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To examine the variances in volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and sensory attributes across various hop cultivars, an analytical approach was employed. Specifically, gas chromatography-ion mobility spectroscopy (GC-IMS), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA) were employed to scrutinize the VOCs and sensory characteristics of four distinct hop varieties, namely Magnum, Palisade, Saaz, and Hersbrucker. The outcomes of QDA revealed a diverse array of sensory profiles in the hops, encompassing citrus and non-citrus fruit aromas, woody, floral, herbal, spicy, and green aromas, with noticeable distinctions in sensory attributes discernible among the various hop cultivars. The results showed that 79 VOCs were identified in the GC-IMS spectra of different varieties of hops, including terpenes, alcohols, esters, aldehydes, and ketones. 140 VOCs were identified in the GC-MS spectra of different varieties of hops, including terpenes, alcohols, ketones, esters, acids, and aldehydes, with terpenes and esters emerging as the prevailing constituents in hops. The principal component analysis (PCA) of different hop VOCs was performed to effectively identify the differences among hop varieties. This study can provide a valuable reference for the comprehensive analysis of VOCs and sensory attributes in hops. Furthermore, it contributes theoretical underpinnings to inform the precise application of hops in the context of beer brewing.

Nanoscale zerovalent iron (nZVI) has garnered significant attention as an efficient advanced oxidation activator, but its practical application is hindered by aggregation and oxidation. Coating nZVI with carbon can effectively addresses these issues. A simple and scalable production method for carbon-coated nZVI composite is highly desirable. The anti-oxidation and catalytic performance of carbon-coated nZVI composite merit in-depth research. In this study, a highly stable carbon-coated core-shell nZVI composite (Fe0@RF-C) was successfully prepared using a simple method combining phenolic resin embedding and carbothermal reduction. Fe0@RF-C was employed as a heterogeneous persulfate (PS) activator for degrading 2,4-dihydroxybenzophenone (BP-1), an emerging contaminant. Compared to commercial nZVI, Fe0@RF-C exhibited superior PS activation performance and oxidation resistance. Nearly 95% of BP-1 was removed within 10 min in the Fe0@RF-C/PS system. The carbon layer promotes the enrichment of BP-1 and accelerates its degradation through singlet oxygen oxidation and direct electron transfer processes. This study provides a straightforward approach for designing highly stable carbon-coated nZVI composite and elucidates the enhanced catalytic performance mechanism by carbon layers.

Lipid biomarkers are amongst the most widely used proxies in studies of the structure and functioning of marine food webs. However, vertical distributions of lipid biomarkers and their controlling mechanisms remain unclear, especially in highly dynamic coastal ecosystems. Here we tested vertical profiles of key lipid biomarkers (sterols and fatty acids) in suspended particles and their correlations with water masses in spring of 2017 and summer of 2018 in the Zhejiang coasts of the East China Sea. The Changjiang Diluted Water, the Taiwan Strait Water and the Kuroshio Subsurface Water showed strong contributions in the surface layer in spring, the surface layer in summer, and the deep layer in both seasons, respectively. Accordingly, lipid biomarker composition also varied between different water layers. Overall, lipid biomarker concentrations in the surface layer were around 2 ~ 7 times higher than those in the deep layer, indicating high phytoplankton biomass in the surface layer. The ratio of docosahexaenoic acid to eicosapentaenoic acid was also higher in the surface layer, especially in the south of our study region, suggesting high nutritional quality of particulate organic matters in the surface layer. Significant correlations between the depth profiles of lipid biomarkers and water masses suggested the control of water masses on lipid biomarker production. The distribution patterns of lipid biomarkers in our study are consistent with previous findings on zooplankton grazing and fish larvae, highlighting the significance of lipid biomarkers as trophic markers to study food web structure and functioning in highly dynamic coasts.

BackgroundIncreasing evidence indicates the microbial ecology of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is intricately associated with the disease’s status and severity, and distinct microbial ecological variations exist between COPD and healthy control (HC). This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to summarize microbial diversity indices and taxa relative abundance of oral, airway, and intestine microbiota of different stages of COPD and HC to make comparisons.MethodsA comprehensive systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, the Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library databases to identify relevant English articles on the oral, airway, and intestine microbiota in COPD published between 2003 and 8 May 2023. Information on microbial diversity indices and taxa relative abundance of oral, airway, and intestine microbiota was collected for comparison between different stages of COPD and HC.ResultsA total of 20 studies were included in this review, involving a total of 337 HC participants, 511 COPD patients, and 154 AECOPD patients. We observed that no significant differences in alpha diversity between the participant groups, but beta diversity was significantly different in half of the included studies. Compared to HC, Prevotella, Streptococcus, Actinomyces, and Veillonella of oral microbiota in SCOPD were reduced at the genus level. Most studies supported that Haemophilus, Lactobacillus, and Pseudomonas were increased, but Veillonella, Prevotella, Actinomyces, Porphyromonas, and Atopobium were decreased at the genus level in the airway microbiota of SCOPD. However, the abundance of Haemophilus, Lactobacillus and Pseudomonas genera exhibited an increase, whereas Actinomyces and Porphyromonas showed a decrease in the airway microbiota of AECOPD compared to HC. And Lachnospira of intestine microbiota in SCOPD was reduced at the genus level.ConclusionThe majority of published research findings supported that COPD exhibited decreased alpha diversity compared to HC. However, our meta-analysis does not confirm it. In order to further investigate the characteristics and mechanisms of microbiome in the oral-airway- intestine axis of COPD patients, larger-scale and more rigorous studies are needed.Systematic review registrationPROSPERO (https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/), identifier CRD42023418726.

Chrysanthemum morifolium ‘11-C-2’ is a variety of chrysanthemums with high ornamental and tea value, experiencing significant market demand. However, as cultivation areas expand, issues such as viral infection, germplasm degradation, low proliferation coefficient, and slow proliferation rate arise, necessitating the establishment of an efficient in vitro regeneration system. This study, based on the principles of orthogonal experimental design, explored the regeneration system of Chrysanthemum cultivar ‘11-C-2’ using sterile seedlings. The research focused on three key stages: adventitious bud differentiation, rooting culture, and acclimatization–transplantation, employing shoot-bearing stem segments and leaves as explants. The findings indicate that the optimal explant for the Chrysanthemum ‘11-C-2’ sterile seedlings is the shoot-bearing stem segment. The best medium for adventitious bud differentiation was determined to be MS supplemented with 1.5 mg/L 6-BA and 0.5 mg/L NAA. Bud differentiation began on day 17 with a 100% differentiation rate, completing around day 48. The maximum differentiation coefficient reached 87, with an average of 26.67. The adventitious buds were then cultured for rooting in the optimal medium of 1/2 MS supplemented with 0.1 mg/L NAA. Rooting was initiated on day 4 and was completed by day 14, achieving a rooting rate of 97.62%. After a 5-day acclimatization under natural light, the rooted seedlings were transplanted into a growth substrate with a peat-to-vermiculite ratio of 1:2. The plants exhibited optimal growth, with a transplantation survival rate of 100%. The findings provide data support for the efficient large-scale propagation of ‘11-C-2’ and lay the foundation for germplasm preservation and genetic transformation research of tea chrysanthemums.

Abstract The gut microbiota is a complex community of microorganisms inhabiting the intestinal tract, which plays a vital role in human health. It is intricately involved in the metabolism, and it also affects diverse physiological processes. The gut–lung axis is a bidirectional pathway between the gastrointestinal tract and the lungs. Recent research has shown that the gut microbiome plays a crucial role in immune response regulation in the lungs and the development of lung diseases. In this review, we present the interrelated factors concerning gut microbiota and the associated metabolites in pulmonary hypertension (PH), a lethal disease characterized by elevated pulmonary vascular pressure and resistance. Our research team explored the role of gut‐microbiota‐derived metabolites in cardiovascular diseases and established the correlation between metabolites such as putrescine, succinate, trimethylamine N‐oxide (TMAO), and N, N, N‐trimethyl‐5‐aminovaleric acid with the diseases. Furthermore, we found that specific metabolites, such as TMAO and betaine, have significant clinical value in PH, suggesting their potential as biomarkers in disease management. In detailing the interplay between the gut microbiota, their metabolites, and PH, we underscored the potential therapeutic approaches modulating this microbiota. Ultimately, we endeavor to alleviate the substantial socioeconomic burden associated with this disease. This review presents a unique exploratory analysis of the link between gut microbiota and PH, intending to propel further investigations in the gut–lung axis.

Abstract Background Global warming leading to heat stress (HS) is becoming a major challenge for broiler production. This study aimed to explore the protective effects of seaweed (Enteromorpha prolifera) polysaccharides (EPS) on the intestinal barrier function, microbial ecology, and performance of broilers under HS. A total of 144 yellow-feathered broilers (male, 56 days old) with 682.59 ± 7.38 g were randomly assigned to 3 groups: 1) TN (thermal neutral zone, 23.6 ± 1.8 °C), 2) HS (heat stress, 33.2 ± 1.5 °C for 10 h/d), and 3) HSE (HS + 0.1% EPS). Each group contained 6 replicates with 8 broilers per replicate. The study was conducted for 4 weeks; feed intake and body weights were measured at the end of weeks 2 and 4. At the end of the feeding trial, small intestine samples were collected for histomorphology, antioxidant, secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) content, apoptosis, gene and protein expression analysis; cecal contents were also collected for microbiota analysis based on 16S rDNA sequencing. Results Dietary EPS promoted the average daily gain (ADG) of broilers during 3–4 weeks of HS (P

The fungus Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst) is an important threat to wheat production because it can cause wheat stripe rust. The present study aimed to identify new stripe rust resistance genes and to provide a theoretical and practical basis for breeding wheat varieties with broad spectrum, stable, and durable resistance. Wheat leaves inoculated with wheat stripe rust fungus Chinese yellow rust 34 were collected at different time points for transcriptomic analysis based on the wheat stripe rust susceptible varieties AVOCET S (AVS) and AVSYr15NIL [near-isogenic line (NIL) derived from AVS]. The results showed that the number of upregulated genes in the two varieties was 294, 364, 398, and 604, and the number of downregulated genes was 520, 178, 570, and 345 on the 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th days post inoculation, respectively. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Gene and Genomes enrichment analyses found enrichment of differentially expressed genes in the peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor signaling pathways, plant-pathogen interaction, and styrene acrylic acid biosynthesis that encoded protein kinases, signal transduction, transcription factors, and functional protein components. Differentially expressed genes were randomly selected for quantitative reverse transcription PCR analysis, and the change trend was the same as in the transcriptome data. The results of this study suggest that genes in AVSYr15NIL related to the stripe rust response could be valuable for understanding the mechanisms involved in stripe rust resistance.

Abstract Background Congenital central hypoventilation syndrome (CCHS) is a rare autosomal dominant disease that is mainly caused by PHOX2B mutations. The purpose of this study is to analyze and summarize the clinical and genetic characteristics of CCHS patients in the Chinese population from our study and previous literature. Methods The potential pathogenic gene mutations of CCHS were identified and verified by next generation sequencing combined with Sanger sequencing, fluorescent probe PCR and capillary electrophoresis. The clinical characteristics and gene mutations of CCHS cases in Chinese population were summarized from our study and previous literature to explore the genotype–phenotype correlations. Results We identified 48 CCHS cases including three new cases from our report in China. Overall, 77.1% of the patients had PHOX2B polyalanine repeat expansion mutations (PARMs), and the remaining 22.9% had 10 distinct PHOX2B non‐polyalanine repeat expansion mutations (NPARMs). Compared to those with PARMs, patients with NPARMs were more likely to have premature birth (54.5% vs. 2.8%, p

BackgroundToday, metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) has emerged as a diagnostic tool for infections. However, since Hainan has a complicated pathogen spectrum, the diagnostic value and impact on patient outcomes of mNGS in Hainan are to be explored.MethodsFrom April 2020 to October 2021, 266 suspected lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) patients in Hainan were enrolled, and specimens were collected before antibiotic treatment. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) samples were subjected to mNGS and culture to compare the diagnostic performance. Other conventional microbiological tests (CMT) were also performed. Patients’ treatments and clinical outcomes were recorded, and the antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) were detected via mNGS workflow.ResultsThe positive rate of mNGS outperformed that of culture (87.55% vs. 39.30%, p

The past COVID-19 pandemic introduced the world to the necessity of dealing with the trade-off between minimizing probability of contagion, and providing people with services they need. This trade-off stipulates that a large person-to-person distance will reduce contagion probability, but will render service inefficient, and vice versa. This work focuses on the urban rail transit (URT) hub, as an example of a busy passenger area, from which we can derive an optimal preparedness policy to use during the pandemic time of any coronaviruses. We use simulation methodology, based on the classical social force model, to represent behaviors and characteristics of pedestrians. Passenger flow movement process is a mechanism we explore to figure out how the epidemic management policy and pedestrian psychological-related behaviors interact with the URT system. The systems’ complexity regarding contagion-prevention distances are tested over a few scenarios: before/after the outbreak, and for different person-to-person distances demonstrating different crowd levels. A case study of Xinjiekou Station, Nanjing URT, China, enables assessment of passenger management policy with person-to-person distances of 0.5 m, 1.0 m and 2.0 m. Multi-scenario performance illustrates the trade-off in dynamic between the efficiency of pedestrians’ walking behaviors and the distancing needs for preventing coronaviruses transmission. The results show that queuing length with social distancing of 1.0 m and 2.0 m is increased by 4.17% and 21.22%. The average delays in boarding are 14.1 s and 22.5 s for 1.0 m and 2.0 m, which leads to 15.29% and 22.39% increases, respectively, in comparison with ordinary social distancing of about 0.5 m.

Abstract Background Lack of representativeness in Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC) enrollment could compromise the generalizability of study results and health equity. This study aimed to examine trends in BIPOC groups enrollment in diabetes randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and to explore the association between trial factors and high-enrollment of BIPOC groups. Methods We systematically searched the literature on large diabetes RCTs with a sample size of ≥ 400 participants published between 2000 and 2020. We assessed temporal trends in enrollment of racial and ethnic groups in the included trials. Logistic and linear regression analyses were used to explore the relationship between trial factors and the high-enrollment defined by median enrollment rate. Results A total of 405 RCTs were included for analyses. The median enrollment rate of BIPOC groups was 24.0%, with 6.4% for the Black group, 11.2% for Hispanic, 8.5% for Asian, and 3.0% for other BIPOC groups respectively. Over the past 20 years, the BIPOC enrollment showed an increased trend in the diabetes RCTs, ranging from 20.1 to 28.4% (P for trend = 0.041). A significant trend towards increased enrollment for Asian group was observed. We found that weekly or daily intervention frequency (OR = 0.48, 95% CI: 0.26, 0.91) and duration of intervention > 6.5 month (OR = 0.59, 95% CI: 0.37, 0.95) were significantly related to decreased odds of high-enrollment, while type 2 diabetes (OR = 1.44, 95% CI: 1.04, 1.99) was associated with high-enrollment of BIPOC groups. Conclusions The enrollment of BIPOC was found to increase in large diabetes RCTs over the past two decades; some trial factors may be significantly associated with BIPOC enrollment. These findings may highlight the importance of enrollment of BIPOC groups and provide insights into the design and implementation of future clinical trials in diabetes.

Introduction: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a malignant proliferative disease affecting the bone marrow hematopoietic system and has a poor long-term outcome. Exploring genes that affect the malignant proliferation of AML cells can facilitate the accurate diagnosis and treatment of AML. Studies have confirmed that circular RNA (circRNA) is positively correlated with its linear gene expression. Therefore, by exploring the effect of SH3BGRL3 on the malignant proliferation of leukemia, we further studied the role of circRNA produced by its exon cyclization in the occurrence and development of tumors.Methods: Genes with protein-coding function obtained from the TCGA database. we detected the expression of SH3BGRL3 and circRNA_0010984 by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). We synthesized plasmid vectors and carried out cell experiments, including cell proliferation, cell cycle and cell differentiation by cell transfection. We also studied the transfection plasmid vector (PLVX-SHRNA2-PURO) combined with a drug (daunorubicin) to observe the therapeutic effect. The miR-375 binding site of circRNA_0010984 was queried using the circinteractome databases, and the relationship was validated by RNA immunoprecipitation and Dual-luciferase reporter assay. Finally, a protein‐protein interaction network was constructed with a STRING database. GO and KEGG functional enrichment identified mRNA-related functions and signaling pathways regulated by miR-375.Results: We identified the related gene SH3BGRL3 in AML and explored the circRNA_0010984 produced by its cyclization. It has a certain effect on the disease progression. In addition, we verified the function of circRNA_0010984. We found that circSH3BGRL3 knockdown specifically inhibited the proliferation of AML cell lines and blocked the cell cycle. We then discussed the related molecular biological mechanisms. CircSH3BGRL3 acts as an endogenous sponge for miR-375 to isolate miR-375 and inhibits its activity, increases the expression of its target YAP1, and ultimately activates the Hippo signaling pathway involved in malignant tumor proliferation.Discussion: We found that SH3BGRL3 and circRNA_0010984 are important to AML. circRNA_0010984 was significantly up-regulated in AML and promoted cell proliferation by regulating miR-375 through molecular sponge action.

The volatile compounds produced by plants play an important role in plant growth, plant communication, and resistance to biological and abiotic stresses. Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus (AM) is a perennial herbaceous plant (Leguminosae) that is widely cultivated in northwest China. The bioactive compounds in its root have shown various pharmacological activities. Root rot disease caused by Fusarium spp. often occurs in AM planting with increasing severity in continuous monoculture. It is currently still unclear what are the effects of the volatile compounds produced by fresh AM on itself, other crops cultivated on the same field after AM, pathogen, and rhizobia. In this study, we found that seed germination and seedling growth of AM, lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) could be affected if they were in an enclosed space with fresh AM tissue. Additionally, 90 volatile compounds were identified by SPME-GC-MS from whole AM plant during the vegetative growth, 36 of which were specific to aerial parts of AM (stems and leaves, AMA), 17 to roots (AMR), and 37 were found in both AMA and AMR. To further identify the allelopathic effects of these volatile compounds, five compounds (1-hexanol, (E)-2-hexenal, (E,E)-2,4-decadienal, hexanal, and eugenol) with relatively high content in AM were tested on three receptor plants and two microorganisms. We found that (E,E)-2,4-decadienal and (E)-2-hexenal showed significant inhibitory effects on the growth of AM and lettuce. One-hexanol and hexanal suppressed the growth of wheat, while eugenol showed a similar effect on all three plant species. Moreover, the activities of these compounds were dose dependent. Notably, we discovered that (E)-2-hexenal and eugenol also inhibited the growth of the pathogen Fusarium solani by as high as 100%. Meanwhile, all five compounds tested suppressed the rhizobia Sinorhizobium fredii. In summary, this study furthered our understanding of the comprehensive allelopathic effects of the main volatile components of AM.

To prevent large-scale water inrush accidents during the excavation process of a water-rich tunnel, a method, based on a random forest (RF) algorithm, for predicting the hazard level of water inrush is proposed. By analyzing hydrogeological conditions, six factors were selected as evaluating indicators, including stratigraphic lithology, inadequate geology, rock dip angle, negative terrain area ratio, surrounding rock grade, and hydrodynamic zonation. Through the statistical analysis of 232 accident sections, a dataset of water inrush accidents in water-rich tunnels was established. We preprocessed the dataset by detecting and replacing outliers, supplementing missing values, and standardizing the data. Using the RF model in machine learning, an intelligent prediction model for the hazard of water inrush in water-rich tunnels was established through the application of datasets and parameter optimization processing. At the same time, a support vector machine (SVM) model was selected for comparison and verification, and the prediction accuracy of the RF model reached 98%, which is higher than the 87% of the SVM. Finally, the model was validated by taking the water inrush accident in the Yuanliangshan tunnel as an example, and the predicted results have a high degree of consistency with the actual hazard level. This indicates that the RF model has good performance when predicting water inrush in water-rich tunnels and that it can provide a new means by which to predict the hazard of water inrush in water-rich tunnels.

Objective: Network pharmacology was used to predict potential compounds, targets and pathways of action in hawthorn leaves for the treatment of hyperlipidaemia, and the network pharmacology predictions were validated in conjunction with target enzyme and cellular assays. The material basis and mechanism of action of hawthorn leaves against hyperlipidemia. Methods: The chemical components of hawthorn leaves were obtained through the traditional Chinese Medicine System Pharmacology database analysis platform and literature mining, and the potential targets were obtained by using the relevant databases. GO and KEGG analysis were carried out to construct the “component-target-pathway” network. The effective components and potential targets predicted by network pharmacology were verified by ERK2 kinase, oil red O staining and triglyceride experiment. Results: After the network pharmacology screening, 96 active ingredients and 40 interacting target proteins were obtained from hawthorn leaves. The results of KEGG analysis indicated that the therapeutic effects of the active ingredient on hyperlipidaemia were mainly through the following signalling pathways: Metabolic pathway, AMPK signaling pathway, HIF-1 signaling pathway, insulin resistance, thyroid hormone signaling pathway. According to the prediction results of network pharmacology, combined with the representative compounds of hawthorn leaves isolated by the research group, the ERK2 kinase activity of six compounds such as vitexin was tested. The results showed that the inhibition rate of vitexin on ERK2 kinase was the highest, reaching 84%. By constructing high-fat HepG2 cell model, oil red O staining and quantitative experiment were carried out, and TG content was measured. It was found that after vitexin intervention, the number of lipid droplets in cells gradually decreased with the increasing of vitexin concentration, and TG content decreased, indicating that vitexin could reduce lipid accumulation and TG content in cells. Further, the results of network pharmacology predicted the anti hyperlipidemia effect of vitexin in hawthorn leaves were verified. Conclusion: In this paper, network pharmacology was used to predict the material basis and mechanism of action of compounds in hawthorn leaves against hyperlipidemia. Target enzyme, oil red O staining and TG quantification experiments initially confirmed the network pharmacology predictions, while suggesting that vitexin would be promising as a potential therapeutic compound for reducing intracellular lipid content.

BackgroundCommunity-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is an extraordinarily heterogeneous illness, both in the range of responsible pathogens and the host response. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) is a promising technology for pathogen detection. However, the clinical application of mNGS for pathogen detection remains challenging.MethodsA total of 205 patients with CAP admitted to the intensive care unit were recruited, and broncho alveolar lavage fluids (BALFs) from 83 patients, sputum samples from 33 cases, and blood from 89 cases were collected for pathogen detection by mNGS. At the same time, multiple samples of each patient were tested by culture. The diagnostic performance was compared between mNGS and culture for pathogen detection.ResultsThe positive rate of pathogen detection by mNGS in BALF and sputum samples was 89.2% and 97.0%, which was significantly higher (P < 0.001) than that (67.4%) of blood samples. The positive rate of mNGS was significantly higher than that of culture (81.0% vs. 56.1%, P = 1.052e-07). A group of pathogens including Mycobacterium abscessus, Chlamydia psittaci, Pneumocystis jirovecii, Orientia tsutsugamushi, and all viruses were only detected by mNGS. Based on mNGS results, Escherichia coli was the most common pathogen (15/61, 24.59%) of non-severe patients with CAP, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis was the most common pathogen (21/144, 14.58%) leading to severe pneumonia. Pneumocystis jirovecii was the most common pathogen (26.09%) in severe CAP patients with an immunocompromised status, which was all detected by mNGS only.ConclusionmNGS has higher overall sensitivity for pathogen detection than culture, BALF, and sputum mNGS are more sensitive than blood mNGS. mNGS is a necessary supplement of conventional microbiological tests for the pathogen detection of pulmonary infection.

Abstract Background Systemic sclerosis (SSc), an autoimmune disease with unknown etiology and pathogenesis, is characterized by abnormal autoimmunity, vascular dysfunction, and progressive fibrosis of skin and organs. Studies have shown that a key factor in the pathogenesis of SSc is aberrant activation of CD4+ T cells. Our previous studies have shown that a global hypomethylation state of CD4+ T cells is closely related to aberrant activation. However, the exact mechanism of hypomethylation in CD4+T cells is not yet clear. Methods Illumina HiSeq 2500 Platform was used to screen differentially expressed genes and explore the role of OASL, TET1, and IRF1 in the abnormal activation of CD4+T cells in SSc. Finally, double luciferase reporter gene experiments were used to analyze the interaction between IRF1 and TET1. Results OASL overexpression could upregulate TET1 to increase the hydroxymethylation levels of CD4+ T cells and induce high expression of functional proteins (CD40L and CD70), thus promoting CD4+T cell aberrant activation. Moreover, OASL upregulated TET1 via IRF1 signaling activation, and a double luciferase reporter gene experiment revealed that IRF1 can bind to the TET1 promoter region to regulate its expression. Conclusions OASL participates in the regulation of abnormal hypomethylation of CD4+ T cells in SSc, which implies a pivotal role for IFN signaling in the pathogenesis of SSc. Regulating DNA methylation and IFN signaling may serve as therapeutic treatments in SSc.

Oil recovery is closely related to the sweep and displacement efficiencies in oil reservoirs. Therefore, several measures have been devised to enhance oil recovery based on these two factors. In heterogeneous heavy oil reservoirs, expansion of the swept volume of medium- and low-permeability layers is a suitable approach for enhancing oil recovery. However, the oil displacement efficiency is also an important factor. With regard to enhancing oil recovery, the selection of displacement agents will depend on whether the sweep efficiency or displacement efficiency is to be adjusted and on how these factors can be controlled to maximise the increase in oil recovery. In this study, the pixel method is used to distinguish between the sweep efficiency and displacement efficiency, and the joint effect of these factors is analysed. A heterogeneous microscopic model is used to conduct oil displacement experiments using polymer solutions with different viscosities and surfactant–polymer systems with similar viscosities and different interfacial tensions. The results indicate that under heterogeneous conditions, increasing the viscosity of the polymer solution leads to a slight expansion in the swept volume and an increase in the oil displacement efficiency in the low-permeability area; however, the overall sweep efficiency remains almost unchanged. There is a critical point for sweep efficiency: under the experimental conditions, when the oil viscosity is 305 mPa s, the critical viscosity of the polymer solution is 125 mPa s, and when the oil viscosity is 1050 mPa s, the critical value is 205 mPa s. When the viscosity of polymer solution reaches the critical value, for the surfactant–polymer system, a reduction in the oil–water interfacial tension has the same effect as a substantial increase in the polymer solution viscosity; moreover, the joint effect of the sweep efficiency and displacement efficiency can be enhanced. Therefore, for heterogeneous heavy oil reservoirs, the focus should be on improving oil displacement efficiency under certain sweep conditions rather than on expanding the swept volume. The findings of this study can help for better understanding of the selection of displacements agent in heterogeneous heavy oil reservoirs for enhanced oil recovery.

Immunotherapies, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells, have revolutionized the treatment of patients with advanced and metastatic tumors resistant to traditional therapies. However, the immunosuppressed tumor microenvironment (TME) results in a weak response to immunotherapy. Therefore, to realize the full potential of immunotherapy and obstacle barriers, it is essential to explore how to convert cold TME to hot TME. Autophagy is a crucial cellular process that preserves cellular stability in the cellular components of the TME, contributing to the characterization of the immunosuppressive TME. Targeted autophagy ignites immunosuppressive TME by influencing antigen release, antigen presentation, antigen recognition, and immune cell trafficking, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of cancer immunotherapy and overcoming resistance to immunotherapy. In this review, we summarize the characteristics and components of TME, explore the mechanisms and functions of autophagy in the characterization and regulation of TME, and discuss autophagy-based therapies as adjuvant enhancers of immunotherapy to improve the effectiveness of immunotherapy.

The unmanned aerial manipulator (UAM) is a kind of aerial robot that combines a quadrotor aircraft and an onboard manipulator. This paper focuses on the problems of structure design, system modeling, and motion control of an UAM applied for water sampling. A novel, light, cable-driven UAM has been designed. The drive motors installed in the base transmit the force and motion remotely through cables, which can reduce the inertia ratio of the manipulator. The Newton–Euler method and Lagrangian method are adopted to establish the quadrotor model and manipulator model, respectively. External disturbances, model uncertainty, and joint flexibility are also accounted for in the two submodels. The quadrotor and manipulator are controlled separately to ensure the overall accurate aerial operation of the UAM. Specifically, a backstepping control method is designed with the disturbance observer (BC-DOB) technique for the position loop and attitude loop control of the quadrotor. A backstepping integral fast terminal sliding mode control based on the linear extended state observer (BIFTSMC-LESO) has been developed for the manipulator to provide precise manipulation. The DOB and LESO serve as compensators to estimate the external disturbances and model uncertainty. The Lyapunov theory is used to ensure the stability of the two controllers. Three simulation cases are conducted to test the superior performance of the proposed quadrotor controller and manipulator controller. All the results show that the proposed controllers provide better performances than other traditional controllers, which can complete the task of water quality sampling well.

Empathy has garnered increasing recognition as a pivotal component of teacher–student interactions and a notable determinant of student achievement. Nevertheless, the exact impact of empathy on teacher–student interactions remains elusive, despite research endeavors into the neural mechanisms of teacher empathy. Our article examines the cognitive neural processes of teacher empathy during various forms of teacher–student interactions. To this end, we first present a concise review of theoretical considerations related to empathy and interactions, followed by an extensive discussion of teacher–student interactions and teacher empathy through both “single-brain” and “dual-brain” perspectives. Drawing on these discussions, we propose a potential model of empathy that integrates the affective contagion, cognitive evaluation, and behavior prediction aspects of teacher–student interactions. Finally, future research directions are discussed.

ObjectiveTo observe changes in blood pressure (ΔBP) and explore potential risk factors for high ΔBP among nurses working in a negative pressure isolation ward (NPIW).MethodsData from the single-center prospective observational study were used. Based on a routine practice plan, female nurses working in NPIW were scheduled to work for 4 days/week in different shifts, with each day working continuously for either 5 or 6 h. BP was measured when they entered and left NPIW. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess potential risk factors in relation to ΔBP ≥ 5 mm Hg.ResultsA total of 84 nurses were included in the analysis. The ΔBP was found to fluctuate on different working days; no significant difference in ΔBP was observed between the schedules of 5 and 6 h/day. The standardized score from the self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) was significantly associated with an increased risk of ΔBP ≥ 5 mm Hg (odds ratio [OR] = 1.12, 95% CI: 1.00–1.24). Working 6 h/day (vs. 5 h/day) in NPIW was non-significantly related to decreased risk of ΔBP (OR = 0.70), while ≥ 2 consecutive working days (vs. 1 working day) was non-significantly associated with increased risk of ΔBP (OR = 1.50).ConclusionThis study revealed no significant trend for ΔBP by working days or working time. Anxiety was found to be significantly associated with increased ΔBP, while no

BackgroundThe neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR) are biomarkers that may reflect inflammatory status in some immune-related diseases. This study aims to investigate the association of NLR and MLR with the severity and prognosis of autoimmune encephalitis (AE).MethodsA total of 199 patients diagnosed with AE in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from October 2015 to October 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The Clinical Assessment Scale for Autoimmune Encephalitis (CASE) and the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) were used to evaluate the severity of the patients at admission, and the patients were divided into mild group (CASE ≤ 4) and severe group (CASE ≥ 5) according to the CASE score. Poor prognosis was described as an mRS of 3 or more at 12 months. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to assess risk factors for the severity and prognosis of AE.ResultsNLR and MLR of severe group were significantly higher than that of mild group. NLR and MLR were positively correlated with the CASE score (r = 0.659, P < 0.001; r = 0.533, P < 0.001) and the mRS score (r = 0.609, P < 0.001;r = 0.478, P < 0.001) in AE patients. Multivariate logistic analysis showed that NLR (OR = 1.475, 95%CI: 1.211-1.796, P < 0.001) and MLR (OR = 15.228, 95%CI: 1.654-140.232, P = 0.016) were independent risk factors for the severity of AE. In addition, the CASE score and the mRS score were positively correlated (r = 0.849, P < 0.001). Multivariate logistic analysis showed that the CASE at admission (OR = 1.133, 95%CI: 1.043-1.229, P = 0.003) and age (OR = 1.105, 95%CI: 1.062-1.150, P < 0.001) were independent risk factors for the poor prognosis of AE patients. The NLR and MLR at admission and whether they decreased after immunotherapy were not associated with the prognosis of AE patients (P > 0.05).ConclusionsNLR and MLR, readily available and widespread inflammatory markers, were helpful for clinicians to monitor disease progression and identify potentially severe patients of AE early to optimize clinical treatment decisions.

The Northwest Pacific Ocean (NWPO) is a significant sink for atmospheric CO2 but a paucity of large-scale phytoplankton surveys in the upper and lower euphotic zone results in uncertainties in estimates of the efficiency of the biological carbon pump there. Here, we report the spatial distribution of lipid biomarkers from diatoms (brassicasterol/epi-brassicasterol), dinoflagellates (dinosterol), and haptophytes (C37 alkenones) as proxies of phytoplankton biomass and community structure in suspended particles from the surface and deep chlorophyll maximum (DCM) layers across low- and mid-latitude regions of the NWPO. Our observations suggest that these lipid biomarkers can be used as indicators of the vertical distributions of phytoplankton biomass, which was comparable between the surface and DCM layers. Water masses with different nutrient concentrations strongly controlled the variations of lipid biomarkers, showing high biomass and the dominance of diatoms in the eutrophic Oyashio region, whereas low biomass and high proportions of dinoflagellates and haptophytes occurred in the oligotrophic Kuroshio region. Diatoms predominated in the DCM, likely enhancing carbon sequestration in the deep ocean and in sediments. Our results quantitatively demonstrate the horizontal and vertical variations of phytoplankton biomass and community structure, leading to an improved understanding of ecosystem function and biogeochemical cycles in this important region of the NWPO.

Microwave plasma ignition has the potential for energy savings and emission reductions, and the minimum ignition energy (MIE) and the lean limit can be determined by microwave spark plugs (MSPs) under the same microwave power. To predict the relationship among electric field intensity (EFI), equivalence ratio (φ) and MIE, a physical model of microwave spark ignition is established. The calculation results show that the MIE has a U-shaped relationship with φ, and the MIE value of methane-air is minimum at the point of φ = 0.7. Then, a novel MSP with three different electrode structures and EFIs is enabled. Finally, this paper presents a combustion performance analysis focusing on the flame kernel, combustion pressure, and composition of combustion emissions. The results indicate that a larger flame kernel size, peak pressure in the chamber and higher fuel efficiency are all achieved under the condition of φ = 0.7 for the same MSP. On the one hand, the MIE of MSP 1 with a higher EFI is lower than that of MSPs 2 and 3; on the other hand, the experimental relationship between the MIE and φ is qualitatively similar to the theoretical prediction under microwave spark ignition in this paper.

Positive valence bias refers to speakers responding faster to positive than negative information in L2 emotion words. Few researchers paid attention to the initial learning phase of L2 Chinese emotion idioms in which whether positive valence bias was acquired, based on the three-stage model of L2 vocabulary acquisition. Besides, whether the semantic information would modulate positive valence bias at the initial learning phase remained unclear. This study reports two experiments on speakers learning Chinese as a second language (CSL) to investigate positive valence bias in the initial learning phase of new Chinese emotion idioms and the modulation of semantic information on positive valence bias. Chinese as a second language speakers, who had acquired new Chinese emotion idioms and passed the test for learned Chinese idioms with a high accuracy rate before formal experiments, participated in Experiments 1 and 2. In Experiment 1, target materials were new Chinese idioms with positive and negative information. Positive valence bias at the initial learning phase of Chinese idioms was investigated with valence judgments. Experiment 2 used a semantic relatedness decision task further to explore the semantic effect on positive valence bias. The result in the first experiment showed that positive valence bias appeared in Chinese emotion idioms even at the initial learning phase of the acquisition. Meanwhile, semantic information of Chinese emotion idioms appeared to affect positive valence bias in the infant learning phase in Experiment 2. The findings revealed that semantic information would affect the performance of positive valence bias, suggesting that the semantic processing would automatically access the valence at the infant learning phase L2 Chinese emotion idioms. The research results provided evidence that positive valence bias would form in the infant learning phase of Chinese emotion idiom acquisition, based on the L2 vocabulary acquisition model.

Abstract With PCR becoming one of the most important and widely-used diagnostic tools for infectious diseases of poultry, an urgent need has developed for an endogenous internal control (EIC) that monitors the quality and quantity of poultry DNA in test samples. In this study we developed a SYBR-qPCR to target the poultry homolog of the hydroxymethylbilane synthase (HMBS) gene as an EIC for avian species. The avian HMBS-based qPCR was very sensitive, detecting one HMBS gene copy in a 20 µL reaction, and is highly specific for avian species. It amplified DNA from 11 organs and tissues of chickens showing it can be used as an EIC on a large variety of samples. The application of the established EIC on clinically and experimentally infected samples demonstrated that false negativity and result variations could result from samples being collected using different operators, techniques, preservatives, and storage times. The high sensitivity and specificity of the avian HMBS-based qPCR, its ability to quantify DNAs extracted from a wide range of tissues and poultry species along with its usefulness in reducing false negativity in PCR results associated with inadequate sampling and storage degradation makes it an ideal EIC for poultry DNA and RNA PCR diagnostics. The study also highlights the importance of appropriate sampling and storage of samples in ensuring accuracy of molecular diagnostic testing.

Background: Plasmodium relictum is one of the most important avian malaria species which is mainly seen in wild birds, with infections reported in more than 70 different species and at high prevalence. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the molecular prevalence of Plasmodium spp. in mosquitoes collected in China. Method: A Plasmodium -specific fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was established in this study to analyze five species of mosquitoes (1,620 Culex pipiens pallens, 806 Aedes albopictus, 377 Armigeres subalbatus, 168 Anopheles sinensis, and 80 Culex tritaeniorhynchus) collected in hand nets from homes in 25 provinces of China. Results: Only females originated from six provinces were determined to be positive (0.6%, 10/1,809). Plasmodium species were detected in three mosquito species, Cx. pipiens pallens (0.5%, 8/1,620), An. sinensis (0.6%, 1/168) and Ar. subalbatus (0.3%, 1/377). Of the three mosquito species positive for P. relictum, only Cx. pipiens pallens is known to feed on birds and is recognized as the natural vector of P. relictum. Conclusion: This is the first time that P. relictum has been detected in An. sinensis and Ar. subalbatus. P. relictum, the agent of avian malaria, was present in mosquitoes in China, including in mosquito species not previously thought to be the vectors.

The ecological functions and biogeochemical processes of continental marginal seas are important for the global carbon cycle. In the eastern China marginal seas (ECMS), phytoplankton productivity has increased significantly in recent decades, but the sources and burial processes of marine organic carbon (OC) remain under-studied. We analyzed the contents of marine lipid biomarkers (brassicasterol, dinosterol, and C37 alkenones) in surface suspended particles obtained from seven cruises between 2010 and 2015, and in surface sediments from eight cruises between 2006 and 2012 in the ECMS, to estimate marine OC sources and burial. The correlations between lipid biomarkers and environmental factors were quantified to reveal controlling factors. The study area was divided into four regions according to cluster analysis conducted based on sediment parameters. Our results showed that the concentrations of marine lipid biomarkers in surface water were high near large estuaries such as the Changjiang River Estuary and the Yellow River Estuary, but those in surface sediments were high in mud areas. Nutrient concentration was a key factor controlling phytoplankton biomass in surface water, with high nutrients enhancing the growth of diatoms and dinoflagellates, while haptophytes were more abundant in low-nutrient, high-salinity and cold environments. High marine OC contents calculated from total OC δ13C were mainly associated with fine sediments transported by coastal currents, and finally deposited in mud areas. The proto-burial efficiency of marine OC in the ECMS (7–19%) was markedly higher than the mean value in global marginal seas, with high values being located in the western coast of the ECMS. The proto-burial efficiency of total marine lipid biomarkers (6–24%) was quantified for the first time in our study, with overall values and spatial patterns similar to that of marine OC. A key parameter for marine OC and marine biomarker proto-burial efficiency was sediment grain size. The smaller the sediment grain size was, the better the marine OC and marine biomarker were retained. Our study provides an important basis to elucidate spatial distribution patterns and forcing mechanisms of marine OC in surface water (production process) and surface sediments (burial process), and to estimate carbon budgets in large marginal seas.

A lower-hybrid frequency surface wave antenna called arch is designed and fabricated in this paper for the spherical tokamak named EXL-50. It is used to drive plasma current and heat plasma at 2.45 GHz. The arch antenna consists of 27 antenna elements. The left and right rectangular waveguides integrated with the antenna are used for microwave input and output, respectively. The refraction parallel index of this proposed antenna is $4.3$ , which is favorable for the lower hybrid current drive. The measurement results in the absence of plasma show that the reflection and transmission coefficients ( $S11$ and $S21$ ) are $ - 12.5\;{\text{dB}}$ and $ - 12.6\,{\text{dB}}$ , respectively. The antenna was installed and tested on EXL-50. Up to a $35{\text{ kA}}$ plasma current was achieved using the arch antenna with a microwave of $70{\text{ kW}}$ .

To accurately evaluate the mechanical performance of three-dimensional (3D) braiding composites, it is essential to consider the braiding process and generate realistic representative volume element (RVE) structures. An efficient simulation methodology based on truss elements was used to simulate the 3D four-directional (3D4D) braiding process utilizing the finite element method (FEM) on the macroscale. The goal was to obtain the spatial trajectories of yarns and establish the relationship between the braiding parameters and the preform structure. Based on the initial yarn topology, the yarns were discretized as bundles of virtual sub-yarns. Then, a temperature drop simulation using hybrid elements was implemented to deform the yarn cross-section and obtain the interior, surface, and corner cells on the mesoscale. The simulation results show good agreement with the experiment. A parametric study was deployed to identify the effect of the model input parameters on the computation cost and accuracy. Furthermore, the approach applies to the other braiding processes, such as the cylindrical braiding composite.

Global DNA hypomethylation has been reported in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and non-alcoholic fatty-liver disease (NAFLD). However, the global DNA methylation profile of patients with concurrent NAFLD and CHB (NAFLD + CHB) is still unclear. We aimed to detect the hepatic global DNA methylation levels of NAFLD + CHB patients and assess the associated risk factors. Liver biopsies were collected from 55 NAFLD patients with or without CHB. The histological characteristics of the biopsy were then assessed. Hepatic global DNA methylation levels were quantified by fluorometric method. The hepatic global DNA methylation levels in NAFLD + CHB group were significantly lower than that in NAFLD group. Participants with fibrosis showed lower levels of hepatic global DNA methylation than those without fibrosis. Participants with both CHB and fibrosis had lower levels of hepatic global DNA methylation than those without either CHB or fibrosis. The co-occurrence of CHB and fibrosis was significantly associated with a reduction in global DNA methylation levels compared to the absence of both CHB and fibrosis. Our study suggests that patients with NAFLD + CHB exhibited lower levels of global DNA methylation than patients who had NAFLD alone. The co-occurrence of CHB and liver fibrosis in NAFLD patients was associated with a decrease in global DNA methylation levels.

The technology of integrating nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) and functional anaerobic bacteria has broad prospects for groundwater remediation. This review focuses on the interactions between nZVI and three kinds of functional anaerobic bacteria: organohalide-respiring bacteria (OHRB), sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) and iron reducing bacteria (IRB), which are commonly used in the anaerobic bioremediation. The coupling effects of nZVI and the functional bacteria on the contaminant removal in the integrated system are summarized. Generally, nZVI could create a suitable living condition for the growth and activity of anaerobic bacteria. OHRB and SRB could synergistically degrade organic halides and remove heavy metals with nZVI, and IRB could reactive the passivated nZVI by reducing the iron (hydr)oxides on the surface of nZVI. Moreover, the roles of these anaerobic bacteria in contaminant removal coupling with nZVI and the degradation mechanisms are illustrated. In addition, this review also discusses the main factors influencing the removal efficiency of contaminants in the integrated treatment system, including nZVI species and dosage, inorganic ions, organic matters, pH, type of pollutants, temperature, and carbon/energy sources, etc. Among these factors, the nZVI species and dosage play a fundamental role due to the potential cytotoxicity of nZVI, which might exert a negative impact on the performance of this integrated system. Lastly, the future research needs are proposed to better understand this integrated technology and effectively apply it in groundwater remediation. Keywords: Nanoscale zero-valent iron, Organohalide-respiring bacteria, Sulfate reducing bacteria, Iron reducing bacteria, Groundwater remediation

It has been demonstrated by a large number of studies that microwave ignition can greatly extend the lean-burn limit in the internal combustion engines. This paper investigates the influence of the pulse period and duty cycle of pulsed microwave signals on the combustion performance of CH4-air mixtures during microwave ignition in a constant-volume combustion chamber for a lean-burn equivalence ratio $\varphi =0.6$ and the same energy input as for conventional spark ignition. Combustion performance was evaluated with respect to combustion pressure, lean-burn limit, OH concentration, initial flame kernel, and composition of combustion emissions. The results indicate that the duty cycle (i.e. average power) strongly influences the formation and development of the initial microwave discharge, while the pulsewidth influences the generation of non-equilibrium plasma which contributes to sustained combustion. The increasing the duty cycle can improve the ignition success rate, extend the lean-burn limit, and reduce the flame development time. Moderately increasing pulsewidth can further extend the lean-burn limit, particularly for elevated initial pressures.

A novel model-free robust control is developed for cable-driven manipulators in this work. Using the time-delay estimation (TDE) to estimate system dynamics, an attractive model-free structure is ensured. Then, a novel PID-nonsingular fast terminal sliding mode (PID-NFTSM) surface is proposed to achieve high control performance. Afterwards, a combined adaptive reaching law is designed to further enhance the control performance in the reaching phase. The developed control requires no system dynamics and is proper to apply under complex practical situations. At the same time, satisfactory comprehensive performance is still acquired thanks to the newly proposed PID-NFTSM surface and combined adaptive reaching law. Stability is proved through Lyapunov approach. Comparative simulation studies show that our control can provide better comprehensive performance than the recently reported PID-NFTSM control.

The Preisach model, which is formulated as a weighted superposition of hysteresis kernels, has been widely used for hysteresis modeling, especially in smart-material-based actuators. However, in the classical Preisach model, a trade-off is always required between the model accuracy and the number of the hysteresis kernels. To deal with this problem, a model order reduction technique based on the discrete empirical interpolation method (DEIM) has recently been proposed. The method can largely reduce the number of the hysteresis kernels while barely losing the model accuracy. It is noted that the kernel weight in the reduced DEIM-based model can be both positive and negative, which means that the monotonicity of the Preisach model could be lost. The monotonicity is a very important property especially when constructing the inverse Preisach model. Furthermore, the loss of the monotonicity can also deteriorate the model predictability. In the current paper, a modification strategy is proposed. In the modified reduced Preisach model, the DEIM is only employed to select the dominant hysteresis kernels while the corresponding weights of the selected hysteresis kernels are re-identified by solving a constraint optimization problem. Systematic simulation studies and experimental validation are carried out to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed strategy.

This paper addresses the issue of the impact of the competitive behaviors of long-rental apartment firms on the rents of long-rental apartments and ordinary rental housing and introduces a dynamic gaming approach to the housing rental market domain to reveal changes in the long-term complexity of rents of long-rental apartments and ordinary rental housing caused by the competitive behavior of long-rental apartment firms. Through numerical simulation, it is found that the adoption of smaller rent adjustment strategies by firms is important for maintaining system stability, while the changes in reference effect behavior of landlords and service quality and differences in demand share have moderating effects on system stability. The enhanced reference effect of landlords, the improvement of service quality, and the increase of the difference in demand share between the two long-rental apartments help to mitigate the disruption of system stability by the increase of the adjustment factor of the firms. The decentralized long-lease apartment firms, which occupy a higher proportion of the market, are able to exert a major impact on the rent of general rental housing by taking advantage of the market, while the difference in the demand share between the two firms is the main reason for the change in the rent of long-rental apartments.

It is important to guarantee the safety of adjacent underground structures during the foundation pit blasting excavation of modern city construction. The blasting excavation construction of a large, deep foundation pit near an existing metro station of Guangzhou Metro Line 3 is used as the example in this study. Based on blasting vibration field test results, the influence of blasting dynamic load on the lining of an adjacent metro tunnel is numerically analyzed in simulation using Fast Lagrangian Analysis of Continua 3D (FLAC3D), and the relationships between the blasting vibration velocity and stress and the displacement of the metro tunnel lining are obtained. The results show that the stress of lining structure is within the allowable range under the experimental blasting conditions, the lining displacement increases linearly with the applied dynamic vibration velocity, and the vertical displacement of the lining is more obviously affected than the horizontal displacement by the dynamic load. This study can be used as a basis for the control of blasting vibration in a complex urban environment. Its practical application shows that the proposed blasting plan and parameters are reasonable and effective.

To effectively reduce the mass and simplify the structure of traditional aerial manipulators, we propose novel light cable-driven manipulator for the aerial robots in this article. The drive motors and corresponding reducers are removed from the joints to the base; meanwhile, force and motion are transmitted remotely through cables. Thanks to this design, the moving mass has been greatly reduced. In the meantime, the application of cable-driven technology also brings about extra difficulties for high-precise control of cable-driven manipulators. Hence, we design a nonsingular terminal sliding mode controller using time-delay estimation. The time-delay estimation is applied to obtain lumped system dynamics and found an attractive model-free scheme, while the nonsingular terminal sliding mode controller is utilized to enhance the control performance. Stability is analyzed based on Lyapunov theory. Finally, the designed light cable-driven manipulator and presented time-delay estimation-based nonsingular terminal sliding mode controller are analyzed. Corresponding results show that (1) our proposed cable-driven manipulator has high load to mass ratio of 0.8 if we only consider the moving mass and (2) our proposed time-delay estimation-based nonsingular terminal sliding mode is model-free and can provide higher accuracy than the widely used time-delay estimation-based proportional–derivative (PD) controller.

To satisfy the needs of surgeons for judging the contact state of the catheter robot and modify the operation accordingly, a novel contact torque estimation and haptic feedback method is proposed in this article. Using the vibrotactile feedback, the proposed method reminds the surgeon which bending unit of the robot contacts with human tissue and guides him to realize the disengagement. Based on a novel simplification of the driving force of the robot, a quasi-statics model is established to estimate the contact torque. Simulations are conducted based on Finite Element Method (FEM) to verify the accuracy of the quasi-statics model and the estimation method. A robot system composed of a catheter robot, a PC, a master-operator, and a wearable vibration glove is assembled according to this method. To verify the feasibility of this method, a contact torque estimation experiment and a vibrotactile feedback experiment are conducted in this article. The results show that this method is accurate and effective.

Abstract Antimicrobial resistance against colistin has emerged worldwide and is threatening the efficacy of colistin treatment of multi-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. In this study, PCRs were used to detect mcr genes (mcr-1, mcr-2, mcr-3) in 213 anal and 1,339 nasal swabs from pigs (n = 1,454) in nine provinces of China, and 1,696 cloacal and 1,647 oropharyngeal samples from poultry (n = 1,836) at live-bird markets in 24 provinces. The mcr-1 prevalences in pigs (79.2%) and geese (71.7%) were significantly higher than in chickens (31.8%), ducks (34.6%) and pigeons (13.1%). The mcr-2 prevalence in pigs was 56.3%, significantly higher than in chickens (5.5%), ducks (2.3%), geese (5.5%) and pigeons (0%). The mcr-3 prevalences in pigs (18.7%), ducks (13.8%) and geese (11.9%) were significantly higher than in chickens (5.2%) and pigeons (5.1%). In total, 173 pigs and three chickens were positive for all three mcr genes. The prevalences of the mcr were significantly higher in nasal/oropharyngeal swabs than in the anal /cloacal swabs. Phylogenetic studies identified 33 new mcr-2 variants and 12 new mcr-3 variants. This study demonstrates high prevalences of mcr in pigs and poultry in China, and indicates there is need for more thorough surveillance and control programs to prevent further selection of colistin resistance.

In this paper, a novel robust control scheme is developed for the trajectory tracking control purpose of cable-driven robots under complex lumped uncertainties. The proposed control scheme utilizes time-delay estimation (TDE) technique to obtain the lumped unknown system dynamics; and therefore ensures an attractive model-free advantage. A novel adaptive nonsingular fast terminal sliding mode (ANFTSM) manifold is designed considering its uncertainties, which is estimated by a newly designed adaptive law. Afterward, corresponding TDE-based ANFTSM control scheme is proposed. The proposed control scheme requires no system dynamics and therefore is easy to use in complicated practical applications benefitting from TDE technique. Meanwhile, high tracking accuracy and fast dynamical response can be effectively ensured using the proposed ANFTSM manifold. Stability of the closed-loop control system is proved through Lyapunov method. Finally, comparative simulations and experiments were conducted to demonstrate the superiorities of our proposed method over the existing ones.

To ensure high-performance tracking control of cable-driven manipulators under complex uncertainties, we propose a novel optimal nonsingular terminal sliding mode (ONTSM) control scheme using super-twisting algorithm (STA) and time-delay estimation (TDE) technique. The TDE technique is applied as framework to take advantage of its model-free nature. Meanwhile, by introducing a quadratic performance index, we design an ONTSM manifold to achieve high dynamical performance in the sliding mode phase. Afterward, the modified STA is utilized to provide good performance in the reaching phase. Thanks to above three elements, the proposed ONTSM control with STA and TDE schemes is model-free and easy to apply in complicated practical applications. The stability of the closed-loop control system is analyzed considering the ONTSM and STA dynamics. Finally, comparative experiments were performed to demonstrate the effectiveness and superiorities of our newly proposed control scheme over two existing control schemes.

To ensure high control performance of cable-driven robots under complicated lumped uncertainties, we propose a novel time-delay control (TDC) scheme with adaptive fractional-order nonsingular terminal sliding mode (AFONTSM) in this paper. The proposed control scheme utilizes time-delay estimation (TDE) to estimate and compensate the lumped unknown system dynamics and therefore ensures a fascinating model-free feature. A novel AFONTSM manifold is designed by considering the existing uncertainties using an adaptive algorithm. Then, the TDC scheme is designed using TDE technique and AFONTSM manifold and fast-TSM-type reaching law. Thanks to TDE technique, the proposed control scheme is model-free and can be easily applied in complex practical applications. Meanwhile, the high control accuracy and fast dynamical response can still be guaranteed benefitting from the AFONTSM dynamics and fast-TSM-type reaching law. Stability of the closed-loop control system is analyzed using Lyapunov method. Corresponding simulation and experimental results effectively demonstrate the validity and superiorities of our proposed TDC scheme with AFONTSM over the other three existing TDC schemes.

To guarantee high-performance tracking control of cable-driven manipulators under complex lumped uncertainties, we propose a novel practical adaptive integral terminal sliding mode (AITSM) control scheme in this paper. The proposed control scheme utilizes time-delay estimation (TDE) to estimate and compensate the system dynamics and therefore ensures an attractive model-free control structure. Meanwhile, a novel adaptive algorithm is designed to timely and appropriately update the gains for the AITSM manifold and combined adaptive reaching law (ARL). High control accuracy, fast dynamical response, and strong robustness can be effectively ensured, thanks to the proposed AITSM manifold and combined ARL. The stability of the closed-loop control system is analyzed using the Lyapunov stability theory. Comparative experiments were conducted, and the corresponding results show that the newly proposed TDEbased AITSM control scheme can provide a better and comprehensive control performance than the existing AITSM control method.

For the high-accuracy tracking control purpose of cable-driven manipulators under complex lumped uncertainties, a novel continuous nonsingular fast terminal sliding mode (CNFTSM) control scheme using a modified super-twisting algorithm (STA) is proposed and investigated in this paper. The proposed method applies the time-delay estimation (TDE) technique to estimate and compensate the unknown lumped system dynamics leading to an attractive model-free nature. Then, the NFTSM manifold and the modified STA scheme are used to ensure finite-time convergence performance in both the reaching and sliding mode phases. Thanks to the TDE technique, the proposed method is model-free and suitable to use in complicated practical applications; meanwhile, fast convergence, high tracking accuracy, and good robustness against lumped uncertainties can be ensured befitting from the CNFTSM control with NFTSM error dynamics and STA schemes. Stability of the closed-loop control system is proved. Finally, 2 degrees of freedom comparative simulations and experiments were performed to demonstrate the effectiveness and superiorities of our proposed method over the existing TDE-based robust control schemes.

Abstract Background Chlamydia suis is an important, globally distributed, highly prevalent and diverse obligate intracellular pathogen infecting pigs. To investigate the prevalence and genetic diversity of C. suis in China, 2,137 nasal, conjunctival, and rectal swabs as well as whole blood and lung samples of pigs were collected in 19 regions from ten provinces of China in this study. Results We report an overall positivity of 62.4% (1,334/2,137) of C. suis following screening by Chlamydia spp. 23S rRNA-based FRET-PCR and high-resolution melting curve analysis and confirmatory sequencing. For C. suis-positive samples, 33.3 % of whole blood and 62.5% of rectal swabs were found to be positive for the C. suis tetR(C) gene, while 13.3% of whole blood and 87.0% of rectal swabs were positive for the C. suis tet(C) gene. Phylogenetic comparison of partial C. suis ompA gene sequences revealed significant genetic diversity in the C. suis strains. This genetic diversity was confirmed by C. suis-specific multilocus sequence typing (MLST), which identified 26 novel sequence types among 27 examined strains. Tanglegrams based on MLST and ompA sequences provided evidence of C. suis recombination amongst the strains analyzed. Conclusions Genetically highly diverse C. suis strains are exceedingly prevalent in pigs. As it stands, the potential pathogenic effect of C. suis on pig health and production of C. suis remains unclear and will be the subject of further investigations. Further study is also required to address the transmission of C. suis between pigs and the risk of 'spill-over' and 'spill-back' of infections to wild animals and humans.

A new nonlinear robust control scheme is proposed and investigated for the trajectory tracking control problem of an underwater vehicle-manipulator system (UVMS) using the discrete time delay estimation (DTDE) technique. The proposed control scheme mainly has two parts: the DTDE part and the desired dynamics part. The former one is applied to properly estimate and compensate the complex unknown lumped dynamics of the system, using the intentionally time-delayed system's information. The latter one is used to obtain the desired dynamic characteristic of the closed-loop control system. Thanks to the DTDE technique, the proposed control scheme no longer requires the detailed system dynamic information or the acceleration signals, bringing in good feasibility for actual applications and satisfactory control performance. The stability of the closed-loop control system is analyzed and proved using the bounded input bounded out stability theory. Finally, nine degree of freedoms (DOFs) simulation and seven DOFs pool experiment studies were conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme with an UVMS developed in our laboratory. Corresponding results show that our proposed control scheme can ensure satisfactory control performance with relative small control gains and obtain a precision of 0.064 m for the end effector in the task space.