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A physical mechanics simulation experiment is one of the important technical methods to study the inoculation mechanism and development laws of coal and gas outburst. A new type of coal and gas outburst simulation system has been developed, aiming at developing an advanced experimental design scheme with the help of existing advanced monitoring technology, combined with specific gas geology conditions, to realize the simulation of coal and gas outburst phenomenon in complex scenes, and to promote the study of coal and gas outburst mechanism. The physical mechanics simulation system consists of following seven parts: stress loading subsystem, test chamber subsystem, power traction subsystem, gas pressure control subsystem, induced equipment subsystem, simulated roadway subsystem, and measurement and control subsystem. The design of each subsystem has been improved to different degrees, and the whole system has formed a landmark innovation. The simulation system has the following characteristics: ① the high load loading and unloading function of the three-axis synchronous continuous non-uniform loading technical equipment is improved. The specimen loading is done by 10 independent indenters in X, Y, and Z directions. The size of the experimental chamber is 400 mm × 400 mm × 1200 mm, the maximum load strength is 25 MPa, and the maximum closed gas pressure is 6.0 MPa. Each of the above 10 indenters can operate asynchronously or synchronously for loading or unloading tasks according to instructions, and horizontal stress loading and unloading layered processing function is implemented. ② An integrated process of systematic sample preparation, sample packing, sealing, and loading has been formed completely. The experimental chamber is designed as a new type of split structure, and the dynamic traction system is used to assist the experimental chamber to complete the molding, stress loading and material handling, and the translation amount of the chamber structure is controlled accurately. ③ The four kinds of technologies for inducing coal and gas outburst are integrated and applied in the same simulation platform, and some equipment functional innovations are realized, such as the test chamber, the pressure relief window, etc. Many kinds of technology and equipment have been successfully developed, as original innovation products, the dynamic technology and the drilling equipment have been verified by the experimental simulation. ④ The design innovation of key device structure is realized. The problems of stress concentration and high pressure gas leakage under synchronous loading are solved by the design of double-layer steel plate chamber structure. The experimental efficiency is improved by the structural optimization of the launching cavity, the safety of the simulation system is significantly improved by the design of the pipe end structure, a combination of soft and hard material pipe structure, and the variable diameter drilling technology has achieved the engineering application of the Rouleauxs triangle theory. ⑤ Simulation test precision is generated by multivariate information. Advanced data acquisition systems (stress, gas pressure, temperature, etc.) and monitoring technology equipment including acoustic emission and high-speed cameras are used to achieve multi-data monitoring of coal and gas outburst. ⑥ The reliability of the experimental system has been verified by laboratory simulation. Through the case simulation of the “3·22 accident in Pingdingshan”, the overall test of the system function is completed, and the influence law of fault structure on in-situ stress, gas pressure and temperature in the process of coal and gas outburst is discovered in a new way. It is proved that the physical mechanics simulation system is reliable and could provide a platform to support the research on the coal and gas outburst mechanism.

Surface mining is an important way of mining mineral resources. The state and local governments have put forward higher requirements for surface mining in China. Therefore, it is particularly urgent to take surface mining as a science to carry out systematic research, reveal the laws of mining process and phenomenon occurred, and make scientific explanations. First of all, the major technical achievements in the field of surface mining of solid mineral resources in China in the past 40 years were summarized from three aspects: the basic theory of surface mining, the development of key complete sets of equipment and blasting engineering technology. Then, the modern scientific metrology and information metrology technologies were used to conduct a multivariate dynamic analysis of 7128 papers and reports in the past 40 years, and a multi-dimensional quantitative description of the development and evolution process of the main research topics, including the time dimension, was carried out by the cluster analysis. It is found that the evolution of research topics is the result of the coupling effect of many factors, such as technological development, mining status, policy environment, etc. Based on the sorting of the existing major scientific and technological achievements and the objective literature measurement results, it is pointed out that the goal of the future surface mining science is to form a systematic and comprehensive safe, green, efficient and intelligent surface mining technology system, and the realization path is given, that is, to form a hot research topic of surface mining technology system and major equipment, and to strengthen the deep cross integration between the existing hot research and surface mining technology system and major equipment. It also provides some useful suggestions on how to jointly tackle major scientific and technological problems with the advantageous resources of various themes inside and outside the industry to achieve a substantial collaborative innovation among multiple themes. Finally, from the perspective of energy and ecology, the paper looks forward to the development direction of major basic theories and technologies of the future surface mining science from seven aspects: mining area planning theory, intelligent mining design principle, intelligent cluster scheduling theory, safe and efficient mining technology of coal mining in spontaneous combustion prone extra thick coal seams, high slope stability control technology, efficient belt conveyor transportation technology under complex working conditions, and intelligent surface mine system engineering. The development direction of the future surface mining equipment is prospected from five aspects: high efficiency mobile crushing equipment, modular semi-fixed crushing equipment, continuous mining process system equipment, large inclination transportation equipment and large dump machine. It is expected that the study can be used as a reference for scientists and engineers in the surface mining field.

Introduction The relationship between smoking and heart disease has been frequently reported. Therefore, we aimed to explore the association between smoking initiation and atrial fibrillation. Methods Genetic association data pertaining to smoking initiation and atrial fibrillation were obtained from genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Phenotypically related single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were selected as instrumental variables. Inverse-variance weighted (IVW), weighted median, Mendelian randomization (MR), Egger regression, simple mode, and weighted mode methods were employed to perform the MR study. The association between smoking initiation and atrial fibrillation was evaluated using odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Cochran’s Q test was employed to assess heterogeneity among instrumental variables, utilizing the IVW and MR-Egger methods. The Egger-intercept method was employed to test for horizontal pleiotropy, and the ‘leave-one-out’ method was utilized for sensitivity analysis. Results The MR results for the effect of smoking initiation on atrial fibrillation (IVW, OR=1.11; 95% CI: 1.02–1.20, p=0.013) supported an association between smoking initiation and an increased likelihood of atrial fibrillation. In total, 85 SNPs were extracted from the GWAS pooled data as instrumental variables. The MR-Egger method indicated an intercept close to 0 (Egger intercept= -0.005, p=0.371), suggesting no horizontal pleiotropy in the selected instrumental variables. The ‘leave-one-out’ sensitivity analysis demonstrated that the results were robust and that no instrumental variables significantly influenced the results. Reverse MR analysis indicated no effect of atrial fibrillation on smoking initiation (IVW, OR=1.00; 95% CI: 0.99–1.02, p=0.684). Conclusions Smoking initiation has a significant impact on atrial fibrillation. However, atrial fibrillation did not influence smoking initiation. This study provides novel insights into the genetic relationships between smoking initiation and atrial fibrillation.

Abstract Proline is widely known as the only proteogenic amino acid with a secondary amine. In addition to its crucial role in protein structure, the secondary amino acid modulates neurotransmission and regulates the kinetics of signaling proteins. To understand the structural basis of proline import, we solved the structure of the proline transporter SIT1 in complex with the COVID-19 viral receptor ACE2 by cryo-electron microscopy. The structure of pipecolate-bound SIT1 reveals the specific sequence requirements for proline transport in the SLC6 family and how this protein excludes amino acids with extended side chains. By comparing apo and substrate-bound SIT1 states, we also identify the structural changes that link substrate release and opening of the cytoplasmic gate and provide an explanation for how a missense mutation in the transporter causes iminoglycinuria.

Slope stability control is crucial for safe and efficient coal mining in open-pit mines with soft rock. To address the challenge of stabilizing dip soft rock slope rock slopes, the treatment engineering of inner row tracking pressure side of dip soft rock slope in open-pit mine is proposed based on the analysis of the main controlling factors of slope stability. This study takes the south side of the first mining area of Hesigewula south open-pit coal mine as the engineering background and proposes a synergistic treatment scheme for the slope stability of the stope and inner dump, utilizing the combination of limit equilibrium method and numerical simulation to design the spatial form of the stope slope. This treatment scheme maximizes the safe recovery of the coal resources covered by the slope. The research results indicate that the length of exposed weak layer is the primary controlling factor of the stability in inclined soft rock slopes in open-pit mines. Controlling the tracking distance between the stope and the inner dump is an effective way to improve slope stability. With an increase in tracking distance, the slope damage mode transitions from the cut-layer-sublayer-shear-out sliding with an arc as the side interface and the weak layer as the bottom interface to cut-layer-sublayer sliding with an arc as the side interface and weak layer as the bottom interface, leading to a gradual decrease in slope stability. Moreover, the stability of the inner dump and its composite slope with the stope increases exponentially with an increase in the backfill rock range of the weak layer of the failure floor. The study sets the shallow slope of the south slope of the first mining area of Hesigewula coal mine to be 40 m transportation flat and 15 m security flat, and the deep slope angle of the bottom slope is 29°. When the tracking distance is controlled within 50 m, it can meet the safety requirements. When the weak layer of the inner dump base is destroyed, and the inclined length of the backfill rock is 60 m, it can also meet the safety requirements. The study provides new insights into slope stability control in soft rock open-pit coal mines.

Abstract Exploring the influencing factors and enhancement paths of high-quality development of the construction industry is crucial for promoting sustainable development of the construction industry. Based on the concepts of “five development”, this paper takes the construction industry data of 29 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) in China as a sample, utilizes comprehensively the combination method of NCA and fsQCA to build a high-quality development driving model of the construction industry, and explores the coupling effect of factors, like the level of scientific and technological innovation, structural degree, precast building model, external market vitality, resources, and environment, on the development of the industry, revealing the path of high-quality development of the construction industry and analyze its applicability. These findings demonstrate that: (1) The level of scientific and technological innovation, the degree of structure, and the vitality of the external market are the core conditions, and a single factor does not constitute the necessary conditions for the high-quality development of the construction industry; (2) There are three paths for the high-quality development of the construction industry, among which the number of representative cases of linkage development led by openness innovation coordination is the largest, and has strong applicability; (3) There are two non-high-quality development paths in the construction industry, and there is a non-simple opposition relationship with the three high-quality development paths in the construction industry.

Abstract Persistent inflammatory damage and suppressed immune function play a crucial role in the pathogenesis and progression of the pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PjP). Therefore, we aimed to investigate the correlation between the combined immune and inflammatory indicator: the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and prognosis of non-human immunodeficiency virus (non-HIV) PjP. In the retrospective analysis conducted in ICUs at Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, we examined data from 157 patients diagnosed with non-HIV PjP. Our findings reveal a concerning hospital mortality rate of 43.3%, with the 28-day mortality rate reaching 47.8%. Through multivariable logistic and Cox regression analyses, we established a significant association between elevated NLR levels and hospital mortality (adjusted odd ratio, 1.025; 95% CI, 1.008-1.043; p = 0.004) or 28-day mortality (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.026; 95% CI, 1.008-1.045; p = 0.005). Specifically, patients with an NLR exceeding 20.3 demonstrated markedly lower overall survival rates, underscoring the biomarker's predictive value for both hospital and 28-day mortality. In conclusion, non-HIV PjP patients in the ICU still have a high rate of mortality and a poor short-term prognosis after discharge. A high level of NLR was associated with an increased risk of hospital mortality and 28-day mortality.

Abstract Background The question of whether segmentectomy and lobectomy have similar survival outcomes for patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a matter of debate. Methods A cohort study and randomized controlled trial were included, comparing segmentectomy and lobectomy, by utilizing computerized access to the Pubmed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases up until July 2022. The Cochrane Collaboration tool was used to evaluate the randomized controlled trials, while the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) was used to evaluate the cohort studies. Sensitivity analyses were also carried out. Results The analysis incorporated 17 literature studies, including one randomized controlled trial and 16 cohort studies, and was divided into a segmentectomy group (n = 2081) and a lobectomy group (n = 2395) based on the type of surgery the patient underwent. Each study was followed up from 27 months to 130.8 months after surgery. Over survival (OS): HR = 1.14, 95%CI(0.97,1.32), P = 0.10; disease-free survival (DFS): HR = 1.13, 95%CI(0.91,1.41), P = 0.27; recurrence-free survival (RFS): HR = 0.95, 95%CI(0.81,1.12), P = 0.54. Conclusion The results of the study suggest that the survival outcomes of the segmentectomy group were not inferior to that of the lobectomy group. Segmentectomy should therefore be considered as a treatment option for early stage NSCLC.

Abstract Dielectric ceramic capacitors with ultrahigh power densities are fundamental to modern electrical devices. Nonetheless, the poor energy density confined to the low breakdown strength is a long-standing bottleneck in developing desirable dielectric materials for practical applications. In this instance, we present a high-entropy tungsten bronze-type relaxor ferroelectric achieved through an equimolar-ratio element design, which realizes a giant recoverable energy density of 11.0 J·cm−3 and a high efficiency of 81.9%. Moreover, the atomic-scale microstructural study confirms that the excellent comprehensive energy storage performance is attributed to the increased atomic-scale compositional heterogeneity from high configuration entropy, which modulates the relaxor features as well as induces lattice distortion, resulting in reduced polarization hysteresis and enhanced breakdown endurance. This study provides evidence that developing high-entropy relaxor ferroelectric material via equimolar-ratio element design is an effective strategy for achieving ultrahigh energy storage characteristics. Our results also uncover the immense potential of tetragonal tungsten bronze-type materials for advanced energy storage applications.

Abstract Background The glandular trichomes of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) can efficiently produce secondary metabolites. They act as natural bioreactors, and their natural products function to protect plants against insect-pests and pathogens and are also components of industrial chemicals. To clarify the molecular mechanisms of tobacco glandular trichome development and secondary metabolic regulation, glandular trichomes and glandless trichomes, as well as other different developmental tissues, were used for RNA sequencing and analysis. Results By comparing glandless and glandular trichomes with other tissues, we obtained differentially expressed genes. They were obviously enriched in KEGG pathways, such as cutin, suberine, and wax biosynthesis, flavonoid and isoflavonoid biosynthesis, terpenoid biosynthesis, and plant–pathogen interaction. In particular, the expression levels of genes related to the terpenoid, flavonoid, and wax biosynthesis pathway mainly showed down-regulation in glandless trichomes, implying that they lack the capability to synthesize certain exudate compounds. Among the differentially expressed genes, 234 transcription factors were found, including AP2-ERFs, MYBs, bHLHs, WRKYs, Homeoboxes (HD-ZIP), and C2H2-ZFs. These transcription factor and genes that highly expressed in trichomes or specially expressed in GT or GLT. Following the overexpression of R2R3-MYB transcription factor Nitab4.5_0011760g0030.1 in tobacco, an increase in the number of branched glandular trichomes was observed. Conclusions Our data provide comprehensive gene expression information at the transcriptional level and an understanding of the regulatory pathways involved in glandular trichome development and secondary metabolism.

Abstract To facilitate the regulation of the air‐gap magnetic field of permanent magnet synchronous machines, a novel topology of a high‐speed hybrid excitation synchronous machine (HESM) was presented. The electromagnetic performance of the proposed HESM was evaluated. The air‐gap magnetic field regulation principle was introduced first. Then, a mathematical model of the HESM was established. Based on the characteristics of a 3D magnetic circuit, the HESM equalled three types of 2D magnetic circuit machines in axial parallel superposition, and thus the expressions of inductance parameters were deduced. Subsequently, the voltage regulation performance of the HESM was assessed according to the mathematical model and inductance parameters. The loss and efficiency were calculated. Finally, a HESM prototype was tested and verified.

Abstract The prevalence of thyroid dysfunction diseases (TDFDs) and osteoporosis (OP) is high. Previous studies have indicated a potential association between TDFDs and OP, yet the causal direction remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the potential causal relationship between TDFDs and the risk of developing OP and related fractures. We obtained pooled data from genome-wide association studies (GWASs) conducted on TDFDs and OP in European populations and identified single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with genome-wide significance levels associated with exposure to TDFDs as instrumental variables. Inverse variance weighted (IVW) was employed as the primary method for Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis, supplemented by MR‒Egger, weighted median, simple mode and weighted mode methods. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to evaluate the robustness of the findings. The IVW method demonstrated an increased risk of OP in patients with TDFDs, including hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism (TDFDs: OR = 1.11; 95% CI 1.09, 1.13; hypothyroidism: OR = 1.14; 95% CI 1.10, 1.17; hyperthyroidism: OR = 1.09; 95% CI 1.06, 1.12). These findings were supported by supplementary analysis, which revealed a positive correlation between TDFDs and the risk of OP. Multiple sensitivity analyses confirmed the absence of horizontal pleiotropy in the study, thus indicating the robustness of our results. The causal relationship between TDFDs and increased risk of OP implies the need for early bone mineral density (BMD) screening and proactive prevention and treatment strategies for individuals with TDFDs.

Forward-looking imaging of airborne scanning radar is widely used in situation awareness, autonomous navigation and terrain following. When the radar is influenced by unintentional temporally sporadic electromagnetic interference or abnormal equipment performance, the echo signal contains outliers. Existing super-resolution methods can suppress outliers and improve azimuth resolution, but the real-time computing problem is not considered. In this study, we propose an airborne scanning radar super-resolution method to achieve fast forward-looking imaging when echo data are abnormal. First, we propose using the Student-t distribution to model noise. Then, the expectation-maximization method is used to estimate the parameters. Inspired by the truncated singular value decomposition method, we introduce the truncated unitary matrix into the estimation formula of the target scattering coefficient. Finally, the size of inverse matrix is reduced and the computational complexity of parameter estimation is reduced through matrix transformation. The simulation results show that the proposed method can improve the azimuth resolution of forward-looking imaging in a shorter time, and suppress outliers in echo data.

Remote sensing-based surface energy balance algorithms have been used to estimate water use of various crops. However, citrus evapotranspiration (ET) estimation is challenging mainly due to evergreen leaves and a clumped canopy structure. In this study, we evaluated the performance of two methods for calculating ET: the ensemble of OpenET models, which are mostly satellite thermal-based models, and the BAITSSS water and energy balance model. Calculated ET was compared with (i.) eddy covariance (EC) ET measurements and (ii.) water received (irrigation plus precipitation) data for two citrus orchards in San Joaquin Valley, California. Polaris-based soil hydraulic properties and measured volumetric water content were used for BAITSSS parameterization and initialization, respectively. Sentinel-2 based NDVI was used for BAITSSS simulation. Results showed that annual ET based on the OpenET ensemble model (1169 mm) was on average 30 % larger (r2 ∼ 0.71, RMSE ∼ 1.16 mm) than both EC ET (908 mm) and water received (886 mm). The disparity mostly occurred in spring. BAITSSS, on the other hand, showed mixed results compared to observations (r2 ∼ 0.77, RMSE ∼ 0.94 mm). Both measured from EC and modeled ET from BAITSSS and ensemble OpenET values were below grass reference ET (ETo) for the majority of the simulation period. Soil moisture and water received data indicated the orchards may have been deficit irrigated. Overall, this study highlights the challenges of ET modeling in citrus orchards and the need for improved estimation of ET for this specialty crop.

Abstract BackgroundSystematic literature review (SLR), a robust method to identify and summarize evidence from published sources, is considered to be a complex, time-consuming, labor-intensive, and expensive task. ObjectiveThis study aimed to present a solution based on natural language processing (NLP) that accelerates and streamlines the SLR process for observational studies using real-world data. MethodsWe followed an agile software development and iterative software engineering methodology to build a customized intelligent end-to-end living NLP-assisted solution for observational SLR tasks. Multiple machine learning–based NLP algorithms were adopted to automate article screening and data element extraction processes. The NLP prediction results can be further reviewed and verified by domain experts, following the human-in-the-loop design. The system integrates explainable articificial intelligence to provide evidence for NLP algorithms and add transparency to extracted literature data elements. The system was developed based on 3 existing SLR projects of observational studies, including the epidemiology studies of human papillomavirus–associated diseases, the disease burden of pneumococcal diseases, and cost-effectiveness studies on pneumococcal vaccines. ResultsOur Intelligent SLR Platform covers major SLR steps, including study protocol setting, literature retrieval, abstract screening, full-text screening, data element extraction from full-text articles, results summary, and data visualization. The NLP algorithms achieved accuracy scores of 0.86-0.90 on article screening tasks (framed as text classification tasks) and macroaverage F1 scores of 0.57-0.89 on data element extraction tasks (framed as named entity recognition tasks). ConclusionsCutting-edge NLP algorithms expedite SLR for observational studies, thus allowing scientists to have more time to focus on the quality of data and the synthesis of evidence in observational studies. Aligning the living SLR concept, the system has the potential to update literature data and enable scientists to easily stay current with the literature related to observational studies prospectively and continuously.

Abstract As a new avenue for cancer research, phototheranostics has shown inexhaustible and vigorous vitality as it permits real‐time diagnosis and concurrent in situ therapy upon non‐invasive light‐initiation. However, construction of an advanced material, allowing prominent phototheranostic outputs and synchronously surmounting the inherent deficiency of phototheranostics, would be an appealing yet significantly challenging task. Herein, an aggregation‐induced emission (AIE)‐active luminogen (namely DBD‐TM) featured by intensive electron donor‐acceptor strength and twisted architecture with finely modulated intramolecular motion, is tactfully designed and prepared. DBD‐TM simultaneously possessed fluorescence emission in the second near‐infrared (NIR‐II) region and high‐efficiency photothermal conversion. By integrating DBD‐TM with anti‐angiogenic agent sorafenib, a versatile nanomaterial is smoothly fabricated and utilized for trimodal imaging‐navigated synergistic therapy involving photothermal therapy and anti‐angiogenesis toward cancer. This advanced approach is capable of affording accurate tumor diagnosis, complete tumor elimination, and largely restrained tumor recurrence, evidently denoting a prominent theranostic formula beyond phototheranostics. This study will offer a blueprint for exploiting a new generation of cancer theranostics.

The conversion of cropland to orchards is one of the main measures of the Grain for Green Program for soil and water conservation and ecosystem function maintenance in the eastern Loess Plateau, China. However, the patterns and influencing forces of soil multifunctionality during the conversion from cropland to orchard remain unclear. This study evaluated the responses and regulating factors of soil multifunctionality following the conversion of cropland to pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) orchard along a 10-year chronosequence. Results showed that the conversion of cropland to pomegranate trees significantly increased the L-leucine aminopeptidase enzyme activity from 4.77 to 17.69 nmol g−1 h−1. The 10-year pomegranate stand exhibited the highest nitrogen (N) cycle multifunctionality. The N cycle multifunctionality was positively correlated with soil dissolved organic carbon (C) content, soil available phosphorus content, microbial biomass C content, phospholipid fatty acid, and soil feature index (All p

IntroductionLong-term use of chemical fertilizers (CFs) can cause soil compaction and acidification. In recent years, bio-organic fertilizers (BOFs) have begun to replace CFs in some vegetables and cash crops, but the application of CFs or BOFs has resulted in crop quality and disease occurrence.MethodsThis study aimed to analyze the microbial mechanism of differences between CFs and BOFs in root disease, quality, and yield of tuber Chinese herbal medicine. We studied the effects of CFs, organic fertilizers, commercial BOFs, biocontrol bacteria BOFs, and biocontrol fungi BOFs on rhizosphere microbial community structure and function, root rot, quality, and yield of Codonopsis pilosula at different periods after application and analyzed the correlation.Results and discussionCompared to CFs, the emergence rate and yield in BOF treatments were increased by 21.12 and 33.65%, respectively, and the ash content, water content, and disease index in the BOF treatments were decreased by 17.87, 8.19, and 76.60%, respectively. The structural equation model showed that CFs promoted the quality and yield of C. pilosula by influencing soil environmental factors, while BOFs directly drove soil bacterial community to reduce disease index and improve the quality and yield of C. pilosula. There was a stronger interaction and stability of soil microbial networks after BOF treatments. Microlunatus, Rubrobacter, Luteitalea, Nakamurella, and Pedomicrobium were identified as effector bacteria, which were related to disease prevention and yield and quality increase of C. pilosula. Microbial functional analysis indicated that the signal transduction and amino acid metabolism of soil bacteria might play a major role in improving the quality and yield of C. pilosula in the early and middle growth stages. In conclusion, compared to CFs, BOFs obtained a lower disease index of root rot and a higher quality and yield of C. pilosula by changing the structure and function of the rhizosphere bacterial community.

Paris polyphylla is an important traditional medicinal plant of the Himalayan region. It is extensively used for the production of natural steroidal saponins and flavonoids. Although seed dormancy of wild plants can be broken to be artificially maintained and regenerated through micropropagation in the laboratory, the success of secondary metabolite production in higher quantities and the synthesis of superior plant metabolites have been very limited. In this study, we present differential metabolic profiling of P. polyphylla plants maintained for 8 years in natural and greenhouse conditions. Untargeted profiling of the metabolites through ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS), followed by statistical analysis, identified secondary metabolites that were enriched in the naturally occurring plant roots compared with the greenhouse plant roots. A multivariate statistical analysis revealed the differential distribution of the compounds between the two groups. Overall, we identified 1,182 secondary metabolites, with 116 metabolites being differentially upregulated and 256 metabolites being downregulated. Moreover, 810 metabolites showed no significant variation under both growing conditions. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis revealed that the naturally forest-grown P. polyphylla plants were significantly enriched in steroidal saponins, lipids, vitamins, flavonoids, and flavonols. An analysis of the top 10 differentially upregulated secondary metabolites indicated a significantly enriched quantity of spirost-5-en-3,12-diol and kaempferol synthesis pathways, which are known to reduce the effect of free radicals scavengers inside the cell. In addition, veratramine alkaloids were also enriched under natural conditions. Our findings indicated that naturally maintained P. polyphylla plants are suitable for the extraction of medicinally important compounds. Our study established a causal relationship between the metabolic composition of the roots and their natural growth condition. This study highlighted the importance of environmental conditions in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites of plants.

Despite over 60 years of helium development in the Sichuan Basin, the mechanism of helium enrichment remains poorly understood. Helium-rich gas is primarily found as gas composition analysis in the fields. This study explores the relationship between helium distribution and two regional shale formations (the Qiongzhusi and Wufeng-Longmaxi formation), basing on the spatial distribution of these shales, structural profiles, and reported helium concentrations. Our findings indicate a typical trend of helium enrichment within the Sichuan Basin, where helium concentrations generally increase from the basin margins toward its center. The R/Ra ratios in the natural gas are consistently below 0.1, indicating that the helium mainly originates from the granite basement. The Wufeng-Longmaxi Formation is absent from central to western parts of this basin. The hydrocarbon generation intensity of this shale is 3,627.26 m³/m2, which is 25,896.7 times greater than its helium generation intensity (0.14 m³/m2). Its helium capture time is short (237 Ma). There is no obvious correlation between the distribution of helium concentration and Wufeng-Longmaxi shale. The Qiongzhusi shale extends across the entire Sichuan Basin. Its hydrocarbon generation intensity is approximately 57 m³/m2, which is 267.4 times greater than its helium generation intensity (0.27 m³/m2). Beneath this shale, the Pre-Sinian granite exhibits a helium generation intensity exceeding 0.51 m³/m2, acting as the primary helium source rock in the basin. The helium capture time of Qiongzhusi shale is 435 Ma. Helium concentration increases as the burial depth of the Qiongzhusi shale decreases, and helium becomes isotopically lighter in the direction of fluid potential drop. This indicates that helium enrichment in the Sichuan Basin is predominantly influenced by the Qiongzhusi shale. From maximum burial depth to present, helium solubility in water has decreased by approximately 63.6% and 54.3% in the Wufeng-Longmaxi and Qiongzhusi shale respectively, suggesting that uplift processes contributed to helium degassing into gas reservoirs. The regional shale influenced the long-distance migration of helium, although faults can alter this pathway. Faults may either promote helium accumulation in shallow gas fields, such as the Jinqiu gas field, or lead to helium loss, as observed in the southeastern region of the Sichuan Basin.

Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common malignant tumor with high morbidity and mortality. Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is the most widely used diagnostic serum biomarker, but it still has limited accuracy in detecting HCC, suggesting the necessity of seeking more ideal biomarkers with high sensitivity and specificity. Soluble growth stimulation gene 2 (sST2) form of growth stimulating expression gene 2 (ST2), is expressed in various organs and can bind competitively to interleukin 33 (IL-33). Whether sST2 can serve as a serum biomarker for HCC is largely unknown. Objective To investigate the value of sST2 as a serum diagnostic marker for HCC. Methods This study included 93 newly diagnosed HCC patients (HCC group), 90 chronic hepatitis B patients (CHB group), and 90 healthy individuals (HCs group). Spearman correlation analysis was used to explore the relationships between sST2 and the experimental indicators in HCC group. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve evaluated the efficacy of sST2 alone or in combination with AFP in the diagnosis of HCC. Result The median level of sST2 was significantly higher in HCC group (24.00 [15.20-49.90] ng/mL) compared to CHB group (19.55 [15.23-24.95] ng/mL) and HCs group (7.65 [5.20-10.53] ng/mL). No significant correlations were found between sST2 and other clinical indicators in HCC group. The Area Under Curve (AUC) of ROC curve to distinguish HCC patients from healthy controls and CHB group was 0.861 (sensitivity 82.80%, specificity 72.10%) and 0.709 (sensitivity 80.60%, specificity 52.50%), respectively. When combined with AFP, the AUC increased to 0.963 (sensitivity 82.90%, specificity 94.20%), and 0.895 (sensitivity 72.0%, specificity 100%), respectively. Conclusions The serum level of sST2 increased in HCC and its diagnostic performance is comparable to that of AFP, supporting its potential as a promising biomarker for detection of HCC. The combined use of sST2 and AFP enhances diagnostic efficacy for HCC.

Protein elicitors can induce plant systemic resistance to pathogens. The recognition of a potential elicitor activates intracellular signaling events, leading to plant resistance against pathogens. In this study, a novel protein elicitor was isolated from the culture filtrate of Verticillium nonalfalfae and named PeVn1, which can induce cell death in several plant species. The PeVn1 gene was then cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The recombinant protein PeVn1 triggers cell death in Nicotiana benthamiana in NbBAK1 and NbSOBIR1 dependent manner. Through bioassay analysis showed that the recombinant PeVn1 induced early defense induction events, such as reactive oxygen species burst, callose deposition and the activation of defense hormone signaling pathways and defense enzyme activities. Moreover, PeVn1 significantly enhanced resistance of Nicotiana benthamiana to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Botrytis cinerea and N. benthamiana mosaic virus and tomato to Pseudomonas syringae pv. Tomato DC3000. In conclusion, our study reveals that PeVn1 protein as a microbe-associated molecular pattern can induce plant immune responses, which provides a theoretical basis for the development of novel protein-induced disease resistance agents.

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to construct a diagnostic model by exploring the potential predictors of high-risk Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinoma (PTMC) and verifying its reliability.MethodsA retrospective analysis of PTMC patients who underwent surgical treatment from 2004 to 2015 in the SEER database (training set) and the clinical pathological ultrasound information of PTMC patients at the Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital from 2020 to 2022 (external validation set) was conducted. In the training set, univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to screen independent predictive factors for high-risk PTMC patients in pathology. A nomogram diagnostic model was further constructed. Additionally, ROC curves and calibration curves were drawn to evaluate the efficiency of the model. In the external validation set, the diagnostic model was indirectly evaluated based on preoperative ultrasound imaging features to explore the feasibility and reliability of diagnosing high-risk PTMC through preoperative ultrasound imaging features.ResultsA total of 1628 patients were included in the training set, and 530 patients were included in the test set. The independent risk factors for pathological high-risk PTMC were sex, age, tumor maximum diameter, tumor invasive, and cervical lymph nodes (P

Summary: The onset of atherosclerosis (AS) is insidious, and early stage patients have atypical clinical symptoms. After being diagnosed in late stage, it is often prone to sudden and fatal cardiovascular events. Therefore, it is highly desirable to develop precise and efficient diagnosis and therapy strategies of AS. Benefiting from high signal-to-noise ratio, low detection limit, high specificity and sensitivity, a series of activatable fluorescent probes based on atherosclerotic microenvironment have emerged for identification and treatment of AS. In this review, we focus on the atherosclerotic microenvironment and briefly summarize the correlation between the structural transformation and fluorescence signal changes of mono-/double-activatable fluorescent probes upon biomarkers stimulation. Moreover, their cutting-edge progress for AS theranostics is described. Finally, the outlook for activatable theranostic probes based on atherosclerotic microenvironment is discussed to aim at promoting innovative research in imaging-guided precise AS therapy.

Astragali Radix (AS) is a widely used herb in traditional Chinese medicine, with calycosin as its main isoflavonoid. Our previous study discovered that calycosin triggers host defense peptide (HDP) production in IPEC-J2 cells. The aim of this study is to investigate the alleviation effects of AS total flavone and AS calycosin on growth performance, intestinal immunity, and microflora in weaned piglets. Sixty-four piglets were assigned randomly to 4 treatment groups, (1) CON: the basal diet, (2) P-CON: the basal diet plus antibiotics (1 g/kg), (3) AS-TF: the basal diet plus AS total flavone at 60 mg/day per piglet, (4) AS-CA: the basal diet plus AS calycosin at 30 mg/day per piglet. Each treatment consists of 4 replicates with 4 piglets per replicate. Results showed that treatment with AS-TF and AS-CA enhanced average daily growth and average daily feed intake compared to the CON group (P < 0.01), while AS-CA significantly reduced the diarrhea rate (P < 0.05). Both AS-TF and AS-CA significantly increased serum immunoglobulin (Ig) A and IgG levels, with AS-CA further boosting intestinal mucosal secretory IgA levels (P < 0.05). Histological analysis revealed improvements in the morphology of the jejunum and ileum and goblet cell count by AS-TF and AS-CA (P < 0.05). Supplementation of AS-TF and AS-CA promoted the expression of several intestinal HDPs (P < 0.05), and the effect of AS-CA was better than that of AS-TF. In addition, the AS-TF and AS-CA regulated jejunal microbial diversity and composition, with certain differential bacteria genera were showing high correlation with serum cytokines and immunoglobulin levels, suggesting that the intestinal flora affected by AS-TF and AS-CA may contribute to host immunity. Overall, AS CA and AS TF all improved growth performance and health, likely by enhancing nutrition digestibility, serum and intestinal immunity, and intestinal microbial composition. They showed the similar beneficial effect, indicating AS CA appears to be a major compound contributing to the effects of AS TF. This study demonstrated the positive effect of AS flavonoids on weaned piglets and provided a scientific reference for the efficient use of AS products.

ObjectiveComparing the efficacy of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) combined with lenvatinib plus tislelizumab (TLT) with TACE combined with lenvatinib (TL) for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma, particularly in determining which patients can benefit more from the TLT treatment.MethodsFrom March 2021 to September 2023, a total of 169 patients from three centers were included in this study, with 103 patients receiving TLT and 66 patients receiving TL. The Kaplan-Meier method was utilized to evaluate the cumulative overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) between the two groups and were assessed using the log-rank test. Subgroup analysis on tumor number, maximum tumor diameter, presence of portal vein thrombosis, AFP level, and Child-Pugh class were conducted.ResultsThe median OS was 26 months in the TLT group, and 20 months in the TL group. The median PFS was 14 months in the TLT group and 9 months in the TL group. The Kaplan-Meier curve demonstrated a significantly superior OS and PFS in the TLT group compared to the TL group. Subgroup analysis showed that for patients with a maximum tumor diameter greater than 7 cm, AFP > 400 ng/ml and accompanied by portal vein tumor thrombus, and Child-Pugh class A, there was a statistically significant difference in OS between TLT and TL groups.ConclusionsOS and PFS were significantly improved in patients who received TLT compared to those who received TL, patients with a largest tumor diameter greater than 7 cm, AFP > 400 ng/ml, Child-Pugh class A and PVTT appeared to derive more benefit.

During the construction and operation of a pumped storage power station in an abandoned mine, the soft rock-coal body structure, comprising the roof and the residual coal pillars, encounters a complex stress environment characterized by cyclic loads. The study of its failure mechanism under cyclic dynamic loading holds significant theoretical and practical importance to stay the safety and stability of the abandoned mine pumped storage power station. In this paper, we take “roof-residual coal pillar” soft rock-coal combinations with different percentages of rock as the research object, and study their mechanical properties, failure mechanism, energy evolution characteristics and acoustic emission distribution characteristics through cyclic dynamic loading experiments. The results of the experiment indicate that: (1) Both weak cyclic dynamic loading and high rock percentage enhance the deformation resistance of soft rock-coal combinations. Under low-disturbance horizontal cyclic loading, its peak strength and modulus of elasticity increase with increasing rock percentage. (2) Under low-disturbance horizontal cyclic loading, an increasing trend is observed in the average total strain energy density, dissipation energy density, and elastic energy density of the combinations as the percentage of rock increases. (3) Under low-disturbance horizontal cyclic loading, as the percentage of rock increases in the soft rock-coal combinations, the degree of failure in the rock body part progressively intensifies, while the destruction of the coal portion progressively decreases. (4) The large number of acoustic emission signals are generated at the instant of destabilization and destruction of the coal-rock combinations, mainly dominated by the signals generated by the destruction of the coal body. Acoustic emission counts and absolute energy at key point N2 decrease as the percentage of rock increases. The b value is primarily distributed in the cyclic dynamic loading stage and the failure stage, both displaying zones of sudden increase and sudden decrease in b value.

Breast cancer invasion into adipose tissue strongly influences disease progression and metastasis. The degree of cancer cell invasion into adipose tissue depends on both biochemical signaling and the mechanical properties of cancer cells, adipocytes, and other key components of adipose tissue. We model breast cancer invasion into adipose tissue using discrete element method simulations of active, cohesive spherical particles (cancer cells) invading into confluent packings of deformable polyhedra (adipocytes). We quantify the degree of invasion by calculating the interfacial area At between cancer cells and adipocytes. We determine the long-time value of At vs the activity and strength of the cohesion between cancer cells, as well as the mechanical properties of the adipocytes and extracellular matrix in which adipocytes are embedded. We show that the degree of invasion collapses onto a master curve as a function of the dimensionless energy scale Ec, which grows linearly with the cancer cell velocity persistence time and fluctuations, is inversely proportional to the system pressure, and is offset by the cancer cell cohesive energy. When E c > 1, cancer cells will invade the adipose tissue, whereas for E c < 1, cancer cells and adipocytes remain de-mixed. We also show that At decreases when the adipocytes are constrained by the ECM by an amount that depends on the spatial heterogeneity of the adipose tissue.

Abstract Objective A prospective, multicenter, randomized study evaluated the efficacy of major depressive disorder (MDD) patients after 2–3 months of acute treatment based on the dual factors of education and age. Methods This study classified the included patients into four groups using two classification parameters: age (≤45 years, vs. >45 years) and education years (≤12 vs. >12). We analyzed age, gender, marital status, personal income, depression onset history, medication use, and follow‐up across various groups. We evaluated residual somatic symptoms and social functioning in depression patients was conducted using the 16‐item Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology Self‐report (QIDS‐SR16), the Patient Health Questionnaire‐15 (PHQ15), and the Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS). Results In China, 16 hospitals, 553 depression patients, and 428 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Baseline patient data revealed significant differences among the different age groups in gender, marital status, income, first onset age, physical illness, combination of antipsychotics, and benzodiazepines use (all p .05) were found in residual somatic symptoms and social functioning parameters between different education levels (≤12 years vs. >12 years) at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months, based on total scores on the scale. Repeated measures mixed model indicates that the QIDS‐SR16 assessment indicates statistical differences among various marital statuses, income levels, medical histories, and antipsychotic medication use (p 45 years old, those ≤45 years old often exhibit more residual depression, somatic symptoms, and severe social functional impairment; patients' education levels less influence this trend.

IntroductionMaize photosensitivity and the control of flowering not only are important for reproduction, but also play pivotal roles in the processes of domestication and environmental adaptation, especially involving the utilization strategy of tropical maize in high-latitude regions.MethodsIn this study, we used a linkage mapping population and an inbred association panel with the photoperiod sensitivity index (PSI) phenotyped under different environments and performed transcriptome analysis of T32 and QR273 between long-day and short-day conditions.ResultsThe results showed that PSIs of days to tasseling (DTT), days to pollen shedding (DTP), and days to silking (DTS) indicated efficacious interactions with photoperiod sensitivity for maize latitude adaptation. A total of 48 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and 252 quantitative trait nucleotides (QTNs) were detected using the linkage population and the inbred association panel. Thirteen candidate genes were identified by combining the genome-wide association study (GWAS) approach, linkage analysis, and transcriptome analysis, wherein five critical candidate genes, MYB163, bif1, burp8, CADR3, and Zm00001d050238, were significantly associated with photoperiod sensitivity.DiscussionThese results would provide much more abundant theoretical proofs to reveal the genetic basis of photoperiod sensitivity, which would be helpful to understand the genetic changes during domestication and improvement and contribute to reducing the barriers to use of tropical germplasm.

IntroductionLong-term care assistants are taking on more important roles in the healthcare system. The purpose of this study was to investigate what demographic factors influence the core competencies of nursing assistants, as well as to investigate the levels of organizational support, self-efficacy, and core competencies among nursing assistants in China, to explore the relationship between them.MethodsThis is a cross-sectional study with prospective data collection based on a self-report questionnaire. A total of 320 long-term care assistants from two healthcare institutions. We collected socio-demographic characteristics and measured their perceived organizational support, self-efficacy, and core competency levels of the participants. Pearson correlation tests were conducted to examine the relationships among three variables, and a structural equation model was developed to test the interrelationships among these variables.ResultsThe results indicated that age, employment type, licensing status, monthly income, pre-job training, and training methods were associated with core competency, with nursing knowledge identified as a weak area in core competencies. There were significant associations among each dimension of perceived organizational support, self-efficacy, and core competencies (p

Abstract Dispersion coefficients and the average solute transport velocity are pivotal for groundwater solute transport modeling. Accurately and efficiently determining these parameters is challenging due to difficulties in directly correlating them with pore‐space structure. To address this issue, we introduced the Physics‐enhanced Convolutional Neural Network‐Transformer (PhysenCT‐Net), an innovative model designed to concurrently estimate the longitudinal dispersion coefficient and average solute transport velocity in three‐dimensional porous media. PhysenCT‐Net exhibited excellent predictive performance on unseen testing datasets and significantly reduced computational demands. Comprehensive evaluations confirmed its robust generalization across various flow conditions and pore structures. Notably, the longitudinal dispersion coefficient predictions closely align with established empirical relationships involving Péclet number, affirming the model's physical interpretability and potential to aid in simulating transport phenomena in porous media.

Background and objective: The intrinsic link between the compositional and structural attributes and the biomechanical functionality is evident in intervertebral discs. However, it remains unclear from a biomechanical perspective whether cartilage endplate (CEP) degeneration exacerbates intervertebral disc degeneration. Methods: This study developed and quantitatively validated four biphasic swelling-based finite element models. We then applied four quasi-static tests and simulated daily loading scenarios to examine the effects of CEP degradation. Results: Under free-swelling conditions, short-term responses were prevalent, with CEP performance changes not significantly impacting response proportionality. The creep test results showed the more than 50 % of the strain was attributed to long-term responses. Stress-relaxation testing indicated that all responses increased with disc degeneration, yet CEP degeneration's impact was minimal. Daily load analyses revealed that disc degeneration significantly reduces nucleus pulposus pressure and disc height, whereas CEP degeneration marginally increases nucleus pressure and slightly decreases disc height. Conclusions: Glycosaminoglycan content and CEP permeability are critical to the fluid-dependent viscoelastic response of intervertebral discs. Our findings suggest that CEP contributes to disc degeneration under daily loading conditions.

Summary: Optical imaging technology has become increasingly recognized for its utility in diagnosing atherosclerosis thanks to advantages such as high spatial resolution, rapid data acquisition, lack of radiation exposure, cost-effectiveness, minimal invasiveness, and limited side effects. However, traditional luminogens employed in optical diagnostics are often troubled by aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ) effect, causing diagnostic errors in vivo. Since Professor Tang discovered the aggregation-induced emission (AIE) phenomenon, AIE luminogens (AIEgens) have been rapidly developing and are considered as the next-generation fluorescent contrast agents for angiography and atherosclerotic diagnosis. This mini review will outline the use of AIEgens in angiography and the diagnosis of atherosclerosis, exploring different imaging models, including second near-infrared, two/multi-photon, and photoacoustic imaging, and will provide a forward-looking perspective on their potential in atherosclerotic diagnosis.

Permafrost in Mongolia is located in the transition zone between high-latitude and high-altitude permafrost regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with large temperature differences and complex subsurface characteristics. In this study, the reliability of the skin temperature data from the ERA5-Land product covering Mongolia is assessed via site observations. The ERA5-Land skin temperature dataset shows a cold bias, which is more pronounced in the cold season. Following calibration based on elevation differences, significant improvements are observed at both the annual scale (92 % improvement in RMSE (root mean square error) and 98 % improvement in MBE (mean bias error)) and the seasonal scale (78 % improvement in RMSE and 82 % improvement in MBE). Additionally, the spatial variations in the surface freezing index (SFI) and surface thawing index (STI) are most pronounced in the central and northeastern Mongolia. The SFI exhibits a significant decreasing trend of 7.16 °C·d/year, while the STI shows a significant increasing trend of 4.49 °C·d/year. Furthermore, the permafrost extent in Mongolia is simulated from 1950 to 2022 using the frost number (Fn) model and the temperature on top of permafrost (TTOP) model. The validated results indicate that the accuracy of the Fn model is relatively high, with an overall accuracy of 0.9 and a Kappa coefficient of 0.47. The permafrost extent in Mongolia has declined from 734.7 × 103 km2 in the 1950 s to 480.1 × 103 km2 in the 2010 s, with a prominent decrease of 3.2 × 103 km2/decade after 1994. According to the variations in permafrost extent during past 72 years, the Hovsgol and Khentii Mountain ranges have experienced significant permafrost degradation.

This study explores the thermal behavior of graphite-enhanced expanded polystyrene (GEPS) both with and without a rendering cover during cone calorimeter testing. We designed a sample holder with inserted thermocouples to capture temperature variations at different levels. Without a cover, the sample remained unignited under radiant intensity of 25 kW m−2, experiencing a brief temperature rise followed by stabilization. At 50 kW m−2, ignition occurred after a period of steady temperature. However, at 75 kW m−2, the temperature soared rapidly without a stable phase, leading to swift ignition. With a cover, the temperatures for all tested scenarios ultimately stabilized without ignition, even though the recorded values exceeded the ignition point under high heat fluxes. This indicates that the protective mechanism of render lies mainly in isolating mass transfer. Increasing the render's thickness from 3 mm to 5 mm delayed and slowed the initial temperature rise but had little impact on the final steady temperatures. Based on the energy conservation principles, a steady temperature prediction model for liquified GEPS and rendering cover was established. Notably, the calculated outcomes closely align with the measured temperatures. These findings provide valuable insights into the fire safety characteristics of GEPS and the protective effects of rendering covers.

Mutations or abnormal expression of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes are known to cause cancer. Recent studies have shown that epigenetic modifications are key drivers of cancer development and progression. Nevertheless, the mechanistic role of epigenetic dysregulation in the tumor microenvironment is not fully understood. Here, we reviewed the role of epigenetic modifications of cancer cells and non-cancer cells in the tumor microenvironment and recent research advances in cancer epigenetic drugs. In addition, we discussed the great potential of epigenetic combination therapies in the clinical treatment of cancer. However, there are still some challenges in the field of cancer epigenetics, such as epigenetic tumor heterogeneity, epigenetic drug heterogeneity, and crosstalk between epigenetics, proteomics, metabolomics, and other omics, which may be the focus and difficulty of cancer treatment in the future. In conclusion, epigenetic modifications in the tumor microenvironment are essential for future epigenetic drug development and the comprehensive treatment of cancer. Epigenetic combination therapy may be a novel strategy for the future clinical treatment of cancer.

Predation on livestock by large carnivores, such as snow leopard (Panthera uncia), is a global issue that leads to human-wildlife conflicts (HWC). In the Sanjiangyuan National Park (SNP) located in western China, traditional grazing practices have resulted in extensive utilization of snow leopard habitats as pasturelands. The presence of domestic animals in snow leopard habitats increases the likelihood of predation by snow leopards, thereby exacerbating human-snow leopard conflict. In this study, questionnaire surveys were utilized to investigate the attitudes of local herders in Bagan, a township at the southeastern periphery of SNP, towards snow leopard attacks on livestock. Additionally, infrared camera trapping was employed to explore the spatial and temporal overlap between snow leopards, bharals (Pseudois nayaur) and free-ranging livestock. The resulting overlap coefficients were utilized to quantify the competition in the space use and the overlap of daily activity rhythms respectively between these species based on infrared camera records. The questionnaire surveys revealed that snow leopards primarily targeted livestock during nocturnal hours, leading to negative attitudes among herders. Spatial overlap results indicated that bharal and livestock exhibited the highest degree of spatial utilization overlap (OI = 0.78), followed by snow leopard and bharal (OI = 0.75), as well as snow leopard and livestock (OI = 0.75). Furthermore, the temporal overlap results for daily activity rhythms demonstrated a high level of consistency between bharal and livestock (Δ = 0.95). Our findings indicated a high spatial overlap between free-ranging livestock and snow leopards, thereby increasing the likelihood of encounters between these two groups and subsequently heightening the potential for predation on livestock by snow leopards. This heightened predation risk was considered one of the primary drivers behind HWC. To mitigate retaliatory killing on snow leopards by herders and to safeguard herders’ interests, we have proposed a multipronged conservation program encompassing regular removal of animal traps, regulation of grazing areas, and reinforcement of supervision to minimize livestock susceptibility to predation.

Recent advancements in biomedical research have underscored the importance of noninvasive cellular manipulation techniques. Sonogenetics, a method that uses genetic engineering to produce ultrasound-sensitive proteins in target cells, is gaining prominence along with optogenetics, electrogenetics, and magnetogenetics. Upon stimulation with ultrasound, these proteins trigger a cascade of cellular activities and functions. Unlike traditional ultrasound modalities, sonogenetics offers enhanced spatial selectivity, improving precision and safety in disease treatment. This technology broadens the scope of non-surgical interventions across a wide range of clinical research and therapeutic applications, including neuromodulation, oncologic treatments, stem cell therapy, and beyond. Although current literature predominantly emphasizes ultrasonic neuromodulation, this review offers a comprehensive exploration of sonogenetics. We discuss ultrasound properties, the specific ultrasound-sensitive proteins employed in sonogenetics, and the technique's potential in managing conditions such as neurological disorders, cancer, and ophthalmic diseases, and in stem cell therapies. Our objective is to stimulate fresh perspectives for further research in this promising field.

Imaging the wave velocity field surrounding a borehole while drilling is a promising and urgently needed approach for extending the exploration range of the borehole point. This paper develops a drilling process detection (DPD) system consisting of a multifunctional sensor and a pilot geophone installed at the top of the drilling rod, geophones at the tunnel face, a laser rangefinder, and an onsite computer. A weighted adjoint-state first arrival travel time tomography method is used to invert the P-wave velocity field of rock mass while borehole drilling. A field experiment in the ongoing construction of a deep buried tunnel in southwestern China demonstrated the DPD system and the tomography method. Time-frequency analysis of typical borehole drilling detection data shows that the impact drilling source is a pulse-like seismic exploration wavelet. A velocity field of the rock mass in a triangular area defined by the borehole trajectory and geophone receiving line can be obtained. Both the borehole core and optical image validate the inverted P-wave velocity field. A numerical simulation of a checkerboard benchmark model is used to test the tomography method. The rapid convergence of the misfits and consistent agreement between the inverted and observed travel times validate the P-wave velocity imaging.

Abstract Safeguarding water resources, aquatic habitats, and ecosystems is paramount for the well‐being of the populace, the future of the nation, and the sustainable development of China. With the relentless progression of ecological and environmental protection and the establishment of an ecological civilization, China's aquatic ecological environment protection has undergone five decades of exploration. The water environment protection paradigm has gradually transitioned from emphasizing pollutant emission concentration control and total pollutant emission control to prioritizing water environment quality improvement. Particularly in the past decade, regions nationwide have conducted proactive explorations and practices in source control, emission abatement, and quality enhancement. This paper systematically reviews the achievements in China's water environmental quality improvement and the characteristics of water environment management at various stages over the past half‐century. Considering the deployment of “three waters” coordination (water resources, water environment, and water ecology), green development, pollution, carbon reduction, and so forth, this paper analyzes the challenges confronted by China's aquatic ecological environment protection. Finally, future directions are prospected from six aspects: green development, climate change response, water resource allocation optimization, collaborative governance of multiple pollutants, aquatic ecological protection strengthening, and intelligent management improvement.

With the rapid development of the social economy, the importance of water resources is becoming increasingly prominent. Urban water demand in Beijing has been growing rapidly. Accurate water consumption forecasting is of utmost importance for reasonable allocation and optimization of water supply systems. In this study, an innovative multi-variable grey prediction model with adjacent accumulation (AOGM(1,N)) is proposed to predict Beijing's annual water consumption for four different water usage scenarios (domestic water, agricultural water, industrial water, and environmental water) by incorporating the adjacent accumulation into the optimized grey model. Grey relational analysis is used to select the key influence factors. The adjustable parameter of the prediction model is chosen by using the particle swarm optimization algorithm. By comparing with other models in the existing literature, the proposed AOGM(1,N) model has evidently superior prediction performance based on the error indicators, which supports the novel method's merits and validity. This study could help us better understand water usage and be applied to the planning and management problems of urban water supply systems. HIGHLIGHTS An improved multi-variable grey model is proposed for water consumption prediction.; Adjacent accumulation is introduced into the proposed prediction model.; The effects of different external factors on water consumption are quantified.; The optimization method of adjustable parameter in the model is proposed.;

The fully dense Ti3SiC2-(Ti, Zr)B2 toughened (Ti, Zr)C-based composites were fabricated at 1400–1600 °C for the first time by dual in situ reactions hot-pressing with TiC, ZrB2, and Si as the initial powders. The influence of ZrB2, Si content and sintering temperature on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the composite was reported. When 10 mol% ZrB2 was added, Si combined with residual TiC to form Ti3SiC2 and SiC. However, with the addition of ZrB2 increase to 20 mol% and 30 mol%, Si participated in the formation of ZrSi and was not enough to react with TiC to form Ti3SiC2. The low-temperature in situ reactions, multiphase coupling effects, and the pinning effect of nano-SiC refine the microstructure of the composites. There are specific crystal orientation relationships between (Zr, Ti)C and (Ti, Zr)B2, as well as between (Ti, Zr)C and SiC. The layered Ti3SiC2 and plate-like (Ti, Zr)B2 by dual in situ reactions effectively improve the fracture toughness of the composites. The 10 ZB-15 possesses a highest fracture toughness of 6.1 MPa⋅m1/2. The 30 ZB-16 has the good comprehensive mechanical properties. The fracture toughness, flexural strength, and hardness of 30 ZB-16 is 5.6 MPa⋅m1/2, 679 MPa, and 26.4 GPa, respectively. The Ti3SiC2 and TiB2 formed during dual in situ reactions enables the composite to exhibit excellent oxidation resistance and wear resistance.

Abstract Background The contact plate method is widely accepted and used in various fields where hygiene and contamination levels are crucial. Evidence regarding the applicability of the contact plate method for sampling fabric microbial contamination levels in real medical environments was limited. This study aimed to assess the applicability of the contact plate method for detecting microbial contamination on medical fabrics in a real healthcare environment, thereby providing a benchmark for fabric microbial sampling methods. Methods In a level three obstetrics ward of a hospital, twenty-four privacy curtains adjacent to patient beds were selected for this study. The contact plate and swab method were used to collect microbial samples from the privacy curtains on the 1st, 7th, 14th, and 28th days after they were hung. The total colony count on each privacy curtain surface was calculated, and microbial identification was performed. Results After excluding the effects of time, room type, and curtain location on the detected microbial load, the linear mixed-effects model analysis showed that contact plate method yielded lower colony counts compared to swab method (P

Abstract Dynamic regulation of gene expression is fundamental for cellular adaptation to exogenous stressors. P-TEFb-mediated pause-release of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) is a conserved regulatory mechanism for synchronous transcriptional induction in response to heat shock, but this pro-survival role has not been examined in the applied context of cancer therapy. Using model systems of pediatric high-grade glioma, we show that rapid genome-wide reorganization of active chromatin facilitates P-TEFb-mediated nascent transcriptional induction within hours of exposure to therapeutic ionizing radiation. Concurrent inhibition of P-TEFb disrupts this chromatin reorganization and blunts transcriptional induction, abrogating key adaptive programs such as DNA damage repair and cell cycle regulation. This combination demonstrates a potent, synergistic therapeutic potential agnostic of glioma subtype, leading to a marked induction of tumor cell apoptosis and prolongation of xenograft survival. These studies reveal a central role for P-TEFb underpinning the early adaptive response to radiotherapy, opening avenues for combinatorial treatment in these lethal malignancies.

Abstract Controllable photofluorochromic systems with high contrast and multicolor in both solutions and solid states are ideal candidates for the development of dynamic artificial intelligence. However, it is still challenging to realize multiple photochromism within one single molecule, not to mention good controllability. Herein, we report an aggregation-induced emission luminogen TPE-2MO2NT that undergoes oxidation cleavage upon light irradiation and is accompanied by tunable multicolor emission from orange to blue with time-dependence. The photocleavage mechanism revealed that the self-generation of reactive oxidants driving the catalyst-free oxidative cleavage process. A comprehensive analysis of TPE-2MO2NT and other comparative molecules demonstrates that the TPE-2MO2NT molecular scaffold can be easily modified and extended. Further, the multicolor microenvironmental controllability of TPE-2MO2NT photoreaction within polymer matrices enables the fabrication of dynamic fluorescence images and 4D information codes, providing strategies for advanced controllable information encryption.

Abstract Objective Contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) is a common complication in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Studies have shown that perioperative serum albumin levels may play a role in the occurrence of CI-AKI. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of perioperative serum albumin (delta albumin or &Alb) levels on the occurrence and long-term prognosis of CI-AKI patients after PCI. Methods A total of 959 patients who underwent PCI between January 2017 and January 2019 were selected for this study. A receiver operating characteristic curve was used to determine the optimal cut-off value of the &Alb level for predicting CI-AKI after PCI. Patients were divided into two groups based on the optimal cut-off value: the high &Alb group (&Alb ≥ 4.55 g/L) and the control group (&Alb

The integration of vegetable oil-based minimum quantity lubrication (VMQL) and cutting process has received widespread attention due to its great sustainability. Taking the great potential of biomimetics into consideration, constructing biomimetic structure on tool surface is expected to cause effective improvement of VMQL assisted cutting process. Inspired by five different kinds of biological structures, assembled multi-biomimetic structure (AMBS) was designed on Al2O3/TiC micro-nano-composite ceramic tool. Moreover, this work explored the effects of AMBS on VMQL assisted interrupted turning. Durable lubricant-transport behavior was examined experimentally and theoretically for the proposed AMBS. In addition, a theoretical index PAS integrating fracture resistance and cutting load was established to evaluate the mechanical performance of AMBS. Furthermore, tool wear was employed to analyze the experimental performance and validate the effectiveness of AMBS. The present work focused on the influences caused by the side length Lb of the biomimetic hexagonal structure, the laser angle Al and the shape of the superlipophilic region. It was found that impact, scratch and high temperature had limited effects on the wetting behavior of AMBS, resulting in the durable lubricant-transport behavior of AMBS. Index PAS can be utilized as a useful tool for pre-evaluating the mechanical performance of AMBS. The construction of AMBS led to decrease of both fracture resistance and cutting load. The tool performance was effectively enhanced since the decrease of cutting load had a greater impact. The optimum AMBS appeared when Lb was 250 μm, Al was 90° and the superlipophilic region had a convex shape.

Abstract Background Surgical staplers have been widely used to facilitate surgeries, and this study aimed to examine the real-world effectiveness of a new powered stapling system with Gripping Surface Technology (GST) on intraoperative outcomes of gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Method The data were extracted from the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University’s (FHHMU) medical records system. Participants (N = 121 patients) were classified into the GST (n = 59) or non-GST group (n = 62), based on the use of the GST system. The intraoperative outcomes such as bleeding were assessed by reviewing video records. T-tests, Chi-square tests, and Mann–Whitney-U tests were used to compare the baseline characteristics between groups. Multivariate logistic regression was conducted for adjusting outcomes to study the effect of variables. Results Compared with the non-GST group, the GST group had significantly lower risks for intraoperative bleeding, intraoperative anastomosis intervention rate, intraoperative suture, and intraoperative pression (aORs: 0.0853 (p

Abstract Objective Systematic literature reviews (SLRs) are critical for life-science research. However, the manual selection and retrieval of relevant publications can be a time-consuming process. This study aims to (1) develop two disease-specific annotated corpora, one for human papillomavirus (HPV) associated diseases and the other for pneumococcal-associated pediatric diseases (PAPD), and (2) optimize machine- and deep-learning models to facilitate automation of the SLR abstract screening. Methods This study constructed two disease-specific SLR screening corpora for HPV and PAPD, which contained citation metadata and corresponding abstracts. Performance was evaluated using precision, recall, accuracy, and F1-score of multiple combinations of machine- and deep-learning algorithms and features such as keywords and MeSH terms. Results and conclusions The HPV corpus contained 1697 entries, with 538 relevant and 1159 irrelevant articles. The PAPD corpus included 2865 entries, with 711 relevant and 2154 irrelevant articles. Adding additional features beyond title and abstract improved the performance (measured in Accuracy) of machine learning models by 3% for HPV corpus and 2% for PAPD corpus. Transformer-based deep learning models that consistently outperformed conventional machine learning algorithms, highlighting the strength of domain-specific pre-trained language models for SLR abstract screening. This study provides a foundation for the development of more intelligent SLR systems.