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Objective: To clarify the specific mechanisms of action of raw Phellodendron chinense Schneid. (RPC) and saltwater-processed PC (SPC) in the treatment of rats with a kidney-yin deficiency pattern (KYDP). Methods: Healthy rats were administered hydrocortisone to establish a KYDP model. The rats were divided into seven groups: blank control, model, positive control (Liuwei Dihuang pills), high-dose RPC, low-dose RPC, high-dose SPC, and low-dose SPC. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure the levels of cAMP, cGMP, TRH, TSH, T3, T4, IFN-γ, TNF-α, and testosterone in the serum and the levels of Na+-K+-ATPase and Ca2+-Mg2+-ATPase in the liver. TRH mRNA expression in the rat hypothalamus was measured using RT-PCR. THRα1+2 protein expression in the hypothalamus of rats was measured using Western blot. Immunohistochemistry was performed to determine the expression levels of FAS, FasL, and TSHR. Flow cytometry was used to determine CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocyte levels. Illumina MiSeq sequencing technology was used to evaluate the diversity of intestinal flora in KYDP rats. Results: The cAMP/cGMP ratio was significantly higher in the model group than in the blank control group (P = .048). Compared with the model group, after administration, the levels of the above-mentioned serum and liver indexes decreased, except that of testosterone. The CD4+/CD8+ ratio also decreased. Compared with the RPC group, the levels of T3, IFN-γ, FAS, FasL, and TSHR in the SPC group decreased whereas that of testosterone increased. Additionally, immune function and intestinal flora diversity improved in the SPC group. SPC proved to be more effective in improving liver energy metabolism in KYDP rats than RPC. Conclusion: SPC had a better therapeutic effect on KYDP than RPC. The underlying mechanism of action may be related to improvements in liver energy metabolism, immune function, and intestinal flora diversity.

Abstract Long non‐coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as significant contributors to the regulation of various biological processes, and their dysregulation has been linked to a variety of human disorders. Accurate prediction of potential correlations between lncRNAs and diseases is crucial for advancing disease diagnostics and treatment procedures. The authors introduced a novel computational method, iGATTLDA, for the prediction of lncRNA‐disease associations. The model utilised lncRNA and disease similarity matrices, with known associations represented in an adjacency matrix. A heterogeneous network was constructed, dissecting lncRNAs and diseases as nodes and their associations as edges. The Graph Attention Network (GAT) is employed to process initial features and corresponding adjacency information. GAT identified significant neighbouring nodes in the network, capturing intricate relationships between lncRNAs and diseases, and generating new feature representations. Subsequently, the transformer captures global dependencies and interactions across the entire sequence of features produced by the GAT. Consequently, iGATTLDA successfully captures complex relationships and interactions that conventional approaches may overlook. In evaluating iGATTLDA, it attained an area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) of 0.95 and an area under the precision recall curve (AUPRC) of 0.96 with a two‐layer multilayer perceptron (MLP) classifier. These results were notably higher compared to the majority of previously proposed models, further substantiating the model’s efficiency in predicting potential lncRNA‐disease associations by incorporating both local and global interactions. The implementation details can be obtained from https://github.com/momanyibiffon/iGATTLDA.

Abstract Highly sensitive airborne virus monitoring is critical for preventing and containing epidemics. However, the detection of airborne viruses at ultra-low concentrations remains challenging due to the lack of ultra-sensitive methods and easy-to-deployment equipment. Here, we present an integrated microfluidic cartridge that can accurately detect SARS-COV-2, Influenza A, B, and respiratory syncytial virus with a sensitivity of 10 copies/mL. When integrated with a high-flow aerosol sampler, our microdevice can achieve a sub-single-copy spatial resolution of 0.83 copies/m3 for airborne virus surveillance with an air flow rate of 400 L/min and a sampling time of 30 minutes. We then designed a series of virus-in-aerosols monitoring systems (RIAMs), including versions of a multi-site sampling RIAMs (M-RIAMs), a stationary real-time RIAMs (S-RIAMs), and a roaming real-time RIAMs (R-RIAMs) for different application scenarios. Using M-RIAMs, we performed a comprehensive evaluation of 210 environmental samples from COVID-19 patient wards, including 30 aerosol samples. The highest positive detection rate of aerosol samples (60%) proved the aerosol-based SARS-CoV-2 monitoring represents an effective method for spatial risk assessment. The detection of 78 aerosol samples in real-world settings via S-RIAMs confirmed its reliability for ultra-sensitive and continuous airborne virus monitoring. Therefore, RIAMs shows the potential as an effective solution for mitigating the risk of airborne virus transmission.

BackgroundOral exposure to metals/metalloid elements in drinking water may be harmful to human health.ObjectiveTo assess potential health risks of oral exposure to 9 metals/metalloids in drinking water in Zibo City of Shandong Province from 2019 to 2023, and provide reference for the development of local drinking water management policies.MethodFrom 2019 to 2023, a total of 1178 drinking water samples were collected from 261 rural water monitoring sites and 14 urban water monitoring sites in 8 districts and counties of Zibo City. The US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) four-step health assessment model was used to evaluate the health risks of oral exposure to 9 metals/metalloids in drinking water for adults.ResultsA total of 1178 water samples were collected, including 561 urban water samples and 617 rural water samples; 769 samples of tap water and 409 samples of finished water; 634 samples collected in wet season and 544 in dry season. The median carcinogenic risk (CR) of arsenic exposure in drinking water for adults was 3.53×10−5, and the median hazard quotient (HQ) was 7.85×10−2. The HQs of arsenic and zinc showed an upward trend in recent years, while the HQ of aluminum showed a downward trend. The stratified analysis results showed that there was no statistically significant difference in the CR of arsenic between males and females or between urban water and rural water. The CR of arsenic in dry season was higher than that in wet season, and the CR of arsenic in tap water was higher than that in finished water (P

Abstract Background Increasing evidences suggest that nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with neuropsychiatric disorders. Nevertheless, whether there were causal associations between them remained vague. A causal association between neuropsychiatric disorders and NAFLD was investigated in this study. Methods We assessed the published genome-wide association study summary statistics for NAFLD, seven mental disorder-related diseases and six central nervous system dysfunction-related diseases. The causal relationships were first assessed using two-sample and multivariable Mendelian randomization (MR). Then, sensitivity analyses were performed, followed by a reverse MR analysis to determine whether reverse causality is possible. Finally, we performed replication analyses and combined the findings from the above studies. Results Our meta-analysis results showed NAFLD significantly increased the risk of anxiety disorders (OR = 1.016, 95% CI = 1.010–1.021, P value

Abstract Background The association of plastic additive mixture exposure with diabetes and the modifying effects of dietary antioxidants are unclear. Methods The data from the NHANES 2011–2018 were retrieved, and phthalates and organophosphate esters (OPEs) were selected as exposures. The coexposure effect was analyzed by the environmental risk score (ERS) and quantile g-computation. To mitigate any potential bias caused by using the internal weights, another version of ERS was constructed using the cross-validation approach. The level of dietary antioxidant intake was measured by the composite dietary antioxidant index (CDAI). The biological mechanism underlying the association was studied by the adverse outcome pathway (AOP) framework. Results Fifteen chemicals (ten phthalates and five OPEs) were measured in 2824 adult participants. A higher ERS was significantly associated with an increased risk of diabetes (OR per 1-SD increment of ERS: 1.25, 95% CI: 1.13–1.39). This association apparently interacted with the CDAI level (ORlow: 1.83, 95% CI: 1.37–2.55; ORhigh: 1.28, 95% CI: 1.15–1.45; P interaction = 0.038). Moreover, quantile g-computation also revealed higher level of combined exposure was positively associated with diabetes (OR: 1.27, 95% CI: 1.05–2.87), and the addition of dietary antioxidants showed a null association (OR: 1.09, 95% CI: 0.85–2.34). The AOP study identified TCPP and TCEP as key chemicals that cause aberrant glucose metabolism and insulin signaling pathways and result in diabetes. Conclusions Coexposure to phthalates and OPEs is positively associated with diabetes, where an antioxidative diet plays a modifying role. Several potential mechanisms have been proposed by AOP framework.

This study aims to explore the changes in the vitreous proteomics of form deprivation myopia (FDM) in guinea pigs, in order to reveal the molecular mechanisms involved in the onset and development of myopia. The myopia model in guinea pigs was successfully established by covering one eye of the guinea pigs with a latex bead sac for 4 weeks. This study used 4D data-independent acquisition proteomics technology to analyze vitreous body samples from both the FDM group and the control group. The goal of the proteomics analysis was to identify differences in protein expression within the vitreous body of FDM guinea pigs. Myopia was successfully induced in the FDM group after 4 weeks of modeling. A total of 6298 proteins were identified, among which 348 were differentially expressed proteins (DEPs), with 81 upregulated and 267 downregulated. These DEPs were subjected to in-depth bioinformatics analyses, including Gene Ontology, the Eukaryotic Orthologous Groups, and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes. These analyses revealed significant involvement in cellular processes, metabolic pathways, biological regulation, cytoskeletal organization, and cell movement. Our results indicate that calcium signaling plays a critical role in mediating eye changes associated with form deprivation, which may bear similarities to mechanisms observed in neurodegenerative diseases. A total of 348 DEPs related to the development and progression of myopia were identified. These changes involve key biological processes, including protein degradation, cell adhesion, and transport, especially alterations in calcium signaling pathways. Stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1) is an important biological marker of FDM, which was confirmed by Western blot, immunohistochemistry and ELISA. Our study found clear differences in the expression of proteins in the vitreous during the development of myopic guinea pigs, especially those related to calcium signaling pathway. Our study offers new insights into the pathogenesis of myopia, particularly changes related to protein metabolism pathways.

Abstract Considering the indispensable significance and utilities of meta-substituted pyridines in medicinal, chemical as well as materials science, a direct meta-selective C–H functionalization of pyridines is of paramount importance, but such reactions remain limited and highly challenging. In general, established methods for meta C–H functionalization of pyridines rely on the utilization of tailored electrophilic reagents to realize the intrinsic polarity match. Herein, we report a complementary electrochemical methodology; diverse nucleophilic sulfinates allow meta-sulfonylation of pyridines through a redox-neutral dearomatization-rearomatization strategy by a tandem dearomative cycloaddition/hydrogen-evolution electrooxidative C–H sulfonation of the resulting oxazino-pyridines/acid-promoted rearomatization sequence. Besides, several salient features, including exclusive regiocontrol, remarkable substrate/functional group compatibility, scale-up potential, and facile late-stage modification, have been demonstrated, which further contributes to the practicality and adaptability of this approach.

Abstract Despite the importance of radiation therapy as a non-surgical treatment for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), radiation resistance has always been a concern, due to poor patient response and prognosis. Therefore, it is crucial to uncover novel targets to enhance radiotherapy and investigate the mechanisms underlying radiation resistance. Previously, we demonstrated that NRP1 was connected to radiation resistance in NSCLC cells. In the present study, bioinformatics analysis of constructed radiation-resistant A549 and H1299 cell models revealed that transcription coactivator YAP is a significant factor in cell proliferation and metastasis. However, there has been no evidence linking YAP and NRP1 to date. In this research, we have observed that YAP contributes to radiation resistance in NSCLC cells by stimulating cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Mechanistically, YAP dephosphorylation after NSCLC cell radiation. YAP acts as a transcription co-activator by binding to the transcription factor TEAD4, facilitating TEAD4 to bind to the NRP1 promoter region and thereby increasing NRP1 expression. NRP1 has been identified as a new target gene for YAP/TEAD4. Notably, when inhibiting YAP binds to TEAD4, it inhibits NRP1 expression, and Rescue experiments show that YAP/TEAD4 influences NRP1 to regulate cell proliferation, metastasis and leading to radiation resistance generation. According to these results, YAP/TEAD4/NRP1 is a significant mechanism for radioresistance and can be utilized as a target for enhancing radiotherapy efficacy.

Abstract Background Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and metals were associated with decreased lung function, but co-exposure effects and underlying mechanism remained unknown. Methods Among 1,123 adults from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011–2012, 10 urinary PAHs, 11 urinary metals, and peripheral white blood cell (WBC) count were determined, and 5 lung function indices were measured. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator, Bayesian kernel machine regression, and quantile-based g-computation were used to estimate co-exposure effects on lung function. Mediation analysis was used to explore mediating role of WBC. Results These models demonstrated that PAHs and metals were significantly associated with lung function impairment. Bayesian kernel machine regression models showed that comparing to all chemicals fixed at median level, forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1)/forced vital capacity, peak expiratory flow, and forced expiratory flow between 25 and 75% decreased by 1.31% (95% CI: 0.72%, 1.91%), 231.62 (43.45, 419.78) mL/s, and 131.64 (37.54, 225.74) mL/s respectively, when all chemicals were at 75th percentile. In the quantile-based g-computation, each quartile increase in mixture was associated with 104.35 (95% CI: 40.67, 168.02) mL, 1.16% (2.11%, 22.40%), 294.90 (78.37, 511.43) mL/s, 168.44 (41.66, 295.22) mL/s decrease in the FEV1, FEV1/forced vital capacity, peak expiratory flow, and forced expiratory flow between 25% and 75%, respectively. 2-Hydroxyphenanthrene, 3-Hydroxyfluorene, and cadmium were leading contributors to the above associations. WBC mediated 8.22%-23.90% of association between PAHs and lung function. Conclusions Co-exposure of PAHs and metals impairs lung function, and WBC could partially mediate this relationship. Our findings elucidate co-exposure effects of environmental mixtures on respiratory health and underlying mechanisms, suggesting that focusing on highly prioritized toxicants would effectively attenuate adverse effects.

Abstract Background Colon cancer remains a major health concern worldwide, with genetic factors playing a crucial role in its development. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) has been implicated in various cancers, but their role in colon cancer is not well understood. This study aims to identify functional polymorphisms in the promoter and 3′UTR regions of TLRs and evaluate their association with colon cancer susceptibility. Methods We conducted a case-control study involving 410 colon cancer patients and 410 healthy controls from the Chinese population. Genotyping of polymorphisms in TLR3, TLR4, TLR5 and TLR7 was performed using PCR-RFLP and TaqMan MGB probes. Using logistic regression analysis, we evaluated the association of TLRs polymorphisms and the susceptibility to colon cancer. To understand the biological implications of the TLR4 rs1927914 polymorphism, we conducted functional assays, including luciferase reporter assay and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). Results Our results demonstrated that the G-allele of the TLR4 rs1927914 polymorphism is significantly associated with a decreased risk of colon cancer (OR = 0.68, 95%CI = 0.50–0.91). Stratified analysis showed that TLR4 rs1927914 AG or GG genotype contributed to a decreased risk of colon cancer among younger individuals (OR = 0.52, 95%CI = 0.34–0.81), males (OR = 0.58, 95%CI = 0.38–0.87), non-smokers (OR = 0.58, 95%CI = 0.41–0.83) and non-drinker with OR (95%CI) of 0.66 (0.46–0.93). Functional assays demonstrated that in HCT116 and LOVO colon cancer cells, the luciferase activity driven by the TLR4 promoter with the rs1927914A allele was 5.43 and 2.07 times higher, respectively, compared to that driven by the promoter containing the rs1927914G allele. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) results indicated that the rs1927914G allele enhanced transcription factor binding. Using the transcription factor prediction tool, we found that the G allele facilitates binding of the repressive transcription factor Oct1, while the A allele does not. Conclusion The TLR4 rs1927914 polymorphism influence the susceptibility to colon cancer, with the G allele offering a protective effect through modulation of gene expression. These insights enhance our understanding of the genetic determinants of colon cancer risk and highlight TLR4 as a promising target for cancer prevention strategies.

Abstract Objectives To use T1ρ mapping to assess myocardial fibrosis and to provide a reference for future clinical application, it is necessary to understand the factors influencing T1ρ values. This study explored the influence of different spin-locking frequencies on T1ρ values under a 3.0-T MR system. Methods Fifty-seven healthy subjects were prospectively and consecutively included in this study, and T1ρ mapping was performed on them in 3 short-axis slices with three spin-lock frequencies at the amplitude of 300 Hz, 400 Hz, and 500 Hz, then nine T1ρ images were acquired per subject. Four T1ρ-weighted images were acquired using a spin-lock preparation pulse with varying durations (0 msec, 13.3 msec, 26.6 msec, 40 msec). T1ρ relaxation times were quantified for each slice and each myocardial segment. The results were analyzed using Student’s t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) methods. Results Mean T1ρ relaxation times were 43.5 ± 2.8 msec at 300 Hz, 44.9 ± 3.6 msec at 400 Hz, and 46.2 ± 3.1 msec at 500 Hz, showing a significant progressive increase from low to high spin-lock frequency (300 Hz vs. 400 Hz, p = 0.046; 300 Hz vs. 500 Hz, p

Significance Impregnated diamond bits (IDBs) have been widely used in various hard rock drilling activities, especially deep drilling. Drilling process with IDBs relies on diamond edge wrapped by metal matrices to break the rock formation, which means the wear pattern of the diamond bit reflects the interaction between bits and rock, as well as the existence form of broken particles, which directly determine the drilling efficiency and service life of the drilling tools. But up to now there have not been so much in-depth study on its wear mechanism and analysing method in geological drilling. Progress and Analysis Therefore, this paper reviews the research literature on IDBs wear in the field of geological drilling, summarizes the abnormal bit wear problem according to engineering project experineces and industrial standards. Firstly, based on the experiences of geological drilling activities and industry standards, different types of abnormal bit wear of drill bits were summarized. Then, the evaluation methods of drill bit wear were introduced from the aspects of wear images and drilling signals. The wear mechanism and influencing factors of the drill bit in the drilling process were sorted out from three aspects: The overall drill bit, diamond, and metal matrix. In addition, mainstream methods of controlling drill bit wear performance were listed, and the research progress of wear analysis equations was introduced, besides, how machine learning methods can assist in the study of drill bit wear was discussed. Conclusion and Prospect Thus, IDBs have great potentials in deep hard rock drilling, and their wear performance is the key influnencing the whole drilling activity. To this end, research directions such as artificial intelligence assisting data analysis, microscale computational simulation, additive manufacturing, and material processing modification were analyzed and discussed, aiming to explore advanced methods for monitoring, analyzing, and regulating the wear of diamond drill bits, so as to meet the needs of remote monitoring and controlling in drilling activities such as geological deep drilling and extraterrestrial drilling.

Abstract Breast cancer is a prevalent malignant tumor among women with an increasing incidence rate annually. Breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) are integral in impeding tumor advancement and addressing drug resistance. Bestatin serves as an adjuvant chemotherapy, triggering apoptosis in cancer cells. In this study, the effects of bestatin on sorted BCSCs from breast cancer cell lines have been studied. Our results indicated that bestatin inhibits the migration and proliferation of breast cancer cells by reducing the stemness of BCSCs both in vitro and in vivo. Puromycin-sensitive aminopeptidase is implicated in the process through the regulation of cell cycle, resulting in heightened cell apoptosis and diminished cell proliferation of BCSCs. Our study suggest that targeting cancer stem cell may offer a promising approach in breast cancer treatment, presenting noval therapeutic strategies for patients with breast cancer.

Abstract The annual increase in myopia prevalence poses a significant economic and health challenge. Our study investigated the effect of calcitriol role in myopia by inducing the condition in guinea pigs through form deprivation for four weeks. Untargeted metabolomics methods were used to analyze the differences in metabolites in the vitreous body, and the expression of vitamin D receptor (VDR) in the retina was detected. Following form deprivation, the guinea pigs received intraperitoneal injections of calcitriol at different concentrations. We assessed myopia progression using diopter measurements and biometric analysis after four weeks. Results indicated that form deprivation led to a pronounced shift towards myopia, characterized by reduced choroidal and scleral thickness, disorganized collagen fibers, and decreased scleral collagen fiber diameter. Notably, a reduction in calcitriol expression in vitreous body, diminished vitamin D and calcitriol levels in the blood, and decreased VDR protein expression in retinal tissues were observed in myopic guinea pigs. Calcitriol administration effectively slowed myopia progression, preserved choroidal and scleral thickness, and prevented the reduction of scleral collagen fiber diameter. Our findings highlight a significant decrease in calcitriol and VDR expressions in myopic guinea pigs and demonstrate that exogenous calcitriol supplementation can halt myopia development, enhancing choroidal and scleral thickness and scleral collagen fiber diameter.

Abstract Surface defect detection is an essential task for ensuring the quality of products. Many excellent object detectors have been employed to detect surface defects in resent years, which has achieved outstanding success. To further improve the detection performance, a defect detector based on state‐of‐the‐art YOLOv8, named improved YOLOv8 by neck, head and data (NHD‐YOLO), is proposed. Specifically, YOLOv8 from three crucial aspects including neck, head and data is improved. First, a shortcut feature pyramid network is designed to effectively fuse features from backbone by improving the information transmission. Then, an adaptive decoupled head is proposed to alleviate the feature spatial misalignment between the classification and regression tasks. Finally, to enhance the training on small objects, a data augmentation method named selective small object copy and paste is proposed. Extensive experiments are conducted on three real‐world datasets: detection dataset from Northeastern University (NEU‐DET), printed circuit boards from Peking University (PKU‐Market‐PCB) and common objects in context (COCO). According to the results, NHD‐YOLO achieves the highest detection accuracy and exhibits outstanding inference speed and generalisation performance.

Programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) inhibitors are increasingly utilized in the treatment of lung cancer (LC). Combination therapy has recently gained popularity in treating LC. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of combining Astragaloside IV (AS-IV) and anti-PD-1 in LC. C57BL/6J mice were subcutaneously injected with Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) cells. After 3 weeks, the animals were sacrificed, and the tumors were harvested for analysis. Ki-67 immuno-labeling and TUNEL assay were used for evaluating cell proliferation and apoptosis in tumor tissues. In addition, anti-cleaved caspase 3 was used for immunolabelling of apoptotic cells. Immune cell infiltration (macrophages and T cells) and gene expression in tumor tissues were also investigated by using immunofluorescence staining. Compared to treatment with anti-PD-1 or AS-IV, the combination of AS-IV and anti-PD-1 notably reduced tumor volume and weight of LLC-bearing mice. Additionally, the combination treatment strongly induced the apoptosis and suppressed the proliferation in tumor tissues through inactivating PI3K/Akt and ERK signaling pathways, compared to single treatment group. Moreover, the combination treatment elevated levels of the M1 macrophage marker mCD86, reduced levels of the M2 macrophage marker mCD206, as well as upregulated levels of the T cell activation marker mCD69 in tumor tissues. Collectively, the combination treatment effectively inhibited tumor growth in LLC mice through promoting M1 macrophage polarization and T cell activation. These findings showed that combining AS-IV with anti-PD-1 therapy could be a promising therapeutic approach for LC.

Background: Lupus anticoagulant-hypoprothrombinemia syndrome (LAHPS) is a rare acquired bleeding disorder characterized by the presence of lupus anticoagulant (LA) and acquired hypoprothrombinemia. Objectives: To summarize the experience of diagnosis, clinical features, and treatment of lupus anticoagulant-hypoprothrombinemia syndrome (LAHPS). Methods: A retrospective study of 70 children diagnosed with LAHPS from January 2019 to February 2024 at a single center was conducted. Results: A total of 70 subjects (32 boys and 38 girls), with a mean age of 5.58 years, were included in the study. Among these subjects, 15 had autoimmune diseases (AIDs), 51 had infections, and 4 had unknown causes. Fifty-six of 70 (80%) subjects experienced bleeding with the median bleeding score of 4, 1 of 70 (1.4%) presented with thrombosis, and 13 of 70 (18.6%) were asymptomatic. All patients exhibited prolonged prothrombin time, significantly prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time, decreased factor (F)II activity (FII:C), and positive lupus anticoagulant. There was a weak negative correlation between the severity of bleeding and FII:C level (rs = −0.4283; P < .001). Patients with infection-associated LAHPS were younger than those with AIDs-associated LAHPS (P < .0001). In the study, LAHPS subjects are treated with corticosteroids as the first-line therapy, or in combination with immunosuppressants. Coagulation factor replacement therapy can effectively prevent and control bleeding events. After follow-up, lupus anticoagulant of all patients had turned negative within 12 weeks. And, prothrombin time and FII:C were completely normalized of all patients without recurrence of bleeding and without thrombosis. Conclusion: Children develop LAHPS most commonly after AIDs and infection. Most patients presented with mild to moderate bleeding. The severity of bleeding symptoms was not exactly parallel to the decreased FII:C level.

Background: Maternal exposure to multiple antibiotics exposure during pregnancy has attracted extensive attention, but biomonitoring studies linking prenatal antibiotic exposure to emotional and behavioural problems in children are limited. Methods: A total of 2475 pregnant women from the Ma’anshan Birth Cohort were included, and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire was completed when their children turned four years of age. The levels of 41 maternal urinary antibiotics and two metabolites were measured during the first, second and third trimesters. Generalized estimating equations and binary logistic regression models were applied to analyse the associations between maternal antibiotic exposure and emotional and behavioural problems in children and to determine the sensitive period, respectively. A quantile-based g-computation (QGC) approach was employed to examine the combined effects of multiple antibiotics on emotional and behavioural problems in children. Results: Overall, florfenicol and preferred-as-veterinary antibiotic (PVA) exposure during pregnancy increased the risk of emotional problems in children, and ofloxacin exposure increased the risk of hyperactivity-inattention. Maternal exposure to trimethoprime, ciprofloxacin, florfenicol, other antibiotics and PVA exposure during the first trimester was positively associated with emotional problems in children. Second-trimester trimethoprime concentrations and third-trimester ciprofloxacin concentrations were positively associated with hyperactivity-inattention. Third-trimester veterinary antibiotic (VA) exposure was negatively associated with hyperactivity-inattention, and second-trimester VA and PVA exposure was negatively associated with peer problems. The QGC model revealed that mixed antibiotic exposure in the first trimester exacerbated the risk of childhood emotional problems (the contribution of ciprofloxacin is prominent), and mixed antibiotic exposure in the second trimester increased the risk of hyperactivity-inattention (the contribution of trimethoprime is prominent). Conclusion: Maternal mixed antibiotic exposure during the first and second trimesters increases the risk of emotional problems and hyperactivity-inattention in children at four years of age.

Global warming, driven by human activities since the Industrial Revolution, has significantly elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels, leading to higher global temperatures and a rise in extreme weather events. The ocean, as a major carbon sink, has absorbed about 30% of human-induced carbon emissions, helping mitigate global warming’s impacts. This study examines the spatiotemporal distribution of air-sea CO2 flux in the Northwest Pacific from 1982 to 2021 and its response to El Niño-Southern Oscillation, using Empirical Orthogonal Function and composite analysis. The seasonal patterns of air-sea CO2 flux and the influence of environmental factors were further evaluated. The results show that air-sea CO2 flux in the Northwest Pacific exhibits clear seasonal fluctuations. In winter, high-latitude areas act as significant carbon sources. Strong winds deepen the mixed layer, promoting CO2 release from the ocean into the atmosphere. In contrast, in summer, longer daylight hours, rising SST, and melting sea ice lead to upwelling, which brings nutrients to the surface and stimulates phytoplankton growth. This process turns the region into a carbon sink as phytoplankton growth, driven by intense sunlight, enhances the ocean’s CO2 absorption. The mid-latitude region consistently acts as a carbon sink year-round. During El Niño events, more negative air-sea CO2 flux anomalies appear in the eastern Northwest Pacific, enhancing carbon uptake. La Niña events have the opposite effect in the eastern regions. These findings highlight the Northwest Pacific’s critical role in modulating regional and global carbon cycles under varying climatic conditions. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for improving predictions of future climate impacts and for developing effective strategies to mitigate global warming.

There is a close relationship between preconception health and maternal and child health outcomes, and the consequences may be passed down from generation to generation. In 2018, Lancet published three consecutive articles emphasizing the importance of the preconception period. Phthalic acid ester (PAE) exposure during this period may affect gametogenesis and epigenetic information in gametophytes, thereby affecting embryonic development and offspring health. Therefore, this article reviews the effects of parental preconception PAE exposure on reproductive/birth outcomes and offspring health, to provide new evidence on this topic. We searched Web of Science, MEDLINE (through PubMed), the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), ScienceDirect, and the VIP Journal Library from the date of database establishment to July 3, 2024. Finally, 12 articles were included. Three studies investigated the health hazards (effects on birth weight, abortion, etc.) of women's preconception PAE exposure. Nine studies involved both parents. Nine studies considered the impacts of PAE preconception exposure on reproductive/birth outcomes, focusing on birth weight, pregnancy loss, preterm birth, embryo quality, and placental weight. Three studies considered the impacts of preconception PAE exposure on offspring behavior. The results of this review suggested that parental preconception PAE exposure may have an impact on reproductive/birth outcomes and offspring behavior, including birth weight, child behavior, and dietary behavior. However, studies on the health hazards of preconception PAE exposure are relatively scarce, and the outcomes of current studies are varied. It is necessary to use systematic reviews to verify an accurate research question to provide recommendations for public health policy making.

ObjectiveThis study aimed to comprehensively investigate hypervirulent carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CR-hvKP) in the Ningbo region. Importantly, we sought to elucidate its molecular characteristics and pathogenic mechanisms. This information will provide evidence-based insights for preventing and controlling nosocomial infections and facilitate improved clinical diagnosis and treatment in this region. Methods96 carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae strains were collected from the Ningbo region between January 2021 and December 2022. Whole genome sequencing and bioinformatic methods were employed to identify and characterize CR-hvKP strains at the molecular level. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of common clinical antibiotics were determined using the VITEK-2 Compact automatic microbiological analyzer. Plasmid conjugation experiments evaluated the transferability of resistance plasmids. Finally, mouse virulence assays were conducted to explore the pathogenic mechanisms.ResultsAmong the 96 strains, a single CR-hvKP strain, designated CR-hvKP57, was identified, with an isolation frequency of 1.04%. Whole-genome sequencing revealed the strain to be ST23 serotype with a K1 capsule. This strain harbored three plasmids. Plasmid 1, a pLVPK-like virulence plasmid, carried multiple virulence genes, including rmpA, rmpA2, iroB, iucA, and terB. Plasmid 2 contained transposable element sequences such as IS15 and IS26. Plasmid 3, classified as a resistance plasmid, harbored the blaKPC-3 carbapenem resistance gene. Mouse virulence assays demonstrated a high mortality rate associated with CR-hvKP57 infection. Additionally, there was a significant increase in IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α levels in response to CR-hvKP57 infection, indicating varying degrees of inflammatory response. Western blot experiments further suggested that the pathogenic mechanism involves activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway.ConclusionThis study confirms the emergence of hypervirulent CR-hvKP in the Ningbo region, which likely resulted from the acquisition of a pLVPK-like virulence plasmid and a blaKPC-3 resistance plasmid by the ST23-K1 type Klebsiella pneumoniae. Our findings highlight the urgent need for more judicious use of antibiotics to limit the emergence of resistance. Additionally, strengthening infection prevention and control measures is crucial to minimize the spread of virulence and resistance plasmids.

Abstract Exosomes are nanoscale vesicles of cellular origin. One of the main characteristics of exosomes is their ability to carry a wide range of biomolecules from their parental cells, which are important mediators of intercellular communication and play an important role in physiological and pathological processes. Exosomes have the advantages of biocompatibility, low immunogenicity, and wide biodistribution. As researchers’ understanding of exosomes has increased, various strategies have been proposed for their use in diagnosing and treating diseases. Here, we provide an overview of the biogenesis and composition of exosomes, describe the relationship between exosomes and disease progression, and focus on the use of exosomes as biomarkers for early screening, disease monitoring, and guiding therapy in refractory diseases such as tumors and neurodegenerative diseases. We also summarize the current applications of exosomes, especially engineered exosomes, for efficient drug delivery, targeted therapies, gene therapies, and immune vaccines. Finally, the current challenges and potential research directions for the clinical application of exosomes are also discussed. In conclusion, exosomes, as an emerging molecule that can be used in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, combined with multidisciplinary innovative solutions, will play an important role in clinical applications.

The phthalic acid esters (PAEs) are one class of the most abundant and frequently studied pseudo-persistent organic pollutants. Noninvasive urine is an effective substrate for evaluating PAE exposure, but repeated sampling is needed to overcome this bias. This adds much work to on-site collection and the cost of detection increases exponentially. Therefore, the aim of this study was to conduct a scope review to describe the detection methods and validity of the use of other noninvasive matrices, such as nails and hair, for assessing long-term exposure to PAEs. The PubMed, Web of Science and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), electronic databases were searched from 1 January 2000 to 3 April 2024, and 12 studies were included. Nine and three studies used hair and nails, respectively, as noninvasive matrices for detecting PAE exposure. Five articles compared the results of nail or hair and urine tests for validity of the assessment of PAE exposure. The preprocessing and detection methods for these noninvasive samples are also described. The results of this review suggest that, compared with nails, hair may be more suitable as a noninvasive alternative matrix for assessing long-term exposure to PAEs. However, sample handling procedures such as the extraction and purification of compounds from hair are not uniform in various studies; therefore, further exploration and optimization of this process, and additional research evidence to evaluate its effectiveness, are needed to provide a scientific basis for the promotion and application of hair detection methods for assessing long-term PAE exposure levels.

Abstract The SiO2–H2O binary system serves as a basis for understanding complex silicate-water systems. In this study, based on limited existing experimental data of solubility, we propose a new thermodynamic model for SiO2–H2O fluid by modifying the traditional non-random two-liquid model with a simplified polymerization reaction. This model is applicable from 773 K to the anhydrous quartz melting temperature and from 0.5 GPa to at least 2 GPa across the critical conditions. It can predict solid–liquid equilibrium and vapor–liquid equilibrium in good agreement with available experiments. The upper critical endpoint of the SiO2–H2O system is predicted to be at ~ 1.14 ± 0.18 GPa and 1344 ± 87 K. With the new model, we obtain a quantitative three-dimensional pressure–temperature–composition phase diagram of the SiO2–H2O fluid, which greatly facilitates the understanding of the complex phase behavior of this binary around the upper critical endpoint. In addition, since the model is based on the Gibbs free energy foundation, we further discuss the derived density variations of SiO2–H2O fluid along with its complex phase changes in typical geochemical processes.

Abstract In recent years, graph neural networks (GNNs) have been widely applied in recommender systems. However, existing recommendation algorithms based on GNNs still face challenges in node aggregation and feature extraction processes because they often lack the ability to capture the interactions between users and items, as well as users’ multiple intentions. This hinders accurate understanding of users’ needs. To address the aforementioned issues, we propose a recommendation model called multi-intent-aware interactive graph convolutional network (Multi-IAIGCN). This model is capable of integrating multiple user intents and adopts an interactive convolution approach to better capture the information on the interaction between users and items. First, before the interaction between users and items begins, user intents are divided and mapped into a graph. Next, interactive convolutions are applied to the user and item trees. Finally, by aggregating different features of user intents, predictions of user preferences are made. Extensive experiments on three publicly available datasets demonstrate that Multi-IAIGCN outperforms existing state-of-the-art methods or can achieve results comparable to those of existing state-of-the-art methods in terms of recall and NDCG, thus verifying the effectiveness of Multi-IAIGCN.

Abstract As a typical sub-deep reservoir in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River in the southwest region, Zhangjiayan Reservoir is also an important source of drinking water. Exploring the role of microorganisms in the material cycle of water bodies is of great significance for preventing the exacerbation of eutrophication in the reservoir. In this study, water samples from the overlying water of five points in the reservoir were collected four times in spring (April), summer (July), autumn (November), and winter (January) of 2022–2023 using a gas-tight water sampler. Physicochemical factors were measured, and the microbial community structure was analyzed by high-throughput MiSeq sequencing of the V3–V4 hypervariable region of 16S rRNA gene in order to explore the relationship between physicochemical factors and microbial community structure and the dominant microbial populations that affect eutrophication of the reservoir. The following results were obtained through analysis. Among the 20 overlying water samples from Zhangjiayan Reservoir, a total of 66 phyla, 202 classes, 499 orders, 835 families, 1716 genera, and 27,904 ASVs of the bacterial domain were detected. The phyla Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria were dominant in the microbial community of the overlying water in Zhangjiayan Reservoir. At the genus level, hgcI_clade and Actinobacteria had the highest abundance and was the dominant population. The microbial community in the water of Zhangjiayan Reservoir has a high level of diversity. The diversity index ranked by numerical order was winter > autumn > summer > spring. Significant differences were found in the composition and structure of the microbial community between the spring/summer and autumn/winter seasons (p

Abstract Evidence has revealed that DDOST plays an important role in cancer development and progression. However, there are no reports on functions of DDOST in cervical tumorigenesis. Hence, we investigated the relationship of DDOST with prognosis, mutation, promoter methylation, immune cell infiltration, and drug sensitivity using bioinformatics techniques. Our results demonstrated that DDOST was significantly upregulated in a variety of tumor types and correlated with poor prognosis, including cervical cancer. Cox regression analysis dissected that high DDOST expression was associated with poor survival in cervical cancer patients. Immune infiltration analysis defined that DDOST was negatively correlated with CD8 T cells and NK cells. Strikingly, the sensitivity to multiple drugs was negatively correlated with the expression of DDOST. Therefore, our findings uncovered that DDOST could play an essential role in the tumor microenvironment and tumor immune regulation in cervical cancer, which indicated that DDOST could be a useful biomarker for prognosis and a potential therapeutic target for cancer treatment.

In order to explore whether the addition of quinoa husks can affect the substance composition, flavor and biological activity of fermented Huangjiu, the traditional self-made Chenfuqu was used to ferment Huangjiu and two groups were set up inclouding ordinary Huangjiu and quinoa husks Huangjiu. The content of heavy metals in the two groups of wine samples was determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometer, and the basic physical and chemical indicators, differential compounds and flavor substances of the two groups of Huangjiu were analyzed and compared by high-performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometer (HPLC-MS) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS), and the antioxidant activity of Huangjiu was analyzed. The results showed that the content of total saponins and total phenolic acids in quinoa husks Huangjiu was significantly higher than that of ordinary Huangjiu, and the lead content was lower. Aflatoxin B1 was not detected in both groups of Huangjiu. There were 48 different compounds in the two kinds of Huangjiu, of which alcohols and amides substances were the most abundant, both of which were ten, followed by four kinds of acid substances and two kinds of carbohydrate substances. There were 19 kinds of volatile substances detected by GC-MS, 12 kinds of direct sampling, 12 kinds of headspace sampling, four kinds of substances were calibrated by external standard method, and the substances in ordinary Huangjiu were butyl formate, acetic acid and butyric acid, the contents were 5.10±1.10, 4.40±1.70, 10.80±2.20 μg/mL respectively. The substances in quinoa husks Huangjiu were butyl formate, n-butanol, acetic acid and butyric acid, the contents were 9.00±1.80, 7.40±2.10, 4.50±1.00, 9.50±2.10 μg/mL respectively. In terms of antioxidant activity, the Fe2+ chelation rates of the quinoa husks Huangjiu and ordinary Huangjiu were 45.79% and 6.51%, and the tyrosinase inhibition rates were 94.84% and 71.11%, respectively. The quinoa husks Huangjiu was significantly better than ordinary Huangjiu. Compared with ordinary Huangjiu, self-made quinoa husks Huangjiu had higher content of non-volatile substances and volatile flavor substances in the wine body, and higher antioxidant capacity. The results of this study would provide a theoretical basis for brewing a new quinoa husks Huangjiu, and lay a foundation for the high-value utilization of quinoa husks.

Abstract Background Unlike in lower vertebrates, Müller glia (MG) in adult mammalian retinas lack the ability to reprogram into neurons after retinal injury or degeneration and exhibit reactive gliosis instead. Whether a transition in MG cell fate from gliosis to reprogramming would help preserve photoreceptors is still under exploration. Methods A mouse model of retinitis pigmentosa (RP) was established using MG cell lineage tracing mice by intraperitoneal injection of sodium iodate (SI). The critical time point for the fate determination of MG gliosis was determined through immunohistochemical staining methods. Then, bulk-RNA and single-cell RNA seq techniques were used to elucidate the changes in RNA transcription of the retina and MG at that time point, and new genes that may determine the fate transition of MG were screened. Finally, the selected gene was specifically overexpressed in MG cells through adeno-associated viruses (AAV) in the mouse RP model. Bulk-RNA seq technique, immunohistochemical staining methods, and visual function testing were used to elucidate and validate the mechanism of new genes function on MG cell fate transition and retinal function. Results Here, we found the critical time point for MG gliosis fate determination was 3 days post SI injection. Hmga2 was screened out as a candidate regulator for the cell fate transition of MG. After retinal injury caused by SI, the Hmga2 protein is temporarily and lowly expressed in MG cells. Overexpression of Hmga2 in MG down-regulated glial cell related genes and up-regulated photoreceptor related genes. Besides, overexpressing Hmga2 exclusively to MG reduced MG gliosis, made MG obtain cone’s marker, and retained visual function in mice with acute retinal injury. Conclusion Our results suggested the unique reprogramming properties of Hmga2 in regulating the fate transition of MG and neuroprotective effects on the retina with acute injury. This work uncovers the reprogramming ability of epigenetic factors in MG.

Abstract Background Change in asthma burden attributed to specific environmental risk factor has not been evaluated. Objective We aimed to explore the age, period, and cohort effects on asthma burden attributable to smoking and occupational asthmagens in different socio-demographic index (SDI) regions and the region and sex disparities. Methods Risk factor-specific asthma deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) rates were extracted from Global Burden of Disease study 2019, estimated by standard Combined Cause of Death Model and DisMod-MR 2.1 modeling tool. Age-period-cohort analysis was conducted to decompose age, period, and cohort effects on asthma burden. Results Smoking- and occupational asthmagens-related asthma deaths and DALYs rates dropped by > 45% during 1990–2019. In 2019, Africa, South and Southeast Asia had higher asthma burden than other regions. Male had higher asthma burden than female. Among nearly all age groups, low-middle SDI region had the highest smoking-related asthma burden, and low SDI region had the highest occupational asthmagens-related asthma burden. Inverse “V” shaped trend was observed in the above regions with increasing age. For smoking-related asthma deaths and DALYs rates, the most significant improvement of period rate ratio (RR) occurred in high SDI region, decreased from 1.67 (1.61, 1.74) to 0.34 (0.33, 0.36) and 1.61 (1.57, 1.66) to 0.59 (0.57, 0.61), respectively, as well as the cohort effect on smoking-related asthma burden. For occupational asthmagens-related asthma deaths and DALYs rates, the most sharply decrease of period and cohort RR appeared in the high and high-middle SDI regions. Low SDI region showed least progress in period and cohort RR of smoking- and occupational asthmagens-linked asthma burden. Conclusion Smoking- and occupational asthmagens-related asthma burden sharply decreases, but region and sex disparities exist. Policy makers from low SDI region should reinforce tobacco control and prioritize workplace protection.

The exposure to and health hazards of phthalates have received abundant attention. However, reducing phthalate exposure and further decreasing the associated health risks are difficult. Nonetheless, it is important to actively seek relevant measures. Recently, antioxidant vitamins have been frequently mentioned to improve phthalate-related issues. This scoping review summarizes the existing epidemiological and experimental studies on the interaction of phthalates with antioxidant vitamins. Through a systematic search, sparse epidemiological studies explored the effects of interaction between phthalates and vitamins on reproduction, the endocrine, respiratory, and nervous system and human aging. Four prospective studies were conducted in China, the United States, Canada and Netherlands. Only one study from Netherlands focused on the female reproductive system.The other three studies focused on neurological damage to fetuses caused by phthalate exposure, and its mitigation by vitamin supplementation during pregnancy. Four cross-sectional studies were conducted based on the United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey database. These studies involved hazards in different systems and interactions with different vitamins. Overall, epidemiological evidence suggests that antioxidant vitamins such as vitamin A, B, D, and folic acid probably may alter the health hazards induced by phthalate exposure. Current animal studies often focus on three phthalates, DBP, DEHP and DIDP,22 DBP, dibutyl phthalate; DEHP, diethylhexyl phthalate; DIDP, diisodecyl phthalate and most commonly, the first two phthalates. These chemicals cause reproductive, urinary, digestive and neurodevelopmental damage; the antioxidant vitamin C, E and B could mitigate the harm caused by phthalates. Possible mechanisms involve reducing oxidative stress, removing methylation,etc. Determining whether these mechanisms are similar to those in humans requires a rigorous experimental study.

ABSTRACT: Avian reovirus (ARV) is the causative agent of avian viral arthritis and causes significant economic losses to the global poultry industry. For clinical diagnosis, detecting ARV-specific antibodies is crucial. We successfully expressed the ARV-σC protein in insect cells using the baculovirus expression vector system, achieving an expression level of approximately 200 mg/L. We developed an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (iELISA) using the ARV-σC protein as a coating antigen to detect antibodies against it. The inter-batch and intrabatch coefficients of iELISA variation were less than 10%. Its sensitivity (1:12,800 diluted in serum) was 4 times higher than that of the indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA; 1:3200 diluted in serum), and it showed no cross-reactivity with antibodies against other common avian viruses (such as Infectious bursal disease virus, Newcastle disease virus). The practicality of the iELISA was further evaluated using clinical samples. 300 clinical sera from chickens vaccinated with the ARV attenuated vaccine and 20 SPF sera were tested using both the iELISA and the IFA, demonstrating a 100% conformity rate. In conclusion, these results suggest that the iELISA developed in this study is a rapid, sensitive, and specific method that could serve as an effective diagnostic tool for monitoring and controlling avian viral arthritis.

BackgroundNeuropathic pain (NP) is a debilitating and refractory chronic pain with a higher prevalence especially in elderly patients. Cell senescence considered a key pathogenic factor in NP. The objective of this research is to discover genes associated with aging in peripheral blood of individuals with NP using bioinformatics techniques.MethodsTwo cohorts (GSE124272 and GSE150408) containing peripheral blood samples of NP were downloaded from the GEO database. By merging the two cohorts, differentially expressed aging-related genes (DE-ARGs) were obtained by intersection with aging-related genes. The potential biological mechanisms of DE-ARGs were further analyzed through GO and KEGG. Three machine learning methods, namely, LASSO, SVM-RFE, and Random Forest, were utilized to identify diagnostic biomarkers. A Nomogram model was developed to assess their diagnostic accuracy. The validation of biomarker expression and diagnostic effectiveness was conducted in three distinct pain cohorts. The CIBERSORT algorithm was employed to evaluate the immune cell composition in the peripheral blood of patients with NP and investigate its association with the expression of diagnostic biomarkers.ResultsThis study identified a total of 24 DE-ARGs, mainly enriched in “Chemokine signaling pathway,” “Inflammatory mediator regulation of TRP channels,” “HIF-1 signaling pathway” and “FOXO signaling pathway”. Three machine learning algorithms identified a total of four diagnostic biomarkers (CEBPA, CEACAM1, BTG3 and IL-1R1) with good diagnostic performance and the similar expression difference trend in different types of pain cohorts. The expression levels of CEACAM1 and IL-1R1 exhibit a positive correlation with the percentage of neutrophils.ConclusionUsing machine learning techniques, our research identified four diagnostic biomarkers related to aging in peripheral blood, providing innovative approaches for the diagnosis and treatment of NP.

Crop straw boards, a novel nursery material, has proven effective for cultivating dense, young rice seedlings suitable for mechanized transplanting, thereby saving labor. However, under high-density nursery conditions, the biomass accumulation and yield formation in rice vary with different seedling ages, necessitating exploration of optimal seeding densities and seedling ages to achieve high yields. This study aims to determine the appropriate seeding densities and seedling ages using crop straw boards to maximize rice yield. Over two years, field studies were conducted using crop straw boards for rice cultivation at seeding densities of 150, 200, 250, 300, and 350 g/tray (labeled as D1, D2, D3, D4, and D5) and seedling ages of 10, 15, 20, and 25 days (labeled as A1, A2, A3, and A4).The results indicated that D4A2 significantly enhanced tiller number, dry matter accumulation, and photosynthetic capacity, resulting in a yield increase of 2.89% compared to the conventional method of D1A3. High-density and short-aged seedlings cultivated with crop straw boards can enhance rice yield by improving photosynthetic capacity and crop quality. This study emphasizes the importance of using crop straw boards for rice nursery practices, as well as selecting the appropriate seeding densities and seedling ages for optimizing rice production.

Introduction: Nearly vertical coal seams present a significant challenge for the coal mining industry due to their difficult accessibility. However, these seams account for a substantial proportion of the world’s coal reserves. Therefore, it is vital to conduct research on disaster control techniques for safe mining of these seams.Method: The research team used experimental research, theoretical analysis, and numerical calculation methods to investigate the creep characteristics and failure mechanisms of layered sandstone roadway in nearly vertical coal seam.Results and discussion: These findings revealed that the maximum moment and concentrated stress of the sandstone located on the side of the roadway roof was positioned in the middle of the nearly vertical structure, making it more susceptible to transverse shear failure. On the other hand, the nearly vertical structure on the floor side was prone to shear slip failure initiated from the bottom of the structure. This led to the asymmetric instability of the roadway. The practical implications of this research are significant for the safe mining of nearly vertical coal seams. The results could help inform the development of disaster control techniques.

The effects of irradiation on pork quality characteristics were investigated by combining sensory experiments, pork color, TBARS, volatile components, and differential metabolites. Pork irradiated at a dose of 1 kGy received the highest sensory scores, whereas pork irradiated at doses of 3 and 5 kGy obtained lower sensory scores, particularly with regard to odor. Irradiation makes pork more ruddy and promotes fat oxidation, leading to increased a* and TBARS values. The main volatile substances in irradiated pork were hydrocarbons, aldehydes, and alcohols, and hexanal, heptanal, and valeric acid were considered as important substances responsible for the generation of radiation-induced off-flavors. 65 differential metabolites were identified. l-pyroglutamic acid, l-glutamate, l-proline, fumarate acids, betaine, and l-anserine were considered as the main substances contributing to the differences in pork quality. In addition, metabolic pathways such as arginine biosynthesis, alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism were found to be considerably affected by irradiation.

Abstract Observations have revealed that the deadly “hot eastern‐pluvial western” climate pattern in Asia in summer 2022 is by no means an exception. In recent decade this pattern is becoming much more frequent owing to the notable westward extension and enhancement of the western Pacific subtropical high (WPSH). The anomalously enhanced WPSH fills the gap in geopotential heights between the Arabian Sea‐Iranian Plateau and the western Pacific, produces a heat dome over eastern Asia and intensifies the moisture convergence over western Asia by changing the water vapor transportation path. Projections of 19 CMIP6 models show that both the temperature in eastern Asia and precipitation in western Asia will remarkably increase under Shared Socioeconomic Pathway (SSP) 2‐4.5, SSP 3‐7.0, and SSP 5‐8.5 scenarios, with temperature anomalies 0.8°C, 1.5°C, and 2.4°C higher and the percentages of precipitation anomaly 6.3%, 9.4%, and 12.5% larger than the reference period in the near, middle, and long terms under the moderate emission scenario (SSP2‐4.5). Therefore, the “hot eastern‐pluvial western” Asia is becoming a new normal and exacerbating the risk of compound disasters.

BackgroundDesert steppe ecosystems are prone to drought stress, which influences the ecological balance and sustainable development of grasslands. In addition to directly restrict plant growth, drought stress indirectly impacts plant fitness by altering the diversity and function of root-associated microbiomes. This begs the question of whether the functional microbiome of forage plants, represented by synthetic microbial communities (SynComs), can be leveraged to mitigate drought stress in desert steppes and promote the ecological restoration of these fragile ecosystems.MethodsA pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the role of SynComs in improving the plant growth and drought stress resistance of Neopallasia pectinata (Pall.) Poljak in desert steppe in Inner Mongolia, China. Six SynComs were derived from the rhizosphere and root endosphere of 12 dominant forage species in the desert steppe. Each SynCom comprised two to three bacterial genera (Bacillus, Protomicromonospora, and Streptomyces). We examined the capacities of different SynComs for nutrient solubilization, phytohormone secretion, and enzymatic activity.ResultsUnder no water stress (75% soil water holding capacity, WHC), single strains performed better than SynComs in promoting plant growth in terms of stem diameter, root length, and plant dry weight, with the greatest effects observed for Streptomyces coeruleorubidus ATCC 13740 (p

Background: Neurofilaments are neuron specific skeleton proteins maintaining axon transduction speed, leaked into cerebrospinal fluid and serum after axonal injury or neuron death. Sleep duration change has long related to many health issues but lack laboratory examination. Methods: This study enrolled total 10,175 participants from 2013 to 2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and used a multi-variable linear model to analyze the relationship between sleep duration and serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL) level. Results: There was a fixed relationship between sleep duration and sNfL level (β = 0.65, p = 0.0280). After adjusted for covariates, this relationship still (β = 0.82, p = 0.0052). Segmented regression showed that the turning point of sleep duration was 7 h 1 h decrease in sleep duration was significantly associated with −1.26 higher sNfL level (95 % CI: 2.25, −0.28; p = 0.0115) when sleep duration 7 h. Furthermore, the stratified analysis indicated that the associations between sleep duration and sNfL level were stronger among those normal body mass index and trouble sleeping (p-interaction

The vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology enables the bidirectional power flow between electric vehicle (EV) batteries and the power grid, making EV-based mobile energy storage an appealing supplement to stationary energy storage systems. However, the stochastic and volatile charging behaviors pose a challenge for EV fleets to engage directly in multi-agent cooperation. To unlock the scheduling potential of EVs, this paper proposes a source-load-storage cooperative low-carbon scheduling strategy considering V2G aggregators. The uncertainty of EV charging patterns is managed through a rolling-horizon control framework, where the scheduling and control horizons are adaptively adjusted according to the availability periods of EVs. Moreover, a Minkowski-sum based aggregation method is employed to evaluate the scheduling potential of aggregated EV fleets within a given scheduling horizon. This method effectively reduces the variable dimension while preserving the charging and discharging constraints of individual EVs. Subsequently, a Nash bargaining based cooperative scheduling model involving a distribution system operator (DSO), an EV aggregator (EVA), and a load aggregator (LA) is established to maximize the social welfare and improve the low-carbon performance of the system. This model is solved by the alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) algorithm in a distributed manner, with privacy of participants fully preserved. The proposed strategy is proven to achieve the objective of low-carbon economic operation.

Interactive holography offers unmatched levels of immersion and user engagement in the field of future display. Despite of the substantial progress has been made in dynamic meta-holography, the realization of real-time, highly smooth interactive holography remains a significant challenge due to the computational and display frame rate limitations. In this study, we introduced a dynamic interactive bitwise meta-holography with ultra-high computational and display frame rates. To our knowledge, this is the first reported practical dynamic interactive metasurface holographic system. We spatially divided the metasurface device into multiple distinct channels, each projecting a reconstructed sub-pattern. The switching states of these channels were mapped to bitwise operations on a set of bit values, which avoids complex hologram computations, enabling an ultra-high computational frame rate. Our approach achieves a computational frame rate of 800 kHz and a display frame rate of 23 kHz on a low-power Raspberry Pi computational platform. According to this methodology, we demonstrated an interactive dynamic holographic Tetris game system that allows interactive gameplay, color display, and on-the-fly hologram creation. Our technology presents an inspiration for advanced dynamic meta-holography, which is promising for a broad range of applications including advanced human-computer interaction, real-time 3D visualization, and next-generation virtual and augmented reality systems.

Abstract The lymph node involvement in the posterior to level V (PLV) region is mainly observed in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Recently, we have reported the distribution of metastatic lymph nodes in the PLV region and there are correlations between the neck node levels (NNL) of NPC, but what is the boundary of the PLV region and how to delineate it remains unclear, and we further to elaborate whether the bilateral level Va should be covered as intermediate-risk nodal regions (CTVn2, about 60 Gy equivalent) for all T and N categories based on these correlations. A total of 1021 consecutive NPC patients with N1-3 stage from January 2012 to December 2020 were reviewed. The lymph node metastasis level of each patient was evaluated according to the updated guidelines proposed in 2013. According to the distribution pattern of lymph node metastasis and the anatomical structure in the PLV region, the boundaries of PLV region was delineated, and whether it is appropriate to cover the bilateral level Va as CTVn2 for all the NPC patients was further discussed. The correlations of level Va with other NNL were studied using logistic regression model. The cranial boundary of PLV region is the caudal border of cricoid cartilage, the caudal boundary is the plane serratus anterior muscle begins to appear, the anterior boundary is the anterior border of trapezius, and the posterior boundary is the convergence of levator scapulae and trapezius. Laterally, the PLV region is limited by the medial edge of trapezius and medially by the lateral surface of levator scapulae. The nodal spread in level Va is based on the lymph node metastasis of level IIb in NPC. The PLV region is a missing NNL of head and neck tumors, especially in NPC. The proposed boundaries of the PLV region can provide a preliminary proposal for the further revision of NNL in head and neck tumors. It is theoretically feasible to reduce the prophylactic irradiation dose of the bilateral level Va in patients with N0 stage or with isolated metastases in level VIIa.

For a multi-user integrated sensing and communication system in the network of vehicles, a robust sensing-assisted communication massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) orthogonal time frequency space (OTFS) transmission scheme was proposed.Due to the limited sensing accuracy of the radar, errors existed in the channel state information (CSI) reconstructed based on sensing parameters.The transmission performance decreased as a result.To address this issue, the CSI in the delay doppler domain was reconstructed based on the sensing parameters by the transmitter firstly.And a robust beam forming scheme was designed considering the CSI error.Secondly, the channel estimation error and inter user interference were perceived by receivers based on sensing parameters.Then the robust receiver was designed by incorporating the perceived interference errors into the signal detector in an analytical way.Finally, numerical simulation results show that the proposed method effectively reduces the system bit error rate and increases the data reception rate of users.The proposed method improves the overall system performance in this situation.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the hepatotoxicity of rare ginsenosides in rats after 90 days of oral administration using heat-transformed rare ginsenosides as the primary material. Methods: A total of 48 male and female rats were randomly assigned into four groups: High-dose rare ginsenosides (600 mg/kg), medium-dose rare ginsenosides (200 mg/kg), low-dose rare ginsenosides (60 mg/kg), and a blank control group. After 90 days of oral gavage treatment, ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS) was employed for metabolomic analysis of rat serum and flow cytometry analysis of liver apoptosis to evaluate the potential liver damage comprehensively in rats. Results: A significant difference in hepatocyte apoptotic rate was observed between the high-dose group and the control group in both male and female rats (P0.05). However, 23 differential metabolites, such as histidine, glutamate, proline and arginine were identified in the serum of female rats in the high-dose group, affecting the histidine and urea cycle metabolic pathways and causing hyperammonemia and liver damage. Ten differential metabolites affecting the alpha-linolenic acid and linoleic acid metabolic pathways were found in male rats, such as linoleic acid and arachidonic acid. High concentrations of arachidonic acid showed inflammatory and toxic effects, which could be absorbed into the portal vein system through blood and cause liver damage. Conclusion: High-dose rare ginsenosides mainly cause slight liver damage in male and female rats mainly due to the changes of histidine, α-linolenic acid and linoleic acid metabolic pathways. Hence, no adverse liver effects were observed at doses less than 200 mg/kg in both male and female rats.

Abstract The genome of an organism is inherited from its ancestor and continues to evolve over time, however, the extent to which the current version could be altered remains unknown. To probe the genome plasticity of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, here we replace the native left arm of chromosome XII (chrXIIL) with a linear artificial chromosome harboring small sets of reconstructed genes. We find that as few as 12 genes are sufficient for cell viability, whereas 25 genes are required to recover the partial fitness defects observed in the 12-gene strain. Next, we demonstrate that these genes can be reconstructed individually using synthetic regulatory sequences and recoded open-reading frames with a “one-amino-acid-one-codon” strategy to remain functional. Finally, a synthetic neochromsome with the reconstructed genes is assembled which could substitute chrXIIL for viability. Together, our work not only highlights the high plasticity of yeast genome, but also illustrates the possibility of making functional eukaryotic chromosomes from entirely artificial sequences.

This study investigated the effect of alternating current (AC) on the electrochemical and stress corrosion cracking (SCC) behavior and mechanism of TA2 in a simulated marine solution. The increase in the open circuit potential and charge transfer resistance indicated that the passivation film remained undamaged by varying AC densities, indicating a low risk of SCC. However, under the synergistic effect of AC and direct current (DC), the potential significantly shifted negatively, leading to hydrogen evolution reactions and the formation of a hydride layer. This hydride-induced hydrogen embrittlement posed a potential risk to the integrity of TA2.

Seven fatty acids were detected by GC-MS in Xanthoceras sorbifolium Bunge seed oil extracted at different temperatures, including Palmitic acid C16:0, Stearic acid C18:0, Oleic acid C18:1, Eicosenoic acid C20:1, Docosenoic acid C22:1, Tetracosenoic acid C24:1, and Linoleic acid C18:2. The highest content of nervonic acid (NA) was found in Xanthoceras sorbifolium Bunge seed oil extracted at 70 °C. Three methods were selected to analyze the extraction rate of nervonic acid in Xanthoceras sorbifolium Bunge seed oil, including urea complexation, low-temperature solvent crystallization, and a combined treatment using these two methods. The final content of nervonic acid obtained was 14.07%, 19.66%, and 40.17%, respectively. The combined treatment method increased the purity of nervonic acid in Xanthoceras sorbifolium Bunge seed oil by 12.62 times. Meanwhile, thermogravimetric behavior analysis of samples extracted using different methods was conducted by thermogravimetric analyzer, which suggested that the thermal stability of the samples extracted by the combined treatment was enhanced. These results can provide a new process parameter and scientific basis for the extraction of NA. At the same time, FTIR and NMR were also used to characterize the combined extraction sample, and the structure of the samples was proved.