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Abstract Background The fall armyworm (FAW, Spodoptera frugiperda) threatens maize production worldwide, and benzoxazinoids (Bxs) are known as the main secondary metabolites produced by maize to defend against FAW. However, we do not yet know whether and in what ways certain endophytes in the digestive system of FAW can metabolize Bxs, thus enhancing the fitness of FAW when feeding on maize. Results Using Bxs as the sole carbon and nitrogen source, we isolated Pantoea dispersa from the guts of FAW. P. dispersa can colonize maize roots and leaves as indicated by GFP-labeling and further successfully established itself as an endophyte in the Malpighian tubules and the gut of FAW after FAW feeding activities. Once established, it can be vertically transmitted through FAW eggs, suggesting the potential that FAW can convert maize-derived endophytes into symbiotic bacteria for intergenerational transmission. The prevalence of P. dispersa in FAW guts and maize leaves was also confirmed over large geographic regions, indicating its evolutionary adaptation in fields. Bxs determination in the gut and frass of FAW combined with bioassays performance on maize bx2 mutants revealed that the colonization of P. dispersa can promote FAW growth by metabolizing Bxs rather than other metabolites. Additionally, genome and transcriptome analyses identified plasmid-borne genes, rather than chromosomes of this species, were crucial for Bxs metabolism. This was further validated through in vitro prokaryotic expression assays by expressing two candidate genes form the plasmid. Conclusions FAW can convert maize endophytes into its own probiotics to detoxify Bxs and thus enhance caterpillar growth. This represents a novel strategy for lepidopteran pests—transforming allies of the host into its own—thereby shedding light on the rapid spread of FAW and enhancing our understanding of ecological and evolutionary mechanisms underlying the pest-microbe–plant interactions. Video Abstract

In order to study the effect of intermittent ozone treatment on the storage quality and preservation of kiwifruit, ‘Hayward’ kiwifruit were fumigated with different concentrations (0, 21.4, 42.8 and 64.2 mg/m3) of ozone once every seven days during storage at (0.0 ± 0.5) ℃. Quality indexes and the antioxidant enzyme activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) were measured regularly during storage. The results showed that compared with the control group, ozone treatment at all concentrations effectively reduced fruit mass loss rate, soft fruit rate and decay rate, inhibited the increase of total soluble solid (TSS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents, delayed the decrease of titratable acid (TA) content and fruit hardness, and maintained higher vitamin C (VC), total phenol and flavonoid contents. The preservative effect of ozone at 42.8 mg/m3 was better than those at 21.4 and 64.2 mg/m3 concentrations. After 140-day storage, the hardness and VC content in the 42.8 mg/m3 treatment group were 76.92% and 43.10% higher than those in the control group, respectively. The peak values of catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD) activity were 36.53% and 89.31% higher than those of the control group, respectively. Ozone treatment also effectively controlled the soft fruit rate and decay rate of kiwifruit during the shelf-life period. On the 9th day, the decay rate of the 42.8 mg/m3 treatment group was 16.67%, which was 63.77% lower than that of the control group. It is concluded that intermittent ozone treatment at a concentration of 42.8 mg/m3 can effectively slow down the senescence process and improve the storage quality and nutritional value of kiwifruit.

Abstract Currently, due to limited long-term evidence, there remains some controversy surrounding the recommended postoperative monitoring strategy for primary low-risk gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). This study recruited a total of 532 patients diagnosed with very low-risk and low-risk GISTs who underwent endoscopic resection from 2015 to 2021, including 460 very low-risk patients and 72 low-risk patients. Descriptive statistical analysis was used to evaluate the clinical and pathological characteristics of GIST patients, and Kaplan–Meier methods were employed for survival analysis. The results showed that the 5-year recurrence-free survival rates for very low-risk and low-risk patients were 98.5% and 95.9%, respectively. The 5-year disease-specific survival rates for both groups were 100%. Additionally, the 5-year overall survival rates were 99.7% for very low-risk patients and 100% for low-risk patients (P = 0.69). Therefore, it is suggested that routine follow-up monitoring, including endoscopic surveillance and imaging, may not be necessary for very low-risk and low-risk GISTs after endoscopic resection.

Bioscaffolds with characteristics of the tumor microenvironment is an important substrate to support the formation of multicellular tumor spheroids (MCTS). Conventional biomaterials promote MCTS formation using tumor extracellular matrix (ECM) components and exogenous growth factors, but lack individualized tumor cell niche construction which may restricts cell biology and drug discovery research. Herein, an ECM mimicked fiber composite dual-network hydrogel (FCDNG) was constructed. The 3D nanofibrous framework was introduced into the hydrogel by a “dispersion-swelling” method and an alginate/platelet-rich plasma (PRP) dual-network hydrogel was constructed by a simple “one-step” activation process. The scaffold can well control the physicochemical conditions that mimic the ECM structure and biomimetic mechanical properties. The fibrin formed by PRP can promote tumor cell proliferation, angiogenesis and cancer stem cell enrichment. Meanwhile, FCDNG has suitable degradation properties to meet the matrix remodeling requirements during the formation of MCTS. Tumor cells cultured in FCDNG had enhanced tumor stemness, proliferation, and resistance to chemotherapeutic agents, and thus providing an effective strategy for clinical drug evaluation.

AimsTo investigate the prevalence and influencing factors of drug-related problems (DRPs) in inpatients with kidney disease to provide reference data for pharmaceutical care.MethodsThe basic information, diagnoses, and medication reconciliation (MR) of inpatients in the Department of Nephrology at our hospital between October 2020 and September 2021 were collected. The Chinese-modified DRP version based on the PCNE classification (Version 9.1) was used to assess, intervene and statistically analyze the results of the patients’ DRPs. The influence factor of DRPs in inpatients with kidney disease was analyzed by the multivariate binary logistic regression.ResultsOf 623 patients included in this study, 132 (21.80%) had DRPs. The prevalence of anemia was significantly higher in patients with DRPs than those without DRPs (43.18% vs. 28.72%, p < 0.05), the mean number of drug types consumed (7.25 ± 3.44 with DRPs vs. 5.93 ± 3.58 without DRPs, p < 0.05) and the proportion of ≥5 drugs (%) (79.55% with DRPs vs 58.04% without DRPs, p < 0.05) were significantly increased. In addition, the prevalence of hypertension (76.52% vs. 68.64%), diabetes (27.27% vs. 22.20%) and hyperuricemia (16.67% vs. 13.65%) in DRP patients were higher than those without DRPs, but there was no statistical difference (p > 0.05). The logistic regression analysis showed that patients with anemia (OR = 1.702, 95%CI: 1.146–2.529, p = 0.008), average number of medication types taken (OR = 1.089, 95%CI: 1.034–1.147, p = 0.001) significantly increased the risk of DRPs. The distribution of harm levels was as follows: 78 problems (59.09%) were level C, 29 (21.97%) were level B, 10 (7.58%) were level D, 7 (5.30%) were level A, 7 (5.30%) were level E, and 1 (0.76%) were level F. All DRPs were resolved after 128 interventions.ConclusionRenal anemia, the average number of drug varieties consumed, and the proportion of ≥5 drugs are associated with the occurrence of DRPs. Pharmacists conducting MR services can reduce DRPs of inpatients in the department of nephrology and ensure patient drug safety.

Long-term permeability experiments have indicated that sorption-induced swelling can switch from internal to bulk depending on the evolutive sorption status. However, this sorption swelling switch mechanism has not been considered in current analytical permeability models. This study introduces a normalized sorption non-equilibrium index (SNEI) to characterize the sorption status, quantify the dynamical variations of matrix swelling accumulation and internal swelling partition, and formulate the sorption swelling switch model. The incorporation of this index into the extended total effective stress concept leads to an analytical transient coal permeability model. Model results show that the sorption swelling switch itself results in the permeability switch under stress-constrained conditions, while the confined bulk swelling suppresses the permeability recovery to the continuous reduction under displacement-constrained conditions. Model verifications show that current experimental observations correspond to the early stages of the transient process, and they could be extended to the whole process with these models. This study demonstrates the importance of the sorption swelling switch in determining permeability evolution using simple boundary conditions. It provides new insights into experimentally revealing the sorption swelling switch in the future, and underscores the requirement of a rigorous model for complex coupled processes in large-scale coal seams.

Background: 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase can maintain genomic stability and integrity. However, it can interfere with the regular DNA damage repair process, possibly leading to the development of cancer and various other human diseases when its activity becomes abnormal. Current methods for detecting 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase activity often suffer from low sensitivity, time-consuming procedures, labor-intensive requirements, and the need for specialized equipment and trained professionals for execution. Consequently, there is an urgent need for a portable, user-friendly 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase assay that offers swift results and supports real-time testing. Results: We've developed a PERFUME method that combines primer exchange reaction and functionalized G-quadruplex/hemin DNAzyme for sensitive detection of Fpg, a typical 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase. Utilizing a single probe and T4 Polynucleotide Kinase (PNK) simplifies the experiment to a one-step reaction at 37 °C in 3 h, reducing sample consumption and improving sensitivity. We chose functionalized hemin cofactors, significantly improving catalytic efficiency and enhancing detection capability. This biosensor detects Fpg activity with a sensitivity as low as 0.11 U mL−1, displaying exceptional sensitivity, selectivity, and interference resistance in human serum and bacterial cell extracts under isothermal conditions. The biosensor demonstrates remarkable selectivity and ability for Fpg inhibitors screening. In addition, this biosensor enables reading the sample's RGB values using a smartphone, facilitating accurate quantification of Fpg activity without the necessity for specialized equipment. Significance: PERFUME simplifies Fpg detection by using a single hairpin and PNK in a one-step process. We utilize FUME to enhance catalytic efficiency, it surpassing the performance of traditional G-quadruplex/hemin DNAzyme methods. This approach excels in analyzing Fpg in human serum and bacterial extracts. It allows quantitative Fpg detection using UV–Vis and smartphones under isothermal conditions, making it valuable for clinical diagnosis.

Vitamins are dietary components necessary for cellular metabolic balance, especially redox homeostasis; deficient or excessive supply may give rise to symptoms of psychiatric disorders. Exploring the nutritional and metabolic pathways of vitamins could contribute to uncovering the underlying pathogenesis of ferroptosis-associated diseases. This mini-review aims to provide insights into vitamins closely linked to the regulation of ferroptosis from the perspective of cellular reactive oxygen species biology. The mainstream reprogramming mechanisms of ferroptosis are overviewed, focusing on unique biological processes of iron metabolism, lipid metabolism, and amino acid metabolism. Moreover, recent breakthroughs in therapeutic interventions targeting ferroptosis via fully utilizing vitamin-based pharmacological tools were overviewed, covering vitamins (B, C, E, and K). Finally, mechanism insight related to vitamin-associated nutrient signaling was provided, highlighting the pharmacological benefits of metabolically reprogramming ferroptosis-associated diseases.

Summary: The dysfunction of matriptase, a membrane-anchored protease, is highly related to the progression of skin and breast cancers. Epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced matriptase activation and cancer invasion are known but with obscure mechanisms. Here, we demonstrate a vesicular-trafficking-mediated interplay between matriptase and EGF signaling in cancer promotion. We found that EGF induces matriptase to undergo endocytosis together with the EGF receptor, followed by acid-induced activation in endosomes. Activated matriptase is then secreted extracellularly on exosomes to catalyze hepatocyte growth factor precursor (pro-HGF) cleavage, resulting in autocrine HGF/c-Met signaling. Matriptase-induced HGF/c-Met signaling represents the second signal wave of EGF, which promotes cancer cell scattering, migration, and invasion. These findings demonstrate a role of vesicular trafficking in efficient activation and secretion of membrane matriptase and a reciprocal regulation of matriptase and EGF signaling in cancer promotion, providing insights into the physiological functions of vesicular trafficking and the molecular pathological mechanisms of skin and breast cancers.

Timber–concrete hybrid structures are commonly employed in multi-story timber buildings; however, further research is necessary to fully understand the seismic performance of these structures as well as the dynamic properties of the floor. The two dynamic concerns, seismic effects and the vibration of floors in hybrid structures, are key issues, in view of which this study aimed to investigate the small-seismic-response spectra and elastic time histories in a high-rise timber hybrid building, specifically the medical technology building of Jiangsu Provincial Rehabilitation Hospital in China. The dynamic characteristics of a localized cross-laminated timber (CLT) floor were tested in situ, and the impacts of human-induced vibration were quantified. Comprehensive theoretical analysis results reveal that the basic vibration pattern of the structure was mainly translational in nature and that the period ratio, inter-story displacement angle, and shear-to-weight ratio all met the demands of the Chinese timber building design code. The experimental test results show that the vertical natural frequency of the CLT floor was about 15.96 Hz and thus met appropriate requirements with respect to natural frequency. However, peak floor acceleration was found to be high under the conditions of a single person walking quickly, a single person trotting, and multiple persons walking randomly. In light of these findings, the floor should be paved with a fine-grained concrete building surface, according to design requirements, so that its serviceability might be improved. Overall, the relevant analytical methods presented in this paper provide guidance and practical reference for the seismic analysis of timber hybrid structures, as well as vibration serviceability analysis for CLT floors.

Abstract The long half‐life of 129I makes it useful for dating marine sediments aged 2–90 Ma. However, the lack of initial value dating hinders its application for dating terrestrial sediments. A large scatter of 129I/127I in prenuclear terrestrial samples has been reported; however, the key influencing factors remain unclear. This study presented iodine isotope data from three Argentine Entisol profiles and developed an iodine‐source model to determine the influence of the source on iodine isotopic composition. The temporal patterns demonstrated clear climate modulations in natural terrestrial iodine isotopes over the last ∼15 Kyr. The model identified rock weathering as a major source of iodine in continental sediments. Higher 129I/127I ratios at mid‐high latitudes arise from weak geomagnetic shielding of cosmic rays and thus a high production rate, implying limited meridional diffusion of atmospheric iodine. These findings reveal that environmental factors are significant for constraining the initial value of terrestrial 129I.

Abstract Non‐viral vector chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)‐T cells have garnered increasing attention due to their ability to efficiently eradicate cancer cells while mitigating undesirable side effects. However, the current methods for engineering chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR‐T) cells employ viral vectors that result in permanent CAR expression and potentially severe negative impacts. As a solution to these challenges, triggering transitory expression of CARs in T cells via messenger RNA (mRNA) has emerged as a promising strategy. Currently, electroporation is a common method used to introduce the mRNA encoding the CAR into the T cells. Moreover, there has been increasing attention on the exploration of innovative mRNA delivery systems, including lipid, polymer‐based nanoparticle, exosomes and peptide transduction domains. Additionally, we also explored the functions of different types of mRNA in mRNA‐based CAR‐T cell therapy. The auxiliary mRNA, exemplified by systems such as megaTAL and nuclease transposon systems, demonstrates its capacity to extend CAR‐T cell viability and survival. This perspective offers the current state of mRNA‐based CAR‐T cell therapy and provides valuable insights into future research avenues.

Limited research has focused on nanoparticle (NP) applications’ impact on edible wheat parts in a field environment. Here, we studied the nutritional quality of edible parts of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) with a field experiment by spraying MnFe2O4 nanoparticles. Wheat was foliar sprayed with 0, 25, 50, and 100 mg/L composite manganese ferrite (MnFe2O4) NPs during 220 d of a growth period. Ionic controls were prepared using the conventional counterparts (MnSO4·H2O and FeSO4·7H2O) to compare with the 100 mg/L MnFe2O4 NPs. After three consecutive foliar applications, nanoparticles demonstrated a substantial elevation in grain yield and harvest index, exhibiting a noteworthy increase to 5.0 ± 0.12 t/ha and 0.46 ± 0.001 in the 100 mg/L NP dose, respectively, concomitant with a 14% enhancement in the grain number per spike. Fe, Mn, and Ca content in grain increased to 77 ± 2.7 mg/kg, 119 ± 2.8 mg/kg, and 0.32 ± 7.9 g/kg in the 100 mg/L NPs, respectively. Compared to the ion treatment, the 100 mg/L NP treatments notably boosts wheat grain crude protein content (from 13 ± 0.79% to 15 ± 0.58%) and effectively lowers PA/Fe levels (from 11 ± 0.7 to 9.3 ± 0.5), thereby improving Fe bioavailability. The VSM results exhibited a slight superparamagnetic behavior, whereas the grains and stems exhibited diamagnetic behavior. The results indicate that the nanomaterial did not accumulate in the grains, suggesting its suitability as an Fe and Mn-rich fertilizer in agriculture. Above all, the foliar application of nanocomposites increased the concentrations of Fe, Mn, and Ca in wheat grains, accompanied by a significant enhancement in grain yield. Therefore, the research results indicate that the foliar application of MnFe2O4 NPs can positively regulate wheat grains’ nutritional quality and yield.

Abstract Idiopathic macular hole (IMH) is a vitreoretinal disease that causes severe visual impairment, and the pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) combined with internal limiting membrane peeling (ILMP) is the traditional treatment for IMH. Since the dissociated optical nerve fiber layer (DONFL) is observed in the eyes after the surgery, a modified surgery is put forward to minimize the injury. However, the extent to which the modified surgery reduced damage is not clear. A novel automated image processing system was developed in this study to quantify the damage after the surgery, revealing how the modified surgery reduced the DONFL. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) images and visual acuity were collected from 65 eyes that underwent a vitrectomy with traditional and modified ILM peeling procedure at Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital preoperatively. We found that DONFL occurred in all 65 eyes of both the traditional and modified ILM peeling groups. The concentric macular dark spots (CMDS) were automatically measured by the image processing system. The mean total area of CMDS was smaller in the modified ILM peeling group (0.224 ± 0.110 mm2) than that of the traditional ILM peeling group (0.385 ± 0.237 mm2), and there is a significant difference between the two groups (p < .05). The morphological difference in the temporal quadrant of CMDS between the two surgery technology groups was significant (p < .001). This study will provide a clinical research basis for the improvement of macular hole surgery.

Abstract With the advancement of micro/nanotechnologies, multielectrodes arrays (MEAs) with different three‐dimensional (3D) micro/nanostructures have been developed to achieve intracellular action potential recording of cardiomyocytes. However, the effect of the 3D micro/nanostructures density on the intracellular recording has not been fully investigated. In this work, 3D tunable nanodensity electrode arrays (TNDEA) are fabricated by hydrothermal synthesis and standard microfabrication to explore the effect of nanodensity regulation on intracellular biosensing. By low‐voltage electroporation, the signal quality of intracellular potentials recorded by the low‐nanodensity TNDEA showed was significantly improved compared to those recorded by the high‐nanodensity TNDEA. The low‐nanodensity TNDEA improved the amplitude (up to 7.7 mV), signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) (up to 69.46 dB), recording duration (up to 83 min), and recording yield (∼100%). The 3D nanodensity regulating strategy has achieved sensitive and prolonged intracellular biosensing of action potentials and is expected to be a powerful electrophysiological research tool in the biomedical field.

Abstract Genetic testing plays an important role in human health management and disease prevention. However, traditional genetic testing methods have been unable to fulfill the current diagnostic needs owing to several limitations, including high cost, complexity, and difficulty in performing. Smartphones have multiple inherent advantages, such as easy portability, ubiquity, fast processing speed, and excellent imaging capabilities, and have enormous potential in realizing rapid on‐site genetic testing. The present review documents the research progress of smartphone‐based optical imaging biosensors in the fields of colorimetry, fluorescence, and microscopic imaging for genetic testing. Furthermore, the review describes their potential applications in diagnostics, which range from infectious diseases to hereditary diseases and cancers. Finally, the challenges and perspectives of smartphone‐based optical imaging biosensors regarding genetic testing are discussed.

Abstract The seasonal rainfall regime is a key factor control on local ecological and social processes and is commonly thought to be stable under long‐term climate changes. Here we present a unique high‐resolution rainfall record from the Thai‐Malay Peninsula, combined with a state‐of‐the‐art transient climate simulation, demonstrating a fundamental rainfall regime shift from summer to winter during the Holocene. Transient model simulation and new sensitivity experiments further reveal that westward migration of the boundary between summer and winter rainfall regimes results in a summer to winter rainfall regime shift forced by distinct changes in summer and winter monsoons. Our findings suggest that the seasonal rainfall regime could be unstable under climate change around the boundaries of rainfall regimes in the tropics and possibly worldwide, which might be more critical for shaping both past and future ecological environments.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN), a prevalent microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus, is the primary contributor to end-stage renal disease in developed countries. Existing clinical interventions for DN encompass lifestyle modifications, blood glucose regulation, blood pressure reduction, lipid management, and avoidance of nephrotoxic medications. Despite these measures, a significant number of patients progress to end-stage renal disease, underscoring the need for additional therapeutic strategies. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response, a cellular defense mechanism in eukaryotic cells, has been implicated in DN pathogenesis. Moderate ER stress can enhance cell survival, whereas severe or prolonged ER stress may trigger apoptosis. As such, the role of ER stress in DN presents a potential avenue for therapeutic modulation. Chinese herbal medicine, a staple in Chinese healthcare, has emerged as a promising intervention for DN. Existing research suggests that some herbal remedies may confer renoprotective benefits through the modulation of ER stress. This review explores the involvement of ER stress in the pathogenesis of DN and the advancements in Chinese herbal medicine for ER stress regulation, aiming to inspire new clinical strategies for the prevention and management of DN.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a serious microvascular complication of diabetes. It has become a leading cause of death in patients with diabetes and end-stage renal disease. Ferroptosis is a newly discovered pattern of programmed cell death. Its main manifestation is the excessive accumulation of intracellular iron ion-dependent lipid peroxides. Recent studies have shown that ferroptosis is an important driving factor in the onset and development of DN. Ferroptosis is closely associated with renal intrinsic cell (including renal tubular epithelial cells, podocytes, and mesangial cells) damage in diabetes. Chinese herbal medicine is widely used in the treatment of DN, with a long history and definite curative effect. Accumulating evidence suggests that Chinese herbal medicine can modulate ferroptosis in renal intrinsic cells and show great potential for improving DN. In this review, we outline the key regulators and pathways of ferroptosis in DN and summarize the herbs, mainly monomers and extracts, that target the inhibition of ferroptosis.

Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease that can result in symptoms including infertility, abortion, testicular inflammation, and arthritis in affected sheep and cattle. The disease can spread through a range of mechanisms, making outbreaks difficult to control such that affected farms often suffer severe economic losses. In addition, humans can be affected by brucellosis, and the number of cases continues to rise annually. As rates of brucellosis in Xinjiang, China have been increasing substantially in recent years, this study was developed to assess brucellosis seroprevalence among herds of cattle, sheep, and camels in Xinjiang through the use of common diagnostic procedures like the Rose Bengal test (RBT) and PCR. A cross-sectional approach was used to analyze the seroprevalence of brucellosis across 720 total farm animals (320 camels, 250 sheep, and 150 cattle). RBT incidence rate for brucellosis was detected in 60 serum samples, 14 (4.38%) from camels, 45 (18%) from sheep, and 1 (0.67%) from cattle. PCR was performed as a confirmatory approach for these RBT-positive samples, with 55 ultimately being confirmed to be positive 13 (4.06%), 41 (16.4%), and 1 (0.67%) samples from camels, sheep, and cattle, respectively. In this survey, sheep exhibited the highest brucellosis seroprevalence using these two analytical techniques, while cattle exhibited the lowest seroprevalence and camels exhibited an intermediate rate. AMOS-PCR analyses identified Brucella melitensis as the unknown bacterium in some of these samples. These results offer new insight regarding brucellosis seroprevalence among farm animals that can be used to formulate more appropriate prevention and control policies, while also improving awareness of epidemic prevention efforts, the need for routine quarantine and disinfection, the benefits of scientific breeding and management, and approaches to improving breeding efficiency for the camel, cattle, and sheep industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The management of the interface between the wound microenvironment and the skin substitute (SSS) is fundamental to wound repair and is an important factor in the regeneration of damaged tissue. Current biomaterials result in unideal repair effect of defective tissue due to limited management of early wound exudate and inability to respond positively to endogenous growth factors. Based on a refined electrospinning process, polycaprolactone fiber - alginate hydrogel interpenetrated network scaffold and subsequent multifunctional modifications serving as SSS was developed. The SSS exhibits excellent water absorption, water vapor permeability rate > 6000 g/m2/day and stretching properties. The amino-terminated hyperbranched polyamide enables the scaffold with both rapid antibacterial and reactive oxygen scavenging properties. Furthermore, fibroblast cells can be proliferated in the scaffold by 3D infiltration (>100 μm). Thus, the scaffolds are expected to be ideal candidates for the repair of different defective skin, especially those with excessive exudate.

The combination of technology and finance has a great potential impact on regional social and economic development, and strategic emerging industries are the convergence of technological innovation and financial support, the development of which have great significance for industrial structure adjustment and industrial quality improvement. The geographical distribution of emerging strategic industries in China is uneven. We selected 18 provinces with relatively concentrated emerging industries. 206 STI board enterprises in 2020 were collected. A three-stage DEA model was used to measure the input–output efficiency of the integrated development of science and technology finance. Also, we used a regression model to examine the path of integrated development of science and technology innovation and financial support. The research finds that the development of strategic emerging industries has a large demand for financial support and obvious regional differences, and the government plays a strong guiding role in their development as well. At the end of the research, countermeasures and suggestions for the development of strategic emerging industries are given.

Abstract Background The incidence of adverse perioperative outcomes in surgery for femoral fractures is high and associated with malnutrition. Here, we identified independent factors and assessed the predictive value of the prognostic nutritional index (PNI) for perioperative adverse outcomes in patients with femoral fractures. Methods This retrospective study included 343 patients who underwent surgery for a single femur fracture. Demographic characteristics, surgery and anaesthesia records and blood test results at admission, 1 day postoperatively and before discharge were evaluated using logistic regression analysis. The discriminatory ability of the independent factors was assessed using the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, and DeLong’s test was used to compare the area under the curve (AUC). Results Overall, 159 patients (46.4%) experienced adverse perioperative outcomes. Amongst these, 123 (35.9%) had lower limb vein thrombus, 68 (19.8%) had hospital-acquired pneumonia, 6 (1.7%) were transferred to the postoperative intensive care unit, 4 (1.2%) had pulmonary embolism, 3 (0.9%) died during hospitalisation and 9 (2.6%) had other adverse outcomes, including incision disunion, renal and liver function impairment, acute heart failure, acute cerebral infarction and stress gastroenteritis. The PNI at admission, age, postoperative hospital stay, time to admission, hypertension, combined injures and surgery type were independent factors for adverse perioperative outcomes. Based on the AUC (PNI at admission: 0.772 [0.723–0.821], P < 0.001; age: 0.678 [0.622–0.734], P < 0.001; postoperative hospital stay: 0.608 [0.548–0.668], P = 0.001; time to admission: 0.585 [0.525–0.646], P = 0.006), the PNI at admission had optimal discrimination ability, indicating its superiority over other independent factors (age vs. PNI at admission, P = 0.002; postoperative hospital stay vs. PNI at admission, P < 0.001; time to admission vs. PNI at admission, P < 0.001). Conclusions Patients with femoral fractures require a nutritional assessment and appropriate nutritional intervention at admission, and that the PNI value at admission may be a good nutritional assessment indicator.

Soil urease inhibition slows down the urea hydrolysis and prolongs nitrogen (N) stay in soil, resulting in an increased N uptake by plants. Apart from several chemical urease inhibitors, the urease inhibition potential of plant extracts is rarely reported. In our previous study, the soil urease inhibition by Vachellia nilotica leaf extract was reported; however, its role in relation to growth and yield of wheat (Triticum aestivum) under pot and field conditions remains unknown. The acetonic extracts of 10, 20, and 50 g Vachellia nilotica leaves were given code names viz. Vn.Fl-10, Vn.Fl-20 and Vn.Fl-50, respectively, and coated on 100 g of urea individually. The enhancements of growth (total number of tillers, number of productive tillers, number of spikelets per spike, number of grains per spike, and 1000-grains weight) and yield (biological yield, straw yield, and grain yield) parameters of wheat by Vn.Fl-20 and Vn.Fl-50 coated urea treatments were compared with uncoated urea in a pot experiment. The experiment indicated that the Vachellia nilotica extract coatings were effective at improving N persistence in soil, as reflected by increased grain and straw N concentrations as well as uptakes. The reproduction of the aforementioned results, at the half and full recommended dose of urea under field conditions, reconfirmed the effectiveness of Vachellia nillotica coatings. Moreover, the Vn.Fl-20 and Vn.Fl-50 coated urea, at the half as well as full recommended dose under field conditions, proved equally effective in terms of higher biological, straw, and grain yield, and grain N uptake. The increments in the total number of tillers, number of productive tillers, 1000-grain weight, biological yield, straw yield, grain yield, grain N concentration, grain N-, and straw N uptake along with nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) components, i.e. nitrogen partial factor productivity (NPFP), nitrogen agronomic efficiency (NAE), partial nitrogen balance (PNB), and nitrogen recovery efficiency (NRE) of wheat highlighted the superiority of Vn.Fl-20 coating over the hydroquinone (Hq) coating on urea at the full recommended dose under field conditions. Given the findings of this study, Vachellia nilotica leaf extract coating (Vn.Fl-20) can be used as a natural urease inhibitor to reduce urea hydrolysis and enhance wheat productivity.

For orchard plant protection, conventional large machines and small sprayers are practically restricted by either narrow planting intervals with dense leaves or their inadequate penetration power, which leads to an unsatisfactory effect of spray. This paper proposes a stereoscopic plant-protection strategy that integrates unmanned air and ground sprayers to spray different parts of canopies to improve uniformity. In order to verify the proposal, a stereoscopic plant-protection system (SPS) was developed, consisting of a small swing-arm sprayer and a T16 plant-protection Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). Then, optimal operation parameters were determined by Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and orthogonal experiments, and the uniformity was finally quantified by trials. CFD and orthogonal experiments showed that a swing-arm angle of 60° and a forward speed of 0.4 m/s were optimal for the ground sprayer, whilst a height of 2.0 m from the top of canopies and a forward speed of 1.0 m/s were appropriate for the UAV. The trial results showed that the density of vertical droplet deposition varied from 90 to 107 deposits/cm2 in canopies, and the uniformity was 38.3% higher than conventional approaches. The uniformity of top, bottom, inside and outside canopies was significantly improved. Meanwhile, the density of droplet deposition on both sides of leaves in all test points exceeded 25 deposits/cm2, able to meet the standard of spray. This study provides a practical approach for uniform pesticide spray to large-canopy fruit trees. Moreover, the high flexibility of plant-protection UAVs and the significant trafficability of small swing-arm sprayers can solve the problem of large machine entering and leaving orchards.

In the area of air-assisted spray, conventional detection of speed and direction of the wind fields for spray are separately conducted, and multiple kinds of sensors have to be laid on each coordinate axis during multidimensional detection. It limits the optimization of operation effect of sprayers based on wind-field distribution characteristics. This paper proposes a novel detection method to achieve synchronous measurement of wind speed and direction in three dimensions. Wind flow was considered as vectors and the sensing structure with a regular triangular pyramid shape supported by cantilever pieces was established. Strain gauges were utilized to detect the deformation in each direction by the wind thrust onto a ball before and after wind flow. Moreover, the calculation models of wind speed and direction were developed respectively based on the relationship of ‘strains-force-wind pressure-wind velocity’ and the principle of space operation of vectors, so multiple parameters of wind fields could be obtained simultaneously. Calibration was conducted based on a wind tunnel and the Testo 405i anemometers. The results showed that: the minimum relative error of wind-speed values was about 0.06%, while the maximum was about 10%. The average relative error of all the directions was less than 5%. Furthermore, the measurement of the wind among artificial tree canopies demonstrated that the proposed method could effectively measure both speed value and direction of the wind among canopies, and it also helped to find the wind distribution characteristics of the fan, SFG4-2R. The results highlighted both the reliability and the practical meaning of the proposed method, which could be a technical solution for measuring and evaluating wind-field characteristics of sprayers.

This paper comprehensively investigates the moment-rotation relationship of straight mortise-tenon joints commonly used in Chinese antique timber buildings, focusing on analyzing the local compression mechanism at the tenon end-mortise and the tenon neck-mortise contact areas. Different compression tests were performed, and the experimental compressive stress-strain curves displayed a typical bi-linear response comprising an elastic increasing response followed by a plastic stage. The specimens subjected to middle local compression tests exhibited higher yield stress, elastic modulus, and plastic modulus than the others. Cyclic loading tests were conducted on twelve mortise-tenon joints with varying lengths, widths, and heights of the tenon to investigate the rotational behavior of the joints under alternating loading directions. The hysteresis curves of the tested specimens generally showed a “Z” shaped pinching effect, indicating limited energy dissipation of the joints during cyclic loading. The length and width of the tenon were observed to have a significant influence on the joint rotational behavior. Finally, a theoretical model was proposed to predict the moment-rotation relationship of the mortise-tenon joint, considering the proposed bilinear stress-strain relationship for wood under compression perpendicular to the grain. The predicted results obtained by the proposed theoretical model were generally validated by the experimental results.

Abstract Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is the most common gastrointestinal disorder significantly decreasing patients’ lives of quality and placing huge economic burden on our society. Existing studies indicated that the therapeutic effects maintained for a period of time after the treatments were discontinued. It is clinically important to assess these post-treatment therapeutic effects (PTTE), which prevent IBS from relapsing. To assess the PTTE in pinaverium treatment and obtain high-quality evidence to justify the use of PTTE for long-term IBS management, we performed this controlled, double blind study on patients with IBS who were randomized to pinaverium 50 mg (n = 132) or placebo (n = 132), three times daily, for 4 weeks, and were followed up for 57 weeks after the treatments. The primary endpoints were abdominal pain and stool consistency. The secondary endpoints were pain frequency and stool frequency. The tertiary endpoints were global overall symptom and adverse events. Three days after pinaverium was discontinued, endpoints rebounded only 23.2–42.8% (P 0.05)], during which an average of 51.5–56.4% of patients (pool pinaverium and placebo data together) had IBS symptoms. These results provide clinical insights into efficient and cost-effective management of refractory IBS, and lend support to the IBS management that the selection of a therapy should consider both its effectiveness during treatment and its PTTE after the treatment. Trial registration number: NCT02330029 (16/08/2016).

Diarrhea predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a highly relapsing gastrointestinal disorder decreasing the quality of life. Existing studies indicated that the therapeutic effects maintained for a period of time after the treatments were discontinued (post-treatment therapeutic effects or PTTE). In this study, we aim to assess the PTTE of tongxie. We performed a multiple center, controlled, double blind study of patients with IBS randomized to tongxie (n = 120) or placebo (n = 120) for 4 weeks and followed up for 57 weeks. The primary outcomes were abdominal pains and stool consistency. The secondary outcomes were pain frequency and stool frequency. Tertiary outcomes were adverse effects and global overall symptom. The outcome data were collected at days 1, 2, 3, weeks 1 and 4 during the treatment and at days 1, 2, 3, until week 57 during the post-treatment. Significantly more patients receiving tongxie were clinical responders to the primary and secondary endpoints from day 1 until the end of the treatment. The positive effects of tongxie were maintained until 17–25 weeks after tongxie was discontinued. The relapse-free probabilities in the tongxie group were significantly higher than those in the placebo group (P

Abstract Cancer is one of the leading causes of human death, despite enormous efforts to explore cancer biology and develop anticancer therapies. The main challenges in cancer research are establishing an efficient tumor microenvironment in vitro and exploring efficient means for screening anticancer drugs to reveal the nature of cancer and develop treatments. The tumor microenvironment possesses human-specific biophysical and biochemical factors that are difficult to recapitulate in conventional in vitro planar cell models and in vivo animal models. Therefore, model limitations have hindered the translation of basic research findings to clinical applications. In this review, we introduce the recent progress in tumor-on-a-chip devices for cancer biology research, medicine assessment, and biomedical applications in detail. The emerging tumor-on-a-chip platforms integrating 3D cell culture, microfluidic technology, and tissue engineering have successfully mimicked the pivotal structural and functional characteristics of the in vivo tumor microenvironment. The recent advances in tumor-on-a-chip platforms for cancer biology studies and biomedical applications are detailed and analyzed in this review. This review should be valuable for further understanding the mechanisms of the tumor evolution process, screening anticancer drugs, and developing cancer therapies, and it addresses the challenges and potential opportunities in predicting drug screening and cancer treatment.

Abstract Background The bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (BMSCs)-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) open up a new avenue for ulcerative colitis (UC) treatment recently, but they are not selectively enriched in targeted tissues. EphB2, a cell-to-cell signaling receptor, is identified as a regulator for inflammatory response, immune homeostasis and cell migration. In this study, we investigated the therapeutic potential and underlying mechanism for EphB2 over-expressing BMSCs derived EVs (EphB2-EVs) in the treatment of UC. Methods BMSCs and EVs were obtained and characterized by a series of experiments. Lentivirus vector encoding EphB2 was transfected into BMSCs and verified by qRT-PCR. We analyzed the EphB2-EVs ability of colonic targeting in a DSS-induced colitis model by using confocal microscope and WB. The protective effect of EphB2-EVs in vivo was systematically evaluated by using a series of function experiments. Results We successfully constructed EphB2-overexpressing BMSCs derived EVs (EphB2-EVs). Overexpression of EphB2 significantly enhanced the homing of EVs to the damaged colon. In addition, EphB2-EVs were effective to attenuate inflammation in intestinal mucosa and restore the damaged colon tissue by inhibiting the release of proinflammatory cytokines and upregulating the anti-inflammatory mediators. EphB2-EVs effectively reduced the oxidative stress and repaired the intestinal mucosal barrier in the UC rats. Moreover, EphB2-EVs demonstrated a robust immunomodulatory effect to restore immune homeostasis via modulating Th17/Treg balance and restraining STAT3 activation. Conclusions Our results suggest that EphB2-EVs have high colonic targeting ability and could mitigate DSS-induced colitis via maintaining colonic immune homeostasis. These findings provide an effective therapeutic strategy for UC treatment in clinic.

Abstract Cardiovascular diseases have emerged as a significant threat to human health. However, drug development is a time-consuming and costly process, and few drugs pass the preclinical assessment of safety and efficacy. The existing patch-clamp, Ca2+ imaging, and microelectrode array technologies in cardiomyocyte models for drug preclinical screening have suffered from issues of low throughput, limited long-term assessment, or inability to synchronously and correlatively analyze electrical and mechanical signals. Here, we develop a high-content, dose-quantitative and time-dependent drug assessment platform based on an electrical-mechanical synchronized (EMS) biosensing system. This microfabricated EMS can record both firing potential (FP) and mechanical beating (MB) signals from cardiomyocytes and extract a variety of characteristic parameters from these two signals (FP–MB) for further analysis. This system was applied to test typical ion channel drugs (lidocaine and isradipine), and the dynamic responses of cardiomyocytes to the tested drugs were recorded and analyzed. The high-throughput characteristics of the system can facilitate simultaneous experiments on a large number of samples. Furthermore, a database of various cardiac drugs can be established by heat map analysis for rapid and effective screening of drugs. The EMS biosensing system is highly promising as a powerful tool for the preclinical development of new medicines.

Universities are important parts of innovation ecosystems, and university technology transfer (UTT), which aims for the sustainable commercialization of sci-tech achievements, is closely related to other actors in the ecosystem. Based on the panel data of 31 provinces in mainland China, this paper empirically analyzes the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics of UTT levels from 2011 to 2019 and estimates the influencing factors using the spatial Durbin model (SDM) with an economic spatial weighting matrix from the perspective of innovation ecosystems. The results are presented as follows: (1) Although the overall level of UTT in China is low, it shows an upward trend in most provinces. In addition, the interprovincial gap is obvious, forming a ladder distribution of UTT levels increasing from west to east. (2) There is a significant spatial autocorrelation between UTT levels in the provinces. (3) Industry, economy, and informatization play significant roles in promoting UTT, while financial institutes and openness have significant inhibitory effects. The economy has a significant spatial spillover effect on UTT, while government, industry and informatization have a significant inhibitory effect on UTT in neighboring regions. (4) The direct and indirect effects of influencing factors in the Eastern Region and other regions show significant spatial heterogeneity.

Using transient climate forcing based on simulations from the Alfred Wegener Institute Earth System Model (AWI-ESM), we simulate the evolution of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) from the last interglacial (125 ka, kiloyear before present) to 2100 AD with the Parallel Ice Sheet Model (PISM). The impact of paleoclimate, especially Holocene climate, on the present and future evolution of the GrIS is explored. Our simulations of the past show close agreement with reconstructions with respect to the recent timing of the peaks in ice volume and the climate of Greenland. The maximum and minimum ice volume at around 18–17 ka and 6–5 ka lag the respective extremes in climate by several thousand years, implying that the ice volume response of the GrIS strongly lags climatic changes. Given that Greenland’s climate was getting colder from the Holocene Thermal Maximum (i.e., 8 ka) to the Pre-Industrial era, our simulation implies that the GrIS experienced growth from the mid-Holocene to the industrial era. Due to this background trend, the GrIS still gains mass until the second half of the 20th century, even though anthropogenic warming begins around 1850 AD. This is also in agreement with observational evidence showing mass loss of the GrIS does not begin earlier than the late 20th century. Our results highlight that the present evolution of the GrIS is not only controlled by the recent climate changes, but is also affected by paleoclimate, especially the relatively warm Holocene climate. We propose that the GrIS was not in equilibrium throughout the entire Holocene and that the slow response to Holocene climate needs to be represented in ice sheet simulations in order to predict ice mass loss, and therefore sea level rise, accurately.

The electrophysiological signal can reflect the basic activity of cardiomyocytes, which is often used to study the working mechanism of heart. Intracellular recording is a powerful technique for studying transmembrane potential, proving a favorable strategy for electrophysiological research. To obtain high-quality and high-throughput intracellular electrical signals, an integrated electrical signal recording and electrical pulse regulating system based on nanopatterned microelectrode array (NPMEA) is developed in this work. Due to the large impedance of the electrode, a high-input impedance preamplifier is required. The high-frequency noise of the circuit and the baseline drift of the sensor are suppressed by a band-pass filter. After amplifying the signal, the data acquisition card (DAQ) is used to collect the signal. Meanwhile, the DAQ is utilized to generate pulses, achieving the electroporation of cells by NPMEA. Each channel uses a voltage follower to improve the pulse driving ability and isolates each electrode. The corresponding recording control software based on LabVIEW is developed to control the DAQ to collect, display and record electrical signals, and generate pulses. This integrated system can achieve high-throughput detection of intracellular electrical signals and provide a reliable recording tool for cell electro-physiological investigation.