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High purity and ultrafine DAAF (u-DAAF) is an emerging insensitive charge in initiators. Although there are many ways to obtain u-DAAF, developing a preparation method with stable operation, accurate control, good quality consistency, equipment miniaturization, and minimum manpower is an inevitable requirement to adapt to the current social technology development trend. Here reported is the microfluidic preparation of u-DAAF with tunable particle size by a passive swirling microreactor. Under the guidance of recrystallization growth kinetics and mixing behavior of fluids in the swirling microreactor, the key parameters (liquid flow rate, explosive concentration and crystallization temperature) were screened and optimized through screening experiments. Under the condition that no surfactant is added and only experimental parameters are controlled, the particle size of recrystallized DAAF can be adjusted from 98 nm to 785 nm, and the corresponding specific surface area is 8.45 m2·g−1 to 1.33 m2·g−1. In addition, the preparation method has good batch stability, high yield (90.8%–92.6%) and high purity (99.0%–99.4%), indicating a high practical application potential. Electric explosion derived flyer initiation tests demonstrate that the u-DAAF shows an initiation sensitivity much lower than that of the raw DAAF, and comparable to that of the refined DAAF by conventional spraying crystallization method. This study provides an efficient method to fabricate u-DAAF with narrow particle size distribution and high reproducibility as well as a theoretical reference for fabrication of other ultrafine explosives.

Abstract The kidney is vulnerable to ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) injury that can be fatal after major surgery. Currently, there are no effective treatments for I/R-induced kidney injury. Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) is a gut-derived metabolite linked to many diseases, but its role in I/R-induced kidney injury remains unclear. Here, our clinical data reveals an association between preoperative systemic TMAO levels and postoperative kidney injury in patients after post-cardiopulmonary bypass surgery. By genetic deletion of TMAO-producing enzyme flavin-containing monooxygenase 3 (FMO3) and dietary supplementation of choline to modulate TMAO levels, we found that TMAO aggravated acute kidney injury through the triggering of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and worsened subsequent renal fibrosis through TGFβ/Smad signaling activation. Together, our study underscores the negative role of TMAO in I/R-induced kidney injury and highlights the therapeutic potential through the modulation of TMAO levels by targeting FMO3, thereby mitigating acute kidney injury and preventing subsequent renal fibrosis.

Abstract The etiopathogenesis of late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is increasingly recognized as the result of the combination of the aging process, toxic proteins, brain dysmetabolism, and genetic risks. Although the role of mitochondrial dysfunction in the pathogenesis of AD has been well-appreciated, the interaction between mitochondrial function and genetic variability in promoting dementia is still poorly understood. In this study, by tissue-specific transcriptome-wide association study (TWAS) and further meta-analysis, we examined the genetic association between mitochondrial solute carrier family (SLC25) genes and AD in three independent cohorts and identified three AD-susceptibility genes, including SLC25A10, SLC25A17, and SLC25A22. Integrative analysis using neuroimaging data and hippocampal TWAS-predicted gene expression of the three susceptibility genes showed an inverse correlation of SLC25A22 with hippocampal atrophy rate in AD patients, which outweighed the impacts of sex, age, and apolipoprotein E4 (ApoE4). Furthermore, SLC25A22 downregulation demonstrated an association with AD onset, as compared with the other two transcriptome-wide significant genes. Pathway and network analysis related hippocampal SLC25A22 downregulation to defects in neuronal function and development, echoing the enrichment of SLC25A22 expression in human glutamatergic neurons. The most parsimonious interpretation of the results is that we have identified AD-susceptibility genes in the SLC25 family through the prediction of hippocampal gene expression. Moreover, our findings mechanistically yield insight into the mitochondrial cascade hypothesis of AD and pave the way for the future development of diagnostic tools for the early prevention of AD from a perspective of precision medicine by targeting the mitochondria-related genes.

As major forming elements of γ′ strengthening phase, Al and Ti are critical for achieving superior properties of Ni-based superalloy. However, Al + Ti over 6 wt% leads to poor printability and cracking during additive manufacturing. In this work, the printability and properties of a nickel-based superalloy with Al + Ti reaching 7 wt% is synchronously improved via alloying minor Sc, the mechanism behind that is revealed by investigating the effects of Sc on the grain size, precipitation, and tensile fracture behavior of that nickel-based superalloy. This work provides a promising alternative method for optimizing the performance of superalloys prepared by additive manufacturing.

Abstract Background The pig (Sus Scrofa) is one of the oldest domesticated livestock species that has undergone extensive improvement through modern breeding. European breeds have advantages in lean meat development and highly-productive body type, whereas Asian breeds possess extraordinary fat deposition and reproductive performance. Consequently, Eurasian breeds have been extensively used to develop modern commercial breeds for fast-growing and high prolificacy. However, limited by the sequencing technology, the genome architecture of some nascent developed breeds and the human-mediated impact on their genomes are still unknown. Results Through whole-genome analysis of 178 individuals from an Asian locally developed pig breed, Beijing Black pig, and its two ancestors from two different continents, we found the pervasive inconsistent gene trees and species trees across the genome of Beijing Black pig, which suggests its introgressive hybrid origin. Interestingly, we discovered that this developed breed has more genetic relationships with European pigs and an unexpected introgression from Asian pigs to this breed, which indicated that human-mediated introgression could form the porcine genome architecture in a completely different type compared to native introgression. We identified 554 genomic regions occupied 63.30 Mb with signals of introgression from the Asian ancestry to Beijing Black pig, and the genes in these regions enriched in pathways associated with meat quality, fertility, and disease-resistant. Additionally, a proportion of 7.77% of genomic regions were recognized as regions that have been under selection. Moreover, combined with the results of a genome-wide association study for meat quality traits in the 1537 Beijing Black pig population, two important candidate genes related to meat quality traits were identified. DNAJC6 is related to intramuscular fat content and fat deposition, and RUFY4 is related to meat pH and tenderness. Conclusions Our research provides insight for analyzing the origins of nascent developed breeds and genome-wide selection remaining in the developed breeds mediated by humans during modern breeding.

Abstract Steroidal glycoalkaloids (SGAs) are major plant defense metabolites against pests, while they are considered poisonous in food. The genetic basis that guides negative selection of SGAs production during tomato domestication remains poorly understood. Here, we identify a distal enhancer, GAME Enhancer 1 (GE1), as the key regulator of SGAs metabolism in tomato. GE1 recruits MYC2-GAME9 transcriptional complex to regulate the expression of GAME cluster genes via the formation of chromatin loops located in the neighboring DNA region. A naturally occurring GE1 76 allelic variant is found to be more active in stimulating GAME expression. We show that the weaker GE1 allele has been the main driver for selecting reduced SGAs levels during tomato domestication. Unravelling the “TFs-Enhancer-Promoter” regulatory mechanism operating in SGAs metabolism opens unprecedented prospects for SGAs manipulation in Solanaceae via precision breeding strategies.

Polyurethane elastomers (PUEs) will experience different strain rates in different application scenarios. Therefore, it is of great significance to study the mechanical properties of PUE under a wide range of strain rates and establish a constitutive model that considers strain rates with high accuracy and few parameters. In this study, the quasi-static and dynamic compression tests of two types of PUEs (PUE55 and PUE85) were carried out, and investigated the strain rate effect of the materials. Based on the Mooney-Rivlin hyperelastic model and the Prony series, a compressible visco-hyperelastic constitutive model for PUE was established. Different from the conventional constant relaxation time in Prony series, two relaxation times that vary exponentially with principal stretch were proposed based on the relaxation test to describe the strain rate effect of the material at low and high strain rate respectively. In addition, using the visco-hyperelastic constitutive model to obtain the model inputs of the Simplified rubber/foam model in LS-DYNA, the impact process of the Metal/PUE composite projectile was reproduced under different impact conditions through the finite element simulation. Simulation results verified the visco-hyperelastic model in generating numerical model material parameters and the rationality of the Simplified rubber/foam model in describing PUEs.

The classical nonlinear fatigue cumulative damage model Manson-Halford is widely used in fatigue life analysis and prediction, but this model lacks consideration for the effects of load interaction. At present, some studies have proposed new correction models to overcome the shortcomings of classical models. However, the problem with these models is that the parameters are difficult to determine, resulting in a cumbersome application process or the correction process is based only on a single parameter. Insufficient correction leads to large fluctuations in life prediction errors. To overcome the above problems, this article proposes a new correction method and establishes a new improved model. Unlike existing models, the newly improved model is based solely on S-N curve parameters and does not require additional material parameters. It fully considers the relationship between adjacent loads and the difference in fatigue life under different stress states, and dynamically modifies the classical model based on larger influence weights. By conducting multi-level fatigue tests on 300M steel, a new improved model was used to accurately predict its remaining fatigue life. Compared with the classical model, the prediction error was reduced by 11.75 %. Utilized fatigue test data from various other materials to predict the fatigue life of the improved model under different levels of stress loading. The results indicate that in the vast majority of cases, the improved model has the highest prediction accuracy among all compared models, with a minimum relative prediction error of only 3.79 % and small fluctuations in prediction error. Compared with the classical model, the maximum reduction in relative prediction error after model improvement reached 28.73 %, indicating the effectiveness and accuracy of the new improved model.

ABSTRACT Introduction Low body weight in patients with COPD is associated with a poor prognosis and more comorbidities. However, the impact of increased body weight in patients with COPD remains controversial. The aim of this study was to explore the clinical features of overweight patients with AECOPD. Methods In this multicenter cross‐sectional study, a total of 647 AECOPD patients were recruited. Finally, 269 normal weight and 162 overweight patients were included. Baseline characteristics and clinical and laboratory data were collected. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression was performed to determine potential features, which were substituted into binary logistic regression to reveal overweight‐associated clinical features. The nomogram and its associated curves were established to visualize and verify the logistic regression model. Results Six potential overweight‐associated variables were selected by LASSO regression. Subsequently, a binary logistic regression model identified that the rates of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and hypertension and levels of lymphocytes (LYM)%, and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were independent variables of overweight in AECOPD patients. The C‐index and AUC of the ROC curve of the nomogram were 0.671 and 0.666, respectively. The DCA curve revealed that the nomogram had more clinical benefits if the threshold was at a range of 0.22~0.78. Conclusions Collectively, we revealed that T2DM and hypertension were more common, and LYM% and ALT were higher in AECOPD patients with overweight than those with normal weight. The result suggests that AECOPD patients with overweight are at risk for additional comorbidities, potentially leading to worse outcomes.

BackgroundDistal radial artery (DRA) access is an infrequent alternative access for pediatric catheterization. The feasibility of using the DRA for arterial catheterization in children depends on the vessel's size.ObjectivesThis study aims to provide a reference for pediatric catheterization via DRA access by evaluating the diameter of the DRA in the anatomic snuffbox (AS).MethodsWe conducted a retrospective review of clinical and vascular ultrasound data of 412 children (ages 3–12) who were scheduled for arterial blood gas analysis via the DRA due to serious respiratory diseases between June 2023 and October 2023.ResultsThe corrected DRA diameter in the AS was 1.97 ± 0.37 mm overall, with no significant difference between males (1.98 ± 0.38 mm) and females (1.95 ± 0.35 mm) (p = 0.457). The anteroposterior, transverse, and corrected DRA diameters increased significantly with age (p 2.0 mm and >1.5 mm increased significantly with age (p

Terrestrial evapotranspiration (ET) is an important control factor for water cycling and energy transport, serving as a crucial link between ecological and hydrological processes. Accurate estimation of ET is essential for enhancing efficient utilization of water resources, improving agricultural productivity, preserving ecosystems, and advancing climate change research. Despite its significance, high spatiotemporal resolution continuous ET datasets remain scarce. In ET estimation, machine learning methods have been widely adopted, with tree-based machine learning models gaining increasing attention due to their computational efficiency and reliability accuracy. However, research comparing the performance of these models remains relatively limited. In this study, we use data from flux observation sites and various remote sensing sources to explore the performance of four tree-based machine learning models in ET estimation across the Contiguous United States (CONUS). Our findings demonstrate the proficient performance of all four models in estimating terrestrial ET across CONUS. Particularly noteworthy is the outstanding performance of the extremely randomized trees (ERT) model, showing a high correlation (R2 = 0.84), low bias (BIAS = −0.0003 mm/d), and low root mean square error (RMSE = 0.72 mm/d) with flux observation site data. Using this model, we successfully obtained a seamless terrestrial ET dataset (ERT_ET) with a spatial resolution of 1 km and multiple temporal resolutions (daily, 8-day, monthly, and seasonal) from 2008 to 2018 across the CONUS. Compared to the MOD16 ET product, the ERT_ET outperforms with a higher R2 by 0.40 and lower RMSE by 5.31 mm/8d, providing better performance in capturing detailed features. Moreover, our ERT_ET product is comparable to other widely used ET products (MOD16, PML-V2, and ETMonitor), further highlighting its reliability. These findings will contribute to studies in various fields, including global climate change, hydrological cycles, and drought monitoring.

Abstract Soft on‐skin electrodes play an important role in wearable technologies, requiring attributes such as wearing comfort, high conductivity, and gas permeability. However, conventional fabrication methods often compromise simplicity, cost‐effectiveness, or mechanical resilience. In this study, a mechanically robust and gas‐permeable on‐skin electrode is presented that incorporates Flash Graphene (FG) integrated with a bioinspired armor design. FG, synthesized through Flash Joule Heating process, offers a small‐sized and turbostratic arrangement that is ideal for the assembly of a conductive network with nanopore structures. Screen‐printing is used to embed the FG assembly into the framework of polypropylene melt‐blown nonwoven fabrics (PPMF), forming a soft on‐skin electrode with low sheet resistance (125.2 ± 4.7 Ω/□) and high gas permeability (≈10.08 mg cm⁻2 h⁻¹). The “armor” framework ensures enduring mechanical stability through adhesion, washability, and 10,000 cycles of mechanical contact friction tests. Demonstrating capabilities in electrocardiogram (ECG) and electromyogram (EMG) monitoring, along with serving as a self‐powered triboelectric sensor, the FG/PPMF electrode holds promise for scalable, high‐performance flexible sensing applications, thereby enriching the landscape of integrated wearable technologies.

B-cell CLL/lymphoma 9 (BCL9) is considered a key developmental regulator and a well-established oncogenic driver in multiple cancer types, mainly through potentiating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling. However, increasing evidences indicate that BCL9 also plays multiple Wnt-independent roles. Herein, we summarized the updates of the canonical and non-canonical functions of BCL9 in cellular, physiological, or pathological processes. Moreover, we also concluded that the targeted inhibitors disrupt the interaction of β-catenin with BCL9 reported recently.

Globally, water scarcity threatens food security, especially in arid and semi-arid food-producing regions, such as the Hetao Irrigation District (HID), where the water consumption during the non-growth season (spring irrigation, autumn irrigation) accounts for more than 30 % of the total irrigation volume. Meanwhile, mapping the characteristics of spatial and temporal evolution of the area of cropland irrigated in the spring and autumn and the pattern of water consumption is crucial for strengthening the management of agricultural water use. Evaporation and infiltration of irrigation water are difficult to capture in time due to insufficient timeliness or accuracy of single remote sensing data. This study integrates seven remote sensing datasets (Landsat5, Landsat7, Landsat8, HJ-1A/B, GF-1, Sentinel-2 and MODIS) for the first time to build a high spatial-temporal resolution dataset, and combines the water index NDWI and MNDWI to extract the maximum water range formed after irrigation by manually adjusting the threshold method. In addition to the global land use/cover dataset (GLC FCS30–1985_2020), the cropland layer was superimposed to accurately identify the cropland spring irrigation and autumn irrigation range from 2000 to 2021 in the HID. In the past 20 years, spring-irrigated (SI) areas increased by 1012.60 km2 (+49.96 %), and the autumn-irrigated (AI) areas decreased by 512.63 km2 (-11.02 %). Combined with the quantity of water diversion and displacement, the characteristics of irrigation water consumption in the non-growth season were further analysed. The results showed that the water consumption of spring irrigation increased by 0.67×108 m3 (+22.26 %), and that of autumn irrigation increased by 4.34×108 m3 (+38.82 %). The decrease of autumn- irrigated area and the increase of water consumption were mainly related to the stability of autumn irrigation water, imperfect irrigation and drainage conditions and insufficient field water management. In 2020­2021, the area of non-growth “autumn irrigation - spring irrigation” repeated irrigation is about 1271.52 km2, which can be used as a key control area. This study provides a theoretical basis and direction for rational water use in non-growth seasons of irrigation districts.

Emerging evidence has illuminated the pivotal role of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in orchestrating immunological functions and autoimmune responses. In the context of Crohn's disease (CD), an array of novel lncRNAs has been identified in the plasma and intestinal tissues of afflicted individuals, suggesting a dualistic influence on the disease progression, either exacerbating or mitigating its course. Current research has demonstrated the involvement of lncRNAs in competitive endogenous RNA, the inflammation process, epithelial barrier function, gut microbiota imbalance, and epigenetic regulation. This review aims to encapsulate the current knowledge on the lncRNA contribution to CD and underscore potential avenues for future research. LncRNAs are increasingly recognized as significant biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets, holding a key position in the pathogenesis of CD. Furthermore, the unique attributes of circulating lncRNAs, such as minimal side effects, combinational therapy potential, and personalized medicine, render them as promising therapeutic tools for individual health management in CD.

Abstract The gut microbiome has emerged as a potential target for the treatment of cardiovascular disease. Ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) after myocardial infarction is a serious complication and whether certain gut bacteria can serve as a treatment option remains unclear. Lactobacillus reuteri (L. reuteri) is a well‐studied probiotic that can colonize mammals including humans with known cholesterol‐lowering properties and anti‐inflammatory effects. Here, the prophylactic cardioprotective effects of L. reuteri or its metabolite γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) against acute ischemic cardiac injury caused by I/R surgery are demonstrated. The prophylactic gavage of L. reuteri or GABA confers cardioprotection mainly by suppressing cardiac inflammation upon I/R. Mechanistically, GABA gavage results in a decreased number of proinflammatory macrophages in I/R hearts and GABA gavage no longer confers any cardioprotection in I/R hearts upon the clearance of macrophages. In vitro studies with LPS‐stimulated bone marrow‐derived macrophages (BMDM) further reveal that GABA inhibits the polarization of macrophages toward the proinflammatory M1 phenotype by inhibiting lysosomal leakage and NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Together, this study demonstrates that the prophylactic oral administration of L. reuteri or its metabolite GABA attenuates macrophage‐mediated cardiac inflammation and therefore alleviates cardiac dysfunction after I/R, thus providing a new prophylactic strategy to mitigate acute ischemic cardiac injury.

BackgroundThere currently exists some controversy about the efficacy of oblique lumbar interbody fusion (OLIF) and transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) in the treatment of lumbar degenerative diseases.AimThis study compares the application effects of OLIF and TLIF in lumbar degenerative diseases by reviewing the literature and using meta-analysis.MethodsWe included randomized controlled trials and cohort studies comparing TLIF and OLIF in the treatment of lumbar degenerative diseases. We searched for words such as “intervertebral disc degeneration,” “spinal fusion,” and “lumbar vertebrae” in the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases. The search date was set from the establishment date of the database to October 2023. Two authors independently conducted document screening, data abstraction, and qualitative assessment. A meta-analysis was performed and adapted to RevMan5.3 software. The odds ratio (OR), weighted mean difference (WMD), and 95% CI were calculated by adopting a fixed-effect model (FEM) or a random-effect model (REM).ResultsA total of 18 cohort studies were included with 1,550 patients, of whom 806 patients underwent TLIF (TLIF group) and 744 patients underwent OLIF (OLIF group). There were no significant differences found in the fusion rate [OR = 1.58 (0.95, 2.64), P = 0.08], complication rate [OR = 1.25 (0.93, 1.68), P = 0.14], and visual analog scale for back pain (VAS-BP) [WMD = 0.00 (−0.13, 0.14), P = 0.96] between the two groups. Compared with the TLIF group, the OLIF group had a lower Oswestry disability index (ODI) [WMD = −0.62 (−1.03, −0.20), P = 0.003], a higher foramen height (FH) [WMD = 2.03 (1.42, 2.46), P

The metalloid arsenic, known for its toxic properties, is widespread presence in the environment. Our previous research has confirmed that prolonged exposure to arsenic can lead to liver fibrosis injury in rats, while the precise pathogenic mechanism still requires further investigation. In the past few years, the Nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome has been found to play a pivotal role in the occurrence and development of liver injury. In this study, we administered varying doses of sodium arsenite (NaAsO2) and 10 mg/kg.bw MCC950 (a particular tiny molecular inhibitor targeting NLRP3) to Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats for 36 weeks to explore the involvement of NLRP3 inflammasome in NaAsO2-induced liver injury. The findings suggested that prolonged exposure to NaAsO2 resulted in pyroptosis in liver tissue of SD rats, accompanied by the fibrotic injury, extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition and liver dysfunction. Moreover, long-term NaAsO2 exposure activated NLRP3 inflammasome, leading to the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines in liver tissue. After treatment with MCC950, the induction of NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis and release of pro-inflammatory cytokines were significantly attenuated, leading to a decrease in the severity of liver fibrosis and an improvement in liver function. To summarize, those results clearly indicate that hepatic fibrosis and liver dysfunction induced by NaAsO2 occur through the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis, shedding new light on the potential mechanisms underlying arsenic-induced liver damage.

Abstract Objective To identify the pivotal genes, specifically the STTK genes, that govern the sensitivity of tumor cells to T cell-mediated killing in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSC). Methods The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in HNSC and STTK genes were overlapped to obtain the DE-STTK genes. Univariate and LASSO regression analyses were conducted to identify the pivotal DE-STTK genes that serve as hubs in HNSC (i.e., hub DE-STTK genes). The risk model was established to divide HNSC tumor samples into high- and low-risk groups based on the hub DE-STTK genes. Further investigations were carried out by examing the expression level, prognostic values, diagnostic values, enriched signaling pathways, correlation with tumor mutation burden (TMB), and association with tumor immune infiltration cells (TIICs). Results A total of 71 genes were found to be overlapped between DEGs in HNSC and STTK genes. Lasso regression analysis identified 9 hub genes which were MYF6, AATF, AURKA, CXCL9, DPM2, MYO1B, NCBP2, TNFRSF12A, and TRAF1. The network analysis of hub DE-STTK genes-pathway reveals that these 9 hub genes exhibit enrichment in multiple signaling pathways, including toll-like receptor signaling, TNF signaling, NF-kappa B signaling, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, spliceosome, mRNA surveillance pathway, nucleocytoplasmic transport, GPI-anchor biosynthesis, as well as N-Glycan biosynthesis. The Pearson correlation analysis showed that the majority of correlations between 9 hub DE-STTK genes and immune cells were positive. Conclusion The 9 identified hub DE-STTK genes (MYF6, AATF, AURKA, CXCL9, DPM2, MYO1B, NCBP2, TNFRSF12A, and TRAF1) are presumptively implicated in the modulation of tumor immunity in HNSC. These genes, along with their enriched pathways, hold promise as potential personalized immunotherapeutic targets for the treatment of HNSC, thereby offering novel avenues for therapeutic intervention in this malignancy.

Abstract The mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) signaling pathway is frequently reported to be hyperactivated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and contributes to HCC recurrence. However, the underlying regulatory mechanisms of mTORC1 signaling in HCC are not fully understood. In the present study, we found that the expression of kinesin family member 18B (KIF18B) was positively correlated with mTORC1 signaling in HCC, and the upregulation of KIF18B and p-mTOR was associated with a poor prognosis and HCC recurrence. Utilizing in vitro and in vivo assays, we showed that KIF18B promoted HCC cell proliferation and migration through activating mTORC1 signaling. Mechanistically, we identified Actin gamma 1 (γ-Actin) as a binding partner of KIF18B. KIF18B and γ-Actin synergistically modulated lysosome positioning, promoted mTORC1 translocation to lysosome membrane, and prohibited p70 S6K from entering lysosomes for degradation, which finally led to the enhancement of mTORC1 signaling transduction. Moreover, we found that KIF18B was a direct target of Forkhead box M1, which explains the potential mechanism of KIF18B overexpression in HCC. Our study highlights the potential of KIF18B as a therapeutic target for the treatment of HCC.

Water scarcity is a serious threat to the survival and development of mankind. Interfacial solar steam generation (ISSG) can alleviate the global freshwater shortage by converting sustainable solar power into thermal energy for desalination. ISSG possesses many advantages such as high photothermal efficiency, robust durability, and environmental friendliness. However, conventional evaporators suffered from huge heat losses in the evaporation process due to the lack of efficient thermal management. Herein, hydrophilic Tencel yarn is applied to fabricate a three-dimensional double-layer fabric evaporator (DLE) with efficient multi-stage thermal management. DLE enables multiple solar absorptions, promotes cold evaporation, and optimizes thermal management. The airflow was utilized after structure engineering for enhanced energy evaporation efficiency. The evaporation rate can reach 2.86 kg·m−2·h−1 under 1 sun (1 kW·m−2), and 6.26 kg·m−2·h−1 at a wind speed of 3 m·s−1. After a long duration of outdoor operation, the average daily evaporation rate remains stable at over 8.9 kg·m−2, and the removal rate of metal ions in seawater reaches 99%. Overall, DLE with efficient and durable three-dimensional multi-stage thermal management exhibits excellent practicality for solar desalination.

A light source project named very compact inverse Compton scattering gamma-ray source (VIGAS) is under development at Tsinghua University. VIGAS aims to generate monochromatic high-energy gamma rays by colliding 350-MeV electron beams with 400-nm laser photons within a 12-m beamline. To produce a high-energy electron beam in such a compact space, the system consists of an S-band high-brightness injector and six X-band high-gradient accelerating structures. The goal of the X-band structure is to operate at a high gradient of 80 MV/m. Therefore, we adopts the constant gradient traveling wave approach, where the iris from the first cell to the end cell is tapered. The structure has 72 cells, including 70 cells and 2 couplers, so we named it XT72. The frequency of XT72 is selected to 11.424 GHz, and the 2π/3 mode is adopted. In this paper, we present a comprehensive study covering the detailed design, fabrication, rf tuning, and high-power test results of the first XT72. Additionally, we compare the performance of this structure to that of the previous constant impedance structure. Our results demonstrate that the XT72 is capable of operating at an 80-MV/m gradient with a lower breakdown rate. This advancement paves the way for the development of VIGAS project and contributes to the wider application of X-band room-temperature high-gradient structures in compact accelerator facilities.

This paper proposes a novel object detection method to address the challenges posed by small objects and occlusion in object detection. This work is performed within the CenterNet framework, leveraging the MobileNetV3 backbone to model the input image’s abstract representation in a lightweight manner. A sparse convolutional skip connection is introduced in the bottleneck of MobileNetV3, specifically designed to adaptively suppress redundant and interfering information, thus enhancing feature extraction capabilities. A Dual-Path Bidirectional Feature Pyramid Network (DBi-FPN) is incorporated, allowing for high-level feature fusion through bidirectional flow and significantly improving the detection capabilities for small objects and occlusions. Task heads are applied within the feature space of multi-scale information merged by DBi-FPN, facilitating comprehensive consideration of multi-level representations. A bounding box-area loss function is also introduced, aimed at enhancing the model’s adaptability to object morphologies and geometric distortions. Extensive experiments on the PASCAL VOC 2007 and MS COCO 2017 datasets validate the competitiveness of our proposed method, particularly in real-time applications on resource-constrained devices. Our contributions offer promising avenues for enhancing the accuracy and robustness of object detection systems in complex scenarios.

Abstract Host immune systems serving as crucial defense lines are vital resisting mechanisms against biofilm‐associated implant infections. Nevertheless, biofilms hinder the penetration of anti‐bacterial species, inhibit phagocytosis of immune cells, and frustrate host inflammatory responses, ultimately resulting in the weakness of the host immune system for biofilm elimination. Herein, a cell‐like construct is developed through encapsulation of erythrocyte membrane fragments on the surface of Fe3O4 nanoparticle‐fabricated microbubbles and then loaded with hydroxyurea (EMB‐Hu). Under ultrasound (US) stimulation, EMB‐Hu undergoes a stable oscillation manner to act in an “exocytosis” mechanism for disrupting biofilm, releasing agents, and enhancing penetration of catalytically generated anti‐bacterial species within biofilms. Additionally, the US‐stimulated “exocytosis” by EMB‐Hu can activate pro‐inflammatory macrophage polarization and enhance macrophage phagocytosis for clearance of disrupted biofilms. Collectively, this work has exhibited cell‐like microbubbles with US‐stimulated “exocytosis” mechanisms to overcome the biofilm barrier and signal macrophages for inflammatory activation, finally achieving favorable therapeutic effects against implant infections caused by methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) biofilms.

Bacterially infected wounds are a hidden danger to human health, and the elimination of invasive wound bacteria is critical for proper wound healing. Nanozymes with peroxidase (POD)-like and catalase (CAT)-like activities serve as promising antimicrobial agents since they avoid the damage caused by high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) while providing sufficient oxygen (O2). Herein, we report hybrid composites of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) assembled on two-dimensional or three-dimensional (2D/3D) Zn-based metal organic frameworks (Zn-MOFs) via free amino groups. Specifically, the formed 3D Zn-MOF@Au, which combines the advantages of AuNPs and stabilized 3D MOFs, exhibits more significant POD-like activity in terms of decomposing H2O2 into toxic hydroxyl radicals than 2D Zn-MOF@Au while being able to supply sufficient O2. We performed systematic antimicrobial tests against bacteria using this composite nanomaterial with different dimensions, and the results showed that the 3D Zn-MOF@Au composite had better antibacterial effects against gram-positive (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, MRSA) and gram-negative (Escherichia coli, E. coli) bacteria with the addition of a low dose of H2O2. Animal experiments showed that this hybrid composite effectively accelerated bacteria-infected wound healing with excellent biocompatibility. This study demonstrated the great promise of metal nanoparticles modified different dimensional MOFs for antimicrobial therapy applications.

Human breast milk, the best source of nutrition for newborns, can reduce the incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Bioactive peptides are important components of human breast milk. However, their function in BPD are unclear. We screened a novel peptide (named MDABP) in the breast milk of mothers of premature infants, which has beneficial effects in experimental BPD. This study aimed to investigate the role and mechanism of MDABP in vivo and vitro. Newborn Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were exposed to normoxia (21 % O2) or hyperoxia (85 % O2) and injected with MDABP or PBS from postnatal days 1 to 7 (PN1-PN7). On PN7, the lungs were harvested for histological and biochemical analysis. The results revealed that MDABP improved alveolar simplification and pulmonary vascular retardation, promoted alveolar epithelial cell (AEC) proliferation and inhibited cell apoptosis. In vitro, MDABP, but not scrambled MDABP, promoted cell proliferation and reduced cell injury without obvious toxicities. RNA-sequencing in A549 cells showed a total of 214 genes were significantly differentially expressed between the MDABP + hyperoxia and hyperoxia groups, including 80 upregulated and 134 downregulated genes. KEGG pathway analysis showed that significant differentially expressed genes were related to the ferroptosis signaling pathway. Rescue experiments showed that MDABP reduced the hyperoxia- and ferroptosis-induced damage to AEC by decreasing the levels of Fe2+ and ROS and increasing the levels of GSH and GPX4. The p-value of the above experiment was less than 0.05, which was considered statistically significant. This study provides a new basis for developing treatments for BPD.