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This study presents a design strategy to enhance the high-temperature creep resistance of Ni-based superalloys. This strategy focuses on two principles: (1) minimizing the dimensions of γ/γ′ interfaces and γ channels by reducing the size of the γ′ phase; (2) key alloy composition control to strengthen the heterostructure γ/γ′ interfaces. This strategy proved very effective by the designed three superalloys’ prolonged creep lives. An alloy exhibits ultra-long creep life by 388 h at 1100°C/137 MPa, which runs at the highest level among those alloys without Ru addition. With Ru addition, an alloy that lasted for 748 h with a creep strain of ~6% at 1110°C/137 MPa is developed. This study provides a new route of high-temperature creep lives through heterostructure interfacial design with size effects and key alloying elements.

Temperature effects have a great influence on the mechanical behavior of cable-stayed bridges, especially for long-span bridges, which have significant time-varying and spatial effects. In this paper, the temperature characteristics of multi-tower cable-stayed bridge are obtained by data acquisition with wireless acquisition module. The test results show that: the daily temperature-time curves of atmospheric temperature and structural temperature are similar to sinewaves with obvious peaks and troughs; structure temperature and atmospheric temperature have obvious hysteresis; longitudinal displacement, transverse displacement and vertical of mid-span beam are negatively correlated with atmospheric temperature; the temperature distribution of the cable tower is not uniform, and the maximum temperature difference of the section is 23.7°C considering 98% of the upper limit value; the longitudinal, transverse and vertical displacement of cable tower and the cable force is negatively correlated with atmospheric temperature, and the relationship between cable force and atmospheric temperature is a cubic function rather than linear function.

Rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) have attracted interest in serving as large-scale electrochemical energy storage devices because of their high energy storage capacity, low cost, outstanding operational safety, and superior environmental friendliness. In the past two decades, enormous efforts have been devoted to all components of AZIBs, including cathode materials, Zn anodes, and electrolytes. This brief review first outlines the challenges of realizing practical ZIBs for cathodes, anodes, and electrolytes. Then, we focus on recent representative and promising electrolyte addictive studies. We further present our perspectives on critical issues to be addressed to enable practical AZIBs.

BackgroundGastric cancer is a common cancer worldwide and is responsible for over one million new cases in 2020 and an estimated 769,000 deaths, ranking fifth for incidence and fourth for mortality globally. Incidence rates are highest in Eastern Asia and Eastern Europe. Gastric cancer is highly heterogeneous and progresses rapidly. The prognosis of gastric cancer with liver metastases is poor, and clinical treatment remains challenging. Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) positivity is correlated to a bad prognosis for gastric cancer. Trastuzumab combined with systemic chemotherapy is the preferred treatment for HER2-positive advanced gastric cancer. However, intravenous chemotherapy has severe systemic toxicity, which reduces the local drug concentration and tumor uptake rate, and the effect is unsatisfactory.Case summaryWe reported a 66-year-old patient with HER2-positive advanced gastric cancer with jaundice due to multiple liver metastases, after 6 cycles of trastuzumab combined with hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC), the tumor retracted significantly, the jaundice subsided, and the patient recovered well. The patient achieved disease control with an intensive regimen followed by less toxic maintenance therapy. Trastuzumab combined with capecitabine maintenance therapy followed up for more than 16 months.ConclusionHAIC plus trastuzumab may be a tolerable treatment option for patients with severe liver metastases from HER2-positive gastric cancer to achieve local control and prolong survival.

Medicines can be taken by various routes of administration. These can impact the effects and perceptions of medicines. The literature about individuals' preferences for and perceptions of the different routes of administration is sparse, but indicates a potential influence of culture. Our aim was to determine: (i) any association between one's culture and one's preferred route of medicine administration and (ii) individual perceptions of pain, efficacy, speed of action and acceptability when medicines are swallowed or placed in the mouth, under the tongue, in the nose, eye, ear, lungs, rectum, vagina, on the skin, or areinjected.A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based survey of adults was conducted in 21 countries and regions of the world, namely, Tunisia, Ghana, Nigeria, Turkey, Ethiopia, Lebanon, Malta, Brazil, Great Britain, United States, India, Serbia, Romania, Portugal, France, Netherlands, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, mainland China and Estonia, using the Inglehart–Welzel cultural map to ensure coverage across all cultures. Participants scored the pain/discomfort, efficacy, speed of onset and acceptability of the different routes of medicine administration and stated their preferred route. Demographic information was collected.A total of 4435 participants took part in the survey. Overall, the oral route was the most preferred route, followed by injection, while the rectal route was the least preferred. While the oral route was the most preferred in all cultures, the percentage of participants selecting this route varied, from 98% in Protestant Europe to 50% in the African-Islamic culture. A multinomial logistic regression model revealed a number of predictors for the preferred route. Injections were favoured in the Baltic, South Asia, Latin America and African-Islamic cultures while dermal administration was favoured in Catholic Europe, Baltic and Latin America cultures. A marked association was found between culture and the preference for, and perceptions of the different routes by which medicines are taken. This applied to even the least favoured routes (vaginal and rectal). Only women were asked about the vaginal route, and our data shows that the vaginal route was slightly more popular than the rectal one.

The use of concrete is widespread, but it poses challenges due to its high consumption of Earth's raw resources and difficulties in recycling and reclamation. Today, the pressing climate issues, including global warming and the emergence of a complex climate, continue to test cement-based polymers in the civil engineering industry. As a result, there is a growing demand for higher performance, renewable resources, and reduced carbon dioxide production, leading to a shift in the traditional industrial revolution. Composite nano concrete has emerged as an effective solution to address the challenges related to concrete mechanics and durability, aligning with the principles of sustainable development goals. The research focuses on utilizing composite nano-modified concrete to enhance the life cycle of structures. This nano-modified concrete incorporates Nano-SiO₂ (NS) and Nano-CaCO3 (NC) particles to create a new composite nano-concrete structure called NSC concrete. The research paper explores different dosages of composite nano concrete, specifically 2.5 %, 3.0 %, and 3.5 %, denoted as NSC25, NSC30, and NSC35, respectively. It examines the performance of the composite nano concrete under various temperature conditions, including 25 °C, 200 °C, 400 °C, and 600 °C, to simulate real-world scenarios and evaluate its value-based applications. The article analyzes multiple aspects, including mechanical properties, durability, visual appearance, and economic benefits of composite nano concrete. It also assesses NSC concrete's temperature dissipation capacity and insulation level and investigates the interfacial transition zone influenced by nanoparticles and temperature. The results indicate that the new composite nano concrete retains substantial enhancements in mechanical properties, with a maximum increase of 1.22 % in splitting strength and up to 45.69 % improvement in flexural strength at a temperature of 600 °C. Additionally, it demonstrates commendable durability and economic efficiency

BackgroundPrimary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS) is a progressive inflammatory autoimmune disease. Immune cell infiltration into glandular lobules and ducts and glandular destruction are the pathophysiological hallmarks of pSS. Macrophages are one of the most important cells involved in the induction and regulation of an inflammatory microenvironment. Although studies have reported that an abnormal tissue microenvironment alters the metabolic reprogramming and polarisation status of macrophages, the mechanisms driving macrophage infiltration and polarisation in pSS remain unclear.MethodsImmune cell subsets were characterised using the single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from patients with pSS (n = 5) and healthy individuals (n = 5) in a public dataset. To evaluate macrophage infiltration and polarisation in target tissues, labial salivary gland biopsy tissues were subjected to histological staining and bulk RNA-seq (pSS samples, n = 24; non-pSS samples, n = 12). RNA-seq data were analysed for the construction of macrophage co-expression modules, enrichment of biological processes and deconvolution-based screening of immune cell types.ResultsDetailed mapping of PBMCs using scRNA-seq revealed five major immune cell subsets in pSS, namely, T cells, B cells, natural killer (NK) cells, dendritic cells (DCs) and monocyte-macrophages. The monocyte-macrophage subset was large and had strong inflammatory gene signatures. This subset was found to play an important role in the generation of reactive oxygen species and communicate with other innate and adaptive immune cells. Histological staining revealed that the number of tissue-resident macrophages was high in damaged glandular tissues, with the cells persistently surrounding the tissues. Analysis of RNA-seq data using multiple algorithms demonstrated that the high abundance of pro-inflammatory M1 macrophages was accompanied by the high abundance of other infiltrating immune cells, senescence-associated secretory phenotype and evident metabolic reprogramming.ConclusionMacrophages are among the most abundant innate immune cells in PBMCs and glandular tissues in patients with pSS. A bidirectional relationship exists between macrophage polarisation and the inflammatory microenvironment, which may serve as a therapeutic target for pSS.

BackgroundSepsis is a severe and common complication of liver transplantation (LT) with a high risk of mortality. However, effective tools for evaluating its risk factors are lacking. Therefore, this study identified the risk factors of early post-liver transplantation sepsis and established a nomogram.MethodsWe analyzed the risk factors of post-liver transplantation sepsis in 195 patients. Patients with infection and a systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) score ≥ 2 were diagnosed with sepsis. The predictive indicators were screened with the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and collinearity analyses to develop a nomogram. The prediction performance of the new nomogram model, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score, and Modified Early Warning Score (MEWS) was compared through assessment of the area under the curve (AUC), decision curve analysis (DCA), net reclassification index (NRI), and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI).ResultsThe nomogram was based on postoperative heart rate, creatinine concentration, PaO2/FiO2 ratio

Primary pancreatic lymphoma is an extremely rare malignant tumor that accounts for 1% and 0.5% of all extranodal malignant lymphomas and pancreatic tumors, respectively. The clinical and radiographic characteristics of primary pancreatic lymphoma are non-specific, and it is often misdiagnosed as pancreatic cancer or pancreatic tuberculosis, delaying treatment. The most common histological subtype of primary pancreatic lymphoma is diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Herein, we report a case of a 48-year-old female patient who was hospitalized for complaints of lower back pain, jaundice, dark brown urine, nausea, and ascites. Radiological evaluation revealed a pancreatic head mass that was diagnosed as diffuse large B-cell lymphoma following ultrasound-guided percutaneous fine-needle biopsy. During hospitalization, the patient’s jaundice worsened, and percutaneous transhepatic drainage was performed. However, hemorrhagic ascites and disorders of consciousness occurred after surgery, and the patient died due to multiple organ failure. Considering the outcome of this case, we reviewed the existing relevant literature on primary pancreatic lymphoma to better understand the disease to facilitate timely diagnosis and initiation of treatment.

BackgroundIn response to the unprecedented challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, conventional recruitment approaches were halted, causing the suspension of numerous clinical trials. Previously, Facebook (Meta Platforms, Inc) has emerged as a promising tool for augmenting participant recruitment. While previous research has explored the use of Facebook for surveys and qualitative studies, its potential for recruiting participants into randomized controlled trials (RCTs) remains underexplored. ObjectiveThis study aimed to comprehensively examine the effectiveness of using Facebook groups and pages to facilitate participant recruitment during the COVID-19 pandemic for an RCT on the effectiveness of a remote parenting program, 1-2-3 Magic, in families who have children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the United Kingdom. MethodsWe disseminated 5 Facebook posts with an attached digital flyer across 4 prominent ADHD UK support groups and pages run by the National Attention Deficit Disorder Information and Support Services, reaching an audience of around 16,000 individuals over 2 months (January 7 to March 4, 2022). Eligibility criteria mandated participants to be parents or caregivers of a child with diagnosed ADHD aged 12 years or younger, be residing in the United Kingdom, have access to stable internet, and have a device with the Zoom (Zoom Video Communications) app. Participants were required to have never attended 1-2-3 Magic training previously. Prospective participants expressed their interest through Microsoft Forms (Microsoft Corporation). The trial aimed to recruit 84 parents. It is important to note that the term “parent” or “caregiver” in the RCT and in this study within a trial refers to anybody who has legal responsibility for the child. ResultsOverall, 478 individuals registered their interest through Microsoft Forms within the stipulated 2-month window. After the eligibility check, 135 participants were contacted for a baseline meeting through Zoom. The first 84 participants who attended a baseline meeting and returned a completed consent form were enrolled. Subsequently, another 16 participants were added, resulting in a final sample of 100 participants. This recruitment strategy incurred negligible expenses and demanded minimal human resources. The approach yielded favorable outcomes by efficiently attracting eligible participants in a condensed time frame, transcending geographical barriers throughout the United Kingdom, which would have been tedious to achieve through traditional recruitment methods. ConclusionsOur experience demonstrated that digital flyers posted in the targeted Facebook groups were a cost-effective and quick method for recruiting for an RCT, which opened during the COVID-19 pandemic when lockdown restrictions were in place in the United Kingdom. Trialists should consider this low-cost recruitment intervention for trials going forward, and in the case of a global pandemic, this novel recruitment method enabled the trial to continue where many have failed. Trial RegistrationInternational Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN) 15281572; https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN15281572

Summary: Background: There is no real-world evidence regarding the association between beta-blocker use and mortality or cardiovascular outcomes in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). We aimed to investigate the impact of beta-blocker use on all-cause mortality and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in patients with OSA. Methods: We conducted a target trial emulation study of 37,581 patients with newly diagnosed OSA from 1st January 2000 to 30th November 2021 using the IMRD-UK database (formerly known as the THIN database). We compared the treatment strategies of initiating beta-blocker treatment within one year versus non-beta-blocker treatment through the method of clone-censor-weight. Covariates, including patients’ demographics, lifestyle, comorbidities, and recent medications, were measured and controlled. Patients were followed up for all-cause mortality or composite CVD outcomes (angina, myocardial infarction, stroke/transient ischaemic attack, heart failure, or atrial fibrillation). We estimated the five-year absolute risks, risk differences and risk ratio with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) with standardised, weighted pooled logistic regression, which is a discrete-time hazard model for survival analysis. Several sensitivity analyses were performed, including multiple imputation addressing the missing data. Findings: The median follow-up time was 4.1 (interquartile range, 1.9–7.8) years. The five-year absolute risk of all-cause mortality and CVD outcomes were 4.9% (95% CI, 3.8–6.0) and 13.0% (95% CI, 11.4–15.0) among beta-blocker users, and 4.0% (95% CI, 3.8–4.2) and 9.4% (95% CI, 9.1–9.7) among non-beta-blocker users, respectively. The five-year absolute risk difference and risk ratio between the two groups for all-cause mortality and CVD outcomes were 0.9% (95% CI, −0.2 to 2.1) and 1.22 (95% CI, 0.96–1.54), and 3.5% (95% CI, 2.1–5.5) and 1.37 (95% CI, 1.22–1.62), respectively. Findings were consistent across the sensitivity analyses. Interpretation: Beta-blocker treatment was associated with an increased risk of CVD and a trend for an increased risk of mortality among patients with OSA. Further studies are needed to confirm our findings. Funding: Innovation and Technology Commission of the Hong Kong Special Administration Region Government.

Water and land resources (WLR) are the fundamental resources for social and economic growth, and there is a complicated interaction association between WLR. The rational utilization and coordinated development of WLR are related to the sustainable development of human society. Innovatively combing the comprehensive assessment index (CAI) methodology, the regional centre of gravity method, the coupling coordination degree (CCD) model, and the panel model, the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics of the relationship between WLR and the relationship’s influencing factors from 2004 to 2020 was investigated in the wind-sand region of the upper Yellow River (WSUYR). The results show that: (1) Nevertheless, the WLR system CAI for the WSUYR demonstrated steady growth, and the regions with a favourable WLR system CAI were concentrated in the middle and east of the area. (2) The WSUYR represents the point where the CCD of the WLR system exponentially transitioned from the discoordination degree to the coordination stage, establishing a favourable overall trend. In the WSUYR, there are wide geographical variances in the CCD of the WLR system, but even though the divergence throughout cities has steadily closed to a growth trajectory. The two underlying variables that limit the CCD of local WLR are the scarcity of water resources and the destabilization of the water resources subsystem. (3) The CCD of the WLR system in the WSUYR is significantly influenced by factors such as population density, total water resources per capita, vegetation index, the green coverage rate of built-up areas, per capita GDP, and science and technology expenditure. This study can offer a scientific justification and pertinent recommendations for the sensible utilization and effective management of WLR in the WSUYR.

Abstract Background Among all fetal heart block patients, > 50% cases are associated with maternal autoimmune diseases, and such patients should receive treatment. However, nearly half of fetal heart block cases involve a mother with negative results following autoimmune antibody screening. A few studies have reported long QT syndrome (LQTS) can also present as a severe fetal bradycardia, which does not respond to fetal treatment. Herein, we reported a rare case of an infant who presented with high-degree autoimmune-mediated fetal atrioventricular block (AVB) with LQTS induced by a novel KCNH2 variant. This case led us to review our prenatal therapeutic strategy. Case presentation A 1-year-old boy presented to our heart center having experienced syncope 5 times in the past year. He had previously presented with fetal bradycardia during the fetal stage from 27 + 3 gestational weeks. The fetal echocardiography demonstrated AVB (2:1 transmission). As the maternal autoimmune antibody results were positive, his mother had received dexamethasone treatment during pregnancy; subsequently, the fetal AVB had changed from 2:1 to 4:3 transmission with elevated ventricular beating rates. However, this patient was identified to have complete AVB after birth. The initial electrocardiogram and Holter measurements at hospital administration showed complete AVB, pleomorphic ventricular tachycardia, a prolonged QT interval (QT = 602 ms, corrected QT = 538 ms), and wide and deep inverted T-waves. Meanwhile, torsades de pointes could be observed in several transit ventricular tachycardias based on Holter monitoring review. Genetic testing revealed KCNH2 c.2483G > A variant–induced LQTS. An implantable cardioverter defibrillator device and permanent pacemaker were both considered as therapeutic alternations; his parents ultimately accepted the implantation of a permanent pacemaker. Conclusions For fetuses with autoimmune-mediated AVB, intrauterine treatment should still be pursued immediately. However, once the treatment outcomes are deemed unacceptable or unexpected, other genetic variant–related channelopathies should be highly suspected. If the fetus lacks a positive family history, fetal genetic testing should be recommended to improve the prognosis of such patients by introducing integrative therapeutic strategies between the prenatal and postnatal phases.

Abstract Background Psoralea corylifolia is a medicinal leguminous plant that has long been used to treat various diseases. Psoralidin (PSO) is the main extract compound of P. corylifolia and exhibits antibacterial, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and other pharmacological activities. PSO has demonstrated inhibitory effects in several cancers; however, its inhibitory effect on osteosarcoma has not been reported. This study aimed to evaluate the inhibitory effect of PSO on osteosarcoma and elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms. Methods Crystal violet, cell counting kit-8 (CCK8), and 5-Ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine (EdU) staining assays were used to assess the inhibitory effect of PSO on the proliferation of 143B and MG63 osteosarcoma cells. Wound healing and Transwell assays were conducted to evaluate the effects of PSO on osteosarcoma cell migration and invasion. The cell cycle and apoptosis were analyzed using flow cytometry. To determine the possible molecular mechanisms, RNA-sequencing was performed and protein expression was analyzed by western blotting. The inhibitory effect of PSO on osteosarcoma in vivo was analyzed using a mouse model of orthotopic osteosarcoma and immunohistochemistry. Results PSO inhibited osteosarcoma cell proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner, inhibited cell migration and invasion, and induced cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis. Mechanistically, PSO treatment significantly inhibited the focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathways by downregulating ITGB1 expression in both MG63 and 143B cells. Furthermore, we demonstrated that PSO restrained osteosarcoma growth in vivo. Conclusion PSO may suppress osteosarcoma via the FAK and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways by downregulating ITGB1 expression.

When the gears work under high-speed and heavy-load conditions, the effects of friction and wear cannot be ignored. The gear modification can reduce gear wear and surface temperature, and has a significant effect on improving the anti-scuffing ability of gears. Thus, the heat distortion and modification of gears are studied. Based on the basic theories of gear meshing principle and gear modifying principle, the following studies have been made: a parametric model of gear thermo-mechanical coupling is established using the finite element simulation software; the steady-state heat balance equations for each face of the gear teeth are determined, and the finite element simulation software is used to automatically impose convection boundary conditions and frictional heat fluxes on each point of the gears. By solving the temperature field of the gear, the influence of gear tooth temperature change on gear deformation is analyzed, and gear modification technology is studied. The calculation formulas of elastic deformation, thermal deformation and thermo-mechanical coupling deformation are derived. The results show that the modification can reduce the gear temperature and improve the scuffing strength of the gear.

Abstract Objective Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) have been reported to exert regulatory effects on biological processes. This study intended to assess the role of the lncRNA HOXA transcript at the distal tip (HOTTIP)/miR-30b-3p/phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (PGK1) axis in ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Methods Levels of HOTTIP, miR-30b-3p and PGK1 in AS synovial tissues and cultured AS fibroblast-like synoviocytes (ASFLSs) were assessed. The ASFLSs were identified and, respectively, treated with altered expression of HOTTIP and miR-30b-3p, and then, the proliferation and differentiation of the ASFLSs were assessed. The AS mouse models were established by injection of proteoglycan and Freund’s complete adjuvant and then were treated with altered expression of HOTTIP and miR-30b-3p, and the pathological changes and apoptosis of synoviocytes in mice’ synovial tissues were measured. The relationship of HOTTIP, miR-30b-3p and PGK1 was verified. Results HOTTIP and PGK1 were elevated, while miR-30b-3p was reduced in AS synovial tissues and ASFLSs. Elevated miR-30b-3p or inhibited HOTTIP restrained proliferation and differentiation of ASFLSs and also improved the pathological changes and promoted apoptosis of synoviocytes in mice’s synovial tissues. PGK1 was a target of miR-30b-3p, and miR-30b-3p could directly bind to HOTTIP. Silencing miR-30b-3p or overexpressing PGK1 reversed the improvement of AS by knocking down HOTTIP or up-regulating miR-30b-3p. Conclusion Our study suggests that reduced HOTTIP ameliorates AS progression by suppressing the proliferation and differentiation of ASFLSs through the interaction of miR-30b-3p and PGK1.

Abstracts: Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is the leading cause of death from a single infectious disease and ranks 13th among the leading causes of death worldwide. In this study, we aimed to report the burden of TB in 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2019 by sex, age, and socio-demographic index (SDI). Methods: Annual death number, age-standardized mortality rates (ASMR), and age-standardized disability-adjusted life year (DALY) rates (ASDR) with a 95% uncertainty interval (UI) of TB were derived from the global burden of disease (GBD) 2019 for the time period between 1990 and 2019. The association between the burden of TB and SDI was also investigated. Results: The total death number related to TB decreased by 33.6%, from 1777.5 in 1990–1179.8 in 2019, per 1000 individuals. The global ASMR and ASDR for TB were 14.64 (13.39–16.03) and 590.42 (536.85–646.42), which were 63.5% and 62.8% lower than in 1990, respectively. South Asia, Eastern Sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, and Western Sub-Saharan Africa had the largest number of TB deaths in 2019. Central Sub-Saharan Africa was the region with the highest ASMR and ASDR in 2019. India had the highest number of TB deaths, and the Central African Republic and Switzerland had the highest and lowest ASMR per 100,000 individuals, respectively. The number of deaths and DALYs were higher in males than in females and the ASDR significantly increased from the 10–14-year-old age group to the 80–84-year-old age group in both sexes. Most cases of TB were caused by drug-susceptible TB. A negative association between the regional SDI and the ASDR of TB was found. Conclusions: From 1990–2019, TB death number, ASMR, and ASDR decreased. It is important to note that, despite the decreasing burden of TB, it remains a major public health problem, especially in low SDI countries. It is necessary to design and implement suitable strategies to address the current situation.

Objective: To identify mildew maize kernels accurately. Methods: A novel method to identify mildew maize kernels using spectral variables and color characteristics of hyperspectral images. Firstly, image segmentation, spectral variables and color features extraction were carried out on maize kernel images. Then, color features of maize kernel images were utilized to generate color histograms. Additionally, spectral variables and color histogram features were combined into a feature set. Finally, the distance functions were used to analyze the features in this feature set to identify mildew maize kernels. Results: For the proposed method, the maximum average identification deviation and accuracy for the mildew maize kernels were 1.12 and 97.59%, respectively. Compared with the method based on hyperspectral images + random frog + extreme learning machine, the method using hyperspectral images + colony optimization + BP neural network, and the method based on hyperspectral images + sparse auto-encoders + convolutional neural network, the identification accuracies of mildew maize kernels were significantly improved by the proposed method. Conclusion: The developed method can accurately identify whether the corn grain samples are mildew and the mildew degree of the maize kernel samples.

Taking gob-side entry retaining in Sichuan Coal Group Xuyong No.1 mine as an engineering background, the displacement inverse analysis method is used to calibrate the physical and mechanical parameters test results of coal and rock, and the numerical simulation method is used to analyze the mine pressure distribution law of gob-side entry retaining roadway. Field observation shows that during the working face mining, the maximum relative displacement of roadway roof and floor is 743 mm. Roof subsidence is the main displacement mode of roadway roof and floor. The average roof subsidence is 3.6 times of floor heave, and the numerical simulation result is 3.5 times. The parameter calibration results show that the reduction of elastic modulus and cohesion has a significant impact on the roof and floor approach. At the same calculation step, the roof and floor approach increases with the decrease of elastic modulus and cohesion. When the elastic modulus is reduced to 20%, the maximum value of roof and floor approach increases to 800 mm. The numerical simulation results show that the abutment pressure at the high wall of gob-side entry retaining roadway at the rear of mining face increases significantly, and the abutment pressure distribution is low on both sides and “convex” with the middle height, and the peak value of abutment pressure increases with the advance of working face. The influence range of the average leading abutment pressure of the working face is 77 m.

Abstract Background Microsatellites are a ubiquitous occurrence in prokaryotic and eukaryotic genomes. Microsatellites have become one of the most popular classes of genetic markers due to their high reproducibility, multi-allelic nature, co-dominant mode of inheritance, abundance and wide genome coverage. We characterised microsatellites in the genomes and genes of two bat species, Pteropus vampyrus and Miniopterus natalensis. This characterisation was used for gene ontology analysis and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment of coding sequences (CDS). Results Compared to M. natalensis, the genome size of P. vampyrus is larger and contains more microsatellites, but the total diversity of both species is similar. Mononucleotide and dinucleotide repeats were the most diverse in the genome of the two species. In each bat species, the microsatellite bias was obvious. The microsatellites with the largest number of repeat motifs in P. vampyrus from mononucleotide to hexanucleotide were (A)n, (AC)n, (CAA)n, (AAAC)n, (AACAA)n and (AAACAA)n, with frequencies of 97.94%, 58.75%, 30.53%, 22.82%, 54.68% and 22.87%, respectively, while in M. natalensis were (A)n, (AC)n, (TAT)n, (TTTA)n, (AACAA)n and (GAGAGG)n, with of 92.00%, 34.08%, 40.36%, 21.83%, 25.42% and 12.79%, respectively. In both species, the diversity of microsatellites was highest in intergenic regions, followed by intronic, untranslated and exonic regions and lowest in coding regions. Location analysis indicated that microsatellites were mainly concentrated at both ends of the genes. Microsatellites in the CDS are thus subject to higher selective pressure. In the GO analysis, two unique GO terms were found only in P. vampyrus and M. natalensis, respectively. In KEGG enriched pathway, the biosynthesis of other secondary metabolites and metabolism of other amino acids in metabolism pathways were present only in M. natalensis. The combined biological process, cellular components and molecular function ontology are reflected in the GO analysis and six functional enrichments in KEGG annotation, suggesting advantageous mutations during species evolution. Conclusions Our study gives a comparative characterization of the genomes of microsatellites composition in the two bat species. And also allow further study on the effect of microsatellites on gene function as well as provide an insight into the molecular basis for species adaptation to new and changing environments.

The high voltage cable used in mine is affected by many factors, such as electricity, heat and machinery stress. These factors accelerate insulation aging and easily lead to cable leakage, short circuit or discharge. At present, the dielectric response method is introduced into analysis, evaluation and diagnosis of insulation performance and aging state of mine cables. In view of problems of insulation performance and aging state evaluation of mine cables, the commonly used ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) insulated mobile flexible cable for mining is taken as the research object. The basic principles and typical characteristics of recovery voltage method, polarization/depolarization current method and frequency-domain dielectric spectroscopy method in dielectric response method are summarized. The advantages and disadvantages of the three methods are compared. The characteristics of cable insulation performance evaluation based on the dielectric response model are introduced. The characteristics include the aging factor extracted by the extended Debye model, relaxation characteristics extracted by the modified dielectric relaxation model and dielectric loss integral spectrum. The application of the dielectric response method in the evaluation of the insulation performance of mine cables is summarized from the following aspects. The aspects include the identification of trace corrosion degree of mine cables based on recovery voltage method and polarization/depolarization current method. The aspects include the evaluation of EPDM insulation multi-stress aging state based on polarization/depolarization current method and isothermal relaxation current, based on dielectric relaxation model and based on dielectric loss integral value. The existing online monitoring technology for the evaluation of the insulation performance of mine cables based on the dielectric response method cannot adapt to the working conditions of coal mines. The evaluation data is insufficient, and the relationship between the insulation deterioration degree and the characteristic quantity is unknown. In order to solve the above problems, this paper puts forward that the research should focus on two key technologies, namely, cable insulation state perception and the relationship between insulation degradation degree and characteristic quantity construction.

ObjectiveFocused on the laboratory animal domestication and breeding of domestic cats, to explore the feeding management methods and breeding techniques of experimental cats.MethodsSeven Chinese garden cats from three litters were introduced from the rural suburbs of Guangzhou, and a breeding seed colony was established. The cats were domesticated in captivity, bred, closed breeding and transmission according to the feeding and management methods of laboratory animal. The population reproduction, the number of pregnancies per year, the litter season, the birth and weaning quality of the cats, and the survival rate of weaning were statistically collected.ResultsThe young breeding cats were able to adapt to the cage feeding management. In the transmission breeding and the expanded breeding colony, the number of female cats pregnant with one, two or three litters a year accounted for 63.2%, 26.3% and 10.5%, respectively. The proportions of litters born from the 1st to the 4th quarters were 20.7%, 20.7%, 27.6%, and 31.0%. A total of 29 pregnancies and 101 kittens were got from 19 female cats, with an average of (3.5±1.33) kittens per litter. The birth weights of female and male cats were (89.31±13.69) g and (93.47±15.12) g, respectively. Sixty-seven kittens survived from weaning. The average survival rate was 60.86%, and the weaning weights of female and male cats were (361.62±82.77) g and (376.0±91.71) g, respectively.ConclusionDomestic Chinese garden cats can adapt to laboratory animal feeding and breeding rules, and have strong fertility. They can normally pregnant and breeding throughout the year. The kittens grow to 5-6 months of age can meet the weight requirements for the examination of pharmaceutical hypotensive substances, and can be used as experimental cats for pharmaceutical examination with clear origin.

This study aimed to ascertain the influence of poly(3-acrylamidopropyl trimethylammonium chloride-co-acrylic acid) [P(ATC-co-AA)] on the adhesion, film properties, desizability of cornstarch, and reveal a suitable mole percentage of ATC units on the P(ATC-co-AA) for acquiring a new starch-based size [S-g-P(ATC-co-AA)]. A series of S-g-P(ATC-co-AA) samples were synthesized by the graft polymerization of acid-converted cornstarch with ATC and AA monomers. Their adhesion, film properties, and desizability were assessed. The results displayed that the P(ATC-co-AA) branches could significantly improve the adhesion to cotton fibers and diminish the film brittleness of starch. Under similar grafting ratio, the adhesion and desizability of S-g-P(ATC-co-AA) depended on the mole percentage of ATC units. Increasing the percentage favored the adhesion but disfavored the desizability. The percentage displayed a low effect on the film properties. S-g-P(ATC-co-AA) with a mole percentage of 57.7% presented good sizing properties and easy desizing, which had potential application in cotton warp sizing.

Abstract Background Esophageal squamous carcinoma (ESCC) is a common malignancy that originates in the digestive tract. Lymph node metastasis (LNM) is a complicated process, and tumor lymphangiogenesis has been reported to be associated with the spread of tumor cells to lymph nodes (LNs), including in ESCC. However, little is currently known about the mechanisms involved in lymphangiogenesis in ESCC tumors. According to previous literature, we know that hsa_circ_0026611 expresses at a high level in serum exosomes of patients with ESCC and shows a close association with LNM and poor prognosis. However, details on the functions of circ_0026611 in ESCC remain unclear. We aim to explore the effects of circ_0026611 in ESCC cell-derived exosomes on lymphangiogenesis and its potential molecular mechanism. Methods We firstly examined how circ_0026611 may express in ESCC cells and exosomes by quantitative reverse transcription real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The potential effects circ_0026611 may exert on lymphangiogenesis in ESCC cell-derived exosomes were assessed afterward via mechanism experiments. Results circ_0026611 high expression pattern was confirmed in ESCC cells and exosomes. ESCC cell-derived exosomes promoted lymphangiogenesis by transferring circ_0026611. Besides, circ_0026611 interacted with N-α-acetyltransferase 10 (NAA10) to inhibit NAA10-mediated prospero homeobox 1 (PROX1) acetylation with subsequent ubiquitination and degradation. Furthermore, circ_0026611 was verified to promote lymphangiogenesis in a PROX1-mediated manner. Conclusions Exosomal circ_0026611 inhibited PROX1 acetylation and ubiquitination to promote lymphangiogenesis in ESCC. Graphical Abstract

Supercapacitors with advantages of high-power density, fast charging speed and long cycle life, have very promising application prospects in many fields such as transportation and energy storage. Usually, the onboard operation profiles will be recorded and sent to remote monitoring terminal for further study. As the working condition of onboard supercapacitor is complex and fluctuating, it requires high sampling frequency, accuracy, and continuous recording. However, the remote monitoring data usually has the problems of low sampling frequency and fragmented recording, making it difficult to extract the characteristic parameters by traditional parameter identification methods. To solve the problem, this paper makes an extensive investigation on the long-term remote monitoring data of a supercapacitor tram and proposes a set of data processing method that can extract the characteristic parameters of supercapacitors from the sparse and fragmented data. Firstly, a group of proper data segments considering thermal stability of supercapacitor system was selected as effective data from the fragmented daily monitoring data. Secondly, the parameters which can be used to study the aging indicators are extracted by interior point method. With this method, the simulated voltage error is within 0.3% with a sampling frequency of 0.1 Hz. Through analyzing 3.5 years of remote monitoring data, it is found that the characteristic parameters exhibit the feature of seasonal fluctuations, which is highly related to temperature. To further extract the aging trend, a linear fitting model which eliminates the effect of seasonal fluctuations is proposed which can be used for analyzing the evolution characteristic of the studied supercapacitor system.

The pollution of cadmium (Cd) to environment is becoming increasingly serious. In this study, the ability of the continuous flow bioreactor with sulfate as the electron acceptor to remove pollutants from Cd-containing wastewater was investigated. The results show that Cd2+ could be effectively removed and the concentration of Cd2+ in the anaerobic effluent is less than 0.01 ​mg/L. Cd can affect the decomposition of urea by anaerobic sludge. In addition, ammonia nitrogen could be also effectively removed with the removal rate was approximately 72.4%. The activated sludge mainly removed Cd through the precipitation of cadmium sulfide outside the bacteria after sulfide was generated by bacterial sulfate metabolism, facilitated continuous biological removal of Cd from wastewater. Microbial community structure analysis revealed Trichococcus and Hyphomicrobium mainly occurred in anaerobic and anoxic reaction, and Sulfurovum was unique to the sulfur oxidation reaction, with a content of 10.20% and the ability to oxidize sulfide. The content of Nitrosomonas in aerobic reaction zone reached 36.75%, but no nitrifying bacteria were detected. The technology in this study, which used sulfate as the electron acceptor for the continuous biological removal of Cd2+, has future engineering application value for the treatment of wastewater containing low concentrations of Cd.

Circular RNAs have been reported to be widely involved in cancer cell tumorigenesis and drug resistance; here, the aim of this study was to investigate whether circRNA Integrin Subunit Alpha 7 (ITGA7) (circ_ITGA7) was associated with the tumor growth and radiosensitivity of colorectal cancer (CRC). We found that circ_ITGA7 expression was lower in CRC tissues and cells than those in the normal tissues and cell lines according to quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. As shown by cell counting kit-8 assay, flow cytometry, colony formation assay, and xenograft experiment, ectopic overexpression of circ_ITGA7 remarkably restrained CRC tumor growth and enhanced radiosensitivity in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, circ_ITGA7 could target microRNA (miR)-766 to prevent the degradation of its target gene mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 4 (SMAD4), the binding between miR-766 and circ_ITGA7 or SMAD4 was first verified by dual-luciferase activity assay. Additionally, miR-766 up-regulation reversed the inhibitory effects of circ_ITGA7 on CRC growth and radiosensitivity. Besides that, inhibition of miR-766 reduced CRC cell growth and sensitized cells to radiotherapy, and these effects mediated by miR-766 inhibitor were rescued by the silencing of SMAD4. In all, circ_ITGA7 suppressed CRC growth and enhanced radiosensitivity by up-regulating SMAD4 through sequestering miR-766, providing an insight for the further development of CRC treatment.

Abstract Autophagy dysfunction is one of the common causes of tumor formation and plays an important role in uveal melanoma (UM). However, little is known about the regulatory mechanisms of autophagy in UM. Here, we show that PTK6 can promote the proliferation, migration, and invasion of UM cells by inhibiting autophagy. SOCS3 can inhibit the proliferation, migration, and invasion of UM cells. Overexpression of SOCS3 can partially rescue the PTK6-induced promotion of UM cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Mechanistically, PTK6 can bind to SOCS3, and SOCS3 can downregulate the expression of PTK6. Furthermore, PTK6 can upregulate the phosphorylation of mTOR to inhibit autophagy. Taken together, our findings demonstrate the functions of PTK6 and SOCS3 in UM cells and targeting the SOCS3-PTK6 signaling axis might be a novel and promising therapeutic strategy for patients with UM.

Dual-atom catalysts (DACs) pose several advantages such as uniformity in the active sites and high atom utilization efficiency supported by a synergy of the two catalyst metal atoms. Here, the authors use spin-polarized density functional theory with van der Waals corrections to derive surface Pourbaix diagrams of an Fe–Ni–Nx–C model, showing that the surface states of DACs generally differ from a pristine surface at electrocatalytic operating conditions due to the strong adsorption capacity of a DAC’s unique metal–metal bridge site.

Background and Objective: The dynamic assessment of disease activity during the follow-up of patients with Crohn’s disease (CD) remains a significant challenge. In this study, we aimed to identify the role of dynamic contrast-enhanced ultrasound (DCE-US) in the evaluation of activity of CD. Methods: In the retrospective study, patients diagnosed with CD in our hospital were included. All the diagnoses were confirmed by clinical symptoms and ileocolonoscopical results. All patients underwent intestinal ultrasound and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) examinations within 1 week of the ileocolonoscopy examinations. Acuson Sequoia (Siemens Healthineers, Mountain View, CA, USA) and Resona R9 Elite (Mindray Medical Systems, China) with curved array and Line array transducers were used. The CEUS examination was performed with SonoVue (Bracco SpA, Milan, Italy). DCE-US analysis was performed by UltraOffice (version: 0.3-2010, Mindray Medical Systems, China) software. Two regions of interest (ROIs) were set in the anterior section of the infected bowel wall and its surrounding normal bowel wall 2 cm distant from the inflamed area. Time–intensity curves (TICs) were generated and quantitative perfusion parameters were obtained after curve fittings. The Simple Endoscopic Score for Crohn’s disease (SES-CD) was regarded as the reference standard to evaluate the activity of CD. The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analyses were used to determine the diagnostic efficiency of DCE-US quantitative parameters. Results: From March 2023 to November 2023, 52 CD patients were included. According to SES-CD score, all patients were divided into active group with the SES-CD score > 5 (n = 39) and inactive group SES-CD score < 5 (n = 13). Most of the active CD patients showed bowel wall thickness (BWT) > 4.2 mm (97.4%, 38/39) or mesenteric fat hypertrophy (MFH) on intestinal ultrasound (US) scan (69.2%, 27/39). Color Doppler signal of the bowel wall mostly showed spotty or short striped blood flow signal in active CD patients (56.4%, 22/39). According to CEUS enhancement patterns, most active CD patients showed a complete hyperenhancement of the entire intestinal wall (61.5%, 24/39). The TICs of active CD showed an earlier enhancement, higher peak intensity, and faster decline. Among all CEUS quantitative parameters, amplitude-derived parameters peak enhancement (PE), wash-in area under the curve (WiAUC), wash-in rate (WiR), wash-in perfusion index (WiPI), and wash-out rate (WoR) were significantly higher in active CD than in inactive CD (p < 0.05). The combined AUROC of intestinal ultrasound features and DCE-US quantitative perfusion parameters in the diagnosis of active CD was 0.987, with 97.4% sensitivity, 100% specificity, and 98.1% accuracy. Conclusions: DCE-US with quantitative perfusion parameters is a potential useful noninvasive imaging method to evaluate the activity of Crohn’s disease.

Rubisco large-subunit methyltransferase (LSMT), a SET-domain protein lysine methyltransferase, catalyzes the formation of trimethyl-lysine in the large subunit of Rubisco or in fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolases (FBAs). Rubisco and FBAs are both vital proteins involved in CO2 fixation in chloroplasts; however, the physiological effect of their trimethylation remains unknown. In Nannochloropsis oceanica, a homolog of LSMT (NoLSMT) is found. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that NoLSMT and other algae LSMTs are clustered in a basal position, suggesting that algal species are the origin of LSMT. As NoLSMT lacks the His-Ala/ProTrp triad, it is predicted to have FBAs as its substrate instead of Rubisco. The 18–20% reduced abundance of FBA methylation in NoLSMT-defective mutants further confirms this observation. Moreover, this gene (nolsmt) can be induced by low-CO2 conditions. Intriguingly, NoLSMT-knockout N. oceanica mutants exhibit a 9.7–13.8% increase in dry weight and enhanced growth, which is attributed to the alleviation of photoinhibition under high-light stress. This suggests that the elimination of FBA trimethylation facilitates carbon fixation under high-light stress conditions. These findings have implications in engineering carbon fixation to improve microalgae biomass production.

The Online Monitoring System (OMS) at the Compact Muon Solenoid experiment (CMS) at CERN aggregates and integrates different sources of information into a central place and allows users to view, compare and correlate information. It displays real-time and historical information. The tool is heavily used by run coordinators, trigger experts and shift crews, to ensure the quality and efficiency of data taking. It provides aggregated information for many use cases including data certification. OMS is the successor of Web Based Monitoring (WBM), which was in use during Run 1 and Run 2 of the LHC. WBM started as a small tool and grew substantially over the years so that maintenance became challenging. OMS was developed from scratch following several design ideas: to strictly separate the presentation layer from the data aggregation layer, to use a well-defined standard for the communication between presentation layer and aggregation layer, and to employ widely used frameworks from outside the HEP community. A report on the experience from the operation of OMS for the first year of data taking of Run 3 in 2022 is presented.

The CMS data acquisition (DAQ) is implemented as a service-oriented architecture where DAQ applications, as well as general applications such as monitoring and error reporting, are run as self-contained services. The task of deployment and operation of services is achieved by using several heterogeneous facilities, custom configuration data and scripts in several languages. In this work, we restructure the existing system into a homogeneous, scalable cloud architecture adopting a uniform paradigm, where all applications are orchestrated in a uniform environment with standardized facilities. In this new paradigm DAQ applications are organized as groups of containers and the required software is packaged into container images. Automation of all aspects of coordinating and managing containers is provided by the Kubernetes environment, where a set of physical and virtual machines is unified in a single pool of compute resources. We demonstrate that a container-based cloud architecture provides an acrossthe-board solution that can be applied for DAQ in CMS. We show strengths and advantages of running DAQ applications in a container infrastructure as compared to a traditional application model.

The data acquisition (DAQ) of the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment at CERN, collects data for events accepted by the Level-1 Trigger from the different detector systems and assembles them in an event builder prior to making them available for further selection in the High Level Trigger, and finally storing the selected events for offline analysis. In addition to the central DAQ providing global acquisition functionality, several separate, so-called “MiniDAQ” setups allow operating independent data acquisition runs using an arbitrary subset of the CMS subdetectors. During Run 2 of the LHC, MiniDAQ setups were running their event builder and High Level Trigger applications on dedicated resources, separate from those used for the central DAQ. This cleanly separated MiniDAQ setups from the central DAQ system, but also meant limited throughput and a fixed number of possible MiniDAQ setups. In Run 3, MiniDAQ-3 setups share production resources with the new central DAQ system, allowing each setup to operate at the maximum Level-1 rate thanks to the reuse of the resources and network bandwidth. Configuration management tools had to be significantly extended to support the synchronization of the DAQ configurations needed for the various setups. We report on the new configuration management features and on the first year of operational experience with the new MiniDAQ-3 system.

The Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment at CERN incorporates one of the highest throughput data acquisition systems in the world and is expected to increase its throughput by more than a factor of ten for High-Luminosity phase of Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC). To achieve this goal, the system will be upgraded in most of its components. Among them, the event builder software, in charge of assembling all the data read out from the different sub-detectors, is planned to be modified from a single event builder to an orbit builder that assembles multiple events at the same time. The throughput of the event builder will be increased from the current 1.6 Tb/s to 51 Tb/s for the HL-LHC orbit builder. This paper presents preliminary network transfer studies in preparation for the upgrade. The key conceptual characteristics are discussed, concerning differences between the CMS event builder in Run 3 and the CMS Orbit Builder for the HL-LHC. For the feasibility studies, a pipestream benchmark, mimicking event-builder-like traffic has been developed. Preliminary performance tests and results are discussed.

The reform and development of higher education should actively respond to the top-level design of the country, and the cultivation of foreign language talents needs to be reformed and innovated according to the background of the times. Under the background of new liberal arts, the construction of teaching system should adhere to the national social demand orientation, adhere to the interdisciplinary integration, and carry out collaborative innovation on this basis. Based on the national conditions and school conditions, according to the school orientation and personnel training objectives, taking the supply-side reform of personnel training as an important starting point, this paper makes SWOT analysis on promoting the construction of “foreign language + science and technology” interdisciplinary teaching system under the background of new liberal arts, and puts forward the construction of “foreign language +” interdisciplinary curriculum system, interdisciplinary teaching mode, interdisciplinary management mode and interdisciplinary curriculum ideological and political mode. The aim is to embody the standard of foreign language discipline based on language and culture, promote the cross-integration of engineering and foreign language discipline, and cultivate interdisciplinary high-end talents. It provides a demonstration for the construction of new liberal arts in national science and engineering universities, and provides practical reference and sample reference for the development of foreign language majors.

We report a case of murine typhus in China caused by Rickettsia typhi and diagnosed by nanopore targeted sequencing of a bronchoalveolar lavage fluid sample. This case highlights that nanopore targeted sequencing can effectively detect clinically unexplained infections and be especially useful for detecting infections in patients without typical signs and symptoms.

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition, especially in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants, and its pathogenesis remains unclear. Effective biomarkers need to be found to diagnose and treat the disease at an early stage. The Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database was screened and analyzed for differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in VLBW infants with sepsis. DEGs were then analyzed for functional enrichment. A weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WCGNA) was performed to identify the key modules and genes. The optimal feature genes (OFGs) were created using three machine learning algorithms. The single-sample Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (ssGSEA) scored the degree of immune cell enrichment between septic and control patients, and the correlation between OFGs and immune cells was evaluated. A total of 101 DEGs were identified between the sepsis and control samples. DEGs were mainly associated with immune responses and inflammatory signaling pathways in the enrichment analysis. In the WGCNA analysis, the MEturquoise module was significantly correlated with sepsis in VLBW infants (cor = 0.57, P < 0.001). By intersecting OFGs derived from three machine learning algorithms, two biomarkers were identified: glycogenin 1 (GYG1) and resistin (RETN). The area under the curves of GYG1 and RETN was greater than 0.97 in the testing set. The ssGSEA indicated immune cells infiltration in septic VLBW infants, and GYG1 and RETN revealed close correlations with immune cells. New biomarkers offer promising insights into the diagnosis and treatment of sepsis in VLBW infants.

Abstract Background Influenza virus (IV) is a leading cause of respiratory tract infections, eliciting responses from key innate immune cells such as Macrophages (MQs), Neutrophils, and Dendritic Cells (DCs). These cells employ diverse mechanisms to combat IV, with Inflammasomes playing a pivotal role in viral infection control. Cellular death mechanisms, including Pyroptosis, Apoptosis, and Necroptosis (collectively called PANoptosis), significantly contribute to the innate immune response. Methods In this updated review, we delve into the intricate relationship between PANoptosis and Inflammasomes within innate immune cells (MQs, Neutrophils, and DCs) during IV infections. We explore the strategies employed by IV to evade these immune defenses and the consequences of unchecked PANoptosis and inflammasome activation, including the potential development of severe complications such as cytokine storms and tissue damage. Results Our analysis underscores the interplay between PANoptosis and Inflammasomes as a critical aspect of the innate immune response against IV. We provide insights into IV's various mechanisms to subvert these immune pathways and highlight the importance of understanding these interactions to develop effective antiviral medications. Conclusion A comprehensive understanding of the dynamic interactions between PANoptosis, Inflammasomes, and IV is essential for advancing our knowledge of innate immune responses to viral infections. This knowledge will be invaluable in developing targeted antiviral therapies to combat IV and mitigate potential complications, including cytokine storms and tissue damage.

ObjectivePrevious studies have indicated a decrease in T regulatory cells (Tregs) among patients with steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome. CCL22 and Leptin influenced the immune function of Tregs through their respective pathways. This study aimed to compare patients with steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome (SSNS) and steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS) in terms of CCL22 and Leptin levels.MethodsThis prospective study included 117 children diagnosed with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (INS). Peripheral blood samples were collected before initiating steroid therapy, and serum levels of CCL22 and Leptin were measured. Patients were categorized into three groups based on their response to steroid treatment. Renal biopsies were recommended for all children diagnosed with INS, with higher acceptance rates in glucocorticoid resistance patients.ResultsBased on the response to steroid treatment, 117 children were divided as groups of SSNS (82 cases), frequent relapse nephrotic syndrome (FRNS) (10 cases), and SRNS (25 cases). A total of 41 patients underwent kidney biopsy, 11 cases (13.4%) in SSNS, 7 cases (70.0%) in FRNS and 24 cases (96.0%) in SRNS. 30 cases were minimal change disease (MCD), 9 cases were mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis (MsPGN) and 3 cases were focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). The levels of Leptin were significantly higher in SR patients (1208.1 ± 1044.1 pg/ml) compared to SS patients (515.4 ± 676.9 pg/ml) and controls (507.9 ± 479.8 pg/ml), regardless of the pathological type. CCL22 levels were significantly elevated in SRNS (92.2 ± 157.0 pg/ml), but the difference seemed to be attributed to the specific type of pathology, such as Minimal change disease (MCD) (127.4 ± 206.7 pg/ml) and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) (114.8 ± 22.0 pg/ml). For SRNS prediction, the AUC of Leptin, CCL22, and the joint prediction index were 0.764, 0.640, and 0.806, respectively.ConclusionSerum levels of CCL22 and Leptin, detected prior to steroid therapy, were associated with steroid resistance in childhood INS.

In this paper, we combine electrospinning with laminar flow theory to verify the influence of the spinning needle length on the internal structure of PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride) nanofibers. The long spinning needle is referred as a reference like long ducts in the body of spiders. We also discussed the effect of different needle length on the micro-morphology, mechanical properties, electrical properties, porosity, and hydrophobic properties of PVDF nanofiber membranes. The results showed that when the needle length increased, more PVDF macromolecular chains will have sufficient time to be straightened and aligned, resulting in an increasingly ordered internal structure of the prepared PVDF nanofibers. The different length of the long needle has a certain influence on the morphology, mechanical properties, electrical properties, porosity, and hydrophobic properties of PVDF nanofiber membrane obtained by electrospinning. The more ordered the internal structure of nanofibers, the worse the membrane’s mechanical properties, but the lower its electrical resistivity.

Abstract INTRODUCTION We investigated trends in the incidence of dementia in UK adults with hypertension. METHODS Primary care electronic health records from IQVIA Medical Research Data UK, previously known as THIN, were used to identify 2,133,118 adults aged ≥40 years with hypertension over 2000 to 2021. The annual incidence rate and average annual percentage change in recorded dementia diagnoses were estimated and stratified by sex, 10‐year age bands, Townsend deprivation quintiles and dementia subtype. RESULTS The crude incidence rate of dementia in people with hypertension increased from 1.98 (95% confidence internal [CI] 1.89–2.07) per 1000 person‐years at risk (PYAR) in 2000 to 5.29 per 1000 PYAR (95% CI 5.07–5.53) in 2021, corresponding to an average annual increase of 4.1% (95% CI 3.3–5.0). Those aged ≥80 years, the most economically deprived (Townsend = 5), and Alzheimer's disease subtype reported the highest incidence rate within their respective categories. DISCUSSION The annual incidence rate of dementia in the hypertensive population has increased over the last 22 years. Highlights New dementia diagnosis in the hypertensive population has increased over 22 years. The Alzheimer's disease subtype reported the highest incidence rate in people with hypertension. Difference in dementia incidence between hypertensive females and males has reduced. Difference in dementia incidence among deprivation categories has reduced in recent years.

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are an important component of the tumor microenvironment; however, the interaction between Tregs and gastric cancer cells is not completely understood. Recent studies have shown that Tregs participate in cancer cell stemness maintenance. In this study, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing of gastric cancer and adjacent tissues and found that Tregs with high TNF expression were recruited to gastric cancer tissues and were significantly correlated with patient survival. TNF+ Tregs significantly contribute to tumor growth and progression. Our studies have further demonstrated that TNF+ Tregs promote the stemness of gastric cancer cells through the IL13/STAT3 pathway. Therefore, blocking the interaction between TNF+ Tregs and gastric cancer cells may be a new approach in the treatment of gastric cancer.

Abstract The broad application of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/Cas9 genome editing tools is hindered by challenges in the efficient delivery of its two components into specific cells and intracytoplasmic release. Herein, a novel copolymer for delivery of Cas9‐mRNA/ single‐guide RNA (Cas9‐mRNA/sgRNA) in vitro and vivo, using carboxylesterase‐responsive cationic triadic copolymeric nanoparticles targeted proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) for hyperlipidemia amelioration is reported. A dimethyl biguanide derivative is designed and synthesized to form cationic block, and copolymerization onto prepolymer with propyl methacrylate, to fabricate a triadic copolymer mPEG‐b‐P(Met/n‐PMA). The copolymer can self‐assemble with Cas9‐mRNA/sgRNA, indicating the excellent potential of nanoparticles to form a delivery carrier. This vehicle can efficiently release RNA in response to the hepatocytes carboxylesterase for genome editing. It was demonstrated that the mPEG‐b‐P(Met/n‐PMA)/Cas9 mRNA/sgRNA nanoparticles effectively accumulated in hepatocytes, lead to the inhibition of PCSK9, and lowered the levels of Low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol and total cholesterol in mouse serum down 20% of nontreatment. Interestingly, the nanoparticles even enable multiple functions in the regulation of blood glucose and weight. This study establishes a novel method to achieve complex CRISPR components stable loading, safe delivery, and fixed‐point release, which expand the application of CRISPR delivery systems.

BackgroundHypoglycaemia commonly occurs in patients diagnosed with diabetes mellitus (DM) and dementia. The impact of dementia on hypoglycaemic events is controversial. Thus, we evaluated whether dementia increases the risk of hypoglycaemic events in older patients diagnosed with DM.DesignA retrospective cohort study.SettingWe used the IQVIA Medical Research Data (IMRD-UK) database (formerly known as the THIN database).ParticipantsAll patients aged ≥55 years and diagnosed with DM who were prescribed at least two prescriptions of antidiabetic medication between 2000 and 2017. Two groups of patients, dementia and non-dementia group, were propensity-score (PS) matched at 1:2. The risk of hypoglycaemia was assessed through a Cox regression analysis.Main outcome and measuresHypoglycaemic events were determined during the follow-up period by Read codes.ResultsFrom the database, 133,664 diabetic patients were identified, with a mean follow-up of 6.11 years. During the study period, 7,762 diabetic patients diagnosed with dementia were matched with 12,944 diabetic patients who had not been diagnosed with dementia. The PS-matched Cox regression analysis showed that patients diagnosed with dementia were at a 2-fold increased risk for hypoglycaemic events compared with those not diagnosed with dementia (hazard ratio [HR], 2.00; 95% CI, 1.63–2.66). A similar result was shown for a multivariable analysis using all patient data (adjusted HR, 2.25; 95% CI, 2.22–2.32).ConclusionOur findings suggest that diabetic patients with a diagnosis of dementia have a statistically significant higher risk of experiencing hypoglycaemia.

Background & Aims: No prospective studies have examined the association between thigh subcutaneous fat distribution and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We investigated the associations of thigh subcutaneous fat distribution with incidence and remission of NAFLD in a community-based prospective cohort. Methods: We followed 1,787 subjects, who underwent abdominal ultrasonography, abdominal and femoral magnetic resonance imaging scans, and anthropometric assessments. Associations of thigh subcutaneous fat area/abdominal fat area ratio and thigh circumference/waist circumference ratio with incidence and remission of NAFLD were estimated using the modified Poisson regression model. Results: Over a mean 3.6-year follow-up, 239 incident cases of NAFLD and 207 regressed cases of NAFLD were identified. Increasing thigh subcutaneous fat area/abdominal fat area ratio was associated with a lower risk of incident NAFLD and a higher likelihood of remission of NAFLD [risk ratio (RR) per SD: 0.69, 95% CI 0.59-0.81; 1.20, 95% CI 1.07-1.34, respectively). Each one SD increase in thigh circumference/waist circumference ratio was associated with a 16% lower risk of incident NAFLD (RR 0.84, 95% CI 0.76-0.94) and a 22% higher likelihood of remission of NAFLD (RR 1.22, 95% CI 1.11-1.34). Additionally, the effects of thigh subcutaneous fat area/abdominal fat area ratio on the incidence and remission of NAFLD were mediated through adiponectin (14.9% and 26.6%), homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (9.5% and 23.9%), and triglyceride (7.5% and 19.1%). Conclusions: These results demonstrated that a favourable fat distribution, characterised by a greater ratio of thigh subcutaneous fat to abdominal fat, had a protective role against NAFLD. Impact and implications: The associations of thigh subcutaneous fat distribution with NAFLD incidence and remission have not been prospectively examined in a community-based cohort. Our findings suggest that greater thigh subcutaneous fat relative to a given amount of abdominal fat has a protective effect against NAFLD among the middle-aged and older Chinese populations.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major burden of healthcare worldwide. We aimed to determine the effects of PDE-5 inhibitors on clinical outcomes and haemodynamic parameters in patients with COPD. A PROSPERO-registered systematic review and meta-analysis (identification number CRD42021227578) were performed to analyse the effects of PDE-5 inhibitors in patients with COPD. Data were sourced from MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials and "ClinicalTrials.gov." Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing PDE-5 inhibitors with control in patients with COPD were included. Quality assessment was carried out using the Cochrane Collaboration’s tool for assessing the risk of bias in randomised trials. The pooled mean difference of 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) and mean pulmonary arterial pressure based on inverse variance estimation were analysed with a fixed-effect model or random-effects model meta-analysis. Nine RCTs involving 414 patients were included in the review. There was no significant difference in 6MWD (mean difference = 22.06 metres, 95% confidence interval (CI), −5.80 to 49.91). However, there was a statistically significant difference between PDE-5 inhibitor and control groups in mean pulmonary artery pressure (mean difference = −3.83 mmHg, 95% CI, −5.93 to −1.74). Headaches were the most common adverse event, occurring significantly in the PDE-5 inhibitor intervention group (odds ratio 3.83, 95% CI, 1.49 to 9.86). This systematic review indicates that PDE-5 inhibitors do not improve exercise capacity despite some possible improvements in haemodynamic parameters in COPD patients.

ObjectiveTo explore the effect of emotional catharsis on the mental health status， coping style and satisfaction with the intervention among adolescents in Nanchong in the post-pandemic period.MethodsCompletely random sampling method was used to recruit 390 adolescents from 2 general secondary schools， 2 county secondary schools and 2 universities in Nanchong from January 2021 to April 2022. The subjects were divided into study group （n=195） and control group （n=195） by random number table method. The study group received emotional catharsis intervention. The control group received self-regulation and relaxation without any other intervention. Interventions for both groups lasted for 3 months. Before and after the intervention， the mental health status and coping style of the adolescents were assessed using the Symptom Checklist 90 （SCL-90） and the Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire （SCSQ）. Also， the participants rated the satisfaction with the intervention via self-made satisfaction questionnaire after the intervention.ResultsAfter intervention， the total SCL-90 score of study group was lower than that of control group （t=68.312， P