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Background. Health-promoting behaviors and positive lifestyle changes are crucial for effective stroke prevention. However, individuals at high risk of stroke exhibit poor health behavior due to a deficiency of individual motivation. Moreover, there are only a few studies on health-promoting behaviors that have applied behavior change theories in individuals at high risk of stroke. Objective. This study aimed to use the theory of the planned behavior (TPB) model to investigate determinants of health-promoting behaviors for stroke prevention and control. Method. In this cross-sectional study, 263 participants were recruited from five community health centers in Qingdao. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed to assess the reliability and validity of the constructs, and structural equation modeling was used to analyze the proposed relationships between the TPB-related variables. Results. The attitudes, subjective norms, and perceptions of behavioral control positively influenced behavioral intention. The behavioral intention had a positive effect on health-promoting behaviors. Attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control were influenced primarily by the mediating variable behavioral intention to affect health-promoting behaviors. Stroke knowledge was an influential facilitator of behavioral attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavior control. Conclusion. The TPB-based model is suitable for explaining health-promoting behaviors in individuals at risk of stroke and for guiding the development of effective health management programs. A comprehensive person-centered motivation behavior strategy that is based on health education and complemented by social support and health resource optimization is critical in promoting health behavior motivation and health promotion behaviors in stroke high-risk groups.

The concoction process is a vital technique for reducing the toxicity and enhancing the efficacy of Chinese herbal medicines. To examine the alterations in the chemical compositions of Aurantii Fructus before and after stir-frying in diverse origins, a method of internal extraction electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (iEESI-MS) was developed. It combines the advantages of internal extraction and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, and is capable of detecting target molecules in complex samples with highly efficient and sensitive manner. iEESI-MS was employed to directly analyze the Aurantii Fructus samples before and after processing without complex sample pretreatment, which can obtain their fingerprints and identify the principal difference substances present in the samples before and after processing. Principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) were used for data handling. The aforementioned screened main differences in substances were subjected to analysis in a variety of origins. The experimental conditions were optimized including the temperature of ion transport tube, spray voltage, flow rate of the extractant, proportion of methanol spray solution and distance from the spray port to the mass spectrometry port, etc. The results showed that a total of 35 substances are identified in the Aurantii Fructus samples, including flavonoids, coumarins, alkaloids, volatile oils, and amino acids. The chemical composition of Aurantii Fructus exhibites notable differences before and after preparation. Flavonoids constitute approximately two-thirds of the identified distinct compounds, and serve as crucial quality markers for differentiating the origin and quality of Aurantii Fructus. The results of the human heat map analysis of Aurantii Fructus from disparate origins in Hunan, Sichuan and Jiangxi demonstrated that the variation of the 12 distinct substances present in Aurantii Fructus from different origins is considerable. This indicated that the contents of these 12 substances are inconsistent among the different origins, which is related to the disparate quality of Aurantii Fructus from different origins in terms of its medicinal effects. This study provides a novel approach to ambient mass spectrometry for the quality identification of herbs such as Aurantii Fructus and the material basis of efficacy change before and after processing.

Abstract Background Renal fibrosis is a key process in the progression from acute kidney injury (AKI) to chronic kidney disease (CKD), while the intricate mechanisms of renal fibrosis remain obscure. While the signal-transducing adaptor protein 2 (STAP2) was well-studied for its notable function in inflammation and immune-related disorders, its specific implication in renal fibrosis remains unclear. This study assessed the mechanism by which STAP2 could promote the progression of renal fibrosis. Methods The expression level of STAP2 in fibrotic human samples, murine fibrosis models, and cellular fibrosis models was measured, respectively. Subsequently, immunoprecipitation (IP), mass spectrometry, and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) were employed to identify HSP27 as an interacting protein and the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway. STAP2 was thereafter knocked down or overexpressed in both in vivo and in vitro models to assess the expression levels of pathway-related and fibrosis-related proteins. Finally, the important role of STAP2 in the fibrosis process in animal models induced by ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) and cisplatin was validated. Results Functionally, in vivo assays demonstrated that the genetic knockout of STAP2 could remarkably mitigate epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), diminish inflammatory cell infiltration, and reduce collagen deposition in mice with renal fibrosis. Conversely, in vitro assays employing STAP2-overexpressing cell models exacerbated the expression levels of fibrosis markers. The outcomes uncovered a potential mechanism by which STAP2 could modulate renal fibrosis through its impact on the expression level of phosphorylated HSP27, as well as modulating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Conclusions This comprehensive investigation delineated the noticeable function of STAP2 in the advancement of renal fibrosis, and the outcomes might contribute to the development of targeted therapies concentrated on STAP2 to mitigate renal fibrosis.

Abstract Serum lipids have been associated with an increased risk of various cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in several observational studies, but the causal inference between the remnant cholesterol (RC) levels and several CVDs risk has not been established. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether there is a causal relationship between RC levels and risk of developing CVDs by a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (TSMR) analysis. One TSMR analysis was performed using the publicly released large-scale genome-wide association study (GWAS) data. Inverse variance weighted (IVW) method was chosen as the main analysis method, and MR-Egger, weighted median, simple mode, and weighted mode were used as supplementary methods. We conducted a series of sensitivity analyses to assess the robustness of the main results, including the Cochran’s Q test, MR-Egger intercept test, leave-one-out sensitivity analysis, and funnel plot. The main IVW method revealed that genetically predicted serum level of RC is significantly associated with an increased risk of developing ischemic heart disease (OR = 1.409, 95%CI = 1.284–1.546, P value = 4.753E-13), unstable angina pectoris (OR = 1.621, 95%CI = 1.398–1.880, P value = 1.672E-10), myocardial infarction (OR = 1.526, 95%CI = 1.337–1.741, P value = 3.771E-10), cardiac arrest (OR = 1.595, 95%CI = 1.322–1.924, P value = 1.076E-06), heart failure (OR = 1.086, 95%CI = 1.009–1.169, P value = 0.028), hypertension (OR = 1.089, 95%CI = 1.043–1.136, P value = 9.458E-05), major coronary heart disease (CHD) events (OR = 1.515, 95%CI = 1.376–1.669, P value = 3.217E-17), coronary atherosclerosis (OR = 1.388, 95%CI = 1.231–1.564, P value = 7.739E-08), cardiac arrhythmias (OR = 1.067, 95%CI = 1.008–1.130, P value = 0.025), and atrial fibrillation and flutter (OR = 1.122, 95%CI = 1.039–1.211, P value = 0.003). Additionally, the causal associations between the RC levels and these CVDs remained significant after correcting for the false discovery rate (all P value 0.05). Heterogeneity existed in the IVs of RC and ischemic heart disease, unstable angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, heart failure, hypertension, major CHD events, cardiomyopathy, coronary atherosclerosis, cardiac arrhythmias and atrial fibrillation and flutter using the Cochran’s Q test (all P value 0.05). The leave-one-out sensitivity analyses showed that the causal effects between RC level and CVDs (except for heart failure, cardiomyopathy, pericarditis and cardiac arrhythmias) are not driven by a single SNP. The funnel plots showed that there is no obvious potential bias in our study. In the replication analysis, the genetically predicted RC levels were positively associated with a 43.12% higher risk of coronary artery disease. This present study supported the causal link between RC and heightened the risk of CVDs, indicating that RC-lowering treatment might be effective in preventing CVDs.

Abstract Circulating miR-30c-2-3p has been closely related to vascular diseases, however, its role and underlying mechanisms in ischemic stroke remained unclear. Our study addressed this gap by observing elevated levels of exosomal miR-30c-2-3p in patients with acute ischemic stroke due to large artery atherosclerosis. Further investigation revealed that these exosomal miR-30c-2-3p primarily originated from macrophages within atherosclerotic plaques, exacerbating ischemic stroke by targeting microglia. Exosomes enriched with miR-30c-2-3p increased microglial inflammatory properties in vivo and aggravated neuroinflammation by inhibiting SMAD2. In summary, our findings revealed a novel mechanism whereby macrophage-derived foam cells within atherosclerotic plaques secrete exosomes with high levels of miR-30c-2-3p, thus aggravate brain damage during ischemic stroke, which serves as crucial link between the periphery and brain.

Abstract Hemipteran insects transmit viruses when infesting plants, during which vectors activate salicylic acid (SA)-regulated antiviral defenses. How vector-borne plant viruses circumvent these antiviral defenses is largely unexplored. During co-infections of begomoviruses and betasatellites in plants, betasatellite-encoded βC1 proteins interfere with SA signaling and reduce the activation of antiviral resistance. βC1 inhibits SA-induced degradation of NbNPR3 (Nicotiana benthamiana nonexpressor of pathogenesis-related genes 3), a negative regulator of SA signaling. βC1 does not bind directly to NbNPR3, but regulates NbNPR3 degradation via heat shock protein 90s (NbHSP90s). NbHSP90s bind to both NbNPR3 and βC1 and suppress SA signaling. This viral success strategy appears to be conserved as it is also documented for viral proteins encoded by two aphid-borne viruses. Our findings reveal an exquisite mechanism that facilitates the persistence of vector-borne plant viruses and provide important insights into the intricacies of the virus life cycle.

Abstract Quantum walks provide a speed-up in computational power for various quantum algorithms and serve as inspiration for the construction of complex graph representations. Many pioneering works have been dedicated to expanding the experimental state space and the complexity of graphs. However, these experiments are mostly limited to small experimental scale, which do not reach a many-body level and fail to reflect the multi-particle quantum interference effects among non-adjacent modes. Here, we present a quantum walk with three photons on a two-dimensional triangular lattice, which is mapped to a 19 × 19 × 19 high-dimensional state space and constructs a complex graph with 6859 nodes and 45,486 edges. By utilizing the statistical signatures of the output combinations and incorporating machine learning techniques, we successfully validate the nonclassical properties of the experiment. Our implementation provides a paradigm for exponentially expanding the state space and graph complexity of quantum walks, paving the way for surmounting the classical regime in large-scale quantum simulations.

Abstract Background There are no standard treatment options for bilateral multiple pulmonary nodules requiring resection. This study aimed to summarize the experience of simultaneous bilateral uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for the treatment of bilateral multiple primary pulmonary nodules. Methods The clinical data of 65 cases of simultaneous bilateral uniportal thoracoscopic surgery for bilateral multiple primary pulmonary nodules treated were retrospectively analyzed. These cases were treated within The Ninth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital between January 2018 and November 2020. Parameters related to the surgery, perioperative aspects, surgical techniques, pathology results, and postoperative complications were examined. Results All surgeries were conducted through uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery, with no instances of intraoperative conversion to thoracotomy. Fifty-three patients further underwent CT-guided Hookwire localization for the localization of pulmonary nodules. A total of 189 nodules were resected using multiple surgical procedures, with a malignancy rate of 86.2%. The average operation time was 226 ± 77.4 min, the average thoracic drainage duration was 3.1 ± 1.5 days, the average 24 h pleural drainage was 385.9 ± 157.4 mL, the average postoperative hospital stay was 8.6 ± 2.4 days, and the average blood loss was 77.2 ± 33.8 mL. Post-surgery, all patients were transferred to the ward safely within 12 h. 15.38% of patients have prolonged drainage time, and 12.31% of patients experience complications such as lung infection, arrhythmia, and venous thrombosis. Conclusion The selected cases undergoing simultaneous bilateral uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for the management of bilateral multiple primary pulmonary nodules demonstrated favorable outcomes. Our observations indicate the safety and feasibility of this procedure, providing an individualized and precise treatment approach for affected patients.

Abstract The sustainable development of sports facilities and their integration with the ecological environment are crucial in addressing global environmental challenges. This study examines the coupling coordination between sports facilities and the ecological environment in nine prefecture-level cities in Fujian Province, China, from 2013 to 2020, within the framework of China’s “Dual Carbon” strategy. Using a multidisciplinary approach that integrates economics, sociology, and geography, the study employs the entropy method and coupling coordination models to analyze the temporal evolution and spatial distribution of the coupling coordination between sports facilities and the ecological environment. The findings reveal that the overall trend of coupling coordination is positive, with the degree of coordination improving over time from severe imbalance in 2013 to high-quality coordination by 2020. Economic factors, such as per capita GDP, positively influence the coupling coordination, while factors like population density and regional GDP have a negative impact. Coastal cities, such as Xiamen and Zhangzhou, demonstrate stronger regional correlations and play a critical role in improving the overall coupling level of the province. This research provides several recommendations for promoting orderly and optimal development, considering the distinct characteristics of sports facilities and the ecological environment.

Abstract A series of fourth‐order bandpass filters (BPFs) with compact footprints, broad bandwidth, high selectivity, linear phase and notched response are proposed. The sketch of these BPFs is in accordance with the combination of the eighth‐mode substrate integrated waveguide (EMSIW) and dual‐mode microstrip line (DMML) resonators. The DMML resonator is constructed by means of metallic via‐holes and pad in the double‐layered structures. Among them, the DMML resonator can provide two transmission poles. Besides, the cross coupling is introduced through the vertical slot or fan‐shaped aperture in the dual‐layered substrates. The coupling schemes of the proposed BPFs can introduce two transmission zeros in the vicinity of operating passband, and the coupled scheme also exhibits a relatively flat in‐band group delay. Notched frequency responses have been obtained by exploiting the U‐shaped resonator and folded‐ring resonator embedded with the mixed EMSIW and DMML BPFs. To validate the conceptual design, the proposed BPFs are simulated, fabricated and measured. Both the simulation and measurement have reached to a satisfactory agreement.

Abstract Within the framework of nonrelativistic QCD (NRQCD), we calculate the fragmentation function for a charm quark into an S-wave fully-charmed tetraquark, denoted as T 4c . The charm-to-T 4c fragmentation function is expressed as a sum of products of the perturbatively calculable short-distance coefficients and the nonperturbative long-distance matrix elements (LDMEs). The short-distance coefficients are ascertained through the perturbative matching procedure at lowest order in α s expansion. The LDMEs are approximated using the T 4c four-body wave functions at the origin, which have been evaluated by various phenomenological potential models in literature. Incorporating the celebrated QCD factorization and the charm-to-T 4c fragmentation function, we predict the T 4c production rate at high transverse momentum p T regime in colliders. Both the differential distribution over p T and the integrated cross sections are predicted at the LHC. The cross sections for T 4c states production can reach several femtobarns to several hundreds femtobarns, suggesting a substantial potential for T 4c event production at the LHC. Additionally, we estimate for the photoproduction of T 4c in electron-proton (ep) collisions. It is observed that the cross sections for these processes are moderate at the HERA and EIC, and relatively small at the EicC. Given the luminosities of these colliders, the prospect of detecting these fully-charmed tetraquarks at ep colliders is somewhat challenging.

Evolutionary Agroecology theory predicts that the relationship between population yield and individual fitness among genotypes of a crop species is unimodal, and experimental evidence supports this. We test the theory further by investigating the role of resource availability on this relationship by comparing growth and reproductive output of three old and three modern cultivars of wheat (Triticum aestivum) in mixture and monocultures grown at three resource levels. The relationship between population grain yield and individual fitness (mean individual grain yield in mixture) of genotypes was resource dependent in a way that is consistent with the theory: when resource levels are low and limit individual growth directly, individual and population yield are positively correlated. When resource levels are high and the growth of individual plants is limited by competition for these resources, the relationship between individual fitness and population yield becomes negative. There was evidence for the unimodal relationship at the intermediate resource level. Old cultivars had higher fitness than newer cultivars at all three resource levels. Old cultivars had higher yields at low resource levels, but the newer cultivars yielded more when resource levels were high. Evaluating individual fitness and population yield in different environments may help wheat breeders to develop locally adapted, cooperative cultivars to increase production across large wheat-producing areas.