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Abstract Hydrogen-based renewable microgrid is considered as a prospective technique in power generation to reduce the carbon footprint, combat climate change and promote renewable energy sources integration. The photovoltaic-hydrogen-storage (PHS) microgrid system cleverly integrates renewable clean energy and hydrogen storage, providing a sustainable solution that maximizes the solar energy utilization. However, the changeable weather conditions and fluid market make it challenging to manage energy balance of the system. Moreover, in view of the fact that the existing energy management systems often ignore the dynamic synergy of microgrids, a hierarchical economic model predictive control (HEMPC) framework is proposed to realize the optimal operation of PHS microgrid. First, a precise nonlinear model of the PHS microgrid is established and the logic variables are introduced to capture the hydrogen devices’ short-term properties, i.e., the start-up/shut-down of electrolyzers and fuel cells. Then a comprehensive economic cost function, including internal power demand tracking cost, system operation cost and contract deviation cost, is considered in the proposed two-level HEMPC framework in order to address challenges such as fluctuating weather conditions, dynamic market environments, and the often-overlooked dynamic synergy of microgrid components. Under the proposed framework, a mixed-integer nonlinear optimization problem is solved by the long-term EMPC in the upper level to regulate the start-up/shut-down of hydrogen devices and the state of charge in the battery, and the short-term EMPC in the lower level reoptimizes the power demand tracking cost while tracking the optimal reference signal from the long-term EMPC, thereby improving overall control system efficiency. The simulation results along with qualitative and quantitative analysis show that compared with rule-based control, the proposed HEMPC is effective in managing the equipment power output, realizing dynamic synergy and enhancing the economic performance.

Abstract Objective To investigate the effect of capecitabine on the sensitivity of oxaliplatin and on the level of transcription factor forkhead box P1 (FOXP1) and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) in patients with intermediate and advanced gastric cancer. Methods A total of 152 Patients with advanced gastric cancer who were continuously diagnosed and treated in our hospital were selected as the study objects. The general data were retrospectively analyzed. The patients in the control group received oxaliplatin, while the patients in the study group received capecitabine on the basis of the control group. The FOXP1 expression level was detected using immunohistochemistry. Serum levels of GGT were measured by chemiluminescence. Protein levels were detected by Western blot. The prognostic factors were analyzed by the COX regression model. The Kaplan–Meier survival curve was used to analyze the survival of gastric cancer. Results The effective rates (complete response, partial response, and stability) of the study group and the control group were 94.74% and 76.32%, respectively. Compared with adjacent normal tissues, the expression level of FOXP1 in gastric cancer tissues was lower (P

Abstract CD8+T cells within the tumor microenvironment (TME) are often functionally impaired, which limits their ability to mount effective anti-tumor responses. However, the molecular mechanisms behind this dysfunction remain incompletely understood. Here, we identified valosin-containing protein (VCP) as a key regulator of CD8+T cells suppression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Our findings reveal that VCP suppresses the activation, expansion, and cytotoxic capacity of CD8+T cells both in vitro and in vivo, significantly contributing to the immunosuppressive nature of the TME. Mechanistically, VCP stabilizes the expression of glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase 1-like protein (GPD1L), leading to the accumulation of glycerol-3-phosphate (G3P), a downstream metabolite of GPD1L. The accumulated G3P diffuses into the TME and directly interacts with SRC-family tyrosine kinase LCK, a critical component of the T-cell receptor (TCR) signaling pathway in CD8+T cells. This interaction heightens the phosphorylation of Tyr505, a key inhibitory residue, ultimately reducing LCK activity and impairing downstream TCR signaling. Consequently, CD8+T cells lose their functional capacity, diminishing their ability to fight against HCC. Importantly, we demonstrated that targeting VCP in combination with anti-PD1 therapy significantly suppresses HCC tumor growth and restores the anti-tumor function of CD8+T cells, suggesting synergistic therapeutic potential. These findings highlight a previously unrecognized mechanism involving VCP and G3P in suppressing T-cell-mediated immunity in the TME, positioning VCP as a promising upstream target for enhancing immunotherapy in HCC.

Abstract Vegetation restoration can be effective in containing gully head advance. However, the effect of vegetation restoration type on soil aggregate stability and erosion resistance at the head of the gully is unclear. In this study, five types of vegetation restoration—Pinus tabulaeformis (PT), Prunus sibirica (PS), Caragana korshinskii (CKS), Hippophae rhamnoides (HR), and natural grassland (NG, the dominant species is Leymus chinensis)—in the gully head were studied. Soil aggregate composition and nutrient contents in the 0–20, 20–40, and 40–60 cm soil layers were also determined, and the soil stability parameters were used to evaluate the soil conditions. The soil erodibility (K) was then determined by measuring the granulometric composition and organic matter. The results showed that the particle size of soil aggregates under different vegetation restoration types was mainly 0.25 mm aggregates (R> 0.25 mm), geometric mean diameter (GMD), and mean weight diameter (MWD) values of the three soil layers were the highest in PT and the lowest in NG, while the opposite was true for fractal dimension (D) and the percentage of aggregate disruption (PAD). The K ranged from 0.052 to 0.065 t·hm2·h·MJ− 1 mm− 1·hm− 2. GMD can be used to characterize the anti-erosion ability of soil, and increasing the soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, and clay content can effectively reduce soil erodibility. The comprehensive analysis indicated that the soil aggregates of arbors planted in the gully head had the highest stability and anti-erodibility, followed by shrubs and grasslands, and can be used to evaluate vegetation restoration measures in gully heads.

Crop phenomics has rapidly progressed in recent years due to the growing need for crop functional genomics, digital breeding, and smart cultivation. Despite this advancement, the lack of standards for the creation and usage of crop phenomics technology and equipment has become a bottleneck, limiting the industry’s high-quality development. This paper begins with an overview of the crop phenotyping industry and presents an industrial mapping of technology and equipment for big data in crop phenomics. It analyzes the necessity and current state of constructing a standard framework for crop phenotyping. Furthermore, this paper proposes the intended organizational structure and goals of the standard framework. It details the essentials of the standard framework in the research and development of hardware and equipment, data acquisition, and the storage and management of crop phenotyping data. Finally, it discusses promoting the construction and evaluation of the standard framework, aiming to provide ideas for developing a high-quality standard framework for crop phenotyping.

Abstract Planting forests is an effective way to improve desertification. In order to elucidate the impacts of different vegetation types on soil development and restoration of degraded lands, we compared the properties of soils at different depths in three plantation forests in the Hunsandak Sandy Land in the Chinese agro-pastoral ecotone (Ulmus pumila, Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica, and Populus simonii). The results show that all three plantation forests were able to significantly improve the soil properties, and they resulted in soil nutrient enrichment in the surface layer. As the soil depth increased, the soil became progressively poorer in nutrients, the fine particle content decreased, and the bulk density and water content increased. The orders of the fractal dimension characterization and soil improvement effects of the different tree species were as follows: U. pumila > P. sylvestris var. mongolica > P. simonii. Compared with the bare sand, the soil bulk density under the U. pumila plantation was 19% lower; the soil water content was 74% higher; the soil organic matter, total N, P, and K were 336%, 207%, 106%, and 31% higher; the available N, P, and K were 41%, 125%, and 21% higher; and the clay and silt contents were 498% and 387% higher, respectively. The ranges of the soil fractal dimension were 1.67–2.08 for the bare sandy land and 2.14–2.32 for the planted forests. The soil fractal dimension was strongly correlated with the soil physicochemical properties, especially with the soil nutrients and fine particle content, which exhibited highly significant correlations (p

Maize ear leaves have important roles in photosynthesis, nutrient partitioning and hormone regulation. The morphological and structural variations observed in maize ear leaves are numerous and contribute significantly to the yield. Nevertheless, research on the fine-scale morphology of maize leaves is less, particularly the quantitative methods to characterize the morphology of leaves in two-dimensional (2D) space is absent. This makes it challenging to accurately identify 2D leaf shape of their cultivars. Therefore, this study presents the methods of 2D semantic morphological feature extraction and atlas construction, with the ear leaf in silking stage of maize association analysis population serving as an example. A three-dimensional (3D) digitizer was employed to obtain data from 1,431 leaves belonging to 518 inbred lines. The data was then processed using mesh subdivision and planar parameterization to create 2D leaf models with area-preserving characteristics. Additionally, averaged 2D leaf models of all the inbred lines were constructed, and 29 2D leaf features were quantified. Based on this, 11 features were extracted as semantic features of 2D leaf shape through clustering and correlation analysis. A comprehensive 2D leaf shape indicator L2D based on the 11 semantic features was proposed, and a 2D leaf shape atlas was constructed in accordance with the L2D ordering. Inbred line identification of 2D leaf shape in maize was achieved using the atlas. The results of maize leaf inbred line identification can determine the probability that the corresponding true inbred line ranked within the top 10 of the predicted results is 0.706, within the top 20 is 0.810, and within the top 45 is 0.900. This enables the generation of the corresponding maize 2D leaf shape through the matching of semantic features. The methodology presented in this study offers novel insights into the construction of semantic models for the morphology of maize and the identification of cultivars. It also provides a theoretical and technical foundation for the generation and drawing the leaf shape based on semantic 2D morphological and structural features.

IntroductionThe formation of yield and quality in maize involves the accumulation of substances such as starch, proteins, and fats, which interact with water within the kernel. Although temporal dynamics of grain moisture and its functional and environmental determinants have been broadly demonstrated, we still do not have a comprehensive understanding of the distribution of water phase within a kernel.MethodsWe investigated the relationship between tissue structural traits, including embryo volume (EMBV), endosperm volume (ENDV), vitreous endosperm volume (VEV), floury endosperm volume (FEV), and water content in different phases, such as bound water, semi-bound water, and free water, in maize kernels under different cultivars, nitrogen application rates, and soaking durations by combining low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) and X-ray microcomputed tomography (μ-CT) for kernels.ResultsThe results demonstrate that bound water is the major phase (57-82%) in maize kernels, and this proportion decreases with prolonged soaking duration. The bound water content and semi-bound water content positively correlate to ENDV, VEV, and EMBV, whereas free water content correlates to ENDV, EMBV, and VEV in descending order of correlation coefficient. This indicates that water might penetrate the embryo through the pedicel and vitreous endosperm through the pericarp during soaking.DiscussionFinally, we suggested that the proportion of semi-bound water could be a robust indicator to predict moisture content in maize kernels. The study provides a preliminary understanding of the structural basis of water distribution in maize kernels, thereby opening up the potential for designing efficient production systems and breeding cultivars well-suited for mechanical harvesting.

The stomatal phenotype is a crucial microscopic characteristic of the leaf surface, and modulating the stomata of maize leaves can enhance photosynthetic carbon assimilation and water use efficiency, thereby playing a vital role in maize yield formation. The evolving imaging and image processing technologies offer effective tools for precise analysis of stomatal phenotypes. This study employed Jingnongke 728 and its parental inbred to capture stomatal images from various leaf positions and abaxial surfaces during key reproductive stages using rapid scanning electron microscopy. We uesd a target detection and image segmentation approach based on YOLOv5s and Unet to efficiently obtain 11 phenotypic traits encompassing stomatal count, shape, and distribution. Manual validation revealed high detection accuracies for stomatal density, width, and length, with R2 values of 0.92, 0.97, and 0.95, respectively. Phenotypic analyses indicated a significant positive correlation between stomatal density and the percentage of guard cells and pore area (r=0.36), and a negative correlation with stomatal area and subsidiary cell area (r=-0.34 and -0.46). Additionally, stomatal traits exhibited notable variations with reproductive stages and leaf layers. Specifically, at the monocot scale, stomatal density increased from 74.35 to 87.19 Counts/mm2 from lower to upper leaf layers. Concurrently, the stomatal shape shifted from sub-circular (stomatal roundness = 0.64) to narrow and elongated (stomatal roundness = 0.63). Throughout the growth cycle, stomatal density remained stable during vegetative growth, decreased during reproductive growth with smaller size and narrower shape, and continued to decline while increasing in size and tending towards a rounded shape during senescence. Remarkably, hybrid 728 differed notably from its parents in stomatal phenotype, particularly during senescence. Moreover, the stomatal density of the hybrids showed negative super parental heterosis (heterosis rate = -0.09), whereas stomatal dimensions exhibited positive super parental heterosis, generally resembling the parent MC01. This investigation unveils the dynamic variations in maize stomatal phenotypes, bolstering genetic analyses and targeted improvements in maize, and presenting a novel technological instrument for plant phenotype studies.

In recent years, tumor immunotherapy has become an active research area, with the emergence of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) revolutionizing immunotherapy. Clinical evidence indicates that programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) monoclonal antibodies and other drugs have remarkable therapeutic effects. V-domain Ig suppressor of T-cell activation (VISTA) is a new type of immune checkpoint receptor that is highly expressed in various tumors. It is co-expressed with PD-1, T-cell immunoglobulin domain, mucin domain-3 (Tim-3), T-cell immunoglobulin, and immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motif domain (TIGIT) and is associated with prognosis, which suggests that it may be a target for immunotherapy. As an immune checkpoint receptor with no mature drugs, VISTA is highly expressed in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), multiple myeloma (MM), and other hematological malignancies; however, its pathogenic mechanism should be defined to better guide treatment.

Objective To explore the manifestations of bacteriophages in different oral disease ecologies, including periodontal diseases, dental caries, endodontic infections, and oral cancer, as well as to propel phage therapy for safer and more effective clinical application in the field of dentistry.Methods In this literature review, we outlined interactions between bacteriophages, bacteria and even oral cells in the oral ecosystem, especially in disease states. We also analyzed the current status and future prospects of phage therapy in the perspective of different oral diseases.Results Various oral bacteriophages targeting at periodontal pathogens as Porphyromonas gingivalis, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Treponema denticola and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, cariogenic pathogen Streptococcus mutans, endodontic pathogen Enterococcus faecalis were predicted or isolated, providing promising options for phage therapy. In the realm of oral cancer, aside from displaying tumor antigens or participating in tumor-targeted therapies, phage-like particle vaccines demonstrated the potential to prevent oral infections caused by human papillomaviruses (HPVs) associated with head-and-neck cancers.Conclusion Due to their intricate interactions with bacteria and oral cells, bacteriophages are closely linked to the progression and regression of diverse oral diseases. And there is an urgent need for research to explore additional possibilities of bacteriophages in the management of oral diseases.

Abstract Urate nephropathy, a common complication of hyperuricemia, has garnered increasing attention worldwide. However, the exact pathogenesis of this condition remains unclear. Currently, inflammation is widely accepted as the key factor in urate nephropathy. Therefore, the aim of this study was to elucidate the interaction of lincRNA-p21/AIF-1/CMPK2/NLRP3 via exosomes in urate nephropathy. This study evaluated the effect of lincRNA-p21/AIF-1/CMPK2/NLRP3 using clinical data collected from patients with urate nephropathy and human renal tubular epithelial cells (HK2) cultured with different concentrations of urate. In clinical research section, the level of lincRNA-p21/AIF-1 in exosomes of urine in patients with hyperuricemia or urate nephropathy was found to be increased, particularly in patients with urate nephropathy. In vitro study section, the level of exosomes, inflammation, autophagy, and apoptosis was increased in HK2 cells induced by urate. Additionally, the expression of lincRNA-p21, AIF-1, CMPK2, and NLRP3 was upregulated in exosomes and HK2 cells. Furthermore, manipulating the activity of lincRNA-p21, AIF-1, CMPK2, and NLRP3 through overexpression or interference vectors regulated the level of inflammation, autophagy, and apoptosis in HK2 cells. In conclusion, the pathway of lincRNA-p21/AIF-1/CMPK2/NLRP3 contributed to inflammation, autophagy, and apoptosis of human renal tubular epithelial cell induced by urate via exosomes. Additionally, the specific exosomes in urine might serve as novel biomarkers for urate nephropathy.

Background: Hypoxic pulmonary hypertension (HPH) is the main pathological change in vascular remodeling, a complex cardiopulmonary disease caused by hypoxia. Some research results have shown that ginsenoside Rg1 (Rg1) can improve vascular remodeling, but the effect and mechanism of Rg1 on hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension are not clear. The purpose of this study was to discuss the potential mechanism of action of Rg1 on HPH. Methods: C57BL/6 mice, calpain-1 knockout mice and Pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) were exposed to a low oxygen environment with or without different treatments. The effect of Rg1 and calpain-1 silencing on inflammation, fibrosis, proliferation and the protein expression levels of calpain-1, STAT3 and p-STAT3 were determined at the animal and cellular levels. Results: At the mouse and cellular levels, hypoxia promotes inflammation, fibrosis, and cell proliferation, and the expression of calpain-1 and p-STAT3 is also increased. Ginsenoside Rg1 administration and calpain-1 knockdown, MDL-28170, and HY-13818 treatment showed protective effects on hypoxia-induced inflammation, fibrosis, and cell proliferation, which may be associated with the downregulation of calpain-1 and p-STAT3 expression in mice and cells. In addition, overexpression of calpain 1 increased p-STAT3 expression, accelerating the onset of inflammation, fibrosis and cell proliferation in hypoxic PASMCs. Conclusion: Ginsenoside Rg1 may ameliorate hypoxia-induced pulmonary vascular remodeling by suppressing the calpain-1/STAT3 signaling pathway.

Abstract The Taihangshan-Yanshan region (TYR) is an important ecological barrier area for Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, and the effectiveness of its ecological restoration and protection is of great significance to the ecological security pattern of North China. Based on the FVC data from 2000 to 2021, residual analysis, parametric optimal geodetector technique (OPGD) and multi-scale geographically weighted regression analysis (MGWR) were used to clarify the the multivariate driving mechanism of the evolution of FVC in the TYR. Results show that: (1) FVC changes in the TYR show a slowly fluctuating upward trend, with an average growth rate of 0.02/10a, and a spatial pattern of "high in the northwest and low in the southeast"; more than half of the FVC increased during the 22-year period. (2) The results of residual analysis showed that the effects of temperature and precipitation on FVC were very limited, and a considerable proportion (80.80% and 76.78%) of the improved and degraded areas were influenced by other factors. (3) The results of OPGD showed that the main influencing factors of the spatial differentiation of FVC included evapotranspiration, surface temperature, land use type, nighttime light intensity, soil type, and vegetation type (q > 0.2); The explanatory rates of the two-factor interactions were greater than those of the single factor, which showed either nonlinear enhancement or bifactorial enhancement, among which, the interaction of evapotranspiration with mean air and surface temperature has the strongest effect on the spatial and temporal evolution of FVC (q = 0.75). Surface temperature between 4.98 and 10.4 °C, evapotranspiration between 638 and 762 mm/a, and nighttime light between 1.96 and 7.78 lm/m2 favoured an increase in vegetation cover, and vegetation developed on lysimetric soils was more inclined to be of high cover. (4) The correlation between each variable and FVC showed different performance, GDP, elevation, slope and FVC showed significant positive correlation in most regions, while population size, urban population proportion, GDP proportion of primary and secondary industries, and nighttime light intensity all showed negative correlation with FVC to different degrees. The results can provide data for formulating regional environmental protection and restoration policies.

Abstract Background Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is a complicated hematopoietic malignancy characterized by bone marrow (BM) dysplasia with symptoms like anemia, neutropenia, or thrombocytopenia. MDS exhibits considerable heterogeneity in prognosis, with approximately 30% of patients progressing to acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Single cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) is a new and powerful technique to profile disease landscapes. However, the current available scRNA-seq datasets for MDS are only focused on CD34+ hematopoietic progenitor cells. We argue that using entire BM cell for MDS studies probably will be more informative for understanding the pathophysiology of MDS. Methods Five MDS patients and four healthy donors were enrolled in the study. Unsorted cells from BM aspiration were collected for scRNA-seq analysis to profile overall alteration in hematopoiesis. Results Standard scRNA-seq analysis of unsorted BM cells successfully profiles deficient hematopoiesis in all five MDS patients, with three classified as high-risk and two as low-risk. While no significant increase in mutation burden was observed, high-risk MDS patients exhibited T-cell activation and abnormal myelogenesis at the stages between hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPC) and granulocyte–macrophage progenitors (GMP). Transcriptional factor analysis on the aberrant myelogenesis suggests that the epigenetic regulator chromatin structural protein-encoding gene HMGA1 is highly activated in the high-risk MDS group and moderately activated in the low-risk MDS group. Perturbation of HMGA1 by CellOracle simulated deficient hematopoiesis in mouse Lineage-negative (Lin-) BM cells. Projecting MDS and AML cells on a BM cell reference by our newly developed MarcoPolo pipeline intuitively visualizes a connection for myeloid leukemia development and abnormalities of hematopoietic hierarchy, indicating that it is technically feasible to integrate all diseased bone marrow cells on a common reference map even when the size of the cohort reaches to 1,000 patients or more. Conclusion Through scRNA-seq analysis on unsorted cells from BM aspiration samples of MDS patients, this study systematically profiled the development abnormalities in hematopoiesis, heterogeneity of risk, and T-cell microenvironment at the single cell level.

Abstract Adoptive cellular immunotherapy as a promising and alternative cancer therapy platform is critical for future clinical applications. Natural killer (NK) cells have attracted attention as an important type of innate immune regulatory cells that can rapidly kill multiple adjacent cancer cells. However, these cells are significantly less effective in treating solid tumors than in treating hematological tumors. Herein, we report the synthesis of a Fe3O4-PEG-CD56/Avastin@Ce6 nanoprobe labeled with NK-92 cells that can be used for adoptive cellular immunotherapy, photodynamic therapy and dual-modality imaging-based in vivo fate tracking. The labeled NK-92 cells specifically target the tumor cells, which increases the amount of cancer cell apoptosis in vitro. Furthermore, the in vivo results indicate that the labeled NK-92 cells can be used for tumor magnetic resonance imaging and fluorescence imaging, adoptive cellular immunotherapy, and photodynamic therapy after tail vein injection. These data show that the developed multifunctional nanostructure is a promising platform for efficient innate immunotherapy, photodynamic treatment and noninvasive therapeutic evaluation of breast cancer.

Abstract Despite the importance of spliceosome core components in cellular processes, their roles in cancer development, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), remain poorly understood. In this study, we uncover a critical role for SmD2, a core component of the spliceosome machinery, in modulating DNA damage in HCC through its impact on BRCA1/FANC cassette exons and expression. Our findings reveal that SmD2 depletion sensitizes HCC cells to PARP inhibitors, expanding the potential therapeutic targets. We also demonstrate that SmD2 acetylation by p300 leads to its degradation, while HDAC2-mediated deacetylation stabilizes SmD2. Importantly, we show that the combination of Romidepsin and Olaparib exhibits significant therapeutic potential in multiple HCC models, highlighting the promise of targeting SmD2 acetylation and HDAC2 inhibition alongside PARP inhibitors for HCC treatment.

BackgroundIatrogenic nerve injury is a consequential complication during surgery. Thus, real-time imaging of peripheral nerve (PN) possesses significant clinical implications. In recent years, the rapid advancements in optical molecular imaging (OMI) technology have provided essential technical foundations for the implementation of PN fluorescence imaging. This study aimed to realize real-time OMI of PNs via Rhodamine B.MethodsPhosphate buffered saline (PBS), normal saline (NS), 5% glucose solution (GS), and fetal bovine serum (FBS) were selected for measuring the fluorescence spectra of Rhodamine B solutions prepared in each formulation. Rhodamine B solutions, with varying doses dissolved in 100 μL of each formulation, were prepared and applied to the exposed PNs of the mice for incubation later. To ascertain the optimal formulation and dose of Rhodamine B, an analysis was performed on the signal-to-background ratio (SBR) of the nerves. Based on the experimental results, we proceeded to incubate Rhodamine B solution on the PN tissue of mice and human subjects, as well as on neuronal cells, to verify the binding sites of Rhodamine B with nerve. Subsequently, histological studies were conducted to validate the binding site between Rhodamine B and the nerves. Finally, we injected the optimal combination of Rhodamine B solution into mice via the tail vein and collected the SBR of mouse nerve tissues at different time intervals to determine the optimal pre-injection time. Fluorescence images of various tissues were collected, and Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) staining results were observed to determine the metabolism of Rhodamine B in mice and its toxicity.ResultsThe excitation peak of Rhodamine B in PBS, NS, 5% GS, and FBS formulations was 554 nm, and the emission peak was 576 nm. In PBS group, the maximum SBR was 15.37 ± 0.68 while the dose of Rhodamine B was 8 nmol. Through ex-vivo validation on fresh human nerve tissue and verification using mouse and human tissue sections, we observed fluorescent signals of Rhodamine Bin the regions of nerve tissue and the fluorescence signals were all concentrated on the neuronal cell membranes. After injection, the fluorescent signal in nerve tissue reached its peak at 24 hours (h), coinciding with the highest SBR (5.93 ± 0.92) in mouse nerve tissues at this time point. Additionally, the fluorescence signal could be maintained for at least 48 h. Within 24 h, lung dilation and fusion of alveoli occurred. Then these pathological manifestations gradually diminished, returning to normal at 2 weeks (w), with no significant acute or chronic adverse reactions observed in other tissues.ConclusionRhodamine B enables fluorescence imaging of PNs and has the potential for clinical translation.

Objective: To investigate the effect of capecitabine on the sensitivity of oxaliplatin and on the level of transcription factor forkhead box P1 (FOXP1) and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) in patients with intermediate and advanced gastric cancer. Methods: A total of 152 patients with intermediate and advanced gastric cancer diagnosed and treated in our hospital from April 2018 to May 2019 was selected as the research objects, and their clinical data were retrospectively analyzed. According to the different treatment methods, they were divided into the study group and the control group, with 76 cases in each group. The patients in the control group received with oxaliplatin, while the patients in the study group received with capecitabine on the basis of the control group. The therapeutic effect was evaluated according to the therapeutic effect evaluation criteria of solid tumors. The FOXP1 expression level in gastric cancer tissues was detected using immunohistochemistry. Serum levels of GGT were measured by chemiluminescence. The prognostic factors were analyzed by COX regression model, and the Kaplan-Meier survival curve was used to analyze the relationship between the influencing factors and the survival of gastric cancer. Results: The effective rate of capecitabine combined with oxaliplatin and oxaliplatin alone in the treatment of patients with intermediate and advanced gastric cancer were 94.74 % and 76.32 % respectively. Capecitabine enhanced the sensitivity of intermediate and advanced gastric cancer to oxaliplatin (P 0.05). After treatment, the low expression rate of FOXP1 and serum GGT level were both significantly decreased, and those in the study group were lower than those in the control group (P 0.05). The 1-year survival rates of the study group and the control group were 90.79 % and 78.95 %, while the 3-year survival rates of the study group and the control group were 75.00 % and 51.32 %, respectively. Both the 1-year and 3-year survival rate of the study group was higher than that in the control group (P

Fluorescence imaging is a relatively new imaging method used to visualize different tissue structures to help guide intraoperative operations, which has potential advantages with high sensitivity and contrast compared to conventional imaging. In this work, we review fluorescent contrast agents and devices used for lymphatic system imaging. Indocyanine green is the most widely utilized due to its high sensitivity, specificity, low background fluorescence, and safety profile. In prostate and bladder cancer lymph node dissection, the complex lymphatic drainage can result in missed metastatic nodes and extensive dissection increases the risk of complications like lymphocele, presenting a significant challenge for urologists. Fluorescence-guided sentinel lymph node dissection facilitates precise tumor staging. The combination of fluorescence and radiographic imaging improves the accuracy of lymph node staging. Multimodal imaging presents new potential for precisely identifying metastatic pelvic lymph nodes.

Hyperaccumulators are the material basis and key to the phytoremediation of heavy metal contaminated soils. Conventional methods for screening hyperaccumulators are highly dependent on the time- and labor-consuming sampling and chemical analysis. In this study, a novel spectral approach assisted with multi-task deep learning was proposed to streamline accumulating ecotype screening, heavy metal stress discrimination, and heavy metals quantification in plants. The significant Cd/Zn co-hyperaccumulator Sedum alfredii and its non-accumulating ecotype were stressed by Cd, Zn, and Pb. Spectral images of leaves were rapidly acquired by hyperspectral imaging. The self-designed deep learning architecture was composed of a shallow network (ENet) for accumulating ecotype identification, and a multi-task network (HMNet) for heavy metal stress type and accumulation prediction simultaneously. To further assess the robustness of the networks, they were compared with conventional machine learning models (i.e., partial least squares (PLS) and support vector machine (SVM)) on a series of evaluation metrics of classification, multi-label classification, and regression. S. alfredii with heavy metals accumulation capability was identified by ENet with 100 % accuracy. HMNet reduced overfitting and outperformed machine learning models with the average exact match ratio (EMR) of heavy metal stress discrimination increased by 7.46 %, and residual prediction deviations (RPD) of heavy metal concentrations prediction increased by 53.59 %. The method succeeded in rapidly and accurately discriminating heavy metal stress with EMRs over 91 % and accuracies over 96 %, and in predicting heavy metals accumulation with an average RPD of 3.29 for Zn, 2.57 for Cd, and 2.53 for Pb, indicating the satisfactory practicability and potential for sensing heavy metals accumulation. This study provides a relatively novel spectral method to facilitate hyperaccumulator screening and heavy metals accumulation prediction in the phytoremediation process.

Low molecular aromatic compounds are detrimental to the enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulose. However, the specific role of their functional groups remains unclear. Here, a series of nine aromatic compounds as additives were tested to understand their effect on the hydrolysis yield of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and alkaline pretreated wheat straw. Based on the results, the inhibition of aldehyde groups on MCC was greater than that of carboxyl groups, whereas for the alkaline pretreated wheat straw case, the inhibitory effect of aldehyde groups was lower than that of carboxyl groups. Increased methoxyl groups of aromatic compounds reduced the inhibitory effect on enzymatic hydrolysis of both substrates. Stronger inhibition of aromatic compounds on MCC hydrolysis was detected in comparison with the alkaline pretreated wheat straw, indicating that the substrate lignin can offset the inhibition to a certain extent. Among all aromatic compounds, syringaldehyde with one aldehyde group and two methoxyl groups improved the glucan conversion of the alkaline pretreated wheat straw.

Abstract Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) Boat Detection (VBD) data have been widely used to study the patterns of fishing grounds and their linking to fishery targets, particularly species mainly caught by jiggers. In line with most species in the Ommastrephidae family, the population of Todarodes pacificus is made up of various splinter cohorts concerning the timing and location of hatching. Therefore, the satellite‐recorded fishing grounds consist of groups with complex age structures and different migration directions within cohorts. This study examined the age composition of harvestable stocks (age spectrum) of T. pacificus in the Japan Sea based on an early life history individual‐based model of T. pacificus and VBD data. Using the age spectrum, we analysed the relationship between fishery effort and the age of the target group. It was found that jiggers most prefer individuals around 310 ± 20 days. Furthermore, the correlation between ambient water temperature and fishing effort revealed that T. pacificus migrated to colder waters, reaching the coldest waters at 250 ± 7.5 days before moving back towards warmer waters. We discussed a possible way to use the age‐temperature relationship to analyse the flow of VBD distributions to record the movements related to the migration of the fishing target. The results show migration‐like trajectories, which are initially parallel to the isotherm, gradually deflect towards lower temperature sides over several months, sharply turn for about a month and then move back with a slight angle to the isotherms. The method provides a potential framework to improve our understanding of the active migration of oceanic squid.

Abstract Goats have achieved global prominence as essential livestock since their initial domestication, primarily owing to their remarkable adaptability to diverse environmental and production systems. Differential selection pressures influenced by climate have led to variations in their physical attributes, leaving genetic imprints within the genomes of goat breeds raised in diverse agroecological settings. In light of this, our study pursued a comprehensive analysis, merging environmental data with single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) variations, to unearth indications of selection shaped by climate-mediated forces in goats. Through the examination of 43,300 SNPs from 51 indigenous goat breeds adapting to different climatic conditions using four analytical methods: latent factor mixed models (LFMM), F-statistics (Fst), Extended haplotype homozygosity across populations (XPEHH), and spatial analysis method (SAM), A total of 74 genes were revealed to display clear signs of selection, which are believed to be influenced by climatic conditions. Among these genes, 32 were consistently identified by at least two of the applied methods, and three genes (DENND1A, PLCB1, and ITPR2) were confirmed by all four approaches. Moreover, our investigation yielded 148 Gene Ontology (GO) terms based on these 74 genes, underlining pivotal biological pathways crucial for environmental adaptation. These pathways encompass functions like vascular smooth muscle contraction, cellular response to heat, GTPase regulator activity, rhythmic processes, and responses to temperature stimuli. Of significance, GO terms about endocrine regulation and energy metabolic responses, key for local adaptation were also uncovered, including biological processes, such as cell differentiation, regulation of peptide hormone secretion, and lipid metabolism. These findings contribute to our knowledge of the genetic structure of climate-triggered adaptation across the goat genome and have practical implications for marker-assisted breeding in goats.

Abstract Background To evaluate the technical success and patient safety of magnetic resonance-guided percutaneous microwave coagulation (MR-guided PMC) for breast malignancies. Methods From May 2018 to December 2019, 26 patients with breast tumors measuring 2 cm or less were recruited to participate in a prospective, single-institution clinical study. The primary endpoint of this study was the evaluation of treatment efficacy for each patient. Histochemical staining with α-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide and reduced (NADH)-diaphorase was used to determine cell viability following and efficacy of PMC. The complications and self-reported sensations from all patients during and after ablation were also assessed. The technical success of the PMC procedure was defined when the area of the NADH-diaphorase negative region fully covered the hematoxylin–eosin (H&E) staining region in the tumor. Results All patients had a complete response to ablation with no residual carcinoma on histopathological specimen. The mean energy, ablation duration, and procedure duration per tumor were 36.0 ± 4.2 kJ, 252.9 ± 30.9 S, and 104.2 ± 13.5 min, respectively. During the ablation, 14 patients underwent prolonged ablation time, and 1 patient required adjusting of the antenna position. Eleven patients had feelings of subtle heat or swelling, and 3 patients experienced slight pain. After ablation, one patient took two painkillers because of moderate pain, and no patients had postoperative oozing or other complications after PMC. Induration around the ablation area appeared in 16 patients. Conclusion MR-guided PMC of small breast tumors is feasible and could be applied in clinical practice in the future. Critical relevance statement MR-guided PMC of small breast tumors is feasible and could be applied in clinical practice in the future. Key points • MR-guided PMC of small breast tumors is feasible. • PMC was successfully performed for all patients. • All patients were satisfied with the final cosmetic result. Graphical Abstract

Integrative conservation research on animal behavior and nutritional health can contribute to the ex situ conservation of endangered species. Stereotypic behavior, a repetitive behavior without practical function, is associated with animal welfare in its manner and frequency for captive animals. Exploring the potential relationship between stereotypic behavior and internal factors, such as intestinal flora, could improve ex situ conservation, especially for endangered species. In this study, we analyzed the typical behavior characteristics of the endangered sun bears (Helarctos malayanus) under captive conditions based on the behavior sampling method. The seasonal and annual changes in the intestinal flora of H. malayanus in captivity were studied by 16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing technology based on non-invasive fecal sample collection. This study provides the first evidence of a potential association between the gut microbiota and stereotypic behavior characteristics of captive H. malayanus. The results can significantly improve our understanding of the stereotypical behavior of H. malayanus in captivity and contribute to the captive breeding and conservation efforts of this endangered species.

Natural selection and artificial breeding are crucial methods for developing new animal groups. The Baiyu black goats and Chuanzhong black goats are indigenous goat breeds from distinct ecological regions in Sichuan Province, with dramatically different growth and reproductivity. This study aimed to systematically elucidate the differences in production performance and genetic traits between Baiyu black goats and Chuanzhong black goats. We quantified growth and reproductive attributes for both breeds. Furthermore, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of genetic diversity, population structure, and selection signatures using whole-genome resequencing data. This dataset included 30 individuals from the Baiyu black goat breed, 41 from the Chuanzhong black goat breed, and an additional 59 individuals representing Chengdu grey goats, Tibetan cashmere goats, and Jianchang black goats, totaling 130 individuals across five goat breeds. The comparative analysis of production performance revealed that the weight and body size of Chuanzhong black goats were significantly higher than those of Baiyu black goats (p < 0.01). At the same time, the average kidding rate and kid-weaning survival rate of Chuanzhong black goats were also notably superior to those of Baiyu black goats (p < 0.01). The Baiyu black goats exhibited a more abundant genetic diversity and distinct genetic differences compared to the Chuanzhong black goat, according to an analysis grounded on genomic variation. The Baiyu black goats are more closely related to Tibetan cashmere goats, whereas Chuanzhong black goats share a closer genetic relationship with Chengdu grey goats. Additionally, we employed the π, Fst, and XP-EHH methodologies to identify genes related to immunity (TRIM10, TRIM15, TRIM26, and TRIM5), neurodevelopment (FOXD4L1, PCDHB14, PCDHB4, PCDHB5, PCDHB6, and PCDHB7), reproduction (BTNL2 and GABBR1), body size (NCAPG, IBSP, and MKNK1), and meat quality traits (SUCLG2 and PGM5). These results provide a theoretical basis for further resource conservation and breeding improvement of the Baiyu black goat and Chuanzhong black goat.

The spatial and temporal dynamics of crop canopy structure are influenced by cultivar, environment, and crop management practices. However, continuous and automatic monitoring of crop canopy structure is still challenging. A three-dimensional (3D) time-series phenotyping study of maize canopy was conducted using a rail-driven high-throughput plant phenotyping platform (HTPPP) in field conditions. An adaptive sliding window segmentation algorithm was proposed to obtain plots and rows from canopy point clouds. Maximum height (Hmax), mean height (Hmean), and canopy cover (CC) of each plot were extracted, and quantification of plot canopy height uniformity (CHU) and marginal effect (MEH) was achieved. The results showed that the average mIoU, mP, mR, and mF1 of canopy–plot segmentation were 0.8118, 0.9587, 0.9969, and 0.9771, respectively, and the average mIoU, mP, mR, and mF1 of plot–row segmentation were 0.7566, 0.8764, 0.9292, and 0.8974, respectively. The average RMSE of plant height across the 10 growth stages was 0.08 m. The extracted time-series phenotypes show that CHU tended to vary from uniformity to nonuniformity and continued to fluctuate during the whole growth stages, and the MEH of the canopy tended to increase negatively over time. This study provides automated and practical means for 3D time-series phenotype monitoring of plant canopies with the HTPPP.

Summary: The immune evasion of emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants significantly undermines current vaccination efforts, calling for an updated vaccine composition. To identify optimal booster candidates against circulating JN.1, a panel of variant spikes were characterized. The omicron spikes exhibited reduced plasma membrane expression, accompanied by lower cell-cell fusion but increased viral entry. Regimens with DNA prime-DNA boost or DNA prime-adenoviral vectored vaccine boost by intramuscular immunization elicited neutralizing antibody (NAbs) and T cell responses against all variants except BA.2.86 and JN.1. Intranasal immunization induced high IgA and NAb titers in bronchoalveolar lavage against all variants except BA.2.86 and JN.1. T cell responses were generally comparable for all immunogens tested. JN.1 completely escaped NAbs in one immunized cohort, and breakthrough infections marginally boosted antibody titers. Overall, this study indicates intrinsic difficulty in eliciting NAbs against the JN.1 strain, whereas vaccines based on XBB and EG.5.1 are relatively superior in generating cross-reactive NAbs.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common type of liver tumor, is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths, and the incidence of liver cancer is still increasing worldwide. Curative hepatectomy or liver transplantation is only indicated for a small population of patients with early-stage HCC. However, most patients with HCC are not candidates for radical resection due to disease progression, leading to the choice of the conventional tyrosine kinase inhibitor drug sorafenib as first-line treatment. In the past few years, immunotherapy, mainly immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), has revolutionized the clinical strategy for HCC. Combination therapy with ICIs has proven more effective than sorafenib, and clinical trials have been conducted to apply these therapies to patients. Despite significant progress in immunotherapy, the molecular mechanisms behind it remain unclear, and immune resistance is often challenging to overcome. Several studies have pointed out that the complex intercellular communication network in the immune microenvironment of HCC regulates tumor escape and drug resistance to immune response. This underscores the urgent need to analyze the immune microenvironment of HCC. This review describes the immunosuppressive cell populations in the immune microenvironment of HCC, as well as the related clinical trials, aiming to provide insights for the next generation of precision immunotherapy.

Abstract Drug‐induced cardiotoxicity often leads to patient deaths and drug recalls. Interdigitated electrode (IDE)‐based cellular impedance detection instrument has been integrated with intelligent algorithms to screen cardiotoxicity based on cardiomyocytes. These intelligent biosensing systems generally employ traditional machine learning methods to assess drug‐induced cardiotoxicity by analyzing cardiomyocytes mechanical beating signals. However, modern deep learning methods with robustness and flexibility have not been integrated in IDE‐based platform to screen cardiotoxicity. Here, for the first time, we implemented deep convolutional neural network (CNN) to analyze cardiomyocytes mechanical beating signals for cardiotoxicity assessment. This method can eliminate the feature engineering procedures, such as manual design and extraction of signal features required by traditional machine learning methods. To facilitate two‐dimensional (2‐D) CNN analysis, we utilized phase space reconstruction to convert one‐dimensional beating signals into 2‐D image representations as well as take into account nonlinear dynamic information. The phase space reconstruction‐assisted convolutional neural network (PSRCNN) is capable of accurately categorizing drug‐induced cardiotoxicities and predicting cardiotoxicity levels. It obtains accuracies ranging from 0.82 to 0.99 when recognizing the cardiotoxicity of newly developed drugs, which are represented by drugs that are not used during model training. Furthermore, we explore in depth to compare the performance of CNN with other traditional machine learning methods. The PSRCNN method can achieve higher accuracies when compared to other methods. The PSRCNN‐based biosensing platform is highly potential in improving the efficiency and accuracy of high‐throughput screening of newly developed drugs for cardiotoxicity during drug discovery.

PurposeThis study aimed to evaluate the optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) changes in subzones of peripapillary atrophy (PPA) among type 2 diabetic patients (T2DM) with or without diabetic retinopathy (DR) using well-designed deep learning models.MethodsA multi-task joint deep-learning model was trained and validated on 2,820 images to automate the determination and quantification of the microstructure and corresponding microcirculation of beta zone and gamma zone PPA. This model was then applied in the cross-sectional study encompassing 44 eyes affected by non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) and 46 eyes without DR (NDR). OCTA was utilized to image the peripapillary area in four layers: superficial capillary plexus (SCP), deep capillary plexus (DCP), choroidal capillary (CC) and middle-to-large choroidal vessel (MLCV).ResultsThe patients in both groups were matched for age, sex, BMI, and axial length. The width and area of the gamma zone were significantly smaller in NPDR group compared to the NDR group. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed a negative association between the diagnosis of DR and the width and area of the gamma zone. The gamma zone exhibited higher SCP, DCP and MLCV density than the beta zone, while the beta zone showed higher CC density than the gamma zone. In comparison to the NDR group, the MLCV density of gamma zone was significantly lower in NPDR group, and this density was positively correlated with the width and area of the gamma zone.DiscussionDR-induced peripapillary vascular changes primarily occur in gamma zone PPA. After eliminating the influence of axial length, our study demonstrated a negative correlation between DR and the gamma zone PPA. Longitudinal studies are required to further elucidate the role of the gamma zone in the development and progression of DR.

BackgroundPancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) is a formidable challenge in oncology research, with a complex pathogenesis that requires to be explored. Major Vault Protein (MVP) is the principal structural component of the vault complex, and its expression level is remarkably upregulated in various cancers. Extensive investigations have been conducted to explore the role of MVP in specific cancer contexts, yet the potential molecular mechanisms and biological functions of MVP in PAAD still remain considerably elusive. This study aims to explore the role of MVP as a novel immune-related biomarker in the pathogenesis and clinical treatment of PAAD.MethodsGene expression data and clinical information were collected from TCGA, GTEx and GEO databases. Survival, prognostic and functional enrichment analysis were employed with R software. Immunological correlation analysis was performed using TIMER2.0, TIDE scores, TISIDB and TISCH. Epigenetic analysis was implemented by MethSurv, CPTAC, UALCAN, and cBioPortal. Drug analysis was conducted using Enrichr and CellMiner. Moreover, cellular experiments, like RNA interference, qRT-PCR, Western blot, cell cycle analysis, cell apoptosis analysis, colony formation assay, transwell assay, and wound healing assay, were performed for verifying the functional properties of MVP in the PAAD progression.ResultsWe demonstrated an abnormally upregulated expression of MVP in PAAD tissues, which notably correlated with an adverse prognosis in PAAD patients. Functional analysis suggested the conceivable involvement of MVP in immune modulation, and immunotherapy. Additionally, we identified genetic alterations, reduced promoter methylation, and heightened phosphorylation in MVP. We also clarified Suloctidil and Tetradioxin as the most notable potential drugs targeting MVP in PAAD. Moreover, our experimental observations consistently highlighted the significant impact of MVP deficiency on impeding PAAD cell proliferation, inhibiting cell migration, and accelerating cell apoptosis. Interestingly, a potential link between MVP and ERK or AKT pathways was displayed, which opens new avenues for further exploration of the molecular mechanisms of MVP-targeted therapies in PAAD.ConclusionsThis study systematically describes MVP as an immune-related biomarker with remarkable potential for predicting the prognosis, tumor progression and immunotherapeutic efficacy in PAAD.

The distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the ocean is affected by the sorption-desorption process of sediment particles. This process is determined by the concentration of PAHs in seawater, water temperature, and organic matter content of sediment particles. Quantitative relationships between the net sorption rates (=the difference of sorption and desorption rates) and these factors have not been established yet and used in PAH transport models. In this study, phenanthrene was chosen as the representative of PAHs. Three groups of experimental data were collected to address the dependence of the net sorption processes on the initial concentration, water temperature, and organic carbon content representing organic matter content. One-site and two-compartment mass-transfer models were tested to represent the experimental data using various parameters. The results showed that the two-compartment mass-transfer model performed better than the one-site mass-transfer model. The parameters of the two-compartment mass-transfer model include the sorption rate coefficients kafand kas (L g−1 min−1), and the desorption rate coefficients kdf and kds (min−1). The parameters at different temperatures and organic carbon contents were obtained by numerical simulations. Linear relationships were obtained between the parameters and water temperature, as well as organic carbon content. kaf, kas and kdf decreased linearly, while kds increased linearly with temperature. kaf, kas and kdf increased linearly, while kds decreased linearly with organic carbon content. The r2 values between the simulation results based on the relationships and the experimental results reached 0.96–0.99, which supports the application of the model to simulate sorption-desorption processes at different water temperatures and organic carbon contents in a realistic ocean.

Abstract Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of primary liver cancer with a highly immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and a typical pattern of disturbances in hepatic lipid metabolism. Long non‐coding RNAs are shown to play an important role in the regulation of gene expression, but much remains unknown between tumor microenvironment and lipid metabolism as a bridging molecule. Here, long intergenic nonprotein coding RNA 01116 (LINC01116) acts as this molecular which is frequently upregulated in HCC patients and associated with HCC progression in vitro and in vivo is identified. Mechanistically, LINC01116 stabilizes EWS RNA‐binding protein 1 (EWSR1) by preventing RAD18 E3 Ubiquitin Protein Ligase (RAD18) ‐mediated ubiquitination. The enhanced EWSR1 protein upregulates peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha (PPARA) and fatty acid binding protein1 (FABP1) expression, a long‐chain fatty acid (LCFA) transporter, and thus cancer cells outcompete T cells for LCFAs, especially linoleic acid, for seeding their own growth, leading to T cell malfunction and HCC malignant progression. In a preclinical animal model, the blockade of LINC01116 leads to enhanced efficacy of anti‐PD1 treatment accompanied by increased cytotoxic T cell and decreased exhausted T cell infiltration. Collectively, LINC01116 is an immunometabolic lncRNA and the LINC01116‐EWSR1‐PPARA‐FABP1 axis may be targetable for cancer immunotherapy.

Abstract Soft material‐based robots, known for their safety and compliance, are expected to play an irreplaceable role in human‐robot collaboration. However, this expectation is far from real industrial applications due to their complex programmability and poor motion precision, brought by the super elasticity and large hysteresis of soft materials. Here, a soft collaborative robot (Soft Co‐bot) with intuitive and easy programming by contact‐based drag teaching, and also with exceptional motion repeatability (< 0.30% of body length) and ultra‐low hysteresis (< 2.0%) is reported. Such an unprecedented capability is achieved by a biomimetic antagonistic design within a pneumatic soft robot, in which cables are threaded to servo motors through tension sensors to form a self‐sensing system, thus providing both precise actuation and dragging‐aware collaboration. Hence, the Soft Co‐bots can be first taught by human drag and then precisely repeat various tasks on their own, such as electronics assembling, machine tool installation, etc. The proposed Soft Co‐bots exhibit a high potential for safe and intuitive human‐robot collaboration in unstructured environments, promoting the immediate practical application of soft robots.

Marine biological fouling is a widespread phenomenon encountered by various oceanic ships and naval vessels, resulting in enormous economic losses. Herein, novel 4,5-dichloro-2-octyl-isothiazolone@sodium alginate/chitosan microcapsules (DCOIT@ALG/CS) were prepared through composite gel method using DCOIT as core materials, ALG and CS as shells, and CaCl2 as the cross-linking agent. The formed microcapsules (MCs) with Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) were then filled in UV-curable polysiloxane (UV-PDMS), followed by UV irradiation to yield UV-PDMS/microcapsules/AgNPs (UV-PDMS/MCs/Ag) composite coatings. The constructed micro–nano dual-scale surface using the MCs and AgNPs improved the antifouling and antibacterial properties of UV-PDMS/MCs/Ag coatings. The as-obtained UV-PDMS/MCs/Ag coatings exhibited a static contact angle of about 160°, shear strength of 2.24 MPa, tensile strength of 3.32 MPa and elongation at break of 212%. The synergistic bacteriostatic effects of DCOIT and AgNPs in UV-PDMS/MCs/Ag coatings resulted in a bactericidal rate of 200 μg ml−1 towards Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus with saturation at 100% within 10 min. In sum, the proposed composite coatings look promising for future marine transportation, pipeline networks and undersea facilities.

Abstract Background Repeated cryopreservation of embryos should occasionally be considered when embryos were not suitable for transfer. The effect of re-cryopreservation on embryos remains contentious. Methods This retrospective cohort study aimed to evaluate the pregnancy and neonatal outcomes of twice vitrificated blastocyst derived from once vitrified embryos. Total 410 vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfer cycles were divided into two groups according to the times of embryo vitrification: (1) vitrified blastocysts derived from fresh blastocysts (control group, n = 337); (2) twice vitrified blastocysts derived from once vitrified embryos (n = 73). The primary outcome was live birth rate. Multivariable logistic or linear regression analysis model was performed to describe the association between embryo cryopreservation times and clinical outcomes. Results No difference was observed in female age at retrieval and transfer, infertility period, body mass index (BMI), infertility type, endometrial thickness, and embryo transfer numbers between the two groups. The pregnancy outcomes of embryos in repeated cryopreservation group were comparable to those of embryos in control group, including implantation rate, clinical pregnancy rate, and live birth rate. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, the cryopreservation times did not affect the outcomes of biochemical pregnancy, clinical pregnancy, and live birth. Moreover, there was no difference in gestational age, birthweight and sex ratio of singleton newborns between groups. After correcting several possible confounding variables, no significant association was observed between cryopreservation times and neonatal birthweight. Conclusion In conclusion, pregnancy and neonatal outcomes achieved with twice vitrified blastocyst transfer were comparable to those achieved with vitrified blastocyst transfer in control group.

Purpose: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of sutureless intrascleral intraocular lens (IOL) fixation combined with modified iris cerclage pupilloplasty for treating aphakia and traumatic mydriasis. Methods: Five patients with aphakia and traumatic mydriasis were operated on by the same surgeon. All patients underwent sutureless intrascleral IOL fixation combined with modified iris cerclage pupilloplasty and were followed up for ≥6 months. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was measured using the logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR). BCVA, intraocular pressure (IOP), pupil diameter, and corneal endothelial cell count (CECC) preoperatively and postoperatively were statistically analyzed. The pupil shape, photophobia, IOL position, and surgical complications were evaluated. Results: The mean BCVA was significantly improved 6 months postoperatively (0.26 ± 0.17 logMAR, P = 0.042) than preoperatively (0.50 ± 0.30 logMAR). No significant difference was observed between the preoperative and postoperative IOP (P = 0.138). The mean pupil diameter significantly reduced postoperatively than preoperatively (3.44 ± 0.35 mm vs. 7.28 ± 0.35 mm, P = 0.043). There was no significant decrease in CECC postoperatively (P = 0.225). The pupil shape was round-like, and photophobia disappeared in all patients. No intraoperative or postoperative complications occurred. Conclusion: Sutureless intrascleral IOL fixation combined with modified iris cerclage pupilloplasty is a safe and efficient procedure for treating aphakia traumatic mydriasis patients without sufficient capsular support.