Search

The complex mechanical and damage mechanisms of rocks are intricately tied to their diverse mineral compositions and the formation of pores and cracks under external loads. Numerous rock tests reveal a complex interplay between the closure of porous defects and the propagation of induced cracks, presenting challenges in accurately representing their mechanical properties, especially under true triaxial stress conditions. This paper proposes a conceptualization of rock at the mesoscopic level as a two-phase composite, consisting of a bonded medium matrix and frictional medium inclusions. The bonded medium is characterized as a mesoscopic elastic material, encompassing various minerals surrounding porous defects. Its mechanical properties are determined using the mixed multi-inclusion method. Transformation of the bonded medium into the frictional medium occurs through crack extension, with its elastoplastic properties defined by the Drucker–Prager yield criterion, accounting for hardening, softening, and extension. Mori–Tanaka and Eshelby’s equivalent inclusion methods are applied to the bonded and frictional media, respectively. The macroscopic mechanical properties of the rock are derived from these mesoscopic media. Consequently, a True Triaxial Macro-Mesoscopic (TTMM) constitutive model is developed. This model effectively captures the competitive effect and accurately describes the stress-deformation characteristics of granite. Utilizing the TTMM model, the strains resulting from porous defect closure and induced crack extension are differentiated, enabling quantitative determination of the associated damage evolution.

Abstract Background Owing to the widespread use of chemical pesticides to control agricultural pests, pesticide tolerance has become a serious problem. In recent years, it has been found that symbiotic bacteria are related to pesticides tolerance. To investigate the potential role of microorganisms in the pesticide tolerance of Chilo suppressalis, this study was conducted. Results The insect was fed with tetracycline and cefixime as the treatment group (TET and CFM, respectively), and did not add antibiotics in the control groups (CK). The 16S rDNA sequencing results showed that antibiotics reduced the diversity of C. suppressalis symbiotic microorganisms but did not affect their growth and development. In bioassays of the three C. suppressalis groups (TET, CFM, and CK), a 72 h LC50 fitting curve was calculated to determine whether long-term antibiotic feeding leads to a decrease in pesticide resistance. The CK group of C. suppressalis was used to determine the direct effect of antibiotics on pesticide tolerance using a mixture of antibiotics and pesticides. Indirect evidence suggests that antibiotics themselves did not affect the pesticide tolerance of C. suppressalis. The results confirmed that feeding C. suppressalis cefixime led to a decrease in the expression of potential tolerance genes to chlorantraniliprole. Conclusions This study reveals the impact of antibiotic induced changes in symbiotic microorganisms on the pesticide tolerance of C. suppressalis, laying the foundation for studying the interaction between C. suppressalis and microorganisms, and also providing new ideas for the prevention and control of C. suppressalis and the creation of new pesticides.

For projects near the tectonic belt, mylonite of varying metamorphic degrees may be present. The matrix proportion of rock reflects its internal microscopic characteristics, thus it is beneficial for engineering geology to study the effect of the matrix proportion on the mechanical properties and rupture behaviors of rock. Samples of mylonitic granite and granitic protomylonite with varying matrix proportions were obtained from a ductile shear zone for a series of uniaxial compression and acoustic emission (AE) tests. The results showed that with the increase in matrix proportion, the average strength and elastic modulus of the samples increased, and the rock sample with the largest matrix proportion exhibited the maximum peak stress of 244.42 MPa, which was 45.86% greater than the average peak stress of the rock samples with the smallest matrix proportions. For the rock samples with larger matrix proportion, their mechanical parameters exhibited greater dispersion and the large-scale appearance of AE events occurred earlier, showing a relatively gradual failure process. These samples had larger accumulated AE parameter values and greater degree of failure. In contrast, for samples with smaller matrix proportions, the large-scale appearance of AE events occurred close to the peak stress, indicating that the occurrence of damage and fractures was centralized and instantaneous. These samples had lower accumulated AE parameter values and fewer cracks after failure. Additionally, for the rock samples with more matrix proportion, the average variance of the b-value was 1.1, which was lower than that of rock samples with the smallest matrix proportion (the average variance of the b-value was 3.7). Furthermore, it can be predicted that under certain stress, the failure depth around a tunnel is generally smaller when the strength of rock samples with larger matrix proportion is greater.

Abstract Background Treating the coronal dens invaginatus (CDI) with pulp infection commonly involves the removal of invagination, which increases the risk of perforation and fracture, and compromises the tooth structure. Minimally invasive endodontic management of CDI is highly recommended. This report describes two cases of type II CDI with the application of personalized templates. Case presentation Two cases of type II CDI, affecting the main root canal in a maxillary canine and a lateral incisor, were diagnosed. A guided endodontics (GE) approach was applied. Cone-beam computed tomography and intraoral scans were imported and aligned in a virtual planning software to design debridement routes and templates. The MICRO principle (which involves the aspects of Mechanical (M) debridement, Irrigation (I), Access cavities (C), Rectilinear routes (R), and Obstruction (O)) was proposed for designing optimal debridement routes for future applications. The templates were innovatively personalized and designed to preserve the tooth structure maximally while effectively debriding the root canal. Root canal treatment with supplementary disinfection was then performed. The follow-up of the two patients revealed favorable clinical and radiographic outcomes. Conclusions The GE approach could be a feasible method for preserving healthy dental structure while effectively debriding the root canal, thereby achieving successful and minimally invasive endodontic treatment for CDI.

With the accelerated evolution of digital technologies such as big data, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence, the trends of intelligence, informatization, and digitization have become imminent across various domains. Deep earth engineering, as a major strategic scientific and technological issue for the nation, is inevitably poised for intelligent upgrades. However, the complex characteristics of “three highs and one disturbance” in deep rock masses pose some severe challenges to the intelligent transformation of deep earth engineering. In order to achieve an efficient integration of deep earth engineering and digital technology, this study focuses on the intelligent practice path based on “perception, transmission, interpretation, analysis, decision”. The representative research progress in intelligent perception, real-time transmission, information interpretation, data analysis, intelligent decision-making and other fields in underground engineering is systematically reviewed, and the targeted development directions for deep earth engineering intelligent development are proposed, including multi perception, fast response, big data, optimal methods, precise models, strong platforms and easy promotion. Research findings indicate that ① The cutting-edge deep earth engineering perception technologies include fiber optic sensors, MEMS sensors, computer vision, automated robots, etc. After data collection is completed, the real-time response of data is achieved through the wireless communication protocols that combine the advantages of simple configuration, strong fault tolerance, and good mobility, in order to achieve an accurate collection and real-time transmission of deep earth engineering monitoring data. ② Deep earth engineering survey technology yields data types such as images, waves, and point clouds. Numerous models for interpreting and analyzing raw data exist. The application of next-generation artificial intelligence technologies, such as artificial neural networks and deep learning, significantly improves the efficiency of interpretation and analysis. ③ The intelligent decision-making system possesses efficient learning capabilities, adapting to the uncertainty in complex environments through cyclic autonomous learning to provide intelligent solutions for decision-making problems. Currently, China’s policies and industrial systems for the intelligent construction in the deep earth engineering have been essentially established, with a plethora of intelligent construction systems already applied in practical settings. Building upon this foundation, the study envisions the development direction of digital deep earth engineering in four aspects: intelligent collection and information interpretation, surrounding rock evaluation and safety assessment, surrounding rock control and dynamic repair, and platform development and application promotion. Furthermore, a comprehensive evaluation and analysis system for surrounding rock stability of deep earth engineering based on multi-source information is constructed.

Abstract Purpose We aimed to compare the therapeutic effect of radiotherapy (RT) plus systemic therapy (ST) with RT alone in patients with simple brain metastasis (BM) after first-line treatment of limited-stage small cell lung cancer (LS-SCLC). Methods The patients were treated at a single center from January 2011 to January 2022. BM only without metastases to other organs was defined as simple BM. The eligible patients were divided into RT alone (monotherapy arm) and RT plus ST (combined therapy arm). Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards analyses were used to examine factors associated with increased risk of extracranial progression. After 1:1 propensity score matching analysis, two groups were compared for extracranial progression-free survival (ePFS), PFS, overall survival (OS), and intracranial PFS (iPFS). Results 133 patients were identified and 100 were analyzed (monotherapy arm: n = 50, combined therapy arm: n = 50). The ePFS of the combined therapy was significantly longer than that of the monotherapy, with a median ePFS of 13.2 months (95% CI, 6.6–19.8) in combined therapy and 8.2 months (95% CI, 5.7–10.7) in monotherapy (P = 0.04). There were no statistically significant differences in PFS (P = 0.057), OS (P = 0.309), or iPFS (P = 0.448). Multifactorial analysis showed that combined therapy was independently associated with better ePFS compared with monotherapy (HR = 0.617, P = 0.034); more than 5 BMs were associated with worse ePFS compared with 1–5 BMs (HR = 1.808, P = 0.012). Conclusions Compared with RT alone, combined therapy improves ePFS in patients with simple BM after first-line treatment of LS-SCLC. Combined therapy and 1–5 BMs reduce the risk of extracranial recurrence.

A sensitive and reliable method was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of 6 carbamate pesticides and relevant metabolites based on the modified fast QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe) method combined with ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). The method was also applied in the analysis of 23 commonly consumed oilseeds and oil samples. The sample was extracted with acetonitrile for three times and then the extracted solution was filtered directly through 250 mg precipitated silica adsorbent (PSA) and 250 mg C18. The mobile phase was water (containing 0.1% formic acid) and acetonitrile. The external standard protocols were adopted to validate the method in terms of recovery, linearity, precision, sensitivity, and relative standard deviation (RSD) under the optimized conditions. The linear calibration curves with different ranges were established with R2 > 0.997 3, limit of detections (LODs) ranged from 0.100 µg/kg to 2.000 µg/kg and limit of quantitations (LOQs) ranged from 0.300 µg/kg to 6.000 µg/kg. The limit of detection meets the detection requirement for the maximum residue limits in practical samples. Meanwhile, the recoveries ranged from 60.2% to 116.6% with associated RSDs ranged from 0.33% to 5.35% in 10 oilseeds matrices and ranged from 61.9% to 116.9% with RSDs ranged from 0.30% to 5.02% in 13 oil matrices. These features do make the UPLC-MS/MS an ideal analytical platform for accurate and high throughput analysis of carbamates residues in the complex matrix.

To reveal the dynamic mechanical characteristics of deep rocks, a series of impact tests under triaxial static stress states corresponding to depths of 300–2400 m were conducted. The results showed that both the strain rates and the stress environments in depth significantly affect the mechanical characteristics of rocks. The sensitivity of strain rate to the dynamic strength and deformation modulus shows a negative correlation with depth, indicating that producing penetrative cracks in deep environments is more difficult when damage occurs. The dynamic strength shows a tendency to decrease and then increase slightly, but decreases sharply finally. Transmissivity demonstrates a similar trend as that of strength, whereas reflectivity indicates the opposite trend. Furthermore, two critical depths with high dynamically induced hazard possibilities based on the China Jinping Underground Laboratory (CJPL) were proposed for deep engineering. The first critical depth is 600–900 m, beyond which the sensitivity of rock dynamic characteristics to the strain rate and restraint of circumferential stress decrease, causing instability of surrounding rocks under axial stress condition. The second one lies at 1500–1800 m, where the wave impedance and dynamic strength of deep surrounding rocks drop sharply, and the dissipation energy presents a negative value. It suggests that the dynamic instability of deep surrounding rocks can be divided into dynamic load dominant and dynamic load induced types, depending on the second critical depth.

Abstract Background: Suicide is the second leading cause of death for adolescents in the United States. However, relatively little is known about the forms of atypical neuro-cognitive function that are correlates of suicidal ideation (SI). One form of cognitive/affective function that, when dysfunctional, is associated with SI is emotion regulation. However, very little work has investigated the neural correlates of emotion dysregulation in adolescents with SI. Methods: Participants (N = 111 aged 12-18, 32 females, 31 [27.9%] reporting SI) were recruited shortly after their arrival at a residential care facility where they had been referred for behavioral and mental health problems. Daily reports of SI were collected during the participants’ first 90-days in residential care. Participants were presented with a task-fMRI measure of emotion regulation – the Affective Number Stroop task shortly after recruitment. Participants were divided into two groups matched for age, sex and IQ based on whether they demonstrated SI. Results: Participants who demonstrated SI showed increased recruitment of regions including dorsomedial prefrontal cortex/supplemental motor area and parietal cortex during task (congruent and incongruent) relative to view trials in the context of emotional relative to neutral distracters. Conclusions: Participants with SI showed increased recruitment of regions implicated in executive control during the performance of a task indexing automatic emotion regulation. Such data might suggest a relative inefficiency in the recruitment of these regions in individuals with SI.

The deep earth, deep sea, and deep space are the main parts of the national “three deep” strategy, which is in the forefront of the strategic deployment clearly defined in China’s 14th Five-Year Plan (2021–2025) and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035. It is important to reveal the evolutionary process and mechanism of deep tectonics to understand the earth’s past, present and future. The academic connotation of Geology in Time has been given for the first time, which refers to the multi-field evolution response process of geological bodies at different time and spatial scales caused by geological processes inside and outside the Earth. Based on the deep in situ detection space and the unique geological environment of China Jinping Underground Laboratory, the scientific issue of the correlation mechanism and law between deep internal time-varying and shallow geological response is given attention. Innovative research and frontier exploration on deep underground in situ geo-information detection experiments for Geology in Time are designed to be carried out, which will have the potential to explore the driving force of Geology in Time, reveal essential laws of deep earth science, and explore innovative technologies in deep underground engineering.

Abstract Background Gastric cancer is a highly prevalent cancer type and the underlying molecular mechanisms are not fully understood. Ubiquitin-specific peptidase (USP) 29 has been suggested to regulate cell fate in several types of cancer, but its potential role in gastric carcinogenesis remains unclear. Methods The expression of USP29 in normal and gastric cancer tissues was analyzed by bioinformatics analysis, immunohistochemistry and immunoblot. Gene overexpression, CRISPR-Cas9 technology, RNAi, and Usp29 knockout mice were used to investigate the roles of USP29 in cell culture, xenograft, and benzo[a]pyrene (BaP)-induced gastric carcinogenesis models. We then delineated the underlying mechanisms using mass spectrometry, co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP), immunoblot, ubiquitination assay, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), and luciferase assays. Results In this study, we found that USP29 expression was significantly upregulated in gastric cancers and associated with poor patient survival. Ectopic expression of USP29 promoted, while depletion suppressed the tumor growth in vitro and in vivo mouse model. Mechanistically, transcription factor far upstream element binding protein 1 (FUBP1) directly activates USP29 gene transcription, which then interacts with and stabilizes aurora kinase B (AURKB) by suppressing K48-linked polyubiquitination, constituting a FUBP1-USP29-AURKB regulatory axis that medicates the oncogenic role of USP29. Importantly, systemic knockout of Usp29 in mice not only significantly decreased the BaP-induced carcinogenesis but also suppressed the Aurkb level in forestomach tissues. Conclusions These findings uncovered a novel FUBP1-USP29-AURKB regulatory axis that may play important roles in gastric carcinogenesis and tumor progression, and suggested that USP29 may become a promising drug target for cancer therapy.

Introduction: The present study investigated the role of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) GABPB1-IT1 in ischemia-induced acute kidney injury (AKI). Methods: The expression of GABPB1-IT1 in plasma of patients with ischemia-induced AKI and healthy controls was detected by RT-qPCR. GABPB1-IT1 and miR-204-5p were overexpressed in human renal proximal tubular epithelial cells (HRPTEpCs), followed by RT-qPCR to assess the overexpression effect and the regulatory relationship between GABPB1-IT1 and miR-204-5p. Methylation-specific PCR (MSP) was performed to assess the promoter methylation status of miR-204-5p. Additionally, cell apoptosis assay was carried out to evaluate the correlation between miR-204-5p and GABPB1-IT1 in the context of hypoxia-induced apoptosis of HRPTEpCs. Results: GABPB1-IT1 was upregulated in plasma of patients with ischemia-induced AKI. In HRPTEpCs, hypoxia upregulated the expression of GABPB1-IT1. MiR-204-5p was downregulated in ischemia-induced AKI, and the expression of miR-204-5p was inversely correlated with GABPB1-IT1. In HRPTEpCs, overexpression of GABPB1-IT1 decreased the expression levels of miR-204-5p and increased miR-204-5p gene methylation. In addition, overexpression of GABPB1-IT1 reduced the inhibitory effects of miR-204-5p on the apoptosis of HRPTEpC induced by hypoxia. Furthermore, overexpression of GABPB1-IT1 promoted kidney injury, renal tissue injury scores, and the level of serum creatinine. However, miR-204-5p had the opposite effect. Conclusion: GABPB1-IT1 was upregulated in ischemia-induced AKI and may induce hypoxia-induced apoptosis of HRPTEpC by methylation of miR-204-5p.

Abstract Cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (CI/R) injury is a clinical conundrum during the treatment of ischemic stroke. Cell-derived exosomes (CDE) were proved to be therapeutically effective for CI/R injury. However, production of CDE is time and effort consuming. Increasing studies reported that plants can also generate exosome-like nanoparticles (ELN) which are therapeutically effective and have higher yield compared with CDE. In this study, a commonly used Chinese herb Panax notoginseng (PN), whose active ingredients were well-documented in the treatment of CI/R injury, was chosen as a source of ELNs. It was found that Panax notoginseng derived exosome like nanoparticles (PDN) could enter the brain without modification and ameliorate cerebral infarct volume, improve behavior outcome and maintained the integrity of BBB. PDNs attenuated CI/R injury by altering the phenotype of microglia from “pro-inflammation” M1 type to “anti-inflammation” M2 type. Also, we found that lipids from PDNs were the major therapeutic effective component. As a mechanism of action, PDN was proved to exert therapeutic effect via activating pI3k/Akt pathway. Graphical Abstract

With the depletion of shallow resources, the exploration of deep earth resources has become a global strategy. The study of the different patterns in the physical mechanical properties of rocks at different occurrence depths is the basis for exploring deep into the earth, with the core and premise being the acquisition and testing of deep in-situ core specimens. Based on the original idea of deep in-situ condition preserved coring (ICP-Coring) and testing, combined with theoretical modeling, numerical analysis, test platform development, indoor testing and engineering application, the principles and technologies of deep ICP-Coring are developed. This principle and technology consists of five parts: in-situ pressure-preserved coring (IPP-Coring), in-situ substance-preserved coring (ISP-Coring), in-situ temperature-preserved coring (ITP-Coring), in-situ light-preserved coring (ILP-Coring), and in-situ moisture-preserved coring (IMP-Coring). The theory and technology of temperature and pressure reconstruction at different occurrence depths and in different environments are proposed, and prototype trial production was completed by following the principle of displacement and tests based on the in-situ reconstructed environment. The notable advances are as follows: (1) Deep in-situ coring system: A pressure-preserved controller with an ultimate bearing capacity greater than 140 MPa, high-performance (temperature-resistant, pressure-resistant, and low thermally conductive) temperature-preserved materials, an active temperature control system, and high-barrier quality-preserved membrane materials were developed; a deep ICP-Coring capacity calibration platform was independently developed, a deep in-situ coring technology system was developed, and the acquisition of deep in-situ cores was realized. (2) In-situ storage displacement system: Following the dual-circuit hydraulic design idea, a single-drive source push-pull composite grabbing mechanism was designed; the design of the overall structure for the deep in-situ displacement storage system and ultrahigh pressure cabin structure was completed, which could realize docking the coring device and core displacement in the in-situ reconstructed environment. (3) Test analysis system: A noncontact acoustic-electric-magnetic test system was developed under the in-situ reconstructed environment, and the errors between the test results and traditional contact test results were mostly less than 10%; a detachable deep in-situ core true triaxial test system was developed, which could perform loading tests for deep in-situ cores. The relevant technological achievements were successfully applied to the exploration and development of deep resources, such as deep mines, deep-sea natural gas hydrates, and deep oil and gas. The research results provide technical and equipment support for the construction of a theoretical system for deep in-situ rock mechanics, the development of deep earth resources and energy, and the scientific exploration of different layers and occurrence depths (deep and ultradeep) of the Earth.

To systematically validate and calibrate the theory and technology of the deep in-situ condition-preserved coring, the in-situ conditions at different depths should be simulated, and the full-size coring tests should be carried out in this simulated environment. Therefore, a deep-rock in-situ condition-preserved coring calibration platform was designed and developed. The self-tightening sealing structure and the quick-disassembly structure were designed on the basis of an innovative segmented nonuniform-diameter structure, which was a breakthrough from the traditional high-pressure vessel frame and was verified by finite element simulation and actual testing under extreme working conditions, respectively. To simulate the actual deep in-situ environment with a temperature of 150 °C and pressure of 140 MPa for a large Φ450 mm×H1400 mm core, temperature and pressure control systems were designed by coupling, and a pre-embedded high-pressure-resistant temperature sensor was designed. Finally, high-precision assembly automation, complex movement coordination of the coring device with the platform, and rotary dynamic sealing were achieved by utilizing the combination of adaptive cabin body servo control and an adaptive mechanical structure in a limited space, laying a solid foundation for the calibration of in-situ condition-preserved coring.

Abstract Background Conduct disorder (CD) involves a group of behavioral and emotional problems that usually begins during childhood or adolescence. Structural brain alterations have been observed in CD, including the amygdala, insula, ventrolateral and medial prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, and fusiform gyrus. The current study developed a multivariate generalized linear model (GLM) to differentiate adolescents with CD from typically developing (TD) adolescents in terms of grey matter volume (GMV). Methods The whole‐brain structural MRI data were collected from 96 adolescents with CD (mean age = $$16.188\pm 1.259$$ 16.188 ± 1.259 years; mean IQ = $$104.292\pm 8.107$$ 104.292 ± 8.107 ; 63 males) and 90 TD individuals (mean age = $$15.956\pm 1.506$$ 15.956 ± 1.506 years; mean IQ = $$106.622\pm 9.076$$ 106.622 ± 9.076 ; 59 males) matched on age, IQ, and sex. Region-wise GMV was extracted following whole-brain parcellation into 68 cortical and 14 subcortical regions for each participant. A multivariate GLM was developed to predict the GMV of the pre-hypothesized regions-of-interest (ROIs) based on CD diagnosis, with intracranial volume, age, sex, and IQ serving as the covariate. Results A diagnosis of CD was a significant predictor for GMV in the right pars orbitalis, right insula, right superior temporal gyrus, left fusiform gyrus, and left amygdala (F (1, 180) = 5.460–10.317, p

Deep earth science in the 21st century has entered a new stage of development. The laws of deep earth science have not yet been explored. Deep engineering activities generally have a certain degree of blindness, inefficiency and uncertainty, and the endogenous dynamics of the Earth’s deep part, structural evolutionary laws, and disaster-causing mechanisms need to be further cognised. Therefore, this paper firstly defines deep earth science from the perspective of geoscience: the deep and ultra-deep layers of the earth are the research objects from the shallow earth to the deep, aiming at exploring the scientific mysteries of the earth’s different layers and different depths of the earth (deep and ultra-deep); clarifies the difference and connection between the deep earth science and the earth science: that is to say, the deep earth science is an extension of the known knowledge system of the earth science, and it is the national strategic science and technology direction to expand the scientific horizons, and to deepen the earth’s cognition. It is a national strategic scientific and technological direction to expand scientific vision and deepen earth knowledge, which is included in earth science; it defines the essence of deep and deep earth engineering science: that is, for the difficulties that the existing scientific laws and technologies of shallow engineering cannot be applied to deep engineering, it is necessary to explore the relevant scientific laws of deep engineering, break through the key basic scientific problems of deep engineering, and meet the demand for geo-disaster prevention and control of human beings in the activities of deep engineering, and then guide the safe, efficient, and green development of deep resources and effective utilization of the space of deep engineering; at the same time, it further clarifies the difference and connection between deep earth science and earth science. This article proposes the definition of deep earth engineering technology, which refers to the engineering implementation technology and equipment required by humans to utilize and develop the Earth, as well as the necessary theoretical and technical means to explore the laws of deep earth science and develop deep earth engineering. Finally, to promote the development of deep earth science, the research content and strategic planning of deep earth science, and the connotation of deep earth engineering technology, have been further clarified (geomechanics and disaster mechanism of deep-earth engineering, intelligent construction and efficient mining, intelligent construction of deep-earth tunnels and giant cavern groups, intelligent disaster prevention and control as well as healthy operation and maintenance of deep-earth engineering).

Conventional wireless sensors rely on chemical batteries. Replacing or charging their batteries is tedious and costly in some situations. As usable kinetic energy exists in the environment, harvesting vibration energy and converting it into electrical energy has become a hotspot. However, the power output capability of a conventional piezoelectric energy harvester (PEH) is limited by its low operational frequency. This paper presents a new mechanism for achieving continuous triple-frequency-up voltage output in a PEH. The proposed system consists of a slender piezoelectric cantilever with two short cantilever-based stoppers. The piezoelectric cantilever undergoes a pure bending mode without contacting the stoppers. In addition, the beam switches into a new vibration mode by contacting the stoppers. The vibration modes switching yields reverses the signs of voltage outputs, inducing triple-frequency-up voltage output. Analytical and experimental investigations are presented, and it is shown that a significant triple-frequency up-conversion of the voltage output can be obtained over a wide frequency range. A peak power output of 3.03 mW was obtained. The proposed energy harvester can support a wireless sensor node.

Sonic hedgehog (Shh) is a component of the Hedgehog signaling pathway, playing an important role in regulating cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, and the repair of damaged organisms. To further clarify the expression pattern of Shh gene in the secondary hair follicle growth cycle of cashmere goats and its mechanism of action on secondary hair follicle papilla cells, and improve cashmere quality, in this study, we took Inner Mongolia Albas white cashmere goats as the research objects and collected skin samples at different growth stages to obtain secondary hair follicles, detected Shh and its gene expression by RT-qPCR, Western blot, immunohistochemistry, and other techniques, while we also cultured DPCs in vitro. Shh gene overexpression and interference vectors were constructed, and the effects of Shh gene on the proliferation and apoptosis of DPCs were studied through cell transfection technology. The results showed that there are significant differences in Shh and its gene expression in the secondary hair follicle growth cycle skins of cashmere goats, with the highest expression level in anagen, followed by catagen, and the lowest expression level in telogen. Shh was mainly expressed in the inner root sheath, outer root sheath, and secondary hair follicle papilla. After the overexpression of Shh gene, the proliferation and vitality of the hair papilla cells were enhanced compared to the interference group. After Shh gene interference, the apoptosis rate of the cells increased, indicating that Shh gene can regulate downstream Ptch, Smo, and Gli2 gene expression to promote the proliferation of DPCs, and thus form its expression pattern in the secondary hair follicle growth cycle of cashmere goats.

Summary: Prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) and thromboxane A2 (TXA2) are endogenous arachidonic acid metabolites, modulating diverse physiological processes including inflammation and cardiovascular homeostasis through activating PGF2α receptor (FP) and TXA2 receptor (TP). Ligands targeting FP and TP have demonstrated efficacy in treating conditions like glaucoma and cardiovascular diseases in humans, as well as reproductive-related diseases in animals. Here, we present five cryoelectron microscopy structures illustrating FP and TP in complex with Gq and bound to PGF2α (endogenous ligand), latanoprost acid (a clinical drug), and two other synthetic agonists. Combined with mutational and functional studies, these structures reveal not only structural features for the specific recognition of endogenous ligands and attainment of receptor selectivity of FP and TP but also the common mechanisms of receptor activation and Gq protein coupling. The findings may enrich our knowledge of ligand recognition and signal transduction of the prostanoid receptor family and facilitate rational ligand design toward these two receptors.

Summary: Background: Azvudine and nirmatrelvir/ritonavir are approved to treat mild-to-moderate coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in adults with a high risk for progression to severe infection. We sought to compare the antiviral effectiveness and clinical outcomes of elderly severe patients with COVID-19 receiving these two antiviral agents. Methods: In this observational study, we identified 249 elderly patients with severe COVID-19 infection who were admitted to the Second Medical Center of the People's Liberation Army General Hospital from December 2022 to January 2023, including 128 azvudine recipients, 66 nirmatrelvir/ritonavir recipients and 55 patients not received antiviral treatments. We compared the cycle threshold (Ct) value dynamic change of all three groups. The primary outcome was a composite outcome of disease progression, including all-cause death, intensive care unit admission, and initiation of invasive mechanical ventilation. The outcomes of all enrolled patients were followed up from the electronic medical record system. Kaplan–Meier and Cox risk proportional regression analyses were used to compare the clinical outcomes of all three groups. To more directly compare the effectiveness of the two antiviral drugs, we performed propensity-score matching between the two antiviral groups and compared antiviral efficacy and clinical outcomes in the matched population. Findings: Among 249 patients (mean age, 91.41 years), 77 patients died during the follow-up period. When compared to patients who did not receive any antivirals, neither nirmatrelvir/ritonavir nor azvudine demonstrated a survival benefit. The Cox analysis of the all-cause death of the three groups showed that the risk of death was 0.730 (0.423–1.262) in the azvudine group 0.802 (0.435–1.480) and in the nirmatrelvir/ritonavir group compared with the non-antiviral group. After propensity score matching, we included 58 azvudine recipients and 58 nirmatrelvir/ritonavir recipients. The fitted curve of the Ct value after matching illustrated that the rate of viral decline in the early stage of nirmatrelvir/ritonavir treatment seems to surpass that of azvudine, but there was no statistical significance. Azvudine was seemly associated with a lower risk of composite outcomes (HR:1.676, 95% CI:0.805–3.488) and short-term all-cause death (HR: 1.291, 95%CI: 0.546–3.051). Interpretation: Patients who received azvudine have a similar antiviral effectiveness and survival curve trend compared to nirmatrelvir/ritonavir. In this limited series, antiviral treatment was not associated with a significant clinical benefit. This lack of clinical benefit might be attributed to potential bias. Funding: This study was supported by the “National Key R&D Program of China” (Funding No. 2020YFC2008900) and the National Defense Science and Technology Innovation Special Zone Project (223-CXCY-N101-07-18-01).

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative disorder characterized by dopaminergic neuron death in the substantia nigra, leading to motor dysfunction. Autophagy dysregulation has been implicated in PD pathogenesis. This study explores the role of miR-214–3p in PD, focusing on its impact on autophagy and dopaminergic neuron viability. Using in vitro and in vivo models, we demonstrate that miR-214–3p inhibits autophagy and promotes dopaminergic neuron apoptosis. Behavioral assessments and molecular analyses reveal exacerbation of PD symptoms upon miR-214–3p overexpression. Furthermore, mechanistic investigations identify ATG3 as a target, shedding light on miR-214–3p's regulatory role in autophagy. These findings enhance our understanding of PD pathogenesis and propose miR-214–3p as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for modulating autophagy and neuronal survival in PD.

Summary: Background: Hong Kong contained COVID-19 for two years but experienced a large epidemic of Omicron BA.2 in early 2022 and endemic transmission of Omicron subvariants thereafter. We reflected on pandemic preparedness and responses by assessing COVID-19 transmission and associated disease burden in the context of implementation of various public health and social measures (PHSMs). Methods: We examined the use and impact of pandemic controls in Hong Kong by analysing data on more than 1.7 million confirmed COVID-19 cases and characterizing the temporal changes non-pharmaceutical and pharmaceutical interventions implemented from January 2020 through to 30 December 2022. We estimated the daily effective reproductive number (Rt) to track changes in transmissibility and effectiveness of community-based measures against infection over time. We examined the temporal changes of pharmaceutical interventions, mortality rate and case-fatality risks (CFRs), particularly among older adults. Findings: Hong Kong experienced four local epidemic waves predominated by the ancestral strain in 2020 and early 2021 and prevented multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants from spreading in the community before 2022. Strict travel-related, case-based, and community-based measures were increasingly tightened in Hong Kong over the first two years of the pandemic. However, even very stringent measures were unable to contain the spread of Omicron BA.2 in Hong Kong. Despite high overall vaccination uptake (>70% with at least two doses), high mortality was observed during the Omicron BA.2 wave due to lower vaccine coverage (42%) among adults ≥65 years of age. Increases in antiviral usage and vaccination uptake over time through 2022 was associated with decreased case fatality risks. Interpretation: Integrated strict measures were able to reduce importation risks and interrupt local transmission to contain COVID-19 transmission and disease burden while awaiting vaccine development and rollout. Increasing coverage of pharmaceutical interventions among high-risk groups reduced infection-related mortality and mitigated the adverse health impact of the pandemic. Funding: Health and Medical Research Fund.

Quantitative investment theory has emerged as a prominent and widely researched domain within the financial markets, where investors predominantly focus on discerning the intricate influences of market dynamics. In this paper, we proposed a short-term prediction-based trading strategy, which can equiponderate between return and risk, considerations while accounting for investor risk preferences. This strategy employs GM(1,1) to capture nuanced features of price dynamics in short-term intervals and update the GM(1,1) model with the latest data. Subsequently, a multi-objective planning equation is formulated to optimize asset allocations by determining the optimal holding that strikes between specific returns and risk mitigation. In the end, this work conducts a case study and sensitivity analysis using five years of gold and bitcoin price data spanning from 2016 to 2021. This empirical examination serves to affirm the efficacy and resilience of the proposed trading strategy. The case study reveals that proficient short-term price forecasting serves as a potent means to proactively mitigate risk, facilitating, judicious and objective trading practices. Moreover, it underscores the strategy's tangible utility as a guide for real-world investment decisions.

Combinatorial optimization has wide and high-value applications in many fields of science and industry, but solving general combinatorial optimization problems is non-deterministic polynomial time (NP) hard. Many such problems can be mapped onto the ground-state-search problems of the Ising model. Here, an iterative quantum algorithm based on quantum gradient descent to solve combinatorial optimization problems is introduced, where the initial state of a quantum register evolves over several iterations to a good approximation of the Ising-Hamiltonian ground state. We verified the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm in solving the MaxCut problem for different types of undirected graphs by numerical simulations, and analyzed the robustness of the algorithm to errors by simulating random error and Gaussian error. We compared the performance of the algorithm with the quantum approximate optimization algorithm, and the results indicate that the proposed algorithm has comparable convergence performance. We also verified the feasibility of the algorithm by conducting experiments on a real quantum computer through the quantum cloud platform. Our work provides a potential method for solving combinatorial optimization problems on future quantum devices without the use of complex classical optimization loops.

Adolescents living in high-density cities may face a unique set of mental health challenges due to exposure to environmental stressors and academic pressure from competition for limited educational opportunities. It is still unclear towards the integrated effects of sufficient physical activity, reduced recreational screen time and adequate sleep duration on improving mental health and well-being among adolescents living in high-density cities. The present study aimed to investigate the associations between meeting 24-h movement guidelines and mental well-being in Chinese adolescents living in high-density cities. A total of 816 Chinese adolescents (Mage = 14.77 years, SD = 0.81) completed a self-administrated questionnaire comprising 24-h movement behaviors, mental well-being, and covariates. Linear mixed-effects models were used to for data analyses. Findings of the current study indicated that there was a positive association between the number of guidelines being met and mental well-being in adolescents after adjusting for covariates. Compared to not meeting any guidelines, adolescents who met the sleep and physical activity guidelines, or the physical activity and screen time guidelines, or all the three guidelines had a positive association with adolescent mental well-being. Our findings enhance our understanding of the relationship between compliance with 24-h movement guidelines and mental well-being among adolescents living in high-density cities.

Abstract Trichinella spiralis dipeptidyl peptidase 1 (TsDPP1), or cysteine cathepsin C, is a secretory protein that is highly expressed during the infective larvae and adult worm stages in the intestines. The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanism by which recombinant TsDPP1 (rTsDPP1) activates macrophages M2 polarization and decreases macrophage cytotoxicity to kill newborn larvae via ADCC. RAW264.7 macrophages and murine peritoneal macrophages were used in this study. The results of the immunofluorescence test (IFT) and confocal microscopy showed that rTsDPP1 specifically bound to macrophages, and the binding site was localized on the cell membrane. rTsDPP1 activated macrophage M2 polarization, as demonstrated by high expression levels of Arg1 (M2 marker) and M2-related genes (IL-10, TGF-β, CD206 and Arg1) and high numbers of CD206+ macrophages. Furthermore, the expression levels of p-STAT6, STAT6 and PPARγ were obviously increased in rTsDPP1-treated macrophages, which were evidently abrogated by using a STAT6 inhibitor (AS1517499) and PPARγ antagonist (GW9662). The results indicated that rTsDPP1 promoted macrophage M2 polarization through the STAT6/PPARγ pathway. Griess reaction results revealed that rTsDPP1 suppressed LPS-induced NO production in macrophages. qPCR and flow cytometry results showed that rTsDPP1 downregulated the expression of FcγR I (CD64) in macrophages. The ability of ADCC to kill newborn larvae was significantly decreased in rTsDPP1-treated macrophages, but AS1517499 and GW9662 restored its killing capacity. Our results demonstrated that rTsDPP1 induced macrophage M2 polarization, upregulated the expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines, and inhibited macrophage-mediated ADCC via activation of the STAT6/PPARγ pathway, which is beneficial to the parasitism and immune evasion of this nematode.

Abstract Chemokines secreted by dendritic cells (DCs) play a key role in the regulation of inflammation and autoimmunity through chemokine receptors. However, the role of chemokine receptor CXCR1 in inflammation-inducing experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) remains largely enigmatic. Here we reported that compared with healthy controls, the level of CXCR1 was aberrantly increased in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Knockout of CXCR1 not only ameliorated disease severity in EAE mice but also suppressed the secretion of inflammatory factors (IL-6/IL-12p70) production. We observed the same results in EAE mice with DCs-specific deletion of CXCR1 and antibody neutralization of the ligand CXCL5. Mechanically, we demonstrated a positive feedback loop composed of CXCL5/CXCR1/HIF-1α direct regulating of IL-6/IL-12p70 production in DCs. Meanwhile, we found CXCR1 deficiency in DCs limited IL-6/IL-12p70 production and lung injury in LPS-induced ARDS, a disease model caused by inflammation. Overall, our study reveals CXCR1 governs DCs-mediated inflammation and autoimmune disorders and its potential as a therapeutic target for related diseases.

Abstract Background This meta-analysis aimed to explore the epidemiological characteristics of alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) in China. Methods Studies published between January 2000 and January 2023 were searched from 3 databases in English and 3 databases in Chinese. DerSimonian-Laird’s random-effects model was adopted to calculate the pooled prevalence. Results A total of 21 studies were included. The pooled prevalence of ALD was 4.8% (95% CI, 3.6%-6.2%) in the general population, 9.3% (95% CI, 4.4%-16.0%) in males, and 2.0% (95% CI, 0.0%-6.7%) in females. The prevalence was the highest in western China (5.0% [95% CI, 3.3%-6.9%]) and the lowest in central China (4.4% [95% CI, 4.0%-4.8%]). The prevalence among people with different drinking histories (less than 5 years, 5 to 10 years, and over 10 years) was 0.9% (95% CI, 0.2%-1.9%), 4.6% (95% CI, 3.0%-6.5%), and 9.9% (95% CI, 6.5%-14.0%), respectively. The prevalence in 1999–2004 was 4.7% (95% CI, 3.0%-6.7%) and then changed from 4.3% (95% CI, 3.5%-5.3%) in 2005–2010 to 6.7% (95% CI, 5.3%-8.3%) in 2011–2016. Conclusions The prevalence of ALD in China has increased in recent decades, with population-related variations. Targeted public health strategies are needed, especially in high-risk groups, such as male with long-term alcohol drinking. Trial registration The registration number on PROSPERO is CRD42021269365.

Influenza is an important respiratory viral pathogen in adults, with secondary bacterial pneumonia being a common complication. While pneumococcal vaccines can prevent pneumococcal pneumonia and invasive pneumococcal disease, whether they can also prevent the severe in-hospital outcomes among patients hospitalized for influenza has not been examined. A territory-wide retrospective study was conducted in Hong Kong, which included all adult patients having chronic airway diseases (asthma, bronchiectasis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) hospitalized for influenza and who had received seasonal influenza vaccine. The occurrence of secondary bacterial pneumonia, mortality, and other severe in-hospital outcomes were compared among subjects with or without pneumococcal vaccination. There was a total of 3066 eligible patients who were hospitalized for influenza in public hospitals in Hong Kong from 1 January 2016 to 30 June 2023. Completed pneumococcal vaccination with PSV23/PCV13 conferred protection against secondary bacterial pneumonia, all-cause mortality, and respiratory cause of mortality with adjusted odds ratios of 0.74 (95% CI = 0.57–0.95, p = 0.019), 0.12 (95% CI = 0.03–0.53, p = 0.005), and 0.04 (95% CI = 0.00–0.527, p = 0.0038), respectively.

Silicon carbide (SiC) is a promising semiconductor material as well as a challenging material to machine, owing to its unique characteristics including high hardness, superior thermal conductivity, and chemical inertness. The ultrafast nature of femtosecond lasers enables precise and controlled material removal and modification, making them ideal for SiC processing. In this review, we aim to provide an overview of the process properties, progress, and applications by discussing the various methodologies involved in femtosecond laser processing of SiC. These methodologies encompass direct processing, composite processing, modification of the processing environment, beam shaping, etc. In addition, we have explored the myriad applications that arise from applying femtosecond laser processing to SiC. Furthermore, we highlight recent advancements, challenges, and future prospects in the field. This review provides as an important direction for exploring the progress of femtosecond laser micro/nano processing, in order to discuss the diversity of processes used for manufacturing SiC devices.

We theoretically demonstrate a scheme to generate circularly polarized (CP) isolated attosecond pulses (IAPs) with tunable helicity using a polarization gating laser field interacting with the CO molecule. The results show that a broadband CP supercontinuum is produced from the oriented CO molecule, which supports the generation of an IAP with an ellipticity of 0.98 and a duration of 90 as. Furthermore, the helicity of the generated harmonics and IAP can be effectively controlled by modulating the laser field and the orientation angle of the CO molecule. Our method will advance research on chiral-specific dynamics and magnetic circular dichroism on the attosecond timescale.

With the development of precision medicine for lung cancer, targeted therapy has greatly improved the survival and prognosis of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but the occurrence of acquired drug resistance ultimately leads to patients with no targeted drugs available and no standard treatment options for this group of patients afterwards. The emergence of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has revolutionized the treatment of advanced NSCLC. However, due to the unique features of NSCLC with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation, such as immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME), single ICIs treatment has limited clinical benefits in NSCLC patients with EGFR mutation, and the combination of ICIs with chemotherapy and/or targeted therapies is the trend. This review further discusses potential subpopulations with EGFR mutations that may benefit from ICIs treatment, and analyzes how decisions can be made in the era of combined immunotherapy to maximize the efficacy of ICIs treatment in EGFR mutation targeted therapy for NSCLC patients with drug resistance, with the aim of achieving individualized treatment.

Abstract Stress/force monitoring of prestressing tendons is challenging but crucial to the evaluation of the safety of structures in which they are used. To this end, a smart elasto-magneto-electric (EME) sensor based on elasto-magnetic (EM) and magneto-electric (ME) effects is proposed for noncontact field monitoring of the absolute stress in these steel tendons. In this paper, our research in design, implementation, and application of the EME sensory system for non-destructive monitoring of prestressing tendons is overviewed. The results confirm that the developed EME sensor possesses high repeatability, ease of operation and maintenance, corrosion resistance, and long expected service-life. It is demonstrated that the proposed EME sensory technology is feasible for the stress/force monitoring of prestressing tendons in both new and existing structures and the EME sensory system is reliable and stable.

Abstract The rapid accumulation of sequenced plant genomes in the past decade has outpaced the still difficult problem of genome‐wide protein‐coding gene annotation. A substantial fraction of protein‐coding genes in all plant genomes are poorly annotated or unannotated and remain functionally uncharacterized. We identified unannotated proteins in three model organisms representing distinct branches of the green lineage (Viridiplantae): Arabidopsis thaliana (eudicot), Setaria viridis (monocot), and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (Chlorophyte alga). Using similarity searching, we identified a subset of unannotated proteins that were conserved between these species and defined them as Deep Green proteins. Bioinformatic, genomic, and structural predictions were performed to begin classifying Deep Green genes and proteins. Compared to whole proteomes for each species, the Deep Green set was enriched for proteins with predicted chloroplast targeting signals predictive of photosynthetic or plastid functions, a result that was consistent with enrichment for daylight phase diurnal expression patterning. Structural predictions using AlphaFold and comparisons to known structures showed that a significant proportion of Deep Green proteins may possess novel folds. Though only available for three organisms, the Deep Green genes and proteins provide a starting resource of high‐value targets for further investigation of potentially new protein structures and functions conserved across the green lineage.

Cancer cells show enhanced nucleotide biosynthesis, which is essential for their unlimited proliferation, but the underlying mechanisms are not entirely clear. Ubiquitin specific peptidase 29 (USP29) was reported to sustain neuroblastoma progression by promoting glycolysis and glutamine catabolism; however, its potential role in regulating nucleotide biosynthesis in tumor cells remains unknown. In this study, we depleted endogenous USP29 in MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma SK-N-BE2 cells by sgRNAs and conducted metabolomic analysis in cells with or without USP29 depletion, we found that USP29 deficiency caused a disorder of intermediates involved in glycolysis and nucleotide biosynthesis. De novo nucleotide biosynthesis was analyzed using 13C6 glucose as a tracer under normoxia and hypoxia. The results indicated that USP29-depleted cells showed inhibition of nucleotide anabolic intermediates derived from glucose, and this inhibition was more significant under hypoxic conditions. Analysis of RNA sequencing data in SK-N-BE2 cells demonstrated that USP29 promoted the gene expression of metabolic enzymes involved in nucleotide anabolism, probably by regulating MYC and E2F downstream pathways. These findings indicated that USP29 is a key regulator of nucleotide biosynthesis in tumor cells.

Many metabolic diseases have been demonstrated to be associated with changes in the microbiome. However, no studies have yet been conducted to examine the characteristics of the mucosal microbiota of patients with hypercholesterolemia. We aimed to examine mucosa-associated microbiota in subjects with hypercholesterolemia. We conducted a case-control study, in which ileal mucosal samples were collected from 13 hypercholesterolemia patients and 13 controls for 16S rRNA gene sequencing. There were differences in the composition of ileal mucosal microbiota based on beta diversity between the hypercholesterolemia and control groups (P

BackgroundWe performed a transcriptomic analysis of adrenal signaling pathways in various forms of endogenous Cushing’s syndrome (CS) to define areas of dysregulated and druggable targets.MethodologyNext-generation sequencing was performed on adrenal samples of patients with primary bilateral macronodular adrenal hyperplasia (PBMAH, n=10) and control adrenal samples (n=8). The validation groups included cortisol-producing adenoma (CPA, n=9) and samples from patients undergoing bilateral adrenalectomy for Cushing’s disease (BADX-CD, n=8). In vivo findings were further characterized using three adrenocortical cell-lines (NCI-H295R, CU-ACC2, MUC1).ResultsPathway mapping based on significant expression patterns identified PPARG (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma) pathway as the top hit. Quantitative PCR (QPCR) confirmed that PPARG (l2fc

Cardamine hupingshanensis (C. hupingshanensis) is known for its ability to hyperaccumulate selenium (Se). However, the roles of the rhizobacteria or endophytes in Se hyperaccumulation have not been explored in C. hupingshanensis. Here, in-situ-like pot experiments were conducted to investigate the characteristics of Se accumulation throughout C. hupingshanensis growth stages and its correlations with rhizobacteria and endophytes under varying soil Se levels. Results showed that Se levels in roots, stems and leaves increased from the seedling to bolting stage, but remained relatively stable during the flowering and maturity. Leaves exhibited the highest Se levels (736.48 ± 6.51 mg/kg DW), followed by stems (575.39 ± 27.05 mg/kg DW), and lowest in roots (306.62 ± 65.45 mg/kg DW) under high-Se stress. The Se translocation factors from soils to C. hupingshanensis roots was significantly higher (p

Abstract Objective Palliative care (PC) can improve the quality of life of Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients and their carers. However, the impact of PC services on patients with PD remains unclear. This research was conducted to identify the barriers and facilitators influencing PC services for patients with PD based on the Social Ecological Model (SEM) framework. Methods This research was conducted through semi-structured interviews, employing SEM to organize themes and identify potential solutions across multiple levels. Results A total of 29 interviewees (5 PD clinicians, 7 PD registered nurses, 8 patients, 5 caregivers, and 4 policy makers) completed the interviews. Facilitators and barriers were identified according to the levels of the SEM. Several facilitators were identified, i.e., (1) individual level: the critical needs among PD patients and their relatives and the desire for PC knowledge among health professionals; (2) interpersonal level: social support; (3) organizational level: the investments towards systematization of PC; and nurses are the bridge between patients and doctors; (4) community level: the convenience of community services; and hospital-community-family-based services; (5) culture and policy level: existing policy. Conclusion The social-ecological model proposed in this study helps illuminate the complex and multilevel factors that may influence PC delivery to PD patients.

SKD11 has a wide range of applications in the tooling industry. However, due to its high mechanical strength and hardness, it is a difficult material to machine. To address the issues of low machining efficiency, severe tool electrode wear, and environmental pollution caused by traditional EDM, this paper proposes a more efficient and sustainable method of EDM production called short electric arc machining (SEAM). This paper discussed the mechanism of material removal by a short electric arc and then conducted experiments on SKD11 machining with various voltage parameters using a self-designed short electric arc milling machine, analysing the material removal rate (MRR), relative tool electrode wear ratio (REWR), and specific energy consumption (SEC) of the machined workpiece. The experimental results indicate that the maximum removal rate is 15,745 mm3/min, the REWR is significantly reduced to 1.4 %, and the energy consumption ratio is 76.84 KJ/cm3. Finally, the microscopic morphology and elemental composition of the workpiece and tool electrode were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and the variation of cross-sectional grains was analyzed by electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD).It can be concluded that the short-arc milling method discussed in this paper can provide an efficient machining method for difficult-to-machine materials.

Background: The significant association between serum uric acid (SUA) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is well documented. In this report, we tested the hypothesis that SUA might improve the widely studied fatty liver index (FLI) to predict NAFLD. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed in a community of Nanjing, China. The population data on sociodemographics, physical examinations, and biochemical tests were collected from July to September 2018. The associations of SUA and FLI with NAFLD were analyzed using linear correlation, multiple linear regressions, binary logistic analyses, and area under receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUROC). Results: A total of 3,499 people were included in this study, of which 36.9% had NAFLD. The prevalence of NAFLD increased with the increase of SUA levels (all P

Black Phosphorus (BP) is a new semiconductor material with excellent biocompatibility, degradability, and optical and electrophysical properties. A growing number of studies show that BP has high potential applications in the biomedical field. This article aims to systematically review the research progress of BP composite medical materials in the field of tissue engineering, mining BP in bone regeneration, skin repair, nerve repair, inflammation, treatment methods, and the application mechanism. Furthermore, the paper discusses the shortcomings and future recommendations related to the development of BP. These shortcomings include stability, photothermal conversion capacity, preparation process, and other related issues. However, despite these challenges, the utilization of BP-based medical materials holds immense promise in revolutionizing the field of tissue repair.

Solanum torvum (Swartz) (2n = 24) is a wild Solanaceae plant with high economic value that is used as a rootstock in grafting for Solanaceae plants to improve the resistance to a soil-borne disease caused by root-knot nematodes (RKNs). However, the lack of a high-quality reference genome of S. torvum hinders research on the genetic basis for disease resistance and application in horticulture. Herein, we present a chromosome-level assembly of genomic sequences for S. torvum combining PacBio long reads (HiFi reads), Illumina short reads and Hi-C scaffolding technology. The assembled genome size is ~1.25 Gb with a contig N50 and scaffold N50 of 38.65 Mb and 103.02 Mb, respectively as well as a BUSCO estimate of 98%. GO enrichment and KEGG pathway analysis of the unique S. torvum genes, including NLR and ABC transporters, revealed that they were involved in disease resistance processes. RNA-seq data also confirmed that 48 NLR genes were highly expressed in roots and fibrous roots and that three homologous NLR genes (Sto0288260.1, Sto0201960.1 and Sto0265490.1) in S. torvum were significantly upregulated after RKN infection. Two ABC transporters, ABCB9 and ABCB11 were identified as the hub genes in response to RKN infection. The chromosome-scale reference genome of the S. torvum will provide insights into RKN resistance.

The mechanical properties of grout and the effect of the bonding between grout and the repaired material are the two main factors affecting the shear strength of the material. To study the effect of repairs carried out with nano-Al2O3/epoxy resin composite (NAEC) on the shear strength of rock masses, cracks with different widths and treatments by silane coupling agent (SCA) solutions with various surface treatment concentrations (kSCA) were considered. The mass percentage ratio of nano-Al2O3 in the composite (kAl) was optimized based on the obtained uniaxial compressive strength (UCS). The selected NAEC was used to fill cracks of different widths, and the bonding effect was analyzed using a bilateral shear strength test that effectively avoids the bending effect. Solutions with diverse kSCA values were used to treat the rock surfaces with the 3-mm-wide cracks. The results showed that the UCS of the NAEC tended to increase with increasing kAl when the mass ratio (kCE) of the curing agent to epoxy resin was 0.25. When kAl= 0.01, the UCS of the composite peaked at 97.82 MPa. With increasing crack width, the shear strength first increased and then decreased. When the crack width was 3 mm, the shear strength reached a maximum of 29.02 MPa. However, without nano-Al2O3, the shear strength was 23.66 MPa, and the shear strength of ultrafine Portland cement (UPC) material was only 8.37 MPa. With increasing kSCA, the shear strength tended to first increase and then decrease. For a kSCA of 2%, the shear strength reached a maximum of 39.40 MPa, corresponding to an increase of 35.8%. Nevertheless, the composite shear strength as degraded at 5% kSCA. In summary, the NAEC exhibited a sound bonding effect, SCA surface treatments effectively improved the shear strength, and the bonding shear strength was related to the crack width.

The inherent anisotropy of shale makes it exhibit different mechanical properties when measured in different directions. Generally, the measurements of the anisotropic mechanical properties of shale are generally conducted on cylindrical samples, and the computation of elastic constants is usually an empirical approximation. To accurately estimate the elastic parameters of shale rocks, an iterative method for approaching the crack initiation stress threshold was proposed in this work. Several uniaxial compression experiments were performed on cuboid Longmaxi shale samples with different bedding plane orientations. With a newly presented method, the apparent elastic modulus and Poisson’s ratios and five elastic constants were simultaneously determined. By examining the volumetric strain reversal point, the crack damage stress was obtained for each sample. The results demonstrate that the elastic regime, which was the range in which the elastic parameters were determined, significantly varies with bedding plane orientation. A transverse anisotropy ratio of 1.28 between in-plane modulus E1and out-of-plane modulus E3was determined for Longmaxi shale. Additionally, with the obtained elastic parameters, the energy releasing and dissipating behaviors of the samples during uniaxial loading were quantitatively characterized. The energy dissipation was found to rapidly increase once the crack damage stress was reached. However, before rock failure occurred, the total dissipated energy in each sample was very limited, indicating that microcrack propagation and rock damage were quite limited before rock rupture and that the shale samples were essentially destroyed by rapid energy release.

Abstract The chemotherapy effect of docetaxel (DTX) against triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) remains mediocre and limited when encapsulated in conventional cholesterol liposomes, mainly ascribed to poor penetration and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) caused by tumor stroma cells, especially cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Many studies have attempted to address these problems but trapped into the common dilemma of excessively complicated formulation strategies at the expense of druggability as well as clinical translational feasibility. To better address the discrepancy, ginsenoside Rg3 was utilized to substitute cholesterol to develop a multifunctional DTX-loaded Rg3 liposome (Rg3-Lp/DTX). The obtained Rg3-Lp/DTX was proved to be preferentially uptake by 4T1 cells and accumulate more at tumor site via the interaction between the glycosyl moiety of Rg3 exposed on liposome surface and glucose transporter1 (Glut1) overexpressed on tumor cells. After reaching tumor site, Rg3 was shown to reverse the activated CAFs to the resting stage and attenuate the dense stroma barrier by suppressing secretion of TGF-β from tumor cells and regulating TGF-β/Smad signaling. Therefore, reduced levels of CAFs and collagens were found in TME after incorporation of Rg3, inducing enhanced penetration of Rg3-Lp/DTX in the tumor and reversed immune system which can detect and neutralize tumor cells. Compared with wooden cholesterol liposomes, the smart and versatile Rg3-Lp/DTX could significantly improve the anti-tumor effect of DTX, providing a promising approach for TNBC therapy with excellent therapeutic efficacy and simple preparation process.

This study aimed to explore the underlying reasons for the differences in egg production in Chinese Chahua chickens. The Chahua chicken population was divided into two groups, namely a high-yielding group (H) and a low-yielding group (L). The egg-laying performance, ovarian morphology, histological characteristics, and serum hormone concentrations in the H and L groups were analysed. The results revealed that there were significant differences (P < 0.01) between the two groups for the age at the first egg and the number of eggs. The H group showed significantly more (P < 0.01) hierarchical follicles and small yellow follicles than the L group. While several secondary follicles and primary follicles were observed in the ovaries of the H group, only a few secondary follicles were observed in the ovaries of the L group. The serum concentrations of the follicle-stimulating hormone, the luteinising hormone, and oestradiol were significantly higher in the H group compared to that in the L group (P < 0.01). Next, we sequenced and analysed the ovarian expression profiles in the two groups using RNA-seq. The transcriptome sequencing revealed 875 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the H and L groups. Of the 875 DEGs, 624 were up-regulated, and 251 were down-regulated. The DEGs were mapped to 31 Gene Ontology (GO) terms and 15 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways for the ovarian tissue. The KEGG pathway analysis mainly revealed the involvement of focal adhesion, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, and the TGF-beta signalling pathway, while the GO analysis mainly showed involvement of the hormonal activity, extracellular matrix, and extracellular region. Our results showed that understanding the differences in the gene expressions between the ovarian tissues of high- and low-yielding hens may provide a useful reference for improving the egg-laying performance in Chahua chickens.