Search

This study compared different doublet and triplet therapies for efficacy and safety in metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC). PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library were comprehensively searched for eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published from inception to October 2023. Interventions included abiraterone, apalutamide, enzalutamide, docetaxel, darolutamide, and androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), either as doublet or triplet therapies. The outcomes examined were overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC)-free survival, time to symptomatic skeletal event (SSE), and toxicity. The surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) was determined to identify the preferred treatments. Ten RCTs were included. The combination of darolutamide, docetaxel, and ADT had the highest SUCRA of 84.3 for OS, followed by combined abiraterone, docetaxel, and ADT (SUCRA = 71.6). The highest SUCRAs for PFS were observed for triplet therapies (abiraterone, docetaxel, and ADT [SUCRA = 74.9], followed by enzalutamide, docetaxel, and ADT [SUCRA = 74.3]) and other androgen receptor axis-targeted therapy-based doublet therapies (SUCRAs: 26.5–59.3). Darolutamide, docetaxel, and ADT had the highest SUCRAs, i.e., 80.8 and 84.0 regarding CRPC-free survival and time to SSE, respectively. Regarding Grade >3 adverse events (AEs), the SUCRAs of triplet therapies (SUCRAs: 14.8–31.5) were similar to that of docetaxel and ADT (SUCRA = 39.5). Three studies had a low risk of bias in all categories; the remaining studies had at least an unclear risk of bias in at least one category. Triplet therapy demonstrated potentially enhanced effectiveness than doublet therapy in mHSPC, with acceptable safety concerns. Darolutamide might be the optimal option for triplet therapy in combination with docetaxel and ADT.

Abstract Skeletal muscle is a highly heterogeneous tissue, and its contractile proteins are composed of different isoforms, forming various types of muscle fiber, each of which has its own metabolic characteristics. It has been demonstrated that endurance exercise induces the transition of muscle fibers from fast-twitch to slow-twitch muscle fiber type. Herein, we discover a novel epigenetic mechanism for muscle contractile property tightly coupled to its metabolic capacity during muscle fiber type transition with exercise training. Our results show that an 8-week endurance exercise induces histone methylation remodeling of PGC-1α and myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoforms in the rat gastrocnemius muscle, accompanied by increased mitochondrial biogenesis and an elevated ratio of slow-twitch to fast-twitch fibers. Furthermore, to verify the roles of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and AMPK in exercise-regulated epigenetic modifications and muscle fiber type transitions, mouse C2C12 myotubes were used. It was shown that rotenone activates ROS/AMPK pathway and histone methylation enzymes, which then promote mitochondrial biogenesis and MHC slow isoform expression. Mitoquinone (MitoQ) partially blocking rotenone-treated model confirms the role of ROS in coupling mitochondrial biogenesis with muscle fiber type. In conclusion, endurance exercise couples mitochondrial biogenesis with MHC slow isoform by remodeling histone methylation, which in turn promotes the transition of fast-twitch to slow-twitch muscle fibers. The ROS/AMPK pathway may be involved in the regulation of histone methylation enzymes by endurance exercise.

Abstract A large-scale, high-speed, long-runout landslide occurred in Xinmo Village, Maoxian, Sichuan Province, China, on June 24, 2017. It was characterized by fast sliding speed, rapid volume growth, and large impact area. The dynamic process of such landslides and the influence of erosion on the dynamic process are studied by field investigation, numerical inversion and simulation. The results showed that entrainment erosion was a major factor of landslide volumetric change and a salient feature of the landslide process. An exponential equation relating the erosion rate and the deposition volume was established. Moreover, the study found that a slight change of the erosion rate (1e-4) also had a significant impact on the lateral spreading, longitudinal runout, and vertical erosion. As the erosion rate increased, the lateral spreading, longitudinal runout, and vertical erosion of this type of landslide became more obvious. By using the coefficient of variation method, it was obtained that the erosion rate had a greater influence on the vertical erosion than on the lateral spreading and longitudinal runout. In the study of the velocity of the rock avalanche under different erosion conditions, it was found that the erosion amount and the landslide velocity were not strictly linearly related. This study has important significance for understanding the dynamic process and erosion effect of rock avalanche, and provides useful references and insights for future research in related fields.

Immunotherapy is an important cancer treatment method that offers hope for curing cancer patients. While immunotherapy has achieved initial success, a major obstacle to its widespread adoption is the inability to benefit the majority of patients. The success or failure of immunotherapy is closely linked to the tumor's immune microenvironment. Recently, there has been significant attention on strategies to regulate the tumor immune microenvironment in order to stimulate anti-tumor immune responses in cancer immunotherapy. The distinctive physical properties and design flexibility of nanomedicines have been extensively utilized to target immune cells (including tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), T cells, myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), and tumor-associated fibroblasts (TAFs)), offering promising advancements in cancer immunotherapy. In this article, we have reviewed treatment strategies aimed at targeting various immune cells to regulate the tumor immune microenvironment. The focus is on cancer immunotherapy models that are based on nanomedicines, with the goal of inducing or enhancing anti-tumor immune responses to improve immunotherapy. It is worth noting that combining cancer immunotherapy with other treatments, such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and photodynamic therapy, can maximize the therapeutic effects. Finally, we have identified the challenges that nanotechnology-mediated immunotherapy needs to overcome in order to design more effective nanosystems.

Abstract Background Sepsis remains a leading cause of mortality in intensive care units, and rapid and accurate pathogen detection is crucial for effective treatment. This study evaluated the clinical application of multi-site metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) for the diagnosis of sepsis, comparing its performance against conventional methods. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 69 patients with sepsis consecutively admitted to the Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Meizhou People’s Hospital. Samples of peripheral blood and infection sites were collected for mNGS and conventional method tests to compare the positive rate of mNGS and traditional pathogen detection methods and the distribution of pathogens. The methods used in this study included a comprehensive analysis of pathogen consistency between peripheral blood and infection site samples. Additionally, the correlation between the pathogens detected and clinical outcomes was investigated. Results Of the patients with sepsis, 57.97% experienced dyspnea, and 65.2% had underlying diseases, with hypertension being the most common. mNGS demonstrated a significantly higher pathogen detection rate (88%) compared to the conventional method tests (26%). The pathogen consistency rate was 60% between plasma and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid samples, and that of plasma and local body fluid samples was 63%. The most frequently detected pathogens were gram-negative bacteria, and Klebsiella pneumonia. There were no significant differences in the clinical features between the pathogens. Conclusion mNGS is significantly superior to conventional methods in pathogen detection. There was a notable high pathogen consistency detection between blood and local body fluid samples, supporting the clinical relevance of mNGS. This study highlights the superiority of mNGS in detecting a broad spectrum of pathogens quickly and accurately. Trial registration Not applicable.

Abstract Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is a rare and frequently fatal lymphoma subtype. The programmed death-1 (PD-1) pathway has emerged as a potential therapeutic target, but the effectiveness of PD-1 antibody sintilimab in combination with immunochemotherapy as a frontline treatment for PCNSL remains to be determined. In this phase 2 trial (ChiCTR1900027433) with a safety run-in, we included patients aged 18–70 with newly diagnosed PCNSL. Participants underwent six 21-day cycles of a SMTR regimen, which includes sintilimab (200 mg, Day 0), rituximab (375 mg/m2, Day 0), methotrexate (3.0 g/m2, Day 1 or 1.0 g/m2 for patients aged ≥65 years), and temozolomide (150 mg/m2/d, Days 1–5). Among 27 evaluable patients, the overall response rate (ORR) was 96.3% (95% confidence interval: 81–99.9%), with 25 complete responses. At a median follow-up of 24.4 months, the medians for duration of response, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival were not reached. The most common grade 3–4 treatment-related toxicities were increased levels of alanine aminotransferase (17.9%) and aspartate aminotransferase (14.3%). Additionally, baseline levels of interferon-α and the IL10/IL6 ratio in cerebrospinal fluid emerged as potential predictors of PFS, achieving areas under the curve of 0.88 and 0.84, respectively, at 2 years. Whole-exome sequencing revealed a higher prevalence of RTK-RAS and PI3K pathway mutations in the durable clinical benefit group, while a greater frequency of Notch and Hippo pathway mutations in the no durable benefit group. These findings suggest the SMTR regimen is highly efficacious and tolerable for newly diagnosed PCNSL, warranting further investigation.

Altimella Wang & Zhang, gen. nov., a new genus belonging to Cicurinidae, is established, and two new species are described, Altimella nedong Wang & Zhang, sp. nov. (♂♀, type species) and A. ngamring Wang & Zhang, sp. nov. (♂♀), from Xizang, China. Detailed descriptions of somatic features and genital characteristics, photos of the habitus, photos and drawings of the copulatory organs, and a distribution map are provided.

Abstract Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) related post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (EBV-PTLD) is a life-threatening complication after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) or solid organ transplantation (SOT), for which no standard therapeutic means have been developed. Significant increase expression of natural killer group 2 member D ligands (NKG2DLs) was observed on B-lymphoblastoid cells of EBV-PTLD, indicating NKG2DLs as potential therapeutic targets for treatment of EBV-PTLD. In this study, the recombinant constructs of NKG2D CAR and IL-15/IL-15Rα-NKG2D CAR were generated with a retroviral vector and then transduced to human T cells to produce NKG2D CAR-T and IL-15/IL-15Rα-NKG2D CAR-T cells, respectively. B-lymphoblastoid cell lines (B-LCLs) and the xenografted mouse models were established to evaluate the efficacy of these CAR-T cells. IL-15/IL-15Rα-NKG2D CAR-T cells exhibited superior proliferation and antigen-specific cytotoxic effect compared to NKG2D CAR-T, as IL-15/IL-15Rα signaling promoted the expansion of less differentiated central memory T cells (TCM) and increased expression of CD107a and IFN-γ. Moreover, EBV DNA load was dramatically reduced, and 80% B-LCL cells were eliminated by IL-15/IL-15Rα-NKG2D CAR-T cells after co-culturing. In-vivo study confirmed that IL-15/IL-15Rα-NKG2D CAR-T cell therapy significantly enhanced antiviral efficacy in mice, as the serum load of EBV after IL-15/IL-15Rα-NKG2D CAR-T cell infusion was 1500 times lower than the untreated control (P

Abstract Background Patients with severe community-acquired pneumonia (sCAP) admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) often exhibit muscle catabolism, muscle weakness, and/or atrophy, all related to an increased morbidity and mortality. However, the relationship between thoracic skeletal muscle mass and sCAP-related mortality has not been well-studied. Early recognition of sarcopenia in ICU patients with sCAP would benefit their prognosis. Methods A retrospective study was conducted in Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province, involving 101 patients with sCAP admitted in the ICU between December 2022 and February 2023. We measured the cross-sectional aera of the pectoralis, intercostal, paraspinal, serratus, and latissimus muscles at the T4 vertebral level (T4CSA) using chest computed tomography. Discriminatory thresholds were established by performing receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, with a designated cutoff value of 96.75 cm2 for male patients. This cohort was classified into mortality and survival groups based on a 6-month post-admission outcome. Univariate and multifactorial logistic regression analyses were performed to validate the correlation between low thoracic skeletal muscle area and prognostic outcomes. Results The mean age of the patients was 75.39 ± 12.09 years, with an overall 6-month mortality of 73.27%. T4CSA of the 6-month survival group was significantly larger than that in the mortality group for overall cohort. The T4CSA in the survival group was significantly larger than that in the mortality group (104.29 ± 23.98cm2 vs. 87.44 ± 23.0cm2, p = 0.008). T4CSA predicted the 6-month mortality from sCAP in males with an AUC of 0.722 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.582–0.861). The specificity and sensitivity were 71.4% and 71.1%, respectively, (p

Monitoring sensors in complex engineering environments often record abnormal data, leading to significant positioning errors. To reduce the influence of abnormal arrival times, we introduce an innovative, outlier-robust localization method that integrates kernel density estimation (KDE) with damping linear correction to enhance the precision of microseismic/acoustic emission (MS/AE) source positioning. Our approach systematically addresses abnormal arrival times through a three-step process: initial location by 4-arrival combinations, elimination of outliers based on three-dimensional KDE, and refinement using a linear correction with an adaptive damping factor. We validate our method through lead-breaking experiments, demonstrating over a 23% improvement in positioning accuracy with a maximum error of 9.12 mm (relative error of 15.80%)—outperforming 4 existing methods. Simulations under various system errors, outlier scales, and ratios substantiate our method’s superior performance. Field blasting experiments also confirm the practical applicability, with an average positioning error of 11.71 m (relative error of 7.59%), compared to 23.56, 66.09, 16.95, and 28.52 m for other methods. This research is significant as it enhances the robustness of MS/AE source localization when confronted with data anomalies. It also provides a practical solution for real-world engineering and safety monitoring applications.

Abstract Mechanical overloading and aging are two essential factors for osteoarthritis (OA) development. Mitochondria have been identified as a mechano-transducer situated between extracellular mechanical signals and chondrocyte biology, but their roles and the associated mechanisms in mechanical stress-associated chondrocyte senescence and OA have not been elucidated. Herein, we found that PDZ domain containing 1 (PDZK1), one of the PDZ proteins, which belongs to the Na+/H+ Exchanger (NHE) regulatory factor family, is a key factor in biomechanically induced mitochondrial dysfunction and chondrocyte senescence during OA progression. PDZK1 is reduced by mechanical overload, and is diminished in the articular cartilage of OA patients, aged mice and OA mice. Pdzk1 knockout in chondrocytes exacerbates mechanical overload-induced cartilage degeneration, whereas intraarticular injection of adeno-associated virus-expressing PDZK1 had a therapeutic effect. Moreover, PDZK1 loss impaired chondrocyte mitochondrial function with accumulated damaged mitochondria, decreased mitochondrion DNA (mtDNA) content and increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. PDZK1 supplementation or mitoubiquinone (MitoQ) application alleviated chondrocyte senescence and cartilage degeneration and significantly protected chondrocyte mitochondrial functions. MRNA sequencing in articular cartilage from Pdzk1 knockout mice and controls showed that PDZK1 deficiency in chondrocytes interfered with mitochondrial function through inhibiting Hmgcs2 by increasing its ubiquitination. Our results suggested that PDZK1 deficiency plays a crucial role in mediating excessive mechanical load-induced chondrocyte senescence and is associated with mitochondrial dysfunction. PDZK1 overexpression or preservation of mitochondrial functions by MitoQ might present a new therapeutic approach for mechanical overload-induced OA.

Abstract Background Histone deacetylases (HDACs) and histone acetyltransferases (HATs) are involved in plant growth and development as well as in response to environmental changes, by dynamically regulating gene acetylation levels. Although there have been numerous reports on the identification and function of HDAC and HAT in herbaceous plants, there are fewer report related genes in woody plants under drought stress. Results In this study, we performed a genome-wide analysis of the HDAC and HAT families in Populus trichocarpa, including phylogenetic analysis, gene structure, conserved domains, and expression analysis. A total of 16 PtrHDACs and 12 PtrHATs were identified in P. trichocarpa genome. Analysis of cis-elements in the promoters of PtrHDACs and PtrHATs revealed that both gene families could respond to a variety of environmental signals, including hormones and drought. Furthermore, real time quantitative PCR indicated that PtrHDA906 and PtrHAG3 were significantly responsive to drought. PtrHDA906, PtrHAC1, PtrHAC3, PtrHAG2, PtrHAG6 and PtrHAF1 consistently responded to abscisic acid, methyl jasmonate and salicylic acid under drought conditions. Conclusions Our study demonstrates that PtrHDACs and PtrHATs may respond to drought through hormone signaling pathways, which helps to reveal the hub of acetylation modification in hormone regulation of abiotic stress.

Abstract The single scattering albedo (SSA) of aerosol particles is one of the key variables that determine aerosol radiative forcing. Herein, an Algorithm for the retrieval of Single scattering albedo over Land (ASL) is proposed for application to full-disk data from the advanced Himawari imager (AHI) sensor flying on board the Himawari-8 satellite. In this algorithm, an atmospheric radiative transfer model known as the USM (the top of the atmosphere reflectance as the sum of Un-scattered, Single-scattered, and Multiple-scattered components) is used to calculate the SSA instead of predetermining the aerosol model; the USM is constrained by the surface bidirectional reflectance distribution function shape and aerosol optical depth (AOD) in the retrieval process. Combining two consecutive observations and a 2 * 2 pixel window, the optimal estimation algorithm is adopted to obtain the optimal solution for the aerosol SSA. These SSA results are evaluated by comparing with aerosol robotic network (AERONET) data. Linear regression shows that SSAASL = 0.60*SSSAERONET + 0.38, with a correlation coefficient (0.7284), mean absolute error (0.0319), mean bias error (0.00324), root mean square error (0.0427), and ~80.11% of the ASL SSA data within an uncertainty of ±0.05 of the AERONET data. A comparison of the ASL SSA products with collocated Himawari-8 SSA products (Version 03, officially released by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), referred to herein as JMA SSA) shows that the accuracy of the ASL SSA is better than that of the JMA SSA products. For the SSA retrieval in large AODs (>0.4), the validation metrics vs. AERONET data are better.

In this paper, Ti6Al4V alloy and Ti6Al4V-SiCw composites were formed by selective laser melting (SLM) and electrochemical corrosion experiments were carried out. The effects of different SiCw contents and solid solution aging heat treatment on the corrosion properties of the composites were systematically studied, and the corrosion mechanism of Ti6Al4V-SiCw composites was revealed. The results show that Ti6Al4V-1SiCw composites have better corrosion resistance than Ti6Al4V alloy. After solution and aging heat treatment at 1050 °C, Ti6Al4V-1SiCw composites have better corrosion resistance. The main reasons for the improvement of the corrosion performance of the composites are as follows: (i) The high-density grain boundaries formed by grain refinement of the composites have higher energy and are more likely to react to form a stable passivation film. (ii) The microstructure of Ti6Al4V-SiCw composites is equiaxed α phase, which is easier to form stable passivation film than metastable α′-Ti phase. (iii) The presence of ceramic particles makes more microcells formed in the titanium matrix, which promotes the formation of soluble [TiCl6]2- complexes. The formation of passivation film on the surface of Ti6Al4V-SiCw composites was accelerated.

With the development of remote sensing technology and computing science, remote sensing data present typical big data characteristics. The rapid development of remote sensing big data has brought a large number of data processing tasks, which bring huge challenges to computing. Distributed computing is the primary means to process remote sensing big data, and task scheduling plays a key role in this process. This study analyzes the characteristics of batch processing of remote sensing big data. This paper uses the Hungarian algorithm as a basis for proposing a novel strategy for task assignment optimization of remote sensing big data batch workflow, called optimal sequence dynamic assignment algorithm, which is applicable to heterogeneously distributed computing environments. This strategy has two core contents: the improved Hungarian algorithm model and the multi-level optimal assignment task queue mechanism. Moreover, the strategy solves the dependency, mismatch, and computational resource idleness problems in the optimal scheduling of remote sensing batch processing tasks. The proposed strategy likewise effectively improves data processing efficiency without increasing computer hardware resources and without optimizing the computational algorithm. We experimented with the aerosol optical depth retrieval algorithm workflow using this strategy. Compared with the processing before optimization, the makespan of the proposed method was shortened by at least 20%. Compared with popular scheduling algorithm, the proposed method has evident competitiveness in acceleration effect and large-scale task scheduling.

With the increasing importance of mine water prevention and control in coal mining, higher requirements have been put forward for precise seismic exploration methods. Conventional seismic exploration based on isotropy is increasingly unable to meet the high-precision exploration requirements for coal seams and their roof and floor under complex conditions. Based on the orthogonal anisotropy characteristics of coal bearing strata, the periodic thin interlayer anisotropy and fracture induced anisotropy are comprehensively considered. A wide-angle imaging method based on high-order motion correction is proposed to flatten the in-phase axis and improve the accuracy of far and near offset motion correction for the characteristics of the transverse isoropy medium with vertical symmetry axis(VTI). Applying the Offset Vector Tile(OVT) domain processing to eliminate anisotropy in different directions under structural fractures in coal bearing strata, in response to the characteristics of the transverse isoropy with horizontal axis ofs symmetry medium(HTI). Improve imaging accuracy and resolution during seismic data processing. Improve imaging accuracy and resolution during the seismic data processing phase. On the basis of wide azimuth and high fidelity imaging, lithology interpretation is based on the pseudo acoustic method of rock physical characteristics. By reconstructing the acoustic time difference logging curve and incorporating formation lithology information into the velocity curve, the spatial distribution characteristics of formation lithology can be analyzed through inversion iteration. Fracture interpretation is based on ellipse fitting of azimuth offset information contained in OVT gathers to obtain attenuation gradient of seismic wave in different azimuth, and fracture density and azimuth are fitted to obtain distribution characteristics of formation fracture density. To achieve precise exploration of the two key parameters affecting mine flooding, the coal seam roof aquifer and the water conducting fracture zone. On this basis, a comprehensive evaluation is conducted on the water production risk zone of the coal seam roof. The actual water content risk assessment of the data is in good agreement with the production well situation. The method was applied to the research area, and the actual data of water content risk assessment matched well with the production well situation. The results verified the feasibility and applicability of the proposed risk assessment method, providing useful reference for predicting mine flood risk areas in coal mining.

Abstract Background Understanding how the COVID-19 pandemic evolved under control measures is crucial to tackle the SARS-CoV-2 virus spread. Laos, a country bordering China but with late occurrence and low burden of COVID-19 compared to its neighbouring countries, was used for a case study. Methods A transmission model with disease reporting was proposed to investigate the impact of control measures on the SARS-CoV-2 virus spread in Laos from April 2021 to May 2022. It was assumed that the transmission rate changed with people’s behaviours, control measures and emerging variants; susceptibility decreased with vaccination and infection. Bayesian inference was used for model calibration to data of confirmed cases, deaths, and recoveries, and the deviance information criterion was used to select the best model variant. Results Our model including Non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs), behaviour change, vaccination, and changing variants well explained the three waves in Laos. The Alpha variant was estimated to have a basic reproduction number of 1.55 (95% CrI: 1.47–1.64) and was replaced by the Delta variant from September 2021 which was 1.88 (95% CrI: 1.77–2.01) times more transmissible; the Delta variant was replaced by Omicron variant from March 2022 which was 3.33 (95% CrI: 2.84–3.74) times more transmissible. The Delta variant was the most severe with a case fatality rate of 1.05% (95% CrI: 0.96–1.15%) while the Alpha variant and Omicron variant were much milder. The ascertainment rate was low and variable: first decreasing from 13.2 to 1.8% by 23 May 2021, and then increasing to 23.4% by 15 March 2022. Counterfactual simulations indicated that vaccination played strong roles in reducing infections even under the emergence of immune escape variants while behaviour change delayed but might not flatten the peak of outbreaks. Conclusions The three waves of Laos’ epidemics were due to the invasion of more transmissible and immune escape variants that affected the herd immunity built via vaccination and infection. Even with immunity waning and the escape of new variants, vaccination was still the major contributor to control COVID-19 and combining behaviour changes and vaccination would best suppress future outbreaks of COVID-19.

Machine learning (ML) provides a new surrogate method for investigating groundwater flow dynamics in unsaturated soils. Traditional pure data-driven methods (e.g. deep neural network, DNN) can provide rapid predictions, but they do require sufficient on-site data for accurate training, and lack interpretability to the physical processes within the data. In this paper, we provide a physics and equality-constrained artificial neural network (PECANN), to derive unsaturated infiltration solutions with a small amount of initial and boundary data. PECANN takes the physics-informed neural network (PINN) as a foundation, encodes the unsaturated infiltration physical laws (i.e. Richards equation, RE) into the loss function, and uses the augmented Lagrangian method to constrain the learning process of the solutions of RE by adding stronger penalty for the initial and boundary conditions. Four unsaturated infiltration cases are designed to test the training performance of PECANN, i.e. one-dimensional (1D) steady-state unsaturated infiltration, 1D transient-state infiltration, two-dimensional (2D) transient-state infiltration, and 1D coupled unsaturated infiltration and deformation. The predicted results of PECANN are compared with the finite difference solutions or analytical solutions. The results indicate that PECANN can accurately capture the variations of pressure head during the unsaturated infiltration, and present higher precision and robustness than DNN and PINN. It is also revealed that PECANN can achieve the same accuracy as the finite difference method with fewer initial and boundary training data. Additionally, we investigate the effect of the hyperparameters of PECANN on solving RE problem. PECANN provides an effective tool for simulating unsaturated infiltration.

Abstract AidData’s Global Chinese Development Finance Dataset (Version 3.0) provides detailed information about more than 20,000 development projects across 165 low- and middle-income countries financed by 791 official sector Chinese donors and lenders from 2000 to 2021. In this study, we introduce a methodology for identifying the geospatial features of these projects. Our application of the methodology has resulted in the Geospatial Global Chinese Development Finance Dataset (Version 3.0), which captures the geospatial features of 9,405 projects across 148 low- and middle-income countries supported by Chinese grant and loan commitments worth more than USD 830 billion. The dataset provides details for 6,266 projects containing spatial definitions of roads, railways, power plants, transmission lines, buildings, and other precisely geocoded features. It identifies approximate and administrative-level locations for 3,139 additional projects. The methodology, dataset, and the code used to construct the dataset have been made publicly available to facilitate replication and future applications.

Objective To investigate the awareness and influencing factors of topical corticosteroid (TCS) therapy among caregivers caring for children with eczema, in order to facilitate targeted medication education and improve medication compliance of children and treatment efficacy. Methods A questionnaire survey was conducted among caregivers of children with eczema who were admitted to the dermatology department of the Children's Hospital Affiliated to the Capital Institute of Pediatrics from December 2020 to March 2021. The questionnaire included caregivers' awareness of TCS and its side effects, children in compliance with TCS treatment, and methods to access related knowledge. The influencing factors of caregivers' awareness of TCS treatment for eczema were analyzed. Results Only 22.22% (38/171) of caregivers were aware of TCS well, while 16.37% (28/171) of caregivers were not aware of TCS at all. Moreover, 9.36% (16/171) of caregivers were fully aware of the side effects of TCS. Caregivers acquired knowledge about TCS treatment mainly from "network" (46.20%), patients or people around them (38.60%) and doctors (22.81%). About 62% (106/171) of the caregivers who took care of the children completely followed doctors' orders, while 35.08% (60/171) partially followed doctors' orders. Small proportion of caregivers (5/171, 2.92%) did not use TCS at all. Awareness of TCS and TCS side effects among caregivers differed with caregivers' age, education level and occupational status (all P0.05). Conclusions Caregivers of children with eczema have little awareness of TCS for the treatment of eczema, and caregivers' awareness of TCS and medication compliance are influenced by age and education level. Clinicians should pay attention to the differences in obtaining information about disease and medication among different population, strengthen publicity and popular science, promote rational drug use, and improve skin health management of children with eczema.

Abstract Background The endosperm serves as the primary source of nutrients for maize (Zea mays L.) kernel embryo development and germination. Positioned at the base of the endosperm, the transfer cells (TCs) of the basal endosperm transfer layer (BETL) generate cell wall ingrowths, which enhance the connectivity between the maternal plant and the developing kernels. These TCs play a crucial role in nutrient transport and defense against pathogens. The molecular mechanism underlying BETL development in maize remains unraveled. Results This study demonstrated that the MYB-related transcription factor ZmMYBR29, exhibited specific expression in the basal cellularized endosperm, as evidenced by in situ hybridization analysis. Utilizing the CRISPR/Cas9 system, we successfully generated a loss-of-function homozygous zmmybr29 mutant, which presented with smaller kernel size. Observation of histological sections revealed abnormal development and disrupted morphology of the cell wall ingrowths in the BETL. The average grain filling rate decreased significantly by 26.7% in zmmybr29 mutant in comparison to the wild type, which impacted the dry matter accumulation within the kernels and ultimately led to a decrease in grain weight. Analysis of RNA-seq data revealed downregulated expression of genes associated with starch synthesis and carbohydrate metabolism in the mutant. Furthermore, transcriptomic profiling identified 23 genes that expressed specifically in BETL, and the majority of these genes exhibited altered expression patterns in zmmybr29 mutant. Conclusions In summary, ZmMYBR29 encodes a MYB-related transcription factor that is expressed specifically in BETL, resulting in the downregulation of genes associated with kernel development. Furthermore, ZmMYBR29 influences kernels weight by affecting the grain filling rate, providing a new perspective for the complementation of the molecular regulatory network in maize endosperm development.

Abstract Choroid plexus tumors (CPT) are rare and highly vascularized neoplasms that have three histologically confirmed diagnoses, including choroid plexus papilloma, atypical choroid plexus papilloma, and choroid plexus carcinoma (CPC). This study aimed to determine the epidemiology and survival of patients with CPTs and develop a nomogram to quantify the prognosis of the patients with CPT. Data of 808 patients who were diagnosed as CPT between 2000 and 2020 was obtained from the surveillance, epidemiology, and end results database. Descriptive analysis was used to assess the distribution and tumor-related characteristics of the patients with CPT. Independent prognostic factors for patients with CPT were identified by univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis. The nomogram was established and evaluated by receiver operating characteristic curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA), calibration curves. The independent prognostic factors for patients with CPT are age, tumor size, surgery, chemotherapy, tumor number, pathologies, and race. For the prognostic nomogram, the area under the curve (AUC) of 60-, 120-, and 180-months were 0.855, 0.869 and 0.857 in the training set and 0.836, 0.864 and 0.922 in the test set. The DCA and calibration curve indicated the good performance of the nomogram. Patients with CPTs can be diagnosed at any age. Among the three histopathological tumors, patients with CPC had the worst prognosis. The nomogram was established to predict the prognosis of patients with CPT, which had satisfactory accuracy, and clinical utility may benefit for clinical decision-making.

Abstract Background Radioresistance is a key clinical constraint on the efficacy of radiotherapy in lung cancer patients. REV1 DNA directed polymerase (REV1) plays an important role in repairing DNA damage and maintaining genomic stability. However, its role in the resistance to radiotherapy in lung cancer is not clear. This study aims to clarify the role of REV1 in lung cancer radioresistance, identify the intrinsic mechanisms involved, and provide a theoretical basis for the clinical translation of this new target for lung cancer treatment. Methods The effect of targeting REV1 on the radiosensitivity was verified by in vivo and in vitro experiments. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) combined with nontargeted metabolomics analysis was used to explore the downstream targets of REV1. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was used to quantify the content of specific amino acids. The coimmunoprecipitation (co-IP) and GST pull-down assays were used to validate the interaction between proteins. A ubiquitination library screening system was constructed to investigate the regulatory proteins upstream of REV1. Results Targeting REV1 could enhance the radiosensitivity in vivo, while this effect was not obvious in vitro. RNA sequencing combined with nontargeted metabolomics revealed that the difference result was related to metabolism, and that the expression of glycine, serine, and threonine (Gly/Ser/Thr) metabolism signaling pathways was downregulated following REV1 knockdown. LC-MS/MS demonstrated that REV1 knockdown results in reduced levels of these three amino acids and that cystathionine γ-lyase (CTH) was the key to its function. REV1 enhances the interaction of CTH with the E3 ubiquitin ligase Rad18 and promotes ubiquitination degradation of CTH by Rad18. Screening of the ubiquitination compound library revealed that the ubiquitin-specific peptidase 9 X-linked (USP9X) is the upstream regulatory protein of REV1 by the ubiquitin-proteasome system, which remodels the intracellular Gly/Ser/Thr metabolism. Conclusion USP9X mediates the deubiquitination of REV1, and aberrantly expressed REV1 acts as a scaffolding protein to assist Rad18 in interacting with CTH, promoting the ubiquitination and degradation of CTH and inducing remodeling of the Gly/Ser/Thr metabolism, which leads to radioresistance. A novel inhibitor of REV1, JH-RE-06, was shown to enhance lung cancer cell radiosensitivity, with good prospects for clinical translation.

The family Trechaleidae Simon, 1890 is reported for the first time from China, including one new species: Shinobius cona sp. nov. (♂♀). Morphological descriptions, photos and illustrations of the new species are provided. Taxonomic features of species belonging to the genus are briefly discussed. Photos of the female of Shinobius orientalis (Yaginuma, 1967) are also presented to compare it with the new species.

Abstract Background Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication in patients admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) and mortality rates for this condition are high. To reduce the high incidence of short-term mortality, reliable prognostic indicators are required to facilitate early diagnosis and treatment of AKI. We assessed the ability of plasma proenkephalin (p‑PENK) and plasma neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (p‑NGAL) to predict 28-day mortality in AKI patients in intensive care. Methods This prospective study, carried out between January 2019 and December 2019, comprised 150 patients (100 male) diagnosed with AKI after excluding 20 patients discharged within 24 h and those with missing hospitalization data. Blood samples were collected to determine admission p-PENK and p-NGAL levels. The study outcome was 28‑day mortality. Results The mean patient age was 68 years (female, 33%). The average P‑PENK and p‑NGAL levels were 0.24 ng/µL and 223.70 ng/mL, respectively. P‑PENK levels >0.36 ng/µL and p‑NGAL levels >230.30 ng/mL were used as critical values to reliably indicate 28‑day mortality for patients with AKI (adjusted hazard ratios 0.785 [95% confidence interval 0.706–0.865, P

Abstract Background The incidence and mortality of lung cancer is the highest in China and the world. Brain is the most common distant metastasis site of lung cancer. Its transfer mechanism and predictive biomarkers are still unclear. EZH2 participates in the catalysis of transcriptional inhibition complex, mediates chromatin compactness, leads to the silencing of its downstream target genes, participates in the silencing of multiple tumor suppressor genes, and is related to cell proliferation, apoptosis and cycle regulation. In physiology, EZH2 has high activity in stem cells or progenitor cells, inhibits genes related to cell cycle arrest and promotes self-renewal. To detect the expression and mutation of EZH2 gene in patients with brain metastasis of lung cancer, and provide further theoretical basis for exploring the pathogenesis of brain metastasis of lung cancer and finding reliable biomarkers to predict brain metastasis of lung cancer. Methods This study investigated susceptible genes for brain metastasis of lung cancer. The second-generation sequencing technology was applied to screen the differential genes of paired samples (brain metastasis tissues, lung cancer tissues and adjacent tissues) of lung cancer patients with brain metastasi. Results It revealed that there was a significant difference in the G553C genotype of EZH2 between lung cancer brain metastasis tissues and lung cancer tissues (p = 0.045). The risk of lung cancer brain metastasis in G allele carriers was 2.124 times higher than that in C allele carriers. Immunohistochemistry showed that compared with lung cancer patients and lung cancer patients with brain metastasis, the expression level of EZH2 in lung cancer tissues of lung cancer patients was significantly higher than that in adjacent lung tissues (p

Abstract Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) fusion-positive colorectal cancer (CRC) is a rare and chemotherapy-refractory subtype that lacks established and effective treatment strategies. Additionally, the efficacy and safety of ALK inhibitors (ALKi) in CRC remain undetermined. Herein, we examined a series of ALK-positive CRC patients who underwent various lines of ALKi treatment. Notably, we detected an ALK 1196M resistance mutation in a CRC patient who received multiple lines of chemotherapy and ALKi treatment. Importantly, we found that Brigatinib and Lorlatinib demonstrated some efficacy in managing this patient, although the observed effectiveness was not as pronounced as in non-small cell lung cancer cases. Furthermore, based on our preliminary analyses, we surmise that ALK-positive CRC patients are likely to exhibit inner resistance to Cetuximab. Taken together, our findings have important implications for the treatment of ALK-positive CRC patients.

Abstract Considering the influence of thermal stress and material property variations, this study employs the Navier–Stokes equations and Fourier heat conduction law to establish a semi-implicit time-domain numerical analysis method for hypersonic aerothermal-structural coupling. Study the temporal variation pattern of different regions of the composite material wing under aerodynamic heating. Using the obtained transient temperature field of the wing, the thermal modal of the wing at different time points is calculated using the finite element method. Additionally, it conducts an analysis and discussion on the factors influencing the thermal modal. Composites can be effectively utilized as thermal protection materials for aircraft. During the aerodynamic heating process, the leading edge temperature reaches thermal equilibrium first, followed by the trailing edge, and the belly plate experiences a slower thermal response. Temperature rise significantly affects higher-order modes, with the change in material properties during the early stages of heating being the dominant factor. This leads to a faster decrease in natural frequency. As heat conduction progresses, the influencing factors of thermal stresses gradually increase, and the natural frequency decreases slowly or even rises.

Six species of the ant-eating spider of the family Zodariidae are described from Xizang, China, including five new species: Asceua chayu sp. nov. (♀), A. dawai sp. nov. (♂♀), Mallinella migu sp. nov. (♂), M. mеdog sp. nov. (♂♀), and M. yadong sp. nov. (♂♀). The female of Cydrela linzhiensis (Hu, 2001) is described here for the first time. Descriptions and photographs of all the species are provided.

Abstract This work presents a single-structure 3-axis Lorentz force magnetometer (LFM) based on an AlN-on-Si MEMS resonator. The operation of the proposed LFM relies on the flexible manipulation of applied excitation currents in different directions and frequencies, enabling the effective actuation of two mechanical vibration modes in a single device for magnetic field measurements in three axes. Specifically, the excited out-of-plane drum-like mode at 277 kHz is used for measuring the x- and y-axis magnetic fields, while the in-plane square-extensional mode at 5.4 MHz is used for measuring the z-axis magnetic field. The different configurations of applied excitation currents ensure good cross-interference immunity among the three axes. Compared to conventional capacitive LFMs, the proposed piezoelectric LFM utilizes strong electromechanical coupling from the AlN layer, which allows it to operate at ambient pressure with a high sensitivity. To understand and analyze the measured results, a novel equivalent circuit model for the proposed LFM is also reported in this work, which serves to separate the effect of Lorentz force from the unwanted capacitive feedthrough. The demonstrated 3-axis LFM exhibits measured magnetic responsivities of 1.74 ppm/mT, 1.83 ppm/mT and 6.75 ppm/mT in the x-, y- and z-axes, respectively, which are comparable to their capacitive counterparts.

Abstract Optical spectrometers are essential tools for analysing light‒matter interactions, but conventional spectrometers can be complicated and bulky. Recently, efforts have been made to develop miniaturized spectrometers. However, it is challenging to overcome the trade-off between miniaturizing size and retaining performance. Here, we present a complementary metal oxide semiconductor image sensor-based miniature computational spectrometer using a plasmonic nanoparticles-in-cavity microfilter array. Size-controlled silver nanoparticles are directly printed into cavity-length-varying Fabry‒Pérot microcavities, which leverage strong coupling between the localized surface plasmon resonance of the silver nanoparticles and the Fabry‒Pérot microcavity to regulate the transmission spectra and realize large-scale arrayed spectrum-disparate microfilters. Supported by a machine learning-based training process, the miniature computational spectrometer uses artificial intelligence and was demonstrated to measure visible-light spectra at subnanometre resolution. The high scalability of the technological approaches shown here may facilitate the development of high-performance miniature optical spectrometers for extensive applications.

Shape grammar, as a design reasoning method, offers a graphical approach to decoding formal languages and implementing the emergence of results through recursive shape rules. Since its introduction in 1972, it has been increasingly utilized in researching vernacular houses’ inherent value and adaptive regeneration. This paper explains the principles of shape grammar and summarizes relevant research cases from the past four decades. Three representative cases are selected to demonstrate shape grammar’s positive impact on studying vernacular houses. Subsequently, the paper focuses on the “Unconventional Village” undergraduate graduation design from Shandong Jianzhu University. It uses it as an example to illustrate the design generation process of “unified construction” houses in rural China through rule reasoning. Finally, the research value of shape grammar is summarized, and the significance of studying contemporary vernacular houses is elaborated.

Ice, water, and sediment represent three interconnected habitats in lake ecosystems, and bacteria are crucial for maintaining ecosystem equilibrium and elemental cycling across these habitats. However, the differential characteristics and driving mechanisms of bacterial community structures in the ice, water, and sediments of seasonally frozen lakes remain unclear. In this study, high-throughput sequencing technology was used to analyze and compare the structure, function, network characteristics, and assembly mechanisms of bacterial communities in the ice, water, and sediment of Wuliangsuhai, a typical cold region in Inner Mongolia. The results showed that the bacterial communities in the ice and water phases had similar diversity and composition, with Proteobacteria, Bacteroidota, Actinobacteria, Campilobacterota, and Cyanobacteria as dominant phyla. The bacterial communities in sediments displayed significant differences from ice and water, with Chloroflexi, Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Desulfobacterota, and Acidobacteriota being the dominant phyla. Notably, the bacterial communities in water exhibited higher spatial variability in their distribution than those in ice and sediment. This study also revealed that during the frozen period, the bacterial community species in the ice, water, and sediment media were dominated by cooperative relationships. Community assembly was primarily influenced by stochastic processes, with dispersal limitation and drift identified as the two most significant factors within this process. However, heterogeneous selection also played a significant role in the community composition. Furthermore, functions related to nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, carbon, and hydrogen cycling vary among bacterial communities in ice, water, and sediment. These findings elucidate the intrinsic mechanisms driving variability in bacterial community structure and changes in water quality across different media phases (ice, water, and sediment) in cold-zone lakes during the freezing period, offering new insights for water environmental protection and ecological restoration efforts in such environments.

Statins are well-tolerated and widely available lipid-lowering medications with neuroprotective effects against traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, whether delayed statin therapy starting in the subacute phase promotes recovery after TBI is unknown. Elongation of the very long-chain fatty acid protein 1 (ELOVL1) is involved in astrocyte-mediated neurotoxicity, but its role in TBI and the relationship between ELOVL1 and statins are unclear. We hypothesized that delayed simvastatin treatment promotes neurological functional recovery after TBI by regulating the ELOVL1-mediated production of very long-chain fatty acids (VLCFAs). ICR male mice received daily intragastric administration of 1, 2 or 5 mg/kg simvastatin on Days 1–14, 3–14, 5–14, or 7–14 after cryogenic TBI (cTBI). The results showed that simvastatin promoted motor functional recovery in a dose-dependent manner, with a wide therapeutic window of at least 7 days postinjury. Meanwhile, simvastatin inhibited astrocyte and microglial overactivation and glial scar formation, and increased total dendritic length, neuronal complexity and spine density on day 14 after cTBI. The up-regulation of ELOVL1 expression and saturated VLCFAs concentrations in the cortex surrounding the lesion caused by cTBI was inhibited by simvastatin, which was related to the inhibition of the mTOR signaling. Overexpression of ELOVL1 in astrocytes surrounding the lesion using HBAAV2/9-GFAP-m-ELOVL1–3xFlag-EGFP partially attenuated the benefits of simvastatin. These results showed that delayed simvastatin treatment promoted functional recovery and brain tissue repair after TBI through the downregulation of ELOVL1 expression by inhibiting mTOR signaling. Astrocytic ELOVL1 may be a potential target for rehabilitation after TBI.

Given the escalating severity of colitis caused by Salmonella infection and the growing challenge of drug resistance, there is an urgent demand for novel and effective treatment strategies with minimal side effects. Herein, we explored the potential therapeutic effects of polysaccharides on Ulcerative Colitis (UC). Our results showed that both purified polysaccharide from Dendrobium devonianum (DVP-1) and Crude polysaccharides from Dendrobium devonianum (CP) pre-treatment could prevent colon shortening and spleen enlargement, and alleviate colonic tissue damage. Western blot and RT-qPCR analyses revealed that DVP-1 and CP downregulated pro-inflammatory mediators while upregulating the expression of the anti-inflammatory mediator and tight junction proteins. Besides, 16S rRNA sequencing analysis showed that DVP-1 modulated gut dysbiosis by increasing the relative abundance of ClostridiumXlVa, and reducing the relative abundance of Alloprevotella. Additionally, DVP-1 and CP significantly increased the concentrations of tryptophan metabolites while decreasing purine metabolites. Taken together, these findings suggest that DVP-1 and CP yield potential benefits in alleviating UC primarily through restoring intestinal barrier function and regulating intestinal microbiota.

The wettability of nanofluid is a key factor affecting oil recovery and fluid heat transfer. However, the traditional wettability measurement method consisting in determining the contact angle enables to assess the wettability at a solid–liquid contact point only and not within the continuous detection range. Therefore, in this work, a lateral friction detection system is used to continuously measure the wettability of hydroxylated multi-walled carbon nanotubes/deionized water (MWCNT-OH/DIW) nanofluids on polydimethylsiloxane surfaces. Specifically, MWCNT-OH/DIW nanofluids with various mass fractions are configured, and different surfactants are introduced to regulate the dispersion in deionized water. The results reveal that the surface tension and contact angle decrease simultaneously with the increase in MWCNT-OH/DIW mass fraction. Meanwhile, this change also causes an increase in the lateral friction at the nanofluid/PDMS interface. Furthermore, both sodium dodecyl sulfate and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as surfactants can effectively reduce its surface tension. Notably, when CTAB is added, the maximum static friction (132.62 μN) exceeds that of SDS (113.13 μN). Therefore, the proposed method opens up new prospects in wettability detection of nanofluids.

The concept of Maxwell demon plays an essential role in connecting thermodynamics and information theory, while entanglement and nonlocality are fundamental features of quantum theory. Given the rapid advancements in the field of quantum information science, there is a growing interest and significance in investigating the connection between Maxwell demon and quantum correlation. The majority of research endeavors thus far have been directed toward the extraction of work from quantum correlation through the utilization of Maxwell demon. Recently, a novel concept called Maxwell demon-assisted Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) steering has been proposed, which suggests that it is possible to simulate quantum correlation by doing work. This seemingly counterintuitive conclusion is attributed to the fact that Alice and Bob need classical communication during EPR steering task, a requirement that does not apply in the Bell test. In this study, we demonstrate Maxwell demon-assisted EPR steering with superconducting quantum circuits. By compiling and optimizing a quantum circuit to be implemented on a 2D superconducting chip, we were able to achieve a steering parameter of S_{2}=0.770±0.005 in the case of two measurement settings, which surpasses the classical bound of 1/sqrt[2] by 12.6 standard deviations. In addition, experimental observations have revealed a linear correlation between the nonlocality demonstrated in EPR steering and the work done by the demon. Considering the errors in practical operation, the experimental results are highly consistent with theoretical predictions. Our findings not only suggest the presence of a Maxwell demon loophole in the EPR steering, but also contribute to a deeper comprehension of the interplay between quantum correlation, information theory, and thermodynamics.

BackgroundThe clinical efficacy of reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA), hemiarthroplasty (HA), and non-surgical management in the treatment of proximal humeral fractures (PHFs) is inconclusive. This systematic review and meta-analysis compared the clinical outcomes of arthroplasty and non-surgical management of PHFs.MethodsThe databases of PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library were searched on 5 May 2023 for studies comparing arthroplasty and non-surgical treatment of PHFs. Both randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-randomized controlled trials (nRCTs), were included. Standard methodological quality assessments were conducted for both types of studies. The primary outcome was the Constant-Murley Score (CMS) after surgical or non-surgical treatment. Secondary study outcomes included the visual analog scale (VAS), range of motion, and complications. All functional scores and complications were subjected to subgroup and sensitivity analyses.ResultsA total of four RCTs and six nRCTs were included in this study, which provided 508 patients in total for meta-analysis: 238 treated with arthroplasty and 270 treated non-surgically, of which 83 were treated with HA and 155 with RSA. All relevant information was collected, including functional scores, VAS, range of motion, and complications. The study found no significant difference in functional outcomes (mean difference, 2.82; 95% confidence interval, −0.49 to 6.14; P = 0.10; I2 = 77%) and complications (mean difference, 1.08; 95% confidence interval, 0.51–2.25; P = 0.85; I2 = 47%) between arthroplasty and non-surgical treatment. Both RCTs and nRCTs showed the same results. However, VAS scores were significantly lower in surgical treatment compared to non-surgical treatment. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses showed that RSA could achieve better functional scores than non-surgical treatment (mean difference, 6.00; 95% confidence interval, 1.97–10.03; P = 0.004; I2 = 0%), while the results for HA were not significant (P > 0.05).ConclusionThere were no significant differences in complications between arthroplasty and non-surgical treatment for PHFs. RSA could achieve better functional results than non-surgical treatment, while HA could only achieve better forward flexion.

In this article, a time-varying coefficient modified nonlinear Schrödinger equation (tvcmNLSE) with non-zero boundary conditions (NZBCs) at infinity, phase term of which contains time-varying coefficients, is proposed to describe the nonlinear propagation behavior of optical pulses in non-uniform optical fibre. Meanwhile, the Riemann–Hilbert method (RHM) for the tvcmNLSE with NZBCs is presented for the first time. Specifically, a special transformation is constructed to convert the tvcmNLSE with NZBCs into the case with constant NZBCs, and the associated asymptotic spectral problem (ASP) is obtained. By introducing a suitable two-piece Riemann surface to map the original spectral parameter into a single-valued one, and analyzing the ASP, we construct the corresponding Jost solutions and spectral matrix, and sequentially analyze their analytical, symmetric, and asymptotic properties. Then, a generalized Riemann–Hilbert problem (RHP) is established that relates to the converted tvcmNLSE with constant NZBCs. Using the reconstruction formula, we further derive N-soliton solution with NZBCs in the absence of reflection potential, and analyze the dynamic characteristics of single and double solitons. Most notably, by modulating discrete spectral points (DSPs) and time-varying coefficients, we discover some previously unreported new waveforms, such as parabolic and periodic solitons with NZBCs. These waveforms have important implications in both theory and practice. In addition, the influences of different time-varying coefficients, NZBCs, and DSPs on soliton solutions are also discussed and analyzed. This study shows that the selection of time-varying coefficients, distribution of DSPs, and constraints from NZBCs all have significant impacts on the properties of soliton solutions.

Objective: This study investigates the impact of physical activity on negative emotions among university students and examines the mediating influence of self-efficacy, aiming to furnish empirical insights and a theoretical framework to enhance and optimize the mental health of this population comprehensively. Methods: Using the cluster random sampling method, 5341 university students were selected from three universities. The questionnaire included demographic information about university students, physical exercise behaviors, expressions of negative emotions such as depression and anxiety, and self-efficacy in physical exercise. The types of questionnaires included the Physical Activity Rating Scale (PARS-3), the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES), and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS). Results: 76.877 % of university students had low exercise. The detection rates of depression, anxiety and stress in negative mood were 77.041 %, 64.276 % and 47.931 %, respectively. There were significant differences in physical exercise and negative mood scores among university students of different genders and grades. University student. Negative emotions were significantly correlated with physical exercise and self-efficacy (P

We revisit the proton emitter 149Lu utilizing the recently developed triaxial relativistic Hartree-Bogoliubov theory in continuum (TRHBc). By incorporating the microscopic nuclear structure properties from the TRHBc theory into the WKB approximation, we successfully reproduce the measured proton-emission half-life of 149Lu within experimental uncertainties. A triaxial ground state characterized by (β=0.17,γ=31∘) has been clarified for 149Lu. The inclusion of triaxiality significantly changes nuclear density distributions and potentials, which results in enhanced binding of both the nuclear system and the proton-emitting orbital. As a result, a slightly extended half-life for the proton emission of 149Lu is achieved after considering triaxial deformation degrees of freedom. The examination of the dependence of the decay width on triaxial deformation parameters highlights the significance of microscopic description of nuclear deformation beyond the proton dripline.

The escalating salinization of cultivated soil poses a significant threat to the ecological environment. It is imperative to establish a monitoring system and mitigate the spread of salinization in arid and coastal areas through remote sensing, incorporating high-precision cross-regional models for soil salt content inversion. This study focuses on typical saline-alkali soils in arid and coastal regions of China. Using Sentinel 2 data (including 6 bands and 27 spectral indices), along with soil texture, moisture content, temperature, precipitation, and digital elevation model (DEM) data to establish an arid-coastal salinity inversion model. Variable selection methods such as pearson correlation coefficient (PCC), variable importance in projection (VIP), gray relational analysis (GRA), and gradient boosting machine (GBM) were used, while using 9 models including adaptive boosting (Adaboost), extremely randomized trees (ERT), and light gradient boosting machine (LightGBM). The best model was further elucidated using the Shapley additive explanations method. Results indicate that the common sensitive characteristic variables of arid-coastal areas were spectral indices and soil properties in PCC, the spectral variable bands and indices in VIP, and all variables in GRA and GBM. The best inversion model GBM-ERT (R2 = 0.91, RMSE = 1.06) in arid areas exhibited higher accuracy than the best inversion model GBM-Adaboost (R2 = 0.77, RMSE = 1.74) in coastal areas. The arid-coastal inversion model PCC-LightGBM demonstrated the best inversion performance (R2 = 0.64, RMSE = 2.29) and simulation performance in arid (R2 = 0.67) and coastal areas (R2 = 0.63). Dead fuel index (DFI) had the most significant impact on model prediction (0.89) and the second ratio index (RI2) contributed the highest relative importance (18 %) to the model. Our analysis indicates that the arid-coastal model of PCC-LightGBM established using common characteristic variables, can effectively monitor large-scale soil salinity.

Understanding the differences in ubiquitination-modified proteins between Duroc pigs and Tibetan fragrant pigs is crucial for comprehending the growth and development of their skeletal muscles. In this study, skeletal muscle samples from 30-day-old Duroc pigs and Tibetan fragrant pigs were collected. Using ubiquitination 4D-Label free quantitative proteomics, we analyzed and identified ubiquitination-modified peptides, screening out 109 differentially expressed ubiquitination-modified peptides. Further enrichment analysis was conducted on the proteins associated with these differential peptides. GO analysis results indicated that the differential genes were primarily enriched in processes such as regulation of protein transport, motor activity, myosin complex, and actin cytoskeleton. KEGG pathway analysis revealed significant enrichment in pathways such as Glycolysis/Gluconeogenesis and Hippo signaling pathway. The differentially expressed key ubiquitinated proteins, including MYL1, MYH3, TNNC2, TNNI1, MYLPF, MYH1, MYH7, TNNT2, TTN, and TNNC1, were further identified. Our analysis demonstrates that these genes play significant roles in skeletal muscle protein synthesis and degradation, providing new insights into the molecular mechanisms of muscle development in Duroc pigs and Tibetan fragrant pigs, and offering theoretical support for breeding improvements in the swine industry.

Host-microbe interactions are virtually bidirectional, but how the host affects their microbiome is poorly understood. Here, we report that the host is a critical modulator to regulate the lifestyle switch and pathogenicity heterogeneity of the opportunistic pathogens Serratia marcescens utilizing the Drosophila and bacterium model system. First, we find that Drosophila larvae efficiently outcompete S. marcescens and typically drive a bacterial switch from pathogenicity to commensalism toward the fly. Furthermore, Drosophila larvae reshape the transcriptomic and metabolic profiles of S. marcescens characterized by a lifestyle switch. More importantly, the host alters pathogenicity and heterogeneity of S. marcescens in the single-cell resolution. Finally, we find that larvae-derived AMPs are required to recapitulate the response of S. marcescens to larvae. Altogether, our findings provide an insight into the pivotal roles of the host in harnessing the life history and heterogeneity of symbiotic bacterial cells, advancing knowledge of the reciprocal relationships between the host and pathogen.

Analysing the relationship between economic growth and carbon emissions may help China to determine how to reduce carbon emissions. This study examined 221 Chinese prefecture-level cities using data from 2003 to 2018 to investigate the possible inverted U-shaped relationship between carbon emissions and economic growth, based on per capita nighttime light brightness. This revealed a significant inverted U-shaped relationship between per capita nighttime and carbon emissions with a per capita GDP of 139.8 thousand Yuan corresponding to the turning point. For China to achieve its carbon emissions peak before 2030, the per capita GDP growth rate would need to be at least 6.6 %. Therefore, for help prefecture-level cities to achieve peak carbon, they must strive towards high-quality economic growth and accelerate transformation of economic growth modes to improve low-carbon pilot policies, and such projects should be implemented in more cities. Efforts to achieve peak should be accelerated first in eastern cities and later in western cities.

The process data in computer-based problem-solving evaluation is rich in valuable implicit information. However, its diverse and irregular structure poses challenges for effective feature extraction, leading to varying degrees of information loss in existing methods. Process-response behavior exhibits similarities to textual data in terms of the key units and contextual relationships. Despite the scarcity of relevant research, exploring text analysis methods for feature recognition in process data is significant. This study investigated the efficacy of Term Frequency-Inverse Document Frequency (TF-IDF) and Word to Vector (Word2vec) in extracting response behavior features and compared the predictive, analytical, and clustering effects of classical machine learning methods (supervised and unsupervised) on response behavior. An analysis of the PISA 2012 computer-based problem-solving dataset revealed that TF-IDF effectively extracted key response behaviors, whereas Word2vec captured effective features from sequenced response behaviors. In addition, in supervised machine learning using both methods, the random forest model based on TF-IDF performed the best, followed by the SVM model based on Word2vec. Word2vec-based models outperformed TF-IDF-based ones in the F1-score, accuracy, and recall (except for precision) across the logistic regression, k-nearest neighbor, and support vector machine algorithms. In unsupervised machine learning, the k-means algorithm effectively clustered different response behavior patterns extracted by these methods. The findings underscore the theoretical and methodological transferability of these text analysis methods in educational and psychological assessment contexts. This study offers valuable insights for research and practice in similar domains by yielding rich feature representations, supplementing fine-grained assessment evidence, fostering personalized learning, and introducing novel insights for educational assessment.

BackgroundThe main challenge in diagnosing and treating ulcerative colitis (UC) has prompted this study to discover useful biomarkers and understand the underlying molecular mechanisms.MethodsIn this study, transcriptomic data from intestinal mucosal biopsies underwent Robust Rank Aggregation (RRA) analysis to identify differential genes. These genes intersected with UC key genes from Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA). Machine learning identified UC signature genes, aiding predictive model development. Validation involved external data for diagnostic, progression, and drug efficacy assessment, along with ELISA testing of clinical serum samples.ResultsRRA integrative analysis identified 251 up-regulated and 211 down-regulated DEGs intersecting with key UC genes in WGCNA, yielding 212 key DEGs. Subsequently, five UC signature biomarkers were identified by machine learning based on the key DEGs—THY1, SLC6A14, ECSCR, FAP, and GPR109B. A logistic regression model incorporating these five genes was constructed. The AUC values for the model set and internal validation data were 0.995 and 0.959, respectively. Mechanistically, activation of the IL-17 signaling pathway, TNF signaling pathway, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway in UC was indicated by KEGG and GSVA analyses, which were positively correlated with the signature biomarkers. Additionally, the expression of the signature biomarkers was strongly correlated with various UC types and drug efficacy in different datasets. Notably, ECSCR was found to be upregulated in UC serum and exhibited a positive correlation with neutrophil levels in UC patients.ConclusionsTHY1, SLC6A14, ECSCR, FAP, and GPR109B can serve as potential biomarkers of UC and are closely related to signaling pathways associated with UC progression. The discovery of these markers provides valuable information for understanding the molecular mechanisms of UC.