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Notonecta triguttata Motschulsky, 1861 (Hemiptera, Notonectidae) is distributed in China, Japan, and South Korea. It is the dominant hexapod predator in aquatic ecosystems and can control harmful insects, such as mosquitoes and parasites. This study presents the first determination of the complete mitochondrial genome of N. triguttata. The mitogenome was 15,156 base pairs in length and was made up of 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 2 ribosomal RNAs, 22 transfer RNAs, and one non-coding control region. All genes were arranged in the same order as most other known heteropteran mitogenomes. All PCGs started with the ATN codon except COX1 (TTG) and NAD2 (GTG) and ended with TAA, TAG, or the partial stop codon T. The tRNAs had a typical cloverleaf secondary structure, except tRNA-Ser (GCT). The A + T content (75.96%) was relatively high across the entire mitogenome. The optimal phylogenetic trees were inferred through the Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood methods. The trees suggested a topology of (Corixoidea + ((Nepoidea + Ochteroidea) + (Naucoroidea + (Pleoidea + Notonectoidea)))) and identified that N. triguttata belongs to Notonectoidea. The complete mitogenome of N. triguttata provides a potentially useful resource for further exploration of the taxonomic status and phylogenetic history of the Notonecta species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the results of long-time (80 h) growth of 4-inch SiC single crystals from solutions of C–Si–Cr–Ce with and without Al addition (5 at%) by a top seeded solution growth (TSSG) method aiming at clarifying the role of interfacial energy between SiC and liquid solution. The Al addition smooths the growth surface by suppressing step bunching and two-dimensional (2D) nucleation, improves the crystalline quality, stabilizes the 4H polytype, and changes the ingot shape. Importantly, the growth rate is more than two factors enhanced by adding Al to the solution in comparison with the solution free of Al. The substantial curbs of step bunching and 2D nucleation on the advancing surface of SiC are responsible for the enhancement of the growth rate. The interfacial energy of SiC/solution is found to decrease upon Al addition based on the in situ contact angle measurements of solution droplets on SiC (0001¯) at 1750 °C and 1850 °C for the first time. Our results clearly verify the effect of Al on the SiC growth from solutions and highlight the importance of solid/liquid interfacial energy anisotropy on the growth of SiC by TSSG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a third-generation semiconductor material, silicon carbide (SiC) has excellent properties such as wide bandgap, high thermal conductivity, high saturation electron drift velocity, strong radiation resistance, good thermal and chemical stability, et al. It has great application potential in high temperature, high power, high frequency power electronic devices and radio frequency devices. The production of high-quality, large-size, and low-cost SiC single crystal substrates is a prerequisite for large-scale applications of SiC devices. However, the supply of SiC single crystal substrates still faces some challenges, such as high defect density, low yield and high cost. High temperature solution growth (HTSG) technique, with top seeded solution growth (TSSG) as the main technical model at present, has advantages of fabrication of SiC with low defects density, easy to enlarge diameter, and easy to obtain p-type doping. In the future, it is expected to become one of the mainstream technologies to mass produce SiC single crystals. In this paper, the development of SiC single crystal grown by TSSG is reviewed firstly. Then the principle and growth process of SiC single crystal growth by TSSG are introduced and analyzed. The research progress of TSSG for SiC single crystal growth is summarized from crystal growth thermodynamics and kinetics. The unique advantages of this technology are summarized. Finally, the future research direction and challenges of this method are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this case, the removal of foreign bodies in the lungs by fiberoptic bronchoscopy saved the patient's life. 1 A, B The lung CT scan at admission, red arrows mark showed the high-density shadows surrounding the inner side of the trachea wall. Lung computed tomography showed the inner side of the trachea wall was surrounded by high-density shadow with irregular surface and there were extensive lesions in the alveoli (Fig. [Extracted from the article]

Anoikis (detachment‐induced cell death) is a specific type of programmed cell death which occurs in response to the loss of the correct extracellular matrix connections. Anoikis resistance is an important mechanism in cancer invasiveness and metastatic behavior. Autophagy, on the other hand, involves the degradation of damaged organelles and the recycling of misfolded proteins and intracellular components. However, the intersection of these two cellular responses in lung cancer cells has not been extensively studied. Here, we identified that upon matrix deprivation, the lymphocyte lineage‐specific Ets transcription factor SPIB was activated and directly enhanced SNAP47 transcription in certain lung cancer cells. Loss of attachment‐induced autophagy significantly increased anoikis resistance by SPIB activation. Consistent with this function, SPIB depletion by short hairpin RNA abrogated SNAP47 transcriptional activation upon matrix deprivation. Therefore, these data delineate an important role of SPIB in autophagy‐mediated anoikis resistance in lung cancer cells. Accordingly, these findings suggest that manipulating SPIB‐regulated pathways in vivo and evaluating the impact of anoikis resistance warrant further investigation. Database: RNA sequencing and ChIP sequencing data are available in Gene Expression Omnibus database under the accession numbers GSE106592 and GSE125561, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abnormal temperature has important effects on the occurrence of ischemic stroke (IS). However, relatively less efforts have been taken to systematically unravel the association between various abnormal temperature and IS hospital admission. Focusing on three temperature indicators (i.e., mean temperature, maximum temperature, and minimum temperature), this study attempts to analyse how their abnormal values affect IS hospital admission. The dataset covers the period between September 17, 2012 and August 28, 2018, and includes a total of 1464 cases who were admitted to the hospital for the first onset of IS and lived in the main urban area of Guangzhou. The study adopts the time-stratified case-crossover analysis. Abnormal values of temperature were measured using the 2.5th and 97.5th quantile values of each temperature indicator, with the former refers to a low value whereas the latter a high one. The effects of abnormal temperature on IS hospital admission were assessed through calculating the relative risks induced by the low and high values (the median values of each temperature indicators were taken as the references). The results show that the risk window periods for IS hospital admission associated with the low values of the temperature indicators are the lags of 3–7 days and 18–19 days. The risks of high temperature values on IS admission, however, are insignificant with either one-day lag or cumulative lag. As to different population groups, females show higher risks of IS hospital admission at low temperature values than males; and elderly people, compared with young people, are more vulnerable to low temperature values. To cities with similar climate of Guangzhou, particular attention should be paid to the impact of low temperature values, especially the low value of minimum temperature, on IS admission, and to females and elderly people who are more sensitive to abnormal temperatures. • Low mean and minimum temperatures pose IS admissions at several lags, high maximum temperature only has the risk at a lag. • The risk window of IS admissions associated with the low mean and minimum temperatures are the lag 3–7 days and 18–19 days. • Particular attention should be paid to the low temperatures, especially the low minimum temperature, on IS admissions. • Females and elderly people show higher risks of IS admissions at low temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spraying insecticide is a common practice in the control against pest insects. However, little attention has been paid to the biocidal radius of droplets. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the biocidal radiuses of abamectin, thiamethoxam and sulfoxaflor droplets controlling against wheat aphid (Sitobion avenae). The mortality of S. avenae showed a droplet density dependent process that can be described by an exponential model. Calculated mortality limit (A2) varied with the concentration of insecticides. Although similar LD50 values were observed in abamectin (13.77 ng aphid−1) and sulfoxaflor (14.52 ng aphid−1) against S. avenae, sulfoxaflor had a larger biocidal radius (r50) than abamectin due to its translocation ability at the same concentration. And sulfoxaflor had a relatively larger biocidal radius than thiamethoxam (LD50 = 68.42 ng aphid−1) because it is more toxic to S. avenae. The ratio of r50/VMD was introduced to estimate the potential of droplets. Droplets generated by the air atomizing nozzle (VMD = 43 μm) had higher value of r50/VMD than the centrifugal atomizing nozzle (VMD = 153 μm). Our results indicated that the mortality limit can be reached at a concentration of an insecticide. The biocidal radius of a droplet is different from its actual size. The LD50 and translocation ability of insecticides contributed to their biocidal radius. Ratio of r50/VMD is an indicator of droplets’ insecticidal potential. Smaller droplets generated by the air atomizing nozzle have higher insecticidal potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of dexmedetomidine versus any other treatment without dexmedetomidine in patients who have undergone cardiac surgery. Electronic databases including PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library were systematically searched without limitations of language and publication time. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) aiming to evaluate the efficacy and safety of dexmedetomidine versus any other treatment without dexmedetomidine in patients that have undergone cardiac surgery were selected. Endpoints such as hemodynamic indexes and adverse events in eligible studies were extracted by two researchers, independently. The data was analyzed using RevMan 5.3 and Stata 11.0 software. A total of 18 RCTs met the inclusion criteria, involving 1730 patients. Compared to control (any treatment without dexmedetomidine), dexmedetomidine showed a pooled mean difference (MD) of -14.46 [95% confidence interval(CI): -24.69, -4.23; p<0.01] for systolic arterial pressure, a standardized mean difference (SMD) of -1.74 for mean arterial blood pressure (95% CI: -2.80, -0.68; P < 0.01), -2.12 (95%CI: -3.23, -1.00; p<0.01) for heart rate, and combined odds ratio (OR) of 0.22 (95%CI: 0.11, 0.44; p<0.01) for tachycardia, 3.44 (95%CI: 1.95, 5.96; p<0.01) for bradycardia, 0.74 (95%CI: 0.49, 1.12; p>0.05) for atrial fibrillation, and 0.99 (95%CI: 0.51, 1.90; p>0.05) for hypotension. In addition, dexmedetomidine could reduce time of surgery and stay in intensive care units, improve delirium with good safety. Our study shows clinical application of dexmedetomidine in cardiac surgery patients can reduce risks of abnormal hemodynamics with good safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extreme temperatures have an adverse effect on the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Previous literatures tend to discuss the modification of CVDs occurrence by green space under high temperature. Relatively less attention is paid to the modification under low temperature. The variation of different attributes and spatial scales of green space in affecting CVDs occurrence are also overlooked. This study collected a total of 4364 first-time admission cases due to CVDs in a tertiary hospital in Guangzhou from 2012 to 2018, measured the scale of green space by greening rate (GR) and percentage of landscape (PLAND), the distribution of green space by patch density (PD), mean nearest neighbor distance (ENN_MN) and largest patch index (LPI), and the accessibility of green space by green patch accessibility index (GPAI). Using the time stratified case crossover design method, the modification of low temperature-related CVDs occurrence by the above green space indicators is evaluated in an area with a radius of 100–1000 m which is further divided at an interval of 100 m. We found high GR, high PLAND, high PD, low ENN_MN, high LPI, and low GPAI corresponds to low risk of CVDs occurrence, the optimal modification scale of each green space indicator, which is radius corresponding to the maximum risk difference between high and low indicator subgroups, is around 800 m (GR), 600 m (PLAND and PD), 500 m (GPAI), and 300 m (LPI and ENN_MN), respectively. As the temperature decreases further, the health benefit from low GPAI at the optimal scale is weakened, whereas the benefits from the others are strengthened. Low temperature related CVDs occurrence risk can be modified by multiple green space indicators, and these modifications have spatial scale effect. Our findings have important theoretical and practical significance for the formulation and implementation of local green space policies. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most existing methods aiming to solve the fault identification problem of metal oxide arresters (MOAs) are limited by strong subjectivity in judgment, the significant impact of environmental temperature and humidity on the online monitoring of the resistance current, and poor generalization ability. Therefore, in this article, we propose an MOA fault identification method that combines suppressing environmental temperature and humidity interference with a stacked autoencoder (SAE). Firstly, a functional relationship model between resistance current and environmental temperature and humidity is established. Then, a temperature and humidity interference suppression method based on weighted nonlinear surface modeling is proposed to normalize the resistance current to the same reference temperature and humidity conditions. Finally, an MOA fault identification method combining the suppression of environmental temperature and humidity interference with an SAE is proposed. Furthermore, a comprehensive comparison is conducted on the recall, accuracy, F1-score, and average accuracy of support vector machine, random forest, logistic regression, and SAE classification algorithms in three different scenarios to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. The results indicate that environmental temperature and humidity interference suppression for resistive current prior to MOA fault classification significantly reduce the number of false alarms. Compared with other methods, the MOA fault identification method, which combines environmental temperature and humidity interference suppression with an SAE, has the highest average accuracy of 99.7%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current study, the transient flow characteristics on the top surface of a steel slab continuous casting strand were numerically investigated using a large eddy simulation combined with volume of fluid (LES + VOF) model. The validation of numerical simulation was verified via nail board measurement in the industrial continuous casting mold. The effects of casting speed on the top surface level profile and the instantaneous distribution of vortex were discussed. The level variation profile migrated after a period of time, moving from one side of the wide face of the mold to the other. The wave height and transient variation degree of the standing wave increased with an increase in the casting speed. The region near the SEN was more likely to promote the formation of vortices. The vortex generation became easier when the vorticity peaks were concentrated on the outer edge of the low-speed confluence area near the submerged entry nozzle. In addition, the effect of surface velocity on the instantaneous level fluctuation was analyzed. The frequency of level fluctuations was highest at 3~4 mm, and the high-frequency range of velocity fluctuation was 20~60 mm/s at 0.9 m/min casting speed for a 1500 mm × 200 mm caster section. The linear relationship between the level fluctuation and surface velocity magnitude was obtained. The present work aimed at evaluating the dynamic problem of the standing wave at the liquid powder–molten steel interface on the top surface of the mold, which is helpful in optimizing the casting parameters for regular casting practice and improving the quality of the steel slabs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Many epidemiological studies have investigated the correlation between adiponectin, C1Q and collagen domain containing (ADIPOQ) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). Although conflicting results have been reported, there was dispute regarding two SNPs (rs2241766 T/G and rs1501299 G/T). Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis to systematically assess the associations and try to find the reasons for the dispute. Methods: We searched PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Elsevier, Wiley Online Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, WanFang data and Chongqing VIP to search for all eligible case−control studies published up to January 2015. Effect sizes of odds ratios (OR) and 95 % confidence intervals (95 % CI) were calculated using a fixed- or random-effect model. Results: Ten case-control studies including 4377 cases and 5584 controls were selected. A significant difference was observed in Chinese (OR 0.76; 95 % CI 0.68, 0.85; P < 0.001) and Ashkenazi Jewish populations (OR 0.79; 95 % CI 0.63, 0.99; P = 0.04) for rs2241766 with dominant model (TT vs TG + GG). A significant difference was observed in the Chinese population (OR 1.23; 95 % CI 1.11, 1.37; P < 0.001) for rs1501299 with dominant model (TT vs TG + GG). In addition, intake of red meat showed a synergistic effect between ADIPOQ gene and risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). Conclusions: ADIPOQ SNPs rs2241766 T/G and rs 1501299 G/T have a population-specific correlation with risk of CRC. However, small sample studies may increase reporting bias, particularly if the total number of studies included in the analysis is small. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Safety verification determines whether any trajectory starting from admissible initial states would intersect with a set of unsafe states. In this paper, we propose a numerical method for verifying safety of a network of interconnected hybrid dynamical systems with a state constraint based on bilinear sum-of-squares programming. The safety verification is conducted by the construction of a function of states called barrier certificate. We consider a finite number of interconnected hybrid systems satisfying the input-to-state property and the networked interconnections satisfying a dissipativity property. Through constructing a barrier certificate for each subsystem and imposing dissipation-inequality-like constraints on the interconnections, safety verification is formulated as a bilinear sum-of-squares feasibility problem. As a result, safety of the interconnected hybrid systems could be determined by solving an optimization problem, rather than solving differential equations. The proposed method makes it possible to verify the safety of interconnected hybrid systems, which is demonstrated by a numerical example. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insects are the richest and most diverse group of animals and yet there remains a lack, not only of systematic research into their distribution across some key regions of the planet, but of standardized sampling strategies for their study. The Yanshan Mountains, being the boundary range between the Inner Mongolian Plateau and the North China Plain, present an indispensable piece of the insect biodiversity puzzle: both requiring systematic study and offering opportunities for the development of standardized methodologies. This is the first use of DNA metabarcoding to survey the insect biodiversity of the Yanshan Mountains. The study focuses on differences of community composition among samples collected via different methods and from different habitat types. In total, 74 bulk samples were collected from five habitat types (scrubland, woodland, wetland, farmland and grassland) using three collection methods (sweep netting, Malaise traps and light traps). After DNA extraction, PCR amplification, sequencing and diversity analysis were performed, a total of 7427 Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) at ≥97% sequence similarity level were delimited, of which 7083 OTUs were identified as belonging to Insecta. Orthoptera, Diptera, Coleoptera and Hemiptera were found to be the dominant orders according to community composition analysis. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) analysis based on Bray–Curtis distances revealed highly divergent estimates of insect community composition among samples differentiated by the collection method (R =.524802, p =.001), but nonsignificant difference among samples differentiated according to habitat (R =.051102, p =.078). The study therefore appears to indicate that the concurrent use of varied collection methods is essential to the accurate monitoring of insect biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: An improved method of preparing magnetite–dextran microspheres by ultrasonication is proposed. Several parameters were evaluated and the characteristics of the microspheres investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM), atomic force microscope (AFM), particle size analyzer and magnetometer. The results show that the initial Fe/dextran ratio is the most effective parameter for both the size and the magnetic properties. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Recently, the worldwide deregulation of the electric power industry is progressing. Further, it is expected that a many distributed generation facilities and energy storage systems will be installed at the end point of the power systems. Therefore, the future power system must be able to cope with these various qualities of power in the deregulated situation. The authors have proposed the FRIENDS (Flexible, Reliable, and Intelligent ENergy Delivery System) concept as a new distribution system that copes with a new framework of the electric power business in the near future. The most typical aspect of FRIENDS is the introduction of new equipment; Quality Control Centers (QCC) between distribution substations and customers. In this paper, the authors propose a concrete interior structure and investigate some control methods for realizing unbundling power quality supply and power conditioning using the proposed UPQC-type QCC. The effectiveness of the proposed method is confirmed through the instantaneous value analysis using PSCAD/EMTDC. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 146(3): 26–38, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/eej.10243 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is little reliable data on the global drug resistance to tuberculosis (TB) as most of the existing data is based upon biased samples, is not standardized or was obtained using poor techniques. For this reason, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IUATLD) developed a global project on anti-TB drug resistance surveillance (DRS) in 1994. China joined this project in 1995 and the province of Henan was selected as the first site for collection of representative samples to survey the prevalence of drug-resistant TB. Methodology: Standard drug susceptibility testing by the proportion method against streptomycin (S), isoniazid (H), rifampicin (R), and ethambutol (E) was performed with Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolated from 916 new cases and 456 previously treated cases. Treatment outcome of these patients has been evaluated according to the regimens and drug susceptibility patterns. Results: Drug resistance among new cases to any drug was found to be 43.0% and any resistance: S, 32.5%; H, 31.0%; R, 20.7%; and E, 10.3%. Drug resistance among previously treated cases to any drug was 68.2% and any resistance: S, 52.2%; H, 49.3%; R, 48.3%; and E, 20.4%. The cure rate for new cases was 43.3% and 29.4% for previously treated cases. The poor cure rate resulted mainly from a high defaulter rate. Conclusion: Drug-resistant TB was found to be highly prevalent in Henan and the cure rate remained poor. The results strongly indicated that Henan should take immediate action to improve the cure rate of patients through expansion of the introduction of the directly observed treatment short-course strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractBackgroundMethodsResultsConclusionsThere is a critical need for a rapid and sensitive pathogen detection method for septic patients. This study aimed to investigate the diagnostic efficacy of Digital droplet polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) in identifying pathogens among suspected septic patients.We conducted a prospective pilot diagnostic study to clinically validate the multiplex ddPCR panel in diagnosing suspected septic patients. A total of 100 sepsis episodes of 89 patients were included in the study.In comparison to blood culture, the ddPCR panel exhibited an overall sensitivity of 75.0% and a specificity of 69.7%, ddPCR yielded an additional detection rate of 17.0% for sepsis cases overall, with a turnaround time of 2.5 h. The sensitivity of ddPCR in the empirical antibiotic treatment and the non-empirical antibiotic treatment group were 78.6% versus 80.0% (p > 0.05). Antimicrobial resistance genes were identified in a total of 13 samples. Whenever ddPCR detected the genes beta-lactamase-Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (blaKPC) or beta-lactamase-New Delhi metallo (blaNDM), these findings corresponded to the cultivation of carbapenem-resistant gram-negative bacteria. Dynamic ddPCR monitoring revealed a consistent alignment between the quantitative ddPCR results and the trends observed in C-reactive protein and procalcitonin levels.Compared to blood culture, ddPCR exhibited higher sensitivity for pathogen diagnosis in suspected septic patients, and it provided pathogen and drug resistance information in a shorter time. The quantitative results of ddPCR generally aligned with the trends seen in C-reactive protein and procalcitonin levels, indicating that ddPCR can serve as a dynamic monitoring tool for pathogen load in septic patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) applications at low-volume using fine and very fine size droplets have been adopted in several commercial spray scenarios allowing water-saving and high-efficiency operation in delivery of pesticides. However, spray drift associated with UAV applications, especially for fine droplets generated from spinning disk nozzles, has not been fully understood, raising environmental and regulatory concerns. The objectives of this study were to compare the drift potential of three different volume median diameter (VMD, or Dv 0.5) of 100, 150 and 200 μm from a commercial quadcopter equipped with centrifugal nozzles exposed to different wind speeds under field conditions. Prior to field test, the droplet size of the centrifugal nozzle was measured by a laser-diffraction particle-size analyzer. The results showed that the relationship between rotation speed and Dv 0.5 agrees with the negative power function. Field tests found that the deposition at 12 m downwind direction decreased by an order of magnitude compared with the average deposition within the in-swath zone. The deposition of almost all the treatments at 50 m downwind is lower than the detection limits of 0.0002 μL/cm2. Based on the results from this study, the drift distance of this specific very popular UAV model is much less than that of manned aerial applicators. Based on the predicted equation (R2 = 0.83), the detected drift amount increased with increasing wind speed and decreasing Dv 0.5. This work provides basic information to quantify the effect of wind speeds and droplet sizes on UAV spray drift potential which supports on-going regulatory guideline development for spray buffer zone and drift risk assessment protocols. Unlabelled Image • When the rotation speed of the centrifugal nozzle increased from 2000 rpm to 17,000 rpm, the droplet size category changed from Extremely Coarse to Fine. • The deposition at 12 m downwind generally decreases by an order of magnitude compared with the in-swath zone. • A downwind prediction equation for the UAV sprayer was formulated to predict the expected magnitude of the deposited drift. • Based on the test results, the drift distance of the tested UAV model is much less than that of manned aerial applicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major cause of cancer mortality and a serious health problem worldwide. Mononuclear phagocytes are the main immune cells in the tumor microenvironment of CRC with remarkable plasticity, and current studies show that macrophages are closely related to tumor progression, invasion and dissemination. To understand the immunological function of mononuclear phagocytes comprehensively and deeply, we use single-cell RNA sequencing and classify mononuclear phagocytes in CRC into 6 different subsets, and characterize the heterogeneity of each subset. We find that tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) involved in the differentiation of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory mononuclear phagocytes. Trajectory of circulating monocytes differentiation into tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and the dynamic changes at levels of transcription factor (TF) regulons during differentiation were revealed. We also find that C5 subset, characterized by activation of lipid metabolism, is in the terminal state of differentiation, and that the abundance of C5 subset is negatively correlated with CRC patients' prognosis. Our findings advance the understanding of circulating monocytes' differentiation into macrophages, identify a new subset associated with CRC prognosis, and reveal a set of TF regulons regulating mononuclear phagocytes differentiation, which are expected to be potential therapeutic targets for reversing immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Author summary: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a serious health problem worldwide. Mononuclear phagocytes are the main immune cells in the tumor microenvironment of CRC with remarkable plasticity. In this study, single-cell RNA sequencing technology was used to study the subsets and characteristics of mononuclear phagocytes in CRC. We classify mononuclear phagocytes in CRC into 6 different subsets and demonstrate the heterogeneity in infiltrating mononuclear phagocytes of CRC. We find that tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) involved in the differentiation of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory mononuclear phagocytes and reveal the trajectory and characteristics of circulating monocytes differentiation into tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). We also find a new immunosuppressive subset of mononuclear phagocytes, which is associated with the prognosis of CRC patients. Our findings identify the heterogeneity in infiltrating mononuclear phagocytes of CRC, find a new subset associated with CRC prognosis. Also, we reveal the differentiation of mononuclear phagocytes would lead to an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and provide potential targets for reversing the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High serum CA19-9 is usually caused by pancreaticobiliary malignancies, but it has also been found in a tiny minority of calculous cholecystitis patients. To clarify the relationship between calculous cholecystitis and serum CA19-9. Clinical data of calculous cholecystitis patients with high serum CA19-9 (high group, n = 20) and normal serum CA19-9 (normal group, n = 40) who underwent cholecystectomy were analyzed. Serum CA19-9 of high group were followed-up and gallbladder specimens were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. Serum CA19-9 in the high group ranged from 105 to 1635 U/ml, of which 30% exceeded 1000 U/ml. Follow-up results showed that 20 patient's serum CA19-9 returned to normal after cholecystectomy, including 4 closely followed-up patients whose serum CA19-9 recovered within one month. Immunohistochemical results revealed that CA19-9 was mildly positive only in mucosal epithelial cells in the normal group, but positive in mucosal epithelial cells, vascular endothelial cells, and intercellular substances in the high group, accounting for high serum CA19-9. Serum CA19-9 is proved to be associated with calculous cholecystitis for the first time, so that clinicians should consider calculous cholecystitis associated CA19-9 elevation in the clinic practice besides other CA19-9 related diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drug resistance causes failure of cancer treatment. Identifying drug sensitivity of tumors can guide therapeutic administration for cancer patients, however this approach lacks a facile, fast, and noninvasive evaluation platform. Herein, a gelatin‐coated ZnO array nanoplatform to isolate circulating tumor cells (CTCs) is developed, and their drug resistance for inspecting tumor sensitivity is assessed. The nanoplatform is comprised of a nanosubstrate of ZnO submicropillars (ZnO SMPs) for efficiently isolating cancer cells, and Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) based electrochemical probes for evaluating drug resistance of the captured cells. Gelatin, an extracellular matrix‐like and enzyme‐degradable material, is used to coat ZnO SMPs and AuNPs, endowing the nanoplatform with the ability to maintain cancer cell viability and realize enzyme‐responsive cell recovery for downstream bioanalysis. This nanoplatform is expected to noninvasively evaluate drug sensitivity of cancer patients through simple liquid biopsy of CTCs in peripheral blood and benefit the treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of let-7c-5p on the malignant behaviors of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and its specific molecular pathway. Methods: Differential expression and survival analysis of let-7c-5p were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas database, and then its expression level was preliminarily verified through qPCR. The effect of let-7c-5p on the malignant phenotype of HCC cells was subsequently evaluated using CCK-8, transwell, wound healing, and flow cytometry assays. Downstream mRNA regulated by let-7c-5p was identified and confirmed by ENCORI database, dual-luciferase reporter, and western blot assays. The immunocorrelation of genes was evaluated by Xiantao tool, and TIMER and TISIDB databases. Results: The expression level of let-7c-5p in HCC was obviously reduced, which was found to be closely associated with the short survival time of HCC patients. Cell phenotypic experiments showed that let-7c-5p inhibited proliferation, invasion, and migration and promoted apoptosis of HCC cells. Dual-luciferase reporter and western blot analysis demonstrated that CDCA8 is a downstream mRNA of let-7c-5p and is negatively regulated by it. Rescue experiment revealed that CDCA8 reversed the effect of let-7c-5p on the malignant phenotype of HCC cells. Furthermore, analysis of the public database revealed that CDCA8 is related to some immune cells and immunomodulators, and that it may participate in the regulation of some immune pathways and immune functions. Conclusion: Let-7c-5p has been proved to suppress HCC by down-regulating immune-related CDCA8, which will help understand the pathogenesis of HCC and develop drugs for its treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To investigate if different methods of pancreatoduodenectomy (with or without pyloric preservation) would have different impacts on postoperative nutrition and body composition changes among pancreatic cancer patients. Methods: Demographic and clinicopathological data, perioperative data were collected, body composition (e.g. skeletal muscle cross‐sectional area [CSA], visceral fat area [VFA]) were evaluated with abdominal CT before and after surgery. Sarcopenia patients' proportion changes were also recorded. Results: The hospital stay in the PRPD group was significantly less than that in the PPPD group (p < 0.05). A significant difference was found in CSA, skeletal muscle index (SMI), VFA, VFA/CSA and albumin (ALB) in both groups between preoperative, 3, and 12 months after surgery. The loss of visceral fat in the PRPD group was more prominent than that in the PPPD group at 3 months and 12 months after surgery (p < 0.05). VFA/CSA was higher in the PPPD group than in the PRPD group (3 months: p < 0.05, 12 months: p < 0.001). The proportion of sarcopenic patients increased significantly over time in the PPPD and PRPD groups (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Postoperative CSA and VFA continued to significantly decrease in both PPPD and PRPD groups, while the incidence of sarcopenia continued to increase. Compared with PRPD, PPPD has a protective effect on visceral fat. PPPD may contribute to better maintaining visceral fat mass and blood ALB levels. CT quantification can be an objective and effective method to evaluate the nutritional status of pancreatic cancer patients during the pre‐ and postoperative period and can provide a useful objective basis for guiding clinical treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Object detection based on deep learning is one of the most important and fundamental tasks of computer vision. High-performance detection algorithms have been widely used in many practical fields. For the management of workers wearing helmets in construction scenarios, this paper proposes a framework model based on the YOLOv5 detection algorithm, combined with multi-object tracking algorithms, to monitor and track whether workers wear safety helmets in real-time video. The improved StrongSORT tracking algorithm of DeepSORT is selected to reduce the loss of the tracked object caused by the occlusion, trajectory blur, and motion scale of the object. The safety helmet dataset is trained with YOLOv5s, and the best result of training is used as the weight model in the StrongSORT tracking algorithm. The experimental results show that the mAP@0.5 of all classes in the YOLOv5s model can reach 95.1% in the validation dataset, mAP@0.5:0.95 is 62.1%, and the precision of wearing helmet is 95.7%. After the box regression loss function was changed from CIOU to Focal-EIOU, the mAP@0.5 increased to 95.4%, mAP@0.5:0.95 increased to 62.9%, and the precision of wearing helmet increased to 96.5%, which were increased by 0.3%, 0.8% and 0.8%, respectively. StrongSORT can update object trajectories in video frames at a speed of 0.05 s per frame. Based on the improved YOLOv5s combined with the StrongSORT tracking algorithm, the helmet-wearing tracking detection can achieve better performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted in order to explore age-related changes in the production of Th1 and Th2 cytokines and determine the corresponding status of DNA methylation. The plasma IL-4 and IFN-γ levels and expression of Th-related cytokines and transcription factors in CD4+ splenocytes were observed in mice at different weeks of age. The DNA methylation levels of IL-4 and IFN-γ promoters and the related regulatory regions in CD4+ splenocytes of mice at different weeks of age were analyzed. The DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) levels in CD4+ splenocytes of mice were analyzed. Changes in plasma IL-4 and IFN-γ levels after 5-AZA injection were evaluated. Plasma IL-4 and IL-4 expression in CD4+ splenocytes declined with increasing age, while the IFN-γ expression levels increased. Th-related transcription factors showed no differences in mice at different weeks of age. The DNMT1 and DNMT3b mRNA expression did not show significant changes in CD4+ splenocytes, whereas the DNMT3a mRNA expression increased with age. DNA methylation in the IL-4 promoter was increased, while DNA methylation in the IFN-γ promoter was decreased. The methylation of RSH7, CNS-1, and HSV increased significantly with age. Age-related changes in DNA methylation may be associated with the shift in Th1/Th2 balance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is critically related to aging and severely threatens human lives. To better explore the effects of aging on CRC progression and therapy outcome, a reliable aging subtypes identification of CRC is urgently desired. Here, 28 aging-related genes associated with the CRC prognosis were selected by univariate Cox analyses. Based on these 28 genes, CRC patients were divided into the aging subtype and young subtype by non-negative matrix factorization clustering. Aging subtype and young subtype of CRC were identified with distinct molecular features and clinical prognosis. The aging subtype was characterized by upregulation of senescence-associated secretory phenotype, higher frequencies of TP53 and immune checkpoint molecules, and high sensitivity to protein kinase and angiogenesis inhibitors. Furthermore, 14 genes were selected by LASSO penalized Cox regression analyses for aging-related risk signature construction. The constructed aging risk signature exhibited good prediction and the nomogram showed robust discrimination power over the traditional CRC staging system. In conclusion, this study successfully established aging subtype and young subtype of CRC, which is helpful to identify patients with aging characteristics to evaluate prognosis and treatment outcomes. Introducing aging-based subtypes into clinical concern and patient prognostication provides new opportunities for personalized CRC treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new method that combined image matching and shape from shading for terrain reconstruction was proposed to solve the lack of terrain in the landing area of Chang'e III. First, the reflection equation was established based on the Lommel- Seeliger reflection model. After edge extraction, the gradients of points on the edge were solved. The normal vectors of adjacent points were obtained using the smoothness constraint. Furthermore, the gradients of residual points in the image were determined through evolution. The inadequacy of the reflection equation was eliminated by considering the gradient as the constraint of the reflection equation. The normal vector of each point could be obtained by solving the reflection equation. The terrain without coordinate information was reconstructed by iterating the vector field. After using scaleinvariant feature transform to extract matching points in the descent images, the terrain was converted to a lander centroid coordinate system. Experiments were carried out with MATLAB-simulated images, laboratory images, and descent images of Chang'e III. Results show that the proposed method performs better than the classical SFS algorithm. The new method can provide reference for other deep space exploration activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon-doped MoS 2 -Fe (C-MoS 2 -Fe-x) was synthesized induced by the introduction of ethylene glycol using hydrothermal method. Benefitting from the synergistic effect of 1 T/2 H mixed phase and abundant defects, C-MoS 2 -Fe-x had an excellent ability to simultaneous remove enrofloxacin (ENR) and Cr(VI) via peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation (C-MoS 2 -Fe-x/PMS). The most effective C-MoS 2 -Fe-2/PMS showed a removal rate constant of 0.200 min–1 and 0.110 min–1 for ENR and Cr(VI), which were 15.4 and 8.5 times as high as those of the MoS 2 -Fe/PMS, respectively. Combined with quenching experiments, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), and electrochemical experiments, singlet oxygen and electron-transfer can be illustrated for synergistic removal. C-MoS 2 -Fe-2 exhibits high mineralization capacity and is structurally stable in use with minimal metal leaching. It is noteworthy that C-MoS 2 -Fe-2/PMS displayed an outstanding purification effect on real pharmaceutical wastewater. This work provides new ideas for designing efficient and green non-homogeneous catalysts for Fenton-like systems to deal with composite pollution wastewater. [Display omitted] • Ethylene glycol was introduced to induce carbon-doped MoS 2 -Fe using hydrothermal method. • C-MoS 2 -Fe-x exhibited improved reactivity than MoS 2 -Fe in the activation of PMS. • S defects and C=O contributed to the generation of 1O 2. • 1O 2 and electron-transfer were critical in synergistic removal of pollutants. • The C-MoS 2 -Fe-2/PMS system is effective in purifying real pharmaceutical wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Carrot seeds treated with HEHP showed better germination characteristics. • Mannose metabolism was upregulated by HEHP at both the mRNA and protein levels. • MAN plays a dominant role in the endosperm weakening of carrot seeds. As an innovative physical priming technique, hydro-electro hybrid priming (HEHP) tends to significantly promote the seed germination of carrot. Endosperm weakening at micropylar endosperm is a critical regulatory mechanism for seed germination, but it is unclear whether it plays a role in promoting seed germination through HEHP treatment. In the present work, we conducted association analysis between transcriptome and proteome data of the previous studies and found that HEHP promoted the mannose metabolism in carrot seeds, with key enzymes involved in mannan degradation called β-mannanase (MAN) and the coding genes were both significantly upregulated in HEHP treatment. Based on this, the subcellular structure of micropylar endosperm, the activity of key enzymes in mannan degradation and the expression pattern of MAN coding genes during the germination process were further studied. The results showed that carrot seeds subjected to the priming treatments exhibited more significant endosperm weakening during germination, with significant degradation of the cell wall of micropylar endosperm, and among the three key enzymes involved in mannan degradation, only MAN activity showed significant differences at micropylar endosperm and non-micropylar endosperm. In addition, the priming treatments, especially the HEHP treatment, significantly upregulated the expression of MANs before sowing, and the expression levels of MANs at micropylar endosperm were significantly higher than those at non-micropylar endosperm. Ultimately, it is confirmed that the rapid germination of carrot seeds is closely related to the enzymatic loosening mechanism of endosperm weakening, and that MAN plays a key role in this process. The results ulteriorly deepen the understanding of the rapid germination mechanism of carrot seeds treated with HEHP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A method to create a defoliation spray map using predictive FPAR was devised. • GBDT is the best model for estimating the FPAR of cotton. • Fusion of multi-source remote sensing data improves model prediction accuracy. • Textural features outperform spectral indices in estimating cotton's FPAR. Efficient and accurate spraying of cotton defoliant is a vital part of cotton production; the traditional way of spraying cotton defoliant will cause waste of pesticides and environmental pollution. The fraction of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation(FPAR) in cotton predicted by multi-source remote sensing information from unmanned aerial vehicles(UAVs) offers the possibility of precise control of cotton defoliant dosage. In this study, RGB and multispectral(MS) images of cotton at multiple fertility stages were collected by UAV. Six machine learning models (random forest regression(RFR), support vector regression(SVR), gradient-boosting decision tree(GBDT), extreme gradient boosting(XGBoost), K-nearest neighbor(k-NN), partial least squares regression(PLSR)) were constructed using spectral indices and texture features extracted from UAV remote sensing imagery and cotton FPAR measurements collected, and the performance of each model was evaluated. A spatial distribution map of cotton FPAR based on UAV imagery was constructed from cotton FPAR predicted by the machine learning models. The study results show that (i) image feature changes over multiple periods based on UAV multi-source remote sensing data are consistent with the evolution of cotton FPAR and can be used to predict cotton FPAR. (ii) Overall, texture features are more sensitive to FPAR than spectral indices, and the fusion of texture features with spectral indices increases the prediction accuracy of the model. (iii) The GBDT model based on UAV multi-source remote sensing data not only performs better on cotton FPAR prediction for a large sample dataset (whole fertility period), with R2 = 0.88 and rRMSE = 7.43 %, but also for a small sample dataset (single fertility period), with a range of R2 of 0.65–0.85 and a range of rRMSE of 7.41 %-19.09 %. In addition, a cotton defoliation spray prescription map was constructed based on the spatial distribution of cotton FPAR predicted by GBDT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common carcinomas worldwide with a high mortality rate. Numerous studies suggest that circular RNA (circRNA) plays a crucial role in the progression of various carcinomas, including CRC. The present work focused on exploring the role and underlying molecular mechanism of action of the circRNA circLRCH3 in CRC. Methods: Real-time reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was conducted to detect expression levels of circLRCH3, miR-233, and lipoma preferred partner (LPP). The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to measure the proliferation of CRC cells and the transwell assay was used to evaluate cell migration and invasion capacity. A flow cytometry assay was used to analyze the effect of circLRCH3 on the distribution of the cell cycle and apoptosis of CRC cells. The expression of LPP was analyzed using Western blotting or an RT-qPCR assay. The relationship between miR-223 and circLRCH3, and that between miR-223 and LPP, was predicted and examined using bioinformatics analysis and luciferase reporter gene experiments. A xenograft tumor formation assay was also performed. Results: We found that the expression level of circLRCH3 was downregulated in CRC cells and negatively correlated with miR-223. The overexpression of circLRCH3 or silencing of miR-223 inhibited the growth, invasion, and migration of CRC cells, but promoted their apoptosis. In contrast, overexpression of miR-223 and depletion of LPP severally abrogated the tumor suppressive roles of circLRCH3 and miR-223 knockdown in CRC cells in vitro. The xenograft experiments in nude mice also proved the antitumor effect of circLRCH3. Conclusion: These results suggested that the circLRCH3/miR-223/LPP axis likely plays a critical role in CRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the aerial spraying of pesticides by plant protection UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles), droplets are deposited below the aircraft under the influence of rotor airflow. The existence of a downwash airflow can improve the deposition of spray on target crops. However, during operation, variations in flight altitude and the gradual decrease in the payload of pesticide solution in the tank leads to changes in the flow field below the UAV which affects droplets distribution. In order to study this, the downwash airflow speed and droplet distributions below a UAV under different flight altitudes (1.5–3 m) and payloads (0-10 kg) were measured and analysed. The results indicated that the changes in operational parameters normally found during operation can change distribution of downwash airflow in all directions but particularly vertical and this can affect the distribution of spray below the UAV. Through correlation analysis, it was shown that the vertical component of airflow (downwash) had a significant positive correlation with spray deposition and penetration (P < 0.05, B = 0.082, B = 0.029), and a negative correlation with droplet deposition uniformity (coefficient of variation) and drift (P < 0.05, B = −3.818, B = −0.042). Thus, it can be seen that downwash is conducive to spray deposition and penetration, which can improve the droplet distribution uniformity and reduce drift. Thus, the influence mechanism of UAV airflow on droplet distribution was explored and shown to strongly influence have the quality of spraying by plant protection UAVs. • Wireless wind speed sensors used to test the downwash airflow UAV. • Reduction in payload affects the downwash airflow of UAV. • Downwash airflow of UAV in turn affects spray distribution. • Vertical downwash airflow has a significant correlation with droplet distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the main reasons for the failure of transformer bushings is moisture penetration. Here, an online monitoring method of moisture in transformer bushings based on an improved humidity indicator card, which belongs to the group of passive physical and chemical monitoring methods, is proposed. First, the operating principles and monitoring system are explained. Next, by means of a moisture simulation device, the moisture migration characteristics between the gas and oil, the influence of the interface radius on the response characteristics of the monitoring device, and the characteristics of the humidity indicator card are studied experimentally. Then, the moisture migration process in micro‐scale is simulated by molecular dynamics simulation. Finally, by changing the mass fraction of the cobalt chloride in the humidity card, the warning values of relative humidity at different temperatures are obtained. The simulation results show that water molecules can migrate from the oil–paper system to the air. Moreover, once the moisture enters the transformer bushing, the proposed humidity indicator card can correctly display the relative humidity at different temperatures. In conclusion, the proposed method provides a new way for online moisture monitoring of transformer bushings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A regorafenib nanodrug is prepared by self-assembly using regorafenib and clinically approved indocyanine green, which sufficiently delivers regorafenib into colorectal tumor and liver metastasis, markedly enhances regorafenib's therapeutic efficacy. [Display omitted] • A regorafenib nanodrug (nanoRF) was fabricated by self-assembly. • NanoRF encapsulated regorafenib with a high loading content of 96%. • NanoRF exhibited excellent reproducibility and colloidal stability. • NanoRF effectively delivered regorafenib into tumor local and liver. • NanoRF enhanced regorafenib's antitumor efficacy in advanced colorectal cancers. Distant metastases and chemotherapy repellency are the key causes of colorectal cancer (CRC)-related mortality. Regorafenib, an oral multi-kinase inhibitor approved for treating advanced CRC with distant metastases and/or chemo-resistance, however only improves median overall survival by 1.4 months. Such limited therapeutic effect is likely due to the low bioavailability of orally administered hydrophobic regorafenib. A regorafenib nanodrug is fabricated by one-step self-assembly with a clinically often-used fluorescent agent (indocyanine green) for overcoming regorafenib's limitations, towards improving regorafenib's therapeutic efficacy in advanced CRC. This nanodrug (nanoRF) was characterized, and its antitumor effects were assessed in three preclinical CRC models. NanoRF converts regorafenib's delivery approach from oral to intravenous with a significantly high encapsulation efficacy of regorafenib (96%) and a long-time colloidal stability. Nanodrug (nanoRF) markedly prolongs regorafenib's blood circulation by halving clearance rate, and enhances regorafenib's tumor accumulation. Across three preclinical CRC models (xenografted tumor, chemodrug-resistant xenografted tumor, and liver metastasis), nanoRF drastically enhances regorafenib's tumor inhibiting efficacy by 0.5–4 folds and effectively extends survival by 0.5–5 folds. This regorafenib nanodrug is a simple, safe, and efficient therapeutic nanodrug for treating advanced CRC with a ready-to-be-clinically-translated potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 40 T long-pulse magnet has been constructed and tested to 32 T with total pulse width of 1.5 s at the Wuhan National High Magnetic Field Center (WHMFC). The magnet is energized by a battery bank power source consisting of 900 12 V/200 Ah lead-acid battery cells. The magnet consists of a polyhelix inner coil and an outer coil wound with copper foil. We made some improvements by adding axial slots on the helices due to the eddy current electromagnetic force, and each layer of helices is reinforced by Zylon-epoxy composite. The copper foil coil is insulated with polyimide film extending over the sides of the foil. The copper bar electrode is silver brazed on the ends of copper foil and has been proved to be quite feasible. In this paper, the calculated results of the electromagnetic force caused by eddy current will be presented. The magnet manufacture techniques will be described and the magnet test results will be listed and analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Real-time monitoring of leaf area index (LAI) in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) plays a vital role in guiding field fertilization, water management, growth observation and yield prediction. The use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) equipped with diverse sensors enables flexible and rapid LAI measurement across extensive areas. This study evaluates the efficacy of UAV-mounted LiDAR and high-resolution camera-derived point cloud data in LAI prediction. We assessed the integration of canopy spectral-textural characteristics from multispectral data with structural features from point cloud data for LAI forecasting. Furthermore, we compared various machine learning and deep learning models, selected the optimal one, and applied the SHAP (Shapley Additive Explanations) method to identify key features and their influence patterns in this model. The findings are distilled into four key points: (1) The performance of canopy structure metrics based on the two sensors varied across fertility periods due to differences in canopy closure; (2) The DNN-based (Deep Neural Network) LAI prediction model excelled with a single-period dataset, achieving an R2 of 0.81 and an RMSE% of 11.36 %. Similarly, in full-period multimodal data fusion, it demonstrated superior performance, evidenced by an R2 of 0.84 and an RMSE% of 9.94 %. (3) Compared to the unimodal data model, the multimodal data model yielded superior results and exhibited greater robustness. (4) In the DNN-based LAI prediction model utilizing multimodal data, texture features contributed most significantly. The results suggest that the DNN model, when employing multimodal data fusion, offers not only relatively precise and robust estimates of crop LAI but also contributes valuable insights for crop phenotyping and enhanced field management. This approach subsequently improves spatial prediction accuracy and the quality of decision-making in crop production. • Canopy structure metrics improve cotton LAI estimation accuracy. • Point cloud data and multispectral fusion improve LAI prediction accuracy. • Compared two sensors' structural indicators for LAI prediction. • DNN performs best in LAI prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of antibiotics, such as tetracycline, sulfamethoxazole, and ciprofloxacin, on functional microorganisms are of significant concern in wastewater treatment. This study observed that Acinetobacter indicus CZH-5 has a limited capacity to remove nitrogen and phosphorus using antibiotics (5 mg/L) as the sole carbon source. When sodium acetate was supplied (carbon/nitrogen ratio = 7), the average removal efficiencies of ammonia-N, total nitrogen, and orthophosphate-P increased to 52.46 %, 51.95 %, and 92.43 %, respectively. The average removal efficiencies of antibiotics were 84.85 % for tetracycline, 39.32 % for sulfamethoxazole, 18.85 % for ciprofloxacin, and 23.24 % for their mixtures. Increasing the carbon/nitrogen ratio to 20 further improved the average removal efficiencies to 72.61 % for total nitrogen and 97.62 % for orthophosphate-P (5 mg/L antibiotics). Additionally, the growth rate and pollutant removal by CZH-5 were unaffected by the presence of 0.1–1 mg/L antibiotics. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that the promoted translation of aceE , aarA , and gltA genes provided ATP and proton -motive forces. The nitrogen metabolism and polyphosphate genes were also affected. The expression of acetate kinase, dehydrogenase, flavin mononucleotide enzymes, and cytochrome P450 contributed to antibiotic degradation. Intermediate metabolites were investigated to determine the reaction pathways. [Display omitted] • The tolerance up-limit of CZH-5 for three antibiotics was 5 mg/L. • Improving C/N ratios further increased the removal efficiencies of N and P. • The upregulation of aceE, aarA and gltA genes provided ATP and proton motive force. • Dehydrogenase, ackA, FMN enzymes, and CYP450 devoted to antibiotics degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The co-catalytic performance of DPW was higher than metal sulfides. • W0 and W4+ sites in DPW facilitated Fe3+/Fe2+ cycle to enhance NOR degradation at near-neutral pH. • DPW/Fenton maintained high degradation rates for high-ionization-potential contaminants (IP ≥ 9.1 eV). • DPW/Fenton kept excellent co-catalytic properties even after 5 months of placement. To further rush the reduction of Fe3+ and realize the simple application of cocatalyst, 3D diatomite plate@polydopamine@WC (DPW) cocatalysts were prepared using a simple two-step impregnation method to construct a DPW/Fenton system for degrading norfloxacin (NOR) at near-neutral pH (5.5). Characterization results from Scanning electron microscope (SEM), automatic mercury porosimeter, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analyzer, and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) revealed that 3D DPW possessed a macroporous structure with W0 and W4+ distributed on its surface and within its pores. Under suitable conditions, the DPW/Fenton could degrade 94.98 % of NOR with a reaction rate constant of 0.2087 min−1, being 2.08 and 1.09 times that of MoS 2 /Fenton and WS 2 /Fenton, respectively. The Fe2+ content in DPW/Fenton was 1.13 and 1.05 times that of MoS 2 /Fenton and WS 2 /Fenton at 15 min. The exposed W0/W4+ sites on DPW enhanced the Fe3+/Fe2+ cycle and increased the H 2 O 2 decomposition rate to 39.82 %. EPR measurements and probe experiments indicated that NOR degradation occurred mainly through ·OH-dominated radical pathway. Notably, DPW/Fenton had strong resistance to inorganic salt ions and humic acid, maintaining high degradation rates (68 %, 75 %, and 78 %) for high-ionization-potential contaminants (IP ≥ 9.1 eV) like benzoic acid, terephthalic acid and p-nitrophenol. Impressively, the activity of DPW could be regenerated by the impregnation procedure. Even after 24 reuses, the degradation efficiency of NOR was still above 80 %, and the dissolved concentration of W was below 0.022 mg/L. Interestingly, after being stored for 5 months, the catalytic activity of DPW remained basically unchanged. This work provides a theoretical basis and technical support for the large-scale preparation and convenient application of DPW, as well as the degradation of toxic organic contaminants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Strain CZH-5 removed 86.33% nitrogen and 99.89% phosphorus aerobically; • Nitrogen was removed via 42.51%-51.87% metabolism and 16.88%-34.46% assimilation; • Phosphorus distribution was 48%-52% membrane, 20%-42% cytoplasm and 7%-12% EPS; • The functional genes expression performed obvious difference in different media. This study provides for the first time a systematic understanding of Acinetobacter indicus CZH-5 performance, metabolic pathway and genomic characteristics for aerobic nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) removal. Acinetobacter indicus CZH-5 showed promising performance in heterotrophic nitrification aerobic denitrification and aerobic phosphorus removal. Under optimal conditions, the maximum ammonia-N, total nitrogen and orthophosphate-P removal efficiencies were 90.17%, 86.33%, and 99.89%, respectively. The wide tolerance range suggests the strong environmental adaptability of the bacteria. The complete genome of this strain was reconstructed. Whole genome annotation was used to re-construct the N and P metabolic pathways, and related intracellular substance metabolic pathways were proposed. The transcription levels of related functional genes and enzyme activities further confirmed these metabolic mechanisms. N removal was achieved via the nitrification–denitrification pathway. Furthermore, CZH-5 exhibited significant aerobic P uptake, with phosphate diesters as the main species of intracellular P. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

N-degron pathways are a set of proteolytic systems that target the N-terminal destabilizing residues of substrates for proteasomal degradation. Recently, the Gly/N-degron pathway has been identified as a new branch of the N-degron pathway. The N-terminal glycine degron (Gly/N-degron) is recognized by ZYG11B and ZER1, the substrate receptors of the Cullin 2-RING E3 ubiquitin ligase (CRL2). Here we present the crystal structures of ZYG11B and ZER1 bound to various Gly/N-degrons. The structures reveal that ZYG11B and ZER1 utilize their armadillo (ARM) repeats forming a deep and narrow cavity to engage mainly the first four residues of Gly/N-degrons. The α-amino group of the Gly/N-degron is accommodated in an acidic pocket by five conserved hydrogen bonds. These structures, together with biochemical studies, decipher the molecular basis for the specific recognition of the Gly/N-degron by ZYG11B and ZER1, providing key information for future structure-based chemical probe design. [Display omitted] • Crystal structures of ZYG11B and ZER1 bound to various Gly/N-degrons are solved • ZYG11B and ZER1 use a deep and narrow cavity to engage Gly/N-degron • The first four residues of substrates are the key recognition elements • ZYG11B and ZER1 prefer bulky aromatic residues following the first glycine CRL2ZYG11B and CRL2ZER1 are responsible for degradation of substrates bearing an N-terminal glycine through the proteasome-dependent Gly/N-degron pathway. Yan et al. provide structural insights into recognition of the Gly/N-degron by ZYG11B and ZER1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) has played an important role in the growth and apoptosis of colon cancer. The RNA interference (RNAi) technique can suppress gene expression, but the effects of double combining sites RNAi targeting EGFR have not been well understood. Methods: pU6-EGFR-shRNA-1 and pU6-EGFR-shRNA-2 expressive vectors were transfected to the LoVo cells. Five groups were selected for the study: Group 1, the control cells; group 2, the negative control plasmid vector HK; group 3, pU6-EGFR-shRNA-1; group 4, pU6-EGFR-shRNA-2; group 5, pU6-EGFR-shRNA-1 and pU6-EGFR-shRNA-2, half for each. The mRNA and protein expression were assessed by Real Time quantitative PCR and Western blot. Apoptosis was determined via flow cytometry. IC50 and the inhibition ratio of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) were carried out by CCK-8. Results: In groups 3, 4, and 5, the mRNA expression was decreased by (80.22 ± 3.42)%, (81.30 ± 2.83)%, and (90.58 ± 2.76)%, respectively, and the protein expression was decreased by (74.11 ± 4.02)%, (73.39 ± 2.30)%, and (90.39 ± 3.34)%, respectively. Meanwhile, the cell apoptosis increased by (10.43 ± 0.49)%, (10.13 ± 0.39)%, and (14.17 ± 0.53)%, respectively. The IC50 of 5-FU and cell inhibition ratio analysis demonstrated that there were significant differences between the following three: group 5, groups 3 and 4, and groups 1 and 2. Conclusions: Both pU6-EGFR-shRNA-1 and pU6-EGFR-shRNA-2 are capable of suppressing EGFR expression of the LoVo cell and can promote apoptosis and increase the cell toxicity of 5-FU. The double combining sites RNAi technique is significantly better than a single site. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Human anterior gradient homolog 2 (AGR2) reportedly acts as an oncogene in multiple types of cancers. As a secreted protein, the oncogenic roles of extracellular AGR2 have been the focus of the increasing number of studies. In contrast, the oncological functions of intracellular AGR2 (iAGR2) remain elusive. Here, we report that intracellular AGR2 (iAGR2) is sufficient to promote CRC metastasis. iAGR2 binds to KDEL receptors (KDELRs) via its KTEL motif to activate downstream Gs-PKA signaling. Activated PKA upregulates the expression of NF-κB subunit c-Rel (REL) and acetylates histone H3 at lysine 9 (H3K9ac) to promote the transcription of SNAIL and SLUG. AGR2 can be upregulated by prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) via EP4-PI3K-AKT pathway and is indispensable for PGE2-induced CRC metastasis. AGR2 knockdown enhances therapeutic effects of a COX-2 inhibitor, celecoxib, in CRC metastasis. Collectively, our study reveals a promoting role and molecular mechanisms of iAGR2 in CRC metastasis and uncovers a new tumor microenvironment signal regulating AGR2 expression, which may provide new targets for treating metastatic CRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Liver metastasis (LM) significantly shortens the survival time of colorectal neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) patients. This research aimed to explore risk and prognostic factors in colorectal NENs patients with LM and develop nomograms for predicting the risk of LM and survival probability quantitatively. Methods: A total of 9926 colorectal NENs patients registered in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database between 2010 and 2017 were included. Risk factors for LM in colorectal NENs patients were identified by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Potential prognostic factors for colorectal NENs patients with LM were identified by multivariable Cox regression analysis. Nomograms were constructed for quantifying the probability of LM occurrence and survival. Results: At diagnosis, 8.7% of colorectal NENs patients suffered LM, with 1-, 3-, and 5-year cancer-specific survival (CSS) rates of 44.3%, 26.5%, and 18.0%, respectively. Factors associated with LM occurrence included gender, age at diagnosis, primary tumor location, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), histological differentiation, T stage, and N stage. Age at diagnosis, race, histological differentiation, N stage, tumor size, primary tumor location, primary site surgery, and extraliver metastasis were prognostic factors of cancer-specific mortality. The area under the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve of the nomogram for predicting LM was 0.888 (95% CI: 0.877–0.898), and the C-index of the nomogram for estimating CSS probability was 0.705 (95% CI: 0.682–0.729). Conclusions: This research identified the risk and prognostic factors in colorectal NENs patients with LM. The nomograms constructed by this study can be convenient tools for facilitating clinical decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The main effect and interaction effect among the flight parameters were discussed. • The flight parameters of UAVs have remarkable effects on the droplet distribution. • The influence of flight parameters on droplet distribution uniformity is limited. A common problem of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) spraying is that fewer droplets could reach the lower layer, and the depositions among the spray width show a significant difference. However, ensuring the penetration and uniformity of the spray is particularly important in the cotton harvest aid applications. As a new spraying method, poor droplet penetration and uniformity of droplet distribution may lead to inconsistent defoliation among canopy rows and poor defoliation in the lower part of the cotton canopy. The operational parameters of UAVs have remarkable effects on the droplet distribution, which will improve the defoliation rate of cotton. Therefore, full factorial tests were conducted in two experimental locations in the Xinjiang cotton-producing region in 2018 and 2019. The selected operational parameters in 2018 included the spray volume (three levels: 8.7, 12, and 15 L/ha), droplet size Dv50 (three levels: 100, 150, and 200 μm), and flight height (three levels: 1, 2, and 3 m). Meanwhile, the operational parameters in 2019 included the spray volume (three levels: 18, 22.5, and 30 L/ha) and droplet size Dv50 (three levels: 100, 150, and 200 μm). The main effects and interaction effects among the operational parameters were analyzed and discussed. The spray penetration and uniformity of droplet distribution were compared separately. The results show that flight height, spray volume, and droplet size have significant effects on spray penetration. Lowering the flight height of the drone, increasing the spray volume and Dv50 of droplets can improve the distribution of droplets at the bottom of the cotton canopy. As for droplet distribution uniformity, with the increase of the application volume and decrease of the flight height, the uniformity of the droplet distribution becomes worse. The influence of flight parameters on the uniformity of droplet distribution is very limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of rare earth upconversion nanoparticles (UCNs) on hepatic ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI) and explore its possible mechanism. Hepatic IRI seriously affects the prognosis of patients undergoing liver surgery. Liver-resident Kupffer cells have been reported to promote IRI. Nanomedicines are known to be effective in the treatment of liver diseases, however, Kupffer cell-targeting nanomedicines for the treatment of IRI are yet to be developed. As potential bioimaging nanomaterials, UCNs have been found to specifically deplete Kupffer cells, but the underlying mechanism is unknown. In this study, we found that UCNs specifically depleted Kupffer cells by pyroptosis, while the co-administration of the caspase-1 inhibitor VX-765 rescued the UCN-induced Kupffer cell pyroptosis in mice. Furthermore, the pre-depletion of Kupffer cells by the UCNs significantly suppressed the release of inflammatory cytokines and effectively improved hepatic IRI. The rescue of the pyroptosis of the Kupffer cells by VX-765 abrogated the protective effect of UCNs on the liver. These results suggest that UCNs are highly promising for the development of Kupffer cell-targeting nanomedicines for intraoperative liver protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing radical oxygen species (ROS)-generating nanoreactors as new "antibiotics" is a promising strategy for the treatment of multidrug-resistant (MDR) biofilm infections. Herein, we designed and fabricated silver nanoparticle-decorated calcium peroxide (CaO2) nanoreactors (CPA) for combating MDR biofilms. CPA could locally boost ROS production as oxidative stress amplifiers in a pH-triggered and self-catalytic manner in acidic biofilms, where H2O2 was released by the hydrolysis of CaO2 and sequentially catalyzed by Ag NPs in situ to generate O2˙−, thereby efficiently disrupting mature biofilms and killing bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is the standard treatment for acute cholecystitis (AC), and it should be performed within 72 h of symptoms onset if possible. In many undesired situations, LC was performed beyond the golden 72 h. However, the safety and feasibility of prolonged LC (i.e., performed more than 72 h after symptoms onset) are largely unknown, and therefore were investigated in this study.Methods: We retrospectively enrolled the adult patients who were diagnosed as AC and were treated with LC at the same admission between January 2015 and October 2018 in an emergency department of a tertiary academic medical center in China. The primary outcome was the rate and severity of adverse events, while the secondary outcomes were length of hospital stay and costs.Results: Among the 104 qualified patients, 70 (67.3%) underwent prolonged LC and 34 (32.7%) underwent early LC (< 72 h of symptom onset). There were no differences between the two groups in mortality rate (none for both), conversion rates (prolonged LC 5.4%, and early LC 8.8%, P = 0.68), intraoperative and postoperative complications (prolonged LC 5.7% and early LC 2.9%, P ≥ 0.99), operation time (prolonged LC 193.5 min and early LC 198.0 min, P = 0.81), and operation costs (prolonged LC 8,700 Yuan, and early LC 8,500 Yuan, P = 0.86). However, the prolonged LC was associated with longer postoperative hospitalization (7.0 days versus 6.0 days, P = 0.03), longer total hospital stay (11.0 days versus 8.0 days, P < 0.01), and subsequently higher total costs (40,400 Yuan versus 31,100 Yuan, P < 0.01).Conclusions: Prolonged LC is safe and feasible for patients with AC for having similar rates and severity of adverse events as early LC, but it is also associated with longer hospital stay and subsequently higher total cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salivary miRNA-31 is a reliable diagnostic marker for early-stage oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), but accurate detection of miRNA-31 in saliva samples is a challenge because of its low level and high sequence homology. The CRISPR/Cas12a system has the exceptional potential to enable simple nucleic acid analysis but suffers from low speed and sensitivity. To achieve rapid and high-sensitive detection of miRNA-31 using the CRISPR/Cas12a system, a Cas12a-based nano-harvester activated by a polymerase-driven DNA walker, named as dual 3D nanorobots, was developed. The target walked rapidly on the surface of DNA hairpin-modified magnetic nanoparticles driven by DNA polymerase, generating numerous double-strand DNA (dsDNA). Then, the Cas12a bound to the generated dsDNA for activating its trans -cleavage activity, forming 3D nano-harvester. Subsequently, the harvester cut and released methylene blue-labeled DNA hairpins immobilized on the sensing interface, leading to the change in electrochemical signal. We found that the trans -cleavage activity of the harvester was higher than the conventional CRISPR/Cas12a system. The developed dual 3D nanorobots could enable rapid (detection time within 60 min), high-sensitive (detection limit of femtomolar), and specific analysis of miRNA-31 in saliva samples. Thus, our established electrochemical biosensing strategy has great potential for early diagnosis of OSCC. [Display omitted] • Compared with conventional CRISPR/Cas12a, the Cas12-based nano-harvester has higher trans -cleavage efficiency. • The Cas12-based nano-harvester combined with ISAR-based 3D DNA walker is developed. • The developed dual 3D nanorobots enable rapid, ultrasensitive, and specific analysis of miRNA-31 in saliva samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]