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Simple Summary: Ammannia arenaria and A. multifloras, the most common broad-leaved weeds in rice paddy fields in China, are morphologically similar at the seedling stage. However, their degree of damage to rice may vary. Furthermore, the sensitivity of two species to the constantly emerging new herbicides is also unknown. This study conducted field investigations, indoor biological experiments, and chloroplast genome construction and analysis to clarify the differences in biological characteristics, herbicide sensitivity, and chloroplast genetics between A. arenaria and A. multifloras. Our research results may provide theoretical basis for weed occurrence prediction, selection of herbicides, and Ammannia classification and distinction. Furthermore, the results provided valuable biological information on cp genomes of Ammannia that will be useful to identify and classify Ammannia, and study their phylogenetic relationships and evolution. Ammannia arenaria and A. multifloras, morphologically similar at the seedling stage, are the most common broad-leaved weeds in paddy fields. Our study showed that A. arenaria occupied more space than A. multifloras when competing with rice. However, A. multifloras germination has lower temperature adaptability. No difference in sensitivity to common herbicides between two Ammannia species was observed. Chloroplast (cp) genomes could be conducive to clarify their genetic relationship. The complete cp genome sequences of A. arenaria (158,401 bp) and A. multiflora (157,900 bp) were assembled for the first time. In A. arenaria, there were 91 simple sequence repeats, 115 long repeats, and 86 protein-encoding genes, one, sixteen, and thirty more than those in A. multiflora. Inverted repeats regions expansion and contraction and the phylogenetic tree based on cp genomes demonstrated the closely relationship between the two species. However, in A. arenaria, 20 single nucleotide polymorphisms in the CDS region were detected compared to A. multiflora, which can be used to distinguish the two species. Moreover, there was one unique gene, infA, only in A. arenaria. This study provides reliable molecular resources for future research focusing on the infrageneric taxa identification, phylogenetic resolution, population structure, and biodiversity of Ammannia species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The gut virome research in colorectal cancer and adenoma includes >1,200 samples. • Siphoviridae and Microviridae viruses were notably different between controls and CRC patients. • The viral markers of colorectal cancer and adenoma were identified. • For CRC patients, our model had better predictive ability than other bacteria-based models. • The virome analysis achieved an optimal AUC of 0.772 to distinct adenoma patients and controls. Viruses have been reported as inducers of tumorigenesis. Little studies have explored the impact of the gut virome on the progression of colorectal cancer. However, there is still a problem with the repeatability of viral signatures across multiple cohorts. The present study aimed to reveal the repeatable gut vial signatures of colorectal cancer and adenoma patients and decipher the potential of viral markers in disease risk assessment for diagnosis. 1,282 available fecal metagenomes from 9 published studies for colorectal cancer and adenoma were collected. A gut viral catalog was constructed via a reference-independent approach. Viral signatures were identified by cross-cohort meta -analysis and used to build predictive models based on machine learning algorithms. New fecal samples were collected to validate the generalization of predictive models. The gut viral composition of colorectal cancer patients was drastically altered compared with healthy, as evidenced by changes in some Siphoviridae and Myoviridae viruses and enrichment of Microviridae, whereas the virome variation in adenoma patients was relatively low. Cross-cohort meta -analysis identified 405 differential viruses for colorectal cancer, including several phages of Porphyromonas, Fusobacterium, and Hungatella that were enriched in patients and some control-enriched Ruminococcaceae phages. In 9 discovery cohorts, the optimal risk assessment model obtained an average cross-cohort area under the curve of 0.830 for discriminating colorectal cancer patients from controls. This model also showed consistently high accuracy in 2 independent validation cohorts (optimal area under the curve, 0.906). Gut virome analysis of adenoma patients identified 88 differential viruses and achieved an optimal area under the curve of 0.772 for discriminating patients from controls. Our findings demonstrate the gut virome characteristics in colorectal cancer and adenoma and highlight gut virus-bacterial synergy in the progression of colorectal cancer. The gut viral signatures may be new targets for colorectal cancer treatment. In addition, high repeatability and predictive power of the prediction models suggest the potential of gut viral biomarkers in non-invasive diagnostic tests of colorectal cancer and adenoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The optimal number of PCR cycles of high-fidelity enzyme-based amplification was determined. • The reliability of multiple displacement amplification and the reproducibility of the whole viral metagenomic experimental process were verified. • Combining optimized short-read and long-read sequencing approaches enabled the identification of 151 high-quality viral genomes with high taxonomic and functional novelty. • Viral metagenomic and bulk metagenomic approaches were significantly differed in the efficiency and coverage of viral reconstruction. Viruses in the human gut have been linked to health and disease. Deciphering the gut virome is dependent on metagenomic sequencing of the virus-like particles (VLPs) purified from the fecal specimens. A major limitation of conventional viral metagenomic sequencing is the low recoverability of viral genomes from the metagenomic dataset. To develop an optimal method for viral amplification and metagenomic sequencing for maximizing the recovery of viral genomes. We performed parallel virus enrichment and DNA extraction to generate ∼ 30 viral DNA samples from each of 5 fresh fecal specimens and conducted the experiments including 1) optimizing the cycle number for high-fidelity enzyme-based PCR amplification, 2) evaluating the reproducibility of the optimally whole viral metagenomic experimental process, 3) evaluating the reliability of multiple displacement amplification (MDA), 4) testing the capability of long-read sequencing for improving viral metagenomic assembly, and 5) comparing the differences between viral metagenomic and bulk metagenomic approaches. Our results revealed that the optimal cycle number for PCR amplification is 15. We verified the reliability of MDA and the effectiveness of long-read sequencing. Based on our optimized results, we generated 151 high-quality viruses using the dataset combined from short-read and long-read sequencing. Genomic analysis of these viruses found that most (60.3%) of them were previously unknown and showed a remarkable diversity of viral functions, especially the existence of 206 viral auxiliary metabolic genes. Finally, we uncovered significant differences in the efficiency and coverage of viral identification between viral metagenomic and bulk metagenomic approaches. Our study demonstrates the potential of optimized experiment and sequencing strategies in uncovering viral genomes from fecal specimens, which will facilitate future research about the genome-level characterization of complex viral communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the clinicopathologic characteristics and prognostic impact of atypical epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations in patients with completely resected lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and investigate whether adjuvant chemotherapy could benefit the survival outcomes for these subjects. We retrospectively reviewed resected LUAD samples from 8437 patients and identified 5358 EGFR-mutated (EGFRm) cases. Of these, 4847 had classical mutations, while 511 had atypical mutations. For further survival analysis, propensity score matching, Kaplan–Meier curve, and Cox regression analyses were conducted. Of the 511 patients with atypical EGFRm LUAD, 131 patients had compound mutations. The frequency of exon 20 insertion (20-ins), G719X, L861Q, S768I, and de novo T790M were 30.3%, 32.7%, 21.9%, 9.2%, and 11.4%, respectively. These patients included a higher proportion of males than those with classical EGFRm LUAD. Between the 483 matched pairs of the classical and atypical EGFRm patients, no significant difference emerged in disease-free survival (DFS) (p = 0.476). Patients with the L861Q mutation had the poorest DFS among those with atypical EGFRm LUAD (p = 0.005). Cox regression analyses revealed that the L861Q mutation was an independent prognostic factor for DFS in 487 patients with solely atypical EGFRm LUAD. In addition, adjuvant chemotherapy did not improve the DFS for those patients, whether in stage IB (p = 0.638) or II-III (p = 0.505) of the disease. The L861Q mutation is an independent prognostic factor for DFS in patients with atypical EGFRm LUAD after complete resection who would not benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy regardless of disease stage. [Display omitted] • Resected atypical and classical EGFR-mutated lung adenocarcinoma have similar DFS. • L861Q mutation is associated with the poorest DFS among atypical EGFR mutations. • Adjuvant chemotherapy couldn't benefit atypical EGFR-mutated lung adenocarcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In many industrial practices, it needs a permanent magnet synchronous motor to provide enough torque, such as autonomous vehicle driving. In the operation of a permanent magnet synchronous motor, the nonlinearly parameterized-uncertainties degrade control performances, causing the instability of motor speed and output torques. Based on the analysis of temperature effects and friction torque model, a composite controller is proposed in this paper which considers model uncertainties and external disturbances. An adaptive controller involving an online time-varying scaling gain is employed to eliminate the influence of nonlinearly parameterized-uncertainties. In addition, an extended state observer (ESO) is used to estimate the disturbance in the control system in which the estimated value is used to compensate for the feed-forward. Numerical simulation and experiment are performed and the results show that the proposed method may alleviate the performance degradation due to nonlinearly parameterized-uncertainties and disturbances. Simultaneously, it may improve the stability and anti-disturbance capacities of the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To explore the impact of genistein (Gen) on the apoptosis of neuronal cells in naturally aged rats and its mechanism. Methods. Fifty SD male rats were allocated into five groups at random, including youth group (3M group), natural aging group (24M group), and Gen low-, medium-, and high-dose groups. Starting from 18 months of age, Gen 10, 30, and 60 mg-kg-1 were administered via gavage to the Gen low-, medium-, and high-dose groups, respectively, while the rats in the natural aging group was given saline by gavage until 24 months of age, and the drug was stopped for 1 d per week for 6 months. The protein expression of target genes was examined using western blotting. Results. In contrast to the 3M group, the 24M group rats showed disturbed neuronal cell arrangement and massive cell degeneration. After 6 months of Gen intervention, in contrast to the 24M group, the neural cell pathology in the CA3 area of the hippocampus improved and cell apoptotic decreased observably. In contrast to the 3M group, the protein expression of c-Jun amino-terminal kinase (p-JNK), C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), inflammatory vesicle 3-associated factor (NLRP3), cysteine protease-1 (Caspase-1), and apoptosis-related punctate protein (ASC) and downstream inflammatory factors in the hippocampus was obviously increased in the 24M group. In contrast to the 24M group, the protein expression of p-JNK, CHOP, NLRP3, Caspase-1, and ASC and downstream inflammatory factors in the hippocampus was observably declined in Gen groups. Conclusion. Gen has a protective effect on hippocampal neurons in aging rat brain tissue via the inhibition of the ERS apoptotic signaling pathway and NLRP3 inflammatory vesicle activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to realize the application of low bit rate video coding in wireless multimedia communication, this paper analyzes the principle of video coding and highlights the importance of low bit rate in wireless multimedia communication. For this, the iterative optimization method of contour height map contour, B-spline curve approximate contour, and control points is carried out to ensure that hearing and vision can achieve the clarity of video under appropriate conditions. The results show that compressing the original video to a suitable size for decoding and completing the output in a compatible format can realize the operation efficiency of the encoder and improve the coding speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The degradation of an solvent-free epoxy coating in 3.5 % NaCl solution was studied by EIS and other tests. • The failure of the coating is mainly caused by physical processes due to many nanoscale defects. • The |Z| 0.01Hz decreases to 1 × 107 Ω cm2 demonstrating a poor protection performance of the coating. • The mathematical formula proposed by Bierwagen is suitable for predicting the lifetime of the coating. The degradation process and electrochemical characteristics of an environment-friendly solvent-free epoxy coating in 3.5 % NaCl solution was investigated by using electrochemical impedance spectroscopic (EIS) studies. Combined with open circuit potential (OCP), adhesion tests, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) methods, the failure mechanism of the coating was analyzed. The results show that the failure of the coating is mainly caused by physical processes due to many nanoscale defects providing channels for the diffusion of corrosive media. The low-frequency impedance (| Z | 0.01 Hz) decreases to about 1 × 107 Ω cm2, demonstrating a poor protection performance of the coating, manifested by the coating adhesion decreasing about 50 %–60 % and corrosion products observed on the substrate by SEM. The mathematical formula proposed by Bierwagen is suitable for predicting the service life of the solvent-free epoxy coating combined with a suitable failure criterion. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To enhance the efficacy of the distributed filter in mitigating heavy-tailed non-Gaussian noise and accommodating intricate environments, this study investigates the utilization of absolute and relative measurement information for the realization of multi-target cooperative positioning and proposes an improved robust distributed Kalman filter in this paper. The method is divided into two phases. Firstly, absolute measurement information undergoes processing via the standard Kalman filter, yielding the Kalman estimation value for the first phase, subsequently serving as the time update value for the second phase. Next, a robust Kalman filter based on Student's t distribution is used to process relative measurement information for measurement updates, resulting in more accurate estimates. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed approach effectively approximates the posterior probability distribution, leading to enhanced stability and accuracy in positioning within environments characterized by both Gaussian and heavy-tailed non-Gaussian noise. • This paper focuses on multi-target localization, employing a two-phase distributed Kalman filter to integrate absolute measurements of individual target locations with the relative measurements between the targets. This integration enables each target to achieve decentralized independent localization. • Considering complexities of real-world environments, this paper models the relative measurements noise as heavy-tailed non-Gaussian noise. It integrates a robust Kalman filter based on Student's t-distribution with the second phase of distributed Kalman filter to enhance the performance of the localization system. • This paper simplifies the robust Kalman filter by representing measurement noise solely as a Student's t-distribution. The optimization process in the second phase requires only one iteration, thereby enhancing the efficiency of the distributed Kalman filter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gut fungal community represents an essential element of human health, yet its functional and metabolic potential remains insufficiently elucidated, largely due to the limited availability of reference genomes. To address this gap, we presented the cultivated gut fungi (CGF) catalog, encompassing 760 fungal genomes derived from the feces of healthy individuals. This catalog comprises 206 species spanning 48 families, including 69 species previously unidentified. We explored the functional and metabolic attributes of the CGF species and utilized this catalog to construct a phylogenetic representation of the gut mycobiome by analyzing over 11,000 fecal metagenomes from Chinese and non-Chinese populations. Moreover, we identified significant common disease-related variations in gut mycobiome composition and corroborated the associations between fungal signatures and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) through animal experimentation. These resources and findings substantially enrich our understanding of the biological diversity and disease relevance of the human gut mycobiome. [Display omitted] • A cultivated gut fungi (CGF) catalog (760 genomes, 206 species) was established • CGF catalog illustrates the functional and primary metabolic diversity of gut fungi • CGF catalog characterizes the gut mycobiome in Chinese and non-Chinese populations • Fungal signatures were identified in common diseases and validated in colitis mice This study offers a catalog of cultivated gut fungi (CGFs) comprising 760 genomes derived from healthy individuals. This compendium highlights the taxonomic and functional diversity and metabolic potential of human gut fungi, aids in constructing a comprehensive phylogenetic representation of the gut mycobiome, and sheds light on common disease-related variations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Probiotics are important for the normal physiological functions of fish and are used as feed additives in many aquatic animals. The purpose of this study is to explore the effects of dietary bacterial culture of fengycin-producing Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) on growth performance, intestinal and hepatopancreas health, intestinal microbiota and disease resistance of common carp (Cyprinus carpio). Three diets were formulated with supplementation of bacterial culture of fengycin-producing B. subtilis at 0, 0.3 and 0.5 g/kg levels, and these diets were defined as control, BS0.3 and BS0.5, respectively. After 6-week feeding, the infiltration of inflammatory cells was improved in the BS0.3 and BS0.5 groups. And the anti-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin (IL)-10 and tumor growth factor β (TGF-β) were prominently increased in the hepatopancreas of fish fed with dietary B.subtilis diets (P < 0.05). The activity of lysozyme, the levels of complement component (C) 3 and C4 were remarkably increased in the hepatopancreas and intestine of fish fed with B.subtilis supplemented diets (P < 0.05). Histological (intestinal villi height was increased in BS0.3 and BS0.5 groups) (P < 0.05) and the expression of the gut physical barrier-related genes (Zona occludens-1 (ZO-1) and occludin) were increased in the B.subtilis supplemented groups (P < 0.05). The expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β , IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10 and TGF-β) were remarkably up-regulated in the intestine of fish fed with BS0.3 diet (P < 0.05), while the expression of IL-6 was remarkably diminished in the intestine of fish fed with BS0.5 diet (P < 0.05). Besides, the intestinal microbiota analysis illustrated that in the intestine of the fish groups fed with BS0.3 and BS0.5 diets, the abundance of Fusobacteriota and Cetobacterium were prominently increased (P < 0.05). After challenged with Aeromonas veronii Hm091, the survival rate of fish fed with BS0.3 diet was markedly improved (P < 0.05). Based on these results, supplementation of bacterial culture of fengycin-producing B. subtilis at a level of 0.3 g/kg has beneficial effects on immunity, intestinal microbiota, and disease resistance of common carp. • BS0.3 and BS0.5 diets significantly improved the non-specific immunity of common carp. • BS0.3 and BS0.5 diets significantly improved the intestinal and hepatopancreas health. • BS0.3 diet improved the composition of intestinal microbiota, and enhanced the disease resistance of common carp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) method was used to investigate the degradation of four types of organic coating systems, which were brushed on three kinds of metal substrates and applied in various accelerated corrosion environments. Because the change of phase angle in the middle frequency region can effectively reflect the variation of the coating protection performance, with the aid of computer programs, the Pearson correlation, Cosine similarity and Euclidean distance correlation analysis methods were used to deeply analyze the impedance data of total 60 samples from different coating systems, so as to accurately determine the frequencies at which the phase angles present the best correlation with the low-frequency impedance (|Z| 0. 01 Hz). The results indicate that using Pearson correlation coefficient (r) to analyze the impedance data, the top eight ranked frequencies determined are in the range of 0.85 Hz to 41.75 Hz, the variations of phase angles in this range are closely related to that of the |Z| 0. 01 Hz. Based on this, the impedance data of all the samples are furtherly analyzed using Cosine similarity and Euclidean distance methods and the obtained frequencies are 4.52 Hz or 41.75 Hz. The final goal is to establish a rapid evaluation technique based on phase angles at middle frequency range, and promote the field engineering application of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in coating performance evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil salt crust can change the structure of aeolian soil and improve its resistance to wind erosion. Four ions (Na+, Ca2+, Cl−, and SO42−) with high contents in aeolian soil were selected for a salt crust experiment. The experiment set a variety of gradients of soil salt contents and salt mixing ratios of Na2SO4 and CaCl2. The physical properties of the salt crust were tested, and the wind erosion resistance of the salt crust was discussed. The results showed that the soil salt contents and salt mixing ratio influenced the resistance of the salt crust, especially in terms of its compressive strength and toughness. The former affected the compressive strength of the salt crust by changing the amount of cemented soil salt. The latter affected the kinds of crystals by changing the ion ratio, thus changing the structure of the salt crust and affecting its wind erosion resistance. The wind erosion resistance of the salt crust is complicated by the interaction between the soil salt content and salt mixing ratio. A multilayer crust can be formed in mixed salt, which has a strong wind erosion resistance. This result provides new findings on flowing sand soil and a new method for the treatment of flowing sand soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Postbiotics have the ability to improve host metabolic disorders and immunity. In order to explore whether the postbiotics SWFC (cultured supernatant mixture of Cetobacterium somerae and Lactococcus lactis) repaired the adverse effects caused by feeding of high-fat diet (HFD), zebrafish were selected as the experimental animal and fed for 6 weeks, with dietary HFD as the control group, and HFD containing 0.3 g/kg and 0.4 g/kg SWFC as the treatment groups. The results indicated that addition of SWFC in the diet at a level of 0.3 and 0.4 g/kg didn't affect the growth performance of zebrafish (P > 0.05). Supplementation of dietary SWFC0.3 relieved lipid metabolism disorders through significant increasing in the expression of pparα and cpt1 , and decreasing the expression of cebpα , pparγ , acc1 and dgat-2 genes (P < 0.05). Moreover, the content of triacylglycerol was markedly lower in the liver of zebrafish grouped under SWFC0.3 (P < 0.05). Dietary SWFC0.3 also improved the antioxidant capacity via increasing the expression level of ho-1 , sod and gstr genes, and significant inducing malondialdehyde content in the liver of zebrafish (P < 0.05). Besides, dietary SWFC0.3 also notably improved the expression level of lysozyme , c3a , defbl1 and defbl2 (P < 0.05). The expression level of pro-inflammatory factors (nf-κb , tnf-α, and il-1β) were significantly decreased and the expression level of anti-inflammatory factor (il-10) was markedly increased in the postbiotics 0.3 g/kg group (P < 0.05). Feeding with SWFC0.3 supplemented diet for 6 weeks improved the homeostasis of gut microbiota and increased the survival rate of zebrafish after challenged with Aeromonus veronii Hm091 (P < 0.01). It was worth noting that the positive effect of dietary SWFC at a level of 0.3 g/kg was considerably better than that of 0.4 g/kg. This may imply that the effectiveness and use of postbiotics is limited by dosage. • Postbiotic SWFC improved lipid metabolism disorder and antioxidant capacity of zebrafish fed with HFD. • Dietary postbiotic SWFC at a level of 0.3 and 0.4 g/kg improved the non-specific immunity of zebrafish fed with HFD. • Dietary SWFC at a rate of 0.3 g/kg was significantly improved the homeostasis of gut microbiota in zebrafish fed with HFD. • The effectiveness and use of postbiotics is limited by dosage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We performed this meta-analysis to better assess the relationship between plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) rs1799889 polymorphism and the risk of venous thromboembolism. Method: Eligible studies were searched in PubMed, Medline, Embase, Web of Science and CNKI. Odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals were calculated. Result: A total of 48 studies with 14,806 participants were analyzed. No positive results were detected in overall analyses. Further subgroup analyses revealed that the PAI-1 rs1799889 polymorphism was significantly associated with the risk of venous thromboembolism in Caucasians and East Asians. When we stratified available data according to type of disease, we found that the PAI-1 rs1799889 polymorphism was significantly correlated with the risk of DVT. No any other positive results were observed in overall and subgroup analyses. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that the PAI-1 rs1799889 polymorphism may serve as a potential biological marker for venous thromboembolism in Caucasians and East Asians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Androgen receptor mutations were identified in women with Müllerian duct anomalies. • In silico analysis and ACMG guidelines classified the variants' pathogenicity. • Androgen receptor mutations resulted in conformational changes of the native protein. Müllerian duct anomalies (MDAs) are congenital developmental disorders exhibiting as a variety of malformations of female reproductive tract. The identified etiology of MDAs is limited. The present study aimed to unravel the underlying genetic causes of MDAs. Rare variants in androgen receptor (AR) were called from the cohort consists of patients with MDAs and underwent whole exome sequencing (WES) at Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China. Sanger sequencing was used to confirm the causative genetic mutations. In silico analysis were used to classify the pathogenicity of each variant. Molecular modeling and simulations were conducted to investigate the conformational changes between the wild-type (WT) and mutant proteins. A total of 3 rare heterozygous variants in AR from the MDAs cohort in our institution were identified, with unknown effects. All variants were missense mutations, including c.173A > T, c.558C > A and c.1208C > T, and were absent or rare in East Asian populations in Genome Aggregation Database and the Exome Aggregation Consortium Database. According to the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics guidelines, c.1208C > T variant was classified as likely pathogenic, while the other two were variants of uncertain significance. During molecular dynamics simulations, WT and mutant proteins all reached stable status according to root-mean-square variance. Values of radius of gyration showed that Q58L and S186R protein would be more compact than WT, while the structure of A403V became looser. Despite, in comparison with WT, the number of hydrogen bonds increased in Q58L, while decreased in the other two variants. Furthermore, the solvent-accessible surface area diminished in Q58L and A403V while enlarged in S186R proteins, when compared with WT. To our knowledge, this is the first report regarding the association of AR mutation and MDAs. The identification of these variants, predicted to damage the structure and function of AR protein, not only expanded the mutational spectrum of causative genes of MDAs, but provide novel molecular genetic reference for future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Sleep dysfunction has been speculated to be involved in the pathological mechanism of nocturnal enuresis (NE). However, results obtained from previous studies were conflicting. This study evaluated and compared the sleep patterns and problems between children with and without nocturnal enuresis (NE) across different age and gender groups in a large epidemiological study.Methods: A multi-center, cross-sectional, epidemiological study was carried out in which 21,439 primary school children (10,655 boys and 10,784 girls aged 5.1-12.9 years) and their parents participated. Chinese versions of the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire and the General Condition Questionnaire were used to identify nocturnal enuresis, sociodemographic characteristics, sleep patterns, and sleep problems in children. The sleep patterns and problems were compared between children with and without NE while controlling for a number of confounding factors in different age and gender groups.Results: It was observed that children with NE (especially boys aged 11-12 years with severe NE) slept for a shorter period and were more likely to have sleep problems such as bedtime resistance, sleep duration disorder, night awakening, sleep anxiety, sleep-disordered breathing, and daytime sleepiness than those without NE. Girls with NE were more likely to suffer from other types of parasomnias.Conclusion: Children with NE, especially older boys with severe NE, were more sleep compromised than those without NE. Our findings warrant further research on the mechanism of NE and may have clinical implications for the treatment of childhood sleep problems and NE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methanol is an important chemical product with wide application. Due to the high pollutant emission of coal-to-methanol route, feeding mixed raw material of biomass and coal is seen as a promising measure of improvement. More than just focusing on co-gasification unit, this study performs a full process simulation from co-gasification to methanol and cogeneration, aiming at revealing the impact of biomass on process operation and optimizing the key operating parameters. The simulation results imply that coal and biomass co-gasification can improve the utilization of raw materials with more effective gas produced. As an example, the process based on the co-gasification of bituminous coal and straw is specially studied and telling the best operating situation of the whole process. The gasification agent and the critical effects of crude syngas split ratio (SR) and unreacted gas recycle ratio (CR) on the net methanol yield are fully discussed to gain insight into the process. The simulation results show that when the ratio of biomass to coal is 1:1, gasification agent is water steam, SR = 0.36, CR = 0.8, the net methanol production can reach a maximum of 7022.32 kg/h, 241.51% higher than that of merely using coal, producing 37.68% less CO 2 than merely using coal. • Full simulation of biomass and coal to methanol and cogeneration is performed. • Effects of factors on syngas components and net methanol yield are analyzed. • Side reactions are considered in methanol synthesis process. • Combined heat and power process is integrated with production process. • CO 2 emission reduces by 37.68% in co-gasification to methanol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposes a coupled system of steel plate shear wall with slits (SPSWS), called C-SPSWS. The mechanical behavior of the C-SPSWS system was investigated, and the expressions for ultimate strength and degree of coupling (DC) were derived according to the desired plastic mechanism. Two one-third scale, four-story specimens, including coupled and uncoupled SPSWS, were tested to verify the seismic performance of the system. As the traditional SPSWS configuration, the C-SPSWS specimen exhibited robust cyclic performance and proved to be an efficient lateral load-resisting system. The coupling action of the coupling beam significantly improved the initial stiffness, strength, and energy dissipation capacity of the system. Furthermore, the coupling action decreased the axial force of the frame columns, particularly for interior frame columns. The deformation mode of the C-SPSWS specimen changed from flexural to shear because of the coupling action. The proposed ultimate strength formula can conservatively predict the maximum lateral force of the system. • A coupled system of steel plate shear wall with slits was proposed. • The expressions for the C-SPSWS system strength and the DC were derived based on the desirable plastic mechanism. • The failure mode and yielding sequence of the coupled system were obtained through cyclic quasi-static tests with two large-scale, weak-axis connected coupled and uncoupled specimens. • The coupling action can improve the initial stiffness, lateral strength, and energy dissipation capacity of the coupled system while decreasing the axial demands of the frame columns. • The deformation mode of the coupled specimen changed from flexural to shear due to the coupling action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A versatile nanodevice for self-sufficient breast cancer theranostics is proposed. • The mechanism relies on anti-angiogenesis and pro-apoptosis synergistic gene silence. • The nanodevice also achieved multi-target non-invasive and bimodal in situ imaging. • It overcomed the lower cellular delivery and insufficient cofactors of DNAzymes. Tumors progression is usually characterized by proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis, and it leads to uncontrolled tissue growth and blocks the mechanism of apoptosis. Therefore, targeted angiogenesis and anti-apoptosis is considered promising therapeutic strategy for cancer prevention and treatment. Herein, we report a versatile and intelligent MnO 2 -PEI-DNAzymes (MnPDs) nanodevice for self-sufficient anti-tumor angiogenesis and pro-apoptosis synergistic gene silencing, coupling multi-target bimodal in situ imaging. Intracellularly, the multifunctional charge-reversal MnPDs undergo reduction and lysis by the overexpressed GSH, actualizing enhanced MR imaging and sufficient DNAzyme cofactors in tumor tissue, and enabling miRNA-155 and telomerase biomarkers dual-fluorescence imaging. Under the precise multimodal imaging, the dual DNAzymes enable self-sufficient Early growth response-1 (EGR1) and Survivin (SUR) mRNAs synergistic silencing, effectively inhibiting tumor angiogenesis and anti-apoptotic. Considering that accurate and efficient therapy has become a trend in cancer therapy, our proposed self-sustaining multifunctional nanodevice is promising for broad clinical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quadrotor UAV is subject to wind disturbance during flight, which causes attitude deviation and oscillation. To improve anti-wind disturbance performance, this work offers a reduced-order generalized proportional–integral observer-based wind-disturbance control strategy for quad-rotor UAVs (RGPIO). To improve the disturbance rejection property of quadrotor UAV systems, this work offers a composite control approach based on reduced-order generalized proportional–integral observer (RGPIO) and nonsmooth control. To begin, an RGPIO is used to evaluate system disruptions. In the feed-forward compensation scheme, the anticipated value is used. Second, the feedback design employs a nonsmooth feedback control method. The controller's stability is then checked. When compared to the standard PID control technique, the experimental findings show that the suggested control method successfully suppresses the wind disturbance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was designed to examine the hypothesis that homework schedule has adverse impacts on Chinese children's sleep–wake habits and sleep duration. A random sample of 19,299 children aged 5.08 to 11.99 years old participated in a large, cross-sectional survey. A parent-administered questionnaire was completed to quantify children's homework schedule and sleep behaviors. Generally, it was demonstrated that more homework schedule was significantly associated with later bedtime, later wake time, and shorter sleep duration. Among all sleep variables, bedtime and sleep duration during weekdays appeared to be most affected by homework schedule, especially homework schedule during weekdays. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

An efficient synthetic method for 1,8-dioxo-decahydroacridines derivatives bearing the biologically active sulfonamide moiety is described. Aromatic aldehyde reacted with 5,5-dimethyl-1,3-cyclohexanedione and sulfanilamide, with molecular iodine as catalyst, to give 1,8-dioxo-decahydroacridines derivatives in high to excellent yield. The structures of these compounds were established on the basis of elemental (C, H and N) and spectral analysis (H NMR, C NMR, MS and FTIR). All the compounds were tested for their cytotoxic activity in vitro against three human tumor cell lines: human mammary cancer cells (MCF-7), human cervical carcinoma cells (Hela), and human lung cancer cells (A549) by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Most of them showed moderate to potent cytotoxic activity against the tested cell lines. Among them, the most active compound 4e exhibited more efficient activity (10.92 μM) against MCF-7 cells than cisplatin (11.06 μM). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of novel N-arylpyrazole derivatives, 5a- 5i, were achieved from substituted phenylacetic acid via Vilsmeier-Haack reaction, hydrolysis, condensation, and aromatic substitution reaction. Their chemical structures were confirmed by H NMR, C NMR, FTIR, HRMS, and elemental analysis. The newly synthesized compounds were tested for their in vitro cytotoxic activity against Bel-7402, KB, HL-60, and BGC-823 cell lines and found to possess moderate activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A novel series of 4-pyrazolyl-1,8-naphthalimide derivatives have been designed and facilely synthesized. For anticancer activity in vitro, most of the compounds were found to be more toxic against human mammary cancer cells (MCF-7) than human cervical carcinoma cells (Hela) and human lung cancer cells (A549). Compounds 4i, 4h, 4b and 4a showed improved cytotoxic activity against MCF-7 cells over amonafide, in particular compounds 4i and 4h, the IC50 values of which against cell lines of MCF-7 were 0.51μM and 0.79μM, respectively. The DNA-binding properties of 4i were investigated by UV–vis, fluorescence, and Circular Dichroism (CD) spectroscopies and thermal denaturation. The results indicated that compound 4i as the DNA-intercalating agent exhibited middle binding affinity with CT-DNA. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Sufficient sleep during childhood is essential to ensure a transition into a healthy adulthood. However, chronic sleep loss continues to increase worldwide. In this context, it is imperative to make sleep a high-priority and take action to promote sleep health among children. The present series of studies aimed to shed light on sleep patterns, on the longitudinal association of sleep with school performance, and on practical intervention strategy for Chinese school-aged children. Methods and Findings: A serial sleep researches, including a national cross-sectional survey, a prospective cohort study, and a school-based sleep intervention, were conducted in China from November 2005 through December 2009. The national cross-sectional survey was conducted in 8 cities and a random sample of 20,778 children aged 9.0±1.61 years participated in the survey. The five-year prospective cohort study included 612 children aged 6.8±0.31 years. The comparative cross-sectional study (baseline: n = 525, aged 10.80±0.41; post-intervention follow-up: n = 553, aged 10.81±0.33) was undertaken in 6 primary schools in Shanghai. A battery of parent and teacher reported questionnaires were used to collect information on children’s sleep behaviors, school performance, and sociodemographic characteristics. The mean sleep duration was 9.35±0.77 hours. The prevalence of daytime sleepiness was 64.4% (sometimes: 37.50%; frequently: 26.94%). Daytime sleepiness was significantly associated with impaired attention, learning motivation, and particularly, academic achievement. By contrast, short sleep duration only related to impaired academic achievement. After delaying school start time 30 minutes and 60 minutes, respectively, sleep duration correspondingly increased by 15.6 minutes and 22.8 minutes, respectively. Moreover, intervention significantly improved the sleep duration and daytime sleepiness. Conclusions: Insufficient sleep and daytime sleepiness commonly existed and positively associated with the impairment of school performance, especially academic achievement, among Chinese school-aged children. The effectiveness of delaying school staring time emphasized the benefits of optimal school schedule regulation to children’s sleep health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study aimed to investigate the effects of SDF-1α on brain angiogenesis and neurological functional recovery in rats after traumatic brain injury (TBI) and the potentially involved mechanisms. Youth male Wistar rats were injured via lateral fluid percussion injury and then randomly divided into one of 3 groups: I. vehicle treated group; II. SDF-1α neutralizing antibody treated group and III. rhSDF-1α treated group. rhSDF-1α and its neutralizing antibody or normal saline were administered to the brain penumbra via stereotactic injection 30min after TBI. Modified neurological severity score (mNSS) and Morris water maze (MWM) test were used to assess the neurologic functional recovery (n=6/group). 14days after injury, animals were euthanized and brain tissues were collected for quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) (n=6/group) and immunohistochemistry (n=6/group) analysis. mNSS and MWM test indicated distinct amelioration of neurological disability in rhSDF-1α group(P <0.05). Microvessel density (MVD) of rhSDF-1α treated animals was remarkably increased around the injured area. On the contrary, MVD of the SDF-1α antibody administrated group was significantly decreased compared to that of vehicle treated animals (P <0.05). The mNSS and MVD had significant negative correlation as tested by Spearman rank correlation coefficient. Immunofluorescence staining showed that CD34 and CXCR4 co-expressed on microvessels. The rhSDF-1α treated animals had greater, contrarily, the SDF-1α antibody treated animals had lesser number of double positive microvessels compared to that of vehicle treated animals. The mRNA expression of CD34 and CXCR4 was obviously elevated in the rhSDF-1α administration group, conversely, declined in SDF-1α antibody treated animals around the injured area compared with that of the vehicle treatment group (P <0.05). These data indicated that SDF-1α could induce angiogenesis after TBI, potentially via SDF-1/CXCR4 axis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Objectives: To examine risk factors regarding short sleep duration among Chinese school-aged children. Methods: A random sample of 20,778 children aged around 5–11years participated in a cross-sectional survey, which was conducted in eight cities of China in 2005. A parent-administered questionnaire was used to collect information on children’s sleep duration and possible related factors from eight domains. Short sleep duration was defined as total sleep duration <9h per day. Results: In all, 28.3% of the sampled children slept <9h per day. The multivariate logistic regression identified, after adjusting for demographic and socioeconomic variables, factors associated with short sleep duration: more television viewing during weekdays (OR=1.21, p =0.004), more frequent computer/internet using (OR=1.17, p =0.006), earlier school starting time (OR=1.10, p =0.020), more time on homework during weekdays (OR=1.66, p <0.001) and weekends (OR=1.14, p =0.001), poor bedtime hygiene (e.g., having drinks with caffeine after 6:00PM [OR=1.22, p <0.001], doing exciting activities during bedtime [OR=1.16, p <0.001], and irregular bedtime [OR=1.55, p <0.001]), and shorter sleep duration of parents (mother: OR=1.31, p <0.001 for sleep duration <6h and OR=1.24, p =0.006 for 6–8h; father: OR=1.52, p <0.001 for <6h and OR=1.19, p <0.001 for 6–8h). Conclusions: Factors associated with sleep duration covered multidimensional domains among school-aged children. Compared to sleep environments and chronic health problems, school schedules, lifestyle patterns, and parents’ sleep habits had greater impact on children’s sleep duration, indicating the existing chronic sleep loss in school children could be, at least partly, intervened by reducing the use of visual technologies, by changing the school schedules, by improving the sleep hygiene routine, and by regulating parents’ sleep habits. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In order to optimize the control performance of the compliant actuator system, a generalized predictive control (GPC) method is introduced in the controller design. Compared with conventional predictive control methods which largely depend on the modeling, the proposed GPC method is almost model-free. The stability of closed-loop system has been rigidly proved. Various experimental tests of a series elastic actuator driven exoskeleton robot are verified the effectiveness of the proposed methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: To survey the prevalence of bed- and room-sharing and assess associations with sleep/wake patterns, duration of sleep, and sleep problems among urban school-aged children in China. Methods: Students representing eight Chinese cities were studied during November and December, 2005. A total of 19,299 elementary-school children (49.7% boys and 50.3% girls with a mean age of 9.00years) participated in the survey. A parent-administered questionnaire and the Chinese version of the Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire were completed to quantify children’s sleep arrangements and to characterize sleep behaviors. Results: Co-sleeping was a common practice, with a prevalence of 37.6% (routine bed-sharing: 23.0%; room-sharing: 14.6%) in Chinese school-aged children. Bed- and room-sharing did not show significant gender difference but gradually decreased with increasing age. Compared to room-sharing and sleeping alone, bed-sharing was correlated with later bedtimes, later awakening times, and a shorter duration of sleep. However, the small difference was unlikely to have clinical significance. Bed- and room-sharing tended to be associated with the increased probability of six types of sleep problems: bedtime resistance, sleep anxiety, night waking, parasomnia, sleep-disordered breathing, and daytime sleepiness. Compared to bed-sharing, room-sharing had a lower odds ratio. Among six sleep problems, bedtime resistance and sleep anxiety had the strongest association with bed-sharing. Conclusions: Sleep problems were common in Chinese school-aged children. Co-sleeping was highly prevalent and may be potentially associated with negative effects on sleep hygiene and sleep quality, although the context of the co-sleeping must be taken into consideration. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We describe an algorithm for inverting magnetotelluric (MT) data in the presence of strong bathymetry or topography. Instead of correcting distortions due to bathymetry or topography we incorporate them directly into the inversion. To achieve a high accuracy in computing MT responses we use finite-difference approximations that permit sloping discrete boundaries inside model elements. The same approach is applicable to any seafloor electromagnetic calculation and can also be used to incorporate steep topography on land. We test our approach on various topographic features and compare our results to that of a finite element approach. Finally, we present inversion examples that illustrate the effectiveness of our inversion algorithm in recovering true subsurface structures in the presence of strong bathymetry and topography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emerging evidence emphasizes the functional impacts of host microbiome on the etiopathogenesis of autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, there are limited mechanistic insights into the contribution of microbial biomolecules especially microbial peptides toward modulating immune homeostasis. Here, by mining the metagenomics data of tonsillar microbiome, a deficiency of the encoding genes of lantibiotic peptides salivaricins in RA patients is identified, which shows strong correlation with circulating immune cells. Evidence is provided that the salivaricins exert immunomodulatory effects in inhibiting T follicular helper (Tfh) cell differentiation and interleukin‐21 (IL‐21) production. Mechanically, salivaricins directly bind to and induce conformational changes of IL‐6 and IL‐21 receptors, thereby inhibiting the bindings of IL‐6 and IL‐21 to their receptors and suppressing the downstream signaling pathway. Finally, salivaricin administration exerts both prophylactic and therapeutic effects against experimental arthritis in a murine model of RA. Together, these results provide a mechanism link of microbial peptides‐mediated immunomodulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parasomnia is potentially implicated in sleep pattern and sleep architecture, however, evidence is quite limited. This study aimed to investigate the association between parasomnia symptoms and sleep onset delay among children through a large epidemiological study. Two rounds of cross-sectional studies were conducted among 21,704 children aged 3–11; one taking place in Shanghai and the other in Sanya, Hainan province. Children's sleep characteristics were evaluated using the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ). Propensity score matching was adopted to balance the difference of covariates, and the logistic regression models were implemented to examine the associations between parasomnia symptoms and sleep onset delay. A total of 38.2 % of children had sleep onset delay. Parasomnias, especially non rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM) parasomnia symptoms, were associated with an increased risk of sleep onset delay (Sleep Walking: OR = 1.55; Sleep Terror: OR = 1.34; Nightmare: OR = 1.37, all p˂ 0.001). The similar findings were observed in stratified analyses according to sleep duration, and the association was pronounced in sleep sufficiency group (Sleep Walking: OR = 1.62; Sleep Terror: OR = 1.35; Nightmare: OR = 1.35, all p˂ 0.001). Moreover, a dose-dependent pattern was observed, in which cumulative parasomnia symptoms were associated with increasing risk of sleep onset delay (2 symptoms: OR = 1.19; ≥3 symptoms: OR = 1.40; by comparison with ≤1 symptom). All these findings were also similarly observed in the propensity score matching sample. Moreover, the associations were generally established in both Shanghai and Sanya children. Parasomnia symptoms were associated with a higher risk of sleep onset delay independently of sleep duration among children. More studies are needed to enrich the current evidence, thus further clarifying the association and interaction among different sleep parameters. • Associations exist between parasomnia symptoms, especially non-rapid eye movement (NREM) parasomnias, and sleep onset delay. • This association persisted across different sleep durations and exhibited a dose-dependent pattern. • Our results underscore the critical role of parasomnias in childhood sleep disturbances, prompting further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Pt nanoclusters coated with TAT-conjugated dextran (DTPNCs) dispersed in 0.1%F127 (W/V) were developed. • DTPNCs exhibit antioxidant and anti-glycated activities. • DTPNCs demonstrate the significant effect of corneal permeation, excellent water solubility, safety and biocompatibility. • DTPNCs as eye drops for non-invasive and painless relief of diabetic cataract in rats. Diabetic cataract (DC) is a kind of worrying ocular complications that eventually leads to blindness. However, there are a narrow range of pharmacological interventions to enable control the progression of DC, especially the eye drops based on noninvasive routes. In this work, we developed a kind of strong antioxidant Pt nanoclusters coated with cell-penetrating peptide (TAT) conjugated dextran (DTPNCs). The DTPNCs were dispersed in 0.1% Pluronic F127 (W/V) to form eye drops, which have the ability of corneal permeation. The results indicate that the presence of 0.1% Pluronic F127 (W/V) resists the clearance of tear film against DTPNCs and TAT-conjugated dextran contribute to the interaction and permeation with corneal barriers with the help of electrostatic interaction in vivo. More importantly, the DTPNCs possess effective antioxidant capacities and can protect the lens epithelial cells against oxidative stress by eliminating ROS and impose restrictions on the α-crystallin glycation and crosslinking in vitro, further to slow down the process of DC. We hope that our approach will provide a promising non-invasive and painless treatment to DC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The pT8 could discriminate the RFS and OS in LP− lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), but not in LP+ tumors. • LP+ was revealed as a significant favorable prognostic factor in pathological stage I LUAD regardless of lepidic ratio. • The pTm holds better discrimination performances for LUAD prognosis after incorporating LP as an additional T descriptor. The Lepidic Component (LP) identifies a subgroup with an excellent prognosis for lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Our research aimed to propose an improved pathological T (pT) stage for LUAD based on LP. Totally, 3335 surgical patients with pathological stage I LUAD were incorporated. Factors affecting survival were investigated by analyzing recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression analyses. Subgroup analysis based on Lepidic Ratio (LR) was further evaluated. The net benefit from the modified pT category (pTm) was assessed using the Area Under the time-dependent Receiver Operating Curve (AUC), Harrell's Concordance Index (C-index), Reclassification Improvement (NRI), and Integrated Discrimination Improvement (IDI). The presence of LP (LP+) was identified in 1425 (42.7 %) patients, indicating a significantly better RFS (P < 0.001) and OS (P < 0.001) than those without LP, and similar results were reproduced in pT1a-pT2a subcategory (P < 0.050 for all). Multivariable Cox analysis revealed LP+ as an independent prognostic factor for both RFS (HR, 0.622; P < 0.001) and OS (HR, 0.710; P = 0.019). However, lepidic ratio (LR) was not independently associated with both RFS and OS for LP+ patients. The 5-year RFS and OS rates between T1a (LP−) and T1b (LP+), T1b (LP−) and T1c (LP+), and T1b (LP−) and T2a (LP+) were comparable (P > 0.050 for all). After modification, compared with current 8th edition pT stage system (pT8), pTm independently predicted RFS and OS, and AUCs, c-index, NRI, and IDI analysis all demonstrated pTm holds better discrimination performances than pT8 for LUAD prognosis. LP can be an additional down-staged T descriptor for pathological stage I LUAD and improve the survival predictive performance of reclassification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore the genetic causes of Herlyn-Werner-Wunderlich syndrome (HWWS) using whole-exome sequencing.Design: Retrospective genetic study.Setting: Academic medical center.Patient(s): Twelve patients with HWWS.Intervention(s): Whole-exome sequencing was performed for each patient. Sanger sequencing was used to confirm the potential causative genetic variants. In silico analysis and American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics guidelines were used to classify the pathogenicity of each variant.Main Outcome Measure(s): Rare sequence variants associated with müllerian duct development and renal agenesis were identified and included in subsequent analyses.Result(s): A total of 11 variants were identified in 10 of 12 patients (83.3%) and were considered to constitute a molecular genetic diagnosis of HWWS. These 11 variants were related to 9 genes: CHD1L, TRIM32, TGFBR3, WNT4, RET, FRAS1, FAT1, FOXF1, and PCSK5. All variants were heterozygous and confirmed by Sanger sequencing. The changes included one frameshift variant, one splice-site variant, and eight missense variants. All of the identified variants were absent or rare in Genome Aggregation Database East Asian populations. One of the 11 variants (9.1%) was classified as a pathogenic variant according to the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics guidelines, and 8 of the 11 variants (72.7%) were classified as variants of uncertain significance.Conclusion(s): To our knowledge, this is the first report of the genetic causes of HWWS. Renal agenesis-related genes, such as CHD1L, TRIM32, RET, and WNT4, may be associated with HWWS. Identification of these variants can not only help us understand the etiology of HWWS and the relationship between reproductive tract development and urinary system development, but additionally improve the level of genetic counseling for HWWS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The relationship between the gut mycobiome and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) remains largely unexplored. Methods: In this study, we compared the gut fungal populations of 223 ESRD patients and 69 healthy controls (HCs) based on shotgun metagenomic sequencing data, and analyzed their associations with host serum and fecal metabolites. Results: Our findings revealed that ESRD patients had a higher diversity in the gut mycobiome compared to HCs. Dysbiosis of the gut mycobiome in ESRD patients was characterized by a decrease of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and an increase in various opportunistic pathogens, such as Aspergillus fumigatus, Cladophialophora immunda, Exophiala spinifera, Hortaea werneckii, Trichophyton rubrum, and others. Through multi-omics analysis, we observed a substantial contribution of the gut mycobiome to host serum and fecal metabolomes. The opportunistic pathogens enriched in ESRD patients were frequently and positively correlated with the levels of creatinine, homocysteine, and phenylacetylglycine in the serum. The populations of Saccharomyces, including the HC-enriched Saccharomyces cerevisiae, were frequently and negatively correlated with the levels of various toxic metabolites in the feces. Conclusions: Our results provided a comprehensive understanding of the associations between the gut mycobiome and the development of ESRD, which had important implications for guiding future therapeutic studies in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to explore the association of maternal preconceptional folic acid (FA) supplementation with gestational age and preterm birth in twin pregnancies, and whether the association varies by chorionicity or conception mode. Methods: From November 2018 to December 2021, the information of FA supplementation and pregnancy outcomes were collected in twin pregnant women. The linear regression models and the logistic regression were used to test the association of preconceptional FA supplementation with gestational age at delivery and preterm birth and premature rupture of membranes (PROM). Results: A total of 416 twin pregnancies were included. Compared with no use in twins, maternal preconceptional FA use was associated with a 0.385-week longer gestational age (95% CI 0.019–0.751) and lower risk of preterm birth < 36 weeks (adjusted OR 0.519; 95% CI 0.301–0.895) and PROM (adjusted OR 0.426; 95% CI 0.215–0.845). The protective effect on preterm birth < 36 weeks and PROM is similar whether taking FA supplements alone or multivitamins. However, the associations varied by chorionicity and conception mode of twins or compliance with supplementation. The positive associations between preconceptional FA use and gestational age only remained significant among twins via assisted reproductive technology or dichorionic diamniotic twins. Significant protective effects on preterm birth < 36 weeks and PROM were only found among women who took FA at least 4 times a week before conception. Conclusion: Maternal preconceptional FA supplementation was associated with longer gestation duration and lower risk of preterm birth < 36 weeks and PROM in twin pregnancies. To improve the success of their pregnancies, reproductive women should start taking FA supplements well before conception and with good compliance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Childhood obesity increases the risk of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular abnormalities, and psychological and behavioral disorders. But it is unclear whether obesity is associated with childhood nocturnal enuresis (NE). This study aimed to assess the relationship between childhood obesity and NE in a nationally representative large sample in China. Subjects were enrolled from Urumqi, Chengdu, Xi'an, Hohhot, Wuhan, Canton, Shanghai, and Harbin cities in China in November and December 2005. The survey included 20,987 children aged 5–12 years and they and their caregivers completed questionnaires. Height and weight were measured by school teachers trained in healthcare. According to the WHO child growth standards, obesity was defined as a body mass index >95th percentile of peers with the same age and gender. NE was defined as bed wetting for more than twice a week for 3 consecutive months. Demographic variables were compared among different groups. The prevalence of obesity, asthma, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depressive moods, and snoring were different between the NE and without-NE groups (P < 0.05). The raw odds ratio (OR) for NE and obesity was 1.36 (95%CI = 1.07–1.74; P = 0.013) and the adjusted OR was 1.42 (95%CI = 1.11–1.82; P = 0.005) in the multivariable analysis. When adjusting for co-occurring conditions, the results showed that asthma did not affect the risk of NE (OR = 1.42, 95%CI = 1.11–1.82; P = 0.005), but ADHD (OR = 1.41; 95%CI = 1.10–1.81; P = 0.006) and depressive moods (OR = 1.34; 95%CI = 1.07–1.76; P = 0.012) slightly weakens the association between NE in children and obesity, while snoring weakens the association between obesity and NE and the risk became non-significant (OR = 1.21; 95%CI = 0.94–1.56; P = 0.138). In conclusion, obese children were at a higher risk of incurring NE compared to non-obese children. This association was weaker in children who either snored, had ADHD, or had depressive mood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Evidence suggests the possible impact of ambient high temperature on fetal growth and birth outcomes. However, little is known about the relative impact of exposure to heat and cold and the possible vulnerable window during pregnancy.Methods: Data on a total of 237,585 pregnant women from January 1st, 2001 to December 31st, 2010 were acquired from the Queensland Health, Australia. Daily data on meteorological factors, including ambient temperature, relative humidity, barometric pressure, and air pollutants, such as PM10, SO2, NO2, and O3, were obtained from relevant government agencies. This study was to examine the associations of maternal exposure to ambient temperature (high and low temperatures, in early vs. late pregnancy) with the duration of gestation and birth weight.Results: A J-shaped association between minimum temperature at conception and duration of gestation was observed after adjusting for seasonality and other confounders. Compared to women who were exposed to the minimum temperature of 15-20 °C in the first gestational week, exposure to the minimum temperature of > 20 °C significantly increased the duration of gestation by 0.029 weeks (95% CI: 0.008, 0.049). A cumulative effect was found when exposure across the first four weeks was examined. There was an inverted U-shaped relationship between minimum temperature at delivery and the duration of gestation. Compared to women exposed to 15-20 °C, exposure to minimum temperature of > 20 °C and ≤ 10 °C was associated with a shortened gestation by 0.030 weeks (95% CI: -0.052, - 0.008) and 0.018 weeks (95% CI: -0.057, - 0.004), respectively. By contrast, an inverse relationship between maximum temperature and birth weight was observed. Compared to exposure to the maximum temperature of > 30 °C in the last week of pregnancy, maternal exposure to 20-25 °C and < 20 °C significantly increased birth weight by 0.011 kg (95% CI: 0.008, 0.018) and 0.018 kg (95% CI: 0.010, 0.031), respectively. Similarly, a mild cumulative effect was observed when maximum temperature exposure across the four weeks before delivery was evaluated.Conclusions: The finding emphasized the importance of keeping an optimal temperature range during pregnancy for reducing the risk of preterm birth and low birthweight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conservation status and pollination biology of Rhododendron protistum var. giganteum Balf.f. & Forrest, a plant taxon with an extremely small population size, was investigated in western Yunnan from 2014 to 2016. In addition to two previously reported populations, 7 more populations were found in the Gaoligong Mountain National Nature Reserve. Floral traits, including flowering time, floral morphology, petal color reflectance and flower scents, were assessed, and the associated probable pollinator assemblies were recorded. The flowering period of R. protistum var. giganteum was from late January to early March and a single flower can last 14–16 days in its natural habitat. Bombus and two genera of birds, Aethopyga and Dicaeum, were observed to be floral visitors, representing 75% and 25% of total recorded flower visits respectively. Floral scents matched the vegetative parts scent, indicating that scent is unlikely to be of importance in attracting pollinators, but the red flower color suggests ornithophilous pollination. A marked peak in the reflectance spectrum at 436 nm was observed, providing further evidence for bumblebee pollination. Pollination treatments indicated that pollen limitation was not severe in R. protistum var. giganteum. Overall, our preliminary report provides basic information and facilitates further conservation of R. protistum var. giganteum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Abscisic acid (ABA) plays an important role in plant abiotic stress responses, and ABA INSENSITIVE 4 (ABI4) is a pivotal transcription factor in the ABA signaling pathway. In Arabidopsis, ABI4 negatively regulates salt tolerance; however, the mechanism through which ABI4 regulates plant salt tolerance is poorly understood. Our previous study showed that ABI4 directly binds to the promoter of the VITAMIN C DEFECTIVE 2 (VTC2) gene, inhibiting the transcription of VTC2 and ascorbic acid (AsA) biosynthesis. Results: In the present study, we found that treatment with exogenous AsA could alleviate salt stress sensitivity of ABI4-overexpressing transgenic plants. The decreased AsA content and increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in ABI4-overexpressing seedlings under salt treatment indicated that AsA-promoted ROS scavenging was related to ABI4-mediated salt tolerance. Gene expression analysis showed that ABI4 was induced at the early stage of salt stress, giving rise to reduced VTC2 expression. Accordingly, the abundance of the VTC2 protein decreased under the same salt stress conditions, and was absent in the ABI4 loss-of-function mutants, suggesting that the transcriptional inhibition of ABI4 on VTC2 resulted in the attenuation of VTC2 function. In addition, other encoding genes in the AsA biosynthesis and recycling pathways showed different responses to salt stress, demonstrating that AsA homeostasis is complicated under salinity stress. Conclusions: This study elucidates the negative modulation of ABI4 in salt stress tolerance through the regulation of AsA biosynthesis and ROS accumulation in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The degradation process of a red iron oxide epoxy coating on three kinds of metals under a periodic cycling exposure to 3.5 wt% NaCl solution (45 °C 12 h + 25 °C 12 h) was comparatively studied using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) methods. The influence of the metal substrates (carbon steel, brass, and Al alloy) on the protection performance of the coating was analyzed using variations in the electrochemical and chemical parameters. The failure criteria of the coating were discussed. The results show that the coating on the three substrates presents different failure times, with the coating on steel presenting the shortest time and the coating on Al alloy the longest time. The characteristics of metal substrates and their corrosion products influence the coating failure behavior. The corrosion products with loose and hygroscopic properties of steel and brass have promoting effects on the diffusion of water through the coating. The passive film of the Al alloy substrate and the formation of salt film containing Cl− have corrosion-inhibiting effects on the substrate. Evaluation of the coating performance by |Z|0.01Hz should consider the characteristics of the metal substrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human aging is invariably accompanied by a decline in renal function, a process potentially exacerbated by uremic toxins originating from gut microbes. Based on a registered household Chinese Guangxi longevity cohort (n = 151), we conducted comprehensive profiling of the gut microbiota and serum metabolome of individuals from 22 to 111 years of age and validated the findings in two independent East Asian aging cohorts (Japan aging cohort n = 330, Yunnan aging cohort n = 80), identifying unique age‐dependent differences in the microbiota and serum metabolome. We discovered that the influence of the gut microbiota on serum metabolites intensifies with advancing age. Furthermore, mediation analyses unveiled putative causal relationships between the gut microbiota (Escherichia coli, Odoribacter splanchnicus, and Desulfovibrio piger) and serum metabolite markers related to impaired renal function (p‐cresol, N‐phenylacetylglutamine, 2‐oxindole, and 4‐aminohippuric acid) and aging. The fecal microbiota transplantation experiment demonstrated that the feces of elderly individuals could influence markers related to impaired renal function in the serum. Our findings reveal novel links between age‐dependent alterations in the gut microbiota and serum metabolite markers of impaired renal function, providing novel insights into the effects of microbiota‐metabolite interplay on renal function and healthy aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the single-loop structure, the problem of overcurrent protection for permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) is investigated in this paper. Due to the combination of speed loop and current loop, the q-axis current become a state of PMSM control system, instead of the output of current loop in the cascade control. As a consequence, the conventional controllers can not restrict the q-axis current into a safe zone. But an oversize transient current may lead to damage of hardwares and property loss. To this end, a new current-constrained controller is proposed to deal with the issue of over-current protection. Different from previous methods of state constraints, the effects of disturbance is taken into account of controller design. A reduced-order generalized proportional integral observer (RGPIO) is adopted to estimate the uncertainties and disturbances. Our method can be considered as a composition of current-constrained control plus feed-forward compensation based on RGPIO. A rigorous stability analysis for the closed-loop system is presented. Compared with the conventional PID controller, the proposed method not only limits q-axis current to a safe range, but also has a good anti-disturbance ability. The feasibility and efficiency of the proposed method is validated by both simulation and experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a novel decentralized exact tracking control approach for 2-degree of freedom (DOF) planar robot manipulators with disturbances and uncertainties has been proposed. The main idea of the proposed method is to partition the whole robot manipulator into single joint and lumped disturbance. A well designed extended high gain observer (EHGO) is adopted to observe the lumped disturbance of each joint, which includes coupling, load disturbance and uncertainty, and so forth. Rather than coping with the robot manipulator as a whole, the proposed method is locally designed to compensate the estimated coupling and stabilize the internal states of a single joint. By doing that, each joint can be virtually decoupled from the whole robot manipulator and functions in a relatively independent way. When joints are interconnected, the stabilization of the whole robot manipulator would be obtained by only guaranteeing the localized stability of individual joint. The theoretical analyses are rigorously conducted by utilizing Lyapunov stability theorem. Simulation results illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine) is a polypotent neuroendocrine lipid-soluble small molecule secreted mainly by the pineal gland. During gestation, melatonin levels in the mother at night rise as the pregnancy progresses and return to normal after delivery. The etiology of hypertensive disorder complicating pregnancy (HDCP) is multifaceted. An increasing number of evidence suggests the involvement of melatonin in the pathogenic process, and the regulation is related to its expression level, secretion rhythm and receptor level. Abnormal placental blood circulation, ischemia and hypoxia and systemic vascular endothelium dysfunction are the main pathological processes of HDCP. Through direct antioxidant effect, melatonin improves mitochondrial dysfunction and protects trophoblast cells from oxidative damage, thus participating in the regulation of placental oxidative stress level, and plays a protective role in preventing oxidative damage caused by hypoxic ischemia reperfusion of placenta, thus maintaining placental functional homeostasis. In addition, there is also evidence that melatonin can protect maternal vascular endothelium from oxidative stress by reducing the production and secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines and vasoactive compounds, and participating in the regulation of systemic blood pressure in pregnant women. These confidences suggest that melatonin can be involved in the maintenance of placental and systemic vascular functional homeostasis during pregnancy through the regulation of oxidative stress. In this article, the effects of melatonin on HDCP and the related mechanisms are reviewed, and the positive role of melatonin in the pathogenesis of HDCP is summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Neuroinflammation is one of the most important pathogeneses in secondary brain injury after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) forming neutrophils were found throughout the brain tissue of TBI patients and elevated plasma NET biomarkers correlated with worse outcomes. However, the biological function and underlying mechanisms of NETs in TBI-induced neural damage are not yet fully understood. Here, we used Cl-amidine, a selective inhibitor of NETs to investigate the role of NETs in neural damage after TBI. Methods: Controlled cortical impact model was performed to establish TBI. Cl-amidine, 2′3′-cGAMP (an activator of stimulating Interferon genes (STING)), C-176 (a selective STING inhibitor), and Kira6 [a selectively phosphorylated inositol-requiring enzyme-1 alpha [IRE1α] inhibitor] were administrated to explore the mechanism by which NETs promote neuroinflammation and neuronal apoptosis after TBI. Peptidyl arginine deiminase 4 (PAD4), an essential enzyme for neutrophil extracellular trap formation, is overexpressed with adenoviruses in the cortex of mice 1 day before TBI. The short-term neurobehavior tests, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI), Evans blue extravasation assay, Fluoro-Jade C (FJC), TUNEL, immunofluorescence, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), western blotting, and quantitative-PCR were performed in this study. Results: Neutrophils form NETs presenting in the circulation and brain at 3 days after TBI. NETs inhibitor Cl-amidine treatment improved short-term neurological functions, reduced cerebral lesion volume, reduced brain edema, and restored cerebral blood flow (CBF) after TBI. In addition, Cl-amidine exerted neuroprotective effects by attenuating BBB disruption, inhibiting immune cell infiltration, and alleviating neuronal death after TBI. Moreover, Cl-amidine treatment inhibited microglia/macrophage pro-inflammatory polarization and promoted anti-inflammatory polarization at 3 days after TBI. Mechanistically, STING ligand 2′3′-cGAMP abolished the neuroprotection of Cl-amidine via IRE1α/ASK1/JNK signaling pathway after TBI. Importantly, overexpression of PAD4 promotes neuroinflammation and neuronal death via the IRE1α/ASK1/JNK signaling pathway after TBI. However, STING inhibitor C-176 or IRE1α inhibitor Kira6 effectively abolished the neurodestructive effects of PAD4 overexpression after TBI. Conclusion: Altogether, we are the first to demonstrate that NETs inhibition with Cl-amidine ameliorated neuroinflammation, neuronal apoptosis, and neurological deficits via STING-dependent IRE1α/ASK1/JNK signaling pathway after TBI. Thus, Cl-amidine treatment may provide a promising therapeutic approach for the early management of TBI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medical assistance is crucial to disaster management. In particular, the situation of survivors as well as the environmental information after disasters should be collected and sent back to cloud/data centers immediately for further interpretation and analysis. Recently, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-aided disaster management has been considered a promising approach to enhance the efficiency of searching and rescuing survivors after a disaster, in which a group of UAVs collaborates to accomplish the search and rescue task. However, the battery capacity of UAVs is a critical shortcoming that limits their usage. Worse still, the unstable network connectivity of disaster sites could lead to high latency of data transmission from UAV to remote data centers, which could make significant challenges on real-time data collecting and processing. To solve the above problems, in this paper, we investigate an energy-efficient multihop data routing algorithm with the guarantee of quality-of-service for UAV-aided medical assistance. Specifically, we first study the data routing problem to minimize the energy consumption considering transmission rate, time delay, and life cycle of the UAV swarms. Then, we formulate the issue as a mixed-integer nonlinear programming model. Because of the Non-deterministic Polynomial-hardness of this problem, we propose a polynomial time algorithm based on a genetic algorithm to solve the problem. To achieve high efficiency, we further enhance our algorithm based on DBSCAN and adaptive techniques. Extensive experiments show that our approach can outperform the state-of-the-art methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A 1,6-α-D-glucan (CPA) with a high molecular weight of 2.0 × 103 kDa was isolated from the fruits of Castanea mollissima Blume. CPA showed good water solubility, low side effects on normal cells, and moderate cytotoxicity on cancer cells. Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) possess significant anticancer effects, but poor water solubility and dispersity. Therefore, an effective nanocomposite was designed in order to enhance the stability and anticancer effects of SeNPs decorated with CPA. Water soluble and dispersed selenium nanoparticles (CPA-SeNPs) were fabricated using CPA and Na 2 SeO 3 by redox reaction with ascorbic acid. The average diameter of CPA-SeNPs was 53.7 ± 4.0 with a Se content of approximately 171.4 mg/g. CPA-SeNPs showed a significant anti-proliferative effect on HeLa cells in vitro. Since these NPs could induce apoptosis and S phase arrest. The apoptotic pathway triggered by CPA-SeNPs on HeLa cells was also characterized as induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS) overproduction, mitochondrial dysfunction and activation of caspase-3. This study suggested that CPA-SeNPs could be developed as a potential candidate in cancer treatment, especially against human cervical cancer. Highlights • CPA-SeNPs was fabricated using CPA and Na 2 SeO 3 by reducing with ascorbic acid. • CPA-SeNPs was approximately 50 nm with a Se content about 171.4 mg/g. • CPA-SeNPs showed a significant anti-proliferative effect on HeLa cells in vitro. • CPA-SeNPs induced HeLa cells apoptosis in an intrinsic apoptosis pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]