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Heat-resistant and low-sensitivity energetic materials are urgently needed in demanding environments, such as deep oil wells, space blasting, and hypersonic weapons. Herein, through the processes of substitution, reduction, cyclization, nitration, and ammoniation, two nitro groups and two amino groups were successfully introduced into a benzimidazole framework to prepare a new heat-resistant energetic material, 4,6-diamino-5,7-dinitro-1H-benzo[d]imidazole (DADNBI). Single crystal X-ray diffraction was executed to verify the structure of the compound. Crystal DADNBI belongs to the C2/c space group and monoclinic crystal system. The thermal stability of DADNBI was analyzed through differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and results showed that the decomposition temperature of DADNBI was 366 °C, which is higher than that of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) (Td: 295 °C), hexanitrostilbene (HNS) (Td: 318 °C), and 5,5′-bis(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl)-2,2′-bi(1,3,4-oxadiazole) (TKX-55) (Td: 335 °C) and comparable to that of 1,3,5-tritamino-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene (TATB) (Td: 360 °C). Non-isothermal thermal decomposition kinetics and Mayer bond pole calculations verified the excellent thermal stability of DADNBI from a theoretical perspective. The characteristic drop height (h50%) of DADNBI is 305 cm. All these parameters of DADNBI far exceed those of the reported 5,7-dinitro-1H-benzo[d]imidazole (DNBI). This work offers important guidelines from both theoretical and experimental perspectives for designing and synthesizing new insensitive heat-resistant energetic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel low eutectic energy-carrying carrier molecule has been developed that satisfies three criteria: intrinsic energy, effective lowering of the melting point of other carriers, and a wide range of thermal stability. In this study, two new compounds, APAD1 and APAD2, were synthesized by alkylation of molecular side groups and their structures were confirmed by FT-IR, NMR, and XRD. The melting points of APAD1 and APAD2 were 117 °C and 97 °C, respectively, and the decomposition temperatures were 266 °C and 242 °C, respectively, which were significantly lower compared to DATNEB. This method extends the synthesis of low eutectic carrier molecules for composite casting. Certain properties can be changed by fine-tuning the structure of the compound. Two new compounds were synthesized, which are a diamino iminated compound (1E,1′E)-diethyl N′,N″-(5-ethoxy-2,4,6-trinitro-1,3-phenylene)diformimidate (APAD1) and a monoamino iminated compound, (E)-ethyl N-(3-amino-5-ethoxy-2,4,6-trinitrophenyl)formimidate (APAD2). They were confirmed via IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR and single crystal X-ray diffraction. The melting and decomposition temperatures of the two compounds meet the requirement for eutectic components of melt-cast explosives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a major phytophagous pest that invaded China in late 2018, posing a serious threat to local agricultural production. Therefore, we investigated the effects of maize, soybean, and sweet potato on the growth, development, and reproduction of S. frugiperda under laboratory conditions. The developmental period of the egg-larval stage was significantly longer when S. frugiperda fed on sweet potato (28.94 days) compared to maize (16.19 days) and soybean (17.82 days). Sweet potato feeding significantly prolonged the pupal period, but this effect was not observed in the adult stage. Spodoptera frugiperda larvae fed on sweet potato had the lowest pupal weight (116.18 mg) and pupation rate (68.19%). The mean fecundity of females significantly differed among the plants, with egg production being highest for insects fed on maize (996.17 eggs) and lowest for those fed on sweet potato (319.28 eggs). Spodoptera frugiperda fed on sweet potato exhibited the smallest net reproductive rate (47.892), lowest intrinsic rate of increase (0.083 day−1), lowest finite rate of increase (1.086 day−1), and longest mean generation time (46.806 days). Overall, S. frugiperda can survive and complete its entire life cycle on all three host plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Induction chemotherapy of docetaxel plus cisplatin (TP) is myelosuppressive, leading to severe neutropenia and febrile neutropenia (FN). Herein, we aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of mecapegfilgrastim in the prevention of neutropenia in patients with locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma who received the TP regimen. Methods: A total of 30 treatment‐naive patients with locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma were included in this study. Mecapegfilgrastim 6 mg was injected 24–48 h after the completion of induction chemotherapy with the TP regimen. Results: The incidence of grade ≥3 neutropenia during the three induction chemotherapy cycles was 6.7% (95% CI, 0.8%–22.1%). In the first cycle of chemotherapy, the incidence of grade ≥3 neutropenia was 3.3% (95% CI, 0.1%–17.2%). No FN or antibiotic usage was reported. All 30 patients completed the induction chemotherapy cycles. Conclusion: Mecapegfilgrastim effectively reduced the incidence of chemotherapy‐induced neutropenia and FN in patients with locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the gradual promotion of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in mainland China, social media has been suggested as an important channel for disseminating HPV‐related information and promoting vaccination behaviors. This study explored the mechanism that health information communication based on social media usage affects HPV vaccination intention, i.e., examining the mediating effects of external factors (information credibility and information satisfaction) and internal factors (personal health beliefs) between social media use and HPV vaccination intention, and examining the potential moderating effect of subjective norms and health literacy on the key independent variables and the outcome variables. A total of 2552 cross‐sectional sample data (through random sampling and based on the 95% confidence level with population size > 100,000) were collected through an online questionnaire in April 2022. The results based on mediating analyses indicated that information credibility, information satisfaction, and health belief all positively mediated the relationship between social media use and HPV vaccination intentions (p < 0.001). In addition, subjective norms and health literacy separately moderated the relationship between social media use and information credibility and between social media use and information satisfaction. This study provides insights for the community to promote HPV vaccination intention by utilizing social media information communication. Specifically, we identify that information satisfaction, information credibility, and health beliefs are positively associated with social media use, thereby contributing to healthy behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Microtransplantation (MST) has been found to enhance clinical outcomes in elderly patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) compared with chemotherapy alone. It is important to investigate clinical effectiveness and mechanisms. Methods: From January 2012 to December 2022, a total of 40 patients over 60 years with newly diagnosed low – and medium-risk AML were analyzed retrospectively, which was divided into two groups: MST group (chemotherapy combined with donor peripheral blood stem cell [PBSC] injection, n = 20) and control group (chemotherapy alone, n = 20). Flow cytometry and commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits were used to measure changes in the percentage of natural killer (NK) cells and the quantity of interferon IFN-γ. The complete remission (CR), 2-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were also calculated following therapy. Results: After induction chemotherapy, the 20 MST patients had a CR rate of 60%, a 2-year OS of 61.8%, and a 2-year DFS of 51.6%. Conclusion: MST has a faster hematological recovery and a greater CR, both of which can enhance OS and DFS in elderly AML patients. After MST, there is a significant correlation between the percentage of NK cells and the quantity of IFN-γ. This suggests that NK cells and IFN-γ are putative immunologic mechanisms of MST action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experiment aimed to investigate the effects of peptidoglycan and lipoteichoic acid extracted from Bacillus pumilus SE5, when added individually and in combination, on the immune response, antioxidant capacity, and intestinal morphology of Epinephelus coioides. A total of 540 healthy groupers with an initial body weight of (14.69±0.04) g were randomly divided into six groups, with three replicates per group and 30 fish per replicate. The control group (CG group) was fed a basal diet, while the experimental groups were fed the basal diet supplemented with inactivated Bacillus pumilus SE5 (1.0 x 108 CFU/g, HIB group), peptidoglycan (52.86 mg/kg, PGN group), lipoteichoic acid (6.60 mg/kg, LTA group), and combined peptidoglycan and lipoteichoic acid (26.43 mg/kg + 3.30 mg/kg, PLA01 group; 52.86 mg/kg + 6.60 mg/kg, PLA02 group). The trial period was eight weeks. The results showed that the acid phosphatase (ACP) activity in the liver of Epinephelus coioides in the HIB and PLA01 groups was significantly higher than that in the CG and LTA groups (P<0.05). The intestinal superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in the HIB group was significantly higher than that in the CG group (P<0.05). The malondialdehyde (MDA) content in the intestines of all experimental groups was significantly lower than that in the CG group (P<0.05). Except for the HIB and LTA groups, the villus height in the intestines of all experimental groups was significantly higher than that in the CG group (P<0.05), with the PLA01 group having the longest villi. The muscle layer thickness was greatest in the PLA02 group, and the muscle layer thickness in the PGN, PLA02 groups was significantly higher than that in the CG group (P<0.05). The study indicates that the combined addition of lipoteichoic acid and peptidoglycan from Bacillus pumilus SE5 has a better promoting effect on the immune efficiency, intestinal antioxidant capacity, and intestinal morphology of Epinephelus coioides than individual additions, and PLA01 group shows better potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HSK21542 injection is a new peripheral kappa opioid receptor (KOR) agonist. To evaluate its safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, this study was conducted in healthy volunteers, consisting of two parts: a single ascending dose (0.2–3.375 μg/kg, 15‐min infusion) and different infusion durations (0.2 and 1 μg/kg, 2‐ or 15‐min infusion). The area under the plasma concentration‐time curve (AUC) and peak concentration (Cmax) of HSK21542 were dose‐linear among 0.2–3.375 μg/kg. After intravenous injection, HSK21542 was rapidly eliminated with a half‐life (t1/2) of 1.5 h, and the majority (48.02%) of the dose was excreted unchanged in urine. Pharmacodynamic results showed that HSK21542 increased prolactin release and reached a peak at 1–2 h after administration but had no significant effect on vasopressin levels. There was a brief increase in urine volume within the initial 2 h after administration. HSK21542 was well tolerated; most of the adverse effects (AEs) in the trial group were grade 1, and only 2 cases (4.0%) were grade 2. The main AE was paresthesia, which appeared in 42% (21/50) in the trial group. No serious adverse event (SAE) was observed. No subject withdrew early due to AEs. These results suggest that HSK21542 may be a potential treatment for pain and pruritic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The carnivorous fungus Drechslerella dactyloides can form constricting rings through hyphal specialization to capture nematodes. The formation of constricting rings is a prerequisite for capturing nematodes and a characteristic of entering the carnivorous stage. Currently, there is limited research on the molecular mechanism of constricting ring formation. In this study, two D. dactyloides mutants unable to form constricting rings were obtained through UV irradiation mutagenesis, and their growth and development phenotypes were compared with the wild-type strain. Transcriptome comparisons revealed differences between the mutants and the wild-type strain in metabolic pathways related to cell wall structure, peroxisomes, lipid metabolism, and MAPK signal transduction, which we validated through qPCR. We further deleted one differentially expressed gene, DdSTE2, of the MAPK pathway and confirmed its role in conidiogenesis and trap formation in D. dactyloides. Together, our results indicate that the remodeling of cell wall structure, peroxisomes, lipid metabolism, and MAPK signal transduction pathways are involved in the formation and maturation of D. dactyloides constricting rings. We discuss the implications of these results for utilizing these fungi to control animal and plant parasitic nematodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Real‐time hybrid simulation (RTHS) technique significantly streamlines experimental procedures by allowing researchers to study a substantial portion of the structure through numerical analysis. For effective real‐time interconnectivity between the investigated substructures, the numerical component must be solved within an extremely tight time frame. However, achieving a real‐time solution for large numerical substructures presents a major challenge. Hence, this paper proposes the Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD) method to reduce computational burden in RTHS and shows its implementation. The merits of the approach are shown by comparisons between the full‐order and reduced‐order numerical substructures, including nonlinearities. A shear frame retrofitted with superelastic shape memory alloy dampers is investigated as a numerical model. The soil‐structure interaction is also included using a finite element half‐space model with an artificial viscous‐spring boundary. Furthermore, the numerical substructure is coupled with shaking table experiments of a tuned liquid column damper to prove the feasibility of the method. With POD, the studied nonlinear numerical substructure can simulate up to 2655 degrees‐of‐freedom (DOFs) with a given hardware setup, while the full‐order model is limited to 135 DOF, underscoring the significance of the POD method in RTHS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human activity and climate change are widely considered to be primarily responsible for the extinction of Galliformes birds. Due to a decline in population, the Reeves's pheasant (Syrmaticus reevesii), a member of the Galliformes family, was recently elevated to first‐class national protected status in China. However, determining the causal factors of their extinction and carrying out protection measures appear to be challenging owing to a lack of long‐term data with high spatial and temporal resolutions. Here, based on a national field survey, we used habitat suitability models and integrated data on geographical environment, road development, land use, and climate change to predict the potential changes in the distribution and connectivity of the habitat of Reeves's pheasant from 1995 to 2050. Furthermore, ecological corridors were identified using the minimum cumulative resistance (MCR) model. The prioritized areas for habitat restoration were determined by integrating the importance indices of ecological sources and corridors. Our results indicated that both land use and climate change were linked to the increased habitat loss for the Reeves's pheasant. In more recent decades, road construction and land use changes have been linked to a rise in habitat loss, and future climate change has been predicted to cause the habitat to become even more fragmented and lose 89.58% of its total area. The ecological corridor for Reeves's pheasant will continue to decline by 88.55%. To counteract the negative effects of human activity and climate change on the survivorship of Reeves's pheasant, we recommend taking immediate actions, including bolstering cooperation among provincial governments, restoring habitats, and creating ecological corridors among important habitats. Study results indicate that both intensified land use and climate change were associated with the increased habitat loss of the Reeves's pheasant. In more recent decades, human activities have been linked to a rise in local extinction, and future climate change is predicted to cause the habitat and ecological corridor to lose close to 89.5%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Postinduction hypotension (PIH), occurring between anaesthesia induction and surgical incision, is particularly concerning in older adults undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) due to their multiple comorbidities and age-related cardiovascular changes. This study aimed to assess the relationship between PIH and postoperative adverse events in TAVR patients. Patients and Methods: A total of 777 patients underwent TAVR at The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine from January 1, 2020 to February 28, 2023. Four thresholds of MAP were defined, including two absolute thresholds (< 65, < 60 mmHg) and two relative thresholds (20% and 30% lower than baseline). The relationships between PIH and the composite outcome, which included all-cause in-hospital mortality, stroke, acute kidney injury (AKI), and myocardial infarction (MI), were examined using unadjusted analysis, 1:1 propensity score matching(PSM), and inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW). Results: A total of 643 older adults were included in the study ultimately. The composite outcome incidence was significantly greater in patients with PIH than in those without PIH (relative risk [RR]: 2.47, 95% CI: 1.66– 3.73 for MAP < 60 mmHg; RR: 1.66, 95% CI: 1.14– 2.46 for a > 30% decrease from baseline). PIH was significantly associated with stroke (RR: 5.22, 95% CI: 1.98– 17.75) and AKI (RR: 2.82, 95% CI: 1.73– 4.79) with a MAP < 60 mmHg. Conclusion: PIH significantly increases the risk of composite outcomes, especially stroke and AKI, in TAVR patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]