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Abstract Background Abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) is considered as a strong predictor of cardiovascular disease (CVD) events. Our study aimed to investigate whether the predicted risk for cardiac death with the Framingham risk score (FRS) could be further improved with the addition of AAC score in general population aged ≥ 40 years. Methods A total of 2971 participants aged ≥ 40 years in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) 2013–2014 were followed up. The Spearman’s rank correlation was performed to explore the correlation between the AAC score and FRS. the Kaplan-Meier method was used to make cumulative cardiac death curve. Predictors of cardiac death was identified by multivariate Cox regression. Additionally, the predictive value of FRS alone and combined with AAC score was estimated by comparing the area under the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) and calculating Integrated Discrimination Improvement (IDI). Results During a median of 70.50 months (interquartile range 58.43–82.57 months), 49 (1.649%) experienced cardiac death in the follow-up. The FRS was positively associated with AAC score. Both FRS and AAC score were independent predictors of cardiac death (hazard ratio 1.216; 95%CI 1.135 to 1.302; p

Abstract A differential microelectromechanical system (MEMS) quartz resonant accelerometer with a novel oscillating readout circuit is proposed. The phase noise in a piezoelectric quartz resonant accelerometer has been systematically investigated. A high-performance front-end is used to extract the motional charge from a piezoelectric quartz resonator for the first time. This topology eliminates the tradeoff between the gain, bandwidth, and noise of the traditional front-end. The proposed bandpass front-end provides a 14.5 M gain at the oscillation frequency with a phase drift of 0.04°, ensuring a high-quality factor for the quartz resonator. The proposed bandpass front end also achieves input-referred current noise as low as 30.5 fA/√Hz, which helps improve the bias instability and resolution of the accelerometer. An anti-aliasing phase shifter is designed to regulate the loop bandwidth and compensate for additional phase drifts. To reduce the flicker noise introduced by the nonlinear effect, an amplitude limiter is used to set the resonator operating point. The accelerometer achieves a frequency resolution of 14 μHz/√Hz and bias instability of 32 μHz with a ± 70 g full scale, 54.5 Hz/g scale factor, and 552 Hz bandwidth.

Abstract Spontaneous forward–reverse mutations were reported by us earlier in clinical samples from various types of cancers and in HeLa cells under normal culture conditions. To investigate the effects of chemical stimulations on such mutation cycles, the present study examined single nucleotide variations (SNVs) and copy number variations (CNVs) in HeLa and A549 cells exposed to wogonin-containing or acidic medium. In wogonin, both cell lines showed a mutation cycle during days 16–18. In acidic medium, both cell lines displayed multiple mutation cycles of different magnitudes. Genomic feature colocalization analysis suggests that CNVs tend to occur in expanded and unstable regions, and near promoters, histones, and non-coding transcription sites. Moreover, phenotypic variations in cell morphology occurred during the forward–reverse mutation cycles under both types of chemical treatments. In conclusion, chemical stresses imposed by wogonin or acidity promoted cyclic forward–reverse mutations in both HeLa and A549 cells to different extents.

We propose a simulation approach to explore surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP), in which how the chain growth is affected by activation/deactivation process could be considered explicitly. Our findings indicate that these activation and deactivation mechanisms provide all polymer chains with equal growth opportunities. This process leads to a significant increase of grafting density while concurrently reducing the dispersity of the grafted chains. The ratio of activated and dormant chains is theoretically proved to eventually reach equilibrated within the activation/deactivation process. The shorter lifetime of activation/deactivation cycle leads to an even equal opportunity and a faster “stop-continue” pace for the growth of all chains. Our study is helpful for better understanding the role of activation/deactivation process in SI-ATRP from a microscopic perspective.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a multigenic condition influenced by both nature and nurture (60% to 40%). Prognosis of CAD is based on familial patterns. This study examined and analyzed the susceptibility of CAD to genetic variants in various Pakistani families. A total of 50 families, 308 participants (79 affected and 229 unaffected were genotyped for NOS3 (rs1799983, rs2070744), PON1 (rs662), LPA-PLA2 (rs105193, rs1805017), APOE (rs429358, rs7412), PCSK9 (rs505151), MEF2A (rs325400), TNF (rs1800629) and LDLR (rs1122608, rs2228671) genes. The family-based association in CAD associated genes SNPs were NOS3 (rs1799983), PON1 (rs662), LPA-PLA2 (rs1805017), MEF2A (rs325400), and LDLR (rs1122608, rs222867) showed transmission within families p≤ 0.05 whereas NOS3 (rs2070744), APOE (rs429358, rs7412) and TNF (rs1800629) showed no association TDT asymptotic p-value >0.05. In DFAM and QFAM test NOS3 (rs1799983), PON1 (rs662), MEF2A (rs325400), and LDLR (rs1122608, rs222867) showed positive association p≤ 0.05 in both whereas NOS3 (rs2070744), APOE (rs429358, rs7412), LPA-PLA2 (rs1805017) and TNF (rs1800629) showed low risk of transmission asymptotic p-value >0.05 in DFAM but NOS3(rs2070744), APOE(rs7412), LPA-PLAG2(rs1805017) also showed association p≤ 0.05 whereas APOE (rs429358) and TNF (rs1800629) showed no association EMP1 p-value >0.05 in QFAM. In linkage analysis Chromosome 6 (Position 70.810): LOD = 3.16, Chromosome 7 (Position 107.190): LOD = 3.16, and chromosome 19 (Position 31.470): LOD = 3.90 also showed significant association with disease as p < 0.05. This discovery enhances the understanding about genetic variants of CAD and also facilitates early detection, targeted interventions, pattern of inheritance in population. This ultimately improving patient outcomes and guiding future research to highlight its significance as a potential diagnostic marker.

ObjectiveTo develop a nomogram model based on the albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) score for predicting the 90-day prognosis of patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) and to evaluate its predictive efficacy.MethodsClinical data of 290 ACLF patients at the Third People’s Hospital of Nantong City, collected from December 2020 to December 2023, were analyzed. The data were divided into a training set (n = 200) and a validation set (n = 90), with August 2022 as the cut-off date. Patients in the training set were categorized into an improvement group (n = 133) and a mortality group (n = 67) based on their 90-day outcomes. The predictive power of baseline parameters was assessed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression to construct model. Model performance was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, calibration curves, decision curve analysis (DCA) and the Hosmer-Lemeshow test.ResultsCreatinine (CR) [odds ratio (OR) = 1.013, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.004–1.022], ALBI (OR = 10.831, 95% CI: 4.009–33.247), Gender (OR = 1.931, 95% CI: 0.973–3.870) and ascites (OR = 3.032, 95% CI: 1.249–8.178) were identified as independent prognostic factors. The prognostic model formula was derived as prognostic index (PI) = –0.591 + 0.658 × Gender + 1.109 × ascites + 0.012 × CR + 2.382 × ALBI. The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.804 (95% CI: 0.741–0.866), with a specificity of 85.0% and a sensitivity of 65.7% at a cut-off of 0.425. The AUC of the validation set was 0.811 (95% CI: 0.697–0.926). The Hosmer-Lemeshow test indicated a good model fit with a p-value of 0.287 for the training set and 0.423 for the validation set. Calibration curves demonstrated the accuracy of the model, and DCA results suggested that the model was clinically useful when the threshold was below 0.6.ConclusionThe nomogram model incorporating ALBI with CR, Gender and ascites can predict the 90-day prognosis of ACLF patients, potentially helping to optimize treatment strategies and improve patient outcomes.

Abstract Objective To investigate the association between meteorological data three days before admission and the status of sputum pathogens culture in hospitalized patients with Acute exacerbation of Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) and respiratory infections. Methods Data from 1,370 AECOPD patients (80.66% males, approximately 80% age > 70) with respiratory infections hospitalized in Fujian Provincial Hospital between December 2013 and December 2019 were collected. This cohort comprised, along with concurrent meteorological data from Fuzhou. Group differences were analyzed to compare the meteorological data three days prior to admission between patients with positive sputum pathogen cultures and those without. Logistic regression models were employed to investigate the association between meteorological parameters and the status of sputum pathogen cultures in patients with AECOPD and respiratory infections. Sensitivity analyses was conducted among the hospitalized patients from 2013 to 2016 and 2017–2019. Stratified analysis was performed to explore the factors affecting the effect of temperature differences and their interactions. Results 578(42.19%) cases had a positive sputum culture report indicating pathogen growth. 323 cases were found with Gram-negative bacteria, 160 with Gram-positive bacteria, and 114 with fungi. Uni-variate analysis revealed statistical differences in DTD three days prior to admission (DTD-3d) between the positive and negative sputum culture groups (p = 0.019). Multivariate analysis indicated that an increase in the risk of positive sputum pathogen cultures was associated with greater DTD three days before admission (DTD-3d), with OR1.657 (95%CI [ 1.328–1.981]). The risk of positive sputum pathogen cultures was higher in groups with greater DTD-3d. The findings were consistent across different admission periods. Stratified analysis showed that patients without respiratory failure were more affected by DTD-3d, and an interaction effect was observed (p

Backgrounde-Cigarette (electronic cigarette) use has been a public health issue in the United States. On June 23, 2022, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued marketing denial orders (MDOs) to Juul Labs Inc for all their products currently marketed in the United States. However, one day later, on June 24, 2022, a federal appeals court granted a temporary reprieve to Juul Labs that allowed it to keep its e-cigarettes on the market. As the conversation around Juul continues to evolve, it is crucial to gain insights into the sentiments and opinions expressed by individuals on social media. ObjectiveThis study aims to conduct a comprehensive analysis of tweets before and after the ban on Juul, aiming to shed light on public perceptions and sentiments surrounding this contentious topic and to better understand the life cycle of public health–related policy on social media. MethodsNatural language processing (NLP) techniques were used, including state-of-the-art BERTopic topic modeling and sentiment analysis. A total of 6023 tweets and 22,288 replies or retweets were collected from Twitter (rebranded as X in 2023) between June 2022 and October 2022. The encoded topics were used in time-trend analysis to depict the boom-and-bust cycle. Content analyses of retweets were also performed to better understand public perceptions and sentiments about this contentious topic. ResultsThe attention surrounding the FDA’s ban on Juul lasted no longer than a week on Twitter. Not only the news (ie, tweets with a YouTube link that directs to the news site) related to the announcement itself, but the surrounding discussions (eg, potential consequences of this ban or block and concerns toward kids or youth health) diminished shortly after June 23, 2022, the date when the ban was officially announced. Although a short rebound was observed on July 4, 2022, which was contributed by the suspension on the following day, discussions dried out in 2 days. Out of the top 50 most retweeted tweets, we observed that, except for neutral (23/45, 51%) sentiment that broadcasted the announcement, posters responded more negatively (19/45, 42%) to the FDA’s ban. ConclusionsWe observed a short life cycle for this news announcement, with a preponderance of negative sentiment toward the FDA’s ban on Juul. Policy makers could use tactics such as issuing ongoing updates and reminders about the ban, highlighting its impact on public health, and actively engaging with influential social media users who can help maintain the conversation.

Plant architecture determines canopy coverage, photosynthetic efficiency, and ultimately productivity in soybean (Glycine max). Optimizing plant architecture is a major goal of breeders to develop high yield soybean varieties. Over the past few decades, the yield per unit area of soybean has not changed significantly; however, rice and wheat breeders have succeeded in achieving high yields by generating semi‐dwarf varieties. Semi-dwarf crops have the potential to ensure yield stability in high-density planting environments because they can significantly improve responses to fertilizer input, lodging resistance, and enhance resistance to various abiotic and biotic stresses. Soybean has a unique plant architecture, with leaves, inflorescences, and pods growing at each node; internode number greatly affects the final yield. Therefore, producing high-yielding soybean plants with an ideal architecture requires the coordination of effective node formation, effective internode formation, and branching. Dozens of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) controlling plant architecture have been identified in soybean, but only a few genes that control this trait have been cloned and characterized. Here, we review recent progress in understanding the genetic basis of soybean plant architecture. We provide our views and perspectives on how to breed new high-yielding soybean varieties.

ABSTRACT Lactose intolerance (LI) is a prevalent condition characterized by gastrointestinal symptoms that arise following lactose consumption. Recent evidence suggests that the gut microbiome may influence lactose levels in the gut. However, there is limited understanding regarding the alterations in microbiota and metabolism between individuals with LI and non-LI. This study conducted a paired-sample investigation utilizing data from the American Gut Project (AGP) and performed metagenomic and untargeted metabolomic analyses in a Chinese cohort to explore the interaction between the gut microbiome and serum metabolites. In addition, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) experiments were conducted to further examine the impact of the LI-associated gut microbiome on inflammatory outcomes. We identified 14 microbial genera that significantly differed between LI and controls from AGP data. Using a machine learning approach, group separation was predicted based on seven species and nine metabolites in the Chinese cohort. Notably, increased levels of Escherichia coli in the LI group were negatively correlated with several metabolites, including PC (22:6/0:0), indole, and Lyso PC, while reduced levels of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and Eubacterium rectale were positively correlated with indole and furazolidone. FMT-LI rats displayed visceral hypersensitivity and an altered gut microbiota composition compared to FMT-HC rats. Metagenomic and metabolomic analyses revealed an enrichment of MAPK signaling in LI, which was confirmed by FMT-LI rats showing higher expression of ERK and RAS, along with increased concentrations of proinflammatory cytokines. This study provides valuable insights into the disrupted microbial and metabolic traits associated with LI, emphasizing potential microbiome-based approaches for its prevention and treatment.IMPORTANCELactose intolerance (LI) is a prevalent condition characterized by gastrointestinal symptoms after lactose consumption due to a deficiency of lactase. There is limited understanding regarding the microbiota and metabolic alterations between individuals with LI and non-LI. This study represents the first exploration to investigate metagenomic and metabolomic signatures among subjects with lactose intolerance as far as our knowledge. We identified 14 microbial genera in the Western cohort and 7 microbial species, along with 9 circulating metabolites in the Chinese cohort, which significantly differed in LI patients. Metagenomic and metabolomic analyses revealed an enrichment of MAPK signaling in LI patients. This finding was confirmed by FMT-LI rats, exhibiting increased expression of ERK and RAS, along with higher concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Our study provides insights into the disrupted functional and metabolic traits of the gut microbiome in LI, highlighting potential microbiome-based approaches for preventing and treating LI.

Abstract Objective To evaluate the predictive value of PD-1 expression in T lymphocytes for rehospitalization due to acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD) in discharged patients. Methods 115 participants hospitalized with COPD (average age 71.8 ± 6.0 years) were recruited at Fujian Provincial Hospital. PD1+T lymphocytes proportions (PD1+T%), baseline demographics and clinical data were recorded at hospital discharge. AECOPD re-admission were collected at 1-year follow-up. Kaplan-Meier analysis compared the time to AECOPD readmissions among groups stratified by PD1+T%. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression and stratified analysis determined the correlation between PD1+T%, potential confounders, and AECOPD re-admission. ROC and DCA evaluated PD1+T% in enhancing the clinical predictive values of Cox models, BODE and CODEX. Results 68 participants (59.1%) were AECOPD readmitted, those with AECOPD readmission exhibited significantly elevated baseline PD-1+CD4+T/CD4+T% and PD-1+CD8 + T/CD8 + T% compared to non-readmitted counterparts. PD1+ T lymphocyte levels statistically correlated with BODE and CODEX indices. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated that those in Higher PD1+ T lymphocyte proportions had reduced time to AECOPD readmission (logRank p

Background: Osteoporosis is one of the most common bone diseases in middle-aged and elderly populations worldwide. The development of new drugs to treat the disease is a key focus of research. Current treatments for osteoporosis are mainly directed at promoting osteoblasts and inhibiting osteoclasts. However, there is currently no ideal approach for osteoporosis treatment. l-arginine is a semi-essential amino acid involved in a number of cellular processes, including nitric production, protein biosynthesis, and immune responses. We previously reported that l-arginine-derived compounds can play a regulatory role in bone homeostasis. Purpose: To investigate the specific effect of l-arginine on bone homeostasis. Methods: Mildly aged and ovariectomized mouse models were used to study the effects of l-arginine on osteogenesis and angiogenesis, assessed by micro-computed tomography and immunostaining of bone tissue. The effect of l-arginine on osteogenesis, angiogenesis, and adipogenesis was further studied in vitro using osteoblasts obtained from cranial cap bone, endothelial cells, and an adipogenic cell line. Specific methods to assess these processes included lipid staining, cell migration, tube-forming, and wound-healing assays. Protein and mRNA expression was determined for select biomarkers. Results: We found that l-arginine attenuated bone loss and promoted osteogenesis and angiogenesis. l-arginine increased the activity of vascular endothelial cells, whereas it inhibited adipogenesis in vitro. In addition, we found that l-arginine altered the expression of PINK1/Parkin and Bnip3 in the mitochondria of osteoblast-lineage and endothelial cells, thereby promoting mitophagy and protecting cells from ROS. Similarly, l-arginine treatment effectively ameliorated osteoporosis in an ovariectomized mouse model. Conclusion: l-arginine promotes angio-osteogenesis, and inhibits adipogenesis, effects mediated by the PINK1/Parkin- and Bnip3-mediated mitophagy. The Translational Potential of this Article: L-arginine supplementation may be an effective adjunct therapy in the treatment of osteoporosis.

Abstract Introduction Anti-mitosis has been a key strategy of anti-cancer therapies, targeting at a fundamental property of cancer cells, their non-controllable proliferation due to overactive mitotic divisions. For improved anti-cancer therapies, it is important to find out whether cancer cells can proliferate independent of mitosis and become resistant to anti-mitotic agents. Results In this study, live-cell imaging was applied to both primary-cultures of tumor cells, and immortalized cancer cell lines, to detect aberrant proliferations. Cells isolated from various malignant tumors, such as Grade-III hemangiopericytoma, atypical meningioma, and metastatic brain tumor exhibit distinct cellular behaviors, including amoeboid sequestration, tailing, tunneling, nucleic DNA leakage, as well as prokaryote-like division such as binary fission and budding-shedding, which are collectively referred to and reported as ‘non-mitotic proliferation’ in this study. In contrast, benign tumors including Grade-I hemangiopericytoma and meningioma were not obvious in such behaviors. Moreover, when cultured in medium free of any anti-cancer drugs, cells from a recurrent Grade-III hemangiopericytoma that had been subjected to pre-operation adjuvant chemotherapy gradually shifted from non-mitotic proliferation to abnormal mitosis in the form of daughter number variation (DNV) and endomitosis, and eventually regular mitosis. Similarly, when treated with the anti-cancer drugs Epirubicin or Cisplatin, the cancer cell lines HeLa and A549 showed a shift from regular mitosis to abnormal mitosis, and further to non-mitosis as the dominant mode of proliferation with increasing drug concentrations. Upon removal of the drugs, the cells reversed back to regular mitosis with only minor occurrences of abnormal mitosis, accompanied by increased expression of the stem cell markers ALDH1, Sox, Oct4 and Nanog. Conclusions The present study revealed that various types of malignant, but not benign, cancer cells exhibited cellular behaviors indicative of non-mitotic proliferation such as binary fission, which was typical of prokaryotic cell division, suggesting cell level atavism. Moreover, reversible transitions through the three modes of proliferation, i.e., mitosis, abnormal mitosis and non-mitosis, were observed when anticancer drug concentrations were grossly increased inducing non-mitosis or decreased favoring mitosis. Potential clinical significance of non-mitotic proliferation in cancer drug resistance and recurrence, and its relationship with cancer stem cells are worthy of further studies.

Abstract Bone and mineral metabolism homeostasis accounts for the maintenance of normal skeletal remodeling. However, with aging and changes in hormone levels, over-activated osteoclasts disrupt homeostasis, induce osteoporosis, and even cause osteoporotic fractures, leading to an enormous economic burden. Despite the rapid development of pharmacological therapy for osteoporosis, safer and more effective treatments remain to be explored. Here, we demonstrate that Mulberroside A (Mul-A), a natural component extracted from mulberry bark and branches, effectively suppresses osteoclastogenesis in vitro and counteracts bone loss caused by ovariectomy (OVX). The mechanism underlying this effect involves the repression of autophagic flux during osteoclastogenesis by Mul-A, which can be attributed to the restrained expression of microphthalmia-related transcription factor (Mitf) and its nuclear translocation. Importantly, Mitf overexpression partially reverses the inhibitory effects of Mul-A on autophagy and osteoclastogenesis. Moreover, applying two autophagy agonizts, rapamycin and Torin 1, attenuates the osteoclastogenic regulatory role of Mul-A. Collectively, our study demonstrates that Mul-A damages osteoclast differentiation and ameliorates osteoporosis caused by estrogen deficiency by modulation of Mitf-associated autophagy, indicating its therapeutic potential against osteoporosis.

Abstract Background Commercial cultivars of perennial ryegrass infected with selected Epichloë fungal endophytes are highly desirable in certain pastures as the resulting mutualistic association has the capacity to confer agronomic benefits (such as invertebrate pest deterrence) largely due to fungal produced secondary metabolites (e.g., alkaloids). In this study, we investigated T2 segregating populations derived from two independent transformation events expressing diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT) and cysteine oleosin (CO) genes designed to increase foliar lipid and biomass accumulation. These populations were either infected with Epichloë festucae var. lolii strain AR1 or Epichloë sp. LpTG-3 strain AR37 to examine relationships between the introduced trait and the endophytic association. Here we report on experiments designed to investigate if expression of the DGAT + CO trait in foliar tissues of perennial ryegrass could negatively impact the grass-endophyte association and vice versa. Both endophyte and plant characters were measured under controlled environment and field conditions. Results Expected relative increases in total fatty acids of 17–58% accrued as a result of DGAT + CO expression with no significant difference between the endophyte-infected and non-infected progeny. Hyphal growth in association with DGAT + CO expression appeared normal when compared to control plants in a growth chamber. There was no significant difference in mycelial biomass for both strains AR1 and AR37, however, Epichloë-derived alkaloid concentrations were significantly lower on some occasions in the DGAT + CO plants compared to the corresponding null-segregant progenies, although these remained within the reported range for bioactivity. Conclusions These results suggest that the mutualistic association formed between perennial ryegrass and selected Epichloë strains does not influence expression of the host DGAT + CO technology, but that endophyte performance may be reduced under some circumstances. Further investigation will now be required to determine the preferred genetic backgrounds for introgression of the DGAT + CO trait in combination with selected endophyte strains, as grass host genetics is a major determinant to the success of the grass-endophyte association in this species.

In the control of network terminal power, due to the overall low analysis of network state, the adaptive regulation ability of communication network terminal power is poor.Therefore, the power line carrier communication network terminal power control method based on adaptive hash function was proposed.Considering the dynamic fluctuation of the actual operating state of the power line carrier communication network, the adaptive mechanism was set for the hash function, and the adaptive hash function was constructed for the original running state data, and the final hash value was obtained in the variable chaotic mapping system.In the power control stage of the power line carrier communication network terminal, the communication network terminal was affected by the interference of other communication network terminals, and it was used as the input value of the adaptive hash function to realize the power control of each communication network terminal.In the test results, the proposed control method not only effectively reduces the increase range of network terminal power under constant communication conditions, but also effectively reduces the network terminal power output under dynamic communication conditions, which has a high adaptive adjustment ability.

Abstract Background The geographic information science-based interactive map provided good prospects for the public health to study disease prevalence. The purpose of this study is to understand global spatial–temporal trends of childhood overweight and obesity and underlying causes help formulating intervention strategies. Methods This multiple cross-sectional study included data on childhood overweight and obesity prevalence, gross national income per capita, and urbanization rate for 191 countries from 1975–2016. Autoregressive integrated moving average model, standard deviational ellipse model and mixed-effects models were used to explore spatial–temporal trends of childhood overweight and obesity and associations with gross national income per capita and urbanization rate. Results Globally, childhood overweight and obesity rate would reach 30.0% in 2030 (boys: 34.2%, girls: 27.4%). By 2030, it would reach 58.3% in middle- and high-income countries and 68.1% in Western Pacific region. Spatial–temporal trendline for childhood overweight and obesity in 1975–2030 exhibited a “C” shape, migrating from 1975 (15.6。E, 24.6。N) to 2005 (10.6。E, 21.7。N), then to 2030 (14.8。E, 17.4。N). The trendline for urbanization rate was also an irregular "C", and the turning point appeared five years earlier than childhood overweight and obesity. Conclusions Globally, childhood overweight and obesity prevalence will continue to increase. Its weight mean center migrated from western countries to Asia and Africa following economic development.

Background: There is much controversy about the utility of open and laparoscopic surgery procedures for cervical cancer following the Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer (LACC) trial. The main objective of this study was to determine the utility of laparoscopic nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy (LNSRH) in improvement of postoperative bladder and rectal function and clinical outcomes of patients with common types of early-stage cervical cancer and tumor diameters 0.05). The overall time of operation for LNSRH was longer than that for ARH (p < 0.001). The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores at 8, 24 and 48 hours were significantly different between the two groups (p < 0.001). Catheter retention, flatus and spontaneous defecation times of the LNSRH group were significantly shorter than those of the ARH group (p < 0.05). The proportion of patients with dysuria, abdominal pressure urination and constipation at 6 months after surgery in the LNSRH group was markedly lower relative to the ARH group (p < 0.05). Evaluation of urodynamic parameters 12 months after surgery revealed faster recovery of the LNSRH group (p < 0.05). Postoperative survival rates were not markedly different between the groups (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Laparoscopic nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy is beneficial for patients with common types of early-stage cervical cancer and small tumors. The procedure effectively improves bladder and rectal function after surgery and promotes rapid recovery with no adverse effects on survival outcomes.

Building information modeling (BIM) has been attracting increasing attention in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry in recent years. The wide spread of BIM marks the transition from 2D and paper-based archiving to 3D and digital archiving of project information. However, the commonly used centralized managing approaches for BIM data have high risks of data loss and data tampering. With cryptographic algorithms and distributed databases, blockchain has the potential to address the limitations of data loss and trust in conventional BIM management methods. Therefore, this paper proposes a blockchain-based framework for digital archiving of BIM data. In this paper, the axiomatic design approach is utilized to design the archiving framework in order to systematically map the design parameters with the functional requirements and minimize the information contents. The proposed framework contains five modules, including the BIM module, building plan approval (BPA) module, building data simplification (BDS) module, distributed data storage (DDS) module, and digital document verification (DDV) module. Hyperledger Fabric is utilized to develop the blockchain system based on the proposed framework. In the end, a simple BIM model with 240 components and around 11,000 lines of content in the Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) file is taken as an illustrative example to validate the proposed blockchain approach. By storing the BIM model on to the developed blockchain, it is found that each transaction of a blockchain can store over 5000 lines of IFC contents with 0.09 s of uploading latency. The results show that the proposed blockchain-based approach can effectively and securely archive BIM data.

Abstract Objective To review and analyze the efficacy and safety of mifepristone combined with ethacridine lactate for induction of stillbirth in the third trimester. Methods All patients with stillbirth in late pregnancy (≥ 28 weeks) in a university-affiliated maternity center from October 2016 to September 2021 were included in this study. After exclusion, patients were divided into ethacridine lactate and non-ethacridine lactate groups according to induction methods. Logistic regression was conducted to identify the risks of complications. Results We identified 122 patients that experienced stillbirth (5’ Apgar score = 0) in third-trimester from the 5-year total deliveries in the hospital, among whom 39 stillbirths that resulted from termination of pregnancy for severe fetal anomalies and 1 stillbirth that was in twin pregnancy were excluded. Thus, 82 cases with stillbirths (dead before induction) were included in the analyses. In the 82 cases, 49 (59.76%) accepted intra-amniotic ethacridine lactate induction with 47 (95.92%, 47/49) successfully induced. No statistical difference was observed in induction failure rate between ethacridine dosage groups of 0.05). The ethacridine lactate induction group showed no increased risks in complications (6.12%, 3/49), compared with non-ethacridine lactate group (12.12%, 4/33) (P = 0.35, OR, 0.47, 95%CI, 0.10 to 2.27). Conclusion Mifepristone combined with ethacridine lactate is a safe and low-risk induction method for patients with stillbirth in the third trimester.

Abstract Preliminary evidence indicates that natural disasters are associated with an increased risk for schizophrenia. With few longitudinal studies on earthquakes, this retrospective cohort study examined exposure to the 1976 Tangshan earthquake and the subsequent risk of schizophrenia. Population counts and visits to all nine psychiatric hospitals in Tangshan city were collected. We created three cohort groups by earthquake exposure: infant (August 1972 to July 1976 births), fetal (August 1976 to May 1977 births), and unexposed (June 1977 to May 1981 births). The cumulative incidence of schizophrenia in each cohort was calculated by dividing the number of schizophrenia patients by total births in the corresponding period. Altogether, 6424 schizophrenia patients were identified, with 2786 in the infant group, 663 in the fetal group, and 2975 in the unexposed group. The crude cumulative incidence of schizophrenia in the infant, fetal and unexposed groups were 7.64 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 7.36–7.92), 9.07 (95% CI = 8.38–9.76), and 7.40 (95% CI = 7.13–7.66) per thousand population respectively. Adjusted for mortality, the corresponding figures were 7.73 (95% CI = 7.44–8.01), 9.30 (95% CI = 8.60–10.01) and 7.44 (95% CI = 7.18–7.71) per thousand population respectively. The mortality-adjusted risk ratio (aRR) was 1.25 (95% CI = 1.15–1.36) between fetal and unexposed groups (χ 2 = 27.31, P

Background: Aromatase inhibitors (AIs) are recommended as the preferred therapy for postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive (HR+) breast cancer. As a result, aromatase inhibitor-associated musculoskeletal symptom (AIMSS) have become a major problem leading to therapy discontinuation and decreased quality of life in patients receiving adjuvant AIs treatment. Multiple therapies have been attempted, but have yielded limited clinical results. This study will be performed to determine whether acupoint thread embedding (ATE) combined with Wenshen Bugu Decoction can effectively treat AIMSS, so as to improve the AIs medication compliance of postmenopausal breast cancer patients. Methods: This study will utilize a randomized, 2 parallel groups controlled trial design. A total of 128 eligible postmenopausal breast cancer women with AIMSS will be randomized to receive a 12-week treatment with Wenshen Bugu Decoction alone (control group) or in combination with ATE (treatment group) in a 1:1 ratio. The primary outcome will be the 12 week Brief Pain Inventory Worst Pain (BPI-WP) score. The secondary outcome measures will include response rate, Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form (BFI-SF), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Endocrine Symptom (FACT-ES), Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast (FACT-B), bone marrow density (BMD), blood markers of bone metabolite, Morisky medication adherence scale-8 (MMAS-8), credibility and expectancy, and survival outcomes. Discussion: This trial may provide clinical evidence that ATE combined with Wenshen Bugu Decoction can be beneficial for treating AIMSS among postmenopausal breast cancer survivors. Our findings will be helpful to enhance the quality of life and reduce the occurrence of AIs withdrawal.

Objectives: Jian-Pi-Yin decoction (JPY), a prescription derived from the traditional Chinese medicine Shen-Ling-Bai-Zhu-San, has shown good clinical efficacy in the treatment of diarrhea caused by lactose intolerance. However, the mechanism of action of JPY in the treatment of diarrhea is not fully understood. Design: In this study, a rat diarrhea model was induced by high lactose feeding combined with standing on a small platform to investigate the ameliorating effect of JPY on hyper lactose-induced diarrhea in rats and its possible mechanism. Methods: The rat model of hyper lactose diarrhea was given high, medium, and low doses of JPY and the positive control drug Smida by gavage for 1 week. At the same time, NA+-H+ exchanger 3 (NHE3) inhibitor Tenapanor was administered orally for 3 weeks. Body weight, food intake, water intake, grip strength, and severity of diarrhea symptoms were measured in rats throughout the study. The serum, colon, and jejunum tissues of the model and drug-treated rats were collected for histopathological examination and analysis of relevant indicators. Results: JPY significantly alleviated the symptoms of fatigue, diet reduction and diarrhea in the model group. Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) expression were also down-regulated after JPY treatment. JPY can significantly promote NHE3 in intestinal tissues of rats with diarrhea, and the mechanism is related to the decrease of GLP-1, inhibition of cAMP/PKA pathway activation, an increase of ubiquitin-specific protease 7 (USP7) and USP10 expression, and decrease of NHE3 ubiquitination and phosphorylation. Conclusion: JPY can reduce the expression of GLP-1, reduce the ubiquitination and phosphorylation of NHE3, regulate the expression of NHE3, at least partly improve ion transport in the intestinal epithelium, and improve the imbalance of electrolyte absorption, thus significantly reducing the diarrhea symptoms of rats with high lactose combined with small platform standing. Innovation: In this study, we explored the mechanism of intestinal GLP-1 activation of cAMP/PKA signaling pathway from multiple dimensions, and increased its expression by reducing phosphorylation and ubiquitination of NHE3, thereby treating chronic diarrhea associated with lactose intolerance.

Toscana virus (TOSV), a member of the Phlebovirus genus transmitted by sandflies, is acknowledged for its capacity to cause neurological infections and is widely distributed across Mediterranean countries. The potential geographic distribution and risk to the human population remained obscure due to its neglected nature. We searched PubMed and Web of Science for articles published between 1 January 1971 and 30 June 2023 to extract data on TOSV detection in vectors, vertebrates and humans, clinical information of human patients, as well as the occurrence of two identified sandfly vectors for TOSV. We further predicted the global distribution of the two sandfly vectors, based on which the global risk of TOSV was projected, after incorporating the environmental, ecoclimatic, biological, and socioeconomic factors. A total of 1342 unique studies were retrieved, among which 389 met the selection criteria and were included for data extraction. TOSV infections were documented in 10 sandfly species and 14 species of vertebrates, as well as causing a total of 7571 human infections. The occurrence probabilities of two sandfly vectors have demonstrated the greatest contributions to the potential distribution of TOSV infection risk. This study provides a comprehensive overview of global TOSV distribution and potential risk zones. Future surveillance and intervention programs should prioritize high-risk areas based on updated quantitative analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the presence of finite ground, the radiation pattern of a monopole antenna will upwarp, thereby affecting the communication quality in the horizontal direction. Loading parasitic metal pillar elements near monopole antenna is a common beam control method. In this paper, an inverted monopole antenna is used as the source antenna to analyze the effect and band of beam upwarping suppression in wide band. The working principle and parameter analysis of elements are also discussed. This antenna can achieve 1-24° of suppression from 360 to 570 MHz. At the same time, keeping the un-roundness almost unchanged, the horizontal plane gain is increased by 0.53-1.74 dB. The omnidirectional pattern is improved, which provides a valuable candidate for vehicle communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To review the current status and development of radiologists in the multidisciplinary team (MDT) working in a inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Methods A nationwide questionnaire survey was conducted to investigate the general situation of the MDT in IBD in China, particularly about the composition of radiologists, the presentation form of MDT consulting images and the participating pattern of radiologists. Results A total of 28 domestic MDT centers of IBD participated in the survey, all of then were tertiary hospitals and 23(82.1%) were located in the eastern part of the country. Among them, 27 MDT expert groups had radiologists. In the MDT center with radiologist participation, there were 21(77.8%) were senior doctors with more than 10 years of working experience, and 26 radiologists specialized in gastrointestinal and abdominal imaging (13 for each, 48.1%). 22(81.5%) radiologists reviewed all the cases in advance, and 26(96.3%) radiologists participated deeply in MDT discussions to provide professional radiological diagnosis and recommendations. Conclusions In the healthcare mode of the new era, radiologists are playing an increasingly important role in the diagnosis, treatment and management of IBD patients.

Multiple policies have been formulated to promote the development of prefabricated building (PB). However, ineffective policies increase the financial burden of the governments and hinder PB development. This study aims to identify effective policies and develop a practical policy framework to encourage developers to implement PB. Text analysis is to identify the policies related to PBs from the numerous samples. A survey is to verify the effective policies and explore their effects on the developers’ willingness to implement PBs. The findings suggest that the current policy system of PBs is complete but uneven, focusing on environmental policies. The most cost-effective tools are land limitations, tax incentives, and financial support. Besides, policies are interrelated in affecting developers’ willingness to implement PBs. It provides a reference for policy evaluation in application scenarios, which expands the literature research on the policy. Meanwhile, it provides a guide for policymakers to evaluate the effectiveness of policies and formulate practical policy frameworks to promote PB development.

Abstract Background Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a huge challenge worldwide. Although previous studies have suggested that type I interferon (IFN-I) could inhibit the virus replication, the expression characteristics of IFN-I signaling-related miRNAs (ISR-miRNAs) during acute severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and its relationship with receptor-binding domain (RBD) IgG antibody response at the recovery phase remain unclear. Methods Expression profiles of 12 plasma ISR-miRNAs in COVID-19 patients and healthy controls were analyzed using RT-qPCR. The level of RBD-IgG antibody was determined using the competitive ELISA. Spearman correlation was done to measure the associations of plasma ISR-miRNAs with clinical characteristics during acute SARS-CoV-2 infection and RBD-IgG antibody response at the recovery phase. Results Compared with the healthy controls, COVID-19 patients exhibited higher levels of miR-29b-3p (Z = 3.15, P = 0.002) and miR-1246 (Z = 4.98, P

BackgroundSocial media platforms provide a valuable source of public health information, as one-third of US adults seek specific health information online. Many antitobacco campaigns have recognized such trends among youth and have shifted their advertising time and effort toward digital platforms. Timely evidence is needed to inform the adaptation of antitobacco campaigns to changing social media platforms. ObjectiveIn this study, we conducted a content analysis of major antitobacco campaigns on Facebook using machine learning and natural language processing (NLP) methods, as well as a traditional approach, to investigate the factors that may influence effective antismoking information dissemination and user engagement. MethodsWe collected 3515 posts and 28,125 associated comments from 7 large national and local antitobacco campaigns on Facebook between 2018 and 2021, including the Real Cost, Truth, CDC Tobacco Free (formally known as Tips from Former Smokers, where “CDC” refers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), the Tobacco Prevention Toolkit, Behind the Haze VA, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, and Smoke Free US campaigns. NLP methods were used for content analysis, including parsimonious rule–based models for sentiment analysis and topic modeling. Logistic regression models were fitted to examine the relationship of antismoking message-framing strategies and viewer responses and engagement. ResultsWe found that large campaigns from government and nonprofit organizations had more user engagements compared to local and smaller campaigns. Facebook users were more likely to engage in negatively framed campaign posts. Negative posts tended to receive more negative comments (odds ratio [OR] 1.40, 95% CI 1.20-1.65). Positively framed posts generated more negative comments (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.19-1.66) as well as positive comments (OR 1.29, 95% CI 1.13-1.48). Our content analysis and topic modeling uncovered that the most popular campaign posts tended to be informational (ie, providing new information), where the key phrases included talking about harmful chemicals (n=43, 43%) as well as the risk to pets (n=17, 17%). ConclusionsFacebook users tend to engage more in antitobacco educational campaigns that are framed negatively. The most popular campaign posts are those providing new information, with key phrases and topics discussing harmful chemicals and risks of secondhand smoke for pets. Educational campaign designers can use such insights to increase the reach of antismoking campaigns and promote behavioral changes.

ObjectiveSevere fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging infectious disease with high mortality rate, especially SFTS combined with central neurological complications. The purpose of this study was to explore risk factors of central neurological complications in SFTS patients.MethodsIn this retrospective study, SFTS patients admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University between January 2017 and December 2021 were enrolled. Based on the presence or absence of central neurological complications, SFTS patients were divided into case group and control group. The patients’ laboratory parameters and clinical data were collected for statistical analysis. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to evaluate the prediction accuracy of independent risk factors in identifying SFTS patients with central neurological complications.ResultsIn total, 198 hospitalized SFTS patients with complete medical records, clear etiological diagnosis and clinical outcomes were enrolled in this study. Of these, 74 (37.4%) cases were diagnosed with SFTS with central neurological complications, 29 (39.2%) cases died, and no death occurred in the control group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed pulmonary rales, atrial fibrillation, and high serum SFTSV RNA, lactate dehydrogenase level during the fever stage as independent risk factors for the development of central neurological complications in SFTS patients. ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the ROC curve (AUC) of serum SFTSV RNA and lactate dehydrogenase levels were 0.748 (95%CI: 0.673–0.823, p

Magnetocaloric effect (MCE) is one of the most promising features of molecular-based magnetic materials. We reported three Gd-based magnetic refrigerant materials, namely, Gd2(L)(NO3)(H2O)‧CH3CN‧H2O (1, H2L = (Z)-N-[(1E)-(2-hydroxy-3-methphenyl)methylidene]pyrazine-2-carbohydrazonic acid), {Gd6(L)6(CO3)2(CH3OH)2(H2O)3Cl}Cl‧4CH3CN (2), and Gd8(L)8(CO3)4(H2O)8‧2H2O (3). Complex 1 contains two GdIII ions linked by two η2:η1:η1:η1:μ2-L2- ligands, which are seven-coordinated in a capped trigonal prism, and complex 2 possesses six GdIII ions, contributing to a triangular prism configuration. For complex 3, eight GdIII ions form a distorted cube arrangement. Moreover, the large values of magnetic entropy in the three complexes prove to be excellent candidates as cryogenic magnetic coolants.

The highly variable cytoplasmic N-terminus of the plant diacylglycerol acyltransferase 1 (DGAT1) has been shown to have roles in oligomerization as well as allostery; however, the biological significance of the variation within this region is not understood. Comparing the coding sequences over the variable N-termini revealed the Poaceae DGAT1s contain relatively high GC compositional gradients as well as numerous direct and inverted repeats in this region. Using a variety of reciprocal chimeric DGAT1s from angiosperms we show that related N-termini had similar effects (positive or negative) on the accumulation of the recombinant protein in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. When expressed in Camelina sativa seeds the recombinant proteins of specific chimeras elevated total lipid content of the seeds as well as increased seed size. In addition, we combine N- and C-terminal as well as internal tags with high pH membrane reformation, protease protection and differential permeabilization. This led us to conclude the C-terminus is in the ER lumen; this contradicts earlier reports of the cytoplasmic location of plant DGAT1 C-termini.

Abstract Background Surgical treatment for patients with adult-onset Rasmussen’s encephalitis (A-RE) is rarely reported. We investigated the clinical and surgical features of two patients with A-RE who underwent functional hemispherectomy. Case presentation The data of clinical manifestations, neuroimaging, surgical treatment and surgical outcomes of two patients with A-RE was reviewed. The two patients initially presented with recurrent partial seizures or secondly generalized tonic clonic seizures. Gradually, the patients showed unilateral limb paralysis as well as chronic focal epileptic status. Both patients underwent functional hemispherectomy and achieved seizure freedom in the follow-up. The contralateral neurological deficits improved gradually after rehabilitation and were acceptable for the self-care of daily living. The living quality improved prominently after surgery. Conclusions Despite the risk of hemiplegia, functional hemispherectomy may be a choice for patients with A-RE for favorable seizure control and improved quality of life in selected patients.

Abstract Background Although understanding changes in the body weight distribution and trends in obesity inequality plays a key role in assessing the causes and persistence of obesity, limited research on this topic is available for Cuba. This study thus analyzed changes in body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) distributions and obesity inequality over a 9-year period among urban Cuban adults. Methods Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests were first applied to the data from the 2001 and 2010 National Survey on Risk Factors and Chronic Diseases to identify a rightward shift in both the BMI and WC distributions over the 2001–2010 period. A Shapley technique decomposed the increase in obesity prevalence into a mean-growth effect and a (re)distributional component. A univariate assessment of obesity inequality was then derived by calculating both the Gini and generalized entropy (GE) measures. Lastly, a GE-based decomposition partitioned overall obesity inequality into within-group and between-group values. Results Despite some relatively pronounced left-skewing, both the BMI and WC distributions exhibited a clear rightward shift to which the increases in general and central obesity can be mostly attributed. According to the Gini coefficients, both general and central obesity inequality increased over the 2001–2010 period, from 0.105 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.103–0.106] to 0.110 [95% CI = 0.107–0.112] and from 0.083 [95% CI = 0.082–0.084] to 0.085 [95% CI = 0.084–0.087], respectively. The GE-based decomposition further revealed that both types of inequality were accounted for primarily by within-group inequality (93.3%/89.6% and 87.5%/84.8% in 2001/2010 for general/central obesity, respectively). Conclusions Obesity inequality in urban Cuba worsened over the 2001–2010 time period, with within-group inequality in overall obesity dominant over between-group inequality. In general, the results also imply that the rise in obesity inequality is immune to health care system characteristics.