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Steel cord core conveyor belt is a traction and carrying component of belt conveyor, and joint failure is the main cause of steel cord core conveyor belt failure. In order to improve the joint strength and vulcanization efficiency of the conveyor belt, this paper proposes a preformed core rubber laying technology based on the existing joint vulcanization process. Taking the ST1 600 steel cord core conveyor belt joint as the research object, the application of this technology is theoretically analyzed and experimentally studied. Firstly, the mechanical model of the conveyor belt joint is established and stress analysis is conducted. The influence of uneven horizontal and vertical spacing of steel cords on the joint strength is studied using ANSYS Workbench software. Then, a preformed core rubber laying method is proposed, and the effect of filling core rubber and triangular, trapezoidal, and semicircular core rubber grooves on limiting the offset of steel cords is compared through fluid-solid coupling analysis of core rubber. Finally, the influence of this technology on the adhesive strength of the conveyor belt, joint vulcanization efficiency, and joint strength is studied through joint preformed core rubber vulcanization experiments. The research shows that the stress of steel cords at the conveyor belt joint is related to their longitudinal displacement. Due to the inability to achieve uniform distribution of steel cords in traditional joint vulcanization operations, uneven stress of steel cords is caused, which affects the joint strength. The change of horizontal spacing of steel cords compared to vertical spacing has a more significant effect on the equivalent stress of steel cords, which is more likely to cause the failure of joint steel cords. The preformed core rubber laying technology can effectively reduce the offset of steel cords, among which the semicircular core rubber groove has the best effect, reducing by 70% in the horizontal direction and 86.9% in the vertical direction. Under the same vulcanization conditions, compared with filling core rubber, the adhesive strength after vulcanization of triangular, trapezoidal, and semicircular core rubber grooves increased by 1.91%, −3.51%, and 2.48%, respectively, with the best combination with semicircular core rubber. The preformed core rubber technology with semicircular core rubber groove laying can reduce the working time by 70% while concurrently boosting the joint strength of the vulcanized conveyor belt by 5.74%. The research findings can offer both theoretical and practical insights for streamlining joint enhancements.

Summary: Bats harbor highly virulent viruses that can infect other mammals, including humans, posing questions about their immune tolerance mechanisms. Bat cells employ multiple strategies to limit virus replication and virus-induced immunopathology, but the coexistence of bats and fatal viruses remains poorly understood. Here, we investigate the antiviral RNA interference pathway in bat cells and discover that they have an enhanced antiviral RNAi response, producing canonical viral small interfering RNAs upon Sindbis virus infection that are missing in human cells. Disruption of Dicer function results in increased viral load for three different RNA viruses in bat cells, indicating an interferon-independent antiviral pathway. Furthermore, our findings reveal the simultaneous engagement of Dicer and pattern-recognition receptors, such as retinoic acid-inducible gene I, with double-stranded RNA, suggesting that Dicer attenuates the interferon response initiation in bat cells. These insights advance our comprehension of the distinctive strategies bats employ to coexist with viruses.

Abstract Immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) is the most common primary glomerular disease, and the “four‐hit” theory represents its currently accepted pathogenic mechanism. Mucosal immunity triggered by infections in the respiratory tract, intestines, or other areas leads to antigen presentation, T cell stimulation, B cell maturation, and the production of IgA‐producing plasma cells. The proteins B‐lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS) and a proliferation‐inducing ligand (APRIL) are involved in this process, and alternative complement and lectin pathway activation are also part of the pathogenic mechanism. Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes guidelines indicate that a specific effective treatment for IgAN is lacking, with renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system inhibitors being the primary therapy. Recent research shows that biological agents can significantly reduce proteinuria, stabilize the estimated glomerular filtration rate, and reverse some pathological changes, such as endocapillary proliferation and crescent formation. There are four main categories of biological agents used to treat IgA nephropathy, specifically anti‐CD20 monoclonal antibodies, anti‐BLyS or APRIL monoclonal antibodies, monoclonal antibodies targeting both BLyS and APRIL (telitacicept and atacicept), and monoclonal antibodies inhibiting complement system activation (narsoplimab and eculizumab). However, further research on the dosages, treatment duration, long‐term efficacy, and safety of these biological agents is required.

Background: Endometriosis, characterized by extrauterine endometrial tissue, leads to irregular bleeding and pelvic pain. Menstrual retrograde theory suggests fragments traverse fallopian tubes, causing inflammation and scar tissue. Prevalent among infertile women, risk factors include fewer pregnancies, delayed childbirth, irregular cycles, and familial predisposition. Treatments, medication, and surgery entail side effects. Studies link gut microbiota alterations to endometriosis, necessitating research to establish causation. We used Mendelian randomization to investigate the potential link between endometriosis and gut microbiota through genetic variants.Methods: Two-sample Mendelian randomization analyzed gut microbiota’s potential causal effects on endometriosis. Instrumental variables, robustly associated with exposures, leveraged GWAS data from MiBioGen for gut microbiota and FinnGen R8 release for endometriosis. SNPs strongly associated with exposures were instrumental variables. Rigorous assessments ensured SNP impact scrutiny on endometriosis.Results: At the genus level, Anaerotruncus, Desulfovibrio, Haemophilus, and Holdemania showed causal association with endometriosis. Specific gut microbiota exhibited causal effects on different endometriosis stages. Holdemania and Ruminococcaceae UCG002 exerted reversible, stage-specific impacts.Conclusion: Mendelian randomization provides evidence for the causal link between specific gut microbiotas and endometriosis, emphasizing the pivotal role of gut microbiota dysbiosis. Modulating gut microbiota emerges as a promising strategy for preventing and treating endometriosis.

Abstract With the progress of communication technology, the increasing wireless devices are hooked up the networks, and the consequent security problems cannot be ignored. At present, the solutions mainly include secret key system and physical layer security (PLS). However, secret key system that relies on highly complex algorithms for encryption and decryption still has the risk of being cracked by powerful computers. In this paper, the PLS of Beaulieu‐Xie fading channels is studied. To improve the transmission quality and support higher speed data transmission, the single‐input multiple‐out (SIMO) system considered is the Wyner eavesdropper model with decoding and forwarding (DF) relay over Beaulieu‐Xie fading. The closed‐form theoretical formulas for secure outage probability (SOP) and strictly positive secrecy capacity (SPSC) are obtained by complex unified functional representation, which includes two cases: LRD≤LRE and LRD>LRE. Moreover, the theoretical formulas are verified by Monte Carlo results. By comparing the simulation results with the theoretical analysis, the authors discussed the factors to improve the secure performance. Experiments show that the larger ratio of (λRD,λRE), the smaller ratio of (mRD,mRE), smaller signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) of eavesdropping channels, smaller threshold Cth and more legitimate antennas LRD are beneficial to the improvement of anti‐interference capability for the relay networks with Beaulieu‐Xie distributions when the legal channel link R→D is in a state of high SNR.

Objective The South-to-North Water Transfer Project (SNWTP) has improved water use in northern China and further reduced deep groundwater extraction in the North China Plain. However, its impact on the evolution of regional groundwater hydrochemistry is still unknown. Methods In this paper, Cangzhou, which has experienced severe land subsidence due to groundwater overexploitation and has received water resources from the SNWTP since 2015, was selected as the study area to investigate the effects of the SNWTP on groundwater chemistry. In 2017 and 2021, groundwater samples from Ⅲ and Ⅳ confined aquifers were collected to determine the hydrochemical characteristics. Moreover, the average annual land subsidence of the regional layer was further evaluated by using SBAS-InSAR to identify the correlation between variations in land deformation and changes in groundwater chemistry. Results The results showed that in comparison with those before the SNWTP, the groundwater fluoride concentration was slightly decreased, and the area of the high value zone was reduced after the SNWTP. The groundwater environment characterized by high pH, TDS and HCO3- concentrations and low Ca2+ concentrations favors fluoride enrichment in groundwater. The water chemistry type did not change, and the salinity concentrations in groundwater increased after the SNWTP. Groundwater receives more dissolution of halite and fluorite. Meanwhile, the amount and rate of land subsidence slowed after the SNWTP. A small degree of land uplift was even observed in the southeastern part of the region. The inhibition of land subsidence constrains clay compaction and the release of high fluoride porewater trapped in the clay layer. As a result, aquifers Ⅲ and Ⅳ received more effective lateral recharge, thereby causing a slight decrease in groundwater fluoride. However, it needs to be noted that the longer hydraulic residence time and stronger water-rock interaction after the SNWTP interaction promote the dissolution of sediment evaporites into groundwater, leading to an increase in groundwater salinity. Conclusion The results of the study provide scientific support for drinking water safety and water resource management in Cangzhou.

The objective of this study was to investigate age-related changes in cashmere production and the population of active secondary hair follicles in cashmere goats across different age groups as well as to explore the association between secondary hair follicle activity and oxidative stress. A total of 104 adult Inner Mongolian ewe goats, aged between 2 and 7 years old, were randomly selected as experimental subjects. Skin samples were collected in August 2020 and cashmere samples were collected in April 2021. The cashmere fiber yield, staple length, and diameter showed age-related variations in cashmere goats aged 2 to 7 years (p < 0.05). Cashmere production was higher in goats aged 2–4 years compared to those aged 5–7 years (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in the population of primary and secondary hair follicles among goats aged 2 to 7 years. However, the population of active secondary hair follicles varied significantly with age, with the younger group (aged 2–4 years) having a higher population than those aged 5–7 years (p < 0.05). A moderate negative correlation was observed between cashmere fiber diameter and the population of active secondary hair follicles (p < 0.05). Age-related variations in skin antioxidant capacity and oxidative damage were observed among cashmere goats aged 2 to 7 years old (p < 0.05). Goats aged 2 to 4 years exhibited higher antioxidant capacity and lower oxidative damage (p < 0.05). Interestingly, the skin’s antioxidant capacity and oxidative damage exhibited significant positive and negative correlations with the population of active secondary hair follicles (p < 0.05). This study presents a novel approach to enhance the activity of secondary hair follicles and improve cashmere production performance through the regulation of oxidative stress.

The development of high-performance rubber composites has always been a research hotspot in the field of conveyor belt manufacturing. In this work, a rubber cover joint composite made of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) was prepared using latex mixing and mechanical blending methods, with a steel wire rope conveyor belt as the research object, and the influence of the rGO content on the properties of the rubber composite is discussed. The structure and morphology characterization of the rGO/NR rubber show that the addition of rGO does not change its crystal structure, and 1.2 phr rGO is uniformly dispersed throughout the rubber composite. As more rGO is added, the mechanical properties of the rGO rubber cover joint first improve and then worsen. With the addition of 1.2 phr, the cross-linking density increases by 80.6%, the tensile strength of the rubber composites increases by 49.7%, the elongation at break increases by 23.6%, and the adhesion strength increases by 12.4%. The tensile strength of the rGO rubber cover joint can still maintain 72.5% of its pre-thermal aging value. The wear resistance and thermal conductivity increase as more phr is added. When 3.0 phr is added, the wear resistance of the rubber composites increases by 32.9%, the thermal conductivity increases by 118.8%, and the temperature difference at the completion of vulcanization decreases from 4.5 °C to 1.8 °C. The results show that when 1.2 phr of rGO is added, the rubber conveyor belt joint obtains the best comprehensive performance. These enhanced comprehensive properties allow for the practical application of rGO nanomaterials to conveyor belt rubber.

Abstract One of the major factors controlling the phase partitioning in mixed‐phase cloud is entrainment mixing, but it is still poorly understood. In this study, the liquid‐ice mass partitioning across the edge of shallow to moderately deep cumulus clouds are analyzed using airborne measurements. The results show the concentration and water content of both liquid and ice decrease toward the cloud edge. However, the liquid mass fraction remains similar across the cloud. The mechanism responsible for the phase partitioning is that extreme inhomogeneous entrainment‐mixing dominates. This is evident as both the droplet and ice sizes remain similar with changing concentrations. The comparison between the time scale of turbulent mixing and the phase relaxation time of water also suggests the turbulence strength is too low to homogenize the cloud. The findings from this study improve our understanding on the role of entrainment in phase partitioning, and are useful in evaluating model simulations.

Abstract Background Auxin performs important functions in plant growth and development processes, as well as abiotic stress. Small auxin-up RNA (SAUR) is the largest gene family of auxin-responsive factors. However, the knowledge of the SAUR gene family in foxtail millet is largely obscure. Results In the current study, 72 SiSAUR genes were identified and renamed according to their chromosomal distribution in the foxtail millet genome. These SiSAUR genes were unevenly distributed on nine chromosomes and were classified into three groups through phylogenetic tree analysis. Most of the SiSAUR members from the same group showed similar gene structure and motif composition characteristics. Analysis of cis-acting elements showed that many hormone and stress response elements were identified in the promoter region of SiSAURs. Gene replication analysis revealed that many SiSAUR genes were derived from gene duplication events. We also found that the expression of 10 SiSAURs was induced by abiotic stress and exogenous hormones, which indicated that SiSAUR genes may participated in complex physiological processes. Conclusions Overall, these results will be valuable for further studies on the biological role of SAUR genes in foxtail development and response to stress conditions and may shed light on the improvement of the genetic breeding of foxtail millet.

Potato common scab, an economically important disease worldwide, is caused by pathogenic Streptomyces strains mainly through the effects of thaxtomin. The cello-oligosaccharides binding protein CebE is proposed as a gateway to the pathogenic development of Streptomyces scabiei. In this study, two functional CebE encoding genes, GEO5601 and GEO7671, were identified in pathogenic Streptomyces sp. AMCC400023. With a higher binding affinity towards signal molecules, the deletion of GEO5601 severely impaired thaxtomin-producing capacity and reduced the strain’s pathogenicity. Transcriptional analysis confirmed that CebE5601 is also responsible for the import and provision of carbon sources for cell growth. With lower binding affinity, the pathogenicity island (PAI)-localized CebE7671 may assume a new function of mediating the biological process of sporulation, given the significantly impaired formation of ΔGEO7671 spores. The mechanisms of action of CebE proteins unraveled in Streptomyces sp. AMCC400023 will help pave the way for more effective prevention of the potato common scab disease.

Biomimetic surface modification of scaffolds with osteoinductive molecules is a promising strategy for improving the bioactivity of scaffold and stimulating stem cell signals in bone tissue engineering. Zirconia (ZrO2) offers excellent mechanical properties and biocompatibility, but its bio-inert nature hinders its use in bone regeneration applications. Recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein 7 (rhBMP-7) and arginine-glycine-aspartate (RGD) peptide were investigated for their potential use as surface-modifying biomolecules on the ZrO2 scaffold. Our results showed that human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) were induced to osteogenic differentiation by rhBMP-7 and RGD in a dose-dependent manner. Significantly enhanced alkaline phosphatase activity and up-regulated expression of osteogenic genes in hDPSCs were associated with rhBMP-7 and RGD grafting onto the ZrO2 scaffold. Western blot analysis revealed that rhBMP-7 and RGD grafting led to activation of the SMAD1/5, p38 MARK, and ERK signaling pathways during hDPSCs differentiation. After 4 and 8 weeks of transplantation, the hDPSCs-seeded ZrO2-RGD-BMP-7 scaffold facilitated osteogenic differentiation and enhanced in vivo bone formation in critical-sized calvarial bone defects. The results support the simultaneous use of rhBMP-7 and RGD as surface-modifying biomolecules and hDPSCs as a source of osteogenic stem cells in conjugation with ZrO2-based porous scaffold for bone tissue engineering.

Artificial intelligent approaches have been considered as the promising techniques to enable smart communications in future wireless networks. In this paper, we investigate the deep learning based resource allocation approach for secure transmission in a simultaneously wireless information and power transfer (SWIPT) network. In particular, we design the resource allocations to maximize the minimum achievable secrecy rate of the legitimate user under the constraints of energy harvesting requirements of the energy receivers (ERs). Conventionally, the optimal or suboptimal solutions of resource allocation problems can be obtained by exploiting convex optimization approaches, which are often developed based on iterative algorithms, and always result in long computational time. To satisfy ultra low latency demands and achieve physical layer security for future SWIPT systems, we develop a DNN based approach that has the capability to optimize the power allocations for a SWIPT network, where the computational time and complexity have been significantly cut down. Numerical results are provided to illustrate that the effectiveness of our proposed DNN based approach, which is capable to achieve near optimal secrecy rate performances in comparing with convex optimization approach.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of fasted live-weight gain during the cashmere non-growing period on cashmere production performance and secondary hair follicle activity, to provide a theoretical basis for appropriate supplementary feeding of cashmere goats. Fifty Inner Mongolian cashmere goats aged 2–4 years old were randomly selected and weighed in May and September 2019, respectively. Based on fasted live-weight gain between the two weights, the experimental ewe goats were divided into two groups: 0–5.0 kg group (n = 30) and 5.0–10.0 kg group (n = 20). Skin samples and cashmere samples were collected. Results of a Pearson correlation analysis showed that fasted live-weight gain during the cashmere non-growing period had a moderate and strong positive correlation with cashmere yield (p = 0.021) and cashmere staple length (p = 0.002), respectively, but did not correlate with cashmere diameter (p = 0.254). Compared with cashmere goats with a fasted live-weight gain of 0–5.0 kg, cashmere goats with a fasted live-weight gain of 5.0–10.0 kg had a 17.10% increase in cashmere yield (p = 0.037) and an 8.09% increase in cashmere staple length (p = 0.045), but had no significant difference in cashmere diameter (p = 0.324). Results of a Pearson correlation analysis showed that there was a strong positive correlation between fasted live-weight gain and the population of active secondary hair follicles in the skin of cashmere goats (p < 0.01). Compared with cashmere goats with a fasted live-weight gain of 0–5.0 kg, cashmere goats with a fasted live-weight gain of 5.0–10.0 kg had an increase in the population of active secondary hair follicles (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the fasted live-weight gain during the cashmere non-growing period had a significant effect on secondary hair follicle activity and cashmere production performance in cashmere goats. Since fasted live-weight gain reflects nutritional level to a certain extent, this study suggests that nutritional manipulations such as supplementary feeding during cashmere non-growing periods can increase cashmere production performance. However, specific nutritional manipulations during the cashmere non-growing period need further research to increase cashmere production performance.

Abstract Background Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), as one of the commonest malignancies showing poor prognosis, has been increasingly suggested to be modulated by circular RNAs (circRNAs). Through GEO (Gene Expression Omnibus) database, a circRNA derived from ZDBF2 (circZDBF2) was uncovered to be with high expression in OSCC tissues, while how it may function in OSCC remains unclear. Methods CircZDBF2 expression was firstly verified in OSCC cells via qRT-PCR. CCK-8, along with colony formation, wound healing, transwell and western blot assays was performed to assess the malignant cell behaviors in OSCC cells. Further, RNA pull down assay, RIP assay, as well as luciferase reporter assay was performed to testify the interaction between circZDBF2 and RNAs. Results CircZDBF2 expressed at a high level in OSCC cells and it accelerated OSCC cell proliferation, migration, invasion as well as EMT (epithelial-mesenchymal transition) process. Further, circZDBF2 sponged miR-362-5p and miR-500b-5p in OSCC cells to release their target ring finger protein 145 (RNF145). RNF145 expressed at a high level in OSCC cells and circZDBF2 facilitated RNF145 transcription by recruiting the transcription factor CCAAT enhancer binding protein beta (CEBPB). Moreover, RNF145 activated NFκB (nuclear factor kappa B) signaling pathway and regulated IL-8 (C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 8) transcription. Conclusion CircZDBF2 up-regulated RNF145 expression by sponging miR-362-5p and miR-500b-5p and recruiting CEBPB, thereby promoting OSCC progression via NFκB signaling pathway. The findings recommend circZDBF2 as a probable therapeutic target for OSCC. Graphical Abstract

Study objectivesThe study aimed to (1) analyze the interrelationships among different types of childhood adversity, diverse personality dimensions, and individual coping style integratively among major depressive disorder (MDD) patients and healthy participants using a network approach; (2) explore the latent class of child maltreatment (CM) and its relationship with cognitive function.MethodsData were collected from the Objective Diagnostic Markers and Personalized Intervention in MDD Patients (ODMPIM) study, including 1,629 Chinese participants. Using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire to assess CM, the Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire to measure individual coping style, Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised-Short Form for personality characters, and a series of neurocognitive tests, including seven tests with 18 subtests for cognitive assessments. We used the “Network Module” in Jeffreys’s Amazing Statistics Program (JASP) and R package for network analysis. A latent class analysis was performed with SAS9.4.ResultsChild maltreatment was more common in MDD patients than in healthy controls, except for emotional abuse. Network analysis showed that emotional abuse, emotional neglect, physical abuse, and physical neglect formed quadrangle connections. Personality dimensions were associated with physical neglect and emotional abuse. All types of CM (excluding sex abuse) showed an association with coping style. Emotional neglect showed the highest centrality measures. Physical neglect had a high level of closeness. To a concerning strength, emotional and physical neglect showed the highest levels. The structure of the networks is variant between groups (M = 0.28, P = 0.04). Latent class analysis (LCA) revealed that three classes provided the best fit statistics. Neglect and abuse classes tended to perform more poorly on the five cognitive domains.ConclusionThis study provided insights on multi-type of CM. Neglect played an important role in different routes through the relation between CM with personality traits and social coping style. However, neglect has often been ignored in previous studies and should receive more public attention.

Kazakhstan, rich in oil and gas resources, is an important hub for oil and gas transportation in Central Asia. The oil & gas storage and transportation system of Kazakhstan is an important channel to promote the energy cooperation between China and Kazakhstan, which is of great significance to realize the connectivity under the Belt and Road Initiative and ensure the energy security of China. In this study, by investigating the current situation of Kazakhstan's oil and gas channel system, the pattern of the channel system, the transit country status and the evolution process, the characteristics of Kazakhstan as an important oil and gas transportation corridor in the geopolitics of energy were analyzed. Meanwhile, the internal relationship of China with Kazakhstan in terms of energy security was especially clarified from the power of energy corridor, and on this basis, suggestions on cooperation were proposed. It is found in this study that the total transportation capacities of Kazakhstan's oil and gas pipelines are up to 1×108 t/a and 2 700×108 m3/a, with the transit capacities reaching 2 000×104 t/a and 1 900×108 m3/a, respectively. In recent years, China has participated in the construction of most new trunk pipelines in Kazakhstan, and played an important role in the diversification of Kazakhstan's energy export. Due to the limitation of geographical and market factors, Kazakhstan's dependence on Russia in crude oil export has increased from 73% to 95%, while the natural gas cooperation between Kazakhstan and China has reduced its dependence on Russia in gas export from 97% to 60%. Generally, the arrangement of northwest energy corridor in future should be based on the strategic stronghold of Kazakhstan, so as to strengthen the diversification of channel sources and routes, innovate natural gas cooperation mode, and promote the interconnection of energy channels in Central Asia.

Abstract Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an important cause of death in young adults and children. Till now, the treatment of TBI in the short- and long-term complications is still a challenge. Our previous evidence implied aquaporin 4 (AQP4) and hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) might be potential targets for TBI. In this study, we explored the roles of AQP4 and HIF-1α on brain edema formation, neuronal damage and neurological functional deficits after TBI using the controlled cortical injury (CCI) model. The adult male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham and TBI group, the latter group was further divided into neutralized-AQP4 antibody group, 2-methoxyestradiol (2-ME2) group, and their corresponding control, IgG and isotonic saline groups, respectively. Brain edema was examined by water content. Hippocampal neuronal injury was assessed by neuron loss and neuronal skeleton related protein expressions. Spatial learning and memory deficits were evaluated by Morris water maze test and memory-related proteins were detected by western blot. Our data showed that increased AQP4 protein level was closely correlated with severity of brain edema after TBI. Compared with that in the control group, both blockage of AQP4 with neutralized-AQP4 antibody and inhibition of HIF-1α with 2-ME2 for one-time treatment within 30–60 min post TBI significantly ameliorated brain edema on the 1st day post-TBI, and markedly alleviated hippocampal neuron loss and spatial learning and memory deficits on the 21st day post-TBI. In summary, our preliminary study revealed the short-term and long-term benefits of targeting HIF-1α-AQP4 axis after TBI, which may provide new clues for the selection of potential therapeutic targets for TBI in clinical practice.

Abstract Emerging evidence indicates an association between gut microbiome and arthritis diseases including gout. However, how and which gut bacteria affect host urate degradation and inflammation in gout remains unclear. Here we performed a metagenome analysis on 307 fecal samples from 102 gout patients and 86 healthy controls. Gout metagenomes significantly differed from those of healthy controls. The relative abundances of Prevotella, Fusobacterium, and Bacteroides were increased in gout, whereas those of Enterobacteriaceae and butyrate-producing species were decreased. Functionally, gout patients had greater abundances for genes in fructose, mannose metabolism and lipid A biosynthesis, and lower for genes in urate degradation and short chain fatty acid production. A three-pronged association between metagenomic species, functions and clinical parameters revealed that decreased abundances of species in Enterobacteriaceae were associated with reduced amino acid metabolism and environmental sensing, which together contribute to increased serum uric acid and C-reactive protein levels in gout. A random forest classifier based on three gut microbial genes showed high predictivity for gout in both discovery and validation cohorts (0.91 and 0.80 accuracy), with high specificity in the context of other chronic disorders. Longitudinal analysis showed that uric-acid-lowering and anti-inflammatory drugs partially restored gut microbiota after 24-week treatment. Comparative analysis with obesity, type 2 diabetes, ankylosing spondylitis and rheumatoid arthritis indicated that gout metagenomes were more similar to those of autoimmune than metabolic diseases. Our results suggest that gut dysbiosis was associated with dysregulated host urate degradation and systemic inflammation and may be used as non-invasive diagnostic markers for gout.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of anlotinib in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who had previously received bevacizumab.Methods: The participants were histopathologically or cytologically diagnosed advanced NSCLC patients whose disease progressed after at least one type of systemic therapy and who had previously received bevacizumab treatment. The patients were on 3-week administration cycles, including 2 weeks on-treatment (12 mg anlotinib oral route, once a day) and 1 week off-treatment. The primary end point of the trial was overall survival (OS). The secondary end points were progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR) and safety.Results: As of the data collection deadline (31 March 2021), 30 patients were enrolled in the study and received anlotinib treatment. All patients were included in the data set except one, who withdrew their consent after the start of treatment. The median follow-up period was 12.1 months (range, 3.6–25.0 months), and 29 patients were included in the evaluation of the treatment. Of the 29 patients, no CR cases occurred. In total, three patients (10.2%) showed a PR, 21 (72.4%) had SD, and five patients (17.2%) had PD. The objective response rate (ORR) was 10.2% (3 of 29 patients), and the disease control rate (DCR) was 82.7% (24 of 29 patients). The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 5.6 months (95% CI, 5.0–6.1 months; Figure 2). The median overall survival (OS) was 10.6 months (95% CI, 9.4–11.8 months; Figure 3). The overall tolerance of the anlotinib treatment was high among the enrolled patients. No treatment-related grade four or five toxicities were observed. Of the 29 patients, one patient’s anlotinib administration was reduced to 8 mg/day due to hypertension and headache. Most adverse events (AEs) were grade one or two; the most common AEs were fatigue (51.7%), hypertension (41.3%), hand–foot syndrome (41.4%), anorexia (34.5%) and hypertriglyceridemia (34.5%).Conclusion: Anlotinib demonstrated favourable activity and manageable toxicity in NSCLC patients who were treated with bevacizumab previously.

Immune dysfunction has been implicated in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia (SZ). Despite previous studies showing a broad link between immune dysregulation and the central nervous system of SZ, the exact relationship has not been completely elucidated. With immune infiltration analysis as an entry point, this study aimed to explore the relationship between schizophrenia and the immune system in more detail from brain regions, immune cells, genes, and pathways. Here, we comprehensively analyzed the hippocampus (HPC), prefrontal cortex (PFC), and striatum (STR) between SZ and control groups. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and functional enrichment analysis showed that three brain regions were closely related to the immune system. Compared with PFC and STR, there were 20 immune-related genes (IRGs) and 42 immune pathways in HPC. The results of immune infiltration analysis showed that the differential immune cells in HPC were effector memory T (Tem) cells. The correlation of immune-related DEGs (IDEGs) and immune cells further analysis showed that NPY, BLNK, OXTR, and FGF12, were moderately correlated with Tem cells. Functional pathway analysis indicated that these four genes might affect Tem by regulating the PI3K-AKT pathway and the neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction pathway. The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis results indicated that these four genes had a high diagnostic ability (AUC=95.19%). Finally, the disease animal model was successfully replicated, and further validation was conducted using the real-time PCR and the western blot. These results showed that these gene expression changes were consistent with our previous expression profiling. In conclusion, our findings suggested that HPC in SZ may be more closely related to immune disorders and modulate immune function through Tem, PI3K-Akt pathway, and neuroactive ligand-binding receptor interactions. To the best of our knowledge, the Immucell AI tool has been applied for the first time to analyze immune infiltration in SZ, contributing to a better understanding of the role of immune dysfunction in SZ from a new perspective.

BackgroundTo evaluate the safety and efficacy of hybutimibe plus atorvastatin for lipid control in hypercholesterolemia patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk equivalent.MethodsIn this double-blind phase III study, we 1:1 randomly assigned 255 hypercholesterolemia patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease to receive hybutimibe plus atorvastatin or placebo plus atorvastatin. The primary endpoint was the rate of change of plasma low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) level at 12 weeks from baseline. The secondary endpoints were plasma total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), non-HDL-C, apoprotein (Apo) B, and 2-, 4-, 8-, and 12-week Apo A1 levels change rate and rates of change of plasma LDL-C levels at 2, 4, and 8 weeks from baseline.ResultsFrom April 2016 to January 2018, 128 in the hybutimibe plus atorvastatin group and 125 in the atorvastatin group were included in modified intention-to-treat (mITT) analysis. After 12 weeks of treatment, LDL-C level changed from 2.61 mmol/L (±0.30) at baseline to 2.18 mmol/L (±0.45) in the hybutimibe plus atorvastatin group and from 2.58 (±0.31) mmol/L to 2.40 (± 0.46) mmol/L in the atorvastatin group (P < 0.0001), in mITT. The change rate in the hybutimibe plus atorvastatin group was significantly higher than that in the atorvastatin group (P < 0.0001); the estimated mean rates of change were −16.39 (95% confidence interval: −19.04, −13.74) and −6.75 (−9.48, −4.02), respectively. Consistently, in per-protocol set (PPS) analysis, the rate of change of LDL-C in the hybutimibe plus atorvastatin group was significantly higher than that in atorvastatin group. Significant decreases in the change rates of non-HDL-C, TC, and Apo B at 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks (all P < 0.05) were observed for hybutimibe plus atorvastatin, while the differences were not significant for HDL-C, TG, and Apo-A1 (all P > 0.05). During the study period, no additional side effects were reported.ConclusionsHybutimibe combined with atorvastatin resulted in significant improvements in LDL-C, non-HDL-C, TC, and Apo B compared with atorvastatin alone. The safety and tolerability were also acceptable, although additional benefits of hybutimibe plus atorvastatin were not observed compared with atorvastatin alone in HDL-C, TG, and Apo-A1.

Groundwater is an important water resource. The total amount of active groundwater in a hydrological cycle is about 3.5 times that of the total amount of surface water. The information in the deep groundwater records the material exchange and dynamics in the earth’s evolution, which is an important aspect of the Deep-Time Digital Earth (DDE) plan. In recent years, scientists have discussed the distribution of transboundary aquifers and the environmental significance of groundwater resources through groundwater databases established by international organizations, such as the Global Groundwater Information System and the chronicles consortium, and national institutes, such as national geological surveys. The application of the groundwater database in the DDE plan, however, has been limited by the management, interactivity, and monitoring method of the groundwater data. The ability to further integrate data that are private and scattered across research institutions and individuals, while establishing an open, unified, and shared groundwater data platform, is essential to enhance our understanding of groundwater, ranging from shallow to deep water, which is a goal of the DDE plan. In this study, we introduced the current situation of groundwater database operations in domestic and international research and provided frontier research with groundwater big data. Considering the related objectives of the DDE plan and the limitations of existing groundwater databases, we proposed an improvement plan and new prospects for applying groundwater databases in the research of the deep earth.

Extracting fault features in mechanical fault diagnosis is challenging and leads to low diagnosis accuracy. A novel fault diagnosis method using multi-scale convolutional neural networks (MSCNN) and extreme learning machines is presented in this research, which was conducted in three stages: First, the collected vibration signals were transformed into images using the continuous wavelet transform. Subsequently, an MSCNN was designed to extract all detailed features of the original images. The final feature maps were obtained by fusing multiple feature layers. The parameters in the network were randomly generated and remained unchanged, which could effectively accelerate the calculation. Finally, an extreme learning machine was used to classify faults based on the fused feature maps, and the potential relationship between the fault and labels was established. The effectiveness of the proposed method was confirmed. This method performs better in mechanical fault diagnosis and classification than existing methods.

Abstract Extensive application of nanomaterials has dramatically increased the risk of silica nanoparticle (SiNP, SiO2) exposure, yet their biological effect on reproduction has not been fully elucidated. By tracking the uterine biodistribution of SiNP in pregnant mice, this study was conducted to evaluate the biological effect of SiNP on reproduction. First, SiNP was conjugated with FITC, and then the FITC-SiNP was administrated to trophoblast (100 µg/mL, 24 h) in vitro and pregnant mice (0.25 mg/mouse, 2–24 h) in vivo. It was found that the FITC-SiNP was internalized by trophoblast and deposited in the uterus. The internalization of SiNP caused trophoblast dysfunction and apoptosis, while SiNP accumulation in the uterus induced diffuse inflammatory infiltration. The genome-wide alteration of gene expression was studied by high throughput sequencing analysis, where 75 genes were found to be dysregulated after SiNP exposure, among which ACOT2, SCD1, and CPT1A were demonstrated to regulate the biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids. Moreover, the suppression of unsaturated fatty acids caused mitochondrial overload of long-chain fatty acyl-CoA (LACoA), which further induced both trophoblast apoptosis and endometrial inflammation. In conclusion, the successful conjugation of FITC onto SiNP facilitated the tracking of SiNP in vitro and in vivo, while exposure to FITC-SiNP induced uterine metabolic disorder, which was regulated by the ACOT/CPT1A/SCD1 axis through the biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids signaling pathway.

Based on aircraft measurements of aerosols and continental cumulus clouds made over the Loess Plateau of China (Xinzhou, Shanxi Province) on 30 July 2020, this study focuses on the vertical profiles of microphysical properties of aerosols and cumulus clouds, and use them to study aerosol-cloud interactions. During the study period, the boundary layer was stable with a height ∼1,500 m above sea level. Aerosols in the boundary layer mainly came from local emissions, while aerosols above this layer were mostly dust aerosols transported over long distances. Vertical profiles of aerosols and cloud condensation nuclei were obtained, and aerosol activation ratios at different supersaturation (SS) levels ranged from 0.16 to 0.32 at 0.2% SS and 0.70 to 0.85 at 0.8% SS. A thick cumulus cloud in the development stage was observed from the bottom to the top with the horizontal dimension of 10 km by 7 km, the cloud-base height of 2,450 m (15.8°C), and the cloud-top height of 5,400 m (−3°C). The maximum updraft velocity near the cloud top was 13.45 m s−1, and the maximum downdraft velocity occuring in the upper-middle part of the cloud was 4.44 ms−1. The temperature inside the cloud was higher than the outside, with their difference being positively correlated with the cloud water content. The temperature lapse rate inside the cloud was about −6.5°C km−1. The liquid water content and droplet effective radius (Re) increased with increasing height. The cloud droplet number concentration (Nc) increased first then decreased, peaking in the middle and lower part of the cloud, the average values of Nc and Re were 767.9 cm−3 and 5.17 μm, respectively. The cloud droplet spectrum had a multi-peak distribution, with the first appearing at ∼4.5 μm. SS in the cloud first increased then decreased with height. The maximum SS is ∼0.7% appearing at ∼3,800 m. The conversion rate of intra-cloud aerosols to cloud droplets was between 0.2 and 0.54, with the ratio increasing gradually with increasing height. The cloud droplet spectral dispersion and Nc were positively correlated. The aerosol indirect effect (AIE) was estimated to be 0.245 and 0.16, based on Nc and Re, respectively. The cloud droplet dispersion mainly attenuated the AIE, up to ∼34.7%.

Abstract Background Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection can significantly complicate and worsen the condition of acute severe ulcerative colitis (UC) patients. We aimed to explore the predictive risk factors to prevent and identify CMV infection at an early stage in acute UC patients. Methods A total of 115 moderate-to-severe active UC patients from 17 hospitals throughout China were enrolled. Active CMV infection was diagnosed by one of the following: CMV pp65 antigens, CMV IgM antibodies or CMV DNA. We identified the independent risk factors by multivariate analyses. Results A total of 64 of 115 active UC patients had active CMV infection. Compared to the non-CMV-infected patients, the CMV-infected patients had a tendency to be male and to exhibit abdominal pain; fever; oral ulcers; eosinopenia; low albumin, immunoglobulin (Ig) A, IgM, and IgG levels; increased high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels; hyponatremia; pancolonic lesions; initial onset type; severe activity; and glucocorticoid (high-dose) and immunosuppressive agent use (P

Saliency detection aims at identifying the most important and informative area in a scene. Recently low rank matrix recovery (LR) theory becomes an effective tool for saliency detection. The existing LR-based methods all work under the popular low rank and sparsity pursuit framework and perform well for images with small or homogeneous objects. However, if the image is with heterogeneous objects, the sparsity property of the object cannot be guaranteed. Moreover, as a useful tool for depicting a spatially structured matrix variable, nuclear norm (corresponding to the low rank) considers only the global structure but overlooks the inherent local structure of the data. We address these problems by proposing a double structured nuclear norm-based matrix decomposition (DSNMD) model for saliency detection. In the model, a tree-structured nuclear (TSN) norm is firstly introduced to constraint both the background and foreground regions. We also empirically demonstrate that TSN norm provides stronger performance at capturing the underlying structural information of the image regions including global structure, local structure, and internal structure of each node of the tree, and it deservedly inherits the advantages of both nuclear norm and sparsity-related norms (e.g., $\ell _{1}$ -norm, group sparsity norm) for saliency detection. Comprehensive evaluations on six benchmark datasets indicate that our method universally surpasses state-of-the-art unsupervised methods and performs favorably against supervised approaches.

The Internet of Things (IoT) consists of resource-constrained smart devices capable to sense and process data. It connects a huge number of smart sensing devices, i.e., things, and heterogeneous networks. The IoT is incorporated into different applications, such as smart health, smart home, smart grid, etc. The concept of smart healthcare has emerged in different countries, where pilot projects of healthcare facilities are analyzed. In IoT-enabled healthcare systems, the security of IoT devices and associated data is very important, whereas Edge computing is a promising architecture that solves their computational and processing problems. Edge computing is economical and has the potential to provide low latency data services by improving the communication and computation speed of IoT devices in a healthcare system. In Edge-based IoT-enabled healthcare systems, load balancing, network optimization, and efficient resource utilization are accurately performed using artificial intelligence (AI), i.e., intelligent software-defined network (SDN) controller. SDN-based Edge computing is helpful in the efficient utilization of limited resources of IoT devices. However, these low powered devices and associated data (private sensitive data of patients) are prone to various security threats. Therefore, in this paper, we design a secure framework for SDN-based Edge computing in IoT-enabled healthcare system. In the proposed framework, the IoT devices are authenticated by the Edge servers using a lightweight authentication scheme. After authentication, these devices collect data from the patients and send them to the Edge servers for storage, processing, and analyses. The Edge servers are connected with an SDN controller, which performs load balancing, network optimization, and efficient resource utilization in the healthcare system. The proposed framework is evaluated using computer-based simulations. The results demonstrate that the proposed framework provides better solutions for IoT-enabled healthcare systems.

Recently, optical flow guided video saliency detection methods have achieved high performance. However, the computation cost of optical flow is usually expensive, which limits the applications of these methods in time-critical scenarios. In this article, we propose an end-to-end cross complementary network (CCNet) based on fully convolutional network for video saliency detection. The CCNet consists of two effective components: single-image representation enhancement (SRE) module and spatiotemporal information learning (STIL) module. The SRE module provides robust saliency feature learning for a single image through a pyramid pooling module followed by a lightweight channel attention module. As an effective alternative operation of optical flow to extract spatiotemporal information, the STIL introduces a spatiotemporal information fusion module and a video correlation filter to learn the spatiotemporal information, the inner collaborative and interactive information between consecutive input groups. In addition to enhancing the feature representation of a single image, the combination of SRE and STIL can learn the spatiotemporal information and the correlation between consecutive images well. Extensive experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of our method in comparison with 14 state-of-the-art approaches.

Autophagy is essential for cellular metabolism and plays pivotal roles in carcinogenesis, while excessive autophagy induces toxicity and cell death. Our previous studies have suggested that let-7a-5p/BCL-xL might regulate autophagy in lung cancer, but the regulatory mechanism is unclear. The central goal of the study was to figure out the role of let-7a-5p/BCL-xL in the initiation of autophagy and its effect on the migration, invasion, and proliferation of A549 cells as well as its therapeutic potential in lung cancer. Based on the genome-wide expression profiles of lung cancer, BCL-xL and let-7a-5p were found to be dysregulated and negatively correlated in lung adenocarcinoma, which was associated with the survival of lung cancer. The crosstalk between BCL-xL and let-7a-5p was then investigated using dual-luciferase reporter assay, and it was found to suppress the migration and invasion of A549 cells. Further, we found that the crosstalk between BCL-xL and let-7a-5p could lead to toxic autophagy and cell death through activating the PI3K-signaling pathway, which was independent of apoptosis or pyroptosis. These findings indicate that let-7a-5p is a sensitive initiator for toxic autophagy in A549 lung cancer cells and is an appealing target for lung cancer therapy. Keywords: lung adenocarcinoma, toxic autophagy, apoptosis, BCL-xL, let-7a-5p

In trees, both radial growth and earlywood or latewood differentiation of xylem can reflect responses not only to internal stimuli but also to changes in the external environment. Here, we examined the effect of age and environment on the proportion of latewood to earlywood (PLE) in Larix gmelinii (Dahurian larch) from boreal forests in Eurasia to gain a better understanding of the influence of climate change on genetically controlled characteristics of tree growth. Distinctive differentiation and interannual changes in growth divergences were dependent on age, whereas the influence of environmental factors was also limited. The low-frequency change in the PLE has a juvenile effect, and the variation is unstable. The proportions of latewood to earlywood changed significantly with age during the first 100 years of life (p

Abstract Existing deep‐learning–based saliency detection methods mainly design a sophisticated architecture to integrate multi‐level convolutional features, for example, recurrent network or bi‐directional message passing model, and achieve gratifying performance. However, the direct transmission of information with large span, for example, the information from the deepest layer and the shallowest layer, may lead to antagonistic problems. To address this problem, we propose a local bi‐directional funnel network (LBDFN) to effectively integrate multi‐level features for salient object detection. In the proposed local bi‐directional funnel network, a local bi‐directional feature integration (LBDFI) module is designed to fuse the features with similar properties from adjacent convolution layers, which can solve the problem of mismatch between fusion features well. The extensive experiments on five saliency detection datasets clearly demonstrate that the proposed method outperforms the state‐of‐the‐art approaches.

Previous studies have demonstrated that silica nanoparticle (SiNP) exposure induces pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases, yet their transportation and degradation in vivo have not been fully elucidated. From the perspective of reproduction, this study was implemented to examine the uterine accumulation of SiNP and explore its reproductive toxicity and pathogenic mechanisms. First, we coupled FITC onto SiNPs and intratracheally instilled them into pregnant mice on the fifth gestational day, and the toxic effect of SiNP was evaluated in vitro and in vivo. It was found that SiNP penetrated the trophoblast membrane, leading to apoptosis and suppression of cell proliferation, tube formation, and invasion in a dose-dependent manner. Mechanistically, SiNP dysregulated the expression of Scd1, Slc27a1, and Cpt1a, and induced over synthesis and efflux obstruction of fatty acid through the PPARγ signaling pathway. The downregulation of Caspase-3 triggered apoptosis of trophoblast, which was causally associated with intracellular fatty acid accumulation as revealed by the correlation analysis. Besides, SiNP induced uterine inflammation in vivo, which aggravated with the observation prolongation within 24 h. Overall, SiNPs were visualized by coupling with FITC, and the uterine accumulation of SiNP induced fatty acid metabolic disorder, biological dysfunction, and trophoblast apoptosis, which were mediated in part by the PPARγ signaling pathway. These findings would contribute to understanding the environmental impacts of SiNP better, as well as the development of control measures for environmental pollution.

Temperature plays a key role in phenology and growth of dominant tree species and hence in the structure and function of coniferous forests in cold temperate zones. We used a dendrochronological method to determine the critical temperatures of Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica (Mongolian pine) radial growth and the xylem growing season. Results showed that Mongolian pine radial growth is sensitive to daily mean temperatures of 4.0–5.5 °C in early spring, 14.0 °C in summer and 2.0–2.5 °C in autumn. A temperature of 4 °C might be the initial temperature required for sap flow, photosynthesis and tree germination in this area in early spring, and 5.5 °C is the most critical temperature for earlywood onset growth. The advance and extension of temperature 14.0 °C in summer can exacerbate water stress for trees and inhibit earlywood growth under the condition of insufficient precipitation. In autumn, 2.0–2.5 °C may be the minimum temperature for the xylem growth. These critical temperatures are important in predicting the changes in the phenology of cambial activity and the growth of conifers in cold temperate regions under a scenario of a warming climate. We defined the mean xylem growing season of pines in this region as 151 days from early May to early October. With the increase in temperatures during 1972–2015, the start date of the xylem growing season advanced by 0.24 days/year, the duration of the xylem growing season increased by 0.27 days/year and the basal area increment of Mongolian pine increased significantly (P

Foxtail millet (Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv.) is an important traditional cereal crop in dryland ecological agriculture in China and is widely grown in India, the United States, and Nigeria. It is of significance to understand the variety–location–fertilizer (V–L–F) interaction for highly efficient production. Therefore, a two-year field experiment was conducted with six varieties in five locations, and data were analyzed by combined ANOVA analysis, redundancy analysis (RDA), and additive main multiplicative interaction (AMMI). The results showed that the mean sum of squares was significantly different among years, locations, varieties, fertilizations, and their interactions, except for Y–V and V–F interactions. The contributions of various factors to yield variation varied, location was the largest contributor (38.7%), followed by year (33.6%), and variety and fertilizer contributed 7.1% and 3.2%, respectively. JI25 was widely adapted, and its yield was stable and higher than that of others over diverse environments in two years. The RDA results showed that two principal components explained more than 66.1% of the yield variance, while more than 63.0% of the variances were clustered in the first factor. Excessive single rainfall or total rainfall and air temperature (especially minimum temperature) were significantly associated with the millet yield. The results offered an important reference for variety layout, natural resource potential mining, and formulation of efficient green cultural practices.

The stability and balance of forest ecosystems have been seriously affected by climate change. Herein, we use dendrochronological methods to investigate the radial growth and climate response of pioneer tree species in the southern margin of cold temperate coniferous forest based on Populus davidiana growing on the Greater Hinggan Mountains in northeastern China. Correlations of P. davidiana growth with temperature and precipitation in a year (October–September) were rhythmically opposed: while temperatures in previous October–June (winter and spring) and in May–September (growing season) respectively inhibited and promoted radial growth on P. davidiana (p

To analyze the speed and acceleration fluctuation characteristics of the scraper chain transmission system during the meshing process, a double-sided contact fluctuation model is constructed, the correctness of the model is verified by experiments. The relationship between acceleration fluctuation and tension fluctuation is obtained by analyzing the strain signal and acceleration signal. The virtual prototype of the scraper chain system is established by using Adams software and the dynamics simulation is carried out. The influences of different driving modes, working inclinations and laying lengths on the fluctuation of the scraper chain are explored and the analytical results could provide a reference for reasonable design of the meshing drive mode between sprocket and scraper chain.

Abstract Background Microcirculatory disturbance is an important factor in the pathogenesis of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) but there have been few studies in this field. Confocal Laser Endomicroscopy (CLE) has been used over the last 10 years and has made it possible to explore the changes in microcirculation of the colonic mucosa. Methods We retrospectively selected patients who underwent probe-based Confocal Laser Endomicroscopy (pCLE) between 2014 and 2016. There were 7 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) in clinical remission and 7 healthy subjects included in this study; all the UC patients’ medical data were reviewed. For each patient, three segments of the colon were examined using pCLE including the ascending, transverse/descending and sigmoid colon. In each segment, the representative pCLE images of the three sites were selected for analysis. Four indicators, including Mean Vessel Diameter (MVD), Diameter Standard Deviation (DSD), Functional Capillary Density-long (FCDL) and Functional Capillary Density-area (FCDA), were measured with a specially designed detection software algorithm. The four indicators were compared between UC patients and healthy subjects. According to the different blood flow patterns, three types of distribution were established: the Around (A), Cobweb (C) and Deficiency (D) type. The relationships between the recurrence and blood flow patterns of UC patients were analyzed. Results MVD, DSD, FCDL and FCDA were 10.62 ± 0.56 μm, 2.23 ± 0.26, 0.030 ± 0.019 μm and 0.289 ± 0.030 for the healthy subjects and 11.06 ± 1.10 μm, 2.68 ± 0.29, 0.026 ± 0.005 μm and 0.272 ± 0.034 for the UC patients, respectively. Compared with healthy subjects, DSD was significantly increased and FCDA was significantly decreased (P

In this study, ultra-lightweight and high strength Engineered Cementitious Composites (ULHS-ECCs) are developed via lightweight filler incorporation and matrix composition tailoring. The mechanical, physical, and micromechanical properties of the resulting ULHS-ECCs are investigated and discussed. ULHS-ECCs with a density below 1300 kg/m3, a compressive strength beyond 60 MPa, a tensile strain capacity above 1%, and a thermal conductivity below 0.5 w/mK are developed. The inclusion of lightweight fillers and the variation in proportioning of the ternary binder can lead to a change in micromechanical properties, including the matrix fracture toughness and the fiber/matrix interface properties. As a result, the tensile strain-hardening performance of the ULHS-ECCs can be altered.

In situ aircraft measurements of aerosols and clouds were performed over the eastern Loess Plateau in Shanxi Province, China. The microphysical properties of both aerosols and warm clouds, including aerosol number concentration (Na), particle effective diameter (ED), number concentration of cloud droplets (Nc), cloud droplet diameter (Dc), and liquid water content (LWC) of clouds, determined through six flight observations performed in May 2013 were obtained and analysed. The mean magnitude of measured Na over the six flights was 103 cm−3, and accumulation mode particles dominated the majority. Most EDs of aerosol particles were less than 1 μm. Large amounts of fine aerosol particles were constrained to the lower layer, with ED smaller than 0.5 μm, and Na decreased with height. The base heights of warm clouds ranged from 1000 to 2800 m. The maximum and average values of the measured Nc ranged from 147 to 311 cm−3 and 51 to 157 cm−3, respectively. The maximum and average Dc ranged from 13.5 to 28.9 and 5.8 to 13.1 μm, respectively. The average LWC of warm clouds was 0.05 g·m−3. Na was negatively correlated with Nc either in the vertical or horizontal direction. Nc was higher with a smaller size of cloud droplets under high aerosol loading conditions. A small number of cloud droplets with larger size were formed under low aerosol loading conditions. At a certain range of LWC, Nc and Dc showed a negative correlation. The increase in LWC was related to an increase in the size of cloud droplets rather than the number of cloud droplets. The cloud droplet size distribution showed that small droplets dominated the total cloud droplet concentration. A bimodal lognormal distribution function can be efficiently used to describe the average spectrum of warm cloud droplets.

Background: To predict the optimal functions of key aberrant genes in early-onset preeclampsia (EOPE) by using a modified network-based gene function inference method. Methods: First, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were extracted using linear models for microarray data (LIMMA) package. Then the Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was calculated to assess co-expressed strength of each interaction between DEGs, based on which the co-expressed genes network was constructed to vividly exhibit their interlinking relationship. Subsequently, Gene ontology (GO) annotations for EOPE were collected according to known confirmed database and DEGs. Ultimately, the multifunctionality algorithm was used to extend the “guilt by association” method based on the co-expressed network, and a 3-fold cross validation was operated to evaluate the accuracy of the algorithm. Results: During the process, the GO terms, of which the area under the curve (AUC) over 0.7 were screened as the optimal gene functions for EOPE. Six functions including the ion binding and cellular response to stimulus were determined as the optimal gene functions. Conclusion: Such findings should help to better understand the pathogenesis of EOPE, so as to provide some references for clinical diagnosis and treatment in the future.

Gap junctions (GJs) are indispensable for communication between cumulus cells (CCs) and oocytes in coordinating the gonadotropin-induced meiotic maturation of oocytes. Of all proteins that constitute GJs, phosphorylated connexin43 (pCx43) is vital for mediating the actions of gonadotropins. In this study, the mechanism of Cx43 phosphorylation in response to follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) stimulation was examined using an in vitro model of mouse cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs). The results confirmed that Cx43 phosphorylation occurred twice during FSH treatment. Importantly, the second Cx43 phosphorylation was closely related to cAMP level reduction within oocytes, which initiated oocyte maturation. Exploration of the underlying mechanism revealed that the CC-specific protein kinase C ε (PKCε) level was upregulated by FSH stimulation. PKCε was a kinase downstream from mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and was responsible for Cx43 phosphorylation. Interestingly, MAPK was involved in both Cx43 phosphorylation processes, while PKCε was only involved in the second. In conclusion, PKCε-mediated MAPK signals might contribute to Cx43 phosphorylation in CCs during FSH-induced oocyte meiotic resumption. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of the molecular regulation mechanism of oocyte maturation in response to FSH in vitro.

This paper uses the Kelvin-Voigt viscoelastic model to establish the continuous dynamic equations for tail hammer tension belt conveyors. The viscoelastic continuity equations are solved using the generalized coordinate method. We analyze various factors influencing longitudinal vibration of the belt conveyor by simulation and propose a control strategy to limit the vibration. The proposed approach and control strategy were verified by several experimental researches and cases. The proposed approach provides improved accuracy for dynamic design of belt conveyors.

Previously, we obtained the sweetpotato somatic hybrid KT1 from a cross between sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.) cv. Kokei No. 14 and its drought-tolerant wild relative I. triloba L. KT1 not only inherited the thick storage root characteristic of Kokei No. 14 but also the drought-tolerance trait of I. triloba L. The aim of this study was to explore the molecular mechanism of the drought tolerance of KT1. Four-week-old in vitro-grown plants of KT1, Kokei No. 14, and I. triloba L. were subjected to a simulated drought stress treatment (30% PEG6000) for 0, 6, 12 and 24 h. Total RNA was extracted from samples at each time point, and then used for transcriptome sequencing. The gene transcript profiles of KT1 and its parents were compared to identify differentially expressed genes, and drought-related modules were screened by a weighted gene co-expression network analysis. The functions of ABI-like protein and Ca2+-ATPase, two proteins screened from the cyan and light yellow modules, were analyzed in terms of their potential roles in drought tolerance in KT1 and its parents. These analyses of the drought responses of KT1 and its somatic donors at the transcriptional level provide new annotations for the molecular mechanism of drought tolerance in the somatic hybrid KT1 and its parents.

Wilms’ tumor is associated with a high treatment success rate, but there is still a risk of recurrence. Cisplatin, which is one of the chemotherapeutic agents used for its treatment, is associated with a very high rate of resistance. Par-4 (prostate apoptosis response 4) is a tumor suppressor, which is capable of sensitizing tumor cells to chemotherapy. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine whether combined treatment with Par-4 and cisplatin is effective for inhibiting growth of Wilms’ tumor. Wilms’ tumor and control cell samples were collected and analyzed by immunofluorescence assay and immunohistochemistry. Total proteins extracted from cultured cells were analyzed using western blotting and flow cytometry. In addition, a mouse xenograft model was established. We discovered significantly low expression of Par-4 in the tumor tissue, which was positively correlated with high expression of GRP78 (glucose-regulated protein 78). In addition, we found that ectopic Par-4 co-localized with cell surface GRP78 and induced high expression of the endoplasmic reticulum proteins ATF4 and BAX, which activated the endoplasmic reticulum apoptosis pathway. Moreover, treatment with ectopic Par-4 and cisplatin suppressed xenograft growth in nude mice. In conclusion, our results showed that Par-4 overexpression and cisplatin had a synergistic effect on SK-NEP-1 cells, as a result of which cell growth was inhibited and cellular apoptosis was induced. Thus, in vitro and in vivo upregulation of Par-4 expression is indispensable for the trafficking of GRP78 to the cell membrane and subsequent apoptosis of cancer cells.

Postinfectious acute glomerulonephritis (PIGN) may occur after various bacterial and viral infections. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a cause of chronic glomerulonephritis. We report here 10 cases (ages 7-20 years-old) of chronic HBV carriers with acute glomerulonephritis, with positive glomerular staining of hepatitis B surface antigen, and detectable presence of HBV DNA in the glomeruli. This form of PIGN, HBV-PIGN, has not been previously identified. To further characterize clinical and pathological features of HBV- PIGN, we selected 10 cases of age-matched non-HBV PIGN for comparison. While both HBV associated PIGN and non-HBV PIGN similarly presented as proteinuria, hematuria, and hypertension, there was a trend of higher acute kidney injury and worsened prognosis in HBV-PIGN. 6 months after the onset, 4 patients with HBV associated PIGN did not show improvement from the disease, whereas all patients with non-HBV PIGN had complete or partial recovery. Pathologically, both HBV associated PIGN and non-HBV PIGN showed typical diffuse glomerular endocapillary proliferation, but HBV associated PIGN differed from classical PIGN with much fewer sub-epithelial glomerular "hump-shape" immune complex depositions. In conclusion, we have identified a novel association of HBV infection with acute glomerulonephritis.