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Abstract We previously presented day 29 interim safety and immunogenicity results from a phase 2/3 study (NCT04927065) comparing the Omicron-BA.1-containing bivalent vaccine mRNA-1273.214 (50-µg) to the 50-µg mRNA-1273 booster in adults who previously received the mRNA-1273 primary series (100-µg) and mRNA-1273 first booster (50-µg) dose. Primary endpoints were safety, non-inferiority of the neutralizing antibody (nAb) and seroresponse against Omicron BA.1, superiority of the nAb response against Omicron-BA.1, and non-inferiority of the nAb response against ancestral SARS-CoV-2 for second boosters of mRNA-1273.214 versus mRNA-1273 at days 29 and 91. The key secondary endpoint was the seroresponse difference of mRNA-1273.214 versus mRNA-1273 against ancestral SARS-CoV-2 at days 29 and day 91. Participants were sequentially enrolled and dosed with 50-µg of mRNA-1273 (n = 376) or mRNA-1273.214 (n = 437) as second booster doses. Here we present day 91 post-booster results. In participants with no pre-booster, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2-infection (SARS-CoV-2), mRNA-1273.214 elicited Omicron-BA.1-nAb titers (95% confidence interval [CI]) that were significantly higher (964.4 [834.4-1114.7]) than those of mRNA-1273 (624.2 [533.1-730.9]) and similar to those of mRNA-1273 against ancestral SARS-CoV-2 at day 91. mRNA-1273.214 also induced higher binding antibody responses against Omicron BA.1 and alpha, gamma and delta variants than mRNA-1273. Safety profiles were similar for both vaccines. The Omicron-BA.1 bivalent vaccine improved antibody responses compared to mRNA-1273 through 90 days post-booster.

Abstract Background Lymph node metastasis (LNM) is an important factor affecting endometrial cancer (EC) prognosis. Current controversy exists as to how to accurately assess the risk of lymphatic metastasis. Metabolic syndrome has been considered a risk factor for endometrial cancer, yet its effect on LNM remains elusive. We developed a nomogram integrating metabolic syndrome indicators with other crucial variables to predict lymph node metastasis in endometrial cancer. Methods This study is based on patients diagnosed with EC in Peking University People’s Hospital between January 2004 and December 2020. A total of 1076 patients diagnosed with EC and who underwent staging surgery were divided into training and validation cohorts according to the ratio of 2:1. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to determine the significant predictive factors. Results The prediction nomogram included MSR, positive peritoneal cytology, lymph vascular space invasion, endometrioid histological type, tumor size > = 2 cm, myometrial invasion > = 50%, cervical stromal invasion, and tumor grade. In the training group, the area under the curve (AUC) of the nomogram and Mayo criteria were 0.85 (95% CI: 0.81–0.90) and 0.77 (95% CI: 0.77–0.83), respectively (P

Abstract Physical reservoirs holding intrinsic nonlinearity, high dimensionality, and memory effects have attracted considerable interest regarding solving complex tasks efficiently. Particularly, spintronic and strain-mediated electronic physical reservoirs are appealing due to their high speed, multi-parameter fusion and low power consumption. Here, we experimentally realize a skyrmion-enhanced strain-mediated physical reservoir in a multiferroic heterostructure of Pt/Co/Gd multilayers on (001)-oriented 0.7PbMg1/3Nb2/3O3−0.3PbTiO3 (PMN-PT). The enhancement is coming from the fusion of magnetic skyrmions and electro resistivity tuned by strain simultaneously. The functionality of the strain-mediated RC system is successfully achieved via a sequential waveform classification task with the recognition rate of 99.3% for the last waveform, and a Mackey-Glass time series prediction task with normalized root mean square error (NRMSE) of 0.2 for a 20-step prediction. Our work lays the foundations for low-power neuromorphic computing systems with magneto-electro-ferroelastic tunability, representing a further step towards developing future strain-mediated spintronic applications.

Abstract Background The insertion positions of mini-implant in infrazygomatic crest has been reported, but due to the anatomical variation, the precise location of this site is not clear yet. This study used cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) to analyze the position and angle of mini-implants successfully inserted in the infrazygomatic crest, with the goal of providing reference data for clinical practice. Methods CBCT was used to image 40 mini-implants and their surrounding tissues in adult orthodontic patients who successfully underwent mini-implant insertion in the infrazygomatic crest. The insertion positions and angles of mini-implants were measured, and the thicknesses of buccal and palatal bone adjacent to the mini-implants were also recorded. Then, we proposed the position and implantation angle for infrazygomatic crest insertion. According to the position and angle, the cortical bone thickness and distance to the root of another 54 randomly selected infrazygomatic crests were recorded to verify its feasibility. Results In the coordinate system, the implantation position of the 40 successful mini-implants was (-0.4 ± 2, 8.2 ± 2.5) and the implantation angle between the long axis of the mini-implant and horizontal reference plane was 56.4° ± 7.7°. The bone thicknesses on buccal and palatal sides of infrazygomatic crest adjacent to mini-implants were 4.1 ± 2.5 mm and 7.2 ± 3.2 mm, respectively, and the cortical bone thickness was 2.4 ± 0.6 mm. Among 54 infrazygomatic crests, 75.9% of them met the safety and stability requirements. When the implantation height was increased by 1, 2, and 3 mm, the proportions of implants that met requirements for success were 81.5%, 90.7%, and 94.4%, respectively. But, the proportions of eligible implants were limited at implantation angle increases of 5° and 10°. Conclusions Using the long axis of the maxillary first permanent molar (U6) as the vertical reference line, mini-implants could be safely inserted in the infrazygomatic crest at a distal distance of 0.4 mm and height of 8.2 mm from the central cementum-enamel junction of U6, with an implantation angle of 56.4°. The success rate increased when the implant height increased, but the proportion of eligible implantation was limited with the increase of implantation angle.

Background and objective Venous thromboembolism (VTE) as the most common cancer-associated complication has become the second death-causing reason among cancer patients. The management of VTE in patients with lung adenocarcinoma should focus on early and timely detection of risk factors. The aim of the study is to investigate the current situation of VTE in patients with lung adenocarcinoma treated with anti-tumor therapy and then explore the risk factors associated with the occurrence of VTE during anti-tumor therapy for early detection and screening of VTE. Methods The present study included patients diagnosed as lung adenocarcinoma undergoing anti-tumor therapy in First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University between December 2019 and May 2021. The risk factors were identified via univariate and multivariate Cox analysis. The incidence of independent risk factors were investigated through Kaplan-Meier curves combined with Log-rank test. Results The results of univariate and multivariate Cox regression showed that history of VTE, targeted therapy and radiotherapy were risk factors for VTE in patients with lung adenocarcinoma treated with anti-tumor therapy (P

Introduction The aim of the study was to evaluate the preventive effect of 13 drugs on colorectal cancer (CRC) and guide the clinical application of these drugs. Material and Methods PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and cohort studies. The Cochrane bias risk assessment tool and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale quality evaluation tool were used to evaluate the quality of the included RCTs and cohort studies. The funnel plot was used to analyze publication bias. A network meta-analysis of the extracted data was conducted using Stata16.0 software. Results A total of 57 studies (34 RCTs and 23 cohort studies) involving 82719 participants were included. The network meta-analysis revealed that the quality of the included studies was good; the funnel plot showed no obvious publication bias. The network meta-analysis showed that the preventive effect of 13 drugs on CRC was better than that of the placebo. Allopurinol (SUCRA: 97.2%) was found to have the best effect, followed by berberine (SUCRA: 89.9%), non-aspirin NSAIDs (SUCRA: 84.5%), statins (SUCRA: 66.5%), metformin (SUCRA: 66.3%), calcium (SUCRA: 48.9%), mesalazine (SUCRA: 44.5%), ursodeoxycholic acid (SUCRA: 42.6%), vitamin D (SUCRA: 41.4%), mercaptopurine (SUCRA: 39.4%), aspirin (SUCRA: 30.4%), folic acid (SUCRA: 24.9%), and eicosapentaenoic acid (SUCRA: 16.3%). Conclusions The preventive effect of allopurinol on CRC was better than that of the other 13 drugs. These results can help doctors and patients understand the preventative effects of these drugs more intuitively and provide an evidence-based basis for the clinical application of these drugs.

A biocompatible, highly sensitive, and enzyme-free glucose electrochemical sensor was developed based on a copper-cysteamine (Cu-Cy)-modified electrode. The catalytically active biocompatible material Cu-Cy was immobilized on the electrode surface by the natural polymer chitosan (CTS). The electrochemical characterization and glucose response of the Cu-Cy/CTS/glassy carbon electrode (GCE) were investigated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), cyclic voltammetry (CV), and constant potential amperometry. The significant electrocatalytic activity of Cu-Cy to the oxidation of glucose in an alkaline environment was revealed. Several crucial parameters, including the number of scanning cycles for electrode activation, applied potential, and the contents of Cu-Cy and chitosan, were investigated to understand their impact on the sensor’s response. The proposed sensing platform exhibited linear ranges of 2.7 μM to 1.3 mM and 1.3 mM to 7.7 mM for glucose detection, coupled with high sensitivity (588.28 and 124.42 μA·mM−1·cm−2), and commendable selectivity and stability. Moreover, a Cu-Cy/CTS-modified screen-printed electrode (SPE) was further developed for portable direct detection of glucose in real samples.

Magnons, recognized as the quanta of spin waves, offer a pathway for transmitting information without the need for electron motion, thus emerging as a leading candidate for the next generation of low-power electronics. Firstly, this study gives an overview by examining magnon modes possessing infinite wavelengths or zero wave numbers (known as ferromagnetic resonance) in classical ferromagnetic, antiferromagnetic, and synthetic antiferromagnetic systems. It delves into the dynamics of magnetization, particularly focusing on magnetic moments precession and the corresponding dispersion relationships under two distinct acoustic and optic eigenmodes. Furthermore, it elaborates on a novel hybrid quantum system termed magnon-magnon coupling. The study elucidates the mechanism behind the robust coupling between acoustic and optic magnon modes. Finally, we briefly discuss the current challenges and future research directions in this field.

In this paper, three sorts of network indices for the weighted three-layered graph are studied through the methods of graph spectra theory combined with analysis methods. The concept of union of graphs are applied to design two sorts of weighted layered multi-fan composed graphs, and the accurate mathematical expressions of the network indices are obtained through the derivations of Laplacian spectra; furthermore, the asymptotic properties are also derived. We find that when the cardinalities of the vertices on a sector-edge-link tend to infinity, the indices of FONC and EMFPT are irrelevant with the number of copies of the fan-substructure based on the considered graph framework.

The Sensors Editorial Office retracts the article, “TRUST: A Novel Framework for Vehicle Trajectory Recovery from Urban-Scale Videos” [...]

In deep-sea mining hydraulic lifting systems, centrifugal pumps are very important as power units. In the process of transportation, the fluid prewhirl phenomenon in the impeller inlet will lead to changes in the state of motion of the particles and fluid and cause the wear of the inlet pipe, which can lead to centrifugal pump failure in serious cases. In this paper, a numerical simulation of the centrifugal pump is carried out based on the CFD-DEM coupling method to analyze the influence of the prewhirl on the wear of the inlet pipe. The results show that the velocity streamline near the impeller inlet position changes significantly. The flow field velocity increases along the radial direction of the inlet pipe, and it has a maximum value at r/R = 0.98. The prewhirl flow pulls the particles to change their original motion direction, and the area where the particles are subjected to high fluid force is concentrated between 0.5 d/D and 1 d/D, about 0.015 to 0.018 N, resulting in the uneven distribution of particles. The high-wear area appears in the bottom-left area (specifically, L4, L9, and L13), and this is also the location of the largest cumulative force; the high-wear area shows a triangle. The collision energy loss of particles increases due to the influence of the prewhirl, which leads to an increase in wear.

Developing and utilizing underground space is a vital direction for urban growth. Underground commercial streets, as a significant component of underground space accommodating extensive human social activities, consequently necessitate the creation of human-scale spaces. In the evolution of urban design development towards more significant, more terrific refinement, applying architectural theories and excessively subjective designs has resulted in a deficient human-centered design and a disordered spatial environment. This study merges environmental psychology and architectural theory to determine the appropriate length of spatial scale. Two experiments focusing on spatial perception evaluation were conducted using a virtual experimental platform that featured varying dimensions of spatial scale combinations. These quantified combinations were correlated with the perception evaluation, and a regression analysis was employed to identify appropriate scale ranges, which were superimposed with the range of length selection. Finally, the optimal length and scale combination for underground commercial street spaces was established, providing a reference for the human-centered design of these environments.

With the occurrence of the global financial crisis in 2008, the U.S. unconventional monetary policy affected the Chinese market. Based on a monthly data sample from 2008M1 to 2015M12, in this paper we identify U.S. and Chinese monetary policy shocks by using a structural vector autoregression (SVAR) model with multi-external instrumental variables along with principal component analysis (PCA) combined with high-frequency financial market data. The empirical results show that the unconventional monetary policies had a negative effect on China’s inflation and output due to the signal effect, and China’s stock and commodity markets increased in the short term. During the same period, China’s monetary policy had a greater impact on the domestic economy and financial markets. The conclusion of this paper provides a significant reference for relevant departments to make decisions amidst the new wave of unconventional U.S. monetary policies due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Summary: The beneficial effects of physical exercise on human cardiorespiratory fitness might be through reduced systemic inflammation, but the mechanism remains a controversy. Recent studies have highlighted the importance of spleen microbiomes in immune regulation. Hence, we conducted a study using a high-fat diet and exercise mouse model to investigate the relationships among different exercise intensities, spleen microbiome composition, and cardiac function. The mice spleen contained a diverse array of microbiota. Different intensities of exercise resulted in varying compositions of the spleen microbiome, Treg cell levels, and mouse heart function. Additionally, the abundance of Lactobacillus johnsonii in the mouse spleen exhibited a positive correlation with Treg cell levels, suggesting that Lactobacillus johnsonii may contribute to the production of Treg cells, potentially explaining the protective role of moderate-intensity exercise on cardiac function. In conclusion, our findings provide evidence that moderate-intensity exercise may promote cardiac function protection by influencing the spleen microbiome composition.

Objectives: This study aimed to explore the potential of full dynamic PET kinetic analysis in assessing amyloid binding and perfusion in the cardiac region using 18F-Florbetapir PET, establishing a quantitative approach in the clinical assessment of cardiac amyloidosis disease. Materials & methods: The distribution volume ratios (DVRs) and the relative transport rate constant (R1), were estimated by a pseudo-simplified reference tissue model (pSRTM2) and pseudo-Logan plot (pLogan plot) with kidney reference for the region of interest-based and voxel-wise-based analyses. The parametric images generated using the pSRTM2 and linear regression with spatially constrained (LRSC) algorithm were then evaluated. Semi-quantitative analyses include standardized uptake value ratios at the early phase (SUVREP, 0.5–5 min) and late phase (SUVRLP, 50–60 min) were also calculated. Results: Ten participants [7 healthy controls (HC) and 3 cardiac amyloidosis (CA) subjects] underwent a 60-min dynamic 18F-Florbetapir PET scan. The DVRs estimated from pSRTM2 and Logan plot were significantly increased (HC vs CA; DVRpSRTM2: 0.95 ± 0.11 vs 2.77 ± 0.42, t’(2.13) = 7.39, P = 0.015; DVRLogan: 0.80 ± 0.12 vs 2.90 ± 0.55, t’(2.08) = 6.56, P = 0.020), and R1 were remarkably decreased in CA groups, as compared to HCs (HC vs CA; 1.08 ± 0.37 vs 0.56 ± 0.10, t’(7.63) = 3.38, P = 0.010). The SUVREP and SUVRLP were highly correlated to R1 (r = 0.97, P

In daily life, two common algorithms are used for collecting medical disease data: data integration of medical institutions and questionnaires. However, these statistical methods require collecting data from the entire research area, which consumes a significant amount of manpower and material resources. Additionally, data integration is difficult and poses privacy protection challenges, resulting in a large number of missing data in the dataset. The presence of incomplete data significantly reduces the quality of the published data, hindering the timely analysis of data and the generation of reliable knowledge by epidemiologists, public health authorities, and researchers. Consequently, this affects the downstream tasks that rely on this data. To address the issue of discrete missing data in cardiac disease, this paper proposes the AGAN (Attribute Generative Adversarial Nets) architecture for missing data filling, based on generative adversarial networks. This algorithm takes advantage of the strong learning ability of generative adversarial networks. Given the ambiguous meaning of filling data in other network structures, the attribute matrix is designed to directly convert it into the corresponding data type, making the actual meaning of the filling data more evident. Furthermore, the distribution deviation between the generated data and the real data is integrated into the loss function of the generative adversarial networks, improving their training stability and ensuring consistency between the generated data and the real data distribution. This approach establishes the missing data filling mechanism based on the generative adversarial networks, which ensures the rationality of the data distribution while filling the missing data samples. The experimental results demonstrate that compared to other filling algorithms, the data matrix filled by the proposed algorithm in this paper has more evident practical significance, fewer errors, and higher accuracy in downstream classification prediction.

Rapid urbanization and mining activities are exacerbating sulfate (SO42-) pollution in surface water, and the information on its sources and transformations is crucial for understanding the sulphur cycle in mining areas. In this study, the SO42- in the surface water of Huaibei mining area were monitored and the main sources of pollution and biogeochemical processes were identified using stable isotopes (δD, δ18O-H2O, δ34S-SO42- and δ18O-SO42-) and water chemistry. The results demonstrated the SO42- content in the Huihe River and Linhuan subsidence water area (SWA) is higher than that in other rivers and SWAs, which exceeded the environmental quality standard of surface water. The SO42- content of different rivers and SWAs showed seasonal differences, and the dry season was higher than the wet season. In addition, the SO42- in Tuohe River and Suihe River is primarily caused by urban sewage and agriculture activities, while in Zhonghu and Shuoxihu SWA is mainly contributed by natural evaporate dissolution. Notably, the input of SO42- in the Huihe River and Linhuan SWA caused by mining activities cannot be disregarded. The aerobic environment and isotopic fractionation of surface water indicate that sulfide oxidation is not the major cause of SO42- formation. This work has revealed the multiple sources and transformation mechanisms of SO42-, and provided a reference for the development of comprehensive management and effective remediation strategies of SO42- contamination in surface water around mining areas.

Biodiversity is a vital aspect of an ecosystem and investigating its formation and maintenance is vital. Maintaining biodiversity notably requires a clear understanding of the mechanisms underlying species coexistence. However, in the Anthropocene, the absence of large carnivores in most areas has reduced the number of relatively intact ecosystems suitable for coexistence research. The mountains of Southwest China, a biodiversity hotspot with relatively low anthropogenic disturbance, offer a potentially suitable area for studying carnivore coexistence, especially in the Xinlong region in Sichuan. To understand the mechanisms underlying the coexistence of small carnivores, we used infrared cameras to investigate their spatiotemporal activity. We explored interspecific niche differentiation and small carnivore' responses to top predators and human disturbances using occupancy modeling and avoidance-attraction ratios (AARs). The results were as follows: (1) different small carnivores exhibited unique spatial and temporal responses to top predators, with leopard cats (Prionailurus bengalensis) preferring to occupy areas occupied by leopards (Panthera pardus), whereas yellow-throated martens (Martes flavigula) and red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) remained spatially independent of leopards; (2) human activities did not significantly affect the spatial activities of small carnivores, but small carnivores exhibited time-resistant behavior toward humans and domestic cattle; and (3) we observed temporal and spatial avoidance between leopard cats and other small carnivores (yellow-throated martens and red foxes). Overall, our study highlights the complex and unexpected behavioral responses and survival strategies of animals within an integrated community. In the future, we aim to further investigate the mechanisms underlying the formation of wildlife communities in this region and to elucidate the potential roles of human activities within this ecological community.

Objective. To observe the changes of serum adiponectin (AP) levels in patients with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) and explore the correlation between serum AP and polysomnography (PSG) parameters in patients with OSAHS. Methods. The data of subjects who underwent PSG at the hospital between January 2021 and December 2022 were collected retrospectively and divided into simple snoring group (AHI 30 times/h, n = 60). The general data, PSG indices, and serological indices of the subjects were collected and compared between groups. Pearson correlation analysis and partial correlation analysis were employed to examine the correlation between serum AP level and PSG parameters. Ordered logistic regression was employed to analyze the risk factors influencing the severity of OSAHS. The predictive capability of the serum AP level in determining the occurrence of OSAHS was assessed using ROC. The serum AP levels of subjects with different subtypes of PSG indicators were compared. Results. In the simple snoring group, mild OSAHS group, moderate OSAHS group, and severe OSAHS group, there were statistically significant differences in microarousal count, MAI, AHI, times of blood oxygen decreased by ≥ 3%, L-SaO2, and TS90% among the 4 groups (P

In order to investigate the effect of the carrier’s initial velocity on the jet’s damage power, this paper conducted the numerical simulation of a jet penetrating thick-walled targets at various following velocities (the carrier’s initial velocity). For large stand-off distance (D), the influence on jet formation parameters was revealed under different following velocities (ranging from 0 to 1000 m/s), and the jet’s penetration performances were analyzed at various stand-off distances (ranging from 3D to 10D). Then, taking 3D as an example, the study investigated the influence mechanism of the coupling between following velocity and impact angle (ranging from −60° to 60°) on jet penetration performance. The results show that an increase in the following velocity causes the jet to bend and break at an earlier time. The following velocity has a minimal effect on jet tip velocity. Additionally, the lateral displacement is linearly correlated with stand-off distance. For normal penetration, the jet penetration depth decreases exponentially as the following velocity increases at the same stand-off distance. Especially, the penetration depth decreases by over 80% when the following velocity exceeds 600 m/s, and a further increase in the following velocity has a minimal effect on jet penetration depth. A greater jet penetration depth was achieved for the climbing-oblique penetration (COP) than the diving-oblique penetration (DOP) due to an increase in dynamic stand-off distance. Finally, the ratio of oblique to normal penetration depth for a jet with varying following velocities was derived based on the theory of steady-jet and hole expansion, and its accuracy was verified.

Objective To assess serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D3), fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23), and C1q/tumor necrosis factor-related protein-3 (CTRP3) levels in nondialysis chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients and their relationship with coronary artery calcification (CAC).Methods One hundred and twenty-eight patients diagnosed with CKD were selected and all underwent cardiac computed tomography. CAC was assessed using the Agatston score, and coronary artery calcification score (CACs) >10 was identified as CAC. The differences in serum 25(OH)D3, FGF23, and CTRP3 levels between the CAC and non-CAC groups were analyzed. Their correlation with CACs was assessed by Spearman’s analysis, and logistic regression analysis was used to find risk factors for CAC.Results Compared to the non-CAC group, the CAC group was older (64.21 ± 9.68 years), with a higher percentage of hypertension (93.10%) and diabetes (63.80%) and higher levels of serum CTRP3 [1079.20 (644.4–1567.2) ng/mL]. However, there was no significant difference in serum 25(OH)D3 and FGF23 between these two groups. The high level CTRP3 group had a higher prevalence of CAC (61.5%). Logistic regression results showed that age, diabetes, decreased 25(OH)D3 (odds ratio (OR) = 0.95, p = .030) and high levels of CTRP3 (OR = 3.19, p = .022) were risk factors for CAC in nondialysis CKD patients.Conclusions Serum CTRP3 levels progressively increased with the progression of kidney disease, while 25(OH)D3 levels progressively decreased. Decreased 25(OH)D3 and high levels of CTRP3 are associated with CAC in patients with nondialysis CKD.

Ectoparasites found on bats are known to contain important microbes. However, the viruses hosted by these obligate parasites are understudied. This has led to the near oversight of the potential role of these ectoparasites in virus maintenance and transmission from bats to other interacting species and the environment. Here, we sampled bat ectoparasites parasitizing a diverse selection of bat species in the families Rhinolophidae, Vespertilionidae, Megadermatidae, Hipposideridae and Pteropodidae in Yunnan Province, China. We show that the ectoparasite prevalence was generally higher in male compared to female bats. Most ectoparasites were found to fall within the Nycteribiidae, Spinturnicidae and Streblidae bat ectoparasite families. We subsequently applied a non-biased sequencing of libraries prepared from the pooled ectoparasites, followed by an in-silico virus-centric analysis of the resultant reads. We show that ectoparasites hosted by the sampled families of bats are found to carry, in addition to a diverse set of phages, vertebrate and insect viruses in the families Aliusviridae, Ascoviridae, Chuviridae, Circoviridae, Flaviviridae, Hepadnaviridae, Hepeviridae, Herpesviridae, Iridoviridae, Marseilleviridae, Nairoviridae, Orthomyxoviridae, Parvoviridae, Poxviridae, Reoviridae, Retroviridae, and Rhabdoviridae. We further report a partial Parvovirus VP1/VP2 gene and partial Poxvirus ubiquitin-like gene predicted by two independent next generation sequencing data analysis pipelines. This study describes the natural virome of bat ectoparasites, providing a platform for understanding the role these ectoparasites play in the maintenance and spread of viruses to other animals.

ABSTRACT Toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems are widespread among prokaryotes and can play an important role in the maintenance of genetic elements and pathogen virulence. Their roles in bacterial stress response and antimicrobial persistence currently remain highly controversial. The current study investigated a novel TA system (Aave_1720-Aave_1719) from the phytopathogenic bacterium Acidovorax citrulli, which had characteristics of both type II and type V TA systems. Heterologous expression in Escherichia coli confirmed that Aave_1720 functions as a toxin gene, while Aave_1719 acts as antitoxin gene. The Aave_1720 toxin functions as a ribonuclease, and antitoxin Aave_1719 binds directly to Aave_1720 to inhibit its ribonuclease activity, which is typical of type II TA systems. Interestingly, Aave_1719 itself was found to exhibit ribonuclease activity with a preference for targeting Aave_1720 mRNA, which indicates that it can also neutralize the Aave_1720 toxin in a manner characteristic of type V TA systems. Expression analysis revealed that the Aave_1719 gene is upregulated in response to sodium hypochlorite stress and that deletion of the Aave_1720 gene individually or in combination with Aave_1719 affected biofilm formation, as well as the survival of A. citrulli in response to sodium hypochlorite stress. Taken together, these findings expand our understanding of TA systems revealing a novel mechanism of toxin neutralization that combines aspects of both type II and type V TA systems. IMPORTANCE Bacterial fruit blotch (BFB), which is caused by the seed-borne bacterium Acidovorax citrulli, is a devastating disease affecting cucurbit crops throughout the world. Although seed fermentation and treatment with disinfectants can provide effective management of BFB, they cannot completely guarantee pathogen-free seedstock, which suggests that A. citrulli is a highly stress-resistant pathogen. Toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems are common among a diverse range of bacteria and have been reported to play a role in bacterial stress response. However, there is currently much debate about the relationship between TA systems and stress response in bacteria. The current study characterized a novel TA system (Aave_1720-Aave_1719) from A. citrulli that affects both biofilm formation and survival in response to sodium hypochlorite stress. The mechanism of neutralization differed from typical TA systems as two separate mechanisms were associated with the antitoxin, which exhibited characteristics of both type II and type V TA systems. The Aave_1720-Aave_1719 system described here also constitutes the first known report of a double-ribonuclease TA system in bacteria, which expands our understanding of the range of regulatory mechanisms utilized by bacterial TA systems, providing new insight into the survival of A. citrulli in response to stress.

Optimizing particle gradations to improve the powder bed quality is of practical engineering interest for powder spreading in additive manufacturing (AM). The discrete element model of ceramic powder is introduced to simulate blade-spreading and roller-spreading processes. Based on the packing theory, the effect of particle gradations on the powder bed quality and particle microscopic behavior is analyzed. The results show that fine particle gradations weaken the wall effect. The powder shear dilation in blade-spreading strengthens the loosening effect, however, the compaction effect of roller-spreading weakens the loosening effect. As coarse particle gradations increase, contact force chains become loose, however, strong force arches lead to particle jamming, uneven distribution, and voids in the powder bed. Particle segregation occurs because fine particle gradations pass through the gap between the substrate and spreader, and are deposited at the front part of the powder bed, while coarse particle gradations due to jamming are deposited at the end part of the powder bed. When the particle gradation coefficient is in the range of 0.1 to 0.5, the powder bed quality and particle segregation phenomenon are significantly improved compared to Gaussian distribution. The results can provide valuable references for the selection of particle gradations in AM.

Inspired by the fact that therapeutic efficacy for triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is weaken due to the enhancement of autophagy levels after long-term use of chemotherapeutic agents, a theranostic nanoplatform (CQ@ICG@PFH@PDA-PEG5k) integrating ultrasound (US) imaging and therapeutic functions is rationally designed based on the perfluorohexane (PFH) nanodroplet by loading autophagy inhibitor chloroquine (CQ) and photosensitizer indocyanine green (ICG). After CQ@ICG@PFH@PDA-PEG5k is delivered to tumor regions, CQ and ICG are co-released from the theranostic formulation, followed by liquid–gas phase transition of perfluorohexane (PFH) upon near-infrared (NIR) laser irradiation, assessing ultrasound (US) imaging function. For seeking a promising alternative for TNBC therapy, the antitumor therapeutic efficacy of CQ@ICG@PFH@PDA-PEG5k is compared with those of ICG@PFH@PDA-PEG5k + free CQ and ICG@PFH@PDA-PEG5k upon photothermal therapy (PTT) in vitro and in vivo. The tumor vascularity is investigated by color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI). CQ@ICG@PFH@PDA-PEG5k maybe has great potential for exploitation in TNBC therapy.

AbstractObjective To evaluate the feasibility of using an intrarectal Foley catheter during ultrasound-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (US-HIFU) in patients with benign uterine diseases of the posterior wall beyond the HIFU therapeutic range.Methods Patients were treated with US-HIFU and lesion changes were monitored using contrast-enhanced MRI from June 2020 to September 2021. A Foley catheter was inserted into the rectum to facilitate a successful US-HIFU ablation. Complications and lesion responses were recorded during the treatment and follow-up.Results Thirteen patients with 14 lesions beyond the device’s treatable area were enrolled. The average placement time and insertion depth of the intrarectal Foley catheter was 7.6 ± 2.7 min and 23.2 ± 7.6 cm, respectively. A median of 50 mL degassed water was injected into the Foley catheter balloon. All 14 lesions were successfully pushed into a treatable area and subjected to HIFU. The average treatment time, irradiation time, and total therapeutic energy of HIFU were 44.2 ± 17.3 min, 394.4 ± 295.7 s, and 73.3 ± 46.6 kJ, respectively. The mean non-perfusion volume (NPV) in all treated lesions was 23.2 ± 19.2 cm3, and the mean NPV ratio was 57.8 ± 16.9%. Major complications were not observed.Conclusion Intrarectal Foley catheter-assisted US-HIFU is effective and safe. Its clinical application could benefit patients with benign uterine diseases outside the HIFU therapeutic range.

Abstract Metal oxide materials are widely adopted in UV sensing due to their advantages of reliability, stability, and high sensitivity. However, the fabrication of metal oxide films on flexible substrates using micro/nano printing techniques still poses challenges. Notably, inks containing oxide nanoparticles often lead to nozzle clogging during the printing process. In addition, methods relying on precursor solutions typically require high post‐processing temperatures that conventional flexible substrates cannot withstand. In this study, a novel precursor ink based on zinc amine hydroxide complexes is proposed, enabling post‐processing at a low temperature of 250 °C. Through a fully printed approach, a wearable UV sensor based on a zinc oxide nanofilm on a flexible substrate is successfully fabricated. The sensor exhibits outstanding sensitivity and rapid response characteristics. By incorporating silver nanoparticles into the ink, the baseline resistance of the sensitive material is adjusted. Furthermore, a smart patch utilizing the NFC communication protocol is developed, allowing for wireless, passive, and wearable UV detection. In this study, a process paradigm for fabricating metal oxide films on flexible substrates using micro/nano printing techniques is introduced, showcasing significant potential in the field of micro/nano sensor fabrication.

In this study, based on the effect of compounds on the activation of NF-κB and NO release, compound 51 was discovered as the best one with NO release inhibition IC50 value was 3.1 ± 1.1 μM and NF-κB activity inhibition IC50 value was 172.2 ± 11.4 nM. Compound 51 could inhibit the activation of NF-κB through suppressing phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of NF-κB, and suppress LPS-induced inflammatory response in RAW264.7 cells, such as the over-expression of TNF-α and IL-6, which were target genes of NF-κB. This compound also showed preferable anti-inflammatory activity in vivo, including alleviating significantly gastric distention and splenomegaly caused by LPS stimulation, reducing the level of oxidative stress induced by LPS, and inhibiting the expression of IL-6 and TNF-α in serum. Thus, it’s reasonable to consider that this compound is a promising small molecule with anti-inflammatory effect for inhibiting the NF-κB signalling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) can mutate frequently and many new strains have emerged thus far. The clinical and epidemiological characteristics differ with each dominant strain. OBJECTIVES: Obtain an understanding of the clinical characteristics of patients infected with the Omicron variants of the SARS CoV-2. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort SETTINGS: Teaching hospital in China. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data on sociodemography, signs/symptoms, hospital stay, viral shedding period, comorbidities, treatment options and final outcome were retrieved from hospital electronic medical record. We collected nasopharyngeal samples, laboratory data, and clinical data from patients admitted to the hospital with SARS CoV-2. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Clinical characteristics of the patients infected with Omicron variant of SARS CoV-2. SAMPLE SIZE: 445 patients RESULTS: The median age was 43.0 years with a range from 2 to 75 years. Two-thirds of the participants were male and one-third were female. Almost half of the participants (51.9%) had no symptoms, whereas 48.1% had at least one symptom. Of symptomatic patients, 26.7% had mild symptoms and 21.3% had moderate symptoms. No patients were admitted with severe or critical symptoms. All patients discharged from the hospital after complete recovery without any serious complications or death. The most common symptom was cough followed by sore throat and fever. Less common symptoms were having sputum, stuffy nose, and muscle pain. Rare symptoms were weakness, headache, diarrhea, hemoptysis and nausea/vomiting. CONCLUSIONS: All patients had mild to moderate symptoms. Shortness of breath was not a common symptom among the study group. No patients needed invasive oxygen therapy in this cohort. LIMITATIONS: Single center and retrospective design. CONFLICT OF INTEREST: None.

Abstract Background Increasing evidence shows that circular RNAs (circRNAs), a novel class of noncoding RNAs, play a crucial role in the development of cancers, including intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA). Nevertheless, their functions and exact mechanisms in iCCA progression and metastasis are still unclear. Ipatasertib is a highly selective inhibitor of AKT that inhibits tumor growth by blocking the PI3K/AKT pathway. In addition, phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) can also inhibit the activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway, but it is not clear whether the cZNF215-PRDX-PTEN axis plays a role in the antitumor activity of ipatasertib. Methods We identified a new circRNA (circZNF215, termed cZNF215) through high-throughput circRNA sequencing (circRNA-seq). In addition, RT‒qPCR, immunoblot assay, RNA pull-down assay, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay, and fluorescence in situ hybridization assay (FISH) were used to investigate the interaction of cZNF215 with peroxiredoxin 1 (PRDX1). Coimmunoprecipitation (Co-IP) assays and duolink in situ proximity ligation assays (PLAs) were conducted to analyze the effects of cZNF215 on the interaction between PRDX1 and PTEN. Finally, we tested the potential effects of cZNF215 on the antitumor activity of ipatasertib with in vivo experiments. Results We found that cZNF215 expression was obviously upregulated in iCCA tissues with postoperative metastases and was correlated with iCCA metastasis and poor outcome in patients with iCCA. We further revealed that overexpression of cZNF215 promoted iCCA cell growth and metastasis in vitro and in vivo, while cZNF215 knockdown had the opposite effect. Mechanistic studies suggested that cZNF215 competitively interacted with PRDX1, which blocked the association between PRDX1 and PTEN, subsequently leading to oxidation-induced inactivation of the PTEN/AKT pathway and finally contributing to iCCA progression and metastasis. Additionally, we also revealed that silencing cZNF215 in iCCA cells had the potential to enhance the antitumor effect of ipatasertib. Conclusions Our study demonstrates that cZNF215 facilitates iCCA progression and metastasis by regulating the PTEN/AKT pathway and may serve as a novel prognostic predictor in patients with iCCA.

The relationship between water resources and social economy has become a restricting factor for sustainable development of cities around the world. Linhai City in eastern China has the fastest economic growing and population boom. The system dynamics model of water resources carrying capacity was established to analyze the interaction between society, economy and water resources of Linhai city. Six different modes of water resources utilization were designed. Taking total population, gross domestic product, industrial output value, tertiary industry output value, water consumption, water supply and sewage discharge as the measurement indexes, the research predicted the development status of water resources carrying capacity of Linhai City from 2015 to 2030 under different development modes. Through the simulation results, it is found that the water-saving measures can reduce the gap between water supply and demand only in the short term. In the long run, the adjustment of industrial structure can improve the water resources carrying capacity and simultaneously promote the economy. In addition, increase the water income sources as well as strengthen sewage treatment are also necessary to balance the water supply and demand. HIGHLIGHTS Establishment of the water resources carry a capacity prediction model based on the system dynamics model.; Sensitive variables selection for a coupled system of society, economy, water resources and environment.; Optimization of development modes and water resource utilization for the study area.;

Highlights 1. Ovarian cancer (OC) is one of the most common gynecological tumors. It commonly develops peritoneal metastasis and is associated with poor prognosis. However, the molecular biology and pathophysiology of ovarian cancer are not known. 2. Emerging evidence highlight the role of tumor microenvironment as a crucial factor in driving peritoneal metastatic progression.

Wavenumber domain algorithms have unique advantages in processing highly squinted synthetic aperture radar data. This article studies the performance of three commonly used wavenumber domain algorithms including the classical wavenumber domain (CWD) algorithm, extended wavenumber domain (EWD) algorithm, and squint wavenumber domain (SWD) algorithm. First, the wavenumber domain signal expression under the zero-Doppler and acquisition-Doppler reference geometries are both derived. Second, the internal relationship between three wavenumber domain algorithms is analyzed. A new interpretation of the relationship between the three algorithms and an interpolation strategy are given. The analysis not only provides a deeper understanding of the three algorithms, but also provides a basis for comparing them. Then, the performance of the three wavenumber domain algorithms is evaluated from the perspectives of computational complexity, image quality, and geometric position through theoretical analysis and simulation experiments. Aiming at the problem that the range and azimuth profiles are not orthogonal, a method to calculate resolution and extract profile is proposed. The results show that all three algorithms can obtain a well-focused images if full-resolution interpolation is performed, and the computational complexities of CWD and SWD are less than that of EWD.

Changes in Polycomb repression during interphase transition modulate the ability of pluripotent cells to enter cell differentiation.

Although the relationship between anesthesia and consciousness has been investigated for decades, our understanding of the underlying neural mechanisms of anesthesia and consciousness remains rudimentary, which limits the development of systems for anesthesia monitoring and consciousness evaluation. Moreover, the current practices for anesthesia monitoring are mainly based on methods that do not provide adequate information and may present obstacles to the precise application of anesthesia. Most recently, there has been a growing trend to utilize brain network analysis to reveal the mechanisms of anesthesia, with the aim of providing novel insights to promote practical application. This review summarizes recent research on brain network studies of anesthesia, and compares the underlying neural mechanisms of consciousness and anesthesia along with the neural signs and measures of the distinct aspects of neural activity. Using the theory of cortical fragmentation as a starting point, we introduce important methods and research involving connectivity and network analysis. We demonstrate that whole-brain multimodal network data can provide important supplementary clinical information. More importantly, this review posits that brain network methods, if simplified, will likely play an important role in improving the current clinical anesthesia monitoring systems.

Anesthetic-induced loss of consciousness (LOC) has been studied using functional connectivity (FC) and functional network analysis (FNA), manifested as fragmentation of the whole-brain functional network. However, how the fragmented brain networks reversibly recover during the recovery of consciousness (ROC) remains vague. This study aims to investigate the changes in brain network structure during ROC, to better understand the network fragmentation during anesthesia, thus providing insights into consciousness monitoring. We analyzed EEG data recorded from 15 individuals anesthetized by sevoflurane. By investigating the properties of functional networks generated using different brain atlases and performing community detection for functional networks, we explored the changes in brain network structure to understand how fragmented brain networks recover during the ROC. We observed an overall larger FC magnitude during LOC than in the conscious state. The ROC was accompanied by the increasing binary network efficiency, decreasing FC magnitude, and decreasing community similarity with the functional atlas. Furthermore, we observed a negative correlation between modularity and community number ( $\text{p} < 0.001$ and $\textit {BF}_{{10}} >4000$ , linear regression test), in which modularity increased and community number decreased during ROC. Our results show that a larger FC magnitude reveals excessive synchronization of neuronal activities during LOC. The increasing binary network efficiency, decreasing community number, and decreasing community similarity indicate the recovery of functional network integration. The increasing modularity implies the recovery of functional network segregation during ROC. The results suggest the limitation of FC magnitude and modularity in monitoring anesthetized states and the potential of integrated information theory to evaluate consciousness.

A printed circuit board (PCB) functions as a substrate essential for interconnecting and securing electronic components. Its widespread integration is evident in modern electronic devices, spanning computers, cell phones, televisions, digital cameras, and diverse apparatus. Ensuring product quality mandates meticulous defect inspection, a task exacerbated by the heightened precision of contemporary circuit boards, intensifying the challenge of defect detection. Conventional algorithms, hampered by inefficiency and limited accuracy, fall short of usage benchmarks. In contrast, PCB defect detection algorithms rooted in deep learning hold promise for achieving heightened accuracy and efficiency, bolstered by their adeptness at discerning novel defect types. This review presents a comprehensive analysis of machine vision-based PCB defect detection algorithms, traversing the realms of machine learning and deep learning. It commences by contextualizing and elucidating the significance of such algorithms, followed by an extensive exploration of their evolution within the machine vision framework, encompassing classification, comparison, and analysis of algorithmic principles, strengths, and weaknesses. Moreover, the introduction of widely used PCB defect detection datasets and assessment indices enhances the evaluation of algorithmic performance. Currently, the detection accuracy can exceed 95% at an Intersection over Union (IoU) of 0.5. Lastly, potential future research directions are identified to address the existing issues in the current algorithm. These directions include utilizing Transformers as a foundational framework for creating new algorithms and employing techniques like Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) and reinforcement learning to enhance PCB defect detection performance.

Aims To evaluate the long-term survival benefits of high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) ablation in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) combined with portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT).Methods The data of patients with HCC-PVTT treated with HIFU from January 2014 to December 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients received HIFU ablation for both PVTT and liver tumor in one session. Perioperative adverse events (AEs) were recorded, and follow-up was performed postoperatively. The Kaplan–Meier method was used for survival analysis.Results Median follow-up was 13.75 ± 1.31 months. A total of 144 patients (male/female: 122/22, age: 54.15 ± 11.84 years old) were included in the study. A total of 267 liver tumors (tumor number: 1.87 ± 1.65, range 1–10) were treated with HIFU. The mean ± SD diameter of viable liver tumors was 100.98 ± 61.65 mm. The reported postoperative AEs of HIFU were skin edema (93.75%), local pain (69.44%) and fever (7.64%). There was no liver failure, gastrointestinal bleeding or perioperative death. The median overall survival (OS) time was 14 months, while the cumulative survival rates of 0.5, 1, 2 and 3 years were 79.0%, 58.6%, 33.3% and 5.9%, respectively. The median OS of PVTT types I, II and III was 22, 13 and 14 months, respectively, and the difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05).Conclusion HIFU is a minimally invasive method for HCC-PVTT with fewer complications, which could prolong the OS. Patients with PVTT type III could benefit more from HIFU, compared to types I and II.

The carbohydrate binding protein galectin-3 has been linked to diabetes and cancer. Here, authors show that galectin-3 is a sensor of LPS, an important modulator of the mTORC1 signaling, and a critical regulator of glucose metabolism.

Abstract Fiber‐shaped integrated devices are highly desirable for wearable and portable smart electronics, owing to their merits of lightweight, high flexibility, and wearability. However, how to effectively employ multifunctional fibers in one integrated device that can simultaneously achieve energy storage and utilization is a major challenge. Herein, a set of multifunctional fibers all derived from vanadium metal‐organic framework nanowires grown on carbon nanotube fiber (V‐MOF NWs@CNT fiber) is demonstrated, which can be used for various energy storage and utilization applications. First, a fiber‐shaped asymmetric supercapacitor (FASC) is fabricated based on the CoNi‐layered double hydroxide nanosheets@vanadium oxide NWs@CNT fiber (CoNi‐LDH NSs@V2O5 NWs@CNT fiber) as the positive electrode and vanadium nitride (VN) NWs@CNT fiber as the negative electrode. Benefiting from the outstanding compatibility of the functional materials, the FASC with a maximum working voltage of 1.7 V delivers a high‐stack volumetric energy density of 11.27 mW·h/cm3. Then, a fiber‐shaped integrated device is assembled by twisting a fiber‐shaped piezoresistive sensor (FPS; VN NWs@CNT fiber also served as the highly sensitive material) and a FASC together, where the high‐performance FASC can provide a stable and continuous output power for the FPS. Finally, the S‐VOx NWs@CNT fiber (sulfur‐doped vanadium oxide) electrode shows promising electrocatalytic performance for both hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER), which is further constructed into a self‐driven water‐splitting unit with the integration of the FASCs. The present work demonstrates that the V‐MOF NWs@CNT‐derived fibers have great potential for constructing wearable multifunctional integrated devices.

Wetland restoration has received increasing attention to compensate for the continuing loss of natural wetlands and revive biodiversity and associated ecological functions. The development of methods for assessing the effectiveness of restoration measures is important for wetland management. However, most studies assessing restoration success in freshwater ecosystems are based on taxonomic biodiversity; trait-based approaches remain limited, particularly in wetland ecosystems. Here, we assess the effectiveness of wetland restoration in the Sanjiang Plain, Northeast China, based on the trait composition and functional diversity of aquatic insect assemblages. We found that functional richness in restored wetlands was significantly higher than impacted wetlands but lower than natural wetlands. Compared to natural wetlands, functional beta diversity of impacted wetlands was higher. In terms of dissimilarity between wetland types, trait composition of aquatic insects in restored wetlands showed a higher similarity to natural wetlands compared to those in impacted wetlands. Trait compositions of aquatic insect assemblages in restored wetlands were more similar to impacted wetlands in May but showed a greater similarity to natural wetlands in October. Our study shows that restoration measures have facilitated the partial recovery of functional diversity and trait composition of aquatic insect assemblages in the Sanjiang Plain wetlands. Our study confirms the potential of using trait-based approach to assess the effectiveness of wetland restoration. Given that assessments based on taxonomic and trait data can provide complementary information, we recommend incorporating both taxonomic and functional metrics and considering seasonal dynamics of wetlands in post-restoration monitoring and assessment in wetlands.

This work intends to examine the diagnostic, prognostic, and biological roles of PSMD1 (proteasome 26S subunit, non-ATPase 1) in liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) and other malignancies, using bioinformatics techniques. PSMD1 is an innate immune gene that has been identified as a biomarker for several cancers. By analyzing TCGA data, we determined that PSMD1 has excellent diagnostic and prognostic value in LIHC. We also examined its correlation with stage-matching clinical features, particularly T staging and stage staging. Independent prognostic analysis, nomogram, and Decision Curve Analysis (DCA) analysis confirmed the predictive ability of PSMD1 on patient clinical outcomes. Our focus was on exploring the biological process, immune infiltration, and genetic variation in which PSMD1 is involved in LIHC. We found a close relationship between PSMD1 and the tumor microenvironment (TME), as well as various immune cell infiltration, immune function, and immune checkpoints. Furthermore, our results suggested that liver cancer patients with low PSMD1 expression were more actively responsive to immunotherapy according to TIDE predictions. Additionally, we observed significant differences in patient survival based on the different immune molecular types of tumors and their correlation with PSMD1 expression. The close relationship between PSMD1 and copy number variation (CNV), tumor mutational burden (TMB), and methylation was also confirmed, showing a significant impact on patient survival. Moreover, the pan-cancer analysis revealed that PSMD1 is closely related to the diagnosis and prognosis of various cancers, as well as immune infiltration across different cancer types. In summary, PSMD1 has the potential to be a useful diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for LIHC and other types of cancers. It is closely associated with indicators such as immune infiltration, CNV, TMB, and methylation. The identification of PSMD1 may offer a potential intervention target for LIHC and various cancers.

The efficient synthesis of myofibrillar protein(MRN)-gallic acid (GAD) complex in ultrasound (UID)-assisted processing is a challenging problem in food manufacturing. In this investigation, the effect of viscosity characteristics on the efficiency of UID processing in MRN-based beverages was analyzed. Both viscosity and surface tension can increase sono-physico-chemical effects on the degradation of terephthalic acid and crystal violet, with surface tension having a more significant effect (negative correlation, R2 = 0.99) than viscosity (positive correlation, R2 = 0.79). The structural indicators and microstructure demonstrated that the reaggregation and refolding of the MRN structure during the modification procedure occurred with relatively small three-dimensional dimensions. Compared to the MRN/GAD4 group, the water contact angle of the MRN/GAD7 system enhanced by 129.44%, leading to greater system stability. The ABTS-scavenging capacity of the system increased by approximately 19.45% due to the increase in viscosity of these two categories.

Probiotics are receiving significant attention due to their considerable health advantages. However, research involving the effect of probiotic biofilm and planktonic cells on the health of the host is limited. This study ascertained that the biofilm cells of Lactiplantibacillus paraplantarum LR-1 displayed stronger immunomodulation activity than their planktonic counterparts. Furthermore, the LR-1 biofilm cells more distinctly influenced the relative abundance of the intestinal marker bacteria than the planktonic cells. In comparison to the planktonic cells and the control group, the biofilm cells exhibited a stronger potential positive effect on the metabolism of the mice. Correlation analysis revealed the interaction between the metabolites, genera, and immune factors, which could explain the mechanism behind the beneficial effect of LR-1 biofilm or planktonic cells on host health. The results of this study enhance the understanding of the beneficial impact of probiotic biofilm cells while providing references for further investigation.

ABSTRACT The Sansha Yongle Blue Hole (SYBH), the deepest blue hole in the world, is an excellent habitat for revealing biogeochemical cycles in the anaerobic environment. However, how sulfur cycling is mediated by microorganisms in the SYBH hasn’t been fully understood. In this study, the water layers of the SYBH were divided into oxic zone, hypoxic zone, anoxic zone I and II, and microbial-mediated sulfur cycling in the SYBH was comprehensively interpreted. The 16S rRNA genes/transcripts analyses showed that the microbial community structures associated with the sulfur cycling in each zone had distinctive features. Sulfur-oxidizing bacteria were mostly constituted by Gammaproteobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria, Campylobacterota, and Chlorobia above the anoxic zone I and sulfate-reducing bacteria were dominated by Desulfobacterota in anoxic zones. Metagenomic analyses showed that the sulfide-oxidation-related gene sqr and genes encoding the Sox system were mainly distributed in the anoxic zone I, while genes related to dissimilatory sulfate reduction and sulfur intermediate metabolite reduction were mainly distributed in the anoxic zone II, indicating different sulfur metabolic processes between these two zones. Moreover, sulfur-metabolism-related genes were identified in 81 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs), indicating a high diversity of microbial communities involved in sulfur cycling. Among them, three MAGs from the candidate phyla JdFR-76 and AABM5-125-24 with genes related to dissimilatory sulfate reduction exhibited distinctive metabolic features. Our results showed unique and novel microbial populations in the SYBH sulfur cycle correlated to the sharp redox gradients, revealing complex biogeochemical processes in this extreme environment. IMPORTANCE Oxygen-deficient regions in the global ocean are expanding rapidly and affect the growth, reproduction and ecological processes of marine organisms. The anaerobic water body of about 150 m in the Sansha Yongle Blue Hole (SYBH) provided a suitable environment to study the specific microbial metabolism in anaerobic seawater. Here, we found that the vertical distributions of the total and active communities of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) and sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) were different in each water layer of the SYBH according to the dissolved oxygen content. Genes related to sulfur metabolism also showed distinct stratification characteristics. Furthermore, we have obtained diverse metagenome-assembled genomes, some of which exhibit special sulfur metabolic characteristics, especially candidate phyla JdFR-76 and AABM5-125-24 were identified as potential novel SRB. The results of this study will promote further understanding of the sulfur cycle in extreme environments, as well as the environmental adaptability of microorganisms in blue holes.

Background Oral health literacy (OHL) is recognized as an important determinant of oral outcomes. Measuring OHL with a valid and reliable instrument that accurately captures the functional nature of this construct across cultures is needed. The short version of the Health Literacy in Dentistry scale (HeLD-14) shows promise as an appropriate instrument due to its inclusion of comprehensive domains hypothesized to comprise OHL. While studies validating the instrument in several languages have occurred, the number of dimensions in the various analyses range from one to seven. Validation of the HeLD-14 in a general English-speaking population is also lacking. The purpose of this study was to explore and confirm the dimensionality of the HeLD-14 in a general US English-speaking population. Methods The psychometric properties of HeLD-14 were evaluated in a sample of 631 participants attending the Minnesota State Fair. Construct validity was assessed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) followed by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) on the data set split into two groups. Internal consistency reliability was assessed using the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. Concurrent validity was established between the HeLD-14 and the Oral Health Inventory Profile (OHIP-5) using Pearson’s correlation. Results EFA found, and CFA reinforced, a unidimensional structure of the HeLD-14. Cronbach’s alpha was acceptable at 0.92. Fit assessment also supported a unidimensional structure, comparative fit index = 0.992, Tucker-Lewis index = 0.991, root mean square error of approximation = 0.065, and standardized root mean square residual = 0.074. Concurrent validity analyses showed that the HeLD-14 correlated with the OHIP-5. Conclusions The HeLD-14 is a unidimensional reliable and valid instrument for measuring the oral health literacy in the general US English-speaking adult population.

Highly contagious COVID-19 disease is caused by a novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which poses a serious threat to global public health. Therefore, the development of a fast and reliable method for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 is an urgent research need. The Fe3O4@SiO2–Au is enriched with a variety of functional groups, which can be used to fabricate a sensitive electrochemical biosensor by biofunctionalization with angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Accordingly, we developed a novel electrochemical sensor by chemically modifying a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) with Fe3O4@SiO2–Au nanocomposites (hereafter Fe3O4@SiO2–Au/GCE) for the rapid detection of S-protein spiked SARS-CoV-2 by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The new electrochemical sensor has a low limit detection (viz., 4.78 pg/mL) and a wide linear dynamic range (viz., 0.1 ng/mL to 10 μg/mL) for detecting the EIS response signal of S-protein. The robust Fe3O4@SiO2–Au/GCE biosensor has high selectivity, stability, and reproducibility for the detection of S-protein with good recovery of saliva samples.

Tumor necrosis factor receptor–associated factor 4 (TRAF4) is an important regulator of type 2 responses in the airway; however, the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms remain elusive. Herein, we generated T cell–specific TRAF4-deficient (CD4-cre Traf4fl/fl) mice and investigated the role of TRAF4 in memory Th2 cells expressing IL-33 receptor (ST2, suppression of tumorigenicity 2) (ST2+ mTh2 cells) in IL-33–mediated type 2 airway inflammation. We found that in vitro–polarized TRAF4-deficient (CD4-cre Traf4fl/fl) ST2+ mTh2 cells exhibited decreased IL-33–induced proliferation as compared with TRAF4-sufficient (Traf4fl/fl) cells. Moreover, CD4-cre Traf4fl/fl mice showed less ST2+ mTh2 cell proliferation and eosinophilic infiltration in the lungs than Traf4fl/fl mice in the preclinical models of IL-33–mediated type 2 airway inflammation. Mechanistically, we discovered that TRAF4 was required for the activation of AKT/mTOR and ERK1/2 signaling pathways as well as the expression of transcription factor Myc and nutrient transporters (Slc2a1, Slc7a1, and Slc7a5), signature genes involved in T cell growth and proliferation, in ST2+ mTh2 cells stimulated by IL-33. Taken together, the current study reveals a role of TRAF4 in ST2+ mTh2 cells in IL-33–mediated type 2 pulmonary inflammation, opening up avenues for the development of new therapeutic strategies.

Zanthoxylum bungeanum seed meal (ZBM), a novel plant protein raw material, has shown promising potential in enhancing the growth of broiler chickens as a substitute for soybean meal (SBM) in feed. In the artificial digestive experiment of vitro experiments, the digestibility of ZBM and SBM were assessed using the SDS-III Single Stomach Animal Biometric Digestion System. Subsequently, 180 1-day old AA chicks were divided into three groups for in vivo experiments: corn–soybean-meal-based diet (CON group); ZBM replacing 5% soybean meal in the basal diet (ZBM-1 group); ZBM replacing 10% soybean meal in the basal diet (ZBM-2 group). The experiment period lasted for 42 days. Compared to SBM, ZBM demonstrated higher crude protein content, dry matter digestibility, and extracorporeal digestible protein. Compared with the CON group, the broilers in the ZBM-2 group showed improved ADG and ADFI during the 1–21 d, 22–42 d, and 1–42 d periods (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the ZBM groups exhibited significant increases in slaughter performance compared with the CON group (p < 0.05). The substitution of ZBM for SBM also leads to a significant reduction in serum enzyme indicators (p < 0.05). Additionally, the lipoprotein and total cholesterol of the ZBM groups were significantly lower than those of the CON group (p < 0.05). Substituting SBM with ZBM significantly enhances the activity of superoxide dismutase and the content of immunoglobulin G in broiler serum, while reducing the content of malondildehyde (p < 0.05). The ZBM groups showed significantly higher utilization of dry matter, crude protein, and energy compared with the CON group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the study confirmed that the substitution of SBM with 5–10% ZBM in broiler diets has a significant positive effect on growth, development, antioxidant capacity, immune function, and nutrient utilization. This study not only provides a theoretical foundation for the utilization of ZBM in broiler diets but also offers an effective approach for reducing reliance on soybean meal.