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Abstract Weight-adjusted waist index (WWI) is a new marker of central obesity. This study explored the association of WWI with all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality in individuals with diabetes or prediabetes. 6551 participants with diabetes or prediabetes from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) records between 2005 and 2018 were included. The association of WWI with all-cause and CVD mortality was assessed using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, Cox proportional hazards model (Cox regression), and restricted cubic spline (RCS). The predictive value of WWI for mortality was analyzed using time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC). There were 1083 all-cause deaths and 360 CVD deaths. Multivariable-adjusted Cox regression analyses showed WWI was positively correlated with the risk of all-cause and CVD mortality in subjects with diabetes or prediabetes. Multivariate-adjusted RCS analyses showed a linear and positive correlation of WWI with all-cause mortality risk, and a nonlinear relationship with CVD mortality, with a threshold of 12.35. The area under the curve (AUC) for 3, 5, and 10-years survival for all-cause mortality was 0.795, 0.792, and 0.812, respectively, and for CVD mortality was 0.815, 0.833, and 0.831, respectively. WWI is a valuable predictor of all-cause mortality risk in patients with diabetes and prediabetes, and a valuable predictor of CVD mortality risk when patients with diabetes and prediabetes are considered as a whole.

Abstract. Along with the surge of unearthed medical literature and cultural relics in recent years, a network of channels in the system of medical conduit vessels (meridians) during the early Western Han dynasty has become much clearer gradually. In it, the increasing number of channel branches, network vessels and needle insertion holes (acupoints) is an important feature of the development of channel medicine during the Western Han dynasty. This is not only a reflection of the expanding requirements of the theoretical system of the main trunk channels and other vessels, but also an inevitable result of the continuous enrichment and accumulation of clinical experience. This article integrates the information about channel branches, network vessels, inscriptions, dots and further relics on the Tianhui (天回) Lacquered Meridian Figurine to compare the unearthed literature of the channel genre with the transmitted classical literature about acupuncture. The “Heart-Regulated Channel” in Medical Manuscripts on Bamboo Slips from Tianhui (《天回医简》) serves as an example to explain the occurrence, development and changes of the channel branches and network vessels in the early system of medical channels.

Deep learning technologies have revolutionized the management of energy, energy consumption, and data security within smart grids through non-intrusive load monitoring (NILM). This paper explores the use of deep learning for real-time intrusion detection in power grids with a primary focus on safeguarding the integrity and security of Data Processing Units (DPUs). An evaluation of various machine learning models, including Support Vector Machine (SVM), Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA), Decision Trees, and Random Forests, is conducted to detect various types of intrusions, including Fault, Injection, Masquerade, Normal, and Replay. Random Forest produced AUC values of 1.00 for all classes and an overall F1-score of 0.99 for all classes. The Decision Tree model also shows robust performance for detecting Fault and Injection intrusions (AUC = 0.98), with an overall F1-score of 0.94. However, the LDA and SVM models do not perform well in detecting Injection intrusions with overall F1-scores of 0.83 and 0.86. Advances in machine learning can be used to improve smart grid security, reliability, and efficiency, according to this study. These findings highlight the potential of advanced machine learning techniques to enhance smart grid reliability and efficiency. Doi: 10.28991/HIJ-2024-05-03-018 Full Text: PDF

Abstract The objective of this study is to investigate the association between diabetic kidney disease (DKD) and various adiposity indexes, including the visceral adiposity index (VAI), lipid accumulation product index (LAPI), visceral fat area (VFA), and subcutaneous fat area (SFA) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. 1176 T2DM patients was stratified into normoalbuminuria (NO), microalbuminuria (MI), and macroalbuminuria (MA) groups based on their urinary albumin-creatinine ratio (UACR) levels. To analyse the correlation between DKD and VAI, LAPI, VFA, and SFA. Multiple linear, restricted cubic spline (RCS), subgroup analyses, and multinomial logistic regression were employed. After adjusting for confounding variables, UACR levels were positively associated with VAI, LAPI, and VFA. RCS curves demonstrated a J-shaped dose-response relationship between VAI and LAPI levels with UACR levels, while a linear correlation was observed between UACR levels and VFA. Using the NO and MI as reference groups, the MA group was analysed as the observational group. DKD severity was positively associated with VAI, LAPI and VFA. When evaluating DKD prognostic risk, with the low-risk and medium-risk groups serving as reference categories, a significant positive correlation was identified with prognostic risk and VAI, LAPI, and VFA in the high-risk or very high-risk groups. In patients with T2DM, DKD severity and prognostic risk were positively correlated with VAI, LAPI, and VFA levels.

Abstract Piercing-sucking pests are the most notorious group of pests for global agriculture. RNAi-mediated crop protection by foliar application is a promising approach in field trials. However, the effect of this approach on piercing-sucking pests is far from satisfactory due to the limited uptake and transport of double strand RNA (dsRNA) in plants. Therefore, there is an urgent need for more feasible and biocompatible dsRNA delivery approaches to better control piercing-sucking pests. Here, we report that foliar application of layered double hydroxide (LDH)-loaded dsRNA can effectively disrupt Panonychus citri at multiple developmental stages. MgAl-LDH-dsRNA targeting Chitinase (Chit) gene significantly promoted the RNAi efficiency and then increased the mortality of P. citri nymphs by enhancing dsRNA stability in gut, promoting the adhesion of dsRNA onto leaf surface, facilitating dsRNA internalization into leaf cells, and delivering dsRNA from the stem to the leaf via the vascular system of pomelo plants. Finally, this delivery pathway based on other metal elements such as iron (MgFe-LDH) was also found to significantly improve the protection against P. citri and the nymphs or larvae of Diaphorina citri and Aphis gossypii, two other important piercing-sucking hemipeteran pests, indicating the universality of nanoparticles LDH in promoting the RNAi efficiency and mortality of piercing-sucking pests. Collectively, this study provides insights into the synergistic mechanism for nano-dsRNA systemic translocation in plants, and proposes a potential eco-friendly control strategy for piercing-sucking pests. Graphical Abstract

Plasma arc additive manufacturing (PAAM) was applied to fabricate TC4 and Ti48Al (gamma titanium aluminide) bimetals in this work. The impact of deposition sequence on the microstructure and mechanical properties of two groups of bimetals (TC4-Ti48Al, first deposited TC4, then Ti48Al; Ti48Al-TC4, first deposited Ti48Al, then TC4) was investigated. The results show that the ultimate tensile strengths of two groups of bimetals exhibit significant differences, with 158.4 MPa for TC4-Ti48Al and 232.3 MPa for Ti48Al-TC4, the reason for this disparity is the difference in microstructure at the transition zone, which is attributed to heat input and Marangoni convection. The phase transformation evolution of TC4-Ti48Al transition zone is (major α2 + minor α)→ (major α2 + minor γ) → (major γ + minor α2), and (major α2 + minor α) → (major α + minor α2) for Ti48Al-TC4. The formation mechanism of transition zones and relationship between the microstructure characteristics and mechanical properties of two groups of bimetals were further discussed. Overall, the property of Ti48Al-TC4 was superior, and this work provides a promising new method for the preparation of TC4 and Ti48Al bimetals.

According to the requirements of the pre-assessment service and earthquake emergency disposal, we collected the pre-assessment survey data of Sichuan in recent ten years, and designed the database structure with deeply mining, classification and coding. At last, we established the database for pre-assessment survey data to realize fast query of pre-assessment survey data, statistics, calls and other functions, which promoting the transformation of pre-assessment achievements. And it also realizes the scientific, standardized and systematic management of pre-assessment survey data, and provides data guarantee for earthquake disaster risk management and earthquake emergency information services.

Abstract Background The prognostic potential of immune-related genes, particularly immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), is gaining attention for evaluating the prognosis of breast cancer patients. Methods We analyzed 23 datasets to identify 15 ICI-related mRNAs and 5 immune-related lncRNAs, creating a robust immune score (IS). This score was used to classify patients into high and low IS groups and assess their survival outcomes. Results Patients with high IS showed significantly poorer overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) compared to those with low IS. Multivariate Cox regression analysis confirmed IS as an independent prognostic factor. Additionally, high IS was associated with higher mutation loads and neoantigen profiles, while low IS correlated with enhanced immune cell infiltration. Conclusions The immune score developed from ICI-related mRNAs and lncRNAs effectively predicts the prognosis of breast cancer patients and highlights the differential immune and inflammatory responses between patients with varying levels of immune score. This underscores the relevance of IS in guiding therapeutic decisions and tailoring patient management strategies in clinical settings.

Abstract. Background:. Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and diameter, stiffness, and wave reflections, are independent and important clinical biomarkers and risk predictors for cardiovascular diseases. The purpose of the present study was to establish nationwide reference values of carotid properties for healthy Chinese adults and to explore potential clinical determinants. Methods:. A total of 3053 healthy Han Chinese adults (1922 women) aged 18–79 years were enrolled at 28 collaborating tertiary centers throughout China between April 2021 and July 2022. The real-time tracking of common carotid artery walls was achieved by the radio frequency (RF) ultrasound system. The IMT, diameter, compliance coefficient, β stiffness, local pulse wave velocity (PWV), local systolic blood pressure, augmented pressure (AP), and augmentation index (AIx) were then automatically measured and reported. Data were stratified by age groups and sex. The relationships between age and carotid property parameters were analyzed by Jonckheere–Terpstra test and simple linear regressions. The major clinical determinants of carotid properties were identified by Pearson’s correlation, multiple linear regression, and analyses of covariance. Results:. All the parameters of carotid properties demonstrated significantly age-related trajectories. Women showed thinner IMT, smaller carotid diameter, larger AP, and AIx than men. The β stiffness and PWV were significantly higher in men than women before forties, but the differences reversed after that. The increase rate of carotid IMT (5.5 μm/year in women and 5.8 μm/year in men) and diameter (0.03 mm/year in both men and women) were similar between men and women. For the stiffness and wave reflections, women showed significantly larger age-related variations than men as demonstrated by steeper regression slopes (all P for age by sex interaction

Abstract Background The high prevalence of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) in the United States necessitates further investigation into its impact on complications associated with total hip arthroplasty (THA). This study utilizes a large nationwide database to explore risk factors in DKD cases undergoing THA. Methods This research utilized a case–control design, leveraging data from the national inpatient sample for the years 2016 to 2019. Employing propensity score matching (PSM), patients diagnosed with DKD were paired on a 1:1 basis with individuals free of DKD, ensuring equivalent age, sex, race, Elixhauser Comorbidity Index (ECI), and insurance coverage. Subsequently, comparisons were drawn between these PSM-matched cohorts, examining their characteristics and the incidence of post-THA complications. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was then employed to evaluate the risk of early complications after surgery. Results DKD's prevalence in the THA cohort was 2.38%. A 7-year age gap separated DKD and non-DKD patients (74 vs. 67 years, P

Abstract Objective Retinal vascular endothelial cell (RVECs) injury is a major cause of morbidity and mortality among the patients with diabetes. RVECs dysfunction is the predominant pathological manifestation of vascular complication in diabetic retinopathy. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) serves as the most prevalent modification in eukaryotic mRNAs. However, the role of m6A RNA modification in RVECs dysfunction is still unclear. Methods RT-qPCR analysis and western blot were conducted to detect the change of m6A RNA modification in diabetic retinopathy. CCK-8 assay, transwell experiment, wound healing assay, tube formation experiment, m6A-IP-qPCR were performed to determine the role of YTHDC1 in RVECs. Retinal trypsin digestion test and H&E staining were used to evaluate histopathological changes. Results The levels of m6A RNA methylation were significantly up-regulated in HG-induced RVECs, which were caused by increased expression of YTHDC1. YTHDC1 regulated the viability, proliferation, migration and tube formation ability in vitro. YTHDC1 overexpression impaired RVECs function by repressing CDK6 expression, which was mediated by YTHDC1-dependent mRNA decay. Moreover, it showed sh-YTHDC1 inhibited CDK6 nuclear export. Sh-YTHDC1 promotes the mRNA degradation of CDK6 in the nucleus but does not affect the cytoplasmic CDK6 mRNA. In vivo experiments showed that overexpression of CDK6 reversed the protective effect of sh-YTHDC1 on STZ-induced retinal tissue damage. Conclusion YTHDC1-mediated m6A methylation regulates diabetes-induced RVECs dysfunction. YTHDC1-CDK6 signaling axis could be therapeutically targeted for treating DR.

Abstract Background Currently, treatment regimens for visceral leishmaniasis (VL) are limited because of the presence of numerous adverse effects. Nicotinamide, a readily available and cost-effective vitamin, has been widely acknowledged for its safety profile. Several studies have demonstrated the anti-leishmanial effects of nicotinamide in vitro. However, the potential role of nicotinamide in Leishmania infection in vivo remains elusive. Methods In this study, we assessed the efficacy of nicotinamide as a therapeutic intervention for VL caused by Leishmania infantum in an experimental mouse model and investigated its underlying molecular mechanisms. The potential molecular mechanism was explored through cytokine analysis, examination of spleen lymphocyte subsets, liver RNA-seq analysis, and pathway validation. Results Compared to the infection group, the group treated with nicotinamide demonstrated significant amelioration of hepatosplenomegaly and recovery from liver pathological damage. The NAM group exhibited parasite reduction rates of 79.7% in the liver and 86.7% in the spleen, respectively. Nicotinamide treatment significantly reduced the activation of excessive immune response in infected mice, thereby mitigating hepatosplenomegaly and injury. Furthermore, nicotinamide treatment enhanced fatty acid β-oxidation by upregulating key enzymes to maintain lipid homeostasis. Conclusions Our findings provide initial evidence supporting the safety and therapeutic efficacy of nicotinamide in the treatment of Leishmania infection in BALB/c mice, suggesting its potential as a viable drug for VL. Graphical Abstract

In this study, a novel three-dimensional biofilm electrode reactor (3D-BER) with a graphene oxide (GO)–modified cathode was developed to enhance the denitrification performance of secondary effluent from wastewater treatment plants (SEWTPs). The effects of different hydraulic retention times (HRTs) and currents on the 3D-BER were explored. The results indicated that at the optimal HRT of 4 h and current of 350 mA/m2, the 3D-BER with GO-modified cathode had a higher denitrification rate (2.40 ± 0.1 mg TN/L/h) and less accumulation of intermediate products, especially with 3.34% total nitrogen (TN) molar conversion to N2O. The GO-modified cathode offered a large biocompatible specific surface area and enhanced the conductivity, which favored microbial growth and increased electron transfer efficiency and extracellular enzyme activities. Moreover, the activity of nitrite reductase increased more than that of nitrate reductase to accelerate nitrite reduction, thus facilitating the denitrification process. The proposed 3D-BER provided an effective solution to elevate tertiary denitrification in the SEWTP. HIGHLIGHTS Secondary effluent from wastewater treatment plants are treated by the three-dimensional biofilm electrode reactor (3D-BER) with GO-modified cathode.; The 3D-BER improves the denitrification efficiency at appropriate current and HRT.; A 52.6% N2O greenhouse gas reduction with 3.34% TN molar conversion to N2O was achieved.; The GO-modified 3D-BER enhances denitrifying enzyme activity.;

Background: The paclitaxel liposome formulation, encapsulating paclitaxel within a phospholipid bilayer, addresses the insolubility of traditional paclitaxel formulations, thereby reducing toxicity without compromising its antitumor efficacy. Methods: This multicenter, open-label, non-inferiority randomized controlled trial (ChiCTR2000038555) evaluates the efficacy and safety of paclitaxel liposome in comparison to the standard regimen of paclitaxel combined with carboplatin (PLC vs. PC) as first-line therapy in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer. Results: An analysis of median progression-free survival (PFS) revealed non-inferior outcomes between 263 patients in the PLC group and 260 patients in the PC group (32.3 vs. 29.9 months, hazard ratio [HR], 0.89 [95% CI, 0.64−1.25]), using a non-inferior margin of 1.3. Although the overall incidence of treatment-related adverse events was comparable between groups, the PLC group experienced significantly fewer non-hematologic toxicities than those treated with the PC regimen. Conclusion: The findings affirm the non-inferiority of paclitaxel liposome compared to the combination of paclitaxel and carboplatin regarding therapeutic efficacy, with an enhanced safety profile marked by reduced non-hematologic toxicities.

Abstract Objective To compare the effect of different indicators on stress‐induced hyperglycemia for predicting in‐hospital outcomes of acute intracerebral hemorrhage. Methods Using data from the Chinese Stroke Center Alliance database, which is a national, multicenter, prospective, and consecutive program. Stress‐induced hyperglycemia was described as glycemic gap (GG, defined as fasting blood glucose [FBG] minus estimated average blood glucose) and stress hyperglycemia ratio (SHR, defined as FBG‐to‐estimated average blood glucose ratio [SHR 1] or FBG‐to‐HbA1c ratio [SHR 2]). The primary outcome was in‐hospital mortality, and the second outcome was hematoma expansion. Results A total of 71,333 patients with acute intracerebral hemorrhage were included. In multivariate analyses, the highest levels of GG (OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.12–2.51), SHR 1 (OR 1.73, 95% CI 1.15–2.60), and SHR 2 (OR 2.07, 95% CI 1.33–3.23) were associated with in‐hospital death (all the p trends 0.05) was related to hematoma expansion. No association between GG or SHR 1 and hematoma expansion was observed. The areas under the ROC curve of GG, SHR 1, and SHR 2 for in‐hospital mortality were 0.8808 (95% CI 0.8603–0.9014), 0.8796 (95% CI 0.8589–0.9002), and 0.8806 (95% CI 0.8600–0.9012). The areas under the ROC curve of SHR 2 for hematoma expansion were 0.7133 (95% CI 0.6964–0.7302). Interpretation SHR (FBG‐to‐HbA1c ratio) was associated with both in‐hospital death and hematoma expansion in intracerebral hemorrhage, and might serve as an accessory indicator for the in‐hospital prognosis of intracerebral hemorrhage.

Abstract When single-particle dynamics are suppressed in certain strongly correlated systems, dipoles arise as elementary carriers of quantum kinetics. These dipoles can further condense, providing physicists with a rich realm to study fracton phases of matter. Whereas recent theoretical discoveries have shown that an unconventional lattice model may host a dipole condensate as the ground state, we show that dipole condensates prevail in bosonic systems due to a self-proximity effect. Our findings allow experimentalists to manipulate the phase of a dipole condensate and deliver dipolar Josephson effects, where supercurrents of dipoles arise in the absence of particle flows. The self-proximity effects can also be utilized to produce a generic multipolar condensate. The kinetics of the n-th order multipoles unavoidably creates a condensate of the (n + 1)-th order multipoles, forming a hierarchy of multipolar condensates that will offer physicists a whole new class of macroscopic quantum phenomena.

Abstract Background The main purpose of this paper is to introduce a method that can accurately locate the posterior capsule of the lens to facilitate a relatively complete resection of the anterior vitreous body. Methods A total of 51 patients in the experimental group and control group were enrolled in this study. Phacoemulsification combined with vitrectomy was performed in all cases. After the cataract procedure was completed in the control group, the surgeon performed a conventional anterior vitrectomy with the operative eye. In the experimental group, anterior vitrectomy was performed according to the threadiness corrugation of the posterior capsule of the lens. During the operation, with the help of triamcinolone, two surgeons confirmed the resection of the anterior vitreous cortex; the best corrected visual acuity and intraocular pressure of all patients were recorded at 1 week, 1 month and 3 months after surgery. Results Fifty patients underwent phacoemulsification combined with vitrectomy, except one patient in the experimental group who was lost to follow-up. After surgery, no significant complications were observed in all patients except two patients in the control group with temporary increases in intraocular pressure. There was no significant difference in preoperative visual acuity between the two groups (t = 0.83, P = 0.25). Both groups had varying degrees of improvement in best corrected visual acuity at 1 week, 1 month and 3 months after surgery. Moreover, there was no significant difference in BCVA between the two groups at the three follow-up time points (t=-1.15, -1.65, -1.09, P = 0.53, 0.21, 0.23). After surgery, no significant complications were observed in all patients except two patients in the control group with temporary increases in intraocular pressure. Incomplete resection of the anterior vitreous cortex was observed in 2 patients in each group, but there was no significant difference (χ2 = 7.81, P > 0.05). Conclusion In the process of cataract surgery combined with vitrectomy, thready corrugation appears in the posterior capsule of the lens and is an important sign of its localization. Anterior vitrectomy can be accomplished safely and effectively with the help of thread-like corrugation, and the surgical effect is almost the same as that of traditional surgery. Especially suitable for beginners in vitreous surgery.

Abstract Background The prospective phase III multi-centre L-MOCA trial (NCT03534453) has demonstrated the encouraging efficacy and manageable safety profile of olaparib maintenance therapy in the Asian (mainly Chinese) patients with platinum-sensitive relapsed ovarian cancer (PSROC). In this study, we report the preplanned exploratory biomarker analysis of the L-MOCA trial, which investigated the effects of homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) and programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression on olaparib efficacy. Methods HRD status was determined using the ACTHRD assay, an enrichment-based targeted next-generation sequencing assay. PD-L1 expression was assessed by SP263 immunohistochemistry assay. PD-L1 expression positivity was defined by the PD-L1 expression on ≥ 1% of immune cells. Kaplan–Meier method was utilised to analyse progression-free survival (PFS). Results This exploratory biomarker analysis included 225 patients and tested HRD status [N = 190; positive, N = 125 (65.8%)], PD-L1 expression [N = 196; positive, N = 56 (28.6%)], and BRCA1/2 mutation status (N = 219). The HRD-positive patients displayed greater median PFS than the HRD-negative patients [17.9 months (95% CI: 14.5–22.1) versus 9.2 months (95% CI: 7.5–13.8)]. PD-L1 was predominantly expressed on immune cells. Positive PD-L1 expression on immune cells was associated with shortened median PFS in the patients with germline BRCA1/2 mutations [14.5 months (95% CI: 7.4–18.2) versus 22.2 months (95% CI: 18.3–NA)]. Conversely, positive PD-L1 expression on immune cells was associated with prolonged median PFS in the patients with wild-type BRCA1/2 [20.9 months (95% CI: 13.9–NA) versus 8.3 months (95% CI: 6.7–13.8)]. Conclusions HRD remained an effective biomarker for enhanced olaparib efficacy in the Asian patients with PSROC. Positive PD-L1 expression was associated with decreased olaparib efficacy in the patients with germline BRCA1/2 mutations but associated with improved olaparib efficacy in the patients with wild-type BRCA1/2. Trial registration NCT03534453. Registered at May 23, 2018.

Persistent infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) is the main cause of cervical cancer. These chronic infections are characterized by high expression of the HPV E6 and E7 oncogenes and the absence of the L1 and L2 capsid proteins. The regulation of HPV gene expression plays a crucial role in both the viral life cycle and rare oncogenic events. Alternative splicing of HPV mRNA is a key mechanism in post-transcriptional regulation. Through alternative splicing, HPV mRNA is diversified into various splice isoforms with distinct coding potentials, encoding multiple proteins and influencing the expression of HPV genes. The spliced mRNAs derived from a donor splicing site within the E6 ORF and one of the different acceptor sites located in the early mRNA contain E6 truncated mRNAs, named E6*. E6* is one of the extensively studied splicing isoforms. However, the role of E6* proteins in cancer progression remains controversial. Here, we reviewed and compared the alternative splicing events occurring in the genomes of HR-HPV and LR-HPV. Recently, new HPV alternative splicing regulatory proteins have been continuously discovered, and we have updated the regulation of HPV alternative splicing. In addition, we summarized the functions of known splice isoforms from three aspects: anti-tumorigenic, tumorigenic, and other cancer-related functions, including not only E6*, but also E6^E7, E8^E2, and so on. Comprehending their contributions to cancer development enhances insights into the carcinogenic mechanisms of HPV and explores the potential utility of alternative splicing in the diagnosis and treatment of cervical cancer.

Krylov complexity has emerged as a probe of operator growth in a wide range of nonequilibrium quantum dynamics. However, a fundamental issue remains in such studies: the definition of the distance between basis states in Krylov space is ambiguous. Here we show that Krylov complexity can be rigorously established from circuit complexity when dynamical symmetries exist. Whereas circuit complexity characterizes the geodesic distance in a multidimensional operator space, Krylov complexity measures the height of the final operator in a particular direction. The geometric representation of circuit complexity thus unambiguously designates the distance between basis states in Krylov space. This geometric approach also applies to time-dependent Liouvillian superoperators, where a single Krylov complexity is no longer sufficient. Multiple Krylov complexity may be exploited jointly to fully describe operator dynamics.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the potential causal relationship between intraocular pressure (IOP) and myopia. Methods: The study included 3,459 patients who underwent corneal refractive surgery at our institution between 2021 and 2023. Preoperative data on IOP, spherical equivalent (SE), axial length (AL), and corneal thickness (CCT) were collected. The association between IOP and myopia was investigated through rank correlation analysis, and causal inference was examined using Mendelian randomization (MR) methods, including MR-Egger, weighted median, mode-based estimation, simple mode, and inverse variance weighted (IVW) approaches. Utilizing summary statistics from genome-wide association studies (GWAS), IOP was considered as the exposure, with myopia as the outcome variable. IVW method was employed for the primary analysis, supplemented by sensitivity analyses. Results: Cross-sectional analysis revealed a non-significant association between corrected IOP (cIOP) and myopia (r = -0.019, P = 0.12). MR analysis indicated a non-significant genetic causal relationship between cIOP and myopia under the IVW method (OR = 1.001; 95 % CI [0.999–1.003], P = 0.22), a finding corroborated in replication samples (OR = 0.98; 95 % CI [0.96–1.00], P = 0.099). Conclusion: This study did not find a direct causal link between IOP and the development of myopia. These findings challenge the traditional role attributed to IOP in the progression of myopia and highlight the complex, multifactorial process of myopia development. This provides a new perspective on understanding the intricate mechanisms behind myopia progression.

Owing to its tyrosinase inhibitory activity, α-arbutin has been added to several skin care products as a skin-lightening agent. However, the protective effect of α-arbutin against ultraviolet A (UVA)-induced photoaging has not been well investigated. The present study was designed to investigate the photoprotective effect and mechanism of α-arbutin against UVA-induced photoaging. In vitro experiments, HaCaT cells were treated with UVA at a dose of 3 J/cm2 to evaluate the anti-photoaging effect of α-arbutin. α-Arbutin was found to exhibit a strong antioxidant effect by increasing glutathione (GSH) level and inhibiting reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Meanwhile, α-arbutin markedly improved the expression of sirtuin 3 (SIRT3) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1 α (PGC-1α) proteins, initiating downstream signaling to increase mitochondrial membrane potential and mediate mitochondrial biogenesis, and improve mitochondrial structure significantly. In vivo analysis, the mice with shaved back hair were irradiated with a cumulative UVA dose of 10 J/cm2 and a cumulative ultraviolet B (UVB) dose of 0.63 J/cm2. The animal experiments demonstrated that α-arbutin increased the expression of SIRT3 and PGC-1α proteins in the back skin of mice, thereby reducing UV-induced skin damage. In conclusion, α-arbutin protects HaCaT cells and mice from UVA damage by regulating SIRT3/PGC-1α signaling pathway.

The Nanhua Basin of South China recorded complete Cryogenian stratigraphic sequence from the Sturtian Glaciation (~717–660 Ma) to the Marinoan Glaciation (~654–635 Ma). The interglacial Datangpo Fm in the Nanhua Basin is divided into two members, and the first member consists of the Mn-carbonate unit and the overlying black shale unit, containing a series of large and superlarge manganese deposits. The metallogenic process of manganese deposits is not clear, and the Mn-carbonates formed through the precursor of Mn-oxide/oxyhydroxide reduction or directly precipitated from an anoxic water column. Moreover, the redox conditions in the deep Nanhua Basin during the precipitation of manganese deposits are also controversial. In this study, the high-resolution nitrogen contents (TN), isotope compositions, carbon isotope compositions of organic and inorganic matter from the first member of the Datangpo Fm are analyzed. The δ15N values of the Mn-carbonate unit (+1.53‰ to +5.26‰, mean +3.36‰) are higher than those of the overlying black shale unit (−3.74‰ to +3.54‰, mean +0.89‰). The Mn contents show a negative relationship with TN but a positive relationship with δ15N in the Mn-carbonate unit, implying that the formation of Mn-carbonates is related to redox variations. The relatively higher δ15N values in the Mn-carbonate unit indicated oxic conditions, and NH4+can be released and partially oxidized during the mineralization of organic matter, resulting in the residual 15N-enriched NH4+ being transferred into clay minerals. Meanwhile, the lower δ15N values in the black shale unit indicated anoxic conditions, which recorded primary N isotope signals. The Mn-carbonate unit is characterized by negative δ13Ccarb values (−11.17‰ to −5.22‰, mean −8.30‰), which show a positive relationship with δ13Corg, but a negative relationship with Mn contents, implying that the negative δ13Ccarb excursions were related to the organic matter degradation during Mn-carbonate formation. The findings of this study indicated that the metallogenesis of manganese deposits in the Cryogenian Nanhua Basin was constrained mainly by the oxic interval in the deep basin. The nitrogen and carbon cycling process can provide new insights into geochemical cycling after the Sturtian Glaciation.

Objectives To compare the level of knowledge of depression, recognition ability and attitudes towards depression among urban and rural residents in Beijing.Design A cross-sectional study.Setting Six districts in Beijing, China, 2021.Participants A total of 6463 participants aged 18 years and above who had lived for more than 6 months over the last year in Beijing were selected in this study.Outcome The awareness and recognition of depression and the views of residents towards people with depression.Results A total of 2554 urban and 2043 rural residents completed the survey. Urban residents of Beijing exhibited a higher average total score on the Depression Knowledge Questionnaire [(20.4±3.3) vs (18.7±3.5), p

ObjectiveTo assess CD276 expression and explore its relationship with the clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of patients with bladder cancer.MethodsIn total, RNA-sequencing data and clinical profiles of 436 bladder cancer cases from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were assessed using the University of California Santa Cruz Xena (UCSC) platform. We compared the CD276 levels in cancerous and adjacent normal tissues and used the R software for statistical association with the clinical stage, grade, and survival (the overall survival, disease-specific survival, and progression-free survival). A single-gene GSEA analysis on TCGA-BLCA data was performed to explore potential pathways through which CD276 might influence bladder cancer. Additionally, CD276 expression was analyzed by comparing data from 9 cancerous tissues and 3 adjacent normal tissues in the GEO dataset GSE7476. Furthermore, we analyzed 133 cancerous bladder and adjacent tissue samples from the Soochow University Hospital, collected between January 1, 2016, and September 30, 2022, to assess the CD276 protein expression using immunohistochemistry. We examined the relationship between tumor CD276 levels and clinical outcomes and prognosis of bladder cancer.ResultsBioinformatic analysis revealed elevated CD276 expression in tumors compared to that in adjacent tissues (p

Specific protein 1 (Sp1) is pivotal in sustaining baseline transcription as well as modulating cell signaling pathways and transcription factors activity. Through interactions with various proteins, especially transcription factors, Sp1 controls the expression of target genes, influencing numerous biological processes. Numerous studies have confirmed Sp1’s significant regulatory role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disorders. Post-translational modifications (PTMs) of Sp1, such as phosphorylation, ubiquitination, acetylation, glycosylation, SUMOylation, and S-sulfhydration, can enhance or modify its transcriptional activity and DNA-binding stability. These modifications also regulate Sp1 expression across different cell types. Sp1 is crucial in regulating non-coding gene expression and the activity of proteins in response to pathophysiological stimuli. Understanding Sp1 PTMs advances our knowledge of cell signaling pathways in controlling Sp1 stability during cardiovascular disease onset and progression. It also aids in identifying novel pharmaceutical targets and biomarkers essential for preventing and managing cardiovascular diseases.

Objective: To explore the pharmacological mechanism of the effect of fraxetin in treating acute myeloid leukemia (AML) by the network pharmacology method combined with experimental validation. Methods: The targets of fraxetin were identified through Swisstarget prediction, PhammerMap, and CTDBASE. Disease-related targets of AML were explored using GeneCards and DisGenet databases, and the intersected targets were analyzed in the String website to construct a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. Subsequently, gene ontology (GO) functional enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment were conducted using the DAVID database. Molecular docking of core proteins with drugs was performed using Auto Dock Vina software. Finally, the effect of fraxetin on AML was evaluated by in vitro experiments. The effect of fraxetin on AML cell proliferation was assessed by CCK8, the effect of fraxetin on AML cell apoptosis was assessed by flow cytometry, and the expression of relevant protein targets was detected by Western blotting to evaluate the anti-AML effect of fraxetin. Results: In this study, fraxetin exerts its effect against AML through 101 intersecting genes. The pathway enrichment analysis revealed that the pharmacological effects of fraxetin on AML were related to the Adenosine 5‘-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase （AMPK） signaling pathway, and the molecular docking results indicated that fraxetin had an excellent binding affinity to both the core target and AMPK. In vitro experiments have demonstrated that fraxetin inhibited the proliferation and induced apoptosis of THP1 and HL60 cells, and the western blotting results indicated that the p-AMPK of the fraxetin intervention group was significantly changed in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusion: Fraxetin may modulate the AMPK signal pathway by interactine with the core target, thereby potentially therapeutic effect on AML.

In the context of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment, this study introduces a biomimetic “bomb” approach to target HCC by utilizing macrophages (MAs) as ultrasound-responsive carriers. This advanced biomimetic drug delivery system (MAs-DOX/PFP/Ms, MAs-DPM) encapsulates doxorubicin (DOX) and perfluoropentane (PFP) and is designed to precisely target HCC. MAs-DPM exhibits excellent drug loading capacity and biocompatibility, can effectively release DOX and enhance ultrasound imaging capabilities under ultrasound irradiation (UI). Experiments confirmed that MA maintained its biological activity and vitality during co-incubation and phagocytosis with DOX-loaded DPM, and microscopy confirmed that MA effectively engulfed DPM without changing cell morphology or function. Transwell experiments demonstrated that this bionic “bomb” (MAs-DPMs) not only retained the tumor targeting ability of macrophages, but also successfully delivered therapeutic drugs to tumor cells. Compared with samples without UI treatment, UI significantly increased the release of DOX from MAs-DPM, enhanced the drug release rate and inhibited the growth of HCC cells. Live/Dead staining experiments further intuitively revealed the precise “biobomb” effect of MAs-DPM under UI, effectively proving its ability to inhibit HCC cell proliferation. In vivo studies demonstrated that MAs-DPM was able to proficiently localize tumor sites within 24 h. Furthermore, the ultrasound-mediated phase transition of PFP enhanced the imaging efficacy, confirming the feasibility of macrophage-mimicking biological bombs for real-time in vivo ultrasound tracking. In the tumor-bearing nude mouse model, UI-treated MAs-DPMs remarkably delayed tumor growth and prolonged survival time compared with other groups. Subsequent histological and serum index evaluation further confirmed the in vivo safety of MAs-DPMs, and UI-treatment did not induce significant histological or pathological changes or statistical differences in vital organ or serum markers. These experiment results highlight the great potential of MAs-DPM as a strategic approach for the diagnosis and treatment of HCC.

Integrating multiple hyperspectral linear-array cameras into a Linear-array Multi-camera System (LMS) enables an expanded Field of View (FOV) while preserving high spatial resolution. However, the constrained capabilities of tie points are weakened by the limited overlap and short baseline between sub-cameras, hindering the attainment of reliable solutions for the theoretically ideal relative calibration model. Additionally, the absence of stereoscopic imaging in the LMS introduces the challenge of acquiring dense Ground Control Points (GCPs) throughout the FOV during calibration. In this paper, for calibrating an advanced airborne hyperspectral LMS named Arial Hyperspectral System-1000 (AHS-1000), we propose an equivalent geometric model that transforms the three-camera configuration of the LMS into a single-camera representation on the master camera’s focal plane, which was successfully applied to the data processing system of AHS-1000. We extracted dense GCPs by matching each Level-1 sub-image of the LMS with the bundled images of an existing three-line-scanner aerial image dataset, whose orientation parameters have been accurately solved by bundle adjustment with sparse GCPs; the matched points of each sub-image were consistently projected onto the master focal plane as image observations for our equivalent model. Finally, we established a collinearity equation system and performed a combined strip adjustment to calibrate the distortion terms for each pixel of the equivalent camera. The results demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of our equivalent modeling method, which outperforms the classic modeling method by 2.83 pixels in interior accuracy and 0.86 pixels in relative accuracy, as well as outperforming another similar equivalent modeling method by 1.22 pixels in interior accuracy and 0.18 pixels in relative accuracy. Additionally, our comparison utilizing bundled images, public DOM (Digital Orthophoto Maps) /DEM (Digital Elevation Models), and high-precision DOM/DEM from aerial three-line-scanner demonstrates that bundled images can achieve higher calibration accuracy.

Abstract Identifying road surface types (paved or unpaved) can ensure road vehicle safety, reduce energy consumption, and promote economic development. Existing studies identified road surface types by using sensors mounted on mobile devices and high-resolution satellite images that are not openly accessible, which makes it difficult to apply them to large-scale (e.g., national or regional) study areas. Addressing this issue, this study developed a dataset of road surface types (paved and unpaved) for the national road network of Kenya, containing 1,267,818 road segments classified as paved or unpaved. To accomplish this, this study proposes a method that integrates crowdsourced geographic data (OpenStreetMap) and Google satellite imagery to identify road surface types. The accuracy, recall, and F1 score of the method were all above 0.94, validating the effectiveness of the method. The data sources of the method are freely available, and the method may be applied to other countries and regions. The dataset developed based on the method can provide data support and decision support for local governments to improve road infrastructure.

Abstract In the evolving landscape of smart libraries, this research pioneers an IoT-based low-cost architecture utilizing Software-Defined Networking (SDN). The increasing demand for more efficient and economical solutions in library management, particularly in the realm of RFID-based processes such as authentication, property circulation, and book loans, underscores the significance of this study. Leveraging the collaborative potential of IoT and SDN technologies, our proposed system introduces a fresh perspective to tackle these challenges and advance intelligent library management. In response to the evolving landscape of smart libraries, our research presents an Internet of Things (IoT)-based low-cost architecture utilizing SDN. The exploration of this architectural paradigm arises from a recognized gap in the existing literature, pointing towards the necessity for more efficient and cost-effective solutions in managing library processes. Our proposed algorithm integrates IoT and SDN technologies to intelligently oversee various library activities, specifically targeting RFID-based processes such as authentication, property circulation management, and book loan management. The system's architecture, encompasses components like the data center, SDN controllers, RFID tags, tag readers, and other network sensors. By leveraging the synergy between RFID and SDN, our innovative approach reduces the need for constant operator supervision in libraries. The scalability and software-oriented nature of the architecture cater to extensive library environments. Our study includes a two-phase investigation, combining practical implementation in a small-scale library with a simulation environment using MATLAB 2021. This research not only fills a crucial gap in current knowledge but also lays the foundation for future advancements in the integration of IoT and SDN technologies for intelligent library management.

Abstract Background Pancreatic cancer stem cells are crucial for tumorigenesis and cancer metastasis. Presently, long non-coding RNAs were found to be associated with Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma stemness characteristics but the underlying mechanism is largely known. Here, we aim to explore the function of LINC00909 in regulating pancreatic cancer stemness and cancer metastasis. Methods The expression level and clinical characteristics of LINC00909 were verified in 80-paired normal pancreas and Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma tissues from Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital cohort by in situ hybridization. RNA sequencing of PANC-1 cells with empty vector or vector encoding LINC00909 was experimented for subsequent bioinformatics analysis. The effect of LINC00909 in cancer stemness and metastasis was examined by in vitro and in vivo experiments. The interaction between LINC00909 with SMAD4 and the pluripotency factors were studied. Results LINC00909 was generally upregulated in pancreatic cancer tissues and was associated with inferior clinicopathologic features and outcome. Over-expression of LINC00909 enhanced the expression of pluripotency factors and cancer stem cells phenotype, while knock-down of LINC00909 decreased the expression of pluripotency factors and cancer stem cells phenotype. Moreover, LINC00909 inversely regulated SMAD4 expression, knock-down of SMAD4 rescued the effect of LINC00909-deletion inhibition on pluripotency factors and cancer stem cells phenotype. These indicated the effect of LINC00909 on pluripotency factors and CSC phenotype was dependent on SMAD4 and MAPK/JNK signaling pathway, another downstream pathway of SMAD4 was also activated by LINC00909. Specifically, LINC00909 was localized in the cytoplasm in pancreatic cancer cells and decreased the stability the SMAD4 mRNA. Finally, we found over-expression of LINC00909 not only accelerated tumor growth in subcutaneous mice models, but also facilitated tumorigenicity and spleen metastasis in orthotopic mice models. Conclusion We demonstrate LINC00909 inhibits SMAD4 expression at the post-transcriptional level, which up-regulates the expression of pluripotency factors and activates the MAPK/JNK signaling pathway, leading to enrichment of cancer stem cells and cancer metastasis in pancreatic cancer.

The objective of this study was to determine the differences of aroma and taste in three black sesame originsbefore and after processing via flavor and widely metabolomics. By analyzing the sensory characteristics and metabolites of raw and treated black sesame from China, Vietnam, and Myanmar, treated Chinese sesame have the most significant change in hardness after thermal processing, low viscosity and was easy to chew. The electronic nose could distinguish between raw and treated sesame due to the aroma distribution. The reason of treated sesame from China was “fragrant” is due to the highest content (2545.50 ​μg/kg) of total pyrazines including 2,5-dimethylpyrazine, 2-ethyl-5-methylpyrazine, 2,3,5-trimethylpyrazine, 3-ethyl-2,5-dimethylpyrazine. 933 metabolites were detected via a wide targeted metabolomics in the taste of raw and treated sesame. Based on the analysis of metabolites related to bitterness, 145 substances were selected. The main bitter contributors may be amino acids, dipeptides and organic acids.

The aerodynamic drag of a high-speed train has a significant impact on its energy consumption. At high speeds, the pantograph is one of the primary sources of aerodynamic drag for the train. To enhance train operation characteristics and reduce aerodynamic drag, two optimized pantograph models with bionic non-smooth grooves beneath carbon slide plates were designed based on bionic non-smooth theories, using shark skin as the bionic object. The Navier-Stokes equation and k-ϵ turbulence model were adopted to simulate the flow field structure of two pantograph optimized models. The results show the structure of pantograph head has a significant effect on its separation point of the boundary layer, the wake flow and the tail vortex area. Compared to the pantograph head with arc-shaped grooves, the pantograph head with V-shaped grooves exhibits a more significant backward movement of the boundary layer of separation point. This results in a more stable wake flow and a more pronounced reduction in the area of the tail vortex. Furthermore, incorporating V-shaped grooves beneath the carbon slide plate resulted in an average rate of drag reduction increase of 4.9% for the pantograph head and 4.7% for the pantograph compared to the original pantograph.

This is an article in the field of earth sciences. Manganese ore is one of the strategic minerals in short supply in China. The area of Northern Guizhou-Eastern Yunnan is the most typical distribution area of manganese ore in Permian, which is also rare in the Late Paleozoic in the world. It is rich in manganese ore resources and has great prospecting potential, so it is called "Zunyi type manganese ore". The results show that the manganese ore is produced in the late Permian Maokou, and its distribution is strictly controlled by the northern Guizhou rift basin. The manganese ore is formed in the center of graben basin by exhalation deposition, but no manganese ore is distributed in the barrier area, and the ore-body spatial distribution direction is basically consistent with the basin distribution direction. Among them, manganese ore in Zunyi - western Guizhou area is spatially distributed in the basin facies area, and can be divided into three manganese ore facies belts, namely, the central phase, the transition phase and the edge, which further indicates the specific metallogenic location of manganese ore and shows that the manganese ore is controlled by the center of the basin. Based on the Zunyi-Xuanwei manganese ore belt, it can be divided into four manganese ore concentration areas in the Zunyi-Qianxi manganese ore mineralization subzone: Shenxi-Bali, Longping-Xinglong, Tuanxi-Shangji and Qianxi, and two manganese ore concentration areas in shuicheng - Xuanwei manganese ore mineralization subzone: Shuicheng - Nayong and Gexue.The research results are of great significance to search for Permian concealed manganese deposits in northern Guizhou and eastern Yunnan and to carry out metallogenic prediction.

Abstract Bone marrow ablation is routinely performed before hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) require a stable bone marrow microenvironment to expand and refill the peripheral blood cell pool after ablation. Roundabout guidance receptor 4 (Robo4) is a transmembrane protein exclusive to endothelial cells and is vital in preserving vascular integrity. Hence, the hypothesis is that Robo4 maintains the integrity of bone marrow endothelial cells following radiotherapy. We created an endothelial cell injury model with γ-radiation before Robo4 gene manipulation using lentiviral-mediated RNAi and gene overexpression techniques. We demonstrate that Robo4 and specific mesenchymal proteins (Fibronectin, Vimentin, αSma, and S100A4) are upregulated in endothelial cells exposed to irradiation (IR). We found that Robo4 depletion increases the expression of endoglin (CD105), an auxiliary receptor for the transforming growth factor (TGF-β) family of proteins, and promotes endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (End-MT) through activation of both the canonical (Smad) and non-canonical (AKT/NF-κB) signaling pathways to facilitate Snail1 activation and its nuclear translocation. Endothelial Robo4 overexpression stimulates the expression of immunoglobulin-like adhesion molecules (ICAM-1 and VCAM-1) and alleviates irradiation-induced End-MT. Our coculture model showed that transcriptional downregulation of endothelial Robo4 reduces HSPC proliferation and increases HSC quiescence and apoptosis. However, Robo4 overexpression mitigated the damaged endothelium’s suppressive effects on HSC proliferation and differentiation. These findings indicate that by controlling End-MT, Robo4 preserves microvascular integrity after radiation preconditioning, protects endothelial function, and lessens the inhibitory effect of damaged endothelium on hematopoietic reconstitution.

Curative resection stands as the sole potential cure for gallbladder cancer (GBC); nevertheless, a dearth of knowledge persists regarding long-term follow-up data and prognostic factors that hinder achieving a cure post-surgery. A retrospective cohort study was conducted by analyzing pathologically confirmed initial resections for GBC between 2000 and 2013 across three Chinese medical centers. The concept of observed cure refers to a 10-year survival period devoid of any disease recurrence. Employing a semiparametric proportional hazards mixture cure model enabled the identification of clinicopathological factors impeding a cure for GBC post-surgery. In our current study, a total of 331 patients were included, with a follow-up period exceeding a decade. The median overall survival (OS) was recorded at 31.6 months, with 39 patients (11.78%) achieving a 10-year OS, classified as 10-year survivors. Within this subset, 36 patients reached a 10-year relapse-free survival, denoting cure, and yielding an observed cure rate of 10.88%. Notably, factors such as combined surgical resection involving invaded organs, positive lymph node metastasis, and R1 resection (below 1%) were identified as virtually precluding a cure. Additionally, patients with T3–4 stage, hepatic invasion, advanced AJCC stage or poor tumor differentiation exhibited a low likelihood of achieving cure (below 5%). The discovery of these prognostic factors holds significant value in tailoring individualized treatment strategies and enhancing clinical decision-making processes.

Common carp is a globally farmed and economically important freshwater fish species. Due to the intensive culture conditions, the farmed common carp are susceptible to various pathogens, causing high mortality and serious economic losses to the carp culture industry. The route of infection is usually through the main mucosal tissues. In order to generate an effective strategy to better manage the fish disease, it is important to understand mucosal immune related genes as well as their expressions during infection. In this study, the common carp mucin gene family were identified and characterized through bioinformatics analysis, and their expression patterns were examined in healthy tissues of common carp as well as the mucosal tissues after the infection of Aeromonas hydrophila. Our results showed that, there were a set of 11 mucin genes across the entire common carp genome. Functional domain prediction and phylogenetic analysis supported their annotation and orthologies. Examining gene copy number across several vertebrates showed that muc4 and muc6 genes were present in other vertebrate, but were lost in teleost fish, which appeared as a result of gene loss after the split of teleost fish from tetrapods during evolution. The mucin genes presented tissue-specific expression patterns in various healthy common carp tissues, with relatively high expression levels in mucosal tissues, indicating their important roles likely in mucosal immune response. Furthermore, the expression of all mucin genes except for muc2-1 were significantly regulated at one or more timepoints in minimum one mucosal tissue after bacterial infection, suggesting that the mucin gene family played critical roles in the mucosal immunity of common carp in response to pathogenic invasion. Collectively, our findings provided fundamental genomic resources for better understanding the vital roles of mucin genes in the defense against pathogen invasion in teleost.

Background: Anhedonia is a deficit of dynamic reward process, and a large proportion of schizophrenia patients continue to experience anhedonia even during the stable phase. However, few studies have examined the multiple aspects of performance in reward processing in patients with stable schizophrenia and evidence suggests that physical and cognitive effort may involve different neural mechanisms. Methods: Parallel measures of effort-based expenditure for reward tasks (EEfRT) and self-report questionnaires of pleasure were applied in 61 patients with stable schizophrenia (SSZ) and 46 healthy controls (HCs), and percentages of hard task choices (HTC%) were used to assess motivation in reward processing. Negative symptoms, neurocognitive and social function were evaluated in SSZ patients, and associations with performance in reward tasks were explored. Results: SSZ patients reported more severe consummatory and anticipatory anhedonia and social anhedonia. HTC% in reward tasks of SSZ patients were significantly lower than that of HCs, especially in cognitive-effort tasks. HTC% in cognitive tasks were correlated with motivation and pleasure dimension of negative symptoms, whereas HTC% in physical tasks were associated with expression dimension. Anticipatory anhedonia and negative symptoms were correlated with Personal and Social Performance Scale (PSP) scores. Conclusion: Patients with stable schizophrenia have social anhedonia, physically consummatory and anticipatory anhedonia and reduced reward motivation. They are less willing to make cognitive effort than physical effort for reward. The different associations of physical and cognitive effort with negative symptoms indicate physical and cognitive effort may represent disparate neuropsychological processes. Anticipatory anhedonia is closely related to social functioning.

ABSTRACTIn the field of emotion recognition, analyzing emotions from speech alone (single-modal speech emotion recognition) has several limitations, including limited data volume and low accuracy. Additionally, single-task models lack generalization and fail to fully utilize relevant information. To address these issues, this paper proposes a new bi-modal bi-task emotion recognition model. The proposed model introduces multi-task learning on the Transformer architecture. On one hand, unsupervised contrastive predictive coding is used to extract denser features from the data while preserving self-information and context-related information. On the other hand, model robustness against interfering information is enhanced by employing self-supervised contrastive learning. Furthermore, the proposed model utilizes a modality fusion module to incorporate textual and audio information to implicitly align features from both modalities. The proposed model achieved accuracy rates of 82.3% and 83.5% on the IEMOCAP and RAVDESS datasets, respectively, when considering weighted accuracy (WA). When weight is not considered (unweighted accuracy (UA)), the model achieved 83.0% and 82.4% accuracy. Compared to the existing methods, the performance is further improved.

ABSTRACTUrinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common late-onset infections in preterm infants, characterized by nonspecific symptoms and a pathogenic spectrum that diverges from that of term infants and older children, which present unique diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Existing data on the role of gut microbiota in UTI pathogenesis in this demographic are limited. This study aims to investigate alterations in gut microbiota and fecal calprotectin levels and their association with the development of UTIs in hospitalized preterm infants. A longitudinal case-control study was conducted involving preterm infants admitted between January 2018 and October 2020. Fecal samples were collected weekly and analyzed for microbial profiles and calprotectin levels. Propensity score matching, accounting for key perinatal factors including age and antibiotic use, was utilized to match samples from UTI-diagnosed infants to those from non-UTI counterparts. Among the 151 preterm infants studied, 53 were diagnosed with a UTI, predominantly caused by Enterobacteriaceae (79.3%) and Enterococcaceae (19.0%). Infants with UTIs showed a significantly higher abundance of these families compared to non-UTI infants, for both Gram-negative and positive pathogens, respectively. Notably, there was a significant pre-UTI increase in the abundance of pathogen-specific taxa in infants later diagnosed with UTIs, offering high predictive value for early detection. Shotgun metagenomic sequencing further confirmed the dominance of specific pathogenic species pre-UTI and revealed altered virulence factor profiles associated with Klebsiella aerogenes and Escherichia coli infections. Additionally, a decline in fecal calprotectin levels was observed preceding UTI onset, particularly in cases involving Enterobacteriaceae. The observed pathogen-specific alterations in the gut microbiota preceding UTI onset offer novel insight into the UTI pathogenesis and promising early biomarkers for UTIs in preterm infants, potentially enhancing the timely management of this common infection. However, further validation in larger cohorts is essential to confirm these findings.

Abstract Bedload transport is a natural process that strongly affects the Earth's surface system. An important component of quantifying bedload transport flux and establishing early warning systems is the identification of the onset of bedload motion. Bedload transport can be monitored with high temporal resolution using passive acoustic methods, for example, hydrophones. Yet, an efficient method for identifying the onset of bedload transport from long‐term continuous acoustic data is still lacking. Benford's Law defines a probability distribution of the first‐digit of data sets and has been used to identify anomalies. Here, we apply Benford's law to continuous acoustic recordings from Baiyang hydrometric station, a tributary of Liwu River, Taroko National Park, Taiwan at the frequency of 32 kHz from stationary hydrophones deployed for 3 years since 2019. We construct a workflow to parse sound combinations of bedload transportation and analyze them in the context of hydrometric sensing constraining the onset, and recession of bedload transport. We identified three separate sound classes in the data related to the noise produced by the motion of pebbles, water flow, and air. We identify two bedload transport events that lasted 17 and 45 hr, respectively, covering about 0.35% of the total recorded time. The workflow could be transferred to other different catchments, events, or data sets. Due to the influence of instrument and background noise on the regularity of the residuals of the first‐digit, we recommend identifying the first‐digit distribution of the background noise and ruling it out before implementing this workflow.

Short neuropeptide F (sNPF) is a neuropeptide that widely distributed among arthropods. This neuropeptide has been proposed to play pleiotropic roles in insects, but its physiological functions in crustaceans are poorly understood. Here, we cloned the cDNA sequences of sNPF and its putative receptor (sNPFR) from the swimming crab, Portunus trituberculatus, and determined their possible roles during ovarian development. PtsNPF encodes three sNPF mature peptides with a conserved C-terminal “RLRFG” motif. All three PtsNPF peptides concentration-dependently activated PtsNPFR expressed in HEK293T cells, with EC50 values in the nanomolar range. PtsNPF and PtsNPFR transcripts showed a broad distribution among neural and non-neural tissues. During the ovarian development, expression of PtsNPF and PtsNPFR in hepatopancreas and ovary both increased to the highest levels at the late-vitellogenic stage, a period for rapid vitellogenesis. The in vitro experiments further showed that, among the three sNPF peptides, sNPF3 treatments can induce the vitellogenin (Vg) gene and protein levels in the hepatopancreas, as well as the Vg receptor (VgR) gene and protein levels and vitellogenin (Vn) deposition in the ovary. Opposing effects were observed for the dsPtsNPFR treatments, suggesting that PtsNPFR plays a role in the PtsNPF-mediated vitellogenesis. Additionally, it was found that the PtsNPF/PtsNPFR system can activate different second messengers species in hepatopancreas and ovary, suggesting it may act via different G proteins.

In bronchial ultrasound elastography, accurately segmenting mediastinal lymph nodes is of great significance for diagnosing whether lung cancer has metastasized. However, due to the ill-defined margin of ultrasound images and the complexity of lymph node structure, accurate segmentation of fine contours is still challenging. Therefore, we propose a dual-stream feature-fusion attention U-Net (DFA-UNet). Firstly, a dual-stream encoder (DSE) is designed by combining ConvNext with a lightweight vision transformer (ViT) to extract the local information and global information of images; Secondly, we propose a hybrid attention module (HAM) at the bottleneck, which incorporates spatial and channel attention to optimize the features transmission process by optimizing high-dimensional features at the bottom of the network. Finally, the feature-enhanced residual decoder (FRD) is developed to improve the fusion of features obtained from the encoder and decoder, ensuring a more comprehensive integration. Extensive experiments on the ultrasound elasticity image dataset show the superiority of our DFA-UNet over 9 state-of-the-art image segmentation models. Additionally, visual analysis, ablation studies, and generalization assessments highlight the significant enhancement effects of DFA-UNet. Comprehensive experiments confirm the excellent segmentation effectiveness of the DFA-UNet combined attention mechanism for ultrasound images, underscoring its important significance for future research on medical images.

PurposeThe development of multiple system diseases is increased by obesity. However, the connection between obesity and developmental disabilities (DDs) in children is unclear. As an obesity index, the weight-adjusted waist index (WWI) assessed fat distribution and muscle mass. In this study, we examined the correlation between WWI and DDs among children 6 to 17 years of age.MethodsThis study used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey database (NHANES) covering 2003 to 2018, which included the data of 17,899 participants between 6 and 17 years of age. Data regarding their waist circumference, weight, and DDs were collected via physical examinations and questionnaire, respectively. A person’s WWI is calculated by dividing their waist circumference by their weight squared. The correlation between WWI and DDs was studied using weighted multiple logistic regression models. Additionally, a sensitivity analysis was conducted utilizing a generalized additive model and smooth curve fitting.ResultsAfter adjusting for all covariates, WWI was positively related to DDs in children ages 6-17. Based on the sensitivity analysis, the correlation between the WWI and prevalence of DDs remained consistent across subgroups. Additionally, there was a J-shaped correlation between the WWI and the prevalence of DDs in children ages 6 through 11.ConclusionChildren 6–17 years of age with a high WWI were at greater risk for DDs; however, the causal relationships and potential mechanisms require further exploration.

Summary: Recent phenomena such as pandemics, geopolitical tensions, and climate change-induced extreme weather events have caused transportation network interruptions, revealing vulnerabilities in the global supply chain. A salient example is the March 2021 Suez Canal blockage, which delayed 432 vessels carrying cargo valued at $92.7 billion, triggering widespread supply chain disruptions. Our ability to model the spatiotemporal ramifications of such incidents remains limited. To fill this gap, we develop an agent-based complex network model integrated with frequently updated maritime data. The Suez Canal blockage is taken as a case study. The results indicate that the effects of such blockages go beyond the directly affected countries and sectors. The Suez Canal blockage led to global losses of about $136.9 ($127.5–$147.3) billion, with India suffering 75% of these losses. Global losses show a nonlinear relationship with the duration of blockage and exhibit intricate trends post blockage. Our proposed model can be applied to diverse blockage scenarios, potentially acting as an early-alert system for the ensuing supply chain impacts. Furthermore, high-resolution daily data post blockage offer valuable insights that can help nations and industries enhance their resilience against similar future events.

Background and aimsPatients with relapsed/refractory aggressive B-cell lymphoma(r/r aBCL)who progressed after CD19-specific chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy (CD19CART) had a poor prognosis. Application of CAR T-cells targeting a second different antigen (CD20) expressed on the surface of B-cell lymphoma as subsequent anti-cancer salvage therapy (CD20-SD-CART) is also an option. This study aimed to evaluate the survival outcome of CD20-SD-CART as a salvage therapy for CD19 CART treatment failure.MethodsThis retrospective cohort study enrolled patients with aBCL after the failure of CD19 CART treatment at Beijing Gobroad Boren Hospital from December 2019 to May 2022. Patients were subsequently treated with CD20CART therapy or non-CART therapy (polatuzumab or non-polatuzumab).ResultsA total of 93 patients were included in the study, with 54 patients receiving CD20-SD-CART therapy. After a median follow-up of 18.54 months, the CD20-SD-CART group demonstrated significantly longer median progression-free survival (4.04 months vs. 2.27 months, p=0.0032) and median overall survival (8.15 months vs. 3.02 months, p

IntroductionThe air-curing process of cigar tobacco, as a key step in enhancing the quality of cigars, is often susceptible to contamination by mold spores, which severely constrains the quality of cigar tobacco.MethodsThis study employed high-throughput Illumina sequencing technology and a continuous flow analysis system to analyze the differences between the microbial communities and physicochemical components of moldy and healthy cigar tobacco leaves. Furthermore, correlation analysis was performed to reveal the impact of mold on the quality of cigar tobacco.ResultsThe differences between the microbial flora and physicochemical compositions of moldy (MC) and healthy (HC) tobacco leaves were analyzed, revealing significant disparities between the two groups. Aspergillus spp. represented the dominant mold in MC, with nine out of twelve isolated molds showing higher quantities on MC than on HC. Mold contamination notably decreased the total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), total alkaloids (TA), starch, protein, and flavor constituents while increasing the total fatty acid esters (TFAA), which was accompanied by a shift towards weakly acidic pH in the leaves. Fungal community analysis indicated a significant reduction in the fungal operational taxonomic unit (OUT) numbers and diversity indices in MC, contrasting with the bacterial trends. Aspergillus exhibited significantly higher relative abundance in MC, with LEfSe analysis pinpointing it as the primary driver of differentiation. Furthermore, significant negative correlations were observed between Aspergillus and TP, starch, TA, and protein, while a significant positive association was evident with TFAA. Network analysis underscored the pivotal role of Aspergillus as the species influencing disparities between HC and MC, with its abundance serving as a critical determinant during the air-curing process.DiscussionThis study elucidated substantial quality distinctions between MC and HC during air-curing, with Aspergillus emerging as the key species contributing to leaf mold.

Abstract CRISPR‐based gene therapies are making remarkable strides toward the clinic. But the large size of most widely used Cas endonucleases including Cas9 and Cas12a restricts their efficient delivery by the adeno‐associated virus (AAV) for in vivo gene editing. Being exceptionally small, the recently engineered type V‐F CRISPR‐Cas12f1 systems can overcome the cargo packaging bottleneck and present as strong candidates for therapeutic applications. In this study, the pairwise editing efficiencies of different engineered Cas12f1/sgRNA scaffold combinations are systemically screened and optimized, and the CasMINI_v3.1/ge4.1 system is identified as being able to significantly boost the gene editing activity. Moreover, packaged into single AAV vectors and delivered via subretinal injection, CasMINI_v3.1/ge4.1 achieves remarkably high in vivo editing efficiencies, over 70% in transduced retinal cells. Further, the efficacy of this Cas12f1 system‐based gene therapy to treat retinitis pigmentosa in RhoP23H mice is demonstrated by the therapeutic benefits achieved including rescued visual function and structural preservation. And minimal bystander editing activity is detected. This work advances and expands the therapeutic potential of the miniature Cas12f1 system to support efficient and accurate in vivo gene therapy.