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Abstract Objective This study aims to compare the perioperative outcomes and disease-free survival (DFS) between pneumonectomy after immunochemotherapy and chemotherapy. Methods We retrospectively identified patients who received neoadjuvant immunotherapy (n = 15) or chemotherapy alone (n = 12) in our single center between 2021 and 2023. The primary end point was 30-day major complications. The secondary end point was major pathologic response. Results There was no significant difference in operation time, blood loss and postoperative stay time between ICI (Received immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment including PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors) and Chemo cohort. There were also no difference in postoperative complications including complications > grade III, 90-day death and bronchial fistula. The pCR rate was 40.0% (6/15) in the ICI cohort versus 0.0% (0/12) in the chemo cohort (p = 0.020). The MPR or pCR rate was 60.0% (9/15) in the ICI cohort versus 8.3% (1/12) in the chemo cohort (p = 0.014). ICI cohort was associated with an improved overall 1, 2, and 3-year disease-free survival(DFS)compared with chemo cohort. At the same time, both patients received ICI and Chemo were grouped according to whether pCR occurred or not, and it was found that DFS in the pCR group was better than DFS in the non-pCR group. Conclusions Based on our results, we argue that compared with pneumonectomy after isolated chemotherapy, pneumonectomy after immunochemotherapy not added 90-day mortality, postoperative, morbidity, but improved DFS; thus, it should be the induction therapy choice for anatomically eligible centrally located lung cancers.

Developing antibacterial and biocompatible coatings remains a challenge. A promising new thought is addressed to control the ion release behaviors through the design of the phases, structures, and morphologies of the products. In this study, TiO2-CuxO/Ag coatings were prepared via co-sputtering combined with annealing, the changes brought by different annealing temperatures were characterized, the physical, electrochemical, and antibacterial properties were concerned, and the relationship between biological performance and ions-releasing behavior was investigated. Results showed that the TiO2-CuxO/Ag coatings performed the morphologies of larger Ag particles seeded like islands on the dense CuO, such features improved the hydrophilicity and corrosion resistance of the Ti substrate. Rising the annealing temperature further enhanced the surface roughness, hydrophilicity, Young's modulus, hardness, and dynamic coefficient of friction of the coatings. Within the initial 3 h of soaking, both metal ions contributed to playing the antibacterial roles and produced a synergistic enhancement effect to satisfy the reduction of Staphylococcus aureus to 99.9%. In the next 3–120 h soaking, Ag releasing was suppressed and Cu releasing maintained its slow and stable trend, which made sure that the MC3T3-E1 cells could proliferate and adhere on the negatively charged coating surface, and copper oxide nanoparticles were phagocytized by cells. Among all TiO2-CuxO/Ag coatings, the M500 sample displayed superior performances on the surface roughness, contact angle, mechanical Young's modulus, and surface hardness, also realized the aim of killing pathogenic bacteria first and then activating cell survival, which enabled it to be potentially applied in clinical treatment.

Purpose: The development of athletics is pivotal to China's aspiration of becoming a modern competitive sports powerhouse. Spiritual culture, being its core component, also serves as an intrinsic driving force. A nuanced understanding of the formation of spiritual and cultural differences between Chinese and Western competitive sports is essential for the connotative construction of China's competitive sports strength. Methodology: This study employs qualitative text analysis to examine 46 texts in both Chinese and English. The aim is to investigate the mechanisms underlying the cultural differences between Chinese and Western sportsmanship and to construct a theoretical model. Findings: The study identifies five key dimensions—mindset, internal and external drive, traditional paradigm, code of conduct, and spiritual pillars—that collectively contribute to the cultural differences in Chinese and Western competitive sportsmanship. Among these, mindset, internal and external drive, and traditional paradigm are the causative factors, while codes of conduct and spiritual pillars represent the actions and outcomes that shape these cultural differences. Value: This study aims to elucidate the specific spiritual and cultural differences between Chinese and Western competitive sports, and the reasons behind these differences. By constructing a mechanism for the formation of these cultural differences, the study seeks to foster a conducive cultural environment for the development of competitive sports in China. This, in turn, is expected to accelerate China's transition from a major sports nation to a leading sports power on the global stage.

Abstract Single cell chromatin accessibility profiling and transcriptome sequencing are the most widely used technologies for single-cell genomics. Here, we present Microwell-seq3, a high-throughput and facile platform for high-sensitivity single-nucleus chromatin accessibility or full-length transcriptome profiling. The method combines a preindexing strategy and a penetrable chip-in-a-tube for single nucleus loading and DNA amplification and therefore does not require specialized equipment. We used Microwell-seq3 to profile chromatin accessibility in more than 200,000 single nuclei and the full-length transcriptome in ~50,000 nuclei from multiple adult mouse tissues. Compared with the existing polyadenylated transcript capture methods, integrative analysis of cell type-specific regulatory elements and total RNA expression uncovered comprehensive cell type heterogeneity in the brain. Gene regulatory networks based on chromatin accessibility profiling provided an improved cell type communication model. Finally, we demonstrated that Microwell-seq3 can identify malignant cells and their specific regulons in spontaneous lung tumors of aged mice. We envision a broad application of Microwell-seq3 in many areas of research.

This study employed an event-triggered control (ETC) strategy to investigate the problems of fixed-time stabilization (FTS) and preassigned-time stabilization (PTS) for state-dependent switching neural networks (SDSNNs) that involved mixed time delays. To enhance the network's generalization capability and accelerate convergence stabilization, a more intricate weight-switching mechanism was introduced, then to mitigate transmission energy consumption, this paper proposed a tailored event-triggering rule that triggered the ETC solely at predetermined time points. This rule ensured the stability of the system while effectively reducing energy consumption. Using the Lyapunov stability theory and various inequality techniques, this paper presented new results for FTS and PTS of SDSNNs. The validity of these findings was supported by conducting data simulations in two illustrative examples.

Abstract Ar++N2 → Ar+N2 + has served as a paradigm for charge-transfer dynamics studies during the last several decades. Despite significant experimental and theoretical efforts on this model system, state-resolved experimental investigations on the microscopic charge-transfer mechanism between the spin-orbit excited Ar+(2P1/2) ion and N2 have been rare. Here, we measure the first quantum state-to-state differential cross sections for Ar++N2 → Ar+N2 + with the Ar+ ion prepared exclusively in the spin-orbit excited state 2P1/2 on a crossed-beam setup with three-dimensional velocity-map imaging. Trajectory surface-hopping calculations qualitatively reproduce the vibrationally dependent rotational and angular distributions of the N2 + product. Both the scattering images and theoretical calculations show that the charge-transfer dynamics of the spin-orbit excited Ar+(2P1/2) ion differs significantly from that of the spin-orbit ground Ar+(2P3/2) when colliding with N2. Such state-to-state information makes quantitative understanding of this benchmark charge-transfer reaction within reach.

Abstract Objective Physical exercise has the potential to mitigate addictive behaviors and relevant health issues. However, the nighttime exercise has not been studied regarding this research topic. This study aims to explore the association between nocturnal physical exercise and problematic smartphone use before sleep, as well as related health issues. Methods To explore the association between nighttime physical exercise and problematic smartphone use before sleep as well as related health issues, we conducted a cross-sectional survey among 1,334 college students. Their daily exercise behaviors (including timeframe, rationale, frequency, and duration), smartphone use before sleep, sleep quality, smartphone addiction, anxiety, and depression were measured by questionnaires. The associations were assessed using generalized linear models. Results Our findings indicate that nearly 70% of participants chose to perform exercise at nighttime. Among these individuals who exercised at nighttime, the frequency and duration of nighttime exercise were significantly associated with decreased probabilities of smartphone use before sleep. Additionally, the frequency and duration of nighttime exercise were associated with lower levels of smartphone addiction and anxiety disorders. Conclusion Nighttime Exercise behaviors can effectively reduce sleep delays caused by problematic smartphone use before bedtime. These findings contribute to understanding the potential effects of nighttime exercise on problematic smartphone use and relevant health issues. Future research should employ more precise methodologies to examine these associations.

We focused on the quasi-projective synchronization (QPS) and finite-time synchronization (FNTS) for a class of fractional-order memristive complex-valued delay neural networks (FOMCVDNNs). Rather than decomposing the complex-valued system into its real and imaginary components, we adopted a more streamlined approach by introducing a lemma associated with the complex-valued sign function. This innovative technique enabled us to design a simpler discontinuous controller. Then, based on the finite-time Lemma, measurable selection theorem, Lyapunov function theory, properties of the Mittag-Leffler function, and the fractional-order Razumikhin theorem, various substantial results were derived using a novel hybrid control scheme. In conclusion, we presented numerical simulations to illustrate the practical effectiveness of our theoretical findings.

Action recognition in tennis plays a crucial role for athletes and coaches, aiding in understanding and evaluating the players' skill levels to formulate more effective training plans and tactical strategies. To enhance the recognition and grading of tennis player actions, this study introduces the use of inertial measurement units and flexible resistive sensors for data collection. An improved Support Vector Machine is employed for data classification to achieve efficient action recognition. The results demonstrated that the proposed classification algorithm achieved an average accuracy of 95.35 % in recognizing actions of elite athletes, with the highest accuracy (96.38 %) observed in forehand strokes. In the case of sub-elite athletes, the algorithm achieved an impressive average accuracy of 97.67 %. For amateur enthusiasts, the algorithm exhibited an average accuracy of 94.08 %. Furthermore, elite athletes exhibited larger peak values in the three-axis acceleration waveform during ball striking. Specifically, the absolute peak value of acceleration in the Y-axis for elite athletes reached 78 m/s², representing an increase of 39 m/s² and 8 m/s² compared to the other two levels of athletes, respectively. Additionally, on the X and Z axes, elite athletes' acceleration peak values reached 59 m/s² and 78 m/s², significantly higher than those of sub-elite athletes and amateur enthusiasts. Moreover, the acceleration curves of elite athletes demonstrated a higher overall regularity. These findings indicate that the proposed action recognition method has a significant impact on recognition and evaluation, providing valuable insights for action recognition and assessment across various domains and advancing the application of artificial intelligence technology in the field of sports.

For many applications, raw satellite observations need to be converted to high-level products of various essential environmental variables. While numerous products are available at kilometer spatial resolutions, there are few global products at high spatial resolutions (10–30 m), which are also referred to fine or medium resolutions in the literature. To facilitate the development of more high spatial resolution products, this paper systematically reviews the state-of-the-art progress on inversion algorithms and publicly available regional and global products. We begin with an inventory of available high-resolution satellite data, and then present different algorithms for determining cloud masks, estimating aerosol optical depth, and performing atmospheric correction and topographic correction for land surface reflectance retrieval. The majority of this paper reviews the inversion algorithms and existing regional to global products of 18 variables in four major categories: 1) Land surface radiation, including broadband albedo, land surface temperature, and all-wave net radiation; 2) Terrestrial ecosystem variables, including leaf area index, fraction of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation, fractional vegetation cover, fractional forest cover, tree height, forest above-ground biomass gross primary production, net primary production, and agricultural crop yield; 3) Water cycle and cryosphere, including soil moisture, evapotranspiration, and snow cover; and 4) Land surface types, such as global land cover, impervious surface, inland water, crop type, and fire. Since the existing products over large regions are usually spatially discontinuous due to cloud contamination, different data fusion and data assimilation algorithms and some products for producing spatially seamless and temporally continuous products are presented. In the end, we discuss a variety of challenges in generating global high spatial resolution satellite products.

ABSTRACTForest dynamics provide important information on the ecological environment. The Three-North Shelter Forest Program (TNSFP) is one of the world’s largest reforestation/afforestation programs, however the actual changes in forest cover in the Three-North Regions (TNR) of China resulting from this program are highly uncertain. This study quantified changes in fractional forest cover (FFC) at 30 m using Landsat data from 1996 to 2020. Using the Google Earth Engine platform, more than 40,000 images from Landsat-5, Landsat 7 and Landsat-8 were integrated, and the annual surface reflectance was normalized based on the multi-band least squares regression and maximum normalized difference vegetation index composite method. An ensemble learning model trained using high-resolution Gao-Fen 2 satellite imagery was used to generate the FFC long time-series product. FFC showed an increasing trend with average rates of 0.022/10a in the last 25 years, and 0.03/10a after 2010 largely corresponding to the fourth and fifth phases of the TNSFP. There are significant regional differences in the relationship between FFC and air temperature ([Formula: see text] = 0.37) and precipitation ([Formula: see text] = 0.49). The increased air temperature in arid and less rainy areas inhibit the FFC increase, whereas the increase in precipitation had a promoting effect. FFC appeared more sensitive to changes in solar radiation and heat conditions in humid and rainy areas. The attribution analysis revealed that 34% of FFC changes were caused by climatic variables and 66% were caused by non-climatic factors. Among them, afforestation associated with the TNSFP significantly increased FFC, and forest fire is a key factor of forest change in the Greater Khingan Ranges and Lesser Khingan Ranges regions. Planting single tree species caused biological disasters in forests of Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia. Further analysis of the increased FFC using high-level satellite products demonstrated an improvement in environmental conditions with cooler land surface temperature and higher vegetation gross primary production over the TNR.

The reliable operation of the natural gas pipeline system is directly related to natural gas supply security, and it is vital to determine the target reliability of the natural gas pipeline system when assessing whether the system is reliable. In this study, a methodology to determine the target reliability of natural gas pipeline system based on the risk acceptance criteria of pipelines is proposed, and the methodology consists of three parts. Firstly, the risk acceptance criteria of the natural gas pipelines are determined based on the existing standards. Secondly, the failure consequence model of natural gas pipelines considering the pipeline properties and surroundings is developed, and the corresponding allowable pipeline failure probabilities are calculated according to the risk theory. Finally, the evaluation model of the gas supply reliability for natural gas pipeline systems considering the unit’s failure and hydraulic characteristics is developed, and the target reliability of natural gas pipeline systems is calculated by employing the allowable pipeline failure probabilities. Furthermore, a real natural gas pipeline system is employed to determine its target reliability, and the target value is compared with the actual value of the gas supply reliability. Based on the compared results, the corresponding measure to improve the gas supply reliability is proposed.

Abstract Near‐infrared (NIR) luminescent metal halide (LMH) materials have attracted great attention in various optoelectronic applications due to their low‐temperature solution‐processable synthesis, abundant crystallographic/electronic structures, and unique optoelectronic properties. However, some challenges still remain in their luminescence design, performance improvement, and application assignments. This review systematically summarizes the development of NIR LMHs through classifying NIR luminescent origins into four major categories: band‐edge emission, self‐trapped exciton (STE) emission, ion emission, and defect‐related emission. The luminescence mechanisms of different types of NIR LMHs are discussed in detail by analyzing typical examples. Reasonable strategies for designing and optimizing luminescence/optoelectronic properties of NIR LMHs are summarized, including bandgap engineering, self‐trapping state engineering, chemical composition modification, energy transfer, and other auxiliary strategies such as improvement of synthesis scheme and post‐processing. Furthermore, application prospects based on the optoelectronic devices are revealed, including phosphor‐converted light‐emitting diodes (LEDs), electroluminescent LEDs, photodetectors, solar cells, and x‐ray scintillators, as well as demonstrations of some related practical applications. Finally, the existing challenges and future perspectives on the development of NIR LMH materials are critically proposed. This review aims to provide general understanding and guidance for the design of high‐performance NIR LMHs materials.

Summary: Background: Obesity drives maladaptive changes in the white adipose tissue (WAT) which can progressively cause insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and metabolic dysfunction-associated liver disease (MASLD). Obesity-mediated loss of WAT homeostasis can trigger liver steatosis through dysregulated lipid pathways such as those related to polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)-derived oxylipins. However, the exact relationship between oxylipins and metabolic syndrome remains elusive and cross-tissue dynamics of oxylipins are ill-defined. Methods: We quantified PUFA-related oxylipin species in the omental WAT, liver biopsies and plasma of 88 patients undergoing bariatric surgery (female N = 79) and 9 patients (female N = 4) undergoing upper gastrointestinal surgery, using UPLC-MS/MS. We integrated oxylipin abundance with WAT phenotypes (adipogenesis, adipocyte hypertrophy, macrophage infiltration, type I and VI collagen remodelling) and the severity of MASLD (steatosis, inflammation, fibrosis) quantified in each biopsy. The integrative analysis was subjected to (i) adjustment for known risk factors and, (ii) control for potential drug-effects through UPLC-MS/MS analysis of metformin-treated fat explants ex vivo. Findings: We reveal a generalized down-regulation of cytochrome P450 (CYP)-derived diols during obesity conserved between the WAT and plasma. Notably, epoxide:diol ratio, indicative of soluble epoxide hydrolyse (sEH) activity, increases with WAT inflammation/fibrosis, hepatic steatosis and T2DM. Increased 12,13-EpOME:DiHOME in WAT and liver is a marker of worsening metabolic syndrome in patients with obesity. Interpretation: These findings suggest a dampened sEH activity and a possible role of fatty acid diols during metabolic syndrome in major metabolic organs such as WAT and liver. They also have implications in view of the clinical trials based on sEH inhibition for metabolic syndrome. Funding: Wellcome Trust (PS3431_WMIH); Duke-NUS (Intramural Goh Cardiovascular Research Award (Duke-NUS-GCR/2022/0020); National Medical Research Council (OFLCG22may-0011); National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (Z01 ES025034); NIHR Imperial Biomedical Research Centre.

Hydraulic fracturing (HF) technology can safely and efficiently increase the permeability of coal seam, which is conducive to CBM exploration and prevent coal and gas outburst. However, conventional HF fractures tend to expand in the direction of maximum principal stress, which may be inconsistent with the direction of fracturing required by the project. Therefore, the increased direction of coal seam permeability is different from that expected. To solve these problems, PFC2D software simulation is used to study directional hydraulic fracturing (DHF), that is the combination of slotting and hydraulic fracturing. The effects of different slotting angles (θ), different horizontal stress difference coefficients (K) and different injection pressures on DHF fracture propagation are analyzed. The results show that the DHF method can overcome the dominant effect of initial in-situ stress on the propagation direction of hydraulic fractures and control the propagation of fractures along and perpendicular to the slotting direction when θ, K and liquid injection pressure are small. When the DHF fracture is connected with manual slotting, the pressure will shake violently, and the fracturing curve presents a multi-peak type. The increase and decrease of particle pressure around the fracturing hole reflect the process of pressure accumulation and fracture propagation at the fracture tip respectively. Compared with conventional HF, DHF can not only shorten the fracturing time but also make the fracture network more complex, which is more conducive to gas flow. Under the action of in-situ stress, the stress between slots will increase to exceed the maximum horizontal principal stress. Moreover, with the change in fracturing time, the local stress of the model will also change. Hydraulic fractures are always expanding to the area with large local stress. The research results could provide certain help for DHF theoretical research and engineering application.

Earth surface longwave radiation (SLR), including downward (DLR), upward (ULR), and net longwave radiation (NLR), significantly impacts the surface radiation budget and global climate evolution. However, the spatiotemporal variation in SLR remains poorly understood. In this study, three satellite products (GLASS-MODIS V40, GLASS-AVHRR, and CERES-SYN) and three reanalysis datasets (ERA5, MERRA-2, and GLDAS) were validated using ground measurements from 288 sites at seven observation networks. The mean biases and root mean square errors of the monthly DLR (ULR, NLR) estimates from the six products were −6.36 (−3.56, −2.86) Wm-2 and 16.63 (14.33, 13.38) Wm-2, respectively. Large differences in the spatial distribution of the SLR were mainly observed at high-latitude, high-altitude and desert/barren-covered regions. Large interannual variability was detected at high latitudes. GLASS-AVHRR and ERA5 better captured the long-term variability in DLR and ULR, whereas GLASS-AVHRR and MERRA-2 better detected trends in NLR. An increasing trend in DLR and ULR was observed between 1982 and 2015, followed by a decreasing trend from 2016 to 2021; the NLR flux did not exhibit a significant trend. Overall, the GLASS-AVHRR and ERA5 SLR estimates were more accurate and stable than those of the other products in accuracy, spatiotemporal distribution, and trend analysis.

Abstract Satellite vegetation index (VI) products, such as normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and enhanced vegetation index (EVI), have been widely used. However, they are severely contaminated by clouds and other factors and provide false signals of the surface vegetation conditions. In this study, the new global seamless 250 m, eight-day NDVI and EVI products from 2000–2021 were developed from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) surface reflectance data using a long short-term memory (LSTM) neural network method. High-quality globally representative time series VI samples were constructed to train the model using a combination of the Savitzky-Golay filter (SG), Global LAnd Surface Satellite (GLASS) leaf area index (LAI) fitting and upper envelope methods. To evaluate the proposed method and the 250 m VI products, the MODIS VI product (MOD13Q1) was used for the inter-comparisons using four widely used VI reconstruction methods. Assuming that the MODIS VI data of high quality represents the true values, the root mean square error (RMSE) for NDVI and EVI generated by the LSTM model are 0.0734 and 0.0509, respectively.

Body image and eating disorders pose significant challenges to the overall health of athletes. However, divergent findings exist regarding the potential association between athletes’ body image and eating disorders. This systematic review aims to examine the relationship between these two variables and identify the modifiers of the association, such as gender, age, race, and exercise type. A search was conducted in five databases (Web of Science, PubMed, APA PsycINFO, ProQuest, and EBSCO), aiming to identify studies on athletes and involved body image and eating disorders in their conclusions. Ultimately, thirty-one studies were included for systematic evaluation. The results of the studies indicate that the relationship between athletes’ body image and eating disorders is complex and inconclusive. In some types of sports, eating disorders can occur even when athletes are satisfied with their body image. Furthermore, female athletes, particularly young female athletes, and athletes involved in sports associated with leanness are more prone to eating disorders and body dissatisfaction. Due to limited resources in this type of research, there is a lack of comprehensive inclusivity across sports disciplines, genders, races, and levels of sports proficiency, which warrants further research.

As land and sea integration continues to accelerate, it will inevitably have an effect on the marine ecological environment. However, the study on spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of Chinese marine environmental quality and its driving factors was lacking. This paper employs Regression Analysis, Spearman Correlation Analysis, Canonical Correlation Analysis, Boston Consulting Group Matrix and Environmental Kuznets Curve to examine the spatial–temporal distribution characteristics and correlation factors of Chinese jurisdictional sea areas environmental quality. The environmental quality of the waters under China's jurisdiction improved on average from 2003 to 2021, the area of sea with excellent water quality increased by 7.21 × 104 km2. The spatial distribution showed “South superior, North inferior” trend. The accumulated red tide area is 2.01 × 105 km2, and the green tide has the average maximum area of distribution is 3.13 × 104 km2. The marine dumping area's volume of waste has a three stages of slow rise (2003–2007), steady (2008–2014) and rapid rise (2015–2021). The average percentage of seawater bathing areas with good water quality is 82.10 %. Urban Environmental Infrastructure Investment and Urban Drainage Construction Investments are positively correlated with excellent water quality and negatively correlated with light-sewage water quality. The typical correlation for the group “Environmental Quality/Environmental Governance” is 0.911, and the strongest correlation is between excellent water quality and urban drainage construction investment. The typical correlation coefficient for the “Environmental Quality/Socioeconomic” group is 0.960, and the strongest correlation is between excellent water quality and per capita GDP. The Gross Ocean Product, Per Capita GDP, Proportion of Non-agricultural Industries, Year-end Resident Population, and excellent water quality are positively correlated whereas light-sewage water quality is negatively correlated. Liaoning, Tianjin, Shandong and Guangdong shift from high-pollution-low-investment to low-pollution-low-investment model. Shanghai, Zhejiang, Fujian and Hainan maintain high-pollution-low-investment model, Hainan maintains high-pollution-high-investment model. Jiangsu maintains low-pollution-low-investment model. Hebei and Guangxi shift from low-pollution-low-investment to low-pollution-high-investment model. Liaoning, Hebei, Tianjin, Shandong, Guangxi and Shanghai show inverted “N” shape, Jiangsu shows positive “N” shape, Zhejiang and Fujian show monotonic decline shape, Guangdong and Hainan show positive “U” shape. The results could provide valuable suggestions for coastal provinces to accomplish economic development and environmental improvement, which to prevent the old way of “pollution first and treatment later”.

With the awakening of female consciousness, women's participation in sports has gradually gained autonomy and agency. However, Chinese women still face numerous restrictions in combat sports, hindering the development of this industry. Based on years of practice and research experience in the field, we summarize some general and specific issues, such as stigmatization and the constraints of traditional Chinese thinking. These issues need attention and consideration in the pursuit of gender equality in sports in the future.

BackgroundSleep disorders contribute to an increased risk of depression, cardiovascular issues, and various other diseases among older individuals. Consequently, enhancing the sleep quality of this demographic population has become a pressing concern. The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of an 8-week Tai Chi exercise intervention in the sleep quality of older adults.MethodsSixty individuals aged 60 years and above, recruited from the community around Southwest University in Beibei District, Chongqing City, were randomly assigned to either a control group (30 participants) or an intervention group (30 participants). The control group adhered to their normal daily routines during the 8-week experimental period, while the intervention group engaged in a 60-min Tai Chi practice three times a week for 8 weeks. Sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). Additionally, the Polysomnographic Sleep Quality Monitoring System (PSG) was employed to monitor the sleep process before and after the Tai Chi intervention.ResultsAfter the experiment, significant differences were observed in PSQI and IEI scores between the intervention and control groups (p < 0.05). In the experimental group, the pre-post comparisons revealed a significant increase in time spent in bed (p < 0.05), total sleep time (p < 0.05), and non-REM sleep stage 2 (p < 0.05).ConclusionThe findings indicate that Tai Chi exercise may improve subjective reported sleep quality. In addition, Tai Chi exercise may alleviate general drowsiness, extend sleep duration, and optimize the sleep process and structure. Consequently, Tai Chi exercise may be a suitable exercise to improve sleep quality in older individuals.

Objectives: To evaluate the risk factors for increased risk of venous thrombosis after arthroscopic knee surgery. Methods: PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane Library were searched from their inception to April 4, 2023. Observational studies investigated venous thrombosis following arthroscopic knee surgery were included. The Newcastle Ottawa Scale (NOS) was used to evaluate the methodological quality of included studies. The odd ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) pertaining to each risk factor were synthesized through a random effects model by STATA 14 software. Results: The protocol this meta-analysis has been registered on PROSPERO (CRD42023410283). A total of 22 observational studies were included in the systematic review, all of which were of moderate or high methodological quality. The results of the meta-analysis revealed that several factors were significantly associated with an elevated risk of venous thrombosis following arthroscopic knee surgery. These factors included age (mean age ≥30 years) [OR = 1.08, 95%CI (1.04, 1.13), P = 0.001], overweight or obesity [OR = 1.31, 95%CI (1.13, 1.52), P＜0.001], oral contraceptive use [OR = 1.90, 95%CI (1.52, 2.37), P＜0.001], and smoking history [OR = 1.35, 95%CI (1.06, 1.71), P = 0.014]. Furthermore, the subgroup analysis indicated that patients with an average age over 50 years [OR = 3.18, 95%CI (1.17, 8.66), P = 0.001] and those who underwent surgery with a tourniquet for ≥90 min [OR = 4.79, 95%CI (1.55, 14.81), P = 0.007] were at a significantly increased risk of venous thrombosis after knee arthroscopy. Conclusion: Age, obesity, oral contraceptives, smoking history, and prolonged tourniquet use may increase the risk of venous thrombosis after arthroscopic knee surgery. The incidence of venous thrombosis after knee arthroscopy is on a downward trend, but due to its severity, increasing awareness of risk factors and implementing effective prophylaxis are important tasks for clinicians to prevent the risk of venous thrombosis after knee arthroscopy.

PURPOSETo evaluate the role of cone-beam computed tomography (CT) performed for the determination of the artery of Adamkiewicz (AKA) suspected by angiography during trans-catheter bronchial artery embolization for hemoptysis.METHODSIn this retrospective study, 17 patients with hemoptysis who underwent cone-beam CT for evaluation of the AKA prior to arterial embolization from December 2014 to March 2022 were included. During the angiographic session, two interventional radiologists selected the possible AKAs that were defined as obscured hairpin-curved vessels arising from the dorsal branch of the intercostal arteries and running towards the midline in the arterially enhanced phase. Contrast-enhanced cone-beam CT was performed as an adjunct to angiography to determine whether the indefinite AKA was a real AKA based on whether it was found to connect to the anterior spinal artery.RESULTSSelective cone-beam CT was performed at 17 possible AKAs detected by selective arteriogram of the intercostal artery (ICA). Cone-beam CT allowed for the determination of AKAs in 16 cases (94.1%). As a result of cone-beam CT findings, 9 of 16 study arteries (56.3%) were judged as definite AKAs, and the remaining 7 (43.7%) were judged as definitely not AKAs but as the musculocutaneous branching from the dorsal branch of the ICA. In 1 of 17 cases (5.9%), cone-beam CT could not determine the AKA because of poor image quality caused by inadequate breath holding. An additional anterior radiculomedullary artery arising from the dorsal branch of the lower ICA because of the inflow of the contrast medium through the anastomosis was detected in one case by conebeam CT but not by angiography.CONCLUSIONIntraprocedural enhanced cone-beam CT performed as an adjunctive technique to angiography is sufficient for confident determination of the AKA, which is essential for the operators to perform accurate and safe arterial embolization for hemoptysis.

In this study, a new polyionic polymer inhibitor, TIL-NH2, was developed to address the instability of shale gas horizontal wells caused by water-based drilling fluids. The structural characteristics and inhibition effects of TIL-NH2 on mud shale were comprehensively analyzed using infrared spectroscopy, NMR spectroscopy, contact angle measurements, particle size distribution, zeta potential, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, and scanning electron microscopy. The results demonstrated that TIL-NH2 significantly enhances the thermal stability of shale, with a decomposition temperature exceeding 300 °C, indicating excellent high-temperature resistance. At a concentration of 0.9%, TIL-NH2 increased the median particle size of shale powder from 5.2871 μm to over 320 μm, effectively inhibiting hydration expansion and dispersion. The zeta potential measurements showed a reduction in the absolute value of illite’s zeta potential from −38.2 mV to 22.1 mV at 0.6% concentration, highlighting a significant decrease in surface charge density. Infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction confirmed the formation of a close adsorption layer between TIL-NH2 and the illite surface through electrostatic and hydrogen bonding, which reduced the weakly bound water content to 0.0951% and maintained layer spacing of 1.032 nm and 1.354 nm in dry and wet states, respectively. Thermogravimetric analysis indicated a marked reduction in heat loss, particularly in the strongly bound water content. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that shale powder treated with TIL-NH2 exhibited an irregular bulk shape with strong inter-particle bonding and low hydration degree. These findings suggest that TIL-NH2 effectively inhibits hydration swelling and dispersion of shale through the synergistic effects of cationic imidazole rings and primary amine groups, offering excellent temperature and salt resistance. This provides a technical foundation for the low-cost and efficient extraction of shale gas in horizontal wells.

This study presents an in-depth investigation into the intersection of Building Information Modeling (BIM) and green building practices within China’s rapidly evolving construction industry. As China intensifies its efforts to mitigate environmental impacts and promote sustainable growth, the integration of BIM into green building practices emerges as a crucial area of study. A qualitative research method was adopted in this research. In the first step, utilizing semi-structured interviews with a diverse array of industry professionals, this research provides nuanced insights into the current state and prospects of BIM in the green building landscape. Secondly, thematic analysis is used to formalize the views and points from interviewees. Finally, a novel conceptual framework is proposed, addressing these challenges through technological innovation, supportive policies, cultural and educational reform, economic incentives, and collaborative dynamics. This study contributes a systematic approach to amalgamate BIM with sustainable construction, offering insights for industry professionals and policymakers to promote environmentally conscious building practices in China.

Objectives: Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) surgery is controversial in part because of the surgeon’s experience, which correlates with how the surgeon is trained. Because the training model of OPCAB is not uniform, the quality control in the training process seems to be more important and needs to be further discussed. Methods: Nine surgeons accepted and completed an OPCAB training course at a single center to become independent surgeons. This training program is characterized by 6 progressive levels supervised by experienced trainers. In total, 2307 consecutive cases of OPCAB performed by the 9 trainee surgeons were analyzed for monitoring and evaluation in quality control. The funnel plots and cumulative summation (CUSUM) analysis method were used to evaluate the performance of each surgeon. Results: The mortality and complications of each surgeon were all within the 95% confidence interval of funnel plots. The CUSUM learning curves of first 3 trainees was analyzed and showed that the trainees need to complete approximately 65 cases to cross the CUSUM learning curve to reach a steady state. Conclusions: The trainees can directly receive the OPCAB training course under the guidance of experienced surgeons with a rigorous schedule. It is feasible to perform quality control by funnel plots and CUSUM method in OPCAB surgery to ensure the safety of the training course.

The mental health challenges among Chinese college students have become a pressing social concern. This study examined the relationship between parental support for exercise and depression among freshmen and also explored the mediating role of physical exercise and physical self-esteem. Utilizing the Parental Exercise Support Scale, Depression Self-Rating Scale, Physical Activity Rating Scale, and Physical Self-Esteem Scale, a questionnaire survey was conducted. Convenient samples from two universities were recruited by university teachers, which included 766 university freshmen. Correlation and linear regression analyses were employed to assess the overall associations while bootstrapping method was used to test mediation effects. Results indicated significant correlations between parental support for exercise and physical exercise, physical self-esteem, and depression. Physical exercise and physical self-esteem were found to mediate the relationship between parental support for exercise and depression, both individually and sequentially. These findings highlight the potential association between parental support for exercise and the mental health of college freshmen and also offer a mechanism to understand this association.

Background: Closed reduction is the preferred treatment for distal radius fractures. However, it requires a multiple experienced medical staff and manually maintaining stable traction is difficult. Additionally, doctors cannot assess the reduction status of a fracture in real-time through radiographic images, which may lead to improper reduction. Furthermore, post-fracture complications such as joint adhesion, stiffness, and impaired mobility pose a challenge for the doctors. So it is necessary to optimize the treatment process of the distal radius fracture through technological means.Methods: A robot-assisted closed reduction and rehabilitation system, which could assist doctors throughout the entire process of reduction, fixation, and rehabilitation of distal radius fractures, was developed. A mechanical system, composed of two grippers and a cooperative robotic arm, was used to grasp and tract the affected limb. A doctor controlled the robot through a joystick console and Windows application program. A biplane radiographic device was integrated into the system, which is not only convenient for doctors to view radiographic images of the fracture at any time but also for them to select the rotation axis of the wrist on the images before reduction and rehabilitation. Important information including the anteroposterior and lateral radiographic data and force and position parameters during the reduction and rehabilitation process were displayed on a graphic user interface.Results: Experimental results showed that the proposed robotic system can meet the technical requirements for the reduction and rehabilitation of distal radius fractures, all the rotation angles could be achieved, a maximum force of more than 50 N could be achieved in all traction directions, and the error in selecting the wrist joint rotation axis line using radiographic images was less than 5 mm.Conclusion: The developed robot-assisted system was shown to be suitable for closed reduction and rehabilitation of distal radius fractures, contributing a potential improvement in the quality of the procedures.

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) are important sources of aerosol-derived dissolved organic matter (ADOM) which may threaten human health via the respiratory system. In this study, aerosols were sampled from a typical WWTP to explore the chemical molecular diversity, molecular ecological network, and potential toxicities of the ADOM in the aerosols. The high fluorescence index (>1.9) and biological index (0.66–1.17) indicated the strong autogenous microbial source characteristics of the ADOM in the WWTP. DOM and microbes in the wastewater were aerosolized due to strong agitation and bubbling in the treatment processes, and contributed to 74 % and 75 %, respectively, of the ADOM and microbes in the aerosols. The ADOM was mainly composed of CHO and CHOS accounting for 35 % and 29 % of the total number of molecules, respectively, with lignin-like (69 %) as the major constituent. 49 % of the ADOM transformations were thermodynamically limited, and intragroup transformations were easier than intergroup transformations. Bacteria in the aerosols involved in ADOM transformations exhibited both cooperative and divergent behaviors and tended to transform carbohydrate-like and amino sugar/protein-like into recalcitrant lignin-like. The microbial compositions were affected by atmosphere temperature and humidity indirectly by modulating the properties of ADOM. Tannin-like, lignin-like, and unsaturated hydrocarbon-like molecules in the ADOM were primary toxicity contributors, facilitating the expression of inflammatory factors IL-β (2.2–5.4 folds), TNF-α (3.5–7.0 folds), and IL-6 (3.5–11.2 folds), respectively.

BackgroundIncreasing evidence suggests that esophageal cancer (ESCA) may be correlated with gut flora. However, their causal connection remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate potential causal linkages and gene–gut microbiome associations between the gut microbiota and ESCA using Mendelian randomization (MR).MethodsWe analyzed the data using genome-wide association studies. The exposure factor and outcome variable were the gut microbiota and ESCA, respectively. The MR-Egger method, weighted median, inverse-variance weighted method, heterogeneity test, sensitivity analysis, and multiplicity analysis were used for the MR analysis. And it was validated using an external dataset. Further meta-analysis was performed to validate the robustness of this relationship. Finally, we annotated single nucleotide polymorphisms in the gut microbiota that were causally associated with ESCA to explore possible host gene-gut microbiota correlations in patients with ESCA.ResultsWe identified four species with potential associations with ESCA. Three of these species had a negative causal relationship with ESCA (odds ratio (OR): 0.961; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.923–0.971; p = 0.047 for Romboutsia; OR: 0.972; 95% CI: 0.921–0.961; p = 0.018 for Lachnospira; OR: 0.948; 95% CI: 0.912–0.970; p = 0.032 for Eubacterium). A positive causal relationship was observed between one bacterial group and ESCA (OR: 1.105; 95% CI: 1.010–1.072; p = 0.018 for Veillonella). External datasets show the same trend. This is further supported by meta-analysis. None of the data showed pleiotropy, and leave-one-out analysis indicated the reliability of these findings. The gut microbiomes of patients with ESCA may correlate with the 19 identified genes.ConclusionOur data indicate a potential causal link between these four gut bacteria and ESCA and identify a correlation between host genes and gut microbiota in ESCA, offering novel therapeutic options.

ABSTRACTHigh-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSC), with a modest response to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) targeting PD-1/PD-L1 monotherapy, is densely infiltrated by M2-polarized tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and regulatory T (Treg) cells. The complement C5a/C5aR1 axis contributes to the programming of the immunosuppressive phenotype of TAMs in solid tumors and represents a promising immunomodulatory target for treating HGSCs. Here, we aimed to identify the relevance of C5aR1 in prognosis, immune microenvironment, and immunotherapy response in HGSCs. The expression and relationship of C5aR1 with tumor-infiltrating immune cells were assessed by immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry in the training cohort (n = 120) and fresh HGSC tissues (n = 36). Transcriptomic analyses of the xenografts delineated the mechanisms driving the immunomodulatory activity of PMX53, an orally bioavailable C5aR1 inhibitor. Therapeutic relevance was confirmed in ex vivo tumor cultures and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) datasets. C5aR1 expression independently predicted dismal prognosis and was linked to the immunoevasive subtype of HGSC, characterized by increased infiltration of pro-tumor cells (Treg cells, M2-polarized macrophages, and neutrophils) and impaired CD8+T functions. PMX53 antagonized subcutaneous tumor growth, modulated immunosuppressive mechanisms and synergized with aPD-1 in several tumor types. Single-cell RNA-seq analysis revealed predominant C5aR1 expression in TAMs, with an immunosuppressive-related expression signature in C5aR1+TAMs. Furthermore, the combination of C5aR1 and PD-L1 was associated with specific molecular characteristics and matched clinical response annotations. Therefore, the abundance of C5aR1 could predict an inferior prognosis in HGSCs, and incorporating PD-L1 may serve as a novel predictive biomarker to guide therapeutic options.

Background: Developing effective therapeutic strategies to delay the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) remains a significant challenge. Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) has demonstrated potential for treating CKD, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are still elusive. This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of LIPUS and to elucidate the involved genes and signaling pathways. Methods: The CKD model was established in rats using Adriamycin (ADR). The bilateral kidneys of CKD rats were continuously stimulated with LIPUS for a period of four weeks. The therapeutic efficacy was defined by renal function and histopathological evaluation. RNA sequencing was employed to profile the transcriptome of rat kidneys in each group. Cluster analysis was utilized to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs), followed by enrichment analysis of their associated pathways using Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) databases. Results: LIPUS treatment improved ADR-induced renal dysfunction in the CKD group. Renal fibrosis and pathological damages were also alleviated in the ADR + LIPUS group compared to the ADR group. Cluster analysis identified 844 DEGs. GO enrichment analysis revealed enrichment in inflammatory response terms, while KEGG enrichment analysis highlighted the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling and ferroptosis-related pathways. Conclusion: Continuous LIPUS treatment improved ADR-induced renal fibrosis and dysfunction. The therapeutic effect of LIPUS was primarily due to its ability to suppress the CKD-related inflammation, which was associated with the modulation of the NF-κB and ferroptosis signaling pathways. These findings provide a new insight into the potential molecular mechanisms of LIPUS in treating CKD. Further research is necessary to confirm these findings and to identify potential therapeutic targets within these pathways.

IntroductionThe objective of this study was to analyze antimicrobial resistance (AMR), stress resistance, and virulence factors through whole genome sequencing (WGS) of 192 isolates comprising 164 Salmonella isolates, 8 non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) isolates, and 20 Listeria monocytogenes isolates.MethodsThese isolates were sourced from a national survey conducted between 2010 and 2017, involving 31,322 samples of produce (31 isolates), nuts (43 isolates), and spices (118 isolates).ResultsThe findings yielded several key insights: (1) Within all Salmonella isolates studied, the most prevalent Salmonella serotypes included Give, Kentucky, Senftenberg, Mbandaka, Anatum, Newport, and Weltevreden. (2) All eight non-O157 STEC isolates were found to carry the genes blaEC, acrF, and mdtM, while all 20 L. monocytogenes isolates possessed fosX and lin genes. The Salmonella isolates displayed diverse AMR gene profiles, with 3.65% exhibiting multi-drug resistance. (3) Both Salmonella and non-O157 STEC isolates were discovered to carry stress genes associated with acid resistance, but none of the L. monocytogenes isolates carried an acid resistance gene. Salmonella isolates were found to carry multiple metal-resistance genes. The non-O157 STEC isolates universally exhibited acid resistance genes, and 4 out of the 20 L. monocytogenes isolates were equipped with resistance genes against biocides. (4) All of the STEC isolates (100%) carried stx1 and stx2 genes, while none of them carried eae and wyz genes. Most L. monocytogenes isolates were found to contain 29 virulence genes and 1 pathogenicity island. All Salmonella isolates carried SPI-9, but lacked SPI-7, SPI-10, SPI-11, SPI-12, mig-5, prefA, tviA, and viaB genes.ConclusionThese findings on AMR, stress resistance, and virulence factors among the investigated isolates highlight the potential risks they pose to public health and provide the scientific foundation for the development of preventative and control strategies and guidance pertaining to these major foodborne pathogens.

Objective: To investigate the biomechanical characteristics of different posterior fixation techniques in treatment of osteoporotic thoracolumbar burst fractures by finite element analysis.Methods: The Dicom format images of T10-L5 segments were obtained from CT scanning of a volunteer, and transferred to the Geomagic Studio software, which was used to build digital models. L1 osteoporotic burst fracture and different posterior fixation techniques were simulated by SolidWorks software. The data of ROM, the maximum displacement of fixed segment, ROM of fractured L1 vertebrae, the stress on the screws and rods as well as on fractured L1 vertebrae under different movement conditions were collected and analysed by finite element analysis.Results: Among the four groups, the largest ROM of fixed segment, the maximum displacement of fixed segment and ROM of fractured vertebrae occurred in CBT, and the corresponding data was 1.3°, 2.57 mm and 1.37°, respectively. While the smallest ROM of fixed segment, the maximum displacement of fixed segment and ROM of fractured vertebrae was found in LSPS, and the corresponding data was 0.92°, 2.46 mm and 0.89°, respectively. The largest stress of screws was 390.97 Mpa, appeared in CBT, and the largest stress of rods was 84.68 MPa, appeared in LSPS. The stress concentrated at the junction area between the root screws and rods. The maximum stress on fractured vertebrae was 93.25 MPa, appeared in CBT and the minimum stress was 56.68 MPa, appeared in CAPS. And the stress of fractured vertebrae concentrated in the middle and posterior column of the fixed segment, especially in the posterior edge of the superior endplate.Conclusion: In this study, long-segment posterior fixation (LSPF) provided with the greatest stability of fixed segment after fixation, while cortical bone screw fixation (CBT) provided with the smallest stability. Cement-augmented pedicle screw-rod fixation (CAPS) and combined using cortical bone screw and pedicle screw fixation (CBT-PS) provided with the moderate stability. CBT-PS exhibited superiority in resistance of rotational torsion for using multiple connecting rods. CAPS and CBT-PS maybe biomechanically superior options for the surgical treatment of burst TL fractures in osteoporotic patients.

Abstract Background Asymptomatic graft failure after coronary bypass grafting surgery (CABG) may have negative impact on the patients’ short- and long-term outcomes. Cardiac computed tomography angiography (CTA) has been proved to be another choice to detect graft failure besides coronary artery angiography in several studies. We aimed to identify the rate and predictors of asymptomatic graft failure detected by CTA before discharge. Methods and results A total of 955 grafts of 346 consecutive asymptomatic patients who received CTA examination after CABGs were included in this retrospective study from July 2017 to Dec 2019. We divided 955 grafts into the patent group and occluded group by CTA results. Logistic regression model at graft-level were established to determine predictors of the early asymptomatic graft occlusion. The overall asymptomatic graft failure rate was 4.71% (45/955), and there was no difference between the arterial and venous conduits in different target territories (P > 0.05). The logistic regression at graft-level analysis showed that female (OR 3.181, CI 1.58–6.40, P = 0.001), composite grafting (OR 6.762, CI 2.26–20.28, P = 0.001), pulse index value (OR 1.180, CI 1.08–1.29, P