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Background and objective: Few studies on endoscopic management of primary obstructive megaureter (POM) in adult patients have been reported. Our objective was to describe our technique and long-term outcomes for endoscopic management of adult POM. Methods: We included 76 adult POM patients undergoing endoscopic management between September 2015 and January 2024. Under endoscopic control, the stricture was dilated to 24–30 Fr while maintaining a balloon pressure of 25–35 atm for 3 min. An additional incision of the stenotic ring using either an electrode or holmium laser was performed in 39 patients. Data for patient characteristics, intraoperative variables, surgical complications, and follow-up results were analyzed. A descriptive statistical analysis was performed. Surgical success was defined as no tubes or stents in the body, stable or improved symptoms and renal function, and the absence of reflux or obstruction during the follow-up period. Key findings and limitations: All procedures were completed without conversion to open or laparoscopic surgery. The median operative time was 45 min (range 16–165) with median estimated blood loss of 2 ml (range 0–150). The median postoperative hospital stay was 3 d (range 1–15). No intraoperative complication occurred. At median postoperative follow-up of 42 mo (range 3–100) the overall success rate was 92.1%. Restenosis of the vesicoureteral junction (Clavien-Dindo grade III) occurred in five patients (6.6%), and high-grade vesicoureteral reflux occurred in one patient (1.3%), all of whom required secondary reconstruction surgery. Conclusions and clinical implications: The results indicate that our endoscopic management for adult POM is safe and effective, with favorable long-term outcomes. This approach could potentially serve as a first-line treatment option for adult POM. Patient summary: Primary obstructive megaureter (POM) occurs when the flow of urine is blocked because of a narrow segment in the tube between the kidney and bladder (ureter), which causes widening of the ureter further up. For our minimally invasive technique, a telescope is inserted through the urethra and bladder to reach the ureter for surgical treatment. Our results show that this is a safe procedure for POM in adults.

This paper describes a three-dimensional and comprehensive method for completing the northern extension of the Maoshan fracture zone from deep to shallow. Gravity field data interpretation and geomagnetic survey were used to initially locate the rupture, followed by shallow seismic survey for precise positioning, and finally the upper rupture point was captured and its Quaternary activities were investigated according to the method of joint geologic profile exploration with small spaced drill holes across the rupture point. Research has found: ① The Maoshan fracture zone continues to extend northward into the urban area of Zhenjiang, and the northern extension of the Maoshan fracture zone cuts at least to the mid-crustal region. ② The shallow part of the northern extension of the Maoshan fracture zone shows normal faulting characteristics, with an inclination to the east and a strike to the north-east, an apparent dip of about 60°, and an apparent break distance of about 3～5 m. ③ The results of the joint geologic profile of the boreholes show that the bedrock surface on both sides of the fracture point has a small difference, and the overlying Quaternary strata do not have any large undulation and do not have any obvious signs of Quaternary activity, so it is comprehensively judged that the northern extension of the Maoshan fracture zone is a pre-Quaternary fracture. This study preliminarily suggests that the Maoshan fault may be geospatially linked to two significant seismic events in the history of the Jiangsu landmass. This finding provides a new perspective for further research on the seismogenic tectonic features and seismic activity patterns in the region, and may inspire future related studies.

Abstract The Camellia oleifera meal (COM), a primary byproduct of oil-tea processing, often being discarded or used as a low-grade fertilizer due to its low value. The underutilization has become a significant bottleneck hindering the high-quality development of the oil-tea industry. In this study, the production of antibiotic-free feed additives through the solid-state fermentation of COM by Acremonium terricola was investigated. Our findings revealed that a saponin concentration of 5 mg/mL significantly enhanced the production of cordycepic acid (70.4 mg/g), ergosterol (3.32 mg/g), and chitin (110 mg/g) by A. terricola. This concentration also promoted chitin production and the activities of peroxidase (POD) and Na+/K+-ATPase, thereby maintaining cellular homeostasis and energy balance in A. terricola. Solid-state fermented rice bran (RB), wheat bran (WB), and desaponificated COM (containing 2.6 mg/100 g of tea saponin) were all found to be beneficial for increasing the production of cordycepic acid and ergosterol. The blend of COM, RB, and WB in the ratio of 15:65:20 was particularly advantageous for the production and accumulation of cordycepic acid and ergosterol, yielding 1.54 and 1.43 times, 1.27 and 1.37 times, and 1.98 and 5.52 times more than those produced by WB, RB, and COM alone, respectively.Meantime, the difference in contents of sugar and protein in A. terricola cultures (ATCs) using combination were not significant compared to RB and WB. These results indicated that COM can partially replace foodstuffs or food by-products to prepare antibiotic-free feed additives by A. terricola. Graphical Abstract

Abstract Background Dysbiosis of the microbiome is a key hallmark of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). However, the interaction between the host and microbiome and its relevance to the pathogenesis of PCOS remain unclear. Methods To evaluate the role of the commensal gut microbiome in PCOS, we gavaged germ-free mice with the fecal microbiota from patients with PCOS or healthy individuals and evaluated the reproductive endocrine features of the recipient mice. Results Mice transplanted with fecal microbiota from PCOS patients and those transplanted from healthy controls presented different bacterial profiles and reproductive endocrine features. The fecal microbiota of the mice in the PCOS group was enriched in Phocaeicola, Mediterraneibacter, Oscillospiraceae, Lawsonibacter and Rikenellaceae. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) from PCOS patients induced increased disruption of ovarian functions, lipo-metabolic disturbance, insulin resistance and an obese-like phenotype in recipient mice. Conclusion Our findings suggest that the microbiome may govern the set point of PCOS-bearing individuals and that gut ecosystem manipulation may be a useful marker and target for the management of PCOS.

The effect of final rolling temperature ranging from 962 to 696 °C on as-rolled high-Mn austenitic low-temperature steel was investigated using scanning electron microscopy, electron backscatter diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The microstructure of the experimental steel remained austenite without suffering ferrite phase transformation, even when produced with a final rolling temperature as low as 696 °C. A decrease in the final rolling temperature of the steel was accompanied by a decrease in grain size from 20.2 to 6.0 μm, accompanied by an increase in dislocation density from 3.01 × 1014 to 10.9 × 1014 m−2. In addition, M23C6 carbides precipitated at the grain boundaries when the final rolling temperature was below 782 °C. Grain refinement and increased dislocation density significantly enhanced the strength of the material. However, an increase in the intragranular dislocation density compromised grain deformation ability. Moreover, the precipitation of M23C6 reduced the plasticity and toughness of the material. Considering the balance between yield strength and low-temperature toughness, the optimal final rolling temperature was 898 °C; this produced a material with a yield strength of approximately 507 MPa and a low-temperature impact energy absorption of approximately 143 J.

The collapse of high-steep dangerous rock is a common geological disaster in the mountainous areas of China. However, due to the limitation of objective factors such as traffic difficulties, the efficiency of artificial geological exploration is low and the safety risk is high, and the investigation in some places is unreachable. Based on the Laoshucuo 3# high-steep dangerous rock mass in the Three Gorges Reservoir area, this study established an analysis method system of high-steep dangerous rock mass by integrating UAV nap-of-the-object photogrammetry and airborne LiDAR technology. The three-dimensional geological model of Laoshucuo 3# dangerous rock mass was constructed systematically, and the engineering geological characteristics of the dangerous rock mass were characterized. The results show that there are five structural planes in the dangerous rock mass of Laoshucuo 3#, with the widest weak layer of 27.30 m and the deepest cavity of 2.19 m. The collapse type is toppling collapse. The stability coefficient of the dangerous rock mass is 1.375 under the natural condition, which is in a stable state, and 1.01 under the rainstorm condition, which is in an unstable state and needs to be treated. The technical method in this study has good complementarity to the investigation of high-steep dangerous rock mass, providing a new investigation method for non-contact measurement, geological information acquisition, and stability analysis of high-steep dangerous rock mass, and technical support for disaster prevention and mitigation in the reservoir area.

Tiger puffer is a commercially important fish cultured in high-density environments, and its accurate detection is indispensable for determining growth conditions and realizing accurate feeding. However, the detection precision and recall of farmed tiger puffer are low due to target blurring and occlusion in real farming environments. The farmed tiger puffer detection model, called knowledge aggregation YOLO (KAYOLO), fuses prior knowledge with improved YOLOv5 and was proposed to solve this problem. To alleviate feature loss caused by target blurring, we drew on the human practice of using prior knowledge for reasoning when recognizing blurred targets and used prior knowledge to strengthen the tiger puffer's features and improve detection precision. To address missed detection caused by mutual occlusion in high-density farming environments, a prediction box aggregation method, aggregating prediction boxes of the same object, was proposed to reduce the influence among different objects to improve detection recall. To validate the effectiveness of the proposed methods, ablation experiments, model performance experiments, and model robustness experiments were designed. The experimental results showed that KAYOLO's detection precision and recall results reached 94.92% and 92.21%, respectively. The two indices were improved by 1.29% and 1.35%, respectively, compared to those of YOLOv5. Compared with the recent state-of-the-art underwater object detection models, such as SWIPENet, RoIMix, FERNet, and SK-YOLOv5, KAYOLO achieved 2.09%, 1.63%, 1.13% and 0.85% higher precision and 1.2%, 0.18%, 1.74% and 0.39% higher recall, respectively. Experiments were conducted on different datasets to verify the model's robustness, and the precision and recall of KAYOLO were improved by approximately 1.3% compared to those of YOLOv5. The study showed that KAYOLO effectively enhanced farmed tiger puffer detection by reducing blurring and occlusion effects. Additionally, the model had a strong generalization ability on different datasets, indicating that the model can be adapted to different environments, and it has strong robustness.

The morphology is the consequence of evolution and adaptation. Escherichia coli is rod-shaped bacillus with regular dimension of about 1.5 μm long and 0.5 μm wide. Many shape-related genes have been identified and used in morphology engineering of this bacteria. However, little is known about if specific metabolism and metal irons could modulate bacteria morphology. Here in this study, we discovered filamentous shape change of E. coli cells overexpressing pigeon MagR, a putative magnetoreceptor and extremely conserved iron-sulfur protein. Comparative transcriptomic analysis strongly suggested that the iron metabolism change and iron accumulation due to the overproduction of MagR was the key to the morphological change. This model was further validated, and filamentous morphological change was also achieved by supplement E. coli cells with iron in culture medium or by increase the iron uptake genes such as entB and fepA. Our study extended our understanding of morphology regulation of bacteria, and may also serves as a prototype of morphology engineering by modulating the iron metabolism.

Abstract Achelura yunnanensis is a destructive pest of forests, causing substantial damage on tree growth and severe economic losses. Additionally, as a daytime-active moth, this species also holds important scientific value for investigating the genetic mechanisms governing day-night activity patterns of Lepidoptera. To facilitate effective pest control and deepen our understanding of the diurnal behavior’s genetic basis of moths, genomic data for this species are crucial. In this study, we present a chromosome-level reference genome of A. yunnanensis (368.15 Mb in 32 chromosomes; scaffold N50 = 12.61 Mb; BUSCO completeness = 98.0%). Genome annotation shows that the new assembly comprises 37.10% (136.55 Mb) repetitive elements, 1,828 non-coding RNAs, and 15,523 protein-coding genes. Genes involved in lipid metabolism and xenobiotics biodegradation and metabolism, such as cytochrome P450 families, experienced significant expansion in the A. yunnanensis genome. The chromosome-level genome of A. yunnanensis provides a valuable genomic resource for devising novel pest control strategies, and will also help to study the genetic mechanism of the shift of diurnal behavior in Lepidoptera.

Abstract Background Migraine is a highly prevalent and complex neurovascular disease. However, the currently available therapeutic drugs often fall to adequately meet clinical needs due to limited effectiveness and numerous undesirable side effects. This study aims to identify putative novel targets for migraine treatment through proteome-wide Mendelian randomization (MR). Methods We utilized MR to estimate the causal effects of plasma proteins on migraine and its two subtypes, migraine with aura (MA) and without aura (MO). This analysis integrated plasma protein quantitative trait loci (pQTL) data with genome-wide association studies (GWAS) findings for these migraine phenotypes. Moreover, we conducted a phenome-wide MR assessment, enrichment analysis, protein–protein interaction networks construction, and mediation MR analysis to further validate the pharmaceutical potential of the identified protein targets. Results We identified 35 protein targets for migraine and its subtypes (p

Abstract Alzheimer’s disease (AD), characterized by cognitive decline, is increasingly recognized as a disorder marked by synaptic loss and dysfunction. Despite this understanding, the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms contributing to synaptic impairment remain largely unknown. In this study, we elucidate a previously undiscovered signaling pathway wherein the S-nitrosylation of the Cdk5 activator p39, a post-translational modification involving the addition of nitric oxide to protein cysteine residues, plays a crucial role in synaptic dysfunction associated with AD. Our investigation reveals heightened p39 S-nitrosylation in the brain of an amyloid precursor protein (APP)/presenilin 1 (PS1) transgenic mouse model of AD. Additionally, soluble amyloid-β oligomers (Aβ), implicated in synaptic loss in AD, induce p39 S-nitrosylation in cultured neurons. Notably, we uncover that p39 protein level is regulated by S-nitrosylation, with nitric oxide S-nitrosylating p39 at Cys265 and subsequently promoting its degradation. Furthermore, our study demonstrates that S-nitrosylation of p39 at Cys265 significantly contributes to amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide-induced dendrite retraction and spine loss. Collectively, our findings highlight S-nitrosylation of p39 as a novel aberrant redox protein modification involved in the pathogenesis of AD, suggesting its potential as a therapeutic target for the disease.

Objective: To investigate the substantial changes in cell types, pathways, and cell-cell interactions occurring in the irradiation-induced alopecia and dermatitis (IRIAD) mouse model and to identify potential targets for patients experiencing skin adverse reactions to radiotherapy. Methods: Mice were irradiated at 15 ​Gy, targeting the head and neck region. After a 14-day interval, living cells were extracted from both wild-type (WT) mice and irradiated mice for single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). The scRNA-seq data, retrieved from the GEO database (GSE201447), underwent stringent quality control using the Seurat (v4.3.0) R package. Cell type annotation relied on previously reported typical markers and CellMarker 2.0. Differentially expressed genes were calculated to perform gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses. Cell-cell interactions were evaluated using the Cellchat R package. Results: The application of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) enabled a comprehensive characterization of the intricate cellular composition of both wild-type (WT) and irradiated mice skin. Remarkably, cells within irradiated mice skin exhibited a significant alteration in the intensity of cell-cell interactions compared to their wild-type counterparts. This change in interaction intensity was observed across various cell types, including fibroblast cells, endothelial cells, and dendritic cells. Importantly, these ''interacting cells'' shared common signaling pathways, notably the upregulation of the IL-17 pathway following irradiation. Conclusions: The modification of intercellular communication induced by irradiation primarily involves fibroblast cells, endothelial cells, and various types of immune cells. This investigation provides a novel perspective on potential targets and holds promise for enhancing the clinical management of IRIAD.

Ultrafine grained (UFG) n-C/Al composite bulk was obtained by mechanical milling and hot extrusion with petroleum coke utilized as carbon source. After extrusion, n-C sheets got dispersed and distributed in grain interiors or at grain boundaries. The tensile strength and corresponding thermal conductivity reached 407 ± 3 MPa and 216 ± 1.6 W m−1 K−1.

Recently, in order to strengthen the exploration and development of oil and gas resources in the Ordos Basin, seismic exploration has changed from a two-dimensional to a three-dimensional (3D) scale. With the progress of 3D seismic processing and interpretation technology, the data quality has improved each year. The Upper Paleozoic faults in the eastern Longdong region are of hidden low sequences with small fault spacings (

Developing new high-entropy rare-earth zirconate (HE-RE2Zr2O7) ceramics with low thermal conductivity is essential for thermal barrier coating materials. In this work, the average atomic spacings, interatomic forces, and average atomic masses of 16 rare-earth elements occupying the A site of the cubic A2B2O7 crystal structure were calculated by density functional theory. These three physical qualities, as vectors, characterize the corresponding rare-earth elements. The distance between two vectors quantitatively describes the difference between two rare-earth elements. For greater differences between two rare-earth elements, the disorder degree of HE-RE2Zr2O7 is greater, and therefore, the thermal conductivity is lower. According to the theoretical calculations, the thermal conductivity of the ceramics gradually increases in the order of (Sc0.2Y0.2La0.2Ho0.2Yb0.2)2Zr2O7, (Sc0.2Ce0.2Nd0.2Eu0.2Gd0.2)2Zr2O7, (Sc0.2Y0.2Tm0.2Yb0.2Lu0.2)2Zr2O7, and (Sc0.2Er0.2Tm0.2Yb0.2Lu0.2)2Zr2O7. Using the solution precursor plasma spray method and pressureless sintering method, four types of HE-RE2Zr2O7 powder and bulk samples were prepared. The samples all showed a single defective fluorite structure with a uniform distribution of the elements and a stable phase structure. The thermal conductivities of the sintered HE-RE2Zr2O7 bulk samples ranged from 1.30 to 1.45 W·m−1·K−1 at 1400 °C, and their differences were consistent with the theoretical calculation results. Among the ceramics, (Sc0.2Y0.2La0.2Ho0.2Yb0.2)2Zr2O7 had the lowest thermal conductivity (1.30 W∙m−1∙K−1, 1400 °C), highest thermal expansion coefficient (10.19×10−6 K−1, 200–1400 °C), highest fracture toughness (1.69±0.28 MPa∙m1/2), and smallest brittleness index (3.03 μm−1/2). Therefore, (Sc0.2Y0.2La0.2Ho0.2Yb0.2)2Zr2O7 is considered to be an ideal candidate material for next-generation thermal barrier coating applications.

Cold and Hot syndrome, also known as “ZHENG” in Mandarin, is a fundamental theory in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and plays a pivotal role in the differentiation of diseases in TCM. Diseases are treated with varying formulas according to the specific syndrome differentiations in TCM. A way of the principles followed in TCM medical strategy is “cold herbs for hot syndrome, and hot herbs for cold syndrome.” Therefore, from the perspective of cold/hot syndrome, we summarizes the present research regarding the characteristics and mechanisms of cold/hot herbs (including herbs with cool and warm properties) in digestive system diseases, respiratory diseases, and autoimmune diseases, among others. As novel technologies have advanced, various methods, such as those based on network target, machine learning, and deep learning, have emerged to reveal the mechanisms underlying cold/hot syndrome and cold/hot herbs. With the help of these technologies, it has been found that cold and hot herbs, as well as formulae with cold or hot intentions, have similarities and differences in the treatment of these diseases. In conclusion, cold and cool may have stronger antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory effects, whereas hot and warm herbs may specifically enhance immune regulation. With the assistance of advancing data algorithms, uncovering the mechanisms of cold/hot herbs may accelerate and provide a new research paradigm for further achieving precision in TCM.

Abstract Background The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of marking methods on the outcomes of body composition analysis and provide guidance for the selection of marking methods in mouse body composition analysis. Methods Male C57BL/6J mice aged 6 weeks were randomly assigned for pre‐ and post‐ ear tagging measurements. The body composition of the mice was measured using a small animal body composition analyzer, which provided measurements of the mass of fat, lean, and free fluid. Then, the mass of fat, lean and free fluid to body weight ratio was gained. Further data analysis was conducted to obtain the range and coefficient of variation in body composition measurements for each mouse. The distribution of fat and lean tissue in the mice was also analyzed by comparing the fat‐to‐lean ratio. Results (1) The mass of all body composition components in the ear tagging group was significantly lower than that in the control group. (2) There was a significant increase in the range and coefficient of variation of body composition measurements between the ear tagging group and the control group. (3) The fat‐to‐lean ratio in the ear tagging group was significantly lower than that in the control group. Conclusions Ear tagging significantly lowered the results of body composition analysis in mice and higher the results of measurement error. Therefore, ear tagging should be avoided as much as possible when conducting body composition analysis experiments in mice.

Abstract Fiber optic sensors have been gradually used in aerospace, petrochemical, electronic power, civil engineering, and biomedical fields because of their many advantages such as the anti-electromagnetic interference, corrosion resistance, light weight, small size, high accuracy, and easy reuse. In recent years, sensing and demodulation technologies based on microwave photonics have attracted widespread attention. Optical fiber sensing combined with microwave photonics has higher sensitivity and flexibility, which is important for the demodulation of interferometric signals. This article introduces and analyzes the principle, structure, and performance of the demodulation technology of fiber optic interferometric signals based on microwave photonics from the perspective of system structures, such as filters, oscillators, and interferometers, and discusses the future research and development directions.

Abstract Polymeric elastomers are extensively employed to fabricate implantable medical devices. However, implantation of the elastomers can induce a strong immune rejection known as the foreign body response (FBR), diminishing their efficacy. Herein, we present a group of immunocompatible elastomers, termed easy-to-synthesize vinyl-based anti-FBR dense elastomers (EVADE). EVADE materials effectively suppress the inflammation and capsule formation in subcutaneous models of rodents and non-human primates for at least one year and two months, respectively. Implantation of EVADE materials significantly reduces the expression of inflammation-related proteins S100A8/A9 in adjacent tissues compared to polydimethylsiloxane. We also show that inhibition or knockout of S100A8/A9 leads to substantial attenuation of fibrosis in mice, suggesting a target for fibrosis inhibition. Continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) catheters constructed from EVADE elastomers demonstrate significantly improved longevity and performance compared to commercial catheters. The EVADE materials reported here may enhance and extend function in various medical devices by resisting the local immune responses.

Abstract Epitaxial growth of two-dimensional (2D) materials with uniform orientation has been previously realized by introducing a small binding energy difference between the two locally most stable orientations. However, this small energy difference can be easily disturbed by uncontrollable dynamics during the growth process, limiting its practical applications. Herein, we propose a quasi-equilibrium growth (QEG) strategy to synthesize inch-scale monolayer α-In2Se3 single crystals, a semiconductor with ferroelectric properties, on fluor-phlogopite substrates. The QEG facilitates the discrimination of small differences in binding energy between the two locally most stable orientations, realizing robust single-orientation epitaxy within a broad growth window. Thus, single-crystal α-In2Se3 film can be epitaxially grown on fluor-phlogopite, the cleavage surface atomic layer of which has the same 3-fold rotational symmetry with α-In2Se3. The resulting crystalline quality enables high electron mobility up to 117.2 cm2 V−1 s−1 in α-In2Se3 ferroelectric field-effect transistors, exhibiting reliable nonvolatile memory performance with long retention time and robust cycling endurance. In brief, the developed QEG method provides a route for preparing larger-area single-crystal 2D materials and a promising opportunity for applications of 2D ferroelectric devices and nanoelectronics.

This paper proposes a method for creating a three-dimensional (above-ground and underground) fracture network in deep coalbed methane (CBM) reservoirs, which is the directional fracturing by slotted hydraulic blasting in underground drilling. First, theoretical analysis was conducted to explain the mechanism by which the slotted borehole enables the separation and incidence of explosive shock wave at the slot tip, resulting in the superposition of two sub-stress waves to cause directional fracture and damage to the rock. Then, LS-DYNA was used to simulate the process of directional fracturing by slotted hydraulic blasting to verify the theoretical mechanism. Finally, similar simulation experiments were performed on traditional blasting and slotted hydraulic blasting to confirm the directional fracturing effect of the proposed method. The results indicate that the slotted hydraulic blasting method can predominate the fracture orientation under formation stress, creating extensive directional fractures in rocks in the slot direction. This study is supplemental to the efforts on directional fracturing of rocks and provides a new approach for efficient exploitation of CBM.

Abstract Packetized energy encapsulates energy into modulated, routable, and trackable energy packets, enhancing the flexibility of managing distributed energy resources and expediting prosumers’ participation in transactive energy markets. In the context of packetized energy trading (PET), energy prosumers are naturally deemed as self‐interested agents seeking to obtain their own benefits. To align with prosumers’ demand, supply, quality of service (QoS), and system‐level social welfare, it is necessary to explore the design of prosumers’ bidding strategies and the market clearing methods, considering prosumers’ utility and the best demand response to markets. This study addresses challenges arising from prosumers’ selfishness and asymmetric preferences by proposing a PET‐oriented iterative double auction (IDA‐PET) design, where prosumers are allowed to iteratively change the bids before the auctioneer clears the market. Moreover, IDA‐PET accommodates system capacity constraints, energy balance, and economic constraints, providing cooperative strategies for both prosumers and the auctioneer. To validate the effectiveness of IDA‐PET, a novel and dedicated co‐simulation platform based on the hierarchical engine for large‐scale infrastructure co‐simulation platform is developed and case studies are conducted within a residential microgrid. The simulation results demonstrate that IDA‐PET can efficiently enhance the revenue of the auction market while meeting prosumers’ QoS requirements.

Abstract Backgroud The study objective was to compare three-dimensional and two-dimensional imaging using computer-assisted systems (CASs) in clinical guidance for preoperative surgical planning for middle hepatic tumors in children. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on 23 children who underwent surgery for middle hepatic tumors in our hospital from January 2016 to June 2022. The surgical resection plan was formulated by the operator team using two-dimensional CT images before the operation. Then, the same qualified surgeons conducted an in-depth analysis and formulated the surgical resection scheme for the same pediatric patient using three-dimensional imaging of the middle hepatic tumor. The feasibility of the two schemes was compared and analyzed. Result All the tumors were successfully removed according to the preoperative method developed using three-dimensional imaging. The postoperative short-term follow-up revealed that all patients were doing well. Preoperative plans were revised in 9 cases after evaluating the three-dimensional images due to the disparity between the original plans and the three-dimensional relationship between the tumor and blood vessels, vascular variation, and the volume of remnant liver. Conclusions Three-dimensional imaging with a computer-assisted surgery system is superior to two-dimensional imaging in the preoperative planning of pediatric hepatoblastoma.

Abstract Nitrous acid (HONO), a key precursor of hydroxyl radicals (OH), is one of the factors affecting atmospheric chemistry and air quality. Currently, the proposed sources of HONO are not able to fully explain observed HONO concentrations. In this study, a comprehensive field observation of HONO was conducted in the autumn of 2021 in urban Beijing. The box model using a default Master Chemical Mechanism (MCM) was unable to reproduce the observed HONO concentrations with a normalized mean bias (NMB) of −92.8%. The NMB improved to −46.1% after the inclusion of seven additional HONO formation pathways. Several factors like vehicle emission factor (1.23%) and nocturnal NO2 heterogeneous uptake coefficient on the ground surface (8.25 × 10−6) were calculated based on observational data. The enhancement factor for nocturnal NO2 heterogeneous conversion was established as a function of relative humidity (RH) and incorporated into the model, which compensated for the missing nocturnal HONO sources and well-reproduced the observed HONO concentrations, with an NMB of −5.1%. The major source of HONO at night was found to be the heterogeneous reaction of NO2 on the ground surface, contributing up to 85.6%. During the daytime, it was the homogeneous reaction of NO with OH, accounting for 41.8%. The daytime primary source of OH was mainly the photolysis of HONO, which constituted 73.6% and therefore promoted the formation of secondary pollutants and exacerbated haze events.

In order to meet the data storage and access needs of coal mine personnel precise positioning system based on new positioning technologies such as UWB, the data structure, sampling frequency, data volume and storage space occupied by the personnel precise positioning system are analyzed, and the main features for system data generation and use are summarized, a hybrid data storage architecture based on Redis, MySQL and files to respectively store hot data, warm data and cold data is proposed, and the key design of Redis, MySQL, file storage, data encryption and data query method based on Web API data interaction service are described in detail. By using simulated data testing, it was verified that the storage solution has high data access efficiency, can meet the needs of data storage and business function data query.

Osteosarcoma, which primarily affects children and adolescents, is a highly malignant bone tumor with high rates of disability and mortality. Therefore, the exploration of biological markers related to its occurrence, development, and prognosis is crucial. Genome-wide association studies have revealed the vital role of genetic polymorphisms in the pathogenesis of osteosarcoma. This study aims to provide new insights into reliable biomarkers of osteosarcoma through the analysis of the functional single-nucleotide polymorphisms of tumor-related genes.

ObjectiveTo analyze the experience of Professor Chen Huanchao, a famous TCM doctor in Hubei Province, in treating breast cancer by data mining technology. MethodsThe medical records of Professor Chen Huanchao’s treatment of breast cancer were collected, and the first prescription of each patient was recorded after screening and sorting. MS Excel 2019 was used to analyze drug frequency, efficacy frequency, and the meridian distribution, and SPSS Modeler 18.0 software was adopted for association rule analysis and network display of drugs. SPSS 27.0 was employed for clustering analysis of high-frequency drugs to summarize medication patterns. ResultsA total of 185 prescriptions involving 180 traditional Chinese medicines were included, and 29 high-frequency drugs were screened. The medicinal properties were mainly neutral, cold, and warm, and the medicinal flavors were mainly sweet, bitter, and pungent. The meridians were liver, lung, spleen, and kidney meridians. The medicinal effects primarily included tonifying deficiency, clearing heat, and promoting diuresis and dampness. The association rule analysis showed 20 groups of drug pairs, and the cluster analysis mainly revealed two categories. ConclusionProfessor Chen Huanchao believes that breast cancer involves root deficiency and excessive symptoms and should be treated from the perspective of “deficiency, blood stasis, phlegm, and toxin.” Genuine-Qi should be strengthened, and Evil-Qi should be eliminated. The symptoms and root causes of this disease should be treated simultaneously while soothing the liver and qi, tonifying the spleen and kidney, promoting blood circulation, removing phlegm and preventing its accumulation, and clearing heat and detoxify. This work provides ideas for the treatment of breast cancer with traditional Chinese medicine.

Abstract A class of Z N≥3-symmetric WIMP dark matter models that are characterized by the semi-annihilation into the companion of dark matter has been proposed in ref. [1], providing a mechanism to evade the stringent direct detection constraint. In this work, we point out that such models naturally provide the three Sakharov elements necessary for dark matter asymmetry, and moreover this asymmetry can be transferred to the visible sector with a proper link to the leptonic or quark sector. In our minimal Z 3 example, the migration to the leptonic sector is via the asymmetric companion decay into neutrinos, and the lepton asymmetry can be further transferred to the quark sector. The CP violation parameter is restrained in this model. Thus, we explore the thermal motion effect of dark matter and find that it gives an enhancement to the CP violation parameter, which is studied for the first time. A preliminary numerical analysis based on the Boltzmann equations shows that both correct relic density of dark matter and baryon asymmetry can be accommodated.

Abstract Tin-lead halide perovskites with a bandgap near 1.2 electron-volt hold great promise for thin-film photovoltaics. However, the film quality of solution-processed Sn-Pb perovskites is compromised by the asynchronous crystallization behavior between Sn and Pb components, where the crystallization of Sn-based perovskites tends to occur faster than that of Pb. Here we show that the rapid crystallization of Sn is rooted in its stereochemically active lone pair, which impedes coordination between the metal ion and Lewis base ligands in the perovskite precursor. From this perspective, we introduce a noncovalent binding agent targeting the open metal site of coordinatively unsaturated Sn(II) solvates, thereby synchronizing crystallization kinetics and homogenizing Sn-Pb alloying. The resultant single-junction Sn-Pb perovskite solar cells achieve a certified power conversion efficiency of 24.13 per cent. The encapsulated device retains 90 per cent of the initial efficiency after 795 h of maximum power point operation under simulated one-sun illumination.

Abstract Purpose Patients with spinal metastases undergoing surgical treatment face challenges related to preoperative anemia, intraoperative blood loss, and frailty, emphasizing the significance of perioperative blood management. This retrospective analysis aimed to assess the correlation between hemoglobin-related parameters and outcomes, identifying key markers to aid in blood management. Methods A retrospective review was performed to identify patients who underwent surgical treatment for spinal metastases. Hb-related parameters, including baseline Hb, postoperative nadir Hb, predischarge Hb, postoperative nadir Hb drift, and predischarge Hb drift (both in absolute values and percentages) were subjected to univariate and multivariate analyses. These analyses were conducted in conjunction with other established variables to identify independent markers predicting patient outcomes. The outcomes of interest were postoperative short-term (6-week) mortality, long-term (1-year) mortality, and postoperative 30-day morbidity. Results A total of 289 patients were included. Our study demonstrated that predischarge Hb (OR 0.62, 95% CI 0.44–0.88, P = 0.007) was an independent prognostic factor of short-term mortality, while baseline Hb (OR 0.76, 95% CI 0.66–0.88, P

Abstract Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a recalcitrant cancer characterized by early metastasis, rapid tumor growth and poor prognosis. In recent decades, the epidemiology, initiation and mutation characteristics of SCLC, as well as abnormal signaling pathways contributing to its progression, have been widely studied. Despite extensive investigation, fewer drugs have been approved for SCLC. Recent advancements in multi-omics studies have revealed diverse classifications of SCLC that are featured by distinct characteristics and therapeutic vulnerabilities. With the accumulation of SCLC samples, different subtypes of SCLC and specific treatments for these subtypes were further explored. The identification of different molecular subtypes has opened up novel avenues for the treatment of SCLC; however, the inconsistent and uncertain classification of SCLC has hindered the translation from basic research to clinical applications. Therefore, a comprehensives review is essential to conclude these emerging subtypes and related drugs targeting specific therapeutic vulnerabilities within abnormal signaling pathways. In this current review, we summarized the epidemiology, risk factors, mutation characteristics of and classification, related molecular pathways and treatments for SCLC. We hope that this review will facilitate the translation of molecular subtyping of SCLC from theory to clinical application.

Abstract Background Diabetes can cause chronic microvascular complications such as diabetic retinopathy (DR) and diabetic nephropathy (DN). DR and DN can lead to or exacerbate diabetic macular edema (DME). Hemodialysis (HD) is the main treatment method for patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) secondary to DN. Purpose The aim of this prospective cohort study was to determine the immediate effect of single HD session on retinal and choroidal thickness in DR patients with ESKD and the features of DR and the prevalence of DME in these patients who have received long-term HD. Methods Eighty-five eyes of 44 DR patients with ESKD who underwent long-term HD were examined by swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA). Based on OCTA images, the characteristics of DR and the prevalence of DME in these patients were analyzed. Changes in central retinal thickness (CRT), central retinal volume (CRV), subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) and subfoveal choroidal volume (SFCV) within 30 min before and after single HD session were compared. CRT, CRV, SFCT and SFCV were compared before single HD session and before the next single HD session. Results There was no significant difference in the average CRT (251.69 ± 39.21 μm vs. 251.46 ± 39.38 μm, P = 0.286) or CRV (0.15 ± 0.62 μm vs. 0.15 ± 0.63 μm, P = 0.324) between before and after single HD session. After single HD session, SFCT (243.11 ± 77.15 μm vs. 219.20 ± 72.84 μm, P

Abstract Despite the potential of small molecules and recombinant proteins to enhance the efficiency of homology-directed repair (HDR), single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) donors, as currently designed and chemically modified, remain suboptimal for precise gene editing. Here, we screen the biased ssDNA binding sequences of DNA repair-related proteins and engineer RAD51-preferred sequences into HDR-boosting modules for ssDNA donors. Donors with these modules exhibit an augmented affinity for RAD51, thereby enhancing HDR efficiency across various genomic loci and cell types when cooperated with Cas9, nCas9, and Cas12a. By combining with an inhibitor of non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) or the HDRobust strategy, these modular ssDNA donors achieve up to 90.03% (median 74.81%) HDR efficiency. The HDR-boosting modules targeting an endogenous protein enable a chemical modification-free strategy to improve the efficacy of ssDNA donors for precise gene editing.

Abstract Simulating electronic behavior in materials and devices with realistic large system sizes remains a formidable task within the ab initio framework due to its computational intensity. Here we show DeePTB, an efficient deep learning-based tight-binding approach with ab initio accuracy to address this issue. By training on structural data and corresponding ab initio eigenvalues, the DeePTB model can efficiently predict tight-binding Hamiltonians for unseen structures, enabling efficient simulations of large-size systems under external perturbations such as finite temperatures and strain. This capability is vital for semiconductor band gap engineering and materials design. When combined with molecular dynamics, DeePTB facilitates efficient and accurate finite-temperature simulations of both atomic and electronic behavior simultaneously. This is demonstrated by computing the temperature-dependent electronic properties of a gallium phosphide system with 106 atoms. The availability of DeePTB bridges the gap between accuracy and scalability in electronic simulations, potentially advancing materials science and related fields by enabling large-scale electronic structure calculations.

Abstract Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a life-threatening vascular disease, while there is a lack of pharmaceutical interventions to halt AAA progression presently. To address the multifaceted pathology of AAA, this work develops a novel multifunctional gene delivery system to simultaneously deliver two siRNAs targeting MMP-2 and MMP-9. The system (TPNs-siRNA), formed through the oxidative polymerization and self-assembly of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), efficiently encapsulates siRNAs during self-assembly. TPNs-siRNA safeguards siRNAs from biological degradation, facilitates intracellular siRNA transfection, promotes lysosomal escape, and releases siRNAs to silence MMP-2 and MMP-9. Additionally, TPNs, serving as a multi-bioactive material, mitigates oxidative stress and inflammation, fosters M1-to-M2 repolarization of macrophages, and inhibits cell calcification and apoptosis. In experiments with AAA mice, TPNs-siRNA accumulated and persisted in aneurysmal tissue after intravenous delivery, demonstrating that TPNs-siRNA can be significantly distributed in macrophages and VSMCs relevant to AAA pathogenesis. Leveraging the carrier’s intrinsic multi-bioactive properties, the targeted siRNA delivery by TPNs exhibits a synergistic effect for enhanced AAA therapy. Furthermore, TPNs-siRNA is gradually metabolized and excreted from the body, resulting in excellent biocompatibility. Consequently, TPNs emerges as a promising multi-bioactive nanotherapy and a targeted delivery nanocarrier for effective AAA therapy. Graphical Abstract

Abstract Background At present, the guidelines for urology recommend percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) as the preferred treatment for staghorn renal calculi (SRC). However, for complete SRC, it has been questioned by clinicians and patients due to high residual stone rate, complications, repeated hospitalizations and high treatment cost. Anatrophic nephrolithotomy (ANL) is a traditional and classic method for the treatment of SRC. Due to its high trauma and high technical requirements, it is difficult to carry out in primary hospitals, and gradually replaced by PCNL. The purpose of this study is to compare the efficacy of PCNL and ANL in the treatment of complete SRC. Methods Overall, 238 patients with complete SRC were divided into mini-PCNL in lateral supine position group, (n = 190) and ANL group (n = 94) according to treatment for a retrospective cohort study. The calculi parameters, renal function index, comorbidities of calculi, surgical complications, length and frequency of hospitalization, treatment costs, results of postoperative satisfaction survey were compared between the two groups. Results The risk of the residual stone rate after mini-PCNL in lateral supine position was 239 times (OR = 238.667, P

Abstract Electron transfer (ET) is the fundamental redox process of life and element cycling. The ET distance is normally as short as nanometers or micrometers in the subsurface. However, the redox gradient in the subsurface is as long as centimeters or even meters. This gap triggers an intriguing question whether directional long-distance ET from reduced to oxidized zones exists along the redox gradient. By using electron-donating capacity variation as a proxy of ET, we show that ET can last over 10 cm along the redox gradient in sediment columns, through a directional long-distance ET chain from reduced to oxidized zones constituted by a series of short-distance electron hopping reactions. Microbial and chemical processes synergistically mediate the long-distance ET chain, with an estimated flux of 6.73 μmol e−/cm2 per day. This directional long-distance ET represents an overlooked but important “remote” source of electrons for local biogeochemical and environmental processes.

Background While sciatic nerve injury has been described as a complication of acetabular fractures, iatrogenic nerve injury remains sparsely reported. This study aims to assess iatrogenic sciatic nerve injuries occurring during acetabular fracture surgery, tracking their neurological recovery and clinical outcomes, and investigating any correlation between recovery and the severity of neurologic injury to facilitate physicians in providing prediction of prognosis. Case Presentation We present two cases of male patients, aged 56 and 22, who developed sciatic palsy due to iatrogenic nerve injury during acetabular fracture surgery. Iatrogenic sciatic nerve injury resulted from operatively treated acetabular fractures. Surgical exploration, involving internal fixation removal and nerve decompression, successfully alleviated symptoms in both cases postoperatively. At the latest follow‐up, one patient achieved full recovery with excellent function, while the other exhibited residual deficits at the L5/S1 root level along with minimal pain. Conclusion Sciatic nerve injury likely stemmed from reduction techniques and internal fixation procedures for the posterior column, particularly when performed with the hip flexed, thereby placing tension on the sciatic nerve. Our case reports underscore the significance of liberal utilization of electrophysiologic examinations and intraoperative monitoring for the prediction of prognosis. Surgical exploration, encompassing internal fixation removal and nerve decompression, represents an effective intervention for resolving sciatic palsy, encompassing both sensory neuropathy and motor symptoms.

In order to clarify the differences of postharest quality and volatile substances of different tomato varieties, the volatile substances of different tomato varieties ('567' 'Provence' 'Youshi No.3' 'Warrior 808' 'Meiqi') were determined by gas chromatography-ion mobility spectroscopy (GC-IMS), and the quality indexes were discussed. '567' tomato fruit was round-shaped. The 'Provence' tomato was near-round and had the highest titrable acid content. 'Youshi No.3' tomato fruit was round-shaped, whose soluble solid content and fruit firmness was the highest. 'Warrior 808' tomato was a near-round fruit. 'Meiqi' tomato fruit was near-round, whose the skin color was the most shiny, which contained the most red color and the highest vitamin C content. A total of 57 volatile substances were detected in 5 varieties of tomato fruits, of which 51 volatile substances were identified, including 18 aldehydes, 11 esters, 8 ketones, 8 alcohols, 2 furans, 3 terpenes and 1 others. There were differences in the main volatiles of different varieties of tomatoes. The volatiles present in all five varieties of tomatoes were ethyl butyrate (apple flavour), trans-2-hexenal (green banana). Hexanol (fruity flavour), propionic acid (sour flavour), and hexyl acetate (fruity flavour) were the main odour substances of 'Meiqi' tomato. Basilene (tropical citrus flavour), ethyl acetyl propionate (fruity flavour), ethyl isobutyrate (sweet flavour) were the main odour substances of '567' tomato. And 2-methylbutyl acetate (sweet banana flavour) was the main odour substance of 'Provence' tomato. Moreover, (Z)-4-heptenal (creamy flavour) was the main odour substance of 'Warrior 808' tomato. Lastly, 1-octen-3-one (mushroom flavour) was the main odour substance of 'Youshi No.3' tomato. In light of this, the differences of postharvest quality of different varieties of tomato fruits were identified in this experiment, and gas chromatography-ion mobility spectroscopy can effectively evaluate the differences of volatile substances.

To meet the growing emission of water contaminants, the development of new materials that enhance the efficiency of the water treatment system is urgent. Ordered mesoporous materials provide opportunities in environmental processing applications due to their exceptionally high surface areas, large pore sizes, and enough pore volumes. These properties might enhance the performance of materials concerning adsorption/catalysis capability, durability, and stability. In this review, we enumerate the ordered mesoporous materials as adsorbents/catalysts and their modifications in water pollution treatment from the past decade, including heavy metals (Hg2+, Pb2+, Cd2+, Cr6+, etc.), toxic anions (nitrate, phosphate, fluoride, etc.), and organic contaminants (organic dyes, antibiotics, etc.). These contributions demonstrate a deep understanding of the synergistic effect between the incorporated framework and homogeneous active centers. Besides, the challenges and perspectives of the future developments of ordered mesoporous materials in wastewater treatment are proposed. This work provides a theoretical basis and complete summary for the application of ordered mesoporous materials in the removal of contaminants from aqueous solutions.

Background: Percutaneous transhepatic cholangioscopic lithotripsy (PTCSL) provides an effective alternative procedure for the management of complex hepatolithiasis and choledocholithiasis. Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) program is an evidence-based approach that was developed to reduce surgical stress and accelerate postoperative recovery. However, little is known regarding PTCSL in the context of ERAS. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of PTCSL within ERAS programs. Patient and methods: The clinical data of patients who underwent PTCSL within ERAS programs consulted at our hospital between November 2017 and November 2022 was retrospectively reviewed. Individualized perioperative ERAS items were evaluated for all patients. The demographics, intraoperative variables, and postoperative outcomes were analyzed. Results: A total of 43 patients who underwent PTCSL were included in the study. There were 13 men and 30 women aged between 39 and 89 years with an average age of 60 years (60.49 ± 12.37). The stone clearance rate was 77 % after the first operation, and the final clearance rate was 95 %. The incidence of complications in this study is 18.6 % (8/43), including 6 patients with Clavien-Dindo I-II, and 2 patients with Clavien-Dindo III. Pleural effusion, abdominal effusion, infection, bile leakage, and biliary bleeding are the most common complications, however, all patients recovered after aggressive treatment. Conclusion: PTCSL is a relatively safe, feasible, and efficient method for treating complex hepatolithiasis and choledocholithiasis within ERAS programs. Individualized ERAS entries and precise disease management are required to minimize the occurrence of complications and to provide effective treatment.

The flow behavior and deformation mechanisms of the [001]-oriented single-crystal nickel-based superalloy PWA1483 are investigated under quasi-static compressive and tensile loading conditions at 750°C. We found that the tensile yield strength is larger as compared to the compressive strength, and the serrated flow only appears on the compressive stress–strain curves. Microstructural observations uncover that stacking fault shearing and microtwinning are prone to initiate in PWA1483 during tensile deformation, and the appearance of the Protevin–Le Châtelier effect in compression derives from the abrupt frequent bursts of the two mechanisms on a mesoscale, rather than the simple occurrence of these procedures.

Ultrasonic metal welding machines are suitable for various complex applications (e.g., battery tabs) through unique mechanical design, special pressure application methods and high-precision welding. This work reports the weldability, forming quality and fractographic analysis of copper multilayered welded joints which were studied by SEM-EDS characterization, micro-hardness testing and tensile testing based on ultrasonic double roller welding (UDRW). Three groups of process parameters (A, B and C) were established to investigate the performance, production quality and welded joint surface interconnections. The tensile testing results of sample under parameter 3 in group A [S-P3(A)] indicate the maximum tensile strength of 69.859 N in T-peel test while the average tensile strength has increased by 58.525 N due to rise in welding time from 2 sec to 5 sec. The results analysis indicates that welding quality features in S-P3(A) joints under 4 bar, 100 mm/s, 45 % have been exploited. The over-welded zone was transformed into good-welded zone. The micro-cracks, fatigue stations and peeling texture in multilayers were reduced. It was found that when the welding energy was 10000 J then the tearing edges and interlayers cracks were minimized while keeping the other parameters constant. Moreover, when the amplitude increased up to 50 %, then numerous micro-cracks and micro-fissure stations were created, which leads to the occurrence of fracture in multi-layer welded joint. The EDS study investigated that the complex features are formed at the interface junction of sample 3 S3(A) in multilayer welds. The complex multilayer microstructures can induce and produce unique hardness properties for battery manufacturing. It leads to high quality and durable welds. Eventually, it is experimentally demonstrated that robust 40 layer welded joints can be obtained by the UDRW process. Data availability: The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Aiming at the problems of limited coverage and imperfect function caused by the inflexible communication mode of the existing mine broadcast system, a design scheme of mine broadcast system integrating Ethernet, CAN bus and analog audio transmission is researched and designed, and the system architecture, hardware and software design and core technology of the system are described. The hardware of the system is composed of broadcast terminal and broadcast intercom speaker. The broadcast terminal uses Ethernet communication to realize network IP telephone and complete long-distance communication; broadcast intercom speaker through the CAN bus, combined with analog audio to achieve two-way intercom and streaming media online playback, with CAN relay function, can be unlimited cascaded, can be deployed where the optical fiber can not cover. The whole set of broadcasting system can realize full coverage of underground voice in coal mines, with the advantages of easy installation and low hardware cost, and provide strong support for daily safe production scheduling and disaster prevention and avoidance in coal mines.

Abstract Background Obesity is closely associated with upper gastrointestinal disorders. The recommendations for routine preoperative esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) before bariatric surgery remains a topic of debate. This study aimed to describe the pathological endoscopic findings in individuals qualified for bariatric surgery. Methods Retrospective analysis was conducted on preoperative gastroscopy reports of patients who underwent bariatric surgery at our hospital between October 2022 and October 2023. Results A total of 405 patients were included in the study. The two most prevalent endoscopic findings during EGD in this patient cohort were chronic superficial gastritis (326/405, 80.5%) and reflux esophagitis (82/405, 20.2%). Some patients exhibited two or more abnormalities. Patients with reflux esophagitis were older, had a higher proportion of men, higher BMI, higher rates of smoking and drinking compared to those without it (P = 0.033, P

Abstract Two-dimensional (2D) layered materials have been studied in depth during the past two decades due to their unique structure and properties. Transition metal (TM) intercalation of layered materials have been proven as an effective way to introduce new physical properties, such as tunable 2D magnetism, but the direct growth of atomically thin heteroatoms-intercalated layered materials remains untapped. Herein, we directly synthesize various ultrathin heteroatoms-intercalated 2D layered materials (UHI-2DMs) through flux-assisted growth (FAG) approach. Eight UHI-2DMs (V1/3NbS2, Cr1/3NbS2, Mn1/3NbS2, Fe1/3NbS2, Co1/3NbS2, Co1/3NbSe2, Fe1/3TaS2, Fe1/4TaS2) were successfully synthesized. Their thickness can be reduced to the thinnest limit (bilayer 2D material with monolayer intercalated TM), and magnetic ordering can be induced in the synthesized structures. Interestingly, due to the possible anisotropy-stabilized long-range ferromagnetism in Fe1/3TaS2 with weak interlayer coupling, the layer-independent magnetic ordering temperature of Fe1/3TaS2 was revealed by magneto-transport properties. This work establishes a general method for direct synthesis of heteroatom-intercalated ultrathin 2D materials with tunable chemical and physical properties.

Abstract Microplastics (MPs) are defined as plastic particles smaller than 5 mm in size, and nanoplastics (NPs) are those MPs with a particle size of less than 1000 nm or 100 nm. The prevalence of MPs in the environment and human tissues has raised concerns about their potential negative effects on human health. Macrophages are the major defence against foreign substances in the intestine, and can be polarized into two types: the M1 phenotype and the M2 phenotype. However, the effect of NPs on the polarization of macrophages remains unclear. Herein, we selected polystyrene, one of the most plastics in the environment and controlled the particle sizes at 50 nm and 500 nm respectively to study the effects on the polarization of macrophages. We used mouse RAW264.7 cell line models in this macrophage-associated study. Experiments on cell absorption showed that macrophages could quickly ingest polystyrene nanoplastics of both diameters with time-dependent uptake. Compared to the untreated group and 10 μg/mL treatment group, macrophages exposed to 50 μg/mL groups (50 nm and 500 nm) had considerably higher levels of CD86, iNOS, and TNF-α, but decreased levels of aCD206, IL-10, and Arg-1. According to these findings, macrophage M1 and M2 polarization can both be induced and inhibited by 50 μg/mL 50 nm and 500 nm polystyrene nanoplastics. This work provided the first evidence of a possible MPs mode of action with appropriate concentration and size through the production of polarized M1, providing dietary and environmental recommendations for people, particularly those with autoimmune and autoinflammatory illnesses.

Abstract Physical layer key generation (PLKG) is a technique of information-theoretic security to tackle the problem of key distribution between resource-constrained legitimate users and is a promising candidate for the one time pad (OTP) technique. However, in quasi-static, the key rate is greatly limited due to low entropy. Reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) is introduced to adaptively reconfigure the radio environment. However, how to allocate time slots in the OTP to counter the increasingly powerful adversary model is an urgent problem to be solved. In this paper, we propose a very powerful adversary model and give an attack strategy called eavesdropping channel search, which allows Eve to use its search and eavesdropping capabilities to maximize the probability of successful attacks. Meanwhile, we propose a time slot allocation algorithm in the OTP to ensure the security of the key. Simulations validate that our proposed attack strategy is more powerful than any existing adversary model and our proposed time slot allocation algorithm does not have any security loss.

Abstract Primary gastric adenosquamous carcinoma (PGASC) is a rare type of gastric cancer with limited research and poorly understood clinicopathological features. This study investigated the clinicopathological features and outcomes of PGASC. Patients with PGASC from Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology and from the published literature were enrolled in this study. Survival curves were generated using the Kaplan–Meier method, and prognostic factors were identified through Cox proportional hazards regression models. This study identified 76 eligible cases of PGASC, with 45 cases from published literature and 31 from our center. The most prevalent symptoms were abdominal pain and dysphagia, with a median age of 62 years (range: 29–84 years). The primary lesions were predominantly in the proximal stomach, with a median tumor size of 6.5 cm (range: 1.5–16.0 cm). Tumor stages II, III, and IV were detected in 12 (16.7%), 43 (59.7%), and 17 (23.6%) patients, respectively. Most tumors were poorly differentiated in both the squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) component and adenocarcinoma (AC) component. The median survival time was 17 months (range: 2–122 months). The 1, 3, and 5-year overall survival (OS) was 60.7%, 31.1%, and 24.1%, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that OS was independently predicted by the proportion of SCC component, differentiation of AC component, and tumor stage. PGASC is a rare disease with a poor prognosis. A high proportion of SCC components, low differentiated AC components, and advanced tumor were associated with worse survival in patients with PGASC. Adjuvant therapy did not improve survival time.