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Fumin Xu,1,* Xiao Chen,2,* Xinru Yin,1 Qiu Qiu,3 Jingjing Xiao,4 Liang Qiao,5 Mi He,5 Liang Tang,6 Xiawei Li,1 Qiao Zhang,1 Yanling Lv,1 Shili Xiao,1 Rong Zhao,1 Yan Guo,1 Mingsheng Chen,5 Dongfeng Chen,1 Liangzhi Wen,1,7 Bin Wang,1,8 Yongjian Nian,5 Kaijun Liu1,8 1Department of Gastroenterology, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Nuclear Medicine, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Gastroenterology, People’s Hospital of Chongqing Hechuan, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Medical Engineering, Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China; 5College of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China; 6Department of Internal Medicine, 63790 Military Hospital of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, Xichang, People’s Republic of China; 7Department of Infectious Disease, Taikang Tongji Hospital, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China; 8Department of Infectious Disease, Wuhan Huoshenshan Hospital, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Kaijun LiuDepartment of Gastroenterology, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, 10 Changjiang Branch Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400038, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86 135-9406-7813Email kliu_tmmu@126.comBackground: Since December 2019, COVID-19 has spread throughout the world. Clinical outcomes of COVID-19 patients vary among infected individuals. Therefore, it is vital to identify patients at high risk of disease progression.Methods: In this retrospective, multicenter cohort study, COVID-19 patients from Huoshenshan Hospital and Taikang Tongji Hospital (Wuhan, China) were included. Clinical features showing significant differences between the severe and nonsevere groups were screened out by univariate analysis. Then, these features were used to generate classifier models to predict whether a COVID-19 case would be severe or nonsevere based on machine learning. Two test sets of data from the two hospitals were gathered to evaluate the predictive performance of the models.Results: A total of 455 patients were included, and 21 features showing significant differences between the severe and nonsevere groups were selected for the training and validation set. The optimal subset, with eleven features in the k–nearest neighbor model, obtained the highest area under the curve (AUC) value among the four models in the validation set. D-dimer, CRP, and age were the three most important features in the optimal-feature subsets. The highest AUC value was obtained using a support vector–machine model for a test set from Huoshenshan Hospital. Software for predicting disease progression based on machine learning was developed.Conclusion: The predictive models were successfully established based on machine learning, and achieved satisfactory predictive performance of disease progression with optimal-feature subsets.Keywords: COVID-19, disease progression, machine-learning models

Shanbiao Hu,1 Ling Li,2 Wei Huang,3 Jie Liu,4 Gongbin Lan,1 Shaojie Yu,1 Longkai Peng,1 Xubiao Xie,1 Luoyan Yang,2 Yeqi Nian,2 Yinhuai Wang2 1Department of Urological Organ Transplantation, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China; 2Department of Urology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China; 3Research Center of Carcinogenesis and Targeted Therapy, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China; 4Department of Pathology, Changsha Central Hospital, Changsha, China Background: Aberrant expression of CAV3.1, one of T-type Ca2+ channels, is reported to exert important functions in pathological processes, including carcinogenesis. However, its expression pattern and function in prostate cancer (PCa) remains unclear.Materials and methods: The expression pattern of CAV3.1 was analyzed in multiple ways, including online analysis in Oncomine database, experimental analyses in cell lines, and collected clinical specimens using immunohistochemistry, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, and Western blot. Then, CAV3.1 was downregulated in PCa cells to explore its functions.Results: Upregulated CAV3.1 in PCa tissues and cells was confirmed by analyzing mRNA expression datasets from Oncomine and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction detection, respectively. Accordingly, significantly higher CAV3.1 protein level in PCa tissues specimens than that in benign prostatic hyperplasia tissues was indicated by immunohistochemical staining. In addition, CAV3.1 upregulation was positively associated with metastasis. Depletion of CAV3.1 impaired the proliferation, migration, and invasion ability of PCa cells demonstrating by cell functional experiments, such as CCK-8, cell cycle distribution, plate clone formation, scratch wound healing, and transwell invasion assays. Mechanistically, due to constrained Akt activity, CAV3.1 knockdown resulted in decreased level of CCND1, N-cadherin, and Vimentin, and increased level of E-cadherin whose expressions could be reversed by ectopic Akt expression. Similarly, ectopic Akt expression also rescued the inhibitory effects of CAV3.1 knockdown on cell functions like proliferation and migration in PCa cells.Conclusion: Upregulated CAV3.1 is positively associated with the development of PCa. CAV3.1 knockdown can inhibit PCa cell proliferation, migration, and invasion by suppressing AKT activity. Keywords: CAV3.1, PCa, AKT signaling, proliferation, invasion

Expansion of the Irish dairy herd has led to more dairy breed male calves being available for beef production. This study investigated the physico-chemical and sensory characteristics of beef from Holstein-Friesian (HF) and Jersey × HF (JEX) young bulls fed pasture grass only or pasture grass plus 2 kg concentrate during their first grazing season and slaughtered at 15, 19 or 22 mo of age. Longissimus thoracis (LT) muscles were collected from 67 carcasses. Postmortem pH, ultimate pH (pHu), meat colour, chemical composition, collagen content and solubility were evaluated. After ageing for 21 d, Warner-Bratzler shear force and cooking loss were determined, and assessments by a trained sensory panel were conducted. Meat from older animals was darker. The pHu, moisture and ash contents decreased, while residual roast beef flavour length increased with age. However, increasing age to slaughter did not negatively influence tenderness. JEX beef had lower cooking loss, was darker and redder, in addition to having higher sensory scores for initial tenderness and fattiness than HF beef. Warner-Bratzler variables were positively correlated with cooking loss and chewiness and were negatively correlated with intramuscular fat (IMF) content, soluble collagen and initial tenderness. In summary, most young dairy bull beef samples were acceptably tender after 21 d of ageing and half of them had acceptable IMF content. Slaughter age affected beef colour, pHu, chemical composition and flavour length. The eating quality of meat from the JEX breed type was considered to be superior to that of the HF breed type. Diet during the first season had no effect on meat quality traits.

Abstract Background Inflammation and obesity are the risk factors for hyperlipidaemia. Nonetheless, research regarding the association between dietary live microbes intake and hyperlipidaemia is lacking. Therefore, this study focused on revealing the relationship between them and mediating roles of inflammation and obesity. Methods Totally 16,677 subjects were enrolled from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) (1999–2010 and 2015–2020). To explore the correlation between live microbes and hyperlipidaemia as well as blood lipid levels, respectively, multiple logistic regression and linear regression were employed. Furthermore, the mediating roles of body mass index (BMI), C-reactive protein (Crp) and their chain effect were explored through mediating analysis. Results High dietary live microbes intake was the protective factor for hyperlipidaemia. In addition, high dietary live microbes intake exhibited a positive relationship to the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) among males (β = 2.52, 95% CI: 1.29, 3.76, P

ObjectivesConsidering the importance of mental health help-seeking, researchers have closely examined the relationship between mental health literacy (MHL) and help-seeking intention (HSI). Furthermore, the high impact of stigma and the potential value of social support on HSI have been recognised. However, the relationship between these variables has not been fully tested within the context of Chinese elite athletes. This study addressed this gap by examining the relationship between MHL and HSI. Furthermore, it explored the mediating effects of public stigma, self-stigma, and social support on the relationship between MHL and HSI among Chinese elite athletes.Methods450 Chinese elite athletes (Mage = 18.12, SD = 3.20, 46.2% female) self-reported their MHL, public stigma, self-stigma, social support, and HSI. Mediation analysis was conducted using the bootstrap approach of the PROCESS macro version 3.3 of SPSS 25.ResultsThe results showed a significant positive correlation between MHL and HSI (r = 0.348). The results also demonstrated that MHL was a predictor of HSI (β = 0.337, 95%CI [0.249, 0.425], p

The development of innovative therapeutic strategies for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a critical medical requirement. Antibody-drug conjugates (ADC) targeting tumor-specific surface antigens have demonstrated clinical effectiveness in treating hematologic and solid malignancies. Our investigation revealed high expression levels of SLC3A2 in HNSCC tissue and cell lines. This study aimed to develop a novel anti-SLC3A2 ADC and assess its antitumor effects on HNSCC both in vitro and in vivo. This study developed a potent anti-SLC3A2 ADC (19G4-MMAE) and systematically investigated its drug delivery potential and antitumor efficacy in preclinical models. This study revealed that 19G4-MMAE exhibited specific binding to SLC3A2 and effectively targeted lysosomes. Moreover, 19G4-MMAE induced a significant accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and apoptosis in SLC3A2-positive HNSCC cells. The compound demonstrated potent antitumor effects derived from MMAE against SLC3A2-expressing HNSCC in preclinical models, displaying a favorable safety profile. These findings suggest that targeting SLC3A2 with an anti-SLC3A2 ADC could be a promising therapeutic approach for treating HNSCC patients.

Abstract With remarkable learning capabilities and swift operational speeds, artificial intelligence (AI) can assist researchers in swiftly extracting valuable patterns, trends, and associations from subjective information. Tribological behaviors are characterized by dependence on systems, evolution with time, and multidisciplinary coupling. The friction process involves a variety of phenomena, including mechanics, thermology, electricity, optics, magnetics, and so on. Hence, tribological information possesses the distinct characteristics of being multidisciplinary, multilevel, and multiscale, so that the application of AI in tribology is highly extensive. To delineate the scope, classification, and recent trends of AI implementation in tribology, this review embarks on exploration of the tribology research domain. It comprehensively outlines the utilization of AI in basic theory of tribology, intelligent tribology, component tribology, extreme tribology, bio-tribology, green tribology, and other fields. Finally, considering the emergence of “tribo-informatics” as a novel interdisciplinary field, which combines tribology with informatics, this review elucidates the future directions and research framework of “AI for tribology”. In this paper, tribo-system information is divided into 5 categories: input information (I), system intrinsic information (S), output information (O), tribological state information (Ts), and derived state information (Ds). Then, a fusion method among 5 types of tribo-system information and different AI technologies (regression, classification, clustering, and dimension reduction) has been proposed, which enables tribo-informatics methods to solve common problems such as tribological behavior state monitoring, behavior prediction, and system optimization. The purpose of this review is to offer a systematic comprehension of tribo-informatics and to inspire new research ideas of tribo-informatics. Ultimately, it aspires to enhance the efficiency of problem-solving in tribology.

Context: The increased number of male dairy origin calves in Ireland due to the abolition of European Union milk quotas is a potential resource for the beef industry. Rearing these animals as bulls rather than steers is more efficient from a production perspective. Ensuring satisfactory quality of bull beef from dairy origin is essential. Aim: To determine the effect of two production systems and three muscle types on physico-chemical characteristics and fatty acid (FA) profile of beef from Holstein-Friesian (HF) bulls. Methods: Thirty HF bulls were equally assigned to two production systems, namely, slaughter at under 16 months of age or slaughter at 19 months of age. Longissimus thoracis (LT), Semitendinosus (ST) and Gluteus medius (GM) muscles were excised post-slaughter for determination of pH, colour, Warner–Bratzler (WB) variables, cook loss, chemical composition [intramuscular fat (IMF), moisture, protein, ash], collagen characteristics and FA profile. Results: WB variables and cook loss after 14 days postmortem ageing, and insoluble and total collagen contents were higher, while IMF content, redness and saturation at 24 h post-blooming were lower for muscles from the 19-month production system. Muscles from the under 16-month production system had a higher saturated fatty acid (SFA) proportion and n -6: n -3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) ratio, while muscle from the 19-month production system had a higher PUFA proportion, n -3 PUFA proportion and PUFA:SFA ratio. The GM muscle had the lowest L * value, followed by LT and ST. Yellowness, saturation and hue angle were greater in ST. LT had lower WB variables, cook loss, moisture, and a higher IMF content than ST and GM. The PUFA proportion and PUFA:SFA ratio were highest in ST, followed by GM and LT. IMF, total FA, SFA and monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) concentrations were higher in LT from the under 16-month production system bulls (the interaction). Conclusions: Beef from the under 16-month production system compared with beef from the 19-month production system, and LT compared with ST and GM muscles had better quality characteristics. Implications: Dairy bulls can produce beef of acceptable quality. The findings will guide selection of the combination of production system and muscle type most appropriate to specific market requirements. The increased number of male dairy origin calves in Ireland due to the abolition of European Union milk quotas is a potential resource for the beef industry if they can economically produce meat of acceptable eating quality. Beef from Holstein-Friesian bulls from an under 16-month production system had better quality than beef from a 19-month system and Longissimus thoracis muscle had better quality than Se mitendinosus and Gluteus medius muscles. These data assist in the selection of the most effective production system/muscle combination for specific markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Camellia oleifera is a medicine food homology plant widely cultivated in the Yangtze River Basin and southern China due to its camellia oil. Camellia oleifera bud and fruit exist simultaneously, and its bud is largely discarded as waste. However, C. oleifera bud has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat a variety of ailments. Thus, the purpose of this study was to identify the chemical components of C. oleifera bud ethanol extract (EE) and first evaluate its anticancer effects in non-small cell lung cancer A549 cells. Based on UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS analysis, seventy components were identified. For anticancer activity, C. oleifera bud EE had remarkable cytotoxic effect on non-small cell lung cancer A549 (IC50: 57.53 ± 1.54 μg/mL) and NCI-H1299 (IC50: 131.67 ± 4.32 μg/mL) cells, while showed lower cytotoxicity on non-cancerous MRC-5 (IC50 > 320 μg/mL) and L929 (IC50: 179.84 ± 1.08 μg/mL) cells. It dramatically inhibited the proliferation of A549 cells by inducing cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase. Additionally, it induced apoptosis in A549 cells through a mitochondria-mediated pathway, which decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, upregulated Bax, activated caspase 9 and caspase 3, and resulted in PARP cleavage. Wound healing and transwell invasion assays demonstrated that C. oleifera bud EE inhibited the migration and invasion of A549 cells in a dose-dependent manner. The above findings indicated that C. oleifera bud EE revealed notable anticancer effects by inhibiting proliferation, inducing apoptosis, and suppressing migration and invasion of A549 cells. Hence, C. oleifera bud ethanol extract could serve as a new source of natural anticancer drugs.

Insecticides are an indispensable and important tool for agricultural production. However, the inappropriate application of insecticides can cause damage to the food chain and ecosystem. Orius similis is an important predatory and natural enemy of Frankliniella occidentalis. Imidacloprid is widely used to control pests, but will inevitably exert adverse effects on O. similis. In order to determine the effect of different imidacloprid treatments on the ability of O. similis to prey on the 2nd-instar nymphs of F. occidentalis, we determined the toxicity and predation of imidacloprid on different stages of O. similis under contact and ingestion treatments. In addition, we used the Holling disc equation to evaluate the ability of O. similis to search and exhibit predatory activity following contact and ingestion treatments. Analysis showed that the highest LC10 and LC20 values for imidacloprid contact and ingestion toxicity treatment were 17.06 mg/L and 23.74 mg/L, respectively. Both imidacloprid treatments led toa reduction in the predatory of O. similis on prey. The functional responses of the 3rd to 5th instar nymphs, along with female and male O. similis adults to the 2nd-instar nymphs of F. occidentalis were consistent with the Holling type II response following contact and ingestion with imidacloprid. However, following imidacloprid treatment, the handing time (Th) of O. similis with single F. occidentalis was prolonged and the instantaneous attack rate (a) was reduced after imidacloprid treatment. The predatory capacity (a/Th) of female O. similis adults when treated with the LC10 concentration of imidacloprid by ingestion was 52.85; this was lower than that of the LC10 concentration of imidacloprid in the contact treatment (57.67). The extent of predation of O. similis on the 2nd-instar nymphs of F. occidentalis was positively correlated with prey density, although the search effect was negatively correlated with prey density. The most extensive search effect was exhibited by adult O. similis females. Simulations with the Hessell-Varley interference model showed that an increase in the number of O. similis would reduce search efficiency regardless of whether they were treated with imidacloprid or not. Thus, O. similis, especially female adults, exhibited strong potential for controlling the 2nd-instar nymphs of F. occidentalis. The toxicity of ingestion following treatment with the same concentration of imidacloprid in O. similis was greater than that of contact treatment. When using O. similis to control F. occidentalis in the field, we should increase the number of female adults released, and prolong the interval between imidacloprid treatment and O. similis exposure. This strategy will improve the control ability of O. similis, coordinate both chemical and biological control, reduce the impact of pesticides on the environment, and improve the efficiency of agricultural production.

Abstract Background Brachydactyly type E (BDE) is a general term characterized by variable shortening of metacarpals and metatarsals, with phalanges affected frequently. It can occur as an isolated form or part of syndromes and manifest a high degree of phenotypic variability. In this study, we have identified the clinical characteristics and pathogenic causes of a four‐generation pedigree with 10 members affected by BDE and short stature. Methods After the informed consent was signed, clinical data and peripheral blood samples were collected from available family members. Karyotype analysis, array‐CGH, next‐generation sequencing, and Sanger sequencing were employed to identity the pathogenic candidate gene. Results No translocation or microdeletion/duplication was found in karyotype analysis and array‐CGH; hence, a novel heterozygous mutation, c.146dupA. p.S50Vfs*22, was detected by next‐generation sequencing in PTHLH gene, leading to a premature stop codon. Subsequently, the mutation was confirmed by Sanger sequencing and co‐segregation analysis. Conclusion In this study, we described a novel heterozygous mutation (c.146dupA. p.S50Vfs*22) of gene PTHLH in a Chinese family. The mutation could induce a premature stop codon leading to a truncation of the protein. Our study broadened the mutation spectrum of PTHLH in BDE.

Hedychium flavum is an edible, medicinal, and aromatic plant widely cultivated for its essential oil. So far, little studies have been done on its phytoconstituents and bioactivities. Hence, the research aimed to determine the chemical constituents of leaf essential oil (L-EO) and stem essential oil (S-EO) of H. flavum and first estimate their antibacterial, antioxidant, cytotoxic, and enzyme inhibitory activities. According to gas chromatography-flame ionization detector/mass spectrometer (GC-FID/MS) assay, L-EO was mainly composed of β-pinene (33.4%), α-pinene (10.4%), humulene (6.8%), β-caryophyllene (6.0%), eucalyptol (6.0%), caryophyllene oxide (5.5%), endo-borneol (3.8%), humulene epoxide II (3.7%), and D-limonene (3.2%). The predominant components of S-EO were β-pinene (17.2%), eucalyptol (9.7%), nerolidol (7.8%), α-phellandrene (6.7%), α-pinene (5.8%), β-caryophyllene (5.4%), terpinen-4-ol (4.5%), D-limonene (4.4%), p-cymene (3.7%), endo-borneol (3.5%), and α-terpineol (3.5%). For the bioactivities, L-EO and S-EO showed strong antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, and Bacillus subtilis with the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 9.77–625.00 µg/mL and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of 9.77–1250.00 µg/mL. Both L-EO and S-EO exhibited moderate antioxidant activity in the DPPH (14.52 ± 0.93 mg/mL and 4.73 ± 0.15 mg/mL, respectively) and ABTS (4.05 ± 0.75 mg/mL and 2.38 ± 0.14 mg/mL, respectively) free radical scavenging capacity. S-EO showed selective cytotoxicity on human leukemic K562 cell line (IC50 = 93.94 ± 0.91 µg/mL), which was nearly three times that of noncancer L929 cell line (IC50 = 294.49 ± 9.40 µg/mL). In enzyme inhibitory properties, L-EO exerted a potent inhibition on α-glucosidase (IC50 = 1.03 ± 0.02 mg/mL), and both essential oils had weak inhibition against cholinesterase and tyrosinase. Thus, H. flavum L-EO and S-EO possess antibacterial, antioxidant, cytotoxic, and enzyme inhibitory activities with potential for exploitation in the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries.

Proper timing of vigilance states serves fundamental brain functions. Although disturbance of sleep onset rapid eye movement (SOREM) sleep is frequently reported after orexin deficiency, their causal relationship still remains elusive. Here, we further study a specific subgroup of orexin neurons with convergent projection to the REM sleep promoting sublaterodorsal tegmental nucleus (OXSLD neurons). Intriguingly, although OXSLD and other projection-labeled orexin neurons exhibit similar activity dynamics during REM sleep, only the activation level of OXSLD neurons exhibits a significant positive correlation with the post-inter-REM sleep interval duration, revealing an essential role for the orexin-sublaterodorsal tegmental nucleus (SLD) neural pathway in relieving REM sleep pressure. Monosynaptic tracing reveals that multiple inputs may help shape this REM sleep-related dynamics of OXSLD neurons. Genetic ablation further shows that the homeostatic architecture of sleep/wakefulness cycles, especially avoidance of SOREM sleep-like transition, is dependent on this activity. A positive correlation between the SOREM sleep occurrence probability and depression states of narcoleptic patients further demonstrates the possible significance of the orexin-SLD pathway on REM sleep homeostasis.

Premna puberula, a medicine food homologous plant, is utilized in the preparation of cold tofu and as traditional Chinese medicine. This study aimed to identify the chemical components of P. puberula root petroleum ether extract (PEE) and clarify its anticancer properties and associated mechanisms. The MTT results of the four extracts (petroleum ether extract, ethyl acetate extract, n-butanol extract, and water extract) from P. puberula root showed that the PEE had good cytotoxic activity against A549 cells (IC50 = 38.01 ± 3.36 μg/mL) and low toxicity to normal cells (IC50 = 76.85 ± 3.18 μg/mL). The GC-FID/MS analysis revealed fifty compounds, which made up 98.6 % of the total PEE. Further antitumor assay demonstrated that PEE induced cell cycle arrest in the S phase by up-regulating p21 and cyclin E2 expression, thereby inhibiting the proliferation of A549 cells. Simultaneously, it induces apoptosis through the mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis pathway, which significantly up-regulated the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2, down-regulated mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), promoted the release of Cyt c, activated caspase-9 and caspase-3, thereby resulting in PARP cleavage. It prevented the migration and invasion of A549 cells by reducing the expression of MMP-2 and N-cadherin. In conclusion, P. puberula root PEE can be a new source of antitumor agents and has significant anticancer activity in vitro.

Abstract This study aimed to explore sex differences in the relationship between thyroid function indicators and suicide attempts in first-episode and drug-naïve young major depressive disorder (MDD) patients with comorbid anxiety (MDA). A total of 917 MDD patients (aged 18–35 years) were recruited. The Hamilton depression rating scale (HAMD-17), Hamilton anxiety rating scale (HAMA), positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS) positive subscale and clinical global impression of severity scale (CGI-S) were used. 467 patients were classified as MDA. The prevalence of suicide attempts was 31.3% in MDA patients, which was significantly higher than that (7.3%) in MDD patients without anxiety. Compared with MDA patients without suicide attempts, MDA patients with suicide attempts were older, had a later age of onset, higher HAMD-17, HAMA, and PANSS positive symptom subscale scores, as well as higher TSH, TgAb and TPOAb levels. For male patients, TSH and TPOAb levels were independently associated with suicide attempts. For female patients, HAMA, PANSS positive symptom scores, CGI-S score and TPOAb levels were independently associated with suicide attempts. Our results suggest that the indicators of thyroid function which can predict suicide attempts in male and female MDA patients have sex differences.

Abstract Background Antenatal depression and anxiety symptoms may have negative consequences for both mothers and offspring, and upward trends in the prevalence of these symptoms were especially apparent during the COVID-19 epidemic. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of and relevant factors influencing depressive and anxiety symptoms in Chinese pregnant women in the post-COVID-19 era. Methods We conducted an online survey of 1,963 pregnant women in Jiangsu Province, using a cross-sectional design, and collected their general demographic data. The nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) was used to evaluate depression symptoms, and the seven-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD-7) was used to measure anxiety symptoms. Results The prevalence of reported antenatal depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and depression combined with anxiety symptoms was 25.2%, 27.9%, and 18.6%, respectively. Of the respondents, the prevalence of moderate to severe depression, and anxiety was 7.9% and 7.7%, respectively. Binary logistic regression analysis demonstrated that age, low level of education, rural area, unemployment, pregnancy complications, poor marital relationship, and fair household income were positively association with both depressive and anxiety symptoms (all P

BackgroundCancer indeed represents a significant public health challenge, and unplanned extubation of peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC-UE) is a critical concern in patient safety. Identifying independent risk factors and implementing high-quality assessment tools for early detection in high-risk populations can play a crucial role in reducing the incidence of PICC-UE among patients with cancer. Precise prevention and treatment strategies are essential to improve patient outcomes and safety in clinical settings. ObjectiveThis study aims to identify the independent risk factors associated with PICC-UE in patients with cancer and to construct a predictive model tailored to this group, offering a theoretical framework for anticipating and preventing PICC-UE in these patients. MethodsProspective data were gathered from January to December 2022, encompassing patients with cancer with PICC at Xiangya Hospital, Central South University. Each patient underwent continuous monitoring until the catheter’s removal. The patients were categorized into 2 groups: the UE group (n=3107) and the non-UE group (n=284). Independent risk factors were identified through univariate analysis, the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) algorithm, and multivariate analysis. Subsequently, the 3391 patients were classified into a train set and a test set in a 7:3 ratio. Utilizing the identified predictors, 3 predictive models were constructed using the logistic regression, support vector machine, and random forest algorithms. The ultimate model was selected based on the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and TOPSIS (Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution) synthesis analysis. To further validate the model, we gathered prospective data from 600 patients with cancer at the Affiliated Hospital of Qinghai University and Hainan Provincial People’s Hospital from June to December 2022. We assessed the model’s performance using the area under the curve of the ROC to evaluate differentiation, the calibration curve for calibration capability, and decision curve analysis (DCA) to gauge the model’s clinical applicability. ResultsIndependent risk factors for PICC-UE in patients with cancer were identified, including impaired physical mobility (odds ratio [OR] 2.775, 95% CI 1.951-3.946), diabetes (OR 1.754, 95% CI 1.134-2.712), surgical history (OR 1.734, 95% CI 1.313-2.290), elevated D-dimer concentration (OR 2.376, 95% CI 1.778-3.176), targeted therapy (OR 1.441, 95% CI 1.104-1.881), surgical treatment (OR 1.543, 95% CI 1.152-2.066), and more than 1 catheter puncture (OR 1.715, 95% CI 1.121-2.624). Protective factors were normal BMI (OR 0.449, 95% CI 0.342-0.590), polyurethane catheter material (OR 0.305, 95% CI 0.228-0.408), and valved catheter (OR 0.639, 95% CI 0.480-0.851). The TOPSIS synthesis analysis results showed that in the train set, the composite index (Ci) values were 0.00 for the logistic model, 0.82 for the support vector machine model, and 0.85 for the random forest model. In the test set, the Ci values were 0.00 for the logistic model, 1.00 for the support vector machine model, and 0.81 for the random forest model. The optimal model, constructed based on the support vector machine, was obtained and validated externally. The ROC curve, calibration curve, and DCA curve demonstrated that the model exhibited excellent accuracy, stability, generalizability, and clinical applicability. ConclusionsIn summary, this study identified 10 independent risk factors for PICC-UE in patients with cancer. The predictive model developed using the support vector machine algorithm demonstrated excellent clinical applicability and was validated externally, providing valuable support for the early prediction of PICC-UE in patients with cancer.

Alpinia coriandriodora, also known as sweet ginger, is a medicinal and edible plant. A. coriandriodora rhizome is popularly utilized in traditional Chinese medicine and as flavouring spices, but there are few reports on its constituents and bioactivities. This study analyzed the phytochemical components of A. coriandriodora rhizome by GC-MS and UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS and evaluated its antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-enzymatic properties. According to the GC-FID/MS data, its rhizome essential oil (EO) consisted mainly of (E)-2-decenal (53.8%), (E)-2-decenyl acetate (24.4%), (Z)-3-dodecenyl acetate (3.5%), and (E)-2-octenal (3.5%). Its water extract (WE) and 70% ethanol extract (EE) showed high total phenolic content (TPC, 52.99–60.49 mg GAEs/g extract) and total flavonoid content (TFC, 260.69–286.42 mg REs/g extract). In addition, the phytochemicals of WE and EE were further characterized using UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS, and a total of sixty-three compounds were identified, including fourteen phenolic components and twenty-three flavonoid compounds. In the antioxidant assay, WE and EE revealed a potent scavenging effect on DPPH (IC50: 6.59 ± 0.88 mg/mL and 17.70 ± 1.15 mg/mL, respectively), surpassing the BHT (IC50: 21.83 ± 0.89 mg/mL). For the antimicrobial activities, EO displayed excellent antibacterial capabilities against Proteus vulgaris, Enterococcus faecalis, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus with DIZ (12.60–22.17 mm), MIC (0.78–1.56 mg/mL), and MBC (3.13 mg/mL) and significantly inhibited Aspergillus flavus growth (MIC = 0.313 mg/mL, MFC = 0.625 mg/mL, respectively). In addition to weak tyrosinase and cholinesterase inhibition, EE and WE had a prominent inhibitory effect against α-glucosidase (IC50: 0.013 ± 0.001 mg/mL and 0.017 ± 0.002 mg/mL), which was significantly higher than acarbose (IC50: 0.22 ± 0.01 mg/mL). Hence, the rhizome of A. coriandriodora has excellent potential for utilization in the pharmaceutical and food fields as a source of bioactive substances.

Abstract Unstructured tetrahedral grids have been applied in magnetotelluric (MT) forward modeling using the finite element (FE) method because of their adaptability to complex anomalies. However, high-quality results require an extreme refinement of the near-surface area, which leads to excessive meshes and an increased degree of freedom (DoF) of the governing equation of the finite element system. To reduce the computational cost, we have developed a hybrid mesh based on triangular prisms and tetrahedrons. The required elements in the near-surface area are reduced because the quality of the triangular prism is not limited by the element aspect ratio. The deep area is discretized by tetrahedral elements to ensure the flexibility of the unstructured grids. The superiority of this hybrid mesh has been tested on a layered model, the DTM1 model and terrain relief models. The results show that the modeling efficiency has been improved, especially for high-frequency data. The accuracy of the modeling using the hybrid mesh is significantly higher than that of the tetrahedral mesh with a similar DoF. Usage of the hybrid mesh can be easily adapted to complex geoelectric models with strong terrain fluctuations, which requires less computational cost than using conventional unstructured elements.

Abstract Background Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells and immune checkpoint blockades (ICBs) have made remarkable breakthroughs in cancer treatment, but the efficacy is still limited for solid tumors due to tumor antigen heterogeneity and the tumor immune microenvironment. The restrained treatment efficacy prompted us to seek new potential therapeutic methods. Methods In this study, we conducted a small molecule compound library screen in a human BC cell line to identify whether certain drugs contribute to CAR T cell killing. Signaling pathways of tumor cells and T cells affected by the screened drugs were predicted via RNA sequencing. Among them, the antitumor activities of JK184 in combination with CAR T cells or ICBs were evaluated in vitro and in vivo. Results We selected three small molecule drugs from a compound library, among which JK184 directly induces tumor cell apoptosis by inhibiting the Hedgehog signaling pathway, modulates B7-H3 CAR T cells to an effector memory phenotype, and promotes B7-H3 CAR T cells cytokine secretion in vitro. In addition, our data suggested that JK184 exerts antitumor activities and strongly synergizes with B7-H3 CAR T cells or ICBs in vivo. Mechanistically, JK184 enhances B7-H3 CAR T cells infiltrating in xenograft mouse models. Moreover, JK184 combined with ICB markedly reshaped the tumor immune microenvironment by increasing effector T cells infiltration and inflammation cytokine secretion, inhibiting the recruitment of MDSCs and the transition of M2-type macrophages in an immunocompetent mouse model. Conclusion These data show that JK184 may be a potential adjutant in combination with CAR T cells or ICB therapy.

Herbal organic compounds (HOCs) are bioactive natural products from medicinal plants and some traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs). Recently, ingestion of a few HOCs with low bioavailability has been associated with alterations in gut microbiota, but the extent of this phenomenon remains unclear. Here, we systematically screened 481 HOCs against 47 representative gut bacterial strains in vitro and found that almost one-third of the HOCs exhibited unique anticommensal activity. Quinones showed a potent anticommensal activity, while saturated fatty acids exhibited stronger inhibition of the Lactobacillus genus. Flavonoids, phenylpropanoids, terpenoids, triterpenoids, alkaloids and phenols displayed weaker anticommensal activity, but steroids, saccharides and glycosides had hardly any effect on strain growth. Notably, S-configuration HOCs demonstrated stronger anticommensal activity than R-configuration HOCs. The strict screening conditions ensured high accuracy (95%) through benchmarking validation. Additionally, the effects of HOCs on human fecal microbiota profiling were positively correlated with their anticommensal activity against bacterial strains. Molecular and chemical features such as AATS3i and XLogP3 were correlated with the anticommensal activity of the HOCs in the random forest classifier. Finally, we validated that curcumin, a polyhydric phenol with anticommensal activity, improved insulin resistance in HFD mice by modulating the composition and metabolic function of gut microbiota. Our results systematically mapped the profile of HOCs directly affecting human gut bacterial strains, offering a resource for future research on HOC-microbiota interaction, and broadening our understanding of natural product utilization through gut microbiota modulation.

Summary: Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) is reported to impair glucose tolerance and may induce new onset of diabetes, but the pharmacomicrobiomics of the adverse effect for HCTZ remains unknown. Mice-fed HCTZ exhibited insulin resistance and impaired glucose tolerance. By using FMT and antibiotic cocktail models, we found that HCTZ-induced metabolic disorder was mediated by commensal microbiota. HCTZ consumption disturbed the structure of the intestinal microbiota, causing abnormal elevation of Gram-negative Enterobacteriaceae and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) then leading to intestinal barrier dysfunction. Additionally, HCTZ activated TLR4 signaling and induced macrophage polarization and inflammation in the liver. Furthermore, HCTZ-induced macrophage polarization and metabolic disorder were abrogated by blocking TLR4 signaling. HCTZ consumption caused a significant increase in Gram-negative Enterobacteriaceae, which elevated the levels of LPS, thereby activating LPS/TLR4 pathway, promoting inflammation and macrophage polarization, and resulting in metabolic disorders. These findings revealed that the gut microbiome is the key medium underlying HCTZ-induced metabolic disorder.

With the advantages of 2,4-dinitroanisole based melt-cast explosives (DNAN-based MCEs), such as low sensitivity, low shrinkage rate, and environmental friendliness, their use as a replacement for trinitrotoluene (TNT) for fabrication of melt-cast explosives has received considerable attention. Therefore, it is significant to explore the thermal safety performance of DNAN-based MCEs (DNAN/HMX/Al 30/40/30) to provide references for their production, storage, and transportation. A combination of DSC and ARC was employed to investigate the thermostatic explosion behavior of DNAN/HMX/Al MCEs in this study. As a result, it was shown that two calorimetry methods could produce different thermodynamic explosion behavior parameters, contributing to the differences in the mass and heat transfer properties. Then a calibration model considering the mass, shape, and heat convection was developed for thermostatic explosion behavior prediction, which can explain the predicted deviations reasonably. At last, the new method has been verified by slow cooking-off experiments that the SADT calculated by the kinetic parameters of the ARC test is more in line with the actual situation of DNAN-based MCE.

Abstract Background Most prostate cancer patients die from metastasis and lack accurate efficacious biomarkers to monitor the disease behavior, optimize treatment and assess prognosis. Herein, we aimed to identify meaningful lncRNA biomarkers associated with prostate cancer metastatic progression. Methods By repurposing microarray probes, 11,624 lncRNAs in prostate cancer were obtained from Gene Expression Omnibus database (GSE46691, N = 545; GSE29079, N = 235; GSE94767, N = 130). Weighted gene co-expression network analysis was applied to determine the co-expression lncRNA network pertinent to metastasis. Hub lncRNAs were screened. RNA-seq and clinical data from the Cancer Genome Atlas prostate cancer (TCGA-PRAD) cohort (N = 531) were analyzed. Transwell assay and bioinformatic analysis were performed for mechanism research. Results The high expression levels of nine hub lncRNAs (FTX, AC005261.1, NORAD, LINC01578, AC004542.2, ZFAS1, EBLN3P, THUMPD3-AS1, GAS5) were significantly associated with Gleason score and increased probability of metastatic progression. Among these lncRNAs, ZFAS1 had the consistent trends of expression in all of the analysis from different cohorts, and the Kaplan-Meier survival analyses showed higher expression of ZFAS1 was associated with shorter relapse free survival. In-vitro studies confirmed that downregulation of ZFAS1 decreased prostate cancer cell migration. Conclusion We offered some new insights into discovering lncRNA markers correlated with metastatic progression of prostate cancer using the WGCNA. Some may serve as potential prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for advanced metastatic prostate cancer.

Abstract Background The reasons for hospice underuse in China need exploration from the perspective of patients with cancer and their families. Furthermore, existing literature about hospice decision-making among Chinese families with cancer patients is limited. This study aimed to investigate the awareness of hospice care among families with cancer patients, their preference for healthcare at the end-of-life stage of care, and the predictors of hospice preference. Methods This was an exploratory study conducted between July 2021 and January 2022. Overall, 300 decision-makers of cancer patients were recruited from the oncology ward of seven hospitals in Shanghai, China. Of these, 285 valid responses were included in the data analysis. A self-developed questionnaire about their preference for healthcare when the patient was at the end-of-life stage was completed. Descriptive analysis, t-test, chi-square test, and multivariable logistic regression were conducted to analyze the data. Results Only 46.0% of the participants have heard of hospice care. Most participants (78.2%) reported no introduction to hospice care from their doctors. More than half of the participants (58.2%) did not have a preference for healthcare at the end-of-life stage. Seventy-eight (65.5%) of the 119 participants who had a preference chose hospice care, and the other 41 participants (34.5%) refused hospice care. Having heard of hospice care had a significant impact on preferring healthcare at the end-of-life stage (adjusted OR = 14.346, 95%CI 7.219–28.509, p

Abstract Aim Our study aimed to evaluate the sleep status of psychiatric nurses in Chinese population and analyse the influencing factors. Design Cross‐sectional, correlation design with logistic regression analysis. Methods We investigated 1,044 psychiatric nurses from seven psychiatric hospitals in China. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Maslach Burnout Inventory General Survey were used as main measures. Results The average Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score of 1,044 psychiatric nurses was 7.00 ± 3.59, and 38.63% of nurses had a total Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score >7. Our study found that middle‐night shift nurses had poor sleep quality and sleep disorders are positively correlated with emotional exhaustion and cynical disregard for job burnout. Middle‐night shift nurses showed 1.586 times more likely to suffer from sleep disorders than those non‐middle‐night shift. The higher the score of emotional exhaustion, the greater the risk of sleep disorders.

Abstract Background In recent years, the rates of suicide among young people have been increasing, and major depressive disorder (MDD) is regarded to be its main cause. Many factors such as thyroid dysfunction and metabolic abnormalities are thought to mediate this process, but the conclusions are inconsistent. This study investigated the rate of suicide attempts and associated risk factors among young, first-episode and drug-naïve Chinese Han patients with MDD. Methods A total of 917 patients with MDD (aged 18 ~ 35 years) were recruited. Demographic and clinical data were collected and thyroid function, fasting blood glucose and lipid profiles were measured. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-17 items (HAMD-17), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA), positive symptom subscale of Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and clinical global impression of severity scale (CGI-S) were adopted to assess depression, anxiety, psychotic symptoms and disease severity respectively. Results The rate of suicide attempts was 19.5% in young MDD patients. There were significant differences in age (p = 0.003), education level (p = 0.001), age of onset (p = 0.004) and disease duration (p = 0.001) between patients with and without suicide attempts. Compared with patients without suicide attempts, patients with suicide attempts had significantly higher scores on the HAMD-17, HAMA, PANSS positive symptom subscale and CGI-S (all p

Nitrogen fertilizer input is the main determinant of wheat yield, and heavy nitrogen fertilizer application causes serious environmental pollution. It is important to understand the genetic response mechanism of wheat to nitrogen and select wheat germplasm with high nitrogen efficiency. In this study, 204 wheat species were used to conduct genome-wide association analysis. Nine phenotypic characteristics were obtained at the seedling stage in hydroponic cultures under low-, normal, and high-nitrogen conditions. A total of 765 significant loci were detected, including 438, 261, and 408 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with high-, normal, and low-nitrogen conditions, respectively. Among these, 14 SNPs were identified under three conditions, for example, AX-10887638 and AX-94875830, which control shoot length and root–shoot ratio on chromosomes 6A and 6D, respectively. Additionally, 39 SNPs were pleiotropic for multiple traits. Further functional analysis of the genes near the 39 SNPs shows that some candidate genes play key roles in encoding proteins/enzymes, such as transporters, hydrolases, peroxidases, glycosyltransferases, oxidoreductases, acyltransferases, disease-resistant proteins, ubiquitin ligases, and sucrose synthetases. Our results can potentially be used to develop low-nitrogen-tolerant species using marker-assisted selection and provide a theoretical basis for breeding efficient nitrogen-using wheat species.

Objective To construct an XGBoost prediction model to predict disease severity of COVID-19 based on clinical characteristics dataset of COVID-19 patients. Methods A total of 347 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients with complete medical information admitted from Feb 10 to April 5, 2020 were screened from the medical record system of Huoshenshan Hospital. Firstly, 21 features with significant differences were screened out as input features for the training model. Bayesian optimization was performed on the constructed XGBoost model to adjust the parameters, and the optimal combination of features was filtered based on feature importance. To further analyze the positive and negative effects of the numerical size of each feature on the prediction results, each feature importance was quantified and attributed by using SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP). Finally, the performance of the XGBoost prediction model was evaluated, and the model was compared and discussed with other machine learning methods, including support vector machine (SVM), naïve Bayes (NB), logical regression (LR), and k-nearest neighbors (KNN). Results In this study, 21 features with significant differences between the severe and non-severe groups were selected for training and validation. The optimal subset with 10 features in the k-nearest neighbor model obtained the highest value of area under curve (AUC) among the 4 models in the validation set. XGBoost and support vector machine were better than other machine learning methods in terms of prediction performance (AUC: 0.942 0, and 0.959 4 on the test set, respectively), and the training speed of XGBoost was significantly faster. Conclusion A prediction model based on XGBoost is successfully built to achieve early prediction of disease severity of COVID-19 patients.

In this study, we collected data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) for the years 2011–2014. Multiple linear regression and logistic regression were used to analyse the association between nonfood pro- or prebiotic use and cognitive function among elderly Americans. To estimate the potential unobserved results, propensity score matching (PSM) was used to analyse the causal effect. Nonfood pro- or prebiotic use was analysed through the Dietary Supplement Use 30-Day Study. Cognitive function was evaluated by the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST), the Animal Fluency Test (AFT), the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer’s Disease (CERAD), and a composite Z-score calculated by summing the Z-scores of three tests. Male participants who used nonfood pro- or prebiotics tended to have higher comprehensive cognitive function (sum.z) with a β-coefficient of 0.64 (95% CI: 0.08–1.19). Probiotics or prebiotics may be a protective factor against cognitive impairment in males, with an odds ratio of 0.08 (95% CI: 0.02–0.29). Furthermore, the average treatment effect for the treated (ATT) with nonfood pro- or prebiotics (0.555) on sum.z in males was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Our research revealed that nonfood pre- or probiotic use was an effective method to improve cognitive function in elderly men from the USA.

Abstract Background Depressive and anxiety symptoms are widespread among adolescents today, creating a large social problem. However, few previous studies have addressed depression and anxiety among adolescents in Chinese cohorts. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of and risk factors for depressive and anxiety symptoms among Chinese middle school adolescent students in the post-COVID-19 era. Methods A total of 22,380 middle school students from Jiangsu Province were surveyed online, and their general demographic data were collected. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) was used to assess depressive symptoms, and the seven-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) scale was used to measure anxiety symptoms. Results Of these participants (aged 12–17 years), 25.6% had depressive symptoms, 26.9% had anxiety symptoms, and 20.6% had a combination of depression and anxiety symptoms. The prevalence of depressive symptoms was higher in female adolescents (27.6%) than in male adolescents (23.7%; χ2 = 45.479, P = 0.000), and the proportion with anxiety symptoms was higher among female adolescents (28.6%) than among male adolescents (25.4%; χ2 = 29.390, P = 0.000). Furthermore, binary logistic regression analysis showed that gender, region, and parental relationship were significantly associated with depressive symptoms among adolescents, while age, gender, region, and parental relationship were significantly associated with anxiety symptoms. Conclusions Our findings demonstrated that the prevalence of reported depressive and anxiety symptoms in Chinese adolescents are high. Female gender, urban region, and poor parental relationship may be risk factors for depressive and anxiety symptoms. Furthermore, policy makers, schools, and families need to pay more attention to the psychological health of adolescents, develop response plans and take early intervention measures to reduce the prevalence of adolescent depression and anxiety.

Abstract To investigate the role of the lncRNA growth arrest special 5 (GAS5) in ovarian clear cell carcinoma (OCCC), we measured the expression of GAS5 and miR‐31‐5p in OCCC tissue samples and OCCC cell lines using RT‐qPCR. MTT and colony formation assays were used to measure cell viability and colony formation ability. Cell invasion was determined by Transwell assays. The binding between GAS5 and miR‐31‐5p as well as miR‐31‐5p and ARID1A was determined by dual‐luciferase reporter assays. The ARID1A protein levels were detected using western blotting. Kaplan–Meier curves were used for the analysis of the 5‐year survival rate of patients with OCCC. GAS5 and ARID1A levels were significantly decreased, while miR‐31‐5p levels were strongly elevated in the OCCC tissues and cell lines. Patients with lower GAS5/ARID1A levels had shorter overall survival times. Overexpression of GAS5 or inhibition of miR‐31‐5p suppressed cell viability and invasion of OCCC cells and upregulated the protein levels of ARID1A. Moreover, overexpression of miR‐31‐5p reversed the effects of overexpression of GAS5. Cotransfection with pcDNA3.1‐GAS5 and miR‐31‐5p inhibitor led to the lowest cell viability and cell invasion rates. A dual‐luciferase reporter assay was performed to confirm the target relationship between GAS5 and miR‐31‐5p, as well as between miR‐31‐5p and ARID1A. LncRNA GAS5 inhibited cell viability and invasion of OCCC through activation of ARID1A by sponging miR‐31‐5p.

The extent of damage that is developed during the production, transportation, storage, and handling of propellants after a low-velocity impact is an important factor in evaluating a dangerous threat such as deflagration-to-detonation transition. In this paper, a friability test was performed to evaluate the critical impact ignition velocity (CIIV), fragmentation degree, and potential reaction violence of four 3, 3-Bis(azidomethyl)oxetane (BAMO) and tetrahydrofuran (THF) copolymer-propellants (PBT-propellants) with various 3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX) contents under impact at different velocities. The results showed that as the HMX contents increased, the CIIV decreased and changes of that also decreased. Simultaneously, the fragmentation degree increased with the increase in impact velocity, as it was judged by the initial dynamic activity ratio. Then, we calculated the maximum value of the initial dynamic activity ratio by fitting the data using Boltzmann, which were 27 (HMX = 0), 39 (HMX = 5%), 48 (HMX = 10%), and 56 (HMX = 15%). The ratios of the maximum value of the initial dynamic activity ratio between PBT-propellants containing HMX and those without HMX were 1.44, 1.78, and 2.07. The addition of HMX increased the maximum fragmentation degree of PBT-propellants under impact. The potential reaction violence increased as the impact velocity increased due to the increase in the fragmentation degree of PBT-propellants after impact. Similarly, we also obtained the maximum values of potential reaction violence, which were 62.39, 50.17, 41.89, and 34.65. The maximum value of potential reaction violence decreased with the increase in HMX contents, and the addition of HMX improved the safety of PBT-propellants burning after impact.

Over the past few years, the utilization of spatially offset Raman spectroscopy (SORS) has significantly evolved in its ability to analyze layered turbid materials non-invasively. It is well known that SORS can effectively detect the deeper layer in a high scattering media, and the performance characteristics of SORS have been extensively studied. However, to date, there is a lack of detailed studies of SORS to detect materials with different optical properties. This study aims to fill this gap by constructing a simple bilayer model, in which a target material with different optical properties was covered with a diffuse scattering barrier. By analyzing the Raman intensity from both superficial barriers and underlying target materials, we investigated the SORS performance to probe three typical optical materials with distinct optical properties: strong absorption, high transparency, and strong scattering. It was found that SORS technology can readily detect the samples of different properties under turbid surface coverings, and the typical optical property of the sublayer materials provided a specific SORS feature. Our study demonstrates the great potential of SORS technology for the non-invasive detection of subcutaneous component applications and provides a comprehensive understanding of the SORS characteristic of various materials.

BackgroundAlthough sleep quality is clearly associated with job burnout as shown in the existing research, the mechanism underpinning such relationship remains undefined. This work, thus, aimed to assess the current situation of sleep quality and burnout in Chinese psychiatric nurses, and to analyze the relationships between sleep quality, burnout and coping style, in order to provide possible targets to enhance mental health and wellbeing among psychiatric nurses.MethodThis cross-sectional study was carried out in seven rehabilitation centers located in four different regions of China. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the Epworth Sleeping Scale, the Maslach Burnout Inventory General Survey, and the Coping Style Questionnaire were distributed to 853 nurses in various mental hospitals, with a total of 664 participants being recruited in the final research.ResultsThe results of this current study showed a high prevalence of sleep disorders and burnout in Chinese psychiatric nurses. Moreover, emotional exhaustion (r = 0.456), cynicism (r = 0.323) and negative coping style (r = 0.191) in nurses were all positively correlated with total Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) score, while professional efficacy (r = −0.079) and positive coping style (r = −0.140) were negatively correlated with total PSQI score. More interestingly, of all negative coping strategies, we found that self-blame had the most significant effect (β = 0.156).ConclusionsThe above results showed that coping style mediates the association of poor sleep quality with job burnout in Chinese psychiatric nurses. This study claimed that there is an urgent need to development the coping skills to sustain a healthy work life for nurses.

Previous studies have revealed that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels are inversely associated with the severity of depressive symptoms. In addition, serum BDNF levels tend to increase with improvement in depressive symptoms. There is also evidence that BDNF has a possible role in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine whether BDNF levels correlated with depressive symptoms in patients with first-episode and drug-naïve (FEDN) schizophrenia. In this study, 90 patients with FEDN schizophrenia and 60 healthy controls were recruited. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and the 17-item Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD-17) were used to gage psychopathological and depressive symptoms, respectively. All participants had their BDNF levels measured using a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent test. Serum BDNF levels were lower in patients with FEDN schizophrenia compared with healthy controls. Moreover, patients with depressive symptoms exhibited a higher PANSS total score and a higher general psychopathology score than those without depressive symptoms (p < 0.05). For patients with depressive symptoms, serum BDNF levels were higher than in those without depressive symptoms (p < 0.05). An association between BDNF levels and the positive subscore was also observed (p < 0.01). However, there was no significant association between BDNF levels and HAMD scores (p > 0.05). In conclusion, BDNF levels were shown to be higher in the serum of patients with FEDN schizophrenia with depressive symptoms than in those without. Additionally, low levels of serum BDNF may contribute to the positive symptoms of FEDN schizophrenia but not to depressive symptoms.