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Innovative strategies for managing deformation have been proposed based on insights from the Hohhot Urban Rail Transit's Line 2, where a large cross-sectional and straight-walled arch tunnel traverses the flank obliquely above and directly over an operational shield tunnel. These strategies involve implementing sandbag loading on both left and right drifts and progressively demolishing the CD (center diaphragm) method. Simulations have been conducted to comprehensively understand the deformation induced by constructing the large cross-sectional and straight-walled arch tunnel above the operational shield tunnel. These simulations have been complemented by on-site monitoring to authenticate the reliability of the simulated outcomes. The study findings underscore that the most effective deformation control entails applying a 2.0 m high sandbag load on the section directly above the operational left shield tunnel (spanning from trusses 49 th to 87th). This approach involves, for every alternate truss, the demolition of two consecutive trusses of CDs via an alternate bay construction method once the secondary lining is completed. The comparison between simulated and measured uplift reveals a notable alignment, with maximum uplift of the ballast bed and arch crown registering at 2.75 mm and 3.92 mm, respectively. The overall clearance convergence ranges from −2.69 mm to 1.50 mm, all within the prescribed control standards.

ABSTRACT: To effectively assess the extent of the mycotoxin contamination of grapes, a method was developed to analyze 22 mycotoxins by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole/orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS). Samples were extracted and purified using the QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe) procedure. The extracts were separated on a BEH Shield C18 column (100 mm × 2.1 mm, 1.7 μm), using methanol and water with 0.1% formic acid solution and 2 mmol/L ammonium acetate as the mobile phases. The quantification was performed according to a matrix-matched external standard method. There was a good linear relationship within the respective mass concentration ranges of 22 mycotoxins; the correlation coefficients were not less than 0.998 1. The limit of quantification was 0.3–10.0 μg/kg. Mycotoxin recovery ranged from 68.6% to 109.0%, with a relative standard deviation of 1.28%–12.80%. The method is simple, rapid, highly sensitive, and accurate, making it useful for screening grapes for common and emerging mycotoxins.

The water exit process of trans-medium vehicles involves multiphase flow, unsteady evolution of cavitation, strong transient effect, and varying load environments, which significantly affects the motion stability, water exit attitude, and structural strength of the vehicles. To fully understand and verify the performance of the vehicle during water exit in the marine environment, underwater information acquisition techniques adapting to the corresponding working conditions are urgently required. In this paper, the research on underwater information acquisition techniques for the water exit test of the trans-medium vehicle was summarized, such as target localization, phenomena observation, environmental measurement, and trans-medium information transmission. Meanwhile, the new requirements for underwater information acquisition techniques to adapt to the modern trans-medium vehicles with high dynamics and large depth were analyzed, and its development trend towards systematization, multimodality, and digitalization was prospected, which may provide an idea and technical support for obtaining the high-value underwater information, understanding the complex underwater environments, and interpreting key underwater motion process.

Ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) is a trace detection technique operating at atmospheric pressure. It is widely utilized in various fields, such as explosives and drug detection, chemical warfare agent detection, and biomedical applications, due to its fast response time and high sensitivity. The various of substances can be identified through analyzing the discrepancies in the drift time of charged particles in an electric field. Depending on the polarity of the charged particles, it can operate under either positive or negative ion mode. Currently, the majority of IMS operate in only one detection mode. For example, explosives detection operates under negative ion mode, while drug detection operates under positive ion mode. However, single detection mode system is prone to miss detections because some substances may differentially respond to positive and negative detection modes. Simultaneous detection under both positive and negative ion modes can further enhance detection accuracy. In this study, a dual-drift tube ion mobility spectrometry capable of simultaneously detecting positive and negative ions was constructed using corona discharge ionization source technology and a compact dual ion-gated pulse control circuit. The instrument parameters of IMS were optimized, while simultaneously determined hexogen, methamphetamine and the metabolite of trinitrotoluene (TNT)，2,4-diamino-6-nitrotoluene (2,4-DANT). The optimal experimental conditions were selected as follows: a drift gas flow rate of 600 mL/min, a carrier gas flow rate of 500 mL/min, a drift tube temperature of 100 ℃, and a thermal desorption temperature of 200 ℃. The reduced mobility values of 1.72 cm2/V·s and 1.44 cm2/V·s are obtained through the detection of explosive hexogen (RDX) and drug methamphetamine (MA), respectively. These values agree well with the reported values, thereby proving the reliability of the instrument’s detection. Finally, the performance of the developed instrument was evaluated using 2,4-DANT, this substance that can be detected under both positive and negative ion modes. Production peaks are observed in both modes, and the normalized mobility values for 2,4-DANT are reported as approximately 1.67 cm2/V·s and 1.33 cm2/V·s under positive and negative ion modes, respectively. Through exploring the detection limits for both positive and negative ions, it was revealed that the homemade dual ion mobility spectrometer is capable of simultaneous detection of both positive and negative ions, achieves the lowest detection limits of 200 pg and 260 pg for 2,4-DANT, respectively. Importantly, these detection limits are not significantly compromised by sample division, which underscores the broad applicability and value of the instrument, highlighting its potential in various fields.

Abstract Dasiphora fruticosa (Rosaceae), commonly known as shrubby cinquefoil, is a flowering shrub of high ornamental value yet underutilized in East Asian landscapes. Given its broad elevational distribution range, D. fruticosa serves as an ideal model for studying genetic adaptations and speciation along elevation gradients. Here, we present a high-quality chromosome-scale assembly of D. fruticosa with a genome size of 249.23 Mb and a contig N50 length of 14.01 Mb. The genome sequence contains 32,613 protein-coding genes, of which 30,643 (93.96%) were functionally annotated. Compared to the published D. fruticosa genome sequence, our assembly demonstrates higher completeness and continuity. Furthermore, comparative genomic analyses provide insights into the phylogenetic relationship and high-altitude adaptation of D. fruticosa. Overall, our study offers a valuable genetic resource for both molecular and evolutionary research on shrubby cinquefoil.

Abstract The ecological benefits and concerns surrounding fossil fuels had led to increased interest in bio-based rigid polyurethane foam (RPUF). Nonetheless, due to its flammability, it had limited application in various fields. To solve this problem, a green bio-flame retardant, cobalt hydroxystannate (CoSn(OH)6), was prepared and compounded with montmorillonite (MMT) and chick feather protein (CF), and applied to RPUF, which not only realized the regeneration of resources, but also provided RPUF with better thermal stability, flame retardancy and smoke suppression properties. The experimental results showed that when 3 wt% CoSn(OH)6 was added, the RPUF (CF1/MMT3/Co3) had the greatest activation energy. In addition, the peak heat release rate (PHRR) and total heat release (THR) of CF1/MMT3/Co3 decreased by 12.73%, and 11.16% respectively, compared with no CoSn(OH)6. In addition, its Ds decreased by 28.9% and the light transmittance increased by 17.6% compared with the RPUF without CoSn(OH)6. At the same time, its peak smoke production rate (PSPR) and the total smoke release (TSR) decreased by 25% and 18%. And CF1/MMT3/Co3 also had the lowest fire risk evaluation index. This study presented possibilities for practical utilization of the RPUF substances founded on bio-based flame inhibitors.

Abstract Plants possess the ability to induce programmed cell death (PCD) in response to abiotic and biotic stresses; nevertheless, the evidence on PCD initiation during pear scald development and the involvement of the scald trigger 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one (MHO) in this process is rudimentary. Pyrus bretschneideri Rehd. cv. ‘Dangshansuli’ pear was used to validate such hypothesis. The results showed that superficial scald occurred after 120-d chilling exposure, which accompanied by typical PCD-associated morphological alterations, such as plasmolysis, cell shrinkage, cytosolic and nuclear condensation, vacuolar collapse, tonoplast disruption, subcellular organelle swelling, and DNA fragmentation. These symptoms were aggravated after MHO fumigation but alleviated by diphenylamine (DPA) dipping. Through transcriptome assay, 24 out of 146 PCD-related genes, which were transcribed during cold storage, were identified as the key candidate members responsible for these cellular biological alternations upon scald development. Among these, PbrCNGC1, PbrGnai1, PbrACD6, and PbrSOBIR1 were implicated in the MHO signaling pathway. Additionally, PbrWRKY2, 34 and 39 could bind to the W-box element in the promoter of PbrGnai1 or PbrSOBIR1 and activate their transcription, as confirmed by dual-luciferase, yeast one-hybrid, and transient overexpression assays. Hence, our study confirms the PCD initiation during scald development and explores the critical role of MHO in this process.

Abstract Imbalance of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory responses plays a crucial role in the progression of abdominal aortic aneurysms. ILF3, a known modulator of the innate immune response, is involved in cardiovascular diseases. This study aims to investigate the role of ILF3 in abdominal aortic aneurysm formation. Here, we use multi-omics analyzes, transgenic male mice, and multiplex immunohistochemistry to unravel the underlying involvement of ILF3 in abdominal aortic aneurysms. The results show that macrophage ILF3 deficiency attenuates abdominal aortic aneurysm progression, while elevated macrophage ILF3 exacerbates abdominal aortic aneurysm lesions. Mechanistically, we reveal that macrophagic ILF3 increases NF-κB activity by hastening the decay of p105 mRNA, leading to amplified inflammation in macrophages. Meanwhile, ILF3 represses the anti-inflammatory action by inhibiting the Keap1-Nrf2 signaling pathway through facilitating the ILF3/eIF4A1 complex-mediated enhancement of Keap1 translational efficiency. Moreover, Bardoxolone Methyl treatment alleviates the severity of abdominal aortic aneurysm lesions in the context of elevated ILF3 expression. Together, our findings underscore the significance of macrophage ILF3 in abdominal aortic aneurysm development and suggest its potential as a promising therapeutic target for abdominal aortic aneurysms.

Abstract Membranes tailored for selective ion transport represent a promising avenue toward enhancing sustainability across various fields including water treatment, resource recovery, and energy conversion and storage. While nanochannels formed by polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIM) offer a compelling solution with their uniform and durable nanometer-sized pores, their effectiveness is hindered by limited interactions between ions and nanochannel. Herein, we introduce the randomly twisted V-shaped structure of Tröger’s Base unit and quaternary ammonium groups to construct ionized sub-nanochannel with a window size of 5.89–6.54 Å between anion hydration and Stokes diameter, which enhanced the dehydrated monovalent ion transport. Combining the size sieving and electrostatic interaction effects, sub-nanochannel membranes achieved exceptional ion selectivity of 106 for Cl-/CO3 2- and 82 for Cl-/SO4 2-, significantly surpassing the state-of-the-art membranes. This work provides an efficient template for creating functionalized sub-nanometer channels in PIM membranes, and paves the way for the development of precise ion separation applications.

Abstract Bi4Br4 is a material rich in intriguing topological properties. Monolayer Bi4Br4 film exhibits helical edge states characteristic of a quantum spin Hall insulator, while bulk Bi4Br4 represents a higher-order topological insulator with hinge states. However, direct exfoliation from single crystal can only obtain thin nanowires due to the weak van der Waals forces between Bi4Br4 chains, which limits its optical analysis and application, while the growth of Bi4Br4 thin films is also full of challenges due to the extremely narrow growth temperature range and the accurate control of the BiBr3 flux. Here, we reported the controlled growth of α-Bi4Br4 thin films on intrinsic silicon substrates using molecular beam epitaxy. The growth temperature, BiBr3 flux, and the flux ratio of Bi and BiBr3 were accurately controlled. Then, the morphology, composition, and bonding of the prepared films were investigated using atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The growth of large, uniform thin films provides an ideal material platform for studying the physical properties of Bi4Br4. Additionally, we utilized Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy to explore the film’s infrared characteristics, revealing strong absorption in the low frequency range due to the high proportion of one-dimensional topological edge states and laying the groundwork for further exploration of its potential applications in the optoelectronic field.

Abstract Dementia represents a significant global health challenge, with early screening during the preclinical stage being crucial for effective management. Traditional diagnostic biomarkers for Alzheimer’s Disease, the most common form of dementia, are limited by cost and invasiveness. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a precursor to dementia, is currently identified through neuropsychological tests like the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), which are not suitable for large-scale screening. Eye-tracking technology, capturing and quantifying eye movements related to cognitive behavior, has emerged as a promising tool for cognitive assessment. Subtle changes in eye movements could serve as early indicators of MCI. However, the interpretation of eye-tracking data is challenging. This study introduced a dementia screening tool, VR Eye-tracking Cognitive Assessment (VECA), using eye-tracking technology, machine learning, and virtual reality (VR) to offer a non-invasive, efficient alternative capable of large-scale deployment. VECA was conducted with 201 participants from Shenzhen Baoan Chronic Hospital, utilizing eye-tracking data captured via VR headsets to predict MoCA scores and classify cognitive impairment across different educational backgrounds. The support vector regression model employed demonstrated a high correlation (0.9) with MoCA scores, significantly outperforming baseline models. Furthermore, it established optimal cut-off scores for identifying cognitive impairment with notable sensitivity (88.5%) and specificity (83%). This study underscores VECA’s potential as a portable, efficient tool for early dementia screening, highlighting the benefits of integrating eye-tracking technology, machine learning, and VR in cognitive health assessments.

Abstract Background Periodontitis is the sixth-most common disease worldwide. The oral microbiome composition and its association with Periodontal disease (PD) have been largely explored; however, limited studies have explored the microbial profiles of both oral and toothbrushes in patients with PD. Thus, this study aimed to ascertain the oral and toothbrushes microbial composition in high-altitude populations, hypothesizing that their correlation with periodontal health would differ from those at lower altitudes, potentially indicating links between environmental factors, microbial colonization patterns, and periodontal health in distinct geographic contexts. Methods In the present study, we enrolled 35 individuals including 21 healthy and 14 diagnosed with PD from the Lhasa region of Tibet, China. Saliva and toothbrush samples were collected from each participant to assess the association between toothbrush usage and oral microbiome with PD using 16 S rRNA gene-specific V3-V4 regions sequencing. To assess the oral and toothbrush microbiome composition and diversity and its possible link to PD. Results Significantly higher Alpha diversity (Shannon index) was observed between the PD group and PD toothbrushes (p = 0.00021) and between the PD group and Healthy toothbrushes (p = 0.00041). The predominant species were Proteobacteria, Bacteroidota, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, and Fusobacteria, with genera Pseudomonas, Veillonella, Neisseria, Acinetobacter, and Haemophilus. In addition, PICRUST2 analysis unveiled 44 significant pathways differentiating the disease and healthy groups, along with 29 pathways showing significant differences between their respective toothbrush microbial profiles. The distinct oral and toothbrush microbial composition among high-altitude populations suggests potential adaptations to the challenges of high-altitude environments. Conclusion This study emphasizes the importance of tailored dental care strategies, accounting for altitude and racial factors, to effectively manage periodontal health in these communities. Further research is warranted to investigate the specific microbial mechanisms and develop targeted interventions for optimizing oral health in populations across varying altitudes.

Abstract It has been shown that noise emissions from HV overhead line conductors can be reduced under rain conditions by making their surfaces superhydrophobic. The working environment makes ensuring the longevity of any treatment a major challenge. The degradation of various superhydrophobic surfaces generated by applying a superhydrophobic coating and patterning microscale channels is assessed under an AC electric field (18 kV/cm) with continuous water spray. By examining the droplet distribution on the surfaces during the degradation and the surface roughness before and after degradation, the authors demonstrate that no water droplets were found on the microscale patterned surface, but droplets were formed on the coated surface after degradation. The surface roughness reduction of the coated surface and microscale patterned surface was 29.8% and 11.3%, respectively, indicating that the microscale patterned surface has better durability than the superhydrophobic coating under the AC electric stress.

Abstract Analysis of protein modifications is critical for quality control of therapeutic biologics. However, the identification and quantification of naturally occurring glycation of membrane proteins by mass spectrometry remain technically challenging. We used highly sensitive LC MS/MS analyses combined with multiple enzyme digestions to determine low abundance early-stage lysine glycation products of influenza vaccines derived from embryonated chicken eggs and cultured cells. Straightforward sequencing was enhanced by MS/MS fragmentation of small peptides. As a result, we determined a widespread distribution of lysine modifications attributed by the region-selectivity and site-specificity of glycation toward influenza matrix 1, hemagglutinin and neuraminidase. Topological analysis provides insights into the site-specific lysine glycation, localizing in the distinct structural regions of proteins surrounding the viral envelope membrane. Our finding highlights the proteome-wide discovery of lysine glycation of influenza membrane proteins and potential effects on the structural assembly, stability, receptor binding and enzyme activity, demonstrating that the impacts of accumulated glycation on the quality of products can be directly monitored by mass spectrometry-based structural proteomics analyses.

Abstract Organs-on-chips are microphysiological systems that allow to replicate the key functions of human organs and accelerate the innovation in life sciences including disease modeling, drug development, and precision medicine. However, due to the lack of standards in their definition, structural design, cell source, model construction, and functional validation, a wide range of translational application of organs-on-chips remains a challenging. “Organs-on-chips: Intestine” is the first group standard on human intestine-on-a-chip in China, jointly agreed and released by the experts from the Chinese Society of Biotechnology on 29th April 2024. This standard specifies the scope, terminology, definitions, technical requirements, detection methods, and quality control in building the human intestinal model on a chip. The publication of this group standard will guide the institutional establishment, acceptance and execution of proper practical protocols and accelerate the international standardization of intestine-on-a-chip for translational applications.

Abstract Background Insulin resistance and diabetes are associated with an increased risk of frailty, and frailty is associated with cardiovascular disease and premature mortality. We aim to investigate the impact of long‐term insulin resistance trajectories on future frailty and cardiovascular risk among young adults. Methods In total, 3168 participants with a 30‐year follow‐up period. The baseline period covered the first 15 years as the exposure period. Insulin resistance was determined using the homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA‐IR), and three trajectories (low, moderate, and high) were constructed. The subsequent 15 years constituted the event accrual period. Frailty was assessed using a deficit accumulation mode, and cardiovascular outcomes were obtained from the 15‐year event accrual period. Results The mean age of all 3168 participants was 41.0 (37.0–43.0) years, with 1750 (55.2%) being women. Participants in the high level of insulin resistance trajectory had an increased prevalence of frailty (OR: 1.55, 95% CI: 1.05–2.30, P = 0.028). Although no statistically significant associations were observed after full adjustment, single‐factor analysis indicated association between the moderate and high trajectories and frailty progression. Additionally, participants with high level of insulin resistance trajectory were associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, and stroke. A notable correlation between HOMA‐IR trajectory and cardiovascular diseases was still discernible within the subgroup where the frailty index ≥0.12 (HR: 2.12, 95% CI: 1.17–3.83, P = 0.013) (P for interaction >0.05). Conclusions Long‐term high level of insulin resistance is associated with high prevalence of frailty, and an increased risk of cardiovascular events. Emphasizing the importance of early prevention and intervention for abnormal glucose metabolism in young adults to prevent frailty and cardiovascular disease.

The structure and function of microbial communities in aquaculture water bodies are important in the aquaculture ecosystem. To comprehensively and systematically evaluate the structure and functional composition of the microbial community in the water during Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) cultivation, the water quality indicators in the crab pond in Chongming District, Shanghai were monitored monthly from June to October 2022. The microbial species and functional structural characteristics in the water environment during the breeding period were analyzed based on metagenomics technology, and their relationships with environmental factors were discussed. The results showed that the major water quality indicators that exceeded the standard in the breeding pond were pH, permanganate index, total phosphorus, and total nitrogen. During the breeding period, the diversity of the microbial community in the water body from June to August and the richness of the microbial community from July to August were high, and the dominant microbial phyla in the water body were mainly Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, Cyanobacteria, and Uroviricota. At the genus level, the top 10 dominant genera regarding abundance were significantly different among multiple groups. For example, the abundances of Microcystis bacteria in July and unclassified_o_Caudovirales viruses in August–October were significantly higher than those in other months. The primary function of microorganisms is metabolism, including energy metabolism, global and overview maps, and amino acid metabolism. Notable differences are present in the functional composition of different months; particularly, the abundance of metabolic pathways in June–July was significantly higher than that in August–October, and the dominant bacteria (Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes) were major contributors to the aforementioned functions. The influence trends of environmental factors on the structure and functional composition of microbial communities were consistent. Chlorophyll a and pH had the most significant impact on the structure and functional composition of microbial communities, whereas dissolved oxygen and total phosphorus had a slightly weaker impact. The pathogenic bacteria with a relatively large abundance in aquaculture water bodies are Salmonella enterica, Edwardsiella ictaluri, and Staphylococcus aureus. The research results provide basic data for the study of microbial community structure and functional composition in water bodies of Chinese mitten crab breeding ponds and can provide a theoretical basis for aquaculture water quality control and ecosystem construction.

Background/Aims: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents a common neoplasm that presents a substantial worldwide health challenge. Nevertheless, the involvement of HPN-AS1 in HCC remains unknown. Materials and Methods: The quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assay was utilized to measure HPN-AS1 expression in HCC. The GABPA effects on the HPN-AS1 promoter were analyzed through chromatin immunoprecipitation and luciferase reporter assays. Cell proliferation potential was determined by deploying CCK-8 assay, Ki-67 immunofluorescence staining, and colony formation assay. Cell apoptosis was detected using acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling staining. Western blotting was utilized to measure the protein levels of proliferation factors and apoptosis regulators. HPN-AS1 binding to eIF4A3 was accessed by RNA-binding protein immunoprecipitation assay. Results: HPN-AS1 was significantly downregulated in both HCC cells and tissues. Lower HPN-AS1 levels indicate a poorer HCC prognosis. Moreover, we found that GABPA functions as a transcription factor for HPN-AS1. Functional studies revealed that HPN-AS1 displayed inhibitory effects on HCC cell proliferation and promoted apoptosis. Mechanically, HPN-AS1 bound to and facilitated translation initiation factor eIF4A3 degradation. Loss of HPN-AS1 augmented eIF4A3 protein levels rather than eIF4A3 mRNA levels. Exogenous expression of eIF4A3 could restore eIF4A3 protein levels and reverse HPN-AS1 overexpression-induced cell proliferation inhibition and cell apoptosis. Conclusion: Our study elucidated that HPN-AS1 downregulation was mediated by GABPA. HPN-AS acted as a tumor suppressor within HCC through binding and facilitating eIF4A3 degradation. The study provides a novel insight into the biological function of HPN-AS1 in HCC, suggesting that HPN-AS1 could be a promising biomarker and a potential target for HCC diagnosis and treatment.

Abstract Metabolomics plays a crucial role in understanding metabolic processes within biological systems. Using specific pulse sequences, NMR-based metabolomics detects small and macromolecular metabolites that are altered in blood samples. Here we proposed a method called spectral editing neural network, which can effectively edit and separate the spectral signals of small and macromolecules in 1H NMR spectra of serum and plasma based on the linewidth of the peaks. We applied the model to process the 1H NMR spectra of plasma and serum. The extracted small and macromolecular spectra were then compared with experimentally obtained relaxation-edited and diffusion-edited spectra. Correlation analysis demonstrated the quantitative capability of the model in the extracted small molecule signals from 1H NMR spectra. The principal component analysis showed that the spectra extracted by the model and those obtained by NMR spectral editing methods reveal similar group information, demonstrating the effectiveness of the model in signal extraction.

The present study investigates the synergistic enhancement of hot corrosion resistance (900 °C, 75%Na2SO4+25%NaCl) and mechanical properties of IN738LC alloy prepared by selective laser melting after heat treatment. The results indicate that the M23C6 precipitation at the grain boundaries coupled with smaller-sized γ′ phase distribution in the inner grain is conducive to the formation of thicker Cr2O3 outer layer and Al2O3 inner layer for the samples, which effectively hinders the diffusion of S and Cl elements penetrate to the matrix, enhancing the hot corrosion resistance. Additionally, the presence of small-sized γ′ phase and re-crystallization-induced grain refinement contribute to an increase in yield strength (σYS = 1261 MPa) and ultimate tensile strength (σUTS = 1360 MPa) for the alloy.

Abstract The concept of sustainable development has led to a growing research interest in bio-based flame-retardant polyurethane foams. These foams offer environmentally friendly, sustainable, and flame-retardant raw materials for the construction, automotive, and furniture industries. The 15 wt% soybean oil-based polyol rigid polyurethane foams (RPUF-S3A20B system) were modified with 20 wt% ammonium polyphosphate (APP) and homemade magnesium borate hydroxide (MgBO2(OH)). Thermogravimetric analysis, pyrolysis kinetic analysis, limiting oxygen index (LOI) test, cone calorimetry (CONE), morphological analysis, and smoke density (Ds) were employed to investigate the impact of MgBO2(OH) on the thermal stability and flame-retardant properties of the RPUF-S3A20B system. The results indicated that RPUF-S3A20B12.5 with 12.5 wt% MgBO2(OH) had better thermal stability and higher activation energy. In addition, its LOI was increased by 3.1% compared to RPUF-S3A20 without MgBO2(OH). The peak heat release rate (PHRR) and total heat release rate (THR) of RPUF-S3A20B12.5 at a radiant flux of 25 kW/m2 were reduced by 45.8% and 35.0% compared with RPUF-S3A20. RPUF-S3A20B12.5 demonstrated the lowest smoke density (17.4 and 17.5) and highest light transmission (73.9% and 73.7%) in both flameless and flame conditions, indicating superior flame-retardant and smoke-suppression properties. These findings offered valuable insights for further research on synergistic flame-retardant systems in bio-based polyurethane foams.

Abstract Background Proprotein convertase subtilisins/kexin 6 (PCSK6) polymorphisms have been shown to be associated with atherosclerosis progression. This research aimed to evaluate the relationship of PCSK6 rs1531817 polymorphisms with coronary stenosis and the prognosis in premature myocardial infarction (PMI) patients. Methods This prospective cohort analysis consecutively included 605 PMI patients who performed emergency percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) at Tianjin Chest Hospital sequentially between January 2017 and August 2022, with major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) as the outcome. Analyses assessed the relationships among PCSK6 rs1531817 polymorphism, Gensini score (GS), triple vessel disease (TVD), and MACEs. Results 92 (16.8%) patients experienced MACEs with an average follow-up of 25.7 months. Logistic analysis revealed that the PCSK6 rs1531817 CA + AA genotype was an independent protective factor against high GS and TVD. Cox analysis revealed that the PCSK6 rs1531817 CA + AA genotype was an independent protective factor against MACEs. The mediation effect results showed that apolipoprotein A1/apolipoprotein B (ApoA1/ApoB) partially mediated the association between PCSK6 rs1531817 polymorphism and coronary stenosis and that total cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein (TC/HDL) and TVD partially and in parallel mediated the association between the PCSK6 rs1531817 polymorphism and MACEs. Conclusion Patients with the PCSK6 CA + AA genotype have milder coronary stenosis and a better long-term prognosis; according to the mediation model, ApoA1/ApoB and TC/HDL partially mediate. These results may provide a new perspective on clinical therapeutic strategy for anti-atherosclerosis and improved prognosis in PMI patients.

Abstract Lane line images have the essential attribute of large-scale variation and complex scene information, and the similarity between adjacent lane lines is high, which can easily cause classification errors. And remote lane lines are difficult to recognize due to visual angle changes in width. To address this issue, this paper proposes an effective lane detection framework, which is a hybrid feature fusion network that enhances multiple spatial features and distinguishes key features throughout the entire lane line segment. It enhances and fuses lane line features at multiscale to enhance the feature representation of lane line images, especially at the far end. Firstly, in order to enhance the correlation of multiscale lane features, a multi-head self attention is used to construct a multi-space attention enhancement module for feature enhancement in multispace. Secondly, a spatial separable convolutional branch is designed for the jumping layer structure connecting multiscale lane line features. While retaining feature information of different scales, important lane areas in multiscale feature information are emphasized through the allocation of spatial attention weights. Finally, considering that lane lines are elongated areas in the image, and the background information in the image is much more abundant than lane line information, the flexibility of traditional pooling operations in capturing widely existing anisotropic contexts in actual environments is limited. Therefore, before embedding feature output branches, strip pooling is introduced to refine the representation of lane line information and optimize model performance. The experimental results show that the accuracy on the TuSimple dataset reaches 96.84%, and the F1 score on the CULane dataset reaches 75.9%.

Abstract A bio-based flame retardant nickel phytate (PA-Ni) was synthesized and combined with soybean oil-based polyol (SO) to create a green rigid polyurethane foam (RPUF) with enhanced compressive strength, good thermal stability and flame retardant. The results showed that the RPUF-SO2/Ni3 with 3 wt% PA-Ni had the highest initial and termination temperature, maximum thermal decomposition rate temperature and carbon residue, and better thermal stability. Its limiting oxygen index was increased by 2.6% compared with RPUF-SO2 without PA-Ni added, and the peak heat release rate (PHRR) and total heat release rate (THR) were reduced by 14.92% and 19.92%, respectively. In addition, RPUF-SO2/Ni3 had the lowest Ds under the conditions of flame (18.90) and flameless (22.41), and had the best smoke suppression effect. And the compressive strength of RPUF-SO/Ni3 was significantly enhanced by the addition of PA-Ni. The results show that the improvement of flame retardancy of RPUF is mainly the result of the combined effect of gas-phase and condensed-phase flame retardancy, among which the flame retardancy of RPUF-SO/Ni3 was the best. The current findings offer a practical way to produce green and low-carbon RPUF as well as promising prospects for the material's safe application.

Abstract Objective MSI has a better prognosis than MSS in colorectal cancer patients, and the main objective of this study was to screen for differentially expressed molecules between MSI and MSS primary colorectal cancers using bioinformatics. Material and methods Two gene expression datasets (GSE13294 and GSE13067) were downloaded from GEO, and differential expressed genes (DEGs) were analyzed using GEO2R. Gene Ontology, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genomes, and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis were conducted using the DEGs. Furthermore, a Protein–Protein Interaction Networks (PPI) was constructed to screen for significant modules and identify hub genes. The hub genes were analyzed in colorectal cancer using GEPIA. The expression of hub genes in clinical samples was visualized using the online Human Protein Atlas (HPA). Results A total of 265 common DEGs were identified in MSS primary colorectal cancer compared to MSI primary colorectal cancer. Among these, 178 DEGs were upregulated, and 87 DEGs were downregulated. Enrichment analysis showed that these DEGs were associated with the response to mechanical stimulus, regulation of cellular response to stress, G protein-coupled receptor binding, and other processes. A total of 5 hub genes was identified by cytoHubba: HNRNPL, RBM39, HNRNPH1, TRA2A, SRSF6. GEPIA software online analysis, 5 hub gene expression in colorectal cancer survival curve did not have significant differences. The expression of RBM39 was significantly different in different stages of colorectal cancer. The HPA online database results showed that the expression of the five hub proteins varied widely in CRC patients. Conclusion The hub genes, such as HNRNPH1and RBM39, and the spliceosome resulting from DEGs, which may provide novel insights and evidence for the future diagnosis and targeted therapy of MSS/MSI PCRC.

Abstract Our objective was to examine the impact of elective neck dissection (END) on the prognosis of patients with cT2N0 maxillary sinus squamous cell carcinoma (MS-SCC) and to determine factors that predict the occurrence of occult metastasis in this patient population. A retrospective analysis was conducted using data from the SEER database. Patients with cT2N0 MS-SCC were included in the study and divided into two groups: those who received END and those who did not. The impact of END on disease-specific survival (DSS) and overall survival (OS) was assessed using propensity score matching. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to determine predictors for occult metastasis. A total of 180 patients were included in the study, with 40 cases receiving END. Following propensity score matching, patients treated with END and those without showed similar DSS and OS rates. Occult metastasis was observed in 9 patients, corresponding to a rate of 22.5%. High-grade tumors were independently associated with a higher risk of occult metastasis compared to low-grade tumors (hazard ratio 1.52, 95% confidence interval 1.17–2.00). cT2 MS-SCC carries an occult metastasis rate of 22.5%, with histologic grade being the primary determinant of occult metastasis. END does not confer a significant survival benefit in this patient population.

Abstract Background Telemedicine is beneficial for improving treatment efficiency and reducing medical expenses of cancer patients. This study focuses on cancer patients participating in teleconsultations through a regional telemedicine platform in China, analyzes the consultation process, and provides references for the clinical application of telemedicine. Methods We collected information on teleconsultations of cancer patients conducted from 2015 to 2022 through the regional telemedicine platform. Utilizing SPSS 23.0 software, we conducted descriptive analysis to summarize the distribution of patient gender, age, region, and disease types. The ordinal logistic regression analysis was adopted to analyze the factors influencing the waiting time and consultation duration for teleconsultations. Results From 2015 to 2022, a total of 23,060 teleconsultations were conducted for cancer patients via regional telemedicine platform, with an average growth rate of 11.09%. The main types of consultations were for lung cancer, liver cancer, and breast cancer, accounting for 18.14%, 10.49%, and 9.46% respectively. 57.05% of teleconsultations had a waiting time of less than 24 h, while patient age, consultation expert level, and disease type were the main factors influencing the waiting time. 50.06% of teleconsultations had a duration of more than 20 min, and the inviting hospital level and the title of invited consultant were the main factors influencing the consultation duration. Conclusions In China, telemedicine has been widely employed in the clinical diagnosis and treatment of cancers, covering various types of oncological diseases. However, the waiting time for teleconsultations was generally more than 12 h, indicating the need to enhance consultation scheduling and allocate more expert resources to further optimize the efficiency of teleconsultations. Additionally, further exploration is required for remote health management of outpatients with cancers outside the hospital.

Zhigancao decoction is a traditional prescription for treating irregular pulse and palpitations in China. As the monarch drug of Zhigancao decoction, the bioactive molecules of licorice against heart diseases remain elusive. We established the HRESIMS-guided method leading to the isolation of three novel bicyclic peptides, glycnsisitins A–C (1–3), with distinctive C–C and C–O–C side-chain-to-side-chain linkages from the roots of Glycyrrhiza uralensis (Licorice). Glycnsisitin A demonstrated stronger cardioprotective activity than glycnsisitins B and C in an in vitro model of doxorubicin (DOX)-induced cardiomyocyte injury. Glycnsisitin A treatment not only reduced the mortality of heart failure (HF) mice in a dose-dependent manner but also significantly attenuated DOX-induced cardiac dysfunction and myocardial fibrosis. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) of the differentially expressed genes indicated that the cardioprotective effect of glycnsisitin A was mainly attributed to its ability to maintain iron homeostasis in the myocardium. Mechanistically, glycnsisitin A interacted with transferrin and facilitated its binding to the transferrin receptor (TFRC), which caused increased uptake of iron in cardiomyocytes. These findings highlight the key role of bicyclic peptides as bioactive molecules of Zhigancao decoction for the treatment of HF, and glycnsisitin A constitutes a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of HF.

Facile and rapid 3D fabrication of strong, bioactive materials can address challenges that impede repair of large-to-massive rotator cuff tears including personalized grafts, limited mechanical support, and inadequate tissue regeneration. Herein, we developed a facile and rapid methodology that generates visible light-crosslinkable polythiourethane (PHT) pre-polymer resin (∼30 min at room temperature), yielding 3D-printable scaffolds with tendon-like mechanical attributes capable of delivering tenogenic bioactive factors. Ex vivo characterization confirmed successful fabrication, robust human supraspinatus tendon (SST)-like tensile properties (strength: 23 MPa, modulus: 459 MPa, at least 10,000 physiological loading cycles without failure), excellent suture retention (8.62-fold lower than acellular dermal matrix (ADM)-based clinical graft), slow degradation, and controlled release of fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) and transforming growth factor-β3 (TGF-β3). In vitro studies showed cytocompatibility and growth factor-mediated tenogenic-like differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells. In vivo studies demonstrated biocompatibility (3-week mouse subcutaneous implantation) and ability of growth factor-containing scaffolds to notably regenerate at least 1-cm of tendon with native-like biomechanical attributes as uninjured shoulder (8-week, large-to-massive 1-cm gap rabbit rotator cuff injury). This study demonstrates use of a 3D-printable, strong, and bioactive material to provide mechanical support and pro-regenerative cues for challenging injuries such as large-to-massive rotator cuff tears.

Abstract Spotted fever group rickettsiae (SFGR) are obligate intracellular bacteria that cause spotted fever. The limitations of gene manipulation pose great challenges to studying the infection mechanisms of Rickettsia. By combining bioorthogonal metabolism and click chemistry, we developed a method to label R. heilongjiangensis via azide moieties and achieved rapid pathogen localization without complex procedures. Moreover, we constructed a C57BL/6 mice infection model by simulating tick bites and discovered that the stomach is the target organ of R. heilongjiangensis infection through in vivo imaging systems, which explained the occurrence of gastrointestinal symptoms following R. heilongjiangensis infection in some cases. This study offers a unique perspective for subsequent investigations into the pathogenic mechanisms of SFGR and identifies a potential target organ for R. heilongjiangensis.

Abstract Background Acute thrombotic events play a major role in various cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, direct thrombus imaging can be proved beneficial for early diagnosis and prompt therapy of thrombosis. Our study investigated targeted dual‐modality cyclic arginine‐glycine‐aspartic micro bubbles (cRGD‐MBs) for direct imaging of thrombi by fluorescence and ultrasound. Methods cRGD‐MBs were prepared by mechanical vibration and chemical chelation methods. Results Coulter counter analysis demonstrated that the cRGD‐MBs were well dispersed, with diameters ranging from 1 to 3 μm. They emitted bright red fluorescence under an excitation wavelength of 660 nm. In vivo fluorescence and ultrasound imaging revealed that cRGD‐MBs accumulated at the site of thrombus in the carotid artery with significant fluorescence and ultrasonic signal. Conclusions This study showed that novel microbubble cRGD‐MBs were successfully synthesized, and that these could potentially be used as contrast agents for immediate diagnosis of acute thrombus in vivo.

Abstract Amorphophallus is a perennial monocotyledonous herbaceous plant native to the southwestern region of China, widely used in various fields such as food processing, biomedicine and chemical agriculture. However, Amorphophallus is a typical thermolabile plant, and the continuous high temperature in summer have seriously affected the growth, development and economic yield of Amorphophallus in recent years. Calmodulin (CaM), a Ca2+ sensor ubiquitous in eukaryotes, is the most important multifunctional receptor protein in plant cells, which affects plant stress resistance by participating in the activities of a variety of signaling molecules. In this study, the key gene AaCaM3 for the Ca2+-CaM regulatory pathway was obtained from A. albus, the sequence analysis confirmed that it is a typical calmodulin. The qRT-PCR results demonstrated that with the passage of heat treatment time, the expression of AaCaM3 was significantly upregulated in A. albus leaves. Subcellular localization analysis revealed that AaCaM3 localized on the cytoplasm and nucleus. Meanwhile, heterologous transformation experiments have shown that AaCaM3 can significantly improve the heat tolerance of Arabidopsis under heat stress. The promoter region of AaCaM3 was sequenced 1,338 bp by FPNI-PCR and GUS staining assay showed that the promoter of AaCaM3 was a high-temperature inducible promoter. Yeast one-hybrid analysis and Luciferase activity reporting system analysis showed that the AaCaM3 promoter may interact with AaHSFA1, AaHSFA2c, AaHSP70, AaDREB2a and AaDREB2b. In conclusion, this study provides new ideas for further improving the signal transduction network of high-temperature stress in Amorphophallus.

Abstract Objective Ubiquitin-specific peptidase 10 (USP10), a typical de-ubiquitinase, has been found to play a double-edged role in human cancers. Previously, we reported that the expression of USP10 was negatively correlated with the depth of gastric wall invasion, lymph node metastasis, and prognosis in gastric cancer (GC) patients. However, it remains unclear whether USP10 can regulate the metastasis of GC cells through its de-ubiquitination function. Methods In this study, proteome, ubiquitinome, and transcriptome analyses were conducted to comprehensively identify novel de-ubiquitination targets for USP10 in GC cells. Subsequently, a series of validation experiments, including in vitro cell culture studies, in vivo metastatic tumor models, and clinical sample analyses, were performed to elucidate the regulatory mechanism of USP10 and its de-ubiquitination targets in GC metastasis. Results After overexpression of USP10 in GC cells, 146 proteins, 489 ubiquitin sites, and 61 mRNAs exhibited differential expression. By integrating the results of multi-omics, we ultimately screened 9 potential substrates of USP10, including TNFRSF10B, SLC2A3, CD44, CSTF2, RPS27, TPD52, GPS1, RNF185, and MED16. Among them, TNFRSF10B was further verified as a direct de-ubiquitination target for USP10 by Co-IP and protein stabilization assays. The dysregulation of USP10 or TNFRSF10B affected the migration and invasion of GC cells in vitro and in vivo models. Molecular mechanism studies showed that USP10 inhibited the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process by increasing the stability of TNFRSF10B protein, thereby regulating the migration and invasion of GC cells. Finally, the retrospective clinical sample studies demonstrated that the downregulation of TNFRSF10B expression was associated with poor survival among 4 of 7 GC cohorts, and the expression of TNFRSF10B protein was significantly negatively correlated with the incidence of distant metastasis, diffuse type, and poorly cohesive carcinoma. Conclusions Our study established a high-throughput strategy for screening de-ubiquitination targets for USP10 and further confirmed that inhibiting the ubiquitination of TNFRSF10B might be a promising therapeutic strategy for GC metastasis.

Abstract Sensors with a small footprint and real-time detection capabilities are crucial in robotic surgery and smart wearable equipment. Reducing device footprint while maintaining its high performance is a major challenge and a significant limitation to their development. Here, we proposed a monolithic integrated micro-scale sensor, which can be used for vector force detection. This sensor combines an optical source, four photodetectors, and a hemispherical silicone elastomer component on the same sapphire-based AlGaInP wafer. The chip-scale optical coupling is achieved by employing the laser lift-off techniques and the flip-chip bonding to a processed sapphire substrate. This hemispherical structure device can detect normal and shear forces as low as 1 mN within a measurement range of 0–220 mN for normal force and 0–15 mN for shear force. After packaging, the sensor is capable of detecting forces over a broader range, with measurement capabilities extending up to 10 N for normal forces and 0.2 N for shear forces. It has an accuracy of detecting a minimum normal force of 25 mN and a minimum shear force of 20 mN. Furthermore, this sensor has been validated to have a compact footprint of approximately 1.5 mm2, while maintaining high real-time response. We also demonstrate its promising potential by combining this sensor with fine surface texture perception in the fields of compact medical robot interaction and wearable devices.

Chimonobambusa utilis is a unique edible bamboo species valued for its economic and nutritional benefits. However, its existence in natural habitats is at risk due to environmental shifts and human interventions. This research utilised the maximum entropy model (MaxEnt) to predict potential habitats for Ch. utilis in China, identifying key environmental factors influencing its distribution and analysing changes in suitable habitats under future climate conditions. The results show that the results of the MaxEnt model have high prediction accuracy, with an AUC (Area Under the receiver operating characteristic Curve) value of 0.997. Precipitation in the driest month (Bio14), altitude (Alt) and isothermality (Bio03) emerged as the primary environmental factors influencing the Ch. utilis distribution. Currently, the suitable habitats area for Ch. utilis is 10.55 × 104 km2. Projections for the 2050s and 2090s indicate potential changes in suitable habitats ranging from -3.79% to 10.52%. In general, the most suitable habitat area will decrease and shrink towards higher latitude areas in the future. This study provides a scientific basis for the introduction, cultivation and conservation of Ch. utilis.

Abstract Background Salt sensitivity of blood pressure (SSBP) is an intermediate phenotype of hypertension and is a predictor of long-term cardiovascular events and death. However, the genetic structures of SSBP are uncertain, and it is difficult to precisely diagnose SSBP in population. So, we aimed to identify genes related to susceptibility to the SSBP, construct a risk evaluation model, and explore the potential functions of these genes. Methods and results A genome-wide association study of the systemic epidemiology of salt sensitivity (EpiSS) cohort was performed to obtain summary statistics for SSBP. Then, we conducted a transcriptome-wide association study (TWAS) of 12 tissues using FUSION software to predict the genes associated with SSBP and verified the genes with an mRNA microarray. The potential roles of the genes were explored. Risk evaluation models of SSBP were constructed based on the serial P value thresholds of polygenetic risk scores (PRSs), polygenic transcriptome risk scores (PTRSs) and their combinations of the identified genes and genetic variants from the TWAS. The TWAS revealed that 2605 genes were significantly associated with SSBP. Among these genes, 69 were differentially expressed according to the microarray analysis. The functional analysis showed that the genes identified in the TWAS were enriched in metabolic process pathways. The PRSs were correlated with PTRSs in the heart atrial appendage, adrenal gland, EBV-transformed lymphocytes, pituitary, artery coronary, artery tibial and whole blood. Multiple logistic regression models revealed that a PRS of P

Abstract Background Circular RNAs (circRNAs) play important roles in cancer progression and metastasis. However, the expression profiles and biological roles of circRNAs in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remain unclear. Methods In this study, we identified a novel circRNA, hsa_circ_0006834 (termed circ6834), in NSCLC by RNA-seq and investigated the biological role of circ6834 in NSCLC progression in vitro and in vivo. Finally, the molecular mechanism of circ6834 was revealed by tagged RNA affinity purification (TRAP), western blot, RNA immunoprecipitation, dual luciferase reporter gene assays and rescue experiments. Results Our results showed that circ6834 was downregulated in NSCLC tumor tissues and cell lines. Circ6834 overexpression inhibited NSCLC cell growth and metastasis both in vitro and in vivo, while circ6834 knockdown had the opposite effect. We found that TGF-β treatment decreased circ6834 expression, which was associated with the QKI reduction in NSCLC cells and circ6834 antagonized TGF-β-induced EMT and metastasis in NSCLC cells. Mechanistically, circ6834 bound to AHNAK protein, a key regulator of TGF-β/Smad signaling, and inhibited its stability by enhancing TRIM25-mediated ubiquitination and degradation. In addition, circ6834 acted as a miRNA sponge for miR-873-5p and upregulated TXNIP gene expression, which together inactivated the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway in NSCLC cells. Conclusion In conclusion, circ6834 is a tumor-suppressive circRNA that inhibits NSCLC progression by forming a negative regulatory feedback loop with the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway and represents a novel therapeutic target for NSCLC.

Abstract Background To determine the safety and efficacy of robot‐assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy (RAMIE) for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) after neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy (NCI). Methods Data from patients who underwent RAMIE between January 2020 and June 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. The oncological and operative outcomes of the NCI and surgery‐only (S) groups were compared by both unmatched and 1:1 propensity score‐matched (PSM) analysis. Results A total of 201 patients with ESCC who underwent three‐incision RAMIE were included in this study (143 patients in the S group and 58 patients in the NCI group). Of the 58 patients who underwent NCI, a pathologically complete response (pCR) (ypT0N0) was identified in 14 (24.1%) patients. The patients in the NCI group were younger than those in the S group (p = 0.017), and had more advanced cT (p 0.05). However, the NCI group exhibited a lower rate of pulmonary complications than the S group (3.6% vs. 14.5%, p = 0.047). No significant difference between the groups was found for other complications (all p > 0.05). Conclusion These findings indicate that NCI could result in a high pCR rate without increased complications in locally advanced ESCC. RAMIE is safe and feasible in patients with ESCC after NCI.

Abstract Objective The thickness of the lateral femoral wall, which is an important indicator for evaluating the stability and integrity of intertrochanteric fractures, has been widely studied in recent years. However, as a typical representative of internal fixation treatment, there are few reports on the biomechanical comparison between PFNA and DHS + CS. This study focused primarily on the biomechanical effects of different lateral femoral wall thicknesses on two types of internal fixation through finite element analysis. Methods We randomly recruited a healthy adult and collected his femoral CT data to establish a model of femoral intertrochanteric fracture with different lateral femoral wall thicknesses. Following PFNA and DHS + CS fixation, femoral models were simulated, and variations in stress and displacement of the internal fixation and femoral head were recorded under the same physiological load. Results First, finite element mechanical analysis revealed that the stress and displacement of the internal fixation and femoral head were lower in the femoral model after PFNA fixation than in the DHS + CS model. Second, as the outer wall thickness decreased, the stress and deformation endured by both types of internal fixation gradually increased. Conclusions Finite element analysis determined that PFNA exhibits significantly better biomechanical stability than DHS + CS when subjected to varying lateral femoral wall thicknesses. Moreover, lateral femoral wall thickness substantially affects the stability of the two internal fixation biomechanical environments. When the thickness of the lateral femoral wall is too small, we do not recommend using extramedullary fixation because there is a significant risk of internal fixation fracture.

Abstract Background Glioma is a common tumor that occurs in the brain and spinal cord. Hypoxia is a crucial feature of the tumor microenvironment. Tumor-associated macrophages/microglia play a crucial role in the advancement of glioma. This study aims to illuminate the detailed mechanisms by which hypoxia regulates microglia and, consequently, influences the progression of glioma. Methods The glioma cell viability and proliferation were analyzed by cell counting kit-8 assay and 5-ethynyl-2’-deoxyuridine assay. Wound healing assay and transwell assay were implemented to detect glioma cell migration and invasion, respectively. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was conducted to detect protein levels in cell culture medium. The protein levels in glioma cells and tumor tissues were evaluated using western blot analysis. The histological morphology of tumor tissue was determined by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The protein expression in tumor tissues was determined using immunohistochemistry. Human glioma xenograft in nude mice was employed to test the influence of hypoxic microglia-derived interleukin-1beta (IL-1β) and heparanase (HPSE) on glioma growth in vivo. Results Hypoxic HMC3 cells promoted proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities of U251 and U87 cells by secreting IL-1β, which was upregulated by hypoxia-induced activation of hypoxia inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1α). Besides, IL-1β from HMC3 cells promoted glioma progression and caused activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and upregulation of HPSE in vivo. We also confirmed that IL-1β facilitated HPSE expression in U251 and U87 cells by activating NF-κB. Hypoxic HMC3 cells-secreted IL-1β facilitated the proliferation, migration, and invasion of U251 and U87 cells via NF-κB-mediated upregulation of HPSE expression. Finally, we revealed that silencing HPSE curbed the proliferation and metastasis of glioma in mice. Conclusion Hypoxia-induced activation of HIF-1α/IL-1β axis in microglia promoted glioma progression via NF-κB-mediated upregulation of HPSE expression.

Abstract Hyperglycemia accelerates calcification of atherosclerotic plaques in diabetic patients, and the accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) is closely related to the atherosclerotic calcification. Here, we show that hyperglycemia-mediated AGEs markedly increase vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) NF90/110 activation in male diabetic patients with atherosclerotic calcified samples. VSMC-specific NF90/110 knockout in male mice decreases obviously AGEs-induced atherosclerotic calcification, along with the inhibitions of VSMC phenotypic changes to osteoblast-like cells, apoptosis, and matrix vesicle release. Mechanistically, AGEs increase the activity of NF90, which then enhances ubiquitination and degradation of AGE receptor 1 (AGER1) by stabilizing the mRNA of E3 ubiquitin ligase FBXW7, thus causing the accumulation of more AGEs and atherosclerotic calcification. Collectively, our study demonstrates the effects of VSMC NF90 in mediating the metabolic imbalance of AGEs to accelerate diabetic atherosclerotic calcification. Therefore, inhibition of VSMC NF90 may be a potential therapeutic target for diabetic atherosclerotic calcification.

Abstract Objective To construct the deep learning convolution neural network (CNN) model and machine learning support vector machine (SVM) model of bone remodeling of chronic maxillary sinusitis (CMS) based on CT image data to improve the accuracy of image diagnosis. Methods Maxillary sinus CT data of 1000 samples in 500 patients from January 2018 to December 2021 in our hospital was collected. The first part is the establishment and testing of chronic maxillary sinusitis detection model by 461 images. The second part is the establishment and testing of the detection model of chronic maxillary sinusitis with bone remodeling by 802 images. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy and area under the curve (AUC) value of the test set were recorded, respectively. Results Preliminary application results of CT based AI in the diagnosis of chronic maxillary sinusitis and bone remodeling. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the test set of 93 samples of CMS, were 0.9796, 0.8636 and 0.9247, respectively. Simultaneously, the value of AUC was 0.94. And the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the test set of 161 samples of CMS with bone remodeling were 0.7353, 0.9685 and 0.9193, respectively. Simultaneously, the value of AUC was 0.89. Conclusion It is feasible to use artificial intelligence research methods such as deep learning and machine learning to automatically identify CMS and bone remodeling in MSCT images of paranasal sinuses, which is helpful to standardize imaging diagnosis and meet the needs of clinical application.

Objective: Through meta-analysis, this study aims to comprehensively evaluate the efficacy of single-plating and double-plating in the treatment of comminuted fractures of the distal femur. Methods: Computer searches of PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), China Biology Medicine (CBM), VIP, and Wanfang digital journals were performed, and the timeframe for the searches was from the establishment of each database to July 2023 for each of the databases. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4 software provided by the Cochrane Library, and the review process was registered in the PROSPERO database. Results: A total of ten studies were included for statistical analysis. One randomised controlled study and nine retrospective cohort studies with a total of 563 patients were included. The double-plate group was superior to the single-plate group in terms of knee mobility at 6 months postoperatively, overall postoperative complications, and the rate of healing of knee deformity. However, it increased the operation time and intraoperative bleeding, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of excellent knee function rate, fracture healing time, plate fracture, postoperative infection, delayed fracture healing, and non-union (P ≥ 0.05). Conclusion: Double plate fixation for comminuted fractures of the distal femur can improve knee mobility at 6 months postoperatively, reduce overall postoperative complications, and decrease the incidence of malunion healing. However, it increases operative time and bleeding. Randomised studies are needed to provide strong evidence in the future.