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Abstract Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) combined with stent implantation is currently one of the most effective treatments for coronary artery disease (CAD). However, in-stent restenosis (ISR) significantly compromises its long-term efficacy. Mitophagy plays a crucial role in vascular homeostasis, yet its role in ISR remains unclear. This study aims to identify mitophagy-related biomarkers for ISR and explore their underlying molecular mechanisms. Through differential gene expression analysis between ISR and Control samples in the combined dataset, 169 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. Twenty-three differentially expressed mitophagy-related genes (DEMRGs) were identified by intersecting with mitophagy-related genes (MRGs) from the GeneCards, and functional enrichment analysis indicated their significant involvement in mitophagy-related biological processes. Using Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) and three machine learning algorithms (Logistic-LASSO, RF, and SVM-RFE), LRRK2, and ANKRD13A were identified as mitophagy-related biomarkers for ISR. The nomogram based on these two genes also exhibited promising diagnostic performance for ISR. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) as well as immune infiltration analyses showed that these two genes were closely associated with immune and inflammatory responses in ISR. Furthermore, potential small molecule compounds with therapeutic implications for ISR were predicted using the connectivity Map (cMAP) database. This study systematically investigated mitophagy-related biomarkers for ISR and their potential biological functions, providing new insights into early diagnosis and precision treatment strategies for ISR.

Abstract Mouse models of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) show that intact primary cilia are required for cyst growth following the inactivation of polycystin-1. The signaling pathways underlying this process, termed cilia-dependent cyst activation (CDCA), remain unknown. Using translating ribosome affinity purification RNASeq on mouse kidneys with polycystin-1 and cilia inactivation before cyst formation, we identify the differential ‘CDCA pattern’ translatome specifically dysregulated in kidney tubule cells destined to form cysts. From this, Glis2 emerges as a candidate functional effector of polycystin signaling and CDCA. In vitro changes in Glis2 expression mirror the polycystin- and cilia-dependent changes observed in kidney tissue, validating Glis2 as a cell culture-based indicator of polycystin function related to cyst formation. Inactivation of Glis2 suppresses polycystic kidney disease in mouse models of ADPKD, and pharmacological targeting of Glis2 with antisense oligonucleotides slows disease progression. Glis2 transcript and protein is a functional target of CDCA and a potential therapeutic target for treating ADPKD.

Objectives A grading system deployed for continuous at-home monitoring of pin sites would potentially increase the chances of early detection of pin-site infections and the commencement of early treatment. The first five grades of the Modified Gordon Pin Site Classification Scheme (MGS) meet the criteria for a visual-only, digital assessment-based grading system. The aim of this study was to assess the inter- and intra-rater reliability of the first five grades of the MGS from digital images. Methods We graded 1082 pin sites from 572 digital photographs of patients who underwent external fixator treatment for various conditions using the first five grades of the MGS classification scheme. Percent agreement and kappa values were calculated to determine the inter- and intra-rater agreement. Results were also grouped into two categories: “good” consisting of MGS grades 0–2 and “bad” made up of grades 3 and 4 for sensitivity analysis. We also analyzed reliability based on color only using MGS grades 0 and 2. Results A total of 843 of the 1082 pin sites were scored by all raters. There was moderate reliability between raters with a Fleiss kappa value of 0.48 [CI 0.45, 0.51]. The reliability remained moderate based on grouping into “good’ versus “bad” and based on color with Fleiss kappa values of 0.48 [CI 0.45, 0.52] and 0.45 [CI 0.42, 0.49], respectively. Intra-rater reliability demonstrated substantial agreement with kappa values of 0.63. Conclusion Scoring pin sites from digital images with the MGS demonstrated only moderate inter-rater reliability. Modifying the use of digital photos is needed for at-home monitoring of pin sites.

Background: Drug resistance is common in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) therapy. To identify a method to overcome chemotherapy resistance in TNBC cells, an siRNA targeting the AXL gene (siAXL), which can overcome drug resistance, was used in this study. A nanodelivery system was constructed to co-deliver siAXL and paclitaxel (PTX).Methods: A biodegradable and tumor microenvironment (TME)-sensitive mPEG-coated dendritic polylysine material (PDPLL) was synthesized. This material was used to construct single-molecule nanoparticles to co-deliver PTX and siAXL. The drug encapsulation and morphological properties of the nanoparticles (NPs) were characterized. The sensitivity of the NPs to the TME was evaluated in vitro with a dialysis method. The tumor-targeting effect of the PDPLL NPs was evaluated by fluorescence imaging and drug distribution evaluation in vivo. The ability to overcome drug resistance was evaluated using PTX-resistant 4T1 cells (4T1/PTX cells) in both in vitro and in vivo models.Results: PDPLL NPs had a particle size of 49.6 ± 5.9 nm and a zeta potential of 7.87 ± 0.68 mV. The PTX drug loading (DL)% was 2.59%. The siAXL DL was 2.5 mg PDPLL: 10 nmol siAXL. The release of PTX showed sustained release performance. The release of siAXL showed sensitivity for the TME. The NPs were stable in the plasma. The NPs promoted cell uptake by PTX-resistant 4T1 cells (4T1/PTX) and promoted tumor targeting and permeability in vivo. siAXL enhanced the toxicity and apoptosis efficiency of PTX in 4T1/PTX cells, as well as the cycle arrest efficiency caused by PTX. The NPs improved the above effects. In mouse 4T1/PTX orthotopic tumors, the NPs enhanced the sensitization of PTX to siAXL.Conclusion: The PDPLL NP co-delivery system possesses good encapsulating potential not only for PTX but also for siRNA. It can enhance the tumor-targeting effect and overcome the drug resistance of 4T1/PTX both in vitro and in vivo. This system is a potential delivery system for RNAs.

Abstract Modulation instability of one-dimensional plane wave is demonstrated in nonlinear Kerr media with sine-oscillatory nonlocal response function and pure quartic diffraction. The growth rate of modulation instability, which depends on the degree of nonlocality, coefficient of quartic diffraction, type of the nonlinearity and the power of plane wave, is analytically obtained with linear-stability analysis. Different from other nonlocal response functions, the maximum of the growth rate in media with sine-oscillatory nonlocal response function occurs always at a particular wave number. Theoretical results of modulation instability are confirmed numerically with split-step Fourier transform. Modulation instability can be controlled flexibly by adjusting the degree of nonlocality and quartic diffraction.

ABSTRACTRivers act as the principal channels for transporting terrigenous dissolved organic carbon (DOC) to lakes and reservoirs. Satellite remote sensing-based river monitoring is difficult due to the narrow river form and high spatiotemporal heterogeneity of DOC components. The unique advantages of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) facilitate river DOC concentration monitoring. The DOC concentration in 8 major tributaries (average width: 109.62 m) and shoreside of the Lake Chaohu Basin were retrieved via a hyperspectral UAV. The results showed that (1) the DOC concentration was significantly correlated with the water remote sensing reflectance ([Formula: see text]) of 402, 429-438, 440–451 and 458–462 nm in the blue band (r2: 0.11 to 0.13; p

Prostate cancer (PCa) currently ranks second in male tumor mortality. Targeting immune checkpoint in tumor as immunotherapy is a new direction for tumor treatment. However, targeting PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA4 to treat PCa has poor immunotherapeutic efficacy because PCa is known as a cold tumor. Understanding the mechanism of immunosuppression in PCa can promote the use of immunotherapy to treat PCa. ELAVL1 is highly expressed in many tumors, participates in almost all tumor biological activities and is an oncogene. ELAVL1 is also involved in the development and differentiation of T and B lymphocytes. However, the relationship between ELAVL1 and tumor immunity has not yet been reported. In recent years, ELAVL1 has been shown to regulate downstream targets in an m6A -dependent manner. PD-L1 has been shown to have m6A sites in multiple tumors that are regulated by m6A. In this study, ELAVL1 was highly expressed in PCa, and PCa with high ELAVL1 expression is immunosuppressive. Knocking down ELAVL1 reduced PD-L1 expression in PCa. Moreover, PD-L1 was shown to have an m6A site, and its m6A level was upregulated in PCa. ELAVL1 interacts with PD-L1 mRNA and promotes PD-L1 RNA stability via m6A, ultimately inhibiting the infiltration of CD4-positive T cells. In addition, androgen receptor (AR) was shown to be regulated with ELAVL1, and knocking down AR could also affect the expression of PD-L1. Therefore, ELAVL1 can directly or indirectly regulate the expression of PD-L1, thereby affecting the infiltration of CD4-positive T cells in PCa and ultimately leading to immune suppression.

Abstract Purpose Healing after bone fracture is assessed by clinical examination and frequent radiographs, which expose patients to radiation and lack standardisation. This study aimed to explore electrical impedance patterns during bone healing using electrical impedance spectroscopy in 18 rabbits subjected to tibial fracture stabilised with an external fixator. Methods Impedance was measured daily across the fracture site at a frequency range of 5 Hz to 1 MHz. Biweekly radiographs were analysed using modified anterior‐posterior (AP) radiographic union score of the tibia (RUST). The animals were divided into three groups with different follow‐up times: 1, 3 and 6 weeks for micro‐computer tomography and mechanical testing. Results A decreasing trend in impedance was observed over time for all rabbits at lower frequencies. Impedance closest to 5 Hz showed a statistically significant decrease over time, with greatest decrease occurring during the first 7 postoperative days. At 5 Hz, a statistically significant correlation was found between impedance and the modified AP RUST score and between impedance and bone volume fraction. Conclusions This study showed that the electrical impedance can be measured in vivo at a distance from the fracture site with a consistent change in impedance over time and revealed significant correlation between increasing radiographic union score and decreasing impedance. Level of Evidence Not applicable.

As an invasive plant species with wide ecological tolerance and fast infestation, kudzu has posed persistent challenges to the ecosystem and economy in the southeastern United States. However, current studies on kudzu mapping and invasive mechanisms are inadequate to unveil the characteristics of kudzu’s spatiotemporal dynamics. In this study, we investigate kudzu distribution and its influential factors based on continuous Sentinel-2 satellite images and a multi-temporal mapping strategy. The study was conducted in Knox County, Tennessee, a representative region highly impacted by kudzu in the southeastern United States. Our results revealed a steady increase in the kudzu invasion area from 2020 to 2022, with a phenology of a growth season from May to September (peak in August) and a rapid defoliation in the fall. We found precipitation is not a limiting factor for kudzu growth, while temperature has strong correlations with kudzu growth, exhibiting seasonal variations in this humid subtropical region. Human activities play an important role in kudzu distribution with a sharp decrease in kudzu density away from road networks, residential clusters, and the edges of urban forests. These findings provide valuable insights into the complex nature of the kudzu invasion in Knox County, as well as other similar areas in the southeastern United States. The observed unique growth patterns of kudzu and its interactions with various environmental factors in this study are also of importance for future initiatives related to mapping the distribution and devising strategies for the prevention and control of kudzu invasion.

The photoelectric conversion efficiency of photovoltaic thermal (PVT) systems is a key concern in solar energy research. The widespread use of continuous nanofluid cooling in PVT/NPCM (Nano-Enhanced Phase Change Material) systems leads to heightened energy consumption. In order to improve efficiency of the PVT/NPCM systems, a two-dimensional transient heat transfer numerical model is established to analyze the PVT/NPCM system with intermittent flow cooling. Corresponding govern equations with boundary conditions are proposed, and numerically solved by using the finite element method. Simulation results are compared with experimental data, showing a deviation of less than 7 %. The findings indicate that the intermittent cooling reduces the flow energy consumption required to drive 2220 L of nanofluid compared to continuous cooling over a 7-h period. Furthermore, under intermittent cooling conditions, the average electrical efficiency stands at approximately 19.7 %. Notably, the electrical efficiency of PVT/NPCM systems employing intermittent flow cooling closely aligns with those employing continuous flow cooling, exhibiting a maximum deviation of merely 0.0348 %. Additionally, intermittent flow cooling emerges as a favorable choice under solar radiation intensities surpasses 1000W/m2, enabling a significant reduction in overall energy consumption while maintaining commendable cooling performance.

In-situ XRD, 31P NMR and 23Na NMR were used to analyze the interaction behavior of Na3V2(PO4)3 at low voltage, and then a new intercalation model was proposed. During the transition from Na3V2(PO4)3 to Na4V2(PO4)3, Na ions insert into M1, M2 and M3 sites simultaneously. Afterwards, during the transition of Na4V2(PO4)3 to Na5V2(PO4)3, Na ions mainly insert into M3 site.

Abstract Aurora Kinase A (AURKA) promotes cell proliferation and is overexpressed in different types of polycystic kidney disease (PKD). To understand AURKA’s role in regulating renal cyst development we conditionally deleted the gene in mouse models of Autosomal Dominant PKD (ADPKD) and Joubert Syndrome, caused by Polycystin 1 (Pkd1) and Inositol polyphosphate-5-phosphatase E (Inpp5e) mutations respectively. We show that while Aurka is dispensable for collecting duct development and homeostasis, its deletion prevents cyst formation in both disease models. Cross-comparison of transcriptional changes implicated AKT signaling in cyst prevention and we show that (i) AURKA and AKT physically interact, (ii) AURKA regulates AKT activity in a kinase-independent manner and (iii) inhibition of AKT can reduce disease severity. AKT activation also regulates Aurka expression, creating a feed-forward loop driving renal cystogenesis. We find that the AURKA kinase inhibitor Alisertib stabilises the AURKA protein, agonizing its cystogenic functions. These studies identify AURKA as a master regulator of renal cyst development in different types of PKD, functioning in-part via AKT.

Abstract Background Lactate, a glycolytic metabolite mainly produced in muscles, has been suggested to regulate myoblast differentiation, although the underlying mechanism remains elusive. Recently, lactate‐mediated histone lactylation is identified as a novel epigenetic modification that promotes gene transcription. Methods We used mouse C2C12 cell line and 2‐month‐old male mice as in vitro and in vivo models, respectively. These models were treated with lactate to explore the biological function and latent mechanism of lactate‐derived histone lactylation on myogenic differentiation by quantitative real‐time PCR, western blotting, immunofluorescence staining, chromatin immunoprecipitation, cleavage under targets and tagmentation assay and RNA sequencing. Results Using immunofluorescence staining and western blotting, we proposed that lactylation might occur in the histones. Inhibition of lactate production or intake both impaired myoblast differentiation, accompanied by diminished lactylation in the histones. Using lactylation site‐specific antibodies, we demonstrated that lactate preferentially increased H3K9 lactylation (H3K9la) during myoblast differentiation (CT VS 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 mM lactate treatment, P = 0.0012, P = 0.0007, and the rest of all P

Abstract Background Trans- inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) implantation technique was wildly used while the potential appropriate angle range in which the residual alveolar bone can bear the stress without absorption are currently unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the stress distribution pattern of the interface between bone and implant by finite element analysis (FEA) to determine the appropriate range of the implant tilt angle. Methods Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images of 120 patients with missing mandibular second molars and vertical bone height

LiCoO2 is an important category of active cathode materials in lithium-ion batteries due to its high compacted electrode density, good thermal stability, and stable voltage platform. Recent works on LiCoO2 have focused on the realization of higher charging voltages to fully utilize its high theoretical capacity. However, an unambiguous atomic-level local probe is essential for the understanding of structure-function correlation. Here we employ high-resolution solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to study the local atomic environments in LiCoO2 synthesized with three common sintering methods. While one-dimensional 7Li NMR shows distinct linewidth and subtle dependence on lithium over-stoichiometry, both 7Li and 59Co relaxation times are highly dependent on the sintering method. We prove that the two-step sintering method favors the elimination of unreacted Co3O4, thereby enabling the best discharge capacity in all-solid-state lithium batteries assembled with LiCoO2/LGPS/LiIn, which is in accordance with its narrowest 7Li linewidth and the longest 7Li/59Co T1.

Abstract Studies describing the clinical presentation and prognosis of patients with silent PIT1 (pituitary specific transcription factor)‐lineage pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs) are rare. We identified patients with positive PIT1 tumor staining but without evidence of hormone hypersecretion at a tertiary center. Clusters were obtained according to cell morphology and immunostaining from each patient's digitally segmented whole slide image. We compared the clinical presentations, radiological features, and prognoses of the different clusters. We identified 146 patients (68 male, 42.9 ± 14.1 years old) with silent PIT1‐lineage PitNETs. Morphology clustering suggested that tumors with large nuclei and apparent eccentricity were associated with a higher proportion of aggressiveness and a higher hazard of recurrence [hazard ratio (HR): 2.64, (95% CI, 1.06–6.55), p = 0.037]. Immunohistochemical clustering suggested that tumors with thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) staining or all negative PIT1‐lineage hormones were associated with a higher proportion of aggressiveness and a higher risk of recurrence [HR: 12.4, (95% CI, 1.60–93.5), p = 0.015]. We obtained three‐tier risk profiles by combining morphological and immunohistochemical clustering. Patients with the high‐risk profile presented the highest recurrence rate compared with those in the medium‐risk and low‐risk profiles [HR: 3.54, (95% CI, 1.40–8.93), p = 0.002]. In conclusion, digital image analysis based on cell morphology and immunohistochemical staining allows objective stratification of patients with silent PIT1‐lineage tumors. Typical morphological characteristics of high‐risk tumors are large tumor nuclei and high eccentricity, and typical immunostaining characteristics are TSH staining or negative staining for all PIT1‐lineage hormones.

Due to its exceptional mechanical and chemical properties at high temperatures, Inconel 718 is extensively utilized in industries such as aerospace, aviation, and marine. Investigating the flow behavior of Inconel 718 under high strain rates and high temperatures is vital for comprehending the dynamic characteristics of the material in manufacturing processes. This paper introduces a physics-based constitutive model that accounts for dislocation motion and its density evolution, capable of simulating the plastic behavior of Inconel 718 during large strain deformations caused by machining processes. Utilizing a microstructure-based flow stress model, the machinability of Inconel 718 in terms of cutting forces and temperatures is quantitatively predicted and compared with results from orthogonal cutting experiments. The model’s predictive precision, with a margin of error between 5 and 8%, ensures reliable consistency and enhances our comprehension of the high-speed machining dynamics of Inconel 718 components.

This paper introduces fractional Brownian motion into the study of Maxwell nanofluids over a stretching surface. Nonlinear coupled spatial fractional-order energy and mass equations are established and solved numerically by the finite difference method with Newton’s iterative technique. The quantities of physical interest are graphically presented and discussed in detail. It is found that the modified model with fractional Brownian motion is more capable of explaining the thermal conductivity enhancement. The results indicate that a reduction in the fractional parameter leads to thinner thermal and concentration boundary layers, accompanied by higher local Nusselt and Sherwood numbers. Consequently, the introduction of a fractional Brownian model not only enriches our comprehension of the thermal conductivity enhancement phenomenon but also amplifies the efficacy of heat and mass transfer within Maxwell nanofluids. This achievement demonstrates practical application potential in optimizing the efficiency of fluid heating and cooling processes, underscoring its importance in the realm of thermal management and energy conservation.

The Sentinel-2 Multi-Spectral Instrument (MSI) is characterized by short revisit times (5 days), red-edge spectral bands (665 nm and 705 nm), and a high spatial resolution (10 m), making it highly suitable for monitoring water quality in both inland and coastal waters. Unlike SeaWiFS, which can adjust its viewing angles to minimize sunglint, the Sentinel-2 MSI operates with fixed near-nadir angles, which makes it more susceptible to sunglint. Additionally, the complex optical properties of water pose challenges in accurately determining its water-leaving reflectance. Therefore, we compared the effectiveness of six atmospheric correction (AC) algorithms (POLYMER, MUMM, DSF, C2RCC, BP, and GRS) in correcting sunglint using two typical lakes in Xinjiang, China, as examples. The results indicated that POLYMER achieved the highest overall evaluation score (1.61), followed by MUMM (1.21), while BP exhibited the lowest performance (0.62). Specifically, POLYMER showed robust performance at the 665 nm band with RMSE = 0.0012 sr−1, R2 = 0.74, and MAPE = 30.68%, as well as at the 705 nm band with RMSE = 0.0014 sr−1, R2 = 0.42, and MAPE = 38.44%. At the 443, 490, and 560 nm bands, MUMM showed better performance (RMSE ≤ 0.0026 sr−1, R2 ≥ 0.86, MAPE ≤ 28.20%). In terms of band ratios, POLYMER exhibited the highest accuracy (RMSE ≤ 0.093 and MAPE ≤ 22.2%), particularly for the ratio Rrs(490)/Rrs(560) (R2 = 0.71). In general, POLYMER is the best choice for the sunglint correction of Xinjiang’s clean lakes. This study assessed the capability of different AC algorithms for sunglint correction and enhanced the monitoring capability of MSI data in clean waters.

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are a common occupational health problem in industries, and they can lead to decreased productivity and a reduced quality of life for workers. Exoskeletons, as an emerging technology, have the potential to solve this challenge by assisting arm movements and reducing muscle effort during load lifting tasks. In this paper, a passive exoskeleton based on a variable stiffness mechanism (VSM) torque generator is proposed and evaluated. This exoskeleton can provide adjustable torque curves and accommodate three degrees of freedom (DOFs) while remaining compact and lightweight. The workspace analysis shows that the workspace of this exoskeleton is sufficient for most industrial manual handling tasks. The experimental results demonstrate that the exoskeleton effectively reduces muscle effort during overhead reaching and load-lifting tasks, highlighting its effectiveness for repetitive tasks in industrial settings.

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) stands as a predominant chronic liver ailment globally, yet its pathogenesis remains elusive. This study aims to identify Hub mitophagy-related genes (MRGs), and explore the underlying pathological mechanisms through which these hub genes regulate NAFLD. Methods: A total of 3 datasets were acquired from the GEO database and integrated to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in NAFLD and perform Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA). By intersecting DEGs with MRGs, mitophagy-related differentially expressed genes (MRDEGs) were obtained. Then, hub MRGs with diagnostic biomarker capability for NAFLD were screened and a diagnostic prediction model was constructed and assessed using Nomogram, Decision Curve Analysis (DCA), and ROC curves. Functional enrichment analysis was conducted on the identified hub genes to explore their biological significance. Additionally, regulatory networks were constructed using databases. NAFLD was stratified into high and low-risk groups based on the Riskscore from the diagnostic prediction model. Furthermore, single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) and CIBERSORT algorithms were employed to analyze immune cell infiltration patterns and the relationship between Hub MRGs and immune cells. Results: The integrated dataset comprised 122 NAFLD samples and 31 control samples. After screening, 18 MRDEGs were identified. Subsequently, six hub MRGs (NR4A1, PPP2R2A, P4HA1, TUBB6, DUSP1, NAMPT) with diagnostic potential were selected through WGCNA, logistic regression, SVM, RF, and LASSO models, all significantly downregulated in NAFLD samples compared to the control group. A diagnostic prediction model based on these six genes demonstrated robust predictive performance. Functional enrichment analysis of the six hub genes revealed involvement in processes such as protein phosphorylation or dephosphorylation. Correlation analysis demonstrated a significant association between hub MRGs and infiltrating immune cells. Conclusion: We identified six hub MRGs in NAFLD and constructed a diagnostic prediction model based on these six genes, applicable for early NAFLD diagnosis. These genes may participate in regulating NAFLD progression through the modulation of mitophagy and immune activation. Our findings may contribute to subsequent clinical and basic research on NAFLD.

BackgroundProstate cancer (PCa) is the second most common solid cancer among men worldwide and the fifth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men. Sulforaphane (SFN), an isothiocyanate compound, has been shown to exert inhibitory effects on a variety of cancers. However, the biological function of SFN in PCa has not been fully elucidated. The objective of this study was conducted to further investigate the possible underlying mechanism of SFN in PCa using in vitro cell culture and in vivo tumor model experiments.MethodsCell viability, migration, invasion, and apoptosis were analyzed by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), wound healing assay, transwell assay, or flow cytometry. Expression of microRNA (miR)-3919 was detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) or in situ hybridization assay. Xenograft assay was conducted to validated the antitumor effect of miR-3919. The targeting relationship between miR-3919 and DJ-1 was verified by dual-luciferase reporter assay. The level of DJ-1was measured by qRT-PCR or western blotting (WB).ResultsIn the present study, SFN downregulated mRNA and protein expression of DJ-1, an oncogenic gene. Small RNA sequencing analysis and dual-luciferase reporter assay confirmed that microRNA (miR)-3919 directly targeted DJ-1 to inhibition its expression. Furthermore, miR-3919 overexpression impeded viability, migration, and invasion and promoted apoptosis of PCa cells. Tumor growth in nude mice was also inhibited by miR-3919 overexpression, and miR-3919 expression in PCa tissues was lower than that in peritumoral tissues in an in situ hybridization assay. Transfection with miR-3919 inhibitors partially reversed the effects of SFN on cell viability, migration, invasion, and apoptosis. ConclusionOverall, the miR-3919/DJ-1 axis may be involved in the effects of SFN on the malignant biological behavior of PCa cells, which might be a new therapeutic target in PCa.

Gastric cancer (GC) remains one of the most life-threatening disease worldwide with poor prognosis because of the absence of effective treatment and the delay in diagnosis. Due to the delay of diagnosis, a large proportion of GC patients are diagnosed as advanced GC, with extreme short lifespan. In the past few years, some pivotal progress and novel therapies was proposed, and conducted into clinical researches and practice. In this study, we summarized the development of several novel immunotherapy or targeted treatment modalities for advanced GC, including immune checkpoint inhibitors, anti-angiogenic therapy and cancer vaccines. Additionally, the advantage and potential weakness in each of these therapeutic methods are also listed. Finally, we discussed the promising research direction of advanced GC treatment, and the limitation in basic and clinical research of advanced GC, including the combination of immunotherapy and targeted therapy.

Background: Although dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a prevalent form of cardiomyopathy, the molecular mechanisms underlying its pathogenesis and progression remain poorly understood. It is possible to identify and validate DCM-associated genes, pathways, and miRNAs using bioinformatics analysis coupled with clinical validation methods. Methods: Our analysis was performed using 3 mRNA datasets and 1 miRNA database. We employed several approaches, including gene ontology (GO) analysis, KEGG pathway enrichment analysis, protein-protein interaction networks analysis, and analysis of hub genes to identify critical genes and pathways linked to DCM. We constructed a regulatory network for DCM that involves interactions between miRNAs and mRNAs. We also validated the differently expressed miRNAs in clinical samples (87 DCM ，83 Normal) using qRT-PCR.The miRNAs' clinical value was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic curves (ROCs). Results: 78 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 170 differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) were associated with DCM. The top five GO annotations were collagen-containing extracellular matrix, cell substrate adhesion, negative regulation of cell differentiation, and inflammatory response. The most enriched KEGG pathways were the Neurotrophin signaling pathway, Thyroid hormone signaling pathway, Wnt signaling pathway, and Axon guidance. In the PPI network, we identified 10 hub genes, and in the miRNA-mRNA regulatory network, we identified 8 hub genes and 15 miRNAs. In the clinical validation, we found 13 miRNAs with an AUC value greater than 0.9. Conclusion: Our research offers novel insights into the underlying mechanisms of DCM and has implications for identifying potential targets for diagnosis and treatment of this condition.

We investigate two-dimensional modulation instability (MI) and higher-order soliton clusters in nematic liquid crystals with competing re-orientational and thermal nonlocal nonlinearities. With linear-stability analysis, we show nonlocality can suppress effectively MI of two-dimensional plane wave. By employing variational (Lagrangian) approach, bifurcated solutions of higher-order solitons, i.e., Hermite–Gaussian (HG) and Laguerre–Gaussian (LG) soliton clusters are obtained analytically. Propagation dynamics of both upper and lower branches of solitons are demonstrated numerically. Properties, such as stable propagation distance and mode transformation between HG and LG modes are also discussed in detail.

For the requirements of the multi-means observation and emergency monitoring of space objects, including space debris and near-earth asteroids, this paper analyzes the astronomical observation conditions in the stratosphere, which is the region of the earth’s atmosphere between 18 km and 55 km of altitude. The results reveal that near space has a significantly superior sky background and observation environment than ground-based observation, with the values of transmittance in the visible band and near-infrared bands more than 0.91 and 0.988, respectively. The sky background radiance at 20 km is 2.5% of the ground in the visible band and near-infrared band, which is practical for daytime observation, and there is an advantage in the availability of observable hours without the influence of aerosols and turbulence, etc. Based on near-space aerostats, such as a high-altitude balloon, a new method of space object floating observation has been proposed, including the observation facilities and scheme. The simulation shows that it has an all-weather/all-day ability while adopting multi-band observation. Applying a telescope with 9.5 mag detective ability located on the aerostat, debris with the size of about 0.36 m can be observed at a 1000 km distance and phase angle of 100°, while the near-earth asteroid with the size of about 980 km can be observed at a 5 million km distance and phase angle of 40° during the daytime. With these advantages, the aerostat-based observation would be a beneficial supplement to the ground-based observation network.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are functional molecules in all kinds of fibrosis diseases. The current study was performed for the exploration of circ_0007535 in pulmonary fibrosis. RNA levels for circ_0007535, miR-18a-5p, and transforming growth factor-β receptor 1 (TGFBR1) were assayed via a reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Cell growth was determined by cell counting kit-8 assay for viability and ethynyl-2’-deoxyuridine assay for proliferation. Cell invasion and migration were examined by transwell assay and scratch assay. Western blot was performed for the detection of different proteins. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to assess inflammatory response. The interaction analysis was conducted using dual-luciferase reporter assay, RNA immunoprecipitation assay, and biotin-coupled pull-down assay. Circ_0007535 was significantly upregulated by TGF-β1 in HFL1 cells. TGF-β1-induced proliferation, motility, ECM accumulation, and inflammatory reaction in HFL1 cells were alleviated by circ_0007535 knockdown. Circ_0007535 exhibited interaction with miR-18a-5p, and miR-18a-5p inhibition reversed all influences of circ_0007535 downregulation in TGF-β1-treated HFL1 cells. Circ_0007535 acted as a miR-18a-5p sponge to regulate the expression of downstream target TGFBR1. MiR-18a-5p induced TGFBR1 level inhibition to attenuate TGF-β1-mediated cell injury in HFL1 cells. This study evidenced that circ_0007535 facilitated TGF-β1-induced pulmonary fibrosis by depending on the absorption of miR-18a-5p to upregulate TGFBR1.

Dual-mode electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy was employed to analyze redox mechanisms in lithium cobalt oxide LiCoO2 (LCO) cathode material during delithiation and lithiation. It was found that the O3-II could not fully convert back to the pristine O3–I phase while oxygen vacancies quickly generate and accumulate during the cycling. Our study paves the way for better understanding the doping effects of different elements on LiCoO2 in the future.

The pioneering work in finance by Black, Scholes and Merton during the 1970s led to the emergence of the Black-Scholes (B-S) equation, which offers a concise and transparent formula for determining the theoretical price of an option. The establishment of the B-S equation, however, relies on a set of rigorous assumptions that give rise to several limitations. The non-local property of the fractional derivative (FD) and the identification of fractal characteristics in financial markets have paved the way for the introduction and rapid development of fractional calculus in finance. In comparison to the classical B-S equation, the fractional B-S equations (FBSEs) offer a more flexible representation of market behavior by incorporating long-range dependence, heavy-tailed and leptokurtic distributions, as well as multifractality. This enables better modeling of extreme events and complex market phenomena, The fractional B-S equations can more accurately depict the price fluctuations in actual financial markets, thereby providing a more reliable basis for derivative pricing and risk management. This paper aims to offer a comprehensive review of various FBSEs for pricing European options, including associated solution techniques. It contributes to a deeper understanding of financial model development and its practical implications, thereby assisting researchers in making informed decisions about the most suitable approach for their needs.

Algal blooms are a major environmental challenge for lakes and reservoirs and pose severe threats to water on both aquatic and human health. Conventional algorithms used for algal bloom detection based on remote sensing reflectance proved to be effective in some lakes. However, it is still difficult to obtain high accuracy for multiple lakes using single-threshold-based detection. Currently, machine learning (ML) algorithms have been applied to pinpoint algal bloom locations with excellent results, but the ability of different ML models to be applied in different lakes is still unknown. This article presents the performance of algal bloom detection with commonly used ML algorithms in Chinese eutrophic inland lakes based on Sentinel-2 images. A series of comprehensive tests for accuracy, stability, and robustness was designed for four ML models, including random forest (RF), extreme gradient boosting, artificial neural network, and support vector machine, which were tested in Lake Taihu, Lake Chaohu, and Lake Dianchi. In addition, the index-based methods, including floating algae index and adjusted floating algae index, were also calculated for comparison with ML methods. The results showed that the RF model outperformed other ML models. The comparison results between the RF model and algal indexes revealed that the overall accuracy of RF remained above 0.90. Even with a single lake dataset used as training samples, the RF still maintained a fairly high accuracy of 0.88 for other lakes. To summarize, the four ML models demonstrate promising potential for algal bloom detection across different lakes and provide a practical reference for further applications.

This paper proposes a transfer learning neural network (TLNN) approach for digital pre-distortion (DPD) of mm-Wave active phased arrays (APA) operated under variable signal bandwidth regimes. Compared with the conventional artificial neural network (ANN) method, the proposed approach can achieve similar linearization performance with much lower computational complexity by transferring part of a trained model from one bandwidth to another bandwidth. In the recently introduced 5G, the increased signal bandwidth triggers considerable memory effects in the APA. Moreover, dealing with different signal bandwidths typically requires a time-consuming recalculation of the predistorter parameters. In this paper, the authors propose to have those challenges solved by using a DPD model based on the transfer learning method. The proposed approach was validated with over-the-air (OTA) measurements on an APA excited with signals of varying bandwidth, namely from 20 MHz to 100 MHz. Experimental results show a significant reduction in the training time while ensuring good linearization performance. With the applied TLNN DPD, an 8.5 dB improvement of adjacent channel leakage ratio (ACLR) and 8.6% points improvement of error vector magnitude (EVM) is achieved. Under the variable bandwidth regime, the complexity of the DPD model in terms of the number of multiplications is reduced from 199168 to 160. The proposed TLNN DPD proved to be robust concerning variation in the bandwidth of the APA excitation signal.

Water quality in alpine rivers on the Tibetan Plateau is a key indicator for eco-environment security in China, which, however, is difficult to be monitored over the plateau. In this study, several regression methods and physicals models based on hyperspectral satellite data and field observations are proposed to monitor critical water quality parameters, including water turbidity (WT), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), and total organic carbon (TOC) in alpine rivers. Three remote sensing and field joint observation experiments were firstly carried out in these rivers in different seasons. Then, novel statistical and semi-analytical models were built to calculate the water quality parameters in these alpine rivers using hyperspectral remote sensing data. An integrated air-ground database containing long-term water quality parameters of alpine rivers was further generated to capture the spatial heterogeneity of the water environment of these rivers by using the novel models. The results indicate that WT, TP, TN, and TOC concentrations showed clear interannual cyclical variations and seasonal variations, which reflect that the water environment has a strong seasonality and are mainly controlled by climate change in the alpine plateau.

Abstract Skull base chordoma (SBC) is a bone cancer with a high recurrence rate, high radioresistance rate, and poorly understood mechanism. Here, we profiled the transcriptomes of 90,691 single cells, revealed the SBC cellular hierarchies, and explored novel treatment targets. We identified a cluster of stem-like SBC cells that tended to be distributed in the inferior part of the tumor. Combining radiated UM-Chor1 RNA-seq data and in vitro validation, we further found that this stem-like cell cluster is marked by cathepsin L (CTSL), a gene involved in the packaging of telomere ends, and may be responsible for radioresistance. Moreover, signatures related to partial epithelial–mesenchymal transition (p-EMT) were found to be significant in malignant cells and were related to the invasion and poor prognosis of SBC. Furthermore, YL-13027, a p-EMT inhibitor that acts through the TGF-β signaling pathway, demonstrated remarkable potency in inhibiting the invasiveness of SBC in preclinical models and was subsequently applied in a phase I clinical trial that enrolled three SBC patients. Encouragingly, YL-13027 attenuated the growth of SBC and achieved stable disease with no serious adverse events, underscoring the clinical potential for the precision treatment of SBC with this therapy. In summary, we conducted the first single-cell RNA sequencing of SBC and identified several targets that could be translated to the treatment of SBC.

In this paper, vector dark solitons with two colors are demonstrated in nonlocal nonlinear Kerr medium. Using Lagrangian method and rectangular profile of nonlocal response of the media, solutions of the solitons are obtained analytically. The stability of the solitons is also studied numerically, which confirms the analytical results. Nonlocality can suppress instability induced by the difference of diffraction coefficients, leading to formation of stationary two-color vector dark solitons which are always unstable in local nonlinear media.

Introduction: Most studies reporting posterior pituitary tumors (PPTs) are small case series or single cases. Methods: Patients with a histological diagnosis of PPT from January 2010 to December 2021 in a tertiary center were identified. We reported clinical symptoms, endocrine assessments, radiological and pathological features, and surgical outcomes of PPTs. Results: A total of 51 patients (23 males, 51.3 ± 10.3 years old) with PPT were included in this study. Major symptoms were visual defects, headache, and hypopituitarism, while diabetes insipidus was uncommon (9.8%). The typical radiological feature was homogeneous enhancement (84.3%) of a regular-shaped mass on T1 contrast imaging without cystic change, calcification, or cavernous sinus invasio n. We achieved gross total resection in 38/51 patients (74.5%). Pathologically, all tumors showed thyroid transcription factor 1 immunoreactivity. Among 29 patients with suprasellar PPTs, postoperative hemorrhage due to tumor residue was encountered in 2/15 cases in the transcranial group and 0/14 in the endoscopy group. Patients with spindle cell oncocytoma (SCO) were more likely to be surgically treated (25% vs 0%, P = 0.018), harbor a higher Ki-67 index (16.7% vs 0% > 5% P = 0.050), and present a lower 2-year recurrence-free survival rate (67.5% vs 90.9%) compared with patients with pituicytoma or granular cell tumor. Conclusion: PPTs should be considered in the differential diagnosis of pati ents with sellar and suprasellar masses with a regular lesion with homogeneous enhancement. SCOs had high proliferation activity and risk of recurrence.

Ternary nanofluid is a novel class of working fluids with excellent heat transfer properties. A combination of three solid nanoparticles consisting of SWCNTs, TiO2, and MoS2 is investigated for Darcy-Forchheimer water-based ternary nanofluids. The related mathematical models are established by considering linear, quadratic and nonlinear thermal radiations. Numerical results and entropy generation analysis reveal the considerable influence of nonlinear thermal radiation on temperature and the reduced Nusselt number of ternary nanofluids. With the help of multiple quadratic regression, the impact of relevant parameters on the reduced Nusselt number is studied in depth. The results show that the temperature and Nusselt number are always the highest in the nonlinear thermal radiation model compared with the linear and quadratic ones, and they are most sensitive to the changes of Rd and δ. The thermal radiation properties of ternary nanofluids may potentially lead to more efficient solar energy conversion. This comparative study illustrates the advantages of ternary nanofluids in improving solar radiation utilization efficiency with nonlinear thermal radiation.

Transmit/receive (T/R) switch is used to switch the transmission and reception channels in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer, which is required high isolation of high-power signals and low insertion loss of NMR signals. In addition, the general narrowband T/R switch is no longer applicable in broadband magnetic resonance spectrometer. This paper presents a positive-intrinsic-negative (PIN) diode-based T/R switch design with low insertion loss (less than 1 dB), high isolation of high-power signals (more than 75 dB) and short switching time (1 μs) in broadband (10~100 MHz). Substituting the broadband T/R switch for the narrowband T/R switch of the general probe, the NMR signals of hydrogen and fluorine nuclei at two different frequencies were measured on a 0.5 T NMR spectrometer, which verified the broadband performance of the T/R switch.

Abstract Background Propionic acidemia is a severe inherited metabolic disorder, caused by the deficiency of propionyl-CoA carboxylase which encoded by the PCCA and PCCB genes. The aim of the study was to investigate the clinical features and outcomes, molecular epidemiology and phenotype-genotype relationship in Chinese population. Methods We conducted a retrospective study of 60 Chinese patients diagnosed at Peking University First Hospital from 2007 to 2020. Their clinical and laboratory data were reviewed. The next-generation sequencing was conducted on blood samples from 58 patients. Results Only 5 (8.3%) patients were identified by newborn screening. In the rest 55 patients, 25 had early-onset (≤ 3 months) disease and 30 had late-onset (> 3 months) disease. Neurological abnormalities were the most frequent complications. Five cases detected by newborn screening had basically normal development. Nine (15%) cases died in our cohort. 24 patients (41.4%) harbored PCCA variants, and 34 (58.6%) harbored PCCB variants. 30 (11 reported and 19 novel) variants in PCCA and 28 (18 reported and 10 novel) variants in PCCB mere identified. c.2002G>A and c.937C>T in PCCA, and c.838dupC in PCCB were the most common variants in this cohort, with the frequency of 13.9% (6/44 alleles), 13.9% (6/44 alleles) and 12.5% (8/64 alleles), respectively. There was no difference in clinical features and outcomes between patients with PCCA and PCCB variants. Certain variants with high frequencies and homozygotes may be associated with early-onset or late-onset propionic acidemia. Conclusions Although the genotype–phenotype correlation is still unclear, certain variants seemed to be related to early-onset or late-onset propionic acidemia. Our study further delineated the complex clinical manifestations of propionic acidemia and expanded the spectrum of gene variants associated with propionic acidemia.

Numerous studies have established that the hypoxic conditions within ovarian follicles induce apoptosis in granulosa cells (GCs), a pivotal hallmark of follicular atresia. Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine, MT), a versatile antioxidant naturally present in follicular fluid, acts as a safeguard for maintaining GCs’ survival during stress exposure. In this study, we unveil an innovative protective mechanism of melatonin against hypoxia-triggered GC apoptosis by selectively inhibiting mitochondrial ROS (mtROS) generation. Specifically, under hypoxic conditions, a gradual accumulation of mitochondrial ROS occurred, consequently activating the JNK-FOXO1 pathway, and driving GCs toward apoptosis. The blocking of JNK or FOXO1 diminished hypoxia-induced GC apoptosis, but this effect was nullified in the presence of GSH, indicating that mtROS instigates apoptosis through the JNK-FOXO1 pathway. Consistent with this, hypoxic GCs treated with melatonin exhibited decreased levels of mtROS, reduced JNK-FOXO1 activation, and mitigated apoptosis. However, the protective capabilities of melatonin were attenuated upon inhibiting its receptor MTNR1B, accompanied by the decreased expression of antioxidant genes. Notably, SOD2, a key mitochondrial antioxidant gene modulated by the melatonin–MTNR1B axis, effectively inhibited the activation of mtROS-JNK-FOXO1 and subsequent apoptosis, whereas SOD2 knockdown abrogated the protective role of melatonin in hypoxic GCs. In conclusion, our study elucidates that melatonin, through MTNR1B activation, fosters SOD2 expression, effectively quelling mtROS-JNK-FOXO1-mediated apoptosis in follicular GCs under hypoxic stress.

The chlorophyll-a (Chla) concentration is a key parameter to evaluate the eutrophication conditions of water, which is very important for monitoring algal blooms. Although Geostationary Ocean Color Imager (GOCI) has been widely used in Chla inversion, the consistency of the Rayleigh-corrected reflectance (Rrc) of GOCI and GOCI-II sensors still needs to be further evaluated, and a model suitable for lakes with complex optical properties needs to be constructed. The results show that (1) the derived Chla values of the GOCI and GOCI-II synchronous data were relatively consistent and continuous in three lakes in China. (2) The accuracy of the random forest (RF) model (R2 = 0.84, root mean square error (RMSE) =11.77 μg/L) was higher than that of the empirical model (R2 = 0.79, RMSE = 12.63 μg/L) based on the alternative floating algae index (AFAI). (3) The interannual variation trend fluctuated, with high Chla levels in Lake Chaohu in 2015 and 2019, while those in Lake Hongze were high in 2013, 2015, and 2022, and those in Lake Taihu reached their peak in 2017 and 2019. There were three types of diurnal variation patterns, namely, near-continuous increase (Class 1), near-continuous decrease (Class 2), and first an increase and then a decrease (Class 3), among which Lake Chaohu and Lake Taihu occupied the highest proportion in Class 3. The results analyzed the temporal and spatial variations of Chla in three lakes for 12 years and provided support for the use of GOCI and GOCI-II data and monitoring of Chla in optical complex inland waters.

We investigate the interactions of in-phase Airy beams modulated by a fundamental Gaussian beam and fourth-order diffraction in Kerr nonlinear media. Directly numerical simulations show that normal (anomalous) fourth-order diffraction and an in-phase (out-of-phase) Gaussian beam affect the interactions of solitons generated from Airy beams in unique ways. Different from previous results, suggesting that interactions of in-phase (out-of-phase) conventional beams are always attractive (repulsive), many anomalous interactions of Airy beams are obtained. Stable breathing Airy soliton pairs can be formed with fourth-order diffraction and a fundamental Gaussian beam.

Background: Cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury (CSA-AKI) is a major complication that results in short- and long-term mortality among patients. Here, we adopted machine learning algorithms to build prediction models with the overarching goal of identifying patients who are at a high risk of such unfavorable kidney outcomes. Methods: A total of 1686 patients (development cohort) and 422 patients (validation cohort), with 126 pre- and intra-operative variables, were recruited from the First Medical Centre and the Sixth Medical Centre of Chinese PLA General Hospital in Beijing, China, respectively. Analyses were performed using six machine learning techniques, namely K-nearest neighbor, logistic regression, decision tree, random forest (RF), support vector machine, and neural network, and the APPROACH score, a previously established risk score for CSA-AKI. For model tuning, optimal hyperparameter was achieved by using GridSearch with 5-fold cross-validation from the scikit-learn library. Model performance was externally assessed via the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and decision curve analysis (DCA). Explainable machine learning was performed using the Python SHapley Additive exPlanation (SHAP) package and Seaborn library, which allow the calculation of marginal contributory SHAP value. Results: 637 patients (30.2%) developed CSA-AKI within seven days after surgery. In the external validation, the RF classifier exhibited the best performance among the six machine learning techniques, as shown by the ROC curve and DCA, while the traditional APPROACH risk score showed a relatively poor performance. Further analysis found no specific causative factor contributing to the development of CSA-AKI; rather, the development of CSA-AKI appeared to be a complex process resulting from a complex interplay of multiple risk factors. The SHAP summary plot illustrated the positive or negative contribution of RF-top 20 variables and extrapolated risk of developing CSA-AKI at individual levels. The Seaborn library showed the effect of each single feature on the model output of the RF prediction. Conclusions: Efficient machine learning approaches were successfully established to predict patients with a high probability of developing acute kidney injury after cardiac surgery. These findings are expected to help clinicians to optimize treatment strategies and minimize postoperative complications. Clinical Trial Registration: The study protocol was registered at the ClinicalTrials Registration System (https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/, #NCT04966598) on July 26, 2021.

Signal source number detection is an essential issue for the direction of arrival (DOA) estimation in satellite communication systems. The performances of conventional and deep-learning-based signal source number detection methods will deteriorate when the signal-to-noise ratio is low or coherent signals exist. This paper proposes a DOA detection network (DTN) combined with the root weighted subspace fitting (root-WSF) method to tackle this challenge. The DTN uses the constructed deep neural networks (DNN) to denoise the received signals and captures the nonlinear mapping relationship between the received signals and the number of signal sources. The received signals in the complex-valued domain are directly treated as DTN’s input, and the label of DTN is the one-hot encoding of the source number. It solves the issue that the classifier cannot well-handle the coherent signals and extends the values of discrete features to Euclidean space. Accordingly, the trained DTN can detect the signal source numbers with an average detection accuracy of 96.6%, and the root-WSF algorithm is applied as the rear stage of DOA estimation. Compared with the traditional DOA methods, the proposed DTN incorporated with the root-WSF algorithm features superior robustness, high DOA estimation accuracy, and enhanced resolution.

Abstract This paper proposes a neural network (NN)‐based over‐the‐air (OTA) linearisation technique for a highly non‐linear and wide‐band mmWave active phased array (APA) transmitter and compares it with the conventional memory polynomial model (MPM)‐based technique. The proposed NN effectively learns the distinctive non‐linear distortions, which may not easily fit to existing MPM solutions, and can, therefore, successfully cope with the challenges introduced by the high non‐linearity and wide bandwidth. The proposed technique has been evaluated using a state‐of‐the‐art 4 × 4 APA operating in highly non‐linear regions at 28 GHz with a 100‐MHz‐wide 3GPP base‐station signal as input. Experimental results show the pre‐distortion signal generated by the NN exhibits the peak‐to‐average power ratio (PAPR) much lower than the one generated by MPM and consequently superior linearisation performance in terms of adjacent channel leakage ratio (ACLR) and error vector magnitude (EVM) for high non‐linearity cases. Using the proposed NN‐based linearisation technique, an improvement of 5‐dB ACLR and 7% points in EVM are achieved, which demonstrates the promising potential of this technique for emerging broadband communication systems such as 5G/6G and low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite networks.

Direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation plays a vital role in the field of array signal processing. However, the need for heavy computing tasks in most traditional DOA algorithms, e.g., multiple signal classification (MUSIC), makes their engineering practicality significantly compromised in satellite communication systems. The neuroevolution of augmenting topologies (NEAT) can quickly search for appropriate topologies and weights of neural network functions, but its computational complexity is still too high for satellite systems. This paper proposes a modified NEAT architecture featuring a recurrent structure (RNEAT) that only needs a small number of phase components of the received signal covariance matrix as inputs to reduce the complexity and simplify the neural network architecture. The proposed RNEAT incorporated with multiple signal classification (RNEAT-MUSIC) features low complexity to achieve high resolution and low complexity simultaneously. Validation has been done by applying the proposed method in a two-dimensional direction of arrival estimation (2D-DOA) problem. Results show that the proposed RNEAT-MUSIC efficiently restricts the scanning region before forwarding the covariance matrix to the MUSIC stage. Consequently, the computational workload is reduced by 3/4 compared with the traditional 2D-MUSIC algorithm while maintaining satisfactory DOA resolution.

Objective: Fluorescence contrast technology using indocyanine green (ICG) could be useful for the rapid, dynamic, and objective assessment of blood vessels and the surrounding tissues when combined with near-infrared (NIR) imaging. Although ICG is a clinically available NIR fluorescence imaging probe, it can easily aggregate and is, thus, unstable. In the present study, we examined the efficacy of a host–guest ICG–β-cyclodextrin (CD) complex, which is used in pharmaceutics to improve the water solubility, stability, and bioavailability of hydrophobic molecules, for NIR imaging after hind footpad administration in a rat model. Methods: To verify the performance of the ICG-β-CD complex with the host–guest self-assembly method in vivo, we performed simultaneous small animal (IVIS Spectrum system; PerkinElmer, Waltham, MA) and clinical (DIGI-MIH-001 near-infrared fluorescence imaging system; Beijing Digital Precision Medical Technology Co, Ltd, Beijing, China) imaging and evaluated the fluorescent properties of the ICG-β-CD complex in the hind footpad model of Sprague-Dawley male rats. Results: We successfully prepared the ICG-β-CD complex. Compared with ICG, in vivo experiments showed that this complex had reduced absorbance at 710 nm and increased absorbance at 780 nm, indicating that it could prevent the dimeric aggregation of ICG, and a significantly higher fluorescence intensity at 730 nm excitation. After injection of 1.25 mg/mL of ICG or ICG-β-CD complex solutions into the rat hind footpad, fluorescent NIR lymphatic images were observed with both imaging systems. During the 12-hour observation period, the signal background ratio of ICG-β-CD showed a greater acute increase and a higher signal background ratio compared with ICG. The signal background ratio of ICG-β-CD was 125 to 100 from 260 to 540 minutes. These in vivo data suggest that ICG-β-CD has greater diffusion from the injection site and faster transport to the lymphatic system compared with ICG. Conclusions: ICG-β-CD showed faster lymphatic transport than ICG, allowing for more rapid lymphatic NIR imaging. Thus, the ICG-β-CD complex might be a promising fluorescent agent for clinical lymphatic NIR imaging. : Clinical Relevance: The lymphatic system plays a crucial role in maintaining tissue fluid homeostasis by draining protein-rich fluid from the perivascular interstitial spaces back into the circulation. The lymphatic system also plays a variety of roles in the progression of some peripheral vascular diseases, including venous leg ulcers, atherosclerotic vascular disease, and severe foot infection. Understanding the dynamic changes of the lymphatic fluid is indispensable for a variety of clinical situations and research areas. We investigated the potential feasibility of the indocyanine green–β-cyclodextrin complex in clinical applications using clinically available near-infrared fluorescence imaging equipment.

Low Earth orbit satellites are expected to be one of the biggest suppliers of wireless communication within the coming years. For this to happen 5G and 6G networks, are crucial to be implemented in satellite communication. This comes with the problem of power-efficient transmissions. This paper exploits recent advances in complex-valued deep learning to cope with this challenge. The proposed approach is based on the autoencoder structure, where a legacy orthogonal frequency division modulation (OFDM) transmitter is used as an encoder and a deep complex convoluted network (DCCN) is used as decoder/receiver. Different from other state-of-the-art receiver architectures based on one-stage trained neural networks, our proposed DCCN adopts a two-stage training scheme, where the first stage is trained using AWGN channel and a fixed non-linear front end. The second stage uses a transfer learning to adapt to the flat fading channels and the front end model can be changed to compensate for different front ends, significantly reducing training time.This allows for power-efficient transmission at different operation statuses (e.g. radiated power levels and steering angles) without compromising the bit error rate in both average white Gaussian noise (AWGN) and flat fading channels. A K-band (28 GHz) active phased array in package (AiP) transmitting a 5G NR OFDM signal with a bandwidth of 100 MHz was used as the main front end test vehicle for validating the proposed DCCN. Satisfactory bit error rates were achieved while the AiP was driven into saturation with high power efficiency at different power levels and steering angles. This work demonstrates, for the first time, the promising capability of deep neural networks in processing varied operation staged non-linear OFDM waveforms in the form of an auto-decoder receiver.

Abstract Transmembrane protein (TMEM) is a family of protein that spans cytoplasmic membranes and allows cell–cell and cell–environment communication. Dysregulation of TMEMs has been observed in multiple cancers. However, little is known about TMEM116 in cancer development. In this study, we demonstrate that TMEM116 is highly expressed in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissues and cell lines. Inactivation of TMEM116 reduced cell proliferation, migration and invasiveness of human cancer cells and suppressed A549 induced tumor metastasis in mouse lungs. In addition, TMEM116 deficiency inhibited PDK1-AKT-FOXO3A signaling pathway, resulting in accumulation of TAp63, while activation of PDK1 largely reversed the TMEM116 deficiency induced defects in cancer cell motility, migration and invasive. Together, these results demonstrate that TMEM116 is a critical integrator of oncogenic signaling in cancer metastasis.

Water clarity, indexed by Secchi disk depth (Zsd), comprehensively reflects water quality and can be monitored by satellite. Zsd may vary across lakes globally, driven by natural and human activities (climate, land use/land cover, lake morphological characteristics, etc.). Based on Sentinel-3 Ocean and Land Color Instrument (OLCI) imagery, we explored the driving factors of Zsd spatiotemporal patterns in lakes across Eastern China (including the Northeast Plain and Mountain Lake (NPML) Zone and the Eastern Plain Lake (EPL) Zone). Spatially, the responses of driving factors were assessed using feature importance and partial dependence in the random forest model. The results showed that the impacts of natural factors on the spatial variations of Zsd (accounting for 52.00 % of contributions) are comparable to that of human activities (accounting for 48.00 % of contributions). The dynamic sediment ratio (DSR = the square root of the surface area divided by the average depth) showed the highest impact (accounting for 19.64 % of contributions). Thus, small lakes have relatively small DSR indices, making them less susceptible to wind- and wave-induced sediment resuspension, leading to higher Zsd than large lakes. Seasonally, the variations could be linked with the East Asian monsoon climate, characterized by hot and rainy summers. Moreover, the month with the highest Zsd was postponed from June-July in EPL lakes (south) to August-September in NPML lakes (north), consistent with the movement of the rainfall belt of the East Asian monsoon. This study could facilitate the knowledge of water quality in Eastern China as well as other developed areas and provide support for the sustainable development and management of lakes.