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Abstract Flueggea virosa (Roxb. ex Willd.) Royle, an evergreen shrub and small tree in the Phyllanthaceae family, holds significant potential in garden landscaping and pharmacological applications. However, the lack of genomic data has hindered further scientific understanding of its horticultural and medicinal values. In this study, we have assembled a haplotype-resolved genome of F. virosa for the first time. The two haploid genomes, named haplotype A genome and haplotype B genome, are 487.33 Mb and 477.53 Mb in size, respectively, with contig N50 lengths of 31.45 Mb and 32.81 Mb. More than 99% of the assembled sequences were anchored to 13 pairs of pseudo-chromosomes. Furthermore, 21,587 and 21,533 protein-coding genes were predicted in haplotype A and haplotype B genomes, respectively. The availability of this chromosome-level genome fills the gap in genomic data for F. virosa and provides valuable resources for molecular studies of this species, supporting future research on speciation, functional genomics, and comparative genomics within the Phyllanthaceae family.

Abstract Dracaena cambodiana Pierre ex Gagn. (Asparagaceae) is the source plant of Dragon’s blood and has high ornamental values in gardening. Currently, this species is classified as the second-class state-protected species in the National Key Protected Wild Plants (NKPWP) of China. However, limited genomic data has hindered a more comprehensive scientific understanding of the processes involved in the production of Dragon’s blood and the related conservation genomics research. In this study, we assembled a haplotype-resolved genome of D. cambodiana. The haploid genomes, haplotype A and haplotype B, are 1,015.22 Mb and 1,003.13 Mb in size, respectively. The completeness of haplotype A and haplotype B genomes was 98.60% and 98.20%, respectively, using the “embryophyta_10” dataset. Haplotype A and haplotype B genomes contained 27,361 and 27,066 protein-coding genes, respectively, with nearly all being functionally annotated. These findings provide new insights into the genomic characteristics of D. cambodiana and will offer additional genomic resources for studying the biosynthesis mechanism of Dragon’s blood and the horticultural application of Dragon trees.

ObjectiveTo explore the importance of post-vaccination serological testing （PVST） for children exposed to hepatitis B virus （HBV）， and analyze the factors affecting the progress of PVST.MethodsThe study focused on hepatitis B surface antigen （HBsAg）-positive pregnant women and their newborns residing in Tongzhou District， Beijing， who delivered at various obstetric institutions from January 1， 2020 to March 31， 2022. The obstetric institutions and community health service centers conducted follow-up visits 1 to 2 months after the children had received three doses of the hepatitis B vaccine （HepB）.ResultsThe vaccination rate of hepatitis B immunoglobulin （HBIg） was 100.00% （800/800）， with a successful PVST follow-up rate of 85.88% （687/800） in Tongzhou District. The initial non-response rate to immunization was 0.29% （2/687）， but successful immunization was achieved after re-immunization. The mother-to-infant transmission rate of hepatitis B was 0. Children who did not undergo PVST accounted for 14.13% （113/800）， with the main reasons being delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic， parents’ reluctance to allow venous blood collection due to the young age of the children， and loss to follow-up because children moved back to their parents’ place of origin. Logistic regression analysis showed that the proportion of PVST was higher among high-risk children （OR=30.009，P=0.001）， children with family residing in Beijing （OR=2.218，P=0.002）， and children whose mothers were

Lamiales, comprising over 23,755 species across 24 families, stands as a highly diverse and prolific plant group, playing a significant role in the cultivation of horticultural, ornamental, and medicinal plant varieties. Whole-genome duplication (WGD) and its subsequent post-polyploid diploidization (PPD) process represent the most drastic type of karyotype evolution, injecting significant potential for promoting the diversity of this lineage. However, polyploidization histories, as well as genome and subgenome fractionation following WGD events in Lamiales species, are still not well investigated. In this study, we constructed a chromosome-level genome assembly of Lindenbergia philippensis (Orobanchaceae) and conducted comparative genomic analyses with 14 other Lamiales species. L. philippensis is positioned closest to the parasitic lineage within Orobanchaceae and has a conserved karyotype. Through a combination of Ks analysis and syntenic depth analysis, we reconstructed and validated polyploidization histories of Lamiales species. Our results indicated that Primulina huaijiensis underwent three rounds of diploidization events following the γ-WGT event, rather than two rounds as reported. Besides, we reconfirmed that most Lamiales species shared a common diploidization event (L-WGD). Subsequently, we constructed the Lamiales Ancestral Karyotype (LAK), comprising 11 proto-chromosomes, and elucidated its evolutionary trajectory, highlighting the highly flexible reshuffling of the Lamiales paleogenome. We identified biased fractionation of subgenomes following the L-WGD event across eight species, and highlighted the positive impacts of non-WGD genes on gene family expansion. This study provides novel genomic resources and insights into polyploidy and karyotype remodeling of Lamiales species, essential for advancing our understanding of species diversification and genome evolution.

ObjectiveTo describe the neuropsychological development screening of 0‒2 years in Tongzhou from 2017 to 2021 so as to understand the status and trend of developmental delay （DD）.MethodsAnnual report data of 21 community health service centers in Tongzhou District from 2017 to 2021 were clustered， Chi square test was used to analyze the differences in positive rate and DD rate of children aged 0‒2 years with different ages and household registration， and Chi square trend test was used to analyze the linear trend of each age group and household registration. The Gesell test results in 762 children with developmental delay were analyzed， and Chi square test was used to compare the age distribution differences in gross motor， fine motor， language and personal-social behaviors.ResultsThe DD rate of children aged 0‒2 years in 2017‒2021 was 0.43％. A decreasing trend of DD rate in the 0‒ age group was observed （χ2=14.135， P

Background Sepsis is a serious infection-induced response in the host, which can result in life-threatening organ dysfunction. It is of great importance to unravel the relationship between sepsis and host immune response and its mechanisms of action. Liver is one of the most vulnerable organs in sepsis, however, the specific pathogenesis of septic liver injury has not been well understood at the protein level. Methods A total of 12 healthy Sprague–Dawley (SD) male rats aged from 6 to 8 weeks were adaptively housed in individual cages in the specific pathogen free animal room. These lab rats were grouped into two groups: treatment (N = 9) and control (N = 3) groups; only three mice from the treatment group survived and were used for subsequent experiments. A TMT-based proteomic analysis for liver tissue was performed in the septic rat model. Results A total of 37,012 unique peptides were identified, and then 6,166 proteins were determined, among which 5,701 were quantifiable. Compared to the healthy control group, the septic rat group exhibited 162 upregulated and 103 downregulated differentially expressed proteins (DEPs). The upregulated and downregulated DEPs were the most significantly enriched into the complement and coagulation cascades and metabolic pathways. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis further revealed that the upregulated and downregulated DEPs each clustered in a PPI network. Several highly connected upregulated and downregulated DEPs were also enriched into the complement and coagulation cascades pathways and metabolic pathways, respectively. The parallel reaction monitoring (PRM) results of the selected DEPs were consistent with the results of the TMT analysis, supporting the proteomic data. Conclusion Our findings highlight the roles of complement and coagulation cascades and metabolic pathways that may play vital roles in the host immune response. The DEPs may serve as clinically potential treatment targets for septic liver injury.

Sciatic hernia is one of the rarely pelvic floor hernias. We report a 45-year-old woman who presented with acute crampy pain of hypogastrium which radiated down the back of the left thigh and found a mass in her left buttock area which is about fist size with local pain, so she had to force to bow position when walking. She was also associated with definite gastro-intestinal symptoms. Computed tomography (CT) of the pelvis and abdomen demonstrated the herniation of an ileal loop through the sciatic foramen on the left side. The diagnosis and management of this case are herein described and previous publications on sciatic hernias are reviewed.

Stretchable thermoelectric thin films have attracted considerable attention due to their prospective applications in wearable electronics. Nevertheless, targeted resolutions are required for persistent challenges such as the increased resistance and diminished electrical conductivity under strain. The present study focuses on the development of high-performance thermoelectric nanocomposites via the blending of thienyl-phenylene-thienylene-phenylene-thienyl (TPT) nonacyclic fused ring-based conjugated polymers with single-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs). To disperse the CNTs, three TPT-based ladder-type random conjugated copolymers featuring distinct acceptor units are investigated, namely (i) thieno[3,4-c]pyrrole-4,6(5H)-dione (TPD), (ii) diphenylquinoxaline (QX), and (iii) thieno[3,4-b]thiophene (TT). Notably, the highly planar backbone structure of TPT-TT efficiently wraps around the surfaces of the CNTs, thus facilitating their uniform dispersion within the nanocomposite film. Consequently, the TPT-TT/CNT nanocomposite exhibits superior thermoelectric properties, including a power factor (PF) of up to 678.8 mW m1 K2. In addition, stretchable thermoelectric thin films are fabricated on a poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) substrate by incorporating various amounts of the styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene (SEBS) elastomer into the TPT-TT/CNT nanocomposite. The ternary TPT-TT/CNT/SEBS25 (containing 25 wt% SEBS) nanocomposite film maintains a PF of 372.79 mW m1 K2 (73.2% of its initial value) at 50% strain. The present study introduces a straightforward approach for fabricating stretchable thermoelectric thin films with commendable thermoelectric performance under strains of up to 50% by blending the high-performance ladder-type conjugated-polymer/CNT nanocomposite with SEBS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultracold molecules provide fundamental new insights into molecular interaction dynamics in the quantum regime and represent a new platform for chemical physics where quantum behaviors play a dominant role in molecular interaction and dynamics. An electric-field-assisted magnetic trap for trapping and further evaporative cooling of cold molecules to ultracold regime is proposed utilizing the perturbation of the hyperfine levels in a mixed field, and the depth of the trap can be tuned by adjusting the assisted electric field rapidly. Thus, the evaporative cooling of 127I79Br molecules in the |F=4,MF=−4〉 state of the rovibronic ground state is simulated. It shows that IBr molecules would be cooled from 26μK to 556nK within 598.9ms and eventually we would obtain a number of 4.27×104 molecules in a volume of 3.27×10−7cm3 with the number density of 1.30×1012cm−3. The Bose–Einstein condensation of the alkali diatomic molecules would probably be realized in the proposed trap if the present experimentally available samples are loaded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When the direction-of-arrival estimation is made by a single platform, the localization accuracy decreases with increases in the distance from the radiation source, which means the localization accuracy of the azimuth of the radiation source at long distances must be improved. To address this problem, we propose a radiation-source localization algorithm based on a long synthetic aperture. This algorithm introduces the use of synthetic aperture imaging to the passive localization of radiation sources. A long virtual aperture is obtained by movement of the platform, and received data is processed in the form of synthetic aperture radar to obtain high azimuth localization accuracy. For a single-frequency radiation source, the received signal is equivalent to a linear frequency-modulation signal in the azimuth domain, and its chirp rate is inversely proportional to the distance from the radiation source. A range search and azimuth-focusing method are used to perform signal focusing in the range–azimuth domain, and the localization of the radiation source is obtained directly by two-dimensional imaging. Moreover, with respect to the characteristics of wide-beam reconnaissance, we analyzed the range–azimuth coupling relationship of the chirp rate at a low sampling frequency. On this basis, methods for direction-of-arrival estimation and two-dimensional imaging localization are proposed. Our theoretical derivation and experimental data processing results verify the validity of this algorithm.

Sorafenib resistance greatly restricts its clinical application in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Numerous studies have reported that ID1 exerts a crucial effect in cancer initiation and development. Our previous research revealed an inhibitory role of ID1 in sorafenib resistance. However, the upstream regulatory mechanism of ID1 expression is unclear. Here, we discovered that ID1 expression is negatively correlated with promoter methylation, which is regulated by DNMT3B. Knockdown of DNMT3B significantly inhibited ID1 methylation status and resulted in an increase of ID1 expression. The demethylating agent 5‐aza‐2′‐deoxycytidine (5‐aza) remarkably upregulated ID1 expression. The combination of 5‐aza with sorafenib showed a synergistic effect on the inhibition of cell viability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND The study on content and fractionation characteristics of rare earth elements (REE) in soils around different types of rare earth mining areas can provide theoretical support and scientific advice for the control of the polluted environment around the rare earth mining areas. OBJECTIVES To reveal the concentration and fractionation characteristics of REE in the soils around different types of rare earth mining areas. METHODS The content and fractionation of 15 rare earth elements in 6 soil samples from the Bayan Obo rare earth tailings area in Inner Mongolia and the Gannan rare earth mining area in Jiangxi Province were determined by the method of Community Bureau of Reference (BCR) sequential extraction and Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry. RESULTS ∑REE in the soil around the mining area were 264-15955μg/g, significantly higher than the background value (186μg/g) of soils in China. LREE were enriched in the surrounding soils of the Bayan Obo mining area, and REE mainly existed in residual fraction, accounting for 64.0%-89.4% of the total content. HREE were enriched in the soils of the Gannan mining area, the main forms of REE in this area are acid-soluble fraction and reducible fraction, accounting for more than 70% of the total content. REE in the Gannan area were readily transferable and polluted the surrounding environment. CONCLUSIONS The fractionation characteristics of rare earth elements in soils are strongly correlated with pH value. With the decrease of soil pH value, the content of acid extraction fraction of rare earth elements is increasing and the content of residual fraction is decreasing.

This paper proposes an energy trading framework for a combined heat and power (CHP) microgrid (MG) integrated with a Photovoltaic (PV) generation system. The parties involved in the CHP-MG energy market are a single MG operator (MGO) and multiple users with electric and thermal demand response (DR). The energy trading process between the MGO and users is formulated as a Nash bargaining game, where the users can bargain with the MGO regarding trading volumes and the prices of electricity and heat. The relationship between the Nash bargaining solution (NBS) and social welfare maximum is studied. A distributed optimization algorithm based on the alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) is adopted to achieve NBS. Case studies demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed trading framework, and show the promotion of economic benefits.

Objective. To identify markers that predict the progression to hepatitis B virus-associated acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF). Methods. We recruited 125 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) between September 2013 and March 2017. During hospitalization, 25 patients progressed to LF and were classified as the LF group, while the remaining 100 patients were classified as the non-LF (NLF) group. We compared the kinetic changes in clinical and immune indicators including age, total bilirubin level, prothrombin time, model for end-stage liver disease score, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and IL-10 cytokine levels, and number of T helper 17 and regulatory T cells between groups to determine their association with progression to HBV-ACLF. The prognostic value of clinical and immune indicators was determined using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) value. Results. Cox regression analysis suggested that the plasma IL-6 level could predict CHB progression to HBV-ACLF (relative risk = 1.082, 95% confidence interval: 1.006–1.164; P=0.034). The AUC value, sensitivity, and specificity of baseline IL-6 level for predicting HBV-ACLF were 82.63%, 83.3%, and 82.9%, respectively (P=0.001). Conclusion. A high plasma IL-6 level in CHB patients could be an early biomarker for HBV-ACLF.