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The harmful effects of most synthetic corrosion inhibitors on the environment are the motivation for the study of environmentally friendly extracts. The main components of silkworm sand extract (SSE) were studied by infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and ultraviolet visible spectroscopy (UV-vis). The scale inhibition effect of SSE as scale inhibitor in calcium chloride solution was studied by means of electrical conductivity, static scale inhibition and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Electrochemical impedance (EIS) and potentiodynamic polarization curve (PDP) were used to study its corrosion inhibition performance in simulated cooling water. The results showed that chlorophyll was the main component of SSE. When the concentration of SSE was more than 30 mg/L, the scale inhibition efficiency of calcium carbonate and calcium sulfate was both more than 90%. SSE could inhibit the supersaturation of calcium carbonate, prolong the nucleation time, and change the crystal shape of calcium scale. SSE had a good corrosion inhibition effect on Q235 steel in salt solution, and its corrosion inhibition mechanism was that SSE formed a protective film on the surface of Q235 steel. SSE could play a dual role of scale inhibition and corrosion inhibition, which was a potential new, environmentally safe corrosion and scale inhibitor for cooling water system.

Based on the literature in recent years, the application and development of machine vision in the detection of food bottle and can packaging defects were introduced, and the hardware structure and detection process of the detection system were explained. The research results based on image processing technology and deep learning method in the field of packaging defect detection of food bottles and cans were reviewed and analyzed. The research also summarized the advantages and disadvantages of classification network model and target detection network model both technologies and prospected their future development, and provide a reference for the innovative development of intelligent packaging inspection.

In order to improve the classification accuracy of power quality disturbances, a new method combining convolutional neural network (CNN) and attention mechanism bidirectional long short memory network (ABiLSTM) for power quality disturbances classification is proposed. Firstly, spatial features of disturbance signals are extracted through CNN. Secondly, the BiLSTM hidden layer learns the internal dynamic transformation rules of local features extracted by CNN and extracts temporal features; Using attention mechanism to distinguish features extracted by BiLSTM through weighting, and mining deep temporal correlations. Finally, the disturbance classification results are output through the fully connected layer. During the experiment, the power quality disturbance signal is simulated by MATLAB Simulink. The data set obtained from the simulation is used for training and testing the algorithm, and the real data set is used to verify the algorithm. The experimental results indicate that the CNN-ABiLSTM model can automatically recognize and classify features related to power quality disturbances. Compared with other methods, this method overcomes the limitations of traditional signal analysis and feature selection, and the classification accuracy of CNN-ABiLSTM for power quality disturbance signals is 99.79%, which is superior to CNN, CNN-LSTM, and ABiLSTM methods.

Freeze–thaw cycles significantly impact resource development and construction projects in alpine regions. This study presents a bibliometric analysis based on the Web of Science database, spanning the period from 2000 to 2023. This analysis evaluates the status of hotspots and research trends in freeze–thaw rock. Our findings reveal that rock freeze–thaw research is a typical multiauthor, multicounty, and multi-institution cooperative field involved in many research fields. China had the highest number (420) of peer-review publications. According to the number of publications, 28 of the top 30 institutions are in China. The top 30 authors, ranked by their publications, contributed 55.4% of the total publications. The cumulative number of publications has presented an exponential increase over the past 23 years, with maximum annual growth rate of 36.9%. The keyword analysis suggests the emergence of modern technological techniques, including numerical simulation, microscopic rock structure analysis, and machine learning, in recent years augment to traditional methods. This article also identifies three potential areas for future research, thereby aiding in understanding the past developments, current status, and future trends of freeze–thaw rock research. Additionally, it provides a theoretical basis for engineering construction and slope disaster management in alpine regions.

Objective In the DC (direct current) traction power supply system of urban rail transit, excessive rail potential and stray current issues are persistent problems and common ailments for operational routes. Therefore, it is necessary to summarize and generalize the rail potential suppression technology in urban rail transit running rail circuit return system. Method Based on the situation and prominent issues of rail potential and stray current in operational lines in China, starting from the mechanism of DC traction power supply system return flow, the main factors affecting rail potential in the system are sorted. A rail potential suppression technology is introduced, some methods for suppressing overvoltage generation are compared and analyzed, such as parallel resistors, parallel capacitors, and incorporating locking current logic protection set values. Technical solutions for the novel rail potential limitation device with linked shielding doors, the intelligent stray current suppression type rail potential limitation device using IGBT (insulated gate bipolar transistor), and the flexible topology rail potential limitation device are presented. Result & Conclusion By implementing power electronic full-power converter topological units, the dynamic and flexible control of rail-to-ground voltage and current demonstrates a highly promising remedial measure for future comprehensive control of rail potential and stray current in running rail circuit return system. During the line design phase requirements of different systems, rail potential reduction can be met by increasing traction voltage, optimizing traction spacing, reducing longitudinal track resistance, and eliminating direct grounding of running rails in depot garages. Additionally, complete isolation of electrical systems between mainlines and depots and between different lines is also an important measure to suppress rail potential.

Phospholipid is widely found in eggs, poultry, legume seeds and aquatic products, which is prone to oxidation degradation during food processing and storage. Moderate oxidation gives food a special flavor, while excessive oxidation will cause food quality deterioration and a decrease in food flavor. The oxidation of phospholipid could be influenced by light, temperature, and oxygen. Phospholipid oxidation is complex and gives rise to a wide range of products. When used singly, existing analytical techniques cannot accurately evaluate the level of phospholipid oxidation, and the regulation techniques for phospholipid oxidation have limitations from safety and economical perspectives. This paper gives an overview of the mechanism, detection and regulation techniques for the oxidative degradation of phospholipids, which will facilitate a systematic understanding of the oxidative degradation of phospholipids during the processing and storage of meat and aquatic products and may also provide a theoretical basis for regulating food flavor and improving food quality.

AIM: To explore the variance in efficacy between botulinum toxin A(BTA)injection and extraocular muscle surgery in managing large-angle(≥+60 PD)acute acquired concomitant esotropia(AACE).METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical data of 60 patients with AACE treated at our hospital from June 2020 to December 2022. Patients were divided into three groups based on different treatments: 2.5 IU BTA injection group(14 cases), 5.0 IU BTA injection group(29 cases), and surgical group(17 cases). Follow-up was conducted for 6 mo after treatment to observe the degree of strabismus after the correction of refractive error, visual function, treatment effectiveness, and occurrence of complications after BTA injection.RESULTS: At 6 mo post-treatment, the degree of strabismus in the surgical group and the 5.0 IU BTA injection group was lower than that in the 2.5 IU BTA injection group(P0.017). The effective rate of the 5.0 IU BTA injection group was higher than that of the 2.5 IU BTA injection group(86% vs 43%, P0.05). The incidence of complications after treatment was not significantly different between the 2.5 IU BTA injection group and the 5.0 IU BTA injection group(43% vs 52%, P>0.05).CONCLUSION: For AACE patients with esotropia degree ≥+60 PD, bilateral medial rectus injection of 5.0 IU BTA can yield outcomes comparable to traditional extraocular muscle surgery, with the advantages of minimal trauma and simple and convenient operation.

Objective To investigate the effect of membrane-spanning 4-domains subfamily member 6D (MS4A6D) gene knockout on the fertility of female mice. Methods On the basis of the successful construction of Ms4a6d gene knockout model mice, the homozygous Ms4a6d gene knockout (Ms4a6d-/-) mice at an age of different weeks were subjected. Mouse genotype was identified with RT-qPCR and agarose gel electrophoresis. HE staining, immunofluorescence assay and ELISA were used to detect serum level of anti-müllerian hormone (AMH), composition of macrophages and follicles at all levels in the ovaries of Ms4a6d-/- mice, respectively. The fertility changes in pregnant rate and average litter size of female Ms4a6d-/- mice were observed by fertility experiments. Results Compared with the wild-type (Ms4a6d+/+) female mice at the same age, there were less macrophages in the ovarian tissues of the 2- and 4-week-old Ms4a6d-/- female mice (P < 0.01), but no significant difference was observed between the 2 types of mice at 8 weeks of age. For the adult Ms4a6d-/- female mice at an age of 8 weeks, the ovarian coefficient was obviously lower (P < 0.01), and the numbers of primordial, primary, secondary and antral follicles in the ovarian tissues was statistically lower (P < 0.05) when compared with the adult wild-type female mice at the same age. The serum AMH level was notably lower in the Ms4a6d-/- female mice of all ages than the wild-type ones at corresponding ages (P < 0.05). The average pregnancy rate was 56% and the litter size was 4.1±1.1 in adult Ms4a6d-/- female mice, which were significantly lower than those of wild-type mice of the same age (89% and 6.3±1.2). Conclusion Ms4a6d gene knockout decreases the number of macrophages in the ovarian tissues of adolescent females, interferes with the development of follicles in the ovarian tissues of adolescent females, and leads to a decrease in ovarian reserve in adult females and a decrease in fertility in adult females.

Objective To investigate the distribution of B cells in both tumor and non-tumor tissues of gastric cancer patients, analyze their phenotypic characteristics and explore the impact on T cell proliferation. Methods Immunohistochemical staining was utilized to detect the expression of B cell surface marker CD19 in tumor and non-tumor tissues from 33 gastric cancer patients. The expression levels of chemokine receptors and immunoglobulin molecules on B cells in both tumor and non-tumor tissues were measured using flow cytometry. Chemotaxis experiments were conducted to examine the role of the CXCL12-CXCR4 axis in B cell chemotaxis. B cells isolated and purified from both tissue types were co-cultured with autologous peripheral T cells to assess their effect on T cell proliferation. Results There were significantly more B cells infiltrated in tumor tissues than those infitrated in the non-tumor tissues of gastric cancer patients (P

Abstract As the predominant pest of alfalfa, Odontothrips loti Haliday causes great damages over the major alfalfa-growing regions of China. The characteristics of strong mobility and fecundity make them develop rapidly in the field and hard to be controlled. There is a shortage of bioinformation and limited genomic resources available of O. loti for us to develop novel pest management strategies. In this study, we constructed a chromosome-level reference genome assembly of O. loti with a genome size of 346.59 Mb and scaffold N50 length of 18.52 Mb, anchored onto 16 chromosomes and contained 20128 genes, of which 93.59% were functionally annotated. The results of 99.20% complete insecta_odb10 genes in BUSCO analysis, 91.11% short reads mapped to the ref-genome, and the consistent tendency among the thrips in the distribution of gene length reflects the quality of genome. Our study provided the first report of genome for the genus Odontothrips, which offers a genomic resource for further investigations on evolution and molecular biology of O. loti, contributing to pest management.

AIM: To explore the correlation between neonatal retinal hemorrhage(RH)and changes in umbilical artery blood gas analysis.METHODS: A total of 312 full-term neonates born in our obstetrics department from January 2019 to December 2021 were selected as the study subjects. According to the RetCam III fundus examination results, 245 neonates who did not experience RH were included in the control group, while 67 cases with RH were found to be included in the RH group. In addition, neonates were grouped into I degree group(n=20), II degree group(n=29), and III degree group(n=18)based on the degree of RH. General clinical data and umbilical artery blood gas analysis indicators between the RH group and the control group were compared; the levels of umbilical artery blood gas analysis indicators in neonates with different degrees of RH, the relationship between pH and RH degree, and the influencing factors of neonatal RH were analyzed.RESULTS: There was no obvious difference in maternal age, average gestational week, fetal gender, parity, gestational diabetes, fetal birth weight, and amniotic fluid between the RH group and the control group(all P>0.05), while there were obvious differences in delivery methods, gestational hypertension, forceps assisted delivery, neonatal asphyxia, and umbilical cord around the neck(all P

The incidence of myopia among Chinese adolescents is progressively rising, indicating a distinct trend toward younger age onset.This paper aims to comprehensively review the impact of various visual performance on myopia and its progression, with a specific emphasis on accommodative function, convergence function, and ocular position. A meticulous exploration of accommodation function, encompassing accommodative amplitude, accommodative facility, accommodative response, positive relative accommodation, and negative relative accommodation, has been undertaken to elucidate its contributory role in myopia progression. Concurrently, an exhaustive analysis of convergence function has been conducted including esotropia and exotropia, convergence insufficiency and convergence excess, fusional function vergence, divergence insufficiency, and excess, providing a nuanced understanding of convergence's implications for myopia advancement. Furthermore, the influence of ocular position on myopia progression, along with other factors affecting perceptual ocular position and intermittent exotropia, is discussed. The primary objective of this article is to unveil the multifaceted visual performance influencing myopia and its progression, elucidating the paramount significance of accommodative function, convergence function, and ocular position in this context.

Currently, the construction of intelligent mines is facing problems such as incomplete data standards, difficulty in integrating heterogeneous data from multiple sources, and the need to improve sharing mechanisms. Establishing a unified intelligent mine metadata standard is of great significance for forming a multi-source heterogeneous data fusion and sharing mechanism. Based on the intelligent mine data classification and coding standards, the construction method of intelligent mine metadata standards is studied. It is clarified that metadata standard construction is an extended research and value mining of data classification and coding. This paper defines the connotations of metadata entities and metadata attributes. This paper designs an intelligent mine metadata description framework that includes a basic description framework and an extended description framework. This paper provides basic metadata attribute description items that reflect the features of intelligent mine business scenarios, as well as extended metadata attribute description items for the four major thematic domain groups of basic, production, safety, and management in the intelligent mine data classification and coding standards, thus forming a metadata standard. Taking the inertial sensor of the shearer inertial navigation system in the production theme domain group as an example, the construction process of metadata standards is introduced. Building metadata standards based on intelligent mine data classification and coding standards can solve the problem of fusion and sharing of multi-source heterogeneous data, promote mine enterprises to manage, analyze, and apply data more efficiently, and improve the intelligence level of mine data governance.

AIM: To observe and analyze the effectiveness and safety of wearing corneal refractive therapy(CRT)and vision shaping treatment(VST)designed orthokeratology in controlling myopic progression in adolescents with low E-value corneal morphology.METHODS: This prospective study involved 100 cases(100 eyes)of adolescent myopia patients fitted with orthokeratology at our optometry clinic from January 2020 to December 2021. The data of right eye were collected for research, and they were divided into low myopia group(-1.00 to -3.00 D)and moderate myopia group(-3.25 to -5.00 D)according to spherical equivalent, with 50 cases in each group. Each group of patients was further randomly divided into the CRT group and the VST group, with 25 cases in each group. Uncorrected visual acuity, refractive error, axial length(AL), tear film break-up time(BUT), corneal endothelial cell density, corneal staining grading, lens decentration, and refractive power at 15°-30° were measured before and after wearing orthokeratology, with a follow-up duration of 1.5 a.RESULTS: The uncorrected visual acuity of CRT and VST subgroups in the low myopia group showed no statistical significance at any time point after wearing orthokeratology. However, in the moderate myopia group, CRT subgroup showed better uncorrected visual acuity than the VST subgroup, with significant differences at 1 d and 1 wk(t=-9.474, -12.067, both P

Objective·To investigate the effect of neferine (Nef) on renal tissues of diabetic nephropathy (DN) rats and its related mechanism.Methods·DN model rats were constructed by feeding high-fat diet combined with intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin, and the successfully constructed rats were randomly divided into DN group, Nef (low, medium and high) dose groups and Nef high-dose+pathway antagonist (AMD3100) group, with 10 rats in each group. At the same time, 10 common rats were selected as the normal group. The levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG), 24 h urinary protein, serum glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), serum creatinine (Scr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and renal index of rats in the six groups were measured. Hematoxylin-eosin (H-E) and Masson staining were used to observe the pathological changes of renal tissues. The content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in renal tissues was determined by thiobarbituric acid (TBA) method, and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in renal tissues were determined by water soluble tetrazolium (WST-1) method and ammonium molybdate method, respectively. The mRNA and protein expressions of stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) and CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) in renal tissues were detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and Western blotting, respectively. Rat renal tubular epithelium cells NRK-52E were induced by high glucose (30 mmol/L glucose) to establish DN cell model. The cells were divided into control group, high glucose (HG) group, HG+Nef (low, medium and high) dose (i.e.HG+Nef-L, M and H) group, and HG+Nef-H +AMD3100 group. SOD and CAT activities were detected by WST-1 method and ammonium molybdate method, respectively. MDA content was detected by TBA method. The mRNA and protein expressions of SDF-1 and CXCR4 were detected by qPCR and Western blotting, respectively. CCK-8 method and flow cytometry were used to detect cell viability and apoptosis rate, respecti-vely.Results·Compared with the DN group, the levels of FBG, 24 h urinary protein, HbA1c, Scr, BUN, renal index and MDA content in Nef (low, medium and high) dose groups and Nef high-dose+AMD3100 group were decreased, the mRNA and protein expressions of SDF-1 and CXCR4 were increased, and the activities of SOD and CAT were increased (all P

The changes in the main active ingredients and sensory quality of Gastrodia elata during liquid-state fermentation with the traditional Kombucha consortium were analyzed in the study. The results showed that the total acid concentration of the fermentation broth increased, and consequently the pH decreased after 5 days of fermentation, among which acetic acid and succinic acid increased most obviously. Fermentation with the Kombucha consortium significantly increased the contents of total polyphenols, total flavonoids and p-hydroxybenzyl alcohol. The volatile components of the fermentation broth were analyzed by electronic nose combined with solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS). It was found that many flavor substances were produced through the fermentation process. Sensory evaluation indicated that Kombucha consortium fermentation significantly reduced the unpleasant odor of G. elata and imparted it a fruity flavor. This study provides a theoretical basis and technical support for the in-depth development and utilization of G. elata.

Abstract Lignin is main composition of agricultural biomass which can be decomposed through enzymatic hydrolysis by fungi. However, there are still needs to identify more efficient and effective fungal stain for biomass valorization. In this study, lignin degrading fungi from birch forest were screened for sustainable degradation of waste agricultural straws. The most effective strain was identified as Cerrena unicolor GC.u01 using 18 S rDNA gene-sequencing technology. Three different crop straws (corn stalk, rice and wheat straws) were used for the biotreatment studies. The activities of lignin degrading enzymes, laccase (Lac), cellulase and xylanase, secreted by C. unicolor were also determined. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermal gravimetric analyzer (TGA) were further used to monitor the effects of the biotreatment process. The results showed that C. unicolor degraded 34.3% rice straw lignin, a percentage which was higher than other isolated strains after 15 d straw liquid fermentation. The highest Lac activity (8.396 U•mL− 1) was observed with corn stalk on the 7 d. Cellulase and xylanase activities, in the same biomass, were higher than those of wheat and rice straws after 15 d. Furthermore, SEM, FTIR and TGA analyses showed that C. unicolor pretreatment process had significant effects on corn stalk, rice and wheat straws’ structures. The newly isolated stain of C. unicolor demonstrated high lignin degradation potential that can provide effective, ecofriendly means of valorizing biomass to industrial useable raw-material.

Background Cognitive impairment can lead to a decline in cognitive function, depression, and loneliness, as well as decreased self-efficacy and quality of life in older adults. Objective To investigate the effects of non-pharmacological integrated interventions on cognitive function, depression, loneliness, self-efficacy, and quality of life in older adults with mild cognitive impairment. Methods Based on risk factors for cognitive impairment, a non-pharmacological integrated intervention program was developed in five dimensions of cognitive training, physical exercise, emotional management, social connection, and healthy lifestyle habits. Using a single-subject A-B-A experimental design, a 3-month intervention, which was conducted once a week for 60 minutes, was performed in three elderly individuals with mild cognitive impairment from June to December 2021. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Geriatric Depression Scale-15 (GDS-15), 12-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12), General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES), and De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale (DJGLS) were administered to the 3 older adults at baseline, 3 months of the intervention, and 3 months after the intervention, to assess the scores of each scale from the 5 dimensions of cognitive function, self-efficacy, quality of life, depression, and loneliness, the changes in the scores were analyzed. A semi-structured interview was conducted 3 months after the intervention to evaluate the intervention effects in terms of cognitive function, quality of life, depression, self-efficacy, and loneliness dimensions. Results The 3 older adults included in the study were 74, 70, 73 years old, all married, living with their spouses and grandchildren. The three older adults had MoCA scores of 21, 22, and 24 at baseline, 28, 26, and 27 at 3 months of intervention, and 25, 19, and 23 at 3 months after intervention; GSES scores were 25, 30, and 27 at baseline, 29, 29, and 30 at 3 months of intervention, and 28, 31, and 28 at 3 months after intervention. SF-12 scores were 69, 32, and 51 at baseline, 81, 81, and 83 at 3 months of intervention, and 78, 38, and 59 at 3 months after intervention. The GDS-15 scale scores were 4, 8, and 2 at baseline, 2, 6, and 1 at 3 months of intervention, and 1, 8, and 4 at 3 months after intervention. The DJGLS scores were 8, 7, and 8 at baseline, 5, 5, and 4 at 3 months of intervention, and 5, 5, and 7 at 3 months after intervention. Semi-structured interview data indicated improvement in all five dimensions of cognitive function, quality of life, depression, loneliness, and self-efficacy of the subjects. Conclusion For older adults with mild cognitive impairment, it is of great significance to perform a non-pharmacological integrated intervention in terms of cognitive training, physical exercise, emotional management, social connection, and healthy lifestyle habits. The MoCA, SF-12, GDS-15, and DJGLS scores of older adults with mild cognitive impairment improved at 3 months of intervention, while the GSES scores improved at 3 months after intervention. GSES scores were not as effective after the intervention. All dimension scores showed a decreasing trend at 3 months after the intervention.

ObjectivesThis study aims to discuss the clinical manifestations and treatment of Familial hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (FHL) caused by a mutation in the UNC13D gene.MethodsA 6-year-old female child presented with unexplained febricity, splenomegaly, pancytopenia, hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis in bone marrow, decreased NK cell activity, soluble CD25 levels > 44000ng/ml. Genetic sequencing revealed a mutation in the UNC13D gene. Additionally, the patient experienced intermittent fever with seizures characterized by involuntary twitching of the left upper limb. Head magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed white matter lesions.ResultsAccording to the HLH-2004 diagnostic criteria revised by the International Society of Histiocytosis the patient was diagnosed with FHL. Despite receiving HLH-2004 treatment, the disease relapsed. However, after a salvage allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant (HSCT), febricity, abnormal blood cells, and neurological symptoms significantly improved.ConclusionsPrompt performance of allogeneic HSCT is crucial upon diagnosis of FHL, especially when neurological involvement is present.

Abstract Spinal cord injury (SCI) leads to massive cell death, disruption, and demyelination of axons, resulting in permanent motor and sensory dysfunctions. Stem cell transplantation is a promising therapy for SCI. However, owing to the poor microenvironment that develops following SCI, the bioactivities of these grafted stem cells are limited. Cell implantation combined with biomaterial therapies is widely studied for the development of tissue engineering technology. Herein, an insulin‐like growth factor‐1 (IGF‐1)‐bioactive supramolecular nanofiber hydrogel (IGF‐1 gel) is synthesized that can activate IGF‐1 downstream signaling, prevent the apoptosis of neural stem cells (NSCs), improve their proliferation, and induce their differentiation into neurons and oligodendrocytes. Moreover, implantation of NSCs carried out with IGF‐1 gels promotes neurite outgrowth and myelin sheath regeneration at lesion sites following SCI. In addition, IGF‐1 gels can enrich extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from NSCs or from nerve cells differentiated from these NSCs via miRNAs related to axonal regeneration and remyelination, even in an inflammatory environment. These EVs are taken up by autologous endogenous NSCs and regulate their differentiation. This study provides adequate evidence that combined treatment with NSCs and IGF‐1 gels is a potential therapeutic strategy for treating SCI.

ObjectiveTo explore the variation rules and health risks of trihalomethane in regional drinking water， and to provide evidence for the innovative water processing technology and the optimization of drinking water quality.MethodsBased on regional drinking water sanitation monitoring， non-parametric rank sum test was used to analyze the effects of residual trihalomethane production in different periods and with disinfection methods. The United States environmental protection agency （USEPA） classic "four-step" health risk assessment model was used to evaluate the carcinogenic risk and non-carcinogenic risk of trihalomethane through drinking water exposure.ResultsThe yield of trichloromethane in wet season was 6.3 μg·L-1， which was higher than that in dry season. Compared with chlorination pretreatment， ozone pretreatment reduced the content of bromomethane dichloromethane. Compared to liquid chlorine disinfection， sodium hypochlorite treatment incresed the levels of trichloromethane and bromomethane chloride. Although the total carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks of trihalomethane in drinking water in the region were at safe levels， they were above the acceptable limits occasionally. The highest carcinogenic risk of trihalomethane were dichlorobromomethane and chlorodibromomethane，and the highest non-carcinogenic risk was trichloromethane. The health risk of children was 1.2 times higher than that for adults.ConclusionThe production of residual trihalomethane in drinking water in this area is relatively low， which is less harmful to the health of adults and children. Monitoring， including other disinfection byproducts， should continue and appropriate disinfection techniques for drinking water should be explored.

Borane is a class of boron compounds, including active small borane molecules and relative stable polyhedral borane compounds, and has widely applied in energy storage, material science, and pharmaceutical medicine, especially as promising boron carriers for boron neutron capture therapy(BNCT), and many other fields. The synthesis of new borane molecules and optimization of the synthetic methods of boranes have been a significant part of boron chemistry over the last one hundred years. Herein, we have systematically summarized the syntheses of small borane molecules, polyhedral boranes, and carboranes; we also provided the molecular structures and 11B NMR spectra of borane compounds. Anticipatedly, this review will provide the basic knowledge for readers interested in borane chemistry and facilitate the readers for improving the synthetic methods of boranes and exploring the application of borane compounds.

Neural tube defects (NTDs) represent a developmental disorder of the nervous system that can lead to significant disability in children and impose substantial social burdens. Valproic acid (VPA), a widely prescribed first-line antiepileptic drug for epilepsy and various neurological conditions, has been associated with a 4-fold increase in the risk of NTDs when used during pregnancy. Consequently, urgent efforts are required to identify innovative prevention and treatment approaches for VPA-induced NTDs. Studies have demonstrated that the disruption in the delicate balance between cell proliferation and apoptosis is a crucial factor contributing to NTDs induced by VPA. Encouragingly, our current data reveal that melatonin (MT) significantly inhibits apoptosis while promoting the restoration of neuroepithelial cell proliferation impaired by VPA. Moreover, further investigations demonstrate that MT substantially reduces the incidence of neural tube malformations resulted from VPA exposure, primarily by suppressing apoptosis through the modulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species levels. In addition, the Src/PI3K/ERK signaling pathway appears to play a pivotal role in VPA-induced NTDs, with significant inhibition observed in the affected samples. Notably, MT treatment successfully reinstates Src/PI3K/ERK signaling, thereby offering a potential underlying mechanism for the protective effects of MT against VPA-induced NTDs. In summary, our current study substantiates the considerable protective potential of MT in mitigating VPA-triggered NTDs, thereby offering valuable strategies for the clinical management of VPA-related birth defects.

Objective·To explore the relationship between sleep quality and carotid atherosclerosis in the population with low or moderate risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.Methods·Based on the population-based cohort study of chronic diseases in Xinjiang, the researchers selected residents aged 35－75 from two fixed communities in Urumqi and Korla, in Northern and Southern Xinjiang, respectively, using a two-stage random cluster sampling method from July 2019 to September 2021. In the population without a history of coronary heart disease and cerebrovascular events, the prediction model for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk in China (China-PAR) was used to evaluate the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Low and moderate risk population of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases were included. Participants completed physical examinations, questionnaires [including the Risk Factors Assessment Scale of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases in Xinjiang, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), and Food Frequency Questionnaire], cardiovascular and metabolic biochemical examinations, and carotid color doppler. Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and plaque formation were used to determine the carotid atherosclerosis of the study subjects. Multivariate Logistic regression model and restricted cubic spline (RCS) were used to analyze the relationship between sleep quality and carotid intima-media thickening/plaque formation in the population with low and moderate risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.Results·A total of 1 528 subjects were included in the study, the mean age was (49.4±8.2) years, and 685 (44.8%) were male. In the included population, there were 581 (38.0%) subjects with carotid intima-media thickening and 305 (20.0%) subjects with carotid plaque formation. Among them, intima-media thickening and plaque formation both occurred in 154 (10.1%) people. Therefore, the prevalence of carotid atherosclerosis was 47.9% (732 subjects). Compared with the group without carotid artery thickening, the group with carotid intima-media thickening/plaque formation had higher levels of general cardiovascular and cerebrovascular risk factors, including age, male ratio, blood lipid levels and obesity, and higher PSQI sleep score [(7.06±2.13) vs (7.43±2.51), P=0.001]. The proportion of patients with poor sleep quality was higher (6.5% vs 12.1%, P=0.001). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that poor sleep quality was an independent risk factor for carotid atherosclerosis [adjusted OR (aOR)=1.22, 95%CI 1.004－1.492, P=0.040]. RCS analysis suggested that PSQI and the risk of carotid atherosclerosis showed a positive linear correlation, that is, the worse quality of sleep, the higher risk of carotid atherosclerosis.Conclusion·Although the traditional metabolic risk factors are at a low risk level, the prevalence of carotid atherosclerosis is high and poor sleep quality is an independent risk factor for carotid atherosclerosis in the low and moderate risk population of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.

Objective·To construct an mRNA vaccine encoding hemagglutinin (HA) of influenza A H1N1 virus, and explore the protective effects of different booster vaccination strategies.Methods·Firefly luciferase (Fluc) was used as the reporter gene to construct Fluc mRNA vaccine enveloped in lipid nanoparticles (LNP). The in vivo expression of Fluc mRNA-LNP after intramuscular injection was determined by live imaging assay in mice. Furthermore, M15-HA mRNA-LNP derived from H1N1 subtype (A/Michigan/45/2015) was constructed. Mice were immunized with 20, 10, 5, or 1 µg doses of M15-HA mRNA-LNP twice (with an interval of 3 weeks) through intramuscular injection. Serum antibody titers were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) at 2 weeks and 4 weeks after the second immunization, and functional antibody levels were detected by hemagglutination inhibition test. The third booster vaccination was performed 40 d after the second immunization in 1 µg dose group with 1 µg M15-HA mRNA-LNP or 10 µg HA subunit vaccine. The levels of specific antibody and functional antibody were detected by ELISA and hemagglutination inhibition test, respectively 2 weeks and 4 weeks later.Results·Live imaging assay showed that luciferase activity could be detected in mice 1 d after injection of Fluc mRNA-LNP. At 2 weeks and 4 weeks after the second immunization of M15-HA mRNA-LNP, HA-specific antibodies were significantly higher than those before the immunization in all vaccination groups at different doses (P=0.000). The hemagglutination inhibition test showed that the levels of functional antibodies in the 20 μg dose and 10 μg dose groups were significantly higher than those in the PBS control group (P

Y-box binding protein-1 (YB-1) is upregulated in glioma and plays an important role in its occurrence and drug resistance. However, the involved regulatory processes and downstream pathways are still unclear. Since various circular RNAs (circRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) also play roles in the pathogenesis of glioma, we hypothesize that YB-1 may exert its function through a circRNA-miRNA-protein interaction network. In this study, we use the RNA binding protein immunoprecipitation assay and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction to determine the circRNAs involved in the regulation of YB-1 and further elucidate their biological functions. The level of circSPECC1 (hsa_circ_0000745) modulated by YB-1 is significantly upregulated in the U251 and U87 glioma cell lines. Downregulation of circSPECC1 markedly inhibits the proliferation and invasiveness of U251 and U87 cells by inducing apoptosis. Bioinformatics analysis reveals that miR-615-5p could interact with circSPECC1 and huntingtin-interacting protein-1 (HIP-1). Then we determine the interactions between miR-615-5p, circSPECC1, and HIP1 using dual luciferase reporter system and pull-down assays. Mechanistic analysis indicates that the downregulation of circSPECC1 results in a decreased HIP1 expression. This study demonstrates that circSPECC1 modulated by YB-1 is increased in glioma cell lines. In addition, circSPECC1 promotes glioma growth through the upregulation of HIP1 by sponging miR-615-5p and targeting the HIP1/AKT pathway. This indicates that YB-1 and circSPECC1 may both be promising targets for glioma treatment.

Krüppel-like zinc-finger transcription factor 5 (KLF5) is a vital regulator of breast cancer (BC) onset and progression. The mechanism by which KLF5 regulates BC is still not clearly known. In this study, bioinformatics analysis shows that BC-affected individuals with elevated KLF5 expression levels have poor clinical outcomes. We further verify that miR-145-5p regulated KLF5 expression to promote cell apoptosis and inhibit cell proliferation in BC via dual-luciferase reporter assay, western blot analysis, qRT-PCR, CCK-8 assay and cell apoptosis assay. In addition, based on bioinformatics analysis, the binding of ENST00000422059 with miR-145-5p is confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter assay. Subsequently, FISH, western blot analysis, qRT-PCR, CCK-8 and cell apoptosis assays verified that ENST00000422059 increases KLF5 protein expression by sponging miRNA to promote cell proliferation and inhibit cell apoptosis. Finally, ENST00000422059 is found to accelerate tumor progression by regulating the miR-145-5p/KLF5 axis in vivo. In conclusion, this study suggests that ENST00000422059 upregulates KLF5 by sponging miR-145-5p to promote BC progression.

The study aimed to investigate comorbidities, major adverse respiratory events, and mortality in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). We established an IPF cohort and a comparative cohort matched for sex, age, and the date of IPF diagnosis. We recorded the most frequent comorbidities, the proportions, and time durations to the episode of major adverse respiratory events and death. Both cohorts were followed up to the end of 2016. We included 921 patients in the IPF cohort and 3,677 individuals in the comparative cohort. Comorbidities associated with IPF included pulmonary hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart failure, asthma, and gastroesophageal reflux disease. The IPF cohort was more likely to have pneumonia (47.6 vs 12.0%), acute respiratory failure (17.8 vs 4.30%), chronic respiratory failure (4.23 vs 0.63%), and death (36.3 vs 15.0%) than the comparative cohort. The time durations to the first episode of pneumonia, acute respiratory failure, chronic respiratory failure, and death were 2.09 ± 2.98, 3.12 ± 3.62, 3.20 ± 4.03, and 3.27 ± 3.03 years in the IPF cohort. In conclusion, patients with IPF had significant comorbidities, particularly pulmonary and cardiovascular comorbidities. The duration from diagnosis to the major adverse respiratory events or death was short.

[Objective] Photovoltaic (PV) power generation is an important starting point for China to implement the clean energy transition towards achieving the dual carbon goals, but its large installed capacity has brought new e-waste management challenges, and research on future e-waste generation and resource recovery potential is of great importance for the scientific and effective management of scraps. [Methods] Based on the distributed PV data of the National Energy Administration from 2013 to 2021, this study used the market supply A model, logistic model, and resource estimation model to predict the scrap volume and recoverable resource volume of distributed PV power generation equipment in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region from 2022 to 2060. [Results] The results show that the cumulative scrap volume of distributed PV modules in Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei could reach 4.8984 million kW, 3.930 million kW, and 83.3778 million kW respectively from 2022 to 2060. From 2022 to 2060, the cumulative total amount of recyclable materials in scrap photovoltaic modules in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region will be 2.9737 million tons, and the cumulative total amount of recyclable materials in scrap photovoltaic installation systems will be 76500 to 100100 tons. Among them, other materials in the photovoltaic modules amount to 2.7926 million tons, basic metal 0.1395 million tons, key metal 37500 tons, precious metal silver 3900 tons, special metal 200 tons, and toxic metal 1100 tons; The weight of aluminum, copper, steel, and zinc of the photovoltaic installation systems is 6700-8800 tons, 12800-16800 tons, 56800-74400 tons, and 130-170 tons, respectively. [Conclusion] In the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, there is a significant presence of distributed photovoltaic waste, requiring prompt and efficient management strategies. Additionally, the wide variety of materials found in photovoltaic waste presents substantial opportunities for resource recycling. A well-designed recycling system is indispensable.

With the continuous development of society, the requirements of enterprises and the public for the reliability of the power system are also improving, and the fault identification and protection action of the distribution network is conducive to the comprehensive analysis and overhaul of the line, which is of great significance. In this paper, a short-circuit fault identification method for distribution networks based on artificial intelligence technology is proposed to categorize and predict power system faults using an association rule algorithm. Then, a distribution network adaptive protection strategy based on the equivalent impedance of the distributed energy system is proposed, which real-time adjusts the setting value and criterion of the protection through the distribution network containing distributed energy devices connected to the grid and adjusts the working status in normal operation, realizing that the current protection of the distribution network adapts itself to the change of the working conditions of the distribution network system of IIDG. Simulation results show that when two-phase grounding and three-phase short-circuit faults occur in the distribution network under the protection of the adaptive system. The protection circuits start instantaneously in 0.005s, which realizes the functions of the fast startup, self-sustained operation, and controllable shutdown when faults occur in the distribution network. Meanwhile, the feasibility of the scheme is verified by utilizing the system to output short-circuit faults in the case of IIDG grid-connected or off-grid when the respective integrating values are greater than the positive sequence short-circuit current values.

Currently, energy storage systems adopt control strategies based on the crossover approach despite their limited generalization performance. To improve the control effect of the control strategy, the limitation of the SOC of the energy storage element is added. This adds smoothness to the system’s output power, enabling the energy storage element to distribute the power reasonably. Meanwhile, we propose and introduce a DPI control strategy based on PSO optimization into the control strategy of the second-order low-pass filtering method, thereby further enhancing and optimizing the original control strategy. Taking the investment cost of the energy storage system and the stable operation of the system as the objective functions, the constraint function is determined according to the parameters, the PSO algorithm is used to construct a two-layer optimization model of the energy storage system, and the FCEM is introduced to determine the objective weights. Based on the constructed model, an arithmetic example analysis of the energy storage system is carried out using artificial intelligence. Under the steady-state analysis of Buck mode, the low voltage side voltage adjustment time based on the PID control strategy is about 0.108s, and the low voltage side voltage adjustment time based on PSOPID is 0.032s, which is reduced by 0.070s compared with the PID control strategy. Also, when optimizing a system that generates electricity from renewable sources on its own, the two goals of minimizing the investment in the energy storage system and making sure it runs smoothly are met when the system’s fixed power is equal to 6.58 MW and its capacity is less than 267 MWh.

English is one of the essential contents in the higher education system, and the innovative research of English teaching has become a research hotspot in the academic world. This paper introduces the neural network model to the research of English classrooms in colleges and universities and constructs a neural network prediction model based on teacher-student interaction behavior. It is used to identify, classify, and predict the behavior of teacher-student interactions. Further, explores the impact of teacher-student interaction on student behavior and its quality on college English teaching. The neural network model in this paper achieves optimal performance in the long-term prediction of teacher-student interaction behavior, and the overall short-term prediction accuracy significantly exceeds that of other prediction models. The differences in grade level, gender, and number of lecturers were all significant for the quality of English classroom teaching in colleges and universities. There was a significant correlation between teacher-student interaction behaviors (classroom cooperation, classroom games, classroom communication, and situational interpretation) and English teaching quality (English achievement, classroom participation, and learning interest). Teacher-student interaction behaviors significantly improve English classroom teaching quality and predict teaching quality by up to 45.24% of the explained variance. Classroom cooperation is the primary factor in positive classroom interaction behavior between teachers and students.

In innovation and entrepreneurship education, personalized Education is achieved through specialized creative integration and project-based learning to cultivate college students’ abilities in innovation, creation, and entrepreneurship. However, besides providing a wide range of course options and resources on the supply side, it is crucial to emphasize enhancing learners’ intrinsic motivation on the demand side of project-based learning. We conducted an educational practice to enhance students’ personalized learning inherent motivation in the medical school. Through assigning one project per student, we aimed to stimulate students’ curiosity, empathy, and sense of responsibility by focusing on the authenticity of project topics. Furthermore, the uniqueness of projects in innovation and creation was used to enhance students’ understanding of identification and ownership. Additionally, we promoted students’ courage to transform old habits, products, and services through a sense of belonging and conformity fostered within the student community. The timely supervision and rewards in competitions also contributed to students’ understanding of rhythm, fulfillment, and respect. After a project-based Practice, significant progress and improvements were observed in students’ professional abilities, multiple intelligences, creativity, and competition results.

This paper first gives the financial management strategy of enterprise investment, mainly from determining the financial management model of enterprise investment, improving the centralized management level of funds and optimizing the enterprise investment decision-making process in three aspects. Then, build the financial management model based on integer linear programming through the enterprise investment theory to find the effective investment of assets, the use of absolute deviation risk measurement model to reduce the risk of investment so that the maximization of returns and maintain the stability of returns. Lastly, we utilize Enterprise B as the research object for empirical analysis. From the analysis of investment efficiency, the increment of total assets and net profit is increasing; the increment of total assets in 2022 is 58 million more than that of 2015, and the increment of net profit in 2022 is 49 million more than that of 2015. The data shows that the financial management strategy of business investment improves the investment efficiency of the company and enhances the overall operation of the company’s space.

In this paper, an association matrix is constructed based on a global self-representation model, and the problem of constructing an association matrix with sparse self-representation of samples and Laplace regularized least squares classifier are integrated to improve the model performance. Based on the block coordinate descent algorithm, iterative solving for each variable was performed to optimize the model, and then the decision-making model was constructed using the multi-objective decision-making algorithm in order to provide managers with appropriate educational and management program services. Finally, the influence of ideology and political education on students’ quality as well as college management is analyzed, and the way of correlation evolution between ideology and politics and student management is explored. The results show that ideology and politics have a positive influence on student quality, and the degree of influence on personal concepts as well as on the pursuit of knowledge and the establishment of goals is 0.75 and 0.8, respectively. The probability that a highly correlated and coordinated college or university with ideology politics and student management will remain in this rank in the following year is 65%, and the probability of downward or upward development is 20% in both cases.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common types of malignant cancers worldwide. Although molecularly targeted therapies have significantly improved treatment outcomes, most of these target inhibitors are resistant. Novel inhibitors as potential anticancer drug candidates are still needed to be discovered. Therefore, in the present study, we synthesized a novel 4-(1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-ylthio)pyrimidine derivative (compound 4) using fragment- and structure-based techniques and then investigated the anticancer effect and underlying mechanism of anti-CRC. The results revealed that compound 4 significantly inhibited HCT116 cell proliferation with IC50 values of 8.04 ± 0.94 µmol L–1 after 48 h and 5.52 ± 0.42 µmol L–1 after 72 h, respectively. Compound 4 also inhibited colony formation, migration, and invasion of HCT116 cells in a dose-dependent manner, as well as inducing cell apoptosis and arresting the cell cycle in the G2/M phase. In addition, compound 4 was able to inhibit the activation of the MEK/ERK signaling in HCT116 cells. And compound 4 yielded the same effects as the MEK inhibitor U0126 on cell apoptosis and MEK/ERK-related proteins. These findings suggested that compound 4 inhi bited cell proliferation and growth, and induced cell apoptosis, indicating its use as a novel and potent anticancer agent against CRC via the MEK/ERK signaling pathway.

Phosphodiesterase 4D interacting protein (PDE4DIP) interacts with cAMP-specific phosphodiesterase 4D and its abnormal expression promotes the development of hematological malignancies, breast cancer, and pineal cell carcinoma. However, there is currently no systematic pan-cancer analysis of the association between PDE4DIP and various cancers. Thus, this study aimed to elucidate the potential functions of PDE4DIP in various cancers. Based on the multiple public databases and online websites, we conducted comprehensive analyses for PDE4DIP in various cancers, including differential expression, prognosis, genetic variation, DNA methylation, and immunity. We thoroughly analyzed the specific role of PDE4DIP in acute myeloid leukemia (LAML). The results indicated that there were differences in PDE4DIP expression in cancers, and in kidney chromophobe, LAML, pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma, thymoma, and uveal melanoma, PDE4DIP had potential prognostic value. PDE4DIP expression was also correlated with genetic variation, DNA methylation, immune cell infiltration, and immune-related genes in cancers. Functional enrichment analysis showed that PDE4DIP was mainly related to immune-related pathways in cancers, and in LAML, PDE4DIP was mainly related to immunoglobulin complexes, T-cell receptor complexes, and immune response regulatory signaling pathways. Our study systematically revealed for the first time the potential prognostic and immunotherapeutic value of PDE4DIP in various cancers, including LAML.

CXCR4 and CXCR7 have been revealed to be receptors of CXCL12. This research was designed to probe the expression of chemokine CXCL12 and its receptors CXCR4 and CXCR7 in placental tissues of patients with placenta previa and the effect of CXCL12/CXCR4/CXCR7 axis on the biological functions of human trophoblast cells. CXCL12, CXCR4, and CXCR7 expression in placental tissue from patients with placenta previa and healthy puerperae was detected. CXCL12, CXCR4, and CXCR7 expression in human trophoblast cell lines (HTR8/SVneo cells) was assessed after suppression or overexpression of CXCL12, CXCR4, and CXCR7. The cell proliferative, invasive, and migratory capacities were also evaluated in HTR8/SVneo cells after suppression or overexpression of CXCL12, CXCR4, and CXCR7. CXCL12, CXCR4, and CXCR7 expression was elevated in placental tissues from patients with placenta previa. Downregulation of CXCL12, CXCR4, and CXCR7 could lead to decreased mRNA levels of CXCL12, CXCR4, and CXCR7 in HTR-8/SVneo cells, which was accompanied by diminished cell proliferative, migratory, and invasive capabilities. Overexpression of CXCL12, CXCR4, and CXCR7 genes presented an opposite tendency. CXCL12, CXCR4, and CXCR7 are highly expressed in placental tissues of patients with placenta previa and induce the biological activities of HTR8/SVneo cells.

Objective To evaluate the effect of ultrasonography visualization teaching in the integration course of diagnostics and ultrasonic medicine for eight-year clinical medicine program students and to provide reference for further optimization of the teaching program. Methods The study conducted a questionnaire survey with electronic questionnaire in the eight-year clinical medicine program students from Peking Union Medical College who participated in ultrasonography visualization teaching of neck and abdomen. We adopted self-control study(data from the questionnaires completed by the same student before and after the course) to compare the accuracy of each knowledge point before and after teaching to evaluate the teaching effect, and collected course satisfaction ratings and feedback from the students. Results A total of 124 eight-year medical students participated in the survey, with 107 cases eight-year clinical medicine program students in grade 2017, and 17 cases '4+4' pilot class students in grade 2019 from Peking Union Medical College. Altogether 116 valid questionnaires (the response rate was 93.5%, 116/124) were collected for neck ultrasound courses and 101 valid questionnaires (the response rate was 94.4%, 101/107) for abdominal ultrasound courses. After the teaching of neck ultrasound course, the correctness of 68.8%(11/16) and 66.7%(10/15) of the knowledge points was significantly improved for the grade of 2017 and 2019 medicine students, respectively (all P < 0.05); after the teaching of abdominal ultrasound course, the correctness of 80%(4/5) of the knowledge points was significantly improved for both the grade of 2017 and 2019 medicine students (all P < 0.05). Course satisfaction surveys showed that 99.1%(115/116)of the students were very satisfied or satisfied with the cervical ultrasound course, and 0.9%(1/116) were somewhat satisfied. As for the abdominal ultrasound course, 99.0% (100/101) of the students were very satisfied or satisfied and 1.0%(1/101) were somewhat satisfied. Twenty one medical students gave feedback on the evaluation of the course, believing that ultrasound visualization teaching improved learning initiative (52%, 11/21) and learning efficiency (43%, 9/21) and stimulated learning interest (5%, 1/21); 27 medical students made suggestions on the teaching mode, among which 'increasing teaching hours' accounted for the highest proportion (56%, 15/27), followed by 'recommending reference books' (26%, 7/27). Conclusion The ultrasonography visualization teaching improves the learning initiative and efficiency of eight-year clinical medicine program undergraduates, stimulates the learning interest, and promotes their mastery of relevant knowledge.

Objective: This study aimed to improve the drying efficiency and product quality of preserved apricot. Methods: The preserved apricots were dried using the rotary microwave oven (RMD) and the microwave coupled with convection dryer (MCD). The effect of microwave power, microwave emission mode, cutting and material movement on drying characteristics, the scorching rate, color and sensory quality were investigated and compared with traditional hot air drying (HD). Results: Compared with 1 040 min (16 pieces) and 840 min (48 pieces) of HD, the drying time was significantly shortened by microwave drying, ranging from 40 to 400 min. The drying time could be shorten by large pulse ratio, high power or large material size, and the longest drying time was in MCD temperature controlled microwave. Both RMD and MCD static drying caused serious charring phenomenon in apricots, with the char rate ranging from 17% to 100%, which was higher than that in static drying. However, the char phenomenon was avoided in MCD static drying, and the color value and sensory evaluation of apricots in MCD static drying were closest to HD. The rehydration ratio was only 3.45%~5.17% different from HD, and the highest sensory evaluation score (87.2 points) was obtained. Conclusion: MCD temperature-controlled static drying can be used as an efficient method for apricots.

The plasma sheath causes the spacecraft’s communication signal to attenuate dramatically during the re-entry period, which seriously threatens the astronauts. However, valid experimental protocols have not been obtained hitherto. To realize the propagation of electromagnetic waves in negative permittivity background of the plasma sheath, alumina columns are embedded in the plasma background to form plasma photonic crystals, which can support the coupling of evanescent waves between the alumina columns. We experimentally demonstrate the realization of communication in blackout scenario by achieving a complete passing band in the plasma cutoff region. For high frequency communications in the plasma sheath, electromagnetic wave propagation based on topological edge states is also experimentally demonstrated. Furthermore, we realize a triply-degenerate Dirac cone formed dynamically at the center of the Brillouin zone by modulating the electron density, where electromagnetic wave exhibits high transmittance and does not experience phase accumulation at the Dirac point. Our work thus not only provides an effective approach to overcome the communication blackout problem, but the design can also be served as a promising experimental platform to explore topological electromagnetic phenomena.

AbstractMelatonin is a secondary messenger in plants that is involved in the regulation of abiotic stress responses, but it is unclear whether it enhances the adaptive capacity of blueberries to cope with salinity stress. The effects of exogenous application of melatonin (100, 200, and 300 μmol·L−1) on the growth, photosynthetic characteristics, leaf anatomy, and physiological and biochemical properties of blueberry plants under mixed salt stress (90 mmol·L−1: 30 mmol·L−1 Na2CO3 + 60 mmol·L−1 NaCl) were investigated. The results showed that blueberries under 90 mmol·L−1 mixed salt stress had significant salt damage symptoms, with reduced blueberry biomass, reduced chlorophyll content, and photosynthesis inhibition. In contrast, melatonin-treated blueberries showed significantly reduced salt damage symptoms compared with stressed blueberry plants, with the optimum effect at 200 μmol·L−1, along with increased chlorophyll content, improved photosynthetic capacity, and increased leaf thickness under stress. Melatonin treatment resulted in reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) content and relative electrolyte leakage (EL), increased K+ content, and decreased Na+ content in blueberry roots, stems and leaves, thereby reducing the toxic effects of mixed salts on blueberries. The results indicate that melatonin can mitigate the effects of mixed salt stress on blueberries and that foliar spraying of melatonin could alleviate mixed salt-induced damage to blueberries, with the optimum effect at 200 μmol·L−1 treatment. This study provided a valuable basis for exploring the mechanism of exogenous melatonin action in blueberries in saline environments.

ObjectiveTo investigate the condom use of men who have sex with men （MSM） in Shanghai， the information motivation behavioral skills model （IMB） theory was used to introduce psychosocial factors and study the relevant factors of consistent condom use （CCU） in this population.MethodsA cross-sectional study of 547 MSM in four districts of Shanghai was conducted by snowball sampling. The structural equation model based on psychosocial optimization was constructed and validated using the data collected by structured questionnaires.ResultsAmong the 547 respondents， the proportion of CCU in the past six months was 45.5%. Comparing the fitness of the initial model with that of the adjusted model， we found that the fitness of the adjusted model was good.ConclusionThe proportion of CCU among MSM in Shanghai is relatively low； In addition， information and motivation do not directly affect the CCU of this population； Only behavioral skills have a direct effect on CCU. Finally， social psychological measures should be emphasized for this population， and comprehensive and multi-level strategies should be formulated to control the spread of HIV in this population.

Abstract Background Endogenous neural stem cells (NSCs) are critical for the remyelination of axons following spinal cord injury (SCI). Cell–cell communication plays a key role in the regulation of the differentiation of NSCs. Astrocytes act as immune cells that encounter early inflammation, forming a glial barrier to prevent the spread of destructive inflammation following SCI. In addition, the cytokines released from astrocytes participate in the regulation of the differentiation of NSCs. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of cytokines released from inflammation-stimulated astrocytes on the differentiation of NSCs following SCI and to explore the influence of these cytokines on NSC–NSC communication. Results Lipopolysaccharide stimulation of astrocytes increased bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) release, which not only promoted the differentiation of NSCs into astrocytes and inhibited axon remyelination in SCI lesions but also enriched miRNA-22-3p within extracellular vesicles derived from NSCs. These miRNA-22 molecules function as a feedback loop to promote NSC differentiation into oligodendrocytes and the remyelination of axons following SCI by targeting KDM3A. Conclusions This study revealed that by releasing BMP2, astrocytes were able to regulate the differentiation of NSCs and NSC–NSC communication by enriching miRNA-22 within NSC-EVs, which in turn promoted the regeneration and remyelination of axons by targeting the KDM3A/TGF-beta axis and the recovery of neurological outcomes following SCI.

The basal eudicot Epimedium (Barrenwort) exhibits innovative floral morphology in the form of petal spurs filled with nectar and petaloid sepals. The B-class MADS-box genes APETALAS3 (AP3) and PISTILLA (PI) determine sepal and petal identity while the C-class gene AGAMOUS (AG) determines carpel and stamen identity in Arabidopsis. Complex histories of gene duplication resulted in subsequent subfunctionalization or neofunctionalization of paralogs. Here, a total of four B- and two C-class genes were successfully isolated from E. sagittatum. Phylogenetic analysis showed that EsAP3-1, EsAP3-2, and EsAP3-3 are part of the AP3 clade; EsPI is part of the PI group; and EsAG and EsAG11 clustered into the AG and AG11 groups, respectively. Quantitative real-time PCR was utilized to detect the expression patterns of these genes, and all B-class genes except for EsAP3-3 were found to be universally expressed. The transcribed EsAG and EsAG11 genes were confined to reproductive organs. In addition, yeast three and two hybrid assays were used to explore the status of protein complexes. EsAP3-1 was found to have broadly interactive partners, and EsPI can form a heterodimer with EsAP3-1 and EsAP3-2. Transgenic EsAG overexpression in wild-type Arabidopsis confirmed the conserved function determining carpel development.

The initial preventive maintenance interval recommended by civil aircraft manufacturers usually does not consider the operators' environment and maintenance capacity difference.It is difficult to achieve the optimal state of availability while meeting the requirements of aircraft safety.Based on the imperfect maintenance theory, the reliability model of components is modified by the service age fallback factor to reflect the impact of maintenance work on component performance.Combined with the airlines operation reality, taking component availability as the objective function and reliability threshold as the constraint condition, the preventive maintenance interval optimization model in imperfect maintenance strategy is established.An example is given to verify the air starter line fault data of an aircraft.The results show that the optimal maintenance interval obtained by the established maintenance interval optimization model is consistent with the actual situation, and the model is reasonable and feasible.

Abstract Background The size and cost of outpatient capacity directly affect the operational efficiency of a whole hospital. Many scholars have faced the study of outpatient capacity planning from an operations management perspective. Objective The outpatient service is refined, and the quantity allocation problem of each type of outpatient service is modeled as an integer linear programming problem. Thus, doctors’ work efficiency can be improved, patients’ waiting time can be effectively reduced, and patients can be provided with more satisfactory medical services. Methods Outpatient service is divided into examination and diagnosis service according to lean thinking. CPLEX is used to solve the integer linear programming problem of outpatient service allocation, and the maximum working time is minimized by constraint solution. Results A variety of values are taken for the relevant parameters of the outpatient service, using CPLEX to obtain the minimum and maximum working time corresponding to each situation. Compared with no refinement stratification, the work efficiency of senior doctors has increased by an average of 25%. In comparison, the patient flow of associate senior doctors has increased by an average of 50%. Conclusion In this paper, the method of outpatient capacity planning improves the work efficiency of senior doctors and provides outpatient services for more patients in need; At the same time, it indirectly reduces the waiting time of patients receiving outpatient services from senior doctors. And the patient flow of the associate senior doctors is improved, which helps to improve doctors’ technical level and solve the problem of shortage of medical resources.