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Objective: To develop and evaluate a rapid and sensitive point-of-care chemiluminescent assay (POC-CLIA) for β-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-HCG). Methods: POC-CLIA was constructed based on alkaline phosphatase (Alp)-AMPPD lumi-nescence system and magnetic particles (Mps) carrier. Performance of POC-CLIA, including sensitivity, precision, accuracy, linear dilution, specificity, stability, hook effect and clinical application were evaluated. Results: Detection limit of β-HCG was 0.71 mU/ml, linear detection range was 0.710~1.092x104 mU/ml, and was no hook effect up to 1.7x105 mU/ml. Intra and inter batch coefficients of variation were less than 10%, and could be stored stably at 37 °C for 10 days. Accuracy deviation was within ±10%, so results were reliable. There was no cross-reactivity between interfering substances and anti-β-HCG antibdies. For detecting β-HCG in 100 clinical serum samples, results were highly correlated with those that were tested by clinical standard methods (R²=0.997 0). Turnaround time for single sample was less than 15 min and throughput could reach 200 T/h. Conclusion: This method is adequate that can be widely used in grassroots communities to help large-scale screening of pregnancy and related diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gastric cancer (GC) continues to pose a significant global threat in terms of cancer‐related fatalities. Despite notable advancements in medical research and therapies, further investigation is warranted to elucidate its underlying etiology and risk factors. Recent times have witnessed an escalated emphasis on comprehending the role of the microbiota in cancer development. Methods: This review briefly delves into recent developments in microbiome‐related research pertaining to gastric cancer. Results: According to studies, the microbiota can influence GC growth by inciting inflammation, disrupting immunological processes, and generating harmful microbial metabolites. Furthermore, there is ongoing research into how the microbiome can impact a patient's response to chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Conclusion: The utilization of the microbiome for detecting, preventing, and managing stomach cancer remains an active area of exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Commitment scheme is a fundamental cryptographic primitive that serve as building blocks for many other two-party protocols. In this paper, we propose a novel quantum bit commitment scheme, which is secure and does not require quantum memory. Our scheme processes the quantum information using coherent states and unambiguous state discrimination (USD) measurements, which can be experimentally realized by linear optics and photon detectors. We ensure the unconditionally hiding and binding property by preventing both Alice and Bob from obtaining complete information about the commitment in committing stage, and eliminate the requirement for quantum memory by performing USD measurements and phase shifts immediately after receiving the coherent states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the support of artificial intelligence, speech emotion recognition is integrated into people's daily lives in the form of smart speakers. Some high-accuracy models have poor applicability due to their large size. However, the accuracy of lightweight models is unsatisfactory. In this article, an integrated framework based on GLobal-Aware Multiscale with channel shuffle (FF-GLAM-cs) is proposed, fusing multiple lightweight models to ensure a small size and high accuracy. Channel shuffle is added to solve the computational duplication caused by multiscale convolution. In addition, a fuzzy integral fusion method is adopted that describes the interactions of classifiers ignored by traditional methods. The impact of different combinations of classifiers is analyzed. In experiments, the performance of the new model and the effect of fusion are verified by the model to four speech emotion datasets. The model is validated and analyzed with parameter and ablation testing, kernel model comparisons and fusion verification. The results show that FF-GLAM-cs is superior to state-of-the-art methods in terms of accuracy and efficiency. In particular, the fusion module presents excellent improvements in accuracy. The source code of this work is available at https://github.com/zhishen33/GLAM-cs-and-FI-for-SER.git. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose an estimator of the conditional tail moment (CTM) when the data are subject to random censorship. The variable of main interest and the censoring variable both follow a Pareto-type distribution. We establish the asymptotic properties of our estimator and discuss bias-reduction. Then, the CTM is used to estimate, in case of censorship, the premium principle for excess-of-loss reinsurance. The finite sample properties of the proposed estimators are investigated with a simulation study and we illustrate their practical applicability on a dataset of motor third party liability insurance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the feasibility of utilizing the non-explosive source green seismic exploration technology to detect mineral resources in the deep of complex mountainous areas of western and southern China as well as to provide a feasible detection scheme. Based on seismic illumination analysis and prestack depth-domain migration experiments, a viable active-source seismic detection system was designed for the Zhuxi mining area of Jingdezhen. Geophysical models were established according to the combined drilling profile of L42 and the corresponding petrophysical measurements of rocks based on geological findings, drilling results, and site investigations. Since the single-component p-wave seismometers would be primarily utilized for the subsequent seismic data acquisition, the viscous-acoustic wave equation was selected to simulate the propagation of the seismic wave. Meanwhile, the acoustic-elastic boundary approach (AEA) was used to solve the irregular free-surface problem caused by the rugged Earth's surface. Seismic source-receivers bidirectional illumination analysis and prestack depth-domain reverse time migration experiments were performed on simulated seismic data with 20 dB high SNR (signal-to-noise ratio) and 6 dB low SNR, respectively. The results of this study showed that by adopting a dense exciting-receiving seismic detection system, the eco-friendly non-explosive seismic source technology could reveal the spatial distribution of the main strata underneath the target area and the ore-controlling structures like faults and overthrust nappes. Based on this study, the next step of seismic data acquisition was implemented. The first-hand non-explosive source seismic profiles of the Zhuxi mining area demonstrated that the detection scheme designed was feasible and effective. By constantly improving the technical system, the eco-friendly non-explosive active-source technology would provide a safe and efficient approach, which could be used in the research fields of deep mineral resource prospection, buried faults exploration, urban underground space detection, etc. Finally, the proposed design and demonstration of an active-source seismic detection system based on illumination analysis and migration experiments merits further study and applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Metabolic disturbance is a hallmark of cancers. Targeting key metabolic pathways and metabolism‐related molecular could be a potential therapeutic approach. Uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) plays a pivotal part in the malignancy of cancer and its capacity to develop resistance to pharmaceutical interventions. However, it is unclear about the mechanism of how UCP2 acts in the tumor growth and metabolic reprogramming process in non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: Here, we conducted qRT‐PCR to investigate the expression of UCP2 in both NSCLC tissues and cell lines. Subsequent functional studies including colony formation assay, CCK‐8 assay, and glycolysis assay were conducted to investigate the functions of UCP2 in NSCLC. The regulatory mechanism of UCP2 toward the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and hypoxia‐inducible factor‐1 alpha (HIF‐1α) signaling in NSCLC was confirmed through western blotting. Results: We observed a significant upregulation of UCP2 in both NSCLC tissues and cell lines. The increased expression of UCP2 has a strong association with a worse outlook. Silencing UCP2 remarkably dampened NSCLC cell proliferation and glycolysis capacities. Mechanically, UCP2 promoted NSCLC tumorigenesis partially via regulating the mTOR/HIF‐1α axis. Conclusion: Taken together, we explored the functions as well as the mechanisms of the UCP2/mTOR/HIF‐1α axis in NSCLC progression, uncovering potential biological signatures and targets for NSCLC treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sepsis-induced tissue and organ damage is caused by an overactive inflammatory response, immune dysfunction, and coagulation dysfunction. Danger-associated molecular pattern (DAMP) molecules play a critical role in the excessive inflammation observed in sepsis. In our previous research, we identified NMI as a new type of DAMP molecule that promotes inflammation in sepsis by binding to toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) on macrophage surfaces, activating the NF-κB pathway, and releasing pro-inflammatory cytokines. However, it is still unknown whether NMI plays a significant role in other pathways. Our analysis of bulk and single-cell transcriptome data from the GEO database revealed a significant increase in NMI expression in neutrophils and monocytes in sepsis patients. It is likely that NMI functions through multiple receptors in sepsis, including IFNAR1, IFNAR2, TNFR1, TLR3, TLR1, IL9R, IL10RB, and TLR4. Furthermore, the correlation between NMI expression and the activation of NF-κB, MAPK, and JAK pathways, as well as the up-regulation of their downstream pro-inflammatory factors, demonstrates that NMI may exacerbate the inflammatory response through these signaling pathways. Finally, we demonstrated that STAT1 phosphorylation was enhanced in RAW cells upon stimulation with NMI, supporting the activation of JAK signaling pathway by NMI. Collectively, these findings shed new light on the functional mechanism of NMI in sepsis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A visible light photoreductive dearomatizative alkylation of N‐alkyl pyridinium salts for producing 4‐alkyl‐1,4‐dihydropyridines is described. The reaction harnesses N‐alkyl pyridinium salts both as the alkyl radical precursors to initiate the reaction and as the 1,4‐dihydropyridin‐4‐yl‐based alkylating reagents to terminate the reaction. In contrast to the reported electroreductive procedure via the key dihydropyridine radical intermediates, mechanistic studies demonstrate that this photoreductive dearomatizative alkylation proceeds via directly alkyl radical addition across the pyridinium ring followed by single electron oxidant (SEO) and dearomatization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]