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Abstract According to WHO, plague, caused by Yersinia pestis, has resurged since 2000. Inner Mongolia, harboring a quarter of China’s plague foci, has accounted for 80% of national plague cases in the past five years. Despite its pivotal role in Chinese plague epidemiology, the genetic diversity and transmission dynamics of Y. pestis in this region remain under-investigated. Our analysis of 585 Y. pestis strains from Inner Mongolia (1948–2021) revealed three primary lineages, with 2.MED3 being predominant. We further delineated seven sub-phylogroups in 2.MED3, with 2.MED3.1.2 and 2.MED3.1.4 showing recent dominance. These two subgroups reveal dual transmission patterns: localized short-distance spread and long-distance dispersals over 300 km. Xilingol League is highlighted as a key source and reservoir for Y. pestis, predominantly spreading from central-eastern to southwestern Inner Mongolia, including occasional reverse transmissions. These findings enhance understanding of Y. pestis diversity and transmission in Inner Mongolia, aiding in enhanced surveillance and control measures.

Pyroptosis is a form of inflammatory programmed cell death, and is activated by pathogen infections or endogenous danger signals. The canonical pyroptosis process is characterized by the inflammasome (typically NLRP3)-mediated activation of caspase-1, which in turn cleaves and activates IL-1β and IL-18, as well as gasdermin D, which is a pore-forming executor protein, leading to cell membrane rupture, and the release of proinflammatory cytokines and damage-associated molecular pattern molecules. Pyroptosis is considered a part of the innate immune response. A certain level of pyroptosis can help eliminate pathogenic microorganisms, but excessive pyroptosis can lead to persistent inflammatory responses, and cause tissue damage. In recent years, pyroptosis has emerged as a crucial contributor to the development of chronic inflammatory respiratory diseases, such as asthma. The present study reviews the involvement of pyroptosis in the development of asthma, in terms of its role in different inflammatory phenotypes of the disease, and its influence on various immune and non-immune cells in the airway. In addition, the potential therapeutic value of targeting pyroptosis for the treatment of specific phenotypes of asthma is discussed.

Breast cancer (BC) is one of the frequent tumors that seriously endanger the physical and mental well-being in women with strong heterogeneity, and its pathogenesis involves multiple risk factors. Depending on the type of BC, hormonal therapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy are the current systemic treatment options along with conventional chemotherapy. Despite significant progress in understanding BC pathogenesis and therapeutic options, there is still a need to identify new therapeutic targets and develop more effective treatments. According to recent sequencing and profiling studies, non-coding (nc) RNAs genes are deregulated in human cancers via deletion, amplification, abnormal epigenetic, or transcriptional regulation, and similarly, the expression of many ncRNAs is altered in breast cancer cell lines and tissues. The ability of single ncRNAs to regulate the expression of multiple downstream gene targets and related pathways provides a theoretical basis for studying them for cancer therapeutic drug development and targeted delivery. Therefore, it is far-reaching to explore the role of ncRNAs in tumor development and their potential as therapeutic targets. Here, our review outlines the potential of two major ncRNAs, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers as well as targets for new therapeutic strategies in breast cancer.

ABSTRACTIn the current study the metabolic response of peanut root exudates to Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc. infection was analyzed in plant-pathogen interaction systems. The analytical methodology employed in this study entailed the utilization of ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS) in relation to metabolomics. The experimental findings have demonstrated that pathogen infection induces significant variations in both the composition and abundance of peanut root exudates. A total of 322 metabolites were identified in peanut root exudates, among which 19 metabolites showed significant differences under pathogen infection. The results of the orthogonal partial least squares score discriminant analysis (OPLS) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) plots clearly demonstrated that the metabolic profiling effectively distinguished between peanut plants inoculated with S. rolfsii Sacc. and the healthy control plants that were not inoculated. Pathogen infection is associated with five metabolic pathways, the most correlated being arginine and proline metabolism and ABC transporters.

High-resolution imagery captured by drones can detect critical components on high-voltage transmission towers, providing inspection personnel with essential maintenance insights and improving the efficiency of power line inspections. The high-resolution imagery is particularly effective in enhancing the detection of fine details such as screws. The QYOLO algorithm, an enhancement of YOLOv8, incorporates context queries into the feature pyramid, effectively capturing long-range dependencies and improving the network’s ability to detect objects. To address the increased network depth and computational load introduced by query extraction, Ghost Separable Convolution (GSConv) is employed, reducing the computational expense by half and further improving the detection performance for small objects such as screws. The experimental validation using the Transmission Line Accessories Dataset (TLAD) developed for this project demonstrates that the proposed improvements increase the average precision (AP) for small objects by 5.5% and the F1-score by 3.5%. The method also enhances detection performance for overall targets, confirming its efficacy in practical applications.

Background: Hypertension is one of the most common chronic diseases, and dietary factors play an important role in hypertension. We examined the interaction of dietary sodium-to-potassium (Na/K) ratio and dinner energy ratio on hypertension. Methods: We conducted this study using data from the cross-sectional National Survey for Nutrition and Adult Chronic Disease in 2015 in Inner Mongolia, China. Dietary data were collected using 24-hour diet records with food weights across 3 consecutive days. Logistic regression was used to determine the interaction of dinner energy ratio and dietary Na/K ratio on hypertension. Results: A total of 1,861 participants were included in this study, and 914 individuals were hypertensive (49.1%). Dinner energy ratio and high dietary Na/K ratio were independently related to high prevalence of hypertension. A formal test showed that dinner energy ratio interacted significantly with dietary Na/K ratio on hypertension (P < 0.001), with an adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 1.119 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.040–1.203). Participants whose dinner energy ratio greater than 39.1% and dietary Na/K ratio of 3.625–6.053 had the highest OR of hypertension prevalence, with an adjusted OR of 2.984 (95% CI, 1.758–5.066), compared with participants with dinner energy ratio of 30.2–39.1%, and dietary Na/K ratio less than 2.348. Conclusion: Our study highlighted the interactive effect of dinner energy ratio and dietary Na/K ratio on hypertension among adults in Inner Mongolia. We advocated a balanced diet (dinner energy ratio not small or large) and a low dietary Na/K ratio for reducing the prevalence of hypertension.

Abstract. Background:. Primary malignant bone tumors are uncommon, and their epidemiological features are rarely reported. We aimed to study the incidence and death characteristics of bone tumors from 2000 to 2015. Methods:. Population-based cancer registries submitted registry data to National Central Cancer Registry of China (NCCRC). The data collected from 501 local cancer registries in China were assessed using NCCRC screening methods and criteria. Incidence and mortality rates of primary bone tumor were stratified by age group, gender, and area. Age-standardized incidence and mortality rates were adjusted using the Chinese standard population in 2000 and Segi's world population. The annual percentage change (APC) in rate was calculated using the Joinpoint Regression Program. Results:. Data from 368 registries met quality control criteria, of which 134 and 234 were from urban and rural areas, respectively. The data covered 309,553,499 persons. The crude incidence, age-standardized incidence, and crude mortality rates were 1.77, 1.35, and 1.31 per 100,000, respectively. Incidence and mortality rates were higher in males than those in females; they showed downward trends, with declines of 2.2% and 4.8% per year, respectively, and the rates in urban areas were lower than those in rural areas. Significant declining trends were observed in urban areas. Stable trends were seen in rural areas during 2000 to 2007, followed by downward trends. Age-specific incidence and mortality rates showed stable trends in the age group of 0 to 19 years, and downward trends in the age group elder than 19 years. Conclusions:. The incidence and mortality rates of primary malignant bone tumors in rural areas were higher compared to those in urban areas. Targeted prevention measures are required to monitor and control bone tumor incidence and improve the quality of life of affected patients. This research can provide a scientific basis for the prevention and control of bone tumors, as well as basic information for follow-up research.

Multiple dynamic impact signals are widely used in a variety of engineering scenarios and are difficult to identify accurately and quickly due to the signal adhesion phenomenon caused by nonlinear interference. To address this problem, an intelligent algorithm combining wavelet transforms with lightweight neural networks is proposed. First, the features of multiple impact signals are analyzed by establishing a transfer model for multiple impacts in multibody dynamical systems, and interference is suppressed using wavelet transformation. Second, a lightweight neural network, i.e., fast-activated minimal gated unit (FMGU), is elaborated for multiple impact signals, which can reduce computational complexity and improve real-time performance. Third, the experimental results show that the proposed method maintains excellent feature recognition results compared to gate recurrent unit (GRU) and long short-term memory (LSTM) networks under all test datasets with varying impact speeds, while its metrics for computational complexity are 50% lower than those of the GRU and LSTM. Therefore, the proposed method is of great practical value for weak hardware application platforms that require the accurate identification of multiple dynamic impact signals in real time.

Graphene has a high specific surface area and high electrical conductivity, and its addition to activated carbon electrodes should theoretically significantly improve the energy storage performance of supercapacitors. Unfortunately, such an ideal outcome is seldom verified in practical commercial supercapacitor design and production. In this paper, the oxygen-containing functional groups in graphene/activated carbon hybrids, which are prone to induce side reactions, are removed in the material synthesis stage by a special process design, and electrodes with high densities and low internal resistances are prepared by a dry process. On this basis, a carbon-coated aluminum foil collector with a full tab structure is designed and assembled with graphene/activated carbon hybrid electrodes to form a commercial supercapacitor in cylindrical configuration. The experimental tests confirmed that such supercapacitors have high capacity density, power density, low internal resistance (about 0.06 mΩ), good high-current charging/discharging characteristics, and a long lifetime, with more than 80% capacity retention after 10 W cycles.

Abstract Archimedean spirals are common in various fields such as biology, engineering, astronomy, and space physics. Here we report the discovery of patterns resembling the general Archimedean spirals in particle distributions in the Earth radiation belt. Our analytic theory and numerical simulations demonstrate that electrons with initially asymmetric spatial distributions form such spirals in the inner magnetosphere, where particles at smaller radial distances move more slowly in angular velocity. These spirals result in time‐varying peaks and valleys in particle fluxes, referred to as “zebra stripes,” which are well consistent with Van Allen Probes measurements. Although the initial asymmetric distribution may be seeded by the electric field in the magnetosphere, the spiral formation does not require them. Furthermore, we show that, due to the same fundamental motion of charged particles in regions dominated by dipole fields, this spiral phenomenon may also appear in the proton distributions, as well as in planetary magnetospheres.

Background: Delayed diagnosis is a major barrier to the effective management of Crohn's disease (CD). Several studies have investigated factors responsible for delays in diagnosis, but no meta-analyses have systematically assessed the impact of these factors. Aim: To assess the impact of various factors on the delayed diagnosis of CD. Methods: PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases were searched to identify observational studies published before April 2022 that assessed factors associated with delays in CD diagnosis. Further, we excluded review articles, case reports, or commentaries without original data. We pooled effect siee distinct samples. The assessment of study quality was performed utilizing the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, while the presence of between-study heterogeneity was investigated. For a visual appraisal of potential publication bias, a funnel plot was employed. The study protocol was registered with PROSPERO, CRD42022322251. Results: A total of 18 studies were included in the paper, covering 13 countries. The study sample consisted of 9669 cases. Ileal CD (OR = 1.46, 95 % CI = 1.21–1.76), smoking at the time of diagnosis (OR = 1.19, 95 % CI = 1.02–1.38), and use of NSAIDs (OR = 1.34, 95 % CI = 1.04–1.72) were significantly associated with a delay in CD diagnosis. However, no significant associations were observed between diagnostic delay and sex, age, endoscopic ileocolonoscopy, or diarrhea. Funnel plot analysis, indicating potential risks of publication bias, suggested the existence of unpublished or unreported study findings. Conclusion: The findings suggest that ileal CD, use of NSAIDs, and smoking are risk factors for the delayed diagnosis of CD. Enhancing education of patients and primary care providers about these factors is warranted.

Tumor cells are able to use glycolysis to produce energy under hypoxic conditions, and even under aerobic conditions, they rely mainly on glycolysis for energy production, the Warburg effect. Conventional tumor therapeutic drugs are unidirectional, lacking in targeting and have limited therapeutic effect. The development of a large number of nanocarriers and targeted glycolysis for the treatment of tumors has been extensively investigated in order to improve the therapeutic efficacy. This paper reviews the research progress of nanocarriers based on targeting key glycolytic enzymes and related transporters, and combines nanocarrier systems with other therapeutic approaches to provide a new strategy for targeted glycolytic treatment of tumors, providing a theoretical reference for achieving efficient targeted treatment of tumors.

Bidirectional single longitudinal mode fiber ring laser have advantages and potential in optical sensing, especially angular velocity sensing. The current methods for implementing bidirectional single longitudinal mode fiber ring laser cannot ensure complete reciprocity in the optical path, and the side mode suppression ratio needs to be increased, while the laser linewidth is relatively wide. This paper proposes a combined filtering structure using a bandpass filter and a cascaded add-drop type fiber ring filter. When realizing bidirectional single longitudinal mode output, the optical path structure is fully reciprocal including polarization state reciprocity, while the side mode suppression ratio is relatively high. The linewidth of the bidirectional laser is around 1.1 kHz, far lower than the previous report of tens of kHz. The fully reciprocal combined filter structure proposed in this paper does not require special devices, and its theoretical system is mature, which is conducive to the subsequent application and improvement of bidirectional single longitudinal mode fiber ring laser.

As a novel portable and robust broadband coherent light source, mid-infrared (MIR) Kerr microresonator-based frequency combs (microcombs) have prospective applications in the precision spectroscopy of molecules and biochemical sensing. The mature integrated silicon photonics platform is well suited for the MIR microcombs study because silicon has both large linear and nonlinear refractive index, but the transparency window of the platform is limited by the cladding material. Here, we numerically demonstrate the generation of a broadband MIR comb in a silicon microring resonator, harnessing the large-cross-section air-cladding waveguide to alleviate the absorption loss. The effects of higher order nonlinearities are also investigated, which show that the effect of five-photon absorption around the pump wavelength (4.78 $\mu$m) is negligible while an octave-spanning (3.5-8 $\mu$m) Raman-Kerr comb line can be obtained with the assistance of Raman effect and a quite pure Kerr frequency soliton comb can also be achieved at large detuning. The proposed structure can be compatible with the CMOS technology, thus can be a very promising solution to the MIR integrated photonics.

Abstract In this paper, a novel variable‐leakage‐flux interior permanent magnet (VLF‐IPM) motor is proposed, which is a kind of mechanical flux‐adjusting PM motor. The VLF‐IPM motor can obtain the advantages of the IPM motor and overcome the difficulty to adjust PM airgap flux by locating a self‐activating device that is introduced in this paper on the rotor. The effect of the flux barriers on the flux leakage circuit is analysed by establishing a rotor parametric model to clarify the influence of flux barriers of the VLF‐IPM motor on flux‐adjusting performance. Then, the electromagnetic performance of VLF‐IPM motors with different volume ratios of cylindrical permanent magnets (CPMs) and rectangular permanent magnets (RPMs) are compared by using the finite element analysis (FEA) method, and the experiment results show that VLF‐IPM motor with characteristics of 0

An eutectic high-entropy alloy (EHEA) consisting mainly of a face-centered cubic (FCC) phase and a C14 Laves phase with the compositions of Co25.1Cr18.8Fe23.3Ni22.6Ta8.5Al1.7 (at%) was successfully prepared by hot isostatic pressing. The present EHEA exhibits a skeleton-type Laves phase structure, deviating from typical EHEA structures. After a series of annealing treatments at 1000 °C for different durations (ranging from 0 to 150 h), the Co3Ta phase precipitated after annealing. The mechanical properties measured at 850 °C showed a tensile strength of 441 MPa and an elongation of 3.3%. The results of the high-temperature tests showed that the mechanical properties of this alloy did not change significantly before and after annealing, and its microstructure showed a high degree of stability, which suggests that the material has some potential for use in high-temperature environments.

In this work, we investigated the mechanical behavior of a low-cost Zr51.9Cu23.3Ni10.5Al14.3 (at. %) metallic glass ribbon prepared with industrial-grade material through the melt-spinning method. The ribbons have good appearances and almost no defects. The mechanical behavior associated with the corresponding microstructure of the ribbon was tested at different strain rates. Striation and veining patterns were observed in the crack propagation zone and the fast fracture zone. The results show that the tensile strength of the ribbons exceeds 1 GPa. Therefore, they are considered to have good potential for industrial applications. This study could contribute to the preparation of low-cost bulk metallic glass.

Abstract Background Currently, mechanical maize kernel harvesting has not been fully utilized in developing countries including China, partly due to the absence of suitable cultivars capable of rapid desiccation during seed maturation. The initiation of rapid desiccation during seed maturation is regulated by abscisic acid (ABA). For further characterization of ABA-regulated key genes and cellular events, it is necessary to perform transcriptome analysis of maize developing embryos. The ABA synthesis-deficient mutant (vp5) and normal maize (Vp5) seeds are suitable materials for such purpose. Results In the present work, developing vp5 and Vp5 embryos were compared by ABA content and transcriptome analyses. Quantitative analysis revealed the significant difference in ABA synthesis between both genotypes. From 29 days after pollination (DAP), ABA content increased rapidly in Vp5 embryos, but decreased gradually in vp5 embryos. At 36 DAP, ABA level in vp5 decreased to 1/4 that of Vp5, suggesting that the differential ABA levels would affect seed maturation. Comparative transcriptomic analysis has found 1019 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between both genotypes, with the most DEGs (818) at 36 DAP. Further, weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) revealed eight DEGs co-expression modules. Particularly, a module was negatively correlated with ABA content in vp5 embryos. The module was mainly involved in metabolic and cellular processes, and its hub genes encoded thiamine, NPF proteins, calmodulin, metallothionein etc. Moreover, the expression of a set of key genes regulated by ABA was further verified by RT-qPCR. The results of the present work suggested that because of ABA deficiency, the vp5 seeds maintained strong metabolic activities and lacked dormancy initiation during seed maturation. Conclusion Transcriptome and WGCNA analyses revealed significant ABA-related changes in metabolic pathways and DEGs between vp5 and Vp5 during seed maturation. The results would provide insights for elucidating the molecular mechanism of ABA signaling and developing high dehydration tolerance maize suitable for mechanical harvesting.

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to develop and validate a predictive model based on a machine learning (ML) approach to identify patients with DKA at increased risk of AKI within 1 week of hospitalization in the intensive care unit (ICU).MethodsPatients diagnosed with DKA from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV (MIMIC-IV) database according to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-9/10 code were included. The patient’s medical history is extracted, along with data on their demographics, vital signs, clinical characteristics, laboratory results, and therapeutic measures. The best-performing model is chosen by contrasting the 8 Ml models. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), sensitivity, accuracy, and specificity were calculated to select the best-performing ML model.ResultsThe final study enrolled 1,322 patients with DKA in total, randomly split into training (1,124, 85%) and validation sets (198, 15%). 497 (37.5%) of them experienced AKI within a week of being admitted to the ICU. The eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) model performed best of the 8 Ml models, and the AUC of the training and validation sets were 0.835 and 0.800, respectively. According to the result of feature importance, the top 5 main features contributing to the XGBoost model were blood urea nitrogen (BUN), urine output, weight, age, and platelet count (PLT).ConclusionAn ML-based individual prediction model for DKA-associated AKI (DKA-AKI) was developed and validated. The model performs robustly, identifies high-risk patients early, can assist in clinical decision-making, and can improve the prognosis of DKA patients to some extent.

Abstract Background Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain the leading cause of premature mortality and burden of diseases in the world. The Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region is located in northern China, constitute 17.66% individuals with Mongolian, which have unique diet and lifestyles. Therefore, the Inner Mongolian Healthy Aging Study (IMAGINS) was designed to explore risk factors for chronic diseases and evaluate the effectiveness of health management on CVDs in population at high-risk. Methods The IMAGINS is an ongoing and prospective cohort study of men and women aged ≥35 years from Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region, northern China. This study performed in investigating risk factors for CVDs, screening and providing health management strategy for high-risk population of CVDs. The IMAGINS began in September 2015 and scheduled to recruiting and follow-up outcome until 2030. For general population, a long-term follow-up will be conducted every 5 years to collect the information above and data on clinical outcomes. For high-risk population, comprehensive health managements were performed and scheduled to follow-up annually. All IMAGINS participants are followed for incident CVDs and death. Discussion The IMAGINS is designed to increase understanding how cardiovascular-related risk factors contribute to the development of CVDs and the positive effect of health management strategy for high-risk CVD participants. Key features of this study include (i) a carefully characterized cohort between high risk of CVDs and non-high risk population; (ii) detailed measurement of CVDs risk factors and health management strategies for high risk population; (iii) long-term follow-up of CVDs and death. The IMAGINS represents a good research opportunity to investigate clinical and genetic factors in high-risk population, might providing basis for the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases.

Abstract Human brucellosis is caused by Brucella species and remains a major burden in both human and domesticated animal populations, especially in Inner Mongolia, China. The aims of this study were to analyze the spatiotemporal trends in human brucellosis in Inner Mongolia during 2010 to 2015, to explore the factors affecting the incidence of brucellosis. The results showed that the annual incidence was 29.68–77.67 per 100,000, and peaked from March to June. The majority of human brucellosis was male farmers and herdsmen, aged 40–59 years. The high-risk areas were mainly Xilin Gol League and Hulunbeier City. The incidence of human brucellosis in Inner Mongolia decreased during 2010 to 2015, although the middle and eastern regions were still high-risk areas. The regions with larger number of sheep and cattle, lower GDP per capita, less number of hospital beds, higher wind speed, lower mean temperature more likely to become high-risk areas of human brucellosis.

Objectives This study aims to estimate the prevalence, awareness, treatment and control rates of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and pre-diabetes as well as to identify its associated factors among Mongolians living in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China.Design Cross-sectional study.Setting and participants This sample included 11 361 Mongolian participants from the Inner Mongolian Healthy Aging Intervention Study, a population-based screening project consisting of 141 255 adults aged above 35 years in Inner Mongolia from 2015 to 31 December 2020.Outcome measures The prevalence and 95% CIs of T2D and pre-diabetes were calculated. Factors associated with the prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of T2D were explored by a binomial logistic regression.Results A total of 17.2% (95% CI 16.5% to 17.9%) of the sample had T2D, of whom 34.0% (95% CI 31.9% to 36.1%) were aware of their diagnosis, 24.7% (95% CI 22.8% to 26.6%) were taking prescribed antidiabetic medications, 6.7% (95% CI 5.6% to 7.8%) had achieved control and 27.5% (95 % CI 26.7% to 28.3%) had pre-diabetes. The prevalence of T2D increased with increasing age, male, lower education level, smoking, obesity and a history of hypertension or dyslipidaemia (all p

Abstract Background An outbreak of aseptic meningitis occurred from June to August 2016, in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China. Methods To determine its epidemiological characteristics, etiologic agent, and possible origin, specimens were collected for virus isolation and identification, followed by molecular epidemiological analysis. Results A total of 363 patients were clinically diagnosed from June 1st to August 31st 2016, and most cases (63.1%, n = 229) were identified between June 22nd and July 17th, with children aged 6 to 12 years constituting the highest percentage (68.9%, n = 250). All viral isolates from this study belonged to genotype C of echovirus 30 (E30), which dominated transmission in China. To date, two E30 transmission lineages have been identified in China, of which Lineage 2 was predominant. We observed fluctuant progress of E30 genetic diversity, with Lineage 2 contributing to increased genetic diversity after 2002, whereas Lineage 1 was significant for the genetic diversity of E30 before 2002. Conclusions We identified the epidemiological and etiological causes of an aseptic meningitis outbreak in Inner Mongolia in 2016, and found that Lineage 2 played an important role in recent outbreaks. Moreover, we found that Gansu province could play an important role in E30 spread and might be a possible origin site. Furthermore, Fujian, Shandong, Taiwan, and Zhejiang provinces also demonstrated significant involvement in E30 evolution and persistence over time in China.

Early identification of individuals with high risk is crucial to preventing cardiovascular disease (CVD). We aimed to determine the prevalence of high CVD risk in Inner Mongolia and to analyze the treatment of major risk factors among individuals with high CVD risk. We selected 70,380 participants aged 35–75 years in Inner Mongolia between 2015 and 2017 using multistage stratified sampling. All participants completed a questionnaire and their blood pressure, blood glucose and lipid levels, height, weight and waist circumference were measured. Participants without a history of CVD were defined as high CVD risk if the predicted 10-year risk for CVD exceeded 10%. We assessed rates of high CVD risk and the prevalence and treatment of major risk factors among individuals with high CVD risk. After excluding participants with previous CVD, 68,083 participants remained. The overall prevalence of high CVD risk was 24.96%. The age- and sex-standardized rate of high CVD risk was 22.92%. Among high-risk participants, the prevalence of risk factors was hypertension (91.9%), dyslipidemia (54.1%), obesity (34.6%), diabetes (27.6%), and smoking (24.5%); clustering of these risk factors was common. The percentage of high-risk individuals taking antihypertensive drugs was 45.94% in those with hypertension; 27.99% of those with diabetes took hypoglycemic drugs and only 5.01% of those with dyslipidemia took lipid-lowering drugs. Control rates of hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia were 1.20%, 4.43%, and 2.78%, respectively. Therefore, the prevalence of high CVD risk was elevated in Inner Mongolia, and treatment and control rates were low.

Abstract Background This study aimed to develop and validate a nomogram for predicting acute kidney injury (AKI) during the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) stay of patients with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). Methods A total of 760 patients diagnosed with DKA from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care III (MIMIC-III) database were included and randomly divided into a training set (70%, n = 532) and a validation set (30%, n = 228). Clinical characteristics of the data set were utilized to establish a nomogram for the prediction of AKI during ICU stay. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression was utilized to identified candidate predictors. Meanwhile, a multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed based on variables derived from LASSO regression, in which variables with P 0.05). DCA showed that our model was clinically useful. Conclusion The nomogram predicted model for predicting AKI in patients with DKA was constructed. This predicted model can help clinical physicians to identify the patients with high risk earlier and prevent the occurrence of AKI and intervene timely to improve prognosis.

In RSSI-based indoor visible light positioning systems, when only RSSI is used for trilateral positioning, the receiver height needs to be known to calculate distance. Meanwhile, the positioning accuracy is greatly affected by multi-path effect interference, with the influence of the multi-path effect varying across different areas of the room. If only one single processing is used for positioning, the positioning error in the edge area will increase sharply. In order to address these problems, this paper proposes a new positioning scheme, which uses artificial intelligence algorithms for point classification. Firstly, height estimation is performed according to the received power data structure from different LEDs, which effectively extends the traditional RSSI trilateral positioning from 2D to 3D. The location points in the room are then divided into three categories: ordinary points, edge points and blind points, and corresponding models are used to process different types of points, respectively, to reduce the influence of the multi-path effect. Next, processed received power data are used in the trilateral positioning method for calculating the location point coordinates, and to reduce the room edge corner positioning error, so as to reduce the indoor average positioning error. Finally, a complete system is built in an experimental simulation to verify the effectiveness of the proposed schemes, which are shown to achieve centimeter-level positioning accuracy.

The application of a bidirectional laser requires the laser intensity in both directions to be balanced. However, the CW and CCW light intensities in current bidirectional erbium-doped fiber laser experiments differ due to the gain competition effect. There is no report on equalizing the intensity in the CW and CCW directions. This paper proposes a bidirectional non-reciprocal optical attenuator using the Faraday optical rotation effect. Continuous attenuation adjustment is realized by changing the angle between the polarizer’s transmission axis and the linear polarized light. In this study, we analyzed the influence of different parameters on the device’s performance, built a non-reciprocal attenuator, and tested the bidirectional attenuation curve, which was consistent with the simulation results. The device was integrated into a bidirectional fiber laser, and the light intensity in both directions was balanced through non-reciprocal adjustment. Combined with closed-loop control, the average intensity difference fluctuation between the two directions was controlled at 0.28% relative to the average power, realizing stable long-term bidirectional fiber laser intensity equalization.

Unlike aerial or terrestrial navigation, the global navigation satellite system (GNSS) is not available underwater. This is a big challenge for underwater navigation. The inertial navigation system (INS) aided by the single-beacon acoustic positioning system (APS) provides one solution, but the long-range case is limited by low-SNR conditions. Inspired by passive synthetic aperture detection, we proposed a new tightly coupled navigation algorithm based on spatial synthesis and one-way-travel-time (OWTT) range measurement. We design two estimators: the DOA/range estimator using the model-based method and the tightly coupled INS/APS navigation estimator. Based on the improved UKF, all information is combined. Simulation is carried out in MATLAB. Compared with range-only tightly coupled INS/APS navigation, synthetic long baseline (SLBL) algorithm and Doppler velocity logger (DVL) aided centralized extended Kalman filter (CEKF) based single beacon INS/OWTT navigation, the proposed method’s performance is proven. The main contributions of this work are: (1). Propose a new architecture of underwater integrated navigation; (2). Apply the passive acoustic detecting method in the navigation to improve accuracy. (3). Apply the tightly coupled method to improve availability.

Abstract Background Hypertension is a worldwide public health problem. We sought to examine the interactive associations among sodium intake, alcohol consumption and hypertension among older adult residents of Inner Mongolia in northern China. Methods This cross-sectional study used data from the National Survey for Nutrition and Adult Chronic Disease in Inner Mongolia. The prevalence of hypertension was age standardized by the direct method. Sodium intake and alcohol consumption were estimated using a weighing method and 24-h recalls on 3 consecutive days. Hypertension was either self-reported or field-measured. Participants were categorized into six subgroups according to combinations of sodium intake status and drinking level. Logistic regression was used to determine the interactive effect of sodium intake and drinking on hypertension. Results Of the 820 older adults who participated in this study, 523 (63.80%, age-standardized rate = 62.33%) had been diagnosed with hypertension. The mean sodium intake was 4.88 g. Sodium intake and drinking excessively were both independently related to higher risk of hypertension. A formal test for a multiplicative interaction between sodium intake and drinking revealed a significant interaction (p = 0.042), and the multivariable-adjusted odds ratio (95% CI) for the interaction was 1.1 (1.0–1.3). After adjusting for confounders, compared with moderate sodium intake and no drinking group, the risk of hypertension was highest among those with both excessive sodium intake and excessive alcohol consumption, with an odds ratio of 3.6 (95% CI: 1.7–7.9). Conclusions The study highlights the interactive effect of sodium intake and alcohol consumption on hypertension. Primary health care providers should pay special attention to older adults with hypertension—especially those with an unhealthy diet including both excessive sodium and excessive alcohol intake. These findings are applicable for older adults in Inner Mongolia and worldwide.

A core feature of liver fibrosis is the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), which are transformed into myofibroblasts and lead to the accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins. In this study, we combined in vitro cellular efficacy with in vivo antifibrosis performance to evaluate the outcome of sorafenib (SRF) loaded layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanocomposite (LDH-SRF) on HSCs. The cellular uptake test has revealed that sorafenib encapsulated LDH nanoparticles were efficiently internalized by the HSC-T6 cells, synergistically inducing apoptosis of hepatic stellate cells. Moreover, the apoptosis rate and the migration inhibition rate induced by LDHs-SRF were 2.5 and 1.7 times that of SRF. Western Blot showed that the TGF-β1/Smad/EMT and AKT signaling pathway was significantly inhibited in HSC-T6 cells treated with LDHs-SRF. For the in vivo experiment, LDHs-SRF were administered to rat models of CCl4-induced liver fibrosis. H&E, masson and sirius red staining showed that LDHs-SRF could significantly reduce inflammatory infiltrate and collagen fiber deposition and immunohistochemical results found that LDHs-SRF treatment significantly inhibited the protein expressions of α-SMA in the liver, these results suggesting that LDHs-SRF exhibited better anti-fibrotic effect than SRF alone and significantly inhibited the proliferation and activation of rat hepatic stellate cells and collagen fiber synthesis.

Changes in spring and autumn phenology and thus growing season length (GSL) pose great challenges in accurately predicting terrestrial primary productivity. However, how spring and autumn phenology in response to land-use change and nitrogen deposition and underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study was conducted to explore the GSL and its components [i.e., the beginning of growing season and ending of growing season (EGS)] in response to mowing and nitrogen addition in a temperate steppe on the Mongolia Plateau during 2 years with hydrologically contrasting condition [dry (2014) vs. wet (2015)]. Our results demonstrated that mowing advanced the BGS only by 3.83 days, while nitrogen addition advanced and delayed the BGS and EGS by 2.85 and 3.31 days, respectively, and thus prolonged the GSL by 6.16 days across the two growing seasons from 2014 to 2015. When analyzed by each year, nitrogen addition lengthened the GSL in the dry year (2014), whereas it shortened the GSL in the wet year (2015). Further analyses revealed that the contrasting impacts of nitrogen on the GSL were attributed to monthly precipitation regimes and plant growth rate indicated by the maximum of normalized difference vegetation index (NDVmax). Moreover, changes in the GSL and its two components had divergent impacts on community productivity. The findings highlight the critical role of precipitation regimes in regulating the responses of spring and autumn phenology to nutrient enrichment and suggest that the relationships of ecosystem productivity with spring and autumn phenology largely depend on interannual precipitation fluctuations under future increased nitrogen deposition scenarios.

Abstract Background Esophageal cancer is among the leading cancer types in Inner Mongolia. This study aimed to investigate the incidence and mortality rates of esophageal cancer in 2015 and the trends in these rates in the 2010–2015 period in this region. Methods National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable (NCCR) screening methods and criteria were used to extract data from 10 cancer registries stratified by area (urban/rural), sex, and age group. The Chinese standard population in 2000 and Segi's world population were used to calculate age‐standardized rates. The annual percentage change (APC) in these rates was calculated using the Joinpoint Regression Program. Results In 2015, Inner Mongolia had 4324 new cases (4027 male vs. 297 female patients) and 3559 deaths (3300 male vs. 259 female patients) from esophageal cancer. The crude incidence, age‐standardized incidence by Chinese population, age‐standardized incidence by world population, and cumulative incidence were 13.45/100 000, 9.92/100 000, 10.18/100 000, and 1.30%, respectively. The corresponding figures for mortality were 11.32/100 000, 8.35/100 000, 8.53/100 000, and 1.04%. The incidence and mortality increased with age between 40 and 80 years. The rates in rural dwellers, especially men, showed negative APC (−13.25% vs. −11.08%; P

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a life-threatening chronic illness. CVD risk may be influenced by environment and lifestyle. People in northern China usually consume high-fat, high-salt diets and alcohol and live in a cold climate over long periods. However, there are limited studies on CVD risk among people in northern China. In the present study, we sought to estimate the CVD risk profile among residents of northern China. Using the Programme of Screening and Intervention Subjects with High Risk Cardiovascular Diseases, we collected data from residents in six cities from September 2015 to June 2017. In total, 56,716 participants aged 40 years and above were finally included in the CVD risk assessment. To assess the 10-year risk of CVD among participants, we used World Health Organisation/International Society of Hypertension risk prediction charts. Among the study participants, 22.7% had a high 10-year risk of CVD. We identified differences in the 10-year CVD risk according to sex, socioeconomic status, and marital status. We conclude that individuals with high socioeconomic status should be encouraged to change their lifestyle habits, and greater medical resources should be invested for individuals residing in rural areas and those with low education levels.

Abstract Background Cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevalence has increased continuously over the last 30 years in China. Dyslipidemia is an important modifiable risk factor in CVD. We aimed to collect current data on the prevalence of dyslipidemia in northern China and explore potential influencing factors. Methods In this cross-sectional study, we selected a representative sample of 65,128 participants aged ≥35 years in Inner Mongolia during 2015–2017. All participants completed a questionnaire and were examined for risk factors. Dyslipidemia was defined according to 2016 Chinese guidelines for adults. The associated factors for dyslipidemia were estimated by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results The age-standardized prevalence of dyslipidemia was 31.2% overall, with 4.3, 2.4, 14.7, and 17.4% for high total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides (TG), and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), respectively. The dyslipidemia prevalence was significantly higher in men than women (37.9% vs. 27.5%, P

Abstract Background Obesity is a major risk factor for the global burden of disease in countries that are economically developed or not. This study aimed to investigate the association between diet quality and obesity indicators applying DASH and aMed. Methods This cross-sectional study on adult nutrition and chronic disease in Inner Mongolia (n = 1320). Dietary data were collected using 24-h diet recall for 3 consecutive days and weighing method. DASH and aMed were used to assess the dietary quality. WC, BMI and WC-BMI were used as obesity indicators. Logistic regression models were used to examine the associations between diet quality and obesity indicators. Results Higher diet quality, assessed by DASH, was only associated with WC. The odds ratio (OR) for abdominal obesity in the highest tertile of DASH scores compared with the lowest was 0.71 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.53, 0.96; P trend = 0.03). Furthermore, aMed was inversely associated with obesity indicators. OR for abdominal obesity in the highest tertile of aMed score compared with the lowest were 0.63 (95% CI 0.47, 0.87; P trend = 0.005) and 0.57 (95% CI 0.41, 0.77; P trend = 0.02) for overweight and obesity, respectively, and 0.60 (95% CI 0.44, 0.81; P trend = 0.02) for high obesity risk. Conclusions Our findings suggest that dietary quality assessed using aMed is more closely associated with obesity than assessment using DASH in working-age adults in Inner Mongolia. The Mediterranean diet can be recommended as a healthy diet to control weight.

This study aims to investigate cases of human plague in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (IMAR), China, and to inform the development of plague prevention and control strategies. On 12th of November 2019, two herdsmen from Sunitezuo Banner, Xilingol League were diagnosed with pneumonic plague in Beijing, China. On November 16th, one resident of Xianghuang Banner, Xilingol League was diagnosed with bubonic plague in Huade County Hospital, Ulanqab, China. On 27th of November, one resident of Siziwang Banner was diagnosed with bubonic plague. In total, 78 close contacts were monitored over a period, but none of them developed symptoms. Plague outbreaks in animals had been reported in Sunitezuo Banner, Xianghuang Banner, and Siziwang Banner in 2019. Two of the four cases were related (husband and wife), but not the other two. All the cases may be associated with contact with rodents (hare) or infected fleas. The cases highlight the importance of early identification of plague cases in humans in order to stop further infection. This demonstrates the value of monitoring and ongoing vigilance on endemic diseases, the importance of updating medical training and raising public awareness about infectious diseases that even have not been observed over decades.

Abstract Background To investigate the prevalence of pterygium and associated factors in Han and Mongolian adults at four survey sites in Inner Mongolia, China. Methods We conducted a population-based, cross-sectional study as part of the China National Health Survey (CNHS). By means of a stratified sampling method, we finally included 2651 participants of 30 years of age or older from a total of 3468 eligible residents. Factors associated with pterygium were analysed by a univariate analysis and logistic regression models. Results The study population included 1910 Han and 741 Mongolian adults. The mean age ± standard deviation of the study cohort was 48.93 ± 11.06 years. The overall prevalence of pterygium was 6.4% (n = 169); 1.4% (n = 38) of the cases were bilateral and 4.8% (n = 128) were unilateral. The most common grade of pterygium was Grade 2. Based on the results of the univariate analysis, eleven factors were included in a multivariate analysis. The results indicated that age (P

Due to the increasing number of network security vulnerabilities, vulnerability risk assessment must be performed to prioritize the repair of high-risk vulnerabilities. Traditional vulnerability risk assessment is based primarily on the Common Vulnerability Scoring Systems (CVSS) and attack graphs. Nevertheless, the CVSS metrics ignore the impact of the vulnerability on the specific network, which accounts that the identical vulnerability exists in different network environments is assigned repeated values. Additionally, the attack graphs still suffer from scalability and readability issues. To solve the above problems, a ranking method based on the heterogeneous information network is innovatively proposed to assess the vulnerability risk in a specific network. It considers the exploitability of a vulnerability, the impact of a vulnerability on the network components, and the importance of the vulnerable components. First, a heterogeneous information network containing vulnerability and host and the relationships between host and host is constructed to compute the risk score for each vulnerability and implement the ranking process. Second, a model extension method is proposed to adapt to situations in which additional factors related to vulnerability risk assessment need to be considered. Finally, we explore two case studies to compare the proposed method with CVSS and attack graph-based methods. The simulation results show that the proposed method can accurately assess the risk of vulnerabilities in a specific network environment and that it has a lower computational complexity than other methods.

In the application of using binocular camera to measure the horizontal alignment deviation, due to the limited field of view of the camera, it is difficult for each camera to obtain all the target points to determine the position of the parts. To this end, a binocular position measurement model, where each optical camera corresponds to one cooperative target point, is established to determine the horizontal alignment deviation between the upper and lower parts. To overcome the problem of insufficient information in calculating the horizontal alignment deviation, the measurement data of a biaxial inclinometer and laser rangefinder are added. The Monte Carlo method is used to determine the error level for any position and attitude in the measurement range based on past work experience. The high accuracy of the position measurement method (the overall error does not exceed 2 mm) for a binocular camera without a common target meets the actual application requirements. This conclusion is verified by the experimental results.

Phase 3 clinical trials and real-world effectiveness studies showed that China’s two main inactivated COVID-19 vaccines are very effective against serious illness. In November 2021, an outbreak occurred in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region that provided an opportunity to assess the vaccine effectiveness (VE) of these inactivated vaccines against COVID-19 caused by the delta variant. We evaluated VE with a retrospective cohort study of close contacts of infected individuals, using a generalized linear model with binomial distribution and log-link function to estimate risk ratios (RR) and VE. A total of 8842 close contacts were studied. Compared with no vaccination and adjusted for age, presence of comorbidity, and time since last vaccination, full vaccination reduced symptomatic infection by 62%, pneumonia by 64% and severe COVID-19 by 90%; reductions associated with homologous booster doses were 83% for symptomatic infection, 92% for pneumonia and 100% for severe COVID-19. There was no significant decline in two-dose VE for any outcome for up to 325 days following the last dose. There were no differences by vaccine brand. Inactivated vaccines were effective against delta-variant illness, and were highly effective against pneumonia and severe COVID-19; VE was increased by booster doses.

A coherent jet oxygen supply plays a key role in the process of electric arc furnace steelmaking: it provides the necessary oxygen for the smelting of molten steel and promotes the flow of the molten pool. Compared with coherent jets in current use, the supersonic combustion coherent jet shrouded in supersonic methane gas could improve the impact capacity and stirring intensity of the molten pool. In order to reduce the smelting cost, the characteristics of the supersonic combustion coherent jet shrouding the supersonic methane and nitrogen mixtures must be studied. Computational fluid dynamics software is used to simulate the supersonic combustion coherent jet under various methane–nitrogen mixing conditions. The six-component combustion mechanism of methane and the Eddy Dissipation Concept combustion reaction model are selected. In agreement with thermal experiments, the simulation results show that the inclusion of a small amount of nitrogen has little effect on the combustion of supersonic shrouding methane gas. However, as the nitrogen content increases, the combustion region of supersonic shrouding gas becomes shorter in length, resulting in decreases in the lengths of the high-temperature, low-density region, and the high-turbulence-intensity region. These effects weaken the ability of the shrouding gas to envelop the main oxygen jet. The potential core length of the main oxygen jet decreases significantly; this decrease first accelerates and then decelerates. These results demonstrate the feasibility of including a small amount of nitrogen (about 10 wt%) in the supersonic shrouding methane gas without substantial negative impacts on the characteristics of the supersonic combustion coherent jet.

Wheat powdery mildew, caused by the fungal pathogen Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici (Bgt), is a destructive disease leading to huge yield losses in production. Host resistance can greatly contribute to the control of the disease. To explore potential genes related to the powdery mildew (Pm) resistance, in this study, we used a resistant genotype YD588 to investigate the potential resistance components and profiled its expression in response to powdery mildew infection. Genetic analysis showed that a single dominant gene, tentatively designated PmYD588, conferred resistance to powdery mildew in YD588. Using bulked segregant RNA-Seq (BSR-Seq) and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) association analysis, two high-confidence candidate regions were detected in the chromosome arm 2B, spanning 453,752,054-506,356,791 and 584,117,809-664,221,850 bp, respectively. To confirm the candidate region, molecular markers were developed using the BSR-Seq data and mapped PmYD588 to an interval of 4.2 cM by using the markers YTU588-004 and YTU588-008. The physical position was subsequently locked into the interval of 647.1–656.0 Mb, which was different from those of Pm6, Pm33, Pm51, Pm52, Pm63, Pm64, PmQ, PmKN0816, MlZec1, and MlAB10 on the same chromosome arm in its position, suggesting that it is most likely a new Pm gene. To explore the potential regulatory genes of the R gene, 2,973 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the parents and bulks were analyzed using gene ontology (GO), clusters of orthologous group (COG), and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis. Based on the data, we selected 23 potential regulated genes in the enriched pathway of plant-pathogen interaction and detected their temporal expression patterns using an additional set of wheat samples and time-course analysis postinoculation with Bgt. As a result, six disease-related genes showed distinctive expression profiles after Bgt invasion and can serve as key candidates for the dissection of resistance mechanisms and improvement of durable resistance to wheat powdery mildew.

Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a serious problem during cancer therapy. The purpose of the present study was to formulate D-α-Tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate-resveratrol-solid lipid nanoparticles (TPGS-Res-SLNs) to improve its therapeutic efficacy against breast cancer. In this study, the solvent injection method was used to prepare the TPGS-Res-SLNs. It was found that the TPGS-Res-SLNs exhibited zeta potential and drug-loading of −25.6 ± 1.3 mV and 32.4 ± 2.6%, respectively. Therefore, it was evident that the TPGS-Res-SLNs can increase cellular uptake of chemotherapeutic drugs, induce mitochondrial dysfunction, and augment tumor treatment efficiency by inducing apoptosis. Moreover, it was found that SKBR3/PR cells treated with TPGS-Res-SLNs exhibited significant inhibition of cell migration and invasion, as compared with free resveratrol. In addition, results from in vivo SKBR3/PR xenograft tumor models revealed that TPGS-Res-SLNs has better efficacy in promoting apoptosis of tumor cells owing to high therapeutic outcomes on tumors when compared with the efficacy of free resveratrol. In conclusion, the findings of the present study indicate significant potential for use of TPGS-Res-SLNs as an efficient drug delivery vehicle to overcome drug resistance in breast cancer therapy.

The quality of excavated and unloaded rock masses on steep and high slopes in cold regions is prone to deterioration, which in turn affects the long-term stability and safety of excavated slopes. Based on a triaxial unloading-damage test of sandstone, the unloading quantity was used to analyze the evolution law of unloading damage; a freeze-thaw cycle test of the unloaded-damaged samples was carried out, and it was found that the average change in porosity and the reloading peak strength damage rate after freeze-thaw increased with the increase in the number of freeze-thaw cycles, and the porosity change characteristics were independent of the value of the confining pressure at the time of the unloading damage. An exponential decay model was used, and based on the average change in porosity after freeze-thaw, a freeze-thaw strength decay model that can take into account the effect of confining pressure was established, and its ability to predict the strength decay of unloaded-damaged rock samples after freeze-thaw was verified by experimental data. The research results provide a reference for the evaluation of freeze-thaw degradation of unloaded rock masses during slope excavation in cold regions.

Frequency-modulated (FM) signals are widely used in sensing, measurement, and signal detection due to their strong anti-interference and easy transmission characteristics. Although the high-precision measurement methods for static signals are quite complete, the high-precision measurement methods for dynamic FM signals still need to be studied, and the measurement accuracy in the high-sampling system still has room for improvement. Traditionally, the equal-precision measurement method is widely applied in most scenarios. However, its accuracy is limited by the quantization error of ±1 word and the sampling gate time, making it difficult to improve the frequency measurement accuracy while ensuring a high sampling rate at the same time. In this paper, a high-precision feedback frequency measurement system with the capability to eliminate the quantization error of ±1 word is proposed. The proposed system consists of two stages, the rough measurement stage based on the equal-precision measurement method and the precise measurement stage based on the negative feedback tracking architecture using the phase–frequency detector (PFD) and direct digital synthesizer (DDS). The effectiveness and feasibility of the system are verified by both simulation and experiment. At the sampling rate of 2 kHz, the frequency measurement accuracy is improved by more than 30 dB.

The most distinctive pathological characteristics of diabetes mellitus induced by various stressors or immune-mediated injuries are reductions of pancreatic islet β-cell populations and activity. Existing treatment strategies cannot slow disease progression; consequently, research to genetically engineer β-cell mimetics through bi-directional plasticity is ongoing. The current consensus implicates β-cell dedifferentiation as the primary etiology of reduced β-cell mass and activity. This review aims to summarize the etiology and proposed mechanisms of β-cell dedifferentiation and to explore the possibility that ther e might be a time interval from the onset of β-cell dysfunction caused by dedifferentiation to the development of diabetes, which may offer a therapeutic wi ndow to reduce β-cell injury and to stabilize functionality. In addition, to investigate β-cell plasticity, we review strategies for β-cell regeneration utilizing genetic programming, small molecules, cytokines, and bioengineering to transdifferentiate other cell types into β-cells; the development of biomimetic acellular constructs to generate fully functional β-cell-mimetics. However, the maturation of regenerated β-cells is currently limited. Further studies are needed to develop simple and efficient reprogramming methods for assembling perfectly functional β-cells. Future investigations are necessary to transform diabetes into a potentially curable disease.

On 12 November 2019, one couple from the Sonid Left Qi (County) in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region was diagnosed with pneumonic plague in Beijing. The wife acquired the infection from her husband. Thereafter, two bubonic plague cases were identified in Inner Mongolia on November 16th and 24th. In this study, genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis was used to identify the phylogenetic relationship of Yersinia pestis strains isolated in Inner Mongolia. Strains isolated from reservoirs in 2018 and 2019 in Inner Mongolia, together with the strain isolated from Patient C, were further clustered into 2.MED3m, and two novel lineages (2.MED3q, 2.MED3r) in the 2.MED3 population. According to the analysis of PCR-based molecular subtyping methods, such as the MLVA 14 scheme and seven SNP allele sequencing, Patients A/B and D were classified as 2.MED3m. In addition, strains from rodents living near the patients' residences were clustered into the same lineage as patients. Such observations indicated that human plague cases originated from local reservoirs. Corresponding phylogenetic analysis also indicated that rodent plague strains in different areas in Inner Mongolia belong to different epizootics rather than being caused by spreading from the same epizootic in Meriones unguiculatus in 2019.

The Martian ionosphere is produced by a number of controlling processes, including solar extreme ultraviolet radiation (EUV) and X-ray ionization, impact ionization by precipitating electrons, and day-to-night transport. This study investigates the structural variability of the Martian ionosphere with the aid of the radio occultation (RO) experiments made on board the recent Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) spacecraft. On the dayside, the RO electron density profiles are described by the superposition of two Chapman models, representing the contributions from both the primary layer and the low-altitude secondary layer. The inferred subsolar peak electron densities and altitudes are 1.24×105 cm–3 and 127 km for the former, and 4.28×104 cm–3 and 97 km for the latter, respectively, in general agreement with previous results appropriate for the low solar activity conditions. Our results strengthen the role of solar EUV and X-ray ionization as the driving source of plasma on the dayside of Mars. Beyond the terminator, a systematic decline in ionospheric total electron content is revealed by the MAVEN RO measurements made from the terminator crossing up to a solar zenith angle of 120°. Such a trend is indicative of day-to-night plasma transport as an important source for the nightside Martian ionosphere.

Abstract Background Tuberculosis (TB) is an important public health issue worldwide. However, evidence concerning the impact of environmental factors on TB is sparse. We performed a retrospective analysis to determine the spatiotemporal trends and geographic variations of, and the factors associated with, the TB prevalence in Inner Mongolia. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of the epidemiology of TB. A Bayesian spatiotemporal model was used to investigate the spatiotemporal distribution and trends of the TB prevalence. A spatial panel data model was used to identify factors associated with the TB prevalence in the 101 counties of Inner Mongolia, using county-level aggregated data collected by the Inner Mongolia Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Results From January 2010 to December 2014, 79,466 (6.36‱) incident TB cases were recorded. The TB prevalence ranged from 4.97‱ (12,515/25,167,547) in 2014 to 7.49‱ (18,406/ 24,578,678) in 2010; the majority of TB cases were in males, and in those aged 46–60 years; by occupation, farmers and herdsmen were the most frequently affected. The Bayesian spatiotemporal model showed that the overall TB prevalence decreased linearly from 2010 to 2014 and occupation-stratified analyses yielded similar results, corroborating the reliability of the findings. The decrease of TB prevalence in the central-western and eastern regions was more rapid than that in the overall TB prevalence. A spatial correlation analysis showed spatial clustering of the TB prevalence from 2011 to 2014 (Moran’s index > 0, P

The demand for accurate indoor localization has become more and more urgent in location-based services (LBS). Since the traditional indoor localization is based on a single fingerprint, which is susceptible to environmental changes, it is hard to obtain high accuracy. In order to fill this gap, we propose a new multiple fingerprints method used in the indoor environment without extra measurement, and it can reduce the uncertainty caused by a single fingerprint. The multiple fingerprints are based on the signal Subspace and the received signal strength index (RSSI) and others, where the signal Subspace represents the characteristic representation of the received array signal and the RSSI represents the signal strength. First, we propose an algorithm named Subspace gradient boost decision tree (Subspace-GBDT) to obtain a strong classifier, which can make a successful prediction. Second, we propose another algorithm named double threshold assisted mode (DTAM) to combine multiple fingerprints. It can achieve accurate prediction by setting two different threshold parameters, the threshold of samples number and classifiers number, and reduce errors of matching. The experiment results show that the proposed method can obtain higher cumulative distribution function (CDF) value and localization accuracy than the traditional methods.