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Aims Design Methods Results Conclusion Implications for the profession and/or patient care Impact Reporting method Patient or public contribution To construct a conceptual framework on the process of family resilience during the first year following childhood leukaemia diagnosis.A longitudinal qualitative interview study.A longitudinal qualitative study following a grounded theory methodology was employed. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with parents of children with leukaemia in a general hospital. The participants were recruited through purposive and theoretical sampling and longitudinal engagement was achieved by conducting interviews at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after the leukaemia diagnosis. The core category and categories were saturated following the enrolment of parents of children with leukaemia. Data collection and analyses were performed simultaneously.Sixteen parents of children with leukaemia participated. The core category of ‘families living with childhood leukaemia’ refers to the process of family resilience during the first year following childhood leukaemia diagnosis, which includes three phases: (1) destruction and resiliency period; (2) adjustment and consolidation period; and (3) growth and planning period.This study explored the dynamic, complex and continuous processes of resilience among families coping with childhood leukaemia during the first year following diagnosis. Further research should design tailored family interventions that characterise the different phases of family resilience, aiming to support family well‐being, integrity and functioning.Both families and healthcare professionals must create an enabling environment that supports families coping with difficulties. Understanding the different phases of family resilience allows healthcare professionals to provide holistic care that meets the demands of families with childhood leukaemia.Unique knowledge emerged about the family's resiliency process when facing childhood leukaemia, suggesting a family‐led revolution in understanding and managing childhood leukaemia. Therefore, the development of phased, resilience‐based family interventions is imperative.This study was reported using the COREQ checklist.Patients contributed via study participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atenolol, a cardioselective β1‐blocker, exhibits efficacy in treating cardiovascular diseases. We conducted a single‐center, randomized, open, single‐dose, 2‐preparation, 2‐cycle, 2‐sequence, double‐crossover trial with a 7‐day washout period to investigate the pharmacokinetics, bioequivalence (BE), and safety of test and reference atenolol tablets (25 mg) in healthy Chinese volunteers. Forty‐eight healthy participants were randomized into the fasting and fed arms. After administering a single oral dose of the test or reference formulation (25 mg), plasma atenolol concentrations were measured using liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry. Pharmacokinetic parameters were obtained from concentration‐time profiles. In total, 23 and 24 individuals were included in the fasting and fed arms, respectively. The mean concentration‐time profiles for both formulations were similar, and Cmax, AUC0‐t, and AUC0‐∞ were within the BE range of 80%‐125%. Thirteen adverse events (AEs) were observed in 7 participants in the fasting arm; 1 withdrew from the trial early owing to an AE. In the fed arm, 20 AEs were observed in 8 participants, and none withdrew from the trial. All adverse reactions were grade I, with no serious AEs or deaths. Therefore, the 2 tablets are bioequivalent in healthy Chinese individuals under fasting and fed conditions, supporting their further clinical development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Doxorubicin (Dox) is associated with various liver injuries, limiting its clinical utility. This study investigates whether NSUN2 participates in Dox-induced liver injury and the associated molecular mechanism. Methods: In vivo and in vitro liver cell injury models were constructed based on Dox therapy. The protein levels of NSUN2 and oxidative stress indicators Nrf2, HO-1, and NQO1 were evaluated by Western blot. The RNA binding potential was detected by RNA methylation immunoprecipitation (RIP). Additionally, the effect of NSUN2 on Nrf2 mRNA synthesis and localization was evaluated using an RNA fluorescence probe. Results: NSUN2 was downregulated, and liver tissue suffered significant pathological damage in the Dox group. The levels of ALT and AST significantly increased. NSUN2 interference exacerbated Dox-induced liver cell damage, which was reversed by NSUN2 overexpression. RIP demonstrated that NSUN2 recognized and bound to Nrf2 mRNA. Western blot analysis showed the protein level of Nrf2 in the NSUN2-WT group was significantly higher than that of the control group, whereas there was no significant change in Nrf2 level in the mutant NSUN2 group. Luciferase analysis demonstrated that NSUN2 could recognize and activate the Nrf2 5′UTR region of LO2 cells. In addition, RIP analysis revealed that ALYREF could recognize and bind to Nrf2 mRNA and that ALYREF controls the regulatory effect of NSUN2 on Nrf2. Conclusion: NSUN2 regulates Dox-induced liver cell damage by increasing Nrf2 mRNA m5C methylation to inhibit inhibiting antioxidant stress. The regulatory effect of NSUN2 on Nrf2 depends on ALYREF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to find out the characteristics in relation to tumor recurrence in diffused-tenosynovial giant cell tumor of temporomandibular joint and to develop and validate the prognostic model for personalized prediction. Methods: From April 2009 to January 2021, patients with diffused-tenosynovial giant cell tumor of temporomandibular joint at a single center were included in this study. The clinical features and local recurrence-free survival were assessed through the expression of the Ki-67 index and colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor expression. Both univariate and multivariate analyses were performed on the prognostic factors for local recurrence-free survival. An independent predictor nomogram and pertinent tumor characteristics were included. Results: The retrospective study enrolling seventy eligible patients at the Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine. During the follow-up time, eleven patients suffered tumor recurrence. Age was an independent risk factor for local recurrence-free survival (P = 0.032). The Ki-67 index varied significantly in different sites (P = 0.034) and tumor volume (P = 0.017). Multivariate logistic regression was used to develop the prediction model using both statistical significance and prognostic indicators. The C-index of the nomogram based on age, site, Ki-67, and colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor was 0.833. These variates provided good predicted accuracy for a nomogram on local recurrence-free survival. Diffused-tenosynovial giant cell tumor from the temporomandibular joint is extremely uncommon, and certain clinical traits are linked to the tumor proliferation index. Conclusions: We identified the risk indicators and developed a nomogram in this study to forecast the likelihood of local recurrence-free survival in patients with diffused-tenosynovial giant cell tumor from temporomandibular joint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The interface of L3 automated driving systems needs to take both automated and manual driving into consideration. This calls for a comprehension of drivers’ differed risk perception under manual and automated driving conditions, thus supporting description of contextual information and appropriate risk warnings. Existing studies have reported drivers’ impaired ability during automated driving, however, a quantified measurement is still lacking. This study tried to measure the difference in drivers’ ability to perceive risks during automated and manual driving. Specifically, a simulated driving experiment in car-following scenarios was conducted to collect drivers’ perceived risk under multiple manual and automated driving conditions, including varied motion directions, speed, and distance among vehicles. Then, the influences of driving mode, motion directions, speed, and distance on drivers’ risk perceptions were described using a linear mixed model. The result demonstrated a complicated interaction effect. Automated driving impaired drivers’ risk perception, and this effect was less severe in highly risky events. In both manual and automated driving, drivers were less sensitive to risk only when risky events happened backwards. These results indicated drivers’ varied ability under multiple conditions, and supported warning design and interface refinement under automated and manual driving conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jing Jiang's book, "Found in Translation: 'New People' in Twentieth-Century Chinese Science Fiction," offers new perspectives on Chinese science fiction by examining texts brought into dialogue through translation. The book covers the early twentieth century to the post-Mao era and explores how Chinese science fiction contributes to Chinese conceptualizations of modernity. The book analyzes themes of creating "new people" through edification or bioengineering, and discusses the genre's interventions in debates about citizenry, subjectivity, and humanity in China's twentieth century. This book will be of interest to scholars and graduate students studying Chinese science fiction and modern Chinese literature. [Extracted from the article]

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are widely used in cell therapy, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine because of their self-renewal, pluripotency, and immunomodulatory properties. The microenvironment in which MSCs are located significantly affects their physiological functions. The microenvironment directly or indirectly affects cell behavior through biophysical, biochemical, or other means. Among them, the mechanical signals provided to MSCs by the microenvironment have a particularly pronounced effect on their physiological functions and can affect osteogenic differentiation, chondrogenic differentiation, and senescence in MSCs. Mechanosensitive ion channels such as Piezo1 and Piezo2 are important in transducing mechanical signals, and these channels are widely distributed in sites such as skin, bladder, kidney, lung, sensory neurons, and dorsal root ganglia. Although there have been numerous studies on Piezo channels in MSCs in recent years, the function of Piezo channels in MSCs is still not well understood, and there has been no summary of their relationship to illustrate which physiological functions of MSCs are affected by Piezo channels and the possible underlying mechanisms. Therefore, based on the members, structures, and functions of Piezo ion channels and the fundamental information of MSCs, this paper focused on summarizing the advances in Piezo channels in MSCs from various tissue sources to provide new ideas for future research and practical applications of Piezo channels and MSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on the skin microbiota of amphibians in different disturbed habitats can clarify the relationship between the skin microbiota composition and environmental factors and have practical implications for the conservation of endangered species. In this study, 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing was used to profile the skin microbiota of Maoershan hynobiids (Hynobius maoershanensis). Our results illustrate that the alpha diversity of the skin microbiota significantly differed among individuals in higher anthropogenic disturbance-degree (HADD) habitats and lower anthropogenic disturbance-degree (LADD) habitats. The diversity of the skin microbiota in forelimb bud-stage tadpoles from HADD habitats was higher than that in their counterparts from LADD habitats. The richness of the skin microbiota in hindlimb bud-stage tadpoles was greater in HADD habitats than in LADD habitats. However, the alpha diversity of the adult skin microbiota did not differ significantly between the two habitats. Furthermore, stepwise regression analysis indicated that the skin microbiota diversity and relative abundance of dominant bacteria decreased with increasing air temperature, water temperature, and pH; conversely, skin microbiota richness increased with increasing humidity. In addition, the relative abundance of dominant bacteria was influenced by anthropogenic disturbance. We conclude that the skin microbiota of Maoershan hynobiids is affected by ecological factors and anthropogenic disturbance, highlighting the importance of the skin microbiota in response to habitat alteration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and Objectives: To develop a conceptual framework that explores the process of building family resilience among Chinese families with children diagnosed with leukaemia. Background: The diagnosis of childhood leukaemia has a devastating effect on the family. Nonetheless, some families were able to positively respond to the crisis. The process through which Chinese families bounce back has received little attention. Design: Grounded theory. Methods: This study used purposive and theoretical sampling to select 16 parents who agreed to participate in semistructured interviews after children were diagnosed with leukaemia. Data collection and analysis occurred simultaneously. Data were analysed through a process of open, axial and selective coding. The COREQ checklist was followed for reporting. Results: A core category of 'finding family resilience in adversity' was generated. The core category was underpinned by a transition process between two fluid stages: (a) Disrupting the family system, informed by subcategories of negative emotional disturbances and challenges of the diagnosis and treatment journey; (b) Cultivating resilience in families, informed by subcategories of increasing positive attitudes; establishing new family routines; activating good support systems; and practising open family communication. Conclusions: The transition process from the disruption of the family system to the cultivation of family resilience is perceived as a complex family dynamic in response to childhood leukaemia. Our findings can form the basis for further research about resilience‐based family interventions that promote family well‐being during the early stages of a childhood leukaemia diagnosis. Relevance to Clinical Practice: It is necessary for healthcare professionals to provide essential support for families to face the challenges of diagnosis and treatment to facilitate the successful transition to family resilience. By understanding the dynamic process of developing family resilience, healthcare professionals are able to focus on these families to provide holistic care that satisfies the specific demands of family members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The relationship between sagittal spine alignment and vertebral bone marrow fat is unknown. We aimed to assess the relationship between vertebral bone marrow fat and sagittal spine alignment using chemical shift-encoding-based water–fat magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods: A total of 181 asymptomatic volunteers were recruited for whole spine X-ray and lumbar MRI. Spine typing was performed according to the Roussouly classification and measurement of vertebral fat fraction based on the chemical shift-encoding-based water–fat MRI. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to analyze the differences in vertebral fat fraction between spine types. The post hoc least significant difference (LSD) test was utilized for subgroup comparison after ANOVA. Results: Overall, the vertebral fat fraction increased from L1 to L5 and was the same for each spine type. The vertebral fat fraction was the highest in type 1 and lowest in type 4 at all levels. ANOVA revealed statistically significant differences in fat fraction among different spine types at L4 and L5 (P <.05). The post hoc LSD test showed that the fat fraction of L4 was significantly different (P <.05) between type 1 and type 4 as well as between type 2 and type 4. The fat fraction of L5 was significantly different between type 1 and type 3, between type 1 and type 4, and between type 2 and type 4 (P <.05). Conclusion: Our study found that vertebral bone marrow fat is associated with sagittal spine alignment, which may serve as a new additional explanation for the association of sagittal alignment with spinal degeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fermented Fructus Aurantii (FFA) is widely used in South China for the treatment of functional dyspepsia. Naringin, neohesperidin, and other flavonoids are the main pharmacodynamic components of FFA. A new method is presented for the simultaneous determination of 10 flavonoids (including flavonoid glycosides and aglycones) in FFA using the quantitative analysis of multicomponents via a single marker (QAMS) approach and is used to investigate changes in flavonoids during fermentation. The viability and precision of QAMS were validated against the ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC), with various UPLC instruments and chromatographic conditions being evaluated. Differences between raw Fructus Aurantii (RFA) and FFA were examined using orthogonal partial least squares discrimination analysis (OPLS-DA) and content determination. The influence of various fermentation conditions on flavonoids was also investigated. There were no appreciable differences between the QAMS and the external standard method (ESM), demonstrating that QAMS is an improved method for the determination of FA and FFA. FFA and RFA can be readily distinguished based on OPLS-DA chemometric modelling and the corresponding chromatograms. In addition, the flavonoid changes after fermentation. Fermentation considerably reduced the contents of flavonoid glycosides, while increasing hesperidin-7-O-glucoside and flavonoid aglycones. Moreover, fermentation conditions impact multiple flavonoids in FA, so controlling these conditions is necessary for the quality control of fermented FA products. This QAMS approach is useful for detecting numerous components in RFA and FFA simply, quickly, and efficiently, thus strengthening the quality control of FA and its fermented products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visual perception and mental imagery have been shown to share a hierarchical topological visual structure of neural representation, despite the existence of dissociation of neural substrate between them in function and structure. However, we have limited knowledge about how the visual hierarchical cortex is involved in visual perception and visual imagery in a unique and shared fashion. In this study, a data set including a visual perception and an imagery experiment with human participants was used to train 2 types of voxel-wise encoding models. These models were based on Gabor features and voxel activity patterns of high-level visual cortex (i.e., fusiform face area, parahippocampal place area, and lateral occipital complex) to predict activity in the early visual cortex (EVC, i.e., V1, V2, V3) during perception, and then tested with respect to the generalization of these models to mental imagery. Our results showed that during perception and imagery, activities in the EVC could be independently predicted by the Gabor features and activity of high-level visual cortex via voxel-wise encoding models, which suggested that perception and imagery might share neural representation in the EVC. We further found Gabor-specific and non-Gabor-specific patterns of neural response to stimuli in the EVC, which were shared by perception and imagery. These findings provide insight into the mechanisms of how visual perception and imagery share representation in the EVC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The co-administration of losartan and puerarin in hypertension rat models was investigated aiming to evaluate their interaction and potential mechanism. Hypertension rat models were established with N (omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester and the pharmacokinetics and antihypertensive effect of losartan were analyzed in normal and hypertension rats. In vitro, the metabolic stability of losartan was evaluated in rat liver microsomes, and the effect of puerarin on the activity of CYP2C9 and 3A4 was assessed in human liver microsomes. Puerarin significantly changed the pharmacokinetic profiling of losartan in hypertension rats, with the behaviour of increasing AUC, AUMC, Cmax, and prolonged t1/2. The antihypertensive effect of losartan was enhanced by the co-administration of puerarin, which reduced the systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure below normal levels. In vitro, puerarin significantly improved the metabolic stability of losartan with a reduced intrinsic clearance rate. Puerarin also showed significant inhibitory effects on the activity of CYP2C9 and 3A4 with the IC50 of 17.15 and 7.69 μM, respectively. Losartan co-administered with puerarin increased the system exposure and metabolic stability of losartan and enhanced its antihypertensive effect. The inhibition of CYP2C9 and 3A4 by puerarin was the potential mechanism mediating their interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Site elevation is one of the most important factors for successful mangrove restoration. Understanding how site elevation influences mangrove roots is critical for evaluating mangrove primary productivity, carbon dynamics and nutrient cycles. Root biomass and organic carbon (OC), total nitrogen (N), and total phosphorus (P) stocks were compared through an in situ experiment among 11‐year‐old Kandelia obovata mangrove forests planted under three intertidal elevations. Compared with site upper elevation, biomass of total root, live root, dead root, fine root, and coarse root decreased approximately 74.62, 79.82, 26.65, 42.52, and 87.09%, respectively, but contribution rates of fine root to total root increased 35.40% at site lower elevation. Biomass of total root and fine root at the three sites decreased with soil depth increases. Stocks of OC, N, and P in the total root decreased approximately 70, 52.92, and 47.30% from site upper elevation to site lower elevation owing to decreases in the total root biomass. Stocks of OC, N, and P in the total root and fine root also decreased with soil depth increases, while only OC stock of coarse root had a decreasing trend with soil depth increases. These indicated that decreases in site elevation will reduce mangrove primary productivity, carbon dynamics, and nutrient cycles due to decreases in root biomass. For K.obovata forests, upper elevation should be used in the future mangrove forest restoration projects to improve mangrove blue carbon capability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monascus pigments (MPs) display many beneficial biological activities and have been widely utilized as natural food-grade colorants in the food processing industry. The presence of the mycotoxin citrinin (CIT) seriously restricts the application of MPs, but the gene regulation mechanisms governing CIT biosynthesis remain unclear. We performed a RNA-Seq-based comparative transcriptomic analysis of representative high MPs-producing Monascus purpureus strains with extremely high vs. low CIT yields. In addition, we performed qRT-PCR to detect the expression of genes related to CIT biosynthesis, confirming the reliability of the RNA-Seq data. The results revealed that there were 2518 differentially expressed genes (DEGs; 1141 downregulated and 1377 upregulated in the low CIT producer strain). Many upregulated DEGs were associated with energy metabolism and carbohydrate metabolism, with these changes potentially making more biosynthetic precursors available for MPs biosynthesis. Several potentially interesting genes that encode transcription factors were also identified amongst the DEGs. The transcriptomic results also showed that citB, citD, citE, citC and perhaps MpigI were key candidate genes to limit CIT biosynthesis. Our studies provide useful information on metabolic adaptations to MPs and CIT biosynthesis in M. purpureus, and provide targets for the fermentation industry towards the engineering of safer MPs production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate whether the treatment zone (TZ) decentration in orthokeratology (OK) lenses affects retinal expansion in Chinese children with myopia. Methods: Children aged 8 to 13 years (n = 30) were assessed over 13 months comprising 12 months of OK lens wear followed by discontinuation of lens wear for 1 month. Corneal topography was measured at 0, 1, 3, 6, 9, 12 and 13 months. TZ decentration of the OK lens was calculated, and subjects were subdivided into a small decentration group (group S) and a large decentration group (group L) based on the median value of the weighted average decentration (dave). Central axial length (AL) and peripheral eye lengths (PELs) at the central retina, as well as 10°, 20° and 30° nasally and temporally were measured at 0 and 13 months under cycloplegia. Second‐order polynomial (y = ax2 + bx + c) and linear fits (y = Kx + B) were applied to the peripheral relative eye length (PREL), and the coefficients 'a' and 'K' were used to describe the shape of the eye. Results: Mean AL growth for one year was 0.28 ± 0.17 mm. In a multiple linear regression model, AL elongation was related to the baseline age (β = −0.41, p = 0.01) and the dave (β = −0.37, p = 0.03) (R2 = 0.34, p = 0.002). When compared with smaller dave (0.45 ± 0.15 mm), a larger dave (0.89 ± 0.17 mm) was associated with slower ocular growth (central: 0.20 ± 0.13 mm vs. 0.35 ± 0.17 mm, p = 0.009; 10° nasal: 0.26 ± 0.18 mm vs. 0.45 ± 0.21 mm, p = 0.02; 10° temporal: 0.17 ± 0.14 mm vs. 0.32 ± 0.19 mm, p = 0.02) and more oblate retina shape ('a': −0.13 ± 0.02 vs. −0.14 ± 0.02, p = 0.02; Knasal: 0.35 ± 0.11 vs. 0.39 ± 0.09, p = 0.02; Ktemporal: −0.42 ± 0.08 vs. −0.46 ± 0.08, p = 0.004). Conclusions: Greater TZ decentration with the use of OK lenses was associated with slower axial growth and a more oblate retinal shape. TZ decentration caused local defocusing changes, which may inhibit myopic progression. These findings may have important implications for improving optical designs for myopia control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individual MXene (Ti 3 C 3 T x) films tend to re-accumulate, seriously reducing the electrochemical properties. Herein, a viable hydrothermal method is being adopted to achieve the self-assembly of N and S co-doped three-dimensional porous carbon (3DPC) with conductive networks and MXene. For SCs, the N,S-MXene/3DPC electrode displays 412.7 F g−1 at 1 A g−1. When all-solid-state asymmetric SCs (ASCs) are manufactured with active carbon, the N,S-MXene/3DPC//AC ASCs present 210.5 F g−1 at 1 A g−1 and retain 97.5% of initial cycle through 5000 rotations. The energy density reaches its maximum of 94.7 Wh kg−1 at 900 W kg−1. In addition, the N,S-MXene/3DPC anode of SIBs demonstrates a reversible capability of 465.5 mAh g−1 at 0.2 A g−1. It also sustains a remarkable 72.9% preservation of capacity over 1000 rotations at 2.0 A g−1. The excellent electrochemical performance is attributed to following points: 3DPC with conductive networks can provide multiple transfer paths for ions and charges and support MXene. The co-doping of N and S for 3DPC can provide numerous active sites for electrochemical reactions, while the addition of MXene improves conductivity and mechanical stability. The N,S-MXene/3DPC material and its preparation method exhibit great potential for application in the field of electrochemical energy storage. The hydrothermal method is adopted to achieve the self-assembly of N and S co-doped three-dimensional porous carbon (3DPC) with conductive networks and MXene. The N and S co-doped 3DPC conductive network enhances electron transport and ion diffusion. The resulting material exhibits remarkable electrochemical properties, making it a promising candidate for use in supercapacitors (SCs) and sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). Specifically, the N,S-MXene/3DPC//AC ASCs deliver an impressive performance of 210.5 F g−1 at a current density of 1 A g−1, maintaining a high capacity retention of 97.5% over 5000 cycles. This suggests excellent cycling stability and durability for the applications of SCs. Moreover, the N,S-MXene/3DPC anode for sodium-ion batteries demonstrates a reversible capacity of 465.5 mAh g−1 at a low current density of 0.2 A g−1. Even at a higher current density of 2.0 A g−1, it maintains a remarkable capacity retention of 72.9% over 1000 cycles, indicating its suitability for high-power and long-lasting sodium-ion battery applications. Overall, the N,S-MXene/3DPC material combines exceptional electrochemical performance with high stability and durability, making it a promising candidate for use in electrochemical energy storage devices. [Display omitted] • N,S-MXene/3DPC heterostructure with multiple charge transfer channels was successfully designed and synthesized. • The three-dimensional porous carbon can support MXene to alleviate agglomeration and increase cyclic stability. • DFT calculation was used to analyze the interaction between 3DPC and MXene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The core of semi-supervised cross-modal retrieval tasks lies in leveraging limited supervised information to measure the similarity between cross-modal data. Current approaches assume an association between unlabelled data and pre-defined k-nearest neighbour data, relying on classifier performance for this selection. With diminishing labelled data, classifier performance weakens, resulting in erroneous associations among unlabelled instances. Moreover, the lack of interpretability in class probabilities of unlabelled data hinders classifier learning. Thus, this paper focuses on learning pseudo-labels for unlabelled data, providing pseudo-supervision to aid classifier learning. Specifically, a cross-modal memory bank is proposed, dynamically storing feature representations in a common space and class probability representations in a label space for each cross-modal data. Pseudo-labels are derived by computing feature representation similarity and adjusting class probabilities. During this process, imposing constraints on the classification loss between labelled data and contrastive losses between paired cross-modal data is a prerequisite for the successful learning of pseudo-labels. This procedure significantly contributes to enhancing the credibility of these pseudo-labels. Empirical findings demonstrate that using only 10% labelled data, compared to prevailing semi-supervised techniques, this method achieves improvements of 2.6%, 1.8%, and 4.9% in MAP@50 on the Wikipedia, NUS-WIDE, and MS-COCO datasets, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The waterproof and breathable multifunctional films have been widely used in advanced wear protection, medical treatment, monitoring, and the aerospace industry. In this research, we prepared a new class/kind of waterproof and breathable intelligent (WBI) films through plasma surface treatment, which can be applied in the health care field. After air plasma treatments, the structural properties of polyethylene (PE) film were observed by Scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Thermogravimetry (TG), and Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). It was found that plasma treatment etches PE fibers due to the sputter etching effect of plasma modification, leading to a crystallinity decrease. In addition, the changes in water contact angle, air permeability, and water vapor transmission rate of PE films were measured to illustrate their waterproof and breathable properties. After plasma treatment, the water contact angle of PE film reduced from 112.67∘ to 45∘, indicating the PE surface converted from hydrophobic into hydrophilic. The air permeability increased to 0.450 mm/s and the water vapor transmission rate increased to 1419.788 g/m 2 ⋅ h , which means the treated PE films are breathable but not permeable to liquid water. The improved performance in waterproof and breathability expands the application of PE film in the pharmaceutical field. The waterproof and breathable polyethene (PE) film was developed using one-step plasma treatments. The nanopores of PE film changed with different plasma treatment times, which would also affect PE film's waterproof and breathability. Plasma treatments can optimize PE film's properties and enlarge its application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To compare peripheral defocus, higher-order aberrations (HOAs), and contrast visual acuity (CVA) in myopic children wearing orthokeratology (OK) lenses and multifocal soft contact lenses (MSCLs) designed with highly addition. Methods: This is a prospective, nonrandomized, controlled study. Subjects at 8 to 13 years of age with spherical equivalent refraction from − 1.00 to − 5.00 dioptres (D) were included in the OK group (n = 30) and MSCL group (n = 23). Relative peripheral corneal defocus (RPCD) and relative peripheral refraction (RPR) were measured before and after wearing lenses. HOAs including spherical aberration (SA), coma, trefoil, and total HOAs, and high (100%) and low (10%) CVA were compared between the groups. Axial length (AL) was measured before and after wearing the lenses for 1 year. Results: After wearing the lenses, subjects in the MSCL group had RPCD and RPR values similar to the OK group at the paracentral (within 2 mm of the cornea or 20° of the retina, all p > 0.05) but larger than the OK group at the periphery (all p < 0.05). All HOAs increased after wearing the lenses except the trefoil in the MSCL group (all p < 0.05). HOAs increased more in the OK group (all p < 0.05). The 100% and 10% CVAs were worse in the MSCL group (p = 0.02 and p = 0.004). After 1 year, AL elongation was 0.37 mm (SD = 0.16) in the MSCL group and 0.28 mm (0.16) in the OK group (p = 0.06). Conclusion: MSCL produced larger myopic defocus at the periphery, increased less HOAs and had worse CVA than OK lens. The high addition of this MSCL did not result in better myopia control efficacy Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR1800018564. Registered 25 September 2018; retrospectively registered, http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=31376 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

β-Cyclodextrin modified magnetic microspheres were synthesized and used as an effective adsorbent for the solid-phase extraction of three phenols from water samples. Scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry were used to characterize the adsorbents. The major parameters affecting the extraction and desorption efficiencies, such as adsorbent dosage, extraction time, pH, ionic strength, and eluent type were systematically optimized. Under these conditions, three phenols in water samples were extracted and determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with diode array detection (DAD). Limits of detection (LODs) of 0.04–0.34 ng mL−1 and limits of quantification (LOQs) from 0.13 to 1.14 ng mL−1 were achieved with good repeatability (relative standard deviation <7.5%). The developed method was applied for the determination of 2,4-dichlorophenol, 2,4-dinitrophenol and bisphenol A in spiked Yangtze River water, and the recoveries were from 81.0% to 94.9%. The results demonstrated that the combination of magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) with HPLC-DAD is suitable for the determination of trace phenolics in environmental water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The waterproof and breathable wound dressings have undergone continuous and substantial evolution over time. Polyethene films have been widely used to fabricate waterproof dressing. Electrospun biopolymers enable rapid and effective wound healing due to the surface-area-to-volume ratio of electrospun nanofibers and their porous structure. In the present study, the waterproof and breathable bandages were prepared with plasma-treated PE films as the waterproof layer and a blend of polyvinyl alcohol–alginic acid by electronic spinning technique. The composited samples were crosslinked with glutaraldehyde to increase their water stability and mechanical properties. The composited pieces were characterized for their structural properties using SEM, FTIR, DSC, TG. Their water vapour transmission rate, air permeability, tensile strength and antibacterial property were also studied. Cytotoxicity of the dressing was evaluated with human dermal fibroblast cells. The results revealed that the composited PVA/PE dressing shown excellent cooling ability, and improved the waterproof and breathable properties, which enhanced wound healing, compared with the traditional dressing material, such as cotton non-woven. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is widely acknowledged that gastric cancer seriously affects the quality of life and survival of patients. The correlation between the microbiota and gastric cancer has attracted extensive attention in recent years, nonetheless the specific mechanism of its impact on gastric cancer remain largely unclear. Recent studies have shown that in addition to its role in the host's inflammatory and immune response, the microbiota can also affect the occurrence and development of gastric cancer by affecting the expression of miRNAs. This paper brings together all currently available data on miRNAs, microbiota and gastric cancer, and preliminarily describes the relationship among them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of supramolecular hydrogels with multifunction is in high demand. In this work, Fe 3 O 4 hybrid supramolecular hydrogels were fabricated via dynamic host–guest interactions between the host molecule CB[6] and guest units. The "supramolecular crosslinker" formed by CB[6]-modified Fe 3 O 4 (Fe 3 O 4 @CB[6]) nanoparticles, was used to generate a 3D network of supramolecular hydrogels. Results indicate that the tensile stress of the sample is 0.31 MPa, and the self-healing efficiency of the supramolecular hydrogels at room temperature is nearly 100% (fracture strain) after 48 h. The hydrogels exhibited a self-healing property without a loss of conductivity. Furthermore, these supramolecular hydrogels were used to detect the bending of human fingers and knees. The hybrid supramolecular hydrogels with photothermal responsiveness, self-healing, injectability, stretchability, conductive ability and biocompatibility, can find applications in flexible electronics. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) has attracted significant attention as a promising eco-friendly technology for the deposition of ceramic-like oxide coatings with superior wear- and corrosion resistance as well as biomedical, catalytic, magnetic, dielectric and optical properties. However, the industrial implementation of PEO has been hindered by a poor understanding of the mechanisms underlying plasma-assisted electrochemical coating formation. This study compares the characteristics of PEO processes on different valve metals in a dilute aqueous solution of NaOH and Na 2 SiO 3 under pulsed unipolar and bipolar polarisation conditions. The focus is given to the influence of the nature of the valve metal on the transition to the soft sparking regime characterised by reduced energy consumption whilst yielding sintered coating materials enriched with crystalline phases. In-situ dynamic voltammetry analysis was employed to study the effects of the net current ratio and local negative charge injection using diagnostic pulses embedded in the polarisation signal. It has been demonstrated that soft sparking is a characteristic feature of valve metals such as Mg, Al, Zr and Ta that form insulating surface oxides with negligible electronic conductivity, whereas Ti and Nb form semiconducting oxides, which do not exhibit a characteristic voltage drop, although some features of spark softening were detected. This generalisation paves a way for implementation of a model known as 'digital twin' to the rational design of the PEO processes for deposition of the functional ceramics. [Display omitted] • Unipolar and bipolar plasma electrolytic oxidation compared for six metals. • Reverse polarisation leads to soft sparking on metals forming a dielectric oxide. • Cathodically induced changes promote planar energy dissipation in the active zone. • The soft sparking induction period relates inversely to the oxide isoelectric point. • Electronic conductivity in semiconducting oxides inhibits soft sparking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide, and its incidence continues to grow. Approximately one-third of patients with colorectal cancer develop liver metastases during the natural course of disease. Complete surgical resection is associated with very low mortality in colorectal liver metastasis patients, but only a small fraction of colorectal liver metastasis patients fulfill the selection criteria for surgical treatment. We herein describe a high-risk stage-IV rectal carcinoma patient who was initially unresectable according to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines with a clinical risk score of 4 but received conversion surgery combined with systemic chemotherapy and achieved a favorable long-term clinical outcome (pathologic complete response) of approximately 28 months. Furthermore, serial circulating tumor DNA monitoring using next-generation sequencing provided a comprehensive view of the patient's clinical and pathologic status for better clinical decision support over the course of the disease. The absence of circulating tumor DNA/cells after conversion surgery was correlated with pathologic complete response. This case study not only demonstrated that a curative oncosurgical approach could be considered for high-risk colorectal liver metastasis patients under specific circumstances but also highlighted the role of circulating tumor DNA monitoring to gain further insight into the evolution of a patient's response over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A fast, simple, and efficient sample pretreatment technique based on magnetic dodecyl functionalization of magnetic ferrite microspheres has been developed for the extraction and pre-concentration of phthalate esters from environmental water prior to high-performance liquid chromatography analysis. The magnetic composite microspheres were prepared using Fe3O4 microspheres as magnetic core and silica as a shell with the surface-modified with C12 material. The structure of the prepared microspheres was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy, and vibrating sample magnetometry. Three kinds of phthalate esters were selected as model compounds to optimize the main parameters that affect extraction efficiencies, such as adsorbent dosage, sample volume, salt addition, extraction time, pH of sample solution, desorption time, eluent type, and volume. Under the optimal conditions, limits of detection (LODs) of 0.025–0.107 ng mL−1 and limits of quantification (LOQs) of 0.083–0.357 ng mL−1 were achieved. The developed method was applied for the detection of the three PAEs in a spiked sample of river water, and satisfactory recoveries in the range of 76.3–98.9% were obtained with good repeatability (RSD < 4.7%). The entire analysis process can be completed in about 30 min. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Street greening effectively embodies the ecological and landscape functions of plants, and is of great signifi cance to regional maintenance and ecological protection. In this study, an evaluation system was constructed based on plant diversity, and typical sampling method was used to study the landscape and evaluate the ecological function of main roads in Jingzhou City. The results showed that: 1 the average species richness of the 14 plot roads was 2, and the average Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H') and average Pielou evenness index (Jsw) were 0.892 and 0.911, respectively; due to single street landscape and high homogeneity of landscape, there is a lack of landscape characteristics in Jingzhou; 2 the ecological functions of five streets were compared: shading > dust fall > humidity elimination > noise reduction > temperature reduction; street greening has significant shading effect and certain dust retention effect. The investigation and research will provide reference and improvement suggestions for street greening construction in Jingzhou City in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide, and its incidence continues to grow. Approximately one-third of patients with colorectal cancer develop liver metastases during the natural course of disease. Complete surgical resection is associated with very low mortality in colorectal liver metastasis patients, but only a small fraction of colorectal liver metastasis patients fulfill the selection criteria for surgical treatment. We herein describe a high-risk stage-IV rectal carcinoma patient who was initially unresectable according to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines with a clinical risk score of 4 but received conversion surgery combined with systemic chemotherapy and achieved a favorable long-term clinical outcome (pathologic complete response) of approximately 28 months. Furthermore, serial circulating tumor DNA monitoring using next-generation sequencing provided a comprehensive view of the patient's clinical and pathologic status for better clinical decision support over the course of the disease. The absence of circulating tumor DNA/cells after conversion surgery was correlated with pathologic complete response. This case study not only demonstrated that a curative oncosurgical approach could be considered for high-risk colorectal liver metastasis patients under specific circumstances but also highlighted the role of circulating tumor DNA monitoring to gain further insight into the evolution of a patient's response over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron selenide (FeSe 2), a p-type narrow band gap (1.0 eV) semiconductor, has been considered as a potential electrode material for electrochemical energy storage owing to its many benefits, including quick electron transfer, excellent electrical conductivity and exceptional theoretical specific capacity. Nevertheless, the volumetric expansion, agglomeration, low ion-diffusion capacity and other inadequacies in the process of discharging and charging. Therefore, FeSe 2 is far short of high initial coulomb efficiency, long-cycle stability, and excellent rate performance. The greatest obstacle to the practical use of energy storage systems is these drawbacks. Herein, the electrospinning and a thermally-induced selenization route are adopted to encapsulate the FeSe 2 hollow nanospheres into the intertwined Se, N co-doped carbon nanofibers (Se, N-FeSe 2 CNFs). Density functional theory calculation delivers that Se, N-FeSe 2 CNFs nanocomposite presents extremely low bandgap and high density of states at the Femi level, demonstrating significantly increased conductivity. When assembling into the all-solid-state symmetric supercapacitors (ASSSCs), the Se, N-FeSe 2 CNFs ASSSCs provide a remarkable specific capacity of 330.2 F g−1 and maintain 92.0% after 5000 cycles at 2 A g−1. Meanwhile, the resistance of charge transfer decreases from 0.73 Ω (FeSe 2) to 0.28 Ω (Se, N-FeSe 2 CNFs). Moreover, the Se, N-FeSe 2 CNFs ASSSCs deliver 128.6 Wh kg−1 (energy density) at about 800 W kg−1 (power density). Additionally, the Se, N-FeSe 2 CNFs anodes also have outstanding reversible capacity (549.5 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1) and stability of long-circulation (481.3 mAh g−1 after 100 circles and 480.9 mAh g−1 after 200 circles at 0.1 A g−1) for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). The superb property of energy storage can be due to the encapsulated structure that can maintain the integrity of structures for electrodes during electrochemical reactions and the Se, N heteroatoms doped CNFs that can conducive to ions/charges transport and storage. The designed encapsulated structure and synthesis approach have broad application prospects in electrochemical energy storage. [Display omitted] • The hollow FeSe 2 nanospheres are encapsulated in the N,Se co-doped carbon nanofibers. • The encapsulated structure can availably ameliorate the volume effect of FeSe 2 and raise the stability of electrodes. • The Se, N-FeSe 2 CNFs electrodes show outstanding electrochemical properties in supercapacitors and sodium-ion batteries. • According to density functional (DFT), the Se, N-FeSe 2 CNFs have narrow band structure and high density of states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Standalone MODERN achieved comparable accuracy to that of radiologists in detecting recurrent NPC on MR scans. • In a computer–human collaboration, accuracies of radiologists were augmented by MODERN. • This finding suggests that AI could provide an innovative approach for the identification of recurrent NPC and may help radiologists in effectively selecting patients with recurrence. Accuracy in the detection of recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) on follow-up magnetic resonance (MR) scans needs to be improved. A total of 5 035 follow-up MR scans from 5 035 survivors with treated NPC between April 2007 and July 2020 were retrospectively collected from three cancer centers for developing and evaluating the deep learning (DL) model MODERN (MR-based Deep learning model for dEtecting Recurrent Nasopharyngeal carcinoma). In a reader study with 220 scans, the accuracy of two radiologists in detecting recurrence on scans with vs without MODERN was evaluated. The performance was measured using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC-AUC) and accuracy with a 95% confidence interval (CI). MODERN exhibited sound performance in the validation cohort (internal: ROC-AUC, 0.88, 95% CI, 0.86–0.90; external 1: ROC-AUC, 0.88, 95% CI, 0.86–0.90; external 2: ROC-AUC, 0.85, 95% CI, 0.82–0.88). In a reader study, MODERN alone achieved reliable accuracy compared to that of radiologists (MODERN: 84.1%, 95% CI, 79.3%–88.9%; competent: 80.9%, 95% CI, 75.7%–86.1%, P < 0.001; expert: 85.9%, 95% CI, 81.3%–90.5%, P < 0.001). The accuracy of radiologists was boosted by the MODERN score (competent with MODERN score: 84.6%, 95% CI, 79.8%–89.3%, P < 0.001; expert with MODERN score: 87.7%, 95% CI, 83.4%–92.1%, P < 0.001). We developed a DL model for recurrence detection with reliable performance. Computer-human collaboration has the potential to refine the workflow in interpreting surveillant MR scans among patients with treated NPC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hydroxyl substituent in flavonoids can cause the binding site to change from DS1 to DS2 and restore the ESIPT process of flavonoids, thereby leading to a unique dual-emissive response towards human serum albumin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well known that polyaniline is a promising electrode material because of its high capacitance, controllable morphology and fast Faradaic reaction, however, its swelling and shrinking behavior during charge/discharge processes may cause structure collapse, leading to the poor cycling stability. In this article, a series of polyaniline/Fe(OH)3/graphene (PFG) nanocomposites were synthesized using a facile interfacial polymerization method under acid condition by adjusting the polymerization time. During the interfacial polymerization process, graphene oxide and ferric chloride acted as oxidants, while aniline acted as reducing agent. The results indicated that the PFG nanocomposite polymerized at 48 h (PFG48) demonstrated the highest specific capacitance of 417 F·g-1 at 1 A·g-1, and a good stability with 71.2% capacitance retention after 5000 cycles. The excellent electrochemical properties can be ascribed to the optimal microstructure and morphology of PFG48 prepared at the suitable polymerization time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tea polyphenols (TPs) attenuate obesity related liver inflammation; however, the anti-obesity effects and anti-inflammatory mechanisms are not clearly understood. This study aimed to determine whether the anti-obesity and anti-inflammatory TPs mechanisms associated with cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression levels, and obesity-related gene response in dogs. Results: Dogs fed TPs displayed significantly decreased (p < 0.01) mRNA expression of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) compared to dogs that consumed high-fat diet (HFD) alone. TPs significantly (p < 0.01) inhibited COX-2 and iNOS expression level, and decreased liver fat content and degeneration. Conclusion: These results suggested that TPs act as a therapeutic agent for obesity, liver inflammation, and fat degeneration via COX-2 and iNOS inhibition, with TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 involvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate axial length (AL) measurements and detection rates using a swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) biometer (OA-2000) compared with the IOLMaster, LENSTAR, and ultrasound (US) measurements in eyes with vitreous hemorrhage. Setting: Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, China. Design: Comparative evaluation of a diagnostic test or technology. Methods: Patients were adults with vitreous hemorrhage in one or both eyes. Lens Opacities Classification System III was used to determine they type and severity of cataract and the Forrester system was used to classify the grade of vitreous hemorrhage. The AL measurement was taken with the OA-2000, IOLMaster (v5.4), and LENSTAR (v2.1), and with US (Axis-II). The Bland-Altman test was used to assess the agreement between devices. Results: Forty eyes were scanned with each of the 4 biometers. For Forrester grade III, the detection rate was 100%, 41.7%, and 41.7% with the OA-2000, IOLMaster, and LENSTAR, respectively. For Forrester grades I and II, the detection rate was 46.4%, 3.57%, and 3.57% with the OA-2000, IOLMaster, and LENSTAR, respectively. The detection rate with US was 100% for all grades. The Bland-Altman limits of agreement between the 4 biometers indicated an excellent agreement: OA-2000 vs IOLMaster (95% limits of agreement -0.15 to 0.05 mm), OA-2000 vs LENSTAR (-0.04 to 0.12 mm), and OA-2000 vs US (-0.3 to 0.56 mm). Conclusions: In vitreous hemorrhage, the detection rate with the SS-OCT OA-2000 biometer was better than that with the IOLMaster and LENSTAR. In cases in which all biometers were able to acquire an AL measurement an excellent agreement was found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing fluorescent sensors with ability of monitoring gaseous nerve agents in a sensitive and selective manner is of great importance due to the extreme toxicity and volatility of organophosphorus nerve agents. Herein we reported a novel oxime-modified flavonoid sensor and carefully investigated its sensing behavior towards nerve agent simulants, diethylchlorophosphate (DCP). In the presence of DCP, a remarkable fluorescence enhancement accompanied with emission color change could be observed by naked eyes in solution. The response time was less than 90 s and LOD value was calculated as 0.78 μmol/L in solution. The sensing mechanism could be ascribed to the specific reaction between halophosphate and hydroxyl group of oxime. Furthermore, sensor strips have been successfully constructed by using PEG as matrix with a simple preparation process, and also achieved the sensitive and selective detection of DCP vapor. These results in this study may provide important references for further design of dye-based sensor strips for detection of nerve agents both in solution and gas phase. Image 1 • An oxime-based fluorescence sensor for nerve agent simulants has been designed. • The fluorescent sensor exhibits high sensitive and selective detection towards diethylchlorophosphate. • The sensing mechanism has been verified by using TLC, 1H NMR, optic spectra, and TCSPC techniques. • The test strips have been fabricated and successfully achieved detection of gaseous nerve agents by naked eyes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the short‐term effects of three myopia‐control lenses, which impose peripheral myopic defocus while providing clear central vision, on central and peripheral visual performance in myopic children. Methods: Twenty‐one myopic children were enrolled in the study. Central visual performance was assessed using the quick contrast sensitivity function. Peripheral visual performance was evaluated by measuring peripheral contrast threshold and global motion perception, while subjects maintained fixation through the central portion of the lens. Single‐vision spectacle lenses (SVL), spectacle lenses with highly aspherical lenslets (HAL) and defocus‐incorporated soft contact (DISC) lenses were evaluated in random order, followed by orthokeratology (OK) lenses. All tests were performed monocularly on the right eye. Results: The area under the log contrast sensitivity function (AULCSF) with DISC lenses was lower than that with SVL (1.14 vs. 1.40, p < 0.001) and HAL (1.14 vs. 1.33, p = 0.001). HAL increased the temporal visual field contrast threshold compared with OK lenses (p = 0.04), and OK lenses decreased the superior visual field contrast threshold compared with that of SVL (p = 0.04) and HAL (p = 0.005). HAL also increased the peripheral coherence threshold for identifying the contraction movement compared with OK lenses (p = 0.01). Conclusions: The short‐term use of these optical interventions for myopia control exhibited measurable differences in central and peripheral visual performance. Relevant attention could be paid to these differences, especially when children switch to different treatments. DISC lenses exhibited worse central contrast sensitivity than SVL and HAL. Imposing peripheral defocus signals did not affect children's peripheral visual performance compared with SVL. However, considering the poorer peripheral visual performance provided by HAL, OK lenses are recommended for children if there are specific demands for global scene recognition and motion perception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The image‐to‐image translation (I2IT) task aims to transform images from the source domain into the specified target domain. State‐of‐the‐art CycleGAN‐based translation algorithms typically use cycle consistency loss and latent regression loss to constrain translation. In this work, it is demonstrated that the model parameters constrained by the cycle consistency loss and the latent regression loss are equivalent to optimizing the medians of the data distribution and the generative distribution. In addition, there is a style bias in the translation. This bias interacts between the generator and the style encoder and visually exhibits translation errors, e.g. the style of the generated image is not equal to the style of the reference image. To address these issues, a new I2IT model termed high‐quality‐I2IT (HQ‐I2IT) is proposed. The optimization scheme is redesigned to prevent the model from optimizing the median of the data distribution. In addition, by separating the optimization of the generator and the latent code estimator, the redesigned model avoids error interactions and gradually corrects errors during training, thereby avoiding learning the median of the generated distribution. The experimental results demonstrate that the visual quality of the images produced by HQ‐I2IT is significantly improved without changing the generator structure, especially when guided by the reference images. Specifically, the Fréchet inception distance on the AFHQ and CelebA‐HQ datasets are reduced from 19.8 to 10.2 and from 23.8 to 17.0, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: To evaluate eye growth of children wearing spectacle lenses with highly aspherical lenslets (HAL), slightly aspherical lenslets (SAL) and single‐vision lenses (SVL) compared to eye growth patterns in non‐myopes in Wenzhou, China. Methods: The randomised trial had 170 myopic children (aged 8–13 years) randomly assigned to the HAL, SAL or SVL group. Normal eye growth was examined using 700 non‐myopic schoolchildren (aged 7–9 years) in the Wenzhou Medical University‐Essilor Progression and Onset of Myopia (WEPrOM) cohort study using logistic function models. Slow, normal and fast eye growth was defined as range of values <25th, 25th–75th and >75th percentiles, respectively. Results: The predicted upper limits of slow eye growth (25th percentile) among non‐myopes aged 7–10 years and 11–13 years were 0.20–0.13 and 0.08–0.01 mm (after 2‐year period; 0.37–0.33 and 0.29–0.14 mm), respectively, while the upper limits of normal eye growth (75th percentile) were 0.32–0.31 and 0.28–0.10 mm (after 2‐year period; 0.58–0.55 and 0.50–0.24 mm), respectively. The 2‐year trial had 157 children, 96 of whom wore their lenses full time (everyday ≥12 h/day). The mean 2‐year axial length change for HAL, SAL and SVL was 0.34, 0.51 and 0.69 mm (0.28, 0.46 and 0.69 mm in full‐time wear), respectively. Slow eye growth was found in 35%, 17% and 2% (44%, 29% and 3% in full‐time wear); normal eye growth in 35%, 26% and 12% (44%, 32% and 9% in full‐time wear) and fast eye growth in 30%, 57% and 86% (12%, 39% and 88% in full‐time wear), respectively (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The eye growth pattern in approximately 90% wearing HAL full time (compared with about 10% wearing SVL full time) was similar or slower than that of non‐myopic children both after 1‐ and 2‐year periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Denitrification is the most important process for nitrogen removal in eutrophic lakes and was mostly investigated in lake sediment. Denitrification could also be mediated by cyanobacterial aggregates, yet how this process impacts nitrogen (N) availability and the associated autotroph-heterotroph relationships within cyanobacterial aggregates has not been investigated. In this study, incubation experiments with nitrate amendment were conducted with Microcystis aggregates (MAs). Measurement of nitrogen contents, 16S rRNA-based microbial community profiling and metatranscriptomic sequencing were used to jointly assess nitrogen turnover dynamics, as well as changes in microbial composition and gene expression. Strong denitrification potential was revealed, and maximal N removal was achieved within two days, after which the communities entered a state of severe N limitation. Changes of active microbial communities were further promoted both with regard to taxonomic composition and transcriptive activities. Expression of transportation-related genes confirmed competition for N sources by Microcystis and phycospheric communities. Strong stress response to reactive oxygen species by Microcystis was revealed. Notably, interspecific relationships among Microcystis and phycospheric communities exhibited a shift toward antagonistic interactions, particularly evidenced by overall increased expression of genes related to cell lysis and utilization of cellular materials. Patterns of fatty acid and starch metabolism also suggested changes in carbon metabolism and cross-feeding patterns within MAs. Taken together, this study demonstrated substantial denitrification potential of MAs, which, importantly, further induced changes in both metabolic activities and autotroph-heterotroph interactions. These findings also highlight the key role of nutrient condition in shaping autotroph-heterotroph relationships. [Display omitted] • Microcystis aggregates have strong denitrification potential. • Denitrification shifted composition and gene expression of active communities. • Prolonged incubation promoted antagonistic autotroph-heterotroph relationships. • Changes in carbon metabolism and cross-feeding patterns within Microcystis aggregates also occurred. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Ethnopharmacological relevance Either Aconite Lateralis Radix Praeparata (Fuzi) or Pinelliae Rhizoma (Banxia) exerts anti-inflammatory activity and their combination has long been used in China for treating cardiovascular diseases. However, combination of two drugs is controversially prohibited in clinical prescriptions because it serves a representative incompatible pairs in "eighteen antagonisms". Up to date, whether the combination of Fuzi and Banxia could be used for treating heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) especially charactered by systemic inflammation and the potential mechanisms have not been elucidated. Aim of the study The pros and cons of Fuzi in combination with Banxia were evaluated in pressure overload (PO) rat models of HF in vivo. Materials and methods Male Sprague Dawley rats were subjected to abdominal aorta constriction or sham-operated procedure. From week 12, rats were administered with low dose Fuzi (5.4 g kg−1 d−1), Banxia (5.4 g kg−1 d−1), combination (5.4 g kg−1 d−1 + 5.4 g kg−1 d−1), high dose Fuzi (10.8 g kg−1 d−1) or with vehicle (n = 15 per group) orally for additional 6 weeks. Results Fuzi alone treatment led to exaggerated cardiac-renal response to PO, and occurred dramatically at high dose as manifested by markedly exacerbated cardiac-renal inflammation and myocardial fibrosis. Further studies revealed that cardiotoxicity of Fuzi may be associated with highly expression levels of β2-AR and PKA. In contrast, coadministration of Fuzi and Banxia restored cardiac function, as indicated by relieving inflammation and fibrosis as well as normalizing electrocardiogram parameters, which were accompanied by PKA down-regulation. More importantly, both high dose Fuzi and combination treatment enhanced induction of apoptosis, which could be partially associated with inhibition of β2-AR-Gi signaling. Conclusion Thus, combination of Fuzi and Banxia elicited concurrent protective and toxic effects in PO induced HF. The protective effect appeared to predominate and was associated with suppression of PKA/β2-AR-Gs signaling pathway. Unlike the eighteen antagonisms theory where Fuzi and Banxia combination was considered incompatible, in the present study, this herb pairs appeared to be benefit, and probably had potential therapeutic prospect in treating HFpEF and diseases associated with inflammation. Graphical abstract fx1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Nitrogen limitation has been proven to inhibit Microcystis proliferation, and the significant decline in Microcystis blooms in late summer or autumn has been considered to be related to the nitrogen depletion in water. Sinking loss is another factor that influences the dynamics of cyanobacteria in lakes. However, to date, it is still unclear how the sinking property of Microcystis responds to nitrogen availability. Our results suggest that nitrogen limitation would directly influence sinking property of Microcystis , through a significant increase in the specific density of cells. In the short term, carbohydrate accumulation was mainly responsible for the high specific density, showing a high correlation among the NO 3 −-N concentration, specific density and carbohydrate content. Furthermore, carbohydrates could rapidly accumulate after one light/dark cycle, which was mainly due to the reduction in carbohydrate consumption in the darkness under nitrogen limitation. Under nitrogen-light coupling conditions, the specific density ranged from 1.060 to 1.068, except for the treatment with high-nitrogen plus low-light, which showed the value of 1.032. More importantly, when coupled with low nitrogen, the low light did not decrease the carbohydrate content and the specific density, which implied that the sinking cells could not migrate back to the surface. Accordingly, a hypothesis was proposed that the carbohydrate accumulation induced by low nitrogen availability caused an increase in specific density, which invalidates the buoyancy regulation, and cells sink continually out of the water column. This study explores a new understanding on the disappearance mechanisms of Microcystis blooms in the late summer and fall. Graphical abstract Image 1001798 Highlights • Nitrogen limitation increased the specific density of Microcystis. • The higher specific density was attributed to the accumulation of carbohydrates. • Rapid carbohydrate accumulation was due to its lower consumption rate in darkness. • Nitrogen limitation negatively affected the buoyancy regulation. • This study complements the disappearance mechanisms of Microcystis blooms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The diet quality of rural residents has been improving since 2000. • Food market development contributes to a better dietary quality for rural residents. • Food market has stronger impact on diet for nonfarmers. • Not all food items are converging to the recommended dietary pattern. The market-oriented reform in China in the past 4 decades has greatly reshaped the consumption pattern in rural areas. In particular, farmers' diets are more likely to depend on food market development such as food accessibility. This study investigates the role of food accessibility in the transition of dietary pattern in rural China by using the China Health and Nutrition Survey data (1997–2011) and whether food accessibility helps alleviate the deviation between farmers' dietary pattern and the recommended dietary pattern according to China Food Pagoda 2016. The primary results indicate that food accessibility contributes to improvements in quality. In particular, food accessibility increases the consumption of oil and decreases the consumption of cereal, potatoes, and beans; fruits; vegetables; and salt. Further estimation finds evidence that along with increasing food accessibility, fruit is converging to the recommended dietary pattern in China Food Pagoda 2016, and the deviations of legumes, nuts, and oil are increasing. We also observe that the impact of food accessibility on dietary quality is stronger for those not engaged in agriculture production. Our study provides valuable implications for rural development and nutrition security in the developing world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insulin resistance (IR) is a vital hallmark of type 2 diabetes mellitus, which is characterized by an impaired ability of insulin to promote glucose uptake and utilization. Lipid deposition is closely associated with impaired insulin sensitivity. PPARγ plays an important role in glucose homeostasis, adipocyte differentiation, and insulin sensitivity. Likewise, DGAT2 also exerts a crucial role in integrating carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in the liver. The present study is aimed at evaluating a Chinese medicinal formula, Tangduqing granules (TDQ), with multifaceted actions against lipid and glucose metabolism disorder and IR of type 2 diabetes. An animal model of type 2 diabetes was developed by high-fat diet feeding plus low-dose streptozotocin injection. After oral administration of TDQ for 5 weeks, the effects on glucose and lipid metabolism and the underlying mechanism were evaluated by biochemical, histological, RT-PCR, and western blotting methods. The results showed that TDQ decreased fasting blood glucose, ameliorated glucose tolerance, and improved IR. Besides, TDQ regulated hyperlipidemia symptoms, decreased serum lipid levels and liver TG, and reduced hepatic steatosis in a type 2 diabetic rat model. Furthermore, TDQ reversed diabetes-induced decrease in the mRNA and protein expression of PPARγ and elevation in the mRNA and protein levels of DGAT2 in the liver. In addition, we showed that interference of TDQ ameliorated palmitate-induced glucose and lipid metabolic abnormalities in HepG2 cells. TDQ are, therefore, a potential Chinese medicinal formula that relieves IR and lipid metabolism disorder might be through promotion of PPARγ and decrease of DGAT2 expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • An ESIPT-based fluorescent probe was reported for determination of methanol in biodiesel. • Ratiometric fluorescent response with a large chromatic shift was achieved. • The methanol-sensing mechanism has been studied by fluorescence spectra and time-resolved fluorescence decay. Abstract Developing an analytical method for monitoring methanol content in biodiesel in a rapid and precise manner is of great importance for biodiesel production quality control, due to that an excessive amount of methanol in biodiesel will accelerate the engine aging thereby affect driving safety. In this study, we reported a novel flavonoid-based fluorescent probe HOF with the excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) character. This study demonstrated that the alcohols could form strong intermolecular hydrogen bonds with the HOF molecules and consequently block the ESIPT process, triggering a fast and specific fluorescence response. This alcohol-sensing method was proven to be rapid, sensitive, ratiometric, and visually discernible for detection of methanol with multi-channel signal output (fluorescent wavelength, intensity, and lifetime). Moreover, this method was successfully applied for determination of methanol content in commercial biodiesel, which may provide a practical tool for real-time monitoring of biodiesel production process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aconite Lateralis Radix Praeparata (Fuzi) and Pinelliae Rhizoma (Banxia) are a combination often used to treat cardiovascular diseases in ancient and modern clinical practice. However, eighteen antagonisms based on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory often abided against such combination therapy. Therefore, exploring whether coadministration of the two herbs can be used in adriamycin- (ADR-) induced cardiomyopathy and clarifying the potential mechanism could help to guide its clinical application. Echocardiography experiments revealed that either Fuzi, Banxia, or their combination had effect on ADR-induced heart dysfunction, while high dose Fuzi exerted positive inotropic effect associated with restored PKA levels. Moreover, low dose Fuzi significantly reduced QT/QTc prolongation, inhibited cardiac apoptosis, and upregulated protein expression of PKA. However, combination of Fuzi and Banxia greatly aggravated QT/QTc prolongation and cardiomyocyte apoptosis in ADR rats compared with each drug alone, which was accompanied by a marked decrease in PKA, pSer346 levels. Similarly, Banxia alone treatment promoted cardiac apoptosis and downregulated protein levels of PKA and pSer346. Additionally, high dose Fuzi treatment also produced proapoptotic effect. Taken together, our study has provided the first direct evidence that combination of Fuzi, a positive inotropic agent, with Banxia promoted cardiac apoptosis in an ADR induced rat model of cardiomyopathy, which may be associated with suppression of PKA/β2AR-Gs signaling. This study also provides scientific language for better understanding of the risks and limitations of combination of Fuzi and Banxia in clinical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Harmful algal blooms in eutrophic waters pose a serious threat to freshwater ecosystems and human health. In-situ light availability control is one of the most commonly used technologies to suppress algae in lakes and reservoirs. To develop a better understanding of the effects of light on algal growth, specific density, colony size and sinking loss, Anabaena flos-aquae (cyanobacteria) and Scenedesmus obliquus (green algae) were evaluated in varying light scenarios. The results showed that the specific density and colony size of these two species varied during growth, and there were obvious differences among the light scenarios. At the end of exponential phase, S. obliquus incubated under light-limited condition maintained a higher specific density and formed larger aggregates, whereas A. flos-aquae formed a longer filament length. Both species exhibited higher sinking loss rates with lower light availability. These results implied that the sinking loss rate was not always constant but should be considered as a variable response to the change of light availability, and in-situ light availability control might result in a significant increase of the sinking loss of algae due to the change of size and specific density, thereby further affecting the algal biomass in the water column. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies indicated that the algal decomposition produces particulate and dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and can enhance denitrification in eutrophic lakes. However, the effects of the living cyanobacteria on nitrogen cycling in eutrophic lakes were still an unknown question. This study explores a new underlying mechanism of nitrate removal which is driven by living Microcystis . The results suggested that living Microcystis significantly enhanced the nitrate removal at sediment-water interface, with a nitrate removal rate of 0.54 d −1 , which was 2.57 times higher than the nitrate removal rate in the treatment without the addition of Microcystis . Measurements of Chl a and Fv/Fm confirmed that Microcystis was tolerant to the dark/anoxic condition, and the recovery experiments suggested that Microcystis could survive under such stress conditions for at least seven days. Meanwhile, DOC secreted by living Microcystis reached to 4.55 mg C mg −1 Chl a. These secretions were biodegradable hydrophilic and contained carbohydrates and proteins. Our study indicated that during blooms, sinking Microcystis cells could directly provide DOC as carbon source, then consequently enhanced the denitrification at sediment-water interface, and the interactive relationship between living cyanobacteria and permanent nitrate removal should be taken into account while studying nitrogen cycling in aquatic ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ovarian cancer is a gynecological malignant tumor with a high mortality rate among women, owing to metastatic progression and recurrence. Acquisition of invasiveness is accompanied by the loss of epithelial features and a gain of a mesenchymal phenotype, a process known as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) has been implicated in the regulation of EMT. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the role of long noncoding RNA H19 and microRNA-370 (miR-370-3p) in TGF-β-induced EMT. Ovarian cancer cell lines SKOV-3 and OVCAR3 were incubated with different concentrations of TGF-β, and the results showed that TGF-β treatment upregulated H19 and downregulated miR-370-3p. In addition, an H19 knockdown or miR-370-3p overexpression suppressed TGF-β-induced EMT, while H19 overexpression or a miR-370-3p knockdown promoted TGF-β-induced EMT. Mechanistically, H19 could directly bind to miR-370-3p and effectively act as its competing endogenous RNA. Furthermore, we demonstrated that this activity of H19 was involved in its promotion of TGF-β-induced EMT. Thus, our results may provide novel insights into the process of TGF-β-induced EMT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Harmful cyanobacterial blooms (CyanoHABs) represent a serious threat to aquatic ecosystems. A beneficial use for these harmful microorganisms would be a promising resolution of this urgent issue. This study applied a simple method, nitrogen limitation, to cultivate cyanobacteria aimed at producing cyanobacterial carbon for denitrification. Under nitrogen-limited conditions, the common cyanobacterium, Microcystis, efficiently used nitrate, and had a higher intracellular C/N ratio. More importantly, organic carbons easily leached from its dry powder; these leachates were biodegradable and contained a larger amount of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and carbohydrates, but a smaller amount of dissolved total nitrogen (DTN) and proteins. When applied to an anoxic system with a sediment-water interface, a significant increase of the specific NO X − -N removal rate was observed that was 14.2 times greater than that of the control. This study first suggests that nitrogen-limited cultivation is an efficient way to induce organic and carbohydrate accumulation in cyanobacteria, as well as a high C/N ratio, and that these cyanobacteria can act as a promising carbon source for denitrification. The results indicate that application as a carbon source is not only a new way to utilize cyanobacteria, but it also contributes to nitrogen removal in aquatic ecosystems, further limiting the proliferation of CyanoHABs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]