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The application of industrial solid wastes as environmentally functional materials for air pollutants control has gained much attention in recent years due to its potential to reduce air pollution in a cost-effective manner. In this review, we investigate the development of industrial-waste-based functional materials for various gas pollutant removal and consider the relevant reaction mechanism according to different types of industrial solid waste. We see a recent effort towards achieving high-performance environmental functional materials via chemical or physical modification, in which the active components, pore size, and phase structure can be altered. The review will discuss the potential of using industrial solid wastes, these modified materials, or synthesized materials from raw waste precursors for the removal of air pollutants, including SO2, NOx, Hg0, H2S, VOCs, and CO2. The challenges still need to be addressed to realize this potential and the prospects for future research fully. The suggestions for future directions include determining the optimal composition of these materials, calculating the real reaction rate and turnover frequency, developing effective treatment methods, and establishing chemical component databases of raw industrial solid waste for catalysts/adsorbent preparation.

Abstract The control and industrial application of chaotic systems is a major obstacle limiting the diffusion of chaos theory. In this study, we proposed a novel, universally applicable methodology for constructing an offset boosting function for chaotic systems. By integrating this approach with traditional techniques, a four-dimensional chaotic system with two-dimensional offset boosting was developed and successfully implemented by a real chaotic circuit for manganese metal electrolysis, replacing conventional DC. It has been shown that the use of time-varying electricity facilitates the suppression of electrochemical oscillations, and inhibits the growth of spherical manganese nodules. An examination of current efficiency for different oscillations (period 1, period 2, chaos-a and chaos-b) and various current amplitudes has established that chaos-a electrical signals are most suitable for inhibiting the growth of manganese nodules. The Mn nodule area ratios can be reduced by 38% with a 5.83% increase in current efficiency, representing an energy consumption saving of 0.58 kWh/kg. This interdisciplinary approach holds promise for advancing the study of nonlinear dynamic behavior in electrochemical reaction processes and addressing critical challenges in various fields, such as energy dissipation, quality improvement of electrodeposited products, and regulation of by-product properties.

Abstract While self-assembled material based inverted perovskite solar cells have surpassed power conversion efficiencies of 26%, enhancing their performance in large-area configurations remains a significant challenge. In this work, we report a self-assembled material based hole-selective layer 4-(7H-dibenzo[c,g]carbazol-7-yl)phenyl)phosphonic acid, with a π-expanded conjugation. The enhanced intermolecular π–π interactions facilitate the self-assembly of 4-(7H-dibenzo[c,g]carbazol-7-yl)phenyl)phosphonic acid molecules to form an ordered bilayer with a hydrophilic surface, which passivates the buried perovskite interface defect and enables high-quality and large-area perovskite preparation, while simultaneously enhancing interfacial charge extraction and transport. The certified efficiency of 4-(7H-dibenzo[c,g]carbazol-7-yl)phenyl)phosphonic acid based small-area (0.0715 cm2) device is 26.39% with high stability. Furthermore, a certified efficiency of 25.21% is achieved for a 99.12 mm2 large area device.

Abstract We explore the decay of bound neutrons in the JUNO liquid scintillator detector into invisible particles (e.g., $$n\rightarrow 3 \nu $$ n → 3 ν or $$nn \rightarrow 2 \nu $$ n n → 2 ν ), which do not produce an observable signal. The invisible decay includes two decay modes: $$ n \rightarrow { inv} $$ n → inv and $$ nn \rightarrow { inv} $$ n n → inv . The invisible decays of s-shell neutrons in $$^{12}\textrm{C}$$ 12 C will leave a highly excited residual nucleus. Subsequently, some de-excitation modes of the excited residual nuclei can produce a time- and space-correlated triple coincidence signal in the JUNO detector. Based on a full Monte Carlo simulation informed with the latest available data, we estimate all backgrounds, including inverse beta decay events of the reactor antineutrino $${\bar{\nu }}_e$$ ν ¯ e , natural radioactivity, cosmogenic isotopes and neutral current interactions of atmospheric neutrinos. Pulse shape discrimination and multivariate analysis techniques are employed to further suppress backgrounds. With two years of exposure, JUNO is expected to give an order of magnitude improvement compared to the current best limits. After 10 years of data taking, the JUNO expected sensitivities at a 90% confidence level are $$\tau /B( n \rightarrow { inv} ) > 5.0 \times 10^{31} \, \textrm{years}$$ τ / B ( n → inv ) > 5.0 × 10 31 years and $$\tau /B( nn \rightarrow { inv} ) > 1.4 \times 10^{32} \, \textrm{years}$$ τ / B ( n n → inv ) > 1.4 × 10 32 years .

Accurate epicenter location is crucial for assessing seismic hazards and risks, investigating seismicity, and exploring the Earth’s internal structure. Numerous global institutions routinely release earthquake catalogs, providing the earthquake source parameters such as epicenter locations. Nonetheless, disparities in epicenter locations reported by these catalogs can arise due to the variation in seismic station data, crust-mantle velocity models, and earthquake localization methodologies employed. InSAR data, characterized by its high spatial resolution, provides reasonable positional constraints on shallow earthquakes, offering ground truth (GT) and serving as a key basis for evaluating the accuracy of earthquake epicenter locations. This study selected a series of earthquakes of approximately magnitude 5 in Southwestern China, recorded by seismological and InSAR data. The discrepancies between the epicenter determinations of earthquake catalogs and InSAR measurements were compared to assess the accuracy of the China Earthquake Network Center (CENC) and USGS/NEIC catalogs in this specific region. The results indicate that the most significant discrepancy between the CENC catalog and InSAR-derived epicenters was 12 km, with longitudinal differences ranging from −0.04° to 0.13° and a marginally smaller latitudinal variance of −0.05° to 0.06°. In comparison, the maximum difference between the USGS earthquake catalog and InSAR epicenters was 20 km, with a longitudinal and latitudinal difference of −0.21°～0.13° and −0.10°～0.08°, respectively. The CENC catalog provided more accurate epicenter locations for most of the earthquake events. However, for individual events, the epicenter locations given by CENC deviate from the InSAR results by a significant amount, which may be attributed to the distribution of seismic stations, among other factors.

Abstract Cadmium has been identified as an environmental pollutant and a carcinogen. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) plays a crucial role in the development of lung tumors, but the mechanisms remain incompletely clarified. In present study, our data demonstrated that prolonged treatment of 1 μmol/L CdSO4 for 40 passages in bronchial epithelial cells (Beas-2B cells) resulted in the development of a malignant phenotype, which manifested as boosted proliferation, migration and invasion capacity as well as apoptosis reduction. Proteomic assay revealed that in passage 40 cells, 350 proteins showed differentially expressed in comparison to control, and these proteins were primarily enriched in Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways of “pathways in cancer” and “Chemical carcinoma-reactive oxygen species”. Moreover, the mRNAs of Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) p65 and NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1), the key signaling molecules in these two signaling pathways, were predicted to contain m6A modification sites with high confidence. The subsequent experimental results indicated that levels of m6A and Fat mass and obesity associated protein (FTO) elevated, while Alkylated DNA repair protein alkB homolog 5 (ALKBH5) and YTH Domain Containing Protein 2 (YTHDC2) reduced with the increasing of cadmium treatment generations. Furthermore, the reduction of m6A levels by 3-deazide adenosine (DAA, m6A inhibitor) was found to significantly inhibit malignant characteristics of cadmium-induced cells, activate molecules involved in the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) signaling pathway, and inhibit the activity of NF-κB. It is also noteworthy that the results based on animals indicate that the relevant indicators and biological changes are partially similar to cell experiments. In detail, m6A modification levels in lung tissue were observed to increase while the expressions of FTO, ALKBH5 and YTHDC2 were found to drop. Additionally, immunofluorescence examination illustrated the co-localization of the m6A regulatory proteins FTO and YTHDC2 with NF-κB. The presented data collectively suggest that chronic cadmium treatment may impact the m6A level through influencing regulatory proteins, which could potentially trigger oxidative stress and apoptosis by regulating transcription factors such as NF-κB and NRF2. In conclusion, our study provides a scientific foundation for understanding cadmium toxicity and offers novel insights for treating cadmium-induced lung diseases.

Abstract As the global energy landscape shifts and sustainability becomes crucial, the offshore oil and gas sector confronts significant challenges and opportunities. This paper addresses the issues of energy efficiency and environmental impact of optimizing offshore micro-energy systems (OMIES) by proposing a multi-objective optimization model that integrates chaotic local search and particle swarm optimization (PSO). The model aims to achieve optimal scheduling of the energy system by comprehensively considering operational costs, carbon emissions, energy utilization efficiency, and energy fluctuation risks. The research results indicate that the optimization model can significantly improve energy utilization efficiency, reduce operational costs, and decrease environmental pollution. This study also explores the practicality of incorporating renewable energy into OMIES, tackling operational challenges to support low-carbon and secure energy operations on offshore platforms. These findings not only provide a new perspective on energy management for offshore oil and gas platforms but also contribute valuable strategies to the sustainable development of global energy.

Abstract The multi-objective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO) is an optimization technique that mimics the foraging behavior of birds to solve difficult optimization problems. MOPSO is well known for its strong global search capability, which efficiently locates solutions that are close to the global optimum across a wide search domain. However, similar to many other optimization algorithms, the fast convergence property of MOPSO can occasionally lead to the population entering the local optimum too soon, obstructing researchers from investigating more efficient solutions. To address this challenge, the study proposes a novel framework that integrates the fireworks algorithm (FA) into MOPSO and establishes a size-double archiving mechanism to maintain population diversity. By preventing population homogenization, this mechanism promotes the retention of better solutions. Additionally, by fusing evolutionary data analysis with particle information, the study offers new individual optimal choices and adaptive parameter tuning to improve the algorithm’s robustness and adaptability and better manage the complexity of multi-objective optimization problems (MOPs). The suggested algorithm is compared with several existing MOPSOs and multi-objective evolutionary algorithms (MOEAs) in simulation experiments. Standard test problems like ZDT, UF, and DTLZ are used in the experiments. The new algorithm performs exceptionally well in terms of improving convergence and population diversity, as well as demonstrating significant competitiveness for solving MOPs.

Abstract Wastewater discharge is important in numerous areas of industries and in governance of the environmental sectors. Controlling and monitoring water pollution are essential for protecting the availability of water and upholding standards of sustainability. Thus, in the current study, the effects of pollutant discharge concentration (PDC) are considered while analyzing the flow of non-Newtonian nanofluids (NNNF) through the permeable Riga surface subject to heat radiation. Walter’s B fluid (WBF) and second-grade fluids (SGFs), two distinct types of NNNF, have been investigated. The fluid flow is expressed as a system of PDEs, which are simplified into lower order by employing similarity approach. These equations (ODEs) are solved using the Levenberg Marquardt back-propagation optimization algorithm (LMBOA) of the artificial neural network (ANN). The Matlab package “bvp4c” is used for generating the dataset in order to validate the results of the ANN-LMBOA. The dataset was developed for various flow scenarios, as well as ANN evaluation and validation. The accuracy of the ANN-LMBOA model is estimated though numerous statistical tools, i.e., histogram, regression measures, curve fitting, performance plots, and validation tables. The numerical outcomes of bvp4c package are also compared to the published literature. Which show best accuracy and resemblance with each other for the limiting case. The targeted date absolute error is accomplished within the range of 10–4-10–5 which confirms the outstanding accuracy of ANN-LMBOA. It is concluded form error histograms (EHs) that the EHs values for case 1–4 is lie about $$3 \cdot 6 \times 10^{{ - 7}}$$ 3 · 6 × 10 - 7 , $$7 \cdot 83 \times 10^{{ - 9}}$$ 7 · 83 × 10 - 9 , $$- 4.7 \times 10^{{ - 8}}$$ - 4.7 × 10 - 8 and $$- 2 \cdot 9 \times 10^{{ - 6}}$$ - 2 · 9 × 10 - 6 respectively.

Abstract Large Language Models (LLMs) have shown promise in clinical applications through prompt engineering, allowing flexible clinical predictions. However, they struggle to produce reliable prediction probabilities, which are crucial for transparency and decision-making. While explicit prompts can lead LLMs to generate probability estimates, their numerical reasoning limitations raise concerns about reliability. We compared explicit probabilities from text generation to implicit probabilities derived from the likelihood of predicting the correct label token. Across six advanced open-source LLMs and five medical datasets, explicit probabilities consistently underperformed implicit probabilities in discrimination, precision, and recall. This discrepancy is more pronounced with smaller LLMs and imbalanced datasets, highlighting the need for cautious interpretation, improved probability estimation methods, and further research for clinical use of LLMs.

Abstract Background Hypoglycaemia is one of the most common complications during the neonatal period. Recurrent hypoglycaemia episodes can result in neurodevelopmental deficits and even sudden death. Available evidence indicates that healthcare professionals ought to promptly assess the risk of hypoglycaemia in newborns immediately following birth and formulate the most suitable preventive strategies. Consequently, this study was designed to develop a clinical nursing decision support system for neonatal hypoglycaemia prevention based on the prediction model for neonatal hypoglycaemia risk that was developed in a previous study, and to evaluate its efficacy. Methods Nursing process as the theoretical framework, based on evidence-based nursing, standardized nursing language, and clinical decision support technology, the neonatal hypoglycaemia prevention nursing decision support system was developed.This system was implemented in the neonatology department of a tertiary grade A general hospital from September 1st to 30th, 2023.The application efficacy of the system was assessed and compared through the examination of the incidence of neonatal hypoglycemia, adverse outcomes associated with neonatal hypoglycemia, and the experiences of nurses following the implementation of the system. Results The incidence of neonatal hypoglycaemia decreased after the system was implemented, and the difference was statistically significant (X 2 = 4.522, P = 0.033). None of the neonates experienced adverse outcomes during hospitalization. The rate of hypoglycaemia risk assessment in neonates after system implementation was 92.16%. The total Clinical Nursing Information System Effectiveness Evaluation Scale score was 104.36 ± 1.96. Conclusion The neonatal hypoglycaemia prevention nursing decision support system realizes neonatal hypoglycaemia risk assessment, intelligent decision-making, and effect evaluation, effectively diminishes the incidence of neonatal hypoglycaemia, and enhances the standardization of neonatal hypoglycaemia management.

Abstract Functional fermentation strains were isolated and screened from traditional fairy beans in northern Anhui. Through technical identification, Bacillus subtilis SXD06 was determined to be the superior fermentation strain, while Wickerhamomyces anomalus YE006 was identified as the optimal aroma-producing yeast. Utilizing single-factor experiments and response surface optimization, a Central Composite Design fermentation and blending model was established. The optimal fermentation conditions were determined to be: an inoculation amount of 1.1% for Bacillus subtilis SXD06, an inoculation amount of 4.2% for Wickerhamomyces anomalus YE006, and a fermentation temperature of 34 °C, Fermentation lasted 84.2 h. SDS-PAGE electrophoresis comparison between control and sample groups indicated effective fermentation, with most fairy beans converting to amino acids. Optimal conditions were identified as 5.5% salt, 0.26% star anise powder, 0.25% cinnamon, 1.5% pepper, 4.5% edible alcohol, and 0.28% fragrant leaves. The sensory evaluation of soybean products produced under the specified conditions yielded the highest scores. This study offers robust technical support for the development of low-ammonia, high-quality fairy bean products that align with consumer preferences. Graphical abstract

Abstract Background Vaccination is a simple and effective preventative measure against infections and diseases among populations, especially children. This study aimed to evaluate parental/guardians’ satisfaction with vaccination services and examine its associated factors in China. Methods This study used mixed methods of quantitative and qualitative research methods. Stratified sampling method was used to recruit parents/guardians of children aged 0–6 years from 21 vaccination clinics in Kunshan, Eastern China in 2023. Quantitative data were collected via an online questionnaire. Logistic regression and structural equation model were used to examine factors associated with the satisfaction. Moreover, focus group discussion was performed to gain an in-depth understanding for satisfaction. Results The overall satisfaction rate was 92.9% (95% CI: 92.5%, 93.2%) among 1083 parents/guardians. Specifically, 92.1%, 93.2%, 93.2%, and 96.2% of the parents/guardians were satisfied/agreed or very satisfied/agreed with environment of vaccination and convenience, pre-vaccination preparation, upon and post-vaccination service, and attitudes towards vaccination, respectively. Structural equation model analysis showed that the fitting effect was acceptable (χ2/df = 2.854, Goodness of Fit Index (GFI) = 0.916, Root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.065). The most satisfactory components were pre-vaccination preparation, upon and post-vaccination service. Moreover, educational attainment and place of residence were significantly associated with the satisfaction with vaccination service. Conclusions The satisfaction rate of the parents/guardians with vaccination service provided for their children was high. Nevertheless, our findings suggest that vaccination clinics could further improve the quality of service by upgrading the vaccination environment, reducing waiting time, optimizing appointment mechanism, and making convenience and accessibility of the vaccination.

Abstract Autoimmune diseases are immune disorders in which the immune system mistakenly targets and attacks the normal cells, tissues, and organs of the patients. The etiology of autoimmune diseases is complex and multifactorial. This review aims to provide a general introduction to the immunological functions of inflammasomes and describe the role of inflammasomes in disorders characterized by self‐directed inflammation, with a particular focus on several common autoimmune diseases. We reviewed current research on the mechanisms of inflammasome activation and inflammasomes' contribution to autoimmune diseases. Inhibitors targeting inflammasome components were also explored for their potential in therapeutic applications. With increasing research on mechanisms of inflammation of the pathologic conditions, accumulated evidence suggests that the aberrant or uncontrolled activation of inflammasomes contributes to the pathogenesis and development of autoimmune diseases. Additionally, inflammasome‐targeting drugs have shown promise in treating autoimmune diseases. Insights into the mechanisms governing inflammasome activation and their roles in autoimmune diseases could contribute to the development of novel anti‐inflammatory drugs for the prevention and treatment of autoimmune diseases with enhanced targeting precision and reduced adverse reactions.

The subjective well-being (SWB) of residents serves as a crucial measure of social harmony. This study applied the cognition-affection-behavior theory to investigate how tourism perceptions influence residents’ SWB while also assessing the intermediary roles of emotional solidarity (ES) and resident-tourist value co-creation (RVC). Researchers collected 411 valid survey responses from residents in GIAHS and utilized Structural Equation Modeling path analysis and bootstrapping method to test the proposed hypotheses. The results indicate that benefit perceptions positively impact residents’ SWB, with ES and RVC serving as sequential mediators in this relationship. In GIAHS, improving residents' perception of benefits can foster ES and RVC, creating a connection between residents and tourists and ultimately enhancing residents' SWB. Doi: 10.28991/HEF-2024-05-04-06 Full Text: PDF

Abstract Online streaming feature selection (OSFS), as an online learning manner to handle streaming features, is critical in addressing high‐dimensional data. In real big data‐related applications, the patterns and distributions of streaming features constantly change over time due to dynamic data generation environments. However, existing OSFS methods rely on presented and fixed hyperparameters, which undoubtedly lead to poor selection performance when encountering dynamic features. To make up for the existing shortcomings, the authors propose a novel OSFS algorithm based on vague set, named OSFS‐Vague. Its main idea is to combine uncertainty and three‐way decision theories to improve feature selection from the traditional dichotomous method to the trichotomous method. OSFS‐Vague also improves the calculation method of correlation between features and labels. Moreover, OSFS‐Vague uses the distance correlation coefficient to classify streaming features into relevant features, weakly redundant features, and redundant features. Finally, the relevant features and weakly redundant features are filtered for an optimal feature set. To evaluate the proposed OSFS‐Vague, extensive empirical experiments have been conducted on 11 datasets. The results demonstrate that OSFS‐Vague outperforms six state‐of‐the‐art OSFS algorithms in terms of selection accuracy and computational efficiency.

Mineral particles, ubiquitous in soils, influence crop plant growth by carrying nutrients and pollutants. While the uptake of dissolved mineral nutrients is well-established, the direct incorporation of irregular mineral particles into plants remains unclear. This study investigated the uptake and transport of kaolin particles, representative of minerals, by wheat and lettuce seedlings using hydroponic and soil cultures. Covalent labeling and advanced microscopy revealed that kaolin enters root steles at lateral root emergence sites, followed by transport to shoots. Fluorescent dyes and lanthanum (La)-labeled kaolin particles demonstrated that wheat surpassed lettuce in kaolin uptake in hydroponics, but both plants showed similar levels of particles in the shoots. Translocation factors (TFs) for kaolin were significantly higher in soil (0.089 for wheat, 0.039 for lettuce) compared to hydroponics (0.001 for wheat, 0.003 for lettuce). These findings provide compelling evidence for the direct uptake and transport of kaolin particles in crop plants. This opens new avenues for research on the interactions between plant and mineral particles, including other colloidal particles, in terrestrial ecosystems.

Abstract Background Clinical nurses play a vital role in healthcare. Their innovative behavior is crucial for improving patient care, advancing the profession, and ensuring the healthcare industry’s continued success. Many studies have highlighted the importance of nurse innovative behavior, but the link between their innovative behavior, structural empowerment, and decent work perception remains unclear. Objectives This study aimed to investigate the relationship between innovative behavior, structural empowerment, and decent work perception among the Chinese clinical nurses and identify the mediating role of decent work perception. Methods A cross-sectional correlational design was employed, and from July 2023 to April 2024, 1,513 clinical nurses were recruited from 8 tertiary grade-A hospitals across three cities in China. Data from the Demographic Characteristics Questionnaire, the Nurse Innovation Behavior Scale, the Conditions of Work Effectiveness Questionnaire-II, and the Decent Work Perception Scale were collected through convenience sampling and analyzed using descriptive statistics, univariate correlation, and process plug-in mediation effect analyses. Results The total scores of innovative behavior, structural empowerment, and decent work perception were 28.36 ± 6.25, 51.15 ± 12.63, and 42.97 ± 9.25, respectively. Innovative behavior was significantly, moderately and positively correlated with structural empowerment (r = 0.657, p

Abstract The expansion of Pleioblastus amarus into tea plantations introduces environmental heterogeneity, significantly influencing the growth and quality of bamboo shoots. This study examined the effects of bamboo expansion on the appearance, nutrition, and palatability of bamboo shoots, utilizing partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to identify key influencing factors. Results revealed that bamboo expansion increased shoot diameter, length, and fresh weight, enhancing overall size and edibility, particularly in the tea-bamboo mixed forest center zone (TBC), where appearance quality peaked. Nutritional analysis revealed substantial increases in protein, fat, starch, and vitamin C content after bamboo expansion, along with the improvements in amino acid score (AAS), essential amino acid index (EAAI), and nutritional index (NI), indicating elevated nutritional value. However, despite the rise in soluble sugars and flavor-enhancing amino acids, higher levels of total acids, oxalic acid, tannins, and cellulose diminished the palatability, notably in TBC site. PLS-SEM further indicated that while bamboo expansion positively influenced shoot appearance and nutrition, soil factors predominantly drove these changes and concurrently detracted from overall palatability. These findings provide a framework for enhancing bamboo shoot quality and optimizing management practices in tea plantation ecosystems.

Abstract Permanent magnet magnetic levitation (PMFL) system has the characteristics of zero-power levitation, strong load-carrying capacity and self-stabilization, so it has obvious advantages in the application of rail transportation and heavy-duty transmission and other fields. However, due to the lack of active control of electromagnetism and the existence of multi-point coupling, it is easily affected by external factors, and its dynamic characteristics and its complexity. This paper aims to reveal the levitation mechanism of permanent magnet magnetic levitation system and the coupling motion law of bogie by combining theoretical analysis and experimental verification. Firstly, the proportional and exponential correction coefficients for the magnetic induction strength are introduced to establish an analytical model for the levitation force. Secondly, the three-dimensional dynamic characteristic model of the bogie is established by analyzing the running attitude and external disturbing factors, revealing the four-point levitation coupling mechanism, and judging its stability by using the motion control theory. On this basis, input and output decoupling is realized by the method of coordinate transformation. Finally, through simulation analysis and physical experiments, the bogie motion law under various complex working conditions is explored, and the validity and reliability of the research is proved.

Abstract Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are known to mediate cell communications and shape tumor microenvironment. Compared to the well-studied small EVs, the function of large microvesicles (MVs) during tumorigenesis is poorly understood. Here we show the proteome of MVs in Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated gastric cancer (EBVaGC), and identify olfactomedin 4 (OLFM4) is induced by EBV infection and secreted via MVs to promote tumor progression through Hippo signaling. Specifically, OLFM4 is a target gene of the cGAS-STING pathway, and EBV infection activates cGAS-STING pathway and increases OLFM4 expression. Moreover, MV-carried OLFM4 binds with the extracellular cadherin domain of FAT1, thereby impairing its intracellular interaction with MST1 and leading to YAP activation in recipient cells. Together, our study not only reveals a regulatory mechanism though which viral infection is coupled via MVs with intercellular control of the Hippo signaling, but also highlights the OLFM4-Hippo axis as a therapeutic target for EBV-associated cancers.

Abstract Background Rice cultivation relies on planting grains harboring beneficial microbiota. However, the origination, distribution, and transmission dynamics of grain-borne bacteria remain unclear. Results Using rice grain as a model system, this study investigates the primary sources, major niches in seeds, and the dynamics of community acquisition, maintenance, and transmission between generations of grain-borne bacteria. Quantitative PCR and 16S rRNA gene sequencing demonstrate rice grains acquiring bacteria primarily from the external environment during panicle heading and flowering. These bacteria concentrate between the caryopsis and glumes, establishing sizable communities in developing seeds. The dominant taxa included Pantoea, Pseudomonas, and Sphingomonas. Throughout seed development and storage, community structure remains consistent while abundance fluctuates within one order of magnitude. Upon germination under axenic conditions, seed bacteria successfully colonize shoots and roots of offspring seedlings. However, bacteria transmitted solely through internal routes fail to form comparably large communities. Analysis of taxonomic composition uncovers dramatic reshaping from seeds to seedlings, potentially reflecting functional adaptation. Conclusions We clarify seed-borne bacterial origination, acquisition timing, seed colonization, intergenerational transmission, and seedling diversification. Our findings provide novel insights into rice seed bacterial dynamics critical for microbiome management. Video Abstract

With the continuing development of the aquaculture industry, the stress associated with many environmental factors has severely restricted the growth of fish, reduced fish resistance to disease, and had a large negative impact on fishery production. Therefore, it is of great importance for the sustainable development of aquaculture to cultivate new fish varieties with strong stress resistance. Traditional hybridization and gynogenesis, selective breeding, modern breeding techniques such as molecular marker-assisted breeding and whole genome selection breeding can be used to develop efficient and accurate fish breeding strategies, and to cultivate new fish varieties with high stress resistance. This paper reviews the status of research on fish breeding for disease resistance, cold resistance, high temperature tolerance, hypoxia tolerance, salt tolerance, saline-alkali tolerance as well as non-specific stress resistance traits, analyzes trends in research on fish breeding for stress tolerance, and explores future development directions. Furthermore, this paper proposes new ideas for fish seed industry innovation to promote its continuous and sustainable development.

BackgroundChrysotile is widely used in construction and industry. Research has shown that it is associated with lung fibrosis in occupational groups, but the involvement of microRNAs (miRNAs) in chrysotile-induced lung fibrosis has been less well studied, and the specific mechanism is still unclear. ObjectiveUsing next-generation sequencing technology to analyze the effects of chrysotile exposure on the miRNAs expression profiles of human lung epithelial cells (BEAS-2B cells), to explore the variations of differentially expressed miRNAs and related signaling pathways, and to identify potential targets and molecular mechanisms of chrysotile-induced lung fibrosis. MethodsChrysotile was analyzed with a laser particle size analyzer and an X-ray diffractometer for particle size and physical phase. BEAS-2B cells were exposed to chrysotile for designed time sessions (12, 24, and 48 h) and doses (0, 50, 100, and 200 μg·mL−1). Cell viability was detected with a cell viability assay kit (CCK8); expression levels of Fibronectin, Collagen-Ⅰ, and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) were detected by Western blot after exposure to 200 μg·mL−1 chrysotile for 24 h. Sample correlation and changes in miRNAs expression profiles between the chrysotile-exposed and the control groups were analyzed by next-generation sequencing technology. The target genes of differentially expressed miRNAs were predicted and subjected to Gene Ontology (GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis. ResultsThe average particle size of the chrysotile dust sample used in this study was 3.58 μm, and the results of X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the characteristic peaks of chrysotile. Compared with the control group, the chrysotile gradually inhibited the survival rate of BEAS-2B cells with increasing concentration and exposure time (P

Abstract Background Increasing studies focused on the efficacy of acupuncture on pregnancy outcomes in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) undergoing in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET). However, debatable conclusions have been drawn from different randomized controlled trials (RCTs), which might be related to different doses of acupuncture. Objective To evaluate whether acupuncture has a dose-dependent effect on pregnancy outcomes in patients with PCOS undergoing IVF-ET in systematically reviewing. Methods Seven electronic databases were searched from inception to October 10th, 2024. The Cochrane Collaboration’s tool ROB 2.0 (ROB 2.0) provided an assessment for the risk of bias. The acupuncture dose was extracted, then categorized into high, medium, and low dose according to the scoring system results, the evidence was assessed by Slavin’s qualitative best-evidence synthesis approach in a rigours methodological way. Clinical pregnancy rate (CPR) was regarded as the primary outcome. Results A total of 953 subjects met the eligibility criteria in 12 RCTs were included, among which two studies were low dose, four were medium dose, and six were high dose. The overall quality of included studies was low, 50.00% (6/12) studies were low risk, 16.67% (2/12) studies were some concerns, and 33.33% (4/12) studies were high risk. Comparing the results, the consistent high-dose result among high-quality trials provides strong evidence for a positive correlation between high-dose acupuncture and pregnancy outcomes. Conclusion A trend indicates that higher acupuncture doses yield better outcomes for PCOS patients undergoing IVF-ET. Further confirmation through direct comparisons of different doses was needed. Trial registration The systematic review has been registered on PROSPERO ( https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/ ), and the registration number is CRD42023400187.

Abstract Retinoblastoma is the most common intraocular malignant tumor that poses a serious threat to the lives of children. Treatment plans for RB vary depending on the stage of the disease, and there is an uneven distribution of medical resources across different regions. To standardize the clinical diagnosis and treatment of RB, experts have conducted extensive discussions and proposed guidelines for RB diagnosis and treatment. These guidelines aim to improve the clinical management of RB and serve as a reference for clinicians in their practice.

Abstract Background Obesity and overweight, as determined by the body mass index (BMI), are harmful to metabolic health. However, the BMI can not reflect body composition or fat distribution. The fat-free mass index (FFMI) and the fat mass index (FMI) can provide more information on body composition. The aim of the observational research was to determine whether the FMI and the FFMI are significantly associated with the risk of developing diabetes and prediabetes. Methods The investigators included data for 10,085 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2011–2018) participants aged over 20 years who underwent dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). The FFMI and the FMI were determined based on total fat mass and lean mass measured by DXA. Diabetes and prediabetes status were determined by medical history and laboratory examination. Logistic regression analyses were performed to explore the correlations between the FMI/FFMI and the risk of developing diabetes/prediabetes. Restricted cubic spline analysis was used to explore underlying nonlinear associations. Results In the present study, 1,135 patients were diagnosed with diabetes, 3,258 had prediabetes, and 5,692 were classified as control participants. The FFMI (odds ratio (OR) = 1.10, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.04–1.16) and the FMI (OR = 1.08, 95% CI = 1.04–1.12) were independently related to an increased risk of developing diabetes. Moreover, the FFMI (OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.02–1.16) and the FMI (OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.02–1.13) also independently correlated with a rising risk of developing prediabetes. The restricted cubic spline (RCS) outcomes suggested that the associations are approximately linear. Conclusions Both the FMI and the FFMI significantly correlated with the danger of developing diabetes and prediabetes, and the correlations are approximately linear.

MnCoGe-based alloys represent promising candidates for magnetic refrigeration due to their advantageous Curie temperature and structural transition temperature near room temperature, coupled with exceptional magnetocaloric effect (MCE). However, the practical application of these materials is constrained by their inferior mechanical properties. Although resin bonding enhanced these properties, it simultaneously detracted from the MCE. In order to overcome this challenge, a novel synthesis method combining arc melting and hot press sintering is proposed. This approach led to an enhancement in the mechanical properties of MnCoGe-based alloys without compromising their MCE. The results of our investigation indicated that the Mn1·16Co0.84Ge alloy has achieved an unprecedented compressive stress of 367 MPa. At room temperature, this alloy undergoes a first-order martensitic phase transformation characterized by a mixed crystal structure comprised of hexagonal austenite and orthorhombic martensite. Furthermore, the Mn0·91Co1.09Ge alloy demonstrated a maximum isothermal entropy change of 19.5 J/kg K under a 7 T magnetic field. This study establishes a robust framework for designing high-performance magnetic refrigeration materials that integrate excellent mechanical properties with superior MCE.

Abstract Background Recreational drug use has been identified as a significant risk factor for the transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This behavior is particularly prevalent among young men who have sex with men (YMSM). However, limited research has been conducted to investigate the correlation between recreational drug use and HIV incidence within this population. Objective To examine HIV incidence and explore the association between recreational drug use and HIV incidence among YMSM. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted by a local non-governmental organization (NGO) among MSM aged 18–24 years from October 2017 to December 2023 in Tianjin, China. Participants were included if they had at least two HIV test records during this period. HIV incidence density and its 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using person-years (PYs) with a Poisson distribution. Risk factors for HIV incidence were identified using univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models. Results A total of 56 HIV seroconversions were reported with 2901.9 PYs, resulting in an overall incidence density of 1.9/100 PYs (95% CI: 1.4–2.4). Among YMSM who do not use recreational drugs (YMSM-URD), the incidence density was 1.1/100 PYs (95% CI: 0.5–1.6), while it was 2.8/100 PYs (95% CI: 1.9–3.7) among those who do use recreational drugs (YMSM-RD). Adjusted for confounders, factors associated with HIV infection included recreational drug use (adjusted hazard ratio = 2.6, 95% CI = 1.4–4.7) and unprotected anal intercourse in the past six months (adjusted hazard ratio = 2.3, 95% CI = 1.2–4.4). Conclusions Recreational drug use and unprotected anal intercourse significantly increase the risk of HIV infection. To effectively mitigate the spread of HIV, interventions should focus on these risk factors by employing HIV counseling and testing clinics, collaborating with NGOs focused on MSM, and establishing peer education programs aimed at YMSM.

Abstract Patients with heart failure (HF) often experience iron deficiency. Intravenous iron supplementation has been widely used in clinical practice to facilitate the treatment of HF. However, the association between dietary iron intake and HF still needs to be elucidated. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of dietary iron intake on HF in American adults. The data were extracted from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2009–2018. Iron dietary intake data were obtained from two 24-h dietary recall interviews. We examined baseline data and HF prevalence in different quartile groups of dietary iron intake (Q1–Q4). Two logistic regression models were established to evaluate the impact of Q4 (highest iron consumption) on the risk of HF. The study included 20,853 American adults (age ≥ 20 years). The participants with the highest iron intake (Q4) had the lowest prevalence of HF (Q1: 3.25%, Q2: 2.18%, Q3: 1.92%, Q4: 1.72%; P

Abstract We aimed to investigate the correlation between the serum D-dimer (D-D) to albumin (ALB) ratio (DAR) and 28-day all-cause mortality in patients with sepsis. Data from sepsis patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of Wuhan Fourth Hospital from October 2021 to January 2024 were collected. Univariate cox analysis was performed for mortality factors in sepsis patients, and multiple cox regression models were used to analyze independent mortality risk factors. The receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve was used to analyze the value of DAR in predicting sepsis mortality, and the Kaplan–Meier method was used to plot the survival curve. A total of 833 patients with sepsis in the ICU of our hospital were selected and divided into alive group (n = 574) and death group (n = 171) according to their 28-day survival. In the death group, D-D and DAR levels were higher, while ALB levels was lower than in the alive group. Spearman analysis found that DAR level were positively correlated with APACHE II and SOFA scores. Multivariate cox regression analysis showed that DAR was an independent predictor of all-cause mortality within 28 days of admission for sepsis patients (HR = 17.956, 95% CI 3.435–93.851, p

Abstract The efficacy and safety of venetoclax in newly diagnosed pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are not well-established as they are in adults. Children newly diagnosed with AML were recommended for induction therapy with venetoclax and chemotherapy or hypomethylating agents (HMAs) as per for the ChiCTR1900027146 trial. Venetoclax was administered at a consistent dose of 200 mg/m2/day for 28 days, with adjustments when used concurrently with azoles. The study measured both the remission rates and the safety assessments of venetoclax. We enrolled 45 newly diagnosed pediatric patients with AML. The complete remission rates were 94.7% in the low/middle-risk group and 80.8% in the high-risk group; MRD-negative rates were 52.6% and 38.5% in the low/middle-risk group and high-risk group, respectively. Venetoclax based combination therapy was well tolerated by the majority of patients. The median duration of venetoclax dosing was 18 days (range 9–28), with hematological toxicity and infection being the most common adverse events. Venetoclax-based induction regimens demonstrated a high response rate and safety profile in newly diagnosed pediatric AML cases. This underscores the significance of venetoclax as a viable treatment option for untreated AML, extending beyond its role as salvage therapy for refractory/relapsed AML.

Due to global warming, changes in the rainfall intensity profile (i.e., the temporal intensity distribution within a rainfall event) increase the difficulty of accurate erosion prediction and control. Surface cover has been widely used as a critical measure to control soil erosion worldwide. However, the effects of the rainfall intensity profile (RIP) on soil erosion under different surface covers are not fully understood. In this study, long-term in situ field observations of the rain hyetograph, surface runoff coefficient (SRC), subsurface flow rate (SFR), and soil loss rate (SLR) from bare land, litter cover and grass cover were conducted over 11 consecutive years in the red soil hilly region of southern China. According to the occurrence time of the most intense rainfall, 226 erosive events were classified into four RIP patterns: advanced, intermediate, delayed, and uniform patterns. The results indicated that the advanced pattern with short duration–high intensity and the delayed pattern with long duration–high depth contributed to 73.45% of the total erosive events. For bare land, advanced events were the dominant pattern producing surface runoff and soil erosion, accounting for 57.24% and 75.17%, respectively, of the total surface runoff and erosion. The average SRC and SLR from the advanced pattern were 1.29–2.42 times and 2.52–39.78 times greater than those from the other patterns, respectively. The delayed pattern contributed to subsurface flow, and the average SFR was 1.27–2.17 times greater than that of the other patterns. Furthermore, surface cover significantly reduced surface runoff and erosion and increased subsurface flow, especially under the advanced pattern. Both surface cover measures were equally effective in controlling surface runoff and erosion, but the increase in subsurface flow caused by litter cover was 1.38–2.67 times greater than that caused by grass cover. Advanced pattern events increase the erosion risk on red soil slopes, and surface cover effectively weakens the effect of variation in the RIP pattern on soil erosion. Moreover, surface cover significantly alters the surface‒subsurface flow distribution pattern for all the RIP patterns. This study highlights the crucial importance of rain intensity profiles on water erosion and provides a basis for optimizing measures to effectively control soil and water loss under climate change.

ABSTRACT: Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus Probio-M9 (Probio-M9), a probiotic strain sourced from healthy breast milk, is recognized for its resilience to gastric and bile acids, along with its potential health benefits for infants. Its unique origin may influence its metabolic properties and effectiveness, and it has garnered increasing interest within the scientific community in recent years. However, research on its efficacy as a starter culture for milk fermentation and the associated metabolic shifts remains limited. This study aimed to track the dynamic metabolomic changes of Probio-M9 during the fermentation process. We used Probio-M9 as the sole inoculant for milk fermentation, collecting samples at 1.5- to 3-h intervals to monitor fermentation progression. Moreover, the metabolomics changes of the fermented milk were investigated after a 28-d storage period to evaluate post-storage stability. Metabolite profiles were generated using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight MS with multiple segment extraction. A total of 34 representative differential metabolites were identified, primarily comprising peptides and saccharides, followed by acids, amino acids, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, and intermediate metabolites. Notably, substantial alterations in metabolite levels were observed between 10.5 and 12 h into the fermentation process. Functional metabolites like syringaldehyde, leucic acid, and gentianose accumulated toward the end of fermentation, whereas peptides emerged as the main differential metabolites after the 28-d storage period. The study offers novel insights into the metabolic dynamics of Probio-M9 during fermentation and storage, which may inform the optimization of Probio-M9-fermented milk production processes. However, it is important to note that the focus of this study on a single starter strain may limit the generalizability of these findings.

Achieving a balance between convergence and diversity and their mutual enhancement is a complex task in the process of algorithm improvement. This is crucial because it is directly related to the effectiveness of the algorithm in obtaining accurate and uniformly distributed Pareto frontiers. Although significant progress has been made in particle swarm algorithms, exploring new approaches is necessary. In this paper, we construct a projection plane (projection line in 2D) based on the extreme values of the non-dominated solutions, select a set of uniform reference points on the projection plane, and then project the non-dominated solutions onto the constructed projection plane to form projection points. The reference points and projection points on the projection plane are thus utilized to guide the updating of the population as well as the maintenance of the external archive, a strategy that enhances the algorithm's global exploration and local exploitation capabilities. Secondly, we aggregate the target values of particles into a single scalar value and combine the idea of particle fusion to design a scheme for the particle selection of individual optimal particles. This paper further improves the algorithm's overall performance by using the information between populations to select individual optimal particles. Lastly, it is evaluated against a number of multi-objective algorithms that are currently in use and perform well on 22 test problems. The findings demonstrate that the algorithm this paper proposes performs better when solving multi-objective problems.

Abstract Background New graduate nurses often have certain potential safety hazards for patients due to insufficient knowledge and lack of clinical practice ability. To address these challenges, China has implemented a standardized training strategy. The improvements in the quality of this training involve not only the intervention of teaching methods but also the consideration of personality traits. Methods The application software based on the BFI-2 Chinese scale was utilized to administer personality tests to nursing students; nursing students were invited to scan the QR code and voluntarily fill in a questionnaire, including basic information, personality test results, and a professional self-efficacy test scale; offline paper-based theoretical examination results of nursing students were collected before and after training. The data was then analyzed using SPSS software version 26.0, which involved descriptive analysis, one-way between-groups analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Spearman correlation analysis. Results Based on the data, there were no observable differences in the theoretical results before and after training across different personality traits. In terms of skill assessment, conscientiousness exhibited the highest score at 78.91 ± 2.98 points, while negative emotionality showed the lowest score at 74.59 ± 2.12 points. These differences between different personality traits are statistically significant (P

Abstract Pancreatic cancer remains one of the most aggressive solid tumors. As a systemic disease, despite the improvement of multi-modality treatment strategies, the prognosis of pancreatic cancer was not improved dramatically. For resectable or borderline resectable patients, the surgical strategy centered on improving R0 resection rate is consensus; however, the role of neoadjuvant therapy in resectable patients and the optimal neoadjuvant therapy of chemotherapy with or without radiotherapy in borderline resectable patients were debated. Postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy of gemcitabine/capecitabine or mFOLFIRINOX is recommended regardless of the margin status. Chemotherapy as the first-line treatment strategy for advanced or metastatic patients included FOLFIRINOX, gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel, or NALIRIFOX regimens whereas 5-FU plus liposomal irinotecan was the only standard of care second-line therapy. Immunotherapy is an innovative therapy although anti-PD-1 antibody is currently the only agent approved by for MSI-H, dMMR, or TMB-high solid tumors, which represent a very small subset of pancreatic cancers. Combination strategies to increase the immunogenicity and to overcome the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment may sensitize pancreatic cancer to immunotherapy. Targeted therapies represented by PARP and KRAS inhibitors are also under investigation, showing benefits in improving progression-free survival and objective response rate. This review discusses the current treatment modalities and highlights innovative therapies for pancreatic cancer.

Abstract Fluid management remains a critical challenge in the treatment of septic shock, with individualized approaches lacking. This study aims to develop a statistical model based on transcriptomics to identify subgroups of septic shock patients with varied responses to fluid strategy. The study encompasses 494 septic shock patients. A benefit score is derived from the transcriptome space, with higher values indicating greater benefits from restrictive fluid strategy. Adherence to the recommended strategy is associated with a hazard ratio of 0.82 (95% confidence interval: 0.64–0.92). When applied to the baseline hospital mortality rate of 16%, adherence to the recommended fluid strategy could potentially lower this rate to 13%. A proteomic signature comprising six proteins is developed to predict the benefit score, yielding an area under the curve of 0.802 (95% confidence interval: 0.752–0.846) in classifying patients who may benefit from a restrictive strategy. In this work, we develop a proteomic signature with potential utility in guiding fluid strategy for septic shock patients.

Abstract Based on the characteristics of Kummell’s disease (KD) and related anatomical structures of the thoracolumbar spine, a novel bone cement screw system has been designed to effectively avoid the cement loosening and displacement. This experiment aimed to assess the biological effects of the novel bone cement screw system in KD on fresh cadaveric thoracolumbar spine specimens, thereby discussing its potential application value and providing a foundation for clinical implementation. This study employed a total of 50 fresh female adult cadaver specimens. Each specimen underwent extraction of the T12 to L2 segment followed by the creation of an artificial KD model at the L1 segment and subsequent establishment of five distinct types of bone cement repair models. Model A represents the percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) model, Model B combines PVP with unilateral percutaneous pediculoplasty (PPP), Model C combines PVP with bilateral PPP, Model D introduces the novel bone cement screw combined with unilateral PVP, and Model E combines the novel screw with bilateral PVP, each group consists of 10 specimens. Subsequently, the six-axis spine robot was employed to execute cement three-dimensional biomechanical strength tests in six directions, including anterior flexion and posterior extension, left and right lateral bending, as well as left and right rotation. The novel bone cement screw, whether used unilaterally or bilaterally in combination with the PVP model, exhibits significantly reduced bone cement mobility and superior biomechanical stability during anterior flexion, posterior extension, left lateral bending, and right lateral bending (P 0.05).When comparing the novel bone cement screw combined with PVP unilaterally and bilaterally, no statistically significant difference was observed in the stability of bone cement across all six directions of motion (P>0.05). To conclude, this novel bone cement bridging screw system exhibits superior biomechanical stability compared to commonly used treatments. Furthermore, both unilateral and bilateral implementations of the novel bone cement screw system yield without significant differences observed. These findings present a reliable and innovative approach for clinical management of KD.

Abstract Rejection seriously affects the success of kidney transplantations. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this rejection remain unclear. The GSE21374 and GSE36059 datasets were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Next, the Cell-type Identification by Estimating Relative Subsets of RNA Transcripts (CIBERSORT) algorithm was used to infer the proportions of 22 immune cells. Moreover, infiltrating immune cell-related genes were identified using weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), and enrichment analysis was conducted to observe their biological functions. Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) and Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) logistic regression algorithms were used to screen hub genes. Quantitative real-time PCR was conducted to verify the number of immune cells and hub gene expression levels. The rejection and non-rejection groups showed significantly different distributions (P

Abstract Background Animal and human health are seriously threatened by bacterial infections, which can lead to bacteremia and extremely high rates of morbidity and mortality. Recently, there have been reports indicating the involvement of exosomal circular RNAs (circRNAs) in a range of human disorders and tumor types. However, the role of exosomal circRNAs in bacterial infection remains elusive. Methods We extracted and identified exosomes from the culture medium of PIEC cells infected with or without Glaesserella parasuis. RNA sequencing analysis was performed on the exosomes to screen and identify circRNAs (circHIF1α) associated with Glaesserella parasuis infection. PIEC cells were infected with Staphylococcus aureus or Streptococcus suis 2 to further determine whether exosome-derived circHIF1α was the crucial circHIF1α associated with bacterial infections. The transmission process of exosomes and their circHIF1α between cells was clarified via exosome tracing and co-culture assay. Moreover, the mechanism of circHIF1α being packaged into exosomes was explored, and the effects of exosomes and their circHIF1α on cell proliferation, DNA damage and cell cycle were analyzed. In addition, the binding mode and site of interacting proteins with circHIF1α were further determined. In vivo and in vitro, the role of exosomes and their circHIF1α in host resistance to bacterial infection was confirmed. Results We first discovered a new circHIF1α that was very stable and detectable, encapsulated into exosomes by hnRNPA2B1, and whose expression in exosomes of bacterially infected PIEC cells significantly decreased. Additionally, exosomal circHIF1α reduced bacterial infection both in vitro and in vivo and suppressed the growth of reception cells. Mechanistically, the circHIF1α interacted with the KH domain of IGF2BP3 in an m6A-modified manner, which mediated DNA damage to arrest the cells at the G1/S phase through the interaction between the regulator of Chromosome Condensation 2 (RCC2) and γ-H2AX protein. Exosomal circHIF1α is a unique therapeutic target for bacterial infection since this work highlights its critical function in fighting bacterial infection.

Abstract Tumor heterogeneity and tumor evolution contribute to cancer treatment failure. To understand how selective pressures drive heterogeneous tumor evolution, it would be useful to image multiple important components and tumor subclones in vivo. We propose a supercontinuum-tailoring two-photon microscope (SCT-TPM) and realize simultaneous observation of nine fluorophores with a single light beam, breaking through the ‘color barrier’ of intravital two-photon fluorescence imaging. It achieves excitation multiplexing only by modulating the phase of fiber supercontinuum (SC), allowing to capture rapid events of multiple targets with maintaining precise spatial alignment. We employ SCT-TPM to visualize the spatiotemporal dynamics of heterogeneous tumor evolution under host immune surveillance, particularly the behaviors and interactions of six tumor subclones, immune cells and vascular network, and thus infer the trajectories of tumor progression and clonal competition. SCT-TPM opens up the possibility of tumor lineage tracking and mechanism exploration in living biological systems.

To address issues such as inadequate fault tolerance, long computation time, and limited universality in fault location for active distribution networks, this paper proposes a fault location method that combines Petri nets with an improved particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm. This method enhances the efficiency of fault location in distribution networks with distributed power sources, demonstrating good applicability and convergence, especially in complex network scenarios. The results from two test functions and simulation analyses of two types of node distribution networks show that (1) in the single-point fault simulation, the improved algorithm successfully located the fault in the ninth iteration, outperforming the 14th iteration result of the standard PSO algorithm. (2) In networks with randomly interconnected distributed power sources, the algorithm accurately located both single and multiple faults. (3) Experimental verification further supports the simulation results, proving the effectiveness of this method in practical applications.

Abstract While existing literature has focused on modelling pedestrian movement on platforms, there is a lack of understanding of passengers' perceptions, motivations, and influential factors that shape their on‐board behaviours and choices. This study developed a conceptual framework to assess passengers' post‐boarding behaviours and perceptions, specifically focusing on their actions and choices inside the train carriages. The conceptual framework was tested through survey data of 429 passengers in Melbourne, Australia. The result shows that door access is the most influential factor when passengers choose where to stand or sit on board, followed by comfort, safety, privacy, and random factors. Furthermore, the study explores the relationship between the post‐boarding behaviour variables and travellers’ personal and trip characteristic variables. The analysis shows that carrying large items has a more significant effect on many post‐boarding behaviour variables. Gender, age group, travel frequency, waiting time, and carrying small items also play significant roles. However, variables such as travel time and frequency of group travel have lesser effects. These novel findings offer valuable insights, laying the groundwork for future modelling activities. Moreover, the understanding derived from passenger perceptions can guide transport agencies and operators in shaping strategies to improve onboard services.

To improve the electrocatalytic transformation of carbon dioxide (CO2) to multi-carbon (C2+) products is of great importance. Here we developed a nitrogen-doped Cu catalyst, by which the maximum C2+ Faradaic efficiency can reach 72.7% in flow-cell system, with the partial current density reaching 0.62 A cm−2. The in situ Raman spectra demonstrate that the ∗CO adsorption can be strengthened on such a N-doped Cu catalyst, thus promoting the ∗CO utilization in the subsequent C–C coupling step. Simultaneously, the water activation can be well enhanced by N doping on Cu catalyst. Owing to the synergistic effects, the selectivity and activity for C2+ products over the N-deoped Cu catalyst are much improved.

We used 11 years of census data from 450 seedling quadrats established in a 20-ha forest dynamics plot to study seedling dynamics in tree species of a tropical seasonal rainforest in Xishuangbanna, southwestern China. We found that overall seedling recruitment rate and relative growth rate were higher in the rainy season than in the dry season. Both the recruitment rate of seedlings from canopy tree species (two species) and the relative growth rate of seedlings from understory species (nine species) were higher in the rainy season than in the dry season. However, in the rainy season, the recruitment rate of seedlings was higher for canopy tree species than for understory tree species. In addition, relative growth rate of seedlings was higher in the canopy species than in understory seedlings in the dry season. We also observed that, in both rainy and dry seasons, mortality rate of seedlings was higher for canopy species than for understory species. Overall, canopy tree species appear to have evolved a flexible strategy to adapt to the seasonal changes of a monsoon climate. In contrast, understory tree species seem to have adopted a conservative strategy. Specifically, these species mainly release seedlings in the rainy season and maintain relatively stable populations with a lower mortality rate and recruitment rate in both dry and rainy seasons. Our study suggests that canopy and understory seedling populations growing in forest understory may respond to future climate change scenarios with distinct regeneration strategies.

Abstract Purpose This study aimed to develop a Quality of Life (QOL) assessment scale for older patients with Neuro-co-Cardiological Diseases (NCCD) and to evaluate the reliability and validity of the scale. Method The study participants were derived from the Elderly Individuals with NCCD Registered Cohort Study (EINCCDRCS), a multicenter registry of patients with NCCD. The preliminary testing of the questionnaire was conducted among 10 older individuals aged 65 years and older who had NCCD and were recruited from the registry. Other patients who met the inclusion criteria participated in the field testing. After verifying the unidimensionality, local independence, and monotonicity assumptions of the scale, we employed the Rasch model within Item Response Theory framework to assess the quality of the scale through methods including internal consistency, criterion validity, Wright map, and item functioning differential. Subsequently, we assessed the construct validity of the scale by combining exploratory factor analysis with confirmatory factor analysis. Results Based on well-validated scales such as the short-form WHOQOL-OLD, HeartQOL, IQCODE, and SF-36, an original Neuro-co-Cardiological Diseases Quality of Life scale (NCCDQOL) was developed. 196 individuals from the EINCCDRCS were included in the study, with 10 participating in the preliminary testing and 186 in the field testing. Based on the results of the preliminary testing, the original questionnaire was refined through item deletion and adjustment, resulting in an 11-item NCCDQOL questionnaire. The Rasch analysis of the field testing data led to the removal of 21 misfitting individuals. The NCCDQOL demonstrated a four-category structure, achieved by combining two response categories. This structure aligned with the assumptions of unidimensionality, local independence, and monotonicity. The NCCDQOL also exhibited good validity and reliability. Conclusion The revised NCCDQOL questionnaire demonstrated good reliability and validity in the Rasch model, indicating promising potential for clinical application.

Optical imaging in the second near-infrared (NIR-II; 900–1880 nm) window is currently a popular research topic in the field of biomedical imaging. This study aimed to explore the application value of NIR-II fluorescence imaging in foot and ankle surgeries. A lab-established NIR-II fluorescence surgical navigation system was developed and used to navigate foot and ankle surgeries which enabled obtaining more high-spatial-frequency information and a higher signal-to-background ratio (SBR) in NIR-II fluorescence images compared to NIR-I fluorescence images; our result demonstrates that NIR-II imaging could provide higher-contrast and larger-depth images to surgeons. Three types of clinical application scenarios (diabetic foot, calcaneal fracture, and lower extremity trauma) were included in this study. Using the NIR-II fluorescence imaging technique, we observed the ischemic region in the diabetic foot before morphological alterations, accurately determined the boundary of the ischemic region in the surgical incision, and fully assessed the blood supply condition of the flap. NIR-II fluorescence imaging can help surgeons precisely judge surgical margins, detect ischemic lesions early, and dynamically trace the perfusion process. We believe that portable and reliable NIR-II fluorescence imaging equipment and additional functional fluorescent probes can play crucial roles in precision surgery.