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Li metal batteries (LMBs) with LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2 (NMC811) cathodes could release a specific energy of >500 Wh kg−1 by increasing the charge voltage. However, high-nickel cathodes working at high voltages accelerate degradations in bulk and at interfaces, thus significantly degrading the cycling lifespan and decreasing the specific capacity. Here, we rationally design an all-fluorinated electrolyte with addictive tri(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl) borate (TFEB), based on 3, 3, 3-fluoroethylmethylcarbonate (FEMC) and fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC), which enables stable cycling of high nickel cathode (LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2, NMC811) under a cut-off voltage of 4.7 V in Li metal batteries. The electrolyte not only shows the fire-extinguishing properties, but also inhibits the transition metal dissolution, the gas production, side reactions on the cathode side. Therefore, the NMC811||Li cell demonstrates excellent performance by using limited Li and high-loading cathode, delivering a specific capacity >220 mA h g−1, an average Coulombic efficiency >99.6% and capacity retention >99.7% over 100 cycles.

Abstract Background Glucocorticoid-associated osteonecrosis of the femoral head (GA-ONFH) is a progressive bone disorder which frequently results in femoral head collapse and hip joint dysfunction. Sclerostin (SOST) is principally secreted by osteocytes in bone and plays an important role in bone homeostasis and homeostasis of skeletal integrity. Our previous study reported that short‐term use of glucocorticoid increased serum sclerostin levels. Here this study is aimed to identify whether sclerostin played an essential role in the occurrence and development of GA-ONFH. Methods Glucocorticoid-induced osteonecrosis of femoral head (ARCO stage II) samples were collected and sclerostin staining was conducted. Osteocyte cell line Ocy454, MC3T3-E1 and endothelial cells was used. MC3T3-E1 or endothelial cells were co-cultured with Ocy454 or SOST-silencing Ocy454 in presence of dexamethasone to mimic the crosstalk of various cells in the bone niche. GA-ONFH rat model and SOST knockout model was built to better understand the phenomenon in vivo. Results Sclerostin was highly concentrated in osteonecrosis patient sample in the necrotic area. Co-culture with osteocytes aggravated the inhibition of dexamethasone on MC3T3-E1 and endothelial cells. Sclerostin derived from osteocytes impaired osteogenesis and angiogenesis via inhibiting the Wnt pathway. In GA-ONFH rat model, SOST knockout ameliorated the incidence of osteonecrosis and improved bone metabolism compared with the wild type group through histological, immunohistochemical and bone metabolic analyses. Conclusion Sclerostin contribute to pathologic process of GA-ONFH by impairing osteogenesis and angiogenesis.

Background Metabolic dysregulation is a hallmark of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), in which the abnormalities in brown adipose tissue (BAT) play important roles. However, the cellular composition and function of BAT as well as its pathological significance in diabetes remain incompletely understood. Our objective is to delineate the single-cell landscape of BAT-derived stromal vascular fraction (SVF) and their characteristic alterations in T2DM rats. Methods T2DM was induced in rats by intraperitoneal injection of low-dose streptozotocin and high-fat diet feeding. Single-cell mRNA sequencing was then performed on BAT samples and compared to normal rats to characterize changes in T2DM rats. Subsequently, the importance of key cell subsets in T2DM was elucidated using various functional studies. Results Almost all cell types in the BAT-derived SVF of T2DM rats exhibited enhanced inflammatory responses, increased angiogenesis, and disordered glucose and lipid metabolism. The multidirectional differentiation potential of adipose tissue-derived stem cells was also reduced. Moreover, macrophages played a pivotal role in intercellular crosstalk of BAT-derived SVF. A novel Rarres2+macrophage subset promoted the differentiation and metabolic function of brown adipocytes via adipose-immune crosstalk. Conclusion BAT SVF exhibited strong heterogeneity in cellular composition and function and contributed to T2DM as a significant inflammation source, in which a novel macrophage subset was identified that can promote brown adipocyte function.

Permeability plays a pivotal role in water resources management, oil and gas exploration and production, as well as geological hazard assessment. Previous studies primarily explores the influencing factors of permeability through indirect methods, and lacks direct means to describe the relationship between porous media and permeability, and the relationship between permeability and the internal pore structure of porous media is still unclear. This study developed an experimental system featuring controllable pore space properties to investigate the relationship between permeability in porous media and factors including porosity, the horizontal and vertical distribution of pores, the regularity of particle arrangements, and the aspect ratio of elliptical pores. The experimental results demonstrate a positive correlation between permeability and porosity in porous media. Circular porous media generally adhere to the Kozeny-Carman equation, while variations in particle circularities and arrangements lead to pronounced permeability anisotropy. Due to the transverse arrangement of porous media leading to the fluid with a long flow path, permeability in horizontally arranged pores aligned with the flow direction is significantly higher than that in vertically arranged pores. Irregularly arranged porous media exhibit higher permeability compared to regularly arranged porous media, because 1) the irregular arrangement of the particles can lead to some large pores in the porous media that can provide large channels to facilitate the penetration of the fluid; 2) the irregular arrangement increases the flow path within the porous medium, leading to more fluid paths in the porous medium. Porous media with an aspect ratio of 1 for the long and short axes exhibits the highest permeability. The findings of this study provide essential insights into the evolution of penetration rates in porous media and their relationship with pore space properties.

Abstract Rockeries have a complex and significant role in classical Chinese garden designs. They present distinct artistic characteristics and spatial hierarchies and are crucial to garden heritage conservation. Craftsmanship in rockery construction is a significant part of China’s intangible cultural heritage. Rockeries are primarily composed of naturally occurring rocks chosen for their uniqueness and complex shapes and textures. These rocks present challenges as nonstandard elements within the traditional Chinese garden context, as it is not easy to depict them using conventional blueprints and models. This complicates the design, adjustment, display, and construction of rockeries, which lacks tangible bases for reference. Consequently, the preservation and restoration of garden rockeries is difficult, and the perpetuation and dissemination of rockery construction skills face numerous challenges. This study introduces a method that combines laser scanning and photographic measurements to digitize precisely nonstandard elements of rockery stones. This approach presents an innovative design and construction workflow for rockeries by refining design processes, showcasing real effects, and resolving assembly issues. The results demonstrate that the combination of three-dimensional laser scanning and close-range photogrammetry can accurately replicate the complex forms and textures of these nonstandard elements. The stone coding and digital management system devised based on the logic of construction effectively satisfies the design and building requirements of rockeries. Correspondingly, the proposed digital construction workflow enhances the accuracy of rockery design, presentation, and evaluation, thereby contributing to the protection and restoration of rockery heritage sites and the transmission of rockery construction techniques.

Abstract To investigate the association between single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) at the rs3918188, rs1799983 and rs1007311 loci of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene and genetic susceptibility to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in northeastern China. The base distribution of eNOS gene rs3918188, rs1799983 and rs1007311 in 1712 human peripheral blood samples from Northeast China was detected by SNaPshot sequencing technology. The correlation between genotype, allele and gene model of these loci of the eNOS gene and the genetic susceptibility to SLE was investigated by logistic regression analysis. The results of the differences in the frequency distribution of their gene models were visualised using R 4.3.2 software. Finally, HaploView 4.2 software was used to analyse the relationship between the haplotypes of the three loci mentioned above and the genetic susceptibility to SLE. A multifactor dimensionality reduction (MDR) analysis was used to determine the best SNP-SNP interaction model. The CC genotype and C allele at the rs3918188 locus may be a risk factor for SLE (CC vs AA: OR = 1.827, P

Based on meteorological data collected over nearly 60 years (1960–2017) from four national meteorological stations along the margins of the Badain Jaran Desert, this study analyzed the spatiotemporal variations in evaporation from water surfaces and identified the dominant controlling factors. Methods used included linear trend analysis, linear tendency estimation, the departure method, the rank correlation coefficient-based method, and Multiple Linear Regression (MLR). Results indicate notable spatiotemporal differences in evaporation distribution and evolution. Spatially, average annual evaporation exhibited a pronounced altitude effect, decreasing at a rate of about 8.23 mm/m from east to west with increasing altitude. Temporally, annual evaporation showed significant upward trends after 1996 at the northeastern (Guaizi Lake) and western (Dingxin) margins, with rates of 132 mm/10a and 105 mm/10a, respectively. Conversely, along the northwestern (Ejina Banner) and southern (Alxa Right Banner) margins of the desert, an evaporation paradox was observed, with annual evaporation trending downward at rates of 162 mm/10a and 187 mm/10a, respectively, especially after 1987. The dominant factors controlling evaporation varied spatially: Average annual temperature and relative humidity influended the western margin (Dingxin), average annual temperature was the key factor for the northeastern margin (Guaizi Lake), and average wind speed was crucial for the northern (Ejina Banner) and southern (Alxa Right Banner) margins.

The development of skeletal muscle is a crucial factor in determining the meat yield and economic benefits of broiler production. Recent research has shown that mulberry leaves and their extracts can be used to significantly improve the growth performance of livestock and poultry. The present study aims to elucidate the mechanisms involved in the regulation of skeletal muscle development in broiler offspring by dietary mulberry-leaf flavonoids (MLF) supplementation from the perspective of maternal effect theory. A total of 270 Qiling broiler breeder hens were randomly assigned to 3 treatments with different doses of MLF (0, 30, 60 mg/kg) for 8 weeks before collecting their fertilized eggs. The chicken offspring at 13 and 19 d of embryonic stage, and from 1 to 28 d old after hatching were included in this study. The results showed that maternal supplementation increased the breast muscle weight and body weight of the offspring at the embryo and chick stages (P

Photocatalytic assisted uranium extraction technology is a rapidly developed technology for uranium extraction from wastewater and seawater in recent years, which can significantly improve the extraction capacity and extraction rate of uranium. However, the activity of most photocatalysts in air atmosphere is inhibited, which hinders the practical application of this technology. Based on this, this paper discusses the latest progress of photocatalytic assisted uranium extraction technology in air atmosphere, focusing on the analysis of different mechanisms and product characteristics of photocatalytic assisted uranium extraction in air atmosphere, especially the photoreaction and chemical reaction mechanism in the absence of catalyst. There are mainly two mechanisms for the photocatalysis assist uranium extraction. The first one is based on the photocatalytic reduction of U(Ⅵ) to U(Ⅳ). Under illumination, electrons and holes pairs are generated on photocatalysts, and the electrons could reduce the soluble \begin{document}${\mathrm{UO}}_2^{2+} $\end{document} to insoluble uranium oxide(UO2). However, under air atmosphere, at the presence of oxygen, the newly formed UO2 could be oxidated back to \begin{document}${\mathrm{UO}}_2^{2+} $\end{document} and dissolved into solution, resulting in the decrease of uranium extraction performance. Therefore, this mechanism is usually applied under inert atmosphere. Although with proper design of photocatalyst, the oxygen could be covert to \begin{document}${ · {\mathrm{O}}_2^- } $\end{document} to further reduce \begin{document}${\mathrm{UO}}_2^{2+} $\end{document}, the performance is still not comparable with that under inert atmosphere. The other recently developed photocatalysis assisted extraction mechanism is based on the convert of soluble \begin{document}${\mathrm{UO}}_2^{2+} $\end{document} to uranium peroxide((UO2)O2•xH2O), which can work well under air atmosphere. Under light illumination, hydrogen peroxide(H2O2) can be first produced with the assist of efficient photocatalysts or the photoactivity of \begin{document}${\mathrm{UO}}_2^{2+} $\end{document} itself. Then H2O can react with to \begin{document}${\mathrm{UO}}_2^{2+} $\end{document} form insoluble uranium peroxide. As uranium peroxide is stable under air and oxygen may contribute to the formation of H2O2, this mechanism can obtain excellent performance under air. Researchers have developed composite materials such as carbon nitride, carbon dots, graphene aerogels, and metal-organic frameworks(MOFs), which exhibit superior uranium removal performance under aerobic conditions. Besides, research on uranium extraction via photocatalysis under air is still in its infancy, and the specific reaction mechanisms may vary under different environments, necessitating further investigation. Based on the mechanism of uranium extraction via the photo-assisted transformation to uranium peroxides, the design of catalysts and uranium extraction materials will be greatly broadened. Combined with the discussion of the reaction mechanism of uranium extraction under light conditions and the design of catalyst materials, we hope to provide inspiration for researchers to develop highly efficient uranium extraction catalyst and mechanism research under air atmosphere.

Uranium is the main fuel of nuclear power, and the removal of uranium from uranium-containing wastewater is important for environmental protection and resource recovery. Photo-induced uranyl ion removing is an economical and efficient method to remove U(Ⅵ) from uranium-containing wastewater. Many materials have been used for photo-induced reduction of U(Ⅵ). However, the practical application of most materials is still limited by many factors, such as the complexity of its synthesis process, the harsh conditions required, and the poor selectivity and reusability in the photocatalytic process. More importantly, most materials can only be photocatalyzed under the protection of an inert atmosphere. In the presence of oxygen, the photocatalytic product uranium dioxide(UO2) is unstable and easily oxidized resulting in reduced removal effect, so it becomes particularly vital to find an effective catalyst. Carbon dots(CDs) are a new type of carbon-based materials with excellent fluorescence performance, good water solubility and biocompatibility. However, due to the small size and hydrophilicity of the CDs, it is difficult to separate from water. It needs to be combined with other solid materials when applied. The application of CDs to the photocatalytic removal of uranyl ions in water has rarely been studied. Silica(SiO2) is an ideal loader due to its excellent mechanical strength and irradiation stability, as well as its large specific surface area and easy modification. In this paper, a blue carbon dot was prepared by solvothermal method and CDs/SiO2 composites were synthesized by sol-gel method. The morphology of the composite was characterized by scanning electron microscopy(SEM) and transmission electron microscopy(TEM) technologies, and their application in photocatalytic removal of uranium were studied. Under visible light irradiation, CDs/SiO2-b can remove more than 95% of uranium in 100 min. Experiments have found that the photo-precipitation rate of silica to uranium after the introduction of carbon dots is about 5.8 times of that of the pure silica, and uranium can be transformed into solid product of (UO2)O2•2H2O under air atmosphere, with a removal capacity of more than 800 mg/g. The morphology and structure of the photocatalytic products were characterized by SEM and XPS technology, and the solid products were easy to separate and remove. In order to evaluate the practical application of CDs/SiO2 light-induced reduction of uranium under visible light irradiation, pH and other influencing factors were systematically studied. Moreover, the removal efficiency of uranium is higher 85% after 5 cycles of recycling, showing excellent recycling performance. CDs/SiO2 composites are simple to prepare and can efficiently remove uranyl ions in water through photoinduction, which provides a new method and material for photoinduced removal of uranium.

Abstract Purpose Investigate the clinical characteristics of splenomegaly secondary to acute pancreatitis (SSAP) and construct a nomogram prediction model based on Lasso-Logistic regression. Methods A retrospective case-control study was conducted to analyze the laboratory parameters and computed tomography (CT) imaging of acute pancreatitis (AP) patients recruited at Xuanwu Hospital from December 2014 to December 2021. Lasso regression was used to identify risk factors, and a novel nomogram was developed. The performance of the nomogram in discrimination, calibration, and clinical usefulness was evaluated through internal validation. Results The prevalence of SSAP was 9.2% (88/950), with the first detection occurring 65(30, 125) days after AP onset. Compared with the control group, the SSAP group exhibited a higher frequency of persistent respiratory failure, persistent renal failure, infected pancreatic necrosis, and severe AP, along with an increased need for surgery and longer hospital stay (P

Abstract Endometrial cancer (UCEC) is one of three major malignant tumors in women. The HOX gene regulates tumor development. However, the potential roles of HOX in the expression mechanism of multiple cell types and in the development and progression of tumor microenvironment (TME) cell infiltration in UCEC remain unknown. In this study, we utilized both the The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) database to analyze transcriptome data of 529 patients with UCEC based on 39 HOX genes, combing clinical information, we discovered HOX gene were a pivotal factor in the development and progression of UCEC and in the formation of TME diversity and complexity. Here, a new scoring system was developed to quantify individual HOX patterns in UCEC. Our study found that patients in the low HOX score group had abundant anti-tumor immune cell infiltration, good tumor differentiation, and better prognoses. In contrast, a high HOX score was associated with blockade of immune checkpoints, which enhances the response to immunotherapy. The Real-Time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and Immunohistochemistry (IHC) exhibited a higher expression of the HOX gene in the tumor patients. We revealed that the significant upregulation of the HOX gene in the epithelial cells can activate signaling pathway associated with tumour invasion and metastasis through single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), such as nucleotide metabolic proce and so on. Finally, a risk prognostic model established by the positive relationship between HOX scores and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) can predict the prognosis of individual patients by scRNA-seq and transcriptome data sets. In sum, HOX gene may serve as a potential biomarker for the diagnosis and prediction of UCEC and to develop more effective therapeutic strategies.

Abstract Background Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is critical in the development and occurrence of gastric cancer. H. pylori secretes gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), which affects energy metabolism and histone methylation in mesenchymal stem cells. However, its effect on human gastric epithelial cells remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effects of GGT on energy metabolism and histone methylation in gastric epithelial cells and determine its role in the development and progression of H. pylori-induced gastric cancer. Methods A GGT knockout H. pylori strain and mouse gastric cancer model were constructed, and alpha-ketoglutarate (α-KG) was added. The underlying mechanism was investigated using proteomics, immunohistochemistry, Western blotting, and other experimental assays. Results H. pylori can colonize the host’s stomach and destroy the gastric epithelium. GGT secreted by H. pylori decreased the concentration of glutamine in the stomach and increased H3K9me3 and H3K27me3 expression, which promoted the proliferation and migration of gastric epithelial cells. Additionally, α-KG reversed this effect. GGT increased the tumorigenic ability of nude mice. GGT, secreted by H. pylori, promoted the expression of ribosomal protein L15 (RPL15), while GGT knockout and supplementation with α-KG and trimethylation inhibitors reduced RPL15 expression and Wnt signaling pathway expression. Conclusions H. pylori secreted GGT decreased the expression of glutamine and α-KG in gastric epithelial cells, increased the expression of histones H3K9me3 and H3K27me3, and activated the Wnt signaling pathway through RPL15 expression, ultimately changing the biological characteristics of the gastric epithelium and promoting the occurrence of gastric cancer. Altered energy metabolism and histone hypermethylation are important factors involved in this process. Graphical abstract

Abstract Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) therapy is a highly researched treatment that has the potential to promote immunomodulation and anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, and antimicrobial activities. It is thought that it can enhance internal organ function, reverse tissue remodeling, and achieve significant organ repair and regeneration. However, the limited infusion, survival, and engraftment of transplanted MSCs diminish the effectiveness of MSCs-based therapy. Consequently, various preconditioning methods have emerged as strategies for enhancing the therapeutic effects of MSCs and achieving better clinical outcomes. In particular, the use of natural small molecule compounds (NSMs) as a pretreatment strategy is discussed in this narrative review, with a focus on their roles in regulating MSCs for injury repair in vital internal organs. Additionally, the discussion focuses on the future directions and challenges of transforming mesenchymal stem cell research into clinical applications.

Abstract Lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma (LPL) is an incurable low-grade lymphoma with no standard therapy. Nine asymptomatic patients treated with a first-in-human, neoantigen DNA vaccine experienced no dose limiting toxicities (primary endpoint, NCT01209871). All patients achieve stable disease or better, with one minor response, and median time to progression of 72+ months. Post-vaccine single-cell transcriptomics reveal dichotomous antitumor responses, with reduced tumor B-cells (tracked by unique B cell receptor) and their survival pathways, but no change in clonal plasma cells. Downregulation of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II molecules and paradoxical upregulation of insulin-like growth factor (IGF) by the latter suggest resistance mechanisms. Vaccine therapy activates and expands bone marrow T-cell clonotypes, and functional neoantigen-specific responses (secondary endpoint), but not co-inhibitory pathways or Treg, and reduces protumoral signaling by myeloid cells, suggesting favorable perturbation of the tumor immune microenvironment. Future strategies may require combinations of vaccines with agents targeting plasma cell subpopulations, or blockade of IGF-1 signaling or myeloid cell checkpoints.

Abstract Background The traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) can cause immediate multi-faceted function loss or paralysis. Microglia, as one of tissue resident macrophages, has been reported to play a critical role in regulating inflammation response during SCI processes. And transplantation with M2 microglia into SCI mice promotes recovery of motor function. However, the M2 microglia can be easily re-educated and changed their phenotype due to the stimuli of tissue microenvironment. This study aimed to find a way to maintain the function of M2 microglia, which could exert an anti-inflammatory and pro-repair role, and further promote the repair of spinal cord injury. Methods To establish a standard murine spinal cord clip compression model using Dumont tying forceps. Using FACS, to sort microglia from C57BL/6 mice or CX3CR1GFP mice, and further culture them in vitro with different macrophage polarized medium. Also, to isolate primary microglia using density gradient centrifugation with the neonatal mice. To transfect miR-145a-5p into M2 microglia by Lipofectamine2000, and inject miR-145a-5p modified M2 microglia into the lesion sites of spinal cord for cell transplanted therapy. To evaluate the recovery of motor function in SCI mice through behavior analysis, immunofluorescence or histochemistry staining, Western blot and qRT-PCR detection. Application of reporter assay and molecular biology experiments to reveal the mechanism of miR-145a-5p modified M2 microglia therapy on SCI mice. Results With in vitro experiments, we found that miR-145a-5p was highly expressed in M2 microglia, and miR-145a-5p overexpression could suppress M1 while promote M2 microglia polarization. And then delivery of miR-145a-5p overexpressed M2 microglia into the injured spinal cord area significantly accelerated locomotive recovery as well as prevented glia scar formation and neuron damage in mice, which was even better than M2 microglia transplantation. Further mechanisms showed that overexpressed miR-145a-5p in microglia inhibited the inflammatory response and maintained M2 macrophage phenotype by targeting TLR4/NF-κB signaling. Conclusions These findings indicate that transplantation of miR-145a-5p modified M2 microglia has more therapeutic potential for SCI than M2 microglia transplantation from epigenetic perspective. Graphical Abstract

Abstract Background Obesity is known as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, there is an absence of preoperative cardiac risk assessment in bariatric surgery candidates and the incidence of CVD among these high-risk patients is still unknown. Methods A consecutive series of bariatric surgery candidates at two Chinese tertiary hospitals received coronary CT angiography or coronary angiography from 2017 to 2023. Patients were categorized as metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUO) and metabolically healthy obesity (MHO) based on the presence or absence of MetS. CVD was diagnosed based on the maximum intraluminal stenosis > 1% in any of the segments of the major epicardial coronary arteries. Obstructive CVD was defined as coronary stenosis ≥ 50%. Binary multivariable logistic regression was performed to analyze the association between CVD and metabolic status. The number of principal MetS components was categorized into zero (without glycemic, lipid, and BP components), one (with one of the components), two (with any two components), and three (with all components) to explore their association with CVD. Results A total of 1446 patients were included in the study. The incidence of CVD and obstructive CVD were 31.7% and 9.6%. Compared with MHO patients, MUO patients had a significantly higher incidence of mild (13.7% vs. 6.1%, P

Abstract The beveling process is an important process in the manufacturing of resonators, which has a significant impact on the frequency stability of resonators. Without understanding the frequency characteristics of the resonator after beveling, it is impossible to accurately design the beveled resonators. Thus, in order to investigate the vibration characteristics of AT-cut beveled resonators, we investigated the high-frequency vibration in this work by using the subregional geometric fitting method (SGFM) based on Mindlin’s plate theory. Quartz crystal plates with nonuniform thicknesses are partitioned into three regions and each region is fitted by using the polynomial functions based on the measured geometric morphology data. The governing equations are obtained based on Mindlin’s two-dimensional theory and the coupled vibrations are further solved using the partial differential equation module of COMSOL. In the numerical calculation, we compare the results obtained by the SGFM with those obtained by the global fitting method and the measured data. The accuracy and effectiveness of the SGFM are also verified. It is found that the frequencies obtained by the SGFM are slightly higher than the frequencies obtained by the global fitting method, and the results of SGFM are closer to the measured results. Meanwhile, as the beveling time increases, the frequency increases and the energy trapping effect becomes more significant. The proposed method can significantly improve the computational efficiency of thickness-shear vibration while ensuring accuracy. It is expected to provide a new geometric fitting method for the analysis of beveled crystal resonators.

Abstract Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is a type 2 inflammation- and immunity-driven skin disease, yet a comprehensive understanding of the immune landscape, particularly immune-stromal crosstalk in BP, remains elusive. Herein, using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and in vitro functional analyzes, we pinpoint Th2 cells, dendritic cells (DCs), and fibroblasts as crucial cell populations. The IL13-IL13RA1 ligand–receptor pair is identified as the most significant mediator of immune-stromal crosstalk in BP. Notably, fibroblasts and DCs expressing IL13RA1 respond to IL13-secreting Th2 cells, thereby amplifying Th2 cell-mediated cascade responses, which occurs through the specific upregulation of PLA2G2A in fibroblasts and CCL17 in myeloid cells, creating a positive feedback loop integral to immune-stromal crosstalk. Furthermore, PLA2G2A and CCL17 contribute to an increased titer of pathogenic anti-BP180-NC16A autoantibodies in BP patients. Our work provides a comprehensive insight into BP pathogenesis and shows a mechanism governing immune-stromal interactions, providing potential avenues for future therapeutic research.

Thymus is the important immune organ, responsible for T cell development and differentiation. The lower circulating T counts have been observed in patients who died from COVID-19 compared with survivors. Azvudine, also known as FNC, is a thymus-homing anti-SARS-CoV-2 drug in treating COVID-19 patients. In this study, single-cell transcriptome, proteomics, and parallel reaction monitoring (PRM) were applied to insight into the activation process of FNC in rat and SARS-CoV-2 rhesus monkey thymus. The results indicated that thymic immune cells possess a robust metabolic capacity for cytidine-analogue drugs such as FNC. Key enzymes involved in the FNC phosphorylation process, such as Dck, Cmpk1, and Nme2, were highly expressed in CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, and DP (CD4+ CD8+) cells. Additionally, FNC could upregulate multiple phosphorylated kinases in various cell types while downregulating the phosphatases, phosphoribosyl transferases, and deaminases, respectively. The robust phosphorylation capacity of the thymus for cytidine analogue drug FNC, and the activation effect of FNC on the NAs metabolism system potentially contribute to its enrichment in the thymus and immune protection effect. This suggests that it is crucial to consider the expression level of phosphorylation kinases when evaluating NA drug properties, as an important factor during antiviral drug design.

Deep coalbed methane (DCBM), an unconventional gas reservoir, has undergone significant advancements in recent years, sparking a growing interest in assessing pore pressure dynamics within these reservoirs. While some production data analysis techniques have been adapted from conventional oil and gas wells, there remains a gap in the understanding of pore pressure generation and evolution, particularly in wells subjected to large-scale hydraulic fracturing. To address this gap, a novel technique called excess pore pressure analysis (EPPA) has been introduced to the coal seam gas industry for the first time to our knowledge, which employs dual-phase flow principles based on consolidation theory. This technique focuses on the generation and dissipation for excess pore-water pressure (EPWP) and excess pore-gas pressure (EPGP) in stimulated deep coal reservoirs. Equations have been developed respectively and numerical solutions have been provided using the finite element method (FEM). Application of this model to a representative field example reveals that excess pore pressure arises from rapid loading, with overburden weight transferred under undrained condition due to intense hydraulic fracturing, which significantly redistributes the weight-bearing role from the solid coal structure to the injected fluid and liberated gas within artificial pores over a brief timespan. Furthermore, field application indicates that the dissipation of EPWP and EPGP can be actually considered as the process of well production, where methane and water are extracted from deep coalbed methane wells, leading to consolidation for the artificial reservoirs. Moreover, history matching results demonstrate that the excess-pressure model established in this study provides a better explanation for the declining trends observed in both gas and water production curves, compared to conventional practices in coalbed methane reservoir engineering and petroleum engineering. This research not only enhances the understanding of DCBM reservoir behavior but also offers insights applicable to production analysis in other unconventional resources reliant on hydraulic fracturing.

Increasing research has focused on semantic communication, the goal of which is to convey accurately the meaning instead of transmitting symbols from the sender to the receiver. In this paper, we design a novel encoding and decoding semantic communication framework, which adopts the semantic information and the contextual correlations between items to optimize the performance of a communication system over various channels. On the sender side, the average semantic loss caused by the wrong detection is defined, and a semantic source encoding strategy is developed to minimize the average semantic loss. To further improve communication reliability, a decoding strategy that utilizes the semantic and the context information to recover messages is proposed in the receiver. Extensive simulation results validate the superior performance of our strategies over state-of-the-art semantic coding and decoding policies on different communication channels.

Abstract Facial features are important sources of information about perceived trustworthiness. Masks and protective clothing diminish the visibility of facial cues by either partially concealing the mouth and nose or covering the entire face. During the pandemic, the use of personal protective equipment affected and redefined who trusts whom in society. This study used the classical investment game of interpersonal trust with Chinese participants to explore the impact of occlusion on interpersonal trust. Faces with moderate initial trustworthiness were occluded by a mask or protective clothing in Experiment 1 and were digitally occluded by a square in Experiment 2, and faces with three levels of initial trustworthiness were occluded by a mask in Experiment 3. Results showed that both undergraduates (Experiment 1a) and non-student adults (Experiment 1b) perceived the faces with protective clothing as more trustworthy than faces wearing standard masks and faces not wearing masks. Faces with the top halves showing were perceived as trustworthy as full faces, while faces with the bottom halves showing were perceived as less trustworthy. The effect of masks is weak and complex. Masks reduced participants’ trust in faces with high initial trustworthiness, had no effect on faces with low and moderate initial trustworthiness, and only slightly increased the trust of undergraduates in faces with moderate initial trustworthiness. Our findings indicate that the lack of information caused by occlusion and the social significance associated with occlusion collectively affect people’s trust behavior in Chinese society. We believe the findings of this study will be useful in elucidating the effects of personal protective equipment usage on perceptions of trustworthiness.

Abstract Background Migraine, as a prevalent neurologic disorder, involves intricate and yet incompletely elucidated pathophysiological mechanisms. A plethora of research findings underscores the pivotal role played by astrocytes in the progression of migraines. In order to elucidate the current advances and directions in research pertaining to astrocytes in migraines, we conducted bibliometric analysis of relevant literature and visualized the results. Subsequently, we expound upon these findings to contribute to the evolving understanding of the role of astrocytes in migraine pathophysiology. Methods On November 21, 2023, we conducted a search on Web of Science (WOS), restricting the document type to articles or reviews and language to English. Following a meticulous selection process involving three researchers, we identified the literature to be included in our analysis. Subsequently, we employed Microsoft Office Excel programs, R, VOSviewer, Scimago Graphica, and CiteSpace software to conduct visualization analysis of basic information and trends regarding journals, countries/regions, and influential authors, institutions, keywords, and papers. Results As of November 21, 2023, relevant literature has been published in 71 journals across 27 countries/regions. This corpus comprises contributions from 576 authors affiliated with 220 institutions, encompassing 865 keywords and referencing 6065 scholarly articles. CEPHALALGIA stands out as the most influential journal in this field, while authors PIETROBON D and DALKARA T have significant impact. The United States is highly influential, with CNR and UNIV PADUA emerging as highly influential institutions. The predominant category is Neurosciences. Conclusions Future investigators may continue to focus on migraines with aura, familial hemiplegic migraine (FHM), and the crucial calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) system. Employing advanced observational techniques, such as imaging, researchers should pay attention to cellular and tissue structures, such as microglia and the trigeminal ganglion, as well as mechanisms involving inflammation and central sensitization. Moreover, animal models are paramount in obtaining high-quality evidence.

Abstract Background Sleep health and obesity may affect the risk of female infertility. However, few studies focused on the interaction of obesity and sleep health on the female infertility risk. This study aimed to evaluate the combined impact of trouble sleeping / sleep duration and overweight/obesity/ abdominal obesity on the risk of female infertility. Methods The data for this cross-sectional study was obtained from National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey, which provided information on trouble sleeping, sleep duration, overweight/obesity, abdominal obesity, and confounding factors. Adopted weighted univariate and multivariate logistic regression models to explore the relationship between trouble sleeping, sleep duration, overweight/obesity, abdominal obesity, and the risk of infertility, respectively, and the combined effect of trouble sleeping and overweight/obesity, trouble sleeping and abdominal obesity, sleep duration and overweight/obesity, sleep duration and abdominal obesity, on the female infertility risk. Results This study included a total of 1,577 women, and 191 were diagnosed with infertility. Women with infertility had a higher proportion of people with overweight/obesity, abdominal obesity, sleep duration ≤ 7 h and trouble sleeping than those with non-infertility. The result indicated that trouble sleeping [odds ratio (OR) = 2.25, 95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.49–3.39], sleep duration ≤ 7 h (OR = 1.59, 95% CI: 1.03–2.48), and the combined impact of abdominal obesity and trouble sleeping (OR = 2.18, 95% CI: 1.28–3.72), abdominal obesity and sleep duration ≤ 7 h (OR = 2.00, 95% CI: 1.17–3.40), overweight/obesity and trouble sleeping (OR = 2.29, 95% CI: 1.24–4.26), and overweight/obesity and sleep duration ≤ 7 h (OR = 1.88, 95% CI: 1.01–3.49) were associated with increased odds of infertility, respectively. Conclusion There was combined effects of trouble sleeping/sleep duration ≤ 7 h and overweight/obesity/ abdominal obesity on increased odds of female infertility.

Abstract Background The aging global population is experiencing escalating challenges related to cognitive deficits and dementia. This study explored the interplay between pulmonary function, physical activity, and cognitive function in older U.S. adults to identify modifiable risk factors for cognitive decline. Methods Utilizing NHANES 2011–2012 data, we conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 729 participants aged ≥ 60 years. Cognitive function, peak expiratory flow (PEF), and physical activity were assessed. Weighted logistic regression and mediation analyses were employed to examine associations. Results The sample size was 729 (weighted mean [SD] age, 67.1 [5.3] years; 53.6% female participants). Preliminary correlation analysis indicated a positive correlation between the global cognitive score and physical activity (β = 0.16; p 100%, the PEF% (80-100%) group (OR, 2.66; 95% CI, 1.34–5.29; p = 0.005) and PEF%

Abstract While the forests on Mount Taishan are predominantly man-made, there is a notable vertical variation in vegetation. This study employs the method of cloud model, quantifying uncertainty (fuzziness and randomness) of things. Utilizing digital elevation model (DEM) and vegetation distribution data, we constructed elevation cloud models for Mount Taishan’s deciduous broad-leaved, temperate coniferous, and mixed coniferous-broadleaved forests. Using three numerical features of the cloud model—Expectation (EX), Entropy (EN), and Hyper-entropy (HE)—we quantitatively analyzed the macro regularity and local heterogeneity of Mount Taishan’s forests vertical distribution from the perspective of uncertainty theory. The results indicate: (1) The EX of the core zone elevation of deciduous broad-leaved forest is 716.65 m, temperate coniferous forest is 1053.51 m, and mixed coniferous-broadleaved forest is 1384.09 m. The variation range of the core zone distribution height is smaller in the mixed coniferous-broadleaved forest (EN: 53.74 m) compared to deciduous broad-leaved forest (EN: 99.63 m) and temperate coniferous forest (EN: 121.70 m). (2) The fuzziness and randomness of the distribution height of the lower extension zones of deciduous broad-leaved forest and temperate coniferous forest (EN: 75.15 m, 184.56 m; HE: 24.09 m, 63.54 m) are greater than those of the upper extension zones (EN: 44.75 m, 42.49 m; HE: 14.48 m, 13.23 m). (3) The distribution fuzziness and randomness within temperate coniferous forests exceed those of deciduous broad-leaved forests. Within the core zones, the uncertainty regarding the vertical distribution of vegetation across different aspects remains consistent, which retains the characteristic of man-made forests. However, in transition areas, there is significant disparity, reflecting the adaptive relationship between vegetation and its environment to some extent. In the upper and lower extension zones of deciduous broad-leaved forests, the EX values for the vertical distribution height of mixed coniferous and broad-leaved forests differ significantly from those of deciduous broad-leaved forests (the difference is 22.82–39.15 m), yet closely resemble those of temperate coniferous forests (the difference is 4.79–7.94 m). This suggests a trend wherein deciduous broad-leaved tree species exhibit a proclivity to encroach upon coniferous forest habitats. The elevation cloud model of vertical vegetation zones provides a novel perspective and method for the detailed analysis of Mount Taishan’s vegetation vertical differentiation.

Abstract Difluoromethyl pyridines have gained significant attention in medicinal and agricultural chemistry. The direct C−H-difluoromethylation of pyridines represents a highly efficient economic way to access these azines. However, the direct meta-difluoromethylation of pyridines has remained elusive and methods for site-switchable regioselective meta- and para-difluoromethylation are unknown. Here, we demonstrate the meta-C−H-difluoromethylation of pyridines through a radical process by using oxazino pyridine intermediates, which are easily accessed from pyridines. The selectivity can be readily switched to para by in situ transformation of the oxazino pyridines to pyridinium salts upon acid treatment. The preparation of various meta- and para-difluoromethylated pyridines through this approach is presented. The mild conditions used also allow for the late-stage meta- or para-difluoromethylation of pyridine containing drugs. Sequential double functionalization of pyridines is presented, which further underlines the value of this work.

Corrosion-erosion performances of Ti-6.5Al–2Zr–1Mo–1V (TA15) alloy fabricated by two laser additive manufacturing technologies, namely selective laser melting (SLM) and laser metal deposition (LMD) were investigated, and compared with those of traditional forged counterpart. Results show that SLM-ed TA15 possesses better corrosion, wear, and tribocorrosion resistances than LMD-ed and forged TA15. This is mainly attributed to the ultrafine-grain αʹ phase in the microstructure of SLM-ed sample, which improves the hardness and thereby enhances the wear and tribocorrosion resistance. Additionally, the complete αʹ phase formed in SLM-ed sample also avoids the galvanic corrosion that occurs at the α+β-type LMD-ed and forged samples.

Abstract The inflammatory corpuscle recombinant absents in melanoma 2 (AIM2) and cholesterol efflux protein ATP binding cassette transporter A1(ABCA1) have been reported to play opposing roles in atherosclerosis (AS) plaques. However, the relationship between AIM2 and ABCA1 remains unclear. In this study, we explored the potential connection between AIM2 and ABCA1 in the modulation of AS by bioinformatic analysis combined with in vitro experiments. The GEO database was used to obtain AS transcriptional profiling data; screen differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and construct a weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to obtain AS-related modules. Phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) was used to induce macrophage modelling in THP-1 cells, and ox-LDL was used to induce macrophage foam cell formation. The experiment was divided into Negative Control (NC) group, Model Control (MC) group, AIM2 overexpression + ox-LDL (OE AIM2 + ox-LDL) group, and AIM2 short hairpin RNA + ox-LDL (sh AIM2 + ox-LDL) group. The intracellular cholesterol efflux rate was detected by scintillation counting; high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to detect intracellular cholesterol levels; apoptosis levels were detected by TUNEL kit; levels of inflammatory markers (IL-1β, IL-18, ROS, and GSH) were detected by ELISA kits; and levels of AIM2 and ABCA1 proteins were detected by Western blot. Bioinformatic analysis revealed that the turquoise module correlated most strongly with AS, and AIM2 and ABCA1 were co-expressed in the turquoise module with a trend towards negative correlation. In vitro experiments demonstrated that AIM2 inhibited macrophage cholesterol efflux, resulting in increased intracellular cholesterol levels and foam cell formation. Moreover, AIM2 had a synergistic effect with ox-LDL, exacerbating macrophage oxidative stress and inflammatory response. Silencing AIM2 ameliorated the above conditions. Furthermore, the protein expression levels of AIM2 and ABCA1 were consistent with the bioinformatic analysis, showing a negative correlation. AIM2 inhibits ABCA1 expression, causing abnormal cholesterol metabolism in macrophages and ultimately leading to foam cell formation. Inhibiting AIM2 may reverse this process. Overall, our study suggests that AIM2 is a reliable anti-inflammatory therapeutic target for AS. Inhibiting AIM2 expression may reduce foam cell formation and, consequently, inhibit the progression of AS plaques.

Abstract Clonal hematopoiesis (CH) is characterized by the acquisition of a somatic mutation in a hematopoietic stem cell that results in a clonal expansion. These driver mutations can be single nucleotide variants in cancer driver genes or larger structural rearrangements called mosaic chromosomal alterations (mCAs). The factors that influence the variations in mCA fitness and ultimately result in different clonal expansion rates are not well understood. We used the Passenger-Approximated Clonal Expansion Rate (PACER) method to estimate clonal expansion rate as PACER scores for 6,381 individuals in the NHLBI TOPMed cohort with gain, loss, and copy-neutral loss of heterozygosity mCAs. Our mCA fitness estimates, derived by aggregating per-individual PACER scores, were correlated (R2 = 0.49) with an alternative approach that estimated fitness of mCAs in the UK Biobank using population-level distributions of clonal fraction. Among individuals with JAK2 V617F clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential or mCAs affecting the JAK2 gene on chromosome 9, PACER score was strongly correlated with erythrocyte count. In a cross-sectional analysis, genome-wide association study of estimates of mCA expansion rate identified a TCL1A locus variant associated with mCA clonal expansion rate, with suggestive variants in NRIP1 and TERT.

BackgroundIn recent years, there have been frequent reports of human infection with H5N6 avian influenza. However, the fundamental characteristics of the disease remain unclear. This paper conducts a systematic review to explore the epidemiological features of the disease, aiming to provide a foundation for epidemic prevention and control and to serve as a reference for clinical diagnosis.MethodA systematic search was performed in PubMed, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang and gray literature up to November 15, 2023. All articles were about the epidemic features of the H5N6 subtype of avian influenza, written in English or Chinese.ResultsThis review encompasses 24 documented outbreaks of human H5N6 avian influenza, exclusively reported in southern China. The age range of cases spanned from under 2 years old to 81 years old. The incubation period ranged from 1 to 13 days, with a mean of 4.3 days. Among the 24 cases, 22 individuals had a documented history of contact with poultry. Of the 23 cases with available prognosis data, 12 resulted in fatalities, yielding a significant fatality rate of 52.2%. A noteworthy observation is that all cases with a history of contact with sick and dead poultry resulted in fatalities, and the difference in fatality rates between this group and others was statistically significant (χ2 = 7.441, p = 0.014). This study identified a total of 888 close contacts, none of whom demonstrated infection.ConclusionThis study represents a comprehensive summary of the epidemiological characteristics of human H5N6 avian influenza. Significantly, it sheds light on the incubation period of the disease and underscores a potential elevated risk of mortality among patients with a history of contact with sick and dead poultry.

BackgroundAnkylosing spondylitis (AS) is a connective tissue disease that primarily affects spinal joints, peripheral joints, and paravertebral soft tissues, leading to joint stiffness and spinal deformity. Growing evidence has implicated gut microbiota in the regulation of AS, though the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood.MethodsWe conducted a comprehensive search of PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, Wanfang Data, China Science and Technology Journal Database (VIP), and China National Knowledge Internet (CNKI) databases from the time the databases were created until 30 July 2023. To evaluate changes in α-diversity and the abundance of certain microbiota families in AS, standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI) calculations were made. Meta-analyses were performed using STATA 12.0 and the quality of the literature was assessed by following systematic review guidelines.ResultsThis systematic review and meta-analysis included 47 studies, providing insights into the gut microbiota composition in patients with AS compared to healthy controls (HCs). Our findings indicate a significant reduction in gut microbial diversity in patients with AS, as evidenced by a decrease in both richness and evenness. Specifically, the Shannon index showed a moderate decrease (SMD = -0.27, 95% CI: -0.49, -0.04; P < 0.001), suggesting a less diverse microbial ecosystem in patients with AS. The Chao1 index further confirmed this trend, with a larger effect size (SMD = -0.44, 95% CI: -0.80, -0.07; P < 0.001), indicating a lower species richness. The Simpson index also reflected a significant reduction in evenness (SMD = -0.30, 95% CI: -0.53, -0.06; P < 0.001). Additionally, patients with AS who received anti-rheumatic combination treatment exhibited a more pronounced reduction in α-diversity compared to untreated patients, highlighting the potential impact of this treatment on gut microbiota balance. In terms of specific microbial families, we observed a significant decrease in the abundance of Bifidobacterium (SMD = -0.42, 95% CI: -2.37, 1.52; P < 0.001), which is known for its beneficial effects on gut health. Conversely, an increase in the abundance of Bacteroidetes was noted (SMD = 0.42, 95% CI: -0.93, 1.76; P < 0.001), suggesting a possible shift in the gut microbiota composition that may be associated with AS pathophysiology.ConclusionOur analysis revealed changes in α-diversity and the relative abundance of specific bacteria in AS. This suggests that targeting the gut microbiota could provide new therapeutic opportunities for treating AS.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk./PROSPERO/, identifier CRD42023450028.

Fermentation is a promising approach for improving the utilization of soybean meal (SM) by aquaculture fish, and the strain is the core of microbial fermentation processes. Herein, Pediococcus pentosaceus YC64, an autochthonous probiotic isolated from the intestine of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), was applied to the fermentation of raw SM. In an eight-week feeding trial, tilapia juveniles were divided into two treatments fed on diets with 0 % (Control) and 100 % of SM protein replaced by fermented SM (FSM). Results showed that solid-state fermentation improved SM quality indicated by increased acid-soluble protein contents. Fish fed the FSM diet had significantly higher weight gain, feed efficiency, and protein efficiency compared to those fed the SM diet. Furthermore, whole-body protein content significantly increased in the FSM-fed fish, accompanied with the increased amino acid transport and reduced protein catabolism. Texture profile analysis indicated that fish fed the FSM diet had reduced muscle hardness compared with the control, which was associated with changes in collagen deposition and myofiber development. Moreover, feeding an FSM diet enhanced goblet cell proliferation and stimulated mucin secretion, ultimately leading to improved intestinal tight junctions and reduced inflammatory response. Besides, the FSM diet feeding altered intestinal microbiota community, characterized by increased abundance of Pediococcus. Overall, P. pentosaceus YC64 exhibits promise as a fermentation strain in the production of FSM. The FSM performed better than SM in improving the growth performance, feed utilization, and intestine health of Nile tilapia.

Aroma is a key sensory factor in the flavor evaluation of pak choi (Brassica rapa L. ssp. chinensis var. Makino). The pak choi varieties Xiangqingcai (XQC) and Xiuhuajin (XHJ) have unique aroma characteristics, but the chemical profiles of these aromas are unknown. Here, the aroma profiles of three varieties of pak choi including XQC, XHJ, and Suzhouqing (CK, non-aromatic) were determined using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and relative odor activity values (rOAV). A total of 15 categories of 716 volatile metabolites were detected in the three pak choi varieties, with terpenoid metabolites identified as the major components, although in each sample the identity of the major terpenoid metabolite varied. There were 53 aroma components in XQC and 54 aroma components in XHJ with rOAV >1, which contribute to rice aroma and fishy odor of these varieties, respectively.

Osteoporotic fractures have become a common public health problem and are usually accompanied by chronic pain. Mg and Mg-based alloys are considered the next-generation orthopedic implants for their excellent osteogenic inductivity, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. However, Mg-based alloy can initiate aberrant activation of osteoclasts and modulate sensory innervation into bone callus resulting in postoperative pain at the sequential stage of osteoporotic fracture healing. Its mechanism is going to be investigated. Strontium hydrogen phosphate (SrHPO4) coating to delay the Mg-based alloy degradation, can reduce the osteoclast formation and inhibit the growth of sensory nerves into bone callus, dorsal root ganglion hyperexcitability, and pain hypersensitivity at the early stage. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) metabolomics analysis of bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMs) treated with SrHPO4-coated Mg alloy extracts shows the potential effect of increased metabolite levels of AICAR (an activator of the AMPK pathway). We demonstrate a possible modulated secretion of AICAR and osteoclast differentiation from BMMs, which inhibits sensory innervation and postoperative pain through the AMPK/mTORc1/S6K pathway. Importantly, supplementing with AICAR in Mg-activated osteoclasts attenuates postoperative pain. These results suggest that Mg-induced postoperative pain is related to the osteoclastogenesis and sensory innervation at the early stage in the osteoporotic fractures and the SrHPO4 coating on Mg-based alloys can reduce the pain by upregulating AICAR secretion from BMMs or preosteoclasts.

Lab-on-a-Chip microfluidic devices present an innovative and cost-effective platform in the current trend of miniaturization and simplification of imaging flow cytometry; they are excellent candidates for high-throughput single-cell analysis. In such microfluidic platforms, cell tracking becomes a fundamental tool for investigating biophysical processes, from intracellular dynamics to the characterization of cell motility and migration. However, high-throughput and long-term cell tracking puts a high demand on the consumption of computing resources. Here, we propose a novel strategy to achieve rapid 3D cell localizations along the microfluidic channel. This method is based on the spatiotemporal manipulation of recorded holographic interference fringes, and it allows fast and precise localization of cells without performing complete holographic reconstruction. Conventional holographic tracking is typically based on the phase contrast obtained by decoupling the calculation of optical axial and transverse coordinates. Computing time and resource consumption may increase because all the frames need to be calculated in the Fourier domain. In our proposed method, the 2D transverse positions are directly located by morphological calculation based on the hologram. The complex-amplitude wavefronts are directly reconstructed by spatiotemporal phase shifting to calculate the axial position by the refocusing criterion. Only spatial calculation is considered in the proposed method. We demonstrate that the computational time of transverse tracking is only one-tenth of the conventional method, while the total computational time of the proposed method decreases up to 54% with respect to the conventional approach. The proposed approach can open the route for analyzing flow cytometry in quantitative phase microscopy assays.

Abstract Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic has caused millions of deaths. The risk of COVID‐19 spreading still exists after the deconfinement act, Omicron became the dominant variant. Although N6‐methyladenosine (m6A) regulators has been reported to affect the pathogenicity of COVID‐19, their mechanism in the progression of lung injury in COVID‐19 patients remain elusive. Here we show the landscape and specific mechanisms of m6A regulators in lung tissues through single‐nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA‐Seq) data sets of 116,252 cells, and the external validation was performed using data from another snRNA‐Seq data. The m6A reader IGF2BP2 was specifically upregulated in alveolar type I (AT1) cells, resulting in impaired lung regeneration. ALKBH5 expression upregulation in macrophages, impairing immune responses. Moreover, WTAP markedly upregulated in fibroblasts, leading to pulmonary fibrosis. In addition, m6A regulators dysregulation induced aberrant cell–cell communication in pulmonary tissue and mediated ligand–receptor interactions across diverse cell types in lung tissues by activating the TGF‐β signaling pathway. Overall, these results indicated that the upregulation of m6A regulators in alveolar cells, myeloid cells, and fibroblasts may induce pulmonary injury in patients. The development of m6A‐regulator inhibitors could be as one potential antifibrotic drugs for COVID‐19.

Abstract Membranes with precise Li+/Na+ and Li+/K+ separations are imperative for lithium extraction from brine to address the lithium supply shortage. However, achieving this goal remains a daunting challenge due to the similar valence, chemical properties, and subtle atomic‐scale distinctions among these monovalent cations. Herein, inspired by the strict size‐sieving effect of biological ion channels, a membrane is presented based on nonporous crystalline materials featuring structurally rigid, dimensionally confined, and long‐range ordered ion channels that exclusively permeate naked Li+ but block Na+ and K+. This naked‐Li+‐sieving behavior not only enables unprecedented Li+/Na+ and Li+/K+ selectivities up to 2707.4 and 5109.8, respectively, even surpassing the state‐of‐the‐art membranes by at least two orders of magnitude, but also demonstrates impressive Li+/Mg2+ and Li+/Ca2+ separation capabilities. Moreover, this bioinspired membrane has to be utilized for creating a one‐step lithium extraction strategy from natural brines rich in Na+, K+, and Mg2+ without utilizing chemicals or creating solid waste, and it simultaneously produces hydrogen. This research has proposed a new type of ion‐sieving membrane and also provides an envisioning of the design paradigm and development of advanced membranes, ion separation, and lithium extraction.

Hydrogen energy, due to its clean and efficient nature, has shown great potential during the current transition period in the shipbuilding industry. However, the application of hydrogen energy in ship energy systems is influenced by variations in operational load and the integration of new energy sources during actual navigation. To address these issues, this paper focuses on optimizing and scheduling the operation of ships under various navigation conditions, considering the distributed nature of hydrogen energy. System simulations were conducted to model the photovoltaic (PV), proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), lithium batteries (LIBs), electrolytic cells (ECs), and energy storage modules of yacht energy systems. Component boundaries and objective functions were set, and two cases (excess photovoltaic state and constant power state) were designed to optimize and regulate the energy balance of hydrogen-powered yachts, enhancing their comprehensive utilization of renewable energy. By comparing the changes in ship energy under the two cases, it was concluded that case 1 ensures the maximum utilization of renewable energy. When photovoltaic power generation is insufficient, the PEMFC and LIB in the system provide the required power to achieve a supply-demand balance. Moreover, when PV power generation is sufficient, hydrogen energy is used to store renewable energy. The optimization method designed in this study can, to some extent, maximize the application of renewable energy in new energy yachts, ensuring the efficiency of the comprehensive energy system of new energy yachts, reducing emissions, and improving the sustainability and economic efficiency of the ships.

This study assessed the service efficacy of Nanjing’s urban open space (UOS) system, emphasizing the complex structural characteristics of UOS services, specifically, the impact of interactions between different subsystems on the overall service efficacy of the UOS system. The objective was to understand whether and how a UOS system can effectively and efficiently meet urban needs under constrained conditions. The dimensions of UOS services and the interrelationships between services offered by different subsystems were examined, and a structural model for assessing the service efficacy of the UOS system was developed. A multidimensional analytical approach was applied to quantify and characterize the relationships between subsystems and identify and determine the weighting of subsystem analysis indicators. The findings indicate that subsystems and their respective indicators differ in importance across dimensions, influence each other, and collectively form the overall service efficacy of a UOS system. Furthermore, while service efficacy across different administrative districts in Nanjing’s main urban areas generally remains moderate, significant differences in evaluation values exist among districts and subsystems, offering direction for future urban planning and resource allocation. This study offers detailed insights into the efficiency and optimization of UOS services, helping urban planners improve UOSs globally.

The organism's normal physiological function is greatly impacted in a febrile environment, leading to the manifestation of pathological conditions including elevated body temperature, dehydration, gastric bleeding, and spermatogenic dysfunction. Numerous lines of evidence indicate that heat stress significantly impacts the brain's structure and function. Previous studies have demonstrated that both animals and humans experience cognitive impairment as a result of exposure to high temperatures. However, there is a lack of research on the effects of prolonged exposure to high-temperature environments on learning and memory function, as well as the underlying molecular regulatory mechanisms. In this study, we examined the impact of long-term heat stress exposure on spatial memory function in rats and conducted transcriptome sequencing analysis of rat hippocampal tissues to identify the crucial molecular targets affected by prolonged heat stress exposure. It was found that the long-term heat stress impaired rats' spatial memory function due to the pathological damages and apoptosis of hippocampal neurons at the CA3 region, which is accompanied with the decrease of growth hormone level in peripheral blood. RNA sequencing analysis revealed the signaling pathways related to positive regulation of external stimulation response and innate immune response were dramatically affected by heat stress. Among the verified differentially expressed genes, the knockdown of Arhgap36 in neuronal cell line HT22 significantly enhances the cell apoptosis, suggesting the impaired spatial memory induced by long-term heat stress may at least partially be mediated by the dysregulation of Arhgap36 in hippocampal neurons. The uncovered relationship between molecular changes in the hippocampus and behavioral alterations induced by long-term heat stress may offer valuable insights for the development of therapeutic targets and protective drugs to enhance memory function in heat-exposed individuals.

Gastric adenocarcinoma is one of the most death cause cancers worldwide. Metabolomics is an effective approach for investigating the occurrence and progression of cancer and detecting prognostic biomarkers by studying the profiles of small bioactive molecules. To fully decipher the functional roles of the disrupted metabolites that modulate the cellular mechanism of gastric cancer, integrated gene-metabolite association network methods are critical to map the associations between metabolites and genes. In this study, we constructed a knowledge-based gene-metabolite association network of gastric cancer using the dysregulated metabolites and genes between gastric cancer patients and control group. The topological pathway analysis and gene-protein-metabolite-disease association analysis revealed four key gene-metabolite pathways which include eleven metabolites associated with modulated genes. The integrated gene-metabolite association network enables mechanistic investigation and provides a comprehensive overview regarding the investigation of molecular mechanisms of gastric cancer, which facilitates the in-depth understanding of metabolic biomarker roles in gastric cancer.

Background: The efficacy and adeptness of ChatGPT 3.5 and ChatGPT 4.0 in the precise diagnosis and management of conditions like atopic dermatitis and Autoimmune blistering skin diseases (AIBD) remain to be elucidated. So this study examined the accuracy and effectiveness of the ChatGPT responses related to understanding, therapies, and specific cases of these two conditions. Method: Firstly, the responses provided by ChatGPTs to a set of 50 questionnaires underwent evaluation by five distinct dermatologists, with complete adjudication of the third-party reviewer. The comparative analysis included the evaluative efficacy of both ChatGPT3.5 and ChatGPT4.0 against the diagnostic abilities exhibited by three distinct cohorts of qualified clinical professionals. And then, an examination was conducted to assess the diagnostic proficiency of ChatGPT3.5 and ChatGPT4.0 in the context of diagnosing specific instances of skin blistering autoimmune diseases. Results: In assessing the proficiency of ChatGPTs in generating responses related to fundamental knowledge about AD it is noteworthy that both versions of ChatGPTs, despite their lack of specialized training on medical databases, exhibited a commendable capacity to yield solutions that exhibited a substantial degree of concurrence with evidence-based medical information. Accordingly we observed that the performance of ChatGPT-4.0 beyond that of the ChatGPT-3.5. However, it it crucial to emphasize that ChatGPT-4.0 did not show the ability to offer answers surpassing those provided by associate senior, and senior medical professionals. In the assessment designed to determine the proficiency of ChatGPTs in recognizing particular type of AIBD, it is evident that both ChatGPT-4 and ChatGPT-3.5 demonstrated inadequacy in providing responses that are both precise and accurate for each individual occurrence of this skin condition. Conclusion: Both ChatGPT-3.5 and ChatGPT-4.0 satisfactory for addressing fundamental inquiries related to atopic dermatitis, however they prove insufficient for diagnosing AIBD. The progress of ChatGPT in achieving utility within the professional medical domain remains a considerable journey ahead.

Background: Suicide ideation has high prevalence in adolescents, better future time perspective is considered a protective role for anxiety, depression, and suicide ideation. However, the impact of future time perspective on suicide ideation remains unclear, especially when anxiety and depression as mediating roles. Methods: A cross-sectional study of college students was performed in Chongqing, China. There are 851 students enrolled in this study and we distribute questionnaires through the WeChat platform to obtain data in 2023. We conducted Pearson correlation analysis and descriptive statistics. Model 6 in PROCESS 4.0 was used to test the multiple mediating effect. Results: College students who have higher future time perspective are associated with a lower risk of anxiety, depression, and suicide ideation. Future time perspective not only affects suicide ideation directly, but also influence it by means of two mediating pathways: ①depression, the mediation effect is 37.41 %; ②the multiple mediating effects of anxiety and depression with a mediating effect of 29.68 %. Conclusion: Higher future time perspective functions as a protective role in anxiety, depression, and suicide ideation; future time perspective can affect and predict the occurrence of suicide ideation by influencing anxiety and depression in college students. This conclusion will be a novel and insightful part of adolescent mental health research, and provide a new perspective to prevent college students from committing suicide in the future.

Fish counting is crucial in fish farming. Density map-based fish counting methods hold promise for fish counting in high-density scenarios; however, they suffer from ineffective ground truth density map generation. High labeling complexities and disturbance to fish growth during data collection are also challenging to mitigate. To address these issues, LDNet, a versatile network with attention implemented is introduced in this study. An imbalanced Optimal Transport (OT)-based loss function was used to effectively supervise density map generation. Additionally, an Image Manipulation-Based Data Augmentation (IMBDA) strategy was applied to simulate training data from diverse scenarios in fixed viewpoints in order to build a model that is robust to different environmental changes. Leveraging a limited number of training samples, our approach achieved notable performances with an 8.27 MAE, 9.97 RMSE, and 99.01% Accuracy on our self-curated Fish Count-824 dataset. Impressively, our method also demonstrated superior counting performances on both vehicle count datasets CARPK and PURPK+, and Penaeus_1k Penaeus Larvae dataset when only 5%–10% of the training data was used. These outcomes compellingly showcased our proposed approach with a wide applicability potential across various cases. This innovative approach can potentially contribute to aquaculture management and ecological preservation through counting fish accurately.

Fish, acting as the dominant vertebrates in aquatic ecosystems, exhibit strong mobility and complex activity patterns, which make it challenging for the quantitative assessment of fish communities. Previous fieldwork has applied multiple fish sampling devices as well as eDNA technology respectively, with limited studies comparing the reliability, representativity, and applicability of eDNA metabarcoding and traditional sampling methods in investigating fish assemblages across spatiotemporal scales. In this study, we selected Lake Huang (a provincial nature reserve) to compare the eDNA technology and traditional sampling methods (multi-mesh gillnets and accordion-shaped traps) in revealing differences in species composition, α diversity, and β diversity of fish assemblages in both high-water phase and low-water phase. Results showed that eDNA technology detected more fish species and required fewer samples to achieve sufficient sampling compared to traditional methods. Specifically, our results demonstrated significant methodological variations in species composition, with both traditional sampling and eDNA approaches revealing the method-dependent species checklist. In the high-water phase, the eDNA approach recorded significantly lower β diversity (βSOR and βSIM) than traditional sampling methods, which may result from the more homogeneous eDNA water samples triggered by flooding, resulting in lower between-sites variations in fish communities. However, in the low-water phase, eDNA technology reported significantly higher β diversity (βSOR and βSNE) than traditional sampling methods, potentially attributed to the loss of eDNA information as well as heterogeneous eDNA samples accompanied by water receding. In addition, taking advantage of the separated and narrowed habitat in the low-water phase, fish individuals were more easily captured, resulting in a relatively higher Shannon-Wiener index recorded by traditional sampling methods. Based on inconsistency in species composition characterized by two methods, our results exhibited that eDNA technology is more efficient in detecting species, while there was an urgent need to design more sensitive primers, provide more complete reference databases, and popularize more emerging sequencing platforms for the advancement of eDNA technology. Comparing with the fish assemblage diversity identified by traditional sampling methods, our result exhibited the transport of DNA fragments may potentially enlarge the homogenized or heterogeneous fish community characterization influenced by flood pulses.

As a pathological hallmark of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), islet amyloid is formed by the aggregation of islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP). Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress interacts with IAPP aggregates and has been implicated in the pathogenesis of T2DM. To examine the role of ER stress in T2DM, we cloned the hIAPP promoter and analyzed its promoter activity in human β-cells. We found that ER stress significantly enhanced hIAPP promoter activity and expression in human β-cells via triggering X-box binding protein 1 (XBP1) splicing. We identified a binding site of XBP1 in the hIAPP promoter. Disruption of this binding site by substitution or deletion mutagenesis significantly diminished the effects of ER stress on hIAPP promoter activity. Blockade of XBP splicing by MKC3946 treatment inhibited ER stress-induced hIAPP up-regulation and improved human β-cell survival and function. Our study uncovers a link between ER stress and IAPP at the transcriptional level and may provide novel insights into the role of ER stress in IAPP cytotoxicity and the pathogenesis of T2DM.

Background: Oncomelania hupensis (O. hupensis), the unique intermediate host for Schistosoma japonicum, exerts a substantial influence on the risk of schistosomiasis. Being amphibious freshwater snails, the growth, development, and reproductive distribution of O. hupensis are intricately tied to climatic environmental variables. This study aims to predict O. hupensis habitat risks along the Yangtze River in China, considering multiple environmental factors. Methods: Data pertaining to the distribution of O. hupensis, including both presence and absence records, with the Jiangsu section of the Yangtze River basin for the period 2017–2021, were retrieved from the Jiangsu Schistosomiasis Control Information Platform. Ten machine learning algorithms and an ensemble model were used to explore environmental drivers. Three datasets (Snail_CLIM, Snail_TOPO, and Snail_ALL) incorporating climatic and topographic variables were examined for their impact on model accuracy. We conducted validation using the AUC and TSS metrics. Moreover, we utilized the data from the 2022 snail field survey for model external validation. Results: The findings demonstrate that snail_ALL, which incorporates both climatic and topographic variables, exhibits superior performance (ensemble model: sensitivity = 98.000, specificity = 95.960, AUC = 0.994). Among the ten model algorithms, Random Forest (RF) exhibited the highest degree of accuracy and stability (Snail_ALL: AUC = 1.000 ± 0.000, TSS = 0.985 ± 0.005). The key environmental factors affecting snail distribution included the distance to the nearest river, elevation, annual precipitation, and annual average pressure. High-risk areas manifested as two distinct concentrations: downstream of the Luhe District in Nanjing and at the confluence of Zhenjiang and Yangzhou. The results of 2022 field validation showed that over 90 % of the data points for snail breeding sites are concentrated in medium to high-risk areas. Conclusion: By selecting pertinent environmental variables and employing ensemble modeling techniques, we can accurately predict O. hupensis habitats. The resulting risk distribution map for snail habitats not only provides valuable insights but also serves as a guiding tool for targeted monitoring and control measures. The holds particular significance within the contest of the Yangtze River protection and restoration projects.