Search

Heavy metal ions and organic pollutants cause irreversible damage to water environment, thereby posing significant threats to the well-being of organisms. The techniques of adsorption and photocatalytic degradation offer versatile solutions for addressing water pollution challenges, attributed to their inherent sustainability and adaptability. Silicates exhibit exceptional practicality in the realm of environmental protection owing to their structural integrity and robust chemical/thermal stability during hybridization and application process. Furthermore, the abundance of silicate reserves, coupled with their proven effectiveness, has garnered significant attention in recent years. This detailed review compiles and analyzes the extensive body of literature spanning the past six years (2018–2023), emphasizing the pivotal discoveries associated with employing silicates as water purification materials. This review article provides a comprehensive overview of the structure, classification, and chemical composition of diverse silicates and offers a thorough descriptive analysis of their performance in eliminating pollutants. Additionally, the utilization of diatomite as either precursors or substrates for silicates, along with the exploration of their corresponding purification mechanisms is discussed. The review unequivocally verifies the efficiency of silicates and their composites in the effective elimination of various toxic pollutants. However, the development of novel silicates capable of adapting to diverse environmental conditions to enhance pollution control, remains an urgent necessity.

In order to accurately assess the fatigue performance of semi-rigid base layers, this paper proposes a novel fatigue testing method for semi-rigid base layers that takes into account the spatial stress state. Based on this method, the fatigue performance of three types of reinforced semi-rigid base-layer materials (steel wire mesh, plastic geogrid, and fiberglass) was tested and compared with unreinforced materials. The fatigue strain evolution patterns of these materials were analyzed, and a fatigue strain characteristic value at the limit state was proposed as an evaluation index for the fatigue failure of base layer materials. The results showed that in terms of fatigue performance, plastic geogrid > steel wire mesh > fiberglass > unreinforced specimens. The development of tensile strain can be approximately classified into a three-stage growth pattern, consisting of “curve + straight line + curve”. For the unreinforced specimens, the three stages of bending strain accounted for 10%, 70%, and 20% of the total fatigue life, respectively. The fatigue failure stages of the three types of reinforced materials had similar proportional ranges, representing 5%, 75%, and 20% of the total fatigue life, respectively. The fatigue strain characteristic values for plastic geogrid, steel wire mesh, fiberglass, and unreinforced specimens were 371 με, 280 με, 280 με, and 195 με, respectively. In summary, the use of reinforced materials within semi-rigid base layers enhances their fatigue performance, providing new insights and methods for extending the service life of road surfaces and offering scientific guidance for the practical application of reinforced materials in semi-rigid base layer road surfaces’ fatigue performance.

To investigate the impact of underground water seepage and soil stress fields on the deformation of excavation and support structures, this study initially identified the key influencing factors on excavation deformation. Subsequently, through a finite element simulation analysis using Plaxis, this study explored the effects of critical factors, such as the excavation support form, groundwater lowering depth, permeability coefficient, excavation layer, and sequence on excavation deformation. Furthermore, a comprehensive consideration of various adverse factors was integrated to establish excavation support early warning thresholds, and optimal dewatering strategies. Finally, this study validated the simulation analysis through an on-site in situ testing with wireless sensors in the context of a physical construction site. The research results indicate that the internal support system within the excavation piles exhibited better stability compared to the external anchor support system, resulting in a 34.5% reduction in the overall deformation. Within the internal support system, the factors influencing the excavation deformation were ranked in the following order: water level (35.5%) > permeability coefficient (17.62%) > excavation layer (11.4%). High water levels, high permeability coefficients, and multi-layered soils were identified as the most unfavorable factors for excavation deformation. The maximum deformation under the coupled effect of these factors was established as the excavation support early warning threshold, and the optimal dewatering strategy involved lowering the water level at the excavation to 0.5 m below the excavation face. The on-site in situ monitoring data obtained through wireless sensors exhibited low discrepancies compared to the finite element simulation data, indicating the high precision of the finite element model for considering the fluid–structure interaction.

Due to its broad yield-increasing effect and low cost, humic acid urea (HAU) has become one of the leading modified fertilizers worldwide. The fertisphere is the primary space where urea (U) granules participate in the soil nitrogen cycle, forming a nutrient concentration gradient centered on the point of fertilization. The closer the circle layers to the urea granule in the fertisphere, the higher the nitrogen concentration. However, HAU in this microregion remains poorly understood. The differences in the transformation process from the inside to outside circle layers of the U and HAU fertispheres were simulated and studied using soil incubation experiments under 20, 10, 2, 1, and 0.2 g kg−1 nitrogen inputs. The 20 and 10 g kg−1 inputs represent the layers closest to the urea granule. Within the first seven days, HAU treatment showed higher concentrations of soil ammonia-N content than U treatment within the two layers closest to the fertilizer core, while exhibiting lower concentrations under the farthest two layers. Under 2 g kg−1 nitrogen input, the nitrate nitrogen under the HAU treatment was significantly higher than that in the U treatment, indicating a higher nitrification rate. During the 42-day incubation period, soil mineral nitrogen content under the HAU treatment was higher than that for the U treatment in the two closest circles. On the 42nd day, the residual urea-N under the HAU treatment was significantly higher than that for the U treatment when the nitrogen input was higher than 1 g kg−1. The effect of higher fertilizer preservation and supply capacity of HAU in Fluvo-aquic soil was achieved by changing the urease activity and nitrification rate in fertisphere ranges closer to the fertilizer core. An improved understanding of the high-efficiency mechanism of HAU in the fertisphere process will contribute to the development of new-generation high-efficiency urea products.

Continuous mining is one of the development goals for metal mines, and the application of coal mining equipment represented by shearers provides a reference for continuous mining. However, rock in metal mines is generally harder than coal, making cutting difficult. Improving the surrounding rock conditions is an important way to improve the applicability of the drum for hard rock cutting. Therefore, this article explores the correlation between drum-cutting performance and surrounding rock boundary conditions, aiming to obtain surrounding rock boundary conditions that can help improve drum-cutting performance. To achieve the goal, a model of a shearer drum and hard rock is established using finite element software. With the model, hard rock cutting was simulated and the stress distribution on rock mass, deformation of rock mass, and drum cutting force during the cutting process under different confining pressures were analyzed. Relations between drum cutting force and confining pressure on rock mass were obtained. Then, drum cutting force under different free surfaces of rock mass are studied and the positions of free surface on rock mass that help to reduce the drum cutting force were summarized. According to the research, when the rock mass is under uniaxial compression, drum cutting force increases with the confining pressure on the rock mass; In addition, the free surfaces on the rock mass are proved to be helpful to reduce the drum cutting force. The research content lays the foundation for the boundary conditions required to reduce drum-cutting force in metal mining.

This study investigates the application of foam asphalt (FA) to enhance the compaction effectiveness of a hot in-place recycling asphalt mixture (HIR-AM) during the HIR process of old road surfaces. Initially, the process parameters for FA preparation were determined through expansion-rate and half-life tests. Subsequently, the study focused on evaluating the impact of FA on the compaction quality of HIR-AM. Performance assessments were conducted through rutting tests, low-temperature bending tests, Hamburg wheel tracking tests, dynamic modulus analyses, and various other experiments to evaluate the road performance of HIR-FAM. Finally, the research findings were validated through practical engineering applications, and the construction process for HIR-FAM was summarized. The research results reveal that the optimal foaming temperature for SBS asphalt is 170 °C, with an ideal water content of 1.7%. Under the same compaction temperature, HIR-FAM demonstrated a significant reduction in void content, ranging from 3.8% to 21.2% compared to HIR-AM. Moreover, a higher proportion of FA usage resulted in a more substantial decrease in void content. Compared to HIR-AM, HIR-FAM exhibited notable improvements, including an 11.6% increase in dynamic stability, a 13.4% enhancement in bending strength, a 13.3% increase in maximum bending strain, an 8.1% improvement in residual stability, and an 8.5% boost in freeze–thaw splitting strength. Furthermore, HIR-FAM demonstrated superior water-thermal stability and resistance to low-frequency loads. Paving a test road verified that the adoption of foam asphalt in thermal recycling led to a compaction density increase of over 0.79% compared to traditional in situ thermal recycling sections, with improved compaction uniformity.

Abstract Background Cell invasion is a crucial step of tumor metastasis, finding new regulators of which offers potential drug targets for cancer therapy. Aberrant GLYAT expression is associated with human cancers, yet its role in cancer remains unknown. This study aims to understand the function and mechanism of Drosophila GLYAT in cell invasion. Results We found that dGLYAT regulates Gadd45-mediated JNK pathway activation and cell invasion. Firstly, loss of dGLYAT suppressed scrib depletion- or Egr overexpression-induced JNK pathway activation and invasive cell migration. Secondary, mRNA-seq analysis identified Gadd45 as a potential transcriptional target of dGLYAT, as depletion of dGLYAT decreased Gadd45 mRNA level. Finally, Gadd45 knockdown suppressed scrib depletion-induced JNK pathway activation and cell invasion. Conclusions These evidences reveal the role of dGLYAT and Gadd45 in JNK-dependent cell invasion, and provide insight for the roles of their human homologs in cancers.

Abstract Ornamental crabapple is an important woody ornamental plant in the Northern Hemisphere. Its flowers, fruits, leaves and tree habit are all important ornamental characters. As there has been no research on the selection of superior parents and phenotypic variation, new varieties of ornamental crabapple are mainly selected from open-pollination progeny. In order to explore the transmission rule of ornamental traits between parents and offspring of crabapple, and to provide a basis for the selection of hybrid parents for directional breeding, 14 pairs of SSR markers were used in this study for paternity analysis of 384 offspring from 4 female parents crossed with 91 candidate male parents. And 273 offspring (71.1%) were matched with only the father at a 95% strict confidence level. We reconstructed 7 full-sib families (number of progeny ≥ 10) on the basis of the paternity analysis results. Genetic analysis of characters in the full-sib families revealed that green leaves and white flowers were dominant traits. All the hybrid offspring from the white flower (♀) × non-white flower (♂) cross produced white flowers, while 7.04% produced non-white flowers when both parents had white flowers. The results showed that white flowers might be a dominant qualitative trait in crabapple, while the depth of red was a quantitative trait. The genetic characteristics of green and non-green leaves and the depth of red of the peel were similar to flower color. Compared with the upright and spreading traits, the weeping trait was recessive. Some progeny showed an earlier blooming period, indicating the possibility of breeding for blooming period. Our findings are important for parent screening and improving the breeding efficiency of new varieties in ornamental crabapple hybridization.

Background/Aims Binge drinking leads to many disorders, including alcoholic hepatosteatosis, which is characterized by intrahepatic neutrophil infiltration and increases the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Molecular mechanisms may involve the migration of bacterial metabolites from the gut to the liver and the activation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). Methods Serum samples from both binge drinking and alcohol-avoiding patients were analyzed. Mouse models of chronic plus binge alcohol-induced hepatosteatosis and HCC models were used. Results A marker of NETs formation, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), was significantly higher in alcoholic hepatosteatosis and HCC patients and mice than in controls. Intrahepatic inflammation markers and HCC-related cytokines were decreased in mice with reduced NET formation due to neutrophil elastase (NE) deletion, and liver-related symptoms of alcohol were also alleviated in NE knockout mice. Removal of intestinal bacteria with antibiotics led to decreases in markers of NETs formation and inflammatory cytokines upon chronic alcohol consumption, and development of alcoholic hepatosteatosis and HCC was also attenuated. These functions were restored upon supplementation with the bacterial product LPS. When mice lacking toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) received chronic alcohol feeding, intrahepatic markers of NETs formation decreased, and hepatosteatosis and HCC were alleviated. Conclusions Formation of NETs following LPS stimulation of TLR4 upon chronic alcohol use leads to increased alcoholic steatosis and subsequent HCC.

Aiming at the corrosion problem of alloy steels in long - term service in environments containing NaCl, 42CrMo and Cr12MoV alloy steels were selected as research materials, and their electrochemical corrosion behaviors in environments with different NaCl concentrations was studied through potentiodynamic polarization curve and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Results showed that the corrosion rates of these two kinds of alloy steels increased with the rising of NaCl concentration. Through the comparative analysis of the electrochemical test results of 42CrMo and Cr12MoV alloy steels, it could be obtained that in NaCl solutions with the same concentration, the corrosion resistance of Cr12MoV was better than that of 42CrMo. The results of this study could provide reference for the application of alloy steels.

Abstract Background Intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) can cause low back pain, a major public health concern. IVDD is characterized with loss of cells especially those in nucleus pulposus (NP), due to the limited proliferative potential and regenerative ability. Few studies, however, have been carried out to investigate the in vivo proliferation events of NP cells and the cellular contribution of a specific subpopulation of NP during postnatal growth or regeneration. Methods We generated FGFR3-3*Flag-IRES-GFP mice and crossed FGFR3-CreERT2 mice with Rosa26-mTmG, Rosa26-DTA and Rosa26-Confetti mice, respectively, to perform inducible genetic tracing studies. Results Expression of FGFR3 was found in the outer region of NP with co-localized expressions of proliferating markers. By fate mapping studies, FGFR3-positive (FGFR3+) NP cells were found proliferate from outer region to inner region of NP during postnatal growth. Clonal lineage tracing by Confetti mice and ablation of FGFR3·+ NP cells by DTA mice further revealed that the expansion of the FGFR3+ cells was required for the morphogenesis and homeostasis of postnatal NP. Moreover, in degeneration and regeneration model of mouse intervertebral disc, FGFR3+ NP cells underwent extensive expansion during the recovery stage. Conclusion Our present work demonstrates that FGFR3+ NP cells are novel subpopulation of postnatal NP with long-existing proliferative capacity shaping the adult NP structure and participating in the homeostasis maintenance and intrinsic repair of NP. These findings may facilitate the development of new therapeutic approaches for IVD regeneration.

[Introduction] The huge energy stored in the superconducting magnet in quench state is transferred and consumed by China Fusion Engineering Experimental Reactor (CFETR) quench protection system to prevent it from damage. In order to meet the design requirements of CFETR quench protection system, the overall design of the system is carried out in this paper. [Method] The basic principle and action logic of quench protection system were introduced, and the system design parameters of toroidal field coil (TF) quench protection unit and poloidal field / central solenoid coil (PF/CS) quench protection unit were described respectively. [Result] The two different schemes currently designed are analyzed. The topological structure and the switching logic of the quench protection switch, and the design requirements of other components are mainly introduced. [Conclusion] For the overall design scheme of the system, due to low cost, less land occupation, relatively mature technology and high feasibility, the mechanical DC switch with artificial current zero-crossing is the preferred scheme. Taking into account good prospects for development, hybrid DC switch with mechanical switch and solid-state switch is chosen as alternative.

Abstract Background As a skeletal malignancy, osteosarcoma has high incidence among primary malignant bone tumors. With increasing researches on molecules which mediate cancer progression, molecular mechanism has gradually become the pivot of osteosarcoma research and treatment. Aim Our study aimed at investigating the function of G3BP stress granule assembly factor 2 (G3BP2), which is an oncogene for breast cancer (BC) and prostate cancer but remains unknown in osteosarcoma cells. Methods Related gene expression was confirmed by RT-qPCR. Functional assays including immunofluorescence (IF), colony formation, transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) as well as transwell assays were utilized to test the cell biological process caused by the genes. Meanwhile, RNA pull-down assay, along with luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assays, was utilized to detect the interaction G3BP2, miR-124-3p and FGD5 antisense RNA 1 (FGD5-AS1) may exert on the regulation of osteosarcoma cells. Results G3BP2 was with high expression in osteosarcoma cells, and it aggravated the malignant cell behaviors in osteosarcoma. Additionally, miR-124-3p was verified to negatively regulate G3BP2 expression in osteosarcoma cells. Moreover, lncRNA FGD5-AS1 was predicted and testified to be the sponge of miR-124-3p and modulated G3BP2 expression positively. Subsequently, FGA5-AS1 accelerated osteosarcoma cell proliferation through up-regulating G3BP2. Furthermore, we identified EBF transcription factor 1 (EBF1) as the transcription factor for FGA5-AS1, and EBF1 served as a tumor facilitator in osteosarcoma cells. Conclusion EBF1 induced-FGA5-AS1 aggravated osteosarcoma cell malignancy by targeting miR-124-3p and G3BP2.

AimTo observe the effects of acupuncture manipulations on blood pressure and brain function in spontaneously hypertensive rats and elucidate the anti-hypertensive effect of the manipulations’ central mechanism.MethodsThis study used acupuncture twirling reinforcing, acupuncture twirling reducing, and acupuncture twirling uniform reinforcing-reducing manipulations to act on the bilateral TaiChong point of rats. The depth of acupuncture was 1.5–2 mm, and twisting was performed at a frequency of 60 times/min within ±360° for 3 min, followed by the needle being retained for 17 min. Functional magnetic resonance imaging was performed at the end of the intervention. Regional homogeneity and amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations were used to assess the differences in brain regions in each group of rats, and the core brain region (left hypothalamus) among the differential brain regions was selected as the seed for functional connectivity analysis.Results(1) The anti-hypertensive effect was achieved by acupuncture manipulations, and the anti-hypertensive effect of twirling reducing manipulation on spontaneously hypertensive rats was better than that of twirling uniform reinforcing-reducing and twirling reinforcing manipulations. (2) After regional homogeneity and amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations analyses, the hypothalamus, the brain region related to blood pressure, was activated in the twirling uniform reinforcing-reducing manipulation group; the corpus callosum and cerebellum were activated in the twirling reinforcing manipulation group; and the hypothalamus, olfactory bulb, corpus callosum, brainstem, globus pallidum, and striatum were activated in the twirling reducing manipulation group. (3) According to the functional connectivity analysis, different acupuncture manipulations increased the functional connections between seed points and the brainstem, olfactory bulb, and cerebellum, etc.ConclusionThese results suggest that acupuncture manipulations achieved the hypotensive effect and the twirling reducing manipulation had a better hypotensive effect on spontaneously hypertensive rats than twirling uniform reinforcing-reducing and twirling reinforcing manipulations; the central mechanism of the anti-hypertensive effect of twirling reinforcing and reducing manipulation may be related to the activation of brain regions associated with blood pressure regulation and the functional connections between them. Furthermore, brain regions involved in motor control, cognition, and hearing were also activated. We hypothesize that activation of these brain regions may help prevent or mitigate the onset and progression of hypertensive brain damage.

ObjectiveTo explore the effectiveness of combined immunotherapy (IT) and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and address the gap between evidence-based clinical practice and academic knowledge of optimal timing of IT relative to SRS. In addition, to meet the unmet need for an up-to-date prognostic assessment model in the era of IT.MethodsThe data of 86 non-small cell lung cancer brain metastasis (NSCLCBM) patients treated with SRS to 268 brain metastases (BMs) were retrospectively extracted from our hospital database. The Kaplan–Meier analysis was employed for overall survival (OS) and a log-rank test for comparison between groups. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to identify the significant prognostic factors. The prognostic nomogram was established utilizing the rms package of R software.ResultsIT was found to be associated with improved OS (from BM diagnosis: HR 0.363, 95% CI 0.199 - 0.661, P < 0.001; from SRS: HR 0.472, 95% CI 0.260 - 0.857, P = 0.014). Individuals who received IT in combination with SRS had better OS than those who didn’t (from the day of BM diagnosis: 16.8 vs. 8.4 months, P = 0.006; from the day of SRS: 12 vs. 7 months, P = 0.037). Peri-SRS timing of IT administration was a significant prognostic factor for OS (from BM diagnosis: HR 0.132, 95% CI 0.034 - 0.517, P = 0.004; from SRS: HR 0.14, 95% CI 0.044 - 0.450, P = 0.001). Initiating IT after SRS led to superior OS than concurrent or before (from BM diagnosis: 26.5 vs. 14.1 vs. 7.1 months; from SRS: 21.4 vs. 9.9 vs. 4.1 months, respectively). Additionally, we build a nomogram incorporating IT, cumulative intracranial tumor volume (CITV), and recursive partitioning analysis (RPA), demonstrating a remarkable prognosis prediction performance for SRS-treated NSCLCBM patients.ConclusionPeri-SRS IT is a promising approach in treating NSCLCBM, as improved OS was observed without significantly increasing adverse events. Receipt of IT post-SRS was associated with superior OS than those who received IT concurrently or before. Incorporating IT and CITV into the RPA index could augment its prognosis assessment value for SRS-treated NSCLCBM patients, predominantly in the wild-type.

Summary: Poplar coma, commonly referred to as “seed hairs”, is a tuft of trichomes attached to the seed coat that helps seed dispersal. However, they can also trigger health impacts for humans, including sneezing, shortness of breath, and skin irritation. Despite efforts to study the regulatory mechanism of herbaceous trichome formation, poplar coma remains poorly understood. In this study, we showed that the epidermal cells of the funiculus and placenta are the origin of poplar coma based on observations of paraffin sections. Small RNA (sRNA) and degradome libraries were also constructed at three stages of poplar coma development, including initiation and elongation stages. Based on 7,904 miRNA-target pairs identified by small RNA and degradome sequencing, we constructed a miRNA-transcript factor and a stage-specific miRNA regulatory network. By combining paraffin section observation and deep sequencing, our research will provide greater insight into the molecular mechanisms of poplar coma development.

Ginkgo biloba L. has a unique evolutionary status. Owing to its high medicinal and ornamental value, ginkgo has also recently become a research hotspot. However, the large genome and long juvenile period, as well as the lack of an effective genetic transformation system, have hindered gaining a full understanding of the comprehensive functions of ginkgo genes. At present, heterologous expression of genes in model plants is the primary method used in ginkgo-related research; however, these distant plant model relatives limit reliable interpretation of the results for direct applications in ginkgo breeding. To overcome these limitations, in this study, an efficient isolation and transient expression system for ginkgo protoplasts was established. A large number of intact and homogeneous ginkgo mesophyll protoplasts were isolated using 2% cellulase and 0.25% pectinase in 0.4 M mannitol. The activity of these protoplasts remained above 90% even after 24 h. Furthermore, when the concentration of the polyethylene glycol 4000 solution was 30%–40% (w/v), the transformation efficiency of the protoplasts reached 40%. Finally, the reliability of the system was verified using subcellular localization, transient overexpression, and protein interaction experiments with ginkgo genes, thereby providing a technical platform for the identification and analysis of ginkgo gene functions. The proposed method partially compensates for the limitations associated with the lack of a genetic transformation system and provides technical support to expand research on elucidating the functions of ginkgo genes.

IntroductionChronic hypertension may have a contributory role toward cognitive impairment. Acupuncture exerts protective effects on cognitive functions while controlling the blood pressure. However, the neural mechanism underlying the dual attenuating effect of acupuncture remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) and manual acupuncture (MA) on the functional activity of the brain regions of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) by through resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). We also evaluated the differences in these functional activities between the EA and MA groups.MethodsWe randomly assigned 30 SHRs into the EA, MA, and model (SHR) groups. Wistar Kyoto rats (n = 10) were used as normal control (WKY). The interventions were administered once every alternate day for 12 weeks. The systolic blood pressure of all rats was recorded every 2 weeks until the end of the intervention. After the intervention, rs-fMRI scanning was performed to access the whole brain data of rats randomly selected from each group evenly. The amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (ALFF) analysis, regional homogeneity (ReHo) analysis, and functional connectivity (FC) analysis were also conducted. The Morris water maze (MWM) test was conducted to evaluate the learning and memory of the rats. Hematoxylin-eosin staining and Nissl staining were performed to observe histopathological changes in the key brain regions.ResultsWe demonstrated that, when compared with the SHR group, the EA and MA groups had significantly lower blood pressure and better performance for behavioral test indices, and that the effect of EA was better than that of MA. ALFF and ReHo analyses revealed enhancement of the neuronal activity of some functionally impaired brain areas in the EA and MA groups. The main callback brain regions included the hypothalamus, entorhinal cortex, brain stem, prelimbic cortex, cingulate cortex, corpus callosum, and cerebellum. The FC analysis demonstrated that EA and MA enhanced the functional connectivity between the seeds and brain regions such as the brain stem, entorhinal cortex, hippocampus, prelimbic cortex, and cerebellum. The pathological test of the entorhinal cortex also verified the protective effect of acupuncture on the neuronal functional activity.DiscussionOur findings suggested that EA and MA exhibited attenuating effects on hypertension and cognitive dysfunction by enhancing the functional activities in the corresponding brain regions. Moreover, EA activated more callback brain regions and functional connectivity than MA, which may explain why the effect of EA was better than that of MA.

The endoplasmic reticulum protein TECRL promotes mitochondrial function in cardiomyocytes and its knockout in mice leads to cardiac dysfunction, decreased mitochondria function, and elevated levels of reactive oxygen species.

Abstract Spinal cord injury (SCI) may cause structural alterations in brain due to pathophysiological processes, but the effects of SCI treatment on brain have rarely been reported. Here, voxel-based morphometry is employed to investigate the effects of SCI and neurotrophin-3 (NT3) coupled chitosan-induced regeneration on brain and spinal cord structures in rhesus monkeys. Possible association between brain and spinal cord structural alterations is explored. The pain sensitivity and stepping ability of animals are collected to evaluate sensorimotor functional alterations. Compared with SCI, the unique effects of NT3 treatment on brain structure appear in extensive regions which involved in motor control and neuropathic pain, such as right visual cortex, superior parietal lobule, left superior frontal gyrus (SFG), middle frontal gyrus, inferior frontal gyrus, insula, secondary somatosensory cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, and bilateral caudate nucleus. Particularly, the structure of insula is significantly correlated with the pain sensitivity. Regenerative treatment also shows a protective effect on spinal cord structure. The associations between brain and spinal cord structural alterations are observed in right primary somatosensory cortex, SFG, and other regions. These results help further elucidate secondary effects on brain of SCI and provide a basis for evaluating the effects of NT3 treatment on brain structure.

Abstract Background Disabled homolog 2 interacting protein (DAB2IP) plays a tumor-suppressive role in several types of human cancers. However, the molecular status and function of the DAB2IP gene in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients who received definitive chemoradiotherapy is rarely reported. Methods We examined the expression dynamics of DAB2IP by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in 140 ESCC patients treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy. A series of in vivo and in vitro experiments were performed to elucidate the effect of DAB2IP on the chemoradiotherapy (CRT) response and its underlying mechanisms in ESCC. Results Decreased expression of DAB2IP in ESCCs correlated positively with ESCC resistance to CRT and was a strong and independent predictor for short disease-specific survival (DSS) of ESCC patients. Furthermore, the therapeutic sensitivity of CRT was substantially increased by ectopic overexpression of DAB2IP in ESCC cells. In addition, knockdown of DAB2IP dramatically enhanced resistance to CRT in ESCC. Finally, we demonstrated that DAB2IP regulates ESCC cell radiosensitivity through enhancing ionizing radiation (IR)-induced activation of the ASK1-JNK signaling pathway. Conclusions Our data highlight the molecular etiology and clinical significance of DAB2IP in ESCC, which may represent a new therapeutic strategy to improve therapy and survival for ESCC patients.

Abstract In the ship design, there are strict vibration‐proof requirements for precision instruments. Therefore, a ship repulsive magnetic levitation damping device is designed to achieve vibration reduction. And one self‐tuning predictive control method is proposed to achieve the stable levitation of this device. Firstly, a predictive control (MPC) method with state constraints and input constraints is adopted to realise the stable suspension of the floater. The MPC can solve the problem of position imbalance of the magnetic levitation system under the external complex disturbances. Secondly, a self‐tuning MPC method based on recursive least square is proposed to solve the problem caused by the fixed parameters of the traditional predictive controller. At the beginning of each control cycle, the recursive least‐squares (RLS) method is used to estimate the parameters of the system. Thus, the optimal control model could be obtained for the current situation. Then, this model is applied to the predictive controller to solve the problem of parameter fixation in the traditional predictive control. Finally, the simulation results show that it can improve the accuracy, dynamic response and anti‐interference performance obviously.

Objectives: Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is a prevalent and distressing symptom experienced by many cancer patients, necessitating effective treatments. This study utilizes meta-analysis and network pharmacology to comprehensively assess the efficacy of the Buzhong Yiqi prescription in alleviating cancer-related fatigue and to preliminarily explore the mechanism of its core drugs. Methods: We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in cancer patients. The inclusion criteria encompassed a diagnosis of cancer-related fatigue, without limitation on cancer type, the experimental group receiving Buzhong Yiqi prescription, the control group receiving conventional treatment, patients awaiting treatment, and articles published in either English or Chinese. We conducted a search through 29 February 2024, across PubMed, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Controlled Clinical Trials (CENTRAL), China Biomedical Literature Service (CBM), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), WANFANG Database, and Weipu Database (VIP). Journal articles that met the inclusion criteria were selected for inclusion. Two independent investigators evaluated the quality of the included studies. A meta-analysis was performed utilizing the Stata 12.0 software package, where estimates of cancer-related fatigue were aggregated through the application of a random-effects model. We employed the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool to evaluate potential biases in RCTs. The primary outcome measures utilized to assess the efficacy and safety of CRF treatment comprised the Revised Piper Fatigue Scale (PFS-R) and the Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30). The secondary outcomes encompassed the KPS score, the effective rate, the TCM syndrome score, and an evaluation of adverse reactions. The Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP) was utilized to identify the active ingredients and targets of BZD. Additionally, the Drug bank, Therapeutic Target Database (TTD), DiaGeNET, and GeneCards databases were utilized to retrieve relevant targets for CRC. The Venn diagram was employed to identify overlapping targets. Cytoscape software was utilized to construct a network of "herb-ingredient-target" and identify core targets. GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses were performed using R language software. Results: In comparison to the control group, patients with CRF who received BZYQ prescription exhibited marked improvements in KPS score, QLQ-C30 quality of life score, and effective rate. Conversely, PFS, TCM syndrome score, and adverse reaction assessments significantly decreased. The primary active ingredients in its core drugs may exert a positive therapeutic effect on CRF by targeting molecules such as AKT1, IL6, IL1B, PTGS2, CASP3, ESR1, and BCL2, as well as through signaling pathways including TNF, IL17, TLR, NF-κB, and C-type lectin receptor. Conclusion: BZYQ demonstrates significant efficacy in treating CRF with minimal adverse reactions. It can serve as a fundamental treatment for CRF in clinical practice, and the medication can be tailored to individual patients for personalized therapy. The potential pharmacological mechanism of BZYQ in treating CRF, as predicted by network pharmacology, offers a molecular foundation for clinical CRF treatment. Systematic Review Registration: https://inplasy.com, identifier INPLASY202430025 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rehabilitation plays a critical role in the functional recovery of pediatric patients following rotationplasty for lower extremity malignant bone tumors. However, due to the limited number of cases and the unique characteristics of the surgery, there is a paucity of studies that have longitudinally evaluated the effect of rehabilitation strategies on long-term functional recovery after rotationplasty. Therefore, the present study aimed to identify an effective rehabilitation approach for pediatric patients undergoing rotationplasty for malignant bone tumors of the lower limb. Additionally, the study aimed to assess the effect of rehabilitation on long-term functional recovery and quality of life. A total of 12 patients were included in the current study, with a mean age at surgery of 6.58±1.73 years (range, 4-10 years). These patients underwent rotationplasty for malignant bone tumors of the lower extremity at the Fourth Medical Center of the Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital (Beijing, China) between March 2014 and March 2019. After surgery, patients underwent a 6-month postoperative rehabilitation programme, either on an outpatient or inpatient basis, with exercise therapy as the key training modality. The follow-up outcomes at 3, 6 and 12 months and at 3 and 5 years were recorded and analyzed, ensuring a comprehensive evaluation of long-term progress. The results demonstrated a gradual enhancement in functional performance and quality of life. Within a year of surgery, the patients displayed significant improvements in both functional recovery and quality of life, and all indicators remained stable 1 year later compared with those at 1 year post-surgery. More specifically, patients showed restored muscle strength and walking ability to normal levels, with a significant increase in muscle strength to 5/5. In addition, the study revealed that the mean distance covered in the 6-min walk test was 403.08±12.52 meters, while a duration of 8.83±0.72 sec was recorded in the timed up and go test. All patients have been continuously monitored up to date. The follow-up period for all patients ranged from 60 to 120 months, with a mean of 89.83±17.55 months. Overall, the findings indicated that the early postoperative period was a critical period for functional recovery, and that early postoperative rehabilitation interventions resulted in significant improvements to the rate and quality of functional recovery over time, thus further improving quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current understanding of the correlation between insulin resistance (IR) and cognitive dysfunction is limited. Therefore, the objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the association between the triglyceride glucose (TyG) index, a recently suggested indicator of IR, and cognitive impairment and dementia in the adult population. Observational studies pertinent to our research were identified through comprehensive searches of the PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases. To account for potential heterogeneity, the random-effects models were employed to aggregate the findings. This meta-analysis included ten observational studies involving 5602409 participants. Compared to those with the low TyG index, subjects with the high TyG index were significantly associated with the risk of cognitive impairment [risk ratio (RR): 1.39, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.22 to 1.59, p<0.001; I2=45%) and dementia (RR: 1.30, 95% CI: 1.06 to 1.60, p=0.01; I2=50%). The association was consistent for Alzheimer's disease (RR: 1.35, 95% CI: 1.04 to 1.76, p=0.03; I2=54%) and vascular dementia (RR: 1.18, 95% CI: 1.13 to 1.24, p<0.001; I2=0%). Subgroup analyses showed that the association between TyG index with cognitive impairment and dementia were stronger in cross-sectional studies than that in cohort studies (p for subgroup difference=0.02), but not significantly modified by age, sex, or diabetic status of the participants. In conclusion, a high TyG index may be associated with higher risk of cognitive impartment and dementia in adult population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human Enterovirus 71 (EV71) has emerged as one of the predominant causative agents of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) with global impact. Despite the inactivated vaccine being licensed, other vaccine candidates based on advanced technology platforms are under development. In this report, we rationally designed and constructed two DNA-launched live attenuated vaccine candidates (pDL-EV71) under the control of specific promoters. In vitro and in vivo transfection with pDL-EV71 driven by the CMV promoter successfully yielded fully infectious EV71. More importantly, the administration of pDL-EV71 did not cause clinical symptoms following intracranial or intramuscular inoculation in neonatal and IFNα/βR-/- mice, demonstrating its safety profile. Moreover, a single-dose or two-dose immunization with pDL-EV71 elicited robust neutralizing antibodies against EV71 as well as an antigen-specific cellular response in mice. A single-dose immunization with 10 μg of pDL-EV71 conferred complete protection against lethal EV71 infection in neonates born to immunized maternal mice. Overall, our present results demonstrate that pDL-EV71 is a safe and effective vaccine candidate against EV71 for further development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aqueous room temperature mono-dehydration of sugar alcohols (D-sorbitol and D-mannitol) was conducted using functionalized yttrium oxide nanocatalysts prepared via sol-gel methods. Materials exhibited high selectivity to mono-dehydration products. Solvent and catalyst effects were also investigated and discussed. The introduction of titanium into the yttrium oxide framework would decrease both substrate conversion and mono-dehydration efficiency. In addition, studies of the catalytic mechanism indicate high mono-dehydration efficiency may come from the stability of the formed intermediate during catalysis. This work provides a highly efficient and benign system for catalytic mono-dehydration of sugar alcohols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyaspartic acid (PASP) is widely used in agriculture owing to its role in promoting crop growth and nutrient absorption, and its effects are correlated with its molecular weight. In this study, a field soil column experiment using a 15N tracer was conducted to compare the effects of urea enhanced by PASPs with different molecular weights on wheat yield, nitrogen uptake by wheat, and nitrogen residue in the soil. The results showed that urea enhanced with PASPs (PASPUs) increased the wheat yield by 2.02–9.77% than conventional urea (CU) through enhancing the wheat spike number. PASPUs promoted wheat nitrogen uptake, and urea enhanced with PASPs of high molecular weight (>10 kDa) significantly promoted total nitrogen uptake, fertilizer–N uptake, and soil–N uptake by 9.92%, 4.65%, and 19.62%, respectively, compared with CU. PASPUs reduced fertilizer–N leaching by increasing its residue in the 30–60 cm soil layer and decreasing its amount in the 60–90 cm soil layer. A comprehensive evaluation based on radar charts showed that PASPs of high molecular weight showed a significant improvement in wheat yield and nitrogen–use efficiency, compared with CU and urea enhanced with other molecular weights, and is the most recommended PASP fraction for enhancing nitrogen utilization.

Chinese Materia Medica Resources (CMMRs) are crucial for developing the tradition and industry of traditional Chinese medicine. Given the increasing demand for CMMRs, an accurate and effective understanding of CMMRs is urgently needed. Chinese medicinal plants (CMPs) are the most important sources of CMMRs. Traditional methods of investigating medicinal plant resources have limitations, including severe subjectivity and poor timeliness, which make it difficult to meet the demand for real-time monitoring of large-scale medicinal plant resources. In recent years, remote sensing technology has become an important means of obtaining information on medicinal plants, and the application of this technology has made up for the shortcomings of traditional methods. This paper first discusses the development of investigation methods of CMMRs; points out the importance of remote sensing technology in the application of spatial distribution and information identification and extraction of Chinese medicinal plant resources (CMPRs); analyzes the characteristics of CMPs in different planting patterns, different habitats, and different regions from the perspective of remote sensing information extraction; and explores the selection of suitable data sources, providing a reference for medicinal plant identification and information extraction. Secondly, according to the existing classification and identification methods, previous studies are summarized from the perspectives of classification scales, classification features, and classification accuracy, and the advantages and disadvantages of the commonly used remote sensing classification methods in the investigation of CMPRs are summarized and compared. Finally, the development trend of remote sensing technology in the identification and information extraction of CMPs is examined, and the key technical problems to be solved in the identification and classification of CMPs and the extraction of area information are summarized so as to provide technical support and experience references for the application of remote sensing in the investigation of CMPRs.

Zinc (Zn)-enriched pears, which are derived from genetically related cultivars or crops fortified using agronomic methods, have the potential to partly satisfy the human demand for Zn nutrition and diversify consumer choices. However, a standard for the Zn fortification level in pears is lacking, and the disparity in literature-reported fruit Zn concentrations can vary by substantial amounts. Before investigating the Zn concentrations in fruits of the main pear cultivars in China, common sample preparation methods were compared. Among the pre-treatment methods tested, the freeze-dry technique had a greater degree of discrete variation, whereas oven drying (fresh weight) was the optimal method for determining fruit Zn concentrations. Based on the optimal method, no significant distribution patterns of fruit Zn concentration were found among the regions and strains examined. The averaged pulp Zn concentration in all 26 cultivars was 0.72 mg kg−1, with the Hongxiangsu, Jinfeng, and 420 cultivars having the highest concentrations. Combined with the findings from our previous field experiments on Zn-fortified pears, a Zn concentration of ≥0.90 mg kg−1 is the suggested standard for pear enrichment. These results help us to better understand pear Zn nutrition levels and facilitate the marketisation of the fortified fruit.