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Environmental barrier coatings (EBCs) are indispensable for the service of SiC‐based turbine engines. The Si‐bond coating is a critical layer that prevents oxidants from penetrating SiC substrates and determines the service lifetimes of EBCs. In this study, the oxidation behaviors and failure mechanisms of Si‐based bond coatings were reviewed. The large growth rate and phase transformation of thermally grown oxides (TGOs, SiO2) seriously deteriorate the service of Si‐bond coatings. The low melting point of Si further limits its application in next‐generation engines above 1 427°C. The results show that an isolated particle healing (IPH) treatment decreased the oxidation rate of the Si‐bond coating by ∼24% at 1 300°C. Moreover, the Si–HfO2 and Si‐stabilizer (Si–Al2O3 or Si‐mullite) composite/duplex bond coatings can eliminate SiO2 phase transitions, thus improving the service lifetime. In addition, rare earth silicide (RESi), SiC and SiO2–HfO2 composite show potential for use in next‐generation EBCs above 1 427°C. This review provides guidance for designing Si‐based bond coatings with improved service lifetime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using cheap epichlorohydrin and dimethylamine as monomers in order to introduce cationic groups, acrylamide as another monomer, and ammonium persulfate as initiator through free radical copolymerization in aqueous solution, cationic sacrifice agent (SA1) was synthesized. Similarly, an amphoteric sacrifice agent (SA2) containing both quaternary amine and carboxylate functional group was synthesized. The terpolymers were used as a sacrifice material for polycarboxylate superplasticizer (PCE), and its reactive mechanism in cement–PCE–water with clay system was studied, which is desirable to solve the problem of PCE sensitivity to clay. The flow behavior of cement paste containing PCE in the presence and absence of clay was assessed. It was pointed out that the presence of montmorillonite (MMT) or kaolin significantly reduced the dispersion effect of PCE, eventually decreased the slurry fluidity. Fortunately, the addition of the sacrifice agents hindered this disadvantage. The fluidity of slurry increased with the increase in the amount compared with the lack of sacrificial agent. The sacrifice agent has a positive effect on retaining the fluidity of cement pastes, and to some extent makes up for the poor dispersion of PCE in the presence of clay impurities. The adsorption of SA1 or SA2 by MMT particles was studied by total organic carbon (TOC) analyzer. The results show that SA1 or SA2 can be preferentially adsorbed on particles by MMT compared with conventional PCE which result in more releasing PCE macromolecules and less useless loss. The sacrifice agent provides a possibility for improving the adaptability of PCE in low-quality cementing materials and has a potential application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalytic oxygen reduction reactions and water oxidation reactions are extremely promising green approaches for massive H2O2 production. Nonetheless, constructing effective photocatalysts for H2O2 generation is critical and still challenging. Since the network topology has significant impacts on the electronic properties of two dimensional (2D) polymers, herein, for the first time, we regulated the H2O2 photosynthetic activity of 2D covalent organic frameworks (COFs) by topology. Through designing the linking sites of the monomers, we synthesized a pair of novel COFs with similar chemical components on the backbones but distinct topologies. Without sacrificial agents, TBD‐COF with cpt topology exhibited superior H2O2 photoproduction performance (6085 and 5448 μmol g−1 h−1 in O2 and air) than TBC‐COF with hcb topology through the O2‐O2⋅−‐H2O2, O2‐O2⋅−‐O21‐H2O2, and H2O‐H2O2 three paths. Further experimental and theoretical investigations confirmed that during the H2O2 photosynthetic process, the charge carrier separation efficiency, O2⋅− generation and conversion, and the energy barrier of the rate determination steps in the three channels, related to the formation of *OOH, *O21, and *OH, can be well tuned by the topology of COFs. The current study enlightens the fabrication of high‐performance photocatalysts for H2O2 production by topological structure modulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalytic oxygen reduction reactions and water oxidation reactions are extremely promising green approaches for massive H2O2 production. Nonetheless, constructing effective photocatalysts for H2O2 generation is critical and still challenging. Since the network topology has significant impacts on the electronic properties of two dimensional (2D) polymers, herein, for the first time, we regulated the H2O2 photosynthetic activity of 2D covalent organic frameworks (COFs) by topology. Through designing the linking sites of the monomers, we synthesized a pair of novel COFs with similar chemical components on the backbones but distinct topologies. Without sacrificial agents, TBD‐COF with cpt topology exhibited superior H2O2 photoproduction performance (6085 and 5448 μmol g−1 h−1 in O2 and air) than TBC‐COF with hcb topology through the O2‐O2⋅−‐H2O2, O2‐O2⋅−‐O21‐H2O2, and H2O‐H2O2 three paths. Further experimental and theoretical investigations confirmed that during the H2O2 photosynthetic process, the charge carrier separation efficiency, O2⋅− generation and conversion, and the energy barrier of the rate determination steps in the three channels, related to the formation of *OOH, *O21, and *OH, can be well tuned by the topology of COFs. The current study enlightens the fabrication of high‐performance photocatalysts for H2O2 production by topological structure modulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to explore the application effectiveness and value of combining problem-based learning (PBL) and case-based learning (CBL) in clinical electroencephalography (EEG) education. METHODS: A total of 104 standardized training for residents and refresher physicians from the Neurology Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Neurology Department of Chongqing Yubei Hospital, and Neurology Department of Banan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University were enrolled. According to randomization principles, 52 participants were assigned into the PBL-CBL combination group and 52 subjects were assigned into the control group. We used statistical methods to compare the differences between the 2 groups in basic theory, case analysis, practical assessment scores, and teaching satisfaction. RESULTS: In terms of basic theory, case analysis, practical assessment scores, and teaching satisfaction, there were significant differences between the 2 groups, and the PBL-CBL combination group was superior to the control group (P <.05). CONCLUSION: In clinical EEG education, the teaching model of combining PBL and CBL has certain application effects and value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of multifunctional bio‐adhesive plays a critical role in achieving a sustainable society, where the intrinsic sensitivity to water and poor dynamics severely bottlenecks its scale‐up application. Inspired by the microstructure of dragonfly wings, a strong and tough adhesive with excellent reprocessability is designed and developed by creating a dynamic network consisting of a lignin polyurea (LPU) framework with soybean protein (SP). The LPU framework act as the rigid nervures to slow crack propagation and transfer stress, while the SP dissipate the strain energy through the interplay from the graded hydrogen and imine bonds generated between LPU and SP. The bio‐adhesive achieves significant enhancements in fracture toughness and water resistance by ≈7 and 23 folds, respectively, compared with SP. Furthermore, the capacity for diffusion and restoration of dynamic network endows the adhesive with superior reprocessability, enabling recycled particleboard to achieve high retention of modules (over 80%). This sustainable bio‐adhesive approach offers a promising eco‐friendly alternative to the conventional petrochemical adhesive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Thurstone model is a common model for analyzing the paired comparison data. However, there is lack of asymptotic properties for the moment estimator of parameters in this model. Therefore, we prove uniform consistency and asymptotic normality of the moment estimator in the Thurstome model. Simulation studies and a data example illustrate the theoretical result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-assembled peptide-based nanobiomaterials exhibit promising prospects for drug delivery applications owing to their commendable biocompatibility and biodegradability, facile tissue uptake and utilization, and minimal or negligible unexpected toxicity. TFF3 is an active peptide autonomously secreted by gastric mucosal cells, possessing multiple biological functions. It acts on the surface of the gastric mucosa, facilitating the repair process of gastric mucosal damage. However, when used as a drug, TFF3 faces significant challenges, including short retention time in the gastric mucosal cavity and deactivation due to degradation by stomach acid. In response to this challenge, we developed a self−assembled short peptide hydrogel, Rqdl10, designed as a delivery vehicle for TFF3. Our investigation encompasses an assessment of its properties, biocompatibility, controlled release of TFF3, and the mechanism underlying the promotion of gastric mucosal injury repair. Congo red/aniline blue staining revealed that Rqdl10 promptly self-assembled in PBS, forming hydrogels. Circular dichroism spectra indicated the presence of a stable β-sheet secondary structure in the Rqdl10 hydrogel. Cryo-scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy observations demonstrated that the Rqdl10 formed vesicle-like structures in the PBS, which were interconnected to construct a three-dimensional nanostructure. Moreover, the Rqdl10 hydrogel exhibited outstanding biocompatibility and could sustainably and slowly release TFF3. The utilization of the Rqdl10 hydrogel as a carrier for TFF3 substantially augmented its proliferative and migratory capabilities, while concurrently bolstering its anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic attributes following gastric mucosal injury. Our findings underscore the immense potential of the self-assembled peptide hydrogel Rqdl10 for biomedical applications, promising significant contributions to healthcare science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acting as a passive protective layer, solid‐electrolyte interphase (SEI) plays a crucial role in maintaining the stability of the Li‐metal anode. Derived from the reductive decomposition of electrolytes (e.g. anion and solvent), the SEI construction presents as an interfacial process accompanied by the dynamic de‐solvation process during Li‐metal plating. However, typical electrolyte engineering and related SEI modification strategies always ignore the dynamic evolution of electrolyte configuration at the Li/electrolyte interface, which essentially determines the SEI architecture. Herein, by employing advanced electrochemical in situ FT‐IR and MRI technologies, we directly visualize the dynamic variations of solvation environments involving Li+‐solvent/anion. Remarkably, a weakened Li+‐solvent interaction and anion‐lean interfacial electrolyte configuration have been synchronously revealed, which is difficult for the fabrication of anion‐derived SEI layer. Moreover, as a simple electrochemical regulation strategy, pulse protocol was introduced to effectively restore the interfacial anion concentration, resulting in an enhanced LiF‐rich SEI layer and improved Li‐metal plating/stripping reversibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acting as a passive protective layer, solid‐electrolyte interphase (SEI) plays a crucial role in maintaining the stability of the Li‐metal anode. Derived from the reductive decomposition of electrolytes (e.g. anion and solvent), the SEI construction presents as an interfacial process accompanied by the dynamic de‐solvation process during Li‐metal plating. However, typical electrolyte engineering and related SEI modification strategies always ignore the dynamic evolution of electrolyte configuration at the Li/electrolyte interface, which essentially determines the SEI architecture. Herein, by employing advanced electrochemical in situ FT‐IR and MRI technologies, we directly visualize the dynamic variations of solvation environments involving Li+‐solvent/anion. Remarkably, a weakened Li+‐solvent interaction and anion‐lean interfacial electrolyte configuration have been synchronously revealed, which is difficult for the fabrication of anion‐derived SEI layer. Moreover, as a simple electrochemical regulation strategy, pulse protocol was introduced to effectively restore the interfacial anion concentration, resulting in an enhanced LiF‐rich SEI layer and improved Li‐metal plating/stripping reversibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Skin mottling is a common manifestation of peripheral tissue hypoperfusion, and its severity can be described using the skin mottling score (SMS). This study aims to evaluate the value of the SMS in detecting peripheral tissue hypoperfusion in critically ill patients following cardiac surgery. Methods: Critically ill patients following cardiac surgery with risk factors for tissue hypoperfusion were enrolled (n = 373). Among these overall patients, we further defined a hypotension population (n = 178) and a shock population (n = 51). Hemodynamic and perfusion parameters were recorded. The primary outcome was peripheral hypoperfusion, defined as significant prolonged capillary refill time (CRT, > 3.0 s). The characteristics and hospital mortality of patients with and without skin mottling were compared. The area under receiver operating characteristic curves (AUROC) were used to assess the accuracy of SMS in detecting peripheral hypoperfusion. Besides, the relationships between SMS and conventional hemodynamic and perfusion parameters were investigated, and the factors most associated with the presence of skin mottling were identified. Results: Of the 373-case overall population, 13 (3.5%) patients exhibited skin mottling, with SMS ranging from 1 to 5 (5, 1, 2, 2, and 3 cases, respectively). Patients with mottling had lower mean arterial pressure, higher vasopressor dose, less urine output (UO), higher CRT, lactate levels and hospital mortality (84.6% vs. 12.2%, p < 0.001). The occurrences of skin mottling were higher in hypotension population and shock population, reaching 5.6% and 15.7%, respectively. The AUROC for SMS to identify peripheral hypoperfusion was 0.64, 0.68, and 0.81 in the overall, hypotension, and shock populations, respectively. The optimal SMS threshold was 1, which corresponded to specificities of 98, 97 and 91 and sensitivities of 29, 38 and 67 in the three populations (overall, hypotension and shock). The correlation of UO, lactate, CRT and vasopressor dose with SMS was significant, among them, UO and CRT were identified as two major factors associated with the presence of skin mottling. Conclusion: In critically ill patients following cardiac surgery, SMS is a very specific yet less sensitive parameter for detecting peripheral tissue hypoperfusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that is now recognized to involve autonomic dysfunction. The burden of autonomic dysfunction is an important factor in the quality of life and prognosis of ALS patients. This article presents the clinical characteristics of a young female ALS patient with a fused in sarcoma (FUS) gene mutation and notable hyperhidrosis. Method: Detailed clinical characteristics of the patients were collected, and comprehensive examinations such as electrophysiological assessment, neuro-ultrasound, genetic testing, and relevant blood tests were conducted. Result: A 24-year-old female experienced progressive weakness in both lower limbs for over 5 months, along with excessive sweating on both palms and feet. A positive skin iodine-starch test was observed. Electromyography revealed extensive neurogenic damage and prolonged sympathetic skin response (SSR) latency in both lower limbs. Full exon gene sequencing showed a heterozygous mutation c.1574C>T (p.Pro525Leu) in the FUS gene. Conclusion: The pathogenesis of ALS remains unclear at present. This case underscores the presence of autonomic nervous symptoms in ALS associated with FUS mutation and highlights the importance of early diagnosis and timely treatment intervention to enhance patient prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interaction between a solute and vacancy is crucial for the diffusion and precipitation of alloy elements and ultimately affects the creep resistance and safety of refractory molybdenum (Mo) alloys. In this work, the first-principles calculations of the interaction between solutes (5 light impurity atoms and 23 transition metal elements) and vacancies show that Mo is sensitive to all the light impurity elements, which indicates that these solutes are easy to combine with an Mo alloy and have relatively strong interaction. In most cases, the interaction between the 23 transition metal solutes and vacancy is attractive, but the interaction between solutes V, Ti, and the first-nearest vacancy is repulsive, and the interaction between the early elements in the 3d, 4d, and 5d series and the second-nearest vacancy is also repulsive. Then, we discuss the main factors that affect the solute–vacancy interaction, that is, the effects of electron and strain-elimination. Finally, a solute–vacancy interaction database based on the above effects is established, which would contribute to the research on heat- and radiation-resistant Mo alloys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oblique bifactor models, where group factors are allowed to correlate with one another, are commonly used. However, the lack of research on the statistical properties of oblique bifactor models renders the statistical validity of empirical findings questionable. Therefore, the present study took the first step to examine the statistical properties of oblique bifactor models through Monte Carlo simulations. Study 1 showed that the classic oblique bifactor measurement models had severe convergence issues in many conditions. Even for converged replications, both factor loading and group factor correlation estimates were severely biased. Study 2 further showed that the classic oblique bifactor predictive models still had serious convergence problems, and structural parameters suffered from issues of severe estimation bias and low power. Fortunately, the augmentation approach, where one or multiple indicators are specified to load onto only the general factor but not any of the group factors, was useful in ameliorating these issues in both oblique bifactor measurement and predictive models. Tentative recommendations regarding the selection between oblique and orthogonal bifactor models and the approaches to finding augmenting indicators were provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aging is a complex biological process that is influenced by both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Recently, it has been discovered that reactive oxygen species can accelerate the aging process, leading to an increased incidence of age-related diseases that are characteristic of aging. This review aims to discuss the potential of mushrooms as a dietary intervention for anti-aging, focusing on their nutritional perspective. Mushrooms contain various bioactive compounds, including carbohydrates, bioactive proteins, fungal lipids, and phenolic compounds. These compounds have shown promising effectiveness in combating skin aging and age-related diseases. In vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated that treatments with mushrooms or their extracts can significantly extend lifespan and improve health span. Furthermore, studies have aimed to elucidate the precise cellular and molecular mechanisms of action and the structure–activity relationship of mushroom bioactive compounds. These findings provide a strong basis for further research, including human clinical trials and nutritional investigations, to explore the potential benefits of mushrooms in real-life anti-aging practices. By exploring the anti-aging effects of mushrooms, this review aims to provide valuable insights that can contribute to the development of broader strategies for healthy aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Logistics services are integral to urban economic activity, and delving into the spatial distribution traits and evolutionary pathways of various kinds of logistics service node facilities (LSNF) is markedly valuable for understanding a city's functional spatial makeup and refining the spatial layout of logistics services. This study quantitatively and qualitatively analyzes the spatial congregation and spreading characteristics of diverse LSNFs in Wuhan in 2011, 2014, 2017, and 2020, employing kernel density analysis, average nearest neighbor index, mean center, and distance distribution frequency, seeking to characterize the spatial evolution characteristics of LSNF, alongside examining the trends in distances to city cores, principal adjoining roads, and production and consumption sites. The following conclusions were made: (1) Between 2011 and 2020, various types of LSNFs in Wuhan experienced a pattern characterized by the noticeable coexistence of spatial expansion and agglomeration, particularly visible after 2014. The degree of agglomeration is classified in a descending order as follows: CWC, STN, PSN, and PDN. (2) An "absolute diffusion" phenomenon characterizes the distribution of distances between various kinds of LSNFs and city cores or neighboring roads, with the lion's share of high-frequency distribution zones spreading beyond city cores by 5–10 km, and a majority of the LSNFs being situated within 1 km from adjacent roads. (3) While the LSNF collective exhibits a stronger tendency towards the consumption facet, it reflects a surrounding of industrial production sites on the production facet and locations of manufactured goods consumption on the consumption facet, followed by locations of agricultural product consumption and comprehensive consumption sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assesses the suitability of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) for downscaling precipitation over East Africa in the context of seasonal forecasting. To achieve this, we design a set of experiments that compare different CNN configurations and deployed the best-performing architecture to downscale one-month lead seasonal forecasts of June–July–August–September (JJAS) precipitation from the Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology Climate Forecast System version 1.0 (NUIST-CFS1.0) for 1982–2020. We also perform hyper-parameter optimization and introduce predictors over a larger area to include information about the main large-scale circulations that drive precipitation over the East Africa region, which improves the downscaling results. Finally, we validate the raw model and downscaled forecasts in terms of both deterministic and probabilistic verification metrics, as well as their ability to reproduce the observed precipitation extreme and spell indicator indices. The results show that the CNN-based downscaling consistently improves the raw model forecasts, with lower bias and more accurate representations of the observed mean and extreme precipitation spatial patterns. Besides, CNN-based downscaling yields a much more accurate forecast of extreme and spell indicators and reduces the significant relative biases exhibited by the raw model predictions. Moreover, our results show that CNN-based downscaling yields better skill scores than the raw model forecasts over most portions of East Africa. The results demonstrate the potential usefulness of CNN in downscaling seasonal precipitation predictions over East Africa, particularly in providing improved forecast products which are essential for end users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractIn recent decades, Cambodia has gained geopolitical significance in the competition among great powers in the Indo-Pacific—China, Japan, and the United States—forcing Cambodia to align and realign its relations with these powers. Comprehensive, comparative, systemic analyses of Cambodia’s relations with these three great powers remain limited. This is despite the shifting geopolitical context associated with China’s rise, the United States’ changing international liberal agenda, and Cambodia’s domestic political development. Utilizing various qualitative methods that include data from news reports in Khmer, English, and Chinese and interviews with diverse stakeholders—scholars, journalists, leaders of civil society organizations, representatives of multilateral institutions, and diplomats—this article seeks to fill this gap by providing an up-to-date, empirically rich, and theoretically grounded analysis of Cambodia’s relations with these three great powers. This study will delineate economic, security, and domestic causes of change and continuity within an integrated analytical lens that combines international relations and comparative politics to provide a multi-level (state and systemic) and multi-actor (state and non-state) analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intro: The current study examined the effects of adulthood socioeconomic status (SES) on levels of and changes in the Big Five personality traits domains and nuances in adulthood and during aging. We also tested whether the relations between adulthood SES and personality traits differed by childhood SES and age. Methods: Data were drawn from three longitudinal studies: the Swedish Adoption/Twin Study of Aging (SATSA, N = 2000), the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS, N = 6428), and the Health and Retirement Study (HRS, N = 23,238). Results: Using the latent growth models, across samples, we found associations between high SES and low levels of neuroticism and high levels of extraversion, openness, and conscientiousness. The effects of SES on changes in personality traits were mainly observed in the aging sample of HRS. In general, a similar pattern was observed at the nuance level. Analyses of the moderating effects of age suggested some evidence for the increasingly important role of SES in levels of and changes in personality traits in older ages. Conclusion: The findings support SES as a source that partially accounts for individual differences in personality traits level. Some evidence was found for the relations between SES and changes in personality traits in old age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A polygeneration system for power, heat, and refrigeration has been evaluated and optimized using exergy-based methods. CO2 is the working fluid. The study considered two environmental conditions for the potential implementation of the polygeneration system: cold (Casecold) and hot (Casehot). Aspen HYSYS® was used to perform steady-state simulations, Python was used for the automation of the process, and the connection of Aspen HYSYS® with Python was successfully applied for single-objective and multi-objective optimizations. A wide range of decision variables was implemented. The minimization of the average cost of a product per unit of exergy was the goal of single-objective optimization and was included in the multi-objective optimization in addition to the maximization of the overall exergy efficiency. Single-objective and multi-objective optimization were applied. Both optimization algorithms result in the necessity to increase the pinch temperature in the heat exchanger (ΔTpinch,HE), maintain the pinch temperature in the gas cooler (ΔTpinch,GC), and augment this value for the evaporator (ΔTpinch,EVAP). Notably, higher isentropic efficiency for turbomachinery correlates with improved optimization outcomes. These findings contribute to the applicability and performance of the polygeneration system, offering potential advancements in sustainable energy solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Existing therapies of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are efficacious only in certain patients. Developing new treatment methods is urgent. This meta‐analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of low‐dose IL‐2 (LD‐IL‐2). Methods: According to published data from PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, ClinicalTrials.gov, MEDLINE, MEDLINE, Web of Knowledge, Cochrane Library, and FDA.gov, eight trials were included. Results: After the LD‐IL‐2 treatment, 54.8% of patients had distinct clinical remission. The SRI‐4 response rates were 0.819 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.745–0.894), and the SELENA‐SLEDAI scores were significantly decreased (SMD = −2.109, 95% CI: [−3.271, −0.947], p <.001). Besides, the proportions of CD4+ T (SMD = 0.614, 95% CI: [0.250, 0.979], p =.001) and Treg cells (SMD = 1.096, 95% CI: [0.544, 1.649], p <.001) were increased dramatically after LD‐IL‐2 treatment, while there were no statistical differences in the proportions of CD8+ T cells, Th1 cells, Th2 cells, and Th17 cells (p >.05). Besides, the proportions of Th17 (SMD = 1.121, 95% CI: [0.709, 1.533], p <.001) and Treg (SMD = 0.655, 95% CI: [0.273, 1.038], p =.001) were significantly increased after receiving subcutaneously 0.5 million IU of LD‐IL‐2 treatment per day for 5 days, but there were no statistical differences in the proportions of Treg after receiving 1 million IU every other day subcutaneously of LD‐IL‐2 treatment. Injection site reaction and fever were common side effects of IL‐2, which occurred in 33.1% and 14.4% of patients. No serious adverse events were reported. Conclusion: LD‐IL‐2 was promising and well‐tolerated in treating SLE, which could promote Treg's proliferation and functional recovery. Injecting 0.5 million IU of IL‐2 daily can better induce the differentiation of Treg cells and maintain immune homeostasis than injecting 1 million IU every other day. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although no study has directly shown the relationship between bacterial vaginosis (BV) and homocysteine (HCY), we still found some association between these two through extensive literature and data analysis. BV score was calculated by Nugent's method, less than equal to 6 is negative and greater than equal to 7 is positive. This article describes interrelationships we mined from data extracted by NHANES regarding BV and HCY under multiple covariates. We used two cycles of NHANES 2001–2002 and 2003–2004 in our study. We included 2398 participants in our study who recently completed the interview and the MEC tests. By investigating the relationship between BV and HCY under multivariate conditions, multiple linear regression analysis was performed. These factors may have influenced the results, such as ethnicity, age, education level, body mass index (BMI), etc. Serum vitamin B12, ferritin, percentage of segmented centrioles, and number of segmented centrioles were selected as potential covariates in our study. We observed that both the coarse model and the two adjusted models showed a high correlation between HCY and BV, and the correlation was positive. In the coarse model, OR = 1.26, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.10, 1.44, P = 0.0018); HCY was positively correlated with BV (OR = 1.19, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.05, 1.34, P = 0.0121). Multiple linear regression analysis was used to investigate the connection between BV and HCY under multivariate settings. The results of this study indicate that HCY is positively associated with the prevalence of BV and may play an important role in the prevention and management of BV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nucleic acid-based therapy has emerged as a promising therapeutic approach for treating various diseases, such as genetic disorders, cancers, and viral infections. Diverse nucleic acid delivery systems have been reported, and some, including lipid nanoparticles, have exhibited clinical success. In parallel, bioengineered nucleic acid delivery nanocarriers have also gained significant attention due to their flexible functional design and excellent biocompatibility. In this review, we summarize recent advances in bioengineered nucleic acid delivery nanocarriers, focusing on exosomes, cell membrane-derived nanovesicles, protein nanocages, and virus-like particles. We highlight their unique features, advantages for nucleic acid delivery, and biomedical applications. Furthermore, we discuss the challenges that bioengineered nanocarriers face towards clinical translation and the possible avenues for their further development. This review ultimately underlines the potential of bioengineered nanotechnology for the advancement of nucleic acid therapy. Schematic representation of bioengineered nanotechnology for nucleic acid delivery. Natural nano-carriers, such as exosomes, cell membrane-derived nanovesicles, protein nanocages, and virus-like particles, could be engineered into multifunctional vehicles capable of efficiently encapsulating nucleic acids and protecting them from degradation, while also exhibiting specific targeting ability, high biocompatibility, prolonged circulation, good biosafety, and scalability. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To analyze the characteristics of overlapping meta-analyses based on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) which reported PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in non-small cell cancer (NSCLC). Methods: Meta-analyses were identified from English and Chinese databases until January 1, 2022. Differences in characteristics of overlapping meta-analyses that conducted in China and other countries were compared to assess their publication propensity. The corrected covered area (CCA) and coverage of relevant RCTs were analyzed for subtopics according to detailed intervention types. The waste and redundancy of evidence were assessed in the case of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor monotherapy for second-line treatment for NSCLC. Results: Fifty-nine meta-analyses published in English and 17 meta-analyses published in Chinese reporting 26 RCTs were identified. Fifty-three (69.74%) meta-analyses were conducted in China. The overlapping meta-analyses in China were more likely to be from hospitals, supported by government funding, integrate first and second-line therapies. Five of the six subtopics had overlapping meta-analyses according to specific types of interventions. The CCA of overlapping meta-analyses ranged from 33.33 to 63.19%, and the coverage of relevant RCTs ranged from 63.64 to 100%. All the conclusions of overlapping meta-analyses have been consistent in the subtopic of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor monotherapy for second-line treatment since 2017. Conclusion: Overlapping meta-analyses of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in NSCLC hints that meta-analyses under this topic probably exist serious redundancy. Future research should focus on prospective registration of protocols for systematic reviews/meta-analyses, scientific designed PICO, and cumulative meta-analysis to reduce redundant and wasted studies. Journals should strengthen the requirement for reviewing previously published evidence in manuscript review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In robot-assisted rehabilitation, the performance of robotic assistance is dependent on the human user's dynamics, which are subject to uncertainties. In order to enhance the rehabilitation performance and in particular to provide a constant level of assistance, we separate the task space into two subspaces where a combined scheme of adaptive impedance control and trajectory learning is developed. Human movement speed can vary from person to person and it cannot be predefined for the robot. Therefore, in the direction of human movement, an iterative trajectory learning approach is developed to update the robot reference according to human movement and to achieve the desired interaction force between the robot and the human user. In the direction normal to the task trajectory, human's unintentional force may deteriorate the trajectory tracking performance. Therefore, an impedance adaptation method is utilized to compensate for unknown human force and prevent the human user drifting away from the updated robot reference trajectory. The proposed scheme was tested in experiments that emulated three upper-limb rehabilitation modes: zero interaction force, assistive and resistive. Experimental results showed that the desired assistance level could be achieved, despite uncertain human dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The usage of weakly bonded ultra-high strength (WBUHS) rebars has emerged as a promising approach to enhance the resilience of concrete components due to their remarkable mechanical properties. To promote the application of WBUHS rebars, this paper presented an investigation on the seismic behavior of circular concrete columns reinforced with squarely arranged WBUHS rebars and externally confined by bolted steel tubes. Eight columns, including two reinforced with normal strength (NS) rebars and six reinforced with WBUHS rebars, were fabricated and tested under reversed cyclic lateral loading. Experimental results showed that the columns reinforced with WBUHS rebars exhibited remarkable drift-hardening capacity up to the drift of at least 5% as well as significantly reduced residual deformation even when subjected to relatively high axial compression with an axial load ratio of 0.33 in comparison to the traditional ductile columns reinforced with NS rebars. Notably, the precast columns reinforced with WBUHS rebars, with an embedment length of 20 times their diameter, behaved nearly identically in terms of resilience as cast-in-place columns. Additionally, a numerical analysis was performed to assess the hysteretic performance, and the analytical results, with consideration for the slippage of WBUHS rebars, were capable of capturing the hysteretic performance of test columns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to determine the effects of Xiebai Zengye decoction (XBZY) on airway inflammation and respiratory function in rats with postinfectious cough (PIC), and its regulatory effects on the extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathway. Compared with the normal group, the rats from the PIC group had significantly shortened expiratory time (TE) and enhanced pause (EEP), increased resistance (RT), and enhanced pause (Penh), along with increased levels of serum interleukin‐4 (IL‐4) and IL‐6, and decreased levels of IL‐10. The lung and colon tissues of rats from the PIC group showed histopathological changes, including inflammatory cell infiltration, damaged mucosal epithelium, and crypt structure, with significantly increased ERK mRNA and protein expression levels. Treatment with XBZY and montelukast sodium (MAS) improved the respiratory function and serum cytokine levels, reduced tissue inflammation, and decreased ERK mRNA and protein expression levels in the lung and colon tissues. In the lung tissues, XBZY treatment significantly decreased the expression of phosphorylated‐ERK (p‐ERK) protein, as well as p‐MEK1/2, p‐ERK1/2, and p‐c‐Fos proteins, while in the colon tissues, XBZY significantly decreased the expression of p‐ERK1/2 and p‐c‐Fos proteins. However, MAS treatment only showed significant improvement in the lung tissue inflammation score, and the expression level of p‐ERK protein in the lung tissue was decreased. In conclusion, the present study suggests that XBZY has a potential therapeutic effect on PIC by improving respiratory function and attenuating inflammation, and this effect may be associated with the inhibition of the ERK signaling pathway. These findings could provide a new direction for the development of treatments for PIC. However, further research is needed to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms of XBZY and to confirm its safety and efficacy in clinical trials. Significance statement: Postinfectious cough (PIC) accounts for 21.73% of the causes of chronic cough in Chinese children and has a higher incidence rate in preschool children. This study aims to observe the effects of Xiebai Zengye decoction (XBZY) on airway inflammation and reactivity in young rat model of PIC cough, and to explore its regulatory effects on the ERK signaling pathway, to preliminarily elucidate the mechanism of XBZY in treating PIC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite major advances in cancer therapeutics, the therapeutic options of Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma (LSCC)-specific remain limited. Furthermore, the current staging system is imperfect for defining a prognosis and guiding treatment due to its simplicity and heterogeneity. We sought to develop prognostic decision tools for individualized survival prediction and treatment optimization in elderly patients with LSCC. Methods: Clinical data of 4564 patients (stageIB-IIIB) diagnosed from 2010 to 2015 were extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database for prognostic nomograms development. The proposed models were externally validated using a separate group consisting of 1299 patients (stage IB-IIIB) diagnosed from 2012–2015 in China. The prognostic performance was measured using the concordance index (C-index), calibration curves, the average time-dependent area under the receiver operator characteristic curves (AUC), and decision curve analysis. Results: Eleven candidate prognostic variables were identified by the univariable and multivariable Cox regression analysis. The calibration curves showed satisfactory agreement between the actual and nomogram-estimated Lung Cancer-Specific Survival (LCSS) rates. By calculating the c-indices and average AUC, our nomograms presented a higher prognostic accuracy than the current staging system. Clinical usefulness was revealed by the decision curve analysis. User-friendly online decision tools integrating proposed nomograms were created to estimate survival for patients with different treatment regimens. Conclusions: The decision tools for individualized survival prediction and treatment optimization might facilitate clinicians with decision-making, medical teaching, and experimental design. Online tools are expected to be integrated into clinical practice by using the freely available website (https://loyal-brand-611803.framer.app/). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a common age-related chronic and neurodegenerative disease that has become a global health problem. AD pathogenesis is complex, and the clinical efficacy of commonly used anti-AD drugs is suboptimal. Recent research has revealed a close association between AD-induced damage and the activation of ferroptosis signaling pathways. Chrysophanol (CHR) the principal medicinal component of Rhubarb, has been reported to have anti-AD effects and can reduce ROS levels in AD-damaged models. AD has been linked to the activation of ferroptosis signaling pathways, which has an important feature of higher levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Therefore, the present study explored whether CHR had an anti-AD effect by regulating the ferroptosis levels in AD injury models. Morris water maze, novel object recognition test, Y-maze test, Hematoxylin–eosin (H&E) staining, western blotting, ROS measurement, GPx activity measurement, LPO measurement, transmission electron microscopy, live/dead cell staining were used to investigate the changes in spatial memory level and ferroptosis level in AD model, and the intervention effect of CHR. CHR improved the spatial memory level of AD rat models, reduced the level of hippocampal neuron damage, and improved the survival rate of PC12 cells damaged by β-amyloid (Aβ). Meanwhile, CHR increased glutathione peroxidase-4 (GPX4) protein expression, GPx activity, and GSH, decreased ROS and LPO levels in AD rat models and Aβ-damaged PC12 cells, and improved mitochondrial pathological damage. Our findings suggest that CHR may play a protective role in AD injury by lowering ferroptosis levels, which may provide a potential pathway for developing drugs for AD. However, the mechanism of CHR's role requires further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The type and placement of chest tube for patients undergoing uniportal video‐assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy remains controversial. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of a novel technique in which a pigtail catheter was used alone as the chest tube and placed near the incision for chest drainage after uniportal video‐assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy and extended lymphadenectomy. Methods: A total of 217 patients undergoing uniportal video‐assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy were retrospectively reviewed and divided into two groups. In group A, a 12‐Fr pigtail catheter with several side ports was placed next to the uniportal wound. In group B, a conventional 20‐Fr chest tube was placed through the uniportal wound itself. Postoperative complications related to chest tube placement and patients' subjective satisfaction were compared between the two groups. Postoperative pain management effect and other clinical outcomes such as duration of chest drainage and postoperative stay were also compared. Results: There were 112 patients in group A and 105 patients in group B. A significantly lower incidence of wound complications was found in group A postoperatively (p = 0.034). The pain score on coughing in group A was significantly lower than that in group B on postoperative day two (POD2) (p = 0.021). There was no significant difference of other clinical outcomes such as duration of chest drainage and postoperative stay as well as major complications between the two groups. Conclusion: Placing a 12‐Fr pigtail catheter alone next to the uniportal wound for chest drainage might be effective and safe after uniportal video‐assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy and extended lymphadenectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2014 Mw 6.2 Ludian earthquake exhibited a structurally complex source rupture process and an unusual spatial distribution pattern of co-seismic landslides. In this study, we constructed a spatial database consisting of 1470 co-seismic landslides, each exceeding 500 m2. These landslides covered a total area of 8.43 km2 and were identified through a comprehensive interpretation of high-resolution satellite images taken before and after the earthquake. It is noteworthy that the co-seismic landslides do not exhibit a linear concentration along the seismogenic fault; instead, they predominantly extend along major river systems with an NE–SW trend. Moreover, the southwest-facing slopes have the highest landslide area ratio of 1.41. To evaluate the susceptibility of the Ludian earthquake-triggered landslides, we performed a random forest model that considered topographic factors (elevation, slope, aspect, distance to rivers), geological factors (lithology), and seismic factors (ground motion parameters, epicentral distance, distance to the seismogenic fault). Our analysis revealed that the distance to rivers and elevation were the primary factors influencing the spatial distribution of the Ludian earthquake-triggered landslides. When we considered the directional variation in ground motion parameters, the AUC of the model slightly decreased. However, incorporating this variation led to a significant reduction in the proportion of areas classified as "high" and "very high" landslide susceptibility. Moreover, SEDd emerged as the most effective ground motion parameter for interpreting the distribution of the co-seismic landslides when compared to PGAd, PGVd, and Iad. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Philippines is highly vulnerable to multiple climate-related hazards due to its geographical location and weak adaptation measures. Floods are the most catastrophic hazards that impact lives, livelihoods, and, consequently, the economy at large. Understanding the ability of the general circulation models to simulate the observed rainfall using the latest state-of-the-art model is essential for reliable forecasting. Based on this background, this paper objectively aims at assessing and ranking the capabilities of the recent Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) models in simulating the observed rainfall over the Philippines. The Global Precipitation Climatology Project (GPCP) v2.3 was used as a proxy to gauge the performance of 11 CMIP6 models in simulating the annual and rainy-season rainfall during 1980–2014. Several statistical metrics (mean, standard deviation, normalized root means square error, percentage bias, Pearson correlation coefficient, Mann–Kendall test, Theil–Sen slope estimator, and skill score) and geospatial measures were assessed. The results show that that CMIP6 historical simulations exhibit satisfactory effectiveness in simulating the annual cycle, though some models display wet/dry biases. The CMIP6 models generally underestimate rainfall on the land but overestimate it over the ocean. The trend analysis shows that rainfall over the country is insignificantly increasing both annually and during the rainy seasons. Notably, most of the models could correctly simulate the trend sign but over/underestimate the magnitude. The CMIP6 historical rainfall simulating models significantly agree on simulating the mean annual cycle but diverge in temporal ability simulation. The performance of the models remarkably differs from one metric to another and among different time scales. Nevertheless, the models may be ranked from the best to the least best at simulating the Philippines' rainfall in the order GFDL, NOR, ACCESS, ENS, MRI, CMCC, NESM, FIO, MIROC, CESM, TAI, and CAN. The findings of this study form a good basis for the selection of models to be used in robust future climate projection and impact studies regarding the Philippines. The climate model developers may use the documented shortcoming of these models and improve their physical parametrization for better performance in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some people use health care services more than others. Identifying factors associated with health care use has the potential to improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and equity of health care. In line with the Andersen behavioral model of health care utilization and initial empirical findings, personality traits may be key predisposing factors associated with health care use. Across 15 samples, the present study examined cross-sectional and prospective associations between Big Five personality traits and the likelihood of dental visits, general medical practitioner visits, and hospitalizations. Using coordinated data analysis, we estimated models within each of 15 samples individually (sample Ns ranged from 516 to 305,762), and then calculated weighted mean effect sizes using random-effects meta-analysis across samples (total N = 358,803). According to the synthesized results, people higher in conscientiousness, agreeableness, extraversion, and openness, and lower in neuroticism were more likely to visit the dentist; people higher in neuroticism were more likely to visit general medical practitioners; and people lower in conscientiousness and agreeableness and higher in neuroticism were more likely to be hospitalized. Associations tended to be small with odds ratios around 1.20 (rs ≈.05). These findings provide evidence across 15 international samples for small but consistent associations between personality traits and health care use and demonstrate that personality-health care associations differ by type of care. We discuss directions for future research, including examining more specific personality facets (e.g., productiveness vs. responsibility) as well as important dimensions of health care (e.g., preventative vs. reactive care; acute vs. chronic care). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pine barrens ecosystem has acidic, sandy, and nutrient-poor soil and is prone to drought and fire. In the New Jersey Pine Barrens, the predominant pitch pine (Pinus rigida) consists of two ecotypes: the regular pitch pines with heights of 4.6–12 m, and the pygmy pines of low stature (1.2–1.8 m) in the New Jersey Pine Plains. Previous ecological studies suggested that the dwarf pines in the Pine Plains that are embedded within the Pine Barrens were an evolutionary adaptation to frequent fire. Pines are obligate ectomycorrhizal (EcM) mutualists, and their root mycobiota may contribute to stress protection and plant health. However, information on the mycobiota associated with plants in the pine barrens ecosystem is lacking. To have a holistic understanding of the evolution and adaptation in this stressed environment, we used both culture-independent metabarcoding and culture-based method to characterize the mycobiota from soil and root of the two ecotypes and to identify core mycobiota. We found that Agaricomycetes, Leotiomycetes, and Mucoromycotina are predominant fungi in the New Jersey Pine Barrens ecosystem, which is rich in root mutualistic fungi. We observed that the pygmy pine roots had significantly higher density of EcM tips than the regular pine roots. This was corroborated by our metabarcoding analysis, which showed that the pygmy pine trees had higher ratio of ectomycorrhiza-forming fungi than the regular-statured pines. We hypothesize that symbiotrophic EcM fungi associated with pygmy pines are capable of mitigating high fire stress in the Pine Plains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Our study identified the primary expression of PD-L1 in vascular endothelial cells that correlated with the expression of the mesenchymal markers YKL-40 and Vim and poor patient survival. YKL-40 induced VE-cad expression, which interacted with and upregulated PD-L1, leading to vascular immune escape. In addition, upregulated VE-cad drove CCR5-mediated tumor vascularization. These data may offer solid evidence to decipher molecular mechanisms that contribute to the rigorous resistance of mesenchymal GBM to single anti-immune or angiogenic therapies. Therefore, our findings suggest a novel therapeutic strategy that combines treatments targeting both YKL-40 and VE-cad/or PD-L1 facilitates the blockade of anti-vascular immune evasion and tumor angiogenesis, benefiting patients with mesenchymal GBM. The mesenchymal subtype of glioblastoma (mGBM), which is characterized by rigorous vasculature, resists anti-tumor immune therapy. Here, we investigated the mechanistic link between tumor vascularization and the evasion of immune surveillance. Clinical datasets with GBM transcripts showed that the expression of the mesenchymal markers YKL-40 (CHI3L1) and Vimentin is correlated with elevated expression of PD-L1 and poor disease survival. Interestingly, the expression of PD-L1 was predominantly found in vascular endothelial cells. Orthotopic transplantation of glioma cells GL261 over-expressing YKL-40 in mice showed increased angiogenesis and decreased CD8+ T cell infiltration, resulting in a reduction in mouse survival. The exposure of recombinant YKL-40 protein induced PD-L1 and VE-cadherin (VE-cad) expression in endothelial cells and drove VE-cad-mediated nuclear translocation of β-catenin/LEF, where LEF upregulated PD-L1 expression. YKL-40 stimulated the dissociation of VE-cad from PD-L1, rendering PD-L1 available to interact with PD-1 from CD8+-positive TALL-104 lymphocytes and inhibit TALL-104 cytotoxicity. YKL-40 promoted TALL-104 cell migration and adhesion to endothelial cells via CCR5-dependent chemotaxis but blocked its anti-vascular immunity. Knockdown of VE-cad or the PD-L1 gene ablated the effects of YKL-40 and reinvigorated TALL-104 cell immunity against vessels. In summary, our study demonstrates a novel vascular immune escape mechanism by which mGBM promotes tumor vascularization and malignant transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthracnose is a common disease found in Camellia oleifera producing areas across China, whose primary pathogen is Colletotrichum fructicola. We previously revealed that autophagy is essential for the pathogenicity of C. fructicola. However, the function of ubiquitin–proteasome system (UPS), which is a parallel protein degradation pathway to autophagy, remains elusive. Here, we report that CfRad6, an E2 conjugating enzyme in UPS, interacts with three putative E3 ubiquitin ligases, namely CfRad18, CfUbr1, and CfBre1. Importantly, we presented evidence showing that CfRad6 negatively regulates autophagy, revealing the first link between UPS and autophagy in pathogenic fungi. Targeted gene deletion showed that CfRad6 is involved in growth and conidiation. We further found that the ΔCfrad6 mutant is defective in appressoria formation and responses to environmental stresses. These combined effects, along with the abnormal autophagy level, lead to the pathogenicity defects of the ΔCfrad6 mutant. Taken together, our study indicates the pleiotropic functions of CfRad6 in the development and pathogenicity of C. fructicola. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a photoelectrochemical (PEC) aptamer sensor using a TiO2/AgInS2/ZnS composite material as a photoelectric active anode substrate and NiCo-MOF@Au as a quenching element is constructed to detect Hg2+. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) was prepared by hydrothermal synthesis. The prepared TiO2 consists of rod-like aggregations with a unique structure and large specific surface area. TiO2/AgInS2/ZnS composites with higher photochemical activity were obtained by modifying AgInS2 quantum dots on the surface under electrostatic force and ZnS modification by the successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method. The constructed PEC aptamer sensing platform has good sensing performance for Hg2+, and the detection limit is as low as 34 fM, showing high selectivity and reproducibility. At the same time, the application of this method in actual environmental samples is evaluated and satisfactory results are obtained. Therefore, the developed photoelectrochemical aptamer sensor provides a promising technique for the detection of Hg2+ in the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role played by serum folate in the progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of serum folate with NAFLD and advanced liver fibrosis (AHF). We conducted a cross-sectional study with 5417 participants using 2011–2018 NHANES data. Multiple logistic regression analysis and propensity score matching analysis were used to investigate the association of serum folate with NAFLD and AHF. In the completely adjusted model, participants in the high serum folate group had a 27% (OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.62, 0.87, p = 0.0003) and 53% (OR 0.47, 95% CI 0.35, 0.63, p < 0.0001) lower odds of suffering from NAFLD and AHF, respectively, compared to the low serum folate group. The similar results in propensity score matching further validated the above association. Stratified analysis showed that the negative correlation of serum folate with NAFLD and AHF demonstrated a broad consistency across populations. The results of this study indicate that higher serum folate level was associated with lower odds of NAFLD and AHF among US adults. Further prospective studies are necessary due to the limitations of cross-sectional studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The choice of anastomosis technique after esophagectomy is closely associated with the postoperative complications. Whether circular stapled or linear stapled anastomosis is the optimal technique has not been established. Therefore, we conducted this meta-analysis to show the latest and most comprehensive published assessment of circular stapled anastomosis in comparison with linear stapled anastomosis in postoperative complications. Methods: Databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of science, Cochrane Library) were searched for all randomized controlled trials and comparative studies comparing circular stapled anastomosis with linear stapled anastomosis after esophagectomy. The odd ratio and mean difference with 95% confidence interval were calculated. We used the Higgins I² statistics to assess the statistical heterogeneity between studies. Review manager (version 5.4) software was used in this analysis. Results: Sixteen studies with 2322 patients were included in our study. The study demonstrated that the use of linear stapled technique after esophagectomy could reduce the risk of both anastomotic leakage (P = 0.0003) and stricture (P < 0.00001) compared with circular stapled technique. Stratification by anastomotic site showed that no matter what kind of anastomotic site (cervical or thoracic anastomosis) was used, linear stapled anastomosis could effectively reduce the anastomotic stricture in comparison with circular stapled anastomosis. Moreover, linear stapled anastomosis could decrease the risk of thoracic anastomotic leakage. There were no significant differences between circle stapled anastomosis and linear stapled anastomosis in reflux esophagitis (P = 0.17), pneumonia (P = 0.91), operation time (P = 0.41) and hospital stay (P = 0.38). Conclusions: The study suggested that linear stapled anastomosis could be considered to be an optimal treatment associated with a reduced risk of anastomotic leakage and stricture in comparison with circular stapled anastomosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is one of the most common infections among women of reproductive age and accounts for 15–50% of infections globally. The role played by folate in the pathogenesis and progression of BV is poorly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between serum folate, red blood cell (RBC) folate, and BV in American women. Methods: 1,954 participants from the 2001-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) program were included in this study. Multiple logistic regression was used to analyze the association between serum folate, RBC folate, and BV, and covariates including race, age, education level, and body mass index were used to construct adjusted models. Stratified analysis was used to explore the stability of the above associations in different populations. Results: In the present cross-sectional study, we found that serum folate and RBC folate were inversely associated with the risk of BV. In the fully adjusted model, the risk of BV was reduced by 35% (OR=0.65, 95% CI: 0.51~0.83, p=0.0007) in the highest serum folate group and 32% (OR=0.68, 95% CI: 0.53~0.87, p=0.0023) in the highest RBC folate group compared to the lowest group. Conclusions: The results of this study indicated that serum folate and RBC folate were inversely associated with the risk of BV folate supplementation may play an important role in the prevention and management of BV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The graded forced-choice (FC) format has recently emerged as an alternative that may preserve the advantages and overcome the issues of the dichotomous FC measures. The current study presented the first large-scale evaluation of the performance of three types of FC measures (FC2, FC4 and FC5 with 2, 4 and 5 response options, respectively) and compared their performance to their Likert (LK) counterparts (LK2, LK4, and LK5) on (1) psychometric properties, (2) respondent reactions, and (3) susceptibility to response styles. Results showed that, compared to LK measures with the same number of response options, the three FC scales provided better support for the hypothesized factor structure, were perceived as more faking-resistant and cognitive demanding, and were less susceptible to response styles. FC4/5 and LK4/5 demonstrated similarly good reliability, while LK2 provided more reliable scores than FC2. When compared across the three FC measures, FC4 and FC5 displayed comparable psychometric performance and respondent reactions. FC4 exhibited a moderate presence of extreme response style, while FC5 had a weak presence of both extreme and middle response styles. Based on these findings, the study recommends the use of graded FC over dichotomous FC and LK, particularly FC5 when extreme response style is a concern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Motor imagery brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) is a classic and potential BCI technology achieving brain computer integration. In motor imagery BCI, the operational frequency band of the EEG greatly affects the performance of motor imagery EEG recognition model. However, as most algorithms used a broad frequency band, the discrimination from multiple sub-bands were not fully utilized. Thus, using convolutional neural network (CNNs) to extract discriminative features from EEG signals of different frequency components is a promising method in multisubject EEG recognition. Methods: This paper presents a novel overlapping filter bank CNN to incorporate discriminative information from multiple frequency components in multisubject motor imagery recognition. Specifically, two overlapping filter banks with fixed low-cut frequency or sliding low-cut frequency are employed to obtain multiple frequency component representations of EEG signals. Then, multiple CNN models are trained separately. Finally, the output probabilities of multiple CNN models are integrated to determine the predicted EEG label. Results: Experiments were conducted based on four popular CNN backbone models and three public datasets. And the results showed that the overlapping filter bank CNN was efficient and universal in improving multisubject motor imagery BCI performance. Specifically, compared with the original backbone model, the proposed method can improve the average accuracy by 3.69 percentage points, F1 score by 0.04, and AUC by 0.03. In addition, the proposed method performed best among the comparison with the state-of-the-art methods. Conclusion: The proposed overlapping filter bank CNN framework with fixed low-cut frequency is an efficient and universal method to improve the performance of multisubject motor imagery BCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of tofacitinib in adult anti-melanoma differentiation-associated 5 gene (Anti-MDA5) antibody-positive dermatomyositis (DM) patients and evaluate the effects of tofacitinib on peripheral lymphocyte subsets. Methods: An open-label study was conducted of 15 new-onset, untreated adult patients with anti-MDA5-positive DM for tofacitinib with a dose of 5mg twice per day. The primary outcome was defined by the total improvement score after treatment for 6 months, classified according to the 2016 American College of Rheumatology/ European League Against Rheumatism (ACR/EULAR) response criteria for adult DM and polymyositis. Secondary outcomes after 6 months treatment comprised the change in predicted forced vital capacity, the percentage of predicted carbon monoxide diffusion capacity, ferritin level and peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets measured by flow cytometry. Results: Disease responses occurred in 10 patients (71.4%) after 6 months. The median total improvement score was 43.75 (41.875-59.375). Two patients achieved major improvement, seven achieved moderate and one minimal. The serum ferritin level (p = 0.008), DLCO% (p = 0.009) was improved and a marked increase in total lymphocyte cells (p = 0.045) and CD8+ T cells (p = 0.006) was measured after 6 months treatment compared to baseline. Conclusion: Tofacitinib demonstrates efficacy for new-onset, untreated adult patients with anti-MDA5-positive DM and stimulates proliferation of peripheral lymphocyte subsets (especially total lymphocyte cells and CD8+ T cells) after 6 months treatment. Further studies are warranted to validate the current findings. Key Points • Treatment of anti-melanoma differentiation-associated 5 gene antibody positive dermatomyositis is always challenging. • This prospective, open-label clinical trial demonstrates tofacitinib is an effective and safe agent for new-onset adult patients with anti-MDA5-positive DM. • Tofacitinib treatment results in an increase in peripheral lymphocyte numbers, especially CD8+ T cells at 6 months compared with pre-treatment levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stress exposure and stress reactivity may be potent factors associated with increased risk of dementia. The 2017 Lancet Commission on Dementia and its 2020 update reviewed modifiable risk factors associated with dementia, but stress was not addressed directly. The present study provides a focused review of the association between stress and dementia across the lifespan, with measures of stress including stress exposure, psychological stress, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and biological markers of stress. Published research articles were identified in the American Psychological Association PsycINFO database (1887–2021), Web of Science database, and Google Scholar. A total of 53 samples from 40 studies published from 1985 to 2020 met inclusion criteria. Results suggest that stressful life events that occur earlier in the lifespan, such as loss of a parent, psychological stress experienced in midlife, and extreme stress responses, i.e., PTSD, correlate with higher risk of dementia. Although results generally are mixed, a consistent theme is that stress experienced earlier in the lifespan and chronic stress portend the greatest risk of dementia. Reducing stress exposure and improving stress management when stress exposure cannot be changed are thus relevant strategies in dementia risk reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2018/19 winter, the Yangtze–Huai River Basin (YHRB, one of the most developed areas in China) experienced an extremely pluvial condition with excessive and long-duration precipitation. Other three extremely pluvial winters during 1979/80–2018/19: 1997/98, 2002/03 and 1989/90 winters were also found. In 2018/19, 2002/03 and 1997/98 winters, similar low-level circulation pattern of anomalous southwesterlies (southeasterlies) over the southern (northern) YHRB was found. However, we found different tropical ocean states for the events. In 2018/19 winter, a combination of a moderate El Niño in the tropical Pacific and warm sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in the tropical western Indian Ocean (IO) and Atlantic was seen. In 1997/98 winter, we found an extreme eastern Pacific El Niño with warm SST anomalies in the western tropical IO. In 2002/03 winter, a central Pacific El Niño occurred. In contrast, no significant warm SST anomalies were seen in 1989/90 winter. Based on coupled model numerical experiments, the tropical SST anomalies contributed almost half of the YHRB precipitation anomalies in 2018/19 and 1997/98 winters. In particular, the tropical IO warm SST anomalies induced anomalous anticyclones over the South China Sea and northeastern China, with moisture convergence over the YHRB. In 2002/03, the tropical Pacific SST anomalies contributed almost half of the YHRB precipitation anomalies, although its contribution could be reduced due to the inter-basin interactions. For 1989/90 winter, we discussed possible impacts of mid-high latitude wave trains. The results indicate the complexity and diverse potential predictability among the four extreme pluvial winters.kindly check and conform the processed affliations was correct [1,2]Yes, we have checked that. The affliations are correct. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Although the benefits outweigh the risks, COVID-19 vaccines have been associated with an increased risk of myocarditis and pericarditis. This report is based on a national US veteran population with confirmed myocarditis/pericarditis following mRNA COVID-19 vaccines according to the near real-time active surveillance program of Veterans Affairs. Methods This study is based on a cohort evaluation of all adults administered ≥1 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, including boosters, in the Veterans Health Administration between 14 December 2020 and 9 October 2022. ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes were used to identify potential safety signals in near real time through a database analysis. All potential cases of myocarditis/pericarditis identified in the database analysis underwent in-depth chart review and case validation by a team of pharmacists and expert clinicians. Our main outcome was the incidence rate of confirmed myocarditis/pericarditis among vaccine recipients (overall and those aged 18–39 years) within 21 days of a first, second, or booster dose of a mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. We calculated the ratio of observed events among COVID-19 vaccine recipients over expected events from historical vaccine recipient controls (2015–2020) in the Veterans Health Administration. We used confirmed cases to calculate incidence rates and 95% CIs. Results Through 9 October 2022, 3 877 453 doses of BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) and 4 221 397 doses of mRNA-1273 (Moderna) were administered as first or second dose across Veterans Affairs, and 1 012 561 BNT162b2 and 1 156 160 mRNA-1273 booster doses were administered. Among all doses, the rapid cycle analysis identified 178 potential cases of myocarditis/pericarditis among vaccinees of any age and 22 potential cases among those aged 18–39 years. Of these, 33 cases, including 6 among those 18–39 years old, were confirmed after in-depth chart review and validation, corresponding with an overall incidence rate per million ranging from 0.46 (95% CI,.01–2.55) for Moderna dose 1 to 6.91 (95% CI, 2.78–14.24) for Pfizer booster. Among those aged 18–39, incidence rates ranged from 7.1 (95% CI,.18–39.56) for Moderna dose 2 to 19.76 (95% CI, 5.38–50.58) for Pfizer dose 2. Patients with confirmed cases were hospitalized for a mean 4.1 days (range, 1–15). The final disposition for 32 (97%) of 33 cases was discharge to home. Conclusions This report is a real-world demonstration of the Veterans Affairs' active surveillance system for vaccines. Although the rapid cycle analysis initially identified 178 potential cases of myocarditis/pericarditis, only 1 of 5 cases was confirmed to be related to a COVID-19 vaccine after chart review. These findings highlight the paramount importance of active surveillance and chart validation for rare but serious adverse events related to COVID-19 vaccines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prediction skill for the seasonal tropical cyclone (TC) activity in the Northern Hemisphere is investigated using the coupled climate forecast system (version 1.0) of Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology (NUIST-CFS1.0). This assessment is based on the seven-month (May to November) hindcasts consisting of nine ensemble members during 1982–2019. The predictions are compared with the Japanese 55-year Reanalysis and observed tropical storms in the Northern Hemisphere. The results show that the overall distributions of the TC genesis and track densities in model hindcasts agree well with the observations, although the seasonal mean TC frequency and accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) are underestimated in all basins due to the low resolution (T106) of the atmospheric component in the model. NUIST-CFS1.0 closely predicts the interannual variations of TC frequency and ACE in the North Atlantic (NA) and eastern North Pacific (ENP), which have a good relationship with indexes based on the sea surface temperature. In the western North Pacific (WNP), NUIST-CFS1.0 can closely capture ACE, which is significantly correlated with the El Niño—Southern Oscillation (ENSO), while it has difficulty forecasting the interannual variation of TC frequency in this area. When the WNP is further divided into eastern and western subregions, the model displays improved TC activity forecasting ability. Additionally, it is found that biases in predicted TC genesis locations lead to inaccurately represented TC—environment relationships, which may affect the capability of the model in reproducing the interannual variations of TC activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) closely associates with numerous biological processes, and with many diseases. Therefore, lncRNA-disease association prediction helps obtain relevant biological information and understand pathogenesis, and thus better diagnose preventable diseases. Results: Herein, we offer the LDAF_GAN method for predicting lncRNA-associated disease based on association filtering and generative adversarial networks. Experimentation used two types of data: lncRNA-disease associated data without lncRNA sequence features, and fused lncRNA sequence features. LDAF_GAN uses a generator and discriminator, and differs from the original GAN by the addition of a filtering operation and negative sampling. Filtering allows the generator output to filter out unassociated diseases before being fed into the discriminator. Thus, the results generated by the model focuses only on lncRNAs associated with disease. Negative sampling takes a portion of disease terms with 0 from the association matrix as negative samples, which are assumed to be unassociated with lncRNA. A regular term is added to the loss function to avoid producing a vector with all values of 1, which can fool the discriminator. Thus, the model requires that generated positive samples are close to 1, and negative samples are close to 0. The model achieved a superior fitting effect; LDAF_GAN had superior performance in predicting fivefold cross-validations on the two datasets with AUC values of 0.9265 and 0.9278, respectively. In the case study, LDAF_GAN predicted disease association for six lncRNAs-H19, MALAT1, XIST, ZFAS1, UCA1, and ZEB1-AS1-and with the top ten predictions of 100%, 80%, 90%, 90%, 100%, and 90%, respectively, which were reported by previous studies. Conclusion: LDAF_GAN efficiently predicts the potential association of existing lncRNAs and the potential association of new lncRNAs with diseases. The results of fivefold cross-validation, tenfold cross-validation, and case studies suggest that the model has great predictive potential for lncRNA-disease association prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been nearly 200 years since the Daodejing and Daoist thought was first introduced to Russia in the first half of the 19th century. Although the study of Daoist philosophy and Laozi in Russia started relatively late, the Daodejing has been the most translated classic of Chinese culture in Russia. The early dissemination of the Daodejing in Russia was deeply influenced by the government and religion, and there were some controversial and neglected materials that were difficult to verify due to the lack of documents and manuscripts. For example, the first translation manuscript of the Daodejing in Russia has almost become a rare book that is nearly impossible to find and inconvenient to read; the authorship of the first article introducing Laozi's thought in Russia remains a mystery; the first complete translation was completed by a Japanese theologian living in Russia, but it has not received enough research attention. The insufficient research on the early dissemination of Laozi studies in Russia has had a negative impact on the studies of Laozi in Russia. Therefore, this paper, on the basis of various documentary and manuscript references, aims to conduct an in-depth analysis of the early dissemination of Laozi studies in Russia, paying particular attention to the three early Russian documents in the 19th century about the Daodejing, namely, the first translation manuscript of the Daodejing, the first article introducing Laozi's thought in Russia, and the first complete Russian translation of the Daodejing. A detailed review of these three documents can help to correct some misconceptions and misunderstandings of the early dissemination of the Daodejing in Russia, and, to some extent, reveal the early dissemination characteristics of Laozi studies in Russia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]