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Abstract Small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) have the ability to transfer genetic material between cells, but their role in mediating HBV infection and regulating M1 macrophages to promote immune evasion remains unclear. In this study, we utilized PMA + LPS + IFN-γ to induce THP-1 into M1 macrophages. We then extracted sEVs from HepG2.2.15 cell and treated the M1 macrophages with these sEVs. QPCR detection revealed the presence of HBV-DNA in the M1 macrophages. Additionally, RT-qPCR and WB analysis demonstrated a significantly decreased in the expression of TLR4, NLRP3, pro-caspase-1, caspase-1p20, IL-1β and IL-18 in the M1 macrophages (P

Abstract Deep neural networks can improve the quality of fluorescence microscopy images. Previous methods, based on Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), require time-consuming training of individual models for each experiment, impairing their applicability and generalization. In this study, we propose a novel imaging-transformer based model, Convolutional Neural Network Transformer (CNNT), that outperforms CNN based networks for image denoising. We train a general CNNT based backbone model from pairwise high-low Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) image volumes, gathered from a single type of fluorescence microscope, an instant Structured Illumination Microscope. Fast adaptation to new microscopes is achieved by fine-tuning the backbone on only 5–10 image volume pairs per new experiment. Results show that the CNNT backbone and fine-tuning scheme significantly reduces training time and improves image quality, outperforming models trained using only CNNs such as 3D-RCAN and Noise2Fast. We show three examples of efficacy of this approach in wide-field, two-photon, and confocal fluorescence microscopy.

Abstract Kidney Clear Cell Carcinoma (KIRC), the predominant form of kidney cancer, exhibits a diverse therapeutic response to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors (ICIs), highlighting the need for predictive models of ICI efficacy. Our study has constructed a prognostic model based on 13 types of Programmed Cell Death (PCD), which are intertwined with tumor progression and the immune microenvironment. Validated by analyses of comprehensive datasets, this model identifies seven key PCD genes that delineate two subtypes with distinct immune profiles and sensitivities to anti-PD-1 therapy. The high-PCD group demonstrates a more immune-suppressive environment, while the low-PCD group shows better responses to PD-1 treatment. In particular, TOP2A emerged as crucial, with its inhibition markedly reducing KIRC cell growth and mobility. These findings underscore the relevance of PCDs in predicting KIRC outcomes and immunotherapy response, with implications for enhancing clinical decision-making.

Continuous wetland restoration initiatives in China are increasing, due to the global degradation of wetland ecosystems. However, monitoring of the restoration situation remains incomplete. In this study, we investigated the effects of wetland restoration on the macroinvertebrate taxonomic structure and feeding functional groups (FFGs) in the Naolihe National Nature Reserve (NNNR). Macroinvertebrate taxonomic diversity can be used to monitor wetlands, and we hypothesized that FFGs serve the same function. We calculated the diversity index, performed a non-metric multidimensional analysis based on macroinvertebrate taxonomics and FFGs, and subsequently, performed a t-test on the results. The results showed that macroinvertebrate diversity and FFGs analyses were in general agreement with taxonomic diversity, indicating that the macroinvertebrate community in the wetland with five years of fallow land was resembled that of the natural wetland. In contrast, the macroinvertebrate community in the wetland with two years of fallow differed significantly from that in the natural wetland. Additionally, the results of the ecosystem attributes based on biomass and FFGs showed that restored wetlands exhibited lower habitat stability than natural wetlands. Nutrients (NH4+-N, NO3−-N, and total phosphorus) explained the changes in macroinvertebrate FFGs in the restored wetlands to a greater extent than in the natural wetlands. The results of this study highlight the importance of macroinvertebrate FFGs in wetland monitoring, which supports the use of macroinvertebrate FFGs in the NNNR to monitor wetland restoration.

Abstract The stria vascularis (SV) is a stratified epithelium in the lateral wall of the mammalian cochlea, responsible for both endolymphatic ion homeostasis and generation of the endocochlear potential (EP) critical for normal hearing. The SV has three layers consisting predominantly of basal, intermediate, and marginal cells. Intermediate and marginal cells form an intricate interdigitated network of cell projections making discrimination of the cells challenging. To enable intermediate cell visualization, we engineered by BAC transgenesis, reporter mouse lines expressing ZsGreen fluorescent protein under the control of Kcnj10 promoter and regulatory sequences. Kcnj10 encodes KCNJ10 protein (also known as Kir4.1 or Kir1.2), an ATP-sensitive inwardly-rectifying potassium channel critical to EP generation, highly expressed in SV intermediate cells. In these transgenic mice, ZsGreen fluorescence mimics Kcnj10 endogenous expression in the cochlea and was detected in the intermediate cells of the SV, in the inner phalangeal cells, Hensen’s, Deiters’ and pillar cells, in a subset of spiral ganglion neurons, and in glial cells. We show that expression of the transgene in hemizygous mice does not alter auditory function, nor EP. These transgenic Tg(Kcnj10-ZsGreen) mice allow live and fixed tissue visualization of ZsGreen-expressing intermediate cells and will facilitate future studies of stria vascularis cell function.

ABSTRACTThis study measures and analyzes the spatial characteristics of the relevant indices by constructing an evaluation index system. The SBM-DEA model and Tobit regression model were used to empirically test the influence relationship between digital economy, industrial agglomeration, and green innovation efficiency development. The study results show (1) the development level of China’s digital economy, industrial agglomeration and green innovation efficiency shows a heterogeneous character of “high in the east and low in the west” at the spatial level. (2) the positive effect of China’s digital economy and diversified industrial agglomeration on the development of green innovation efficiency. (3) Among other influencing factors, trade openness and labor quality have a significant impact on improving the efficiency of green innovation.Therefore, this study puts forward suggestions to strengthen the construction of new infrastructures, correctly guide the collaborative industrial agglomeration, and strengthen the exchange of information among enterprisers.

The aim of this research was to examine the correlation between the exposure to bisphenol analogues (BPs), such as bisphenol A (BPA), bisphenol F (BPF), and bisphenol S (BPS), and the risk of developing systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Ultra performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) was utilized to measure the levels of BPA, BPF, and BPS in the urine of 168 female participants diagnosed with SLE and 175 female participants who were deemed healthy controls. Logistic regression models were utilized to assess the connections between levels of bisphenol and the risk of SLE. The findings indicated that levels of BPA and BPF in the urine of individuals with SLE were markedly elevated compared to those in the control group. Higher exposure to BPA and BPF exhibited positive dose-response relationships with increased SLE risk. No significant associations were identified between BPS and the risk of SLE. These findings suggest exposure to BPA and BPF may be implicated as novel environmental triggers in the development of autoimmunity such as SLE. The significantly increased levels of these bisphenol analogues detected in SLE patients versus healthy controls, along with the associations between higher exposures and elevated SLE risk, which offers crucial hints for comprehending how endocrine-disrupting substances contribute to the genesis of autoimmune illnesses. Further research using robust longitudinal assessments of bisphenol analogue exposures is warranted to corroborate these epidemiological findings. Overall, this study highlights potential environmental risk factors for SLE while calling for additional investigation into the impact of bisphenol exposures on autoimmunity development.

Strain engineering has been extensively explored to modulate the various intrinsic properties of flexible inorganic semiconductor films. However, experimental characterization of tensile and compressive strain-induced modulation of optoelectronic properties and their differences has not been easily implemented in flexible inorganic semiconductor films. Herein, the strain-dependent structural, optical, and optoelectronic properties of flexible ZnO films under pre-tensile and pre-compressive strains are systemically investigated by a Mueller matrix ellipsometry-based quantitative characterization method combined with x-ray diffraction and first-principle calculation. With extended prestress-driven deposition processing under bi-direction bending modes, pre-tensile and pre-compressive strains with symmetric magnitudes can be achieved in flexible ZnO films, which allows precise observation of the strain-driven asymmetric modulation of optoelectronic properties. When the applied prestrain varies approximately equally from 0% (baseline) to −0.99% (compression) and 1.07% (tensility), respectively, the relative changes for the c-axis lattice constant are 0.0133 and 0.0104 Å, respectively. Meanwhile, the dependence factors of the bandgap energy on the pre-compression and pre-tensile strains were determined as −0.0099 and −0.0156 eV/%, respectively, and the complex refractive index also presents an asymmetric varying trend. With the help of the strain–stress analysis and the first-principle calculation, the intriguing asymmetric strain-optical modulation effect could be attributed to the biaxial strain mechanism and the difference in the deformation potential between the two prestrain modes. These systematic investigation consequences are thus promising as a basis for the booming applications of the flexible inorganic semiconductor ensemble.

Abstract 3D spheroids have emerged as powerful drug discovery tools given their high-throughput screening (HTS) compatibility. Here, we describe a method for generating functional neural spheroids by cell-aggregation of differentiated human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived neurons and astrocytes at cell type compositions mimicking specific regions of the human brain. Recordings of intracellular calcium oscillations were used as functional assays, and the utility of this spheroids system was shown through disease modeling, drug testing, and formation of assembloids to model neurocircuitry. As a proof of concept, we generated spheroids incorporating neurons with Alzheimer’s disease-associated alleles, as well as opioid use disorder modeling spheroids induced by chronic treatment of a mu-opioid receptor agonist. We reversed baseline functional deficits in each pilot disease model with clinically approved treatments and showed that assembloid activity can be chemogenetically manipulated. Here, we lay the groundwork for brain region-specific neural spheroids as a robust functional assay platform for HTS studies.

Abstract Uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma (UCEC) is infiltrated by immune cells, which are involved in the growth and proliferation of malignant tumors and resistance to immunotherapy. This study suggested that RNA modification regulators played an important role in the development and prognosis of UCEC. Many studies confirmed that RNA modification played an essential role in tumor immune regulation, and abnormal RNA modification contributed to tumorigenesis and cancer progression. Based on the RNA modification regulatory factors, the UCEC samples from TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas) were classified into two clusters, namely Cluster A and Cluster B, using unsupervised consensus clustering. We obtained DEG (differentially expressed genes) between the two clusters, and constructed a risk model of RNA modification-related genes using DEGs. Cluster A had lower RNA modification regulatory factors, richer immune cell infiltration, and better prognosis. The differentially expressed genes between the two clusters were obtained, and these genes were used for modeling. This model divided patients with UCEC into two groups. The low-risk group had better immune infiltration, and the ROC (receiver operating characteristic) curve showed that this model had good predictive efficacy. The low-risk group had a better response to immunotherapy by immune checkpoint prediction. We obtained the key gene l-dopa decarboxylase (DDC) through the intersection of LASSO model genes and GEO dataset GSE17025. We evaluated the potential biological functions of DDC. The differences in the expression of DDC were verified by immunohistochemistry. We evaluated the relationship between DDC and immune cell infiltration and verified this difference using immunofluorescence. Cluster A with low expression of RNA modification regulators has better prognosis and richer immune cell infiltration, therefore, we believed that RNA modification regulators in UCEC were closely related to the tumor microenvironment. Also, the risk score could well predict the prognosis of patients and guide immunotherapy, which might benefit patients with UCEC.

Algae are highly sensitive to environmental factors, especially nutrient fluctuations; excessive nutrients can lead to the proliferation of specific algae species, resulting in dominance. In this study, we aimed to reevaluate changes in algal dominance from the perspective of resource utilization efficiency (RUE). We established 80 monitoring sites across different water systems, collecting water and phytoplankton samples. Using canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) and a generalized additive model (GAM), we analyzed the correlation between phytoplankton RUE and nutrient concentrations, quantifying the corresponding relationship between algal dominance and RUE. Our results indicate a significant negative correlation between the RUE of total phosphorus (TP) and total nitrogen (TN) concentration, but a positive correlation with N:P. The RUE of TN was negatively correlated with TN concentration and N:P. We constructed GAMs with interaction terms and confirmed a nonlinear relationship between algal dominance and RUE. When the RUE of TN was low, a positive correlation was observed, while a negative correlation was observed otherwise. These findings reveal the ecological adaptability of algal communities and provide valuable insights for predicting the risk of algal bloom outbreaks.

Exosomes have been demonstrated to exert momentous roles in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, few studies have reported a correlation between exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) and ASD. To date, our understanding of crucial competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks in ASD remains limited. Herein, the exosomal miRNA profile in the peripheral blood of children with ASD and healthy controls was investigated and the level of immune cell infiltration in ASD was evaluated to determine the distribution of immune cell subtypes. Exosomes were isolated from the peripheral blood of ten children with ASD and ten healthy controls, and further identified using transmission electron microscopy and western blot analysis. RNA sequencing was conducted to investigate exosomal miRNA profiles in patients with ASD. The mRNA and circular RNA (circRNA) expression profiles were acquired from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Differentially expressed mRNAs (DEmRNAs), miRNAs (DEmiRNAs), and circRNAs (DEcircRNAs) were identified and ceRNA regulatory networks were constructed. Furthermore, the immune cell infiltration levels in patients with ASD were evaluated. Exosomes were spherical, approximately 100 nm in size, and were confirmed via western blot analysis using exosome-associated markers CD9, CD63, and CD81. Thirty-five DEmRNAs, 63 DEmiRNAs, and 494 DEcircRNAs were identified in patients with ASD. CeRNA regulatory networks, including 6 DEmRNAs, 14 DEmiRNAs, and 86 DEcircRNAs, were established. Correlation analysis indicated that leucine-rich glioma inactivated protein 1 (LGI1) expression was significantly positively correlated with the content of CD8+ T cells. Our findings may be conducive to offering novel insights into this disease and providing further evidence of transcriptomic abnormalities in ASD.

Majiagou River, a crucial urban river in Harbin, traverses densely populated areas including agricultural, suburban, and main urban areas, presenting highly intricate habitat characteristics. In recent years, urbanization has significantly intensified human interference, fundamentally reshaping the phytoplankton community. Understanding the response mechanism of phytoplankton to environmental factors is of paramount importance as they serve as primary producers in aquatic ecosystems. To investigate this, we established 25 sampling sites to analyze the phytoplankton community and 14 key physicochemical parameters, such as total phosphorus (TP) and total nitrogen (TN). Utilizing hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA) and One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), we identified distinct river segments, revealing spatial distribution differences and environmental factor variations among phytoplankton species across segments. By adopting redundancy analysis (RDA), we pinpointed the primary environmental factors impacting phytoplankton communities and examined the correlation between phytoplankton and these factors to elucidate the driving mechanisms governing phytoplankton dynamics. The outcomes demonstrated that the phytoplankton community in Majiagou River was predominantly composed of Bacillariophyta and Chlorophyta, however, notable disparities in spatial distribution and species composition resulting from human interference were evident. Areas with intense human disturbance were dominated by diatoms and exhibited trends of homogenization and reduced biodiversity. RDA showed that pH, NH4+-N, NH3–N, chemical oxygen demand (COD), and TP were key environmental factors influencing phytoplankton communities. We have confirmed that due to variations in environment conditions and different levels of human disturbance, there will be some differences in the critical limiting factors affecting phytoplankton. Our study offers valuable insights for governing urban rivers during the low-temperature period.

The Ang-(1-7)/MasR axis is critically involved in treating several diseases; For example, Ang-(1-7) improves inflammatory response and neurological function after traumatic brain injury and inhibits post-inflammatory hypothermia. However, its function in traumatic brain injury (TBI) combined with seawater immersion hypothermia remains unclear. Here, we used a mice model of hypothermic TBI and a BV2 cell model of hypothermic inflammation to investigate whether the Ang-(1-7)/MasR axis is involved in ameliorating hypothermic TBI. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR, western blotting assay, and immunofluorescence assay were performed to confirm microglia polarization and cytokine regulation. Hematoxylin-eosin staining, Nissl staining, and immunohistochemical assay were conducted to assess the extent of hypothermic TBI-induced damage and the ameliorative effect of Ang-(1-7) in mice. An open field experiment and neurological function scoring with two approaches were used to assess the degree of recovery and prognosis in mice. After hypothermic TBI establishment in BV2 cells, the Ang-(1-7)/MasR axis induced phenotypic transformation of microglia from M1 to M2, inhibited IL-6 and IL-1β release, and upregulated IL-4 and IL-10 levels. After hypothermic TBI development in mice, intraperitoneally administered Ang-(1-7) attenuated histological damage and promoted neurological recovery. These findings suggest that hypothermia exacerbates TBI-induced damage and that the Ang-(1-7)/MasR axis can ameliorate hypothermic TBI and directly affect prognosis.

In the context of industrial integration, the collaborative agglomeration of the cultural and tourism industries is an important way to promote their integrated development and achieve both industrial transformation and upgrading. This article first analyzes the dynamics of the cultural and tourism industries as a collaborative agglomeration. A system dynamics model is then presented which represents the perspective and reveals the mechanics of this partnership between the two industries. Finally, the authors use this model to simulate the path made possible by their collaborative agglomeration. The results show: (1) From the perspective of industrial policy, the promotion and guidance function of industrial policy elements still needs strengthening in the collaborative development of China's cultural and tourism industries. (2) From the perspective of industrial economy, the promotion function of industrial economic factors still needs improving in the collaborative agglomeration and development of China's cultural and tourism industries. (3) From the perspective of the joint effect of industrial policy and economy, the collaborative effect of industrial policies and economic factors is more conducive to promoting the collaborative agglomeration development of China's cultural and tourism industries. The research in this article can provide theoretical support and policy recommendations for promoting coordinated development of China's cultural and tourism industries and can also provide the experience needed to serve as a reference for the joint development of tourism and culture in other similar regions.

Ecological restoration is the guarantee of regional ecological security. Accurate identification of restoration areas is crucial for planning ecological programs. However, the question of how to recognize the range of restoration areas at the pixel scale in order to improve restoration efficiency still requires further discussion. In this study, a framework that integrates ecological security and feasibility of restoration through multi-criteria decision analysis was developed to identify the ecological restoration priority areas (ERPAs) in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP). The results showed that areas with low ecological security accounted for 58.33 % of the QTP, primarily concentrated in the northwest. Areas that were feasible to be restored, represented 26.11 % of the QTP. The relatively high feasibility areas (F > 0.6) were mainly located in the northern and southwestern of the QTP, covering 23.88 % of the total feasible areas. This study ultimately identified 6.69 × 105 km2 of ERPAs, encompassing 26.05 % of the QTP. The high-priority areas were concentrated in the southwest and scattered in the northern part of the study area, accounting for 21.47 % of the ERPAs. The low-priority areas with the largest proportion (57.77 % of ERPAs) were widely distributed in the eastern part of the study area. Therefore, more attention should be paid to the southwestern region of the QTP in the subsequent ecological restoration efforts. The framework, which takes into consideration ecological security and restoration feasibility, can significantly enhance the spatial accuracy of ecological restoration area identification, providing a practical reference for further environmental optimization.

Exploring the relationship and driving forces between supply–demand of ecosystem services (ESs) and urbanization can help solve the environmental problems and promote regional sustainable development. This study analyzed the spatio-temporal distribution characteristics of supply–demand of ESs and comprehensive urbanization level (CUL) in Shaanxi Province from 2010 to 2019 and assessed the coupling relationship between ecosystem service supply–demand ratio (ESSDR) and CUL using the coupling coordination degree (CCD) model. Random forests and geographically weighted regression methods were utilized to characterize the contribution and spatial distribution of the drivers of CCD. The results showed that: (1) except for habitat quality, the ESSDR of the other three types of services as well as the comprehensive services showed a decreasing trend, CUL exhibited increasing trend; (2) Although CCD was generally increasing, a significant portion (78.51%) of regions still remained uncoordinated, with relatively better coordination shown around the Guanzhong urban agglomeration, which has a higher urbanization level; (3) The CCD in Shaanxi Province was primarily influenced by local financial income, the secondary industry, and temperature forces. In regions with high and increasing CCD, the tertiary industry was the decisive force. In other areas, there were significant spatial variations in the driving forces. These findings provide a coupled and coordinated perspective for urban ecological management, which can provide scientific reference and practical guidance for cities with different development modes.

GaN on Si plays an important role in the integration and promotion of GaN-based wide-gap materials with Si-based integrated circuits (IC) technology. A series of GaN film materials were grown on Si (111) substrate using a unique plasma assistant molecular beam epitaxy (PA-MBE) technology and investigated using multiple characterization techniques of Nomarski microscopy (NM), high-resolution X-ray diffraction (HR-XRD), variable angular spectroscopic ellipsometry (VASE), Raman scattering, photoluminescence (PL), and synchrotron radiation (SR) near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy. NM confirmed crack-free wurtzite (w-) GaN thin films in a large range of 180–1500 nm. XRD identified the w- single crystalline structure for these GaN films with the orientation along the c-axis in the normal growth direction. An optimized 700 °C growth temperature, plus other corresponding parameters, was obtained for the PA-MBE growth of GaN on Si, exhibiting strong PL emission, narrow/strong Raman phonon modes, XRD w-GaN peaks, and high crystalline perfection. VASE studies identified this set of MBE-grown GaN/Si as having very low Urbach energy of about 18 meV. UV (325 nm)-excited Raman spectra of GaN/Si samples exhibited the GaN E2(low) and E2(high) phonon modes clearly without Raman features from the Si substrate, overcoming the difficulties from visible (532 nm) Raman measurements with strong Si Raman features overwhelming the GaN signals. The combined UV excitation Raman–PL spectra revealed multiple LO phonons spread over the GaN fundamental band edge emission PL band due to the outgoing resonance effect. Calculation of the UV Raman spectra determined the carrier concentrations with excellent values. Angular-dependent NEXAFS on Ga K-edge revealed the significant anisotropy of the conduction band of w-GaN and identified the NEXAFS resonances corresponding to different final states in the hexagonal GaN films on Si. Comparative GaN material properties are investigated in depth.

Abstract Aim As invasive plants are often in a non‐equilibrium expansion state, traditional species distribution models (SDMs) are likely underestimating their suitable habitat. New methods are necessary to identify potential invasion risk areas. Location Tropical monsoon rainforest and subtropical evergreen broad‐leaved forest regions in China. Methods We took Parthenium hysterophorus as a case study to predict its potential invasion risk using climate, terrain, and human activity variables. First, a generalized joint attribute model (GJAM) was constructed using the occurrence of P. hysterophorus and its 27 closely related species in Taiwan, given it is widely distributed in Taiwan. Based on the output correlation values, two positively correlated species (Cardiospermum halicacabum and Portulaca oleracea) and one negatively correlated species (Crassocephalum crepidioides) were selected as indicator species. Second, the distributions of P. hysterophorus and its indicator species in the study area were predicted separately using an ensemble model (EM). Third, when selecting indicator species to construct indicator SDMs, two treatments (indicator species with positive correlation only, or both positive and negative correlation) were considered. The indicator species' EM predictions were overlaid using a weighted average method, and a better indicator SDMs prediction result was selected by comparison. Finally, the EM prediction result of P. hysterophorus was used to optimize the indicator SDMs result by a maximum overlay. Results The optimized indicator SDMs prediction showed an expanded range beyond the current geographic range compared to EM and the thresholds for predicting key environmental variables were wider. It also reinforced the human activities' influence on the potential distribution of P. hysterophorus. Main Conclusions For invasive plants with expanding ranges, information about indicator species distribution can be borrowed as a barometer for areas not currently invaded. The optimized indicator SDMs allow for more efficient potential invasion risk prediction. On this basis, invasive plants can be prevented earlier.

Aim: Current head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) diagnostic tools are limited, so this study aimed to identify diagnostic microRNA (miRNA) biomarkers from plasma. Materials & methods: A total of 76 HNSCC and 76 noncancerous control (NC) plasma samples underwent microarray analysis and quantitative reverse transcription PCR to screen for diagnostic plasma miRNAs. The diagnostic potential of the miRNAs was evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic curve. Results: miR-95-3p and miR-579-5p expression was shown to be significantly upregulated, and that of miR-1298-3p to be downregulated in HNSCC patients compared with controls. The final diagnostic panel included miR-95-3p, miR-579-5p and miR-1298-3p with an area under the curve of 0.83. Conclusion: This three-miRNA panel has potential for the diagnosis of HNSCC.

Adequate vascularization is crucial for the repair of bone defects. Platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) has been shown to promote H-type vessel formation, a specialized blood vessel, strongly positive for CD31 and endomucin, coupling angiogenesis and osteogenesis. However, the lack of a controllable growth factor delivery limits its clinical application, causing certain complications associated with PDGF-BB administration. This study developed an injectable heparin-conjugated hydrogel (GHH) for controlled delivery to facilitate the effective binding of PDGF-BB and rapid vascularized bone regeneration. Herein, in vitro experiments involving the controlled release of PDGF-BB showed that the PDGF-BB-loaded GHH (GHHP) hydrogel demonstrated excellent cytocompatibility and osteogenic properties. The subcutaneous implantation model in rats revealed that the GHHP hydrogel has the potential to induce the formation of H-type blood vessels in vivo. Furthermore, the healing of distal femoral condyle defects in rat models in vivo demonstrated that GHHP could substantially promote H-type angiogenesis and effectively repair bone defects. Our injectable heparin-conjugated sustained-release PDGF-BB hydrogel has excellent angiogenic and osteogenic properties, thus providing a novel and promising solution for bone defect repair.

A crucial challenge in ecosystem management is the identification of trade-off effects among multiple ecosystem services (ESs), particularly in complex and ecologically vulnerable mountainous protected areas. Nevertheless, investigations into the spatio-temporal dynamics of trade-offs and synergies among ES within such protected regions remain limited. This study concentrated on the Qilian Mountain, a critical ecologically fragile protected area, utilized the Invest model to comprehensively analyze six ESs over the period 1985–2020. Employed Pearson correlation coefficient, we scrutinized trade-off and synergy relationships of these ES across varying grid scales (30 m, 1 km, and 10 km). Furthermore, GeoDetector, in tandem with multi-source data, is employed to unveil the potential drivers influencing the patterns of ES. Our findings revealed that: (1) Increasing data spatial resolution refines grid scales, yielding smoother spatial distributions of ES, and accentuates spatial disparities. (2) Synergistic relationships prevailed among protected area ES from 1985 to 2020, with correlations between carbon storage - water yield and habitat quality - water yield shifted from synergy to trade-off in 2015. (3) Distinct grid scales exert non-linear impacts on ES correlations, affecting both the magnitude and direction of these relationships. (4) Interactions among natural factors, climate, and landscape patterns are principal drivers of spatial heterogeneity in ES, with the contributions of dominant drivers exhibiting temporal variability. Remarkably, factors with stronger driving forces demonstrate greater temporal instability in their contribution rates. Our research underscores the necessity for comparative assessments of ES and their interrelations at diverse data spatial resolutions, advocating for enhanced ES management strategies.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection is a pressing clinical issue that impedes wound healing. Pro-inflammatory M1 macrophages is required to clear bacteria and recruit various cell types during the initial phase of wound healing, but timing of this process is crucial. Herein, a microenvironment-responsive nanofibrous dressing capable of timely macrophage phenotype transition in vivo is constructed by coating copper ions (Cu2+)-polydopamine (PDA) networks on poly (ε-caprolactone) fiber (PCL-fiber) membrane. During the initial post-implantation period, the nanofibrous dressing show pH-sensitive Cu2+ release in the acidic infection microenvironment. The release Cu2+ have a direct killing effect on MRSA, and promote the proinflammatory M1 phenotype of macrophages to enhance the antibacterial macrophage response. Later, PDA to become a reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger when in microenvironments with elevated ROS levels, which conferred the dressing with an immunomodulatory activity that convert M1 macrophages into M2 macrophages. In vivo examination in an MRSA infected full-thickness skin wounds of rat model demonstrates that this dressing significantly facilitated infection eradication and wound healing through modulating local inflammatory phenotype. Overall, this study offers a simple and effective approach for timely manipulation of inflammation progression to promote infected wound healing.

Objectives: To analyze the epidemiologic features, culture positivity, the fungal spectrum of different sites of ocular infection in North China over 20 years from 2001 to 2020. Methods: 11, 635 patients suspected of ocular fungal infection were reviewed. The demographic profile, fungal positive culture rate among different sites, the distribution, and trends of main pathogens among cornea and intraocular fluid were analyzed. Results: Among 11, 635 samples, the positive culture rate of ocular fungal infection was 23.6%. Most of samples (83.1%) were from cornea, and their culture positivity was 26.9%. Fungal keratitis occurred more often during the harvesting season (October to December; 34.0%) than in other seasons (average: 22.0%). Fusarium sp. (53.2%), Aspergillus sp. (15.9%) and Alternaria sp. (12.5%) were the most common fungal species of ocular mycotic infections in the past two decades in north China. 2562 organisms were identified from cornea, of which 1443 (56.3%) were Fusarium sp., 403 (15.7%) and 329 (12.8%) were Aspergillus sp., and Alternaria sp., respectively. Of the 120 fungi isolated from the intraocular fluid, the most common was Aspergillus sp. (33.3%), followed by Fusarium sp. (24.2%) and Candida sp. (15.0%). Conclusions: Fusarium sp., Aspergillus sp. and Alternaria sp. were the most common organisms in cases of fungal keratitis, while Aspergillus sp., Fusarium sp. and Candida sp. were the most frequent isolates for fungal endophthalmitis.

The 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) is crucial in assessing patient decisions. However, portable ECG devices capable of acquiring a complete 12-lead ECG are scarce. For the first time, a deep learning-based method is proposed to reconstruct the 12-lead ECG from Frank leads (VX, VY, and VZ) or EASI leads (VES, VAS, and VAI). The innovative ECG reconstruction network called M2Eformer is composed of a 2D-ECGblock and a ProbDecoder module. The 2D-ECGblock module adaptively segments EASI leads into multi-periods based on frequency energy, transforming the 1D time series into a 2D tensor representing within-cycle and between-cycle variations. The ProbDecoder module aims to extract Probsparse self-attention and achieve one-step output for the target leads. Experimental results from comparing recorded and reconstructed 12-lead ECG using Frank leads indicate that M2Eformer outperforms traditional ECG reconstruction methods on a public database. In this study, a self-constructed database (10 healthy individuals + 15 patients) was utilized for the clinical diagnostic validation of ECG reconstructed from EASI leads. Subsequently, both the ECG reconstructed using EASI and the recorded 12-lead ECG were subjected to a double-blind diagnostic experiment conducted by three cardiologists. The overall diagnostic consensus among three cardiology experts, reaching a rate of 96%, indicates the significant utility of EASI-reconstructed 12-lead ECG in facilitating the diagnosis of cardiac conditions.

The genetic relationships between the stratigraphic textures, thickness changes, burial depths, and the characteristics of the geothermal zoning of the Cenozoic in the northwestern Shandong region were analyzed in this study. Methods involving segmented water temperature measurements of geothermal well drilling, wellhead hydrological surveys, geothermal reservoirs, and caprock thickness measurements and statistics were adopted. The following findings were revealed in this study's research results: (1) The Paleogene and Neogene reservoir types in the northwestern Shandong region were determined to be mainly water-bearing fine sandstone and medium-fine sandstone pores, with thick layered, interbedded, and zoned stratigraphic structures. The layered and zoned geothermal reservoirs were found to be primarily distributed in a zonal manner on the bedding plane and characterized by good regional continuity. The fine sandstone and medium-fine sandstone sections with well-developed pores and high water content levels were geothermal reservoirs, while mudstone sections were geothermal barriers. The reservoirs and barriers were characterized by interlayer structures; (2) The boundary between the sag basin and the uplifting was taken as the dividing line of the geothermal fields, and the geothermal areas in the northwestern Shandong region were divided into different geothermal fields, all belonging to the sedimentary basin's conductive geothermal resources; (3) The major geothermal reservoirs included the lower members of the Neogene Minghuazhen Formation, Guantao Formation, and Dongying Formation. The Quaternary argillaceous sediment and the mudstone in the upper member of the Minghuazhen Formation formed the caprocks in the study area. In this study, the macroscopic distribution laws of geothermal resources in the northwestern Shandong region were proposed and were considered to have practical significance for further exploration and development.

ABSTRACT: Intramuscular fat (IMF) is an important indicator for determining meat quality, and IMF deposition during muscle development is regulated by a complex molecular network involving multiple genes. The N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification of mRNA plays an important regulatory role in muscle adipogenesis. However, the distribution of m6A and its role in IMF metabolism in poultry has not been reported. In the present study, a transcriptome-wide m6A profile was constructed using methylated RNA immunoprecipitation sequence (MeRIP-seq) and RNA sequence (RNA-seq) to explore the potential mechanism of regulating IMF deposition in the breast muscle based on the comparative analysis of IMF differences in the breast muscles of 42 (group G), 126 (group S), and 180-days old (group M) Jingyuan chickens. The findings revealed that the IMF content in the breast muscle increased significantly with the increase in the growth days of the Jingyuan chickens (P < 0.05). The m6A peak in the breast muscles of the 3 groups was highly enriched in the coding sequence (CDS) and 3′ untranslated regions (3′ UTR), which corresponded to the consensus motif RRACH. Moreover, we identified 129, 103, and 162 differentially methylated genes (DMGs) in the breast muscle samples of the G, S, and M groups, respectively. Functional enrichment analyses revealed that DMGs are involved in many physiological activities of muscle fat anabolism. The m6A-induced ferroptosis pathway was identified in breast muscle tissue as a new target for regulating IMF metabolism. In addition, association analysis demonstrated that LMOD2 and its multiple m6A negatively regulated DMGs are potential regulators of IMF differential deposition in muscle. The findings of the present study provide a solid foundation for further investigation into the potential role of m6A modification in regulating chicken fat metabolism.

Background Improving health status is one of the major goals in the management of heart failure (HF). However, little is known about the long‐term individual trajectories of health status in patients with acute HF after discharge. Methods and Results We enrolled 2328 patients hospitalized for HF from 51 hospitals prospectively and measured their health status via the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire–12 at admission and 1, 6, and 12 months after discharge, respectively. The median age of the patients included was 66 years, and 63.3% were men. Six patterns of Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire–12 trajectories were identified by a latent class trajectory model: persistently good (34.0%), rapidly improving (35.5%), slowly improving (10.4%), moderately regressing (7.4%), severely regressing (7.5%), and persistently poor (5.3%). Advanced age, decompensated chronic HF, HF with mildly reduced ejection fraction, HF with preserved ejection fraction, depression symptoms, cognitive impairment, and each additional HF rehospitalization within 1 year of discharge were associated with unfavorable health status (moderately regressing, severely regressing, and persistently poor) (P

Deep learning models have been extensively employed to simulate dynamic Land Use Changes (LUC) at the regional level. However, existing studies were found to be limited by the inadequate extraction of Spatiotemporal Neighborhood Features (SNF) and ignored obvious Long-Term Dependence (LTD) in time series data, which low simulation accuracies. Consequently, it remains to be explored whether deep learning should be employed to initially extract spatial or temporal features in LUC simulations to achieve better results. We propose here a deep learning model of a Convolutional Neural Network – Gated Recurrent Unit (CNN-GRU), coupled with SNF learning to simulate LUC. Land use data for the Eastern Portion of the Hexi Corridor (EPHC) (2000–2020) were utilized to verify the effectiveness of our model, which was compared with four other models (GRU, CNN, CNN-LSTM, and GRU-CNN). We found that CNN-GRU the highest simulation accuracy (OA = 0.9346), whereas the kappa coefficient increased by 1.22%-4.57%. These results indicated that: (1) EPHC urbanization showed a trend of contraction, rapid expansion, and slow growth. (2) The CNN-GRU model effectively extracted SNF and LTD, which improved the accuracy of the simulation. (3) An enhanced effect could be achieved when spatial features were initially extracted during the SNF deep learning extraction process. (4) Variable neighborhood unit sizes influenced the simulation results, where a 3 × 3 window was most suitable for the study area.

Abstract The complex coacervation of soybean protein isolate and polysaccharide has been widely applied for preparing biopolymer materials like microcapsule. In this study, hydrolytic soy protein isolate (HSPI) was prepared by mild hydrolysis of soy protein isolate (SPI) with fungal protease 400 (F400). The degree of hydrolysis (DH) for the enzymatic products was controlled at 1%–5%. Emulsification, oxidation resistance, and thermal stability were used to evaluate the performances of HSPI with different DH. The results showed that the HSPI with the hydrolysis degree of 2% had the optimal property. Subsequently, the complex polymer of HSPI/SA was prepared by the coalescence reaction of HSPI and sodium alginate (SA). The turbidity curves manifested the optimal complex coacervation occurred at the ratio of 7:1 (HSPI:SA). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) presented that the reaction involved electrostatic interactions between ‐NH3+ in HSPI and ‐COO− in SA. Isothermal titration calorimetry experiments indicated that the complex coacervation reactions of HSPI and SA arose spontaneously. The microencapsulation by complex coacervation of HSPI and SA was further produced for embedding sweet orange oil. The thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) result revealed that the microencapsulation system of HSPI/SA had a better heat resistance than that using the SPI/SA complex polymer.

While alkaline water electrolysis offers a green means for hydrogen production, H2-evolving catalysts typically show worse activities in alkaline media than in acid. Here, authors examine IrMo intermetallics as electrocatalysts and identify a stably-adsorbed OH spectator in promoting performances.

The inosine monophosphate (IMP) content in chicken meat is closely related to muscle quality and is an important factor affecting meat flavor. However, the molecular regulatory mechanisms underlying the IMP-specific deposition in muscle remain unclear. This study performed transcriptome analysis of muscle tissues from different parts, feeding methods, sexes, and breeds of 180-day-old Jingyuan chickens, combined with differential expression and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), to identify the functional genes that regulate IMP deposition. Out of the four comparison groups, 1,775, 409, 102, and 60 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, of which PDHA2, ACSS2, PGAM1, GAPDH, PGM1, GPI, and TPI1 may be involved in the anabolic process of muscle IMP in the form of energy metabolism or amino acid metabolism. WGCNA identified 11 biofunctional modules associated with IMP deposition. The brown, midnight blue, red, and yellow modules were strongly correlated with IMP and cooking loss (p < 0.05). Functional enrichment analysis showed that glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, arginine and proline metabolism, and pyruvate metabolism, regulated by PYCR1, SMOX, and ACSS2, were necessary for muscle IMP-specific deposition. In addition, combined analyses of DEGs and four WGCNA modules identified TGIF1 and THBS1 as potential candidate genes affecting IMP deposition in muscle. This study explored the functional genes that regulate muscle development and IMP synthesis from multiple perspectives, providing an important theoretical basis for improving the meat quality and molecular breeding of Jingyuan chickens.

As a typical ecological fragile zone and an area with a high intensity of human activities, the Loess Plateau (LP) of China has significantly altered its ecosystem and the corresponding services under the influence of urbanization processes. However, most existing studies focus on the spatial and temporal changes of ecosystem services (ESs) and their interrelationships under the influence of ecological restoration works in the LP, leaving limited research on the impacts of urbanization on ESs. Therefore, this study constructed a research framework for exploring the spatio-temporal dynamics and interactions of ESs under the influence of urbanization based on time series data from 2000 to 2020. The results showed that: (1) based on the comprehensive urbanization level (CUL), developed and developing areas accounted for 5.63% of the total area; (2) for the whole LP, all ESs except Habitat Quality (HQ) showed an increased trend. HQ showed a trade-off with the other services, while there was a clear synergy between the other three types of services; (3) in terms of processes of urbanization, Carbon Sequestration, Water Yield and HQ gradually decreased with increased levels of urbanization, and Soil Conservation increased the least in developing areas. The trade-off between HQ and the other three services decreased with increasing urbanization, while the synergy between the other three services strengthened as urbanization deepened. These findings suggest that urbanization significantly impacts ESs. It is necessary to implement appropriate measures (e.g., sponge city construction, urban green space, etc.) to address the impacts of urbanization on ESs.

Restoration action is critical to ensure a safe environment for humans. Reasonable planning is essential to optimize the efficiency of ecological restoration inputs and outputs when implementing restoration measures. In this study, a method that combines human activity intensity assessment and multi-criteria decision analysis to determine ecological restoration priority (ERP) areas was developed to identify priority and feasible areas for ecological restoration in Shaanxi Province in 2020. The results showed that the total area involved in restoration feasibility assessment in Shaanxi is 10.89 × 104 km2. Among them, the percentage of regions with low feasibility (less than 0.2) is 68.86%, mainly located in Qinling area. High feasibility areas (more than 0.6) accounted for 2.47%, mainly located in the Loess Plateau area of northern Shaanxi. The spatial distribution of the human activity intensity is concentrated in urban areas and extended with the distribution of roads. In total, 10.69% of the regions showed high and very high intensity of human activity, including the Guanzhong urban agglomeration region. This study identified 6078 km2 and 671 km2 of medium and high ecological restoration priority areas, which are more concentrated in the north of the study area. The need for ecological restoration work is even more urgent in northern Shaanxi. In general, the framework in this study has spatially located the priority and feasible areas for restoration, and may provide a useful reference for landscape-scale spatial conservation planning.

Abstract Background Clinical decision support systems (CDSS) are low-cost, scalable tools with the potential to improve guideline-based antihypertensive treatment in primary care, but their effectiveness needs to be tested, especially in low- and middle-income countries such as China. Methods The Learning Implementation of Guideline-based decision support system for Hypertension Treatment (LIGHT) trial is a pragmatic, four-stage, cluster-randomized trial conducted in 94 primary care sites in China. For each city-based stage, sites are randomly assigned to either implementation of the CDSS for hypertension management (which guides doctors’ treatment recommendations based on measured blood pressure and patient characteristics), or usual care. Patients are enrolled during the first 3 months after site randomization and followed for 9 months. The primary outcome is the proportion of hypertension management visits at which guideline-based treatment is provided. In a nested trial conducted within the CDSS, with the patient as the unit of randomization, the LIGHT-ACD trial, patients are randomized to receive different initial mono- or dual-antihypertensive therapy. The primary outcome of the LIGHT-ACD trial is the changes in blood pressure. Discussion The LIGHT trial will provide evidence on the effectiveness of a CDSS for improving guideline adherence for hypertension management in primary care in China. The nested trial, the LIGHT-ACD trial, will provide data on the effect of different initial antihypertensive regimens for blood pressure management in this setting. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: LIGHT (NCT03636334) and LIGHT-ACD (NCT03587103). Registered on 3 July 2018.

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) is changing from a concept to corporate soft power. Can this improve corporate performance in capital markets? There is little literature linking environmental, Social, and Governance performance to stock liquidity. Therefore, It is of urgent theoretical and practical importance to study the impact of environmental, Social, and Governance performance on stock liquidity. Using Chinese A-share listed companies from 2015 to 2020 as a sample to empirically examine the impact of environmental, Social, and Governance performance on stock liquidity and its mechanism. We find that environmental, Social, and Governance performance has a significant positive impact on listed companie’s stock liquidity. This conclusion was validated after conducting a series of robustness tests. Mechanism analysis shows that environmental, Social, and Governance performance can promote stock liquidity by reducing agency costs, increasing the proportion of foreign ownership, and improving corporate reputation. The heterogeneity analysis shows that environmental, Social, and Governance performance in state-owned enterprises, heavily polluting enterprises, and enterprises in areas with low degrees of marketisation has a more significant positive promoting effect on stock liquidity. This study expands the research on environmental, Social, and Governance performance and has implications for promoting the development of environmental, Social, and Governance practices.

The possibility of using three types of NaOH-treated tea residues (green tea, pu-erh, and tieguanyin) as low-cost adsorbents for Cr(VI) treatment was investigated. The surface charge, composition, morphology, structure, and functional groups in the obtained biosorbents were characterized by pHzpc, cellulose content, SEM, BET, XRD, and FTIR spectroscopy. The nonlinear pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, and Elovich models were used to investigate adsorption kinetics at various initial concentrations. The adsorption processes were more consistent with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model in the range of 5-50 mg L-1. The adsorption isotherm at 298 K was described using the nonlinear Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin-Pyzhev, and Dubinin-Radushkevich models, indicating that the process was favorable and complex with maximum adsorption amounts of 6.15, 19.50, and 12.31 mg g-1 for green tea, pu-erh, and tieguanyin residues, respectively. Thermodynamic analysis revealed that the adsorption was a spontaneous, endothermic process. The results demonstrated that all materials had the potential to successfully remove Cr(VI) from the aqueous solution.

In existing festival research, trust is often placed at the post-experience stage by scholars, and there is no research to explore the relationship between festivalscape, trust, and experience. In addition, the main function of trust is to reduce uncertainty and risk perception. Existing festival-related research scenarios do not have typical risks, which will limit the findings of the research. This research focuses on festivals under covid-19 pandemic, which is a typical risky scenario. Exploring the antecedent variables and the consequences of the trust of the festival participants in this context may therefore make up the deficiency of existing research. Several interesting findings have been made: the perception of the festivalscape during the pandemic has been significantly simplified. Epidemic prevention measures and staff may increase trust, but trust cannot have a direct and significant impact on festival satisfaction. While staff positively strengthen trust, they will have a significant negative impact on satisfaction.

Due to the intense noise interference in hydraulic systems, it is extremely difficult to detect component faults through vibration signals. Diagnostic performance is also constrained by highly time-varying and non-stationary operating conditions. This study proposes to use instantaneous angular speed (IAS) signals that are both operational and state parameters as sources of information. Firstly, the instantaneous angular speed fluctuation (IASF) of a piston pump is analyzed theoretically, and it is concluded that its fluctuating components contain the health status information of the components. The IASF can then be obtained by subtracting the speed trend term from IAS signals obtained via a magneto-electric speed sensor. A synchro-extraction of the normal S transform (SNST) is proposed to process it via line-pass filtering. Finally, the filtered and reconstructed IASF signal is utilized to draw a two-dimensional polar coordinate map online. A non-stationary-condition test is carried out on the test platform to monitor the morphological characteristics of the valve plate under normal, slight, and severe wear conditions. The polar plot shows significant increases in speed fluctuations and oscillation times within a range from 180° to 270°. The relevant research results reflect that the IAS signal can provide a new method for monitoring the operating status of and conducting fault diagnoses for hydraulic equipment.

In order to meet the requirements of dynamic monitoring from a bird’s eye view for typical rapidly changing processes such as mechanical rotation and photoresist exposure reaction, we propose a vertical high-speed Mueller matrix ellipsometer that consists of a polarization state generator (PSG) based on the time-domain polarization modulation and a polarization state analyzer (PSA) based on division-of-amplitude polarization demodulation. The PSG is realized using two cascaded photoelastic modulators, while the PSA is realized using a six-channel Stokes polarimeter. On this basis, the polarization effect introduced by switching the optical-path layout of the instrument from the horizontal transmission to the vertical transmission is fully considered, which is caused by changing the incidence plane. An in situ calibration method based on the correct definition of the polarization modulation and demodulation reference plane has been proposed, enabling the precise calibration of the instrument by combining it with a time-domain light intensity fitting algorithm. The measurement experiments of SiO2 films and an air medium prove the accuracy and feasibility of the proposed calibration method. After the precise calibration, the instrument can exhibit excellent measurement performance in the range of incident angles from 45° to 90°, in which the measurement time resolution is maintained at the order of 10 μs, the measurement accuracy of Mueller matrix elements is better than 0.007, and the measurement precision is better than 0.005.

Background: Little is known of the characteristics, treatment, and outcomes of patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) but without standard modifiable cardiovascular risk factors (SMuRFs, including smoking, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, and hypertension) in developing countries like China. Moreover, contributors to the excess mortality of such SMuRF-less patients remain unclear. Methods: This study was based on a nationally representative sample of patients presenting with STEMI and admitted to 162 hospitals in 31 provinces across mainland China between 2001 and 2015. We compared clinical characteristics, treatments, and mortality during hospitalization between patients with and without SMuRFs. We also investigated the possible causes of differences in mortality and quantified the contributors to excess mortality. Results: Among 16,541 patients (aged 65 ± 13 years; 30.0% women), 19.9% were SMuRF-less. These patients were older (69 vs. 65 years), experienced more cardiogenic shock and lower blood pressure at admission, and were less likely to be admitted to the cardiac ward compared to patients with SMuRFs. Moreover, SMuRF-less patients received treatment less often, including primary percutaneous coronary intervention (17.3% vs. 28.8%, p < 0.001), dual antiplatelet therapy (59.4% vs. 77.0%, p < 0.001), angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers (49.9% vs. 68.1%, p < 0.001), and statins (69.9% vs. 85.1%, p < 0.001). They had higher in-hospital mortality (18.5% vs. 10.5%, p < 0.001), with 56.1% of deaths occurring within 24 hours of admission. Although the difference in mortality decreased after adjusting for patient characteristics, it remained significant and concerning (odds ratio (OR) 1.41; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.25–1.59). Mediation analysis found that, in patients without SMuRFs, underutilization of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers and statins contributed to an excess mortality risk of 22.4% and 32.5%, respectively. Conclusions: Attention and action are urgently needed for STEMI patients without SMuRFs, given their high incidence and excess in-hospital mortality. The use of timely and adequate evidence-based treatments should be strengthened.

In recent years, the delicate balance between economic development and ecological environment protection in ecologically fragile arid areas has gradually become apparent. Although previous research has mainly focused on changes in ecological service value caused by land use, a comprehensive understanding of ecology–economy harmony and ecological compensation remains elusive. To address this, we employed a coupled deep learning model (convolutional neural network-gated recurrent unit) to simulate the ecological service value of the Wuwei arid oasis over the next 10 years. The ecology–economy harmony index was used to determine the priority range of ecological compensation, while the GeoDetector analyzed the potential impact of driving factors on ecological service value from 2000 to 2030. The results show the following: (1) The coupled model, which extracts spatial features in the neighborhood of historical data using a convolutional neural network and adaptively learns time features using the gated recurrent unit, achieved an overall accuracy of 0.9377, outperforming three other models (gated recurrent unit, convolutional neural network, and convolutional neural network—long short-term memory); (2) Ecological service value in the arid oasis area illustrated an overall increasing trend from 2000 to 2030, but urban expansion still caused a decrease in ecological service value; (3) Historical ecology–economy harmony was mainly characterized by low conflict and potential crisis, while future ecology–economy harmony will be characterized by potential crisis and high coordination. Minqin and Tianzhu in the north and south have relatively high coordination between ecological environment and economic development, while Liangzhou and Guluang in the west and east exhibited relatively low coordination, indicating a greater urgency for ecological compensation; (4) Geomorphic, soil, and digital elevation model emerged as the most influential natural factor affecting the spatial differentiation of ecological service value in the arid oasis area. This study is of great significance for balancing economic development and ecological protection and promoting sustainable development in arid areas.

Abstract Background Lipid metabolism disorders play a critical role in the progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, the number of studies on the relationships among blood lipid-related indexes and NAFLD is limited, and few studies have emphasized the comparison of blood lipid-related indexes in the same population to identify the optimal index for NAFLD screening. This study aimed to investigate the relationships among several blood lipid-related indexes and NAFLD, and to find the index with the best screening value for NAFLD. Methods Based on a general health examination at community health service agencies in the Pearl River Delta region of China in 2015, 3239 women were recruited in this cross-sectional study. The relationships among blood lipid-related indexes and NAFLD were assessed separately by constructing multivariate logistic regression models. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to evaluate and compare the screening abilities of the indexes for NAFLD. All data analyses were conducted in SPSS and MedCalc software. Results Whether in the crude model or each model adjusted for possible confounding factors, the risk of NAFLD significantly rose with increasing cardiometabolic index (CMI), triglyceride glucose index (TyG), triglycerides (TG) to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) ratio (TG/HDL-C), total cholesterol (TC) to HDL-C ratio (TC/HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C) to HDL-C ratio (LDL-C/HDL-C). Moreover, the area under the curve (AUC) of CMI was 0.744, which was better than that of TyG (0.725), TG/HDL-C (0.715), TC/HDL-C (0.650), and LDL-C/HDL-C (0.644) (P

Abstract Aims The study sought to investigate the association between admission systolic blood pressure (SBP) and 1‐year clinical outcomes in patients hospitalized for heart failure (HF) and in subgroups. Methods This study was based on the China Patient‐centred Evaluative Assessment of Cardiac Events Prospective Heart Failure Study, which prospectively enrolled patients hospitalized for HF in 52 hospitals from 20 provinces in China between August 2016 and May 2018. Patients were divided into four groups according to the quartiles of SBP at admission. The multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models were fitted to examine the association between admission SBP and all‐cause death and HF readmission within 1 year after the index hospitalization. Restricted cubic splines were used to explore the non‐linear association between SBP and the clinical outcomes. Results Among 4896 patients, those with lower admission SBP were younger, more likely to be male, have left ventricular ejection fraction

Abstract Excessive or persistent inflammation incites cardiomyocytes necrosis by generating reactive oxygen species in myocardial infarction (MI). Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), a gaseous signal molecule, can quickly permeate cells and tissues, growing concerned for its cardioprotective effects. However, short resident time and strong side effects greatly restrict its application. Herein, a complex scaffold (AAB) is first developed to slowly release H2S for myocardial protection by integrating alginate modified with 2‐aminopyridine‐5‐thiocarboxamide (H2S donor) into albumin electrospun fibers. Next, a band‐aid like patch is constructed based on AAB (center) and nanocomposite scaffold which comprises albumin scaffold and black phosphorus nanosheets (BPNSs). With near‐infrared laser (808 nm), thermal energy generated by BPNSs can locally change the molecular structure of fibrous scaffold, thereby attaching patch to the myocardium. In this study, it is also demonstrated that AAB can enhance regenerative M2 macrophage and attenuate inflammatory polarization of macrophages via reduction in intracellular ROS. Eventually, this engineered cardiac patch can relieve inflammation and promote angiogenesis after MI, and thereby recover heart function, providing a promising therapeutic strategy for MI treatment.

The governance effects of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance (D&O insurance), an important tool for risk diversification, are of strong concern in the capital market. Using a sample of Chinese A-share listed firms from 2009 to 2018, we examine the impact of D&O insurance on excess corporate leverage. We find that D&O insurance is negatively associated with excess corporate leverage and that this result is consistent with a series of robustness tests. Further analyses show that D&O insurance impedes excess corporate leverage mainly because of its effect on external monitoring. The effect is more pronounced for firms that are state-owned, have political connections and are located in provinces with low marketization than for other firms.

Description of structured beams in spherical coordinates is critical in studying the interaction between beams and spherical particles. The work extends the cylindrical wave spectrum decomposition (CWSD) method to non-axisymmetric beams, applied herein to the elliptical Gaussian beam, cosine Gauss beam and Hermite-Gauss beam as examples. It is shown that for these beams the beam shape coefficients (BSCs) can be expressed in one dimensional integrations and hence numerical calculations can be performed very efficiently. The beam fields reproduced by using these BSCs show satisfactory faithfulness to the rigorous expression of the given fields. Typically, the difference between them is less than 10−8.

The innovation and optimization of cultural industry clusters is important to the promotion of economic structural transformation and high-quality development. Taking 31 provinces (municipalities directly under the Central Government and autonomous regions in China) as the research object, the cross-sectional data included the number of joint patent applications for culture and related industries among provinces (regions) in 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2020. Then, the cluster innovation network was constructed using social network analysis (SNA) based on scientific identification of cultural industry clusters. This new cluster innovation network structure and its spatial evolution characteristics are accessible with the help of UCINet and ArcGIS tools. Finally, the multiple regression-quadratic assignment procedure (MR-QAP) method is used to determine the influence of geographical proximity, technological proximity, and social proximity on the evolution pattern of the cultural industry cluster innovation network. The results of the study are important for improving the efficiency of national cultural industry innovation and promoting regional synergistic development.

The contributions of the different leaf layers to maize yields identified as middle leaf > lower leaf > upper leaf, where the vertical photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) in the canopy gradually decreases. We hypothesized that the allocation of more PAR and nitrogen (N) to the highest contributing leaves will would be beneficial for higher yields and N use efficiencies. The N application rate and plant density effectively regulated the canopy light and N distribution. We evaluated the interactive effects of N rate and plant density on the agronomic and ecophysiological characteristics of leaves at different orientations in a 2019/2020 field experiment. In this study, an N application rate of 180 kg ha–1 coupled with a plant density of 82,500 plants ha–1 achieved the highest yield and N recovery efficiency (NRE). In contrast to the traditional farming practices in northern China, the density was increased and N rate was reduced. Densification from 52,500 to 82,500 plants ha–1 increased the population leaf area index (LAI) by 37.1% and total photosynthetically active radiation (TPAR) by 29.2%; however, excessive density (from 82,500 to 97,500 plants ha–1) drastically reduced the proportion of TPAR by 28.0% in the lower leaves. With increased density, the leaf areas and angles of the upper leaves decreased much more than those of the other leaves, which allowed the middle and lower leaves to access more light, which manifested a smaller extinction coefficient for light (KL). A high yield (>1,000 kg ha–1) of maize could be achieved simultaneously with higher NRE; however, it was negatively correlated with internal N use efficiency (IEN). Higher N concentrations and lower total performance index (PItotal) in the lower leaves may be an important rationale for the reduction of IEN in high-yielding maize. Additionally, decreased N rate without yield reduction under higher densities was primarily attributed to the more uniform vertical N distribution [a smaller extinction coefficient for N (KN)]. These results suggest that the N fertilizer rate can be moderately reduced without a reduction in maize yield under high plant densities in northern China.

BackgroundElevated blood pressure (BP) is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality in stroke survivors. China has the highest prevalence of stroke survivors and accounts for one-third of stroke-related deaths worldwide. We aimed to describe the prevalence and treatment of elevated BP across age, sex, and region, and assess the mortality attributable to elevated BP among stroke survivors in China.Materials and methodsBased on 3,820,651 participants aged 35–75 years from all 31 provinces in mainland China recruited from September 2014 to September 2020, we assessed the prevalence and treatment of elevated BP (systolic BP ≥ 140 mmHg or diastolic BP ≥ 90 mmHg) among those with self-reported stroke and stratified by age group, sex, and geographic region. We estimated the age- and sex-specific population attributable fractions of death from elevated BP.ResultsAmong 91,406 stroke survivors, the mean (SD) age was 62 (8) years, and 49.0% were male. The median interquartile range (IQR) stroke duration was 4 (2, 7) years. The prevalence of elevated BP was 61.3% overall, and increased with age (from 47.5% aged 35–44 years to 64.6% aged 65–75 years). The increment of prevalence was larger in female patients than male patients. Elevated BP was more prevalent in northeast (66.8%) and less in south (54.3%) China. Treatment rate among patients with elevated BP was 38.1%, and rates were low across all age groups, sexes, and regions. Elevated BP accounted for 33 and 21% of cardiovascular and all-cause mortality among stroke survivors, respectively. The proportion exceeded 50% for cardiovascular mortality among patients aged 35–54 years.ConclusionIn this nationwide cohort of stroke survivors from China, elevated BP and its non-treatment were highly prevalent across all age groups, sexes, and regions. Elevated BP accounted for nearly one-third cardiovascular mortality in stroke survivors, and particularly higher in young and middle-aged patients. National strategies targeting elevated BP are warranted to address the high stroke burden in China.