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The 3D inversion algorithm for gravity data based on a smooth model constraint has been proven to yield a reasonable density distribution. However, as the amount of observed data and model parameters increases, the algorithm experiences issues with high memory consumption and prolonged computation time. Therefore, the corresponding problem in interpreting gravity inversion lies in developing a fast inversion algorithm. The conventional smooth model constraint inversion algorithm, based on regularization theory, requires the introduction of a model weighting function with a large matrix, and involves storage and operation of a large matrix with intermediate variables during inversion iteration, contributing significantly to the prolonged computation time. In this paper, a diagonal weight matrix is represented by vectorization, and the intermediate variable of the large matrix type in the iteration is replaced with the combination of a small matrix and a vector. Additionally, the algorithm flow of the conjugate gradient method is further optimized to minimize the number of vectors that need to be stored during iteration. As a result of these optimizations, the memory consumption of the algorithm during the operation process is successfully reduced. Finally, the experiments demonstrate the successful development of a fast 3D inversion algorithm for gravity data. Specifically, for a 80 × 80 × 20 mesh number inversion, our accelerated algorithm achieves an average speed of ~0.5 s per iteration, and the iterative process speeds up by a factor of 1000, providing an effective strategy for the fast inversion of large-scale data.

Abstract Background Long-term domestication and intensive breeding of crop plants aim to establish traits desirable for human needs, and characteristics related to yield, disease resistance, and postharvest storage have traditionally received considerable attention. These processes have led also to negative consequences, as is the case of loss of variants controlling fruit quality, for instance in tomato. Tomato fruit quality is directly associated to metabolite content profiles; however, a full understanding of the genetics affecting metabolite content during tomato domestication and improvement has not been reached due to limitations of the single detection methods previously employed. Here, we aim to reach a broad understanding of changes in metabolite content using a genome-wide association study (GWAS) with eigenvector decomposition (EigenGWAS) on tomato accessions. Results An EigenGWAS was performed on 331 tomato accessions using the first eigenvector generated from the genomic data as a “phenotype” to understand the changes in fruit metabolite content during breeding. Two independent gene sets were identified that affected fruit metabolites during domestication and improvement in consumer-preferred tomatoes. Furthermore, 57 candidate genes related to polyphenol and polyamine biosynthesis were discovered, and a major candidate gene chlorogenate: glucarate caffeoyltransferase (SlCGT) was identified, which affected the quality and diseases resistance of tomato fruit, revealing the domestication mechanism of polyphenols. Conclusions We identified gene sets that contributed to consumer liking during domestication and improvement of tomato. Our study reports novel evidence of selective sweeps and key metabolites controlled by multiple genes, increasing our understanding of the mechanisms of metabolites variation during those processes. It also supports a polygenic selection model for the application of tomato breeding.

Abstract Background Cucumber is an important melon crop in the world, with different pericarp colors. However, the candidate genes and the underlying genetic mechanism for such an important trait in cucumber are unknown. In this study, a locus controlling pericarp color was found on chromosome 3 of cucumber genome. Results In this study, the light green inbred line G35 and the dark green inbred line Q51 were crossed to produce one F2 population. Consequently, we identified a major locus CsPC1 (Pericarp color 1). Next, we mapped the CsPC1 locus to a 94-kb region chromosome 3 which contains 15 genes. Among these genes, Csa3G912920, which encodes a GATA transcription factor, was expressed at a higher level in the pericarp of the NIL-1334 line (with light-green pericarp) than in that of the NIL-1325 line (with dark-green pericarp). This study provides a new allele for the improvement of cucumber pericarp color. Conclusion A major QTL that controls pericarp color in cucumber, CsPC1, was identified in a 94-kb region that harbors the strong candidate gene CsGATA1.

Key points Degradable mulching film alter the diversity of cotton non-rhizosphere soil fungi. Degradable mulching film alter the soil microbial composition of cotton. Degradable mulching film dose not alter the diversity of cotton rhizosphere fungi. Degradable mulching film dose not alter the diversity of cotton soil bacteria.

Background: /Objective: The treatment of bone defect has always been a difficult problem in orthopedic clinic. The search for alternative biodegradable implants is a hot topic. The development of biodegradable magnesium scaffolds for the treatment of bone defects has long been a goal of the public. Methods: In this study, we proposed a porous magnesium scaffold prepared by 3D gel printing and surface modification with an additional calcium phosphate coating and use of its strength, degradability and slow degradation rate in a bone graft substitute material. The porous magnesium granular scaffold was prepared by 3D gel printing technology and modified by DCPD (Dibasic Calcium Phosphate Dihydrate) coating. The biocompatibility, degradation rate, and osteogenic ability of the scaffold were evaluated in vitro and in vivo. Results: The biocompatibility, in vivo degradation and bone defect healing response of the implants were investigated. Porous magnesium scaffolds were successfully prepared, and the strength of sintered scaffolds reached 5.38 ​MPa. The degradation rates of scaffolds were significantly reduced after coating with DCPD. The cell compatibility evaluation showed that DCPD-coated Mg scaffold was suitable for cell proliferation. In vivo biosafety monitoring showed that scaffold implantation did not cause an increase in Mg ion concentration in vivo, and no toxic damage was detected in the liver or kidney. Micro-CT and pathological results showed that a large amount of new bone was formed at 6 weeks. At 12 weeks, approximately 52% of the scaffold volume remained. At 24 weeks, osteogenesis, which was stimulated by some residual scaffold, still can be observed. In summary, this study suggests that 3D gel-printed DCPD-coated porous magnesium scaffolds have great potential as bone graft alternatives. Conclusion: In summary, this study suggests that 3D gel-printed DCPD-coated porous magnesium scaffolds have great potential as bone graft alternatives. The Translational potential of this article: The translational potential of this article is to make use of the advantages of 3D gel printing technology with higher efficiency and lower cost compared with SLM and SLS technologies, and use pure magnesium powder as raw material to prepare degradable porous magnesium metal scaffolds, opening up a new technical route for the preparation of degradable porous magnesium scaffolds which are made for bone defect regeneration in the future.

ObjectivePlacement of the pedicle screw is technically challenging during C1-2 fusion surgery in children and different intraoperative image-guided systems have been developed to reduce the risk of screw malposition. The purpose of the present study was to compare surgical outcomes between C-arm fluoroscopy and O-arm navigated pedicle screw placement in the treatment of atlantoaxial rotatory fixation in children.MethodsWe retrospectively evaluated charts of all consecutive children with atlantoaxial rotatory fixation who underwent C-arm fluoroscopy or O-arm navigated pedicle screw placement from April 2014 to December 2020. Outcomes including operative time, estimated blood loss (EBL), accuracy of screw placement (Neo's classification) and completed fusion time were evaluated.ResultsA total of 340 screws were placed in 85 patients. The accuracy of screw placement of the O-arm group was 97.4%, which was significantly higher than that of the C-arm group (91.8%). Both groups had satisfied bony fusion (100%). Statistical significance (230.0 ± 34.6 ml for the C-arm group and 150.6 ± 47.3 ml for the O-arm group, p

With the development of new power systems, the construction concept imposes new requirements on the internal environment of the equipment in terms of moisture protection. The study addresses the requirements of dehumidification and temperature control in the internal environment of prefabricated substations and builds the test platform for prefabricated substations to investigate the effect of coordinated operation of distributed thermoelectric dehumidifier (DTD) and centralized thermoelectric dehumidifier (CTD) on the prefabricated bay environment. It is found that: distributed dehumidifiers are effective in dehumidifying environments with humidification rates less than 2.848 ml/min; CTD should be used when the humidification rate is greater than 2.848 ml/min. DTD its relative humidity regulation can be strong but cause the ambient temperature to rise, CTD power consumption is low and the ambient temperature change is small. When the coordinated operation of the distributed and centralized dehumidifier is used to reduce the relative humidity from 95% to 69.5%, its total power consumption is only 0.260 kWh and the ambient temperature increases by 3.2 °C. Therefore, the comprehensive performance advantage is obvious, which is conducive to improving the ability to resist sudden changes in the environment and ensuring stable equipment operation.

ABSTRACT Ubiquitin regulatory X domain-containing proteins (UBXN) might be involved in diverse cellular processes. However, their in vivo physiological functions remain largely elusive. We recently showed that UBXN3B positively regulated stimulator-of-interferon-genes (STING)-mediated innate immune responses to DNA viruses. Herein, we reported the essential role of UBXN3B in the control of infection and immunopathogenesis of two arthritogenic RNA viruses, Chikungunya (CHIKV) and O’nyong’nyong (ONNV) viruses. Ubxn3b deficient (Ubxn3b−/−) mice presented higher viral loads, more severe foot swelling and immune infiltrates, and slower clearance of viruses and resolution of inflammation than the Ubxn3b+/+ littermates. While the serum cytokine levels were intact, the virus-specific immunoglobulin G and neutralizing antibody levels were lower in the Ubxn3b−/− mice. The Ubxn3b−/− mice had more neutrophils and macrophages, but much fewer B cells in the ipsilateral feet. Of note, this immune dysregulation was also observed in the spleens and blood of uninfected Ubxn3b−/− mice. UBXN3B restricted CHIKV replication in a cell-intrinsic manner but independent of type I IFN signaling. These results demonstrated a dual role of UBXN3B in the maintenance of immune homeostasis and control of RNA virus replication. IMPORTANCE The human genome encodes 13 ubiquitin regulatory X (UBX) domain-containing proteins (UBXN) that might participate in diverse cellular processes. However, their in vivo physiological functions remain largely elusive. Herein, we reported an essential role of UBXN3B in the control of infection and immunopathogenesis of arthritogenic alphaviruses, including Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), which causes acute and chronic crippling arthralgia, long-term neurological disorders, and poses a significant public health problem in the tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. However, there are no approved vaccines or specific antiviral drugs. This was partly due to a poor understanding of the protective and detrimental immune responses elicited by CHIKV. We showed that UBXN3B was critical for the control of CHIKV replication in a cell-intrinsic manner in the acute phase and persistent immunopathogenesis in the post-viremic stage. Mechanistically, UBXN3B was essential for the maintenance of hematopoietic homeostasis during viral infection and in steady-state.

IntroductionReal-time evaluations of the severity of depressive symptoms are of great significance for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). In clinical practice, the evaluation approaches are mainly based on psychological scales and doctor-patient interviews, which are time-consuming and labor-intensive. Also, the accuracy of results mainly depends on the subjective judgment of the clinician. With the development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, more and more machine learning methods are used to diagnose depression by appearance characteristics. Most of the previous research focused on the study of single-modal data; however, in recent years, many studies have shown that multi-modal data has better prediction performance than single-modal data. This study aimed to develop a measurement of depression severity from expression and action features and to assess its validity among the patients with MDD.MethodsWe proposed a multi-modal deep convolutional neural network (CNN) to evaluate the severity of depressive symptoms in real-time, which was based on the detection of patients’ facial expression and body movement from videos captured by ordinary cameras. We established behavioral depression degree (BDD) metrics, which combines expression entropy and action entropy to measure the depression severity of MDD patients.ResultsWe found that the information extracted from different modes, when integrated in appropriate proportions, can significantly improve the accuracy of the evaluation, which has not been reported in previous studies. This method presented an over 74% Pearson similarity between BDD and self-rating depression scale (SDS), self-rating anxiety scale (SAS), and Hamilton depression scale (HAMD). In addition, we tracked and evaluated the changes of BDD in patients at different stages of a course of treatment and the results obtained were in agreement with the evaluation from the scales.DiscussionThe BDD can effectively measure the current state of patients’ depression and its changing trend according to the patient’s expression and action features. Our model may provide an automatic auxiliary tool for the diagnosis and treatment of MDD.

ABSTRACT The rapid development of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) drug resistance and the formation of biofilms seriously challenge the clinical application of classic antibiotics. Extracts of the traditional herb Chenopodium ambrosioides L. were found to have strong antibiofilm activity against MRSA, but their mechanism of action remains poorly understood. This study was designed to investigate the antibacterial and antibiofilm activities against MRSA of flavonoids identified from C. ambrosioides L. in combination with classic antibiotics, including ceftazidime, erythromycin, levofloxacin, penicillin G, and vancomycin. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) was used to analyze the nonvolatile chemical compositions. Reverse transcription (RT)-PCR was used to investigate potential multitargets of flavonoids based on global transcriptional responses of virulence and antibiotic resistance. A synergistic antibacterial and biofilm-inhibiting activity of the alcoholic extract of the ear of C. ambrosioides L. in combination with penicillin G was observed against MRSA, which proved to be closely related to the interaction of the main components of kaempferol rhamnosides with quercetin. In regard to the mechanism, the increased sensitivity of MRSA to penicillin G was shown to be related to the downregulation of penicillinase with SarA as a potential drug target, while the antibiofilm activity was mainly related to downregulation of various virulence factors involved in the initial and mature stages of biofilm development, with SarA and/or σB as drug targets. This study provides a theoretical basis for further exploration of the medicinal activity of kaempferol rhamnosides and quercetin and their application in combination with penicillin G against MRSA biofilm infection. IMPORTANCE In this study, the synergistic antibacterial and antibiofilm effects of the traditional herb C. ambrosioides L. and the classic antibiotic penicillin G on MRSA provide a potential strategy to deal with the rapid development of MRSA antibiotic resistance. This study also provides a theoretical basis for further optimizing the combined effect of kaempferol rhamnosides, quercetin, and penicillin G and exploring anti-MRSA biofilm infection research with SarA and σB as drug targets.

PurposePediatric testicular yolk sac tumor is a rare malignant germ cell tumor and there is a lack of large clinical studies. The purpose of this study is to summarize the clinical characteristics of pediatric testicular yolk tumor and evaluate the prognostic factors.Materials and methodsThe medical records of children with testicular yolk sac tumor in one pediatric medical centre in China from January 2005 to January 2021 were retrospectively investigated. Data regarding clinical characteristics, treatment and prognosis were collected.ResultsA total of 109 patients with a median diagnosed age of 18 months (range 2–69) were included in this study; of them 100 were diagnosed as stage I, 6 as stage II and 3 as stage IV. All patients underwent radical orchiectomy, and 61 of them underwent postoperative chemotherapy. The mean follow-up time was 61.3 months (range 3–259), during that time, 8 patients experienced relapse. The five-year overall survival was 90.6% (95% CI 84.6%–96.7%). Univariate Cox regression analysis showed that disease stage, relapse, maximum tumor diameter, and alpha-fetoprotein returning to normal within 2 months postoperatively were risk factors for survival (HRs of 25.43, 26.43, 1.48 and 0.08, respectively, p

BackgroundDeceased donor kidney transplantation (DDKT) is a major therapeutic option for patients with end-stage renal diseases. Although medical techniques improved in recent years, acute or chronic rejection after DDKT is not uncommon and often results in poor graft survival. Therefore, the determination of risk factors is very important to stratify patients and to improve outcomes. This study aims to evaluate the risk factors for treated rejection (TR) of patients after DDKT.MethodsClinical data of deceased donors and corresponding recipients were retrospectively collected. The primary outcome was TR defined as the treatment for rejection within 24 months after DDKT. Univariate comparisons of baseline characteristics were performed with Chi-square test, t-test, and Mann–Whitney U test. Logistic regression was constructed to analyze potential risk factors. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and Jordan index were generated to determine the optimal cutoff value. The association between continuous variables and TR was examined and visualized by using restricted cubic spline (RCS) models.ResultsData of 123 deceased donors and 246 recipients were obtained and analyzed. The median age was 41 (4–62) years for recipients and 39 (1–65) years for donors. The recipients who died or suffered graft loss during the follow-up period were 8 (3.3%) and 12 (4.9%), respectively. After univariate analysis and subsequent multivariate analysis, the preoperative serum uric acid (OR, 2.242; 95% CI, 1.037–4.844; P = 0.040), platelet (OR, 2.163; 95% CI, 1.073–4.361, P = 0.031), absolute neutrophil count (OR, 2.183; 95% CI, 1.025–4.649; P = 0.043), and HLA-DQ mismatch (OR, 2.102; 95% CI, 1.093–4.043; P = 0.026) showed statistical significance. RCS models showed that patients with higher levels of uric acid had increased risk of TR.ConclusionsSerum uric acid and other three indicators were found to be the independent risk factors for TR, which may contribute to stratify patients and develop personalized regimen in perioperative period.

ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy and reliability of steps tracked by smartphone-based WeChat app compared with Actigraph-GT3X accelerometer in free-living conditions.DesignA cross-sectional study and repeated measures.MethodsA total of 103 employees in the Pudong New Area of Shanghai, China, participated in this study. The participants wore an ActiGraph-GT3X accelerometer during the period of August to September 2019 (Time 1), December 2019 (Time 2) and September 2020 (Time 3). Each time, they wore the ActiGraph-GT3X accelerometer continuously for 7 days to assess their 7-day step counts. The smartphone-based WeRun step counts were collected in the corresponding period when subjects wore accelerometers. The subjects were invited to complete basic demographic characteristics questionnaires and to perform physical examination to obtain health-related results such as height, body weight, body fat percentage, waist circumference, hip circumference, and blood pressure.ResultsBased on 103 participants' 21 days of data, we found that the Spearman correlation coefficient between them was 0.733 (P < 0.01). The average number of WeRun steps measured by smartphones was 8,975 (4,059) per day, which was higher than those measured by accelerometers (8,462 ± 3,486 per day, P < 0.01). Demographic characteristics and different conditions can affect the consistency of measurements. The consistency was higher in those who were male, older, master's degree and above educated, and traveled by walking. Steps measured by smartphone and accelerometer in working days and August showed stronger correlation than other working conditions and time. Mean absolute percent error (MAPE) for step counts ranged from 0.5 to 15.9%. The test-retest reliability coefficients of WeRun steps ranged from 0.392 to 0.646. A multiple regression analysis adjusted for age, gender, and MVPA/step counts measured during Time 1 showed that body composition (body weight, BMI, body fat percentage, waist circumference, and hip circumference) was correlated with moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity, but it was not correlated with WeRun step counts.ConclusionsThe smartphone-based WeChat app can be used to assess physical activity step counts and is a reliable tool for measuring steps in free-living conditions. However, WeRun step counts' utilization is potentially limited in predicting body composition.

Understanding how to improve green technology innovation is critical to addressing environmental pollution and climate change. Using data from the annual reports of Chinese listed manufacturing firms from 2002 to 2018, this paper investigates the impact of market integration on firms’ green technology innovation. The research design relies on the instrumental variable approach. The results show that both commodity market integration and factor market integration can significantly promote green technology innovation. However, heterogeneity exists across regions, ownership systems, and industry types. Exploring the mechanisms, we find that commodity market integration affects firms’ green technology innovation mainly by expanding market size, intensifying market competition, and promoting technology spillovers. Factor market integration influences firm green technology innovation by optimizing resource allocation and reducing government intervention.

PurposeTo establish a predictive model for upper urinary tract damage (UUTD) in children with neurogenic bladder (NB) and verify its efficacy.MethodsA retrospective study was conducted that consisted of a training cohort with 167 NB patients and a validation cohort with 100 NB children. The clinical data of the two groups were compared first, and then univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed on the training cohort to identify predictors and develop the nomogram. The accuracy and clinical usefulness of the nomogram were verified by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, calibration curve and decision curve analyses.ResultsThere were no significant differences in other parameters between the training and validation cohorts except for age (all P > 0.05). Recurrent urinary tract infection, bladder compliance, detrusor leak point pressure, overactive bladder and clean intermittent catheterization were identified as predictors and assembled into the nomogram. The nomogram showed good discrimination with the area under the ROC curve (AUC) in the training cohort (0.806, 95% CI: 0.737–0.874) and validation cohort (0.831, 95% CI: 0.753–0.0.909). The calibration curve showed that the nomograms were well calibrated, with no significant difference between the predicted and observed probabilities. Decision curve analysis indicated that the nomogram has good clinical applicability.ConclusionThis study presents an effective nomogram incorporating five clinical characteristics that can be conveniently applied to assess NB children' risk of progressing to UUTD.

Cities are highly complex, inter-connected social-ecological systems, encompassing social, built and natural/semi-natural components. They interact with their surrounding extra-urban areas at varying scales, from peri-urban and rural to global. Space is a valuable commodity in cities. However, in most instances, city planners tend to think about interventions only within cities and rarely about the wider connected domains outside. Yet, considering the wider spatial context, including space outside of the city boundaries, may open up opportunities to achieve substantially greater benefit for city residents without sacrificing valuable space, leading to more sustainable city design for people and the environment.In this paper we discuss the intra-extra-urban flows which connect cities to their wider airsheds, watersheds, biosheds and resourcesheds, which in turn interact with their peoplesheds. For each domain, we illustrate the processes and the scales they operate at, and discuss the implications for optimum location of nature-based solutions (NBS) to address urban challenges. We suggest that integrating knowledge about these multiple sheds can inform holistic design of NBS to deliver greater benefit for city residents. This takes into account the synergies and multi-functional co-benefits which arise from a careful consideration of place and people, while minimising potential disbenefits and trade-offs.

In the last few decades, microspheres and microsphere-based scaffolds have demonstrated great potential in translational medicine. Various materials, including natural polymers, synthetic polymers, bioactive ceramics, and their composites, have been fabricated into microspheres for bone-defect repair. In this review, we summarize the specific steps and research progress of various fabrication methods for microspheres and identify the main limitations of existing techniques. The appropriate materials and surface-modification strategies that can increase the biological properties of microspheres are also described. Finally, we discuss the key application of microsphere-functionalized scaffolds for bone tissue engineering. We expect that this review will enable more future investigations that focus on the field of microsphere tissue engineering, and thus advance the development of fabrication technology and facilitate the application of microspheres for bone regeneration.

The gut-lung axis has been implicated as a potential therapeutic target in lung disorders. While increasing evidence suggests that gut microbiota plays a critical role in regulating host immunity and contributing to tuberculosis (TB) development and progression, the underlying mechanisms whereby gut microbiota may impact TB outcomes are not fully understood. Here, we found that broad-spectrum antibiotics treatment increased susceptibility to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) infection and modulated pulmonary inflammatory responses in mouse M. tuberculosis infection model. We then identified a commensal gut bacteria-regulated lncRNA, termed lncRNA-CGB, which was down-regulated by dysbiosis of gut microbiota during TB infection. Furthermore, we found that Bacteroides fragilis (B. fragilis) was a direct regulator of lncRNA-CGB, and oral administration of B. fragilis enhanced expression of lncRNA-CGB and promoted anti-TB immunity. Genomic knock-out of lncRNA-CGB led to reduced IFN-γ expression and impaired anti-TB immunity, therefore leading to detrimental effects on M. tuberculosis infection. Mechanistically, lncRNA-CGB interacted with EZH2 and negatively regulated H3K27 tri-methylation (H3K27Me3) epigenetic programming, leading to enhanced IFN-γ expression. Thus, this work not only uncovered previously unrecognized importance of gut bacteria-lncRNA-EZH2-H3K27Me3 axis in conferring immune protection against TB but also identified a potential new paradigm to develop a microbiota-based treatment against TB and potentially other diseases.

Background: Natural ecosystems provide necessary services for human beings, including ecosystem service values (ESVs) and socioeconomic service values (SSVs). The value orientations of ESVs and SSVs are mainly related to people’s interaction with nature. This study reclassified greenspace from a perspective of exposed and non-exposed greenspace based on the level of interaction by people and greenspace. We applied an expert questionnaire to survey the SSVs value orientations of forestland, grassland, wetland, and water bodies, and quantitatively compared the value orientations between the ESVs and SSVs of greenspace in China. Result: (1) The values of exposed greenspace were relatively far higher than non-exposed greenspace, as it had both ESVs and SSVs. (2) The forestland and grassland had relatively high ESVs and SSVs, and are the priority for both the exposed and non-exposed greenspace. (3) Wetland had relatively high ESVs but low SSVs, which was unpopular for exposed greenspace. (4) The ESVs and SSVs of water body were relatively balanced. Conclusion: Greenspace had both ESVs and SSVs when they are exposed to human. Our study provided an innovative perspective to explore the value orientations of greenspace, which provides an actionable scientific basis for greenspace planning, design and construction in human habitat. .

A retrospective cohort study was conducted at the Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from November 2004 to December 2020 to investigate the long-term follow-up results after testicular torsion (TT) in children. Boys with TT were divided into the salvage orchiopexy group and the orchiectomy group, and the baseline characteristics, ultrasonographic indications, intraoperative findings, testicular volumes, and adverse events during follow-up were compared. A total of 145 cases were included in this study. Approximately 56.6% of patients who underwent salvage orchiopexy had testicular atrophy (TA), and the median testicular volume loss of the testes was 57.4%. Age less than 6 years, delayed surgery, and intraoperative poor blood supply were associated with TA in pediatric TT after orchiopexy. Most atrophied testes appeared within 3–6 months after surgery. Compared with the corresponding age-matched healthy controls, the contralateral testicular volumes were larger in the orchiopexy (P = 0.001 without TA, and P = 0.042 with TA) and orchiectomy groups (P = 0.033). The adverse events were comparable in patients with orchiectomy or orchiopexy. In summary, follow-up before 3 months after surgery may not offer sufficient clinical value, while that 3 months after surgery should be regarded as the first follow-up time for testicular monitoring. The contralateral testes of patients with TT showed compensatory hypertrophy. We suggest performing orchiectomy when torsed testes are surgically assessed as Arda grade III or inviable.

Driven by growing applications that use computer screens as interfaces for daily remote interactions, almost all current video coding standards have included screen content coding (SCC) tools. Recently, an efficient SCC tool called intra string copy (ISC) has been adopted in the third-generation of audio video coding standard in China (AVS3). ISC has two coding unit (CU) level sub-modes: fully-matching-string and partially-matching-string based string prediction (FPSP) sub-mode and equal-value-string, unit-basis-vector-string, and unmatched-pixel-string based string prediction (EUSP) sub-mode. To further improve the coding efficiency of SCC, this paper proposes four enhancement techniques of ISC (EISC), including CU partition improvements, point vector (PV) relocation and reactivation, line-based overlapping string prediction, and an optimized coding method for string length in the EUSP sub-mode. Compared with the latest AVS3 reference software HPM with EISC disabled, using AVS3 SCC common test condition and YUV test sequences in text and graphics with motion and mixed content categories, the proposed technique achieves an average Y BD-rate reduction of 2.39% and 1.49% for all intra (AI) and low-delay B (LDB) configurations, respectively, with low additional encoding complexity and almost no additional decoding complexity. All proposed ISC enhancement techniques have been adopted in AVS3.

Purpose: Considerable debates exist regarding the preferable technique to repair a paediatric inguinal hernia (PIH). This systematic review aims to compare the efficacy and safety of laparoscopic herniorrhaphy (LH) and open herniorrhaphy (OH) in PIH. Methods: The randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that compared the outcomes of LH and OH in PIH without region and language restrictions searched from the following databases: PubMed, Web of Science Database, Cochrane Library, SciELO Citation Index, Russian Science Citation Index, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, WanFang Data and China Science and Technology Journal Database. Results: A total of 13 RCTs that involving 1207 patients included in the review. The LH displayed a shorter operative time for bilateral hernia repair (weighted mean difference = −8.23, 95% confidence interval [CI]: −11.22~−5.23, P < 0.00001), a lower complication rate (odds ratio [OR] = 0.32, 95% CI: 013–0.83, P = 0.02) along with a lower wound infection (OR = 0.14, 95% CI: 0.04–0.55, P = 0.005) and major male-specific post-operative complications (OR = 0.10, 95% CI: 0.04–0.24, P < 0.00001) and a less contralateral metachronous inguinal hernia (CMIH) incidence rate (OR = 0.09, 95% CI: 0.02–0.42, P = 0.002). No significant difference was found for unilateral operative time, time to full recovery, length of hospital stay, recurrence and hydrocele rates between the two techniques. Conclusion: The present review reiterates that both the LH and OH techniques for the PIH repair are comparable. However, in some aspects, the LH is superior to the OH in terms of operative time for bilateral hernias, post-operative complications rate and CMIH incidence rate. Rigorously designed RCTs are anticipated to confirm the clinical effects of both LH and OH.

We describe and summarize the diagnosis, treatment, and reasons for delayed treatment of children with cryptorchidism torsion in Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University. The study included 19 cases of cryptorchidism torsion. The age of the children ranged from 16 days to 12 years (median: 6 years). The interval from diagnosis to surgery varied from 4 h to 16 days (median: 3 days). Ultrasound was performed in all cases. Fifteen cases had cryptorchidism torsion, 2 cases had a soft tissue mass in the inguinal region, and 2 cases had an inguinal/abdominal teratoma. Five cases were treated with an orchidopexy, 12 cases were treated with orchiectomy, and 2 cases received resection of a testicular tumor. The 5 children with an orchidopexy were followed up from 1 month to 7 years (median: 3 years), with 1 child having a testis retraction and no blood supply. Of the 12 children who had an orchiectomy, three had delayed diagnosis due to family unawareness of the condition, while other delays were due to delayed referral from primary care facilities. The relative rarity and insufficient awareness of cryptorchidism torsion resulted in a low rate of testicular salvage. Therefore, hospitals of all levels should be fully aware of cryptorchidism with torsion and ensure a male child's genital system and inguinal region are examined to improve the success rate of testicular salvage.

Abstract Eight new generation amide insecticide residues analysis by multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNs) cleanup, combined with QuEChERS and ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry has been developed and successfully applied in complex matrix such as orange, celery, onion, litchi, mango, shallot, chives, avocado, garlic. The matric effect of MWCNs is optimized and compared with ordinary cleanup materials. The results show that the performance of MWCNs is fine and effectively reduce matrix interference. Through chemical structure skeletons analyzed, chlorantraniliprole, bromoantraniliprole, and cyantraniliprole can cause same product ions of m/z 286.0 or 177.1 in the ESI+ mode, then tetrachlorantraniliprole and cyclaniliprole can produce collective ions of m/z 146.9 in the ESI− mode. The coefficients (R 2) were greater than 0.9990, the limit of quantification ranges from 0.03 to 0.80 μg/kg, the recovery rate ranges from 71.2 to 120%, and the relative standard deviation (RSD) ranges from 3.8 to 9.4%. The method is fast, simple, sensitive, and suitable for the rapid determination of amide pesticides in complex matrix agricultural food.

Abstract Background To investigate the association between geographic, clinical, socioeconomic factors and delayed management of pediatric testicular torsion (TT) in West China. Methods A retrospective study was conducted on TT at Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University in West China from November 2004 to December 2020. Univariate analysis and logistic regression analysis were conducted to determine the association between these factors and delayed management of TT. Results A total of 301 cases were included in this study. The misdiagnosis rate of TT in primary, secondary healthcare units and tertiary hospitals was 93.8, 71.1, and 8.9%, respectively. Approximately 26.9% of TT boys received timely surgical management (within 12 h from symptoms inset to surgery). Logistic regression analyses suggested the following factors were associated with delayed repair of TT: age less than 6 years (P = 0.001), with a history of symptoms progress (P = 0.001) or former treatment (P

Abstract Background Genetic and functional genomics studies require a high-quality genome assembly. Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), an important horticultural crop, is an ideal model species for the study of fruit development. Results Here, we assembled an updated reference genome of S. lycopersicum cv. Heinz 1706 that was 799.09 Mb in length, containing 34,384 predicted protein-coding genes and 65.66% repetitive sequences. By comparing the genomes of S. lycopersicum and S. pimpinellifolium LA2093, we found a large number of genomic fragments probably associated with human selection, which may have had crucial roles in the domestication of tomato. We also used a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population to generate a high-density genetic map with high resolution and accuracy. Using these resources, we identified a number of candidate genes that were likely to be related to important agronomic traits in tomato. Conclusion Our results offer opportunities for understanding the evolution of the tomato genome and will facilitate the study of genetic mechanisms in tomato biology.

Abstract Background Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a life-threatening complication characterized by rapid decline in renal function, which frequently occurs after transplantation surgery. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the development of post-transplant (post-Tx) AKI still remains unknown. An increasing number of studies have demonstrated that certain microRNAs (miRNAs) exert crucial functions in AKI. The present study sought to elucidate the molecular mechanisms in post-Tx AKI by constructing a regulatory miRNA–mRNA network. Results Based on two datasets (GSE53771 and GSE53769), three key modules, which contained 55 mRNAs, 76 mRNAs, and 151 miRNAs, were identified by performing weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). The miRDIP v4.1 was applied to predict the interactions of key module mRNAs and miRNAs, and the miRNA–mRNA pairs with confidence of more than 0.2 were selected to construct a regulatory miRNA–mRNA network by Cytoscape. The miRNA–mRNA network consisted of 82 nodes (48 mRNAs and 34 miRNAs) and 125 edges. Two miRNAs (miR-203a-3p and miR-205-5p) and ERBB4 with higher node degrees compared with other nodes might play a central role in post-Tx AKI. Additionally, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis indicated that this network was mainly involved in kidney-/renal-related functions and PI3K–Akt/HIF-1/Ras/MAPK signaling pathways. Conclusion We constructed a regulatory miRNA–mRNA network to provide novel insights into post-Tx AKI development, which might help discover new biomarkers or therapeutic drugs for enhancing the ability for early prediction and intervention and decreasing mortality rate of AKI after transplantation.

High-density planting is an effective technique to optimize yields of mulched cotton. On the other hand, deficit irrigation is an emerging water-saving strategy in cotton cultivation, especially suitable for arid and water-scarce areas. However, the relationships between deficit irrigation, high-density planting, and regulation mechanisms of canopy light radiation and light use efficiency (LUE) in cotton is not yet clear. To clarify the mechanism of light interception (LI) and the LUE of cotton canopies, three irrigation treatments [315 (50% Fc), 405 (75% Fc, farmers’ irrigation practice), and 495 mm (100% Fc), where Fc was the field capacity] with three plant densities [13.5, 18.0 (farmers’ planting practice), and 22.5 plants m2] were applied. The findings of this research revealed that, under deficit irrigation, the above-ground dry matter (ADM) was reduced by 5.05% compared to the farmers’ irrigation practice. Over both years and across all plant densities, LI and LUE under deficit irrigation decreased by 8.36% and 4.79%, respectively, relative to the farmers’ irrigation practices. In contrast, LI and LUE for the highest irrigation level increased by 10.59% and 5.23%, respectively. In the case of the interaction (plant density and irrigation level), the ADM under deficit irrigation and high-density combination increased by 7.69% compared to the control (farmers’ irrigation × sowing practices interaction effects). The LI and LUE also exhibited an increase in 1.63% and 6.34%, respectively. Notably, the LI effect of the middle and upper cotton canopy under film drip irrigation reached 70%. A lower irrigation level resulted in a higher percentage of LI in the lower canopy region. The leaf area index, light interception rate, and extinction coefficient escalated with the increase in plant density. Under deficit irrigation treatment, the LI of the 0–30 cm canopy in high plant density settings increased by 8.6% compared to the control (farmers’ irrigation × sowing practices interaction effects). In conclusion, deficit irrigation and increased plant density improved the interception of LI and LUE of cotton canopy. These findings may help the farmers to optimize their agricultural management strategies in water-deficient areas.

Strain sensors based on conducting polymer hydrogels are considered highly promising candidates for wearable electronic devices. However, existing conducting polymer hydrogels are susceptible to aging, damage, and failure, which can greatly deteriorate the sensing performance of strain sensors based on these substances and the accuracy of data collection under large deformation. Developing conductive polymer hydrogels with concurrent high sensing performance and self-healing capability is a critical yet challenging task to improve the stability and lifetime of strain sensors. Herein, we design a self-healable conducting polymer hydrogel by compositing poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) nanofibers and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) via both physical and chemical crosslinking. This PEDOT:PSS-PVA nanocomposite hydrogel strain sensor displays an excellent strain monitoring range (>200%), low hysteresis (83.5%). Electronic skins based on such hydrogel strain sensors can perform the accurate monitoring of various physiological signals, including swallowing, finger bending, and knee bending. This work presents a novel conducting polymer hydrogel strain sensor demonstrating both high sensing performance and self-healability, which can satisfy broad application scenarios, such as wearable electronics, health monitoring, etc.

Oral ulcer is a common inflammatory disease of oral mucosa, causing severe burning pain and great inconvenience to daily life. In this study, compound 3J with anti-inflammatory activity was synthesized beforehand. Following that, an intelligent composite hydrogel supported 3J was designed with sodium alginate, carboxymethyl chitosan, and chitosan quaternary ammonium salt as the skeleton, and its therapeutic effect on the rat oral ulcer model was investigated. The results show that the composite hydrogel has a dense honeycomb structure, which is conducive to drug loading and wound ventilation, and has biodegradability. It has certain antibacterial effects and good anti-inflammatory activity. When loaded with 3J, it reduced levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in inflammatory cells by up to 50.0%. It has excellent swelling and water retention properties, with a swelling rate of up to 765.0% in a pH 8.5 environment. The existence of a large number of quaternary ammonium groups, carboxyl groups, and hydroxyl groups makes it show obvious differences in swelling in different pH environments, which proves that it has double pH sensitivity. It is beneficial to adapt to the highly dynamic changes of the oral environment. Compared with single hydrogel or drug treatment, the drug-loaded hydrogel has a better effect on the treatment of oral ulcers.

Under complex field conditions, robust and efficient boll detection at maturity is an important tool for pre-harvest strategy and yield prediction. To achieve automatic detection and counting of long-staple cotton in a natural environment, this paper proposes an improved algorithm incorporating deformable convolution and attention mechanism, called YOLO-C, based on YOLOv7: (1) To capture more detailed and localized features in the image, part of the 3 × 3 convolution in the ELAN layer of the backbone is replaced by deformable convolution to improve the expressiveness and accuracy of the model. (2) To suppress irrelevant information, three SENet modules are introduced after the backbone to improve the ability of feature maps to express information, and CBAM and CA are introduced for comparison experiments. (3) A WIoU loss function based on a dynamic non-monotonic focusing mechanism is established to reduce the harmful gradients generated by low-quality examples on the original loss function and improve the model performance. During the model evaluation, the model is compared with other YOLO series and mainstream detection algorithms, and the model mAP@0.5 achieves 97.19%, which is 1.6% better than the YOLOv7 algorithm. In the model testing session, the root mean square error and coefficient of determination (R2) of YOLO-C are 1.88 and 0.96, respectively, indicating that YOLO-C has higher robustness and reliability for boll target detection in complex environments and can provide an effective method for yield prediction of long-staple cotton at maturity.

The deposition energy and the peak overpressure of shockwaves are the leading engineering parameters of wire electric explosion technology applied to enhance oil recovery. The thicker Cu wire deposits more energy, which transforms into the shockwave efficiently. Therefore, the effects of three diameters (0.3, 0.4, and 0.5 mm) and hollow ratios (0, 0.5, and 0.7) on the electric explosion efficiency were studied by collecting pulse current, explosion products, and shockwaves during the test. All spatial structure designs of the wire depend on the skin effect parameters of the pulse discharge current. The results found that the peak overpressure of the shockwave soars with the increase of the hollow ratios when the diameter is constant. The range of the peak overpressure is 25.2~47.7 MPa. However, the correlation between shockwave and wire diameter changes from negative to positive with the increase of the hollow ratio from 0 to 0.7. The phase distribution deduced by the particle morphology and quantity distribution indicates that it is going to be uniform gradually with the hollow ratio rising from 0 to 0.7. When the extreme simplification is carried out without considering the magnetic diffusion process, it is indicated that the distribution of temperature and phase states along the wire radial is a Bessel function depending on the skin effect of the current density when three times the theoretical enthalpy drives the Cu wire. It means that the desired shockwave could be obtained efficiently by increasing the diameter and the hollow ratio of wire during a wire electric explosion.

Abstract The OSIRIS detector is a subsystem of the liquid scintillator filling chain of the JUNO reactor neutrino experiment. Its purpose is to validate the radiopurity of the scintillator to assure that all components of the JUNO scintillator system work to specifications and only neutrino-grade scintillator is filled into the JUNO Central Detector. The aspired sensitivity level of $$10^{-16}\hbox { g/g}$$ 10 - 16 g/g of $$^{238}\hbox {U}$$ 238 U and $$^{232}\hbox {Th}$$ 232 Th requires a large ( $$\sim 20\,\hbox {m}^3$$ ∼ 20 m 3 ) detection volume and ultralow background levels. The present paper reports on the design and major components of the OSIRIS detector, the detector simulation as well as the measuring strategies foreseen and the sensitivity levels to U/Th that can be reached in this setup.

Abstract Background Stone cells in fruits of pear (Pyrus pyrifolia) negatively influence fruit quality because their lignified cell walls impart a coarse and granular texture to the fruit flesh. Results We generate RNA-seq data from the developing fruits of 206 pear cultivars with a wide range of stone cell contents and use a systems genetics approach to integrate co-expression networks and expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) to characterize the regulatory mechanisms controlling lignocellulose formation in the stone cells of pear fruits. Our data with a total of 35,897 expressed genes and 974,404 SNPs support the identification of seven stone cell formation modules and the detection of 139,515 eQTLs for 3229 genes in these modules. Focusing on regulatory factors and using a co-expression network comprising 39 structural genes, we identify PbrNSC as a candidate regulator of stone cell formation. We then verify the function of PbrNSC in regulating lignocellulose formation using both pear fruit and Arabidopsis plants and further show that PbrNSC can transcriptionally activate multiple target genes involved in secondary cell wall formation. Conclusions This study generates a large resource for studying stone cell formation and provides insights into gene regulatory networks controlling the formation of stone cell and lignocellulose.

Abstract JUNO is a massive liquid scintillator detector with a primary scientific goal of determining the neutrino mass ordering by studying the oscillated anti-neutrino flux coming from two nuclear power plants at 53 km distance. The expected signal anti-neutrino interaction rate is only 60 counts per day (cpd), therefore a careful control of the background sources due to radioactivity is critical. In particular, natural radioactivity present in all materials and in the environment represents a serious issue that could impair the sensitivity of the experiment if appropriate countermeasures were not foreseen. In this paper we discuss the background reduction strategies undertaken by the JUNO collaboration to reduce at minimum the impact of natural radioactivity. We describe our efforts for an optimized experimental design, a careful material screening and accurate detector production handling, and a constant control of the expected results through a meticulous Monte Carlo simulation program. We show that all these actions should allow us to keep the background count rate safely below the target value of 10 Hz (i.e. ∼1 cpd accidental background) in the default fiducial volume, above an energy threshold of 0.7 MeV.

Abstract Background Currently, research on the quantitative distribution of ABO antigens in different organs and tissues remains limited. We aimed to examine the individual characteristics of blood group glycoprotein A and B antigen expression in human kidneys and livers. Methods We obtained human samples, including the renal artery, renal vein, renal tissue, hepatic artery, hepatic vein, portal vein, and hepatic tissue, from 24 deceased organ transplant donors. The expression of the blood group antigens glycoprotein A and B was analysed and compared by Western blotting. Results There was no significant difference in the expression between blood group glycoprotein A and B antigens at any of the seven sites (p > 0.05). The expression of both A and B antigens was highest in renal tissue and the portal vein and was lowest in the renal artery. A large difference in glycoprotein antigen expression was observed among various donors or different regions of the same individual. Univariate analysis revealed that glycoprotein A/B antigens were affected by the age and sex of donors and were significantly higher in males and in young people. Conclusions Our study found that blood group glycoprotein antigen expression showed certain trends and distinct distribution in the kidney, liver, and vessels among individuals and in different regions of the same individual, which may explain the different clinical outcomes of patients who received ABO-incompatible transplantation.

Abstract Atmospheric neutrinos are one of the most relevant natural neutrino sources that can be exploited to infer properties about cosmic rays and neutrino oscillations. The Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO) experiment, a 20 kton liquid scintillator detector with excellent energy resolution is currently under construction in China. JUNO will be able to detect several atmospheric neutrinos per day given the large volume. A study on the JUNO detection and reconstruction capabilities of atmospheric $$\nu _e$$ ν e and $$\nu _\mu $$ ν μ fluxes is presented in this paper. In this study, a sample of atmospheric neutrino Monte Carlo events has been generated, starting from theoretical models, and then processed by the detector simulation. The excellent timing resolution of the 3” PMT light detection system of JUNO detector and the much higher light yield for scintillation over Cherenkov allow to measure the time structure of the scintillation light with very high precision. Since $$\nu _e$$ ν e and $$\nu _\mu $$ ν μ interactions produce a slightly different light pattern, the different time evolution of light allows to discriminate the flavor of primary neutrinos. A probabilistic unfolding method has been used, in order to infer the primary neutrino energy spectrum from the detector experimental observables. The simulated spectrum has been reconstructed between 100 MeV and 10 GeV, showing a great potential of the detector in the atmospheric low energy region.

Abstract Objective To develop high-quality synthetic CT (sCT) generation method from low-dose cone-beam CT (CBCT) images by using attention-guided generative adversarial networks (AGGAN) and apply these images to dose calculations in radiotherapy. Methods The CBCT/planning CT images of 170 patients undergoing thoracic radiotherapy were used for training and testing. The CBCT images were scanned under a fast protocol with 50% less clinical projection frames compared with standard chest M20 protocol. Training with aligned paired images was performed using conditional adversarial networks (so-called pix2pix), and training with unpaired images was carried out with cycle-consistent adversarial networks (cycleGAN) and AGGAN, through which sCT images were generated. The image quality and Hounsfield unit (HU) value of the sCT images generated by the three neural networks were compared. The treatment plan was designed on CT and copied to sCT images to calculated dose distribution. Results The image quality of sCT images by all the three methods are significantly improved compared with original CBCT images. The AGGAN achieves the best image quality in the testing patients with the smallest mean absolute error (MAE, 43.5 ± 6.69), largest structural similarity (SSIM, 93.7 ± 3.88) and peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR, 29.5 ± 2.36). The sCT images generated by all the three methods showed superior dose calculation accuracy with higher gamma passing rates compared with original CBCT image. The AGGAN offered the highest gamma passing rates (91.4 ± 3.26) under the strictest criteria of 1 mm/1% compared with other methods. In the phantom study, the sCT images generated by AGGAN demonstrated the best image quality and the highest dose calculation accuracy. Conclusions High-quality sCT images were generated from low-dose thoracic CBCT images by using the proposed AGGAN through unpaired CBCT and CT images. The dose distribution could be calculated accurately based on sCT images in radiotherapy.

Objective: To explore treatment planning approaches using volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) for head and neck cancer patients with metallic dental fillings. Methods: Fifty-six patients with metallic dental fillings treated with radiotherapy were selected, and three VMAT plans, the jaw-tracking plan, fixed-jaw plan, and non-coplanar plan, were designed for each patient. In the jaw-tracking plan, two coplanar partial arc fields that avoid the metal area were set, and the jaw was automatically tracked. In the fixed-jaw plan, different fields were set in three sections according to the fixed-jaw method. The fields were the same as those in the jaw-tracking plan for the section containing metal implants, while full arc fields were set in the nonmetal sections. In the non-coplanar plan, a non-coplanar arc field was added based on the jaw-tracking plan. The treatment plan in the jaw-tracking plan was optimized, and the constraints on the planning target volume (PTV) or organs at risk (OARs) in the jaw-tracking plan were copied to the other two plans. The dose distribution in PTV and OARs of the patients in the three treatment plans was compared. Results: There were no significant differences in the maximum doses to the spinal cord or optic nerves among the three treatment plans. However, compared with the jaw-tracking plan, the fixed-jaw plan showed lower mean doses to the pharynx [(42.9 ​± ​7.1) Gy vs. (44.1 ​± ​7.1) Gy, P ​

This study sought to evaluate DNA damage and repair in porcine postovulatory aged oocytes. The DNA damage response, which was assessed by H2A.X expression, increased in porcine aged oocytes over time. However, the aged oocytes exhibited a significant decrease in the expression of RAD51, which reflects the DNA damage repair capacity. Further experiments suggested that the DNA repair ability was suppressed by the downregulation of genes involved in the homologous recombination (HR) and nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ) pathways. The expression levels of the cell cycle checkpoint genes, CHEK1 and CHEK2, were upregulated in porcine aged oocytes in response to induced DNA damage. Immunofluorescence results revealed that the expression level of H3K79me2 was significantly lower in porcine aged oocytes than in control oocytes. In addition, embryo quality was significantly reduced in aged oocytes, as assessed by measuring the cell proliferation capacity. Our results provide evidence that DNA damage is increased and the DNA repair ability is suppressed in porcine aged oocytes. These findings increase our understanding of the events that occur during postovulatory oocyte aging.

To examine the variation in water and vegetation coverage areas, the groundwater level and plant diversity in the terminal lake of the Tarim River, northwest China, both the monitoring data of a field survey consisting of surface samples and remote sensing data for 20 years (2000–2019) were analyzed by using field survey and indoor remote sensing methods. The results showed that (1): from 2000 to 2019, water and vegetation areas increased significantly, especially the trend of vegetation areas becoming more significant, with an average annual increase of 13.9 km2/a; (2): the plant diversity increased first and then decreased; the species richness and Pielou index in the study area were 9.0 and 0.80 in 2005, but only 2.00 and 0.08 in 2000, respectively; species composition tends to be simplified; (3): with the increase in the lake area, the groundwater level showed an up-lifted trend; the correlation between the two was significant, but there was a lag in the response of the groundwater level.

To explore the differences in stoichiometric homeostasis and resorption efficiency of nitrogen (NRE) and phosphorus (PRE) of tree species in Kanas natural forest. We selected four primary tree species: Larix sibirica (LS), Picea obovata (PO), Pinus sibirica (PS), and Betula pendula (BP) and measured concentrations of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) in fresh leaves, leaf litters, and soil. Our findings showed that compared to deciduous species (LS, BP), evergreen species (PO, PS) had higher fresh leaf C concentrations and C: N ratios. As opposed to evergreen plants, deciduous species have higher levels of fresh leaf N concentration, while the P concentration and C: P did not exhibit such a pattern. Mass-based NRE and PRE averaged 52.55 and 49.16%, respectively, with a significant difference among life forms in NRE but no varied in PRE. NRE increased with N concentration in fresh leaves of BP, PO, and LS, NRE decreased with N concentration in leaf litters of all species; PRE increased with P concentration in fresh leaves of all species, PRE decreased with P concentration in leaf litters of LS, PO, and PS. Only NRE of BP and PS and PRE of PS showed significant relationship with soil N and P concentrations, respectively. Neither NRE nor PRE was insignificantly related to mean annual temperature (MAT) for all species. The N concentration of all species showed strict homeostasis corresponding to their being limited by the N element. Only the P concentration of PS and PO and N: P ratio of PS varied with corresponding traits in soil. Overall, our results provide insight into the N and P nutrient use characteristics of tree species in the Kanas natural forest and can provide a scientific basis for regional ecological restoration.

PurposeTo provide reference data on CBT pedicle screws from CT measurements of L1 to L5 in the Chinese Han population and to assess the treatment efficacy of CBT pedicle screws in cases of lumbar degenerative disease.MethodsIn total, 100 patients were identified from the CT database for CBT morphometric measurement of the lumbar spine. According to sex and age, patients were divided into four groups. The diameter, length, and angle of the vertebral pedicle and trajectory were measured. Then, a total of 36 patients with lumbar degenerative disease were included in this study for clinical and radiographic evaluation. Demographic characteristics, health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and extent of intervertebral disc herniation and spondylolisthesis were evaluated.ResultsThe mean diameter and the mean length varied from L1 to L5 in Groups I to IV. The lateral angles ranging from L1 to L5 were 8.9 to 9.2°, 8.7 to 12.2°, 8.7 to 11.2°, and 9.2 to 10.1° in Groups I to IV, respectively. The cephalad angles from L1 to L5 were 23.5 to 28.6°, 24.7 to 26.6°, 25.0 to 28.2°, and 24.7 to 27.9° in Groups I to IV, respectively. In the case series, all patients’ neurological function and HRQOL were significantly improved at the final follow-up (p

Chinese kale (Brassica oleracea var. alboglabra Bailey, CC) is a succulent stem vegetable in the Brassica family. Its allotetraploid (AACC) vegetable germplasm, which was synthesized via distant hybridization with the colloquially named ‘yellow turnip’ (B. rapa L. ssp. rapifera Matzg., AA), has a swelling stem similar to CC. To address the molecular mechanism of stem development for CC and AACC, RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) was used to investigate transcriptional regulation of their stem development at three key stages including 28 days, 42 days and the bolting stage (BS) after sowing. As a result, 32,642, 32,665, 33,816, 32,147, 32,293 and 32,275 genes were identified in six corresponding cDNA libraries. Among them, 25,459 genes were co-expressed, while 7,183, 7,206, 8,357, 6,688, 6,834 and 6,814 genes were specifically expressed. Additionally, a total of 29,222 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were found for functional enrichment as well as many genes involved in plant hormones including gibberellin (GA), abscisic acid (ABA), cytokinin (CTK) and auxin (AUX). Based on gene expression consistency between CC and AACC, the gene families including DELLA, GID, PYR/PYL, PP2C, A-ARR and AUX/IAA might be related to stem development. Among these, eight genes including Bo00834s040, Bo5g093140, Bo6g086770, Bo9g070200, Bo7g116570, Bo3g054410, Bo7g093470 and Bo5g136600 may play important roles in stem development based on their remarkable expression levels as confirmed by qRT-PCR. These findings provide a new theoretical basis for understanding the molecular mechanism of stem development in Brassica vegetable stem breeding.

Tuberculosis (TB) induced by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) infection remains a global most deadly infectious disease. While development of more effective TB vaccines and therapeutics relies on identifications of true biomarkers designating an immune protection against M. tuberculosis infection, exact protective immune components against M. tuberculosis infection remain largely unidentified. We previously found that severe TB induced remarkable up-regulation of interferon regulatory factor 7 (IRF7) and IRF7-related gene signatures, implicating that some unknown downstream molecules in IRF7 signaling cascades may determine the M. tuberculosis infection outcomes and serve as a protective immune component against M. tuberculosis infection. Indeed, here, we observe that genetic ablation of IRF7 leads to more severe lung pathology, increased M. tuberculosis burdens, impaired differentiation of effector/memory T subsets, and extensively elevated expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in lungs. Importantly, IRF7 is vital for sustaining expression of PD-1/PD-L1 and PD-1/PD-L1-modulated miRNA-31. Moreover, interventions of miRNA-31 expressions via administration of miRNA-31 agomir reduces lung pathology and bacilli burdens via inducing up-regulation of gene sets involved in biological processes of defense response or cellular and chemical homeostasis in lungs. Thus, this study uncovers previously unrecognized importance and mechanisms of IRF7-mediated miRNA-31 as a protective immune component against M. tuberculosis infection.

Long‐term ocean monitoring and sensing remain a great challenge for the lack of sustainable power sources. Herein, a coaxial hybrid energy harvester (CH‐EH) consisting of triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) and electromagnetic generators (EMGs) is fabricated to charge lithium (Li)‐ion batteries through in situ water wave energy harvesting, enabling sustainable power supply. Triggered by mechanical motions, the TENGs and EMGs (connected in parallel) of CH‐EH move in the same phase at the same frequency through a shared‐bearing swing arm and generate high‐voltage, high‐current outputs after being rectified separately. At a wave frequency of 0.8 Hz and a wave height of 20 cm, the peak voltage and current are 194.09 V and 2.593 mA, respectively. After charging a 13.2 mF capacitor for approximately 7.5 min, the CH‐EH array successfully drives a thermometer with a Bluetooth module. Moreover, after charging a 22 mF capacitor for 33 min, the CH‐EH array successfully drives a radio‐frequency module to realize wireless transmission. Furthermore, a 35 mAh lithium battery is successfully charged by the designed circuit, and the fully charged lithium battery continuously powers a thermohygrometer for 13 h. Hence, the as‐designed CH‐EH has broad application prospects in long‐term ocean sensing and monitoring.

Introduction Essential hypertension is a major preventable risk factor for early cardiovascular disease, premature death and disability. It has been reported that telemedicine interventions can provide an innovative solution to essential hypertension to overcome the barriers that exist in traditional treatment or control. Nevertheless, this subject has not been thoroughly investigated. The goal of this study is to systematically evaluate and describe the impact of telemedicine interventions on essential hypertension.Methods and analysis To find relevant research, we will conduct a systematic literature search of three databases (PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library), with no language limitations, in addition to researching grey literature. Two reviewers will extract the data individually, and any disagreements will be resolved by discussion or by a third reviewer. The randomised controlled trials will be chosen based on predetermined inclusion criteria. Primary outcomes will include systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure after the telemedicine intervention. Secondary outcomes will include medication adherence (eg, the Morisky Medication Adherence Questionnaire), quality of life (eg, the MOS item scale of the Health Survey Short Form 36 questionnaire), blood pressure control rate and adverse events (eg, stroke, chronic renal failure, aortic dissection, myocardial infarction and heart failure). The quality of the included studies will be assessed using the Cochrane risk-of-bias method. The data will be analysed using RevMan V.5.3.5 software and STATA V.16.0 software. If heterogeneity testing reveals little or no statistical heterogeneity, a fixed effect model will be used for data synthesis; otherwise, a random effect model would be employed. We will synthesise the available evidence to perform a high-quality meta-analysis.Ethics and dissemination This project does not require ethical approval because it will be conducted using publicly available documents. The review’s findings will be published in peer-reviewed journals and publications.PROSPERO registration number CRD42021293539.