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In this paper, we consider the two-dimensional barotropic compressible Navier–Stokes equations with stress free boundary condition imposed on the free surface. As the viscosity coefficients satisfies μ ( ρ ) = 2 μ , λ ( ρ ) = ρ β , β > 1 , we establish the existence of global strong solution for arbitrarily large spherical symmetric initial data even if the density vanishes across the free boundary. In particular, we show that the density is strictly positive and bounded from the above and below in any finite time if the initial density is strictly positive, and the free boundary propagates along the particle path and expand outwards at an algebraic rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At Shantou University (STU) in 2008, a stand-alone engineering ethics course was first included within a Conceive-Design-Implement-Operate (CDIO) curriculum to address the scarcity of engineering ethics education in China. The philosophy of the course design is to help students to develop an in-depth understanding of social sustainability and to fulfill the obligations of engineers in the twenty-first century within the context of CDIO engineering practices. To guarantee the necessary cooperation of the relevant parties, we have taken advantage of the top-down support from the STU administration. Three themes corresponding to contemporary issues in China were chosen as the course content: engineers' social obligations, intellectual property and engineering safety criteria. Some popular pedagogies are used for ethics instruction such as case studies and group discussions through role-playing. To impart the diverse expertise of the practical professional practice, team teaching is adopted by interdisciplinary instructors with strong qualifications and industrial backgrounds. Although the assessment of the effectiveness of the course in enhancing students' sense of ethics is limited to assignment reports and class discussions, our endeavor is seen as positive and will continue to sustain the CDIO reform initiatives of STU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The construction of the artificial SEI layer is realized by a common solvent DMSO. • The components of Li 2 SO 4 and sulfur-containing organic compounds in SEI are helpful to stabilize the lithium anode. • A facile strategy to construct artificial SEI through chemical reaction for lithium metal batteries is proposed. Lithium metal is considered one of the most promising anode materials because of its high theoretical capacity and the lowest electrode potential, but practical application is hampered by high reactivity and volume variation in circulation. As a key component, the artificial solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) is designed to effectively stabilize the lithium anode. Here, the chemical reaction between dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and lithium is accelerated in the presence of potassium hydroxide (KOH). The sulfur-containing organic compounds, lithium sulfate (Li 2 SO 4), lithium hydroxide (LiOH) and other favorable components are introduced into SEI, which enable the modified lithium metal anode to have lower interfacial impedance, higher lithium ion transference number, and more uniform Li-ion deposition. The assembled Li-Li symmetric battery realizes a stable cycle of more than 800 h at a current density of 0.5 mA cm−1 and an areal capacity density of 1 mAh cm−1. The full cell coupled with LiNi 0.6 Co 0.2 Mn 0.2 O 2 (NCM622) still maintains 113 mAh g−1 discharge capacity with 63% capacity retention rate after 400 cycles at a current density of 0.5 C. The simple construction of artificial SEI strategy of this study provides an effective strategy for LMBs with superior electrochemical performance. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mutations of αB-crystallin (CryαB), a small heat shock protein abundantly expressed in cardiac and skeletal muscles, are known to cause desmin-related myopathies. The CryαBR120G allele has been linked to a familial desminopathy and, in transgenic mice, causes a sudden death at about 28 weeks of age. To investigate the mechanisms of the sudden cardiac arrest of CryαB R120G transgenic mice, we prepared protein samples from left ventricular tissues of two different age groups (10 and 28 weeks) and examined Ca2+-handling proteins. Expression of sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA) 2, phospholamban, ryanodine receptor 2 and calsequestrin 2 was significantly decreased in 28- versus 10-week-old CryαB R120G transgenic mice. In addition, low heart rate variability, including heart rate, total power and low frequency, was observed and continuous electrocardiogram monitoring revealed cardiac arrhythmias, such as ventricular tachycardia, atrioventricular block and atrial flutter, in 28-week-old CryαB R120G transgenic mice. In contrast, expression of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) degradation enhancing α-mannosidase-like protein, inositol requirement 1 and X-box binding protein 1 were increased significantly in 28- versus 10-week-old CryαBR120G transgenic mice, suggesting that the CryαBR120G transgenic mice exhibit increased ER stress compared with wild-type mice. Together, the data suggest that the CryαB R120G dominant variant induces ER stress and impairs Ca2+ regulation, leading to ageing-related cardiac dysfunction, arrhythmias and decreased autonomic tone with shortened lifespan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A metamaterial for manipulating transient heat flow is introduced. • Keeping the effective thermal conductivity the same as natural materials. • Covering the gaps in time factor and density left by natural materials. • The metamaterial meets the requirement for lightweight energy-efficient materials. • Meeting the requirements of lightweight engineering thermal protection materials. Metamaterials have innovative functionalities as a result of artificial design. By arbitrarily designing thermal conductivity, thermal metamaterials have achieved thermal invisible cloaks, camouflages, and deceptions in steady-state. However, density and specific heat capacity have sometimes been overlooked, despite the fact that they are critical for managing transient heat flow and that density are an indicator of creating lightweight materials. The traditional materials are incapable of synchronously controlling thermal conductivity, density, and specific heat capacity. In this research, we experimentally investigate a novel thermal architected metamaterial that can modulate (accelerate or decelerate) transient heat transfer velocity without disrupting the steady-state. The novel type of thermal architected metamaterial achieves efficiency using a topology based on neutral inclusion theory. The transient heat transfer velocity is regulated by altering the effective density and specific heat capacity on the one hand, while the steady-state heat transfer is maintained by keeping the effective thermal conductivity on the other. The density of the architected metamaterial could be adjusted by selecting an appropriate specific heat capacity. The method we provide can be utilized to create lightweight energy-efficient materials (by accelerating transient heat transfer) as well as lightweight engineered thermal protection materials (by decelerating transient heat transfer). Moreover, the proposed thermal architected metamaterial could control heat flow velocity continuously, and this characteristic covers the gaps left by natural materials. [Display omitted] The architected thermal metamaterial could accelerating or decelerating transient heat flux velocity based on neutral inclusion theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of spanwise shape of the leading edge on unsteady aerodynamic characteristics of wings during forward flapping and gliding flight. Design/methodology/approach - A computational fluid dynamics approach was conducted to analyze the flow around airfoils with sinusoidal-like protuberances at a Reynolds number of 10[sup 4]. Three-dimensional time-dependent incompressible Navier-Stokes equations are numerically solved by using finite volume method. A multigrid mesh method, which was applied to the situation of fluid across the heaving models is used to simulate this type of flow. The simulations are performed for the wavelength between neighbouring peaks of 0.25c and 0.5c. For each wavelength, two heights of the tubercles which are 5 per cent and 10 per cent of the chordwise length of wing, are employed on the leading edge of wings. The aerodynamic forces and flow structure around airfoils are presented and compared in detail. Special attention is paid to investigate the effect of leading-edge shape on the fluid dynamic forces. Findings - Present results reveal that the wings with leading-edge tubercles have an aerodynamic advantage during gliding flight and also have the potential advantages during flapping forward flight. Originality/value - On the basis of computational study, an improved scenario for flapping wing microaviation vehicle has been originally proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Numerous studies have shown that insulin resistance (IR) is closely related to the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease (CVD). This study aims to summarize the correlation between the triglyceride-glucose-body mass index (TyG-BMI index), a novel surrogate indicator of insulin resistance, and the incidence of CVD in patients without CVD at baseline through meta-analysis. Method: Cohort studies assessing multivariate-corrected hazard ratios (HRs) for associations between the TyG-BMI index and cardiovascular disease (CVD) were obtained by searching PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and Web of Science. Results were combined using a random-effects model to account for heterogeneity among the included studies. Robust error meta-regression was used to fit the nonlinear dose–response relationship. Statistical analysis was performed using Review Manager 5.4 and STATA 18.0. Result: Ten cohort studies involving a total of 871,728 subjects were included. The results indicated that Compared with the lowest TyG-BMI index category, the highest TyG-BMI index was related to a higher incidence of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) (HR = 1.62; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.35–1.95; I2 = 94%),coronary artery disease (CAD) (HR = 1.69; 95% (CI): 1.23–2.31; I2 = 94%). stroke(HR = 1.57; 95% (CI): 1.11–2.23; I2 = 94%).In the dose–response analysis, there was a linear association of the TyG-BMI index with the risk of CVD (Pnonlinear = 0.223), CAD (Pnonlinear = 0.693), and stroke (Pnonlinear = 0.122)No significant effects were observed regarding participants' gender, length of follow-up, sample size or mean age(P > 0.05). Conclusion: Higher TyG-BMI may be independently associated with an increased risk of CVD in individuals without CVD at baseline. Numerous cohort studies are needed to further validate and elucidate the pathologic role between Tyg-BMI and CVD and to determine whether it can be incorporated into CVD risk prediction tools to enhance predictive accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • CsPbBr 3 nanocubes, nanorods and nanowires are deposited on 2D NMF, respectively. • The 2D NMF as cocatalyst improves the photocatalytic activity in CO 2 -to-CO conversion. • The photocatalytic enhancement is greatly dependent on the aspect ratio of CsPbBr 3. • The elongation of CsPbBr 3 enlarges the ΔE of CB and improves the charge separation. All-inorganic CsPbBr 3 perovskites have been regarded as promising candidates for photocatalytic CO 2 reduction, but the conversion efficiency is limited by serious charge recombination and poor surface reactivity. Herein, a two-dimensional Ni based metal-organic framework (NMF) has been employed as a cocatalyst, which not only acts as an electron extractor in enhancing the electron-hole separation, but also serves as a CO 2 capturing agent in facilitating the adsorption and activation of CO 2 molecules. As a result, 1.8, 2.5 and 4.1-fold enhancement in CO production has been realized for CsPbBr 3 nanocubes, nanorods and nanowires, respectively, which is proved to be positively correlated with the aspect ratio of CsPbBr 3. The aspect ratio dependent photocatalytic enhancement is attributed to the increased energy difference at the interface between the conduction band of CsPbBr 3 and NMF with the elongation of CsPbBr 3 , which produces an enlarged driving force for promoted interfacial electron transfer and superior charge separation properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal-electric camouflage device can hide an object from heat flux and DC current simultaneously. Due to the approximate solutions of the camouflage conditions, the currently proposed dual-physical camouflage devices are heavily dependent on materials, that is, they are only effective for some specific materials approximately. In order to expand the range of the applicable materials, a bilayer coat is introduced to achieve the accurate solutions of the camouflage equations, for there are two camouflage equations to solve two unknown quantities. Furthermore, a new type of effective medium method based on the theory of composites is introduced to further expand the range of the applicable materials. Therefore, a kind of thermal-electric camouflage device available to any natural materials is proposed and verified in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High thermal conductivity graphite films (GFs) have been widely used in the field of heat dissipation. However, due to their extremely smooth surface and low surface energy, it is difficult for them to be used as the reinforcement of composites. In this study, hexagonal pits and channels were prepared on the surface of GFs by high-temperature air etching treatments. The morphology and reason of pits and channels prepared in the air were investigated. The pits and channels enable the mechanical interlocking effect between the GFs and the carbon matrix and enhance the mechanical and thermal properties of the carbon/carbon (C/C) composites. The GFs-reinforced C/C composites with high thermal conductivity were fabricated through impregnation-carbonization cycles. The results show that, with the increase in etched GFs volume fraction, the horizontal thermal conductivity was increased from 148 to 412 W/(m K). Moreover, compared with pristine GFs-reinforced C/C composites, etched GFs-reinforced C/C composites show an increase of 165% in flexural strength. Overall, etched GFs-reinforced C/C composites with superior properties have a broad prospect in the fields of heat dissipation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the ability of the triglyceride (TG) to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TG/HDL-C) ratio to identify individuals at risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in the non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) population. We retrospectively studied 4,769 patients with NAFLD from the Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University (2020–2023). Binary logistic regression models were used to evaluate the association between the TG/HDL-C ratio and lipid parameters with T2DM. TG/HDL-C ratio was positively associated with T2DM in patients with NAFLD, with an odds ratio (OR) of 2.72 (95% confidence interval, 2.23–3.31, p < 0.001) for T2DM in the highest TG/HDL-C ratio quartile compared with the lowest one after adjusting for known confounders. The OR for the TG/HDL-C ratio had a stronger predictive value than those of TG, total cholesterol, HDL-C, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, indicating that the TG/HDL-C ratio could be a better discriminator of T2DM. The TG/HDL-C ratio better identifies potential risks of T2DM in individuals with NAFLD than individual lipid parameters. Therefore, clinicians should pay attention to individuals with high TG and low HDL-C levels during T2DM risk assessment in NAFLD cohorts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gangrene and perforation are severe complications of acute appendicitis, associated with a higher mortality rate compared to uncomplicated appendicitis. Accurate preoperative identification of Gangrenous or perforated appendicitis (GPA) is crucial for timely surgical intervention. Methods: This retrospective multicenter study includes 796 patients who underwent appendectomy. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses are used to develop a nomogram model for predicting GPA based on laboratory tests and computed tomography (CT) findings. The model is validated using an external dataset. Results: Seven independent predictors were included in the nomogram: white blood cell count, lymphocyte count, D-dimer, serum glucose, albumin, maximum outer diameter of the appendix, and presence of appendiceal fecalith. The nomogram achieved good discrimination and calibration in both the training and testing sets. In the training set, the AUC was 0.806 (95%CI: 0.763–0.849), and the sensitivity and specificity were 82.1% and 66.9%, respectively. The Hosmer-Lemeshow test showed good calibration (P = 0.7378). In the testing set, the AUC was 0.799 (95%CI: 0.741–0.856), and the sensitivity and specificity were 70.5% and 75.3%, respectively. Decision curve analysis (DCA) confirmed the clinical utility of the nomogram. Conclusion: The laboratory test-CT nomogram model can effectively identify GPA patients, aiding in surgical decision-making and improving patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Quiescent self-renewal of leukemia stem cells (LSCs) and resistance to conventional chemotherapy are the main factors leading to relapse of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Alpha-enolase (ENO1), a key glycolytic enzyme, has been shown to regulate embryonic stem cell differentiation and promote self-renewal and malignant phenotypes in various cancer stem cells. Here, we sought to test whether and how ENO1 influences LSCs renewal and chemoresistance within the context of AML. Methods: We analyzed single-cell RNA sequencing data from bone marrow samples of 8 relapsed/refractory AML patients and 4 healthy controls using bioinformatics and machine learning algorithms. In addition, we compared ENO1 expression levels in the AML cohort with those in 37 control subjects and conducted survival analyses to correlate ENO1 expression with clinical outcomes. Furthermore, we performed functional studies involving ENO1 knockdown and inhibition in AML cell line. Results: We used machine learning to model and infer malignant cells in AML, finding more primitive malignant cells in the non-response (NR) group. The differentiation capacity of LSCs and progenitor malignant cells exhibited an inverse correlation with glycolysis levels. Trajectory analysis indicated delayed myeloid cell differentiation in NR group, with high ENO1-expressing LSCs at the initial stages of differentiation being preserved post-treatment. Simultaneously, ENO1 and stemness-related genes were upregulated and co-expressed in malignant cells during early differentiation. ENO1 level in our AML cohort was significantly higher than the controls, with higher levels in NR compared to those in complete remission. Knockdown of ENO1 in AML cell line resulted in the activation of LSCs, promoting cell differentiation and apoptosis, and inhibited proliferation. ENO1 inhibitor can impede the proliferation of AML cells. Furthermore, survival analyses associated higher ENO1 expression with poorer outcome in AML patients. Conclusions: Our findings underscore the critical role of ENO1 as a plausible driver of LSC self-renewal, a potential target for AML target therapy and a biomarker for AML prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Young and middle-aged people are vulnerable to developing acute stress disorder (ASD) following acute myocardial infarction (AMI). This study aims to explore the factors that contribute to ASD in young and middle-aged AMI patients. 190 AMI patients aged 18 to 60 years were enrolled in this study. We assessed the association between ASD and demographic data, adult attachment, and social support. This study examined a total of 190 young and middle-aged people. Among them, 65 participants were diagnosed with ASD, representing a 34.21% positive rate. Multivariate stepwise regression showed that adult attachment, infarct-related artery, social support, in-hospital complications are the main factors affecting ASD. Path analysis showed that social support had mediated the relationship between adult attachment and ASD. The incidence of ASD in young and middle-aged patients with AMI is high. Social support plays an important role in adult attachment and ASD relationships. Adult attachment and social support should be incorporated into post-traumatic cardiac rehabilitation to help patients cope with traumatic occurrences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of neutral inclusion is introduced into the design of the ellipsoidal camouflage device which can work under both the thermal and the electric field. After detailed derivation, the general formulas for searching an ellipsoidal bifunctional camouflage device are achieved. Simulations have been conducted to verify the effectiveness of the theoretical results. Since the simulated results comply well with the theoretical analysis, the concept of neutral inclusion will open a new window to the development of the multi-physical camouflage device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Main conclusion: The functional homologs WS1A and WS1B, identified by map-based cloning, control the burley character by affecting chloroplast development in tobacco, contributing to gene isolation and genetic improvement in polyploid crops. Burley represents a special type of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) cultivar that is characterized by a white stem with a high degree of chlorophyll deficiency. Although important progress in the research of burley tobacco has been made, the molecular mechanisms underlying this character remain unclear. Here, on the basis of our previous genetic analyses and preliminary mapping results, we isolated the White Stem 1A (WS1A) and WS1B genes using a map-based cloning approach. WS1A and WS1B are functional homologs with completely identical biological functions and highly similar expression patterns that control the burley character in tobacco. WS1A and WS1B are derived from Nicotiana sylvestris and Nicotiana tomentosiformis, the diploid ancestors of Nicotiana tabacum, respectively. The two genes encode zinc metalloproteases of the M50 family that are highly homologous to the Ethylene-dependent Gravitropism-deficient and Yellow-green 1 (EGY1) protein of Arabidopsis and the Lutescent 2 (L2) protein of tomato. Transmission electron microscopic examinations indicated that WS1A and WS1B are involved in the development of chloroplasts by controlling the formation of thylakoid membranes, very similar to that observed for EGY1 and L2. The genotyping of historical tobacco varieties revealed that a two-step mutation process occurred in WS1A and WS1B during the evolution of burley tobacco. We also discussed the strategy for gene map-based cloning in polyploid plants with complex genomes. This study will facilitate the identification of agronomically important genes in tobacco and other polyploid crops and provide insights into crop improvement via molecular approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Auxiliary diagnosis of different types of cystic lung diseases (CLDs) is important in the clinic and is instrumental in facilitating early and specific treatments. Current clinical methods heavily depend on accumulated experience, restricting their applicability in regions with less developed medical resources. Thus, how to realize the computer‐aided diagnosis of CLDs is of great clinical value. Purpose: This work proposed a deep learning‐based method for automatically segmenting the lung parenchyma in computed tomography (CT) slice images and accurately diagnosing the CLDs using CT scans. Methods: A two‐stage deep learning method was proposed for the automatic classification of normal cases and five different CLDs using CT scans. Lung parenchyma segmentation is the foundation of CT image analysis and auxiliary diagnosis. To meet the requirements of different sizes of the lung parenchyma, an adaptive region‐growing and improved U‐Net model was employed for mask acquisition and automatic segmentation. The former was achieved by a self‐designed adaptive seed point selection method based on similarity measurement, and the latter introduced multiscale input and multichannel output into the original U‐Net model and effectively achieved the lightweight design by adjusting the structure and parameters. After that, the middle 30 consecutive CT slice images of each sample were segmented to obtain lung parenchyma, which was employed for training and testing the proposed multichannel parallel input recursive MLP‐Mixer network (MPIRMNet) model, achieving the computer‐aided diagnosis of CLDs. Results: A total of 4718 and 16 290 CT slice images collected from 543 patients were employed to validate the proposed segmentation and classification methods, respectively. Experimental results showed that the improved U‐Net model can accurately segment the lung parenchyma in CT slice images, with the Dice, precision, volumetric overlap error, and relative volume difference of 0.96 ± 0.01, 0.93 ± 0.04, 0.05 ± 0.02, and 0.05 ± 0.03, respectively. Meanwhile, the proposed MPIRMNet model achieved appreciable classification effect for normal cases and different CLDs, with the accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and F1 score of 0.8823 ± 0.0324, 0.8897 ± 0.0325, 0.9746 ± 0.0078, and 0.8831 ± 0.0334, respectively. Compared with classical machine learning and convolutional neural networks‐based methods for this task, the proposed classification method had a preferable performance, with a significant improvement of accuracy of 10.74%. Conclusions: The work introduced a two‐stage deep learning method, which can achieve the segmentation of lung parenchyma and the classification of CLDs. Compared to previous diagnostic tasks targeting single CLD, this work can achieve various CLDs' diagnosis in the early stage, thereby achieving targeted treatment and increasing the potential and value of clinical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Fibrous carbon with soft and hard carbon bonding prepared from coal tar pitch. • Simulation verifies that van der Waals forces cause top growth of fibrous carbon. • Soft and hard carbon hybridized fibrous carbon for lithium-ion battery anodes. Coal tar pitch (CTP) is a significant by-product of the coal chemical industry, characterized by its high aromaticity, high carbon residue content, low cost, and its role as a high-quality precursor for carbon materials. Exploring more potential applications of CTP is the only way to realize its high-value materialization. In this study, ferrocene (Fc)-catalyzed CTP is utilized to efficiently prepare hybrid fibrous carbon consisting of soft and hard carbon by rapid chemical vapor deposition (RCVD). Density functional theory (DFT) verifies that Fc undergoes pyrolysis and deposition prior to CTP due to the lower binding of Fc-CTP compared to CTP-CTP. The features of soft and hard carbon hybridization are ultimately revealed by the variations in the way catalyst particles interact with pyrolyzed carbon. When used as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), the hybridized fibrous carbon demonstrates excellent electrochemical performance with a capacity of around 600 mA h g−1 at first discharge, 220 mA h g−1 at 5 A/g, and exhibits excellent cycling stability with increased capacity after 1000 cycles at 1 A/g. This study proves the feasibility of converting CTP to soft and hard carbon hybridized fibrous carbon materials and provides a facile pathway to synthesize fibrous carbon materials for electrochemical lithium-ion storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Leaf morphology plays a crucial role in photosynthetic efficiency and yield potential in crops. Cigar tobacco plants, which are derived from common tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.), possess special leaf characteristics including thin and delicate leaves with few visible veins, making it a good system for studying the genetic basis of leaf morphological characters. Results: In this study, GWAS and QTL mapping were simultaneously performed using a natural population containing 185 accessions collected worldwide and an F2 population consisting of 240 individuals, respectively. A total of 26 QTLs related to leaf morphological traits were mapped in the F2 population at three different developmental stages, and some QTL intervals were repeatedly detected for different traits and at different developmental stages. Among the 206 significant SNPs identified in the natural population using GWAS, several associated with the leaf thickness phenotype were co-mapped via QTL mapping. By analyzing linkage disequilibrium and transcriptome data from different tissues combined with gene functional annotations, 7 candidate genes from the co-mapped region were identified as the potential causative genes associated with leaf thickness. Conclusions: These results presented a valuable cigar tobacco resource showing the genetic diversity regarding its leaf morphological traits at different developmental stages. It also provides valuable information for novel genes and molecular markers that will be useful for further functional verification and for molecular breeding of leaf morphological traits in crops in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a condition characterized by myocardial dysfunction that occurs in individuals with diabetes, in the absence of coronary artery disease, valve disease, and other conventional cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension and dyslipidemia. It is considered a significant and consequential complication of diabetes in the field of cardiovascular medicine. The primary pathological manifestations include myocardial hypertrophy, myocardial fibrosis, and impaired ventricular function, which can lead to widespread myocardial necrosis. Ultimately, this can progress to the development of heart failure, arrhythmias, and cardiogenic shock, with severe cases even resulting in sudden cardiac death. Despite several decades of both fundamental and clinical research conducted globally, there are currently no specific targeted therapies available for DCM in clinical practice, and the incidence and mortality rates of heart failure remain persistently high. Thus, this article provides an overview of the current treatment modalities and novel techniques pertaining to DCM, aiming to offer valuable insights and support to researchers dedicated to investigating this complex condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hand‐held dermoscopy is a valuable tool for dermatologists, but it has been rarely used to assess the nail fold capillary (NFC) in patients with dermatomyositis (DM). Methods: Patients were collected from the Department of Dermatology and Venereology from July 2020 to July 2021, and the follow‐up was conducted until January 2022. Demographic features, disease activity and NFC changes were analysed using a hand‐held dermoscopy. Results: The most common NFC finding in our study was bushy capillary (87.0%). There was no significant improvement in scleroderma–dermatomyositis (SD)‐like nail fold changes or enlarged capillaries from baseline to 12 weeks of treatment (p > 0.05) or from 12 weeks to 24 weeks of treatment (p > 0.05), but there was a significant improvement from baseline to 24 weeks of treatment (p < 0.05). The avascular area did not improve from baseline to 12 weeks of follow‐up, but the changes were significant from 12 weeks to 24 weeks of treatment (p < 0.05) and baseline to 24 weeks of treatment (p < 0.05). Periungual erythema improved significantly from baseline to 12 weeks of treatment (p < 0.05) and baseline to 24 weeks of treatment (p < 0.05), but it did not improve significantly from 12 weeks to 24 weeks of treatment (p > 0.05). There was no significant difference in disease activity between patients with or without specific NFC changes. However, some NFC features improved as disease activity decreased. Conclusion: Dermoscopy of NFC is a cost‐effective option for the preliminary diagnosis of DM. Further, long‐term follow‐up is necessary to study the relationship between disease activity and NFC changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Since the end of 2019, the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak rapidly became a pandemic. The psychological state of people during the COVID-19 pandemic has gained interest. Our aim was to study the prevalence of anxiety, depression, and stress in college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A systematic search of Medline, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library was conducted up to September 20, 2020. Reviewers independently assessed full-text articles according to predefined criteria. Stata14/SE was used to calculate the prevalence and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of anxiety, depression, and stress among college students from different countries. A random effects model was adopted. The Egger test was used to determine publication bias. Results: A total of 280 references were retrieved, and 28 papers met our inclusion criteria, for a total of 436,799 college students. Thirteen studies involved non-Chinese college students, and 15 studies involved Chinese college students. The prevalence of anxiety, depression, and stress was 29% (95% CI, 19–25%), 37% (95% CI, 32–42%), and 23% (95% CI, 8–39%), respectively. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative psychological effect on college students, and the prevalence of anxiety, depression, and stress among Chinese college students is lower than among non-Chinese college students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous studies indicated that the micro integral membrane protein located within the media place of the integral membrane protein of Lactobacillus plantarum CGMCC 1258 had protective effects against the intestinal epithelial injury. In our study, we mean to establish micro integral membrane protein -knockout Lactobacillus plantarum (LPKM) to investigate the change of its protective effects and verify the role of micro integral membrane protein on protection of normal intestinal barrier function.Methods: Binding assay and intestinal permeability were performed to verify the protective effects of micro integral membrane protein on intestinal permeability in vitro and in vivo. Molecular mechanism was also determined as the zonulin pathway. Clinical data were also collected for further verification of relationship between zonulin level and postoperative septicemia.Results: LPKM got decreased inhibition of EPEC adhesion to NCM460 cells. LPKM had lower ability to alleviate the decrease of intestinal permeability induced by enteropathogenic-e.coli, and prevent enteropathogenic-e.coli -induced increase of zonulin expression. Overexpression of zonulin lowered the intestinal permeability regulated by Lactobacillus plantarum. There was a positive correlation between zonulin level and postoperative septicemia. Therefore, micro integral membrane protein could be necessary for the protective effects of Lactobacillus plantarum on intestinal barrier.Conclusion: MIMP might be a positive factor for Lactobacillus plantarum to protect the intestinal epithelial cells from injury, which could be related to the zonulin pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the actual operation of subways, high-speed railway, and other infrastructure, subgrade soil will be subjected to periodic vibration and intermittent loading, i.e., intermittent cyclic load. To study the deformation characteristics of subgrade soil under intermittent cyclic loading, the Newtonian dashpot in the generalized Kelvin model is replaced by the fractional Abel dashpot, a fractional generalized Kelvin model is established. Then, a nonlinear viscoplastic body model considering damage is proposed, which is connected in series with the improved fractional generalized Kelvin model, and the deformation constitutive model of soil under intermittent cyclic loading is obtained. Finally, the effectiveness and applicability of the model are analyzed, and the model is compared with other constitutive models. The results show that the constitutive model established in the paper can reflect the combined effect of confining pressure, frequency, dynamic stress amplitude and other factors on the cumulative plastic strain of soil, and can well characterize the development law of three types of cumulative plastic strain curves of soil: stable, critical, and failure. The fitting parameters α and η tend to decay and rise, respectively, with the increase in loading stage N, which reflects the rationality and accuracy of the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]