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Context The use of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for breast cancer patients inhibits tumor cell growth and proliferation, alleviates adverse reactions, and inhibits tumor recurrence and metastasis post-surgery. An assessment of its historical efficacy and an examination of the latest research trends are imperative to thoroughly leverage the potential of TCM for breast cancer treatment.Objective This study analyzes the published literature on TCM for breast cancer treatment using bibliometric analysis to determine the current state, identify hot spots, and discern trends, providing insight into research in this field.Methods TCM-based breast cancer treatment publications between 2003 and 2022 were retrieved from the Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, and Duxiu databases. Visual analysis was performed using VOSviewer (V1.6.19) and CiteSpace (V6.3.R1) software. Examined metrics included the annual publication count, literature and journal, national and institutional contributions, author co-occurrence, keyword co-occurrence, keywords timeline, and keywords with citation bursts in this research field.Results and conclusion A total of 1080 English publications and 2617 Chinese publications were included in the analysis. China was the leading contributor of publications. High-frequency keywords such as ‘apoptosis’, ‘expression’, ‘in vivo’, ‘chemotherapy’, ‘triple-negative breast cancer’, and ‘lymphedema’ were identified from English and Chinese publications; ‘epithelial mesenchymal transition’ and ‘network pharmacology’ emerged as hotspots. The development of modern science, technology, and in-depth research can result in broader prospects for the research and application of TCM in breast cancer treatment, resulting in more effective solutions for the treatment of breast cancer and other malignant tumors.

Abstract Rice seeds of different varieties exhibited distinct metabolic profiles in our study. We analyzed the metabolites in seeds of six rice varieties (CH, HM, NX, YX, HY, and MX) using non-targeted GC–MS. Our findings revealed that amino acids, sugars, and organic acids were predominant in all varieties, with significant differences observed in CH compared to the others. Specifically phenylalanine and glycine content differed notably in NX and YX, respectively. Additionally, 1,5-anhydroglucitol content in NX, and glutamate, aspartate, and lactulose in NX, YX, HM, HY, and MX were up-regulated. Due to the biological functions of these amino acids and sugars, these indicated that compared to CH, rice of NX were more conducive to metabolism of carbohydrate and fat, and healthy growth maintenance in the human body, but mightThese variations suggest that NX rice may be more beneficial for carbohydrate and fat metabolism and overall health maintenance compared to CH. However, it may not be suitable for diabetic patients. YX rice may not be an ideal glycine supplement, rice ofwhile HM, HY, and MX rice could serve as potential lactulose sources. Furthermore, NX and YX rice exhibited higher levels of main storage proteins compared to CH. This study offers valuable insights into the metabolic differences among various rice varieties.

During the service of asphalt pavement, it is affected by natural environmental factors for a long time, and the pavement performance declined. In order to simulate the cumulative effects of multiple aging components, the indoor ''ultraviolet radiation, high temperature and water'' multi-factor cyclic coupling aging test was designed. The properties of asphalt during cyclic coupled aging were measured by conventional physical properties tests, photoelectric colorimetric tests, and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy test. Then the surface morphology of asphalt was observed by camera and optical microscope. After asphalt aged, a large number of oxidation functional groups were formed, causing asphalt to become hard and brittle, adhesion to diminish, and surface roughness to increase. Ultraviolet light and high temperatures led to the exudation and dissolution of the liquid constituents within the asphalt, which were subsequently washed away by water. The thermal stress induced the shrinkage and wrinkle of the asphalt film, resulting in the formation of cracks. Under high temperatures, a limited number of cracks could potentially self-repair during the early stages of aging. Nevertheless, as the aging process progressed, the self-healing capacity of the asphalt diminished, leading to the widening and deepening of cracks. Concurrently, water infiltrated along the cracks into the inner layers of the asphalt, exacerbating the degradation of its properties.

PURPOSE: Through three neurocritical care unit (NCCU) surveys in China, we tried to understand the development status of neurocritical care and clarify its future development. METHODS: Using a cross-sectional survey method and self-report questionnaires, the number and quality of NCCUs were investigated through three steps: administering the questionnaire, sorting the survey data, and analyzing the survey data. RESULTS: At the second and third surveys, the number of NCCUs (76/112/206) increased by 47% and 84%, respectively. The NCCUs were located in tertiary grade A hospitals or teaching hospitals (65/100/181) in most provinces (24/28/29). The numbers of full-time doctors (359/668/1337) and full-time nurses (904/1623/207) in the NCCUs increased, but the doctor–bed ratio and nurse–bed ratio were still insufficient (0.4:1 and 1.3:1). CONCLUSION: In the past 20 years, the growth rate of NCCUs in China has accelerated, while the allocation of medical staff has been insufficient. Although most NCCU hospital bed facilities and instruments and equipment tend to be adequate, there are obvious defects in some aspects of NCCUs.

China has been continuously improving its monitoring methods and strategies to address key infectious diseases (KIDs). After the severe acute respiratory syndrome epidemic in 2003, China established a comprehensive reporting system for infectious diseases (IDs) and public health emergencies. The relatively lagging warning thresholds, limited warning information, and outdated warning technology are insufficient to meet the needs of comprehensive monitoring for modern KIDs. Strengthening early monitoring and warning capabilities to enhance the public health system has become a top priority, with increasing demand for early warning thresholds, information, and techniques, thanks to constant innovation and development in molecular biology, bioinformatics, artificial intelligence, and other identification and analysis technologies. A panel of 31 experts has recommended a fourth-generation comprehensive surveillance system targeting KIDs (41 notifiable diseases and emerging IDs). The aim of this surveillance system is to systematically monitor the epidemiology and causal pathogens of KIDs in hosts such as humans, animals, and vectors, along with associated environmental pathogens. By integrating factors influencing epidemic spread and risk assessment, the surveillance system can serve to detect, predict, and provide early warnings for the occurrence, development, variation, and spread of known or novel KIDs. Moreover, we recommend comprehensive ID monitoring based on the fourth-generation surveillance system, along with a data-integrated monitoring and early warning platform and a consortium pathogen detection technology system. This series of considerations is based on systematic and comprehensive monitoring across multiple sectors, dimensions, factors, and pathogens that is supported by data integration and connectivity. This expert consensus will provides an opportunity for collaboration in various fields and relies on interdisciplinary application to enhance comprehensive monitoring, prediction, and early warning capabilities for the next generation of ID surveillance. This expert consensus will serve as a reference for ID prevention and control as well as other related activities.

Purpose: Determining the impact of air gap errors on the skin dose in postoperative breast cancer radiotherapy under dynamic intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) techniques. Methods: This was a retrospective study that involved 55 patients who underwent postoperative radiotherapy following modified radical mastectomy. All plans employed tangential IMRT, with a prescription dose of 50 Gy, and bolus added solely to the chest wall. Simulated air gap depth errors of 2 mm, 3 mm, and 5 mm were introduced at depression or inframammary fold areas on the skin, resulting in the creation of air gaps named Air2, Air3, and Air5. Utilizing a multivariable GEE, the average dose ( D mean ) of the local skin was determined to evaluate its relationship with air gap volume and the lateral beam's average angle (AALB). Additionally, an analysis was conducted on the impact of gaps on local skin. Results: When simulating an air gap depth error of 2 mm, the average D mean in plan2 increased by 0.46 Gy compared to the initial plan (planO) ( p

Purpose: To evaluate the dosimetric effects of intrafraction baseline shifts combined with rotational errors on Four-dimensional computed tomography-guided stereotactic body radiotherapy for multiple liver metastases (MLMs). Methods: A total of 10 patients with MLM (2 or 3 lesions) were selected for this retrospective study. Baseline shift errors of 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mm; and rotational errors of 0.5°, 1°, and 1.5°, were simulated about all axes. All of the baseline shifts and rotation errors were simulated around the planned isocenter using a matrix transformation of 6° of freedom. The coverage degradation of baseline shifts and rotational errors were analyzed according to the dose to 95% of the planning target volume (D95) and the volume covered by 95% of the prescribed dose (V95), and related changes in gross tumor volume were also analyzed. Results: At the rotation error of 0.5° and the baseline offset of less than 0.5 mm, the D95 and V95 values of all targets were >95%. For rotational errors of 1.0° (combined with all baseline shift errors), 36.3% of targets had D95 and V95 values of 95% for about 77.3% of the targets. Only 11.4% of the D95 and V95 values were >95% when the baseline shift errors were increased to 2.0 mm. When the rotational error was increased to 1.5° and baseline shift errors increased to 1.0 mm, the D95 and V95 values were >95% in only 3 cases. Conclusions: The multivariate regression model analysis in this study showed that the coverage of the target decreased further with reduced target volume, increasing the baseline drift, the rotation error, and the distance to the target.

The early-age cracking sensitivity of cement-based materials containing alkalis with different metal ions (Na+ and K+) is investigated. The results indicate that alkalis containing both Na+ and K+ can promote the early cracking sensitivity of cement-based materials, in which K+ having a higher promoting effect than Na+. By exploring the shrinkage properties, hydration process, pore structure and micromechanics, the mechanism of the cracking performance of cement-based materials containing alkalis with different metal ions are revealed. According to the experimental results and the analysis of mechanism, alkali enhances the cracking sensitivity of cement-based materials by increasing their shrinkage rate, promoting hydration process, and refining pore structure. But the improvement of cracking sensitivity of cement-based materials containing alkalis with Na+ or K+ is related to cohesive force and structure of calcium silicate hydrates clusters.

Aims:This study aimed to synthesize the evidence of the comparative effectiveness and safety of Ophiocordyceps sinensis (OS) preparations combined with renin–angiotensin system inhibitors (RASi) for diabetic kidney disease (DKD).Methods:Eight databases were searched from their inception to May 2023. Systematic reviews (SRs) of OS preparations combined with RASi for DKD were identified. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from the included SRs and additional searching were performed for data pooling. Cochrane risk-of-bias 2 (RoB 2) tool and AMSTAR 2 were used to evaluate the methodological quality of RCTs and SRs, respectively. A Bayesian network meta-analysis was performed to compare the add-on effect and safety of OS preparations for DKD. The certainty of evidence was graded using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach.Results:Fourteen SRs were included, whose methodological quality was assessed as high (1/14) or critically low (13/14). After combining additional searching, 157 RCTs were included, involving 13,143 participants. The quality of the RCTs showed some concerns (155/157) or high risk (2/157). Jinshuibao capsules and tablets, Bailing capsules and tablets, and Zhiling capsules were evaluated. Compared to RASi, adding either of the OS capsular preparations resulted in a decreased 24-h urinary total protein levels. OS preparations ranked differently in each outcome. Jinshuibao capsules plus RASi were beneficial in reducing urinary protein, serum creatinine, serum urea nitrogen, and blood glucose levels, with moderate-certainty evidence. No serious adverse events were observed after adding OS to RASi.Conclusion:Combining OS capsular preparations with RASi appeared to be associated with decreased urinary total protein levels in DKD patients. Further high-quality studies are needed to confirm.Systematic Review Registration:INPASY202350066.

AbstractSemiothisa cinerearia Bremer & Grey, 1853 belongs to the lepidopteran family Geometridae, subfamily Ennominae. We sequenced the complete mitochondrial genome of S. cinerearia by PCR and Sanger sequencing method. The mitochondrial genome of S. cinerearia is 15,523 bp in length and contains a typical set of 37 genes with ‘MIQ’ type gene arrangement and a 394 bp AT-rich regions. Except for cox1 using CGA as initiation codon, all protein-coding genes (PCGs) start with ATN codons and except for nad2 and nad4l using TAG as termination codon, all PCGs terminated with TAA codon. A phylogenetic tree including 39 genus of subfamily Ennominae was first reconstructed based on the mitochondrial genome sequences with nucleotide substitution model GTR + G + I, which showed that the genera Amraica, Jankowskia, and Ectropis are not monophyletic and S. cinerearia and Macaria notata are classified together.

Abstract Cracking furnaces, operating under high temperatures and in a hydrocarbon medium, subject their tubes to complex stresses such as internal pressure, self-weight, fatigue, and thermal shock during start-up and shutdown. As a result, these furnace tubes frequently experience failures characterized by cracks and corrosion perforation. The high-temperature environment, constantly evolving structure of the tubes, and the close arrangement of the cracks within the tube box hinder detecting the cracks using conventional single-detection methods is challenging. This paper breaks through the limitations of the traditional single detection method and studies the effectiveness of the combination of ultrasonic-guided wave and low-frequency electromagnetic detection methods. The experiment was carried out by deliberately making cracks and thinning defects caused by corrosion on the cracking furnace tube of Cr35Ni45Nb after two years of service. The experimental results show that the ultrasonic guided wave detection technology can quickly detect the defects running through the whole furnace tube and effectively identify the manufacturing defects. On the other hand, low-frequency electromagnetic detection makes it possible to scan suspicious local defects and make qualitative and quantitative analyses of defect signals. The combination of ultrasonic guided wave and low-frequency electromagnetic detection can realize the rapid location and comprehensive qualitative and quantitative analysis of furnace tube defects, thus making up for the defects missed detection caused by the lack of effectiveness of single detection and the resulting safety problems. The research results have great popularization value in practical engineering applications.

Solar photovoltaics is a direct use of solar resources to generate electricity, which is one of the most important renewable energy application approaches. Regional PV output could be affected by the regional patterns of temperature and irradiance, which are impacted by climate change. This study examines the impact of climate change on the energy yields from solar PV across China in the future under the medium-emission scenario (SSP245) and high-emission scenario (SSP585) by calculating PV potential using the data of solar radiation on a tilted surface and temperature. Generally, under the SSP245 scenario, solar radiation increased by 0.8% and 2.15%, and PV energy yields increased by 0.28% and 1.21% in 2020–2060 and 2061–2099, respectively; under the SSP585 scenario, solar radiation increased by 0.73% and 1.35%, and PV energy yields increased by 0.04% and −1.21% in 2020–2060 and 2061–2099, respectively. Under both scenarios, PV energy potential showed an obvious increase in southeast and central China and a significant decrease in northwest China, Tibet, and Inner Mongolia. Therefore, it is suggested that under the medium-emission scenario, climate change could increase the PV energy potential, while under the high-emission scenario, it could inhibit the PV energy potential in China.

The optical properties of an off-axis integrated cavity system are influenced by both structural deformation and thermal deformation. In this paper, the finite element simulation and analysis software COMSOL multiphysics was used to numerically simulate the optical system. By coupling geometric optics, solid mechanics, and solid heat transfer and conducting parametric temperature scanning, a multiphysics simulation of the off-axis integrated cavity optical sensing system was achieved. The effects of different temperature conditions on the stress field, displacement field, and optical mirrors were analyzed, and changes in optical properties were assessed using ray trajectories and point diagrams. Additionally, optical simulation software was used to simulate and optimize the experimental optical path, obtaining the distribution of light spots on the detector surface. This provides a theoretical basis for the subsequent optimization of the off-axis integrated cavity optical system.

In recent years, the centrifugal casting material Cr35Ni45Nb has been widely used in cracking furnace tubes. The common failure forms in the service process are carburizing cracking, bending, bulging, creep cracking, thermal fatigue cracking, thermal shock cracking, and oxidation, among which the inner wall oxidation and carburization of cracking furnace tubes cause the largest proportion of material failure. In this paper, we will discuss the inner wall oxidation behavior of cracking furnace tubes and its influence on the lasting strength of the furnace tubes. Several groups of endurance tests were designed for service furnace tubes, and the oxidation characteristics, oxide film rupture damage, and its influence on the endurance life of furnace tubes in different service times were analyzed by means of XRD, SEM, and so on. The results show that the oxide layer of the furnace tube is divided into two layers, the outer layer is repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt. With the continuous evolution of material structure, its properties also deteriorate, and its tensile strength, yield strength, elongation, and durable life all decrease significantly.

Abstract Objective: We aimed to examine the association between dietary Se intake and CVD risk in Chinese adults. Design: This prospective cohort study included adults above 20 years old in the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS), and they were followed up from 1997 to 2015 (n 16 030). Dietary data were retrieved from CHNS, and a 3-d, 24-h recall of food intake was used to assess the cumulative average intake of dietary Se, which was divided into quartiles. The Cox proportional hazards model was adopted to analyse the association between dietary Se intake and incident CVD risk. Setting: CHNS (1991, 1993, 1997, 2000, 2004, 2006, 2009, 2011 and 2015) Results: A total of 663 respondents developed CVD after being followed up for a mean of 9·9 years (median 9 years). The incidence of CVD was 4·3, 3·7, 4·6 and 4·0 per 1000 person-years across the quartiles of cumulative Se intake. After adjusting all potential factors, no significant associations were found between cumulative Se intake and CVD risk. No interactions were found between Se intake and income, urbanisation, sex, region, weight, hypertension and CVD risk. Conclusion: We found no association between dietary Se and CVD.

BackgroundHelicobacter pylori infections are generally acquired during childhood and affect half of the global population, but its transmission route remains unclear. It is reported that H. pylori can be internalized into Candida, but more evidence is needed for the internalization of H. pylori in human gastrointestinal Candida and vaginal Candida.MethodsCandida was isolated from vaginal discharge and gastric mucosa biopsies. We PCR-amplified and sequenced H. pylori-specific genes from Candida genomic DNA. Using optical and immunofluorescence microscopy, we identified and observed bacteria-like bodies (BLBs) in Candida isolates and subcultures. Intracellular H. pylori antigen were detected by immunofluorescence using Fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled anti-H. pylori IgG antibodies. Urease activity in H. pylori internalized by Candida was detected by inoculating with urea-based Sabouraud dextrose agar, which changed the agar color from yellow to pink, indicating urease activity.ResultsA total of 59 vaginal Candida and two gastric Candida strains were isolated from vaginal discharge and gastric mucosa. Twenty-three isolates were positive for H. pylori 16S rDNA, 12 were positive for cagA and 21 were positive for ureA. The BLBs could be observed in Candida cells, which were positive for H. pylori 16S rDNA, and were viable determined by the LIVE/DEAD BacLight Bacterial Viability kit. Fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-conjugated antibodies could be reacted specifically with H. pylori antigen inside Candida cells by immunofluorescence. Finally, H. pylori-positive Candida remained positive for H. pylori 16S rDNA even after ten subcultures. Urease activity of H. pylori internalized by Candida was positive.ConclusionIn the form of BLBs, H. pylori can internalize into gastric Candida and even vaginal Candida, which might have great significance in its transmission and pathogenicity.

Abstract Prebiotics are compounds that selectively stimulate the growth and activity of beneficial microorganisms. The use of prebiotics is a well-established strategy for managing human gut health. This concept can also be extended to plants where plant rhizosphere microbiomes can improve the nutrient acquisition and disease resistance. However, we lack effective strategies for choosing metabolites to elicit the desired impacts on plant health. In this study, we target the rhizosphere of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) suffering from wilt disease (caused by Ralstonia solanacearum) as source for potential prebiotic metabolites. We identify metabolites (ribose, lactic acid, xylose, mannose, maltose, gluconolactone, and ribitol) exclusively used by soil commensal bacteria (not positively correlated with R. solanacearum) but not efficiently used by the pathogen in vitro. Metabolites application in the soil with 1 µmol g−1 soil effectively protects tomato and other Solanaceae crops, pepper (Capsicum annuum) and eggplant (Solanum melongena), from pathogen invasion. After adding prebiotics, the rhizosphere soil microbiome exhibits enrichment of pathways related to carbon metabolism and autotoxin degradation, which were driven by commensal microbes. Collectively, we propose a novel pathway for mining metabolites from the rhizosphere soil and their use as prebiotics to help control soil-borne bacterial wilt diseases.

Achieving high-performance as-cast OSCs is crucial for industrialization in the future, owing to the advantages of better stability, environmental-friendly, and decreasing production cost. In this regard, we synthesized an A-DA′D-A type acceptor, Y6-eC6-BO, by shortening the straight alkyl side-chains on the thiophene position from C11 to C6 as well as lengthening the branched alkyl side-chains on the pyrrole position of Y6 to achieve a stronger crystallization and better miscibility than Y6. As a result, the corresponding chloroform-processed as-cast PM6: Y6-eC6-BO OSC showed a high PCE of 17.33%, which was one of the highest efficiencies of as-cast OSCs. And the as-cast PM6:Y6-eC6-BO OSCs processed from o-xylene displayed a PCE of 16.38%, as far as we know, this is among the highest efficiencies of non-halogenated-solvent processed as-cast OSCs. These results demonstrated tailoring the alkyl side-chain of NFAs is a feasible and simple approach to achieve high performance as-cast OSCs and provides guideline in molecular design in the future.

Objective: To compare the effect of fermentation on the chemical constituents of Gastrodia Tuder Halimasch Powder (GTHP), to establish its fingerprinting and multicomponent content determination, and to provide a basis for the processing, handling, and clinical application of this herb. Methods: Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS) was used to conduct a preliminary analysis of the chemical constituents in GTHP before and after fermentation. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to determine some major differential components of GTHP and establish fingerprints. Cluster analysis (CA), and principal component analysis (PCA) were employed for comprehensive evaluation. Results: Seventy-nine compounds were identified, including flavonoids, organic acids, nucleosides, terpenoids, and others. The CA and PCA results showed that ten samples were divided into three groups. Through standard control and HPLC analysis, 10 compounds were identified from 22 peaks, namely uracil, guanosine, adenosine, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF), daidzin, genistin, glycitein, daidzein, genistein, and ergosterol. After fermentation, GTHP exhibited significantly higher contents of uracil, guanosine, adenosine, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, and ergosterol and significantly lower genistein and daidzein contents. Conclusions: The UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS and HPLC methods can effectively identify a variety of chemical components before and after the fermentation of GTHP. This study provides a valuable reference for further research on the rational clinical application and quality control improvement of GTHP.

Abstract Bone metastasis is the main cause of death in patients with prostate cancer (PCa), but there lacks effective treatment method. Immunotherapy shows new hopes for bone metastatic PCa patients, while the efficacy is still unsatisfactory and limited by the unique immunosuppressive microenvironment in metastatic bone site. Here, we developed a bone-targeted nano-delivery system as a nano-regulator to enhance the immunotherapy of bone metastatic PCa. The nanosystem was assembled via coordination between phytic acid (PA) and Fe3+ to form nano-sized metal–organic framework (MOF), through which mitoxantrone (MTO) was encapsulated. At cellular level, the nanosystem showed selective cytotoxicity towards RM-1 PCa cells over immune cells, and could induce tumor cells immunogenic cell death (ICD) to improve the immunogenicity of the tumor. Moreover, the nanosystem was able to induce ubiquitination of TGFβ receptor (TβR) on immune cells to promote its degradation, thus serving as a nano-regulator to block the functions of TGF-β, an abundant cytokine that has a systematically immunosuppressive effect in the tumor microenvironment. Upon intravenous injection, the nanoparticle showed pro-longed blood circulation and targeting accumulation into bone metastatic site, and imposed robust anti-tumor effect in combination with αCTLA-4. In addition, bone destruction was significantly alleviated after treatment to reduce the skeletal-related events. Overall, this work provides a biocompatible nanomedicine to restore immune sensitivity of bone metastatic tumor for enhanced immunotherapy by blocking TGF-β signaling pathway.

Highlights We developed an efficient and extensible strategy to produce the single-phase ternary NbSSe nanohybrids with defect-enrich microstructure. The anionic-Se doping play a key role in effectively modulating the electronic structure and surface chemistry of NbS2 phase, including the increased interlayers distance (0.65 nm), the enhanced intrinsic electrical conductivity (3.23 × 103 S m-1) and extra electroactive defect sites. The NbSSe/NC composite as anode exhibits rapid Na+ diffusion kinetics and increased capacitance behavior for Na+ storage, resulting in high reversible capacity and excellent cycling stability. Abstract Sodium-based dual-ion batteries (SDIBs) have gained tremendous attention due to their virtues of high operating voltage and low cost, yet it remains a tough challenge for the development of ideal anode material of SDIBs featuring with high kinetics and long durability. Herein, we report the design and fabrication of N-doped carbon film-modified niobium sulfur–selenium (NbSSe/NC) nanosheets architecture, which holds favorable merits for Na+ storage of enlarged interlayer space, improved electrical conductivity, as well as enhanced reaction reversibility, endowing it with high capacity, high-rate capability and high cycling stability. The combined electrochemical studies with density functional theory calculation reveal that the enriched defects in such nanosheets architecture can benefit for facilitating charge transfer and Na+ adsorption to speed the electrochemical kinetics. The NbSSe/NC composites are studied as the anode of a full SDIBs by pairing the expanded graphite as cathode, which shows an impressively cyclic durability with negligible capacity attenuation over 1000 cycles at 0.5 A g−1, as well as an outstanding energy density of 230.6 Wh kg−1 based on the total mass of anode and cathode.

Objective The purpose of this study was to identify potential biomarkers in the tubulointerstitium of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) and comprehensively analyze its mRNA–miRNA-lncRNA/circRNA network.Methods The expression data (GSE108112 and GSE200818) were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/). Identification and enrichment analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were performed. the PPI networks of the DEGs were constructed and classified using the Cytoscape molecular complex detection (MCODE) plugin. Weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) was used to identify critical gene modules. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression analysis were used to screen for key biomarkers of the tubulointerstitium in FSGS, and the receiver operating characteristic curve was used to determine their diagnostic accuracy. The screening results were verified by quantitative real-time-PCR (qRT–PCR) and Western blot. The transcription factors (TFs) affecting the hub genes were identified by Cytoscape iRegulon. The mRNA–miRNA-lncRNA/circRNA network for identifying potential biomarkers was based on the starBase database.Results A total of 535 DEGs were identified. MCODE obtained eight modules. The green module of WGCNA had the greatest association with the tubulointerstitium in FSGS. PPARG coactivator 1 alpha (PPARGC1A) was screened as a potential tubulointerstitial biomarker for FSGS and verified by qRT–PCR and Western blot. The TFs FOXO4 and FOXO1 had a regulatory effect on PPARGC1A. The ceRNA network yielded 17 miRNAs, 32 lncRNAs, and 50 circRNAs.Conclusions PPARGC1A may be a potential biomarker in the tubulointerstitium of FSGS. The ceRNA network contributes to the comprehensive elucidation of the mechanisms of tubulointerstitial lesions in FSGS.

In the era of experience economy, sports tourism has been emerged as a new tourism form and consumption hot spot. Evaluation of the competitiveness of sports tourism is helpful to accurately grasp the key competitive factors of sports tourism development and enhance regional sports tourism resource development, market expansion and product upgrading. This study adopted entropy-weight TOPSIS model to construct the index system of sports tourism competitiveness of urban agglomerations and investigated the sports tourism competitiveness of 11 cities in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area from 2016 to 2020. The obtained results showed that sports tourism development in the Greater Bay Area was unbalanced and obviously different. Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong are competitive, Macao is average competitive and Dongguan, Jiangmen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Zhongshan, Huizhou and Zhaoqing are less competitive. Based on evolution trend, sports tourism competitiveness in Guangzhou has always been at the forefront of the Greater Bay Area, while those of Hong Kong and Macao have presented a declining trend. Also, sports tourism competitiveness in inland cities has been continuously enhanced and the development focus of sports tourism in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area has gradually shifted to mainland. The 11 cities of the Greater Bay Area were classified as strong, average and weak areas on the basis of their sports tourism competitiveness scores. Finally, in terms of the overall situation of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and specific conditions of various cities, countermeasures and suggestions have been provided for sports tourism resource development, sports tourism service level, government functional departments, event brand building, enterprise integration, etc.

Membranous nephropathy (MN) is a glomerular disease. Crocin is isolated from saffron and gardenia. Its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-hyperlipidemic, anti-atherosclerotic, anti-tumor, free-radical scavenging and neuroprotective activities have been well established. We investigated the biological functions of crocin and its related mechanisms in MN. We established an experimental passive Heymann nephritis (PHN) rat model induced by anti-Fx1A antiserum. The rats were divided into sham, sham + crocin, PHN, PHN + crocin, and PHN + enalapril groups. Blood samples and kidneys of rats were collected for estimation of biochemical parameters in serum and oxidative stress indicators in kidney tissues. Histopathological changes of renal tissues were evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin, periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) and Masson staining. The podocyte number was estimated by immunohistochemistry staining of Wilms tumor type 1 (WT1). The deposition of rat anti-rabbit IgG antibodies, complement C3 and C5b-9 was detected by immunofluorescence staining. Western blotting was performed to measure the levels of Sirtuin 1 (Sirt1), nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) and apoptosis-related proteins. The total cholesterol, triglycerides, creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, urine volume and urine albumin of PMN rats were significantly reduced by crocin. Additionally, crocin attenuated the renal histopathological changes. Moreover, the oxidative stress damage and podocyte loss and immune injury were relieved by crocin in PHN rats. Mechanistically, crocin administration activated the Sirt1/Nrf2/HO-1 pathways. The results provide a scientific basis that crocin could alleviate MN by inhibiting immune injury and podocyte damage through activating the Sirt1/Nrf2/HO-1 pathways.

AbstractObjective The aim of our study was to identify key biomarkers of glomeruli in focal glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) and analyze their relationship with the infiltration of immune cells.Methods The expression profiles (GSE108109 and GSE200828) were obtained from the GEO database. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were filtered and analyzed by gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). MCODE module was constructed. Weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) was performed to obtain the core gene modules. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression was applied to identify key genes. ROC curves were employed to explore their diagnostic accuracy. Transcription factor prediction of the key biomarkers was performed using the Cytoscape plugin IRegulon. The analysis of the infiltration of 28 immune cells and their correlation with the key biomarkers were performed.Results A total of 1474 DEGs were identified. Their functions were mostly related to immune-related diseases and signaling pathways. MCODE identified five modules. The turquoise module of WGCNA had significant relevance to the glomerulus in FSGS. TGFB1 and NOTCH1 were identified as potential key glomerular biomarkers in FSGS. Eighteen transcription factors were obtained from the two hub genes. Immune infiltration showed significant correlations with T cells. The results of immune cell infiltration and their relationship with key biomarkers implied that NOTCH1 and TGFB1 were enhanced in immune-related pathways.Conclusion TGFB1 and NOTCH1 may be strongly correlated with the pathogenesis of the glomerulus in FSGS and are new candidate key biomarkers. T-cell infiltration plays an essential role in the FSGS lesion process.

This research paper presents a failure analysis conducted on the guide valve located at the bottom of the primary outlet buffer tank in the reciprocating machine of the diesel hydrogenation unit during its operation. Various methods, including in situ observation, macroscopic fracture analysis, metallographic analysis, microscopic fracture observation, material composition analysis, and hardness testing, were employed to investigate the cause of the failure. The findings indicate that the failure resulted from insufficient fusion between the valve body and the flange of the guide shower valve during the manufacturing and welding process. This lack of fusion led to fatigue failure of the weld during operation, ultimately resulting in valve cracking and detachment. The presence of fatigue failure is widespread and poses a significant threat in petrochemical plants and their surrounding environments, given the equipment’s exposure to alternating working conditions and vibrations. This failure analysis serves as a valuable reference for future quality inspections of petrochemical equipment parts. Additionally, it assists enterprises in mitigating risks throughout the design, installation, and maintenance processes, thereby reducing the likelihood of similar accidents occurring.

In the domestic petrochemical industry, mounded storage tanks (MSTs) are widely used to store hazardous chemicals. The shell of the mounded storage tank is completely covered by soil to effectively mitigate the effect of the external environment and prevent thermal-expansion-induced explosion of the stored material. Because mounded storage tanks are mostly underground, they are highly safe, provide effective land utilization, and are highly energy efficient. Furthermore, the impact radius in case of an explosion is less than that of aboveground tanks. However, adequate regulations and standards for safety management are yet to be established. This study established a novel method for the integrity management of mounded storage tanks through database construction, risk assessment, applicability monitoring, and testing. At the same time, the risk assessment method for mounded storage tank characteristics is constructed for the first time.

ABSTRACT Reversible phosphorylation by protein kinases and phosphatases plays a central role in regulating cellular processes. However, knowledge of the functions of protein phosphatase 2C (PP2C) S/T phosphatases in Aspergillus flavus has been unreported until now. Here, we have identified seven members of the PP2C family of protein phosphatases in A. flavus. Evolutionary and functional analyses indicated that two redundant PP2C phosphatases, Ptc1 and Ptc2, are highly conserved and regulate conidia development, aflatoxin synthesis, seed infection, and autophagic vesicle formation. The cytoplasmic proteins Ptc1 and Ptc2 exhibit nuclear infiltration after DNA damage-induced autophagy. Their degradation is closely linked to autophagy induction. The Asp residue coordinated with Mg2+ is critical for phosphatase Ptc1 and Ptc2 activity, thermal stability, and biofunction in A. flavus. An immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry proteomic investigation indicated that 133 proteins co-interact with Ptc1 and Ptc2. Among these proteins, phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (PGK1) interacts with Ptc1 and Ptc2 and shows high levels of phosphorylation in Δptc1, Δptc2, and Δptc1/ptc2 mutants. Furthermore, PGK1 S203 phosphorylation levels are associated with aflatoxin synthesis and autophagic vesicle formation. Overall, these findings contribute to our understanding of the roles and mechanisms of PP2C family phosphatases in A. flavus and highlight their importance in various cellular processes. Furthermore, it reveals a new regulation model in A. flavus, where Ptc1 and Ptc2 activate autophagy and aflatoxin synthesis by regulating PGK1. IMPORTANCE Aspergillus flavus is a model filamentous fungus that can produce aflatoxins when it infects agricultural crops. This study evaluated the protein phosphatase 2C (PP2C) family as a potential drug target with important physiological functions and pathological significance in A. flavus. We found that two redundant PP2C phosphatases, Ptc1 and Ptc2, regulate conidia development, aflatoxin synthesis, autophagic vesicle formation, and seed infection. The target protein phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (PGK1) that interacts with Ptc1 and Ptc2 is essential to regulate metabolism and the autophagy process. Furthermore, Ptc1 and Ptc2 regulate the phosphorylation level of PGK1 S203, which is important for influencing aflatoxin synthesis. Our results provide a potential target for interdicting the toxicity of A. flavus.

Abstract Objective To evaluate the impact on surgical efficiency and labor time cost of preloaded intraocular lens (IOL) implantation system compared with manual IOL implantation system in age-related cataract surgery in China. Methods This study was an observational, multicenter, prospective time-motion analysis. IOL preparation time, operation time, cleaning time, number and cost of cataract surgeries in eight participating hospitals were collected. The linear mixed model was used to explore factors associated with the difference in operation time between the preloaded IOL implantation system and the manual IOL implantation system. A time-motion model was constructed to convert the operation time cost saved by using preloaded IOL into economic benefits from hospital and social perspective, respectively. Results There were 2,591 cases included in the study (preloaded IOL: 1,591 cases; manual IOL: 1,000 cases). The preloaded IOL implantation system was significant time-saving in both preparation time and operation time compared to the manual IOL implantation system (25.48s vs. 47.04s, P

Coronarin (COR), an analog of jasmonic acid, has been shown to enhance the tolerance of plants to drought. However, the effects of COR on the interactions among microorganisms associated with plant roots and their implications for enhancing the drought tolerance of plants remain unclear. Here, we studied the effects of applying COR on the microorganisms associated with plant roots and the rhizosphere metabolome. Treatment with COR affected the fungal community of the rhizosphere by inducing changes in the rhizosphere metabolome, which enhanced the drought tolerance of plants. However, treatment with COR had no significant effect on root microorganisms or rhizosphere bacteria. Specifically, the application of COR resulted in a significant reduction in the relative abundance of metabolites, such as mucic acid, 1,4-cyclohexanedione, 4-acetylbutyric acid, Ribonic acid, palmitic acid, and stearic acid, in maize roots under drought conditions; COR application also led to increases in the abundance of drought-resistant fungal microorganisms, including Rhizopus, and the assembly of a highly drought-resistant rhizosphere fungal network, which enhanced the drought tolerance of plants. Overall, the results of our study indicate that COR application positively regulates interactions between plants and microbes and increases the drought tolerance of plants.

Abstract The study of the vibration phenomenon of pebbles under turbulence is still a gap despite recent technological advancements in measurement capabilities. In this study, the vibration process of a fully exposed, isolated smart pebble on a rough bed was measured using a miniature inertial accelerometer and combined with simultaneous local measurements of the near-bed velocities. The paper conducts a series of experimental studies with different flow conditions. The test data match well with the manually observed phenomena, indicating the authenticity of the sediment vibration data collected by the measurement system. The test results show that the pebble motion (before entrainment) subjected to turbulence is a nonlinear vibration process, and its vibration types include in-situ vibration and ex-situ strong vibration. The probability distribution for the amplitude of vibration acceleration is well parameterized by the normal distribution. The vibration intensity tends to increase before approaching the threshold, but it weakens when approaching the point. The sediment vibration frequency is within 20–25 Hz, similar to the flow pulsation frequency and belongs to low-frequency vibration. The data indicate that the near-bed flow velocity is most directly related to the particle vibration events.

Background: Glucocorticoid (GC) is one of frequently used anti-inflammatory agents, but its administration is unfortunately accompanied with bone loss. Although sporadic studies indicated that osteocytes are subject to a series of pathological changes under GC stress, including overexpression of cathepsin K, the definite role of osteocytes in GC-induced bone loss remains largely unclear. Methods: Gene expression of Ctsk and protein levels of cathepsin K were assessed in MLO-Y4 cell lines exposed to dexamethasone (Dex) of different time (0, 12, 24 hours) and dose (0, 10−8 and 10−6 M) courses by RT-qPCR and western blotting, respectively. Confocal imaging and immunostaining were then performed to evaluate the effects of osteocyte-derived cathepsin K on type I collagen in a primary osteocyte ex vivo culture system. MitoTracker Red was used to stain mitochondria for mitochondria morphology assessment and JC-1 assay was employed to evaluate the mitochondria membrane potential in MLO-Y4 cells following Dex treatment. Activation of PINK1-mediated mitophagy was evaluated by immunostaining of the PINK1 protein and CytoID assay. Mdivi-1 was used to inhibit mitophagy and siRNAs were used for the inhibition of Pink1 and Atg5. Results: GC triggered osteocytes to produce excessive cathepsin K which in turn led to the degradation of type I collagen in the extracellular matrix in a primary osteocyte ex vivo culture system. Meanwhile, GC administration increased mitochondrial fission and membrane depolarization in osteocytes. Further, the activation of PINK1-mediated mitophagy was demonstrated to be responsible for the diminishment of dysfunctional mitochondria in osteocytes. Examination of relationship between mitophagy and cathepsin K production revealed that inhibition of mitophagy via knocking down Pink1 gene abolished the GC-triggered cathepsin K production. Interestingly, GC’s activation effect towards cathepsin K via mitophagy was found to be independent on the canonical autophagy as this effect was not impeded when inhibiting the canonical autophagy via Atg5 suppression. Conclusion: GC-induced PINK1-mediated mitophagy substantially modulates the production of cathepsin K in osteocytes, which could be an underlying mechanism by which osteocytes contribute to the extracellular matrix degradation during bone loss. The Translational potential of this article: Findings of the current study indicate a possible role of osteocyte mitophagy in GC-induced bone loss, which provides a potential therapeutic approach to alleviate GC-induced osteoporosis by targeting PINK1-mediated osteocytic mitophagy.

Laser welding of the near α-phase titanium alloy Ti-4Al-2V, used for complex components in the nuclear industry, has been rarely reported. In this study, butt weld joints made of Ti-4Al-2V alloy plates under different parameters, including the laser power, the welding speed, and the defocus distance, were manufactured and analyzed. The results showed that adjusting the combination of 4.2 kW of laser power, a 20 mm/s welding speed, and a −2 mm defocus distance could achieve a penetration depth exceeding 6 mm. Porosity defects were prone to forming in the middle and bottom parts of the fusion zone, due to rapid cooling. The microstructure of the fusion zone was mainly needle-like α martensite, which precipitated in the form of specific clusters. The interior of a cluster was composed of three types of variants with /60° phase interfaces to achieve the lower boundary’s energy. Affected by the microstructure and welding defects, the strength of the weld joint was basically similar under different welding conditions, namely about 720 MPa, slightly higher than that of the base metal, while the rupture elongation at breaking decreased by more than 50%. The micro-Vickers hardness of the weld joints was about 50–60 HV higher than that of the base metal, while the impact toughness was about 40 KJ, almost half that of the base metal. This research lays a solid foundation for the engineering application of laser welding of Ti-4Al-2V alloys.

Light is one of the most important environmental factors for plant growth. In the production process of tung oil tree cultivation, due to the inappropriate growth of shading conditions, the lower branches are often dry and dead, which seriously affects the yield of tung oil trees. However, little is known about the key factors of light-induced tree photomorphogenesis. In this study, a total of 22 VfBBX family members were identified to provide a reference for candidate genes in tung tree seedlings. All members of the VfBBX family have different numbers of highly conserved B-box domains or CCT domains. Phylogenetic evolution clustered the VfBBX genes into four categories, and the highest density of members was on chromosome 6. Interspecific collinearity analysis suggested that there were six pairs of duplicate genes in VfBBX members, but the expression levels of all family members in different growth and development stages of the tung tree were significantly divergent. After different degrees of shading treatment and physiological data determination of tung tree seedlings, the differential expression level and chlorophyll synthesis genes correlation analysis revealed that VfBBX9 was a typical candidate nuclear localization transcription factor that was significantly differentially expressed in light response. This study systematically identified the VfBBX gene family and provided a reference for studying its molecular function, enhanced the theoretical basis for tung tree breeding, and identified excellent varieties.

C6H9N3O3, monoclinic, P21/n (no. 14), a = 9.5584(4) Å, b = 6.7828(3) Å, c = 12.8337(6) Å, β = 103.8810(10)∘, V = 807.74(6) Å3, Z = 4, Rgt(F) = 0.0455, wRref(F2) = 0.1166, T = 170.0 K.

BackgroundThe alkaline phosphatase-to-albumin ratio (APAR) has been demonstrated to be a promising non-invasive biomarker for predicting prognosis in certain diseases. However, the relationship between APAR and prognosis in non-dialysis chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients remains unclear. This study aims to identify the association between APAR and prognosis among CKD stages 1–4 in China.MethodsPatients with CKD stages 1–4 were consecutively recruited from 39 clinical centers in China from 2011 to 2016. New occurrences of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events, and all-cause deaths were the outcome events of this study. Subdistribution hazard competing risk and Cox proportional hazards regression models were adopted.ResultsA total of 2,180 participants with baseline APAR values were included in the analysis. In the primary adjusted analyses, higher APAR level [per 1-standard deviation (SD) increase in natural logarithm transformed (ln-transformed) APAR] was associated with 33.5% higher risk for all-cause deaths [adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 1.335, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.068–1.670]. In addition, there was evidence for effect modification of the association between APAR and ESKD by baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (P interaction < 0.001). A higher APAR level (per 1-SD increase in ln-transformed APAR) was associated with a greater risk of ESKD among participants with eGFR ≥ 60 ml/min/1.73 m2 (adjusted SHR 1.880, 95% CI 1.260–2.810) but not in eGFR < 60 ml/min/1.73 m2.ConclusionHigher APAR levels in patients with CKD stages 1–4 seemed to be associated with an increased risk of all-cause death. Thus, APAR appears to be used in risk assessment for all-cause death among patients with CKD stages 1–4.

The goal of this work was to use bibliometric analysis to help guide future research on macrophage polarization in RA. We looked for studies on macrophage polarization in RA published between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2022, in the WoSCC database. Research trends and hotspots were shown and assessed using VOSviewer and CiteSpace. A total of 181 articles were gathered. Belgium was among the early adopters of the field. Chinese institutes have produced the most research. Researchers such as Angel Luis Corb, Amaya Puig-Kröger, and Lizbeth Estrada-Capetillo have made major contributions to the field. Frontiers in Immunology has published the most study findings. According to VOSviewer, the most investigated immune cells, biomarkers, and signaling pathways in the previous three years have been “T cells”, “gm-csf”, and “nf-κb” in that order. We discovered that the most often used terms in the previous three years were “pathway”, “oxidative stress”, “extracellular capsule” and “nlrp3 inflammasome” using Citespace. We emphasize these concepts in our findings, presenting the exact mechanisms of pathophysiology related to macrophage polarization in RA, as well as current breakthroughs in therapy strategies.

In recent years, the excessive of antibiotics in livestock and poultry husbandry, stemming from extensive industry experience, has resulted in the accumulation of residual antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in livestock manure. Composting, as a crucial approach for the utilization of manure resources, has the potential to reduce the levels of antibiotics and ARGs in manure, although complete elimination is challenging. Previous studies have primarily focused on the diversity and abundance of ARGs in compost or have solely examined the correlation between ARGs and their carriers, potentially leading to a misjudgment of the actual risk associated with ARGs in compost. To address this gap, this study investigated the transfer potential of ARGs in compost and their co-occurrence with opportunistic pathogenic bacteria by extensively analyzing metagenomic sequencing data of compost worldwide. The results demonstrated that the potential risk of ARGs in compost was significantly lower than in manure, suggesting that composting effectively reduces the risk of ARGs. Further analysis showed that the microbes shifted their life history strategy in manure and compost due to antibiotic pressure and formed metabolic interactions dominated by antibiotic-resistant microbes, increasing ARG dissemination frequency. Therefore, husbandry practice without antibiotic addition was recommended to control ARG evolution, dissemination, and abatement both at the source and throughout processing.

Background: Currently, the optimal therapy plan for idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN) remains controversial as there has been no comprehensive and systematic comparison of therapy plans for IMN. Therefore, in this study, a Bayesian meta-analysis was used to systematically evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of various intervention plans involving traditional Chinese medicine TWM in the treatment of IMN.Methods: An electronic search in 7 databases was conducted from their inception to August 2022 for all published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of various intervention plans for IMN. Network meta-analysis (NMA) was performed by using software R, and the surface under the cumulative ranking area (SUCRA) probability curve was plotted for each outcome indicator to rank the efficacy and safety of different intervention plans.Results: A total of 30 RCTs were included, involving 13 interventions. The results showed that (1) in terms of total remission (TR), ① GC + CNI + TWM was the best effective among all plans, and the addition and subtraction plan of CNI + TWM was the best effective for IMN; ② All plans involving TWM were more effective than GG; ③ Among monotherapy plans for IMN, TWM was more effective distinctly than GC, while TWM and CNI were similarly effective; ④ Among multidrug therapy plans for IMN, the addition of TWM to previously established therapy plans made the original plans more effective; ⑤The efficacy of combining TWM with other plans was superior to that of TWM alone. (2) In terms of lowering 24 h-UTP, GC + TWM was the best effective and more effective than TWM. (3) In terms of safety, there was no statistically significant difference between all groups. However, CNI + TWM was the safest. No serious adverse events (AEs) occurred in all the included studies.Conclusion: The addition of TWM may be beneficial to patients with IMN. It may enhance the efficacy of previously established treatment protocols without leading to additional safety risks. In particular, GC + CNI + TWM, GC + TWM, and CNI + TWM with better efficacy and higher safety can be preferred in clinical decision-making as the therapy plans for IMN.

The combination of high pressure and severe plastic deformation in the process of high-pressure torsion in a rotational diamond anvil cell (RDAC) produces a variety of important mechanical and chemical effects. In this Review, mechanochemical phenomena that appeared with compression and plastic shear of samples in RDAC have been systematized, which are associated with strain-induced structural changes (SCs) under high pressure and shear, containing phase transitions (PTs) and chemical reactions (CRs). This Review aims to summarize the current phenomena based on the results of multiscale atomic and continuum theory and macroscale modeling. By analyzing and using the advanced phase field theory and simulation, the nano-scale mechanism of phase nucleation induced by plastic strain was studied. The results show that the concentration of the stress tensor near the edge dislocation stacking tip may reduce the nucleation pressure by ten times or more. These results promote the development of a microscopic analysis dynamic equation of strain-induced PTs. On the micro-scale, a simple strain control dynamic kinetics of strain-induced SCs is derived by thermodynamics. On the macro-scale, a macro-model of pressure and strain-induced PTs in RDAC is established based on the finite element method, and it could be used to explain various experimental phenomena. The application of RDAC provides important insights for the coupling of PT and material plastic flow, which is of great significance for optimizing the experimental design and extracting PT parameters of materials, as well as optimizing and controlling PT.

Objectives Personal health literacy is the degree to which individuals have the ability to find, understand and use information and services to inform health-related decisions and actions for themselves and others. Health literacy levels remain low, despite the many measures that have been taken to improve it. In addition, the number of patients with chronic diseases is increasing. Our study aimed to explore the different aspects and factors influencing health literacy among patients with chronic diseases in Chongqing, China.Design Cross-sectional study.Setting and patients This study was conducted in Chongqing using the 2018 National Questionnaire on Health Literacy of Residents administered to 27 336 patients with chronic diseases.Outcome measures The prevalence and factors of health literacy in patients with chronic diseases.Results Among the patients who participated in the study (n=27 336), 51.3% were males. Only 21.6% of the patients with chronic diseases had adequate health literacy (questionnaire score was equal to or exceeded 80% of the total questionnaire score). Patients with chronic diseases aged 25–34 years (OR=1.18, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.36) and 35–44 years (OR=1.18, 95 % CI 1.03 to 1.35) had higher health literacy than patients aged 65–69 years. Patients from rural areas had higher health literacy levels than those from urban areas (OR=0.92, 95% CI 0.86 to 1.00). Furthermore, married patients had lower health literacy than unmarried patients (OR=0.88, 95% CI 0.80 to 0.97). Patients who were illiterate or slightly literate (OR=0.10, 95% CI 0.08 to 0.12) had lower health literacy than patients who were in junior college or had a bachelor’s degree or above. In addition, non-farmers had higher health literacy levels than farmers (OR=1.18, 95% CI 1.08 to 1.28). In terms of inadequate health literacy, patients who self-rated themselves as healthy had higher health literacy than those who self-rated as unhealthy (OR=1.80, 95% CI 1.33 to 2.43).Conclusions The health literacy of patients with chronic conditions remains at a low level and varies significantly with their demographic and social characteristics. These findings indicate that targeted interventions may be useful to improve health literacy in patients with chronic conditions in China.

Abstract Background Process and function that underlie the assembly of a rhizosphere microbial community may be strongly linked to the maintenance of plant health. However, their assembly processes and functional changes in the deterioration of soilborne disease remain unclear. Here, we investigated features of rhizosphere microbiomes related to Fusarium wilt disease and assessed their assembly by comparison pair of diseased/healthy sequencing data. The untargeted metabolomics was employed to explore potential community assembly drivers, and shotgun metagenome sequencing was used to reveal the mechanisms of metabolite-mediated process after soil conditioning. Results Results showed the deterministic assembly process associated with diseased rhizosphere microbiomes, and this process was significantly correlated to five metabolites (tocopherol acetate, citrulline, galactitol, octadecylglycerol, and behenic acid). Application of the metabolites resulted in a deterministic assembly of microbiome with the high morbidity of watermelon. Furthermore, metabolite conditioning was found to weaken the function of autotoxin degradation undertaken by specific bacterial group (Bradyrhizobium, Streptomyces, Variovorax, Pseudomonas, and Sphingomonas) while promoting the metabolism of small-molecule sugars and acids initiated from another bacterial group (Anaeromyxobacter, Bdellovibrio, Conexibacter, Flavobacterium, and Gemmatimonas). Video Abstract Conclusion These findings strongly suggest that shifts in a metabolite-mediated microbial community assembly process underpin the deterministic establishment of soilborne Fusarium wilt disease and reveal avenues for future research focusing on ameliorating crop loss due to this pathogen.

Plant roots are one of the major mediators that allocate carbon captured from the atmosphere to soils as rhizodeposits, including root exudates. Although rhizodeposition regulates both microbial activity and the biogeochemical cycling of nutrients, the effects of particular exudate species on soil carbon fluxes and key rhizosphere microorganisms remain unclear. By combining high-throughput sequencing, q-PCR, and NanoSIMS analyses, we characterized the bacterial community structure, quantified total bacteria depending on root exudate chemistry, and analyzed the consequences on the mobility of mineral-protected carbon. Using well-controlled incubation experiments, we showed that the three most abundant groups of root exudates (amino acids, carboxylic acids, and sugars) have contrasting effects on the release of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and bioavailable Fe in an Ultisol through the disruption of organo-mineral associations and the alteration of bacterial communities, thus priming organic matter decomposition in the rhizosphere. High resolution (down to 50 nm) NanoSIMS images of mineral particles indicated that iron and silicon co-localized significantly more organic carbon following amino acid inputs than treatments without exudates or with carboxylic acids. The application of sugar strongly reduced microbial diversity without impacting soil carbon mobilization. Carboxylic acids increased the prevalence of Actinobacteria and facilitated carbon mobilization, whereas amino acid addition increased the abundances of Proteobacteria that prevented DOC release. In summary, root exudate functions are defined by their chemical composition that regulates bacterial community composition and, consequently, the biogeochemical cycling of carbon in the rhizosphere.

ABSTRACT Seed-associated microbiomes can impact the later colonization of a plant rhizosphere microbiome. However, there remains little insight into the underlying mechanisms concerning how alterations in the composition of the seed microbiome may intervene in the assembly of a rhizosphere microbiome. In this study, the fungus Trichoderma guizhouense NJAU4742 was introduced to both maize and watermelon seed microbiomes by seed coating. Application was found to significantly promote seed germination and improve plant growth and rhizosphere soil quality. The activities of acid phosphatase, cellulase, peroxidase, sucrase, and α-glucosidase increased significantly in two crops. The introduction of Trichoderma guizhouense NJAU4742 also led to a decrease in the occurrence of disease. Coating with T. guizhouense NJAU4742 did not alter the alpha diversities of the bacterial and fungal communities but formed a key network module that contained both Trichoderma and Mortierella. This key network module comprised of these potentially beneficial microorganisms was positively linked with the belowground biomass and activities of rhizosphere soil enzymes but negatively correlated with disease incidence. Overall, this study provides insights into plant growth promotion and plant health maintenance via seed coating in order to influence the rhizosphere microbiome. IMPORTANCE Seed-associated microbiomes can impact the rhizosphere microbiome assembly and function display. However, there remains little insight into the underlying mechanisms concerning how alterations in the composition of the seed microbiome with the beneficial microbes may intervene in the assembly of a rhizosphere microbiome. Here, we introduced T. guizhouense NJAU4742 to the seed microbiome by seed coating. This introduction led to a decrease in the occurrence of disease and an increase in plant growth; furthermore, it formed a key network module that contained both Trichoderma and Mortierella. Our study provides insights into plant growth promotion and plant health maintenance via seed coating in order to influence the rhizosphere microbiome.

ObjectiveTo observe the effect of beinaglutide combined with metformin versus metformin alone on weight loss and metabolic profiles in obese patients with polycystic ovary syndrome(PCOS).MethodsA total of 64 overweight/obese women with PCOS diagnosed via the Rotterdam criteria were randomly assigned to metformin(MET) 850 mg twice a day(BID) or combined MET 850 mg BID with beinaglutide (COMB) starting at 0.1mg three times a day(TID)and increasing to 0.2mg TID two weeks later. The main endpoints were changes in anthropometric measurements of obesity. Glucose and lipid metabolic, gonadal profiles, and antral follicle count changes as secondary outcomes were also observed.Results60(93.75%) patients completed the study. In terms of lowering weight, body mass index (BMI),waist circumference(WC) and waist to height ratio(WHtR), COMB treatment outperformed MET monotherapy. Subjects in the COMB arm lost weight 4.54±3.16kg compared with a 2.47±3.59kg loss in the MET arm. In the COMB group, BMI,WC and WHtR were reduced significantly compared with that in the MET group, respectively. COMB therapy is also more favorable in the reduction of fasting insulin(FINS), total testosterone(TT), and homeostasis model assessment–insulin resistance(HOMA-IR) when compared to MET therapy. Antral follicle count and ovarian volume were non-significantly changed in both groups.The most frequent side effects in both groups were mild and moderate digestive symptoms. Itching and induration at the injection site were reported with COMB treatment.ConclusionShort-term combined treatment with beinaglutide and metformin appears superior to metformin monotherapy in lowering body weight, BMI, WC,WHtR and improving insulin sensitivity and androgen excess in women with PCOS and obesity, with tolerable adverse events.Clinical trial registrationhttps://www.chictr.org.cn/listbycreater.aspx, identifier ChiCTR2000033741.

Tetrodotoxin (TTX) could result in serious diseases due to its extremely high neurotoxicity. Thus, it is of great importance to measure TTX for food safety. In this study, an anti-TTX monoclonal antibody with good specificity and high affinity was used to develop the immunochromatographic test strips (ICTS). Gold nanoflower (AuNF) with multiple branches and latex microsphere (LM) with large particle size as signal reporters were employed for improving the sensitivity of test strips. Both AuNF and LM probes are stable, and the developed ICTS were specific to TTX, demonstrating no cross-reactivity with other marine toxins. The linear range of AuNF- and LM-based strips for TTX was 9.49–330.98 ng/mL and 5.40–443.19 ng/mL, respectively. The limit of detection (LOD) of AuNF- and LM-based strips was determined to be 9.49 ng/mL and 5.40 ng/mL, respectively. In summary, the developed ICTS based on AuNF and LM signal probes displayed enhancement of sensitivity and provided rapid and specific detection of TTX.

Obesity is a complex metabolic disease, with cognitive impairment being an essential complication. Gut microbiota differs markedly between individuals with and without obesity. The microbial–gut–brain axis is an important pathway through which metabolic factors, such as obesity, affect the brain. Probiotics have been shown to alleviate symptoms associated with obesity and neurobehavioral disorders. In this review, we evaluated previously published studies on the effectiveness of probiotic interventions in reducing cognitive impairment, depression, and anxiety associated with obesity or a high-fat diet. Most of the probiotics studied have beneficial health effects on obesity-induced cognitive impairment and anxiety. They positively affect immune regulation, the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis, hippocampal function, intestinal mucosa protection, and glucolipid metabolism regulation. Probiotics can influence changes in the composition of the gut microbiota and the ratio between various flora. However, probiotics should be used with caution, particularly in healthy individuals. Future research should further explore the mechanisms underlying the gut–brain axis, obesity, and cognitive function while overcoming the significant variation in study design and high risk of bias in the current evidence.

ObjectivesSingle-isocentre volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) improves treatment efficiency and patient compliance for patients with multiple liver metastases (MLM). However, the potential increase in dose spillage to normal liver tissue using a single-isocentre technique has not yet been studied. We comprehensively evaluated the quality of single- and multi-isocentre VMAT-SBRT for MLM and propose a RapidPlan-based automatic planning (AP) approach for MLM SBRT.MethodsA total of 30 patients with MLM (two or three lesions) were selected for this retrospective study. We manually replanned all patients treated with MLM SBRT by using the single-isocentre (MUS) and multi-isocentre (MUM) techniques. Then, we randomly selected 20 MUS and MUM plans for training to generate the single-isocentre RapidPlan model (RPS) and the multi-isocentre RapidPlan model (RPM). Finally, we used data from the remaining 10 patients to validate RPS and RPM.ResultsCompared with MUS, MUM reduced the mean dose delivered to the right kidney by 0.3 Gy. The mean liver dose (MLD) was 2.3 Gy higher for MUS compared with MUM. However, the monitor units, delivery time, and V20Gy of normal liver (liver-gross tumour volume) for MUM were significantly higher than for MUS. Based on validation, RPS and RPM slightly improved the MLD, V20Gy, normal tissue complications, and dose sparing to the right and left kidneys and spinal cord compared with manual plans (MUS vs RPS and MUM vs RPM), but RPS and RPM significantly increased monitor units and delivery time.ConclusionsThe single-isocentre VMAT-SBRT approach could be used for MLM to reduce treatment time and patient comfort at the cost of a small increase in the MLD. Compared with the manual plans, RapidPlan-based plans, especially RPS, have slightly improved quality.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a prominent etiology of cancer-related mortality. The heterogeneous nature of this disease impedes its accurate diagnosis and efficacious treatment. Consequently, constant advancements in research are imperative in order to comprehend its intricate nature. In addition to currently available therapies, the utilization of nanotechnology presents an opportunity to enhance the clinical outcomes of NSCLC patients. Notably, the burgeoning knowledge of the interaction between the immune system and cancer itself paves the way for developing novel, emerging immunotherapies for treating NSCLC in the early stages of the disease. It is believed that with the novel engineering avenues of nanomedicine, there is a possibility to overcome the inherent limitations derived from conventional and emerging treatments, such as off-site drug cytotoxicity, drug resistance, and administration methods. Combining nanotechnology with the convergence points of current therapies could open up new avenues for meeting the unmet needs of NSCLC treatment.

Oil tea (Camellia oleifera Abel.), an important edible oil tree found in the acidic soil of south China, is tolerant to aluminum (Al); however, the mechanism via which it detoxifies Al remains unclear. The present study investigated the accumulation and distribution of Al and the changes in antioxidant components in C. oleifera leaves at different stages of growth. The analysis revealed that the content of Al in young, mature, and old leaves was 1.53, 7.49, and 12.04 g kg−1, respectively. In the leaves, Al was mainly accumulated in the cell wall, which accounted for 66.03%, 79.94%, and 86.51% of the total Al accumulation in young, mature, and old leaves, respectively. In the leaf cell wall, the Al content in hemicellulose increased from 54.22% to 81.72% with leaf age. The proportion of Al in the upper epidermis, lower epidermis, palisade, and spongy parenchyma cell walls increased with leaf age. The activity of antioxidant enzymes increased and showed a synergistic effect on Al stress with leaf age. The peroxidase activity was the highest in mature leaves, 2.3 times that in young leaves. Meanwhile, catalase and superoxide dismutase activities and total phenol content were the highest in young leaves. Correlation analysis showed that antioxidant system composed of catalase, superoxide dismutase and total phenol (CAT, SOD, and TP) was negatively correlated with the Al content in C. oleifera leaves. The malondialdehyde (MDA) content was positively correlated with Al content in C. oleifera leaves, indicating that the MDA in the leaves helped resist Al stress in C. oleifera. Thus, our findings suggest that the increase in antioxidant properties and modification of the cell wall contributed to Al detoxification in the Al hyperaccumulator C. oleifera.