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Abstract The electrolyte serves as a key component in organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) and allows for the modulation of the conductivity of the polymer channel by applying a voltage to the gate electrode. Different from liquid electrolytes in OECTs, the solid electrolyte is beneficial for the integration in the circuit and shows great stability. And considering the fabrication of the device, developing a new solution‐processed solid electrolyte for OECTs is a critical area of research. In this work, the organic–inorganic perovskite is used as the electrolyte to fabricate polymer electrochemical transistors due to its solid‐phase ion migration kinetics. To realize this goal, a separate polyethylene oxide (PEO) layer on top of the poly[2‐methoxy‐5‐(2‐ethylhexyloxy)‐1,4‐phenylenevinylene] (MEH‐PPV) layer plays a crucial role since it can affect the electric field and the ion motion. More importantly, based on this device structure, both a polymer light‐emitting electrochemical transistor and the polymer electrochemical phototransistor are realized. The solution‐processed solid organic–inorganic perovskite electrolytes can enable the development of integration in OECTs, which have significant potential for multifunctional applications.

The meat yield, and chemical and nutrients composition of the pond, rice-field and wild-caught crayfish meat were investigated. The results showed that the meat yield of pond crayfish (10.52%) was significantly higher than that of rice-field (10.05%) and wild-caught (10.32%) crayfish. The rice-field crayfish meat had the highest moisture contents (81.43%) and the lowest protein content (15.50%). The higher lipid contents were found in the rice-field and pond crayfish meat (1.10% and 1.19%, respectively). While, the pond crayfish meat had the highest essential amino acids (6.09 g/100 g) and total amino acids (16.21 g/100 g) content, and the Σn-3/Σn-6 PUFA ratio (1.78). The essential amino acid index in the pond and rice-field crayfish meat was higher than 70 which indicated that they were high-quality protein. The pond crayfish meat contained more macro-minerals, but less micro-minerals. While, the trace minerals were rich in the rice-field crayfish meat. The heavy metals contents in the crayfish meat were under limit. Overall, the pond, rice-field and wild-caught crayfish meat all exhibited good nutritional quality, and the pond crayfish meat showed better in terms of amino acids and fatty acids composition. For the rice-field crayfish, most of its nutritional quality were similar with the wild-caught crayfish.

The effect of steaming (100 ℃), boiling (100 ℃), frying (160 ℃) and high-pressure steam (121 ℃) on crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) quality was compared. The results showed that all four treatments have sterilization effect. The color, taste and texture of crayfish treated by steaming and boiling were better than by frying and high-pressure steam. Among the four cooking methods, the frying group has the highest cooking loss (32%) and thiobarbituric acid value (0.71 mg/kg). The effects of four thermal treatment on the content of astaxanthin of crayfish meat were significantly different. By comparing the content of volatile flavor compounds (VOCs), it was found that the crayfish treated by steaming and frying containing more species VOCs than the other two methods. For cooking crayfish, steaming could be beneficial for maintaining good edible quality. These results would be helpful for crayfish processing and new products development.

In this work, the authors demonstrate that LLPS of the quaternary USH2 protein complex initiates the formation of stereociliary ankle link condensates, providing insights into the pathogenesis of deafness.

Abstract Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common solid tumor with high rate of recurrence and mortality. Anti-angiogenesis drugs have been used for the therapy of HCC. However, anti-angiogenic drug resistance commonly occurs during HCC treatment. Thus, identification of a novel VEGFA regulator would be better understanding for HCC progression and anti-angiogenic therapy resistance. Ubiquitin specific protease 22 (USP22) as a deubiquitinating enzyme, participates in a variety of biological processes in numerous tumors. While the molecular mechanism underlying the effects of USP22 on angiogenesis is still needed to be clarified. Here, our results demonstrated that USP22 acts as a co-activator of VEGFA transcription. Importantly, USP22 is involved in maintenance of ZEB1 stability via its deubiquitinase activity. USP22 was recruited to ZEB1-binding elements on the promoter of VEGFA, thereby altering histone H2Bub levels, to enhance ZEB1-mediated VEGFA transcription. USP22 depletion decreased cell proliferation, migration, Vascular Mimicry (VM) formation, and angiogenesis. Furthermore, we provided the evidence to show that knockdown of USP22 inhibited HCC growth in tumor-bearing nude mice. In addition, the expression of USP22 is positively correlated with that of ZEB1 in clinical HCC samples. Our findings suggest that USP22 participates in the promotion of HCC progression, if not all, at least partially via up-regulation of VEGFA transcription, providing a novel therapeutic target for anti-angiogenic drug resistance in HCC.

The discovery and application of antibiotics in animal feeds have boomed the development of intensive animal husbandry in the last century, until the emergence of antibiotics-resistant bacteria. To alleviate the risks aroused by antibiotics-resistant bacteria, effective antibiotic substitutes are urgently needed to replace antibiotics. Essential oils (EOs) derived from plants are illustrated as the promising antibiotic substitutes used in animal feeds, as same as their current views for poultry and livestock industries in the future. It has been widely demonstrated that the phytochemicals in EOs show multiple biofunctionability and are less likely to induce resistance in bacteria. The beneficial effects of EOs feed supplementation on the intestinal inflammation, intestinal flora, immunity, digestion, and growth performances have been already extensively examined. However, the cost-effectiveness, odor, volatility, instability and bioavailability are the challenges in effectively utilizing EOs in animal intestines. Based on previous researches, and these challenges can partially be resolved by microencapsulation and nanotechnology are promising techniques to deal with these challenges. This article presents the feasibility and foundation of EOs application as antibiotic substitutes in animal feeds, and illustrates the mechanisms, functional performances and superiority of EOs compared with antibiotics.

Abstract Background Post-infectious bronchiolitis obliterans (PIBO) is the most common sequelae in children with adenovirus pneumonia (ADVP). However, there are few studies on the risk factors for PIBO occurrence. This study aims to investigate the risk factors for PIBO in pediatric patients with severe ADVP, especially after invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV), as well as to build a nomogram prediction model. Methods The clinical data, laboratory and imaging features, and treatment of 863 children with ADVP under 3 years old who were admitted to our hospital from January to December 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 66 children with severe ADVP received IMV treatment. The situation and the influencing factors of PIBO in children with severe ADVP were explored, and a nomogram prediction model was constructed. Results Among the 863 cases of ADVP, 46 cases (5.33%) developed PIBO. Duration of fever, IMV, complications, and neutrophil percentage were independent risk factors for PIBO in children with ADVP. Among the 66 patients with ADVP who underwent IMV, 33 patients (50.0%) developed PIBO. Gender, duration of fever, adenovirus (ADV) load, and mixed fungal coinfections were independent risk factors for PIBO. In the nomogram prediction model analysis, the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.857; in addition, Hosmer‒Lemeshow (H–L) detection reflected good alignment (χ2 = 68.75, P

Abstract Key message Short-term nitrogen (N) deposition stimulates phosphorus (P) demand owing to the growth improvment of Phyllostachys edulis seedlings. Increased N loads led to the acquisition and utilization of sufficient P, while the limitation of P starvation could be alleviated by the higher activity of soil acid phosphatase and P use efficiency rather than P resorption from senescent organs. Context Plants in most terrestrial ecosystems are usually subjected to natural phosphorus (P) deficiency or surplus by overfertilization associated with increasing global nitrogen (N) deposition. As the widely distributed gramineous plant in Southern China, moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis (Carrière) J. Houz) grows fast and it also shows a relatively good growth performance under the variable N and P conditions. However, few studies focus on the special mechanism of P mobilization and utilization of moso bamboo, especially with the N loads. Aims The objective of this study was to figure out the mechanisms of P mobilization and utilization in P. edulis seedlings under varying levels of soil P and N deposition conditions in the subtropical region of China. Methods We grew P. edulis seedlings under 3 experimental N deposition rates (0 (N −), 30 (N +), and 60 (N + +) kg N ha−1·a−1) and 3 levels of soil P (2.99 mg·kg−1, soil available P content under natural conditions, denoted as P1; 20 mg·kg−1, P2; and 40 mg·kg−1, P3). We measured growth traits and analyzed the related P use indices. Results Dry weight and P accumulation of new leaves and stems increased with increasing N loads under the 3 P treatments, with the positive effects of N deposition being stronger in the P2 and P3 treatments. Compared with N − , N + , and N + + significantly increased P use efficiency (PUE) (+ 15.54% and + 12.47%, respectively) regardless of soil P conditions. The P resorption efficiency showed a decreasing tendency under variable P conditions with increasing N, whereas PUE was further increased. Acid phosphatase (APase) activity and soil available P content were significantly improved by N loads in P1. Conclusion Phyllostachys edulis seedlings showed high growth plasticity and P mobilization mechanisms under different soil P availability with N loads. In general, N addition stimulated P demand of P. edulis seedlings owing to the growth promotion in the short period of experiment. A special P use mechanism in P deficiency conditions was that the limitation of P starvation was alleviated by the higher soil APase activity and PUE instead of P resorption from senescent organs. The long-term effect of N deposition on P mobilization and utilization in P. edulis forests requires further monitoring.

Abstract The amygdala, or an amygdala-like structure, is found in the brains of all vertebrates and plays a critical role in survival and reproduction. However, the cellular architecture of the amygdala and how it has evolved remain elusive. Here, we generated single-nucleus RNA-sequencing data for more than 200,000 cells in the amygdala of humans, macaques, mice, and chickens. Abundant neuronal cell types from different amygdala subnuclei were identified in all datasets. Cross-species analysis revealed that inhibitory neurons and inhibitory neuron-enriched subnuclei of the amygdala were well-conserved in cellular composition and marker gene expression, whereas excitatory neuron-enriched subnuclei were relatively divergent. Furthermore, LAMP5 + interneurons were much more abundant in primates, while DRD2 + inhibitory neurons and LAMP5 + SATB2 + excitatory neurons were dominant in the human central amygdalar nucleus (CEA) and basolateral amygdalar complex (BLA), respectively. We also identified CEA-like neurons and their species-specific distribution patterns in chickens. This study highlights the extreme cell-type diversity in the amygdala and reveals the conservation and divergence of cell types and gene expression patterns across species that may contribute to species-specific adaptations.

As a kind of food additive with natural, high efficiency and safety, nisin was widely used in food storage and preservation due to its broad spectrum antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria. This article reviews the patents of Nisin in the application of food storage and preservation based on the existing patent data and progress in techniques. It focuses on the current situation in patent application of Nisin from the aspects of single application, compound antiseptic, Nisin combined with physical technology, microencapsulation and antibacterial foodstuff packaging film. The results imply that enterprises should accelerate patent application in the hot research field, such as the synergistic antimicrobial activity of Nisin and other food additives, and rationally utilize invalid patent technology. Besides, they should avoid the risk of patent infringement and realize the high speed development of the Nisin application technology.

With the rapid advancement of digital technology, artificial intelligence has ushered in a digital society. In this era, digital literacy has become a prerequisite for individuals, as its absence can lead to new vulnerabilities and inequalities, hindering the pursuit of sustainable development goals. Previous researches predominantly relied on questionnaires to assess digital literacy, often focusing on specific groups due to survey costs, making their methodology unsuitable for comprehensive countrywide measurement. To address these limitations, we propose FLAKE, a national digital literacy assessment framework. Within this framework, we devise a multi-task deep learning model called DLMaN, which employs mobile big data, such as users’ digital behaviors, to predict citizens’ digital literacy. FLAKE enables cost-effective assessment of digital literacy for massive citizens by surveying only a fraction of them and it also has valuable implications for other social research tasks. We test the framework’s performance using authentic survey data and mobile big data, achieving RMSE and MAPE of 5.233 and 8.65% respectively, and the improvement is significant compared to the baseline model. We further employ this model to assess the digital literacy of numerous citizens in China and explore the implications for the society and individuals based on the obtained results.

The global morbidity and mortality of cardiovascular diseases are increasing yearly, among which vascular diseases are the main cause of death. Traditional drugs have multiple limitations in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, and there is a lack of effective means to treat cardiovascular diseases. Exosomes, as transmitters of important intercellular information, are involved in normal physiological and pathological processes of blood vessels and are closely associated with intimal hyperplasia, vascular sclerosis and thrombosis. Engineered exosomes are obtained by modification of natural membrane vesicles, and they have the advantages of targeting, extended duration of action and detectability, which can be an excellent alternative for cardiovascular disease treatment. There is an absence of reviews on how exosomes secreted by various cells affect disease regression when vascular homeostasis is disrupted and how engineered exosomes are regulated to maintain vascular homeostasis. Therefore, this paper reviews the regulatory mechanisms of exosomes in diseases related to vascular homeostasis, briefly describes the application of engineered exosomes in vessels, and explores the potential of engineered exosomes in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, providing a new idea for the precise regulation of exosomes in the treatment of vascular diseases.

Abstract Background Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the most common chronic lung disease creating an immense burden on social health care systems. Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) has proven to be effective in patients with COPD. However, exercise training as the basis of PR becomes extremely tedious, occasionally causing a loss of perseverance in patients. Therefore, we considered an approach that makes this technique interesting and easier to persist. The aim of this project was to explore an exercise training approach based on PR-integrated coached exercise training to promote the new exercise training approach as a form of group rehabilitation activity in the future. Methods Participants will be randomly divided into the trial and control groups. The trial group will be treated with PR-integrated coached exercise training (plus usual care). All exercise programs will be guided by sports coaches with a physical education background. Meanwhile, the control group will receive traditional PR and home exercises, including walking and swimming. The study will last for 12 weeks. The primary outcome measure is exercise tolerance using the 6-min walking test and secondary outcomes are the peak oxygen uptake of cardiopulmonary exercise tests, the COPD Assessment Test, and the St. Georges Respiratory Questionnaire. Other evaluated outcomes include changes in postbronchodilator forced expiratory volume at 1st second, forced vital capacity, body fat and muscle composition, and mental status measured using the Hamilton Anxiety and Depression Scales. Discussion This study provides a simple, feasible, repeatable, and fun exercise training approach. To the best of our knowledge, there are no randomized controlled trials in the existing literature on PR-integrated coached exercise. The protocol shared in our study can be used as a reference for exercise training in patients with COPD. Trial registration Ethical approval (BF2020-236–02) was obtained from the Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine Human Research Ethics Committee. All participants signed an informed consent form. ChiCTR-2100043543. The registration date is 2021/02/21 and it is the third version.

Abstract Sphaeropteris lepifera is a tree fern in the Cyatheaceae, a family that has played an important role in the evolution of plant systems. This study aimed to analyze the complete chloroplast genome of S. lepifera and compared it with previously published chloroplast genomes Cyatheaceae family. The chloroplast genome of S. lepifera comprised 162,114 bp, consisting of a large single copy (LSC) region of 86,327 bp, a small single copy (SSC) region of 27,731 bp and a pair of inverted repeats (IRa and IRb) of 24,028 bp each. The chloroplast genome encoded 129 genes, comprising 32 transfer RNAs, 8 ribosomal RNAs, and 89 protein-coding genes. Comparison of the genomes of 7 Cyatheaceae plants showed that the chloroplast genome of S. lepifera was missing the gene trnV-UAC. Expansion of the SSC region led to the difference in the chloroplast genome size of S. lepifera. Eight genes, atpI, ccsA, petA, psaB, rpl16, rpoA, rpoC1, and ycf2 have high nucleic acid diversity and can be regarded as potential molecular markers. The genes trnG-trnR and atpB were suitable for DNA barcodes between different communities of S. lepifera. The S. lepifera groups in Zhejiang Province probably diffused from Pingtan and Ningde, Fujian. The results will provide a basis for species identification, biological studies, and endangerment mechanism of S. lepifera.

Abstract Background Transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block can provide effective analgesia for abdominal surgery. However, it was questionable whether TAP had additional effect in the context of multimodal analgesia (MMA). Therefore, this study aimed to assess the additional analgesic effect of preoperative TAP block when added to MMA protocol in open gynecological surgery. Methods In this prospective, randomized-controlled trial, 64 patients scheduled for open gynecological surgery were randomized to receive preoperative TAP block (Study group, n = 32) or placebo (Control group, n = 32) in addition to MMA protocol comprising dexamethasone, acetaminophen, flurbiprofen and celecoxib, and rescued morphine analgesia. The primary outcome was rescued morphine within 24 h after surgery. Secondary outcomes included pain scores, adverse effects, quality of recovery measured by 40-item quality of recovery questionnaire score (QoR-40) at 24 h, and quality of life measured with short-form health survey (SF − 36) on postoperative day (POD) 30. Results The Study group had less rescued morphine than the control group within 24 h [5 (2–9) vs. 8.5 (5–12.8) mg, P = 0.013]. The Study group had lower pain scores at 1 h [3 (2–4) vs. 4 (3–5), P = 0.007], 2 h [3 (2–4) vs. 3.5 (3–5), P = 0.010] and 6 h [3 (2–3) vs. 3 (2.3–4), P = 0.028], lower incidence of nausea at 48 h (25.8% vs. 50%, P = 0.039), and higher satisfaction score [10 (10–10) vs. 10 (8–10), P = 0.041]. The SF-36 bodily pain score on POD 30 was higher in the Study group (59 ± 13 vs. 49 ± 16, P = 0.023). Conclusions Preoperative TAP block had additional analgesic effect for open gynecological surgery when used as part of multimodal analgesia. Rescued morphine within 24 h was significantly reduced and the SF-36 bodily pain dimension at 30 days after surgery was significantly improved. Trial registration www.chictr.org.cn (ChiCTR2000040343, on Nov 28 2020).

Abstract The GABA(B) receptor agonist baclofen is known to suppress the rate of spontaneous swallowing but not pharyngeal muscle contraction. The extent to which baclofen may alter volitional swallowing is not currently known. We investigated the effects of baclofen in healthy subjects, hypothesizing that baclofen exposure would alter volume‐regulation and/or piecemeal deglutition behaviors during volitional swallowing attempts. Pharyngeal high‐resolution manometry impedance (P‐HRM‐I) protocol was used to assess swallowing function of 22 healthy adult volunteers (median 29 years) who were investigated on two occasions, receiving 40 mg baclofen (oral) 1 h before study, or placebo (randomized). Standard swallow function variables recommended by the pharyngeal HRM Working Group were derived for 5 ml, 10 ml, and 20 ml volumes of thin and extremely thick liquid challenges. Multiple swallow behaviors, comprising two swallows

The precise isolation of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from blood samples is a potent tool for cancer diagnosis and clinical prognosis. However, CTCs are present in extremely low quantities in the bloodstream, posing a significant challenge to their isolation. In this study, we propose a non-contact acoustic micropillar array (AMPA) chip based on acoustic streaming for the flexible, label-free capture of cancer cells. Three shapes of micropillar array chips (circular, rhombus, and square) were fabricated. The acoustic streaming characteristics generated by the vibration of microstructures of different shapes are studied in depth by combining simulation and experiment. The critical parameters (voltage and flow rate) of the device were systematically investigated using microparticle experiments to optimize capture performance. Subsequently, the capture efficiencies of the three micropillar structures were experimentally evaluated using mouse whole blood samples containing cancer cells. The experimental results revealed that the rhombus microstructure was selected as the optimal shape, demonstrating high capture efficiency (93%) and cell activity (96%). Moreover, the reversibility of the acoustic streaming was harnessed for the flexible release and capture of cancer cells, facilitating optical detection and analysis. This work holds promise for applications in monitoring cancer metastasis, bio-detection, and beyond.

The coat protein (CP) is an important structural protein that plays many functional roles during the viral cycle. In this study, the CP of pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV) was genetically fused to GFP using the foot-and-mouth disease virus peptide 2A linker peptide and the construct (PMMoV-GFP2A) was shown to be infectious. The systemic spread of the virus was monitored by its fluorescence in infected plants. Electron microscopy and immunocolloidal gold labelling confirmed that PMMoV-GFP2A forms rod-shaped particles on which GFP is displayed. Studies of tissue ultrastructure and virion self-assembly confirmed that PMMoV-GFP2A could be used to monitor the real-time dynamic changes of CP location during virus infection. Aggregations of GFP-tagged virions appeared as fluorescent plaques in confocal laser microscopy. Altogether, PMMoV-GFP2A is a useful tool for studying the spatial and temporal changes of PMMoV CP during viral infection.

Cannabis use stimulates calorie intake, but epidemiological studies show that people who regularly use it are leaner than those who don’t. Two explanations have been proposed for this paradoxical finding. One posits that Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in cannabis desensitizes adipose CB1 cannabinoid receptors, stopping their stimulating effects on lipogenesis and adipogenesis. Another explanation is that THC exposure in adolescence, when habitual cannabis use typically starts, produces lasting changes in the developing adipose organ, which impacts adult systemic energy use. Here, we consider these possibilities in the light of a study which showed that daily THC administration in adolescent mice produces an adult metabolic phenotype characterized by reduced fat mass, partial resistance to obesity and dyslipidemia, and impaired thermogenesis and lipolysis. The phenotype, whose development requires activation of CB1 receptors in differentiated adipocytes, is associated with overexpression of myocyte proteins in the adipose organ with unchanged CB1 expression. We propose that adolescent exposure to THC causes lasting adipocyte dysfunction and the consequent emergence of a metabolic state that only superficially resembles healthy leanness. A corollary of this hypothesis, which should be addressed in future studies, is that CB1 receptors and their endocannabinoid ligands may contribute to the maintenance of adipocyte differentiation during adolescence.

In micro-abrasive water jet polishing (MAWJP) technology, where abrasive particles serve as polishing tools, particles tend to form large clusters, leading to increased nozzle wear and diminished material polishing quality. Achieving a polishing solution with good dispersion stability is crucial for enhancing polishing accuracy and minimizing nozzle wear. Therefore, this study employed three dispersants with distinct dispersion mechanisms to examine the impact of each dispersant’s concentration on the dispersion stability of the polishing solution across various abrasive concentrations. Through experimentation, the optimal dispersant type and concentration ratio of abrasive to dispersant were determined, and the effect of the selected dispersant on jet polishing performance was validated. The results of the dispersion stability experiment indicated that, in comparison to Na(PO3)6 and polyethylene glycol (PEG), the polishing solution containing 1.0–2.0 wt% phosphoric ester compounds exhibited a more stable dispersion effect (zeta potential < −50 mV) and superior dispersibility, characterized by a smaller average particle size. Furthermore, K9 optical glass was subjected to fixed-point and local polishing using phosphoric ester compounds as the dispersant. The fixed-point polishing experiment revealed that, at a dispersant concentration of 1.0 wt% and an abrasive concentration of 20 wt%, a smooth and symmetrical material removal profile could be achieved. In the local polishing experiment, the reduction rate of the root mean square of the surface roughness (RMS) increased from 54.33% to 82.24%, and the reduction rate of peak-to-valley height difference in surface (PV) increased from 38.84% to 68.97%. In conclusion, the incorporation of a dispersant proves effective in enhancing the dispersion stability of the polishing solution and dispersibility of the abrasive particles, thereby improving the surface quality of the materials in MAWJP.

The milestone discovery of GW170817-GRB 170817A-AT 2017gfo has shown that gravitational waves (GWs) could be produced during the merger of a neutron star–neutron star/black hole and that in electromagnetic (EM) waves, a gamma-ray burst (GRB) and a kilonova (KN) are generated in sequence after the merger. Observationally, however, EM properties before the merger phase are still unclear. Here we report a peculiar precursor in a KN-associated long-duration GRB 211211A, providing evidence of the EM before the merger. This precursor lasts ∼0.2 s, and the waiting time between the precursor and the main burst is ∼1 s, comparable to that between GW170817 and GRB 170817A. The spectrum of the precursor could be well fit with a nonthermal cutoff power-law model instead of a blackbody. In particular, a ∼22 Hz quasiperiodic oscillation candidate (∼3 σ ) is detected in the precursor. These temporal and spectral properties indicate that this precursor is probably produced by a catastrophic flare accompanied with magnetoelastic or crustal oscillations of a magnetar in a binary compact merger. The strong magnetic field of the magnetar can also account for the prolonged duration of GRB 211211A. However, it poses a challenge to reconcile the rather short lifetime of a magnetar with the rather long spiraling time of a binary neutron star system only by the GW radiation before the merger.

We present a detailed analysis of the unusual absorption- and emission-line spectrum of the quasar SDSS J074850.39+442439.0 (hereafter J0748+4424) at a redshift of z = 2.18. The archival SDSS optical spectrum is abundant in narrow absorption lines (NALs) originating from mostly singly ionized iron, nickel, and silicon ions at both ground and excited levels. With the aid of the photoionization simulations, we find that these NALs can be reasonably well reproduced by a homogeneous gas slab with a neutral hydrogen column density of 10 ^21.6 –10 ^21.9 cm ^−2 and a number density of 10 ^6.0 –10 ^6.6 cm ^−3 illuminated by the quasar central engine with an ionization parameter of 10 ^−2.8 –10 ^−2.1 . We infer the gas is located at a distance of ∼30–130 pc from the black hole. This circumnuclear gas can reveal itself in emission lines of a width of ∼1000 km s ^−1 . Such intermediate-width emission lines (IELs) are indeed dominant in the observed Ly α emission, as the Ly α broad emission line (BEL) is mostly eaten up by the expected damped Ly α absorption (DLA). The IELs, though rather weak, are also detected in H α and [O iii ] emission lines. The IEL intensities largely agree with the predicted values by the simplified photoionization models using the parameters derived from the absorption lines and a covering fraction of 10%. The intrinsic DLA in J0748+4424, while itself contains abundant information on the circumnuclear environment, may serve as a “natural coronagraph” at the line of sight, exposing the IELs that are otherwise overwhelmed by the BELs.

By using the Fermi/Gamma-ray Burst Monitor data of the X-ray bursts (XRBs) of SGR J1935+2154, we investigate the temporal clustering of the bursts and the cumulative distribution of the waiting time and fluence/flux. It is found that the bursts occurring in the episode hosting FRB 20200428 have obviously shorter waiting times than those in the other episodes. The general statistical properties of the XRBs further indicate they could belong to a self-organized critical system (e.g., starquakes), making them very similar to the earthquake phenomena. Then, according to a unified scaling law between the waiting time and energy of the earthquakes as well as their aftershocks, we implement an analogy analysis on the XRBs and find that the fast radio burst (FRB) episode owns more dependent burst events than the other episodes. It is indicated that the FRB emission could be produced by the interaction between different burst events, which could correspond to a collision between different seismic/Alfvén waves or different explosion outflows. Such a situation could appear when the magnetar enters into a global intensive activity period.

Strong gravitational lensing is a powerful tool for investigating dark matter and dark energy properties. With the advent of large-scale sky surveys, we can discover strong-lensing systems on an unprecedented scale, which requires efficient tools to extract them from billions of astronomical objects. The existing mainstream lens-finding tools are based on machine-learning algorithms and applied to cutout-centered galaxies. However, according to the design and survey strategy of optical surveys by the China Space Station Telescope (CSST), preparing cutouts with multiple bands requires considerable efforts. To overcome these challenges, we have developed a framework based on a hierarchical visual transformer with a sliding window technique to search for strong-lensing systems within entire images. Moreover, given that multicolor images of strong-lensing systems can provide insights into their physical characteristics, our framework is specifically crafted to identify strong-lensing systems in images with any number of channels. As evaluated using CSST mock data based on a semianalytic model named CosmoDC2, our framework achieves precision and recall rates of 0.98 and 0.90, respectively. To evaluate the effectiveness of our method in real observations, we have applied it to a subset of images from the DESI Legacy Imaging Surveys and media images from Euclid Early Release Observations. A total of 61 new strong-lensing system candidates are discovered by our method. However, we also identified false positives arising primarily from the simplified galaxy morphology assumptions within the simulation. This underscores the practical limitations of our approach while simultaneously highlighting potential avenues for future improvements.

SGR J1935+2154 has truly been the most prolific magnetar over the last decade: it has been entering into burst active episodes once every 1–2 yr since its discovery in 2014, it emitted the first Galactic fast radio burst associated with an X-ray burst in 2020, and it has emitted hundreds of energetic short bursts. Here, we present the time-resolved spectral analysis of 51 bright bursts from SGR J1935+2154. Unlike conventional time-resolved X-ray spectroscopic studies in the literature, we follow a two-step approach to probe true spectral evolution. For each burst, we first extract spectral information from overlapping time segments, fit them with three continuum models, and employ a machine-learning-based clustering algorithm to identify time segments that provide the largest spectral variations during each burst. We then extract spectra from those nonoverlapping (clustered) time segments and fit them again with the three models: the cutoff power-law model, the sum of two blackbody functions, and the model considering the emission of a modified blackbody undergoing resonant cyclotron scattering, which is applied systematically at this scale for the first time. Our novel technique allowed us to establish the genuine spectral evolution of magnetar bursts. We discuss the implications of our results and compare their collective behavior with the average burst properties of other magnetars.

Graphene aerogels (GAs) are of significant interest in the scientific community due to their unique attributes, including a three-dimensional porous structure, exceptional specific surface area, and remarkable chemical stability. Researchers have made notable breakthroughs in aerogel preparation, focusing on aspects like porous structures and chemical stability. This review explores product morphologies and properties developed between 2011 and 2023, particularly examining applications of graphene aerogels with amine or alcohol radical scavengers. It offers a roadmap for researchers, suggesting possibilities for radiation-based preparation and indicating broader applications. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of aerogels and expand the potential applications of graphene aerogels across various fields.

The dynamic changes over time in the relationships between impulsivity, interpersonal problems, and depression warrant further exploration. This study delves into the roles of impulsivity and interpersonal issues in the progression of adolescent depression over a year, using a sample of 271 Chinese adolescents (51.7% male, Mage = 12.60 ± 0.69). At three time points, impulsivity levels were assessed with the Chinese version of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11, interpersonal problems with the Adolescent Self-Rating Life Events Check List, and depression with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Results revealed that both impulsivity and interpersonal problems serve as risk factors for depression, but the primary risk factor shifted over time. In early middle school stages, impulsivity was the predominant risk factor, while in later stages, interpersonal problems became the primary risk factor. These findings carry significant implications for directing prevention efforts and interventions for adolescent depression.

Abstract The CRISPR gene editing tool holds great potential for curing genetic disorders. However, the safe, efficient, and specific delivery of the CRISPR/Cas9 components into cells and tissues remains a challenge. While many currently available delivery methods achieve high levels of gene editing effects in vivo, they often result in genotoxicity and immunogenicity. Extracellular vesicles (EVs), which are cell‐derived lipid nanoparticles, are capable of transferring protein and nucleic acid cargoes between cells, making them a promising endogenous alternative to synthetic delivery methods. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the currently available strategies for EV‐mediated delivery of CRISPR/Cas9. These strategies include cell‐based, passive loading obtained by overexpression of CRISPR/Cas9, active loading involving protein or RNA dimerization, and loading into already purified EVs. All these approaches suggest that EV‐based CRISPR/Cas9 delivery is useful for achieving both in vitro and in vivo gene editing. Despite that, substantial variations in cellular uptake and gene editing efficiencies indicate that further improvement and standardization are required for the therapeutic use of EVs as a CRISPR/Cas9 delivery vehicle. These improvements include, but is not limited to, the high‐yield purification of EVs, increased loading and release efficiencies, as well as improved tissue‐ or cell‐specific targeting specificities.

IntroductionAs a developing country with the largest older adult population in the world, strengthening the research on falls among the older adults is undoubtedly an urgent item in China. This study aimed to explore the prevalence and risk factors associated with falls and injury from falls among community-dwelling older adults in Guangzhou, China, particularly focusing on their associations with chronic diseases.MethodsA total of 1,629 participants aged 65 years and above were selected from 11 counties in Guangzhou by the multi-stage stratified random sampling method in 2021. Socio-demographic characteristics, health and lifestyle factors, the status of falls, and injury from falls were measured by structured questionnaires through face-to-face interviews. Chi-square tests and logistic regression analysis were used to identify factors associated with falls and injury from falls. Chord diagrams were used to explore their associations with chronic diseases.ResultsA total of 251 participants (15.41%, 95% CI: 13.98%−17.25%) reported falls, and 162 participants (9.46%, 95% CI:7.72%−11.55%) indicated an injury from falls. Logistic regression analysis showed the results as follows: female patients (adjusted OR = 1.721, 95% CI: 1.681–1.761) aged ≥80 years (1.910, 1.847–1.975), unemployed (1.226, 1.171–1.284), uninsured (1.555, 1.448–1.671), average monthly household income of 2,001–4,000 CNY (1.878, 1.827–1.930), number of services provided by the community health center ≥13 times per year (1.428, 1.383–1.475), illness within 2 weeks (1.633, 1.595–1.672), high-intensity physical activity (2.254, 2.191–2.32), sedentary (1.094, 1.070–1.117), and number of chronic disease illnesses ≥3 (1.930, 1.870–1.993). Meanwhile, those risk factors were also associated with injury from falls. The older adults with medium-intensity physical activity were at lower risk (0.721, 0.705–0.737) of falls and higher risk (1.086, 1.057–1.117) of being injured from falls. Chord diagrams showed the correlations between chronic diseases and falls and injury from falls among community-dwelling older adults in Guangzhou, China.ConclusionThe high prevalence of falls is found among community-dwelling older adults in Guangzhou, China, which is related to multiple factors such as demographic variables, lifestyle, and health status, especially for chronic diseases. Therefore, targeted interventions should be developed and implemented urgently.

Summary: Human plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) play a central role in initiating and activating host immune responses during infection. To understand how the transcriptome of pDCs is impacted by HIV-1 infection and exogenous stimulation, we isolated pDCs from healthy controls, people with HIV-1 (PWH) before and during toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) agonist treatment and performed single-cell (sc)-RNA sequencing. Our cluster analysis revealed four pDC clusters: pDC1, pDC2, cytotoxic-like pDC and an exhausted pDC cluster. The inducible cytotoxic-like pDC cluster is characterized by high expression of both antiviral and cytotoxic genes. Further analyses confirmed that cytotoxic-like pDCs are distinct from NK and T cells. Cell-cell communication analysis also demonstrated that cytotoxic-like pDCs exhibit similar incoming and outgoing cellular communicating signals as other pDCs. Thus, our study presents a detailed transcriptomic atlas of pDCs and provides new perspectives on the mechanisms of regulation and function of cytotoxic-like pDCs.

Summary: Plant-based flavonoids have been evaluated as inhibitors of β-coronavirus replication and as therapies for COVID-19 on the basis of their safety profile and widespread availability. The SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) has been implicated as a target for flavonoids in silico. Yet no comprehensive in vitro testing of flavonoid activity against SARS-CoV-2 Mpro has heretofore been performed. We screened 1,019 diverse flavonoids for their ability to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 Mpro. Multiple structure-activity relationships were identified among active compounds such as enrichment of galloylated flavonoids and biflavones, including multiple biflavone analogs of apigenin. In a cell-based SARS-CoV-2 replication assay, the most potent inhibitors were apigenin and the galloylated pinocembrin analog, pinocembrin 7-O-(3''-galloyl-4'',6''-(S)-hexahydroxydiphenoyl)-beta-D-glucose (PGHG). Molecular dynamic simulations predicted that PGHG occludes the S1 binding site via a galloyl group and induces a conformational change in Mpro. These studies will advance the development of plant-based flavonoids—including widely available natural products—to target β-coronaviruses.

Immunoprofiling has become a crucial tool for understanding the complex interactions between the immune system and diseases or interventions, such as therapies and vaccinations. Immune response biomarkers are critical for understanding those relationships and potentially developing personalized intervention strategies. Single-cell data have emerged as a promising source for identifying immune response biomarkers. In this review, we discuss the current state-of-the-art methods for immunoprofiling, including those for reducing the dimensionality of high-dimensional single-cell data and methods for clustering, classification, and prediction. We also draw attention to recent developments in data integration.

Objective: Metformin is a widely used drug, with a good safety profile, for treatment of type 2 diabetes. Recently, it has been found to also exhibit immunomodulatory potential. We aim to preliminarily explore the potential role of metformin in regulating innate immunity using UM-HET3 mice. Methods: In this study, we treated juvenile UM-HET3 mice with metformin and investigated the alteration of the innate immune response. Peripheral blood of HET3 mice was treated with ex-vivo lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation to induce a leukocyte inflammatory response, which was detected by analyzing the expression of LPS receptors TLR4 and CD14 on leukocytes with flow cytometry. Furthermore, cytokine release induced by LPS was measured in isolated cell culture supernatants with ELISA. Results: In this study LPS treatment triggered a downregulation of TLR4 as well as an upregulation of CD14 expressed on the cell surface. Besides, it enhanced the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6. The results showed that metformin treatment led to a significant ( p < .05) increase in the expression of CD14 and pro-inflammatory cytokines, including IL-1β and IL-6, as well as increased proportion of TLR4 downregulation on the cell surface in response to LPS, specifically in males. Conclusions: This study indicates that treating juvenile mice with metformin enhances the innate immune response to bacterial endotoxin in males, but not in females.

Buildings, which play an important role in the daily lives of humans, are a significant indicator of urban development. Currently, automatic building extraction from high-resolution remote sensing images (RSI) has become an important means in urban studies, such as urban sprawl, urban planning, urban heat island effect, population estimation and damage evaluation. In this article, we propose a building extraction method that combines bottom-up RSI low-level feature extraction with top-down guidance from prior knowledge. In high-resolution RSI, buildings usually have high intensity, strong edges and clear textures. To generate primary features, we propose a feature space transform method that consider building. We propose an object oriented method for high-resolution RSI shadow extraction. Our method achieves user accuracy and producer accuracy above 95% for the extraction results of the experimental images. The overall accuracy is above 97%, and the quantity error is below 1%. Compared with the traditional method, our method has better performance on all the indicators, and the experiments prove the effectiveness of the method.

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is the main cause of disability in diabetes patients but the efficacy of available drugs is poor. Moxibustion is an adjunctive treatment for DPN that can reduce symptoms. The peak value of the far infrared wavelength of 10.6 μm laser moxibustion is close to the infrared radiation spectrum of traditional moxibustion. Its effect is similar to that of moxibustion and does not cause pain, infection or produce irritating smoke. Twenty-four male SD rats were divided into control (Con), DPN, laser moxibustion (LM), and pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) groups (n=6/group). The DPN, LM and PDTC group rats were intraperitoneally injected with 1% streptozotocin (STZ) to induce a model of DPN. LM group rats were irradiated with a laser at bilateral ST36 acupoints for 15 min, once every other day, for 14 days. PDTC group rats were intraperitoneally injected with PDTC once a day. Body weight, blood glucose, and paw withdrawal mechanical threshold (PWMT) were measured and laser speckle imaging (LSI) performed before and after modeling and at 1 and 2 weeks after intervention. Two weeks after intervention, changes in serum interleukin 1β (IL1β), interleukin 6 (IL6), tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) and nerve growth factor (NGF) were analyzed, and the abundance of NF-κB and IκB-α proteins and levels of NF-κB and IκB-α mRNAs in the sciatic nerve were observed. The results showed that 10.6 μm laser moxibustion can relieve pain, improve microcirculation, and alleviate inflammation in DPN rats, possibly via the NF-κB inflammatory pathway.

Tissue infection typically results from blood transmission or the direct inoculation of bacteria following trauma. The pathogen-induced destruction of tissue prevents antibiotics from penetrating the infected site, and severe inflammation further impairs the efficacy of conventional treatment. The current study describes the size-dependent induction of macrophage polarization using gold nanoparticles. Gold nanoparticles with a diameter of 50 ​nm (Au50) can induce M2 polarization in macrophages by inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway and stimulate an inflammatory response in the environment by inhibiting the MAPK signaling pathway LPS. Furthermore, the induced polarization and anti-inflammatory effects of the Au50 nanoparticles promoted the osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs in vitro. In addition, the overexpression of TREM2 in macrophage induced by Au50 nanoparticles was found to promote macrophage phagocytosis of Staphylococcus aureus, enhance the fusion of autophagosomes and lysosomes, accelerate the intracellular degradation of S. aureus, in addition to achieving an effective local treatment of osteomyelitis and infectious skin defects in conjunction with inflammatory regulation and accelerating bone regeneration. The findings, therefore, demonstrate that Au50 nanoparticles can be utilized as a promising nanomaterial for in vivo treatment of infections.

Summary: Articular cartilage tissue engineering is being considered an alternative treatment strategy for promoting cartilage damage repair. Herein, we proposed a modular hydrogel-based bioink containing microsphere-embedded chondrocytes for 3D printing multiscale scaffolds integrating the micro and macro environment of the native articular cartilage. Gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA)/alginate microsphere was prepared by a microfluidic approach, and the chondrocytes embedded in the microspheres remained viable after being frozen and resuscitated. The modular hydrogel bioink could be printed via the gel-in-gel 3D bioprinting strategy for fabricating the multiscale hydrogel-based scaffolds. Meanwhile, the cells cultured in the scaffolds showed good proliferation and differentiation. Furthermore, we also found that the composite hydrogel was biocompatible in vivo. These results indicated that the modular hydrogel-based bioinks containing microsphere-embedded chondrocytes for 3D printing multiscale scaffolds could provide a 3D multiscale environment for enhancing cartilage repairing, which would be encouraging considering the numerous alternative applications in articular cartilage tissue engineering.

Previous study showed KYPHVF has a high angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity. This study aimed to further explore the in vitro simulated gastrointestinal digestion stability, in vivo antihypertensive, and network pharmacology of KYPHVF. Results showed that KYPHVF was stable during simulated gastrointestinal digestion in vitro. KYPHVF was absorbed in intact form by Caco-2 cell monolayer with a transport percentage of 2.00%, and KYPHVF was partially hydrolyzed to produce YPHVF and PHVF through the Caco-2 cell monolayer. The blood pressures of Spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHRs) decreased after the oral administration of KYPHVF, and KYPHVF might produce antihypertensive effect by lowering the ACE contents of serum and kidney in SHRs. Furthermore, the results of network pharmacology indicated that KYPHVF had 44 potential antihypertensive targets, showing multi-target and multi-pathway antihypertensive characteristics. Molecular docking results showed that KYPHVF had strong binding force and affinity with key antihypertensive targets.

Objective: Acupuncture is a widely used asthma therapy, but the benefits remain uncertain. This study aimed to access the effectiveness of acupuncture for treatment of asthma in adults. Methods: Five English databases and four Chinese databases were searched from inception to November 2021. Randomised sham/placebo-controlled trials meeting inclusion criteria were included. Risk of bias was evaluated according to the Cochrane Review Handbook, and data analysis was performed in RevMan 5.4.1. Quality of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) profiler. Results: Sixteen randomised controlled trials (RCTs) were included in the meta-analysis. Results indicated that acupuncture was well-tolerated and could improve FEV1% compared with sham/placebo acupuncture [MD 6.11, 95% CI 0.54–11.68, I2 = 93%, number of participants (n) = 603]. Acupuncture also improved Cai’s Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ) (MD 7.26, 95% CI 5.02–9.50, I2 = 0, n = 358), and reduced the asthma symptom score (SMD −2.73, 95% CI −3.59 to −1.87, I2 = 65%, n = 120). One study showed acupuncture increased the Asthma Control Test (ACT) score (MD 2.00, 95% CI 0.90–3.10, n = 111), and decreased exacerbation frequency (MD −1.00, 95% CI −1.55 to −1.45, n = 111). Other lung function and medication use parameters were not statistically significant. Conclusions: Acupuncture versus sham/placebo control appeared to improve quality of life, FEV1%, symptoms, and asthma control, and reduced exacerbation frequency per year. Further studies with appropriate controls, more participants, and high-quality evidence are needed.

Hypolimnion oxygen depletion (HOD) in lakes and reservoirs can degrade water quality and prevent recovery from eutrophication owing to the release of reduced metals and nutrients from sediments. However, oxygen consumption processes in the hypolimnia of reservoirs resulting from deep-water anoxia are not well understood. Here, we present the results from a mesotrophic reservoir, which had previously suffered from acid mine drainage, to demonstrate the process of hypolimnetic hypoxia. Sampling was conducted monthly from April 2021 to March 2022, and the sediment oxygen demand (SOD) and flux of reduced substances, including CH4, S2-, NH4+, and Mn2+ from the sediment core samples were analyzed intensively. Based on long-term monitoring data, we found that HOD in the reservoir began in early April and ended in early November. This led to a hypolimnetic hypoxic state in the lacustrine zone of the reservoir for eight months. The areal hypolimnetic oxidation demand (AHOD) and SOD were 0.21–1.29 gO2 m−2 d-1 and 0.06–0.84 gO2 m−2 d-1, respectively. This resulted in 30.45%–65.07% HOD due to oxygen depletion at the sediment–water interface. The highest fraction of SOD to AHOD occurred in the lacustrine zone samples of the reservoir. The flux of reduced substances in the sediment revealed that CH4 oxidation at the sediment–water interface dominated oxygen depletion in the lacustrine zone of the reservoir; additionally, S2- oxidation played an important secondary role in exacerbating hypolimnetic oxygen depletion in the mesotrophic reservoir. Sediments were a source of reduced substances. Organic matter content and SO42- and NO3- concentrations in the pore water were the most critical drivers of spatial variation in CH4 and S2- fluxes from the sediments. Temperature, dissolved oxygen concentration and saturation, and oxidation–reduction potential controlled temporal variations in CH4 and S2- concentrations in the overlying water. Compared with previous reports on the flux of reduced substances from sediments in lakes and reservoirs, HOD in the studies reservoir was not only affected by nutrient conditions but was also related to the sulfur cycle. Our findings indicate a spatial various of HOD mechanism in the reservoir and emphasized the importance of the sulfate reduction process in the reservoir formerly affected by acid mine drainage.

Acetyl-coenzyme A (CoA) is a key metabolite produced by the acetyl-CoA synthetase (ACS) gene in energy metabolism and biosynthetic pathways. ACS is speculated to be the branching site of monacolin K (MK) and citrinin production and related to the metabolite production of Monascus. In this study, the ACS expression was inhibited by ribonucleic acid interference (RNAi). T7 was selected for a follow-up analysis of the lowest ACS expression, which was 0.401 times higher than that of the wild-type strain. The effects on the colony morphology of Monascus were determined. The morphological characteristics of mycelia and spores were observed under a scanning electron microscope. The contents of secondary metabolites, namely, MK and citrinin, were determined through high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Colour values were measured with a spectrophotometer. Results showed that the low ACS expression could inhibit the growth of Monascus colonies and the hypha and affect the formation and morphology of Monascus M1 spores. It could also inhibit the production of the main secondary metabolites, namely, MK, citrinin, and pigment.

The accurate calculation of the burning surface during the grain burnback is the basis for the ballistic performance calculation of solid rocket motor. The overload conditions of the motor can significantly affect the burning surface area, grain burnback and internal ballistic performance of the motor. The minimum distance function (MDF) method is suitable for calculating the burnback process of complex three-dimensional grains, and has high precision. Based on the MDF method, this paper takes the common tube and star grain in engineering applications as the research object, and for the rocket motor working environment with high lateral overload, the burning surface area, grain burnback and internal ballistic performance of the motor are calculated and obtained. On this basis, the influence of overload on the burning surface area and internal ballistic performance of the motor is comprehensively analyzed.

Abstract Nauclea officinalis (N. officinalis), a medicinal plant of the genus Nauclea in the family Rubiaceae, is used in the treatment of fever, pneumonia, pharyngolaryngitis, and enteritis in China. Extracts of N. officinalis include alkaloids, phenolic acids, pentacyclic triterpenoids, and flavonoids, which exert all kinds of pharmacological effects, for instance anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, antibacterial, and antiviral and therefore show good effectiveness. To gain a comprehensive and deep understanding, the medicinal chemistry and chemical biology of N. officinalis are summarized in this review to provide a theoretical basis. The pharmacological effects were reviewed to provide evidence or insights into potential opportunities for further studies and medicinal exploitation of N. officinalis.

Abstract Hydrofluoroolefin HFO1234zeE (trans‐1,3,3,3‐tetrafluoroprop‐1‐ene) is an environmentally friendly gas insulating medium that has the potential to replace SF6. To clarify the decomposition paths and products of an HFO1234zeE/N2 gas mixture under partial discharge, the decomposition mechanism is explored with density functional theory. The results indicate that only HFO1234zeE molecules decompose in the range of low‐temperature plasma, and electrons with different energies interact with molecules and cause them to decompose through different paths. Then, products are generated by free radical recombination, addition reactions and internal configurational conversions of the molecule. An experimental investigation of decomposition of the HFO1234zeE/N2 gas mixture with different discharge modes is carried out, and it is found that the products calculated with density functional theory are consistent with those seen experimentally. The results show the decomposition mechanism of the insulating gas under partial discharge and provide a theoretical basis for the application of HFO1234zeE.

Brain metastasis occurs in approximately 30% of patients with lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and is closely associated with poor prognosis, recurrence, and death. However, dynamic gene regulation and molecular mechanism driving LUAD progression remain poorly understood. In this study, we performed a comprehensive single-cell transcriptome analysis using data from normal, early stage, advanced stage, and brain metastasis LUAD. Our single-cell-level analysis reveals the cellular composition heterogeneity at different stages during LUAD progression. We identified stage-specific risk genes that could contribute to LUAD progression and metastasis by reprogramming immune-related and metabolic-related functions. We constructed an early advanced metastatic dysregulated network and revealed the dynamic changes in gene regulations during LUAD progression. We identified 6 early advanced (HLA-DRB1, HLA-DQB1, SFTPB, SFTPC, PLA2G1B, and FOLR1), 8 advanced metastasis (RPS15, RPS11, RPL13A, RPS24, HLA-DRB5, LYPLA1, KCNJ15, and PSMA3), and 2 common risk genes in different stages (SFTPD and HLA-DRA) as prognostic markers in LUAD. Particularly, decreased expression of HLA-DRA, HLA-DRB1, HLA-DQB1, and HLA-DRB5 refer poor prognosis in LUAD by controlling antigen processing and presentation and T cell activation. Increased expression of PSMA3 and LYPLA1 refer poor prognosis by reprogramming fatty acid metabolism and RNA catabolic process. Our findings will help further understanding the pathobiology of brain metastases in LUAD.

Objectives To investigate the relationship between serum cystatin C (CysC) levels and renal microvascular perfusion in patients with diabetic kidney disease (DKD).Methods A total of 57 patients with high CysC levels and 45 patients with normal CysC levels were enrolled. Data on clinical characteristics and laboratory examination results were also collected. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) of the kidneys was successively performed. The time-intensity curve (TIC) and related quantitative parameters of the kidneys were obtained by CEUS and the correlations between CysC and CEUS parameters were analyzed.Results Compared to the normal CysC group, the high CysC group had significantly lower wash-in area under the curve (WiAUC), wash-out area under the curve (WoAUC), and wash-in and wash-out area under the curve (WiWoAUC). In the normal CysC group, patients with Stage III chronic kidney disease (CKD) had higher AUCs than those with Stage I–II CKD (p

Lignocellulosic biomass is widely used in the field of laccase production because it has the advantages of low price and easy availability. Thus, a comparative analysis was performed of the laccase secretion ability of five white-rot fungi in submerged fermentation using single or mixtures of lignocellulosic biomass. Maximum laccase activity of Trametes gibbosa An 360, Vanderbylia fraxinea An 369, Perenniporia pyricola Han 202, Coriolopsis trogii Han 474, and Trametes versicolor Han 1504 was 55.83 ± 0.28 U/L on the mixture of corncob and cottonseed hull, 77.96 ± 1.60 U/L on corncob, 443.33 ± 15.49 U/L on corncob, 686.57 ± 16.49 U/L on corncob, and 162.04 ± 11.33 U/L on cottonseed hull. The mixed lignocellulosic material effectively improved the laccase activity of T. gibbosa An 360 compared with other fungal strains. However, the presence of corncob contributed to the secretion of laccase activity for V. fraxinea An 369, P. pyricola Han 202, and C. trogii Han 474. Meanwhile, cottonseed hull was conducive to the secretion of laccase of T. versicolor Han 1504. Laccase activity of P. pyricola Han 202 was very stable throughout most of the fermentation time. The results from this study provide new methods and increase fungal strains to improve laccase activity.

Background/Aims: The increased mortality of gastric cancer (GC) is mainly attributed to the development of chemoresistance. Circular RNAs, as the novel type of biomarkers in GC, have attracted wide attention. The purpose of this study was to investigate the functional role of circ_0081143 in GC with doxorubicin (DR) resistance and its potential action mechanism. Methods: The expression of circ_0081143, miR-129-2-3p and YES proto-oncogene 1 (YES1) in GC tissues and cells was measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The half maximal inhibitory concentration value was calculated based on the MTT cell viability assay. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were monitored by MTT and flow cytometry assays. Transwell assays were employed to check cell migration and invasion. The protein levels of YES1 and apoptosis-related proteins were detected by western blotting. The interaction between miR-129-2-3p and circ_0081143 or YES1 was verified by dual-luciferase reporter and pull-down assays. A tumorigenicity assay was conducted to verify the role of circ_0081143 in vivo. Results: Circ_0081143 was highly expressed in DR-resistant GC tumor tissues and cells. Depletion of circ_0081143 reduced DR resistance and inhibited DR-resistant GC cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Circ_0081143 targeted miR-129-2-3p and inhibited the role of miR-129-2-3p. In addition, YES1 was a target of miR-129-2-3p, and its function was suppressed by miR-129-2-3p. Importantly, circ_0081143 positively modulated the expression of YES1 through mediating miR-129-2-3p. Circ_0081143 knockdown weakened the DR-resistant GC tumor growth in vivo. Conclusions: Circ_0081143 knockdown weakened DR resistance and blocked the development of DR-resistant GC by regulating the miR-129-2-3p/YES1 axis. Our data suggest that circ_0081143 is a promising target for the treatment of GC with DR resistance.