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The genus Coccinella is reviewed with seven species found in Pakistan: C. luteopicta (Mulsant, 1866), C. marussii Kapur, 1973, C. iranica Dobzhansky, 1926, C. transversalis Fabricius, 1781, C. septempunctata Linnaeus, 1758, C. transversoguttata transversoguttata Faldermann, 1835 and C. undecimpunctata Linnaeus, 1758. Information on prey, host plants, distribution and an identification key for Coccinella species in Pakistan is provided. Additionally, newly-sequenced partial COI (cytochrome-c-oxidase subunit I) for C. luteopicta and C. marussii were used to determine their phylogenetic positions within the genus Coccinella.This study comprehensively reviews the genus Coccinella in Pakistan and highlights Coccinella luteopicta as a new country record. Morphological features of adults, including male genital characters and an identification key to known species in Pakistan are presented. Records of prey, host plants and distributions for all identified species are included. The new data (COI-barcode) shows that C. luteopicta (Mulsant, 1866) was recorded first in Pakistan.

The clinical medicine postdoctoral training program embodies a pioneering initiative in China's pursuit of excellence in medical education in the contemporary era. The establishment of the Department of Rare Diseases at Peking Union Medical College Hospital in 2023 signifies a momentous milestone, making it the nation's inaugural clinical department exclusively dedicated to diagnosis and treatment of patients with rare diseases. Aligned with the Consensus on Core Competency Framework for Residency Education Among China Consortium of Elite Teaching Hospitals for Residency Education, the clinical postdoctoral program in the Department of Rare Diseases underscores a holistic advancement of fundamental competencies within the framework of "three basics and three stricts". This approach is further complemented by the refinement of teaching evaluation and feedback systems. The program aspires to serve as an educational paradigm for cultivating elite talents in the field of rare disease medicine in China and nurture multifaceted talents equipped with exceptional clinical insight and comprehensive capabilities, thereby alleviating the acute shortage of adept professionals in the domain of rare diseases and propelling the field's progression in China.

Physicochemical analysis, headspace-solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and high-throughput sequencing were used to investigate the potential relationship between the microecology of different flavor types of Daqu and their physicochemical indexes and characteristic flavor compounds. The results showed that the highest saccharification power and fermentation power were found in Fen-flavor Daqu, the highest esterification power and starch content in Luzhou-flavor Daqu, and the highest acidity were found in Maotai-flavor Daqu. In the three types of Daqu, the dominant bacterial genera were Saccharopolyspora, Weissella and Bacillus, and the dominant fungal genera were Saccharomycopsis, Aspergillus and Thermomyces. Correlation analysis showed that Bacillus was positively correlated with saccharification power, liquefaction power, fermentation power, ethyl caprate and phenyl ethanol. Thermomyces was positively correlated with ethyl caproate, isoamyl alcohol, ethyl lactate, acetic acid and ligustrazine.

Objective: To find a viable alternative to reduce the number of doses required for the patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and to improve efficacy and patient compliance. Methods: In this study, we used ginger oil, a phytochemical with potential therapeutic properties, to prepare ginger oil patches. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to quantify the main active component of ginger oil, 6-gingerol. Transdermal absorption experiments were conducted to optimize the various pressure-sensitive adhesives and permeation enhancers, including their type and concentration. Subsequently, the ginger oil patches were optimized and subjected to content determination and property evaluations. A PTSD mouse model was established using the foot-shock method. The therapeutic effect of ginger oil patches on PTSD was assessed through pathological sections, behavioral tests, and the evaluation of biomarkers such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and melatonin (MT). Results: The results demonstrated that ginger oil patches exerted therapeutic effects against PTSD by inhibiting inflammatory responses and modulating MT and BDNF levels. Pharmacokinetic experiments revealed that ginger oil patches maintained a stable blood drug concentration for at least one day, addressing the rapid metabolism drawback of 6-gingerol and enhancing its therapeutic efficacy. Conclusions: Ginger oil can be prepared as a transdermal drug patch that meets these requirements, and the bioavailability of the prepared patch is better than that of oral administration. It can improve PTSD with good patient compliance and ease of administration. Therefore, it is a promising therapeutic formulation for the treatment of PTSD.

In clinical terms, chronic pain is the most prevalent sequela resulting from COVID-19, which is induced by the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), while type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) is the most common comorbidity. This triangular relationship can be attributed to the dysfunction of the insulin receptor signaling system (IRSS) in both central and peripheral systems. Patients with T2D are essentially more susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection due to the widespread expression of angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) in their pancreatic beta cells, which serves as the cellular port for the SARS-CoV-2 to infect and enter the cell. This infection can exacerbate chronic pain and insulin resistance for various reasons. Peripherally, once infected, the virus can cause damage to peripheral nerves and pancreatic β-cells, further exacerbating pain and glucose metabolism conditions. Additionally, in the central nervous system, dysfunctional IRSS is closely linked to chronic pain. Over the past few years of the COVID-19 pandemic, an increasing body of evidence suggests that insulin and other medications currently used in clinical practice for hyperglycemia control may not be safe for treating these patients. Therefore, we need a proper approach for the treatment of chronic pain in long COVID patients, especially patients with T2D. This review presents evidence that transcutaneous auricular vagal nerve stimulation (taVNS) may provide a viable treatment option for chronic pain and metabolic dysfunction by improving the function of IRSS in both the central nervous system and peripheral tissues.

Organophosphate esters (OPEs) are one of the emerging environmental threats, causing the hazard to ecosystem safety and human health. Yet, the toxic effects and metabolic response mechanism after Escherichia coli (E.coli) exposed to TDCIPP and TEHP is inconclusive. Herein, the levels of SOD and CAT were elevated in a concentration-dependent manner, accompanied with the increase of MDA contents, signifying the activation of antioxidant response and occurrence of lipid peroxidation. Oxidative damage mediated by excessive accumulation of ROS decreased membrane potential and inhibited membrane protein synthesis, causing membrane protein dysfunction. Integrative analyses of GC-MS and LC-MS based metabolomics evinced that significant perturbation to the carbohydrate metabolism, nucleotide metabolism, lipids metabolism, amino acid metabolism, organic acids metabolism were induced following exposure to TDCIPP and TEHP in E.coli, resulting in metabolic reprogramming. Additionally, metabolites including PE(16:1(5Z)/15:0), PA(17:0/15:1(9Z)), PC(20:2(11Z,14Z)/12:0), LysoPC(18:3(6Z,9Z,12Z)/0:0) were significantly upregulated, manifesting that cell membrane protective molecule was afforded by these differential metabolites to improve permeability and fluidity. Overall, current findings generate new insights into the molecular toxicity mechanism by which E.coli respond to TDCIPP and TEHP stress and supply valuable information for potential ecological risks of OPEs on aquatic ecosystems.

Bacterial infection hampers wound repair by impeding the healing process. Concurrently, inflammation at the wound site triggers the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), causing oxidative stress and damage to proteins and cells. This can lead to chronic wounds, posing severe risks. Therefore, eliminating bacterial infection and reducing ROS levels are crucial for effective wound healing. Nanozymes, possessing enzyme-like catalytic activity, can convert endogenous substances into highly toxic substances, such as ROS, to combat bacteria and biofilms without inducing drug resistance. However, the current nanozyme model with single enzyme activity falls short of meeting the complex requirements of antimicrobial therapy. Thus, developing nanozymes with multiple enzymatic activities is essential. Herein, we engineered a novel metalloenzyme called Ru-procyanidin nanoparticles (Ru-PC NPs) with diverse enzymatic activities to aid wound healing and combat bacterial infections. Under acidic conditions, due to their glutathione (GSH) depletion and peroxidase (POD)-like activity, Ru-PC NPs combined with H2O2 exhibit excellent antibacterial effects. However, in a neutral environment, the Ru-PC NPs, with catalase (CAT) activity, decompose H2O2 to O2, alleviating hypoxia and ensuring a sufficient oxygen supply. Furthermore, Ru-PC NPs possess exceptional antioxidant capacity through their superior superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzyme activity, effectively scavenging excess ROS and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) in a neutral environment. This maintains the balance of the antioxidant system and prevents inflammation. Ru-PC NPs also promote the polarization of macrophages from M1 to M2, facilitating wound healing. More importantly, Ru-PC NPs show good biosafety with negligible toxicity. In vivo wound infection models have confirmed the efficacy of Ru-PC NPs in inhibiting bacterial infection and promoting wound healing. The focus of this work highlights the quadruple enzymatic activity of Ru-PC NPs and its potential to reduce inflammation and promote bacteria-infected wound healing.

Abstract Background Autoimmune responses have been suggested to involvement in patients with Behcet’s syndrome (BS). There has been growing attention towards the roles of cutaneous lymphocyte antigen (CLA)+ regular T cells (Tregs) in autoimmune diseases. The role of CLA+ Tregs in BS is still uncertain. This study aims to clarify the impact of CLA+ Tregs on BS. Methods We collected peripheral blood from a total of 107 patients with BS and 114 healthy controls (HCs). The number of CLA+ Tregs, natural killer (NK) cells, B cells, and several subtypes of CD4+ T cells were detected using flow cytometry and compared between patients and HCs. Results The absolute number and proportion of CLA+ Tregs among CD4+ T lymphocytes and CD4+ Tregs were lower in patients with BS than in HCs. CLA+ Tregs were positively related with NK cells (r = 0.500, P

The research objective is defined as the identification and confirmation of empirical relationships between shadow banking activities and economic development in developing and transitional economies to establish a theoretical basis for minimizing potential risks associated with shadow banking. The methodological design is based on a quantitative approach, implemented through correlation-regression analysis and ARIMA forecasting methods. The research findings confirm Hypothesis 1: China’s shadow banking is closely interconnected with the country’s economic development. However, Hypothesis 2 (the reduction of shadow banking in China contributes to per capita GDP growth) is only supported for specific structural elements of shadow banking that contribute to economic overheating. In contrast, for other structural elements, such as entrusted loans, a strong direct correlation exists, promoting a positive impact of shadow banking on the country’s economic development. This highlights the need for a highly balanced state policy to minimize shadow banking risks. The research results can be valuable for professionals in public administration and academic researchers, particularly in terms of shaping future research directions.

BackgroundPostoperative pain is a common occurrence in pediatric patients following craniotomy, often leading to negative outcomes. Intravenous dexmedetomidine and lidocaine are commonly used adjuvant medicines in general anesthesia to reduce perioperative opioid consumption and relieve postoperative pain in adults. While they show promise for use in pediatrics, the evidence of their application in pediatric craniotomy patients is limited. Therefore, we aimed to compare the effects of dexmedetomidine and lidocaine on postoperative pain in pediatric patients following craniotomy.MethodsWe conducted a randomized, double-blind, single-center trial on children scheduled for craniotomy. The 255 recruited participants aged 1–12 years were randomly assigned to intraoperatively receive a loading intravenous dose of either dexmedetomidine 1 μg·kg−1 or lidocaine 2 mg·kg−1 or normal saline for 15 min followed by dexmedetomidine 0.5 μg·kg−1·h−1 or lidocaine 1 mg·kg−1·h−1 or normal saline until the sutures of endocranium were completed. The primary outcome was the cumulative sufentanil consumption within 24 h post-surgery.ResultsA total of 241 patients were included in the statistical analysis. The primary outcome did not show any significant differences among the three groups (median (IQR) lidocaine group: 3.36 (1.32–5.64) μg vs. dexmedetomidine group: 3.12 (1.36–6.39) μg vs. control group 3.46 (1.77–7.62) μg, p = 0.485). Among the secondary outcomes, there was a statistically significant but small reduction in sufentanil consumption within 2 h, postoperative FLACC/WBFS/NRS pain scores within 4 h after surgery and postoperative Ramsay sedation scores in dexmedetomidine group (p

Various phthalic acid esters (PAEs) such as dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP) co-exist with nanopollutants in aquatic environment. In this study, Daphnia magna was exposed to nano-CuO and DBP or BBP at environmental relevant concentrations for 21-days to investigate these combined toxic effects. Acute EC50 values (48 h) of nano-CuO, DBP, and BBP were 12.572 mg/L, 8.978 mg/L, and 4.785 mg/L, respectively. Results showed that co-exposure with nano-CuO (500 μg/L) for 21 days significantly enhanced the toxicity of DBP (100 μg/L) and BBP (100 μg/L) to Daphnia magna by 18.37% and 18.11%, respectively. The activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione S-transferase were enhanced by 10.95% and 14.07%, 25.63% and 25.91%, and 39.93% and 35.01% in nano-CuO+DBP and nano-CuO+BBP treatments as compared to the individual exposure groups, verifying that antioxidative defense responses were activated. Furthermore, the co-exposure of nano-CuO and PAEs decreased the population richness and diversity microbiota, and changed the microbial community composition in Daphnia magna. Metabolomic analysis elucidated that nano-CuO + PAEs exposure induced stronger disturbance on metabolic network and molecular function, including amino acid, nucleotides, and lipid metabolism-related metabolic pathways, as comparison to PAEs single exposure treatments. In summary, the integration of physiological, microflora, and untargeted metabolomics analysis offers a fresh perspective into the potential ecological risk associated with nanopollutants and phthalate pollution in aquatic ecosystems.

ObjectiveTo investigate the serotype distribution and antimicrobial resistance characteristics of Salmonella isolated from retail chicken in Beijing City.MethodsA total of 135 Salmonella strains were isolated from retail chicken meat collected from three large wholesale markets in Fengtai District in Beijing City from 2014 to 2015. The serotype of these Salmonella strains was identified using both a Luminex serotyping kit and a traditional serum agglutination method. Multilocus sequence typing was performed according to the recommended conditions of the Enterobase database. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing plates were used to determine the susceptibility of the isolates against 12 classes of drugs representing 25 antimicrobial agents. PCR was used to detect the prevalence of the 10 mobile colistin resistance genes （mcr） and three NDM-type carbapenemases genes （blaNDM）.ResultsAmong the 135 Salmonella strains， 6 serogroups were detected， with D1 and B being the main serogroups； 20 serotypes were detected， in which Enteritidis， Indiana， and Thompson were the dominant ones with percentages of 50.4%， 15.6%， and 8.1%， respectively； 21 ST types were obtained， and a good correspondence was observed between serotypes and ST types. 91.9% of all tested isolates showed resistance to the tested drugs and showed the highest resistance to nalidixic acid， ampicillin， ampicillin-sulbactam， tetracycline. Multi-drug resistant strains accounted for 71.1% of all strains and were resistant to as many as 18 kinds of antimicrobial compounds belonging to 10 categories. Among the 17 strains co-resistant to 8 or more classes of drugs， 16 were of the Indiana serotype. The proportion of strains with high multi-drug resistance was different in different packaging methods， different seasons， and different wholesale markets. All strains were negative for the mcr and blaNDM genes.ConclusionThe serotypes of Salmonella isolates from chicken meat in wholesale markets in Beijing City from 2014 to 2015 were complex， with the dominant serotype of Salmonella Enterititis， and the overall antimicrobial resistance level of all isolates was high. To assess the possible food safety risks， continuous monitoring for Salmonella Indiana with high levels of antimicrobial resistance must be carried out and their drug resistance and transmission mechanisms must be studied to help develop first-line and ultimate drugs for clinical treatment of Salmonella diseases.

Abstract Background Atelectasis after anesthesia induction in most patients undergoing general anesthesia may lead to postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) and affect postoperative outcomes. However, there is still no existing effective method used for the prevention of perioperative atelectasis. S-ketamine may prevent atelectasis due to airway smooth muscle relaxation and anti-inflammatory effects. Lung ultrasound is a portable and reliable bedside imaging technology for diagnosing anesthesia-induced atelectasis. The primary objective of this study is to assess whether a small dose of S-ketamine can reduce the incidence of atelectasis after intubation, and further investigate the effects of preventing the early formation of perioperative atelectasis and PPCs. Methods This is a single-institution, prospective, randomized controlled, parallel grouping, and double-blind study. From October 2020 to March 2022, 100 patients (18–60 years old) scheduled for elective surgery will be recruited from Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, and randomly assigned to the S-ketamine group (group 1) and the normal saline group (group 2) at a ratio of 1:1. The label-masked agents will be administered 5 min before induction, and all patients will undergo a standardized general anesthesia protocol. Related data will be collected at three time points: after radial artery puncture (T1), 15 min after tracheal intubation (T2), and before extubation (T3). The primary outcome will be the total lung ultrasound scores (LUS) at T2. Secondary outcomes will include LUS in six chest regions at T2, total LUS at T3, arterial blood gas analysis results (PaCO2, PaO2) and PaO2/FiO2 at T2 and T3, and plateau pressure (Pplat) and dynamic lung compliance (Cdyn) at T2 and T3. The incidence of postoperative complications associated with S-ketamine and PPCs at 2 h and 24 h after surgery will be recorded. Discussion This trial aims to explore whether a simple and feasible application of S-ketamine before the induction of general anesthesia can prevent atelectasis. The results of this study may provide new ideas and direct clinical evidence for the prevention and treatment of perioperative pulmonary complications during anesthesia. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04745286. Registered on February 9, 2021.

Summary: As the only cell type responsible for oxygen delivery, erythrocytes play a crucial role in supplying oxygen to hypoxic tissues, ensuring their normal functions. Hypoxia commonly occurs under physiological or pathological conditions, and understanding how erythrocytes adapt to hypoxia is fundamental for exploring the mechanisms of hypoxic diseases. Additionally, investigating acute and chronic mountain sickness caused by plateaus, which are naturally hypoxic environments, will aid in the study of hypoxic diseases. In recent years, increasingly developed proteomics and metabolomics technologies have become powerful tools for studying mature enucleated erythrocytes, which has significantly contributed to clarifying how hypoxia affects erythrocytes. The aim of this article is to summarize the composition of the cytoskeleton and cytoplasmic proteins of hypoxia-altered erythrocytes and explore the impact of hypoxia on their essential functions. Furthermore, we discuss the role of microRNAs in the adaptation of erythrocytes to hypoxia, providing new perspectives on hypoxia-related diseases.

Background: Dexmedetomidine is known for its selective action on α2-adrenoceptor sites and is recognized for its neuroprotective capabilities. It can improve postoperative cognitive function. Commonly used anesthetics, such as sevoflurane and propofol, have been reported to affect postoperative cognitive function. Therefore, it could be valuable to explore dexmedetomidine-led anesthesia strategy. This study was designed to assess the performance, safety, and effective infusion rate in anesthesia maintenance, to explore a feasible dexmedetomidine-led anesthesia maintenance protocol, and to provide a foundation for potential combined anesthesia. Methods: Thirty patients aged 18–60 years, classified as ASA I or II, undergoing abdominal surgery were involved. The anesthesia maintenance was achieved with dexmedetomidine, remifentanil and rocuronium. Dixon up-and-down sequential methodology was utilized to ascertain the ED50 of dexmedetomidine for maintaining Patient State Index (PSI) 25–40 (depth of stage III anesthesia). Intraoperative HR, BP and depth of anesthesia were monitored and controlled. The wake-up time from anesthesia, the incidence of intraoperative awareness and postoperative delirium, and the patients’ satisfaction were assessed. Results: The results indicated that dexmedetomidine-led anesthesia could maintain the depth of stage III anesthesia during abdominal surgery. The ED50 and ED95 of dexmedetomidine infusion rates during anesthesia maintenance were 2.298 μg/kg·h (95%CI: 2.190–2.404 μg/kg·h) and 3.765 μg/kg·h (95%CI: 3.550–4.050 μg/kg·h). Continuous infusion of dexmedetomidine and 0.1–0.3 μg/kg·min remifentanil could maintain PSI 25–40, and provide appropriate anesthesia depth for abdominal surgery. Perioperative bradycardia and hypertension could be rapidly corrected with atropine and nitroglycerin. The median wake-up time after anesthesia was 4.8 min, the perioperative maximum HR had significant correlation with wake-up time and intraoperative dexmedetomidine dose. No intraoperative awareness and postoperative delirium occurred; the patients were satisfied with dexmedetomidine-led anesthesia. Conclusions: dexmedetomidine-led strategy could maintain stable depth of anesthesia throughout surgery, and the ED50 of dexmedetomidine infusion rates was 2.298 μg/kg·h. Intraoperative HR, BP and depth of anesthesia require monitoring, the bradycardia and hypertension could be rapidly corrected.

Molds and yeasts are common fungi that cause food contamination， and are also used as indicators to evaluate the quality of food hygiene. China has been conducting contamination surveillance of molds and yeasts in food since 1984， and has greatly promoted the quality of food hygiene nationwide. However， the key technical aspects of Chinese standard GB 4789.15—2016 “National food safety standards of food microbiological examination - molds and yeasts enumeration” and foreign standards from other countries or international organizations are rather different. Therefore，to adapt to the needs of international trade and better promote Chinese standards in line with foreign or international standards， this article reviews the comparative analysis of foreign or international standards such as BAM Chapter 18—2001 from the US， AS 5013.29—2009 from Australia， and ISO 21527—2008 from the International Organization for Standardization， with the Chinese standard （GB 4789.15—2016） on mold and yeast enumeration to provide a theoretical basis and reference method for the subsequent revision of the Chinese standard on mold and yeast enumeration in food.

Recent advances in deep learning have shown significant potential for accurate cell detection via density map regression using point annotations. However, existing deep learning models often struggle with multi-scale feature extraction and integration in complex histopathological images. Moreover, in multi-class cell detection scenarios, current density map regression methods typically predict each cell type independently, failing to consider the spatial distribution priors of different cell types. To address these challenges, we propose CellRegNet, a novel deep learning model for cell detection using point annotations. CellRegNet integrates a hybrid CNN/Transformer architecture with innovative feature refinement and selection mechanisms, addressing the need for effective multi-scale feature extraction and integration. Additionally, we introduce a contrastive regularization loss that models the mutual exclusiveness prior in multi-class cell detection cases. Extensive experiments on three histopathological image datasets demonstrate that CellRegNet outperforms existing state-of-the-art methods for cell detection using point annotations, with F1-scores of 86.38% on BCData (breast cancer), 85.56% on EndoNuke (endometrial tissue) and 93.90% on MBM (bone marrow cells), respectively. These results highlight CellRegNet’s potential to enhance the accuracy and reliability of cell detection in digital pathology.

[Obiective] The spatial distribution pattern of waterfowl ecological corridors in Dongguan City, Guangdong Province were studied in order to provide a realistic basis for its ecological restoration. [Methods] We considered waterfowl as the key species of Dongguan City. The research was carried out by using the minimal cumulative resistance (MCR) model , the centrality principle of habitat and connection, and the circuit theory based on water data and resistance surface composition data of Dongguan City. [Results] A total of 26 ecological corridors with a total length of 259.91 km were constructed in Dongguan City, of which six, fifteen, and five were important, more important and generally important ecological corridors respectively, and the important and general ecological corridors were centrally distributed, while the more important ecological corridors were dispersed. The spatial locations of the key obstacles were characterized as areas with serious anthropogenic disturbances. [Conclusion] In the perspective of spatial layout of ecological corridors, the main purpose is to optimize the urban background conditions and maintain the balance of the entire urban ecological space. In the perspective of corridor connectivity enhancement, it is suggested to give full play to the self-generated ecological function of the corridor as a guide to ensure the continuity of the overall corridor network space. In terms of restoration of obstacles, the intensity of human activities should be reduced to alleviate the obstruction of waterbirds passing through the corridor.

Abstract Solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) and hydrogel electrolytes were developed as electrolytes for zinc ion batteries (ZIBs). Hydrogels can retain water molecules and provide high ionic conductivities; however, they contain many free water molecules, inevitably causing side reactions on the zinc anode. SPEs can enhance the stability of anodes, but they typically possess low ionic conductivities and result in high impedance. Here, we develop a lean water hydrogel electrolyte, aiming to balance ion transfer, anode stability, electrochemical stability window and resistance. This hydrogel is equipped with a molecular lubrication mechanism to ensure fast ion transportation. Additionally, this design leads to a widened electrochemical stability window and highly reversible zinc plating/ stripping. The full cell shows excellent cycling stability and capacity retentions at high and low current rates, respectively. Moreover, superior adhesion ability can be achieved, meeting the needs of flexible devices.

Objective To investigate the expression and clinical significance of serum Claudin-1 and Claudin-3 levels in patients with psoriasis vulgaris (PV). Methods A total of 122 patients with PV were enrolled as the PV group (including 36 cases in the mild group, 54 cases in the moderate group, 32 cases in the severe group), and 60 healthy controls were enrolled from the physical examination center. The serum levels of hypersensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin6 (IL-6), Claudin-1 and Claudin-3 were measured using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between serum levels of Claudin-1 and Claudin-3 and PV severity, and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to analyze its diagnostic value. Results The levels of hs-CRP, TNF-α and IL-6 in PV group were significantly higher than that in the controls (P

Based on the typical dissection of various onshore tight oil fields in China, the tight oil migration and accumulation mechanism and enrichment-controlling factors in continental lake basins are analyzed through nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) displacement physical simulation and Lattice Boltzmann numerical simulation by using the samples of source rock, reservoir rock and crude oil. In continental lake basins, the dynamic forces driving hydrocarbon generation and expulsion of high-quality source rocks are the foundational power that determines the charging efficiency and accumulation effect of tight oil, the oil migration resistance is a key element that influences the charging efficiency and accumulation effect of tight oil, and the coupling of charging force with pore-throat resistance in tight reservoir controls the tight oil accumulation and sweet spot enrichment. The degree of tight oil enrichment in continental lake basins is controlled by four factors: source rock, reservoir pore-throat size, anisotropy of reservoir structure, and fractures. The high-quality source rocks control the near-source distribution of tight oil, reservoir physical properties and pore-throat size are positively correlated with the degree of tight oil enrichment, the anisotropy of reservoir structure reveals that the parallel migration rate is the highest, and intralayer fractures can improve the migration and accumulation efficiency and the oil saturation.

Stroke has long been a major threat to human health worldwide. Hemorrhagic stroke, including intracerebral hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage, exhibits a high incidence rate and a high mortality and disability rate, imposing a substantial burden on both public health and the economy and society. In recent years, the triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells (TREM) family has garnered extensive attention in various pathological conditions, including hemorrhagic stroke. This review comprehensively summarizes the structure and function of TREM1/2, as well as their roles and potential mechanisms in hemorrhagic stroke, with the aim of providing guidance for the development of targeted therapeutic strategies in the future.

In this paper, for a large amount of text content such as college students’ innovation and entrepreneurship education practice, considering the problem of directionality, based on the idea of a recommendation algorithm, we use word similarity and TextRank algorithm to extract the keywords of innovation and entrepreneurship behaviors as the first-knowledge labels of the textual resources, and introduce complex labeling network based on this. On the premise of semantic-based TextRank keywords and tag network, the fusion-gated graph attention group recommendation algorithm is used to construct college students’ innovation and entrepreneurship practice platform, and the simulation analysis of college students’ innovation and entrepreneurship practice platform is carried out. The results show that the survival rate of virtual startups can be calculated as 5.37% by using the college students’ innovation and entrepreneurship practice platform, which can accurately analyze that college students’ innovation and entrepreneurship behaviors are stronger, but the survival rate of the enterprises founded by college students for the first time needs to be improved. This study can provide theoretical knowledge guidance for the study of college students’ innovative entrepreneurial behavior and has a facilitating effect on the development of innovation and entrepreneurship education in colleges and universities.

Abstract Zn‐ion batteries are regarded as the most promising batteries for next‐generation, large‐scale energy storage because of their low cost, high safety, and eco‐friendly nature. The use of aqueous electrolytes results in poor reversibility and leads to many challenges related to the Zn anode. Electrolyte additives can effectively address many such challenges, including dendrite growth and corrosion. This review provides a comprehensive introduction to the major challenges in and current strategies used for Zn anode protection. In particular, an in‐depth and fundamental understanding is provided of the various functions of electrolyte additives, including electrostatic shielding, adsorption, in situ solid electrolyte interphase formation, enhancing water stability, and surface texture regulation. Potential future research directions for electrolyte additives used in aqueous Zn‐ion batteries are also discussed.

Introduction Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, systemic autoimmune disease characterized by autoantibody production, joint inflammation and bone destruction. Nearly 1/3 of RA patients with the active disease also exhibit a normal range of ESR and CRP. Here we assessed the performance and clinical significance of soluble CD24 (sCD24) as a biomarker of disease activity in RA.Methods A total of 269 RA patients, 59 primary Sjogren’s syndrome (SS) patients, 81 systematic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients, 76 osteoarthritis (OA) patients and 97 healthy individuals (HC) were included in this study. Soluble CD24 in sera were detected by ELISA. Therefore, the concentration of sCD24 was analyzed in RA patients with different disease activity statuses.Results The sCD24 was significantly increased in RA (2970 pg/mL), compared to other rheumatic diseases (380-520 pg/mL) and healthy individuals (320 pg/mL). Moreover, sCD24 was elevated in 66.67% of early RA and 61.11% of seronegative RA patients. In addition, sCD24 was significantly correlated with the disease activity duration and inflammatory indicators. There was an increased sCD24 in 64.23% of RA patients with normal ESR and CRP.Conclusion The sCD24 could be an inflammatory biomarker in RA patients, especially in early and seronegative patients.

Cl-redox reactions cannot be fully exploited in batteries because of the Cl2 gas evolution. Here, reversible high-energy interhalogen reactions are demonstrated by using a iodine-based cathode in combination with a Zn anode and a Cl-containing aqueous electrolyte solution.

CO2 pre-injection fracturing is a promising technology for shale reservoirs development, with multiple advantages for improving the complexity of fractures, the production of crude oil, and the sequestration of CO2. Previous research mostly focused on the CO2 effect on macroscopic mechanical properties of shale. However, there are many phenomena closely related to shale micro mechanical behavior. Therefore, this study presents a systematic investigation into the effects of CO2 on both macro and micro mechanical properties, as well as pore-fracture structures during CO2 pre-injection fracturing in shale reservoirs. The results show that CO2 can significantly decrease the tensile strength, uniaxial compressive strength, and elastic modulus of shale. With the increasing CO2 treatment time, the macro mechanical properties of shale decrease gradually. The microscopic experiments show that this significant decrease may be due to two mechanisms. The first is the significant decrease in the micro-mechanical properties of shale. The results of indentation analysis show that the microscopic elastic modulus and hardness of shale decrease by 51.3% and 63.3% after CO2 treatment. The second is the changes of the original shale framework. Pore-fractures structure analysis showed that after CO2 treatment, a large number of dissolution pores are generated in the shale matrix. Meanwhile, there are propagation of original fractures and opening of structural weak planes, which lead to the form of new fractures. Under the action of these two mechanisms, the macro mechanical strength of shale is reduced significantly. Therefore, in the field application, proper soaking following CO2 injection could lead to a significant overall reduction in mechanical strength, potentially lowering formation breakdown pressure, easing the requirements for treatment equipment, and enhancing fracturing effects.

To harness the full potential of the exhaust heat produced by an alkaline fuel cell (AFC), a novel coupling system that combines an AFC with an inhomogeneous thermoelectric generator (ITEG) is proposed. Detailed models of both the AFC and ITEG are developed, accounting for various irreversible losses. Following model validations, mathematical expressions for the power output density (POD) and energy efficiency (EE) of the hybrid system are derived. Though performance comparisons, the hybrid system’s effectiveness and competitiveness are demonstrated. Our calculation results reveal that the hybrid system achieves a 31.19% increase in its maximum POD and 54.61% improvement in its corresponding EE compared to that of the standalone AFC. Furthermore, numerous parametric studies are conducted. Some findings indicate that the POD of the hybrid system can be improved by elevating the operating temperature of the AFC and the environmental temperature, and that it can be optimized using the geometric characteristics of an ITEG. However, the EE of the hybrid system gains improvement via increasing the operating temperature of the AFC or decreasing both the environmental temperature and geometric characteristics of the ITEG. Additionally, the coefficient of the spatial inhomogeneity of the ITEG determines the optimal operating current density of the AFC. These insights offer valuable guidance for the integration and operation of practical hybrid systems.

In contemporary times, the utilization of liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHCs) has gained prominence due to their high volumetric storage density and material properties closely resembling conventional fuels. Numerous countries are incorporating LOHCs in hydrogen demonstration initiatives, encompassing applications such as hydrogen refueling stations, hydrogen-powered ships, and trains. This paper conducts a comprehensive review of seventeen LOHC projects, spanning Germany, Europe, and other nations, presenting detailed project specifications. This review includes information on project consortiums, funding sources, covered supply chains, transport modalities, and employed technologies. Through a global evaluation of LOHC projects, this review underscores the promising and competitive nature of LOHCs as a viable option for the large-scale and long-distance storage and transportation of hydrogen. The future development of this field is discussed at in the last section.

Radiation–induced enteritis is an unavoidable complication associated with pelvic tumor radiotherapy, significantly influencing the prognosis of cancer patients. The limited availability of commercial gastrointestinal radioprotectors in clinical settings poses a substantial challenge in preventing radiation enteritis. Despite the inherent radioprotective characteristics of Cur in vitro, its poor solubility in water, instability, and low bioavailability lead to inferior therapeutic effects in vivo. Herein, we developed novel ROS-responsive micelles (CTI) from inulin and curcumin, aimed at mitigating radiation enteritis. CTI micelles had excellent solubility and stability. Importantly, CTI improved the cytotoxicity and bioavailability of curcumin, thereby showing enhanced effectiveness in neutralizing ROS induced by radiation, safeguarding against DNA damage, and reducing radiation-induced cellular mortality. Moreover, in a radiation enteritis mice model, CTI not only alleviated severe radiation-induced intestinal injury but also improved redox-related indicators and reduced inflammatory cytokine expression. Furthermore, CTI effectively increased gut microbiota abundance and maintained gut homeostasis. In conclusion, CTI could be a promising candidate for the clinical management of radiation enteritis. Our study provides a new perspective for radioprotection using natural antioxidants.

IntroductionOsteosarcoma is a common bone malignant tumor in adolescents with high mortality and poor prognosis. At present, the progress of osteosarcoma and effective treatment strategies are not clear. This study provides a new potential target for the progression and treatment of osteosarcoma.MethodsThe relationship between lncRNA PRR7-AS1 and osteosarcoma was analyzed using the osteosarcoma databases and clinical sample testing. Cell function assays and tumor lung metastasis were employed to study the effects of PRR7-AS1 on tumorigenesis in vivo and in vitro. Potential downstream RNF2 of PRR7-AS1 was identified and explored using RNA pulldown and RIP. The GTRD and KnockTF database were used to predict the downstream target gene, MTUS1, and ChIP-qPCR experiments were used to verify the working mechanismy. Rescue experiments were utilized to confirm the role of MTUS1 in the pathway.ResultsDeep mining of osteosarcoma databases combined with clinical sample testing revealed a positive correlation between lncRNA PRR7-AS1 and osteosarcoma progression. Knockdown of PRR7-AS1 inhibited osteosarcoma cell proliferation and metastasis in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, RNA pulldown and RIP revealed that PRR7-AS1 may bind RNF2 to play a cancer-promoting role. ChIP-qPCR experiments were utilized to validate the working mechanism of the downstream target gene MTUS1. RNF2 inhibited the transcription of MTUS1 through histone H2A lysine 119 monoubiquitin. Rescue experiments confirmed MTUS1 as a downstream direct target of PRR7-AS1 and RNF2.DiscussionWe identified lncRNA PRR7-AS1 as an important oncogene in osteosarcoma progression, indicating that it may be a potential target for diagnosis and prognosis of osteosarcoma.

The two-stage compression technology based on intercooling effect effectively improves the low-temperature adaptability of vapor compression heat pump systems. When a two-stage compression system is applied to address a spectrum of low-temperature operating conditions, obvious variations in the capacity ratio and interrelationship between the two compressors will take place, which may result in an instability of system control and compressor burnout during actual equipment operation. Therefore, to refine the control strategy and enhance the practicality of the two-stage compression system, this study mainly focuses on the investigation of the subcooling (SC) parameter and the desuperheating (SH) parameter during the injection process. Both simulation models and experimental testing platform of a two-stage compression heat pump system with a subcooler structure are conducted to explore the effects of intercooling effect under variable operating conditions on various system performance parameters. The results show that as the injection ratio Rinj increases, the changes of SC and SH, ΔTSC and ΔTSH show a parallelogram-like variation, and the turning point of the variation trend is around Rinj = 0.14, stabilized at about 21.55 °C; ΔTSH first increased slowly from 0 °C to 6.04 °C and then rapidly increased to 33.55 °C; the system heat production Qhot and COP were closely related to the change of SC, but not sensitive to the change of SH. Besides, the optimal intermediate pressure calculation equations are determined for different evaporation temperatures, condensing temperatures and cylinder capacity ratios. This study may offer valuable guidance for improving the throttling valve and compressor capacity control strategies in two-stage compression systems.

Engineered cementitious composites (ECC) exhibit behaviors of multiple cracking and strain-hardening compared to ordinary concrete. However, the use of ultrafine silica sand (S) to produce ECC results in increased cost and environmental overload. This study was to develop an eco-friendly and cheaper ECC by incorporating different replacement ratios of industrial byproduct molybdenum tailings (MT). The mechanical properties of ECC with MT were evaluated. Based on industrial computer technology, nuclear magnetic resonance, and scanning electron microscope techniques, the three-dimensional spatial distribution and fluid distribution of pores and the microstructure of the ECC were investigated, respectively. The mechanical properties of stirrup-confined ECC stub columns were also investigated. Results indicated that the ECC incorporating 25% MT exhibited the best mechanical properties, in which the tensile strength (f t) increased by 32.16% and exhibited well strain-hardening behaviors. Under a 25% MT replacement ratio, ECC had the lowest porosity and good interfacial transition zone, and bonding interface between polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fiber (PF) and matrix. Moreover, the stirrup-confined ECC stub column with 25% MT can ensure better both the peak stress (f cc) and peak strain (ε cc). The assessment of environmental impact and cost further indicated that the incorporation of MT to prepare ECC is a promising method.

The rapid healing of wounds requires strategies that relieve oxidative stress resulting from overloaded free radicals and which promote angiogenesis, collagen deposition, and re-epithelialization of the wound. Nickel ions have been reported to be correlated with angiogenesis. However, several applications of metal salts or oxides to wounds lead to increased toxicity. The nickel metal-organic framework (Ni MOF) nanorods described herein can slowly release nickel ions, resulting in reduced toxicity and improved wound healing rates. More importantly, the Ni3(2,3,6,7,10,11-hexaiminotriphenylene)2 (Ni3(HITP)2) nanorods with well-defined structures, superior conductivity and many catalytic sites showed superoxide dismutase (SOD)-like enzyme activity and scavenged various free radicals. In addition, the Ni3(HITP)2 nanomaterials contributed to promotion of the migration of fibroblasts, angiogenesis and macrophage polarization from M1 to M2. The aqueous solution of Pluronic F127, a temperature-sensitive, nontoxic and phase-changing hydrogel material, was shown to be an effective choice for injectable and sprayable medical dressings. The Ni3(HITP)2 MOF nanomaterials can be effectively encapsulated with the F127 hydrogel to achieve continuous long-term therapeutic effects. The toxicity test results suggested that the Ni3(HITP)2 MOF nanomaterials exhibited excellent biosafety and no observable toxicity or side effects in mice. Therefore, the Ni3(HITP)2 MOF nanorods hold promising potential in the biomedical field, and this work provides an effective solution to wound therapy.

This study evaluated the effect of encapsulated thymol and carvacrol mixture (ETCM) on the growth performance, antioxidant capacity, immune function and intestinal health of broilers. In total, 400 one-day-old male Arbour Acres broilers were randomly allocated to two groups with eight replicates of 25 birds each and fed a basal diet (control) or a basal diet supplemented with 150 mg/kg ETCM. The trial lasted 42 days. ETCM supplementation significantly increased (p

Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor (pNET) is the second most common malignant tumors of the pancreas. Multiple endocrine neoplasia 1 ( MEN1) is the most frequently mutated gene in pNETs and MEN1-encoded protein, menin, is a scaffold protein that interacts with transcription factors and chromatin-modifying proteins to regulate various signaling pathways. However, the role of MEN1 in lipid metabolism has not been studied in pNETs. In this study, we perform targeted metabolomics analysis and find that MEN1 promotes the generation and oxidation of polyunsaturated fat acids (PUFAs). Meanwhile lipid peroxidation is a hallmark of ferroptosis, and we confirm that MEN1 promotes ferroptosis by inhibiting the activation of mTOR signaling which is the central hub of metabolism. We show that stearoyl-coA desaturase (SCD1) is the downstream of MEN1-mTOR signaling and oleic acid (OA), a metabolite of SCD1, recues the lipid peroxidation caused by MEN1 overexpression. The negative correlation between MEN1 and SCD1 is further verified in clinical specimens. Furthermore, we find that BON-1 and QGP-1 cells with MEN1 overexpression are more sensitive to everolimus, a widely used drug in pNETs that targets mTOR signaling. In addition, combined use everolimus with ferroptosis inducer, RSL3, possesses a more powerful ability to kill cells, which may provide a new strategy for the comprehensive therapy of pNETs.

To further improve accuracy and reliability of describing the roughness feature of the structural plane, and more comprehensively reflect influences of the morphological differences, the fluctuation of the profile was decomposed into three principal characteristics: amplitude, inclination, and curvature, which represent the change characteristics of height, angle, and bending of the profile. The data of the three characteristics were obtained by 10 standard profiles established by Barton. And the distribution curves of the three characteristics were analyzed. Then, the power spectral density (PSD), which can well describe the microscopic morphology, was used to analyze the spectral characteristics of amplitude, inclination and curvature. The fractal parameters (corresponding to the slope of the PSD curve) and roughness parameters (corresponding to the intercept of the PSD curve) were got from the logarithmic PSD curves. The relationship among , and the joint roughness coefficient (JRC) was studied, and the expressive forms of JRC with the new index were established. Meanwhile, the new index was extended to reveal the characterization of three-dimensional morphology, which was also used to calculate surface roughness of a marble surface obtained by the shear test. The results show that the new index has an extremely slight evaluation error, and can reflect the anisotropic property and effectively character morphology features of the structural plane, which provides a reference for characterizing the roughness of the structural plane and it is of great significance to study shear mechanical properties of the structural plane.

The existing coal mine gas extraction anomaly recognition needs to rely on manual assistance to view related data analysis, lacking autonomous and intelligent analysis means. The capability of timely handling of abnormal extraction is weak, and the multi-system linkage control function in case of gas disaster is lacking. The software deployment environment is single, and cross-platform and cross-end application access cannot be realized. In view of the above problems, a set of intelligent control software for whole mine gas extraction based on cross-platform architecture is designed. The software consists of two parts: company side and mine side gas extraction intelligent control software. By adopting technologies such as extraction multi-source data acquisition, extraction drill hole aided design, extraction data analysis, extraction equipment operation and maintenance management, extraction GIS display, extraction fusion control, the global visualization of an extraction system is realized. A comprehensive data display of mine up and down integrated extraction has been formed, and a multi-level data traceability access mechanism has been established. The comprehensive analysis of mathematical and physical characteristics of extraction data, extraction evaluation characteristics, equipment fault characteristics, extraction anomaly characteristics, and borehole trajectory characteristics is realized by constructing thematic data characteristic graph. In case of abnormal extraction, the software will automatically link with the broadcasting system to inform the evacuation personnel in the dangerous area of gas emission. At the same time, the software will link the ventilation monitoring system to strengthen the ventilation in the abnormal area. The software automatically pushes the abnormal alarm message to the relevant person in charge through the message push strategy, so as to solve the extraction problem in a timely and rapid manner. The Docker technology is adopted to realize the cross-platform design of the software. The SQL Server database and Web terminal application are deployed in the Docker environment. Native HTML technology combined with responsive layout style is adopted to realize multi-terminal access such as HTML webpage, mobile APP and WeChat applet. The field application results show that the software can meet the access needs of two levels of users of the group company and mine. The software effectively improves the efficiency of mine extraction, and enhances the capability of mine in gas extraction evaluation, extraction abnormal disposal and extraction utilization. The software reduces the occurrence rate of mine gas abnormal accidents.

Establishing a river chief system is stipulated in the newly amended Law of the People’s Republic of China on Prevention and Control of Water Pollution, which clarifies the liability of party or administrative heads at various levels for water environment rehabilitation in their own administrative regions. In this article, we analyze the implementation effects of the river chief in China, current assessment methods, and their deficiencies, and propose two quantitative assessing methods: (1) comprehensive water quality assessment for the cross sections of rivers and lakes and (2) assessment using the pollutant load intercepting rate of sewer networks, aiming to improve the scientific rationality for effect assessment of the river chief system. With Suzhou Creek rehabilitation in Shanghai as an example, application of the comprehensive water quality assessment method was introduced. By analyzing the pollutant load intercepting rate in various provinces (autonomous regions or municipalities) in China, we find that on average 34% wastewater is still discharged into water courses in an untreated state, leading to repeated occurrence of water quality deterioration. Introducing the comprehensive water quality assessment and the pollutant load intercepting rate into the river chief assessment will effectively push the government at all levels to concentrate their human, material, and financial resources onto urban drainage network correction and the interception of pollution sources discharged into watercourses.

Under the requirements of China's strategic goal of ''carbon peaking and carbon neutrality'', as a renewable, clean and efficient secondary energy source, hydrogen benefits from abundant resources, a wide variety of sources, a high combustion calorific value, clean and non-polluting, various forms of utilization, energy storage mediums and good security, etc. It will become a realistic way to help energy, transportation, petrochemical and other fields to achieve deep decarbonization, and will turn into an important replacement energy source for China to build a modern clean energy system. It is clear that accelerating the development of hydrogen energy has become a global consensus. In order to provide a theoretical support for the accelerated transformation of hydrogen-related industries and energy companies, and provide a basis and reference for the construction of ''Hydrogen Energy China'', this paper describes main key technological progresses in the hydrogen industry chain such as hydrogen production, storage, transportation, and application. The status and development trends of hydrogen industrialization are analyzed, and then the challenges faced by the development of the hydrogen industry are discussed. At last, the development and future of the hydrogen industry are prospected. The following conclusions are achieved. (1) Hydrogen technologies of our country will become mature and enter the road of industrialization. The whole industry chain system of the hydrogen industry is gradually being formed, and will realize the leap-forward development from gray hydrogen, blue hydrogen to green hydrogen. (2) The overall development of the entire hydrogen industry chain such as hydrogen production, storage and transportation, fuel cells, hydrogen refueling stations and other scenarios should be accelerated. Besides, in-depth integration and coordination with the oil and gas industry needs more attention, which will rapidly promote the high-quality development of the hydrogen industry system. (3) The promotion and implementation of major projects such as ''north-east hydrogen transmission'', ''west-east hydrogen transmission'', ''sea hydrogen landing'', and utilization of infrastructures such as gas filling stations, can give full play to the innate advantages of oil and gas companies in industrial chain nodes such as hydrogen production and refueling, etc., which can help to achieve the application of ''oil, gas, hydrogen, and electricity'' four-station joint construction, form a nationwide hydrogen resource guarantee system, and accelerate the planning and promotion of the ''Hydrogen Energy China'' strategy.

IntroductionInadvertent perioperative hypothermia (IPH) refers to a core body temperature lower than 36.0 °C, which can contribute to many adverse events. The special physiological characteristics in children further increase the incidence of IPH. Therefore, it is very important to perform effective perioperative warming measures for children. Traditional passive warming measures with additional layers have limited thermal insulation effects. Active warming measures might be the better choice, and most measures have achieved good effects in adults. This study combines a variety of active warming measures to propose perioperative active warming strategies and aims to verify the feasibility and thermal insulation effects of perioperative active warming strategies in children.MethodsThis study is a multicentre, prospective, randomized controlled trial. From August 2022 to July 2024, 400 paediatric patients undergoing elective surgery will be recruited in four centres and randomly divided into the active warming strategies group and control group at a ratio of 1:1. The primary outcome is the perioperative cumulative hypothermia effect value (Σ ΔTi × Δti, i = 1…, n). Multiple complications covering the anaesthesia recovery period and postoperative hospitalization will be considered as secondary outcomes to comprehensively analyse the prognosis.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov identifier: ChiCTR2200062168. Registered on July 26th, 2022. Registered with the name of “Perioperative Active Warming Strategies in Children: A multicenter, prospective, randomized controlled trial”. URL:http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=172778.

Summary: The role of SET domain containing 7 (SETD7) during human hematopoietic development remains elusive. Here, we found that deletion of SETD7 attenuated the generation of hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) during the induction of hematopoietic differentiation from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). Further analysis specified that SETD7 was required for lateral plate mesoderm (LPM) specification but dispensable for the generation of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and HPCs. Mechanistically, rather than depending on its histone methyltransferase activity, SETD7 interacted with β-catenin at lysine residue 180 facilitated its degradation. Diminished SETD7 expression led to the accumulation of β-catenin and the consequent activation of the Wnt signaling pathway, which altered LPM patterning and facilitated the production of paraxial mesoderm (PM). Taken together, the findings indicate that SETD7 is related to LPM and PM patterning via posttranslational regulation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, providing novel insights into mesoderm specification during hematopoietic differentiation from hESCs.

In the context of global climate change, the implementation of building energy conservation and carbon reduction, as well as the realization of zero-energy buildings, is a key measure to cope with climate change and resource depletion. A substation is an indispensable building in the process of urbanization construction. However, in existing cold areas, the heating form of substations generally adopts electric heating, which consumes a large amount of energy. This paper optimizes the existing HVAC form of substations through the rational utilization of surrounding environmental resources and puts forward reasonable building energy-saving and carbon-reduction methods. It demonstrates the feasibility of combining solar photovoltaic power generation systems, air source heat pumps, and natural ventilation to optimize energy savings and carbon reduction in the main control building of a substation in a cold area. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method is used to demonstrate the feasibility of natural ventilation during the summer and transition seasons. The data indicate that the installation of a solar photovoltaic power generation system results in an average annual power generation of 18.75 MWh. Additionally, using an air source heat pump can save 44.5% of electricity compared to electric heating. When both a solar photovoltaic power generation system and an air source heat pump are used to provide a building with cold and heat sources, the annual emissions of CO2 can be reduced by 4.90 tons compared to a traditional electric heating system.

Brain tumor segmentation using neural networks presents challenges in accurately capturing diverse tumor shapes and sizes while maintaining real-time performance. Additionally, addressing class imbalance is crucial for achieving accurate clinical results. To tackle these issues, this study proposes a novel N-shaped lightweight network that combines multiple feature pyramid paths and U-Net architectures. Furthermore, we ingeniously integrate hybrid attention mechanisms into various locations of depth-wise separable convolution module to improve efficiency, with channel attention found to be the most effective for skip connections in the proposed network. Moreover, we introduce a combination loss function that incorporates a newly designed weighted cross-entropy loss and dice loss to effectively tackle the issue of class imbalance. Extensive experiments are conducted on four publicly available datasets, i.e., UCSF-PDGM, BraTS 2021, BraTS 2019, and MSD Task 01 to evaluate the performance of different methods. The results demonstrate that the proposed network achieves superior segmentation accuracy compared to state-of-the-art methods. The proposed network not only improves the overall segmentation performance but also provides a favorable computational efficiency, making it a promising approach for clinical applications.

Monolepta is one of the diverse genera in the subfamily Galerucinae, including 708 species and 6 sub-species worldwide. To explore the information on the mitogenome characteristics and phylogeny of the section “Monoleptites”, especially the genus Monolepta, we obtained the newly completed mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) of four Monolepta species using high-throughput sequencing technology. The lengths of these four new mitochondrial genomes are 16,672 bp, 16,965 bp, 16,012 bp, and 15,866 bp in size, respectively. All four mitochondrial genomes include 22 transfer RNA genes (tRNAs), 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 2 ribosomal RNA genes (rRNAs), and one control region, which is consistent with other Coleoptera. The results of the nonsynonymous with synonymous substitution rates showed that ND6 had the highest evolution rate, while COI displayed the lowest evolution rate. The substitution saturation of three datasets (13 PCGs_codon1, 13 PCGs_codon2, 13 PCGs_codon3) showed that there was no saturation across all datasets. Phylogenetic analyses based on three datasets (ND1, 15 genes of mitogenomes, and 13 PCGs_AA) were carried out using maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inference (BI) methods. The results showed that mitogenomes had a greater capacity to resolve the main clades than the ND1 gene at the suprageneric and species levels. The section “Monoleptites” was proven to be a monophyletic group, while Monolepta was a non-monophyletic group. Based on ND1 data, the newly sequenced species whose antennal segment 2 was shorter than 3 were split into several clades, while, based on the mitogenomic dataset, the four newly sequenced species had close relationships with Paleosepharia. The species whose antennal segment 2 was as long as 3 were split into two clades, which indicated that the characteristic of “antennal segment 2 as long as 3” of the true “Monolepta” evolved multiple times in several subgroups. Therefore, to explore the relationships among the true Monolepta, the most important thing is to perform a thorough revision of Monolepta and related genera in the future.

In this study, biological ash samples were prepared by establishing a high-capacity microwave integrated device for carbonizing and ashing. Radioactive nuclides in biologically derived ash samples using high-purity germanium gamma spectrometry were directly measured for rapid determination of γ radionuclide activity concentration in environmental bio-samples from nuclear power plant surroundings. A comparison with the traditional ash preparation method was also conducted. The results showed that the microwave-ash preparation method can improve the preparation efficiency of biological samples by approximately 2 to 5 times, with a relative deviation of less than 14.8% for parallel samples and a spike recovery rate ranging from 87.0% to 116%. A paired T-test revealsed no significant difference between the two methods. The proposed method has the advantages of high accuracy, high analytical efficiency, simple operation, greater security, and environmental friendliness. It is an ideal method for quickly determining γ radionuclide activity concentration in biological samples.

To improve the data utilization of the sensor array and direction-of-arrival-(DOA)-estimation performance for coherent signals, a DOA-estimation method with a modified spatial-smoothing technique is proposed. The covariance matrix of the received data of the sensor array is decomposed to obtain the signal subspace vectors, and the obtained vectors are smoothed in the proposed method. Then, a new data covariance matrix is constructed by using the autocorrelation covariance matrix of the intra-subarrays and the cross-correlation covariance matrix of the inter-subarrays. Finally, the DOA of the incident signal is estimated, using the new data covariance matrix with the multiple-signal-classification-(MUSIC) algorithm. The data-processing results of the simulation and lake test show that the modified method has stronger decoherence ability, as it utilizes more comprehensive coherent signal information. It also has better azimuth-estimation performance and robustness in the case of a low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), few snapshots, and small incident-angle intervals when compared to the traditional method. Therefore, the modified method has great engineering application value.