Search

Self-accelerating polygon beams have drawn growing emphasis in optics owing to their exceptional characteristics of multiple self-accelerating channels and needle-like field distributions. Various approaches have been proposed to generate polygon beams, such as using spatial light modulators (SLMs) or plasmonic metasurfaces. However, SLMs impede the miniaturization of the optical system and both approaches are subject to low efficiencies and demand an extra physical lens with a long focal length for Fourier transform, which limits the quality and the diverse variability of polygon beams. In this article, we demonstrate the generation of high-quality accelerating polygon beams in broadband spectra of 500–850 nm by utilizing dielectric metasurfaces. These metasurfaces integrate the functionality of the Fourier transform lens to enable the resulting beams with a large curvature ratio for the self-accelerating channels and a relatively small size for the autofocus region. The curvature ratio of the beam at λ = 633 nm is 31 times higher than the previously reported plasmonic-based method. While the size of the focused spot is 2.35 µm, which is reduced by nearly 15 times. The proposed beam generator provides ample opportunities for applications such as particle micromanipulation, beam shaping, laser fabrication, and biomedical imaging.

Abstract Objective To evaluate the relationship of postoperative cervical axial pain with different vertebral distraction methods used during ACDF procedures in cervical spondylosis patients. Methods Ninety-four single-level cervical spondylotic myelopathy patients with significantly loss of intervertebral disc height who underwent ACDF surgery in our institute between January 2018 and January 2020 were enrolled. Cervical spine lateral radiographs were taken preoperatively, 3 days, 1-month, 2-month and 6-month after the surgery. The intervertebral disc height (IDH), interfacet distance (IFD), JOA (Japanese Orthopaedic Association) score, NDI (Neck Disability Index) score, nVAS (Neck Visual Analogue Scale) score and aVAS (Arm Visual Analogue Scale) score were measured. The correlation of clinical parameters and intervertebral disc height was evaluated. Then the correlation of clinical outcomes and different distraction method was evaluated. The patients were randomly divided into two groups, one uses Casper pin distractor system alone for distraction (Caspar alone group) and the other uses spreader assisted distraction method (Casper + spreader group). In biomechanical study, four cervical spine cadavers were selected for facet pressure measurements under different vertebral distraction methods, and the facet joint pressure was measured using force sensors. Results Satisfactory cervical fusion and neurological recovery were achieved in all patients. No significant correlation of IDH, IFD, JOA, NDI or aVAS with nVAS score was found. No significant difference between the change in disc height and clinical outcomes was found. However, by comparing the clinical parameters of patients in different vertebral distraction groups, we found significant changes in the early nVAS and NDI scores (P = 0.11, P = 0.48) of the Casper + spreader group (3 days postoperation), and was associated with a better nVAS score at 2 months postoperation (P

The asset-liability management problem with cash flow under an uncertain exit time has been investigated in this article, which is based on the fundamental framework of the mean-variance model in the multi-period version. The liability and random cash flow will affect asset optimization, while the investor may be forced to withdraw from investments with a random probability at each period in our model. The closed-form expressions for the mean-variance optimal portfolio selection and its corresponding efficient frontier are obtained by employing the mean-field formulation and dynamic programming approach. Moreover, some numerical examples are provided to illustrate the validity and accuracy of the theoretical results.

Foreground and background image segmentation plays an important role in the field of image processing. Convex shape priors are introduced in some image segmentation methods to estimate those implicit boundaries of image objects when these convex objects are partly obscured by unrelated surroundings that appeared in images. Classical convex shape priors based image segmentation methods use binary label functions to distinguish different image regions, which are sensitive to model parameter choices and often show poor performance in segmentation results. To solve these problems, in this paper fuzzy membership functions, which can be seen as relaxed forms of typical binary label functions, are chosen to represent different image parts, and a new variational model with respect to fuzzy membership functions is proposed in which a convex shape prior on fuzzy membership functions is designed to guarantee estimated image foregrounds having convex shapes in geometry, while to avoid the indicator function from being over-smoothed, a minimax concave regularization term is introduced to measure the smoothness of fuzzy membership functions. In order to construct an efficient algorithm to obtain desired solutions, the original model we proposed is transformed into an equivalent constrained minimization problem using the variable splitting technology, and then numerical solutions for the equivalent constrained model can be solved by an iteration algorithm which integrates the alternating direction method of multipliers, the fast Fourier transform, and the soft thresholding method. Numerical results demonstrate our proposed image segmentation method can keep estimated foreground regions convex in geometry. Compared with classical image segmentation methods, our proposed method shows more robust in model parameter choices and can obtain better convex shape in image segmentation results.

With the rapid increase in the penetration rate of renewable energy, the power quality of grid-connected wind farm is deteriorated seriously with power fluctuation and point of common coupling (PCC) voltage instability. The conventional solution is to use the energy storage device and the reactive power compensation apparatus to adjust separately, which complicates the system structure. Besides, an active power filter is needed additionally when harmonic pollution caused by local nonlinear load is serious. To solve these problems, this paper investigates the modular multilevel converter-based battery energy storage system (MMC-BESS), which can realize fluctuating power suppression, PCC voltage regulation, and harmonic mitigation simultaneously in grid-connected wind farm. Firstly, the topology and energy flow of MMC-BESS have been studied. Then, three-layer balance control of the state of charge (SOC) is proposed, which is essential to maintaining the normal operation of the device. Finally, the overall control of MMC-BESS applied in the grid-connected wind farm is given. Plenty of experimental results are obtained from a downscaled MMC-BESS prototype, which validate the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy.

Abstract Background Migrant workers are a group susceptible for depression evolution due to occupational maladaptive triggers. The social rank theory illustrates the pathology process from defensive adaptation to depression, pointing out the early prevention of depression by discovering entrapment. This study aims to reveal the relationship between migrant workers’ entrapment and depressive symptoms. Methods A total of 1805 migrant workers in Shenzhen were recruited by stratified multi-stage sampling. Sample’s demographic, behavioral and psychosocial characteristics were described and analyzed to reveal the relationship between entrapment and depressive symptoms. The Receiver Operator Characteristic was performed to find the optimal cut-off point of Entrapment Scale for predicting depressive symptoms. Results In the binary logistic regression of sociodemographic variables, migrant workers who were married (univariate odds ratio (ORu) = 0.69, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 0.56–0.84), owned 1 or 2 children (ORu = 0.71, 95% CI = 0.58–0.86), had been working over 10 years (ORu = 0.71, 95% CI = 0.54–0.95), earned > 4999 yuan per month (ORu = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.47–0.99; multivariate odds ratio (ORm) = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.38–0.87) or with low risks of alcohol use disorders (ORu = 0.51, 95% CI = 0.34–0.75) had lower risks of depressive symptoms. After adjusted the aforementioned significant sociodemographic variables, migrant workers with severer entrapment were more likely to have depressive symptoms (adjusted odds ratio (ORa) = 1.13, 95% CI = 1.12–1.15). Besides, the study proved the reliability and validity of the Chinese version Entrapment Scale, preferring a two-dimensional structure, and 11 was the optimal cut-off value of this scale for predicting depressive symptoms among migrant workers. Conclusions This result indicates the potential value of entrapment according to the social rank theory on facilitating early prevention of migrant works’ depression and the application value of Entrapment Scale for effectively measuring mental status among migrant workers.

In this study, an immobilized algae and bacteria symbiotic biofilm reactor (ABSBR) with pink luminescent filler (PLF) was constructed. The effects of PLF addition in the construction of an algae and bacteria symbiotic biofilm system on the nitrogen and phosphorus removal efficiencies and algae viability were evaluated. Our results showed that for influent TN and TP concentrations of 40 ± 5 and 5 ± 0.8 mg/L, respectively, the pollutant removal rates (PRRs) of TN and TP by the ABSBR can reach up to 74.74% and 88.36%, respectively. The chlorophyll-a (chl-a) concentration on the PLF reaches approximately 5,500 μg/L with a specific oxygen generation rate (SOGR) of 65.48 μmolO2 mg−1Chl-a h−1. These results indicate that the adding PLF into algae and bacteria symbiosis systems can effectively improve the nitrogen and phosphorus removal efficiencies of the sewage as well as increase biomass and viability of the algae in the system. HIGHLIGHTS Chlorella can be densely attached to the pink luminescent fillers.; The immobilized algae and bacteria symbiosis biofilm reactor with pink luminescent fillers can effectively remove nitrogen and phosphorus pollutants in sewage.; The addition of pink luminescent fillers can effectively control the loss of algae and improve algae viability.;

Background & Aims: Liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (SECs) promote the proliferation of hepatocytes during liver regeneration. However, the specific subset of SECs and its mechanisms during the process remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the potential role of c-kit+ SECs, a newly identified subset of SECs in liver regeneration. Methods: Partial hepatectomy mice models were established to induce liver regeneration. Hepatic c-kit expression was detected by quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction, immunofluorescent staining, and fluorescence-activated cell sorting. VE-cadherin-cyclization recombinase-estrogen receptor (Cdh5-Cre-ERT) Notch intracellular domain and Cdh5-Cre recombination signal binding protein Jκfloxp mice were introduced to mutate Notch signaling. c-Kit+ SECs were isolated by magnetic beads. Single-cell RNA sequencing was performed on isolated SECs. Liver injuries were induced by CCl4 or quantitative polymerase chain reaction injection. Results: Hepatic c-kit is expressed predominantly in SECs. Liver resident SECs contribute to the increase of c-kit during partial hepatectomy–induced liver regeneration. Isolated c-kit+ SECs promote hepatocyte proliferation in vivo and in vitro by facilitating angiocrine. The distribution of c-kit shows distinct spatial differences that are highly coincident with the liver zonation marker wingless-type MMTV integration site family, member2 (Wnt2). Notch mutation reshapes the c-kit distribution and liver zonation, resulting in altered hepatocyte proliferation. c-Kit+ SECs were shown to regulate hepatocyte regeneration through angiocrine in a Wnt2-dependent manner. Activation of the Notch signaling pathway weakens liver regeneration by inhibiting positive regulatory effects of c-kit+ SECs on hepatocytes. Furthermore, c-kit+ SEC infusion attenuates toxin-induced liver injuries in mice. Conclusions: Our results suggest that c-kit+ SECs contributes to liver zonation and regeneration through Wnt2 and is regulated by Notch signaling, providing opportunities for novel therapeutic approaches to liver injury in the future. Transcript profiling: GEO (accession number: GSE134037).

Abstract Background Although ACDF has been widely used in treating cervical spondylosis and related diseases, the complications along with this anterior surgical technique have hindered its application and affected the postoperative outcome of the patients. Here, we investigated the clinical and radiological outcomes of a new integrated low-profile anterior plate and cage system for anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) in treating cervical spondylosis. Methods A total of 96 cervical spondylosis patients who underwent single-level ACDF between 2018 to 2020 in our institute were enrolled. There were 28 patients using the new implants and 68 patients using the zero-profile (Zero-P) implants. The Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score and the visual analog scale (VAS) were used to evaluate the clinical outcomes. The cervical and segmental Cobb angle and range of motion (ROM) were used to assessed the radiological outcomes. Incidence of complications were also recorded. All data were recorded at pre-operation, 6-month and 12-month post-operation. Results All patients were followed-up for at least 1-year, the mean follow-up time was over one year. The fusion rate was similar in the two groups. There was no significant difference in the postoperative JOA score recovery rate, postoperative VAS score of neck and arm pain, postoperative ROM, and incidence of complications between two groups (P > 0.05). However, postoperative cervical and segmental Cobb angle were better maintained in the new low-profile implant group compared to Zero-P group. Conclusions The clinical outcomes of the new low-profile implant were satisfactory and comparable to that of zero-profile system. It may have advantages in improving and maintaining the cervical lordosis, and can be an alternative device for single-level cervical spondylosis treated with ACDF.

Tendinopathy is a common disease in orthopaedics, seriously affecting tendon functions. However, the effects of non-surgical treatment on tendinopathy are not satisfactory and surgical treatments possibly impair the function of tendons. Biomaterial fullerenol has been proved to show good anti-inflammatory effects on various inflammatory diseases. For in vitro experiments, primary rat tendon cells (TCs) were treated by interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) combined with aqueous fullerenol (5, 1, 0.3 μg/mL). Then inflammatory factors, tendon-related markers, migration and signaling pathways were detected. For in vivo experiments, rat tendinopathy model was constructed by local injection of collagenase into Achilles tendons of rats and fullerenol (0.5, 1 mg/mL) was locally injected 7 days after collagenase injection. Inflammatory factors and tendon-related markers were also investigated. Fullerenol with good water-solubility showed excellent biocompatibility with TCs. Fullerenol could increase expression of tendon-related factors (Collagen I and tenascin C) and decrease expression of inflammatory factors (matrix metalloproteinases-3, MMP-3, and MMP-13) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) level. Simultaneously, fullerenol slowed the migration of TCs and inhibited activation of Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. Fullerenol also attenuated tendinopathy in vivo, including reduction of fiber disorders, decrease of inflammatory factors and increase of tendon markers. In summary, fullerenol is a promising biomaterial that can be used to treat tendinopathy.

129I is a nuclear fission decay product of concern because of its long half-life (16 Ma) and propensity to bioaccumulate. Microorganisms impact iodine mobility in soil systems by promoting iodination (covalent binding) of soil organic matter through processes that are not fully understood. Here, we examined iodide uptake by soils collected at two depths (0–10 and 10–20 cm) from 5 deciduous and coniferous forests in Japan and the United States. Autoclaved soils, and soils amended with an enzyme inhibitor (sodium azide) or an antibacterial agent (bronopol), bound significantly less 125I tracer (93%, 81%, 61% decrease, respectively) than the untreated control soils, confirming a microbial role in soil iodide uptake. Correlation analyses identified the strongest significant correlation between 125I uptake and three explanatory variables, actinobacteria soil biomass (p = 6.04E-04, 1.35E-02 for Kendall-Tau and regression analysis, respectively), soil nitrogen content (p = 4.86E-04, 4.24E-03), and soil oxidase enzyme activity at pH 7.0 using the substrate L-DOPA (p = 2.83E-03, 4.33E-04) and at pH 5.5 using the ABTS (p = 5.09E-03, 3.14E-03). Together, the results suggest that extracellular oxidases, primarily of bacterial origin, are the primary catalyst for soil iodination in aerobic, surface soils of deciduous and coniferous forests, and that soil N content may be indicative of the availability of binding sites for reactive iodine species.

AimsThe distribution of residual esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) in the esophageal wall and resected lymph nodes was evaluated after neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy (nICT).Methods and resultsClinical data were collected from 137 ESCC patients who underwent anti-programmed death 1 therapy and esophagectomy. Ninety (65.7%) achieved an major pathological response (MPR) in the esophageal wall, and 27 (19.7%) achieved an MPR in the lymph nodes. Pathologically complete response (pCR, ypT0N0) was observed in 26 patients (19%). Residual tumors located in the mucosa and/or submucosa were found in 94.6% of nonpCR patients. In the minor responders, 97.8% had residual tumor >10% in the mucosa or submucosa. A preferential regression direction toward the lumen was found in 76.4% of prepT2 nonpCR patients, or 60.7% of prepT3-4a nonpCR patients. The correlation between pCR in the esophageal wall and in lymph nodes was not significant (P=0.143). Among 19 patients with pCR in resected recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) lymph nodes, 31.6% had residual tumor cells in other resected lymph nodes. A significant correlation was found between ypT/ypN downstaging and tumor regression grade (P

Introduction: In the present paper, experiments for a contra-rotating axial fan have been conducted to investigate the influences of the fan parameters including axial distance, blade number, blade pattern and blade thickness on the performance and noise characteristics under variable rotational speed regulation.Methods: The characteristic curves and spectrum characteristics of the contra-rotating axial fan with different structural configurations are compared and analyzed. Moreover, the spectrum density of the velocity obtained from the experiment is compared with the classic turbulence models.Results: The results show the characteristic curves of the shaft power and the sound pressure level (SPL) are nearly identical, which indicates the axial distance and blade number are not sensible factors for the contra-rotating axial fan under variable rotational speed regulation. The blade profiles of the fan have an impact on the characteristic curves of the SPL and the shaft power curves of the fan decrease evidently with increase of the blade thickness, while the shaft power curves are very close with different blade patterns.Discussion: In general, the blade profiles are sensible factors for the contra-rotating axial fan under variable rotational speed regulation. Through the SPL spectrum analysis of the contra-rotating axial fan with different blade profile, it can be concluded that the blade profile of the rotors has an obvious impact on the broadband noise characteristics under moderate and high frequency range.

ObjectiveNeurological outcome prediction in patients with ischemic stroke is very critical in treatment strategy and post-stroke management. Machine learning techniques with high accuracy are increasingly being developed in the medical field. We studied the application of machine learning models to predict long-term neurological outcomes in patients with after intravenous thrombolysis.MethodsA retrospective cohort study was performed to review all stroke patients with intravenous thrombolysis. Patients with modified Rankin Score (mRs) less than two at three months post-thrombolysis were considered as good outcome. The clinical features between stroke patients with good and with poor outcomes were compared using three different machine learning models (Random Forest, Support Vector Machine and Logistic Regression) to identify which performed best. Two datasets from the other stroke center were included accordingly for external verification and performed with explainable AI models.ResultsOf the 488 patients enrolled in this study, and 374 (76.6%) patients had favorable outcomes. Patients with higher mRs at 3 months had increased systolic pressure, blood glucose, cholesterol (TC), and 7-day National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score compared to those with lower mRs. The predictability and the areas under the curves (AUC) for the random forest model was relatively higher than support vector machine and LR models. These findings were further validated in the external dataset and similar results were obtained. The explainable AI model identified the risk factors as well.ConclusionExplainable AI model is able to identify NIHSS_Day7 is independently efficient in predicting neurological outcomes in patients with ischemic stroke after intravenous thrombolysis.

BackgroundImmune infiltration plays an important role in the course of ischemic stroke (IS) progression. Cuproptosis is a newly discovered form of programmed cell death. To date, no studies on the mechanisms by which cuproptosis-related genes regulate immune infiltration in IS have been reported.MethodsIS-related microarray datasets were retrieved from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and standardized. Immune infiltration was extracted and quantified based on the processed gene expression matrix. The differences between the IS group and the normal group as well as the correlation between the infiltrating immune cells and their functions were analyzed. The cuproptosis-related DEGs most related to immunity were screened out, and the risk model was constructed. Finally, Gene Ontology (GO) function, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses and drug target were performed using the Enrichr website database. miRNAs were predicted using FunRich software. Finally, cuproptosis-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in IS samples were typed, and Gene Set Variation Analysis (GSVA) was used to analyze the differences in biological functions among the different types.ResultsSeven Cuproptosis-related DEGs were obtained by merging the GSE16561 and GSE37587 datasets. Correlation analysis of the immune cells showed that NLRP3, NFE2L2, ATP7A, LIPT1, GLS, and MTF1 were significantly correlated with immune cells. Subsequently, these six genes were included in the risk study, and the risk prediction model was constructed to calculate the total score to analyze the risk probability of the IS group. KEGG analysis showed that the genes were mainly enriched in the following two pathways: D-glutamine and D-glutamate metabolism; and lipids and atherosclerosis. Drug target prediction found that DMBA CTD 00007046 and Lithocholate TTD 00009000 were predicted to have potential therapeutic effects of candidate molecules. GSVA showed that the TGF-β signaling pathway and autophagy regulation pathways were upregulated in the subgroup with high expression of cuproptosis-related DEGs.ConclusionsNLRP3, NFE2L2, ATP7A, LIPT1, GLS and MTF1 may serve as predictors of cuproptosis and play an important role in the pathogenesis of immune infiltration in IS.

Objective: Glomus tumor is a relatively uncommon soft tissue neoplasm predominantly occurring in upper extremity (fingers), less reported in stomach. This study aimed to discuss the clinicopathologic features of gastric glomus tumor (GGT) and then provide reference for clinical practice.Methods: A retrospective analysis of all cases pathologically diagnosed of GGT was performed, pathological findings were correlated with clinical information, immunohistochemical studies, next-generation sequencing, and patient follow-ups. A review of literature by searching similar cases was conducted to summarize previous knowledge of GGTs.Results: Our study identified 15 GGTs included 5 males and 10 females, aged between 35–75 years old (median, 49 years old). The tumor was located to the gastric corpus in 6 cases (40%) and to the antrum in 9 cases (60%). The maximum tumor diameter ranged between 1–4 cm (median, 1.5 cm). There were 11 cases (73%) of solid glomus tumor, 3 cases (20%) of mixture of solid glomus tumor and glomangioma, and 1 case (7%) of glomangiomyoma. Partial spindle cell area was observed in 3 cases (20%), moderate cellular atypia in 1 case (7%), atypical mitosis in 1 case (7%), vascular invasion in 5 cases (33%), neural invasion in 6 cases (40%) and tumor necrosis in 1 case (7%). Tumor cells expressed Collagen type IV, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), and synaptophysin in most cases. The Ki67 index varied from 1% to 30%. Next-generation sequencing reported EGFR, PIK3CA, KEAP1 and TP53 mutation. The outcome information was obtained in 12 (80%) cases, followed for 6–63 months, 11 patients (92%) had tumor-free survival and 1 patient (8%) developed liver metastasis 26 months after surgery. Literature review obtained 16 previously reported malignant GGT cases. In terms of the total 31 cases, univariate analysis revealed that the atypical mitosis (OS: p = 0.009; DFS: p = 0.010) and severe cellular atypia (OS: p = 0.007; DFS: p = 0.004) were significantly associated with poor prognosis (patient death).Conclusion: GGT is indolent, while long-term close follow-up should be required in the presence of increasing number of risk factors. Malignant GGT is relatively uncommon and predisposes to liver metastasis, calling for accumulation of large-sample data and experience.

Recent research has demonstrated that parametric quantum circuits (PQCs) are affected by gradients that progressively vanish to zero as a function of the number of qubits. We show that using a combination of gradient-free natural evolutionary strategy and gradient descent can mitigate the possibility of optimizing barren plateaus in the landscape. We implemented 2 specific methods: natural evolutionary strategy stochastic gradient descent (NESSGD) and natural evolutionary strategy adapting the step size according to belief in observed gradients (NESAdaBelief) to optimize PQC parameter values. They were compared with standard stochastic gradient descent, adaptive moment estimation, and a version of adaptive moment estimation adapting the step size according to belief in observed gradients in 5 classification tasks. NESSGD and NESAdaBelief demonstrated some superiority in 4 of the tasks. NESAdaBelief showed higher accuracy than AdaBelief in all 5 tasks. In addition, we investigated the applicability of NESSGD under the parameter shift rule and demonstrated that NESSGD can adapt to this rule, which means that our proposed method could also optimize the parameters of PQCs on quantum computers.

Photodynamic therapy with reactive oxygen species production is a prospective treatment to combat cancer stem cells (CSCs). However, the innate drawbacks, including short lifetime and diffusion distance of reactive oxygen species and hypoxia within solid tumors, have become bottlenecks for clinical applications of photodynamic therapy. Here, we develop a mitochondria-targeting hemicyanine–oleic acid conjugate (CyOA), which can self-assemble into supramolecular nanoparticles (NPs) without any exogenous excipients. CyOA is also shown for targeting the mitochondrial complex II protein succinate dehydrogenase to inhibit oxidative phosphorylation and reverse tumor hypoxia, resulting in 50.4-fold higher phototoxicity against breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) compared to SO3-CyOA NPs that cannot target to mitochondria. In 4T1 and BCSC tumor models, CyOA NPs achieve higher tumor inhibition and less lung metastasis nodules compared to the clinically used photosensitizer Hiporfin. This study develops a self-assembled small molecule that can serve as both oxidative phosphorylation inhibitor and photosensitizer for eradication of CSCs and treatment of solid tumors.

Introduction: Surface integral methods based on the acoustic analogy and Kirchhoff formulation are widely employed in computational aeroacoustics. The computational accuracy is usually highly dependent on the selections of the acoustic prediction method and of the integral surfaces.Methods: This paper analyzes the pros and cons of each aeroacoustic prediction method and studies numerically sound generated from flow past a circular cylinder by employing different surface integral methods. The acoustic analogy based on the impermeable solid surfaces either ignores the quadrupole contribution or needs high computational cost to calculate the quadrupole contribution, and the acoustic analogy based on the permeable integral surfaces usually suffers from the spurious source issue.Results: Both the pressure-based or density-based Kirchhoff formulations can be used in aeroacoustic prediction, however, the numerical results indicate that the pressure-based Kirchhoff formulation also suffers from the issue of the spurious sound because the pressure fluctuations at the permeable integral surfaces are contaminated by hydrodynamic component.Discussion: It seems that only the density-based Kirchhoff formulation does not suffer from the issue of the spurious sound, but this formulation requires the acoustic sources should be extracted from compressible flow simulations.

Abstract By harmonically fitting the arrival times of the P‐to‐S converted phases from the Moho, we systematically investigate the crustal anisotropy beneath the Cathaysia Block (CaB) and the surrounding areas in South China for the first time. The measured anisotropy parameters show strong lateral variations with an average splitting time of 0.35 ± 0.12 s. The resulting fast directions exhibit clear geographic variations with two possible boundaries that separate the CaB into three parts. The inconsistent fast direction of crustal anisotropy among each part, and the comparisons with teleseismic XKS splitting measurements indicate that the mechanisms of crustal deformation vary between distinct regions. The crust deforms coherently with the upper mantle in the western CaB, which is possibly driven by mantle flow. The fast directions of crustal anisotropy in the central CaB exhibit a radial pattern and show large discrepancies with XKS splitting measurements. We suggest that the crust has a complex deformation mechanism in this region. We propose a new scenario that emphasizes the interaction of the crust and upper mantle for interpreting the radial‐patterned crustal anisotropy, which involves the processes of subduction plate rollback, asthenospheric upwelling, crustal melting and lithospheric mantle intrusion. The fast directions of crustal anisotropy in the eastern CaB are dominantly parallel to the continental margin, suggesting subduction‐controlled crustal deformation in this region.

Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are important subsets of innate immune cells that regulate mucosal immunity. ILCs include natural killer cells, innate lymphoid cells-1 (ILC1s), ILC2s, and ILC3s, which have extremely important roles in the immune system. In this review, we summarize the regulation of mRNA stability mediated through various factors in ILCs (e.g., cytokines, RNA-binding proteins, non-coding RNAs) and their roles in mediating functions in different ILC subsets. In addition, we discuss potential therapeutic targets for diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cancer, and pulmonary fibrosis by regulation of mRNA stability in ILCs, which may provide novel directions for future clinical research.

Abstract Mechanoluminescence, a smart luminescence phenomenon in which light energy is directly produced by a mechanical force, has recently received significant attention because of its important applications in fields such as visible strain sensing and structural health monitoring. Up to present, hundreds of inorganic and organic mechanoluminescent smart materials have been discovered and studied. Among them, strontium‐aluminate‐based materials are an important class of inorganic mechanoluminescent materials for fundamental research and practical applications attributed to their extremely low force/pressure threshold of mechanoluminescence, efficient photoluminescence, persistent afterglow, and a relatively low synthesis cost. This paper presents a systematic and comprehensive review of strontium‐aluminate‐based luminescent materials’ mechanoluminescence phenomena, mechanisms, material synthesis techniques, and related applications. Besides of summarizing the early and the latest research on this material system, an outlook is provided on its environmental, energy issue and future applications in smart wearable devices, advanced energy‐saving lighting and displays.

Abstract Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignancies that is usually detected late in the clinic. The currently available diagnostic tools for CRC are either invasive or insensitive to early lesions due to the dearth of reliable biomarkers. In this study, we discovered that the extracellular vesicles (EVs) in the faeces of CRC patients can act as a potent biomarker for the non‐invasive diagnosis and prognosis of CRC. This finding is based on the identification of two transmembrane proteins—CD147 and A33—on faeces‐derived EVs (fEVs) that are intrinsically associated with CRC. The detection results show that the levels of CD147 and A33 on fEVs were upregulated in the CRC patients (n = 48), dramatically distinguishing them from the healthy donors (n = 16). The CD147/A33‐enriched EVs offer a clinical sensitivity of 89%, much higher than that (40%) of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), a clinically‐established serum biomarker for CRC diagnosis. In addition, the analysis of longitudinal faeces samples (n = 29) demonstrated that the CD147/A33‐enriched fEVs can be utilized to track the prognosis of CRC. Due to the high compliance of faeces‐based detection, the CD147/A33‐enriched fEVs could serve as new‐generation CRC biomarkers for large‐scale, non‐invasive CRC screening as well as real‐time monitoring of patient outcomes during clinical interventions.

ObjectiveSeveral studies highlighted childhood sexual experiences (CSEs) and intimate partner violence (IPV) as risk factors that affected lifetime suicidal ideation. TW had higher rates of CSEs and IPV than cisgender people. The aim of this study was to comprehensively assess the prevalence of CSEs and IPV among TW and their association with lifetime suicidal ideation.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted among 247 TW in Shenyang and Kunming, China, from April to September 2018. CSEs, IPV, and lifetime suicidal ideation were assessed. Logistic regression models were used to examine the association between self-reported CSEs under 18 years of age, IPV in adulthood, and lifetime suicidal ideation.ResultsIn the study, 14.2% (35/247) of the sample participants reported CSEs under 18 years of age; 44.9% (111/247) reported experiencing IPV in adulthood, including 18.6% (44/247) of physical IPV, 27.1% (67/247) of trans-specific identity IPV, 31.6% (78/247) of verbal IPV, and 19.4% (48/247) of sexual IPV; and 26.3% (65/247) had thought about attempting suicide at least one time. CSEs and any form of IPV were significantly associated with suicidal ideation in this sample population. A final stepwise multivariate logistic regression model found that both physical and verbal IPVs were significantly associated with suicidal ideation when controlling for other factors (ORm1 = 2.58, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.163–5.724; ORm2 = 2.72, 95% CI = 1.334–5.547).ConclusionsThe findings highlight the effects of CSEs and IPV among TW and suggest the need for research on suicide in the future. Suicide prevention efforts for this invisible and vulnerable population should focus on those with physical and verbal IPV.

Hematoma is a life-threatening complication of anterior surgery in cervical spondylosis patients. Herein, we report a cervical spondylosis patient complicated with Huntington’s disease, who developed unexpected neck hematoma after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) surgical treatment. During the debridement, we found no noticeable vessel lesions and concluded that the occurrence of postoperative hematoma might be due to the drainage displacement caused by excessive uncontrolled movements of the neck after the operation. The patient recovered well, and further literature review suggests that chorea secondary to Huntington’s disease likely increases mechanical stress on the cervical spine, indicating an internal relationship between degenerative cervical spondylosis and Huntington’s disease. Cervical spondylotic patients complicated with Huntington’s disease can be treated with surgical intervention but need to be immobilized and under close observation.

Four-level cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) is a common disease affecting a large number of people, with the optimal surgical strategy remaining controversial. This study compared the clinical outcomes, radiological parameters, and postoperative complications of primarily performed surgical procedures such as anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF), open-door laminoplasty (LAMP), and laminectomy with fusion (LF) in treating four-level CSM. A total of 116 patients who received ACDF (38 cases), LAMP (45 cases), and LF (33 cases) were followed up for a minimum of 24 months were enrolled in this study and retrospectively analyzed. Clinical outcomes were evaluated using the Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) scoring system, the Neck Disability Index (NDI), and the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Changes in the curvature of the cervical spine were determined using the cervical curvature index (CCI) and the C2–C7 Cobb angle. Cervical mobility was evaluated using the C2–C7 range of motion (ROM) and active cervical ROM (aROM). Complications were recorded and compared among the three groups. All patients achieved significant improvement in JOA, NDI, and VAS scores at the final follow-up (P 0.05). In addition, both C2–7 ROM and aROM were significantly reduced in the three groups and LAMP showed the least reduction relatively. As for complications, LAMP showed the lowest overall incidence of postoperative complications, and patients in the ACDF group were more susceptible to dysphagia, pseudoarthrosis than LAMP and LF. Considering improvements in clinical symptoms and neurological function, no remarkable difference was found among the groups. Nevertheless, LAMP had advantages over the other two surgical procedures in terms of preserving cervical mobility and reducing postoperative complications.

Abstract Background Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is considered an effective treatment for slow transit constipation (STC); nevertheless, the mechanism remains unclear. Methods In this study, eight patients with STC were selected according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria; they then received three treatments of FMT. The feces and serum of STC patients were collected after each treatment and analyzed by integrating 16 s rRNA microbiome and metabolomic analyses. Results The results showed that the percentage of clinical improvement reached 62.5% and the rates of patients’ clinical remission achieved 75% after the third treatment. At the same time, FMT improved the Wexner constipation scale (WCS), the Gastrointestinal Quality-of-Life Index (GIQLI) and Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD). Fecal microbiome alpha diversity and beta diversity altered significantly after FMT. Analysis of the 16 s rRNA microbiome showed that the numbers of Bacteroidetes (Prevotell/Bacteroides) and Firmicute (Roseburia/Blautia) decreased, whereas Actinobacteria (Bifidobacterium), Proteobacteria (Escherichia), and Firmicute (Lactobacillus) increased after FMT. The metabolomics analyses showed that the stool of FMT-treated patients were characterized by relatively high levels of N-Acetyl-L-glutamate, gamma-L-glutamyl-L-glutamic acid, Glycerophosphocholine, et al., after FMT. Compared with baseline, the serum of treated patients was characterized by relatively high levels of L-Arginine, L-Threonine, Ser-Arg, Indoleacrylic acid, Phe-Tyr, 5-L-Glutamyl-L-alanine, and lower levels of Erucamide after the treatment. The correlation analysis between the metabolites and gut microbiota showed a significant correlation. For example, L-Arginine was positively correlated with lactobacillus, et al. L-Threonine was positively correlated with Anaerovibrio, Sediminibacterium but negatively correlated with Phascolarctobacterium. Erucamide had significant negative correlations with Sediminibacterium and Sharpea, while being positively correlated with Phascolarctobacterium. Enriched KEGG pathways analysis demonstrated that the protein digestion and absorption pathways gradually upregulated with the increase of FMT frequency. The L-Arginine and L-Threonine were also involved in the pathway. A large amount of Na + was absorbed in the pathway, so that it might increase mucus secretion and electrical excitability of GI smooth muscle. Conclusions Therefore, we speculated that FMT changed the patients’ gut microbiota and metabolites involved in the protein digestion and absorption pathways, thereby improving the symptoms of STC. Study on the effectiveness and safety of FMT in the treatment of STC. The study was reviewed and approved by Ethics Committee of Tianjin People's Hospital (ChiCTR2000033227) in 2020.

Abstract This article discusses the exponential synchronisation problem for multiple neural networks with time‐varying delay and a more general non‐Laplacian coupling matrix is considered. To reduce the redundant communication, two event‐based time‐varying delay hybrid impulsive control schemes are proposed with static event‐triggered condition and dynamic event‐triggered condition. These novel control schemes neatly combine the event‐triggered coupling strategy with the time‐varying delay hybrid impulsive control, where the impulsive instant is only determined by the specified event‐triggered condition. Moreover, a delay impulsive differential inequality is established to discuss the synchronisation problem for controlled multiple neural networks. By using Stolz's theorem and introducing the average event‐triggered delay impulsive gain, some less conservative sufficient conditions are derived to assure the stability of the time‐varying delay multiple neural networks. Furthermore, the Zeno behaviour can be eliminated effectively and the consumption of the computing resources can be reduced. Finally, some examples are given to verify the superiority of the results. First, a static event‐triggered time‐varying delay hybrid impulsive control scheme was proposed to lessen the communication burden. Then, a time‐varying delay impulsive differential inequality was established to guarantee the synchronisation of multiple neural networks. Moreover, the authors also discussed the issue that continuously triggering and sampling can be excluded.

Objective To investigate the effect and safety of iron chelation therapy on hematopoiesis in hematological malignancy patients with iron overload after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). Methods The clinical data of 38 hematological malignancy patients who suffered from iron overload after allo-HSCT and were treated in our hospital from May 2019 to June 2021 were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed. According to receiving iron chelation or not, they were divided into treatment group (n=21, oral administration of deferasirox) and control group (n=17, no iron chelation). The changes of hemoglobin (Hb) level, platelet (PLT) count, white blood cell (WBC) count and serum ferritin (SF) level were compared between the 2 groups, and the adverse reactions during administration were observed as well. Results At 2, 4 and 8 weeks after treatment, Hb level and PLT count in the treatment group were significantly improved from baseline as compared with the control group (P < 0.05), but the WBC count showed no significant difference between the 2 groups (P > 0.05). SF levels in the treatment group was decreased from baseline at 4 and 8 weeks, significantly lower than those of the control group [-867 (-1 918~ 477) vs 436 (-408~467) μg/L, P < 0.001;-1 243 (-2 784~364) vs 541 (-674~578) μg/L, P < 0.001]. None of the patients in the treatment group developed serious gastrointestinal symptoms or severe damage to liver and kidney functions. Conclusion Iron chelation therapy can effectively improve the hematopoiesis, with satisfactory safety, in the patients suffering from iron overload after allo-HSCT.

The ground response curve (GRC) depicts the relationship between support reaction force and ground displacement, which improves the understanding of ground-support interaction and provides important references to the tunnel design. However, it is difficult to anticipate the tunneling-induced large deformation with sufficient reliability in soft rock with high geostress since the small strain theory is not applicable. When large deformation occurs, the tunnel needs to be over-excavated. Thus, the GRC should be modified considering the enlarged excavation radius since the actual excavation radius is usually greater than the designed one. To overcome the shortcomings of small strain theory in recognizing ground-support interaction under large deformation circumstances, a new large strain numerical approach for modifying the GRC was proposed considering over-excavation in strain-softening rock masses based on the generalized Zhang-Zhu strength criterion. A case study was conducted based on the Lianchengshan tunnel in China. The modified GRC was employed to investigate the ground-support behavior for different support schemes and to explore the applicability of the stress release measures. Combined with field tests, the proposed approach was validated. By comparing with GRCs proposed by previous work, the present modified GRC was proved to be superior to others. Parametric studies were conducted and it is found that over-excavation, for example, reserving a very large clearance between the surrounding rock and the support, is necessary to reduce ground pressure to a large extent. The yielding supports which can provide high support pressure during the process of deformation are highly recommended when tunneling in high geostress environment. However, if the initial geostress is not very high, it is not necessary to pursue unwarranted over-excavation since the ground pressure applied on the support is mainly the loosening stress when the deformation is large. Ample support stiffness should be provided in the process of deformation to prevent uncontrolled large deformation of surrounding rock.

Abstract Background Joubert syndrome (JS) is a group of rare congenital disorders characterized by cerebellar vermis dysplasia, developmental delay, and retina dysfunctions. Herein, we reported a Chinese patient carrying a new variant in the AHI1 gene with mild JS, and the 3D structure of the affected Jouberin protein was also predicted. Case presentation The patient was a 31-year-old male, who presented difficulty at finding toys at the age of 2 years, night blindness from age of 5 years, intention tremor and walking imbalance from 29 years of age. Tubular visual field and retina pigmentation were observed on ophthalmology examinations, as well as molar tooth sign on brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Whole exome sequence revealed two compound heterozygous variants at c.2105C>T (p.T702M) and c.1330A>T (p.I444F) in AHI1 gene. The latter one was a novel mutation. The 3D protein structure was predicted using I-TASSER and PyMOL, showing structural changes from functional β-sheet and α-helix to non-functional D-loop, respectively. Conclusions Mild JS due to novel variants at T702M and I444F in the AHI1 gene was reported. The 3D-structural changes in Jouberin protein might underlie the pathogenesis of JS.

IntroductionMen who have sex with men (MSM) are a high-risk group for suicide, with a much higher prevalence of suicidal ideation (SI) than the general population and male population. The aim of this study was to explore the risk factors influencing the development of SI and to develop and validate a nomogram among MSM.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted in 915 MSM from Shanghai, Shenyang, Shenzhen and Kunming, China using the snowball sampling method. The integrated motivational-volitional (IMV) model of suicidal behavior was used as a theoretical framework to collect different potential influencing factors of SI including diathesis-environment-life events factors and psychosocial factors. The risk factors of SI were screened by logistic regression analysis, and a nomogram for predicting SI were developed. Model properties including discrimination, calibration and decision curves were evaluated to validate the prediction model.Results882 MSM were included in the statistical analysis, with a lifetime prevalence of SI of 34.4% (303/882). Logistic regression analysis showed that age group, sexual orientation disclosure, high-risk sexual behavior, entrapment, defeat and interpersonal needs were associated with SI. A nomogram was constructed based on the above six predictors. AUC values of ROC for prediction model were 0.761 (0.641–0.770) and 0.754 (0.565–0.822) in the training set (n = 662) and validation set (n = 220), respectively. And there was no statistical difference of the AUC values between the two sets (P > 0.05). The calibration plots of the prediction model in both sets fit well with the ideal model (P > 0.05). The decision curves demonstrated that the threshold probability of prediction model in training set was 1–85%, whereas in validation set was 1–63%.ConclusionsThe lifetime prevalence of SI among Chinese MSM is high. The nomogram can serve as a useful tool to predict the development of SI among MSM. Defeat, entrapment and interpersonal needs, as significant predictors of SI, can be measured to identify SI in advance. Early assessment of SI and the enhancement of psychosocial interventions are important to prevent suicide-related behaviors. Future studies could incorporate more variables of interest to refine the prediction model to better guide behavioral and psychological intervention strategies among MSM.

Background and objectives: Piriform sinus fistula (PSF) is commonly managed by surgery in quiescent inflammation, while medical conditions are hard to be stabilized in patients suffering from recurrent infections. This research attempts to discuss the diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for PSF in acute inflammation. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 113 patients with PSF. Presence of infection within 4 weeks before the operation was taken as a reference to divide the cases into the operation group without infection (Group A) and with infection (Group B). Results: There were 75 cases in Group A and 38 cases in Group B, with an average onset age of 8.16 (5.25-11.58) and 5.63 (4.00-9.54) years, respectively. Esophageal barium swallow identified a positive predictive value of 98.2% in Group A and 100% in Group B. Endoscopic argon gas cauterization was performed in 19 cases (19/75) in Group A, a combination with peripheral doxycycline injection in 42 cases (42/75) and endoscopic- assisted fistulectomy in 14 cases (14/75), compared to 14 cases (14/38), 16 cases (16/38) and 8 cases (8/38) respectively in Group B. The overall recurrence rate was 29.3% in Group A, while those in Group B was 36.8%. Bacterial culture of pus mainly grew Streptococcus in both groups. Conclusion: There was no significant difference in the recurrence rate by EAGC in patients with or without acute infections, and the addition of local doxycycline injection may lead to a decrease of the recurrence rate. Additionally, patients who were complicated with thyroid abscess suffered from a relatively high recurrence rate, requiring specific treatment.

Abstract Two‐dimensional (2D) materials have emerged as prospective candidates for electronics and optoelectronics applications as they can be easily fabricated through liquid exfoliation and used to fabricate various structures by further subsequent processing methods in addition to their extraordinary and unique optoelectronic properties. Herein, the Ti3C2Tx/ZIS heterostructure with nanometer‐thick Ti3C2Tx‐MXene and ZnIn2S4 (ZIS) films is fabricated by successive interfacial assembly of liquid exfoliated 2D MXene and ZnIn2S4 nanoflakes. Benefiting from the superior light‐harvesting capability and low dark current of ZnIn2S4, the limited absorbance, large scattering coefficient, and high dark current disadvantages of MXene are ameliorated. Meanwhile, the separation and transport of photogenerated carriers in ZnIn2S4 are improved due to the excellent electrical conductivity of Ti3C2Tx nanoflakes. As a result, the as‐prepared Ti3C2Tx/ZIS heterostructure photodetector has excellent optoelectronic characteristics in terms of a high responsivity of 1.04 mA W−1, a large specific detectivity up to 1 × 1011 Jones, a huge on/off ratio at around 105, and an ultralow dark current at ≈10−12 A. This work demonstrates a convenient method to construct heterostructured photodetectors by liquid exfoliated 2D nanoflakes, the as‐fabricated Ti3C2Tx/ZIS heterostructured photodetectors show promising application potential for low‐cost, reliable, and high‐performance photodetectors.

Antimicrobial proteins possess a broad spectrum of bactericidal activity and play an important role in shaping the composition of gut microbiota, which is related to multiple diseases such as metabolic syndrome. However, it is incompletely known for the regulation of defensin expression in the gut Paneth cells. Here, we found that FABP4 in the Paneth cells of gut epithelial cells and organoids can downregulate the expression of defensins. FABP4fl/flpvillinCreT mice were highly resistance to Salmonella Typhimurium (S.T) infection and had increased bactericidal ability to pathogens. The FABP4-mediated downregulation of defensins is through degrading PPARγ after K48 ubiquitination. We also demonstrate that high-fat diet (HFD)-mediated downregulation of defensins is through inducing a robust FABP4 in Paneth cells. Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes (F/B) ratio in FABP4fl/flpvillinCreT mice is lower than control mice, which is opposite to that in mice fed HFD, indicating that FABP4 in the Paneth cells could reprogram gut microbiota. Interestingly, FABP4-mediated downregulation of defensins in Paneth cells not only happens in mice but also in human. A better understanding of the regulation of defensins, especially HFD-mediated downregulation of defensin in Paneth cells will provide insights into factor(s) underlying modern diseases.Abbreviations: FABP4: Fatty acid binding protein 4; S. T: Salmonella Typhimurium; HFD: High-fat diet; Defa: α-defensin; 930 HD5: Human α-defensin 5; HD6: Human α-defensin 6; F/B: Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes; SFB: Segmental filamentous bacteria; AMPs: Antimicrobial peptides; PPARγ: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ; P-PPAR: Phosphorylated PPAR; Dhx15: DEAD-box helicase 15; 935 EGF: Epidermal growth factor; ENR: Noggin and R-spondin 1; CFU: Colony forming unit; Lyz1: Lysozyme 1; Saa1: Serum amyoid A 1; Pla2g2a: Phospholipase A2, group IIA; MMP-7: Matrix metalloproteinase; AU-PAGE: Acid-urea polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis; PA: Palmitic 940 acid; GPR40: G-protein-coupled receptor; GF: Germ-free; EGF: Epidermal growth factor; LP: Lamina propria; KO: Knock out; WT: Wild-type.

Background: Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the most common subtype of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The aim of our study was to determine prognostic risk factors and establish a novel nomogram for lung adenocarcinoma patients. Methods: This retrospective cohort study is based on the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database and the Chinese multicenter lung cancer database. We selected 22,368 eligible LUAD patients diagnosed between 2010 and 2015 from the SEER database and screened them based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Subsequently, the patients were randomly divided into the training cohort (n = 15,657) and the testing cohort (n = 6711), with a ratio of 7:3. Meanwhile, 736 eligible LUAD patients from the Chinese multicenter lung cancer database diagnosed between 2011 and 2021 were considered as the validation cohort. Results: We established a nomogram based on each independent prognostic factor analysis for 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival (OS) . For the training cohort, the area under the curves (AUCs) for predicting the 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS were 0.806, 0.856, and 0.886. For the testing cohort, AUCs for predicting the 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS were 0.804, 0.849, and 0.873. For the validation cohort, AUCs for predicting the 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS were 0.86, 0.874, and 0.861. The calibration curves were observed to be closer to the ideal 45° dotted line with regard to 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS in the training cohort, the testing cohort, and the validation cohort. The decision curve analysis (DCA) plots indicated that the established nomogram had greater net benefits in comparison with the Tumor-Node-Metastasis (TNM) staging system for predicting 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS of lung adenocarcinoma patients. The Kaplan–Meier curves indicated that patients’ survival in the low-risk group was better than that in the high-risk group ( P

Breast cancer has now become the most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide. It is a highly complex and heterogeneous disease that comprises distinct histological features and treatment response. With the development of molecular biology and immunology, immunotherapy has become a new field of breast cancer treatment. Identifying cell-type-specific genes critical to the immune microenvironment contributes to breast cancer treatment. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technology could serve as a powerful tool to analyze cellular genetic information at single-cell resolution and to uncover the gene expression status of each cell, thus allowing comprehensive assessment of intercellular heterogeneity. Because of the influence of sample size and sequencing depth, the specificity of genes in different cell types for breast cancer cannot be fully revealed. Therefore, the present study integrated two public breast cancer scRNA-seq datasets aiming to investigate the functions of different type of immune cells in tumor microenvironment. We identified total five significant differential expressed genes of B cells, T cells and macrophage and explored their functions and immune mechanisms in breast cancer. Finally, we performed functional annotation analyses using the top fifteen differentially expressed genes in each immune cell type to discover the immune-related pathways and gene ontology (GO) terms.

The influence of dietary probiotic Bacillus amyloliquefaciens on the growth performance, digestive enzyme activity, immune parameters and disease resistance of yellow catfish (Pelteobagrus fulvidraco) was evaluated. Commercial diet (C) or diet containing 106 cfu/g B. amyloliquefaciens (T) was fed for 4 weeks, and final weight (FW), specific growth rate (SGR) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were improved (p0.05). Intestinal microbiota analysis showed that the community structure was significantly different between the two groups; the relative abundance of Cetobacterium was increased but Plesiomonas was decreased in T. Moreover, challenge tests showed that the resistance of fish fed B. amyloliquefaciens against Aeromonas veronii and Edwardsiella ictaluri was significantly enhanced (p