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Abstract To study the flame propagating characteristic and its coupling effect with other parameters in the LPG pipeline, a typical pipeline model with two equal‐length branches perpendicular to each other is designed for experiment and simulation. Then, gas explosion scenarios are experimentally tested and numerically simulated, which is followed by the analysis of flame shape changing with time and peak temperature changing with space. Results show that when passing through the bifurcation, flame propagates to vertical branch B in a sharp knife shape affected by the strong vortex, reflected airflow, and compressed pressure wave in the pipeline with a diameter of 0.125 m. At the monitoring point that is 0.4 m away from the bifurcation point, the peak temperature of the vertical branch B is 57.87% bigger than that of the horizontal branch C, and its arrival time is 80% longer than that of the horizontal branch C, due to the existence of flame in vertical branch B. What's more, in both branches, the coupling results between peak temperature and peak velocity agree very well with the growth function, while the coupling results between peak temperature and peak pressure agree well with the decay function, providing aids to the optimal layout design of industrial pipeline branches as well as to the explosion suppression measures.

Abstract We present here the first-ever fossil flies from the family Deuterophlebiidae. The recent adults have an exceptionally brief lifespan, with males surviving only two hours. Their distinctive features include a complete reduction of mouthparts, and wing venation characterized by a dense net of false veins replacing most of true veins. Due to this distinctive venation the phylogenetic position of Deuterophlebiidae was unclear, compounded by the absence of fossils that could shed light on the early development of these characters. Two new genera and species are described from Burmese amber, Protodeuterophlebia oosterbroeki Krzemiński, Krzemińska & Soszyńska, gen. et sp. nov. and Cretodeuterophlebia courtneyi, Krzemiński, Skibińska & Kopeć, gen. et sp. nov. They date back the age of the family to the mid-Cretaceous. Notably, the fossils reveal first false veins and reduced mouthparts, suggesting a short lifespan in these Cretaceous mountain midges. A comparative analysis of wing venation indicated the Hennigmatidae as a plausible ancestral group to the Deuterophlebiidae. A syninclusion of mayfly indicates the coexistence of these short-lived insects during the same flight period. This synchrony extends to their brief time in flight aligning with the flow of fluid resin. The occurrence of these simultaneous events is extremely low, emphasizing the significance of these findings.

Abstract The prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) differs substantially between males and females, suggesting that sex-related neurodevelopmental factors are central to ASD pathogenesis. Numerous studies have suggested that abnormal brain specialization patterns and poor regional cooperation contribute to ASD pathogenesis, but relatively little is known about the related sex differences. Therefore, this study examined sex differences in brain functional specialization and cooperation among children with ASD. The autonomy index (AI) and connectivity between functionally homotopic voxels (CFH) derived from resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) were compared between 58 male and 13 female children with ASD. In addition, correlations were examined between regional CFH values showing significant sex differences and symptom scores on the autism behavior checklist (ABC) and childhood autism rating scale (CARS). Male children with ASD demonstrated significantly greater CFH in the left fusiform gyrus (FG) and right opercular part of the inferior frontal gyrus (IFGoperc) than female children with ASD. In addition, the CFH value of the left FG in male children with ASD was negatively correlated with total ABC score and subscale scores for sensory and social abilities. In contrast, no sex differences were detected in brain specialization. These regional abnormalities in interhemispheric cooperation among male children with ASD may provide clues to the neural mechanisms underlying sex differences in ASD symptomatology and prevalence. Autism spectrum disorders, sex, resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging, cerebral specialization, interhemispheric cooperation.

Abstract Methods Web of Science, Cochrane library and PubMed were systematically searched up to January 2024 to identify studies examining the impact of financial incentives on diabetes management in patients. Studies were evaluated based on the robustness of their methodology, participant numbers, and quality scores. The Cochrane risk-of-bias tool was applied for randomized controlled trials, while the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale was used for non-randomized controlled trials to assess study quality. Due to the heterogeneity of the included studies, a narrative synthesis approach was utilized. Results In the study, we included 12 published research studies. Five studies investigated the influence of financial incentives on patient behavior, all demonstrating a significant positive impact on behaviors such as blood glucose monitoring, medication adherence, and physical activity. 10 studies analyzed the impact of financial incentives on HbA1c levels in diabetes patients. Among them, 5 studies reported that financial incentives could improve HbA1c levels through longitudinal historical comparisons. The other 5 studies did not find significant improvements compared to the control group. Three studies explored long-term effects, two studies targeting the adolescent population had no impact, and one study targeting adults had a positive impact. Conclusions In summary, this review found that financial incentives can positively influence patient behavior and enhance compliance, but their impact on HbA1c levels is inconsistent. Financial incentives may help adult patients maintain behavior even after the withdrawal of incentives.

Abstract Objective The number of workers engaged in informal employment in China has reached 200 million individuals, constituting a substantial contribution to the pursuit of high-quality development and the attainment of stable employment objectives. Nevertheless, the psychological well-being of informal workers cannot be overlooked. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the impact of informal employment on individuals’ psychological well-being. Methods Drawing on data from the 2020 China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) survey, this work employs ordinary least squares (OLS) models and instrumental variable analysis to empirically examine the impact of informal employment on the psychological well-being. Furthermore, different tests were utilised to analyse the mediating pathway through which informal employment affects the psychological well-being. Results Informal employment exhibits a significant negative impact on the psychological well-being, particularly among samples characterised by low educational levels, limited financial resources, and non-agricultural household registration. The exploration of the underlying mechanisms indicates that informal employment negatively affects the psychological well-being of workers through pathways that include reduced access to health entitlements, increased working hours, and decreased job satisfaction, particularly with the work environment. Conclusion A recommendation is proposed; namely, to further establish a social security system that caters to the needs of the informal employment population and supports and regulates the development of flexible employment forms, with the aim of protecting and enhancing the psychological well-being of the informal employment population.

Sustainable rural development is predicated on a delicate balance between rural territorial functions and ecological constraints. While various functions can catalyze economic growth in rural settings, aligning them with inherent ecological variables is essential. An exhaustive analysis of Beijing’s Pinggu District elucidated specific supply-demand thresholds and evaluated the adaptability of current utilization within these boundaries, culminating in a novel optimization strategy. Notably, while locals place significant emphasis on production functions, the area’s topography and soil characteristics present palpable challenges to achieving these goals. We discovered that ‘shackle type’ predominantly characterize individual rural territorial functions, while ‘diversified weak function optimization type’ define multifunctional aspects, showcasing varied development paths and uncovering potential strategies for sustainable improvement. This study contributes a groundbreaking perspective to sustainable rural development, offering key insights and strategic recommendations for policy formulation.

Abstract Background As indispensable reserves for the nursing workforce, undergraduate nursing students must possess self-directed learning abilities to consistently update their professional knowledge and adapt to the evolving demands of professional development. The acquisition of self-directed learning abilities can help undergraduate nursing students augment their theoretical knowledge and refine their clinical practice skills, thus fulfilling the demand from patients for high-quality nursing services. Hence, comprehending and investigating the factors that influence the development of self-directed learning abilities in nursing students is of paramount importance for nursing education and advancement of the nursing profession. Objectives This study investigated the status of and associations between perceived stress, psychological capital, and self-directed learning abilities among undergraduate nursing students. Additionally, it examines the mediating role of psychological capital in the relationship between perceived stress and self-directed learning abilities. Thus, aiming to provide nursing educators with new directions for enhancing self-directed learning abilities. Design A cross-sectional descriptive study. Methods In February and March 2023, 900 undergraduate nursing students from 10 nursing schools completed an online questionnaire. The questionnaire included measures of perceived stress, psychological capital, and self-directed learning ability. Data were analyzed using SPSS 27.0 and the PROCESS macro tool. Results The scores for perceived stress, psychological capital, and self-directed learning ability among undergraduate nursing students were 40.07 ± 5.90, 99.89 ± 16.59, and 87.12 ± 9.20, respectively. Self-directed learning abilities were negatively correlated with perceived stress (r = -0.415, p

Abstract Background Colorectal cancer (CRC) arises from complex interactions between host and environment, which include the gut and tissue microbiome. It is hypothesized that epigenetic regulation by gut microbiota is a fundamental interface by which commensal microbes dynamically influence intestinal biology. The aim of this study is to explore the interplay between gut and tissue microbiota and host DNA methylation in CRC. Methods Metagenomic sequencing of fecal samples was performed on matched CRC patients (n = 18) and healthy controls (n = 18). Additionally, tissue microbiome was profiled with 16S rRNA gene sequencing on tumor (n = 24) and tumor-adjacent normal (n = 24) tissues of CRC patients, while host DNA methylation was assessed through whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) in a subset of 13 individuals. Results Our analysis revealed substantial alterations in the DNA methylome of CRC tissues compared to adjacent normal tissues. An extensive meta-analysis, incorporating publicly available and in-house data, identified significant shifts in microbial-derived methyl donor-related pathways between tumor and adjacent normal tissues. Of note, we observed a pronounced enrichment of microbial-associated CpGs within the promoter regions of genes in adjacent normal tissues, a phenomenon notably absent in tumor tissues. Furthermore, we established consistent and recurring associations between methylation patterns of tumor-related genes and specific bacterial taxa. Conclusions This study emphasizes the pivotal role of the gut microbiota and pathogenic bacteria in dynamically shaping DNA methylation patterns, impacting physiological homeostasis, and contributing to CRC tumorigenesis. These findings provide valuable insights into the intricate host-environment interactions in CRC development and offer potential avenues for therapeutic interventions in this disease.

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is a common sports injury, and ACL reconstruction is an effective surgery for this trauma. Most cases gain good recovery after surgery, while some patients may experience knee stiffness, which is characterized by joint fibrosis, leading to reduced joint mobility, pain, and dysfunction. Currently, various research studies have been conducted to unveil the mechanisms underlying this condition, identifying pre-, intra-, and post-operative risk factors, and testify the efficacy of different therapeutic methods against it. In this review, we summarize the current progress regarding the advancements in knee fibrosis after ACL reconstruction. The risk factors associated with knee fibrosis are systematically delineated, accompanied by an evaluation of the efficacy of various treatment modalities for both the prevention and mitigation of fibrosis. Furthermore, recommendations for future research directions are proposed, offering a foundational basis for subsequent investigations.

B cells constitute a diverse and adaptable immune cell population with functions that can vary according to the environment and circumstances. The involvement of B cells in pregnancy, as well as the associated molecular pathways, has yet to be investigated. This review consolidates current knowledge on B cell activities and regulation during pregnancy, with a particular focus on the roles of various B cell subsets and the effects of B cell-derived factors on pregnancy outcomes. Moreover, the review examines the significance of B cell-associated autoantibodies, cytokines, and signaling pathways in relation to pregnancy complications such as pregnancy loss, preeclampsia, and preterm birth.

A rolling bearing plays a key role in the gearbox of the cold rolling mill transmission system. As a result, the degradation and failure of bearings can lead to unplanned shutdowns of the entire rolling mill system. Since on-site cold rolling mills work usually in non-steady lubrication rolling conditions originating form variations of multiple parameters, the uncertainty affecting bearing performance in a cold rolling mill transmission system increases, making it more difficult to assess health status and predict the remaining service life of bearings, Therefore, by establishing a coupling model describing the relationship for the rolling mill and normal /faulty gearboxes under non steady rolling conditions, quantitatively studies the influence of various rolling parameters of a rolling mill on the fatigue service life of bearings in the gearbox of the rolling mill transmission system, and verify the effectiveness of linear cumulative damage theory for bearing fatigue service life through experiments and on-site bearing vibration data. The results indicate that as the thickness of the strip steel inlet, lubricant viscosity, and rolling speed increase, or the thickness of the strip steel outlet and rolling roll radius decrease, the service life of bearings gradually decreases. As the fluctuation amplitude of various rolling parameters in the cold rolling mill increases, the service life of bearings in the gearbox of the rolling mill transmission system gradually shortens. Moreover, when the rolling parameter value or fluctuation amplitude increases to a specific values, the remaining service life of bearings will sharply decrease. Under the same rolling conditions, the service life of bearings in gearboxes with faults decreases more significantly than that in normal gearboxes.

The line-structured light system is widely utilized for various 3D profile measurements due to its convenience and high efficiency. However, the existing calibration methods primarily focus on establishing the relationship between object points and image points, which imposes stringent requirements on the calibration target. To address this issue, a practical calibration method based on interpolation function is proposed in order to measure a specific 3D profile - namely, the diameter of a rotating workpiece during machining. Firstly, the light stripe projected onto an ordinary machined workpiece by a light plane is captured using a Charge-Coupled Device (CCD) camera and subsequently fitted to a quadratic elliptic curve after undergoing image processing. Subsequently, the cubic spline interpolation function is selected to directly establish a mapping relationship between geometric characteristics of the elliptic curve and the diameter measurement. Several experiments are conducted to evaluate the proposed methods. The experimental results demonstrate that compared with two comparison methods, our approach reduces the calibration error of linear structured light systems by 69 % and 51 %, respectively; furthermore, it enables restoration of smooth and detailed 3D models through parallel movement of the system. Moreover, our entire calibration process proves practicable in simplifying experimental procedures while remaining suitable for industrial inspection applications.

Objective: To optimize the subcritical water extraction process for flavonoids from Mentha haplocalyx Briq. (mint) and assess the mitigating effects of peppermint flavonoids on H2O2-induced adrenal pheochromocytoma (PC12 cell) injury in rats. Methods: The subcritical water extraction process for mint flavonoids was optimized using single-factor and Box-Behnken response surface tests. A comparison was made with reflux extraction, ultrasonic-assisted extraction, and supercritical CO2 extraction methods. In vitro cell culture of PC12 cells was employed to establish an H2O2-induced PC12 cell injury model. The neuroprotective activity of mint flavonoids was analyzed using the MTT (methyl thiazolye tetrazolium, MTT) method. Results: The optimized extraction conditions were determined to be 142 ℃, 38 min, and 21:1 mL/g, resulting in a mint flavonoid yield of 14.07%±0.23%. This yield was significantly higher (P

Abstract The EP300-ZNF384 fusion gene is an oncogenic driver in B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). In the present study, we demonstrated that EP300-ZNF384 substantially induces the transcription of IL3RA and the expression of IL3Rα (CD123) on B-ALL cell membranes. Interleukin 3 (IL-3) supplementation promotes the proliferation of EP300-ZNF348-positive B-ALL cells by activating STAT5. Conditional knockdown of IL3RA in EP300-ZF384-positive cells inhibited the proliferation in vitro, and induced a significant increase in overall survival of mice, which is attributed to impaired propagation ability of leukemia cells. Mechanistically, the EP300-ZNF384 fusion protein transactivates the promoter activity of IL3RA by binding to an A-rich sequence localized at -222/-234 of IL3RA. Furthermore, forced EP300-ZNF384 expression induces the expression of IL3Rα on cell membranes and the secretion of IL-3 in CD19-positive B precursor cells derived from healthy individuals. Doxorubicin displayed a selective killing of EP300-ZNF384-positive B-ALL cells in vitro and in vivo. Collectively, we identify IL3RA as a direct downstream target of EP300-ZNF384, suggesting CD123 is a potent biomarker for EP300-ZNF384-driven B-ALL. Targeting CD123 may be a novel therapeutic approach to EP300-ZNF384-positive patients, alternative or, more likely, complementary to standard chemotherapy regimen in clinical setting.

Multi-label feature selection, an essential means of data dimension reduction in multi-label learning, has become one of the research hotspots in the field of machine learning. Because the linear assumption of sample space and label space is not suitable in most cases, many scholars use pseudo-label space. However, the use of pseudo-label space will increase the number of model variables and may lead to the loss of sample or label information. A multi-label feature selection scheme based on constraint mapping space regularization is proposed to solve this problem. The model first maps the sample space to the label space through the use of linear mapping. Second, given that the sample cannot be perfectly mapped to the label space, the mapping space should be closest to the label space and still retain the space of the basic manifold structure of the sample space, so combining the Hilbert-Schmidt independence criterion with the sample manifold, basic properties of constraint mapping space. Finally, the proposed algorithm is compared with MRDM, SSFS, and other algorithms on multiple classical multi-label data sets; the results show that the proposed algorithm is effective on multiple indicators.

Abstract Background Annulus fibrosis (AF) defects have been identified as the primary cause of disc herniation relapse and subsequent disc degeneration following discectomy. Stem cell-based tissue engineering offers a promising approach for structural repair. Menstrual blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MenSCs), a type of adult stem cell, have gained attention as an appealing source for clinical applications due to their potential for structure regeneration, with ease of acquisition and regardless of ethical issues. Methods The differential potential of MenSCs cocultured with AF cells was examined by the expression of collagen I, SCX, and CD146 using immunofluorescence. Western blot and ELISA were used to examine the expression of TGF-β and IGF-I in coculture system. An AF defect animal model was established in tail disc of Sprague-Dawley rats (males, 8 weeks old). An injectable gel containing MenSCs (about 1*106/ml) was fabricated and transplanted into the AF defects immediately after the animal model establishment, to evaluate its repairment properties. Disc degeneration was assessed via magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and histological staining. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed to assess the expression of aggrecan, MMP13, TGF-β and IGF-I in discs with different treatments. Apoptosis in the discs was evaluated using TUNEL, caspase3, and caspase 8 immunofluorescence staining. Results Coculturing MenSCs with AF cells demonstrated ability to express collagen I and biomarkers of AF cells. Moreover, the coculture system presented upregulation of the growth factors TGF-β and IGF-I. After 12 weeks, discs treated with MenSCs gel exhibited significantly lower Pffirrmann scores (2.29 ± 0.18), compared to discs treated with MenSCs (3.43 ± 0.37, p

Abstract Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic, recurrent inflammatory bowel disease. UC confronts with severe challenges including the unclear pathogenesis and lack of specific diagnostic markers, demanding for identifying predictive biomarkers for UC diagnosis and treatment. We perform immune infiltration and weighted gene co-expression network analysis on gene expression profiles of active UC, inactive UC, and normal controls to identify UC related immune cell and hub genes. Neutrophils, M1 macrophages, activated dendritic cells, and activated mast cells are significantly enriched in active UC. MMP-9, CHI3L1, CXCL9, CXCL10, CXCR2 and S100A9 are identified as hub genes in active UC. Specifically, S100A9 is significantly overexpressed in mice with colitis. The receiver operating characteristic curve demonstrates the excellent performance of S100A9 expression in diagnosing active UC. Inhibition of S100A9 expression reduces DSS-induced colonic inflammation. These identified biomarkers associated with activity in UC patients enlighten the new insights of UC diagnosis and treatment.

The application of high-density and high-performance micro thermoelectric devices is still in its infancy, mainly restricted by the low performance of Bi2Te3-based thick film as well as the limited device integration. In this study, we proposed a dynamic regulation strategy to simultaneously strengthen the thermoelectric and mechanical properties for n-type Bi2Te3-based thick films. The effects of growth temperature and time on thermoelectric properties have been firstly explored. As the thermoelectric properties exhibit consistent degradation with increasing thickness at static growth temperature, an effective rising temperature method is introduced to dynamically regulate the nucleation rate and growing diffusion ability. Thus, the grain refinement with compact texture structure leads to a relatively large carrier mobility (77.1 cm2·V−1·s−1) and appropriate concentration (5.25 × 1019 cm−3) as well as further 12% improvement of power factor with an average value up to 12.0 μW·cm−1·K−2 over a wide temperature ranging from 313 K to 453 K. Furthermore, significant enhancement of mechanical property is also achieved with high elastic modules (56.03 GPa), hardness (0.63 GPa) and large energy dissipation capacity to prevent micro-cracks. This study provides a practical solution with dynamic temperature control to fabricate high-performance Bi2Te3 thick films with enhanced mechanical property and processing feasibility for micro thermoelectric devices.

The process of formation of aromatic components for agarwood in Aquilaria sinensis is closely related to endophytic fungi and the result of complex multiple long-term joint interactions with them. However, the interactions between the aromatic components and endophytic fungi remain unclear during the formation of agarwood. In this study, precise mixed solution of hormones, inorganic salts, and fungi was used to induce its formation in A. sinensis, and sample blocks of wood were collected at different times after inoculation. This study showed that the aromatic compounds found in the three treatments of A. sinensis were primarily chromones (31.70–33.65%), terpenes (16.68–27.10%), alkanes (15.99–23.83%), and aromatics (3.13–5.07%). Chromones and terpenes were the primary components that characterized the aroma. The different sampling times had a more pronounced impact on the richness and diversity of endophytic fungal communities in the A. sinensis xylem than the induction treatments. The species annotation of the operational taxonomic units (OTUs) demonstrated that the endophytic fungi were primarily composed of 18 dominant families and 20 dominant genera. A linear regression analysis of the network topology properties with induction time showed that the interactions among the fungal species continued to strengthen, and the network structure tended to become more complex. The terpenes significantly negatively correlated with the Pielou evenness index (p

Primary graft dysfunction (PGD) is a severe form of acute lung injury resulting from lung ischemia/reperfusion injury (I/R) in lung transplantation (LTx), associated with elevated post-transplant morbidity and mortality rates. Neutrophils infiltrating during reperfusion are identified as pivotal contributors to lung I/R injury by releasing excessive neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) via NETosis. While alveolar macrophages (AMs) are involved in regulating neutrophil chemotaxis and infiltration, their role in NETosis during lung I/R remains inadequately elucidated. Extracellular histones constitute the main structure of NETs and can activate AMs. In this study, we confirmed the significant involvement of extracellular histone-induced M1 phenotype of AMs (M1-AMs) in driving NETosis during lung I/R. Using secretome analysis, public protein databases, and transwell co-culture models of AMs and neutrophils, we identified Cathepsin C (CTSC) derived from AMs as a major mediator in NETosis. Further elucidating the molecular mechanisms, we found that CTSC induced NETosis through a pathway dependent on NADPH oxidase-mediated production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). CTSC could significantly activate p38 MAPK, resulting in the phosphorylation of the NADPH oxidase subunit p47phox, thereby facilitating the trafficking of cytoplasmic subunits to the cell membrane and activating NADPH oxidase. Moreover, CTSC up-regulated and activated its substrate membrane proteinase 3 (mPR3), resulting in an increased release of NETosis-related inflammatory factors. Inhibiting CTSC revealed great potential in mitigating NETosis-related injury during lung I/R. These findings suggests that CTSC from AMs may be a crucial factor in mediating NETosis during lung I/R, and targeting CTSC inhition may represent a novel intervention for PGD in LTx.

Based on first-principles calculations in the density functional theory, we systematically investigated the possible interface structure, magnetism, and electronic properties of the all-Heusler alloy Co2MnGe/CoTiMnGe(100) heterojunction. The calculation indicated that the Co2MnGe Heusler alloy is a half-metal with a magnetic moment of 4.97 μB. CoTiMnGe is a narrow-band gap semiconductor and may act as an ultra-sensitive photocatalyst. We cannot find an “ideal” spin-polarization of 100% in CoCo termination and MnGe termination. Due to the interface interaction, the direct magnetic hybridization or indirect RKKY exchange will be weakened, leading to an increase in the atomic magnetic moment of the interfacial layer. For eight possible heterojunction structures, the half-metallic gaps in the Co2MnGe bulk have been destroyed by the inevitable interface states. The spin-polarization value of 94.31% in the CoCo-TiGe-B heterojunction revealed that it is the most stable structure. It is feasible to search for high-performance magnetic tunnel junction by artificially constructing suitable all-Heusler alloy heterojunctions.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a prevalent and aggressive malignancy characterized by a complex tumor microenvironment (TME). Given the variations in the level of adipocyte infiltration in TME, the prognosis may differ among CRC patients. Thus, there is an urgent need to establish a reliable method for identifying adipocyte subtypes in CRC in order to elucidate the impact of adipocyte infiltration on CRC treatment and prognosis. Herein, 144 adipocyte-infiltration-related genes (AIRGs) were identified as predictive markers for the immune-associated features and prognosis of CRC patients. Based on the 144 genes, the unsupervised clustering algorithm identified two distinct clusters of CRC patients with variations in molecular and signaling pathways, clinicopathological characteristics and responses to CRC chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Furthermore, an AIRG prognostic signature was constructed and validated in independent datasets. Overall, this study developed a prognostic signature based on AIRGs in CRC, which may contribute to the development of personalized treatment strategies and enhance prognostic prediction for CRC patients.

6:2 Chlorinated polyfluoroalkyl ether sulfonate (F-53B) is a new type of perfluorinated and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) that is used extensively in industry and manufacturing. F-53B causes damage to multiple mammalian organs. However, the impacts of F-53B on bone are unknown. Maternal exposure to F-53B is of particular concern because of the vulnerability of the developing fetus and newborn to contaminants from the mother. The goal of this study was to examine the impacts of maternal F-53B exposure on bone growth and development in offspring and to explore its underlying mechanisms. Herein, C57BL/6 J mice were given free access to deionized water containing 0, 0.57, or 5.7 mg/L F-53B during pregnancy and lactation. F-53B exposure resulted in impaired liver function, decreased IGF-1 secretion, dysregulation of bone metabolism and disruption of the dynamic balance between osteoblasts and osteoclasts in male offspring. F-53B inhibits longitudinal bone growth and development and causes osteoporosis in male offspring. F-53B may affect the growth and development of offspring bone via the IGF-1/OPG/RANKL/CTSK signaling pathway. This study provides new insights for the study of short stature and bone injury caused by F-53B.

Cadmium (Cd) pollutes 7.0 % of China’s land area. This study examined the potential of Houttuynia cordata for Cd phytoremediation because of its ability to accumulate Cd in its growth matrix. H. cordata were planted in plastic pots filled with paddy field soils having low (LCd), medium (MCd), and high (HCd) Cd levels of 0.19, 0.69, and 2.91 mg/kg, respectively. After six months of growth, harvested plant parts were evaluated for Cd uptake and tolerance mechanisms. Metabolomics and metagenomics approaches were employed to investigate the soil rhizosphere mechanism. Results showed that the average plant biomass increased as soil Cd increased. The biomass Cd contents surpassed the allowable Cd limits for food (≤ 0.2 mg/kg) and medicinal uses (≤ 0.3 mg/kg). Cd contents were higher in H. cordata roots (30.59–86.27 mg/kg) than in other plant parts (0.63–2.90 mg/kg), with significantly increasing values as Cd soil level increased. Phenolic acids, lipids, amino acids and derivatives, organic acids, and alkaloids comprised the majority (69 in MCd vs HCd and 73 % in LCd vs HCd) of the shared upregulated metabolites. In addition, 13 metabolites specific to H. cordata root exudates were significantly increased. The top two principal metabolic pathways were arginine and proline metabolism, and beta-alanine metabolism. H. cordata increased the abundance of Firmicutes and Glomeromycota across all three Cd levels, and also stimulated the growth of Patescibacteria, Rozellomycota, and Claroideoglomus in HCd. Accordingly, H. cordata demonstrated potential for remediation of Cd-contaminated soils, and safety measures for its production and food use must be highly considered.

In this study, the structure, magnetism, energy-band, and spin-dependent electron transport properties of the Cr2NO2/Ti2CO2/Cr2NO2 magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) were investigated using a combination of density functional theory and non-equilibrium Green’s function methods. The calculation band structures indicate that Cr2NO2 MXene is an “ideal” half-metal with a magnetic moment of 5.00 μB. Ti2CO2 MXene is an indirect band-gap semiconductor, and the Cr2NO2/Ti2CO2-stacked heterojunction reserve 100 % spin polarization because of the weak Van der Waals interface interaction. For the equilibrium state of the most stable Cr2NO2/Ti2CO2/Cr2NO2 MTJ, the total transmission coefficient for parallel configuration is about eleven orders of magnitude larger than that for anti-parallel configuration. An ultrahigh tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) ratio of 1.92×1013% can be detected. For the non-equilibrium state, our calculation results show that the Cr2NO2/Ti2CO2/Cr2NO2 MTJ has a good transport performance when bias voltage ranges from 0 V to 0.1 V. The minimum TMR ratio of 7.51×1012% is detected at the bias voltage of 0.09 V, which can be considered as an excellent TMR ratio. Therefore, the Cr2NO2/Ti2CO2/Cr2NO2 MTJ is an excellent candidate for spintronic device application.

Abstract A rotary motor combined with fibrous string demonstrates excellent performance because it is powerful, lightweight, and prone to large strokes; however, the stiffness range and force-generating capability of twisted string transmission systems are limited. Here, we present a variable stiffness artificial muscle generated by impregnating shear stiffening gels (STGs) into a twisted string actuator (TSA). A high twisting speed produces a large impact force and causes shear stiffening of the STG, thereby improving the elasticity, stiffness, force capacity, and response time of the TSA. We show that at a twisting speed of 4186 rpm, the elasticity of an STG-TSA reached 30.92 N/mm, whereas at a low twisting speed of 200 rpm, it was only 10.51 N/mm. In addition, the STG-TSA exhibited a more prominent shear stiffening effect under a high stiffness load. Our work provides a promising approach for artificial muscles to coactivate with human muscles to effectively compensate for motion.

Abstract Background The treatment of completely displaced midshaft clavicle fractures is still controversial, especially Robinson 2B fractures. Titanium elastic nail (TEN) fixation is a good option for simple fractures, but no reports exist on its use in complex fractures. This study aimed to present a surgical method using the Nice knot-assisted TEN fixation to treat Robinson 2B midshaft clavicular fractures. Methods A retrospective analysis of 29 patients who underwent fixation with TEN and had a 1-year postoperative follow-up between 2016 and 2020 was performed. The fractures were classified as Robinson type 2B1 in 17 cases and type 2B2 in 12 cases. Length of the incision, postoperative shoulder function Disability of Arm Shoulder and Hand (DASH) score and Constant score, complications rate, and second surgical incision length were recorded. Results The length of the incision was 2–6 cm (average 3.7 cm). All incisions healed by first intention, and no infection or nerve injury occurred. The Constant score was 92–100 (average 96) and the DASH score was 0-6.2 (mean, 2.64). TEN bending and hypertrophic nonunion occurred in one case (3.4%) and implant irritation occurred in four cases (13.8%) Fixation implants were removed at 12–26 months (mean, 14.6 months) after surgery, and the length of the second incision was 1-2.5 cm (average 1.3 cm). Conclusions Intramedullary fixation by TEN is approved as a suitable surgical technique in clavicular fracture treatment. Nice knot-assisted fixation provides multifragmentary fracture stabilization, contributing to good fracture healing. Surgeons should consider this technique in treating Robinson 2B midshaft clavicular fractures. Trial registration Retrospectively registered. This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Wuxi Ninth People’s Hospital (LW20220021).

Adolescent binge drinking leads to long-lasting disorders of the adult central nervous system, particularly aberrant hippocampal neurogenesis. In this study, we applied in vivo fluorescent tracing using NestinCreERT2::Rosa26-tdTomato mice and analyzed the endogenous neurogenesis lineage progression of neural stem cells (NSCs) and dendritic spine formation of newborn neurons in the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus. We found abnormal orientation of tamoxifen-induced tdTomato+ (tdTom+) NSCs in adult mice 2 months after treatment with EtOH (5.0 g/kg, i.p.) for 7 consecutive days. EtOH markedly inhibited tdTom+ NSCs activation and hippocampal neurogenesis in mouse dentate gyrus from adolescence to adulthood. EtOH (100 mM) also significantly inhibited the proliferation to 39.2% and differentiation of primary NSCs in vitro. Adult mice exposed to EtOH also exhibited marked inhibitions in dendritic spine growth and newborn neuron maturation in the dentate gyrus, which was partially reversed by voluntary running or inhibition of the mammalian target of rapamycin-enhancer of zeste homolog 2 pathway. In vivo tracing revealed that EtOH induced abnormal orientation of tdTom+ NSCs and spatial misposition defects of newborn neurons, thus causing the disturbance of hippocampal neurogenesis and dendritic spine remodeling in mice.

Goupi plaster, a representative preparation of black plaster, has demonstrated promising effects in treating knee osteoarthritis. However, high temperature used in traditional frying extraction may cause decomposition of its effective components, thus limiting the efficacy. This study aimed to explore the scientific nature of the traditional preparation technology of Goupi plaster, and to compare the effects of different extraction methods on the types of chemical components and the content of index components. The UPLC-Q-Exactive-MS and UPLC-MS/MS technologies which have high efficiency, sensitivity and accuracy, were used to qualitatively and quantitatively analyze the chemical components of Goupi plaster under different preparation processes. The results show that the extraction solvent approach is different from the traditional frying extraction method, and has a positive effect. However, the mechanism of action of Goupi plaster is complex and its pharmacological effects are diverse. Future studies should explore whether it necessary to change the frying extraction method. This experiment provides a theoretical basis that will guide further scientific discussion and research into the frying extraction of Goupi plaster.

Abstract Background Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic and degenerative bone and joint disease, and paeoniflorin shows anti-arthritis role in OA. This study planned to investigate the mechanism related to chondroprotective role of paeoniflorin in OA. Methods Real-time quantitative PCR and western blotting were performed to measure expression levels of circ-PREX1, microRNA (miR)-140-3p, Wingless-type MMTV integration site family, member 5B (WNT5B), B cell lymphoma (Bcl)-2, and Bcl-2 Associated X Protein (Bax). MTT assay, EdU assay, flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay evaluated cell viability, proliferation, apoptosis and inflammatory response, respectively. Dual-luciferase reporter assay and RNA immunoprecipitation assay identified the relationship among circ-PREX1, miR-140-3p, and WNT5B. Results IL-1β highly induced apoptosis rate, Bax expression and TNF-α product, accompanied with decreased cell viability, cell proliferation and IL-10 secretion, whereas these effects were partially reversed after paeoniflorin pretreatment. Expression of circ-PREX1 was upregulated and miR-140-3p was downregulated in cartilage tissues of patients with knee OA (KOA) and IL-1β-induced human chondrocytes (C28/I2). Circ-PREX1 overexpression and miR-140-3p silencing attenuated the suppressive effect of paeoniflorin in IL-1β-induced C28/I2 cells. Furthermore, miR-140-3p was negatively regulated by circ-PREX1. WNT5B was a downstream target of miR-140-3p and could be modulated by the circ-PREX1/miR-140-3p pathway in IL-1β-induced C28/I2 cells. Conclusion Paeoniflorin might protect human chondrocytes from IL-1β-induced inflammatory injury via circ-PREX1-miR-140-3p-WNT5B pathway, suggesting a potential preventative agent and a novel target for the treatment of KOA.

Abstract New inclusions of Trichoneura preserved in Upper Cretaceous (Cenomanian) Kachin amber allow the description of a new subgenus, Burmania subgen. nov., and four new species: Trichoneura (Burmania) burmitensis subgen. et sp. nov., Trichoneura (Burmania) chungkuni subgen. et sp. nov., Trichoneura (Burmania) sevciki subgen. et sp. nov. and Trichoneura (Burmania) wangi subgen. et sp. nov. The species differ mainly by the morphology of the hypopygium or wing venation but also the construction of the antenna. Based on a comparison of the wing venation and the morphology of the hypopygium it was possible to describe features which are characteristic of the new subgenus, especially the presence of vein R3+4. Moreover, it was possible to elucidate the evolutionary pattern of Trichoneura with two distinct extant and extinct branches. Trichoneura (Trichoneura) canadensis from Upper Cretaceous Canadian amber is transferred to the new subgenus Burmania.

Abstract Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major cause of cancer-related deaths in humans, and effective treatments are still needed in clinical practice. Despite significant developments in anticancer drugs and inhibitors, their poor stability, water solubility, and cellular membrane permeability limit their therapeutic efficacy. To address these issues, multifunctional CaCO3 nanoparticles loaded with Curcumin (Cur) and protein deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor QTX125, and coated with hyaluronic acid (HA) (CaCO3@Cur@QTX125@HA), were prepared through a one-step gas diffusion strategy. Dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that CaCO3@Cur@QTX125@HA nanoparticles have uniform spherical morphology and elemental distribution, with diameters around 450 nm and a Zeta potential of − 8.11 mV. The controlled release of Cur from the nanoparticles was observed over time periods of 48 h. Cellular uptake showed that CaCO3@Cur@QTX125@HA nanoparticles were efficiently taken up by cancer cells and significantly inhibited their growth. Importantly, CaCO3@Cur@QTX125@HA nanoparticles showed specific inhibitory effects on CRC cell growth. Encouragingly, CaCO3@Cur@QTX125@HA nanoparticles successfully internalized into CRC patient-derived organoid (PDO) models and induced apoptosis of tumor cells. The multifunctional CaCO3@Cur@QTX125@HA nanoparticles hold promise for the treatment of CRC.

Xylem-associated fungus can secrete many secondary metabolites to help Aquilaria trees resist various stresses and play a crucial role in facilitating agarwood formation. However, the dynamics of endophytic fungi in Aquilaria sinensis xylem after artificial induction have not been fully elaborated. Endophytic fungi communities and xylem physio-biochemical properties were examined before and after induction with an inorganic salt solution, including four different times (pre-induction (0M), the third (3M), sixth (6M) and ninth (9M) month after induction treatment). The relationships between fungal diversity and physio-biochemical indices were evaluated. The results showed that superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) activities, malondialdehyde (MDA) and soluble sugar content first increased and then decreased with induction time, while starch was heavily consumed after induction treatment. Endophytic fungal diversity was significantly lower after induction treatment than before, but the species richness was promoted. Fungal β-diversity was also clustered into four groups according to different times. Core species shifted from rare to dominant taxa with induction time, and growing species interactions in the network indicate a gradual complication of fungal community structure. Endophytic fungi diversity and potential functions were closely related to physicochemical indices that had less effect on the relative abundance of the dominant species. These findings help assess the regulatory mechanisms of microorganisms that expedite agarwood formation after artificial induction.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common tumor. Our group has previously reported that sorcin (SRI) plays an important role in the progression and prognosis of HCC. This study aims to explore the mechanism of SRI inhibiting the mitochondrial apoptosis. Bioinformatics analysis, co-IP and immunofluorescence were used to analyze the relationship between SRI and STAT3. MMP and Hoechst staining were performed to detect the effect of SRI on cell apoptosis. The expression of apoptosis-related proteins and NF-κB signaling pathway were examined by Western blot and immunohistochemistry when SRI overexpression or underexpression in vivo and in vitro were found. Moreover, inhibitors were used to further explore the molecular mechanism. Overexpression of SRI inhibited cell apoptosis, which was attenuated by SRI knockdown in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, we identified that STAT3 is an SRI-interacting protein. Mechanistically, SRI interacts with STAT3 and then activates the NF-κB signaling pathway in vitro and in vivo. SRI interacting with STAT3 inhibits apoptosis by the NF-κB pathway and further contributes to the proliferation in HCC, which offers a novel clue and a new potential therapeutic target for HCC.

Abstract Air pollution caused by particulate matter with a diameter of less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) poses a serious threat to human health and the environment. Predicting PM2.5 concentrations and controlling emissions are crucial for pollution prevention and control. This study proposes a comprehensive solution based on weight-sharing deep learning and multi-objective optimization. The proposed approach first utilizes a model that combines the Convolutional Neural Network and Long Short-Term Memory Neural Network to analyze data from 13 air quality monitoring stations in Xi'an City. By simultaneously inputting data from different monitoring stations, the model can extract highly correlated spatiotemporal features, enabling accurate predictions of PM2.5 concentrations for specific monitoring stations using LSTM. In addition, a multi-objective optimization model is established with the primary goal of achieving maximum total emission reduction. This model takes into account four key factors: the total emission reduction, the task of emission reduction, the government subsidy, and the total cost of emission reduction. To obtain the emission reduction of PM2.5 concentration at 13 monitoring stations, 5 classical intelligence algorithms are employed to solve the model. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed prediction model, with an average Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 12.820 and a fitting coefficient (R2) of 0.907, outperforming all comparison models. The proposed model exhibits strong generalization ability, making it applicable to different time and space conditions. Furthermore, it can be adapted for calculating emission reduction of other air pollutants. Lastly, the multi-objective optimization model achieves significant success in terms of total emission reduction. This study provides a new reference in the field of artificial intelligence and its application to air pollution control. The findings hold great significance for promoting public health and environmental protection.

Due to the ever-increasing consumption of poly (ethylene terephthalate) (PET) for the industries of packaging and electronics, the waste non-degradable PET has brought serious ecological pollution. However, the current recovery rate of waste PET is still limited, and the mechanical and heat-resistant properties are too poor to meet the requirements of practical applications. The recycling of waste PET is of practical significance to material/energy saving and environmental protection, contributing to the sustainable development of economy and society. In this work, an innovative method was proposed to fabricate strong and heat-resistant materials by using waste PET bottle flakes via carbon dioxide (CO2) treatment at ambient temperature. The results show that the crystallinity of the PET samples treated by CO2 at 800 psi is increased by 30.6%, the tensile strength and Young's modulus are increased by 21.9% and 20.6%, respectively, compared with untreated samples. Moreover, the dynamic mechanical analysis indicates that the heat-resistant performance of CO2-treated samples is significantly improved, whose storage modulus increased 33.5% and glass transition temperature increased 17.7 °C. Furthermore, aiming to investigate how the CO2-treatment improved the mechanical performance of the waste PET, the sorption-desorption experiments were conducted to examine the sorption kinetics of CO2 in the matrix, combined with the Avrami model employed to analyze the crystallization kinetics of PET under high-pressure CO2. It demonstrates that the enhancement of the tensile strength is ascribed to the transition of crystals from two-dimensional structures to three-dimensional structures with an increment in the CO2 pressure.

Nsp13, a non-structural protein belonging to the coronavirus family 1B (SF1B) helicase, exhibits 5′–3′ polarity-dependent DNA or RNA unwinding using NTPs. Crucially, it serves as a key component of the viral replication–transcription complex (RTC), playing an indispensable role in the coronavirus life cycle and thereby making it a promising target for broad-spectrum antiviral therapies. The imidazole scaffold, known for its antiviral potential, has been proposed as a potential scaffold. In this study, a fluorescence-based assay was designed by labeling dsDNA substrates with a commercial fluorophore and monitoring signal changes upon Nsp13 helicase activity. Optimization and high-throughput screening validated the feasibility of this approach. In accordance with the structural characteristics of ADP, we employed a structural-based design strategy to synthesize three classes of imidazole-based compounds through substitution reaction. Through in vitro activity research, pharmacokinetic parameter analysis, and molecular docking simulation, we identified compounds A16 (IC50 = 1.25 μM) and B3 (IC50 = 0.98 μM) as potential lead antiviral compounds for further targeted drug research.

Irrational land use is a key factor in triggering regional landscape ecological risk (LER). Existing studies have focused on the relationship between land use change and LER, but it is still unclear how to prevent the risk through the land use optimal allocation (LUOA). To fill these gaps, this study innovatively designs a research framework that follows the logic of “risk assessment – suitability assessment – potential identification – optimal allocation – risk avoidance”. Using methods such as LER index, land use suitability (LUS) evaluation model and spatial overlay analysis, this study investigates the path and feasibility of LER prevention from the perspective of LUOA. The Yellow River Delta (YRD) with frequent interactions between society and ecosystem is taken as a case study. The results are as follows: (1) There was an inverse relationship between LER and comprehensive LUS in the YRD. In inland areas of the YRD, LER was relatively stable, while the comprehensive LUS was characterized by multi-suitability. In the coastal areas of the YRD, the level of LER was generally high, while the comprehensive LUS was characterized by single suitability and unsuitability; (2) The land use comprehensive development potential (LUCDP) was significant in the YRD, with a spatial distribution trend that increased from the coastal to the inland areas. This pattern reflects different orientations of the positive interaction between nature and society and land use support areas; and (3) After conducting LUOA, cultivated land, forest land, and grassland increased by 395 km2, 196 km2, and 174 km2, respectively. The wetlands, construction land, and unused land increased by 32 km2, 248 km2, and 319 km2, respectively. After recalculation, the above scheme can prevent the regional LER. In summary, the present study offered a new approach for achieving a mutually beneficial outcome between landscape ecological risk management and land use optimization, which is significant for the ecological management of river estuary areas in China and in the world.

Summary: Biglycan (BGN) is a proteoglycan with branch chains and highly expressed in enteric neurons in the tumor tissue of colorectal cancer (CRC), which is negatively associated with survival rates in patients with CRC. However, how the proteoglycan promotes the progress of CRC through interacting with bacteria and regulating the immune response of enteric neurons remains largely unknown. In the present study, we found that biglycan deficiency changed tumor distribution in a colitis-associated colon cancer model. Furthermore, we revealed that BGN deficiency inhibits tumor growth in an allograft tumor model and the migration of cancer cell by upregulating interleukin-10 expression in enteric neurons. Significantly, we demonstrated that biglycan deficiency enriched the abundance of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron through competing with it for chondroitin sulfate to inhibit CRC progress. Our work provided new insights into the interaction between host proteoglycan and gut microbiota as well as the role of enteric neurons in the tumor microenvironment.

Differential evolution (DE) algorithm is one of the most effective and efficient heuristic approaches for solving complex black box problems. But it still easily suffers from premature convergence and stagnation. To alleviate these defects, this paper presents a novel DE variant, named enhanced adaptive differential evolution algorithm with multi-mutation schemes and weighted control parameter setting (MWADE), to further strengthen its search capability. In MWADE, a multi-schemes mutation strategy is first proposed to properly exploit or explore the promising information of each individual. Herein, the whole population is dynamically grouped into three subpopulations according to their fitness values and search performance, and three different mutant operators with various search characteristics are respectively adopted for each subpopulation. Meanwhile, in order to ensure the exploration of algorithm at the later evolutionary stage, a weight-controlled parameter setting is proposed to suitably assign scale factors for different differential vectors. Moreover, a random opposition mechanism with greedy selection is introduced to avoid trapping in local optima or stagnation, and an adaptive population size reduction scheme is devised to further promote the search effectiveness of algorithm. Finally, to illustrate the performance of MWADE, thirteen typical algorithms are adopted and compared with MWADE on 30 functions from IEEE CEC 2017 test suite with different dimensions, and the effectiveness of its proposed components are also investigated. Numerical results indicate that the proposed algorithm has a better search performance.

The Northwest of Yellow River Basin (YRB) is an arid and semi-arid region. This study employs wavelet analysis, dry area coverage, drought frequency, and Mann–Kendall test trend to investigates the evolution characteristics of drought in the Northwest of YRB and the impact of macro climatic conditions on drought. The scale of season and year Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) was mostly represented as alternating dry and wet weather in this region. SPEI decreased significantly in each season, indicating increased drought. The drought situation changed abruptly in 1968, and the change was more obvious around 2000. Drought trend in autumn is more noticeable than in the other three seasons. The average annual dry area covers 34%. The drought frequency in each station at the annual scale was between 30.78% and 46.15%, its high values are mainly concentrated in the western region. The main cycles of annual SPEI changes are 37 and 5 years; spring is 45 and 10 years; summer is 20 and 5 years; autumn is 36, 10, and 5 years; winter is 45, 22, and 5 years. Furthermore, drought occurrence and changes are closely related to large-scale climatic factors, with El Niño-Southern Oscillation having the greatest impact on drought. HIGHLIGHTS Calculation of multi-scale SPEI based on the Penman–Montieth model.; Employing Morlet wavelet analysis, dry area coverage, drought frequency, Mann–Kendall sudden change examination, and other methods to conduct a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the region's spatial and temporal distribution of drought.; Using cross-wavelet analysis and wavelet coherence analysis to enhance the research of the response of drought to large-scale climatic influences.;

Rational design of electrocatalysts is important for a sustainable oxygen evolution reaction (OER). It is still a huge challenge to engineer active sites in multi-sizes and multi-components simultaneously. Here, a series of CoxP nanoparticles (NPs) confined in an SiO2 matrix (SiO2/CoxP) is designed and synthesized as OER electrocatalysts. The phosphorization of the hydrolyzed Co-phyllosilicate promotes the formation of ultrasmall and small Co2P and CoP. These are firmly confined in the SiO2 matrix. The coupling of multi-size and multi-component CoxP catalysts can regulate reaction kinetics and electron transfer ability, enrich the active sites, and eventually promote the intrinsic OER activity. The SiO2 matrix provides abundant porous structure and oxygen vacancies, and these facilitate the exposure of active sites and improve conductivity. Because of the synergy and interplay of multi-sized/component CoxP NPs and the porous SiO2 matrix, the unique SiO2/CoxP heterostructure exhibits low overpotential (293 ​mV@10 ​mA ​cm-2), and robust stability (decay 12 ​mV after 5000 CV cycles, 97.4% of initial current after 100 ​h chronoamperometric) for the OER process, exceeding many advanced metal phosphide electrocatalysts. This work provides a novel tactic to design low-cost, simple, and highly efficient OER electrocatalysts.

Abstract Thanks to detailed studies of inclusions in Spanish and Kachin amber, it was also possible to study the morphology of insects belonging to the genus Gonomyia. A new material under investigation made it possible to establish two new nominative for science subgenera within the genus Gonomyia has been designated with unique set of characters of antenna, wing venation and genitalia. Two new species within two new subgenera have been described and documented by drawings and photographs, there are Gonomyia (Iberiana) penalveri subgen. et sp. nov. and Gonomyia (Cretagonomyia) burmitica subgen. et sp. nov. The new discovery is the first record of the genus Gonomyia (Diptera: Limoniidae) in Cretaceous Spanish amber and the second in Kachin amber. The new discovery adds to the knowledge of the crane fies’ diversity and evolution, especially its first stage in the Cretaceous.

Introduction: The human genome encodes two melatonin receptors (MT1 and MT2) that relay melatonin signals to cellular interior. Accumulating evidence has linked melatonin to multiple health benefits, among which its anticancer effects have become well-established. However, the implications of its receptors in lung adenocarcinoma have so far remained incompletely understood. Objectives: This study aims to investigate the response of the MT1 receptor to melatonin treatment and its dynamic regulation by ubiquitin-specific protease 8 (USP8) in lung adenocarcinoma. Methods: The mRNA levels of MT1 and MT2 receptors were analyzed with sequencing data. The expression and localization of the MT1 receptor with melatonin treatment were investigated by immunoblotting, immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy assays. Endocytic deubiquitylases were screened to identify MT1 association. The effects of USP8 were assessed with shRNA-mediated knockdown and small molecule inhibitor. The combined efficacy of melatonin and USP8 suppression was also evaluated using xenograft animal models. Results: Bioinformatic analysis revealed increased expression of the MT1 receptor in lung adenocarcinoma tissues. Melatonin treatment leads to the downregulation of the MT1 receptor in lung adenocarcinoma cells, which is attributed to receptor endocytosis and lysosomal degradation via the canonical endo-lysosomal route. USP8 negatively regulates the endocytic degradation of the MT1 receptor incurred by melatonin exposure and thus protects lung adenocarcinoma cell growth. USP8 suppression by knockdown or pharmacological inhibition effectively deters cancer cell proliferation and sensitizes lung adenocarcinoma cells to melatonin in vitro. Furthermore, USP8 silencing significantly potentiates the anticancer effects of melatonin in xenograft tumor models. Conclusion: The MT1 receptor responds to melatonin treatment and is endocytosed for lysosomal degradation that is counteracted by USP8. The inhibition of USP8 demonstrates tumor-suppressive effects and thus can be exploited as potential therapeutic strategy either as monotherapy or combined therapy with melatonin.

Due to the rich water in the weathered layer of the free section, the prestressed anchor cable of the long-term operating slope is severely corroded and its mechanical properties are deteriorated, affecting the stability of the slope. Based on a certain number of long-term operation highway anchor cable excavation tests, the author found that the free section of the anchor cable orifice was seriously corroded. Currently, there is very little research on the relationship between the holding capacity of anchor cables and the degree of corrosion of the free section of the cable, and the research is mainly focused on the life of the anchor section. Therefore, the constitutive relationship of the cable body is established on the basis of corrosion force coupled statistical damage mechanics, and the relationship between the degree of corrosion of the cable body and the holding prestress of the operating slope anchor cables is derived using the load transfer method. The rationality of prestressed anchor cables on highway slopes during the operation period was verified by actual measurement. This study has positive significance for long-term stability analysis of slopes.

Chemo-photothermal/photodynamic synergistic therapy is a new effective cancer treatment method to overcome the limitations of single chemotherapy. However, the limited low photothermal conversion efficiency, the hypoxic tumor microenvironment, and premature leakage of the drug constrain their clinical applications. To address these challenges, an all-in-one biodegradable polydopamine-coated UiO-66 framework nanomedicine (DUPM) was developed to co-deliver the drug doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) and the excellent photothermal material MoOx nanoparticles (NPs). The results showed that DUPM exhibited good physicochemical stability and efficiently accumulated tumor tissues under pH-, glutathione-, and NIR-triggered drug release behaviour. Of note, the synthesized MoOx NPs endowed DUPM with self-supporting oxygen production and generated more reactive oxygen species (1O2 and·OH), besides, it induces Mo-mediated redox reaction to deplete excessive glutathione thus relieving tumor hypoxia to enhance PDT, further improving synergistic therapy. Meanwhile, DUPM showed strong absorption in the near-infrared range and high photothermal conversion efficiency at 808 nm (51.50%) to realize photoacoustic imaging-guided diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Compared with monotherapy, the in vivo anti-tumor efficacy results showed that DUMP exerted satisfactory tumor growth inhibition effects (94.43%) with good biocompatibility. This study provides a facile strategy to develop intelligent multifunctional nanoparticles with tumor hypoxia relief for improving synergistic therapy and diagnosis against breast cancer.

Nano-targeted delivery systems have been widely used for breast tumor drug delivery. Estrogen receptors are considered to be significant drug delivery target receptors due to their overexpression in a variety of tumor cells. However, targeted ligands have a significant impact on the safety and effectiveness of active delivery systems, limiting the clinical transformation of nanoparticles. Phytoestrogens have shown good biosafety characteristics and some affinity with the estrogen receptor. In the present study, molecular docking was used to select tanshinone IIA (Tan IIA) among phytoestrogens as a target ligand to be used in nanodelivery systems with some modifications. Modified Tan IIA (Tan-NH2) showed a good biosafety profile and demonstrated tumor-targeting, anti-tumor and anti-tumor metastasis effects. Moreover, the ligand was utilized with the anti-tumor drug Dox-loaded mesoporous silica nanoparticles via chemical modification to generate a nanocomposite Tan-Dox-MSN. Tan-Dox-MSN had a uniform particle size, good dispersibility and high drug loading capacity. Validation experiments in vivo and in vitro showed that it also had a better targeting ability, anti-tumor effect and lower toxicity in normal organs. These results supported the idea that phytoestrogens with high affinity for the estrogen receptor could improve the therapeutic efficacy of nano-targeted delivery systems in breast tumors.

With the increasing popularity of electric/hybrid vehicles and the rapid development of 3C electronics, there is a growing interest in high-rate energy storage systems. The rapid development and widespread adoption of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) can be attributed to their numerous advantages, including high energy density, high operating voltage, environmental friendliness, and lack of memory effect. However, the progress of LIBs is currently hindered by the limitations of energy storage materials, which serve as vital components. Therefore, there is an urgent need to address the development of a new generation of high-rate energy storage materials in order to overcome these limitations and further advance LIB technology. Niobium-based oxides have emerged as promising candidates for the fabrication of fast-charging Li-ion batteries due to their excellent rate capability and long lifespan. This review paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the fundamentals, methodologies, and electrochemistries of niobium-based oxides, with a specific focus on the evolution and creation of crystal phases of Nb2O5, fundamental electrochemical behavior, and modification methods including morphology modulation, composite technology, and carbon coating. Furthermore, the review explores Nb2O5-derived compounds and related advanced characterization techniques. Finally, the challenges and issues in the development of niobium-based oxides for high-rate energy storage batteries are discussed, along with future research perspectives.

Comprehending invasive alien species’ potential habitat area and spread trend are of great importance for effective prevention and control strategy and prevention of spread. However, previous studies have mainly been based on large regional scales (national or global level). Research on the smaller regional scale of ecologically fragile karst makes the prevention and control measures more feasible and targeted, it is of great significance to protect mountainous region species diversity and maintain national nature reserves. In this study, based on the distribution point data of Solidago canadensis in Guizhou Province and environmental factors, Pearson correlation analysis and contribution rate analysis of environmental factors were carried out by SPSS and knife cutting method, and current and future potential distribution vector maps were obtained by MaxEnt model, and then imported into ArcGIS for reclassification and visualization. The results show that, (1) the main drivers of S canadensis distribution were precipitation changes and human activities, the total contribution rate more than 70%; (2) S canadensis occurrence probability initially increased, and then decreased with increased precipitation variables, and increased rapidly initially, then gradually with increasing human footprint; (3) under current climate conditions, S canadensis suitable area is 8.13 × 10 ^4 km ^2 , with the highly suitable area concentrated in Guiyang, east of Bijie, Zunyi, Anshun and Qiannan. Under climate conditions of the 2050s, the suitable area drops slightly to 8.00 × 10 ^4 km ^2 , mainly in the west and north of Zunyi, Anshun and other areas reduced. Under climate conditions of the 2070s, the suitable area expands to 8.31 × 10 ^4 km ^2 , it expands in the adjacent areas of Anshun, Qiannan and Qianxinan and the junction of Zunyi, Tongren, Qiannan and Qiandongnan. And move toward the south within the study area; (4) finally, using the spatial optimization software ZONATION, according to the landscape loss proportion curve, the key monitoring area of 79,857 km ^2 was obtained, including a primary monitoring area mainly distributed in Guiyang, east of Bijie, northeast of Anshun and northwest of Qiannan, a secondary monitoring area mainly outside the primary monitoring area, and a third-level monitoring area widely distributed in Zunyi, Tongren, Qiannan, west of Qiandongnan and Anshun and east of Bijie. Linking our results with this specie’s invasive power, we thus recommended to increase the prevention and control sites in the first-level monitoring area, and continue to pay attention to the risk of the southward spread of this species.