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Abstract China has experienced both ultra-low fertility and moderate aging in recent years, both of which pose serious challenges to the country’s development. Previous studies have shown that social capital is one of the most important factors that influences fertility intentions, but so far empirical research on the relationship between social capital and fertility intentions is very limited. Therefore, this study aims to explore the impact of social capital on fertility intentions and its underlying mechanisms by combining offline and online social capital. Based on data from the Chinese General Social Survey, the fertility intentions of 7,518 respondents aged 18–60 years were analyzed and broken down by sex, region, and age. The marginal effects and mechanisms of offline and online capital on fertility intentions were explored using an ordered probit (oprobit) model, which revealed that individuals’ fertility intentions are positively influenced by offline social capital but negatively influenced by online social capital. The role of social capital in shaping individuals’ fertility intentions also varies by gender, region, and age. Women, eastern region groups, and those aged 30–60 years are more influenced by offline social capital, and their intentions become stronger as offline social capital accumulates. However, online social capital negatively affects the fertility intentions of women, Midwesterners, and 18–29 year olds. Furthermore, online and offline social capital mainly influence individuals’ fertility intentions by affecting their perceptions of pensions, filial piety, and “social justice”. Our findings suggest that increasing the value that individuals place on social capital is crucial for improving fertility intentions in China.

Abstract Humans can be exposed to multiple pollutants in the air and surface water. These environments are non-static, trans-boundary and correlated, creating a complex network, and significant challenges for research on environmental hazards, especially in real-world cancer research. This article reports on a large study (377 million people in 30 provinces of China) that evaluated the combined impact of air and surface water pollution on cancer. We formulate a spatial evaluation system and a common grading scale for co-pollution measurement, and validate assumptions that air and surface water environments are spatially connected and that cancers of different types tend to cluster in areas where these environments are poorer. We observe “dose–response” relationships in both the number of affected cancer types and the cancer incidence with an increase in degree of co-pollution. We estimate that 62,847 (7.4%) new cases of cancer registered in China in 2016 were attributable to air and surface water pollution, and the majority (69.7%) of these excess cases occurred in areas with the highest level of co-pollution. The findings clearly show that the environment cannot be considered as a set of separate entities. They also support the development of policies for cooperative environmental governance and disease prevention.

Abstract Background The potential association of long‐term oral corticosteroid (OCS) use with adverse events (AEs) in patients with bullous pemphigoid (BP) is not well characterized in a real‐world setting. Objectives To evaluate the effect of OCS use and treatment duration on the incident AEs in patients with BP. Methods This retrospective cohort study used medical and pharmacy claims and patient enrollment data from IQVIA PharMetrics® Plus from 2006−2021. Eligible patients had a diagnosis of BP between 1 January 2006 and 30 June 2020 (≥2 claims for BP ≥ 30 days apart). Patients in the OCS cohort also had a claim for OCS use, ≥7.5 mg daily dose of prednisone or equivalent, and no claims for a nonoral systemic corticosteroid (CS) at any time during the study period. A control cohort of patients with BP not using OCS was also selected. Relative risk ratios were estimated between the incidence of AEs in OCS users with different exposure durations (short‐term, 90 days) and nonusers by Poisson regression, after adjusting for age, sex, prior drug use, and baseline Charlson Comorbidity Index score within the follow‐up period. Results At the 1‐year follow‐up, long‐term OCS users had a higher incidence of infections, cataract, osteoporosis, heart failure, depression or anxiety, and diabetes compared with OCS nonusers (p

Objective: Allergic asthma (AA) is a chronic airway inflammatory disease characterized by airway hyper-responsiveness (AHR). Pudilan anti-inflammatory oral liquid (PDL), along with its main medicinal material, Taraxaci Herba (Taraxacum mongolicum Hand.-Mazz, TH), has been widely used to treat upper respiratory tract infections. Research has shown that the major ingredient of TH, the organic acid component (OAC), possesses favorable AA activity. However, the attenuated effects of PDL and OAC from TH (TH-OAC) on AA and their possible mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study analyzed the attenuating effects of PDL and TH-OAC on AA and the underlying mechanisms. Methods: Young BALB/c mice were sensitized and stimulated to develop asthma using ovalbumin. Histological examinations were performed by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, and protein expression detection of toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2), TLR4, and orosomucoid 1-like protein 3 (ORMDL3) were performed to detect the presence of inflammatory components in the lung tissue. The messenger RNA (mRNA) expression levels were determined using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results: Results showed that PDL and TH-OAC alleviated augmented AHR and typical asthmatic pathological changes, including inflammatory infiltration and thickening of the alveolar wall. They also significantly reduced the levels of the immunoglobulin E, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and Nitric oxide (NO) in lung tissues of mice. Protein and mRNA expression levels of TLR2, TLR4, and ORMDL3 were downregulated following treatment with PDL and TH-OAC. Conclusions: PDL and TH-OAC can reduce asthma-induced inflammatory damage to the bronchi. These results provide a theoretical basis for the treatment of asthma in clinical settings.

Abstract Backgroud The study objective was to compare three-dimensional and two-dimensional imaging using computer-assisted systems (CASs) in clinical guidance for preoperative surgical planning for middle hepatic tumors in children. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on 23 children who underwent surgery for middle hepatic tumors in our hospital from January 2016 to June 2022. The surgical resection plan was formulated by the operator team using two-dimensional CT images before the operation. Then, the same qualified surgeons conducted an in-depth analysis and formulated the surgical resection scheme for the same pediatric patient using three-dimensional imaging of the middle hepatic tumor. The feasibility of the two schemes was compared and analyzed. Result All the tumors were successfully removed according to the preoperative method developed using three-dimensional imaging. The postoperative short-term follow-up revealed that all patients were doing well. Preoperative plans were revised in 9 cases after evaluating the three-dimensional images due to the disparity between the original plans and the three-dimensional relationship between the tumor and blood vessels, vascular variation, and the volume of remnant liver. Conclusions Three-dimensional imaging with a computer-assisted surgery system is superior to two-dimensional imaging in the preoperative planning of pediatric hepatoblastoma.

Abstract Background Surgery is the main treatment option for destroyed-lung (DL) patients with life-threatening massive hemoptysis. However, short-term and long-term surgical safety and efficacy are unclear, prompting this study. Methods Data from 124 DL patients undergoing surgery between November 2001 and January 2022 at Beijing Chest Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Data of the DL group (82 cases) and DL + massive hemoptysis group (42 cases) were compared with regard to clinical characteristics, long-term postoperative residual lung reinfection. Results As compared with DL group rates, The DL + massive hemoptysis group had greater incidence rates of postoperative complications, invasive postoperative respiratory support, long-term postoperative residual lung reinfection, and postoperative tuberculosis recurrence. Revealed risk factors for postoperative complications (Extent of lung lesion resection), postoperative invasive respiratory therapy (preoperative Hb

Abstract Robot-assisted surgery has evolved into a crucial treatment for prostate cancer (PCa). However, from its appearance to today, brain-computer interface, virtual reality, and metaverse have revolutionized the field of robot-assisted surgery for PCa, presenting both opportunities and challenges. Especially in the context of contemporary big data and precision medicine, facing the heterogeneity of PCa and the complexity of clinical problems, it still needs to be continuously upgraded and improved. Keeping this in mind, this article summarized the 5 stages of the historical development of robot-assisted surgery for PCa, encompassing the stages of emergence, promotion, development, maturity, and intelligence. Initially, safety concerns were paramount, but subsequent research and engineering advancements have focused on enhancing device efficacy, surgical technology, and achieving precise multi modal treatment. The dominance of da Vinci robot-assisted surgical system has seen this evolution intimately tied to its successive versions. In the future, robot-assisted surgery for PCa will move towards intelligence, promising improved patient outcomes and personalized therapy, alongside formidable challenges. To guide future development, we propose 10 significant prospects spanning clinical, research, engineering, materials, social, and economic domains, envisioning a future era of artificial intelligence in the surgical treatment of PCa.

Abstract Background Tumor recurrence and mortality rates remain challenging in cancer patients despite comprehensive treatment. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy and immunotherapy aim to eliminate residual tumor cells, reducing the risk of recurrence. However, drug resistance during neoadjuvant therapy is a significant hurdle. Recent studies suggest a correlation between RNA methylation regulators (RMRs) and response to neoadjuvant therapy. Methods Using a multi-center approach, we integrated advanced techniques such as single-cell transcriptomics, whole-genome sequencing, RNA sequencing, proteomics, machine learning, and in vivo/in vitro experiments. Analyzing pan-cancer cohorts, the association between neoadjuvant chemotherapy/immunotherapy effectiveness and RNA methylation using single-cell sequencing was investigated. Multi-omics analysis and machine learning algorithms identified genomic variations, transcriptional dysregulation, and prognostic relevance of RMRs, revealing distinct molecular subtypes guiding pan-cancer neoadjuvant therapy stratification. Results Our analysis unveiled a strong link between neoadjuvant therapy efficacy and RNA methylation dynamics, supported by pan-cancer single-cell sequencing data. Integration of omics data and machine learning algorithms identified RMR genomic variations, transcriptional dysregulation, and prognostic implications in pan-cancer. High-RMR-expressing tumors displayed increased genomic alterations, an immunosuppressive microenvironment, poorer prognosis, and resistance to neoadjuvant therapy. Molecular investigations and in vivo/in vitro experiments have substantiated that the JAK inhibitor TG-101,209 exerts notable effects on the immune microenvironment of tumors, rendering high-RMR-expressing pan-cancer tumors, particularly in pancreatic cancer, more susceptible to chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Conclusions This study emphasizes the pivotal role of RMRs in pan-cancer neoadjuvant therapy, serving as predictive biomarkers for monitoring the tumor microenvironment, patient prognosis, and therapeutic response. Distinct molecular subtypes of RMRs aid individualized stratification in neoadjuvant therapy. Combining TG-101,209 adjuvant therapy presents a promising strategy to enhance the sensitivity of high-RMR-expressing tumors to chemotherapy and immunotherapy. However, further validation studies are necessary to fully understand the clinical utility of RNA methylation regulators and their impact on patient outcomes.

Abstract Background With orthopedic surgery increasing year on year, the main challenges in bone drilling are thermal damage, mechanical damage, and drill skid. The need for new orthopedic drills that improve the quality of surgery is becoming more and more urgent. Methods Here, we report the skidding mechanism of drills at a wide range of inclination angle and propose two crescent drills (CDTI and CDTII). The anti-skid performance and drilling damage of the crescent drills were analyzed for the first time. Inclined bone drilling experiments were carried out with crescent drills and twist drills and real-time drilling forces and temperatures were collected. Results The crescent drills are significantly better than the twist drill in terms of anti-skid, reducing skidding forces, thrust forces and temperature. The highest temperature is generated close to the upper surface of the workpiece rather than at the hole exit. Finally, the longer crescent edge with a small and negative polar angle increases the rake angle of the cutting edge and reduces thrust forces but increases skidding force and temperature. This study can promote the development of high-quality orthopedic surgery and the development of new bone drilling tools. Conclusion The crescent drills did not skid and caused little drilling damage. In comparison, the CDTI performs better in reducing the skidding force, while the CDTII performs better in reducing the thrust force.

Abstract Background Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations are key drivers in a significant portion of non‐small‐cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. While third‐generation EGFR‐tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) such as osimertinib have demonstrated efficacy, the management of patients who continue to experience disease progression during treatment remains challenging. The emergence of drug resistance, including the development of secondary mutations, necessitates exploration of alternative treatment strategies. This study aims to evaluate and observe the efficacy and safety of almonertinib combined with anlotinib in patients after cancer progression during third‐generation EGFR‐TKI therapy. Methods In this retrospective analysis, we included EGFR‐mutated NSCLC patients who were resistant to third‐generation EGFR‐TKIs. All patients were treated with almonertinib combined with anlotinib. The clinical characteristics, treatment history, clinical benefits, and adverse events of these patients were retrospectively collected. Results A total of 16 eligible patients were included in the analysis. The results revealed that combination therapy with almonertinib and anlotinib was effective in this patient cohort. The overall response rate was 25% and the disease control rate was 93.75%. The 6 and 12 months of PFS rates were 92.9% (95% confidence interval [CI] 80.3%, 100.0%) and 84.4% (95% CI 66.6%, 100.0%), respectively. Moreover, this combination therapy was generally well‐tolerated, with manageable adverse events. Conclusion Our retrospective analysis suggests that almonertinib and anlotinib combination therapy may represent a viable option for EGFR‐mutated NSCLC patients who have progressed on third‐generation EGFR‐TKIs, especially for those with posterior lines and no standard treatment options. Further investigation and larger clinical trials are warranted to validate these observations and refine treatment guidelines.

Abstract The transition from the swimming larval stage to the settlement stage represents a significant node in the marine sponge developmental process. Previous research has shown that the outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) from the bacterial species Tenacibaculum mesophilum associated with the sponge Tedania sp. influence larval settlement: low concentrations of OMVs increase the attachment rate, whereas high concentrations decrease the attachment rate. Here, by comparing the transcriptomes of sponge larvae in filtered seawater (FSW group) and in FSW supplemented with OMVs (FSW-OMV group), the results indicated that bacterial OMVs affected larval settlement by modulating the expression levels of apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) in the host. Subsequently, quantitative real-time PCR revealed a decrease in aif expression near the time of settlement (SE) compared to that in the control group. RNA interference (RNAi) was used to target the aif gene, and the rate of larval settlement was significantly reduced, confirming the inhibitory effect of high concentrations of OMVs. Moreover, small RNA (sRNA) sequencing of OMVs revealed the existence of abundant AIF-sRNAs of 30 nt, further suggesting that one pathway for the involvement of sponge-associated bacteria in host development is the transport of OMVs and the direct function of cargo loading.

The O2/CO2 combustion technology is a clean coal-fired power generation technology. However, a large amount of alkali metals released during the combustion of high-alkali coal is usually an important substance that causes ash deposition, slagging and corrosion on the heating surface of boiler, which seriously affect the safe and stable operation of equipment. It is of great significance to study the release characteristics of alkali metal salts with different occurrences in the Zhundong coal under the O2/CO2 combustion atmosphere for the clean and efficient utilization of coal. Based on flame emission spectroscopy (FES), the release characteristics of different alkali metal salts in the O2/N2 and O2/CO2 atmospheres during pulverized coal combustion were studied in a metal wire mesh reactor. The results show that the combustion of volatile compounds produces a bright flame under the O2/N2 atmosphere. The combustion intensity and flame temperature of the pulverized coal in the O2/CO2 atmosphere decrease compared with that in the O2/N2 atmosphere, the ignition time is delayed, the combustion time of volatiles and coke is prolonged, and the release of Na(g) is inhibited. For NaAc, Na2CO3 and Na2SO4, the O2/CO2 atmosphere delays the decreasing time of mass concentration, so that the Na(g) in the pulverized coal enters a stable release stage from the beginning, and the mass concentration variation rate of Na(g) does not fluctuate much. However, the mass concentration variation rate of NaCl will turn negative about 4 seconds after release, resulting in a consistent decrease in the mass concentration of Na(g). At the same time, the CO2 atmosphere also causes the conversion of NaAc, NaCl and other types of salts to form Na2CO3, which is more difficult to release, and further inhibits the release process of Na(g). The main reason that the mass release rate of Na2CO3 also decreases under the O2/CO2 atmosphere is that CO2 inhibits the decomposition process of Na2CO3 to Na2O. The Na2SO4 is more difficult to release itself, so the main reason for the reduction of its mass release rate is due to the reduction of fuel combustion temperature and intensity.

This study focused on establishing the existence and multiplicity of solutions for gauged nonlinear Schrödinger equations set on the plane with sign-changing potentials. Our findings contribute to the extension of recent advancements in this area of research. Initially, we examined scenarios where the potential function $ V $ is lower-bounded and the function space has a compact embedding into Lebesgue spaces. Subsequently, we addressed more complex cases characterized by a sign-changing potential $ V $ and a function space that fails to compactly embed into Lebesgue spaces. The proofs of our results are based on the Trudinger-Moser inequality, the application of variational methods, and the utilization of Morse theory.

Abstract Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is released from injured cells and aggravates inflammation. Patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) often develop pneumonia and respiratory failure, and require oxygen therapy (OT), including mechanical ventilation (MV). It remains unclear whether cfDNA predicts the risk of receiving OT or MV in COVID-19 patients. Therefore, we hypothesized that circulating cfDNA levels could reflect the severity of respiratory failure and determine a therapeutic approach for oxygenation in patients with COVID-19. We analyzed cfDNA levels in serum samples from 95 hospitalized patients with COVID-19 at Showa University Hospital (Tokyo, Japan). cfDNA levels were assessed by measuring the copy numbers of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and nuclear DNA (nDNA) using quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). Both cf-nDNA and cf-mtDNA levels were negatively correlated with adjusted SpO2 for FiO2 (SpO2/FiO2 ratio). Elevated cf-nDNA and cf-mtDNA levels were associated with the requirement for OT or MV during patient admission. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that cf-nDNA and cf-mtDNA levels were independent risk factors for OT and MV. These results suggest that both serum cf-nDNA and cf-mtDNA could serve as useful early biomarkers to indicate the necessity of OT or MV in patients with COVID-19.

Abstract Background Herpes zoster is an infectious skin disease caused by the reactivation of the varicella zoster virus (VZV), which has been latent in the posterior root ganglia of the spinal cord or cranial ganglia for an extended period. Neurological complications caused by herpes zoster include aseptic meningitis, white matter disease, peripheral motor neuropathy, and Guillain-Barré syndrome. However, reduced unilateral sweating caused by the VZV is very rare. Case Presentation This article reports the case of a 34-year-old woman who was admitted to our hospital with sore throat, dizziness, and reduced sweating on the left side of her body. Physical examination found herpes lesions on the left upper lip and left external ear canal (scabbed) and reduced sweating on the left side of the body. Head magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with contrast showed no abnormalities. After a lumbar puncture, the patient was diagnosed with viral meningitis by VZV infection. The electromyographic skin sympathetic reflex indicated damage to the left sympathetic nerve. Conclusions Secondary unilateral sweating reduction is a rare neurological complication of herpes zoster, caused by damage to the autonomic nervous system. Literature review and comprehensive examination indicated that the reduced unilateral sweating was due to the activation of latent herpes zoster virus in the autonomic ganglia which has damaged the autonomic nervous system. For patients who exhibit acute hemibody sweat reduction, doctors should consider the possibility of secondary autonomic nervous system damage caused by herpes zoster.

Abstract Background This study assessed the agreement of ocular parameters of patients with myopia measured using Colombo intraocular lens (IOL) 2 and IOLMaster 700. Methods Eighty patients (male, 22; average age, 29.14 ± 7.36 years) with myopia (159 eyes) were included in this study in May 2023. The participants’ axial length (AXL), central corneal thickness (CCT), lens thickness (LT), white-to-white distance (WTW), front flat (K1), steep (K2), mean (Km) corneal keratometry, astigmatism (Astig), J0 vector, and J45 vector were measured using the IOLMaster 700 and Colombo IOL 2. The measurements from both devices were compared using the generalized estimating equation, correlation analysis, and Bland-Altman plots. Results With the Colombo IOL 2, lower values for K2 and J0 (odds ratio [OR] = 0.587, p = 0.033; OR = 0.779, p

Abstract Background Walnut anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides seriously endangers the yield and quality of walnut, and has now become a catastrophic disease in the walnut industry. Therefore, understanding both pathogen invasion mechanisms and host response processes is crucial to defense against C. gloeosporioides infection. Results Here, we investigated the mechanisms of interaction between walnut fruits (anthracnose-resistant F26 fruit bracts and anthracnose-susceptible F423 fruit bracts) and C. gloeosporioides at three infection time points (24hpi, 48hpi, and 72hpi) using a high-resolution time series dual transcriptomic analysis, characterizing the arms race between walnut and C. gloeosporioides. A total of 20,780 and 6670 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in walnut and C. gloeosporioides against 24hpi, respectively. Generous DEGs in walnut exhibited opposite expression patterns between F26 and F423, which indicated that different resistant materials exhibited different transcriptional responses to C. gloeosporioides during the infection process. KEGG functional enrichment analysis indicated that F26 displayed a broader response to C. gloeosporioides than F423. Meanwhile, the functional analysis of the C. gloeosporioides transcriptome was conducted and found that PHI, SignalP, CAZy, TCDB genes, the Fungal Zn (2)-Cys (6) binuclear cluster domain (PF00172.19) and the Cytochrome P450 (PF00067.23) were largely prominent in F26 fruit. These results suggested that C. gloeosporioides secreted some type of effector proteins in walnut fruit and appeared a different behavior based on the developmental stage of the walnut. Conclusions Our present results shed light on the arms race process by which C. gloeosporioides attacked host and walnut against pathogen infection, laying the foundation for the green prevention of walnut anthracnose.

Abstract Background Academic paper writing holds significant importance in the education of medical students, and poses a clear challenge for those whose first language is not English. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of employing large language models, particularly ChatGPT, in improving the English academic writing skills of these students. Methods A cohort of 25 third-year medical students from China was recruited. The study consisted of two stages. Firstly, the students were asked to write a mini paper. Secondly, the students were asked to revise the mini paper using ChatGPT within two weeks. The evaluation of the mini papers focused on three key dimensions, including structure, logic, and language. The evaluation method incorporated both manual scoring and AI scoring utilizing the ChatGPT-3.5 and ChatGPT-4 models. Additionally, we employed a questionnaire to gather feedback on students’ experience in using ChatGPT. Results After implementing ChatGPT for writing assistance, there was a notable increase in manual scoring by 4.23 points. Similarly, AI scoring based on the ChatGPT-3.5 model showed an increase of 4.82 points, while the ChatGPT-4 model showed an increase of 3.84 points. These results highlight the potential of large language models in supporting academic writing. Statistical analysis revealed no significant difference between manual scoring and ChatGPT-4 scoring, indicating the potential of ChatGPT-4 to assist teachers in the grading process. Feedback from the questionnaire indicated a generally positive response from students, with 92% acknowledging an improvement in the quality of their writing, 84% noting advancements in their language skills, and 76% recognizing the contribution of ChatGPT in supporting academic research. Conclusion The study highlighted the efficacy of large language models like ChatGPT in augmenting the English academic writing proficiency of non-native speakers in medical education. Furthermore, it illustrated the potential of these models to make a contribution to the educational evaluation process, particularly in environments where English is not the primary language.

Amphichorda has been previously accepted as a member of the Cordycipitaceae and currently it is considered a member of the Bionectriaceae. The substrates of Amphichorda were complex and varied, being mainly animal faeces. This study reports two new species of Amphichorda from Yunnan Province in south-western China. Based on the five-gene (nrSSU, nrLSU, tef‐1α, rpb1 and rpb2) sequence and ITS data phylogenetic analysis, two new species, namely A. excrementa and A. kunmingensis, are proposed and a detailed description of the new species is provided. Amphichorda excrementa and A. kunmingensis were isolated from animal faeces in the park. The morphological characteristics of two novel species and seven known species in Amphichorda are also compared.

Infection and poor tissue repair are the key causes of percutaneous implantation failure. However, there is a lack of effective strategies to cope with due to its high requirements of sterilization, soft tissue healing, and osseointegration. In this work, l-arginine (L-Arg) was loaded onto a sulfonated polyetheretherketone (PEEK) surface to solve this issue. Under the infection condition, nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced through catalyzing L-Arg by inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and thus play a role in bacteria sterilization. Under the tissue repair condition, L-Arg is catalyzed to ornithine by Arginase-1 (Arg-1), which promotes the proliferation and collagen secretion of L929 and rBMSCs. Notably, L-Arg loading samples could polarize macrophages to M1 and M2 in infection and tissue repair conditions, respectively. The results in vivo show that the L-Arg loading samples could enhance infected soft tissue sealing and bone regeneration. In summary, L-Arg loading sulfonated PEEK could polarize macrophage through metabolic reprogramming, providing multi-functions of antibacterial abilities, soft tissue repair, and bone regeneration, which gives a new idea to design percutaneous implantation materials.

Abstract Aim The clinical characteristics associated with pulmonary function decline in patients with Tuberculosis-destroyed lung (TDL) remain uncertain. We categorize them based on the pattern of pulmonary function impairment, distinguishing between restrictive spirometric pattern (RSP) and obstructive spirometric pattern (OSP). We aim to compare the severity of these patterns with the clinical characteristics of TDL patients and analyze their correlation. Method We conducted a retrospective analysis on the clinical data of TDL patients who underwent consecutive pulmonary function tests (PFT) from November 2002 to February 2023. We used the lower limit formula for normal values based on the 2012 Global Lung Function Initiative. We compared the clinical characteristics of RSP patients with those of OSP patients. The characteristics of RSP patients were analyzed using the tertiles of forced vital capacity percentage predicted (FVC% pred) decline based on PFT measurements, and the characteristics of OSP patients were analyzed using the tertiles of forced expiratory volume in 1 s percentage predicted (FEV1% pred) decline. Result Among the RSP patients, those in the Tertile1 group (with lower FVC% pred) were more likely to have a higher of body mass index (BMI), spinal deformities, and C-reactive protein (CRP) compared to the other two groups (P for trend

Abstract To tackle the difficulty of extracting features from one-dimensional spectral signals using traditional spectral analysis, a metabolomics analysis method is proposed to locate two-dimensional correlated spectral feature bands and combine it with deep learning classification for wine origin traceability. Metabolomics analysis was performed on 180 wine samples from 6 different wine regions using UPLC-Q-TOF-MS. Indole, Sulfacetamide, and caffeine were selected as the main differential components. By analyzing the molecular structure of these components and referring to the main functional groups on the infrared spectrum, characteristic band regions with wavelengths in the range of 1000–1400 nm and 1500–1800 nm were selected. Draw two-dimensional correlation spectra (2D-COS) separately, generate synchronous correlation spectra and asynchronous correlation spectra, establish convolutional neural network (CNN) classification models, and achieve the purpose of wine origin traceability. The experimental results demonstrate that combining two segments of two-dimensional characteristic spectra determined by metabolomics screening with convolutional neural networks yields optimal classification results. This validates the effectiveness of using metabolomics screening to determine spectral feature regions in tracing wine origin. This approach effectively removes irrelevant variables while retaining crucial chemical information, enhancing spectral resolution. This integrated approach strengthens the classification model's understanding of samples, significantly increasing accuracy.

This study was conducted to explore the aging technology of high-grade beef, a total of 12 high-grade fattening Angus longissimus dorsi were selected and aged in dry or wet environment for 3, 5 and 7 d, and the meat basic physicochemical indexes, free amino acids and volatile flavor compounds were compared and analyzed. The results showed that the pH of beef with dry-aging for 3 and 5 days was significantly lower than that with wet-aging, the pH of beef with dry-aging for 7 d was significantly higher than that with wet-aging (P

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, analytics and predictive models built on regional data provided timely, accurate monitoring of epidemiological behavior, informing critical planning and decision-making for health system leaders. At Atrium Health, a large, integrated healthcare system in the southeastern United States, a team of statisticians and physicians created a comprehensive forecast and monitoring program that leveraged an array of statistical methods. Methods: The program utilized the following methodological approaches: (i) exploratory graphics, including time plots of epidemiological metrics with smoothers; (ii) infection prevalence forecasting using a Bayesian epidemiological model with time-varying infection rate; (iii) doubling and halving times computed using changepoints in local linear trend; (iv) death monitoring using combination forecasting with an ensemble of models; (v) effective reproduction number estimation with a Bayesian approach; (vi) COVID-19 patients hospital census monitored via time series models; and (vii) quantified forecast performance. Results: A consolidated forecast and monitoring report was produced weekly and proved to be an effective, vital source of information and guidance as the healthcare system navigated the inherent uncertainty of the pandemic. Forecasts provided accurate and precise information that informed critical decisions on resource planning, bed capacity and staffing management, and infection prevention strategies. Conclusions: In this paper, we have presented the framework used in our epidemiological forecast and monitoring program at Atrium Health, as well as provided recommendations for implementation by other healthcare systems and institutions to facilitate use in future pandemics.

Abstract Background Stroke is a devastating disease affecting populations worldwide and is the primary cause of long-term disability. The inflammatory storm plays a crucial role in the progression of stroke. In the acute phase of ischemic stroke, there is a transient increase in anti-inflammatory M2 microglia followed by a rapid decline. Due to the abundant phospholipid in brain tissue, lipid peroxidation is a notable characteristic of ischemia/reperfusion (I/R), constituting a structural foundation for ferroptosis in M2 microglia. Slowing down the decrease in M2 microglia numbers and controlling the inflammatory microenvironment holds significant potential for enhancing stroke recovery. Results We found that the ferroptosis inhibitor can modulate inflammatory response in MCAO mice, characterizing that the level of M2 microglia-related cytokines was increased. We then confirmed that different subtypes of microglia exhibit distinct sensitivities to I/R-induced ferroptosis. Adipose-derived stem cells derived exosome (ADSC-Exo) effectively decreased the susceptibility of M2 microglia to ferroptosis via Fxr2/Atf3/Slc7a11, suppressing the inflammatory microenvironment and promoting neuronal survival. Furthermore, through plasmid engineering, a more efficient M2 microglia-targeted exosome, termed M2pep-ADSC-Exo, was developed. In vivo and in vitro experiments demonstrated that M2pep-ADSC-Exo exhibits significant targeting specificity for M2 microglia, further inhibiting M2 microglia ferroptosis and improving neurological function in ischemic stroke mice. Conclusion Collectively, we illustrated a novel potential therapeutic mechanism that Fxr2 in ADSC-Exo could alleviate the M2 microglia ferroptosis via regulating Atf3/Slc7all expression, hence inhibiting the inflammatory microenvironment, improving neurofunction recovery in cerebral I/R injury. We obtained a novel exosome, M2pep-ADSC-Exo, through engineered modification, which exhibits improved targeting capabilities toward M2 microglia. This provides a new avenue for the treatment of stroke. Graphical Abstract

Abstract Background Women diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus often rely on internet-based health information for managing their condition. This study aims to investigate the present state of electronic health literacy among women with gestational diabetes mellitus, analyze the influencing factors, and explore their experiences regarding accessing, comprehending, evaluating, and applying online health information pertinent to gestational diabetes mellitus. Methods A sequential explanatory mixed methods research design was adopted in this study. Initially, 235 women with gestational diabetes mellitus participated in a cross-sectional survey. The research tools included general information and the Chinese version of the electronic Health Literacy Scale (eHEALS). Descriptive analyses were conducted to describe the characteristics of the sample, and multiple linear regression analyses were used to explore the factors influencing electronic health literacy among women with gestational diabetes mellitus. Secondly, 11 women with gestational diabetes mellitus joined semi-structured in-depth interviews to obtain their perceptions about online health information. The data were analyzed using inductive content analysis to develop themes. Results The median score of eHEALS in the Chinese version among 235 women diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus was 29 (interquartile range [IQR], 26 to 32). Factors influencing electronic health literacy among these women included accessing health information from medical professionals (β = 0.137, p = 0.029) and utilizing health information from applications (β = 0.159, p = 0.013). From the qualitative phase of the study, four thematic categories emerged: reasons and basis for accessing health information from the Internet; address barriers to accessing and applying online health information; desires for a higher level of online health information services; outcomes of accessing and applying online health information. Conclusion The electronic health literacy of women diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus remains suboptimal and warrants improvement. The sources of access to health information affect electronic health literacy in women with gestational diabetes mellitus. Moreover, women facing gestational diabetes encounter numerous impediments when attempting to access health-related information online, underscoring the necessity for enhanced online health information services to meet their needs.

Abstract Background WHO stated the environment is an important factor affecting the development of hospice care. The environment is the sum of factors affecting behavior besides the individual factors. Currently, a scale to comprehensively assess the hospice environment of nurse is still lacking. This study aimed to develop an instrument to investigate the environmental factors affecting hospice care of nurses. Methods Literature review and a semi-structured interview were conducted to form the items pool of the Hospice Care Environment Scale. Two rounds of Delphi expert consultation were conducted by 16 experts to revise the scale dimensions and entries to form the Hospice Care Environment Scale. A psychometric evaluation was then performed among 530 oncology nurses in a large tertiary oncology hospital in Hubei Province. The 500 valid questionnaires were randomly divided into two groups in a 1:1 ratio, sample 1 (n1 = 250) for item screening and sample 2 (n2 = 250) for quality evaluation of the resulting scale. Item analysis, reliability analysis, validity analysis and acceptability analysis were performed. Result The Hospice Care Environment Scale consists of two dimensions and 13 entries. The Cronbach’s α coefficient of the Hospice Care Environment Scale was 0.970, and the Cronbach’s α coefficient of the two dimensions were 0.952 and 0.969, respectively, with the Item-content validity index and average Scale- content validity index of the scale was both 1.000. The validation factor analysis showed the standardized path coefficients of each item were basically above 0.5, and the factor structure model was stable and suitable. The average completion time of the scale was about 3 min, which had good feasibility. Conclusion The Hospice Care Environment Scale to assess the environment of hospice care services, has good content and construct validity and reliability. This scale can provide guidance to evaluate the hospice care environment.

Abstract To alleviate the contradiction in healthcare resources, the Chinese government formally established the framework of a hierarchical medical system in 2015, which contains the following brief generalities: " separate treatment of emergencies and slows, first-contact care at the primary, two-way referral, and upper and lower linkage, ". This study systematically summarizes and models the connotations of China's hierarchical medical system and a sample of 11,200 chronic disease patients in Tianjin, the largest port city in northern China, was selected for the empirical study to investigate the relationship between chronic disease patients' policy perceptions of the hierarchical medical system and their preference for healthcare. We found that under the strategy of separate treatment, improving the healthcare accessibility, drug supply, and lowering the cost of medical care would have a positive impact on increasing the preference of patients with chronic diseases to go to the primary hospitals. Under the two-way triage strategy, improving the level of physician services, referral convenience and treatment Standards have a positive impact on chronic disease patients' preference for primary care; The impact of the hierarchical medical system on the preference for healthcare differed between groups, focusing on differences in health literacy level, age and household type; The role of " upper and lower linkage " is crucial in the hierarchical medical system and it plays a part in mediating the influence of the " separate treatment of emergencies and slows" design and the "two-way referral " order on the treatment preferences of chronic disease patients. The results of the study provide a reference for the further development of a scientific and rational hierarchical medical system in the future.

Abstract Stripe rust fungus Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst) is a destructive pathogen of wheat worldwide. Pst has a macrocyclic-heteroecious lifecycle, in which one-celled urediniospores are dikaryotic, each nucleus containing one haploid genome. We successfully generated the first fully haplotype-resolved and nearly gap-free chromosome-scale genome assembly of Pst by combining PacBio HiFi sequencing and trio-binning strategy. The genome size of the two haploid assemblies was 75.59 Mb and 75.91 Mb with contig N50 of 4.17 Mb and 4.60 Mb, and both had 18 pseudochromosomes. The high consensus quality values of 55.57 and 59.02 for both haplotypes confirmed the correctness of the assembly. Of the total 18 chromosomes, 15 and 16 were gapless while there were only five and two gaps for the remaining chromosomes of the two haplotypes, respectively. In total, 15,046 and 15,050 protein-coding genes were predicted for the two haplotypes, and the complete BUSCO scores achieved 97.7% and 97.9%, respectively. The genome will lay the foundation for further research on genetic variations and the evolution of rust fungi.

Abstract When high-temperature steam is used as a medium to pyrolyze organic-rich shale, water steam not only acts as heat transfer but also participates in the chemical reaction of organic matter pyrolysis, thus affecting the generation law and release characteristics of gas products. In this study, based on a long-distance reaction system of organic-rich shale pyrolysis via steam injection, the effects of steam temperature and reaction distance on gas product composition are analyzed in depth and compared with other pyrolysis processes. The advantages of organic-rich shale pyrolysis via steam injection are then evaluated. The volume concentration of hydrogen in the gas product obtained via the steam injection pyrolysis of organic-rich shale is the highest, which is more than 60%. The hydrogen content increases as the reaction distance is extended; however, the rate of increase changes gradually. Increasing the reaction distance from 800 to 4000 mm increases the hydrogen content from 34.91% to 69.68% and from 63.13% to 78.61% when the steam temperature is 500 °C and 555 °C, respectively. However, the higher the heat injection temperature, the smaller the reaction distance required to form a high concentration hydrogen pyrolysis environment (hydrogen concentration > 60%). When the steam pyrolysis temperature is increased from 500 °C to 555 °C, the reaction distance required to form a high concentration of hydrogen is reduced from 3800 to 800 mm. Compared with the direct retorting process, the volume concentration of hydrogen obtained from high-temperature steam pyrolysis of organic-rich shale is 8.82 and 10.72 times that of the commonly used Fushun and Kivite furnaces, respectively. The pyrolysis of organic-rich shale via steam injection is a pyrolysis process in a hydrogen-rich environment.

Abstract Due to the ignoring of rich spatio-temporal and global contextual information with convolutional neural networks in features extraction, the traditional method is prone to tracking drift or even failure in complex scenario, especially for the tiny targets in aerial photography scenario. In this work, it proposes a transformer feature integration network (TFITrack) to obtain diverse and comprehensive target feature for the robust object tracking. Based on the typical transformer architecture, it optimizes encoder and decoder structure for aggregating discriminative spatio-temporal information and global context-awareness feature. Furthermore, the encoder introduces the similarity calculation layer and dual-attention module; the aim is to deepen the similarity between features and make corrections for channel and spatial dimensions, and feature representation is improved. Finally, with the introduction of the temporal context filtering layer, unimportant feature information is ignored adaptively, obtaining a balance between the parameters number reduction and stable performance. Experimental results show that the proposed tracking algorithm exhibits excellent tracking performance on seven benchmark datasets, especially on the aerial dataset UAV123, UAV20L, and UAV123@10fps, which presents the advantages of the novel method in dealing with fast motion and external interference.

Abstract Glutamine synthetase (GS) is vital in maintaining ammonia and glutamate (Glu) homeostasis in living organisms. However, the natural enzyme relies on adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to activate Glu, resulting in impaired GS function during ATP-deficient neurotoxic events. To date, no reports demonstrate using artificial nanostructures to mimic GS function. In this study, we synthesize aggregation-induced emission active polyP-Mn nanosheets (STPE-PMNSs) based on end-labeled polyphosphate (polyP), exhibiting remarkable GS-like activity independent of ATP presence. Further investigation reveals polyP in STPE-PMNSs serves as phosphate source to activate Glu at low ATP levels. This self-feeding mechanism offers a significant advantage in regulating Glu homeostasis at reduced ATP levels in nerve cells during excitotoxic conditions. STPE-PMNSs can effectively promote the conversion of Glu to glutamine (Gln) in excitatory neurotoxic human neuroblastoma cells (SH-SY5Y) and alleviate Glu-induced neurotoxicity. Additionally, the fluorescence signal of nanosheets enables precise monitoring of the subcellular distribution of STPE-PMNSs. More importantly, the intracellular fluorescence signal is enhanced in a conversion-responsive manner, allowing real-time tracking of reaction progression. This study presents a self-sustaining strategy to address GS functional impairment caused by ATP deficiency in nerve cells during neurotoxic events. Furthermore, it offers a fresh perspective on the potential biological applications of polyP-based nanostructures.

In the context of “Industry 4.0,” the construction industry is undergoing a continuous process of digital transformation. In recent years, with the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, AI has been successfully applied across various domains within the construction sector. This paper conducts a comprehensive review based on scientific bibliometric analysis and systematic evaluation to provide an overview of AI applications and developments in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry, as well as to discuss future research trends. Firstly, a bibliometric analysis was carried out on 3,410 journal articles published between 2003 and 2022. This analysis examined characteristics such as annual publication trends, key researchers and their affiliations, countries of origin, collaborative relationships, prominent journals, and keyword clustering. Subsequently, through systematic review, three critical themes in the field were identified and analyzed: performance prediction, intelligent optimization, and engineering safety and risk. To gain a deeper understanding of cutting-edge AI technologies and their potential applications in the AEC sector, potential future research directions were discussed, including digital twins, blockchain, augmented reality, and virtual reality, all aimed at driving the intelligent and digital transformation of the AEC industry.

Abstract Esophageal adenocarcinoma is the most common histological subtype of esophageal cancer in Western countries and shows poor prognosis with rapid growth. EAC is characterized by a strong male predominance and racial disparity. EAC is up to fivefold more common among Whites than Blacks, yet Black patients with EAC have poorer survival rates. The racial disparity remains largely unknown, and there is limited knowledge of mutations in EAC regarding racial disparities. We used whole-exome sequencing to show somatic mutation profiles derived from tumor samples from 18 EAC male patients. We identified three molecular subgroups based on the pre-defined esophageal cancer-specific mutational signatures. Group 1 is associated with age and NTHL1 deficiency-related signatures. Group 2 occurs primarily in Black patients and is associated with signatures related to DNA damage from oxidative stress and NTHL1 deficiency-related signatures. Group 3 is associated with defective homologous recombination-based DNA often caused by BRCA mutation in White patients. We observed significantly mutated race related genes (LCE2B in Black, SDR39U1 in White) were (q-value

Abstract Background Self-glazed zirconia (SZ) restorations are made by a novel additive three-dimensional gel deposition approach, which are suitable for a straightforward completely digital workflow. SZ has recently been used as minimally invasive veneer, but its clinical outcomes have not been clarified yet. This study aimed to evaluate the preliminary clinical outcomes of SZ veneers compared with the widely used lithium disilicate glass–ceramic veneers made by either pressing (PG) or milling (MG) process. Methods Fifty-six patients treated with SZ, PG, and MG veneers by 2 specialists between June 2018 and October 2022 were identified. Patients were recalled for follow-up at least 1 year after restoration. Clinical outcomes were assessed by 2 independent evaluators according to the modified United States Public Health Service (USPHS) criteria. Overall patient satisfaction was assessed using visual analogue scale (VAS), and analyzed by one-way ANOVA. Chi-square test was applied to compare the difference in the success and survival rates among the 3 groups. Results A total of 51 patients restored with 45 SZ, 40 PG, and 41 MG veneers completed the study, with a patient dropout rate of 8.9%. Mean and standard deviation of follow-up period was 35.0 ± 14.7 months. All restorations performed well at baseline, except for 2 SZ veneers with mismatched color (rated Bravo). During follow-up, marginal discrepancy (rated Bravo) was found in 4 MG veneers and 1 PG veneer, and partially fractured (rated Charlie) was found in another 2 PG veneers. The survival rate of SZ, PG, and MG veneers was 100%, 95%, and 100%, with a success rate of 95.56%, 92.50%, and 90.24%, respectively, none of which were significantly different (p = 0.099 and 0.628, respectively). The mean VAS score of SZ, PG, and MG was 95.00 ± 1.57, 93.93 ± 2.40, and 94.89 ± 2.00 respectively, without significant difference (p > 0.05). Conclusion SZ veneers exhibited comparable preliminary clinical outcomes to PG and MG veneers, which could be considered as a feasible option for minimally invasive restorative treatment.

Abstract Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) seems to prevent hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV). However, the mechanism is still little known. This study aimed to investigate the the roles and mechanisms of TDF, tenofovir alafenamide fumarate (TAF), and entecavir (ETV) on the malignant characteristics of liver cancer cells. Using the wound-healing assays, transwell assays, matrigel transwell assays, and cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assays, it was possible to identify that TDF/TAF, inhibited migration, invasion, and proliferation of HepG2 cells and Huh7 cells. To investigate the mechanisms, we performed TOP/FOP-Flash system, Western blot, and RT-qPCR assays of liver cancer cells cultured with TDF/TAF and found a lower activity of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway compared with control cells. Finally, Hepatitis C virus p7 trans-regulated protein 3 (p7TP3), a tumor suppressor in liver cancers, was significantly increased in HepG2 cells and Huh7 cells that treated with TDF/TAF. However, entecavir (ETV)-treated liver cancer cells showed no significant difference in the malignant characteristics of liver cancer cells, activity of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, and expression of p7TP3, compared with the control groups. To conclude, TDF/TAF maybe novel promising therapeutic strategy for liver cancers, including HCC and hepatoblastoma, via Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, by up-regulating expression of the tumor suppressor, p7TP3.

Abstract Cu-Au intermetallic alloys are classic paradigms in the history of alloy theory for studying order-disorder transition, phase stability, and so on. However, density functional theory with a generalized gradient approximation (GGA) fails to describe their formation energies and Au-rich ground states, e.g., calculated formation energies are nearly 40% smaller than experimental values. In this work, we found that these discrepancies, which are also common in other Cu-transition metal (TM) intermetallic alloys, are actually caused by the fact that GGA produces Cu-3d bands with a shallower energy level than the experimental results, leading to incorrect d-d hybridizations. By using the Hubbard U correction to adjust the d-bands to the correct position, the discrepancies in GGA calculations are eliminated. Our finding that the correct d-bands position is the key to characterize Cu-TMs, which can be achieved efficiently by applying the Hubbard U correction.

Background: Chemotherapy remains the standard-of-care for many patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but acquired resistance presents challenges. The aim of this open-label, multicenter phase 2 clinical trial was to determine the efficacy and safety of utidelone, a novel genetically engineered epothilone analog and microtubule-stabilizing agent, as a third- or later-line treatment for locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC. Methods: Patients who had failed standard second-line treatment (including platinum-containing chemotherapy or targeted therapy) received utidelone (40 mg/m2 via intravenous injection daily, day 1–5) every 21 days. The primary endpoint was the objective response rate (ORR). Secondary endpoints were the duration of response (DoR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and safety. Results: From March 12, 2019 to January 18, 2021, 26 pretreated patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC (100% of patients had received prior platinum and 65.4% patients had received prior taxane treatment) were enrolled (80.8% of patients had adenocarcinoma). At baseline, nine (34.6%) patients had received second-line treatment, 10 (38.5%) patients had received third-line treatment, and seven (26.9%) patients had received fourth- or later-line treatment. By the data cut-off date of August 10, 2021, the median follow-up was 7.49 months (range, 1.4–26.7 months). The ORR was 15.4% (95% confidence interval [CI], 4.4%–34.9%) in the intention-to-treat (ITT) cohort (N = 26) and 19.0% (95% CI, 5.4%–41.9%) in the per-protocol (PP) cohort (N = 21). The disease control rate was 69.2% (95% CI, 48.2%–85.7%) and 81.0% (95% CI, 58.1%–94.6%) in the ITT and PP cohorts, respectively. The median DoR was 4.1 months (95% CI, 3.1–5.1 months) in the ITT cohort. The median PFS was 4.37 months (95% CI, 2.50–5.29 months) in the ITT cohort and 4.37 months (95% CI, 2.50–9.76 months) in the PP cohort. The median OS was not reached, and the 12-month OS rate was 69% (95% CI, 45.1%–84.1%). Grade 3/4 treatment-emergent adverse events occurred in 38.5% of patients, and the most common was peripheral neuropathy (23.1%, all Grade 3), which was manageable with dose modifications. Conclusions: In this clinical trial, utidelone showed promising efficacy and had a manageable safety profile. Further clinical studies are warranted to confirm its role in NSCLC treatment. Trial registration: No.NCT03693547; https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov.

A quadruped robot with intelligent properties is developed using a bionics approach to explore the potential value of gecko-like machinery. The robot structure incorporates mechanical links, steering engines, and wheel groups, which can expand the movement function of its leg joint. A pneumatic control circuit that can generate negative pressure is built by a vacuum pump, electromagnetic valve, sucker, hose, and others, to enable mobile climbing and adsorption of the gecko-inspired robot. By integrating gait planning, program compilation, Arduino board development, theoretical calculation, and digital modeling, the robot incorporates several practical functions such as “adsorption climbing, ultrasonic obstacle avoidance, remote control, Bluetooth communication, WiFi wireless image transmission, and multi-terrain maneuvering,” which give a basis to realize the multi-dimensional integrated design of “machine, electricity, gas and intelligence” of biomimetic gecko. The experimental prototype of the gecko-inspired robot is designed and manufactured with 3D printing, combined with virtual prototype development, mechanism trajectory verification, finite element analysis, and CFD hydrodynamic simulation. Test results indicate that the biomimetic body has ideal characteristics of intelligent control and maneuvering response in the natural environment, which specifically manifested as that the robot can carry out stable adsorption and climb on the vertical wall, respond quickly to avoid obstacles intelligently, and detect and monitor the external environment in real-time with the help of a mobile phone control terminal. This work is promising for solving high-risk social production and engineering operation challenges.

Lipid emulsion (LE), a widely used parenteral nutrition, exhibits a well-documented ability to reverse the vasodilatory effects induced by acetylcholine in blood vessels. However, the specific mechanisms underlying this action are not yet fully understood. This study aimed to elucidate the mechanism by which LE reverses vasodilation in vitro through dose-response curve experiments, calcium imaging, and fluorescence assays. The results revealed a significant attenuation of acetylcholine (Ach)-induced vasodilation in rat thoracic aortic rings following LE exposure. In human aortic endothelial cells, pretreatment with LE significantly suppressed ATP-induced calcium elevation. This suppression persisted even after elimination of extracellular calcium with a calcium chelator. Moreover, LE pre-exposure reduced the intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) elevation in endothelial cells following cyclopiazonic acid (CPA) treatment, suggesting enhanced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) calcium reuptake. Additionally, nitric oxide (NO) fluorescence assays showed a decrease in NO production upon ATP stimulation post-LE pretreatment of endothelial cells. Taken together, these results indicate that the reversal of vasodilation by LE may involve enhanced ER calcium uptake, leading to a reduction in intracellular calcium concentration and suppression of NO (key vasodilatory agent) synthesis.

IntroductionTomatoes are sensitive to low temperatures during their growth process, and low temperatures are one of the main environmental limitations affecting plant growth and development in Northeast China. Chlorophyll fluorescence imaging technology is a powerful tool for evaluating the efficiency of plant photosynthesis, which can detect and reflect the effects that plants are subjected to during the low temperature stress stage, including early chilling injury.MethodsThis article primarily utilizes the chlorophyll fluorescence image set of tomato seedlings, applying the dung beetle optimization (DBO) algorithm to enhance the deep learning bidirectional long short term memory (BiLSTM) model, thereby improving the accuracy of classification prediction for chilling injury in tomatoes. Firstly, the proportion of tomato chilling injury areas in chlorophyll fluorescence images was calculated using a threshold segmentation algorithm to classify tomato cold damage into four categories. Then, the features of each type of cold damage image were filtered using SRCC to extract the data with the highest correlation with cold damage. These data served as the training and testing sample set for the BiLSTM model. Finally, DBO algorithm was applied to enhance the deep learning BiLSTM model, and the DBO-BiLSTM model was proposed to improve the prediction performance of tomato seedling category labels.ResultsThe results showed that the DBO-BiLSTM model optimized by DBO achieved an accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 score with an average of over 95%.DiscussionCompared to the original BiLSTM model, these evaluation parameters improved by 9.09%, 7.02%, 9.16%, and 8.68%, respectively. When compared to the commonly used SVM classification model, the evaluation parameters showed an increase of 6.35%, 7.33%, 6.33%, and 6.5%, respectively. This study was expected to detect early chilling injury through chlorophyll fluorescence imaging, achieve automatic classification and labeling of cold damage data, and lay a research foundation for in-depth research on the cold damage resistance of plants themselves and exploring the application of deep learning classification methods in precision agriculture.

To further improve the spectral efficiency of the cooperative non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) network with half-duplex (HD) relaying and avoid the zero diversity gain due to the imperfect self interference estimation at high signa-to-noise ratio (SNR) value with full-duplex (FD) relaying, this paper developed a novel two-stage relay selection for a two-user multi-relay cooperative NOMA systems with adaptive-duplex (AD) relaying which can switch opportunistically between HD and FD relaying modes. An adaptive duplex based on fixed power allocation factor relay selection (AD-FPA-RS) scheme for cooperative NOMA networks is proposed in this paper, the relay can switch the work mode to the FD or HD state adaptively according to the current channel state information and the result of decode at the relay. Futhermore, the exact outage probability for the proposed AD-FPA-RS scheme is obtained in closed-form expression. The simulation and numerical results show that the proposed AD-FPA-RS scheme not only outperforms the existing HD-FPARS and FD-FPA-RS schemes in terms of outage behavior significantly, but also can obtain full diversity gain without the floor outage performance at high SNR region.

Field capacity (FC) is an important soil hydraulic concept in soil science and irrigation management. It is generally determined from soil water content in a soil layer when soil profile reaches a steady pressure head or negligible drainage flux from an initially saturated soil. However, the proposed criteria are mainly tested for uniform soils and vary with soil textures. To quantify FC in layered soils, a Richards equation-based model was used to describe water flow in fine-textured soils with a coarse interlayer. With calibrated soil hydraulic parameters for loam and sand from infiltration measurements, drainage from saturation was simulated in the loam with a sand interlayer. A relative drainage rate (δ) was defined as a function of water storage and drainage flux to analyze soil water status at FC. Soil water content in the upper loam layer of layered profiles was improved compared with that in the uniform loam, which was negatively correlated with buried depth but positively correlated with thickness of the sand layer for a specified δ. Under different buried depths and thicknesses, soil water content decreased with the decline of δ and decreased rapidly as δ reduced to 1 % d−1. The drainage flux at δ = 1 % d−1 changed within a range of 0.056–0.26 cm d−1, and soil water content reached to 0.278–0.346 cm3 cm−3, which accounted for 70–87 % of the saturated water content of loam. Although the FC in the upper fine-textured soil layer varied for different buried depths and thicknesses of coarse interlayer, the proposed dynamic method is reliable and universal to estimate the FC in the above layered soils at δ = 1 % d−1. An empirical equation was also developed to calculate the FC in fine-textured soils with different buried depths and thicknesses of a coarse interlayer based on the critical δ value.

Pulmonary fibrosis is a fatal and chronic lung disease that is characterized by accumulation of thickened scar in the lungs and impairment of gas exchange. The cases with unknown etiology are referred as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). There are currently no effective therapeutics to cure the disease; thus, the investigation of the pathogenesis of IPF is of great importance. Recent studies on bone morphogenic proteins (BMPs) and their receptors have indicated that reduction of BMP signaling in lungs may play a significant role in the development of lung fibrosis. BMPs are members of TGF-β superfamily, and they have been shown to play an anti-fibrotic role in combating TGF-β-mediated pathways. The impact of BMP receptors, in particular BMPR2, on pulmonary fibrosis is growing attraction to researchers. Previous studies on BMPR2 have often focused on pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Given the strong clinical association between PAH and lung fibrosis, understanding BMPs/BMPR2-mediated signaling pathway is important for development of therapeutic strategies to treat IPF. In this review, we comprehensively review recent studies regarding the biological functions of BMPs and their receptors in lungs, especially focusing on their roles in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis and fibrosis resolution.

Summary: Background: In order to address the low compliance and dissatisfied specificity of low-dose computed tomography (LDCT), efficient and non-invasive approaches are needed to complement its limitations for lung cancer screening and management. The ASCEND-LUNG study is a prospective two-stage case–control study designed to evaluate the performance of a liquid biopsy-based comprehensive lung cancer screening and post-screening pulmonary nodules management system. Methods: We aimed to develop a comprehensive lung cancer system called Peking University Lung Cancer Screening and Management System (PKU-LCSMS) which comprises a lung cancer screening model to identify specific populations requiring LDCT and an artificial intelligence-aided (AI-aided) pulmonary nodules diagnostic model to classify pulmonary nodules following LDCT. A dataset of 465 participants (216 cancer, 47 benign, 202 non-cancer control) were used for the two models’ development phase. For the lung cancer screening model development, cancer participants were randomly split at a ratio of 1:1 into the train and validation cohorts, and then non-cancer controls were age-matched to the cancer cases in a 1:1 ratio. Similarly, for the AI-aided pulmonary nodules model, cancer and benign participants were also randomly divided at a ratio of 2:1 into the train and validation cohorts. Subsequently, during the model validation phase, sensitivity and specificity were validated using an independent validation cohort consisting of 291 participants (140 cancer, 25 benign, 126 non-cancer control). Prospectively collected blood samples were analyzed for multi-omics including cell-free DNA (cfDNA) methylation, mutation, and serum protein. Computerized tomography (CT) images data was also obtained. Paired tissue samples were additionally analyzed for DNA methylation, DNA mutation, and messenger RNA (mRNA) expression to further explore the potential biological mechanisms. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04817046. Findings: Baseline blood samples were evaluated for the whole screening and diagnostic process. The cfDNA methylation-based lung cancer screening model exhibited the highest area under the curve (AUC) of 0.910 (95% CI, 0.869–0.950), followed by the protein model (0.891 [95% CI, 0.845–0.938]) and lastly the mutation model (0.577 [95% CI, 0.482–0.672]). Further, the final screening model, which incorporated cfDNA methylation and protein features, achieved an AUC of 0.963 (95% CI, 0.942–0.984). In the independent validation cohort, the multi-omics screening model showed a sensitivity of 99.2% (95% CI, 0.957–1.000) at a specificity of 56.3% (95% CI, 0.472–0.652). For the AI-aided pulmonary nodules diagnostic model, which incorporated cfDNA methylation and CT images features, it yielded a sensitivity of 81.1% (95% CI, 0.732–0.875), a specificity of 76.0% (95% CI, 0.549–0.906) in the independent validation cohort. Furthermore, four differentially methylated regions (DMRs) were shared in the lung cancer screening model and the AI-aided pulmonary nodules diagnostic model. Interpretation: We developed and validated a liquid biopsy-based comprehensive lung cancer screening and management system called PKU-LCSMS which combined a blood multi-omics based lung cancer screening model incorporating cfDNA methylation and protein features and an AI-aided pulmonary nodules diagnostic model integrating CT images and cfDNA methylation features in sequence to streamline the entire process of lung cancer screening and post-screening pulmonary nodules management. It might provide a promising applicable solution for lung cancer screening and management. Funding: This work was supported by Science, Science, Technology & Innovation Project of Xiongan New Area, Beijing Natural Science Foundation, CAMS Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences (CIFMS), Clinical Medicine Plus X-Young Scholars Project of Peking University, the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, Research Unit of Intelligence Diagnosis and Treatment in Early Non-small Cell Lung Cancer, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, National Natural Science Foundation of China, Peking University People's Hospital Research and Development Funds, National Key Research and Development Program of China, and the fundamental research funds for the central universities.

Excessive generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) induces cellular oxidative stress damage, resulting in mitochondrial dysfunction and subsequent promotion of apoptosis. Induction of oxidative stress damage through chemo-dynamic therapy within the tumor microenvironment (TME) represents a promising therapeutic strategy for cancer treatment. Herein, folic acid-polyethylene glycol (FA-PEG)-modified MIL-101 NPs loaded with berberine (BER) were constructed to develop a nanoplatform based on the modulation of oxidative stress for the treatment of Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Comprehensive characterizations based on TEM, DLS, XRD, FTIR, TGA and UV–vis spectroscopy confirmed the successful synthesis of MIL-101/PEG-FA with uniform size, high drug loading efficiency (32.59 %) and superior pH-responsive drug release (Ber release of 24.44 % and 70.22 % within 96h at pH 7.4 and 5.0, respectively). Cellular experiments revealed that MIL-101/PEG-FA achieved the pH-responsiveness release of the BER in the TME, thereby improving the bioavailability of BER. Moreover, Fe3+ in MIL-101(Fe) showed strong ability to consume GSH and provide a continuous supply of H2O2, which decreased SOD activity, and contributed to the generation of MDA, thereby increasing the production of toxic ROS in CAL27 cells. Meanwhile, MIL-101@BER/PEG-FA up-regulated inflammatory cytokine levels (TNF-α and IL-1β), promoted inflammatory response in TME, induced CAL27 cells apoptosis by regulating the LKB1/AMPK pathway. Finally, MIL-101@BER/PEG-FA showed good efficiency against OSCC in vivo. Consequently, MIL-101/PEG-FA can be applied as a nanocarrier platform for the treatment of OSCC.

Water reuse is an effective way to solve the issues of current wastewater increments and water resource scarcity. Ultrafiltration, a promising method for water reuse, has the characteristics of low energy consumption, easy operation, and high adaptability to coupling with other water treatment processes. However, emerging organic contaminants (EOCs) in municipal wastewater cannot be effectively intercepted by ultrafiltration, which poses significant challenges to the effluent quality and sustainability of ultrafiltration process. Here, we develop a cobalt single-atom catalyst-tailored ceramic membrane (Co1-NCNT-CM) in conjunction with an activated peroxymonosulfate (PMS) system, achieving excellent EOCs degradation and anti-fouling performance. An interfacial reaction mechanism effectively mitigates membrane fouling through a repulsive interaction with natural organic matter. The generation of singlet oxygen at the Co-N3-C active sites through a catalytic pathway (PMS→PMS∗→OH∗→O∗→OO∗→1O2) exhibits selective oxidation of phenols and sulfonamides, achieving >90% removal rates. Our findings elucidate a multi-layered functional architecture within the Co1-NCNT-CM/PMS system, responsible for its superior performance in organic decontamination and membrane maintenance during secondary effluent treatment. It highlights the power of integrating Co1-NCNT-CM/PMS systems in advanced wastewater treatment frameworks, specifically for targeted EOCs removal, heralding a new direction for sustainable water management.

Abstract Although the postdispersal functions of diaspore (fruit and its appendages) have been reported, little is known about their protective/defensive functions. In this context, diaspores with appendages (persistent inner tepals and/or fruit wings) that experienced predispersal herbivory by insects in natural populations of Rheum nanum were investigated, and the seed abortion percentage, seed and embryo masses, and germination of seeds from diaspores with different categories of insect herbivory were measured and compared. Predispersal insect herbivory of R. nanum diaspores was prevalent in the four investigated populations, but the percentage of diaspores with appendages (persistent inner tepals and and/or fruit wings) damaged by insects was significantly higher than that of diaspores with the pericarp damaged by insects. Seeds from diaspores with gnawed appendages experienced significantly less damage than those with gnawed pericarps. Importantly, we conclude that fruit appendages of R. nanum help to mechanically protect developing seeds from predispersal insect herbivory.