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Abstract Background Previous studies have found that the temporal duration required for males to perceive visual motion direction is significantly shorter than that for females. However, the neural correlates of such shortened duration perception remain yet unclear. Given that motion perception is primarily associated with the neural activity of the middle temporal visual complex (MT+), we here test the novel hypothesis that the neural mechanism of these behavioral sex differences is mainly related to the MT+ region. Methods We utilized ultra-high field (UHF) MRI to investigate sex differences in the MT+ brain region. A total of 95 subjects (48 females) participated in two separate studies. Cohort 1, consisting of 33 subjects (16 females), completed task-fMRI (drafting grating stimuli) experiment. Cohort 2, comprising 62 subjects (32 females), engaged in a psychophysical experiment measuring motion perception along different temporal thresholds as well as conducting structural and functional MRI scanning of MT+. Results Our findings show pronounced sex differences in major brain parameters within the left MT+ (but not the right MT+, i.e., laterality). In particular, males demonstrate (i) larger gray matter volume (GMV) and higher brain’s spontaneous activity at the fastest infra-slow frequency band in the left MT+; and (ii) stronger functional connectivity between the left MT+ and the left centromedial amygdala (CM). Meanwhile, both female and male participants exhibited comparable correlations between motion perception ability and the multimodal imaging indexes of the MT+ region, i.e., larger GMV, higher brain’s spontaneous activity, and faster motion discrimination. Conclusions Our findings reveal sex differences of imaging indicators of structure and function in the MT+ region, which also relate to the temporal threshold of motion discrimination. Overall, these results show how behavioral sex differences in visual motion perception are generated, and advocate considering sex as a crucial biological variable in both human brain and behavioral research.

Objective This study aimed to determine the effects of compatibility of Clostridium butyricum and Bacillus subtilis on growth performance, lipid metabolism, antioxidant status and cecal microflora of broilers during the starter phase. Methods A total of 600 1-day-old Ross 308 broilers were randomly divided into two groups with six replicates in each group. Chickens in the control group were fed a basal diet, while chickens in the experimental group were fed a diet supplemented with 2×108 colony forming units (CFU)/kg of C. butyricum and 1×109 CFU/kg of B. subtilis. The experimental period was 21 days. Results Addition of C. butyricum and B. subtilis significantly increased (p

Abstract Bartonella are vector-borne gram-negative facultative intracellular bacteria that can infect a wide spectrum of mammals, and are recognized as emerging human pathogens. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and molecular characteristics of Bartonella infections in small mammals within the Qinghai Menyuan section of Qilian Mountain National Park, China. Small mammals were captured, and the liver, spleen and kidney were collected for Bartonella detection and identification using a combination of real-time PCR targeting the transfer-mRNA (ssrA) gene and followed by sequencing of the citrate synthase (gltA) gene. A total of 52 rodents were captured, and 36 rodents were positive for Bartonella, with a positivity rate of 69.23% (36/52). Bartonella was detected in Cricetulus longicaudatus, Microtus oeconomus, Mus musculus, and Ochotona cansus. The positivity rate was significantly different in the different habitats. Two Bartonella species were observed, including Bartonella grahamii and Bartonella heixiaziensis, and B. grahamii was the dominant epidemic strain in this area. Phylogenetic analysis showed that B. grahamii mainly clustered into two clusters, which were closely related to the Apodemus isolates from China and Japan and the local plateau pika isolates, respectively. In addition, genetic polymorphism analysis showed that B. grahamii had high genetic diversity, and its haplotype had certain regional differences and host specificity. Overall, high prevalence of Bartonella in small mammals in the Qinghai Menyuan section of Qilian Mountain National Park. B. grahamii is the dominant strain with high genetic diversity and potential pathogenicity to humans, and corresponding control measures should be considered.

Abstract Background Neuroblastoma (NB) is the most common extracranial solid tumor in childhood and is closely related to the early development and differentiation of neuroendocrine (NE) cells. The disease is mainly represented by high-risk NB, which has the characteristics of high mortality and difficult treatment. The survival rate of high-risk NB patients is not ideal. In this article, we not only conducted a comprehensive study of NB through single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) but also further analyzed cuproptosis, a new cell death pathway, in order to find clinical treatment targets from a new perspective. Materials and Methods The Seurat software was employed to process the scRNA-seq data. This was followed by the utilization of GO enrichment analysis and GSEA to unveil pertinent enriched pathways. The inferCNV software package was harnessed to investigate chromosomal copy number variations. pseudotime analyses involved the use of Monocle 2, CytoTRACE, and Slingshot software. CellChat was employed to analyze the intercellular communication network for NB. Furthermore, PySCENIC was deployed to review the profile of transcription factors. Result Using scRNA-seq, we studied cells from patients with NB. NE cells exhibited superior specificity in contrast to other cell types. Among NE cells, C1 PCLAF + NE cells showed a close correlation with the genesis and advancement of NB. The key marker genes, cognate receptor pairing, developmental trajectories, metabolic pathways, transcription factors, and enrichment pathways in C1 PCLAF + NE cells, as well as the expression of cuproptosis in C1 PCLAF + NE cells, provided new ideas for exploring new therapeutic targets for NB. Conclusion The results revealed the specificity of malignant NE cells in NB, especially the key subset of C1 PCLAF + NE cells, which enhanced our understanding of the key role of the tumor microenvironment in the complexity of cancer progression. Of course, cell death played an important role in the progression of NB, which also promoted our research on new targets. The scrutiny of these findings proved advantageous in uncovering innovative therapeutic targets, thereby bolstering clinical interventions.

Abstract Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the primary malignant tumor of the liver. c-Myc is one of the most common oncogenes in clinical settings, and amplified levels of c-Myc are frequently found in HCC. Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi), such as Trichostatin A (TSA), hold enormous promise for the treatment of HCC. However, the potential and mechanism of TSA in the treatment of c-Myc-induced HCC are unclear. In this study, we investigated the effects of TSA treatment on a c-Myc-induced HCC model in mice. TSA treatment delayed the development of HCC, and liver function indicators such as ALT, AST, liver weight ratio, and spleen weight ratio demonstrated the effectiveness of TSA treatment. Oil red staining further demonstrated that TSA attenuated lipid accumulation in the HCC tissues of mice. Through mRNA sequencing, we identified that TSA mainly affected cell cycle and fatty acid degradation genes, with alcohol dehydrogenase 4 (ADH4) potentially being the core molecular downstream target. QPCR, immunohistochemistry, and western blot analysis revealed that ADH4 expression was repressed by c-Myc and restored after TSA treatment both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, we observed that the levels of total NAD+ and NADH, NAD+, NAD+/NADH, and ATP concentration increased after c-Myc transfection in liver cells but decreased after TSA intervention. The levels of phosphorylated protein kinase B (p-AKT) and p-mTOR were identified as targets regulated by TSA, and they governed the ADH4 expression and the downstream regulation of total NAD+ and NADH, NAD+, NAD+/NADH, and ATP concentration. Overall, our study suggests that TSA has a therapeutic effect on c-Myc-induced HCC through the AKT-mTOR-ADH4 pathway. These findings provide valuable insights into the potential treatment of HCC using TSA and shed light on the underlying molecular mechanisms involved.

The research aims to investigate the effects of proportion and age of maintenance on the strength and economy of filling materials, in order to provide theoretical guidance and technical support for the management of coal mined-out area. Firstly, adjustments are made to the proportioning and maintenance age of the fill materials, and experiments are conducted to explore the strength performance of materials under different proportions. Secondly, GANs is utilized to expand the dataset, and an MLP-LSTM network is constructed to predict the strength of materials experiencing different maintenance ages under various proportions. Finally, integrating practical engineering applications, an economic viability prediction analysis is conducted to examine the cost of fill materials under different proportions and maintenance ages, along with their influencing factors. The results indicate that appropriate adjustments to proportioning can effectively enhance the strength of fill materials, whereas excessively high or low proportions may lead to unstable or surplus strength. Extending the maintenance age can to some extent improve the material’s strength, but it also increases maintenance costs, necessitating a comprehensive balance in terms of economic viability. Consequently, this research offers a theoretical foundation and practical guidelines for optimizing mixture proportions and selecting appropriate curing ages, providing valuable insights for enhancing the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of coal mined-out area filling treatments.

Background: Previous research has elaborated on the role of long non-coding RNA LINC00173 in the pathogenesis of various cancers; however, our knowledge of its clinical consequences and mechanisms in endometrial cancer (EC) is limited. Our current work is aimed at investigating the effect of LINC00173 in combination with its upstream gene HNRNPC on EC progression. Methods: LINC00173 and HNRNPC levels were investigated by qRT-PCR or western blotting in EC tissues. The functional roles of HNRNPC and LINC00173 were assessed using transwell, colony formation and CCK-8 assays. A xenograft was used to verify the phenotype of LINC00173 after its overexpression. The regulatory role between HNRNPC and LINC00173 was investigated using RIP and RNA pull-down analysis. Results: In EC tissues, LINC00173 expression was down-regulated. We observed that increased LINC00173 inhibited EC cell growth and migration. LINC00173 was a downstream target of HNRNPC, and its expression level was elevated by HNRNPC silencing. LINC00173 overexpression shifted part of HNRNPC into the cytoplasm from the nucleus of EC cells. Furthermore, HNRNPC expression was upregulated in EC and its silencing inhibited EC cell malignancy in vitro. Conclusion: LINC00173 can impair the malignancy of EC cell by interacting with HNRNPC. This finding may contribute to the understanding of the tumorigenic effects of HNRNPC and LINC00173 on EC.

The prevailing opinion emphasizes fronto-parietal network (FPN) is key in mediating general fluid intelligence (gF). Meanwhile, recent studies show that human MT complex (hMT+), located at the occipito-temporal border and involved in 3D perception processing, also plays a key role in gF. However, the underlying mechanism is not clear, yet. To investigate this issue, our study targets visuo-spatial intelligence, which is considered to have high loading on gF. We use ultra-high field magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to measure GABA/Glu concentrations in hMT+ combining resting-state fMRI functional connectivity (FC), behavioral examinations including hMT+ perception suppression test and gF subtest in visuo-spatial component. Our findings show that both GABA in hMT+ and frontal-hMT+ functional connectivity significantly correlate with the performance of visuo-spatial intelligence. Further, serial mediation model demonstrates that the effect of hMT+ GABA on visuo-spatial gF is fully mediated by the hMT+ frontal FC. Together our findings highlight the importance in integrating sensory and frontal cortices in mediating the visuo-spatial component of general fluid intelligence.

Purpose: To investigate the mechanism by which Qingguang'an inhibits scar formation in rabbits administered glaucoma filtering surgery (GFS). Methods: Combined trabeculectomy was performed in 100 rabbits diagnosed with glaucoma, which were assigned to five groups, including the no surgery, surgery only, mitomycin C (MMC; positive control), Qingguang'an (experimental) and PBS (negative control) groups. The animals were followed up at postoperative days 1–28. Ultrastructure was observed under a transmission electron microscope (TEM). Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR), Western blot, Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) staining, Masson's trichrome staining and Immuno-histochemistry (IHC) were performed to assess the harvested blocks. Results: In the Qingguang'an group, intraocular pressure (IOP) on postoperative D28 was significantly lower than values in the no surgery, surgery only and PBS groups (P

Background IgA vasculitis (IgAV), previously known as Henoch-Schönlein purpura, is an IgA-mediated systemic small vessel vasculitis that tends to be more severe in adults than in children. Early diagnosis of IgAV involving the gastrointestinal tract remains difficult, especially in patients who present with gastrointestinal symptoms before purpura. This study aims to systematically analyze the abdominal imaging and endoscopic features of adult patients with abdominal IgAV, providing assistance to clinicians in the early recognition of this condition.Patients and Methods This multicenter retrospective study was conducted in three large tertiary hospitals in China from January 2017 to January 2024. A total of 108 adult patients with abdominal IgAV, who had complete abdominal imaging and/or endoscopy results, were enrolled. The clinical manifestations, abdominal imaging findings, endoscopic characteristics, and serological indicators of the patients were analyzed.Results The median age of the patients was 40 years (IQR: 26–55), with a male-to-female ratio of 2:1. Acute abdominal pain was the most common presenting symptom (100 patients, 92.59%). Bowel wall thickening was the most frequent finding on abdominal imaging (50/86 patients, 58.14%). Gastrointestinal endoscopy showed findings of congestion and erosion (32/67 patients, 47.76%), and erosion with ulcers (21/67 patients, 31.34%). Among patients with both imaging and endoscopic results, the duodenum (28/51 patients, 54.90%) and ileum (28/51 patients, 54.90%) were the most commonly affected sites. Laboratory findings revealed elevated white blood cell count (WBC), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), C-reactive protein (CRP), D-dimer and fibrinogen levels, along with decreased albumin level. Comparing patients with gastrointestinal symptoms versus purpura as the initial symptom, those with gastrointestinal symptoms had higher levels of WBC (p

During the development of eukaryote, faithful inheritance of chromatin states is central to the maintenance of cell fate. DNA replication poses a significant challenge for chromatin state inheritance because every nucleosome in the genome is disrupted as the replication fork passes. It has been found that many factors including DNA polymerases, histone chaperones, as well as, RNA Pol II and histone modifying enzymes coordinate spatially and temporally to maintain the epigenome during this progress. In this review, we provide a summary of the detailed mechanisms of replication-coupled nucleosome assembly and post-replication chromatin maturation, highlight the inheritance of chromatin states and epigenome during these processes, and discuss the future directions and challenges in this field.

Summary: Endosomal Toll-like receptors (eTLRs) are essential for the sensing of non-self through RNA and DNA detection. Here, using spatiotemporal analysis of vesicular dynamics, super-resolution microscopy studies, and functional assays, we show that endomembrane defects associated with the deficiency of the small GTPase Rab27a cause delayed eTLR ligand recognition, defective early signaling, and impaired cytokine secretion. Rab27a-deficient neutrophils show retention of eTLRs in amphisomes and impaired ligand internalization. Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling and β2-integrin upregulation, early responses to TLR7 and TLR9 ligands, are defective in Rab27a deficiency. CpG-stimulated Rab27a-deficient neutrophils present increased tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) secretion and decreased secretion of a selected group of mediators, including interleukin (IL)-10. In vivo, CpG-challenged Rab27a-null mice show decreased production of type I interferons (IFNs) and IFN-γ, and the IFN-α secretion defect is confirmed in Rab27a-null plasmacytoid dendritic cells. Our findings have significant implications for immunodeficiency, inflammation, and CpG adjuvant vaccination.

Abstract Background Neural tube defects (NTDs) are one of the most severe congenital abnormalities characterized by failures of the neural tube to close during early embryogenesis. Maternal folate deficiency could impact the occurrence of NTDs, however, the mechanisms involved in the cause of NTDs are poorly defined. Results Here, we report that histone H3 methyltransferase disruptor of telomeric silencing 1-like (DOT1L) expression was significantly downregulated, and low levels of H3K79me2 were found in the corresponding NTDs samples with their maternal serum folate under low levels. Using ChIP-seq assays, we found that a decrease of H3K79me2 downregulates the expression of Shh and Sufu in mouse embryonic stem cells (mESC) under folate deficiency. Interestingly, folate antagonist methotrexate treatment led to attenuation of H3K79me2 due to Dot1l, affecting Shh and Sufu genes regulation. Upon further analysis, we find that the genes Shh and Sufu are both downregulated in the brain tissues of mice and humans with NTDs. There was a positive correlation between the transcription levels of Shh, Sufu and the protein levels of DOT1L by Pearson correlation analysis. Conclusion Our results indicate that abnormal Shh and Sufu genes expression reduced by aberrant Dot1l-mediated H3K79me2 levels could be the cause of NTDs occurrence.

Abstract Background Prior studies have shown that, when administered as an intravenous bolus to prevent uterine atony, prophylactic phenylephrine infusion increased the dose requirement of oxytocin and second-line uterotonics. For the prevention of uterine atony, oxytocin should be delivered by continuous infusion. Here, we aimed to determine the ED50 and ED90 parameters (the effective doses for 50 and 90% patients without uterine atony) of oxytocin for co-infusion with prophylactic phenylephrine during cesarean delivery. Methods In this prospective randomized double-blinded dose-finding study, one hundred patients were divided into four groups to receive 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, or 10 IU/h oxytocin infusion, after the umbilical cord was clamped during the study period. The uterine tone was evaluated and defined as either adequate or inadequate. Probit regression analysis was applied to calculate the ED50 and ED90 of oxytocin infusion. Uterine tone, the percentage of patients who needed additional oxytocin bolus, second-line uterotonics, side effects, estimated blood loss, and neonatal outcomes were monitored. Results The estimated ED50 and ED90 values of the oxytocin infusion doses for the prevention of uterine atony were 1.9 IU/h (95% CI -4.6-3.8) IU/h and 9.3 IU/h (95% CI 7.3–16.2) IU/h, respectively. Across groups, there was a significant linear trend between the infusion dose and the percentage of patients who required additional oxytocin (p-value = 0.002). No differences were observed in the incidence of side effects and neonatal outcomes. Conclusion Under the conditions of this study, the ED90 of oxytocin infusion for the prevention of uterine atony was 9.3 IU/h, which is higher than the current recommendation. This finding is helpful for clinical practice, because of the routine use of phenylephrine in cesarean delivery. Further studies are needed to determine the appropriate initial bolus of oxytocin after neonatal delivery. Trial registration The study was registered on the Chinese Clinical Trial Register (register no. ChiCTR2200059556 ).

In order to explore the role of exogenous bacteria in the fermentation process of Pu-erh tea and its impact on tea quality, the present study aimed to explore the differences in metabolite changes during fermentation of Pu-erh tea treated with different bacterial strains. To achieve this, non-targeted metabolomics technology was employed, which was combined with multivariate statistical analysis and differential heat maps. The study analyzed the flavonoids, alkaloids, and terpenoids present in the tea samples. The H group was found to have a fruity and sweet aroma, a bright red soup color, and a strong and sweet taste. The A group had a strong floral and honey aroma, a bright red soup color, and a strong and sweet aftertaste. The R group had a fruity and milky aroma, a bright yellow soup color, and a strong but astringent and bitter taste. These differences in quality were found to be related to the levels of metabolites such as malvidin, genkwanin, catechins, caffeine, and lactucin. The study provided preliminary insights into the differences in metabolite content during the fermentation of Pu-erh tea with different bacterial strains, which can have varying effects on the taste, aroma, and soup color of the tea. The findings of this study could provide theoretical assistance for future Pu-erh tea fermentation.

Northeast China (NEC) is one of the vital commercial grain bases in China and it has suffered from soil erosion due to prolonged cultivation and lack of protection. To determine long-term trends of precipitation and rainfall erosivity over NEC during the latest decades, daily precipitation for the entire year during 1961–2020 and hourly precipitation for the warm season (May to September) during 1971–2020 were collected for 192 and 126 stations, respectively. Three seasons, including the cold season (October to April), early warm season (May to June), and late warm season (July to September) were divided according to the combination of precipitation and vegetation. Results demonstrate: (1) Daily precipitation reveals total precipitation and rainfall erosivity in the cold season and early warm season increase significantly at relative rates of 3.1% ∼ 6.1% compared with the average during 1961–2020, and those in the late warm season decrease insignificantly. (2) Hourly precipitation reveals storms occurring in the early and late warm seasons have undergone significant increasing changes, which shift towards longer storm duration, larger amount, peak intensity, kinetic energy, and rainfall erosivity during 1971–2020. Moreover, the frequency of extreme storms increased. (3) Rainfall erosivities estimated from daily precipitation during 1971–2020 increase insignificantly for the early and late warm season, whereas those from hourly precipitation increase significantly (6.1% and 5.5%, respectively), which indicates daily precipitation may not be able to capture the trend fully under the warming background, and precipitation at higher resolutions than the daily scale is necessary to detect trends of rainfall erosivity more accurately.

This article mainly delves into finite-time passivity and finite-time synchronization of fractional-order spatiotemporal directed networks with multiple weights via boundary control schemes. Firstly, several concepts of finite-time passivity for fractional spatiotemporal models are proposed by virtue of a fractional-order differential inequality. Next, a boundary controller is presented to realize the passivity, which only relies on the information of the state at the spatial boundary. Subsequently, by constructing the Lyapunov function and leveraging some inequality techniques, some sufficient conditions in the form of linear matrix inequalities are established to ensure the finite-time strict passivity, finite-time input strict passivity, and finite-time output strict passivity. As a consequence of the derived result of finite-time output strict passivity, several criteria are obtained for realizing finite-time synchronization of the addressed fractional spatiotemporal networks. A numerical example is eventually presented to verify the developed control protocol and the theoretical criteria.

Abstract Background The current standard of care for locally advanced gastric cancer (GC) involves neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by radical surgery. Recently, neoadjuvant treatment for this condition has involved the exploration of immunotherapy plus chemotherapy as a potential approach. However, the efficacy remains uncertain. Methods A single‐arm, phase 2 study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of neoadjuvant camrelizumab combined with mFOLFOX6 and identify potential biomarkers of response through multi‐omics analysis in patients with resectable locally advanced GC. The primary endpoint was the pathological complete response (pCR) rate. Secondary endpoints included the R0 rate, near pCR rate, progression‐free survival (PFS), disease‐free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS). Multi‐omics analysis was assessed by whole‐exome sequencing, transcriptome sequencing, and multiplex immunofluorescence (mIF) using biopsies pre‐ and post‐neoadjuvant therapy. Results This study involved 60 patients, of which 55 underwent gastrectomy. Among these, five (9.1%) attained a pathological complete response (pCR), and 11 (20.0%) reached near pCR. No unexpected treatment‐emergent adverse events or perioperative mortality were observed, and the regimen presented a manageable safety profile. Molecular changes identified through multi‐omics analysis correlated with treatment response, highlighting associations between HER2‐positive and CTNNB1 mutations with treatment sensitivity and a favourable prognosis. This finding was further supported by immune cell infiltration analysis and mIF. Expression data uncovered a risk model with four genes (RALYL, SCGN, CCKBR, NTS) linked to poor response. Additionally, post‐treatment infiltration of CD8+ T lymphocytes positively correlates with pathological response. Conclusion The findings suggest the combination of PD‐1‐inhibitor and mFOLFOX6 showed efficacy and acceptable toxicity for locally advanced GC. Extended follow‐up is required to determine the duration of the response. This study lays essential groundwork for developing precise neoadjuvant regimens.

Purpose: Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a cyclical psychosomatic disorder prevalent among women of reproductive age. However, research on the potential impact of PMS on routine nursing schedules and activities is limited. This study aims to identify the prevalence of PMS among female nursing staff and to examine the relationship between PMS and missed nursing care (MNC). Method: Between November 1, 2022, and April 30, 2023, this study was conducted among female nursing staff working in nine inpatient departments at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center. This study used a cross-sectional design. The participants were recruited through convenience sampling. Data were collected using the standardized Menstrual Distress Questionnaire, the Oncology Missed Nursing Care self-rating scale, and a sociodemographic questionnaire. One-way analysis of variance, Fisher's least significant difference test for post-hoc comparisons, and Spearman's correlation coefficient were utilized for data analysis. A trend test was also performed to explore patterns in the severity of PMS and MNC over time. Results: We collected a total of 224 questionnaires, with 154 (68.7%) female nursing staff reporting PMS. The most common symptoms were low back pain (91.1%), abdominal discomfort (90.6%), cold hands and feet (87.1%), and lethargy (87.1%). Moreover, 91.5% of the 224 female nursing staff reported at least one MNC activity. The nursing activities most frequently missed or left incomplete were liquid intake and output monitoring as ordered (43.3%), medication administration within 30 min before or after the scheduled time (43.3%), and electrocardiogram monitoring as ordered (42.9%). “Abdominal discomfort” from the Menstrual Distress Questionnaire was significantly correlated with the majority of MNC activities (p

Abstract Background Research on human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) has shown tremendous progress in cell-based regenerative medicine. Corneal endothelial dysfunction is associated with the loss and degeneration of corneal endothelial cells (CECs), rendering cell replacement a promising therapeutic strategy. However, comprehensive preclinical assessments of hPSC-derived CECs for this cell therapy remain a challenge. Results Here we defined an adapted differentiation protocol to generate induced corneal endothelial cells (iCECs) consistently and efficiently from clinical-grade human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) with xeno-free medium and manufactured cryopreserved iCECs. Cells express high levels of typical CECs markers and exhibit transendothelial potential properties in vitro typical of iCECs. After rigorous quality control measures, cells meeting all release criteria were available for in vivo studies. We found that there was no overgrowth or tumorigenicity of grafts in immunodeficient mice. After grafting into rabbit models, the surviving iCECs ameliorated edema and recovered corneal opacity. Conclusions Our work provides an efficient approach for generating iCECs and demonstrates the safety and efficacy of iCECs in disease modeling. Therefore, clinical-grade iCECs are a reliable source for future clinical treatment of corneal endothelial dysfunction.

Abstract Background Platycodon grandiflorus (Jacq.) A. DC is a famous traditional Chinese medicine in China and an authentic medicine in Inner Mongolia. It has been traditionally used as an expectorant in cough and also has anti-inflammatory and other pharmacological effects. As a homologous plant of medicine and food, P. grandiflorus is widely planted in Northeast China. Soil salinity isa limiting factor for its cultivation. In this study, we comprehensively described the physiological characteristics of P. grandiflorus and combined transcriptomics and metabolomics to study the response of roots of P. grandiflorus to salt stress. Results Overall, 8,988 differentially expressed genes were activated and significantly altered the metabolic processes. In total, 428 differentially abundant metabolites were affected by salt stress. After moderate and severe salt stress, most of the differentially abundant metabolites were enriched in the L-phenylalanine metabolic pathway. Through the comprehensive analysis of the interaction between key genes and metabolites, the main pathways such as lignin compound biosynthesis and triterpene saponin biosynthesis were completed. The relative content of compounds related to lignin biosynthesis, such as caffeic acid, coniferin, and syringing, increased under salt stress, and the related genes such as PAL, C4H, and the key enzyme gene UGT72E2 were activated to adapt to the salt stress. Platycodon saponin is one of the major triterpene saponins in P. grandiflorus, and Platycodin D is its most abundant major bioactive component. Under severe salt stress, Platycodin D level increased by nearly 1.77-fold compared with the control group. Most of the genes involved insynthetic pathway of Platycodin D, such as HMGCR, GGPS, SE, and LUP, were upregulated under salt stress. Conclusion Salt stress led to a decrease in the biomass and affected the activities of antioxidant enzymes and contents of osmotic regulators in the plant. These results provided not only novel insights into the underlying mechanisms of response of P. grandiflorus to salt stress but also a foundation for future studies on the function of genes related to salt tolerance in the triterpenoid saponin biosynthesis pathway.

Purpose: To explore the effect of the variation of pupil diameter (PD) and intraocular pressure (IOP) induced by femtosecond laser treatment on the subsequent phacoemulsfication and intraocular lens implantation. And whether the application of 0.1% pranoprofen could significantly reduce the miosis and increased IOP caused by femtosecond laser treatment in femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery (FLACS). Methods: In this study, patients were pretreated with (trial group) or without (control group) topical 0.1% pranoprofen. The PD and IOP were measured at different time points within 30 ​min after the completion of the femtosecond laser treatment. Results: The comparisons of the two groups showed the PD of patients pretreated with 0.1% pranoprofen was significantly larger than that of the control only at 15 ​min after FLACS (P ​= ​0.046), and there was no significant difference in IOP at any time point (P ​> ​0.05). Neither the ratio of significant miosis (PD ​≤ ​5 ​mm) nor intraocular hypertension (IOP ≥30 ​mmHg) was significantly different between the control group (1.72%, 6.67%) and the trial group (1%, 4.17%) (P ​> ​0.05). Conclusions: The PD and IOP of patients undergoing FLACS showed fluctuations within a small range. The rates of significant miosis and intraocular hypertension are very low, it is safe for surgeons to complete the follow-up procedures within 30 ​min after femtosecond laser treatment. Pretreatment with 0.1% pranoprofen exerted a slight, albeit significant prophylactic effect preventing pupil miosis. However, it provided only a limited benefit in patients undergoing FLACS without other complications.

AIM: To investigate the incidence of dry eye disease (DED) and relevant risk factors among patients infected with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron variant. METHODS: This cross-sectional, observational analysis included 993 patients with corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) treated at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) Fangcang Shelter Hospital, from April 10 to May 26, 2022. Totally 944 uninfected control participants were recruited. All participants completed ocular surface disease index (OSDI) questionnaires, and DED symptoms were determined using OSDI scores. The demographic characteristics, length of hospital stay and in nasopharyngeal swabs were performed using questionnaires. SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant infection was confirmed by nucleic acid-based detection in nasopharyngeal swabs using a 2019-nCoV nucleic acid detection kit. The risk factors for DED symptoms among patients with COVID-19 and control participants were determined by logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Patients with COVID-19 showed a higher incidence of DED than controls (64.9% vs 55.1%, P

Abstract The increasing use of non‐linear loads in electrical distribution systems (EDS) led to a greater need for reactive power compensation, losses minimization, improved voltage and stability. This paper proposes the optimal integration of hybrid photovoltaic distributed generation (PVDG) and distribution static synchronous compensator (DSTATCOM) into IEEE 33 and 69‐bus EDS. A modified version of homonuclear molecules optimization (mHMO) is developed to determine the optimal allocation of the devices, while minimizing a multi‐objective function (MOF) based on total active power losses (TAPL), total voltage deviation (TVD), and investment cost of integrated devices (ICPVDG and ICDSTATCOM). The primary objective of the mHMO is to enhance the equilibrium between exploration and exploitation in the original HMO by implementing a fresh exploration stage. The effectiveness of mHMO was assessed using CEC17 benchmark functions. The findings demonstrate that mHMO achieved excellent results, including high‐quality solution and a favourable convergence rate. Additionally, results demonstrate that mHMO outperforms its basic version in reducing TAPL by 94.27% and 97.87% for the two EDS, while improving voltage profiles and reducing the cost of integrated devices. This study shows the potential of hybrid PVDG‐DSTATCOM in improving the performance of EDS and highlights the effectiveness of mHMO in optimizing their integration.

Headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) combined with multivariate statistical analysis were used to explore the differences in the volatile components of three kinds of black tea, including Keemun black tea, GABA black tea, and Yunnan black tea. GC-MS results showed that a total of 78 volatile components were identified, including hydrocarbons, terpenes, alcohols, esters, ketones, aldehydes, heterocyclic compounds, and phenols. The total volatile substances of three kinds of black tea were similar in quantity, but their content was quite different, and the common volatile components mainly include linalool, geraniol, nonanal, methyl salicylate, linalool oxide, etc. The results of multivariate statistical analysis showed that GABA black tea, Yunnan black tea, and Keemun black tea could be distinguished according to the volatile components. Partial least squares discriminant analysis screened 12 differential volatile components, including neryl acetate, methyl salicylate, isoborneol, linalool, citral, etc. Neryl acetate and citral had the highest content in Keemun black tea, which helped to form the floral and fruity aroma type of Keemun black tea. Isoborneol and linalool had the highest content in Yunnan black tea. The content of linalool and methyl salicylate was high in GABA black tea, which was conducive to the formation of the fresh and tender floral and fruity aroma of GABA black tea. The results of this study can lay a theoretical foundation for scientifically and objectively evaluating the aroma characteristics of GABA black tea, clarifying the difference in aroma quality between Keemun black tea, GABA black tea, and Yunnan black tea, and constructing the flavor quality identification map of different types of black tea.

As renewable energy becomes more widespread, the uncertainty of its output poses serious challenges for peak and frequency regulation of the power system. Evaluating a grid’s capacity to integrate renewable energy sources can provide an early-warning and decision-making basis for grid operation and scheduling. This paper presents a method for evaluating the hosting capacity of renewable energy, considering frequency security constraints. Introducing the system frequency nadir constraint into a system ensures that the frequency does not drop to a dangerous level in the event of power disturbances. The analytical characterization relation equation for the system frequency nadir constraint is constructed based on polynomial chaos expansion (PCE) theory. Furthermore, with the goal of minimizing the reduction in renewable energy, considering multiple flexible resources, like demand response (DR), Combined Heat and Power (CHP), energy storage, and Power-to-Gas (P2G), a renewable energy hosting capacity evaluation model that considers frequency security and flexibility resources is established. Finally, based on the concept of the feasible region, the maximum hosting capacity of a system’s renewable energy is visualized using the progressive vertex enumeration method. It identifies the safe operating region for renewable energy output that meets the safety constraints of power grid operations. The simulation results were validated using a modified IEEE 39 bus system.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of different treatments for cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP) and to identify key factors influencing treatment selection, in order to help standardize CSP management. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from 220 CSP patients at the Family Planning Department of the Women’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, from January 2019 to December 2019, adhering to the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guidelines. Treatment methods included dilation and curettage (D&C), curettage after uterine artery embolization (UAE+C), hysteroscopy plus curettage (H/S+C), H/S+C following UAE (UAE+H/S+C), and hysteroscopy combined with laparoscopic resection (L/S+H/S). We assessed treatment outcomes by evaluating the normalization of serum β-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) levels, disappearance of the isthmic mass, and the occurrence of complications. Results: No significant difference in treatment success rates was found among the groups (p > 0.05). Larger gestational sac diameter (GSD) and thinner myometrial thickness were significant factors in choosing uterine artery embolization (UAE) (p < 0.05), while thinner myometrial thickness alone was a predictor for selecting H/S+C (p < 0.05). The presence of a fetal heartbeat and the subtype of CSP also influenced the choice of UAE and surgical treatment (p < 0.05). Conclusions: This study highlights the need for personalized treatment plans for CSP, considering factors like GSD, myometrial thickness, heartbeat, and CSP subtype. Although no treatment method proved superior, the study identifies important considerations for treatment selection, emphasizing the importance of individualized care in CSP management. The use of STROBE guidelines ensured comprehensive reporting and analysis, offering valuable insights for CSP treatment.

Abstract During cell renewal, epigenetic information needs to be precisely restored to maintain cell identity and genome integrity following DNA replication. The histone mark H3K27me3 is essential for the formation of facultative heterochromatin and the repression of developmental genes in embryonic stem cells. However, how the restoration of H3K27me3 is precisely achieved following DNA replication is still poorly understood. Here we employ ChOR-seq (Chromatin Occupancy after Replication) to monitor the dynamic re-establishment of H3K27me3 on nascent DNA during DNA replication. We find that the restoration rate of H3K27me3 is highly correlated with dense chromatin states. In addition, we reveal that the linker histone H1 facilitates the rapid post-replication restoration of H3K27me3 on repressed genes and the restoration rate of H3K27me3 on nascent DNA is greatly compromised after partial depletion of H1. Finally, our in vitro biochemical experiments demonstrate that H1 facilitates the propagation of H3K27me3 by PRC2 through compacting chromatin. Collectively, our results indicate that H1-mediated chromatin compaction facilitates the propagation and restoration of H3K27me3 after DNA replication.

Abstract This study examined the influence of the crystallinity of added nano-alumina on the sulfate resistance of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) paste. Two crystalline types of nano-aluminas (α-and γ-phase) were incorporated in cement pastes, which were exposed to sulfate solution. In the results, both paste samples having α- and γ-phase aluminas had accelerated compressive strength loss and increased length expansion compared to the sample without alumina addition. In particular, the rapidly decreased dynamic elastic modulus of the nano-alumina added samples postulates the greatly increased internal stress likely by the increased formation of volume expansive reaction products, such as ettringite, which was supported by the XRD and TG results. The greater ettringite formation in the nano-alumina added samples was likely due to reactive AH3 (=Al(OH)3) gel formation as the higher consumption degree of portlandite in the alumina added samples indirectly indicates the active AH3 gel formation, resulting in additional ettringite formation from the reaction of AH3 with Na2SO4 solution. A further degree of sulfate attack was observed in the γ-alumina added sample for the long-term Na2SO4 exposure (180 days) mainly due to the greater degree of gypsum formation inducing more internal expansive stress compared to the α-alumina added sample.

In the era of big data, data centers with high energy consumption, interconnectivity, and load flexibility have developed rapidly. However, due to data privacy issues, the traditional power-system operational reliability assessment (ORA) struggles to precisely consider the load flexibility of data centers, leading to inaccurate evaluation. To this end, this article proposes an ORA method considering the load flexibility of data centers via the energy consumption elastic space. By transforming the inner operation constraints of data centers into an equivalent elastic space, the ORA does not require any private data to complete the evaluation. Specifically, the energy consumption model of data centers is established to accurately describe the load flexibility. Then, based on multi-parametric programming techniques, the energy consumption elastic space of data centers is characterized by data centers’ power demand constraints, which do not involve privacy data, and no privacy concerns exist. Finally, the ORA model and the evaluation method based on the energy consumption elastic space can be constructed. With a lot of data center operation constraints being replaced by power demand constraints, the proposed method can complete an evaluation faster without accuracy loss. Its effectiveness is validated through simulations using the IEEE RTS 24-bus system and a provincial 661-bus system.

ObjectivesThis study aimed to evaluate the clinical performance of plasma cell-free DNA (cfDNA) next-generation sequencing (NGS) for pathogen detection in patients with sepsis.MethodsA total of 43 pairs of blood and plasma samples form 33 blood culture-positive patients were used as testing samples in metagenomic NGS (mNGS) and NGS of 16S ribosomal RNA gene amplicons (16S rRNA NGS). The results of routine tests, including microbial culture, complete blood count, and biochemical tests, were collected from electronic medical records.ResultsUsing blood as an mNGS testing sample, the proportion of host DNA was 99.9%, with only three bacteria and no fungi detected. When using plasma in mNGS, the proportion of host DNA was approximately 97%, with 84 bacteria and two fungi detected. Notably, 16S rRNA NGS detected 15 and 16 bacteria in 43 pairs of blood and plasma samples, respectively. Blood culture detected 49 bacteria (23 gram-negative bacilli and 26 gram-positive cocci) and four fungi, with 14 bacteria considered contaminants by clinical microbiologists. For all blood cultures, plasma cfDNA mNGS detected 78.26% (19/23) gram-negative rods, 17% (2/12) gram-positive cocci, and no fungi. Compared to blood cultures, the sensitivity and specificity of plasma cfDNA mNGS for detecting bacteria and fungi were 62.07% and 57.14%, respectively.ConclusionCompared to blood, plasma is more suitable for the detection of bloodstream infections using mNGS and is less affected by host DNA. The positive detection rate of plasma cfDNA mNGS for bloodstream infections caused by gram-negative bacteria was higher than that caused by gram-positive cocci.

ObjectivesThis multicenter, cross-sectional study aimed to investigate whether sex differences persist among patients who have undergone bariatric surgery and tested positive for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).MethodsWe conducted a multicenter cross-sectional study via an online electronic questionnaire to collect data. Categorical data were presented as absolute and relative frequencies. Data for continuous variables were expressed as mean and standard deviation (SD) or median [interquartile range (IQR)]. We employed ordered logistic regression to assess whether females had higher odds of an increased self-reported duration of the most severe symptom compared to males. Using a modified Poisson regression model with robust standard errors to assess the differences in clinical characteristics among COVID-19 cases.ResultsStatistical analysis revealed significant differences in the prevalence rates of various comorbidities. Among participants who reported their temperature during COVID-19 infection, more than half engaged in vitamin supplementation and regular exercise, while 4.2% remained asymptomatic. The probability of females experiencing a longer duration of severe symptoms increased compared to males [adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR) = 1.92, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.73–2.12]. In the multivariate mixed-effects Poisson regression analysis, compared to males, females exhibited a lower prevalence rate of asymptomatic infection [adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR 0.40, 95% CI 0.28–0.58), lower prevalence of infection without therapeutic medication use (aPR 0.76, 95% CI 0.70–0.82), and lower prevalence of multiple infections (aPR 0.39, 95% CI 0.20–0.74)].ConclusionThis cross-sectional study indicates the persistence of sex differences among patients with COVID-19 who have undergone bariatric surgery. Further research is needed to explore the underlying factors contributing to this disparity.

Background Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterised by cognitive decline, behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) and impairment of activities of daily living (ADL). Early differentiation of AD from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is necessary.Methods A total of 458 patients newly diagnosed with AD and MCI were included. Eleven batteries were used to evaluate ADL, BPSD and cognitive function (ABC). Machine learning approaches including XGboost, classification and regression tree, Bayes, support vector machines and logical regression were used to build and verify the new tool.Results The Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS-cog) word recognition task showed the best importance in judging AD and MCI, followed by correct numbers of auditory verbal learning test delay recall and ADAS-cog orientation. We also provided a selected ABC-Scale that covered ADL, BPSD and cognitive function with an estimated completion time of 18 min. The sensitivity was improved in the four models.Conclusion The quick screen ABC-Scale covers three dimensions of ADL, BPSD and cognitive function with good efficiency in differentiating AD from MCI.

Understanding of the ecosystem services (ESs) supply–demand balance, coupling, and coordination are vital for sustainable development in society. To reveal the changing pattern and underlying mechanisms of the supply–demand matching, coupling, and coordination in ESs, in this study, we used the InVEST model to quantify the supply of the following three ESs in Hunan Province in central China from 2000 to 2018: soil conservation (SC), water yield (WY), and carbon retention (CR). Using socioeconomic data, the capacity and demand for food supply (FS) and the demand for the other three ESs were quantitatively evaluated. The Z-score standardized data were used to divide the quadrants to clarify the supply–demand matching situation. Additionally, the elasticity coefficient model and coupling coordination degree (CCD) model were used to evaluate the supply–demand coupling relationship and coordination level. Our results indicate the following: (1) The supply of CR and FS in Hunan Province increased by 12.67% and 19.48%, respectively, while that of SC and WY decreased by 2.57% and 22.83%, respectively; the demand for SC, WY, CR, and FS increased by 0.329%, 9.43%, 142.05%, and 6.23%, respectively. The supply of CR is less than the demand, showing a clear supply–demand contradiction; the supply of SC, WY, and FS exceeded the demand; both had notable spatial heterogeneity. (2) The area of high supply–high demand (HS–HD) and high supply–low demand (HS–LD) matching types decreased, whereas the low supply–low demand (LS–LD) and low supply–high demand (LS–HD) matching types increased. Additionally, the Changsha–Zhuzhou–Xiangtan urban agglomeration (CZX) and selected districts in northern and central Hunan face a shortage of ESs. (3) The supply–demand coupling relationship of the SC and FS services was primarily positive while that of the WY and CR services was negative. (4) The supply–demand CCD of the four ESs was in an unbalanced state and demonstrated different trends. This study provides novel insights for decision-making regarding the optimisation of the spatial pattern of the land use in Hunan Province.

Abstract Background Heat shock protein 60 (HSP60) is essential for the folding and assembly of newly imported proteins to the mitochondria. HSP60 is overexpressed in most types of cancer, but its association with ovarian cancer is still in dispute. SKOV3 and OVCAR3 were used as experimental models after comparing the expression level of mitochondrial HSP60 in a normal human ovarian epithelial cell line and four ovarian cancer cell lines. Results Low HSPD1 (Heat Shock Protein Family D (HSP60) Member 1) expression was associated with unfavorable prognosis in ovarian cancer patients. Knockdown of HSPD1 significantly promoted the proliferation and migration of ovarian cancer cells. The differentially expressed proteins after HSPD1 knockdown were enriched in the lipoic acid (LA) biosynthesis and metabolism pathway, in which mitochondrial 3-oxoacyl-ACP synthase (OXSM) was the most downregulated protein and responsible for lipoic acid synthesis. HSP60 interacted with OXSM and overexpression of OXSM or LA treatment could reverse proliferation promotion mediated by HSPD1 knockdown. Conclusions HSP60 interacted with OXSM and maintained its stability. Knockdown of HSPD1 could promote the proliferation and migration of SKOV3 and OVCAR3 via lowering the protein level of OXSM and LA synthesis.

Federated learning (FL) is a novel distributed learning framework in which clients with models can collaboratively train a high-quality global model while maintaining the privacy of their local data. The heterogeneity of datasets makes the global aggregation and local training requirements of each client in the cross-silo scenario inconsistent. Although many efforts are dedicated to improving the efficiency of cross-silo FL, the task assignment design of cross-silo FL remains an open question. To optimize the efficiency of energy consumption and training time of cross-silo FL, we develop a novel Energy-efficient and Time-sensitive Task Assignment (ETTA) mechanism. Specifically, we model clients’ requirements for energy efficiency and training time in cross-silo FL as an optimization problem, and design a utility transfer function to maintain the honesty of clients and the stability of ETTA. In terms of energy efficiency maximization, we analyze the conditions of optimal solutions based on the equilibrium of marginal cost and income, and design an approximate algorithm for cross-silo FL scenarios that require lightweight mechanisms. In terms of training time minimization, we model this objective as a min–max problem and give its analytical solution with Pareto optimality. To ensure that the task assignment achieves incentive compatibility, we further design a utility transfer selection function to incentivize honest collaboration among selfish clients. Finally, we conduct extensive experiments on the performance of ETTA to demonstrate that it outperforms the state-of-the-art and can maintain stability in a dishonest environment.

Abstract The present study aims to investigate the effect of immunotherapy in a mouse model of allergic rhinitis (AR) and to explore the possible molecular mechanisms of action. An animal model of AR was established by sensitization and challenge of BALB/c mice with house dust mite (HDM) extract. The mice were injected subcutaneously with HDM for immunotherapy. AR nasal symptoms were evaluated according to the frequencies of nose rubbing and sneezing and the degree of rhinorrhea. The nasal mucosa and lung tissue architecture and inflammatory status by histological analysis; the infiltration of eosinophils in nasal lavage fluid (NALF) of mice was observed by Diff-Quik stain; ELISA-based quantification of serum HDM-specific IgE and TH1/TH2 cytokine concentration; and flow cytometry detected the number of serum CD4+/CD8+ cells to evaluate the mechanism of immunotherapy. It was found that after immunotherapy, the AR symptom score was reduced, the number of eosinophils in NALF was reduced, and the infiltration of inflammatory cells and tissue damage in the nasal mucosa and lung tissue were alleviated. Immunotherapy can increase the number of CD4+ T cells in the peripheral blood, increase the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ cells, increase the expression of Th1 cytokines such as IL-2 and IFN-γ, reduce the expression of Th2 cytokines such as IL-4 and IL-5. The results showed that repeated intraperitoneal injection of crude extract of HDM for sensitization, followed by nasal drops can effectively construct a mouse model of AR, and subcutaneous injection of immunotherapy in mice can reduce allergic inflammation in model mice and improve the inflammatory infiltration of the nasal cavity in allergic rhinitis. Immunotherapy can reduce the expression of inflammatory factors in AR, improve Th1/Th2 balance, and may play a role in the treatment of AR by improving the function of immune cells.

Abstract Agaricus bisporus (A. bisporus) is a rich source of polysaccharides with medical and nutraceutical interests; however, the complex structure of A. bisporus polysaccharides (ABPs) poses a challenge to its quality control. This study aims to investigate the immunomodulatory fractions of ABPs and further establish a quality control system for the detection and characterization of bioactive ABPs. Two fractions of ABPs were obtained using gradient alcohol precipitation combined ultrafiltration, followed by characterization of molecular weight, monosaccharide composition, chemical structure, and evaluation of immunomodulatory activity. Results showed that the two isolated fractions with different molecular weight, 8.95 × 106 Da (ABP17‐1) and 1.73 × 104 Da (ABP17‐2), were more homogeneous and exerted stronger immunomodulatory activity than that of ABPs. Furthermore, an integrated fingerprint technique including HPSEC‐MALL‐RID and HPLC was applied for the fingerprint analysis of ABPs from 17 batches of A. bisporus, which showed high similarity. Besides, two polysaccharide fractions, two monosaccharides (glucose and galactose), and the main cellulose hydrolysate glucose were identified as potential quality control markers of ABPs. Overall, this study could help better understand the structure–activity relationship of ABPs and serve as a guidance for the quality control of active ABPs and their related products.

The asymptotic synchronization of quaternion-valued delayed neural networks with impulses and inertia is studied in this article. Firstly, a convergence result on piecewise differentiable functions is developed, which is a generalization of the Barbalat lemma and provides a powerful tool for the convergence analysis of discontinuous systems. To achieve synchronization, a constant gain-based control scheme and an adaptive gain-based control strategy are directly proposed for response quaternion-valued models. In the convergence analysis, a direct analysis method is developed to discuss the synchronization without using the separation technique or reduced-order transformation. In particular, some Lyapunov functionals, composed of the state variables and their derivatives, are directly constructed and some synchronization criteria represented by matrix inequalities are obtained based on quaternion theory. Some numerical results are shown to further confirm the theoretical analysis.

Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) caused by enterovirus A71 (EV-A71) infection, currently lacks specific preventive and therapeutic interventions. Here, we demonstrated that Pien Tze Huang (PZH) could dose-dependently inhibit EV-A71 replication at the cellular level, resulting in significant reductions in EV-A71 virus protein 1 (VP1) expression and viral yields in Vero and human rhabdomyosarcoma cells. More importantly, we confirmed that PZH could protect mice from EV-A71 infection for the first time, with Ribavirin serving as a positive control. PZH treatment reduced EV-A71 VP1 protein expression, viral yields in infected muscles, and improved muscle pathology. Additionally, we conducted a preliminary mechanism study using quantitative proteomics. The results suggested that the suppression of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR and NF-κB signaling pathways may contribute to the anti-EV-A71 activity of PZH. These findings provide strong evidence supporting the potential therapeutic application of PZH for EV-A71 infection management.

The significant ecological risks posed by artificial light at night (ALAN) are rapidly increasing globally. The rapid development of narrow-spectrum light-emitting diodes (LEDs) presents various challenges for reducing fatal attraction to ALAN and associated ecological risks. However, the potential risks and variations in the fatal attraction have not been precisely measured and assessed. Insects are ecological indicator species and photosensitive animals that are often fatally attracted to ALAN. In this paper, we conduct phototaxis experiments in Tianjin, China. We explored insect phototactic behavior and rhythms by comparing the effects of different time periods and spectra on the number of phototactic insects using UV light as a baseline. The spectra include seven narrow-spectrum lights with different peak wavelengths and two broad-spectrum lights with different color temperatures. In general, shorter wavelength light was more attractive: short-wave blue light (447 nm and 478 nm) was the most attractive, followed by medium-wave green light (500 nm and 519 nm) and long-wave red light (627 nm, 660 nm, and 740 nm). Insects were more attracted to 4,500 K LEDs than 3,000 K LEDs, but the difference in attraction between 4,500 K and 3,000 K LEDs was not significant. For eco-risk periods, that is, the peak hours of the fatal attraction of insects to ALAN in the field, LEDs attract insects at the fastest rate from 20:00 to 21:30 (from 1.5 hours to 3 hours after sunset). The phototactic rate curves of insect orders differed among different spectral LEDs. We proposed a method to predict the relative attractiveness of LEDs to insects and orders by calculating the relative attraction coefficient (Pi) of each narrow-spectrum LED and assigning Pi as a coefficient to the spectral irradiance percentage of the corresponding band of the LEDs to be predicted. The model-calculated relative attraction was highly significantly correlated with both the experimentally obtained attraction and the spectral response of insect vision. The results demonstrate that the attractiveness of broad-spectrum LEDs to insects can be altered, evaluated, and predicted through narrow-spectrum LEDs. Our findings will aid the development of ecological light sources, ecological conservation, and improvements in urban light ecology.

Objective To establish a platelet donor database with HPA and HLA high resolution results in Hefei area, and to analyze the appropriate pool capacity, so as to provide support for patients with immune PTR transfusion difficulties. Methods The HPA-1-6, -10, -15 and 21 genotypes of 1157 voluntary blood donors in Hefei were analyzed by multiplex PCR and the frequencies were calculated. HLA-A, -B high resolution gene frequency and haplotype frequency in 1115 voluntary blood donors in Hefei were calculated using maximum expected value method. Results Hefei database of platelet donors was established according to the analysis of HPA and HLA high-resolution gene polymorphisms in Hefei population.In the donor pool with 1 157 cases of known genotypes HPA-1-6, -10, -15, -21, about 91% of patients can find an donor with full-matched HPA genotype. In the donor pool with 1 115 cases of known HLA-A, -B high-resolution genotype, the probability of finding at least one identical donor is about 60%. Conclusion The local-suitable database of platelet donors with known HPA and HLA genotypes in Hefei has been established. After analysis, this database basically meets the needs of patients with immune PTR to find suitable platelets.

Indoor environmental quality (IEQ) significantly affects human health and wellbeing. Therefore, continuous IEQ monitoring and feedback is of great concern in both the industrial and academic communities. However, most existing studies only focus on developing sensors that cost-effectively promote IEQ measurement while ignoring interactions between the human side and IEQ monitoring. In this study, an intelligent IEQ monitoring and feedback system—the Intelligent Built Enviroment (IBEM)—is developed. Firstly, the IBEM hardware instrument integrates air temperature, relative humidity, CO2, particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter no greater than 2.5 μm (PM2.5), and illuminance sensors within a small device. The accuracy of this integrated device was tested through a co-location experiment with reference sensors; the device exhibited a strong correlation with the reference sensors, with a slight deviation (R2 > 0.97 and slopes between 1.01 and 1.05). Secondly, a wireless data transmission module, a cloud storage module, and graphical user interfaces (i.e., a web platform and mobile interface) were built to establish a pathway for dataflow and interactive feedback with the occupants of the indoor environments. Thus, the IEQ parameters can be continuously monitored with a high spatiotemporal resolution, interactive feedback can be induced, and synchronous data collection on occupant satisfaction and objective environmental parameters can be realized. IBEM has been widely applied in 131 buildings in 18 cities/areas in China, with 1188 sample locations. Among these applications, we report on the targeted IEQ diagnoses of two individual buildings and the exploration of relationships between subjective and objective IEQ data in detail here. This work demonstrates the great value of IBEM in both industrial and academic research.

Abstract Background Due to the blood-brain barrier, plasma is not an ideal source to evaluate the genetic characteristics of central nervous system tumors. Thus, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is becoming an alternative biopsy type to evaluate the genetic landscape of intracranial tumors. We aimed to explore the genetic profiles of CSF-derived circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) to predict intracranial tumor responses and monitor mutational evolution during the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with brain metastases. Methods We conducted a prospective study of 92 newly diagnosed NSCLC patients with brain metastases. Paired CSF and plasma samples were collected at baseline, 8 weeks after treatment initiation, and disease progression. All samples underwent next-generation sequencing of 425 cancer-related genes. Results At baseline, the positive detection rates of ctDNA in CSF, plasma, and extracranial tumors were 63.7% (58/91), 91.1% (82/90), and 100% (58/58), respectively. A high level of genetic heterogeneity was observed between paired CSF and plasma, while concordance in driver mutations was also observed. A higher number of unique copy number variations was detected in CSF-ctDNA than in plasma. ctDNA positivity of CSF samples at baseline was associated with poor outcomes (HR=2.565, P=0.003). Moreover, patients with ≥ 50% reductions in the concentrations of CSF ctDNA after 8 weeks of treatment had significantly longer intracranial progression-free survivals (PFS) than patients with < 50% reductions in CSF ctDNA concentrations (13.27 months vs 6.13 months, HR=0.308, P=0.017). A ≥ 50% reduction in CSF ctDNA concentrations had better concordance with radiographic intracranial tumor responses than plasma. A ≥ 50% reduction in plasma ctDNA concentrations was also associated with longer extracranial PFS (11.57 months vs 6.20 months, HR=0.406, P=0.033). Based on clonal evolution analyses, the accumulation of subclonal mutations in CSF ctDNA was observed after 8 weeks of treatment. The clonal mutations that remained in more than 80% in CSF after 8 weeks also predicted shorter intracranial PFS (HR=3.785, P=0.039). Conclusions CSF ctDNA exhibited unique genetic profiles of brain metastases, and dynamic changes in CSF ctDNA could better predict intracranial tumor responses and track clonal evolution during treatment in NSCLC patients with brain metastases. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT 03257735.

Short-term load forecasting (STLF) is the basis of the power system operation. Considering that the importance of different training samples is different, a sample weights assignment method is proposed in this paper to help the STLF to learn the key sample. At first, the sample similarity is measured considering the characteristics of different input components. Based on this, training samples are selected. Finally, different training samples are assigned with different sample weights through the designed weights assignment function. With the proposed method, the STLF model is able to focus on the crucial samples. Simulation results considering different data-driven models demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

This paper proposes a data-driven Alternating Current Optimal Power Flow (AC-OPF) method assisted by Lagrange multipliers. Stacked Extreme Learning Machine (SELM) is introduced for AC-OPF learning to avoid the time-consuming training and hyperparameter adjustment process of deep neural networks. Instead of incorporating the prior physical information into the neural networks algorithm, we developed a new neural network structure for the SELM learning based on the Lagrange multipliers of the AC-OPF problem. Case studies of several IEEE benchmark systems demonstrate that the AC-OPF learning performance is improved by introducing additional Lagrange multipliers information, while the proposed method outperforms other alternatives with almost 99% learning accuracy and fast computation.

Naturally derived biopolymers attracted great interest to construct photonic materials but traditional processing commonly results in non-uniform organization across largescale areas. Here, the authors report a uniform biophotonic organization of cellulose nanocrystals decorated with superparamagnetic nanoparticles enabling transformation from helicoidal cholesteric to uniaxial nematic phase with near-perfect orientation.

Abstract This study investigated the deteriorations of precast prestressed concrete (PSC) ties that were used for 15 years in high-speed railways in Korea and its damaging mechanism. The collected PSC ties with longitudinal cracks on sides and map cracks on surfaces exhibited strength degradation. The deteriorations were likely related to alkali-silica reaction (ASR) and delayed ettringite formation (DEF) together, given that the presence of massive ettringite crystals and the decomposition of ASR gel were found from microstructural analyses. Although there were no typical reactive siliceous aggregates for ASR in this study, ASR cracks were generated in the PSC ties. This is because the aggregates in the PSC ties with cracks were potentially reactive, and its high alkali-silica reactivity was likely attributable to the presence of microcrystalline quartz, supplying reactive SiO2 to trigger ASR. Furthermore, the alkali content in aggregates was associated with the deterioration of the PSC ties. The alkali-bearing minerals in aggregates (i.e., alkali feldspars) likely supplied enough alkalis for ASR. Besides, micas in aggregates could promote ASR due to their porous structure, which helps easy water ingress.