Search

Abstract Background Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) has emerged as a promising tool in clinical practice due to its unbiased approach to pathogen detection. Its diagnostic performance in pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB), however, remains to be fully evaluated. Objective This study aims to systematically review and Meta-analyze the diagnostic accuracy of mNGS in patients with PTB. Methods We conducted a literature search in PubMed (MEDLINE), Web of Science, Cochrane, and EMBASE databases, including studies published up to 2024. Studies comparing the diagnostic accuracy of mNGS with other methods such as Xpert-MTB/RIF and Mycobacteria tuberculosis (MTB) culture using bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), sputum, and lung biopsy tissue were included. Preclinical studies, review articles, editorials, conference abstracts, and book chapters were excluded. Statistical analysis was performed using Rev-man5, R package metabias, and Stata software. Results Thirteen studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of mNGS for PTB were 83% (95% CI: 69–91%) and 99% (95% CI: 92–100%), respectively. Subgroup analyses revealed that in BALF, mNGS demonstrated a pooled sensitivity of 73% (95% CI: 61–82%) and specificity of 98% (95% CI: 92–100%); in the sputum, the pooled sensitivity was 60% (95% CI: 38–87%) with a specificity of 99% (95% CI: 96–100%); and in the lung biopsy tissue, the pooled sensitivity was 71% (95% CI: 38–95%) and the specificity was 98% (95% CI: 93–100%). For Xpert-MTB/RIF, the pooled sensitivity and specificity were 72% (95% CI: 53–85%) and 100% (95%CI: 100–100%), respectively. Subgroup analyses demonstrated that in BALF, Xpert-MTB/RIF exhibited a pooled sensitivity of 69% (95% CI: 53–81%) and a specificity of 100% (95% CI: 77–100%). The pooled sensitivity and specificity of mycobacteria culture were 50% (95% CI: 36–64%) and 100% (95% CI: 83–100%), respectively. Subgroup analyses indicated that in BALF, the pooled sensitivity of mycobacteria culture was 44% (95% CI: 37–52%) with a specificity of 100% (95% CI: 8–100%); in the sputum, the pooled sensitivity was 42% (95% CI: 21–65%) and the specificity was 100% (95% CI: 100–100%). When combining mNGS with Xpert-MTB/RIF, the pooled sensitivity and specificity were 79% (95% CI: 40–97%) and 98% (95% CI: 95–100%), respectively. Conclusion mNGS demonstrates similar diagnostic accuracy to Xpert-MTB/RIF in PTB and outperforms mycobacteria culture in terms of sensitivity. Furthermore, mNGS exhibits good detection capabilities across various PTB clinical samples. Systematic review registration PROSPERO CRD42023427586.

Although Guangxi represents one of the distribution centres of begonias in China, the sect. Diploclinium (Wright) A. DC is not well documented herein. In this article, we illustrate a new species belonging to this section, Begonia fangchengensis Y.N.Huang, X.X. Feng & R.K.Li, which has been discovered in southern Guangxi. Begonia fangchengensis mostly resembles B. rotundilimba in elliptic leaf blade, palmate veins, dichasial cyme, three styles, axile placentation, and unequally 3-winged capsule. On the other hand, B. fangchengensis is characterized by creeping rhizome, pilose stipule, red and densely pilose petiole, pubescent leaf blade and pilose inflorescence bract, sparsely pilose ovary and the zygomorphic androecium, differing from the erect stem at anthesis, the green and densely villous petiole, the glabrous stipule, leaf blade, inflorescence bract, ovary and actinomorphic androecium in B. rotundilimba. Considering its small population size and narrow distribution, its conservation status is categorized as ‘Endangered (D)’ according to the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria.

Abstract Pancreatic cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-associated mortality, with a poor treatment approach. Previous study has shown that inducing pyroptosis in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) slows the growth of PDACs, implying that pyroptosis inducers are potentially effective for PDAC therapy. Here, we found that Dronedarone hydrochloride (DH), an antiarrhythmic drug, induces pyroptosis in pancreatic cancer cells and inhibits PDAC development in mice. In PANC-1 cells, DH caused cell death in a dosage- and time-dependent manner, with only pyroptosis inhibitors and GSDMD silencing rescuing the cell death, indicating that DH triggered GSDMD-dependent pyroptosis. Further work revealed that DH increased mitochondrial stresses and caused mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) leakage, activating the cytosolic STING-cGAS and pyroptosis pathways. Finally, we assessed the anti-cancer effects of DH in a pancreatic cancer mouse model and found that DH treatment suppressed pancreatic tumor development in vivo. Collectively, our investigation demonstrates that DH triggers pyroptosis in PDAC and proposes its potential effects on anti-PDAC growth.

Phenols and parabens, as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), are prevalent in daily consumer products and industrial applications. Folate, a vital vitamin, plays a crucial role in numerous metabolic processes. The interaction between EDCs and folate is not well understood and warrants investigation. We utilized data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005–2016. Since many pollutants are co-exposed congeners, with interactive effects between pollutants, we employed multivariate linear regression model, weighted quantile sum regression, and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) to quantify the impact of folate levels in serum and red blood cell (RBC) and the overall effects of combined exposures. The study included 4395 children and adolescents. A negative correlation was observed between RBC folate concentrations and urinary concentrations of Bisphenol A (BPH), Triclosan (TRS), Methyl paraben (MPB), Propyl paraben (PPB), and Butyl paraben (BUP), in children and adolescents. Specifically, an increase in RBC folate levels was linked to a decrease in urinary BPH, TRS, MPB, PPB, and BUP concentrations. Similar associations were found with serum folate. The weighted quantile sum index showed a decrease in both RBC and serum folate levels with an increase in the mixture of phenols and parabens. BKMR further supported the overall negative impact of the chemical mixture on folate levels. This study provides evidence of an inverse relationship between exposure to phenols and parabens and folate concentrations in children and adolescents, which would be of significance in providing guidance for clinical interventions and calling for remediation actions to be prioritized during childhood.

Abstract A comprehensive understanding of the transient characteristics in solid oxide cells (SOCs) is crucial for advancing SOC technology in renewable energy storage and conversion. However, general formulas describing the relationship between SOC transients and multiple parameters remain elusive. Through comprehensive numerical analysis, we find that the thermal and gaseous response times of SOCs upon rapid electrical variations are on the order of two characteristic times (τ h and τ m), respectively. The gaseous response time is approximately 1τ m, and the thermal response time aligns with roughly 2τ h. These characteristic times represent the overall heat and mass transfer rates within the cell, and their mathematical relationships with various SOC design and operating parameters are revealed. Validation of τ h and τ m is achieved through comparison with an in-house experiment and existing literature data, achieving the same order of magnitude for a wide range of electrochemical cells, showcasing their potential use for characterizing transient behaviors in a wide range of electrochemical cells. Moreover, two examples are presented to demonstrate how these characteristic times can streamline SOC design and control without the need for complex numerical simulations, thus offering valuable insights and tools for enhancing the efficiency and durability of electrochemical cells.

Proton exchange membrane (PEM) based electrochemical systems have the capability to operate in fuel cell (PEMFC) and water electrolyser (PEMWE) modes, enabling efficient hydrogen energy utilisation and green hydrogen production. In addition to the essential cell stacks, the system of PEMFC or PEMWE consists of four sub-systems for managing gas supply, power, thermal, and water, respectively. Due to the system's complexity, even a small fluctuation in a certain sub-system can result in an unexpected response, leading to a reduced performance and stability. To improve the system's robustness and responsiveness, considerable efforts have been dedicated to developing advanced control strategies. This paper comprehensively reviews various control strategies proposed in literature, revealing that traditional control methods are widely employed in PEMFC and PEMWE due to their simplicity, yet they suffer from limitations in accuracy. Conversely, advanced control methods offer high accuracy but are hindered by poor dynamic performance. This paper highlights the recent advancements in control strategies incorporating machine learning algorithms. Additionally, the paper provides a perspective on the future development of control strategies, suggesting that hybrid control methods should be used for future research to leverage the strength of both sides. Notably, it emphasises the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in advancing control strategies, demonstrating its significant potential in facilitating the transition from automation to autonomy.

Metal-supported solid oxide fuel cell (MS-SOFC) is very promising for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) due to better mechanical strength, low materials cost, and simplified stack assembling. However, the effects of metal support on the performance and temperature field of MS-SOFC is still necessary for further study. In this study, a three-dimensional multi-physical model is developed to investigate how the use of metal support influence the electrochemical performance and the temperature field of MS-SOFC with a ceria-based electrolyte. The multi-physical model fully considers the conservation equations of mass, momentum, and energy that are coupled with mass transport and electrochemical reactions. The wall temperature in the radiation model is calculated using a discrete method. It is found that the radiation heat flux accounts for 3.13 % of the total heat flux. More importantly, the temperature difference of MS-SOFC is 3.61 % lower than that of conventional anode-supported SOFC, leading to improved temperature uniformity and cell durability.

Highlights A novel A/B-sites co-substitution strategy was introduced to enhance the performance and durability of Ruddlesden–Popper perovskite Sr3Fe2O7−δ (SF)-based air electrodes for reversible protonic ceramic cells (RePCCs). Simultaneous Sr-deficiency and Nb-substitution in SF result in Sr2.8Fe1.8Nb0.2O7−δ (D-SFN), offering improved structural stability under RePCC conditions by suppressing the formation of Sr3Fe2(OH)12 phase. The introduction of Sr-deficiency enhances oxygen vacancy concentration in D-SFN, promoting efficient oxygen transport within the material and contributing to excellent activity in RePCCs.

IntroductionThe association between mutations in susceptibility genes and the occurrence of ovarian cancer has been extensively studied. Previous research has primarily concentrated on genes involved in the homologous recombination repair pathway, particularly BRCA1 and BRCA2. However, a wider range of genes related to the DNA damage response pathways has not been fully explored.MethodsTo investigate the mutation characteristics of cancer susceptibility genes in the Chinese ovarian cancer population and the associations between gene mutations and clinical data, this study initially gathered a total of 1171 Chinese ovarian cancer samples and compiled a dataset of germline mutations in 171 genes.ResultsIn this study, it was determined that MC1R and PRKDC were high-frequency ovarian cancer susceptibility genes in the Chinese population, exhibiting notable distinctions from those in European and American populations; moreover high-frequency mutation genes, such as MC1R: c.359T>C and PRKDC: c.10681T>A, typically had high-frequency mutation sites. Furthermore, we identified c.8187G>T as a characteristic mutation of BRCA2 in the Chinese population, and the CHEK2 mutation was significantly associated with the early onset of ovarian cancer, while the CDH1 and FAM175A mutations were more prevalent in Northeast China. Additionally, Fanconi anemia pathway-related genes were significantly associated with ovarian carcinogenesis.ConclusionIn summary, this research provided fundamental data support for the optimization of ovarian cancer gene screening policies and the determination of treatment, and contributed to the precise intervention and management of patients.

Abstract Background In all studies conducted so far, there was no report about the correlation between excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) and the risk of preeclampsia (PE) in multiparas, especially considering that multiparity is a protective factor for both excessive GWG and PE. Thus, the aim of this retrospective cohort study was to determine whether GWG of multiparas is associated with the increased risk of PE. Methods This was a study with 15,541 multiparous women who delivered in a maternity hospital in Shanghai from 2017 to 2021, stratified by early-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) category. Early-pregnancy body weight, height, week-specific and total gestational weight gain as well as records of antenatal care were extracted using electronic medical records, and antenatal weight gain measurements were standardized into gestational age-specific z scores. Results Among these 15,541 multiparous women, 534 (3.44%) developed preeclampsia. The odds of preeclampsia increased by 26% with every 1 z score increase in pregnancy weight gain among normal weight women and by 41% among overweight or obese women. For normal weight women, pregnant women with preeclampsia gained more weight than pregnant women without preeclampsia beginning at 25 weeks of gestation, while accelerated weight gain was more obvious in overweight or obese women after 25 weeks of gestation. Conclusions In conclusion, excessive GWG in normal weight and overweight or obese multiparas was strongly associated with the increased risk of preeclampsia. In parallel, the appropriate management and control of weight gain, especially in the second and third trimesters, may lower the risk of developing preeclampsia. Graphical Abstract

Abstract Efficient clearance of dying cells (efferocytosis) is an evolutionarily conserved process for tissue homeostasis. Genetic enhancement of efferocytosis exhibits therapeutic potential for inflammation resolution and tissue repair. However, pharmacological approaches to enhance efferocytosis remain sparse due to a lack of targets for modulation. Here, we report the identification of columbamine (COL) which enhances macrophage‐mediated efferocytosis and attenuates intestinal inflammation in a murine colitis model. COL enhances efferocytosis by promoting LC3‐associated phagocytosis (LAP), a non‐canonical form of autophagy. Transcriptome analysis and pharmacological characterization revealed that COL is a biased agonist that occupies a part of the ligand binding pocket of formyl peptide receptor 2 (FPR2), a G‐protein coupled receptor involved in inflammation regulation. Genetic ablation of the Fpr2 gene or treatment with an FPR2 antagonist abolishes COL‐induced efferocytosis, anti‐colitis activity and LAP. Taken together, our study identifies FPR2 as a potential target for modulating LC3‐associated efferocytosis to alleviate intestinal inflammation and highlights the therapeutic value of COL, a natural and biased agonist of FPR2, in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.

Transport processes are crucial for the performance of electrochemical energy conversion devices and attract wide attentions. This work focuses on the critical oxygen transport process in the ionomer electrolyte film on a Pt electrode, which highly limits the performance of low Pt-loading fuel cells. Reduction of oxygen transport resistance may be achieved by optimizing the ionomer film morphology. Therefore, the relationship between ionomer film morphology and oxygen transport characteristics is explored by altering ionomer side chain lengths in this work. The results show that the swollen structure with larger water agglomerates in the ionomer film with shorter ionomer side chains is detrimental to the formation of oxygen transport paths. However, the multilamellar structure with an alternating alignment of water agglomerates and PFSA ionomer agglomerates in the ionomer film with longer ionomer side chains has a larger water-PFSA interface, which provides more oxygen transport paths and thus reduces the oxygen transport resistance. This work inspires the novel design concept of the ionomer electrolyte film with low local oxygen transport resistance, i.e., enlarging the water-PFSA interface parallel to the oxygen transport direction via altering the ionomer material properties, which is valuable for the development of low Pt-loading fuel cells.

Metal-supported solid oxide fuel cells (MS-SOFCs) own advantages of high performance, fast start-up, thermal cycle stability, easy sealing, and reduced material cost. In recent years, significant progress has been made in the development of MS-SOFCs, particularly with respect to improved electrochemical performance, long-term stability, and industrial production. Previous studies have mainly focused on stainless steel-based MS-SOFCs, with an emphasis on the development of low-temperature preparation processes, antioxidant coatings, stable electrodes, and the direct utilization of hydrocarbon fuels. Notably, Ceres Power and GE have successfully commercialized MS-SOFCs and have constant cooperated with several institutions and companies, such as Jülich Research Center, Weichai and Cummins, to promote the performance and expand the market of MS-SOFC. Looking ahead, this review paper provides an outlook on future research directions in this rapidly evolving field.

Microeukaryotes play crucial roles in the microbial loop of freshwater ecosystems, functioning both as primary producers and bacterivorous consumers. However, understanding the assembly of microeukaryotic communities and their functional composition in freshwater lake ecosystems across diverse environmental gradients remains limited. Here, we utilized amplicon sequencing of 18S rRNA gene and multivariate statistical analyses to examine the spatiotemporal and biogeographical patterns of microeukaryotes in water columns (at depths of 0.5, 5, and 10 m) within a subtropical lake in eastern China, covering a 40 km distance during spring and autumn of 2022. Our results revealed that complex and diverse microeukaryotic communities were dominated by Chlorophyta (mainly Chlorophyceae), Fungi, Alveolata, Stramenopiles, and Cryptophyta lineages. Species richness was higher in autumn than in spring, forming significant hump-shaped relationships with chlorophyll a concentration (Chl-a, an indicator of phytoplankton biomass). Microeukaryotic communities exhibited significant seasonality and distance-decay patterns. By contrast, the effect of vertical depth was negligible. Stochastic processes mainly influenced the assembly of microeukaryotic communities, explaining 63, 67, and 55% of community variation for spring, autumn, and both seasons combined, respectively. Trait-based functional analysis revealed the prevalence of heterotrophic and phototrophic microeukaryotic plankton with a trade-off along N:P ratio, Chl-a, and dissolved oxygen (DO) gradients. Similarly, the mixotrophic proportions were significantly and positively correlated with Chl-a and DO concentrations. Overall, our findings may provide useful insights into the assembly patterns of microeukaryotes in lake ecosystem and how their functions respond to environmental changes.

In the context of carbon neutrality, conversion of CO2 into CO is an effective way for negative carbon emission. Electrochemical reduction is a novel developed pathway, among which, solid oxide co-electrolysis technology is promising for its high efficiency and low electricity demand. Researches concerning the large-size cell and stack of application level are important. This review, targeting at the not yet fully understood reaction mechanism and the most concerning issue of durability, details the reported factors playing important roles in the reaction mechanism and durability of co-electrolysis. It is found that the operating conditions such as inlet mixtures and applied current significantly affect the reaction mechanism of co-electrolysis and the experiments on button cells can not reflect the real reaction mechanism on industrial-size cells. Besides, the durability test of large-size single cells and stacks at high current with high conversion rate and the potential of solid oxide co-electrolysis combing with intermittent renewable energy are also reviewed and demonstrated. Finally, an outlook for future exploration is also offered.

Abstract Background Chorioamnionitis (CAM) is a common risk factor for preterm births, resulting in several adverse outcomes. The association between infertility treatment and CAM is unclear. Therefore, this study examined the association between infertility treatment and CAM and described subsequent neonatal outcomes. Methods This population-based cohort study used data from the National Vital Statistics System Database. We included women who had a singleton live birth from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2018. Women-infant pairs were stratified by infertility treatment, and the main outcome was a reported diagnosis of CAM in a checkbox format: clinical CAM or maternal temperature of > 38 °C. Multivariate logistic regression was used to examine the association between infertility treatment and CAM and the effect of infertility treatment on neonatal outcomes in women diagnosed with CAM. Results The final sample comprised 10,900,495 woman-infant pairs, and 1.4% received infertility treatment. Compared with the natural conception group, women receiving infertility treatment had a significantly higher risk of CAM (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.772 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.718–1.827]). Furthermore, newborns exposed to CAM had a higher risk of very low birth weight (VLBW) (aOR, 2.083 [95% CI, 1.664–2.606], P

Ceramic electrochemical cells (CECs) are promising devices for clean and efficient energy conversion and storage due to their high energy efficiency, more extended system durability, and less expensive materials. However, the search for suitable materials with desired properties, including high ionic and electronic conductivity, thermal stability, and chemical compatibility, presents ongoing challenges that impede widespread adoption and further advancement in the field. Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a versatile tool capable of enhancing and expediting the materials discovery cycle in CECs through data-driven modeling, simulation, and optimization techniques. Herein, we comprehensively review the state-of-the-art AI applications for materials design and optimization for CECs, covering various material aspects, database construction, data pre-processing, and AI methods. We also present some representative case studies of AI-predicted and synthesized materials for CECs and provide insightful highlights about their approaches. We emphasize the main implications and contributions of the AI approach for advancing the CEC technology, such as reducing the trial-and-error experiments, exploring the vast materials space, discovering novel and optimal materials, and enhancing the understanding of the materials-performance relationships. We also discuss the AI approach's main limitations and future directions for CECs, such as addressing the data and model challenges, improving and extending the AI models and methods, and integrating with other computational and experimental techniques. We conclude by suggesting some potential applications and collaborations for AI in materials design for CECs.

The reference electrode (RE) is a crucial tool for isolating the potential of individual electrodes, allowing for the characterization of anode and cathode performance and enabling real-time monitoring of cell electrode conditions. However, integrating a three-electrode configuration, which includes an RE, into solid oxide cells presents challenges due to their high operating temperature and all-solid-state structure. Thus, this paper reviews the three-electrode configuration for solid oxide cell characterization. It starts with an introduction to the principles of polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements in three-electrode experiments, providing guidance for cell structure design and experiment set. The impacts of RE material properties, size and surrounding atmosphere on potential accuracy are discussed. Additionally, the positions of RE, cell structures, and applications in both electrolyte-supported and electrode-supported cells are analyzed. Methods for validating experimental data and strategies to enhance reliability are also presented. Finally, this paper outlines prospects for further research and development in three-electrode configurations.

Objective To assess the association between birth weight and childhood asthma risk using data from the 2019–2020 National Survey of Children’s Health database.Design Cross-sectional study.Setting The USA.Patients A representative cohort of American children.Exposure The exposure of this study was birth weight regardless of gestational age. Birth weight was divided into three groups: 2500 g.Main outcome measures Primary outcomes were parent-reported diagnosis of asthma.Method The Rao-Scott χ2 test was used to compare the groups. The main analyses examined the association between birth weight and parent-report asthma in children using univariable and multivariable logistic models adjusting for preterm birth, age, sex, race, family poverty, health insurance, smoking, maternal age. Subgroup analysis was performed based on interaction test.Results A total of 60 172 children aged 3–17 years were enrolled in this study; of these, 5202 (~8.6%) had asthma. Children with asthma were more likely to be born preterm, with low birth weight (LBW) or very LBW (VLBW). The incidence of asthma was the highest in VLBW children at 20.9% and showed a downward trend with an increase in birth weight class, with rates of 10.7% and 8.1% in the LBW and normal birthweight groups, respectively. Children with VLBW (OR 1.97; 95% CI 1.29 to 3.01) had higher odds of developing asthma in the adjusted analysis model. However, VLBW was only shown to be a risk factor for asthma among Hispanics, black/African-Americans and children between the ages of 6 and 12 years, demonstrating racial and age disparities.Conclusions VLBW increases the risk of childhood asthma; however, racial and age disparities are evident.

Previous studies have indicated that the pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is closely linked to 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT). To investigate this further, we administered 5-HT receptor antagonists to SOD1*G93A transgenic (ALS mouse model) and wide-type mice. This involved intraperitoneal injections of either granisetron, piboserod, or ritanserin, which inhibit the 5-HT3, 5-HT4, and 5-HT2 receptors, respectively. The transgenic mice were found to have fewer 5-HT-positive cells in the spinal cord compared with wide-type mice. We found that the administration of granisetron reduced the body weight of the transgenic mice, while piboserod and ritanserin worsened the motor functioning, as assessed using a hanging wire test. However, none of the 5-HT receptor antagonists affected the disease progression. We analyzed the distribution and/or expression of TAR DNA binding protein 43 (TDP-43) and superoxide dismutase 1 G93A (SOD1-G93A), which form abnormal aggregates in ALS. We found that the expression of these proteins increased following the administration of all three 5-HT receptor antagonists. In addition, the disease-related mislocalization of TDP-43 to the cytoplasm increased markedly for all three drugs. In certain anatomical regions, the 5-HT receptor antagonists also led to a marked increase in the number of astrocytes and microglia and a decrease in the number of neurons. These results indicate that 5-HT deficiency may play a role in the pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis by inducing the abnormal expression and/or distribution of TDP-43 and SOD1-G93A and by activating glial cells. 5-HT could therefore be a potential therapeutic target for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

As a high efficiency hydrogen-to-power device, proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) attracts much attention, especially for the automotive applications. Real-time prediction of output voltage and area specific resistance (ASR) via the on-board model is critical to monitor the health state of the automotive PEMFC stack. In this study, we use a transient PEMFC system model for dynamic process simulation of PEMFC to generate the dataset, and a long short-term memory (LSTM) deep learning model is developed to predict the dynamic performance of PEMFC. The results show that the developed LSTM deep learning model has much better performance than other models. A sensitivity analysis on the input features is performed, and three insensitive features are removed, that could slightly improve the prediction accuracy and significantly reduce the data volume. The neural structure, sequence duration, and sampling frequency are optimized. We find that the optimal sequence data duration for predicting ASR is 5 s or 20 s, and that for predicting output voltage is 40 s. The sampling frequency can be reduced from 10 Hz to 0.5 Hz and 0.25 Hz, which slightly affects the prediction accuracy, but obviously reduces the data volume and computation amount.

Energy storage is an effective way to address the instability of renewable energy generation modes, such as wind and solar, which are projected to play an important role in the sustainable and low-carbon society. Economics and carbon emissions are important indicators that should be thoroughly considered for evaluating the feasibility of energy storage technologies (ESTs). In this study, we study two promising routes for large-scale renewable energy storage, electrochemical energy storage (EES) and hydrogen energy storage (HES), via technical analysis of the ESTs. The levelized cost of storage (LCOS), carbon emissions and uncertainty assessments for EESs and HESs over the life cycle are conducted with full consideration of the critical links for these routes. In order to reduce the evaluation error, we use the Monte Carlo method to derive a large number of data for estimating the economy and carbon emission level of ESTs based on the collected data. The results show that lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries show the lowest LCOS and carbon emissions, at 0.314 US$ kWh-1 and 72.76 gCO2e kWh-1, compared with other batteries for EES. Different HES routes, meaning different combinations of hydrogen production, delivery and refueling methods, show substantial differences in economics, and the lowest LCOS and carbon emissions, at 0.227 US$ kWh-1 and 61.63 gCO2e kWh-1, are achieved using HES routes that involve hydrogen production by alkaline electrolyzer (AE), delivery by hydrogen pipeline and corresponding refueling. The findings of this study suggest that HES and EES have comparable levels of economics and carbon emissions that should be both considered for large-scale renewable energy storage to achieve future decarbonization goals.

Background and objectiveLateral pelvic lymph node (LPLN) metastasis is one of the prominent reasons for local recurrence (LR) in patients with rectal cancer (RC). The evaluation criteria of lateral lymph node dissection (LLND) for patients in eastern (mainly in Japan) and western countries have been controversial. The aim of this study was to analyse the risk factors for LPLN metastasis in order to guide surgical methods.MethodsWe searched relevant databases (Embase (Ovid), Medline (Ovid), PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science) for articles published between 1 January 2000 and 05 October 2022 to evaluate the risk factors for LPLN metastasis in patients with RC in this meta-analysis.ResultsA total of 24 articles with 5843 patients were included in this study. The overall results showed that female sex, age 5 ng/ml, clinical T4 stage (cT4), clinical M1 stage (cM1), distance of the tumour from the anal verge (AV)

Abstract Background Intrauterine inflammation (IUI) alters epigenetic modifications in offspring, leading to lung injury. However, the epigenetic mechanism underlying IUI-induced lung injury remains uncertain. In the present study, we aim to investigate the effect of IUI on lung development, and to identify the key molecule involved in this process and its epigenetic regulatory mechanism. Results Serpine1 was upregulated in the lung tissue of neonatal mice with IUI. Intranasal delivery of Serpine1 siRNA markedly reversed IUI-induced lung injury. Serpine1 overexpression substantially promoted cell senescence of both human and murine lung epithelial cells, reflected by decreased cell proliferation and increased senescence-associated β-galactosidase activity, G0/G1 cell fraction, senescence marker, and oxidative and DNA damage marker expression. IUI decreased the methylation level of the Serpine1 promoter, and methylation of the promoter led to transcriptional repression of Serpine1. Furthermore, IUI promoted the expression of Tet1 potentially through TNF-α, while Tet1 facilitated the demethylation of Serpine1 promoter. DNA pull-down and ChIP assays revealed that the Serpine1 promoter was regulated by Rela and Hdac2. DNA demethylation increased the recruitment of Rela to the Serpine1 promoter and induced the release of Hdac2. Conclusion Increased Serpine1 expression mediated by DNA demethylation causes lung injury in neonatal mice with IUI. Therefore, therapeutic interventions targeting Serpine1 may effectively prevent IUI-induced lung injury.

BackgroundAttention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that is prevalent in children worldwide. We evaluated the potential relationship between birth weight and ADHD using newly released data from the National Survey of Children’s Health 2019–2020.MethodsThis population-based survey study used parent recollection data that were collected and submitted by 50 states and the District of Columbia to the National Survey of Children’s Health database from the National Survey of Children’s Health database. Those aged < 3 years and without birth weight or ADHD records were excluded. Children were stratified according to ADHD diagnosis and birth weight: very low birth weight (VLBW, < 1,500 g), low birth weight (LBW, 1,500–2,500 g), and normal birth weight (NBW, ≥ 2,500 g). Multivariable logistic regression was applied to examine the causal association between birth weight and ADHD while controlling for child and household characteristics.ResultsThe final sample consisted of 60,358 children, of whom 6,314 (9.0%) were reported to have an ADHD diagnosis. The prevalence of ADHD was 8.7% in NBW children, 11.5% in LBW, and 14.4% in VLBW. Compared with NBW children, LBW children [adjusted odds ratio (aOR), 1.32 (95% CI, 1.03–1.68)], and VLBW children [aOR, 1.51 (95% CI, 1.06–2.15)] had a significantly higher risk of ADHD after adjusting all variables. These associations persisted in the male subgroups.Conclusion and relevanceThis study found that LBW and VLBW children were at a higher risk of ADHD.