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Ionic liquids (ILs) have attracted increasing attention since last few decades due to their high molecular design abilities and wide applications in different fields. In this study, four novel fluorescent isoquinolino [2,1-a]quinoxalin-5-ium ILs were designed and synthesized via a two-step process including a simple dual Schiff's base formation and a subsequent [RhCp∗Cl2]2-catalyzed oxidative C–H activation/annulation reaction. The as-synthesized ILs were extensively characterized using FT-IR, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, 19F-NMR, HSQC-NMR, HMBC-NMR and HR-MS. Their photophysical properties were determined by steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy. The results demonstrate that all these ILs showed dual or triple emissions, large stokes shift (90 nm) and mechanochromic behaviors. Basing on solvatochromism and titration experiments, it is thought that the emission bands of the ILs are raised from their local excited states, charge transfer states or excited state proton transfer of cations, while the substitute effect of these quinoxaline derived ILs on their stokes shifts is negligible.

Abstract Coal spontaneous combustion (CSC) is a disaster associated with coal mining that leads to loss of coal resources and environmental and human health issues. To investigate kinetic characteristics for oxidation of coal, three coal samples were collected from different coal mining areas in the Southern Junggar coalfield. Subsequently, the collected coal samples were ground into different particle sizes and tested using microscopic and macroscopic methods, including thermal gravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and temperature-programmed oxidation. The results obtained are as follows: the sharpest absorption peak (002) indicates that graphitization is high. Furthermore, the results show that the SKS coal sample is prone to spontaneous combustion; the greater the aromatic hydrocarbon content is, the more difficult it is for CSC to occur, while the opposite is true for oxygen-containing functional groups. The SKS data confirmed this conclusion; the rate for generation of CO and CO2 controlled the possibility of SKS oxidation at 110 °C and provided an indication of the temperature. During the dehydration stage, the WD sample had the lowest activation energy, indicating that it was most susceptible to spontaneous combustion. During the combustion stage, the lowest activation energy was found for the SKS sample with particle sizes

To obtain the effect of fracture failure mechanics characteristics and behavior of brittle rock masses on the compound factors of fissure openings and inclination, uniaxial loading tests were performed on single-fissured rock-mass specimens with different openings using a rock mechanics test machine. The test results show that with the increase in fissure openings, the fissured rock-mass peak strength variation behavior with the increase in fissure inclination angle changes from first decreasing and then increasing to gradually increasing, and the angle at the minimum value of peak strength shifts from 45° to 0°. At the same fissure angle, the peak strength of the fissured rock mass decreases with the increase in the fissure opening size. The greater the opening size of the prefabricated fissure, the smaller the peak strength of the fissured rock mass and the greater the influence of changes in the fissure inclination angle. The elastic modulus of the fissured rock-mass specimen shows a positive correlation with the fissure inclination angle and a negative correlation with the fissure opening size. Combined with the neighborhood stress field analysis of the open fissure tip, the criterion of composite fracture under tension failure is established, and the linear relationship between the stress intensity factors KI and KII is verified. The criterion of composite fracture of open fissures under shear failure is also identified, which is based on the linear relationship between the stress intensity factors.

BackgroundIntermittent energy restriction (IER) is an effective weight loss strategy. However, the accompanying changes in spontaneous neural activity are unclear, and the relationship among anthropometric measurements, biochemical indicators, and adipokines remains ambiguous.MethodsThirty-five obese adults were recruited and received a 2-month IER intervention. Data were collected from anthropometric measurements, blood samples, and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging at four time points. The regional homogeneity (ReHo) method was used to explore the effects of the IER intervention. The relationships between the ReHo values of altered brain regions and changes in anthropometric measurements, biochemical indicators, and adipokines (leptin and adiponectin) were analyzed.ResultsResults showed that IER significantly improved anthropometric measurements, biochemical indicators, and adipokine levels in the successful weight loss group. The IER intervention for weight loss was associated with a significant increase in ReHo in the bilateral lingual gyrus, left calcarine, and left postcentral gyrus and a significant decrease in the right middle temporal gyrus and right cerebellum (VIII). Follow-up analyses showed that the increase in ReHo values in the right LG had a significant positive correlation with a reduction in Three-factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ)-disinhibition and a significant negative correlation with an increase in TFEQ-cognitive control. Furthermore, the increase in ReHo values in the left calcarine had a significant positive correlation with the reduction in TFEQ-disinhibition. However, no significant difference in ReHo was observed in the failed weight loss group.ConclusionOur study provides objective evidence that the IER intervention reshaped the ReHo of some brain regions in obese individuals, accompanied with improved anthropometric measurements, biochemical indicators, and adipokines. These results illustrated that the IER intervention for weight loss may act by decreasing the motivational drive to eat, reducing reward responses to food cues, and repairing damaged food-related self-control processes. These findings enhance our understanding of the neurobiological basis of IER for weight loss in obesity.

The characteristics of oxidized spontaneous combustion of coal can reflect the performance of coal, and an appropriate structural model can reflect it more intuitively. In this study, samples from Baishihu Coal Mine were used to study the macromolecular structure, microcrystal structure, and oxidation process of coal by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), carbon nuclear magnetic resonance (13C-NMR), and Fourier infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The molecular formula C198H164O40N2 and the molecular structure model were obtained. ChemDraw and Materials Studio were used for the experimental data, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) was used to verify the aromatic ring structure built to make the constructed structural model more accurate. In the water evaporation stage, the high ring aromatic layer is converted into the low ring number. Furthermore, in the high-temperature stage, the low ring aromatic layer is transformed due to the coking and condensation reaction of the coal sample. The C element in the coal sample mainly participates in the reaction in C–C and C–H forms. The spacing and effective number of aromatic layers are relatively stable. The aggregation state of coal is a macromolecular group formed between molecules with different aromatic structures and fat structures, which is formed by the interaction of internal defects and pores of molecular groups. With the increase in the treatment temperature, water loss is heavier, oxygen absorption and weight gain are perplexing, and the value of the burnout temperature is higher. The apparent activation energy of the coal–oxygen reaction increases, and the reaction is more intricate to achieve. This study furthers the understanding of coal spontaneous combustion in this mining area, provides a reference for the prevention and control of coal spontaneous combustion.

Introduction: Chirality is a crucial mechanical cue within the extracellular matrix during tissue repair and regeneration. Despite its key roles in cell behavior and regeneration efficacy, our understanding of chirality-biased protein profile in vivo remains unclear.Methods: In this study, we characterized the proteomic profile of proteins extracted from bone defect areas implanted with left-handed and right-handed scaffold matrices during the early healing stage. We identified differentially-expressed proteins between the two groups and detected heterogenic characteristic signatures on day 3 and day 7 time points.Results: Proteomic analysis showed that left-handed chirality could upregulate cell adhesion-related and GTPase-related proteins on day 3 and day 7. Besides, interaction analysis and in vitro verification results indicated that the left-handed chiral scaffold material activated Rho GTPase and Akt1, ultimately leading to M2 polarization of macrophages.Discussion: In summary, our study thus improved understanding of the regenerative processes facilitated by chiral materials by characterizing the protein atlas in the context of bone defect repair and exploring the underlying molecular mechanisms of chirality-mediated polarization differences in macrophages.

Iodoacetic acid (IAA) is an emerging and the most genotoxic iodinated disinfection byproduct to date. IAA can disrupt the thyroid endocrine function in vivo and in vitro, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this work, transcriptome sequencing was used to investigate the effect of IAA on the cellular pathways of human thyroid follicular epithelial cell line Nthy-ori 3–1 and determine the mechanism of IAA on the synthesis and secretion of thyroid hormone (TH) in Nthy-ori 3–1 cells. Results of transcriptome sequencing indicated that IAA affected the TH synthesis pathway in Nthy-ori 3–1 cells. IAA reduced the mRNA expression of thyroid stimulating hormone receptor, sodium iodide symporter, thyroid peroxidase, thyroglobulin, paired box 8 and thyroid transcription factor-2, inhibited the cAMP/PKA pathway and Na+-K+-ATPase, and decreased the iodine intake. The results were confirmed by our previous findings in vivo. Additionally, IAA downregulated glutathione and the mRNA expression of glutathione peroxidase 1, leading to increased reactive oxygen species production. This study is the first to elucidate the mechanisms of IAA on TH synthesis in vitro. The mechanisms are associated with down-regulating the expression of genes related to TH synthesis, inhibiting iodine uptake, and inducing oxidative stress. These findings may improve future health risk assessment of IAA on thyroid in human.

In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a highly effective treatment for infertility; however, it poses challenges for women with decreased ovarian reserve (DOR). Despite the importance of understanding the impact of DOR on IVF outcomes, limited research has explored this relationship, particularly using omics approaches. Hence, we conducted a study to investigate the association between DOR and IVF outcomes, employing a metabolomic approach. We analyzed serum samples from 207 women undergoing IVF treatment, including 89 with DOR and 118 with normal ovarian reserve (NOR). Our findings revealed that DOR was significantly associated with unfavorable IVF outcomes, characterized by a reduced oocyte count, lower embryo quality, and decreased rates of pregnancy and live births. Furthermore, we identified 82 metabolites that displayed significant alterations in DOR patients, impacting diverse metabolic pathways. Notably, a distinct panel of metabolites, including palmitic acid, stearic acid, LysoPC(9:0(CHO)/0:0), PC(18:0/9:0(CHO)), and PC(16:0/9:0(CHO)), exhibited discriminatory power between the DOR and NOR groups, showcasing a strong correlation with IVF outcomes. These findings emphasize the crucial role of metabolomic disruptions in influencing IVF outcomes among women with DOR.

Abstract Background With the acceleration of industrialization and population aging, low back pain (LBP) has become the leading cause of life loss years caused by disability. Thus, it places a huge economic burden on society and is a global public health problem that needs urgent solution. This study aimed to conduct an epidemiological investigation and research on a large sample of workers in key industries in different regions of China, determine the incidence and distribution characteristics of LBP, explore the epidemic law, and provide a reference basis for alleviating global public health problems caused by LBP. Methods We adopted a modified epidemiological cross-sectional survey method and a stratified cluster sampling method. All on-duty workers who fulfill the inclusion criteria are taken as the research participants from the representative enterprises in key industries across seven regions: north, east, central, south, southwest, northwest, and northeast China. The Chinese version of the musculoskeletal disease questionnaire, modified by a standardized Nordic questionnaire, was used to collect information, and 57,501 valid questionnaires were received. Descriptive statistics were used, and multivariate logistic regression analysis (p

Abstract Temperature variation and gas generation at different depths and positions in the coal combustion process were studied to determine the propagation and evolution of high temperature regions in the process of coal spontaneous combustion. This study selected coal samples from Mengcun, Shaanxi Province, People’s Republic of China, and developed a semi-enclosed experimental system (furnace) for simulating coal combustion. The thermal mass loss of coal samples under various heating rates (5, 10, and 15 °C/min) was analyzed through thermogravimetric analysis, and the dynamic characteristics of the coal samples were analyzed; the reliability of the semi-enclosed experimental system was verified through the equal proportional method of fuzzy response. The results reveal that the high-temperature zone is distributed nonlinearly from the middle to the front end of the furnace, and the temperatures of points in this zone decreased gradually as the layer depth increased. The apparent activation energy of the coal samples during combustion first increased and then decreased as the conversion degree increased. Furthermore, the proportion of mass loss and the mass loss rate in the coal samples observed in the thermogravimetric experiment is consistent with that observed in the first and second stages of the experiment conducted using the semi-enclosed system. The research findings can provide a theoretical basis for the prevention and control of high-temperature zones in coal combustion.

BackgroundAdverse health effects associated with particulate matter have been demonstrated, but findings on seasonal variation in the health impacts are inconsistent. ObjectiveTo explore potential seasonal variation in particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) associated daily non-accidental mortality and corresponding years of life loss (YLL) in Tianjin. MethodsThe daily data of non-accidental deaths, air pollution, and meteorological factors in Tianjin from 2014 to 2019 were collected. A generalized additive model, with adjusting selected confounding factors such as temperature, relative humidity, long-term trends, day of the week, and holiday, was used to quantitatively evaluate the relationships of PM2.5 and PM10 with daily non-accidental deaths and YLL. ResultsThe effects of PM2.5 and PM10 on daily non-accidental mortality and corresponding YLL were statistically significant in full year, spring, summer, and autumn (except for the effect of PM10 on non-accidental YLL in spring), but not statistically significant in winter. The non-accidental mortality and it's 95%CI increased by 0.28% (0.11%-0.44%) and 0.24% (0.11%-0.36%) in full year, 0.44% (0.11%-0.77%) and 0.17% (0.00%-0.33%) in spring, 1.32% (0.50%-2.16%) and 2.15% (1.54%-2.76%) in summer, and 0.68% (0.30%-1.06%) and 0.57% (0.28%-0.87%) in autumn for every 10 µg·m−3 increase in PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations, respectively; the corresponding YLL and it's 95%CI increased by 7.41 (2.42-13.07) and 5.75 (1.94-9.57), 13.11 (3.00-23.22) and 2.88 (−2.82-8.59), 34.66 (11.92-57.40) and 48.12 (31.48-64.75), and 16.13 (4.57-27.70) and 12.60 (3.56-21.65) person-years, respectively. When adopting the limits in the Global Air Quality Guidelines (2021) as the reference, excess deaths and YLL caused by PM2.5 and PM10 exposure were the greatest in summer. The excess deaths and it's 95%CI were 5.38 (5.08-5.69) and 8.62 (7.95-9.28), and the excess YLL and it's 95%CI were 112.23 (105.79-118.67) and 156.94 (44.99-168.89) person-years, respectively. ConclusionThe effects of particulate matter on non-accidental mortality and corresponding YLL may vary seasonally in Tianjin with the greatest effects in summer, suggesting that the health protection related to particulate matter should be strengthened in summer.

Disinfection byproducts (DBPs) are a new class of contaminants that are formed during the process of drinking water disinfection in waterworks. To date, more than 700 DBPs have been identified in drinking water, many of which have been found to be potentially cytotoxic, genotoxic, carcinogenic, or teratogenic. As a class of ubiquitous contaminants with highly potential health hazards in drinking water, the reproductive and developmental toxicity of DBPs has been a public concern. This paper reviewed the research progress on the effects of exposure to DBPs on fetal growth and development and also proposed perspectives for future directions. This work aimed to provide reference for health risk assessment and standard establishment of DBPs in drinking water.

Background: Traditional Chinese medicines exhibit promising preventive effects on Alzheimer’s disease. Chaihu Shugan San (CSS) is a well-known traditional herbal formula whose several kinds of ingredients have the potential of ameliorating Alzheimer’s disease. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of CSS on the microbiota–gut–brain axis and cognitive deficits of senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8 (SAMP8) mice as well as investigate the underlying mechanisms.Methods: Thirty 5-month-old SAMP8 mice were randomly divided into the model group (SAMP8), CSS low-dose treatment group (CSSL), and CSS high-dose treatment group (CSSH). Ten SAMR1 mice were used as the normal control, and ten SAMP8 mice treated with donepezil were used as the positive control of cognitive function. CSS was orally administrated to SAMP8 mice for 8 weeks. The Morris water maze test was used to evaluate cognitive function. Histological staining was used to observe neuronal injury and Aβ deposition. Transmission electron microscopy was used to observe the synaptic ultrastructure. 16S rRNA gene analysis was performed to measure the changes in intestinal microbiota.Results: The results showed that CSS significantly improved the learning function and memory deficits of aged SAMP8 mice in the Morris water maze examination. CSS ameliorated neuronal injury, synaptic injuries, and Aβ deposition in the brain of SAMP8 mice. In addition, CSS also significantly improved microbiota composition in terms of elevating Lactobacillus reuteri and decreasing Staphylococcus xylosus in the feces of aged SAMP8 mice.Conclusion: These findings suggested that CSS might have a preventive potential for cognitive deficits in aging through regulating gut microbiota, which paved the way for the application of CSS for prevention and therapeutic purposes for mild cognitive impairment as well as Alzheimer’s disease.

Background: Exposure to ambient fine and respirable particulate matter is associated with poor sperm quality, but evidence for particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter ≤ 1 μm (PM1) is scarce. We aimed to estimate the association between PM1 exposure and sperm concentration, sperm count, sperm total motility, and sperm progressive motility in Chinese men. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 33,221 men attending an infertility clinic in Hubei, China, between 2014 and 2020. Daily concentrations of PM1 data were estimated from a validated spatiotemporal artificial intelligence model. We used multivariate linear regression to estimate the association between PM1 exposure and sperm parameters during the spermatogenesis period after adjusting for age, body mass index (BMI), education, ever having fathered a child, and season of semen collection. In addition, we performed stratified analysis to assess whether the association was varied by age, BMI, and educational attainment. Results: A total of 27,854 participants were included in the final analysis. An interquartile range (17.2 μg/m3) increase in PM1 during the entire period of semen development was associated with declined semen concentration [-4.39% (95% CI: −7.67%, −1.12%)] and sperm count [–23.56% (95% CI: −28.95%, −18.18%)], reduced total motility [-0.86% (95% CI: −1.66%, −0.06%)] and progressive motility [-2.22% (95% CI: −3.00%, −1.43%)]. The associations were homogeneous across subgroups defined by age and education, but were more pronounced among men with underweight for sperm concentration and sperm count. We identified a critical exposure window of 0–9 lag days, 10–14 lag days, and 70–90 lag days before semen collection for sperm count and progressive motility. Conclusions: Among men attending an infertility clinic in China, exposure to PM1 was associated with poor semen quality, especially during the 70–90 days before ejaculation. These results suggest that exposure to PM1 might be a novel risk factor for impaired semen quality.

Summary: Apatinib has been shown to clinically enhance anti-PD-1 immunotherapy for advanced gastric cancer (GC). However, the complexity of GC immunosuppression remains a challenge for precision immunotherapy. Here, we profile the transcriptomes of 34,182 single cells from GC patient-derived xenografts of humanized mouse models treated with vehicle, nivolumab, or nivolumab plus apatinib. Notably, excessive expression of CXCL5 in the CellCycle malignant epithelium, induced by anti-PD-1 immunotherapy and blocked by combined apatinib treatment, is found to be a key driver of tumor-associated neutrophil (TAN) recruitment in the tumor microenvironment through the CXCL5/CXCR2 axis. We further show that the protumor TAN signature is associated with anti-PD-1 immunotherapy-related progressive disease and poor cancer prognosis. Molecular and functional analyses in cell-derived xenograft models confirm the positive in vivo therapeutic effect of targeting the CXCL5/CXCR2 axis during anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. Altogether, our study elucidates the GC immunosuppressive landscape in anti-PD-1 immunotherapy and highlights potential targets for overcoming checkpoint immunotherapy resistance.

Tectonically induced liquefaction and the resulting soft-sediment deformation structure (SSDS) can provide useful information on paleo-earthquakes, which is vital for the assessment of geohazard susceptibility in tectonically active regions. In this study, we combined sedimentary and chronological methods to the reveal detailed characteristics of the mottled clay in the Huizhou Quaternary Basin. The dating results suggest that mottled clay usually developed during the late Pleistocene, overlying the fluvial deposit or embedding homogeneous aeolian yellow silt. Mottled clay has a typical bimodal frequency distribution with modal sizes at 5 and 80–90 μm, which are identical to those of the yellow silt and the underlying fluvial sand, respectively. Micro-X-ray fluorescence mapping revealed high concentrations of Fe and Si in the red and white fraction, respectively. In addition, the red fraction of mottled clay has a high hematite content, similar to loess-like yellow silt, whereas the white fraction and the underlying fluvial sediments are dominated by goethite. This sedimentary evidence together suggests that the mottled clay could be an admixture of aeolian yellow silt and the underlying fluvial sand. Furthermore, diverse deformed structures (e.g., fragmented structures, sand veins, sand dykes and flame structures) were observed in mottled clay. Therefore, we suggest that the mottled clay structure in the Huizhou Basin is a product of liquefaction-induced SSDS. Tectonic activity was considered to have triggered the liquefaction and SSDS, which is supported by the close spatial relationship between the mottled clay and regional faults. We propose that the SSDS of mottled clay could be a potential indicator of paleo-earthquakes in the coastal Quaternary basins of the northern South China Sea.

BackgroundWhether serum apolipoprotein B (ApoB) is a risk factor for the development of Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has not been fully established in the general population. Therefore, our study evaluated the correlation between serum ApoB level and CKD to look for an alternative approach for CKD prevention and treatment in the general population.MethodsThere were 146,533 participants in this cross-sectional study. 3,325 participants with more than 2 measurements were enrolled in the retrospective longitudinal study with at least a 3-year follow-up. ApoB was measured by the immunoturbidimetric method in 6 centers. Our study defined CKD as an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 90 mL/min/1.73 m2. The Spearman rank correlation analysis and the Random Forest algorithm were applied to rank the importance of variables determining the levels of eGFR. We used the logistic regression model to explain the correlation between serum ApoB and CKD. We used the Cox model to detect the correlation between baseline serum ApoB and the subsequent occurrence of CKD.ResultsBased on a cross-sectional study, 66.5% of the participants were males, with a median age of 49 (interquartile range [IQR] 43-55). Compared to the non-CKD group, the CKD group has higher levels of lipid profile and fasting glucose as well as the proportion of hypertension and hyperuricemia. The Spearman rank correlation analysis and the Random Forest algorithm revealed that ApoB has the highest correlation with eGFR decline among lipid profiles. The logistic regression analysis revealed that ApoB had a positive correlation with the prevalence of CKD after fully controlling confounders (odds ratio [OR], 1.07; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02-1.11). Moreover, baseline ApoB level was correlated with a new-onset CKD in the longitudinal cohort after full adjustment for confounding factors (hazard ratio [HR], 1.61; 95% CI: 1.02-2.54). The correlation between ApoB level and the new-onset CKD was consistently observed in all sensitivity analyses.ConclusionSerum ApoB had the strongest correlation with CKD among all lipid variables. Moreover, high serum ApoB levels might precede the occurrence of CKD, suggesting that monitoring and reducing serum ApoB levels may provide an alternative method to prevent and treat CKD.

BackgroundEfficient early detection methods for lung cancer can significantly decrease patient mortality. One promising approach is the use of tumor-associated autoantibodies (TAABs) as a diagnostic tool. In this study, the researchers aimed to evaluate the potential of seven TAABs in detecting lung cancer within a population undergoing routine health examinations. The results of this study could provide valuable insights into the utility of TAABs for lung cancer screening and diagnosis.MethodsIn this study, the serum concentrations of specific antibodies were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in a cohort of 15,430 subjects. The efficacy of both a 7-TAAB panel and LDCT for lung cancer detection were evaluated through receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses, with sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) being assessed and compared. These results could have significant implications for the development of improved screening methods for lung cancer.ResultsOver the 12-month observation period, 26 individuals were diagnosed with lung cancer. The 7-TAAB panel demonstrated promising sensitivity (61.5%) and a high degree of specificity (88.5%). The panel’s area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was 0.8062, which was superior to that of any individual TAAB. In stage I patients, the sensitivity of the panel was 50%. In our cohort, there was no gender or age bias observed. This 7-TAAB panel showed a sensitivity of approximately 60% in detecting lung cancer, regardless of histological subtype or lesion size. Notably, ground-glass nodules had a higher diagnostic rate than solid nodules (83.3% vs. 36.4%, P = 0.021). The ROC analyses further revealed that the combination of LDCT with the 7-TAAB assay exhibited a significantly superior diagnostic efficacy than LDCT alone.ConclusionIn the context of the study, it was demonstrated that the 7-TAAB panel showed improved detective efficacy of LDCT, thus serving as an effective aid for the detection of lung cancer in real-world scenarios.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most prevalent liver disorder. With the improvement in human living standards, the prevalence of NAFLD has been increasing in recent years. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are a class of exogenous chemicals that simulate the effects of hormones in the body. There has been growing evidence regarding the potential effects of EDCs on liver health, especially in NAFLD. This paper aims to summarize the major EDCs that contribute to the growing burden of NAFLD and to raise public awareness regarding the hazards posed by EDCs with the objective of reducing the incidence of NAFLD.

BackgroundThe prognosis of patients with peripheral T-cell (PTCL) or lymphoblastic T-cell lymphoma (T-LBL) remains poor under current conditioning regimens before receiving autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT).MethodsPatients with PTCL or T-LBL were enrolled to receive ASCT using the conditioning regimen of chidamide, cladribine, gemcitabine, and busulfan (ChiCGB). Positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET/CT) was used to evaluate the response to ASCT. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were employed to assess the patient outcome, and adverse events were used to assess the regimen’s safety. The survival curve was estimated via the Kaplan-Meier method.ResultsTwenty-five PTCL and 11 T-LBL patients were recruited. The median time to neutrophile and platelet engraftments was 10 days (8–13 days) and 13 days (9–31 days), respectively. The 3-year PFS and OS were 81.3 ± 7.2% and 88.5 ± 5.4% for all patients; 92.0 ± 5.4% and 81.2 ± 8.8% for PTCL patients; and both 81.8 ± 11.6% for T-LBL patients, respectively. The 3-year PFS and OS were both 92.9 ± 4.9% for patients with complete response (CR) but 50.0 ± 17.7% and 75.0 ± 15.3% for patients with non-CR, respectively. Infection was the most common non-hematological toxicity, and all toxicities were mild and controllable.ConclusionsChiCGB was a potentially effective and well-tolerated conditioning regimen to improve the prognosis of patients with aggressive T-cell lymphoma. Future randomized controlled trials are needed to assess ChiCGB as a conditioning regimen for ASCT.

This paper focuses on improving the flexural behavior of steel fiber-reinforced beams with continuously graded structure. Successive vibrating after casting is assumed to be a feasible way to produce graded fiber-reinforced beams (GFRBs), resulting in fibers purposefully distributed in the tensile region. The fiber orientation and distribution are quantified through X-ray computed tomography (XCT). The porosity and pore size distribution are evaluated on the basis of XCT images and mercury intrusion porosimetry. Influences of fiber re-arrangement and microstructure on the compressive strength, the first-cracking strength, the ultimate flexural strength and the flexural toughness index are then investigated. The results show that: (1) the fibers deflect towards the longest side of the beam, and distribute more concentrated at the beam bottom, i.e. more fibers are available to withstand tension, due to the successive vibrating treatment; (2) the high vibration time does not induce a negative influence on the mortar matrix, but rather refines its microstructure with lower porosity and smaller pore size; (3) the flexural behavior is enhanced for fiber re-arrangement and microstructure improvement, revealing that the designed GFRB is capable of sustaining higher flexural strength and energy absorption capacity than the typically vibrated beam with the same fiber content.

Abstract Background The aim of our study was to use the differentially expressed mRNAs (DEmRNAs) and differentially expressed miRNAs (DEmiRNAs) to illustrate the underlying mechanism of hypoxia in liver cancer. Methods In this study, a cell model of hypoxia was established, and autophagy activity was measured with western blotting and transmission electron microscopy. The effect of hypoxia conditions on the invasion of liver cancer cell was evaluated. RNA sequencing was used to identify DEmRNAs and DEmiRNAs to explore the mechanism of hypoxia in liver cancer cells. Results We found that autophagy activation was triggered by hypoxia stress and hypoxia might promote liver cancer cell invasion. In addition, a total of 407 shared DEmRNAs and 57 shared DEmiRNAs were identified in both HCCLM3 hypoxia group and SMMC-7721 hypoxia group compared with control group. Furthermore, 278 DEmRNAs and 24 DEmiRNAs were identified as cancer hypoxia-specific DEmRNAs and DEmiRNAs. Finally, we obtained 19 DEmiRNAs with high degree based on the DEmiRNA-DEmRNA interaction network. Among them, hsa-miR-483-5p, hsa-miR-4739, hsa-miR-214-3p and hsa-miR-296-5p may be potential gene signatures related to liver cancer hypoxia. Conclusions Our study may help to understand the potential molecular mechanism of hypoxia in liver cancer.

Abstract Understanding the change in coal structure during heat treatment is the basis of efficient and clean utilization of coal. In this study, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) was used to analyse the changes in the aggregate structure and ultramicropores of Zhungdong coal samples (Xinjiang, China) that were heated from ambient temperature to 800 °C respectively. Then, the relationship between their HRTEM characteristics and the corresponding reaction activation energy were also analyzed. The results show that the length, curvature, order, layer spacing and stacking height of the aromatic layers of the coal sample vary with an increasing temperature, and are related to the activation energy of the reaction. As the temperature reaches 300 °C, the HRTEM characteristics of the heated coal samples are obviously different from those of the raw coal sample. It is shown that the length of lattice fringes is in the range of 0.3–1.15 nm which accounts for approximately 95% of the total number of fringes. The overall orientation of lattice fringes is not good, but there are two main directions. After heating, the number of naphthalenes in the coal samples decreased, while the number of larger aromatic layers increased. The distance between the aromatic layers of the coal sample decreased with an increasing stacking height, the order of the aromatic layers was enhanced, and the number of aromatic sheets with a larger curvature increased. The coal ultramicropores are mainly concentrated from 0.4 to 0.7 nm. Heat treatment reduces the total number of ultramicropores, but the maximum number of pores is increased. The non-six-membered ring and lattice defects lead to the bending of the fringes, the distribution of fatty structures affects the orientation of the fringes, and the relationship between the pore and molecular structure does not exist independently. After heat treatment, the aggregate structure and ultramicropore size of coal have a high correlation with the activation energy. The activation energy is closely related to the 0.6 nmultramicropores. However, the current experiment could not explain the underlying causes of these relationships. The aggregated state in coal is the macromolecular group formed between different aromatic structures, fat structures and other molecules, which is formed by the interaction of internal defects and pores in the molecular group. The structural differences at different temperatures therefore reflect the interaction of different macromolecules in coal.

Abstract Background Soybean-corn intercropping is widely practised by farmers in Southwest China. Although rhizosphere microorganisms are important in nutrient cycling processes, the differences in rhizosphere microbial communities between intercropped soybean and corn and their monoculture are poorly known. Additionally, the effects of cadmium (Cd) pollution on these differences have not been examined. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted in Cd-polluted soil to determine the effects of monocultures and soybean–corn intercropping systems on Cd concentrations in plants, on rhizosphere bacterial communities, soil nutrients and Cd availability. Plants and soils were examined five times in the growing season, and Illumina sequencing of 16S rRNA genes was used to analyze the rhizosphere bacterial communities. Results Intercropping did not alter Cd concentrations in corn and soybean, but changed soil available Cd (ACd) concentrations and caused different effects in the rhizosphere soils of the two crop species. However, there was little difference in bacterial community diversity for the same crop species under the two planting modes. Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi, Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria and Firmicutes were the dominant phyla in the soybean and corn rhizospheres. In ecological networks of bacterial communities, intercropping soybean (IS) had more module hubs and connectors, whereas intercropped corn (IC) had fewer module hubs and connectors than those of corresponding monoculture crops. Soil organic matter (SOM) was the key factor affecting soybean rhizosphere bacterial communities, whereas available nutrients (N, P, K) were the key factors affecting those in corn rhizosphere. During the cropping season, the concentration of soil available phosphorus (AP) in the intercropped soybean–corn was significantly higher than that in corresponding monocultures. In addition, the soil available potassium (AK) concentration was higher in intercropped soybean than that in monocropped soybean. Conclusions Intercropped soybean–corn lead to an increase in the AP concentration during the growing season, and although crop absorption of Cd was not affected in the Cd-contaminated soil, soil ACd concentration was affected. Intercropped soybean–corn also affected the soil physicochemical properties and rhizosphere bacterial community structure. Thus, intercropped soybean–corn was a key factor in determining changes in microbial community composition and networks. These results provide a basic ecological framework for soil microbial function in Cd-contaminated soil.

The lever analogy method (LAM) is a translational system representation for the rotating components and is widely used for the kinematic analysis of PGSs/EGSs. However, it includes only the sun gear, ring gear, and carrier, and ignores the kinematic information of the planet gear. The planet gear kinematic information is vital for its bearing life prediction, and speed sequence, power flow, and efficiency analysis of dual-input PGSs/EGSs. The traditional LAM doesn’t work when involving the planet gear kinematic information, because the kinematic information of planet gear is eliminated during the process of merging similar items. In this paper, an augmented lever analogy method (ALAM) is proposed to make up for the lack of traditional LAM in analyzing planet gear kinematic information, and analyze the kinematic relationship between planet gear to other components for the dual-input PGSs/EGSs. In this method, the new nodes and lever lengths representing the planet gear are added to the LAM by analyzing peripheral velocity relationships at the meshing points of PGSs/EGSs. In addition, not all the dual-input compound PGSs/EGSs (e.g. the compound PGSs/EGSs with planet gears in series, etc.) can be analyzed by the traditional LAM. The proposed method can easily establish the augmented lever models for all of them and derive the corresponding kinematic expressions. The results show that the proposed ALAM has good visibility and greater versatility, and can accurately and efficiently calculate the rotating speed of planet gears for calculating the speed sequence, power flow, and efficiency of PGSs/EGSs, which can cover all kinds of the PGSs/EGSs, and greatly reduce the technical threshold and time for their kinematic analysis.

ABSTRACT Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) targeting gut microbiota has recently been applied to the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC). However, preliminary trials showed that only a subset of patients responded to FMT, and the heterogeneity in donor gut microbiota probably played important roles in patients’ responses, implying the significance of matching an appropriate donor to a specified patient. We developed a strategy to build a donor-recipient matching model to guide rational donor selection for UC in FMT. We collected and uniformly reanalyzed 656 fecal 16S rRNA gene sequencing samples (350 from UC patients and 306 from healthy subjects) from 9 studies. Significantly lower α-diversity indexes were observed in UC patients by random effects model. Thirty-four bacterial genera and 34 predicted pathways were identified with significant odds ratios and classification potentials for UC patients. Based on six bacterial indicators, including richness, overall distance, genera, and pathways (beneficial and harmful), the analytic hierarchy process-based donor-recipient matching model was set to rank and select appropriate donors for patients with UC. Finally, the model showed favorable classification powers (>70%) for FMT effectiveness in two previous clinical trials. This study revealed the dysbiosis of fecal bacterial diversity, composition, and predicted pathways of patients with UC by meta-analysis and hereby developed a donor-recipient matching strategy to guide donor selection for UC in FMT. This strategy can also be applied to other diseases associated with gut microbiota. IMPORTANCE Modulation of gut microbiota by FMT from donors has been applied to the treatment of UC and yielded variable effectiveness in clinical trials. One possibility is that this variable effectiveness was related to donor selection, as a patient’s response to FMT may rely on the capability of the used donor’s microbiota to restore the specific gut disturbances of the patient. However, the biggest issues on the practical level are what should be considered in the selection process and how to set up such a donor-recipient matching model. In this study, we presented a bacterial profile-based donor-recipient matching strategy to guide donor selection for UC in FMT by first meta-analysis of 656 fecal 16S rRNA gene sequencing samples from 9 studies to identify significant indicators and then setting up the model by an analytic hierarchy process. The applicability and accuracy of this model were verified in the data sets from two previous FMT clinical studies. Our data indicate that the donor-recipient matching model built in this study enables researchers to rationally select donors for UC patients in FMT clinical practice, although it needs more samples and prospective trials for validation. The strategy adopted in this study to leverage existing data sets to build donor-recipient matching models for precision FMT is feasible for other diseases associated with gut microbiota.

BackgroundIn recent years, muscle strength in children and adolescents has continued to decline, especially in rural areas. Executive function as a higher function of the brain, is closely related to the future achievement of children and adolescents. For this reason, this study analyzed the correlation between muscle strength and executive function in children and adolescents in rural areas of China to better promote the development of muscle strength and executive function.MethodsDemographic factors, muscle strength, and executive function were tested in 1,335 children and adolescents in rural China using a three-stage stratified whole-group sampling method. One-way ANOVA and chi-square test were used to compare the differences in executive function among children and adolescents with different muscle strengths. Multiple linear regression analysis and logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the association that exists between muscle strength and executive function.ResultsWhen comparing the inconsistently, congruent, 1back, 2back, conversion, size parity, and cognitive flexibility response times of children and adolescents with different muscle strength indexes in rural China, the differences were statistically significant (F = 46.592, 45.610, 10.809, 32.068, 24.095, 19.260, 11.501, p < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis was performed using children and adolescents with muscle strength index >P80 as the control group. The results showed that the risk of 1back dysfunction was higher (OR = 1.764, 95% CI:1.094, 2.843) in children and adolescents with muscle strength index P80. The muscle strength index

Background: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been shown to disrupt thyroid function in toxicological studies, but epidemiological evidence is inconsistent. Furthermore, little is known on potential effects of mixtures of PAHs. Objective: This study aimed to examine the associations of exposure to PAHs as individual chemicals and mixtures with thyroid hormones. Methods: We included 378 men from a Reproductive Medicine Center in Wuhan, China. Ten monohydroxylated PAH (OH-PAH) metabolites in repeated urine specimens collected at two-time points and three thyroid hormones [thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (FT4), and free triiodothyronine (FT3)] in one serum sample were measured. Multivariable linear regression models were applied to assess the associations between individual OH-PAH metabolites and thyroid hormones, and the associations with mixtures of OH-PAH metabolites were assessed by Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) models. Results: Multivariable linear regression models showed inverse associations between urinary 1-OHNa and TSH, between urinary 1-OHPh and 9-OHPh and FT3, as well as between urinary 2-OHPh, 3-OHPh, 9-OHPh and ∑OHPh and FT4, regardless of these individual OH-PAH metabolites modeled as continuous or tertile variables (e.g., −21.57 % in TSH; 95 % CI: −35.33 %, −4.88 % for the third vs first tertiles of 1-OHNa; p for trend = 0.014). BKMR models showed negative overall effects of all urinary OH-PAH metabolite mixtures on TSH, FT3, and FT4, and 1-OHNa, 9-OHPh, and 2-OHPh as the most important contributors, respectively, with linear inverse exposure–response associations when holding other OH-PAH metabolites at their median concentrations. Conclusion: Urinary OH-PAH metabolites as individual chemicals and mixtures were adversely associated with thyroid hormones among reproductive-aged men.

Dysregulation of lipid metabolism and transport contribute to the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Here the authors identify GP73 as a TBC-domain Rab GTPase-activating protein that regulates very low-density lipoprotein export and promotes NAFLD development in mice.

Abstract Objective This study seeks to clarify whether allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo‐HSCT) is necessary for adult patients with Philadelphia chromosome‐positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph+ ALL) in post‐remission based on a comparison with tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) combined with chemotherapy. Methods We searched the Pubmed, Embase, and Web of Science databases and limited the date range for the studies from January 2010 to August 2020. A hazard ratio (HR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was employed to assess overall survival (OS) and relapse‐free survival (RFS), and an odds ratio (OR) with a 95% CI was used to evaluate the ratio of non‐relapsed mortality (NRM) and non‐relapsed survival (NRS). All analyses were conducted with Stata software 16.0 and Revman 5.3. Results Fifteen studies, totaling 959 patients, were included in our analysis. Among those patients, 473 underwent allo‐HSCT, and 486 received TKI plus chemotherapy. The pooled results showed no difference in OS between outcomes for patients receiving TKI plus chemotherapy and those treated with allo‐HSCT (HR = 0.76, 95% CI [0.51–1.12], p = 0.16). Patients undergoing allo‐HSCT did better than those receiving TKI plus chemotherapy regarding RFS (HR = 0.48, 95% CI [0.37–0.63], p = 0.00), and NRS (OR = 2.64, 95% CI [1.25–5.57], p = 0.00). The NRM rate of the TKI plus chemotherapy group was significantly lower than the allo‐HSCT group (OR = 2.33, 95% CI [1.51–3.59], p = 0.00). Conclusion TKI combined with chemotherapy can be considered a post‐remission treatment option for adult Ph+ ALL patients who are ineligible for allo‐HSCT. However, more prospective studies with large sample sizes should be carried out in the future.

Abstract Background Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is one of the common complications in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The study aimed to evaluate the predicting ability of N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide (NT-pro BNP) in patients with AECOPD-PH and its relationship with the severity of PH. Methods A large retrospective case-controlled study (n = 1072) was performed in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University from January 2018 to December 2020, and patients were divided into stable COPD (n = 178), AECOPD (n = 688) and AECOPD-PH group (n = 206). Different statistical models were used to screen for reliable and stable biomarkers. Results In unadjusted analysis and PSM (model 1, 2, 3), red cell distribution width (RDW), total bilirubin (TBIL), and NT-pro BNP were higher in patients with AECOPD-PH than those in AECOPD group. Logistic regression analysis showed, when the range of NT-proBNP was 271–1165 pg/mL (OR: 0.293; 95%CI: 0.184–0.467; P 1165 pg/mL (OR: 0.559; 95%CI: 0.338–0.926; P = 0.024), the morbidity risk of PH in AECOPD patients was increased, so did TBIL. In receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, at the cut-off value of NT-proBNP was 175.14 pg/mL, AUC was 0.651 (P

Waste plastics may be an environmentally friendly alternative to natural aggregates for concrete manufacture. However, the inferior bond strength between waste plastic aggregates and cement matrix greatly limits the uses of waste plastics for engineering designs and applications. Herein, ethylene–vinyl acetate (EVA) and nanosilica (nS) were jointly employed to enhance the matrix-aggregate interactions in cementitious composites with recycled waste plastics (RWPs). Waterproof properties of the cementitious composites with EVA and nS hybrids were measured. A non-destructive test using micro-focus X-ray computed tomography (µ-XCT) with contrast enhancing technique followed by microstructural tests (SEM/BSE and EDS) were conducted to in-situ trace liquid migration in the composite specimens. The single addition of EVA into the cementitious composites increased the porosity and depressed the compressive strength, but greatly decreased the water sorptivity by nearly 50 %. The organic–inorganic (EVA-nS) hybrids enhanced the recycling potential of the waste plastics in terms of the mitigated strength reduction and improved waterproofing performance. The coupled polymerization of EVA and nanofilling of nS effects were resolved to account for the recyclability improvement. The findings would shed light on design and fabrication of cementitious materials towards large scale recycling methods and technologies of waste plastics.

Mining is one kind of activities for human beings to get necessary mineral resources for survival, which also leads to disturbance and damage to local ecosystem. In this paper, the authors analyzed the characteristics of spatio-temporal changes in land use and land cover (LULC) and employed the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) model to analyze the comprehensive ecosystem service (CES). Markov chain (MC) and patch-generating land-use simulation (PLUS) were used to assess the spatial distribution of LULC change based on two scenarios in 2030, providing a theoretical basis for restoration of eco-environmentin the Zhundong coalfield. The results indicate that the area with the foremost LULC is the conversion from other to grassland, grassland to other, and other to built-up land in the past 20 years. The value of CES declined from 0.5397 (2000) to 0.3937 (2010) over time and then continued to decline to 0.3449 (2020); the change was weaker in the 2010–2020 period than that in the 2000–2010 period. Spatially, the ecosystem degradation of the eastern part of the Jiangjunmiao mining area and the Xiheishan mining area was more serious, while the Wucaiwan mining area was improved, which is mainly due to the contribution of ecological restoration there. In the 2030 the business-as-usual (BUA) scenario, the area of built-up land expansion increases significantly by 95.2 km2, and the value of CES continues to decrease. In the 2030 the ecological development priority (EDP) scenario, the built-up land expansion continues to decrease to 58.32 km2, the area of grassland increases significantly to 18.64 km2, the value of CES continues to decrease, and the overall LULC structure is improved. Results will guide the type of green sustainable exploitation of the Zhundong mining area.

Abstract In fuel cells, the generally low oxygen reduction reactions (ORR) rate at the cathode is a major factor limiting the overall performance of fuel cell, so the development of high‐performance, stable and inexpensive ORR electrocatalysts is a major researching direction. Nano‐electrocatalysts, especially one‐dimensional (1D) electrocatalysts, exhibit good catalytic behavior in fuel cell reactions due to their unique anisotropic structure, large specific surface area, high elasticity and excellent stability. To date, many advanced 1D electrocatalysts have been reported for optimizing the cathode ORR of fuel cells. Therefore, a comprehensive review of the structural design of 1D nano‐electrocatalysts and a systematic analysis of their enhanced performance still need further summarized and concluded. In this review, we firstly introduce the main synthetic methods of 1D electrocatalysts, and then discuss the recent advances and advantages of different structured 1D electrocatalysts involving nanofibers, nanotubes, nanorods, nanochains, nanowires, nanobelts, nanoneedles, nanowhiskers, and coaxial nanocables. In addition, we also introduce 1D electrocatalysts while highlighting advanced strategies and preparation methods for these different structured 1D electrocatalysts to improve ORR performance. Finally, we prospect the future development of 1D ORR electrocatalysts.

Increasingly MgO content in refining slag and molten steel is the major cause of corrosion of refractory materials at slag line during the refining process of Si–Mn deoxidized tire cord steel, the effects on the crystallization behavior of typical MnO–SiO2–Al2O3 based inclusions in tire cord steel were studied. The relation between the formation of high melting point and high hardness inclusions (Al2O3, 3Al2O3·2SiO2, MgO·Al2O3 and 2MgO·SiO2) with MnO–SiO2–Al2O3-(0wt.%, 4wt.%, 8wt.%, 12wt.%, 16wt.%) MgO system was verified by ICP, XRD, SEM-EDS and FactSage 8.0. The results indicated that the crystallization temperature of MnO–SiO2–Al2O3 system increases with the increase of MgO content. MgxMn(2-x)SiO4(1 ≤ x < 2) solid solution is the main crystalline phase due to isomorphism. Only a small amount of 2MgO·SiO2 which is not enough to cause wire breakage was formed in the trial with the highest MgO content (16wt.%) after the low melting point MnO–SiO2–Al2O3 composition added different MgO content and the other three kinds of inclusions were not produced in the five trials.

ObjectiveThis study investigated the prevalence of wrist injuries in 15 industries and different types of work in China. Study on the associated factors of wrist injuries provides a scientific basis for prevention and treatment of wrist diseases in occupational workers.MethodsA cross-sectional study of musculoskeletal symptoms of related practitioners in 15 industries, including automobile manufacturing, was conducted to retrieve worker demographic information, working wrist posture, and pain conditions. Multivariable binary logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs).ResultsThe prevalence of wrist injuries among the study population was 13.2%. Toy manufacturing, animal husbandry, automobile manufacturing, shoe manufacturing, and biopharmaceutical manufacturing had the highest wrist injury rates at 29.1, 19.1, 14.9, 14.9, and 14.0%, respectively. Among the types of jobs, enamel workers (63.0%), butchers (43.6%), combers (32.5%), welders (31.3%), and scaffolders (26.5%) had the highest prevalence rates. Based on the final multivariate logistic regression analysis: female [odds ratios (OR) = 1.24; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.15–1.35], 6–10 years of service (OR = 1.11; 95% CI, 1.03–1.18), >10 years of service (OR = 1.15; 95% CI, 1.06–1.25), frequent upward and downward flexion in wrist posture at work (OR = 1.81; 95% CI, 1.84–2.11), and frequent wrist placement on the edge of angular objects increased the OR of injury (OR = 1.52; 95% CI, 1.44–1.61). Need to squeeze objects tightly while working (OR = 1.72; 95% CI, 1.57–1.89), prolonged wrist flexion (OR = 1.86; 95% CI, 1.75–1.97), and work hand position above the shoulder for prolonged periods (OR = 1.11; 95% CI, 1.04–1.19) also suggested the relationship between these factors and the higher prevalence of wrist injury in the workers. The associated factor was physical activity (OR = 0.86; 95% CI, 0.80–0.94).ConclusionThis study suggested the relationship between these factors and the higher prevalence of wrist injury in the toy manufacturing, animal husbandry, automobile manufacturing, and shoe-making industries, enamel workers, butchers, and combers. And are work types that require special attention. Females, working age, physical activity, and abnormal posture of the wrist were factors significantly associated with WMSDs.

Background: Metals in the human body represent both environmental exposure and nutritional status. Little is known about the miRNA signature in relation to circulating metals in humans. Objectives: To characterize metal-associated miRNAs in leukocytes, individually and collectively as networks. Methods: In a panel of 160 Chinese adults, we measured 23 metals/metalloids in plasma, and sequenced miRNAs and mRNAs in leukocytes. We used linear regression to model the associations between ln-transformed metal concentrations and normalized miRNA levels adjusting for potential confounders. We inferred the enriched leukocyte subtypes for the identified miRNAs using an association approach. We utilized mRNA sequencing data to explore miRNA functions. We also constructed modules to identify metal-associated miRNA networks. Results: We identified 55 metal-associated miRNAs at false discovery rate-adjusted P

Several literatures have examined the risk of chronic respiratory diseases in association with short-term ambient PM2.5 exposure in China. However, little evidence has examined the chronic impacts of PM2.5 exposure on morbidity of chronic respiratory diseases in cohorts from high pollution countries. Our study aims to investigate the associations. Based on a retrospective cohort among adults in northern China, a Cox regression model with time-varying PM2.5 exposure and a concentration-response (C-R) curve model were performed to access the relationships between incidence of chronic respiratory diseases and long-term PM2.5 exposure during a mean follow-up time of 9.8 years. Individual annual average PM2.5 estimates were obtained from a satellite-based model with high resolution. The incident date of a chronic respiratory disease was identified according to self-reported physician diagnosis time and/or intake of medication for treatment. Among 38,047 urban subjects analyzed in all-cause chronic respiratory disease cohort, 482 developed new cases. In CB (38,369), asthma (38,783), and COPD (38,921) cohorts, the onsets were 276, 89, and 14, respectively. After multivariable adjustment, hazard ratio and 95% confidence interval for morbidity of all-cause chronic respiratory disease, CB, asthma, and COPD were 1.15 (1.01, 1.31), 1.20 (1.00, 1.42), 0.76 (0.55, 1.04), and 0.66 (0.29, 1.47) with each 10 μg/m3 increment in PM2.5, respectively. Stronger effect estimates were suggested in alcohol drinkers across stratified analyses. Additionally, the shape of C-R curve showed an increasing linear relationship before 75.00 μg/m3 concentrations of PM2.5 for new-onset all-cause chronic respiratory disease, and leveled off at higher levels. These findings indicated that long-term exposure to high-level PM2.5 increased the risks of incident chronic respiratory diseases in China. Further evidence of C-R curves is warranted to clarify the associations of adverse chronic respiratory outcomes involving air pollution.

BackgroundThe scoring systems currently used to identify the potential for thrombosis and bleeding events in high-risk atrial fibrillation patients have certain limitations. The aim of this pilot study was to identify inflammatory chemokines with potential utility as sensitive biomarkers for the risk of thrombosis and bleeding in elderly patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation.MethodsFrom January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2017, 200 consecutive elderly patients with atrial fibrillation (average age: 87.6 ± 7.7 years) were enrolled and followed up for 2 years to observe thromboembolic (arterial and venous) and bleeding events. Serum was collected upon enrollment, and the baseline levels of 27 chemokines were analyzed. During the 2-year follow-up, 12 patients were lost to follow-up. Among the 188 patients, there were 32 cases (17.0%) of AF-related thrombosis, 36 cases (19.1%) of arterial thrombosis, and 35 cases (18.6%) of major bleeding events.ResultsAmong 188 patients, 30 patients without clinical events (control group), 23 with arterial thrombosis, 15 with atrial fibrillation-related venous thromboembolism, and 12 with major bleeding were selected and randomly matched to compare chemokine levels. The baseline levels of interleukin-6, interleukin-10, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, chemokine C-C-motif ligand, B-lymphocyte chemoattractant 1, interleukin-4, E-selectin, fractalkine, C-X-C motif chemokine 12, and granulocyte chemotactic protein 2 were found to differ statistically among the four groups (p < 0.05). Compared with that in the control group, the level of interleukin-4 in patients with atrial fibrillation-related thrombosis, arterial thrombosis, or major bleeding increased by 53-fold (0.53 vs. 0.01 pg/ml), 17-fold (0.17 vs. 0.01 pg/ml), and 19-fold (0.19 vs. 0.01 pg/ml), respectively. Compared with that in the control group, the level of interleukin-6 in patients with arterial thrombosis increased by six-fold (39.78 vs. 4.98 pg/ml).ConclusionsAmong elderly patients with atrial fibrillation at high risk of thromboembolism and bleeding, the baseline levels of interleukin-6, interleukin-4, and E-selectin were significantly increased in those that experienced thrombosis and bleeding events during the 2-year follow-up, indicating that these chemokines may serve as potential biomarkers for an increased risk of thrombosis and bleeding in this population.Clinical trial registration numberChiCTR-OCH-13003479.

BackgroundSince human monkeypox was reported, many related literatures have been published. This study aimed to evaluate the research hotspots and future development trends of human monkeypox by a bibliometric analysis, to analyze the preventive and control measures of various countries in response to human monkeypox outbreaks.MethodsThe Web of Science Core Collection database was searched for all monkeypox related literature published from 1975 to 2022, and the search strategy was “TS = monkeypox.” Bibliometric analysis was performed using VOSviewer software based on retrieval data. Contribution metric methods and visualization were used to analyze the top issues in the field of human monkeypox.ResultsFrom 1975 to 2022, a total of 1,068 monkeypox research papers were included, of which American researchers published 663 papers, and it was also the country that participated in the most international cooperation. Centers for Disease Control Prevention USA is the most prolific institution and a leader in research collaborations. The Journal of Virology has the largest number of published papers on monkeypox. In addition, Damon Inger K has made significant contributions to monkeypox research, with both the most published and the most citation. A total of 2,847 keywords were identified, four top topics were obtained through cluster analysis: (1) human monkeypox epidemiology and species research. (2) human monkeypox virus vaccine and experimental research. (3) human monkeypox disease diagnosis and treatment studies. (4) human monkeypox disease prevention and immunization studies. To curb the spread, regions or countries have developed and implemented detailed managements. The prevention and control measures focus on the isolation of suspected or confirmed patients, the investigation and tracking of the source of the disease, the disposal of pollutants, vaccination and the protection of health workers.ConclusionsThe number of human monkeypox literature has grown since 2003. Infection, vaccine and efficacy were the top topic over the past 47 years while the contact tracing, testing, surveillance and vaccination have been the major concerns since the human monkeypox outbreak in May 2022. The treatment and management of human monkeypox deserves further attention.

Background and aimsThe epidemiological characteristics of MAFLD and its relationship with atrial fibrillation (AF) are limited in China. Therefore, we explored the epidemiological characteristics of MAFLD from adults along with the association of MAFLD and 12-ECG diagnosed AF in a nationwide population from health check-up centers.MethodsThis observational study used cross-sectional and longitudinal studies with 2,083,984 subjects from 2009 to 2017. Age-, sex-, and regional-standardized prevalence of MAFLD was estimated. Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to identify subclusters of MAFLD. Multivariable logistic regression and mixed-effects Cox regression models were used to analyze the relationship between MAFLD and AF.ResultsThe prevalence of MAFLD increased from 22.75% to 35.58% during the study period, with higher rates in males and populations with high BMI or resided in northern regions. The MAFLD population was clustered into three classes with different metabolic features by LCA. Notably, a high proportion of MAFLD patients in all clusters had overweight and prediabetes or diabetes. The MAFLD was significantly associated with a higher risk of AF in the cross-sectional study and in the longitudinal study. In addition, the coexistence of prediabetes or diabetes had the largest impact on subsequent AF.ConclusionOur findings suggested a high prevalence of MAFLD and a high prevalence of other metabolic diseases in the MAFLD population, particularly overweight and glucose dysregulation. Moreover, MAFLD was associated with a significantly higher risk for existing and subsequent subclinical AF in the Chinese population.

Background: Bisphenol A (BPA) as an endocrine disrupting chemical has been shown to alter reproductive endocrine function, but little is known on its analogues such as bisphenol F (BPF) and bisphenol S (BPS) with increasing usage and exposure. Objective: To explore the associations between exposures to BPA, BPF and BPS and serum reproductive hormones among reproductive-aged Chinese men. Methods: We measured BPA, BPF and BPS concentrations in repeated urine samples and multiple reproductive hormones in the serum samples collected from 462 men attending an infertility clinic in Wuhan, China. Linear regression models were applied to assess the associations between averaged urinary BPA, BPF and BPS levels and serum hormone concentrations, and restricted cubic spline (RCS) models were further utilized to explore potential non-linear associations. We also examined potential modifying effects by age and body mass index (BMI). Results: There was little evidence of associations between BPA exposure and altered reproductive hormones. However, we found that elevated BPF and BPS exposures were in negative associations with estrogen (E2) levels and E2/T (total testosterone) ratio (all P for trends 30 years, whereas their associations with reduced SHBG levels were more pronounced among men aged ≤ 30. Also, BPS exposure in negative association with FSH only emerged among men with BMI ≥ 24 kg/m2 (P for interaction = 0.03). Conclusion: BPF and BPS exposures were negatively associated with male serum E2, E2/T ratio and SHBG levels, and these associations varied by age and BMI.

The effects of carbonation on cement-based materials have drawn much attention because of its profound influences on durability performance of concrete structures. Most accelerated carbonation in lab is conducted at RH 50%–70%, which also dries out cement-based materials. The introduced drying action changes pore structure significantly, making the effects of carbonation obscure. To clarify the effects of pure carbonation, water permeability and related micro-structural characteristics are measured on mature mortars, which have been carbonated at water-saturated state. It is found that after carbonation, the porosity of mortars decreases slightly, with finer overall pore structure and lower characteristic pore size. The water permeability also decreases by roughly 40% on average. Based on the pore size distribution curves obtained through the low-field proton nuclear magnetic resonance technique, water permeability is predicted by the Katz-Thompson and Kozeny-Carman theories with satisfactory accuracy. The decrease of water permeability after carbonation agrees well with the reduced characteristic pore length, which quantitatively verifies the observed refinement of nanoscale pore structure due to pure carbonation.

The vibration modulation of the localized faults of sun gears is complicated because of the structure and motion features of planetary gearboxes. It is challenging to completely determine the vibration modulation mechanism. To address this issue, the influences of fluctuations in speed on the factors that affect vibration like the transfer path function, time-varying projection function, and meshing force were studied. Improved vibration amplitude and frequency modulation models were then established by combining the factors affecting vibration considering the speed fluctuations caused by the localized faults of sun gears. Regarding the features of vibration modulation of localized faults of sun gears, we concluded that both fault feature frequency and carrier rotational frequency modulate the harmonics of the meshing frequency, which form two groups of modulation sidebands. In addition, the harmonics of the fault feature frequency over the whole frequency range are modulated by the rotational frequency of the carrier, which is more dominant in the resonance domain. The experimental results of localized faults of sun gears strongly agree with those deduced using the proposed models. This research contributes an effective frequency indicator that can be used to confirm the condition of planetary gearboxes.

The oxidation-absorption technology of tail gas is perfect for natural gas purification plants to ensure the up-to-standard discharge of sulfur dioxide emissions, but it can produce a large amount of wastewater. In this paper, a facile and full-scale reuse treatment strategy based on the sequential combination of disc tube reverse osmosis and low-temperature and low-pressure evaporation desalination was proposed and studied. The produced light yellow wastewater was acid sulfate-rich organic wastewater, in which sulfate ions (SO42−) existed up to 6479 mg/L, and the chemical oxygen demand (COD), 5-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), total organic carbon (TOC), ammonia nitrogen (ammonia-N), total nitrogen (TN) and suspended solid (SS) were 207, 71.9, 67.6, 1.28, 70.5 and 20.9 mg/L, respectively. After the reuse treatment, there was COD (6 mg/L), BOD5 (1.4 mg/L), TOC (0.9 mg/L), TN (2.07 mg/L), SS (6 mg/L) and SO42− (90 mg/L) in permeated water, and condensate water with COD (11 mg/L), BOD5 (2.3 mg/L), TOC (4.3 mg/L), SS (2 mg/L) and SO42− (1.2 mg/L) was obtained. Thereby, pollution indexes were reduced after the reuse treatment so as to meet the water quality standard (GB/T18920-2022) in China, and the total water recovery rate reached 98.2 vol%. Ultimately, the priority pollutant migration mechanism during the reuse treatment process was determined.

Lipid phosphate phosphatases (LPPs) are a key enzyme in the production and degradation of phosphatidic acid (PA), which plays an important role in plant growth, development, stress resistance and plant hormone response. Thus far, little is known about the LPP family genes in kiwifruit (Actinidia spp.). According to this study, 7 members in the AcLPP family were identified from the whole genome of kiwifruit, the subcellular localization predictions were mainly on the plasma membrane. Chromosomal localization analysis showed that the AcLPP genes were unevenly distributed on 5 chromosomes, it was determined to have undergone strong purifying selection pressure. There were 5 duplicate gene pairs and all underwent segmental duplication events. The LPP genes of kiwifruit were conserved when compared with other plants, especially in terms of evolutionary relationships, conserved motifs, protein sequences, and gene structures. Cis-regulatory elements mainly included hormone response elements and abiotic response elements. Functional annotation of GO revealed that AcLPP genes were closely related to phosphatase/hydrolase activity, phosphorus metabolism and dephosphorylation. AcLPP genes family were predicted to be targets of miRNA. Transcript level analysis revealed that the AcLPP family played diverse functions in different tissues and during growth, development, and postharvest storage stages. qPCR analysis showed that the members of AcLPP gene family might be regulated by ETH, ABA, GA3, and IAA hormone signals. The family members were regulated by the stress of salt stress, osmotic stress, cold stress, and heat stress. These results would provide a basis and reference for studying the agricultural characteristics of kiwifruit and improving its stress resistance.

PurposeThis study was designed to explore the relationship between bone mineral density (BMD) and body composition indicators in Chinese adults (≥50 years) in order to provide a scientific basis for optimal bone health management.MethodIndividuals ≥50 years old who received physical examinations and routine check-ups at the Health Management Research Institute of PLA General Hospital from September 2014 through March 2022 were included as research subjects in this study. Basic clinical and demographic information were recorded for all subjects, along with smoking and drinking status, height and body weight. A panel of routine blood chemistry and metabolite markers were measured, along with lean muscle mass and body fat mass using body composition bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage (BFP), skeletal muscle mass index (SMI), and bone mineral density (BMD) were calculated for all individuals. For comparative analysis, individuals were grouped based on their BMI, BFP, SMI and BMD T-score. Follow-up examinations were performed in a cohort of 1,608 individuals matched for age, sex, smoking and drinking history for ≥5 years,ResultsIn this large cross-sectional study, age, smoking, homocysteine (Hcy) and blood glucose levels were established as independent risk factors for osteoporosis. Multi-factor logistic regression analysis showed that age, sex, BMI, intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH), SMI, BFP, smoking, blood levels of inorganic phosphate (P) and K+ were all significantly associated with osteoporosis risk (P

As a worldwide medical problem, spinal cord injury has no clear and effective treatment to improve its prognosis. Hence, new treatment strategies for spinal cord injury with good therapeutic efficacy have been actively pursued. As a new drug loading system, acetal dextran nanoparticles (SAD) have good biocompatibility and biodegradability. Therefore, we designed spermine-functionalized acetal-dextran (SAD) nanoparticles and encapsulated paclitaxel (PCL) into them. This design can ensure the sustained release of paclitaxel in the injured area for 4 days and promote the extension of nerve processes in vitro. In our experiment, we found that paclitaxel-loaded SAD nanoparticles (PCL@SAD) decreased the level of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan in the rat spinal cord injury model, which reduced the scar repair of the injured site and changed the inhibitory environment after spinal cord injury. This reveals that PCL@SAD can effectively protect the injured spinal cord and ultimately improve the functional recovery of the injured spinal cord. One single injection of PCL@SAD shows better therapeutic effect than that of PCL. This study opens an exciting perspective toward the application of neuroprotective PCL@SAD for the treatment of severe neurological diseases.

Background: Cataract is the leading cause of blindness worldwide. In order to achieve large-scale cataract screening and remarkable performance, several studies have applied artificial intelligence (AI) to cataract detection based on fundus images. However, the fundus images they used are original from normal optical circumstances, which is less impractical due to the existence of poor-quality fundus images for inappropriate optical conditions in actual scenarios. Furthermore, these poor-quality images are easily mistaken as cataracts because both show fuzzy imaging characteristics, which may decline the performance of cataract detection. Therefore, we aimed to develop and validate an antiinterference AI model for rapid and efficient diagnosis based on fundus images.Materials and Methods: The datasets (including both cataract and noncataract labels) were derived from the Chinese PLA general hospital. The antiinterference AI model consisted of two AI submodules, a quality recognition model for cataract labeling and a convolutional neural networks-based model for cataract classification. The quality recognition model was performed to distinguish poor-quality images from normal-quality images and further generate the pseudo labels related to image quality for noncataract. Through this, the original binary-class label (cataract and noncataract) was adjusted to three categories (cataract, noncataract with normal-quality images, and noncataract with poor-quality images), which could be used to guide the model to distinguish cataract from suspected cataract fundus images. In the cataract classification stage, the convolutional-neural-network-based model was proposed to classify cataracts based on the label of the previous stage. The performance of the model was internally validated and externally tested in real-world settings, and the evaluation indicators included area under the receiver operating curve (AUC), accuracy (ACC), sensitivity (SEN), and specificity (SPE).Results: In the internal and external validation, the antiinterference AI model showed robust performance in cataract diagnosis (three classifications with AUCs >91%, ACCs >84%, SENs >71%, and SPEs >89%). Compared with the model that was trained on the binary-class label, the antiinterference cataract model improved its performance by 10%.Conclusion: We proposed an efficient antiinterference AI model for cataract diagnosis, which could achieve accurate cataract screening even with the interference of poor-quality images and help the government formulate a more accurate aid policy.

Effective screening modalities are currently available for only a small subset of cancers, and they generally have suboptimal performance with complicated procedures. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop simple, accurate, and non-invasive methods for early detection of cancers. Genetic and epigenetic alterations in plasma circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) have shown the potential to revolutionize methods of early detection of cancers and facilitate subsequent diagnosis to improve survival of patients. The medical interest in cfDNA assays has been inspired by emerging single- and multi-early detection of cancers studies. This review summarizes current technological and clinical advances, in the hopes of providing insights into the development and applications of cfDNA assays in various cancers and clinical scenarios. The key phases of clinical development of biomarkers are highlighted, and the future developments of cfDNA-based liquid biopsies in early detection of cancers are outlined. It is hoped that this study can boost the potential integration of cfDNA-based early detection of cancers into the current clinical workflow.