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Proximal imaging remote sensing technologies are used to phenotype and to characterize organisms based on specific external body reflectance features. These imaging technologies are gaining interest and becoming more widely used and applied in ecological, systematic, evolutionary, and physiological studies of plants and also of animals. However, important factors may impact the quality and consistency of body reflectance features and therefore the ability to use these technologies as part of non-invasive phenotyping and characterization of organisms. We acquired hyperspectral body reflectance profiles from three insect species, and we examined how preparation procedures and preservation time affected the ability to detect reflectance responses to gender, origin, and age. Different portions of the radiometric spectrum varied markedly in their sensitivity to preparation procedures and preservation time. Based on studies of three insect species, we successfully identified specific radiometric regions, in which phenotypic traits become significantly more pronounced based on either: 1) gentle cleaning of museum specimens with distilled water, or 2) killing and preserving insect specimens in 70% ethanol. Standardization of killing and preservation procedures will greatly increase the ability to use proximal imaging remote sensing technologies as part of phenotyping and also when used in ecological and evolutionary studies of invertebrates.

In biological neural networks, it has been well recognized that a healthy brain exhibits 1 / f noise patterns. However, in artificial neural networks that are increasingly matching or even out-performing human cognition, this phenomenon has yet to be established. In this work, we found that similar to that of their biological counterparts, 1 / f noise exists in artificial neural networks when trained on time series classification tasks. Additionally, we found that the activations of the neurons are the closest to 1 / f noise when the neurons are highly utilized. Conversely, if the network is too large and many neurons are underutilized, the neuron activations deviate from 1 / f noise patterns toward that of white noise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The level of the regulator of G-protein signaling 4-1 (RGS4-1) isoform, the longest RGS4 isoform, is significantly reduced in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) of people with schizophrenia. However, the mechanism behind this has not been clarified. The 3′untranslated regions (3′UTRs) are known to regulate the levels of their mRNA splice variants. Methods: We constructed recombinant pmir-GLO vectors with a truncated 3′ regulatory region of the RGS4 gene (3R1, 3R2, 3R3, 3R4, 3R5, and 3R6). The dual-luciferase reporter assay was conducted to find functional regions in HEK-293, SK-N-SH, and U87cells and then predicted miRNA binding to these regions. We performed a dual-luciferase reporter assay and a Western blot analysis after transiently transfecting the predicted miRNAs. Results: The dual-luciferase reporter assay found that regions +401–+789, +789–+1152, and +1562–+1990 (with the last base of the termination codon being +1) might be functional regions. Hsa-miR-874-3p, associated with many psychiatric disorders, might target the +789–+1152 region in the 3′UTR of the RGS4 gene. In the dual-luciferase reporter assay, the hsa-miR-874-3p mimic, co-transfected with 3R1, down-regulated the relative fluorescence intensities. However, this was reversed when the hsa-miR-874-3p mimic was co-transfected with m3R1 (deletion of +853–+859). The hsa-miR-874-3p mimic significantly decreased the endogenous expression of the RGS4-1 isoform in HEK-293 cells. Conclusions: Hsa-miR-874-3p inhibits the expression of the RGS4-1 isoform by targeting +853–+859. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective of this study was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of TyG and newly TyG related indicators in detecting CKD and explore which indices were superior in associating with CKD in Chinese population. Methods: Correlation test, logistic regression analysis, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were used to evaluate the optimal cut-off and value of TyG, TyG-body mass index (TyG-BMI), TyG-waist circumference (TyG-WC), TyG-waist to height ratio (TyG-WHtR) for predicting CKD. Results: TyG-WHtR, TyG-WC, and TyG-BMI correlated with several risk factors for CKD. After adjusting for confounders, TyG-WHtR and TyG-WC remained significantly associated with CKD, while TyG-BMI did not. The highest quartiles of TyG-WHtR and TyG-WC had 1.95- and 1.91-fold increased risk of CKD than the lowest quartiles (P< 0.05). TyG-WHtR had the largest AUC (0.687) for CKD detection, followed by TyG-WC (0.669), TyG (0.652), and TyG-BMI (0.648). A united model that involved TyG-WHtR and other risk variables had higher predictive performance (AUC=0.791) than a single TyG related indicator. However, TyG had the highest OR (2.713, 95% CI, 1.446– 5.090) for reduced eGFR in the fully adjusted model. A united model that involved TyG and WHtR separately had stronger predictive ability (AUC: 0.794) than the model that involved TyG-WHtR individually (AUC:0.791). Conclusion: This study found that TyG-WHtR had a better diagnostic value in the diagnosis of CKD, compared to other TyG related indicators, but none of the TyG related indicators showed a stronger association with CKD than TyG. Further research and more refined algorithms are needed to verify these new indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The purpose of this study was to investigate the health literacy level and influencing factors of patients with ischemic stroke. Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted. Methods: We used convenient sampling to recruit potential participants. Patients with ischemic stroke who were hospitalized in the Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University in China from January 2022 to May 2023 were selected as subjects to complete the questionnaire survey. We used the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale to assess the neurological impairment of patients and the Health Literacy Scale for Chronic Patients to assess the health literacy level of patients. Results: The overall health literacy level of ischemic stroke patients was high (99.13 ± 10.15). Age, education level, per capita monthly family income, living situations and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score were independent risk factors affecting the health literacy level of patients with ischemic stroke. Patients with a higher education level (β = 0.151, P = 0.006) and higher per capita monthly family income (β = 0.179, P = 0.001) had higher levels of health literacy. Patients who lived with their spouses (β = -0.117, P = 0.012) had higher health literacy. Patients at an older age (β = -0.151, P = 0.001) and patients with higher NIHSS scores (β = -0.450, P = 0.001) had lower health literacy levels. Conclusions: Age, education level, family per capita monthly income, living situations and National Institute of Health Stroke Scale score were related to the health literacy level of patients with ischemic stroke. According to these associated factors, targeted health education should be developed to improve the health literacy of patients and health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) has become a public health issue. Several systematic reviews (SRs) and meta-analyses (MAs) indicate that traditional Chinese exercise (TCE) may be an effective treatment for reducing pain and stiffness and improving physical function in people with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Objectives: To evaluate the literature quality and evidence for the systematic reviews of TCE for KOA and provide evidence to support the clinical application of TCE for KOA. Methods: Eight databases were searched from their inception to January 3, 2023, to retrieve relevant literature, including China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang, Chinese Scientific Journal Database (VIP), China Biology Medical literature database (CBM), PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and Cochrane Library, without restrictions on publication date or language. AMSTAR-2 and PRISMA 2020 assessed the methodological and reporting quality of included SRs/MAs. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system was utilized to evaluate the quality of evidence. Results: A total of 18 SRs/MAs were included. The methodological quality was "very low" based on AMSTAR-2. The overall reporting quality was deficient based on PRISMA 2020. The quality of Chinese and English literature differed, with English literature being superior in methodological and reporting quality. Among 93 pieces of evidence obtained, 46 (49.46%) were of very low quality, 34 (36.56%) were of low quality, 13 (13.98%) were of moderate quality, and none were of high quality. TCE was supported by 76 pieces of evidence (81.72%). Conclusion: TCE appears beneficial and safe for managing KOA. However, due to the relatively low methodological and evidentiary quality of included SRs/MAs, clinicians should interpret these findings cautiously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The relationship among comfort, perceived social support, and hope should still be further explored. Clarifying the relationship between the aforementioned variables can enable clinical staff to implement tailored and effective intervention strategies for enhancing the management and quality of care of patients with ischemic stroke. Aim. This study aims to investigate the relationship between comfort, perceived social support, and hope in hospitalized patients with acute ischemic stroke and to explore the mediating effect of perceived social support on comfort and hope. Methods. A correlational cross‐sectional study was performed using an online questionnaire. The study was conducted from January to August 2023 among 572 patients with acute ischemic stroke, and finally 534 valid questionnaires were included in the analysis. The general information questionnaire, Modified Barthel Index, Shortened General Comfort Questionnaire, Perceived Social Support Scale, and Herth Hope Index were utilized for investigation. Mediation analysis was performed by structural equation modelling. Indirect effects were evaluated through bootstrapping. Data analysis was performed using the statistical program packages, namely, SPSS 29.0 and AMOS 24.0. Results. The comfort, perceived social support, and hope scores of patients with acute ischemic stroke were 94.1 (11.92), 72.74 (10.26), and 40.55 (4.99), respectively. The participants' hope was positively related to comfort (r = 0.531, p < 0.001) and perceived social support (r = 0.589, p < 0.001). Perceived social support exerts a partial mediating role between comfort and hope, and the mediating effect was 0.159 (95% CI [0.117, 0.210]), accounting for 25.0% of the total effect. Conclusion. We reported that comfort—directly and indirectly—exerts a positive impact on hope. Particularly, perceived social support enhances the impact of comfort on hope; perceived social support mediates the relationship between comfort and hope. Clinical staff should correctly understand the relationship among the three variables; they should effects targeted strategies to enhance patient comfort and social support, thereby increasing the hope level among ischemic stroke patients and bolstering confidence in disease management. Implications for Nursing Management. This study demonstrates that comfort and perceived social support serve as protective factors for hope among ischemic stroke patients. This observation provides evidence supporting the optimization of management for ischemic stroke patients from the perspectives of the cognitive adaptation theory and comfort theory. The findings of this study contribute to a more optimal understanding among clinical caregivers regarding the mechanisms underlying the relationship between comfort, social support, and hope, and it facilitates the adoption of effective intervention strategies for promoting the psychological management of ischemic stroke patients and enhancing patient care quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report an unprecedented Ni‐catalyzed direct monofluoromethylthiolation of acyl chlorides, in situ generated from carboxylic acids, with elemental sulfur (S8) as the S source and fluoroiodomethane (ICH2F) as the CH2F radical source to produce a series of monofluoromethylthioesters in moderate to good yields. This approach features excellent functional group tolerance and broad substrate scope. Additionally, the late‐stage monofluoromethylthiolation of complex bioactive molecules can also be accomplished using this method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reaction regioselectivity of gem‐difluoroalkenes is dependent on the intrinsic polarity. Thus, the reversal of the regioselectivity of the addition reaction of gem‐difluoroalkenes remains a formidable challenge. Herein, we described an unprecedented reversal of regioselectivity of hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) to gem‐difluoroalkenes triggered by Fe−H species for the formation of difluoroalkyl radicals. Hydrogenation of the in situ generated radicals gave difluoromethylated products. Mechanism experiments and theoretical studies revealed that the kinetic effect of the irreversible HAT process resulted in the reversal of the regioselectivity of this scenario, leading to the formation of a less stable α‐difluoroalkyl radical regioisomer. On basis of this new reaction of gem‐difluoroalkene, the iron‐promoted hydrohalogenation of gem‐difluoroalkenes for the efficient synthesis of aliphatic chlorodifluoromethyl‐, bromodifluoromethyl‐ and iododifluoromethyl‐containing compounds was developed. Particularly, this novel hydrohalogenation of gem‐difluoroalkenes provided an effect and large‐scale access to various iododifluoromethylated compounds of high value for synthetic application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]