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Aquatic microbes, which are highly diverse in freshwater biofilms, play a vital role in shaping the structure and functioning of ecosystems. Nevertheless, the influence of environmental factors on aquatic microbes in different biogeographic ecosystems, especially in tropical mountains, is relatively unexplored. Here, we examined the relative influence of climate and physicochemical factors on beta diversity of stream bacteria and fungi using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing at 40 sites on Mt. Kilimanjaro. Towards larger elevational distance, the total beta diversity and turnover of bacteria and fungi increased significantly, while nestedness decreased. The beta diversity of fungi showed greater spatial variation than that of bacteria, while the local contribution to beta diversity (LCBD) showed U-shaped elevational pattern for both taxa. Bacteria and fungi had strong positive relationships regarding the total beta diversity, LCBD and their components, except for nestedness, indicating similar environmental preferences and resource overlap. Among environmental variables, mean annual temperature, water depth and elevation predicted microbial beta diversity, while water depth, mean annual temperature and precipitation primarily affected LCBD. Overall, climate-related variables were the dominant factors for beta diversity and their effects were more pronounced for fungi than bacteria. The contrasting patterns of bacterial and fungal beta diversity and their ecological interactions in tropical aquatic ecosystems provide a rare dataset for assessing ecological functions in understudied aquatic ecosystems and predicting the impact of global change on microorganisms.

Abstract As an efficient and environmental‐friendly strategy, electrocatalytic oxidation can realize biomass lignin valorization by cleaving its aryl ether bonds to produce value‐added chemicals. However, the complex and polymerized structure of lignin presents challenges in terms of reactant adsorption on the catalyst surface, which hinders further refinement. Herein, NiCo‐based metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs) are employed as the electrocatalyst to enhance the adsorption of reactant molecules through π‐π interaction. More importantly, lattice strain is introduced into the MOFs via curved ligand doping, which enables tuning of the d‐band center of metal active sites to align with the reaction intermediates, leading to stronger adsorption and higher electrocatalytic activity toward bond cleavage within lignin model compounds and native lignin. When 2′‐phenoxyacetophenone is utilized as the model compound, high yields of phenol (76.3%) and acetophenone (21.7%) are achieved, and the conversion rate of the reactants reaches 97%. Following pre‐oxidation of extracted poplar lignin, >10 kinds of phenolic compounds are received using the as‐designed MOFs electrocatalyst, providing ≈12.48% of the monomer, including guaiacol, vanillin, eugenol, etc., and p‐hydroxybenzoic acid dominates all the products. This work presents a promising and deliberately designed electrocatalyst for realizing lignin valorization, making significant strides for the sustainability of this biomass resource.

Aiming at the problem of noise interference leading to poor fault diagnosis effect of rolling bearing, a two-stage signal noise reduction method based on multi-strategy coati optimization algorithm (MFCOA) optimized ICEEMDAN combined with wavelet threshold denoising (ICEEMDAN-WTD) is proposed. The MFCOA-optimized stochastic configured networks (MFCOA-SCNs) is used for fault type identification. Firstly, ICEEMDAN is used to decompose noisy signals into several IMF signals, and then a wavelet threshold denoising method is used to process IMF signals whose arrangement entropy is lower than the pre-set value to obtain reconstructed signals. In this process, the ICEEMDAN decomposition is affected by the number of white noise additions and the degree of addition. Therefore, MFCOA is introduced to optimize the parameters to ensure the effect of signal noise reduction. Secondly, ICEEMDAN is applied to the reconstructed signal, and the entropy of IMF signal samples of each order is calculated to obtain the fault characteristics in different simultaneous frequency domains. Finally, the scale factor $\lambda $ and regularization coefficient $r$ in SCNs are optimized by MFCOA, and the sample entropy feature is used as the input of the MFCOA-SCNs model to achieve fault identification. Several simulation experiments have verified that the proposed method can effectively reduce the impact of noise in bearing signals, and the experimental results are better than other methods, and the diagnostic accuracy is better.

BackgroundThis study aimed to translate the revised Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPSC 2.0) to Mandarin, evaluate its psychometric properties, and apply it to a group of private hospitals in China to identify the determinants associated with patient safety culture.MethodsA two-phase study was conducted to translate and evaluate the HSOPSC 2.0. A cross-cultural adaptation of the HSOPSC 2.0 was performed in Mandarin and applied in a cross-sectional study in China. This study was conducted among 3,062 respondents from nine private hospitals and 11 clinics across six cities in China. The HSOPSC 2.0 was used to assess patient safety culture. Primary outcomes were measured by the overall patient safety grade and patient safety events reported.ResultsConfirmatory factor analysis results and internal consistency reliability were acceptable for the translated HOSPSC 2.0. The dimension with the highest positive response was “Organizational learning - Continuous improvement” (89%), and the lowest was “Reporting patient safety event” (51%). Nurses and long working time in the hospital were associated with lower assessments of overall patient safety grades. Respondents who had direct contact with patients, had long working times in the hospital, and had long working hours per week reported more patient safety events. A higher level of patient safety culture implies an increased probability of a high overall patient safety grade and the number of patient safety events reported.ConclusionThe Chinese version of HSOPSC 2.0 is a reliable instrument for measuring patient safety culture in private hospitals in China. Organizational culture is the foundation of patient safety and can promote the development of a positive safety culture in private hospitals in China.

Abstract Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical efficacy of small plate assisted anatomical plate and traditional double plate in the treatment of Rüedi and Allgöwer II - III pilon fracture. Methods and materials The data of 68 patients with pilon fracture admitted to Hospital from June 2017 to June 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Study group and control group were divided according to different operation methods, with 34 cases in each group. There were 28 cases of Rüedi and Allgöwer II type and 40 cases of Rüedi and Allgöwer III type. Perioperative period data, Ankle joint function score, visual analog scale (VAS) scores and the incidence of incision complications were analyzed between these two groups. Results There were no significant differences in full load time, fracture healing time between these two groups (P > 0.05). The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, length of hospital stay, Ankle joint function score and postoperative incision complication rate in observation group were lower than those in control group (P

Bronze phase titanium dioxide (TiO2(B)) could be a promising high-power anode for lithium ion battery. However, TiO2(B) is a metastable material, so the as-synthesized samples are inevitably accompanied by the existence of anatase phases. It has been found that the TiO2(B)'s purity is positively correlated with its electrochemical performance. Herein, we have established an accurate quantification of the TiO2(B)/anatase ratio, by figuring out the function between the purity of TiO2(B) phase in the high purity range and its Raman spectra features in combination of the calibration by the synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction (XRD). Compared with the time-consuming electrochemical method, the rapid, sensitive and non-destructive features of Raman spectroscopy have made it a promising candidate for determining the purity of TiO2(B). Further, the correlations developed in this work should be instructive in synthesizing pure TiO2(B) and furthermore optimizing its electrochemical charge storage properties.

ABSTRACT: Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) is a transcriptional regulator that mediates cellular adaptive responses to hypoxia. Hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) is involved in the development of ascites syndrome (AS) in broiler chickens. Therefore, studying the effect of HIF-1α on the cellular transcriptome under hypoxic conditions will help to better understand the mechanism of HIF-1α in the development of AS in broilers. In this study, we analyzed the gene expression profile of the chicken fibroblast cell line (DF-1) under hypoxic conditions by RNA-seq. Additionally, we constructed the HIF-1α knockdown DF-1 cell line by using the RNAi method and analyzed the gene expression profile under hypoxic conditions. The results showed that exposure to hypoxia for 48 h had a significant impact on the expression of genes in the DF-1 cell line, which related to cell proliferation, stress response, and apoptosis. In addition, after HIF-1α knockdown more differential expression genes appeared than in wild-type cells, and the expression of most hypoxia-related genes was either down-regulated or remained unchanged. Pathway analysis results showed that differentially expressed genes were mainly enriched in pathways related to cell proliferation, apoptosis, and oxidative phosphorylation. Our study obtained transcriptomic data from chicken fibroblasts at different hypoxic times and identified the potential regulatory network associated with HIF-1α. This data provides valuable support for understanding the transcriptional regulatory mechanism of HIF-1α in the development of AS in broilers.

Abstract Thermal management is of great significance for human activities. Attaining thermal comfort not only requires thermal control of building's macroenvironment, but also additionally personal thermal regulation. Radiative cooling technologies are anticipated to effectively lower building energy utilization and provide optimal thermal comfort for individuals in hot weather. Nevertheless, these static and single‐purpose characteristics lack the ability to adjust to rapidly changing weather conditions, often leading to excessive cooling. To overcome this challenge, the emergence of dual‐mode smart flipping technologies has provided a pathway for dynamically adjusting the heating or cooling of objects in response to fluctuations in ambient temperature. First, the underlying principles of dual‐mode smart flipping are shown. Then the evolving materials and approaches of smart flipping are given an introduction to adapt to different environments under external stimuli, such as mechanical flipping, temperature, humidity, and so forth. Afterward, we present the recent applications of dual‐mode smart flipping materials and devices in personal thermal management, thermoelectric generation, energy‐saving buildings, and smart windows. Finally, the challenges and outlook of dual‐mode smart flipping are presented and future directions are identified.

Abstract Background Immunization is one of the most far-reaching and cost-effective strategies for promoting good health and saving lives. A complex immunization schedule, however, may be burdensome to parents and lead to reduced vaccine compliance and completion. Thus, it is critical to develop combination vaccines to reduce the number of injections and simplify the immunization schedule. This study aimed to investigate the current status of the pentavalent diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis inactivated poliomyelitis and Haemophilus influenzae type B conjugate (DTaP-IPV/Hib) vaccination in Southern China as well as explore the factors in the general population associated with uptake and the differences between urban and rural populations. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted with recently enrolled kindergarten students in Hainan Province between December 2022 and January 2023. The study employed a stratified multistage cluster random sampling method. Information regarding the demographic characteristics and factors that influence decisions were collected from the caregivers of children via an online questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the factors associated with the status of DTap-IPV/Hib vaccinations. Results Of the 4818 valid responses, 95.3% of children were aged 3–4 years, and 2856 (59.3%) held rural hukou. Coverage rates of the DTaP-IPV/Hib vaccine, from 1 to 4 doses, were 24.4%, 20.7%, 18.5%, and 16.0%, respectively. Caregivers who are concerned about vaccine efficacy [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.53, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.30–1.79], the manufacturer (aOR = 2.05, 95% CI: 1.69–2.49), and a simple immunization schedule (aOR = 1.26, 95% CI: 1.04–1.54) are factors associated with a higher likelihood of vaccinating children against DTaP-IPV/Hib. In addition, caregivers in urban areas showed more concern about the vaccine price (P = 0.010) and immunization schedule (P = 0.022) in regard to vaccinating children. Conclusions The DTaP-IPV/Hib vaccine coverage rate in Hainan Province remains low. Factors such as lower socioeconomic status, cultural beliefs, concerns about vaccine safety, and cost may hinder caregivers from vaccinating their children. Further measures, such as health education campaigns to raise knowledge and awareness, and encouragement of domestic vaccine innovation, which would reduce out-of-pocket costs, could be implemented to improve the coverage of DTap-IPV/Hib vaccination. Graphical Abstract

The environmental/economic dispatch (EED) of power systems addresses the environmental pollution problems caused by power generation at the operational level, offering macroscopic control without requiring additional construction and remediation costs, garnering widespread attention in recent years. This paper undertakes a comprehensive review of existing EED models, categorizing them according to the control of atmospheric pollutants into total air pollutant control (TAPC) and control considering the spatial and temporal diffusion (STD) of atmospheric pollutants. In addition, various methods employed to address the EED problems, as well as the current state of research on multi-area EED models, are presented. Finally, this paper analyzes and summarizes the literature on existing EED models, highlighting the deficiencies of the current work and future research directions. Through these explorations, the authors find that controlling the EED model by considering TAPC is more suitable for general macro planning, whereas the EED model considering the STD of air pollutant emissions enables more precise and effective control. Summarizing such models and techniques is conducive to developing dispatch plans adapted to local conditions, which is significantly beneficial for public welfare and government management, promoting sustainable and environmentally friendly power system dispatch methods.

Abstract The benefits of hypoxia for maintaining the stemness of cultured human bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells (BM EPCs) have previously been demonstrated but the mechanisms responsible remain unclear. Growing evidences suggest that cellular metabolism plays an important role in regulating stem cell fate and self-renewal. Here we aimed to detect the changes of glucose metabolism and to explore its role on maintaining the stemness of BM EPCs under hypoxia. We identified the metabolic status of BM EPCs by using extracellular flux analysis, LC–MS/MS, and 13C tracing HPLC-QE-MS, and found that hypoxia induced glucose metabolic reprogramming, which manifested as increased glycolysis and pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), decreased tricarboxylic acid (TCA) and mitochondrial respiration. We further pharmacologically altered the metabolic status of cells by employing various of inhibitors of key enzymes of glycolysis, PPP, TCA cycle and mitochondria electron transport chain (ETC). We found that inhibiting glycolysis or PPP impaired cell proliferation either under normoxia or hypoxia. On the contrary, inhibiting pyruvate oxidation, TCA or ETC promoted cell proliferation under normoxia mimicking hypoxic conditions. Moreover, promoting pyruvate oxidation reverses the maintenance effect of hypoxia on cell stemness. Taken together, our data suggest that hypoxia induced glucose metabolic reprogramming maintains the stemness of BM EPCs, and artificial manipulation of cell metabolism can be an effective way for regulating the stemness of BM EPCs, thereby improving the efficiency of cell expansion in vitro.

ABSTRACT: Pear is a fruit crop of worldwide importance and cold storage is an integral part of the production and distribution of pears. An uncharacterized fungal disease has been observed on ‘Huangguan’ pear fruit during cold storage in Hebei Province. The fungus was consistently isolated from diseased fruit by routine tissue separation method, and shown to be the causal agent according to Koch postulates. Based on its morphology, molecular characteristics, pathogenicity and ITS sequence, the fungus was identified as Rhizoctonia solani. This study recorded postharvest fruit rot caused by Rhizoctonia solani on pear fruit in China.

BackgroundTelephone-assisted cardiopulmonary resuscitation (T-CPR) has proven to be a crucial intervention in enhancing the ability of lay responders to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) during telehealth emergency services. While the majority of established T-CPR protocols primarily focus on guiding individual rescuers, there is a lack of emphasis on instructing and coordinating multiple lay responders to perform resuscitation collaboratively. ObjectiveThis study aimed to develop an innovative team-based tele-instruction tool to efficiently organize and instruct multiple lay responders on the CPR process and to evaluate the effectiveness and feasibility of the tool. MethodsWe used a mixed methods design in this study. We conducted a randomized controlled simulation trial to conduct the quantitative analysis. The intervention groups used the team-based tele-instruction tool for team resuscitation, while the control groups did not have access to the tool. Baseline resuscitation was performed during the initial phase (phase I test). Subsequently, all teams watched a team-based CPR education training video and finished a 3-person practice session with teaching followed by a posttraining test (phase II test). In the qualitative analysis, we randomly selected an individual from each team and 4 experts in emergency medical services to conduct semistructured interviews. The purpose of these interviews was to evaluate the effectiveness and feasibility of this tool. ResultsThe team-based tele-instruction tool significantly improved the quality of chest compression in both phase I and phase II tests. The average compression rates were more appropriate in the intervention groups compared to the control groups (median 104.5, IQR 98.8-111.8 min–1 vs median 112, IQR 106-120.8 min–1; P=.04 in phase I and median 117.5, IQR 112.3-125 min–1 vs median 111, IQR 105.3-119 min–1; P=.03 in phase II). In the intervention group, there was a delay in the emergency response time compared to that in the control group (time to first chest compression: median 20, IQR 15-24.8 seconds vs median 25, IQR 20.5-40.3 seconds; P=.03; time to open the airway: median 48, IQR 36.3-62 seconds vs median 73.5, IQR 54.5-227.8 seconds; P=.01). However, this delay was partially mitigated after the phase II test. The qualitative results confirmed the compatibility and generalizability of the team-based tele-instruction tool, demonstrating its ability to effectively guide multiple lay responders through teamwork and effective communication with telecommunicators. ConclusionsThe use of the team-based tele-instruction tool offers an effective solution to enhance the quality of chest compression among multiple lay responders. This tool facilitated the organization of resuscitation teams by dispatchers and enabled efficient cooperation. Further assessment of the widespread adoption and practical application of the team-based tele-instruction tools in real-life rescue scenarios within the telehealth emergency services system is warranted.

ObjectiveTo investigate the impact of the progesterone concentration on the human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) trigger day on clinical outcomes with an antagonist protocol.MethodsThe retrospective cohort study included a total of 1,550 fresh autologous ART cycles with one top-quality embryo transfer. Multivariate regression analysis, curve fitting, and threshold effect analysis were performed.ResultsA significant association was found between the progesterone concentration and clinical pregnancy rate (adjusted OR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.62–0.97; P = 0.0234), especially in blastocyst transfer (adjusted OR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.39–0.78; P = 0.0008). The association between the progesterone concentration and the ongoing pregnancy rate was insignificant. The clinical pregnancy rate showed a linear relationship with an increased progesterone concentration in cleavage-stage embryo transfer. In blastocyst transfer, as the progesterone concentration increased, the clinical and ongoing pregnancy rates showed a parabolic reverse-U curve; the curve initially increased before declining at high progesterone concentrations. The clinical pregnancy rate increased with a progesterone concentration up to 0.80 ng/mL rather than tended to be stable. The clinical pregnancy rate significantly decreased when the progesterone concentration was ≥0.80 ng/mL.ConclusionThe progesterone concentration on the hCG trigger day exhibits a curvilinear relationship with pregnancy outcomes in blastocyst transfer cycles, and the optimal threshold of the progesterone concentration is 0.80 ng/mL.

Curcumin is well known as a potent antioxidant and free radical scavenger and has great potential for anti-aging applications. In this study, we investigate the molecular mechanism of curcumin in prolonging the lifespan of C. elegans. Four concentrations of curcumin (10, 25, 50, and 100 µM) were administered, and the optimal treatment concentration was determined by analyzing the nematode lifespan, physiology, and biochemistry. Additionally, RNA-seq and qRT-PCR were performed to explore the antioxidant effect of curcumin and its underlying mechanism. Results revealed that curcumin could significantly improve the survival capacity of C. elegans without influencing its growth. Curcumin was observed to significantly decrease the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) under extreme conditions such as heat stress and paraquat stress. In addition, curcumin increased the amount of nematode mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) replication. RNA-seq results revealed that the underlying mechanism of curcumin in C. elegans is related to the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. qRT-PCR results confirmed that the expression of oxidative stress-related genes (sod-1, sod-2, sod-3, gst-4) was increased, and the expression of MAPK signaling pathway-related genes (sek-1, pmk-1, nsy-1) was significantly downregulated. Furthermore, the administration of curcumin extended the lifespan of nematodes, potentially through the enhancement of oxidative stress resistance and the downregulation of the MAPK signaling pathway. These findings improve our understanding of both lifespan extension and the potential mechanism of curcumin in C. elegans.

Lignin is the most promising candidate for producing aromatic compounds from biomass. However, the challenge lies in the cleavage of C−C bonds between lignin monomers under mild conditions, as these bonds have high dissociation energy. Electrochemical oxidation, which allows for mild cleavage of C−C bonds, is considered an attractive solution. To achieve low-energy consumption in the valorization of lignin, the use of highly efficient electrocatalysts is essential. In this study, a meticulously designed catalyst consisting of cobalt-doped nickel (oxy)hydroxide on molybdenum disulfide heterojunction was developed. The presence of molybdenum in a high valence state promoted the adsorption of tert-butyl hydroperoxide, leading to the formation of critical radical intermediates. In addition, the incorporation of cobalt doping regulated the electronic structure of nickel, resulting in a lower energy barrier. As a result, the heterojunction catalyst demonstrated a selectivity of 85.36% for cleaving the Cα−Cβ bond in lignin model compound, achieving a substrate conversion of 93.69% under ambient conditions. In addition, the electrocatalyst depolymerized 49.82 wt% of soluble fractions from organosolv lignin (OL), resulting in a yield of up to 13 wt% of aromatic monomers. Significantly, the effectiveness of the prepared electrocatalyst was also demonstrated using industrial Kraft lignin (KL). Therefore, this research offers a practical approach for implementing electrocatalytic oxidation in lignin refining.

The aquatic system is a major sink for engineered nanomaterials released into the environment. Here, we assessed the toxicity of graphene oxide (GO) using the freshwater planarian Dugesia japonica, an invertebrate model that has been widely used for studying the effects of toxins on tissue regeneration and neuronal development. GO not only impaired the growth of normal (homeostatic) worms, but also inhibited the regeneration processes of regenerating (amputated) worms, with LC10 values of 9.86 mg/L and 9.32 mg/L for the 48-h acute toxicity test, respectively. High concentration (200 mg/L) of GO killed all the worms after 3 (regenerating) or 4 (homeostasis) days of exposure. Whole-mount in situ hybridization (WISH) and immunofluorescence analyses suggest GO impaired stem cell proliferation and differentiation, and subsequently caused cell apoptosis and oxidative DNA damage during planarian regeneration. Mechanistic analysis suggests that GO disturbed the antioxidative system (enzymatic and non-enzymatic) and energy metabolism in the planarian at both molecular and genetic levels, thus causing reactive oxygen species (ROS) over accumulation and oxidative damage, including oxidative DNA damage, loss of mitochondrial membrane integrity, lack of energy supply for cell differentiation and proliferation leading to retardance of neuron regeneration. The intrinsic oxidative potential of GO contributes to the GO-induced toxicity in planarians. These data suggest that GO in aquatic systems can cause oxidative stress and neurotoxicity in planarians. Overall, regenerated tissues are more sensitive to GO toxicity than homeostatic ones, suggesting that careful handling and appropriate decisions are needed in the application of GO to achieve healing and tissue regeneration.

Immunotherapy can reverse tumor immune escape by suppressing immune checkpoints. Lymphocyte activation gene 3 (LAG3) is an important checkpoint and its role in colorectal cancer is not clear. In this study, we investigated LAG3 protein expression and its correlation with clinicopathologic parameters. The expression of LAG3 protein was assessed in 150 surgically resected colorectal cancer tissue samples by immunohistochemistry. The relationship between LAG3 expression and clinicopathological parameters, MSI status and survival was statistically analyzed. LAG3 protein was not expressed in colorectal cancer cells, and was expressed on the tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in 31 out of 150 (20.7%) colorectal cancer samples. Positive expression of LAG3 in TILs is associated with lymph node metastasis (p < 0.001), TNM stage (p = 0.024) and MSI-H (p = 0.035). No significant relationship was found between LAG3 expression and gender, age, tumor location, tumor invasion depth, and differentiation. LAG3 expression is associated with longer overall survival (p = 0.045). Our data show LAG3 expression on TILs in parts of CRC tissue. Positive expression of LAG3 was associated with advanced tumor stage, MSI-H and a poor prognosis. We conclude that LAG3 is an important checkpoint gene in CRC and may be a potential marker for prognosis of CRC.

As an indispensable technology of intelligent education, intelligent tutorial algorithms for solving mathematical or physical problems have attracted much attention in recent years. Nevertheless, since solving mechanics problems requires complex force analysis and motion analysis, current researches are mainly focus on solving geometry proof problems and direct circuit problems. There are some inherent challenges on developing such algorithms, including the low intelligence, mobility and interpretability of the comprehension algorithm. Therefore, this article develops a novel algorithm for solving mechanics problems. First, we propose a comprehension model for mechanics problems and convert problem understanding into relation extraction. Furthermore, a novel neural model combining pretrained model BERT and graph attention network (GAT) is proposed to extract the direct conditions of input mechanics problems. Second, a hidden information mining method is proposed for supplementing the conditions of the input problem. Third, a predicate logic based algorithm is proposed for force analysis. Finally, a solving algorithm is presented for choosing equations to acquire the solutions. Solving experiments and sensitivity analysis are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.

This paper explores the relationship between high-speed rail (HSR) and industrial agglomeration within urban agglomerations. The paper selects the data of the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei Urban Agglomeration (BJHUA) and Central Plains Urban Agglomeration (CPUA) from 2002 to 2016 as the research object. The time-varying difference-in-difference (TVDID) model is innovatively applied to analyze the impact of HSR on the agglomeration of secondary and tertiary industries in urban agglomerations, and the industrial agglomeration effects of the two urban agglomerations are compared. The results show that the influence of high-speed railways on the industrial agglomeration of urban agglomerations is heterogeneous. In the BJHUA, the impact of HSR on the agglomeration of secondary and tertiary industries is not particularly significant. On the other hand, in the CPUA, HSR does not have a significant impact on the agglomeration of secondary industry. However, it does have a significant negative effect on the agglomeration of tertiary industry. In addition, further analysis reveals significant variations in the impact of HSR on the agglomeration of industries within urban agglomerations after excluding the central cities. It is important to note that the impact of HSR on regional industries can be complex and multifaceted. The findings enrich the theoretical understanding of the relationship between HSR and industrial agglomeration.

Abstract Hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HSCC) accounts 95% of hypopharyngeal cancer, which is characterized by high early metastasis rate and poor prognosis. It is reported that circular RNA is involved in the occurrence and development of cancer; however, the role of circRNA in hypopharyngeal cancer has little been investigated. We performed hypopharyngeal carcinoma circRNA microarray and qRT-PCR verification. The results showed circ_0058106 expression level was significantly upregulated in tumor tissues than in corresponding normal tissues. We found that circ_0058106 upregulation promoted proliferation, migration and invasion of HSCC cells, while knockdown of circ_0058106 inhibited proliferation, migration and invasion of HSCC cells both in vitro and in vivo. Bioinformatics predicted circ_0058106 may interact with miR-185-3p. We verified circ_0058106 directly bound miR-185-3p and downregulated miR-185-3p expression by using dual-luciferase reporter assay and qRT-PCR. Moreover, we proved circ_0058106 promoted HSCC cells tumorigenesis and EMT process by regulating Wnt2b/β-catenin/c-Myc pathway via miR-185-3p. In conclusion, our findings firstly confirmed the carcinogenic effect of circ_0058106 in promoting HSCC cells tumorigenesis, metastasis, invasion and EMT process by regulating Wnt2b/β-catenin/c-Myc pathway through sponging miR-185-3p, indicating that circ_0058106 may be a new therapeutic target and prognostic marker for HSCC.

ObjectiveTo design an innovative team-based cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) educational plan for multiple bystanders and evaluate whether it was associated with better teamwork and higher quality of resuscitation.MethodsThe team-based CPR plan defined the process for a three-person team, emphasize task allocation, leadership, and closed-loop communication. Participants qualified for single-rescuer CPR skills were randomized into teams of 3. The teamwork performance and CPR operation skills were evaluated in one simulated cardiac arrest scenario before and after training on the team-based CPR plan. The primary outcomes were measured by the Team Emergency Assessment Measure (TEAM) scale and chest compression fraction (CCF).ResultsForty-three teams were included in the analysis. The team-based CPR plan significantly improved the team performance (global rating 6.7 ± 1.3 vs. 9.0 ± 0.7, corrected p < 0.001 after Bonferroni's correction). After implementing the team-based CPR plan, CCF increased [median 59 (IQR 48–69) vs. 64 (IQR 57–71%)%, corrected p = 0.002], while hands-off time decreased [median 233.2 (IQR 181.0–264.0) vs. 207 (IQR 174–222.9) s, corrected p = 0.02]. We found the average compression depth was significantly improved through the team-based CPR training [median 5.1 (IQR 4.7–5.6) vs. 5.3 (IQR 4.9–5.5) cm, p = 0.03] but no more significantly after applying the Bonferroni's correction (corrected p = 0.35). The compression depths were significantly improved by collaborating and exchanging the role of compression among the participants after the 6th min.ConclusionThe team-based CPR plan is feasible for improving bystanders teamwork performance and effective for improving resuscitation quality in prearrival care. We suggest a wide application of the team-based CPR plan in the educational program for better resuscitation performance in real rescue events.

Haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are metabolically quiescent, with balanced myeloid and lymphoid potential. Here the authors show that MAEA is required in HSCs for ubiquitination and downregulation of surface cytokine receptors via autophagy; MAEA loss leads to impaired HSC quiescence and a myeloproliferative disorder.

Abstract An in‐depth understanding of the electronic structures of catalytically active centers and their surrounding vicinity is key to clarifying the structure–activity relationship, and thus enabling the design and development of novel metal‐free carbon‐based materials with desired catalytic performance. In this study, boron atoms are introduced into phosphorus‐doped nanoporous carbon via an efficient strategy, so that the resulting material delivers better catalytic performance. The doped B atoms alter the electronic structures of active sites and cause the adjacent C atoms to act as additional active sites that catalyze the reaction. The B/P co‐doped nanoporous carbon shows remarkable catalytic performance for benzyl alcohol oxidation, achieving high yield (over 91% within 2 h) and selectivity (95%), as well as low activation energy (32.2 kJ mol−1). Moreover, both the conversion and selectivity remain above 90% after five reaction cycles. Density functional theory calculations indicate that the introduction of B to P‐doped nanoporous carbon significantly increases the electron density at the Fermi level and that the oxidation of benzyl alcohol occurs via a different reaction pathway with a very low energy barrier. These findings provide important insights into the relationship between catalytic performance and electronic structure for the design of dual‐doped metal‐free carbon catalysts.

Fermentation is a promising method to improve the utilization of soybean meal (SM) by fish, and strain is the core of fermentation process. In this study, the effects of Lactobacillus paracasei fermentation on the SM quality were investigated. Also, an 8-week feeding trial was conducted to compare the performance of SM and L. paracasei fermented SM (LPFSM) in diets for turbot. Juvenile turbots (13.50 ± 0.13 g) were randomly divided into nine treatments fed on diets with 0% (FM, control), 15% (S15/L15), 30% (S30/L30), 45% (S45/L45), and 60% (S60/L60) of fishmeal protein replaced by SM or LPFSM respectively. The results showed that fermentation remarkably increased the lactic acid and decreased the anti-nutritional factors in SM. Furthermore, fishmeal could be replaced by SM up to 30% or by LPFSM up to 45% based on the growth performance. Typical groups (FM, S45, and L45) with significant differences in growth were selected for further analysis. Reduced villus height and widened lamina propria were observed in the S45 group, while no significant pathological symptom was found in the L45 group. The mRNA levels of the apoptosis-related genes (bax, p53, and caspase3) and tight junction-related gene (tricellulin) in the S45 group were significantly up-regulated or down-regulated, respectively, while the L45 group remained similar to the FM group. The mRNA levels of tight junction-related genes (zo-1 and occludin) were significantly down-regulated in both S45 and L45 groups compared to the FM group. Furthermore, dietary LPFSM modified the intestinal microbiota by regulating the dominant bacterial phyla (Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria) and genera (Cobetia, Pseudomonas, and Lactobacillus), and making the overall microbiota profile more coherent with FM-fed fish. Collectively, L. paracasei fermentation significantly improved the SM quality, and fishmeal could be replaced by LPFSM up to 45% without adverse effects on growth and intestinal health of turbot.

Better performance consistency of regrouped batteries retired from electric vehicles can guarantee the residual value maximized, which greatly improves the second-use application economy of retired batteries. This paper develops a fast identification approach for micro-health parameters characterizing negative electrode material and electrolyte in LiFePO4 batteries on the basis of a simplified pseudo two-dimensional model by using Padé approximation is developed. First, as the basis for accurately identifying micro-health parameters, the liquid-phase and solid-phase diffusion processes of pseudo two-dimensional model are simplified based on Padé approximation, especially according to enhanced boundary conditions of liquid-phase diffusion. Second, the reduced pseudo two-dimensional model with the lumped parameter is proposed, the target parameters characterizing negative electrode material (εn, Ds,n) and electrolyte (De, Ce) are grouped with other unknown but fixed parameters, which ensures that no matter whether the target parameters can be achieved, the corresponding varying traces is able to be effectively and independently monitored by lumped parameters. Third, the fast identification method for target micro-health parameters is developed based on the sensitivity of target parameters to constant-current charging voltage, which shortens the parameter identification time in comparison to that obtained by other approaches. Finally, the identification accuracy of the lumped micro-health parameters is verified under 1 C constant-current charging condition.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of endometrial thickness (EMT) on pregnancy outcomes on hCG trigger day in fresh in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles.MethodsA total of 42,132 fresh cycles between 1 January 2013 and 31 December 2019 were included in this retrospective cohort study. Data were collected from five reproductive centers of large academic or university hospitals in China. All patients were divided into different groups according to their endometrial thickness on hCG trigger day. Multivariate regression analysis, curve fitting and threshold effect analysis were performed.ResultsAfter adjusting for age, body mass index, infertility type, number of embryos transferred, number of retrieved oocytes and COS (controlled ovarian stimulation) protocols, significant associations were found between endometrial thickness and clinical pregnancy rate (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.05; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.06–1.08, P < 0.0001), live birth rate (aOR: 1.04; 95% CI: 1.03–1.05, P < 0.0001) as well as miscarriage rate(aOR: 0.96; 95% CI: 0.94 – 0.98, P < 0.0001). When the endometrial thickness was less than 12mm, the clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate were increased significantly by 10% and 9%(OR:1.10; 95%CI: 1.08-1.12, OR:1.09; 95%CI: 1.07-1.11), respectively, along with the increase of each millimeter increment of endometrial thickness. However, when the EMT ranged from 12-15 mm, were stable at the ideal level, that were not significantly associated with EMT growth. Additionally, clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate were slightly reduced by 6% and 4% when EMT was ≥15mm. Meanwhile, the miscarriage rate was significantly declined by 8% (OR:0.92; 95%CI: 0.90-0.95)with each millimeter increment of EMT. And when EMT was thicker than 12mm, the miscarriage rate didn’t change any more significantly.ConclusionsEndometrial thickness exhibits a curvilinear relationship with pregnancy outcomes in fresh embryo transfer cycles. Clinical pregnancy rate, live birth rate and miscarriage rate may achieve their optimal level when EMT ≥ 12 mm, but some adverse pregnancy outcomes would be observed when EMT ≥15 mm especially for clinical pregnancy.

Patients with thyroid cancer will take a small dose of 131I after undergoing a total thyroidectomy. Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is used to diagnose whether thyroid tissue remains in the body. However, it is difficult for human eyes to observe the specificity of SPECT images in different categories, and it is difficult for doctors to accurately diagnose the residual thyroid tissue in patients based on SPECT images. At present, the research on the classification of thyroid tissue residues after thyroidectomy is still in a blank state. This paper proposes a ResNet-18 fine-tuning method based on the convolutional neural network model. First, preprocess the SPECT images to improve the image quality and remove background interference. Secondly, use the preprocessed image samples to fine-tune the pretrained ResNet-18 model to obtain better features and finally use the Softmax classifier to diagnose the residual thyroid tissue. The method has been tested on SPECT images of 446 patients collected by local hospital and compared with the widely used lightweight network SqueezeNet model and ShuffleNetV2 model. Due to the small data set, this paper conducted 10 random grouping experiments. Each experiment divided the data set into training set and test set at a ratio of 3:1. The accuracy and sensitivity rates of the model proposed in this paper are 96.69% and 94.75%, which are significantly higher than other models (p < 0.05). The specificity and precision rates are 99.6% and 99.96%, respectively, and there is no significant difference compared with other models. (p > 0.05). The area under the curve of the proposed model, SqueezeNet, and ShuffleNetv2 are 0.988 (95% CI, 0.941–1.000), 0.898 (95% CI, 0.819–0.951) (p = 0.0257), and 0.885 (95% CI, 0.803–0.941) (p = 0.0057) (p < 0.05). We prove that this thyroid tissue residue classification system can be used as a computer-aided diagnosis method to effectively improve the diagnostic accuracy of thyroid tissue residues. While more accurately diagnosing patients with residual thyroid tissue in the body, we try our best to avoid the occurrence of overtreatment, which reflects its potential clinical application value.

Objective To examine the role of the long noncoding RNA LINC01296 in colorectal carcinoma (CRC) and to explore the underlying mechanism. Methods We detected LINC01296 expression levels in a cohort of 51 paired CRC and normal tissues. We also assessed the effects of LINC01296 on cell proliferation and apoptosis in CRC cells in vitro , and measured its effect on tumor growth in an in vivo mouse model. We identified the potential downstream targets of LINC01296 and assessed its regulatory effects. Results Expression levels of LINC01296 were elevated in 37/51 CRC tissues compared with the corresponding normal tissues and were significantly associated with tumor stage, lymph node metastasis, and distant metastasis. Knockdown of LINC01296 using antisense oligonucleotides inhibited cell proliferation and promoted apoptosis of colon cancer cells in vitro and inhibited tumor growth in vivo . Knockdown of LINC01296 also significantly increased the gene expression of p15 in colon cancer cells. LINC01296-specific suppression of p15 was validated by the interaction between enhancer of zeste homolog 2 and LINC01296. Conclusion Overexpression of LINC01296 suppressed the expression of p15 leading to CRC carcinogenesis. These findings may provide the basis for novel future CRC-targeted therapies.

This article concerns the null controllability of a control system governed by coupled degenerate parabolic equations with lower order terms. For these equations, the convection terms cannot be controlled by the diffusion terms. We establish a Carleman estimate and an observability inequality by using Carleman estimates for single degenerate parabolic equations with lower order term and some energy estimates. Then we prove that the system with two controls is null controllable. Finally, we show the null controllability of the system with one control, by constructing suitable controls.

Abstract Background Tubby-like proteins (TLPs), characterized by a signature tubby domain, are widespread in plants and animals. To date, only plant TLPs involved in multifarious stress responses and male gametophyte development have been identified. However, studies on the molecular functions of plant TLPs are largely unknown. Results In this investigation, the roles of a TLP from Malus domestica (MdTLP7) in response to abiotic stresses were characterized by expressing it in Arabidopsis. The expression of wild-type full-length MdTLP7 (FL) significantly increased the stress tolerance of Arabidopsis seedlings to osmotic, salt, cold and heat stress, while the expression of truncated MdTLP7 containing only the tubby domain (Tub) also showed some function. Located on a central α helix surrounded by 12 anti-parallel β strands in the tubby domain, the K190/R192 site may be involved in fixation to the plasma membrane, as shown by 3D homology modelling with animal TLPs. This site might play a crucial role in anti-stress functions since site-directed mutagenesis of MdTLP7 reduced stress tolerance. Subcellular localization showed that MdTLP7 was mainly localized in the plasma membrane in plant cells, suggesting that it might participate in the transduction of stress signals. Conclusions The results of this study showed that MdTLP7 could improve abiotic stress tolerance not only in bacteria but also in plants. The K190/R192 residues in the tubby domain were not only the plasma membrane binding site of MdTLP7 but also played a key role in stress tolerance. These results may provide a basis for further exploring the mechanism of anti-stress functioning and downstream target genes of plant TLPs.

As the pioneer semiconductor in transistor, germanium (Ge) has been widely applied in information technology for over half a century. Although many phase transitions in Ge have been reported, the complicated phenomena of the phase structures in amorphous Ge under extreme conditions are still not fully investigated. Here, we report the different routes of phase transition in amorphous Ge under different compression conditions utilizing diamond anvil cell (DAC) combined with synchrotron-based X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy techniques. Upon non-hydrostatic compression of amorphous Ge, we observed that shear stress facilitates a reversible pressure-induced phase transformation, in contrast to the pressure-quenchable structure under a hydrostatic compression. These findings afford better understanding of the structural behaviors of Ge under extreme conditions, which contributes to more potential applications in the semiconductor field.

This article shows Carleman estimate and null controllability of a cascade control system governed by the semilinear degenerate parabolic equations with the general convection terms. The semilinear parabolic equations are weakly degenerate on the boundary and the convection terms cannot be controlled by the diffusion terms. We establish the Carleman estimate and the observability inequality for the linear conjugate system, and prove that the control system is null controllable.

A subset of renal cell carcinomas have uncertain histology and are aggressive in nature. Here, the authors examine this group of unclassified renal cancers using genomics techniques and identify further subclasses of the tumours that have differing prognoses.

While genomic sequencing routinely identifies oncogenic alterations for the majority of cancers, many tumors harbor no discernable driver lesion. Here, we describe the exceptional molecular phenotype of a genomically quiet kidney tumor, clear cell papillary renal cell carcinoma (CCPAP). In spite of a largely wild-type nuclear genome, CCPAP tumors exhibit severe depletion of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and RNA and high levels of oxidative stress, reflecting a shift away from respiratory metabolism. Moreover, CCPAP tumors exhibit a distinct metabolic phenotype uniquely characterized by accumulation of the sugar alcohol sorbitol. Immunohistochemical staining of primary CCPAP tumor specimens recapitulates both the depletion of mtDNA-encoded proteins and a lipid-depleted metabolic phenotype, suggesting that the cytoplasmic clarity in CCPAP is primarily related to the presence of glycogen. These results argue for non-genetic profiling as a tool for the study of cancers of unknown driver.

On the arrival of 2020, Malaysian President Mahathir officially announced the failure of Wawasan 2020, which is also called Vision 2020. This article discusses the cause of this failure from the perspective of institutional issues, namely political struggle, institutional corruption, supreme Malay policy. At the same time, this article puts forward the following opinions for the future economic development of Malaysia because of the above issues. The first thing to govern is the corruption of government officials and the corruption of the system. Secondly, the government should improve its unfair education system and reduce the drain of Chinese talents. Taking the Korean economy as an example, Malaysia can achieve a win-win situation with China through the Belt and Road Initiative.

AbstractTubby-like proteins (TLPs), which have a highly conserved β-barrel tubby domain, have been found to be associated with some animal-specific characteristics. In the plant kingdom, more than 10 TLP family members were identified in Arabidopsis, rice and maize, and they were found to be involved in responses to stress. The publication of the apple genome makes it feasible to systematically study the TLP family in apple. In this investigation, 9 TLP encoding genes (TLPs for short) were identified. When combined with the TLPs from other plant species, the TLPs were divided into three groups (group A, B and C). Most plant TLP members in group A contained an additional F-box domain at the N-terminus. However, no common domain was identified other than tubby domain either in group B or in group C. An analysis of the tubby domains of MdTLPs identified three types of conserved motifs. Motif 1 and 2, the signature motifs in the confirmed TLPs, were always present in MdTLPs, while motif 3 was absent from group B. Homology modeling indicated that the tubby domain of most MdTLPs had a closed β barrel, as in animal tubby domains. Expression profiling revealed that the MdTLP genes were expressed in multiple organs and were abundant in roots, stems, and leaves but low in flowers. An analysis of cis-acting elements showed that elements related to the stress response were prevalent in the promoter sequences of MdTLPs. Expression profiling by qRT-PCR indicated that almost all MdTLPs were up-regulated at some extent under abiotic stress, exogenous ABA and H2O2 treatments in leaves and roots, though different MdTLP members exhibited differently in leaves and roots. The results and information above may provide a basis for further investigation of TLP function in plants.

Considerable evidence now supports the idea that the moderate telomere lengthening produced by recombinational telomere elongation (RTE) in a Kluyveromyces lactis telomerase deletion mutant occurs through a roll-and-spread mechanism. However, it is unclear whether this mechanism can account for other forms of RTE that produce much longer telomeres such as are seen in human alternative lengthening of telomere (ALT) cells or in the telomerase-resistant type IIR "runaway" RTE such as occurs in the K. lactis stn1-M1 mutant. In this study we have used mutationally tagged telomeres to examine the mechanism of RTE in an stn1-M1 mutant both with and without telomerase. Our results suggest that the establishment stage of the mutant state in newly generated stn1-M1 ter1-Δ mutants surprisingly involves a first stage of sudden telomere shortening. Our data also show that, as predicted by the roll-and-spread mechanism, all lengthened telomeres in a newly established mutant cell commonly emerge from a single telomere source. However, in sharp contrast to the RTE of telomerase deletion survivors, we show that the RTE of stn1-M1 ter1-Δ cells produces telomeres whose sequences undergo continuous intense scrambling via recombination. While telomerase was not necessary for the long telomeres in stn1-M1 cells, its presence during their establishment was seen to interfere with the amplification of repeats via recombination, a result consistent with telomerase retaining its ability to add repeats during active RTE. Finally, we observed that the presence of active mismatch repair or telomerase had important influences on telomeric amplification and/or instability.

In title compound, [Ni(C9H5NO4S)(H2O)2]n, the NiII atom is coordinated by one N atom and two bridging O atoms from two 8-oxidoquinoline-5-sulfonate ligands, one sulfonate O atom from a third ligand, and two water molecules in a distorted octahedral geometry. The two NiII atoms are linked to each other through the bridging O atoms, forming a dimer. Adjacent dimers are connected through the coordination of the sulfonate O atom into a two-dimensional coordination network parallel to (010). Hydrogen bonds between the coordinated water molecules and the uncoordinated O atoms of the sulfonate groups result in the construction of a three-dimensional supramolecular structure.