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Template matching pose estimation methods based on deep learning have made significant advancements via metric learning or reconstruction learning. Existing approaches primarily build distinct template representation libraries (codebooks) from rendered images for each object, which complicate the training process and increase memory cost for multi-object tasks. Additionally, they struggle to effectively handle discrepancies between the distributions of training and test sets, particularly for occluded objects, resulting in suboptimal matching accuracy. In this study, we propose a shared template representation learning method with augmented semantic features to address these issues. Our method learns representations concurrently using metric and reconstruction learning as similarity constraints, and augments response of network to objects through semantic feature constraints for better generalization performance. Furthermore, rotation matrices serve as templates for codebook construction, leading to excellent matching accuracy compared to rendered images. Notably, it contributes to the effective decoupling of object categories and templates, necessitating the maintenance of only a shared codebook in multi-object pose estimation tasks. Extensive experiments on Linemod, Linemod-Occluded and TLESS datasets demonstrate that the proposed method employing shared templates achieves superior matching accuracy. Moreover, proposed method exhibits robustness on a collected aircraft dataset, further validating its efficacy. • A novel framework to train networks for template matching pose estimation methods. • We propose a shared template representation method to estimate pose of multi objects. • Proposed method augments objects semantic feature response to improve generalization. • Our method surpasses prior template matching methods in accuracy and robustness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corrosion pits preferentially initiate in the bainitic regions of Q420qNH steel against the simulated marine atmospheric environment, where a high initial dislocation density is present. This occurs in addition to the initiation sites associated with nonmetallic inclusions that exhibit significant lattice distortion. The formation of corrosion the corrosion-induced non elastic buckling exacerbates the cyclic softening effect and significantly reduces fatigue strength. At a strain amplitude of 0.4 %, the fatigue life decreases by 73.2 % after 60 days of pre-corrosion treatment. Layered segregation of Cr and Cu alloying elements could develop the formation of dense rust layer to inhibit further surface degradation. • Corrosion pits of ferrite-bainite weathering steel predominantly occur in the bainite regions with high initial dislocation density upon cyclic salt spray corrosion environment. • Hierarchical non-metallic inclusions enclosed by a significantly distorted lattice shell tend to be preferential initiation sites for corrosion. • Surface degradation caused by corrosion pits, coupled with the cyclic softening, could result in inelastic buckling upon low cycle fatigue loading, leading to fatigue strength degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The laser-powder-bed-fusion (LPBF) fabricated 316L austenitic stainless steel was strengthened by incorporating varying contents of rare earth oxide (La 2 O 3) particles. The La 2 O 3 particles significantly contributed to the strength-ductility synergy. Specifically, incorporating 0.5 wt% La 2 O 3 particles could optimize the ultimate tensile strength to 728.1 MPa and elongation to 38.0 %, with an increase of 13.3 % and 31.5 % compared with 316L matrix, respectively. A quantitative model was employed to evaluate the strengthening mechanisms of La 2 O 3 particles including the Hall–Petch strengthening, Orowan strengthening, increased density of geometrically necessary dislocations (GND), and the load transfer effect. The dense La 2 O 3 particles also act as dislocation sources, resulting in ductility enhancement. However, increasing La 2 O 3 content tends to promote defect formation, decreasing the strength and ductility of the 316L-1.0La 2 O 3 materials. • The La 2 O 3 particles significantly contributed to the strength-ductility synergy at room temperature. • Incorporating 0.5 wt% La 2 O 3 particles could optimize the ultimate tensile strength to 728.1 MPa and elongation to 38.0 %. • The dense La 2 O 3 particles also act as dislocation sources, resulting in ductility enhancement. • A compound quantitative model was employed to analyze the predicted contributions of various strengthening mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The bearing failure due to contact fatigue is investigated in depth. • Microstructure evolution of fatigue crack initiation source region based on dislocation is revealed. • Considering the depth, area, and matrix hardness of inclusions, a fatigue life prediction model based on GRCF was proposed. During the operation of bearings under alternating stress, contact fatigue failure often occurs, primarily due to non-metallic inclusions in bearing steel (GCr15). Based on actual fatigue-failed bearings, this study used Aspex scanning electron microscopy to analyze the inclusion distribution in bearing steels produced by two processes: electroslag remelting and vacuum refining. FIB-TEM technology was employed to characterize the microstructural evolution characteristics at the fatigue failure source area. Finally, considering the depth, area, and matrix hardness of the inclusions, a fatigue life prediction model based on gigacycle rolling contact fatigue (GRCF) was proposed. The prediction results closely matched the fatigue data of actual failed bearings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The formation of FGA is attributed to continuous dynamic recrystallization. • The formation of fine grains promotes the extension of microcracks. • A mechanism for VHCF crack initiation in Q450NQR1 weathering steel is proposed. The fatigue behavior of Q450NQR1 high-strength weathering steel under a loading ratio of R = 0.1 was experimentally investigated in the very high cycle fatigue (VHCF) regime, elucidating the formation mechanism of the fine granular area (FGA). The results indicated that Q450NQR1 high-strength weathering steel mainly fails due to non-inclusion-induced crack initiation (NIICI) in VHCF regime. Slip in {1 1 0} and {1 1 2} plane families dominates in ferrite. Intergranular cracking results in fatigue microcracking, which in turn leads to the formation of NIICI in Q450NQR1 high-strength weathering steel. The formation of FGA was attributed to the localized severe plastic strain-induced continuous dynamic recrystallization at the tip of microcrack propagation. Moreover, it can be found that the formation of fine grains promotes the extension and aggregation of microcracks. Based on all experimental findings, a mechanism governing crack initiation in Q450NQR1 high-strength weathering steel during VHCF loading was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work investigated the fatigue behaviors of Mg 96.32 Gd 2.5 Zn 1 Zr 0.18 alloy under both solution and aging conditions. The main microstructural difference between the two conditions is characterized by the dense β′ nano-precipitates under aging condition. The fatigue strengths are comparable under both conditions, whereas the fatigue lives at medium stress levels tend to be improved apparently under aging condition. The improved fatigue lives under aging condition are attributed to the dense β′ nano-precipitates, which delay the processes of crack initiation and early propagation. Under solution condition, fatigue damage exhibits a continuous pattern along the damage bands. However, under aging condition, fatigue damage shows a scattered pattern along the damage bands due to the pinning effect of β′ nano-precipitates and their inhomogeneous distribution. • Dense β′ nano-precipitates delaying the crack initiation and early propagation process. • Inhomogeneous distribution of β′ nano-precipitates influence the damage accumulation. • Fatigue damage showing a high concentration of oxygen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Microstructure inhomogeneity governs the fatigue crack initiation mechanism. • Fatigue damages prefer to concentrate in the few larger grains due to cyclic slip deformations. • Internal failures present longer fatigue lives than surface failures due to the environment effect. The VHCF behaviors of an extruded magnesium alloy are investigated. Due to the microstructure inhomogeneity, fatigue damages prefer to concentrate in the few larger grains. Basal slip deformations are supposed to be responsible for the transgranular crack initiations, and form the similar faceted morphologies. Under same stress amplitude, internal failures present longer fatigue lives than surface failures due to the requirement of larger initial crack and the deceleration rate in the vacuum-like environment at specimen interior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Characterizing the transition from a crack-free to a cracked state remains a challenging topic in fatigue. Mg-rare earth alloys, containing the long-period stacking ordered (LPSO) phase, exhibit superior mechanical properties. Here, microcracks are found to nucleate at the soft α-Mg nano-layers, away from the LPSO lamellae. Notably, severe oxidation is observed along the damage bands. Based on the detailed characterizations, it is suggested that dislocation motions continuously bring the new α-Mg matrix to oxidation transformation, resulting in the thickening MgO layer. However, once the fatigue-induced oxide reaches a certain thickness, it starts acting as a barrier for the further dislocation motions. As a result, dislocation accumulation and cumulative damage occur in the region ahead of the thick oxide, causing microcrack nucleation. This fatigue-induced oxidation, assisting microcrack nucleation, is distinct from the existing fatigue mechanisms. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A special kind of fatigue damage in the form of scattered oxide nodules. • Hierarchical anisotropic nanostructure leads to the high localization of damage. • LPSO lamellae suppress the growth of the fatigue-induced oxide nodules. Hierarchical anisotropic nanostructured Mg-RE alloys, containing LPSO lamellae and dense nano-precipitates, exhibit superior mechanical properties. However, their reliability as structural materials for long-term service, especially in terms of fatigue, is still a matter of concern. Here, scattered oxide nodules are detected as a special kind of fatigue damage that assists crack initiation, rather than the typical slip-band structure. The LPSO lamellae and dense β′ nano-precipitates lead to the high localization of fatigue damage. The fatigue-induced oxide nodules form and grow within the soft α-Mg layer, but their growth is limited by the adjacent strong LPSO lamellae, resulting in microcrack nucleation. Finally, clusters of microcracks along the LPSO/oxide interface converge to form the trans-granular crack initiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the high cycle fatigue behavior of industrial pure zirconium at room temperature under a stress ratio of R = 0.1, focusing on the HCP-to-FCC phase transformation and its role in fatigue crack nucleation. The results show the presence of fatigue damage in the form of the HCP-to-FCC phase transformation, which is responsible for the crack nucleation. The fatigue-induced phase transformation is triggered by the activation and slip of partial dislocations. This phase transformation results in lattice expansion, local strain redistribution, and macroscopic strain. Notably, the strain concentration along the HCP/FCC phase interfaces is identified as a critical factor contributing to fatigue crack nucleation. These findings provide new insights into the mechanisms underlying fatigue-induced phase transformations and the nucleation of fatigue crack. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reperfusion therapy with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) or mechanical thrombectomy is the most effective treatment for ischemic stroke. However, a large proportion of stroke patients remain severely disabled even after receiving timely reperfusion therapy. It remains unclear how reperfusion therapy results in secondary injury to the brain tissue and whether different reperfusion therapies induce differential effects. Here, we comprehensively determined the spatiotemporal dynamic changes in brain lipids during the acute phase after reperfusion in a mouse model of transient middle cerebral artery occlusion, with or without rtPA administration, using desorption electrospray ionization (DESI)-mass spectrometry imaging (MSI). Several phospholipids, sphingolipids, and neutral lipids were significantly altered both spatially and temporally at multiple timepoints after reperfusion, many of which were closely associated with expansion of the brain infarction territory and neurological function impairment. Furthermore, rtPA treatment significantly increased brain infarction, cerebral edema, and neurological deficits. Consistently, rtPA treatment caused extensive brain lipid alterations by facilitating brain-wide changes in lipid metabolism and inducing ischemic region-specific lipid changes. Overall, these results provide novel insights into how reperfusion therapy affects brain tissue and the outcome of stroke patients, and thus may facilitate the optimization of the treatment of ischemic stroke. [Display omitted] • Cerebral blood supply and infarction were rapidly deteriorated at 9–12 h post I/R injury. • Several brain lipids were closely related to the growing of infarct core from striatum to cortex. • Some lipids were specifically regulated by rtPA and may contribute the harmful effects of rtPA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is suspected early that the ultra-slow crack propagation in fine-granular-area (FGA) may be sensitive to the internal vacuum-like environment. In other words, fatigue failure in the very-high-cycle regime may be related to the internal vacuum-like environment. Since magnesium alloy is more susceptible to the environmental effect, it is selected as the research carrier in this study. A magnesium alloy is investigated in ambient air and vacuum environments comparatively, and the vacuum loading environment offers a valuable reference to investigate the possible environmental effect. The results show that plastic deformation mechanism in different loading environments keeps the same at crack initiation site. However, the different loading environments not only change the fatigue life, but also the failure mode. At higher stress levels, surface failure dominates in air loading environment, whereas internal failure dominates in vacuum loading environment and presents longer fatigue life. It is considered that failure mode in vacuum loading environment is mainly affected by the critical grains, whereas that in air loading environment is mainly affected by the competition between the surface air acceleration effect and the critical grains. Fatigue life is mainly affected by the internal vacuum retarding effect and the surface air accelerating effect. The different loading environments not only change the fatigue life, but also change the failure mode. Unlabelled Image • The intrinsic fatigue behavior in vacuum loading environment. • Air acceleration effect promotes premature surface failure. • Different loading environments change the failure mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A sound ("defect-free") Mg-FSW joint is produced. • Unique texture and banded structure of Mg-FSW joint affect crack initiations. • A semi-quantitative mechanical model verifies the different failure mechanisms. Friction stir welding (FSW) produces heterogeneous microstructure in nugget zone of its joint, which should affect the fatigue responses. This work revealed the unique texture and banded structure of the Mg-FSW joint and their decisive roles on crack initiation behaviors. At higher stress levels, failures occur along the AS NZ/TMAZ boundary (AS: advancing side, NZ: nugget zone, TMAZ: thermo-mechanically affected zone) due to the inhomogeneous deformations near the boundary. Severe plastic deformations concentrate in the softer layers of banded structure. However, at lower stress levels, plastic deformations become weak and localized, but accumulate in the alternate layers of banded structure simultaneously due to the same soft texture orientation, and induce random failures in banded structure. The failure mechanisms are verified by semi-quantitative mechanical models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SARS-CoV-2 is a kind of systemic virus, and lungs are not the only target organ. SARS-CoV-2 attacks digestive system, urogenital system, nervous system and circulatory system. Some new mechanisms about SARS-CoV-2 invading human cell. SARS-CoV-2 plays an important role in "Inflammatory Cascade". Since early December 2019, a number of pneumonia cases associated with unknown coronavirus infection were identified in Wuhan, China, and many additional cases were identified in other regions of China and in other countries within 3 months. Currently, more than 80,000 cases have been diagnosed in China, including more than 3000 deaths. The epidemic is spreading to the rest of the world, posing a grave challenge to prevention and control. On February 12, 2020, the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses and the World Health Organization officially named the novel coronavirus and associated pneumonia as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), respectively. According to the recent research on SARS-CoV-2, the virus mainly infects the respiratory system but may cause damage to other systems. In this paper, we will systematically review the pathogenic features, transmission routes, and infection mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2, as well as any adverse effects on the digestive system, urogenital system, central nervous system, and circulatory system, in order to provide a theoretical and clinical basis for the diagnosis, classification, treatment, and prognosis assessment of SARS-CoV-2 infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preeclampsia (PE) is a pregnancy-specific vascular disorder associated with endothelial dysfunction, hypertension, and proteinuria. The methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) enzyme regulates essential cellular functions in pregnancy owing to its effects on folate metabolism and DNA methylation. Previous studies implicated the association of rs1801133 (C677T; Ala222Val) and rs1801131 (A1298C; Glu429Ala) in the MTHFR gene with PE in different ethnic groups, but with mixed outcomes., Methods: Study cases comprised 675 Tunisian pregnant women, of whom 350 PE presented with PE, and the remaining 325 normotensive women served as controls. Genotyping of C677T and A1298C variants was performed by real-time PCR., Results: There was no statistically significant difference in the minor allele frequencies of C677T and A1298C between preeclampsia cases and controls after adjusting for key covariates. In addition, the prevalence of MTHFR C677T and A1298C minor allele homozygote genotypes was significantly higher in PE cases. The association of 1298C/C, but not 677T/T, with PE persisted after adjusting for the main covariates. Carrying the (minor) 677T allele was associated with marginally higher BMI, significantly higher sFlt-1 serum levels, and median sFlt-1/PlGF ratio and sFlt-1/PlGF ratio ≥ 85. Setting the major allele homozygotes (C677/A1298) as a reference, haplotype analysis demonstrated a higher prevalence of C677/C1298 and T677/C1298 haplotypes (P = 0.03) in PE cases compared to controls, which persisted for C677/C1298, but not T677/C1298 after controlling for key covariates., Discussion: Our results support an association between MTHFR polymorphisms and increased risk of PE, and an imbalance of PE-associated sFLT-1/PlGF., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2025. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

To investigate the application of H 2 to alleviate cardiac ischaemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in a PGC-1α-dependent manner. A rat in vitro myocardial I/R injury model was used, Western blot was used to detect the expression levels of apoptosis markers (Bax, cleaved caspase-3, Bcl 2 ), inflammatory factors (IL-1β, TNF-α), mitochondrial fission (DRP1, MFF) and mitochondrial fusion (MFN1, MFN2, OPA1). HE staining was used to observe the effect of H 2 on the myocardial tissue structure injured by I/R. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to observe the changes in the mitochondrial structure of myocardial tissue after I/R injury. Real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) was used to detect the expression of PGC-1α in the myocardial tissue of rats after I/R injury and H 2 treatment. H 2 increases the expression level of PGC-1α, while the deletion of PGC-1α inhibited the therapeutic effect of H 2 . H 2 can improve the changes of the myocardial tissue and mitochondrial structure caused by I/R injury. H 2 treatment effectively inhibited the inflammatory response, and the loss of PGC-1α could inhibit the therapeutic effect of H 2 . The application of H 2 can alleviate myocardial I/R injury, and the loss of PGC-1α weakens the protective effect of H 2 on the I/R heart., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine published by Foundation for Cellular and Molecular Medicine and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Given the increasing application of eddy current sensors for measuring turbine tip clearance in aero engines, enhancing the performance of these sensors is essential for improving measurement accuracy. This study investigates the influence of coil shape on the measurement performance of planar eddy current sensors and identifies an optimal coil shape to enhance sensing capabilities. To achieve this, various coil shapes-specifically circular, square, rectangular wave, and triangular wave-were designed and fabricated, featuring different numbers of turns for the experiment at room temperature. By employing a method for calculating coil inductance, the performance of each sensor was evaluated based on key metrics: measurement range, sensitivity, and linearity. Experimental results reveal that the square coil configuration outperforms other shapes in overall measurement performance. Notably, the square coil demonstrated a measurement range of 0 mm to 8 mm, a sensitivity of 0.115685 μH/mm, and an impressive linearity of 98.41% within the range of 0 mm to 2 mm. These findings indicate that the square coil configuration enhances measurement capabilities. The conclusions drawn from this study provide valuable insights for selecting coil shapes and optimizing the performance of planar eddy current sensors, thereby contributing to the advancement of turbine tip clearance measurement techniques in aero engines.

Eddy current sensors are increasingly being used to measure the dynamic blade tip clearance in turbines due to their robust anti-interference capabilities and non-contact measurement advantages. However, the current research primarily focuses on enhancing the performance of eddy current sensors themselves, with few studies investigating the influence of turbine rotor parameters on the measurements taken by these sensors for dynamic blade tip clearance. Hence, this paper addresses this gap by using COMSOL Multiphysics 6.2 software to establish a finite model with circuit interfaces. Additionally, the model's validity was verified through experiments. This model is used to simulate the voltage output of the sensor and the measurement of dynamic blade tip clearance under various rotor parameters. The results indicate that the length and number of blades, as well as the hub radius, significantly affect the sensor voltage output in comparison to rotation speed. Furthermore, we show that traditional static calibration methods are inadequate for measuring dynamic blade tip clearance using eddy current sensors. Instead, it is demonstrated that incorporating rotor parameters into the calibration of eddy current sensors can enhance the accuracy of dynamic blade tip clearance measurements.

This article examines the relationship between patent foramen ovale (PFO) and migraine, emphasizing the mechanisms underlying the connection and the historical status of transcatheter PFO closure as a treatment for migraine. Patent foramen ovale is the most prevalent congenital cardiac defect in adults and frequently co-occurs with migraine, particularly migraine with aura. This article reviews several studies that have identified a significant prevalence of PFO in patients with migraine, implying that PFO and migraine may be more closely associated than previously thought. The underlying mechanisms of this association involve the transfer of emboli from the venous system to systemic circulation through the PFO, which can result in a range of clinical conditions. Transcatheter PFO closure therapy has demonstrated benefits in some patients with migraine; however, additional research is required to determine its effectiveness and safety. This article offers a comprehensive review of the current understanding of the link between PFO and migraine and emphasizes the need for further research in this field., Competing Interests: Declaration of Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (2024 authors.)

This study focuses on investigating the strength recovery of fire-damaged fly ash concrete (FAC) with a low substitution rate of 10% through post-fire curing. The chemical and microstructural changes were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), derivative thermogravimetry (DTG), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS), and nitrogen adsorption. The findings indicate that the incorporation of fly ash slightly enhanced the strength after exposure to 400 °C; this was attributed to improved pozzolanic reactions, which were not observed at higher temperatures of 600 °C and 800 °C. Moreover, a positive effect on the recovery of compressive strength was observed due to the pozzolanic reaction. However, due to the relatively low fly ash content, depletion occurred at a later age, resulting in the inability to inhibit microstructural damage caused by the production of portlandite, thereby weakening the compressive strength. Interestingly, fly ash influenced the morphology of calcium carbonate and calcium silicate hydrate crystals, which is potentially ascribed to the role of high aluminum content acting as a crystallization-guiding agent.

Objective: Icotinib has been approved for adjuvant treatment of stage II-IIIA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with activating epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations in China, yet the long-term costs and outcomes of this strategy are unknown. Thus, we examined the cost effectiveness of adjuvant icotinib, compared with adjuvant chemotherapy, for the treatment of resected stage II-IIIA EGFR-mutated NSCLC., Design: We performed a cost-effectiveness analysis from the perspective of the Chinese healthcare system, comparing 2-year adjuvant icotinib with four cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy. Costs and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) were estimated using a Markov model. Model inputs were obtained from local data and literature. The influence of model parameters and assumptions was explored in sensitivity analyses. All costs are expressed in 2022 US dollars, and costs and QALYs were discounted at a rate of 5% per year. The willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold was set at three times the per capita gross domestic product., Setting: The Chinese healthcare system perspective., Participants: A hypothetical Chinese cohort of patients with resected stage II-IIIA EGFR-mutated NSCLC., Interventions: Icotinib versus chemotherapy., Primary Outcome Measure: Costs, QALYs, incremental cost-effectiveness ratio., Results: The incremental cost per QALY gained with the use of 2-year icotinib, from the Chinese healthcare system perspective, was $3440.66 compared with adjuvant chemotherapy. At a WTP threshold of $40 500, adjuvant icotinib was the optimal treatment in over 99% of replications. The interpretation of the results was insensitive to model and input assumptions., Conclusions: Compared with adjuvant chemotherapy, adjuvant icotinib may be a cost-effective treatment for resected stage II-IIIA EGFR-mutated NSCLC as the WTP threshold is set at $40 500 per QALY., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: Language delay affects near- and long-term social communication and learning in toddlers, and, an increasing number of experts pay attention to it. The development of prosody discrimination is one of the earliest stages of language development in which key skills for later stages are mastered. Therefore, analyzing the relationship between brain discrimination of speech prosody and language abilities may provide an objective basis for the diagnosis and intervention of language delay., Methods: In this study, all cases(n = 241) were enrolled from a tertiary women's hospital, from 2021 to 2022. We used functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to assess children's neural prosody discrimination abilities, and a Chinese communicative development inventory (CCDI) were used to evaluate their language abilities., Results: Ninety-eight full-term and 108 preterm toddlers were included in the final analysis in phase I and II studies, respectively. The total CCDI screening abnormality rate was 9.2% for full-term and 34.3% for preterm toddlers. Full-term toddlers showed prosody discrimination ability in all channels except channel 5, while preterm toddlers showed prosody discrimination ability in channel 6 only. Multifactorial logistic regression analyses showed that prosody discrimination of the right angular gyrus (channel 3) had a statistically significant effect on language delay (odd ratio = 0.301, P < 0.05) in full-term toddlers. Random forest (RF) regression model presented that prosody discrimination reflected by channels and brain regions based on fNIRS data was an important parameter for predicting language delay in preterm toddlers, among which the prosody discrimination reflected by the right angular gyrus (channel 4) was the most important parameter. The area under the model Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was 0.687., Conclusions: Neural prosody discrimination ability is positively associated with language development, assessment of brain prosody discrimination abilities through fNIRS could be used as an objective indicator for early identification of children with language delay in the future clinical application., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Infertility poses a global health and social challenge, affecting approximately 15% of couples at childbearing age, with half of the cases attributed to male factors, wherein genetic factors exert a substantial role. In our prior investigation, we identified loss-of-function variants within the gene encoding glutamine-rich protein 2 (QRICH2) in two consanguineous families, leading to various morphological abnormalities in sperm flagella and male infertility. Moreover, our observations in Qrich2 knockout mice revealed a pronounced reduction in spermatozoa count. However, the underlying mechanism remains elusive, prompting further investigation in the current study. By conducting experiments such as Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, immunofluorescence staining, flow cytometry, and single sperm metabolism analysis on the testes and spermatozoa of Qrich2 knockout mice, we found a strong antioxidant capacity mediated by QRICH2 both in vivo and in vitro. Qrich2 knockout led to elevated levels of ROS, consequently inducing DNA damage in spermatids, which in turn triggered increased autophagy and apoptosis, ultimately causing a significant decrease in spermatozoa count. Incubation with the N-terminal purified protein of QRICH2 exhibited potent strong antioxidant activity at the cell and spermatozoa levels in vitro, thereby enhancing spermatozoa viability and motility. Therefore, QRICH2 plays a crucial role in safeguarding spermatids from excessive ROS-induced damage by augmenting antioxidant capacity, thereby promoting spermatozoa survival and improving motility. Furthermore, the N-terminal purified protein of QRICH2 shows promise as an additive for protecting spermatozoa during preservation and cryopreservation., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Society for Biology of Reproduction & the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Inhibition control, as the core component of executive function, might play a crucial role in the understanding of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and specific learning disorders (SLD). Inhibition control deficits have been observed in children with ADHD or SLD. This study sought to test in a multi-modal fashion (i.e., behavior and plus brain imaging) whether inhibition control abilities would be further deteriorated in the ADHD children due to the comorbidity of SLD., Method: A total number of 90 children (aged 6-12 years) were recruited, including 30 ADHD, 30 ADHD+SLD (children with the comorbidity of ADHD and SLD), and 30 typically developing (TD) children. For each participant, a 44-channel functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) equipment was first adopted to capture behavioral and cortical hemodynamic responses during a two-choice Oddball task (a relatively new inhibition control paradigm). Then, 50 metrics were extracted, including 6 behavioral metrics (i.e., OddballACC, baselineACC, totalACC, OddballRT, baselineRT, and totalRT) and 44 beta values in 44 channels based on general linear model. Finally, differences in those 50 metrics among the TD, ADHD, and ADHD+SLD children were analyzed., Results: Findings showed that: (1) OddballACC (i.e., the response accuracy in deviant stimuli) is the most sensitive metric in identifying the differences between the ADHD and ADHD+SLD children; and (2) The ADHD+SLD children exhibited decreased behavioral response accuracy and brain activation level in some channels (e.g., channel CH35) than both the ADHD and TD children., Discussion: Findings seem to support that inhibition control abilities would be further decreased in the ADHD children due to the comorbidity of SLD., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Liu, Chi and Yu.)

Introduction: While meaningless gross motor imitation (GMI) is a common challenge for children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), this topic has not attracted much attention and few appropriate test paradigms have been developed., Methods: The current study proposed a wrist rotation imitation (WRI) task (a meaningless GMI assignment), and established a WRI ability evaluation system using low-cost wearable inertial sensors, which acquired the simultaneous data of acceleration and angular acceleration during the WRI task. Three metrics (i.e., total rotation time, rotation amplitude, and symmetry) were extracted from those data of acceleration and angular acceleration, and then were adopted to construct classifiers based on five machine learning (ML) algorithms, including k-nearest neighbors, linear discriminant analysis, naive Bayes, support vector machines, and random forests. To illustrate our technique, this study recruited 49 ASD children (aged 3.5-6.5 years) and 59 age-matched typically developing (TD) children., Results: Findings showed that compared with TD children, those with ASD may exhibit shorter total rotation time, lower rotation amplitude, and weaker symmetry. This implies that children with ASD might exhibit decreased WRI abilities. The classifier with the naive Bayes algorithm outperformed than other four algorithms, and achieved a maximal classification accuracy of 88% and a maximal AUC value of 0.91. Two metrics (i.e., rotation amplitude and symmetry) had high correlations with the gross and fine motor skills [evaluated by Gesell Developmental Schedules-Third Edition and Psychoeducational Profile-3 (PEP-3)]. While, the three metrics had no significant correlation with the visual-motor imitation abilities (evaluated by the subdomain of PEP-3) and the ASD symptom severity [evaluated by the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS)] ., Discussion: The strengths of this study are associated with the low-cost measurement system, correlation between the WRI metrics and clinical measures, decreased WRI abilities in ASD, and high classification accuracy., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Liu, Qiu, Wang, Dong and Yu.)

To figure out how does SARS-CoV-2 affect sperm parameters and what influencing factors affect the recovery of sperm quality after infection? We conducted a prospective cohort study and initially included 122 men with SARS-CoV-2 infection. The longest time to track semen quality after infection is 112 days and 58 eligible patients were included in our study eventually. We subsequently exploited a linear mixed-effects model to statistically analyze their semen parameters at different time points before and after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Semen parameters were significantly reduced after SARS-CoV-2 infection, including total sperm count (211 [147; 347] to 167 [65.0; 258], P < 0.001), sperm concentration (69.0 [38.8; 97.0] to 51.0 [25.5; 71.5], P < 0.001), total sperm motility (57.5 [52.3; 65.0] to 51.0 [38.5; 56.8], P < 0.001), progressive motility (50.0 [46.2; 58.0] to 45.0 [31.5; 52.8], P < 0.001). The parameters displayed the greatest diminution within 30 days after SARS-CoV-2 infection, gradually recovered thereafter, and exhibited no significant difference after 90 days compared with prior to COVID-19 infection. In addition, the patients in the group with a low-grade fever showed a declining tendency in semen parameters, but not to a significant degree, whereas those men with a moderate or high fever produced a significant drop in the same parameters. Semen parameters were significantly reduced after SARS-CoV-2 infection, and fever severity during SARS-CoV-2 infection may constitute the main influencing factor in reducing semen parameters in patients after recovery, but the effect is reversible and the semen parameters gradually return to normal with the realization of a new spermatogenic cycle., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: During the process of elongation, the embryo increases in size within the uterus, while the extra-embryonic tissues (EETs) develop and differentiate in preparation for implantation. As it grows, the ovoid embryo transforms into a tubular form first and then a filamentous form. This process is directed by numerous genes and pathways, the expression of which may be altered in the case of developmental irregularities such as when the conceptus is shorter than expected or when the embryo develops after splitting. In bovines, efforts to understand the molecular basis of elongation have employed trophoblastic vesicles (TVs)-short tubular EET pieces that lack an embryo-which also elongate in vivo . To date, however, we lack molecular analyses of TVs at the ovoid or filamentous stages that might shed light on the expression changes involved. Methods: Following in vivo development, we collected bovine conceptuses from the ovoid (D12) to filamentous stages (D18), sectioned them into small pieces with or without their embryonic disc (ED), and then, transferred them to a receptive bovine uterus to assess their elongation abilities. We also grew spherical blastocysts in vitro up to D8 and subjected them to the same treatment. Then, we assessed the differences in gene expression between different samples and fully elongating controls at different stages of elongation using a bovine array (10 K) and an extended qPCR array comprising 224 genes across 24 pathways. Results: In vivo , TVs elongated more or less depending on the stage at which they had been created and the time spent in utero . Their daily elongation rates differed from control EET, with the rates of TVs sometimes resembling those of earlier-stage EET. Overall, the molecular signatures of TVs followed a similar developmental trajectory as intact EET from D12-D18. However, within each stage, TVs and intact EET displayed distinct expression dynamics, some of which were shared with other short epithelial models. Conclusion: Differences between TVs and EET likely result from multiple factors, including a reduction in the length and signaling capabilities of TVs, delayed elongation from inadequate uterine signals, and modified crosstalk between the conceptus and the uterus. These findings confirm that close coordination between uterine, embryonic, and extra-embryonic tissues is required to orchestrate proper elongation and, based on the partial differentiation observed, raise questions about the presence/absence of certain developmental cues or even their asynchronies., Competing Interests: The authors SAD and DL were employed by the company Inovarion and ELIANCE, respectively. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Degrelle, Liu, Laloe, Richard, Le Bourhis, Rossignol and Hue.)

Neuropsychological measures may improve Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnostic accuracy and enhance treatment response detection. Highquality evaluation indicators are necessary for accurate diagnosis of ADHD. Due to the high complexity of the pathogenesis of ADHD, it may not be possible to accurately diagnose ADHD only by relying on behavioral assessment or brain imaging examination. Therefore, the authors propose a comprehensive index that combines brain imaging behavioral and measures. The results showed that the classification performance of the composite index was better than that of the single behavior or brain image index.Clinical Relevance- The results of this study help to remind practicing clinicians to consider the results of multiple clinical examinations when clinically diagnosing ADHD patients.

High maternal serum bile acid level is common and sometimes harmful to the gravida. This study aimed to confirm the bile acid phenotypic change caused by prenatal ethanol exposure (PEE) and elucidate its placental mechanism. Pregnant Wistar rats were administered intragastrically with ethanol 4 g/kg⋅d from gestational day 9-20. Total bile acids (TBA) were detected in maternal, fetal serum and placental tissues, increasing significantly in the serum but no significant change in the placental tissues. Meta-analysis was performed and verified the efficacy of the PEE-induced model based on published data from several relevant studies. Mining of microarray data from human and rat placental sources identified the involvement of bile acid metabolism and its significant genes, which were verified by RT-qPCR and western blotting on tissues and treated BeWo cells with the administration of FXR/PXR siRNAs or FXR/PXR agonists. Our examination, consistent with microarray data and wet experiments, showed that organic anion transporter polypeptide-related protein 2B1 (Oatp2b1), multidrug resistance-associated proteins 3 (Mrp3) and breast cancer resistance protein (Bcrp) expression were increased, while nuclear receptor farnesoid X receptor (Fxr) was decreased but pregnane X receptor (Pxr) was increased. Furthermore, the interventional experiments confirmed that FXR regulated Bcrp while PXR regulated Oatp2b1 and Mrp3. In summary, PEE could induce high bile acid level in maternal serum and its mechanism is associated with the high expression of BCRP/MRP3/OATP2B1 in the placenta through up-regulating PXR and down-regulating FXR, thereby leading to an excessive bile acid transport to maternal blood via the placenta. Our study provides a novel perspective in terms of placenta, explaining the increased maternal blood bile acids under the toxicity of PEE., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: To date, we have only an incomplete understanding of how gene expression in the human placenta changes at the genome-wide scale from very early in gestation to term. Our aim was to investigate the dynamic changes in gene expression throughout placentation., Methods: In our study, gene expression profiles were collected of human placentas from 4 to 40 gestational weeks of age. Simple linear regression and weighted correlation network analysis were applied to identify genes of interest. Analyses of gene enrichment, including gene ontology and pathways from the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes, were performed using clusterProfiler. Finally, dynamic changes in the expression of individual genes were represented using line graphs of scaled and adjusted gene expression., Results: Our results highlighted a total of 5173 genes that are involved in different periods of placentation. Downstream annotation of these genes revealed the biological processes and pathways involved, from which we chose to further investigate the PPAR signaling pathway. We were able to detect changes over time in many genes involved in lipid storage/metabolism, including members of the FABP family and LPL. These patterns were corroborated by lipid staining of placental sections, which revealed a significant decrease in lipid droplet content in placentas from early in the first trimester to term., Conclusion: Our study provides detailed information on the dynamics of biological processes and pathways across human placentation. These findings give us new clues for deciphering the normal functions of placentation and the ways in which the mis-regulation of these pathways may be linked to pregnancy-related diseases. As an example, our results show that the PPAR signaling pathway mediates a constant decrease in placental lipid content over the course of pregnancy., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Trophoblasts, as the cells that make up the main part of the placenta, undergo cell differentiation processes such as invasion, migration, and fusion. Abnormalities in these processes can lead to a series of gestational diseases whose underlying mechanisms are still unclear. One protein that has proven to be essential in placentation is the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPAR γ ), which is expressed in the nuclei of extravillous cytotrophoblasts (EVCTs) in the first trimester and villous cytotrophoblasts (VCTs) throughout pregnancy. Here, we aimed to explore the genome-wide effects of PPAR γ on EVCTs and VCTs via treatment with the PPAR γ -agonist rosiglitazone. EVCTs and VCTs were purified from human chorionic villi, cultured in vitro , and treated with rosiglitazone. The transcriptomes of both types of cells were then quantified using microarray profiling. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were filtered and submitted for gene ontology (GO) annotation and pathway analysis with ClueGO. The online tool STRING was used to predict PPAR γ and DEG protein interactions, while iRegulon was used to predict the binding sites for PPAR γ and DEG promoters. GO and pathway terms were compared between EVCTs and VCTs with clusterProfiler. Visualizations were prepared in Cytoscape. From our microarray data, 139 DEGs were detected in rosiglitazone-treated EVCTs (RT-EVCTs) and 197 DEGs in rosiglitazone-treated VCTs (RT-VCTs). Downstream annotation analysis revealed the similarities and differences between RT-EVCTs and RT-VCTs with respect to the biological processes, molecular functions, cellular components, and KEGG pathways affected by the treatment, as well as predicted binding sites for both protein-protein interactions and transcription factor-target gene interactions. These results provide a broad perspective of PPAR γ -activated processes in trophoblasts; further analysis of the transcriptomic signatures of RT-EVCTs and RT-VCTs should open new avenues for future research and contribute to the discovery of possible drug-targeted genes or pathways in the human placenta., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest that could affect the impartiality of the reported research., (Copyright © 2020 Fulin Liu et al.)

Background: Pre-eclampsia is a common pregnancy complication, affecting 5-8% of pregnancies worldwide. The specific mechanism of pre-eclampsia remains unclear., Objective: In this study, we aimed to apply bioinformatics approach to reveal related pathways or genes involving in the development of pre-eclampsia., Study Design: The gene expression profiles of GSE9984 and GSE4707 were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. Differentially expressed genes analysis was performed by GEO2R. The Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) was applied to analyze the functional enrichment, gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway of the differentially expressed genes. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) was conducted using the software GSEA v3.0. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) relationships were evaluated by the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes (STRING) and network visualization was constructed by the Cytoscape. Cell count kits-8 (CCK-8), transwell migration assay and tube formation assay were performed., Results: A total of 160 common differentially expressed genes were extracted. Transforming growth factor (TGF) beta signaling pathway was shown to be notable in the development of pre-eclampsia. ENG, a key gene of TGF-β signaling pathway, inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of both HTR-8/SVneo cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), and additionally suppressed the capillary formation of HUVECs., Conclusion: Bioinformatics approach combined with cell experiments in this study revealed that TGF-β signaling pathway was critical for the development of pre-eclampsia, and efficient biomarkers underlying this pathway need to be further investigated., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To observe the effect of C-reactive protein (CRP) on the expressions of Notch pathway components in human peripheral blood endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) in vitro., Methods: Mononuclear cells isolated by density gradient centrifugation of human peripheral blood mixed with 6% hydroxyethyl starch (Hes) were plated on fibronectin-coated 6-well culture dishes. After 7 days, the adherent cells were cultured in the presence of 10 and 20 mg/L CRP for 48 h, and the proliferation, migration, and adhesion abilities of the cells were observed. The mRNA expressions of Notch-1 and its ligand Jagged-1 in the EPCs were measured by RT-PCR, and their protein expressions by Western blotting., Results: CRP at 10 and 20 mg/L caused a significant reduction in the number of viable EPCs (61∓3 and 54∓3, respectively) as compared with PBS (71∓4, P<0.05). CRP also resulted in a significant suppression of the proliferation, migration and adhesion capacities of the EPCs. The mRNA and protein expressions of Jagged-1 and Notch-1 in the EPCs significantly increased following CRP exposure in comparison with PBS treatment., Conclusion: CRP can suppress the proliferation, migration and adhesion capacities of the EPCs probably by affecting the expressions of the Notch-1 pathway components.