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Modulation of DNA damage repair in lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) can result in the generation of neoantigens and heightened immunogenicity. Therefore, understanding DNA damage repair mechanisms holds significant clinical relevance for identifying targets for immunotherapy and devising therapeutic strategies. Our research has unveiled that the tumor suppressor zinc finger protein 750 (ZNF750) in LUSC binds to the promoter region of tenascin C (TNC), leading to reduced TNC expression. This modulation may impact the malignant behavior of tumor cells and is associated with patient prognosis. Additionally, single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) of LUSC tissues has demonstrated an inverse correlation between ZNF750/TNC expression levels and immunogenicity. Manipulation of the ZNF750-TNC axis in vitro within LUSC cells has shown differential sensitivity to CD8+ cells, underscoring its pivotal role in regulating cellular immunogenicity. Further transcriptome sequencing analysis, DNA damage repair assay, and single-strand break analyses have revealed the involvement of the ZNF750-TNC axis in determining the preference for homologous recombination (HR) repair or non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) repair of DNA damage. with involvement of the Hippo/ERK signaling pathway. In summary, this study sheds light on the ZNF750-TNC axis's role in DNA damage repair regulation in LUSC, laying a groundwork for future translational research in immune cell therapy for LUSC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies focused on exploring phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5Is)-related hearing impairment. This study aimed to comprehensively explore real-world hearing impairment associated with PDE5Is based on the US Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). The characteristics and correlation of PDE5Is-related hearing impairment reported in the FAERS database from the fourth quarter of 2003 to the second quarter of 2023 were analyzed using disproportionality analysis. The Standardized Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities (MedDRA) Queries (SMQs) were used to analyze the adverse events (AEs) of hearing impairment. A total of 1,438 reported cases of hearing impairment were associated with four PDE5Is, revealing statistically significant reporting odds ratio (ROR), proportional reporting ratio (PRR), and information component (IC) with the SMQ. The average age of all patients was more than 55 years, over 70% of AEs were reported in men. Most of the reported cases were from the United States. Reports for all the drugs indicated an increase since 2008, except for avanafil. This study showed that the disability rates of PDE5Is were 8.14–40%, the rates of initial or prolonged hospitalization were 6.21–10.24%, and the rates of required intervention were 3.31–9.45%. The pharmacovigilance study identified a potential risk of hearing impairment associated with PDE5Is, indicating the need for continuous monitoring and appropriate management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The invasion and expansion of Spartina alterniflora have led to a certain degree of degradation in the ecological environment of coastal wetlands. To discuss the impacts of Spartina alterniflora expansion on the tidal channels, we took the third core area of the Dafeng Elk National Nature Reserve in Yancheng, Jiangsu Province as the study area, retrieved the spatial distribution of Spartina alterniflora by random forest algorithm based on long time series of Landsat and Sentinel-2 images, analysed the expansion models. The tidal channels were obtained by the image segmentation based on MSAVI and visual interpretation and the spatiotemporal evolution traits were finally analysed. The results revealed that the area and perimeter of Spartina alterniflora are continuously increasing, with a wide-ranging invasion. The coverage area peaks at 13.4%, making it the dominant species in the study area. When excluding the influence of human activities, a significant negative correlation emerges between the invasion rate and compactness of Spartina alterniflora and the spatio-temporal evolution of tidal channels. Faster invasion rates and greater compactness correspond to a deceleration in tidal channel morphology development. Additionally, we also found that the growth of Spartina alterniflora has a positive influence on the growth and reproduction of elk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deep Lower Jurassic Ahe Formation (J1a) in the Dibei‐Tuzi area of the Kuqa Depression has not been extensively explored because of the complex distribution of fractures. A study was conducted to investigate the relationship between the natural fracture distribution and structural style. The J1a fractures in this area were mainly high‐angle shear fractures. A backward thrust structure (BTS) is favorable for gas migration and accumulation, probably because natural fractures are more developed in the middle and upper parts of a thick competent layer. The opposing thrust structure (OTS) was strongly compressed, and the natural fractures in the middle and lower parts of the thick competent layer around the fault were more intense. The vertical fracture distribution in the thick competent layers of an imbricate‐thrust structure (ITS) differs from that of BTS and OTS. The intensity of the fractures in the ITS anticline is similar to that in the BTS. Fracture density in monoclinic strata in a ITS is controlled by faulting. Overall, the structural style controls the configuration of faults and anticlines, and the stress on the competent layers, which significantly affects deep gas reservoir fractures. The enrichment of deep tight sandstone gas is likely controlled by two closely spaced faults and a fault‐related anticline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When implementing the gradient descent method in low precision, the employment of stochastic rounding schemes helps to prevent stagnation of convergence caused by the vanishing gradient effect. Unbiased stochastic rounding yields zero bias by preserving small updates with probabilities proportional to their relative magnitudes. This study provides a theoretical explanation for the stagnation of the gradient descent method in low-precision computation. Additionally, we propose two new stochastic rounding schemes that trade the zero bias property with a larger probability to preserve small gradients. Our methods yield a constant rounding bias that, on average, lies in a descent direction. For convex problems, we prove that the proposed rounding methods typically have a beneficial effect on the convergence rate of gradient descent. We validate our theoretical analysis by comparing the performances of various rounding schemes when optimizing a multinomial logistic regression model and when training a simple neural network with an 8-bit floating-point format. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anion exchange membrane water electrolysis (AEMWE) represents a viable solution for achieving large-scale, low-cost hydrogen production. The catalyst and ionomer layers play a crucial role in facilitating the electrochemical reactions on the electrodes in AEMWE. However, the optimization of catalyst-ionomer configurations through architectural and structural development remains an understudied area of research, despite its critical importance. Here, this study involved the preparation and investigation of multiple catalyst-ionomer configurations, including those with single and dual ionomer layers at both the cathode and anode. Our findings indicate that incorporating an additional ionomer layer in the catalyst-coated membrane-based membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) improve their performance by enhancing interfacial contact area and facilitating charge transfer, compared to MEA configurations without ionomer layers. While ionomer-modified catalyst-coated substrate-based MEA configurations do not show a significant improvement in activity, they demonstrate lower potentials during a 150-h stability test. Furthermore, cost-effective MEAs are fabricated by replacing noble metal anode catalysts with commercially available NiFe nanoparticles, which exhibit comparable catalytic activity and enhanced durability. • Introduction of ionomer interlayers into the MEA of an alkaline water electrolyzer. • Ionomer interlayer improves the cell performance of CCM-based configurations due to enlarged ECSA. • Ionomer-modified CCS exhibit reduced overpotential and degradation in 150 h operation. • Innovative hybrid CCM-CCS configuration highlights cost-effective NiFe catalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Powdery mildew (PM) is a fungus that causes disease in both the field and the greenhouse. Utilizing resistant cultivars is the most effective approach of disease management. To develop insertion-deletion (InDel) markers associated to this trait, the whole genomes of the PM resistant line M17050 (P1) and the PM-susceptible line 28-1-1 (P2) were sequenced. A total of 1 200 InDels, with an average of 100 markers per chromosome, were arbitrarily chosen from the sequencing data for experimental validation. One hundred InDel markers were ultimately selected due to their informative genetic bands. Further, an F2 segregating population of melons generated from these two parents was inoculated by the PM pathogen. Based on bulk segregant analysis (BSA) using these 100 InDel markers, the powdery mildew resistance was associated with the genomic region LVpm12.1 on the melon chromosome 12. This region overlapped the previously described quantitative trait locus (QTL)-hotspot area carrying multiple PM-resistance QTLs. Moreover, conventional QTL mapping analysis was done, which located LVpm12.1 in the region between 22.72 and 23.34 Mb, where three highly polymorphic InDel markers MInDel89, MInDel92, and MInDel93 were detected. Therefore, these markers could be used to track this resistance locus in melon while the lines carrying this locus could be employed in PM melon resistance breeding programs after validation tests [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the role and related mechanism of chordin‐like 1 (CHRDL1) in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Methods: The expressions of CHRDL1 were analyzed in both mRNA and protein levels by bioinformatics analysis, immunohistochemistry, and fluorescence in situ hybridization in OSCC. Survival analysis was used to determine the relationship between CHRDL1 and prognosis. In addition, enrichment analysis was used to suggest signal pathways involved in CHRDL1. Besides, the relationships between CHRDL1 and miRNAs, hypoxia, and immune infiltration were explored. Results: The mRNA level of CHRDL1 in OSCC was significantly lower than that in normal tissues, while the protein level was significantly higher than that in normal tissues. The high mRNA levels of CHRDL1 suggested a poor prognosis in patients with OSCC. The enrichment results showed that CHRDL1 might be involved in the Calcium signaling pathway, dilated cardiomyopathy, and focal adhesion. 7 immune cells were positively correlated with CHRDL1, while Tgd was negatively correlated with CHRDL1. In addition, we also found that hsa‐miR‐455‐3p directly targeted CHRDL1 and reduced the mRNA levels of CHRDL1. Conclusion: CHRDL1 plays a vital role in promoting cancer in OSCC and is down‐regulated at the mRNA levels by hsa‐miR‐455‐3p. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For statistical inference on regression models with a diverging number of covariates, the existing literature typically makes sparsity assumptions on the inverse of the Fisher information matrix. Such assumptions, however, are often violated under Cox proportion hazards models, leading to biased estimates with under‐coverage confidence intervals. We propose a modified debiased lasso method, which solves a series of quadratic programming problems to approximate the inverse information matrix without posing sparse matrix assumptions. We establish asymptotic results for the estimated regression coefficients when the dimension of covariates diverges with the sample size. As demonstrated by extensive simulations, our proposed method provides consistent estimates and confidence intervals with nominal coverage probabilities. The utility of the method is further demonstrated by assessing the effects of genetic markers on patients' overall survival with the Boston Lung Cancer Survival Cohort, a large‐scale epidemiology study investigating mechanisms underlying the lung cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Piezo-electrocatalysis based on the non-centrosymmetric materials opens an avenue for mechano-to-H2 production through harvesting mechanical energy, being undergoing significant growth. Direct comparison of the performance of various piezo-electrocatalysts is necessary to obtain the optimal candidates for satisfying the demands of practical application but remains a grand challenge because the acquiescently added sacrificial agents vary considerably in the literature. Herein, we systematically investigate the effect of four commonly used types containing totally 15 sacrificial agents on the piezo-electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution by choosing the typical BaTiO3 catalyst as the demo. It is found that the pH, length of the carbon chain, adsorption strength between catalysts and sacrificial agent, and combination of sacrificial agents would impact on the piezo-electrocatalytic H2 evolution performance. Moreover, the self-decomposition effect is found in the sacrificial agent-water mixtures under ultrasonic vibration, implying that H2 can be generated without piezo-electrocatalysts, which was usually ignored. Thus, in this work, a concept of net H2 yield is suggested to standardize the evaluation of piezo-electrocatalysts in future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modeling and drawing inference on the joint associations between single‐nucleotide polymorphisms and a disease has sparked interest in genome‐wide associations studies. In the motivating Boston Lung Cancer Survival Cohort (BLCSC) data, the presence of a large number of single nucleotide polymorphisms of interest, though smaller than the sample size, challenges inference on their joint associations with the disease outcome. In similar settings, we find that neither the debiased lasso approach (van de Geer et al., 2014), which assumes sparsity on the inverse information matrix, nor the standard maximum likelihood method can yield confidence intervals with satisfactory coverage probabilities for generalized linear models. Under this "large n, diverging p" scenario, we propose an alternative debiased lasso approach by directly inverting the Hessian matrix without imposing the matrix sparsity assumption, which further reduces bias compared to the original debiased lasso and ensures valid confidence intervals with nominal coverage probabilities. We establish the asymptotic distributions of any linear combinations of the parameter estimates, which lays the theoretical ground for drawing inference. Simulations show that the proposed refined debiased estimating method performs well in removing bias and yields honest confidence interval coverage. We use the proposed method to analyze the aforementioned BLCSC data, a large‐scale hospital‐based epidemiology cohort study investigating the joint effects of genetic variants on lung cancer risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chemotherapy resistance is the major cause of recurrence in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). A previous study found that Fusobacterium (F.) nucleatum promoted CRC chemoresistance. Additionally, metformin rescued F. nucleatum-induced tumorigenicity of CRC. Here, we aimed to investigate whether metformin could revert F. nucleatum-induced chemoresistance and explore the mechanism.Methods: The role of metformin in F. nucleatum-infected CRC cells was confirmed using cell counting kit 8 assays and CRC xenograft mice. Stemness was identified by tumorsphere formation. Bioinformatic analyses were used to explore the regulatory molecules involved in metformin and F. nucleatum-mediated regulation of the sonic hedgehog pathway.Results: We found that metformin abrogated F. nucleatum-promoted CRC resistance to chemotherapy. Furthermore, metformin attenuated F. nucleatum-stimulated stemness by inhibiting sonic hedgehog signaling. Mechanistically, metformin diminished sonic hedgehog signaling proteins by targeting the MYC/miR-361-5p cascade to reverse F. nucleatum-induced stemness, thereby rescuing F. nucleatum-triggered chemoresistance in CRC.Conclusions: Metformin acts on F. nucleatum-infected CRC via the MYC/miR-361-5p/sonic hedgehog pathway cascade, subsequently reversing stemness and abolishing F. nucleatum-triggered chemoresistance. Our results identified metformin intervention as a potential clinical treatment for patients with chemoresistant CRC with high amounts of F. nucleatum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Early secretory antigenic target protein 6-culture filtrate protein 10 (EC) skin test is a phase III clinical trial. We validated its accuracy for tuberculosis infection. • We identified that the immune state was associated with the diagnostic accuracy of EC skin test. • This study enriches the clinical evidence in related EC-based skin tests. To verify the diagnostic utility of recombinant fusion protein ESAT6-CPF10 (EC), a novel skin test reagent to detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. A multi-centered, double-blind, randomized controlled trial was conducted from December 17, 2015, to March 2, 2018. Participants involved in this study included those with active tuberculosis (TB), suspected pulmonary TB, or non-TB pulmonary disease. Each participant received three tests simultaneously, TB-specific enzyme-linked immunospot assay (T-SPOT.TB), tuberculin skin test (TST), and EC skin test (ECST), and adverse events were reported. Diagnostic accuracy was analyzed using data from 1085 protocol-compliant participants. The sensitivities of the ECST, TST, and T-SPOT.TB were 91.2% (95% CI, 89.0-93.2%), 91.4% (95% CI, 89.1-93.3%), and 92.1% (95% CI, 89.9-93.9%), respectively. The specificities of the ECST (69.7%, 95% CI, 64.5-74.5%) and T-SPOT.TB (76.1%, 95% CI, 71.2-80.5%) were significantly higher than the TST (54.4%, 95% CI, 48.9-59.7%). The agreements between ECST and TST (kappa = 0.632) and between ECST and T-SPOT.TB (kappa = 0.780) were substantial. No severe adverse event was reported. The diagnostic performance of the ECST was close to the T-SPOT.TB assay in the detection of TB infection and indicated good potential for clinical application in common scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optimal systemic treatment of advanced large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) is still controversial. We intend to explore advanced LCNEC through SEER database, construct nomogram model of advanced LCNEC, and understand the effect of different treatment regimens on LCNEC. We collected 909 patients, divided them into a training set validation set, constructed nomograms using Cox proportional hazards regression models, and evaluated nomogram discrimination and calibration by C-index and calibration curves. Kaplan–Meier will also be used to compare OS in different groups of patients and to explore the impact of different treatment regimens on advanced LCNEC. On the nomogram plotted, the nomogram predicted AUC values over time were always greater than 0.7, the C-index was 0.681 (95% CI 0.656–0.706) and 0.663 (95% CI 0.628–0.698) in the training and validation sets, respectively, and patients were divided into two groups according to risk, and a significant difference in OS was observed between the high-risk and low-risk groups in the training and validation cohorts. Different treatment analyses showed that chemotherapy is still the best treatment for advanced LCNEC. This nomogram provides a convenient and reliable tool for individual assessment and clinical decision-making of patients with advanced LCNEC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • S-nZVI/PAA system could effectively degrade CIP in 60 min. • S doping promotes Fe(II)/Fe(III) cycling and improves the degradation efficiency of CIP. • Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and Fe(IV) contributed to CIP elimination. • S-nZVI/PAA system was effective at mitigating the toxicity of CIP. As commonly observed water pollutants, antibiotics can induce antibiotic-resistance genes and pose significant risks to ecosystems and human health. Consequently, eliminating antibiotics from water environments is essential. We used the sulfidated nano zero-valent iron (S-nZVI) to activate peracetic acid (PAA) system to facilitate ciprofloxacin (CIP) degradation. S-nZVI was fabricated using the liquid-phase method, yielding particles with a predominantly spherical morphology and an average size range of 70–110 nm. Under optimized conditions, the S-nZVI/PAA system had a remarkable CIP removal efficiency of 95.61 % in 60 min. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) and Fe species (Fe(IV)) generated in the S-nZVI/PAA system were fundamental in facilitating the degradation of CIP. The reaction products of CIP were identified, and the toxicity was reduced after degradation. Additionally, an investigation was conducted to explore the practical application potential of the S-nZVI/PAA system. The work provides a promising strategy for the removal of antibiotics in water, and gives new insights into the mechanism of S-nZVI activating PAA to remove antibiotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well-known that hydrated metal ions can act as Brønsted acids, which tend to donate protons increasing the acidic proton concentration in materials, as well as the proton conductivity. However, it is challenging to relate proton conductive properties to the contribution to the inherent Lewis acidity of selected metal ions blocked by many factors such as multiple acidic proton sources, inconsistent proton pathways, or extrinsic grain boundaries. Herein, we assemble a metalloligand [CoIII(notpH3)] with Co2+ or Ni2+ ions by solvothermal reactions to obtain three Co–Co phosphonates [CoIICoIII(notpH)(H2O)3]·xH2O (1), [CoIICoIII(notpH)(H2O)]·2H2O (2), and [CoII3CoIII2(notp)2(H2O)12]·2H2O (3), and one Ni–Co phosphonate [NiII3CoIII2(notp)2(H2O)12]·2H2O (4). Layered compounds 3 and 4 are isostructural, and the pentahydrated metal ions MO(H2O)5 (M = Co2+ in 3 and Ni2+ in 4) act as a single proton source in the structures. Their proton conductive properties have been investigated using compacted pellets and single crystals. Co2+ is a slightly stronger Lewis acid than Ni2+, while the conductivities of single crystals of 3 and 4 along the c axis have a 1.5 times difference and are measured to be 1.37 × 10−5 and 8.07 × 10−6 S cm−1 at 25 °C and 95% RH, respectively. This work provides an excellent example of the effect of different hydrated metal ions on proton conduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Probiotics regulate the health of the host by influencing digestion and absorption, intestinal morphology, microbial composition, and the host's defense against infection. The genus Bacillus encompasses several known probiotics capable of surviving harsh feed processing and extended storage conditions. More importantly, these microbes can still confer probiotic benefits even when administered to animals in the form of spores. Therefore, the screening of Bacillus strains with probiotic potential holds significant importance for aquaculture. In our study, we screened a total of 75 Bacillus strains, leading to the identification of a promising candidate strain, Bacillus velezensis (BSG-2), which has the excellent performance of antagonism towards pathogenic bacteria including Aeromonas hydrophila , Edwardsiella piscicida , and Nocardia seriolae. Genome sequencing provided the evidence of the antibacterial-related genes and gene clusters associated with secondary metabolism. In addition, BSG-2 has a prominent ability to endure harsh environment and secret digestive enzymes, which indicated that BSG-2 has the potential to survive and promote digestion in the intestinal tract through the gastrointestinal tract. Importantly, feeding 56 days, BSG-2 increased activities of digestive and immune-related enzymes, and then promoted growth and decreased mortality and tissue damage of largemouth bass after Nocardia seriolae infection. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that Bacillus velezensis BSG-2 is a promising probiotic candidate offering multiple benefits for largemouth bass. • We screened the Bacillus velezensis with strong stress resistance based on various criteria, named BSG-2. • BSG-2 offering multiple benefits including enhances nutrient absorption and boosts the innate immune for largemouth bass. • BSG-2 strain showed the potential as a feed additive to promote growth and control diseases in aquaculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • S-nZVI was prepared and used as activator of H 2 O 2 for TC degradation. • Sulfidation improved the hydrophobicity and reactivity of nZVI. • Hydroxyl radical (•OH) played the main role in TC degradation. • TC plays a key role in Fe(IV) formation under neutral conditions, whereas•OH plays a crucial role under acidic conditions. Tetracycline (TC) is widely detected in various environments and promotes bacterial resistance. In the present research, sulfide-modified nanoscale zero-valent iron (S-nZVI) was fabricated and used as activator of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2) for TC degradation. Sulfidation could improve the hydrophobicity of nZVI and its reactivity for TC degradation by up to 260 %. The reaction rate constant of the S-nZVI/H 2 O 2 system was 16 times faster than that of the S-nZVI system. The quenching experiments results proved that •OH was the predominant radical involved in TC degradation. •OH played a significant role in ferryl ion (Fe(IV)) formation under acid conditions, while TC plays crucial roles under neutral pH condition in Fe(IV) formation by accelerating Fe(III) oxidation into Fe(IV). The possible degradation pathways were analyzed, and the toxicity analysis confirmed that the S-nZVI/H 2 O 2 system is an effective method for degrading, and thus reducing the toxicity of TC. Therefore, this study suggests the possibility of an S-nZVI/H 2 O 2 system for the efficient degradation of TC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. This study aimed to decipher the bioactive compounds and potential mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula Fuzi Lizhong Decoction (FLD) for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) treatment via an integrative network pharmacology approach. Methods. The candidate compounds of FLD and its relative targets were obtained from the TCMSP and PharmMapper web server, and the intersection genes for NAFLD were discerned using OMIM, GeneCards, and DisGeNET. Then, the PPI and component-target-pathway networks were constructed. Moreover, GO enrichment and KEGG pathway analysis were performed to investigate the potential signaling pathways associated with FLD's effect on NAFLD. Eventually, molecular docking simulation was carried out to validate the binding affinity between potential core components and key targets. Results. A total of 143 candidate active compounds and 129 relative drug targets were obtained, in which 61 targets were overlapped with NAFLD. The PPI network analysis identified ALB, MAPK1, CASP3, MARK8, and AR as key targets, mainly focusing on cellular response to organic cyclic compound, steroid metabolic process, and response to steroid hormone in the biological processes. The KEGG pathway analysis demonstrated that 16 signaling pathways were closely correlated with FLD's effect on NALFD with cancer pathways, Th17 cell differentiation, and IL-17 signaling pathways as the most significant ones. In addition, the molecular docking analysis revealed that the core active compounds of FLD, such as 3′-methoxyglabridin, chrysanthemaxanthin, and Gancaonin H, had a high binding activity with such key targets as ALB, MAPK1, and CASP3. Conclusions. This study suggested that FLD exerted its effect on NAFLD via modulating multitargets with multicompounds through multipathways. It also demonstrated that the network pharmacology-based approach might provide insights for understanding the interrelationship between complex diseases and interventions of the TCM formula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring outcomes of health care providers, such as patient deaths, hospitalizations, and hospital readmissions, helps in assessing the quality of health care. We consider a large database on patients being treated at dialysis facilities in the United States, and the problem of identifying facilities with outcomes that are better than or worse than expected. Analyses of such data have been commonly based on random or fixed facility effects, which have shortcomings that can lead to unfair assessments. A primary issue is that they do not appropriately account for variation between providers that is outside the providers' control due, for example, to unobserved patient characteristics that vary between providers. In this article, we propose a smoothed empirical null approach that accounts for the total variation and adapts to different provider sizes. The linear model provides an illustration that extends easily to other non-linear models for survival or binary outcomes, for example. The empirical null method is generalized to allow for some variation being due to quality of care. These methods are examined with numerical simulations and applied to the monitoring of survival in the dialysis facility data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the effects of different dominant species on the microbial functional diversity of vegetation concrete substrates, the rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soils of three dominant species (Pennisetum alopecuroides (PA), Arthraxon hispidus (AH) and Pueraria lobata (PL)) of vegetation concrete were studied using the Biolog-Eco method at Xiangjiaba Hydropower Station. The results showed that the microbial activity and microbial functional diversity indices in the rhizosphere soil of the three dominant plants were significantly higher than those in the non-rhizosphere soil and that the microbial activity and functional diversity indices in the rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soil of AH, as well as in the rhizosphere soil of PL, were at a high level. The carbon sources predominantly used by rhizosphere soil microbes were carbohydrates, amino acids and polymers, while the carbon sources predominantly used by non-rhizosphere soil microbes were carboxylic acids, amino acids and polymers. The governing elements of the carbon source metabolic features of the microbial community were the soil moisture content (WC), organic matter (OM), total nitrogen (TN), potential of hydrogen (pH), microbial carbon (MBC), microbial nitrogen (MBN) and microbial phosphorus (MBP). Based on a thorough examination of these aspects, it was concluded that vegetation had altered the microbial community structure and functional diversity of the vegetation concrete substrate, perhaps improving the overall metabolic activity. A. hispidus with high adaptability should be prioritized in the regeneration of vegetation on concrete slopes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Immunotherapies targeting ligand-receptor interactions (LRIs) are advancing rapidly in the treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC), and LRIs also affect many aspects of CRC development. However, the pattern of LRIs in CRC and their effect on tumor microenvironment and clinical value are still unclear.Methods: We delineated the pattern of LRIs in 55,539 single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) samples from 29 patients with CRC and three bulk RNA-seq datasets containing data from 1411 CRC patients. Then the influence of tumor microenvironment, immunotherapy and prognosis of CRC patients were comprehensively investigated.Results: We calculated the strength of 1893 ligand-receptor pairs between 25 cell types to reconstruct the spatial structure of CRC. We identified tumor subtypes based on LRIs, revealed the relationship between the subtypes and immunotherapy efficacy and explored the ligand-receptor pairs and specific targets affecting the abundance of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. Finally, a prognostic model based on ligand-receptor pairs was constructed and validated.Conclusion: Overall, through the comprehensive and in-depth investigation of the existing ligand-receptor pairs, this study provides new ideas for CRC subtype classification, a new risk screening tool for CRC patients, and potential ligand-receptor pair targets and pathways for CRC therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This phase I clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the safety of RP22 as a skin test reagent for tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis and to explore the appropriate dosage. Methods: We used a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled identification allergen (IA) skin test. A total of 72 healthy adult volunteers with negative chest X-ray results were randomized into six groups and given a QuantiFERON-TB Gold (QFT) test. Of the 12 participants in each group, eight received RP22 and four received placebo. The doses of RP22 in the six experimental groups ranged from 0.1 to 4.0 μg in a single intradermal injection of 0.1 ml. Skin reactions and adverse events were recorded at intervals. Results: All doses of RP22 except the highest were well tolerated and safe. No serious adverse events associated with the injection were observed in all groups. There were 11 participants who had positive QFT results, eight had a skin reaction with a redness or induration area diameter of greater than 10 mm at 48–72 h, one had no skin reaction. Among the 60 negative-QFT participants, none had a reaction area diameter of greater than 10 mm. Conclusion: The RP22 skin test was well tolerated and safe, it could play a key role in screening for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) by providing a much-wanted alternative to the tuberculin skin test (TST) and interferon-γ release assays (IGRAs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate effective and reasonable methods for the remediation of nitrate nitrogen pollution in groundwater, two groups of laboratory denitrification experiments were conducted: one on the effect of native denitrifying microbes in groundwater and another on the effect of artificially added denitrifying microbes. The water used in the experiment was typical groundwater with a high concentration of nitrate nitrogen. The temperature was controlled at 15°C. Both groups of experiments established four types of culture environments: anaerobic, anaerobic with an added carbon source (glucose), aerobic, and aerobic with an added carbon source (glucose). The results indicated that native denitrifying microbes in the groundwater have almost no ability to remove high concentrations of nitrate nitrogen. However, artificially added denitrifying microbes can effectively promote denitrification. Artificially added denitrifying microbes had the highest activity in an anaerobic environment in which a carbon source had been added, and the rate removal of a high concentration of nitrate nitrogen in groundwater was the highest and reached as high as 89.52%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Loess Plateau has long been considered as a very fragile area that suffers from serious water erosion. With the onset of global climate fluctuations and regional implementation of soil and water conservation measures, it is of great significance to effectively reveal the variations in soil erosion risk and its driving mechanism on the Loess Plateau. Taking the Yanwachuan watershed as a case study and using rainfall, soil, digital elevation model (DEM) and land‐use data, this study applied the Revised Universal Soil loss Equation (RUSLE) model with geographic information system (GIS) technology to analyse the temporal and spatial variations of soil erosion risk and to evaluate the effects of land‐use change and climate change on soil erosion from 1981 to 2016. Future soil erosion risk was also assessed under different land‐use and climate‐change scenarios. Results showed that annual soil loss in the Yanwachuan watershed presented a significant decreasing trend with a rate of 47.928 t km−2 a−1 and that average annual soil loss was 3,543.7 t km−2 from 1981 to 2016. However, some areas, even with good vegetation cover, still had a rather high soil erosion risk (exceeding the severe erosion rate of 5,000 t km−2 in 2000–2016) if located in hilly and gully slope regions. Land‐use change and climate variation contributed 37.2% and 62.8%, respectively, to reducing soil erosion, showing that climate variation played a leading role in current soil‐erosion reduction. In addition, the average soil losses in the 2020s, 2030s and 2040s under different scenarios are predicted to increase by 8.6–42.6% compared with the average soil loss (2,993.8 t km−2) in 2001–2016. Future climate change may be the main driving factor in enhancing the risk of soil erosion. Hence, there is an urgent need to strengthen soil and water conservation research and management in future years. Highlights: This study assessed current and future water erosion risk on the Loess Plateau using the RUSLE model.Areas with steep slopes were still experiencing serious soil erosion risk in 2000–2016.Climate change was the main driving factor for soil erosion variation.Future erosion risk is expected to increase under different climate and land‐use scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Commercialized implementations of anion exchange membrane water electrolysis (AEMWE) require stable operation at high current density. To achieve this, ohmic, electrochemical and concentration polarizations are supposed to be exceedingly suppressed. Among all crucial materials, porous electrodes with catalyst coatings extensively affect the above polarizations, which are highly sensitive to specific mechanical pressure for cell assembly. However, the imposed mechanical pressure and its effects on cell performance are rarely reported in AEMWE cells. Here, quantitative characterizations of mechanical pressure and its effects on i) physical properties of catalyst coated electrodes and ii) corresponding single-cell performance are comprehensively investigated. First, the imposed mechanical pressure on membrane electrode assembly (MEA) is controlled by different total thickness gaps between anode/cathode and poly-tetra-fluoroethylene (PTFE) gaskets (Δd = 0, 100, 200, 300 μm). Second, the above resulted distributions of mechanical pressure are quantitatively studied by a mechanical pressure tracking method. Third, the influence of the mechanical pressure on the physical properties of the electrodes and cell performance are demonstrated. It is proved that the mechanical pressure of ca. 0.5 MPa is comprehensively beneficial for suppressing internal resistance (R Ω) and charge transfer resistance (R ct), with slightly increased mass diffusion resistance (R md) and hydrogen crossover. This study unveils the intrinsic effects of mechanical pressure on cell performance and provides critical insights into baseline benchmarking and single-cell even stack optimization. [Display omitted] • Dependence of cell mechanics, mass transport, wettability over contact pressure. • Electrochemical performance and internal resistance in the pressure range 0–6 MPa. • 0.5 MPa is optimal contact pressure to suppress R Ω /R ct and relieve R md. • Membrane thickness (≥50 μm) favorable to prevent membrane damage. • Pre-assembly and gradually increased mechanical pressure are esential for mounting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To identify transcriptome signatures underlying epileptogenesis in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Methods: Robust rank aggregation analysis was used to integrate multiple microarrays in rodent models of TLE and determine differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in acute, latent, and chronic stages. Functional annotation and protein‐protein interaction analysis were performed to explore the potential functions of the DEGs and identify hub genes with the highest intramodular connectivity. The association between hub genes and hippocampal sclerosis/seizure frequency was analyzed using publicly available RNA‐sequencing datasets from TLE patients. We subsequently established a pilocarpine‐induced status epilepticus (SE) model in rats and validated mRNA expression of hub genes by quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT‐PCR). Results: The DEGs in the acute, latent, and chronic phases of TLE in animal models were prominently enriched in inflammatory response. Hub genes identified in the acute phase mainly participated in biological processes including inflammation, blood‐brain barrier damage, and cell adhesion. The hub genes in the latent phase were related to microglia/macrophage activation (Emr1 and Aif1) and phagocytosis (Cd68, Tyrobp, and Lyz). In the chronic phase, the hub genes were associated with activation of complements and microglia/macrophages. We further found that some hub genes identified in human TLE, such as Tlr2, Lgals3, and Stat3, were positively correlated with seizure frequency. Other hub genes, including Lgals3 and Serpine1, were associated with hippocampus sclerosis. qRT‐PCR analysis confirmed that the mRNA levels of hub genes in rat hippocampus were significantly up‐regulated after SE induction. Conclusions: Our integrated analysis identified hub genes in different stages of epilepsy. The functional annotations suggest that the activation and phagocytic activities of microglia/macrophages may play critical roles in epileptogenesis of TLE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing low-cost and high efficient electrocatalysts for both oxygen and hydrogen evolution reaction in an alkaline electrolyte toward overall water splitting is still a significant challenge. Here, a novel hierarchically heterostructured catalyst composed of ultrasmall Mo 2 C and metallic Co nanoparticles confined within a carbon layer is produced by a facile phase separation strategy. During thermal reduction of CoMoO 4 nanosheets in CO ambient, in-situ generated nanoscale Co and ultrafine Mo 2 C conformally encapsulated in a conductive carbon layer. In addition, some carbon nanotubes catalyzed by Co nanoparticles vertically grew on its surface, creating 3D interconnected electron channels. More importantly, the integrated C@Mo 2 C/Co nanosheets assembled into the hierarchical architecture, providing abundant active surface and retaining the structural integrity. Benefiting from such unique structure, the constructed hierarchical heterostructure shows low overpotentials of 280 mV and 145 mV to reach a current density of 10 mA cm−2 for OER and HER in an alkaline electrolyte. Furthermore, the symmetrical electrolyzer assembled with catalyst exhibits a small cell voltage of 1.67 V at 10 mA cm−2 in addition to outstanding durability, demonstrating the great potential as a high efficient bifunctional electrocatalyst for overall water splitting. Image 1 • A novel hierarchically hetestructured C@Mo 2 C/Co electrocatalyst is constructed. • Ultrafine Mo 2 C and Co nanoparticles are conformally embedded in carbon matrix. • The carbon matrix acts as conductive substrate and structure support. • The C@Mo 2 C/Co electrocatalyst shows superior HER and OER performance in 1M KOH. • The C@Mo 2 C/Co presents bifunctionality of 1.67 V at 10 mA cm-2 for water splitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The course of disease in mild and moderate COVID-19 has many implications for mobile patients, such as the risk of spread of the infection, precautions taken, and investigations targeted at preventing transmission. Methods Three hundred thirty-one adults were hospitalized from January 21 to February 22, 2020, and classified as severe (10%) or critical (4.8%) cases; 1.5% died. Two hundred eighty-two (85.2%) mild or moderate cases were admitted to regular wards. Epidemiological, demographic, clinical, chest computed tomography (CT) scan, laboratory, treatment, and outcome data from patient records were analyzed retrospectively. Results Patients were symptomatic for 9.82±5.75 (1–37) days. Pulmonary involvement was demonstrated on a chest CT scan in 97.9% of cases. It took 16.81±8.54 (3–49) days from the appearance of the first symptom until 274 patients tested virus-negative in naso- and oropharyngeal (NP) swabs, blood, urine, and stool, and 234 (83%) patients were asymptomatic for 9.09±7.82 (1–44) days. Subsequently, 131 patients were discharged. One hundred sixty-nine remained in the hospital; these patients tested virus-free and were clinically asymptomatic because of widespread persisting or increasing pulmonary infiltrates. Hospitalization took 16.24±7.57 (2–47) days; the time interval from the first symptom to discharge was 21.37±7.85 (3–52) days. Conclusions With an asymptomatic phase, disease courses are unexpectedly long until the stage of virus negativity. NP swabs are not reliable in the later stages of COVID-19. Pneumonia outlasts virus-positive tests if sputum is not acquired. Imminent pulmonary fibrosis in high-risk groups demands follow-up examinations. Investigation of promising antiviral agents should heed the specific needs of mild and moderate COVID-19 patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background We aimed to evaluate the antiviral activity and safety of darunavir/cobicistat (DRV/c) in treating COVID-19 patients. Methods In this single-center, randomized, and open-label trial, mild patients with polymerase chain reaction (PCR)–confirmed COVID-19 were enrolled in Shanghai, China. Participants were randomized to receive DRV/c for 5 days on the top of interferon alpha 2b inhaling or interferon alpha 2b inhaling alone. The primary end point was the virological clearance rate of oropharyngeal swabs at day 7 after randomization in the intention-to-treat population (clinicaltrials.gov: NCT04252274). Results From January 30, 2020, to February 6, 2020, a total of 30 patients were enrolled, of whom 18 (60%) were male, aged 47.2 ± 2.8 years; 63.3% (19/30) of the participants had fever, and 46.7% (14/30) had cough at enrollment. The participants were randomized (range) at 4 (2–5) days after onset of symptoms. The proportion of negative PCR results at day 7 was 46.7% (7/15) and 60.0% (9/15) in the DRV/c and control groups (P  = .72), respectively. The viral clearance rate at day 3 was 20% (3/15) in both study groups, while the number increased to 26.7% (4/15) in the DRV/c group and remained 20% (3/15) in the control group at day 5. Fourteen days after randomization, 1 participant in the DRV/c group progressed to critical illness and discontinued DRV/c, while all the patients in the control group were stable (P  = 1.0). The frequencies of adverse events in the 2 groups were comparable. Conclusions Five days of DRV/c did not increase the proportion of negative conversion vs standard of care alone, although it was well tolerated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Fusobacterium nucleatum (F. nucleatum) has been reported to be enriched in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This study aimed to explore the role of F. nucleatum in IBD and its pathogenic mechanism. Methods: Several bacteria that have been reported to be associated with IBD or colorectal cancer were measured in the fecal samples of 91 patients with IBD and 43 healthy individuals. Mice with dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)‐induced colitis and a Caco‐2 cell line were used to explore the pathogenicity of F. nucleatum. Barrier damage was evaluated by a transmission electron microscope, the permeability of fluorescein isothiocyanate‐dextran, transepithelial electrical resistance and immunofluorescence. Protein levels of the cell‐cell junction and activation of the STAT3 signaling pathway were detected by immunohistochemistry and immunoblot. Cytokine secretion and T‐cell differentiation were measured by quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction and flow cytometry. Results: F. nucleatum was significantly enriched in the feces of patients with IBD and its abundance correlated with disease activity. Administration of F. nucleatum markedly exacerbated colitis in a DSS mouse model. Mechanistically, F. nucleatum damaged epithelial integrity and increased permeability by regulating the expression and distribution of tight junction proteins zonula occludens‐1 and occludin. Moreover, F. nucleatum promoted the secretion of cytokines (tumor necrosis factor‐α, interferon‐γ, interleukin [IL]‐1β, IL‐6, and IL‐17), activated the STAT3 signaling pathway, and induced CD4+T cell proliferation and Th1 and Th17 subset differentiations. Conclusion: F. nucleatum can damage the intestinal barrier and induce aberrant inflammation, which exacerbates colitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extreme fast charging in a thick electrode film is critical for high rate lithium sulfur batteries. However, the high ion-path tortuosity of most carbon/sulfur cathodes dramatically hinder their mass transport, thus leading to poor rate performance. This situation goes worse with increasing the electrode thickness. Here, we report a binder-free vertically-aligned carbon nanotube/sulfur (VACNT/S) cathode with an excellent thickness-independent mass transport and high-rate performance. Compared with a conventional disordered carbon nanotube/sulfur electrode, the highly conductive VACNTs provide directional paths for the ultrafast transfer of both lithium ions and electrons, leading to improved kinetics and a stable redox activity. The VACNT/S electrode shows an extremely high initial specific capacity of 894 mA h g−1 at a 5 C rate, and very stable charge/discharge performance with a capacity of 486.1 mA h g−1 after 400 cycles and a low capacity decay rate of 0.1% per cycle. This work demonstrates an efficient pathway for the design of electrodes for high-rate lithium sulfur batteries. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: China harbors 56 ethnic groups and Han accounts for >92% of the total Chinese population. We investigated the frequencies of 15 autosomal short tandem repeat (STR) loci in the Han population of the Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture with the aim of expanding the available population information in human genetics databases and for forensic DNA analysis. Subjects and Methods: We explored the genetic characteristics of 15 autosomal STR loci in 552 unrelated Chinese Han individuals from Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture, Northwestern China using the AmpFISTR Identifiler PCR Amplification Kit. Moreover, phylogenetic analysis was performed between the Han population and other relevant populations based on the autosomal STR genotyping. The neighbor‐joining tree and principle component analysis were generated based on the Nei's standard genetic distance and allelic frequencies, respectively. Results: A total of 171 alleles were observed among 552 unrelated individuals and allelic frequencies ranged from 0.5145 to 0.0009. The combined power of discrimination and combined power of exclusion of the 15 autosomal STR loci were 0.9999999999999999964 and 0.999998243616671, respectively. Conclusions: Population comparison revealed that the Ili Han population were lining up together with other Han populations in China while showing significant differences from other Chinese and worldwide populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have investigated the atomic and molecular oxygen adsorptions on the various sites of the BaO (100) surface with both cluster models and the periodic slab models. We found that the atomic oxygen prefers to adsorb on the surface O2- to form the closed-shell peroxides with the binding energies of 83–88 kcal/mol. Such a high exothermicity provides a large driving force for the dissociation of molecular O2 on the BaO surfaces. As molecular oxygen approaches the BaO surfaces, the triplet ground state O2 molecule first binds electrostatically on top of the surface Ba2+ site. It further quenches to the singlet potential energy surface to form a covalently bonded O32- species. We proposed a plausible pathway in which the O32- species acts as the key precursor for further dissociation, leading eventually to the formation of surface peroxides O22-. This mechanism is helpful for the understanding of a series of related catalytic processes such as the oxidative coupling of methane, the NOx storage reduction, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Highly ordered porous N-doped TiO 2 nanotubes arrays (N-TiO 2 NTAs) are produced via reverse oxidation of porous TiN NTAs in air atmosphere. The band gap of produced porous N-TiO 2 NTAs was reduced from 3.04 eV for TiO 2 NTAs to 2.94 eV. Photocatalytic (PC) investigations indicate that the porous N-TiO 2 NTAs exhibit three times larger visible light PC kinetic rate constant than that of anatase TiO 2 NTAs as a result of the enhanced visible light activity and the large surface area. The results demonstrate that reverse oxidation of nitride is an applicable method for the preparation of nitrogen doping oxide and could be potential using for the fabrication of other carbon or sulfur doped oxide by oxidation of corresponding carbide and sulfide for high efficient visible light photocatalyst. Highlights • Mesoporous N-doped TiO 2 NTAs were fabricated by reverse oxidation of TiN NTAs. • The nitrogen content in TiO 2 NTAs was controlled by oxidation condition. • The porous N-TiO 2 NTAs exhibit enhanced PC activity tha n that of bare TiO 2 NTAs. • High PC activity is due to the porous structure and good visible light response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polytetrafluoroethylene(PTFE) is an excellent solid self-lubricant material, which has a wide range of industrial applications. In this paper, PTFE was modified with lubricants graphite (Gr), molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) and reinforcements glass fiber (GF), carbon fiber (CF). The orthogonal experimental design was used to establish the orthogonal experimental table with the volume fraction of each filler as the orthogonal experimental design factor and the wear rate and friction coefficient as the objective factors. Through orthogonal analysis, the effect of different volume fraction of fillers on tribological properties of PTFE-based composites was studied. The result showed that the sequence of factors that influenced the friction coefficient of PTFE-based composites is Gr, MoS2, GF and CF. The order of the factors that influenced the wear rate of samples is GF, CF, MoS2 and Gr. The optimizing formulation was proposed according to the analysis of the experiment results, it may provide some references for the optimization design of tribological properties of high-performance PTFE composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Determining rock‐block structures is important for modeling jointed rock masses. This paper presents a method to construct the boundary structures of complex blocks by eliminating fictitious surfaces. The planes involved in forming a complex block are retrieved, and the boundary polygons on each plane are determined using a series of Boolean operations. A regulation method is used to adjust the resulting polygons so that the regulated outer boundary structures can be used directly in the contact‐detection algorithms. The interior fracture boundaries that are not explicitly associated with the formation of blocks are also constructed. These boundary surfaces are valued in hydraulic models to provide conductive channels of fluids in rock masses. The proposed method extends previous developments on block‐identification algorithms, and the constructed boundary structures can be used directly in the modeling process of most discrete models. The program implemented based on this method has been used to study the stability and morphology of blocks in the Three Gorges Project, and several examples are given to further demonstrate the ability and performance of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Analyzing the stability of rock blocks is important in rock engineering. Most block analysis methods assume the blocks are formed by planar fractures whereas the stability of blocks formed by curved fractures are rarely investigated. However, large fractures observed in field are often curved. This paper presents a method for analyzing the stability of blocks formed by both planar and curved fractures. The blocks are represented as assemblages of element-blocks with possible cracked rock bridges. First, the triangle meshes representing the curved boundaries of blocks are simplified using an edge-collapsing-based method. Then, possible cracking rock bridges are determined by extending fracture facets and comparing the boundary surfaces in the new block system with those in the original one. The connection relation of the element-blocks are used to determine possible moving blocks, and the resisting force on rock bridges are considered when calculating the safety factor of each possible moving block. Finally, the possible moving block with the minimum safety factor is regarded as the actual moving block and the associated minimum safety factor is defined as the actual safety factor of the block. Several analytical examples are given to validate the proposed method and the results show that blocks formed by curved fractures may be unstable if the cracking of rock bridges is considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Graphene deposited on the surface of a carbon felt (CF) using a solution coating method has been developed as a high-performance positive electrode for an all vanadium redox flow battery (VRB). A key to obtain excellent electrochemical activity towards the VO 2 +/VO2+ redox couple is to wrap the CF using the graphene with high specific surface area and superb conductivity. It is found that the dipping times of CF into the graphene/Nafion solution significantly affect its electrochemical activity. The cyclic voltammetry (CV) results indicate that with 5 dipping times, the graphene coated CF (G/CF) exhibits the highest peak current and lowest peak potential difference towards the VO 2 +/VO2+ redox couple. More importantly, the VRB assembled with our novel G/CF cathodic electrode shows a decreased polarization during charge/discharge process compared with the control VRB with the pristine CF. Consequently, both the voltage efficiency and energy efficiency of the VRB with G/CF electrode have increased compared to the one with pristine CF. Our work provides a simple solution coating process to fabricate graphene modified CF electrode for VRB with high performance and this simple method is believed to be promising in other electrocatalysts applications. Highlights • A graphene coated carbon felt electrode (G/CF) for has been fabricated. • The graphene is homogenous dispersed on the surface of fiber of carbon felt. • The G/CF electrode displays high activity towards the VO2+/VO 2 + redox couple. • The G/CF electrode shows much better cell performance compared to pristine carbon felt electrode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Objective This study aimed to investigate the long-term outcome in seizure-free patients and to explore the risk factors of seizure relapse following antiepileptic drug (AED) withdrawal. Methods This study included 161 patients who had been seizure-free for at least 2 years. These patients were monitored over a follow-up period of at least 3 years or until seizure relapse after AED withdrawal. Patients were grouped into a seizure-free group and a relapse group. Risk factors of seizure relapse were analyzed. Results During the follow-up period, 72 patients (44.7%) relapsed while 89 patients (55.3%) did not. The average time of relapse was 19.12 ± 27.17 months after the initiation of AED withdrawal, and majority of cases occurred within the first 24 months of AED withdrawal (73.6%). Univariate analysis showed that the likelihood of relapse was higher in patients with uncontrolled seizures beyond the first 6 months of AED therapy initiation, patients with a history of perinatal injury, patients with multiple seizure types, and patients who had been treated with a combination of AEDs. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that uncontrolled seizures beyond the first 6 months of AED treatment and a history of perinatal injury were independent risk factors of seizure relapse. Conclusion In the majority of cases, epilepsy relapse occurred within the first two years after the initiation of AED withdrawal. The independent risk factors of seizure relapse were uncontrolled seizures beyond the first 6 months of AED therapy and cases with a history of perinatal injury. Highlights • The prognosis of seizure-free patients is generally good. The seizure-free retention rate 5 years after AED withdrawal is 57%. • The AED treatment efficacy in the first 6 months of treatment was significantly related to the prognosis of AED withdrawal. • The seizure-free interval before AED withdrawal has no significant impact on the long-term outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the effect of recharge water temperature on bioclogging processes and mechanisms during seasonal managed aquifer recharge (MAR), two groups of laboratory percolation experiments were conducted: a winter test and a summer test. The temperatures were controlled at ~5±2 and ~15±3 °C, and the tests involved bacterial inoculums acquired from well water during March 2014 and August 2015, for the winter and summer tests, respectively. The results indicated that the sand columns clogged ~10 times faster in the summer test due to a 10-fold larger bacterial growth rate. The maximum concentrations of total extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) in the winter test were approximately twice those in the summer test, primarily caused by a ~200 μg/g sand increase of both loosely bound EPS (LB-EPS) and tightly bound EPS (TB-EPS). In the first half of the experimental period, the accumulation of bacteria cells and EPS production induced rapid bioclogging in both the winter and summer tests. Afterward, increasing bacterial growth dominated the bioclogging in the summer test, while the accumulation of LB-EPS led to further bioclogging in the winter test. The biological analysis determined that the dominant bacteria in experiments for both seasons were different and the bacterial community diversity was ~50% higher in the winter test than that for summer. The seasonal inoculums could lead to differences in the bacterial community structure and diversity, while recharge water temperature was considered to be a major factor influencing the bacterial growth rate and metabolism behavior during the seasonal bioclogging process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives This study measures the prevalence of risk factors among pregnant women and young children aged 12-24 months in a rural community in West Bengal, India. Methods Community health workers (CHWs) enrolled women and children into this 2015 cross-sectional study. Pregnant women were evaluated for underweight, anemia, and abnormal blood pressure. Children were evaluated for underweight, abnormal head and upper arm circumferences, and low scores from the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ). Data were collected on smartphones and tablets or by paper. Results More than half of the 279 women (59.9%) had a risk factor during pregnancy: 48.7% were anemic, 35.1% had low blood pressure, and 7.5% were underweight. Among the 366 children, 59.3% had a risk factor, including 24.0% with low ASQ scores and 49.7% who had abnormal anthropometric measures. Conclusions for Practice Vulnerable populations, such as pregnant women and young children, needed a greater connection to doctors in this rural community. This study demonstrated the feasibility of CHWs to listen to health concerns and connect underserved populations with health care services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) responsible for tomato yellow leaf curl disease (TYLCD) causes a substantial decrease in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) yield worldwide. The use of resistant variety as a sustainable management strategy has been advocated. Tremendous progress has been made in genetically characterizing the resistance genes (R gene) in tomato. Breeding tomato for TYLCV resistance has been based mostly on Ty-3 as a race-specific resistance gene by introgression originating from wild tomato species relatives. Improvement or development of a cultivar is achievable through the use of marker-assisted selection (MAS). Therefore, precise and easy use of gene-targeted markers would be of significant importance for selection in breeding programs. The present study was undertaken to develop a new marker based on Ty-3 gene sequence that can be used for MAS in TYLCV resistant tomato breeding program. The new developed marker was named ACY. The reliability and accuracy of ACY were evaluated against those of Ty-3 linked marker P6-25 through screening of commercial resistant and susceptible tomato hybrids, and genetic segregation using F2 population derived from a commercial resistant hybrid AG208. With the use of bioinformatics and DNA sequencing analysis tools, deletion of 10 nucleotides was observed in Ty-3 gene sequence for susceptible tomato variety. ACY is a co-dominant indel-based marker that produced clear and strong polymorphic band patterns for resistant plant distinguishing it from its susceptible counterpart. The obtained result correlates with 3:1 segregation ratio of single resistant dominant gene inheritance, which depicted ACY as gene-tag functional marker. This marker is currently in use for screening 968 hybrids varieties and one thousand breeding lines of tomato varieties stocked in Jiangsu Green Port Modern Agriculture Development Company (Green Port). So far, ACY has been used to identify 56 hybrids and 51 breeding lines. These newly detected breeding lines were regarded as potential source of resistance for tomato breeding. This work exploited the sequence of Ty-3 and subsequently contributed to the development of molecular marker ACY to aid phenotypic selection. We thus recommend this marker to breeders, which is suitable for marker-assisted selection in tomato. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) syndrome is an autosomal dominant neoplastic disorder. The VHL tumor suppressor (VHL) gene has previously been identified to represent the causative gene of VHL. Previous studies have demonstrated that >506 different mutations in VHL are associated with VHL syndrome. The aim of the present study was to determine the VHL gene mutation present in a VHL syndrome pedigree and to investigate the pathogenesis of the mutant protein. Briefly, a family suffering from VHL syndrome in a Chinese Han population was recruited, and a missense mutation (c.345 C>A: p.H115Q) was revealed to be present within the VHL gene in the proband. Furthermore, Sanger sequencing revealed two carriers of the mutation within the family. The results of the present study also demonstrated a mutation in VHL associated with the VHL syndrome phenotype, which may be of future therapeutic benefit for the diagnosis of VHL syndrome. These results may also be relevant to further studies aiming to investigate the molecular pathogenesis of VHL syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compaction is an important part of diagenesis affecting porosity in conjunction with burial depth and time. However, the relation between initial porosity and sandstone compaction remains unclear. This paper aims to clarify the effect of initial porosity on the compaction of consolidated sandstone in the microdeformation stage via experiments, mathematical modeling, and statistical analyses. According to the physical experiments in the Ordos Basin, sandstone porosity decreases with increasing overburden load, and the porosity-decrease trends of two similar samples with different initial porosities converge gradually. Based on the Bingham visco-elasto-plastic stress–strain model, a theoretical model for the vertical uniaxial compaction of consolidated porous rocks was constructed. The equivalent viscosity coefficient (EVC) of consolidated sandstones was approximately estimated by a contrastive analysis and an iterative computation on the basis of the geologic statistical model proposed in this study. The results in Hangjin Qi show that the Young’s modulus and the EVC of low-porosity compaction trend (LPCT) are exponential and power-law functions of the corresponding porosity, respectively. The derivation of theoretical model indicates that the compressibility and the initial porosity of porous sandstone during microdeformation are positively correlated, in accordance with simulation experiments. The initial porosity affects the elastic modulus and the viscosity coefficient and consequently, the sandstone compaction during microdeformation stage. Such an effect can contribute to the improvements of both the compaction degree analyses of different burial processes in sandstone porosity evolution and reservoir quality evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Community health workers (CHWs) have been placed in many rural areas in India to increase villagers’ connections to basic preventive health care. In this study, we describe how pregnant women and mothers of young children react when CHWs inform them that they, or their child, are at high risk of pregnancy-related complications or early childhood developmental delays, and further screening and health care from a physician is recommended. Methods: In this longitudinal study in rural villages in West Bengal, India, pregnant mothers, as well as mothers of children aged 12–24 months, were screened for high risk complications. They were re-contacted and asked questions regarding how and to what extent did visits by the CHWs improve their household’s overall health behavior, along with details about what additional care, if any, they sought. These responses are presented by different demographic and medical characteristics. Results: Of the 231 pregnant women, all said they had sought additional care in response to the CHW visit, and all stated that feedback from the CHW resulted in improvement to their health behaviors. Most (90%) pregnant women gave birth at an institution. Among the 213 mothers of young children who were followed up, all sought additional care in response to the CHW’s visit. Most (67%) mentioned that they had a significant improvement in their health behaviors following feedback from the CHW, and the rest stated that they had some improvement. Conclusions: With the proper training, CHWs can be partners in health care to improve the health of vulnerable populations, not only in rural areas of India, but also in other developing countries. CHWs can promote positive health outcomes in their villages of residence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]