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Abstract Background Cotton is an important economic crop and a host of Liriomyza sativae. Pectin methylesterase (PME)-mediated pectin metabolism plays an indispensable role in multiple biological processes in planta. However, the pleiotropic functions of PME often lead to unpredictable effects on crop resistance to pests. Additionally, whether and how PME affects susceptibility to Liriomyza sativae remain unclear. Results Here, we isolated GhPME36, which is located in the cell wall, from upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). Interestingly, the overexpression of GhPME36 in cotton caused severe susceptibility to Liriomyza sativae but increased leaf biomass in Arabidopsis. Cytological observations revealed that the cell wall was thinner with more demethylesterified pectins in GhPME36-OE cotton leaves than in WT leaves, whereas the soluble sugar content of GhPME36-OE cotton leaf cell walls was accordingly higher; both factors attracted Liriomyza sativae to feed on GhPME36-OE cotton leaves. Metabolomic analysis demonstrated that glucose was significantly differentially accumulated. Transcriptomic analysis further revealed DEGs enriched in glucose metabolic pathways when GhPME36 was overexpressed, suggesting that GhPME36 aggravates susceptibility to Liriomyza sativae by affecting both the structure and components of cell wall biosynthesis. Moreover, GhPME36 interacts with another pectin-modifying enzyme, GhC/VIF1, to maintain the dynamic stability of pectin methyl esterification. Conclusions Taken together, our results reveal the cytological and molecular mechanisms by which GhPME36 aggravates susceptibility to Liriomyza sativae. This study broadens the knowledge of PME function and provides new insights into plant resistance to pests and the safety of genetically modified plants.

Abstract Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZNPs) are widely used in sunscreens and nanomedicines, and it was recently confirmed that ZNPs can penetrate stratum corneum into deep epidermis. Therefore, it is necessary to determine the impact of ZNPs on epidermis. In this study, ZNPs were applied to mouse skin at a relatively low concentration for one week. As a result, desmosomes in epidermal tissues were depolymerized, epidermal mechanical strain resistance was reduced, and the levels of desmosomal cadherins were decreased in cell membrane lysates and increased in cytoplasmic lysates. This finding suggested that ZNPs promote desmosomal cadherin endocytosis, which causes desmosome depolymerization. In further studies, ZNPs were proved to decrease mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) activity, activate transcription factor EB (TFEB), upregulate biogenesis of lysosome-related organelle complex 1 subunit 3 (BLOC1S3) and consequently promote desmosomal cadherin endocytosis. In addition, the key role of mTORC1 in ZNP-induced decrease in mechanical strain resistance was determined both in vitro and in vivo. It can be concluded that ZNPs reduce epidermal mechanical strain resistance by promoting desmosomal cadherin endocytosis via the mTORC1-TFEB-BLOC1S3 axis. This study helps elucidate the biological effects of ZNPs and suggests that ZNPs increase the risk of epidermal fragmentation. Graphical abstract

Fabric image retrieval, a form of content based image retrieval, is a high value research with the potential to be applied in many fields, such as e-commerce and inventory management. However, this research hotspot is plagued by two major challenges, namely the high requirements for retrieval results and the peculiarities of fabric images. Unlike general image retrieval, fabric image retrieval systems have to pay more attention to texture and color features. To address these challenges, we propose a novel framework for fabric retrieval by using self-supervised and deep hashing techniques. The framework consists of two modules for feature learning and hashing learning. During the feature learning phase, the color and texture information in the image is decoupled under the drive of augmented based pretext tasks. In hashing learning, Bi-half layer is introduced to generate high-quality hash codes. The visualization results indicate that the proposed method performs well for the representation of fabric images. And the experimental results show that the proposed retrieval framework can achieve a good performance (best mAP 0.903) and outperforms other methods, including several deep hashing methods and our previous work.

Abstract Background 5α-Hydroxycostic acid is a eudemane sesquiterpene that is isolated from the natural plant, Laggera alata. It exerts anti-inflammatory and anti-angiogenic effects on human breast cancer cells, but its role and underlying mechanism in choroidal neovascularization (CNV) are still unclear. We conducted a study to verify that 5α-Hydroxycostic acid can inhibit the formation and leakage of CNV, and describe the possible dual pathway by which it exerts its inhibitory effects in this process. Methods An in vitro model of choroidal neovascularization was established using VEGF164, while a rat model of choroidal neovascularization was established using a 532 nm laser. In both models, the effects of 5α-Hydroxycostic acid in vivo and in vitro were evaluated to determine its inhibitory effect on abnormal cell proliferation, migration and tubule formation, as well as its effect on pathological changes in choroidal tissues and the area of neovascularization leakage in rats. The levels of components in the VEGF/VEGFR and Ang2/Tie2 signaling pathways were measured in tissues and cells. Results In vitro experiments have shown that 5α-Hydroxycostic acid can inhibit abnormal cell proliferation, migration and angiogenesis. Additionally, 5α-Hydroxycostic acid enhances cell adhesion by inhibiting the phosphorylation pathways of VEGFR2 and Tie2. In vivo experiments demonstrated that 5α-Hydroxycostic acid has a positive therapeutic effect on choroidal neovascularization in rats. It can effectively reduce vascular leakage, consistent with the results of the cell experiments. Conclusion 5α-Hydroxycostic acid can inhibit choroidal neovascularization by interfering with the VEGF- and Ang2/Tie2-related pathways, and it may be a good candidate drug for treating CNV.

Objectives This study aimed to investigate the availability, price, and affordability of nationally negotiated innovative anticancer medicines in China.Design Retrospective observational study based on data from a nationwide medical database.Data sources/setting Quarterly data about the use of innovative anticancer medicines from 2020 to 2022 were collected from the Chinese Medicine Economic Information Network. This study covered 895 public general hospitals in 30 provincial administrative regions in China. Of the total hospitals, 299 (33.41%) were secondary and 596 (66.59%) were tertiary.Main outcome measures The adjusted WHO and Health Action International methodology was used to calculate the availability and affordability of 33 nationally negotiated innovative anticancer medicines in the investigated hospitals. Price is expressed as the defined daily dose cost.Results On average, the total availability of 33 innovative anticancer medicines increased annually from 2020 to 2022. The median availability of all investigated medicines in tertiary hospitals from 2020 to 2022 was 24.04%, 33.60% and 37.61%, respectively, while the indicators in secondary hospitals were 4.90%, 12.54% and 16.48%, respectively. The adjusted prices of the medicines newly put in Medicare (in March 2021) decreased noticeably, with the decline rate ranging from 39.98% to 82.45% in 2021 compared with those in 2020. Most generic brands were priced much lower than the originator brands. The affordability of anticancer medicines has improved year by year from 2020 to 2022. In comparison, rural residents had lower affordability than urban residents.Conclusions The overall accessibility of 33 nationally negotiated innovative anticancer medicines improved from 2020 to 2022. However, the overall availability of most anticancer medicines in China remained at a low level (less than 50%). Further efforts should be made to sufficiently and equally benefit patients with cancer.

Chronic gastric ulcer (CGU), a prevalent digestive disease, has a high incidence and is seriously harmful to human health. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been proven to have beneficial therapeutic effects in many human diseases. Here, a CGU model induced by acetic acid in mice was used to evaluate the repair effects and potential mechanism of human umbilical cord-derived MSCs (hUC-MSCs) and hUC-MSCs derived conditioned medium (hUC-MSC-CM). We found that hUC-MSCs and hUC-MSC-CM treatment significantly repaired morphological characteristics of CGU, improved proliferation and decreased apoptosis of gastric cells, and promoted the generation of new blood vessels in granulation tissues. In addition, we could detect the homing of MSCs in gastric tissue, and MSCs may differentiate into Lgr5-positive cells. As well as this, in vitro experiments showed that hUC-MSC-CM could promote cell proliferation, stimulate cell cycle progression, and reduce the incidence of apoptosis. The transcriptome of cells and the iTRAQ proteome of gastric tissues suggest that MSCs may play a therapeutic role by increasing the expression of TRIM29. Additionally, it was found that knocking down TRIM29 significantly decreased the ameliorative effects of hUC-MSC-CM on cell apoptosis. As a result of further molecular experiments, it was found that TRIM29 is capable of phosphorylating Erk/Akt in specific cell type. As a whole, it appears that hUC-MSCs can be an effective therapeutic approach for promoting gastric ulcer healing and may exert therapeutic effects in the form of paracrine and differentiation into gastric cells.

BackgroundNeoadjuvant combination immunotherapy is changing the treatment landscape for patients with cancer. Exploring the incidence of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) in relation to this novel approach may provide valuable insights for future clinical investigations.MethodsThis review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), and European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) websites were searched for all relevant literature from their inception to November 24, 2023. We then extracted the required data from the included studies and used the R software to analyze the pooled incidence of irAEs. Subgroup analyses examined the pooled incidence of irAEs according to cancer and combination types using a random-effects model.ResultsSixteen studies involving 501 patients were included in the meta-analysis. Considering the heterogeneity of the study design, we analyzed the randomized controlled studies (RCTs) and the single-arm studies separately. In RCTs, the incidence of any-grade irAEs was 95.0% (95% confidence interval [CI] 87.3-99.3) and that of grade ≥3 irAEs was 24.0% (95% CI 13.7-36.0). In single-arm studies, the incidence of any-grade irAEs was 89.4% (95% CI 75.0-98.0) and grade ≥3 irAEs was 20.3% (95% CI 8.7-35.2). In both RCTs and single arms, the most common any- grade irAEs were rash and fatigue, while the most common grade ≥3 irAEs was abnormal liver function and colitis. Due to irAEs, 9.4% of patients in RCTs and 6.9% of patients in single-arm studies did not complete the prescribed neoadjuvant treatment cycle.ConclusionThis study comprehensively summarized the incidence of irAEs in neoadjuvant combination immunotherapy. The occurrence of irAEs varies depending on the cancer and combination types. Our meta-analysis provides clinicians with essential guidance for the management of patients with cancer.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero, identifier CRD42023387969.

PurposeThe causes of myopia are varied, and both genetic and environmental influences play an essential role. The prevalence of myopia is increasing among adolescents and is expected to be more than one-third the global population by 2050. Some animal studies suggest that hyperinsulinemia may be a cause of myopia. In this context, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the potential effects of insulin levels and plasma fasting glucose on the refractive status of adolescents.MethodsData were collected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 1999 to 2008. Weighted multivariable linear regression models were used to assess the effect of insulin levels, plasma fasting glucose on refractive status. We used a smooth curve fit to reveal the nonlinear relationship between the variables.ResultsIn the multivariate regression model, as insulin levels increased, there was a shift towards myopia in refractive status (β = −0.013, 95% CI: −0.023 to −0.004). This correlation was also evident in the male adolescent subgroup (β = −0.021, 95% CI: −0.035 to −0.007). Similar findings indicated that in Mexican Americans, there was a myopic shift in refractive status as insulin levels increased (β = −0.018, 95% CI: −0.033 to −0.002). However, grouping by differences in insulin measurement showed no significant correlation in Mexican-Americans. At the same time, there was no significant correlation between plasma fasting glucose and refractive status (β = −0.041, 95% CI: −0.174 to 0.091).ConclusionThe present cross-sectional study demonstrated that higher insulin levels may promote the development of myopia in adolescents, but there may be variations across gender and ethnicity. More basic research is needed to reveal the mechanistic reasons for the association.

Context: As the increasing number of pet canines, the identification of canine has attracted much attentions in the forensic field, however, the genetic diversities of pet canines still remained unknown. Aims: To explore genetic polymorphisms of 19 short tandem repeat (STR) loci and genetic relationships between the two studied canine groups and reference group. Subjects and Methods: In the present study, genetic polymorphisms of 19 STR loci and a sex-linked zinc finger locus were analyzed in a total of 594 canines in Standard Poodle and Bichon Frise groups from China. Results: A total of 166, 159 alleles were observed in the Standard Poodle, Bichon Frise groups with the corresponding allelic frequencies ranging from 0.0030–0.6108 to 0.0012–0.6148, respectively. The combined discrimination power and probability of exclusion of 19 STR loci in Standard Poodle and Bichon Frise groups were 0.9999999999999497, 0.999962884; and 0.99999999999999995, 0.999965955, respectively. Furthermore, the genetic distances between the two canine groups and Labrador retriever group were calculated, and the results indicated that Standard Poodle and Bichon Frise groups showed a closer genetic relationship, while the two canine groups had distant genetic relationships with Labrador retriever group. The result of population genetic structure revealed that genetic component distributions in the three canine groups were different. The predicted accuracies of the constructed random forest prediction model for three validation sets (25% individuals randomly selected from three populations with 808 individuals) were higher than 0.9, especially for the individuals in validation set from the Bichon Frise group is 1. Conclusions: The 19 STR loci could be used for individual identification, canine breed identification and paternity testing in the two canine groups.

Abstract Background In children aged 3–5 years, femoral fractures are common and are frequently treated using flexible intramedullary nails (FIN) or spica casting. Recently, more surgeons have been relying on FIN surgery because of the high rate of complications associated with spica casts, such as skin irritation and re-adjustment surgery. We aimed to evaluate the effect of skin traction combined with braces in 3–5 years old children at our hospital. Methods We retrospectively analyzed 125 children aged 3–5 years with femoral shaft fractures treated at our hospital between January 2010 and December 2020. We assigned 68 patients who underwent FIN surgery to Group A and 57 patients treated with skin traction and braces to Group B. Comparative analysis included the children’s age, sex, side of the affected limb, cause of fracture, function of the knee joint, healing time of the fracture, duration of hospitalization, cost of hospitalization, and complications. The complications evaluated included joint dysfunction, pain, infection, pressure ulcers, angular deformities, limb length differences, re-fractures, nonunion fractures, and delayed union. Results There were significant differences in and hospital costs (p = 0.001). Conversely, no statistically significant differences were observed in sex (p = 0.858), injury type (p = 0.804), age (p = 0.231), hospitalization time (p = 0.071), bone healing time (p = 0.212), and complications. Pressure ulcers, nonunion fractures, and delayed union did not occur in both groups. Conclusion Both methods had similar therapeutic effects and postoperative complications in children aged 3–5 years with femoral shaft fractures. Therefore, skin traction combined with braces is recommended for this population and for patients hospitalized in institutions where several beds are available, with a consequent possibility of prolonged hospitalization. Level of Evidence: IV.

Retinoblastoma (Rb) represents 3% of all childhood malignancies and seriously endangers children's lives and quality of life. Early diagnosis and treatment can save children's vision as much as possible. Multifunctional nanoparticles have become a research hotspot in recent years and are expected to realize the integration of early diagnosis and early treatment. Therefore, we report a nanoparticle with dual-mode imaging, photothermal therapy, and immune activation: carbonized MOF nanoparticles (CM NPs) loaded with the immune polypeptide tuftsin (CMT NPs). The dual-mode imaging ability, antitumor effect, and macrophage immunity activation ability of these nanoparticles combined with laser irradiation were studied. The biosafety of CMT NPs was detected. The multifunctional magnetic nanoparticles enhanced photoacoustic (PA) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in vivo and in vitro, facilitating diagnosis and efficacy evaluation. The combined effect of CMT NPs and laser irradiation was recorded and verified. Through the accumulation of magnetic field nanoparticles in tumors, the photothermal conversion of nanoparticles under laser irradiation led directly to tumor apoptosis/necrosis, and the release of tuftsin induced macrophage M1-type activation, resulting in antitumor immune effects. Enhanced PA/MR imaging CMT NPs have great potential in dual-mode image-guided laser/immune cotherapy. The nanoparticles have high biosafety and have potential in cancer treatment.

For lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries, the problems of polysulfides shuttle effect, slow dynamics of sulfur species and growth of lithium dendrite during charge/discharge processes have greatly impeded its practical development. Of core importance to advance the performances of Li–S batteries lies in the selection and design of novel materials with strong polysulfides adsorption ability and enhanced redox electrocatalytic behavior. Graphene, affording high electrical conductivity, superior carrier mobility, and large surface area, has presented great potentials in improving the performances of Li–S cells. However, the properties of intrinsic graphene are far enough to achieve the multiple management toward electrochemical catalysis of energy storage systems. In addition, a general and objective understanding of its role in Li–S systems is still lacking. Along this line, we summarize the design routes from three aspects, including defect engineering, dimension adjustment, and heterostructure modulation, to perfect the graphene properties. Thus-synthesized graphene materials are explored as multifunctional electrocatalysts targeting high-efficiency and long-lifespan Li–S batteries, based on which the regulating role of graphene is comprehensively analyzed. This project provides a perspective on the effective engineering management of graphene materials to boost Li–S chemistry, meanwhile promote the practical application process for graphene materials.

The Background: Stroke is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality, and the inflammatory mechanism plays a crucial role in stroke-related brain injury and post-ischemic tissue damage. Xiaoxuming decoction (XXMD) is the first prescription for the treatment of “zhongfeng” (a broad concept referring to stroke) in the Tang and Song Dynasties of China and has a significant position in the history of stroke treatment. Through the study of ancient medical records and modern clinical evidence, it is evident that XXMD has significant efficacy in the treatment of stroke and its sequelae, and its pharmacological mechanism may be related to post-stroke inflammation. However, XXMD contains 12 medicinal herbs with complex composition, and therefore, a simplified version of XXMD, called Xiaoxuming decoction cutting (XXMD-C), was derived based on the anti-inflammatory effects of the individual herbs. Therefore, it is necessary to explore and confirm the anti-inflammatory mechanism of XXMD-C.Aim of the study: Based on the previous experiments of our research group, it was found that both XXMD and XXMD-C have anti-inflammatory effects on LPS-induced microglia, and XXMD-C has a better anti-inflammatory effect. Since miRNAs in exosomes also participate in the occurrence and development of cardiovascular diseases, and traditional Chinese medicine can regulate exosomal miRNAs through intervention, this study aims to explore the anti-inflammatory mechanism of XXMD-C in the treatment of post-stroke inflammation through transcriptome sequencing, providing a basis for the application of XXMD-C.Materials and methods: XXMD-C was extracted using water and filtered through a 0.22 μm membrane filter. The main chemical components of the medicinal herbs in XXMD-C were rapidly qualitatively analyzed using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS). Cell viability was determined using the CCK-8 assay, and an LPS-induced BV-2 cell inflammation model was established. The expression of inflammatory cytokines was detected using ELISA and Western blot (WB). Extracellular vesicles were extracted using ultracentrifugation, and identified using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), nanoparticle tracking analysis, and WB. Differential miRNAs were screened using smallRNA-seq sequencing, and validated using RT-PCR and Western blot.Results: The UPLC-Q-TOF-MS analysis revealed that representative components including ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, cinnamaldehyde, baicalin, baicalein, wogonin, and ginsenoside Rg1 were detected in XXMD-C. The results of ELISA and WB assays showed that XXMD-C had a therapeutic effect on LPS-induced inflammation in BV-2 cells. TEM, nanoparticle tracking analysis, and WB results demonstrated the successful extraction of extracellular vesicles using high-speed centrifugation. Differential miRNA analysis by smallRNA-seq identified miR-9-5p, which was validated by RT-PCR and WB. Inhibition of miR-9-5p was found to downregulate the expression of inflammatory factors including IL-1β, IL-6, iNOS, and TNF-α.Conclusion: The study found that XXMD-C has anti-neuroinflammatory effects. Through smallRNA-seq sequencing of extracellular vesicles, miR-9-5p was identified as a key miRNA in the mechanism of XXMD-C for treating neuroinflammation, and its in vivo anti-inflammatory mechanism deserves further investigation.

Background: Xihuang Wan (XHW), a purgative and detoxifying agent, is commonly utilized in modern medicine as a treatment and adjuvant therapy for various malignancies, including breast cancer, liver cancer, and lung cancer. A clinical study demonstrated the potential usefulness of the combination of XHW and gemcitabine as a therapy for pancreatic cancer (PC), indicating that XHW’s broad-spectrum antitumor herbal combination could be beneficial in the treatment of PC. However, the precise therapeutic efficacy of XHW in treating pancreatic cancer remains uncertain.Aim: This study assessed the biological activity of XHW by optimizing the therapeutic concentration of XHW (Xihuang pills, XHP). We performed cell culture and developed an animal test model to determine whether XHP can inhibit pancreatic cancer (PC). We also applied the well-known widely targeted metabolomics analysis and conducted specific experiments to assess the feasibility of our method in PC therapy.Materials and Methods: We used UPLC/Q-TOF-MS to test XHP values to set up therapeutic concentrations for the in vivo test model. SW1990 pancreatic cancer cells were cultured to check the effect the anti-cancer effects of XHP by general in vitro cell analyses including CCK-8, Hoechst 33258, and flow cytometry. To develop the animal model, a solid tumor was subcutaneously formed on a mouse model of PC and assessed by immunohistochemistry and TUNEL apoptosis assay. We also applied the widely targeted metabolomics method following Western blot and RT-PCR to evaluate multiple metabolites to check the therapeutic effect of XHP in our cancer test model.Results: Quantified analysis from UPLC/Q-TOF-MS showed the presence of the following components of XHP: 11-carbonyl-β-acetyl-boswellic acid (AKBA), 11-carbonyl-β-boswellic acid (KBA), 4-methylene-2,8,8-trimethyl-2-vinyl-bicyclo [5.2.0]nonane, and (1S-endo)-2-methyl-3-methylene-2-(4-methyl-3-3-pentenyl)-bicyclo [2.2.1heptane]. The results of the cell culture experiments demonstrated that XHP suppressed the growth of SW1990 PC cells by enhancing apoptosis. The results of the animal model tests also indicated the suppression effect of XHP on tumor growth. Furthermore, the result of the widely targeted metabolomics analysis showed that the steroid hormone biosynthesis metabolic pathway was a critical factor in the anti-PC effect of XHP in the animal model. Moreover, Western blot and RT-PCR analyses revealed XHP downregulated CYP3A4 expression as an applicable targeted therapeutic approach.Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrated the potential of XHP in therapeutic applications in PC. Moreover, the widely targeted metabolomics method revealed CYP3A4 is a potential therapeutic target of XHP in PC control. These findings provide a high level of confidence that XHP significantly acts as a CYP3A4 inhibitor in anti-cancer therapeutic applications.

A precancerous lesion of gastric cancer (GC), intestinal metaplasia (IM) is a pathological transformation of non-intestinal epithelium into an intestinal-like mucosa. It greatly raises the risk of developing the intestinal type of GC, which is frequently observed in the stomach and esophagus. It is understood that esophageal adenocarcinoma’s precursor lesion, chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), is what causes Barrett’s esophagus (BE), an acquired condition. Recently, Bile acids (BAs), which are one of the compositions of gastric and duodenal contents, have been confirmed that it led to the occurrence and development of BE and gastric intestinal metaplasia (GIM). The objective of the current review is to discuss the mechanism of IM induced by bile acids. This review serves as a foundation for further research aimed at improving the way BE and GIM are currently managed.

To assess the alterations in soil properties resulting from the interplanting of broad-leaved tree species within coniferous forests, we conducted an investigation into soil quality in a mixed Chinese fir and broad-leaved forest, as well as in a Chinese fir pure forest (used as a control) in subtropical China. A total of 15 soil physicochemical properties were assessed across three soil depths—0–15 cm, 15–30 cm, and 30–45 cm—for the two forest types in the experimental study. Principal component analysis in conjunction with the Norm value was employed to create a minimal data set (MDS) for assessing six indicators, including bulk density (BD), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphate (TP), available potassium (AK), soil pH, and catalase (CAT). The soil quality index (SQI) was calculated for both forest types. The results demonstrated that following the interplanting of broad-leaved tree species in the Chinese fir forest, all soil physicochemical indicators were significantly improved compared to the control, and significant differences were also observed in the 0–15 cm and 15–30 cm soil layers (p < 0.05). The overall average of the SQI of the mixed forest (0.8523, 0.6636) was significantly higher than that of the control (0.4477, 0.3823) (p < 0.05) in the 0–15 cm and 15–30 cm soil layers, respectively. However, there was no significant difference in the SQI in the 30–45 cm soil layer (p > 0.05) between the two forest types. The results indicated that the SQI based on the minimal dataset (MDS) can reflect the SQI of the total dataset (TDS) when assessing soil quality in forests. Our research provides valuable scientific insights into soil science and an understanding of the relationships between soil properties, forest structure, and species composition in sustainable forest management.

Enhancing gasoline detergency is pivotal for enhancing fuel efficiency and mitigating exhaust emissions in gasoline vehicles. This study investigated gasoline vehicle emission characteristics with different gasoline detergency, explored synergistic emission reduction potentials, and developed versatile emission prediction models. The results indicate that improved fuel detergency leads to a reduction of 5.1% in fuel consumption, along with decreases of 3.2% in total CO2, 55.4% in CO, and 15.4% in HC emissions. However, during low-speed driving, CO2 and CO emissions reductions are limited, and HC emissions worsen. A synergistic emission reduction was observed, particularly with CO exhibiting a pronounced reduction compared to HC. The developed deep-learning-based vehicle emission model for different gasoline detergency (DPVEM-DGD) enables accurate emission predictions under various fuel detergency conditions. The Pearson correlation coefficients (Pearson’s r) between predicted and measured values of CO2, CO, and HC emissions before and after adding detergency agents are 0.913 and 0.934, 0.895 and 0.915, and 0.931 and 0.969, respectively. The predictive performance improves due to reduced peak emissions resulting from improved fuel detergency. Elevated gasoline detergency not only reduces exhaust emissions but also facilitates more refined emission management to a certain extent.

Abstract Background Winter wheat requires prolonged exposure to low temperature to initiate flowering (vernalization). Shoot apical meristem of the crown is the site of cold perception, which produces leaf primordia during vegetative growth before developing into floral primordia at the initiation of the reproductive phase. Although many essential genes for winter wheat cold acclimation and floral initiation have been revealed, the importance of microRNA (miRNA) meditated post-transcriptional regulation in crowns is not well understood. To understand the potential roles of miRNAs in crown tissues, we performed a temporal expression study of miRNAs in crown tissues at the three-leaf stage, winter dormancy stage, spring green-up stage, and jointing stage of winter wheat grown under natural growth conditions. Results In total, 348 miRNAs belonging to 298 miRNA families, were identified in wheat crown tissues. Among them, 92 differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) were found to be significantly regulated from the three-leaf stage to the jointing stage. Most of these DEMs were highly expressed at the three-leaf stage and winter dormancy stage, and then declined in later stages. Six DEMs, including miR156a-5p were markedly induced during the winter dormancy stage. Eleven DEMs, including miR159a.1, miR390a-5p, miR393-5p, miR160a-5p, and miR1436, were highly expressed at the green-up stage. Twelve DEMs, such as miR172a-5p, miR394a, miR319b-3p, and miR9676-5p were highly induced at the jointing stage. Moreover, 14 novel target genes of nine wheat or Pooideae-specific miRNAs were verified using RLM-5′ RACE assay. Notably, six mTERFs and two Rf1 genes, which are associated with mitochondrial gene expression, were confirmed as targets of three wheat-specific miRNAs. Conclusions The present study not only confirmed the known miRNAs associated with phase transition and floral development, but also identified a number of wheat or Pooideae-specific miRNAs critical for winter wheat cold acclimation and floral development. Most importantly, this study provided experimental evidence that miRNA could regulate mitochondrial gene expression by targeting mTERF and Rf1 genes. Our study provides valuable information for further exploration of the mechanism of miRNA mediated post-transcriptional regulation during winter wheat vernalization and inflorescent initiation.

Abstract The viability of lithium‐sulfur (Li–S) batteries toward real implementation directly correlates with unlocking lithium polysulfide (LiPS) evolution reactions. Along this line, designing promotors with the function of synchronously relieving LiPS shuttle and promoting sulfur conversion is critical. Herein, the nitrogen evolution on hierarchical and atomistic Ni–N–C electrocatalyst, mainly pertaining to the essential subtraction, reservation and coordination of nitrogen atoms, is manipulated to attain favorable Li–S pouch cell performances. Such rational evolution behavior realizes the “nitrogen balance” in simultaneously regulating the Ni–N coordination environment, Ni single atom loading, abundant vacancy defects, active nitrogen and electron conductivity, and maximizing the electrocatalytic activity elevation of Ni–N–C system. With such merit, the cathode harvests favorable performances in a soft‐packaged pouch cell prototype even under high sulfur mass loading and lean electrolyte usage. A specific energy density up to 405.1 Wh kg−1 is harvested by the 0.5‐Ah‐level pouch cell.

Abstract Background Chromobacterium violaceum (C. violaceum) is a Gram-negative saprophytic bacterium that is widespread in tropical and subtropical environments, and belongs to conditional pathogenic bacteria. Human infection with C. violaceum is rare, and this can be fatal when the diagnosis and treatment are delayed, especially recurrent infection patients. Since clinicians lack the knowledge for C. violaceum, rapid diagnosis and early appropriate antimicrobial treatment remains challenging. Case presentation A 15-year-old male student was hospitalized for dark abscess, pustules, severe pain in both legs, and fever for 11 days. There were pustules with gray-white pus and red infiltrating plaques on the back, and the subcutaneous nodules could be touched in front of both tibias, with scab, rupture and necrotic tissue of the lower limb. The patient’s condition rapidly progressed. Therefore, next-generation sequencing (NGS), pustular secretion and blood culture were concurrently performed. The final diagnosis for this patient was C. violaceum infection by NGS. However, no bacterial or fungal growth was observed in the pustular secretion and blood culture. After 4 weeks of treatment, the patient was discharged from the hospital without any complications associated with C. violaceum infection. Conclusion Rapid diagnosis and early appropriate antimicrobial treatment is the key to the successful treatment of C. violaceum infection, especially in patients with sepsis symptoms. This case highlights that NGS is a promising tool for the rapid diagnosis of C. violaceum infection, preventing the delayed diagnosis and misdiagnosis of C. violaceum infection in patients who tested negative for pustular secretion and blood culture.

Abstract The lithium polysulfides (LiPS) dissolution into electrolyte as well as consequent shuttle behavior seriously exacerbate the electrochemical performance of lithium–sulfur batteries. Herein, the intrinsic defect of graphene has been tailored by using plasma irradiation. The topological defective carbon structure is demystified into monovacancy and divacancy which effectively promote Li–S redox kinetics by selectively decelerating the generation of soluble high‐order LiPSs and passingly promoting the conversion to final solid products. Theoretical prediction uncovers the selective manipulation of Li–S redox kinetics by defective graphene, facilitating the reduced overpotential effect and uniform deposition of Li2S. Moreover, the divacancy presents a higher activity for Li–S chemistry in contrast with monovacancy. Therefore, the battery achieves superior cyclability with a capacity retention of 88.6% at 1.0 C over 300 cycles. Furthermore, it yields an areal capacity up to 8.5 mAh cm−2 with a sulfur loading of 13.3 mg cm−2.

BackgroundCancer is a leading cause of death in the world, and the estimated new cancer cases were 19 million and the estimated cancer deaths were around 10 million worldwide in 2020. Proton therapy (PT) is a promising treatment for cancers; however, only few patients with cancer received PT due to limited number of PT centers worldwide, especially in low- and middle-income countries.Methods and ResultsCross-sectional country level data were collected from publicly available information. Lorenz curves and Gini coefficient were used to assess the inequality in accessing to PT, and zero-inflated Poisson models were used to investigate the determinants of number of PT facilities in each country. The Gini coefficients were 0.96 for PT centers and 0.96 for PT chambers, which indicated high level of inequality. Total GDP had a significant impact on whether a country had a practical PT center, whereas total GDP and GDP per capita had significant impacts on the number of PT centers.ConclusionExtremely high inequality exists in accessibility of PT centers among all countries in the world. Economic development was the most important factor determining the adoption of PT; thus, with the growth in global economics, more PT centers can be expected in near future.

Abstract SeS2 has become a promising cathode material owing to its enhanced electrical conductivity over sulfur and higher theoretical specific capacity than selenium; however, the working Li–SeS2 batteries have to face the practical challenges from the severe shuttling of soluble dual intermediates of polysulfide and polyselenide, especially in high-SeS2-loading cathodes. Herein, a natural organic polymer, Nicandra physaloides pectin (NPP), is proposed to serve as an effective polysulfide/polyselenide captor to address the shuttling issues. Informed by theoretical calculations, NPP is competent to provide a Lewis base-based strong binding interaction with polysulfides/polyselenides via forming lithium bonds, and it can be homogeneously deposited onto a three-dimensional double-carbon conductive scaffold to finally constitute a polysulfide/polyselenide-immobilizing interlayer. Operando spectroscopy analysis validates the enhanced polysulfide/polyselenide trapping and high conversion efficiency on the constructed interlayer, hence bestowing the Li–SeS2 cells with ultrahigh rate capability (448 mAh g−1 at 10 A g−1), durable cycling lifespan (≈ 0.037% capacity attenuation rate per cycle), and high areal capacity (> 6.5 mAh cm−2) at high SeS2 loading of 15.4 mg cm−2. Importantly, pouch cells assembled with this interlayer exhibit excellent flexibility, decent rate capability with relatively low electrolyte-to-capacity ratio, and stable cycling life even under a low electrolyte condition, promising a low-cost, viable design protocol toward practical Li–SeS2 batteries.

Abstract Background Bilateral herpes zoster (BHZ) is an atypical presentation of herpes zoster (HZ), with few cases reported before. Ramsay Hunt syndrome (RHS) is an uncommon complication of VZV infection. Cases of BHZ with RHS in immunocompetent adults have been reported rarely. Case presentation We described an immunocompetent adult who suffered from left-sided thoracic herpes zoster and contralateral RHS simultaneously, and summarizes the characteristics of BHZ. Conclusions Cases of BHZ with RHS in immunocompetent adults have not been reported previously. Antivirus - glucocorticoid combination therapy showed a good effect in this case.

Abstract Background New therapeutics are urgently needed for infectious diseases, especially for the fungal infection like Fonsecaea monophora. Photodynamic therapy has been showing antimicrobial activity on some pathogens. The combination of antimicrobial medicines and photodynamic therapy (PDT) might be a practical approach. However, whether the treatment of PDT could do benefits to the host immunity remains poorly documented. Results In this study, Galleria mellonella larvae were employed as a model organism to evaluate the activity of PDT, and also to investigate the regulation of humoral immunity by PDT. Photosensitizer 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) was applied to the G. mellonella infection model. It was found that ALA-mediated PDT was non-toxic to G. mellonella, and could extend the median survival of infected larvae from 3 days to 5.5 days. We observed that larval hemocytes inhibited the growth of Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus, without any contribution by ALA-PDT. Furthermore, the application of ALA-PDT demonstrated the immunomodulation of larval innate immunity as increased hemocyte density counting, cell morphological transformation, and sensitivity to pathogens. Conclusions G. mellonella could be considered as a useful model to study the immunoregulation of PDT. This model revealed that ALA-PDT positively defense against infections through inducing humoral immune responses of larvae.

Abstract Background Post-transcriptional gene regulation is one of the critical layers of overall gene expression programs and microRNAs (miRNAs) play an indispensable role in this process by guiding cleavage on the messenger RNA targets. The transcriptome-wide cleavages on the target transcripts can be identified by analyzing the degradome or PARE or GMUCT libraries. However, high-throughput sequencing of PARE or degradome libraries using Illumina platform, a widely used platform, is not so straightforward. Moreover, the currently used degradome or PARE methods utilize MmeI restriction site in the 5′ RNA adapter and the resulting fragments are only 20-nt long, which often poses difficulty in distinguishing between the members of the same target gene family or distinguishing miRNA biogenesis intermediates from the primary miRNA transcripts belonging to the same miRNA family. Consequently, developing a method which can generate longer fragments from the PARE or degradome libraries which can also be sequenced easily using Illumina platform is ideal. Results In this protocol, 3′ end of the 5′RNA adaptor of TruSeq small RNA library is modified by introducing EcoP15I recognition site. Correspondingly, the double-strand DNA (dsDNA) adaptor sequence is also modified to suit with the ends generated by the restriction enzyme EcoP15I. These modifications allow amplification of the degradome library by primer pairs used for small RNA library preparation, thus amenable for sequencing using Illumina platform, like small RNA library. Conclusions Degradome library generated using this improved protocol can be sequenced easily using Illumina platform, and the resulting tag length is ~ 27-nt, which is longer than the MmeI generated fragment (20-nt) that can facilitate better accuracy in validating target transcripts belonging to the same gene family or distinguishing miRNA biogenesis intermediates of the same miRNA family. Furthermore, this improved method allows pooling and sequencing degradome libraries and small RNA libraries simultaneously using Illumina platform.

Seed maturation not only determines the qualities and yields of seeds, but also affects seed storage and quality preservation. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a ubiquitous regulatory factor of gene expression in eukaryotes, which participate in the complex regulatory network of gene expression during seed maturation. However, miRNAs involved in maturation of Tilia tuan are still unknown. To reveal the role of miRNAs in T. tuan, small RNAs were profiled by high-throughput sequencing during seed maturation at five developmental stages. By predicting the target genes of miRNAs, the expression patterns of miRNAs during seed maturation were analyzed to identify those related to seed maturation. A total of 187 known miRNAs belonging to 42 miRNA families were found at five different seed maturation stages. Based on the analysis of unknown sequences, eight novel miRNAs were identified; 11,775 targets of 195 miRNAs were identified. Large numbers of miRNAs with diverse expression patterns, multiple-targeting and co-targeting of many miRNAs, and a complex regulatory network of miRNA-target genes were identified during seed maturation. These miRNAs and their targets may be involved in fatty acid, ABA, and lignin biosynthesis. Our study provides more information about the miRNA regulatory network and deepens our understanding of the function of miRNAs in T. tuan. miRNAs are revealed to be crucial during seed maturation, which provides a basis for further study of the regulatory role of miRNAs during seed maturation.

On-road carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from light-duty diesel trucks (LDDTs) are greatly affected by driving conditions, which may be better predicted with the sequence deep learning model as compared to traditional models. In this study, two typical LDDTs were selected to investigate the on-road CO2 emission characteristics with a portable emission measurement system (PEMS) and a global position system (GPS). A deep learning-based LDDT CO2 emission model (DL-DTCEM) was developed based on the long short-term memory network (LSTM) and trained by the measured data with the PEMS. Results show that the vehicle speed, acceleration, VSP, and road slope had obvious impacts on the transient CO2 emission rates. There was a rough positive correlation between the vehicle speed, road slope, and CO2 emission rates. The CO2 emission rate increased significantly when the speed was >5 m/s, especially at high acceleration. The correlation coefficient (R2) and the root mean square error (RMSE) between the monitored CO2 emissions with PEMS and the predicted values with the DL-DTCEM were 0.986–0.990 and 0.165–0.167, respectively. The results proved that the model proposed in this study can predict very well the on-road CO2 emissions from LDDTs.

Forest ecosystems are vast, second in expanse only to marine ecosystems [...]

Mepiquat chloride (MC) is the most important plant growth retardant that is widely used in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) production to suppress excessive vegetative growth and improve plant architecture. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important gene expression regulators that control plant growth and development. However, miRNA-mediated post-transcriptional regulation in MC-induced growth inhibition remains unclear. In this study, the dynamic expression profiles of miRNAs responsive to MC in cotton internodes were investigated. A total of 508 known miRNAs belonging to 197 families and five novel miRNAs were identified. Among them, 104 miRNAs were differentially expressed at 48, 72, or 96 h post MC treatment compared with the control (0 h); majority of them were highly conserved miRNAs. The number of differentially expressed miRNAs increased with time after treatment. The expression of 14 known miRNAs was continuously suppressed, whereas 12 known miRNAs and one novel miRNA were continuously induced by MC. The expression patterns of the nine differentially expressed miRNAs were verified using qRT-PCR. The targets of the known and novel miRNAs were predicted. Four conserved and six novel targets were validated using the RLM-5′ RACE assay. This study revealed that miRNAs play crucial regulatory roles in the MC-induced inhibition of internode elongation. It can improve our understanding of post-transcriptional gene regulation in MC-mediated growth inhibition and could potentially facilitate the breeding of dwarf cotton.

The plant growth retardant mepiquat chloride (MC) has been extensively used to produce compact plant canopies and increase yield in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). Previous studies showed that MC reduced plant height and internode length by inhibiting GA biosynthesis and cell elongation. However, whether there are other molecular mechanisms underlying MC-induced growth retardation has remained largely unknown. In the present study, we conducted histological, transcriptomic, and phytohormone analyses of the second elongating internodes of cotton seedlings treated with MC. Histological analysis revealed that the MC shortened the internodes through suppressing both cell division and cell elongation. Consistent with the observed phenotype, many genes related to cell growth were significantly downregulated by MC. Transcriptome profiling showed that the expression of genes related not only to GA, but also to auxin, brassinosteroid (BR), and ethylene metabolism and signaling was remarkably suppressed, whereas that of genes related to cytokinin (CK) and abscisic acid (ABA) metabolism was induced by MC. Consistent with the expression pattern, significant decrease of endogenous GA, auxin, and BR content, but an increase in CK content was observed after MC treatment. Most of these hormone related genes displayed opposite regulation pattern by exogenous GA3 treatment compared to MC; simultaneous application of MC and GA3 could alleviate the genes expression changes induced by MC treatment, indicating MC does not directly affect other plant hormones, but through the inhibition of the GA biosynthesis. In addition, the expression of genes related to secondary metabolism and many transcription factors (TFs) were differentially regulated by MC. In summary, we confirmed the important role of GA in MC-induced growth inhibition of cotton, and further found that other hormones were also involved in this process in a GA-dependent manner. This study provides novel insights into the molecular mechanism underlying the MC-mediated inhibition of internode elongation in cotton seedlings.

On-road exhaust emissions from light-duty vehicles are greatly influenced by driving conditions. In this study, two light-duty passenger cars (LDPCs) and three light-duty diesel trucks (LDDTs) were tested to investigate the on-road emission factors (EFs) with a portable emission measurement system. Emission characteristics of carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons (HC) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) emitted from vehicles at different speeds, accelerations and vehicle specific power (VSP) were analyzed. The results demonstrated that road conditions have significant impacts on regulated gaseous emissions. CO, NOx, and HC emissions from light-duty vehicles on urban roads increased by 1.1–1.5, 1.2–1.4, and 1.9–2.6 times compared with those on suburban and highway roads, respectively. There was a rough positive relationship between transient CO, NOx, and HC emission rates and vehicle speeds, while the EFs decreased significantly with the speed decrease when speed ≤ 20 km/h. The emissions rates of NOx and HC tended to increase and then decrease as the acceleration increased and the peak occurred at 0 m/s2 without considering idling conditions. For HC and CO, the emission rates were low and changed gently with VSP when VSP < 0, while emission rates increased gradually with the VSP increase when VSP > 0. For NOx NOx emission rates were lower and had no obvious change when VSP < 0. However, NOx emissions were positively correlated with VSP, when VSP > 0.

Cold acclimation and vegetative/reproductive transition are two important evolutionary adaptive mechanisms for winter wheat surviving the freezing temperature in winter and successful seeds setting in the next year. MicroRNA (miRNA) is a class of regulatory small RNAs (sRNAs), which plays critical roles in the growth and development of plants. However, the regulation mechanism of miRNAs during cold acclimation and vegetative/reproductive transition of winter wheat is not much understood. In this study, four sRNA libraries from leaves of winter wheat grown in the field at the three-leaf stage, winter dormancy stage, spring green-up stage, and jointing stage were analyzed to identify known and novel miRNAs and to understand their potential roles in the growth and development of winter wheat. We examined miRNA expression using a high-throughput sequencing technique. A total of 373 known, 55 novel, and 27 putative novel miRNAs were identified. Ninety-one miRNAs were found to be differentially expressed at the four stages. Among them, the expression of six known and eight novel miRNAs was significantly suppressed at the winter dormancy stage, whereas the expression levels of seven known and eight novel miRNAs were induced at this stage; three known miRNAs and three novel miRNAs were significantly induced at the spring green-up stage; six known miRNAs were induced at the spring green-up stage and reached the highest expression level at the jointing stage; and 20 known miRNAs and 10 novel miRNAs were significantly induced at the jointing stage. Expression of a number of representative differentially expressed miRNAs was verified using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Potential target genes for known and novel miRNAs were predicted. Moreover, six novel target genes for four Pooideae species-specific miRNAs and two novel miRNAs were verified using the RNA ligase-mediated 5′-rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RLM-5’RACE) technique. These results indicate that miRNAs are key non-coding regulatory factors modulating the growth and development of wheat. Our study provides valuable information for in-depth understanding of the regulatory mechanism of miRNAs in cold acclimation and vegetative/reproductive transition of winter wheat grown in the field.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by chronic destructive synovitis and is associated with progressive disability, systemic difficulties, premature death, and socioeconomic costs. Early intervention with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) like methotrexate (MTX) and its combination regimen would provide obvious benefits to patients, healthcare systems and society. MTX and tripterygium glycosides tablets (TGTS) are most frequently prescribed medicines for RA, and the combination of them occurs frequently in anti-RA prescriptions. While the underlying combination mechanisms and the affected variation of drug blood level remain unclear. According to the American College of Rheumatology criteria for improvement, clinical evaluation following three treatment groups (i.e., MTX and TGTS mono- and combined groups) were carried out at baseline and at the end of 12 weeks in a randomized controlled clinical trial. To monitor the affected variation of drug blood level and perturbation of metabolites caused by MTX plus TGTS combined to treat active RA, the collected plasma samples were analyzed using RRLC-QqQ-MS and UHPLC-QE Orbitrap HRMS instruments. As a result, 39 metabolites including 7 MTX-related metabolites, 13 TGTS-related migratory ingredients and 19 characteristic endogenous metabolites, were quantitatively determined in plasma samples of RA patients after oral administration. The potential mechanism of MTX and TGTS combination were preliminarily elucidated on the aspect of clinical biochemical test indicators integrated with quantitative plasma pharmacochemistry and the pseudotargeted metabolomics.

Background Pemphigus is a common life-threatening, autoimmune bullous disease effecting both cutaneous and mucous membranes. Previous diagnosis of pemphigus is based on clinical presentations, histopathology, immunofluorescence and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Furthermore, no laboratory parameters could be used to indicate disease severity. MicroRNAs are endogenous small RNAs, which could be used as diagnostic biomarkers for some autoimmune diseases. Previously, miR-338-3p has been proven significantly up-regulated in pemphigus patients. Methods Pemphigus patients (including pemphigus vulgaris and pemphigus foliaceus) with active lesions and with remission, patients diagnosed as bullous pemphigoid and healthy volunteers were recruited, and miR-338-3p expression level was measured using reverse transcriptase-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Active pemphigus patients accepting treatment were followed up for at least 2 weeks to investigate the expression change of miR-338-3p during treatment period. Target genes of miR-338-3p were screened through computer-aided algorithm and verified by RT-qPCR, Western blot and Luciferase activity assay. Results MiR-338-3p was specifically increased in patients diagnosed as pemphigus with active lesions. The expression level of miR-338-3p gradually decreased after effective treatment. MiR-338-3p expression was independently correlated with disease severity defined by PDAI (Pemphigus Disease Area Index) or ABSIS (Autoimmune Bullous Skin Disorder Intensity Score) criteria. Up-regulation of miR-338-3p could significantly suppress RNF114 expression at mRNA and protein level in vitro. Discussion MiR-338-3p could be used as a diagnostic biomarker of pemphigus in addition to other traditional methods. Up-regulation of MiR-338-3p was associated with more severe condition in pemphigus. RNF114 is the target gene of miR-338-3p, which probably participates in the regulation of disease activity of pemphigus.

Purpose. To evaluate the safety of high-intensity focused ultrasound keratoplasty as a treatment for presbyopia by examining its effect on the rabbit anterior segment. Methods. The right corneas of 36 New Zealand rabbits were treated with HIFU keratoplasty. The animals were sacrificed at 1, 7, 15, 30, 60, and 90 days after operation. Collagen type I, MMP-2, and MMP-9 were evaluated using immunohistochemistry. For the detection of apoptosis, the TUNEL method was applied. The SOD and MDA levels were analyzed with assay kits. Results. Collagen type I, MMP-2, and MMP-9 levels were altered after the operation but returned to normal within 90 days. The apoptotic index (AI) of the corneal cells decreased from 1 to 30 days gradually. No apoptosis was observed in the epithelial cells of the lens, and the SOD and MDA levels were normal at any time point. Conclusion. After HIFU keratoplasty, the histomorphology of the cornea changed, the corneal collagen type I levels decreased, the corneal MMP-2 and MMP-9 levels increased, and the corneal cells underwent apoptosis for a period of time. Ninety days after the operation, the levels returned to normal, and the lenses were not affected. Thus, HIFU presents good biological safety for eyes.

The mechanical properties of the hybrid materials and epoxy and carbon fiber (CF) composites were improved significantly as compared to the CF composites made from unmodified epoxy. The reasons could be attributed to the strong interfacial interaction between the CF and the epoxy composites for the existence of carbon nanomaterials. The microstructure and dispersion of carbon nanomaterials were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and optical microscopy (OM). The results showed that the dispersion of the hybrid materials in the polymer was superior to other carbon nanomaterials. The high viscosity and shear stress characterized by a rheometer and the high interfacial friction and damping behavior characterized by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) indicated that the strong interfacial interaction was greatly improved between fibers and epoxy composites. Remarkably, the tensile tests presented that the CF composites with hybrid materials and epoxy composites have a better reinforcing and toughening effect on CF, which further verified the strong interfacial interaction between epoxy and CF for special structural hybrid materials.

Sewage treatment is of great significance for environmental protection and sustainable development and is related to the quality of human life. Developing new and efficient sewage treatment methods has important research value and social significance. A new type of fiber monocyte and fiber microbial flocculant was developed in this study for wastewater treatment. During the process, a treatment method for microbial flocculant-producing bacteria was designed from the perspective of bacterial selection and cultivation. The safety of microbial flocculants was analyzed from the perspective of flocculation mechanism and toxicity, and a novel method for the wastewater treatment performance of flocculants was designed. The results showed that the optimal inoculation amount of bacterial strains was 1%, and the optimal concentration for glucose addition was 12 g/L. In Zeta potential analysis, the developed method showed that the lowest Zeta potential decreased to -55 mV after flocculation of phenolic substances at a pH value of 12. In the fractal dimension testing of flocs, the developed method maintained a two-dimensional fractal dimension of over 1.182 after flocculation. In the analysis of sewage purification efficiency, the developed method maintained a total nitrogen removal rate of over 46.89% and a chemical oxygen demand removal rate of over 43.52% in 7 samples. The microbial flocculant developed by this research could effectively treat wastewater with good treatment performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]