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Abstract Active catalysts are typically metastable, and their surface state depends on the gas-phase chemical potential and reaction kinetics. To gain relevant insights into structure-performance relationships, it is essential to investigate catalysts under their operational conditions. Here, we use operando TEM combining real-time observations with online mass spectrometry (MS) to study a Cu catalyst during ethylene oxidation. We identify three distinct regimes characterized by varying structures and states that show different selectivities with temperature, and elucidate the reaction pathways with the aid of theoretical calculations. Our findings reveal that quasi-static Cu2O at low temperatures is selective towards ethylene oxide (EO) and acetaldehyde (AcH) via an oxometallacycle (OMC) pathway. In the dynamic Cu0/Cu2O oscillation regime at medium temperatures, partially reduced and strained oxides decrease the activation energies associated with partial oxidation. At high temperatures, the catalyst is predominantly Cu0, partially covered by a monolayer Cu2O. While Cu0 is extremely efficient in dehydrogenation and eventual combustion, the monolayer oxide favors direct EO formation. These results challenge conclusions drawn from ultra-high vacuum studies that suggested metallic copper would be a selective epoxidation catalyst and highlight the need for operando study under realistic conditions.

Abstract Backgroud Sustaining proliferation signaling is the top hallmarks of cancer, driving continuous tumor growth and resistance to drug treatments. Blocking proliferation signaling has shown limited benefit in clinical treatment of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, highlighting the urgent need to deeply understand proliferation signaling and develop new therapeutic strategies. Methods By leveraging clinical data and data from the TCGA and GDSC datasets, we investigated the association between MMP-28 expression and the sensitivity to EGFR inhibitors as well as the prognosis of PDAC. Transcriptomic and biological experiments explore the regulatory role of MMP-28 on the EGFR signaling pathway. Additionally, in vitro and in vivo studies are employed to evaluate MMP-28 as a biomarker for sensitivity to EGFR inhibitors. Results We found that MMP-28, a metalloproteinase, was significantly associated with the sensitivity to EGFR inhibitors. Furthermore, MMP-28 could promote PDAC growth and metastasis. Mechanistically, MMP-28 facilitated the maturation and release of the TGF-α precursor, thus promoting EGFR activation. In return, EGFR upregulated MMP-28 through AP-1-mediated transcription, forming a positive feedback loop that provided sustaining proliferation signaling for PDAC. Subsequently, MMP-28 was identified to predict the response to EGFR inhibitors and recognize responsive patients. Conclusions Our findings revealed the role of MMP-28 and EGFR in generation of sustaining proliferation signaling and provided a new therapy strategy for PDAC.

Abstract This study investigates the application of prompt engineering to optimize prompt-driven ChatGPT for generating electronic medical records (EMRs) during lung nodule screening. We assessed the performance of ChatGPT in generating EMRs from patient–provider verbal consultations and integrated this approach into practical tools, such as WeChat mini-programs, accessible to patients before hospital visits. The findings highlight ChatGPT’s potential to enhance workflow efficiency and improve diagnostic processes in clinical settings.

Abstract Background Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the most prevalent types of liver malignancy and poses a severe threat to global health. Despite recent improvements in therapeutic approaches, treatment options for patients with advanced or recurrent HCC are still limited. Materials and methods Our study analyzed miRNA differential expression using data from hepatocellular carcinoma patients in the Cancer Genome Atlas. Pyroptosis-related genes were identified from gene cards. Differential expression of miRNAs was analyzed using DESeq2 and visualized using ggplot2 and pheatmap. A prognostic risk model for pyroptosis-associated miRNAs was constructed using LASSO regression and validated by principal component analysis, Kaplan-Meier survival and ROC curve analysis. We also performed gene and pathway enrichment analysis. Immune cell infiltration and function in HCC were assessed using single-sample genomic enrichment analysis, and correlations with immune cells and function were explored. Also, CCK-8 assay as well as migration and invasion assays were performed after knockdown of miR-6844. Results We have established and validated a prognostic risk model based on ten DEmiRNAs, which is important for the survival of HCC patients. Significant changes in immune cell infiltration and immune function were also found in high-risk patients. It also demonstrated that knockdown of miR-6844 inhibited HCC cell proliferation, migration and invasion, highlighting its role in HCC progression. Conclusion Our study reveals the implications of pyroptosis-associated differential miRNAs on the prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and provides a foundation for novel HCC therapies, especially immunotherapy.

Abstract Due to the hallucination of the underlying large language model(LLMs) or the unclear description of the task’s ultimate goal, the agents have become somewhat confused. Despite having completed tasks, they have not ceased working, leading to a waste of resource. We propose similarity-based task timely termination method for image-based intelligent agents, This method involves recording the scenario state after the completion of each sub-task and comparing it with the fully completed task scenario state using a structural similarity method. The result is quantified and standardized into a structural similarity index, which is used to judge whether the task has been completed. Moreover, we categorize the types of agents based on model and created an image-based agent task dataset. In experimental results, the image-based agents using this method showed an average reduction of 1.94 steps in the number of steps to complete 20 task tests, a $$44.1\%$$ reduction in time costs, and a $$47.3\%$$ reduction in token costs. This method can effectively reduce the negative actions of image-based agents when they experience hallucinations, ensuring their tasks are completed excellently, and it can effectively reduce the waste of resources such as time, tokens, and hardware. Our project can be found at GitHub .

Abstract Background In China, investigations into the efficacy of neurological clinical teaching try to ascertain the impacts of various teaching methods on intervention outcomes. However, these studies often suffer from limited sample sizes, single-center studies and low quality, compounded by the lack of direct comparative analyses between teaching methods, thereby leaving the identification of the most effective method unresolved. This study aims to compare the effectiveness of various teaching methods in the standardized training of Chinese neurology clinicians to inform an optimal teaching model utilizing a Bayesian network meta-analysis (NMA) approach. Methods A comprehensive computer search was conducted to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the efficacy of 7 teaching methods: problem-based learning (PBL), case-based learning (CBL), flipped classroom model (FCM), evidence-based medicine (EBM), clinical practice (CP), team-based learning (TBL), and lecture-based learning (LBL). The search, which spanned databases including the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Citation Database (CDD), China Science Periodical Database (CSPD), Chinese BioMedical Literature Database (CBM), PubMed, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library, covered the period from the inception of these databases to April 1, 2023. The quality of the included studies was evaluated, and the data were analyzed in R 4.3.2 and Stata 17.0 software. Results From the 31 studies included, comprising 2124 subjects, significant findings emerged. In theoretical examinations, a statistically significant difference was noted among the teaching methods, with CBL, PBL, TBL, FCM, and EBM showing superior performance over the LBL method. The effectiveness ranking of these methods was as follows: CBL > PBL > TBL > FCM > EBM > CP > LBL. In terms of practical skills examinations, a similar pattern of effectiveness was observed. Here, the order of effectiveness was CBL > EBM > PBL > TBL > FCM > CP > LBL. Conclusions This NMA indicated that the modern teaching pedagogies, particularly CBL, could be effective in neurology education, and might help improve the theoretical examinations and practical skills of neurology clinicians. Fully tapping into the strengths of modern teaching methods in neurology teaching will require additional work and advancing research.

Abstract Background Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) alone or in combination with standard chemotherapy for advanced urothelial carcinoma (UC) have been tested as first-line treatment in clinical trials. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes of programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) inhibitor alone or combined with chemotherapy for patients with locally advanced or metastatic UC in a real world clinical care setting, and sought to identify prognostic factors for overall survival (OS). Methods A retrospective, real-world study involving 35 locally advanced or metastatic UC patients treated with PD-1 inhibitor alone or in combination with chemotherapy was conducted. Kaplan–Meier curves were used to assess progression-free survival (PFS) and OS. A Cox regression analysis was conducted to explore the association of baseline variables with OS. Results In our cohort of 35 patients, 7 patients were treated with PD-1 inhibitor alone and 28 with PD-1 inhibitor plus platinum-based chemotherapy. The median OS was 16.0 months (95% CI: 11.9–20.1), and median PFS was 12.0 months (95% CI: 8.6–15.4) for all patients. PD-1 inhibitor combined with chemotherapy was associated with better PFS than PD-1 inhibitor monotherapy (HR: 0.19, p = 0.018). Treatment-related adverse events (AEs) of any grade occurred in 5 (71.4%) patients who received PD-1 inhibitor and 24 (85.7%) patients who received PD-1 inhibitor plus chemotherapy. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS) and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) were identified as prognostic factors. Conclusion This study suggested that patients with locally advanced or metastatic UC could benefit from PD-1 inhibitor alone or combined with chemotherapy in daily clinical practice. ECOG PS and NLR can be used for prognostication of survival.

Traditional active power sharing in microgrids, achieved by the distributed average consensus, requires each controller to continuously trigger and communicate with each other, which is a wasteful use of the limited computation and communication resources of the secondary controller. To enhance the efficiency of secondary control, we developed a novel distributed self-triggered active power-sharing control strategy by introducing the signum function and a flexible linear clock. Unlike continuous communication–based controllers, the proposed self-triggered distributed controller prompts distributed generators to perform control actions and share information with their neighbors only at specific time instants monitored by the linear clock. Therefore, this approach results in a significant reduction in both the computation and communication requirements. Moreover, this design naturally avoids Zeno behavior. Furthermore, a modified triggering condition was established to achieve further reductions in computation and communication. The simulation results confirmed that the proposed control scheme achieves distributed active power sharing with very few controller triggers, thereby substantially enhancing the efficacy of secondary control in MGs.

Abstract To meet the demand for non‐contact displacement detection of magnetic levitation spheres, single‐ended and differential variable electrode distance capacitance displacement detection schemes are designed in this paper. For these two schemes, finite element simulation models are established in COMSOL Multiphysics software to obtain the relationship between the test capacitance and the displacement of the magnetic levitation sphere. In the single‐ended scheme, there is a non‐linear relationship between the test capacitance and the position of the levitated sphere, and this non‐linearity becomes more significant as the sphere moves away from the electrode plate. In contrast, in the differential scheme, the test capacitance and the displacement of the levitated sphere follow a linear relationship, but the test sensitivity decreases with the expansion of the measuring range. The simulation results of the differential scheme have been verified by building a spherical displacement detection simulator, and thanks to the mature development of capacitive detection circuits, the scheme is expected to achieve better than nanoscale displacement detection resolution in the 6.6 mm displacement range of a magnetic levitation sphere in the future.

Abstract High-temperature superconductivity was discovered in the pressurized nickelate La3Ni2O7 which has a unique bilayer structure and mixed valence state of nickel. The properties at ambient pressure contain crucial information of the fundamental interactions and bosons mediating superconducting pairing. Here, using X-ray absorption spectroscopy and resonant inelastic X-ray scattering, we identified that Ni 3 $${d}_{{x}^{2}-{y}^{2}}$$ d x 2 − y 2 , Ni 3 $${d}_{{z}^{2}}$$ d z 2 , and ligand oxygen 2p orbitals dominate the low-energy physics with a small charge-transfer energy. Well-defined optical-like magnetic excitations soften into quasi-static spin-density-wave ordering, evidencing the strong electronic correlation and rich magnetic properties. Based on an effective Heisenberg spin model, we extract a much stronger inter-layer effective magnetic superexchange than the intra-layer ones and propose two viable magnetic structures. Our findings emphasize that the Ni 3 $${d}_{{z}^{2}}$$ d z 2 orbital bonding within the bilayer induces novel electronic and magnetic excitations, setting the stage for further exploration of La3Ni2O7 superconductor.

Abstract Cancer cells encounter unavoidable stress during tumor growth. The stress-induced transcription factor, activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4), has been reported to upregulate various adaptive genes involved in salvage pathways to alleviate stress and promote tumor progression. However, this effect is unknown in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). In this study, we found that ATF4 expression was remarkably upregulated in tumor tissues and associated with poor ccRCC outcomes. ATF4 depletion significantly impaired ccRCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro and in vivo by inhibiting the AKT/mTOR and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related signaling pathway. RNA sequencing and functional studies identified nuclear protein 1 (NUPR1) as a key downstream target of ATF4 for repressing ferroptosis and promoting ccRCC cell survival. In addition, targeting ATF4 or pharmacological inhibition using NUPR1 inhibitor ZZW115 promoted antitumor immunity in syngeneic graft mouse models, represented by increased infiltration of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Furthermore, ZZW115 could improve the response to the PD-1 immune checkpoint blockade. The results demonstrate that the ATF4/NUPR1 signaling axis promotes ccRCC survival and facilitates tumor-mediated immunosuppression, providing a set of potential targets and prognostic indicators for ccRCC patients. Graphical abstract

Abstract Two-dimensional conjugated coordination polymers exhibit remarkable charge transport properties, with copper-based benzenehexathiol (Cu-BHT) being a rare superconductor. However, the atomic structure of Cu-BHT has remained unresolved, hindering a deeper understanding of the superconductivity in such materials. Here, we show the synthesis of single crystals of Cu3BHT with high crystallinity, revealing a quasi-two-dimensional kagome structure with non-van der Waals interlayer Cu-S covalent bonds. These crystals exhibit intrinsic metallic behavior, with conductivity reaching 103 S/cm at 300 K and 104 S/cm at 2 K. Notably, superconductivity in Cu3BHT crystals is observed at 0.25 K, attributed to enhanced electron-electron interactions and electron-phonon coupling in the non-van der Waals structure. The discovery of this clear correlation between atomic-level crystal structure and electrical properties provides a crucial foundation for advancing superconductor coordination polymers, with potential to revolutionize future quantum devices.

BackgroundDuring the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the implementation of public health intervention measures have reshaped the transmission patterns of other infectious diseases. We aimed to analyze the epidemiological characteristics of dengue in Guangdong Province, China, and to investigate the temporal shifts in dengue epidemic in Guangdong Province during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsBased on the data of dengue reported cases, meteorological factors, and mosquito vector density in Guangdong Province from 2012 to 2022, wavelet analysis was applied to investigate the relationship between the dengue incidence in Southeast Asian (SEA) countries and the local dengue incidence in Guangdong Province. We constructed the dengue importation risk index to assess the monthly risk of dengue importation. Based on the counterfactual framework, we constructed the Bayesian structural time series (BSTS) model to capture the epidemic trends of dengue.ResultsWavelet analysis showed that the local dengue incidence in Guangdong Province was in phase correlation with the dengue incidence of the prior month in relative SEA countries. The dengue importation risk index showed an increasing trend from 2012 to 2019, then decreased to a low level during the COVID-19 pandemic. From 2020 to 2022, the average annual number of reported imported cases and local cases of dengue in Guangdong Province were 26 and 2, respectively, with a decrease of 95.62% and 99.94% compared to the average during 2017-2019 (594 imported cases and 3,118 local cases). According to BSTS model estimates, 6557 local dengue cases may have been reduced in Guangdong Province from 2020 to 2022, with a relative reduction of 99.91% (95%CI: 98.85-99.99%).ConclusionThe incidence of dengue in Guangdong notably declined from 2020 to 2022, which may be related to the co-benefits of COVID-19 intervention measures and the intensified interventions against dengue during that period. Furthermore, our findings further supported that dengue is not currently endemic in Guangdong.

Glucolipid metabolic disorder (GMD) is an urgent global public health problem. Fermented turmeric (FT) might be a functional food resource for prevention and treatment of GMD, but its effect and mechanism remain unclear. In this study, the activity of FT on GMD involving brown adipose tissue (BAT) was investigated. The results of animal experiment suggested that 4-week FT supplement comprehensively improved the characteristic symptoms of GMD, showing better therapeutic efficacy than crude turmeric. Due to activation of BAT in the process of treatment, transcriptome analysis was performed for the underlying mechanism based on BAT. As a result, butanoate metabolism signaling pathway was highlighted with regulating ACSM3 and HADH. Considering the poor absorption of curcuminoids, intestinal environment was analyzed for further exploring the upstream signal of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) metabolism. And FT reversed intestinal dysbiosis and enriched SCFAs producing bacteria, including Bacteroides, Odoribacter, Parvibacter and un_Muribaculaceae. Simultaneously, the production and absorption of three SCFAs had been upregulated. Increasing SCFAs could play a crucial role in stimulating butanoate metabolism of BAT to improve GMD, especially butyric acid. Consequently, the SCFAs mediating crosstalk between microbiota and BAT could contribute to anti-GMD activity. Our study demonstrated the great potential of FT for prevention and treatment of GMD, and provided a basis for its further application and development.

Functional safety is an emerging trend for safety design in the automobile industry. This study is an innovative exploration of a hazard analysis and quantitative risk assessment (QRA) methodology based on the functional safety of vehicular fuel cell systems. In this study, the potential hazards that fuel cell vehicles may encounter during operation were identified using the automobile generic hazard list. The failure modes and influences of the main components of the fuel cell system were determined via hazard and operability studies. Furthermore, the risks and consequences of the fuel cell system were explored using the QRA method. The failure frequency and unavailability of the fuel-cell system were calculated, and the architecture was optimized using a redundant design with a focus on hydrogen safety. The results showed that the optimized system architecture could effectively reduce the hazard of hydrogen leakage, and the unavailability and failure frequency of hydrogen leakage risk were reduced by 94.4 % and 36.8 %, respectively. Thus, this study provides powerful insights for future research and improvement of vehicular fuel cell systems.

Abstract Tumor spread through air spaces (STAS) is a distinctive metastatic pattern affecting prognosis in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) patients. Several challenges are associated with STAS detection, including misdetection, low interobserver agreement, and lack of quantitative analysis. In this research, a total of 489 digital whole slide images (WSIs) were collected. The deep learning-based STAS detection model, named STASNet, was constructed to calculate semi-quantitative parameters associated with STAS density and distance. STASNet demonstrated an accuracy of 0.93 for STAS detection at the tiles level and had an AUC of 0.72–0.78 for determining the STAS status at the WSI level. Among the semi-quantitative parameters, T10S, combined with the spatial location information, significantly stratified stage I LUAD patients on disease-free survival. Additionally, STASNet was deployed into a real-time pathological diagnostic environment, which boosted the STAS detection rate and led to the identification of three easily misidentified types of occult STAS.

Abstract Many species of Sapindaceae, such as lychee, longan, and rambutan, provide nutritious and delicious fruit. Understanding the molecular genetic mechanisms that underlie the regulation of flowering is essential for securing flower and fruit productivity. Most endogenous and exogenous flowering cues are integrated into the florigen encoded by FLOWERING LOCUS T. However, the regulatory mechanisms of flowering remain poorly understood in Sapindaceae. Here, we identified 60 phosphatidylethanolamine-binding protein-coding genes from six Sapindaceae plants. Gene duplication events led to the emergence of two or more paralogs of the FT gene that have evolved antagonistic functions in Sapindaceae. Among them, the FT1-like genes are functionally conserved and promote flowering, while the FT2-like genes likely serve as repressors that delay flowering. Importantly, we show here that the natural variation at nucleotide position − 1437 of the lychee FT1 promoter determined the binding affinity of the SVP protein (LcSVP9), which was a negative regulator of flowering, resulting in the differential expression of LcFT1, which in turn affected flowering time in lychee. This finding provides a potential molecular marker for breeding lychee. Taken together, our results reveal some crucial aspects of FT gene family genetics that underlie the regulation of flowering in Sapindaceae.

Diphenyl ether herbicides are extensively utilized in agricultural systems, but their residues threaten the health of sensitive rotation crops. Functional microbial strains can degrade diphenyl ether herbicides in the rhizosphere of crops, facilitating the restoration of a healthy agricultural environment. However, the interplay between microorganisms and plants in diphenyl ether herbicides degradation remains unclear. Thus, the herbicide-degrading strain Bacillus sp. Za and the sensitive crop, maize, were employed to uncover the interaction mechanism. The degradation of diphenyl ether herbicides by strain Bacillus sp. Za was promoted by root exudates. The strain induced root exudate re-secretion in diphenyl ether herbicide-polluted maize. We further showed that root exudates enhanced the rhizosphere colonization and the biofilm biomass of strain Za, augmenting its capacity to degrade diphenyl ether herbicide. Root exudates regulated gene fliZ, which is pivotal in biofilm formation. Wild-type strain Za significantly reduced herbicide toxicity to maize compared to the ZaΔfliZ mutant. Moreover, root exudates promoted strain Za growth and chemotaxis, which was related to biofilm formation. This mutualistic relationship between the microorganisms and the plants demonstrates the significance of plant-microbe interactions in shaping diphenyl ether herbicide degradation in rhizosphere soils. [Graphic: see text] The author(s) have dedicated the work to the public domain under the Creative Commons CC0 “No Rights Reserved” license by waiving all of his or her rights to the work worldwide under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights, to the extent allowed by law, 2024.

Aiming at the three-temperature test requirements of high-power density chips, the third generation of refrigerant direct cooling technology has been developed. Three kinds of direct cooling evaporators with triply periodic minimal surfaces (TPMS) are designed and systematically simulated in this paper. The mechanism of augmentation of heat transfer are determined, and the thermal characteristics of the direct cooling evaporators of TPMS are analyzed. The results indicate that the Primitive relies on faster fluid flow and the formation of eddy currents to enhance heat transfer. However, due to the large resistance, the comprehensive performance of the Primitive is 70–78 % worse than that of a conventional serpentine channel, while the flow resistance of Diamond and Gyroid is smaller, and the comprehensive performance is 432–845 % and 238–450 % better than that of a serpentine channel, respectively. The validity of the phase change simulation method is verified by comparing the results of the phase change simulation of a copper tube with experimental results, with a maximum error of 4.9 %. The Diamond channel with the best comprehensive performance is considered and numerically simulated by this method, and heat flux distribution and temperature field close to the actual values are obtained.

Exploring whether the evolution system of urban ecological environment vulnerability had fractal characteristics is an important basis for objectively evaluating the risk of urban ecological environment vulnerability and improving the reliability of risk warning. Existing research focused on explaining the performance characteristics of complex systems through single scale and multi-dimensional features, and could not dynamically depict the infinite fine approximation characteristics between local development and overall situation of complex systems, resulting in weak reliability of urban ecological environment vulnerability risk warning. Introducing fractal theory into the study of the characteristics of urban ecological environment vulnerability systems, a systematic framework for judging the fractal characteristics of urban ecological environment vulnerability evolution was established around the nonlinear, long-range correlation, and scale-free aspects of fractal theory. Based on the 20 years panel data of 35 cities in China, the fractal characteristics of urban ecological environment vulnerability systems were verified, and the relationship between Hurst index and fractal dimension in continuous time windows was further established. The complexity of urban ecological environment vulnerability systems in continuous time windows was accurately characterized by fractal dimension, providing effective indicators for risk assessment. The results showed that the vulnerability evolution system of urban ecological environment had complexed nonlinear characteristics, and the random Hurst indexes calculated by rescaled range analysis (R/S) was close to 0.5, indicating that the vulnerability evolution system had long-term memory. The vulnerability evolution system described by the random walk model follows a power-law relationship, indicating that the vulnerability evolution system had scale-free self-similarity characteristics. The risk level of the vulnerability evolution system described by the fractal dimension is consistent with reality, indicating that the fractal dimension had strong indicative effect on the risk judgment of the vulnerability evolution system.

ABSTRACT The genus Petrocodon is renowned for its remarkably diverse floral morphology, exhibiting a high level of disparity compared to most genera within Gesneriaceae. In this study, we present a detailed description and illustration of Petrocodon gracilis T. Ding & B. Pan, a new species with unique floral features that is native to Guangxi, China. This species is geographically close to P. jingxiensis H.S. Gao & W.B. Xu and is indistinguishable from P. jingxiensis in vegetative characteristics. However, it can be clearly distinguished from the latter by its shorter pedicels, slender tubular corolla, shorter corolla tube, distinctly unequal corolla lobes with upper ones linear and reflexed and lower ones oblanceolate, and included chiritoid‐like stigma. The presence of linear upper lobes and the chiritoid‐like stigma has not been previously reported in Petrocodon, and the emergence of this new species will further expand the morphospace occupied by this morphologically diverse genus.

Abstract Viruses are abundant and ubiquitous in soil, but their importance in modulating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in terrestrial ecosystems remains largely unknown. Here, various loads of viral communities are introduced into paddy soils with different fertilization histories via a reciprocal transplant approach to study the role of viruses in regulating greenhouse gas emissions and prokaryotic communities. The results showed that the addition of viruses has a strong impact on methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions and, to a minor extent, carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, along with dissolved carbon and nitrogen pools, depending on soil fertilization history. The addition of a high viral load resulted in a decrease in microbial biomass carbon (MBC) by 31.4%, with changes in the relative abundance of 16.6% of dominant amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) in comparison to control treatments. More specifically, large effects of viral pressure are observed on some specific microbial communities with decreased relative abundance of prokaryotes that dissimilate sulfur compounds and increased relative abundance of Nanoarchaea. Structural equation modeling further highlighted the differential direct and indirect effects of viruses on CO2, N2O, and CH4 emissions. These findings underpin the understanding of the complex microbe‐virus interactions and advance current knowledge on soil virus ecology.

Compression-type air-conditioning heat pump systems used in high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell (HT-PEMFC) buses significantly increase the vehicle's hydrogen consumption. This study introduces a lithium bromide (LiBr) absorption refrigeration air-conditioning system into a fuel cell bus, aiming to convert the high-quality waste heat produced by the HT-PEMFC into cooling and heating capabilities for balancing the temperature within the vehicle cabin and recover waste heat. Modeling and co-simulation of the HT-PEMFC, LiBr absorption refrigeration system, vehicle thermal model, and compression-type air-conditioning heat pump system were conducted using MATLAB/Simulink. The simulation results indicate that, compared with the traditional compression-type air-conditioning heat pump system, the LiBr absorption refrigeration system can save 6.13–18.17 % of hydrogen and improve the electrical energy and exergy efficiencies by 3.58–10.74 % and 3.74–11.22 %, respectively, under different driving scenarios. Using the LiBr absorption refrigeration system significantly enhances the vehicle's overall fuel utilization efficiency and driving range.

Objective We herein propose a novel approach, laparoscopic segmental colectomy with extensive D3 lymph node dissection (ED3LND), for right-sided transverse colon cancer (TCC). Methods Forty-two patients with right-sided TCC were randomly assigned to two groups: Group 1 (segmental colectomy with D3LND) and Group 2 (segmental colectomy with ED3LND). Clinical characteristics, surgical and pathological outcomes, and oncological outcomes were retrospectively compared between the two groups. Results The number of lymph nodes retrieved, apical lymph nodes retrieved, and apical lymph node metastases were significantly lower in Group 1 than in Group 2. No significant differences were observed in the operation time, length of hospital stay, estimated blood loss, lymph node metastases, postoperative lymphoceles, or other Clavien–Dindo grade ≥III postoperative complications between the two groups. The 3-year disease-free survival rate was 82.6% in Group 1 and 84.2% in Group 2, with no significant difference. Conclusions Laparoscopic segmental colectomy with ED3LND for right-sided TCC may offer better oncological outcomes than D3LND. A large-scale prospective randomized controlled study is needed to further validate the oncological benefits of this novel procedure.

Abstract Catalysts based on palladium are among the most effective in the complete oxidation of methane. Despite extensive studies and notable advances, the nature of their catalytically active species and conceivable structural dynamics remains only partially understood. Here, we combine operando transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with near-ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (NAP-XPS) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations to investigate the active state and catalytic function of Pd nanoparticles (NPs) under methane oxidation conditions. We show that the particle size, phase composition and dynamics respond appreciably to changes in the gas-phase chemical potential. In combination with mass spectrometry (MS) conducted simultaneously with in situ observations, we uncover that the catalytically active state exhibits phase coexistence and oscillatory phase transitions between Pd and PdO. Aided by DFT calculations, we provide a rationale for the observed redox dynamics and demonstrate that the emergence of catalytic activity is related to the dynamic interplay between coexisting phases, with the resulting strained PdO having more favorable energetics for methane oxidation.

Abstract Osimertinib (Osi) is a widely used epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI). However, the emergence of resistance is inevitable, partly due to the gradual evolution of adaptive resistant cells during initial treatment. Here, we find that Osi treatment rapidly triggers adaptive resistance in tumor cells. Metabolomics analysis reveals a significant enhancement of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) in Osi adaptive-resistant cells. Mechanically, Osi treatment induces an elevation of NCOA4, a key protein of ferritinophagy, which maintains the synthesis of iron-sulfur cluster (ISC) proteins of electron transport chain and OXPHOS. Additionally, active ISC protein synthesis in adaptive-resistant cells significantly increases the sensitivity to copper ions. Combining Osi with elesclomol, a copper ion ionophore, significantly increases the efficacy of Osi, with no additional toxicity. Altogether, this study reveals the mechanisms of NCOA4-mediated ferritinophagy in Osi adaptive resistance and introduces a promising new therapy of combining copper ionophores to improve its initial efficacy.

Abstract Background Craniopharyngiomas (CPs) are generally derived from the craniopharyngeal duct epithelium, accounting for 38% and 24.5% of mortality in pediatric and adult patients, respectively. At present, the widespread application of the endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal approach (EEA) has led to controversy between the traditional microscopic transcranial approach (TCA) and EEA in relation to the surgical management of CPs. Object and method We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis comparing the complications, surgical outcomes, and endocrine functions of patients with CPs to provide evidence-based decision-making in their surgical management. Result Overall, 11 observational studies with 12,212 participants were included in the meta-analysis, in which five of them only included an adult population, three of them only included a child population, and the other three studies included a mixed population (adult and child). In pediatric patients, the EEA achieved a higher gross total resection (GTR) rate (odds ratio (OR) = 5.25, 95%CI: 1.21–22.74), lower recurrence rate (OR = 0.54, 95%CI: 0.31–0.94, p = 0.030), and less hypopituitarism (OR = 0.34, 95%CI: 0.12–0.97, p = 0.043). In adult patients, EEA significantly improved mortality (OR = 0.09, 95%CI: 0.06–0.15, p

Abstract Background Oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) can initiate and affect almost all atherosclerotic events including endothelial dysfunction. In this text, the role and underlying molecular basis of procyanidin B2 (PCB2) with potential anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activities in ox-LDL-induced HUVEC injury were examined. Methods HUVECs were treated with ox-LDL in the presence or absence of PCB2. Cell viability and apoptotic rate were examined by CCK-8 assay and flow cytometry, respectively. The mRNA and protein levels of genes were tested by RT-qPCR and western blot assays, respectively. Potential downstream targets and pathways of apple procyanidin oligomers were examined by bioinformatics analysis for the GSE9647 dataset. The effect of PCB2 on THP-1 cell migration was examined by recruitment assay. The effect of PCB2 on oxidative stress was assessed by reactive oxygen species (ROS) level, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). Results ox-LDL reduced cell viability, induced cell apoptosis, and facilitated the expression of oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor 1 (LOX-1), C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 (MCP-1), vascular cell adhesion protein 1 (VCAM-1) in HUVECs. PCB2 alleviated ox-LDL-induced cell injury in HUVECs. Apple procyanidin oligomers triggered the differential expression of 592 genes in HUVECs (|log2fold-change| > 0.58 and adjusted p-value

Alkali metal-ion capacitors (AMICs) combine the advantages of the high specific energy of alkali metal-ion batteries (AMIBs) and the high power output of supercapacitors (SCs), which are considered highly promising and efficient energy storage devices. It is found that carbon has been the most widely used electrode material of AMICs due to its advantages of low cost, a large specific surface area, and excellent electrical conductivity. However, the application of carbon is limited by its low specific capacity, finite kinetic performance, and few active sites. Doping heteroatoms in carbon materials is an effective strategy to adjust their microstructures and improve their electrochemical storage performance, which effectively helps to increase the pseudo-capacitance, enhance the wettability, and increase the ionic migration rate. Moreover, an appropriate heteroatom doping strategy can purposefully guide the design of advanced AMICs. Herein, a systematic review of advanced heteroatom (N, S, P, and B)-doped carbon, which has acted as a positrode and negatrode in AMICs (M = Li, Na, and K) in recent years, has been summarized. Moreover, emphasis is placed on the mechanism of single-element doping versus two-element doping for the enhancement in the performance of carbon positrodes and negatrodes, and an introduction to the use of doped carbon in dual-carbon alkali metal-ion capacitors (DC-AMICs) is discussed. Finally, an outlook is given to solve the problems arising when using doped carbon materials in practical applications and future development directions are presented.

Agave, with its unique appearance and ability to produce hard fibers, holds high economic value. However, low temperatures during winter can restrict its growth and even damage the leaves, causing a loss of ornamental appeal or affecting the fiber quality. Conversely, the plant cyclic nucleotide-gated channel (CNGC) family plays an important role in the growth and development of plants and the response to stress. Studying the CNGC family genes is of great importance for analyzing the mechanism by which agave responds to cold stress. This research conducted a transcriptomic analysis of the ornamental plant Agave macroacantha. Through assembly via Illumina sequencing, 119,911 transcripts were obtained, including 78,083 unigenes. In total, 6, 10, 11, and 13 CNGC genes were successfully identified from A. macroacantha, Agave. H11648, Agave. deserti, and Agave. tequilana, respectively. These CNGC genes could be divided into four groups (I, II, III, and IV), and group IV could be divided into two subgroups (IV-A and IV-B). The relative expression levels were quantified by qRT-PCR assays, which revealed that AhCNGC4.1 was significantly upregulated after cold treatment and Ca(NO3)2 treatment, suggesting its importance in cold stress and calcium signaling. Additionally, the Y2H assay has preliminarily identified interacting proteins of AhCNGC4.1, including AhCML19 and AhCBSX3. This study has established a completely new transcriptome dataset of A. macroacantha for the first time, enriching the bioinformatics of agave’s transcriptome. The identified CNGC genes are of great significance for understanding the evolution of agave species. The cloned CNGC genes, expression pattern analysis, and protein interaction results laid a foundation for future research related to the molecular functions of agave CNGC genes in cold tolerance.

When a laser-cooled atomic sample is optically excited, the envelope of coherent forward scattering can often be decomposed into a few complex Gaussian profiles. The convenience of Gaussian propagation helps address key challenges in digital holography. In this paper, we develop a Gaussian-decomposition-assisted approach to inline holography for single-shot, simultaneous measurements of absorption and phase-shift profiles of small atomic samples sparsely distributed in three dimensions. The samples' axial positions are resolved with micrometer resolution and their spectroscopy are extracted from complex-valued images recorded at various probe frequencies. The phase-angle readout is not only robust against transition saturation but also insensitive to atom-number and optical-pumping-induced interaction-strength fluctuations. Benefiting from such features, we achieve hundred-kHz-level single-shot resolution to the transition frequency of a ^{87}Rb D_{2} line, with merely hundreds of atoms. We further demonstrate single-shot three-dimensional field sensing by measuring local light shifts to the atomic array with micrometer spatial resolution.

The gauge formulation of Einstein gravity in AdS3 background leads to a boundary theory that breaks modular symmetry and loses the covariant form. We examine the Weyl anomaly for the cylinder and torus manifolds. The divergent term is the same as the Liouville theory when transforming from the cylinder to the sphere. The general Weyl transformation on the torus also reproduces the Liouville theory. The Weyl transformation introduces an additional boundary term for reproducing the Liouville theory, which allows the use of CFT techniques to analyze the theory. The torus partition function in this boundary theory is one-loop exact, and an analytical solution to disjoint two-interval Rényi-2 mutual information can be obtained. We also discuss a first-order phase transition for the separation length of two intervals, which occurs at the classical level but is smoothed out by non-perturbative effects captured by averaging over a modular group in the boundary theory.

Chemotherapy has been the standard treatment for liver cancer. However, intrinsic or acquired drug resistance remains a major barrier to successful treatment. At present, the underlying molecular mechanisms of chemoresistance in liver cancer have not been elucidated. Dipeptidyl peptidase 9 (DPP9) is a member of the dipeptidyl peptidase IV family that has been found to be highly expressed in a variety of tumors, including liver cancer. It is unclear whether DPP9 affects chemoresistance in liver cancer. In this study, we find that DPP9 weakens the responses of liver cancer cells to chemotherapy drugs by up-regulating NQO1 and inhibiting intracellular ROS levels. In terms of mechanism, DPP9 inhibits ubiquitin-mediated degradation of NRF2 protein by binding to KEAP1, up-regulates NRF2 protein levels, promotes mRNA transcription of NQO1, and inhibits intracellular ROS levels. In addition, the NQO1 inhibitor dicoumarol can enhance the efficacy of chemotherapy drugs in liver cancer cells. Collectively, our findings suggest that inhibiting DPP9/NQO1 signaling can serve as a potential therapeutic strategy for liver cancer.

In the clinical diagnosis and treatment of pituitary adenomas, MRI plays a crucial role. However, traditional manual interpretations are plagued by inter-observer variability and limitations in recognizing details. Radiomics, based on MRI, facilitates quantitative analysis by extracting high-throughput data from images. This approach elucidates correlations between imaging features and pituitary tumor characteristics, thereby establishing imaging biomarkers. Recent studies have demonstrated the extensive application of radiomics in differential diagnosis, subtype identification, consistency evaluation, invasiveness assessment, and treatment response in pituitary adenomas. This review succinctly presents the general workflow of radiomics, reviews pertinent literature with a summary table, and provides a comparative analysis with traditional methods. We further elucidate the connections between radiological features and biological findings in the field of pituitary adenoma. While promising, the clinical application of radiomics still has a considerable distance to traverse, considering the issues with reproducibility of imaging features and the significant heterogeneity in pituitary adenoma patients.

Multispectral Imaging has been used in many fields. In the medical field, Multispectral Imaging is still in its infancy. However, due to its excellent potential, it will also become one of the most important medical imaging in the future. This paper is the first bibliometric study in this field. The study comprehensively searched all relevant documents in Web of Science Core Collection from Jan 1, 1999 to Dec 31, 2022, systematically sorted out the author, journal, country and institution in this field, and analyzed the keywords. Based on this, the study suggests that researchers and healthcare workers should strengthen cooperation to apply Multispectral Imaging to more medical fields while further developing related technologies. At the same time, in the future, this field should focus on non-ex vivo tissue detection and the combination of Multispectral Imaging and artificial intelligence.

Abstract CRISPR‐based genomic‐imaging systems have been utilized for spatiotemporal imaging of the repetitive genomic loci in living cells, but they are still challenged by limited signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) at a non‐repetitive genomic locus. Here, an efficient genomic‐imaging system is proposed, termed CRISPR/Pepper‐tDeg, by engineering the CRISPR sgRNA scaffolds with the degron‐binding Pepper aptamers for binding fluorogenic proteins fused with Tat peptide derived degron domain (tDeg). The target‐dependent stability switches of both sgRNA and fluorogenic protein allow this system to image repetitive telomeres sensitively with a 5‐fold higher SNR than conventional CRISPR/MS2‐MCP system using “always‐on” fluorescent protein tag. Subsequently, CRISPR/Pepper‐tDeg is applied to simultaneously label and track two different genomic loci, telomeres and centromeres, in living cells by combining two systems. Given a further improved SNR by the split fluorescent protein design, CRISPR/Pepper‐tDeg system is extended to non‐repetitive sequence imaging using only one sgRNA with two aptamer insertions. Neither complex sgRNA design nor difficult plasmid construction is required, greatly reducing the technical barriers to define spatiotemporal organization and dynamics of both repetitive and non‐repetitive genomic loci in living cells, and thus demonstrating the large application potential of this genomic‐imaging system in biological research, clinical diagnosis and therapy.

AIM: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of early lens extraction during pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) for proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) compared to those of PPV with subsequent cataract surgery. METHODS: This multicenter randomized controlled trial was conducted in three Chinese hospitals on patients with PDR, aged >45y, with mild cataracts. The participants were randomly assigned to the combined (PPV combined with simultaneously cataract surgery, i.e., phacovitrectomy) or subsequent (PPV with subsequent cataract surgery 6mo later) group and followed up for 12mo. The primary outcome was the change in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) from baseline to 6mo, and the secondary outcomes included complication rates and medical expenses. RESULTS: In total, 129 patients with PDR were recruited and equally randomized (66 and 63 in the combined and subsequent groups respectively). The change in BCVA in the combined group [mean, 36.90 letters; 95% confidence interval (CI), 30.35–43.45] was significantly better (adjusted difference, 16.43; 95%CI, 8.77–24.08; P

Abstract Dent and flint kernel architectures are important characteristics that affect the physical properties of maize kernels and their grain end uses. The genes controlling these traits are unknown, so it is difficult to combine the advantageous kernel traits of both. We found mutation of ARFTF17 in a dent genetic background reduces IAA content in the seed pericarp, creating a flint-like kernel phenotype. ARFTF17 is highly expressed in the pericarp and encodes a protein that interacts with and inhibits MYB40, a transcription factor with the dual functions of repressing PIN1 expression and transactivating genes for flavonoid biosynthesis. Enhanced flavonoid biosynthesis could reduce the metabolic flux responsible for auxin biosynthesis. The decreased IAA content of the dent pericarp appears to reduce cell division and expansion, creating a shorter, denser kernel. Introgression of the ARFTF17 mutation into dent inbreds and hybrids improved their kernel texture, integrity, and desiccation, without affecting yield.

Abstract Background Cisplatin (CDDP)-based chemotherapy is a standard first-line treatment for metastatic bladder cancer (BCa) patients, and chemoresistance remains a major challenge in clinical practice. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have emerged as essential regulators in carcinogenesis and cancer progression. However, the role of circRNAs in mediating CDDP chemosensitivity has yet to be well elucidated in BCa. Methods CircSTX6 (hsa_circ_0007905) was identified by mining the public circRNA datasets and verified by Sanger sequencing, agarose gel electrophoresis, RNase R treatment and qRT-PCR assays. Then, function experiments were performed to evaluate the effects of circSTX6 on BCa metastasis. Luciferase reporter assay, RNA pull-down, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), RNA stability assay, Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and Immunofluorescence (IF) were conducted to evaluate the interaction among circSTX6, miR-515-3p, PABPC1 and SUZ12. Animal experiments were performed to explore the function of circSTX6 in tumor metastasis and CDDP sensitivity. Results We identified that circSTX6 was significantly upregulated in clinical samples and cells of BCa. Functionally, circSTX6 promoted cell migration and invasion both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, circSTX6 could act as a miR-515-3p sponge and abolish its effect on SUZ12. Moreover, circSTX6 was confirmed to increase the stability of SUZ12 mRNA by interacting with a mRNA stabilizer PABPC1 and subsequently promote the expression of SUZ12. Importantly, silencing of circSTX6 improved the chemosensitivity of CDDP-resistant bladder cancer cells to CDDP. Furthermore, in vivo analysis supported that knockdown of circSTX6 attenuated CDDP resistance in BCa tumors. Conclusion These studies demonstrate that circSTX6 plays a pivotal role in BCa metastasis and chemoresistance, and has potential to serve as a therapeutic target for treatment of BCa.

The fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) is a significant agricultural pest with a broad host range and adaptability, posing challenges to pest management worldwide. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underpinning their development and resilience, we performed a comprehensive transcriptomic analysis across nine developmental stages, spanning from the first instar larvae to adult forms. Utilizing differential expression analysis and time-series clustering, we identified 6834 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), uncovering key stage-specific expression patterns. Notably, 3072 stage-specific genes (SSGs) were defined using the Tau index, highlighting their roles in development and physiological adaptation. Functional enrichment revealed that the sixth instar stage prioritizes pathways related to growth and tissue remodeling, while adult males emphasize reproductive and sensory functions. Furthermore, we characterized 104 cytochrome P450 (P450) genes, showcasing distinct temporal expression patterns critical for detoxification and metabolic processes. A tandem array of P450 genes on chromosome 13 was identified, suggesting a coordinated mechanism enhancing insecticide resistance. Our findings highlight the complex genetic regulation that facilitates the developmental transitions and adaptive capabilities of S. frugiperda. These insights offer potential molecular targets for innovative pest management strategies aimed at mitigating the widespread impact of this pest.

Phytophthora-induced crop diseases, commonly known as “plant plagues”, pose a significant threat to global food security. In this study, strain ASG80 was isolated from sisal roots and demonstrated a broad-spectrum antagonistic activity against several Phytophthora species and fungal pathogens. Strain ASG80 was identified as Streptomyces luteireticuli via phylogenetic analysis, digital DNA–DNA hybridization (dDDH), and average nucleotide identity (ANI). Whole-genome sequencing identified 40 biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) related to secondary metabolite production, including antimicrobial compounds. Strain ASG80 extract exhibited broad-spectrum inhibitory activity against Phytophthora nicotianae, P. vignae, P. cinnamomi, and P. sojae. Pot experiments showed that strain ASG80 extract significantly reduced sisal zebra disease incidence, with an efficacy comparable to the fungicide metalaxyl. These findings suggest that strain ASG80 is a promising biocontrol agent with substantial potential for managing Phytophthora-related diseases in agriculture.

Between January and April 2022, three moderate earthquakes (Mw 5.6 on 23 January, Mw 5.7 on 25 March, and Mw 5.1 on 15 April) struck the Hala Lake area of Delingha, Qinghai, China. Their seismogenic faults are poorly mapped, resulting in an unclear understanding of their kinematics and regional seismotectonics. In this study, we employed Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) observations to reconstruct the coseismic deformation fields of the Mw 5.6 and 5.7 events. We then utilized a Bayesian inversion algorithm to delineate the fault geometries of the two events, and further resolved their coseismic fault slip. Our results reveal that these earthquakes ruptured different fault planes: the fault plane of the Mw 5.6 event dips westward at an angle of 60°, while the Mw 5.7 event ruptured as a nearly vertical fault with a dipping angle of 89°. The finite-fault slip inversions further demonstrate that the coseismic rupture of the Mw 5.6 event was predominantly concentrated between depths of 2 km and 7 km, with a maximum slip of 0.18 m; in contrast, the Mw 5.7 event was mainly concentrated between depths of 2 km and 9 km, with a maximum slip of 0.4 m. We calculated the coseismic Coulomb failure stress change (ΔCFS) induced by these two earthquakes. Integrating the analysis of ΔCFS and the spatial distribution of aftershocks, we argue that the sequence earthquakes were triggered by the proceeding earthquakes.

Agave is a significant fiber crop in tropical regions, known for its high fiber strength. Lignin is closely associated with fiber strength, and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) serves as the initial enzyme in biosynthesis of lignin. Hence, it is of considerable significance to study the genes of PAL family to analyze the characteristics and mechanism of sisal fiber development. In this research, we conducted a transcriptomic analysis of Agave schidigera, a widely recognized ornamental plant in agave. Approximately 29.85 million clean reads were acquired through Illumina sequencing. In total, 116,602 transcripts including 72,160 unigenes were assembled, and 22.06~63.56% of those unigenes were annotated in public databases. Two, six, six and six PAL genes were successfully identified and cloned from A. schidigera, A. deserti, A. tequilana and A. H11648, respectively. After phylogenetic analysis, these genes were clustered into two branches. Genes AhPLA2a and AhPLA2c exhibited higher expression levels compared to other genes but had different expression patterns. Moreover, AhPLA2a and AhPLA2c were expressed at high levels under full-nutrient, nitrogen-free and phosphorus-free stresses. Most PAL genes were induced by Phytophthora nicotianae Breda, especially AhPAL1a, AhPAL1b, AhPAL2b and AhPAL2c. This research is the first work to present a de novo transcriptome dataset for A. schidigera, enriching its bioinformation of transcripts. The cloned PAL genes and the expression analyses will form the basis of future research on lignin biosynthesis, the relationship between lignin and fiber strength, and stress resistance in Agave species.

Intercropping is widely utilised in agricultural production to enhance land use efficiency because of its benefits, such as heightened crop productivity and optimised resource utilisation. We investigated the effects of Pinto peanut/sisal (HST), Stylo/sisal (strT) and Grona styracifolia/sisal (JqT) intercropping systems on soil bacterial communities compared with sisal continuous cropping (CK) by using Illumina MiSeq high-throughput sequencing technology. The intercropping system significantly increased the total nitrogen (TN), soil pH and soil moisture levels and decreased the levels of available phosphorus (AP) and available potassium (AK). Minimal variations were observed in Shannon’s and Simpson’s diversity indices between the monoculture and intercropping systems as well as among different intercropping systems. The most abundant phyla observed within the four groups were Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Cyanobacteria and Bacteroidetes. At the phylum level, the relative abundances of Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Cyanobacteria and Bacteroidetes were 37.37–54.35%, 10.54–21.21%, 3.46–20.43% and 2.15–5.67%, respectively. Compared with ZCK, StrT, JqT and HST treatments led to higher abundance of Cyanobacteria (from 3.46% to 20.43%, 11.37% and 16.58%, respectively) and Bacteroidetes (from 2.15% to 5.67%, 5.21% and 5.10%, respectively). The results of the linear discriminant analysis of effect sizes demonstrated notable variations in the relative abundance of bacterial taxa among various intercropping systems. The dominant categories of the genus in strT and JqT groups were Blastocatellia and Blastocatellaceae-Subgroup4, while Firmicutes was the dominant category of the genus in the HST group. The structure of bacterial communities did not vary between intercropping and monoculture systems. The findings indicated that the impact of the intercropping system on the bacterial community structure was not contingent on the specific intercropping patterns employed.

Constructing a scientifically effective Urban Ecological Environment Vulnerability Index provides a solid foundation for accurately describing the evolution of urban ecological environment vulnerability and making precise predictions about its vulnerability risks. The existing composite index methods emphasize the strength of the relationships among influencing factors but overlook the synergistic relationships and interactions between dimensions. Given this, this article constructed a system of factors influencing the vulnerability of the urban ecological environment based on the theoretical models of ecological sensitivity, ecological resilience, and ecological pressure (SRP). We used a geometric weighting method to describe the strong and weak relationships of the influencing factors and introduced a coupling model from physics to portray the coordination relationship between dimensions. Finally, we proposed a method for constructing the urban ecological environment vulnerability index based on the geometric weighting-coupling degree method. We used data from 35 cities in China as a baseline to validate the stability and reliability of the proposed method. The results indicated that compared with other major index synthesis methods, the trend evolution of the peaks and troughs average values of the indices synthesized by the proposed index synthesis method is smoother, which is more consistent with the trend evolution of urban ecological environment vulnerability. The evolution of the synthesized index trend is more consistent with the stage of urban governance ecological environment vulnerability. This validated the better stability and reliability of the proposed composite index method. The geometric weighted-coupling degree index synthesis method constructed provides urban ecological environment researchers with a method to depict the trend evolution of urban ecological environment vulnerability. It may be used as a baseline and methodological reference for urban ecological environment managers to scientifically govern the urban ecological environment.

BackgroundPerinatal depression affects the physical and mental health of pregnant women. It also has a negative effect on children, families, and society, and the incidence is high. We constructed a cost–utility analysis model for perinatal depression screening in China and evaluated the model from the perspective of health economics.MethodsWe constructed a Markov model that was consistent with the screening strategy for perinatal depression in China, and two screening strategies (screening and non-screening) were constructed. Each strategy was set as a cycle of 3 months, corresponding to the first trimester, second trimester, third trimester, and postpartum. The state outcome parameters required for the model were obtained based on data from the National Prospective Cohort Study on the Mental Health of Chinese Pregnant Women from August 2015 to October 2016. The cost parameters were obtained from a field investigation on costs and screening effects conducted in maternal and child health care institutions in 2020. The cost–utility ratio and incremental cost–utility ratio of different screening strategies were obtained by multiplicative analysis to evaluate the health economic value of the two screening strategies. Finally, deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were conducted on the uncertain parameters in the model to explore the sensitivity factors that affected the selection of screening strategies.ResultsThe cost–utility analysis showed that the per capita cost of the screening strategy was 129.54 yuan, 0.85 quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) could be obtained, and the average cost per QALY gained was 152.17 yuan. In the non-screening (routine health care) group, the average cost was 171.80 CNY per person, 0.84 QALYs could be obtained, and the average cost per QALY gained was 205.05 CNY. Using one gross domestic product per capita in 2021 as the willingness to pay threshold, the incremental cost–utility ratio of screening versus no screening (routine health care) was about −3,126.77 yuan, which was lower than one gross domestic product per capita. Therefore, the screening strategy was more cost-effective than no screening (routine health care). Sensitivity analysis was performed by adjusting the parameters in the model, and the results were stable and consistent, which did not affect the choice of the optimal strategy.ConclusionCompared with no screening (routine health care), the recommended perinatal depression screening strategy in China is cost-effective. In the future, it is necessary to continue to standardize screening and explore different screening modalities and tools suitable for specific regions.