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Background and aims: Straw incorporation and optimized fertilization application are considered as effective strategies for agricultural sustainable development. However, the interaction of straw incorporation and N fertilization on labile carbon fraction, soil aggregate stability and microbial community composition are less known, especially in saline-alkali soil. Methods: A 4-year experiment was conducted in the Yellow River Delta with two factors: straw incorporation (0, 4 500 and 9 000 kg ha−1; C0, C1 and C2, respectively) and N fertilization (255 and 400 kg N ha−1; N1 and N2). Results: Soil organic carbon (SOC), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and particulate organic carbon (POC) contents were also increased. Meanwhile, the proportion of macroaggregate was enhanced with straw incorporation through the increase of MBC and POC. Compared with N2 level, DOC:SOC ratio was decreased with straw application under N1 level, reflecting the improvement of SOC adsorption capacity. Additionally, the proportion of straw-C converted to SOC under N1 level was about 21–25%, 15–20% under N2 level, and the highest conversion rate was in N1C1 treatment. We also found DOC and SOC were the most important factors to affect the abundance of bacteria (Firmicutes) and fungi (Ascomycota) involved in straw-C degrading, which were lower under N1 level. Conclusions: It is feasible to achieve higher carbon content while increasing soil aggregate stability by optimizing straw incorporation and N fertilizer in saline-alkali soil. These findings provide important insights for improving saline-alkali soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Finding reliable and easy-to-obtain predictors of severe infectious complications after shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) is a major clinical need, particular in symptom-free hydronephrosis. Therefore, we aim to prospectively investigate the predictive value of Hounsfield units (HU) in renal pelvis urine for the risk of severe infectious complications in patients with ureteral stones and symptom-free hydronephrosis after SWL. This multi-center prospective study was conducted from June 2020 to December 2023. The HU of renal pelvis urine was measured by non-enhanced computed tomography. The severe infectious complications included systemic inflammatory response syndrome, sepsis, and septic shock. Binary logistic regression models assessed the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Finally, 1,436 patients with ureteral stones were enrolled in this study. 8.9% (128/1,436) of patients experienced severe infectious complications after SWL treatment. After adjusting confounding variables, compared with the patients in the lowest renal pelvis urine density quartile, the OR (95% CI) for the highest quartile was 32.36 (13.32, 78.60). There was a positive linear association between the HU value of renal pelvis urine and the risk of severe infectious complications after SWL (P for trend < 0.001). Furthermore, this association was also observed stratified by age, gender, BMI, stone size, stone location and hydronephrosis grade (all P for interaction > 0.05). Additionally, the nonlinear association employed by restricted cubic splines is not statistically significant (nonlinear P = 0.256). The AUROC and 95%CI of renal pelvis urine density were 0.895 (0.862 to 0.927, P value < 0.001). The cut-off value was 12.0 HU with 78.59% sensitivity and 85.94% specificity. This multi-center prospective study demonstrated a positive linear association between HU in renal pelvis urine and the risk of severe infectious complications in patients with ureteral stones and symptom-free hydronephrosis after SWL, regardless of age, gender, BMI, stone size, stone location, and hydronephrosis grade. These findings might be helpful in the SWL treatment decision-making process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) is a type of non-protein-coding RNA with a length of at least 200 nucleotides. Existing evidence shows that lncRNA affects the growth and development of humans and the occurrence of diseases through various mechanisms, and plays an irreplaceable role in the differentiation and activation of immune cells and the development process of autoim-mune diseases. In recent years, lncRNA H19 has been found to play a unique regulatory function in pathological processes related to autoimmune diseases, such as inflammation and fibrosis. Therefore, the molecular mechanism involved in H19 is expected to become a potential target for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. In this review, we discussed the related mechanisms of H19 involved in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases based on the known functions of H19 and summarized the research results of H19 in several common autoimmune diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fe@CoMo 2 S 4 /Ni 3 S 2 /NF catalysts with enhanced conductivity, enlarged electochemical active areas and modulated electronic structure for efficient water splitting. [Display omitted] Oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is a multi-electron transfer process, whose intrinsic sluggish dynamic restricts the whole process of overall water splitting (OWS). To address this issue, a porous transition metal sulfide (TMS) catalyst with rich heterojunctions was prepared by vulcanization and trace Fe doping of CoMo-based metal–organic framework (MOF). In this work, the nanoflower composed of ultrathin 2D nanosheets anchored on a nickel foam presents a layered interface that contributes to the exposure of active regions. The resulting electrode denoted as Fe@CoMo 2 S 4 /Ni 3 S 2 /NF required a low overpotential (η 10 = 167 mV @ 10 mA cm−2, η 50 = 260 mV @ 50 mA cm−2) in 1.0 M KOH for OER and a small cell voltage (E = 1.513 V @ 10 mA cm−2) to power OWS when coupled with commercial Pt/C. It also exhibited splendid morphological and chemical stability with virtually invariant polarization curve and flower-like appearance after 1000 CV cycles, as well as long-term durability over 100 h with a constant current density of 10 mA cm−2. This work revealed the multi-anionic regulation mechanism in the surface reconstruction of sulfide electrocatalysts, and verified that Co/Mo/Ni-based oxysulfide was the true active substance of OER, which inspired the understanding and design of multi-anionic regulated electrocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using g‐C3N4 as semiconductor carrier, CoB particles were loaded onto the surface of g‐C3N4 to prepare CoB/g‐C3N4 photocatalyst, which exhibited improved the photocatalytic water splitting to hydrogen production performance. By comparison, it was found that bare g‐C3N4 did not produce H2, all as‐prepared CoB/g‐C3N4 photocatalysts could produce H2, and the loaded mass of CoB cocatalyst was 15 %, CoB/g‐C3N4 photocatalyst showed the highest hydrogen evolution activity. The results of work function, electrochemistry and photoelectric conversion indicated that Schottky junction was formed between CoB and g‐C3N4, which could improve the separated rate of photoinduced charge, meanwhile, loaded CoB lowed the hydrogen production overpotential of g‐C3N4. Hence, this study provides more possibilities for the application of photocatalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ganoderma lingzhi is a traditional Chinese medicine that has been used to improve health and longevity for thousands of years. It is usually cultivated on hardwood log- or sawdust-based formulations. Conversely, in this study, we used Miscanthus sacchariflorus (MSF), M. floridulus, and M. sinensis (MSS), fast-growing perennial grasses widely distributed in China, for G. lingzhi cultivation. Mycelial growth rate, activities of lignin-degrading enzymes on colonized mushroom substrates, and expression levels of CAZymes and laccase genes based on different substrates were analyzed. Total triterpenoids, sterols, and polysaccharides content of fruiting bodies obtained from different substrates were investigated. The activities of laccase and manganese peroxidase in mycelia increased in the MSF- and MSS-based formulations compared with that in the sawdust-based formulation. The results of mycelial growth- and cultivation-related experiments showed that the Miscanthus substrates could be used as the substrates for cultivating G. lingzhi. The content of active ingredients, namely triterpenoids, sterols, and polysaccharides, in fruiting bodies cultivated on the Miscanthus substrates did not decrease compared with those in substrate obtained from the sawdust-based formulation. Therefore, the present study provides alternative substrates for the cultivation of G. lingzhi, and a reference for better utilization of inexpensive substrate in future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Macrofungi (or mushrooms) act as an extraordinarily important part to human health due to their nutritional and/or medicinal value, but the detailed researches in growth and development mechanisms have yet to be explored further. Transcription factors (TFs) play indispensable roles in signal transduction and affect growth, development, and metabolism of macrofungi. In recent years, increasing research effort has been employed to probe the relationship between the development of macrofungi and TFs. Herein, the present review comprehensively summarized the functional TFs researched in macrofungi, including modulating mycelial growth, fructification, sclerotial formation, sexual reproduction, spore formation, and secondary metabolism. Meanwhile, the possible effect mechanisms of TFs on the growth and development of some macrofungi were also revealed. Specific examples of functional characterizations of TFs in macrofungi (such as Schizophyllumcommune and Coprinopsis cinerea) were described to a better comprehension of regulatory effect. Future research prospects in the field of TFs of macrofungi are discussed. We illustrated the functional versatility of the TFs in macrofungi based on specific examples. A systematical realization of the interaction and possible mechanisms between TFs and macrofungi can supply possible solutions to regulate genetic characteristics, which supply novel insights into the regulation of growth, development and metabolism of macrofungi. Key points: • The functional TFs researched in macrofungi were summarized. • The possible effect mechanisms of TFs in macrofungal were described. • The multiple physiological functions of TFs in macrofungi were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) is a nonspecific inflammatory indicator and is widely used in clinical diagnosis. Westergren is the gold standard method recommended by the International Committee for Standardization of Hematology (ICSH), but it is time‐consuming and inconvenient and has biosafety risks. A new alternate method for ESR (Easy‐W ESR) measurement was designed and integrated into the Mindray BC‐720 series automated hematology analyzer to meet the clinical needs of hematology laboratories for efficiency, safety, and automation. In this study, the performance of the new ESR method was evaluated based on the ICSH recommendations on modified and alternate ESR methods. Methods: Methodological comparisons using the BC‐720 analyzer, TEST 1, and the Westergren method were performed to assess repeatability, carryover, sample stability, reference range validation, factors influencing the ESR, and clinical applicability in rheumatology and orthopedics. Results: The correlation between the BC‐720 analyzer and the Westergren method was good (Y = 2.082 + 0.9869X, r = 0.9657, P > 0.0001, n = 342), carryover was <1%, the repeatability standard deviation was ≤1 mm/h, and the coefficient of variation (CV) was ≤5%. The reference range meets the manufacturer's claim. For rheumatology patients, the BC‐720 analyzer showed a good correlation with the Westergren method (Y = 1.021X–1.941, r = 0.9467, n = 149). For orthopedic patients, the BC‐720 analyzer also showed a good correlation with the Westergren method (Y = 1.037X + 0.981, r = 0.978, n = 97). Conclusion: This study verified the clinical and analytical performance of the new ESR method, indicating that the results are very similar to those obtained using the Westergren method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peanut seeds are susceptible to Aspergillus flavus infection, which has a severe impact on the peanut industry and human health. However, the molecular mechanism underlying this defense remains poorly understood. The aim of this study was to analyze the changes in differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differential metabolites during A. flavus infection between Zhonghua 6 and Yuanza 9102 by transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis. A total of 5768 DEGs were detected in the transcriptomic study. Further functional analysis showed that some DEGs were significantly enriched in pectinase catabolism, hydrogen peroxide decomposition and cell wall tissues of resistant varieties at the early stage of infection, while these genes were differentially enriched in the middle and late stages of infection in the nonresponsive variety Yuanza 9102. Some DEGs, such as those encoding transcription factors, disease course-related proteins, peroxidase (POD), chitinase and phenylalanine ammonialyase (PAL), were highly expressed in the infection stage. Metabolomic analysis yielded 349 differential metabolites. Resveratrol, cinnamic acid, coumaric acid, ferulic acid in phenylalanine metabolism and 13S-HPODE in the linolenic acid metabolism pathway play major and active roles in peanut resistance to A. flavus. Combined analysis of the differential metabolites and DEGs showed that they were mainly enriched in phenylpropane metabolism and the linolenic acid metabolism pathway. Transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses further confirmed that peanuts infected with A. flavus activates various defense mechanisms, and the response to A. flavus is more rapid in resistant materials. These results can be used to further elucidate the molecular mechanism of peanut resistance to A. flavus infection and provide directions for early detection of infection and for breeding peanut varieties resistant to aflatoxin contamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • NiO x -NPs are used as both interface modifier and carbon's dopant to improve hole selectivity for C-IPSCs. • Inserting NiO x layer and matching WF of NiO x @carbon enable energy-favorable alignment at perovskite/C interface. • C-IPSCs based on CsPbI 2 Br and CsPbIBr 2 achieve PCEs of 15.01% and 11.02% both with high V oc of ∼1.3 V. • Unencapsulated device show excellent air-stability (∼2000 h) and thermal durability (∼170 h at 60 °C). Carbon-based all-inorganic perovskite solar cells (C-IPSCs) are stable, upscalable and have low CO 2 -footprint to fabricate. However, they are inefficient in converting light to electricity due to poor hole extraction at perovskite/carbon interface. Here we enable an efficient hole extraction in C-IPSCs with the aid of inorganic p-type nickel oxide nanoparticles (NiO x -NPs) at the interface and in carbon. By tailoring the work function (WF) of carbon, and reducing the energy-level misalignment at the perovskite/carbon interface, NiO x -NPs enable efficient hole transfer, reduce charge recombination and minimize energy loss. As a result, we report 15.01% and 11.02% efficiencies for CsPbI 2 Br and CsPbIBr 2 C-IPSCs, respectively, with a high open-circuit voltage of ∼1.3 V. Unencapsulated interface-modified CsPbI 2 Br devices maintained 92.8% of their initial efficiency at ambient conditions after nearly 2,000 h; and 94.6% after heating at 60 °C for 170 h. This strategy to tailor carbon interface with perovskite offers an important knob in improving C-IPSCs performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Giant hepatic hemangiomas are rare and can cause serious complications that contribute to a high risk of perinatal mortality. The purpose of this article is to review the prenatal imaging features, treatment, pathology, and prognosis of an atypical fetal giant hepatic hemangioma and to discuss the differential diagnosis of fetal hepatic masses. Case presentation: A gravida 9, para 0 woman at 32 gestational weeks came to our institution for prenatal ultrasound diagnosis. A complex, heterogeneous hepatic mass measuring 5.2 × 4.1 × 3.7 cm was discovered in the fetus using conventional two-dimensional ultrasound. The mass was solid and had both a high peak systolic velocity (PSV) of the feeding artery and intratumoral venous flow. Fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a clear, hypointense T1-W and hyperintense T2-W solid hepatic mass. Prenatal diagnosis was very difficult due to the overlap of benign and malignant imaging features on prenatal ultrasound and MRI. Even postnatally, neither contrast-enhanced MRI nor contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) was useful in accurately diagnosing this hepatic mass. Due to persistently elevated Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), a laparotomy was performed. Histopathological examination of the mass showed atypical features such as hepatic sinus dilation, hyperemia, and hepatic chordal hyperplasia. The patient was ultimately diagnosed with a giant hemangioma, and the prognosis was satisfactory. Conclusions: When a hepatic vascular mass is found in a third trimester fetus a hemangioma should be considered as a possible diagnosis. However, prenatal diagnosis of fetal hepatic hemangiomas can be challenging due to atypical histopathological findings. Imaging and histopathological assays can provide useful information for the diagnosis and treatment of fetal hepatic masses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the treatment performance of a biological aerated filter (BAF) for exogenous pollutants in low-temperature landscape water, a laboratory and pilot system were constructed in urban rivers in the alpine region of northern China, and the key influencing factors such as pH, hydraulic load, air–water ratio, and temperature were studied. The results showed that the operation parameters of the BAF need to be controlled to achieve good nitrogen removal effect. Based on the hazard identification of ammonia nitrogen in landscape water effluent, the critical control points of the BAF process were determined, and corresponding control strategies were formulated. By adjusting operation parameters and other measures, hazards can be identified and overcome with reasonable accuracy. Therefore, the effluent ammonia nitrogen and concentration can be kept within the limits of the law. Double-layer aerated organisms can operate stably at normal temperature, in a transition period, and at low temperature period. The average removal rate of ammonia nitrogen in the three periods can reach 83.29%, 68.53%, and 56.55%, respectively, and the effluent quality can meet the requirements of landscape water during operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Shaluli Mountains are located in the southeastern part of the Tibetan Plateau at an elevation of 2500–5000 m. They are characterized by a typical vertical distribution of climate and vegetation and are considered a global biodiversity hotspot. We selected ten vegetation types at different elevation gradients representing distinct forests in the Shaluli Mountains to assess the macrofungal diversity, including subalpine shrub, Pinus spp., Populus spp., Pinus spp. and Quercus spp., Quercus spp., Abies spp., Picea spp. and Abies spp., Picea spp., Juniperus spp., and alpine meadow. In total, 1654 macrofungal specimens were collected. All specimens were distinguished by morphology and DNA barcoding, resulting in the identification of 766 species belonging to 177 genera in two phyla, eight classes, 22 orders, and 72 families. Macrofungal species composition varied widely among vegetation types, but ectomycorrhizal fungi were predominant. In this study, the analysis of observed species richness, the Chao1 diversity index, the invsimpson diversity index, and the Shannon diversity index revealed that the vegetation types with higher macrofungal alpha diversity in the Shaluli Mountains were composed of Abies, Picea, and Quercus. The vegetation types with lower macrofungal alpha diversity were subalpine shrub, Pinus spp., Juniperus spp., and alpine meadow. The results of curve-fitting regression analysis showed that macrofungal diversity in the Shaluli Mountains was closely related to elevation, with a trend of increasing and then decreasing with rising elevation. This distribution of diversity is consistent with the hump-shaped pattern. Constrained principal coordinate analysis based on Bray–Curtis distances indicated that macrofungal community composition was similar among vegetation types at similar elevations, while vegetation types with large differences in elevation differed significantly in macrofungal community composition. This suggests that large changes in elevation increase macrofungal community turnover. This study is the first investigation of the distribution pattern of macrofungal diversity under different vegetation types in high-altitude areas, providing a scientific basis for the conservation of macrofungal resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Long working hours are common among medical residents and may increase the risk of mental disorders. We aimed to investigate the association between experienced long working hours and depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation among Chinese medical residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This study was conducted in September 2022; 1343 residents from three center in Northeastern China were included in the final analysis (effective response rate: 87.61%). The data were collected from participants via online self-administered questionnaires. Depression and anxiety were measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and the General Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) scale, respectively. Adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were determined after adjusting for potential confounders by binary unconditional logistic regression. Results: The effective response rate was 87.61%. Among the 1343 participants, 12.88% (173), 9.90% (133), and 9.68% (130) had experienced major depression, major anxiety, and suicidal ideation, respectively. We found that longer weekly worktime increased the risk of major depression, particularly in those who worked for more than 60 hours per week (≥ 61 hours vs ≤ 40 hours, OR=1.87, P for trend = 0.003). However, this trend was not observed for either major anxiety or suicidal ideation (P for trend > 0.05 for both). Conclusion: This study revealed that there was a considerable incidence of poor mental health among medical residents; furthermore, the longer weekly worktime was associated with a higher risk of major depression, especially for those who worked more than 60 hours per week, but this association was not observed in either major anxiety or suicidal ideation. This may help policymakers to develop targeted interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, the problem of an aging population in China is severe. The integration of existing healthcare services with elderly care services is inefficient and cannot meet the needs of the elderly. As such, China urgently needs the concerted efforts of various social forces to cope with the increasingly serious problem of aging. In accordance with Andersen's behavioral model, a survey was conducted in Tangshan City among seniors 60 years of age and older. Using logistic regression models, decision tree models, and random forest models, we examined the factors impacting senior people's desire to choose the integrated medical care and nursing care model. The results of the three models displayed that the elderly's propensity to choose the combined medical care and nursing care model is significantly influenced by the amount of insurance, life care needs, and healthcare needs. Moreover, the study found that the willingness of the elderly in Tangshan to improve the combined medical and nursing care service system is low. The government should appeal to the community to participate in multiple developments to improve the integrated medical and nursing service system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Information on the prediction of improved semen parameters following varicocelectomy is scarce and mostly contradictory. Therefore, we developed and validated a nomogram to predict whether abnormal semen parameters in infertile men could improve following microscopic varicocelectomy (MSV). Methods: From January 2018 to December 2021, 460 consecutive patients who underwent MSV were included. Of them, 336 patients as a development cohort at the Xiang Hua institution. As a validation cohort, Hu Nan Center (124 patients) was used. Clinicopathologic patient information was recorded. The likelihood ratio test using Akaike's information criteria was employed as the stopping rule, and multivariate logistic regression was utilized to create a prediction model with regression coefficients. The effectiveness of this prediction model was evaluated based on its ability of discrimination, calibration, and clinical utility. Results: The initial total progressively motile sperm count (TPMSC) and vein diameter were predictors of this model. The model demonstrated strong discrimination for the validation cohort, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) of 0.925 (p < 0.001), and strong calibration (unreliability test, p = 0.522). The decision curve study proved the model's clinical applicability. Conclusion: According to our research, the improvement of semen parameters in infertile men following MSV was significantly predicted by greater vein diameter and higher initial TPMSC. This nomogram aids in individualized decision-making on the varicocele preoperative treatment plan and may help to enhance the therapeutic result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ganoderma lucidum is an edible mushroom highly regarded in the traditional Chinese medicine. To better understand the molecular mechanisms underlying fruiting body development in G. lucidum, transcriptome analysis based on RNA sequencing was carried out on different developmental stages: mycelium (G1); primordium (G2); young fruiting body (G3); mature fruiting body (G4); fruiting body in post-sporulation stage (G5). In total, 26,137 unigenes with an average length of 1078 bp were de novo assembled. Functional annotation of transcriptomes matched 72.49% of the unigenes to known proteins available in at least one database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified between the evaluated stages: 3135 DEGs in G1 versus G2; 120 in G2 versus G3; 3919 in G3 versus G4; and 1012 in G4 versus G5. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis of DEGs identified in G1 versus G2 revealed that, in addition to global and overview maps, enriched pathways were related to amino acid metabolism and carbohydrate metabolism. In contrast, DEGs identified in G2 versus G3 were mainly assigned to the category of metabolism of amino acids and their derivatives, comprising mostly upregulated unigenes. In addition, highly expressed unigenes associated with the transition between different developmental stages were identified, including those encoding hydrophobins, cytochrome P450s, extracellular proteases, and several transcription factors. Meanwhile, highly expressed unigenes related to meiosis such as DMC1, MSH4, HOP1, and Mek1 were also analyzed. Our study provides important insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying fruiting body development and sporulation in G. lucidum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of the concentration and chain length of the copolymer AB with sequence length τ = 8 on the interfacial properties of the ternary mixtures A10/AB/B10 are investigated by the dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) simulations. It is found that: i) As the copolymer concentration varies from 0.05 to 0.15, increasing the copolymer enrichment at the center of the interface enlarges the interface width ω and reduces the interfacial tension. However, as the concentration of the sequence copolymers further increases to 0.2, because the interface has formed micelles and the micellization could lower the efficiency of copolymers as a compatibilizer, the interfacial tension exhibits a slightly increase; ii) elevating the copolymer chain length, the copolymer volumes vary from a cylinder shape to a pancake shape. The blends of the copolymer with chain length Ncp = 24 exhibit a wider interfacial width w and a lower interfacial tension γ, which indicates that the sequenced copolymer Ncp = 24 exhibits a better performance as the compatibilizers. This study illustrates the correlations between the reduction in interfacial tension produced by the sequence copolymers and their molecular parameters, which guide a rational design of an efficient compatibilizer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research on crop pest identification technology based on image analysis has important practical significance for effectively controlling the occurrence of crop diseases and insect pests (CDIP), improving crop yield and reducing the pollution of pesticides to the environment. Aiming at the problems existing in crop pest recognition technology and aiming at improving the accuracy and efficiency of crop pest recognition, this study proposes a crop pest image recognition method based on transfer learning and convolution neural network. Firstly, the crop pest image is geometrically operated to expand the crop pest image data set, and then the expanded data set is divided into training set and test set. Then, Alexnet, VGG-16, and ResNet-50 models are pretrained on ImageNet large image data set. Based on the theory of transfer learning, the learned model parameters are transferred to the small sample image data set of crop diseases and insect pests in this paper, so as to train the crop diseases and insect pests recognition model. This method is tested on Image Database for Agricultural Diseases and Pests (IDADP). The experimental results show that the convolution neural network plant leaf image recognition method based on transfer learning has better effect. It can quickly and accurately diagnose crop diseases, reduce the use of pesticides and fertilizers, and improve the yield and quality of crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Benzbromarone and febuxostat use different mechanisms to reduce serum urate. However, the effectiveness of benzbromarone versus febuxostat in reducing serum urate in gouty patients classified with different types of hyperuricaemia remains unclear. Method: In this retrospective study from January 1, 2018, to September 30, 2020, subjects were identified if they were newly treated with benzbromarone 25 mg daily or febuxostat 20 mg daily. The subjects were classified into four types according to their 24-h urinary uric acid and fractional excretion of uric acid. The baseline data and follow-up information after 28 ± 3 days of treatment were collected. Results: Seventy-three subjects with gout were finally enrolled. Among them, 50 were treated with benzbromarone. The percent changes in serum urate from the baseline were − 33.71 ± 13.59% and − 29.45 ± 10.62% in the benzbromarone and febuxostat group, respectively, without a significant difference between the groups (P = 0.188). No differences were found between the groups in subjects classified as the renal underexcretion type, combined type, or "normal" type. In patients with eGFR ≥ 70 mL/min/1.73 m2, the rate of serum urate lowering was higher in those treated with benzbromarone than in those treated with febuxostat. Febuxostat treatment significantly lowered serum creatinine from the baseline (P = 0.001). Conclusions: Benzbromarone 25 mg daily and febuxostat 20 mg daily may have comparable effectiveness in lowering the serum urate among different types of hyperuricaemia. Benzbromarone was more effective than febuxostat in lowering serum urate in subjects with eGFR ≥ 70 mL/min/1.73 m2, while febuxostat had a renal protective effect. Key Points • Benzbromarone 25 mg daily and febuxostat 20 mg daily may have comparable effectiveness in lowering the serum urate in patients with different types of hyperuricaemia. • Benzbromarone 25 mg daily was more effective than febuxostat 20 mg daily in lowering serum urate in subjects with eGFR ≥ 70 mL/min/1.73 m2. • Febuxostat had a renal protective effect after about 1 month treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a mycotoxin widely detected in cereal products contaminated by Fusarium. Fusarium pseudograminearum megabirnavirus 1 (FpgMBV1) is a double-stranded RNA virus infecting Fusarium pseudograminearum. In this study, it was revealed that the amount of DON in F. pseudograminearum was significantly suppressed by FpgMBV1 through a high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) assay. A total of 2564 differentially expressed genes were identified by comparative transcriptomic analysis between the FpgMBV1-containing F. pseudograminearum strain FC136-2A and the virus-free strain FC136-2A-V-. Among them, 1585 genes were up-regulated and 979 genes were down-regulated. Particularly, the expression of 12 genes (FpTRI1, FpTRI3, FpTRI4, FpTRI5, FpTRI6, FpTRI8, FpTRI10, FpTRI11, FpTRI12, FpTRI14, FpTRI15, and FpTRI101) in the trichothecene biosynthetic (TRI) gene cluster was significantly down-regulated. Specific metabolic and transport processes and pathways including amino acid and lipid metabolism, ergosterol metabolic and biosynthetic processes, carbohydrate metabolism, and biosynthesis were regulated. These results suggest an unrevealing mechanism underlying the repression of DON and TRI gene expression by the mycovirus FpgMBV1, which would provide new methods in the detoxification of DON and reducing the yield loss in wheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To establish a nomogram for predicting central lymph node metastasis (CLNM) based on the preoperative clinical and multimodal ultrasound (US) features of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and cervical LNs. Methods: Overall, 822 patients with PTC were included in this retrospective study. A thyroid tumor ultrasound model (TTUM) and thyroid tumor and cervical LN ultrasound model (TTCLNUM) were constructed as nomograms to predict the CLNM risk. Areas under the curve (AUCs) evaluated model performance. Calibration and decision curves were applied to assess the accuracy and clinical utility. Results: For the TTUM training and test sets, the AUCs were 0.786 and 0.789 and bias-corrected AUCs were 0.786 and 0.831, respectively. For the TTCLNUM training and test sets, the AUCs were 0.806 and 0.804 and bias-corrected AUCs were 0.807 and 0.827, respectively. Calibration and decision curves for the TTCLNUM nomogram exhibited higher accuracy and clinical practicability. The AUCs were 0.746 and 0.719 and specificities were 0.942 and 0.905 for the training and test sets, respectively, when the US tumor size was ≤ 8.45 mm, while the AUCs were 0.737 and 0.824 and sensitivity were 0.905 and 0.880, respectively, when the US tumor size was > 8.45 mm. Conclusion: The TTCLNUM nomogram exhibited better predictive performance, especially for the CLNM risk of different PTC tumor sizes. Thus, it serves as a useful clinical tool to supply valuable information for active surveillance and treatment decisions. Key Points: • Our preoperative noninvasive and intuitive prediction method can improve the accuracy of central lymph node metastasis (CLNM) risk assessment and guide clinical treatment in line with current trends toward personalized treatments. • Preoperative clinical and multimodal ultrasound features of primary papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) tumors and cervical LNs were directly used to build an accurate and easy-to-use nomogram for predicting CLNM. • The thyroid tumor and cervical lymph node ultrasound model exhibited better performance for predicting the CLNM of different PTC tumor sizes. It may serve as a useful clinical tool to provide valuable information for active surveillance and treatment decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the behaviour of infinite chains of kinematic points described by scalar Laurent operators with first/second-order linear differential equations. Some conditions on the initial states of these infinite chains are given to ensure that the corresponding solutions converge. In particular, a necessary and sufficient condition for the convergence of the first-order system is derived by using ergodic theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of graft copolymers as surfactants offers a promising approach to enhance the interfacial properties of polymer blends or fluid blends. The effectiveness of these copolymers is closely related to their topologies. In this study, we employed dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) simulations to investigate the interfaces in incompatible A/B homopolymer blends with graft copolymer AB. In particular, we kept the molecular weights of the “A4B4 series” and “A8B8 series” copolymers constant but varied their architecture. The results show that the "A4B4 series" copolymers exhibit greater efficacy in reinforcing the interface (reduce interfacial tension), as compared to the "A8B8 series". The reduction in interfacial tension achieved by the diblock copolymer is comparatively lower than that achieved by the graft copolymer. Among the various graft copolymers studied, it has been observed that A1A1[B2]A2[B2]/a-S3 graft copolymers exhibit the highest efficiency in reducing interfacial tension. As the graft copolymer A1A1[B2]A2[B2]/a-S3 concentration varies from 0.05 to 0.15, a notable inverse relationship between the degree of copolymer enrichment at the central region of the interface and the corresponding interfacial tension was observed. Specifically, an increase in the concentration of A1A1[B2]A2[B2]/a-S3 graft copolymers led to a discernible decrease in interfacial tension. Due to the saturation of the interface at ccp = 0.15, upon increasing the concentration of the graft copolymers A1A1[B2]A2[B2]/a-S3 from 0.15 to 0.2, the added copolymers mainly enriched in the homopolymer phase. As a result, there is an absence of further reduction in interfacial tension. These studies allow us to predict the reduction in interfacial tension produced by a wide variety of copolymers and thereby permit a rational design of effective compatibilizers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of new energy devices, the demand for electrode materials with high energy density (> 400 Wh/kg) is increasing day by day. Lithium-rich manganese-based cathode materials (LRMC) which meet the requirements are considered one of the most promising materials for the next generation of lithium-ion batteries, and have attracted wide attention. However, LRMC still faces some key scientific problems that need to be addressed, such as interface side reactions, poor rate performance, rapid voltage and capacity attenuation, and low first coulomb efficiency. The continuous Na 2 SO 4 -coated lithium-rich manganese-based cathode material Li 1.2 Ni 0.13 Co 0.13 Mn 0.54 O 2 (S-LRMC) was synthesized using sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). SDS is composed of hydrophobic aliphatic hydrocarbon groups and hydrophilic sulfate carboxyl groups, so it can form a micelle-like coating on the surface of LRMC materials in aqueous solution. The uniform Na 2 SO 4 coating formed after calcination can effectively inhibit the side reaction between electrode material and electrolyte and reduce the dissolution of transition metal ions. As a result, capacity retention, rate performance and discharge specific capacity are improved. After 100 cycles at 1 C, the specific discharge capacity of 4% S-LRMC is 187.8 mAh g−1 (LRMC is 138.3 mAh g−1), and the capacity retention is 87.35%. Even at a high current density of 5 C, the material still has a specific discharge capacity of 143.6 mAh g−1, which proves that the electrochemical performance of the material is excellent. Therefore, this study provides a new solution for improving the structural stability and electrochemical performance of lithium ion batteries. [Display omitted] • Sodium dodecyl sulfate was used as surface coating reagent for the first time. • An extremely homogeneous coating layer is produced by sodium dodecyl sulfate. • The existence of Na 2 SO 4 coating layer suppresses the interfacial side reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of CoNi-based CoNiM (M= Fe, Cd, Ce, Cu, Mn, Zn) LTHs nanocatalysts with ultrathin nanosheet configuration are prepared as efficient electrocatalysts for OER. [Display omitted] • We developed a simple MOF-mediated method for synthetizing ultrathin 2D CoNiFe LTHs. • The modified electronic structure leads to high OER activity of the CoNiFe LTHs. • This work will boost the synthesis of ternary layer hydroxide catalysts. Developing low-budget, stable, and high-performance electrocatalyst toward oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is of pivotal significance in the fields of energy conversion and storage. Herein, a universal metal organic framework (MOF)-mediated method for the synthesis of two-dimensional (2D) layered triple hydroxides (LTHs) nanosheets with ultrathin nature has been developed. It is interesting to disclose that the CoNi-based LTHs possess better electrochemical catalytic performance, giving superior performance to commercial RuO 2 catalysts. Remarkably, benefitting from the ultrathin nanosheet configuration, optimized electronic structure, and strong synergistic effect, the optimized CoNiFe LTHs nanosheets show excellent OER performance with an ultralow overpotential of 262 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm−2 and a small Tafel slope of 88.1 mV dec-1. This work provides a promising avenue to develop low-cost and high-performance layered ternary hydroxide electrocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For diamond coating, natural fragile property easily leads to fracture, delamination and peeling, which seriously inhibits the applications in many industrial fields. In order to prolong the lifetime, improving the toughness under impact load is essential for diamond coating. In this work, a novel method was proposed by the conventional CVD diamond technique combining with the particles, with which the nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) coating with W particles (W-NCD) was fabricated to evaluate the impact behavior. The pure NCD coating was also produced for comparison. Repeating impact testing was performed to evaluate the impact resistance of the as-deposited NCD coatings. The results showed that the diamond coating can be fabricated on the substrate with W particles. The indentation scar revealed that the W-NCD coating had the stronger impact resistance than the NCD coating. Ratcheting effect was employed to discuss the impact properties of NCD coating for the first time. The coating integrity played a vital role in ratcheting displacement. Repeating impact can make the NCD and W-NCD coatings soft, and the W particles can accelerate the softening process. Hence, embedding particles can provide a potential and valid method to enhance the impact resistance of diamond coating that was very important for the fragile coating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Axillary strategy decisions have become more complex and controversial in considering minimally traumatic therapy instead of sentinel lymph node biopsy, axillary lymph node dissection or regional nodal irradiation for people with breast cancer. The purpose of this study was to noninvasively predict sentinel lymph node (SLN) and non-sentinel lymph node (NSLN) status based on pre-operative sonographic and clinicopathologic features to determine optimal decisions regarding axillary therapy. In total, 701 patients with breast cancer from two independent centers were retrospectively analyzed. The SLN model (SLNM) for predicting SLN status and the NSLN model (NSLNM) for predicting NSLN status were trained based on a training set using the random-forest algorithm, and their performance was validated using an independent external test set. A receiver operating characteristic curve was drawn to obtain the area under the curve, which was used to assess performance. The area under the curve for the SLNM in the training and test, respectively, was 94.2% and 83.0%, and for the NSLNM, 99.5% and 92.7%. The SLNM and NSLNM accurately predicted that 61.46% (319/519) and 17.53% (91/519), respectively, of our participants were non-metastatic. The overall benefit of the three models was 78.99% in our participants. The two models for predicting SLN and NSLN status showed excellent application potential in optimizing axillary strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It can be a very challenging task when using level set method segmenting natural images with high intensity inhomogeneity and complex background scenes. A new synthesis level set method for robust image segmentation based on the combination of Retinex‐corrected saliency region information and edge information is proposed in this work. First, the Retinex theory is introduced to correct the saliency information extraction. Second, the Retinex‐corrected saliency information is embedded into the level set method due to its advantageous quality which makes a foreground object stand out relative to the backgrounds. Combined with the edge information, the boundary of segmentation will be more precise and smooth. Experiments indicate that the proposed segmentation algorithm is efficient, fast, reliable, and robust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Formation of magnetic Mg/Mn-layered double oxide doped biochar from Lentinula edodes substrate. • MgMnLDO provided biochar with increased surface areas, adsorption sites and free radicals. • MgMnLDO-MBC/PS system exhibited high degradation activity towards CIP, bacteria and biofilms. • Confirmation of ·SO playing a major role during the catalytic process of MgMnLDO-MBC/PS system. Removal of antibiotics and bacteria from wastewater is an effective approach to test the efficacy of catalyst and thus address the issues of water contamination. In this study, a stable magnetic Mg/Mn–layered double oxide–doped biochar composite (MgMnLDO–MBC) was prepared using Lentinula edodes substrate. This composite could further effectively activate the persulfates (PS), such as peroxymonosulfate (PMS) and peroxydisulfate (PDS). MgMnLDO coupling endowed BC and magnetic biochar (MBC) with enhanced surface areas, adsorption sites, and free radicals, which facilitated the improvement of catalytic activity of MgMnLDO–MBC/PS system toward pollutants. MgMnLDO-MBC/PMS system could remove 90.8% of ciprofloxacin (CIP) with 2.8 times the removal efficiency of MBC/PMS system. Density functional theory (DFT) calculation and intermediate analysis showed that the synergistic effect of nucleophilic, electrophilic, and radical active species–mediated reactions improved the removal performance of MgMnLDO–MBC/PMS system. MgMnLDO–MBC/PDS system could efficiently kill 97.6% Escherichia coli and 99.7% Staphylococcus aureus , and destroy the existing biofilms. The effects of composite concentration, PMS loading, pH, temperature, common anions, and humic acid on removal efficiency were also evaluated. After five consecutive cycles, MgMnLDO–MBC/PS system still exhibited high catalytic performance toward CIP removal and bactericidal ability. Results of quenching and electron spin resonance (ESR) showed that ·SO, ·OH, 1O 2 , and charge transfer were together involved in CIP removal, with ·SO playing a major role. Furthermore, the double–layered metal oxide (LDO) and MBC present in MgMnLDO–MBC composites exhibited a strong synergistic effect in the catalytic process, which resulted in higher reactivity and lower leaching rate of metal ions. In this study, an environment–friendly catalyst was prepared using industrial waste and its efficiency for removal of antibiotics and bacteria from wastewater was verified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autophagy of the cortical ER in budding yeast was unexpectedly found to require End3, a component of the endocytic machinery that promotes the assembly of actin at endocytic pits on the plasma membrane. The cortical ER transiently interacts with invaginating endocytic pits through a linkage consisting of VAP proteins, oxysterol binding proteins and type I myosins. These proteins are required for actin assembly and for autophagy of the ER. Assembly of actin at these contact sites may direct the movement of ER away from the cortex towards sites of autophagosome assembly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Eu-coordination polymer and its homologues, namely, five lanthanide coordination polymers (Ln-CPs), [Ln(BDC)1.5(IP)(H2O)]·nH2O (Ln = Sm 1, Eu 2, Gd 3, Tb 4, Dy 5), were constructed from 1,4-benzenedicarboxylate (BDC) and 1H-imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]-phenanthroline (IP). They feature 2D network structures with LnO6N2 units by bridging BDC ligands, while the IP molecules as terminal ligands are coordinated to the Ln(III) ions in bidentate chelating mode. The luminescence of these compounds was recorded. Eu-CP has several distinct advantages including a broad excitation band (315 nm < λex < 410 nm) with a maximum excitation wavelength of up to 375 nm, visible red emission, and a good aqueous stability in a wide pH range of 4–10. Using Eu-CP as a chemical sensor, high luminescence sensing for emodin in aqueous medium was realized at excitation of 375 nm. Remarkably, when excited with 400 nm visible light, Eu-CP also exhibited a similar luminescence sensing capacity. UV-vis absorption spectral studies and density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed to elucidate the possible mechanism of luminescence quenching of Eu-CP by emodin. Similarly, the detection of common ions (Fe3+, Ag+, Cr2O72−/CrO42−, MnO4−) was also realized under near-visible light of 375 or 400 nm. The experimental results prove that Eu-CP is an excellent luminescent compound, as its excitation wavelength can be adjusted to the near-visible range (350 nm < λex < 410 nm), and strong luminescence and luminescence sensing for analytes can be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AgsA (aggregation-suppressing protein) is an ATP-independent molecular chaperone machine belonging to the family of small heat shock proteins (sHSP), and it can prevent the aggregation of non-natural proteins. However, the substrate-binding site of AgsA and the functional unit that captures and binds the substrate remain unknown. In this study, different N-terminal and C-terminal deletion mutants of AgsA were constructed and their effects on AgsA oligomer assembly and chaperone activity were investigated. We found that the IXI motif at the C-terminus and the α-helix at the N-terminus affected the oligomerization and molecular chaperone activity of AgsA. In this work, we obtained a 6.8 Å resolution structure of AgsA using Electron cryo-microscopy (cryo-EM), and found that the functional form of AgsA was an 18-mer with D3 symmetry. Through amino acid mutations, disulfide bonds were introduced into two oligomeric interfaces, namely dimeric interface and non-partner interface. Under oxidation and reduction conditions, the chaperone activity of the disulfide-bonded AgsA did not change significantly, indicating that AgsA would not dissociate to achieve chaperone activity. Therefore, we concluded that the oligomer, especially 18-mer, was the primary functional unit. • IXI motif of the C-terminus of AgsA determines assembly state of oligomer. • The α-helix of the N-terminus of AgsA stables the structure of oligomer. • Lysozyme may bind to the inside hydrophobic sites of AgsA oligomer. • 18-mer is the functional unit of AgsA binding denatured substrates. • The first 6.8 Å resolution structure of AgsA is built using cryo-EM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on single photons, a practical quantum private query protocol is proposed. The powerful user Alice can obtain an item from a limited "classical" database owner Bob using the idea of semi-quantum in the proposed protocol. It does not require that all the participants equipped with expensive quantum resources. Therefore, our protocol is easier to implement under the current technology. Furthermore, the simulate quantum circuit for the proposed protocol is descried in the paper. And security of the proposed schemes has been analyzed. The results show that the protocol can not only resist an external eavesdropping attacks but also protect the database and user owner privacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sclerotia are dense, hard tissue structures formed by asexual reproduction of fungal hyphae in adverse environmental conditions. Macrofungal sclerotia are used in medicinal materials, healthcare foods, and nutritional supplements because of their nutritional value and biologically active ingredients, which are attracting increasing attention. Over the past few decades, the influence of abiotic factors such as nutrition (e.g., carbon and nitrogen sources) and environmental conditions (e.g., temperature, pH), and of the local biotic community (e.g., concomitants) on the formation of macrofungal sclerotia has been studied. The molecular mechanisms controlling macrofungal sclerotia formation, including oxidative stress (reactive oxygen species), signal transduction (Ca2+ channels and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways), and gene expression regulation (differential expression of important enzyme or structural protein genes), have also been revealed. At the end of this review, future research prospects in the field of biogenesis of macrofungal sclerotia are discussed. Key points: • We describe factors that influence biogenesis of macrofungal sclerotia. • We explain molecular mechanisms of sclerotial biogenesis. • We discuss future directions of study of macrofungal sclerotia biogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A fully parabolic chemotaxis system with singular sensitivity and nonlinear signal production is considered. Under suitable assumption on the sensitivity value and the signal production term, it is shown that this system admits a global classical solution. The proof is based on a series of a priori estimate techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Annulohypoxylon stygium is an ascomycete that helps Tremella fuciformis produce the fruiting body in wild state or artificial cultivation. Although the interaction between these two fungi is well known, the underlying molecular mechanism is limited. In this study, the 981 bp and 886 bp promoter sequences of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (gpd) gene and α-tubulin gene have been cloned, respectively. Sequence analysis showed that gpd promoter contained nine CAAT boxes, and single TGACG-motif, TATA box, ABRE motif, STRE motif, MYB motif, and W box. The α-tubulin promoter included eight CAAT boxes, three STRE, two TATA boxes and MYB, single Box 4, CAT-box, CCAAT-box, TGA-element, and ABRE. Subsequently, we evaluated the promoters' function by constructing four vectors pGEH, pGRH, pTEH, and pTRH to drive fused enhanced green fluorescent protein and hygromycin B phosphotransferase (egfp-hph) or red fluorescent protein and hygromycin B phosphotransferase (rfp-hph) expression under the control of gpd or α-tubulin promoters in A. stygium. The integration of the transformed DNA into A. stygium genome was verified by PCR, Southern blot, fluorescence microscopy, and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). All the results indicated that the two promoters could drive egfp-hph and rfp-hph expression. This result could provide help in gene functional studies by using gpd and α-tubulin promoters to direct gene over-expression or build dual promoter silencing systems. • gpd and α-tubulin promoters from Annulohypoxylon stygium were cloned. • pGEH, pGRH, pTEH, and pTRH vectors were constructed for functional analysis of promoters. • Agrobacterium -mediated transformation of A. stygium was achieved. • EGFP and RFP were successfully expressed in A. stygium transformants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To demonstrate the feasibility of utilizing contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in scar pregnancies misdiagnosed by transvaginal ultrasound (TVS). CEUS was performed in three patients with clinically suspected abnormal pregnancy, and the diagnosis were inconclusive by TVS. Clinical manifestations and features of TVS and CEUS in these cases were analyzed. Three cases included an intramural pregnancy (IMP) after hysteromyomectomy, and two mass-based cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP), the mass was caused by curettage and spontaneous abortion, respectively. In all these cases, early enhancement with high intensity was observed by CEUS at the site of implantation. Moreover, prominently enhanced signal was detected inside the mass, with or without peritrophoblastic ring. No enhancement was detected in clots or masses after effective treatment. CEUS can be used as a supplementary method to diagnose scar pregnancy and evaluate the treatment efficacy, especially in cases with ambiguous results by TVS. • CEUS was performed in three patients with inconclusive diagnosis by conventional ultrasound. • CEUS showed early enhancement with high intensity at implantation site following injection of contrast agent. • CEUS can be used to diagnose scar pregnancy and evaluate treatment efficacy [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) with capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detection (C4D) is widely used for water quality monitoring. However, there is currently no reported CE method for detecting total dissolved nitrogen (TDN), a crucial parameter for assessing water eutrophication. One challenge is the high sulfate concentration (100 mM) introduced during persulfate digestion, leading to overlap of nitrate (from TDN) and poor electrical stacking of nitrate in CE-C4D analysis. We introduced an in-capillary UV-LED induced photoreaction to convert nitrate to nitrite, which can be baseline-separated from sulfate via the CE method, enabling accurate quantification of nitrate concentration derived from nitrite. A 2 nL post-persulfate digested sample solution within a fused silica capillary was exposed to UV-LED irradiation at the capillary tip. Subsequently, photoreduction-produced nitrite was electrophoretically separated from sulfate in an acidic buffer (pH = 3.7) within the same capillary, followed by contactless conductivity detection. The nitrate-to-nitrite conversion efficiency was influenced by irradiation wavelength, power, and duration, reaching a maximum efficiency of 77.4% when employing two 230 nm LEDs for 5 min. For more general applications, two 255 nm LEDs were used, providing a conversion efficiency of (66.4 ± 3.3)% (n = 11) for 5 min of irradiation. The proposed CE-C4D method exhibits a detection limit of 13 μM (0.18 mg N/L) and has been successfully employed for TDN determination in lake water samples. This innovative approach not only enhances the attractiveness of the CE-C4D method for the determination of water quality indicators but also highlights the potential for integrating deep-UV LEDs into environmental analysis. [Display omitted] • In-capillary photoreduction of nitrate to nitrite in nL samples initiated by UVC-LEDs. • Novel application of UVC-LEDs for initiating the photoreaction. • First-time utilization of CE-C4D for total dissolved nitrogen detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is the most common genetic form of kidney disease. High-throughput microarray analysis has been applied for elucidating key genes and pathways associated with ADPKD. Most genetic profiling data from ADPKD patients have been uploaded to public databases but not thoroughly analyzed. This study integrated 2 human microarray profile datasets to elucidate the potential pathways and protein-protein interactions (PPIs) involved in ADPKD via bioinformatics analysis in order to identify possible therapeutic targets. Methods: The kidney tissue microarray data of ADPKD patients and normal individuals were searched and obtained from NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, and enriched pathways and central node genes were elucidated using related websites and software according to bioinformatics analysis protocols. Seven DEGs were validated between polycystic kidney disease and control kidney samples by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results: Two original human microarray datasets, GSE7869 and GSE35831, were integrated and thoroughly analyzed. In total, 6,422 and 1,152 DEGs were extracted from GSE7869 and GSE35831, respectively, and of these, 561 DEGs were consistent between the databases (291 upregulated genes and 270 downregulated genes). From 421 nodes, 34 central node genes were obtained from a PPI network complex of DEGs. Two significant modules were selected from the PPI network complex by using Cytotype MCODE. Most of the identified genes are involved in protein binding, extracellular region or space, platelet degranulation, mitochondrion, and metabolic pathways. Conclusions: The DEGs and related enriched pathways in ADPKD identified through this integrated bioinformatics analysis provide insights into the molecular mechanisms of ADPKD and potential therapeutic strategies. Specifically, abnormal decorin expression in different stages of ADPKD may represent a new therapeutic target in ADPKD, and regulation of metabolism and mitochondrial function in ADPKD may become a focus of future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Increasing evidence has indicated that intimal hyperplasia is a common event in the pathophysiology of many vascular diseases including atherosclerosis (AS). Recently, deregulated microRNAs (miRNAs) have been reported to be associated with the pathophysiology of AS. However, the biological function and regulatory mechanisms of miRNAs in intimal hyperplasia in AS remain largely unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of miRNAs on intimal hyperplasia and reveal the underlying mechanisms of their effects. Firstly, the model of rat vascular injury was successfully constructed in vivo. Then, the miRNAs expression profiles were analyzed by miRNA microarray. It was observed that miR-451 was significantly downregulated in injury carotid arteries. Subsequently, we investigated miR-451 function and found that upregulation of miR-451 by agomir-451 improves intimal thickening in rats following vascular injury. It was also observed that miR-451 was downregulated in the VSMCs following platelet-derived growth factor type BB (PDGF-BB) stimulation. The upregulation of miR-451 attenuated PDGF-BB-induced VSMCs injury, as evidenced by inhibition of proliferation, invasion and migration. Besides, overexpression of miR-451 blocked the activation of p38 MAPK signaling pathway in PDGF-BB treated VSMCs, as demonstrated by the downregulation of phosphorylated (p-) p38. In addition, Ywhaz, a positive regulator of p38 MAPK signaling pathway, was found to be a direct target of miR-451 in the VSMCs and this was validated using a luciferase reporter assay. Overexpression of Ywhaz partially abolished the inhibitory effects of miR-451 overexpression on PDGF-BB induced VSMCs injury. Collectively, these findings indicated that miR-451 protected intimal hyperplasia and PDGF-BB-induced VSMCs injury by Ywhaz/p38 MAPK pathway, and miR-451 may be considered as a potential therapeutic target in the treatment of AS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In China, L-3-n-butylphthalide (L-NBP) showed promising pharmacological actions in stroke treatment. Analyzing the characteristics of L-NBP might provide valuable hints for new drug design. The current study is aimed to determine the effects of L-NBP on neuritogenesis and further to elucidate the neuronal protection against stroke impairment in vitro. L-NBP was applied to rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells and cultured rat cortical neurons under the normoxic condition and the oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) insults, respectively. Immunofluorescence staining, western blot analysis, Sholl analysis, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release assay, 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium (MTT) reduction assay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were performed. L-NBP could concentration-dependently stimulate the development of growth cones, enhance the neuritic branches and synapse formation. It indicated that L-NBP possibly promoted the neuritogenic activity in a stage-dependent manner. Further research proved that L-NBP could promptly activate epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor, up-regulate the expressions of extracellular signal-regulated kinase1/2 (ERK1/2), cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) and E−26-like protein 1 (ELK-1). In addition, L-NBP enhanced the sustained expressions of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF). The inhibition to the receptors of EGF, NGF,BDNF could attenuate L-NBP induced neuritogenic and neuronal survival after the OGD/R toxicity. Basing on these investigations, we concluded that L-NBP might reconstruct the impaired neuronal network and improved the neuronal complexity after the ischemic insults through multiple pathways which at least were via the activations of EGF receptor, BDNF and NGF related signals. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • L-NBP promoted the neurites developments in a concentration and time dependent manner. • L-NBP reconstructed the neuronal network under the OGD/R condition. • L-NBP promptly activated EGFR/ERK1/2 pathway. • L-NBP enhanced the expressions of BDNF and NGF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Thin-walled members have been used in many modern engineering structures, and their buckling analysis has attracted many attentions. A new efficient method named as High Order Finite Strip Transfer Matrix Method (HFSTMM) is proposed to determine the buckling factor and buckling model of the thin-walled member with single-branched cross-section. For the first time, thin-walled members with loaded edges simply supported can be discretized in the cross-section by high order semi-analytical finite strip method. Then the control equations of the strip elements will be innovatively rewritten as the transfer equations, which include the effect of the middle nodal lines of high order finite strip and do not increase the matrix dimension. Four thin-walled members with different cross-section can be taken as examples to verify HFSTMM and buckling loads by FEM and HFSTMM are agreeable very well. The computational consumption of FEM, Finite Strip Transfer Matrix Method (FSTMM) and HFSTMM of one example shows the high efficiency of HFSTMM. All results confirm that HFSTMM is an efficient method for the buckling analysis of thin-walled members with single-branched cross-section. Highlights • HFSTMM considered the effect of the middle nodal lines has the same matrix dimension (8×8) with that of FSTMM. • When the same number of the strips can be used the computational time of HFSTMM is a little longer than that of FSTMM. • Under the cases of the similar computational precision, HFSTMM owns best computational efficiency than FSTMM and FEM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The effect of Chrysanthemum morifolium flower extract (CME) was investigated on the formation of heterocyclic amines (HCAs) in goat meat patties cooked at different temperatures by different cooking methods. In patties without CME, the level of total HCAs increased analogously with the increase in cooking temperature. The inhibitory effect of CME on HCAs ranged from 14% to 82%. The total HCAs content were reduced by 46%, 40% and 35% in pan fried, deep fat fried and oven roasted goat meat patties, respectively, at 175 °C. While, at 225 °C, the amount of total HCAs was decreased by 52%, 47% and 32% in deep fat fried, pan fried and oven roasted patties respectively, whereas, in barbecue patties the reduction was 36%. Hence, it is concluded that the effect of CME was more prominent in deep fat frying and pan frying cooking methods and increase in temperature enhance the efficacy of CME in both cooking methods. Highlights • Chrysanthemum morifolium flower extract reduced the content of HCAs (14–82%) in goat meat patties. • Chrysanthemum morifolium flower extract was more effective to decrease total HCAs in pan and deep fat frying. • The efficacy of Chrysanthemum morifolium flower extract increased to reduce total HCAs in pan and deep fat frying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of cooking and in vitro digestion on antioxidant activity of peptides in duck meat after 7 days postmortem aging. The 1, 1-diphenyl-2- picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity and reducing power of the obtained peptides were evaluated. Results showed that the cooked sample possessed higher antioxidant activity than the raw sample and upon cooking at different temperatures, sample aged for 7 days had significantly higher antioxidant activity than that of unaged (day 0). The samples which showed higher antioxidant activity after cooking (65°C–30 min, 100°C–20 min, 121°C–10 min) were selected for in vitro digestion, and it is found that their DPPH radical scavenging activity decreased significantly but the reducing power increased significantly after gastrointestinal digestion. These results show the potential of aged duck meat as a good source of antioxidant peptides with high bioactivity after cooking and gastrointestinal digestion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel and simple pyrene-based fluorescent probe ( B1 ) was synthesized and used for the detection of formaldehyde (FA). When B1 was added to FA in CH 3 CH 2 OH/HEPES (10 mM, pH = 7.4, 1:99, v/v) solution, the solution system strongly enhanced the fluorescence. Over various small molecular species, probe B1 showed high sensitivity and selectivity for detecting FA, with a low limit of detection (0.107 μM). Furthermore, probe B1 was successfully applied for visualizing FA in human embryonic kidney (HEK293T) cells, demonstrating its value of application in living biomedical samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The morbidity of cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP) has shown an obvious ascending tendency with the increase of cesarean delivery in China and other countries. The timely diagnosis and treatment of CSP currently relies on medical imaging technology. In this article, we analyzed and compare the imaging methods in diagnosis of CSP. The imaging methods to diagnose CSP include traditional two-dimensional color/power Doppler ultrasound (2D-US), three-dimensional color/power Doppler ultrasound (3D-US), contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). 2D-US provides important information including the location and size of gestational sac (GS), embryo with or without heart activity, and the relationship between the GS and scar. It can also divide CSP into different types, which are convenient for the choice of clinical treatment. CEUS can observe the perfusion of CSP in real-time, the arrival time of GS in CSP is earlier than that of the myometrium. It provides reliable evidence for diagnosis and evaluation of the treatment of CSP, which is helpful for making treatment plans and post-treatment follow-up. Combined use of ultrasound and CEUS could be a problem-solving method for CSP when conventional ultrasound is often inconclusive. Ultrasound has been accepted as the first-line imaging method and an important guiding method for CSP, supervising local methotrexate injection and curettage. Highlights • Ultrasound is the first-line imaging method in CSP diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. • Ultrasound can guide local methotrexate injection and curettage for CSP treatment. • 2D-US classifies CSP into different types, which are useful for clinical treatment. • 3D-US is considered to be an effective supplement to 2D-US. • The diagnostic rate of CSP is higher by using CEUS than conventional ultrasound. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An increasing body of data has shown that erythropoietin (EPO) plays multiple roles in inflammation control and immunoregulation. However, less attention has been given to its effects on lupus nephritis (LN). In this study, we investigated the therapeutic effects of EPO on LN in MRL/lpr mice, a well-studied animal model for lupus. MRL/lpr mice were randomly divided into an EPO and control group. Mice in the EPO group were treated with EPO; saline was given to the control group. Both groups were treated for 10 weeks. We analyzed the differences of general disease condition, histopathologic changes, Th lymphocytes subsets, and the expression of inflammatory factors of mice between the groups. Compared to the control group, mice in the EPO group showed less spleen hyperplasia, less urinary protein, and lower serum anti-dsDNA antibody; they also had lower renal histopathologic scores and less deposition of IgG/C3 within glomeruli. Moreover, Th1 and Th17 levels were decreased, while Th2 and Treg levels were increased in the spleen, and the expression of inflammatory cytokines decreased in both the spleen and kidneys. EPO increased Th2 and Treg lymphocytes, decreased Th1, Th17 lymphocytes in the spleen, and inhibited the inflammatory reactions in both the spleen and kidneys, thus ameliorating LN of MRL/lpr mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intelligent recommendation system can greatly save users' time and energy by asking for relevant information and providing powerful guidance and help to users. Deep learning algorithm has become the most popular research direction in the past decade due to its powerful expression ability, whether it is the ability to fit data patterns or the ability to mine data feature combinations. This paper takes the university library as the main research data. The data come from the original data of a university library for five years, including the collection of book information, the reader information of borrowing books, the book-borrowing records, and the book-related information with research, and experimental data are selected. At the same time, in order to alleviate the start-up problem of new users, college library, as a new form of traditional library, combined with the resources of traditional library, analyzes the role of college library in college talent training in the intelligent recommendation system of college library, thinks about the driving force of college library service innovation, and discusses some measures of library service innovation under the background of talent training. Through the study of the existing book recommendation system, the shortcomings of the existing recommendation service are found, and a new service architecture of the recommendation system is proposed. The artificial intelligence recommendation algorithm is applied to achieve the purpose of intelligent book recommendation and provide the best service for teachers and students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]