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Abstract This paper introduces three different shapes of wireless charging containers (i.e. quadrangular prism, octagonal prism, and hexagonal prism) and presents optimal current flow designs for the coils to enhance the uniformity of magnetic flux distribution inside the containers. Additionally, the concept of folded coil design is introduced to further improve the even distribution of magnetic flux density within the containers. The performance of these designs is evaluated through simulations and practical experiments.

In order to satisfy the application requirements for strength and toughness of hydropower steels for large pumped storage power plants. In this study, based on the synergy of deformation and phase transition, the trade-off between strength and toughness was broken, and the GPa-grade nano-precipitated steel was prepared by direct quenching and tempering. The effects of Nb–V–Ti composite nano-precipitation behavior and martensite variant selectivity on the strengthening and toughening mechanisms were highlighted. The results show that directly quenched steel has the optimal comprehensive mechanical properties after tempering at 550 °C. Combining the contributions of various strengthening mechanisms, the increase in the yield strength relative to off-line quenching and tempering is mainly attributed to additional dislocation strengthening (∼33 MPa) and precipitation strengthening (∼174 MPa). Direct quenching enhances the homogeneous nucleation of finer mono- and binary precipitates and their stable growth during tempering, while the ternary precipitates do not suffer from elemental inhomogeneities due to lack of re-dissolution. Furthermore, the high-frequency variants of the dominant close-packed plane group tend to form high-angle grain boundaries with different orientations and planar alignments, derived from the refinement of Bain groups induced by the self-plasticity modulation of martensite transition due to the accumulation of deformed geometrically necessary dislocations and finite dislocation slip.

Abstract Background Diabetic macroangiopathy has been the main cause of death and disability in diabetic patients. The mechanisms underlying smooth muscle cell transformation and metabolic reprogramming other than abnormal glucose and lipid metabolism remain to be further explored. Method Single-cell transcriptome, spatial transcriptome and spatial metabolome sequencing were performed on anterior tibial artery from 11 diabetic patients with amputation. Multi-omics integration, cell communication analysis, time series analysis, network analysis, enrichment analysis, and gene expression analysis were performed to elucidate the potential molecular features. Result We constructed a spatial multiomics map of diabetic blood vessels based on multiomics integration, indicating single-cell and spatial landscape of transcriptome and spatial landscape of metabolome. At the same time, the characteristics of cell composition and biological function of calcified regions were obtained by integrating spatial omics and single cell omics. On this basis, our study provides favorable evidence for the cellular fate of smooth muscle cells, which can be transformed into pro-inflammatory chemotactic smooth muscle cells, macrophage-like smooth muscle cells/foam-like smooth muscle cells, and fibroblast/chondroblast smooth muscle cells in the anterior tibial artery of diabetic patients. The smooth muscle cell phenotypic transformation is driven by transcription factors net including KDM5B, DDIT3, etc. In addition, in order to focus on metabolic reprogramming apart from abnormal glucose and lipid metabolism, we constructed a metabolic network of diabetic vascular activation, and found that HNMT and CYP27A1 participate in diabetic vascular metabolic reprogramming by combining public data. Conclusion This study constructs the spatial gene-metabolism map of the whole anterior tibial artery for the first time and reveals the characteristics of vascular calcification, the phenotypic transformation trend of SMCs, and the transcriptional driving network of SMCs phenotypic transformation of diabetic macrovascular disease. In the perspective of combining the transcriptome and metabolome, the study demonstrates the activated metabolic pathways in diabetic blood vessels and the key genes involved in diabetic metabolic reprogramming. Graphical abstract

Abstract Near-infrared (NIR) phosphors based on Cr3+ doped garnets present great potential in the next generation of NIR light sources. Nevertheless, the huge searching space for the garnet composition makes the rapid discovery of NIR phosphors with high performance remain a great challenge for the scientific community. Herein, a generalizable machine learning (ML) strategy is designed to accelerate the exploration of innovative NIR phosphors via establishing the relationship between key parameters and emission peak wavelength (EPW). We propose a semi-supervised co-training model based on kernel ridge regression (KRR) and support vector regression (SVR), which successfully establishes an expanded dataset with unlabeled dataset (previously unidentified garnets), addressing the overfitting issue resulted from a small dataset and greatly improving the model generalization capability. The model is then interpreted to extract valuable insights into the contribution originated from different features. And a new type NIR luminescent material of Lu3Y2Ga3O12: Cr3+ (EPW~750 nm) is efficiently screened, which demonstrates a high internal (external) quantum efficiency of 97.1% (38.8%) and good thermal stability, particularly exhibiting promising application in the NIR phosphor-converted LEDs (pc-LED). These results suggest the strategy proposed in this work could provide new viewpoint and direction for developing NIR luminescence materials.

Abstract Sowing date and soil fertility are very important factors in the overwintering and production performance of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), yet there’s a knowledge gap in knowledge on how late-seeded alfalfa responds to phosphorus (P) fertilization. A field study was conducted in Inner Mongolia from 2020 to 2022 using a split-plot design. The main plots consisted of five sowing dates (31 July, 8, 16, and 24 August, and 1 September), while the subplots involved five P application rates (0, 40, 70, 100, and 130 kg P2O5 ha−1). Throughout the growing seasons, the overwintering rate, root traits, forage yield, and yield components were measured. The results revealed a consistent decrease in overwintering ability and productivity with the delayed sowing. This reduction in overwintering rate was mainly due to diminished root traits, while the decrease in forage yield was largely associated with a reduction in plants per square meter. However, P fertilizer application to late-seeded alfalfa demonstrated potential in enhancing the diameter of both the crown and taproot, thus strengthening the root system and improving the overwintering rate, the rate of increase ranges from 11.6 to 49%. This adjustment could also improve the shoots per square meter and mass per shoot, increasing by 9.4–31.3% and 15.0–27.1% respectively in 2 years, which can offset the decline in forage yield caused by late sowing and might even increase the forage yield. Regression and path analysis indicated that alfalfa forage yield is primarily affected by mass per shoot rather than shoots per square meter. This study recommended that the sowing of alfalfa in similar regions of Inner Mongolia should not be later than mid-August. Moreover, applying P fertilizer (P2O5) at 70.6–85.9 kg ha−1 can enhance the forage yield and persistence of late-seeded alfalfa. Therefore, appropriate late sowing combined with the application of P fertilizer can be used as an efficient cultivation strategy for alfalfa cultivation after a short-season crop harvest in arid and cold regions.

Abstract Objective The nutritional status and inflammatory responses of patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) play a vital prognostic role. We investigated the relationship between preoperative prognostic nutritional index (PNI)、neutrophil/albumin ratio (NAR)、platelet/albumin ratio (PAR) and other factors and the clinical prognosis of patients who underwent clipping for aSAH and its predictive model. Methods The clinical data of 212 patients with aSAH who underwent neurosurgery at Nanyang Central Hospital between 2018 and 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. Based on the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) score at 6 months postoperatively, the patients were categorized into two groups: poor (GOSI-III) and good (GOSIV-V) prognosis groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the predictive value of preoperative PNI、NAR、PAR、hyperlipidemia and Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) for prognosis. Furthermore, nomograms and prognostic prediction models were constructed. Receiver operating characteristic curves and area under the curve (AUC) were utilized to determine the predictive values. Results Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that PNI (OR = 1.250, 95%CI 1.060 ~ 1.475, P = 0.008), NAR (OR = 0.000, 95%CI 0.000 ~ 0.004, P = 0.000), PAR(OR = 0.515, 95%CI 0.283 ~ 0.937, P = 0.030), hyperlipidemia (OR = 4.627, 95%CI 1.166 ~ 18.367, P = 0.029), and GCS(OR = 1.446, 95%CI 1.041 ~ 2.008, P = 0.028) are independent risk factors for poor postoperative prognosis. The total score of the nomogram was 200, and the AUC value was 0.972. Conclusions PNI and NAR can reflect the nutritional status and inflammatory responses of patients.They are significantly associated with the postoperative prognosis of patients with aSAH. Comprehensively analyzing PNI and NAR combined with other clinical indicators can more effectively guide treatment and help predict prognosis.

The total saline-alkaline land area in China is about 99.13 million hectares distributed across northern China, coastal areas, and areas along the bank of the Huanghe River. About 46 million hectares of saline-alkaline water areas are distributed around these saline-alkaline lands, most of which are thalassic and characterized by a high pH value in excess of 8.8 associated with high-carbonate alkalinity concentrations and various types of ion imbalances. Saline-alkaline waters are stressful environments in which only relatively few organisms are able to survive. Consequently, most of the saline-alkaline water resources have been desolate for a long time. The effective utilization of saline-alkaline water resources will benefit restoration of saline-alkaline habitats and the expansion of aquaculture space. Naked carp (Gymnocypris przewalskii) are endemic to the austere saline-alkaline environment of Qinghai Lake. Due to overfishing in the 1960s and environmental changes in the lake area, the resources necessary for naked carp survival in Qinghai Lake declined substantially. At present, the major measures to protect the naked carp and maintain the ecological balance of Qinghai Lake are through a fishing ban and artificial stocking and releasing. The feeding behavior of fish under natural conditions has obvious rhythm characteristics, which is an important research topic for healthy aquaculture. To explore the characteristics of self-feeding rhythm and growth performance of fish in a saline-alkaline environment and provide basic data for the protection of native saline-alkaline fish, naked carp were taken as representative in this study. First, the freshwater and lake water group with natural photoperiod (14L: 10D) and the lake water group with darkness (24D) were set. The artificial lake water was prepared according to the ionic composition of Qinghai Lake, with the contents of Na+ 23.05%, K+ 1.34%, Ca2+ 0.11%, Mg2+ 6.88%, HCO3– 7.09%, CO32– 5.07%, Cl– 40.39%, and SO42– 16.07%. The measured salinity of the artificial lake water was 15.08, and the carbonate alkalinity was 27.53 mmol/L. According to the local photoperiod of Qinghai Province, the whole day was divided into five periods as 05:00–08:00, 8:00–11:00, 11:00–15:00, 15:00–19:00, and 19:00–05:00. The feeding rhythm experiment lasted for 5 d, and the average food intake of each period was calculated. The results showed that naked carp had an obvious daily feeding rhythm during their natural photoperiod. In the natural photoperiod, the feeding peak was from 08:00 to 11:00, and the low feeding period was from 05:00 to 08:00 in freshwater. In the lake water, naked carp showed high and continuous feeding from 08:00 to 19:00, and their average hourly feed intake was significantly higher than that from 05:00 to 08:00 and 19:00 to 05:00. Therefore, naked carp were determined to be the daytime feeding fish type. In addition, the high proportion and the continuous feeding in daytime in lake water indicated that the osmotic and acid-base regulation of naked carp in saline-alkaline water may enhance their diurnal feeding rhythm. Whereas in the continuous dark environment, the feeding rhythm of naked carp was weakened, and the average hourly food intake of each period was similar. To explore the growth performance of naked carp under a self-feeding rhythm, the lake water group and the freshwater control group with natural photoperiod were set up. After 63 days of self-feeding, the individual body length and weight of the naked carp were measured after being anesthetized with MS-222. The length growth rate (1.19±0.17)%, weight growth rate (10.66±0.98)%, and specific growth rate (0.16±0.02)%/d of naked carp in the lake water group were significantly lower than those in the freshwater group [length growth rate (18.66±0.41)%, weight growth rate (67.32±3.05)%, and specific growth rate (0.82±0.03)%/d)], indicating that the growth of naked carp was inhibited by high salinity and carbonate alkalinity environment. The parameter b of body length-weight relationship curve of the naked carp in both the lake water group and the freshwater group was less than three, which showed that the naked carp was a negative allometric growth fish. The b value of the lake water group was lower than that of the freshwater group, and the body length of naked carp increased faster than body weight in the lake water. The growth characteristics of naked carp were affected by the high saline-alkaline environment. The self-feeding rhythm and growth performance of naked carp provided a basic knowledge for creating a feeding strategy for fish cultured in a saline-alkaline environment and recovering endangered native saline-alkaline fish.

Agmatine, an endogenous polyamine generated by the gut microbiota, positively affects host lifespan by regulating mononuclear cell or macrophage function. Although the regulatory pathways governing monocyte/macrophage differentiation have been well studied, the influence of the microbiome and its metabolites on monocyte/macrophage function have not been fully elucidated. To address this, we aimed to investigate the mechanisms whereby agmatine inhibits immunometabolic disorders using the colon of ulcerative colitis (UC) model mice. Agmatine (10 mM) attenuated pathological damage to colonic tissue and significantly improved the survival rate of UC model mice. In particular, treatment of UC model mice with 0.4, 2, and 10 mM agmatine resulted in mortality rates of 70 %, 20 %, 10 %, and 0 %, respectively. In a macrophage-depletion model, agmatine regulated the inflammatory microenvironment by affecting macrophages: it reduced the proportion of M1 macrophages and increased that of M2 macrophages in UC model mice. In cultured macrophages, agmatine inhibited lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory cytokine and NO secretion, as detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and the Griess assay, respectively. Agmatine partially reduced inflammatory factor production by inhibiting histone deacetylase, as detected by fluorometric assay. These findings provide evidence that agmatine efficiently suppresses macrophage polarization in UC mice, highlighting its potential as an anti-inflammatory agent against UC.

ABSTRACT: Feed efficiency (FE) is an important economic factor in poultry production, and feed conversion ratio (FCR) is one of the most widely used measures of FE. Factors associated with FCR include genetics, the environment, and other factors. However, the mechanisms responsible for FCR in chickens are still less well appreciated. In this study, we examined the pattern changes of FCR, then delved into understanding the mechanisms behind these variations from both genetic and environmental perspectives. Most interestingly, the FCR at the front section of henhouse exhibited the lowest value. Further investigation revealed that laying rate in the high FCR (HFCR) group was lower than that in the low FCR (LFCR) group (P < 0.05). Cortisol, total antioxidant capacity (TAOC), and IgG levels in the LFCR group were significantly lower than those in the HFCR group (P < 0.05), while BUN level was significantly higher than that in the HFCR group (P < 0.05). We identified a total of 67 and 10 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with FCR in ovarian and small intestine tissues, respectively. Functional enrichment analysis of DEGs revealed that they might affect FCR by modulating genes associated with salivary secretion, ferroptosis, and mineral absorption. Moreover, values for relative humidity (RH), air velocity (AV), PM2.5, ammonia (NH3), and carbon dioxide (CO2) in the LFCR group were significantly lower than those in the HFCR group (P < 0.05). Conversely, value for light intensity (LI) in the LFCR group was significantly higher than that in the HFCR group (P < 0.05). Correlation analysis revealed a positive correlation between FCR and RH, AV, PM2.5, NH3, and CO2, and a negative correlation with LI. Finally, the FCR prediction model was successfully constructed based on multiple environmental variables using the random forest algorithm, providing a valuable tool for predicting FCR in chickens.

Background and aimsThe association between blood pressure (BP) and dementia in older adults remains unclear, prompting this study to investigate the relationship between various BP indicators and dementia in this population.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2019, including 3,599 participants aged 65 years or older. The basic demographic characteristics of participants were collected. BP measurements and neuropsychological assessments were performed. From the systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) values, mean arterial pressure (MAP), pulse pressure (PP) and blood pressure index (BPI) were calculated. Generalized additive models and logistic regression models were used to analyze the association between BP indicators and dementia.ResultsGeneralized additive models identified a U-shaped relationship between DBP and dementia, which was more significant in males and people 70 years of age and older. The optimal DBP associated with the lowest dementia risk was 85 mmHg. Logistic regression models revealed that compared to the DBP subgroup (80–89 mmHg), participants in the DBP

Abstract Wireless imaging, equipped with ultralow power wireless communications and energy harvesting (EH) capabilities, have emerged as battery-free and sustainable solutions. However, the challenge of implementing wireless colour imaging in wearable applications remains, primarily due to high power demands and the need to balance energy harvesting efficiency with device compactness. To address these issues, we propose a flexible and wearable battery-free backscatter wireless communication system specially designed for colour imaging. The system features a hybrid RF-solar EH array that efficiently harvests energy from both ambient RF and visible light energy, ensuring continuous operation in diverse environments. Moreover, flexible materials allow the working system to conform to the human body, ensuring comfort, user-friendliness, and safety. Furthermore, a compact design utilizing a shared-aperture antenna array for simultaneous wireless information and power transfer (SWIPT), coupled with an optically transparent stacked structure. This design not only optimizes space but also maintains the performance of both communication and EH processes. The proposed flexible and wearable systems for colour imaging would have potentially applications in environmental monitoring, object detection, and law enforcement recording. This approach demonstrates a sustainable and practical solution for the next generation of wearable, power-demanding devices.

Precisely estimating tendon ultimate stress in prestressed concrete beam members while accounting for the impact of various structural parameters holds practical significance in Structural Engineering. Existing approaches in design codes often rely on simplified empirical formulas, frequently falling in accurately representing outcomes across diverse conditions. This paper proposes a novel application of ensemble learning to predict tendon ultimate stress, leveraging relevant parameters identified through Neighborhood Component Analysis (NCA). NCA is strategically utilized for feature selection, enhancing prediction performance and reducing computational cost. An innovative integration of Gradient Boosted Regression Trees (GBRT) with Bayesian optimization for hyper-parameter tuning is introduced, trained, and validated using a robust database of 251 experimental results from simply supported prestressed concrete beams, encompassing a wide range of conditions and structural configurations. The study employs Individual Conditional Expectation (ICE) analysis to elucidate the correlation between input variables and predictions, providing deeper insights into parameter influence. Additionally, the GBRT model is benchmarked against state-of-the-art machine learning algorithms, including Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Decision Trees (DT), and Random Forest (RF), demonstrating a good prediction accuracy with R2 of 0.9330. Detailed correlation analysis and benchmarking results highlight the robustness and reliability of the proposed model, underscoring its potential to improve the design of prestressed concrete beam members and offering a significant improvement over traditional empirical approaches.

ObjectiveThis study aimed to assess the impact of multimodal monitoring on predicting the prognosis of patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (SICH) and to examine the feasibility of using noninvasive near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) for monitoring clinical prognosis.MethodsClinical data of 38 patients with SICH who underwent surgery in the Department of Neurosurgery of Shaanxi Provincial People’s Hospital from May 2022 to December 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were categorized into two groups based on the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) 3 months after operation: poor outcome group (GOSI-III) and good outcome group (GOSIV and V). Multimodal monitoring included invasive intracranial pressure (ICP), brain temperature (BT), internal jugular venous oxygen saturation (SjvO2), and noninvasive NIRS. NIRS monitoring comprised the assessment of brain tissue oxygen saturation (StO2), blood volume index (BVI), and tissue hemoglobin index (THI). The prognostic differences between the two groups were compared. The predictive values were evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and the area under the curve (AUC).ResultsICP, BT, BVI, and THI in the good prognosis group were lower than those in the poor prognosis group. The SjvO2 and StO2 in the group with a good prognosis were higher than those in the group with a poor prognosis.ConclusionThe levels of ICP, BT, SjvO2, StO2, BVI, and THI reflect the changes in brain function and cerebral blood flow and significantly correlate with the prognosis of patients with SICH. NIRS monitoring has a high clinical utility in assessing the prognosis.

This study investigates the efficacy of national emergency response policies in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic and their interactions with cultural and political factors. Employing the synthetic control method, we analyze data from countries on five continents that implemented such policies in early 2020. Our results indicate the overall effectiveness of these policies in mitigating the impact of COVID-19 yet reveal significant variability in their outcomes among countries. Notably, we identify a negative association between policy effectiveness and a culture characterized by individualism. Additionally, we observe that the impact of COVID-19 response measures is more prominent in countries with lower levels of democracy. These findings offer valuable insights into the intricate interplay between COVID-19 response policies, cultural dynamics, and political regimes, with potential implications for future policy decisions and research endeavors.

To explore the temperature field, temperature effect and mechanical behaviors of the track structure under combined load in high geo-temperature tunnel, the temperature field test platform is built to simulate the conditions under which the track bottom is heated in high geo-temperature tunnel, and the temperature distribution of the track bed slab in the transverse, longitudinal, and vertical directions is investigated. Then, the numerical model is built to examine the displacement and stress of the track structure under temperature load and combined load consisting of temperature and static vehicle load. The results show that when the temperature load on the track bottom is 30 ℃, the vertical temperature gradient inside the slab is negative, with a maximum of 20 ℃/m, and the maximum temperature differences in the vertical, transverse, and longitudinal directions are 5 ℃, 3.25 ℃ and 2 ℃, respectively. The temperature deformation of the track bed slab is manifested as sinking in the middle and warping at the edge, with the maximum tensile stress occurring in the upper-middle region and the maximum compressive stress in the lower-middle region. Under the combined load, the most unfavorable position of the vehicle load is where the front wheel is in the center of the slab, and for every 5 tons increase in axle load, the maximum tensile stress of the slab increases by about 4%, and the maximum compressive stress increases by about 2%. The findings provide reference for the optimization design of track in high geo-temperature tunnel.

The use of ground source heat pumps (GSHP) in solar greenhouses had the potential to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions. However, because of the imbalance in cooling and heating applications, there would be an imbalance of heat in the subsoil. A numerical model of GSHP in a tomato growing solar greenhouse was created based on EnergyPlus. Annual energy performance simulations were performed with borehole free cooling, ground source heat pump cooling and heating operation modes. Thermal balance of the subsoil was achieved by adjusting the operating strategies of the three modes. Simulation results showed that the average COP of heating and COP of cooling of GSHP were 4.66 and 5.35 respectively.

Abstract LIN28A is important in somatic reprogramming and pluripotency regulation. Although previous studies addressed that LIN28A can repress let-7 microRNA maturation in the cytoplasm, few focused on its role within the nucleus. Here, we show that the nucleolus-localized LIN28A protein undergoes liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) in mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) and in vitro. The RNA binding domains (RBD) and intrinsically disordered regions (IDR) of LIN28A contribute to LIN28A and the other nucleolar proteins’ phase-separated condensate establishment. S120A, S200A and R192G mutations in the IDR result in subcellular mislocalization of LIN28A and abnormal nucleolar phase separation. Moreover, we find that the naive-to-primed pluripotency state conversion and the reprogramming are associated with dynamic nucleolar remodeling, which depends on LIN28A’s phase separation capacity, because the LIN28A IDR point mutations abolish its role in regulating nucleolus and in these cell fate decision processes, and an exogenous IDR rescues it. These findings shed light on the nucleolar function in pluripotent stem cell states and on a non-canonical RNA-independent role of LIN28A in phase separation and cell fate decisions.

Due to the large daily temperature difference on the ultra-high altitude plateau of China, the actual vertical temperature gradient (TG) of ballastless track may exceed the design value in the Code. The temperature monitoring platform of the double-block ballastless track was established to obtain the temperature distribution characteristics of track. The finite element model of the temperature field of the track is developed to study the warping deformation of track, and then the influence of TG on the dynamic responses of the vehicle-track-bridge system (VTBS) are investigated. The results show that the maximum positive temperature gradient (PTG) and negative temperature gradient (NTG) of the track bed slab are 88.875 ℃/m and − 47.159 ℃/m, respectively, and the latter exceeds the design value in the Code. The dynamic responses are positively correlated with the TG, and the influence of the NTG is more significant. The dynamic response of the rail is most sensitive to the TG.

Atmospheric correction is one of the major challenges in ocean color remote sensing, thus threatening comprehensive evaluation of water quality within aquatic environments. In this study, five state-of-the-art atmospheric correction (AC) processors (i.e. Acolite, C2RCC, iCOR, L2gen, and Polymer) were applied to Operational Land Imager (OLI) Landsat-8 scenes and evaluated against in situ measurements across various types of waters worldwide. A total of 262 matchups between in situ measured and satellite-derived remote sensing reflectance (Rrs) at 20 sites were obtained between August 2013 and August 2021. Classification of optical water types (OWTs) was carried out using in situ measurements with matched satellite observations. OWT-specific analysis demonstrated that L2gen produced the most accurate Rrs with R2 ≥ 0.74 and root mean squared error (RMSE) ≤ 0.0018 sr–1 for the four visible bands of OLI, followed by Polymer, C2RCC, iCOR, and Acolite. In terms of Rrs spectral similarity, C2RCC yielded the lowest spectral angle (SA) of 8.55°, followed by L2gen (SA = 9.20°). The advantage and disadvantage of each AC scheme were discussed. Recommendations to improve the accuracy for atmospheric correction were made, such as polarization observations and concurrent aerosol and ocean color measurements.

Sulfide all-solid-state lithium metal batteries have received increasing attention owing to their high specific energy density and remarkable safety. However, serious interfacial problems still limit their further development. To solve the problem of instability of the interface between the solid-state electrolyte argyrodite (Li6PS5Cl) and lithium anode, strategies such as introducing an alloy cathode, introducing an intermediate interface layer, and directly modifying the electrolyte have been proposed; however, these methods are not suitable for practical applications. Notably, lithium lanthanum zirconium oxide (LLZTO) exhibits high lithium-ion conductivity and remarkable material stability, and silver (Ag) metal shows satisfactory lithium conductivity. Accordingly, a composite interface layer made of LLZTO and Ag was innovatively proposed to solve the lithium metal anode/Li6PS5Cl interface problem and increase the cycle stability of all-solid-state lithium batteries. We studied the effects of LLZTO–Ag composite interface layers with different combination manners, such as simply dispersed LLZTO–Ag composite, evenly dispersed and coated composite, and ball-milled composite, on the anode interface of Li6PS5Cl all-solid-state lithium metal batteries. The electrochemical performance of an optimized all-solid-state battery was also investigated. The results show that the surface of the LLZTO@Ag composite layer obtained by ball milling is relatively smoother and denser, which can effectively prevent lithium dendrite growth and battery short circuit. Compared with the simply dispersed LLZTO–Ag composite method and the evenly dispersed and coated composite method, the ball-milled composite layer anode method can be used to effectively reduce local lithium deposition current density and successfully solve the short circuit problem of the sulfide solid electrolyte. The first cycle efficiency of the LLZTOpw@Agpw–Lipl all-solid-state battery is 77.5%, and the discharge specific capacity is 187.3 mA·h·g−1. After 100 cycles at 0.3C, the discharge specific capacity is still 125.5 mA·h·g−1, and the capacity retention rate is 81.7%. Additionally, we investigated the electrochemical behavior of all-solid-state lithium metal batteries upon the introduction of the LLZTO–Ag composite interfacial layer by using the AC impedance (EIS) and constant-current intermittent titration technique. The LLZTOpw@Agpw anode shows satisfactory cycle stability for lithium batteries. The impedance of the LLZTOpw@Agpw–Lipl all-solid-state battery exhibits periodic oscillations, indicating that lithium vacancies will be generated in the NCM811 crystal upon extraction of lithium ions, thereby increasing the conductivity of the lithium ions and reducing their migration resistance as well. The effect is most prominent when half of the lithium ions are extracted, but further extraction of lithium ions will lead to too many vacancies in the material, following which extraction of lithium ions will be impeded, thereby increasing the migration resistance of the lithium ions. The interfacial impedance on the cathode side considerably increased during long cycling, thus affecting the subsequent cycling performance, while the interface on the anode side remained essentially stable, highlighting the stabilizing effect of the LLZTO–Ag composite interfacial layer.

Detent force is an inherent problem of permanent magnet linear synchronous machines (PMLSMs). In this paper, a mesh-level design methodology is proposed to minimize the detent force on PMLSMs. The novelty concerns introducing the inverse-based design to shape the mover ends on PMLSMs, allowing for automatically exploring the ideal mover ends configuration without any pre-given template. To this end, the ON/OFF method is used to express the topology of mover ends, metaheuristics algorithms are used to steer the topological evolution. To clarify the proposed method, two typical PMLSMs are adopted as numerical examples. The resulting mover ends produced by the genetic algorithm and immune algorithm are presented, and the convergence of the two algorithms is discussed. The comprehensive numerical results show that the proposed method is universal and practical as the detent force of the two typical PMLSMs can be suppressed to a low level.

Abstract Background Intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) is a major contributor to spinal disorders. Previous studies have indicated that the infiltration of immunocytes, specifically macrophages, plays a crucial role in the advancement of IVDD. Exosomes (exo) are believed to play a significant role in intercellular communication. This study aims to investigate the role of exosomes derived from degenerated nucleus pulposus (dNPc) in the process of macrophages M1 polarization. Methods Nucleus pulposus (NP) tissue and nucleus pulposus cells (NPc) were collected from patients with intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) and idiopathic scoliosis. Immunohistochemistry analysis was performed to determine the number of M1 macrophages in NP tissue. Subsequently, exosomes derived from degenerated NP cells (dNPc-exo) and non-degenerated NP cells (nNPc-exo) were collected and co-cultured with M0 macrophages, which were induced from THP-1 cells. The M1 phenotype was assessed using western blot, flow cytometry, immunofluorescence staining, and qRT-PCR. RNA-sequencing analysis was conducted to examine the expression levels of microRNAs in the dNPc-exo and nNPc-exo groups, and qRT-PCR was performed to investigate the effect pf different microRNA to induce macrophage polarization. Furthermore, western blot and qRT-PCR were employed to demonstrate the regulatory effect of microRNAs carried by dNPc-exo on downstream target signaling pathways in macrophages. Finally, an animal model of IVDD was utilized to investigate the impact of dNPc-exo on inducing M1 polarization of macrophages and its role in the IVDD process. Results In this study, we observed an increase in the number of M1 macrophages as the intervertebral disc (IVD) degraded. Additionally, we discovered that dNPc releases exosomes (dNPc-exo) could promote the polarization of macrophages towards the M1 phenotype. Notably, through RNA-sequencing analysis of dNPc-exo and nNPc-exo groups, we identified miR-27a-3p as a highly expressed miRNA in the dNPc-exo group, which significantly influences the induction of M1 polarization of macrophages. And then, we discovered that dNPc-exo has the ability to transport miR-27a-3p and target the PPARγ/NFκB/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, thereby influencing the M1 polarization of macrophages. We conducted experiments using rat model of IVDD and observed that the exosomes carrying miR-27a-3p actually induced the M1 polarization of macrophages and exacerbated the degradation of IVD. Conclusion In conclusion, our findings highlight the significant role of dNPc-exo in IVDD process and provide a basis for further investigation into the mechanism of IVDD and the potential of exosome-based therapy. Graphic abstract

Ultra-short baseline (USBL) underwater positioning systems are widely used in marine scientific research and ocean engineering. Angle misalignment is a main error that reduces the accuracy of USBL underwater positioning. The conventional angle-calibration method assumes that the transponder position obtained by USBL positioning is an errorless coefficient matrix. However, errors inevitably exist in the estimation of the transponder’s position via USBL positioning, and the precision varies at different epochs. Ignoring the error in the transponder’s position will significantly reduce the precision of the angle misalignment estimation. In this paper, a new angle-calibration method is proposed for precise USBL underwater positioning. The angle alignment model is derived by treating the transponder’s position obtained by USBL positioning as an observation, and the stochastic model is then established according to the bearing angles. Robust estimation is likewise applied to further improve the precision of the angle misalignment estimation. To verify the performance of the proposed method, a sea experiment was performed. The results show that the new method has high calibration accuracy and robustness. The estimation precision of this method is improved by 0.0457°~0.6896° in heading, 0.0125°~0.8072° in roll, and 0.0077°~0.9436° in pitch, compared with that of the conventional angle alignment method.

With the transformation and development of the automotive industry, low-cost and seamless indoor and outdoor positioning has become a research hotspot for modern vehicles equipped with in-vehicle infotainment systems, Internet of Vehicles, or other intelligent systems (such as Telematics Box, Autopilot, etc.). This paper analyzes modern vehicles in different configurations and proposes a low-cost, versatile indoor non-visual semantic mapping and localization solution based on low-cost sensors. Firstly, the sliding window-based semantic landmark detection method is designed to identify non-visual semantic landmarks (e.g., entrance/exit, ramp entrance/exit, road node). Then, we construct an indoor non-visual semantic map that includes the vehicle trajectory waypoints, non-visual semantic landmarks, and Wi-Fi fingerprints of RSS features. Furthermore, to estimate the position of modern vehicles in the constructed semantic maps, we proposed a graph-optimized localization method based on landmark matching that exploits the correlation between non-visual semantic landmarks. Finally, field experiments are conducted in two shopping mall scenes with different underground parking layouts to verify the proposed non-visual semantic mapping and localization method. The results show that the proposed method achieves a high accuracy of 98.1% in non-visual semantic landmark detection and a low localization error of 1.31 m.

Underwater electric fields have the characteristics of complex field sources, high dynamic range, and broad frequency band, making high-precision observation difficult. They put forward high requirements for observation methods, measurement sensors, instrument equipment, and signal processing methods. Underwater electric field measurement technology is widely used in various disciplines such as underwater target detection, geophysical exploration, deep geological structure research, and physical oceanography. This paper briefly reviewed the development process of underwater electric field measurement technology, summarized the current research in China and abroad, and clarified the key issues and difficulties in the research on underwater electric field measurement technology. The paper also reviewed the equipment, platform, and signal processing methods related to underwater electric field measurement technology, listed representative application cases in multiple disciplines such as underwater target detection, geophysical exploration, deep geological structure research, and physical ocean observation separately, and analyzed the problems and shortcomings of current underwater electric field measurement technology. On this basis, the prospects for technological development were envisioned, and some constructive suggestions were put forward.

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) homeostasis is essential for maintaining human health, and once imbalanced, it will trigger endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS), which participates in the development of digestive system tumors and other diseases. ERS has dual effect on tumor cells, activating adaptive responses to promote survival or inducing apoptotic pathways to accelerate cell death of the tumor. Recent studies have demonstrated that Chinese botanical drug extracts can affect the tumor process of the digestive system by regulating ERS and exert anticancer effects. This article summarizes the dual effect of ERS in the process of digestive system tumors and the intervention of Chinese botanical drug extracts in recent years, as reference for the combined treatment of digestive system tumors with Chinese and modern medicine.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a nonspecific inflammatory bowel disease characterized by abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea, weight loss, and colon shortening. However, UC is difficult to cure due to its high drug resistance rate and easy recurrence. Moreover, long-term inflammation and increased disease severity can lead to the development of colon cancer in some patients. Programmed cell death (PCD) is a gene-regulated cell death process that includes apoptosis, autophagy, necroptosis, ferroptosis, and pyroptosis. PCD plays a crucial role in maintaining body homeostasis and the development of organs and tissues. Abnormal PCD signaling is observed in the pathological process of UC, such as activating the apoptosis signaling pathway to promote the progression of UC. Targeting PCD may be a therapeutic strategy, and natural compounds have shown great potential in modulating key targets of PCD to treat UC. For instance, baicalin can regulate cell apoptosis to alleviate inflammatory infiltration and pathological damage. This review focuses on the specific expression of PCD and its interaction with multiple signaling pathways, such as NF-κB, Nrf2, MAPK, JAK/STAT, PI3K/AKT, NLRP3, GPX4, Bcl-2, etc., to elucidate the role of natural compounds in targeting PCD for the treatment of UC. This review used (ulcerative colitis) (programmed cell death) and (natural products) as keywords to search the related studies in PubMed and the Web of Science, and CNKI database of the past 10 years. This work retrieved 72 studies (65 from the past 5 years and 7 from the past 10 years), which aims to provide new treatment strategies for UC patients and serves as a foundation for the development of new drugs.

IntroductionFeline parvovirus (FPV), a single-stranded DNA virus, is accountable for causing feline panleukopenia, a highly contagious and often lethal disease that primarily affects cats. The epidemiology prevalence and pathogenicity of FPV in certain regions of China, however, remains unclear. The aim of this research was to investigate the epidemiology of FPV in different regions of China in 2021 and compare its infectivity and pathogenicity.MethodsIn this research, a total of 36 FPV strains were obtained from diverse regions across China. Phylogenetic analysis was performed based on the VP2 and NS1 sequences, and two representative strains, FPV027 and FPV072, which belonged to different branches, were selected for comparative assessment of infectivity and pathogenicity.Results and discussionThe results revealed that all strains were phylogenetically classified into two groups, G1 and G2, with a higher prevalence of G1 strains in China. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated that FPV072 (G1 group) exhibited enhanced infectivity and pathogenicity compared to FPV027 (G2 Group). The structural alignment of the VP2 protein between the two viruses revealed mutations in residues 91, 232, and 300 that may contribute to differences in infectivity and pathogenicity. The findings from these observations will contribute significantly to the overall understanding of the molecular epidemiology of FPV in China and facilitate the development of an effective FPV vaccine.

Background: Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) is a common hemorrhagic condition frequently encountered in the emergency department, which is characterized by high mortality and disability rates. However, the precise molecular mechanisms underlying the rupture of an aneurysm are still not fully understood. The primary objective of this study is to elucidate the fundamental molecular mechanisms underlying aSAH and provide novel therapeutic targets for the treatment of aSAH. Methods: The gene expression matrix of aSAH was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. In this study, we employed weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and differential gene expression analysis (DEGs) screening to identify crucial modules and genes associated with aSAH. Furthermore, the evaluation of immune cell infiltration was conducted through the utilization of the single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) technique and the CIBERSORT algorithm. The study utilized Gene Set Variation Analysis (GSVA), Gene Ontology (GO), and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) to investigate and comprehend the fundamental biological pathways and mechanisms. Results: Using WGCNA, six gene co-expression modules were constructed. Among the identified modules, the yellow module, which encompasses 184 genes, demonstrated the most significant correlation with aSAH. Consequently, it was determined to be the central module responsible for governing the pathogenesis of aSAH. Additionally, the application of WGCNA, LASSO regression, and multiple factor logistic regression analysis revealed ARHGAP26 and SLMAP as the key genes associated with aSAH. Furthermore, the diagnostic efficacy of these pivotal genes in aSAH was confirmed through the use of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, validating their discriminative potential. Moreover, the utilization of GO and KEGG pathway analysis revealed a significant enrichment of inflammation-related signaling in aSAH. Conclusion: The genes ARHGAP26 and SLMAP were identified as significant predictors of aSAH. Accordingly, these genes demonstrate significant potential to function as novel biological markers and therapeutic targets for aSAH.

PurposeThe study aimed to identify potential risk factors for aneurysm rupture by performing a systematic review and meta-analysis.Materials and methodsWe systematically searched the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library electronic databases for eligible studies from their inception until June 2023.ResultsEighteen studies involving 17,069 patients with unruptured intracranial aneurysm (UIA) and 2,699 aneurysm ruptures were selected for the meta-analysis. Hyperlipidemia [odds ratio (OR): 0.47; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.39–0.56; p

Abstract Bone metastasis is one of the main complications of lung cancer and most important factors that lead to poor life quality and low survival rate in lung cancer patients. However, the regulatory mechanisms underlying lung cancer bone metastasis are still poor understood. Here, we report that microRNA-182 (miR-182) plays a critical role in regulating osteoclastic metastasis of lung cancer cells. We found that miR-182 was significantly upregulated in both bone-metastatic human non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell line and tumor specimens. We further demonstrated that miR-182 markedly enhanced the ability of NSCLC cells for osteolytic bone metastasis in nude mice. Mechanistically, miR-182 promotes NSCLC cells to secrete Interleukin-8 (IL-8) and in turn facilitates osteoclastogenesis via activating STAT3 signaling in osteoclast progenitor cells. Importantly, systemically delivered IL-8 neutralizing antibody inhibits NSCLC bone metastasis in nude mice. Collectively, our findings identify the miR-182/IL-8/STAT3 axis as a key regulatory pathway in controlling lung cancer cell-induced osteolytic bone metastasis and suggest a promising therapeutic strategy that targets this regulatory axis to interrupt lung cancer bone metastasis.

Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region is located in Northwest China. Most of the culture ponds in Shizuishan City and Yinchuan City, in the northern part of Ningxia, are sulfate-type saline-alkali ponds. The central area of Ningxia is located on the Hetao Plain, where the salinity of water bodies is relatively low. Owing to the high pH value of saline-alkali water bodies, which indicates high alkalinity, water quality control has become the main challenge of saline-alkali aquaculture. The community structure of planktonic microalgae is closely related to the water quality of aquaculture ponds and the healthy growth of aquaculture organisms. The planktonic microalgae community structure of culture ponds in summer in Ningxia is rarely reported. To study the community structure characteristics of planktonic microalgae in different culture pond modes in Ningxia in summer, we collected planktonic microalgae samples in July 2021 from Pingluo County in Shizuishan City, Helan County in Yinchuan City, and Shapotou District in Zhongwei City in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. We then analyzed the planktonic microalgae community composition and its correlation with water quality factors. The samples were collected from three typical aquaculture pond modes: the shed-pond relay mode (PT), soil pond mode (TC), and rice-fishing breeding mode (DY). We qualitatively identified and quantitatively counted planktonic microalgae under a light microscope and performed diversity analysis using the Shannon diversity index. SPSS software was used to carry out bivariate correlation analysis between the total number of algae, total biomass, algal biomass of each phylum, and the physical and chemical factors of water quality in aquaculture ponds. A total of 5 phyla and 27 genera of planktonic microalgae were detected, including 7 genera of Cyanophyta, 13 genera of Chlorophyta, 5 genera of Bacillariophyta, 1 genus of Euglenophyta, and 1 genus of Dinophyta. The total number of planktonic microalgae in the 9 ponds ranged from 1.52×104 to 2.39×108 ind./L, the biomass ranged from 0.16 to 97.78 mg/L, the Shannon-Wiener index as 0.03 to 3.31, and the biomass diversity index was 0.29 to 3.58. There were significant differences in the community structure of planktonic microalgae in different kinds of culture modes. The community structure of planktonic microalgae in PT culture ponds had no obvious common characteristics. Cyanophyta, Chlorophyta, and Bacillariophyta, such as Anabaenopsis sp., Anabaena sp., Oscillatoria sp., Pediastrum sp., Oocystis sp., and Cyclotella sp., were predominant. A single genus of planktonic microalgae dominated in TC. The three ponds were dominated by Pediastrum sp., Chlorella sp., and Microcystis sp. The diversity of microalgae in DY culture ponds was relatively rich. Chlorophyta such as Chlorella sp., Scenedesmus sp., Pediastrum sp, Oocystis sp., and Cladophora sp. and Bacillariophyta such as Cyclotella sp. and Nitzschia sp. were the dominant algae. Although the community structure of planktonic microalgae in most ponds was dominated by Chlorophyta and Bacillariophyta, some ponds in PT and TC still had Cyanophyta overgrowth which became the single dominant algae. Harmful Cyanophyta proliferate in large numbers in aquaculture ponds and easily form algal blooms, which cause significant adverse effects on the water quality and environment and endanger the life and health of cultured organisms. The ponds with Chlorophyta and Bacillariophyta as the dominant species had a relatively stable water quality, were rich in microalgae species, had excellent water color, and experienced less disease and better growth of cultured organisms. The characteristics of high summer temperatures, long sunshine hours, sulfate-type saline-alkali water in Ningxia, and the eutrophication of the culture ponds due to factors such as food and cultured biological excrement affect the structure of planktonic microalgae communities in local culture ponds. The biomass of Cyanophyta had a significant positive correlation with the concentration levels of NO3–-N, NO2–-N, and chemical oxygen demand (COD) (P < 0.01). The total nitrogen and COD contents of the ponds in the DY mode were lower than those in the PT and TC modes, meaning that the water environment was not conducive to the proliferation of harmful Cyanophyta and that the planktonic microalgae biodiversity index was relatively high in the DY mode. In addition, a large number of studies have shown that the adaptability of Cyanophyta to strong light and optimal growth temperature is generally higher than that of other algae. The results indicated that in Ningxia, due to the long hours of light in summer, cyanobacteria blooms dominated by Cyanophyta such as Microcystis and Anabaenopsis formed easily in aquaculture ponds with high water carbon and nitrogen nutrients. Therefore, this finding indicates that the hours of light should be used as one of the critical control points when regulating pond water quality to prevent and control the occurrence of adverse conditions such as reduced production and efficiency due to the outbreak of harmful algal blooms.

Abstract The 2022 Winter Olympics were held in the three competition zones of Beijing, Yanqing and Zhangjiakou, China. The venues of this Winter Olympics were scattered and the terrain was complex. Moreover, the medical resources of Hebei and Beijing were relatively unbalanced. In the medical security of major events, the connection between first aid and in-hospital processes is of the utmost importance to rescue quality. 5th generation mobile network (5G) applications in medical scenarios are on the rise. It would be of great relevance to fully use 5G’s low-latency and high-speed features to share the process information of patients, ambulance personnel, and the destination hospital’s rescue team at emergency scenes and in transportation, improving rescue efficiency. This paper proposes a system scheme of cross-institutional emergency health information sharing based on 5G and augmented reality wearable devices. It also integrates the construction method of monitoring and other sign data sharing, in addition to testing the proposed scheme’s service quality in 5G environments. In the deployment area of the 5G emergency medical rescue information sharing scheme for the Beijing Winter Olympic Games, we selected two designated medical support institutions for testing. The test adopted a combination of fixed-point and driving tests to experiment on the service data, voice service, and streaming media indicators. The 5G signal's coverage rate was close to 100%, the standalone connection's success rate was 100%, and the drop rate was 0. The average downlink rate of multiple scenarios was 620mbps, and the average uplink rate of 5G was over 71.8mbps, which is higher than the average 5G level in China. The downlink rate was more than 20 times larger than the 4th generation mobile network (4G) rate. This study’s proposed scheme demonstrates the importance of 5G applications in emergency response and support, in addition to providing a suitable scheme for the integration of 5G networks in the medical scene.

When a human body moves within the coverage range of Wi-Fi signals, the reflected Wi-Fi signals by the various parts of the human body change the propagation path, so analysis of the channel state data can achieve the perception of the human motion. By extracting the Channel State Information (CSI) related to human motion from the Wi-Fi signals and analyzing it with the introduced machine learning classification algorithm, the human motion in the spatial environment can be perceived. On the basis of this theory, this paper proposed an algorithm of human behavior recognition based on CSI wireless sensing to realize deviceless and over-the-air slide turning. This algorithm collects the environmental information containing upward or downward wave in a conference room scene, uses the local outlier factor detection algorithm to segment the actions, and then the time domain features are extracted to train Support Vector Machine (SVM) and eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) classification modules. The experimental results show that the average accuracy of the XGBoost module sensing slide flipping can reach 94%, and the SVM module can reach 89%, so the module could be extended to the field of smart classroom and significantly improve speech efficiency.

Objectives Nicotine is an ingredient of tobacco, and exposure to nicotine increases the risks of various cancers, including oral cancer. Previous studies have focused on the addictive properties of nicotine, but its carcinogenic mechanism has rarely been studied. We aimed to explore the key genes in the process through which nicotine promotes the occurrence and development of oral cancer via data mining and experimental verification. Methods This study involved three parts. First, key genes related to nicotine-related oral cancer were screened through data mining; second, the expression and clinical significance of a key gene in oral cancer tissues were verified by bioinformatics. Finally, the expression and clinical significance of the key gene in oral cancer were histologically investigated, and the effects of its expression on cell proliferation, invasion, and drug resistance were cytologically assessed. Results SERPINE1 was identified as the key gene, which was upregulated in nicotine-treated oral cells and may be an independent prognostic factor for oral cancer. SERPINE1 was enriched in various pathways, such as the tumor necrosis factor and apelin pathways, and was related to the infiltration of macrophages, CD4+T cells, and CD8+T cells. Overexpression of SERPINE1 was associated with N staging and may be involved in hypoxia, angiogenesis, and metastasis. Knockdown of SERPINE1 in oral cancer cells resulted in weakened cell proliferation and invasion ability and increased sensitivity to bleomycin and docetaxel. Conclusion This study revealed SERPINE1 as a key gene for nicotine-related oral cancer, indicating that SERPINE1 may be a novel prognostic indicator and therapeutic target for oral carcinoma.

Application of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes (BMSC-exos) in cancer treatment has been widely studied. Here, we elaborated the function of BMSC-exos containing microRNA-187 (miR-187) in prostate cancer. Differentially expressed miRs and genes were screened with microarray analysis. The relationship between CD276 and miR-187 in prostate cancer was evaluated. Following miR-187 mimic/inhibitor or CD276 overexpression transfection, their actions in prostate cancer cell biological processes were analyzed. Prostate cancer cells were then exposed to BMSC-exos that were treated with either miR-187 mimic/inhibitor or CD276 overexpression for pinpointing the in vitro and in vivo effects of exosomal miR-187. miR-187 was poorly expressed while CD276 was significantly upregulated in prostate cancer. Additionally, restoring miR-187 inhibited the prostate cancer cell malignant properties by targeting CD276. Upregulation of miR-187 led to declines in CD276 expression and the JAK3-STAT3-Slug signaling pathway. Next, BMSC-exos carrying miR-187 contributed to repressed cell malignant features as well as limited tumorigenicity and tumor metastasis. Collectively, this study demonstrated that BMSC-derived exosomal miR-187 restrained prostate cancer by reducing CD276/JAK3-STAT3-Slug axis.

DNA is well-documented to stimulate immune response. Here the authors show that the activation of cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) depends on DNA mechanical flexibility, itself determined by DNA-sequence, damage and length.

Abstract Introduction One of the challenges in medical education is effectively assessing basic science knowledge retention. National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) clerkship subject exam performance is reflective of the basic science knowledge accrued during preclinical education. The aim of this study was to determine if students’ retention of basic science knowledge during the clerkship years can be analyzed using a cognitive diagnostic assessment (CDA) of the NBME subject exam data. Methods We acquired a customized NBME item analysis report of our institution’s pediatric clerkship subject exams for the period of 2017–2020 and developed a question-by-content Q-matrix by identifying skills necessary to master content. As a pilot study, students’ content mastery in 12 major basic science content areas was analyzed using a CDA model called DINA (deterministic input, noisy “and” gate). Results The results allowed us to identify strong and weak basic science content areas for students in the pediatric clerkship. For example: “Reproductive systems” and “Skin and subcutaneous tissue” showed a student mastery of 83.8 ± 2.2% and 60.7 ± 3.2%, respectively. Conclusions Our pilot study demonstrates how this new technique can be applicable in quantitatively measuring students’ basic science knowledge retention during any clerkship. Combined data from all the clerkships will allow comparisons of specific content areas and identification of individual variations between different clerkships. In addition, the same technique can be used to analyze internal assessments thereby creating an opportunity for the longitudinal tracking of student performances. Detailed analyses like this can guide specific curricular changes and drive continuous quality improvement in the undergraduate medical school curriculum.

The byproducts of bacterial fermentation known as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are chemically comprised of a carboxylic acid component and a short hydrocarbon chain. Recent investigations have demonstrated that SCFAs can affect intestinal immunity by inducing endogenous host defense peptides (HDPs) and their beneficial effects on barrier integrity, gut health, energy supply, and inflammation. HDPs, which include defensins, cathelicidins, and C-type lectins, perform a significant function in innate immunity in gastrointestinal mucosal membranes. SCFAs have been demonstrated to stimulate HDP synthesis by intestinal epithelial cells via interactions with G protein-coupled receptor 43 (GPR43), activation of the Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathways, and the cell growth pathways. Furthermore, SCFA butyrate has been demonstrated to enhance the number of HDPs released from macrophages. SCFAs promote monocyte-to-macrophage development and stimulate HDP synthesis in macrophages by inhibiting histone deacetylase (HDAC). Understanding the etiology of many common disorders might be facilitated by studies into the function of microbial metabolites, such as SCFAs, in the molecular regulatory processes of immune responses (e.g., HDP production). This review will focus on the current knowledge of the role and mechanism of microbiota-derived SCFAs in influencing the synthesis of host-derived peptides, particularly HDPs.

A BOUT ++ three-field magnetohydrodynamic model is employed to study the triggering and evolution of edge localized mode (ELM) by Li pellets injected along the outer mid-plane in the EAST configuration. The linear simulation shows that compared with a large deposition on the pedestal top (scenario I), a smaller deposition within the steep-gradient pedestal region (scenario II) can stimulate much larger linear growth rates of all-n peeling-ballooning modes (PBMs). The nonlinear simulation shows that there exists a pellet size threshold for ELM triggering for two deposition locations; the threshold for scenario I predicted in the present study matches the EAST observation well. Comparison of the two scenarios reveals that a smaller deposition is sufficient to trigger an ELM in a much shorter time in scenario II, whose ELM size is comparable to that in scenario I. This conclusion confirms previous DIII-D and ASDEX-Upgrade observations, suggesting that the steep-gradient pedestal region is a favorable deposition location for ELM triggering with minimum pellet size. Simulation analyses also find that the positive radial gradient of the hump-like pressure profile in the outer mid-plane induced by the pellet deposition plays a different role in the two scenarios. In scenario I, the force resulting from the gradient hinders the outflow of core plasmas and in return, the perturbation is suppressed from spreading inwards after ELM crashes. In scenario II, with a sizable deposition, the gradient results in another competitive perturbation growth region during the linear phase, thus dispersing the free energy and reducing the efficiency of destabilizing PBMs by pellet injection. The suppressing effect of saturated zonal flow on other modes, the short ELM fast crash phase, and the restricting transport effect of the positive radial pressure gradient work together to constrain the pedestal energy loss, especially when the pellet deposition amount is high.

Abstract Currently, there is a strong drive to discover alternative materials that exhibit room‐temperature phosphorescence (RTP) for displays, bioimaging, and data security. Ideally, these materials should be nontoxic, cheap, and possess controllable photoluminescent properties. Carbon dots (CDs) possess each of these characteristics, but to date, less attention has been paid to their RTP mechanism. Herein, we synthesized a series of CDs by self‐crosslinking and carbonization of precursor. The resultant CDs were luminescent and exhibited a bright, micro‐second afterglow lifetime. To increase the RTP, a second microwave processing step was used to coat the CDs with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyacrylamide (PAM), or tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS), producing CDs@PVA, CDs@PAM, and CDs@TEOS composites. The core–shell structure acted to enhance crosslinking at the surface of the CDs to boost the RTP, creating abundant energy levels for intersystem crossover. In situ X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy verified electron transfer during luminescence. Finally, we present a design rule that can be used to tune the quantum yields and RTP lifetime of CDs, based on the effective stabilization of triplet excited states through the extent and strength of cross‐linking. This simple strategy provides a flexible route for guiding the further development of CDs with tailored RTP properties for various applications.

The bridge influence line (IL) reflects the response of a certain section due to varying load positions. As a result, IL has a wide application prospect in damage identification and condition assessment. Up to date, studies regarding IL have been focused on the structure condition evaluation. A feasible and practical method for damage identification is still not yet available. The present paper proposes a comprehensive damage identification methodology based on IL under a moving vehicle is composed of data pre-processing, IL extraction, and damage detection. Firstly, a thorough review of existing IL identification methods based on signal processing is provided. Then three quasi-static IL identification methods based on measured data are discussed. Consequently, the study proposes a two-stage damage identification approach for simply supported bridges with equal span length. Also, the effectiveness of this approach is verified through field tests on a real girder bridge. At last, conclusions are drawn, and potential issues for the application of the proposed method in practice are discussed.

Abstract Phase separation (PS) is a fundamental principle in diverse life processes including immunosurveillance. Despite numerous studies on PS, little is known about its dissolution. Here, it is shown that oleic acid (OA) dissolves the cyclic GMP–AMP synthase (cGAS)–deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) PS and inhibits immune surveillance of DNA. As solvent components control PS and metabolites are abundant cellular components, it is speculated that some metabolite(s) may dissolve PS. Metabolite‐screening reveals that the cGAS–DNA condensates formed via PS are markedly dissolved by long‐chain fatty acids, including OA. OA revokes intracellular cGAS–PS and DNA‐induced activation. OA attenuates cGAS‐mediated antiviral and anticancer immunosurveillance. These results link metabolism and immunity by dissolving PS, which may be targeted for therapeutic interventions.

IntroductionAlfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is a highly nutritious leguminous forage that plays an essential role in animal husbandry. In the middle and high latitudes of the northern hemisphere, there are problems with its low rates of overwintering and production. The application of phosphate (P) is an important measure to improve the cold resistance and production of alfalfa, but little is known about the mechanism of P in improving the cold resistance of alfalfa.MethodsThis study integrated the transcriptome and metabolome to explain the mechanism of alfalfa in response to low-temperature stress under two applications of P (50 and 200 mg kg-1) and a control of none applied.ResultsThe application of P fertilizer improved the root structure and increased the content of soluble sugar and soluble protein in the root crown. In addition, there were 49 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) with 23 upregulated and 24 metabolites with 12 upregulated when 50 mg kg-1 of P was applied. In contrast, there were 224 DEGs with 173 upregulated and 12 metabolites with 6 upregulated in the plants treated with 200 mg kg-1 of P compared with the Control Check (CK). These genes and metabolites were significantly enriched in the biosynthesis of other secondary metabolites and the metabolic pathways of carbohydrates and amino acids. The integration of the transcriptome and metabolome indicated that P affected the biosynthesis of N-acetyl-L-phenylalanine, L-serine, lactose, and isocitrate during the period of increasing cold. It could also affect the expression of related genes that regulate cold tolerance in alfalfa.DiscussionOur findings could contribute to a deeper understanding of the mechanism that alfalfa uses to tolerate cold and lay a theoretical foundation for breeding alfalfa that is highly efficient at utilizing phosphorus.

The objective of this study is to investigate the influence of low transformation temperature (LTT) filling metal on residual stress and distortion in multi-layer butt-welded 22SiMn2TiB steel. A three-dimensional thermal elastic–plastic finite element model is developed for LTT filling metals, and metallurgical phase transformation is taken into account to predict the martensite fraction of the weld metal. A thermodynamic-based method is employed to calculate martensite start temperature (Ms) and the influence of dilution on Ms is also considered. Volume change due to austenite transformation during heating and martensite transformation during cooling are coupled with the numerical simulation of welding process. The evolution of welding residual stress and welding distortion are both predicted. The simulation results revealed that the distortion of welding plate using LTT filling metal is much smaller than that using austenitic metal. In the weld zone, transverse residual stress is lower using austenitic filling metal, but longitudinal stress is much smaller using LTT filling metal. Longitudinal stress distribution for both LTT and austenitic filling metals is very high in the heat-affected zone, which is close to the yield stress of base metal. The LTT filling metal can not only guarantee the strength of welded joint for armor steel, but also reduce the welding distortion obviously, and the residual stress is also very low at the same time. The predicted temperature profiles and welding distortion are generally in good agreement with the experimental ones.

ABSTRACT: Great advancement has been made on natural gas hydrates exploration and test production in the northern South China Sea. However, there remains a lot of key questions yet to be resolved, particularly about the mechanisms and the controls of gas hydrates enrichment. Numerical simulaution would play signficant role in addressing these questions. This study focused on the gas hydrate exploration in the Shenhu Area, Northern South China Sea. Based on the newly obtained borehole and multichannel reflection seismic data, the authors conducted an integrated 3D basin modeling study on gas hydrate. The results indicate that the Shenhu Area has favorable conditions for gas hydrate accumulation, such as temperature, pressure, hydrocarbon source, and tectonic setting. Gas hydrates are most concentrated in the Late Miocene strata, particularly in the structual highs between the Baiyun Sag and the Liwan Sag, and area to the south of it. It also proved the existence of overpressure in the main sag of source rocks, which was subject to compaction disequilibrium and hydrocarbon generation. It also shown that the regional fault activity is not conducive to gas hydrate accumulation due to excess gas seepage. The authors conjecture that fault activity may slightly weaken overpressure for the positive effect of hydrocarbon expulsion and areas lacking regional fault activity have better potential.©2022 China Geology Editorial Office.

Abstract Rapid progress has been made in quantum secure direct communication in recent years. For practical application, it is important to improve the performances, such as the secure information rate and the communication distance. In this paper, we report an elaborate physical system design and protocol with much enhanced performance. This design increased the secrecy capacity greatly by achieving an ultra-low quantum bit error rate of