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Abstract To investgate the effects of potassium (K) application on the agronomic traits and fruit quality of Lycium barbarum L. (Goji), three levels of K fertilizer, namely LK (25 g/plant), CK (50 g/plant), and HK (75 g/plant), were applied to plants in phytotron for observing and measuring relevant indicators. The investigation involved seven agronomic traits: plant height, plant stem diameter, new branch increment, yield of fresh fruits per plant, dry fruit quantity within 50 g, ratio of different grade fruits, and ratio of longitudinal diameter to transverse diameter of Goji fruits. The results showed that K application level had significant effect on ratio of the longitudinal diameter to the transverse diameter of fresh Goji fruits, and that the influence on other agronomic traits was slight. In the meanwhile, the concentrations of amino acids, betaine, polysaccharides and flavonoids of Goji fruits in different levels of K fertilizer were tested. The K treatment increased the content of glutamic acid, and decreased that of flavonoids (P

Yun Shi,1,2 Chan Wang,2 Mary Ann Sevick,1– 3 Han Bao,4 Xinyi Xu,1,2 Yulin Jiang,1,2 Ziqiang Zhu,5 Ashley Wei,1,2 Naumi M Feldman,6 Lu Hu1,2 1Center for Healthful Behavior Change, Institute for Excellence in Health Equity, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA; 2Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA; 3Department of Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA; 4Jacobi Medical Center, New York, NY, USA; 5Wellsure Medical Practice, New York, NY, USA; 6Charles B. Wang Community Health Center, New York, NY, USACorrespondence: Lu Hu, Center for Healthful Behavior Change, Institute for Excellence in Health Equity, NYU Langone Health, 180 Madison Ave, New York, NY, 10016, USA, Tel +1 646-501-3438, Email lu.hu@nyulangone.orgPurpose: The purpose of this study is to describe diabetes distress and related factors among Chinese Americans with type 2 diabetes in New York City (NYC).Methods: We conducted a secondary data analysis of the baseline data from three research studies conducted among community-dwelling Chinese American adults with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Distress Scale (DDS) was used to measure sources of diabetes distress including emotional-, regimen-, interpersonal-, and physician-related distress. A score of 2 or greater indicates moderate diabetes distress or higher. Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2) was used to measure depressive symptoms. Participants’ sociodemographic information was also collected. Descriptive statistics were used to describe diabetes distress, and logistic least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression was used to examine factors associated with diabetes distress level.Results: Data from 178 participants (mean age 63.55± 13.56 years) were analyzed. Most participants were married (76.40%), had a high school degree or less (65.73%), had a household annual income < &dollar;25,000 (70.25%), and reported limited English proficiency (93.22%). About 25.84% reported moderate or higher overall distress. The most common sources of distress were emotional burden (29.78%), followed by regimen- (28.65%), interpersonal- (18.54%), and physician-related distress (14.04%). Participants who were younger, female, limited English proficient, and had elevated depressive symptoms were more likely to have higher diabetes distress.Conclusion: Diabetes distress is prevalent among Chinese immigrants with type 2 diabetes, especially emotional- and regimen-related distress. Given the known link between diabetes distress and poor glycemic control, it is critical to screen for diabetes distress at primary care clinics and incorporate psychological counseling in diabetes care in this underserved population.Keywords: Chinese Americans, immigrant health, ethnic minority, diabetes distress, psychological burden, mental health, stress, emotional distress

Abstract Temporal information in event streams plays a critical role in event‐based video frame interpolation as it provides temporal context cues complementary to images. Most previous event‐based methods first transform the unstructured event data to structured data formats through voxelisation, and then employ advanced CNNs to extract temporal information. However, voxelisation inevitably leads to information loss, and processing the sparse voxels introduces severe computation redundancy. To address these limitations, this study proposes a point‐image fusion network (PIFNet). In our PIFNet, rich temporal information from the events can be directly extracted at the point level. Then, a fusion module is designed to fuse complementary cues from both points and images for frame interpolation. Extensive experiments on both synthetic and real datasets demonstrate that our PIFNet achieves state‐of‐the‐art performance with high efficiency.

At present, the society is in an era of rapid development of science and technology, and the rapid development of wireless communication technology has not only promoted the digital transformation of industry, transportation, medical and other fields, but also continuously upgraded wireless communication networks, trying to move from wired to wireless. With the continuous evolution of computer technology and wireless communication technology, many application scenarios require highly reliable transmission in a wireless environment. Especially in the fields of modern industrial automation and autonomous driving, the demand for highly reliable transmission is more urgent. 5G technology was delved into, which was one of the most advanced wireless transmission technologies in the industry, focusing on multi-channel redundant transmission technology within 5G systems. The key points of the technology in terms of application background, technical principles and technical route were summarized. In terms of application background, the practical application requirements of 5G redundant transmission in wireless scenarios such as modern industrial automation and autonomous driving were highlighted. In terms of technical principles, the relevant research was summarized and sorted out from the end-to-end multi-channel redundant transmission of services, the analysis of the technical principles of 5G multi-channel redundant transmission were focused on, and its unique advantages in improving transmission reliability were explained. In terms of technical routes, the development direction of 5G multi-channel redundant transmission technology and various possible implementation paths were comprehensively considered. Finally, the difficulties and challenges of the future development of 5G multi-channel redundant transmission technology were pointed out, and its future development trend was discussed, so as to better understand the key role and prospect of 5G redundant transmission technology in the field of wireless communication.

Abstract Detrital composition of sandstone is the most important data for siliciclastic studies including sandstone classification, provenance analysis, oil and gas exploration. A large amount of detrital composition data has accumulated over the past decades, however, they are scattered in publications without unified standards. Here we constructed a global dataset of detrital components of sandstones from 646 peer‐reviewed publications using Gazzi‐Dickinson method. A total of 19,861 samples from Precambrian to Quaternary are involved in this dataset. For each sample, we present details on reference information, geographic information, geological background, depositional age and the original data. It is a high‐quality dataset for the information on each sandstone sample from different studies which was standardized. The dataset can be used widely, such as for stratigraphic comparison, provenance analysis, exploring the general laws of the source‐to‐sink process and geological engineering.

Abstract Understanding the sensing mechanism of metal oxide semiconductors is imperative to the development of high-performance sensors. The traditional sensing mechanism only recognizes the effect of surface chemisorbed oxygen from the air but ignores surface lattice oxygen. Herein, using in-situ characterizations, we provide direct experimental evidence that the surface chemisorbed oxygen participated in the sensing process can come from lattice oxygen of the oxides. Further density functional theory (DFT) calculations prove that the p-band center of O serves as a state of art for regulating the participation of lattice oxygen in gas-sensing reactions. Based on our experimental data and theoretical calculations, we discuss mechanisms that are fundamentally different from the conventional mechanism and show that the easily participation of lattice oxygen is helpful for the high response value of the materials.

Abstract Achieving untargeted chemical identification, isomeric differentiation, and quantification is critical to most scientific and technological problems but remains challenging. Here, we demonstrate an integrated SERS-based chemical taxonomy machine learning framework for untargeted structural elucidation of 11 epimeric cerebrosides, attaining >90% accuracy and robust single epimer and multiplex quantification with

BackgroundThe rising prevalence of herpes simplex type 2 (HSV-2) infection poses a growing global public health challenge. A comprehensive understanding of its epidemiology and burden disparities in China is crucial for informing targeted and effective intervention strategies in the future.MethodsWe followed Cochrane and PRISMA guidelines for a systematic review and included publications published in Chinese and English bibliographic systems until March 31st, 2024. We synthesized HSV-2 seroprevalence data across different population types. We used random-effects models for meta-analyses and conducted meta-regression to assess the association between population characteristics and seroprevalence.ResultsOverall, 23,999 articles were identified, and 402 publications (1,203,362 participants) that reported the overall seroprevalence rates (858 stratified measures) were included. Pooled HSV-2 seroprevalence among the general population (lower risk) was 7.7% (95% CI: 6.8-8.7%). Compared to the general population, there is a higher risk of HSV-2 prevalence among intermediate-risk populations (14.8%, 95% CI: 11.0-19.1%), and key populations (31.7%, 95% CI: 27.4-36.1%). Female sexual workers (FSWs) have the highest HSV-2 risk (ARR:1.69, 95% CI: 1.61-1.78). We found northeastern regions had a higher HSV-2 seroprevalence than other regions (17.0%, 95% CI: 4.3-35.6%, ARR: 1.38, 95% CI: 1.26-1.50, Northern China as the reference group). This highlighted the disparity by population risk levels and regions. We also found lower HSV-2 prevalence estimates in publications in Chinese bibliographic databases than those in English databases among key populations (such as MSM and HIV-discordant populations).ConclusionThere is a gradient increase in HSV-2 prevalence risk stratification. We also identified region, population, and age disparities and heterogeneities by publication language in the HSV-2 burden. This study provides guidance for future HSV-2 prevention to eliminate disparities of HSV-2 infection and reduce overall HSV-2 burden.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=408108, identifier CRD42023408108.

Endoscopic tattooing plays a pivotal role in modern endoscopic localization of gastrointestinal lesions, facilitating further surgical intervention and aiding in the postoperative identification and repositioning of lesions. However, traditional endoscopic tattoo dyes often suffer from drawbacks such as side effects, short tattoo duration, and high overall costs. In this study, we developed polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-modified polypyrrole (PPy) nanoparticles by oxidizing pyrrole in a PVP aqueous solution to create a PPy/PVP nanoparticle solution. This innovation aims to enhance endoscopic tattooing efficiency and mitigate the limitations associated with current tattooing methods. Both in vitro and in vivo evaluations confirmed the biosafety of PPy/PVP nanoparticles. Endoscopic tattooing experiments conducted in a pig model demonstrated the dye’s stability within the digestive tract. Similarly, subcutaneous tissue tattooing experiments performed in a mouse model revealed the sustained stability of the PPy/PVP tattoo dye for at least 180 days. With its robust stability, safety, and longevity, PPy/PVP nanoparticles hold promise as novel tattoo dyes for marking intestinal lesion sites. This advancement has the potential to enhance the accuracy of lesion localization and long-term tracking.

Sialadenitis and sialadenitis-induced sialopathy are typically caused by obstruction of the salivary gland ducts. Atrophy of the salivary glands in experimental animals caused by duct ligation exhibits a histopathology similar to that of salivary gland sialadenitis. Therefore, a variety of duct ligation/de-ligation models have been commonly employed to study salivary gland injury and regeneration. Duct ligation is mainly characterised by apoptosis and activation of different signaling pathways in parenchymal cells, which eventually leads to gland atrophy and progressive dysfunction. By contrast, duct de-ligation can initiate the recovery of gland structure and function by regenerating the secretory tissue. This review summarizes the animal duct ligation/de-ligation models that have been used for the examination of pathological fundamentals in salivary disorders, in order to unravel the pathological changes and underlying mechanisms involved in salivary gland injury and regeneration. These experimental models have contributed to developing effective and curative strategies for gland dysfunction and providing plausible solutions for overcoming salivary disorders.

Summary: Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) control stem cell maintenance vs. differentiation decisions. Casitas B-lineage lymphoma (CBL) family ubiquitin ligases are negative regulators of RTKs, but their stem cell regulatory roles remain unclear. Here, we show that Lgr5+ intestinal stem cell (ISC)-specific inducible Cbl-knockout (KO) on a Cblb null mouse background (iDKO) induced rapid loss of the Lgr5Hi ISCs with transient expansion of the Lgr5Lo transit-amplifying population. LacZ-based lineage tracing revealed increased ISC commitment toward enterocyte and goblet cell fate at the expense of Paneth cells. Functionally, Cbl/Cblb iDKO impaired the recovery from radiation-induced intestinal epithelial injury. In vitro, Cbl/Cblb iDKO led to inability to maintain intestinal organoids. Single-cell RNA sequencing in organoids identified Akt-mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) pathway hyperactivation upon iDKO, and pharmacological Akt-mTOR axis inhibition rescued the iDKO defects. Our results demonstrate a requirement for Cbl/Cblb in the maintenance of ISCs by fine-tuning the Akt-mTOR axis to balance stem cell maintenance vs. commitment to differentiation.

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic had a profound impact on the global health system and economic structure. Although the implementation of lockdown measures achieved notable success in curbing the spread of the pandemic, it concurrently incurred substantial socioeconomic costs. ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to delineate an equilibrium between the economic losses and health benefits of lockdown measures, with the aim of identifying the optimal boundary conditions for implementing these measures at various pandemic phases. MethodsThis study used a model to estimate the half-lives of the observed case fatality rates of different strains. It was based on global infection and death data collected by the World Health Organization and strain sequence time series data provided by Nextstrain. The connection between the health benefits and economic losses brought by lockdown measures was established through the calculation of disability-adjusted life years. Taking China’s city lockdowns as an example, this study determined the cost-benefit boundary of various lockdown measures during the evolution of COVID-19. ResultsThe study reveals a direct proportionality between economic losses due to lockdowns and the observed case fatality rates of virus strains, a relationship that holds true irrespective of population size or per capita economic output. As SARS-CoV-2 strains evolve and population immunity shifts, there has been a notable decrease in the observed case fatality rate over time, exhibiting a half-life of roughly 8 months. This decline in fatality rates may offset the health benefits of maintaining unchanged lockdown measures, given that the resultant economic losses might exceed the health benefits. ConclusionsThe initial enforcement of lockdown in Wuhan led to significant health benefits. However, with the decline in the observed case fatality rate of the virus strains, the economic losses increasingly outweighed the health benefits. Consequently, it is essential to consistently refine and enhance lockdown strategies in accordance with the evolving fatality and infection rates of different virus strains, thereby optimizing outcomes in anticipation of future pandemics.

[Objective] Exploring the impact of hydropower development on local climate is an important guarantee for preventing and mitigating the possible negative effects of hydropower development and realizing sustainable energy development and environmental protection. [Methods] Four typical hydropower stations, Longkaikou and Guanyinyan in the middle reaches of the Jinsha River and Xiluodu and Xiangjiaba in the lower reaches of the river, were selected. By applying the climatic propensity rate, the M-K trend test, and the wavelet analysis, this study quantitatively analyzed the monthly, seasonal and yearly changes of temperature and precipitation before and after the impoundment of water in the middle and lower reaches of the river, as well as the sudden changes in the development of hydropower and the cyclical characteristics. [Results] (1) After water storage, the hydropower station had an inhibitory effect on the highest temperature and an uplifting effect on the lowest temperature in the valley. In summer and autumn, the downstream hydropower station played a cooling role, and the average monthly temperature decreased significantly in February, June, July, September, October and November, while the midstream hydropower station did not have the temperature regulation effect, with only a slight decrease in average air temperature in July. (2) After water storage, precipitation in each season increased significantly, with an increase of 0.71~27.95 mm in April, August, and September. (3) Air temperature and precipitation were related to hydropower development, and the air temperature and precipitation of the mid-and downstream hydropower stations underwent abrupt changes at different times during the development and after the water storage. (4) Air temperature and precipitation showed similar characteristics in wavelet change period, and after water storage, local precipitation showed more significant periodicity and had a certain degree of stability. [Conclusion] At different time scales, hydropower development affected local temperature and precipitation varied across river reaches, and was constrained by multiple factors such as geographic location, the surrounding environment and water storage duration.

Abstract Achieving room-temperature high anisotropic magnetoresistance ratios is highly desirable for magnetic sensors with scaled supply voltages and high sensitivities. However, the ratios in heterojunction-free thin films are currently limited to only a few percent at room temperature. Here, we observe a high anisotropic magnetoresistance ratio of −39% and a giant planar Hall effect (520 μΩ⋅cm) at room temperature under 9 T in β-Ag2Te crystals grown by chemical vapor deposition. We propose a theoretical model of anisotropic scattering — induced by a Dirac cone tilt and modulated by intrinsic properties of effective mass and sound velocity — as a possible origin. Moreover, small-size angle sensors with a Wheatstone bridge configuration were fabricated using the synthesized β-Ag2Te crystals. The sensors exhibited high output response (240 mV/V), high angle sensitivity (4.2 mV/V/°) and small angle error (

Highlights A stable Zn anode was obtained by patterning Zn foil surfaces and endowing a zincphilic interface in microchannels. The accumulation of electrons in the microchannel and the zincphilic interface promoted preferential heteroepitaxial Zn deposition in the microchannel region and subsequent homoepitaxial Zn deposition on the array surface. The Zn symmetrical cells could undergo repeated plating/stripping for more than 25,000 cycles at the current densities of 10 and 20 mA cm−2.

Animal-derived food safety incidents caused by zoonotic diseases occur frequently. In order to control and ensure the safety of pork consumption from its raw material source and to control the cost of pork and its products consumption, this study constructed a triple real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR (qPCR) method that can simultaneously detect hepatitis E virus (HEV), porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), and porcine δ corona virus (PDCoV) in pork and its products. The results showed that the triple qPCR method could only amplify the specific gene fragments of three target viruses, which had high specificity. The minimum detection limits of the three viruses (HEV, PEDV, and PDCoV) were 6.02, 6.98 and 6.92 copies/μL respectively. The coefficient of variation (CV%) within and between groups ranged from 0.10% to 3.0%, with good repeatability. The established method was applied to detect 248 samples of pork products and exports and 282 raw pig manure swabs, and parallel detection was also conducted using corresponding virus detection methods for comparison. The detection rates of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus, porcine deltacoronavirus, and hepatitis E virus in pork products and exports were all 0%, which was consistent with the results of the corresponding virus detection methods. The detection rates of the three viruses (PEDV, PDCoV, and HEV) using this method were 1.06%, 3.19% and 0.35%, respectively. The detection rates of the standard method for these three viruses were 1.06%, 3.19% and 0%, respectively. The study showed that the established triplex qPCR detection method can accurately and rapidly detect three viruses in pork and its products or pig samples, providing technical support for ensuring the market circulation of fresh pork and its products and blocking the transmission of viral foodborne diseases.

The global prevalence of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and zearalenone (ZEN) contamination in food and feed poses a serious health risk to humans and animals. Recently, enzymatic detoxification has received increasing attention, yet most enzymes are limited to degrading only one type of mycotoxin, and free enzymes often exhibit reduced stability and activity, limiting their practicality in real-world applications. In this study, the laccase CotA gene from ZEN/AFB1-degrading Bacillus subtilis ZJ-2019-1 was cloned and successfully expressed in Escherichia coli BL21, achieving a protein yield of 7.0 mg/g. The recombinant CotA (rCotA) completely degraded AFB1 and ZEN, with optimal activity at 70 °C and pH 7.0. After rCotA treatment, neither AFB1 nor ZEN showed significantly cytotoxicity to mouse macrophage cell lines. Additionally, the AFB1/ZEN degradation efficiency of rCotA was significantly enhanced by five natural redox mediators: acetosyringone, syringaldehyde, vanillin, matrine, and sophoridin. Among them, the acetosyringone-rCotA was the most effective mediator system, which could completely degrade 10 μg of AFB1 and ZEN within 1 h. Furthermore, the chitosan-immobilized rCotA system exhibited higher degradation activity than free rCotA. The immobilized rCotA degraded 27.95% of ZEN and 41.37% of AFB1 in contaminated maize meal within 12 h, and it still maintained more than 40% activity after 12 reuse cycles. These results suggest that media-assisted or immobilized enzyme systems not only boost degradation efficiency but also demonstrate remarkable reusability, offering promising strategies to enhance the degradation efficiency of rCotA for mycotoxin detoxification.

Inhalation allergies caused by cats and dogs can lead to a range of discomforting symptoms, such as rhinitis and asthma, in humans. With the increasing popularity of and care provided to these companion animals, the allergens they produce pose a growing threat to susceptible patients’ health. Allergens from cats and dogs have emerged as significant risk factors for triggering asthma and allergic rhinitis worldwide; however, there remains a lack of systematic measures aimed at assisting individuals in recognizing and preventing allergies caused by these animals. This review provides comprehensive insights into the classification of cat and dog allergens, along with their pathogenic mechanisms. This study also discusses implementation strategies for prevention and control measures, including physical methods, gene-editing technology, and immunological approaches, as well as potential strategies for enhancing allergen immunotherapy combined with immunoinformatics. Finally, it presents future prospects for the prevention and treatment of human allergies caused by cats and dogs. This review will improve knowledge regarding allergies to cats and dogs while providing insights into potential targets for the development of next-generation treatments.

This paper presents an application of a fractional-order system on modeling an industrial process system with large inertia and time delay. The traditional integer-order model of the process system is extended to a fractional-order one in this work. To identify the parameters of the proposed fractional-order model, an output-error identification algorithm is presented. Based on the experimental step response data of the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) denitrification process in a power plant, this proposed fractional-order model shows a better fitting result compared with the typical integer-order models. An integer-order proportional–integral (PI) controller is designed for the process plant using a simple scheme according to the identified fractional-order and integer-order models, respectively. Validation tests are performed based on the obtained fractional-order and integer-order models, demonstrating the advantages of the proposed fractional-order model with the corresponding system identification approach for industrial processes with large inertia and time delay.

Babesiosis, a zoonotic blood protozoal disease, threatens humans and animals and is difficult to treat due to growing antimicrobial resistance. The study aimed to investigate the therapeutic efficacy of artesunate (AS), a well-known derivative of artemisinin, against Babesia microti (B. microti) using a murine infection model. Male BALB/c mice (6 weeks old; 15 per group) were chosen and randomly divided into 1) the control group, 2) the B. microti group, and 3) the B. microti + artesunate treatment groups. AS treatment at 2 mg/kg, 4 mg/kg, and 8 mg/kg of body weight significantly (p

Wolfberry (Lycium, of the family Solanaceae) has special nutritional benefits due to its valuable metabolites. Here, 16 wolfberry-specific metabolites were identified by comparing the metabolome of wolfberry with those of six species, including maize, rice, wheat, soybean, tomato and grape. The copy numbers of the riboflavin and phenyllactate degradation genes riboflavin kinase (RFK) and phenyllactate UDP-glycosyltransferase (UGT1) were lower in wolfberry than in other species, while the copy number of the phenyllactate synthesis gene hydroxyphenyl-pyruvate reductase (HPPR) was higher in wolfberry, suggesting that the copy number variation of these genes among species may be the main reason for the specific accumulation of riboflavin and phenyllactate in wolfberry. Moreover, the metabolome-based neighbor-joining tree revealed distinct clustering of monocots and dicots, suggesting that metabolites could reflect the evolutionary relationship among those species. Taken together, we identified 16 specific metabolites in wolfberry and provided new insight into the accumulation mechanism of species-specific metabolites at the genomic level.

Lycium barbarum L., commonly known as wolfberry, is not only a traditional Chinese medicine but also a highly nutritious food. Its main nutrients include L. barbarum polysaccharide, flavonoid polyphenols, carotenoids, alkaloids, and other compounds, demonstrating its wide application value. This study investigated the effects of nitrogen application on the accumulation of the main nutrients and metabolites in wolfberry fruits under three different nitrogen application rates, namely, N1 (20% nitrogen (N) reduction, 540 kg·ha–2), N2 (medium N, 675 kg·ha–2), and N3 (20% nitrogen increase, 810 kg·ha–2,which is a local conventional nitrogen application amount.). Additionally, due to continuous branching, blossoming, and fruiting of wolfberry plants during the annual growth period, this research also explored the variation in nutritional composition among different harvesting batches. The contents of total sugar and polysaccharide in wolfberry fruit were determined by Fehling reagent method and phenol-sulfuric acid method, respectively;The content of betaine in fruit was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography,and the flavonoids and carotene in the wolfberry fruits were determined by spectrophotometry. Analysis of data over three consecutive years revealed that as nitrogen application increased, the total sugar content in wolfberry fruits initially decreased and then increased. The levels of L. barbarum polysaccharides, total flavonoids, and total carotenoids initially increased and then decreased, while the betaine content consistently increased. Different picking batches significantly impacted the nutrient content of wolfberry fruits. Generally, the first batch of summer wolfberry fruits had greater amounts of total sugar and flavonoids, whereas other nutrients peaked in the third batch. By employing a broadly targeted metabolomics approach, 926 different metabolites were identified. The top 20 differentially abundant metabolites were selected for heatmap generation, revealing that the contents of L-citrulline, 2-methylglutaric acid, and adipic acid increased proportionally to the nitrogen gradient. Conversely, the dibutyl phthalate and 2, 4-dihydroxyquinoline contents significantly decreased under high-nitrogen conditions. The remaining 15 differentially abundant metabolites, kaempferol-3-O-sophorosid-7-O-rhamnoside, trigonelline, and isorhamnosid-3-O-sophoroside, initially increased and then decreased with increasing nitrogen levels. Isofraxidin, a common differentially abundant metabolite across all treatments, is a coumarin that may serve as a potential biomarker for wolfberry fruit response to nitrogen. Differentially abundant metabolites were analyzed for GO pathway involvement, revealing significant enrichment in metabolic pathways and biosynthesis of secondary metabolites under different nitrogen treatments. In conclusion, a nitrogen application of 675 kg·ha–2, 20% less than the local farmers’ actual application, was most beneficial for the quality of four-year-old Ningqi 7 wolfberry fruits. Consumers who purchase wolfberry-dried fruit for health benefits should not consider only the first batch of summer wolfberry fruits. These results offer a broader perspective for enhancing the quality and efficiency of the wolfberry industry.

Abstract Achieving a high depth of discharge (DOD) in lithium metal anodes (LMAs) is crucial for developing high areal energy density batteries suitable for wearable electronics. Yet, the persistent growth of dendrites compromises battery performance, and the significant lithium consumption during pre‐lithiation obstructs their broad application. Herein, A flexible 3D Li13Sn5 scaffold is designed by allowing molten lithium to infiltrate carbon cloth adorned with SnO2 nanocrystals. This design markedly curbs the troublesome dendrite growth, thanks to the uniform electric field distribution and swift Li+ diffusion dynamics. Additionally, with a minimal SnO2 nanocrystals loading (2 wt.%), only 0.6 wt.% of lithium is consumed during pre‐lithiation. Insights from in situ optical microscope observations and COMSOL simulations reveal that lithium remains securely anchored within the scaffold, a result of the rapid mass/charge transfer and uniform electric field distribution. Consequently, this electrode achieves a remarkable DOD of 87.1% at 10 mA cm−2 for 40 mAh cm−2. Notably, when coupled with a polysulfide cathode, the constructed flexible Li/Li13Sn5@CC||Li2S6/SnO2@CC pouch cell delivers a high‐areal capacity of 5.04 mAh cm−2 and an impressive areal‐energy density of 10.6 mWh cm−2. The findings pave the way toward the development of high‐performance LMAs, ideal for long‐lasting wearable electronics.

The exploration of high-performance, durable and cost-effective catalysts for overall water splitting, including the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), has always been a vibrant topic in electrochemical water splitting techniques. Here we report a facile strategy for the synthesis of antiperovskite bimetallic nitrides (FeNNi3 and CuNNi3) and their NiFe-MOF morphology on nickel foams (NF) for HER and OER respectively in alkaline media. The NiFe-MOF and FeNNi3 nanoparticle exhibit strong coupling and synergistic effects, resulting in a solid integrated structure and fast electron transfer. The FeNNi3 towards HER shows an overpotential of 57 mV at 10 mA cm−2 in alkaline media, and its MOF morphology shows a low overpotential of 219 mV at 10 mA cm−2 towards OER. The alkaline electrolyzer of FeNNi3/NF || NiFe-MOF@FeNNi3/NF for overall water splitting demonstrates a low cell voltage of 1.49 V at 10 mA cm−2 with high cycling durability. This work investigates antiperovskite nitrides' capabilities for overall water splitting and provides guidance on designing high-performance catalytic materials.

To evaluate the clinical efficacy of etonogestrel subcutaneous implant (ENG-SCI) with that of the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUD) for adenomyosis treatment. A prospective randomized cohort study was conducted including 108 patients (50 patients in ENG-SCI group and 58 in the LNG-IUD group) with adenomyosis from January 2019 to July 2021. After 3 months of treatment, both ENG-SCI group and LNG-IUD group showed significant improvement in patients’ visual analog scale, pictorial blood loss assessment chart (PBAC), and uterine volume (P ＜ 0.05). The uterine volume of patients in LNG-IUD group decreased more significantly than that in the ENG-SCI group since 3 months of treatment. The PBAC score in the LNG-IUD group improved better than that in the ENG-SCI group since 6 months of treatment (P ＜ 0.05). No significant difference in the occurrence rate of ideal vaginal bleeding patterns and the hemoglobin levels between the two groups was observed. The ENG-SCI group had a higher probability of weight gain and progesterone-related side effects (P ＜ 0.05). Both ENG-SCI and LNG-IUD were effective in treatment of adenomyosis. However, LNG-IUD had a more significant effect in treating adenomyosis-related dysmenorrhea, excessive menstrual flow, anemia, and uterine enlargement, with relatively fewer side effects.

With the rapid advancement of genetic and protein engineering, proteins and peptides have emerged as promising drug molecules for therapeutic applications. Consequently, there has been a growing interest in the field of chemical modification technology to address challenges associated with their clinical use, including rapid clearance from circulation, immunogenicity, physical and chemical instabilities (such as aggregation, adsorption, deamination, clipping, oxidation, etc.), and enzymatic degradation. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) modification offers an effective solution to these issues due to its favorable properties. This review presents recent progress in the development and application of PEGylated therapeutic proteins and peptides (TPPs). For this purpose, firstly, the physical and chemical properties as well as classification of PEG and its derivatives are described. Subsequently, a detailed summary is provided on the main sites of PEGylated TPPs and the factors that influence their PEGylation. Furthermore, notable instances of PEG-modified TPPs (including antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), interferon, asparaginase and antibodies) are highlighted. Finally, we propose the chemical modification of TPPs with PEG, followed by an analysis of the current development status and future prospects of PEGylated TPPs. This work provides a comprehensive literature review in this promising field while facilitating researchers in utilizing PEG polymers to modify TPPs for disease treatment.

Wolfberry, also known as goji berry or Lycium barbarum, is a highly valued fruit with significant health benefits and nutritional value. For more efficient and comprehensive usage of published L. barbarum genomic data, we established the Wolfberry database. The utility of the Wolfberry Genome Database (WGDB) is highlighted through the Genome browser, which enables the user to explore the L. barbarum genome, browse specific chromosomes, and access gene sequences. Gene annotation features provide comprehensive information about gene functions, locations, expression profiles, pathway involvement, protein domains, and regulatory transcription factors. The transcriptome feature allows the user to explore gene expression patterns using transcripts per kilobase million (TPM) and fragments per kilobase per million mapped reads (FPKM) metrics. The Metabolism pathway page provides insights into metabolic pathways and the involvement of the selected genes. In addition to the database content, we also introduce six analysis tools developed for the WGDB. These tools offer functionalities for gene function prediction, nucleotide and amino acid BLAST analysis, protein domain analysis, GO annotation, and gene expression pattern analysis. The WGDB is freely accessible at https://cosbi7.ee.ncku.edu.tw/Wolfberry/. Overall, WGDB serves as a valuable resource for researchers interested in the genomics and transcriptomics of L. barbarum. Its user-friendly web interface and comprehensive data facilitate the exploration of gene functions, regulatory mechanisms, and metabolic pathways, ultimately contributing to a deeper understanding of wolfberry and its potential applications in agronomy and nutrition.

Compared to hyperspectral trackers that adopt the “pre-training then fine-tuning” training paradigm, those using the “pre-training then prompt-tuning” training paradigm can inherit the expressive capabilities of the pre-trained model with fewer training parameters. Existing hyperspectral trackers utilizing prompt learning lack an adequate prompt template design, thus failing to bridge the domain gap between hyperspectral data and pre-trained models. Consequently, their tracking performance suffers. Additionally, these networks have a poor generalization ability and require re-training for the different spectral bands of hyperspectral data, leading to the inefficient use of computational resources. In order to address the aforementioned problems, we propose a spectral similarity prompt learning approach for hyperspectral object tracking (SPTrack). First, we introduce a spectral matching map based on spectral similarity, which converts 3D hyperspectral data with different spectral bands into single-channel hotmaps, thus enabling cross-spectral domain generalization. Then, we design a channel and position attention-based feature complementary prompter to learn blended prompts from spectral matching maps and three-channel images. Extensive experiments are conducted on the HOT2023 and IMEC25 data sets, and SPTrack is found to achieve state-of-the-art performance with minimal computational effort. Additionally, we verify the cross-spectral domain generalization ability of SPTrack on the HOT2023 data set, which includes data from three spectral bands.

Camera arrays can enhance the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) between dim targets and backgrounds through multi-view synthesis. This is crucial for the detection of dim targets. To this end, we design and develop an infrared camera array system with a large baseline. The multi-view synthesis of camera arrays relies heavily on the calibration accuracy of relative poses in the sub-cameras. However, the sub-cameras within a camera array lack strict geometric constraints. Therefore, most current calibration methods still consider the camera array as multiple pinhole cameras for calibration. Moreover, when detecting distant targets, the camera array usually needs to adjust the focal length to maintain a larger depth of field (DoF), so that the distant targets are located on the camera’s focal plane. This means that the calibration scene should be selected within this DoF range to obtain clear images. Nevertheless, the small parallax between the distant sub-aperture views limits the calibration. To address these issues, we propose a calibration model for camera arrays in distant scenes. In this model, we first extend the parallax by employing dual-array frames (i.e., recording a scene at two spatial locations). Secondly, we investigate the linear constraints between the dual-array frames, to maintain the minimum degrees of freedom of the model. We develop a real-world light field dataset called NUDT-Dual-Array using an infrared camera array to evaluate our method. Experimental results on our self-developed datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of our method. Using the calibrated model, we improve the SNR of distant dim targets, which ultimately enhances the detection and perception of dim targets.

Infrared small target detection is an important and core problem in infrared search and track systems. Many infrared small target detection methods work well under the premise of a static background; however, the detection effect decreases seriously when the background changes dynamically. In addition, the spatiotemporal information of the target and background of the image sequence are not fully developed and utilized, lacking long-term temporal characteristics. To solve these problems, a novel long-term spatial–temporal tensor (LSTT) model is proposed in this paper. The image registration technique is employed to realize the matching between frames. By directly superimposing the aligned images, the spatiotemporal features of the resulting tensor are not damaged or reduced. From the perspective of the horizontal slice of this tensor, it is found that the background component has similarity in the time dimension and correlation in the space dimension, which is more consistent with the prerequisite of low rank, while the target component is sparse. Therefore, we transform the problem of infrared detection of a small moving target into a low-rank sparse decomposition problem of new tensors composed of several continuous horizontal slices of the aligned image tensor. The low rank of the background is constrained by the partial tubal nuclear norm (PTNN), and the tensor decomposition problem is quickly solved using the alternating-direction method of multipliers (ADMM). Our experimental results demonstrate that the proposed LSTT method can effectively detect small moving targets against a dynamic background. Compared with other benchmark methods, the new method has better performance in terms of detection efficiency and accuracy. In particular, the new LSTT method can extract the spatiotemporal information of more frames in a longer time domain and obtain a higher detection rate.

Separator modification is a promising method for advancing lithium metal anodes; however, achieving homogeneous lithium-ion flux and uniform plating/stripping processes remains challenging. In this work, we introduce a novel approach by developing a composite separator, termed PVDF-INO, which integrates In(NO3)3 (INO) into polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) to create a 12 μm thick layer. This addition significantly enhances the interaction between the separator and the electrolyte, creating a lithophilic matrix that ensures an even distribution of lithium ions. This uniform ion distribution promotes consistent lithium deposition and dissolution, resulting in a durable, dendrite-free lithium metal anode. Moreover, the PVDF-INO separator not only enhances the affinity with electrolytes but also maintains stable lithium-ion flux, which is essential for reliable and safe battery operation. Consequently, it sustains operation over 750 h in a Li||Li symmetric battery configuration, with a low overpotential of just 28 mV. Additionally, full cells equipped with LiFePO4 cathodes and the PVDF-INO separator exhibit superior cycling performance, maintaining a capacity retention of 92.9% after 800 cycles at 1 C. This work paves the way for significant advancements in the field of lithium metal batteries, offering a promising solution to longstanding energy storage challenges.

Abstract Background The COVID-19 Vaccine Introduction and deployment Costing (CVIC) tool was developed to assist countries to estimate incremental financial costs to roll out COVID-19 vaccines. This article describes the purposes, assumptions and methods used in the CVIC tool and presents the estimated financial costs of delivering COVID-19 vaccines in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR). Methods From March to September 2021, a multidisciplinary team in Lao PDR was involved in the costing exercise of the National Deployment and Vaccination Plan for COVID-19 vaccines to develop potential scenarios and gather inputs using the CVIC tool. Financial costs of introducing COVID-19 vaccines for 3 years from 2021 to 2023 were projected from the government perspective. All costs were collected in 2021 Lao Kip and presented in United States dollar. Results From 2021 to 2023, the financial cost required to vaccinate all adults in Lao PDR with primary series of COVID-19 vaccines (1 dose for Ad26.COV2.S (recombinant) vaccine and 2 doses for the other vaccine products) is estimated to be US$6.44 million (excluding vaccine costs) and additionally US$1.44 million and US$1.62 million to include teenagers and children, respectively. These translate to financial costs of US$0.79–0.81 per dose, which decrease to US$0.6 when two boosters are introduced to the population. Capital and operational cold-chain costs contributed 15–34% and 15–24% of the total costs in all scenarios, respectively. 17–26% went to data management, monitoring and evaluation, and oversight, and 13–22% to vaccine delivery. Conclusions With the CVIC tool, costs of five scenarios were estimated with different target population and booster dose use. These facilitated Lao PDR to refine their strategic planning for COVID-19 vaccine rollout and to decide on the level of external resources needed to mobilize and support outreach services. The results may further inform inputs in cost-effectiveness or cost–benefit analyses and potentially be applied and adjusted in similar low- and middle-income settings.

BackgroundRobotic assistance in thyroidectomy is a developing field that promises enhanced surgical precision and improved patient outcomes. This study investigates the impact of the da Vinci Surgical System on operative efficiency, learning curve, and postoperative outcomes in thyroid surgery.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective cohort study of 104 patients who underwent robotic thyroidectomy between March 2018 and January 2022. We evaluated the learning curve using the Cumulative Sum (CUSUM) analysis and analyzed operative times, complication rates, and postoperative recovery metrics.ResultsThe cohort had a mean age of 36 years, predominantly female (68.3%). The average body mass index (BMI) was within the normal range. A significant reduction in operative times was observed as the series progressed, with no permanent hypoparathyroidism or recurrent laryngeal nerve injuries reported. The learning curve plateaued after the 37th case. Postoperative recovery was consistent, with no significant difference in hospital stay duration. Complications were minimal, with a noted decrease in transient vocal cord palsy as experience with the robotic system increased.ConclusionRobotic thyroidectomy using the da Vinci system has demonstrated a significant improvement in operative efficiency without compromising safety. The learning curve is steep but manageable, and once overcome, it leads to improved surgical outcomes and high patient satisfaction. Further research with larger datasets and longer follow-up is necessary to establish the long-term benefits of robotic thyroidectomy.

Objectives: Some autistic people “camouflage” their differences by modeling neurotypical behaviors to survive in a neurotypical-dominant social world. It remains elusive whether camouflaging is unique to autism or if it entails similar experiences across human groups as part of ubiquitous impression management (IM). Here we examined camouflaging engagement and theoretical drivers in the general population, drawing on the transactional IM framework and contextualizing findings within both contemporary autism research and the past IM literature. Methods: A large representative U.S. general population sample (N = 972) completed this survey study. We combined exploratory item factor analysis and graph analysis to triangulate the dimensional structure of the Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire (CAT-Q) and examined its correspondence with prior autism-enriched psychometric findings. We then employed hierarchical regression and elastic-net regression to identify the predictors of camouflaging, including demographic (e.g., age, gender), neurodivergence (i.e., autistic and ADHD traits), socio-motivational, and cognitive factors. Results: We found a three-factor/dimensional structure of the CAT-Q in the general population, nearly identical to that found in previous autism-enriched samples. Significant socio-motivational predictors of camouflaging included greater social comparison, greater public self-consciousness, greater internalized social stigma, and greater social anxiety. These camouflaging drivers overlap with findings in recent autistic camouflaging studies and prior IM research. Conclusions: The novel psychometric and socio-motivational evidence demonstrates camouflaging as a shared social coping experience across the general population, including autistic people. This continuity guides a clearer understanding of camouflaging and has key implications for autism scholars, clinicians, and the broader clinical intersecting with social psychology research. Future research areas are mapped to elucidate how camouflaging/IM manifests and functions within person-environment transactions across social-identity and clinical groups.

Congenital alopecia/hypotrichosis is a rare group of monogenic genetic hair disorders characterized by congenital limited or diffuse hair loss and scarcity, without any effective treatment. Genetic testing to identify the causative gene mutation is the gold standard for confirming the diagnosis of this group of disorders. Because of the heterogeneity in clinical features and genetic pattern of this group of diseases, it is very easy to misdiagnose and mistreat them as diffuse baldness or androgenic alopecia and other acquired alopecia, so clinicians should improve their understanding of this group of diseases. With the continuous development of molecular biology techniques in recent years, a variety of causative genes for congenital alopecia/hypotrichosis have been identified so far, and the pathogenesis of some of these genes and their corresponding subtypes have been clarified. In this paper, we reviewed the clinical manifestations and genetic research progress of non-syndromic congenital alopecia/ hypotrichosis, in order to facilitate clinicians' comprehensive understanding of these rare hair diseases and improve clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Aiming at the wear failure of tubing string caused by the nonlinear flow-induced vibration（FIV） in high-temperature, high-pressure and high-yield（3H） gas wells, the nonlinear FIV model of tubing string was established using the element method, energy method and Hamilton variational principle, which considered the changes of wellbore trajectory, wellbore temperature/pressure, and contact of casing. A simulation experiment of the tubing string vibration was conducted to verify the correctness and validity of the nonlinear vibration model. Based on the White-Fleisher wear theory, a calculation method for the wear amount and depth of tubing string in 3H gas wells is proposed. The wear unit test is carried out, and the friction coefficient and wear efficiency are determined. On this basis, the influence of production rate, well angle, well section length, packer position and centralizer position on wear characteristics of tubing is systematically analyzed. The safety control methods of tubing string were proposed, namely, which shown that, firstly, with the increase of production rate, the wear life of the string decreases, and there is a sudden value, which can be determine using the analysis method, so that the field production allocation should be far away from the sudden production rate. Secondly, in the well trajectory design, the length of vertical well section should be reduced, and the length of build section and the angle of stable inclined section should be increased. Thirdly, there is an optimal position of packer and centralizer in the field, which is related to the well structure, string structure and downhole tool size, and can be determined by the proposed analysis method to guide the design of packer and centralizer. The research results can effectively improve the service life of tubing string in 3H gas wells.

Purpose: Self-assessment is regarded as a complex metacognitive process by scholars. Nevertheless, in the context of English as a Second Language (ESL) speaking, self-assessment practices often rely on assessment criteria and teacher commentaries. However, speaking involves spontaneous expression with limited access to external standards. Therefore, this case study aims to explore the metacognitive strategies that proficient ESL students use during self-assessment in spontaneous speech production contexts. Methodology: Three participants, purposefully selected, participated in two spontaneous group discussions recorded on video. Instances of participants' dysfluency served as prompts in stimulated recall interviews, complemented by video recordings to validate participants' responses. The thematic analysis of interview data utilised a conceptual framework integrating O'Malley and Chamot's (1990) metacognitive strategies and Kormos' (2006) speech production model. Findings: The analysis revealed that participants employed three key metacognitive strategies -- organisational planning, selective attention, and self-monitoring to self-assess their spontaneous speech. Feedback sources, such as their proficiency in the second language (L2) and contextual factors, influenced the application and effectiveness of these strategies during self-assessment (SA). Significance: This study offers insights into how proficient ESL students self-assess their spontaneous speech production, leveraging their available resources. In addition, this study identifies speech challenges the participants encountered and how they applied metacognitive strategies to address them.

Purpose: Art forms such as music and drama are among some recognised tools used by educators. This has sparked interest in how art can be used in education, making it a fertile field for educational research. However, there is a missing connection in how drawing can be used as a tool for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students to learn about literature. Methodology: This paper will incorporate an Arts-Based Research (ABR) method to determine how visual art, particularly drawing, can be used as a tool to advance EFL students' understanding of a selected literary text, Edgar Allan Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart" (2015) This qualitative study, viewed through the lens of Richard Mayer's Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning (CTML), involved 10 EFL participants and revealed strategies for integrating drawing that are absent in traditional approaches. Additionally, Hameed's (2022) elements of art, Yenawine's (2014) Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS), and Showalter's (2003) concepts of literature learning will be included to ground the framework of the intervention. Findings: This study can be regarded as a method to liberate traditional teaching practices into contemporary approaches, serving as a tool to merge cultural knowledge while improving confidence, higher-order thinking skills, and expression. It also allows educators to be flexible and provoke more reflection and participation. The data discusses three main strategies in exploring how integrating drawing can help EFL students learn about literature: mining to trigger thoughts, engaging with the senses, and giving permission to wonder. Visual art allows individuals to create their responses by exploring new ideas and representing emotions, confirming plans, and comprehending the deeper level of literary texts. Significance: The study will offer insight and work as an alternate strategy for educators and learners alike to utilise visual art as a tool in teaching and learning literature. The findings will also ease the alarming condition where literature teaching and learning are stereotyped as daunting. [This paper was presented at the 12th Malaysian International Conference of Languages, Literature, and Culture (MICOLLAC) held in Penang, Malaysia, in August 2023.]

Abstract It is challenging to insulate sound transmission in low frequency-bands without blocking the air flow in a pipe. In this work, a small and light membrane-based cubic sound insulator is created to block acoustic waves in multiple low frequency-bands from 200 to 800 Hz in pipes. Due to distinct vibration modes of the membrane-type faces of the insulator and co-action of acoustic waves transmitting along different paths, large sound attenuation is achieved in multiple frequency-bands, and the maximum transmission loss reaches 25 dB. Furthermore, because the sound insulator with a deep subwavelength size is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the pipe, it does not block ventilation along the pipe.

Abstract 3D Cu current collectors have been demonstrated to improve the cycling stability of Li metal anodes, however, the role of their interfacial structure for Li deposition pattern has not been investigated thoroughly. Herein, a series of 3D integrated gradient Cu‐based current collectors are fabricated by the electrochemical growth of CuO nanowire arrays on Cu foil (CuO@Cu), where their interfacial structures can be readily controlled by modulating the dispersities of the nanowire arrays. It is found that the interfacial structures constructed by sparse and dense dispersion of CuO nanowire arrays are both disadvantageous for the nucleation and deposition of Li metal, consequently fast dendrite growth. In contrast, a uniform and appropriate dispersity of CuO nanowire arrays enables stable bottom Li nucleation associated with smooth lateral deposition, affording the ideal bottom‐up Li growth pattern. The optimized CuO@Cu‐Li electrodes exhibit a highly reversible Li cycling including a coulombic efficiency of up to ≈99% after 150 cycles and a long‐term lifespan of over 1200 h. When coupling with LiFePO4 cathode, the coin and pouch full‐cells deliver outstanding cycling stability and rate capability. This work provides a new insight to design the gradient Cu current collectors toward high‐performance Li metal anodes.

Background: The low 5-year survival rate of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) suggests that new prognostic indicators need to be identified to aid the clinical management of patients. Methods: Saliva samples from OSCC patients and healthy controls were collected for proteomic and metabolomic sequencing. Gene expressed profiling was downloaded from TCGA and GEO databases. After the differential analysis, proteins with a significant impact on the prognosis of OSCC patients were screened. Correlation analysis was performed with metabolites and core proteins were identified. Cox regression analysis was utilized to stratify OSCC samples based on core proteins. The prognostic predictive ability of the core protein was then evaluated. Differences in infiltration of immune cells between the different strata were identified. Results: There were 678 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs), 94 intersected DEPs among them by intersecting with differentially expressed genes in TCGA and GSE30784 dataset. Seven core proteins were identified that significantly affected OSCC patient survival and strongly correlated with differential metabolites (R2 > 0.8). The samples were divided into high- and low-risk groups according to median risk score. The risk score and core proteins were well prognostic factor in OSCC patients. Genes in high-risk group were enriched in Notch signaling pathway, epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT), and angiogenesis. Core proteins were strongly associated with the immune status of OSCC patients. Conclusions: The results established a 7-protein signatures with the hope of early detection and the capacity for risk assessment of OSCC patient prognosis. Further providing more potential targets for the treatment of OSCC.

The co-occurrence of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and zearalenone (ZEN) in grain-based food and animal feed poses significant health risks to humans and animals due to their potent mutagenic, cytotoxic, and carcinogenic properties. Conventional physical and chemical methods are insufficient for effectively detoxifying multiple mycotoxins present in food and feed. In this study, we evaluated the capability of Bacillus subtilis ZJ-2019-1 (B. subtilis ZJ-2019-1) to simultaneously degrade AFB1 and ZEN while optimizing reaction to enhance degradation efficiency. The localization of active ingredients from B. subtilis ZJ-2019-1 was determined using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Our findings demonstrated that B. subtilis ZJ-2019-1 eliminated 60.88% of AFB1 and 33.18% of ZEN within 72 h at a concentration of 10 mg/L at 37 °C (pH 7.0) and exerted greater activity under alkaline conditions. The autoclaved and boiled supernatants of B. subtilis ZJ-2019-1 exhibited significant enhancement in the degradation of AFB1 and ZEN, achieving degradation rates of 79.85% and 100%, respectively, at a concentration of 1 mg/L within 48 h at 37 °C. Moreover, the crude enzymes from B. subtilis ZJ-2019-1 showed maximum degradation rates for AFB1 (100%) and ZEN (94.29%) within 72 h at 70 °C. Additionally, divalent cations (such as Co2+, Fe2+, Mn2+, and Ni2+) significantly augmented the activity of crude enzymes from B. subtilis ZJ-2019-1 towards mycotoxin degradation. Furthermore, when applied to corn gluten meals, B. subtilis ZJ-2019-1 strain effectively detoxify 66.08% of AFB1 and 22.01% of ZEN, surpassing the efficacy of a commercial detoxification agent on the market (34.17% for AFB1 and 2.28% for ZEN). Collectively, these findings indicated that B. subtilis ZJ-2019-1 is a promising candidate for the simultaneous removal of multiple mycotoxins in food and feed, while addressing health concerns associated with harmful mycotoxins.

Langerhans cell histiocytosis(LCH)and Langerhans cell sarcoma(LCS)are characterized by clone proliferation of Langerhans-type cells, which may occur concurrently or sequentially with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) and other Lymphoid neoplasms. A 15-year old female patient diagnosed with T-ALL developed LCH involving multiple systems during maintenance chemotherapy of T-AL. After treated with chemotherapy with improved result, the patient showed progression of the illness and refractory to the second-line treatment. We found c.G35A (p.G12D)mutation in the KRAS gene and used the targeted drug Trametinib for treatment. The treatment proved effective, leading to partial remission within a week. Three months after Trametinib treatment, the patient developed new lymphadenopathy. Biopsy revealed the existence of LCS. The disease progressed quickly, and the patient died 7 days after diagnosis of LCS. The case of patients with T-ALL then developing LCH and LCS sequentially is extraordinarily rare. The causes of the case is unclear and may be related to cell transdifferentiation, clonal evolution, and chemotherapy. Targeted drugs can contain this disease for a short time.