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Background: Antigen-presenting cells (APC)/T/NK cells are key immune cells that play crucial roles in fighting against malignancies including lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). In this study, we aimed to identify an APC/T/NK cells-related gene signature (ATNKGS) and potential immune cell-related genes (IRGs) to realize risk stratification, prognosis, and immunotherapeutic response prediction for LUAD patients. Methods: Based on the univariate Cox regression and the LASSO Cox regression results of 196 APC/T/NK cells-related genes collected from three pathways in the KEGG database, we determined the final genes and established the ATNKGS-related risk model. The single-cell RNA sequencing data were applied for key IRGs identification and investigate their value in immunotherapeutic response prediction. Several GEO datasets and an external immunotherapy cohort from Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, were applied for validation. Results: In this study, nine independent public datasets including 1108 patients were enrolled. An ATNKGS containing 16 genes for predicting overall survival of LUAD patients was constructed with robust prognostic capability. The ATNKGS high risk group was related to significantly worse OS outcomes than those in the low-risk group, which were verified in TCGA and four GEO datatsets. A nomogram combining the ATNKGS risk score with clinical TNM stage achieved the optimal prediction performance. The single-cell RNA sequencing analysis revealed CTSL as an IRG of macrophage and monocyte. Moreover, though CTSL was an indicator for poor prognosis of LUAD patients, CTSL high expression group was associated with higher ESTIMATEScore, immune checkpoints expression, and lower TIDE score. Several immunotherapeutic cohorts have confirmed the response-predicting significance of CTSL in patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) treatment. Conclusions: Our study provided an insight into the significant role of APC/T/NK cells-related genes in survival risk stratification and CTSL in response prediction of immunotherapy in patients with LUAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pulmonary large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) and small cell lung cancer (SCLC) are two types of high-grade neuroendocrine carcinomas of the lung with poor prognosis. LCNEC has not been thoroughly studied due to its rarity, data are also lacking regarding the survival comparison and prognosis analysis of patients with locally advanced or metastatic LCNEC and SCLC. Methods: Data of patients with LCNEC, SCLC, and other NSCLC who were diagnosed from 1975 to 2019 were extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database to estimate incidence. Those in stage III-IV and being diagnosed from 2010 to 2015 were utilized further to investigate their clinical characteristics and prognosis. Propensity score matching (PSM) analyses at a ratio of 1:2 was used to compare their survival outcomes. Nomograms of LCNEC and SCLC were established with internal validation, and the nomogram of SCLC was externally validated by 349 patients diagnosed in Cancer hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2018. Results: The incidence of LCNEC has been increasing in recent decades, meanwhile that of SCLC and other types of NSCLC were decreasing. A total of 91,635 lung cancer patients, including 785 with LCNEC, 15,776 with SCLC, and 75,074 with other NSCLC were enrolled for further analysis. The survival of stage III-IV LCNEC resembles that of SCLC, and significantly worse than other types of NSCLC before and after PSM analysis. In pretreatment prognostic analysis, age, T stage, N stage, M stage, bone metastasis, liver metastasis, and brain metastasis were found to be associated with the survival of both LCNEC and SCLC, besides sex, bilaterality, and lung metastasis were additional prognostic factors for SCLC. Two nomograms and convenient online tools respectively for LCNEC and SCLC were established accordingly with favorable predicting accuracy of < 1-year, < 2-year, < 3-year survival probabilities. In external validation of the SCLC nomogram with a Chinese cohort, the AUCs of 1-year, 2-year and 3-year ROC were 0.652, 0.669, and 0.750, respectively. All the results of 1-, 2-, 3- year variable-dependent ROC curves verified the superior prognostic value of our nomograms for LCNEC and SCLC over the traditional T/N/M staging system. Conclusions: Based on large sample-based cohort, we compared the epidemiological trends and survival outcomes between locally advanced or metastatic LCNEC, SCLC, and other NSCLC. Furthermore, two prognostic evaluation approaches respectively for LCNEC and SCLC might present as practical tools for clinicians to predict the survival outcome of these patients and facilitate risk stratification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. It is still an unmet clinical need to identify potent biomarkers for immunotherapy on patients with lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC). Methods. In this study, we explored the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that were simultaneously correlated with four pathways (i.e. CD8+αβT cell proliferation/differentiation/activation pathways and ferroptosis pathway) and possibly related to the remodeling of tumor microenvironment via the TCGA-LUSC dataset. Besides, four GEO datasets (GSE157009, GSE157010, GSE19188, and GSE126045) and IMvigor210 dataset were utilized for confirmation and validation. Results. The co-downregulated DEG DLX2 was selected for further analysis. Function enrichment analysis revealed that low-expression of DLX2 was closely related to various immune-related pathways like T/B/NK cell mediated immunity, interferon gamma/alpha response, and various autoimmune disease. DLX2-downregulated group was enriched in more immune-activating cells and lower tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion (TIDE) score. Via the Cancer Immunome Atlas (TCIA) database, lower expression of DLX2 was also found to be associated with better IPS score of PD-1/PD-L1 blockade (p < 0.001) as well as CTLA-4 combined with PD-1/PD-L1 blockade (p < 0.001). Furthermore, patients in DLX2-low group were found to have significant longer median OS than those in DLX2-high group in IMvigor210 dataset (10.8 vs 7.4 months; hazard ratio [HR]=0.74, 95% confidence interval [95%CI] 0.57-0.96; p = 0.024). Conclusions. Our study on an integrated bioinformatical analysis implied that DLX2 could be served as a promising indicator for remodeling tumor microenvironment status and predicting ICI response of patients with LUSC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Real‐world application of osimertinib with antiangiogenic agents in non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is common, but the efficacy data are rarely reported. Methods: To obtain an objective efficacy report of different real‐world treatment models of osimertinib and antiangiogenic agents. Results: A total of 54 patients with NSCLC were enrolled into the study. Twelve (22.2%) who received a combination of antiangiogenic agents, when there was a trend of osimertinib resistance but did not reach imageology progressive disease (PD), were assigned to Group A, with a median overall survival (OS) and progression‐free survival (PFS) of 48.0 (95% CI, not reached) and 21.0 (95% CI: 16.7–25.3) months, respectively. Thirty (55.6%) who received a combination of antiangiogenic agents when there was imageology PD during treatment with osimertinib were assigned to Group B, with a median OS and PFS of 31.8 (95% CI: 26.6–37.1) and 9.2 (95% CI: 5.9–12.6) months, respectively. Twelve (22.2%) who received a combination of antiangiogenic agents at the initial treatment with osimertinib were assigned to Group C, with a median OS and PFS of 28.5 (95% CI: 15.2–41.8) and 15.3 (95% CI: 7.9–22.7) months, respectively. Patients in Group A achieved a significant prolonged median PFS (p < 0.001) compared with Groups B and C. Absence of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) T790M mutations (p = 0.043; hazard ratio [HR] = 2.124, 95% CI: 1.023–4.413) and no previous antiangiogenic agent application (p = 0.012; HR = 0.362, 95% CI: 0.163–0.863) were the independent prognostic factors of OS. Conclusion: The well‐timed action to combine antiangiogenic agents was when there was a trend of osimertinib resistance. The absence of EGFR T790M mutations and previous use of antiangiogenic agents were poor prognostic factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The continuous development of nanotechnology has brought new trends of thought and new impetus to sculpture art. In the field of microengraving, people usually use two-photon engraving technology, but not every particle conforms to the engraving process. ZnO nanoparticles have a high refractive index and are extremely flexible, making them the material of choice for laser engraving. This article aims to investigate whether the incorporation of high-refractive-index flexible nanoparticles into engraving techniques can significantly improve the functional properties of products. This paper firstly introduces the preparation methods of common nanoparticle laser engraving materials and then describes simple micro-nano sculptures on this basis. Finally, experiments on the transmittance and refractive index of ZnO nanoparticles are carried out. The experimental results show that the refractive index and transmittance of this material are 1.7 and 1.039, respectively, which is very suitable for laser engraving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: There are still patients of stage I lung adenocarcinoma (ADC) suffering from local or distant recurrence. Herein we conducted a meta‐analysis to investigate the prognostic value of tumor spread through air space (STAS), a new form of invasion pattern, in patients with pathologically confirmed stage I lung ADC. Methods: Related literature was searched using PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases from the inception dates to September 4, 2021. Recurrence‐free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were set as primary outcome endpoints. In addition, subgroup analyses on operation mode, edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer TNM staging, sample size, and research regions were also investigated. Results: A total of 17 studies involving 9785 patients were included. The presence of STAS was detected in 31.2% of patients and was associated with poor RFS (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] = 1.93, p < 0.001) and OS (HR = 2.02, p < 0.001). In subgroup analysis on operation mode, the prognostic value of STAS was prominently shown in patients who underwent limited resection (RFS: HR = 3.58, p < 0.001; OS: HR = 3.37, p < 0.001), while for patients who underwent lobectomy, adverse impact of STAS on RFS was observed (HR = 1.60, p = 0.019), but no significant difference was observed on OS (HR = 1.56, p = 0.061). The results fluctuated in different regions while other factors did not alter the independent predictive value of STAS. Conclusion: Tumor STAS should be considered as an adverse prognostic indicator for patients with stage I lung ADC, especially for those under limited resection. More intensive medical care for those patients needs to be investigated in further studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) is an aggressive disease with poor survival, and platinum-etoposide chemotherapy is indicated as the mainstay of treatment. In this study, we compared the efficacy and safety between the cisplatin plus etoposide (EP) and carboplatin plus etoposide (EC) regimens.Methods: A total of 1305 patients with previously untreated ES-SCLC were included in this study. Data from five trials were collected from the public database Project Data Sphere. Survival analysis and adverse events (AEs) analysis were conducted.Results: Of the 1305 patients, 800 received the EC regimen whereas 505 received the EP regimen as their front-line treatment. Overall, the median progression-free survival (PFS) and the median overall survival (OS) were 172 and 289 days, respectively. The EP and EC treatment groups did not have significantly different PFS or OS. After adjusting for age, sex, body mass index (BMI) and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS), the EP regimen was independently associated with better PFS (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.76, 95% CI = 0.63-0.92, p = 0.0041) and OS (HR = 0.79, 95% CI = 0.64-0.97, p = 0.0220) among patients who were overweight and obese (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2). In the safety analysis, patients who received the EC treatment experienced significantly more grade ≥ 3 AEs (n = 599, 74.9%) than those who received the EP treatment (n = 337, 66.7%; p = 0.002). Furthermore, the EC regimen was associated with a higher risk of grade 3-4 neutropaenia (p = 0.001), thrombocytopaenia (p < 0.001) and hyponatraemia (p = 0.036), whereas the EP regimen was associated with a higher risk of grade 3-4 vomiting (p = 0.021).Conclusions: In summary, this study presented the efficacy and safety of the EC and EP regimens in patients with ES-SCLC in the first-line setting. Patients who are overweight and obese benefit more from the EP regimen than EC regimen. Approaches to define the optimal chemotherapy regimen in different BMI subgroups are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To overcome challenges like market dynamic configuration, information integration, and quick response, it is necessary to build an efficient, stable, and well-coordinated supply chain relationship for cruise ship supply. This requires building of a solid evaluation index system of logistics service providers (LSPs) in the cruise ship supply chain. In this paper, we introduce an evaluation index system that consists of four dimensions, based on the characteristics of cruise ship supply and the connotation and type of cruise ship supply LSPs. The four dimensions are business level, collaborative capacity, service price, and information level, including ten subcriteria. We first establish an evaluation decision model for the interdependence and feedback relationship between the criteria by using analytic network process (ANP) for weight definition of each index; then, we use Super Decisions software to simulate the results, combine RBF neural network training and validation, and extract implicit knowledge and laws. We propose an incremental algorithm that can effectively avoid the influence of subjective factors and increase the dynamic nature of evaluation. The results show that the ANP-RBF method has strong practicability in the evaluation of cruise ship supply LSPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This paper considers the co‐optimization operation problem of the multiple micro energy grids (MEGs), and proposes a novel concept of the flexible boundary. Then, a three‐level co‐optimization model of reconfiguration, dispatching, and reserve is designed considering different time scales. Furthermore, an improved ant colony algorithm based on the information entropy and the chaotic search is proposed. The Shenzhen international low‐carbon park in China is selected as an example. The results show that: (a) The capacity configuration scheme considering the flexible boundary conditions could decrease the reserve capacity of power, heating, and cooling from the upper energy grid, namely, 75%, 50%, and 75%, and delay 537 × 104¥ the investment cost of the new capacity by utilizing the complementary characteristics between different MEGs. (b) The proposed three‐level co‐optimization model could establish the multi‐level optimal cooperative operation schemes of multi‐MEGs and decrease the reserve power from the upper energy grid and incentive‐based demand response. Among them, UPG provides MEG 1, MEG 2, and MEG 3 with cooling load reserve capacity reduction of 53.95, 85.44, and 38.3 kw h. The positive reserve provided by IBDR for MEG 1, MEG 2, and MEG 3 decreased by 30.53, 20.21, and 52 kW h. (c) The proposed improved ant colony algorithm can consider the operational characteristics of each energy entity in different stages of multi‐MEGs and obtain the global optimal operation scheme. Compared the traditional ant colony algorithm, the average convergence times decrease by 18% and the optimization degree of the objective value increase by 12.38%. (d) The sensitivity analysis shows the conditional value at risk method can formulate the optimal dispatching schemes of multi‐MEGs according to the risk attitudes of decision makers. When confidence degree is between 0.3 and 0.8, the decision‐makers have a high‐risk sensitivity and are more willing to avoid uncertain risks of wind power plant and photovoltaic power. Overall, the proposed model and solution algorithm could achieve the optimal operation strategy of the micro energy grids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although tobacco exposure remains the most important risk factor of tumorigenesis of small cell lung cancer (SCLC), its prognostic value has failed to reach a consensus until now. Accordingly, we conducted a meta‐analysis to investigate the prognostic value of pretreatment smoking status (smokers vs. never‐smokers) in SCLC. Methods: The four databases PubMed, Medline, Embase, and Cochrane library were searched to identify the relevant literature from the inception dates to 24 June 2020. The primary outcome was overall survival (OS), and the secondary endpoint was progression‐free survival (PFS). The hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were extracted to assess the relationship between pretreatment smoking status and patient survival. Sensitivity analysis was performed to assess the stability of the pooled results. Begg's funnel plot and Egger's test were applied to detect the publication bias. All statistical analyses were performed using RevMan V.5.3 and STATA version 15.0 software. Results: A total of 27 studies involving 12 047 patients with SCLC (9137 smokers and 2910 never‐smokers) were included in this meta‐analysis. The results showed that smoking history was closely related to poorer survival outcome (OS: HR = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.12–1.23, P < 0.00001; I2 = 0%; PFS: HR = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.06–1.35, P = 0.004; I2 = 0%). Conclusions: Smoking history should be considered as an independent poor prognostic factor for patients with SCLC. More large‐scale prospective studies are warranted to testify the prognostic value of pretreatment smoking status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tyrosine kinases are implicated in tumorigenesis and progression, and have emerged as major targets for drug discovery. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) inhibit corresponding kinases from phosphorylating tyrosine residues of their substrates and then block the activation of downstream signaling pathways. Over the past 20 years, multiple robust and well-tolerated TKIs with single or multiple targets including EGFR, ALK, ROS1, HER2, NTRK, VEGFR, RET, MET, MEK, FGFR, PDGFR, and KIT have been developed, contributing to the realization of precision cancer medicine based on individual patient's genetic alteration features. TKIs have dramatically improved patients' survival and quality of life, and shifted treatment paradigm of various solid tumors. In this article, we summarized the developing history of TKIs for treatment of solid tumors, aiming to provide up-to-date evidence for clinical decision-making and insight for future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From the perspective of the global value chain of the cruise industry, the output value of cruise operation accounts for 50%, with the highest added value, and cruise ship supply is the crucial link in cruise operation management, with substantial economic benefits. Therefore, optimizing the purchasing process can not only save costs for cruise companies but also improve cruise level service. Aiming at the purchasing characteristics and modes of cruise ship supply, an optimization model of multi-item joint ordering is constructed under global cruise ship supply chain, considering different order cycles, integrated operation of purchase, delivery, and inventory based on a cruise distribution center. And an improved swarm intelligence algorithm, called fireworks algorithm with inertia weight (WFWA), is proposed for global optimization of the objective function. By comparing the optimization results with fireworks algorithm (FWA), genetic algorithm (GA), and particle swarm optimization (PSO) through experimental tests, it demonstrates that WFWA has higher optimization accuracy and better global convergence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, 1D rod-like hierarchical nano/micro LiNi 0.8 Co 0.15 Al 0.05 O 2 with exposed (101) planes are synthesized through a facile synthesis approach with cobalt oxalate as templating system. The influence of solvent (deionized water or absolute ethanol) using in the preparation process is also investigated. Our result demonstrates that the LiNi 0.8 Co 0.15 Al 0.05 O 2 using water as solvent shows a nano/micro tailored porous structure and exhibits an excellent electrochemical performance than that using absolute ethanol as solvent, including the high specific discharge capacities of 183.47 mAh g−1 and 150.64 mAh g−1 at 1.0 C and 2.0 C, with the excellent capacity retention rates of 84.2% and 88.0% after 200 cycles, respectively. The enhanced electrochemical performance of SW is due to the exposed (101) plane on the surface and the nano/micro hierarchical porous structure which exhibit high electrical conductivity and short lithium ion diffusion channels. • 1D rod-like NCA cathode material was prepared by a facile template method. • Excellent rate performance is achieved by this surfactant-free synthesis route. • The influence of solvent using in the preparation process is compared. • Water has been demonstrated a better solvent to obtain porous rod-like NCA. • The exposed (101) facets further enhance the electrochemical performance of NCA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (LPAHs) are widely present in the environment which poses a serious threat to human health. However, current preprocessing methods in detection are complicated. In this study, a method for rapid sampling and determination of LPAHs in the air was established using a needle trap device coupled with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The experimental parameters for NTD-GC-MS were optimized. This method has a linear calibration range from 10 to 1000 ng/L with correlation coefficients (R2) ≥ 0.990. The limits of detection and limits of quantification were from 0.40 to 0.55 ng/L and 1.33 to 1.82 ng/L, respectively. The recoveries were between 85.63% and 106.6%, and the relative standard deviations were below 12.34%. The method was applied to the determination of LPAHs in a smoking room and an auto-shop paint booth. In the former, the only detected LPAH was naphthalene, for which the highest concentration in a day was 471.4 ± 102.1 ng/L. In the paint booth, the highest concentrations of acenaphthene and fluorene were 203.5 ± 32.15 and 184.0 ± 29.64 ng/L, respectively. The results are meaningful for the occupationally exposed population and those suffering from secondhand smoke. The results show that NTD provides a fast and accurate sampling technology for volatile organic compounds from gases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To establish a suitable pure electric bus arrival time prediction model, this paper takes pure electric bus as the research object. Based on the analysis of the influencing factors of the arrival time of the pure electric bus, the BP neural network arrival time prediction model optimized by the firefly algorithm (FA-BP prediction model) is established by selecting vehicle type, SOC value, battery age, and time as input conditions. The model is trained and tested by using bus operation data. The root mean square error of the Kalman filter model is 0.351, of the BP neural network model is 0.059, and of the FA-BP prediction model is 0.04. The results show that the model in this paper effectively improves the prediction accuracy and has good reliability and feasibility. It can provide some theoretical references for pure electric bus operation and managers and provide some basis for improving bus reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Hypoxia-inducible factor-2 alpha (HIF-2a) plays a major role in the progression of disease, although the role of HIF-2α gene polymorphisms in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related diseases remains elusive. The aim of this study is to determine whether HIF-2a rs13419896 and rs6715787 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are associated with susceptibility to chronic hepatitis B (CHB), liver cirrhosis (LC), or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Method: A case-control study of 107 patients with CHB, 83 patients with LC, 234 patients with HCC, and 224 healthy control subjects was carried out, and the HIF-2a rs13419896 and rs6715787 SNPs were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Results: No significant differences were observed in the genotype or allele frequency of two HIF-2a SNPs between the cases and controls (all p>0.05). However, in subgroup analysis by gender, the HIF-2a rs13419896 GA and AA genotypes were significantly associated with a risk of CHB (odds ratio [OR] = 3.565, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.123–11.314, p = 0.031 and OR = 12.506, 95% CI = 1.329–117.716, p = 0.027) in females, and the A allele of rs13419896 was associated with a risk of CHB (OR = 2.624, 95% CI = 1.244–5.537, p = 0.011) and LC (OR = 2.351, 95% CI = 1.002–5.518, p = 0.050) in females. The rs6715787 CG genotype polymorphism may contribute to a reduced risk of LC in the Guangxi Zhuang Chinese population (OR = 0.152, 95% CI = 0.028–0.807, p = 0.027), as determined via subgroup analysis by ethnicity. Moreover, binary logistic regression analyses that were adjusted by drinking status indicated that the AA genotype of rs13419896 may contribute to an increased risk of LC in the non-alcohol-drinking population (OR = 3.124, 95% CI = 1.091–8.947, p = 0.034). In haplotype analysis, GG haplotype was significantly associated with a reduced risk of LC (OR = 0.601, 95% CI = 0.419–0.862, p = 0.005). Conclusions: The HIF-2a rs13419896 polymorphism is associated with an increased risk of CHB and LC in the Guangxi Chinese population, especially in females and in the non-alcohol-drinking population, while the HIF-2a gene rs6715787 polymorphism is associated with a decreased risk of LC in the Guangxi Zhuang population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The MLM and DAM is coupled and connected by electricity decomposition. • The W-T alliance is conducive to peak load regulation of the system. • The joint participation of W-T alliance in the market can reduce wind curtailment. • The joint participation of W-T alliance in the market increases economic benefits. In 2015, "Several Opinions on Further Deepening the Reform of the Power System" was issued. The new round of power system reforms proposes to give full play to the vitality of the power generation-side bidding market, which will help to establish a fair, reasonable, and active power market. Due to factors such as a lack of peak shaving capacity and imperfect market mechanisms, China's renewable energy participation in the power market faces many problems. To solve these, this paper proposes a two-level optimization model for a wind power plant and thermal power unit to participate in the medium and long-term electricity market, and day-ahead market transactions. First, the paper proposes the electricity quantity and electricity price determination method of annual bilateral negotiated transactions, monthly centralized bidding transactions and listings, and delisting transactions, and briefly describes how to decompose contract electricity into the day-ahead market in the medium and long-term market. Then, two ways for the wind power plant and thermal power unit to participate in the power market are proposed. With maximization of the market benefits as the objective function, and through comprehensive consideration of the system reserve, wind curtailment penalty, green certificate trading, and other issues, the two models of independent participation and joint participation in market transactions were established to study the problem of maximum profit on the power generation side. Finally, the analysis results of the calculation example show that the joint participation of the wind power plant and thermal power unit in the power market has additional benefits compared to independent participation. The wind power plant can complete the assessment index of the renewable energy quota for the thermal power unit, which does not need to purchase green certificates to complete the assessment indicators. The thermal power unit can provide reserve services for the wind power plant, avoiding output whenever necessary, reducing the cost of the curtailment penalty, and overcoming the threat of wind power plant output fluctuations to the system. The two alliances have greater profit margins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to use matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) in osteoarthritis research. Our aim was to find differentially expressed disease-related and condition-specific peptide in synovial fluid in the knee joint of patients suffering from osteoarthritis (OA), and to develop and validate the peptide classification model for OA diagnosis. Methods: Based on the American College of Rheumatology criteria, 30 OA cases and ten healthy donors were enrolled and underwent analysis. Magnetic beads-based weak cation exchange chromatography (MB-WCX) was performed for sample processing, and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) was conducted for peptide profile. ClinProt software 2.2 was used for data analysis and a genetic algorithm was created for class prediction. Results: Two peptide peaks were found which may be characterised as the potential diagnostic markers for OA. Two other significantly different peptide peaks were found in OA patients at a medium stage compared to the early and late stages. A genetic algorithm (GA) was used to establish differential diagnosis models of OA. As a result, the algorithm models marked 100% of OA, and of 97.92% of medium-stage OA. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that use of proteomics methods to identify potential biomarkers of OA is possible, and the identified potential biomarkers may be potential markers for diagnosis and monitoring the progression of OA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. We aimed to assess the level of awareness and impact of a social marketing campaign to promote Mexico City's 2008 comprehensive smoke-free law. Methods. Four months after the smoke-free law was implemented but before the campaign launch, we collected data from a population-based, random sample of 961 inhabitants of Mexico City. We analyzed data from 786 respondents who completed follow-up at the end of the campaign to determine campaign exposure and the association between campaign exposure and changes in campaign-targeted knowledge and attitudes. Results. Recall of any of the 5 campaign materials was 69%, with a uniform distribution of exposure to 1, 2, and 3 or more campaign materials (25%, 25%, and 19%, respectively). Exposure to a greater number of campaign materials was associated in a monotonic relation with campaign-targeted knowledge of ammonia and arsenic in cigarette smoke. In models assessing support for, perceived benefits of, and perceived right to smoke-free places, campaign exposure accounted for a positive change in half of the indicators within each of these domains. Conclusions. Social marketing campaigns can reinforce knowledge and attitudes that favor smoke-free laws, thereby helping to establish smoke-free norms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fermented soya bean meal (FSBM) is believed to have improved nutritional qualities compared with soya bean meal (SBM) and is also cheaper than soya protein concentration (SPC) and fish meal (FM). Therefore, the present study was conducted to compare the effects of FSBM replacing SBM, SPC and FM in diets on growth performance, serum biochemistry profile, short‐chain fatty acid concentrations in digesta, intestinal mucosal enzyme activities, intestinal proinflammatory cytokine concentrations and morphology in weaned piglets. One hundred and twenty 28‐day‐old piglets (Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire, body weight: 6.73 ± 1.14 kg) were randomly allocated to four treatment diets (six replicate pens with five piglets per pen) containing SBM, SPC, FM or FSBM as the protein source, respectively. Results: Dietary FSBM supplementation improved average daily gain (p < 0.05), gain to feed ratio (p < 0.05), and digestibility of dry matter, gross energy, crude protein and organic matter (p < 0.05) in pigs compared with those fed SBM during 0–14 days and reduced diarrhoea rate (p < 0.05) compared with those fed SBM and FM during 0–14 days. Moreover, pigs fed FBSM had greater IgA and IgM contents and antioxidase activities than those provided SBM and SPC on day 14. In addition, the butyrate concentration in the cecum of pigs fed FSBM was greater than those fed the other diets (p < 0.05), and the trypsin activity in duodenum and jejunum of pigs provided FSBM was greater than those fed SBM (p < 0.05). Moreover, higher villus height (p < 0.05) and villus height to crypt depth ratio (p < 0.05) and lower crypt depth (p < 0.05) in the duodenum of pigs fed FSBM were observed, and pigs fed FSBM had a lower (p < 0.05) TNF‐α concentration in jejunum compared with those fed SBM. Conclusions: In conclusion, dietary FSBM supplementation to replace SBM, SPC and FM could improve piglets' growth performance, intestinal health and immune function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a nitrogen-rich triazine-based porous polymer (NTP) was prepared by the Schiff base mechanism. The NTP contains a high nitrogen content (35.47%) with a larger BET surface area and an adsorption average pore diameter of 860 m2 g−1 and 3.92 nm, respectively. In addition, secondary amines (–C–NH–) and triazine nitrogen (–C N–) in NTP provide a large number of nitrogen active sites, which facilitate the adsorption of triazole pesticides. The synthesized NTP was then used as the solid phase microextraction (SPME) extraction phase material to fabricate the NTP-SPME fiber, which had significantly higher performance in extracting triazole fungicides compared to the commercial fibers (p < 0.05). Subsequently, the bioaccumulation and elimination of three triazole fungicides (myclobutanil, propiconazole, and difenoconazole) in living vegetables were tracked by in vivo SPME sampling and quantified using a gas chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The results showed that the concentrations of myclobutanil, propiconazole and difenoconazole were highest on the first day and showed a trend of first decreasing then equilibrium during bioaccumulation and gradually decreasing during elimination. The highest concentrations of myclobutanil, propiconazole, and difenoconazole in cabbage stems were 997.57 ± 51.42, 841.20 ± 21.42, and 56.82 ± 1.30 ng/g, respectively. In addition, concentrations of difenoconazole were much lower than those of other pesticides throughout the experimental period, which may be related to the difficulty of uptake by cabbage roots due to its strong hydrophobicity and low solubility. This study highlights the application of NTP-SPME for tracking triazole fungicides in living Chinese cabbage plants, which provides valuable information to rationale use of triazole fungicides and their ecological risk assessment. [Display omitted] • A novel SPME fiber was made based on a nitrogen-rich triazine-based porous polymer. • The NTP-SPME fiber has satisfactory extraction performance for triazole pesticides. • In vivo SPME was employed to sample triazole pesticides in living vegetables. • Bioaccumulation and degradation of triazole fungicides were traced in cabbage plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Methods Results Conclusions Dolutegravir + lamivudine (DTG + 3TC) is a first‐line regimen for people with HIV. However, there are still concerns about its efficacy in people with tuberculosis (TB)/HIV due to the lack of available evidence and drug–drug interaction with rifampicin.A single‐centre retrospective observational case series was conducted in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. We included all people with TB/HIV on combined use of once‐daily (q.d.) dosing DTG + 3TC and rifampicin (RIF)‐containing anti‐TB regimens between 2020 and 2022. HIV‐RNA, CD4 cell counts were collected and analysed.In all, 21 people with HIV (PWH) were included in this study. All the PWH were treatment‐naïve and told to take DTG + 3TC q.d. with food. The median age was 53 years, and 71.43% were male. A total of 71.43% PWH had baseline viral load (VL) > 100 000 copies/mL, and 33.33% had baseline VL greater than 500 000 copies/mL. Only one PWH had CD4 cell count greater than 200 cells/μL, and the median CD4 count was 20 cells/μL. A total of 16 PWH started DTG + 3TC after initiation of the RIF‐based anti‐TB regimen, and the other five PWH initiated DTG + 3TC before the treatment of TB. All the PWH had at least 24 weeks of follow‐up visits and all of the TB treatments were successful. A total of 20 PWH (95.24%) achieved viral suppression (VL <50 copies/mL). All detected viral loads between weeks 24 and 48 were less than 200 copies/mL. Among the PWH who started DTG + 3TC after the initiation of RIF‐based anti‐TB regimen, all achieved viral suppression by week 24 except the non‐suppressed PWH. CD4 counts were greatly improved after antiretroviral treatment: the median CD4 counts were raised from 20 to 171 cells/μL at week 48. No serious adverse events were reported.This case series preliminarily validates the efficacy of DTG + 3TC q.d. with food when combined with RIF‐based anti‐TB regimens in people with TB/HIV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the relationship between interpersonal communication about cigarette health warning labels (HWLs), psychological responses to HWLs, and smoking cessation attempts. Data were analyzed from online consumer panels of adult smokers in Australia, Canada and Mexico, during implementation of new pictorial health warning labels (HWLs) on cigarette packs. Approximately 1000 adult smokers were surveyed in each country every four months (September 2012, January 2013, May 2013, September 2013, January 2014). Only smokers followed for at least two waves were included in the analytic sample. Participants reported the frequency of talking about HWLs in the last month (in general, with family members, and with friends). For each country, poisson generalized estimating equation (GEE) models were estimated to assess the bivariate and adjusted correlates of talking about HWLs. Logistic GEE models regressed having attempted to quit by the subsequent wave on HWL talk, sociodemographics and psychological responses to HWLs. The frequency of HWL talk gradually decreased in Canada (48%–36%) after new HWLs were implemented; an increase (30%–58%) in Australia corresponded with implementation of new HWLs, after which talking stabilized; and the frequency of HWL talk in Mexico was stable over time, where new HWLs are implemented every six months. Talk about HWLs was an independent predictor of subsequent quit attempts in Canada (AOR = 1.50; 95% CI = 1.11–2.02), Australia (AOR = 1.41; 95% CI = 1.05–1.89), and Mexico (AOR = 1.53; 95% CI = 1.11–2.10), as was cognitive responses to HWLs (Australia AOR = 1.66; 95% CI = 1.22–2.24; Canada AOR = 1.56; 95% CI = 1.15–2.11; Mexico AOR = 1.30; 95% CI = 0.91–1.85). No interaction between talk and cognitive reactions to HWLs were found. These results suggest that interpersonal communication about HWLs influences smoking cessation attempts independent of other established predictors of smoking cessation, including cessation-related HWL responses. Future research should determine ways to catalyze interpersonal communication about HWLs and thereby potentiate HWL effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Selenium Auricularia cornea culture (SAC) is a dried product via full fermentation, containing organic-Se, Auricularia cornea (AC) mycelium, and various metabolites of AC. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether SAC could effectively improve the health, growth, meat quality, and oxidative stability of meat in growing-finishing pigs. Currently, dietary SAC supplementation positively impacts growth performance and oxidative stability of fresh meat. Selenium Auricularia cornea culture (SAC) is a new source of organic selenium. Two experiments were conducted to determine the available energy of SAC fed to pigs and to evaluate the effects of dietary SAC supplementation on growth performance, serum biochemical profiles, fecal short chain fatty acids (SCFA), meat quality, tissue selenium concentration, and oxidative stability of fresh meat in growing-finishing pigs. In Experiment (Exp.) 1, 12 barrows with average body weight (BW) of 42.40 ± 5.30 kg were randomly allotted to two groups and fed the basal diet and SAC-supplemented diet, individually. In Exp. 2, 96 growing-finishing pigs (BW: 91.96 ± 7.55 kg) were grouped into four dietary treatments; each treatment contained six replicates with four pigs per replicate. The four treatments fed a control diet and three experimental diets supplemented with 0.6%, 1.2%, and 2.4% SAC, respectively. The trial lasted for 45 days. The results revealed that digestible energy (DE) of SAC was 11.21 MJ/kg. The average daily gain (ADG) was improved in pigs fed 1.2% and 2.4% SAC during day 24 to 45 and the overall period. Dietary 1.2% and 2.4% SAC supplementation had a lower F/G (p < 0.05) than the control diet during different stages. Dietary SAC supplementation increased fecal butyrate contents (p < 0.05), and pigs fed 1.2% and 2.4% SAC diets had a higher MCT1 mRNA expression (p = 0.04) in the colon. Pigs fed 2.4% SAC had higher GSH-Px contents (p < 0.05) in serum, liver, and longissimus dorsi muscle (LDM) than those in the control group. The 2.4% SAC-supplemented group revealed a higher Se content (p < 0.05) in LDM and a lower MDA concentration (p < 0.05) in fresh meat during the simulated retail display on day six. In conclusion, this study suggested that SAC was more effective in improving growth, enhancing the antioxidant status, depositing Se in muscle, and increasing meat oxidative stability of pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon cap-and-trade mechanisms (CCT) and renewable portfolio standards (RPS) have been identified as effective administrative instruments for steering the conduct of electricity generation and promoting the adoption of renewable energy sources. However, the synergistic effects of these policies are often overlooked, and static implementation can limit their effectiveness. To address these gaps, this study employs a dynamic CCT and RPS framework, utilizing complex network evolutionary game theory to examine their influence on renewable energy diffusion. The findings reveal a distinct synergy between CCT and RPS in enhancing renewable energy diffusion, although these policies may occasionally result in redundancy or conflict. A static CCT combined with a dynamic RPS demonstrates greater efficacy in promoting renewable energy diffusion, while a dynamic CCT does not consistently increase renewable energy adoption. Additionally, renewable energy quota standards facilitate higher levels of diffusion. In perfectly competitive markets, renewable energy diffusion is more effective than in monopolistic environments. These insights offer valuable policy suggestions for stimulating renewable energy diffusion and expediting high-quality, low-carbon transitions. • A synergy between CCT and RPS in enhancing renewable energy diffusion is uncovered. • Renewable energy quota standards facilitate higher levels of diffusion. • A dynamic CCT does not consistently increase renewable energy adoption. • Renewable energy diffusion is more effective in monopolistic environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The repertoire of peptides displayed in vivo by MHC II molecules derives from a wide spectrum of proteins produced by different cell types. Although intracellular endosomal processing in dendritic cells andBcells has been characterized for a few antigens, the overall range of processing pathways responsible for generating the MHCII peptidome are currently unclear.Todetermine the contribution of non-endosomal processing pathways, we eluted and sequenced over 3000 HLA-DR1-bound peptides presented in vivo by dendritic cells. The processing enzymes were identified by reference to a database of experimentally determined cleavage sites and experimentally validated for four epitopes derived from complement 3, collagen II, thymosinβ4, and gelsolin. We determined that self-antigens processed by tissue-specific proteases, including complement, matrix metalloproteases, caspases, and granzymes, and carried by lymph, contribute significantly to the MHC II selfpeptidome presented by conventional dendritic cells in vivo. Additionally, the presented peptides exhibited a wide spectrum of binding affinity and HLA-DM susceptibility. The results indicate that the HLA-DR1-restricted self-peptidome presented under physiological conditions derives from a variety of processing pathways. Non-endosomal processing enzymes add to the number of epitopes cleaved by cathepsins, altogether generating a wider peptide repertoire. Taken together with HLA-DM-dependent andindependent loading pathways, this ensures that a broad self-peptidome is presented by dendritic cells. This work brings attention to the role of "self-recognition" as a dynamic interaction between dendritic cells and the metabolic/catabolic activities ongoing in every parenchymal organ as part of tissue growth, remodeling, and physiological apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A critical step in producing the annual inactivated influenza vaccine is the development of high yield (hy) seed viruses by reassortment for improved growth in ovo . Although hy reassortants for type A influenza viruses have been developed for many years, hy B influenza reassortant virus development for vaccine production has proven difficult. In this study, we have developed fourteen hy influenza type B reassortants as vaccine candidate strains with B/Lee/40 as the donor virus. Upon characterization by the Influenza Division at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the verification of HA by sequencing, all B reassortants were found to be antigenically indistinguishable from the wild type (wt) parents and suitable for vaccine production. However, only one hy reassortant seed virus from this group was used by a manufacturer for vaccine production. In general, hy reassortants showed an increase in hemagglutination (HA) titers over their wt parents by approximately 8 fold (range 1–32 fold). Gene compositions of the hy B reassortants were analyzed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and the wt origin of the HA and neuraminidase (NA) were confirmed. However, in contrast to hy A reassortants which require the M gene (hy donor A/PR/8/34) for high yield, all fourteen hy B reassortants obtained the NP gene from the hy donor strain (B/Lee/40). The parental source for the remaining genes varied among the hy B reassortants. The results indicate that the B/Lee/40 NP and PB1 gene segments are important contributors to high yield growth in influenza B reassortant viruses for both Yamagata and Victoria lineages. The B/Lee/40 PB2 gene along with wt NS gene also contributed to the improved growth for hy reassortants of Yamagata lineage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to use matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) in osteoarthritis research. Our aim was to find differentially expressed disease-related and condition-specific peptide in synovial fluid in the knee joint of patients suffering from osteoarthritis (OA), and to develop and validate the peptide classification model for OA diagnosis.Methods: Based on the American College of Rheumatology criteria, 30 OA cases and ten healthy donors were enrolled and underwent analysis. Magnetic beads-based weak cation exchange chromatography (MB-WCX) was performed for sample processing, and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) was conducted for peptide profile. ClinProt software 2.2 was used for data analysis and a genetic algorithm was created for class prediction.Results: Two peptide peaks were found which may be characterised as the potential diagnostic markers for OA. Two other significantly different peptide peaks were found in OA patients at a medium stage compared to the early and late stages. A genetic algorithm (GA) was used to establish differential diagnosis models of OA. As a result, the algorithm models marked 100% of OA, and of 97.92% of medium-stage OA.Conclusion: This study demonstrated that use of proteomics methods to identify potential biomarkers of OA is possible, and the identified potential biomarkers may be potential markers for diagnosis and monitoring the progression of OA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A family history of coronary artery disease (CAD), especially when the disease occurs at a young age, is a potent risk factor for CAD. DNA collection in families in which two or more siblings are affected at an early age allows identification of genetic factors for CAD by linkage analysis. We performed a genomewide scan in 1,168 individuals from 438 families, including 493 affected sibling pairs with documented onset of CAD before 51 years of age in men and before 56 years of age in women. We prospectively defined three phenotypic subsets of families: (1) acute coronary syndrome in two or more siblings; (2) absence of type 2 diabetes in all affected siblings; and (3) atherogenic dyslipidemia in any one sibling. Genotypes were analyzed for 395 microsatellite markers. Regions were defined as providing evidence for linkage if they provided parametric two-point LOD scores >1.5, together with nonparametric multipoint LOD scores >1.0. Regions on chromosomes 3g13 (multipoint LOD = 3.3; empirical P value <.001) and 5q31 (multipoint LOD = 1.4; empirical P value <.081) met these criteria in the entire data set, and regions on chromosomes 1q25, 3q13, 7p14, and 19p13 met these criteria in one or more of the subsets. Two regions, 3q13 and 1q25, met the criteria for genomewide significance. We have identified a region on chromosome 3q13 that is linked to early-onset CAD, as well as additional regions of interest that will require further analysis. These data provide initial areas of the human genome where further investigation may reveal susceptibility genes for early- onset CAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate forecasting of the combined loads of electricity, heat, cooling and gas in the integrated energy system is the key to improve the comprehensive efficiency and gain more economic benefits of various types of energy. As an important part of the new generation of energy systems, the integrated energy system contains energy subsystems such as electricity, heat, cooling and gas, and each subsystem employs energy supply, conversion and storage equipment. This form of energy system achieves the coupling of different types of energy in different links. Based on this, this paper firstly combs the coupling relations among different integrated energy subsystems. Secondly, with the help of the weight sharing mechanism in the multi-task learning and the idea of least square support vector machine, a combined forecasting model of electricity, heat, cooling and gas loads based on the multi-task learning and least square support vector machine is constructed. Finally, in order to verify the effectiveness of the forecasting model proposed in this paper, the actual data from the integrated energy system in Suzhou Industrial Park are selected for a case study. The results show that: (1) the combined forecasting model based on multi-task learning and least square support vector machine can accurately predict the electricity, heat, cooling and gas loads of the park integrated energy system. (2) Compared with extreme learning machine and least square support vector machine, the combined forecasting model based on the multi-task learning and least square support vector machine increased the forecasting accuracy of a workday and a weekend by 18.00% and 19.19%, and the average forecasting accuracy increased by 18.60%. (3) Compared with extreme learning machine and least square support vector machine, the combined forecasting model can effectively shorten the training time which is reduced by 58.1% and 35.22%. The results further reflect the application effect of the multi-task learning in energy demand forecasting of the integrated energy system and have a very broad reference value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the deregulation of electricity market, generation companies must take part in strategic bidding by offering its bidding quantity and bidding price in a day-ahead electricity wholesale market to sell their electricity. This paper studies the strategic bidding of a generation company with thermal power units and wind farms. This company is assumed to be a price-maker, which indicates that its installed capacity is high enough to affect the market-clearing price in the electricity wholesale market. The relationship between the bidding quantity of the generation company and market-clearing price is then studied. The uncertainty of wind power is considered and modeled through a set of discrete scenarios. A scenario-based two-stage stochastic bidding model is then provided. In the first stage, the decision-maker determines the bidding quantity in each time period. In the second stage, the decision-maker optimizes the unit commitment in each wind power scenario based on the bidding quantity in the first stage. The proposed two-stage stochastic optimization model is an NP-hard problem with high dimensions. To tackle the problem of "curses-of-dimensionality" caused by the coupling scenarios and improve the computation efficiency, a modified Benders decomposition algorithm is used to solve the model. The computational results show the following: (1) When wind power uncertainty is considered, generation companies prefer higher bidding quantities since the loss of wind power curtailment is much higher than the cost of additional power purchases in the current policy environment. (2) The wind power volatility has a strong negative effect on generation companies. The higher the power volatility is, the lower the profits, the bidding quantities, and the wind power curtailment of generation companies are. (3) The thermal power units play an important role in dealing with the wind power uncertainty in the strategic bidding problem, by shaving peak and filling valley probabilistic scheduling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]