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In metasurface design, massive meta-atoms have to be optimized to produce the desired properties, which are time-consuming and sometimes prohibitive. In this paper, neural network model composed forward modeling and inverse design network is proposed to realize rapid, efficient, and automatic metasurface design of THz unidirectional transmission. Specifically, massive metasurface samples are generated by Python-CST co-simulation to train the neural network model and make it robust to predict the THz responses and vice versa. The consistency of simulation and prediction results imply that the model can accurately capture the nonintuitive complex relationship between structural parameters and electromagnetic spectra. To further verify the model, retrieved structural parameters for unidirectional transmission are deduced due to inverse design network and double L-shape arrays metasurface is experimental fabricated. It is shown that the experimental asymmetric transmission responses by retrieved structural parameters are identical with the simulations by design parameter. Such results effectively verify the design and model, providing a paradigm for functional metasurface design and the development of applications in optoelectrical fields.

Background The imbalance of monocyte/macrophage polarization toward the preferential proinflammatory phenotype and a lack of normal inflammation resolution are present in acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Our previous study showed that upregulation of brain‐derived neurotrophic factor precursor (proBDNF) in M2‐like monocytes may contribute to the proinflammatory response in the Stanford type‐A acute aortic dissection. The present study aimed to investigate the role of proBDNF signaling in monocytes/macrophages in the progress of AMI. Methods and Results We observed the upregulation of proBDNF in the proinflammatory monocytes of patients with AMI. The upregulation of proBDNF was also observed in the circulating proinflammatory Ly6Chigh monocytes and cardiac F4/80+CD86+ macrophages 3 days after AMI in a mice model. To neutralize proBDNF, the mice subjected to AMI were injected intraperitoneally with a monoclonal anti‐proBDNF antibody. Echocardiography, 2,3,5‐triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining, and positron emission tomography/computed tomography results demonstrate that monoclonal anti‐proBDNF antibody treatment further impaired cardiac functions, increased infarct size, and exacerbated the proinflammatory state. Moreover, the level of proinflammatory Ly6Chigh in the blood and F4/80+CD86+ in the heart was further increased in monoclonal anti‐proBDNF antibody mice. RNA sequencing revealed that matrix metalloprotease‐9 protein level was dramatically increased, along with the activated proinflammatory‐related cytokines. Matrix metalloprotease‐9 inhibitor treatment attenuated the deteriorated effect of monoclonal anti‐proBDNF antibody on cardiac function and infarct areas. Conclusions Our study shows that endogenous proBDNF in monocytes/macrophages may exert protective roles in cardiac remodeling after AMI by regulating matrix metalloprotease‐9 activity.

Objective To compare differences in current status of sexual health-related knowledge, attitude and behavior and influencing factors of sexual behavior between international and domestic students in Chinese colleges and universities for providing references and evidences to promote education on sexual health in the students. Methods With a self-designed questionnaire, we conducted an online anonymous survey from September through November, 2019. The respondents of the survey were 6 665 Chinese students recruited using stratified cluster sampling in 9 colleges/universities in eastern, central and western China and 1 403 international students sampled conveniently in 96 universities across China. Statistical analyses on collected data were performed with SPSS 21.0 software. Results Valid information were collected from 5 989 Chinese and 1 004 international students. The score for sexual knowledge of the international students was significantly lower than that of Chinese students (5.11 ± 2.20 vs. 5.31 ± 2.17, t = 2.751; P < 0.01). Significantly higher proportion of international students reported positive attitude towards one night stands than that of Chinese students (25.10% vs. 14.59%, χ2 = 73.04; P < 0.01); but significantly higher proportion of Chinese students reported positive attitude towards homosexuality than that of international students (53.35% vs. 43.23%, χ2 = 73.83; P < 0.01). More international students than Chinese students reported ever having sexual behaviors (20.42% vs. 18.88%) and for the students ever having sexual behaviors, the proportion of with multiple sexual partners was significantly higher among international students than among Chinese students (58.05% vs. 35.46%, χ2 = 27.26; P < 0.01). Significantly more international students than Chinese students reported first sexual behaviors at the age of less than 18 years (30.73% vs. 15.12%, χ2 = 29.28; P < 0.01). The results of logistic regression analysis showed that the international students of male gender, being seniors, with a high level of living consumption, without religious belief, and with bisexual orientation were more likely to have sexual behavior (all P < 0.01); while, the Chinese students of male gender, being seniors, majoring in liberal arts, with a high level of living consumption, and with homosexual or bisexual orientation were more likely to have sexual behavior (P < 0.01 for all). Conclusion There are disparities in sexual health-related knowledge, attitude and behavior between international students and domestic students of colleges/universities in China, suggesting that targeted education on sexual health should be promoted among student groups of different gender and culture background.

Abstract Background Sex hormones are strongly linked to the occurrence and development of diabetes, and influence glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels in diabetic population; but, the relationship between sex hormones and HbA1c in non-diabetic population remains unknown. This study aimed to explore the extent of influence of sex hormones on HbA1c levels in non-diabetic population. Methods A total of 1409 non–diabetic subjects, including 601 men and 808 postmenopausal women were recruited from Shanghai community. HbA1c was detected using high performance liquid chromatography, and hemoglobin level was determined by sodium lauryl sulfate colorimetry. Serum estradiol (E2), total testosterone (TT), and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) were measured by chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassays. Results The level of HbA1c was 5.6 (5.4–5.9) % in all subjects, with 5.6 (5.4–5.8) % in men and 5.7 (5.5–5.9) % in postmenopausal women. After adjusting for age, body mass index (BMI), and hemoglobin, E2 was positively correlated with HbA1c in men (r = 0.122, P = .003), and SHBG was inversely correlated with HbA1c (r = − 0.125, P .05). Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that, except for traditional factors, such as age, hemoglobin, and BMI, E2 was another determinant of HbA1c (standardized β = 0.137, P = .003) in men; besides, in women, SHBG was another determinant of HbA1c (standardized β = − 0.178, P

Abstract Background Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy has demonstrated remarkable success in the treatment of hematologic malignancies, while the success has not yet been replicated in solid tumors. To some extent, the disappointing results can be attributed to the paucity and heterogeneity of target antigens in solid tumors since adequate antigens are the cornerstone for CAR-T cells to recognize and attack tumor cells. Methods We established a target-redirected universal CAR-T (TRUE CAR-T) cell therapeutic modality, in which exogenous antigens are loaded onto fusogenic nanoparticles to achieve in situ modification of cell membrane in solid tumors, providing targets for subsequent CAR-T cell therapy. The modification effect was evaluated by flow cytometry and confocal microscopic imaging. The in vivo metabolism and biodistribution of fusogenic antigen loaded nanoparticles (F-AgNPs) was explored using near infrared living imaging. Then F-AgNPs mediated in situ antigen modification were cooperated with corresponding CAR-T cell therapy, and its antitumor efficacy was evaluated using immune function experiments and further investigated in different tumor models. Results Using F-AgNPs, exogenous antigens were selectively modified onto tumor cell membranes through membrane fusion, spread deeper into tumor tissues through intercellular lipid transfer, further activating corresponding CAR-T cells and mediating antitumor immune responses towards multiple types of tumor cells, despite of their inherent antigen profiles. The cooperative treatment of F-AgNPs and CAR-T cell therapy successfully suppressed tumor proliferation and prolonged survival in both subcutaneous and peritoneally disseminated tumor models. Conclusion The fusogenic nanoparticle-based in situ antigen modification overcome the limitation of target antigens paucity and heterogeneity in solid tumors, improving the efficacy and broadening the applications of CAR-T cells, thus establishing a novel TRUE CAR-T cell therapeutic modality with universal application and translational potential in immunotherapies for solid tumors.

Abstract. Background:. Little was known about the association among time in range (TIR), time above range (TAR), time below range (TBR), and cancer mortality among patients with type 2 diabetes. We aimed to investigate the association among TIR, TAR, TBR, and the risk of cancer mortality among patients with type 2 diabetes. Methods:. A total of 6225 patients with type 2 diabetes were prospectively recruited in Shanghai, China. TIR was measured with continuous glucose monitoring at baseline and was defined as the average percentage of time in the target glucose range during a 24 h period. Cox proportion hazard regression analysis was used to determine the association between TIR and the risk of cancer mortality. Results:. During a mean follow-up of 7.10 years, we confirmed 237 death events related to cancer. The multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for cancer mortality was 1.32 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01–1.75) in patients with TIR ≤70% compared with those with TIR >70%. When TIR was considered as a continuous variable, the multivariable-adjusted HR for cancer mortality associated with each 10% decrease in TIR was 1.07 (95% CI: 1.02–1.14). In the site-specific analysis, a significant association between TIR as a continuous variable and the risk of hepatocellular cancer was found (HR: 1.24; 95% CI: 1.09–1.41). However, no relationship between hemoglobin A1c and cancer mortality was observed (HR: 1.04; 95% CI: 0.97–1.10). Conclusions:. The present study found an inverse association of TIR with the risk of cancer mortality among patients with type 2 diabetes. New evidence of TIR was added into the clinical practice that TIR may be an optimal target of glycemic control among patients with type 2 diabetes.

Abstract Aim To evaluate the prevalence and influencing factors of anxiety and depression symptoms in surgical nurses during the COVID‐19 epidemic in Anhui, China. Methods A cross‐sectional, multic'entre quantitative study was conducted among surgical nurses in Anhui province. SAS, SDS and SSRS scales were used for the investigation. Data were collected between 3 March 2020 to 19 March 2020. Results A total of 3,492 surgical nurses completed the survey. The average level of anxiety and depression of surgical nurses were higher than that of the Chinese norm. Levels of social support for surgical nurses were significantly negatively associated with the degree of anxiety and depression. Fertility status, participation in care for COVID‐19 patients, likelihood of being infected with COVID‐19 and social support were significantly influencing surgical nurses’ anxiety degree. Similarly, these characteristics were significantly associated with the odds of depression symptoms in surgical nurses. Conclusion These findings suggest that targeted psychological interventions to promote mental health of surgical nurses need to be immediately implemented.

This study aims to understand the impact of farmers’ risk attitude on livelihood assets and their livelihood adaptation strategies to cope with climatic changes. An interview-based survey with farmers is conducted in China and Pakistan, using probit regression models to analyze the data. The results confirm that Pakistani growers’ natural and policy risks, whereas technology and information risks in China, are the main livelihood risks to farm production. Farmers’ natural, physical, social, and human assets in China and Pakistan’s financial, physical, and social assets can protect their livelihoods from farm risks. Pakistan’s physical, social, and economic assets and China’s physical, human, and social assets show contradictory effects. Although farmers in China adopted agrotechnical support, off-farm production, crop variety adjustment, and agricultural engineering, Pakistan’s growers adopted agricultural finance, fertilizer/water management, and adjustment of crop varieties to deal with risks. In addition, social, natural, human, and physical assets revealed significant and positive impacts on Pakistani growers; physical and financial assets positively affect Chinese farmers’ attitudes. Despite Chinese growers’ human, social, and natural assets, Pakistani farmers’ financial and natural assets show comparatively weak effects to adapt and deal with climatic risks. Furthermore, this study recommends agricultural policy measures to cope with climate awareness and adaptive attitudes, and potential practices can be introduced in both studied areas.

Abstract Nanomaterials have been widely used in multi‐aspect because of their particular physicochemical properties. However, traditional physical and chemical synthetic methods of nanomaterials are costly, they are easy to produce toxic by‐products which are harmful to environment and human health. In recent years, the synthesis of nanomaterials via biological mediated method has shown great potential with the advantage of environmentally friendly, cost‐effective and high‐efficiency. Plants, microorganisms, and biological extracts are all excellent candidates for biosynthesis. Furthermore, these kinds of bio‐genic materials have been applied in many fields such as environment remediation, catalytic reaction, anti‐microbsis and anti‐tumor. Thus, in order to grasp the research progress and development trend of nanomaterials synthesized by bio‐mediated methods, a comprehensive overview is presented based on Web of Science database and bibliometric analysis. The results proved that the number of publications increased year by year from 2010 to 2020, India and China were the main two contributors. Some research institutions and researchers have formed their stable cooperative groups. Keywords analysis showed that the co‐occurrence network could be divided into four clusters, “green synthesis,” “AgNPs,” “AuNPs,” “nanoparticles,” and “leaf extract” were the most popular words. Moreover, publishing journals, highly cited articles and major disciplines were also studied. The review will provide valuable references for future research.

Chemotherapy is the treatment of choice for gastric cancer, but the currently available therapeutic drugs have limited efficacy. Studies have suggested that gastric cancer stem cells may play a key role in drug resistance in chemotherapy. Therefore, new agents that selectively target gastric cancer stem cells in gastric tumors are urgently required. Sirtuin-3 (SIRT3) is a deacetylase that regulates mitochondrial metabolic homeostasis to maintain stemness in glioma stem cells. Targeting the mitochondrial protein SIRT3 may provide a novel therapeutic option for gastric cancer treatment. However, the mechanism by which stemness is regulated through SIRT3 inhibition in gastric cancer remains unknown. We evaluated the stemness inhibition ability of the SIRT3 inhibitor 4′-bromo-resveratrol (4-BR), an analog of resveratrol in human gastric cancer cells. Our results suggested that 4-BR inhibited gastric cancer cell stemness through the SIRT3-c-Jun N-terminal kinase pathway and may aid in gastric cancer stem-cell–targeted therapy.

Abnormal lipid metabolism is closely related to the malignant biological behavior of tumor cells. Such abnormal lipid metabolism provides energy for rapid proliferation, and certain genes related to lipid metabolism encode important components of tumor signaling pathways. In this study, we analyzed pancreatic cancer datasets from The Cancer Genome Atlas and searched for prognostic genes related to lipid metabolism in the Molecular Signature Database. A risk score model was built and verified using the GSE57495 dataset and International Cancer Genome Consortium dataset. Four molecular subtypes and 4249 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. The DEGs obtained by Weighted Gene Coexpression Network Construction analysis were intersected with 4249 DEGs to obtain a total of 1340 DEGs. The final prognosis model included CA8, CEP55, GNB3 and SGSM2, and these had a significant effect on overall survival. The area under the curve at 1, 3 and 5 years was 0.72, 0.79 and 0.87, respectively. These same results were obtained using the validation cohort. Survival analysis data showed that the model could stratify the prognosis of patients with different clinical characteristics, and the model has clinical independence. Functional analysis indicated that the model is associated with multiple cancer‐related pathways. Compared with published models, our model has a higher C‐index and greater risk value. In summary, this four‐gene signature is an independent risk factor for pancreatic cancer survival and may be an effective prognostic indicator.

The grinding and polishing of curved stone involve many steps, limiting the process's efficiency. This study proposes a one-step grinding and polishing process to simplify the process and achieve efficient machining. It is achieved by developing the grinding and polishing tools and realizing the entire process on the robotic processing platform, and the tool design is based on the surface roughness of the machined workpiece. The grinding tool is made by selecting the appropriate glue to achieve the connection from carving to polishing. Similarly, the polishing tool is made by selecting the appropriate gel compound system to achieve a high glossiness curved stone surface. The results show that the grinding tool made of epoxy resin YT-CC301 can reduce the curved stone's roughness from 16.281 µm to below 400 nm, and the connection from carving to polishing can be realized by one step. The polishing tool made of sodium alginate and carboxylated chitosan gel compound system or sodium alginate and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose gel compound system can polish the surface of the ground curved stone to the roughness of less than 15 nm, and the surface glossiness can reach more than 120. Therefore, a single step of grinding and polishing of curved stone is achieved.

ObjectiveThe objective of the present study was to describe and analyze the clinical characteristics of nocardiosis.Materials and methodsWe described and analyzed the clinical characteristics of nocardiosis cases from two centers over the past 5 years from the following aspects: age and sex, Nocardia species, sites of Nocardia infection, test specimens, detection methods, concurrent pathogens, symptoms, imaging features, co-conditions, drug susceptibility tests, antibiotic therapy/duration, outcomes, and follow-up.ResultsThe median age of the 19 cases was 64 years, with an interquartile range (IQR) of 56–68 years. Eight cases (42.1%) were immunocompromised [those who had been on corticosteroid use (62.5%), those who had used immunosuppressants (50.0%), or those who had suffered from chronic nephrosis (37.5%) or diabetes mellitus (DM) (25.0%)]. The plethora of comorbidities of these cases included diabetes (10.5%), chronic kidney disease (CDK) (15.8%), chronic lung disease (36.8%), and rheumatic diseases (10.5%). Cough and expectoration (73.7%) was the most common symptom of nocardiosis. The respiratory tract (89.5%) was the most common site of the clinical disease. Nearly half (9 cases, 47.3%) of these patients had concurrent infections. The most common Nocardia isolation site was the respiratory tract (73.7%). All patients were given antibiotic therapies, out of whom as many as 63.6% of patients were treated with two concurrent antimicrobial agents, 15.8% of patients were treated under monotherapy and 21.1% of patients were treated with three or more concurrent antimicrobial agents.ConclusionsAn uncommon life-threatening infection, nocardiosis, affects those patients with structural lung disease or immunosuppression. Although nocardiosis is capable of progressing into a serious and metastatic disease, early recognition and prompt treatment usually result in successful outcomes benefitting the patient.

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is the second most common liver cancer. Chemotherapy remains the main therapeutic strategy for advanced ICC patients, but chemosensitivity varies individually. Here, we applied cytometry by time-of-flight (CyTOF) to establish the immune profile of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) on the single-cell level at indicated time points before, during, and after chemotherapy. Multiplex immunofluorescence staining was applied to examine the spatial distribution of certain immune clusters. Tissue microarrays (TMAs) were used for prognostic evaluation. A total of 20 ICC patients treated with gemcitabine (GEM) were enrolled in our study, including eight cases with good response (R) and 12 cases with non-response (NR). Tremendous changes in PBMC composition, including an increased level of CD4/CD8 double-positive T cells (DPT), were observed after chemotherapy. Patients with higher level of CD4+CD45RO+CXCR3+ T cells before treatment had a favorable response to chemotherapy. Our study identified a positive correlation between the percentage of T cell subpopulations and clinical response after chemotherapy, which suggests that it is practical to predict the potential response before treatment by evaluating the proportions of the cell population in PBMCs.

In this study, Al–CuO nanocomposites were fabricated by sol-gel method. As a contrast, the thermite was prepared by physical mixing at the equivalence ratio of 0.5, 1, 2, respectively. The intermediates and samples as prepared were characterized by SEM and XRD. The exothermic properties of the two samples prepared at different equivalence ratios were tested and the reaction products were characterized by XRD. The SEM results show that the sample prepared by the sol-gel method demonstrates a micron-sized agglomerated sphere formed by a mutual wrapping of Al NPs and CuO NPs, and the particles are evenly distributed in the agglomerate. In addition, when the content of Al powder is seriously insufficient, the heat release of the sample prepared by physical mixing is 1.6 times that of by sol-gel method. With the increase of Al powder content, the exothermic properties of Al/CuO NPs prepared by sol-gel method began to increase significantly compared with physical mixing and the difference is 1.5 times when the equivalence ratio increases to 2. It can be concluded that the reason for this result may be attributed to the different mass transfer modes of components due to the different morphologies of samples.

Abstract Building human organs in a dish has been a long term goal of researchers in pursue of physiologically relevant models of human disease and for replacement of worn out and diseased organs. The liver has been an organ of interest for its central role in regulating body homeostasis as well as drug metabolism. An accurate liver replica should contain the multiple cell types found in the organ and these cells should be spatially organized to resemble tissue structures. More importantly, the in vitro model should recapitulate cellular and tissue level functions. Progress in cell culture techniques and bioengineering approaches have greatly accelerated the development of advance 3-dimensional (3D) cellular models commonly referred to as liver organoids. These 3D models described range from single to multiple cell type containing cultures with diverse applications from establishing patient-specific liver cells to modeling of chronic liver diseases and regenerative therapy. Each organoid platform is advantageous for specific applications and presents its own limitations. This review aims to provide a comprehensive summary of major liver organoid platforms and technologies developed for diverse applications.

Objectives The overexpansion of CD3+B220+ cells is the hallmark and main pathological mechanism of clinical manifestations of spontaneously developed MRL/lpr mice, which are primarily used as a mouse model of SLE. Our recent report demonstrated that blocking brain-derived neurotrophic factor precursor (proBDNF) suppressed the antibody-secreting cell differentiation and proliferation and inhibited the progression of SLE; however, the effect of proBDNF blockade on these CD3+B220+ cells in MRL/lpr mice is unclear.Methods To explore the effect of proBDNF on CD3+B220+ cells, MRL/lpr mice at 12 weeks old were intraperitoneally injected with monoclonal anti-proBDNF antibody (McAb-proB) or control IgG continuously for 8 weeks. The manifestations in mice were observed, and peripheral blood and splenocytes were collected and analysed via flow cytometry at 20 weeks old. In addition, splenic CD3+B220+ cells were subjected to RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis to identify transcriptomic alterations.Results CD3+B220+ cells in peripheral blood (p=0.0101) and spleen (p

This study examines the influences of grandchild care and medical insurance on childhood obesity. Nationally representative longitudinal data—from the China Family Panel Studies 2010–2020—of 26,902 school-age children and adolescents aged 6–16 years and China's new reference standard (“WS/T586-2018”) are used to identify a child's obesity status. Using binary mixed-effects logistic regression models and the Blinder–Oaxaca decomposition method, this study explores the roots of obesity inequalities and finds that at least 15% of Chinese children aged 6–16 were obese in the 2010s. The logistic regression analysis results indicate that grandchild care, public medical insurance, and commercial medical insurance are key risk factors of child obesity. However, the influences are heterogeneous in different groups: Grandchild care and public medical insurance increase urban–rural obesity inequalities because of a distribution effect, and grandchild care may also exacerbate children obesity inequalities between left-behind and non-left-behind children owing to the event shock of parental absence. Inequalities in socioeconomic status (SES) factors such as income, education, and region also cause obesity inequalities. These results indicate that child obesity and its inequalities are rooted in multidimensional environmental inequalities, including medical protection policies and its benefit incidence; intergenerational behavior and family SES factors; and urban–rural and left-behind risk shocks. This study provides new evidence for the development of population-based interventions and equitable medical insurance policies to prevent the deterioration of child obesity among Chinese school-age children and adolescents.

Objectives Using data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), we estimated prevalence of individual substance use disorders (SUDs) and psychiatric comorbidities among pregnant women with opioid use disorder (OUD) in the New York State from 2009 to 2014. Methods In this cross-sectional study, pregnancy outcome and gestational age at delivery were estimated, and OUD diagnosis during pregnancy or at delivery discharge was identified. Prevalence of SUDs and psychiatric comorbidities were then calculated. Results Among 1,463,302 pregnant women, 8324 (0.57%) were diagnosed with OUD during pregnancy or at delivery. The most frequent SUDs or psychiatric comorbidities among pregnant women with OUD were non-opioid SUD (78.2%), followed by tobacco use disorder (74.9%), generalized anxiety disorder (38.0%), major depressive disorder (36.9%), cannabis use disorder (28.3%) and cocaine use disorder (27.4%). Conclusions Most pregnant women with OUD were diagnosed with at least one non-opioid SUD and tobacco use disorder. Generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder were also common, suggesting that mental health screenings should be prioritized for pregnant women with OUD.