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Gel polymer electrolytes have the advantages of both a solid electrolyte and a liquid electrolyte. As a transitional product before which a solid electrolyte can be comprehensively used, gel polymer electrolytes are of great research value. They can reduce the risk of spontaneous combustion and explosion caused by leakage during the use of conventional liquid electrolytes. Poly(vinylidene-fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF–HFP), a material with excellent performance, has been widely utilized in the preparation of gel polymer electrolytes. Here, PVDF–HFP-based gel polymer membranes with polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) pores were prepared using a phase inversion method, and Octavinyl-polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (OVAPOSS) was doped to improve its temperature resistance as well as its ionic conductivity, to enhance its safety and electrochemical performance. The final prepared polymer membrane had a porosity of 85.06% and still had a certain mechanical strength at 160 °C without any shrinkage. The gel polymer electrolyte prepared with this polymer membrane had an ionic conductivity of 1.62 × 10−3 S·cm−1 at 30 °C, as well as an electrochemical window of about 5.5 V. The LiCoO2-Li button half-cell prepared therefrom had a specific capacity of 141 mAh·g−1 at a rate of 1C. The coulombic efficiency remained above 99% within 100 cycles and the capacity retention rate reached 99.5%, which reveals an excellent cycling stability.

The CFETR multipurpose overload robot (CMOR) is a critical component of the fusion reactor remote handling system. To accurately calculate and visualize the structural deformation and stress characteristics of the CMOR motion process, this paper first establishes a CMOR kinematic model to analyze the unfolding and working process in the vacuum chamber. Then, the dynamic model of CMOR is established using the Lagrangian method, and the rigid-flexible coupling modeling of CMOR links and joints is achieved using the finite element method and the linear spring damping equivalent model. The co-simulation results of the CMOR rigid-flexible coupled model show that when the end load is 2000 kg, the extreme value of the end-effector position error is more than 0.12 m, and the maximum stress value is 1.85 × 108 Pa. To utilize the stress-strain data of CMOR, this paper designs a CMOR morphology prediction control system based on Unity software. Implanting CMOR finite element analysis data into the Unity environment, researchers can monitor the stress strain generated by different motion trajectories of the CMOR robotic arm in the control system. It provides a platform for subsequent research on CMOR error compensation and extreme operation warnings.

Abstract Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) has been widely used to reveal the structures of proteins at atomic resolution. One key challenge is that almost all proteins are predominantly adsorbed to the air-water interface during standard cryo-EM specimen preparation. The interaction of proteins with air-water interface will significantly impede the success of reconstruction and achievable resolution. Here, we highlight the critical role of impenetrable surfactant monolayers in passivating the air-water interface problems, and develop a robust effective method for high-resolution cryo-EM analysis, by using the superstructure GSAMs which comprises surfactant self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) and graphene membrane. The GSAMs works well in enriching the orientations and improving particle utilization ratio of multiple proteins, facilitating the 3.3-Å resolution reconstruction of a 100-kDa protein complex (ACE2-RBD), which shows strong preferential orientation using traditional specimen preparation protocol. Additionally, we demonstrate that GSAMs enables the successful determinations of small proteins (

Camellia fascicularis has important ornamental, medicinal, and food value. It also has tremendous potential for exploiting bioactivities. However, the bioactivities of secondary metabolites in C. fascicularis have not been reported. The structures of compounds were determined by spectral analysis and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) combined with the available literature on secondary metabolites of C. fascicularis leaves. In this study, 15 compounds were identified, including 5 flavonoids (1–5), a galactosylglycerol derivative (6), a terpenoid (7), 4 lignans (8–11), and 4 phenolic acids (12–15). Compounds 6–7 and 9–12 were isolated from the genus Camellia for the first time. The remaining compounds were also isolated from C. fascicularis for the first time. Evaluation of antioxidant and antimicrobial activities revealed that compounds 5 and 8–11 exhibited stronger antioxidant activity than the positive drug ascorbic acid, while compounds 7, 13, and 15 showed similar activity to ascorbic acid. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of antibacterial activity for compounds 5, 7, 9, 11, and 13 against Pseudomonas aeruginosa was comparable to that of the positive control drug tetracycline at a concentration of 62.50 µg/mL; other secondary metabolites inhibited Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus at concentrations ranging from 125–250 µg/mL.

BackgroundThe status of the sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) is an important prognostic factor for many different types of cancer. The one-step nucleic acid amplification (OSNA) assay has emerged as a rapid intraoperative molecular diagnostic tool for LN metastasis detection. We aimed to evaluate and summarize the value of the OSNA assay for the diagnosis of SLN metastasis in cytokeratin 19 (CK19)-positive breast cancer.MethodsTo evaluate the diagnostic value, the sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR), diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), and area under the curve (AUC) were pooled. The threshold effect, followed by subgroup analysis, was performed to explore the source of heterogeneity. A sensitivity analysis was performed to assess the stability of this meta-analysis model. Fagan plots and likelihood ratio scattergrams were used to explore the potential clinical significance.ResultsA total of 29 eligible studies, which consisted of 5,331 patients with 10,343 SLNs, were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, PLR, NLR, and DOR were 0.86 (95% CI: 0.85–0.88), 0.94 (95% CI, 0.94–0.95), 18.00 (95% CI, 13.54–23.92), 0.13 (95% CI, 0.10–0.17), and 138.99 (95% CI, 86.66–222.92), respectively. The AUC was 0.97 (95% CI, 0.95–0.98). Sensitivity analysis showed that four studies had an impact on the pooled results and mainly contributed to the heterogeneity. Fagan's nomogram revealed that the prior probability was 50%, the post-probability positive was 95%, and the post-probability negative was 11%.DiscussionOur results suggested that OSNA can predict the occurrence of SLN metastasis in CK19-positive breast cancer. However, more well-designed and multicenter diagnostic tests are needed to validate our results.

Finding water resources is a crucial objective of lunar missions. However, both hydroxyl (OH) and natural water (H2O) have been reported to be scarce on the Moon. We propose a potential method for obtaining water on the Moon through H2O formation via endogenous reactions in lunar regolith (LR), specifically through the reaction FeO/Fe2O3 + H → Fe + H2O. This process is demonstrated using LR samples brought back by the Chang’E-5 mission. FeO and Fe2O3 are lunar minerals containing Fe oxides. Hydrogen (H) retained in lunar minerals from the solar wind can be used to produce water. The results of this study reveal that 51–76 mg of H2O can be generated from 1 g of LR after melting at temperatures above 1,200 K. This amount is ∼10,000 times the naturally occurring OH and H2O on the Moon. Among the five primary minerals in LR returned by the Chang’E-5 mission, FeTiO3 ilmenite contains the highest amount of H, owing to its unique lattice structure with sub-nanometer tunnels. For the first time, in situ heating experiments using a transmission electron microscope reveal the concurrent formation of Fe crystals and H2O bubbles. Electron irradiation promotes the endogenous redox reaction, which is helpful for understanding the distribution of OH on the Moon. Our findings suggest that the hydrogen retained in LR is a significant resource for obtaining H2O on the Moon, which is helpful for establishing a scientific research station on the Moon.

Abstract Metal-hydrogen systems have attracted intense interest for diverse energy-related applications. However, metals usually reduce their ductility after hydrogenation. Here, we show that hydrogen can take the form of nano-sized ordered hydrides (NOH) homogeneously dispersed in a stable glassy shell, leading to remarkable enhancement in both strength and ductility. The yield strength is enhanced by 44% and the plastic strain is substantially improved from almost zero to over 70%, which is attributed to the created NOH and their interplay with the glassy shell. Moreover, the hydride-glass composite GdCoAlH possesses a giant magnetic entropy change (−ΔS M) of 18.7 J kg−1K−1 under a field change of 5 T, which is 105.5% larger than the hydrogen-free sample and is the largest value among amorphous alloys and related composites. The prominent ΔS M-ductility combination overcomes the bottlenecks of amorphous alloys as magnetic refrigerants. These results provide a promising strategy for property breakthrough of structural-functional alloys.

Abstract Background Juvenile hormones (JH) play crucial role in regulating development and reproduction in insects. The most common form of JH is JH III, derived from MF through epoxidation by CYP15 enzymes. However, in the higher dipterans, such as the fruitfly, Drosophila melanogaster, a bis-epoxide form of JHB3, accounted most of the JH detected. Moreover, these higher dipterans have lost the CYP15 gene from their genomes. As a result, the identity of the P450 epoxidase in the JH biosynthesis pathway in higher dipterans remains unknown. Results In this study, we show that Cyp6g2 serves as the major JH epoxidase responsible for the biosynthesis of JHB3 and JH III in D. melanogaster. The Cyp6g2 is predominantly expressed in the corpus allatum (CA), concurring with the expression pattern of jhamt, another well-studied gene that is crucial in the last steps of JH biosynthesis. Mutation in Cyp6g2 leads to severe disruptions in larval-pupal metamorphosis and exhibits reproductive deficiencies, exceeding those seen in jhamt mutants. Notably, Cyp6g2 −/− ::jhamt 2 double mutants all died at the pupal stage but could be rescued through the topical application of JH analogs. JH titer analyses revealed that both Cyp6g2 −/− mutant and jhamt 2 mutant lacking JHB3 and JH III, while overexpression of Cyp6g2 or jhamt caused a significant increase in JHB3 and JH III titer. Conclusions These findings collectively established that Cyp6g2 as the major JH epoxidase in the higher dipterans and laid the groundwork for the further understanding of JH biosynthesis. Moreover, these findings pave the way for developing specific Cyp6g2 inhibitors as insect growth regulators or insecticides.

Nutritional literacy encompasses an individual′s capacity to comprehend and utilize foundational nutrition information and services to make informed dietary choices, ultimately sustaining and enhancing personal health and nutrition.This article examines the determinants, evaluative methods, and intervention research related to the nutritional literacy of older adults.The aim is to furnish insights for exploring the current nutritional status and dietary patterns of the elderly in the medical realm, as well as to design tailored nursing interventions.By doing so, it seeks to elevate nutritional well-being and promote healthful eating practices among the aging population, thereby improving their overall nutritional status.

Abstract Phonon splitting of the longitudinal and transverse optical modes (LO-TO splitting), a ubiquitous phenomenon in three-dimensional polar materials, will break down in two-dimensional (2D) polar systems. Theoretical predictions propose that the LO phonon in 2D polar monolayers becomes degenerate with the TO phonon, displaying a distinctive “V-shaped” nonanalytic behavior near the center of the Brillouin zone. However, the full experimental verification of these nonanalytic behaviors has been lacking. Here, using monolayer hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) as a prototypical example, we report the comprehensive and direct experimental verification of the nonanalytic behavior of LO phonons by inelastic electron scattering spectroscopy. Interestingly, the slope of the LO phonon in our measurements is lower than the theoretically predicted value for a freestanding monolayer due to the screening of the Cu foil substrate. This enables the phonon polaritons in monolayer h-BN/Cu foil to exhibit ultra-slow group velocity (~5 × 10−6 c, c is the speed of light) and ultra-high confinement (~ 4000 times smaller wavelength than that of light). These exotic behaviors of the optical phonons in h-BN presents promising prospects for future optoelectronic applications.

C and Mo in the form of solid solution atom or compound phase is distributed in CoCrFeMnNi high entropy alloy (HEA), which have the effects of solution strengthening or second phase strengthening. CoCrFeMnNi–Mo5C0.5 HEA were prepared by adding C and Mo elements to CoCrFeMnNi HEA, and then which heat treatment were carried out by furnace-cooling, air-cooling and water-cooling respectively. the microstructure and phase composition of as-cast or heat treated CoCrFeMnNi–Mo5C0.5 HEA were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), the mechanical properties of as-cast or heat treated CoCrFeMnNi–Mo5C0.5 HEA were tested by the tensile test and hardness test, and the effects of heat treatment cooling methods on precipitated second phase and mechanical properties of CoCrFeMnNi–Mo5C0.5 HEA were investigated. The results show that precipitated second phase in CoCrFeMnNi–Mo5C0.5 HEA is MC phase, which is rich in Mo, Cr and C elements. With change of heat treatment cooling methods from furnace-cooling, air-cooling to water-cooling respectively, heat treatment cooling rate is increased. With increase of heat treatment cooling rate, the amount and size of precipitated second phase are all decreases, and the position of second phase precipitation changes from grain boundaries to intragranular. The tensile strength and elongation of heat treatment water-cooled CoCrFeMnNi–Mo5C0.5 HEA are 739 MPa and 41% respectively, which are realizes the simultaneous increased of strength and plasticity. With increase of heat treatment cooling rate, the hardness of CoCrFeMnNi–Mo5C0.5 HEA decreases, the uniform plastic deformation and the elongation are all increases, and the plasticity increase. The fractures of as-cast, heat treatment furnace-cooled, air-cooled and water-cooled CoCrFeMnNi–Mo5C0.5 HEA are all brittle fracture with cleavage characteristics, and the plastic deformation occurs mainly in the uniform plastic deformation stage. The fracture mode of as-cast CoCrFeMnNi–Mo5C0.5 HEA is intergranular fracture, the fracture mode of heat treatment furnace-cooled, air-cooled and water-cooled CoCrFeMnNi–Mo5C0.5 HEA are all transgranular fracture.

ObjectiveTo systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of anlotinib targeted therapy for the treatment of patients with advanced digestive system neoplasms (DSNs).MethodsClinical trials were extracted from PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and the Wanfang database up to October 2023. Outcome measures, including therapeutic efficacy, quality of life (QOL) and adverse events, were extracted and evaluated.ResultsTwenty trials, including 1,613 advanced DSNs patients, were included. The results indicated that, compared with conventional treatment alone, the combination of anlotinib targeted therapy with conventional treatment significantly improved the patients’ 6-months overall survival (OS, OR=1.76, CI=1.53 to 2.02, P0.05).ConclusionThe combination of anlotinib targeted therapy and conventional treatment is more effective for DSNs treatment than conventional treatment alone. However, this combined treatment could lead to greater rates of hypertension, albuminuria and hand-foot syndrome. Therefore, the benefits and risks should be considered before treatment.

Background and aim: Insulin-like growth factor-1 may be involved in the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition process. It can mitigate adverse effects when interacting with insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3. This study aimed to explore alterations in the expression of these two factors in the colonic tissue of mice with ulcerative colitis. Method: This study utilized animal models. Mice were randomly allocated into three distinct groups. Disease activity index assessment was performed first, followed by histological grading of colitis. Protein and mRNA expression levels were determined using Western blotting and RT-qPCR. Immunohistochemical detection was used to determine histochemistry scores. Pearson correlation and SPSS 25.0 software were used for data analysis. Results: The findings indicated a reduction in the expression of the two investigated factors as well as in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition epithelial markers during inflammation, while the expression of noninflammatory factors increased. These effects were notably amplified following treatment. Interestingly, the changes in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition-inducing factors and mesenchymal markers contradicted this trend. Pearson correlation analysis revealed a correlation between molecular indicators of change and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Conclusion: Insulin-like growth factor-1 and insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 may play a protective role in the development and progression of ulcerative colitis, potentially through their inhibition of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. These factors hold promise as targets for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of ulcerative colitis.

Fracture initiation has been a challenging issue for fracturing deep and tight gas reservoirs, which generally requires a high breakdown pressure for hydraulic fracturing treatment. In this situation, fluid injections frequently have to terminate at the very beginning. Toward predicting and solving this issue, a novel fracturing system for deep and tight sandstone gas reservoirs was developed. The key components of the fracturing system and some criterion will be introduced, which can be used to optimize the ideal perforation locations along the landing part and select the right perforation strategy accordingly. The main components of the fracturing system include: (1) evaluating the log-based diagenetic rock typing and flow index; (2) 1D mechanical earth model; (3) calculating the breakdown pressure envelope along the well trajectory of the landing part; (4) calculating the optimal perforation directions along the landing part; (5) select the first set of perforation locations based on the log-based diagenetic rock typing and flow index; (6) narrowing down the first set of perforation locations to a second set of perforation locations based on the breakdown pressure envelope; (7) determining a perforation strategy based on breakdown pressure envelope and wellhead pressure safety limit in the second set of perforation locations. The computational framework to calculate the breakdown pressure envelope and optimal perforation directions is applicable to arbitrary well trajectory. The fracturing system has been used to provide pre-fracturing suggestions for wells landed in deep and tight sandstone reservoirs, which is very efficient for identifying locations with good rock typing and relatively low breakdown pressure. Also, it can indicate whether oriented perforation should be used further for alleviating breakdown issue. By taking these efforts and procedures, the fracturing success rate for deep and tight sandstone gas reservoirs can be improved, which has been verified in practice. Example studies from the field will be provided to demonstrate the fracturing system's performance and applicability.

Objectives. The necessity to develop a method for prognostication and to identify novel biomarkers for personalized medicine in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cannot be overstated. Recently, pathomics, which relies on quantitative analysis of medical imaging, has come to the forefront. CXCL8, an essential inflammatory cytokine, has been shown to correlate with overall survival (OS). This study examined the relationship between CXCL8 mRNA expression and pathomics features and aimed to explore the biological underpinnings of CXCL8. Methods. Clinical information and transcripts per million mRNA sequencing data were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)-HNSCC dataset. We identified correlations between CXCL8 mRNA expression and patient survival rates using a Kaplan-Meier survival curve. A retrospective analysis of 313 samples diagnosed with HNSCC in the TCGA database was conducted. Pathomics features were extracted from hematoxylin and eosin–stained images, and then the minimum redundancy maximum relevance, with recursive feature elimination (mRMR-RFE) method was applied, followed by screening with the logistic regression algorithm. Results. Kaplan-Meier curves indicated that high expression of CXCL8 was significantly associated with decreased OS. The logistic regression pathomics model incorporated 16 radiomics features identified by the mRMR-RFE method in the training set and demonstrated strong performance in the testing set. Calibration plots showed that the probability of high gene expression predicted by the pathomics model was in good agreement with actual observations, suggesting the model’s high clinical applicability. Conclusion. The pathomics model of CXCL8 mRNA expression serves as an effective tool for predicting prognosis in patients with HNSCC and can aid in clinical decision-making. Elevated levels of CXCL8 expression may lead to reduced DNA damage and are associated with a pro-inflammatory tumor microenvironment, offering a potential therapeutic target.

Abstract Background The red-crowned crane is one of the vulnerable bird species. Although the captive population has markedly increased over the last decade, infectious diseases can lead to the death of young red-crowned cranes while few virological studies have been conducted. Methods Using a viral metagenomics approach, we analyzed the virome of tissues of the dead captive red-crowned crane with diarrhea symptoms in Dongying Biosphere Reserve, Shandong Province, China and feces of individual birds breeding at the corresponding captive breeding center, which were pooled separately. Results There is much more DNA and RNA viruses in the feces than that of the tissues. RNA virus belonging to the families Picornaviridae, and DNA viruses belonging to the families Parvoviridae, associated with enteric diseases were detected in the tissues and feces. Genomes of the picornavirus, genomovirus, and parvovirus identified in the study were fully characterized, which further suggested that infectious viruses of these families were possibly presented in the diseased red-crowned crane. Conclusion RNA virus belonging to the families Picornaviridae, and DNA viruses belonging to the families Genomoviridae and Parvoviridae were possibly the causative agent for diarrhea of red-crowned crane. This study has expanded our understanding of the virome of red-crowned crane and provides a baseline for elucidating the etiology for diarrhea of the birds.

Abstract Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) ranks as one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Despite the prominence and effectiveness of kinase-target therapies in NSCLC treatment, these drugs are suitable for and beneficial to a mere ~30% of NSCLC patients. Consequently, the need for novel strategies addressing NSCLC remains pressing. Deubiquitinases (DUBs), a group of diverse enzymes with well-defined catalytic sites that are frequently overactivated in cancers and associated with tumorigenesis and regarded as promising therapeutic targets. Nevertheless, the mechanisms by which DUBs promote NSCLC remain poorly understood. Through a global analysis of the 97 DUBs’ contribution to NSCLC survival possibilities using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, we found that high expression of Josephin Domain-containing protein 2 (JOSD2) predicted the poor prognosis of patients. Depletion of JOSD2 significantly impeded NSCLC growth in both cell/patient-derived xenografts in vivo. Mechanically, we found that JOSD2 restricts the kinase activity of LKB1, an important tumor suppressor generally inactivated in NSCLC, by removing K6-linked polyubiquitination, an action vital for maintaining the integrity of the LKB1-STRAD-MO25 complex. Notably, we identified the first small-molecule inhibitor of JOSD2, and observed that its pharmacological inhibition significantly arrested NSCLC proliferation in vitro/in vivo. Our findings highlight the vital role of JOSD2 in hindering LKB1 activity, underscoring the therapeutic potential of targeting JOSD2 in NSCLC, especially in those with inactivated LKB1, and presenting its inhibitors as a promising strategy for NSCLC treatment.

Based on properties of Green's function and the some conditions of $ f(t, u) $, we found a minimal and a maximal positive solution by the method of sequence approximation. Moreover, based on the properties of Green's function and fixed point index theorem, the existence of multiple positive solutions for a singular $ p $-Laplacian fractional differential equation with infinite-point boundary conditions was obtained and, at last, an example was given to demonstrate the validity of our main results.

Seasonal drought and summer soil high-temperature stress in Southern China often lead to decreased yield and quality of Annona squamosa. It is important to explore reasonable and effective water and fertilizer management measures as well as cover measures to improve the soil hydrothermal conditions in orchards to realize the increase in yield and quality of Annona squamosa. This study involved a two-year (2022–2023) field experiment in Yun County, Lincang City, Yunnan Province, using three factors and a three-level orthogonal test, resulting in nine different experimental treatments for water, fertilizer and heat. The three irrigation levels were W1 (soil moisture content of 55% of field moisture capacity), W2 (soil moisture content of 75% of field moisture capacity) and W3 (soil moisture content of 85% of field moisture capacity). The three fertilizer levels were F1 (1666 kg·hm−2), F2 (2083 kg·hm−2) and F3 (2500 kg·hm−2), and the three cover methods were A1 (no cover), A2 (fresh grass cover) and A3 (straw cover). The effects of these treatments on soil hydrothermal conditions, growth indices and fruit yield and quality of Annona s1uamosa were systematically monitored and analyzed, and the relationships between these treatments and yield and quality was analyzed based on a Mantel test. The results showed that T5 (W2F2A3) had the highest average soil moisture content over two years, followed by T7 (W3F1A3). The T7 (W3F1A3) treatment effectively reduced soil temperature by 5 °C compared to T1 (W1F1A1). T5 (W2F2A3) had the highest average yield over two years, with an increase of 33.99% compared to T1 (W1F1A1). Additionally, T5 (W2F2A3) has the highest average soluble solids, soluble sugars and vitamin C content over two years, with increases of 28.13%, 13.36% and 4.86%, respectively, compared to T1 (W1F1A1). A Pearson correlation analysis showed that there was a significant correlation between Annona squamosa growth and soil moisture content and soil temperature, and the Mantel test showed that soil hydrothermal conditions had significant influence on the growth and yield. T5 (W2F2A3) has the highest comprehensive benefit in promoting growth, increasing yield and improving quality for the plant. The effects of different irrigation quantities, fertilizer amounts and different cover measures on the coupling interaction for soil hydrothermal status in the root zone, growth, yield and quality of Annona squamosa were investigated, providing reliable theoretical support for the scientific planting model of Annona squamosa in the low-heat river valley of Yunnan Province.

Non-destructive testing (NDT) techniques play a crucial role in industrial production, aerospace, healthcare, and the inspection of special equipment, serving as an indispensable part of assessing the safety condition of pressure equipment. Among these, the analysis of NDT data stands as a critical link in evaluating equipment safety. In recent years, object detection techniques have gradually been applied to the analysis of NDT data in pressure equipment inspection, yielding significant results. This paper comprehensively reviews the current applications and development trends of object detection algorithms in NDT technology for pressure-bearing equipment, focusing on algorithm selection, data augmentation, and intelligent defect recognition based on object detection algorithms. Additionally, it explores open research challenges of integrating GAN-based data augmentation and unsupervised learning to further enhance the intelligent application and performance of object detection technology in NDT for pressure-bearing equipment while discussing techniques and methods to improve the interpretability of deep learning models. Finally, by summarizing current research and offering insights for future directions, this paper aims to provide researchers and engineers with a comprehensive perspective to advance the application and development of object detection technology in NDT for pressure-bearing equipment.

Cases of tinnitus have been reported following administration of COVID-19 vaccines. The aim of this study was to characterize COVID-19 vaccination-related tinnitus to assess whether there is a causal relationship, and to examine potential risk factors for COVID-19 vaccination-related tinnitus. We analyzed a survey on 398 cases of COVID-19 vaccination-related tinnitus, and 699,839 COVID-19 vaccine-related reports in the Vaccine Adverse Effect Reporting System (VAERS) database that was retrieved on 4 December 2021. We found that following COVID-19 vaccination, 1) tinnitus report frequencies for Pfizer, Moderna and Janssen vaccines in VAERS are 47, 51 and 70 cases per million full vaccination; 2) the symptom onset was often rapid; 3) more women than men reported tinnitus and the sex difference increased with age; 4) for 2-dose vaccines, the frequency of tinnitus was higher following the first dose than the second dose; 5) for 2-dose vaccines, the chance of worsening tinnitus symptoms after second dose was approximately 50%; 6) tinnitus was correlated with other neurological and psychiatric symptoms; 7) pre-existing metabolic syndromes were correlated with the severity of the reported tinnitus. These findings suggest that COVID-19 vaccination increases the risk of tinnitus, and metabolic disorders is a risk factor for COVID-19 vaccination-related tinnitus.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are important cell-to-cell communication mediators. This paper focuses on the regulatory role of tumor-derived EVs on macrophages. It aims to investigate the causes of tumor progression and therapeutic directions. Tumor-derived EVs can cause macrophages to shift to M1 or M2 phenotypes. This indicates they can alter the M1/M2 cell ratio and have pro-tumor and anti-inflammatory effects. This paper discusses several key points: first, the factors that stimulate macrophage polarization and the cytokines released as a result; second, an overview of EVs and the methods used to isolate them; third, how EVs from various cancer cell sources, such as hepatocellular carcinoma, colorectal carcinoma, lung carcinoma, breast carcinoma, and glioblastoma cell sources carcinoma, promote tumor development by inducing M2 polarization in macrophages; and fourth, how EVs from breast carcinoma, pancreatic carcinoma, lungs carcinoma, and glioblastoma cell sources carcinoma also contribute to tumor development by promoting M2 polarization in macrophages. Modified or sourced EVs from breast, pancreatic, and colorectal cancer can repolarize M2 to M1 macrophages. This exhibits anti-tumor activities and offers novel approaches for tumor treatment. Therefore, we discovered that macrophage polarization to either M1 or M2 phenotypes can regulate tumor development. This is based on the description of altering macrophage phenotypes by vesicle contents.

Background Nasal sprays are widely used in treating nasal and sinus diseases; however, there are very few studies on the drug delivery efficiency of nasal sprays. In this study, the drug delivery efficiency of three different nasal spray devices was evaluated in vitro using a 3D printed cast model of nasal cavity. Methods Three nasal spray devices with different nozzles and angles of administration were used in the 3D model of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. The spraying area (SA), maximal spraying distance (MSD), and spraying distribution scores on the nasal septum and lateral nasal wall were recorded. Results Different nasal spray devices have their own characteristics, including volume of each spray, SA, and plume angle. The SA of the three nozzles on the nasal septum increased with an increasing angle of administration. When the angle of administration was 50°, each nozzle reached the maximal SA. There was no statistically significant difference in MSD among the three nozzles at the three angles. The total scores for each nozzle using the three different spraying angles were as follows: nozzle A, 40° > 30° > 50°; nozzle B, 30° > 40° > 50°; and nozzle C, 30° > 40° > 50°. The total scores for different nozzles using the same angle were statistically significantly different and the scores for nozzle C were the highest. Nozzle C had the minimum plume angle. None of the three nozzles could effectively delivered drugs into the middle meatus at any angle in this model. Conclusions The design of the nozzle affects drug delivery efficiency of nasal spray devices. The ideal angle of administration is 50°. The nozzle with smaller plume angle has higher drug delivery efficiency. Current nasal spray devices can easily deliver drugs to most areas of the nasal cavity, such as the turbinate, nasal septum, olfactory fissure, and nasopharynx, but not the middle meatus. These findings are meaningful for nozzle selection and device improvements.

In deuterium–tritium (D-T) fusion reactors, the design of tritium breeding materials plays very critical role in tritium self-sufficiency. Compared to materials like Li2O, Li2TiO3 has a weaker tritium breeding capability, because of the lower density of Li. For this reason, there is a need to further explore new lithium-containing ceramics. In this paper we have designed a new tritium-breeding Li2PbxTi1-xO3. Tritium production calculations are performed on a 2 m thickness spherical shells of Li2PbxTi1-xO3 with four types of 6Li abundance (7.5 %, 20 %, 50 %, 90 %) and six species of neutron source energy（0.025 eV, 1 MeV, 2.5 MeV, 2.7 MeV, 7.4 MeV and 14.1 MeV）located at the center. It is shown that such a modification may result in the tritium breeding ratio increase to 1.4 in the sphere. Based on simulations, the Li2Pb0.5Ti0.5O3 was synthesized via the sol–gel route, and the microscopic morphology of Li2Pb0.5Ti0.5O3 were briefly investigated. Upon analysis, it's found that lead is uniformly present in the ceramic material in the form of Li2PbO3. In comparison with Li2TiO3 ceramics, Li2PbxTi1-xO3 exhibits stronger tritium breeding capability.

Abstract Due to the diversity of molecular building blocks, the two-dimensional (2D) metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are ideal platforms to realize exotic lattice models in condensed matter theory. In this work, we demonstrate the universal existence of topological corner states in 2D MOFs with a star lattice configuration, and confirm the intriguing higher-order nontrivial topology in the energy window between two Kagome-bands, or between Dirac-band and four-band. Furthermore, combining first-principles calculations and scanning tunneling microscopy measurements, the unique topological corner state is directly identified in monolayer Ni3(HITP)2 (HITP = 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexaiminotriphenylene) grown on the Au(111) substrate. Our results not only illustrate the first organic topological state in the experiments, but also offer an exciting opportunity to study higher-order topology in 2D MOFs with the large insulating band gap.

Abstract Background Influenza is a common illness for its high rates of morbidity and transmission. The implementation of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) during the COVID-19 pandemic to manage its dissemination could affect the transmission of influenza. Methods A retrospective analysis, between 2018 and 2023, was conducted to examine the incidence of influenza virus types A and B among patients in sentinel cities located in North or South China as well as in Wuhan City. For validations, data on the total count of influenza patients from 2018 to 2023 were collected at the Central Hospital of Wuhan, which is not included in the sentinel hospital network. Time series methods were utilized to examine seasonal patterns and to forecast future influenza trends. Results Northern and southern cities in China had earlier outbreaks during the NPIs period by about 8 weeks compared to the 2018–2019. The implementation of NPIs significantly reduced the influenza-like illness (ILI) rate and infection durations. Influenza B Victoria and H3N2 were the first circulating strains detected after the relaxation of NPIs, followed by H1N1 across mainland China. The SARIMA model predicted synchronized H1N1 outbreak cycles in North and South China, with H3N2 expected to occur in the summer in southern cities and in the winter in northern cities over the next 3 years. The ILI burden is expected to rise in both North and South China over the next 3 years, with higher ILI% levels in southern cities throughout the year, especially in winter, and in northern cities mainly during winter. In Wuhan City and the Central Hospital of Wuhan, influenza levels are projected to peak in the winter of 2024, with 2 smaller peaks expected during the summer of 2023. Conclusions In this study, we report the impact of NPIs on future influenza trends in mainland China. We recommend that local governments encourage vaccination during the transition period between summer and winter to mitigate economic losses and mortality associated with influenza.

The enormous effects of avian influenza on poultry production and the possible health risks to humans have drawn much attention to this disease. The H9N2 subtype of avian influenza virus is widely prevalent among poultry, posing a direct threat to humans through infection or by contributing internal genes to various zoonotic strains of avian influenza. Despite the widespread use of H9N2 subtype vaccines, outbreaks of the virus persist due to the rapid antigenic drift and shifts in the influenza virus. As a result, it is critical to develop a broader spectrum of H9N2 subtype avian influenza vaccines and evaluate their effectiveness. In this study, a recombinant baculovirus expressing the broad-spectrum HA protein was obtained via bioinformatics analysis and a baculovirus expression system (BES). This recombinant hemagglutinin (HA) protein displayed cross-reactivity to positive sera against several subbranch H9 subtype AIVs. An adjuvant and purified HA protein were then used to create an rHA vaccine candidate. Evaluation of the vaccine demonstrated that subcutaneous immunization of the neck with the rHA vaccine candidate stimulated a robust immune response, providing complete clinical protection against various H9N2 virus challenges. Additionally, virus shedding was more effectively inhibited by rHA than by the commercial vaccine. Thus, our findings illustrate the efficacy of the rHA vaccine candidate in shielding chickens against the H9N2 virus challenge, underscoring its potential as an alternative to conventional vaccines.

Camellia fascicularis has important ornamental, medicinal, and food values, which also have tremendous potential for exploiting bioactivities. We performed the bioactivity-guided (antioxidant and antimicrobial) screening of eight fractions obtained from the ethyl acetate phase of C. fascicularis. The antioxidant activity was measured by DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP, and the antibacterial activity was measured by the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus. The results of bioactivity-guided isolation indicated that the major antioxidant compounds in the ethanolic extracts of C. fascicularis may be present in fractions (Fr.) (A–G, obtained after silica gel column chromatography). Fr. (D–I, obtained after silica gel column chromatography) is a fraction of C. fascicularis with antimicrobial activity. The structures of compounds were determined by spectral analysis and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) combined with the available literature on secondary metabolites of C. fascicularis leaves. In this study, 17 compounds were identified, including four phenolics (1, 3–4, and 14), a phenylpropane (2), five terpenoids (5–7, 12, and 15), four flavonoids and flavonoid glycosides (8–10 and 16), and two lignins (13 and 17). Compounds 4–7, 13–15, and 17 were isolated from the genus Camellia for first time. The remaining compounds were also isolated from C. fascicularis for first time. The evaluation of antioxidant and antimicrobial activities revealed that compounds 1, 3, 9, 11, and 17 exhibited higher antioxidant activity than the positive control drug (ascorbic acid), and compounds 4, 8, 10, and 13 showed similar activity to ascorbic acid. The other compounds had weaker or no significant antioxidant activities. The MIC of antibacterial activity for compounds 4, 7, and 11–13 against P. aeruginosa was comparable to that of the positive control drug tetracycline at 125 µg/mL, and other secondary metabolites inhibited E. coli and S. aureus at 250–500 µg/mL. This is also the first report of antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of compounds 5–7, 13–15, and 17. The results of the study enriched the variety of secondary metabolites of C. fascicularis and laid the foundation for further research on the pharmacological efficacy and biological activity of this plant.

Arbutin and 6′-O-caffeoylarbutin (CA) from Vaccinium dunalianum Wight are known for their ability to inhibit melanin synthesis. To boost the production of arbutin and CA, precursor feeding with hydroquinone (HQ) was studied in V. dunalianum suspension cells. The effect of HQ on the biosynthesis of arbutin and CA in the suspension cells was investigated using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and possible molecular mechanisms were analyzed using metabolomics and transcriptomics analyses. HPLC analysis only showed that the addition of HQ significantly enhanced arbutin synthesis in cells, peaking at 15.52 ± 0.28 mg·g−1 after 0.5 mmol·L−1 HQ treatment for 12 h. Subsequently, metabolomics identified 78 differential expression metabolites (DEMs), of which arbutin and CA were significantly up-regulated metabolites. Moreover, transcriptomics found a total of 10,628 differential expression genes (DEGs). The integrated transcriptomics and metabolomics revealed that HQ significantly enhanced the expression of two arbutin synthase (AS) genes (Unigene0063512 and Unigene0063513), boosting arbutin synthesis. Additionally, it is speculated that CA was generated from arbutin and 3,4,5-tricaffeoylquinic acid catalyzed by caffeoyl transferase, with Unigene0044545, Unigene0043539, and Unigene0017356 as potentially associated genes with CA synthesis. These findings indicate that the precursor feeding strategy offers a promising approach for the mass production of arbutin and CA in V. dunalianum suspension cells and provides new insights for CA biosynthesis in V. dunalianum.