (aqueous/organic) system plays a crucial role for success, protecting the sensitive o‐benzoquinone intermediates from over‐oxidation. Based on the structurally diverse products, a primary SAR study on coumestan scaffold was completed, and compound 3 r exhibited potent antiproliferative activities and a robust topoisomerase I (Top1) inhibitory activity. Further mechanism studies demonstrates that compound 3 r was a novel Top1 poison, which might open an avenue for the development of Top1‐targeted antitumor agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

2.5D woven structures are of interest in new thermal protection systems for their excellent interlayer properties and structural stability. In this paper, dense (CDP) and lightweight (CLP) carbon/phenolic 2.5D woven composites were prepared. Quasi‐static tensile experiments were performed on the specimens before ablation (TCDP‐0, TCLP‐0) and after ablation for 30 s (TCDP‐30, TCLP‐30). A quarter macro–meso hybrid model that takes into account the degradation of material properties after ablation and ablative crack pores was innovatively proposed. The predicted tensile elastic modulus is within 9% error from the experimental results. The results show that TCDP‐30 and TCLP‐30 have rapid damage expansion and lethal injury at smaller displacements than the pre‐ablation specimens. The displacement of the maximum load point of TCDP‐30 is 38.7% lower than that of TCLP‐30. The forms of damage in TCDP‐30 are dominated by matrix fragmentation and matrix cracks. The damage forms of TCLP‐30 are dominated by debonding and delamination. Highlights: Micro‐CT was used to collect matrix fabrication defects and ablative crack pores defect.A quarter macro–meso hybrid model that takes into account the degradation of material properties after ablation and ablative crack pore was innovatively proposed.The tensile failure mechanism of the material after ablation was revealed by the combination of experiment and numerical method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CCDC88C gene, which encodes coiled‐coil domain containing 88C, is essential for cell communication during neural development. Variants in the CCDC88C caused congenital hydrocephalus, some accompanied by seizures. In patients with epilepsy without acquired etiologies, we performed whole‐exome sequencing (trio‐based). Two de novo and two biallelic CCDC88C variants were identified in four cases with focal (partial) epilepsy. These variants did not present or had low frequencies in the gnomAD populations and were predicted to be damaging by multiple computational algorithms. Patients with de novo variants presented with adult‐onset epilepsy, whereas patients with biallelic variants displayed infant‐onset epilepsy. They all responded well to anti‐seizure medications and were seizure‐free. Further analysis showed that de novo variants were located at crucial domains, whereas one paired biallelic variants were located outside the crucial domains, and the other paired variant had a non‐classical splicing and a variant located at crucial domain, suggesting a sub‐molecular effect. CCDC88C variants associated with congenital hydrocephalus were all truncated, whereas epilepsy‐associated variants were mainly missense, the proportion of which was significantly higher than that of congenital hydrocephalus‐associated variants. CCDC88C is potentially associated with focal epilepsy with favorable outcome. The underlying mechanisms of phenotypic variation may correlation between genotype and phenotype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ectropis grisescens is a notorious pest in tea plantations. The control of E. grisescens relies on synesthetic pesticides but the resurgence is always accompanied by increasing resistance. Therefore, it is crucial to use biological control to reduce the damage caused by E. grisescens. Here, we collected soil from a tea plantation, used Galleria mellonella as a bait insect and successfully isolated one entomopathogenic fungus. The isolated colony was initially identified as Cordyceps sp. using morphological observation. ITS‐rDNA sequence amplification and sequencing, molecular database comparisons, and phylogenetic analysis proved this fungus as a new species and thus named Cordyceps sp. WZFW1. Further virulence test of Cordyceps sp. WZFW1 against E. grisescens was evaluated under laboratory conditions. Lethal concentration was 5.74 × 106 spore/mL with a confidence level of 2.32 × 106 ~ 1.79 × 107 and lethal time was 2.98 days at 108 spore/mL and 7.47 days at 107 spore/mL, indicating Cordyceps sp. WZFW1 was effective at controlling E. grisescens. Our findings are significant as they contribute to the application of new entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) species as biocontrol agents, promoting eco‐friendly pest management practices. Research Highlights: A novel species, Cordyceps sp. WZFW1, was isolated from soil in a tea plantation in China. Cordyceps sp. WZFW1 caused up to 79% mortality to second‐instar Ectropis grisescens larvae after 7‐day treatment, indicating its potential in E. grisescens control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The possibilities offered by the use of variational mode decomposition–based Hilbert marginal spectrum and the differential cepstrum for gas‐bearing detection are studied in this paper. We propose a novel variational mode decomposition–based Hilbert marginal differential cepstrum for hydrocarbon detection. Variational mode decomposition–based Hilbert marginal spectrum is first computed. Then discrete cosine transform is carried out to the differential logarithmic variational mode decomposition–based Hilbert marginal spectrum to obtain the variational mode decomposition–based Hilbert marginal differential cepstrum. For hydrocarbon detection, the seismic amplitude anomaly section is generated by extracting the first and second common quefrency sections. Compared with the traditional Fourier‐based cepstrum, the wavelet‐based cepstrum and the Berthil cepstrum, it has the ability to effectively reveal more detailed frequency‐dependent amplitude anomalies with high accuracy and resolution. Model tests and field data applications from a carbonate reservoir in China show that the variational mode decomposition‐based Hilbert marginal differential cepstrum can provide a better gas‐prone interpretation. The proposed method can be a complementary approach to current cepstrum‐based hydrocarbon detection methods and the spectrum decomposition methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies demonstrated that reward circuit plays an important role in smoking. The differences of functional and structural connectivity were found among several brain regions such as thalamus and frontal lobe. However, few studies focused on functional connectivity (FC) in whole‐brain voxel level of young smokers. In this study, intrinsic connectivity contrast (ICC) was used to perform voxel‐based whole‐brain analyses in 55 young smokers and 55 matched non‐smokers to identify brain regions with significant group differences. ICC results showed that the connectivity of young smokers in medial frontal cortex (MedFC), supramarginal gyrus anterior division left (L_aSMG), central opercular cortex left (L_CO) and middle frontal gyrus left (L_MidFG) showed a significantly lower trend compared with the non‐smokers. The seed‐based FC analysis about MedFC indicated that young smokers showed reduced connectivity between the MedFC and left hippocampus, left amygdala compared to non‐smokers. Correlation analysis showed that the ICC of MedFC in young smokers was significantly negatively correlated with Fagerstrom test for nicotine dependence (FTND) and Questionnaire on Smoking Urges (QSU). The FC between the MedFC and left hippocampus, left amygdala was significantly negatively correlated with Pack_years. The mediation analysis indicated that ICC of MedFC completely mediated FTND and QSU of young smokers. The results suggest that nicotine accumulation may affect the communication of the frontal lobe with the whole brain to some extent, leading to changes in smoking cravings. The above research also provides in‐depth insights into the mechanism of adolescent smoking addiction and related intervention treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distant metastasis is the primary reason for treatment failure in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). In this study, we investigated the effect of ulinastatin (UTI) on NPC metastasis and its underlying mechanism. Highly‐metastatic NPC cell lines S18 and 58F were treated with UTI and the effect on cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were determined by MTS and Transwell assays. S18 cells with luciferase‐expressing (S18–1C3) were injected into the left hind footpad of nude mice to establish a model of spontaneous metastasis from the footpad to popliteal lymph node (LN). The luciferase messenger RNA (mRNA) was measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and the metastasis inhibition rate was calculated. Key molecular members of the UTI‐related uPA, uPAR, and JAT/STAT3 signaling pathways were detected by qPCR and immunoblotting. UTI suppressed the migration and infiltration of S18 and 5‐8F cells and suppressed the metastasis of S18 cells in vivo without affecting cell proliferation. uPAR expression decreased from 24 to 48 h after UTI treatment. The antimetastatic effect of UTI is partly due to the suppression of uPA and uPAR. UTI partially suppresses NPC metastasis by downregulating the expression of uPA and uPAR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the catalytic combustion reaction of chlorinated volatile organic compounds (CVOCs), the redox properties and acid sites of the catalyst surface are key factors in determining the activity, selectivity, and chlorine‐resistance stability. Herein, a series of SnMnOx catalysts for the catalytic combustion of CVOCs were prepared by the changing of Sn‐doping way to regulate the electron valance state of Mn element, including reflux (R‐SnMnOx), co‐precipitation (C‐SnMnOx) and impregnation (I‐SnMnOx). It was discovered that the R‐SnMnOx catalyst had better activity and chlorine resistance than the R‐MnOx, C‐SnMnOx and I‐SnMnOx catalyst, and we discovered that the doping ways of Sn in MnOx catalyst could regulate greatly the surface acidity, active oxygen species, the chemical state of Mnn+ species, and redox ability. Especially, the R‐SnMnOx catalysts exhibit excellent water resistance, and the reasons were related to the strong interaction of Snn+ and Mnn+, which could promote obviously the dispersion of active Mn species, form a large number of acid sites, provide the abundant lattice oxygen species, and own the excellent redox ability, which accelerate the rate of charge transfer between Snn+ and Mnn+ (Sn4++Mn2+→Sn2++Mn4+) to produce the abundant active species and accelerate the rapid conversion of benzene and intermediates conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In map generalization, displacement is the most frequently used operator to reduce the proximity conflicts caused by reducing scales or other generalization operations. Building displacement can be formalized as a combinatorial optimization problem, and a heuristic or intelligent search algorithm can be borrowed to obtain the solution. In this way, we can explicitly resolve minimum distance conflicts and control positional accuracy during the displacement. However, maintaining spatial relations and patterns of buildings can be challenging. To address spatial conflicts as well as preserve the significant spatial relations and patterns of buildings, we propose a new spatial contextual displacement algorithm based on an immune genetic algorithm. To preserve important spatial relations and global patterns of map objects and avoid topology errors, displacement safety zones are constructed by overlapping the Voronoi tessellation and buffer areas of the buildings. Additionally, a strategy to shift the buildings in a building group synchronously is used to maintain local building patterns. To demonstrate the effectiveness of our algorithm, two data sets with different building densities were tested. The results indicate that the new algorithm has obvious advantages in preventing topology errors and preserving spatial relations and patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Great progress has been made in understanding the neural mechanisms associated with alcohol‐dependent (AD) patients. However, the interactions within the reward circuits of the patients need further exploration. Glutamatergic projections from the prefrontal cortex to some brain regions are present in the reward circuit. However, little is known about the potential implications of glutamate levels in the prefrontal cortex on abnormal interactions within reward circuits in AD patients. To determine the potential roles of reward circuits in drinking, we investigated differences in resting‐state functional connectivity (RSFC) and multivariate Granger causality analysis between 20 AD patients and 20 healthy controls (HC). The neuroimaging findings were then correlated with clinical variables (alcohol use disorder identification test). The ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VmPFC) is believed to play a critical role in addiction disorders, and glutamatergic projections from the prefrontal cortex to several regions of the brain are present in reward circuits. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy was also performed to assess the difference in glutamate levels in VmPFC between AD patients and HC. The results showed that the strength of functional connectivity in the reward circuit was generally attenuated in AD patients, and the reciprocal enhancement of activity between the right insula, left thalamus and VmPFC was found to be significantly greater in AD patients. It is worth noting that although glutamate levels in the VmPFC did not show significant differences between the two groups, the level of glutamate in the VmPFC was significantly correlated with RSFC. We hope that the current findings will help us to develop new intervention models based on the important role of the VmPFC in AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Adolescents' sleep problems and their association with mental health is an important public health concern. This study aimed to investigate sleep and mental health status and the association of sleep with mental health in Chinese high school students. Data came from a cross‐sectional study in Guangdong province which included 42,077 high school students. Sleep quality and sleep duration were obtained through self‐report. The Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS‐21) was used to measure mental health. The association between sleep quality, sleep duration, and mental health was analysed using logistic regression. The prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms were 35.27%, 42.32%, and 21.87% in high school students, respectively. And only 17.71% and 34.41% of the high school students had very good sleep quality and ≥8 h sleep duration, respectively. Poorer sleep quality and shorter sleep duration were risk factors for mental health problems in high school students. Compared to high school students with very good sleep quality and ≥8 h sleep duration, the high school students with poor or very poor sleep quality and <6 h sleep duration had the highest risk of depression symptoms (odds ratio [OR] 5.02, 95% confidence interval [CI] 4.40–5.72), anxiety symptoms (OR 6.02, 95% CI5.25–6.89), and stress symptoms (OR 6.12, 95% CI5.30–7.06). Considering the combined association of sleep quality and sleep duration on mental health, it is important not only to ensure that high school students have sufficient sleep duration, but also to improve their sleep quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tea, Camellia sinensis (L) O. Kuntze, is the most popular non‐alcohol beverage and has over a thousand years of cultivation history. Sustainable tea cultivation is hampered by insect and mite pests and heavily relies on conventional pesticides. However, such management strategies can cause environmental pollution and insect resistance. Well‐planted tea ecosystem naturally provides a suitable micro‐climatic condition for the prosperity of natural enemies, especially entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) that are susceptible to moisture, temperature and sunlight. Hence, EPF have been widely used in tea plantations for pest management. Here, we summarized the approaches of research pertaining to EPF diversity in ecosystems. We also describe the general infection process and discuss the environmental factors that impact EPF efficiency. Finally, we listed the successful cases of EPF in tea pest management. Overall, this review has provided the application status and biological potential of EPF, which will contribute to agricultural productivity, and ecological, economic and social sustainability in the tea ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drug resistance is an important factor for treatment failure of gastric cancer. N6‐methyladenosine (m6A) is the predominant mRNA internal modification in eukaryotes. The roles of m6A modification in drug resistance of gastric cancer remains unclear. In the present study, the m6A methylated RNA level was significantly decreased while the expression of m6A demethylase fat mass and obesity‐associated protein (FTO) was obviously elevated in cisplatin‐resistant (SGC‐7901/DDP) gastric cancer cells. Knockdown of FTO reversed cisplatin resistance of SGC‐7901/DDP cells both in vitro and in vivo, which was attributed to the inhibition of Unc‐51‐like kinase 1 (ULK1)‐mediated autophagy. Mechanistically, ULK1 expression was regulated in an FTO‐m6A‐dependent and YTHDF2‐mediated manner. Collectively, our findings indicate that the FTO/ULK1 axis exerts crucial roles in cisplatin resistance of gastric cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Importance: Bacteremia tuberculosis (TB) is a severe form of extrapulmonary TB. Studies assessing bacteremia TB in children are limited, especially for HIV‐negative children. Objective: To explore the detailed clinical features of the bacteremia TB in children under 18 years of age. Methods: We reviewed the clinical records of the patients retrospectively and collected the strains isolated from their blood cultures. We used mycobacterial interspersed repetitive‐unit‐variable‐number tandem‐repeat (MIRU‐VNTR) to characterize the bacterial genotypes and alamarBlue to determine their drug susceptibility profiles. Polymerase chain reactions and DNA sequencing were used to identify drug‐resistant mutations. Results: There were 13 pediatric bacteremia TB patients, 10 of whom were diagnosed with Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) bacteremia TB. Thirteen patients aged from 0.30 to 11.58 years were enrolled, of whom 76.92% were boys. All had fevers before hospitalization, and 76.92% had respiratory symptoms. All had received BCG vaccinations, and 46.15% had adverse post‐vaccination reactions. Compared with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, BCG bacteremia was more likely to appear in younger children. Patients with BCG bacteremia had primary immunodeficiency diseases, and lower CD4, IgA, and IgE levels. Interpretation: Bacteremia TB was rapidly fatal in a large proportion of the immunodeficient children. Because classic findings may not be diagnostically specific, a high level of clinical suspicion is required, especially for patients with certain types of immunosuppression. Studies are needed to develop rapid diagnostic tests and to determine the value of empirical therapy in childhood bacteremia TB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, CNT@NiCo‐s (Carbon nanotube@NiCo‐sheet) and CNT@NiCo‐g (Carbon nanotube@NiCo‐granular) composite carriers were prepared by two special methods. After that, the Pt nanoparticles were loaded on the surface of these composite supports by the sodium borohydride (NaBH4) reduction method to obtain Pt/CNT@NiCo‐s and Pt/CNT@NiCo‐g. Cyclic voltammeter and chronoamperometry were used to determine the methanol oxidation activity and durability of these catalysts. The results show that the doping of the granular NiCo alloy carrier effectively improves the activity and anti‐toxicity of the Pt/CNT catalyst for the methanol electrocatalytic oxidation reaction (MOR). It confirmed that the advantages of Pt/CNT@NiCo‐g catalyst were attributed to a large specific surface area, abundant defects, and abundant oxides and hydroxides, which jointly promoted the electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on crystal plastic theory, a novel thermomechanical constitutive model was proposed for Sn‐rich solder. Material parameters of the proposed constitutive model were determined by fitting the stress–strain curves under uniaxial tensile testings. Combined with the proposed model and the material parameters, crystal plastic finite element method was used to investigate the effects of the microstructure features of grain orientation, grain boundary, and intermetallic compound on the fatigue behaviors of Sn‐rich solder joint under the condition of thermal cycle loading. Results showed that the mean absolute percentage error between the simulation and experimental tensile curves was 3.50%, and the three microstructure features affected the fatigue behaviors of Sn‐rich solder from different aspects, which were analyzed in detail. Besides, it was concluded that the proposed constitutive model could be effectively used to investigate the fatigue behaviors of Sn‐rich solder joint from micro perspective. Highlights: Thermomechanical constitutive model is proposed for Sn‐rich solderThe model can describe deformation behaviors of temperature and strain rate dependenceThe effects of three microstructure features on the fatigue behaviors are investigated [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The expression of transcription factor Hoxb5 specifically marks the functional haematopoietic stem cells (HSC) in mice. However, our recent work demonstrated that ectopic expression of Hoxb5 exerted little effect on HSC but could convert B‐cell progenitors into functional T cells in vivo. Thus, cell type‐ and development stage‐specific roles of Hoxb5 in haematopoietic hierarchy await more extensive exploration. In this study, we aim to investigate the effect of Hoxb5 expression in multipotent blood progenitor cells. Materials and Methods: A Mx1cre/RosaLSL‐Hoxb5‐EGFP/+ mouse model was used to evaluate the effect of Hoxb5 expression in blood multipotent progenitor cells (MPP). Golden standard serial transplantation experiments were used to test the long‐term haematopoiesis potential of Hoxb5‐expressing MPP. Single‐cell RNA‐seq analysis was used to characterize the gained molecular features of Hoxb5‐expressing MPP and to compare with the global transcriptome features of natural adult HSC and fetal liver HSC (FL HSC). Results: Here, with a mouse strain engineered with conditional expression of Hoxb5, we unveiled that induced expression of Hoxb5 in MPP led to the generation of a de novo Sca1+c‐kit+CD11b+CD48+ (CD11b+CD48+SK) cell type, which can repopulate long‐term multilineage haematopoiesis in serial transplantations. RNA‐seq analysis showed that CD11b+CD48+SK cells exhibited acquired features of DNA replication and cell division. Conclusions: Our current study uncovers that Hoxb5 can empower MPP with self‐renewal ability and indicates an alternative approach for generating HSC‐like cells in vivo from blood lineage cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, Pt@CeO2 catalysts with a nanorod structure (Pt@CeO2−R) and a bunch structure (Pt@CeO2−B) were synthesized through an in‐situ encapsulation strategy of Pt species in Ce‐MOFs, respectively. It was discovered that the Pt@CeO2−R catalyst possessed the best catalytic performance for toluene catalytic combustion, and this result was mainly caused by the confinement of Pt nanoparticles in Ce−MOFs, which was related to the chemical state of Pt species, redox ability, and the amount of active oxygen species. The Pt@CeO2−R catalyst contained more Ce3+ species, rich Pt4+ species, and abundant active oxygen species due to the existence of the confined effect, which was conducive to promote catalytic oxidation of toluene. In addition, the Pt@CeO2−R catalyst also exhibited more redox ability, which may speed up the catalytic reaction rates. On the contrary, the Pt/CeO2−R catalyst was synthesized through a simple impregnation method and exhibited the poor activity for toluene catalytic combustion due to poor Pt4+ species and active oxygen species. Therefore, this work provides a feasible experimental basis for the study of different morphologies and encapsulated metal nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the influencing factors of transtemporal window quality and identify patients suitable for transcranial sonography (TCS) examination in two‐dimensional imaging. Methods: In this cross‐sectional study, TCS was performed in 161 consecutive patients through the temporal bone window (TBW) in the neurology or neurosurgery department. Each patient's sex, age, height, weight, and temporal bone thickness (TBT) were collected. After examination, the patients were divided into two groups: TBW success and TBW failure. The data were statistically compared between the two groups. Results: Among the studied population, the total TBW success rate was 80.1% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 74–86). The TBW success rate was 91.4% (95% CI: 85–98) in males and 70.9% (95% CI: 61–81) in females (p =.001). Sex (p =.001), age (p =.002), height (p =.047), and TBT (p <.001) showed significant differences between the TBW success and failure groups. In males, only TBT (p =.001) showed a significant difference; in females, age (p <.001) and TBT (p =.003) showed a significant difference. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of sex, age, and TBT and their combination was 0.686, 0.659, 0.842, and 0.922 (p <.001), respectively. The AUC of the combination of parameters was significantly greater than that of age and sex alone (p =.007; p =.0002) but not greater than that of TBT (p =.090). Conclusions: The TBW success rate varied with sex, age, height, and TBT. Males, younger patients, taller patients, and patients with a thinner temporal bone tended to be more suitable for the examination by TCS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies had investigated the white matter (WM) integrity abnormalities in smokers. Exposure to nicotine disrupts neurodevelopment during adolescence, possibly by disrupting the trophic effects of acetylcholine. However, little is known about the diffusion parameters of specific fibre bundles at multiple locations in young smokers. Thirty-seven young smokers and 29 age-, education- and gender-matched healthy non-smokers participated in this study. Automated Fibre Quantification (AFQ) was employed to investigate the WM microstructure in young smokers by integrating multiple indices. Diffusion parameters, that is, fractional anisotropy (FA), axial diffusion (AD), radial diffusion (RD) and mean diffusion (MD), were calculated at 100 points along the length of 18 major brain tracts. The relationships between neuroimaging differences and smoking behaviours were explored, including Fagerström Test of Nicotine Dependence (FTND) and pack-years. Compared with non-smokers, young smokers showed significantly increased FA, AD and decreased RD in the left uncinate fasciculus (UF) and right thalamic radiation (TR), increased AD, RD and decreased FA in the right arcuate fasciculus (Arc). Correlation analyses revealed that FA values of the left UF and RD values of the right Arc were negatively correlated with FTND score in smokers and FA values of the right Arc were positively correlated with FTND scores. Positive correlation was observed between AD values of the left UF and pack-years in smokers. The findings enhanced our understanding of the potential effect of adolescent smoking on WM microstructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents a novel algorithm to classify children's epileptic syndromes based on the fused features of electroencephalogram (EEG) and electrocardiogram (ECG). The purpose is to assess whether multimodal physiological signals could improve the classification performance of epileptic syndromes over a single physiological signal. The study is carried out on the epileptic syndromes database recorded by the Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine (CHZU), that includes the synchronised EEGs and ECGs of 16 children suffered from the infantile spasms (known as the WEST syndrome, named) and the childhood absence epilepsy (CAE), respectively. Experiments are conducted and compared using the EEGs and ECGs in the ictal and interictal periods. The data imbalanced issue between the ictal and interictal periods is also considered by applying a synthetic minority sample generating approach. The experimental results show that using the fused feature of EEG + ECG can achieve an average of 98.15% overall classification accuracy, which is better than using the single physiological signal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Staphylococcus xylosus (S. xylosus)‐induced cow mastitis is an extremely serious clinical problem. However, antibiotic therapy does not successfully treat S. xylosus infection because these bacteria possess a strong biofilm formation ability, which significantly reduces the efficacy of antibiotic treatments. In this study, we developed ceftiofur‐loaded chitosan grafted with β‐cyclodextrins (CD‐g‐CS) nanoparticles (CT‐NPs) using host–guest interaction. These positively charged nanoparticles improved bacterial internalization, thereby significantly improving the effectiveness of antibacterial treatments for planktonic S. xylosus. Moreover, CT‐NPs effectively inhibited biofilm formation and eradicated mature biofilms. After mammary injection in a murine model of S. xylosus‐induced mastitis, CT‐NPs significantly reduced bacterial burden and alleviated inflammation, thereby achieving optimized therapeutic efficiency for S. xylosus infection. In conclusion, this treatment strategy could improve the efficiency of antibiotic therapeutics and shows great potential in the treatment of S. xylosus infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extreme learning machine‐based autoencoder (ELM‐AE) has attracted a lot of attention due to its fast learning speed and promising representation capability. However, the existing ELM‐AE algorithms only reconstruct the original input and generally ignore the probability distribution of the data. The minimum error entropy (MEE), as an optimal criterion considering the distribution statistics of the data, is robust in handling non‐linear systems and non‐Gaussian noises. The MEE is equivalent to the minimisation of the Kullback–Leibaler divergence. Inspired by these advantages, a novel randomised AE is proposed by adopting the MEE criterion as the loss function in the ELM‐AE (in short, the MEE‐RAE) in this study. Instead of solving the output weight by the Moore–Penrose generalised inverse, the optimal output weight is obtained by the fixed‐point iteration method. Further, a quantised MEE (QMEE) is applied to reduce the computational complexity of. Simulations have shown that the QMEE‐RAE not only achieves superior generalisation performance but is also more robust to non‐Gaussian noises than the ELM‐AE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Objective Design Setting Participants Main Outcome Measures Results Conclusion To assess the prevalence of depression, anxiety, insomnia and somatic symptom disorder (SSD) in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) patients who were waiting for surgery and to predict these psychiatric disorders using the 22‐item Sinonasal Outcome Test (SNOT‐22).A prospective cross‐sectional study.The rhinology ward at our institution, a tertiary hospital.Adult patients (> 18 years) diagnosed with CRS who were admitted to the rhinology ward for endoscopic sinus surgery and were able to understand and complete the study questionnaires.Patient Health Questionnaire‐9 (PHQ‐9), Generalised Anxiety Disorder‐7 (GAD‐7), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Patient Health Questionnaire‐15 (PHQ‐15) and SNOT‐22.Of the 159 participants recruited, 58 were at risk of depression (defined by PHQ‐9 > 4, while 25 with PHQ‐9 > 9), 49 were at risk of anxiety (defined by GAD‐7 > 4, while 25 with GAD‐7 > 9), 81 were at risk of insomnia (defined by ISI > 7, while 51 with ISI > 14) and 69 were at risk of SSD (defined by PHQ‐15 > 4, while 24 with PHQ‐15 > 9). The SNOT‐22 score was closely correlated with the scores of psychometric tests and was an independent predictor of these psychiatric disorders. Patients with a high SNOT‐22 score (> 30) are likely to be affected by comorbid psychiatric disorders and should be further evaluated by otolaryngologists.Depression, anxiety, insomnia and SSD are prevalent in CRS patients. Otolaryngologists should have a low threshold to ask the patient about psychiatric symptoms, especially for patients with an SNOT‐22 score > 30. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Importance: Hypervirulent variants of Klebsiella pneumoniae (hvKp) are capable of causing life‐threatening pyogenic liver abscesses (PLAs), but hvKp caused PLAs was seldom reported in pediatric populations. Hence, there is an urgent need to raise our awareness of this phenomenon in pediatric populations. Objective: This study aimed to report the clinical characteristics of hvKp that caused fatal PLA complicated by bacteremia in an adolescent and further identify the microbiological and genomic features of the causative strain. Methods: A 14‐year‐old boy with diabetes mellitus was admitted to our hospital with a diagnosis of PLA complicated by bacteremia. A hypermucoviscous hvKp strain, KPN_19‐106, was isolated from the drainage fluid present within the liver abscess cavity and blood. The hypermucoviscosity phenotype of the causative strain was determined by string test. Its virulence was measured using serum resistance assay and Galleria mellonella larvae‐killing assay. Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined by broth microdilution method. Genetic information was obtained by whole‐genome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis. Results: KPN_19‐106 belonged to sequence type 380 and serotype K2 and exhibited stronger serum resistance and higher in vivo lethality than the well‐characterized hvKp NTUH‐K2044 strain. Although KPN_19‐106 is susceptible to most antibiotics, no sign of improvement was observed during treatment with such drugs. Whole‐genome sequencing revealed that the isolate had integrated multiple mobile genetic elements related to virulence. Interpretation: Antibiotic‐susceptible hvKp can cause fatal PLA complicated by bacteremia in adolescents, with no improvement during antimicrobial therapy. The causative strain in this case had integrated multiple virulence genes and thus exhibited higher virulence both in vitro and in vivo when compared with NTUH‐K2044. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: In patients with renal disease, high serum phosphate shows a relationship with cardiovascular risk. We speculate that high phosphate (HP) impairs arterial vasodilation via the endothelium and explore potential underlying mechanisms. Methods: Isolated vessel relaxation, endothelial function, glomerular filtration rate (GFR), oxidative stress status and protein expression were assessed in HP diet mice. Mitochondrial function and protein expression were assessed in HP‐treated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Results: High phosphate (1.3%) diet for 12 weeks impaired endothelium‐dependent relaxation in mesenteric arteries, kidney interlobar arteries and afferent arterioles; reduced GFR and the blood pressure responses to acute administration of acetylcholine. The PPARα/LKB1/AMPK/eNOS pathway was attenuated in the endothelium of mesenteric arteries from HP diet mice. The observed vasodilatory impairment of mesenteric arteries was ameliorated by PPARα agonist WY‐14643. The phosphate transporter PiT‐1 knockdown prevented HP‐mediated suppression of eNOS activity by impeding phosphorus influx in HUVECs. Endothelium cytoplasmic and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) were increased in HP diet mice. Moreover HP decreased the expression of mitochondrial‐related antioxidant genes. Finally, mitochondrial membrane potential and PGC‐1α expression were reduced by HP treatment in HUVECs, which was partly restored by AMPKα agonist. Conclusions: HP impairs endothelial function by reducing NO bioavailability via decreasing eNOS activity and increasing mitochondrial ROS, in which the AMPK‐related signalling pathways may play a key role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several novel stripe rust pathogen races emerging in the wheat‐planting regions of China in recent years were virulent to a majority of the designated wheat seedling resistance genes. Therefore, it is of great significance to continuously select more new and valuable materials for enriching resistant sources diversity, pyramiding different excellent resistance genes and achieving durable resistance. In this study, a resistance gene, temporarily designated as YrH921, was identified from wheat–Psathyrostachys huashanica introgression line H921‐11‐1. Two hybrid populations, 160 F2 plants and corresponding derived F2:3 families, of the two parents about Mingxian169 as female and H921‐11‐1 as male, were used to evaluate stripe rust resistance in seedling stage and as a mapping population. At last, a genetic map which comprises of four simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers and six expressed sequence tag (EST) markers was constructed. YrH921 was located on the long arm of chromosome 5A. Two closely linked EST‐STS markers (BF483937 and BF484913) were screened, and the genetic distance linked to YrH921 was 3.0 and 4.3 cM, respectively. There was great value in research and production if the two closest markers were effectively used for marker‐assisted selection of YrH921 in breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rechargeable zinc‐air batteries (ZABs) are considered as one of the most promising electrochemical energy devices due to their various unique advantages. Oxygen electrocatalysis, involving the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER), determines the overall performance of zinc‐air batteries. Therefore, the development of highly efficient bifunctional ORR/OER catalysts is critical for the large‐scale application of ZABs. Carbon‐based nanomaterials have been widely reported to be efficient electrocatalysts toward both ORR and OER. The enhanced activity of these electrocatalysts are usually attributed to different doping defects, synergistic effects and even the intrinsic carbon defects. Herein, an overview of the defect engineering in carbon‐based electrocatalysts for ORR and OER is provided. The different types of intrinsic carbon defects and strategies for the generation of other defects in carbon‐based electrocatalysts are presented. The interaction of heteroatoms doped carbon and transition metals (TMs) is also explored. In the end, the existing challenges and future perspectives on defect engineering are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The methanol oxidation reaction has high energy density and the product is non‐toxic and harmless (CO2, H2O), making it become one of the targets of new fuel energy. To maximize the efficiency of the reaction, its key lies in the development of highly efficient catalysts. In this paper, we reviewed the types of methanol electrocatalytic oxidation catalysts in recent years, some new preparation methods, and the reaction mechanism of different types of catalyst systems, and discussed their structure‐activity relationships, laying the foundation for the development of highly efficient new catalysts in the future. And this paper is included on the types of catalysts (Pt‐based catalyst, Ni‐based catalyst, and other transition metal‐based catalyst) and preparation methods (Reduction method, sol‐gel method, in‐situ method), and discussed the catalytic mechanism which mainly starts from two aspects, one is adsorption‐desorption, the other is the bond between the catalyst, methanol, and the medium. Finally, the future challenges and opportunities of the electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The clock‐drawing test (CDT) is a widely used screening tool for detecting cognitive decline. However, normative data for Chinese individuals are scarce. Our study aimed to provide standardized values for the three quantitative CDT scoring methods that were tailored for Chinese‐speaking adults in Shijiazhuang City and explore the discriminant validity of the CDT scores in patients with acute ischemic stroke. Methods: We conducted the CDT among 418 healthy individuals aged between 35 and 84 years. The CDT was administered and scored by five raters using the method derived from the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Rouleau's, and Babins' scoring systems. The influence of age, education, and sex on the performance in the CDT was analyzed. Furthermore, 336 patients with acute ischemic stroke were enrolled to explore the discriminant validity of CDT scores. Results: In all three scoring systems, CDT scores were significantly correlated with age and years of education but not with sex. Normative data stratified for age and years of education were established. Interrater and intersystem reliability were high in our study. CDT total scores and subscores showed significant differences between stroke patients and healthy individuals. Conclusions: Our study provides CDT normative data using three quantitative scoring methods for Chinese‐speaking adults in Shijiazhuang City. Age and education level were the key factors that affected the CDT scores. CDT total scores and subscores provided good discriminant validity for patients with acute ischemic stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aldo‐keto reductases family 1 member C2 (AKR1C2) has critical roles in the tumorigenesis and progression of malignant tumours. However, it was also discovered to have ambiguous functions in multiple cancers and till present, its clinical significance and molecular mechanism in oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) has been unclear. The aim of this study was to explore the role of AKR1C2 in the tumorigenesis of ESCC. Here, we showed that AKR1C2 expression was found to be up‐regulated in ESCC tissues and was significantly associated with pathological stage, lymph node metastasis and worse outcomes. Functional assays demonstrated that an ectopic expression of AKR1C2 in ESCC cells resulted in increased proliferation, migration and cisplatin resistance, while knockdown led to inversing effects. Bioinformation analyses and mechanistic studies demonstrated that AKR1C2 activated the PI3K/AKT signalling pathway, furthermore, the inhibitor of PI3K or the selective inhibitor of AKR1C2 enzyme activity could reverse the aggressiveness and showed synergistic antitumour effect when combined with cisplatin, both in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, Our findings revealed that AKR1C2 could function as an oncogene by activating the PI3K/AKT pathway, as a novel prognostic biomarker and/or as a potential therapeutic target to ESCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to reveal the hydrodynamic characteristics of the karst aquifer system, the water temperature dynamic data of a hydrological year in the direct recharge area of Jinan spring area were analyzed using the temperature tracer method, and the runoff intensity of karst water was estimated. The results revealed that, affected by the regional groundwater flow, the vertical temperature profile of the study area consists of four types, a gradual cooling type, a gradual heating type, a temperature‐increasing type, and "S" type. Based on these four geothermal types, three heat transfer models adapted to the region were developed. The inflection point method is used to discriminate the horizontal runoff channels of the three depth segments in the Ordovician strata in the recharge area, and the shallow groundwater horizontal runoff intensity is greater than the deep. According to the calculation of the thermal transport model, the Ordovician limestone in the direct recharge area of the spring area is shallow (at a depth of 100 m), and the vertical flow velocity of the groundwater is around 1.28 × 10−7–3 × 10−6 cm/s, and the flow rate is slow. Based on the field tracer test, the visual flow of the karst water system was found to range between 29.41 and 115.02 m/day, indicating that the karst water is dominated by horizontal motion. Since the method of temperature measurement in the hole is relatively simple, the temperature change signal could be used to reveal the seepage characteristics of the groundwater. Key Points: The temperature change signal could be used to reveal the seepage characteristics of the groundwaterThe groundwater tracer technology confirmed that the karst development and seepage characteristics of Jinan spring area have heterogeneous characteristics [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethylene‐insensitive proteins (EIN3/EIL) are a class of nuclear localization proteins with DNA‐binding activity. EIL is an important gene family in plants, and plays key roles in the ethylene signaling pathway which regulates a broad spectrum of plant growth and development, as well as defenses to various biological and abiotic stresses. Although genome‐wide analyses of EIL gene family has been carried out for several plant species, no comprehensive analysis of this family in Triticum aestivum L. has been reported so far. Furthermore, there are few scattered studies on the functions of EIL genes in wheat. It is necessary to comprehensively identify and analyze the EIL gene family in wheat. In this study, BLASTp were used to identify EIL genes in the lately released reference genome of T. aestivum. The 21 TaEIL genes were sought, which can be divided into three groups (a, b, and c) according to phylogenetic relationship. The nonsynonymous/synonymous substitution rates (Ka/Ks) value showed that three homologous pairs (TaEILb.4/TaEILb.6, TaEILa.8/TaEILa.7, and TaEILa.8/TaEILa.9) experienced strongly purifying selection. The remaining 16 homologous pairs underwent positive selection with an evolutionary acceleration. Analysis of gene structure and motif, protein features, and three‐dimensional structure showed that TaEILs were similar with EILs in other species such as Arabidopsis, rice, and maize. Homology analyses of EIL in T. aestivum and its progenitors showed that EIL gene discarded some redundant genes during the domestication evolution of T. aestivum and retained some useful genes. Gene expression patterns analyses and transient agro‐infiltration assays showed that group b and group c members of TaEIL were involved in the resistance to pathogen. Our study provides a new perspective for studying feature functions of TaEILs, and will help in revealing the regulatory network of wheat development and stress response, thus contributing to the improvement of molecular breeding of wheat quality traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blooms of the cyanobacterium Microcystis spp. could affect fish health through the ingestion of colonies as well as exposure to dissolved microcystins in the water column. The goal of the present study was to evaluate the dietary exposure pathway through which Microcystis spp. blooms may affect liver function and nutritional status using a novel approach involving multiple analytical methods to assess the potential risk. Our study was conducted using threadfin shad, Dorosoma petenense, which is a pelagic fish commonly exposed to Microcystis spp. blooms in the upper San Francisco Estuary. The approach incorporated published and optimized methods that offer multiple lines of evidence including in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry, histopathology, condition factor indices, and nutritional profiles. Measurements of threadfin shad health and tissue condition were conducted at sites where Microcystis was present or absent during the 2007 bloom season. The results showed that dietary exposure to fish from Microcystis blooms resulted in the accumulation of microcystin in the gut and liver tissues of threadfin shad collected from the sites with blooms. Although toxicity endpoints were likely confounded by antecedent conditions, our findings demonstrate dietary exposure of Microcystis toxins to fish using a novel approach with multiple lines of evidence. Environ Toxicol Chem 2020;39:787–798. © 2020 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of SETAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mangrove‐derived actinobacteria strains are well‐known for producing novel secondary metabolites. The polycyclic tetramate macrolactam (PTM), ikarugamycin (IKA) isolated from Streptomyces xiamenensis 318, exhibits antiproliferative activities against pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) in vitro. However, the protein target for bioactive IKA is unclear. In this study, whole transcriptome‐based profiling revealed that the glycolysis pathway is significantly affected by IKA. Metabolomic studies demonstrated that IKA treatment induces a significant drop in glucose‐6‐phosphate and a slight increase in intracellular glucose level. Analysis of glucose consumption, lactate production, and the extracellular acidification rate confirmed the inhibitory role of IKA on the glycolytic flux in PDAC cells. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) experiments and docking studies identified the key enzyme of glycolysis, hexokinase 2 (HK2), as a molecular target of IKA. Moreover, IKA reduced tumor size without overt cytotoxicity in mice with PDAC xenografts and increased chemotherapy response to gemcitabine in PDAC cells in vitro. Taken together, IKA can block glycolysis in pancreatic cancer by targeting HK2, which may be a potential drug candidate for PDAC treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

2‐Bromobenzoic acids underwent an α‐arylation with cyclohexane‐1,3‐diones to give 1H‐benzo[c]chromene‐1,6(2H)‐diones under Ar atmosphere catalyzed by CuI/l‐proline in the presence of Cs2CO3. The subsequent regioselective oxidation took place under O2 balloon automatically based on the substituents for the construction of structurally diversified benzo[c]coumarin derivatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In China, the prevalence of idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN) is increasing with a younger age of onset. From January 2012 to October 2018, biopsy‐proven nephrotic IMN patients aged between 15 and 40 in Taian City Central Hospital treated with tacrolimus (TAC) were retrospectively analyzed. Twelve‐month follow‐up data were collected. A total of 86 patients were enrolled in this study. Forty patients in the TAC group received TAC monotherapy with an initial dose of 0.05 to 0.1 mg/kg/day. Forty‐six patients in the TAC + Pred group received TAC combined with oral prednisone (0.5 mg/kg/day initially). Remission rate, relapse rate, and adverse events in the two groups were assessed. Total remission (TR) rates at the end of the 3rd, 6th, and 12th month were 15%, 35%, and 77.5% (TAC group) and 28.3%, 56.5%, and 80.4% (TAC + Pred group), respectively. Compared with the TAC group, the TAC + Pred group had higher complete remission rates at the end of the 6th and 12th month, and TR rate at the 6th month was significantly higher. Twenty‐four‐hour urinary protein excretion, serum albumin and estimated glomerular filtration rate between the two groups were comparable during the follow‐up. Decrease in proteinuria was significantly greater in the TAC + Pred group. No significant difference of relapse rate was found between the two groups. Adverse effects in the two groups were mild and controllable. Both TAC monotherapy and TAC combined with medium‐dose prednisone are effective and safe for young adults with nephrotic IMN, while TAC + Pred regimen brings more benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Importance: Regional clonal replacements of methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are common. It is necessary to understand the clonal and drug resistance changes in specific areas. Objective: To evaluate the clonal and drug resistance dynamics of MRSA in Chinese children from 2010 to 2017. Methods: MRSA was isolated from patients in Beijing Children's Hospital from 2010 to 2013 and from 2016 to 2017. The molecular characteristics and antibiotic resistance were determined. Results: In total, 211 MRSA isolates were collected, and 104 isolates were classified as community‐associated MRSA (CA‐MRSA). ST59‐SCCmec IV was the most prevalent type in both CA‐MRSA (65.4%) and healthcare‐ associated‐MRSA (HA‐MRSA) (46.7%). ST239‐SCCmec III accounted for 21.5% of all HA‐MRSA, which were not detected in 2016, and only three isolates were detected in 2017. The pvl gene carrying rate of CA‐ MRSA was significantly higher than that of HA‐MRSA (42.3% vs. 29.0%, P = 0.0456). Among CA‐MRSA, resistance rate to all tested antibiotics excluding chloramphenicol remained stable over the periods of 2010–2013 and 2016–2017. HA‐MRSA displayed an overall trend of decreased resistance to oxacillin, gentamicin, tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, and rifampin, and increased resistance to chloramphenicol, consistent with the difference of antibiotic resistance patterns between ST59‐SCCmec IV and ST239‐SCCmec III isolates. Vancomycin minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) creep was found in the study period in all MRSA and ST59‐SCCmec IV isolates. Interpretation: ST59‐SCCmec IV has spread to hospitals and replaced the traditional ST239‐SCCmec III clone, accompanied by changes in drug resistance. Furthermore, vancomycin MIC creep indicated that the rational use of antibiotics should be seriously considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Aims: Baicalin (BAI), a flavonoid compound isolated from the root of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, has been established to have potent anti‐inflammation and neuroprotective properties; however, its effects during Alzheimer's disease (AD) treatment have not been well studied. This study aimed to investigate the effects of BAI pretreatment on cognitive impairment and neuronal protection against microglia‐induced neuroinflammation and to explore the mechanisms underlying its anti‐inflammation effects. Methods: To determine whether BAI plays a positive role in ameliorating the memory and cognition deficits in APP (amyloid beta precursor protein)/PS1 (presenilin‐1) mice, behavioral experiments were conducted. We assessed the effects of BAI on microglial activation, the production of proinflammatory cytokines, and neuroinflammation‐mediated neuron apoptosis in vivo and in vitro using Western blot, RT‐PCR, ELISA, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence. Finally, to elucidate the anti‐inflammation mechanisms underlying the effects of BAI, the protein expression of NLRP3 inflammasomes and the expression of proteins involved in the TLR4/NF‐κB signaling pathway were measured using Western blot and immunofluorescence. Results: The results indicated that BAI treatment attenuated spatial memory dysfunction in APP/PS1 mice, as assessed by the passive avoidance test and the Morris water maze test. Additionally, BAI administration effectively decreased the number of activated microglia and proinflammatory cytokines, as well as neuroinflammation‐mediated neuron apoptosis, in APP/PS1 mice and LPS (lipopolysaccharides)/Aβ‐stimulated BV2 microglial cells. Lastly, the molecular mechanistic study revealed that BAI inhibited microglia‐induced neuroinflammation via suppression of the activation of NLRP3 inflammasomes and the TLR4/NF‐κB signaling pathway. Conclusion: Overall, the results of the present study indicated that BAI is a promising neuroprotective compound for use in the prevention and treatment of microglia‐mediated neuroinflammation during AD progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The extent and specifics regarding cognitive dysfunction in patients with bipolar disorder (BD) or major depressive disorder (MDD) and their unaffected first‐degree relatives (FDR) have not been addressed in any single study. The present study compared the cognitive function of patients with BD or MDD, their FDR, and healthy control (HC) individuals. Methods: The study population comprised adults (aged 18–55 years) with BD, adults with MDD, FDR (children or siblings of patients with BD or MDD), and HC (n = 105, 109, 85, and 95, respectively). The Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status was used to assess neurocognitive functions, with five domains and 12 tests. A Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale brief form was applied to evaluate IQ. Status of mood was assessed using the Young Mania Rating Scale and the Hamilton Depression Scale. Results: The mixed model indicated significant variation among the four groups in cognitive function. Cognitive impairments, compared to HC, progressively greater from least to most were found in: FDR, MDD, and BD (F = 32.74, P < 0.001). Years of education correlated with cognitive performance (F = 17.04, P < 0.001), as did IQ (F = 240.63, P < 0.001). The total score for the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression negatively correlated with cognitive function (F = 5.78, P = 0.017). Conclusion: Among the study groups, patients with BD had the most severe deficits, followed by MDD patients and FDR. Cognitive deficits could not be associated with a specific psychiatric disorder, but differences in degree were noted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porous Co3O4 nanocatalysts with tunable size were fabricated by solvothermal method using different solvent, such as ethanol, ethylene glycol and water, respectively. After that, the Pd was successfully loaded on the Co3O4 precursor by impregnation method to obtain Pd/Co3O4 catalysts, which were used in toluene total oxidation. The catalyst prepared with ethanol as solvent (Pd/Co3O4‐E) exhibited excellent catalytic performance and the total conversion temperature (T100) was 200 °C at a weight hourly space velocity of 21000 h−1. The influence factors for the performance of the catalysts were characterized by a series of techniques. The SEM, TEM and XRD results of Pd/Co3O4 catalysts displayed the different structure by using different solvent and the Pd/Co3O4‐E exhibited the largest size about 13.6 nm. The BET surface area, surface adsorbed oxygen of the Pd/Co3O4 leaded to the superior activity for toluene total oxidation. The catalytic performance of Pd/Co3O4 catalysts was also associated with the effect of BET surface area of Co3O4 support on Pd dispersion, surface active oxygen and the interaction between Pd nanoparticles and Co3O4. Different nanoparticles sizes of Co3O4 were fabricated via the solvothermal method, and Pd/Co3O4 catalyst was successfully fabricated by impregnation methods for the removal of toluene. The Pd nanoparticles were uniformly dispersed on the surface of the Co3O4 sample. The Pd/Co3O4 catalyst prepared with ethanol as solvent exhibits an unexpected, surprisingly high catalytic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]