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Groundwater is an important water supply source in Xining City. Previous works have found that iron-rich groundwater limits water development and utilization. However, few studies focus on the distribution characteristics and mechanism of iron-rich groundwater in different types of aquifers in Xining City. Based on the hydrochemical data of 144 groundwater samples, combined with the geological and hydrogeological conditions, the distribution characteristics and influencing factors of iron content in groundwater in different aquifers were analyzed by methods of statistics and geostatistics. The results show that the exceeding standard ratio of iron in groundwater of unconsolidated sediments aquifer (Area Ⅰ) is 27. 85%, which is 1. 6 times and 2. 7 times higher than that of clastic rocks fissure-pore aquifer (Area Ⅱ) and bedrock aquifer (Area Ⅲ), respectively. The proportion of iron-rich groundwater (concentration greater than 0. 3 mg/L) in construction land area is significantly higher than in areas with other land use types. The redox environment and human activities (such as industrial wastewater, domestic sewage, and infiltration of iron-rich river water) may be the main factors affecting the increase of iron content in groundwater in Area I. In addition to the redox environment, Agricultural nitrogen fertilizer use and domestic sewage discharge are also important factors affecting iron-rich groundwater in Area Ⅱ. The iron-rich groundwater in Area Ⅲ is mainly controlled by redox conditions. On the regional scale, the distribution of iron-rich groundwater presents in bands or spots along the river. The iron deposits releasing in the primary strata and human activities (industrial wastewater) are the main source of iron ions in the shallow groundwater in the study area. The migration and enrichment of iron in groundwater are mainly controlled by redox conditions, and affected by the runoff condition, without relation to pH and salt effect. This study can provide scientific basis for urban water environment management in Xining City and similar arid and semi-arid areas.

Abstract Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is an aggressive pulmonary neuroendocrine malignancy featured by cold tumor immune microenvironment (TIME), limited benefit from immunotherapy, and poor survival. The spatial heterogeneity of TIME significantly associated with anti-tumor immunity has not been systemically studied in SCLC. We performed ultra-high-plex Digital Spatial Profiling on 132 tissue microarray cores from 44 treatment-naive limited-stage SCLC tumors. Incorporating single-cell RNA-sequencing data from a local cohort and published SCLC data, we established a spatial proteo-transcriptomic landscape covering over 18,000 genes and 60 key immuno-oncology proteins that participate in signaling pathways affecting tumorigenesis, immune regulation, and cancer metabolism across 3 pathologically defined spatial compartments (pan-CK-positive tumor nest; CD45/CD3-positive tumor stroma; para-tumor). Our study depicted the spatial transcriptomic and proteomic TIME architecture of SCLC, indicating clear intra-tumor heterogeneity dictated via canonical neuroendocrine subtyping markers; revealed the enrichment of innate immune cells and functionally impaired B cells in tumor nest and suggested potentially important immunoregulatory roles of monocytes/macrophages. We identified RE1 silencing factor (REST) as a potential biomarker for SCLC associated with low neuroendocrine features, more active anti-tumor immunity, and prolonged survival.

Abstract Background Prostate cancer ranks among the six most lethal malignancies worldwide. Telomerase, a reverse transcriptase enzyme, plays a pivotal role in extending cellular telomeres and is intimately associated with cell proliferation and division. However, the interconnection between prostate cancer and telomerase-related genes (TEASEs) remains unclear. Methods Somatic mutations and copy number alterations of TEASEs were comprehensively analyzed. Subsequently, the transcripts of prostate cancer patients in TCGA and GEO databases were integrated to delineate new molecular subtypes. Followed by constructing a risk model containing nine characteristic genes through Lasso regression and Cox prognostic analysis among different subtypes. Various aspects including prognosis, tumor microenvironment (TME), landscape of immunity, tumor mutational burden (TMB), stem cell correlation, and median inhibitory concentration amongst different risk groups were compared. Finally, the expression, prognosis, and malignant biological behavior of ZW10 interactor (ZWINT) in vitro was explored. Results TEASEs exhibited a notably high mutation frequency. Three distinct molecular subtypes and two gene subclusters based on TEASEs were delineated, displaying significant associations with prognosis, immune function regulation, and clinical characteristics. Low-risk patients demonstrated superior prognosis and better response to immunotherapy. Conversely, high-risk patients exhibited higher TMB and stronger stem cell correlations. It was also found that the patients’ sensitivity to chemotherapy agents was impacted by the risk score. Finally, ZWINT’s potential as a novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for prostate cancer was validated. Conclusions TEASEs play a pivotal role in modulating immune regulation and immunotherapeutic responses, thereby significantly impacting the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment strategies for affected patients.

Abstract Background The Health and Medical Assistance Program for Poverty Alleviation is part of China’s targeted poverty elimination strategy, which aims to protect poor people’s right to health and prevent them from becoming trapped in or returning to poverty because of illness. Many tasks have been defined in this program, including raising the medical insurance level, providing a triage system, improving medical and health services, and enhancing people’s health. One pivotal aspect of this initiative involves equitable health resource allocation, a key measure aimed at bolstering medical and health services. This study aimed to analyze and compare health resource allocations in different counties in Northwest China after the implementation of the program. Methods The Gini coefficient quantifies the level of distributional equality, the Theil index assesses the sources of inequality, and the Health Resource Agglomeration Degree gauges the accessibility of health resources. Results 1) The health resource allocation distributed based on population(Gini Coefficient 0.35) among counties in Northwest China. 2) The contribution rate within non-impoverished counties is higher than that of impoverished counties, which means the inequality within non-impoverished counties. 3) The allocation of beds in medical institutions by area in non-impoverished counties was better than that in impoverished counties, and accessibility to health services for residents in non-impoverished counties was better than that in impoverished counties. Conclusion The analysis of health resource allocation among the five provinces in Northwest China revealed significant differences in equality among the five provinces in Northwest China, and the differences were mainly derived from the non-impoverished counties. Although the equality is gradually improving, the number of health resources in impoverished counties remain lower than that in non-impoverished counties.Subsequently, it is essential to ensure equitable distribution of healthcare resources while also taking into account their utilization and quality.

Abstract One-dimensional metallic transition-metal chalcogenide nanowires (TMC-NWs) hold promise for interconnecting devices built on two-dimensional (2D) transition-metal dichalcogenides, but only isotropic growth has so far been demonstrated. Here we show the direct patterning of highly oriented Mo6Te6 NWs in 2D molybdenum ditelluride (MoTe2) using graphite as confined encapsulation layers under external stimuli. The atomic structural transition is studied through in-situ electrical biasing the fabricated heterostructure in a scanning transmission electron microscope. Atomic resolution high-angle annular dark-field STEM images reveal that the conversion of Mo6Te6 NWs from MoTe2 occurs only along specific directions. Combined with first-principles calculations, we attribute the oriented growth to the local Joule-heating induced by electrical bias near the interface of the graphite-MoTe2 heterostructure and the confinement effect generated by graphite. Using the same strategy, we fabricate oriented NWs confined in graphite as lateral contact electrodes in the 2H-MoTe2 FET, achieving a low Schottky barrier of 11.5 meV, and low contact resistance of 43.7 Ω µm at the metal-NW interface. Our work introduces possible approaches to fabricate oriented NWs for interconnections in flexible 2D nanoelectronics through direct metal phase patterning.

Microwave antennas are essential elements for various applications, such as telecommunication, radar, sensing, and wireless power transport. These antennas are conventionally manufactured on rigid substrates using opaque materials, such as metal strips, metallic tapes, or epoxy pastes; thus, prohibiting their use in flexible and wearable devices, and simultaneously limiting their integration into existing optoelectronic systems. Here, we demonstrate that mechanically flexible and optically transparent microwave antennas with high operational efficiencies can be readily fabricated using composite nanolayers deposited on common plastic substrates. The composite nanolayer structure consists of an ultra-thin copper-doped silver film sandwiched between two dielectric films of tantalum pentoxide and aluminum oxide. The material and thickness of each constituent layer are judiciously selected such that the whole structure exhibits an experimentally measured averaged visible transmittance as high as 98.94% compared to a bare plastic substrate, and simultaneously, a sheet resistance as low as 12.5 Ω/sq. Four representative types of microwave antennas are implemented: an omnidirectional dipole antenna, unidirectional Yagi-Uda antenna, low-profile patch antenna, and Fabry-Pérot cavity antenna. These devices exhibit great mechanical flexibility with bending angle over 70°, high gain of up to 13.6 dBi, and large radiation efficiency of up to 84.5%. The proposed nano-engineered composites can be easily prepared over large areas on various types of substrates and simultaneously overcome the limitations of poor mechanical flexibility, low electrical conductivity, and reduced optical transparency usually faced by other constituent materials for flexible transparent microwave antennas. The demonstrated flexible microwave antennas have various applications ranging from fifth-generation and vehicular communication systems to bio-signal monitors and wearable electronics.

Abstract Background In 2018, the National Centralized Drug Procurement (NCDP) policy has been implemented in 11 provinces, and promoted across the country in 2019. The main feature of the policy is “volume for price”, therefore, it is necessary to measure the price relationship, not only to reduce the price of drugs, reduce the burden of patients' medical costs, but also facilitate pharmaceutical companies to access enough innovation incentives. The aim of this study was to assess the vacated space effect of the drug centralized procurement by national organizations in exchange of price for quantity. Methods A difference-in-differences (DID) model was employed to analyze the effect of the 4 + 7 pilot drugs centralized purchasing policy on drug sales volume and selected versus clinically substitutable unselected varieties, using observational data from 2018 to 2019. We compared drug procurement data between secondary and above public hospitals in pilot and non-pilot cities throughout China. Results The study showed that the average treatment effect (ATE) of sales in the in-hospital market for the selected supply varieties in centralized purchasing is -0.42, and with a sales volume of 0.49. This indicates a volume-price vacated space of 1.16 ~ 1.17 DDD (defined daily dose)/Yuan, implying that for every 1 defined daily dose (DDD) increase in reported volume, the standardized price decreased by 1.16–1.17 Yuan. The ATE of in-hospital market sales for drugs not selected in centralized procurement shows a decrease of 0.13. This finding highlights the presence of the price linkage effect. The ATE of sales volume is 0.57, indicating a volume-price space of 4.38 ~ 4.39 DDD/Yuan for unselected drugs, approximately 3.75 higher relative to that of the selected ones. Conclusions The ratio of the volume-price space of clinically substitutable unselected and selected drugs may serve as direct evidence for evaluating the shift from centralized purchasing of drug varieties to clinically substitutable other ones. To strengthen the volume-based negotiation approach and maximize the effectiveness of centralized purchasing policies, we recommend the strategic implementation of a three-tiered centralized purchasing system, the expansion of drug coverage, and the introduction of relevant constraints and incentives.

Abstract Waterlogging stress is one of the major abiotic stresses affecting the productivity and quality of many crops worldwide. However, the mechanisms of waterlogging tolerance are still elusive in barley. In this study, we identify key differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differential metabolites (DM) that mediate distinct waterlogging tolerance strategies in leaf and root of two barley varieties with contrasting waterlogging tolerance under different waterlogging treatments. Transcriptome profiling revealed that the response of roots was more distinct than that of leaves in both varieties, in which the number of downregulated genes in roots was 7.41-fold higher than that in leaves of waterlogging sensitive variety after 72 h of waterlogging stress. We also found the number of waterlogging stress-induced upregulated DEGs in the waterlogging tolerant variety was higher than that of the waterlogging sensitive variety in both leaves and roots in 1 h and 72 h treatment. This suggested the waterlogging tolerant variety may respond more quickly to waterlogging stress. Meanwhile, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway was identified to play critical roles in waterlogging tolerant variety by improving cell wall biogenesis and peroxidase activity through DEGs such as Peroxidase (PERs) and Cinnamoyl-CoA reductases (CCRs) to improve resistance to waterlogging. Based on metabolomic and transcriptomic analysis, we found the waterlogging tolerant variety can better alleviate the energy deficiency via higher sugar content, reduced lactate accumulation, and improved ethanol fermentation activity compared to the waterlogging sensitive variety. In summary, our results provide waterlogging tolerance strategies in barley to guide the development of elite genetic resources towards waterlogging-tolerant crop varieties.

Abstract Drug resistance after long‐term use of Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) has become an obstacle for prolonging the survival time of patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Here, genome‐wide CRISPR‐based screening to reveal that HDAC8 is involved in decreasing the sensitivity of ccRCC cells to sunitinib is applied. Mechanically, HDAC8 deacetylated ETS1 at the K245 site to promote the interaction between ETS1 and HIF‐2α and enhance the transcriptional activity of the ETS1/HIF‐2α complex. However, the antitumor effect of inhibiting HDAC8 on sensitized TKI is not very satisfactory. Subsequently, inhibition of HDAC8 increased the expression of NEK1, and up‐regulated NEK1 phosphorylated ETS1 at the T241 site to promote the interaction between ETS1 and HIF‐2α by impeded acetylation at ETS1‐K245 site is showed. Moreover, TKI treatment increased the expression of HDAC8 by inhibiting STAT3 phosphorylation in ccRCC cells is also found. These 2 findings highlight a potential mechanism of acquired resistance to TKIs and HDAC8 inhibitors in ccRCC. Finally, HDAC8‐in‐PROTACs to optimize the effects of HDAC8 inhibitors through degrading HDAC8 and overcoming the resistance of ccRCC to TKIs are synthesized. Collectively, the results revealed HDAC8 as a potential therapeutic candidate for resistance to ccRCC‐targeted therapies.

HMGA2, a pivotal transcription factor, functions as a versatile regulator implicated in the progression of diverse aggressive malignancies. In this study, mass spectrometry was employed to identify ubiquitin-specific proteases that potentially interact with HMGA2, and USP48 was identified as a deubiquitinating enzyme of HMGA2. The enforced expression of USP48 significantly increased HMGA2 protein levels by inhibiting its degradation, while the deprivation of USP48 promoted HMGA2 degradation, thereby suppressing tumor invasion and metastasis. We discovered that USP48 undergoes SUMOylation at lysine 258, which enhances its binding affinity to HMGA2. Through subsequent phenotypic screening of small molecules, we identified DUB-IN-2 as a remarkably potent pharmacological inhibitor of USP48. Interestingly, the small-molecule inhibitor targeting USP48 induces destabilization of HMGA2. Clinically, upregulation of USP48 or HMGA2 in cancerous tissues is indicative of poor prognosis for patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Collectively, our study not only elucidates the regulatory mechanism of DUBs involved in HMGA2 stability and validates USP48 as a potential therapeutic target for CRC, but also identifies DUB-IN-2 as a potent inhibitor of USP48 and a promising candidate for CRC treatment.

ABSTRACTThis study aimed to provide data for the clinical features of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) and the molecular characteristics of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates from paediatric patients in China. We conducted a multi-centre prospective study for IPD in 19 hospitals across China from January 2019 to December 2021. Data of demographic characteristics, risk factors for IPD, death, and disability was collected and analysed. Serotypes, antibiotic susceptibility, and multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) of pneumococcal isolates were also detected. A total of 478 IPD cases and 355 pneumococcal isolates were enrolled. Among the patients, 260 were male, and the median age was 35 months (interquartile range, 12–46 months). Septicaemia (37.7%), meningitis (32.4%), and pneumonia (27.8%) were common disease types, and 46 (9.6%) patients died from IPD. Thirty-four serotypes were detected, 19F (24.2%), 14 (17.7%), 23F (14.9%), 6B (10.4%) and 19A (9.6%) were common serotypes. Pneumococcal isolates were highly resistant to macrolides (98.3%), tetracycline (94.1%), and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (70.7%). Non-sensitive rates of penicillin were 6.2% and 83.3% in non-meningitis and meningitis isolates. 19F-ST271, 19A-ST320 and 14-ST876 showed high resistance to antibiotics. This multi-centre study reports the clinical features of IPD and demonstrates serotype distribution and antibiotic resistance of pneumococcal isolates in Chinese children. There exists the potential to reduce IPD by improved uptake of pneumococcal vaccination, and continued surveillance is warranted.

ABSTRACT The gastric microbial community plays a fundamental role in gastric cancer (GC), and the two main anatomical subtypes of GC, non-cardia and cardia GC, are associated with different risk factors (Helicobacter pylori for non-cardia GC). To decipher the different microbial spatial communities of GC, we performed a multicenter retrospective analysis to characterize the gastric microbiota in 223 GC patients, including H. pylori-positive or -negative patients, with tumors and paired adjacent normal tissues, using third-generation sequencing. In the independent validation cohort, both dental plaque and GC tumoral tissue samples were collected and sequenced. The prevalence of H. pylori and oral-associated bacteria was verified using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) assays in GC tumoral tissues and matched nontumoral tissues. We found that the vertical distribution of the gastric microbiota, at the upper, middle, and lower third sites of GC, was likely an important factor causing microbial diversity in GC tumor tissues. The oral-associated microbiota cluster, which included Veillonella parvula, Streptococcus oralis, and Prevotella intermedia, was more abundant in the upper third of the GC. However, H. pylori was more abundant in the lower third of the GC and exhibited a significantly high degree of microbial correlation. The oral-associated microbiota module was co-exclusive with H. pylori in the lower third site of the GC tumoral tissue. Importantly, H. pylori-negative GC patients with oral-associated gastric microbiota showed worse overall survival, while the increase in microbial abundance in H. pylori-positive GC patients showed no difference in overall survival. The prevalence of V. parvula in both the dental plaque and GC tissue samples was concordant in the independent validation phase. We showed that the oral-associated species V. parvula and S. oralis were correlated with overall survival. Our study highlights the roles of the oral-associated microbiota in the upper third of the GC. In addition, oral-associated species may serve as noninvasive screening tools for the management of GC and an independent prognostic factor for H. pylori-negative GCs.IMPORTANCEOur study highlights the roles of the oral-associated microbiota in the upper third of gastric cancer (GC).We showed that the oral-associated species Veillonella parvula and Streptococcus oralis were correlated with overall survival. In addition, oral-associated species may serve as noninvasive screening tools for the management of GC and an independent prognostic factor for Helicobacter pylori-negative GCs.

Invertebrates can store carbon (C), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and other elements in their body tissues at theoretically homeostatic rates, thus playing an important role in the biogeochemical cycle of aquatic ecosystems. To sustain homeostasis, consumers must either balance their resource supply or adjust their stoichiometric features in response to environmental changes. However, there is limited understanding regarding potential differences in the ecological stoichiometric characteristics of marine invertebrates. To explore the ecological stoichiometric characteristics of marine invertebrates, the C, N, P, calcium (Ca), δ13C, and δ15N contents of 18 invertebrate species were analyzed from the Beibu Gulf. The results revealed that the ranges of elemental variations (C, N, and P) in invertebrates were 25.17%-47.34%, 6.14%-14.13%, and 0.26%-1.31%, respectively. The content of P in invertebrates exhibited the most significant variation, leading to alterations in C:P and N:P ratios. A significant negative correlation was observed between P content and body weight in invertebrates (p < 0.01). Furthermore, the C and N content of invertebrates were significantly negatively correlated with δ13C (p < 0.01), suggesting that the variations in C content and N content in invertebrates are influenced by different food sources, while P content varies according to body size. Our results also indicated significant interspecific differences in the ecological stoichiometry of invertebrates from the Beibu Gulf (p < 0.05). Invertebrate growth may be inhibited by P, and they do not maintain strict homeostasis, with stable homeostasis observed in higher trophic levels.

BackgroundThis study aimed to establish a comprehensive clinical prognostic risk model based on pulmonary function tests. This model was intended to guide the evaluation and predictive management of patients with resectable stage I-III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) receiving neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy.MethodsClinical pathological characteristics and prognostic survival data for 175 patients were collected. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses, and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis were employed to identify variables and construct corresponding models. These variables were integrated to develop a ridge regression model. The models’ discrimination and calibration were evaluated, and the optimal model was chosen following internal validation. Comparative analyses between the risk scores or groups of the optimal model and clinical factors were conducted to explore the potential clinical application value.ResultsUnivariate regression analysis identified smoking, complete pathologic response (CPR), and major pathologic response (MPR) as protective factors. Conversely, T staging, D-dimer/white blood cell ratio (DWBCR), D-dimer/fibrinogen ratio (DFR), and D-dimer/minute ventilation volume actual ratio (DMVAR) emerged as risk factors. Evaluation of the models confirmed their capability to accurately predict patient prognosis, exhibiting ideal discrimination and calibration, with the ridge regression model being optimal. Survival analysis demonstrated that the disease-free survival (DFS) in the high-risk group (HRG) was significantly shorter than in the low-risk group (LRG) (P=2.57×10-13). The time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve indicated that the area under the curve (AUC) values at 1 year, 2 years, and 3 years were 0.74, 0.81, and 0.79, respectively. Clinical correlation analysis revealed that men with lung squamous cell carcinoma or comorbid chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were predominantly in the LRG, suggesting a better prognosis and potentially identifying a beneficiary population for this treatment combination.ConclusionThe prognostic model developed in this study effectively predicts the prognosis of patients with NSCLC receiving neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy. It offers valuable predictive insights for clinicians, aiding in developing treatment plans and monitoring disease progression.

Bone-related disorders, such as osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and osteosarcoma, have complex origins. Genetic, environmental factors, and significantly, oxidative stress due to Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) play pivotal roles in these disorders. With their profound implications on global health, it becomes imperative to seek innovative therapeutic solutions. Nanozymes, known for their superior stability, cost-effectiveness, and tunable properties, present themselves as a prospective answer in mitigating ROS-driven bone ailments. This review explores the diverse applications and mechanisms of nanozymes in the context of bone health. They show potential in not only counteracting ROS-induced oxidative stress but also in modulating angiogenesis and showcasing antibacterial effects. We systematically analyze the effects of nanozymes on conditions such as osteonecrosis of the femoral head, skin flap transplantation, osteomyelitis, osteoarthritis, intervertebral disc disease, osteoporosis, and osteosarcoma, highlighting their potential roles in modulating disease processes. In addition, we discuss the challenges of applying nanozymes to orthopedic diseases. It offers insights into the transformative potential of nanozymes in bone therapeutics, underscoring the need to address challenges and capitalize on opportunities for their broader application in orthopedics.

With the application and development of new technologies such as the Internet of Things and big data in the energy field, smart grids have gradually become the main trend for the future development of the power system. However, frequent communication between various participants in the smart grid can lead to higher privacy leakage risks, and malicious attackers can cause economic losses and security accidents to the smart grid by injecting abnormal power data. To address the issues of data privacy protection and anomaly detection in smart grids, this study proposed a matrix completion based smart grid data privacy protection scheme and an unsupervised learning based smart grid anomaly data detection scheme. A matrix completion based smart grid data privacy protection scheme was proposed to address the issue of data privacy protection between different trust domains in the smart grid. This scheme repaired missing elements in the relevant matrix through matrix completion, and increased random perturbations by adding noise with the same statistical characteristics as the original data to achieve data privacy protection. To address the issue of missing power data labels and inaccurate principal component analysis caused by abnormal data, an improved K-means clustering algorithm was used to remove outliers and optimize the results, to achieve accurate detection of abnormal data. The experimental results showed that the proposed algorithm has an accuracy of 0.9, an F1 value of 0.7, and a Bayesian detection rate of 0.61, all of which are higher than other algorithms. The AUC value of the proposed method was 0.79, indicating that the scheme established in this chapter has certain advantages in detecting abnormal electricity consumption.

Abstract Limited endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST) combined with endoscopic papillary balloon dilation (EPBD) is widely used. However, the optimal duration of small balloon dilation in choledocholithiasis remains controversial. We aimed to determine the optimal duration for 10 mm diameter balloon dilation after limited EST in choledocholithiasis. In this randomized controlled clinical trial, 320 patients were randomly assigned to receive small balloon dilation (10 mm in diameter) for 1 min (n = 160) or 3 min (n = 160) after deep bile duct cannulation. No significant difference in success rate of stone extraction between the two groups was observed. The incidence of post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP) was higher in the 1 min group (10.6%) than in the 3 min group (4.4%) (P = 0.034). The logistic regression analysis showed that guidewire into the pancreatic duct, cannulation time > 5 min and 1 min balloon dilation were independent risk factors for PEP. There were no significant differences in other post-ERCP adverse events such as acute cholangitis, bleeding, perforation, etc. between the two groups. In conclusion, 3 min in duration was determined to be the optimal dilation condition for the removal of common bile duct stones.

Abstract The combination of flexible sensors and deep learning has attracted much attention as an efficient method for the recognition of human postures. In this paper, an in situ polymerized MXene/polypyrrole (PPy) composite is dip-coated on a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) sponge to fabricate an MXene/PPy@PDMS (MPP) piezoresistive sensor. The sponge sensor achieves ultrahigh sensitivity (6.8925 kPa−1) at 0–15 kPa, a short response/recovery time (100/110 ms), excellent stability (5000 cycles) and wash resistance. The synergistic effect of PPy and MXene improves the performance of the composite materials and facilitates the transfer of electrons, making the MPP sponge at least five times more sensitive than sponges based on each of the individual single materials. The large-area conductive network allows the MPP sensor to maintain excellent electrical performance over a large-scale pressure range. The MPP sensor can detect a variety of human body activity signals, such as radial artery pulse and different joint movements. The detection and analysis of human motion data, which is assisted by convolutional neural network (CNN) deep learning algorithms, enable the recognition and judgment of 16 types of human postures. The MXene/PPy flexible pressure sensor based on a PDMS sponge has broad application prospects in human motion detection, intelligent sensing and wearable devices.

The source area of the Yellow River (SAYR), located above the Huangheyan hydrological station, is important for ecological preservation and water source conservation in the Yellow River Basin. In this area, the impact of water conservation projects on the hydrology and the ecological environment is pivotal in protecting water resources and alpine vegetation ecosystems. This study investigates the impact of the Yellow River Source Hydropower Station on the runoff and ecological evolution of the SAYR, along with the underlying mechanism, using extensive datasets encompassing long-term meteorological, hydrological and remote sensing data from various time periods. Results show that, over the long term, precipitation is the primary factor driving runoff variations in the SAYR. Nevertheless, from 1990 to 2020, there is a notably inconsistent relationship between precipitation and runoff. After the completion of the Yellow River Source Hydropower Station in 2001, the water level of Eling Lake experienced and elevation of 2–3 m, leading to a gradual recovery of runoff. In addition, the basin's water balance shifted from a negative to a positive equilibrium, oscillating with changes in lake water levels. Consequently, the overflow zone of the Tangchama alluvial–proluvial fan in the upper reaches of the lakeshore shifted by 500 m, and marsh wetlands expanded by 20.78 km2. The increased storage of lakes and groundwater in the SAYR is the key controlling factor for the runoff recovery, changes in the basin's water balance, and enhancements in lakeshore vegetation ecology. Under the geological background of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau's upliftment and intensified upstream river erosion, the basin experienced a substantial water imbalance due to declining discharge base levels, which is the most critical factor behind runoff attenuation in the SAYR towards the end of the 20th century. The construction of the hydropower station objectively raised the drainage base level of the basin, thereby positively contributing to the preservation of water balance, runoff stability, and the enhancement of swamps and wetlands along the lakeshore.

Abstract Background The Support and Treatment After Replacement (STAR) care pathway is a clinically important and cost-effective intervention found to improve pain outcomes over one year for people with chronic pain three months after total knee replacement (TKR). We followed up STAR trial participants to evaluate the longer-term clinical- and cost-effectiveness of this care pathway. Methods Participants who remained enrolled on the trial at one year were contacted by post at a median of four years after randomisation and invited to complete a questionnaire comprising the same outcomes collected during the trial. We captured pain (co-primary outcome using the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) pain severity and interference scales; scored 0–10, best to worst), function, neuropathic characteristics, emotional aspects of pain, health-related quality of life, and satisfaction. Electronic hospital informatics data on hospital resource use for the period of one to four years post-randomisation were collected from participating hospital sites. The economic evaluation took an National Health Service (NHS) secondary care perspective, with a four-year time horizon. Results Overall, 226/337 (67%) of participants returned completed follow-up questionnaires, yielding adjusted between-group differences in BPI means of -0.42 (95% confidence interval, CI (-1.07, 0.23); p = 0.20) for pain severity and − 0.64 (95% CI -1.41, 0.12); p = 0.10) for pain interference. Analysis using a multiple imputed data set (n = 337) showed an incremental net monetary benefit in favour of the STAR care pathway of £3,525 (95% CI -£990 to £8,039) at a £20,000/QALY willingness-to-pay threshold, leading to a probability that the intervention was cost-effective of 0.94. Conclusions The magnitude of the longer-term benefits of the STAR care pathway are uncertain due to attrition of trial participants; however, there is a suggestion of some degree of sustained clinical benefit at four years. The care pathway remained cost-effective at four years. Trial registration ISRCTN: 92,545,361.

Abstract Purpose Disposcope is a novel fibreoptic intubation device that allows visualization of the glottis without aligning the oral, pharyngeal, and tracheal axes. This device may offer advantages in improving glottis exposure, or reducing hemodynamic disturbance, and minimizing movement of the upper cervical spine (C-spine). In this study, we aimed to evaluate laryngoscopy using Disposcope compared to Macintosh laryngoscope. Methods This study enrolled 60 adult patients (American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status 1 and 2), both male and female, underwent lumbar spine surgery, scheduled for general anesthesia with endotracheal intubation. We compared the Cormack and Lehane grade, hemodynamic response, and the maximal change in the angle between adjacent cervical vertebrae and cumulative upper C-spine movement between Disposcope and Macintosh laryngoscope. A crossover trial design was employed, with half of the patients being exposed to the glottis using the Macintosh laryngoscope first, followed by the Disposcope, and vice versa for the other half. Results The intubation time in the Disposcope group was significantly lower than that in the Macintosh laryngoscope group (P

The supra-permafrost water is a vital water source to support the ecosystem and an important link in maintaining the hydrothermal cycle in the permafrost area. Under the intensification of climate change, scientific understanding of the effect of permafrost degradation on the supra-permafrost water is of great significance to water resources and ecological protection. Focusing on the hydrological effects of permafrost degradation in the source areas of the Yellow River, this study analyzed the degradation characteristics of permafrost, and revealed the response of the depth of groundwater level and recharge process of the supra-permafrost water to the permafrost degradation, on the basis of the temperature and moisture content of frozen soil at typical monitoring points and the runoff change at the Huangheyan Hydrologic Station. The results show that the average temperature increased 0.42 °C at the 0−2.4 m profile of the monitoring point from 2010 to 2020. The depth of the upper interface of the permafrost reduced from 2.1m to 2.5 m, with an average decrease rate of 4cm/a. After 2018, the depth of supra-permafrost water level reduced from less than 0.9 m to 0.9−1.8 m. The permafros degradation led to the runoff process in the melting period of active layer (May−October) being advanced, the ratio of extreme value being reduced，and the runoff hydrograph in January being more prominent. Ground temperature is the dominant factor in controlling the changes of depth of the supra-permafrost water. Under the condition of warm and humid climate change, Permafrost degradation would change the dynamic characteristics of the water above the frozen layer and its hydraulic relationship with surface water, affecting the hydrological and ecological processes in the source area of the Yellow River.

Nanoparticles have been developed as imaging contrast agents, heat absorbers to confine energy into targeted tumors, and drug carriers in advanced cancer treatment. It is crucial to achieve a minimal concentration of drug-carrying nanostructures or to induce an optimized nanoparticle distribution in tumors. This review is focused on understanding how local or whole-body heating alters transport properties in tumors, therefore leading to enhanced nanoparticle delivery or optimized nanoparticle distributions in tumors. First, an overview of cancer treatment and the development of nanotechnology in cancer therapy is introduced. Second, the importance of particle distribution in one of the hyperthermia approaches using nanoparticles in damaging tumors is discussed. How intensive heating during nanoparticle hyperthermia alters interstitial space structure to induce nanoparticle migration in tumors is evaluated. The next section reviews major obstacles in the systemic delivery of therapeutic agents to targeted tumors due to unique features of tumor microenvironments. Experimental observations on how mild local or whole-body heating boosts systemic nanoparticle delivery to tumors are presented, and possible physiological mechanisms are explored. The end of this review provides the current challenges facing clinicians and researchers in designing effective and safe heating strategies to maximize the delivery of therapeutic agents to tumors.

A theoretical simulation is performed to evaluate how microcracks affect the flow resistance in tumors during the convection-enhanced delivery (CED) of nanofluids. Both Darcy’s law and the theory of poroelasticity are used to understand fluid transport with or without microcrack introduction and/or enlargement. The results demonstrate significantly altered pressure and velocity fields in a spherical tumor with a radius of 10 mm due to the presence of a microcrack with a radius of 0.05 mm and length of 3 mm. The non-uniform fluid pressure field enlarges the original cylindrical microcrack to a frustum, with the crack volume more than doubled. Due to the larger permeability and porosity in the microcrack, flow in the tumor is much easier. One finds that the flow resistance with the enlarged microcrack is reduced by 14% from the control without a microcrack. Parametric studies are conducted to show that larger crack radii, longer crack lengths and higher infusing pressures result in further resistance reductions. The largest resistance reduction occurs when the infusing pressure is 4 × 105 Pa and the microcrack is 9 mm long, up to 18% from the control. We conclude that introducing a microcrack is an effective way to facilitate nanofluid delivery in porous tumors using CED.

Mutagenesis is an important tool in crop improvement and free of the regulatory restrictions imposed on genetically modified organisms. Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is a diploid species with a genome smaller than those of other members of the Triticeae crops, making it an attractive model for genetic studies in Triticeae crops. In this study, we report an ethyl methane sulfonate (EMS)-mutagenized population in the Chinese barley landrace TX9425, which is tolerant to both abiotic and biotic stress. A TILLING (Targeting Induced Locus Lesion in Genomes) population consisting of 2000 M2 lines was also constructed based on the CEL I enzyme with subsequent polyacrylamide electrophoresis, which decreased the cost and labor investment. The mutant phenotypes of the M2 and M3 generations were scored and revealed the presence of a wide spectrum of morphological diversity. The population was evaluated by screening for induced mutations in five genes of interest. A detailed analysis was performed for the HvGLR3.5 gene and three mutations were identified by screening in 2000 M2 lines. Two of three mutations displayed tuft and yellow striped leaves compared to the wild type. Altogether, our study shows the efficiency of screening and the great potential of the new TILLING population for genetic studies in the barley crop model system.

Role-based access control (RBAC) is a widely adopted access control model in various domains for defining security management. Role mining is closely related to role-based access control, as the latter employs role assignments to offer a flexible and scalable approach to managing permissions within an organization. The edge role mining problem (Edge RMP), a variant of the role mining problem (RMP), has long been recognized as an effective strategy for role assignment. Role mining, which groups users with similar access permissions into the same role, bears some resemblance to symmetry. Symmetry categorizes objects or graphics with identical characteristics into one group. Both involve a certain form of “classification” or “induction”. Edge-RMP reduces the associations between users and permissions, thereby lowering the security risks faced by the system. While an algorithm based on Boolean matrix factorization exists for this problem, it fails to further refine the resulting user–role assignment (UA) and role–permission assignment (PA) relationships. Additionally, this algorithm does not address constraint-related issues, such as cardinality constraints, user exclusion constraints, and user capabilities. Furthermore, it demonstrates significant redundancy of roles when handling large datasets, leaving room for further optimization of Edge-RMP results. To address these concerns, this paper proposes the MFC-RMA algorithm based on Boolean matrix factorization. The method achieves significant optimization of Edge-RMP results by handling relationships between roles possessing various permissions. Furthermore, this paper clusters, compresses, modifies, and optimizes the original data based on the similarity between users, ensuring its usability for role mining. Both theoretical and practical considerations are taken into account for different types of constraints, and algorithms are devised to reallocate roles incorporating these constraints, thereby generating UA and PA matrices. The proposed approach yields optimal numbers of generated roles and the sum of the minimum number of generated edges to address the aforementioned issues. Experimental results demonstrate that the algorithm reduces management overhead, provides efficient execution results, and ensures the accuracy of generated roles.

Titanium alloy exhibits exceptional performance and a wide range of applications, with the high performance serving as the foundation for the development. However, traditional material design methods encounter numerous calculations and experimental trial-and-error processes, leading to increased costs and decreased efficiency in material design. The data-driven model presents an intriguing alternative to traditional material design methods by offering a novel approach to expedite the materials design process. In this study, a framework for computer-aided design high performance titanium alloys based on machine learning is proposed, which constructs an intelligent search space encompassing various combinations of 18 elements to facilitate alloy design. Firstly, a proprietary dataset was constructed for titanium alloy materials using feature design and a combination of unsupervised and supervised feature engineering methods. Secondly, six machine learning algorithms were employed to establish regression models, and the hyperparameters of each algorithm were optimized to improve model performance. Thirdly, the model was screened using five regression algorithm evaluation methods. The results demonstrated that the selected optimized model achieved an R2 value of 0.95 on the verification set and 0.93 on the test set, yielding satisfactory outcomes. Finally, a comprehensive model framework along with an intelligent search methodology for designing high-strength titanium alloys has been established. It is believed that this method is also applicable to other properties of titanium alloys and the optimization of other materials.

ObjectivesInflammatory cytokines (ICs) play an important role in erectile dysfunction (ED). Previous studies have demonstrated that most ED patients have high levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-8 (IL-8). The causality between 41 ICs and ED is investigated using the Mendelian randomization (MR) approach.MethodsSingle nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) exposure data of 41 ICs came from a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of 8293 subjects. At the same time, the FINNGEN R9 database provided the ED outcome data containing 2205 ED patients and 164104 controls. MR-Egger (ME), inverse variance weighting (IVW), and weighted median (WM) were applied to conduct the MR study and IVW was taken as the main criterion.ResultsFrom a genetic perspective, the increase of interferon-inducible protein-10 (IP-10) level significantly increased the risk of ED (P=0.043, odds ratio (OR)=1.269, 95% confidence interval (95%CI): 1.007-1.600), while the increase of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) markedly decreased the risk of ED (P=0.037, OR=0.768, 95%CI: 0.600-0.984). Meanwhile, IP-10 (p=0.099) and IL-1RA (p=0.135) failed to demonstrate causality in reverse MR analysis.ConclusionsChanges in ICs levels will significantly affect the risk of ED, especially IP-10 as a risk component for ED and IL-1RA as a protective component for ED. In the future, we can achieve targeted treatment and prevention of ED by intervening with specific inflammatory factors.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a frequent urological malignancy characterized by a high rate of metastasis and lethality. The treatment strategy for advanced RCC has moved through multiple iterations over the past three decades. Initially, cytokine treatment was the only systemic treatment option for patients with RCC. With the development of medicine, antiangiogenic agents targeting vascular endothelial growth factor and mammalian target of rapamycin and immunotherapy, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have emerged and received several achievements in the therapeutics of advanced RCC. However, ICIs have still not brought completely satisfactory results due to drug resistance and undesirable side effects. For the past years, the interests form researchers have been attracted by the combination of ICIs and targeted therapy for advanced RCC and the angiogenesis and immunogenic tumor microenvironmental variations in RCC. Therefore, we emphasize the potential principle and the clinical progress of ICIs combined with targeted treatment of advanced RCC, and summarize the future direction.

Hydraulic fracturing is a crucial technology for enhancing the recovery of oil and gas from unconventional reservoirs. Accurately describing fracture morphology is essential for accurately predicting production dynamics. This article proposes a new fracture inversion model based on dynamic data-driven methods, which is different from the conventional linear elastic fracture mechanics model. This method eliminates the need to consider complex mechanical mechanisms, resulting in faster simulation speeds. In the model, the fracture morphology is constrained by combining microseismic data and fracturing construction data, and the fracture tip propagation domain is introduced to characterize the multi-directionality of fracture propagation. The simulated fracture exhibits a multi-branch fracture network morphology, aligning more closely with geological understanding. In addition, the influence of microseismic signal intensity on the direction of fracture propagation is considered in this study. The general stochastic approximation (GSA) algorithm is employed to optimize the direction of fracture propagation. The proposed method is applied to both the single-stage fracturing model and the whole well fracturing model. The research findings indicate that in the single-stage fracturing model, the inverted fracture morphology aligns closely with the microseismic data, with a fitting rate of the fracturing construction curve exceeding 95%, and a microseismic data fitting rate exceeding 93%. In the whole well fracturing model, a total of 18 sections were inverted. The fitting rate between the overall fracture morphology and the microseismic data reached 90%. The simulation only took 5 minutes, demonstrating high computational efficiency and meeting the needs of large-scale engineering fracture simulation. This method can effectively support geological modeling and production dynamic prediction.

Abstract Background To investigate the correlation between computed tomography (CT) radiomic characteristics and key genes for cervical lymph node metastasis (LNM) in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Methods The region of interest was annotated at the edge of the primary tumor on enhanced CT images from 140 patients with OSCC and obtained radiomic features. Ribonucleic acid (RNA) sequencing was performed on pathological sections from 20 patients. the DESeq software package was used to compare differential gene expression between groups. Weighted gene co‐expression network analysis was used to construct co‐expressed gene modules, and the KEGG and GO databases were used for pathway enrichment analysis of key gene modules. Finally, Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated between key genes of enriched pathways and radiomic features. Results Four hundred and eighty radiomic features were extracted from enhanced CT images of 140 patients; seven of these correlated significantly with cervical LNM in OSCC (p

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is often accompanied with an induction of retinaldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (RALDH1 or ALDH1A1) expression and a consequent decrease in hepatic retinaldehyde (Rald) levels. However, the role of hepatic Rald deficiency in T2D progression remains unclear. In this study, we demonstrated that reversing T2D-mediated hepatic Rald deficiency by Rald or citral treatments, or liver-specific Raldh1 silencing substantially lowered fasting glycemia levels, inhibited hepatic glucogenesis, and downregulated phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 1 (PCK1) and glucose-6-phosphatase (G6PC) expression in diabetic db/db mice. Fasting glycemia and Pck1/G6pc mRNA expression levels were strongly negatively correlated with hepatic Rald levels, indicating the involvement of hepatic Rald depletion in T2D deterioration. A similar result that liver-specific Raldh1 silencing improved glucose metabolism was also observed in high-fat diet-fed mice. In primary human hepatocytes and oleic acid-treated HepG2 cells, Rald or Rald + RALDH1 silencing resulted in decreased glucose production and downregulated PCK1/G6PC mRNA and protein expression. Mechanistically, Rald downregulated direct repeat 1-mediated PCK1 and G6PC expression by antagonizing retinoid X receptor α, as confirmed by luciferase reporter assays and molecular docking. These results highlight the link between hepatic Rald deficiency, glucose dyshomeostasis, and the progression of T2D, whilst also suggesting RALDH1 as a potential therapeutic target for T2D.

Abstract Objective We aimed to develop a 5-year overall survival prediction model for patients with oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma based on machine learning methods. Subjects and methods The data were obtained from electronic medical records of 224 OTSCC patients at the PLA General Hospital. A five-year overall survival prediction model was constructed using logistic regression, Support Vector Machines, Decision Tree, Random Forest, Extreme Gradient Boosting, and Light Gradient Boosting Machine. Model performance was evaluated according to the area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic curve. The output of the optimal model was explained using the Python package (SHapley Additive exPlanations, SHAP). Results After passing through the grid search and secondary modeling, the Light Gradient Boosting Machine was the best prediction model (AUC = 0.860). As explained by SHapley Additive exPlanations, N-stage, age, systemic inflammation response index, positive lymph nodes, plasma fibrinogen, lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio, neutrophil percentage, and T-stage could perform a 5-year overall survival prediction for OTSCC. The 5-year survival rate was 42%. Conclusion The Light Gradient Boosting Machine prediction model predicted 5-year overall survival in OTSCC patients, and this predictive tool has potential prognostic implications for patients with OTSCC.

At present, no consensus has been reached on the generation mechanism of anisotropy in materials fabricated by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF), and most attention has been focused on crystallographic texture. In this paper, an analysis and test were carried out on the hardness, defect distribution, residual stress distribution, and microstructure of WE43 magnesium alloy fabricated by LPBF. The results indicate that LPBF WE43 exhibits obvious anisotropy—the hardness HV of X–Z surface (129.9 HV on average) and that of Y–Z surface (130.7 HV on average) are about 33.5% higher than that of X–Y surface (97.6 HV on average), and the endurable load is smaller in the stacking direction Z compared to the X and Y directions. The factors contributing more to the anisotropy are listed as follows in sequence. Firstly, the defect area of the X–Y projection surface is about 13.2% larger than that of the other two surfaces, so this surface shows greatly reduced mechanical properties due to the exponential relationship between the material strength and the number of defects. Secondly, for laser scanning in each layer/time, the residual stress accumulation in the Z direction is higher than that in the X and Y directions, which may directly reduce the mechanical properties of the material. Finally, more fine grains are distributed in X–Z and Y–Z surfaces when comparing them with those in an X–Y surface, and this fine-grain strengthening mechanism also contributes to the anisotropy. After T5 aging heat treatment (250 °C/16 h), a stronger crystallographic texture is formed in the direction, with the orientation density index increasing from 10.92 to 21.38, and the anisotropy disappearing. This is mainly caused by the enhancement effect of the texture in the direction on the mechanical properties in the Z direction cancelling out the weakening effect of the defects in the X–Y surface in the Z direction.

Network-security situation prediction is a crucial aspect in the field of network security. It is primarily achieved through monitoring network behavior and identifying potential threats to prevent and respond to network attacks. In order to enhance the accuracy of situation prediction, this paper proposes a method that combines a convolutional neural network (CNN) and a gated recurrent unit (GRU), while also incorporating an attention mechanism. The model can simultaneously handle the spatial and temporal features of network behavior and optimize the weight allocation of features through the attention mechanism. Firstly, the CNN’s powerful feature extraction ability is utilized to extract the spatial features of the network behavior. Secondly, time-series features of network behavior are processed through the GRU layer. Finally, to enhance the model’s performance further, we introduce attention mechanisms, which can dynamically adjust the importance of different features based on the current context information; this enables the model to focus more on critical information for accurate predictions. The experimental results show that the network-security situation prediction method, which combines a CNN and a GRU and introduces an attention mechanism, performs well in terms of the fitting effect and can effectively enhance the accuracy of situation prediction.

This study delves into an investigation of urban public outdoor spaces (POSs) from a health-oriented perspective, recognizing varied health needs encompassing physical, psychological, social, and environmental aspects. In this study, POSs of two typical government service centers (GSCs) were analyzed based on their structure, user demographics, and user satisfaction, revealing several problems with the current GSC POS designs. To address these problems, principles for GSC POS design were proposed for natural, playing, and social spaces and applied to redesign the Wuchang GSC. Firstly, through on-site surveys, questionnaire surveys, and data analysis, the existing problems in promoting residents’ health in the GSC POSs were revealed, such as the insufficient greening of natural spaces, lack of interest in playing spaces, and unreasonable design of the scale of social spaces. Based on the above analysis, a health design optimization principle based on Maslow’s theory is proposed. Firstly, improvement solutions were proposed and implemented for green spaces, such as using more diversified natural elements, zone differentiation, and landscape improvements to promote the health of users. Secondly, the leisure and sports needs of different age groups can be met simultaneously by diversifying the layout and functional settings of playing spaces. Finally, public spaces suitable for social interaction were redesigned to promote the psychological health of citizens in social activities by optimizing the scale of communication spaces. The proposed design optimization strategies for GSCs not only provide theoretical support for the healthy design of POSs but also provide useful references for the healthy development of urban public spaces.

To investigate the establishment process of opposing jet and its transient influence on the spiked blunt body in hypersonic flows, an in-house code which employs high-resolution numerical schemes was developed to solve the unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations. At first, classical experiments were applied to validate the code in simulating complex flow field including shock interactions. Then, the establishment process of opposing jet was thoroughly investigated. The obtained results show that establishment process of opposing jet and complex shock wave evolutions are clearly presented. The flow features change dramatically during the whole process. Besides, the pressure and heat flux along the blunt body change rapidly and the aerodynamic drag firstly drops to a minimum value and then increases to a relatively larger stable value. Furthermore, increasing the total pressure ratio of opposing jet would lead to more severe fluctuation in aerodynamic drag after it drops.

Because of its large structure and strong bearing capacity, large rolling bearings are mainly used on low-speed and heavy-duty occasions. At present, the analysis and Research on large rolling bearings include load distribution, bearing capacity, bearing service life and bearing structure optimisation. Taking the large four-point contact bearing as an example, this performance studies the method of channel structure parameter design and life analysis. First, the structure and simplified model of four-point contact ball bearings are designed, and then the life analysis and calculation model is defined through analysis. Through the analysis of bearing finite element calculation results, the parameter optimisation of bearing channel spacing and channel curvature radius coefficient is studied, and the parameter design is carried out. Finally, the fatigue life analysis shows that the calculation result of the stress life model is 1.699 times that of strain life. The research results have guiding significance for the design of large four-point contact ball bearing and its supporting structure.

Abstract Aim This study aimed to explore the efficacy and safety of endoscopic submucosal dissection/endoscopic mucosal resection (ESD/EMR), laparoscopic-assisted radical gastrectomy (LARG), and open radical gastrectomy (ORG) in early-stage gastric cancer. Methods A total of 417 patients with early-stage gastric cancer who were admitted in two hospitals from January 1, 2014 to July 31, 2017 were selected; the patients were divided into the ESD/EMR group (139 cases), LARG group (108 cases), and ORG group (170 cases) according to the operation methods used. The baseline data, economic cost of health, oncologic characteristics, postoperative complications, 5-year overall survival and disease-free survival, and risk factors of death were compared and analyzed. Results No significant difference was observed in the baseline data among the three patient groups (P > 0.05). The total hospitalization days, operation time, postoperative fluid intake time, hospitalization expenses, and proportion of antibiotic use rate in the ESD/EMR group were lesser than those in other groups (P 0.05). The 5-year postoperative survival rates of patients in the three groups were 94.2% (ESD/EMR), 93.5% (LARG), and 94.7% (ORG), respectively, with no significant differences (P > 0.05). The binary logistics multivariate analysis showed that the tumor size, invasion depth, vascular invasion, and differentiated degree were risk factors for death in patients with gastric cancer. Conclusions No significant difference was observed between ESD/EMR and radical surgery. However, standardized criteria for excluding metastatic lymph nodes should be established to promote ESD/EMR.

Fluorescence imaging in the second near-infrared window (NIR-II, 900–1880[Formula: see text]nm) with less scattering background in biological tissues has been combined with the confocal microscopic system for achieving deep in vivo imaging with high spatial resolution. However, the traditional NIR-II fluorescence confocal microscope with separate excitation focus and detection pinhole makes it possess low confocal efficiency, as well as difficultly to adjust. Two types of upgraded NIR-II fluorescence confocal microscopes, sharing the same pinhole by excitation and emission focus, leading to higher confocal efficiency, are built in this work. One type is fiber-pinhole-based confocal microscope applicable to CW laser excitation. It is constructed for fluorescence intensity imaging with large depth, high stabilization and low cost, which could replace multiphoton fluorescence microscopy in some applications (e.g., cerebrovascular and hepatocellular imaging). The other type is air-pinhole-based confocal microscope applicable to femtosecond (fs) laser excitation. It can be employed not only for NIR-II fluorescence intensity imaging, but also for multi-channel fluorescence lifetime imaging to recognize different structures with similar fluorescence spectrum. Moreover, it can be facilely combined with multiphoton fluorescence microscopy. A single fs pulsed laser is utilized to achieve up-conversion (visible multiphoton fluorescence) and down-conversion (NIR-II one-photon fluorescence) excitation simultaneously, extending imaging spectral channels, and thus facilitates multi-structure and multi-functional observation.

Banxia Xiexin decoction (BXD) is a traditional prescription widely used to treat gastrointestinal conditions, including gastric cancer. Through network pharmacology, bioinformatics, and molecular docking analysis, this study aimed to investigate the potential mechanism of the antigastric cancer effect of BXD and pave the way for future research. The network pharmacology analysis used BXD index components to improve reliability and validity. Prognosis-related genes identified through Lasso and Cox regression analysis were considered potential BXD core targets for gastric cancer. Functional enrichment analysis was conducted to uncover the potential mechanism of action of BXD in gastric cancer. In addition, molecular docking of the index components of BXD and the core targets was used to validate the results. The present study obtained six index components of BXD and 155 corresponding antigastric cancer targets. ANXA5, CYP19A1, FGF1, and F2 in the prognostic signature model were identified as core targets of the index components of BXD. Protein-protein interaction networks and functional enrichment analysis indicated that proteoglycans in cancer, PI3K-Akt, and other pathways were involved. According to molecular docking results, six index components showed good-to-strong binding affinities to the core targets. The results indicated that the index components of BXD act on multiple pathways and targets of gastric cancer. Our study paved the way for further investigation of the antigastric cancer activity and mechanisms of BXD.

Background and aimsThe Visceral Adiposity Index (VAI) is a straightforward and gender-specific marker that combines anthropometric measurements with lipid profiles. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between VAI and coronary heart disease (CHD).Methods and resultsThe study examined data collected from adults during the NHANES 1999-2018 cycle. The analyses were weighted, and multivariable logistic regression models were employed to investigate the association between VAI and CHD. Additionally, subgroup analyses stratified by age were conducted. To evaluate the impact of VAI levels on survival outcomes, the study utilized the Kaplan-Meier method and performed the log-rank test to evaluate the survival outcome of participants with different VAI levels. The study findings revealed a significant association between VAI and CHD, indicating a non-linear relationship where an increase in VAI was associated with an elevated risk of CHD. High levels of VAI were linked to an increased prevalence of CHD (Q4 vs Q1, OR 1.50, 95% CI 1.12-2.01, P=0.01). Additionally, higher levels of VAI were associated with a poorer overall prognosis in terms of survival outcomes. There were no statistically significant differences in survival outcomes among the population with CHD.ConclusionThe results of this study highlighted a significant association between VAI and CHD, with a non-linear relationship observed. High VAI levels were associated with an increased risk of CHD and poor survival outcomes, emphasizing the importance of understanding and managing this risk factor, particularly in older age groups.

In traditional wastewater treatment methods, the removal of emerging contaminants including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) can be challenging. To address this, biochar is commonly utilized as an activator for peroxymonosulphate (PMS) to effectively eliminate organic pollutants. Sewage sludge has shown potential as a biochar precursor, but its complex composition and variable iron content, as well as the low specific surface area of the product limit the practical use of iron-dominated sludge-derived catalysts. To overcome this limitation, N-doped citrate-sludge-derived carbon (NCSC) was synthesized, possessing a low iron content (0.29 at%) and a large specific surface area (315.31 m2 g−1). As a comparison, Fe-/N-doped citrate-sludge-derived carbon (Fe-NCSC) was prepared by introducing exogenous iron, resulting in a higher iron content (2.12 at%) but a significantly reduced specific surface area (73.87 m2 g−1). In performance evaluation, the NCSC/PMS system achieved impressive removal efficiency, effectively eliminating 99.8% of PFOA (at an initial concentration of 2 mg L−1) within 60 min, while Fe-NCSC/PMS only achieved 84.6%. The slightly lower reaction rate per specific surface area of NCSC/PMS proved that large specific surface area was NCSC’s key advantage. The lower sensitivity of NCSC to pH and water substrates than FeNCSC suggested different activation mechanisms. Further analysis of reactive sites and species showed that the main oxidation mechanism of NCSC/PMS was forming the surface-bound PMS-NCSC complexes at the N sites, followed by PFOA donating electrons to the complexes to be oxidized, which was different from the Fe/N-dominated singlet oxygen mechanism of Fe-NSC/PMS. Furthermore, the reusability of the NCSC was demonstrated, with the removal rate decreasing to only 90.1% after four cycles and recovering to 94.8% after heated regeneration. In conclusion, this study provides a viable method for the elimination of emerging contaminants such as PFOA in water remediation.

Abstract Background Solute carrier family 38 member 2 (SLC38A2) has previously been reported to participate in carcinogenesis. However, its expression and function in gastric cancer (GC) remain unclear. The present study aimed to investigate the role of SLC38A2 in GC. Methods The prognostic value and expression of SLC38A2 in GC was analyzed by combining bioinformatics and experimental analyses. Colony formation, Cell Counting Kit-8, wound healing, Transwell and tumor formation assays were performed to assess the biological function of SLC38A2. The cBioPortal, GeneMANIA and LinkedOmics databases were mined to determine the underlying regulatory mechanisms of SLC38A2. The role of SLC38A2 in tumor immune infiltration was explored using the TIMER database. Results Our results demonstrated that SLC38A2 was upregulated and was correlated with a poor prognosis in GC patients. SLC38A2 downregulation significantly inhibited the proliferation, invasion and migration of GC cells. Abnormal genetic alteration and epigenetic regulation may contribute to the upregulation of SLC38A2 expression levels in GC. The results of enrichment analysis demonstrated that SLC38A2 was associated with ‘hippo signaling’ and ‘ubiquitinyl hydrolase activity’. The results also indicated that SLC38A2 may be a key factor in GC immune infiltration and M2 macrophage polarization. Conclusion Overall, these data identified that SLC38A2 may serve as a potential prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target in GC.

In this work the authors demonstrate that the spectral sensitivity near exceptional points can be harnessed in electronic circuits to implement physically unclonable functions for security and communication applications.

Abstract Background The Systemic Inflammatory Response Index (SIRI) is a novel prognostic biomarker based on peripheral blood counts of neutrophils, monocytes, and lymphocytes. Recent evidence suggests that it is associated with poor prognosis in various cancers. However, the predictive value of the SIRI in non‐muscle‐invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) patients treated with intravesical Bacillus Calmette‐Guerin (BCG) immunotherapy remains elusive. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the potential of SIRI as a prognostic factor in these patients. Methods A total of 540 patients with NMIBC who underwent BCG immunotherapy following transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) were enrolled in this study. Using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and the Youden index, patients were divided into high and low SIRI groups based on the cutoff values. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify independent predictors of BCG non‐response. Thereafter, propensity score matching (PSM) was used to eliminate bias due to confounding factors between the low and high SIRI groups. Finally, the Kaplan–Meier method was used to compare recurrence‐free survival (RFS) and progression‐free survival (PFS) between the two groups. Results Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that high SIRI (p = 0.001), high MLR (p = 0.015), and high tumor pathological T stage (p = 0.015) were significantly correlated with non‐response to BCG therapy. In addition, both RFS and PFS were shorter in the high SIRI group than in the other group before and after PSM (both p

Abstract Background Survivors of childhood cancer are at risk for therapy-related dental diseases. The purpose of the study was to investigate the associations between clinical, socioeconomic, and demographic factors and oral diseases in the St. Jude Lifetime Cohort (SJLIFE) participants. Methods We performed a retrospective medical chart review and evaluated longitudinal self-reported dental outcomes in 4856 childhood cancer survivors and 591 community controls participating in the St. Jude Lifetime Cohort (SJLIFE) study. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression models were used to assess the impact of socioeconomic factors, treatment exposures and patient demographics on dental outcomes. Results Cancer survivors were more likely to report microdontia (odds ratio (OR) = 7.89, 95% confidence interval (CI) [4.64, 14.90]), abnormal root development (OR = 6.19, CI [3.38, 13.00]), hypodontia (OR = 2.75, CI [1.83, 4.33]), enamel hypoplasia (OR = 4.24, CI [2.9, 6.49]), xerostomia (OR = 7.72, CI [3.27, 25.10]), severe gingivitis (OR = 2.04, CI [1.43, 3.03]), and ≥ 6 missing teeth (OR = 3.73, CI [2.46, 6.00]) compared to controls without cancer history. Survivors who received classic alkylating agents (OR = 1.6, CI [1.36, 1.88]), anthracycline antibiotics (OR = 1.22, CI [1.04, 1.42] or radiation therapy potentially exposing the oral cavity (OR = 1.48, CI [1.26, 1.72]) were more likely to report at least one dental health problem after controlling for socioeconomic factors, age at last follow-up and diagnosis, other treatment exposures, and access to dental services. Survivors who had radiation therapy potentially exposing the oral cavity (OR = 1.52, CI [1.25, 1.84]) were also more likely to report at least one soft tissue abnormality after controlling for socioeconomic factors, age at last follow-up and diagnosis, other treatment exposures, and access and utilization of dental services. Conclusions Childhood cancer survivors have a higher prevalence of oral-dental abnormalities than the controls without a cancer history. Cancer treatment, socioeconomic factors, and access to oral health care contribute to the prevalence of dental abnormalities.

The aim of this study is to predict and map winter wheat yield in the Parvomay municipality, situated in the Upper Thracian Lowland of Bulgaria, utilizing satellite data from Sentinel-2. The main crops grown in the research area are winter wheat, rapeseed, sunflower, and maize. To distinguish winter wheat fields accurately, we evaluated classification methods such as Support Vector Machines (SVM) and Random Forest (RF). These methods were applied to satellite multispectral data acquired by the Sentinel-2 satellites during the growing season of 2020–2021. In accordance with their development cycles, temporal image composites were developed to identify suitable moments when each crop is most accurately distinguished from others. Ground truth data obtained from the integrated administration and control system (IACS) were used for training the classifiers and assessing the accuracy of the final maps. Winter wheat fields were masked using the crop mask created from the best-performing classification algorithm. Yields were predicted with regression models calibrated with in situ data collected in the Parvomay study area. Both SVM and RF algorithms performed well in classifying winter wheat fields, with SVM slightly outperforming RF. The produced crop maps enable the application of crop-specific yield models on a regional scale. The best predictor of yield was the green NDVI index (GNDVI) from the April monthly composite image.

As network technology continues to develop, the popularity of various intelligent terminals has accelerated, leading to a rapid growth in the scale of wireless network traffic. This growth has resulted in significant pressure on resource consumption and network security maintenance. The objective of this paper is to enhance the prediction accuracy of cellular network traffic in order to provide reliable support for the subsequent base station sleep control or the identification of malicious traffic. To achieve this target, a cellular network traffic prediction method based on multi-modal data feature fusion is proposed. Firstly, an attributed K-nearest node (KNN) graph is constructed based on the similarity of data features, and the fused high-dimensional features are incorporated into the graph to provide more information for the model. Subsequently, a dual branch spatio-temporal graph neural network with an attention mechanism (DBSTGNN-Att) is designed for cellular network traffic prediction. Extensive experiments conducted on real-world datasets demonstrate that the proposed method outperforms baseline models, such as temporal graph convolutional networks (T-GCNs) and spatial–temporal self-attention graph convolutional networks (STA-GCNs) with lower mean absolute error (MAE) values of 6.94% and 2.11%, respectively. Additionally, the ablation experimental results show that the MAE of multi-modal feature fusion using the attributed KNN graph is 8.54% lower compared to that of the traditional undirected graphs.