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Abstract Quantum networks comprised of entangled end nodes serve stronger than the classical correlation for unparalleled quantum internet applications. However, practical quantum networking is affected by noise, which at its worst, causes end nodes to be described by pre-existing classical data. In such untrusted networks, determining quantum network fidelity and genuine multi-node entanglement becomes crucial. Here, we show that determining quantum network fidelity and genuine N-node entanglement in an untrusted star network requires only N + 1 measurement settings. This method establishes a semi-trusted framework, allowing some nodes to relax their assumptions. Our network determination method is enabled by detecting genuine N-node Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen steerability. Experimentally, using spontaneous parametric down-conversion entanglement sources, we demonstrate the determinations of genuine 3-photon and 4-photon quantum networks and the false positives of the widely used entanglement witness, the fidelity criterion of 1/2. Our results provide a scalable method for the determination of multipartite entanglement in realistic quantum networks.

We investigated factors associated with postoperative lipiduria and hypoxemia in patients undergoing surgery for orthopedic fractures. We enrolled patients who presented to our emergency department due to traumatic fractures between 2016 and 2017. We collected urine samples within 24 h after the patients had undergone surgery to determine the presence of lipiduria. Hypoxemia was defined as an SpO2

Abstract Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide and cancer relapse accounts for the majority of cancer mortality. The mechanism is still unknown, especially in hereditary lung cancer without known actionable mutations. To identify genetic alternations involved in hereditary lung cancer and relapse is urgently needed. We collected genetic materials from a unique hereditary lung cancer patient's blood, first cancer tissue (T1), adjacent normal tissue (N1), relapse cancer tissue (T2), and adjacent normal tissue (N2) for whole genome sequencing. We identified specific mutations in T1 and T2, and attributed them to tumorigenesis and recurrence. These tumor specific variants were enriched in antigen presentation pathway. In addition, a lung adenocarcinoma cohort from the TCGA dataset was used to confirm our findings. Patients with high mutation burdens in tumor specific genes had decreased relapse‐free survival (P = 0.017, n = 186). Our study may provide important insight for designing immunotherapeutic treatment for hereditary lung cancer.

Tin disulfide (SnS2) is a promising semiconductor for use in nanoelectronics and optoelectronics. Doping plays an essential role in SnS2 applications, because it can increase the functionality of SnS2 by tuning its original properties. In this study, the effect of zinc (Zn) doping on the photoelectric characteristics of SnS2 crystals was explored. The chemical vapor transport method was adopted to grow pristine and Zn-doped SnS2 crystals. Scanning electron microscopy images indicated that the grown SnS2 crystals were layered materials. The ratio of the normalized photocurrent of the Zn-doped specimen to that of the pristine specimen increased with an increasing illumination frequency, reaching approximately five at 104 Hz. Time-resolved photocurrent measurements revealed that the Zn-doped specimen had shorter rise and fall times and a higher current amplitude than the pristine specimen. The photoresponsivity of the specimens increased with an increasing bias voltage or decreasing laser power. The Zn-doped SnS2 crystals had 7.18 and 3.44 times higher photoresponsivity, respectively, than the pristine crystals at a bias voltage of 20 V and a laser power of 4 × 10−8 W. The experimental results of this study indicate that Zn doping markedly enhances the optical response of SnS2 layered crystals.

The present study was envisaged to investigate the chemical constituents and the intervention effects of Portulaca oleracea extract (POE) on acute alcoholic liver injury of rats. The chemical composition of POE was detected by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Sixty male Wistar rats were divided into 6 groups: Normal control (NC) group, acute alcoholic liver injury model group (ALI), low, medium and high dose of POE (25, 50, 100 mg/kg) groups and bifendate (BF, 3.75 mg/kg) group. Each group was given by intragastrical administration for 7 days. Alcoholic liver injury was induced in the experimental model by administering 50% ethanol at 8 mL/kg and repeated administration after 6 h, for a period of 7 days. The results showed that pretreatment with POE significantly reduced the ethanol-elevated serum level of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and triglyceride (TG). The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) in liver were enhanced followed by administration of POE, while the content of nitric oxide (NO) and malondialdehyde (MDA) was found to decrease. Hepatic content of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) was also reduced by POE treatment. These results indicated that POE could increase the antioxidant capacity and relieve the inflammatory injury of the liver cells induced by ethanol. Meanwhile, in our study, POE reduced the expression of miR-122, acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase (ACC) 1 mRNA and protein and increased the expression of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) mRNA and protein in liver, which indicated that POE could improve the lipid metabolism disorder induced by ethanol. Our findings suggested that POE had protective effects on acute alcoholic liver injury of rats.

Recently, with the development of next generation sequencing (NGS), the combination of chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and NGS, namely ChIP-seq, has become a powerful technique to capture potential genomic binding sites of regulatory factors, histone modifications and chromatin accessible regions. For most researchers, additional information including genomic variations on the TF binding site, allele frequency of variation between different populations, variation associated disease, and other neighbour TF binding sites are essential to generate a proper hypothesis or a meaningful conclusion. Many ChIP-seq datasets had been deposited on the public domain to help researchers make new discoveries. However, researches are often intimidated by the complexity of data structure and largeness of data volume. Such information would be more useful if they could be combined or downloaded with ChIP-seq data. To meet such demands, we built a webtool: ePIgenomic ANNOtation tool (ePIANNO, http://epianno.stat.sinica.edu.tw/index.html). ePIANNO is a web server that combines SNP information of populations (1000 Genomes Project) and gene-disease association information of GWAS (NHGRI) with ChIP-seq (hmChIP, ENCODE, and ROADMAP epigenomics) data. ePIANNO has a user-friendly website interface allowing researchers to explore, navigate, and extract data quickly. We use two examples to demonstrate how users could use functions of ePIANNO webserver to explore useful information about TF related genomic variants. Users could use our query functions to search target regions, transcription factors, or annotations. ePIANNO may help users to generate hypothesis or explore potential biological functions for their studies.

Chronic glucocorticoid exposure is known to cause depression and metabolic disorders. It is critical to improve abnormal metabolic status as well as depressive-like behaviors in patients with long-term glucocorticoid therapy. This study aimed to investigate the effects of resveratrol on the depressive-like behaviors and metabolic abnormalities induced by chronic corticosterone injection. Male ICR mice were administrated corticosterone (40 mg/kg) by subcutaneous injection for three weeks. Resveratrol (50 and 100 mg/kg), fluoxetine (20 mg/kg) and pioglitazone (10 mg/kg) were given by oral gavage 30 min prior to corticosterone administration. The behavioral tests showed that resveratrol significantly reversed the depressive-like behaviors induced by corticosterone, including the reduced sucrose preference and increased immobility time in the forced swimming test. Moreover, resveratrol also increased the secretion of insulin, reduced serum level of glucose and improved blood lipid profiles in corticosterone-treated mice without affecting normal mice. However, fluoxetine only reverse depressive-like behaviors, and pioglitazone only prevent the dyslipidemia induced by corticosterone. Furthermore, resveratrol and pioglitazone decreased serum level of glucagon and corticosterone. The present results indicated that resveratrol can ameliorate depressive-like behaviors and metabolic abnormalities induced by corticosterone, which suggested that the multiple effects of resveratrol could be beneficial for patients with depression and/or metabolic syndrome associated with long-term glucocorticoid therapy.

Purpose: Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a serious complication after joint arthroplasty, resulting in high morbidity and mortality. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and albumin-to-globulin ratio (AGR) are novel diagnostic markers for PJI; however, their diagnostic value remains inconsistent. Methods: This meta-analysis was conducted using the PubMed, Embase, and MEDLINE databases to determine the diagnostic accuracy of NLR and AGR for PJI in the knee or hip. Data extraction and quality assessment were independently completed by two reviewers. The pooled sensitivity and specificity, diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), summary receiver operating characteristic curve (sROC), and area under the sROC curve (AUC) were assessed using the univariate meta-analysis framework. Results: Nineteen eligible studies were included in the quantitative analysis. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of NLR for the diagnosis of PJI were 0.73 (95% CI: 0.68–0.77) and 0.72 (95% CI: 0.66–0.77), respectively. Its pooled DOR was 6.89 (95% CI: 5.03–9.43), and AUC was 0.79 (95% CI: 0.75–0.82). The pooled sensitivity and specificity of AGR for the diagnosis of PJI were 0.80 (95% CI: 0.70–0.88) and 0.83 (95% CI: 0.79– 0.87), respectively. Its DOR was 17.69 (95% CI: 10.76–29.07), and AUC was 0.88 (95% CI: 0.85–0.91). Conclusion: NLR and AGR can be individually used as reliable serum biomarkers for the detection of PJI. Future research is warranted to determine the diagnostic value of these markers in combination with C-reactive protein levels and erythrocyte sedimentation rates to improve diagnostic accuracy for PJI in clinical practice.

Abstract Background Weight control behaviors are commonly observed among adolescents and emerging adults. However, the high prevalence of overweight and obesity in both these age groups remains an imperative health concern. Adolescents and emerging adults represent the most vulnerable groups facing the health burden of obesity. Methods This study was designed to articulate the underlying beliefs concerning weight control behaviors among adolescents and emerging adults living with obesity by an elicitation qualitative study based on the integrated behavioral model (IBM). Semi-structured and individual interviewing was utilized. Eligible participants were recruited during September and November 2020. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using a hybrid inductive and deductive content analysis approach. Results Twenty-seven participants, comprising 12 adolescents and 15 emerging adults living with obesity, were interviewed to explore their beliefs and strategies regarding weight control behaviors. Emerging adults were more likely to engage in extreme weight control methods. Three overarching themes emerged across both age groups: eating-centered concerns, focus on physical appearance, and social interference. Significant differences were noted while adolescents and emerging adults shared some common beliefs. Emerging adults expressed more economic concerns about weight control, whereas adolescents identified food restriction as the primary barrier to their weight management efforts. These findings highlight the nuanced differences in beliefs about the weight control practice of these two developmental groups. Conclusion More beliefs-tailored and theoretically driven interventions are needed for these two unique age groups. Healthcare providers should address dietary and economic concerns while engaging adolescents and emerging adults in weight management. Future obesity interventions should incorporate shared and unique beliefs identified in each group to promote healthy weight management effectively.

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the IL-28B SNP rs8099917 genotype, miRNA-122 expression, and the immune mechanism of ACR after LT using anti-HCV antibody calibration. A total of 45 patients with HCV received LT. IL-28B SNP rs8099917 genotyping was used to divide patients into TT and GT groups. The relative expression levels of miRNA-122 were calculated by quantitative PCR. Anti-HCV titers before and after LT were tracked to observe the relationship with ACR. The ACR rates were 27.6% for genotype TT and 62.5% for genotype GT, indicating a significantly higher rate in the GT group compared to the TT group (p = 0.024). In the rs8099917 genotype, TT was significantly associated with higher serum miRNA-122 levels than GT (p < 0.001). The TT group had significantly better outcomes than the GT group (p = 0.005). The Mann–Whitney U test showed significant differences in pre-LT and post-LT anti-HCV titers between the IL-28B genotypes (TT and GT) (p values of 0.006 and 0.027, respectively). These results suggested that the IL-28B rs8099917 genotype TT may play a significant role in modulating immune responses, both in terms of anti-HCV titers and the risk of ACR, possibly mediated through miRNA-122 levels.

Abstract Background The aim of this study is to investigate the real-world efficacy and safety of nivolumab in combination with chemotherapy for patients with advanced human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative gastric cancer (GC). Methods We enrolled patients diagnosed with unresectable advanced or metastatic GC who received nivolumab plus chemotherapy as first-line systemic treatment. The combined positive score (CPS), indicating the number of programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1)-stained cells, was utilized. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed using the Kaplan–Meier method. Adverse events (AEs) were graded, and treatment was ceased upon disease progression or intolerance. Results A total of 27 patients were included in the study, comprising 15 patients with CPS ≥ 5 and 12 patients with CPS

Abstract Metabolic reprogramming sustains malignant head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) to overcome stressful microenvironments, and increased glutamine uptake is a common metabolic hallmark in cancers. Since metabolic reprogramming has been recognized as a new therapeutic target for tumor cells, understanding the regulatory axis of glutamine uptake in HNSCC and its potential downstream effects in its pathogenesis of HNSCC would be incredibly beneficial. Bioinformatic analysis of the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)-HNSCC dataset and RNAseq analysis performed on HNSCC indicated that SLC1A5 was the most dysregulated transporter among the seven homologous glutamate or neutral amino acid transporters in the SLC1A family. To further clarify the role of SLC1A5 in HNSCC, we knocked down SLC1A5 expression. This knockdown decelerated cell growth, induced G0/G1 arrest, diminished tumorigenicity, and increased cleavage caspase3, LC3B, and intracellular Fe2+. Inhibitors against apoptosis, autophagy, or ferroptosis rescued the cell viability repressed by SLC1A5 knockdown. SLC1A5 knockdown also suppressed glutamine uptake, enhanced oxidative stress, and increased sensitivity to cisplatin. CRISPR/dCas9-mediated SLC1A5 induction conferred cisplatin resistance and reduced apoptosis, autophagy, and ferroptosis. Reporter assays and western blot data demonstrated that miR-125b-5p targets and attenuates SLC1A5, while the si-NEAT1 increases miR-125b-5p expression. Analysis of the TCGA-HNSCC databases showed concordant upregulation of NEAT1 and downregulation of miR-125b-5p, along with SLC1A5 upregulation in tumors. Analysis of transcriptomic data revealed that tumors harboring higher SLC1A5 expression had significantly lower immune scores in CD8+, monocytes, and dendritic cells, and higher scores in M0 and M1 macrophages. Disruptions in immune modulation, metabolism, and oxidative stress components were associated with SLC1A5 aberrations in HNSCC. This study concludes that the NEAT1/miR-125b-5p/SLC1A5 cascade modulates diverse activities in oncogenicity, treatment efficacy, and immune cell profiles in head and neck/oral carcinoma.

Abstract Certain metal oxides exhibit unique phases and associated properties that can generally only be accessed via high temperature treatments. However, high temperature processes usually lead to surface reconstruction and pore collapse, which reduces the active surface area. In this study, a novel method for accessing phases is demonstrated at high temperature while maintaining porosity by depositing thin oxide films onto a temperature stable activated carbon template. Subsequent annealing and calcination creates the phase of interest while maintaining the porous structure. Specifically, stoichiometrically limited liquid phase atomic layer deposition is used to deposit 6, 9, 12 and 15 layers of amorphous alumina, which, following high temperature treatment, led to a mixture of α and δ phases with surface areas of 186 and 146 m2 g−1 for 6 and 9 layers respectively. Pure α alumina can also be achieved with high surface areas of 76 and 45 m2 g−1 for 12 and 15 layers. Importantly, all the samples retained the porosity imparted by the carbon structure, with primarily meso and macro pores. Furthermore, different metal oxides are also deposited onto the activated carbon surface, including ZnO, TiO2, ZrO2, and Ga2O3 illustrating this templating concept can also be applied to different materials.

Abstract Background Sheehan’s syndrome is a rare condition, which is classically characterized by anterior pituitary hypofunction following postpartum shock or hemorrhage. While diabetes insipidus (DI) is not commonly associated with Sheehan’s syndrome, we present a rare case of a multiparous female developing rapid-onset panhypopituitarism and DI following severe postpartum hemorrhage. Case presentation A previously healthy 39-year-old woman, gravida 5, para 4, presented with hypovolemic shock after vaginal delivery, attributed to severe postpartum hemorrhage, necessitating emergent hysterectomy. Although her shock episodes resolved during hospitalization, she developed intermittent fever, later diagnosed as adrenal insufficiency. Administration of hydrocortisone effectively resolved the fever. However, she subsequently developed diabetes insipidus. Diagnosis of Sheehan’s syndrome with central diabetes insipidus was confirmed through functional hormonal tests and MRI findings. Treatment consisted of hormone replacement therapy, with persistent panhypopituitarism noted during a ten-year follow-up period. Conclusions Sheehan’s syndrome is a rare complication of postpartum hemorrhage. Central diabetes insipidus should be suspected, although not commonly, while the patient presented polyuria and polydipsia. Besides, the potential necessity for long-term hormonal replacement therapy should be considered.

ABSTRACT Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen that thrives in environments associated with human activity, including soil and water altered by agriculture or pollution. Because L-lactate is a significant product of plant and animal metabolism, it can serve as a carbon source for P. aeruginosa in the diverse settings that it inhabits. In this study, we evaluate the production and use of two redundant P. aeruginosa L-lactate dehydrogenases, termed LldD and LldA. We confirm that the protein LldR represses lldD and identify a new transcription factor, called LldS, that activates lldA; these distinct regulators and the genomic contexts of lldD and lldA contribute to their differential expression. We demonstrate that the lldD and lldA genes are conditionally controlled in response to lactate isomers as well as to glycolate and ɑ-hydroxybutyrate, which, like lactate, are ɑ-hydroxycarboxylates. We also show that lldA is induced when iron availability is low. Our examination of lldD and lldA expression across depth in biofilms indicates a complex pattern that is consistent with the effects of glycolate production, iron availability, and cross-regulation on enzyme preference. Finally, macrophage infection assays reveal that both lldD and lldA contribute to persistence within host cells, underscoring the potential role of L-lactate as a carbon source during P. aeruginosa–eukaryote interactions. Together, these findings help us understand the metabolism of a key resource that may promote P. aeruginosa’s success as a resident of contaminated environments and animal hosts.IMPORTANCEPseudomonas aeruginosa is a major cause of lung infections in people with cystic fibrosis, of hospital-acquired infections, and of wound infections. It consumes L-lactate, which is found at substantial levels in human blood and tissues. In this study, we investigated the spatial regulation of two redundant enzymes, called LldD and LldA, which enable L-lactate metabolism in P. aeruginosa biofilms. We uncovered mechanisms and identified compounds that control the preference of P. aeruginosa for LldD versus LldA. We also showed that both enzymes contribute to its ability to survive within macrophages, a behavior that is thought to augment the chronicity and recalcitrance of infections. Our findings shed light on a key metabolic strategy used by P. aeruginosa and have the potential to inform the development of therapies targeting bacterial metabolism during infection.

Background/purpose: Healthy states of human microbiota depend on a stable community of symbiotic microbes irrespective of external challenges from the environment. Thus, long-term stability of the oral microbiota is of importance, particularly for older patient populations. Materials and methods: We used next-generation sequencing (NGS) to examine the tongue microbiota of 18 individuals receiving long-term care over a 10-month period. Results: Beta diversity analysis demonstrated temporal stability of the tongue microbiota, as microbial compositions from all time points were indistinguishable from each other (P = 0.0887). However, significant individual variation in microbial composition (P = 0.0001) was observed, underscoring the presence of a unique microbial profile for each patient. Conclusion: The temporal dynamics of tongue microbiota exhibit long-term stability, providing diagnostic implications for oral diseases within older patient populations.

Abstract Background Malnutrition is not uncommon among the elderly undergoing pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) and is related to increased complications. Previous studies have shown that the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) predicts outcomes in various populations. Nevertheless, the research exploring the correlation between GNRI and postoperative outcomes in PD is scarce. This study aimed to investigate the preoperative malnutrition, as measured by GNRI, on outcomes in elderly patients undergoing PD. Materials and Methods This retrospective analysis enrolled 144 elderly patients underwent PD for periampullary tumors from November 2016 to December 2021. Patients were stratified based on the GNRI value: high/moderate nutrition risk (GNRI ≤ 92, N = 54), low nutrition risk (92 98, N = 55). Perioperative outcomes and postoperative surgical complications were compared between these groups. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed on major postoperative complications and prolonged postoperative length of stay (PLOS). Results Patients in the high/moderate risk group were significantly older, with lower BMI (P = 0.012), higher mortality rate (11.1%, P = 0.024), longer PLOS (P

Abstract Background Rotator cuff tears (RCTs) are a common musculoskeletal disorder, and arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR) is widely performed for tendon repair. Handgrip strength correlates with rotator cuff function; however, whether preoperative grip strength can predict functional outcomes in patients undergoing ARCR remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between preoperative grip strength and postoperative shoulder function following ARCR. Methods A total of 52 patients with full-thickness repairable RCTs were prospectively enrolled. Baseline parameters, namely patient characteristics and intraoperative findings, were included for analysis. Postoperative shoulder functional outcomes were assessed using the Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (QDASH) questionnaire and Constant–Murley scores (CMSs). Patients were followed up and evaluated at three and six months after ARCR. The effects of baseline parameters on postoperative outcomes were measured using generalized estimating equations. Results At three and six months postoperatively, all clinical outcomes evaluated exhibited significant improvement from baseline following ARCR. Within 6 months postoperatively, higher preoperative grip strength was significantly correlated with higher CMSs (β = 0.470, p = 0.022), whereas increased numbers of total suture anchors were significantly correlated with decreased CMSs (β = − 4.361, p = 0.03). Higher body mass index was significantly correlated with higher postoperative QDASH scores (β = 1.561, p = 0.03) during follow-up. Conclusions Higher baseline grip strength predicts more favorable postoperative shoulder function following ARCR. A preoperative grip strength test in orthopedic clinics may serve as a predictor for postoperative shoulder functional recovery in patients undergoing ARCR.

Abstract Background Powdery mildew (PM) is one of the important soybean diseases, and host resistance could practically contribute to soybean PM management. To date, only the Rmd locus on chromosome (Chr) 16 was identified through traditional QTL mapping and GWAS, and it remains unclear if the bulk segregant RNA-Seq (BSR-Seq) methodology is feasible to explore additional PM resistance that might exist in other varieties. Results BSR-Seq was applied to contrast genotypes and gene expressions between the resistant bulk (R bulk) and the susceptible bulk (S bulk), as well as the parents. The ∆(SNP-index) and G’ value identified several QTL and significant SNPs/Indels on Chr06, Chr15, and Chr16. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) located within these QTL were identified using HISAT2 and Kallisto, and allele-specific primers (AS-primers) were designed to validate the accuracy of phenotypic prediction. While the AS-primers on Chr06 or Chr15 cannot distinguish the resistant and susceptible phenotypes, AS-primers on Chr16 exhibited 82% accuracy prediction with an additive effect, similar to the SSR marker Satt431. Conclusions Evaluation of additional AS-primers in the linkage disequilibrium (LD) block on Chr16 further confirmed the resistant locus, derived from the resistant parental variety ‘Kaohsiung 11’ (‘KS11’), not only overlaps with the Rmd locus with unique up-regulated LRR genes (Glyma.16G213700 and Glyma.16G215100), but also harbors a down-regulated MLO gene (Glyma.16G145600). Accordingly, this study exemplified the feasibility of BSR-Seq in studying biotrophic disease resistance in soybean, and showed the genetic makeup of soybean variety ‘KS11’ comprising the Rmd locus and one MLO gene.

Abstract In this work, multi-level storage in the via RRAM has been first time reported and demonstrated with the standard FinFET CMOS logic process. Multi-level states in via RRAM are achieved by controlling the current compliance during set operations. The new current compliance setting circuits are proposed to ensure stable resistance control when one considers cells under the process variation effect. The improved stability and tightened distributions on its multi-level states on via RRAM have been successfully demonstrated.

We simulate quench dynamics of the Su-Schrieffer-Heeger (SSH) chain on IBM quantum computers, calculating the Rényi entanglement entropy, the twist order parameter, and the Berry phase. The latter two quantities can be deduced from a slow-twist operator defined in the Lieb-Schultz-Mattis theorem. The Rényi entropy is obtained using a recently developed randomized measurement scheme. The twist order parameter and the Berry phase are measured without the need for additional gates or ancilla qubits. We consider quench protocols in which a trivial initial state evolves dynamically in time under the topological SSH Hamiltonian in the fully dimerized limit (the flat-band limit). During these quenches, there are persistent and periodic oscillations in the time evolution of both entanglement entropy and twist order parameter. Through the implementation of error mitigation techniques using a global depolarizing ansatz and postselection, our simulations on the IBM devices yield results that closely match exact solutions.

Duck egg white jelly, a protein-rich, alkali-induced gel, mirrors preserved duck egg white in appearance and properties, offering easier storage and utility, especially when excess egg white is available. This research focuses on incorporating duck egg white jelly into emulsified meat snacks to enhance texture while reducing the phosphate content. This study suggests that adding phosphate and duck egg white jelly increases raw meat paste pH, affecting its viscosity. With half the usual phosphate and either 3.0% or 6.0% jelly, the pH significantly increases compared to the control paste, containing 0.2% phosphate (p < 0.05). Viscosity remains unaffected in the group with 6.0% jelly and no phosphate versus the control (p > 0.05). The least favorable viscosity is observed in pastes without phosphate or jelly, suggesting that the jelly plays a similar role to phosphate. After boiling and shaping the pastes into emulsified meat snacks, their texture profiles and water-holding capacities were analyzed. Formulas with phosphate and jelly produced emulsified meat snacks with improved springiness, chewiness, reduced cooking loss, and decreased purge loss during storage. Color analysis showed no significant differences between the control and treatment groups (p > 0.05). Duck egg white jelly, when added, effectively reduces the phosphate content while enhancing texture and consumer acceptance of emulsified meat snacks. It serves as a versatile ingredient for low-phosphate, emulsified meat products, with potential for various meat combinations.

Background/Purpose: We investigated the diagnostic performance of the anal sphincter relaxation integral (ASRI) for infants with Hirschsprung's disease (HD). Methods: We performed water-perfused high-resolution anorectal manometry (HRAM) in 18 infants (9 with HD), and solid-state HRAM in another 18 infants (4 with HD). We calculated the ASRI during the rectoanal inhibitory reflex (RAIR) maneuver at pressure cutoffs of

Reheating furnaces are used to uniformly heat billets (blooms, billets, or slabs) to between 1000°C and 1300°C before hot rolling. Cascade control is widely used in temperature controllers of the reheating furnace. Unfortunately, the relationship between temperature indicator controllers (TIC) and flow indicator controllers (FIC) usually changes with a single slope. It means that temperature load disturbances cannot be effectively resolved. In this study, the relationship between TIC and FIC is proposed to be nonlinear with multiple slopes, which is used to accelerate the temperature response and increase the temperature stability under high or low load conditions. The temperature controller parameters are more diverse, so this study optimizes the temperature controller parameters and determines the characteristic curves between TIC and FIC effectively and quickly by using the Taguchi method. The performance of the multi-slope method and the single-slope method is evaluated in an actual heating furnace. The experimental results show that the proposed method in this study improves the mean square error and standard deviation by 33.76% and 22.44%, respectively. After commissioning, the parameter combination (including the characteristic curve) has a remarkable performance in the heating zone, which can be used to reduce temperature disturbance, accelerate the temperature response, and increase temperature stability in the reheating furnace.

Concrete architectural structures are widely used in urban construction, making the health diagnosis and maintenance of these structures increasingly essential and urgent. Crack identification is crucial for maintaining the structural integrity and safety of buildings. Traditional methods rely on manual inspection, which is plagued by low accuracy, inefficiency, and safety hazards. This paper proposes a technique combining an attention-based SqueezeNet network with Gradient-weighted Class Activation Mapping (Grad-CAM) for automatically recognizing and visually explaining building cracks. By integrating the Squeeze-and-Excitation (SE) attention mechanism with the lightweight SqueezeNet network, this method can adaptively adjust the importance of feature channels by learning global information, effectively improving the network’s accuracy and efficiency. The experimental results show that the Att-SqueezeNet model achieved a high precision of 0.995, a training time of only 133 seconds, and a model size of 4.9M, significantly outperforming models such as SqueezeNet, RF, CNN, VGG-19, and B-CNN. This demonstrates its robustness, rapid identification and suitability for practical applications and building crack identification. Moreover, the utilization of Grad-CAM for visualization not only offers an intuitive explanation of the model’s decision-making process but also provides a more comprehensible understanding of crack detection results. This is crucial for advancing building maintenance automation, reducing reliance on manual labor, and increasing the precision and reliability of detection tasks.

This study aims to introduce a novel approach for predicting China’s consumer confidence index (CCI), a key economic indicator that reflects consumers’ confidence in current and future economic conditions. While traditional statistical models and economic indicators are the primary tools for forecasting CCI, their reliance on linear assumptions limits their ability to capture the complex, dynamic relationships inherent in economic systems. In response, this study proposes a two-step method that integrates social network analysis (SNA) and machine learning (ML) to enhance prediction accuracy by accounting for the nonlinear interactions and systemic interdependencies that drive consumer confidence. The use of SNA enables the identification of critical variables and their interconnected roles in shaping consumer sentiment, while ML models, specifically the gradient boosting decision tree (GBDT), leverage these relationships to provide more precise predictions. Utilizing monthly data from 1999 to 2023, the combined SNA and GBDT approach significantly improves the accuracy of CCI forecasts, particularly during periods of high volatility. The results of this study hold substantial value for policymakers, market analysts, and economists, as they offer a systems-oriented framework for economic forecasting. By demonstrating the effectiveness of combining SNA with ML technologies, this research not only advances the methodological toolkit for economic forecasting, but also provides a new lens through which the complex, adaptive nature of economic systems can be better understood and managed. This integrated approach paves the way for future developments in forecasting models that more accurately reflect the evolving dynamics of consumer confidence in a rapidly changing economic environment.

This paper discusses the fabrication of three-dimensional dendritic Ag nanostructures, showcasing pronounced Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance (LSPR) effects. These nanostructures, employed in surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), function as sensors for lactic acid in artificial sweat. The dendritic structures of the silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) create an effective SERS substrate, with additional hotspots at branch junctures enhancing LSPR. We achieve differential LSPR effects by varying the distribution and spacing of branches and the overall morphology. Adjustments to electrodeposition parameters, such as current and plating solution protective agents on an anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) base, allow for precise control over LSPR intensities. By pre-depositing AgNPs, the electron transmission paths during electrodeposition are modified, which leads to optimized dendritic morphology and enhanced LSPR effects. Parameter optimization produces elongated rods with main and secondary branches, covered with uniformly sized, densely packed, non-overlapping spherical AgNPs. This configuration enhances the LSPR effect by generating additional hotspots beyond the branch tips. Fine-tuning the electrodeposition parameters improved the AgNPs’ morphology, achieving uniform particle distribution and optimal spacing. Compared to non-SERS substrates, our structure amplified the Raman signal for lactic acid detection by five orders of magnitude. This method can effectively tailor SERS substrates for specific analytes and laser-based detection.

ObjectiveTo outline the epidemiology of puerperal mastitis caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and evaluate the effect of an infection control bundle on its incidence.MethodsA surge in MRSA puerperal mastitis was noted in a community hospital in September 2009. MRSA samples from mastitis cases and the environment underwent typing using multilocus sequence typing (MLST), staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec), gene encoding surface protein A (spa), accessory gene regulator (agr), and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). The phenotypic characteristics, including superantigen toxin profiles, gene encoding Panton-Valentine leucocidin (pvl), and minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) against vancomycin, were ascertained. Subsequently, an infection control bundle emphasizing contact precautions was introduced, and mastitis incidence rates pre- and post-intervention were compared.ResultsThe majority of cases occurred within 6 weeks post-delivery in first-time mothers. Of the 42 S. aureus isolates (27 from mastitis and 15 from colonized staff and environmental sources), 25 (92.6%) clinical and 3 (20%) colonized MRSA were identified as ST59-SCCmecVT-spa t437-agr group I with a vancomycin MIC of 1 mg/L, pvl-positive, and predominantly with a consistent toxin profile (seb-selk-selr). PFGE revealed 13 patterns; pulsotype B exhibited clonal relatedness between two clinical and three colonized MRSA samples. Post-intervention, the incidence of both mastitis and MRSA mastitis notably decreased from 13.01 to 1.78 and from 3.70 to 0.99 episodes per 100 deliveries, respectively.ConclusionDistinct community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) clones were detected among puerperal mastitis patients and colonized staff. The outbreak was effectively controlled following the implementation of a targeted infection control bundle.

PurposeThis study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ultrasound-guided percutaneous biopsy of the first hepatic hilum lesion, and examine its clinical value of diagnosis and treatment.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective study on patients diagnosed with the first hepatic hilum lesions at Fujian Provincial Hospital between February 2015 and October 2022. We selected patients who had lesions in the first hepatic hilum(including a 2cm surrounding area of the left/right hepatic ducts and upper-middle segment of the common bile duct) and the liver periphery(in the peripheral area of the liver, outside of the above-mentioned first hepatic porta region). These patients underwent percutaneous ultrasound-guided core needle biopsy (PUS-CNB) with cognitive fusion guidance using CT, MRI, or PET-CT. We compared the safety and efficacy of PUS-CNB in the first hepatic hilum and the liver periphery to explore the value of PUS-CNB in optimizing the clinical treatment of the first hepatic hilum lesions.ResultsThe studied includes 38 cases of the first hepatic hilum cases (18 females; 20 males), 23 presented with mass-forming tumors while the remaining 15 exhibited diffuse infiltrative tumors, with an average diameter of 4.65± 2.51 cm. The percutaneous biopsy procedure, conducted under ultrasound guidance, had an average operation time of 14.55 ± 2.73 minutes, and resulted in a postoperative bleeding volume of approximately 10.79 ± 2.79 ml. The diagnostic success rate was noted to be as high as 92.11% among the participants who underwent percutaneous biopsy of the first hepatic hilum. Procedural complications, such as bleeding, bile leakage, intestinal perforation, infection or needle tract seeding, did not occur during or after the biopsy procedure. Affected by biopsy results, 5 altered their clinical treatment plans accordingly, 24patients received non-surgical treatment, 9 underwent surgical treatment, 5 underwent radiofrequency ablation for the lesions. The study comprised a total of 112 cases for percutaneous biopsy of the liver periphery. The safety and effectiveness of the two biopsy techniques were comparable, with diagnostic success rates of 92.11% VS. 94.34%, respectively (p = 0.61).ConclusionCognitive fusion of ultrasound and multi-modal imaging for the first hepatic hilum lesion puncture biopsy is a safe and effective diagnostic procedure, with better diagnostic rate, may improve clinical value of diagnosis and treatment of various diseases.

Recently, large-scale artificial intelligence models with billions of parameters have achieved good results in experiments, but their practical deployment on edge computing platforms is often subject to many constraints because of their resource requirements. These models require powerful computing platforms with a high memory capacity to store and process the numerous parameters and activations, which makes it challenging to deploy these large-scale models directly. Therefore, model compression techniques are crucial role in making these models more practical and accessible. In this article, a progressive channel pruning strategy combining graph attention network and transformer, namely GAT TransPruning, is proposed, which uses the graph attention networks (GAT) and the attention of transformer mechanism to determine the channel-to-channel relationship in large networks. This approach ensures that the network maintains its critical functional connections and optimizes the trade-off between model size and performance. In this study, VGG-16, VGG-19, ResNet-18, ResNet-34, and ResNet-50 are used as large-scale network models with the CIFAR-10 and CIFAR-100 datasets for verification and quantitative analysis of the proposed progressive channel pruning strategy. The experimental results reveal that the accuracy rate only drops by 6.58% when the channel pruning rate is 89% for VGG-19/CIFAR-100. In addition, the lightweight model inference speed is 9.10 times faster than that of the original large model. In comparison with the traditional channel pruning schemes, the proposed progressive channel pruning strategy based on the GAT and Transformer cannot only cut out the insignificant weight channels and effectively reduce the model size, but also ensure that the performance drop rate of its lightweight model is still the smallest even under high pruning ratio.

Mg is the lightest structural metal on earth; hence, applications of its alloys have attracted attention from researchers. However, these alloys have poor corrosion resistance, which impedes their use in practice. Many researchers have investigated protective coatings for Mg alloys, but current methods consume much energy, use hazardous substances, or are complex (such as anodizing and micro-arc oxidation). This paper proposes a novel method of creating a durable and protective coating on Mg alloy substrates. The AZ91D Mg alloy was selected for investigation, and a Mn-V-P conversion coating treatment in which voltage of only 5 V was applied for 1 min to enhance the alloy’s corrosion resistance. A compact, single-layer film with uniform thickness was created; the average thickness was 1750 nm. The corrosion resistance of alloys treated with the method and through anodizing treatment was compared. For the novel coating, the corroded area fraction after a 168-h salt spray test was less than 5 %, superior to that for the coating produced through anodizing treatment. The feasibility and potential applications of the novel process are discussed.

Cisplatin resistance poses a major challenge in the treatment of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Deeper investigations into the mechanisms underlying this drug resistance is of great importance. Here, we used cellular assays and clinical immunohistochemistry to examine molecular pathways involved in both innate and acquired cisplatin resistance. We demonstrated that the p62-mTORC1 signaling complex plays a pivotal role, and is driven by the EGFR signaling network, specifically through the PI3K-Akt axis and the transcription factor C/EBP-β. Elevated p-mTOR expression was associated with cancer relapse and poor prognosis among oral cancer patients. Additionally, we illustrated that mTOR inhibitors enhance the cytotoxic effect of cisplatin, by employing cancer stem cell characteristics. Our work unveils fundamental mechanisms for cisplatin resistance, thereby presenting therapeutic implications for OSCC.

Abstract Background The treatment of common bile duct (CBD) stones with minimally invasive surgery (MIS) is more technical demanding than laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC), especially in patients with history of previous abdominal surgery, cholangitis or cholecystitis. Near-infrared (NIR) cholangiography via systemic or biliary tree administration of indocyanine green (ICG), which enhances the visualization of the biliary tree anatomy, may increase the reassurance of CBD localization. The aim of this study was to identify the benefit of near-infrared cholangiography for laparoscopic common bile duct exploration (LCBDE). Methods Three groups of CBD stone patients were included in this retrospective study depending on the surgical methods: 1) open choledocholithotomy (OCC), 2) laparoscopic choledocholithotomy (LCC), and 3) near-infrared cholangiography-assisted laparoscopic choledocholithotomy (NIR-CC). For the NIR-CC group, either 3 ml (concentration: 2.5 mg/mL) of ICG were intravenously administered or 10 ml (concentration: 0.125 mg/mL) of ICG were injected directly into the biliary tree. The enhancement rate of the cystic duct (CD), CBD, the upper and lower margin of the CBD were compared using white light image. Results A total of 187 patients with a mean age of 68.3 years were included (OCC, n = 56; LCC, n = 110; NIR-CC, n = 21). The rate of previous abdominal surgery was significantly lower in the LCC group. The conversion rate was similar between the LCC and the NIR CC groups (p = 0.746). The postoperative hospital stay was significantly longer in the OCC group. No differences in morbidity and mortality were found between the three groups. In the NIR-CC group, the localization of CBD was as high as 85% compared to 24% with white light imaging. Conclusions Near-infrared cholangiography helps increase the chance of success in minimally invasive approaches to CBD stones even in patients with previous abdominal surgeries, without increasing the rate of conversion.