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Background: The Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS) are a group of rare hereditary connective tissue disorders. EDS is clinically and genetically heterogeneous and usually involves multiple systems. There are 14 subtypes of EDS with hallmark features including joint hypermobility, skin hyperextensibility, and tissue fragility. The clinical manifestations and their severity differ among the subtypes, encompassing recurrent joint dislocations, scoliosis, arterial aneurysm and dissection, and organ rupture. Challenges in diagnosis and management arise from the complexity of the disease, which is further complicated by its rarity. The development of clinical guidelines and implementation of coordinated multi-disciplinary team (MDT) approaches have emerged as global priorities. Main body: Chinese Multi-Disciplinary Working Group on the Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes was therefore established. Healthcare professionals were recruited from 25 top hospitals across China. The experts are specialized in 24 fields, including genetics, vascular surgery, dermatology, and orthopedics, as well as nursing care, rehabilitation, psychology, and nutrition. Based on GRADE methodology, the Guidelines were written by the Group supervised by methodologists, following a systemic review of all 4453 articles in PubMed published before August 9, 2023, using the search term "Ehlers Danlos". A coordinated MDT approach for the diagnosis and management of EDS is highly recommended by the Group, along with 29 specific recommendations addressing key clinical questions. In addition to the treatment plan, the Guidelines also emphasize integrating support from nursing care, rehabilitation, psychology, and nutrition. This integration not only facilitates recovery in hospital settings, but most importantly, the transition from an illness-defined life to a more "normalized" life. Conclusion: The first guidelines on EDS will shorten the diagnostic odyssey and solve the unmet medical needs of the patients. This article is a synopsis of the full guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nipah virus (NiV), a bat-borne zoonotic viral pathogen with high infectivity and lethality to humans, has caused severe outbreaks in several countries of Asia during the past two decades. Because of the worldwide distribution of the NiV natural reservoir, fruit bats, and lack of effective treatments or vaccines for NiV, routine surveillance and early detection are the key measures for containing NiV outbreaks and reducing its influence. In this study, we developed two rapid, sensitive and easy-to-conduct methods, RAA-CRISPR/Cas12a-FQ and RAA-CRISPR/Cas12a-FB, for NiV detection based on a recombinase-aided amplification (RAA) assay and a CRISPR/Cas12a system by utilizing dual-labeled fluorophore–quencher or fluorophore-biotin ssDNA probes. These two methods can be completed in 45 min and 55 min and achieve a limit of detection of 10 copies per μL and 100 copies per μL of NiV N DNA, respectively. In addition, they do not cross-react with nontarget nucleic acids extracted from the pathogens causing similar symptoms to NiV, showing high specificity for NiV N DNA detection. Meanwhile, they show satisfactory performance in the detection of spiked samples from pigs and humans. Collectively, the RAA-CRISPR/Cas12a-FQ and RAA-CRISPR/Cas12a-FB methods developed by us would be promising candidates for the early detection and routine surveillance of NiV in resource-poor areas and outdoors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design and development of highly efficient electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) are critical for renewable energy generation. Ni‐based electrocatalysts are widely used in the water electrolysis process. In this work, heterostructure consisting of selenides and layered double hydroxides (LDH) named (Co, Ni)Se4@NiFe‐LDH, are prepared by an LDH‐based strategy, in which the electronic structure of Ni active sites is regulated by interfacial electron interaction. The (Co, Ni)Se4@NiFe‐LDH shows an optimized charge distribution of Ni sites and excellent catalytic activity. The effective charge modulation results in lowering the energy barrier of OOH* intermediate formation and adequate adsorption strength of the intermediates on Ni‐active sites, which improves the kinetics of OER. Specifically, the (Co, Ni)Se4@NiFe‐LDH only requires an overpotential of 237 mV to reach the current density of 10 mA cm−2 under alkaline conditions. The results of this work demonstrate that reasonable engineering of heterostructure is an effective strategy to improve the intrinsic property of OER electrocatalysts for water splitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work systematically studied the corrosion behavior and passivation property of CoCrFeNi high‐entropy alloys (HEAs) in a simulated seawater environment. The results reveal that the addition of CO32−/HCO3− results in the secondary passivation of the HEA in NaCl solution, and secondary passivation film possesses higher dissolution rate in comparison with primary passive film. H+ ions ionized by HCO3− facilitate the charge transfer process, thin the thickness of passive film, and increase the disordered degree of the film. Moreover, the presence of HCO3− promotes the nucleation and growth of metastable pits, and enhances the pitting sensitivity. Furthermore, an increase in CO32− concentration accelerates the dissolution of passive film, weakens the compactness and protective performance of the film, and increases the probability that metastable pitting evolves into stable pitting, as well aggravates the corrosion of the HEA. In addition, the corrosion resistance of the HEA is diminished due to the formation of microgalvanic corrosion cells between matrix and inclusion. The selective dissolution of elements occurred in the HEA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivation Random forests (RFs) can deal with a large number of variables, achieve reasonable prediction scores, and yield highly interpretable feature importance values. As such, RFs are appropriate models for feature selection and further dimension reduction. However, RFs are often not appropriate for correlated datasets due to their mode of selecting individual features for splitting. Addressing correlation relationships in high-dimensional datasets is imperative for reducing the number of variables that are assigned high importance, hence making the dimension reduction most efficient. Here, we propose the LAtent VAriable Stochastic Ensemble of Trees (LAVASET) method that derives latent variables based on the distance characteristics of each feature and aims to incorporate the correlation factor in the splitting step. Results Without compromising on performance in the majority of examples, LAVASET outperforms RF by accurately determining feature importance across all correlated variables and ensuring proper distribution of importance values. LAVASET yields mostly non-inferior prediction accuracies to traditional RFs when tested in simulated and real 1D datasets, as well as more complex and high-dimensional 3D datatypes. Unlike traditional RFs, LAVASET is unaffected by single 'important' noisy features (false positives), as it considers the local neighbourhood. LAVASET, therefore, highlights neighbourhoods of features, reflecting real signals that collectively impact the model's predictive ability. Availability and implementation LAVASET is freely available as a standalone package from https://github.com/melkasapi/LAVASET. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Progressive hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection can result in cirrhosis, hepatocellular cancer, and chronic hepatitis. While antiviral drugs that are now on the market are efficient in controlling HBV infection, finding a functional cure is still quite difficult. Identifying host factors involved in regulating the HBV life cycle will contribute to the development of new antiviral strategies. Zinc finger proteins have a significant function in HBV replication, according to earlier studies. Zinc finger protein 148 (ZNF148), a zinc finger transcription factor, regulates the expression of various genes by specifically binding to GC-rich sequences within promoter regions. The function of ZNF148 in HBV replication was investigated in this study. Methods: HepG2-Na+/taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide (HepG2-NTCP) cells and Huh7 cells were used to evaluate the function of ZNF148 in vitro. Northern blotting and real-time PCR were used to quantify the amount of viral RNA. Southern blotting and real-time PCR were used to quantify the amount of viral DNA. Viral protein levels were elevated, according to the Western blot results. Dual-luciferase reporter assays were used to examine the transcriptional activity of viral promoters. ZNF148's impact on HBV in vivo was investigated using an established rcccDNA mouse model. Results: ZNF148 overexpression significantly decreased the levels of HBV RNAs and HBV core DNA in HBV-infected HepG2-NTCP cells and Huh7 cells expressing prcccDNA. Silencing ZNF148 exhibited the opposite effects in both cell lines. Furthermore, ZNF148 inhibited the activity of HBV ENII/Cp and the transcriptional activity of cccDNA. Mechanistic studies revealed that ZNF148 attenuated retinoid X receptor alpha (RXRα) expression by binding to the RXRα promoter sequence. RXRα binding site mutation or RXRα overexpression abolished the suppressive effect of ZNF148 on HBV replication. The inhibitory effect of ZNF148 was also observed in the rcccDNA mouse model. Conclusions: ZNF148 inhibited HBV replication by downregulating RXRα transcription. Our findings reveal that ZNF148 may be a new target for anti-HBV strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is one of the most important vegetable crops in the world and abiotic stresses often cause serious problems in tomato production. It is thus important to identify new regulators in stress response and to devise new approaches to promote stress tolerance in tomato. Previous studies have shown that small secreted peptides (SSPs) are important signal molecules regulating plant growth and stress response by mediating intercellular communication. However, little is known about tomato SSPs, especially their roles in responding to abiotic stresses. Here we report the identification of 1,050 putative SSPs in the tomato genome, 557 of which were classified into 38 known SSP families based on their conserved domains. GO and transcriptome analyses revealed that a large proportion of SlSSPs might be involved in abiotic stress response. Further analysis indicated that stress response related cis-elements were present on the SlCEP promotors and a number of SlCEPs were significantly upregulated by drought treatments. Among the drought-inducible SlCEPs, SlCEP10 and SlCEP11b were selected for further analysis via exogenous application of synthetic peptides. The results showed that treatments with both SlCEP10 and SlCEP11b peptides enhanced tomato drought stress tolerance, indicating the potential roles of SlSSPs in abiotic stress response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a long-term respiratory disorder marked by restricted airflow and persistent respiratory symptoms. According to previous studies, icariin combined with nobiletin (I&N) significantly ameliorates COPD, but the therapeutic mechanisms remain unclear. Purpose. The aim of the study is to investigate the therapeutic mechanisms of I&N against COPD using network pharmacology and experimental validation. Methods. The targets of I&N and related genes of COPD were screened and their intersection was selected. Next, the protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were performed. Further, a COPD rat model was established to validate the effect and mechanisms of I&N. Results. 445 potential targets I&N were obtained from SwissTargetPrediction, STITCH 5.0, and PharmMapper databases. 1831 related genes of COPD were obtained from GeneCards, DrugBank, and DisGeNet databases. 189 related genes were screened via matching COPD targets with I&N. 16 highest score targets among 189 targets were obtained according to PPI networks. GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses of 16 highest score targets suggested that these key genes of I&N were mostly enriched in the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) pathway, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, and phosphatidyl inositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-protein kinase B (AKT) pathway. Therefore, the treatments of I&N for COPD were connected with inflammation-related pathways. In in vivo experiments, the studies indicated that I&N improved the lung function and alleviated the damage of pulmonary histopathology. Moreover, I&N reduced levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α in lung tissues of COPD rats and inhibited the activation of the MAPK pathway and PI3K-Akt pathway. Conclusions. Icariin combined with nobiletin has therapeutic effects on COPD by inhibiting inflammation. The potential mechanisms of I&N may relate to the MAPK pathway and PI3K-Akt pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three-level DC–DC converters (TLDCs) have attracted industrial and academic attention because of low main switching voltage ratings, simple clamping structure, and good soft-switching characteristics. This paper proposes a new TLDC with combined operation modes, which can operate in both zero-voltage switching (ZVS) and zero-voltage zero-current switching (ZVZCS) modes. The proposes converter varies soft switching mode with a simple switching combination of Sr1 and Sr2, and follows the best efficiency curves over a wide load range. Compared to conventional ZVS or ZVZCS TLDCs, this solution minimizes the circulating current and increases the overall efficiency. In addition, the current stress of the flying capacitor is also low. And, all these good features are realized by two low VA rating MOSFETs. This paper discusses the circuit, operating principles, and some steady-state characteristics. Finally, experimental data from a 1 kW prototype demonstrates the validity and characteristics of the proposed converter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For practical mechanical systems, uncertainties/disturbances, such as unmodeled dynamics and frictions, are nonignorable factors. For existing control methods, these factors are usually neglected or addressed by a robust way. As a consequence, the nominal control performance of these methods is sacrificed. Moreover, there exists the chattering problem for some existing robust methods, such as sliding mode control laws. To deal with these drawbacks, a continuous global sliding mode controller along with a nonlinear disturbance observer is designed for the regulation and disturbance estimation control of the overhead crane system. Specifically, the original crane dynamic model is transformed into a quasi-integrator-chain form through some transformations. Then, a nonlinear disturbance observer is designed and a continuous global sliding mode control method is introduced on the basis of the constructed disturbance observer. The stability and convergence characteristics are proven through rigorous theoretical analysis. Finally, to demonstrate the performance of the designed controller, a series of experimental tests are performed, and a comparison study between the devised method here and an existing method is given. Note to Practitioners—This article is motivated by the desire to deal with the regulation and disturbance rejection of the overhead crane system. In practical applications, uncertainties/disturbances are unavoidable problems for overhead cranes. For most existing methods, these issues are usually addressed in a robust way. To handle these existing problems, a nonlinear disturbance observer and a continuous global sliding mode controller are proposed for the regulation and disturbance estimation control of the overhead crane system. The disturbance observer is introduced to estimate and compensate for uncertain disturbances, and the sliding mode controller is designed to guarantee the convergence of the state variables of the closed-loop system. In the future, we will try to apply this method to practical overhead cranes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we consider the control issues of the two-dimensional translational oscillator with rotational actuator (2DTORA) system, which has two translational carts and one rotational rotor. An output feedback controller for the 2DTORA system is proposed, which can prevent the unwinding behaviour. In addition, the velocity signal unavailability and actuator saturation are taken into account, simultaneously. In particular, the dynamics of the 2DTORA system are given first. On the basis of the passivity and control objectives of the 2DTORA system, an elaborate Lyapunov function is constructed. Then, based on the introduced Lyapunov function, a novel output feedback control method is proposed straightforwardly for the 2DTORA system. Lyapunov theory and LaSalle's invariance principle are utilized to analyse the stability of the closed-loop system and the convergence of the states. Finally, simulation results are provided to illustrate the excellent control performance of the proposed controller in comparison with the existing method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A decision tree is a common algorithm in machine learning, which performs classification prediction based on a tree structure. In real-world scenarios, input attribute values may be sensitive and tree models are usually private, thus the computation potentially incurs security and privacy risks. In this paper, we focus on how to retain privacy when outsourcing decision tree evaluation. Leveraging homomorphic encryption, our construction achieves data confidentiality against semi-honest adversaries while enabling both the client (who provides the attributes) and the model holder to be offline during evaluation. Based on an unbalanced-computational-ability two-server model, we achieve single-branch evaluation, which is exponentially less computation than previous schemes that evaluated the entire decision tree. A proof-of-concept implementation demonstrates this. Additionally, with multi-key encryption and joint decryption, our protocol easily supports multi-client scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-Key Fully Homomorphic Encryption (MKFHE) supports homomorphic evaluation on ciphertexts encrypted under different keys, guaranteeing data privacy in the case of multiple mutually untrusted parties. In ASIACRYPT 2019, Chen et al. designed an LWE-based MKFHE scheme, which evaluates a boolean gate on ciphertexts followed by a bootstrapping procedure in the dynamic multi-key setting. In this paper, we propose a new MKFHE scheme from NTRU and (R)LWE, achieving better bootstrapping performance. To that end, we adapt Chen et al.'s bootstrapping algorithm to the NTRU setting and construct an efficient conversion from multi-key NTRU to multi-key RLWE ciphertexts. With appropriate parameter choice, our scheme avoids the sublattice attacks that broke previous NTRU-based MKFHE schemes. Finally, we implement a proof-of-concept of our construction and conduct experiments to test its performance. Our experiments indicate that gate bootstrapping in our scheme for 2 parties takes 0.18 seconds, which is faster than with Chen et al. by around 5.3 times, but unfortunately does not scale beyond that. It is however practical for uses such as oblivious neural network inference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Hippo pathway mediates renal maladaptive repair after acute kidney injury (AKI), which has been considered a driving force in the progression to chronic kidney disease (CKD). LATS2, a core kinase of the Hippo pathway, exerts non-Hippo-dependent functions in the regulation of the cell cycle and cell fate, providing new insights into AKI and further repair. However, its role remains unknown. Here, we utilized a proximal tubular Lats2 conditional knockout mouse strain (Lats2-CKO) to evaluate the effect of LATS2 deficiency on ischemia/reperfusion-induced AKI-to-CKD transition. Lats2-CKO mice presented with more severe tubular maladaptive repair, inflammatory infiltration, interstitial fibrosis, and apoptosis following AKI. Importantly, we discovered that Lats2 ablation caused the activation of p53, with increased levels of cellular apoptotic molecules (p21, Bax, and cleaved caspase-3), and decreased levels of anti-apoptotic molecules (Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL). Pifithirin-α (p53 inhibitor) effectively attenuated renal fibrosis, inflammation, and apoptosis in Lats2-CKO mice after AKI. Consistently, in vitro Lats2 overexpression decreased p53, p21, Bax and cleaved caspase 3 expression after hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) treatment. Of note, the phosphorylation of MDM2, which promotes the ubiquitination degradation of p53, at site Ser186 was decreased in Lats2-CKO kidneys, but increased by Lats2 overexpression in vitro. Therefore, LATS2 deficiency aggravated ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI)-induced maladaptive repair via regulating the tubular MDM2-p53 axis in AKI-to-CKD transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The corrosion behavior and mechanism of CoCrFeNi HEA under AC application were systematically studied in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution containing different concentrations of NaHSO3. The results showed that the existence of HSO3− increased the defect density within the passivation film on the surface of the HEA. With the increase of HSO3− concentration, the passivation zone became narrow, Ep shifted negatively, and ip increased, which indicated that the corrosion resistance of the HEA was weakened. When the HSO3− concentration increased to 0.1 M, a clear transition zone appeared, indicating that the increase in concentration reduced the passivity of the HEA, and its corrosion behavior changed from the typical passivation characteristic to the activation state with increasing iAC. The imposed AC promoted the nucleation of metastable pitting, which was indicated by a remarkable increase in the average pitting number density (Navg) from 5 to 17 mm−2 with the enhancement of iAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The grain orientation of Sn-based solder joints on copper pillars under the combined action of electron wind force and temperature gradient greatly affects their electromigration damage. The copper pillars with Sn-1.8Ag lead-free solder on the top was subjected to a current density of 1.5 × 104 A/cm2 at 125 °C to study the electromigration behaviors. The grain orientation was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) detector. Metal dissolution and voids formation in the cathode as well as massive intermetallic compounds(IMC) accumulation in the anode were observed after electromigration. Closer examination of solder joints revealed that the Sn grain whose c-axis perpendicular to electric current may have retarded Cu diffusion to anode and IMC accumulation. In addition, the newly formed Cu6Sn5 exhibited preferred orientation related to the electric current direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] For the first time, the SnO nanoplatelets are synthesized via flame process. [•] The average residence time of precursor in flame reactor is less than 1s. [•] A possible formation mechanism of the SnO nanoplatelets has been proposed. [•] Electrochemical performance of SnO nanoplatelets has been studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • NH 3 , PH 3 , AsH 3 adsorptions on rare earth metal doped graphenes are investigated. • Rare earth metal leads to enhanced chemisorption towards NH 3 and weakened adsorption towards AsH 3. • Considering the sensor response and recovery time, CeG is the best candidate for NH 3 detection. To explore new sensor materials towards hazardous gases NH 3 , PH 3 , and AsH 3 , their adsorptions on pristine graphene and rare earth metal (REM = La, Ce, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu and Gd) doped graphenes were studied by using density functional theory calculations. The adsorption energies show that pristine graphene exhibits weak physisorption towards the NH 3 , PH 3 , and AsH 3 gas molecules. Almost no changes appear on the geometrical structures, charge populations and DOSs of pristine graphene. However, the rare earth metal element modifications lead to enhanced chemisorption towards NH 3 and weakened adsorption towards AsH 3 , accompanied with significant electron redistribution and orbital hybridization. The electrical conductivity of the graphenic substrate is also increased, leading to higher sensor response towards NH 3. Facile sensitivity and recovery time reveals Ce doped graphene is an ideal candidate for room temperature monitoring of NH 3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrophilic polymer brushes on membrane surfaces can alleviate fouling during the separation of oil/water emulsions; the charged moieties on the polymer brushes presumably interact with charged surfactants and weaken the membrane fouling behaviour. However, the oil-repellence mechanism of nonionic polymer brushes has not been thoroughly examined. In this study, a nonionic poly(N-acryloyl morpholine)-brush-grafted-poly(vinylidene fluoride) membrane (PVDF- g -PACMO) was fabricated via surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerisation (ATRP) to separate various surfactant-stabilised emulsions. PVDF- g -PACMO membranes with high hydrophilicity and high permeation were successfully fabricated by controlling the duration of ATRP. Furthermore, fouling models of oil/water emulsions stabilised by anionic, nonionic, and cationic surfactants were examined. Multicycle filtration experiments revealed that the anionic surfactant-stabilised emulsions severely fouled the similarly charged PVDF- g -PACMO membranes owing to electrostatic repulsion, whereas the nonionic and cationic surfactant-stabilised emulsions exhibited reduced irreversible fouling. In particular, an unusual relief in irreversible membrane fouling was observed with respect to the cationic surfactant-stabilised emulsions, presumably because of strong demulsification and steric effects (surfactant barrier), which repelled the penetration of oil droplets into the internal pores and averted pore blockage. These observations suggest that oppositely charged surface potentials of the PVDF- g -PACMO membranes compared to that of the oil/water emulsions assist in mitigating irreversible fouling. The mechanisms examined herein described the relationship between the surface properties of the oil/water emulsions and the tendency for irreversible fouling, thereby providing valuable guidance for sustainable separation of oil/water emulsions. [Display omitted] • Nonionic PACMO brushes were fabricated via surface-initiated ATRP. • Different surfactants led to variations in emulsion flux and reversible fouling. • Demulsification and steric effects of various fouling mechanisms were discussed. • Electrostatic attraction from CTAB assisted in mitigating irreversible fouling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In China's fourteenth five-year plan, urban regeneration has become one of the most crucial strategies for activating the existing cities. Since creating vibrant urban spaces is a critical component of urban regeneration, understanding the patterns of community vitality helps formulate reactive regeneration policies and design interventions. However, the lack of local-scale measurement criteria and data collection methods has posed significant constraints to assessing and rejuvenating community vitality. Taking Suzhou Nanhuan New Village as a study area, our research involved a comparative study approach to investigate the fundamental driving mechanism of urban vitality with the support of a theoretical model (5D theory), multi-source data input, real-time photography technologies, and statistical analysis tools (Analytic Hierarchy Process). The result shows at the community level, the original '3d' dimensions ('Density', 'Diversity', 'Design') remain key elements for forming vibrant spatial quality and functionality, and density factors matter significantly. This study intends to provide a new paradigm for small-scale community vitality assessment, verification, and regeneration by combining urban morphology with people-oriented and environmental-oriented perspectives. This research could support quantitative research on creating vibrant high-density communities in the urban regeneration process and bring insights to academics and design practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The androgen receptor (AR) plays a critical role in prostate cancer. We have identified a ubiquitin E3 ligase, RNF6, as an AR-associated protein in a proteomic screen. RNF6 induces AR ubiquitination and promotes AR transcriptional activity. Specific knockdown of RNF6 or mutation of RNF6-induced ubiquitination acceptor sites on AR selectively alters expression of a subset of AR target genes and diminishes recruitment of AR and its coactivators to androgen-responsive elements present in the regulatory region of these genes. Furthermore, RNF6 is overexpressed in hormone-refractory human prostate cancer tissues and required for prostate cancer cell growth under androgen-depleted conditions. Our data suggest that RNF6-induced ubiquitination may regulate AR transcriptional activity and specificity through modulating cofactor recruitment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: 2D Gabor-based face representation has attracted much attention. However, owing to the fact that Gabor features are redundant and too high-dimensional, appropriate feature dimension reduction appears to be much more paramount. Allowing for each individual Gabor feature constructed by a combination of scale and orientation pair, we equate feature dimension reduction problem to optimal Gabor kernels’ scales and orientation selection problem. Genetic algorithms (GAs) have represented a useful tool for optimal subset selection. However, population premature and optimization stagnancy problems exist in traditional GAs. Here we present an improved algorithm: Hybrid Genetic algorithms-based (HGAsb), which introduces the concept of the simulated annealing into traditional GAs to effectively solve the problems mentioned above and to improve optimization efficiency. Experimental results on IMM face database demonstrate that in contrast to GAs, our proposed algorithm can provide 4.25 improvements. The distributions of orientations and scales of the selected features by HGAsb are also analyzed. Results indicate that the features in the larger scales have equal importance as those in the smaller scales in discriminating nuance of faces. The features in horizontal, vertical and 225° orientations have more discriminative power. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Non-invasive glucose sensing utilizing near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) has been a focusing topic in biomedical optics applications. However, different probing locations and contact pressures between the probe and skin cause variations in the light propagation paths within tissue, making it very hard to obtain stable near-infrared spectra concerning body content. This paper proposes one possible solution to the reproduction of light propagation within tissue for near-infrared non-invasive glucose sensing systems by introducing the optical measurement conditions reproduction technique. Results of experiments on glucose concentrations within human body through application of our proposed system show a RMSEP value of 15–20mg/dL and a correlation coefficient greater than 0.8. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Diabetes is a disease which severely threatens the health of human beings. Unfortunately, current monitoring techniques with finger sticks discourage the regular use. Noninvasive spectroscopic measurement of blood glucose is a simple and painless technique, and reduces the long-term health care costs of diabetic patients due to no reagents. It is suitable for home use. Moreover, the establishment of the methodology not only applies to blood glucose noninvasive measurement, but also can be extended to noninvasive measurement of other analytes in body fluid, which will be of important significance for the development of the technique of clinical analysis.In this paper, some fundamental researches, which have been achieved in our laboratory in the field of non-invasive blood glucose measurement, were introduced. 1. Fundamental research was done for the glucose concentrations from simple to complex samples with near and middle infrared spectroscopy: (1) the relationship between the instrument precision and prediction accuracy of the glucose measurement;(2) the change of the result of the quantitative measurement with the change of the complexity of samples;(3) the attempt of increasing the prediction accuracy of the glucose measurement by improving the methods of modeling. The research results showed that it is feasible for non-invasive blood glucose measurement with near and middle infrared spectroscopy in theory, and the experimental results, from simple to complex samples, proved that it is effective for the methodology consisting of hardware and software. 2. According to the characteristics of human body measurement, the effects of measuring conditions on measurement results, such as: (1) the effect of measurement position; (2) the effect of measurement pressure; (3) the effect of measurement site; (4) the effect of measured individual, were investigated. With the fundamental researches, the special problems of human body measurement were solved. In addition... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Aims: Kinesin family member 18A (KIF18A) is notable for its aberrant expression across various cancer types and its pivotal role is driving cancer progression. In this study, we aim to investigate the intricate molecular mechanisms underlying the impact of KIF18A on the progression of HCC. Methods: Western blotting assays, a quantitative real-time PCR and immunohistochemical analyses were performed to quantitatively assess KIF18A expression in HCC tissues. We then performed genetic manipulations within HCC cells by silencing endogenous KIF18A using short hairpin RNA (shRNA) and introducing exogenous plasmids to overexpress KIF18A. We monitored cell progression, analyzed cell cycle and cell apoptosis and assessed cell migration and invasion both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, we conducted RNA-sequencing to explore KIF18A-related signaling pathways utilizing Reactome and KEGG enrichment methods and validated these critical mediators in these pathways. Results: Analysis of the TCGA-LIHC database revealed pronounced overexpression of KIF18A in HCC tissues, the finding was subsequently confirmed through the analysis of clinical samples obtained from HCC patients. Notably, silencing KIF18A in cells led to an obvious inhibition of cell proliferation, migration and invasion in vitro. Furthermore, in subcutaneous and orthotopic xenograft models, suppression of KIF18A sgnificantly redudce tumor weight and the number of lung metastatic nodules. Mechanistically, KIF18A appears to facilitate cell proliferation by upregulating MAD2 and CDK1/CyclinB1 expression levels, with the activation of SMAD2/3 signaling contributing to KIF18A-driven metastasis. Conclusion: Our study elucidates the molecular mechanism by which KIF18A mediates proliferation and metastasis in HCC cells, offering new insights into potential therapeutic targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Barite is an important record of marine sulfate evolution throughout geologic history. Variations in oxygen isotope compositions (δ18O) at the microscale are highly important for studying the evolution of marine sulfate. However, the application of this proxy has been hindered due to the lack of reference materials for secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) microanalysis. This study introduces two new potential reference materials, NJU-Ba-1 and FJ barite for microbeam oxygen isotope measurements. Detailed examinations of the texture and major elements revealed no internal zoning of ground fragments from the two barite reference materials. The recommended δ18OVSMOW values of NJU-Ba-1 and FJ were determined by gas-source isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GS-IRMS), with results of 7.94 ± 0.30‰ (2SD, N = 11) and 7.52 ± 0.34‰ (2SD, N = 8), respectively. SIMS instrumental stability was monitored by analyses of well characterized zircon references (Penglai and Qinghu), and the robustness of the SIMS barite δ18O measurements was further assessed by comparison with the values recommended by GS-IRMS. The effects of the crystallographic orientation, topography, and X–Y position on SIMS barite δ18O measurement were also examined. Multiple SIMS analyses suggest that both NJU-Ba-1 and FJ barite are homogeneous in oxygen isotope composition at the ∼20 μm level, with two standard deviations (2SD) of 0.36‰ (N = 383) and 0.58‰ (N = 325), respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ca2+ exerted a positive impact on glucoraphanin biosynthesis. • CaCl 2 enhanced the conversion rate of glucoraphanin to sulforaphane in broccoli sprouts. • Verapamil exerted a negative effect on glucoraphanin hydrolysis to form sulforaphane. CaCl 2 , Ca2+ chelator (EGTA) and Ca2+ channel blocker (verapamil) were used to investigate mechanism of glucoraphanin metabolism in broccoli sprouts under ZnSO 4 stress. CaCl 2 treatment promoted sprout growth, reduced MDA (malonaldehyde) content and electrolyte leakage in sprouts under ZnSO 4 stress. The highest MDA content and electrolyte leakage were obtained in ZnSO 4 plus verapamil-treated sprouts. In addition, ZnSO 4 plus CaCl 2 treatment significantly enhanced glucoraphanin content and sulforaphane formation, while an opposite result was observed after ZnSO 4 plus EGTA treatment; which were further supported by expression of glucoraphanin biosynthetic and hydrolytic genes as well as myrosinase (MYR) and epithiospecifier protein (ESP) activities. These results indicated that exogenous and endogenous calcium promoted glucoraphanin biosynthesis and the conversion rate of glucoraphanin into sulforaphane. Verapamil treatment also stimulated glucoraphanin biosynthesis, but exerted an adverse influence on sulforaphane formation from the hydrolysis of glucoraphanin because of much higher ESP expression and ESP activity than ZnSO 4 treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A finite time nonlinear control method, along with a finite time disturbance observer, is proposed for the crane control. • The disturbance can be estimated in finite time and the closed-loop system's states are convergent in finite time. • The proposed method is continuous without any chattering, which is convenient for practical applications. The regulation and disturbance rejection problems of the underactuated overhead crane system in the presence of uncertain disturbances are considered in this paper. A novel nonlinear control method, along with a finite time disturbance observer, is proposed for the crane system. Different from existing control methods, one important feature of the proposed method is that uncertain disturbances are attenuated and eliminated by the disturbance observer in finite time. More precisely, some transformations are performed with respect to the original dynamic model of the crane system. Then, a finite time disturbance observer is introduced, based on which a nonlinear control method is proposed. Rigorous mathematical analysis is implemented to prove the theoretical derivations. Finally, simulation and experimental tests are carried out to demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Evaluated the performance of TLS data on deriving degraded grassland AGB. • The SMR model yields the highest accuracy for predicting AGB (R2 = 0.84). • Canopy cover and minimum height are the two best predictors for estimating AGB. • AGB prediction accuracy increases with the TLS point density. Aboveground biomass (AGB) is an important indicator for grassland ecosystem assessment, management and utilization. Remote sensing technologies have driven the development of grassland AGB estimation from labor-intensive to highly-efficient. However, optical image-based remote sensing methods are fraught with uncertainty issues due to the saturation effects. In this study, we evaluated the capability of the emerging terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) technique in estimating grassland AGB in the northern agro-pastoral ecotone of China. Seven variables (i.e., canopy cover, canopy volume, mean height, maximum height, minimum height, range of height, and standard deviation of height) were extracted from the TLS data of 30 plots across the northern agro-pastoral ecotone of China, and were used to build regression models with field measured AGB using four regression methods, which are simple regression (SR) model, stepwise multiple regression (SMR) model, random forest (RF) model and artificial neural network (ANN) model. The results demonstrate that TLS is a feasible technique for extracting grassland structural parameters. Mean grass height and canopy cover obtained from TLS data have good correspondence with field measurements (R2 > 0.7, p -values < 0.001). Among the four regression models, the SMR model yields the highest prediction accuracy (R2 = 0.84, RMSE = 48.89 g/m2), followed by the RF model (R2 = 0.78, RMSE = 68.72 g/m2), the SR model (R2 = 0.80, RMSE = 86.4 g/m2), and the ANN model (R2 = 0.73, RMSE = 101.40 g/m2). Minimum grass height and canopy coverage are the two most important variables influencing the prediction accuracy of the SMR model, and the prediction accuracy of the SMR model increases with the increase of point density. The results of this study can provide guidance for choosing the optimal model and data collection method for estimating degraded grassland AGB using TLS in agro-pastoral ecotone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Root hair is regarded as a pivotal complementary survival tactic for mycorrhizal plant like Abies beshanzuensis when symbiosis is disrupted. Relatively little is known about the mechanism underlying root hair morphogenesis in plant species that are strongly dependent on mycorrhizal symbiosis. Many of these species are endangered, and this knowledge is critical for ensuring their survival.Here, a MYB6/bHLH13‐sucrose synthase 2 (AbSUS2) module was newly identified and characterized in A. beshanzuensis using bioinformatics, histochemistry, molecular biology, and transgenesis.Functional, expression pattern, and localization analysis showed that AbSUS2 participated in sucrose synthesis and was involved in root hair initiation in A. beshanzuensis. Additionally, the major enzymatic product of AbSUS2 was found to suppress root hair initiation in vitro. Our data further showed that a complex involving the transcription factors AbMYB6 and AbbHLH13 directly interacted with the promoter of AbSUS2 and strengthened its expression, thereby inhibiting root hair initiation in response to exogenous sucrose.Our findings offer novel insights into how root hair morphogenesis is regulated in mycorrhizal plants and also provide a new strategy for the preservation of endangered mycorrhizal plant species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acellular extracellular matrices (aECM) are commonly utilized, both experimentally and clinically, in the regenerative medicine field. However, some disadvantages such as rapid degradation, poor mechanical properties, chronic inflammatory reactions and low antioxidant activity have limited their further application. In this study the feasibility of caffeic acid as a crosslinking agent in fixing small intestinal submucosa (SIS) was evaluated. The ninhydrin assay, swelling ratio and FTIR spectra indicated that caffeic acid can efficiently react with free amino groups to crosslink SIS and the highest crosslinking index reached 21.60 ± 1.37%. Moreover, the shrinkage temperature of SIS remarkably increased from 59 °C to about 80 °C and the degradation rate of CA-SIS was all lower than 6%, demonstrating their improved biostability and hydrothermal stability. Importantly, the antioxidant activity of CA-SIS ranged from 55% to 90%, statistically higher than that of native SIS (37.33 ± 2.94%). Additionally the cytotoxicity test presented that the cytotoxicity grade of CA-SIS was 1 or 0, whilst large numbers of living HUVECs were attached to the surface of the material and exhibited high cell viability. These results indicated their excellent cytocompatibility. The data of subcutaneous implant displayed that the number of inflammatory cells in 2%- and 2.5%CA-SIS groups remained at a low level (below 100 cells/field) while that of the native SIS group continued increasing, finally reaching 142.33 ± 30.92 cells/field. In conclusion, caffeic acid is a promising candidate for modifying aECM and may play a vital role in the design and fabrication of tissue engineering scaffolds. • Caffeic acid was innovatively used as a crosslinking agent in modifying acellular extracellular matrices (aECM). • Caffeic acid can efficiently fix aECM and improve its biostability and hydrothermal stability. • The modification of caffeic acid significantly improved the antioxidant activity of aECM. • The fixation of caffeic acid preserved the excellent biocompatibility of aECM, without introducing cytotoxicity. • The modification of caffeic acid relieved the inflammation response and preserved the biological activity of native SIS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We aimed to illustrate the importance of cystoscopy for the diagnosis and prognosis of bladder pain syndrome (BPS) or interstitial cystitis (IC). Methods and materials: We designed a 4-year prospective follow-up study. Patients who underwent cystoscopy between May 2011 and July 2021 with a diagnosis of BPS/IC before surgery or positive cystoscopic findings during initial surgery at Peking University People's Hospital were enrolled. Data related to symptom recurrence were obtained through clinic visits and telephone follow-up. We compared the differences in clinical features of BPS/IC subtypes differentiated by cystoscopy and first created clinical predictive nomograms for BPS/IC. Results: A total of 141 patients were included. There was an 8.51% chance of BPS/IC being misdiagnosed as other diseases or other diseases being misdiagnosed as BPS/IC without cystoscopy. Patients with HIC had higher pain scores and ICPI, higher residual urine volume, lower first-sense-to-void, and maximum cystometric bladder capacities than NHIC. Nomogram Models showed that patients who with higher ICPI, ICSI and lower AMBC have a greater recurrence probability, and lesions in the trigone may indicate a greater likelihood of recurrence than lesions in other bladder walls. Conclusions: Timely detection of bladder cancer and other diseases using cystoscopy can avoid poor treatment effects. BPS/IC subtypes can be classified according to mucosal changes under cystoscopy. Lesions in the bladder triangle can indicate a higher recurrence risk, which is important in follow-up treatment. We strongly recommend that cystoscopy should be included in the international BPS/IC diagnostic criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Submacular hemorrhage (SMH) is the accumulation of blood in the macular area that can severely damage the macular structure and visual function. Recently, the intraocular administration of tissue plasminogen activator (TPA) with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) drugs was reported to have a positive effect on SMH. This meta-analysis aimed to explore the efficacy and safety of the drug combination. We systematically searched the Web of Science, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases and screened relevant full-length literature reports. The quality of the reports was assessed by two independent reviewers. The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and foveal thickness (FT) were considered the main indicators of efficacy. RevMan 5.4 software was used for this meta-analysis. Twelve studies were analyzed, and the results showed that BCVA at 1 month (p < 0.001), 3 months (p < 0.001), 6 months (p < 0.001), and the last follow-up (p < 0.001) was improved relative to the preoperative value. The postoperative FT was lower than the preoperative FT (p < 0.001). No significant difference in efficacy was observed between subretinal and intravitreal TPA injections (p = 0.37). TPA with anti-VEGF drugs is safe for SMH treatment and can significantly improve BCVA and reduce FT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tetracycline (TET) is a broad-spectrum antibiotic commonly used in the treatment of animals. TET residues in food inevitably threaten human health. High-performance analytical techniques for TET detection are required in food quality assessment. The objective of this study was to establish a label-free fluorescent biosensor for TET detection using specific aptamer-templated silver nanoclusters (AgNCs). An aptamer with a high specific binding ability to TET was used to synthesize a novel DNA-templated AgNCs (DNA-AgNCs). When TET is present, the aptamer's conformation switched from an antiparallel G-quadruplex to a hairpin structure, altering the connection between AgNCs and the aptamer. Following the transformation of AgNCs into large sized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), a fluorescence decrease was detected. When used to detect TET in milk, the proposed biosensor displayed high sensitivity and selectivity, with a limit of detection of 11.46 ng/mL, a linear range of 20 ng/mL−10 g/mL, and good recoveries of 97.7–114.6% under optimized conditions. These results demonstrate that the proposed biosensor was successfully used to determine TET quantitatively in food samples, suggesting that our method provides an efficient and novel reference for detecting antibiotics in food while expanding the application of DNA-AgNCs in related fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance of real-time precise point positioning (PPP) relies primarily on the availability and quality of orbit and clock corrections. In this research, we collected data streams from 12 real-time mount points of IGS Real-Time Service (RTS) or analysis centers for a one-month period and conducted a performance assessment, including product latency and data availability, accuracy of orbit, clock and positioning performance. The epoch availability of GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BDS was more than 98.5%, 95.79%, 94.20% and 85.9%, respectively. In addition, the orbit and clock errors of different real-time corrections was investigated. Then, PPP in static and kinematic for 16 IGS stations was conducted. The results show the real-time PPP for different products has a longer convergence time and a slightly worse accuracy than those of the post-processing PPP. For static PPP over 24 h, the real-time products of WHU had the best performance, with a mean RMSE of 1.0 cm in the horizontal and vertical directions and a median convergence time of 12.0 min. The products of CAS had the faster convergence speed due to the shortest product latency. Regarding real-time kinematic PPP for GPS only in an hourly batch, the real-time products of WHU and ESA performed best with a mean RMSE of 10.8 cm and 9.5 cm in the horizontal and vertical directions, respectively. Additionally, the PPP for different real-time products with the multi-GNSS combination obtained higher accuracy than those with GPS only in post-processing or real-time mode, and the PPP with the GPS/GLONASS/Galileo/BDS combination had the fastest convergence speed and best positioning performance. The hourly based kinematic PPP results of CAS, DLR, GFZ and WHU with the GREC combination had positioning errors smaller than 5.2 cm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The scientific delineation and conservation of natural heritage sites are important steps in maintaining biodiversity and the dynamic stability of ecosystems. We examined the ecological connectivity of the Three Parallel Rivers Natural World Heritage Site, analysed the impact of boundary adjustments on the landscape pattern and ecological connectivity of the area, and explored the relationship between landscape connectivity and species habitat conservation using the Yunnan golden snub-nosed monkey as an environmental indicator species. The ecological connectivity of the Nu–Lancang River area and the Lancang–Jinsha River area was always high. Meanwhile, the improvement in ecological connectivity in the Lancang–Jinsha River area was conducive to the migration and reproduction of large terrestrial animals, including the Yunnan snub-nosed monkey, with increasing numbers of populations and individuals. In this study, we found that, in order to improve the level of conservation of heritage sites, the delineation of the effective conservation areas of protected areas and the landscape connectivity between them should be considered in addition to the total area of the protected region. In particular, in addition to large wildlife habitat protection patches, stepping stones and ecological corridor networks should be established for large terrestrial animals. Landscape connectivity refers to the degree of continuity between the spatially structured units of a landscape. Ecological connectivity can characterise the degree to which ecological functional areas are connected in terms of function and ecological processes. In this study, the landscape pattern index and ecosystem service values were used to evaluate the ecological functional resistance of each landscape type, taking the Three Parallel Rivers Natural World Heritage Site as an example and the habitat distribution and population size of the Yunnan snub-nosed monkey as a reference. The minimum cost distance model, combined with the barrier impact index (BEI) and ecological connectivity index (ECI), was used to determine the degree of barrier impact on the study area and the ecological connectivity of the core reserve of the heritage site in both 2000 and 2020. The resistances of the different land types and landscape heterogeneity to the ecological function of species migration between the core protected areas of the heritage site were, in descending order, those of the forest, shrubs and grass, water, unused land, cultivated land, and built-up land. In 2020, the study area had a large BEI, with areas such as built-up areas, major roads, the sides of large rivers, and arable land being significant contributors to the blockage of landscape connectivity. The overall landscape connectivity in the study area was generally low, with clear spatial differentiation and a three-column parallel distribution pattern influenced by the topography and landscape. With the adjustment of the core reserve boundaries of the heritage site, the proportion of areas with high connectivity (ECI = 4–5) increased from 11.31% in 2000 to 34.36% in 2020. This increased landscape connectivity was conducive to the migration and reproduction of large terrestrial animals, such as the Yunnan snub-nosed monkey, with increasing numbers of populations and individuals. This study provides theoretical and methodological insights into the delineation and conservation of natural heritage sites and landscape connectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The effective-component compatibility of Bufei Yishen formula III (ECC-BYF III) with 5 ingredients (ginsenoside Rh1, astragaloside, icariin, nobiletin, and paeonol) has been shown to protect against chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The present study aimed to observe the effects of ECC-BYF III in a COPD rat model and dissect its potential mechanisms in regulating mucus hypersecretion via the miR-146a-5p/epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)/MEK/ERK pathway. Methods. COPD model rats were treated with normal saline, ECC-BYF III, or N-acetylcysteine (NAC). Pulmonary function, lung tissue histology with H & E and AB-PAS staining, expression levels of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-6, IL-1β, MUC5AC, MUC5B, and FOXA2 in lung tissues and the mRNA and proteins involved in the miR-146a-5p/EGFR/MEK/ERK pathway were evaluated. Results. The COPD rats showed a significant decrease in the pulmonary function and serious pathological damage to the lung tissue. ECC-BYF III and NAC significantly improved the ventilation function and small airway pathological damage in the COPD rats. The goblet cells and the expression levels of IL-1β, IL-6, MUC5AC, and MUC5B were increased in the COPD rats and were significantly decreased after ECC-BYF III or NAC intervention. The expression levels of IL-4 and FOXA2 in the COPD rats were markedly decreased and were improved in the ECC-BYF III and NAC groups. ECC-BYF III appeared to have a potent effect in restoring the reduced expression of miR-146a-5p. The increased phosphorylation levels of EGFR, MEK, and ERK1/2 and the protein expression levels of SPDEF in the lungs of COPD rats could be significantly reduced by ECC-BYF III. Conclusions. ECC-BYF III has a significant effect in improving the airway mucus hypersecretion in COPD model rats, as well as a protective effect against limited pulmonary function and injured lung histopathology. The protective effect of ECC-BYF III in reducing airway mucus hypersecretion in COPD may involve the miR-146a-5p/EGFR/MEK/ERK pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct decomposition of NO into N2 and O2 is an ideal technology for NOx removal. Catalyst deactivation by sulfur poisoning is the major obstacle for practical application. This paper focuses on strengthening the SO2 resistance of metal-exchanged HZSM-5 catalysts, by investigating the metals, promoters, preparation methods, metal-to-promoter molar ratios, Si/Al ratios and metal loadings. The results show that in the presence of SO2 (500 ppm), Fe is the best compared with Co, Ni and Cu. Cs, Ba and K modification enhanced the low-temperature activity of the Fe-HZSM-5 catalyst for NO decomposition, which can be further improved by increasing the exchanged-solution concentration and Fe/Cs molar ratio or decreasing the Si/Al molar ratio. Interestingly, Cs-doped Fe-HZSM-5 exhibited a high NO conversion and low NO2 selectivity but a high SO2 conversion within 10 h of continuous operation. This indicates that Cs-Fe-HZSM-5 has a relatively high SO2 resistance. Combining the characterization results, including N2 physisorption, XRD, ICP, XRF, UV–Vis, XPS, NO/SO2-TPD, H2-TPR and HAADF-STEM, SO42− was found to be the major sulfur species deposited on the catalyst's surface. Cs doping inhibited the SO2 adsorption on Fe-HZSM-5, enhanced the Fe dispersion and increased the isolated Fe and Fe-O-Fe species. These findings could be the primary reasons for the high activity and SO2 resistance of Cs-Fe-HZSM-5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In optical noninvasive glucose detection, how to detect the glucose-caused signals from the constant human variations and disturbed probing conditions is always the biggest challenge. Developing effective measurement strategies is essential to realize the detection. A near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy-based strategy is studied to effectively solve the in vivo measurement issues, obtaining clean blood glucose-caused signals. Two solutions composing our strategy are applied to the NIR spectroscopy-based measurement system to acquire clean raw signals in the data collection, which are a customized high signal-to-noise ratio multi-ring InGaAs detector to reduce the influence of human variations, and a fixing and aiming method to reproduce a consistent measurement condition. Seventeen cases of glucose tolerance test (GTT) on healthy and diabetic volunteers were conducted to validate the strategy. The human experiment results clearly show that the expected blood glucose changes have been detected at 1550 nm. The average correlation coefficient of the 17 cases of GTT between light signal and glucose reference reaches 0.84. The proposed measurement strategy is verified feasible for the glucose detecting in vivo. The strategy provides references to further studies and product developments for the NIR spectroscopy-based glucose measurement and references to other optical measurements in vivo. Graphical Abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinical exome sequencing (CES) has shown great utility in the diagnosis of Mendelian disorders. CES can unravel secondary findings (SFs) unrelated to the primary diagnosis but with potential health implications. The American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) has published a guideline for reporting secondary findings and recently updated an ACMG SF v3.0 list comprising 73 genes. Several studies have been performed to explore the prevalence of SFs. However, the data were limited in the Chinese population. In this study, we evaluated the genetic data of 2987 individuals from the Deciphering Disorders Involving Scoliosis and COmorbidities (DISCO) study group in accordance with the ACMG SF v3.0 list. The detected variants were evaluated using the ACMG classification guidelines, HGMD, and ClinVar database. Totally, 157 (157/2987, 5.3%) individuals had reportable variants within genes associated with cancer, cardiovascular, metabolic, and miscellaneous phenotypes. We identified 63 known pathogenic (KP) variants in 72 individuals (72/2987, 2.4%) and 96 expected pathogenic (EP) variants in 105 individuals (3.5%). Forty-five individuals carried SFs in v3.0 newly added genes, which accounted for 1.5% of our cohort. Our findings could contribute to existing knowledge of secondary findings in different ethnicities and indicate the necessity for clinicians to update the SFs gene list. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• First study on the therapeutic effect of Orientin on psoriasis. • Orientin alleviated psoriasis by inhibiting inflammatory response and cell proliferation. • Orientin alleviated psoriasis by inhibiting activation of the MAPK pathway. Psoriasis, a chronic inflammatory condition of the skin, is characterized by an atypical proliferation of epidermal keratinocytes and immune cell infiltration. Orientin is a flavonoid monomer with potent anti-inflammatory activities. However, the therapeutic effects of orientin on psoriasis and the underlying mechanisms have not been elucidated. To investigate the therapeutic effect of orientin on psoriasis and the underlying mechanisms using network pharmacology and experimental studies. A psoriasis-like mouse model was established using imiquimod (IMQ). Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was used to stimulate the RAW264.7 and HaCaT cells in vitro. The therapeutic effects of orientin and the underlying mechanism were analyzed using histopathological, immunohistochemical, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, flow cytometry, and western blotting analyses. Orientin ameliorated skin lesions and suppressed keratinocyte proliferation and immune cell infiltration in the IMQ-induced psoriasis-like mouse model. Additionally, orientin inhibited the secretion of the pro-inflammatory factors interleukin (IL)-1β, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, IL-6, IL-8, IL-17, and IL-23 in the psoriasis-like mouse model and LPS-induced RAW264.7 and HaCaT cells. Furthermore, orientin mitigated the LPS-induced upregulation of reactive oxygen species and downregulation of IL-10 and glutathione levels. Orientin alleviated inflammation by downregulating the MAPK signaling pathway. Orientin alleviated psoriasis-like dermatitis by suppressing the MAPK signaling pathway, suggesting that orientin is a potential therapeutic for psoriasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sensitive and accurate in antibiotic detection is crucial for food security, environmental conservation, public health, and environmental protection. In this study, we developed an enzyme-free and label-free ratiometric fluorescence biosensor for highly sensitive detection of tetracycline (TET). This biosensor utilized a combination of target-triggered catalytic hairpin assembly (CHA) and DNA-silver nanocluster (DNA-AgNCs) dual-color fluorescent signal probes. Upon TET binding to the aptamer, it initiated the leakage of CHA initiator, resulting in the formation of numerous double-stranded DNA complexes. This process exposed the foothold sequence of hairpin-structured DNA-AgNCs (H3-AgNCs) that exhibit yellow fluorescence. Subsequently, the conformational changes in H3-AgNCs significantly reduced the yellow fluorescence intensity (FI) and reveal the auxiliary DNA-AgNCs (a-DNA-AgNCs) linkage sequence. The binding of a-DNA-AgNCs brought two dark AgNCs close, forming nanocluster dimers emitting red fluorescence. The results demonstrate that the variation in ratiometric signal is linear with TET concentration between 0.1 and 50 ng/mL, with a detection limit as low as 0.086 ng/mL. Additionally, this approach exhibited good recovery results with spiked milk samples. This enzyme-free and label-free combined signal amplification method with proportional signal output based on DNA-AgNCs provides valuable empirical reference for creating low-cost, stable, and highly-sensitive biosensors. • An enzyme-free and label-free ratiometric fluorescent biosensor for TET detection was designed. • A dual-color fluorescent signal probe of DNA-AgNCs was successfully created. • DNA-AgNCs and catalytic hairpin assembly are combined. • Controllable color switching from orange to red is achieved upon target-triggered reactions. • It is applied for TET detection in milk with high sensitivity and specificity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The bifunctional methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase (NADP+ dependent) 2, methenyltetrahydrofolate cyclohydrolase (MTHFD2) has been reported to play an oncogenic role in various types of cancers. However, the function of MTHFD2 in urothelial carcinomas of bladder (UCB) and its association with tumor immune infiltration remains unknown. We aim to examine the suitability of MTHFD2 to be a novel biomarker of bladder cancer and whether MTHFD2 is linked to immune infiltration.Methods: RNA sequencing data and clinical information (bladder cancer samples: normal samples = 414: 19) were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas official website. Western blot analysis was performed to detect MTHFD2 expression in human bladder cancer (BLCA) cells and normal urothelial cell line SV-HUC-1. Associations between MTHFD2 expression and clinicopathological features were analyzed using Mann Whitney U test or Kruskal-Wallis H test. The "survival" and "survminer" packages were utilized to plot Kaplan-Meier survival curves. Moreover, the gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was conducted using a clusterProfiler package. The correlation of MTHFD2 expression with immune infiltration level was estimated using the single sample GSEA (ssGSEA) algorithm. Furthermore, associations between MTHFD2 and immune checkpoint genes were evaluated using the correlation analysis.Results: Transcriptome analysis manifested that MTHFD2 was highly expressed in UCB tissues than normal bladder tissues, which was further confirmed by western blot analysis in human BLCA cells and SV-HUC-1 cells. Moreover, MTHFD2 high expression was significantly associated with the advanced disease progression. Also, the high expression of MTHFD2 was correlated with poor prognosis, and MTHFD2 was considered as an independent prognostic factor for disease specific survival. Furthermore, a number of cancer-related pathways were enriched in MTHFD2 high group, including NF-κB activation, JAK/STAT, and cancer immunotherapy by PD1 blockade. Several immune checkpoint molecules were also strongly associated with MTHFD2 expression, including PDCD1, CD274, CTLA4, CD276, LAG3, HAVCR2, and TIGIT.Conclusions: MTHFD2 expression was remarkably elevated in UCB, suggesting that MTHFD2 could be a promising biomarker for BLCA as well as novel target for anti-cancer immunotherapy since its close association with immune infiltration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and hypothesis: Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) consist of storage, voiding and postmicturition symptoms and cause discomfort in approximately 15.8 to 82.0 % of adults worldwide. Despite the wide range in prevalence rates, certain potential risk factors for LUTS have been identified, advanced age being the most noted one. However, the true extent of symptom discomfort among the affected population may be underestimated because of the considerable underreporting of the problem. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence, risk factors and discomfort caused by LUTS in China. Methods: This population-based, cross-sectional survey was conducted in five geographical regions of China. A stratified, clustered, systematic sample of individuals aged ≥18 years was selected to answer demographic questionnaires and the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Male/Female Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Long Form. Results: A total of 3,023 participants (1,551 men; 1,472 women) were included in this study, and 61.2 % (61.2 % men; 61.1 % women) reported at least one LUTS. The prevalence of storage symptoms (59.8 % men; 60.5 % women) was greater than that of voiding (23.6 % men; 8.8 % women) plus postmicturition symptoms (14.6 % men; 6.3 % women). Nocturia (58.2 % men; 56.9 % women) was the most common specific LUTS. Advanced age, alcohol consumption and smoking were risk factors for LUTS among participants of both sexes. Enlarged prostate, diabetes mellitus and lower education levels correlated positively with LUTS in men, whereas higher parity and hypertension correlated positively with LUTS in women. Subjects with LUTS had great discomfort. Nocturia was the least bothersome symptom in both sexes, whereas nocturnal enuresis and urge urinary incontinence were the most bothersome in men and women respectively. Conclusions: Lower urinary tract symptoms are highly prevalent in China and many known risk factors are associated with these bothersome symptoms. However, the perception of the extent of symptom discomfort differed between sexes, and it may not correspond with symptom prevalence. Thus, an appropriate symptom discomfort assessment tool is needed to identify the clinically relevant conditions that warrant treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the prevalence, risk factors, and symptom bother of nocturia in Chinese adults. Methods: A population-based, cross-sectional survey was conducted among individuals aged ≥18 years in five geographical regions of China, via a stratified sampling approach. A structured questionnaire was used to obtain information on sociodemographic characteristics, general health, and past disease, and the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Male/Female Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Long Form was administered to estimate the prevalence of nocturia and rate their symptom bother. The current International Continence Society definition of nocturia (≥1 void/night) was used, and a secondary analysis was conducted with the threshold of two or more voids per night. Results: Of the 4,723 subjects contacted, 3,023 completed the interviews (64 % response rate). After being weighted by age and genders, 57.5 % participants reported voiding once or more per night and 24.7 % twice or more per night. Advanced age, higher body mass index, smoking, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus were associated risk factors in both genders. Lower urinary tract symptoms suggestive of benign prostatic enlargement increased the occurrence of nocturia in men, and higher parity and vaginal delivery were correlated with nocturia in women. Degree of bother increased with the higher frequency of nocturia, but was not affected by genders. Conclusions: The prevalence of nocturia is quite high in China and increases with advancing age. Nocturia bothers sufferers greatly, and many known risk factors are associated with this bothersome condition. Experiencing two or more nightly voids is more clinically relevant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 3–5 μm Cu@Sn core–shell powder was prepared by chemical plating. Based on the mixture of this Cu@Sn and SAC305 powder, a solder material for third-generation semiconductors was prepared. The joints prepared with this solder material have a shear strength of over 40 MPa at 25 °C. Shear strength of the joint at 300 °C exceeds 60 Mpa. And the strength of the joint is still above 60 MPa when it is aged for 800 h at 300 °C. The organization of the joint is mainly composed of Cu6Sn5 and Cu3Sn. The small size of Cu@Sn particles provides many reaction interfaces so that IMC (intermetallic compound) can be generated rapidly, while the Sn atoms provided by SAC305 inhibit the nucleation and growth of Cu3Sn. The Kirkendall voids in the joint are distributed in the spherical interface between Cu6Sn5 and Cu3Sn, a feature that gives the joints excellent resistance to shear damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Male lower urinary tract symptoms suggestive of benign prostatic hyperplasia (LUTS/BPH) is common and may increase the risk of depressive symptoms. This study aimed to investigate the associated factors of LUTS/BPH and its association with depressive symptoms in middle-aged and older Chinese men.Methods: This study used data from the 2015 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). A total number of 8,586 men aged ≥45 years were included in this study. Participants answered positively to whether they have ever been diagnosed with a prostate illness (excluding prostatic cancer) were defined as LUTS/BPH individuals. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the 10-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CESD-10). Multivariate logistic analyses were applied to explore the associated factors of LUTS/BPH, association between LUTS/BPH and depressive symptoms, and risk factors of depressive symptoms according to LUTS/BPH status.Results: The weighted overall prevalence of LUTS/BPH was 13.1% in Chinese men aged ≥45 years. The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 29.1% in LUTS/BPH individuals and 22.9% in non-LUTS/BPH individuals. Depressive symptoms and LUTS/BPH shared some same risk factors, which were education, living regions, annual household consumption, sleep duration and multimorbidity. The results from logistic models showed that education, sleep duration and multimorbidity were significantly and independently associated with depression of LUTS/BPH individuals (P<0.001).Conclusions: Prevalence of depressive symptoms in LUTS/BPH population was higher than in non-LUTS/BPH population. Education, sleep duration and multimorbidity were associated with the onset of depressive symptoms in LUTS/BPH individuals (P<0.001). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new method for discrimination analysis of adulterated milk and pure milk is proposed by combining two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2D-COS) with kernel orthogonal projection to latent structure (K-OPLS). Three adulteration types of milk with urea, melamine, and glucose were prepared, respectively. The synchronous 2D spectra of adulterated milk and pure milk samples were calculated. Based on the characteristics of 2D correlation spectra of adulterated milk and pure milk, a discriminant model of urea-tainted milk, melamine-tainted milk, glucose-tainted milk, and pure milk was built by K-OPLS. The classification accuracy rates of unknown samples were 85.7, 92.3, 100, and 87.5%, respectively. The results show that this method has great potential in the rapid discrimination analysis of adulterated milk and pure milk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]