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Abstract To study the degradation of lncRNAs in EPMI in rat brain tissue, this study provides a new direction for the estimation of EPMI. LncRNA high-throughput sequencing was performed on the brain tissues of hemorrhagic shock model rats at 0 h and 24 h, and the target lncRNAs were screened. Samples at 0, 1, 3, 6, 12, 18 and 24 h after death were collected, and miRNA-9 and miRNA-125b were used as reference genes. The relative expression levels of lncRNAs at each PMI were detected by RT–qPCR, and a functional model involving lncRNAs and EPMI was established. Samples were collected at 6, 9, 15, and 21 h after death for functional model verification. The expression of several lncRNAs decreased with the prolongation of EPMI, and the mathematical model established by several lncRNA indices exhibited good fit. The verification results of the multi-index joint function model are significantly better than those of the single-index function model, and the established model is more practical. There is a linear relationship between lncRNAs and EPMI, and the multi-index function model is significantly better than the single-index function model, which is important for EPMI inference in forensic pathology practice.

Haematococcus pluvialis residue powder, which has been extracted with astaxanthin, was used as the raw material to prepare Haematococcus pluvialis protein by alkaline extraction and acid precipitation method. The protein structure of Haematococcus pluvialis was characterized, and the effects of pH and ion strength on the functional characteristics of Haematococcus pluvialis protein were studied. The results showed that the isoelectric point of Haematococcus pluvialis protein was 4.2. The molecular weight of the subunit was around 14.4, 18.4 and 38 kDa, respectively and the content of α-helix, β-fold, β-corner and disordered structure in the secondary structure was 14.86%, 18.47%, 40.3% and 26.37%, respectively. It contained 7 kinds of essential amino acids required by the human body, accounting for 36.38% of the total amino acid content. Microscopic observation showed that the protein of Haematococcus pluvialis was rod-shaped and sheet-like, with a rough and porous surface. With the increase of pH, the solubility, water absorption, emulsion capability, foam stability and foam stability of the protein of Haematococcus pluvialis increased first and then decreased, while the emulsification stability showed the opposite trend. With the increase of NaCl concentration, the foam capability, foam stability, emulsion capability and emulsification stability of the protein of Haematococcus pluvialis increased first and then decreased, while the solubility showed a trend of first decreasing, then increasing, and then decreasing again.

The change of water content, mildew of Liupao tea at 35 ℃, 30 ℃, 25 ℃ and humidity of 90%, 80% and 70% were studied. The influence of temperature and humidity on water content and mildew of Liupao tea was analyzed, and the temperature and humidity conditions of Liupao tea were determined. The parameters of spore counting method applied to Liupao tea were optimized and the feasibility of spore counting method in predicting the mildew degree of Liupao tea was evaluated. The results showed that temperature below 25 ℃ and humidity below 70% were the best storage conditions for Liupao tea to prevent mildew. The increase level of spore number and the degree of mildew were synchronized. This method was feasible for rapid assessment of mildew of Liupao tea, and the critical value of the number of spores with mildew was preliminarily determined to be 30.00×107 ·g–1. The results of this study could provide a theoretical basis for the safe storage conditions of Liupao tea, and a new method for rapid assessment of its mildew degree.

This study examines the effect of implementation of the National Ecological Civilization Construction Demonstration Zone (NECCDZ) policy in China as a quasi-natural experiment on Chinese listed firms’ ESG performance. By utilizing a multi-period differences-in-differences model, the empirical results reveal that the NECCDZ policy boosted the ESG performance of China’s A-share listed companies in the pilot region by an average of 38%. However, the NECCDZ policy has differential effects on the three subdimensions of ESG. More specifically, the NECCDZ policy significantly improves the social responsibility performance and governance performance of the company, and has a lagged positive effect on the environmental performance. The mechanism analysis shows that the NECCDZ policy enhances corporate ESG practices by promoting enterprise green technology innovation, while media attention positively moderates the impact of the NECCDZ policy on corporate ESG practices. Further analysis shows that the NECCDZ policy also improves the enterprises’ financing environment through government subsidies and public investment. Overall, the empirical findings show the effectiveness of NECCDZ policy in enhancing ESG practices at the enterprise level and offer a new approach to improving corporate ESG finance in emerging markets such as China.

Tubular adenomas of the breast are rare benign epithelium-derived tumours, and so few cases have been reported. Most often, the tumours are palpable, well-circumscribed masses in women of childbearing age and are commonly diagnosed as fibroadenomas both clinically and radiographically. We describe the case of a premenopausal patient with tubular adenoma of the breast who presented with small nipple discharge and a palpable breast mass. On imaging, tubular adenomas are practically indistinguishable from fibroadenomas and most commonly present as oval, circumscribed masses that are hypoechoic on ultrasound. On magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), tubular adenomas may present as lobulated or oval masses with a hyperintense signal on T2-weighted imaging and inhomogeneous internal enhancement on dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI. Pathologic findings after resection of the mass confirmed the diagnosis of tubular adenoma.

Due to the absence of more efficient diagnostic tools, the spread of mpox continues to be unchecked. Although related studies have demonstrated the high efficiency of deep learning models in diagnosing mpox, key aspects such as model inference speed and parameter size have always been overlooked. Herein, an ultrafast and ultralight network named Fast‐MpoxNet is proposed. Fast‐MpoxNet, with only 0.27 m parameters, can process input images at 68 frames per second (FPS) on the CPU. To detect subtle image differences and optimize model parameters better, Fast‐MpoxNet incorporates an attention‐based feature fusion module and a multiple auxiliary losses enhancement strategy. Experimental results indicate that Fast‐MpoxNet, utilizing transfer learning and data augmentation, produces 98.40% classification accuracy for four classes on the mpox dataset. Furthermore, its Recall for early‐stage mpox is 93.65%. Most importantly, an application system named Mpox‐AISM V2 is developed, suitable for both personal computers and smartphones. Mpox‐AISM V2 can rapidly and accurately diagnose mpox and can be easily deployed in various scenarios to offer the public real‐time mpox diagnosis services. This work has the potential to mitigate future mpox outbreaks and pave the way for developing real‐time diagnostic tools in the healthcare field.

Clubroot, caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae, is a significant disease affecting brassica crops worldwide and poses a threat to canola (Brassica napus) production in western Canada. Management of this disease heavily relies on the use of resistant cultivars, but resistance erosion is a serious concern due to the highly diverse pathogen populations. Understanding resistance mechanisms may aid in better deployment/rotation of clubroot resistance (CR) genes and improve resistance resilience. In this study, we conducted a comparative analysis using resistant canola varieties carrying either a single (Rcr1) or double CR genes (Rcr1+Crr1rutb) to decipher the resistance modes associated with these genes. Cell wall (CW) biopolymeric compounds in different root layers were mapped and quantified using Fourier-transform mid-infrared microspectroscopy for changes in CW elements associated with clubroot resistance. Transmission electron and confocal microscopy were used to assess root infection details and relative transcript abundance was analyzed to determine the activation of the lignin-related pathway in relation to resistance. Neither resistant variety affected the primary infection of root hairs/epidermal cells compared to the susceptible “Westar”, but both exhibited strong inhibition of cortical infection, effectively ‘trapping’ the pathogen in the exodermis. The most prominent change observed was increased lignin accumulation associated with resistance. In Westar, the pathogen was able to degrade CW lignin, facilitating access to the root cortex by secondary plasmodia of P. brassicae. In contrast, resistant varieties showed clear lignin accumulation around the penetration site on the exodermis, accompanied by elevated expression of genes involved in the phenylpropanoid pathway. These results suggest that induced lignin accumulation plays a role in clubroot resistance mediated by the CR genes Rcr1 and Crr1rutb in canola, providing cellular and structural evidence that supports the data from earlier transcriptomic studies.

To study the effects of intercropping walnut in karst area on rhizosphere soil nutrients and microecological environment, four different planting modes of walnut in the northwest Guangxi karst area were selected as experimental subjects. The modes included intercropping walnut with mulberry (H-SS), walnut with Mahonia fortunei (H-SD), walnut with corn (H-YM), and monoculture walnuts (H-D). The physicochemical properties and microbial characteristics of the walnut rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soils under different planting modes were analyzed using laboratory chemical experiments and Illumina Miseq PE300 high-throughput sequencing technology. The results were as follows: (1) The walnut rhizosphere soils of different modes exhibited different degrees of enrichment in total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), total potassium (TK), available phosphorus (AP), soil organic carbon (SOC), and exchangeable calcium, while available nitrogen (AN) showed a deficiency. Among them, H-SS showed significant enrichment effects on TN, TP, and SOC, while H-YM demonstrated the best enrichment effects on AP, AK, and exchangeable calcium. (2) Sucrase activity, microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen, and bacteria all exhibited significant rhizosphere effects, with H-YM showing the highest sucrase activity, phosphatase activity, and microbial biomass carbon. However, intercropping modes reduced the rhizosphere effects of microbial biomass nitrogen and bacteria. (3) Under the three intercropping modes, the Shannon index of rhizosphere soil bacteria was higher than that of monoculture walnuts. (4) Intercropping could enhance the diversity of rhizosphere soil bacteria. Moreover, the diversity of rhizosphere soil microorganisms was mainly influenced by nutrients, while non-rhizosphere soil was primarily affected by enzyme activities. In conclusion, intercropping can increase the enrichment ratio of rhizosphere nutrients, enhance soil enzyme activities, and promote microbial proliferation. Among the four different planting modes, H-SS shows significant enrichment effects on TN, TP, and SOC in rhizosphere soil, and it also has the highest soil bacterial content. H-YM exhibits better enrichment effects on AP, AK, and exchangeable calcium in rhizosphere soil. Therefore, in practical production, intercropping with mulberry or corn can be chosen based on local farming practices to optimize land use and improve ecological benefits. This study is of great significance for the development of sustainable agriculture in the northwest Guangxi karst area and provides a scientific basis for agricultural production and ecological conservation in similar ecological environments. Additionally, this research offers new ideas and methods for promoting agricultural modernization and facilitating the rational utilization of land resources and improvements in the ecological environment in karst area.

Abstract Background Bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum severely affects peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) yields. The breeding of resistant cultivars is an efficient means of controlling plant diseases. Therefore, identification of resistance genes effective against bacterial wilt is a matter of urgency. The lack of a reference genome for a resistant genotype severely hinders the process of identification of resistance genes in peanut. In addition, limited information is available on disease resistance-related pathways in peanut. Results Full-length transcriptome data were used to generate wilt-resistant and -susceptible transcript pools. In total, 253,869 transcripts were retained to form a reference transcriptome for RNA-sequencing data analysis. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis of differentially expressed genes revealed the plant-pathogen interaction pathway to be the main resistance-related pathway for peanut to prevent bacterial invasion and calcium plays an important role in this pathway. Glutathione metabolism was enriched in wilt-susceptible genotypes, which would promote glutathione synthesis in the early stages of pathogen invasion. Based on our previous quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping results, the genes arahy.V6I7WA and arahy.MXY2PU, which encode nucleotide-binding site-leucine-rich repeat receptor proteins, were indicated to be associated with resistance to bacterial wilt. Conclusions This study identified several pathways associated with resistance to bacterial wilt and identified candidate genes for bacterial wilt resistance in a major QTL region. These findings lay a foundation for investigation of the mechanism of resistance to bacterial wilt in peanut.

The t-rail electrode is an effective method to enhance the silicon optoelectronic modulator's performance. To design and optimize T-rail electrodes, engineers often rely on finite-element numerical simulations that require complex device modeling and enormous computing resources. In this paper, we present an equivalent circuit model for carrier-depletion-based push-pull silicon modulators with T-rail electrodes. The analytical solution for the bandwidth of the modulator can be derived from the equivalent circuit. The utilization of the analytical solution offers advantages in terms of memory conservation and flexibility. The values calculated by the equivalent circuit model are in excellent agreement with the numerical full-wave HFSS simulations. Hence, the proposed model can accurately and efficiently develop silicon optical modulators.

Whilst conducting surveys of lignicolous microfungi in Yunnan Province, we collected a large number of taxa that resemble Montagnula (Didymosphaeriaceae, Pleosporales). Our phylogenetic study on Montagnula involved analysing sequence data from ribosomal RNA genes (nc18S, nc28S, ITS) and protein-coding genes (rpb2, tef1-α). We present a biphasic approach (morphological and molecular phylogenetic evidence) that supports the recognition of four new species in Montagnula viz., M. lijiangensis, M. menglaensis, M. shangrilana and M. thevetiae. The global diversity of Montagnula is also inferred from metabarcoding data and published records based on field observations. Metabarcoding data from GlobalFungi and field observations provided insights into the global diversity and distribution patterns of Montagnula. Studies conducted in Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America revealed a concentration of Montagnula species, suggesting regional variations in ecological preferences and distribution. Montagnula species were found on various substrates, with sediments yielding a high number of sequences. Poaceae emerged as a significant contributor, indicating a potential association between Montagnula species and grasses. Culture-based investigations from previously published data revealed Montagnula species associations with 105 plant genera (in 45 plant families), across 55 countries, highlighting their wide ecological range and adaptability. This study enhances our understanding of the taxonomy, distribution, and ecological preferences of Montagnula species. It emphasizes their role in the decomposition of organic matter in grasslands and savannah systems and suggests further investigation into their functional roles in ecosystem processes. The global distribution patterns and ecological interactions of Montagnula species underscore the need for continued research and conservation efforts.

Abstract Introduction Acetaminophen and topical diclofenac (AtopD) have complementary mechanisms of action and are therefore candidates for combination use in osteoarthritis (OA) pain. However, an evidence gap exists on their combination use in OA pain. This study aimed to assess the effects of this combination and compare its performance relative to monotherapies on pain score reduction and opioid-sparing effect by leveraging evidence from acute pain setting using a model-based meta-analysis (MBMA). Methods A literature search was conducted using the MEDLINE database to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) studying the combination for acute pain. Subsequently, an MBMA of RCTs was implemented in conjunction with extrapolation principles to infer efficacy in the population of interest. Pain score reduction and opioid-sparing effect (OSE) were selected as the measures of efficacy. Results A total of 11 RCTs encompassing 1396 patients were included. Exploratory evaluation revealed AtopD combination to show greater pain score reduction versus acetaminophen monotherapy. However, pain score reduction was more susceptible to confounding by opioid patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) than OSE. Therefore, a parsimonious MBMA evaluating OSE was developed from 5 of the 11 RCTs (n = 353 patients). The analysis revealed a statistically significant interaction coefficient, suggesting a reduction of 32% in opioid use with the combination versus acetaminophen monotherapy. Differences in the effect size of the combination were less conclusive versus diclofenac monotherapy. Conclusion Our results indicate greater pain reduction and opioid-sparing efficacy for the AtopD combination versus acetaminophen monotherapy. Given the similar pain pathways and mechanisms of action of the two drugs in acute and mild-to-moderate OA pain, comparable beneficial effects from the combination therapy may be anticipated following extrapolation to chronic OA pain. Prospective RCTs and real-world studies in OA pain are needed to confirm the differences in the efficacy of the combination treatment observed in our study.

Abstract Introduction The use of combination therapy of oral acetaminophen and topical diclofenac, having complementary mechanisms of action, is an attractive strategy to enhance the analgesic response in osteoarthritis (OA) pain. While topical diclofenac is considered as well tolerated due to its low systemic exposure, concerns of liver toxicity with acetaminophen at standard analgesic doses remain. Thus, this study aimed to assess the liver safety profile of acetaminophen, particularly in OA management, using a model-based meta-analysis (MBMA). Methods A literature review was conducted using the MEDLINE database to identify randomized clinical trials (RCTs) reporting liver toxicity on acetaminophen use. An MBMA was implemented to assess the deviation from the upper limit of normal (ULN) of alanine aminotransferase or aspartate aminotransferase, namely > 0–1 × ULN, > 1.5–2 × ULN, and > 3 × ULN representing mild, moderate, and severe risk of liver abnormality, respectively. Results A total of 15 RCTs were included in the MBMA, encompassing over 4800 subjects and exposure to acetaminophen ranging from 2 to 26 weeks. Of the 15 included studies, eight involved patients with OA pain, four involved healthy subjects and three were in patients with conditions such as asthma, glaucoma, chronic pain, and cardiovascular disease. Acetaminophen 1500–4000 mg/day was found to exhibit 23% (95% confidence interval (CI): 17.74–29.20), 1.35% (95% CI: 0.17–2.51) and 0.01% (95% CI: 0.00–0.32) increased risk for mild, moderate, and severe liver injury, respectively, versus placebo. Moreover, at therapeutic doses, no correlation was identified between acetaminophen intake and liver abnormality risk. Conclusions Overall, our analysis shows that short-term (~ 8–16 weeks) acetaminophen use at therapeutically recommended doses is associated with a low risk of clinically relevant changes in liver enzymes. Given the good tolerability of topical diclofenac, the findings support the safety of the combination of acetaminophen and topical diclofenac, at least over the short term, as treatment for mild-to-moderate OA pain.

Abstract As a new data management paradigm, knowledge graphs can integrate multiple data sources and achieve quick responses, reasoning and better predictions in drug discovery. Characterized by powerful contagion and a high rate of morbidity and mortality, porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) is a common infectious disease in the global swine industry that causes economically great losses. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has advantages in low adverse effects and a relatively affordable cost of application, and TCM is therefore conceived as a possibility to treat PRRS under the current circumstance that there is a lack of safe and effective approaches. Here, we constructed a knowledge graph containing common biomedical data from humans and Sus Scrofa as well as information from thousands of TCMs. Subsequently, we validated the effectiveness of the Sus Scrofa knowledge graph by the t-SNE algorithm and selected the optimal model (i.e., transR) from six typical models, namely, transE, transR, DistMult, ComplEx, RESCAL and RotatE, according to five indicators, namely, MRR, MR, HITS@1, HITS@3 and HITS@10. Based on embedding vectors trained by the optimal model, anti-PRRSV TCMs were predicted by two paths, namely, VHC-Herb and VHPC-Herb, and potential anti-PRRSV TCMs were identified by retrieving the HERB database according to the pharmacological properties corresponding to symptoms of PRRS. Ultimately, Dan Shen's (Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge) capacity to resist PRRSV infection was validated by a cell experiment in which the inhibition rate of PRRSV exceeded 90% when the concentrations of Dan Shen extract were 0.004, 0.008, 0.016 and 0.032 mg/mL. In summary, this is the first report on the Sus Scrofa knowledge graph including TCM information, and our study reflects the important application values of deep learning on graphs in the swine industry as well as providing accessible TCM resources for PRRS.

Objective Liraglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, has been shown to regulate blood sugar and control body weight, but its ability to treat obesity-related nephropathy has been poorly studied. Therefore, this study was designed to observe the characteristics and potential mechanism of liraglutide against obesity-related kidney disease.Methods Thirty-six C57BL/6J male mice were randomly divided into six groups (n = 6 per group). Obesity-related nephropathy was induced in mice by continuous feeding of high-fat diet (HFD) for 12 weeks. After 12 weeks, liraglutide (0.6 mg/kg) and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) agonists bortezomib (200 μg/kg) were injected for 12 weeks, respectively. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was employed to detect the levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine in serum, as well as urinary protein in urine. Besides, hematoxylin–eosin staining and periodic acid-Schiff staining were used to observe the pathological changes of kidney tissue; immunohistochemistry, western blot, and real-time quantitative PCR to assess the calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase beta (CaMKKβ)/AMPK signaling pathway activation.Results Liraglutide significantly reduced serum lipid loading, improved kidney function, and relieved kidney histopathological damage and glycogen deposition in the mouse model of obesity-related kidney disease induced by HFD. In addition, liraglutide also significantly inhibited the CaMKKβ/AMPK signaling pathway in kidney tissue of HFD-induced mice. However, bortezomib partially reversed the therapeutic effect of liraglutide on HDF-induced nephropathy in mice.Conclusions Liraglutide has a therapeutic effect on obesity-related kidney disease, and such an effect may be achieved by inhibiting the CaMKKβ/AMPK signaling pathway in kidney tissue.

Airborne fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure is closely associated with metabolic disturbance, in which brown adipose tissue (BAT) is one of the main contributing organs. However, knowledge of the phenotype and mechanism of PM2.5 exposure-impaired BAT is quite limited. In the study, male C57BL/6 mice at three different life phases (young, adult, and middle-aged) were simultaneously exposed to concentrated ambient PM2.5 or filtered air for 8 weeks using a whole-body inhalational exposure system. H&E staining and high-resolution respirometry were used to assess the size of adipocytes and mitochondrial function. Transcriptomics was performed to determine the differentially expressed genes in BAT. Quantitative RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry staining, and immunoblots were performed to verify the transcriptomics and explore the mechanism for BAT mitochondrial dysfunction. Firstly, PM2.5 exposure caused altered BAT morphology and mitochondrial dysfunction in middle-aged but not young or adult mice. Furthermore, PM2.5 exposure increased cellular senescence in BAT of middle-aged mice, accompanied by cell cycle arrest, impaired DNA replication, and inhibited AKT signaling pathway. Moreover, PM2.5 exposure disrupted apoptosis and autophagy homeostasis in BAT of middle-aged mice. Therefore, BAT in middle-aged mice was more vulnerable to PM2.5 exposure, and the cellular senescence-initiated apoptosis, autophagy, and mitochondrial dysfunction may be the mechanism of PM2.5 exposure-induced BAT impairment.

Objectives: The present study was conducted to explore the performance of micronutrients in the prediction and prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods: This is an observational case-control study. 149 normal controls (NCs) and 214 COVID-19 patients were included in this study. Fat-soluble and water-soluble vitamins were determined by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis, and inorganic elements were detected by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analysis. A logistic regression model based on six micronutrients were constructed using DxAI platform. Results: Many micronutrients were dysregulated in COVID-19 compared to normal control (NC). 25-Hydroxyvitamin D3 [25(OH)D3], magnesium (Mg), copper (Cu), calcium (Ca) and vitamin B6 (pyridoxic acid, PA) were significantly independent risk factors for COVID-19. The logistic regression model consisted of 25(OH)D3, Mg, Cu, Ca, vitamin B5 (VB5) and PA was developed, and displayed a strong discriminative capability to differentiate COVID-19 patients from NC individuals [area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) = 0.901]. In addition, the model had great predictive ability in discriminating mild/normal COVID-19 patients from NC individuals (AUROC = 0.883). Conclusions: Our study showed that micronutrients were associated with COVID-19, and our logistic regression model based on six micronutrients has potential in clinical management of COVID-19, and will be useful for prediction of COVID-19 and screening of high-risk population.

Abstract. Background:. Red-cell transfusion is critical for surgery during the peri-operative period; however, the transfusion threshold remains controversial mainly owing to the diversity among patients. The patient's medical status should be evaluated before making a transfusion decision. Herein, we developed an individualized transfusion strategy using the West-China-Liu's Score based on the physiology of oxygen delivery/consumption balance and designed an open-label, multicenter, randomized clinical trial to verify whether it reduced red cell requirement as compared with that associated with restrictive and liberal strategies safely and effectively, providing valid evidence for peri-operative transfusion. Methods:. Patients aged >14 years undergoing elective non-cardiac surgery with estimated blood loss > 1000 mL or 20% blood volume and hemoglobin concentration

AbstractContext Dihydromyricetin (DMY) is extracted from vine tea, a traditional Chinese herbal medicine with anti-cancer, liver protection, and cholesterol-lowering effects.Objective This study investigated the mechanism of DMY against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Materials and methods Potential DMY, HCC, and cholesterol targets were collected from relevant databases. PPI networks were created by STRING. Then, the hub genes of co-targets, screened using CytoHubba. GO and KEGG pathway enrichment, were performed by Metascape. Based on the above results, a series of in vitro experiments were conducted by using 40–160 μM DMY for 24 h, including transwell migration/invasion assay, western blotting, and Bodipy stain assay.Results Network pharmacology identified 98 common targets and 10 hub genes of DMY, HCC, and cholesterol, and revealed that the anti-HCC effect of DMY may be related to the positive regulation of lipid rafts. Further experiments confirmed that DMY inhibits the proliferation, migration, and invasion of HCC cells and reduces their cholesterol levels in vitro. The IC50 is 894.4, 814.4, 467.8, 1,878.8, 151.8, and 156.9 μM for 97H, Hep3B, Sk-Hep1, SMMC-7721, HepG2, and Huh7 cells, respectively. In addition, DMY downregulates the expression of lipid raft markers (CAV1, FLOT1), as well as EGFR, PI3K, Akt, STAT3, and Erk.Discussion and conclusion The present study reveals that DMY suppresses EGFR and its downstream pathways by reducing cholesterol to disrupt lipid rafts, thereby inhibiting HCC, which provides a promising candidate drug with low toxicity for the treatment of HCC.

Abstract Background Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP-4i) have become firmly established in treatment algorithms and national guidelines for improving glycemic control in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).To report the findings from a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 clinical trial, which was designed to assess the efficacy and safety of a novel DPP-4 inhibitor fotagliptin in treatment-naive patients with T2DM. Methods Patients with T2DM were randomized to receive fotagliptin (n = 230), alogliptin (n = 113) or placebo (n = 115) at a 2:1:1 ratio for 24 weeks of double-blind treatment period, followed by an open-label treatment period, making up a total of 52 weeks. The primary efficacy endpoint was to determine the superiority of fotagliptin over placebo in the change of HbA1c from baseline to Week 24. All serious or significant adverse events were recorded. Results After 24 weeks, mean decreases in HbA1c from baseline were -0.70% for fotagliptin, -0.72% for alogliptin and -0.26% for placebo. Estimated mean treatment differences in HbA1c were -0.44% (95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.62% to -0.27%) for fotagliptin versus placebo, and -0.46% (95% CI: -0.67% to -0.26%) for alogliptin versus placebo, and 0.02% (95%CI: -0.16% to 0.19%; upper limit of 95%CI

In recent years, TiO2-based catalysts have received extensive attention from researchers for their excellent oxidative desulfurization (ODS) performances. In this paper, a series of mesoporous TiO2/SiO2 catalysts with different TiO2 loadings are prepared, using an incipient wetness impregnation method with agricultural waste rice husk as both the silicon source and mesoporous template and tetrabutyl titanate as the titanium source. The effect of different TiO2 loadings on the ODS performance of the samples is investigated, and the appropriate TiO2 loading is 2.5%. Compared with pure TiO2, the 2.5%TiO2/SiO2 sample exhibits high catalytic activity for oxidative desulfurization. This is, on the one hand, due to the high specific surface area and mesopore volume of the 2.5%TiO2/SiO2 sample. On the other hand, it is due to the uniform dispersion of TiO2 grains with an average diameter of 6.1 nm on the surface of the mesoporous SiO2 carrier, which greatly increases the active sites of the 2.5%TiO2/SiO2 sample, thus improving the catalytic activity of the sample. The recycling performances of the 2.5%TiO2/SiO2 sample are further investigated. The results show that, after fifteen cycles, the 2.5%TiO2/SiO2 sample still maintains high conversions of dibenzothiophene (99.8%) and 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene (99.7%) without deactivation. In addition, the 2.5%TiO2/SiO2 sample treated with TBHP aqueous solution is characterized by the technique of UV-Vis, and the Ti-peroxo (Ti-OOtBu) species, the active intermediate for the ODS of bulky organic sulfides, is successfully captured. Finally, a possible reaction mechanism for the ODS process over the 2.5%TiO2/SiO2 sample is proposed.

Background Obstructive sleep apnea is a well‐established risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Recent studies have also linked periodic limb movements during sleep to CVD. We aimed to determine whether periodic limb movements during sleep and obstructive sleep apnea are independent or synergistic factors for CVD events or death. Methods and Results We examined data from 1049 US veterans with an apnea‐hypopnea index (AHI)

IntroductionRice (Oryza sativa L.) is a pivotal cereal crop worldwide. It relies heavily on the presence of iron plaque on its root surfaces for optimal growth and enhanced stress resistance across diverse environmental conditions.MethodTo study the crystallographic aspects of iron plaque formation on rice roots, the concentrations of Fe2+ and PO43- were controlled in this study. The effects of these treatments were assessed through comprehensive analyzes encompassing root growth status, root surface iron concentration, root vitality, enzyme activities, and microstructural characteristics using advanced techniques such as root analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and ultrathin section transmission electron microscopy (TEM).ResultsThe results demonstrated that an increase in the Fe2+ concentration or a decrease in the PO43- concentration in the nutrient solution led to improvements in various root growth indicators. There was an elevation in the DCB (dithionite-citrate–bicarbonate) iron content within the roots, enhanced root vitality, and a significant increase in the activities of the superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) enzymes. Moreover, as the Fe2+ concentration increased, amorphous iron oxide minerals on the root surface were gradually transformed into ferrihydrite particles with sizes of approximately 200 nm and goethite particles with sizes of approximately 5 μm. This study showed that an increase in the Fe2+ concentration and a decrease in the PO43- concentration led to the formation of substantial iron plaque on the root surfaces. It is noteworthy that there was a distinct gap ranging from 0.5 to 3 μm between the iron plaque formed through PO43- treatment and the cellular layer of the root surface.DiscussionThis study elucidated the impacts of Fe2+ and PO43- treatments on the formation, structure, and morphology of the iron plaque while discerning variations in the spatial proximity between the iron plaque and root surface under different treatment conditions.

Language and culture are inextricably intertwined, and language and literature teaching cannot be separated from traditional Chinese culture. To study traditional culture and innovative talent cultivation strategies for language and literature teaching, this paper analyzes the current situation of language and literature teaching based on information fusion technology. Regarding curriculum structure, 21.5% of the students think that general education courses involving traditional culture should be increased. 81.2% of the students think there should be more practical studies or internships about traditional culture. In terms of course content, only 10.7% of students think that teachers have a strong connection between traditional culture and language and literature, 51.1% of students think the degree of connection is average, and 3.4% of students think that the teaching of language and literature has no connection with traditional culture at all.

The catalyst intrinsic area-specific activity for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) was constrained by the scaling relations governing the adsorption of reaction intermediates. In this study, we strategically modified the electronic band structures of Pt(CuNi)x alloy nanoparticles by varying their composition, resulting in a specific activity trend resembling a volcano shape. The introduction of MoOy shattered the existing scaling relations, leading to a significant enhancement in ORR activity of Pt alloys, surpassing the activity of Pt(CuNi)x catalysts. These findings proved the effectiveness of MoOy deposition on Pt(CuNi)x in disrupting the scaling relations, ultimately improving ORR activity.

The dual active bridge (DAB) DC–DC converter is typical in DC transformers to realize the voltage transformation and power transmission, which is determined by modulation. However, in traditional phase shift modulation strategies, the zero-voltage-switch (ZVS) range and the transmission power range of DAB are limited, and the current bias exists in light load. Therefore, a proposed asymmetric phase shift modulation strategy (PAPSM) to realize full ZVS range, larger transmission power, and non-DC bias in high frequency link (HFL) for DAB is introduced in this paper. In PAPSM, the modulation signals in adjacent periods are symmetric and in the opposite direction, and the current characteristics in the adjacent periods are still consistent. Thus, the equivalent period of DAB in PAPSM is expended, and the current bias accumulation in light load is eliminated in the equivalent period, without any extra operation. Then, the operating principles of DAB in PAPSM are introduced, to analyze the ZVS range, power delivery range, and maximum transmission power in detail. Compared with traditional phase shift modulation strategies, PAPSM can realize full ZVS range, wider power delivery range, and larger maximum transmission power by adjusting an outer phase shift ratio and an asymmetric duty ratio, and the DC bias in HFL can be eliminated. Finally, a DAB experimental setup is established based on RT-LAB, proving the theoretical analysis.

The introduction of minimally invasive surgeries for gastrointestinal tumours has been associated with many favourable postoperative outcomes and a reduced impact on nutritional status. The literature review begins by discussing the impact of minimally invasive procedures on the nutritional status of patients with gastrointestinal tumours, followed by indications for enteral nutrition (EN) in this population, including preoperative nutritional support and postoperative nutritional support. The review then examines the evidence that favours the use of EN in this population, including studies demonstrating improved outcomes with preoperative EN and reduced postoperative complications with postoperative EN. It also discusses potential strategies for improving outcomes with EN, such as early initiation of feeding and individualized nutrition plans. Overall, current evidence shows that EN improves outcomes, reduces complications, and enhances the quality of life. However, the optimal timing, composition of EN, and long-term outcomes are still unclear, indicating the need for future investigations.

Objective To discuss the management modes and application effects of strengthening the volunteer’s normalized nucleic acid sampling. Methods The volunteers of receiving the nucleic acid sampling training and normalized nucleic acid sampling (May 1st, 2022 to Jun 30th, 2022) were investigated. The volunteers were assigned to control group (n=300) and test group (n=300). WeChat group and self-made questionnaires were developed while the normalized nucleic acid sampling manuals were delivered. The normalized nucleic acid sampling was applied in the control group, and the theoretical knowledge and professional skills training were applied in the test group weekly. The weekly examination performances were evaluated through the questionnaires and interviews. The job-site sampling quality was assessed. Results Both of groups had participated into the nucleic acid sampling training and had working experiences. Before intervention, the standard rates of the job-site supervision and theoretical knowledge were 100% in both two groups. There was no significant difference in the theoretical knowledge and job-site supervision scores between groups (P>0. 05). After intervention, the theoretical knowledge and job-site supervision scores for two groups showed a rising tendency; After 1w, 2w, 3w and 4w of intervention, the cognitive levels and theoretical knowledge scores in the test group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P＜0. 05); After intervention, the occupational exposure rates in the test group were significantly lower than that in the control group (P＜0. 05). Conclusion Volunteer’s normalized nucleic acid sampling management should be enhanced from aspects of job-site supervision, the professional skill and theoretical knowledge learning, the volunteer’s job responsibility and specific rule planning, so as to increase the nucleic acid sampling normalization and accuracy. (目的 探讨加强志愿者常态化核酸采样的管理方法, 并观察其应用效果。方法 选取2022年5月1日—6月30日在本院接受核酸采样培训的并参加常态化核酸采样的志愿者进行研究, 根据电脑随机分组将志愿者分为对照组和研究组, 各300人。建立微信群, 通过“问卷星”进行在线问卷调查, 每人发放常态化核酸采样手册。对照组进行常态化核酸采样, 研究组每周完成相关理论及技能的再培训。每周通过问卷和走访的形式对两组志愿者进行考核, 并对志愿者工作现场进行质量检查。结果 两组均为参加过培训及有一定工作经验的志愿者, 干预前对两组进行现场督查和理论考核, 考核达标率均为100%, 两组理论考核及现场结果差异无统计学意义(P＞0. 05)。干预后, 两组理论考核及现场结果督查成绩均呈上升趋势, 但研究组志愿者干预后1、2、3、4周对核酸采样各方面的认知水平和理论考核的上升幅度明显优于对照组(P＜0. 05); 研究组加强志愿者管理后职业暴露发生率低于对照组(P＜0. 05)。结论 加强志愿者常态化核酸采样管理需从加强督察督办、强化志愿者各项培训和理论学习、明确志愿者的岗位职责和具体制度三方面展开, 能够确保志愿者采样的规范性和准确性。)

Abstract Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is an important oilseed crop worldwide. Improving its yield is crucial for sustainable peanut production to meet increasing food and industrial requirements. Deciphering the genetic control underlying peanut kernel weight and size, which are essential components of peanut yield, would facilitate high-yield breeding. A high-density single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based linkage map was constructed using a recombinant inbred lines (RIL) population derived from a cross between the variety Yuanza9102 and a germplasm accession wt09-0023. Kernel weight and size quantitative trait loci (QTLs) were co-localized to a 0.16 Mb interval on Arahy07 using inclusive composite interval mapping (ICIM). Analysis of SNP, and Insertion or Deletion (INDEL) markers in the QTL interval revealed a gene encoding a pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) superfamily protein as a candidate closely linked with kernel weight and size in cultivated peanut. Examination of the PPR gene family indicated a high degree of collinearity of PPR genes between A. hypogaea and its diploid progenitors, Arachis duranensis and Arachis ipaensis. The candidate PPR gene, Arahy.JX1V6X, displayed a constitutive expression pattern in developing seeds. These findings lay a foundation for further fine mapping of QTLs related to kernel weight and size, as well as validation of candidate genes in cultivated peanut.

Objective To investigate the value of MRI diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) technique in endocrine therapy for prostate cancer (PCa) based on PI-RADSv2.1. Methods A retrospective analysis of 57 patients with pathologically confirmed PCa was conducted. All patients underwent multi-parametric MRI (mpMRI) according to PI-RADS v2.1 technical specifications before biopsy and six months after endocrine therapy. The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values were measured in cancer and non-cancer areas before biopsy and six months after endocrine therapy. Patients were grouped based on the mRECIST criteria and PSA level into responders (n=45) and non-responders (n=12). ROC curves were obtained to assess the correlation between changes in ADC values and PSA values before and after endocrine therapy. Results In the responder group, the ADC value of the cancer areas was increased significantly after endocrine therapy (P

Traffic flow prediction can provide important reference data for managers to maintain traffic order, and can also be based on personal travel plans for optimal route selection. On account of the development of sensors and data collection technology, large-scale road network historical data can be effectively used, but their high non-linearity makes it meaningful to establish effective prediction models. In this regard, this paper proposes a dual-stream cross AGFormer-GPT network with prompt engineering for traffic flow prediction, which integrates traffic occupancy and speed as two prompts into traffic flow in the form of cross-attention, and uniquely mines spatial correlation and temporal correlation information through the dual-stream cross structure, effectively combining the advantages of the adaptive graph neural network and large language model to improve prediction accuracy. The experimental results on two PeMS road network data sets have verified that the model has improved by about 1.2% in traffic prediction accuracy under different road networks.

Polarization-insensitive semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) in all-optical networks can improve the signal-light quality and transmission rate. Herein, to reduce the gain sensitivity to polarization, a multi-quantum-well SOA in the 1550 nm band is designed, simulated, and developed. The active region mainly comprises the quaternary compound InGaAlAs, as differences in the potential barriers and wells of the components cause lattice mismatch. Consequently, a strained quantum well is generated, providing the SOA with gain insensitivity to the polarization state of light. In simulations, the SOA with ridge widths of 4 µm, 5 µm, and 6 µm is investigated. A 3 dB gain bandwidth of >140 nm is achieved with a 4 µm ridge width, whereas a 6 µm ridge width provides more output power and gain. The saturated output power is 150 mW (21.76 dB gain) at an input power of 0 dBm but increases to 233 mW (13.67 dB gain) at an input power of 10 dBm. The polarization sensitivity is

Narrow-linewidth lasers mainly depend on the development of advanced laser linewidth measurement methods for related technological progress as key devices in satellite laser communications, precision measurements, ultra-high-speed optical communications, and other fields. This manuscript provides a theoretical analysis of linewidth characterization methods based on the beat frequency power spectrum and laser phase noise calculations, and elaborates on existing research of measurement technologies. In addition, to address the technical challenges of complex measurement systems that commonly rely on long optical fibers and significant phase noise jitter in the existing research, a short-delay self-heterodyne method based on coherent envelope spectrum demodulation was discussed in depth to reduce the phase jitter caused by 1/f noise. We assessed the performance parameters and testing conditions of different lasers, as well as the corresponding linewidth characterization methods, and analyzed the measurement accuracy and error sources of various methods.

The paper presents a wide-bandwidth, low-polarization semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) based on strained quantum wells. By enhancing the material gain of quantum wells for TM modes, we have extended the gain bandwidth of the SOA while reducing its polarization sensitivity. Through a combination of tilted waveguide design and cavity surface optical thin film design, we have effectively reduced the cavity surface reflectance of the SOA, thus decreasing device transmission losses and noise figure. At a wavelength of 1550 nm and a drive current of 1.4 A, the output power can reach 188 mW, with a small signal gain of 36.4 dB and a 3 dB gain bandwidth of 128 nm. The linewidth broadening is only 1.032 times. The polarization-dependent gain of the SOA is below 1.4 dB, and the noise figure is below 5.5 dB. The device employs only I-line lithography technology, offering simple fabrication processes and low costs yet delivering outstanding and stable performance. The designed SOA achieves wide gain bandwidth, high gain, low polarization sensitivity, low linewidth broadening, and low noise, promising significant applications in the wide-bandwidth optical communication field across the S + C + L bands.

High-dynamic-range integrated magnetometers demonstrate extensive potential applications in fields involving complex and changing magnetic fields. Among them, Diamond Nitrogen Vacancy Color Core Magnetometer has outstanding performance in wide-range and high-precision magnetic field measurement based on its inherent high spatial resolution, high sensitivity and other characteristics. Therefore, an innovative frequency-tracking scheme is proposed in this study, which continuously monitors the resonant frequency shift of the NV color center induced by a time-varying magnetic field and feeds it back to the microwave source. This scheme successfully expands the dynamic range to 6.4 mT, approximately 34 times the intrinsic dynamic range of the diamond nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center. Additionally, it achieves efficient detection of rapidly changing magnetic field signals at a rate of 0.038 T/s.

Broad-area lasers (BALs) have found applications in a variety of crucial fields on account of their high output power and high energy transfer efficiency. However, they suffer from poor spatial beam quality due to multi-mode behavior along the waveguide transverse direction. In this paper, we propose a novel metasurface waveguide structure acting as a transverse mode selective back-reflector for BALs. In order to effectively inverse design such a structure, a digital adjoint algorithm is introduced to adapt the considerably large design area and the high degree of freedom. As a proof of the concept, a device structure with a design area of 40 × 20 μm2 is investigated. The simulation results exhibit high fundamental mode reflection (above 90%), while higher-order transverse mode reflections are suppressed below 0.2%. This is, to our knowledge, the largest device structure designed based on the inverse method. We exploited such a device and the method and further investigated the device’s robustness and feasibility of the inverse method. The results are elaborately discussed.

Objective: The effect of processing on the volatile fractions of different parts of the flowers of Camellia liberofilamenta was investigated. Methods: Different parts of the whole flowers, petals and stamens of C. liberofilamenta were processed by spreading, microwave killing and drying to make dry samples, separately, and then the effect of processing on volatile components extracted from different parts of the flowers. Results: A total of 73 kinds of volatile substances were identified, which were mainly alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, esters, acids, terpenes and others, and alcohols and aldehydes were the main volatile compounds. In terms of the type and quantity of volatile substances, the effect of processing on whole flower was greater than that on stamen and petal. Linalsol, methyl endolaurate and methyl acetate were negatively correlated to the volatile components of the tea. Alcohols and aldehydes contributed significantly to the volatile components of the whole dry flower, C6 volatile compounds contributed significantly to the volatile components of the petals, and carotenoid degraded volatile compounds contributed significantly to the volatile components of the stamens. Conclusion: There are some differences in the types and relative contents of volatile substances in different parts of stamens, petals and whole flower, and the main contribution volatile substances are different. The influence of processing on whole flower is greater than that of stamens and petals.

With the widespread adoption of ultrasound guidance, Seldinger puncture techniques, and intracardiac electrical positioning technology for the placement of peripherally inserted central catheters in recent years, an increasing number of medical staff and patients now accept peripheral placement of totally implantable venous access devices (TIVADs) in the upper arm. This approach has the advantage of completely avoiding the risks of hemothorax, pneumothorax, and neck and chest scarring. Medical specialties presently engaged in this study in China include internal medicine, surgery, anesthesiology, and interventional departments. However, command over implantation techniques, treatment of complications, and proper use and maintenance of TIVAD remain uneven among different medical units. Moreover, currently, there are no established quality control standards for implantation techniques or specifications for handling complications. Thus, this expert consensus is proposed to improve the success rate of TIVAD implantation via the upper-arm approach, reduce complication rates, and ensure patient safety. This consensus elaborates on the technical indications and contraindications, procedures and technical points, treatment of complications, and the use and maintenance of upper-arm TIVAD, thus providing a practical reference for medical staff.

Abstract Background The emergency of Omicron variants, spreading in China and worldwide, has sparked a new wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The high infectivity and persistence of the pandemic may trigger some degrees of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for nursing students experiencing indirect trauma exposure to the epidemic, which hinders the role transition from students to qualified nurses and exacerbates the health workforce shortage. Thus, it’s well worth an exploration to understand PTSD and its underlying mechanism. Specifically, PTSD, social support, resilience, and fear of COVID-19 were selected after widely literature review. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between social support and PTSD among nursing students during COVID-19, to address the mediating role of resilience and fear of COVID-19 between social support and PTSD, and to provide practical guidance for nursing students’ psychological intervention. Methods From April 26 to April 30, 2022, 966 nursing students from Wannan Medical College were selected by the multistage sampling method to fill the Primary Care PTSD Screen for the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), Brief Resilience Scale, Fear of COVID-19 Scale, and Oslo 3 Items Social Support Scale. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, spearman’s correlation analysis, regression analysis, and path analysis. Results 15.42% of nursing students had PTSD. There were significant correlations between social support, resilience, fear of COVID-19, and PTSD (r =-0.291 ~ 0.353, P

Objective To explore the effect of magnesium ion on osteogenic differentiation of porcine aortic valve interstitial cells (AVICs) and its potential mechanism. Methods Porcine AVICs were isolated from fresh pig aortic valve samples through two-step digestion combined with type Ⅱ collagen, and then cultured and identified with immunofluorescence staining and flow cytometry for cell phenotypes. The cells were randomly divided into blank control group (Blank Group), osteogenic induction medium group (OIM Group) and magnesium treatment group (1, 2 and 3 mmol/L MgSO4 solution for 7 d). The expression of osteogenic differentiation markers, osteopontin (OPN) and Runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2) were detected by Western blotting. Alizarin red staining was adopted to observe calcium deposition in the cells of each group. Subsequently, the changes in PI3K/Akt and MAPK/ERK1/2 signaling pathways were measured by Western blotting. Results Our obtained porcine AVICs had high expression of Vimentin, low expression of α-SMA, and no expression of CD31, with an ideal purity of porcine AVICs for subsequent experiments. Western blotting showed that the expression of osteogenic markers OPN and RUNX2 was significantly higher in the OIM Group than the Blank Group (P < 0.01), and these effects induced by OIM were obviously inhibited with 3 mmol/L magnesium treatment (P < 0.01). Alizarin red staining displayed that calcium salt deposition was remarkably increased in the OIM Group than the Blank Group, and this increment was inhibited after magnesium treatment. The results of Western blotting indicated that magnesium treatment resulted in decreased phosphorylation of PI3K/AKT and MAPK/ERK1/2 induced by OIM (P < 0.01). Conclusion Magnesium may partially inhibit the osteogenic differentiation of porcine AVICs induced by OIM in vitro through PI3K/AKT and MAPK/ERK1/2 signaling pathways.

Abstract Clinical diagnosis has high requirements for the resolution of medical images, but most existing medical images super‐ resolution (SR) methods are performed under a known or specific degradation kernel. However, the difference between the actual degradations and their assumed degradation kernels results in a severe performance drop for the advanced SR methods in real applications. This paper proposes a medical image blind super‐resolution model (Med‐BSR) based on an improved degradation process to handle this issue. The model makes each of the degradation factors in medical image blind SR, such as blur, noise, and downsampling, more complex and practical. Specifically, the authors use the random select/combine strategy to randomly arrange and combine the type and order of each degradation factor, which significantly expands the degradation space. The authors also improved the loss function of the primary enhanced super‐resolution generative adversarial networks (ESRGAN) network. The extensive experimental results demonstrate that the authors’ designed model can accurately restore the natural degradation process, which can reconstruct high‐quality SR medical images. It also has a good generalization ability to realistic images simultaneously.

ObjectiveTo explore the characteristics and mechanisms of working memory impairment in patients with frontal lobe epilepsy (FLE) through a memory game paradigm combined with eye tracking technology.MethodWe included 44 patients with FLE and 50 healthy controls (HC). All participants completed a series of neuropsychological scale assessments and a short-term memory game on an automated computer-based memory evaluation platform with an eye tracker.ResultsMemory scale scores of FLE patients including digit span (U = 747.50, p = 0.007), visual recognition (U = 766.50, p = 0.010), and logical memory (U = 544.00, p

Background The duration of patients maintained on peritoneal dialysis (PD) varied. This study investigated the clinical risk factors for PD withdrawal at different dialysis duration.Methods Patients who initiated PD from 1994 to 2011 were recruited and followed for at least 10 years until 2021. Patients were grouped into four groups according to dialysis duration or time on treatment (TOT) when withdrew PD.Results A cohort of 586 patients were enrolled (mean age of 54.9 years, median dialysis duration or TOT of 47.9 months). Patients who maintained PD for longer than 10 years were younger, with lower prevalence of diabetes, lower serum C-reactive protein (CRP) level and white blood cell (WBC) count, higher serum albumin and pre-albumin level, higher normalized protein catabolic rate (nPCR) and residual kidney function, and more common use of renin–angiotensin system inhibitors (RASi) at baseline (p

Background: The Fangji Dihuang formulation (FJDHF) is a widely recognized Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) formula that consists of five plant drugs: Stephaniae Tetrandrae Radix, Cinnamomi Ramulus, Rehmanniae Radix, Saposhnikoviae Radix, and Glycyrrhiza Urensis Fisch. This formulation has been known to exhibit clinical therapeutic effects in the treatment of inflammatory skin diseases. However, there is a lack of pharmacological research on its anti-atopic dermatitis (AD) activity.Methods: To investigate the potential anti-AD activity of FJDHF, DNCB was used to induce AD-like skin inflammation in the back of mice. Following successful modeling, the mice were administered FJDHF orally. The extent of the inflammatory skin lesions was recorded at day 4, 7, 14 and 28. UHPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap MS was used to identify and match the compounds present in FJDHF with ITCM, TCMIP and TCMSID. In silico predictions of potential target proteins of the identified compounds were obtained from SwishTargetPrediction, ITCM and TargetNet databases. AD-related genes were identified from GSE32924 data set, and FJDHF anti-AD hub genes were identified by MCODE algorithm. ClueGo enrichment analysis was employed to identify the core pathway of FJDHF’s anti-AD effect. To further investigate the anti-AD effect of FJDHF, single-cell RNA sequencing data set (GSE148196) from AD patients was analyzed to determine the target cells and signaling pathways of FJDHF in AD. Finally, rt-PCR, flow cytometry, and mouse back skin RNA sequencing were utilized to validate our findings.Results: FJDHF was found to be effective in improving the degree of the AD-like lesions in the mice. Network pharmacological analysis revealed the core pathway of FJDHF to be the IL-17 signaling pathway, which is interactively associated with cytokines. Single-cell RNA sequencing analysis suggested that FJDHF may play an anti-AD role by influencing dendritic cells. Flow cytometry and rt-PCR results showed that FJDHF can reduce the influence of AD sample of IL-4, IFN-γ and the expression of IL-17. The RNA sequencing of mouse back skin also confirmed our conclusion.Conclusion: FJDHF may inhibit DNCB-induced AD-like skin inflammation in mice by inhibiting the IL-17 signaling pathway. Thus, FJDHF can be considered as a potential therapeutic agent for AD.

Introduction: The financial sustainability of the electric power industries is of significant practical significance for achieving carbon neutrality and peak carbon emissions.Methods: We innovatively use web crawler technology to obtain keywords related to fintech in the search index and constructs a regional fintech indicator system. Based on this indicator system, we explore the impact of fintech on the financial sustainability of the electric power industry by panel regression model. The result shows that fintech significantly improved the financial sustainability of electric power companies. Further evidence indicates that fintech can promote financial sustainable development by enhancing corporate risk-taking ability, increasing operating income, and alleviating financing constraints. Heterogeneity analysis indirectly proves that compared to state-owned electric power enterprises, private electric power enterprises face a more severe financing environment. But private enterprises can obtain more credit funds through new financing channels opened by financial technology. So, the role of fintech in alleviating the phenomenon of ownership discrimination in the financial system cannot be ignored. In addition, we also find that fintech is more significant in helping small and medium-sized electric-power enterprises in financial sustainability, while it is less helpful for large enterprises.Discussion: In the context of the fusion development of technology and financial markets, the research conclusions of this article provide important references for governments, enterprises, and traditional financial institutions to make corresponding reforms.

ObjectiveOur previous studies have demonstrated that Plasmodium immunotherapy (infection) has antitumor effects in mice. However, as a new form of immunotherapy, this therapy has a weakness: its specific killing effect on tumor cells is relatively weak. Therefore, we tested whether Plasmodium immunotherapy combined with gemcitabine (Gem), a representative chemotherapy drug, has synergistic antitumor effects.MethodsWe designed subcutaneously and intravenously implanted murine Lewis lung cancer (LLC) models to test the antitumor effect of Plasmodium chabaudi ASS (Pc) infection in combination with Gem treatment and explored its underlying mechanisms.ResultsWe found that both Pc infection alone and Gem treatment alone significantly inhibited tumor growth in the subcutaneous model, and combination therapy was more effective than either monotherapy. Monotherapy only tended to prolong the survival of tumor-bearing mice, while the combination therapy significantly extended the survival of mice, indicating a significant synergistic effect of the combination. In the mechanistic experiments, we found that the combination therapy significantly upregulated E-cadherin and downregulated Snail protein expression levels, thus inhibiting epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of tumor cells, which may be due to the blockade of CXCR2/TGF-β-mediated PI3K/Akt/GSK-3β signaling pathway.ConclusionThe combination of Pc and Gem plays a synergistic role in inhibiting tumor growth and metastasis, and prolonging mice survival in murine lung cancer models. These effects are partially attributed to the inhibition of EMT of tumor cells, which is potentially due to the blockade of CXCR2/TGF-β-mediated PI3K/Akt/GSK-3β/Snail signaling pathway. The clinical transformation of Plasmodium immunotherapy combined with Gem for lung cancer is worthy of expectation.

Abstract Background Insomnia has become an important issue in recent years. Insomnia is affected by many factors. Previous research has shown that during the COVID-19 pandemic, there would be a long-term negative effect on the mental health of medical college students. The state of medical college students’ insomnia directly determines the results of medical education and the career development prospects of the medical students themselves. Therefore, it is very important to understand the insomnia situation of medical students in the post-epidemic era. Methods This study was conducted 2 years after the global COVID-19 pandemic (April 1-April 23, 2022). The study used an online questionnaire, administered through a web-based survey platform. The Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS), Fear of COVID‐19 Scale (FCV-19S), GAD-2, PHQ-2, and socio-demographic information were surveyed by the Questionnaire Star platform. Results The prevalence of insomnia was 27.80% (636/2289). Grade(P

AIM: To investigate the effectiveness of a modified inferior oblique muscle belly transposition for treatment of V-pattern exotropia combined with mild to moderate inferior oblique muscle overaction. METHODS: Thirteen cases (23 affected eyes) of V-pattern exotropia with inferior oblique muscle overaction (+ or ++) who underwent the modified inferior oblique muscle belly transposition procedure were retrospectively reviewed. The amount of V-pattern, grade of inferior oblique overaction, degree of vertical strabismus, abnormal head posture, and the fovea-disc angle were evaluated before and after surgery. RESULTS: The V-pattern was corrected in all cases, and the amount of V-pattern reduced by 17.85±5.13 prism diopter (PD) on average (t=16.07, P