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Abstract Background As online teaching gains prevalence in higher education, traditional face-to-face methods are encountering limitations in meeting the demands of medical ethics, the availability of experimental resources, and essential experimental conditions. Consequently, under the guidance of the BOPPPS (bridge-in, objective, preassessment, participatory learning, postassessment, summary) teaching model, the application of virtual simulation platform has become a new trend. The purpose of this study is to explore the effect of BOPPPS combined with virtual simulation experimental teaching on students’ scores and the evaluation of students’ participation, performance and teachers’ self-efficacy in preventive medicine experiment. Methods Students from Class 1 and Class 2 of 2019 preventive medicine major in Binzhou Medical University were selected as the research objects. The experimental group (class 2) (n = 51) received the teaching mode combined with BOPPPS and virtual simulation platform, while the control group (class 1) (n = 49) received the traditional experimental teaching method. After class, the experimental report scores, virtual simulation scores, students’ engagement scale (SES), Biggs questionnaires, and teachers’ sense of self-efficacy (TSES) questionnaires were analyzed. Results The experimental report results demonstrated a significant increase in the total score of the experimental group and the scores of each of the four individual experiments compared to the control group (P

Abstract This study aimed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which PLD2 controls apoptosis and edema in pancreatic cells via the Nrf2/NF-κB pathway. AR42J rat pancreatic cells were treated with 10 nM mitomycin to create an in vitro pancreatitis model (model group), with a control group receiving phosphate-buffered saline. Cells were transfected with a PLD2 overexpression plasmid using Lipofectamine 3000, forming the PLD2 overexpression group. PLD2 protein expression was assessed by Western blotting, and TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10 levels were measured by RT-qPCR. Nrf2/NF-κB protein expressions were also analyzed. Apoptosis and necrosis were evaluated using Annexin V-FITC/PI staining and the LDH release test. Cell edema was assessed by cell volume, ion content, and membrane damage. Western blotting was used to analyze pan-apoptosis-related proteins. PLD2 expression was lower in the model group compared to controls (P

Abstract Background Different hormone receptor (HR) expression patterns have significant biological and therapeutic implications in patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer. However, the distinction between HR-positive /HER2-positive (HR+/HER2+) and HR-negative/HER2-positive (HR-/HER2+) subtypes remains unclear. Methods This retrospective study analyzed 828 patients with HER2-positive breast cancer at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University from 2012 to 2022. Baseline characteristics were compared by chi-square test. Survival outcomes were estimated by Kaplan-Meier method. Results In total, 56.3% (n = 466) had HR-positive and 43.7% (n = 362) had HR-negative disease. Comparatively, HR+/HER2 + breast cancers presented favorable clinicopathological features. At a median follow-up of 49 months, 199 disease-free survival (DFS) events and 99 deaths were observed. HR+/HER2 + patients had significantly better survival outcomes than HR-/HER2 + patients. HR-positive status was an independent protective factor for overall survival (OS) [P = 0.032; hazard ratio, 0.61; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.39–0.96] and DFS (P = 0.001; hazard ratio, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.46–0.81). HR+/HER2 + patients were significantly less sensitive to neoadjuvant therapy than HR-/HER2 + patients. In the first-line treatment for HR+/HER2 + advanced breast cancer, receiving endocrine therapy significantly improved advanced-OS (P

Abstract Computer-aided diagnosis has been slow to develop in the field of oral ulcers. One of the major reasons for this is the lack of publicly available datasets. However, oral ulcers have cancerous lesions and their mortality rate is high. The ability to recognize oral ulcers at an early stage in a timely and effective manner is a very critical issue. In recent years, although there exists a small group of researchers working on these, the datasets are private. Therefore to address this challenge, in this paper a multi-tasking oral ulcer dataset (Autooral) containing two major tasks of lesion segmentation and classification is proposed and made publicly available. To the best of our knowledge, we are the first team to make publicly available an oral ulcer dataset with multi-tasking. In addition, we propose a novel modeling framework, HF-UNet, for segmenting oral ulcer lesion regions. Specifically, the proposed high-order focus interaction module (HFblock) performs acquisition of global properties and focus for acquisition of local properties through high-order attention. The proposed lesion localization module (LL-M) employs a novel hybrid sobel filter, which improves the recognition of ulcer edges. Experimental results on the proposed Autooral dataset show that our proposed HF-UNet segmentation of oral ulcers achieves a DSC value of about 0.80 and the inference memory occupies only 2029 MB. The proposed method guarantees a low running load while maintaining a high-performance segmentation capability. The proposed Autooral dataset and code are available from https://github.com/wurenkai/HF-UNet-and-Autooral-dataset .

Abstract Background Within the follicular fluid, extracellular vesicles (EVs) guide oocyte growth through their cargo microRNAs (miRNAs). Here, we investigated the role of EVs and their cargo miRNAs by linking the miRNAs found in EVs, derived from the fluid of an individual follicle, to the ability of its oocyte to become a blastocyst (competent) or not (non-competent). Methods Bovine antral follicles were dissected, categorized as small (2–4 mm) or large (5–8 mm) and the corresponding oocytes were subjected to individual maturation, fertilization and embryo culture to the blastocyst stage. Follicular fluid was pooled in 4 groups (4 replicates) based on follicle size and competence of the corresponding oocyte to produce a blastocyst. Follicular fluid-derived EVs were isolated, characterized, and subjected to miRNA-sequencing (Illumina Miseq) to assess differential expression (DE) in the 4 groups. Functional validation of the effect of miR-34c on embryo development was performed by supplementation of mimics and inhibitors during in vitro maturation (IVM). Results We identified 16 DE miRNAs linked to oocyte competence when follicular size was not considered. Within the large and small follicles, 46 DE miRNAs were driving blastocyst formation in each group. Comparison of EVs from competent small and large follicles revealed 90 DE miRNAs. Cell regulation, cell differentiation, cell cycle, and metabolic process regulation were the most enriched pathways targeted by the DE miRNAs from competent oocytes. We identified bta-miR-34c as the most abundant in follicular fluid containing competent oocytes. Supplementation of miR-34c mimic and inhibitor during IVM did not affect embryo development. However, blastocyst quality, as evidenced by higher cell numbers, was significantly improved following oocyte IVM in the presence of miR-34c mimics, while miR-34c inhibitors resulted in the opposite effect. Conclusion This study demonstrates the regulatory effect of miRNAs from follicular fluid-derived EVs on oocyte competence acquisition, providing a further basis for understanding the significance of miRNAs in oocyte maturation and embryonic development. Up-regulation of miR-34c in EVs from follicular fluid containing competent oocytes and the positive impact of miR-34c mimics added during IVM on the resulting blastocysts indicate its pivotal role in oocyte competence.

Dysbiosis of the intestinal microbiota is prevalent among patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). This study aims to explore the anticancer roles of the fecal microbiota in inhibiting the progression of colorectal cancer and possible mechanisms. The intestinal microbial dysbiosis in CRC mice was significantly ameliorated by fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), as indicated by the restored ACE index and Shannon index. The diameter and number of cancerous foci were significantly decreased in CRC mice treated with FMT, along with the restoration of the intestinal mucosal structure and the lessening of the gland arrangement disorder. Key factors in oxidative stress (TXN1, TXNRD1, and HIF-1α); cell cycle regulators (IGF-1, BIRC5, CDK8, HDAC2, EGFR, and CTSL); and a critical transcription factor of the innate immune signal pathway (IRF5) were among the repressed oncogenic targets engaged in the FMT treatment of CRC. Correlation analysis revealed that their expressions were positively correlated with uncultured_bacterium_o_Mollicutes_RF39, Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group, and negatively correlated with Bacillus, Marvinbryantia, Roseburia, Angelakisella, Enterorhabdus, Bacteroides, Muribaculum, and genera of uncultured_bacterium_f_Eggerthellaceae, uncultured_bacterium_f_Xanthobacteraceae, Prevotellaceae_UCG-001, uncultured_bacterium_f_Erysipelotrichaceae, uncul-tured_bacterium_f_Lachnospiraceae, uncultured_bacterium_f_Ruminococcaceae, Eubacterium_coprostanoligenes_group, Ruminococcaceae_UCG-005, and uncultured_bacterium_f_Peptococcaceae. This study provides more evidence for the application of FMT in the clinical treatment of CRC.

We show how to prepare magnonic squeezed states in an optomagnomechanical system in which magnetostriction induced mechanical displacement couples to an optical cavity via radiation pressure. We discuss two scenarios depending on whether the magnomechanical coupling is linear or dispersive. We show that in both cases the strong mechanical squeezing obtained via two-tone driving of the optical cavity can be efficiently transferred to the magnon mode. In the linear coupling case, stationary magnon squeezing is achieved, while in the dispersive coupling case, a transient magnonic squeezed state is prepared in a two-step protocol. The proposed magnonic squeezed states find promising applications in quantum information processing and quantum sensing using magnons.

Background Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are produced by polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) stimulated by interleukin-17 (IL-17) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α). However, the level and role of NETs in oral lichen planus (OLP) remain poorly understood. Objective This study aimed to investigate the expression of NETs in OLP and explore the correlation between NETs and the levels of IL-17 and TNF-α. Methods The expression and distribution of NET-related proteins in tissue samples from each group were assessed using hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and immunofluorescence (IF). Additionally, the expression of NET-related proteins in peripheral blood samples from each group was evaluated using cell IF technique and fluorescence spectrophotometry. The relative formation level of NETs in each group was determined by fluorescence spectrophotometry via plasma co-culture. Furthermore, the levels of inflammatory cytokines IL-17 and TNF-α in plasma and culture supernatant were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results NET-related proteins were located in the subepithelial and lamina propria layers of OLP lesions. OLP had significantly higher expression of NET-related proteins in lesion tissues and peripheral blood compared to the healthy control (HC) group (p < 0.05). The rate of NETs formation in the erosive-stage OLP (EOLP) group was significantly higher than that in the HC group (p < 0.05), in contrast, no significant increase was observed in the non-erosive OLP (NEOLP) group (p > 0.05). Furthermore, the levels of IL-17 and TNF-α in the EOLP group were significantly elevated compared to those in the NEOLP group and HC group (p < 0.05), while the levels in the NEOLP group did not significantly differ from those in the HC group (p > 0.05). The rate of NETs formation showed a positive correlation with the levels of IL-17 and TNF-α in plasma. Conclusion The expression of NET-related proteins was upregulated in OLP lesion tissues and peripheral blood. Elevated levels of IL-17 and TNF-α in peripheral blood plasma positively correlated with the rate of NETs formation, suggesting that IL-17 and TNF-α mediate the formation of NETs in OLP patients, and may thereby contribute to the development of OLP.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) contain microRNAs (miRNAs), which are important regulators of embryonic development. Nevertheless, little is known about the precise molecular processes controlling blastocyst development and quality. In a previous study, we identified bta-miR-665 as one of the miRNAs more abundantly present in extracellular vesicles of embryo-conditioned culture media of blastocysts compared to degenerate ones. Here, we investigated the effect and regulatory roles of bta-miR-665 in blastocyst development by supplementation of bta-miR-665 mimics or inhibitors to the culture media. Supplementation of bta-miR-665 mimics improved cleavage and blastocyst rate (P < 0.01), and blastocyst quality as indicated by increased inner cell mass rates and reduced apoptotic cell ratios (P < 0.01). Furthermore, supplementation of bta-miR-665 inhibitors had the opposite effect on these phenotypes. Low input transcriptome analysis and RT-qPCR revealed that bta-miR-665 acts on genes linked to microtubule formation and apoptosis/cell proliferation. These insights not only elucidate the important role of bta-miR-665 in embryo development, but also underscore its potential in improving reproductive efficiency in bovine embryo culture.

Abstract In this paper, we present a continuous-time algorithm with a dynamic event-triggered communication (DETC) mechanism for solving a class of distributed convex optimization problems that satisfy a metric subregularity condition. The proposed algorithm addresses the challenge of limited bandwidth in multi-agent systems by utilizing a continuous-time optimization approach with DETC. Furthermore, we prove that the distributed event-triggered algorithm converges exponentially to the optimal set, even without strong convexity conditions. Finally, we provide a comparison example to demonstrate the efficiency of our algorithm in communication resource-saving.

Abstract Flexible electro‐optical dual‐mode sensor fibers with capability of the perceiving and converting mechanical stimuli into digital‐visual signals show good prospects in smart human‐machine interaction interfaces. However, heavy mass, low stretchability, and lack of non‐contact sensing function seriously impede their practical application in wearable electronics. To address these challenges, a stretchable and self‐powered mechanoluminescent triboelectric nanogenerator fiber (MLTENGF) based on lightweight carbon nanotube fiber is successfully constructed. Taking advantage of their mechanoluminescent‐triboelectric synergistic effect, the well‐designed MLTENGF delivers an excellent enhancement electrical signal of 200% and an evident optical signal whether on land or underwater. More encouragingly, the MLTENGF device possesses outstanding stability with almost unchanged sensitivity after stretching for 200%. Furthermore, an extraordinary non‐contact sensing capability with a detection distance of up to 35 cm is achieved for the MLTENGF. As application demonstrations, MLTENGFs can be used for home security monitoring, intelligent zither, traffic vehicle collision avoidance, and underwater communication. Thus, this work accelerates the development of wearable electro‐optical textile electronics for smart human‐machine interaction interfaces.

Key Clinical Message Successful treatment by miniscrew‐assisted rapid expansion and clinical aligner therapy for an adult diagnosed with maxillary transverse deficiency (MTD) by clinical examinations and Yonsei transverse analysis. Abstract Adult orthodontic diagnosis and treatment with maxillary transverse deficiency (MTD) is challenging. Miniscrew‐assisted rapid palatal expansion (MARPE) is a fast and low‐risk method to expand the width of maxillary basal bone. This case report describes a 23‐year‐old female with mandible deviation and bilateral posterior teeth crossbite. She was diagnosed as MTD by the clinical examinations and Yonsei transverse analysis, and treated by the MARPE and clinical aligner therapy. After 26 months' treatment, cone‐beam computed tomography (CBCT) images showed that the width of maxillary basal bone increased by 3.8 mm, that of zygomatic arch and nasal bone increased by 1.0 and 1.9 mm, respectively, and the bilateral posterior teeth crossbite was corrected. Furthermore, the dental midline of lower arch was consistent with that of upper arch and face, the molars arrived Angle Class II and canines was Class I relationships, the profile was maintained, the facial asymmetry was improved. The results of seventeen‐month follow‐up showed that the effect of orthodontic treatment is very stable. This case report demonstrates that MARPE is the effective approach for patients with MTD and facial asymmetry, which provide the alternative for the treatment of similar cases.

Chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonate, commercially known as F-53B, has been associated with adverse birth outcomes. However, the reproductive toxicology of F-53B on the placenta remains poorly understood. To address this gap, we examined the impact of F-53B on placental injury and its underlying molecular mechanisms in vivo. Pregnant C57BL/6 J female mice were randomly allocated to three groups: the control group, F-53B 0.8 µg/kg/day group, and F-53B 8 µg/kg/day group. After F-53B exposure through free drinking water from gestational day (GD) 0.5–14.5, the F-53B 8 µg/kg/day group exhibited significant increases in placental weights and distinctive histopathological alterations, including inflammatory cell infiltration, heightened syncytiotrophoblast knots, and a loosened trophoblastic basement membrane. Within the F-53B 8 µg/kg/day group, placental tissue exhibited increased apoptosis, as indicated by increased caspase3 activation. Furthermore, F-53B potentially induced the NF-κB signaling pathway activation through IκB-α phosphorylation. Subsequently, this activation upregulated the expression of inflammatory cytokines and components of the NLRP3 inflammasome, including activated caspase1, IL-1β, IL-18, and cleaved gasdermin D (GSDMD), ultimately leading to pyroptosis in the mouse placenta. Our findings reveal a pronounced inflammatory injury in the placenta due to F-53B exposure, suggesting potential reproductive toxicity at concentrations relevant to the human population. Further toxicological and epidemiological investigations are warranted to conclusively assess the reproductive health risks posed by F-53B.

Abstract Transfer RNA-derived small RNAs (tsRNAs) have been shown to be involved in early embryo development and repression of endogenous retroelements in embryos and stem cells. However, it is unknown whether tsRNAs also regulate embryo hatching. In this study, we mined the sequencing data of a previous experiment in which we demonstrated that the microRNA (miRNA) cargo of preimplantation embryonic extracellular vesicles (EVs) influences embryo development. We thus profiled the tsRNA cargo of EVs secreted by blastocysts and non-blastocysts. The majority of tsRNAs was identified as tRNA halves originating from the 5´ ends of tRNAs. Among the 148 differentially expressed tsRNAs, the 19 nt tRNA fragment (tRF) tDR-14:32-Glu-CTC-1 was found to be significantly up-regulated in EVs derived from non-blastocysts. RT-qPCR assays confirmed its significant up-regulation in non-blastocyst embryos and their conditioned medium compared to the blastocyst group (P

Abstract Background Fertility preservation treatment is increasingly essential for patients with apical endometrial hyperplasia (AEH) and early endometrial cancer (EEC) worldwide. Complete regression (CR) is the main endpoint of this treatment. Accurately predicting CR and implementing appropriate interventions during treatment are crucial for these patients. Methods We conducted a retrospective study involving 193 patients diagnosed with atypical AEH or EEC, enrolled from January 2012 to March 2022 at our center. We evaluated 24 clinical parameters as candidate predictors and employed LASSO regression to develop a prediction model for CR. Subsequently, a nomogram was constructed to predict CR after the treatment. We evaluated the performance of the nomogram using receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve and decision curve analysis (DCA) to assess its predictive accuracy. Additionally, we employed cumulative curves to determine the CR rate among patients. Results Out of the 193 patients, 173 achieved CR after undergoing fertility preservation treatment. We categorized features with similar properties and provided a list of formulas based on their coefficients. The final model, named GLOBAL (including basic information, characteristics, blood pressure, glucose metabolism, lipid metabolism, immunohistochemistry, histological type, and medication), comprised eight variables identified using LASSO regression. A nomogram incorporating these eight risk factors was developed to predict CR. The GLOBAL model exhibited an AUC of 0.907 (95% CI 0.828–0.969). Calibration plots demonstrated a favorable agreement between the predicted probability by the GLOBAL model and actual observations in the cohort. The cumulative curve analysis revealed varying cumulative CR rates among patients in the eight subgroups. Categorized analysis demonstrated significant diversity in the effects of the GLOBAL model on CR among patients with different total points (p

Abstract Background Topical photodynamic therapy (PDT) has demonstrated encouraging results in the treatment of oral leukoplakia (OLK). However, data on the clinical efficacy of PDT in Chinese patients with OLK are still limited. Methods Fifty patients diagnosed with OLK were enrolled, including patients with various dysplastic tissues. All patients received topical PDT with 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) as a photosensitizer. Clinical efficacy was evaluated 4 weeks after treatment. Follow-up was performed every 3 months during the first year and every 6 months during the second year. Results The overall response rate was 68% (34/50): 12% (n = 6) complete and 56% (n = 28) partial responses. Aneuploidy was reduced in the patients with dysplastic lesions. Oral pain and local ulcers developed in 52% of the patients (n = 26). Patients with a long history of OLK including hyperplasia and dysplastic lesions, as well as those with non-homogenous lesions, were more likely to develop pain and ulcer. During follow-up, the recurrence rate of hyperplasia and dysplastic lesions was 32% (n = 16) and the malignant transformation rate of dysplastic lesions was 4% (n = 2). Lesions on the buccal mucosa were associated with recurrence (P = 0.044; OR: 0.108, 95% CI: 0.013–0.915). Conclusion Topical 5-ALA-mediated PDT is an effective treatment for OLK, particularly for homogenous leukoplakia, with few side effects. The buccal mucosa may be a protective factor that can reduce recurrence.

The sensitivity of the eye at night would lead to complete saturation of the eye during the day. Therefore, the sensitivity of the eye must be down-regulated during the day to maintain visual acuity. In the Drosophila eye, the opening of TRP and TRPL channels leads to an influx of Ca++ that triggers down-regulation of further responses to light, including the movement of the TRPL channel and Gα proteins out of signaling complexes found in actin-mediated microvillar extensions of the photoreceptor cells (the rhabdomere). The eye also exhibits a light entrained-circadian rhythm, and we have recently observed that one component of this rhythm (BDBT) becomes undetectable by antibodies after exposure to light even though immunoblot analyses still detect it in the eye. BDBT is necessary for normal circadian rhythms, and in several circadian and visual mutants this eye-specific oscillation of detection is lost. Many phototransduction signaling proteins (e.g., Rhodopsin, TRP channels and Gα) also become undetectable shortly after light exposure, most likely due to a light-induced compaction of the rhabdomeric microvilli. The circadian protein BDBT might be involved in light-induced changes in the rhabdomere, and if so this could indicate that circadian clocks contribute to the daily adaptations of the eye to light. Likewise, circadian oscillations of clock proteins are observed in photoreceptors of the mammalian eye and produce a circadian oscillation in the ERG. Disruption of circadian rhythms in the eyes of mammals causes neurodegeneration in the eye, demonstrating the importance of the rhythms for normal eye function.

Abstract Background To compared the clinical efficacy of two surgical methods, posterior laminectomy fusion fixation, and posterior single open-door laminoplasty, in treating multilevel cervical ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL). Methods The study retrospectively included 102 patients treated between December 2016 and December 2020. The patients were included into an observation group (56 cases) treated with total laminectomy and lateral screw fixation, and a control group (46 cases) treated with single open-door laminoplasty. Results After 24 months, both groups showed significant improvement in Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) scores and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores, indicating better clinical symptoms and functional recovery. There was no significant difference in preoperative JOA and VAS scores between the two groups (P > 0.05). At 24 months after surgery, there was no significant difference in JOA and VAS scores between the two groups (P > 0.05). However, the observation group had a significantly higher cervical curvature index (CCI) and lower range of motion (ROM) of the cervical spine compared to the control group (P

The Pan-Third Pole region comprises multiple nations affected by climate vulnerability and energy inequality, wherein promoting energy transitions in rural households would provide a path to combat climate change. Identifying the factors that drive rural household energy consumption and the transition is important. This study performed a micro-survey of 1060 rural households in five countries in the Pan-Third Pole region and empirically analyzed the relationships between off-farm income, energy consumption, and energy transitions. The off-farm income of rural households was found to have a significantly positive effect (p

Abstract Background Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and multiple sclerosis (MS) are three nervous system diseases that partially overlap clinically and genetically. However, bulk RNA-sequencing did not accurately detect the core pathogenic molecules in them. The availability of high-quality single cell RNA-sequencing data of post-mortem brain collections permits the generation of a large-scale gene expression in different cells in human brain, focusing on the molecular features and relationships between diseases and genes. We integrated single-nucleus RNA-sequencing (snRNA-seq) datasets of human brains with AD, PD, and MS to identify transcriptomic commonalities and distinctions among them. Methods The snRNA-seq datasets were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The Seurat package was used for snRNA-seq data processing. The uniform manifold approximation and projection (UMAP) were utilized for cluster identification. The FindMarker function in Seurat was used to identify the differently expressed genes. Functional enrichment analysis was carried out using the Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) and Gene ontology (GO). The protein‐protein interaction (PPI) analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) was analyzed using STRING database ( http://string-db.org ). SCENIC analysis was performed using utilizing pySCENIC (v0.10.0) based on the hg19-tss-centered-10 kb-10species databases. The analysis of potential therapeutic drugs was analyzed on Connectivity Map ( https://clue.io ). Results The gene regulatory network analysis identified several hub genes regulated in AD, PD, and MS, in which HSPB1 and HSPA1A were key molecules. These upregulated HSP family genes interact with ribosome genes in AD and MS, and with immunomodulatory genes in PD. We further identified several transcriptional regulators (SPI1, CEBPA, TFE3, GRHPR, and TP53) of the hub genes, which has important implications for uncovering the molecular crosstalk among AD, PD, and MS. Arctigenin was identified as a potential therapeutic drug for AD, PD, and MS. Conclusions Together, the integrated snRNA-seq data and findings have significant implications for unraveling the shared and unique molecular crosstalk among AD, PD, and MS. HSPB1 and HSPA1A as promising targets involved in the pathological mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases. Additionally, the identification of arctigenin as a potential therapeutic drug for AD, PD, and MS further highlights its potential in treating these neurological disorders. These discoveries lay the groundwork for future research and interventions to enhance our understanding and treatment of AD, PD, and MS.

Abstract Background Farnesol is a Candida-secreted quorum-sensing molecule of great interest as a potential antifungal agent for serious and hardly curable infections—candidiasis, especially vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC). Methods The effect of farnesol on cellular morphology and viability and evaluated the production of Th1 (IL-2), Th2 (IL-4), proinflammatory (IL-6), chemotactic (IL-8), and Th17 (IL-17) cytokines in the culture supernatants of vaginal epithelial cell line (VK2) were evaluated. Moreover, we tested the inhibitory effect of farnesol on C. albicans adhesion. Scanning electron microscopy was conducted to observe any VK2 cell ultrastructural changes. Results Only low concentrations (≤ 50 µmol/L) of farnesol did not affect the morphology and viability of the VK2 cells (P > 0.05). Farnesol reduced the adhesion of C. albicans to the VK2 cells. When treated with farnesol, statistical elevated levels of both IL-4 and IL-17 secreted by the infected VK2 cells were present in the culture supernatants (P

Abstract This work proposes the framework of dual dynamic triggers to deal with the communication problem of remote control under the event‐triggered scheme for network control systems (NCSs). Compared with the existing NCSs, a local controller is set up at the plant site, which provides the local control input for the plant as a remote controller. The remote controller and the plant measurement have their individual dynamic triggers. Thus it is allowed that the local controller and the remote controller permit asynchronous communication, which is governed by different event conditions. It is proven that the proposed control strategy can drive the closed‐loop system asymptotically to equilibrium. Finally, a numerical example is presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

High-intensity vortex beams with tunable topological charges and low coherence are highly demanded in applications such as inertial confinement fusion (ICF) and optical communication. However, traditional optical vortices featuring nonuniform intensity distributions are dramatically restricted in application scenarios that require a high-intensity vortex beam owing to their ineffective amplification resulting from the intensity-dependent nonlinear effect. Here, a low-coherence perfect vortex beam (PVB) with a topological charge as high as 140 is realized based on the super-pixel wavefront-shaping technique. More importantly, a globally adaptive feedback algorithm (GAFA) is proposed to efficiently suppress the original intensity fluctuation and achieve a flat-top PVB with dramatically reduced beam speckle contrast. The GAFA-based flat-top PVB generation method can pave the way for high-intensity vortex beam generation, which is crucial for potential applications in ICF, laser processing, optical communication and optical trapping.

Abstract Background Metabolites in spent embryo culture medium correlate with the embryo’s viability. However, there is no widely accepted method using metabolite dada to predict successful implantation. We sought to combine metabolomic profiling of spent embryo culture medium and clinical variables to create an implantation prediction model as an adjunct to morphological screening of day 3 embryos. Methods This investigation was a prospective, nested case-control study. Forty-two day 3 embryos from 34 patients were transferred, and the spent embryo culture medium was collected. Twenty-two embryos implanted successfully, and the others failed. Metabolites in the medium relevant to implantation were detected and measured by Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry. Clinical signatures relevant to embryo implantation were subjected to univariate analysis to select candidates for a prediction model. Multivariate logistical regression of the clinical and metabolomic candidates was used to construct a prediction model for embryo implantation potential. Results The levels of 13 metabolites were significantly different between the successful and failed groups, among which five were most relevant and interpretable selected by Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator regression analysis. None of the clinical variables significantly affected day 3 embryo implantation. The most relevant and interpretable set of metabolites was used to construct a prediction model for day 3 embryo implantation potential with an accuracy of 0.88. Conclusions Day 3 embryos’implantation potential could be noninvasively predicted by the spent embryo culture medium’s metabolites measured by LC-MS. This approach may become a useful adjunct to morphological evaluation of day 3 embryos.

Objective: This study aimed to optimize the extraction process of Porphyra haitanensis polyphenols to develop natural hypoglycemic foods. Methods: The Box-Behnken response surface method was used to optimize the extraction process of P. haitanensis polyphenols. The α-glucosidase inhibition activity was applied to evaluate the hypoglycemic activity of P. haitanensis polyphenols at different harvest periods, and the antioxidant activities of them were evaluated based on DPPH, ABTS+ radical scavenging rate and ORAC value. Results: The optimal extraction process conditions were liquid-solid ratio (Vethanol∶mP. haitanensis) 51∶1, ethanol concentration 56% and ultrasonication time 51 min. Under the control of these conditions, the extracted content of polyphenols was 5.027 mg/g. The inhibition of α-glucosidase activity by P. haitanensis polyphenols was in a concentration-dependent manner, and the inhibition by the fourth-harvest-period polyphenols was significantly higher than other harvest periods polyphenols. P. haitanensis polyphenols at different harvest periods showed antioxidant activity, and the antioxidant activity of the fourth-harvest-period polyphenols was strongest. Conclusion: The high polyphenol contents, strong inhibition of α-glucosidase activity and strong antioxidant capacity of the fourth-harvest-period makes it an excellent food source for developing natural hypoglycemic foods and antioxidants.

Abstract N 6-methyladenosine (m6A) is a form of posttranscriptional modification that plays important roles in cancer including oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Most studies to date have focused on a limited number of regulators and oncogenic pathways, thus failing to provide comprehensive insight into the dynamic effects of m6A modification. In addition, the role of m6A modification in shaping immune cell infiltration in OSCC has yet to be clarified. This study was designed to assess m6A modification dynamics in OSCC and to understand how such modifications influence clinical immunotherapeutic treatment outcomes. m6A modification patterns linked with 23 m6A regulators were analyzed in 437 OSCC patients from TCGA and GEO cohorts. These patterns were then quantified through m6A score based on algorithms derived from a principal component analysis (PCA) approach. The m6A modification patterns of OSCC samples were grouped into two clusters based on the m6A regulators expression, and immune cell infiltration was linked with the 5-year survival outcomes of patients in these clusters. 1575 genes associated with OSCC patient prognosis were identified and used to re-cluster these samples into two groups. Patients in clusters exhibiting higher levels of m6A regulator expression exhibited poorer overall survival (OS), whereas patients with high m6A scores survived for longer (p

Abstract Background Dyslipidaemia is associated with cancers. However, the specific expression of serum lipids in oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMD) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) remains unclear, and it remains unknown whether serum lipids are associated with the development of OPMD and OSCC. This study investigated the serum lipid profiles of OPMD and OSCC patients, and the association of serum lipids with the occurrence of OPMD and OSCC. Methods A total of 532 patients were recruited from the Affiliated Hospital of Stomatology, Nanjing Medical University. Serum lipid parameters including total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TGs), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), apolipoprotein A (Apo-A), apolipoprotein B (Apo-B), and lipoprotein (a) (Lpa) were analysed, and clinicopathological data were collected for further analysis. Furthermore, a regression model was used to evaluate the relationship between serum lipids and the occurrence of OSCC and OPMD. Results After adjusting for age and sex, no significant differences were observed in serum lipid or body mass index (BMI) between OSCC patients and controls (P > 0.05). HDL-C, Apo-A, and Apo-B levels were lower in OSCC patients than in OPMD patients (P

Aims: This research aims to explore the factors related to early spontaneous miscarriage after in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) pregnancy, and to provide guidance for improving pregnancy outcomes. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the data for clinical pregnant women (2591 cycles) undergoing IVF-ET at the reproductive center of Peking University People’s Hospital from January 2017 to December 2018; This included 544 ​ET cycles and 2047 frozen embryo transfer cycles. The analysis of factors associated with early miscarriage in the overall population of IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) pregnancies (including fresh and thawing cycles) was performed. Results: The risk of early miscarriage in the 35–39 age group was 1.35 times higher than that in the

Objective: This study aimed to improve the recrystallization yield and purity of flavonoid. Methods: Taking the crude flavonoids from pomelo peel extracted by ultrasonic-assisted ethanol extraction as raw materials, the process parameters of ethanol recrystallization and purification of flavonoids were optimized by response surface methodology. Results: The main factors affecting the recrystallization yield of flavonoids were ethanol concentration, crystallization time, pH value, and the interaction between ethanol concentration and pH value, among which, the ethanol concentration affacted most significantly. Conclusion: The optimal recrystallization conditions of flavonoids were as follows: ethanol volume fraction of 24%, liquid-solid ratio of 10∶1 (mL/g), pH 3.75, crystallization temperature of 4 ℃, and crystallization time of 24 h. The crystallization yield of flavonoids was 8.76%, and the main crystallization product was naringin with a purity of 83.38%.

Summary: Free-standing metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with controllable structure and good stability are emerging as promising materials for applications in flexible pressure sensors and energy-storage devices. However, the inherent low electrical conductivity of MOF-based materials requires complex preparation processes that involve high-temperature carbonization. This work presents a simple method to grow conductive nickel MOF nanowire arrays on carbon cloth (Ni-CAT@CC) and use Ni-CAT@CC as the functional electrodes for flexible piezoresistive sensor. The resulting sensor is able to monitor human activity, including elbow bending, knee bending, and wrist bending. Besides, the soft-packaged aqueous Ni-Zn battery is assembled with Ni-CAT@CC, a piece of glass microfiber filters, and Zn foil acting as cathode, separator, and anode, respectively. The Ni-Zn battery can be used as a power source for finger pressure monitoring. This work demonstrates free-standing MOF-based nanowires as bifunctional fabric electrodes for wearable electronics.

ObjectiveInfectious diseases including COVID-19 and mental disorders are two of the most common health conditions associated with stigma. However, the comparative stigma of these two conditions has received less attention in research. This study aimed to compare the prevalence of stigmatizing views toward people with COVID-19 and mental disorders and the factors associated with these views, among a large sample of adolescent and young adult students in China.MethodsA total of 9,749 adolescents and young adults aged 15–24 years completed a survey on stigmatizing attitudes toward COVID-19 and mental disorders, as well as mental health-related factors, including general mental health status and symptoms of depression, anxiety, insomnia, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Multivariable linear regression analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with stigmatizing views.FindingsThe prevalence of COVID-19 and mental disorders-related stigma was 17.2% and 40.7%, respectively. COVID-19-related stigma scores were significantly higher among male students (β = 0.025, p < 0.05), those without quarantine experience (β = 0.035, p < 0.001), those with lower educational level (p < 0.001), those with lower family income (p < 0.01), and those with higher PTSD symptoms (β = 0.045, p < 0.05). Mental disorder-related stigma scores were significantly higher among individuals with average and lower-than-average levels of family income (p < 0.01), depression symptoms (β = 0.056, p < 0.001), anxiety symptoms (β = 0.051, p < 0.001), and mental health problems (β = 0.027, p < 0.05).ConclusionThe stigma of mental disorders is higher in the youth population than the stigma of COVID-19. Factors associated with stigmatizing attitudes toward people with COVID-19 and mental disorders varied across the youth. Stigma-reduction interventions among the youth should be targeted specifically to COVID-19 or mental disorders conditions.

Compared with purely electrical neuromorphic devices, those stimulated by optical signals have gained increasing attention due to their realistic sensory simulation. In this work, an optoelectronic neuromorphic device based on a photoelectric memristor with a Bi2FeCrO6/Al-doped ZnO (BFCO/AZO) heterostructure is fabricated that can respond to both electrical and optical signals and successfully simulate a variety of synaptic behaviors, such as STP, LTP, and PPF. In addition, the photomemory mechanism was identified by analyzing the energy band structures of AZO and BFCO. A convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture for pattern classification at the Mixed National Institute of Standards and Technology (MNIST) was used and improved the recognition accuracy of the MNIST and Fashion-MNIST datasets to 95.21% and 74.19%, respectively, by implementing an improved stochastic adaptive algorithm. These results provide a feasible approach for future implementation of optoelectronic synapses.

With the fast progress of infrastructure projects, super-large cross-section projects are constantly emerging, and, therefore, engineering challenges and problems are increasing. Taking the triple-arch tunnel project in the turn-back line section of Santunbei Station in Urumqi Metro Line 1# as a case study, this research applied numerical simulation software Midas GTS/NX 2022 for the analysis of tunnel force and deformation in triple-arch cross-sections under different support forms of partition wall. Following the optimization of the support design of the mixed partition wall to a single straight wall, the following analytical results were obtained: surface settlement was decreased by 21.15% at the original cross-section; maximum values of principal stress and displacement of partition wall were decreased by 6.73 and 10.64%, respectively; and corresponding values for initial support structure were decreased by 21.47% and 54.74%, respectively. Meanwhile, combined with comparative analysis of engineering measurement and numerical simulation results, surface settlement and vault deformation were found to be similar to the optimized simulation results, which not only verified the reliability of simulation results but also ensured the safe and smooth construction of the project, greatly improving construction efficiency and saving construction time and cost.

Hybrid quantum systems based on magnons in magnetic materials have made significant progress in the past decade. They are built based on the couplings of magnons with microwave photons, optical photons, vibration phonons, and superconducting qubits. In particular, the interactions among magnons, microwave cavity photons, and vibration phonons form the system of cavity magnomechanics (CMM), which lies in the interdisciplinary field of cavity QED, magnonics, quantum optics, and quantum information. Here, we review the experimental and theoretical progress of this emerging field. We first introduce the underlying theories of the magnomechanical coupling, and then some representative classical phenomena that have been experimentally observed, including magnomechanically induced transparency, magnomechanical dynamical backaction, magnon-phonon cross-Kerr nonlinearity, etc. We also discuss a number of theoretical proposals, which show the potential of the CMM system for preparing different kinds of quantum states of magnons, phonons, and photons, and hybrid systems combining magnomechanics and optomechanics and relevant quantum protocols based on them. Finally, we summarize this review and provide an outlook for the future research directions in this field.

The control of surface cracking in the forming of titanium alloy forgings is a significant problem in the forging industry. For titanium alloys, the formation of surface cracks is related to temperature, strain rate, and stress state. This study selected the widely used medium to high strength titanium alloy Ti-6Al-4V in the field of forging as the research material, and designed six different shapes of specimens for high-temperature tensile and compression tests. The mechanisms underlying crack formation were analyzed at the microscopic level, and the critical fracture displacement of these tests was extracted. Moreover, their critical fracture strains were obtained through simulations, and a High-temperature damage model was established based on the DF2016 model. The research results showed that cracks through void at grain boundaries propagate and aggregate to form, leading to a fracture mechanism characterized by ductile fracture through micro-pore aggregation. Simulation results demonstrate that the established model accurately predicts the crack of forgings.

The inconsistency in state-of-charge (SOC) for electric vehicle batteries will cause component damage and lifespan reduction of batteries. Meanwhile, the consistency in the state-of-health (SOH) also negatively influences the consensus of SOC. To ensure the consensuses of SOC and SOH simultaneously, this paper introduces an innovative distributed optimal Kalman consensus filter (KCF) approach to battery management systems. In addition, at the stage where sensors transmit information to each other, a new event-triggering mechanism (ETM) based on dynamic information is proposed to reduce communication overhead effectively. Theoretical analysis verifies the optimality of the algorithm. By numerical simulations, the proposed event-triggered distributed optimal KCF (ET-DOKCF) method can improve the performance of SOC-SOH estimation and save communication resources.

With the rapid development of avionics system,a large number of devices and sensors are connected to the in-plane network,which makes the architecture of the in-plane communication network complex and heavy.Wireless communication network can effectively solve many problems,such as complicated wiring,heavy weight and difficult line fault detection.However,wireless network still has certain limitations in real-time and reliability,which is precisely the most concerned problem of airborne interconnection system.In this paper,the existing wired communication network architecture is analyzed,a hybrid communication network architecture of wireless access network and wired backbone network is designed according to its communication characteristics.The candidate wireless communication schemes are evaluated and selected.The fixed time slot of wireless network access is improved to dynamic allocation according to traffic,the mathematical model of dynamic time slot allocation is established,and the TDMA period and the optimal time slot allocation strategy are designed.Finally,a typical airborne network task shows that the strategy can improve the network utilization rate from 36.5% to 41.8% on the premise of ensuring that the system is schedulable,which verifies the effectiveness of the method.