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Abstract Background Depression is a prevalent mental health problem in postmenopausal women. Given its significant impact on the quality of life and overall well-being of postmenopausal women, there is need for a comprehensive review and meta-analysis of the existing research globally. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the global prevalence of depression and potential associated factors in postmenopausal women. Methods The Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO databases were systematically searched from inception to March 22, 2023. The meta-analysis used the random-effects model to calculate the prevalence of depression rates and associated factors. In addition, subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis were performed. Publication bias was assessed using funnel plots, Egger’s test, and nonparametric trim-and-fill tests. Results The meta-analysis included 50 studies that involved 385,092 postmenopausal women. The prevalence of depression in postmenopausal women was 28.00% (95% CI, 25.80–30.10). Among the factors relevant to depression among postmenopausal women, marital status (OR: 2.03, 95%CI: 1.33–3.11), history of mental illness (OR: 2.31, 95%CI: 1.50–3.57), chronic disease (OR: 3.13, 95%CI: 2.20–4.44), menstrual cycle (OR: 1.42, 95%CI: 1.17–1.72), abortion numbers (OR: 1.59, 95%CI: 1.40–1.80), menopausal symptoms (OR: 2.10, 95%CI: 1.52–2.90), and hormone replacement therapy (OR: 1.76, 95%CI: 1.31–2.35) were risk factors, while physical activity (OR: 0.56, 95%CI: 0.53–0.59), number of breastfed infants (OR: 0.43, 95%CI: 0.19–0.97), menopause age (OR: 0.44, 95%CI: 0.37–0.51) were preventive factors. Conclusions This study demonstrated that the prevalence of postmenopausal depression is high, and some risk factors and protective factors associated with it have been identified. It is necessary to improve screening and management and optimize prevention and intervention strategies to reduce the harmful effects of postmenopausal depression.

Abstract Background Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is the most common and lethal malignancy of the biliary tract that lacks effective therapy. In many GBC cases, infiltration into adjacent organs or distant metastasis happened long before the diagnosis, especially the direct liver invasion, which is the most common and unfavorable way of spreading. Methods Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), spatial transcriptomics (ST), proteomics, and multiplexed immunohistochemistry (mIHC) were performed on GBC across multiple tumor stages to characterize the tumor microenvironment (TME), focusing specifically on the preferential enrichment of neutrophils in GBC liver invasion (GBC-LI). Results Multi-model Analysis reveals the immunosuppressive TME of GBC-LI that was characterized by the enrichment of neutrophils at the invasive front. We identified the context-dependent transcriptional states of neutrophils, with the Tumor-Modifying state being associated with oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) metabolism. In vitro assays showed that the direct cell-cell contact between GBC cells and neutrophils led to the drastic increase in oxLDL uptake of neutrophils, which was primarily mediated by the elevated OLR1 on neutrophils. The oxLDL-absorbing neutrophils displayed a higher potential to promote tumor invasion while demonstrating lower cancer cytotoxicity. Finally, we identified a neutrophil-promoting niche at the invasive front of GBC-LI that constituted of KRT17+ GBC cells, neutrophils, and surrounding fibroblasts, which may help cultivate the oxLDL-absorbing neutrophils. Conclusions Our study reveals the existence of a subset of pro-tumoral neutrophils with a unique ability to absorb oxLDL via OLR1, a phenomenon induced through cell-cell contact with KRT17+ GBC cells in GBC-LI.

Abstract Chemotherapy, as a conventional strategy for tumor therapy, often leads to unsatisfied therapeutic effect due to the multi-drug resistance and the serious side effects. Herein, we genetically engineered a thermal-responsive murine Ferritin (mHFn) to specifically deliver mitoxantrone (MTO, a chemotherapeutic and photothermal agent) to tumor tissue for the chemotherapy and photothermal combined therapy of colorectal cancer, thanks to the high affinity of mHFn to transferrin receptor that highly expressed on tumor cells. The thermal-sensitive channels on mHFn allowed the effective encapsulation of MTO in vitro and the laser-controlled release of MTO in vivo. Upon irradiation with a 660 nm laser, the raised temperature triggered the opening of the thermal-sensitive channel in mHFn nanocage, resulting in the controlled and rapid release of MTO. Consequently, a significant amount of reactive oxygen species was generated, causing mitochondrial collapse and tumor cell death. The photothermal-sensitive controlled release, low systemic cytotoxicity, and excellent synergistic tumor eradication ability in vivo made mHFn@MTO a promising candidate for chemo-photothermal combination therapy against colorectal cancer. Graphical Abstract

Abstract CRISPR-based gene therapy offers precise targeting and specific editing of disease-related gene sequences, potentially yielding long-lasting treatment effects. However, efficient delivery remains a significant challenge for its widespread application. In this study, we design a novel short peptide-conjugated bioreducible polymer named TSPscp as a safe and effective delivery vector for the CRISPR system. Our results show that TSPscp markedly boosts transcriptional activation and genome editing activities of multiple CRISPR systems as confirmed by decomposition-seq and Deep-seq, which is resulted from its capability in facilitating delivery of plasmid DNA by promoting cellular uptake and lysosomal escape. Additionally, TSPscp further enhances genome editing of CRISPR by delivery of minicircle DNA, a condensed form of regular plasmid DNA. More importantly, TSPscp significantly improves delivery and genome editing of CRISPR system in vivo. In summary, our study highlights TSPscp as a promising delivery tool for CRISPR applications in vivo. Graphical Abstract

Diabetes, characterized by hyperglycemia, is a major cause of death and disability worldwide. Peptides, such as insulin and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogs, have shown promise as treatments for diabetes due to their ability to mimic or enhance insulin's actions in the body. Compared to subcutaneous injection, oral administration of anti-diabetic peptides is a preferred approach. However, biological barriers significantly reduce the efficacy of oral peptide therapeutics. Recent advancements in drug delivery systems and formulation techniques have greatly improved the oral delivery of peptide therapeutics and their efficacy in treating diabetes. This review will highlight (1) the benefits of oral anti-diabetic peptide therapeutics; (2) the biological barriers for oral peptide delivery, including pH and enzyme degradation, intestinal mucosa barrier, and biodistribution barrier; (3) the delivery platforms to overcome these biological barriers. Additionally, the review will discuss the prospects in this field. The information provided in this review will serve as a valuable guide for future developments in oral anti-diabetic peptide therapeutics.

Abstract Background Preeclampsia, one of the most lethal pregnancy-related diseases, is associated with the disruption of uterine spiral artery remodeling during placentation. However, the early molecular events leading to preeclampsia remain unknown. Results By analyzing placentas from preeclampsia, non-preeclampsia, and twin pregnancies with selective intrauterine growth restriction, we show that the pathogenesis of preeclampsia is attributed to immature trophoblast and maldeveloped endothelial cells. Delayed epigenetic reprogramming during early extraembryonic tissue development leads to generation of excessive immature trophoblast cells. We find reduction of de novo DNA methylation in these trophoblast cells results in selective overexpression of maternally imprinted genes, including the endoretrovirus-derived gene PEG10 (paternally expressed gene 10). PEG10 forms virus-like particles, which are transferred from the trophoblast to the closely proximate endothelial cells. In normal pregnancy, only a low amount of PEG10 is transferred to maternal cells; however, in preeclampsia, excessive PEG10 disrupts maternal vascular development by inhibiting TGF-beta signaling. Conclusions Our study reveals the intricate epigenetic mechanisms that regulate trans-generational genetic conflict and ultimately ensure proper maternal–fetal interface formation.

Abstract The “terminal hydroxyl group anchoring mechanism” has been studied on metal oxides (Al2O3, CeO2) as well as a variety of noble and transition metals (Ag, Pt, Pd, Cu, Ni, Fe, Mn, and Co) in a number of generalized studies, but there is still a gap in how to regulate the content of terminal hydroxyl groups to influence the dispersion of the active species and thus to achieve optimal catalytic performance. Herein, we utilized AlOOH as a precursor for γ-Al2O3 and induced the transformation of the exposed crystal face of γ-Al2O3 from (110) to (100) by controlling the calcination temperature to generate more terminal hydroxyl groups to anchor Ag species. Experimental results combined with AIMD and DFT show that temperature can drive the atomic rearrangement on the (110) crystal face, thereby forming a structure similar to the atomic arrangement of the (100) crystal face. This resulted in the formation of more terminal hydroxyl groups during the high-temperature calcination of the support (Al-900), which can capture Ag species to form single-atom dispersions, and ultimately develop a stable and efficient single-atom Ag-based catalyst.

The emergence of stretchable electronic technology has led to the development of many industries and facilitated many unprecedented applications, owing to its ability to bear various deformations. However, conventional solid elastomer substrates and encapsulation can severely restrict the free motion and deformation of patterned interconnects, leading to potential mechanical failures and electrical breakdowns. To address this issue, we propose a design strategy of porous elastomer substrate and encapsulation to improve the stretchability of serpentine interconnects in island-bridge structures. The serpentine interconnects are fully bonded to the elastomer substrate, while segments above circular pores remain suspended, allowing for free deformation and a substantial improvement in elastic stretchability compared to the solid substrates. The pores ensure unimpeded interconnect deformations, and moderate porosity provides support while maintaining the initial planar state. Compared to conventional solid configurations, finite element analysis (FEA) demonstrates a substantial enhancement of elastic stretchability (e.g. ≈9 times without encapsulation and ≈ 7 times with encapsulation). Uniaxial cyclic loading fatigue experiments validate the enhanced elastic stretchability, indicating the mechanical stability of the porous design. With its intrinsic advantages in permeability, the proposed strategy has the potential to offer insightful inspiration and novel concepts for advancing the field of stretchable inorganic electronics.

Abstract Background The genus Caragana encompasses multiple plant species that possess medicinal and ecological value. However, some species of Caragana are quite similar in morphology, so identifying species in this genus based on their morphological characteristics is considerably complex. In our research, illumina paired-end sequencing was employed to investigate the genetic organization and structure of Caragana tibetica and Caragana turkestanica, including the previously published chloroplast genome sequence of 7 Caragana plants. Results The lengths of C. tibetica and C. turkestanica chloroplast genomes were 128,433 bp and 129,453 bp, respectively. The absence of inverted repeat sequences in these two species categorizes them under the inverted repeat loss clade (IRLC). They encode 110 and 111 genes (4 /4 rRNA genes, 30 /31tRNA genes, and 76 /76 protein-coding genes), respectively. Comparison of the chloroplast genomes of C. tibetica and C. turkestanica with 7 other Caragana species revealed a high overall sequence similarity. However, some divergence was observed between certain intergenic regions (matK-rbcL, psbD-psbM, atpA-psbI, and etc.). Nucleotide diversity (π) analysis revealed the detection of five highly likely variable regions, namely rps2-atpI, accD-psaI-ycf4, cemA-petA, psbN-psbH and rpoA-rps11. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that C. tibetica’s sister species is Caragana jubata, whereas C. turkestanica’s closest relative is Caragana arborescens. Conclusions The present study provides worthwhile information about the chloroplast genomes of C. tibetica and C. turkestanica, which aids in the identification and classification of Caragana species.

Abstract Background Bipolar disorder (BD) is a severe mental disorder with heavy disease burden. Females with BD are special populations who suffer a lot from childhood trauma, social support, cognitive deficits, and suicidality. In this study, the relationship among childhood trauma, social support, and clinical symptoms of BD was investigated and the risk factors for suicidality were explored in female patients with BD. Methods This study included 57 drug-naive female BD patients, 64 female BD patients with long-term medication, and 50 age-matched female healthy controls. Childhood trauma, social support, clinical symptoms, cognition, and suicidality (suicide ideation, suicide plan, suicide attempt, suicide frequency) were measured with scales. Results Compared with healthy controls, females with BD showed higher levels of childhood trauma and suicidality, and lower levels of social support and cognitive deficits. In the drug-naïve BD group, social support mediated the relationship between childhood trauma and insomnia symptoms (indirect effect: ab = 0.025). In the BD with long-term medication group, mania symptom was associated with suicide plan (OR = 1.127, p = 0.030), childhood trauma was associated with suicide attempt (OR = 1.088, p = 0.018), and years of education (OR = 0.773, p = 0.028), childhood trauma (OR = 1.059, p = 0.009), and delayed memory (OR= 1.091, p= 0.016) was associated with suicide frequency (OR = 1.091, p = 0.016). Conclusions This study provides initial evidence that social support partially explains the relationship between childhood trauma and clinical symptoms in females with BD. Additionally, mania symptoms, childhood trauma, and delayed memory were risk factors for suicidality. Interventions providing social support and improving cognitive function may be beneficial for females with BD who are exposed to childhood trauma and with high suicide risk.

Background: The sleep quality of medical staff was severely affected during COVID-19, but the factors influencing the sleep quality of frontline staff involved in medical assistance remained unclear, and screening tools for their sleep quality were lacking. Methods: From June 25 to July 14, 2022, we conducted an Internet-based cross-sectional survey. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), a self-designed general information questionnaire, and a questionnaire regarding the factors influencing sleep quality were combined to understand the sleep quality of frontline medical staff in Fujian Province supporting Shanghai in the past month. A chi-square test was used to compare participant characteristics, and multivariate unconditional logistic regression analysis was used to determine the predictors of sleep quality. Stratified sampling was used to divide the data into a training test set ( n = 1061, 80%) and an independent validation set ( n = 265, 20%). Six models were developed and validated using logistic regression, artificial neural network, gradient augmented tree, random forest, naive Bayes, and model decision tree. Results: A total of 1326 frontline medical staff were included in this survey, with a mean PSQI score of 11.354 ± 4.051. The prevalence of poor sleep quality was 80.8% ( n = 1072, PSQI >7). Six variables related to sleep quality were used as parameters in the prediction model, including type of work, professional job title, work shift, weight change, tea consumption during assistance, and basic diseases. The artificial neural network (ANN) model produced the best overall performance with area under the curve, accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, precision, F1 score, and kappa of 71.6%, 68.7%, 66.7%, 69.2%, 34.0%, 45.0%, and 26.2% respectively. Conclusions: In this study, the ANN model, which demonstrated excellent predictive efficiency, showed potential for application in monitoring the sleep quality of medical staff and provide some scientific guidance suggestions for early intervention.

Abstract Interfacial electronic structure modulation of nickel‐based electrocatalysts is significant in boosting energy‐conversion‐relevant urea oxidation reaction (UOR). Herein, porous carbon nanofibers confined mixed Ni‐based crystal phases of Ni2P and NiF2 are developed via fluorination and phosphorization of Ni coated carbon nanofiber (Ni2P/NiF2/PCNF), which possess sufficient mesoporous and optimized Gibbs adsorption free energy by mixed phase‐induced charge redistribution. This novel system further reduces the reaction energy barrier and improves the reaction activity by addressing the challenges of low intrinsic activity, difficulty in active site formation, and insufficient synergism. A considerably high current density of 254.29 mA cm−2 is reached at 1.54 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode on a glass carbon electrode, and the cell voltage requires 1.39 V to get 10 mA cm−2 in hydrogen generation, with very good stability, about 190 mV less than that of the traditional water electrolysis. The facile active phase formation and high charge transfer ability induced by asymmetric charge redistribution are found in the interface, where the urea molecules tend to bond with Ni atoms on the surface of heterojunction, and the rate‐determining step is changed from CO2 desorption to the fourth H‐atom deprotonation. The work reveals a novel catalyst system by interfacial charge redistribution induced by high bond polarity for energy‐relevant catalysis reactions.

IntroductionArtificial intelligence is already widely utilized in gastroenterology. This study aims to comprehensively evaluate the research hotspots and development trends within the field of AI in gastroenterology by employing bibliometric techniques to scrutinize geographical distribution, authorship, affiliated institutions, keyword usage, references, and other pertinent data contained within relevant publications.MethodsThis investigation compiled all pertinent publications related to artificial intelligence in the context of gastrointestinal polyps and digestive endoscopy from 2003 to 2023 within the Web of Science Core Collection database. Furthermore, the study harnessed the tools CiteSpace, VOSviewer, GraphPad Prism and Scimago Graphica for visual data analysis. The study retrieved a total of 2,394 documents in the field of AI in digestive endoscopy and 628 documents specifically related to AI in digestive tract polyps.ResultsThe United States and China are the primary contributors to research in both fields. Since 2019, studies on AI for digestive tract polyps have constituted approximately 25% of the total AI digestive endoscopy studies annually. Six of the top 10 most-cited studies in AI digestive endoscopy also rank among the top 10 most-cited studies in AI for gastrointestinal polyps. Additionally, the number of studies on AI-assisted polyp segmentation is growing the fastest, with significant increases in AI-assisted polyp diagnosis and real-time systems beginning after 2020.DiscussionThe application of AI in gastroenterology has garnered increasing attention. As theoretical advancements in AI for gastroenterology have progressed, real-time diagnosis and detection of gastrointestinal diseases have become feasible in recent years, highlighting the promising potential of AI in this field.

Water is a crucial component for plant growth and survival. Accurately estimating and simulating plant water content can help us promptly monitor the physiological status and stress response of vegetation. In this study, we constructed water loss curves for three types of conifers with morphologically different needles, then evaluated the applicability of 12 commonly used water indices, and finally explored leaf water content estimation from hyperspectral data for needles with various morphology. The results showed that the rate of water loss of Olgan larch is approximately 8 times higher than that of Chinese fir pine and 21 times that of Korean pine. The reflectance changes were most significant in the near infrared region (NIR, 780-1300 nm) and the short-wave infrared region (SWIR, 1300–2500 nm). The water sensitive bands for conifer needles were mainly concentrated in the SWIR region. The water indices were suitable for estimating the water content of a single type of conifer needles. The partial least squares regression (PLSR) model is effective for the water content estimation of all three morphologies of conifer needles, demonstrating that the hyperspectral PLSR model is a promising tool for estimating needles water content.

ABSTRACT Background Young lung cancer is a rare subgroup accounting for 5% of lung cancer. The aim of this study was to compare the causes of death (COD) among lung cancer patients of different age groups and construct a nomogram to predict cancer‐specific survival (CSS) in young patients with advanced stage. Methods Lung cancer patients diagnosed between 2004 and 2015 were extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database and stratified into the young (18–45 years) and old (> 45 years) groups to compare their COD. Young patients diagnosed with advanced stage (IVa and IVb) from 2010 to 2015 were reselected and divided into training and validation cohorts (7:3). Independent prognostic factors were identified through the Fine‐Gray's test and further integrated to the competing risk model. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), consistency index (C‐index), and calibration curve were applied for validation. Results The proportion of cancer‐specific death (CSD) in young patients was higher than that in old patients with early‐stage lung cancer (p

Mechanical forces affect periodontal health through multiple mechanisms. Normally, mechanical forces can boost soft and hard tissue metabolism. However, excessive forces may damage the periodontium or result in irreversible inflammation, whereas absence of occlusion forces also leads to tissue atrophy and bone resorption. We systemically searched the PubMed and Web of Science databases and found certain mechanisms of mechanical forces on immune defence, extracellular matrix (ECM) metabolism, specific proteins, bone metabolism, characteristic periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) and non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) as these factors contribute to periodontal homeostasis. The immune defence functions change under forces; genes, signalling pathways and proteinases are altered under forces to regulate ECM metabolism; several specific proteins are separately discussed due to their important functions in mechanotransduction and tissue metabolism. Functions of osteocytes, osteoblasts, and osteoclasts are activated to maintain bone homeostasis. Additionally, ncRNAs have the potential to influence gene expression and thereby, modify tissue metabolism. This review summarizes all these mechanisms of mechanical forces on periodontal homeostasis. Identifying the underlying causes, this review provides a new perspective of the mechanisms of force on periodontal health and guides for some new research directions of periodontal homeostasis.

Writing stands as one of humanity’s most profound inventions, facilitating the efficient sharing and transmission of vast amounts of information. Similar to images and facial expressions, visual (written) words possess the ability to evoke emotional connotations. Understanding how the brain perceives these emotional nuances encoded in highly symbolic visual words is a key focus of the emerging field of “affective neurolinguistics.” At the core of this inquiry lies the examination of the early posterior negativity (EPN), an event-related potentials (ERPs) component peaking around 300 ms after stimulus onset in the occipitotemporal scalp region. EPN has consistently emerged in response to emotional stimuli, encompassing pictures, faces, and visual words. However, prior research has notably lacked observation of EPN in response to Chinese emotional words, raising questions about potential differences in emotional processing between Chinese and other languages. Given the logographic nature of the Chinese writing system and the prevalence of compound words in the Chinese lexicon, this study aims to explore whether the emotional processing of Chinese monomorphic and compound words elicits an EPN response. Two experiments were conducted: Experiment 1 utilized one-character words (monomorphic words), while Experiment 2 employed two-character words (compound words). Participants were assigned a go/no-go task, instructed to respond to unknown words (word recognition task) or blue stimuli (color decision task). Data analysis using a data-driven mass univariate approach revealed significant ERP differences between emotional and neutral words. Notably, the time course, scalp topography, and cortical generators of the difference ERP presented a characteristic EPN response in both experiments. These findings strongly support the notion that the processing of emotional connotations in both Chinese monomorphic and compound words is reflected by the EPN, paving the way for future research using EPN as an emotion-related ERP component for investigating emotional processing of Chinese words.

Summary: Background: Green space is an important part of the human living environment, with many epidemiological studies estimating its impact on human health. However, no study has quantitatively assessed the credibility of the existing evidence, impeding their translations into policy decisions and hindering researchers from identifying new research gaps. This overview aims to evaluate and rank such evidence credibility. Methods: Following the PRISMA guideline, we systematically searched PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase databases for systematic reviews with meta-analyses concerning green spaces and health outcomes published up to January 15, 2024. We categorized the credibility of meta-analytical evidence from interventional studies into four levels (i.e., high, moderate, low, and very low) using the Grading of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluations framework, based on five domains including risk of bias, inconsistency, indirectness, imprecision, and publication bias. Further, we recalculated all the meta-analyses from observational studies and classified evidence into five levels (i.e., convincing, highly suggestive, suggestive, weak, and non-significant) by considering stringent thresholds for P-values, sample size, robustness, heterogeneity, and testing for biases. Findings: In total, 154 meta-analysed associations (interventional = 44, observational = 110) between green spaces and health outcomes were graded. Among meta-analyses from interventional studies, zero, four (wellbeing, systolic blood pressure, negative affect, and positive affect), 20, and 20 associations between green spaces and health outcomes were graded as high, moderate, low, and very low credibility evidence, respectively. Among meta-analyses from observational studies, one (cardiovascular disease mortality), four (prevalence/incidence of diabetes mellitus, preterm birth, and small for gestational age infant, and all-cause mortality), 12, 22, and 71 associations were categorized as convincing, highly suggestive, suggestive, weak, and non-significant evidence, respectively. Interpretation: The current evidence largely confirms beneficial associations between green spaces and human health. However, only a small subset of these associations can be deemed to have a high or convincing credibility. Hence, future better designed primary studies and meta-analyses are still needed to provide higher quality evidence for informing health promotion strategies. Funding: The National Natural Science Foundation of China of China; the Guangzhou Science and Technology Program; the Guangdong Medical Science and Technology Research Fund; the Research Grant Council of the Hong Kong SAR; and Sino-German mobility program.

Regulatory T (Treg) cells play a key role in maintaining immune tolerance and tissue homeostasis. However, in some disease microenvironments, Treg cells exhibit fragility, which manifests as preserved FoxP3 expression accompanied by inflammation and loss of immunosuppression. Fragile Treg cells are formatively, phenotypically and functionally diverse in various diseases, further complicating the role of Treg cells in the immunotherapeutic response and offering novel targets for disease treatment by modulating specific Treg subsets. In this review, we summarize findings on fragile Treg cells to provide a framework for characterizing the formation and role of fragile Treg cells in different diseases, and we discuss how this information may guide the development of more specific Treg-targeted immunotherapies.

The molecular and isotopic compositions of shale gases exhibit substantial differences under different storage conditions. Gas geochemistry is widely used when evaluating gas accumulation and expulsion in petroleum systems. Gas geochemical characteristics can provide important references for determining the enrichment mechanism of shale gas reservoirs and predicting shale gas production capacity in different regions. In tectonically stable regions with similar reservoir formation and evolution histories, shale gas reservoirs are expected to exhibit favorable storage conditions with only relatively small variations in gas geochemical characteristics. In tectonically active regions, shale gas preservation conditions are expected to be more variable. In this study, we systematically analyzed the stable isotope signatures (δ13C and δD) of alkane gases (CH4, C2H6, and C3H8), along with noble gas compositions and isotopic signatures, of normally pressured Wufeng‒Longmaxi marine shale gas samples comprising a continuous pressure coefficient series from a structurally active region at the transition between an orogenic belt and the southeastern (SE) Sichuan Basin, China. The relationships between noble gas contents, isotopic signatures, and shale gas yields were evaluated, and a mechanism for normally pressured shale gas accumulation and expulsion was presented. The δ13C and δD data suggest that the normally pressured shale gas originated from late-mature thermogenic generation, equivalent to shale gas from other production areas in the inner Sichuan Basin. Gas dryness ratios [C1/(C2 + C3)] exhibit negative relationships with δ13C1 and δ13C2. Normally pressured shale gas yields exhibit a negative correlation with δ13C and a positive correlation with [C1/(C2 + C3)], suggesting differences in shale gas accumulation and expulsion across the studied region related to changes in the pressure coefficient. Noble gas isotope data suggest that the normally pressured Longmaxi shale gas received a substantial contribution of crust-derived He. Coupling noble gas and stable C/H isotope data reveals that the abundance of He and Ar, along with the δ13C signatures of alkane gases, is affected by the abundance of shale gas during the accumulation and expulsion process. The noble gas and stable isotope distribution trends presented herein can be used to evaluate Wufeng‒Longmaxi’s normally pressured shale gas accumulation and expulsion in complex structural areas of the southeastern Sichuan Basin. Better preservation conditions accompanying lower tectonic activity will normally result in higher shale gas production and a lower concentration of noble gases. The above findings show that gas geochemical characteristics could be used as effective evaluation indicators for determining shale gas accumulation mechanisms in tectonically active regions.

Freshwater biodiversity has been declining in urban areas, which may threaten ecosystem functions. Although many studies have demonstrated a positive correlation between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning (BEF) in terrestrial and marine ecosystems, little is known about the BEF relationship in freshwater environments, especially in highly urbanized regions where water pollution is a major concern. Eutrophication in urban water bodies may trigger algae blooms, decreasing the evenness or functional divergence (FDiv) of phytoplankton communities, thus negatively affecting ecosystem functioning. Through an annual field investigation, we clarified the relationship between phytoplankton diversity and ecosystem functioning, represented as resource use efficiency (RUE), in an urban river in northern China. Results indicated that evenness in the phytoplankton community contributes most to driving ecosystem functioning compared to environmental factors. The relative abundance of dominant Bacillariophyta was positively correlated with the resource use efficiency of phytoplankton (RUEpp) but negatively correlated with the resource use efficiency of zooplankton (RUEzp). Both phytoplankton evenness and functional divergence were negatively linked to RUEpp but positively to RUEzp. Our findings suggest that the reduction of phytoplankton evenness and functional divergence may seriously threaten resource use efficiency (RUE), and its potential mechanism can provide a crucial reference for water quality protection and sustainable water resource utilization in the basin.

Background: Despite the known reproductive toxicity induced by triptolide (TP) exposure, the regulatory mechanism underlying testicular vacuolization injury caused by TP remains largely obscure. Methods: Male mice were subjected to TP at doses of 15, 30, and 60 μg/kg for 35 consecutive days. Primary Sertoli cells were isolated from 20-day-old rat testes and exposed to TP at concentrations of 0, 40, 80, 160, 320, and 640 nM. A Biotin tracer assay was conducted to assess the integrity of the blood–testis barrier (BTB). Transepithelial electrical resistance (TER) assays were employed to investigate BTB function in primary Sertoli cells. Histological structures of the testes and epididymides were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E). The expression and localization of relevant proteins or pathways were assessed through Western blotting or immunofluorescence staining. Results: TP exposure led to dose-dependent testicular injuries, characterized by a decreased organ coefficient, reduced sperm concentration, and the formation of vacuolization damage. Furthermore, TP exposure disrupted BTB integrity by reducing the expression levels of tight junction (TJ) proteins in the testes without affecting basal ectoplasmic specialization (basal ES) proteins. Through the TER assay, we identified that a TP concentration of 160 nM was optimal for elucidating BTB function in primary Sertoli cells, correlating with reductions in TJ protein expression. Moreover, TP exposure induced changes in the distribution of the BTB and cytoskeleton-associated proteins in primary Sertoli cells. By activating the AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, TP exposure disturbed the balance between mTORC1 and mTORC2, ultimately compromising BTB integrity in Sertoli cells. Conclusion: This investigation sheds light on the impacts of TP exposure on testes, elucidating the mechanism by which TP exposure leads to testicular vacuolization injury and offering valuable insights into comprehending the toxic effects of TP exposure on testes.

In the context of accelerating ecological fragmentation, it is urgent to enhance the interconnectivity of urban ecological patches to form a resilient ecological network (EN). The construction of a Natural Protected Area (NPA) system proposed in 2019 is the latest strategy implemented by China in protecting ecological spaces. However, the effectiveness of this strategy has not been adequately demonstrated. This study specifically analyzes the concrete impacts of the natural protected area system on the resilience of ecological networks (ENs). The economically developed Urban Agglomeration around Hangzhou Bay (UAHB) was chosen as an example for the argumentation. Firstly, we utilized circuit theory to construct an EN consisting of 173 ecological sources and 401 ecological corridors. Secondly, the ecological sources were categorized into three levels based on their connectivity values. Finally, a dynamic disturbance scenario simulation framework was constructed to evaluate the impact of NPA on the resilience of EN. The results indicated that: (1) The preceding 47% of ecological sources are crucial for maintaining the resilience of the EN; (2) Compared with other ecological spaces, NPAs have a 38% and 1100% greater effect on the resilience of the EN in first and second-level ecological sources, respectively, while its impact in third-level is 118% lower. This study innovatively investigates the differential impacts of hierarchical natural protected areas and natural unprotected areas on the ecological environment.

The functional connectivity (FC) graph of the brain has been widely recognized as a ``fingerprint'' that can be used to identify individuals from a group of subjects. Research has indicated that individual identification accuracy can be improved by eliminating the impact of shared information among individuals. However, current research extracts not only shared information of inter-subject but also individual-specific information from FC graphs, resulting in incomplete separation of shared information and fingerprint information among individuals, leading to lower individual identification accuracy across all functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) states session pairs and poor cognitive behavior prediction performance. In this paper, we propose a method to enhance inter-subject variability combining conditional variational autoencoder (CVAE) network and sparse dictionary learning (SDL) module. By embedding fMRI state information in the encoding and decoding processes, the CVAE network can better capture and represent the common features among individuals and enhance inter-subject variability by residual. Our experimental results on Human Connectome Project (HCP) data show that the refined connectomes obtained by using CVAE with SDL can accurately distinguish an individual from the remaining participants. The success accuracies reached 99.7 % and 99.6 % in the session pair rest1-rest2 and reverse rest2-rest1, respectively. In the identification experiment involving task-task combinations carried out on the same day, the identification accuracies ranged from 94.2 % to 98.8 %. Furthermore, we showed the Frontoparietal and Default networks make the most significant contributions to individual identification and the edges that significantly contribute to individual identification are found within and between the Frontoparietal and Default networks. Additionally, high-level cognitive behaviors can also be better predicted with the obtained refined connectomes, suggesting that higher fingerprinting can be useful for resulting in higher behavioral associations. In summary, our proposed framework provides a promising approach to use functional connectivity networks for studying cognition and behavior, promoting a deeper understanding of brain functions.

Abstract Marital status is an independent prognostic factor for survival in many types of cancers, but its prognostic impact on patients with prostate cancer (PCa) has not been established. The aim of this study was to explore the independent prognostic factors of PCa and to investigate the effect of marital status on survival outcomes in patients with different stratified by PCa. Using the surveillance, epidemiology, and end results (SEER) database, we collected data on 584,655 PCa patients diagnosed between 1975 and 2019. Marital status was classified as married, divorced, widowed, and single. We used the Kaplan–Meier analysis and single multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis to determine the effect of marital status on overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS). In addition, we performed subgroup analyses for different ages, Gleason score and PSA values, and performed a 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM) to reduce the impact of confounding factors to obtain more accurate matching results. According to our findings, marital status was an independent prognostic factor for the survival of PCa patients and a better prognosis of married patients. Moreover, we also found that factors such as age, TNM stage, Gleason score, and PSA concentration were also considered as important predictors for the prognosis of PCa. The above findings can facilitate early detection and treatment of high-risk PCa patients, prolong their life and reduce family burden.

Abstract Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) is a powerful technology for molecular characterization of gene functions in plants and has the potential to prevent and control plant diseases. Unfortunately, VIGS in many woody perennials such as citrus are severely hindered because they have a long juvenile period and are recalcitrant to infection compared to herbaceous plants. Here, we report the development of a simple and effective VIGS system based on citrus leaf blotch virus (CLBV), a virus endemic in most citrus-producing countries but showing no symptoms in most citrus varieties. By Agrobacterium-mediated vacuum-infiltration (AVI), pCLBV201-su245 and pCLBV201-pds391 triggered efficient gene silencing (85%) and silencing phenotypes began to appear at 30 days post infiltration/inoculation (dpi), a similar period for achieving that on herbaceous plants. Moreover, the silencing phenotypes could still be observed four years post inoculation. Further, pCLBV201-lob369 was constructed to silence the gene lateral organ boundaries1 (lob1), encoding a key factor for susceptibility to citrus canker that caused by Xanthomonas citri ssp. citri (Xcc). The resistance evaluation results showed that the lesion area, disease index, and bacterial content in the pCLBV201-lob369 treatment group were decreased by 64%, 14%, and 67%, respectively. This work provides a simple and effective VIGS system for citrus which has the potential to be used for diseases control.

Abstract Extensive investigations on the moiré magic angle in twisted bilayer graphene have unlocked the emerging field—twistronics. Recently, its optics analogue, namely opto-twistronics, further expands the potential universal applicability of twistronics. However, since heat diffusion neither possesses the dispersion like photons nor carries the band structure as electrons, the real magic angle in electrons or photons is ill-defined for heat diffusion, making it elusive to understand or design any thermal analogue of magic angle. Here, we introduce and experimentally validate the twisted thermotics in a twisted diffusion system by judiciously tailoring thermal coupling, in which twisting an analog thermal magic angle would result in the function switching from cloaking to concentration. Our work provides insights for the tunable heat diffusion control, and opens up an unexpected branch for twistronics -- twisted thermotics, paving the way towards field manipulation in twisted configurations including but not limited to fluids.

Abstract Pancreatic cancer is a commonly occurring malignant tumor, with pancreatic ductal carcinoma (PDAC) accounting for approximately 95% of cases. According of its poor prognosis, identifying prognostic factors of pancreatic ductal carcinoma can provide physicians with a reliable theoretical foundation when predicting patient survival. This study aimed to analyze the impact of marital status on survival outcomes of PDAC patients using propensity score matching and machine learning. The goal was to develop a prognosis prediction model specific to married patients with PDAC. We extracted a total of 206,968 patient records of pancreatic cancer from the SEER database. To ensure the baseline characteristics of married and unmarried individuals were balanced, we used a 1:1 propensity matching score. We then conducted Kaplan–Meier analysis and Cox proportional-hazards regression to examine the impact of marital status on PDAC survival before and after matching. Additionally, we developed machine learning models to predict 5-year CSS and OS for married patients with PDAC specifically. In total, 24,044 PDAC patients were included in this study. After 1:1 propensity matching, 8043 married patients and 8,043 unmarried patients were successfully enrolled. Multivariate analysis and the Kaplan–Meier curves demonstrated that unmarried individuals had a poorer survival rate than their married counterparts. Among the algorithms tested, the random forest performed the best, with 0.734 5-year CSS and 0.795 5-year OS AUC. This study found a significant association between marital status and survival in PDAC patients. Married patients had the best prognosis, while widowed patients had the worst. The random forest is a reliable model for predicting survival in married patients with PDAC.

This is an article in the field of mineral processing engineering. Barium slag is toxic solid waste, and a large amount of barium slag is piled up to seriously harm the environment and cause huge waste of national land resources. Acid-dissolving barium in acid leaching barium residue is one of the best ways to dispose of barium residue and recover barium. The paper adopts the flotation process to recover the barium sulfate in the acid leaching tailings of the enriched barium slag, in order to realize the comprehensive recovery of barium resources in the barium slag. The experimental research of the flotation recovery of barium residue acid leaching residue shows that. Under the condition that the amount of sodium carbonate is 2000 g/t, the amount of sodium silicate is 500 g/t and the amount of sodium oleate is 3000 g/t, through the flotation closed-circuit process of one roughing, four beneficiation, and two sweeping. Obtained the flotation index of 85.38% barite concentrate grade and 69.35% recovery rate. Concentrate products meet the barite standards used in the industrial production of barium carbonate.

Abstract Civic scientific literacy (CSL) is a fundamental indicator of social development and national literacy and is very important for personal well-being and national competitiveness. To be in line with the technological advancements and demands of the current era, we focused on “science engagement”, which is now considered an important approach to enhance the CSL of the general public, and developed a 4-dimensional CSL assessment framework based on the crucial elements for citizens to engage in science. The 4 dimensions are scientific knowledge (SK), scientific method (SM), problem-solving (PS), and scientific thought and spirit of science (STSS). With this framework, a CSL measurement instrument including 50 items was developed. Various validity evidence, including evidence with reliability close to or exceeding 0.8 for all four dimensions, supports the use of the instrument to provide a valuation of CSL. Age, location type (urban or rural), educational background, and occupation are all significant factors associated with CSL.

Abstract Stroke increasingly affects individuals of working age. An accurate assessment of Readiness for Return-to-Work (RRTW) can help determine the optimal timing for RRTW and facilitate an early reintegration into society. This study investigates the current state of RRTW and the influencing factors among young and middle-aged stroke patients in China. A sample of young and middle-aged stroke patients hospitalized in a tertiary hospital in Henan Province between December 2021 and May 2022 were included in this study. A general information questionnaire and the Readiness for RRTW scale, the Social Support Rate Scale, the Stroke Self-Efficacy Scale, and the Fatigue Severity Scale were administered to the patients. Of the 203 patients successfully surveyed, 60 (29.6%) were in the pre-contemplation stage, 35 (17.2%) in the contemplation stage, 81 (39.9%) in the prepared for action-self-evaluative stage, and 27 (13.3%) in the prepared for action- behavior stage. Logistic regression analysis identified education level, monthly income, time to start rehabilitation therapy, social support, stroke self-efficacy, and fatigue severity as key factors affecting RRTW scale readiness in young and middle-aged stroke patients. The readiness of young and middle-aged stroke patients to Return-to-Work needs to be increased further. Healthcare professionals should consider the influencing factors of RRTW and design targeted intervention programs to facilitate a successful Return-to-Work and normal life.