Search

Abstract Objective The relationship between blood glucose levels and osteoarthritis (OA) is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the genetic causal relationship between blood glucose-related traits and OA. Methods We first performed univariate Mendelian randomization (UVMR) analyses using published genome-wide association study (GWAS) datasets with fasting glucose (FG), 2 h-glucose post-challenge glucose (2hGlu), and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) as exposures, and hip osteoarthritis (HOA) and knee osteoarthritis (KOA) as outcomes; then, we performed inverse analyses of them. We used Inverse-variance weighted (IVW) analysis as the primary analysis, and sensitivity analyses were performed. Moreover, we performed multivariate Mendelian randomization (MVMR) to estimate the independent effect of exposure on outcome after adjusting for body mass index (BMI). Summarized data for blood glucose-related traits were obtained from the MAGIC Consortium study of the glucose trait genome and for OA from the UK Biobank and arcOGEN. Summarized data for BMI were obtained from the GIANT Consortium meta-analysis of individuals of European ancestry. A two-sided p value

Abstract. Background:. Liver cancer remains the sixth most commonly diagnosed cancer and the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, causing a heavy burden globally. An updated assessment of the global epidemiology of the liver cancer burden that addresses geographical disparities is necessary to better understand and promote healthcare delivery. Methods:. Data were extracted from the GLOBOCAN 2022 database, including the number, crude, and age-standardized rates of incidence and mortality at the global, country, continent, and human development index (HDI) regional levels. Age-standardized rates (incidence and mortality) per 100,000 person-years were adjusted based on the Segi-Doll World standard population. The mortality-to-incidence ratios (MIR) for each region and country were calculated. The HDI and gross national income (GNI) for 2022 were obtained, and a Pearson correlation analysis was conducted with the incidence, mortality, and MIR. Results:. In 2022, approximately 866,136 new liver cancer cases and 758,725 related deaths were recorded worldwide, with a global MIR of 0.86. Males had a disproportionately higher burden than females across all levels, and the highest burden was observed in the elderly population. Geographically, the regions with the highest incidence rates included Micronesia, Eastern Asia, and Northern Africa, and the regions with the highest mortality rates included Northern Africa, Southeastern Asia, Eastern Asia, and Micronesia. Notably, Mongolia had a strikingly high burden compared to other countries. The highest MIR was observed in North America and the lowest in Africa. Negative associations of HDI and GNI with liver cancer mortality and MIR were identified, irrespective of sex. Conclusions:. The current liver cancer burden underscores the presence of remarkable geographic heterogeneity, which is particularly evident across countries with varying HDI levels, highlighting the urgent need to prioritize health accessibility and availability to achieve health inequities.

As an important energy support for China”s economic development, coal will remain dominant in energy consumption for a period of time in the future. With the continuous development of related technical equipment, some mines in China have achieved a single-well single-side output of more than 10 million tons. Safe and efficient development of coal resources is an important direction for China”s future scientific and technological development. This paper relies on the national key research and development plan project “Key Technologies and Equipment for Efficient Fully Mechanized Mining of Super-high and Super-long Working Faces in Coal Mines”, and takes the efficient mining of super-high and super-long working faces as the core. The rock control theory, technology and fully mechanized mining equipment development status of super-high and super-long high-efficiency fully mechanized mining faces at home and abroad are introduced. This paper focuses on three major scientific issues: “three-dimensional dynamic fracture law of full overburden rock in super-large mining space and instability failure mechanism of super-high coal wall”, “structural transformation and stress regulation mechanism of strong overburden rock in super-large mining space”, “dynamic response and efficient intelligent collaborative operation mechanism of super-high and super-long fully mechanized mining equipment group under multiple dynamic loads”. Five technical breakthroughs are carried out, including “fracture and migration mechanism of full overburden rock in super large mining space and collaborative control theory of surrounding rock”, “fracturing and pressure relief technology and equipment in strong mine pressure area of super large mining space”, “intelligent mining complete equipment of super high and super long working face”, “intelligent collaborative control technology and equipment of equipment group of super high and super long working face”, “high efficiency fully mechanized mining engineering demonstration of super high and super long working face”. Practice shows that some ultra-high and ultra-long coal mining faces in China have formed a complete set of technology and equipment system, which provides a reliable guarantee for the safe, efficient and green mining of coal resources in thick and medium-thick coal seam mining areas with relatively simple geological conditions in China. The development direction of theoretical technology, equipment and control of super-high and super-long high-efficiency fully mechanized mining face in China is pointed out.

Objective: Liver cancer is a major health concern globally and in China. This analysis investigated deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) with respect to etiologies and risk factors for liver cancer in China and worldwide. Methods: Global and China-specific data were collected on liver cancer deaths, DALYs, and age-standardized rates (ASRs) from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 database. Liver cancer etiologies were classified into five groups and risk factors were categorized into three levels. Each proportion of liver cancer burden was calculated in different geographic regions. The joinpoint regression model were used to assess the trends from 1990–2019. Results: Liver cancer accounted for 484,577 deaths worldwide in 2019 with an ASR of 5.9 per 100,000 population. China had an elevated liver cancer death ASR in 2019 and males had an ASR 1.7 times the global rate. The global ASR for DALYs peaked at 75–79 years of age but peaked earlier in China. Hepatitis B virus was the prominent etiology globally (39.5%) and in China (62.5%), followed by hepatitis C virus and alcohol consumption. In high sociodemographic index countries, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis has gained an increasing contribution as an etiologic factor. The liver cancer burden due to various etiologies has decreased globally in both genders. However, metabolic risk factors, particularly obesity, have had a growing contribution to the liver cancer burden, especially among males. Conclusions: Despite an overall decreasing trend in the liver cancer burden in China and worldwide, there has been a rising contribution from metabolic risk factors, highlighting the importance of implementing targeted prevention and control strategies that address regional and gender disparities.

Objective: The burden of gastric cancer (GC) across different age groups needs updating. We determined the GC global, regional, and national burden profiles and changes in incidence for 3 sequential 5-year intervals from 2003 to 2017. Methods: The latest incidence and mortality estimates of GC from 185 countries and regions were extracted from the GLOBOCAN 2022 database. The 5-year interval age-standardised incidence rates (ASIRs) were evaluated using cancer registry data from volumes X–XII of the Cancer Incidence in Five Continents (CI5). Correlation analysis was used to evaluate the relationship between ASIR or the age-standardised mortality rate (ASMR) and the Human Development Index (HDI). Results: There was an estimated global 968,000 new GC cases and 660,000 deaths in 2022, with male predominance. GC ASIRs and ASMRs were 9.2 and 6.1 per 100,000 persons, respectively. East Asia had the highest burden, with 53.8% of cases and 48.2% of deaths among all geographic regions. There was a significant correlation between ASIR and HDI. Over three 5-year intervals from 2003 to 2017, the incidence of GC notably decreased in most countries but peaked at 2008–2012 in New Zealand, Turkey, and South Africa. Several countries in Europe, Oceania, and America suggest an increasingly concerning trend among younger individuals, especially females. Conclusions: GC is a significant health issue, especially among males and in geographic regions with an HDI, such as eastern Asia. While the incidence of GC is decreasing in many countries due to prevention efforts and improved treatments, a rising trend persists among younger individuals. Comprehensive prevention strategies tailored to different age patterns are clearly needed.

Objective: This study aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the global burden of esophageal cancer (EC) and determine the temporal trends and factors influencing changes in the global burden. Methods: The latest incidence and mortality data for EC worldwide were obtained from GLOBALCAN 2022. The mortality and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) rates for EC from 1990–2019 were sourced from the 2019 Global Burden of Diseases. Trends in EC mortality and DALYs attributable to 11 risk factors or clusters of risk were analyzed using the joinpoint regression model. The trends in age-related EC burden were assessed using a decomposition approach. Results: An estimated 511,054 new cases of EC were diagnosed in 2022 with 445,391 deaths worldwide. Approximately 75% of cases and deaths occurred in Asia. Nearly 50% of global EC deaths and DALYs were attributed to tobacco use in men in 2019, while 20% were attributed to high body mass index (BMI) in women. From 1990–2019, EC deaths and DALYs attributable to almost all risk factors had declining trends, while EC deaths and DALYs attributed to high BMI in men had upward trends. The age-related EC burden exhibited an upward trend driven by population growth and aging, which contributed to 307.4 thousand deaths and 7.2 million DALYs due to EC. Conclusions: The EC burden remains substantial worldwide. Effective tobacco and obesity control measures are critical for addressing the risk-attributable burden of EC. Population growth and aging pose challenges for EC prevention and control efforts.

Abstract Intrinsically stretchable organic photovoltaics have emerged as a prominent candidate for the next-generation wearable power generators regarding their structural design flexibility, omnidirectional stretchability, and in-plane deformability. However, formulating strategies to fabricate intrinsically stretchable organic photovoltaics that exhibit mechanical robustness under both repetitive strain cycles and high tensile strains remains challenging. Herein, we demonstrate high-performance intrinsically stretchable organic photovoltaics with an initial power conversion efficiency of 14.2%, exceptional stretchability (80% of the initial power conversion efficiency maintained at 52% tensile strain), and cyclic mechanical durability (95% of the initial power conversion efficiency retained after 100 strain cycles at 10%). The stretchability is primarily realised by delocalising and redistributing the strain in the active layer to a highly stretchable PEDOT:PSS electrode developed with a straightforward incorporation of ION E, which simultaneously enhances the stretchability of PEDOT:PSS itself and meanwhile reinforces the interfacial adhesion with the polyurethane substrate. Both enhancements are pivotal factors ensuring the excellent mechanical durability of the PEDOT:PSS electrode, which further effectively delays the crack initiation and propagation in the top active layer, and enables the limited performance degradation under high tensile strains and repetitive strain cycles.

This paper presents the acoustic analysis of a three-dimensional cylindrical shell model under electromagnetic vibration, a critical factor affecting the performance of electric motors in various applications such as automotive, aerospace, and industrial systems. The study provides a multidisciplinary approach that integrates electromagnetics, structural vibration, and acoustics, solved using the fast multipole boundary element method (FMBEM). The results summarize the validation of the analytical models and numerical simulations, offering insights into effective vibration reduction methods. The conclusions indicate that the 3-D numerical analysis using FMBEM aligns well with the analytical solution for the sound pressure in the exterior acoustic domain of the cylindrical shell model. The paper contributes valuable insights for the design of low-noise motors and the control of electromagnetic vibration and noise in electric motors.

The management of landfill leachate presents a significant environmental challenge, necessitating a comprehensive and dynamic treatment approach. This comprehensive review delves into the critical issue of landfill leachate treatment, exploring its environmental impact, treatment technologies, regulatory frameworks, and the path towards sustainable management practices. This review explores the complexities of landfill leachate, emphasizing the need for sustainable waste management practices to safeguard environmental health. Our analysis highlights the evolution of conventional and advanced treatment technologies designed to mitigate these risks, focusing on membrane technologies, advanced oxidation processes, and the promising potential of emerging techniques such as adsorption and biological nutrient removal. These technologies are evaluated for their efficiency, cost implications, and sustainability impacts, underscoring the challenges and opportunities within the current landscape of leachate treatment. The review aims to provide insights into designing efficient and effective treatment systems through a detailed analysis of conventional and advanced treatment methods. By examining a case study in Changsha City, the effectiveness of a comprehensive treatment system integrating various technologies is demonstrated. The review underscores the interconnectedness of human activities, environmental health, and waste management, emphasizing the importance of a holistic approach. It stresses the continuous improvement of leachate treatment technologies and the adoption of sustainable practices to reduce the environmental footprint of landfills. Ultimately, it calls for integrating multiple treatment processes, economic considerations, and readiness to address future challenges in landfill leachate treatment, contributing to the advancement of sustainable waste management practices.

Abstract Coordination cages have been widely reported to bind a variety of guests, which are useful for chemical separation. Although the use of cages in the solid state benefits the recycling, the flexibility, dynamicity, and metal-ligand bond reversibility of solid-state cages are poor, preventing efficient guest encapsulation. Here we report a type of coordination cage-integrated solid materials that can be swelled into gel in water. The material is prepared through incorporation of an anionic FeII 4L6 cage as the counterion of a cationic poly(ionic liquid) (MOC@PIL). The immobilized cages within MOC@PILs have been found to greatly affect the swelling ability of MOC@PILs and thus the mechanical properties. Importantly, upon swelling, the uptake of water provides an ideal microenvironment within the gels for the immobilized cages to dynamically move and flex that leads to excellent solution-level guest binding performances. This concept has enabled the use of MOC@PILs as efficient adsorbents for the removal of pollutants from water and for the purification of toluene and cyclohexane. Importantly, MOC@PILs can be regenerated through a deswelling strategy along with the recycling of the extracted guests.

In order to improve rib stability, failure criteria and instability mode of a thick coal seam with inter-band rock layer are analysed in this study. A three-dimensional mechanical model is established for the rib by considering the rock layer. A safety factor is defined foy the rib, and it is observed that the safety factor exhibits a positive correlation with the thickness and strength of the inter-band rock. A calculation method for determining critical parameters of the rock layer is presented to ensure the rib stability. It is revealed that incomplete propagation of the fracture at the hard rock constitutes a fundamental prerequisite for ensuring the rib stability. The influence of the position of the inter-band rock in the coal seam on failure mechanism of the rib was thoroughly investigated by developing a series of physical models for the rib at the face area. The best position for the inter-band rock in the coal seam is at a height of 1.5 m away from the roof line, which tends to provide a good stability state for the rib. For different inter-band rock positions, two ways of controlling rib by increasing supports stiffness and flexible grouting reinforcement are proposed.

The mining industry is a sector aimed at the safe, efficient, green development, and clean, efficient, low-carbon utilization of mineral resources, serving as a foundational industry for economic and social development. In order to make mining development more economical, consider a more comprehensive range of factors, and optimize the design and development processes, in the late 1950s, operations research and computer technology were introduced into mining engineering, giving rise to a new discipline known as mining systems engineering. In its early stages, mining systems engineering primarily focused on the optimization of mining production processes and the use of computers in mine design, excavation planning, information processing, and application software development, with a predominant emphasis on open-pit mining as the research object. In recent years, research in mining systems engineering has closely integrated with big data, artificial intelligence, network technology, and has achieved fruitful results in areas such as mining information network construction, logistics systems, intelligent mining, equipment management, and safety management. This paper provides a detailed exposition of the origin and development process of mining systems engineering, with a chronological narrative based on international conferences on the application of operations research and computers in mining (APCOM), particularly the fifteen national conferences on mining systems engineering that have taken place. It objectively summarizes the developmental process and evolution of research content in mining systems engineering. Using the CNKI database as the data foundation, current research employs cluster analysis to study the publication volume, research objects, and their changes in mining systems engineering over the past 20 years. The future development of mining systems engineering should focus on the integration of systems science thinking with modern mining technology, establishing scientific systems and their boundaries, such as scientific mining systems, mine lifecycle systems, intelligent mine systems, and other eight major systems. The development of mining systems engineering will increasingly emphasize innovation and application in aspects such as digitization, intelligence, sustainable development, informatization, and automation, while continually expanding its application areas to achieve optimized, efficient, green, and low-carbon mining development.

Objective Surgical procedures for patients with posttraumatic syringomyelia (PTS) remain controversial. Until now, there have been no effective quantitative evaluation methods to assist in selecting appropriate surgical plans before surgery. Methods We consecutively enrolled PTS patients (arachnoid lysis group, n = 42; shunting group, n = 14) from 2003 to 2023. Additionally, 19 intrathecal anesthesia patients were included in the control group. All patients with PTS underwent physical and neurological examinations and spinal magnetic resonance imaging preoperatively, 3–12 months postoperatively and during the last follow-up. Preoperative lumbar puncture was performed and blood-spinal cord barrier disruption was detected by quotient of albumin (Qalb, cerebrospinal fluid/serum). Results The ages (p = 0.324) and sex (p = 0.065) of the PTS and control groups did not differ significantly. There were also no significant differences in age (p = 0.216), routine blood data and prognosis (p = 0.399) between the arachnoid lysis and shunting groups. But the QAlb level of PTS patients was significantly higher than that of the control group (p < 0.001), and the shunting group had a significantly higher QAlb (p < 0.001) than the arachnoid lysis group. A high preoperative QAlb (odds ratio, 1.091; 95% confidence interval, 1.004–1.187; p = 0.041) was identified as the predictive factor for the shunting procedure, with the receiver operating characteristic curve showing 100% specificity and 80.95% sensitivity for patients with a QAlb > 12.67. Conclusion Preoperative QAlb is a significant predictive factor for the types of surgery. For PTS patients with a QAlb > 12.67, shunting represents the final recourse, necessitating the exploration and development of novel treatments for these patients.

Abstract Background This study aimed to reveal the association between the gut microbiota (GM) and six diabetic complications: diabetic hypoglycemia; ketoacidosis; nephropathy; neuropathy; retinopathy; and Charcot’s foot. Methods GM data were obtained from the MiBioGen consortium and Dutch Microbiome Project while data on the six diabetic complications were obtained from the FinnGen consortium. Two-sample Mendelian randomization (TSMR) was performed to explore the association between GM and the common diabetic complications. Inverse MR analysis was conducted to examine the effect of diabetic complications on the identified GM. Sensitivity tests were conducted to validate the stability of the results. Finally, multivariate MR (MVMR) was performed to determine whether GM had a direct influence on the diabetic complications. Results After multiple corrections, the inverse variance weighted (IVW) results predicted 61 suggestive markers between GM and six diabetic complications. In particular, the IVW results revealed that the Bacteroidia class and Bacteroidales order were positively associated with diabetic hypoglycemia while the Verrucomicrobiae class and Verrucomicrobiales order were positively associated with diabetic nephropathy. Based on the replication analysis, these results were identified to be stable. MVMR showed that the results remained stable after accounting for traditional risk factors. Conclusion Extensive causal associations were found between GM and diabetic complications, which may provide new insights into the mechanisms of microbiome-mediated complications of diabetes.

The curved tidal channel, Luotou Deep-water Navigational Channel, is the main channel of the Ningbo Zhoushan Port, which is ranked first in the world. Tidal dynamics in the channel are spatially and temporally asymmetric. In this study, the three-dimensional tidal dynamics in the channel were analyzed using field data and simulated using FVCOM. The results show that the tides in the channel flood/ebb along the northern/southern bank near the bottom/surface layer and these asymmetries are due to the imbalanced Coriolis force, centrifugal force, sea-level gradient, and density gradient. Residual current velocity peaks (0.7 m/s) in the middle of the channel as the same distribution as sediment flux. There are two high turbidity zones (>4 kg/m3) which are northern at flood than at an ebb in the channel. The drag reduction effect of fluid mud enhances the lateral circulation, which is strong near the Chuanshan Peninsula and frictional dissipation plays an important role in it. The presence of suspended sediment changes the contribution of acceleration terms through impacting density and bottom friction, and the centrifugal force term has the largest increases. This study provides the foundation for the morphology evolution and harbor management of macro-tidal turbid coastal zones.Highlights A baroclinic model was built to study the tidal dynamics in macro-tidal turbid Zhoushan Islands.Asymmetric tides and lateral circulation occur in the Luotou Deep-water Navigational Channel (DNC).Mechanism of lateral circulation depends on tidal phases and locations in the DNC.Sediment impacts water density and drag coefficient, and then changes currents and sediment fluxes in the DNC.

Human Toll-like receptor (TLR) family plays a crucial role in immunity and cancer progression. However, the specific role of human Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC) remains obscure. Thus, we used single-cell RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and bulk RNA-seq data combined with in vitro studies to evaluate the expression and prognostic value of TLR4 in KIRC. In our study, we observed that TLR4 was over expressed in KIRC tissues compared to normal renal tissues. And the expression of TLR4 was higher in macrophages/monocytes than other cell types. Besides, there is a close association between TLR4 expression and immune cell infiltration (Neutrophils, Macrophages, T cells and B cells) in KIRC. Immunohistochemical staining also showed that TLR4 was overexpressed in inflammatory infiltration renal tissue compared with normal tissue. Meanwhile, high expression of TLR4 exhibited correlations with improved survival, lower tumor grade and stage. Interestingly, the protective significance of TLR4 only showed in female patients (HR = 0.37, P

Abstract The World Health Organization (WHO) prioritizes pneumococcal disease as a vaccine-preventable disease and recommends the inclusion of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV) in national immunization programs worldwide. However, PCV is not included in the National Immunization Program in China and has low vaccination coverage due to its high cost. To address this, Weifang City implemented an innovative strategy for a 13-valent PCV (PCV13) on June 1, 2021. This strategy aimed to provide one dose of PCV13 free of charge for children aged 6 months to 2 years in registered households and to adopt a commercial insurance model with one dose of PCV13 free of charge in 2023 for children over 2 years old. The Health Commission of Weifang and other departments conducted a comprehensive investigation and considered various factors, such as vaccine effectiveness, safety, accessibility, vaccine price, and immunization schedules, for eligible children (under 5 years old). Stakeholder opinions were also solicited before implementing the policy. The Commission negotiated with various vaccine manufacturers to maximize its negotiating power and reduce vaccine prices. The implementation plan was introduced under the Healthy Weifang Strategy. Following the implementation of this strategy, the full course of vaccination coverage increased significantly from 0.67 to 6.59%. However, vaccination coverage is still lower than that in developed countries. Weifang's PCV13 vaccination innovative strategy is the first of its kind in Chinese mainland and is an active pilot of non-immunization program vaccination strategies. To further promote PCV13 vaccination, Weifang City should continue to implement this strategy and explore appropriate financing channels. Regions with higher levels of economic development can innovate the implementation of vaccine programs, broaden financing channels, improve accessibility to vaccination services, and advocate for more localities to incorporate PCV13 into locally expanded immunization programs or people-benefiting projects. A monitoring and evaluation system should also be established to evaluate implementation effects. Graphical Abstract

The Microwave Radiation Imager (MWRI) onboard the FengYun satellite plays a crucial role in global change monitoring and numerical weather prediction. Estimating and correcting geolocation errors are important to retrieving accurate geophysical variables. However, the instantaneous field of view (IFOV) inter-channel deviation, which is mainly caused by the structure mounting error and measurement error of feedhorns, is less studied. In this present study, we constructed a general theoretical model to automatically estimate the IFOV inter-channel deviations suitable for conical-scanning instruments. The model can automatically detect the along-track and across-track vectors that pass through the land–sea boundary points and are perpendicular to the actual coastlines. Regarding the midpoints of the vectors as the brightness temperature (Tb) inflection points, the IFOV inter-channel deviation is the pixel offset or distance of the maximum gradients of the Tb near the inflection points for each channel relative to the 89-GHz V-pol channel. We tested the model’s operational performance using the FY-3G/MWRI-Rainfall Mission (MWRI-RM) observations. Considering that parameter uploading adjusted the IFOV inter-channel deviations, the model’s validity was verified by comparing the adjustments calculated by the model with the theoretical changes caused by parameter uploading. The result shows that the differences between them for all window channels are less than 100 m, indicating the model’s effectiveness in evaluating the IFOV inter-channel deviation for the MWRI-RM. Furthermore, the estimated on-orbit IFOV inter-channel deviations for the MWRI-RM show that all channel deviations are less than 1 km, meeting the instrument’s design requirement of 2 km. We believe this study will provide a foundation for IFOV inter-channel registration of passive microwave payloads and spatial matching of multiple payloads.

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in situ electrosynthesis by O2 reduction reaction is a promising alternative to the conventional Fenton treatment of refractory wastewater. However, O2 mass transfer limitation, cathodic catalyst selectivity, and electron transfer in O2 reduction remain major engineering obstacles. Here, we have proposed a systematic solution for efficient H2O2 generation and its electro-Fenton (EF) application for refractory organic degradation based on the fabrication of a novel ZrO2/CMK-3/PTFE cathode, in which polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) acted as a hydrophobic modifier to strengthen the O2 mass transfer, ZrO2 was adopted as a hydrophilic modifier to enhance the electron transfer of O2 reduction, and mesoporous carbon CMK-3 was utilized as a catalyst substrate to provide catalytic active sites. Moreover, feasible mass transfer of O2 from the hydrophobic to the hydrophilic layer was designed to increase the contact between O2 and the reaction interface. The H2O2 yield of the ZrO2/CMK-3/PTFE cathode was significantly improved by approximately 7.56 times compared to that of the conventional gas diffusion cathode under the same conditions. The H2O2 generation rate and Faraday efficiency reached 125.98 mg·cm−2·h−1 (normalized to 5674.04 mmol·g−1·h−1 by catalyst loading) and 78.24% at −1.3 V versus standard hydrogen electrode (current density of −252 mA·cm−2), respectively. The high H2O2 yield ensured that sufficient OḢ was produced for excellent EF performance, resulting in a degradation efficiency of over 96% for refractory organics. This study offers a novel engineering solution for the efficient treatment of refractory wastewater using EF technology based on in situ high-yield H2O2 electrosynthesis.

Abstract Background Cerebral stroke (CS) is the leading cause of death in China, and a complex disease caused by both alterable risk factors and genetic factors. This study intended to investigate the association of MMP3, MMP14, and MMP25 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with CS risk in a Chinese Han population. Methods A total of 1,348 Han Chinese were recruited in this case-control study. Four candidate loci including rs520540 A/G and rs679620 T/C of MMP3, rs2236302 G/C of MMP14, and rs10431961 T/C of MMP25 were successfully screened. The correlation between the four SNPs and CS risk was assessed by logistic regression analysis. The results were analyzed by false-positive report probability (FPRP) for chance or significance. The interactions between four SNPs associated with CS risk were assessed by multifactor dimensionality reduction (MDR). Results rs520540 A/G and rs679620 C/T SNP in MMP3 were associated with risk of CS in allele, codominant, dominant and log-additive models. Ischemic stroke risk were significantly lower in carriers with rs520540-A allele and rs679620-T allele than those with G/G or C/C genotypes. However, rs520540-A allele and rs679620-T allele were associated with higher risk of hemorrhagic stroke. Stratified analysis showed that these two SNPs were associated with reduced risk of CS in aged

In this study, mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) of seven cichlid species (Lamprologus kungweensis, L. meleagris, L. ornatipinnis, Neolamprologus brevis, N. caudopunctatus, N. leleupi, and N. similis) are characterized for the first time. The newly sequenced mitogenomes contained 37 typical genes [13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), two ribosomal RNA genes (rRNAs) and 22 transfer RNA genes (tRNAs)]. The mitogenomes were 16,562 ~ 16,587 bp in length with an A + T composition of 52.1~58.8%. The cichlid mitogenomes had a comparable nucleotide composition, A + T content was higher than the G + C content. The AT-skews of most mitogenomes were inconspicuously positive and the GC-skews were negative, indicating higher occurrences of C than G. Most PCGs started with the conventional start codon, ATN. There was no essential difference in the codon usage patterns of these seven species. Using Ka/Ks, we found the fastest-evolving gene were atp8. But the results of p-distance indicated that the fastest-evolving gene was nad6. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that L. meleagris did not cluster with Lamprologus species, but with species from the genus Neolamprologus. The novel information obtained about these mitogenomes will contribute to elucidating the complex relationships among cichlid species.

Mining depth and face length increase gradually in coal mine. The intensity of mining pressure occurrence rises quickly. In order to improve ground control in deep longwall panel with large face length, a case study is carried out by taking 121304 longwall panel in the Kouzidong Coal Mine of Xinji Energy Co., Ltd., China National Coal Group Corp as the background. Roof micro-seismicity characteristics are summarized, aiming to reveal the mechanisms of regional failure and dynamic migration in main roof. The works are conducted by using field measurement, theoretical analysis and lab test. The results show support resistance presents valley-shaped distribution, characterized by small resistance in middle region and large resistance in side regions. At different face advancement, the location of roof rupture induced micro-seismic events with large magnitude changes dynamically along face length direction, indicating regional failure and dynamic migration of main roof. The energy associated with the strong event at middle section is smaller than that at side sections. Thus, dynamic impact of middle area is weakened, consistent with valley-shaped distribution of support resistance. The region where mining induced stress is larger than initial yield strength of main roof is defined as peak point influenced zone. Large stress magnitude within the zone leads to crack initiation while release and rotation of the stress lead to crack propagation, which reveals driving effect of rotational stress on fracture development. A model is developed for regional failure and dynamic mitigation of main roof. Pre-existing and mining-induced fractures change local boundary condition of main roof, leading to regional failure. Roof load-bearing capacity decreases from middle to side section, leading to dynamic mitigation of regional failure. Rupture size of main roof is smaller in peak point influenced zone, which explains valley-shaped distribution of support resistance. According to regional failure and dynamic migration in main roof, a zonal method is proposed for ground control, realized by coordinative movement of the supports within middle peak point influenced zone. Single mode is used in other areas. Ground control is effectively strengthened after application of the new method in 121304 longwall panel.

Abstract Backgrounds Gait disorder is associated with cognitive functional impairment, and this disturbance is more pronouncedly when performing additional cognitive tasks. Our study aimed to characterize gait disorders in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) under three dual tasks and determine the association between gait performance and cognitive function. Methods A total of 260 participants were enrolled in this cross-sectional study and divided into MCI and cognitively normal control. Spatiotemporal and kinematic gait parameters (31 items) in single task and three dual tasks (serial 100-7, naming animals and words recall) were measured using a wearable sensor. Baseline characteristics of the two groups were balanced using propensity score matching. Important gait features were filtered using random forest method and LASSO regression and further described using logistic analysis. Results After matching, 106 participants with MCI and 106 normal controls were recruited. Top 5 gait features in random forest and 4 ~ 6 important features in LASSO regression were selected. Robust variables associating with cognitive function were temporal gait parameters. Participants with MCI exhibited decreased swing time and terminal swing, increased mid stance and variability of stride length compared with normal control. Subjects walked slower when performing an extra dual cognitive task. In the three dual tasks, words recall test exhibited more pronounced impact on gait regularity, velocity, and dual task cost than the other two cognitive tests. Conclusion Gait assessment under dual task conditions, particularly in words recall test, using portable sensors could be useful as a complementary strategy for early detection of MCI.

This study introduces an innovative model-order reduction (MOR) technique that integrates boundary element and finite element methodologies, streamlining the analysis of wideband vibro-acoustic interactions within aquatic and aerial environments. The external acoustic phenomena are efficiently simulated via the boundary element method (BEM), while the finite element method (FEM) adeptly captures the dynamics of vibrating thin-walled structures. Furthermore, the integration of isogeometric analysis within the finite element/boundary element framework ensures geometric integrity and maintains high-order continuity for Kirchhoff–Love shell models, all without the intermediary step of meshing. Foundational to our reduced-order model is the application of the second-order Arnoldi method coupled with Taylor expansions, effectively eliminating the frequency dependence of system matrices. The proposed technique significantly enhances the computational efficiency of wideband vibro-acoustic coupling analyses, as demonstrated through numerical simulations.

Channidae (snakehead fish) is a family of medium-to-large freshwater carnivorous fish and contain the genus, Channa. Here, the complete mitogenomes of two Channa fish were determined and comparatively analyzed with the mitogenomes of 16 other Channidae fish species. The two newly sequenced complete mitogenomes were circular DNA molecules with sizes of 16,953 bp (Channa burmanica; OP954106) and 16,897 bp (Channa aurantimaculata; OQ134162). The mitogenomes were composed of 37 genes and one D-loop region. Positive AT skews and negative GC skews were found in the mitogenomes. Most protein-coding genes (PCGs) started with the conventional start codon, ATG; however, the sequence of the stop codon was variable. There was no obvious difference in relative synonymous codon usage among the two mitogenomes, and the two species shared a similar number of codon usage of mitogenomic PCGs, which was also similar to the mean values for the other 15 species of Channa. All Ka/Ks values were cox1 had the lowest value, and atp8 had the highest. All of the tRNAs were typical clover structures, except trnS1. Phylogenetic analysis showed that C. burmanica and C. aurantimaculata shared a close relationship and that they were also closely related to C. gachua. These findings enrich the gene database of Channidae species, clarify the mitochondrial genome structure of the two species, and provide basic data for invasive biological surveillance in the future.

Abstract Background In this study, we intend to retrospectively analyze the clinical data of postoperative neuroblastoma children, including the results of follow-up examinations and laboratory tests, to explore the clinical value of combined serum Carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125), neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and 24-hour urine vanillylmandelic acid (VMA) levels at baseline for the prediction of recurrence in children with neuroblastoma. Methods 265 children with neuroblastoma were successfully followed up, including 163 cases without recurrence (non-recurrence group) and 102 cases with recurrence (recurrence group). The levels of 24-hour urine VMA were determined using spectrophotometric methods. Additionally, the serum levels of CA125 and NSE were measured using electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. Results The serum CA125, NSE and 24-hour urine VMA levels were significantly higher in the recurrence group than in the non-recurrence group. It demonstrated a significant positive correlation between the levels of serum CA125, NSE, and 24-hour urine VMA in all children with neuroblastoma. All children in stage IV of neuroblastoma had the highest level of serum CA125, NSE and 24-hour urine VMA and vice versa. The combined CA125, NSE and VMA had significantly better sensitivity and specificity than an individual marker. Conclusions Combined serum CA125, NSE and 24-hour urine VMA had the potential to predict neuroblastoma recurrence more effectively.

Summary: Warm ambient conditions induce thermomorphogenesis and affect plant growth and development. However, the chromatin regulatory mechanisms involved in thermomorphogenesis remain largely obscure. In this study, we show that the histone methylation readers MORF-related gene 1 and 2 (MRG1/2) are required to promote hypocotyl elongation in response to warm ambient conditions. A transcriptome sequencing analysis indicates that MRG1/2 and phytochrome interacting factor 4 (PIF4) coactivate a number of thermoresponsive genes, including YUCCA8, which encodes a rate-limiting enzyme in the auxin biosynthesis pathway. Additionally, MRG2 physically interacts with PIF4 to bind to thermoresponsive genes and enhances the H4K5 acetylation of the chromatin of target genes in a PIF4-dependent manner. Furthermore, MRG2 competes with phyB for binding to PIF4 and stabilizes PIF4 in planta. Our study indicates that MRG1/2 activate thermoresponsive genes by inducing histone acetylation and stabilizing PIF4 in Arabidopsis.

BackgroundPrevious studies have explored the associations between circulating inflammatory cytokines and blinding eye diseases, including glaucoma, cataract and macular degeneration. However, the causality of these associations remains controversial. This study employs a bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) study to investigate the causal relationships between 41 circulating inflammatory cytokines and these blinding eye diseases.MethodsSummary data for glaucoma, cataract, macular degeneration and 41 circulating inflammatory cytokines were publicly available. The inverse variance weighted (IVW) method was employed as the main analysis method. Additionally, various sensitivity tests, including MR–Egger regression, weighted median, weight mode, Cochran’s Q test, MR pleiotropy Residual Sum and Outlier test, and leave-one-out test, were conducted to evaluate sensitivity and stability of results.ResultsThe IVW analysis identified six circulating inflammatory cytokines causally associated with the risk of blinding eye diseases: Monokine induced by interferon-gamma (MIG) for glaucoma, interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra), IL-6, IL-10, and platelet derived growth factor BB (PDGFbb) for cataract, and MIG and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) for macular degeneration. However, it is noteworthy that none of these associations remained significant after Bonferroni correction (p

IntroductionDementia and musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are major public health problems. We aimed to investigate the genetic causality of common MSDs and dementia.MethodsTwo-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) was used in this study. MR analysis based on gene-wide association study (GWAS) data on osteoarthritis (OA), dementia with Lewy bodies, and other MSDs and dementia types were obtained from the Genetics of Osteoarthritis consortium, IEU-open GWAS project, GWAS catalog, and FinnGen consortium. Rigorously selected single-nucleotide polymorphisms were regarded as instrumental variables for further MR analysis. Inverse-variance weighted, MR–Egger regression, weight median, simple mode, and weight mode methods were used to obtain the MR estimates. Cochran’s Q test, MR–Egger and MR-Pleiotropy Residual Sum and Outlier analysis, and the leave-one-out test were applied for sensitivity testing.ResultsThe inverse-variance weighted method showed that hip OA was genetically associated with a lower risk of dementia, unspecified dementia, dementia in Alzheimer’s disease, and vascular dementia. Kneehip OA was inversely associated with unspecified dementia and vascular dementia. Rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis and seronegative rheumatoid arthritis were inversely associated with frontotemporal dementia, and rheumatoid arthritis was inversely associated with unspecified dementia. Simultaneously, ankylosing spondylitis was an independent risk factor for dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies, and dementia in Alzheimer’s disease. Sensitivity tests showed that heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy did not exist in these associations. The leave-one-out test showed that these associations were stable.ConclusionWe found that some MSDs were associated with the risk of dementia and provide evidence for the early detection of dementia in patients with MSDs and for the impact of inflammation on the central nervous system.

Abstract There is still some controversy about the relationship between lipids and venous thrombosis (VTE). A bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) study was conducted to clarify the causal relationship between three classical lipids (low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and triglycerides (TGs)) and venous thromboembolism (VTE) (deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE)). Three classical lipids and VTE were analysed by bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR). We used the random effect inverse variance weighted (IVW) model as the main analysis model and the weighted median method, simple mode method, weighted mode method and MR–Egger methods as supplementary methods. The leave-one-out test was used to determine the influence of outliers. The heterogeneity was calculated by using Cochran Q statistics in the MR–Egger and IVW methods. The intercept term in the MR‒Egger regression was used to indicate whether horizontal pleiotropy affected the results of the MR analysis. In addition, MR-PRESSO identified outlier single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and obtained a stable result by removing outlier SNPs and then performing MR analysis. When we used three classical lipids (LDL, HDL and TGs) as exposure variables, no causal relationship between them and VTE (DVT and PE) was found. In addition, we did not find significant causal effects of VTE on the three classical lipids in reverse MR analysis. There is no significant causal relationship between three classical lipids (LDL, HDL and TGs) and VTE (DVT and PE) from a genetic point of view.

The COVID-19 pandemic over recent years has shown a great need for the rapid, low-cost, and on-site detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In this study, an aptamer-based colloidal gold nanoparticle lateral flow test strip was well developed to realize the visual detection of wild-type SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins (SPs) and multiple variants. Under the optimal reaction conditions, a low detection limit of SARS-CoV-2 S proteins of 0.68 nM was acquired, and the actual detection recovery was 83.3% to 108.8% for real-world samples. This suggests a potential tool for the prompt detection of SARS-CoV-2 with good sensitivity and accuracy, and a new method for the development of alternative antibody test strips for the detection of other viral targets.

Controlled-release urea (CRU) fertilizers are widely used in agricultural production to reduce conventional nitrogen (N) fertilization-induced agricultural greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) and improve N use efficiency (NUE). However, the long-term effects of different CRU fertilizers on GHGs and crop yields in vegetable fields remain relatively unexplored. This study investigated the variations in GHG emissions at four growth stages of lettuce in the spring and autumn seasons based on a five-year field experiment in the North China Plain. Four treatments were setup: CK (without N application), U (conventional urea—N application), ON (20% reduction in urea—N application), CRU (20% reduction in polyurethane-coated urea without topdressing), and DCRU (20% reduction in polyurethane-coated urea containing dicyandiamide [DCD] without topdressing). The results show that N application treatments significantly increased the GHG emissions and the lettuce yield and net yield, and DCRU exhibited the lowest N2O and CO2 emissions, the highest lettuce yield and net yield, and the highest lettuce N content of the N application treatments. When compared to U, the N2O emission peak under CRU and DCRU treatments was notably decreased and delayed, and their average N2O emission fluxes were significantly reduced by 10.20–20.72% and 17.51–29.35%, respectively, leading to a significant reduction in mean cumulative N2O emissions during the 2017–2021 period. When compared to U, the CO2 fluxes of DCRU significantly decreased by 8.0–16.54% in the seedling period, and mean cumulative CO2 emission decreased by 9.28%. Moreover, compared to U, the global warming potential (GWP) and greenhouse gas intensity (GHGI) of the DCRU treatment was significantly alleviated by 9.02–17.13% and 16.68–20.36%, respectively. Compared to U, the N content of lettuce under DCRU was significantly increased by 6.48–17.25%, and the lettuce net yield was also significantly increased by 5.41–7.71%. These observations indicated that the simple and efficient N management strategy to strike a balance between enhancing lettuce yields and reduce GHG emissions in open-field lettuce fields could be obtained by applying controlled-release urea containing DCD without topdressing.

Noise‐like pulses (NLPs) are becoming increasingly attractive for a variety of applications such as supercontinuum generation, materials processing, and low‐coherence spectral interferometry. Related research in the near‐infrared region is extensive, yet few studies have been reported in the mid‐infrared (MIR) region. Herein, a systematic investigation of MIR NLPs is made for the first time. An approach is presented by exploiting a polarization‐maintaining fluoride fiber in the mode‐locked oscillator to cause a polarization‐dependent delay between the orthogonal‐polarized components of intracavity circulating pulses, thus generating a series of ultrashort pulses which will eventually form a stable wave packet, namely, NLP. Numerical simulations based on the extended coupled nonlinear Schrödinger equations predict the generation of NLPs, and reveal key aspects of the pulse evolution. Experiments yield linearly polarized NLPs at 2.8 μm with a maximum average power of 498 mW and a spike width of 4.3 ps, corresponding to a pulse energy of 12 nJ. The experimental results are in good agreement with the simulation results. This work constitutes a major step toward the development of MIR ultrafast fiber lasers with NLPs output.

Abstract Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) have made great successes in clinical diagnosis, medical research, and neurological science. MRI provides high resolution anatomical images of tissues/organs, and MRS provides information of the functional molecules related to a specific tissue/organ. However, it is difficult for classic MRI/MRS to selectively image/probe a specific metabolite molecule other than the water or fat in tissues/organs. This greatly limits their applications on the study of the molecular mechanism(s) of metabolism and disease. Herein, we report a series of molecularly targeted MRI/MRS methods to target specific molecules. The optimal control method was used to efficiently prepare the singlet spin orders of varied multi-spin systems and in turn greatly expand the choice of the targeted molecules in the molecularly targeted MRI/MRS. Several molecules, such as N-acetyl-l-aspartic acid (NAA), dopamine (DA), and a tripeptide (alanine-glycine-glycine, AGG), have been used as targeted molecules for molecularly targeted MRI and MRS. We show in vivo NAA-targeted 1H MRS spectrum of a human brain. The high-resolution signal of NAA suggests a promising way to study important issues in molecular biology at the molecular level, e.g., measuring the local pH value of tissue in vivo, demonstrating the high potential of such methods in medicine.

In weak grids, control performance of power converters is negatively affected by the significantly varied grid impedance, which can easily lead to degradation of anti-harmonic performance, resonances or even system instability. A rapid control performance monitor is therefore proposed in this work to acquire power converters’ actual performance indexes, i.e., the crossover frequency and phase margin. With the measured real-time information, important functions like health management, control parameters design and adaptive control of power systems can be conveniently realized. The monitor is implemented by perturbating the control loop of the power converter under test with a frequency-autotuned small signal, showing satisfying dynamic response and anti-noise performance. Thanks to the 100% digital implementation, the proposed performance monitor requires no extra hardware and no further cost. The detailed design of the monitor, based on small signal models derivation employing an envelope modeling method, is presented in this article. Extensive experiments were carried out to verify the efficacy of the proposed monitor.

To explore and expand the application of luffa sponge (LS) fiber, three methods were used to chemically modify the LS fibers. The nanoindentation (NI) results show that the LS fibers exhibit a high elastic modulus (12.4 GPa) and hardness (0.7 GPa). Upon treating the fibers with 5%NaOH-5%H2O2, the NI hardness of the fibers increases by 14.3%. However, when 10%NaOH-20%CH3COOH (method B) is used, the hardness of the cell walls decreases by 28.6%. In this case, the removal of amorphous substances from the LS fibers and the swelling reaction of the LS cellulose plays a significant role. Three chemical treatments can partially remove the hemicellulose in the LS fiber. 18%NaOH-1.6%CO(NH2)2 (method C) modifies the crystalline structure of the cellulose in the LS fibers. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry results show that the LS fibers are rich in hexadecanoic acid (14.3%), as well as in substances, such as squalene, oleic acid, and behenic alcohol, which exhibit a high antibiofilm activity. Furthermore, method B increases the total relative content of squalene and squalane in the LS extract by 49.4%; while method C treatment allows LS fibers have the potential to be used to develop phase-change energy storage materials and anti-photoaging discoloration materials.

The alcohol solvent can effectively regulate the electrochemical property of Ni-Co LDH. In this study, the aqueous solutions of lower monohydric alcohols were used to synthesize Ni-Co LDH using the solvothermal method, and the effects of alcohol type and content on the electrochemical performance of Ni-Co LDH were investigated. The ab initio calculation and characterization analysis were performed to elucidate the mechanism of how coordination of alcohol molecules regulates the nucleation and growth of materials at the micro-level. The electrochemical property of the battery-type Ni-Co LDH is improved by optimizing the molar ratio of Ni to Co. The causes of the specific capacity decay of Ni-Co LDHs are also explored by electron microscopy and spectroscopy. Finally, a button supercapacitor with high energy density has been assembled, in which activated carbon (AC) is the negative material, and Ni-Co LDH is the positive material. This study provides some insights into controllable preparation of Ni-Co LDHs as alternative materials for SCs.

Leukemia stem cells (LSC) represent a crucial and rare subset of cells present in acute myeloid leukemia (AML); they play a pivotal role in the initiation, maintenance, and relapse of this disease. Targeting LSC holds great promise for preventing AML relapse and improving long-term outcomes. However the precise molecular mechanisms governing LSC self-renewal are still poorly understood. Here, we present compelling evidence that the expression of miR-30e-5p, a potential tumor-suppressive microRNA, is significantly lower in AML samples than in healthy bone marrow samples. Forced expression of miR- 30e effectively inhibits leukemogenesis, impairs LSC self-renewal, and delays leukemia progression. Mechanistically, Cyb561 acts as a direct target of miR-30e-5p in LSC, and its deficiency restricts the self-renewal of LSC by activating reactive oxygen series signaling and markedly prolongs recipients’ survival. Moreover, genetic or pharmacological overexpression of miR-30e-5p or knockdown of Cyb561 suppresses the growth of human AML cells. In conclusion, our findings establish the crucial role of the miR-30e-5p/Cyb561/ROS axis in finely regulating LSC self-renewal, highlighting Cyb561 as a potential therapeutic target for LSC-directed therapies.

Introduction: Certain growth factors (GFs) are associated with constipation, but few studies has analyzed the causal associations between the two. Therefore, this study used two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) to systematically analyze the causal associations between GF levels and constipation based on data from genome-wide association studies (GWAS).Methods: Both GF and constipation data were obtained from European populations. GFs, as an exposure variable, were obtained from a genetic map of the human plasma proteome containing 3,301 samples, another GWAS dataset on 90 circulating proteins containing 30,931 samples, and a GWAS dataset containing 3,788 samples. Constipation, as an outcome variable, was obtained from the FinnGen project containing 26,919 cases and 282,235 controls and another UK Biobank dataset containing 3,328 cases and 459,682 controls. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms strongly associated with GFs were regarded as instrumental variables. Inverse-variance weighting, MR–Egger regression, weight median, simple mode, and weight mode methods were used to determine genetic associations. Cochran’s Q test, Egger intercept, and Mendelian Randomization Pleiotropy RESidual Sum and Outlier tests were used to analyze sensitivity.Results: The IVW analysis based on FinnGen showed that NGFI-A-binding protein 2 and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 were inversely associated with constipation, and that fibroblast growth factor 7 and transforming growth factor beta receptor II levels were positively associated with constipation. The IVW analysis based on UK Biobank showed that proheparin-binding epidermal growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor AA, and vascular endothelial growth factor121 were inversely associated with constipation.Conclusion: This study showed that some GFs are genetically associated with the risk of constipation.

PurposeIschemic stroke (IS), a serious cerebrovascular disease, greatly affects people's health and life. Genetic factors are indispensable for the occurrence of IS. As a biomarker for IS, the MMP-9 gene is widely involved in the pathophysiological process of IS. This study attempts to find out the relationship between MMP-9 polymorphisms and IS susceptibility.MethodsA total of 700 IS patients and 700 healthy controls were recruited. The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers of the MMP-9 gene were genotyped by the MassARRAY analyzer. Multifactor dimensionality reduction (MDR) was applied to generate SNP–SNP interaction. Furthermore, the relationship between genetic variations (allele and genotype) of the MMP-9 gene and IS susceptibility was analyzed by calculating odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).ResultsOur results demonstrated that rs2250889 could significantly increase the susceptibility to IS in the codominant, dominant, overdominant, and log-additive models (p < 0.05). Further stratification analysis showed that compared with the control group, rs2250889 was associated with IS risk in different case groups (age, female, smoking, and non-drinking) (p < 0.05). Based on MDR analysis, rs2250889 was the best model for predicting IS risk (cross-validation consistency: 10/10, OR = 1.56 (1.26–1.94), p < 0.001).ConclusionOur study preliminarily confirmed that SNP rs2250889 was significantly associated with susceptibility to IS.

China has large, estimated potential for direct air carbon capture and storage (DACCS) but its deployment locations and impacts at the subnational scale remain unclear. This is largely because higher spatial resolution studies on carbon dioxide removal (CDR) in China have focused mainly on bioenergy with carbon capture and storage. This study uses a spatially detailed integrated energy-economy-climate model to evaluate DACCS for 31 provinces in China as the country pursues its goal of climate neutrality by 2060. We find that DACCS could expand China’s negative emissions capacity, particularly under sustainability-minded limits on bioenergy supply that are informed by bottom-up studies. But providing low-carbon electricity for multiple GtCO _2 yr ^−1 DACCS may require over 600 GW of additional wind and solar capacity nationwide and comprise up to 30% of electricity demand in China’s northern provinces. Investment requirements for DACCS range from $330 to $530 billion by 2060 but could be repaid manyfold in the form of avoided mitigation costs, which DACCS deployment could reduce by up to $6 trillion over the same period. Enhanced efforts to lower residual CO _2 emissions that must be offset with CDR under a net-zero paradigm reduce but do not eliminate the use of DACCS for mitigation. For decision-makers and the energy-economy models guiding them, our results highlight the value of expanding beyond the current reliance on biomass for negative emissions in China.

Layered double oxides are widely employed in catalyzing the aldol condensation for producing biofuels, but its selectivity and stability need to be further improved. Herein, a novel MCM-41-supported Mg–Al-layered double oxide (LDO/MCM-41) was prepared via the in situ integration of a sol–gel process and coprecipitation, followed by calcination. This composite was first employed to catalyze the self-condensation of cyclopentanone for producing high-density cycloalkane precursors. LDO/MCM-41 possessed large specific surface area, uniform pore size distribution, abundant medium basic sites and Bronsted acid sites. Compared with the bulk LDO, LDO/MCM-41 exhibited a higher selectivity for C10 and C15 oxygenates at 150 °C (93.4% vs. 84.6%). The selectivity for C15 was especially enhanced on LDO/MCM-41, which was three times greater than that on LDO. The stability test showed that naked LDO with stronger basic strength had a rapid initial activity, while it suffered an obvious deactivation due to its poor carbon balance. LDO/MCM-41 with lower basic strength had an enhanced stability even with a lower initial activity. Under the optimum conditions (50% LDO loading, 170 °C, 7 h), the cyclopentanone conversion on LDO/MCM-41 reached 77.8%, with a 60% yield of C10 and 15.2% yield of C15.

Abstract Background To generate high-quality bone scan SPECT images from only 1/7 scan time SPECT images using deep learning-based enhancement method. Materials and methods Normal-dose (925–1110 MBq) clinical technetium 99 m-methyl diphosphonate (99mTc-MDP) SPECT/CT images and corresponding SPECT/CT images with 1/7 scan time from 20 adult patients with bone disease and a phantom were collected to develop a lesion-attention weighted U2-Net (Qin et al. in Pattern Recognit 106:107404, 2020), which produces high-quality SPECT images from fast SPECT/CT images. The quality of synthesized SPECT images from different deep learning models was compared using PSNR and SSIM. Clinic evaluation on 5-point Likert scale (5 = excellent) was performed by two experienced nuclear physicians. Average score and Wilcoxon test were constructed to assess the image quality of 1/7 SPECT, DL-enhanced SPECT and the standard SPECT. SUVmax, SUVmean, SSIM and PSNR from each detectable sphere filled with imaging agent were measured and compared for different images. Results U2-Net-based model reached the best PSNR (40.8) and SSIM (0.788) performance compared with other advanced deep learning methods. The clinic evaluation showed the quality of the synthesized SPECT images is much higher than that of fast SPECT images (P 0.999), similar detail of 99mTc-MDP (P = 0.125) and the same diagnostic confidence (P = 0.1875). 4, 5 and 6 spheres could be distinguished on 1/7 SPECT, DL-enhanced SPECT and the standard SPECT, respectively. The DL-enhanced phantom image outperformed 1/7 SPECT in SUVmax, SUVmean, SSIM and PSNR in quantitative assessment. Conclusions Our proposed method can yield significant image quality improvement in the noise level, details of anatomical structure and SUV accuracy, which enabled applications of ultra fast SPECT bone imaging in real clinic settings.

BackgroundAlthough several studies have examined the relationships between lead (Pb) exposure and serum lipid profiles, the associations of the metal mixture, including lead (Pb) and essential metals with lipid profiles, remain unclear.ObjectiveTo investigate the associations of the metal mixture including Pb and essential metals [magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), and calcium (Ca)] with serum lipid profiles [total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C)], as well as the potential interactions among the metals.MethodsNine hundred and ninety-eight Chinese community-dwelling adults completed a questionnaire and underwent checkups of anthropometric parameters, serum lipid profile levels (TC, TG, LDL-C, and HDL-C), and blood metal concentrations (Pb, Mg, Mn, Cu, Fe, Zn, and Ca). The multivariable linear regression, weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression, and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) were applied to evaluate the single and combined associations of blood Pb and essential metals with serum lipid profiles.ResultsIn the multivariable linear regression model, the blood Pb was positively associated with TC, LDL-C, and HDL-C (p

BackgroundAnkylosing spondylitis (AS) is an immune-mediated chronic inflammatory disease that leads to bone hyperplasia and spinal ankylosis. Iron homeostasis plays a very important role in the inflammatory response and is closely related to the pathogenesis of AS. This study aimed to use large-scale genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary data to study the genetic causal relationship between AS and iron homeostasis using Mendelian randomization (MR).MethodsGenome-wide association study summary data of AS and iron homeostasis-related indicators were obtained from the FinnGen consortium and the DeCODE genetics database, respectively. We used four iron homeostasis-related indicators: ferritin, serum iron, total iron binding capacity (TIBC), and transferrin saturation (TSAT) for two-sample MR analyses to test for genetic causal association with AS using the “TwoSampleMR” package of the R software (version 4.1.2). The random-effects inverse variance weighted (IVW) method was the main analysis method used for MR. We examined the MR analysis results for heterogeneity, horizontal pleiotropy, and possible outliers. In addition, we confirmed the robustness of the MR analysis by testing whether the results were affected by a single SNP and whether they followed a normal distribution.ResultsThe random-effects IVW results showed that ferritin [p = 0.225, OR 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.836 (0.627–1.116)], serum iron [p = 0.714, OR 95% CI = 0.948 (0.714–1.260)], TIBC [p = 0.380, OR 95% CI = 0.917 (0.755–1.113)], and TSAT [p = 0.674, OR 95% CI = 0.942 (0.713–1.244)] have no genetic causal relationship with AS. We detected no heterogeneity，horizontal pleiotropy and possible outliers in our MR analysis (p > 0.05). In addition, our MR analysis results were not affected by a single SNP, and were normally distributed.ConclusionOur study did not detect a genetic causal relationship between AS and iron homeostasis. Nonetheless, this does not rule out a relationship between the two at other mechanistic levels.

IntroductionChronic active Epstein-Barr virus (CAEBV) disease is a high-mortality disease, which is characterized by persistent infectious mononucleosis-like symptoms. There is no standard treatment for CAEBV and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) was considered the only potentially therapeutic approach. PD-1 inhibitors have achieved high response in many Epstein-Barr virus-related diseases. In this single-center retrospective analysis, we report the outcomes of PD-1 inhibitors treatment of CAEBV.MethodsAll CAEBV patients without hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), who were treated with PD-1 inhibitors in our center between 6/1/2017 and 12/31/2021, were retrospectively analyzed. The efficacy and safety of the PD-1 inhibitors were evaluated.ResultsAmong the sixteen patients with a median age at onset of 33 years (range, 11-67 years), twelve patients responded to PD-1 inhibitors and the median progression-free survival (PFS) was 11.1 months (range, 4.9-54.8 months). Three achieved clinical complete response (clinical CR), as well as molecular CR. Five patients achieved and remained partial response (PR), and four converted from PR to no response (NR). For three CR patients, the median time and cycles from the first application of PD-1 inhibitor to clinical CR were 6 weeks (range, 4-10 weeks) and 3 cycles (range, 2-4 cycles), and molecular CR was achieved after a median of 16.7 weeks (range, 6.1-18.4 weeks) and 5 cycles (range, 3-6 cycles) of PD-1 inhibitor infusion. No immune-related adverse events have been observed except for one patient who suffered immune-related pancreatitis. There was no correlation of treatment outcome with blood count, liver function, LDH, cytokine or ferritin levels. NK cell function, PD-L1 expression in tumor tissue and gene mutation possibly correlated with treatment response.DiscussionIn patients with CAEBV, PD-1 inhibitors have tolerable toxicity and comparable outcomes while improving quality of life and financial toxicity. Larger prospective studies and longer follow-up time is needed to be conducted.

This paper introduces the novel application of the mass and force lumping technique to enhance the finite element discretization of the fully intrinsic beam formulation. In our aeroelastic system model, 2-D unsteady aerodynamics were incorporated alongside simple calculations for thrust and gravity. Through the central difference discretization method, the discretized system was thoroughly examined, shedding light on the advantages of the mass and force lumping approach. With the use of a first-order lumping method, we successfully reconstructed the inertia matrices, external forces, and moments. The resulting equations are more systematically structured, facilitating the extraction of a regular state-space linear system using the direct index reduction method post-linearization. Numerical results further confirm that the proposed techniques can effectively capture the nonlinear dynamics of aeroelastic systems, enabling equation reconstruction and leading to significant benefits in system order reduction and flight dynamical analysis.