Search

Abstract The recent high death tolls caused by large earthquakes are a further indication that earthquakes remain one of the most destructive natural hazards in the world and can seriously threaten the achievement of disaster reduction goals. To effectively reduce the existing seismic risk, the limited available mitigation resources should be allocated to areas with the most severe potential risk. However, identifying localized concentrations of risk requires detailed studies. Here, we propose a strategy to delineate regional high seismic risk zone at a fine resolution and with high confidence. We demonstrate this strategy by using the seismic hazard and loss estimation results for earthquake scenarios with a magnitude of Mw 7.5 for the Jiaocheng fault of the Shanxi Rift System, China. Our analyses reveal that the delineated zone accounts for only ~7% of the regional land area but for ~85% of the total financial loss. We recommend prioritizing seismic risk mitigation measures in such high-risk zones, especially for densely populated cities in seismically active areas, to better meet the disaster risk reduction targets in the Sendai Framework.

Abstract 30 min of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per day is recommended, but the response and adaptation of endothelial function (EF) to this exercise remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to determine the changes in EF in endurance trained and untrained individuals before and after this exercise and to compare the differences between trained and untrained individuals. Twelve endurance-trained male college athletes (trained group) and 12 untrained male college students (untrained group) performed a 30-min run at an intensity of 60% VO2max. Brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) was measured before exercise, 30 min and 60 min after exercise, and the following morning. Resting diameter and maximum diameter showed large time effects (p

Abstract The Molucca Sea subduction zone is unique for its active divergent double‐subducted slab located in the north of the Java and Banda subduction zones. The spatial proximity of these subduction zones would cause a complex mantle flow field. To clarify the mantle dynamics, here we present P‐wave tilting‐axis anisotropic tomography obtained by inverting a large number of local and teleseismic travel‐time data recorded at 254 seismic stations in eastern Southeast Asia. Our results suggest that the mantle structure and dynamics of the western Molucca Sea subduction zone may be remotely controlled by the Java and Banda subduction zones. Mantle convection in the big mantle wedge west of the Molucca Sea subduction zone is possibly influenced by east‐west mantle flow associated with compression of the Indo‐Australian slab as well as north‐south mantle flow related to rollback of the Indo‐Australian slab. In contrast, the eastern Molucca Sea subduction zone is virtually unaffected by other subduction zones, probably due to the ongoing slab subduction there.

Objective Fast progression (FP) represents a desperate situation for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients undergoing immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy. We aimed to develop a predictive framework based on machine learning (ML) methods to identify FP in advanced NSCLC patients using blood test biomarkers.Methods and analysis We extracted data of 1546 atezolizumab-treated patients from four multicentre clinical trials. In this study, patients from the OAK trial were taken for model training, whereas patients from the other trials were used for independent validations. The FP prediction model was developed using 21 pretreatment blood test variables in seven ML approaches. Prediction performance was evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.Results The prevalence of FP was 7.6% (118 of 1546) in all atezolizumab-treated patients. The most important variables for the prediction model were: C reactive protein, neutrophil count, lactate dehydrogenase and alanine transaminase. The Support Vector Machine (SVM) algorithm applied to these four blood test parameters demonstrated good performance: the area under the ROC curve obtained from the training cohort (OAK), validation cohort 1 (BIRCH) and cohort 2 (merged POPLAR and FIR) were 0.908, 0.666 and 0.776, respectively. In addition, the absolute difference in median survival between the SVM-predicted FP and non-FP groups was significant in both progression-free survival and overall survival (p

Abstract Background Lung cancer is a malignant tumor with the highest mortality worldwide. Abnormalities in the ubiquitin proteasome system are considered to be contributed to lung cancer progression with deleterious effects. DDB1 and CUL4 associated factor 13 (DCAF13) is a substrate receptor of the E3 ubiquitin ligase CRL4, but its role in lung cancer remains unknown. In this study, we aimed to investigate the regulatory mechanisms of DCAF13 in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Methods So as to investigate the effect of DCAF13 on lung adenocarcinoma cell function using in vivo and in vitro. Mechanistically, we have identified the downstream targets of DCAF13 by using RNA-sequencing, as well as ubiquitination assays, co-immunoprecipitation, immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry and chromatin immunoprecipitation - qPCR experiments. Results Our findings reveal that DCAF13 is a carcinogenic factor in LUAD, as it is highly expressed and negatively correlated with clinical outcomes in LUAD patients. Through RNA-sequencing, it has been shown that DCAF13 negatively regulates the p53 signaling pathway and inhibits p53 downstream targets including p21, BAX, FAS, and PIDD1. We also demonstrate that DCAF13 can bind to p53 protein, leading to K48-linked ubiquitination and degradation of p53. Functionally, we have shown that DCAF13 knockdown inhibits cell proliferation and migration. Our results highlight the significant role of DCAF13 in promoting LUAD progression by inhibiting p53 protein stabilization and the p53 signaling pathway. Furthermore, our findings suggest that high DCAF13 expression is a poor prognostic indicator in LUAD, and DCAF13 may be a potential therapeutic target for treating with this aggressive cancer. Conclusions The DCAF13 as a novel negative regulator of p53 to promote LUAD progression via facilitating p53 ubiquitination and degradation, suggesting that DCAF13 might be a novel biomarker and therapeutical target for LUAD.

Abstract SAR439459 (SAR'459), a “second‐generation” human anti‐transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) monoclonal antibody, enhances the activity of immune checkpoint inhibitors. In this phase I/Ib study, we evaluated the safety, pharmacokinetics (PK), pharmacodynamics, and antitumor activity of SAR'459 ± cemiplimab (intravenous) in patients with advanced solid tumors. Increasing doses of SAR'459 were administered every 2 or 3 weeks (Q2W, Q3W) alone (Part 1A) or with 3 mg/kg cemiplimab Q2W or 350 mg Q3W (Part 1B). In Part 2A (dose expansion), melanoma patients were randomly (1:1) administered 22.5 or 7.5 mg/kg SAR'459. In Part 2B (dose expansion), 22.5 mg/kg SAR'459 and 350 mg cemiplimab Q3W were administered. The primary end points were maximum tolerated dose (MTD) or maximum administered dose (MAD; Part 1), preliminary antitumor activity (Part 2B), and optimal monotherapy dose (Part 2A). Twenty‐eight and 24 patients were treated in Parts 1A and 1B, respectively; MTD was not reached, MAD was 15 (Q2W) and 22.5 mg/kg (Q3W) alone and in combination, respectively. Fourteen and 95 patients, including 14 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients, were treated in Parts 2A and 2B, respectively. The population PK model yielded satisfactory goodness‐of‐fit plots and adequately described the observed data by a two‐compartment PK model with linear elimination. Objective responses were not observed in Parts 1 and 2A. In Part 2B, objective response rate was 8.4% and 7.1% across tumor types and the HCC cohort, respectively. The most frequent treatment‐emergent adverse effects were hemorrhagic events (43.5%), keratoacanthoma (6.8%), and skin neoplasms (6.2%). Fatal bleeding occurred in 21.4% HCC patients despite the implementation of mitigation measures. SAR'459 monotherapy and combination with cemiplimab appeared relatively safe and tolerable in limited number of patients in dose escalation. However, the study was discontinued due to the unclear efficacy of SAR'459 and bleeding risk, particularly in HCC patients.

The switch defective/sucrose non-fermentable (SWI/SNF) multisubunit complex plays an important role in the regulation of gene expression by remodeling chromatin structure. Three SWI/SNF complexes have been identified in Arabidopsis including BAS, SAS, and MAS. Many subunits of these complexes are involved in controlling plant development and stress response. However, the function of these complexes has hardly been studied in other plant species. In this study, we identified the subunits of the SWI/SNF complex in sorghum and analyzed their evolutionary relationships in six grass species. The grass species conserved all the subunits as in Arabidopsis, but gene duplication occurred diversely in different species. Expression pattern analysis in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) showed that most of the subunit-encoding genes were expressed constitutively, although the expression level was different. Transactivation assays revealed that SbAN3, SbGIF3, and SbSWI3B possessed transactivation activity, which suggests that they may interact with the pre-initiation complex (PIC) to activate transcription. We chose 12 subunits in sorghum to investigate their interaction relationship by yeast two-hybrid assay. We found that these subunits displayed distinct interaction patterns compared to their homologs in Arabidopsis and rice. This suggests that different SWI/SNF complexes may be formed in sorghum to perform chromatin remodeling functions. Through the integrated analysis of MNase-seq and RNA-seq data, we uncovered a positive relationship between gene expression levels and nucleosome phasing. Furthermore, we found differential global nucleosome enrichments between leaves and roots, as well as in response to PEG treatment, suggesting that dynamics of nucleosome occupancy, which is probably mediated by the SWI/SNF complex, may play important roles in sorghum development and stress response.

Houttuynia cordata Thunb., also known as Yuxingcao in Chinese, occupies a pivotal role in Asian traditional medicine and cuisine. The aerial parts and underground stems of H. cordata exhibit remarkable chemical diversity, particularly in essential oil. Nevertheless, the mechanisms regulating essential oil biosynthesis in H. cordata remain unclear. In this study, we present a quantitative overview of the proteomes across four tissues (flower, stem, leaf, and underground stem) of H. cordata, achieved through the application of the isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ). Our research findings indicate that certain crucial ribosomal proteins and their interactions may significantly impact the production of essential oils in H. cordata. These results offer novel insights into the roles of ribosomal proteins and their associations in essential oil biosynthesis across various organisms of H. cordata.

Abstract Very low‐frequency earthquakes (VLFs) are characterized by longer source duration and smaller stress drop than regular earthquakes of similar magnitude. Recent studies have shown their frequent correlation with low‐frequency earthquakes (LFEs) on shared faults. The underlying source processes governing the occurrence of VLFs and their interaction with LFEs remain elusive. Here, we employ a slip‐weakening model for slow earthquakes. By comparing the source parameters of simulations and observations, it is suggested that VLFs are slow self‐arresting earthquakes that self‐terminate within the nucleation patch. Additionally, we adopt a composite model to reproduce the records of the simultaneous occurrences of a VLF and an LFE in the Nankai area. Our results present the possibility that VLFs, LFEs, and regular earthquakes can be distinguished using a unified dynamic framework.

The combination of nano sizes, large pore sizes and green synthesis is recognized as one of the most crucial and challenging problems in constructing metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). Herein, a water-based strategy is proposed for the synthesis of nanoscale hierarchical MOFs (NH-MOFs) with high crystallinity and excellent stability. This approach allows the morphology and porosity of MOFs to be fine tuned, thereby enabling the nanoscale crystal generation and a well-defined hierarchical system. The aqueous solution facilitates rapid nucleation kinetics, and the introduced modulator acts as a deprotonation agent to accelerate the deprotonation of the organic ligand as well as a structure-directing agent (SDA) to guide the formation of hierarchical networks. The as-synthesized NH-MOFs (NH-ZIF-67) were assessed as efficient adsorbents and heterogeneous catalysts to facilitate the diffusion of guest molecules, outperforming the parent microZIF-67. This study focuses on understanding the NH-MOF growth rules, which could allow tailor-designing NH-MOFs for various functions.

Seismic waves generated by an earthquake can produce dynamic perturbations in the Earth’s gravity field before the direct arrival of P-waves. Observations of these so-called prompt elasto-gravity signals by ground-based gravimeters and broadband seismometers have been reported for some large events, such as the 2011 MW9.1 Tohoku earthquake. Recent studies have introduced prompt gravity strain signals (PGSSs) as a new type of observable seismic gravity perturbation that can be used to measure the spatial gradient of the perturbed gravity field. Theoretically, these types of signals can be recorded by in-development instruments termed gravity strainmeters, although no successful detection has been reported as yet. Herein, we propose an efficient approach for PGSSs based on a multilayered spherical Earth model. We compared the simulated waveforms with analytical solutions obtained from a homogeneous half-space model, which has been used in earlier studies. This comparison indicates that the effect of the Earth’s structural stratification is significant. With the help of the new simulation approach, we also demonstrated how the PGSSs depend on the magnitude of the seismic source. We further conducted synthetic tests estimating earthquake magnitude using gravity strain signals to demonstrate the potential application of this type of signal in earthquake early warning systems. These results provide essential information for future studies on the synthesis and application of earthquake-induced gravity strain signals.

This paper proposes a novel neural network-based control algorithm with fixed-time performance constraints for manipulator systems in workspaces. The algorithm efficiently controls the manipulator’s trajectory tracking by tuning a preset performance function, thereby optimizing both speed and accuracy within a fixed timeframe. Initially, a tangent-type error transformation, applied through homogeneous embryonic transformation, ensures rapid convergence of tracking errors to a specific region. Subsequently, integrating a predetermined control strategy into the fixed-time stability framework ensures the system’s state reaches a defined boundary within a finite period. Lastly, neural networks are employed to approximate dynamic parameters and adjust the controller, achieving optimal parameter approximation and significantly enhancing trajectory tracking robustness. Simulation analyses and comparisons confirm the controller’s effectiveness and superiority in enhancing both the transient and steady-state performance of the control system.

Abstract The 180° curvature of the Banda arc at the eastern end of the Java‐Banda subduction zone reflects complicated geodynamic processes. A detailed investigation of its anisotropic structure would reveal its subduction dynamics, further resolving the controversial issue on how the highly arcuate Banda arc formed. We apply tilting‐axis anisotropic tomography to obtain a high‐resolution 3‐D anisotropic model beneath the Java‐Banda region. Our results show significant differences between Java and Banda in the pattern of anisotropy in both the subducting slab and its surrounding mantle, which reflect two distinctly different deformation modes in the two domains. Our results support the single‐slab subduction model for the Banda region. In addition, trench‐normal and upright fast‐velocity‐planes appear in the deep upper mantle, which may indicate material migrations in the big mantle wedge. Fast‐velocity‐planes in the shallow mantle exhibit a toroidal distribution, reflecting past counter‐clockwise rotation and asthenospheric material extrusion.

Environmental DNA (eDNA) technology has emerged as a valuable tool for monitoring species distribution, assessing aquatic biodiversity and fish biomass. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between eDNA and the biomass of Gnathanodon speciosus (G. speciosus) using quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR) technology. Specific primers were designed for the target species. Water samples were collected from three differently-sized aquariums located at Qingdao Polar Ocean Park between July 2022 and March 2023. The results demonstrated a modest correlation between total biomass and eDNA concentration (Pearson, r = 0.74, p 0.05). This preliminary study lays the groundwork for monitoring and assessing the biomass of G. speciosus. This study also provides valuable insights into quantifying the relationship between environmental DNA and biomass, establishing a crucial theoretical framework for future assessments of open-sea fisheries resources through environmental DNA analysis.

Abstract The location and origin of Neoproterozoic‐Cambrian sutures provide keys to understand the formation and evolution of the supercontinent Gondwana. The Larsemann Hills is located near a major Neoproterozoic‐Cambrian suture zone in the Prydz Belt, but has not been examined locally by comprehensive geophysical studies. In this study, we analyzed data collected from a one‐dimensional (1D) joint seismic‐MT array deployed during the 36th Chinese National Antarctic Research Expedition. We found that a sharp Moho discontinuity offset of 6–8 km shows up in the stacked image of teleseismic P‐wave receiver function analysis; coinciding with the abrupt Moho offset, a near‐vertical channel with (a) low resistivity extending to the uppermost mantle depths, and (b) high crustal Poisson's ratio in the crust is identified. These findings provide evidence for the determination of the location and collisional nature of the Prydz belt or a portion of it.

Abstract The core‐mantle boundary (CMB) marks the most dramatic changes in physical properties within the Earth, and plays a critical role in the understanding of the Earth's dynamics. PmKP waves are seismic phases that reflect (m − 1) times under the CMB and are useful for studying the complex CMB structure. We present an automated workflow for detecting PmKP phases using multi‐station records from global seismic stations. We employ a novel sampling method to extract PmKP waveforms into a 2‐D matrix. Two deep neural networks are then utilized for initial phase detections and subsequent slowness validations. Numerous PmKPab (3 ≤ m ≤ 7) and their CMB diffracted signals were identified for deep earthquakes (magnitude >6) occurred from 2000 to 2020, including diffracted P7KPab waves with diffraction lengths of nearly 20°. Our approach significantly improves the efficiency of PmKP phase identification and holds the capability to detect other weak core phases, such as PKiKP.

Abstract Monitoring tumor biomarkers in a non‐invasive manner for tumor diagnosis has attracted increasing attention. Liquid biopsy mainly includes three types of biomarkers: circulating tumor cells, extracellular vesicles, and circulating nucleic acids. These biomarkers released by tumor cells can travel to other parts of the circulation system. The analysis of circulating tumor markers in the circulation enables early tumor diagnosis, progression evolution, and treatment monitoring, which are important for individualized clinical decisions. In this study, we summarize different DNA nanotechnology strategies that can be used to capture, amplify, and measure circulating biomarkers and discuss the current challenges and outlook.

Drought stress is the key factor limiting soybean yield potential. Soybean seed formation involves a coordinated “subtending leaf-podshell-seed” process, but little is known about the assimilation and transport of photoassimilates in subtending leaves, podshells and seeds or their relationships with soybean seed formation under drought stress. To address these research gaps, two-year experiments with two soybean cultivars, Wandou 37 (drought tolerant) and Zhonghuang 13 (drought sensitive), were conducted under three soil water content (SWC) conditions in 2020 and 2021 based on the responses of their yield to drought. We analyzed the photosynthetic assimilation and translocation of photoassimilates in subtending leaves, podshells and seeds by stable isotope labeling. Compared with those under 75% SWC, 60% SWC and 45% SWC significantly decreased the Wandou 37 seed weight by 19.4% and 37.5%, respectively, and that of Zhonghuang 13 by 26.9% and 48.6%, respectively. Compared with those under 75% SWC, drought stress decreased the net photosynthetic rate and the activities of sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) and sucrose synthase (SuSy), which in turn decreased the photosynthetic capacity of the subtending leaves. The podshells ensure the input of photoassimilates by increasing the SuSy activity, but the weakened source–sink relationship between podshells and seeds under drought stress leads to a decrease in the translocation of assimilates from podshells to seeds. The lack of assimilates under drought stress is an important factor restricting the development of soybean seeds. We conclude that the decrease in seed weight was caused by the decrease in the photosynthetic capacity of the subtending leaves and the decrease in the overall availability of photoassimilates; moreover, by a decrease in the translocation of assimilates from podshells to seeds.

When seismic waves propagate in layered structures, dispersion phenomena occur. Based on the characteristics of dispersion curves, underground velocity structures can be estimated. Using the surface-wave dispersion curves extracted from seismic records and ambient noise for inversion is an important method to constrain the structures of the near surface and lithosphere. In addition to surface waves, significant progress has been made in the research and application of leaky modes and their dispersion in recent years. Leaky modes can provide constraint information for velocity structure inversion, including P-wave velocity, and can compensate for the shortcomings of surface-wave dispersion inversion, which results in more accurate and comprehensive velocity modeling. However, in comparison to surface waves, the amplitude of leaky waves in seismic records and ambient noise is typically much weaker, which leads to significant challenges for the extraction of leaky modes. Furthermore, the study of leaky modes requires a more intricate theoretical framework and numerical solution techniques, which have historically limited their attention in the scientific community. Over the past decades, the theories of leaky modes have been increasingly improved with the relevant research in seismology, optics, and acoustics, which give rise to effective numerical computation tools. This has laid a solid foundation for the practical application of leaky modes. With the increase of high-quality, high-density observational data and advancements in data processing techniques, geoscientists have successfully extracted leaky mode information from various types of data, including natural and artificial earthquakes, as well as ambient noise. This has led to the development of velocity structure imaging methods based on leaky modes. Currently, this imaging approach has been successfully applied in velocity modeling for earthquakes, ambient noise, and exploration seismology, which indicates promising potential for further utilization. In this review, we begin by introducing the theories and numerical methods of leaky modes. We further elaborate on the significance of leaky modes in velocity modeling from a sensitivity perspective. Subsequently, we review several representative studies to highlight the significant advancements in observation and analyze several proposed inversion techniques. Finally, we delve into the critical issues surrounding the use of leaky modes in seismic imaging.

As an important part of urban space, mountains play an extremely important role in the overall landscape and ecology of cities. However, with the continuous development of urbanization and building construction, mountains have been occupied and destroyed in unreasonable ways. Therefore, with the aim of reducing the damage to mountains from construction, this paper explores the design methods to deal with the relationship between buildings and mountainous environments. The historic district of Signal Hill in Qingdao is taken as the research area, since buildings here coexist with the mountainous environment harmoniously. Through the combination of modeling and field research, the slope of the mountain can be divided into three grades: “0–5.8°”, “5.8–11.7°” and “11.7–17.3°”. Therefore, the design characteristics and distribution patterns of 20 design methods that dealt with the mountainous environment in different slope grades can be obtained. Furthermore, by analyzing the design characteristics and distribution patterns, the relationship between the design methods and the slope of mountains can be found, providing more suitable design strategies for buildings located on different slopes of mountains. For other mountain cities worldwide, these rational strategies can provide some helpful design suggestions to better use terrain. It can also reduce the amount of construction volume and damage to the mountainous environment, and further better achieve sustainable development goals.

High fracture strength and fracture toughness are vital requirements for the Al2O3/Al2O3 composites. This advanced structural material is composed of two-dimensional alumina fiber fabrics with porous alumina matrices. However, the Al2O3/Al2O3 composites exhibit low delamination resistance under shear stress. In this study, an as-fabricated Al2O3/Al2O3 composite was densified through a slurry infiltration and sintering (SIS) process. The SIS-cycle-dependent mechanical properties of the Al2O3/Al2O3 composites were investigated. The results showed that the matrix was strengthened, and the fibers were unaffected after SIS process. With increasing SIS cycles, the flexural and interlaminar shear strengths increased, whereas the fracture toughness decreased. The best performance was reached after six SIS cycles, which had a flexural strength of 414.7 ± 41.6 MPa, an interlaminar shear strength of 25.6 ± 3.1 MPa, and a fracture toughness of 11.0 ± 0.3 MPa m1/2. The different changes in fracture strength and fracture toughness with the SIS cycles were attributed to matrix densification and enhanced interfacial bonding. The SIS process has the potential to improve the strength without sacrificing the damage tolerance.

Recent interest in preventing the development of osteoporosis has focused on the regulation of redox homeostasis. However, the action of lycopene (LYC), a strong natural antioxidant compound, on osteoporotic bone loss remains largely unknown. Here, we show that oral administration of LYC to OVX rats for 12 weeks reduced body weight gain, improved lipid metabolism, and preserved bone quality. In addition, LYC treatment inhibited ROS overgeneration in serum and bone marrow in OVX rats, and in BMSCs upon H2O2 stimulation, leading to inhibiting adipogenesis and promoting osteogenesis during bone remodeling. At the molecular level, LYC improved bone quality via an increase in the expressions of FoxO1 and Runx2 and a decrease in the expressions of PPARγ and C/EBPα in OVX rats and BMSCs. Collectively, these findings suggest that LYC attenuates osteoporotic bone loss through promoting osteogenesis and inhibiting adipogenesis via regulation of the FoxO1/PPARγ pathway driven by oxidative stress, presenting a novel strategy for osteoporosis management.

Recently, the increase in marine temperatures has become an important global marine environmental issue. The ability of energy supply in marine animals plays a crucial role in avoiding the stress of elevated temperatures. The investigation into anaerobic metabolism, an essential mechanism for regulating energy provision under heat stress, is limited in mollusks. In this study, key enzymes of four anaerobic metabolic pathways were identified in the genome of scallop Chlamys farreri, respectively including five opine dehydrogenases (CfOpDHs), two aspartate aminotransferases (CfASTs) divided into cytoplasmic (CfAST1) and mitochondrial subtype (CfAST2), and two phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinases (CfPEPCKs) divided into a primitive type (CfPEPCK2) and a cytoplasmic subtype (CfPEPCK1). It was surprising that lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), a key enzyme in the anaerobic metabolism of the glucose–lactate pathway in vertebrates, was absent in the genome of scallops. Phylogenetic analysis verified that CfOpDHs clustered according to the phylogenetic relationships of the organisms rather than substrate specificity. Furthermore, CfOpDHs, CfASTs, and CfPEPCKs displayed distinct expression patterns throughout the developmental process and showed a prominent expression in muscle, foot, kidney, male gonad, and ganglia tissues. Notably, CfASTs displayed the highest level of expression among these genes during the developmental process and in adult tissues. Under heat stress, the expression of CfASTs exhibited a general downregulation trend in the six tissues examined. The expression of CfOpDHs also displayed a downregulation trend in most tissues, except CfOpDH1/3 in striated muscle showing significant up-regulation at some time points. Remarkably, CfPEPCK1 was significantly upregulated in all six tested tissues at almost all time points. Therefore, we speculated that the glucose–succinate pathway, catalyzed by CfPEPCK1, serves as the primary anaerobic metabolic pathway in mollusks experiencing heat stress, with CfOpDH3 catalyzing the glucose–opine pathway in striated muscle as supplementary. Additionally, the high and stable expression level of CfASTs is crucial for the maintenance of the essential functions of aspartate aminotransferase (AST). This study provides a comprehensive and systematic analysis of the key enzymes involved in anaerobic metabolism pathways, which holds significant importance in understanding the mechanism of energy supply in mollusks.

This work reports that the plastic deformation mechanism of lamellar microstructure (LM) in Ti-43.5Al-4Nb-1Mo-0.1B (TNM) alloy transforms from stacking faults (SFs)-dominated process to long-period stacking ordering (LPSO) structures-mediated process with a slight increase in lamellar spacing (LS) (20–36 nm). Multiple LPSO bands significantly enhance the work hardening response and trigger the transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) effect, causing a four-fold higher ductility than SF-deformed LM at 750°C without compromising yield strength (YS). This phenomenon provides novel insights into the development of high-performance TiAl alloys with extremely nano-LM (LS

Abstract Various plants, including sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.), are exposed to waterlogging; however, little is known about the effects of waterlogging at different growth stages on sorghum. A pot experiment was conducted using two sorghum hybrids, Jinuoliang 01 (JN01) and Jinza 31 (JZ31), to investigate the effects of waterlogging at different growth stages on the photosynthesis enzyme activity, chlorophyll content, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, photosynthetic parameters, dry matter accumulation, and grain yield. The experiment was conducted using waterlogging treatments implemented at the five-leaf stage (T1), flowering stage (T2), and filling stage (T3), using standard management (no waterlogging) as a control (CK). The adverse effects of waterlogging on sorghum growth varied with the waterlogging timing, with the maximum impact at T1, followed by T2 and T3. JZ31 was more sensitive to waterlogging compared to JN01. Waterlogged conditions inhibited the photosynthetic enzyme activity and reduced the chlorophyll content and photosynthesis, ultimately lowering the biomass yield and grain yield. The maximum yield loss was observed with the T1 waterlogging treatment; the grain yield of JN01 and JZ31 decreased by 52.01–54.58% and 69.52–71.97%, respectively, compared with CK. Furthermore, the decline in grain yield in T1 was associated with reducing grain number per panicle. These findings indicate that sorghum is sensitive to waterlogging at the five-leaf stage and JZ31 is more sensitive to waterlogging than JN01, which may provide a basis for selecting genotypes and management measures to cope with waterlogging in sorghum.

Abstract Background Stool DNA test has been emerged as an effective noninvasive method for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening, but the real‐world performance of stool DNA test in Chinese population has rarely been reported. Methods A total of 36,527 subjects were recruited in Haining City from January 2021 to December 2021. Participants underwent primary screening by taking both two‐samples fecal immunochemical tests (FITs) and high‐risk factor questionnaire (HRFQ), and those who tested either positive by FITs or evaluated to be high risk by HRFQ were recommended to undertake subsequent stool DNA test and colonoscopy. Results Of 36,527 participants, 34,778 (95%) completed both HRFQ and FITs, 9947 (29%) showed positive results during primary screening, and the colonoscopy compliance rate was 49%. Of primary screening positives, 8733 (88%) completed stool sample collections, and colonoscopy results from 4293 eligible participants were used for analyzing the performance of stool DNA test. The sensitivities for detecting CRC and advanced adenomas (AA) were 100% (95% CI: 60–100%) and 40% (95% CI: 34–46%), and the area under curve (AUC) was 0.961 (95% CI:0.954–0.967) and 0.625 (95% CI: 0.609–0.641), respectively. The specificity of stool DNA test was 84% (95% CI: 82–85%). The false‐positive rate for stool DNA test is about 10% less than that of primary screening. Conclusion Stool DNA test is a cost‐effective and promising alternative strategy for CRC screening in China.

Abstract Objective This study aims to examine the impact of preoperative fibrinogen concentration on the short-term outcomes and hospital length of stay (LOS) of patients undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG). Methods Between January 2010 and June 2022, a retrospective analysis comprised 633 patients who sequentially received isolated, primary CABG. These patients were categorized into normal fibrinogen group (fibrinogen

Background To evaluate the procedural pain experienced by neonates in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) setting and determine the corresponding pain grades.Methods Two experienced nurses independently used the Neonatal Infant Pain Scale (NIPS) to evaluate the neonatal pain during procedures taking place in the tertiary NICU and two level-two neonatal care units in the Children’s Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine. The mean and distribution of NIPS pain scores and the corresponding pain grades of participants when experiencing clinical painful procedures were analysed.Results A total of 957 neonates exposed to 15 common clinical painful procedures were included in the study. The clinical painful procedures experienced by 957 participants could be divided into three groups: severe pain (NIPS score 5–7: peripheral intravenous cannulation, arterial catheterisation, arterial blood sampling, peripherally inserted central catheter placement and nasopharyngeal suctioning), mild to moderate pain (NIPS score 3–4: finger prick, intramuscular injection, adhesive removal, endotracheal intubation suctioning, heel prick, lumbar puncture and subcutaneous injection) and no pain to mild pain (NIPS score 0–2: gastric tube insertion, enema and intravenous injection).Conclusions The neonatal pain response to clinical procedures in NICU had certain pattern and preintervention drug analgesia could be taken for painful procedures with clustered high NIPS pain scores. Meanwhile, full coverage non-drug pain relief measures could be taken for procedures that are with scattered pain scores, and real-time pain evaluation should be provided to determine whether further drug analgesia is required.

Synthetic framework materials are appealing candidates for the fabrication of separation membranes but realizing precise control of aperture distribution and separation threshold remains challenging. Here, the authors show a two-dimensional processible supramolecular framework which can be used in the fabrication of separation membranes by integrating directional organic host-guest motifs and inorganic functional polyanionic clusters.