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Abstract Background A growing body of evidence indicates that histone variants play an oncogenic role in cancer progression. However, the role and mechanism of histone variant H2AZ1 in lung cancer remain poorly understood. In this study, we aim to identify novel functions and molecular mechanisms of H2AZ1 in lung cancer. Methods We analyzed H2AZ1 expression in lung adenocarcinoma using several RNA-seq and microarray datasets. Immunohistochemistry staining for H2AZ1 was performed on two sets of lung cancer tissue microarrays. To study the function of H2AZ1, we conducted assays for cell proliferation, colony formation, invasion, and migration. We employed CUT&Tag-seq, ATAC-seq, RNA-seq, and Western blotting to explore the regulatory patterns and potential mechanisms of H2AZ1 in lung adenocarcinoma. Results Our findings reveal that H2AZ1 is highly expressed in lung cancer and high levels of H2AZ1 mRNA are associated with poor patient survival. Silencing H2AZ1 impaired cell proliferation, colony formation, migration, and invasion. Mechanistically, our CUT&Tag-seq, ATAC-seq, and RNA-seq results showed that H2AZ1 is primarily deposited around TSS and affects multiple oncogenic signaling pathways. Importantly, we uncovered that H2AZ1 may drive lung cancer progression through the RELA-HIF1A-EGFR signaling pathway. Conclusion H2AZ1 plays an oncogenic role via several cancer-related pathways, including the RELA-HIF1A-EGFR axis in lung cancer. Intervention targeting H2AZ1 and its related signaling genes may have translational potential for precision therapy.

Recent studies have shown that age-related aging evolution is accompanied by imbalances in intestinal homeostasis. Marine red yeast (MRY) is a functional probiotic that has been shown to have antioxidant, immune and other properties. Therefore, we chose 900 healthy Hy-Line Brown hens at 433 d old as the research subjects and evaluated the correlation between intestinal health, laying performance, and egg quality in aged hens through the supplementation of MRY. These laying hens were assigned into 5 groups and received diet supplementation with 0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, and 2% MRY for 12 weeks. The results showed that MRY supplementation increased egg production rate, average egg weight, and egg quality, and decreased feed conversion ratio and daily feed intake (P

The deformation control of surrounding rock in gob−side roadway with thick and hard roof poses a significant challenge to the safety and efficiency of coal mining. To address this issue, a novel approach combining directional and non-directional blasting techniques, known as combined blasting, was proposed. This study focuses on the experimental investigation of the proposed method in the 122108 working face in Caojiatan Coal Mine as the engineering background. The initial phase of the study involves physical model experiments to reveal the underlying mechanisms of combined blasting for protecting gob-side roadway with thick and hard roof. The results demonstrate that this approach effectively accelerates the collapse of thick and hard roofs, enhances the fragmentation and expansion coefficient of gangue, facilitates the filling of the goaf with gangue, and provides support to the overlying strata, thus reducing the subsidence of the overlying strata above the goaf. Additionally, the method involves cutting the main roof into shorter beams to decrease the stress and disrupt stress transmission pathways. Subsequent numerical simulations were conducted to corroborate the findings of the physical model experiments, thus validating the accuracy of the experimental results. Furthermore, field engineering experiments were performed, affirming the efficacy of the combined blasting method in mitigating the deformation of surrounding rock and achieving the desired protection of the gob-side roadway.

Abstract Climate change leads to permafrost thawing, accelerating carbon emissions increases, challenges the goal of climate change mitigation. However, it remains unknown whether implementing ecological restoration projects in Alpine areas can offset the adverse effects of permafrost thawing locally. Here we took the Qinghai‒Tibet Plateau as an example to explore this issue based on the improved Biome-BGCMuSo model. We found future climate change-induced permafrost thawing will decrease carbon sink. Projects’ carbon sink enhancement could fully counteract the permafrost thawing-induced carbon loss. Additionally, future warmer and wetter climates will enlarge the suitable area for restoration. If these areas are taken into account, carbon sink attributable to Projects will further increase. These results indicate that ERPs have the potential to combat future permafrost thawing-induced carbon loss, and their contribution will be further amplified by future climate change.

ABSTRACT: Adiponectin (AdipoQ), an adipokine secreted by adipocytes, has been reported to exist widely in various cell types and tissues, including the adenohypophysis of chickens. However, the molecular mechanism by which AdipoQ regulates the function of chicken adenohypophysis remains elusive. In this study, we investigated the effects of AdipoQ on proliferation, apoptosis, secretion of related hormones (FSH, LH, TSH, GH, PRL and ACTH) and expression of related genes (FSHβ, LHβ, GnRHR, TSHβ, GH, PRL and ACTH) in primary adenohypophysis cells of chickens by using real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), flow cytometry, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blot (WB) assays. Our results showed that AdipoQ promoted the proliferation of chicken primary adenohypophysis cells, up-regulated the mRNA expression of proliferation-related genes CDK1, PCNA, CCND1 and P21 (P < 0.05), as well as the increased protein expression of CDK1 and PCNA (P < 0.05). Furthermore, AdipoQ inhibited apoptosis of chicken primary adenohypophysis cells, resulting in down-regulation of pro-apoptotic genes Caspase3, Fas, and FasL mRNA expression, and decreased Caspase3 protein expression (P < 0.05). Moreover, there was an up-regulation of anti-apoptotic gene Bcl2 mRNA and protein expression (P < 0.05). Additionally, AdipoQ suppressed the secretion of FSH, LH, TSH, GH, PRL, and ACTH (P < 0.05), as well as the mRNA expression levels of related genes (P < 0.05). Treatment with AdipoRon (a synthetic substitute for AdipoQ) and co-treatment with RNA interference targeting AdipoQ receptors 1/2 (AdipoR1/2) had no effect on the secretion of FSH, LH, TSH, GH, PRL, and ACTH, as well as the mRNA expression levels of the related genes. This suggests that AdipoQ's regulation of hormone secretion and related gene expression is mediated by the AdipoR1/2 signaling axis. Importantly, we further demonstrated that the mechanism of AdipoQ on FSH, LH, TSH and GH secretion is realized through AMPK signaling pathway. In conclusion, we have revealed, for the first time the molecular mechanism by which AdipoQ regulates hormone secretion in chicken primary adenohypophysis cells.

ObjectiveWe summarize the global, regional, and national burden of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in children and adolescents from 1990 to 2019.MethodsBased on the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019, the data of IBD in children and adolescents were analyzed by sex, age, year, and location. Joinpoint analysis was applied to assess the temporal trend of the disease burden.ResultsFrom 1990 to 2019, the incidence of IBD in children and adolescents increased by 22.8%, from 20,897.42 to 25,658.55 cases, especially in high SDI region. During the same period, the DALY numbers decreased by 53.5%, from 243,081.06 to 113,119.86, with all SDI regions experiencing a clear drop in DALYs except high SDI regions. In 2019, early-onset IBD incidence and DALY numbers were reported at 2,053.52 (95% UI: 1,575.62 to 2,677.49) and 73,797.46 (95% UI: 43,655.86 to 105,998.63), respectively.ConclusionEarly-onset IBD in children and adolescents remains a significant global health concern. The disease burden has not improved in developed countries over the past 30 years, highlighting the need for targeted interventions.

Ecological corridors, as a key component of ecological networks (EN), can strengthen linkages between ecological sources and effectively prevent further fragmentation and loss of regional habitats. Understanding the structure of ecological corridors and exploring their resilience in different scenarios can facilitate the understanding on the flows of energy and materials between ecological sources that can contribute to landscape conservation and restoration. In this study, the agro-pastoral ecotone of the North Yinshan Mountain was used as an example to conduct the landscape EN analysis with corridors as the focus. Random attack, overgrazing and urban sprawl, incremental optimization, and arterial corridors conservation scenarios were constructed. Network cascade failure simulations are introduced to explore the stability of EN under four scenarios. Among them, 12 new ecological corridors were optimized at 9 nodes, and 158 arterial corridors connected the 159 ecological sources to form the backbone of the EN. Both the arterial corridors conservation scheme and the optimization scheme of additional edges play important roles in maintaining the resilience of the EN. This provides scientific decisions for the categorization and conservation of ecological corridors to ensure the ecological integrity of functional landscapes.

Abstract Effective treatment of oily wastewater, which is toxic and harmful and causes serious environmental pollution and health risks, has become an important research field. Membrane separation technology has emerged as a key area of investigation in oil–water separation research due to its high separation efficiency, low costs, and user-friendly operation. This review aims to report on the advances in the research of various types of separation membranes around emulsion permeance, separation efficiency, antifouling efficiency, and stimulus responsiveness. Meanwhile, the challenges encountered in oil–water separation membranes are examined, and potential research avenues are identified.

Objective To investigate the current situation of family caregivers' care ability of elderly patients with tuberculosis and analyze the influencing factors. Methods A total of 360 family caregivers from the respiratory ward of the Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University from May to August 2022 were selected as the study subjects by convenience sampling.The general data of family caregivers and the family caregiver care ability scale were used to investigate.Multiple linear regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of family caregiver care ability. Results The results of multiple linear regression model analysis showed that the gender, education level, health status of caregivers and their understanding of tuberculosis were the influencing factors on the care ability of family caregivers(P

Abstract The incidence of prematurity has been increasing since the twenty-first century. Premature neonates are extremely vulnerable and require a rich supply of nutrients, including carbohydrates, proteins, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), arachidonic acid (ARA) and others. Typical breast milk serves as the primary source for infants under six months old to provide these nutrients. However, depending on the individual needs of preterm infants, a more diverse and intricate range of nutrients may be necessary. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the current research progress on the physical and chemical properties, biological activity, function, and structure of breast milk, as well as explores the relationship between the main components of milk globular membrane and infant growth. Additionally, compare the nutritional composition of milk from different mammals and newborn milk powder, providing a comprehensive understanding of the differences in milk composition and detailed reference for meeting daily nutritional needs during lactation. Graphical Abstract

ABSTRACTThe increasing incidence of diseases caused by Coxsackievirus A6 (CV-A6) and the presence of various mutants in the population present significant public health challenges. Given the concurrent development of multiple vaccines in China, it is challenging to objectively and accurately evaluate the level of neutralizing antibody response to different vaccines. The choice of the detection strain is a crucial factor that influences the detection of neutralizing antibodies. In this study, the National Institutes for Food and Drug Control collected a prototype strain (Gdula), one subgenotype D1, as well as 13 CV-A6 candidate vaccine strains and candidate detection strains (subgenotype D3) from various institutions and manufacturers involved in research and development. We evaluated cross-neutralization activity using plasma from naturally infected adults (n = 30) and serum from rats immunized with the aforementioned CV-A6 strains. Although there were differences between the geometric mean titer (GMT) ranges of human plasma and murine sera, the overall trends were similar. A significant effect of each strain on the neutralizing antibody test (MAX/MIN 48.0 ∼16410.3) was observed. Among all strains, neutralization of the S112 strain by 15 different sera resulted in higher neutralizing antibody titers (GMTS112 = 132.0) and more consistent responses across different genotypic immune sera (MAX/MIN = 48.0). Therefore, S112 may serve as a detection strain for NtAb testing in various vaccines, minimizing bias and making it suitable for evaluating the immunogenicity of the CV-A6 vaccine.

Nature's contributions to people (NCP) encompass both the beneficial and detrimental effects of living nature on human quality of life, including regulatory, material, and non-material contributions. Globally, vital NCPs have been deteriorating, accelerated by changes in both natural and anthropogenic drivers over recent decades. Despite the often inevitable trade-offs between NCPs due to their spatially and temporally uneven distributions, few studies have quantitatively assessed the impacts of different drivers on the spatial and temporal changes in multiple NCPs and their interrelationships. Here we evaluate the effects of precipitation, temperature, population, gross domestic product, vegetation restoration, and urban expansion on four key regulatory NCPs—habitat maintenance, climate regulation, water quantity regulation, and soil protection—in Nei Mongol at the county level. We observe increasing trends in climate regulation and soil protection from 2000 to 2019, contrasted with declining trends in habitat maintenance and water quantity regulation. We have identified the dominant positive and negative drivers influencing each NCP across individual counties, finding that natural drivers predominantly overpowered anthropogenic drivers. Furthermore, we discover significant spatial disparities in the trade-off or synergy relationships between NCPs across the counties. Our findings illustrate how the impacts of various drivers on NCPs and their interrelationships can be quantitatively evaluated, offering significant potential for application in various spatial scales. With an understanding of trade-offs and scale effects, these insights are expected to support and inform policymaking at both county and provincial levels.

ABSTRACT: The “KNDy neurons” located in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (ARC) of mammals are known to co-express kisspeptin, neurokinin B (NKB), and dynorphin (DYN), and have been identified as key mediators of the feedback regulation of steroid hormones on gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). However, in birds, the genes encoding kisspeptin and its receptor GPR54 are genomic lost, leaving unclear mechanisms for feedback regulation of GnRH by steroid hormones. Here, the genes tachykinin 3 (TAC3) and prodynorphin (PDYN) encoding chicken NKB and DYN neuropeptides were successfully cloned. Temporal expression profiling indicated that TAC3, PDYN and their receptor genes (TACR3, OPRK1) were mainly expressed in the hypothalamus, with significantly higher expression at 30W than at 15W. Furthermore, overexpression or interference of TAC3 and PDYN can regulate the GnRH mRNA expression. In addition, in vivo and in vitro assays showed that estrogen (E2) could promote the mRNA expression of TAC3, PDYN, and GnRH, as well as the secretion of GnRH/LH. Mechanistically, E2 could dimerize the nuclear estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1) to regulate the expression of TAC3 and PDYN, which promoted the mRNA and protein expression of GnRH gene as well as the secretion of GnRH. In conclusion, these results revealed that E2 could regulate the GnRH expression through TAC3 and PDYN systems, providing novel insights for reproductive regulation in chickens.

Abstract It is important to directly characterize the modulus of objects through wearable systems, which can further develop electronic skin and human‐computer interaction. In this work, a modulus sensing system based on a pressure sensor and vibration module is developed. This resistive pressure sensor exhibits good linearity and sensitivity. Combined with the vibration module to adjust the applied stress and strain, the modulus value of the objects can be directly calculated. The modulus sensing system demonstrates excellent modulus monitoring capabilities in the range of 60‒3000 kPa modulus and high linearity. In addition, it is used to detect modulus values for different parts of the human body and integrate a concept eye mask to prevent and monitor migraine. The system shows the potential to be further applied to wearable devices for human health monitoring and disease prevention.

According to the structural characteristics of the spiral inductor wound by rectangular cross-section wire, a calculation model of pulse spiral inductor was established. A design method of pulse spiral inductor was presented, which takes inductance value, spatial size, and temperature rise as constraints, takes the volume, resistance and external magnetic flux density of the pulse spiral inductor as optimization objectives, adopted hierarchical screening method and weighted summation method to obtain the optimal number of spiral inductor turns. A $16~\mu $ H pulse spiral inductor for a pulsed power supply (PPS) was designed. Finally, the pulsed spiral inductor was manufactured according to the design size and the discharge test was carried out for several times, the structure of the pulse inductor was complete after the tests, and the experimental pulse current was consistent with the simulation current. The experiment shows the effectiveness of the pulse spiral inductor design method and has a strong practical significance.

Abstract Background Spiraea L. is a genus comprising approximately 90 species that are distributed throughout the northern temperate regions. China is recognized as the center of species diversity for this genus, hosting more than 70 species, including 47 endemic species. While Spiraea is well-known for its ornamental value, its taxonomic and phylogenetic studies have been insufficient. Results In this study, we conducted sequencing and assembly of the plastid genomes (plastomes) of 34 Asiatic Spiraea accessions (representing 27 Asiatic Spiraea species) from China and neighboring regions. The Spiraea plastid genome exhibits typical quadripartite structures and encodes 113–114 genes, including 78–79 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 30 tRNA genes, and 4 rRNA genes. Linear regression analysis revealed a significant correlation between genome size and the length of the SC region. By the sliding windows method, we identified several hypervariable hotspots within the Spiraea plastome, all of which were localized in the SC regions. Our phylogenomic analysis successfully established a robust phylogenetic framework for Spiraea, but it did not support the current defined section boundaries. Additionally, we discovered that the genus underwent diversification after the Early Oligocene (~ 30 Ma), followed by a rapid speciation process during the Pliocene and Pleistocene periods. Conclusions The plastomes of Spiraea provided us invaluable insights into its phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary history. In conjunction with plastome data, further investigations utilizing other genomes, such as the nuclear genome, are urgently needed to enhance our understanding of the evolutionary history of this genus.

Introduction Potency is a critical quality attribute for controlling quality consistency and relevant biological properties of vaccines. Owing to the high demand for animals, lengthy operations and high variability of in vivo methods, in vitro alternatives for human vaccine potency assays are extensively developed. Areas covered Herein, in vivo and in vitro methods for potency assays of previously licensed human vaccines were sorted, followed by a brief description of the background for substituting in vivo methods with in vitro alternatives. Based on the analysis of current research on the substitution of vaccine potency assays, barriers and suggestions for substituting were proposed. Expert opinion Owing to the variability of in vivo methods, the correlation between in vivo and in vitro methods may be low. One or more in vitro method(s) that determine the vaccine antigen content and functions, should be established. Since the substitution involves with the change of critical quality attributes and specifications, the specifications of in vitro methods should be appropriately set to maintain the efficacy of vaccines. For novel vaccines in research and development, in vitro methods for monitoring the consistency and relevant biological properties, should be established based on reflecting the immunogenicity of vaccines.

Porous nanofibrous poly (L-lactic acid) (PLLA) scaffolds were fabricated in combination with a thermally induced phase separation technique using a dioxane/polyethylene glycol (PEG) system. The effect of factors such as molecular weight of PEG, aging treatment, aging or gelation temperature, and the ratio of PEG to dioxane were investigated. The results revealed that all scaffolds had high porosity, and had a significant impact on the formation of nanofibrous structures. The decrease in the molecular weight and aging or gelation temperature leads to a thinner and more uniform fibrous structure.

PURPOSETo compare the image quality, apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), and intravoxel incoherent motion- (IVIM) derived parameters of IVIM imaging based on turbo spin-echo (TSE) and echo-planar imaging (EPI) of patients with oral cancer and to assess the equivalence of the ADC and IVIM-derived parameters.METHODSThirty patients with oral cancer underwent TSE-IVIM and EPI-IVIM imaging using a 3.0-T system. The distortion ratio (DR), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), qualitative evaluations of image quality, ADC, pure diffusion coefficient (D), pseudo-diffusion coefficient (D*), and perfusion fraction (f) were compared between the two sequences. The consistency of the quantitative parameters in oral cancer between the TSE and EPI sequences was evaluated using a Bland–Altman analysis.RESULTSTSE-IVIM had a significantly smaller DR than EPI-IVIM (P < 0.001). The CNR of EPI-IVIM on most of the anatomical sites was significantly higher than that of TSE-IVIM (P < 0.05), while the SNR was not significantly different (P > 0.05). TSE-IVIM had significantly higher image quality, less distortion and artifacts, and lower image contrast compared with EPI-IVIM (P < 0.05). The lesion-edge sharpness and diagnostic confidence of EPI-IVIM were lower than that of TSE-IVIM, although no significant differences existed (P > 0.05). The ADC and D of TSE-IVIM had better reproducibility (intraclass correlation coefficient > 0.9). Although no significant difference existed for the ADC and IVIM-derived parameters of lesions between the two sequences (P > 0.05), wide limits of agreement were found in the Bland–Altman plots.CONCLUSIONTSE-IVIM could be used as an alternative technique to EPI-IVIM for patients with oral cancer because of its better image quality. Furthermore, TSE-IVIM can provide more accurate quantitative parameters. However, the quantitative parameters derived from the two IVIM techniques cannot be used as equivalent parameters for patients with oral cancer.

Investigating the spatiotemporal dynamics of vegetation net primary productivity (NPP) and its influencing factors are crucial for green and low-carbon development and facilitate human well-being in the Yellow River Basin (YRB). Although the research on NPP has advanced rapidly, in view of the regional particularity of the YRB, the persistence of its NPP change trend needs to be further discussed and more comprehensive impact factors need to be included in the analysis. Meanwhile, the spatial non-stationarity and scale effects of the impact on NPP when multiple factors are involved remain uncertain. Here, we selected a total of twelve natural and anthropogenic factors and used multi-scale geographically weighted regression (MGWR) to disentangle the spatial non-stationary relationship between vegetation NPP and related factors and identify the impact scale difference in the YRB. Additionally, we analyze the spatiotemporal variation trend and persistence of NPP during 2000–2020. The results revealed the following: (1) The annual NPP showed a fluctuating increasing trend, and the vegetation NPP in most regions will exhibit a future trend of increasing to decreasing. (2) The effects of different factors show significant spatial non-stationarity. Among them, the intensity of the impact of most natural factors shows a clear strip-shaped distribution in the east-west direction. It is closely related to the spatial distribution characteristics of natural factors in the YRB. In contrast, the regularity of anthropogenic influences is less obvious. (3) The impact scales of different factors on vegetation NPP were significantly different, and this scale changed with time. The factors with small impact scales could better explain the change in vegetation NPP. Interestingly, the impact size and scale of relative humidity on NPP in the YRB are both larger. This may be due to the arid and semi-arid characteristics of the YRB. Our findings could provide policy makers with specific and quantitative insights for protecting the ecological environment in the YRB.

Abstract With the continuous in-depth study of the interaction mechanism between viruses and hosts, the virus has become a promising tool in cancer treatment. In fact, many oncolytic viruses with selectivity and effectiveness have been used in cancer therapy. Human enterovirus is one of the most convenient sources to generate oncolytic viruses, however, the high seroprevalence of some enteroviruses limits its application which urges to exploit more oncolytic enteroviruses. In this study, coxsackievirus B5/Faulkner (CV-B5/F) was screened for its potential oncolytic effect against non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs) through inducing apoptosis and autophagy. For refractory NSCLCs, DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) or ataxia telangiectasia mutated protein (ATM) inhibitors can synergize with CV-B5/F to promote refractory cell death. Here, we showed that viral infection triggered endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-related pro-apoptosis and autophagy signals, whereas repair for double-stranded DNA breaks (DSBs) contributed to cell survival which can be antagonized by inhibitor-induced cell death, manifesting exacerbated DSBs, apoptosis, and autophagy. Mechanistically, PERK pathway was activated by the combination of CV-B5/F and inhibitor, and the irreversible ER stress-induced exacerbated cell death. Furthermore, the degradation of activated STING by ERphagy promoted viral replication. Meanwhile, no treatment-related deaths due to CV-B5/F and/or inhibitors occurred. Conclusively, our study identifies an oncolytic CV-B5/F and the synergistic effects of inhibitors of DNA-PK or ATM, which is a potential therapy for NSCLCs.

Abstract Hypertension is characterized by endothelial dysfunction and arterial stiffness, which contribute to the pathogenesis of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) is an indispensable cofactor in all living cells that is involved in fundamental biological processes. However, in hypertensive patients, alterations in NAD+ levels and their relation with blood pressure (BP) elevation and vascular damage have not yet been studied. Here we reported that hypertensive patients exhibited lower NAD+ levels, as detected by high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS), in both peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and aortas, which was parallel to vascular dysfunction. NAD+ boosting therapy with nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) supplement reduced BP and ameliorated vascular dysfunction in hypertensive patients (NCT04903210) and AngII-induced hypertensive mice. Upregulation of CD38 in endothelial cells led to endothelial NAD+ exhaustion by reducing NMN bioavailability. Pro-inflammatory macrophages infiltration and increase in IL-1β generation derived from pro-inflammatory macrophages resulted in higher CD38 expression by activating JAK1-STAT1 signaling pathway. CD38 KO, CD38 inhibitors treatment, or adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated endothelial CD38 knockdown lowered BP and improved vascular dysfunction in AngII-induced hypertensive mice. The present study demonstrated for the first time that endothelial CD38 activation and subsequently accelerated NAD+ degradation due to enhanced macrophage-derived IL-1β production was responsible for BP elevation and vascular damage in hypertension. NAD+ boosting therapy can be used as a novel therapeutic strategy for the management of hypertensive patients.

Abstract Sulfonyl and sulfonimidoyl fluorides are versatile substrates in organic synthesis and medicinal chemistry. However, they have been exclusively used as S(VI)+ electrophiles for defluorinative ligations. Converting sulfonyl and sulfonimidoyl fluorides to S(VI) radicals is challenging and underexplored due to the strong bond dissociation energy of SVI−F and high reduction potentials, but once achieved would enable dramatically expanded synthetic utility and downstream applications. In this report, we disclose a general platform to address this issue through cooperative organosuperbase activation and photoredox catalysis. Vinyl sulfones and sulfoximines are obtained with excellent E selectivity under mild conditions by coupling reactions with alkenes. The synthetic utility of this method in the preparation of functional polymers and dyes is also demonstrated.

To date, artificial intelligence has been successfully applied in various fields of material science, but these applications require a large amount of high-quality data. In practical applications, many unlabeled data points but few labeled data points can be obtained directly. The reason is that data annotations require fine and expensive experiments, and the cost of time and money cannot be ignored. Active learning can select a few high-quality samples from many unlabeled data points for labeling and use as little labeling cost as possible to optimize task model performance. However, active learning methods suitable for material attribute regression are poorly understood, and the general active learning method cannot easily avoid the negative effects of noise data, resulting in decreased costs. Therefore, we propose a new active regression learning method that includes the following features: (1) outlier detection module: using the labeled data prediction from a task model trained to fit and the labeled dataset to train the auxiliary classification model for classifying outliers and then excluding the samples that are most likely to be outliers in the unlabeled dataset; (2) greedy sampling: an iterative method is adopted to select the data farthest from the data in the labeled dataset and the selected data in the geometric space to fully consider sample diversity; and (3) minimum change sampling: selecting the unlabeled data with minimum change before and after the task model, which is trained on the labeled dataset. This part of the data is relatively lacking in the feature space of the labeled dataset. We performed experiments on the concrete slump test dataset and the negative coefficient of thermal expansion dataset and compared our method with the latest active regression learning methods. The results show that other methods do not necessarily improve task model performance after labeling data in each active learning circle on noisy datasets, and the final performance cannot reach the level of the task model trained by all data. Under the same amount of data, the performance index of the task model trained by our method is improved by 15% on average compared with other models. Because of the addition of an outlier detection mechanism, our method can effectively avoid sampling outliers when selecting high-quality samples. The task model trained using only 30%–40% of the data can achieve or even exceed the accuracy of the task model trained by all data.

Material data are prepared in batches and stages, and data distribution in different batches varies. However, the average accuracy of neural networks declines when learning material data by batch, resulting in great challenges to the application of artificial intelligence in the materials field. Therefore, an incremental learning framework based on parameter penalty and experience replay was applied to learn streaming data. The average accuracy decline is due to two reasons: sudden variations of model parameters and a quite homogeneous sample feature space. By analyzing the model parameter variation, a mechanism of parameter penalty was established to limit the phenomenon of model parameters fitting toward new data when the model learns new data. The penalty strength of the parameters can be dynamically adjusted according to the speed of parameter change. The faster the speed of parameter changes, the higher the penalty strength, and vice versa, the lower the penalty strength. To enhance sample diversity, experience replay methods were proposed, which train the new and old data obtained by sampling from the cache pool. At the end of each incremental task, the incremental data were sampled and used for the update of the cache pool. Specifically, random sampling was adopted for the joint training, whereas reservoir sampling was used for the update of the cache pool. Further, the proposed methods (i.e., experience replay and parameter penalty) were applied to the material absorption coefficient regression and image classification tasks, respectively. The experimental results indicate that experience replay was more effective than parameter penalty, but the best results were obtained when both methods were used. Specifically, when both methods were used, the average accuracy of the benchmark increased by 45.93% and 2.62% and reduced the average forgetting rate by 86.60% and 67.20%, respectively. A comparison with existing methods reveals that our approach is more competitive. Additionally, the effects of specific parameters on the average accuracy were analyzed for both methods. The results indicate that the average accuracy increases with the proportion of experience replay and increases and then decreases when the penalty factor increases. In general, our approach is not limited by data modalities and learning tasks and can perform incremental learning on tabular or image data, regression, or classification tasks. Further, owing to the quite flexible parameter settings, it can be adapted to different environments and tasks.

Abstract Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of chromosome anomalies in different types of congenital gastrointestinal obstruction and assess pregnancy outcomes of fetuses with congenital gastrointestinal obstruction. Methods A total of 64 cases with gastrointestinal obstruction between January 2014 and December 2020 were enrolled in this study. They were divided into three groups according to sonographic images. Group A: isolated upper gastrointestinal obstruction; Group B: isolated lower gastrointestinal obstruction; Group C: non-isolated gastrointestinal obstruction. The rate of chromosome anomalies in different groups was calculated. Pregnant women with amniocentesis were followed up by medical records and telephone. The follow-up included pregnancy outcomes and development of the live born infants. Result From January 2014 to December 2020, there were 64 fetus with congenital gastrointestinal obstruction underwent chromosome microarray analysis(CMA), the overall detection rate of CMA testing was 14.1%(9/64). The detection rate of Group A, B and C were 16.2%, 0 and 25.0% respectively. 9 fetuses with abnormal CMA results were all terminated. Among 55 fetuses with normal chromosomes, 10(18.2%) fetuses were not found to have any gastrointestinal obstruction after birth. 17(30.9%) fetuses were diagnosed with gastrointestinal obstruction and underwent surgical treatment after birth, one of which had lower gastrointestinal obstruction combined with biliary obstruction and died due to liver cirrhosis. 11(20.0%) pregnancy were terminated due to multiple abnormalities. 5(9.1%) fetuses were intrauterine death. 3(5.5%) fetuses were neonatal deaths. 9(16.4%) fetuses were lost to follow-up. Conclusion It is crucial to understand whether the gastrointestinal tract abnormality is isolated or associated to other findings. The risk of chromosomal abnormalities in fetuses with isolated lower gastrointestinal obstruction is lower than upper gastrointestinal obstruction. While genetic abnormalities excluded, a promising prognosis is expected for fetuses with congenital gastrointestinal obstruction.

China’s first Mars rover, Zhurong, successfully landed in the south of Utopia Planitia. The surface water content at the landing area can provide constraints on mineral formation conditions and help us better understand the evolution of the Martian aqueous and geological environment. In this work, the surface kinetic temperature of the Zhurong landing area was derived by analyzing data from the Mars Express Observatoire pour la Minéralogie, l’Eau, les Glaces et l’Activité (OMEGA) spectrometer. Using the Discrete Ordinate Radiative Transfer (DISORT) model, we performed atmospheric correction and thermal correction for the OMEGA data to obtain the surface effective single-particle absorption thickness (ESPAT) parameter to evaluate the surface water content. The surface water content distribution at the landing area was relatively uniform at a lateral scale of ~10 km. At the Zhurong landing site, the surface water content in the topmost layer (a few hundred micrometers) of the regolith was 5−8 weight percent water (wt% H2O), assuming surface particle sizes of

WC particles with high hardness and high wear resistance were commonly used to manufacture various wear-resistant parts. In this paper, different alloying elements Ni, Mo and Fe were added to WC particles to produce the preforms, and then the cast method was used to prepare the WC-iron matrix composite. The interface microstructure of the composites was observed, and the abrasive wear properties were tested. The results showed that the interface transition layer of metallurgical bonding was produced in the composites under different alloy elements. The microstructure of the composites was mainly contained WC, Fe3W3C, Fe6W6C, M7C3 and α-Fe, and the carbides of the interface transition layer were Fe3W3C and M7C3. The width of interface transition layer was significantly different, and the width was the largest with Ni added. The work of adsorption between WC (0001) and Fe3W3C (100) was obtained by first principles calculation as 0.0086 (J/m2) and the interfacial energy as 6.8202 (J/m2). Compared with Fe and Mo, the composite with Ni addition has the smallest wear weight loss and the best wear resistance, which was mainly related to the hardness of different zones of the composite and the interface transition layer formed after adding alloy elements.

A key component of China's national plan is now the growth of the digital economy. This development relies on the continuous and in-depth practice of the vast majority of Chinese people who are deeply influenced by Chinese culture, of which Taoist culture is an important component that is closely related to the Chinese people and deeply influences overall worldviews. How does Taoist culture affect digital economy growth? Applying a theoretical analysis, in order to investigate this subject, this study used a two-way city–year fixed effects model with Chinese city data. The results demonstrate that Taoist culture can promote digital economy growth. The reason for this is that the “action” of Taoist culture refers to doing what should be done rather than inactivity. Additionally, the “quietness” of Taoist culture facilitates public individuals' single mindedness. The findings imply that Taoist culture has financial decentralization and financial technology effects. Theoretically, improvement in the degree of financial decentralization and technology can promote cities' digital economy development.

AbstractThe aim was to study discrimination, with a focus on gender and sexual harassment among medical students at Uppsala University in Sweden. A survey was sent via email to all registered medical students in the spring semester of 2020. Data were compared with two previous studies. Questions about gender and sexual harassment were the same as in the study conducted in 2002 and 2013. In addition, the 2020 survey included a question about other grounds of discrimination. Forty percent, that is, 453 out of 1,130 medical students, participated. The proportion of students reporting gender-based discrimination during the preclinical semesters was similar for females and males. During the clinical semesters, significantly more females than males reported gender discrimination (41% vs. 21.5%, p = 0.005) and sexual harassment (22% vs. 5%, p = 0.001). Physicians were the most commonly reported perpetrator. Reports about not being respected had increased from 2% to 20% between 2013 and 2020 among female clinical students. The prevalence of those who experienced several sexually harassing behaviors increased for the female and male clinical students and the female preclinical students. Receiving an unwelcome touch increased from 1% to 7% for the female clinical students. Discrimination due to ethnicity was reported by 36% of the students born in a country other than Sweden compared to 3% of those born in Sweden. Our findings confirm that experiences of different forms of discrimination exist in this medical school, and females and minorities are particularly affected.

Complex geographical environments and intensified human activities have induced significant spatiotemporal heterogeneity in ecosystem services (ESs) and their relationships worldwide, especially in agropastoral ecotones. Identifying the ecological and socioeconomic driving factors of the spatiotemporal dynamics of the relationships and bundles among multiple ESs is essential for effective agropastoral ecotone management and restoration. Herein, five key ESs, including water yield (WY), carbon sequestration (CS), sand fixation (SF), soil conservation (SC), and food production (FP), in the northern piedmont of the Yinshan Mountains (NPYM), a typical agropastoral ecotone, were quantified from 1990 to 2018. Ecosystem service bundles (ESBs) were identified by the K-means algorithm, and the trade-offs/synergies among the different ESs in each ESB were investigated using Spearman’s correlation analysis. Moreover, the main driving factors of the spatiotemporal dynamics of the ES relationships and ESBs were identified by the geographical detector model. Our results showed that the five ESs in the NPYM exhibited high spatiotemporal heterogeneity over the last three decades, with WY, SC and FP significantly improving over time but CS and SF slightly decreasing. Considering the ecological features and spatial distribution, the NPYM could be divided into four ESBs: the grassland protection bundle (GPB), desertification control bundle (DCB), agricultural production bundle (APB) and forest conservation bundle (FCB). Although trade-offs between WY and CS and synergy between SC and CS occurred in almost all ESBs, significant differences in the relationships between the other ESs were observed in the different ESBs. Generally, land use type was one of the dominant drivers of most ES relationships in all ESBs, especially in the APB. However, climate, vegetation and socioeconomic factors also played important roles in the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of various ES relationships in some bundles. Moreover, the substantial changes in the different ESBs over the last three decades were mainly due to climatic and socioeconomic factors. Overall, our results indicated that identifying the spatiotemporal heterogeneity and driving factors of ES relationships and ESBs could provide useful guidance for developing targeted zoning management strategies in agropastoral ecotones.

The performance and operational stability of non-clogging pumps can be affected by cavitation. To accurately identify the cavitation state of the non-clogging pump and provide technical references for monitoring its operation, a study was conducted on the optimization of Elman neural networks for cavitation monitoring and identification using the Improved Lévy Flight Bat Algorithm (ILBA) on the basis of the traditional Bat Algorithm (BA). The ILBA employs multiple bats to interact and search for targets and utilizes the local search strategy of Lévy flight, effectively avoiding local minima by taking advantage of the non-uniform random walk characteristics of large jumps. The ILBA algorithm demonstrates superior performance compared to other traditional algorithms through simulation testing and comparative calculations with eight benchmark test functions. On this basis, the optimization of the weights and thresholds of the Elman neural network was carried out by the improved bat algorithm. This leads to an enhancement in the accuracy of the neural network for identifying and classifying cavitation data, and the establishment of the ILBA-Elman cavitation diagnosis model was achieved. Collect pressure pulsation signals at the tongue of the non-clogging pump volute through cavitation tests. Through the cavitation feature extraction method based on Variational Mode Decomposition (VMD) and Multi-scale Dispersion Entropy (MDE), the interference signal can be effectively suppressed and the complexity of the time series can be measured from multiple angles, thereby creating a cavitation feature data set. The improved cavitation diagnosis model (ILBA-Elman) can realize the effective identification of the cavitation characteristics of non-clogging pumps through a variety of algorithm comparison experiments.

BackgroundPatients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have a higher prevalence of depression. Gut microbiota dysbiosis plays an important role in IBD and depression. However, few studies have explored the characteristic microbiota of patients with IBD and depression (IBDD), or their role in IBDD.MethodsWe performed deep metagenomic sequencing and 16S rDNA quantitative PCR to characterise the gut microbial communities of patients with IBDD and patients with IBD without depression (IBDND). We then assessed the effect of the microbiota on colitis and depression in mouse models of dextran sulfate sodium salt (DSS)-induced colitis and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced depression. Furthermore, liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry was used to analyse the microbiota-derived metabolites involved in gut–brain communication. Evans Blue tracer dye was used to assess blood–brain barrier (BBB) permeability.ResultsOur results showed that the faecal abundance of Bacteroides vulgatus (B. vulgatus) was lower in patients with IBDD than in those with IBDND. In the DSS-induced colitis mouse model, the B. vulgatus group showed a significantly lower disease activity index score, lesser weight loss, and longer colon length than the DSS group. Moreover, B. vulgatus relieved depression-like behaviour in the DSS-induced colitis mouse model and in the LPS-induced depression mouse model. Furthermore, the key metabolite of B. vulgatus was p-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (4-HPAA), which was found to relieve intestinal inflammation and alleviate depression-like behaviours in mouse models. By increasing the expression of the tight junction protein claudin-5 in the vascular endothelium of the BBB, B. vulgatus and 4-HPAA play critical roles in gut–brain communication.ConclusionB. vulgatus and B. vulgatus-derived 4-HPAA ameliorated intestinal inflammation and relieved depressive symptoms through the gut–brain axis. Thus, administration of B. vulgatus or 4-HPAA supplementation is a promising therapeutic strategy for treating IBD, particularly IBDD.

ABSTRACT: It has been reported that adiponectin (AdipoQ), an adipokine secreted by white adipose tissue, plays an important role in the control of animal reproduction in addition to its function in energy homeostasis by binding to its receptors AdipoR1/2. However, the molecular mechanisms of AdipoQ in the regulation of animal reproduction remain elusive. In this study, we investigated the effects of AdipoQ on hypothalamic reproductive hormone (GnRH) secretion and reproduction-related receptor gene (estrogen receptor [ER] and progesterone receptor [PR]) expression in hypothalamic neuronal cells (HNCs) of chickens by using real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), Western blot (WB) and cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assays and found that overexpression of AdipoQ could increase the expression levels of AdipoR1/2 and reproduction-related receptor genes (P < 0.05) while decreasing the expression level of GnRH. In contrast, interference with AdipoQ mRNA showed the opposite results in HNCs. Furthermore, we demonstrated that AdipoQ exerts its functions through the AMPK and PI3K signaling pathways. Finally, our in vitro experiments found that AdipoRon (a synthetic substitute for AdipoQ) treatment and AdipoR1/2 RNAi interference co-treatment resulted in no effect on GnRH secretion, suggesting that the inhibition of GnRH secretion by AdipoQ is mediated by the AdipoR1/2 signaling axis. In summary, we uncovered, for the first time, the molecular mechanism of AdipoQ in the regulation of reproductive hormone secretion in hypothalamic neurons in chickens.

Neutralizing antibodies (NtAbs) against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) are indicators of vaccine efficacy that enable immunity surveillance. However, the rapid mutation of SARS-CoV-2 variants prevents the timely establishment of standards required for effective XBB vaccine evaluation. Therefore, we prepared four candidate standards (No. 11, No. 44, No. 22, and No. 33) using plasma, purified immunoglobulin, and a broad-spectrum neutralizing monoclonal antibody. Collaborative calibration was conducted across nine Chinese laboratories using neutralization methods against 11 strains containing the XBB and BA.2.86 sublineages. This study demonstrated the reduced neutralization potency of the first International Standard antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern against XBB variants. No. 44 displayed broad-spectrum neutralizing activity against XBB sublineages, effectively reduced interlaboratory variability for nearly all XBB variants, and effectively minimized the geometric mean titer (GMT) difference between the live and pseudotyped virus. No. 22 showed a broader spectrum and higher neutralizing activity against all strains but failed to reduce interlaboratory variability. Thus, No. 44 was approved as a National Standard for NtAbs against XBB variants, providing a unified NtAb measurement standard for XBB variants for the first time. Moreover, No. 22 was approved as a national reference reagent for NtAbs against SARS-CoV-2, offering a broad-spectrum activity reference for current and potentially emerging variants.

Summary: Defects are prevalent in two-dimensional (2D) materials due to thermal equilibrium and processing kinetics. The presence of various defect types can affect material properties significantly. With the development of the advanced transmission electron microscopy (TEM), the property-related structures could be investigated in multiple dimensions. It produces TEM datasets containing a large amount of information. Traditional data analysis is influenced by the subjectivity of researchers, and manual analysis is inefficient and imprecise. Recent developments in deep learning provide robust methods for the quantitative identification of defects in 2D materials efficiently and precisely. Taking advantage of big data, it breaks the limitations of TEM as a local characterization tool, making TEM an intelligent macroscopic analysis method. In this review, the recent developments in the TEM data analysis of defects in 2D materials using deep learning technology are summarized. Initially, an in-depth examination of the distinctions between TEM and natural images is presented. Subsequently, a comprehensive exploration of TEM data analysis ensues, encompassing denoising, point defects, line defects, planar defects, quantitative analysis, and applications. Furthermore, an exhaustive assessment of the significant obstacles encountered in the accurate identification of distinct structures is also provided.

Human activities and natural disasters are progressively damaging regional ecosystems and causing ecological fragmentation. Therefore, it is essential to establish or restore effective connections between ecological spaces that create regional ecological networks that exhibit structural and functional resilience. This study developed a network model based on landscape ecology and complexity science with indicators integrated to assess the resilience of regional-scale ecological networks. Regional priority conservation areas can be identified by disturbance simulations using a capacity-load cascade failure model supported by the network model. Our research indicates that the regional ecological network in the Agro-Pastoral Ecotone of the North Yinshan Mountain in China is relatively fragile. The network can be restored to a stable state when the failure rate of the network nodes is less than 20 %, but it will be completely paralyzed when the percentage is higher than 75 %. Based on the type and comprehensive importance of the nodes, as well as the results of the network’s structural and functional resilience, we have determined different levels of conservation areas. We also made recommendations for the reconfiguration of the ecological spatial network and regional differentiated ecological management. Our findings have practical significance for the development of adaptive spatial planning and management policies on a large regional scale for ecological conservation and restoration.

Using automatic identification system (AIS) data, this article first has extended the definition of three widely used roadway congestion indices to maritime transportation systems (MTS), traffic speed index (TSI), traffic rate index (TRI), and dwell time index (DTI). Next, a methodology is developed to measure the indices based on AIS data, considering various factors, including path geometry, time of day, and the type and size of vessels, and finally the method has been applied to the AIS data of the Houston Ship Channel (HSC) to evaluate the applicability in real cases. The results show that although average TSI and TRI cannot represent waterway congestion, the real-time values (rather than the average) at the micro level can help finding location, time, and severity of traffic congestion. Besides, while TSI and TRI have shortcomings, both average and real-time dwell time index (DTI) can quantify traffic congestion and highlight severity in different waterway segments for different types of vessels. When congestion happens at some narrow waterways, vessels need to wait at sea buoy or docks, thus dwell time index (DTI) can quantify traffic congestion better than in-transit indices such as travel speed, TSI. According to HSC DTI, most tankers experience long waiting times at the sea buoy and Galveston Bay, while cargo vessels experience delays at Bayport and Barbour's Cut terminals. This paper helps the decision-makers quantify congestion in different sections of a waterway and provides measures to compare congestion for national competing projects at different waterways.

Abstract In this study, China’s first altimeter satellite Haiyang-2A (HY-2A) data combined observations from CryoSat-2, SARAL/AltiKa, and Jason-1&2 are used to calculate the global (60°S–60°N) marine deflections of the vertical and gravity anomalies named Global Marine Gravity Anomaly Version 1(GMGA1), with grid resolution of 1′ × 1′. The deflections of the vertical from each satellite observations are first derived from the gradients of the geoid height through the least squares method. The deflections of the vertical are then merged by assigning different weights to each satellite product based on their accuracy. Finally, gravity anomalies are obtained by the remove-restore method. The results reveal that the fused deflections of the vertical have an accuracy of 0.4 arcsec in the north component and 0.8 arcsec in the east component. HY-2A’s contribution to the north component of the integrated deflections of the vertical is second only to Cryosat-2. Jason-1/2 accounts for a large proportion of the integrated east components. Compared to worldwide products such as DTU17, Sandwell & Smith V31.1, as well as values from EGM2008, EIGEN-6C4 and XGM2019e_2159, GMGA1 has an accuracy of around 3.3 mGal. By not using HY-2A data, the precision of GMGA1 is reduced by about 0.1 mGal. To further improve the accuracy, seafloor topography information is used to provide short wavelength gravity anomaly. It is verified in the South China Sea (112°E–119E°, 12°N–20°N) using the Parker formula. By combining shipborne depth generated data and GMGA1 through a filtering technique, a new version of gravity anomaly grid with an accuracy improvement of 0.4 mGal in the South China Sea is obtained. Graphical Abstract

Inflammatory bowel disease, characterised by chronic relapsing‐remitting colitis, is a significant risk factor for colorectal cancer (CRC). Previously, we showed that miR‐126 functions as a tumour suppressor in CRC and is inversely correlated with tumour proliferation, metastasis and patient prognosis. In the current study, we documented a protective role for miR‐126 in colitis‐associated CRC (CAC) and its underlying mechanism. We detected downregulated miR‐126 expression during colorectal tumorigenesis in the mouse CAC model and in specimens from patients with CRC. The deficiency of miR‐126 in intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) exacerbated tumorigenesis in mice. We identified CXCL12 as a direct target of miR‐126 in inhibiting the development of colitis and CAC. Moreover, miR‐126 regulated the recruitment of macrophages via CXCL12 and decreased the levels of proinflammatory cytokines (IL‐6, IL‐12 and IL‐23). In addition, IL‐6 secreted by macrophages, which were regulated by cocultured transfected CRC cells, altered the proliferation and migration of colon cells. Our data suggest that miR‐126 exerts an antitumour effect on CAC by regulating the crosstalk between IECs and macrophages via CXCL12‐IL‐6 signalling. Our study contributes to the understanding of cancer progression and suggests miR‐126 as a potential therapy for CRC.

In order to increase the transmission capacity of the new energy grid-connected transformer,a two-voltage three-winding transformer with star-angle-angle connection form is adopted. The sensitivity of the differential protection is insufficient when an inter-turn fault occurs on the low-voltage side of the transformer. At the same time,the transformer inrush current blocking criterion blocks the differential protection and extends the fault removal time when the transformer is closed at no-load during the inter-turn fault. Based on the zero-sequence equivalent loop of the new energy grid-connected transformer,the inter-turn fault identification criterion is proposed by using the characteristics of the out-of-area fault and the inter-turn fault. The proposed criterion which is not affected by the magnetizing inrush current has higher reliability and quicker action than the principle of differential protection does. The electromagnetic transient real time simulation system (RTDS) is used to perform fault simulation,which verifies the validity and reliability of the new criterion. Therefore,the new criterion can be used to identify transformer inter-turn faults and make up for the deficiency of differential protection.

Abstract Thin-film composite forward osmosis (TFC-FO) membranes show the potential to be applied in water treatment applications. However, the TFC-FO membrane performance was limited by internal concentration polarization (ICP) and membrane fouling. In this study, a well-functioning TFC-FO membrane was produced by embedding biogenic silver nanoparticles (BioAg) into the polysulfone (PSf) substrate of a FO membrane. Effects of BioAg on membrane structure, filtration performance, antifouling, and antibacterial properties of the as-prepared FO membranes were examined. Results indicated that BioAg-modified FO membranes achieved improved surface hydrophilicity, higher porosity, and mitigated ICP, resulting in 2.5–4.4 times higher water flux than the pristine FO membranes. The BioAg-modified FO membrane also showed significantly improved antifouling and antibacterial ability. Moreover, the release velocity of silver nanoparticles in FO membranes was significantly slowed down by the construction of the polyamide layer. After 30 days of immersion in an aqueous solution, 96.5% of silver was retained in the optimized BioAg-modified FO membrane. The study offers an effective approach to simultaneously mitigate ICP and enhance the antifouling property of TFC-FO membranes through substrate modification.

With the development of complex network theory, many phenomena on complex networks, such as infectious disease transmission, information spreading and transportation management, can be explained by temporal network dynamics, to reveal the evolution of the real world. Due to the failure of equipment for collecting data, human subjectivity, and false decisions made by machines when the high accuracy is required, data from temporal networks is usually incomplete, which makes the samples unrepresentative and the model analysis more challenging. This survey concentrates on the pre-processing strategies of incomplete data and overviews two categories of methods on data imputation and prediction, respectively. According to whether each layer in temporal networks has the coupling process, this survey overviews the dynamic modeling approaches in terms of both a single process and coupling processes on complex temporal networks. Moreover, for complex temporal networks with incomplete data, this survey summarizes various characteristic analysis methods, which concentrate on critical nodes identification, network reconstruction, network recoverity, and criticality. Finally, some future directions are discussed for temporal networks dynamics with incomplete data.

AIM: To investigate the surgical outcomes of patients with chronic angle-closure glaucoma (CACG) treated with phacoemulsification (phaco)/endocyclophotocoagulation (ECP) with and without endoscopic goniosynechialysis (E-GSL). METHODS: A retrospective, nonrandomized, comparative case series was conducted. Patients with CACG who underwent phaco in combination with either ECP alone (ECP group) or GSL with ECP (E-GSL group) from 2018 to 2019 were followed for 12mo and reviewed. Clinical features and outcomes were identified and analyzed. The ECP and E-GSL groups were matched in age and baseline intraocular pressure (IOP). Changes in IOP, mean of visual acuity (VA), peripheral anterior synechiae (PAS) formation, and the number of glaucoma medications was examined. RESULTS: The ECP group included 32 eyes of 27 patients, and the E-GSL group included 32 eyes of 26 patients. The preoperative baseline IOP was 22.18±6.48 mm Hg in the ECP group and 22.95±6.71 mm Hg in the E-GSL group (P=0.644). The mean IOP reduction was 26.2% in the ECP group and 41.6% in the E-GSL group at 12mo. The mean postoperative VA (logMAR units) at 12mo was 0.47 in the ECP group and 0.36 in the E-GSL group. The reduction in PAS formation and the number of glaucoma medications was also higher in the ECP group than E-GSL group at 12mo. CONCLUSION: The phaco/ECP and phaco/E-GSL groups both achieve a significant reduction in IOP without complications associated with traditional glaucoma filtration surgeries.

ObjectivesThe study aimed to observe, measure the size and elastic value of perineal body (PB) and assess its association with levator hiatus.MethodsDatasets were acquired in 45 nulliparous, 66 POP women and 70 postpartum women using ultrasound. The PB was measured in depth, height, and Young’s modulus. The datasets were compared to assess whether there are some differences in the morphology, dimension and elastography modulus of PB among women. Pearson correlation analysis was used to evaluate the association between the morphology measurements (ΔValsalva-rest[v-r]), tissue mechanical properties (ΔValsalva-rest[v-r]) of the PB and levator hiatus area (ΔValsalva-rest[v-r]) to preliminarily explore whether PB can influence levator hiatus.ResultsFour representative manifestations of PB were presented in our study. Nulliparous women had smaller diameters and bigger Young’s modulus while postpartum women had bigger diameters and smaller Young’s modulus. POP and postpartum women had bigger levator hiatal distensibility and PB extensibility. There was no statistical association between PB measurements and levator hiatal area.ConclusionIt is feasible to observe the morphology of PB and assess the dimension and elastography modulus by high-frequency ultrasound. The manifestations and measurements of PB are influenced by parity and long-term increased abdominal pressure. Our study preliminarily shows that PB has little effect on levator hiatus area.

Background: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a fatal malignant tumor with an unfavorable prognosis. Increasing evidence indicated circRNAs were associated with the pathogenesis and progression of tumors, but data on the expression of serum exosomal circRNAs in PDAC are scarce. This study attempted to explore the prognostic value and function of serum exosomes in PDAC patients. Methods: Microarray-based circRNA expression was determined in PDAC and paired with normal serum samples, and the intersection of differentially expressed circRNAs (DECs) in serum exosomal samples and GSE79634 tissue samples was conducted. A specific CircRNA database was applied to investigate DECs binding miRNAs. Target genes were predicted using the R package multiMiR. Cox regression analyses were applied for constructing a prognostic model. The immunological characteristics analysis was carried out through the TIMER, QUANTISEQ, XCELL, EPIC, and ssGSEA algorithms. Results: 15 DECs were finally identified, and a circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network was established. A prognostic risk model was developed to categorize patients according to the risk scores. Furthermore, the association between risk score and immune checkpoint genes including CD80, TNFSF9, CD276, CD274, LGALS9, and CD44 were significantly elevated in the high-risk group, while ICOSLG and ADORA2A were upregulated in the low-risk group. Conclusions: Our results may provide new clues for the prognosis and treatment of PDAC.

ObjectiveReminiscence therapy is a non-drug method that eases psychological burden and enhances quality of life by memories and communications in cancer patients. This study aimed to evaluate influence of reminiscence therapy-based care program on anxiety, depression, and quality of life in recurrent gastric cancer patients.MethodsTotally, 96 recurrent gastric cancer patients were randomly assigned as 1:1 ratio into reminiscence therapy-based care group (N = 48) and usual care group (N = 48) to receive 12-week corresponding interventions. Besides, all patients were follow-up for 6 months.ResultsHospital Anxiety and Depression Scales-anxiety score at 4th month (p = 0.031) and 6th month (p = 0.004), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scales-depression score at 6th month (p = 0.018), and anxiety severity at 4th month (p = 0.041) and 6th month (p = 0.037) were lower in reminiscence therapy-based care group than in usual care group. Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30 global health status score at 2nd month (p = 0.048), 4th month (p = 0.036), and 6th month (p = 0.014), Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30 function score at 4th month (p = 0.014) and 6th month (p = 0.021) were higher, while Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30 symptoms score at 2nd month (p = 0.041) and 4th month (p = 0.035) were lower in reminiscence therapy-based care group than in usual care group. Furthermore, reminiscence therapy-based care was more effective on improving mental health and quality of life in recurrent gastric cancer patients with anxiety or depression at baseline than those without.ConclusionReminiscence therapy-based care serves as an effective intervention, which relieves anxiety and depression, and improves quality of life in recurrent gastric cancer patients.

Abstract Porous composite pressure sensors have the advantage of a wide deformation range owing to their structural characteristics. It is one of the building blocks for wearable intelligent devices and systems. Conductor‐coated porous composites (CCPCs), consisting of a conductive coating and an insulating elastomeric skeleton, exhibit low modulus, high compressibility, and a facile fabrication process. Pressure sensors developed based on CCPCs provide specific intelligent wearable sensor applications, including high‐resolution pressure detection and multimodal sensing under extremely compressing environments. Here, representative works on the fabrication, performance, and applications of CCPC devices are reviewed. The “state‐of‐the‐art” compilation of the most sophisticated design strategy of CCPCs with durable, low hysteresis, high sensitivity, and wide detection range is summarized, which also ensures instructive significance for the design of other pressure devices based on soft matter and rigid conductors. Finally, the intelligent device and system scenarios of CCPC devices are introduced.

A bearing is an important and easily damaged component of mechanical equipment. For early fault diagnosis of ball bearings, acoustic emission signals are more sensitive and less affected by mechanical background noise. To cope with the large amount of data brought by the high sampling frequency and high sampling points of acoustic emission signals, a compressed sensing processing framework is introduced to research data compression and feature extraction, and a wavelet sparse convolutional network is proposed for resolved diagnosis and evaluation. The main research objective of this paper is to maximize the compression rate of the signal under the constraint of ensuring the reconstruction error of the acoustic emission signal, which can reduce the data volume of the acoustic emission signal and reduce the pressure of data analysis for subsequent fault diagnosis. At the same time, a wide convolution kernel based on a continuous wavelet is introduced when designing the neural network, and the energy information of different frequency bands of the signal is extracted by the wavelet convolution kernel to characterize the fault characteristics of the equipment. The energy pooling layer is designed to enhance the deep mining ability of compressed features, and the regularized loss function is introduced to improve the diagnostic accuracy and robustness through feature sparseness. The experimental results show that the method can effectively extract the fault characteristics of the bearing acoustic emission signal, improve the analysis efficiency and accurately classify the bearing faults.