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With the rapid development of urban underground space, the construction of shield-driven cross-river twin tunnels is increasing, and the complex hydro-mechanical coupling effects and twin-tunnel interactions bring huge construction risks to such projects, which have attracted more and more attention. This study aims to understand the excavation effects induced by shield driving of cross-river twin tunnels through numerical simulation. A refined three-dimensional numerical model based on the fully coupled hydro-mechanical theory is established. The model considers the main components of the slurry pressure balance shield (SPBS) machine, including support force, jacking thrust, grouting pressure, shield-rock interaction and lining-grouting interaction, as well as the detailed construction process. The purpose is to examine the excavation effects during construction, including rock deformation around tunnels, the change in pore pressure, and the response of the lining. The results show the influence range of twin-tunnel excavation on rock deformation and pore pressure, as well as the modes of lining response. In addition, this study also systematically investigates the effects of water level fluctuation and burial depth on twin-tunnel excavation. The results indicate that the increase of water level or burial depth will enhance the excavation effects and strengthen the twin-tunnel interactions. These results provide useful insights for estimating the construction impact range and degree of twin tunnels, and serve as basic references for the design of cross-river twin tunnels.

Abstract Background Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is a high-prevalence autosomal dominant neuromuscular disease characterized by significant clinical and genetic heterogeneity. Genetic diagnosis of FSHD remains a challenge because it cannot be detected by standard sequencing methods and requires a complex diagnosis workflow. Methods We developed a comprehensive genetic FSHD detection method based on Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) whole-genome sequencing. Using a case–control design, we applied this procedure to 29 samples and compared the results with those from optical genome mapping (OGM), bisulfite sequencing (BSS), and whole-exome sequencing (WES). Results Using our ONT-based method, we identified 59 haplotypes (35 4qA and 24 4qB) among the 29 samples (including a mosaic sample), as well as the number of D4Z4 repeat units (RUs). The pathogenetic D4Z4 RU contraction identified by our ONT-based method showed 100% concordance with OGM results. The methylation levels of the most distal D4Z4 RU and the double homeobox 4 gene (DUX4) detected by ONT sequencing are highly consistent with the BSS results and showed excellent diagnostic efficiency. Additionally, our ONT-based method provided an independent methylation profile analysis of two permissive 4qA alleles, reflecting a more accurate scenario than traditional BSS. The ONT-based method detected 17 variations in three FSHD2-related genes from nine samples, showing 100% concordance with WES. Conclusions Our ONT-based FSHD detection method is a comprehensive method for identifying pathogenetic D4Z4 RU contractions, methylation level alterations, allele-specific methylation of two 4qA haplotypes, and variations in FSHD2-related genes, which will all greatly improve genetic testing for FSHD.

BackgroundSepsis triggers a strong inflammatory response, often leading to organ failure and high mortality. The role of serum albumin levels in sepsis is critical but not fully understood, particularly regarding the significance of albumin level changes over time. This study utilized Group-based Trajectory Modeling (GBTM) to investigate the patterns of serum albumin changes and their impact on sepsis outcomes.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective analysis on ICU patients from West China Hospital (2015–2022), employing GBTM to study serum albumin fluctuations within the first week of ICU admission. The study factored in demographics, clinical parameters, and comorbidities, handling missing data through multiple imputation. Outcomes assessed included 28-day mortality, overall hospital mortality, and secondary complications such as AKI and the need for mechanical ventilation.ResultsData from 1,950 patients revealed four serum albumin trajectories, showing distinct patterns of consistently low, increasing, moderate, and consistently high levels. These groups differed significantly in mortality, with the consistently low level group experiencing the highest mortality. No significant difference in 28-day mortality was observed among the other groups. Subgroup analysis did not alter these findings.ConclusionThe study identified four albumin trajectory groups in sepsis patients, highlighting that those with persistently low levels had the worst outcomes, while those with increasing levels had the best. Stable high levels above 30 g/L did not change outcomes significantly. These findings can inform clinical decisions, helping to identify high-risk patients early and tailor treatment approaches.

Improving operational efficiency and reducing energy consumption are common objectives for all ports. In previous research by authors, a new high operation platform mode was proposed. It had been proven to reduce energy consumption and be economically feasible. On this basis, this paper studied the influence of high operation platform mode on automated container terminal (ACT) efficiency. This paper took U-shaped ACT as the research object, put forward the operation characteristics of U-shaped ACT under high operation platform mode, and constructed the operation time model of high and low operation platform mode respectively. This paper took 30 containers at the same bay as an example to calculate and verify. The computational results shows that when $V_{v}^{1}/V_{h}^{1}$ is above the $V_{v}^{1}/V_{h}^{1}-\alpha $ curve, the operation time of high platform mode is shorter, and the operation efficiency of ACT is higher ( $V_{v}^{1}$ represents the speed of spreader with container vertically moving; $V_{h}^{1}$ represents the speed of spreader with container horizontally moving.); when $V_{v}^{1}/V_{h}^{1}$ is under the $V_{v}^{1}/V_{h}^{1}-\alpha $ curve, the shortening time of quay cranes operation is greater than the increasing time of yard cranes operation, so the overall operational efficiency of ACT is still improved. Therefore, high operation platform mode can improve efficiency of ACT.

Carotid plaque classification from ultrasound images is crucial for predicting ischemic stroke risk. While deep learning has shown effectiveness, it heavily relies on substantial labeled datasets. Achieving high performance with limited labeled images is essential for clinical use. Self-supervised learning (SSL) offers a potential solution; however, the existing works mainly focus on constructing the SSL tasks, neglecting the use of multiple tasks for pretraining. To overcome these limitations, this study proposed a self-supervised fusion network (Fusion-SSL) for carotid plaque ultrasound image classification with limited labeled data. Fusion-SSL consists of two SSL tasks: classifying image block order (Ordering) and predicting image rotation angle (Rotating). A dual-branch residual neural network was developed to fuse feature presentations learned by the two tasks, which can extract richer visual boundary shape and contour information than a single task. In this experiment, 1270 carotid plaque ultrasound images were collected from 844 patients at Zhongnan Hospital (Wuhan, China). The results showed that Fusion-SSL outperforms single SSL methods across different percentages of labeled training data, ranging from 10 to 100%. Moreover, with only 40% labeled training data, Fusion-SSL achieved comparable results to a single SSL method (predicting image rotation angle) with 100% labeled data. These results indicate that Fusion-SSL could be beneficial for the classification of carotid plaques and the early warning of a stroke in clinical practice.

Semi-supervised medical image segmentation is currently a highly researched area. Pseudo-label learning is a traditional semi-supervised learning method aimed at acquiring additional knowledge by generating pseudo-labels for unlabeled data. However, this method relies on the quality of pseudo-labels and can lead to an unstable training process due to differences between samples. Additionally, directly generating pseudo-labels from the model itself accelerates noise accumulation, resulting in low-confidence pseudo-labels. To address these issues, we proposed a dual uncertainty-guided multi-model pseudo-label learning framework (DUMM) for semi-supervised medical image segmentation. The framework consisted of two main parts: The first part is a sample selection module based on sample-level uncertainty (SUS), intended to achieve a more stable and smooth training process. The second part is a multi-model pseudo-label generation module based on pixel-level uncertainty (PUM), intended to obtain high-quality pseudo-labels. We conducted a series of experiments on two public medical datasets, ACDC2017 and ISIC2018. Compared to the baseline, we improved the Dice scores by 6.5% and 4.0% over the two datasets, respectively. Furthermore, our results showed a clear advantage over the comparative methods. This validates the feasibility and applicability of our approach.

Graph convolutional networks (GCN) have been widely utilized in Alzheimer's disease (AD) classification research due to its ability to automatically learn robust and powerful feature representations. Inter-patient relationships are effectively captured by constructing patients magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data as graph data, where nodes represent individuals and edges denote the relationships between them. However, the performance of GCNs might be constrained by the construction of the graph adjacency matrix, thereby leading to learned features potentially overlooking intrinsic correlations among patients, which ultimately causes inaccurate disease classifications. To address this issue, we propose an Alzheimer's disease Classification network based on MRI utilizing diffusion maps for multi-scale feature fusion in graph convolution. This method aims to tackle the problem of features neglecting intrinsic relationships among patients while integrating features from diffusion mapping with different neighbor counts to better represent patients and achieve an accurate AD classification. Initially, the diffusion maps method conducts diffusion information in the feature space, thus breaking free from the constraints of diffusion based on the adjacency matrix. Subsequently, the diffusion features with different neighbor counts are merged, and a self-attention mechanism is employed to adaptively adjust the weights of diffusion features at different scales, thereby comprehensively and accurately capturing patient characteristics. Finally, metric learning techniques enhance the similarity of node features within the same category in the graph structure and bring node features of different categories more distant from each other. This study aims to enhance the classification accuracy of AD, by providing an effective tool for early diagnosis and intervention. It offers valuable information for clinical decisions and personalized treatment. Experimentation on the publicly accessible Alzheimer's disease neuroimaging initiative (ADNI) dataset validated our method's competitive performance across various AD-related classification tasks. Compared to existing methodologies, our approach captures patient characteristics more effectively and demonstrates superior generalization capabilities.

Abstract Background Clinical guidelines recommend a preoperative forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) of > 2 L as an indication for left or right pneumonectomy. This study compares the safety and long-term prognosis of pneumonectomy for destroyed lung (DL) patients with FEV1 ≤ 2 L or > 2 L. Methods A total of 123 DL patients who underwent pneumonectomy between November 2002 and February 2023 at the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Beijing Chest Hospital were included. Patients were sorted into two groups: the FEV1 > 2 L group (n = 30) or the FEV1 ≤ 2 L group (n = 96). Clinical characteristics and rates of mortality, complications within 30 days after surgery, long-term mortality, occurrence of residual lung infection/tuberculosis (TB), bronchopleural fistula/empyema, readmission by last follow-up visit, and modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnea scores were compared between groups. Results A total of 96.7% (119/123) of patients were successfully discharged, with 75.6% (93/123) in the FEV1 ≤ 2 L group. As compared to the FEV1 > 2 L group, the FEV1 ≤ 2 L group exhibited significantly lower proportions of males, patients with smoking histories, patients with lung cavities as revealed by chest imaging findings, and patients with lower forced vital capacity as a percentage of predicted values (FVC%pred) (P values of 0.001, 0.027, and 0.023, 0.003, respectively). No significant intergroup differences were observed in rates of mortality within 30 days after surgery, incidence of postoperative complications, long-term mortality, occurrence of residual lung infection/TB, bronchopleural fistula/empyema, mMRC ≥ 1 at the last follow-up visit, and postoperative readmission (P > 0.05). Conclusions As most DL patients planning to undergo left/right pneumonectomy have a preoperative FEV1 ≤ 2 L, the procedure is generally safe with favourable short- and long-term prognoses for these patients. Consequently, the results of this study suggest that DL patient preoperative FEV1 > 2 L should not be utilised as an exclusion criterion for pneumonectomy.

AbstractObjectives Chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) has been widely applied to genetic diagnosis in miscarriages in clinical practice. However, the prognostic value of CMA testing of products of conception (POCs) after the first clinical miscarriage remains unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reproductive outcomes after embryonic genetic testing by CMA in SM couples.Methods In this retrospective study, a total of 1142 SM couples referred for embryonic genetic testing by CMA, and 1022 couples were successfully followed up after CMA.Results Among 1130 cases without significant maternal cell contamination, pathogenic chromosomal abnormalities were detected in 680 cases (60.2%). The subsequent live birth rate did not differ significantly between couples with chromosomally abnormal and normal miscarriage (88.6% vs. 91.1%, p = .240), as well as the cumulative live birth rate (94.5% vs. 96.7%, p = .131). Couples with partial aneuploid miscarriage had a higher likelihood of spontaneous abortion both in the subsequent pregnancy (19.0% vs. 6.5%, p = .037) and cumulative pregnancies (19.0% vs. 6.8%, p = .044) when compared with couples with chromosomally normal miscarriage.Conclusions SM couples with chromosomally abnormal miscarriage manifested with a similar reproductive prognosis to couples with chromosomally normal miscarriage. Key messagesCMA testing of POCs could provide an accurate genetic diagnosis for couples with SM.The live birth rate of couples with partial aneuploid miscarriage was as high as couples with chromosomally normal miscarriage, despite a higher risk of adverse pregnancy event.Among couples with the most common single aneuploid miscarriage, the cumulative live birth rates of couples with trisomy 16, sex chromosomal abnormalities and trisomy 22 were 94.1%, 95.8% and 84.0%, respectively.

The flowering period of rice significantly impacts variety adaptability and yield formation. Properly shortening the reproductive period of rice varieties can expand their ecological range without significant yield reduction. Targeted genome editing, like CRISPR/Cas9, is an ideal tool to fine-tune rice growth stages and boost yield synergistically. In this study, we developed a CRISPR/Cas9-mediated multiplex genome-editing vector containing five genes related to three traits, Hd2, Ghd7, and DTH8 (flowering-stage genes), along with the recessive rice blast resistance gene Pi21 and the aromatic gene BADH2. This vector was introduced into the high-quality japonica rice variety in Zhejiang province, Jiahe212 (JH212), resulting in 34 T0 plants with various effective mutations. Among the 17 mutant T1 lines, several displayed diverse flowering dates, but most exhibited undesirable agronomic traits. Notably, three homozygous mutant lines (JH-C15, JH-C18, and JH-C31) showed slightly earlier flowering dates without significant differences in yield-related traits compared to JH212. Through special Hyg and Cas marker selection of T2 plants, we identified seven, six, and two fragrant glutinous plants devoid of transgenic components. These single plants will serve as sib lines of JH212 and potential resources for breeding applications, including maintenance lines for indica–japonica interspecific three-line hybrid rice. In summary, our research lays the foundation for the creation of short-growth-period CMS (cytoplasmic male sterility, CMS) lines, and also provides materials and a theoretical basis for indica–japonica interspecific hybrid rice breeding with wider adaptability.

Background Intracranial aneurysm (IA) is common and occasionally results in life‐threatening hemorrhagic strokes. However, the cell architecture and inflammation in the IA dome remain less understood. Methods and Results Single‐cell RNA sequencing was performed on ruptured and unruptured human IA domes for delineating the cell atlas, gene expression perturbations, and inflammation features. Two external bulk mRNA sequencing–based data sets and serological results of 126 patients were collected for validation. As a result, a total of 21 332 qualified cells were captured. Vascular cells, including endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, fibroblasts, and pericytes, were assigned in extremely sparse numbers (4.84%), and were confirmed by immunofluorescence staining. Pericytes, characterized by ABCC9 and HIGD1B, were identified in the IA dome for the first time. Abundant immune cells were identified, with the proportion of monocytes/macrophages and neutrophils being remarkably higher in ruptured IA. The lymphocyte compartment was also thoroughly categorized. By leveraging external data sets and machine learning algorithms, macrophages were robustly associated with IA rupture, irrespective of their polarization status. The single nucleotide polymorphism rs2280543, which is identified in East Asian populations, was associated with macrophage metabolic reprogramming through regulating TALDO1 expression. Conclusions This study provides insights into the cellular architecture and inflammatory features in the IA dome and may enlighten novel therapeutics for unruptured IA.

Abstract The proper functioning of diverse biological systems depends on the spatial organization of their cells, a critical factor for biological processes like shaping intricate tissue functions and precisely determining cell fate. Nonetheless, conventional bulk or single-cell RNA sequencing methods were incapable of simultaneously capturing both gene expression profiles and the spatial locations of cells. Hence, a multitude of spatially resolved technologies have emerged, offering a novel dimension for investigating regional gene expression, spatial domains, and interactions between cells. Spatial transcriptomics (ST) is a method that maps gene expression in tissue while preserving spatial information. It can reveal cellular heterogeneity, spatial organization and functional interactions in complex biological systems. ST can also complement and integrate with other omics methods to provide a more comprehensive and holistic view of biological systems at multiple levels of resolution. Since the advent of ST, new methods offering higher throughput and resolution have become available, holding significant potential to expedite fresh insights into comprehending biological complexity. Consequently, a rapid increase in associated research has occurred, using these technologies to unravel the spatial complexity during developmental processes or disease conditions. In this review, we summarize the recent advancement of ST in historical, technical, and application contexts. We compare different types of ST methods based on their principles and workflows, and present the bioinformatics tools for analyzing and integrating ST data with other modalities. We also highlight the applications of ST in various domains of biomedical research, especially development and diseases. Finally, we discuss the current limitations and challenges in the field, and propose the future directions of ST.

Abstract Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a relatively aggressive breast cancer subtype due to tumor relapse, drug resistance, and multi-organ metastatic properties. Identifying reliable biomarkers to predict prognosis and precisely guide TNBC immunotherapy is still an unmet clinical need. To address this issue, we successfully constructed a novel 25 machine learning (ML) algorithms-based immune infiltrating cell (IIC) associated signature of TNBC (MLIIC), achieved by multiple transcriptome data of purified immune cells, TNBC cell lines, and TNBC entities. The TSI index was employed to determine IIC-RNAs that were accompanied by an expression pattern of upregulation in immune cells and downregulation in TNBC cells. LassoLR, Boruta, Xgboost, SVM, RF, and Pamr were utilized for further obtaining the optimal IIC-RNAs. Following univariate Cox regression analysis, LassoCox, CoxBoost, and RSF were utilized for the dimensionality reduction of IIC-RNAs from a prognostic perspective. RSF, Ranger, ObliqueRSF, Rpart, CoxPH, SurvivalSVM, CoxBoost, GlmBoost, SuperPC, StepwiseCox, Enet, LassoCox, CForest, Akritas, BlackBoost, PlsRcox, SurvReg, GBM, and CTree were used for determining the most potent MLIIC signature. Consequently, this MLIIC signature was correlated significantly with survival status validated by four independent TNBC cohorts. Also, the MLIIC signature had a superior predictive capability for TNBC prognosis, compared with 148 previously reported signatures. In addition, MLIIC signature scores developed by immunofluorescent staining of tissue arrays from TNBC patients showed a substantial prognostic value. In TNBC immunotherapy, the low MLIIC profile demonstrated significant immune-responsive efficacy in a dataset of multiple cancer types. MLIIC signature could also predict m6A epigenetic regulation which controls T cell homeostasis. Therefore, this well-established MLIIC signature is a robust predictive indicator for TNBC prognosis and the benefit of immunotherapy, thus providing an efficient tool for combating TNBC.

Due to the advantages of improving vegetable quality and reducing labor, technology for the orderly harvesting of green leafy vegetables has always been the focus of research. The core of the technology is the clamping and conveying device. At present, technology for the orderly harvesting of green leafy vegetables has several difficult problems, such as the plugging of the clamping and conveying device, great damage caused by mechanical clamping and high transportation loss. A green leafy vegetable is essentially a viscoelastic body and plastic deformation is an important index to measure its mechanical damage. Therefore, based on vegetable linear viscoelastic characteristics, we determined the deformation and plastic damage mechanism caused by orderly clamping and conveying. A rheological constitutive model and mathematical equations of the damage deformation value were constructed for the green leafy vegetable mechanical clamping process. Viscoelastic parameters of green leafy vegetable samples were obtained by creep experiments. The elastic clamping force and clamping spacing were analyzed systematically when the flexible clamping and conveying device was clamping, conveying and collecting. Under different spring stiffness and clamping time combinations, green leafy vegetable plastic damage deformation values were calculated and the vegetable damage regularity analyzed. After comprehensive consideration, we concluded that, when the harvester forward speed was 0.6 km/h, the optimal parameter combination of the flexible clamping and conveying device was a conveying roller rotation speed of 80 r/min, and a spring stiffness combination of 2.0 N/mm and 0.6 N/mm. Finally, a bench test verified that the mechanized harvest effect was best under a combination of parameters. Thus, we proved that the method is appropriate for studying the effects of clamping and conveying devices on green leafy vegetable damage based on viscoelastic rheological characteristics.

The spindle unit is the core component of a machine, and its stiffness is a key performance characteristic. The stiffness consistency is a key index to measure the stiffness of spindle units; however, there is a lack of unified evaluation methods for the spindle unit stiffness consistency. This paper proposes a comprehensive method for the evaluation of the spindle unit stiffness consistency based on fluctuations and comprehensive weights. First, the consistency of the spindle unit stiffness evaluation indices is expressed based on the fluctuations. Secondly, the subjective and objective weights of the spindle unit stiffness evaluation indices are given based on the AHP and CRITIC weight assignment methods. To obtain the comprehensive weights of the evaluation indices, the subjective and objective weights are synthesized based on the linear weighting method. Then, the consistency level of the spindle unit stiffness is obtained by the weighted summation of the comprehensive weights and fluctuations of the evaluation indices. Finally, the stiffness consistency of a group of spindle units is evaluated based on this method, and the evaluation result shows a 10.63% fluctuation, which indicates that its stiffness consistency level is class B, in line with the factory production requirements.

In laser beam processing, the angle or offset between the auxiliary gas and the laser beam axis have been proved to be two new process optimization parameters for improving cutting speed and quality. However, a traditional electromechanical actuator cannot achieve high-speed and high-precision motion control with a compact structure. This paper proposes a magnetic levitation actuator which could realize the 5-DOF motion control of a lens using six groups of differential electromagnets. At first, the nonlinear characteristic of a magnetic driving force was analyzed by establishing an analytical model and finite element calculation. Then, the dynamic model of the magnetic levitation actuator was established using the Taylor series. And the mathematical relationship between the detected distance and five-degree-of-freedom was determined. Next, the centralized control system based on PID control was designed. Finally, a driving test was carried out to verify the five-degrees-of-freedom motion of the proposed electromagnetic levitation actuator. The results show it can achieve a stable levitation and precision positioning with a desired command motion. It also proves that the proposed magnetic levitation actuator has the potential application in an off-axis laser cutting machine tool.

An automatic feeding device for substrate filling was designed to address the challenges of difficult feeding and low efficiency in the citrus seedling pot filling and transferring machine. The device comprises a framework, tracks, overturning frame, drive system, etc. In order to ensure optimal performance, the frame’s turning angle was set at a minimum of 110° and the angle between the frame’s horizontal plane and slope was determined to be 120°. Following optimization, the number and intensity of sudden changes in velocity, angular velocity, and thrust were reduced, thereby prolonging the device’s service life. The prototype test demonstrated that the device has an average feeding time of 9.86 s, is capable of raising 0.14 m3 of substrate in a single cycle, and has a handcart turning angle of 111°. Furthermore, no residual substrate remained in the handcart, and the handcart fixing mechanism operated correctly. The torque measurement results of the motor output shaft were found to be consistent with the simulation results in ADAMS, with a maximum force difference of only 298 N. The simulation was found to be accurate, with an error rate of only 3.67%. This model can be utilized as a dependable reference for the optimization of the design of the automatic feeding device.

Abstract Background Early detection is critical for improving the survival of breast cancer (BC) patients. Exhaled breath testing as a non-invasive technique might help to improve BC detection. However, the breath test accuracy for BC diagnosis is unclear. Methods This multi-center cohort study consecutively recruited 5047 women from four areas of China who underwent BC screening. Breath samples were collected through standardized breath collection procedures. Volatile organic compound (VOC) markers were identified from a high-throughput breathomics analysis by the high-pressure photon ionization–time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HPPI-TOFMS). Diagnostic models were constructed using the random forest algorithm in the discovery cohort and tested in three external validation cohorts. Results A total of 465 (9.21%) participants were identified with BC. Ten optimal VOC markers were identified to distinguish the breath samples of BC patients from those of non-cancer women. A diagnostic model (BreathBC) consisting of 10 optimal VOC markers showed an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.87 in external validation cohorts. BreathBC-Plus, which combined 10 VOC markers with risk factors, achieved better performance (AUC = 0.94 in the external validation cohorts), superior to that of mammography and ultrasound. Overall, the BreathBC-Plus detection rates were 96.97% for ductal carcinoma in situ, 85.06%, 90.00%, 88.24%, and 100% for stages I, II, III, and IV BC, respectively, with a specificity of 87.70% in the external validation cohorts. Conclusions This is the largest study on breath tests to date. Considering the easy-to-perform procedure and high accuracy, these findings exemplify the potential applicability of breath tests in BC screening.

As the main service target of recreational fishery operators, customers’ willingness to revisit has a profound impact on stimulating the rapid development of recreational fishery. However, there is currently little research on the influencing factors and improvement strategies of recreational fishery customers’ willingness to revisit from the perspective of perceived value. This article selects 500 customers participating in recreational fishing in Chun’an County and Xiangshan County, Zhejiang Province, China as the research objects, and uses the fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis method to explore the influencing factors of recreational fishing customers’ willingness to revisit. Research has found that: (1) Economic value and experiential value play a core role in four conditional configurations that lead to high customer revisit intention, and are key factors affecting the high revisit intention of recreational fishing customers; (2) two conditional configurations lead to low revisit intention of recreational fishery customers, and the lack of economic value plays a core role in these two conditional configurations, which are the key factors affecting the low revisit intention of recreational fishery customers; (3) Based on the controllability of conditional factors, it can be concluded that providing economically applicable and experiential recreational fishery services is the best strategy to enhance customers’ willingness to revisit. This study, under the synergistic effect of multiple conditions, reveals the complexity of factors influencing customer revisit intention. Setting reasonable charging standards and improving customer experience are inevitable choices to enhance the revisit intention of recreational fishing customers.

Hydroxypropyl starch (HPS) nano antibacterial films incorporating Ethylene Diamine Tetraacetic Acid (EDTA) and lysozyme (LY) were fabricated via solvent casting method. The synergistic effects of EDTA and LY on the microstructure, component interactions, color, optical, mechanical, barrier and antibacterial properties of HPS nano antibacterial films were evaluated. The results indicated that EDTA and LY were well dispersed in the matrix of the HPS nano antibacterial films, the film-forming substrates have good compatibility, resulting in a dense multi-layer structure of the HPS nano antibacterial films. The addition of EDTA and LY increased the color parameters (L*, a*, b* and △E*) of the HPS nano antibacterial films. The synergistic effects of EDTA and LY significantly decreased the light transmission of the HPS nano antibacterial films. The presence of EDTA and LY increased the tensile strength (TS) and the elongation at break (EAB) of the HPS nano antibacterial films. The TS and EAB of E2.5L1 reached the highest values of 6.329 MPa and 50.24 %, respectively. The incorporation of EDTA and LY had positive effects on the improvement of water vapor permeability (WVP) and oxygen permeability (OP). The WVP and OP of E2.5L1 reached the highest values of 0.9350 × 10−12 g cm/cm2•s•Pa and 0.297 × 10 −2 g m/m2 •d, respectively. In addition, EDTA and LY had significant synergistic effects on the antibacterial activity against S. aureus (Gram-positive bacteria) and E. coli (Gram-negative bacteria). E2.5L1 exhibited the highest antibacterial activity and the inhibition zone diameters of S. aureus and E. coli were 3.69 mm and 4.28 mm, respectively. The HPS nano antibacterial films incorporating EDTA and LY are potential functional packaging materials.

AbstractBackground: Copy number variants of uncertain significance (VUS) has brought much distress for patients and great counselling challenges for clinicians. Of these, a special type of VUS (HT-VUS), harbouring one or both breakpoints within the established haploinsufficient or triplosensitive genes, were considered to be more likely to cause clinical effects compared with other types of VUS.Methods: We retrospectively evaluated the properties and clinical significance of those HT-VUS samples in clinical testing for chromosome microarray analysis (CMA).Results: A total of 7150 samples were selected for HT-VUS screening, and 75 (1.05%) subjects with 75 HT-VUS were found. The majority of these HT-VUS were heterozygous duplications and chromosome X had the most HT-VUS. The prevalence of HT-VUS was 0.90% (28/3116) for prenatal low-risk samples, 1.18% (26/2196) for prenatal high-risk samples, 1.37% (10/728) for postnatal samples and 0.99% (11/1110) for early pregnancy loss samples. However, the incidence of HT-VUS was not statistically different between different groups.Conclusions: HT-VUS (deletions or duplications) involving introns and HT-VUS (duplications) including terminal coding exons (either the first or last exons) might be clinically neutral. Our study will be helpful for both interpretation and genetic counselling in the future.

The prediction of drug-target protein interaction (DTI) is a crucial task in the development of new drugs in modern medicine. Accurately identifying DTI through computer simulations can significantly reduce development time and costs. In recent years, many sequence-based DTI prediction methods have been proposed, and introducing attention mechanisms has improved their forecasting performance. However, these methods have some shortcomings. For example, inappropriate dataset partitioning during data preprocessing can lead to overly optimistic prediction results. Additionally, only single non-covalent intermolecular interactions are considered in the DTI simulation, ignoring the complex interactions between their internal atoms and amino acids. In this paper, we propose a network model called Mutual-DTI that predicts DTI based on the interaction properties of sequences and a Transformer model. We use multi-head attention to extract the long-distance interdependent features of the sequence and introduce a module to extract the sequence's mutual interaction features in mining complex reaction processes of atoms and amino acids. We evaluate the experiments on two benchmark datasets, and the results show that Mutual-DTI outperforms the latest baseline significantly. In addition, we conduct ablation experiments on a label-inversion dataset that is split more rigorously. The results show that there is a significant improvement in the evaluation metrics after introducing the extracted sequence interaction feature module. This suggests that Mutual-DTI may contribute to modern medical drug development research. The experimental results show the effectiveness of our approach. The code for Mutual-DTI can be downloaded from https://github.com/a610lab/Mutual-DTI.

Abstract Background Cryptosporidium is recognized as a significant pathogen of diarrhea disease in immunocompromised hosts, and studies have shown that Cryptosporidium infection is high in solid organ transplantation (SOT) patients and often has serious consequences. Because of the lack of specificity of diarrheasymptoms cased by Cryptosporidium infection, it is rarely reported in patients undergoing liver transplantation (LT). It frequently delays diagnosis, coming with severe consequences. In clinical work, diagnosing Cryptosporidium infection in LT patients is also complex but single, and the corresponding anti-infective treatment regimen has not yet been standardized. A rare case of septic shock due to a delayed diagnosis of Cryptosporidium infection after LT and relevant literature are discussed in the passage. Case presentation A patient who had received LT for two years was admitted to the hospital with diarrhea more than 20 days after eating an unclean diet. After failing treatment at a local hospital, he was admitted to Intensive Care Unit after going into septic shock. The patient presented hypovolemia due to diarrhea, which progressed to septic shock. The patient's sepsis shock was controlled after receiving multiple antibiotic combinations and fluid resuscitation. However, the persistent diarrhea, as the culprit of the patient's electrolyte disturbance, hypovolemia, and malnutrition, was unsolved. The causative agent of diarrhea, Cryptosporidium infection, was identified by colonoscopy, faecal antacid staining, and blood high-throughput sequencing (NGS). The patient was treated by reducing immunosuppression and Nitazoxanide (NTZ), which proved effective in this case. Conclusion When LT patients present with diarrhea, clinicians should consider the possibility of Cryptosporidium infection, in addition to screening for conventional pathogens. Tests such as colonoscopy, stool antacid staining and blood NGS sequencing can help diagnose and treat of Cryptosporidium infection early and avoid serious consequences of delayed diagnosis. In treating Cryptosporidium infection in LT patients, the focus should be on the patient's immunosuppressive therapy, striking a balance between anti-immunorejection and anti-infection should be sought. Based on practical experience, NTZ therapy in combination with controlled CD4 + T cells at 100–300/mm3 was highly effective against Cryptosporidium without inducing immunorejection.

The spatial organisation of diffuse midline glioma-H3K27M mutant (DMG) and glioblastoma (GBM) remains to be investigated. Here, the authors integrate short-read and long-read spatial profiling of DMG and GBM to identify regulatory programs and cellular ecosystems in distinct glioma niches.

Nanozyme was considered as one of the most promising substitutes for antibiotics, due to the selective catalysis for pathogens. In this work, a high-antibacterial activity SOD-like nanozyme based on hybrid Ag/CeO2 nanocomposite was facilely prepared by using an innovative approach of selective laser welding in liquid. This prepared nanozyme displayed a high antimicrobial effect against Staphylococcus aureus under visible light illumination, the sterilization rate as high as 82.4%, which was 2.93 and 2.99 times higher than those of pure Ag and pure CeO2, respectively. The enhanced antibacterial activity was attributed to the anchoring of Ag nanospheres on the surface of CeO2 nanosheets, which induced the reduction of CeO2 bandgap and boosted the visible light harvesting. Therefore, the charge carriers can be effectively stimulated to produce abundant reactive oxygen species on the Ag/CeO2 nanocomposite via a SOD-like route. This work demonstrated a facile strategy for the preparation of high-antibacterial activity nanozyme, giving it great potential for scalable application in the biomedical and pharmaceutical industry.

Abstract Background We describe a 13‐year‐old girl with a 11q13.3q13.4 deletion encompassing the SHANK2 gene and a 9q21.13q21.33 duplication. She presented with pre‐ and postnatal growth retardation, global developmental delay, severe language delay, cardiac abnormalities, and dysmorphisms. Her maternal family members all had histories of reproductive problems. Methods Maternal family members with histories of reproductive problems were studied using G‐banded karyotyping and optical genome mapping (OGM). Long‐range PCR (LR‐PCR) and Sanger sequencing were used to confirm the precise break point sequences obtained by OGM. Results G‐banded karyotyping characterized the cytogenetic results as 46,XX,der(9)?del(9)(q21q22)t(9;14)(q22;q24),der(11)ins(11;?9)(q13;?q21q22),der(14)t(9;14). Using OGM, we determined that asymptomatic female family members with reproductive problems were carriers of a four‐way balanced chromosome translocation. Their karyotype results were further refined as 46,XX,der(9)del(9)(q21.13q21.33)t(9;14)(q21.33;q22.31),der(11)del(11)(q13.3q13.4)ins(11;9)(q13.3;q21.33q21.13),der(14)t(9:14)ins(14;11)(q23.1;q13.4q13.3). Thus, we confirmed that the affected girl inherited the maternally derived chromosome 11. Furthermore, using LR‐PCR, we showed that three disease‐related genes (TMC1, NTRK2, and KIAA0586) were disrupted by the breakpoints. Conclusions Our case highlights the importance of timely parental origin testing for patients with rare copy number variations, as well as the accurate characterization of balanced chromosomal rearrangements in families with reproductive problems. In addition, our case demonstrates that OGM is a useful clinical application for analyzing complex structural variations within the human genome.

Here, we introduce Trackplot, a Python package for generating publication-quality visualization by a programmable and interactive web-based approach. Compared to the existing versions of programs generating sashimi plots, Trackplot offers a versatile platform for visually interpreting genomic data from a wide variety of sources, including gene annotation with functional domain mapping, isoform expression, isoform structures identified by scRNA-seq and long-read sequencing, as well as chromatin accessibility and architecture without any preprocessing, and also offers a broad degree of flexibility for formats of output files that satisfy the requirements of major journals. The Trackplot package is an open-source software which is freely available on Bioconda (https://anaconda.org/bioconda/trackplot), Docker (https://hub.docker.com/r/ygidtu/trackplot), PyPI (https://pypi.org/project/trackplot/) and GitHub (https://github.com/ygidtu/trackplot), and a built-in web server for local deployment is also provided.

Over the past decade, high-throughput sequencing and high-resolution single-cell transcriptome sequencing technologies have undergone rapid development, leading to significant breakthroughs. Traditional molecular biology methods are limited in their ability to unravel cellular-level heterogeneity within woody plant tissues. Consequently, techniques such as single-cell transcriptomics, single-cell epigenetics, and spatial transcriptomics are rapidly gaining popularity in the study of woody plants. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the development of these technologies, with a focus on their applications and the challenges they present in single-cell transcriptome research in woody plants. In particular, we delve into the similarities and differences among the results of current studies and analyze the reasons behind these differences. Furthermore, we put forth potential solutions to overcome the challenges encountered in single-cell transcriptome applications in woody plants. Finally, we discuss the application directions of these techniques to address key challenges in woody plant research in the future.

Carotid total plaque area (TPA) is an important contributing measurement to the evaluation of stroke risk. Deep learning provides an efficient method for ultrasound carotid plaque segmentation and TPA quantification. However, high performance of deep learning requires datasets with many labeled images for training, which is very labor-intensive. Thus, we propose an image reconstruction-based self-supervised learning algorithm (IR-SSL) for carotid plaque segmentation when few labeled images are available. IR-SSL consists of pre-trained and downstream segmentation tasks. The pre-trained task learns region-wise representations with local consistency by reconstructing plaque images from randomly partitioned and disordered images. The pre-trained model is then transferred to the segmentation network as the initial parameters in the downstream task. IR-SSL was implemented with two networks, UNet++ and U-Net, and evaluated on two independent datasets of 510 carotid ultrasound images from 144 subjects at SPARC (London, Canada) and 638 images from 479 subjects at Zhongnan hospital (Wuhan, China). Compared to the baseline networks, IR-SSL improved the segmentation performance when trained on few labeled images (n = 10, 30, 50 and 100 subjects). For 44 SPARC subjects, IR-SSL yielded Dice-similarity-coefficients (DSC) of 80.14–88.84%, and algorithm TPAs were strongly correlated (r=0.962−0.993, p < 0.001) with manual results. The models trained on the SPARC images but applied to the Zhongnan dataset without retraining achieved DSCs of 80.61–88.18% and strong correlation with manual segmentation (r=0.852−0.978, p < 0.001). These results suggest that IR-SSL could improve deep learning when trained on small labeled datasets, making it useful for monitoring carotid plaque progression/regression in clinical use and trials.

Abstract Coal‐mining activities give rise to a series of ecological environmental problems, such as ground settlement and groundwater pollution. In fact, they are mainly caused by mining‐induced fractures. Hence, it is necessary to study the mining‐induced fracture distribution to identify the behavior of rock mass movement. However, the fractures in overburden strata cannot be directly measured owing to the special condition. Therefore, the majority of previous studies are based on experiments or experience. For this reason, this study first used a discrete element method to simulate the shape of mining‐induced fractures in overburden strata. Then, a geophysical tool of transient electromagnetic method (TEM) was used to investigate the mining‐induced fracture distribution. Based on the low‐resistivity anomaly area, the water‐rich area in overburden strata was analyzed to be mainly caused by fracture seepage. Through the mutual authentication between numerical simulation and TEM results, the mining‐induced fractures in overburden strata were explored. This study can enhance the understanding of mining‐induced fracture distribution on the one hand and guarantee the coal mining safety on the other, thus guiding the coordinated development between coal mining and environmental protection.

Abstract Background Salicaceae species have diverse sex determination systems and frequent sex chromosome turnovers. However, compared with poplars, the diversity of sex determination in willows is poorly understood, and little is known about the evolutionary forces driving their turnover. Here, we characterized the sex determination in two Salix species, S. chaenomeloides and S. arbutifolia, which have an XY system on chromosome 7 and 15, respectively. Results Based on the assemblies of their sex determination regions, we found that the sex determination mechanism of willows may have underlying similarities with poplars, both involving intact and/or partial homologs of a type A cytokinin response regulator (RR) gene. Comparative analyses suggested that at least two sex turnover events have occurred in Salix, one preserving the ancestral pattern of male heterogamety, and the other changing heterogametic sex from XY to ZW, which could be partly explained by the “deleterious mutation load” and “sexually antagonistic selection” theoretical models. We hypothesize that these repeated turnovers keep sex chromosomes of willow species in a perpetually young state, leading to limited degeneration. Conclusions Our findings further improve the evolutionary trajectory of sex chromosomes in Salicaceae species, explore the evolutionary forces driving the repeated turnovers of their sex chromosomes, and provide a valuable reference for the study of sex chromosomes in other species.

Optical genome mapping (OGM) has been known as an all-in-one technology for chromosomal aberration detection. However, there are also aberrations beyond the detection range of OGM. This study aimed to report the aberrations missed by OGM and analyze the contributing factors. OGM was performed by taking both GRCh37 and GRCh38 as reference genomes. The OGM results were analyzed in blinded fashion and compared to standard assays. Quality control (QC) metrics, sample types, reference genome, effective coverage and classes and locations of aberrations were then analyzed. In total, 154 clinically reported variations from 123 samples were investigated. OGM failed to detect 10 (6.5%, 10/154) aberrations with GRCh37 assembly, including five copy number variations (CNVs), two submicroscopic balanced translocations, two pericentric inversion and one isochromosome (mosaicism). All the samples passed pre-analytical and analytical QC. With GRCh38 assembly, the false-negative rate of OGM fell to 4.5% (7/154). The breakpoints of the CNVs, balanced translocations and inversions undetected by OGM were located in segmental duplication (SD) regions or regions with no DLE-1 label. In conclusion, besides variations with centromeric breakpoints, structural variations (SVs) with breakpoints located in large repetitive sequences may also be missed by OGM. GRCh38 is recommended as the reference genome when OGM is performed. Our results highlight the necessity of fully understanding the detection range and limitation of OGM in clinical practice.

The chromatographic conditions were optimized using headspace gas chromatography, and a simple and rapid method was established for the simultaneous determination of five residual solvents in ursodeoxycholic acid raw materials. The corresponding quality standards were revised. The research results demonstrate that by utilizing a capillary column with a stationary phase consisting of 5% phenyl-95% dimethylpolysiloxane (HP-5, 30 m × 0.32 mm, film thickness 1.0 µm) and a flame ionization detector in conjunction with a headspace injection system and a programmed temperature ramping method, satisfactory analytical results can be achieved. The specific operating conditions are as follows: an initial column temperature of 45 °C, followed by a column temperature increase at a rate of 5 °C per minute up to 60 °C, then a further increase at a rate of 10 °C per minute up to 100 °C, and finally a rapid increase at a rate of 40 °C per minute up to 200 °C, where it is held for 10 min. Nitrogen is employed as the carrier gas at a flow rate of 1 mL/min with a split ratio of 14:1. The headspace vial temperature is maintained at 100 °C, with a sample equilibration time of 45 min. The concentration of methanol ranged from 0.06 mg/mL to 0.3 mg/mL, and the concentrations of acetone, tert-butanol, ethyl acetate, and triethylamine showed a good linear relationship with the peak area within the range of 0.1 mg/mL to 0.5 mg/mL (r = 0.999); The quantitation limits for methanol, acetone, tert-butanol, ethyl acetate, and triethylamine were 4.2, 0.9, 1.5, 1, and 0.1 μg/mL, respectively, with detection limits of 1.2, 0.25, 0.025, 0.3, and 0.025 μg/mL, respectively. The recovery rates of each solvent ranged from 92.9% to 106.0%, with RSD% (n = 9) less than 3.8%; the method exhibited good repeatability, with RSD% (n = 6) less than 2.5%. Furthermore, the robustness is good. The established method is simple, accurate, specific, and highly sensitive, and can be used for the simultaneous and rapid determination of five residual solvents in ursodeoxycholic acid raw materials.

Ultrasound computed tomography (USCT) has been developed for breast tumor screening. The sound-speed modal of USCT can provide quantitative sound-speed values to help tumor diagnosis. Time-of-flight (TOF) is the critical input in sound-speed reconstruction. However, we found that the missing data problem in the detected TOF causes artifacts on the reconstructed sound-speed images, which may affect the tumor identification. In this study, to address the missing TOF data problem, we first adopted the singular value threshold (SVT) algorithm to complete the TOF matrix. The threshold value in SVT is difficult to determine, so we proposed a selection strategy, that is, to enumerate the threshold values as the multiples of the maximum singular value of the incomplete matrix and then evaluate the image quality to select the proper threshold value. In the numerical breast phantom experiment, the artifacts are eliminated, and the accuracy is higher than the accuracy of the compared methods. In the in vivo experiment, we reconstructed the sound-speed image of the breast of a volunteer with invasive breast cancer, and the SVT algorithm improved the image sharpness. The completion of DTOF based on SVT gives better accuracy than the compared methods, but too large a threshold value decreases the accuracy. In the future, the selection method of the threshold value needs further research, and more USCT cases should be included in the experiments.

Motor Imagery EEG (MI-EEG) classification plays an important role in different Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) systems. Recently, deep learning has been widely used in the MI-EEG classification tasks, however this technology requires a large number of labeled training samples which are difficult to obtain, and insufficient labeled training samples will result in a degradation of the classification performance. To address the degradation problem, we investigate a Self-Supervised Learning (SSL) based MI-EEG classification method to reduce the dependence on a large number of labeled training samples. The proposed method includes a pretext task and a downstream classification one. In the pretext task, each MI-EEG is rearranged according to the temporal characteristic. A network is pre-trained using the original and rearranged MI-EEGs. In the downstream task, a MI-EEG classification network is firstly initialized by the network learned in the pretext task and then trained using a small number of the labeled training samples. A series of experiments are conducted on Data sets 1 and 2b of BCI competition IV and IVa of BCI competition III. In the case of one third of the labeled training samples, the proposed method can obtain an obvious improvement compared to the baseline network without using SSL. In the experiments under different percentages of the labeled training samples, the results show that the designed SSL strategy is effective and beneficial to improving the classification performance.

Prefabricated pavement is increasingly applied worldwide due to the rapid construction on-site. This paper presents a state-of-the-art review of the precast systems and assembly connection of concrete slabs, as well as the precast pavement features. The previous research indicates that: (1) both super-slab and Michigan systems are recommended with the satisfied road performance close to the cast-in-place; (2) flexible base material is suggested for the fabricated pavement for the satisfied leveling and stress distribution; (3) to prevent the voiding phenomenon of the fabricated pavement, the sand cushion course, dry mixed mortar or self-leveling mortar, and other flowable materials could be used for the secondary leveling of the base after the pavement splicing; (4) two-direction dowel bars are recommended for slab connections of the fabricated pavement, which helps to improve the load transfer capacity of the joints and enhance the durability of the fabricated pavement structure; (5) the sealing treatment of precast slab joints needs strengthening to reduce the impact of surface runoff on the base course; (6) the further research focuses are designing with functional, composite, mechanized, intelligent, lightweight, and flexible pavement slabs. Besides, pavement mechanical properties induced by temperature overlapping traffic loads need to be revealed.

Measurement(s) transcriptomic datasets of neural stem cells Technology Type(s) Next-Generation Sequencing(NGS) • third-generation full-length sequencing(TGS) Sample Characteristic - Organism Mus musculus Sample Characteristic - Environment laboratory facility Sample Characteristic - Location China

To meet the progressively stringent demands for trajectory tracking performance in precision/ ultra-precision industry, multiple advanced feedforward compensation strategies have been reported in recent years. However, there is no fair and comprehensive performance comparison of advantages and drawbacks of various methods under different industrial working conditions. In this paper, a comparative study of several performance-oriented feedforward strategies represented by standard iterative learning control (ILC), cascaded ILC (CILC), gated recurrent units based feedforward compensation (GRU-FFC), and real-time iterative compensation (RIC) has been systematically conducted by theoretical clarification and experimental verification. Various trajectory tracking tasks are accomplished on a precision mechatronic motion stage, and the tracking performances to be examined include (i) tracking accuracy; (ii) extrapolation capability for non-repetitive trajectories; (iii) disturbance rejection ability. Experimental results are sufficiently summarized with the combination of underlying control mechanism analysis, which can provide a comprehensive and reliable selection guidance of feedforward compensation strategies in different practical industrial scenarios.

Abstract Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and squamous carcinoma (LUSC) are two major subtypes of non-small cell lung cancer with distinct pathologic features and treatment paradigms. The heterogeneity can be attributed to genetic, transcriptional, and epigenetic parameters. Here, we established a multi-omics atlas, integrating 52 single-cell RNA sequencing and 2342 public bulk RNA sequencing. We investigated their differences in genetic amplification, cellular compositions, and expression modules. We revealed that LUAD and LUSC contained amplifications occurring selectively in subclusters of AT2 and basal cells, and had distinct cellular composition modules associated with poor survival of lung cancer. Malignant and stage-specific gene analyses further uncovered critical transcription factors and genes in tumor progression. Moreover, we identified subclusters with proliferating and differentiating properties in AT2 and basal cells. Overexpression assays of ten genes, including sub-cluster markers AQP5 and KPNA2, further indicated their functional roles, providing potential targets for early diagnosis and treatment in lung cancer.

As for the tight sandstones, pore-scale fluid flow ability is one of the most fundamental parameters that determine potential development capacity when compared to conventional reservoirs due to relatively tiny spaces. The determination of pore-throat structures and their impact on fluid flow behavior could improve the forecast ability for development. Therefore, the main purpose of this paper is to study the effects of differences in microscopic pore structures on moveable fluid saturation in tight sandstone reservoirs. Casting thin sections (CTS), scanning electron microscope (SEM), constant-rate mercury injection (CRMI), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), etc. are used as experimental methods to qualitatively describe the differences in accumulation space types and to quantitatively compare and analyze the differences in microscopic pore structures between reservoirs for Chang 6 formation in the Jiyuan and Heshui areas. The different characteristic parameters are chosen to analyze their correlations with moveable fluid saturation. Thus, as a result, due to good correlations with moveable fluid saturation, parameters such as throat radius, pore-throat radius ratio, and pore-throat amount allocation ratio are chosen to characterize the differences in microscopic pore structures between reservoirs in those areas. Differences in throat radius, pore-throat radius ratio, and a pore-throat amount allocation ratio of microscopic pore structure of Chang 6 members in these two areas have led to differences in moveable fluid saturation to some extent. This research provided the evidence about the coupling law between pore-scale fluid flow capacity and pore-throat configuration in tight sandstone reservoirs, and the results can provide theoretical guidance for field development of oil and gas fields.

Measurement(s) short term hematopoietic stem cell • long term hematopoietic stem cell • multipotent stem cell Technology Type(s) RNA sequencing Factor Type(s) read length Sample Characteristic - Organism Mus musculus Machine-accessible metadata file describing the reported data: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.16759069

Abstract. Background:. Shenque (CV8) acupoint is located on the navel and has been therapeutically used for more than 2000 years in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). However, clinical research on the underlying therapeutic molecular mechanisms of the CV8 acupoint lags far behind. This study aimed to study the mechanisms of umbilical acupoint therapy by using stem cells. Methods:. The morphological characteristics of CV8 acupoint were detected under a stereomicroscope using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. Oil Red, Masson, and immunohistochemical staining on multi-layered slices were used to identify the type of cells at the CV8 acupoint. Cell proliferation was measured by a cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) method. Flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry were used for cell identification. Induced differentiation was used to compare the differentiation of cells derived from CV8 acupoint and non-acupoint somatic stem cells into other cell types, such as osteogenic, adipogenic, and neural stem cell-like cells. Results:. Morphological observations showed that adipose tissues at the linea alba of the CV8 acupoint in mice had a mass-like distribution. Immunohistochemical staining confirmed the distribution of stem cell antigen-1 (Sca-1) positive cells in the multi-layered slices of CV8 acupoint tissues. Cells isolated from adipose tissues at the CV8 acupoint exhibited high expression of Sca-1 and CD44 and low expression of CD31 and CD34, and these cells possessed osteogenic, adipogenic, and neurogenic stem cell-like cell differentiation ability. The cell proliferation (day 4: 0.5138 ± 0.0111 vs. 0.4107 ± 0.0180, t = 8.447, P = 0.0011; day 5: 0.6890 ± 0.0070 vs. 0.5520 ± 0.0118, t = 17.310, P 100 μm: 2.6000 ± 0.5477 vs. 0.8000 ± 0.8367, t = 4.025, P = 0.0038) were significantly enhanced in somatic stem cells derived from the CV8 acupoint compared to somatic stem cells from the groin non-acupoint. However, cells possessed significantly weaker osteogenicity ([2.697 ± 0.627]% vs. [7.254 ± 0.958]%, t = 6.893, P = 0.0023) in the CV8 acupoint group. Conclusions:. Our study showed that CV8 acupoint was rich with adipose tissues that contained abundant somatic stem cells. The biological examination of somatic stem cells derived from the CV8 acupoint provided novel insights for future research on the mechanisms of umbilical therapy.

Abstract. Background:. Functional mitral regurgitation (FMR) is common in critically ill patients and may cause left atrial (LA) pressure elevation. This study aims to explore the prognostic impact of synergistic LA pressure elevation and FMR in patients with shock. Methods:. We retrospectively screened 130 consecutive patients of 175 patients with shock from April 2016 to June 2017. The incidence and impact of FMR and early diastolic transmitral velocity to early mitral annulus diastolic velocity ratio (E/e’) ≥ 4 within 6 h of shock on the prognosis of patients were evaluated. Finally, the synergistic effect of FMR and E/e’ were assessed by combination, grouping, and trend analyses. Results:. Forty-four patients (33.8%) had FMR, and 15 patients (11.5%) had E/e’ elevation. A multivariate analysis revealed FMR and E/e’ as independent correlated factors for 28-day mortality (P = 0.043 and 0.028, respectively). The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed a significant difference in survival between patients with and without FMR (χ2 = 7.672, P = 0.006) and between the E/e’ ≥ 14 and E/e’ < 14 groups (χ2 = 19.351, P

AIM: To analyze the etiology and clinical characteristics of patients with vitreous hemorrhage, and to provide a scientific evidence for the clinical diagnosis, treatment and prevention of vitreous hemorrhage. METHODS: We has collected and investigate 1 413 cases(1 437 eyes)from March 2013 to November 2019 in the Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, which had treated with vitreous hemorrhage as initial diagnosis and under-went pars plana vitrectomy(PPV)treatment.RESULTS: Among 1 437 eyes with vitreous hemorrhage, the major causes of vitreous hemorrhage were proliferative diabetic retinopathy(PDR)(37.72%), retinal vein occlusion(RVO)(27.00%), and ocular trauma(13.15%). Analysis of the etiology of the age group, among 308 eyes in the youth group, the main causes were ocular trauma(35.06%), PDR(22.73%)and Ealse disease(11.69%); 590 eyes in the middle-aged group. Based on the affected eyes, the main causes were PDR(45.08%), RVO(28.98%)and ocular trauma(10.00%); From 539 eyes in the elderly group, the main cause was PDR(38.22%)and RVO(34.69%)and retinal tears and retinal detachment(RT/RD)(7.05%). There were significant differences in the etiology of each age group(P=0.003). Gender etiology analysis showed that among 859 males with vitreous hemorrhage, the top 3 pathogenic factors were PDR(36.32%), RVO(21.65%)and ocular trauma(18.98%); among 578 female eyes, the main causes were respectively for PDR(39.79%), RVO(34.95%)and RT/RD(6.92%), there was a significant difference in etiology between males and females(P

Abstract The absolute dominant species that infests wild population of Przewalski’s horse (Equus przewalskii) is Gasterophilus pecorum, and feces of released Przewalski’s horse, a habitat odor, plays an important role in mating and ovipositing locations of G. pecorum. To screen out unique volatiles for attracting G. pecorum, volatiles from fresh feces of released horses at stages of pre-oviposition (PREO), oviposition (OVIP), and post-oviposition (POSO) of G. pecorum, and feces with three different freshness states (i.e., Fresh, Semi-fresh, and Dry) at OVIP were collected by dynamic headspace adsorption and determined by automatic thermal desorption GC–MS. Results show that there were significant differences in fecal volatiles within both test conditions. Of the five most abundant volatiles from the five individual samples, the most important volatile was ammonium acetate at OVIP/Fresh, followed by acetophenone (Semi-fresh), toluene (PREO, OVIP and POSO), butanoic acid (OVIP and Semi-fresh), acetic acid (PREO, POSO and Semi-fresh), 1,6-octadiene,3,7-dimethyl-,(S)- (PREO, OVIP and POSO), 1,5,9-undecatriene,2,6,10-trimethyl-,(Z)- (PREO and Semi-fresh) and caprolactam (all conditions), which seem to be critical substances in oviposition process of G. pecorum. The findings may be beneficial to development of G. pecorum attractants, facilitating prevention and control of infection by G. pecorum to released Przewalski’s horse.

AbstractFine-scale meiotic recombination is fundamental to the outcome of natural and artificial selection. Here, dense genetic mapping and haplotype reconstruction were used to estimate recombination for a full factorial Populus trichocarpaNArabidopsis

In this study, a series of trifluoromethyl pyrimidine derivatives 5a-5v were designed and synthesized. All synthetic compounds were original. Bioassay results showed that some of the target compounds were proved to have higher antiviral and antifungal activities than those of commercial agents. Especially, EC50 values of the curative activity of compound 5j and the protection activity of compound 5m were 126.4 and 103.4 µg/mL, respectively, which were lower than that of ningnanmycin. Microscale thermophoresis experiment proved that there was a good interaction between compound 5m and TMV-CP. Meanwhile, the antifungal activity results showed that compound 5u had a significant on in vitro against Rhizoctonia solani (RS) activity, with the EC50 value of 26.0 µg/mL, which was equal to that of azoxystrobin. As well, in vivo experiments on rice leaves showed that compound 5u could effectively control RS, and the effect of 5u on the cell morphology of RS was observed by scanning electron microscopy.

The advantages of the proposed novel magnetic energy-harvesting suspension (MEHS) are high safety, compact structure and convenient maintenance, compared with the previous studies. However, the force generated by the energy harvester with harvesting energy can affect the motion of the mechanical system. Therefore, this paper aims to analyze the ride comfort and road handling of the MEHS, and investigates the dynamic performance of the MEHS. Firstly, the structure and the working principle of the MEHS are illustrated and introduced, and the dynamic mechanism of the quarter-vehicle with the MEHS is revealed and investigated. Secondly, the effects of the electromechanical coupling coefficient and external load resistance on the dynamic performance are investigated by numerical calculation. An experimental setup is established to verify the dynamic performance of the proposed MEHS. According to the experimental results, the dynamic performance of the suspension is contradictory with the increase of the external load resistance at the periodic frequency 7 Hz. And compared with the passive suspension, the dynamic performance of the MEHS is changed at various excitations, in which the sprung displacement and relative dynamic load of the tire of MEHS at the periodic frequency 3.3 Hz are reduced by 39.45% and 41.18%, respectively. Overall, the external load resistance of the proposed MEHS can be utilized to realize the variable damping of the suspension system and reduce the effect of vibration on the suspension system at the resonance frequency. And the dynamic performance has been verified in the laboratory, which lays the foundation for the dynamic analysis in a real vehicle.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of O-carboxymethyl chitosan coating on microbiological, physiochemical, and water characteristics of Mongolian cheese during refrigerated storage. O-carboxymethyl chitosan coatings, particularly at 1.5%, improved cheese preservation by significantly inhibiting microbial growth, reducing changes in protein and non-protein nitrogen, and preserving pH and titratable acidity. For texture profile analysis (TPA), the hardness, gumminess, and chewiness in O-CMC treatments were significantly more stable than those in the control during storage. In addition, the relaxation component and image of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) were used to analyze the internal water mobility of the cheese during storage. Compared with other treatments, the 1.5% O-carboxymethyl chitosan coating had the best overall preserving effect during storage. O-carboxymethyl chitosan coating could be used in cheese preservation applications and could extend the shelf life of Mongolian cheese. The cheese coated with 1.5% O-carboxymethyl chitosan coating ranked the highest in acceptability at the end of the storage period.