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Abstract Background Recent studies have established a correlation between ADAMTSL2 (ADAMTS-like 2) and the development of various cancers. This study aims to conduct a comprehensive pan-cancer analysis in 37 cancer types and investigate its potential role in colon and rectal adenocarcinoma (COADREAD). Method Pan-cancer and mutation data were sourced from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and analyzed using Sangerbox analysis platform. We explored the expression patterns and prognostic implications of ADAMTSL2, and investigated its relationships with tumor heterogeneity, stemness, immune checkpoint genes, immune cell infiltration, RNA modifications, and mutational profiles across different cancers. Additionally, with Ethics Committee approval, we conducted immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis on 120 COADEAD samples to evaluate ADAMTSL2 expression and its association with clinicopathological parameters. Results ADAMTSL2 expression was positively correlated with the hazard ratio of OS, DSS, DFI and PFI for ESCA and COADREAD. A negative correlation was observed between ADAMTSL2 expression and NEO levels in COAD. Gene alterations in ADAMTSL2 were observed, with a mutation frequency of 5.0% in COAD. There is a significant correlation between ADAMTSL2 expression and immune cell infiltration in a variety of cancers. The expression level of ADAMTSL2 protein was associated with T stage, N stage, M stage (p

Abstract During the flood season, high dam discharge rates result in total dissolved gas (TDG) supersaturation. This condition causes gas bubble trauma and can lead to fish mortality, which poses a significant threat to downstream river ecosystems. Assessing the ecological risks of TDG supersaturation is a challenge in waterpower-intensive river basins worldwide. Few studies have explored the impact of TDG supersaturation on fish behaviours, such as aggression and memory, which are crucial for feeding, reproduction, and predator avoidance. In this study, behavioural tests were conducted in a T-maze to investigate the effects of acute TDG supersaturation on swimming behaviour, aggression, and memory in medaka (Oryzias latipes). The results demonstrated that medaka exposed to TDG levels of 115% and 130% for 2 h had significantly reduced swimming performance.At TDG levels of 100%, 115% and 130%, medaka activity rates in the mirror arm of the maze in the mirror test were 44.34 ± 12.88%, 40.27 ± 15.44% and 35.35 ± 16.07%, respectively. Similarly, the activity rates of medaka in the active stimulus arm of the maze in the memory test were 50.35 ± 14.75%, 40.76 ± 12.51% and 35.35 ± 18.47%, respectively. The behaviour of medaka changed with increasing TDG supersaturation. These findings contribute to the development of an ecological risk assessment model for TDG supersaturation based on memory and aggression in fish and provide data for developing management strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of TDG supersaturation.

Electrochemical biosensors are characterized by rapid response, miniaturization, portability, and ease of operation. With tunable nanostructure, DNA has been comprehensively combined with electrochemical devices to design high-sensitivity and selectivity biosensors for the achievement of disease diagnosis, food safety, and environmental monitoring. In recent years, DNA-functionalized electrochemical biosensors have made significant research progress. In this article, the recent research progress of DNA-functionalized electrochemical biosensors for in vitro and in vivo disease diagnosis was reviewed. The structure and sensing principles of DNA-functionalized electrochemical biosensors were first summarized. The preparation of DNA-functionalized electrochemical biosensors based on nanomaterials was introduced in detail. Meanwhile, the latest evolution of integrated and portable DNA-functionalized electrochemical biosensors for in vitro disease diagnosis was summarized. For a further step, the construction of implantable DNA-functionalized electrochemical biosensors for in vivo and real-time disease monitoring was overviewed. Finally, the challenges and outlook of DNA-functionalized electrochemical biosensors were discussed to provide a guideline for the future development of DNA-functionalized electrochemical biosensors.

Due to the increasing demand for goods movement, externalities from freight mobility have attracted much concern among local citizens and policymakers. Freight truck-related crash is one of these externalities and impacts urban freight transportation most drastically. Previous studies have mainly focused on correlation analyses of influencing factors based on crash density/count data, but have paid little attention to the inherent uncertainties of freight truck-related crashes (FTCs) from a spatial perspective. While establishing an interpretable analysis model for freight truck-related accidents that considers uncertainties is of great significance for promoting the robust development of urban freight transportation systems. Hence, this study proposes the concept of FTC hazard (FTCH), and employs the Bayesian neural network (BNN) model based on stochastic variational inference to model uncertainty. Considering the difficulty in interpreting deep learning-based models, this study introduces the local interpretable modelagnostic explanation (LIME) model into the analysis framework to explain the results of the neural network model. This study then verifies the feasibility of the proposed analysis framework using data from California from 2011 to 2020. Results show that FTCHs can be effectively modeled by predicting confidence intervals for effects of built environment factors, in particular demographics, land use, and road network structure. Results based on LIME values indicate the spatial heterogeneity in influence mechanisms on FTCHs between areas within the metropolitan regions and alongside the freeways. These findings may help transport planners and logistic managers develop more effective measures to avoid potential negative effects brought by FTCHs in local communities.

WHO classified Helicobacter pylori as a Group I carcinogen for gastric cancer as early as 1994. However, despite the high prevalence of H. pylori infection, only about 3 % of infected individuals eventually develop gastric cancer, with the highly virulent H. pylori strains expressing cytotoxin-associated protein (CagA) and vacuolating cytotoxin (VacA) being critical factors in gastric carcinogenesis. It is well known that H. pylori infection is divided into two types in terms of the presence and absence of CagA and VacA toxins in serum, that is, carcinogenic Type I infection (CagA+/VacA+, CagA+/VacA-, CagA-/VacA+) and non-carcinogenic Type II infection (CagA-/VacA-). Currently, detecting the two carcinogenic toxins in active modes is mainly done by diagnosing their serological antibodies. However, the method is restricted by expensive reagents and intricate procedures. Therefore, establishing a rapid, accurate, and cost-effective way for serological profiling of carcinogenic H. pylori infection holds significant implications for effectively guiding H. pylori eradication and gastric cancer prevention. In this study, we developed a novel method by combining surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy with the deep learning algorithm convolutional neural network to create a model for distinguishing between serum samples with Type I and Type II H. pylori infections. This method holds the potential to facilitate rapid screening of H. pylori infections with high risks of carcinogenesis at the population level, which can have long-term benefits in reducing gastric cancer incidence when used for guiding the eradication of H. pylori infections.

CPSF30, a key polyadenylation factor, also serves as an m6A reader, playing a crucial role in determining RNA fate post-transcription. While its homologs mammals are known to be vital for viral replication and immune evasion, the full scope of CPSF30 in plant, particular in viral regulation, remains less explored. Our study demonstrates that CPSF30 significantly facilitates the infection of turnip mosaic virus (TuMV) in Arabidopsis thaliana, as evidenced by infection experiments on the engineered cpsf30 mutant. Among the two isoforms, CPSF30-L, which were characterized with m6A binding activity, emerged as the primary isoform responding to TuMV infection. Analysis of m6A components revealed potential involvement of the m6A machinery in regulating TuMV infection. In contrast, CPSF30-S exhibited distinct subcellular localization, coalescing with P-body markers (AtDCP1 and AtDCP2) in cytoplasmic granules, suggesting divergent regulatory mechanisms between the isoforms. Furthermore, comprehensive mRNA-Seq and miRNA-Seq analysis of Col-0 and cpsf30 mutants revealed global transcriptional reprogramming, highlighting CPSF30’s role in selectively modulating gene expression during TuMV infection. In conclusion, this research underscores CPSF30’s critical role in the TuMV lifecycle and sets the stage for further exploration of its function in plant viral regulation.

Abstract Background China has made remarkable achievements in tuberculosis (TB) prevention and control, but it still takes long way to achieve the End TB goal especially in underdeveloped Southwest China. TB healthcare workers (HCWs) are core forces in TB prevention and control but often face job burnout. This study aimed to explore the burden and associated factors of job burnout among TB HCWs in Southwest China. Methods This cross-sectional study used both survey questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, to assess job burnout among TB HCWs based on Malasch Model and explore the associated factors based on Herzberg’s two-factor theory (different hygiene and motivation factors). Quantitative data analysis adopts multiple linear regression to in SPSS 22.0, and qualitative data were analyzed through a framework approach. Results A total of 1140 TB HCWs were included in questionnaire surveys. The overall job burnout rates of TB HCWs in Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), designated hospitals and Primary Health Care (PHC) sectors were 55%, 70.1% and 67.5%, respectively. TB HCWs in CDC who scored lower in interpersonal factors had a higher risk of depersonalization (DP) [B(95%CI): -0.89 (-1.71 to -0.80)]. TB HCWs in designated hospitals who scored lower in doctor-patient relationship factors [B (95%CI): 6.63 (-12.06 to -1.20)] were more likely to have emotional exhaustion (EE). TB HCWs who were less satisfied with training, supervision and assessment in PHC sectors [B(95%CI): 0.65 (0.03 to 1.26)] had less personal accomplishment (PA). Interviews with nine TB HCWs showed that poor environment could lead to high infection and heavy workload could lead to work pressure among TB HCWs in Chongqing. It is also found that performance assessment and management of TB HCWs, communication and cooperation and so on are related to job burnout. Conclusions TB HCWs had different levels of job burnout in CDC, designated hospitals, and PHC sectors of Chongqing, which were affected by different hygiene and motivation factors. Governments, organizations and individuals should take cooperative measures such as strengthening communication to deal with job burnout among TB HCWs.

Abstract Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common autoimmune disease, and some observational studies have indicated an association between Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) and RA. However, the causal relationship between the two remains uncertain. We used Mendelian randomization (MR) to assess the causal relationship between GERD and RA. Two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis was performed using pooled data from large-scale genome-wide association studies. In addition, we performed multivariate MR analyses to exclude confounding factors between GERD and RA, including smoking quantity, drinking frequency, BMI, depression, and education attainment. The MR results for GERD on RA suggested a causal effect of the genetic susceptibility of GERD on RA (discovery dataset, IVW, odds ratio [OR] = 1.41, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.22–1.63, p = 2.81 × 10−6; validation dataset, IVW, OR = 1.38, 95% CI 1.23–1.55, P = 1.76 × 10−8). Multivariate MR analysis also supports this result. But the results of the reverse MR analysis did not reveal compelling evidence that RA can increase the risk of developing GERD. Our bidirectional Two-Sample Mendelian randomization analysis and multivariate MR analysis provide support for the causal effect of GERD on RA. This discovery could offer new insights for the prevention and treatment of RA.

The structure and function of microbial communities in aquaculture water bodies are important in the aquaculture ecosystem. To comprehensively and systematically evaluate the structure and functional composition of the microbial community in the water during Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) cultivation, the water quality indicators in the crab pond in Chongming District, Shanghai were monitored monthly from June to October 2022. The microbial species and functional structural characteristics in the water environment during the breeding period were analyzed based on metagenomics technology, and their relationships with environmental factors were discussed. The results showed that the major water quality indicators that exceeded the standard in the breeding pond were pH, permanganate index, total phosphorus, and total nitrogen. During the breeding period, the diversity of the microbial community in the water body from June to August and the richness of the microbial community from July to August were high, and the dominant microbial phyla in the water body were mainly Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, Cyanobacteria, and Uroviricota. At the genus level, the top 10 dominant genera regarding abundance were significantly different among multiple groups. For example, the abundances of Microcystis bacteria in July and unclassified_o_Caudovirales viruses in August–October were significantly higher than those in other months. The primary function of microorganisms is metabolism, including energy metabolism, global and overview maps, and amino acid metabolism. Notable differences are present in the functional composition of different months; particularly, the abundance of metabolic pathways in June–July was significantly higher than that in August–October, and the dominant bacteria (Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes) were major contributors to the aforementioned functions. The influence trends of environmental factors on the structure and functional composition of microbial communities were consistent. Chlorophyll a and pH had the most significant impact on the structure and functional composition of microbial communities, whereas dissolved oxygen and total phosphorus had a slightly weaker impact. The pathogenic bacteria with a relatively large abundance in aquaculture water bodies are Salmonella enterica, Edwardsiella ictaluri, and Staphylococcus aureus. The research results provide basic data for the study of microbial community structure and functional composition in water bodies of Chinese mitten crab breeding ponds and can provide a theoretical basis for aquaculture water quality control and ecosystem construction.

Abstract Background Tuberculosis (TB) is a major cause of death worldwide, and Chinese TB burden ranked the second globally. Chinese primary healthcare (PHC) sectors implement the TB Control Program (TCP) to improve active case finding, referral, treatment adherence, and health education. This study aimed to identify barriers and enablers of TCP implementation in high TB burden regions of West China. Methods We conducted a representative study using mixed-methods in 28 counties or districts in Chongqing Municipality and Guizhou Province of West China from October 2021 to May 2022. Questionnaire surveys and semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 2720 TB healthcare workers (HCWs) and 20 interviewees in PHC sectors. Descriptive statistical analysis was used to investigate TB HCWs’ characteristics, and path analysis model was utilized to analyze the impact of associated factors on TCP implementation. Thematic framework analysis was developed with the guide of the adapted Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) on factors of TCP implementation. Results This study found that 84.6% and 94.1% of community and village HCWs had low professional titles. Based on the results of multiple regression analysis and correlation analysis, lower TB core knowledge scores (-0.09) were identified as barriers for TCP implementation in community PHC sectors, and low working satisfaction (-0.17) and low working willingness (-0.10) are barriers for TPC implementation in village PHC sectors. The results of in-depth interviews reported barriers in all domains and enablers in four domains of CFIR. There were identified 19 CFIR constructs associated with TCP implementation, including 22 barriers such as HCWs’ heavy workload, and 12 enablers such as HCWs’ passion towards TCP planning. Conclusions With the guide of the CFIR framework, complex factors (barriers and enablers) of TCP implementation in PHC sectors of West China were explored, which provided important evidences to promote TB program in high TB burden regions. Further implementation studies to translate those factors into implementation strategies are urgent needed. Graphical Abstract

Multifrequency atomic force microscopy (AFM) utilizes the multimode operation of cantilevers to achieve rapid high-resolution imaging and extract multiple properties. However, the higher-order modal response of traditional rectangular cantilever is weaker in air, which affects the sensitivity of multifrequency AFM detection. To address this issue, we previously proposed a bridge/cantilever coupled system model to enhance the higher-order modal response of the cantilever. This model is simpler and less costly than other enhancement methods, making it easier to be widely used. However, previous studies were limited to theoretical analysis and preliminary simulations regarding ideal conditions. In this paper, we undertake a more comprehensive investigation of the coupled system, taking into account the influence of probe and excitation surface sizes on the modal response. To facilitate the exploration of the effectiveness and optimal conditions for the coupled system in practical applications, a macroscale experimental platform is established. By conducting finite element analysis and experiments, we compare the performance of the coupled system with that of traditional cantilevers and quantify the enhancement in higher-order modal response. Also, the optimal conditions for the enhancement of macroscale cantilever modal response are explored. Additionally, we also supplement the characteristics of this model, including increasing the modal frequency of the original cantilever and generating additional resonance peaks, demonstrating the significant potential of the coupled system in various fields of AFM.

Nature makes the most beautiful solution to involuted problems. Among them, the parallel tubular structures are capable of transporting fluid quickly in plant trunks and leaf stems, which demonstrate an ingenious evolutionary design. This study develops a mini-thermoelectric semiconductor P–N module to create gradient and parallel channeled hydrogels. The modules decrease quickly the temperature of polymer solution from 20 °C to −20 °C within 5 min. In addition to the exceptional liquid absorption rate, the foams exhibited shape memory mechanics. Our mini device universally makes the inspired structure in such as chitosan, gelatin, alginate and polyvinyl alcohol. Non-compressible hemorrhages are the primary cause of death in emergency. The rapid liquid absorption leads to fast activation of coagulation, which provides an efficient strategy for hemostasis management. We demonstrated this by using our semiconductor modules on collagen-kaolin parallel channel foams with their high porosity (96.43%) and rapid expansion rate (2934%). They absorb liquid with 37.25 times of the own weight, show 46.5-fold liquid absorption speed and 24-fold of blood compared with random porous foams. These superior properties lead to strong hemostatic performance in vitro and in vivo.

To analyze the differential expression profiles of microRNAs (miRNAs) in spermatozoa of patients with sperm DNA damage and to investigate the role of miRNAs in sperm DNA damage. Male infertility patients with sperm DNA damage who attended the First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine from October 2023 to December 2023 were selected and included in this study as a case group. Fertile healthy men who were seen at the health check-up center during the same period and diagnosed by examination were also included as a control group. Sperm miRNA expression was detected in patients with sperm DNA damage (case group, n = 5) and healthy medical check-ups (control group, n = 5) using high-throughput sequencing technology. The differentially expressed miRNAs between the two groups were bioinformatically analyzed to explore the main biological functions of the target genes. We found that 63 miRNAs were significantly changed in the spermatozoa of patients with sperm DNA damage,|log2 (foldchange)| ≥ 1, p < .05. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis indicated that these differential miRNAs might be involved in developmental process, anatomical structure development, cellular macromolecule metabolic process, multicellular organism development, system development, and so on. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis showed that that they mainly affect the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway. The present study suggests that the altered expression of miR-1255a, miR-921, and miR-3156-5p may play an important role in the sperm DNA damage process, and the mechanism may involve the phosphatidylinositol-3'-kinase-AKT (PI3K-AKT) signaling pathway.

Concrete is indispensable in contemporary industry, and the weighing of aggregates directly determines the quality of concrete preparation. In response to the difficulty of traditional methods in meeting the industrial requirements for accuracy, efficiency, and cost of measurement, this paper proposes a non-contact bone pile weight measurement method based on binocular vision. Firstly, the on-site image is obtained through a binocular camera, and the camera parameters are used to improve the image edge information and preprocess the image. Then, the improved semi global matching (SGM) algorithm is used to improve computational efficiency, obtaining three-dimensional information of the aggregate pile for volume calculation. Based on the watershed algorithm and T-S inference, the aggregate clearance rate is calculated, and the initial volume is corrected. Finally, a linear relationship is established between the density of the aggregate pile and the clearance rate, and the weight of the aggregate pile can be obtained by the density formula. The experimental results on different sizes of aggregate piles shows that the average error of the experiment is less than 4%. Efficiency of improved SGM matching algorithm has increased several times compared to the original algorithm, providing a low-cost and efficient measurement method for industrial aggregate weighing.

AlCoCrFeNi2.1 eutectic high-entropy alloy (EHEA), with its distinctive heterogeneous structure, not only overcomes the drawback of insufficient strength of FCC single-phase high-entropy alloys (HEAs), but also overcomes the drawback of insufficient ductility of BCC single-phase HEAs, making it a promising candidate for engineering application. In addition, EHEAs possessing excellent castability are considered to be suitable for additive manufacturing (AM). The AlCoCrFeNi2.1 EHEA prepared by direct energy deposition (DED) exhibits a dual-phase structure consisting of FCC(L12) and BCC(B2) phases. With the increase of deposition height, its morphology transforms from columnar and dendrite structures to lamellar structure. Furthermore, the tensile strength and yield strength of the DED-ed EHEA samples increase, while the ductility decreases with the increase of deposition height. Especially, the middle region of the DED-ed samples achieves a good strength-ductility balance. The lamellar structure composed of soft FCC(L12) phase and hard BCC(B2) phase produces a hetero deformation induced (HDI) hardening, which improves the strength of the samples and promotes plastic deformation. The FCC(L12)/BCC(B2) phase interfaces not only hinder the movement of a large number of dislocations and cause dislocation pile-up, but also allow some dislocations to slip across, which helps to plastic co-deformation of two phases in the EHEA samples. This work provides useful guidance for the performance improvement of EHEAs using laser additive manufacturing.

Abstract Conductive cardiac patches can rebuild the electroactive microenvironment for the infarcted myocardium but their repair effects benefit by carried seed cells or drugs. The key to success is the effective integration of electrical stimulation with the microenvironment created by conductive cardiac patches. Besides, due to the concerns in a high re-admission ratio of heart patients, a remote medicine device will underpin the successful repair. Herein, we report a miniature self-powered biomimetic trinity triboelectric nanogenerator with a unique double-spacer structure that unifies energy harvesting, therapeutics, and diagnosis in one cardiac patch. Trinity triboelectric nanogenerator conductive cardiac patches improve the electroactivity of the infarcted heart and can also wirelessly monitor electrocardiosignal to a mobile device for diagnosis. RNA sequencing analysis from rat hearts reveals that this trinity cardiac patches mainly regulates cardiac muscle contraction-, energy metabolism-, and vascular regulation-related mRNA expressions in vivo. The research is spawning a device that truly integrates an electrical stimulation of a functional heart patch and self-powered e-care remote diagnostic sensor.

Abstract Antitumor therapies based on adoptively transferred T cells or oncolytic viruses have made significant progress in recent years, but the limited efficiency of their infiltration into solid tumors makes it difficult to achieve desired antitumor effects when used alone. In this study, an oncolytic virus (rVSV-LCMVG) that is not prone to induce virus-neutralizing antibodies was designed and combined with adoptively transferred T cells. By transforming the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment into an immunosensitive one, in B16 tumor-bearing mice, combination therapy showed superior antitumor effects than monotherapy. This occurred whether the OV was administered intratumorally or intravenously. Combination therapy significantly increased cytokine and chemokine levels within tumors and recruited CD8+ T cells to the TME to trigger antitumor immune responses. Pretreatment with adoptively transferred T cells and subsequent oncolytic virotherapy sensitizes refractory tumors by boosting T-cell recruitment, down-regulating the expression of PD-1, and restoring effector T-cell function. To offer a combination therapy with greater translational value, mRNA vaccines were introduced to induce tumor-specific T cells instead of adoptively transferred T cells. The combination of OVs and mRNA vaccine also displays a significant reduction in tumor burden and prolonged survival. This study proposed a rational combination therapy of OVs with adoptive T-cell transfer or mRNA vaccines encoding tumor-associated antigens, in terms of synergistic efficacy and mechanism.

Abstract Background Conflicts, natural disasters, and complex emergencies present substantial health challenges to United Nations (UN) peacekeepers deployed in mission areas. This scoping review aims at summarizing previous research on the health of UN peacekeepers and identifies issues for further investigation. Methods Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) extension for Scoping Reviews, we systematically searched Web of Science, PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) for English and Chinese literature published from April 1997 to November 2023. A data charting form was developed by two reviewers to extract relevant themes and provided narrative descriptions. Results We screened 1079 de-duplicated records and included 143 studies in this scoping review. There were 112 studies on the health status of UN peacekeepers, with more than half on mental health problems such as stress and anxiety. Many studies explored the health status of UN peacekeepers in African countries deployed from mainly U.S., Canada, U.K., China, Australia and Norway. There were 39 studies on the health risk factors of UN peacekeepers, including natural environmental, social environmental, psychological, behavioral lifestyle, biological factors and health service factors. There were 62 articles on the health protection of UN peacekeepers, mainly based on previous deployment experience, with a lack of theoretical guidance from global health perspectives. This scoping review found that health problems of UN peacekeepers are complicated, and whose impacts are cross-border. Social environmental factors were explored the most among health risk factors. Disease prevention measures, medical and health measures, and psychosocial measures were the main health protection for UN peacekeepers. Conclusions This scoping review highlighted that health problems of UN peacekeepers were typical global health issues with complicated and cross-border health risk factors. Therefore, comprehensive strategies could be taken from global health perspectives, including multi-phases (before-deployment, during-deployment, and post-deployment), multi-disciplines (public health, medicine, politics, health diplomacy, and others), and multi-levels (the UN, host countries, troop-contributing countries, the UN peacekeeping team, and UN peacekeepers).

Freight has become one of the major contributors to air pollution. This research proposes a method to systematically estimate truck vehicle emissions at the road segment level through localizing MOVES, a widely-used vehicle emission estimation model. We first design a protocol of converting percentage values of rotating speed and torque of engine to second-by-second vehicle speed to accommodate the differences between driving cycles adopted in local emission standards and those used in MOVES. In order to identify the best model year for estimating emissions under different local emission standards, we propose an approach of comparing emission outcomes rather than emission factors, considering the differences in unit used between MOVES and emission standards. To calculate road segment level emission factors, we weight original factors by integrating vehicle fleet information which contains the shares of vehicles under different emission standards and at different ages. We apply the approach to a major freight corridor area in Shanghai and calculate emission factors by air pollutant, average speed of road sections, and road type. Dynamic emissions of each road section per hour are calculated to reflect the spatial distribution of truck emissions. The research outcomes may help local departments, especially in developing countries, better estimate freight vehicle emissions and make policies correspondingly to control their impacts on public health.

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) often face performance limitations under stringent conditions, such as low temperatures and overcharge/overdischarge scenarios, primarily due to the inadequacies of cathode materials. Nickel hexacyanoferrate (NiHCF) has emerged as a promising candidate due to its zero-strain ion-insertion characteristic and efficient ionic diffusion pathways. However, its practical application is hindered by inadequate ionic and electronic conductivity. In this study, we address these challenges by enhancing the electronic conductivity of NiHCF through the incorporation of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). This strategic integration not only leverages NiHCF’s zero-strain ion-insertion property but also significantly improves electron and ion transport. As a result, the modified NiHCF/MWCNT composite demonstrates superior electrochemical performance, exhibiting enhanced robustness and efficiency, making it suitable for large-scale energy storage applications. Under a current density of 10 A g−1 at 25℃, the NiHCF/MWCNT composite maintains stable cycling for up to 5000 cycles, with a notable specific capacity of 59.33mAhg−1. Even at −20 ℃, it continues to deliver robust cycling for 5000 cycles at 10 A g−1. Remarkably, after overcharging to 4.25 V and overdischarging to 1.2 V at both 25 ℃ and −20 ℃, the NiHCF/MWCNT electrode still maintains robust cycling performance. This advancement not only addresses the current limitations of electrode materials under extreme conditions but also offers a scalable and practical approach to improving sustainable energy storage technologies.

Therapeutics for eradicating hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection are still limited and current nucleos(t)ide analogs (NAs) and interferon are effective in controlling viral replication and improving liver health, but they cannot completely eradicate the hepatitis B virus and only a very small number of patients are cured of it. The TCR-like antibodies recognizing viral peptides presented on human leukocyte antigens (HLA) provide possible tools for targeting and eliminating HBV-infected hepatocytes. Here, we generated three TCR-like antibodies targeting three different HLA-A2.1-presented peptides derived from HBV core and surface proteins. Bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) were developed by fuzing variable fragments of these TCR-like mAbs with an anti-CD3ϵ antibody. Our data demonstrate that the BsAbs could act as T cell engagers, effectively redirecting and activating T cells to target HBV-infected hepatocytes in vitro and in vivo. In HBV-persistent mice expressing human HLA-A2.1, two infusions of BsAbs induced marked and sustained suppression in serum HBsAg levels and also reduced the numbers of HBV-positive hepatocytes. These findings highlighted the therapeutic potential of TCR-like BsAbs as a new strategy to cure hepatitis B.

ABSTRACTCAR-T cell therapy has emerged as a significant approach for the management of hematological malignancies. Over the past few years, the utilization of CAR-T cells in the investigation and treatment of solid tumors has gained momentum, thereby establishing itself as a prominent area of research. This descriptive study involved the retrieval of articles about CAR-T cell therapy for solid tumors from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database. Subsequently, bibliometric analysis and knowledge map analysis were conducted on these articles. The field under consideration is currently experiencing a period of swift advancement, as evidenced by the escalating number of publications in this domain each year. The United States holds an indisputable position as the foremost leader in this particular field, with the University of Pennsylvania emerging as the most active institution. The authors with the highest citation frequency and co-citation frequency are Carl H. June and Shannon L. Maude, respectively. The research hotspots in this field mainly focus on five aspects. Additionally, 10 emerging themes were identified. This study undertakes a comprehensive, systematic, and objective analysis and exploration of the field of CAR-T cell treatment for solid tumors, utilizing bibliometric methods. The findings of this study are expected to serve as a valuable reference and enlightenment for future research endeavors in this particular domain.

Abstract Compared with the extensively used ester‐based electrolyte, the hard carbon (HC) electrode is more compatible with the ether‐based counterpart in sodium‐ion batteries, which can lead to improved cycling stability and robust rate capability. However, the impact of salt anion on the electrochemical performance of HC electrodes has yet to be fully understood. In this study, the anionic chemistry in regulating the stability of electrolytes and the performance of sodium‐ion batteries have been systematically investigated. This work shows discrepancies in the reductive stability of the anionic group, redox kinetics, and component/structure of solid electrolyte interface (SEI) with different salts (NaBF4, NaPF6, and NaSO3CF3) in the typical ether solvent (diglyme). Particularly, the density functional theory calculation manifests the preferred decomposition of PF6− due to the reduced reductive stability of anions in the solvation structure, thus leading to the formation of NaF‐rich SEI. Further investigation on redox kinetics reveals that the NaPF6/diglyme can induce the fast ionic diffusion dynamic and low charge transfer barrier for HC electrode, thus resulting in superior sodium storage performance in terms of rate capability and cycling life, which outperforms those of NaBF4/diglyme and NaSO3CF3/diglyme. Importantly, this work offers valuable insights for optimizing the electrochemical behaviors of electrode materials by regulating the anionic group in the electrolyte.

IntroductionUnderstory removal is frequently used to relieve the renewal pressure on trees and promote the growth capability of trees for maintaining community stability, while the lack of previous study on temperate forests limits our assessment of the effectiveness of this essential management measurement.MethodsIn this study, we calculated the niche characteristics and interspecific association of main understory species and community stability in temperate forests [original broad-leaved Korean pine forest (BKF), Betula platyphylla secondary forest (BF), and Larix gmelinii plantation (LF)] after understory removal for characterizing the resource utilization capacity of the regeneration trees.ResultsDuring the restoration stage, the niche breadth of understory plants with similar habits varied across stands and layers; regeneration tree species with heliophile and semishade occupied a larger niche in BKF and LF, while it was the opposite in LF. Niche overlap among heliophile regeneration trees increased in both BKF and BF, but not in LF. The interspecific association among main species revealed that the distribution of each species was independent and the interspecific association was loose and it varied in different forests and different light-demanding species with regeneration trees. The stability of shrub communities in BF and LF improved whereas that of BKF declined, while that of the herb communities of corresponding forests showed the opposite state.DiscussionOur study demonstrated that the effectiveness of understory removal depends on species’ ecological habits, which enhances the renewal and resource utilization capacity of regeneration tree species in temperate forests and shrub community stability in BF and LF.

Improving the provision of tuberculosis (TB) care is both urgent and imperative to achieve the goals outlined in the End TB Strategy. China has initiated the integrated TB control model to enhance the quality of TB care Since 2012. Despite these efforts, the integrated TB control health system encounters numerous challenges in delivering effective TB care. The factors influencing TB care provision are intricate, and a conceptual framework to comprehend these potential determinants is currently lacking. To bridge this gap, this article proposed a conceptual framework that was developed through insights from the fields of both public management and health services, adjustment of PRISM model and elements, reference to the blocks of health system and reference to the framework of outcome indicators in implementation research. This conceptual framework included 4 modules which can be coherently and logically deduced, offered a multi-perspective understanding of the determinants to TB care, and hypothesized that the TB control services provided by the integrated TB control model is a public service and must be “patient-centered”; determinants of the integrated TB control model implementation can be divided into seven domains; the evaluation of the integrated TB control model implementation covers implementation outcomes and service outcomes. This framework offers the potential to guide empirical investigations, aiding in the understanding and identification of determinants, including barriers and facilitators, associated with the implementation of the integrated TB control health model. Furthermore, it serves as a valuable tool for developing interventions that address system-level barriers, drawing insights from the realms of public management and health services.

Summary: Cartilage maintains the structure and function of joints, with disturbances leading to potential osteoarthritis. N6-methyladenosine (m6A), the most widespread post-transcriptional modification in eukaryotes, plays a crucial role in regulating biological processes. While current research has indicated that m6A affects the progression of osteoarthritis, its function in the development and homeostasis of articular cartilage remains unclear. Here we report that Mettl3 deficiency in chondrocytes leads to mandibular condylar cartilage morphological alterations, early temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis, and diminished adaptive response to abnormal mechanical stimuli. Mechanistically, METTL3 modulates Lats1 mRNA methylation and facilitates its degradation in an m6A-YTHDF2-dependent manner, which subsequently influences the degradation and nuclear translocation of YAP1. Intervention with the Hippo pathway inhibitor XMU-MP-1 alleviates condylar abnormality caused by Mettl3 knockout. Our findings demonstrate the role of METTL3 in cartilage development and homeostasis, offering insights into potential treatment strategies for osteoarthritis.

In recent years, semantic segmentation in deep learning has been widely applied in medical image segmentation, leading to the development of numerous models. Convolutional Neural Network (CNNs) have achieved milestone achievements in medical image analysis. Particularly, deep neural networks based on U-shaped architectures and skip connections have been extensively employed in various medical image tasks. U-Net is characterized by its encoder-decoder architecture and pioneering skip connections, along with multi-scale features, has served as a fundamental network architecture for many modifications. But U-Net cannot fully utilize all the information from the encoder layer in the decoder layer. U-Net++ connects mid parameters of different dimensions through nested and dense skip connections. However, it can only alleviate the disadvantage of not being able to fully utilize the encoder information and will greatly increase the model parameters. In this paper, a novel BFNet is proposed to utilize all feature maps from the encoder at every layer of the decoder and reconnects with the current layer of the encoder. This allows the decoder to better learn the positional information of segmentation targets and improves learning of boundary information and abstract semantics in the current layer of the encoder. Our proposed method has a significant improvement in accuracy with 1.4 percent. Besides enhancing accuracy, our proposed BFNet also reduces network parameters. All the advantages we proposed are demonstrated on our dataset. We also discuss how different loss functions influence this model and some possible improvements.

Abstract Infectious diseases caused by microbial pathogens remain a primary contributor to global health burdens. Prompt control and effective prevention of these pathogens are critical for public health and medical diagnostics. Conventional microbial detection methods suffer from high complexity, low sensitivity, and poor selectivity. Therefore, developing rapid and reliable methods for microbial pathogen detection has become imperative. Surface‐enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS), as an innovative non‐invasive diagnostic technique, holds significant promise in pathogenic microorganism detection due to its rapid, reliable, and cost‐effective advantages. This review comprehensively outlines the fundamental theories of Raman Spectroscopy (RS) with a focus on label‐free SERS strategy, reporting on the latest advancements of SERS technique in detecting bacteria, viruses, and fungi in clinical settings. Furthermore, we emphasize the application of machine learning algorithms in SERS spectral analysis. Finally, challenges faced by SERS application are probed, and the prospective development is discussed.

Lung cancer (LC) is one of the most common cancer worldwide. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are important component of the tumor microenvironment (TME) and are closely related to the stages of tumor occurrence, development, and metastasis. Macrophages are plastic and can differentiate into different phenotypes and functions under the influence of different signaling pathways in TME. The classically activated (M1-like) and alternatively activated (M2-like) represent the two polarization states of macrophages. M1 macrophages exhibit anti-tumor functions, while M2 macrophages are considered to support tumor cell survival and metastasis. Macrophage polarization involves complex signaling pathways, and blocking or regulating these signaling pathways to enhance macrophages’ anti-tumor effects has become a research hotspot in recent years. At the same time, there have been new discoveries regarding the modulation of TAMs towards an anti-tumor phenotype by synthetic and natural drug components. Nanotechnology can better achieve combination therapy and targeted delivery of drugs, maximizing the efficacy of the drugs while minimizing side effects. Up to now, nanomedicines targeting the delivery of various active substances for reprogramming TAMs have made significant progress. In this review, we primarily provided a comprehensive overview of the signaling crosstalk between TAMs and various cells in the LC microenvironment. Additionally, the latest advancements in novel drugs and nano-based drug delivery systems (NDDSs) that target macrophages were also reviewed. Finally, we discussed the prospects of macrophages as therapeutic targets and the barriers to clinical translation.

Mesenchymal stem cells endow various functions, including proliferation, multipotency, migration, etc. Craniofacial bones originate from the cranial neural crest and are developed mainly through intramembranous ossification, which are different from long bones. There are varied mesenchymal stem cells existing in the craniofacial bone, including Gli1 + cells, Axin2 + cells, Prx1 + cells, etc. Nerves distributed in craniofacial area are also derived from the neural crest, and the trigeminal nerve is the major sensory nerve in craniofacial area. The nerves and the skeleton are tightly linked spatially, and the skeleton is broadly innervated by sensory and sympathetic nerves, which also participate in bone development, homeostasis and healing process. In this review, we summarize mesenchymal stem cells located in craniofacial bone or, to be more specific, in jaws, temporomandibular joint and cranial sutures. Then we discuss the research advance concerning neural regulation of mesenchymal stem cells in craniofacial bone, mainly focused on development, homeostasis and repair. Discovery of neural regulation of mesenchymal stem cells may assist in treatment in the craniofacial bone diseases or injuries.

Abstract N6‐methyladenosine (m6A) modification, installed by METTL3‐METTL14 complex, is abundant and critical in eukaryotic mRNA. However, its role in oral mucosal immunity remains ambiguous. Periodontitis is a special but prevalent infectious disease characterized as hyperinflammation of oral mucosa and bone resorption. Here, it is reported that genetic deletion of Mettl3 alleviates periodontal destruction via suppressing NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Mechanistically, the stability of TNFAIP3 (also known as A20) transcript is significantly attenuated upon m6A modification. When silencing METTL3, accumulated TNFAIP3 functioning as a ubiquitin‐editing enzyme facilitates the ubiquitination of NEK7 [NIMA (never in mitosis gene a)‐related kinase 7], and subsequently impairs NLRP3 inflammasome assembly. Furtherly, Coptisine chloride, a natural small‐molecule, is discovered as a novel METTL3 inhibitor and performs therapeutic effect on periodontitis. The study unveils a previously unknown pathogenic mechanism of METTL3‐mediated m6A modifications in periodontitis and indicates METTL3 as a potential therapeutic target.

This study aimed to evaluate the impacts of wild and breeding juvenile rice field eel under conditions of ammonia and heat stress. The growth performance (FBW, WGR, SGR, and FCR) of 360 wild (24.22 ± 0.30 g) and 360 breeding (24.16 ± 0.27 g) strains was significantly hindered by ammonia and heat stress. The inhibitory effects were more obvious when the two stresses were combined. The growth performance and survival rates of the breeding strains outperformed that of the wild strains under identical stress conditions, this was explained by the expression of the growth-related gene (gh). They have increased the enzyme activity (CAT and GSH-Px) and expression of immune-related genes (cat, gpx3, and hsp90α) in response to oxidative stress. However, the results of certain indicator enzymes indicate the presence of oxidative damage in their tissues. The presence of an inflammatory response in the tissues was suggested by the up-regulation of genes associated with pro-inflammatory cytokines (il-1β and il-8) and the down-regulation of genes related to anti-inflammatory cytokines (il-10). Additionally, the presence of tissue damage was shown by the up-regulation of genes connected to apoptosis (cas2, cas8, and cas9) and the down-regulation of genes connected to tight junctions (zo-1). Nevertheless, it is noteworthy that breeding strains exhibited superior adaptability to ammonia and heat stress in comparison to wild strains.

IntroductionPrevious studies have demonstrated that frailty is associated with depressive symptoms among older people and significantly increase the risk of difficulty in activities of daily living (ADL). However, uncertainties remain regarding the mechanisms behind such relationship. The aim of this study was to investigate the mediating effect of ADL in the relationship between frailty and depressive symptoms among older adults in China, and to explore to what extend sleep duration moderated the association between ADL and depressive symptoms.MethodsIn this study, we carried out cross-sectional descriptive analysis and 1,429 participants were included in the analysis. A survey was conducted using questionnaires and instruments measuring frailty, depressive symptoms, ADL and sleep duration. Bootstrap analyses served to explore the impact of ADL in mediating frailty and depressed symptoms, as well as the effect of sleep duration in moderating ADL and depressive symptoms.ResultsCompared to the robust group, the mediating effects of ADL between frailty and depressive symptoms were significant in the prefrail group and the frail group. The interaction term between sleep duration and ADL was significantly presented in the regression on depressive symptoms. Specifically, the Johnson–Neyman technique determined a range from 8.31 to 10.19 h for sleep duration, within which the detrimental effect of frailty on depressive symptoms was offset.ConclusionSleep duration moderated the indirect effect of ADL on the association between frailty and depressive symptoms. This provides support for unraveling the underlying mechanism of the association between frailty and depressive symptoms. Encouraging older adults to enhance ADL and obtain appropriate sleep duration might improve depressive symptoms for older adults with frailty and prefrailty.

Monopterus albus is one of China’s renowned and superior aquaculture species, with its seedlings mainly sourced from wild capture. One of the bottlenecks in M. albus aquaculture is the high mortality rate and low feeding initiation rate from stocking wild fry to the initiation of feeding. In production, trash fish is commonly used to wean M. albus juveniles onto feeding. In this study, we introduced three other natural feeds, earthworms (EW), yellow mealworms (YMW), and fly maggots (FM), with frozen trash fish (TF) serving as the control group, to evaluate the effects of these four natural feeds on the survival rate, feeding initiation, antioxidant enzymes activity, and body composition of M. albus juveniles under recirculating water aquaculture conditions. The experiment comprised four treatments, each with three replicates. Each replicate consisted of stocking 150 M. albus juveniles weighing 10.02 ± 0.89 g in size, raised for 5 weeks. The survival rate of the YMW group was 73.33%–85.33%, which was significantly higher than that of the other three bait groups (p < 0.05). The four bait groups showed no significant differences in final body weight and specific growth rate (SGR) (p > 0.05). The EW group showed the highest final body weight, with an average SGR of 2.73, whereas the YMW group had an average SGR of 1.87. The average daily feeding amount was significantly higher in EW and YMW groups than in the other two groups (p < 0.05). The percentage of feeding amount to fish weight in the EW group reached 7.3% in the fifth week. After 5 weeks of cultivation, NO2−-N content was significantly higher in the waters of the TF and EW groups than in the waters of the FM and YMW groups (p < 0.05), there was no significant difference in TAN content among the treatment groups (p > 0.05). Liver malondialdehyde content was significantly higher in the TF group than in the other bait groups (p < 0.05). GSH-Px activity was significantly higher in the EW group than in the FM group and YMW group. No significant differences in SOD and CAT activity and T-AOC were observed among the bait groups (p > 0.05). The increase in crude protein content was significantly higher in the TF group than in the FM group, but the increase in crude ash content was significantly lower in the TFgroup. In conclusion, Tenebrio molitor could potentially serve as one of the alternative feeds during the initial stages of M. albus juveniles stocking.

Fish intestinal health under intensive aquaculture mode plays an important role in growth, development, and immune function. The present study was aimed to systematically investigate the differences of intestinal health between wild and cultured Monopterus albus by biochemical parameters, histomorphology, and molecular biology. A total of 15 healthy M. albus per group, with an average body weight of 45 g, were sampled to analyze intestinal health parameters. Compared with wild fish, the cultured M. albus in the foregut had lower trypsin, lipase, SOD, CAT, T-AOC, and GSH-Px activities (P < 0.05) and higher amylase activity and MDA content (P < 0.05). The villus circumference and goblet cells in the cultured group were significantly lower than those in the wild group (P < 0.05). In addition, the cultured fish showed lower relative expression levels of occludin, zo-1, zo-2, claudin-12, claudin-15, mucin5, mucin15, lysozyme, complement 3, il-10, tgf-β1, tgf-β2, and tgf-β3 (P < 0.05) and higher il-1β, il-6, il-8, tnf-a, and ifnγ mRNA expressions than those of wild fish (P < 0.05). In terms of gut microbiota, the cultured group at the phylum level displayed higher percentages of Chlamydiae and Spirochaetes and lower percentages of Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, Cyanobacteria, and Verrucomicrobia compared to the wild group (P < 0.05). At the genus level, higher abundances of Pseudomonadaceae_Pseudomonas and Spironema and lower abundances of Lactococcus and Cetobacterium were observed in the cultured group than in the wild group (P < 0.05). To our knowledge, this is the first investigation of the intestinal health status between wild and cultured M. albus in terms of biochemistry, histology, and molecular biology levels. Overall, the present study showed significant differences in intestinal health between wild and cultured M. albus and the main manifestations that wild M. albus had higher intestinal digestion, antioxidant capacity, and intestinal barrier functions than cultured M. albus. These results would provide theoretical basis for the subsequent upgrading of healthy aquaculture technology and nutrient regulation of intestinal health of cultured M. albus.

The utilization of antibiotics is prevalent among lactating mothers. Hence, the rapid determination of trace amounts of antibiotics in human milk is crucial for ensuring the healthy development of infants. In this study, we constructed a human milk system containing residual doxycycline (DXC) and/or tetracycline (TC). Machine learning models and clustering algorithms were applied to classify and predict deficient concentrations of single and mixed antibiotics via label-free SERS spectra. The experimental results demonstrate that the CNN model has a recognition accuracy of 98.85% across optimal hyperparameter combinations. Furthermore, we employed Independent Component Analysis (ICA) and the pseudo-Siamese Convolutional Neural Network (pSCNN) to quantify the ratios of individual antibiotics in mixed human milk samples. Integrating the SERS technique with machine learning algorithms shows significant potential for rapid discrimination and precise quantification of single and mixed antibiotics at deficient concentrations in human milk.

Total dissolved gas (TDG) supersaturation caused by flood discharge water poses a threat to vital activities such as migration, foraging, and evasion in fish species upstream of the Yangtze River, which may impair the ability of fish to pass through fishways during the migration period, causing poor utilization of fishways. Previous studies have shown that TDG supersaturation reduces the critical and burst swimming abilities of fish, suggesting potential adverse effects on swimming performance. However, studies focusing on the impact of TDG on fish swimming behavior in experimental vertical-slot fishways remain scarce. Therefore, in this study, silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) and ya-fish (Schizothorax prenanti) were used as the study species, and comparative passage experiments were carried out in an experimental vertical slot fishway to systematically analyze the effects of TDG supersaturation on their passage behavior. The passage success of the silver carp was 57%, 39%, 26%, and 27% at TDG levels of 100%, 110%, 120%, and 130%, respectively. Passage success of ya-fish was 73%, 37%, 31%, and 35% at TDG concentrations of 100%, 110%, 120%, and 130%, respectively. The passage time for both species increased significantly with increasing TDG levels. Furthermore, the passage routes of silver carp changed significantly compared to the control group, whereas the passage routes of ya-fish changed insignificantly. High levels of TDG supersaturation (≥120%) also contributed to a higher mortality rate of ya-fish passing through the vertical slot fishway. The research results provide valuable data on the influence of TDG supersaturation on fish movement behavior responses in experimental vertical slot fishways, offering a reference for the design of fishways and the formulation of reservoir operation schemes.

Abstract Delirium, a form of acute cerebral dysfunction, is a common complication of postoperative cardiac surgery in children. It is strongly associated with adverse outcomes, including prolonged hospitalization, increased mortality, and cognitive dysfunction. This study aimed to identify risk factors and incidence of delirium after cardiac surgery in children to facilitate early identification of delirium risk and provide a reference for the implementation of effective prevention and management. A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, Scopus, CNKI, Sinomed, and Wanfang for studies published in English or Chinese from the inception of each database to November 2023. The PRISMA guidelines were followed in all phases of this systematic review. The Risk of Bias Assessment for Nonrandomized Studies tool was used to assess methodological quality. A total of twelve studies were included in the analysis, with four studies classified as overall low risk of bias, seven studies as moderate risk of bias, and one study as high risk of bias. The studies reported 39 possible predictors of delirium, categorized into four broad groups: intrinsic and parent-related factors, disease-related factors, surgery and treatment-related factors, and clinical scores and laboratory parameters. By conducting qualitative synthesis and quantitative meta-analysis, we identified two definite factors, four possible factors, and 32 unclear factors related to delirium. Definite risk factors included age and mechanical ventilation duration. Possible factors included developmental delay, cyanotic heart disease, cardiopulmonary bypass time, and pain score. With only a few high-quality studies currently available, well-designed and more extensive prospective studies are still needed to investigate the risk factors affecting delirium and explore delirium prevention strategies in high-risk children.

Quadruped robots, with their superior terrain adaptability and flexible movement capabilities, demonstrate greater application potential in complex environments compared to traditional ground robots. However, their non-negligible body shape and anisotropic motion characteristics complicate the achievement of high-precision motion planning and autonomous navigation. In this paper, we propose a safe and robust motion planning system tailored for autonomous navigation of quadruped robots in cluttered environments. We adopt a hierarchical architecture and decompose the planning process into front-end searching and back-end optimization. In the front-end searching stage, the robot finds a smooth, feasible, and energy-efficient initial trajectory with safety consideration. In the back-end optimization stage, we leverage B-splines to enhance the trajectory smoothness, safety, and motion stability. Finally, the time allocation is fine-tuned through iterative refinement, ensuring the feasibility of the optimized trajectory. Our method is extensively validated in challenging simulations as well as in real-world testing environments, benchmark comparisons also demonstrate the improved performance of our method.

This study evaluates the risk level of human-machine collaborative driving takeover in a highway environment under the interaction of non-driving related tasks and takeover request prompt scenarios. Using a driving simulator, a $5\times 5$ factor analysis examined non-driving tasks and takeover prompts. Takeover impact and risk indicator features were extracted, with risk indicators weighted using an improved ANP method. On this basis, the XGBoost algorithm was employed to identify crucial variables that reflect the level of takeover risk and to construct a driver takeover risk assessment model. The evaluation results indicate that the risk indicator feature with the greatest influence on the takeover risk level was the minimum TTC, which had the highest correlation (r=−0.81); the scene factor in the takeover influence feature had the highest correlation with the takeover risk level (r=−0.78), which had the greatest influence on driver takeover safety; Although non-driving related tasks exhibited a weak correlation with takeover reaction time, steering reaction time, and minimum TTC, the effect was minor. The XGBoost algorithm-based risk assessment model demonstrated superior performance over LightGBM and SVM, with 87.1% accuracy. Overall, this study highlights the significant influence of takeover scenes and minimum TTC on collaborative driving risk, enabling accurate risk modeling.

Abstract Diabetes has long been considered a risk factor in implant therapy and impaired wound healing in soft and hard oral tissues. Magnesium has been proved to promote bone healing under normal conditions. Here, we elucidate the mechanism by which Mg2+ promotes angiogenesis and osseointegration in diabetic status. We generated a diabetic mice model and demonstrated the alveolar bone healing was compromised, with significantly decreased angiogenesis. We then developed Mg-coating implants with hydrothermal synthesis. These implants successfully improved the vascularization and osseointegration in diabetic status. Mechanically, Mg2+ promoted the degradation of Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1) and the nucleation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) by up-regulating the expression of sestrin 2 (SESN2) in endothelial cells, thus reducing the elevated levels of oxidative stress in mitochondria and relieving endothelial cell dysfunction under hyperglycemia. Altogether, our data suggested that Mg2+ promoted angiogenesis and osseointegration in diabetic mice by regulating endothelial mitochondrial metabolism.

Abstract Stabilizing active PtNi alloy catalyst toward oxygen reduction reaction is essential for fuel cell. Doping of specific metals is an empirical strategy, however, the atomistic insight into how dopant boosts the stability of PtNi catalyst still remains elusive. Here, with typical examples of Mo and Au dopants, we identify the distinct roles of Mo and Au in stabilizing PtNi nanowires catalysts. Specifically, due to the stronger interaction between atomic orbital for Ni-Mo and Pt-Au, the Mo dopant mainly suppresses the outward diffusion of Ni atoms while the Au dopant contributes to the stabilization of surface Pt overlayer. Inspired by this atomistic understanding, we rationally construct the PtNiMoAu nanowires by integrating the different functions of Mo and Au into one entity. Such catalyst assembled in fuel cell cathode thus presents both remarkable activity and durability, even surpassing the United States Department of Energy technical targets for 2025.

Abstract Background China has the third-largest burden of tuberculosis (TB) cases in the world with great challenges towards ending TB. Primary health care (PHC) sectors play a critical role in TB prevention and control in communities under the Chinese integrated TB control model. However, there is a lack of comprehensive review of research evidence on TB control in PHC sectors under the integrated TB control model in China. Methods This review was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines. Articles published from 2012 to January 2022 were searched from four international and three Chinese databases. Studies conducted inside mainland China and relevant with TB control service in PHC sectors under the integrated model were included. After study selection, data extraction, and quality assessment, the meta-analysis was performed with RevMan using a random-effect model.When I2 was more than 50%, subgroup analysis was performed to explore possible reasons for heterogeneity. We also conducted a post hoc sensitivity analysis for outcomes after meta-analysis by exclusion of studies with a high risk of bias or classified as low quality. Results Forty-three studies from 16 provinces/municipalities in China were included in this review, and most studies included were of medium quality. PHC sectors in East China delivered TB control service better overall than that in West China, especially in tracing of patients and TB case management (TCM). In meta-analyses, both the pooled arrival rate of tracing and pooled TCM rate in East China were higher than those in West China. TB patients had a low degree of willingness to receive TCM provided by healthcare workers in PHC sectors nationwide, especially among migrant TB patients. There were 9 studies reporting factors related to TB control service in PHC sectors, 6 (2 in East and 4 in West China) of which indentified several characteristics of patients as associated factors. The context of PHC sectors was demonstrated to influence delivery of TB control service in PHC sectors in 5 studies (3 in East, 1 in Middle and 1 in West China). Most studies on strategies to promoting TB control services in PHC sectors were conducted in East China and some of these studies identified several online and offline interventions and strategies improving patients’ treatment compliance [pooled OR (95% CI): 7.81 (3.08, 19.19] and awareness of TB [pooled OR (95% CI): 6.86 (2.16, 21.72)]. Conclusion It is of urgent need to improve TB control in PHC sector in China, particularly in West China. Formative and implementation research with rigorous design are necessary to develop comprehensive, context-specific, and patient-centered TB control strategies to promote ending TB in China.

In autonomous driving, target tracking is essential to environmental perception. The study of target tracking algorithms can improve the accuracy of an autonomous driving vehicle’s perception, which is of great significance in ensuring the safety of autonomous driving and promoting the landing of technical applications. This study focuses on the fusion tracking algorithm based on visible and infrared images. The proposed approach utilizes a feature-level image fusion method, dividing the tracking process into two components: image fusion and target tracking. An unsupervised network, Visible and Infrared image Fusion Network (VIF-net), is employed for visible and infrared image fusion in the image fusion part. In the target tracking part, Siamese Region Proposal Network (SiamRPN), based on deep learning, tracks the target with fused images. The fusion tracking algorithm is trained and evaluated on the visible infrared image dataset RGBT234. Experimental results demonstrate that the algorithm outperforms training networks solely based on visible images, proving that the fusion of visible and infrared images in the target tracking algorithm can improve the accuracy of the target tracking even if it is like tracking-based visual images. This improvement is also attributed to the algorithm’s ability to extract infrared image features, augmenting the target tracking accuracy.

As a characteristic representative of the new generation of vehicles, autonomous driving is expected to improve people's driving experience. The study on traffic accident of autonomous vehicles (AVs) helps provide suggestions for autonomous driving safety from multiple disciplines and perspectives, and provide support for formulating traffic accident treatment schemes. Knowledge mapping, as a cutting-edge research method in bibliometrics, scientifically and objectively displays the relevant research status using visual means. This paper uses CiteSpace 6.1.r3 to analyze 5068 related literature on the Web of Science database from 1991 to 2022 and finds out major thematic clusters, important documents and representative journals according to citation frequency. The results show that research on traffic accidents involving AVs focuses on accident preventing technologies, including how to avoid collisions, track lane-position, and enhance vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication. This paper extracts the mean research topics and key points involved in the field and illustrates journals related to AVs and traffic accidents, which provides guidance for subsequent researchers to carry out in-depth research and contribute their papers. Popular journals are in disciplines of mathematics, systems, computer, economics, and social science. This paper also suggests scholars to consider the aspects of scene reconstruction, cause analysis, and injury of vulnerable road users, so as to investigate traffic accidents and put forward effective treatment schemes to reduce AV accidents, and ultimately improve road safety.

Understanding the characteristics of passenger vehicle use is the prerequisite for effective urban management. However, it has been challenging in the existing literature due to the lack of continuously observed data on passenger vehicle use. Thanks to the advances in data collection and processing techniques, multi-day vehicle trajectory data generated from volunteered passenger cars provide new opportunities for examining in depth how people travel in regular patterns. In this paper, based on a week's operation data of 6600 passenger cars in Shanghai, we develop a systematic approach for identifying trips and travel purposes, and classify vehicles into four categories using a Gaussian-Mixed-Model. A new method is proposed to identify vehicle travel regularities and we use the Z Test to explore differences in travel time and route choices between four types of vehicles. We find that commercially used vehicles present high travel intensity in temporal and spatial aspects and the use intensity in elevated roads is higher for household-used commuting vehicles than semi-commercially used vehicles. The methodologies and conclusions of this paper may provide not only theoretical support for future urban traffic prediction, but also guidance for employing customized active traffic demand management measures to alleviate traffic congestion.

IntroductionMagnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided wire localization can be applied to assist to remove suspected breast lesions accurately. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical application value of this technique in Chinese women.MethodsA total of 126 patients (131 lesions) who had underwent such technique in our hospital from April 2017 to June 2023 were enrolled. 1.5T MRI system and a wire localization device were used. Image characteristics, clinical features and postoperative pathology were collected and analyzed.ResultsAll of 126 patients (131 lesions) were successfully localized by MRI and excised for biopsy. There were 39 malignant lesions (29.77%) and 92 benign lesions (70.23%). There was no significant correlation between the morphology of DCE-MRI and the ratio of malignant lesions (P=0.763), while there was a statistical correlation between the BPE, TIC curve and the malignancy rate (P

IntroductionUnderstory removal is a traditional practice in forest management to reduce fire risk and promote seedling regeneration. However, its effect on understory diversity, biomass and soil nutrients in temperate forest ecosystems is less known, which limits our assessment of the effectiveness of understory vegetation management.MethodsWe quantified the composition of the understory species, their diversity, and the biomass of the understory and factors driving changes in these parameters in primary mixed broad-leaved Pinus koraiensis forest (BKF), secondary Betula platyphylla forest (BF), and Larix gmelinii plantation (LF) in northeast China after a 5-year understory removal.ResultsAfter understory removal, the number of shrub and herb species in BKF and LF decreased, while the number of shrub species in BF increased significantly and that of herb species decreased; the species with strong light preference, Equisetum hyemale, Impatiens noli-tangere, and Filipendula Palmata, were dominant in the herb layer of the three forest types; Shannon–Wiener diversity, Pielou evenness, and Simpson diversity of the herb layer in LF increased significantly (P < 0.05), while those of the shrub and herb layers in BF and LF showed no significant changes (P > 0.05). The total understory biomass of understory of BKF and LF decreased by 0.94 t·hm−2 and 1.32 t·hm−2, respectively, while that of BF increased by 1.31 t·hm−2; soil NH4+-N and total phosphorus (TP) were the key factors regulating understory vegetation diversity and biomass, respectively.ConclusionThese results suggest that understory removal is a beneficial management strategy for increasing shrub biomass and diversity in secondary forests, while it should be avoided in primary forests and plantations to prevent the reduction of understory plant diversity and soil nutrient loss.

We herein delve into the corrosion dynamics of UG1 in high-temperature water, employing thermal acceleration to expedite reactions. Corrosion-induced changes in spectral properties, optical constants, and morphology are analyzed. The results reveal a phosphorus-poor layer near the surface that affects transmittance, refractive index, and extinction coefficient, with corrosion rates following a parabolic model. This study provides crucial insights for protecting UG1 in humid environments and emphasizes the importance of implementing protective measures against phosphorus diffusion.

Abstract Background Lung Large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) is a rare, aggressive, high‐grade neuroendocrine carcinoma with a poor prognosis, mainly seen in elderly men. To date, we have found no studies on predictive models for LCNEC. Methods We extracted data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database of confirmed LCNEC from 2010 to 2018. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional risk regression analyses were used to identify independent risk factors, and then we constructed a novel nomogram and assessed the predictive effectiveness by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, calibration curves, and decision curve analysis (DCA). Results A total of 2546 patients with LCNEC were included, excluding those diagnosed with autopsy or death certificate, tumor, lymph node, metastasis (TNM) stage, tumor grade deficiency, etc., and finally, a total of 743 cases were included in the study. After univariate and multivariate analyses, we concluded that the independent risk factors were N stage, intrapulmonary metastasis, bone metastasis, brain metastasis, and surgical intervention. The results of ROC curves, calibration curves, and DCA in the training and validation groups confirmed that the nomogram could accurately predict the prognosis. Conclusions The nomogram obtained from our study is expected to be a useful tool for personalized prognostic prediction of LCNEC patients, which may help in clinical decision‐making.