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Abstract Purpose This study aimed to identify the risk factors associated with ampullary duodenal carcinoma (a-DC) and develop a clinical model to dynamically and accurately predict the risk of lymph node metastasis (LNM) in a-DC patients. Methods Data from 4077 patients (2004–2020) were extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database to form a training cohort, while 173 cases (2010–2020) from Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital in China were used as an external validation cohort. A reliable LASSO-logistic method was employed to identify independent risk factors for a-DC LNM, and a nomogram was developed based on these factors to assess the risk of a-DC LNM. The nomogram was evaluated using the Akaike information criterion, misclassification error, area under the curve, and likelihood ratio test. Finally, the nomogram’s accuracy and generalizability were externally validated.. Results After screening using LASSO and logistic regression four variables were identified as independent risk factors for a-DC LNM: sex (P

Targeting checkpoints for immune cell activation has been acknowledged known as one of the most effective way to activate anti-tumor immune responses. Among them, drugs targeting cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) are approved for clinical treatment though several more are in advanced stages of development, which demonstrated durable response rates and manageable safety profile. However, its therapy efficacy is unsatisfactory in pancreatic cancer (PC), which can be limited by the overall condition of patients, the pathological type of PC, the expression level of tumor related genes, etc. To improve clinical efficiency, various researches have been conducted, and the efficacy of combination therapy showed significantly improvement compared to monotherapy. This review analyzed current strategies based on anti-CTLA-4 combination immunotherapy, providing totally new idea for future research.

In this paper, the finite-time annular domain stability and stabilization of regime-switching jump diffusion system are discussed. With the help of explicit solution of multi-dimensional regime-switching jump diffusion system, we give the sufficient and necessary conditions for finite-time annular domain stability and stabilization of regime-switching jump diffusion system respectively. Finally, the importance of Markov chain and Poisson jump of our obtained finite-time annular domain stability condition are demonstrated by numerical examples.

Abstract Janus particles, which have an attractive patch on the otherwise repulsive surface, have been commonly employed for anisotropic colloidal assembly. While current methods of particle synthesis allow for control over the patch size, they are generally limited to producing dome-shaped patches with a high symmetry (C∞). Here, we report on the synthesis of Janus particles with patches of various tunable shapes, having reduced symmetries ranging from C2v to C3v and C4v. The Janus particles are synthesized by partial encapsulation of an octahedral metal-organic framework particle (UiO-66) in a polymer matrix. The extent of encapsulation is precisely regulated by a stepwise, asymmetric dewetting process that exposes selected facets of the UiO-66 particle. With depletion interaction, the Janus particles spontaneously assemble into colloidal clusters reflecting the particles’ shapes and patch symmetries. We observe the formation of chiral structures, whereby chirality emerges from achiral building blocks. With the ability to encode symmetry and directional bonding information, our strategy could give access to more complex colloidal superstructures through assembly.

IntroductionIn China, the sustainable development of the marine is facing a prominent contradiction between ecological security and economic development, as well as unbalanced and non-coordinated regional development. Exploring the regional differences in the synergy between marine ecological security (MES) and high-quality development of the marine economy (MHQD) and its driving mechanism is the key to optimizing the spatial distribution of marine development, promoting the synergistic and balanced development of the regional marine composite system during the “14th Five-Year Plan” period.MethodsIn this article, we employed the Dagum Gini coefficient decomposition model and Kernel density estimation methods to reveal the evolution of regional differences, sources, and distributional dynamics of synergistic development of the composite system from 2009 to 2020. Meanwhile, spatial econometric analyses were applied to identify the influencing factors and spatial spillover effects.ResultsThe level of synergistic development of composite system has a fluctuating upward trend, with a significant positive spatial correlation and a significant “polarization effect”. Inter-regional differences in the synergistic development of the composite system are the main source of the overall differences. Factors such as innovation-driven, human capital, and opening up to the outside world are important driving factors for the synergistic development of the composite system.DiscussionThe MES-MHQD composite system exhibits a low level of synergistic development, with significant differences in the level of synergy both among the 3MMECs and within each circle. We infer that the expansion trend of overall difference will constrain the exploration of a sustainable development path for China’s coastal regions in the future. It is necessary to optimize the spatial layout of the composite system, establish robust mechanisms for regional cooperation and communication, accurately identify the development bottlenecks of the regional composite systems. This study provides a theoretical basis and decision-making reference for the promotion of the synergistic development of the composite system of the Three Major Marine Economic Circles (3MMECs) in China.

Objective To investigate the clinical and genetic features of patients with phosphomannomutase 2 (PMM2)-congenital disorder of glycosylation (CDG), and to provide a basis for the early diagnosis of PMM2-CDG. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of a child with PMM2-CDG admitted to our hospital, and CNKI, Wanfang Data, VIP, and PubMed were searched to analyze the clinical data of Chinese patients with PMM2-CDG. Results The child in this study had the clinical manifestations of growth retardation, delayed gross motor development, rash, hypotonia, and abnormal liver aminotransferases. High-throughput genome sequencing revealed a homozygous mutation, c.634A>G, in the PMM2 gene, which came from the parents. After the diagnosis was clarified, the child was given supportive therapy such as feeding and nutrition gui-dance, liver-protecting treatment, and mannose supplementation and was asked to attend the hospital for regular reexamination. Liver transaminases returned to normal at 6 months of age, and the child gradually developed the unusual facies of wide forehead at 1 year of age. The child was followed up to the age of 2 years and 6 months and showed no improvement in growth retardation, and delayed development gradually became more obvious. Most of the 21 Chinese patients with PMM2-CDG in the above database had the manifestations of growth retardation, delayed development, and hypotonia, with the presence of cerebellar dysplasia on cranial imaging examination, and c.395T>C(p.I132T) and c.430T>C(p.P144L) are common mutations in Chinese patients with PMM2-CDG. Conclusion PMM2-CDG is a rare congenital autosomal recessive metabolic disease, and PMM2 gene testing should be performed for patients with related symptoms to make a confirmed diagnosis.

Introduction: The SE Tibetan Plateau is distinct from other margins due to its high elevation, long wavelength, and low relief. A clear understanding of the Cenozoic exhumation history of this region is the key to understanding the special geomorphological process and the associated mechanisms. Previous thermochronological studies have either focused on vertical sections or horizontal variations in the local regions. However, the spatiotemporal exhumation pattern of the entire SE Tibetan Plateau is enigmatic.Methods: In this article, we have compiled 1,202 thermochronological data using joint kernel density estimation (KDE) and linear inversion approaches to address the exhumation process.Results: The results reveal that at least six episodes of rapid cooling have occurred since the Cenozoic, which include ∼61–58 Ma, 38–35 Ma, 32–23 Ma, 18–13 Ma, 11–6 Ma, and 4–3 Ma. Furthermore, the entire SE Tibetan Plateau underwent spatially inhomogeneous exhumation throughout the main episodes.Discussion: We infer that all cooling episodes may be attributed to the lateral extrusion and continuous convergence between the Indian and Eurasian continents. Meanwhile, climate changes (e.g., intensified Asian summer monsoon and glacial processes) have also played a non-negligible role in shaping the landscape since the Miocene. Our results will provide new insights into geodynamic mechanisms of the exhumation processes throughout the whole SE Tibetan Plateau since the Cenozoic.

Pancreatic cancer is the seventh leading cause of cancer-related deaths, and chemotherapy is one of the most important treatments for pancreatic cancer. Unfortunately, pancreatic cancer cells can block chemotherapy drugs from entering the tumor. This is owing to interactions between the tumor’s environment and the cancer cells. Here, we review the latest research on the mechanisms by which pancreatic cancer cells block the chemotherapy drug, gemcitabine. The results of our review can help identify potential therapeutic targets for the blocking of gemcitabine by pancreatic cancer cells and may provide new strategies to help chemotherapy drugs penetrate tumors.

Abstract OCT4 is a major transcription factor that maintains the pluripotency of stem cells, including embryonic stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells and cancer stem cells. An increasing number of long noncoding RNAs have been reported to participate in the regulation of OCT4 expression through various mechanisms, including binding with the OCT4 gene promoter to regulate local methylation; promoting chromosomal spatial folding to form an inner ring, thereby aggregating OCT4 cis-acting elements scattered in discontinuous sites of the chromosome; competitively binding microRNAs with OCT4 to upregulate OCT4 expression at the posttranscriptional level; and sharing a promoter with OCT4. Moreover, the transcription of some long noncoding RNAs is regulated by OCT4, and certain long noncoding RNAs form feedback regulatory loops with OCT4. In this review, we summarized the research progress of the long noncoding RNAs involved in the regulation of OCT4 expression.

Abstract Background The accuracy of CT and tumour markers in screening lung cancer needs to be improved. Computer-aided diagnosis has been reported to effectively improve the diagnostic accuracy of imaging data, and recent studies have shown that circulating genetically abnormal cell (CAC) has the potential to become a novel marker of lung cancer. The purpose of this research is explore new ways of lung cancer screening. Methods From May 2020 to April 2021, patients with pulmonary nodules who had received CAC examination within one week before surgery or biopsy at First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University were enrolled. CAC counts, CT scan images, serum tumour marker (CEA, CYFRA21–1, NSE) levels and demographic characteristics of the patients were collected for analysis. CT were uploaded to the Pulmonary Nodules Artificial Intelligence Diagnostic System (PNAIDS) to assess the malignancy probability of nodules. We compared diagnosis based on PNAIDS, CAC, Mayo Clinic Model, tumour markers alone and their combination. The combination models were built through logistic regression, and was compared through the area under (AUC) the ROC curve. Results A total of 93 of 111 patients were included. The AUC of PNAIDS was 0.696, which increased to 0.847 when combined with CAC. The sensitivity (SE), specificity (SP), and positive (PPV) and negative (NPV) predictive values of the combined model were 61.0%, 94.1%, 94.7% and 58.2%, respectively. In addition, we evaluated the diagnostic value of CAC, which showed an AUC of 0.779, an SE of 76.3%, an SP of 64.7%, a PPV of 78.9%, and an NPV of 61.1%, higher than those of any single serum tumour marker and Mayo Clinic Model. The combination of PNAIDS and CAC exhibited significantly higher AUC values than the PNAIDS (P = 0.009) or the CAC (P = 0.047) indicator alone. However, including additional tumour markers did not significantly alter the performance of CAC and PNAIDS. Conclusions CAC had a higher diagnostic value than traditional tumour markers in early-stage lung cancer and a supportive value for PNAIDS in the diagnosis of cancer based on lung nodules. The results of this study offer a new mode of screening for early-stage lung cancer using lung nodules.

Background & Aims: Hepatic fibrosis is characterized by hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation and transdifferentiation-mediated extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition, which both contribute to cirrhosis. However, no antifibrotic regimen is available in the clinic. microRNA-23b/27b/24-1 cluster inhibition of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling during hepatic development prompted us to explore whether this cluster inhibits HSC activation and hepatic fibrosis. Methods: Experimental fibrosis was studied in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-treated C57BL/6 mice. After administration of miR-23b/27b/24-1 lentivirus or vehicle, animals were euthanized for liver histology. In primary rat HSC and HSC-T6, the anti-fibrotic effect of miR-23b/27b/24-1 cluster was furtherly investigated by RNA-sequencing, luciferase reporter assay, western blotting and bioinformatic means. Results: In this study, we showed that increasing the miR-23b/27b/24-1 level through intravenous delivery of miR-23b/27b/24-1 lentivirus ameliorated mouse hepatic fibrosis. Mechanistically, the miR-23b/27b/24-1 cluster directly targeted messenger RNAs, which reduced the protein expression of 5 secretory profibrotic genes (TGF-β2, Gremlin1, LOX, Itgα2, and Itgα5) in HSCs. Suppression of the TGF-β signaling pathway by down-regulation of TGF-β2, Itgα2, and Itgα5, and activation of the bone morphogenetic protein signaling pathway by inhibition of Gremlin1, decreased extracellular matrix secretion of HSCs. Furthermore, down-regulation of LOX expression softened the ECM. Moreover, a reduction in tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase 1 expression owing to weakened TGF-β signaling increased ECM degradation. Conclusions: Hepatic overexpression of the miR-23b/27b/24-1 cluster blocked hepatic fibrosis and may be a novel therapeutic regimen for patients with hepatic fibrosis.

The present-day stress field in the northwest Pacific Wadati-Benioff Zone (WBZ) has been investigated on the basis of earthquake focal mechanism catalog covering the period from 2012 to 2021. Our catalog contains 201 focal mechanism solutions (Mw 4.0–5.9) compiled from the F-net network along three profiles (southern Kurile trench, central Japan trench and northern Izu-Bonin trench). According to the spatial variations in the stress regimes, we outlined 12 subvolumes for three profiles. Our results present that the maximum compressive stress is, slab-normal in trench-outer rise regions and nearly strike-normal and sub-horizontal in the depth range 0–70 km. At intermediate depths, a two-planar stress pattern is observed (70–200 km) in southern Kurile and central Japan trench WBZ, with the maximum compressive stress closely parallel to the slab in upper plane and slab-normal in lower plane, respectively. However, the southern Kurile trench WBZ exposes an extension stress regime in 200–300 km depth range. At depths below 300 km, northern Izu-Bonin trench WBZ shows a stress regime of pure compression. We infer the dominant forces may be the slab blending in the shallow trench-outer rise regions, slab pull and ridge push at shallow depths, and the slab resistance provided by the mantle to the penetration of the slab at deep depths. Whereas the two-planar stress pattern may be caused by the unbending of the slab, and the unusual stress state along the junction of the trench WBZ at intermediate depths may be influenced by lateral deformation due to increasing slab’s dip.

Shenlian (SL) decoction is a herbal formula composed of Coptis and ginseng, of which berberine and ginsenoside are the main constituents. Even though SL decoction is widely used in treating diabetes in China, the mechanism of its antidiabetes function still needs further study. Gut microbiota disorder is one of the important factors that cause diabetes. To explore the effect of SL decoction on intestinal microbiota, gut microbiota of mice was analyzed by sequencing the gut bacterial 16S rRNA V3+V4 region and metagenomics. In this study, results demonstrated that SL decoction had a better hypoglycemic effect and β cell protection effect than either ginseng or Coptis chinensis. Alpha diversity analysis showed that all interventions with ginseng, Coptis, and SL decoction could reverse the increased diversity and richness of gut microbiota in db/db mice. PCoA analysis showed oral SL decoction significantly alters gut microbiota composition in db/db mice. 395 OTUs showed significant differences after SL treatment, of which 37 OTUs enriched by SL decoction showed a significant negative correlation with FBG, and 204 OTUs decreased by SL decoction showed a significant positive correlation with FBG. Results of KEGG analysis and metagenomic sequencing showed that SL decoction could reduce the Prevotellaceae, Rikenellaceae, and Helicobacteraceae, which were related to lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis, riboflavin metabolism, and peroxisome, respectively. It could also upregulate the abundance of Bacteroidaceae, which contributed to the metabolism of starch and sucrose as well as pentose-glucuronate interconversions. In the species level, SL decoction significantly upregulates the relative abundance of Bacteroides_acidifaciens which showed a significant negative correlation with FBG and was reported to be a potential agent for modulating metabolic disorders such as diabetes and obesity. In conclusion, SL decoction was effective in hypoglycemia and its mechanism may be related to regulating gut microbiota via upregulating Bacteroides_acidifaciens.

Lip reading has attracted increasing attention recently due to advances in deep learning. However, most research targets English datasets. The study of Chinese lip-reading technology is still in its initial stage. Firstly, in this paper, we expand the naturally distributed word-level Chinese dataset called ‘Databox’ previously built by our laboratory. Secondly, the current state-of-the-art model consists of a residual network and a temporal convolutional network. The residual network leads to excessive computational cost and is not suitable for the on-device applications. In the new model, the residual network is replaced with ShuffleNet, which is an extremely computation-efficient Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) architecture. Thirdly, to help the network focus on the most useful information, we insert a simple but effective attention module called Convolutional Block Attention Module (CBAM) into the ShuffleNet. In our experiment, we compare several model architectures and find that our model achieves a comparable accuracy to the residual network (3.5 GFLOPs) under the computational budget of 1.01 GFLOPs.

In recent years, with the rapid development of deep learning, the requirements for the performance of the corresponding real-time recognition system are getting higher and higher. However, the rapid expansion of data volume means that time delay, power consumption, and cost have become problems that cannot be ignored. In this case, the traditional neural network is almost impossible to use to achieve productization. In order to improve the potential problems of a neural network facing a huge number of datasets without affecting the recognition effect, the model compression method has gradually entered people’s vision. However, the existing model compression methods still have some shortcomings in some aspects, such as low rank decomposition, transfer/compact convolution filter, knowledge distillation, etc. These problems enable the traditional model compression to cope with the huge amount of computation brought by large datasets to a certain extent, but also make the results unstable on some datasets, and the system performance has not been improved satisfactorily. To address this, we proposed a structured network compression and acceleration method for the convolutional neural network, which integrates the pruned convolutional neural network and the recurrent neural network, and applied it to the lip-recognition system in this paper.

Objective To detect the uncontrolled new psychoactive tryptamines involved in drug-related cases with high resolution mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Methods White and brown powder obtained in actual cases were extracted and analyzed by gas chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry （GC-QTOF-MS）, ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-linear ion trap quadrupole-orbitrap mass spectrometry （UPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap MS） and 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy （1H-NMR）. Results After detection by GC-QTOF-MS, the components of white powder showed main characteristic fragment ion peaks at m/z 218.141 0 （molecular ion peak）, 72.080 6 （base peak）, etc. After detection by UPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap MS, its protonated molecular ion was m/z 219.149 4. The main ions in the secondary mass spectrum under the collision-induced dissociation （CID） mode were m/z 160.076 3 and 72.080 8. After detection by GC-QTOF-MS, the components of brown powder showed main characteristic fragment ion peaks at m/z 246.135 7 （molecular ion peak）, 58.065 1 （base peak）, etc. After detection by UPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap MS, its protonated molecular ion was m/z 247.145 0. The main ions in the secondary mass spectrum under CID mode were m/z 202.087 1, 160.076 3 and 134.060 5. NIST 17 library retrieval and 1H-NMR confirmed that the white powder and brown powder contained new psychoactive tryptamines 4-OH-MET and 4-AcO-DMT, respectively. Conclusion GC-QTOF-MS, UPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap MS and 1H-NMR can be used together to identify unknown new psychoactive substances.

Introduction: In China, the sustainable development of the marine is facing a prominent contradiction between ecological security and economic development, as well as unbalanced and non-coordinated regional development. Exploring the regional differences in the synergy between marine ecological security (MES) and high-quality development of the marine economy (MHQD) and its driving mechanism is the key to optimizing the spatial distribution of marine development, promoting the synergistic and balanced development of the regional marine composite system during the “14th Five-Year Plan” period. Methods: In this article, we employed the Dagum Gini coefficient decomposition model and Kernel density estimation methods to reveal the evolution of regional differences, sources, and distributional dynamics of synergistic development of the composite system from 2009 to 2020. Meanwhile, spatial econometric analyses were applied to identify the influencing factors and spatial spillover effects. Results: The level of synergistic development of composite system has a fluctuating upward trend, with a significant positive spatial correlation and a significant “polarization effect”. Inter-regional differences in the synergistic development of the composite systemare the main source of the overall differences. Factors such as innovation-driven, human capital, and opening up to the outside world are important driving factors for the synergistic development of the composite system. Discussion: The MES-MHQD composite system exhibits a low level of synergistic development, with significant differences in the level of synergy both among the 3MMECs and within each circle. We infer that the expansion trend of overall difference will constrain the exploration of a sustainable development path for China’s coastal regions in the future. It is necessary to optimize the spatial layout of the composite system, establish robust mechanisms for regional cooperation and communication, accurately identify the development bottlenecks of the regional composite systems. This study provides a theoretical basis and decision-making reference for the promotion of the synergistic development of the composite system of the Three Major Marine Economic Circles (3MMECs) in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) distal-less homeobox 6 antisense 1 (DLX6-AS1) was reported to be dysregulated in lung cancer. However, detailed roles of DLX6-AS1 in the pathogenesis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were largely unknown. Methods: The expression of DLX6-AS1 was measured in NSCLC tissues and cells by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). The abundance of proline rich 11 (PRR11) were detected by qRT-PCR and western blot, respectively. The effects of DLX6-AS1 and PRR11 on cell proliferation, migration, invasion and apoptosis were explored by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT), transwell and flow cytometry analysis, respectively. Luciferase reporter assay, qRT-PCR and western blot were performed to confirm the interaction between miR-144 and DLX6-AS1 or PRR11. Tumor xenograft assay was performed to verify the role of DLX6-AS1 in NSCLC in vivo. Results: DLX6-AS1 and PRR11 were elevated in NSCLC tissues and cells. DLX6-AS1 was positively correlated with PRR11 mRNA expression in NSCLC tissues. Knockdown of DLX6-AS1 and PRR11 significantly suppressed cell proliferation, migration and invasion and induced apoptosis in NSCLC cells, which was reversed by PRR11 overexpression. In addition, DLX6-AS1 and PRR11 were demonstrated to interact with microRNA-144 (miR-144) and DLX6-AS1 upregulated PRR11 expression by acting as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) of miR-144 in NSCLC cells. Furthermore, DLX6-AS1 knockdown suppressed tumor growth in NSCLC in vivo by upregulating miR-144 and downregulating PRR11. Conclusion: Knockdown of DLX6-AS1 inhibited cell proliferation, migration, invasion and promoted apoptosis by downregulating PRR11 expression and upregulating miR-144 in NSCLC.

Abstract Background Potential relationship between serum soluble programmed cell death ligand 1 and prognosis of small cell lung cancer is not well explored. The aim of the study was to reveal the prognostic significance of serum soluble programmed cell death ligand 1 in patients with small cell lung cancer. Methods A total of 250 small cell lung cancer patients and 250 controls were included. Research information was obtained from their medical records. Blood samples were collected on admission. Serum concentration of programmed cell death ligand 1 was measured using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay. The patients underwent cisplatin-etoposide chemotherapy with a maximum of six cycles. Subsequently, they were followed-up for 12 months, and therapeutic response and cancer death were recorded. Results Serum concentration of programmed cell death ligand 1 was higher in the patients than in the controls on admission (P < 0.001). After chemotherapy, 112 patients had no response to this therapy. In the 12-month follow up period, 118 patients died due to this cancer. Multivariate Cox regression model revealed that the higher serum concentration of programmed cell death ligand 1 on admission was associated with the higher risk of no response to chemotherapy or cancer caused death (HR: 1.40, 95% CI: 1.05 ~ 1.87; HR: 1.43, 95% CI: 1.08 ~ 1.87). Conclusion Elevated serum concentration of soluble programmed cell death ligand 1 might be an independent risk factor for non-response to chemotherapy and cancer caused death in small cell lung cancer patients.

Formulas containing intact cow milk protein are appropriate alternatives when human milk (HM) is not feasible. However, for babies with a physician‐diagnosed cow milk protein allergy (CMPA), hydrolyzed formulas are needed. We conducted a 3‐month, open‐label, nonrandomized concurrent controlled trial (ChiCTR2100046909) between June 2021 and October 2022 in Qingdao City, China. In this study, CMPA toddlers were fed with a partially hydrolyzed formula containing synbiotics (pHF, n = 43) and compared with healthy toddlers fed a regular intact protein formula (IF, n = 45) or HM (n = 21). The primary endpoint was weight gain; the secondary endpoints were changes in body length and head circumference of both CMPA and healthy toddlers after 3‐month feeding; and the exploratory outcomes were changes in gut microbiota composition. After 3 months, there were no significant group differences for length‐for‐age, weight‐for‐age, or head circumference‐for‐age Z scores. In the gut microbiota, pHF feeding increased its richness and diversity, similar to those of IF‐fed and HM‐fed healthy toddlers. Compared with healthy toddlers, the toddlers with CMPA showed an increased abundance of phylum Bacteroidota, Firmicutes, class Clostridia, and Bacteroidia, and a decreased abundance of class Negativicutes, while pHF feeding partly eliminated these original differences. Moreover, pHF feeding increased the abundance of short‐chain fatty acid producers. Our data suggested that this pHF partly simulated the beneficial effects of HM and shifted the gut microbiota of toddlers with CMPA toward that of healthy individuals. In conclusion, this synbiotic‐containing pHF might be an appropriate alternative for toddlers with CMPA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All phase transitions can be categorized into two different types: continuous and discontinuous phase transitions. Discontinuous phase transitions are normally accompanied with significant structural changes, and nearly all of them have the kinetic pathway of nucleation and growth, if the system does not suffer from glassy dynamics. Here, in a system of barrier-controlled reactive particles, we find that the discontinuous freezing transition of a nonequilibrium hyperuniform fluid into an absorbing state does not have the kinetic pathway of nucleation and growth, and the transition is triggered by long-wavelength fluctuations. The transition rate decreases with increasing the system size, which suggests that the metastable hyperuniform fluid could be kinetically stable in an infinitely large system. This challenges the common understanding of metastability in discontinuous phase transitions. Moreover, we find that the "metastable yet kinetically stable" hyperuniform fluid features a scaling in the structure factor S(k - 0) k1:2 in 2D, which is the third dynamic hyperuniform state in addition to the critical hyperuniform state with S(k - 0) k0:45 and the nonequilibrium hyperuniform fluid with S(k - 0) k². [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phase separation in a low-density gas-like phase and a high-density liquid-like one is a common trait of biological and synthetic self-propelling particle systems. The competition between motility and stochastic forces is assumed to fix the boundary between the homogeneous and the phase-separated phase. Here we demonstrate that, on the contrary, motility does also promote the homogeneous phase allowing particles to resolve their collisions. This understanding allows quantitatively predicting the spinodal line of hard self-propelling Brownian particles, the prototypical model exhibiting a motility-induced phase separation. Furthermore, we demonstrate that frictional forces control the physical process by which motility promotes the homogeneous phase. Hence, friction emerges as an experimentally variable parameter to control the motility-induced phase diagram.