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Sirui Li, Lei Gao, Ying Liu, Yawen Ao, Haibo Xu Department of Radiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, People’s Republic of China Background: The thalamus is an important deep brain structure for the synchronization of brain rhythm and the integration of cortical activity. Human brain imaging and computational modeling have non-invasively revealed its role in maintaining the cortical network architecture and functional hierarchy. Purpose: The objective of this study was to identify the effect of unilateral thalamic damage on the human brain intrinsic functional architecture. Patients and methods: We collected an 8-minute resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (R-fMRI) data on a 3.0 T magnetic resonance scanner for all the participants: a preoperative patient with left thalamus destroyed by anaplastic astrocytoma (WHO grade III type of astrocytoma) and 20 matched healthy controls. The R-fMRI data was analyzed for functional connectivity and amplitude of spontaneous fluctuations. Results: The patient showed prominent decrease in functional connectivity within primary sensory networks and advanced cognitive networks, and extensive alterations in between-network coupling. Further analysis of the amplitude of spontaneous activity suggested significant decrease especially in the topographies of default mode network and the Papez circuit. Conclusion: This result provided evidence about the consequences of thalamic destruction on the correlation and landscape of spontaneous brain activity, promoting our understanding of the effects of thalamic damage on large-scale brain networks. Keywords: brain networks, functional connectivity, default mode network, Papez circuit

Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) is an important solanaceous vegetable and economic crop in the world. It is a very popular and nutrient rich vegetable, and it can be grown round the year in China. In September 2023, a suspected bacterial disease of the eggplant was found in the Greenhouse Eggplant Seedling Production Base in Tieling, Liaoning Province, China. The disease symptom was water-soaked tawny or light brown spots on eggplant seedling leaves, that gradually became black. Pathogenic bacteria were isolated from the infected leaf spots. Based on the phenotypic characteristics, bacteriological characteristics, physiological and biochemical tests and molecular biological identification, the bacteria isolates obtained in this study were identified as Xanthomonas euvesicatoria. Pathogenicity of these isolates was confirmed on ground tomato and pepper seedlings by artificial inoculation. To our knowledge, this is the first report of X. euvesicatoria causing bacterial spot of eggplant in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the results of a ∼60-h multiband observational campaign with the Atacama Large Millimeter Array targeting a spectroscopically confirmed and lensed sub-L⋆ galaxy at z = 6.07, first identified during the ALMA Lensing Cluster Survey (ALCS). We sampled the dust continuum emission from rest frame 90–370 μm at six different frequencies and set constraining upper limits on the molecular gas line emission and content by targeting the CO (7 − 6) and [C I](3P2−3P1) transitions in two lensed images with μ ≳ 20. Complementing these submillimeter observations with deep optical and near-IR photometry and spectroscopy with JWST, we find this galaxy to form stars at a rate of SFR ∼ 7 M⊙ yr−1, ∼50 − 70% of which is obscured by dust. This is consistent with what one would predict for a M⋆ ∼ 7.5 × 108 M⊙ object by extrapolating the relation between the fraction of the obscured star formation rate and stellar mass at z <  2.5 and with observations of IR-detected objects at 5 <  z <  7. The light-weighted dust temperature of Tdust ∼ 50 K is similar to that of more massive galaxies at similar redshifts, although with large uncertainties and with possible negative gradients. We measure a dust mass of Mdust ∼ 1.5 × 106 M⊙ and, by combining [C I], [C II], and a dynamical estimate, a gas mass of Mgas ∼ 2 × 109 M⊙. Their ratio (δDGR) is in good agreement with predictions from models and empirical relations in the literature. The dust-to-stellar mass fraction of fdust ∼ 0.002 and the young stellar age (100 − 200 Myr) are consistent with efficient dust production via supernovae, as predicted by existing models and simulations of dust evolution. Also, the expected number density of galaxies with Mdust ∼ 106 M⊙ at z = 6 from a subset of these models is in agreement with the observational estimate that we set from the parent ALCS survey. The combination of gravitational lensing and deep multiwavelength observations allowed us to probe luminosity and mass regimes up to two orders of magnitude lower than what has been explored so far for field galaxies at similar redshifts. Our results serve as a benchmark for future observational endeavors of the high-redshift and faint sub-L⋆ galaxy population that might have driven the reionization of the Universe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Multiaxial fatigue failure of metals, a common issue in industrial production, often leads to significant losses. Recently, many researchers have applied deep learning methods to predict the multiaxial fatigue life of metals, achieving promising results. Due to the high costs of fatigue testing, training data for deep learning is scarce and labor-intensive to collect. This study meets this need by creating a large-scale, high-quality dataset for multiaxial fatigue life prediction, consisting of 1167 samples from 40 materials collected from literature. The dataset includes key mechanical properties (elastic modulus, yield strength, tensile strength, Poisson’s ratio) and 48 loading paths, along with additional relevant information (composition ratios, processing conditions). Common deep learning models validated the dataset’s effectiveness. This dataset aims to support researchers applying deep learning to fatigue life prediction, addressing the long-standing issue of data scarcity, thereby advancing the intersection of artificial intelligence and metal fatigue research.

Objective: To extract Astragalus polysaccharides (APS) from Astragalus membranaceus using compound enzymes (including papain, pectinase and cellulase), and to analyze the effect of process conditions on APS extraction. Methods: Orthogonal experiments were conducted to determine the proportion of compound enzymes. The response surface method was used to optimize the conditions of extracting APS with compound enzymes. The optimal process condition was obtained, and the α-glucosidase-inhibiting effect of APS was evaluated by pNPG method. Results: For 5 g of Astragalus herbs, the optimal ratio of papain, pectinase and cellulase were 88000 U, 65000 U and 6000 U, respectively. The optimal extraction condition was as follows: time of 2.82 h, temperature at 60.34 ℃, pH of 5.11, and solid-liquid ratio of 1:34.46 g/mL. The yield of APS under the optimal condition was up to 22.79%±0.14%. The half-inhibition concentration (IC50) of APS for α-glucosidase was 7.42 μg/mL. Conclusion: The yield of APS by compound enzymes is significantly higher than that by single enzymes, and APS can effectively inhibit the activity of α-glucosidase.

Abstract Background Interpregnancy interval (IPI) is associated with the risk of GDM in a second pregnancy. However, an optimal IPI is still need to be determined based on the characteristics of the population. This study aimed to analyze the effect of interpregnancy interval (IPI) on the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in the Chinese population. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study on female participants who had consecutive deliveries at Peking University Shenzhen Hospital from 2013 to 2021. The IPI was categorized into 7 groups and included into the multivariate logistic regression model with other confound factors. Analysis was also stratified based on age of first pregnancy, BMI, and history of GDM. Adjusted OR values (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) calculated. The regression coefficient of IPI months on GDM prediction risk was analyzed using a linear regression model. Results A total of 2,392 participants were enrolled. The IPI of the GDM group was significantly greater than that of the non-GDM group (P 0.05). For participants with GDM history, IPI 12–18 months, 24–36 months, 36–48 months, and ≥ 60 months were all significantly associated with the GDM risk (aOR: 2.619, 3.747, 4.356, and 5.373; 95% CI: 1.074–6.386, 1.652–8.499, 1.724–11.005, and 1.078–26.793, respectively), and the slope value of linear regression (0.5161) was significantly higher compared to participants without a history of GDM (0.1891) (F = 284.168, P

We present |$850\, \mu {\rm m}$| imaging of the XMM -LSS field observed for 170 h as part of the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope SCUBA-2 Large eXtragalactic Survey (S2LXS). S2LXS XMM -LSS maps an area of |$9\, {\rm deg}^2$|⁠ , reaching a moderate depth of |$1\sigma \simeq 4\, {\rm mJy\, beam^{-1}}$|⁠. This is the largest contiguous area of extragalactic sky mapped by James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT) at |$850\, \mu {\rm m}$| to date. The wide area of the S2LXS XMM -LSS survey allows us to probe the ultra-bright (⁠|$S_{\rm 850\mu m}\gtrsim 15\, {\rm mJy}$|⁠), yet rare submillimetre population. We present the S2LXS XMM -LSS catalogue, which comprises 40 sources detected at >5σ significance, with deboosted flux densities in the range of |$7$| – |$48\, {\rm mJy}$|⁠. We robustly measure the bright-end of the |$850\, \mu {\rm m}$| number counts at flux densities |${\gt }7\, {\rm mJy}$|⁠ , reducing the Poisson errors compared to existing measurements. The S2LXS XMM -LSS observed number counts show the characteristic upturn at bright fluxes, expected to be motivated by local sources of submillimetre emission and high-redshift strongly lensed galaxies. We find that the observed |$850\, \mu {\rm m}$| number counts are best reproduced by model predictions that include either strong lensing or source blending from a 15-arcsec beam, indicating that both may make an important contribution to the observed overabundance of bright single dish |$850\, \mu {\rm m}$| selected sources. We make the S2LXS XMM -LSS |$850\, \mu {\rm m}$| map and >5σ catalogue presented here publicly available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the increase of sediment carried by the upstream with years, sediment deposition and hardening gradually aggravated, which has severe impact on the waterway passage and agricultural irrigation. Therefore, to develop a highly efficient dredging device is urgently needed. An externally excited oscillating airlift pump is proposed to improve the dredging performance of the existing ring-jet airlift pump, and the influence of excitation methods and working conditions is analyzed. The findings show that under different excitation methods, both water and sand discharge show a reciprocal oscillating pattern as the duty cycle increases, and the overall trend is decreasing. When the duty cycle is 50% and 30% respectively, both water and sand discharge reach their maximums; the corresponding sand discharge in horizontal operation performs better than that in descent operation, and in either operation mode, the externally excited oscillating airlift pump exhibits better discharge performance of solids than the continuous air intake. In the untimed continuous suspended pumping, its sand discharge capacity and disturbance range on the silt layer are greater than the continuous airlift pump. At the duty cycle of 30% and the frequency of 0.4 Hz, its discharge performance and disturbance effect on the bottom silt layer work best.

The Kadsura coccinea fruit is a wild fruit that may be eaten and used medicinally. Its seeds are rich in nutrients but are typically thrown away without processing.The physicochemical characterization, volatiles, fatty acids, lipids and concomitants of cold-processed seed oils from four kinds of K. coccinea were evaluated. The average kernel yield and oil yield of K. coccinea seeds were 68.21 % and 30.44 %, respectively. The seed oil contains a moderate level of total phenolics (368.99–503.99 mgGAE/100 g), total flavonoids (95.01–126.18 mg RE/100 g), and β-sitosterol (1498.8–1712.7 mg/kg) with higher iodine value, lower acid value, saponification value and shorter induction time. GC analysis reveals appreciable amounts of linoleic acid (64.91–68.05 %) and squalene in seed oil. GC–MS analysis showed that the major volatile compounds were γ-muurolene (27.25–31.7 %), β-himachalene (19.51–20.37 %) and β-curcumene (15.78–16.78 %). Moreover, 16 terpenoids, 14 phenolics were identified by UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS. These results suggest that K. coccinea seed seems an promising alternative oilseed with biological ingredients for food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries.

Abstract Phytoalexin sakuranetin functions in resistance against rice blast. However, the mechanisms underlying the effects of sakuranetin remains elusive. Here, we report that rice lines expressing resistance (R) genes were found to contain high levels of sakuranetin, which correlates with attenuated endocytic trafficking of plasma membrane (PM) proteins. Exogenous and endogenous sakuranetin attenuates the endocytosis of various PM proteins and the fungal effector PWL2. Moreover, accumulation of the avirulence protein AvrCO39, resulting from uptake into rice cells by Magnaporthe oryzae, was reduced following treatment with sakuranetin. Pharmacological manipulation of clathrin-mediated endocytic (CME) suggests that this pathway is targeted by sakuranetin. Indeed, attenuation of CME by sakuranetin is sufficient to convey resistance against rice blast. Our data reveals a mechanism of rice against M. oryzae by increasing sakuranetin levels and repressing the CME of pathogen effectors, which is distinct from the action of many R genes that mainly function by modulating transcription.

Abstract Objective This study aimed to evaluate the influence of herniation of cartilaginous endplates on postoperative pain and functional recovery in patients undergoing percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD) for lumbar disc herniation (LDH). Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 126 patients with LDH treated with PELD at the Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University from January 2021 to January 2022. Whether cartilaginous endplates had herniated was identified by analyzing these specific findings from MRI scans: posterior marginal nodes, posterior osteophytes, mid endplate irregularities, heterogeneous low signal intensity of extruded material, and Modic changes in posterior corners and mid endplates. Patients were assessed for postoperative pain using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and functional recovery using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and Modified MacNab criteria. Statistical analyses compared outcomes based on the presence of herniation of cartilaginous endplates. Results Patients with herniation of cartilaginous endplates experienced higher pain scores early postoperatively but showed significant improvement in pain and functional status over the long term. The back pain VAS scores showed significant differences between the groups with and without herniation of cartilaginous endplates on postoperative day 1 and 1 month (P 0.05). Conclusion Herniation of cartilaginous endplates significantly affect early postoperative pain and functional recovery in LDH patients undergoing PELD. These findings emphasize the need for clinical consideration of these imaging features in the preoperative planning and postoperative management to enhance patient outcomes and satisfaction.

We study the nature of the faint radio source population detected in the MeerKAT International GHz Tiered Extragalactic Exploration (MIGHTEE) Early Science data in the COSMOS field, focusing on the properties of the radio-loud active galactic nuclei (AGNs). Using the extensive multiwavelength data available in the field, we are able to classify 88 per cent of the 5223 radio sources in the field with host galaxy identifications as AGNs (35 per cent) or star-forming galaxies (54 per cent). We select a sample of radio-loud AGNs with redshifts out to z ∼ 6 and radio luminosities 1020 < L1.4 GHz/W Hz−1 < 1027 and classify them as high-excitation and low-excitation radio galaxies (HERGs and LERGs). The classification catalogue is released with this work. We find no significant difference in the host galaxy properties of the HERGs and LERGs in our sample. In contrast to previous work, we find that the HERGs and LERGs have very similar Eddington-scaled accretion rates; in particular we identify a population of very slowly accreting AGNs that are formally classified as HERGs at these low radio luminosities, where separating into HERGs and LERGs possibly becomes redundant. We investigate how black hole mass affects jet power, and find that a black hole mass ≳ 107.8 M⊙ is required to power a jet with mechanical power greater than the radiative luminosity of the AGN (L mech/ L bol > 1). We discuss that both a high black hole mass and black hole spin may be necessary to launch and sustain a dominant radio jet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neural progenitor cells (NPC) represent potential cell transplantation therapies for CNS injuries. To understand how lesion environments influence transplanted NPC fate in vivo, we derived NPC expressing a ribosomal protein-hemagglutinin tag (RiboTag) for transcriptional profiling of transplanted NPC. Here, we show that NPC grafted into uninjured mouse CNS generate cells that are transcriptionally similar to healthy astrocytes and oligodendrocyte lineages. In striking contrast, NPC transplanted into subacute CNS lesions after stroke or spinal cord injury in mice generate cells that share transcriptional, morphological and functional features with newly proliferated host astroglia that restrict inflammation and fibrosis and isolate lesions from adjacent viable neural tissue. Our findings reveal overlapping differentiation potentials of grafted NPC and proliferating host astrocytes; and show that in the absence of other interventions, non-cell autonomous cues in subacute CNS lesions direct the differentiation of grafted NPC towards a naturally occurring wound repair astroglial phenotype. Effects of lesion environments on transplanted neural progenitor cells (NPC) are not well characterized. Here, the authors show that NPC transplanted into CNS lesions generate cells that share transcriptional and functional features with host wound repair astroglia in mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eutrophication of freshwater lakes and reservoirs causing toxic cyanobacterial blooms has become a global health concern. Commonly used approaches of statistical modelling have not fully captured the complex response of cyanobacterial biomass and mi- crocystin concentration in response to stochastic variation of ambient conditions. This study applied statistically-based experimental design to screen out critical environmental factors, and to investigate the interactive effects of total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), temperature (T) and light intensity (L) on Microcystis (MA) growth and microcystin (MC) production in the natural phytoplankton com- munity. A batch of central composite designed nutrient enrichment bioassays (CCD-NEBs) were conducted in an ambient-controlled microcosm based on pneumatic annular flume system. Second-order polynomial CCD regression models predicting MA density and MC concentration were established and validated. MC concentration was found positively related to MA dominance. The interactive effects of TN-TP and TN-L on both MA density and MC concentration were determined to be more significant than other factors. Ranges of the optimum TN/TP ratio for MA growth and MC production under various environmental conditions were defined as 9.5 ~ 10.2 and 9.9 ~ 10.4, respectively. The ranges of nutrient thresholds for MA density of 2.00 × 104 cells mL-1 and MC concentration of 1.0 μg L-1 under different temperature and light conditions were evaluated, respectively. This study revealed that nutrient thresholds for MA blooming events and cyanotoxins safety guideline were fluctuant under lake-dependant conditions of temperature and light intensity, and the optimum TN/TP mass ratios should be alerted for the eutrophication management of blooming formation and microcystin safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The geographical range of schistosomiasis is affected by the ecology of schistosome parasites and their obligate host snails, including their response to temperature. Previous models predicted schistosomiasis' thermal optimum at 21.7°C, which is not compatible with the temperature in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) regions where schistosomiasis is hyperendemic. We performed an extensive literature search for empirical data on the effect of temperature on physiological and epidemiological parameters regulating the free-living stages of S. mansoni and S. haematobium and their obligate host snails, i.e., Biomphalaria spp. and Bulinus spp., respectively. We derived nonlinear thermal responses fitted on these data to parameterize a mechanistic, process-based model of schistosomiasis. We then re-cast the basic reproduction number and the prevalence of schistosome infection as functions of temperature. We found that the thermal optima for transmission of S. mansoni and S. haematobium range between 23.1-27.3°C and 23.6-27.9°C (95% CI) respectively. We also found that the thermal optimum shifts toward higher temperatures as the human water contact rate increases with temperature. Our findings align with an extensive dataset of schistosomiasis prevalence in SSA. The refined nonlinear thermal-response model developed here suggests a more suitable current climate and a greater risk of increased transmission with future warming for more than half of the schistosomiasis suitable regions with mean annual temperature below the thermal optimum.

Abstract Rationally designed organic redox‐active materials have attracted numerous interests due to their excellent electrochemical performance and reasonable sustainability. However, they often suffer from poor cycling stability, intrinsic low operating potential, and poor rate performance. Herein, a novel Donor–Acceptor (D–A) bipolar polymer with n‐type pyrene‐4,5,9,10‐tetraone unit storing Li cations and p‐type carbazole unit which attracts anions and provides polymerization sites is employed as a cathode for lithium‐ion batteries through in situ electropolymerization. The multiple redox reactions and boosted kinetics by the D–A structure lead to excellent electrochemical performance of a high discharge capacity of 202 mA h g−1 at 200 mA g−1, impressive working potential (2.87 and 4.15 V), an outstanding rate capability of 119 mA h g−1 at 10 A g−1 and a noteworthy energy density up to 554 Wh kg−1. This strategy has significant implications for the molecule design of bipolar organic cathode for high cycling stability and high energy density.

Multi-enzyme-assisted laminarin extraction parameters were optimized, and then the prepared laminarin was assessed for inhibition of α-glucosidase activity. The relative proportions of preparative enzymes were investigated to maximize laminarin yield using an orthogonal test design. The effect of enzymatic hydrolysis time, pH, ratio of liquid to material and temperature on laminarin yield were determined using response surface methodology (RSM). Finally, laminarin inhibition of α-glucosidase activity was assessed using an in vitro enzyme inhibition test. Results revealed that the optimal laminarin yield was obtained using a ratio by mass of 10:9:5.5 of cellulase, pectinase and papain, respectively, and an enzymatic hydrolysis time, temperature, pH and ratio of liquid to material of 1.8 h, 49.4 ℃, 6.1 and 59:1 mL/g, respectively. The predicted yield of laminarin under optimal conditions was 18.183%, which resembled the actual laminarin yield of 18.19%±1.04%. Its neutral sugar, acid sugar, protein and sulphate contents were 52.72%, 11.76%, 2.66% and 19.49%, respectively. As laminarin concentration increased from 1 mg/mL to 5 mg/mL, its α-glucosidase inhibition activity increased, with highest inhibition of 79.04%±3.17% and IC50 value of 1.443 mg/mL. This multi-enzyme-assisted extraction procedure generated a high yield of laminarin that exerted clearly demonstrable inhibition of α-glucosidase activity.

A virtual battery (VB) provides a succinct interface for aggregating distributed storage-like resources (SLR) to interact with a utility-level system. To overcome the drawbacks of existing VB models, including conservatism and neglecting network constraints, this paper optimizes the power and energy parameters of VB to enlarge its flexibility region. An optimal VB is identified by a robust optimization problem with decision-dependent uncertainty. An algorithm based on the Benders decomposition is developed to solve this problem. The proposed method yields the largest VB satisfying constraints of both network and SLRs. Case studies verify the superiority of the optimal VB in terms of security guarantee and less conservatism.

ObjectiveTo investigate the incidence of hypertension and its influencing factors in community-dwellers at risk for high blood pressure in Minhang District of Shanghai， and to provide scientific evidence for the community management.MethodsA retrospective cohort study was conducted using the electronic health records of community-dwellers at risk for high blood pressure in Minhang District， Shanghai from January 1， 2011 to December 31， 2017. The study end-point was the occurrence of hypertension，and the followup was finished in December 2021. A total of 17 265 community-dwellers at risk for high blood pressure were enrolled in our study. Log-rank test and Cox regression analysis were used to determine the influencing factors.ResultsAfter 6.04 years of follow-up， the hypertension incidence among community-dwellers at risk for high blood pressure in Minhang District of Shanghai was 25.5%. Family history of hypertension （HR=1.250， 95%CI： 1.168‒1.338）， family history of stroke （HR=1.295， 95%CI： 1.080‒1.553）， history of diabetes （HR=1.203， 95%CI： 1.076‒1.345）， daily smoking （HR=1.187， 95%CI： 1.087‒1.296）， overweight （HR=1.393， 95%CI：1.308‒1.484）， obesity（HR=1.903， 95%CI： 1.719‒2.106）， high values of normal blood pressure （HR=1.275， 95%CI： 1.195‒1.359） and advanced age （HR=1.033， 95%CI： 1.030‒1.036） were all risk factors. Emaciation （HR=0.649， 95%CI： 0.500‒0.840） was a protective factors.ConclusionBlood pressure monitoring should be strengthened for people elderly， with family history of hypertension， family history of stroke， diabetes or high values of normal blood pressure， so as to diagnose hypertension early. Timely intervention measures should be taken for community-dwellers with unhealthy lifestyles such as smoking， overweight and obesity.

Electronic skin capable of reliable monitoring of human skin temperature is crucial for the advancement of non-invasive clinical biomonitoring, disease diagnosis, and health surveillance. Ultra-thin temperature sensors, with excellent mechanical flexibility and robustness, can conformably adhere to uneven skin surfaces, making them ideal candidates. However, achieving high sensitivity often demands sacrificing flexibility, rendering the development of temperature sensors combining both qualities a challenging task. In this study, we utilized a low-cost drop-casting technique to print ultra-thin and lightweight (thickness: approximately 3 µm, weight: 0.61 mg) temperature sensors based on a combination of vanadium dioxide and PEDOT:PSS at room temperature and atmospheric conditions. These sensors exhibit high sensitivity (temperature coefficient of resistance: −5.11%/°C), rapid response and recovery times (0.36 s), and high-temperature accuracy (0.031 °C). Furthermore, they showcased remarkable durability in extreme bending conditions (bending radius = 400 µm), along with stable electrical performance over approximately 2400 bending cycles. This work offers a low-cost, simple, and scalable method for manufacturing ultra-thin and lightweight electronic skins for temperature monitoring, which seamlessly integrate exceptional temperature-measuring capabilities with optimal flexibility.

A multifunctional sensor comprising flexible and transparent ultraviolet (UV) photodetectors (PDs) with strain gauges based on Ag nanowire (AgNW)@ZnO nanorods (ZnONRs) was fabricated using a cost-effective, simple, and efficient method. High-aspect ratio silver nanowires were synthesized using the polyol method. An AgNW@ZnONR composite was formed via the hydrothermal method to ensure the multifunctional capability of the flexible sensors. After refining the process parameters, the size of the ZnO nanorods was decreased to fabricate pliable multifunctional sensors using AgNW@ZnONRs. At a deposition of 0.207 g of AgNW@ZnONRs, the sensor achieves its maximum switching ratio and fastest response time under conditions of 2000 μW/cm2 UV optical power density. With a ton (rise time) of 2.7 s and a toff (fall time) of 2.3 s, the ratio of Ion to Ioff current is 1151. Additionally, the sensor’s maximum optical current value correlates linearly with UV light’s power density. The maximum response current increased from 222.5 pA to 588.1 pA, an increase of 164.3%, when the bending angle was increased from 15° to 90° for the sensor with a deposition of 0.276 g of AgNW@ZnONRs. There was no degradation in the response of the sensors after 10,000 bending cycles, as they have excellent stability and repeatability, which means they can meet the requirements of wearable sensor applications. Therefore, there is great potential for the practical application of multifunctional AgNW@ZnONRs in flexible sensors.

Drought and nitrogen deposition are two major climate challenges, which can change the soil microbial community composition and ecological strategy and affect soil heterotrophic respiration (Rh). However, the combined effects of microbial community composition, microbial life strategies, and extracellular enzymes on the dynamics of Rh under drought and nitrogen deposition conditions remain unclear. Here, we experimented with an alpine swamp meadow to simulate drought (50% reduction in precipitation) and multilevel addition of nitrogen to determine the interactive effects of microbial community composition, microbial life strategy, and extracellular enzymes on Rh. The results showed that drought significantly reduced the seasonal mean Rh by 40.07%, and increased the Rh to soil respiration ratio by 22.04%. Drought significantly altered microbial community composition. The ratio of K- to r-selected bacteria (BK:r) and fungi (FK:r) increased by 20 and 91.43%, respectively. Drought increased hydrolase activities but decreased oxidase activities. However, adding N had no significant effect on microbial community composition, BK:r, FK:r, extracellular enzymes, or Rh. A structural equation model showed that the effects of drought and adding nitrogen via microbial community composition, microbial life strategy, and extracellular enzymes explained 84% of the variation in Rh. Oxidase activities decreased with BK:r, but increased with FK:r. Our findings show that drought decreased Rh primarily by inhibiting oxidase activities, which is induced by bacterial shifts from the r-strategy to the K-strategy. Our results highlight that the indirect regulation of drought on the carbon cycle through the dynamic of bacterial and fungal life history strategy should be considered for a better understanding of how terrestrial ecosystems respond to future climate change.

Osteoporosis (OP) is a common metabolic bone disease characterized by low bone mass, decreased bone mineral density, and degradation of bone tissue microarchitecture. However, our understanding of the mechanisms of bone remodeling and factors affecting bone mass remains incomplete. Sirtuin1 (SIRT1) is a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-dependent deacetylase that regulates a variety of cellular metabolisms, including inflammation, tumorigenesis, and bone metabolism. Recent studies have emphasized the important role of SIRT1 in bone homeostasis. This article reviews the role of SIRT1 in bone metabolism and OP and also discusses therapeutic strategies and future research directions for targeting SIRT1.

Sacha inchi (Plukenetia volubilis) is a valuable oilseed crop with a high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). However, there is a lack of in-depth understanding of the lipidomics in Sacha inchi seeds (SIDs). Saturated fatty acids occupied more than half of the proportion (59.31%) in early development, while PUFAs accounted for 78.92% at maturation. The main triacylglycerols were TAG(18:3/18:3/18:3), TAG(18:2/18:2/18:3), and TAG(16:0/18:2/18:2). The corresponding species (18:3/18:3, 18:2/18:2, and 16:0/18:2) were also the main ingredients in diacylglycerol and phosphatidic acid, indicating high PUFA composition in the sn-1 and sn-2 positions of TAG. Only LPC(18:3), LPC(18:2), and LPC(16:0) were identified in SIDs, implying that those PUFAs on the sn-2 positions of the PC(18:3/-), PC(18:2/-), and PC(16:0/-) categories were released into the acyl-CoA pool for the Kennedy pathway. Conversely, the PC(18:1/-) and PC(18:0/-) categories might be responsible for the generation of PC-derived DAG and TAG. The lipidomics data will contribute to understanding the TAG assembly in developing SIDs, especially for PUFAs.

Nickel-based catalysts are regarded as the most excellent urea oxidation reaction (UOR) catalysts in alkaline media. Whatever kind of nickel-based catalysts is utilized to catalyze UOR, it is widely believed that the in situ-formed Ni3+ moieties are the true active sites and the as-utilized nickel-based catalysts just serve as pre-catalysts. Digging the pre-catalyst effect on the activity of Ni3+ moieties helps to better design nickel-based catalysts. Herein, five different anions of OH−, CO32−, SiO32−, MoO42−, and WO42− were used to bond with Ni2+ to fabricate the pre-catalysts β-Ni(OH)2, Ni-CO3, Ni-SiO3, Ni-MoO4, and Ni-WO4. It is found that the true active sites of the five as-fabricated catalysts are the same in situ-formed Ni3+ moieties and the five as-fabricated catalysts demonstrate different UOR activity. Although the as-synthesized five catalysts just serve as the pre-catalysts, they determine the quantity of active sites and activity per active site, thus determining the catalytic activity of the catalysts. Among the five catalysts, the amorphous nickel tungstate exhibits the most superior activity per active site and can catalyze UOR to reach 158.10 mA·cm–2 at 1.6 V, exceeding the majority of catalysts. This work makes for a deeper understanding of the pre-catalyst effect on UOR activity and helps to better design nickel-based UOR catalysts.

The low hardness and poor wear resistance of laser-cladding 316L stainless steel impose significant constraints on its practical applications. In this study, a strategy for strengthening laser-cladding 316L stainless steel with WMoTaNb refractory high-entropy alloy as a reinforcement material is proposed. The results confirm that the coating primarily comprises a body-centered cubic (BCC) Fe-based solid solution, a network-distributed hexagonal Fe2X (X = W, Mo, Ta, and Nb) Laves phase, and a diffusely distributed face-centered cubic (FCC) (Ta, Nb)C phase. The Fe-based solid solution distributes along columnar and fine dendrites, while the Laves phase and (Ta, Nb)C phase are in the inter-dendrites. The presence of a significant number of network Laves phases exhibiting high strength and hardness is the primary factor contributing to the enhancement of coating microhardness. The hardness of the composite coating is increased by nearly twice compared to that of the 316L coating, resulting in an improved wear resistance. The present work can shed light on designing and fabricating 316L stainless steel coating with enhanced hardness and wear resistance.

Lonicerae japonicae Flos (LJF) is a natural plant containing abundant antioxidant ingredients. In order to extract more antioxidants from LJF, in this study, a novel strategy was proposed for optimizing the extraction factor level by response surface methodology with a tailored deep eutectic solvent (DES) as the extraction solvent and antioxidant ability as the evaluation index. After optimizing the composition of DES and the extraction condition, the extracts obtained by our proposed method yielded better antioxidant ability (229.1–249.1 μmol TE/g DW) and higher antioxidant contents (34.2–36.5 mg GAE/g DW for total phenolics and 119.6–123.0 mg RE/g DW for total flavonoids) from LJF in 5 min without organic solvent consumption that were significantly superior to the Chinese Pharmacopoeia extraction method. The K-T solvation parameter and a scanning electron microscope were adopted to explore the extraction mechanism, and the results showed that the polarity and damage effect on plant cells of DES were crucial for the extraction of antioxidants. In addition, after combining the HPLC fingerprint and partial least squares model, chlorogenic acid, rutin, and 3,5-O-Dicaffeoylquinic acid were screened as the antioxidant Q-markers of LJF. This work demonstrates that an optimization strategy based on antioxidant ability and tailored DES has the potential to extract more antioxidants from natural plants.

We study the radio spectral properties of 2094 star-forming galaxies (SFGs) by combining our early science data from the MeerKAT International GHz Tiered Extragalactic Exploration (MIGHTEE) survey with VLA, GMRT radio data, and rich ancillary data in the COSMOS field. These SFGs are selected at VLA 3 GHz, and their flux densities from MeerKAT 1.3 GHz and GMRT 325 MHz imaging data are extracted using the 'superdeblending' technique. The median radio spectral index is |$\alpha _{\rm 1.3\, GHz}^{\rm 3\, GHz}=-0.80\pm 0.01$| without significant variation across the rest-frame frequencies ∼1.3–10 GHz, indicating radio spectra dominated by synchrotron radiation. On average, the radio spectrum at observer-frame 1.3–3 GHz slightly steepens with increasing stellar mass with a linear fitted slope of β = −0.08 ± 0.01, which could be explained by age-related synchrotron losses. Due to the sensitivity of GMRT 325 MHz data, we apply a further flux density cut at 3 GHz (⁠|$S_{\rm 3\, GHz}\ge 50\, \mu$| Jy) and obtain a sample of 166 SFGs with measured flux densities at 325 MHz, 1.3 GHz, and 3 GHz. On average, the radio spectrum of SFGs flattens at low frequency with the median spectral indices of |$\alpha ^{\rm 1.3\, GHz}_{\rm 325\, MHz}=-0.59^{+0.02}_{-0.03}$| and |$\alpha ^{\rm 3.0\, GHz}_{\rm 1.3\, GHz}=-0.74^{+0.01}_{-0.02}$|⁠. At low frequency, our stacking analyses show that the radio spectrum also slightly steepens with increasing stellar mass. By comparing the far-infrared-radio correlations of SFGs based on different radio spectral indices, we find that adopting |$\alpha _{\rm 1.3\, GHz}^{\rm 3\, GHz}$| for k -corrections will significantly underestimate the infrared-to-radio luminosity ratio (q IR) for >17 per cent of the SFGs with measured flux density at the three radio frequencies in our sample, because their radio spectra are significantly flatter at low frequency (0.33–1.3 GHz). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In this paper, the authors apply the feature pyramid network (FPN) to the single‐stage anchor‐free object detection algorithm CenterNet, and the effectiveness of the multi‐level feature fusion of FPN for the object detection algorithm is proved by experiments. However, multi‐level feature fusion leads to an increase in computational cost. In this regard, this paper proposes an object detection algorithm, called DDE‐Net, that does not use multi‐level feature fusion and only uses single‐level feature for optimization. The key component in it: the dense dilated encoder, which encourages dense information exchange of features between different spatial scales. This paper presents extensive experiments, and DDE‐Net shows strong performance compared to that of other popular models on the PASCAL VOC and on the COCO2017 dataset. On the COCO2017 dataset, the authors’ DDE‐Net achieves comparable results with its feature pyramids counterpart RetinaNet, while applying the same backbone with smaller params and GFLOPs than RetinaNet. With an image size of 512 × 512, DDE‐Net achieves 37.3 AP running at 81 fps on 2080 Ti.

Crosstalk between Kupffer cells (KCs) and hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) plays an important role in multiple liver disease conditions, including the formation of liver fibrosis in alcohol-associated liver disease (AALD). Therapeutic targeting of the KC-HSC crosstalk is a prime target for therapeutic interventions. Herein, a novel modular nanosystem was designed and prepared through the self-assembly utilizing boric acid and catechol interactions to prepare polymers modified with a CXCR4-inhibiting moieties. The polymers were used to encapsulate anti-miR-155 and to block the undesirable crosstalk between HSCs and KCs by downregulating miR-155 expression in KCs with the parallel inhibition of CXCR4 signaling in activated HSCs. The combined inhibition of miR-155 and CXCR4 at two different liver cell types achieved improved antifibrosis effects in a mouse model of AALD fibrosis. Our finding highlights the key role that blocking the undesirable crosstalk between HSCs and KCs plays in reversing AALD fibrosis as well as demonstrates a proof-of-concept approach for designing and constructing multifunctional delivery nanosystems using orthogonal functional modules based on the understanding of disease mechanisms.

The livestock sector contributes almost 11% of Pakistan's GDP and is crucial to 35 million people's livelihoods. Ticks are a major economic threat, as over 80% of livestock, such as bovines, are tick-infested with Hyalomma and Rhipicephalus tick species. Hyalomma anatolicum and Rhipicephalus microplus are the most common tick species collected from livestock, transmitting primarily anaplasmosis, babesiosis, and theileriosis. We aimed to identify the geographical distribution of these two tick species and hot spot areas where the risk of these diseases being transmitted by these ticks is high. Following the PRISMA guideline, two authors conducted an independent review of literature sourced from various databases. We screened 326 research articles published between January 1, 1990, and December 31, 2023, focused on identifying the tick species at the district level. Thirty studies from 75 districts, representing 49.3% of the country's total area, detected at least one tick species through collection from animals. R. microplus was present in 81% (n = 61) and H. anatolicum in 82% (n = 62) of these sampled districts. We employed spatial and conventional statistical methods with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) after mapping the weighted distribution of both ticks (the number of ticks per standard unit of sampling effort). We identified northwestern and northcentral regions of the country as hotspots with the highest tick distribution, which aligned with the documented high prevalence of anaplasmosis, babesiosis, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF), and theileriosis in these regions. This underscores the urgent need for robust tick control measures in these districts to safeguard animal health and boost the livestock economy.

BackgroundPlacement of an indwelling transanal drainage tube (TDT) to prevent anastomotic leakage (AL) after anterior rectal cancer surgery has become a routine choice for surgeons in the recent years. However, the specific indwelling time of the TDT has not been explored. We performed this meta-analysis and considered the indwelling time a critical factor in re-analyzing the effectiveness of TDT placement in prevention of AL after anterior rectal cancer surgery.MethodsRandomized controlled trials (RCTs) and cohort studies which evaluated the effectiveness of TDT in prevention of AL after rectal cancer surgery and considered the indwelling time of TDT were identified using a predesigned search strategy in databases up to November 2022. This meta-analysis was performed to estimate the pooled AL rates (Overall and different AL grades) and reoperation rates at different TDT indwelling times and stoma statuses.ResultsThree RCTs and 15 cohort studies including 2381 cases with TDT and 2494 cases without TDT were considered eligible for inclusion. Our meta-analysis showed that the indwelling time of TDT for ≥5-days was associated with a significant reduction (TDT vs. Non-TDT) in overall AL (OR=0.46,95% CI 0.34-0.60, p0.05) when the indwelling time of TDT was less than 5 days.ConclusionExtending the postoperative indwelling time of TDT to 5 days may reduce the overall AL and the need for reoperation in patients without a prophylactic DS.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42023407451, identifier CRD42023407451.

Urbanization causes immense eutrophication pressure on small urban wetlands, which play a vital role in urban ecosystems. However, our comprehension of the prolonged impacts of eutrophication on these types of wetlands continues to be significantly limited. To address this knowledge gap, we analyzed monthly physical–chemical variables and seasonal phytoplankton and zooplankton communities at the Taipa-Coloane wetland in Macau, China, from 2013 to 2019. Through the generalized additive model (GAM) and principal component analysis (PCA), we found that the aquatic system mainly exhibited interannual variations instead of seasonal variations, with nutrient loads and river discharge (turbidity and salinity) being the most prominent features affected by anthropogenic activities and climate change. Over the years, the increasing turbidity and phytoplankton showed that bottom-up effects predominated the aquatic systems. Under the bottom-up effects of eutrophication and turbidity, the phytoplankton communities showed high adaptation that MP and S1 occupied more dominance after 2016, with higher abundance but lower diversity. Moreover, the bottom-up effects further affected the structure of zooplankton communities. The dominance of rotifers filter feeders (RF) decreased over the years while middle copepods and cladocerans filter feeders (MCF) increased, implying a trend of zooplankton toward large size over time. Overall, our result reveals the bottom-up control pattern in the aquatic systems of small urban wetlands. This research provides valuable insights into the dynamics and responses of plankton communities to environmental changes in small urban wetlands, providing valuable information for future conservation efforts.