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BackgroundBrucellosis is a zoonotic disease caused by Brucella infection, which is common in pastoral areas. Neurological involvement in brucellosis is relatively rare. But since 1993, continuous studies have been reporting neurological complications of brucellosis, collectively referred to as neurobrucellosis. A bibliometric analysis of existing literature outlines current research progress and gaps and provides guidance for the clinical treatment of neurobrucellosis, promoting patient health in the process of guiding clinical practice, and improving their quality of life.MethodsCiteSpace and VOSviewer are software tools to visualize research trends and networks. By selecting specific areas of interest and configuring the right parameters, the tools can visualize past research data. The study retrieved the literature from the Web of Science Core Collection Database and downloaded it in plain text file format. Citespace6.1.6, VOSviewer v1.6.20, and Microsoft Excel 16.59 were used for analyzing the following terms: countries, institutions, authors’ cooperation, journals, keywords, and co-citation.ResultsThere are eight key results. (1) The publication volume shows a general upward trend. (2) Turkey is the country with the highest publication volume and contributing institutions. (3) Giambartolomei GH, Gul HC, and Namiduru M are the authors with the highest number of publications. (4) Neurology is the journal that published the highest number of related articles (n = 12). (5) “Diagnosis,” “meningitis,” and “features” are the top three frequently occurring keywords. (6) Keyword clusters show “antibiotic therapy” and “cerebrospinal fluid” have future study value. (7) The burst analysis of the keywords also indicates that “cerebrospinal fluid” may become a prominent keyword in future research. (8) The co-citation analysis concludes three categories of the cited articles, which are diagnosis, therapy, and complications, indicating the past research direction.ConclusionThis study highlights the complexity of neurobrucellosis, presenting the need for advanced diagnostic techniques and multifaceted treatment approaches. While antibiotics remain the cornerstone of therapy, the use of corticosteroids to mitigate inflammatory responses shows promise, albeit with concerns about potential sequelae and relapse. Future research should focus on refining therapeutic strategies that address both the direct effects of infection and the broader immunological impacts to improve patient outcomes and quality of life.

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of subthreshold depression among Chinese college students and to explore the related factors. Methods: The research subjects were Chinese college students participating in the “2022 Psychology and Behavior Investigation of Chinese Residents (PBICR-2022)''. Data on respondents' general characteristics, quality of life, perceived pressure, family communication, perceived social support, self-efficacy, and depression status were gathered. To investigate the association between each variable and the risk of subthreshold depression, statistical analyses, including chi-square tests and rank sum tests were conducted. Furthermore, a binary stepwise logistic regression was employed to establish the regression model of the factors related to subthreshold depression among Chinese college students. Results: A prevalence of subthreshold depression of about 39.7 % was found among the 8934 respondents. Logistic regression analysis revealed that respondents who are female, have chronic diseases, are in debt, experience significant impacts from epidemic control policies, have lower self-assessed quality of life, experience challenges in family communication, perceive lower social support, have lower self-efficacy, and feel higher perceived pressure are more likely to develop subthreshold depression compared to the control group. (P

Beta-diversity reflects the spatial changes in community species composition which helps to understand how communities are assembled and biodiversity is formed and maintained. Larch (Larix) forests, which are coniferous forests widely distributed in the mountainous and plateau areas in North and Southwest China, are critical for maintaining the environmental conditions and species diversity. Few studies of larch forests have examined the beta-diversity and its constituent components (species turnover and nestedness-resultant components). Here, we used 483 larch forest plots to determine the total beta-diversity and its components in different life forms (i.e., tree, shrub, and herb) of larch forests in China and to evaluate the main drivers that underlie this beta-diversity. We found that total beta-diversity of larch forests was mainly dependent on the species turnover component. In all life forms, total beta-diversity and the species turnover component increased with increasing geographic, elevational, current climatic, and paleoclimatic distances. In contrast, the nestedness-resultant component decreased across these same distances. Geographic and environmental factors explained 20%–25% of total beta-diversity, 18%–27% of species turnover component, and 4%–16% of nestedness-resultant component. Larch forest types significantly affected total beta-diversity and species turnover component. Taken together, our results indicate that life forms affect beta-diversity patterns of larch forests in China, and that beta-diversity is driven by both niche differentiation and dispersal limitation. Our findings help to greatly understand the mechanisms of community assemblies of larch forests in China.

Highlights A comprehensive discussion of the approaches for developing carbon-based sulfur hosts is presented, encompassing structural design and functional optimization. The recent implementation of effective machine learning methods in discovering carbon-based sulfur hosts has been systematically examined. The challenges and future directions of carbon-based sulfur hosts for practically application have been comprehensively discussed. A summary of the strengths and weaknesses, along with the outlook on carbon-based sulfur hosts for practical application has been incorporated.

The aim of this study is to investigate new materials that can be employed as cathode hosts in Li-S batteries, which would be able to overcome the effect of the shuttling of soluble polysulfides and maximize the battery capacity and energy density. Density functional theory (DFT) simulations are used to determine the adsorption energy of lithium sulfides in two types of cathode hosts: lithiated 1T-MoS2 (1T-LixMoS2) and hybrid 1T-LixMoS2/graphene. Initial simulations of lithiated 1T-MoS2 structures led to the selection of an optimized 1T-Li0.75MoS2 structure, which was utilized for the formation of an optimized 1T-Li0.75MoS2 bilayer and a hybrid 1T-Li0.75MoS2/graphene bilayer structure. It was found that all sulfides exhibited super-high adsorption energies in the interlayer inside the 1T-Li0.75MoS2 bilayer and very good adsorption energy values in the interlayer inside the hybrid 1T-Li0.75MoS2/graphene bilayer. The placement of sulfides outside each type of bilayer, over the 1T-Li0.75MoS2 surface, yielded good adsorption energies in the range of −2 to −3.8 eV, which are higher than those over a 1T-MoS2 substrate.

Using inorganic fibrous membranes as protective layers has yielded success in suppressing dendrite growth. However, conventional fibrous membranes usually have large voids and low affinity for Li, promoting inhomogeneous charge distribution and allowing some dendrites to grow. Herein, we introduce a highly aligned TiO2/SiO2 (A-TS) electrospun nanofiber membrane as a protective layer for the Li metal anode. The A-TS membrane is fabricated by a custom-made electrospinning system with an automatic fiber alignment collector that allows control of the fibers’ orientation. At the scale of the individual fibers, their high binding energies with Li can attract more “dead” Li by reacting with the SiO2 component of the composite, avoiding uncontrollable deposition on the metal anode. At the membrane scale, these highly ordered structures achieve homogeneous contact and charge distribution on the Li metal surface, leaving no vulnerable areas to nucleate dendrite formation. Additionally, the excellent mechanical and thermal stability properties of the A-TS membrane prevent any potential puncturing by dendrites or thermal runaway in a battery. Hence, an A-TS@Li anode exhibits stable cycling performance when used in both Li–S and Li–NCM811 batteries, highlighting significant reference values for the future design and development of high-energy-density metal-based battery systems.

Larch forests are important for species diversity, as well as soil and water conservation in mountain regions. In this study, we determined large-scale patterns of species richness in larch forests and identified the factors that drive these patterns. We found that larch forest species richness was high in southern China and low in northern China, and that patterns of species richness along an elevational gradient depend on larch forest type. In addition, we found that patterns of species richness in larch forests are best explained by contemporary climatic factors. Specifically, mean annual temperature and annual potential evapotranspiration were the most important factors for species richness of tree and shrub layers, while mean temperature of the coldest quarter and anomaly of annual precipitation from the Last Glacial Maximum to the present were the most important for that of herb layer and the whole community. Community structural factors, especially stand density, are also associated with the species richness of larch forests. Our findings that species richness in China's larch forests is mainly affected by energy availability and cold conditions support the ambient energy hypothesis and the freezing tolerance hypothesis.

Abstract Solid‐state lithium batteries (SSLBs) have been broadly accepted as a promising candidate for the next generation lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) with high energy density, long duration, and high safety. The intrinsic non‐flammable nature and electrochemical/thermal/mechanical stability of solid electrolytes are expected to fundamentally solve the safety problems of conventional LIBs. However, thermal degradation and thermal runaway could also happen in SSLBs. For example, the large interfacial resistance between solid electrolytes and electrodes could aggravate the joule heat generation; the anisotropic thermal diffusion could trigger the uneven temperature distribution and formation of hotspots further leading to lithium dendrite growth. Considerable research efforts have been devoted to exploring solid electrolytes with outstanding performance and harmonizing interfacial incompatibility in the past decades. There have been fewer comprehensive reports investigating the thermal reaction process, thermal degradation, and thermal runaway of SSLBs. This review seeks to highlight advanced thermal‐related analysis techniques for SSLBs, by focusing particularly on multiscale and multidimensional thermal‐related characterization, thermal monitoring techniques such as sensors, thermal experimental techniques imitating the abuse operating condition, and thermal‐related advanced simulations. Insightful perspectives are proposed to bridge fundamental studies to technological relevance for better understanding and performance optimization of SSLBs.

Aboveground biomass (AGB) is the most dynamic carbon pool in forest ecosystems and is sensitive to biotic and abiotic factors. Previous studies on AGB have mostly focused on tropical and temperate forests, while studies on AGB and its determinants in subalpine coniferous forests are lacking and the mechanisms are not yet clear. Here, we systematically investigated all woody plants in 630 subplots (20 m × 20 m) in the Wanglang Plot (25.2 ha) to explore the spatial distribution of AGB and the effects of topography, soil, and stand structure on AGB. The results showed that AGB varied remarkably among different subplots with an average of 184.42 Mg/ha. AGB increased significantly with aspect, soil organic matter, maximum DBH, and important value of spruce–fir, while it decreased significantly with slope, total phosphorus, and stem density. Stand structure exerted greater influences than topography and soil factors, and especially maximum DBH determines the variation of AGB. Our results are of great significance to accurately estimate and predict the productivity of this forest type, and can provide insights into the diversity maintenance of subalpine coniferous forests as well as the conservation and management of forest ecosystems.

Electrochemical energy storage (EES) devices are expected to play a critical role in achieving the global target of “carbon neutrality” within the next two decades. Potassium‐ion batteries (KIBs), with the advantages of low cost and high operating voltage, and they could become a major component of the required energy‐material ecosystems. Carbon‐based materials have shown promising properties as anode materials for KIBs. However, the key limitation of carbon anodes lies in the dramatic mechanical stress originating from large volume fluctuation during the (de)potassiation processes, which further results in electrode pulverization and rapid fading of cycling performance. Here, a controllable self‐assembly strategy to synthesize uniform dual‐heteroatom doped mesoporous carbon sphere (DMCS) anodes with unique radial pore channels is reported. This approach features a modified Stöber method combined with the single‐micelle template from the molecule‐level precursor design. The DMCS anodes demonstrate exceptional rate capability and ultrahigh cycling stability with no obvious degradation over 12 000 cycles at 2 A g−1, which is one of the most stable anodes. Furthermore, finite element simulations quantitatively verify the stress‐buffering effect of the DMCS anodes. This work provides a strategy from the perspective of stress evolution regulation for buffering mechanical stress originating from large volume fluctuations in advanced KIBs electrodes.

Thinning plays a vital role in controlling stand density of plantation forests to get quality wood and more ecological function. However, the specific effects of thinning on forest biomass connected with forest age are usually overlooked especially in semi-arid regions. Here, we examined the effects of thinning on individual tree growth and stand biomass in a chronosequence of 20-, 30-, 40-, and 50-year-old Chinese pine (Pinus tabulaeformis) plantations on the Loess Plateau, China. We found that under different thinning managements, both mean diameter at breast height (DBH) and tree height followed the logistic growth pattern, and thinning promoted tree radial growth more than height. The effects of thinning on tree biomass differed between the individual tree and stand level. Thinning could promote individual tree biomass irrespective of stand ages, while stand biomass did not differ between the thinned and unthinned stands at different stand ages. Furthermore, the multiple linear regression analysis and structure equation model showed that individual tree growth was the primary contributor of stand biomass. Thus, we infer that the stand biomass loss after thinning could be mainly compensated by enhanced tree growth, especially radial growth, after a period of recovery (no more than 20 years). The results could provide helpful guidance for forest management and highlighted that reasonable thinning treatment could result in both high individual tree product and stand level harvests in the long term.

Increasing evidence shows that both abiotic and biotic factors affect species richness and stand biomass in forests, yet the relative and interactive impacts of these factors remain debated in different forest ecosystems. We sampled 55 forest plots (600 m2 per plot) on two subtropical mountains with distinct diversity levels in China to explore the elevational patterns of tree species richness and stand biomass and examined how they were affected by climate, stand structure, and dominance of mycorrhizal types. The tree species richness of both mountains decreased with elevation, while the stand biomass exhibited unimodal or no apparent trends. On both mountains, the tree species richness was strongly shaped by climatic factors, especially the mean annual temperature, whereas the stand biomass was mainly affected by the stand structure. Specifically, on the mountain with higher species richness, both the tree height variation and maximum tree size were strongly correlated with the stand biomass. Meanwhile, on the species-poor mountain with higher elevations, only the maximum tree size correlated with the stand biomass. The dominance of ectomycorrhizal trees also had positive effects on the stand biomass of both mountains. These results suggest that climate, stand structure, and mycorrhizal dominance may jointly drive the decoupling between tree species richness and stand biomass, which should be given more attention in further research and forest management to achieve the climate change mitigation goals.

Leaf anatomical traits are responsive to environmental factors and thus highly plastic in their development and biochemical function. However, how they vary across large geographical scales and the main driving factors remain unclear, especially for forest plants. Here, by combining field sampling with plant semi-thin sectioning methods, eight anatomical traits (including leaf epidermis and mesophyll traits, leaf midrib and vascular traits) that can fully reflect leaf structure were measured in 60 plant species inhabiting eight forests in eastern China, and their geographical patterns and possible determinants were explored. Our results showed that leaf anatomical traits varied significantly among different plant functional types (PFTs), and phylogeny had a negligible effect on them. At the species level, leaf anatomical traits exhibited significant geographical patterns, and the thickness of leaf tissues tended to increase from boreal to tropical forests. Compared to leaf epidermis and mesophyll traits, leaf midrib and vascular traits showed similar and more significant geographical patterns. Moreover, the spatial variations in leaf anatomical traits were mainly determined by the shifts in PFTs, while climate and soil nutrient availability had relatively marginal effects. Our findings emphasized that leaf anatomical trait coordination could reflect the resource trade-off and utilization strategies of plants, which is expected to improve our understanding of the responses and adaptation mechanisms of plants to environmental changes.

Abstract Background Larch (Larix Mill.) forests are widely distributed in the upper parts of mountainous areas in China, playing vital roles in constructing mountain landscapes and maintaining mountain environments. Despite their importance, our knowledges on the large-scale patterns of structure characteristics and the relationships between different structure variables are unclear. In this paper, we investigated 155 plots from 11 natural larch forest types across the country to explore the biogeographic patterns of the structure characteristics and the allometric relationships between different structure variables for Chinese larch forests. Results The structure characteristics were significantly different among larch forest types. For different larch forest types, the power function fits the relationships between tree height and diameter at breast height (DBH), average DBH and stem density, and taper and stem density well, but with different exponents among larch forest types. The power exponents of the allometric relationships between tree height and DBH for different larch forest types varied from 0.61 to 0.93 (mean = 0.86) by standard major axis regression (SMA), and from 0.51 to 0.78 (mean = 0.56) by ordinary least square regression (OLS). The 50%, 75% and 95% quantile regression (QR) and OLS indicated that the average DBH and taper of the L. gmelinii forests, L. gmelinii var. principis-rupprechtii forests, and L. sibirica forests were significantly correlated with stem density. Conclusions The relationship between tree height and DBH showed a power function relationship for all larch forest types in China, but with different exponents. Overall, stem density was negatively correlated with average DBH and taper. The Sect. Larix forests exhibited stand density effect. Our findings provide an important basis for recognizing the biogeographic patterns of structure factors and for the management of larch forests in China.

New materials for electrochemical energy storage and conversion are the key to the electrification and sustainable development of our modern societies. Molecular modelling based on the principles of quantum mechanics and statistical mechanics as well as empowered by machine learning techniques can help us to understand, control and design electrochemical energy materials at atomistic precision. Therefore, this roadmap, which is a collection of authoritative opinions, serves as a gateway for both the experts and the beginners to have a quick overview of the current status and corresponding challenges in molecular modelling of electrochemical energy materials for batteries, supercapacitors, CO _2 reduction reaction, and fuel cell applications.

The main challenge in lithium sulphur (Li-S) batteries is the shuttling of lithium polysulphides (LiPSs) caused by the rapid LiPSs migration to the anode and the slow reaction kinetics in the chain of LiPSs conversion. In this study, we explore 1T-MoS2 as a cathode host for Li-S batteries by examining the affinity of 1T-MoS2 substrates (pristine 1T-MoS2, defected 1T-MoS2 with one and two S vacancies) toward LiPSs and their electrocatalytic effects. Density functional theory (DFT) simulations are used to determine the adsorption energy of LiPSs to these substrates, the Gibbs free energy profiles for the reaction chain, and the preferred pathways and activation energies for the slow reaction stage from Li2S4 to Li2S. The obtained information highlights the potential benefit of a combination of 1T-MoS2 regions, without or with one and two sulphur vacancies, for an improved Li-S battery performance. The recommendation is implemented in a Li-S battery with areas of pristine 1T-MoS2 and some proportion of one and two S vacancies, exhibiting a capacity of 1190 mAh/g at 0.1C, with 97% capacity retention after 60 cycles in a schedule of different C-rates from 0.1C to 2C and back to 0.1C.

Abstract The decomposition of litter from forest tree species is a fundamental process in the carbon (C) cycle of terrestrial ecosystems and is closely related to ongoing climate change. However, the spatial distribution of the forest litter decomposition rate (k) and its potential response to changing air temperature (temperature sensitivity) remain poorly understood. Here, we estimated the spatial pattern of forest plant k values in China by performing a random forest model based on 433 standardized k values from 124 published studies. Nine potential predictors, including climate‐related factors, vegetation characteristics, and soil physical and chemical factors, were considered in the model. The results of spatial extrapolation indicated that the average k value for China's forests was 0.53, and the mean annual temperature (MAT) was the most important factor. We also mapped the spatial pattern of the temperature sensitivity of the k value (Q10) by using a moving window method. We found that the Q10 values had considerable variation (from 0.05 to 11.68, 95% confidence interval, CI) across forest types and regions. The Q10 values were lower in the warmer regions (primarily in the sub‐tropical evergreen forests) and higher in the semi‐humid regions (primarily in the temperate deciduous forests and boreal Larix forests) than those in the other regions of China. However, the Q10 values of the broadleaved forests were higher than those of coniferous forests. These results suggest that the temperature sensitivity of the litter decomposition rate will decline under the ongoing global warming. Changing patterns of precipitation will also affect not only the forest litter decomposition rate but also its temperature sensitivity.

Multimodal data-driven approach has emerged as an important driving force for smart healthcare systems with applications ranging from disease analysis to triage, diagnosis and treatment. Smart healthcare system necessitates new demands for data management and decision-making, which has inspired the rapid development of medical services using artificial intelligence and new transformations in the healthcare industry. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive survey of existing techniques which include not only state-of-the-art methods but also the most recent trends in the field. In particular, this review focuses on the types of decision-making processes used in smart healthcare systems. Firstly, approaches that utilize multimodal association mining with fine-grained data semantics in smart healthcare systems are introduced. We review the smart healthcare-oriented semantic perception, semantic alignment, entity association mining, and discuss the pros and cons of these approaches. Secondly, we discuss approaches for multimodal data fusion and cross-border association that have been employed in developing smart healthcare systems. Finally, we focus specifically on the use of the panoramic decision framework, interactive decision making, and intelligent decision support systems. We introduce how smart healthcare systems can be applied to and benefit a wide variety of fields, including knowledge discovery and privacy protection.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate how early A-waves could occur in type II diabetes, and what it implied functionally.Methods: We performed conduction velocity distribution (CVD) test in peroneal nerves of 37 type II diabetic patients with normal nerve conduction study (NCS) and 22 age-matched controls. The electrophysiological data and clinical information were analyzed.Results: A-waves were observed in 45.9% of diabetic patients and only in 1 person in healthy controls, all detected in the tibial nerves. The diabetic patients with A-waves showed faster conduction velocity in all quartiles in the motor peroneal nerves compared to the patients without A-waves, and their CVD histograms were shifted to the right side, consisting of a significantly larger percentage of fast conducting fibers. There was no significant difference in the CVD values of the upper extremity nerves among the patients with and without A-waves and the healthy controls.Conclusion: A-waves could occur in type II diabetes as early as when NCS showed normal, and represented as a sign of neuropathy as well as a sign of rescued motor nerve function.

Objective Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) with bulbar-onset (BO-ALS) tends to propagate to the adjacent anatomical regions symptomatically. However, the spreading pattern of clinical and electrophysiological features is not well documented. Methods This retrospective study enrolled consecutive patients with sporadic BO-ALS. The clinical progression and electrophysiological data by electromyography examination were retrospectively analysed based on information from the medical records. Results The study enrolled 57 patients: 43 presented with contiguous (37 of 57) or non-contiguous (6 of 57) progression clinically; and 14 patients did not present with symptomatic propagation to other spinal segments. Lower motor neuron dysfunction was more frequently involved in the bulbar and cervical segments and less in the thoracic and lumbosacral segments. As a result, a small proportion of patients had intact thoracic paraspinal or leg muscles or both by electromyography examination. Furthermore, the patients with diagnostic latency ≤6 months showed a significantly lower incidence of neurogenic changes in the lumbosacral spinal cord compared with those with diagnostic latency > 6 months. Conclusion This current study demonstrated a relative rostral–caudal descending gradient of lower motor neuron dysfunction in patients with BO-ALS. These results suggest that follow-up EMG might be necessary for a proportion of patients.

Objective: To evaluate the characteristics of F-wave in spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3) patients and preclinical carriers of SCA3 gene mutation (PreSCA3), and explore the relationship between disease severity and F-wave parameters and evaluate F-wave parameters as potential biomarkers for monitoring of disease progression in SCA3.Methods: We performed F-wave recordings in median, ulnar and tibial nerves of 39 SCA3 patients, 20 PreSCA3, and 27 healthy controls, and compared F-wave parameters between them.Results: In all nerves studied, the mean F-wave amplitude, maximum F-wave amplitude, and F/M amplitude ratio were significantly increased in the SCA3 patients in comparison with the normal controls. And the minimal F-wave latency of SCA3 patients was significantly prolonged and the F-wave persistence (%) was significantly decreased in the median nerve. For the PreSCA3, the maximum F-wave amplitude was significantly higher than normal controls for both median, ulnar, and tibial nerves. The mean F-wave amplitude and F/M amplitude ratio in all nerves were comparable between PreSCA3 and normal controls. The frequency of giant F-wave and frequency of patients with giant F-wave were similar between PreSCA3 and SCA3. The values of F/M amplitude ratio in both median, ulnar, and tibial nerves were correlated positively with disease severity and disease duration.Conclusion: Significant F-wave abnormalities occur in patients with SCA3, even in PreSCA3. F-wave may therefore reveal subclinical alterations and provide objective parameters for evaluating the progression of SCA3.

Abstract Background Mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor (MANF) is a new candidate growth factor for dopaminergic neurons against endoplasmic reticulum stress (ER stress). HSP70 family, a chaperon like heat shock protein family, was proved to be involved in the MANF induced survival pathway in 6-OHDA treated SHSY-5Y cells. However, the ER stress relative transcriptome, in MANF signaling cascades is still investigated. The involvement of HSP70, a 70kd member of HSP70 family, need further to be verified. Methods The cell apoptosis was assayed by MTT, TUNEL staining and western blot of cleaved Caspase-3. The differentially expressed genes in SHSY-5Y cells under different conditions (control, 6-OHDA, 6-OHDA + MANF) were investigated by RNA-seq. Expression of HSP70 was further confirmed by real-time PCR. RNAi knockdown for HSP70 was performed to investigate the role of HSP70 in the MANF signaling pathway. Results MANF inhibits 6-OHDA-induced apoptosis in SHSY-5Y cells. Six ER stress relative genes (HSP70, GRP78, xbp-1, ATF-4, ATF-6, MAPK) were found enriched in 6-OHDA + MANF treatment group. HSP70 was the most significantly up-regulated gene under 6-OHDA + MANF treatment in SHSY-5Y cells. RNAi knockdown for HSP70 inhibits the protective effects of MANF against 6-OHDA toxicity in SHSY-5Y cells. Conclusion MANF exerts a protective role against 6-OHDA induced apoptosis in SHSY-5Y cells via up-regulating some ER stress genes, including HSP70 family members. The HSP70 expression level plays a key role in MANF-mediated survival pathway.

Abstract Background The presence of more than one polyQ‐related gene within a single individual is a rare incidence, which may provide the potential opportunity to study the combined effects of these spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) genes. Methods We retrospectively analyzed genetic data from 112 SCA3 probands and found Patient 1 harbored expanded ATXN2 allele (33 repeats) and intermediate TBP allele (41 repeats), and Patient 2 with intermediate ATXN2 allele (32 repeats). Detailed clinical and oculomotor performances were investigated. The age at onset and oculomotor parameters of both patients were compared with matched pure SCA3 groups controlling either disease severity or CAG repeats. Results Most of the clinical phenotypes and oculomotor characteristics of these two patients were common to typical SCA3 patients. Compared to pure SCA3 groups controlling disease severity, mild reduced horizontal saccade velocity could be detected in both patients. However, mild expansions of the ATXN2 allele seemed to have no influence on the age at onset of Patient 1 but might have a mild impact on Patient 2. Conclusion Our study provides supporting evidence that mild expansions of ATXN2 may have modifying effects on SCA3 phenotype. Larger control series and longitudinal data are warranted to confirm our results.

High capacity electrode materials are the key for high energy density Li-ion batteries (LIB) to meet the requirement of the increased driving range of electric vehicles. Here we report the synthesis of a novel anode material, Bi2MoO6/palm-carbon composite, via a simple hydrothermal method. The composite shows higher reversible capacity and better cycling performance, compared to pure Bi2MoO6. In 0−3 V, a potential window of 100 mA/g current density, the LIB cells based on Bi2MoO6/palm-carbon composite show retention reversible capacity of 664 mAh·g−1 after 200 cycles. Electrochemical testing and ab initio density functional theory calculations are used to study the fundamental mechanism of Li ion incorporation into the materials. These studies confirm that Li ions incorporate into Bi2MoO6 via insertion to the interstitial sites in the MoO6-layer, and the presence of palm-carbon improves the electronic conductivity, and thus enhanced the performance of the composite materials.

Masson pine (Pinus massoniana) is a major fast-growing timber species planted in southern China, a region of seasonal drought. Using a drought-tolerance genotype of Masson pine, we conducted large-scale transcriptome sequencing using Illumina technology. This work aimed to evaluate the transcriptomic responses of Masson pine to different levels of drought stress. First, 3397, 1695 and 1550 unigenes with differential expression were identified by comparing plants subjected to light, moderate or severe drought with control plants. Second, several gene ontology (GO) categories (oxidation-reduction and metabolism) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways (plant hormone signal transduction and metabolic pathways) were enriched, indicating that the expression levels of some genes in these enriched GO terms and pathways were altered under drought stress. Third, several transcription factors (TFs) associated with circadian rhythms (HY5 and LHY), signal transduction (ERF), and defense responses (WRKY) were identified, and these TFs may play key roles in adapting to drought stress. Drought also caused significant changes in the expression of certain functional genes linked to osmotic adjustment (P5CS), abscisic acid (ABA) responses (NCED, PYL, PP2C and SnRK), and reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging (GPX, GST and GSR). These transcriptomic results provide insight into the molecular mechanisms of drought stress adaptation in Masson pine.

In recent years, medical and health care consumption has risen, making health risk an important determinant of household spending and welfare. We aimed to examine the determinants of medical and health care expenditure to help policy-makers in the improvement of China's health care system, benefiting the country, society and every household. This paper employs panel data from China's provinces from 2001 to 2011 with all possible economic variations and studies the determinants of medical and healthcare expenditure for urban residents. CPI (consumer price index) of medical services and the resident consumption level of urban residents have positive influence on medical and health care expenditures for urban residents, while the local medical budget, the number of health institutions, the incidence of infectious diseases, the year-end population and the savings of urban residents will not have effect on medical and health care expenditure for urban residents. This paper proposed three relevant policy suggestions for Chinese governments based on the findings of the research.