Search

Abstract Background The mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) communicate via contact sites known as mitochondria associated membranes (MAMs). Many important cellular functions such as bioenergetics, mitophagy, apoptosis, and calcium signaling are regulated by MAMs, which are thought to be closely related to ischemic reperfusion injury (IRI). However, there exists a gap in systematic proteomic research addressing the relationship between these cellular processes. Methods A 4D label free mass spectrometry-based proteomic analysis of mitochondria associated membranes (MAMs) from the human renal proximal tubular epithelial cell line (HK-2 cells) was conducted under both normal (N) and hypoxia/reperfusion (HR) conditions. Subsequent differential proteins analysis aimed to characterize disease-relevant signaling molecules. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis was applied to total proteins and differentially expressed proteins, encompassing Biological Process (BP), Cell Component (CC), Molecular Function (MF), and KEGG pathways. Further, Protein–Protein Interaction Network (PPI) exploration was carried out, leading to the identification of hub genes from differentially expressed proteins. Notably, Mitofusion 2 (MFN2) and BCL2/Adenovirus E1B 19-kDa interacting protein 3(BNIP3) were identified and subsequently validated both in vitro and in vivo. Finally, the impact of MFN2 on MAMs during hypoxia/reoxygenation was explored through regulation of gene expression. Subsequently, a comparative proteomics analysis was conducted between OE-MFN2 and normal HK-2 cells, providing further insights into the underlying mechanisms. Results A total of 4489 proteins were identified, with 3531 successfully quantified. GO/KEGG analysis revealed that MAM proteins were primarily associated with mitochondrial function and energy metabolism. Differential analysis between the two groups showed that 688 proteins in HR HK-2 cells exhibited significant changes in expression level with P-value 1.5 or HR/N

Abstract Objectives To evaluate the diagnostic value of plasma exosomal miR-223 and its combination with CA125 for the diagnosis of early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Patients and methods Exosomes derived from the plasma of 78 EOC patients, 40 patients with epithelial benign ovarian tumors, and 52 healthy participants were isolated using the ultracentrifugation method and identified by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and western blot. Results The expression of exosomal miR-223 was significantly upregulated in the plasma of EOC patients compared to that in healthy subjects and patients with benign diseases. The combination of exosomal miR-223 and CA125 from plasma had an equivalent area under the ROC curve (AUC) to CA125 alone for discriminating between EOC and non-EOC cases, including healthy subjects and benign ovarian tumors. However, the AUC value of the combination was 0.944 (95% CI: 0.899–0.990) for differentially diagnosing early-stage EOC from healthy subjects, slightly higher than that of CA125 alone (0.928, 95% CI: 0.875–0.981), with a sensitivity and specificity of 0.9784 and 0.885, respectively. Conclusion Our data suggest that plasma exosomal miR-223 can be used as a complement to CA125 to increase the diagnostic power for differentiating early-stage EOC from healthy subjects.

Abstract Background In the wake of China’s relaxed zero-COVID policy, there was a surge in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infections. This study aimed to examine the infection status and health service utilization among Beijing residents during a widespread outbreak, and to explore the factors that affected utilization of health services due to COVID-19. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among Beijing residents from 13 January to 13 February 2023, collecting information on socio-demographic characteristics, health behaviours, COVID-19 infection status, utilization of health services and depressive symptoms. Multivariate Tobit regression was used for data analysis. Results Among the 53 924 participants, 14.7% were older than 60 years, 63.7% were female and 84.8% were married. In total, 44 992 of the 53 924 individuals surveyed (83.4%) contracted COVID-19 during 2020–2023, and 25.2% (13 587) sought corresponding health services. The majority of individuals (85.6%) chose in-person healthcare, while 14.4% chose internet-based healthcare. Among those who chose in-person healthcare, 58.6% preferred primary healthcare institutions and 41.5% were very satisfied with the treatment. Factors affecting health service utilization include being female (β = −0.15, P

Photocatalysts are widely used in water pollution treatment，air purification，disease treatment and environmental remediation because of their strong oxidation，high chemical stability，environmentally friendly and non-toxicity. In order to improve the photo-response range，adding graphene-based series materials has become a hotspot all over the world. This paper reviewed the research status of the graphene-based materials and semiconductor metal oxide composite photocatalysts. The effects of preparation process on the morphological structure and photocatalytic performance of the graphene/semiconductor metal oxide composites were summarized. The advantages and disadvantages of the preparation processes of the graphene /semiconductor metal oxide composites were compared. Relevant problems of the processes were stated briefly， and the development direction of the graphene/semiconductor metal oxide composite photocatalysts was prospected.It was expected to provide a reference for improving the photocatalytic performance of semiconductor metal oxide photocatalysts and optimizing the preparation process of the graphene/semiconductor metal oxide composites.

Background Population aging in China is deepening, and the widowed rate of the elderly is also on the rise. Widower is one of the most stressful events in the human life course, and its impact also affects the mental health and economic level of widower. In many studies on the impact of widower on the mental health of the elderly at home and abroad, the proxy variables used are traditional indicators, such as subjective well-being, loneliness, depression level, and some studies do not consider the endogeneity between widowhood and health status. Objective To evaluate the impact of widowhood on the mental health of older adults in China, and provide a basis and reference for formulating the mental health intervention program for older adults in China. Methods Using the 2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) as the data source, 4 694 older adults aged 60 years and above were selected as study subjects and divided into the widowed group (n=644) and non-widowed group (n=4 050) . The mental frailty index was used as a perspective for evaluating the mental health status of older adults. Using propensity score matching (PSM) model, the propensity score was calculated by using Logit regression analysis, the robustness was tested by using standard deviation variation, common support bar graph and nuclear density distribution, the impact of widowhood on the physical and mental health of older adults was analyzed by using K-nearest neighbor matching, radius matching and kernel matching, and the heterogeneity was tested based on gender, household type and age. Results Compared to the non-widowed group, the mental health of older adults in the widowed group was impaired (P

Developing a localized and consistent model framework for climate loss and damage assessment is crucial for the policy-making of climate change mitigation and adaptation. This study introduces a comprehensive, multidisciplinary Integrated Assessment Model (IAM) framework for evaluating climate damage in China, utilizing BCC-SESM climate model and FUND sectoral climate damage model under the SSP2-RCPs scenario. Employing a bottom-up approach, the research estimates climate damage across eight major sectors, recalibrates sectoral climate damage functions and parameters for China, and elucidates distinctions among direct climate loss, market climate loss, and aggregate climate loss. The findings reveal that the total climate damage function for China follows a quadratic pattern in response to temperature rise. By 2050, the estimated climate damage is projected to be 5.4%, 5.7%, and 8.2% of GDP under RCP2.6, RCP4.5, and RCP8.5, respectively. Additionally, both direct and market climate losses are projected to remain below 2% of GDP by 2050, while the aggregate climate loss could reach as high as 8.2%, which is predominantly attributed to non-market sectors. From a sectoral perspective, under the RCP8.5 scenario, human health damage constitutes the largest share (61.9%) of the total climate loss by 2050, followed by sea-level rise damage (18.6%). This study sheds lights on the adaptation policy that should attach importance to the non-market sectors, particularly focusing on human health and sea-level rise.

Low carbon economy and the green economy represent the strategic direction of sustainable development. In order to reduce the manufacturing cost and energy consumption of diamond grinding tools, the preparation process of high-performance vitrified bond diamond abrasive tools, with low energy consumption was explored. The effects of the combustion promoter Si and diamond particle size on the phase composition, microstructure and grinding performance of the samples were studied. Ti3SiC2/diamond composites were prepared through self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) reaction of the Ti-Si-C system induced by microwave field heating with the assistance of Ni-Al. This involved using Ti, Si, graphite powder and diamond abrasive as raw materials. The results show that the high calorific value Ni-Al alloy can shorten the experimental time of sample sintering and control the temperature of the SHS reaction below the graphitization temperature of diamond. Ti3SiC2, TiC and Ti5Si3 phases were formed by the SHS reaction of the Ti-Si-C system in an Ar atmosphere. With an increase in Si content, the Ti3SiC2 phase increases first and then decreases. When the ratio of n (Ti)∶n (Si)∶n (C) is 3∶1.1∶2, the grinding performance of Ti3SiC2/diamond composites is optimal, and the grinding consumption ratio of the samples can reach 286.53. The mechanism behind the difference in the grinding consumption ratio of the samples under different raw material ratios was analyzed. It is considered that the small and evenly distributed pore structure in the matrix structure can produce a large area of a flat grinding surface during grinding. This is easy to exert the grinding effect of diamond abrasives and is conducive to improving the grinding performance of composite samples.

Abstract Background Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) variant syndrome (VS) exhibit a complex overlap of AIH features with PBC, leading to poorer prognoses than those with PBC or AIH alone. The biomarkers associated with drug response and potential molecular mechanisms in this syndrome have not been fully elucidated. Methods Whole-transcriptome sequencing was employed to discern differentially expressed (DE) RNAs within good responders (GR) and poor responders (PR) among patients with PBC/AIH VS. Subsequent gene ontology (GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis were conducted for the identified DE RNAs. Plasma metabolomics was employed to delineate the metabolic profiles distinguishing PR and GR groups. The quantification of immune cell profiles and associated cytokines was achieved through flow cytometry and immunoassay technology. Uni- and multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to construct a predictive model for insufficient biochemical response. The performance of the model was assessed by computing the area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUC) curve, sensitivity, and specificity. Findings The analysis identified 224 differentially expressed (DE) mRNAs, 189 DE long non-coding RNAs, 39 DE circular RNAs, and 63 DE microRNAs. Functional pathway analysis revealed enrichment in lipid metabolic pathways and immune response. Metabolomics disclosed dysregulated lipid metabolism and identified PC (18:2/18:2) and PC (16:0/20:3) as predictors. CD4+ T helper (Th) cells, including Th2 cells and regulatory T cells (Tregs), were upregulated in the GR group. Pro-inflammatory cytokines (IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-9, and IL-17) were downregulated in the GR group, while anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10, IL-4, IL-5, and IL-22) were elevated. Regulatory networks were constructed, identifying CACNA1H and ACAA1 as target genes. A predictive model based on these indicators demonstrated an AUC of 0.986 in the primary cohort and an AUC of 0.940 in the validation cohort for predicting complete biochemical response. Conclusion A combined model integrating genomic, metabolic, and cytokinomic features demonstrated high accuracy in predicting insufficient biochemical response in patients with PBC/AIH VS. Early recognition of individuals at elevated risk for insufficient response allows for the prompt initiation of additional treatments.

Abstract Objective To compare the outcomes of patients undergoing Retroperitoneal laparoscopic Radical nephrectomy (RLRN) and Transperitoneal laparoscopic Radical nephrectomy (TLRN). Methods A total of 120 patients with localized renal cell carcinoma were randomized into either RLRN or TLRN group. Mainly by comparing the patient perioperative related data, surgical specimen integrity, pathological results and tumor results. Results Each group comprised 60 patients. The two group were equivalent in terms of perioperative and pathological outcomes. The mean integrity score was significantly lower in the RLRN group than TLRN group. With a median follow-up of 36.4 months after the operation, Kaplan–Meier survival analysis showed no significant difference between RLRN and TLRN in overall survival (89.8% vs. 88.5%; P = 0.898), recurrence-free survival (77.9% vs. 87.7%; P = 0.180), and cancer-specific survival (91.4% vs. 98.3%; P = 0.153). In clinical T2 subgroup, the recurrence rate and recurrence-free survival in the RLRN group was significantly worse than that in the TLRN group (43.2% vs. 76.7%, P = 0.046). Univariate and multivariate COX regression analysis showed that RLRN (HR: 3.35; 95%CI: 1.12–10.03; P = 0.030), male (HR: 4.01; 95%CI: 1.07–14.99; P = 0.039) and tumor size (HR: 1.23; 95%CI: 1.01–1.51; P = 0.042) were independent risk factor for recurrence-free survival. Conclusions Our study showed that although RLRN versus TLRN had roughly similar efficacy, TLRN outperformed RLRN in terms of surgical specimen integrity. TLRN was also significantly better than RLRN in controlling tumor recurrence for clinical T2 and above cases. Trial registration Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ( https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=24400 ), identifier: ChiCTR1800014431, date: 13/01/2018.

Abstract Vaccines have proven effective in protecting populations against COVID-19, including the recombinant COVID-19 vaccine (Sf9 cells), the first approved recombinant protein vaccine in China. In this positive-controlled trial with 85 adult participants (Sf9 cells group: n = 44; CoronaVac group: n = 41), we evaluated the safety, immunogenicity, and protective effectiveness of a heterologous boost with the Sf9 cells vaccine in adults who had been vaccinated with the inactivated vaccine, and found a post-booster adverse events rate of 20.45% in the Sf9 cells group and 31.71% in the CoronaVac group (p = 0.279), within 28 days after booster injection. Neither group reported any severe adverse events. Following the Sf9 cells vaccine booster, the geometric mean titer (GMT) of binding antibodies to the receptor-binding domain of prototype SARS-CoV-2 on day 28 post-booster was significantly higher than that induced by the CoronaVac vaccine booster (100,683.37 vs. 9,451.69, p

Background: The most effective method for improving the prognosis of lung cancer is the application of low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) for pulmonary nodule screening in populations at high risk. Timely diagnosis and treatment of early-stage lung cancer can contribute to higher long-term survival rates. However, it remains difficult to differentiate malignant from benign pulmonary nodules measuring 8–15 mm, and avoid overtreatment on the one hand and delayed diagnosis on the other hand. In this consensus paper, we aimed to clarify the definition of “high-risk indeterminate pulmonary nodules (IPNs)” and discuss appropriate evaluation and management to facilitate timely diagnosis of lung cancer to improve lung cancer outcome. Direction for future research was discussed. Methods: A multi-disciplinary panel of doctors and IT experts from Asia, Canada and the U.S. were invited to participate. Published evidence and consensus guidelines were used to develop this consensus was clarified. Their evaluation and management were discussed. Findings: The experts believed that the prevalence of pulmonary nodules was very high, and it that was difficult to diagnose early-stage lung cancer due to the small size of the nodules, often leading to delayed diagnosis or overtreatment. To address this issue and to improve long-term outcome, the panel considered important to revise the classification of high-risk IPNs, (1) as pulmonary nodules that cannot be clearly diagnosed with non-surgical biopsy procedures, but is highly suspicious for early-stage lung cancer. The panel also recommends the most responsible should arrange imaging evaluations and follow-ups, taking new technologies into account. Artificial intelligence (AI) assessment based on the Medical Internet of Things (MIoT) can be combined with expert opinion to form a human–computer multidisciplinary team (MDT) that can fully implement the three core procedures of the MIoT, namely, comprehensive perception, reliable transmission, and intelligent processing. This will help to upgrade the non-standard diagnosis and treatment, the so-called “handicraft workshop model”, to a modern assembly-line model that meets international standards. The MIoT technology, which has the potential to realize “simplification of complex problems, digitalization of simple problems, programming of digital problems, and systematization of programming problems”, can promote the homogeneous evaluation of pulmonary nodules by enhancing both the sensitivity and the specificity of detecting early-stage lung cancer, in order to avoid delayed diagnosis and overtreatment. Conclusion: To optimize the evaluation of early-stage lung cancer, and to avoid delayed diagnosis and overtreatment, it is necessary to propose and promote the concept of “high-risk IPNs”. The application of current technologies, AI, and a human–computer MDT, will facilitate improvement in nodule evaluation, transforming the current diagnosis and treatment model, which is akin to production in handicraft workshops, into a modern assembly-line model that meets international standards, and will ultimately result in better prognosis.

Nickel-based superalloys are important structural materials in turbine engines and gas turbines，but their conventional fabrication processes are complex，costly and have poor raw-material-utilization rate. The electron beam powder bed fusion（EBPBF） technology is a new solution for forming superalloys，which can realize near net forming of complex structural parts. During more than ten years of development，EBPBF technology has realized the high-quality formation of superalloy materials and components represented by Inconel 718 and Inconel 625，and has continuously extended its capability to form crack-free，high-γ'-phase-portion difficult-to-weld nickel-based superalloys，and can even directly prepare single-crystal nickel-based superalloy components. In this paper，the relevant literatures on EBPBF nickel-based superalloys in recent years are reviewed，and the current research status from the perspectives of printability，process optimization，property characterization of EBPBF nickel based superalloy components are analyzed and summarized，and also the future research work is proposed.

As technology advances, the use of Machine Learning (ML) in cybersecurity is becoming increasingly crucial to tackle the growing complexity of cyber threats. While traditional ML models can enhance cybersecurity, their high energy and resource demands limit their applications, leading to the emergence of Tiny Machine Learning (TinyML) as a more suitable solution for resource-constrained environments. TinyML is widely applied in areas such as smart homes, healthcare, and industrial automation. TinyML focuses on optimizing ML algorithms for small, low-power devices, enabling intelligent data processing directly on edge devices. This paper provides a comprehensive review of common challenges of TinyML techniques, such as power consumption, limited memory, and computational constraints; it also explores potential solutions to these challenges, such as energy harvesting, computational optimization techniques, and transfer learning for privacy preservation. On the other hand, this paper discusses TinyML’s applications in advancing cybersecurity for Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructures (EVCIs) as a representative use case. It presents an experimental case study that enhances cybersecurity in EVCI using TinyML, evaluated against traditional ML in terms of reduced delay and memory usage, with a slight trade-off in accuracy. Additionally, the study includes a practical setup using the ESP32 microcontroller in the PlatformIO environment, which provides a hands-on assessment of TinyML’s application in cybersecurity for EVCI.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effect of internal heat exchanger on the performance of transcritical CO2 two-stage compression/ejector refrigeration system. Methods: The simulation software was used to analyze the effects of the internal heat exchanger on the suction temperature, discharge temperature, specific work increment of the low-pressure compressor and system performance coefficient under different gas cooler outlet temperatures (25～45 ℃), high-pressure side discharge pressure (7.4～9.5 MPa), evaporation temperature (-40～-15 ℃) and intermediate pressure (3～5 MPa). Results: With the increase of intermediate pressure, the discharge temperature and specific work increment of the low-pressure compressor increased at a specific regenerative degree. However, with the increase in evaporation temperature, the discharge temperature and specific work increment of the low-pressure compressor gradually decrease. Under the control of this standard conditions, the coefficient of performance of the regenerative system is lower than that of the system without regenerative, and the energy efficiency of the regenerative system decreases with the increase of the regenerative degree. Conclusion: The suction temperature, discharge temperature, and specific work increment of the low-pressure compressor all rise significantly as the internal heat exchanger increases. However, the internal heat exchanger does not improve the performance of transcritical CO2 two-stage compression/ejector refrigeration system.

Abstract Background Canopy architecture is critical in determining the fruit-zone microclimate and, ultimately, in determining an orchard’s success in terms of the quality and quantity of the fruit produced. However, few studies have addressed how the canopy environment leads to metabolomic and transcriptomic alterations in fruits. Designing strategies for improving the quality of pear nutritional components relies on uncovering the related regulatory mechanisms. Results We performed an in-depth investigation of the impact of canopy architecture from physiological, metabolomic and transcriptomic perspectives by comparing pear fruits grown in a traditional freestanding system (SP) or a flat-type trellis system (DP). Physiological studies revealed relatively greater fruit sizes, soluble solid contents and titratable acidities in pear fruits from DP systems with open canopies. Nontargeted metabolite profiling was used to characterize fruits at the initial ripening stage. Significant differences in fruit metabolites, including carbohydrates, nucleic acids, alkaloids, glycerophospholipids, sterol lipids, and prenol lipids, were observed between the two groups. Transcriptomic analysis indicated that a series of organic substance catabolic processes (e.g., the glycerol-3-phosphate catabolic process, pectin catabolic process and glucan catabolic process) were overrepresented in fruits of the DP system. Moreover, integrative analysis of the metabolome and transcriptome at the pathway level showed that DP pear fruits may respond to the canopy microenvironment by upregulating phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway genes such as PpPOD. Transient assays revealed that the contents of malic acid and citric acid were lower in the pear flesh of PpPOD RNAi plants, which was associated with regulating the expression of organic acid metabolism-related genes. Conclusions Our results provide fundamental evidence that at the physiological and molecular levels, open-canopy architecture contributes to improving pear fruit quality and is correlated with increased levels of carbohydrates and lipid-like molecules. This study may lead to the development of rational culture practices for enhancing the nutritional traits of pear fruits.

Abstract To explore the relationship between miR-373 and the occurrence and development of colorectal cancer. Additionally, it aims to predict the potential cellular signaling pathways and regulatory mechanisms in which miR-373 may be involved and provides a theoretical basis and experimental evidence for the clinical application of miR-373 as a potential biomarker, molecular target, and prognostic indicator in colorectal cancer. Real-time quantitative PCR is used to analyze the expression of miR-373 in human colorectal cancer cell lines and normal human colonic epithelial cells. Further validation of the differential expression of miR-373 in colorectal cancer cell lines is being performed. Biological functions such as cell proliferation, invasion and apoptosis are being detected by MTT, CCK-8, transwell, cell cycle analysis, and flow cytometry experiments to verify the changes in the biological behavior of colon cancer cells after overexpression and interference of miR-373 in SW-480 cells and to explore the effects of miR-373 on cell proliferation, invasion, and apoptosis in colon cancer cells. Proteomic analysis is being conducted on proteins extracted from miR-373 overexpressing SW480 cells, and mass spectrometry is used for protein identification. GO, KEGG, and enrichment analysis are being employed to analyze the significantly differentially expressed proteins. The expression levels of pathway-related proteins are being verified using Western blot. Overexpression of miR-373 increased the invasive and metastatic ability of SW-480 cells; knockdown of miR-373 decreased the invasive and metastatic ability of SW-480 cells. However, there was no statistically significant effect on cell proliferation and apoptosis in SW-480 cells. Proteomic analysis identified 78 differentially expressed proteins based on fold change (FC) > 1.2 and P

ObjectiveDuring the operation of the silage machine, the inclusion of ferrous metal foreign objects such as stray iron wires can inflict severe damage to the machine's critical components and livestock organs. To safeguard against that, a metal detection system with superior performance was developed in this research to enable precise and efficient identification of metal foreign bodies during field operations, ensuring the integrity of the silage process and the well-being of the animals.MethodsThe ferrous metal detection principle of silage machine was firstly analyzed. The detection coil is the probe of the metal detection system. After being connected in parallel with a capacitor, it is connected to the detection module. The detection coil received the alternating signal generated by the detection module to generate an alternating magnetic field. After the metal object entered the magnetic field, it affects the equivalent resistance and equivalent inductance of the detection coil. The detection module detected the change of the equivalent resistance and equivalent inductance, and then transmited the signal to the control module through the serial peripheral interface (SPI). The control module filtered the signal and transmited it to the display terminal through the serial port. The display terminal could set the threshold. When the data exceeded the threshold, the system performed sound and light alarm and other processing. Hardware part of the metal detection system of silage machine were firstly design. The calculation of the planar spiral coil and the cylindrical coil was carried out and the planar spiral coil was selected as the research object. By using the nondominated sorting genetic algorithm-Ⅱ (NSGA-II) combined with the method of finite element simulation analysis, the wire diameter, inner diameter, outer diameter, layer number and frequency of the coil were determined, and the calculation of the bent coil and the unbent coil and the array coil was carried out. The hardware system was integrated. The software system for the metal detection system was also designed, utilizing an STM32 microcontroller as the control module and LabView for writing the primary program on the upper computer. The system continuously displayed the read data and time-equivalent impedance graph in real-time, allowing for the setting of upper and lower alarm thresholds. When a metal foreign object was detected, the warning light turned red and an alarm sound was emitted, causing the feed roll to stop. To simulate the scenario of metal detection during the operation of a silage machine, a test bench was set up to validate the performance of the metal detection system.Results and DiscussionsThe test results of the metal detection function showed that for a metal wire with a diameter of 0.6 mm and a length of 20 mm, as the inner diameter of the detection coil increased, the maximum alarm distance increased first and then decreased. The maximum alarm distance occured when the inner diameter was 35 mm, which was consistent with the optimization result. The maximum alarm distance was the largest when the detection coil was two layers, and there was no data readout when it was three layers. Therefore, the optimal thickness of the detection coil for this metal detection system was two layers. When the detection distance was greater than 80 mm, the alarm rate began to decrease, and the detection effect was weakened. When the detection distance was within 70 mm, the metal detection system could achieve a 100% alarm rate. The test results of the system response time showed that the average system response time was 0.105 0 s, which was less than the safe transportation time of 0.202 0 s. The system can give an alarm before the metal foreign object reaches the cutter, so the system is safe and effective.ConclusionIn this study, a metal detection system for silage machines was designed. A set of optimization methods for metal detection coils was proposed, and the corresponding metal detection software and hardware systems were developed, and the functions of the metal detection system were verified through experiments, which could provide strong technical support for the safe operation of silage machines.

Objective: Preeclampsia (PE) is a common complication during pregnancy. miR-100a is expressed in the placenta and regulates the survival and development of placental cells. Insulin growth factor-2 (IGF-2) may serve as its downstream target. This study investigated the protective mechanisms of ginsenoside Rg3 against PE in rat model. Materials and Methods: LPS-induced rat PE models were suitable for intravenous administration of the highly expressed miR-100a ginsenoside Rg3 lentiviral vector. Human trophoblasts were cultured in vitro for JEG-3, and PE cell models were constructed. In vivo effects on tumor growth and apoptosis were observed. Ginsenoside Rg3 was treated with different concentrations of shRNA, miR-100a analogs, inhibitors, or IGF-2. Autophagy and the expression of autophagy-related proteins were examined. Trophoblast activity and migration were determined using Cell Counting Kit-8 and Transwell assays. Both drugs strongly inhibited trophoblasts under normal conditions with some synergy between them. Double-luciferase return assay confirmed the binding affinity of miR-100a for IGF-2. Results: In response to Rg3, autophagy and the expression of autophagy-related proteins LC3-I/II, Beclin1, and SQSTM1 were reduced in PE rat placental trophoblasts. Rg3 inhibited autophagy in JEG-3 cells and promoted JEG-3 survival and migration in a concentration-dependent manner. miR-100a upregulated PE expression. These results suggested that autophagy was a vital signaling system. Rg3 intervention inhibited miR-100a expression and miR-100a downregulated IGF-2 expression in placental tissues and promoted autophagy, thereby inhibiting JEG-3 cell survival and migration. In rats, Rg3 inhibited PE development by regulating the activity of the miR-100a-IGF-2 signaling axis. Conclusion: Ginsenoside Rg3 positively regulates the miR-100a-IGF-2 axis and protects PE rats by inhibiting trophoblastic autophagy and promoting trophoblastic cell survival and migration.

[INLINE:1] Tibetan singing bowls emit low-frequency sounds and produce perceptible harmonic tones and vibrations through manual tapping. The sounds the singing bowls produce have been shown to enhance relaxation and reduce anxiety. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we used chronic restraint stress or sleep deprivation to establish mouse models of anxiety that exhibit anxiety-like behaviors. We then supplied treatment with singing bowls in a bottomless cage placed on the top of a cushion. We found that unlike in humans, the combination of harmonic tones and vibrations did not improve anxiety-like behaviors in mice, while individual vibration components did. Additionally, the vibration of singing bowls increased the level of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor 1 in the somatosensory cortex and prefrontal cortex of the mice, decreased the level of γ-aminobutyric acid A (GABA) receptor α 1 subtype, reduced the level of CaMKII in the prefrontal cortex, and increased the number of GABAergic interneurons. At the same time, electrophysiological tests showed that the vibration of singing bowls significantly reduced the abnormal low-frequency gamma oscillation peak frequency in the medial prefrontal cortex caused by stress restraint pressure and sleep deprivation. Results from this study indicate that the vibration of singing bowls can alleviate anxiety-like behaviors by reducing abnormal molecular and electrophysiological events in somatosensory and medial prefrontal cortex.

A class of dielectric filtering inverted-L antenna with reflective- and quasi-reflectionless-type radiation nulls is proposed to achieve wideband or dual-band operation. To this aim, a dual-function dissipative branch is exploited, which is in-parallel loaded at the feedline of the microstrip-fed dielectric inverted-L antenna. This absorptive branch, which is terminated in a grounded resistor, exhibits a quasi-complementary frequency response with regard to the one of the antenna. In this manner, it can mostly absorb the out-of-band RF-signal power not radiated by the antenna, hence creating quasi-reflectionless-type radiation nulls. Furthermore, the loaded branch can also generate a notch band giving rise to a reflective-type radiation null, which comes determined by the length of the branch and it is independent of the quasi-reflectionless radiation nulls. Thus, by controlling the spectral location of the notch band out of or within the operational frequency band of the dielectric inverted-L antenna, wideband or dual-band operational capabilities can be functionalized into it. For experimental-validation purposes, proof-of-concept prototypes for the two devised wideband and dual-band antenna approaches are designed, manufactured, and characterized. The measured results are in reasonably-close agreement with the simulated ones. The measured fractional impedance bandwidths of the two antenna prototypes are 28.3% (wideband one), 3.1% and 4.2% (dual-band one), respectively.

Directional control of thermal emission over its broad wavelength range is a fundamental challenge. Gradient epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) material supporting Berreman mode has been proposed as a promising approach. However, the bandwidth is still inherently limited due to the availability of ENZ materials covering a broad bandwidth and additional undesired omnidirectional modes in multilayer stacking with increased thickness. Here, we show that broadband directional thermal emission can be realized beyond the previously considered epsilon-near-zero and Berreman mode region. We then establish a universal approach based on effective medium theory to realizing ultra-broadband directional thermal emitter. We numerically demonstrate strong (emissivity >0.8) directional (80 ± 5°) thermal emission covering the entire thermal emission wavelength range (5–30 μm) by using only two materials. This approach offers a new capability for manipulating thermal emission with potential applications in high-efficiency information encryption, energy collection and utilization, thermal camouflaging, and infrared detection.

Abstract Purpose To present the widely unknown perioperative outcomes and continence status of bladder cancer patients following robotic-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) with Mainz pouch II urinary diversion (UD). Materials and methods From November 2020 to December 2023, 37 bladder cancer patients who underwent RARC with Mainz pouch II UD were retrospectively assessed (ChiCTR2300070279). The results, which included patient demographics, perioperative data, continence, and complications (early ≤ 30 days and late ≤ 30 days) were reported using the RC-pentafecta criteria. RC-pentafecta criteria included ≥ 16 lymph nodes removed, negative soft tissue surgical margins, absence of major (Grade III–IV) complication at 90 days, absence of clinical recurrence at ≤ 12 months, and absence of long-term UD-related sequelae. A numeric rating scale assessed patient satisfaction with urinary continence 30 days after surgery. The validated Patient Assessment of Constipation Symptoms (PAC-SYM) questionnaire was used to evaluate bowel function. The Kaplan-Meier curve was used to evaluate overall survival (OS). Results Of the 37 patients evaluated over a median (range) follow-up period of 23.0 (12.0-36.5) months. The median (range) age was 65 (40–81) years. The median (range) time to urinary continence after surgery was 2.3 (1.5-6) months. Of the 37 patients, 31 (83.8%) were continent both during the day and at night, 34 (91.9%) were continent during the day, 32 (86.5%) were continent at night, 35 (94.6%) were satisfied with their urinary continence status, and 21 (56.8%) were very satisfied. The mean (range) voiding frequency was 6 (4–10) during the day and 3 (2-5.5) at night. The mean (range) PAC-SYM total score was 9.50 (4.00–15.00). In 12 (32.4%) of the patients, RC-pentafecta was achieved, and achieving RC-pentafecta was linked to better satisfaction scores (7.3 vs. 5.5, p = 0.034). There was no significant difference between RC-pentafecta and No RC-pentafecta groups in terms of OS (25.6 vs. 21.5 months, p = 0.16). 7 (19.4%) patients experienced late complications. Conclusions Mainz pouch II UD following RARC in bladder cancer patients results in a satisfactory continence rate. Achieving RC-pentafecta was correlated with better satisfaction scores. The intracorporeal approach to Mainz pouch II UD is beneficial for female patients due to its reduced invasiveness. Trial registration ChiCTR2300070279; Registration: 07/04/2023, Last updated version: 01/06/2023. Retrospectively registered.

Abstract Drug-eluting stent implantation suppresses the excessive proliferation of smooth muscle cells to reduce in-stent restenosis. However, the efficacy of drug-eluting stents remains limited due to delayed reendothelialization, impaired intimal remodeling, and potentially increased late restenosis. Here, we show that a drug-free coating formulation functionalized with tailored recombinant humanized type III collagen exerts one-produces-multi effects in response to injured tissue following stent implantation. We demonstrate that the one-produces-multi coating possesses anticoagulation, anti-inflammatory, and intimal hyperplasia suppression properties. We perform transcriptome analysis to indicate that the drug-free coating favors the endothelialization process and induces the conversion of smooth muscle cells to a contractile phenotype. We find that compared to drug-eluting stents, our drug-free stent reduces in-stent restenosis in rabbit and porcine models and improves vascular neointimal healing in a rabbit model. Collectively, the one-produces-multi drug-free system represents a promising strategy for the next-generation of stents.

Abstract Tumors of the digestive system pose a significant threat to human health and longevity. These tumors are associated with high morbidity and mortality rates, leading to a heavy economic burden on healthcare systems. Several intratumoral microorganisms are present in digestive system tumors, and their sources and abundance display significant heterogeneity depending on the specific tumor subtype. These microbes have a complex and precise function in the neoplasm. They can facilitate tumor growth through various mechanisms, such as inducing DNA damage, influencing the antitumor immune response, and promoting the degradation of chemotherapy drugs. Therefore, these microorganisms can be targeted to inhibit tumor progression for improving overall patient prognosis. This review focuses on the current research progress on microorganisms present in the digestive system tumors and how they influence the initiation, progression, and prognosis of tumors. Furthermore, the primary sources and constituents of tumor microbiome are delineated. Finally, we summarize the application potential of intratumoral microbes in the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis prediction of digestive system tumors. Video Abstract

Abstract Background Elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia or myelodysplastic syndromes (AML/MDS) have historically had poor prognoses. However, there has been a recent increase in the use of allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) are in this patient population. Nevertheless, the optimal choice of donor type for the patients remains an unmet need. Limited data exist on the use of allo-HSCT in elderly patients with AML/MDS from China. To better understand and optimize the selection of donor type for the elderly patients, particularly for those with refractory or relapsed disease, in comparison with the previous studies in the US and Europe. Methods Our retrospective study enrolled 259 patients aged over 55 years who underwent their first allo-HSCT between April 2015 and August 2022. These patients were divided into three groups based on donor type: haploidentical related donor group (haploidentical related donor transplantation [HID], n = 184), matched sibling donor group (matched sibling donor transplantation [MSD], n = 39), and matched unrelated donor group (matched unrelated donor transplantation [MUD], n = 36). Statistics were performed with the chi-square test, the log-rank and Fine-Gray tests. Results The median age of the cohort was 57 years (range: 55–75) and 26.25% of patients were over 60 years old. Younger patients had a higher incidence of acute graft-versus-host disease (HR = 1.942, P = 0.035), faster neutrophil recovery (HR = 1.387, P = 0.012), and better overall survival (HR = 0.567, P = 0.043) than patients aged ≥ 60 years across the entire cohort. Patients with refractory or relapsed (R/R) diseases had delayed neutrophil engraftment (P = 0.010, HR = 0.752) and platelet engraftment (P

Objective·To explore the correlation between body compositions and cardiovascular fitness (CRF) in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD).Methods·The CHD patients (CHD group) who underwent elective percutaneous coronary intervention treatment at Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine from October 2022 to June 2023 as well as healthy people (control group) were selected. All the participants completed cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) to determine CRF and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) to determine body compositions on the same day.Results·A total of 191 patients with coronary heart disease and 188 healthy individuals were included. There was no statistically significant difference in baseline characteristics between the two groups. Compared with the control group, the CRF indicators of the CHD group were significantly reduced (all P

In current financial environment, listed companies are facing increasingly complex markets and ever-changing financial risks. The companies deeply recognize the crucial role of financial risk management in the sustainable development of enterprises. The challenge lies in rapidly changing market conditions, and traditional methods are difficult to predict risks in a timely and accurate manner. Therefore, improving the accuracy and timeliness of financial risk prediction has become an urgent need in the current field to reduce potential losses and maintain the financial health of enterprises. This work aims to enhance the accuracy and timeliness of predicting financial risks for listed companies and reduce potential losses caused by these risks. In the research process, a large volume of data is initially collected, including financial statements, market data, and financial risk event data. Subsequently, the Rough Set Theory (RST) is employed for feature selection to identify financial indicators and market factors highly relevant to financial risk. Finally, a financial risk early warning model on the basis of the Back Propagation Neural Network (BPNN) is built, and then trained and optimized using historical data. Cross-validation analysis is employed to assess the model’s performance, and the model is compared with traditional financial risk early warning methods. The findings reveal that the financial risk early warning model based on RST and the BPNN demonstrates high accuracy and reliability in predicting financial risks for listed companies. The model exhibits excellent performance in terms of accuracy, recall, and F1 score, achieving rates of 96%, 95%, and 95.50%, respectively. These research findings are expected to positively impact the financial sector and provide financial decision-makers with more accurate risk early warning and decision support.

Objective: To assess emotional fluctuations, physical and mental health status, and indicators closely related to red blood cells, such as RIO kinase 3 (Riok3), MAX interactor 1 (Mxi1), and microRNA 191 (miR191), in participants with different levels of red blood cells. Methods: Participants who underwent physical examinations at Dongfang Hospital between April and October 2019 were divided into healthy, blood deficiency, and anemia groups (30 individuals in the healthy and blood deficiency group respectively, and 13 in the anemia group). The physical and mental conditions of the participants were evaluated through questionnaires, and emotional fluctuations were assessed through an emotion-inducing experiment, in which participants watched video segments designed to induce specific emotions. Relative expression levels of miR191, Riok3, and Mxi1 from venous blood samples were also determined. Results: The main psychological factors identified in the anemia and blood deficiency groups were obsessive-compulsive symptoms, depression, anxiety, and other negative emotions. Relative gene expression levels indicated that miR191 was upregulated and Riok3 and Mxi1 were downregulated in both the blood deficiency and anemia groups. Regarding the emotional score of disgust on video stage, the main effect was significant (F = 335.58, P < .001), which showed that watching the three videos caused participants to have a dominant emotion, and there is a difference on group (F = 5.35, P = .01), with higher disgust scores in the anemia and blood deficiency groups. The symptoms of blood deficiency and anemia, such as weakness in limbs were significantly negatively correlated with Riok3 and Mxi1 expression (r = −0.38 and −0.31 respectively), but was significantly positively correlated with miR191 expression (r = 0.29). Conclusion: We determined that a close relationship exists between red blood cell levels and emotional status. Our findings suggest that individuals with anemia and blood deficiency are more likely to experience psychological problems and negative emotions, particularly disgust. We also demonstrate that emotional regulation is related to mir191-Riok3-Mxi1 pathway activity, identifying these pathway components are potential targets for genetic therapies in combination with psychological therapy.

To compare target area delineation schemes in intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) effect on patients with locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

According to a small-step real-time simulation study on active neutral-point clamped （ANPC） three-level converters， existing electromagnetic transient modeling methods are inferior in model accuracy， computational efficiency， simulation scale， etc. To this end， an efficient electromagnetic transient simulation model is proposed. The model is built based on the associated discrete circuit （ADC） of the ANPC three-level bridge arm， and the internal nodes are eliminated by the WARD equivalence theory to construct an externally equivalent multi-port Norton equivalent circuit that replaces the bridge arm for solving the electromagnetic transient simulation of the network and achieving node reduction and simulation acceleration without spoiling modeling accuracy. A simulation system of the ANPC three-level converters based on this equivalent model is built in MATLAB/Simulink platform. Compared with the detailed model simulation results， the equivalent model can accurately simulate the steady-state and transient operating conditions and significantly accelerate the simulation.

Abstract Background The GRAS transcription factor family plays a crucial role in various biological processes in different plants, such as tissue development, fruit maturation, and environmental stress. However, the GRAS family in rye has not been systematically analyzed yet. Results In this study, 67 GRAS genes in S. cereale were identified and named based on the chromosomal location. The gene structures, conserved motifs, cis-acting elements, gene replications, and expression patterns were further analyzed. These 67 ScGRAS members are divided into 13 subfamilies. All members include the LHR I, VHIID, LHR II, PFYRE, and SAW domains, and some nonpolar hydrophobic amino acid residues may undergo cross-substitution in the VHIID region. Interested, tandem duplications may have a more important contribution, which distinguishes them from other monocotyledonous plants. To further investigate the evolutionary relationship of the GRAS family, we constructed six comparative genomic maps of homologous genes between rye and different representative monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants. The response characteristics of 19 ScGRAS members from different subfamilies to different tissues, grains at filling stages, and different abiotic stresses of rye were systematically analyzed. Paclobutrazol, a triazole-based plant growth regulator, controls plant tissue and grain development by inhibiting gibberellic acid (GA) biosynthesis through the regulation of DELLA proteins. Exogenous spraying of paclobutrazol significantly reduced the plant height but was beneficial for increasing the weight of 1000 grains of rye. Treatment with paclobutrazol, significantly reduced gibberellin levels in grain in the filling period, caused significant alteration in the expression of the DELLA subfamily gene members. Furthermore, our findings with respect to genes, ScGRAS46 and ScGRAS60, suggest that these two family members could be further used for functional characterization studies in basic research and in breeding programmes for crop improvement. Conclusions We identified 67 ScGRAS genes in rye and further analysed the evolution and expression patterns of the encoded proteins. This study will be helpful for further analysing the functional characteristics of ScGRAS genes.

Natural killer (NK) cells display a unique inherent ability to identify and eliminate virus-infected cells and tumor cells. They are particularly powerful for elimination of hematological cancers, and have attracted considerable interests for therapy of solid tumors. However, the treatment of solid tumors with NK cells are less effective, which can be attributed to the very complicated immunosuppressive microenvironment that may lead to the inactivation, insufficient expansion, short life, and the poor tumor infiltration of NK cells. Fortunately, the development of advanced nanotechnology has provided potential solutions to these issues, and could improve the immunotherapy efficacy of NK cells. In this review, we summarize the activation and inhibition mechanisms of NK cells in solid tumors, and the recent advances in NK cell-based tumor immunotherapy boosted by diverse nanomaterials. We also propose the challenges and opportunities for the clinical application of NK cell-based tumor immunotherapy.

Background Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a severe postoperative complication in patients undergoing major surgery. Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are used preoperatively as prophylaxis for postoperative gastrointestinal bleeding. Whether preoperative PPI use is associated with an increased risk of postoperative AKI remains uncertain.Methods This retrospective cohort study used electronic medical records from the clinical data warehouse of Peking University First Hospital to screen all adult hospitalizations undergoing major surgery between 1 January 2018 and 31 December 2020. Exposure was preoperative PPI use, defined as PPI use within 7 days before major surgery. The primary outcome was postoperative AKI, defined as AKI occurring within 7 days after major surgery; secondary outcomes included in-hospital AKI and in-hospital mortality.Results A total of 21,533 patients were included in the study (mean [SD] age, 57.8 [15.0] years; 51.2% male), of which 944 (4.4%) were prescribed PPI within 7 days before major surgery (PPI users). Overall, 72 PPI users (7.6%) and 356 non-users (1.7%) developed postoperative AKI. After adjustment, preoperative PPI use was associated with an increased risk of postoperative AKI (adjusted OR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.04–2.07) and in-hospital AKI (adjusted OR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.03–1.94). Moreover, subgroup analyses showed that the risk of PPI on postoperative AKI was amplified by the concomitant use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or diuretics. No significant difference was observed between preoperative PPI use and in-hospital mortality in the fully adjusted model (adjusted OR 1.63; 95% CI, 0.55–4.85).Conclusions Preoperative PPI use was associated with an increased risk of AKI in patients undergoing major surgery. This risk may be enhanced by the concomitant use of other nephrotoxic drugs. Clinicians should weigh the pros and cons before initiating PPI prophylaxis.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is associated with a high mortality rate. Pathologically, renal ischemia/reperfusion injury (RIRI) is one of the primary causes of AKI, and hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α may play a defensive role in RIRI. This study assessed the role of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α)-mediated mitophagy in protection against RIRI in vitro and in vivo. The human tubular cell line HK-2 was used to assess hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)-induced mitophagy through different in vitro assays, including western blotting, immunofluorescence staining, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL), and reactive oxygen species (ROS) measurement. Additionally, a rat RIRI model was established for evaluation by renal histopathology, renal Doppler ultrasound, and transmission electron microscopy to confirm the in vitro data. The selective HIF-1α inhibitor LW6 reduced H/R-induced mitophagy but increased H/R-induced apoptosis and ROS production. Moreover, H/R treatment enhanced expression of the FUN14 domain-containing 1 (FUNDC1) protein. Additionally, FUNDC1 overexpression reversed the effects of LW6 on the altered expression of light chain 3 (LC3) BII and voltage-dependent anion channels as well as blocked the effects of HIF-1α inhibition in cells. Pretreatment of the rat RIRI model with roxadustat, a novel oral HIF-1α inhibitor, led to decreased renal injury and apoptosis in vivo. In conclusion, the HIF-1α/FUNDC1 signaling pathway mediates H/R-promoted renal tubular cell mitophagy, whereas inhibition of this signaling pathway protects cells from mitophagy, thus aggravating apoptosis, and ROS production. Accordingly, roxadustat may protect against RIRI-related AKI.

Expanding protected areas (PAs) coverage to match countries’ conservation responsibility is vital to stemming global biodiversity loss. Uneven biodiversity distribution and conservation responsibility among countries pose challenges to the implementation of conservation targets, and currently diminish conservation effectiveness. Using primates as a global model, we evaluated the conservation responsibility of countries to assess if their PA coverage adequately meets their conservation responsibility. We quantified spatial national responsibility for primate species conservation in each country from their range size of priority conservation areas (PCAs) and protected areas coverage on PCAs. We identified the high-responsibility countries for global primate conservation as countries that held > 1 % of global PCAs. We paid particular attention to the circumstances associated with PCAs in the least developed countries, especially the overlap between PCAs and the areas containing natural assets (natural assets areas). Seventeen countries were identified as high-responsibility countries that in total covered 84 % area of global PCAs. Current protected areas only covered less than 50 % of PCAs for fifteen of these high-responsibility countries. Among these fifteen countries, four countries (DR Congo, PA coverage: 19 %; Myanmar, 9 %; Madagascar, 29 %; Laos, 22 %) were the least developed countries. Most existing PCAs (95 %; SD 6 %) in these 17 countries are located within natural assets areas, which creates tension between primate conservation and local development. Global primate conservation is a shared responsibility among the international community. Developing countries have greater responsibility than most because of the overlapping of their PCAs with natural assets areas. For developing countries to fulfill their conservation responsibilities requires international conservation resources (funding support and cooperation). Protected areas expansion has to be matched with a realizable target for each country to avoid crippling conflicts between conservation and local development. Community-based management models, including other effective area-based conservation measures, may reduce potential conflict and improve conservation effectiveness.

Cellulose has advantages of easy availability, low price, renewability and biodegradability, making it a very promising substitute for fossil-based materials. A safe composite cellulose membrane for quasi-solid-state lithium ion batteries has been developed by coating cellulose separators with poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) and lithium aluminum titanium phosphate (LATP). This membrane exhibits excellent electrochemical performance, with an ionic conductivity as high as 2.1 mS cm−1, and a lithium-ion transference number of 0.57. The membrane shows good electrolyte wetting properties, with porosity and liquid electrolyte uptake of 47.2 % and 401.7 %, respectively. It has good thermal stability and can maintain its dimensional stability even at 200 ℃. The capacity retention of the quasi-solid-state LiFePO4/Li battery assembled with this membrane after 200 cycles at 0.2 C is about 86.7 %. The quasi-solid-state battery has good thermal stability and is not prone to thermal runaway.

The poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO) solid polymer electrolytes suffer from narrow electrochemical stability window and cannot match high voltage lithium cobalt oxide (LCO) cathode. Herein, an ultrathin Al2O3 nanolayer was uniformly deposited on the surface of LCO via powder atomic layer deposition (PALD) to realize poly (ethylene oxide) polymer electrolyte cycling stability. The PEO solid polymer electrolyte contains 20 % (w/w) lithium difluoro(oxalate)borate (LiDFOB) and 7.5 % (w/w) lithium titanium aluminum phosphate (LATP) with cellulose nonwoven as a support substrate. The electrolyte exhibitsionic conductivity of 1.2×10−4 S cm−1, an electrochemical stability window of 4.5 V (vs. Li+/Li) and lithium-ion transference number of 0.38. Al2O3@LCO/PEO-LiDFOB20%-LATP7.5%/Li cell at high cut-off 4.5 V delivered better initial discharge specific capacity of 178.5 mAh g−1 and achieved a capacity retention ratio of 81.6 % after 200 cycles under 0.1 C at 50 °C. Further analysis showed that Al2O3 layer served as stable a protective layer to suppress the generation of strong oxidative Co4+ and O– species and separate from the PEO solid polymer electrolyte, inhibiting the side reactions at the cathode-side interface. Therefore, architecting precise and ultrathin protective nanolayer interface on high voltage LCO cathode via PALD is conducive to cycling performance of solid polymer electrolyte.

Three parts of the experiment were mainly carried out in this research: the effect of Ca on inclusions in 38CrMoAl high aluminum steel under atmospheric pressure, the effect of pressure on the solubility of Ca in pure iron under pressurized conditions, and the effect of Ca on inclusions in 38CrMoAl high aluminum steel under pressurized conditions. The results indicated that Ca can significantly transform the inclusions such as Al2O3 and MgO·Al2O3 with high melting points into calcium aluminate inclusions with low melting points. It was found that the pressure condition can significantly improve the solubility of Ca in pure iron and molten steel, which provided reliable data reference and guidance for popularizing Ca treatment of steel under pressure conditions in the future. Finally, the mechanism of inclusion transformation after Ca treatment was put forward. In this study, the theoretical calculation of thermodynamics was closely compared with the experimental data. It was proposed that to modify the inclusions in high aluminum steel into calcium aluminate inclusions with low melting points, it is necessary to accurately control Ca in the target region.

Objective: In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of health education based on the transtheoretical model in reducing symptoms of kinesiophobia and enhancing rehabilitation outcomes among elderly patients post-total knee arthroplasty. Methods: Elderly patients post-knee replacement surgery were randomly divided into a control group, which received standard health education, and an experimental group, which received transtheoretical model-based health education. The intervention commenced on the day after surgery and continued for a duration of six months. Assessments of kinesiophobia scores, rehabilitation self-efficacy, and knee function were conducted before the intervention, and then at one, three, and six months postoperatively. Results: Between January 2022 and December 2022, 130 elderly patients who met the eligibility criteria were enrolled and subsequently randomly assigned into two groups of equal size. Comparable baseline characteristics were observed between the two groups The experimental group demonstrated lower kinesiophobia scores and higher scores in rehabilitation self-efficacy and knee function at one, three, and six months following surgery, compared to the control group. Conclusion: Health education based on a transtheoretical model reduces the symptoms of kinesiophobia and enhances rehabilitation self-efficacy and knee functions in elderly patients after knee replacement surgery.

IntroductionKnowledge on spatiotemporal heterogeneity of plant root microbiomes is lacking. The diversity of the root microbiome must be revealed for understanding plant–microbe interactions and the regulation of functionally crucial microbial taxa.MethodsWe here investigated the dynamics of microbial group characteristics within each soil ecological compartment [rhizoplane (B), rhizosphere (J), and bulk soil (T)] across different cultivation years (year 4: F4 and year 5: F5) by using high-throughput sequencing (16S and ITS).ResultsAccording to the species diversity, microbiome diversity and the ASV (amplified sequence variant) number in the rhizoplane ecotone increased significantly with an increase in the planting years. By contrast, the microbiome diversity of the rhizosphere soil remained relatively stable. PCoA and PERMANOVA analyses revealed that microbial taxa among different planting years and ecological compartments varied significantly. Planting years exerted the least effect on the rhizosphere microbiome, but their impact on fungi in the rhizoplane and bacteria in the bulk soil was the most significant.DiscussionPlanting years influenced the microbial community composition in various ecological compartments of ginseng root soil. Potentially harmful fungi such as Cryptococcus (2.83%), Neonectria (0.89%), llyonectria (0.56%), Gibberella (0.41%), Piloderma (4.44%), and Plectosphaerella (3.88%) were enriched in F5B with an increase in planting years, whereas the abundance of potentially beneficial Mortierella increased. Correlation analysis indicated associations between bacterial taxa and soil pH/S-CAT, and between fungal taxa and soil moisture content/total potassium. Our study highlights the significance of changes in rhizoplane fungi and the stability of the rhizosphere microbial community in comprehending plant ecological sustainability.

BackgroundSuicide-related outcomes among adolescents have become a serious public health problem worldwide. Emerging evidence suggests that sports participation may interact with suicide-related outcomes. The objective of this systematic review is to systematically review and summarize the association between sports participation and suicide-related outcomes among adolescents.DesignA systematic review according to PRISMA Statement (International Platform of Registered Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols registration: INPLASY202330072) https://inplasy.com/inplasy-2023-3-0072/.MethodsThe literature search was conducted in three electronic databases: Web of Science, PubMed, and EBSCOhost.ResultsA total of 16 studies (12 cross-sectional studies, 4 prospective studies) met the inclusion criteria were evaluated. Strong consistent evidence was found for the negative association between suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and sports participation among adolescents. There was insufficient evidence to support consistency in the association between sports participation and suicide plans, and no evidence regarding gender differences between sports participation and these suicide-related outcomes. Furthermore, there was heterogeneity in the measures of sports participation and suicide-related outcomes across the included studies.ConclusionEvidence suggests that more sports participations are associated with lower suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in adolescents. However, the directionality of the observed associations should be examined based on more high-quality longitudinal studies in the future.

Based on the whole virus or spike protein of pigs, δ coronavirus (PDCoV) as an immunogen may have unrelated antigenic epitope interference. Therefore, it is essential for screening and identifying advantageous protective antigen epitopes. In addition, immunoinformatic tools are described as an important aid in determining protective antigenic epitopes. In this study, the primary, secondary, and tertiary structures of vaccines were measured using ExPASy, PSIPRED 4.0, and trRosetta servers. Meanwhile, the molecular docking analysis and vector of the candidate nanovaccine were constructed. The immune response of the candidate vaccine was simulated and predicted using the C-ImmSim server. This experiment screened B cell epitopes with strong immunogenicity and high conservation, CTL epitopes, and Th epitopes with IFN-γ and IL-4 positive spike proteins. Ferritin is used as a self-assembled nanoparticle element for designing candidate nanovaccine. After analysis, it has been found to be soluble, stable, non-allergenic, and has a high affinity for its target receptor, TLR-3. The preliminary simulation analysis results show that the candidate nanovaccine has the ability to induce a humoral and cellular immune response. Therefore, it may provide a new theoretical basis for research on coronavirus self-assembled nanovaccines. It may be an effective candidate vaccine for controlling and preventing PDCoV.

Black ginseng as the functional food, has been used to improve obesity and insulin resistance. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. We found that Black ginseng extract (BGS) significantly ameliorated diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance in mice. The components eluted by 70% and 95% ethanol from BGS by using polystyrene resin (BGS/70) had superior anti-obesity effects when compared with other fractions. It significantly decreased the abundance of bile salt hydrolase (BSH)-producing genera and increased serum taurine-bound bile acids in obese mice. BGS/70 administration-related metabolic improvements in obese mice was lost in TGR5 gut-specific knockout mice and antibiotic mixture (ABX)-cleared enterobacteria mice. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) experiments demonstrated that the anti-obesity effects of BGS/70 were mediated by gut flora. Taken together, our results suggest that BGS can treat obesity via gut microbiota and the activation of TGR5. Thus, BGS may be a promising therapy for obesity.

Wireless networks have become integral to modern communication systems, enabling the seamless exchange of information across a myriad of applications. However, the inherent characteristics of wireless channels, such as fading, interference, and openness, pose significant challenges to achieving fault-tolerant consensus within these networks. Fault-tolerant consensus, a critical aspect of distributed systems, ensures that network nodes collectively agree on a consistent value even in the presence of faulty or compromised components. This survey paper provides a comprehensive overview of fault-tolerant consensus mechanisms specifically tailored for wireless networks. We explore the diverse range of consensus protocols and techniques that have been developed to address the unique challenges of wireless environments. The paper systematically categorizes these consensus mechanisms based on their underlying principles, communication models, and fault models. It investigates how these mechanisms handle various types of faults, including communication errors, node failures, and malicious attacks. It highlights key use cases, such as sensor networks, Internet of Things (IoT) applications, wireless blockchain, and vehicular networks, where fault-tolerant consensus plays a pivotal role in ensuring reliable and accurate data dissemination.

Passive icephobic coatings attract increasing attention due to their harmless strategy for preventing undesirable ice accumulation. Slippery liquid-infused surfaces display extremely low ice adhesion (τice) but are argued for their poor stabilities and longevities due to inevitable liquid consumption. Herein we reported a class of lubricated polysiloxane coatings that can maintain low τice (∼2.2 kPa) for a long time (>800 icing/deicing cycle). The coatings have slippery lubricated surfaces and switchable porous matrices loading a large amount of liquid in isolated porevoids. Such droplet-embedded structure allows the surfaces to continuously maintain highly swelling states in a self-adaptive manner, i.e., only in the conditions icing or oil consumption occur dose oil is released, and thus show excellent long-term icephobicity. Besides, these materials exhibit good mechanical properties, antifatigue, and substrate adhesion. Because the coatings can be prepared via facile and green method from cheap starting materials, we foresee their broad application prospect in many fields.

Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua (PCH), as an important economic crop, is used as raw industrial materials and traditional Chinese medicine. There are significant variations in the quality of PCH from different geographical origins. It can be due to the change of the endophytic fungi and soil microbial communities of PCH. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the composition and functional prediction of the main microbial communities in the rhizomes and soil of PCH and explore their impact on medicinal quality. High-throughput sequencing techniques targeting ITS and 16S rDNA were employed to compare the structure and biodiversity differences of endophytic fungi in the rhizomes and soil microbial communities of PCH from 12 different locations in Sichuan and Guangxi province. Heatmap analysis was used for comprehensive statistics and visualization of the richness of rhizome and soil microbial communities from all locations. Venn analysis was conducted to determine the total number of shared fungi between rhizomes and soil, and GraphPad Prism analysis was employed to predict and compare the microbial communities related to phenotypes at the genus level in Sichuan and Guangxi. Tax4Fun and Fungild were used for metabolic function prediction of microbial communities in the rhizomes and soil of PCH. The results revealed the identification of 19,387 bacterial amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) in the rhizomes and 37,990 bacterial ASVs in the soil, with 6,889 shared bacterial ASVs. In addition, 2,948 fungal ASVs were identified in the rhizomes and 8,868 in the soil, with 1,893 shared fungal ASVs. Microbial sequencing results indicated that the fungal communities between soil and rhizomes were mainly composed of Ascomycota and Basidiomycota, while bacterial communities included Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Bacteroidota, Gammatimonadota, and Firmicutes. Dominant bacterial groups such as Nitrospira, Acidibacter, and fungal groups including Mortierella, Ceratobasidium, and Fusarium were identified as potential contributors to the observed traits. In the top 15 microbial genera, both Sichuan and Guangxi contain 15 bacterial genera, but there are differences in their abundance. Guangxi has three unique fungal genera, including the genera Scleroderma, Russula, and Gliocladiopsis. On the other hand, Sichuan has the unique fungal genus Chamaeota. The correlation analysis between the microbiota and the chemical content from 12 different collecting spots was performed by GraphPad Prism. Burkholderia-Caballeronia-Paraburkholderia, Acidibacter, and Amycolatopsis show an inverse proportionality to total polysaccharides and saponins, while Enterobacter shows a direct proportionality to total polysaccharides and inverse proportionality to saponins. The metabolism pathways show a significant positive correlation with PCH polysaccharides and saponins. This study provide new insights into the mechanisms underlying the quality differences between the two major indigenous areas.

BackgroundTreatment of disorders of consciousness (DOC) poses a huge challenge for clinical medicine. Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) is a non-invasive neuromodulation method, which shows potential in improving recovery of DOC. However, the evidence came from single-center, small-sample randomized controlled trial, which is insufficient to form a conclusion. Thereby, we propose a prospective, multicenter, double-blind, stratified, two-arm randomized controlled trial protocol to investigate the efficacy and safety of bilateral synchronous taVNS for treatment of DOC.MethodsWe aim to recruit 382 patients with prolonged DOC, and divide them into an active stimulation group and a sham stimulation group. The patients in the active stimulation group will receive bilateral synchronous taVNS with a 200 μs pulse width, 20 Hz frequency, and personal adjusted intensity. The sham stimulation group will wear the same stimulator but without current output. Both groups will receive treatment for 30 min per session, twice per day, 6 days per week lasting for 4 weeks. The clinical assessment including Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R), Full Outline of Unresponsiveness (FOUR), Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), and Extended Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS-E) will be conducted to evaluate its efficacy. Heart rate variability (HRV), blood pressure, and adverse events will be recorded to evaluate its safety.DiscussionThese results will enable us to investigate the efficacy and safety of taVNS for DOC. This protocol will provide multicenter, large-sample, high-quality Class II evidence to support bilateral synchronous taVNS for DOC, and will advance the field of treatment options for DOC.Clinical trial registration:https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=221851, ChiCTR2400081978.

With the successful application of artificial intelligence technology in various fields, deep reinforcement learning (DRL) algorithms have applied in active corrective control in the power system to improve accuracy and efficiency. However, the “black-box” nature of deep reinforcement learning models reduces their reliability in practical applications, making it difficult for operators to comprehend the decision-making mechanism. process of these models, thus undermining their credibility. In this paper, a DRL model is constructed based on the Markov decision process (MDP) to effectively address active corrective control issues in a 36-bus system. Furthermore, a feature importance explainability method is proposed, validating that the proposed feature importance-based explainability method enhances the transparency and reliability of the DRL model for active corrective control.

Historically, the central nervous system (CNS) was regarded as ‘immune-privileged’, possessing its own distinct immune cell population. This immune privilege was thought to be established by a tight blood-brain barrier (BBB) and blood-cerebrospinal-fluid barrier (BCSFB), which prevented the crossing of peripheral immune cells and their secreted factors into the CNS parenchyma. However, recent studies have revealed the presence of peripheral immune cells in proximity to various brain-border niches such as the choroid plexus, cranial bone marrow (CBM), meninges, and perivascular spaces. Furthermore, emerging evidence suggests that peripheral immune cells may be able to infiltrate the brain through these sites and play significant roles in driving neuronal cell death and pathology progression in neurodegenerative disease. Thus, in this review, we explore how the brain-border immune niches may contribute to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), and multiple sclerosis (MS). We then discuss several emerging options for harnessing the neuroimmune potential of these niches to improve the prognosis and treatment of these debilitative disorders using novel insights from recent studies.

BackgroundTuberculosis (TB) and COVID-19 co-infection poses a significant global health challenge with increased fatality rates and adverse outcomes. However, the existing evidence on the epidemiology and treatment of TB-COVID co-infection remains limited.MethodsThis updated systematic review aimed to investigate the prevalence, fatality rates, and treatment outcomes of TB-COVID co-infection. A comprehensive search across six electronic databases spanning November 1, 2019, to January 24, 2023, was conducted. The Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist assessed risk of bias of included studies, and meta-analysis estimated co-infection fatality rates and relative risk.ResultsFrom 5,095 studies screened, 17 were included. TB-COVID co-infection prevalence was reported in 38 countries or regions, spanning both high and low TB prevalence areas. Prevalence estimates were approximately 0.06% in West Cape Province, South Africa, and 0.02% in California, USA. Treatment approaches for TB-COVID co-infection displayed minimal evolution since 2021. Converging findings from diverse studies underscored increased hospitalization risks, extended recovery periods, and accelerated mortality compared to single COVID-19 cases. The pooled fatality rate among co-infected patients was 7.1% (95%CI: 4.0% ~ 10.8%), slightly lower than previous estimates. In-hospital co-infected patients faced a mean fatality rate of 11.4% (95%CI: 5.6% ~ 18.8%). The pooled relative risk of in-hospital fatality was 0.8 (95% CI, 0.18-3.68) for TB-COVID patients versus single COVID patients.ConclusionTB-COVID co-infection is increasingly prevalent worldwide, with fatality rates gradually declining but remaining higher than COVID-19 alone. This underscores the urgency of continued research to understand and address the challenges posed by TB-COVID co-infection.