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Due to the strong representation ability and capability of learning from data measurements, deep reinforcement learning has emerged as a powerful control method, especially for nonlinear systems, such as the aero-engine control system. In this paper, a novel application of deep reinforcement learning (DRL) is presented for aero-engine control. In addition, transition dynamic characteristic information of the aero-engine is extracted from the replay buffer of deep reinforcement learning to train a neural-network dynamic prediction model for the aero-engine. In turn, the dynamic prediction model is used to improve the learning efficiency of reinforcement learning. The practical applicability of the proposed control system is demonstrated by the numerical simulations. Compared with the traditional control system, this novel aero-engine control system has faster response speed, stronger self-learning ability, and avoids the complicated manual parameter adjustment without sacrificing the control performance. Moreover, the dynamic prediction model has satisfactory prediction accuracy, and the model-based method can achieve higher learning efficiency than the model-free method.

Abstract Background and objective Colon cancer is occurring at an increasing rate and ginger (Zingiber officinale), as a commonly used herbal medicine, has been suggested as a potential agent for colon cancer. This study was aimed to identify the bioactive components and potential mechanisms of ginger for colon cancer prevention by an integrated network pharmacology approach. Methods The putative ingredients of ginger and its related targets were discerned from the TCMSP and Swiss target prediction database. After that, the targets interacting with colon cancer were collected using Genecards, OMIM, and Drugbank databases. KEGG pathway and GO enrichment analysis were performed to explore the signaling pathways related to ginger for colon cancer treatments. The PPI and compound-target-disease networks were constructed using Cytoscape 3.8.1. Finally, Discovery studio software was employed to confirm the key genes and active components from ginger. Results Six potential active compounds, 285 interacting targets in addition to 1356 disease-related targets were collected, of which 118 intersection targets were obtained. A total of 34 key targets including PIK3CA, SRC, and TP53 were identified through PPI network analysis. These targets were mainly focused on the biological processes of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase signaling, cellular response to oxidative stress, and cellular response to peptide hormone stimulus. The KEGG enrichment manifested that three signaling pathways were closely related to colon cancer prevention of ginger, cancer, endocrine resistance, and hepatitis B pathways. TP53, HSP90AA1, and JAK2 were viewed as the most important genes, which were validated by molecular docking simulation. Conclusion This study demonstrated that ginger produced preventive effects against colon cancer by regulating multi-targets and multi-pathways with multi-components. And, the combined data provide novel insight for ginger compounds developed as new drug for anti-colon cancer.

Abstract. Background:. The Shexiang Baoxin Pill (MUSKARDIA) has been used for treating coronary artery disease (CAD) and angina for more than 30 years in China. Nevertheless, methodologically sound trials on the use of MUSKARDIA in CAD patients are scarce. The aim of the study is to determine the effects of MUSKARDIA as an add-on to optimal medical therapy (OMT) in patients with stable CAD. Methods:. A total of 2674 participants with stable CAD from 97 hospitals in China were randomized 1:1 to a MUSKARDIA or placebo group for 24 months. Both groups received OMT according to local tertiary hospital protocols. The primary outcome was the occurrence of a major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE), defined as a composite of cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI), or non-fatal stroke. Secondary outcomes included all-cause mortality, non-fatal MI, non-fatal stroke, hospitalization for unstable angina or heart failure, peripheral revascularization, angina stability and angina frequency. Results:. In all, 99.7% of the patients were treated with aspirin and 93.0% with statin. After 2 years of treatment, the occurrence of MACEs was reduced by 26.9% in the MUSKARDIA group (MUSKARDIA: 1.9% vs. placebo: 2.6%; odds ratio = 0.80; 95% confidence interval: 0.45–1.07; P = 0.2869). Angina frequency was significantly reduced in the MUSKARDIA group at 18 months (P = 0.0362). Other secondary endpoints were similar between the two groups. The rates of adverse events were also similar between the two groups (MUSKARDIA: 17.7% vs. placebo: 17.4%, P = 0.8785). Conclusions:. As an add-on to OMT, MUSKARDIA is safe and significantly reduces angina frequency in patients with stable CAD. Moreover, the use of MUSKARDIA is associated with a trend toward reduced MACEs in patients with stable CAD. The results suggest that MUSKARDIA can be used to manage patients with CAD. Trial registration. chictr.org.cn, No. ChiCTR-TRC-12003513

Abstract Background The detection of drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) is a major health concern in China. We aim to summarize interventions related to the screening and detection of DR-TB in Jiangsu Province, analyse their impact, and highlight policy implications for improving the prevention and control of DR-TB. Methods We selected six prefectures from south, central and north Jiangsu Province. We reviewed policy documents between 2008 and 2019, and extracted routine TB patient registration data from the TB Information Management System (TBIMS) between 2013 and 2019. We used the High-quality Health System Framework to structure the analysis. We performed statistical analysis and logistic regression to assess the impact of different policy interventions on DR-TB detection. Results Three prefectures in Jiangsu introduced DR-TB related interventions between 2008 and 2010 in partnership with the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (the Global Fund) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (Gates Foundation). By 2017, all prefectures in Jiangsu had implemented provincial level DR-TB policies, such as use of rapid molecular tests (RMT), and expanded drug susceptibility testing (DST) for populations at risk of DR-TB. The percentage of pulmonary TB cases confirmed by bacteriology increased from 30.0% in 2013 to over 50.0% in all prefectures by 2019, indicating that the implementation of new diagnostics has provided more sensitive testing results than the traditional smear microscopy. At the same time, the proportion of bacteriologically confirmed cases tested for drug resistance has increased substantially, indicating that the intervention of expanding the coverage of DST has reached more of the population at risk of DR-TB. Prefectures that implemented interventions with support from the Global Fund and the Gates Foundation had better detection performance of DR-TB patiens compared to those did not receive external support. However, the disparities in DR-TB detection across prefectures significantly narrowed after the implementation of provincial DR-TB polices. Conclusions The introduction of new diagnostics, including RMT, have improved the detection of DR-TB. Prefectures that received support from the Global Fund and the Gates Foundation had better detection of DR-TB. Additionally, the implementation of provincial DR-TB polices led to improvements in the detection of DR-TB across all prefectures.

Abstract Background Previous studies have indicated inconsistent relationships of diabetes with thyroid cancer risk, yet little is known in China. In this study, we aimed to investigate the associations between diabetes, diabetes duration and the risk of thyroid cancer in Chinese population. Methods A 1:1 matched case-control study was performed between 2015 and 2017 in Zhejiang Province including 2,937 thyroid cancer cases and 2,937 healthy controls. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) for thyroid cancer were estimated in logistic regression models. Specific effects stratified by age, as well as sex, body mass index (BMI) and family history of diabetes were also examined. Results Overall, neither diabetes (OR = 0.75, 95 % CI: 0.21–2.73) nor diabetes duration (OR = 0.14, 95 % CI: 0.02–1.22 for diabetes duration ≦ 5 years; OR = 2.10, 95 % CI: 0.32–13.94 for diabetes duration > 5 years) was significantly associated with thyroid cancer. In stratified analyses, significant lower risk of thyroid cancer was observed among subjects with diabetes and shorter diabetes duration ( ≦ 5 years), but limited to those who were aged more than 40 years, female, overweight/obese and had positive family history of diabetes. Conclusions Diabetes and shorter diabetes duration were significantly associated with decreased risk of thyroid cancer in individuals characterized by older age, female sex, higher BMI and positive family history of diabetes.

Abstract The relationship between biodiversity and ecological functioning is a central issue in freshwater ecology, but how this relationship is influenced by hydrological connectivity stress is still unknown. In this study we analyzed the dynamic of the phytoplankton alpha diversity indices and their relationships with trophic state in two hydrologically connected aquatic habitats (Jinhewan Wetland and Harbin Section of the Songhua River) in the Songhua River Basin in northeast China. We hypothesized that the phytoplankton alpha-diversity indices have the potential to provide a signal linking trophic state variation in hydrologically connected aquatic habitats. Our results showed the Cyanophyta and Bacillariophyta were abundant at most stations. T-test showed that phytoplankton alpha diversity indices varied significantly between rainy season and dry season. Trophic State Index recorded that a meso-trophic to eutrophic states of two connected habits during study period. Multivariate statistical analysis revealed that the dynamic of phytoplankton alpha diversity index was closely associated with trophic states change. Our result indicated that hydrological connectivity is a key factor influenced phytoplankton community assembly. In addition, it is beneficial to develop an integrated approach to appropriately describe and measure the trophic state variations of hydrologically connected aquatic habits in freshwater ecosystem.

Introduction There has been considerable research on the association between smoking status and thyroid cancer risk in males, yet the findings are inconsistent. In this study, we investigated the associations of intensity, duration, cumulative dose, and age at start of smoking, with thyroid cancer in Chinese males. Methods From a 1:1 matched case–control study conducted between 2015 and 2017 in Zhejiang Province, China, 676 pairs of male subjects were included in the analysis. The associations between smoking characteristics and thyroid cancer were evaluated in logistic regression models by odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results Compared with never smokers, the former smokers were 0.096 times (95% CI: 0.012–0.778) less likely to have thyroid cancer. The significant inverse association was not observed in current smokers (OR=0.333; 95% CI: 0.084– 1.322). Among both former and current smokers, higher smoking intensity (>10 cigarettes/day), duration (>15 years), and cumulative dose of smoking (>10 packyears) were significantly associated with reduced occurrence of thyroid cancer. Conclusions Our findings indicate that former smoking is inversely associated with thyroid cancer occurrence in Chinese males. The reduction in the occurrence of thyroid cancer was also confirmed for both former and current smokers with higher smoking intensity, duration, and cumulative dose.

A converter slagging agent was prepared using converter precipitator dust and oxide scale as raw materials and bentonite, calcium oxide, and soluble glass as binders. The influence of different binders on the strength of the converter slagging agent was studied. The optimum ratio of bentonite, calcium oxide, and sodium silicate was determined by orthogonal experiments. The chemical composition, strength, moisture content, alkalinity, and other indicators of the prepared converter slagging agent met the requirements for converter smelting. The drop intensity of the green pellet was 3.7 times, and the compressive strength of the dry pellet could reach 988.72 N/m2. Therefore, the sustainable utilization of converter precipitator dust and oxide scale could be realized by the preparation of a converter slagging agent.

Background: Fat grafting is a frequently used technique; however, its survival/ regeneration mechanism is not fully understood. The browning of white adipocytes, a process initiated in response to external stimuli, is the conversion of white to beige adipocytes. The physiologic significance of the browning of adipocytes following transplantation is unclear.Methods: C57BL/6 mice received 150 mg grafts of inguinal adipose tissue, and then the transplanted fat was harvested and analyzed at different time points to assess the browning process. To verify the role of browning of adipocytes in fat grafting, the recipient mice were allocated to three groups, which were administered CL316243 or SR59230A to stimulate or suppress browning, respectively, or a control group after transplantation.Results: Browning of the grafts was present in the center of each as early as 7 days post-transplantation. The number of beige cells peaked at day 14 and then decreased gradually until they were almost absent at day 90. The activation of browning resulted in superior angiogenesis, higher expression of the pro-angiogenic molecules vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) and fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21), fewer macrophages, and ultimately better graft survival (Upregulation, 59.17% ± 6.64% vs. Control, 40.33% ± 4.03%, *p < 0.05), whereas the inhibition of browning led to poor angiogenesis, lower expression of VEGF-A, increased inflammatory macrophages, and poor transplant retention at week 10 (Downregulation, 20.67% ± 3.69% vs. Control, 40.33% ± 4.03%, *p < 0.05).Conclusion: The browning of WAT following transplantation improves the survival of fat grafts by the promotion of angiogenesis and reducing macrophage.

ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship between hypertension and basilar atherosclerosis evaluated by high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (HR-MRI) in the Chinese Han population.MethodsHigh resolution-MRI vessel wall imaging was performed in selected 193 patients for various indications. Multivariable logistic regression models based on odds ratio (OR) with their associated 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to assess the relationship between hypertension and basilar artery (BA) plaque, moderate or severe stenosis of BA plaque, and vulnerable plaque. A linear regression model was used to assess the relationship between hypertension and BA plaque numbers.ResultsPatients with hypertension had a higher proportion of BA plaque and vulnerable plaque as well as more number of enhancements of BA plaque and serious plaque compared with normotensive patients (all values of p < 0.05). Multivariable logistic regression analysis indicated that patients with hypertension had an increased risk for and more number of enhancements of BA plaque (adjusted-OR: 4.32, 95% CI 1.89–9.88, p < 0.001; adjusted-β: 0.55, 95% CI 0.14–0.96, p = 0.009, respectively) and had a higher proportion of moderate or severe stenosis of BA plaque and vulnerable plaque (adjusted-OR: 3.08, 95% CI 0.77–12.32, p = 0.111; adjusted-OR: 4.52, 95% CI 1.50–13.64, p = 0.007, respectively) compared with the normotensive group. Moreover, there was a saturation effect of age on the prevalence of BA plaque and vulnerable plaque.ConclusionHypertension was the independent risk factor of BA plaque and vulnerable plaque assessed by HR-MRI in the Chinese Han population.

The combination of hemoglobin, albumin, lymphocyte, and platelet (HALP) score has been confirmed as an important risk biomarker in several cancers. Hence, we aimed at evaluating the prognostic value of the HALP score in patients with non-metastatic upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC). We retrospectively enrolled 533 of the 640 patients from two centers (315 and 325 patients, respectively) who underwent radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) for UTUC in this study. The cutoff value of HALP was determined using the Youden index by performing receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. The relationship between postoperative survival outcomes and preoperative HALP level was assessed using Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression analysis. As a result, the cutoff value of HALP was 28.67 and patients were then divided into HALP

Objectives To assess overall and gender-specific associations between marital status and out-of-hospital coronary death (OHCD) compared with patients surviving to hospital admission.Design A cross-sectional study based on linkage of administrative health databases.Setting Beijing, China.Participants From 2007 to 2019, 378 883 patients with acute coronary event were identified in the Beijing Monitoring System for Cardiovascular Diseases, a validated city-wide registration system based on individual linkage of vital registration and hospital discharge data.Outcome measures OHCD was defined as coronary death occurring before admission. Multilevel modified Poisson regression models were used to calculate the prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% CIs.Results Among 378 883 acute coronary events, OHCD accounted for 33.8%, with a higher proportion in women compared with men (41.5% vs 28.7%, p

Background: Adipose tissue is an ideal filler material that is widely used for soft tissue defects. But the low survival rate and complications associated with such grafts pose a serious challenge, which limits their clinical application. Adipose tissue is a metabolic diet-responsive tissue; however, the influence of diets on fat grafting remains ambiguous.Methods: We extracted inguinal fat pads from C57/BL6 male mice, and transplanted them into the dorsal region of recipient mice (0.3 ml). Post-fat-grafting, mice (n = 54) were randomized into three groups, namely normal diet (ND), high carbohydrate diet (HC), and high-fat diet (HF). Structural changes were assessed by histological staining. Lipolysis activity and vascular regeneration of grafts on day 30 were analyzed using real-time polymerase chain reaction, immunofluorescence, and western blotting.Results: The grafts of mice on HC and HF diets exhibited significantly fewer oil cysts and larger volume retention (0.18 ± 0.01, 0.21 ± 0.01, and 0.25 ± 0.01 ml, for ND, HC, and HF group, respectively, p < 0.05) on day 90. In comparison, grafts for the mice belonging to the HF groups exhibited higher expression of lipolysis-related genes, including adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL), hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL), and carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (CPT1), on day 30. Furthermore, increased infiltration of macrophages (F4/80+) and the higher expression of angiogenesis genes were reported in the HF groups.Conclusion: Altogether, the administration of short-term HF diet remarkably enhanced angiogenesis and improved the quality of fat grafts, which was characterized by fewer oil cysts and higher long-term volume retention. The possible mechanisms may be due to the increased macrophage infiltration, and the promoted angiogenesis in HF grafts.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disease in the elderly, characterized by cartilage degradation and proliferation of subchondral bone. The pathogenesis of OA involves a variety of inflammatory mediators, including nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and interleukin (IL)-1β. From the molecular mechanism, the nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf2)/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) pathway and the expression of ROS regulated the production of the above inflammatory mediators. Saikosaponin D (SSD), which is an active ingredient isolated from Bupleurum, has various biological functions. In this study, IL-1β was used as a pro-inflammatory factor to create an in vitro OA model. According to the results of high-density culture, qPCR, ROS measurement, Western blot, and immunofluorescence, SSD activated the Nrf2/HO-1/ROS axis, inhibited the production of inflammatory mediators, and protected against ECM destruction. The DMM mouse model was used as a model of OA in mice. From the results of safranin O/fast green staining, hematoxylin–eosin staining, tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) staining, and OARSI scores, SSD protected against the mice knee articular cartilage degeneration and reduced the number of osteoclasts in the subchondral bone. Experimental results found that SSD suppressed IL-1β–induced differentiated ATDC 5 chondrocytes apoptosis via the Nrf2/HO-1/ROS axis in vitro. SSD delayed the progression of OA in DMMs model mice in vivo. Therefore, SSD has the potential to become a drug for clinical treatment of OA.

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is one of the most common malignant tumors with high morbidity and mortality in China and worldwide. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) as the competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) play an essential role in the occurrence and development of LUAD. However, identifying lncRNA-related biomarkers to improve the accuracy of LUAD prognosis remains to be determined. This study downloaded RNA sequence data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and identified the differential RNAs by bioinformatics. A total of 214 lncRNA, 198 miRNA and 2989 mRNA were differentially identified between LUAD and adjacent nontumor samples. According to the ceRNA hypothesis, we constructed a lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA network including 95 protein-coding mRNAs, 7 lncRNAs and 15 miRNAs, and found 24 node genes in this network were significantly associated with the overall survival of LUAD patients. Subsequently, through LASSO regression and multivariate Cox regression analyses, a four-gene prognostic signature composed of GPI, IL22RA1, CCT6A and SPOCK1 was developed based on the node genes of the lncRNA-mediated ceRNA network, demonstrating high performance in predicting the survival and chemotherapeutic responses of low- and high-risk LUAD patients. Finally, independent prognostic factors were further analyzed and combined into a well-executed nomogram that showed strong potential for clinical applications. In summary, the data from the current study suggested that the four-gene signature obtained from analysis of lncRNA-mediated ceRNA could serve as a reliable biomarker for LUAD prognosis and evaluation of chemotherapeutic response.

ABSTRACT Carbapenem resistance of Acinetobacter baumannii poses challenges to public health. Biofilm contributes to the persistence of A. baumannii cells. This study was designed to investigate the genetic relationships among carbapenem resistance, polymyxin resistance, multidrug resistance, biofilm formation, and surface-associated motility and evaluate the antibiofilm effect of polymyxin in combination with other antibiotics. A total of 103 clinical A. baumannii strains were used to determine antibiotic susceptibility, biofilm formation capacity, and motility. Enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus (ERIC)-PCR fingerprinting was used to determine the genetic variation among strains. The distribution of 17 genes related to the resistance-nodulation-cell division (RND)-type efflux, autoinducer-receptor (AbaI/AbaR) quorum sensing, oxacillinases (OXA)-23, and insertion sequence of ISAba1 element was investigated. The representative strains were chosen to evaluate the gene transcription and the antibiofilm activity by polymyxin B (PB) in combination with merapenem, levofloxacin, and ceftazidime, respectively. ERIC-PCR-dependent fingerprints were found to be associated with carbapenem resistance and multidrug resistance. The presence of blaOXA-23 was found to correlate with genes involved in ISAba1 insertion, AbaI/AbaR quorum sensing, and AdeABC efflux. Carbapenem resistance was observed to be negatively correlated with biofilm formation and positively correlated with motility. PB in combination with ceftazidime displayed a synergistic antibiofilm effect against robust biofilm formed by an A. baumannii strain with deficiency in AbaI/AbaR quorum sensing. Our results not only clarify the genetic correlation among carbapenem resistance, biofilm formation, and pathogenicity in a certain level but also provide a theoretical basis for clinical applications of polymyxin-based combination of antibiotics in antibiofilm therapy. IMPORTANCE Deeper explorations of molecular correlation among antibiotic resistance, biofilm formation, and pathogenicity could provide novel insights that would facilitate the development of therapeutics and prevention against A. baumannii biofilm-related infections. The major finding that polymyxin B in combination with ceftazidime displayed a synergistic antibiofilm effect against robust biofilm formed by an A. baumannii strain with genetic deficiency in AbaI/AbaR quorum sensing further provides a theoretical basis for clinical applications of antibiotics in combination with quorum quenching in antibiofilm therapy.

Summary: Background: Consequences of reduced acute coronary syndrome (ACS) admissions during COVID-19 pandemic periods were reported by different countries. However, admissions, treatments, and prognosis of ACS during and after COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China was unknown. Methods: Information on ACS admissions and heart failure (HF) admission were identified from database of Beijing Municipal Health Commission Information Center. Study period was defined as December 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020, and control period was defined as December 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019. Numbers of admission for HF during the control period, the study period, and seven months after study period were compared to evaluate the consequence of changed ACS care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings: Admissions for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), Non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (Non-STEMI), and unstable angina (UAP) reduced by 38·0%, 41·0%, and 63·3% (N = 1953, 1991, 7664 between January 24, 2020 to June 30, 2020 vs. N = 3150, 3373, and 20,868 between January 24, 2019 to June 30, 2019) in study period. Percutaneous coronary intervention performed within 24 h were significantly more frequent during study period in patients with STEMI (37·9% vs. 31·7%, P

SUMMARY: Lipotransfer has become a powerful regenerative tool, largely because of its cellular components, the stromal vascular fraction (SVF). However, the clinical separation of cells with collagenase is strictly legislated. In 2017, Yao et al. postulated a novel fat-derived product mechanically concentrating SVF cells and an extracellular matrix (ECM) and named it stromal vascular fraction gel (SVF-gel). This review discussed the protocol of SVF-gel and its component as well as its inner structure. The histologic examination and the retention rate after the transplantation of SVF-gel were also rendered. Moreover, we summed up the rejuvenating and regenerative use of SVF-gel and introduced its possible mechanism.

Abstract Background Current methods to classify local and imported malaria infections depend primarily on patient travel history, which can have limited accuracy. Genotyping has been investigated as a complementary approach to track the spread of malaria and identify the origin of imported infections. Methods An extended panel of 26 microsatellites (16 new microsatellites) for Plasmodium falciparum was evaluated in 602 imported infections from 26 sub-Saharan African countries to the Jiangsu Province of People’s Republic of China. The potential of the 26 microsatellite markers to assign imported parasites to their geographic origin was assessed using a Bayesian method with Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) as implemented in the program Smoothed and Continuous Assignments (SCAT) with a modification to incorporate haploid genotype data. Results The newly designed microsatellites were polymorphic and are not in linkage disequilibrium with the existing microsatellites, supporting previous findings of high rate of recombination in sub-Saharan Africa. Consistent with epidemiology inferred from patients’ travel history, no evidence for local transmission was found; nearly all genetically related infections were identified in people who travelled to the same country near the same time. The smoothing assignment method assigned imported cases to their likely geographic origin with an accuracy (Angola: 59%; Nigeria: 51%; Equatorial Guinea: 40%) higher than would be achieved at random, reaching statistical significance for Angola and Equatorial Guinea. Conclusions Genotyping using an extended microsatellite panel is valuable for malaria case classification and programme evaluation in an elimination setting. A Bayesian method for assigning geographic origin of mammals based on genetic data was adapted for malaria and showed potential for identification of the origin of imported infections.

Abstract Objectives Both low vitamin D status and metabolic syndrome (MetS) are worldwide concerns, and low 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels are associated with MetS; however, related epidemiological evidence based on elderly Chinese individuals, especially those over 80 years of age, is limited. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the association between serum 25(OH)D and MetS in elderly Chinese individuals. Method Serum 25(OH)D was measured in a cross-sectional sample of 2493 elderly people aged 65–112 years from eight areas of China in which the density of centenarians is exceptionally high. MetS was diagnosed according to blood pressure, lipid, and blood sugar levels; waist circumference; and body mass index (BMI). Adjusted multivariable logistic regression was used to analyze the associations between vitamin D and MetS based on different diagnostic criterias. Results A total of 890 (35.7%) of the recruited elderly individuals had insufficient levels of vitamin D, and 1029 participants (41.3%) were vitamin D deficient. High serum vitamin D concentrations were associated with a low prevalence of MetS according to the modified Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III) criteria for adequate versus deficient vitamin D levels (OR: 0.63, 95% CI: 0.45, 0.88) and inadequate versus deficient vitamin D levels (OR: 0.70, 95% CI: 0.52, 0.92). Each 10 ng/ml increase in serum vitamin D was significantly associated with a decreased prevalence of MetS according to the modified ATP III criteria for people with normal waist circumference (WC) (OR: 0.55, 95% CI: 0.43,0.71). However, no significant statistical correlation was found among elderly people with a high WC. Additionally, in the analysis of the individual components, the ORs of adequate versus deficient vitamin D levels were 0.46 (95% CI: 0.30, 0.71) for elevated triglycerides and 0.64 (95% CI: 0.42, 0.97) for reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) after adjustment for other components. Conclusions Vitamin D deficiency is very common among elderly Chinese individuals. Vitamin D deficiency may be a risk factor for MetS; however, the association was only statistically significant among elderly people with noncentral obesity. Further studies are needed to examine the causal direction of the association.

Abstract Background Long intergenic non-protein coding RNA 520 (LINC00520), a novel identified lncRNA, has been shown to modulate the malignant phenotype of tumor cells in some malignant tumors. However, the exact role and molecular mechanism of LINC00520 in malignant melanoma has not been studied. Methods The expression of LINC00520 in melanoma tissues were detected by using RNA-seq analysis and qRT-PCR. Melanoma cases from the public databases (The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), GEO#GSE15605, GEO#GSE34460 and GEO#GSE24996) were included in this study. CCK-8 assay, EdU assay, transwell and scratch wound assay were used to explore the role of LINC00520 in melanoma cells. Luciferase reporter assays, MS2-RIP, RNA pull-down and RNA-ChIP assay were used to demonstrate the molecular biological mechanism of LINC00520 in melanoma. Results We found that LICN00520 was found to be overexpressed in melanoma tissue. High expression of LICN00520 is a risk factor for the prognosis of melanoma patients. LINC00520 promotes the proliferation, invasion and migration of melanoma cells. LICN00520 exerted its oncogenic role by competitive binding miR-125b-5p to promote Eukaryotic initiation factor 5A2 (EIF5A2) expression. We also showed that LICN00520 promotes the growth and metastasis of melanoma in vivo through regulating miR-125b-5p/EIF5A2 axis. Conclusions All results elucidated the role and molecular mechanism of LINC00520 in the malignant development of melanoma. LINC00520, a new oncogene in melanoma, maybe serve as a survival biomarkers or therapeutic target for melanoma patients.

The proliferation of mobile devices and the rapid development of information and communication technologies (ICT) have seen increasingly large volume and variety of data being generated at an unprecedented pace. Big data have started to demonstrate significant values in higher education. This paper gives several contributions to the state-of-the-art for Big data in higher education and learning technologies research. Currently, there is no comprehensive survey or literature review for Big educational data. Most literature reviews from a few authors have focused on one of these fields: educational mining, learning analytics with discussions on one or two aspects such as Big data technologies without educational focus, social media data in education, etc. Most of these literature reviews are short and insufficient to provide more inclusive reviews for Big educational data. In this paper, we present a comprehensive literature review of the current and emerging paradigms for Big educational data. The survey is presented in five parts: (1) The first part presents an overview and classification of Big education research to show the full landscape in this field, which also gives a concise summary of the overall scope of this paper; (2) The second part presents a discussion for the various data sources from education platforms or systems including learning management systems (LMS), massive open online courses (MOOC), learning object repository (LOR), OpenCourseWare (OCW), open educational resources (OER), social media, linked data and mobile learning contributing to Big education data; (3) The third part presents the data collection, data mining and databases in Big education data; (4) The fourth part presents the technological aspects including Big data platforms and architectures such as Hadoop, Spark, Samza and Big data tools for Big education data; and (5) The fifth part presents different approaches of data analytics for Big education data. This part provides a more inclusive discussion on data analytics which is beyond traditional forms of learning analysis in higher education. This includes predictive analytics, learning analytics including collaborative, behavior, personal learnings and assessment, followed by recommendation systems, graph analytics, visual analytics, immersive learning and analytics, etc. The final part of the paper discusses social (e.g. privacy and ethical issues) and technological challenges for Big data in education. This part also illustrates the technological challenges faced by giving an example for utilizing graph-based analytics for a cross-institution learning analytics scenario.

Background: Although numerous epidemiological studies have investigated the association between −174G/C(rs1800795) polymorphism in the interleukin-6 (IL-6) gene-stimulatory region and the risk of ischemic stroke (IS), they failed to reach a unified conclusion. The true relationship between −174G/C(rs1800795) polymorphism and IS remains controversial and unclear. Therefore, in this meta-analysis, we aimed to analyze more precisely the association between −174G/C(rs1800795) single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of IL-6 gene and IS in a larger pooled population.Methods: A comprehensive literature search was performed in PubMed, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials until June 30, 2021. A fixed or random-effects model was utilized based on heterogeneity between studies. The odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (Cis) were calculated in the models of allele comparison (G vs. C), homozygote comparison (GG vs. CC) and (GC vs. CC), dominant (GG vs. GC + CC), hyper dominant (GG + CC vs. GC), and recessive (GG + GC vs. CC) to determine the strength of associations.Results: This meta-analysis included 13 case-control studies in 35 articles with 5,548 individuals. Overall, no significant associations between IL-6 −174G/C(rs1800795) and IS were identified (G vs. C:OR [95% CI] = 0.99 [0.81, 1.21], P = 0.91; GG + CC vs. GC:0.97 [0.85, 1.11], P = 0.66; GG vs. GC + CC: 1.01 [0.81, 1.25], P = 0.94; GC vs. CC: OR [95% CI] = 1.01 [0.68, 1.5], P = 0.96; GG vs. CC:0.93 [0.57, 1.51], P = 0.76; GG + GC vs. CC:0.97 [0.64, 1.47], P = 0.89). In the subgroup analyses by ethnicity or HWE P-value, there was a statistically significant association between IL-6 −174G/C(rs1800795) polymorphisms and IS in the alleles model; (G vs. C: LogOR [95% CI] = 0.14 [−0.16,.45], P = 0.00), homozygote model (GG vs. CC: LogOR [95% CI] = 0.18 [−0.58,.95], P = 0.00) and (GC vs. CC: LogOR [95% CI] = 0.2 [−0.46,.85], P = 0.00), dominant model (GG vs. GC + CC: OR [95% CI] = 0.02 [−0.72, 0.77], P = 0.00), and recessive model (GG + GC vs. CC: OR [95% CI]= −0.17 [−0.86,.52], P = 0.00) of the European population and in the dominant model (GG vs. GC + CC: OR [95% CI] = −0.13 [−0.51, 0.24]) of the Asian population. No statistical significance was identified in both six models of HWE p ≥ 0.2 group (both P ≥ 0.05).Conclusion: This meta-analysis revealed no correlation between IL-6 −174G/C(rs1800795) polymorphism and IS, whereas the subgroup analysis indicated that the relationship between IL-6 −174G/C(rs1800795) polymorphism and IS susceptibility varied significantly according to ethnicity and geography.

A highly hygienic walnut emulsion beverage was prepared by using a slit dual-frequency emulsification technique. The optimal ultrasonic parameters were studied as a model system: the ultrasonic time of 50 min, the ultrasonic power density of 260 W/L, and a dual-frequency ultrasonic combination of 28/68 kHz. Walnut emulsion with an average mean volume diameter of 2.05 µm, a Zeta potential absolute value of 40 mV was obtained after ultrasonic treatment, and the emulsion stability could be maintained for more than 14 days without phase separation. At the lowest ultrasonic energy input, the vibrating emulsion could promote droplet aggregation. However, excessive energy input could result in sample overtreatment and reduced emulsion activity. The laser scanning confocal microscope (LSCM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) confirmed that walnut emulsion processed by slit dual-frequency ultrasonic had pretty high stability. Therefore, the slit dual-frequency ultrasonic emulsification technique was found to be well suited for the preparation of complex and fine oil-in-water food emulsions.

PurposeTo evaluate the diagnostic performance of the extraprostatic extension (EPE) grading system for detection of EPE in patients with prostate cancer (PCa).Materials and MethodsWe performed a literature search of Web of Science, MEDLINE (Ovid and PubMed), Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and Google Scholar to identify eligible articles published before August 31, 2021, with no language restrictions applied. We included studies using the EPE grading system for the prediction of EPE, with histopathological results as the reference standard. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (LR+), negative likelihood ratio (LR−), and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) were calculated with the bivariate model. Quality assessment of included studies was performed using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 tool.ResultsA total of 4 studies with 1,294 patients were included in the current systematic review. The pooled sensitivity and specificity were 0.82 (95% CI 0.76–0.87) and 0.63 (95% CI 0.51–0.73), with the area under the hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic (HSROC) curve of 0.82 (95% CI 0.79–0.85). The pooled LR+, LR−, and DOR were 2.20 (95% CI 1.70–2.86), 0.28 (95% CI 0.22–0.36), and 7.77 (95% CI 5.27–11.44), respectively. Quality assessment for included studies was high, and Deeks’s funnel plot indicated that the possibility of publication bias was low (p = 0.64).ConclusionThe EPE grading system demonstrated high sensitivity and moderate specificity, with a good inter-reader agreement. However, this scoring system needs more studies to be validated in clinical practice.

Many investigations have been conducted to explore new therapeutic approaches for cartilage tissue regeneration owing to the limited repair ability of cartilage. Delivery of therapeutic biomolecules is a promising strategy for enhancing tissue regeneration. However, the direct delivery of therapeutic biomolecules in vivo generally leads to a rapid loss of product or the possibility of spreading to nontarget sites, which may weaken their therapeutic effectiveness and impair the translation of these strategies into clinical practice. Recently, new tissue engineering strategies using controlled delivery systems have been considered to overcome these weaknesses by regulating the spatiotemporal distribution of the therapeutic biomolecules. Hydrogels are promising carriers for the development of biomolecule delivery systems because they are highly tunable and can be fabricated to encapsulate bioactive biomolecules and control their release. Moreover, their favorable biocompatibility and ability to integrate into host tissue may facilitate their use in tissue regeneration in a wide variety of situations. This review summarizes recent strategies for the design of hydrogels as biomolecule delivery systems for cartilage regeneration.

Weeds are one of the main factors affecting orchard yield, fruit quality and economic benefits. However, present methods have been lower effect and high labor intensity. To inhance the effect of weeds control on orchard, a new green and economic agent suitable for drone with choline chloride and eucalyptus oil as the main components was developed. Adopting optimized “3414” test design, the paper studied the prevention and control effect of this new weed control agent on 8 kinds of main weeds in the orchards of the Yellow-Huai Rivers. The results showed that T5 and T12 were significantly (P≤0.05) control the growth speed of 8 kinds of weeds, T4 was only inhibit the growth of Erigeron canadensis, Digitaria sanguinalis and Artemisia annua, T11 was only inhibit the growth of Tribulus terrestris, Humulus scandens and Cyperus rotundus, and T3 and T13 were promote the growth of weeds, which had the worst control effect among all treatments. Combined with the economic benefit analysis, the cost per 667m2 of weed control of T12 was 124 RMB, which was the most economical compared with manual weeding and mechanical weeding. Therefore, applying 30g choline chloride, 120 mL eucalyptus oil and 75g sucrose ester to each 667m2 is recommended to be popularized as a new green and economical weed control agent in the orchard production of the Yellow-Huai Rivers.

Background: Scientific studies have identified various adverse effects of particulate matter (PM) on respiratory disease (RD) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, whether short-term exposure to PM triggers the onset of RD with T2D, compared with RD without T2D, has not been elucidated. Methods: A two-stage time-series study was conducted to evaluate the acute adverse effects of PM on admission for RD and for RD with and without T2D in Beijing, China, from 2014 to 2020. District-specific effects of PM2.5 and PM10 were estimated using the over-dispersed Poisson generalized addictive model after adjusting for weather conditions, day of the week, and long-term and seasonal trends. Meta-analyses were applied to pool the overall effects on overall and cause-specific RD, while the exposure-response (E-R) curves were evaluated using a cubic regression spline. Results: A total of 1550,154 admission records for RD were retrieved during the study period. Meta-analysis suggested that per interquartile range upticks in the concentration of PM2.5 corresponded to 1.91% (95% CI: 1.33–2.49%), 2.16% (95% CI: 1.08–3.25%), and 1.92% (95% CI: 1.46–2.39%) increments in admission for RD, RD with T2D, and RD without T2D, respectively, at lag 0–8 days, lag 8 days, and lag 8 days. The effect size of PM2.5 was statistically significantly higher in the T2D group than in the group without T2D (z = 3.98, P

The Plasmodium ovale curtisi (Poc) prevalence has increased substantially in sub-Saharan African countries as well as regions of Southeast Asia. Poc parasite biology has not been explored much to date; in particular, the invasion mechanism of this malaria parasite remains unclear. In this study, the binding domain of the Duffy binding protein of P. ovale curtisi (PocDBP) was characterized as an important ligand for reticulocyte invasion. The homologous region of the P. vivax Duffy binding protein in PocDBP, named PocDBP-RII herein, was selected, and the recombinant PocDBP-RII protein was expressed in an Escherichia coli system. This was used to analyze reticulocyte binding activity using fluorescence-activated cell sorting and immune serum production in rabbits. The binding specificity was proven by treating reticulocytes with trypsin, chymotrypsin and neuraminidase. The amino acid sequence homology in the N-terminal Cys-rich region was found to be ~ 44% between PvDBP and PocDBP. The reticulocyte binding activity of PocDBP-RII was significantly higher than the erythrocyte binding activity and was concentration dependent. Erythrocyte binding was reduced significantly by chymotrypsin treatment and inhibited by an anti-PocDBP-RII antibody. This finding suggests that PocDBP may be an important ligand in the reticulocyte invasion process of P. ovale curtisi.

Remodeling of the extracellular matrix (ECM), which provides structural and biochemical support for surrounding cells, is vital for adipose tissue regeneration after autologous fat grafting. Rapid and high-quality ECM remodeling can improve the retention rate after fat grafting by promoting neovascularization, regulating stem cells differentiation, and suppressing chronic inflammation. The degradation and deposition of ECM are regulated by various factors, including hypoxia, blood supply, inflammation, and stem cells. By contrast, ECM remodeling alters these regulatory factors, resulting in a dynamic relationship between them. Although researchers have attempted to identify the cellular sources of factors associated with tissue regeneration and regulation of the microenvironment, the factors and mechanisms that affect adipose tissue ECM remodeling remain incompletely understood. This review describes the process of adipose ECM remodeling after grafting and summarizes the factors that affect ECM reconstruction. Also, this review provides an overview of the clinical methods to avoid poor ECM remodeling. These findings may provide new ideas for improving the retention of adipose tissue after fat transplantation.

Background: The clinical diagnosis and therapy for ICU patients with invasive candidiasis are challenged by the changes of Candida community composition and antimicrobial resistance. The epidemiology and drug sensitivity of candidiasis in ICU as well as its risk factors and drug resistance mechanism were investigated.Methods: In the present study, 115 patients in ICU were recruited from June 2019 through July 2020. Among them, 83 Candida isolates were identified with MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. The susceptibility to antifungals was measured by microdilution method. The molecular mechanisms of azole-resistant Candida tropicalis were explored by sequencing, and their outcomes were explicitly documented.Results:Candida glabrata and C. tropicalis were the predominant non-C. albicans Candida. The specimen sources were mainly urine, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and blood. The age, length of hospitalization, tracheotomy, diabetes and concomitant bacterial infection were the main risk factors for candidiasis. The majority of Candida species exhibited susceptibility to antifungals. However, certain C. tropicalis were frequently resistant to azoles. The polymorphism of the ERG11 in C. tropicalis was likely associated with azole resistance.Conclusion: The multiple risk factors for candidiasis in ICU patients need to be considered. Certain C. tropicalis exhibit resistance to azoles likely due to the ERG11 gene polymorphism.

PurposeTo investigate the diagnostic performance of using quantitative assessment with multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) for prediction of extraprostatic extension (EPE) in patients with prostate cancer (PCa).MethodsWe performed a computerized search of MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Google Scholar from inception until July 31, 2021. Summary estimates of sensitivity and specificity were pooled with the bivariate model, and quality assessment of included studies was performed with the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2. We plotted forest plots to graphically present the results. Multiple subgroup analyses and meta-regression were performed to explore the variate clinical settings and heterogeneity.ResultsA total of 23 studies with 3,931 participants were included. The pooled sensitivity and specificity for length of capsular contact (LCC) were 0.79 (95% CI 0.75–0.83) and 0.77 (95% CI 0.73–0.80), for apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) were 0.71 (95% CI 0.50–0.86) and 0.71 (95% CI 059–0.81), for tumor size were 0.62 (95% CI 0.57–0.67) and 0.75 (95% CI 0.67–0.82), and for tumor volume were 0.77 (95% CI 0.68–0.84) and 0.72 (95% CI 0.56–0.83), respectively. Substantial heterogeneity was presented among included studies, and meta-regression showed that publication year (≤2017 vs. >2017) was the significant factor in studies using LCC as the quantitative assessment (P=0.02).ConclusionFour quantitative assessments of LCC, ADC, tumor size, and tumor volume showed moderate to high diagnostic performance of predicting EPE. However, the optimal cutoff threshold varied widely among studies and needs further investigation to establish.

The results of a commissioning experiment on the SILEX-Ⅱ laser facility (formerly known as CAEP-PW) are reported. SILEX-Ⅱ is a complete optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification laser facility. The peak power reached about 1 PW in a 30 fs pulse duration during the experiment. The laser contrast was better than 1010 at 20 ps ahead of the main pulse. In the basic laser foil target interaction, a set of experimental data were collected, including spatially resolved x-ray emission, the image of the coherent transition radiation, the harmonic spectra in the direction of reflection, the energy spectra and beam profile of accelerated protons, hot-electron spectra, and transmitted laser energy fraction and spatial distribution. The experimental results show that the laser intensity reached 5 × 1020 W/cm2 within a 5.8 µm focus (FWHM). Significant laser transmission did not occur when the thickness of the CH foil was equal to or greater than 50 nm. The maximum energy of the accelerated protons in the target normal direction was roughly unchanged when the target thickness varied between 50 nm and 15 µm. The maximum proton energy via the target normal sheath field acceleration mechanism was about 21 MeV. We expect the on-target laser intensity to reach 1022 W/cm2 in the near future, after optimization of the laser focus and upgrade of the laser power to 3 PW.

A large number of studies have studied the influence of emotional experience on an individual’s estimation performance, but the influence of implicit emotion regulation is still unknown. Participants were asked to complete the following tasks in order: idiom matching task, multiplication computational estimation task (MCE task), gender judgment task (GJ task), and emotional experience intensity assessment task. The words matching task was adopted to achieve the purpose of implicit emotion regulation (implicit reappraisal and implicit suppression). Behavioral results showed that implicit reappraisal and implicit suppression equally contributed to improving an individual’s estimation speed (but not ACC (accuracy)). The MCE task related ERP (event-related potential) results showed that the influence of implicit emotion regulation on estimation consisted of two phases. In the first phase (encoding phase), implicit reappraisal both enhanced (larger P1 amplitudes) and weakened (smaller N170 amplitudes) an individual’s encoding sensitivity, while implicit suppression enhanced an individual’s encoding sensitivity (larger P1 amplitudes). In the second phase (estimation strategies retrieval phase), implicit reappraisal (but not implicit suppression) cost more attention resources (larger LPC2 and LPC3 amplitudes). The present study suggested that both implicit reappraisal and implicit suppression contributed to improving an individual’s estimation performance, and the regulation effect of implicit suppression (vs. implicit reappraisal) was better.

Carbamazepine (CBZ) has a narrow therapeutic concentration range, and therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is necessary for its safe and effective individualized medication. This study aims to develop a procedure for CBZ detection in serum using coffee-ring effect assisted surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). Silver nanoparticles deposited onto silicon wafers were used as the SERS-active material. Surface treatment optimization of the silicon wafers and the liquid–liquid extraction method were conducted to eliminate the influence of impurities on the silicon wafer surface and the protein matrix. The proposed detection procedure allows for the fast determination of CBZ in artificially spiked serum samples within a concentration range of 2.5–40 μg·mL−1, which matches the range of the drug concentrations in the serum after oral medication. The limit of detection for CBZ was found to be 0.01 μg·mL−1. The developed method allowed CBZ and its metabolites to be ultimately distinguished from real serum samples. The developed method is anticipated to be a potential tool for monitoring other drug concentrations.

Agricultural product circulation is an appropriate way to optimize the distribution of agricultural resources and maintain food safety. The seasonality of agriculture leads to seasonal variations in agricultural product circulation. Previous studies constructed origin–destination networks based on annual statistics to investigate the static structure of agricultural product circulation networks from a single view, failing to capture the seasonal and multi-dimensional characteristics in agricultural product circulation. This study presents a multi-view analytical framework used to investigate the seasonal characteristics of an agricultural product circulation network. First, agricultural product circulation networks in different seasons were constructed with mass freight trajectory data through trajectory mining technology. Then, the seasonal characteristics of agricultural product circulation were, respectively, analyzed from a macro-view (networks), meso-view (edges) and micro-view (nodes). A case study was conducted in Beijing, China. It is argued that: (1) The presented method for extracting agricultural trip chains based on massive freight trajectories is feasible for the construction of agricultural product circulation networks. (2) The agricultural product circulation networks in four seasons exhibit an obvious hierarchical and radial structure. South China has a higher network density in winter and spring, whereas northeast and northwest China are the opposite. (3) A total of 80% of the linkage strength is concentrated, on average, in 35.3% of city-pairs in four seasons, where the agglomeration effect and hub status of the linking cities is more prominent in summer and autumn. (4) A total of 316 cities form Beijing agricultural product circulation networks, 48.1% of which are mainly served by Beijing agricultural product circulation in winter and spring, which is 2.7 times more than cities served in summer and autumn. These findings extend the scientific understanding of the agricultural product supply chain from a dynamic and multi-dimensional view, which provides essential information for optimizing sustainable agri-food systems and ensuring food security.

Ports play a critical role in the global oil trade market, and those with significant influence have an implicit advantage in global oil transportation. In order to offer a thorough understanding of port influences, the research presented in this paper analyzes the evolution of the dominance mechanisms underlying port influence diffusion. Our study introduces a port influence diffusion model to outline global oil transport patterns. It examines the direct and indirect influence of ports using worldwide vessel trajectory data from 2009 to 2016. Port influences are modelled via diffusion patterns and the resulting ports influenced. The results of the case study applied to specific ports show different patterns and influence evolutions. Four main port influence trends are identified. The first one is that ports that have a strong direct influence over their neighboring ports materialize a directly influenced area. Second, geographical distance still plays an important role in the whole port influence patterns. Third, it clearly appears that, the higher the number of directly influenced ports, the higher the probability of having an influence pattern, as revealed by the diffusion process. The peculiarity of this approach is that, in contrast to previous studies, global maritime trade is analyzed in terms of direct and indirect influences and according to oil trade flows.

The Fengyun-4A/B (FY-4A/B) geostationary satellite carries the Geostationary Interferometric Infrared Sounder (GIIRS). The instrument parameters of the GIIRS on FY-4A and FY-4B are not exactly the same, which is crucial for the atmospheric temperature and humidity measurements. The objective of this paper is to discuss the influence of spectral range on the retrieval for the FY-4A/B GIIRS. Firstly, we performed channel selection to choose the appropriate channels for retrieval. Then, the multiple cycling utilization of the physical retrieval method is proposed and conducted for improving the accuracy, and the retrieval results of FY-4A/B GIIRS are compared. Finally, perturbation analysis is performed to discuss the sensitivity of the retrieval to temperature perturbations due to the difference in spectral range between the two GIIRS. The results show the retrieval method can realize the improvement of the average accuracy by more than 0.9 K for temperature and 3.0% for humidity. As the spectral range widens, the retrieval accuracy of FY-4B GIIRS is superior to that of FY-4A GIIRS from 130 hPa to 400 hPa. Furthermore, perturbation analysis also shows the extension of the spectral range is beneficial to the retrieval. This study could offer the usefulness of current GIIRS instruments with observed on-orbit bias, and a reference for the parameter design of the subsequent instruments.

Background: It remains unsolved that whether blood uric acid (UA) is a neuroprotective or neurotoxic agent. This study aimed to evaluate the longitudinal association of blood UA with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) among older adults in China.Methods: A total of 3,103 older adults (aged 65+ years) free of MCI at baseline were included from the Healthy Aging and Biomarkers Cohort Study (HABCS). Blood UA level was determined by the uricase colorimetry assay and analyzed as both continuous and categorical (by quartile) variables. Global cognition was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination four times between 2008 and 2017, with a score below 24 being considered as MCI. Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine the associations.Results: During a 9-year follow-up, 486 (15.7%) participants developed MCI. After adjustment for all covariates, higher UA had a dose-response association with a lower risk of MCI (all Pfor trend < 0.05). Participants in the highest UA quartile group had a reduced risk [hazard ratio (HR), 0.73; 95% (CI): 0.55–0.96] of MCI, compared with those in the lowest quartile group. The associations were still robust even when considering death as a competing risk. Subgroup analyses revealed that these associations were statistically significant in younger older adults (65–79 years) and those without hyperuricemia. Similar significant associations were observed when treating UA as a continuous variable.Conclusions: High blood UA level is associated with reduced risks of MCI among Chinese older adults, highlighting the potential of managing UA in daily life for maintaining late-life cognition.

On an international scale, guidelines and proposals for lupus anticoagulant detection have been published over the last 20 years, but until now, standardization has not been completely realized. The aim of this study was to evaluate the different ways of interpreting the results of lupus anticoagulant detection for standardization. A retrospective review of 15 447 instances of lupus anticoagulant detection by the diluted Russell Viper Venom test for female patients presenting with problems relating to the areas of reproduction, gynecology and obstetrics was performed. Lupus anticoagulant data were compared between different departments, months, reagent lots and cutoffs. Significant differences were found in patient data between different reagent lots, especially between lots of screening reagents (monthly average: highest 37.96 s vs lowest 33.88 s) and in the positive rates of lupus anticoagulant by different detection cutoffs (47.58% by using LA1/LA2 > 1.20 without normalization as a cutoff in Lot 1 vs 1.52% by using LA1 > 44 s as a cutoff in Lot 3). Compared with the cutoff using the value above the 99th percentile of LA1 for the healthy donors per lot, the cutoff using integrated tests with normalization had the smaller deviation of positive rate between different reagent lots. Pregnant women had higher LA1/LA2 levels than nonpregnant women. Based on the results, normalization is needed because there are significant lot-to-lot variations. Integrated tests with normalization might be a better standard by which to confirm lupus anticoagulant. Pregnant women should have population-specific cutoffs because they have higher LA1/LA2 levels.

Background: Autologous fat grafting has been a widely used technique; however, the role of adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs), extracellular matrix (ECM), and microenvironment in fat regeneration are not fully understood.Methods: Lipoaspirates were obtained and processed by inter-syringe shifting to remove adipocytes, yielding an adipocyte-free fat (Aff). Aff was then exposed to lethal dose of radiation to obtain decellularized fat (Df). To further remove microenvironment, Df was rinsed with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) yielding rinsed decellularized fat (Rdf). Green fluorescent protein (GFP) lentivirus (LV-GFP)-transfected ASCs were added to Df to generate cell-recombinant decellularized fat (Crdf). Grafts were transplanted subcutaneously into nude mice and harvested over 3 months.Results: Removal of adipocytes (Aff) didn’t compromise the retention of fat grafts, while additional removal of stromal vascular fraction (SVF) cells (Df) and microenvironment (Rdf) resulted in poor retention by day 90 (Aff, 82 ± 7.1% vs. Df, 28 ± 6.3%; p < 0.05; vs. Rdf, 5 ± 1.2%; p < 0.05). Addition of ASCs to Df (Crdf) partially restored its regenerative potential. Aff and Crdf exhibited rapid angiogenesis and M2-polarized macrophages infiltration, in contrast to impaired angiogenesis and M1-polarized inflammatory pattern in Df. GFP + ASCs participated in angiogenesis and displayed a phenotype of endothelial cells in Crdf.Conclusion: Adipose ECM and microenvironment have the capacity to stimulate early adipogenesis while ECM alone cannot induce adipogenesis in vivo. By directly differentiating into endothelial cells and regulating macrophage polarization, ASCs coordinate early adipogenesis with angiogenesis and tissue remodeling, leading to better long-term retention and greater tissue integrity.

Acellular adipose matrix (AAM) has emerged as an important biomaterial for adipose tissue regeneration. Current decellularization methods damage the bioactive components of the extracellular matrix (ECM), and the residual immunogenic antigens may induce adverse immune responses. Here, we adopted a modified decellularization method which can protect more bioactive components with less immune reaction by methoxy polyethylene glycol (mPEG). Then, we determined the adipogenic mechanisms of mPEG-modified AAM after xenogeneic transplantation. AAM transplantation caused significantly lesser adipogenesis in the wild-type group than in the immune-deficient group. The mPEG-modified AAM showed significantly lower immunogenicity and higher adipogenesis than the AAM alone after xenogeneic transplantation. Furthermore, mPEG modification increased regulatory T (Treg) cell numbers in the AAM grafts, which in turn enhanced the M2/M1 macrophage ratio by secreting IL-10, IL-13, and TGF-β1. These findings suggest that mPEG modification effectively reduces the immunogenicity of xenogeneic AAM and promotes adipogenesis in the AAM grafts. Hence, mPEG-modified AAM can serve as an ideal biomaterial for xenogeneic adipose tissue engineering.

Hydrogels have been extensively used as scaffolds in tissue engineering for cell adhesion, proliferation, migration, and differentiation because of their high-water content and biocompatibility similarity to the extracellular matrix. However, submicron or nanosized pore networks within hydrogels severely limit cell survival and tissue regeneration. In recent years, the application of macroporous hydrogels in tissue engineering has received considerable attention. The macroporous structure not only facilitates nutrient transportation and metabolite discharge but also provides more space for cell behavior and tissue formation. Several strategies for creating and functionalizing macroporous hydrogels have been reported. This review began with an overview of the advantages and challenges of macroporous hydrogels in the regulation of cellular behavior. In addition, advanced methods for the preparation of macroporous hydrogels to modulate cellular behavior were discussed. Finally, future research in related fields was discussed.

Geographic relation completion contributes greatly to improving the quality of large-scale geographic knowledge graphs (GeoKGs). However, the internal features of a GeoKG used in large-scale GeoKGs embedding are often limited by the weak connectivity between geographic entities (geo-entities). If there is no proper choice in the method of external semantic enhancement, this will often interfere with the representation and learning of the KG. Therefore, we here propose a geographic relation (geo-relation) prediction model based on multi-layer similarity enhanced networks for geo-relations completion (MSEN-GRP). The MSEN-GRP comprises three parts: enhancer, encoder, and decoder. The enhancer constructs semantic, spatial, structural, and attribute-similarity networks for geo-entities, which can explicitly and effectively enhance the implicit semantic associations between existing geo-entities. The encoder can obtain the long path relation dependency characteristics of geo-entities using a mixed-path sampling strategy and can support different optimization schemes for external semantic enhancement. Geo-relations prediction experiments show that the mean reciprocal ranking of this method is significantly higher than those of the traditional TransE DisMult and methods, and Hits@10 is improved by up to 57.57%. Furthermore, the spatial-similarity network has the most significant enhancement effect on geo-relations prediction. The proposed method provides a new way to perform relation completion in sparse GeoKGs.

The structure and function of biological macromolecules change due to intermolecular deuterium bond formation or deuterium substitution with environmental D2O. In this study, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) was used to detect interaction sites between D2O and ssDNA and their action mechanisms. SERS peaks of ssDNA changed with increasing D2O proportions, and the site of action mainly involved A and G bases, whose number strengthened the interaction between sequences and D2O and hence the SERS peak intensities. Fixing the number of A and G bases prevented changes in their positions from significantly altering the map. We also identified the interaction between ssDNA sequences that easily formed a G-quadruplex structure and D2O. The amplitude of the SERS peak intensity change reflected the ssDNA structural stability and number of active sites. These findings are highly significant for exploring genetic exchanges and mutations and could be used to determine the stability and structural changes of biological macromolecules.

Nucleic acids with G-quadruplex (G4) structures play an important role in physiological function, analysis and detection, clinical diagnosis and treatment, and new drug research and development. Aptamers obtained using systematic evolution of ligands via exponential enrichment (SELEX) screening technology do not always have the best affinity or binding specificity to ligands. Therefore, the establishment of a structure-oriented experimental method is of great significance. To study the potential of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) in aptamer optimization, marine biotoxin gonyautoxin (GTX)1/4 and its G4 aptamer obtained using SELEX were selected. The binding site and the induced fit of the aptamer to GTX1/4 were confirmed using SERS combined with two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy. The intensity of interaction between GTX1/4 and G4 was also quantified by measuring the relative intensity of SERS bands corresponding to intramolecular hydrogen bonds. Furthermore, the interaction between GTX1/4 and optimized aptamers was analyzed. The order of intensity change in the characteristic bands of G4 aptamers was consistent with the order of affinity calculated using microscale thermophoresis and molecular dynamics simulations. SERS provides a rapid, sensitive, and economical post-SELEX optimization of aptamers. It is also a reference for future research on other nucleic acid sequences containing G4 structures.