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Shichun Huang,1,2 Xuejie Yao,2 Xueqin Chen,2 Xiuli Chen,3 Yanxia Li,3 Yashpal Kanwar,4 Faith Ka Shun Chan,5 Ping Ye,2 Ming Zhan2,6 1School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315000, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Medicine, Ningbo Baiyun Community Healthcare Center, Ningbo, 315000, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Pathology and Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA; 5School of Geographical Sciences, University of Nottingham Ningbo China, Ningbo, 315100, People’s Republic of China; 6China Health Institute, University of Nottingham Ningbo China, Ningbo, 315100, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Ming Zhan, Department of Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Ningbo University, 59 Liuting Street, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, 315000, People’s Republic of China, Email stephen0726@163.comBackground: Metabolic syndrome (MS) and low socioeconomic status (SES) may increase the risk for chronic kidney disease (CKD). This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of MS and CKD and the association between MS, SES, and CKD among adults in Ningbo, a city in Eastern China.Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 3212 adults was conducted between July 2019 and February 2021 in Ningbo. MS was defined as the presence of three or more risk factors: elevated blood pressure, reduced high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, elevated triglycerides, elevated plasma glucose, and abdominal obesity. CKD was defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 or the occurrence of albuminuria. SES was stratified according to personal education and income levels. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the relationships among MS, sociodemographic factors, and CKD.Results: The age- and sex-adjusted prevalence of CKD was 9.1% (95% CI: 8.3– 10.0), the prevalence of eGFR less than 60 mL/min/per 1· 73 m² was 2.5% (95% CI 2.0– 3.0) and that of albuminuria was 7.9% (95% CI 7.0– 8.7), and the adjusted prevalence of MS was 23.1% (95% CI 21.7– 24.4). MS components, including elevated blood pressure, elevated fasting glucose, abdominal obesity, elevated serum triglyceride, or reduced serum HDL-C, were independent risk factors for CKD, and the adjusted prevalence of CKD proportionally increased with the number of MS-defined parameters. Participants with MS had 2.43-fold increased odds of developing CKD compared with those without MS. In addition, age, female sex, low SES including low educational level and low income were associated with increased odds of occurrence of albuminuria and CKD.Conclusion: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome and chronic kidney disease is high among adults in Ningbo. Metabolic syndrome and low socioeconomic status are associated with the high risk of developing chronic kidney disease.Keywords: chronic kidney disease, metabolic syndrome, socioeconomic status, prevalence, risk factors

Chunying Zheng,1,&ast; Hanliang Fan,1,&ast; Peng Ye,1,&ast; Xing Zhang,1 Xiaochun Zheng,1,2 Ting Zheng1 1Department of Anesthesiology, Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Fuzhou University Affiliated Provincial Hospital, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China; 2Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Emergency Medicine, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Critical Care Medicine, Fujian Provincial Co-Constructed Laboratory of “belt and Road”, Fujian Emergency Medical Center, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Xiaochun Zheng; Ting Zheng, Department of Anesthesiology, Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, No. 134, Dongjie, 350001, Fuzhou, Fujian, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 8821 7841, Email zhengxiaochun7766@163.com; zhengting1223@163.comPurpose: Previous research has demonstrated that real-time ultrasound-guided (UG) spinal anesthesia requires a higher minimum local anesthetic dose (MLAD) compared to traditional methods. However, the precise MLAD of ropivacaine for UG cesarean sections remains undetermined. In this study, we ascertained the MLAD of ropivacaine for cesarean section. We also investigated the mechanism underlying the diffusion of ropivacaine within the spinal canal using fluid simulation technology.Patients and Methods: We randomly placed 60 healthy parturients undergoing elective cesarean section with real-time UG spinal anesthesia into Groups I (26-gauge spinal needle) and II (24-gauge spinal needle). For the first parturient in both groups, 15 mg of ropivacaine was administered intrathecally. Based on the effective or ineffective response of the previous parturient, the dose for the subsequent parturient was increased or decreased by 1 mg. Spinal anesthesia characteristics and side effects were recorded. A computer-generated spinal canal model was developed. Leveraging fluid dynamics simulation technology, we documented the diffusion of ropivacaine in the spinal canal using 26-and 24-gauge spinal needles.Results: The MLADs in Groups I and II were 12.728 mg (12.339– 13.130 mg) and 9.795 mg (9.491– 10.110 mg), respectively. No significant difference was observed in the onset times and durations of sensory or motor blocks, incidence of complications, or neonatal Apgar scores between both groups. Fluid simulation modeling indicated that the 26-gauge spinal needle achieved a higher distribution level more quickly; however, its peak drug concentration was lower compared to the 24-gauge spinal needle.Conclusion: For cesarean section anesthetization, the required MLAD of ropivacaine when using a real-time UG 26-gauge spinal needle is significantly greater than that with a 24-gauge needle. The spinal needle diameter influences ropivacaine’s MLAD by markedly affecting its diffusion rate within the spinal canal.Keywords: anesthetic diffusion, spinal needle diameter, fluid dynamics simulation, cesarean anesthetization

Abstract Objective This study aims to identify clinical laboratory parameters for the diagnosis of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM), establish optimal cutoffs for early screening, and develop a diagnostic model for precise diagnosis. Methods The study conducted a retrospective analysis of 279 NDMM patients and 553 healthy subjects at Zhejiang Province People’s Hospital between January 2008 and June 2023. Multifactor LR was employed to explore clinical laboratory indicators with diagnostic value for NDMM, determine optimal cutoff values and contract a diagnostic model. The diagnostic efficacy and clinical utility were evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC), sensitivity, specificity, and other indicators. Results Multifactor analysis revealed that hemoglobin (Hb), albumin (Alb), and platelet distribution width (PDW) were significant diagnostic factors for NDMM. Optimal cutoff values for Hb, Alb, and PDW in MM diagnosis were determined, and the results showed a significant increase in the probability of NDMM diagnosis when Alb was below 39.3 g/L, Hb was below 11.6 g/dL, and PDW was below 14.1 fL. The diagnostic model constructed from the development cohort demonstrated a high area under the ROC curve of 0.960 (95% CI 0.942–0.978) and exhibited good sensitivity (0.860), specificity (0.957). The area under the curve (AUC) value of the diagnostic model in the external validation cohort was 0.979, confirming its good diagnostic efficacy and generalization. Conclusions The optimal cutoff values for Hb, Alb, and PDW and the diagnostic model designed in the study provided good accuracy and sensitivity for the initial screening and diagnosis of NDMM.

The traditional method of screening plants for disease resistance phenotype is both time-consuming and costly. Genomic selection offers a potential solution to improve efficiency, but accurately predicting plant disease resistance remains a challenge. In this study, we evaluated eight different machine learning (ML) methods, including random forest classification (RFC), support vector classifier (SVC), light gradient boosting machine (lightGBM), random forest classification plus kinship (RFC_K), support vector classification plus kinship (SVC_K), light gradient boosting machine plus kinship (lightGBM_K), deep neural network genomic prediction (DNNGP), and densely connected convolutional networks (DenseNet), for predicting plant disease resistance. Our results demonstrate that the three plus kinship (K) methods developed in this study achieved high prediction accuracy. Specifically, these methods achieved accuracies of up to 95% for rice blast (RB), 85% for rice black-streaked dwarf virus (RBSDV), and 85% for rice sheath blight (RSB) when trained and applied to the rice diversity panel I (RDPI). Furthermore, the plus K models performed well in predicting wheat blast (WB) and wheat stripe rust (WSR) diseases, with mean accuracies of up to 90% and 93%, respectively. To assess the generalizability of our models, we applied the trained plus K methods to predict RB disease resistance in an independent population, rice diversity panel II (RDPII). Concurrently, we evaluated the RB resistance of RDPII cultivars using spray inoculation. Comparing the predictions with the spray inoculation results, we found that the accuracy of the plus K methods reached 91%. These findings highlight the effectiveness of the plus K methods (RFC_K, SVC_K, and lightGBM_K) in accurately predicting plant disease resistance for RB, RBSDV, RSB, WB, and WSR. The methods developed in this study not only provide valuable strategies for predicting disease resistance, but also pave the way for using machine learning to streamline genome-based crop breeding.

Purpose: To introduce a modified Hughes procedure for the repair of large full-thickness defects of the lower eyelid. Methods: This retrospective study included 56 patients: 30 in the conventional group treated with a Hughes flap and 26 in the modified group treated with a full-thickness upper eyelid flap pedicled with levator aponeurosis, Muller muscle and conjunctiva. The reconstruction time, period of pedicle division and complication rates were evaluated. Results: The lower eyelid reconstruction time was 89.2±7.7 minutes in the conventional group and 61.7±7.5 minutes in the modified group, whereas the period of pedicle division was 21.1±3.0 days in the conventional group and 10.8±3.0 days in the modified group, and the differences were statistically significant (p = 0.000 and 0.000). Lower eyelid retraction was 0.4±0.4 mm in the conventional group and 0.1±0.2 mm in the modified group, and the difference was statistically significant (p = 0.001). Conclusion: The modified Hughes procedure in this study resulted in a shorter lower eyelid reconstruction time, a shorter period of pedicle division, and a lower degree of lower eyelid retraction. This technique is simple and convenient for reconstructing large full-thickness defects of the lower eyelid.

Background: Pelvic fractures in trauma patients can be associated with substantial massive hemorrhage. Hemostasis interventions mainly consist of pelvic packing (PP) and endovascular intervention (EI), such as angiography-embolization (AE) and resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA). Whether PP or EI should be prioritized for the management of hemodynamic unstable patients with pelvic fractures remains under debate. This meta-analysis aimed to establish the evidence-based recommendations for the management of hemodynamic unstable patients. Materials and methods: PubMed, CENTRAL, and EMBASE databases were searched for articles published from January 1, 2000 to January 31, 2023. Eligible studies, such as retrospective cohort studies, propensity score matching studies, prospective cohort studies, observational cohort studies, quasi-randomized clinical trials evaluating PP and EI (AE or REBOA) for the management of patients with hemodynamically unstable pelvic fractures, were included. Mean Difference (MD), relative risk (RR), and 95 % confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using fixed- or random-effects models depending on the heterogeneity of included trials. We compared the effectiveness of the two methods in terms of mortality, unstable fracture pattens, injury severity score (ISS), systolic blood pressure (SBP), lactate (LA), base deficiency (BE), hemoglobin preoperatively, blood transfusion requirement, the time to and of operation, complications. Results: Overall, 15 trials enrolling 1136 patients were analyzed, showing a total mortality rate of 28.4 % (323/1136). No effect of PP preference on the ISS (PP 36.4 ± 10.4 vs. EI 34.5 ± 12.7), SBP (PP 81.1 ± 24.3 mmHg vs. EI 94.2 ± 32.4 mmHg), LA (PP 4.66 ± 2.72 mmol/L vs. 4.85 ± 3.45 mmol/L), BE (PP 8.14 ± 5.64 mmol/L vs. 6.66 ± 5.68 mmol/L), and unstable fracture patterns (RR = 1.10, 95 % CI [0.63, 1.92]) was observed. PP application was associated with lower preoperative hemoglobin level (PP 8.11 ± 2.28 g/dL vs. EI 8.43 ± 2.43 g/dL, p 0.05). Conclusions: PP showed advantages of reducing the amount of postoperative transfusion, shortening the time of waiting and operating, and decreasing mortality due to uncontrolled hemorrhage in the acute phase without raising the odds of mortality due to complications. PP, a reliable hemostatic method, should be prioritized for resuscitating most pelvic fractures with hemodynamically unstable, especially in case of bleeding from veins and fracture sites, as well as inadequate EI.

Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of dacryoendoscopic-assisted laser dacryoplasty with silicone intubation (DLDI) for the management of nasolacrimal duct obstruction (NLDO) or stenosis, and to identify the factors associated with DLDI failure.Methods and analysis This study was designed as a prospective, single-centre cohort study. Patients with NLDO or stenosis who underwent DLDI from December 2019 to December 2021 at Tianjin Eye Hospital were considered for enrolment. The Kaplan-Meier estimator was used to assess the anatomical and functional success rate of DLDI within 2 years follow-up after removal of the silicone stent. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to identify risk factors for treatment failure.Results 170, 174 and 178 eyes were included in Groups A (proximal NLDO), B (distal NLDO) and C (nasolacrimal duct stenosis), respectively. The overall anatomical success rate was 84.8% for the entire cohort at the 2-year follow-up. The cumulative anatomical or functional success rate for Groups B and C was significantly higher than that for Group A. In the multivariable model, a higher risk of failed DLDI surgery was associated with a history of chronic dacryocystitis (HR=3.07; p

Abstract Protein structure prediction (PSP) has been a prominent topic in bioinformatics and computational biology, aiming to predict protein function and structure from sequence data. The three‐dimensional conformation of proteins is pivotal for their intricate biological roles. With the advancement of computational capabilities and the adoption of deep learning (DL) technologies (especially Transformer network architectures), the PSP field has ushered in a brand‐new era of “neuralization.” Here, we focus on reviewing the evolution of PSP from traditional to modern deep learning‐based approaches and the characteristics of various structural prediction methods. This emphasizes the advantages of deep learning‐based hybrid prediction methods over traditional approaches. This study also provides a summary analysis of widely used bioinformatics databases and the latest structure prediction models. It discusses deep learning networks and algorithmic optimization for model training, validation, and evaluation. In addition, a summary discussion of the major advances in deep learning‐based protein structure prediction is presented. The update of AlphaFold 3 further extends the boundaries of prediction models, especially in protein‐small molecule structure prediction. This marks a key shift toward a holistic approach in biomolecular structure elucidation, aiming at solving almost all sequence‐to‐structure puzzles in various biological phenomena.

Abstract Background Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection can cause liver failure, while individuals with Acquired Immunodeficiency Virus Disease (AIDS) are highly susceptible to various opportunistic infections, which can occur concurrently. The treatment process is further complicated by the potential occurrence of immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS), which presents significant challenges and contributes to elevated mortality rates. Case presentation The 50-year-old male with a history of chronic hepatitis B and untreated human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection presented to the hospital with a mild cough and expectoration, revealing multi-drug resistant pulmonary tuberculosis (MDR-PTB), which was confirmed by XpertMTB/RIF PCR testing and tuberculosis culture of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). The patient was treated with a regimen consisting of linezolid, moxifloxacin, cycloserine, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol for tuberculosis, as well as a combination of bictegravir/tenofovir alafenamide/emtricitabine (BIC/TAF/FTC) for HBV and HIV viral suppression. After three months of treatment, the patient discontinued all medications, leading to hepatitis B virus reactivation and subsequent liver failure. During the subsequent treatment for AIDS, HBV, and drug-resistant tuberculosis, the patient developed disseminated cryptococcal disease. The patient’s condition worsened during treatment with liposomal amphotericin B and fluconazole, which was ultimately attributed to IRIS. Fortunately, the patient achieved successful recovery after appropriate management. Conclusion Enhancing medical compliance is crucial for AIDS patients, particularly those co-infected with HBV, to prevent HBV reactivation and subsequent liver failure. Furthermore, conducting a comprehensive assessment of potential infections in patients before resuming antiviral therapy is essential to prevent the occurrence of IRIS. Early intervention plays a pivotal role in improving survival rates.

Abstract [Objective] The study aims to investigate the differential efficacy of anti-leaf spot in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) of various concentrations of exogenous methyl jasmonate (MeJA) and understand the underlying mechanisms, thereby providing a foundation for the application of MeJA in controlling barley leaf spot. [Methods] We used ‘Mengpimai 3’ (MP3) seedlings as materials and conducted three different treatments: Inoculating the barley leaves with sterile water without any Bipolaris sorokiniana (the causal agent of the disease), inoculating the barley leaves with sterile water after treatment, and treating the barley leaves with different concentrations (0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5 mmol/L) of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) before inoculation with the pathogen. The disease incidence was investigated at the three-leaf stage based on disease index to determine the optimal MeJA concentration. We measured antioxidant enzyme activities, anti-disease-related enzyme activities, malondialdehyde, proline, soluble sugar, and soluble protein contents, and the expression levels of related genes under no inoculating treatment, inoculation treatment, and inoculating + optimal MeJA concentration treatment. [Results] (1) Exogenous application of MeJA enhanced MP3 resistance against spot blotch, particularly at 1.5 mmol/L where there was a significant reduction of 19.03% (P

ObjectiveTo determine the serum antibody level and risk factors in the adolescent population in a county in Zhejiang Province， following the immunization with inactivated COVID-19 vaccine， and to construct a prediction model for antibody concentration.MethodsWe conducted the study in a county in Zhejiang Province， employing a stratified cluster random sampling strategy in school children who had received the inactivated COVID-19 vaccine. Data on gender， age， type of vaccine， and time of vaccination was collected. Serum samples were also collected to test for anti-S and N IgG antibody against the SARS-CoV-2 by using chemiluminescent immunoassay （CLIA）. Risk factors were determined to construct a prediction model for antibody concentration.ResultsThe IgG antibody concentration was significantly higher in girls， those who received two doses， and those who had simply received the KX vaccine . It decreased with age and time interval between the sampling and last vaccination. The prediction model constructed by random forest regression in the study had a better model fit and predictive ability than that by the multivariable linear stepwise regression.ConclusionGender， age， vaccination dose， type of vaccine， and time of vaccination are associated with vaccination effectiveness of inactivated COVID-19 vaccines in adolescents. Prediction model could predict the antibody level in the vaccinated population， which can provide a new tool for better evaluation of vaccination effectiveness against emerging infectious diseases in future.

ABSTRACTChildhood obesity is linked to maternal smoking during pregnancy. Gut microbiota may partially mediate this association and could be potential targets for intervention; however, its role is understudied. We included 1,592 infants from the Canadian Healthy Infants Longitudinal Development Cohort. Data on environmental exposure and lifestyle factors were collected prenatally and throughout the first three years. Weight outcomes were measured at one and three years of age. Stool samples collected at 3 and 12 months were analyzed by sequencing the V4 region of 16S rRNA to profile microbial compositions and magnetic resonance spectroscopy to quantify the metabolites. We showed that quitting smoking during pregnancy did not lower the risk of offspring being overweight. However, exclusive breastfeeding until the third month of age may alleviate these risks. We also reported that maternal smoking during pregnancy significantly increased Firmicutes abundance and diversity. We further revealed that Firmicutes diversity mediates the elevated risk of childhood overweight and obesity linked to maternal prenatal smoking. This effect possibly occurs through excessive microbial butyrate production. These findings add to the evidence that women should quit smoking before their pregnancies to prevent microbiome-mediated childhood overweight and obesity risk, and indicate the potential obesogenic role of excessive butyrate production in early life.

Abstract Purposes Radiotherapy can induce tumor cell autophagy, which might impair the antitumoral effect. This study aims to investigate the effect of autophagy inhibition on the targeted radionuclide therapy (TRT) efficacy of 131I-FAP-2286 in pancreatic cancer. Methods Human pancreatic cancer PANC-1 cells were exposed to 131I-FAP-2286 radiotherapy alone or with the autophagy inhibitor 3-MA. The autophagy level and proliferative activity of PANC-1 cells were analyzed. The pancreatic cancer xenograft-bearing nude mice were established by the co-injection of PANC-1 cells and pancreatic cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), and then were randomly divided into four groups and treated with saline (control group), 3-MA, 131I-FAP-2286 and 131I-FAP-2286 + 3-MA, respectively. SPECT/CT imaging was performed to evaluate the bio-distribution of 131I-FAP-2286 in pancreatic cancer-bearing mice. The therapeutic effect of tumor was evaluated by 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging, tumor volume measurements, and the hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, and immunohistochemical staining assay of tumor tissues. Results 131I-FAP-2286 inhibited proliferation and increased the autophagy level of PANC-1 cells in a dose-dependent manner. 3-MA promoted 131I-FAP-2286-induced apoptosis of PANC-1 cells via suppressing autophagy. SPECT/CT imaging of pancreatic cancer xenograft-bearing nude mice showed that 131I-FAP-2286 can target the tumor effectively. According to 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging, the tumor growth curves and immunohistochemical analysis, 131I-FAP-2286 TRT was capable of suppressing the growth of pancreatic tumor accompanying with autophagy induction, but the addition of 3-MA enabled 131I-FAP-2286 to achieve a better therapeutic effect along with the autophagy inhibition. In addition, 3-MA alone did not inhibit tumor growth. Conclusions 131I-FAP-2286 exposure induces the protective autophagy of pancreatic cancer cells, and the application of autophagy inhibitor is capable of enhancing the TRT therapeutic effect.

Abstract Background Symptomatic lumbar disc herniation (LDH) and lumbar isthmic spondylolisthesis (LIS) present significant challenges for military pilots, which may result in grounding if not effectively managed. Surgical treatment for LDH and LIS may offer a pathway to return to flight duty (RTFD), but recent data on this crucial topic is lacking. This study seeks to address this gap by investigating the RTFD outcomes among Chinese military pilots who have undergone lumbar spine surgery for symptomatic LDH and LIS. Methods A retrospective review was conducted on active-duty military pilots who underwent isolated decompressive or fusion procedures at an authorized military medical center from March 1, 2007, to March 1, 2023. The analysis utilized descriptive statistics to examine demographic, occupational, surgical, and outcome data, with a particular focus on preoperative flight status, recommended clearance by spine surgeons, and actual RTFD outcomes and time. Results Among the identified cases of active-duty military pilots with LDH or LIS treated by lumbar surgery (n = 24), 70.8% (17 of 24) consistently maintained RTFD status without encountering surgical complications or medical issues during the follow-up period. Of the seven pilots who did not RTFD, one retired within a year of surgery, two had anterior cruciate ligament injuries, three had residual radicular symptoms, and one had chronic low back pain. Excluding pilots who retired and did not RTFD for reasons unrelated to their lumbar conditions, the RTFD rate stood at 81.0% (17 of 21). The median time for recommended clearance by spine surgeons was 143.0 days (inter-quartile range, 116.5–196.0), while the median duration for actual RTFD attainment was 221.0 days (inter-quartile range, 182.0–300.0). The median follow-up post-lumbar surgery was 1.7 years (inter-quartile range, 0.4–2.9). Conclusion Most military pilots diagnosed with symptomatic LDH and LIS can continue their careers and regain active-duty flight status following lumbar spine surgery, as reflected by the high RTFD rate. Lumbar spine surgery can successfully alleviate the physical constraints associated with spinal conditions, facilitating the return of military pilots to their demanding profession.

Tianqi Qiao,1 Liqun Wang,1 Jingyi Chang,2 Xiuzhen Huang,1 Xinxin Wang,1 Pingzhi Ye1 1College of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China; 2School of Foreign Languages, Shenzhen Information Vocational College, Shenzhen, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Xinxin Wang; Pingzhi Ye, College of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China, Email cynthia.wang@cynthia-edu.com; gzuyepingzhi@126.comObjective: With the social changes, a growing number of women have joined the workforce, leading to a shift in the traditional roles of child-rearing. There has been a growing focus on the significance of fathers’ roles in child development, particularly the influence of fathers on children’s problematic behaviors, making it an increasingly prominent issue. However, there is limited understanding regarding the potential mechanisms through which fathers may exert influence on children’s problem behaviors. To address this gap, this study sought to investigate the link between paternal co-parenting and preschool children’s problem behaviors, and the mediating effects of maternal parenting burnout and psychological aggression.Methods: This study used the Personal Information Form and four scales to administer questionnaires to 1164 mothers of preschool children (Mage = 4.26 ± 0.85) in Guangdong Province, China. The collected data underwent processing and analysis using SPSS 22.0.Results: Paternal co-parenting demonstrated a significantly positive correlation with problem behaviors among preschool children. The impact of paternal co-parenting on children’s problem behaviors was mediated by maternal parenting burnout, maternal psychological aggression, and the combined effect of maternal parenting burnout and psychological aggression.Conclusion: Maternal parenting burnout and maternal psychological aggression play a sequential mediating role between paternal co-parenting and problem behaviors among preschool children. This study revealed the internal mechanism through which paternal co-parenting influenced problem behaviors exhibited by children. It provides some evidence to support the important role of fathers in child development, and provides a reference for policymakers and educators to develop interventions for children’s problem behaviors.Keywords: paternal co-parenting, problem behaviors, maternal parenting burnout, psychological aggression, preschool children

Abstract Background This study investigated the effects of inorganic and organic minerals on physiological responses, oxidative stress reduction, and rumen microbiota in Holstein bull calves (123.81 ± 9.76 kg; 5 months old) during short-term heat stress (HS) and recovery periods. Eight Holstein calves were randomly assigned to four treatment groups: no mineral supplementation (Con), inorganic minerals (IM), organic minerals (OM), and high-concentration organic minerals (HOM) and two thermal environments (HS and recovery) using 4 × 2 factorial arrangement in a crossover design of four periods of 35 d. Calves were maintained in a temperature-controlled barn. The experimental period consisted of 14 d of HS, 14 d of recovery condititon, and a 7-d washing period. Results Body temperature and respiration rate were higher in HS than in the recovery conditions (P 0.05). The principal coordinate analysis represented that the overall rumen microbiota was not influenced by mineral supplementation; however, temperature-induced microbial structure shifts were indicated (PERMANOVA: P

The unique crystalline structure and strong covalent bonding of TiB2 coating give it ultra-high hardness and chemical stability, but it also suffers from poor toughness and weak bonding with metal substrates. Herein, Ni-doped TiB2 coating was prepared by combining high-power pulse magnetron sputtering technology and radio frequency magnetron sputtering technology. Additionally, SEM, EPMA, XRD, XPS, nanoindentation instrument, scratch tester, high-temperature friction and wear testing machine were used to comparatively study the micromorphology, chemical composition, phase structure, mechanical properties, and tribological properties of TiB2-Ni coatings with different Ni contents. Results showed that the Ni-doped TiB2-Ni coating possessed a small amount of Ni element solidly dissolved in the TiB2 lattice, and the excess Ni element existed in the form of a metallic phase, forming a nanocomposite structure at the grain boundaries, which restricted the growth of TiB2 grains, and caused the refinement and nanometerization of the columnar grains of the coating. Besides, the Ni doping brought about a significant decrease in the hardness and elastic modulus of the TiB2 coatings. With the increase of the Ni content, the adhesion strength between the coating and the substrate and the toughness of coatings continuously increased, while the friction coefficient of the coating decreased first and then increased. Moreover, the wear morphology indicated the wear of the coating belonged to abrasive wear and adhesive wear. In conclusion, Ni doping improved the toughness of the TiB2-Ni coatings by generating Ni metal phase in the grain boundaries, which could absorb the fracture energy through deformation during crack expansion. The TiB2-Ni coating with a Ni content of 4.9% (atomic fraction) exhibited good hardness and toughness.

The utilization of deep learning algorithms for side-scan sonar target detection is impeded by the restricted quantity and representativeness of side-scan sonar (SSS) samples. To address this issue, this paper proposes a method for image augmentation using a CC-WGAN network. First, the generator incorporates the Convolutional Block Attention Module (CBAM) to enhance the assimilation of global information and local features in the input images. This integration also improves stability and avoids mode collapse problems associated with the original Generative Adversarial Network. Subsequently, the CBAM is incorporated into the discriminator to facilitate a better understanding of the relevance and significance of input data, thereby enhancing the model’s generalization ability. Finally, based on this model, existing few-sample SSS images are augmented, and we utilize the augmented images for discrimination and detection with YOLOv5. The experimental results show that following training with the SSS dataset that is augmented by this network, the accuracy of target detection increased by 7.6%, validating the feasibility of our proposed method. This method presents a novel solution to the problem of low model accuracy in underwater target detection with side-scan sonar due to limited samples.

Pollen carries extensive genetic information, which may provide clues regarding the kinship of Malus, whose genetic relationships are complex. In this study, the phenotypic variation of pollen from 107 Malus taxa was investigated using combined methods of intraspecific/interspecific uniformity testing, cluster analysis, and Pearson correlation analysis. The family aggregation distributions in Malus sections, species, and cultivars were analyzed to infer their pedigree relationships. The results showed that (1) compared with pollen size and morphology, aberrant pollen rate and ornamentation were highly interspecifically differentiated, but ornamentation was also intraspecifically unstable, especially perforation densities (c.v.¯ > 15%). (2) The pollen alteration direction from the original to the evolutionary population of Malus was large to small, with elliptic to rectangular morphologies, large and compact to small and sparse ridges, and low to high perforation densities. However, there was no significant change in pollen size. (3) The 107 studied taxa were divided into four groups. Malus species were relatively clustered in the same section, while homologous cultivars showed evidence of family aggregation distribution characteristics (92.60% of cultivars were clustered with their parents). (4) M. baccata and M. pumilar var. neidzwetzkyana were high-frequency parents, participating in 38.7% and 20.7% of cross-breeding, respectively. Overall, this study provides a reference for identifying Malus’ pedigree relationship.

Abstract Parkinson’s disease (PD) is pathologically manifested by the aggregation of α-synuclein, which has been envisioned as a promising disease-modifying target for PD. Here, we identified 20C, a bibenzyl compound derived from Gastrodia elata, able to inhibit the aggregation of A53T variants of α-synuclein directly in vitro. Computational analysis revealed that 20C binds to cavities in mature α-synuclein fibrils, and it indeed displays a strong interaction with α-synuclein and reduced their β-sheet structure by microscale thermophoresis and circular dichroism, respectively. Moreover, incubating neural cells with 20C reduced the amounts of α-synuclein inclusions significantly. The treatment of A53T α-Syn transgenic mice with 20C significantly reduces the toxic α-synuclein levels, improves behavioral performance, rescues dopaminergic neuron, and enhances functional connections between SNc and PD associated brain areas. The transcriptome analysis of SNc demonstrated that 20C improves mitochondrial dynamics, which protects mitochondrial morphology and function against α-synuclein induced degeneration. Overall, 20C appears to be a promising candidate for the treatment of PD.

BackgroundOwing to the long penetration depth of gamma (γ)-rays, individuals working in ionizing radiation environments are chronically exposed to low-dose γ-radiation, resulting in cognitive changes. Dose rate significantly affects radiation-induced biological effects; however, its role in chronic low-dose γ-irradiation-induced cognitive impairment remains unclear. We aimed to investigate whether chronic low-dose γ-irradiation at low-dose-rate (LDR) could induce cognitive impairment and to compare the cognitive alteration caused by chronic low-dose γ-irradiation at LDR and high-dose-rate (HDR).MethodsThe rats were exposed to γ-irradiation at a LDR of 6 mGy/h and a HDR of 20 mGy/h for 30 days (5 h/day). Functional imaging was performed to assess the brain inflammation and blood–brain barrier (BBB) destruction of rats. Histological and immunofluorescence analyses were used to reveal the neuron damage and the activation of microglia and astrocytes in the hippocampus. RNA sequencing was conducted to investigate changes in gene expression in hippocampus.ResultsThe rats in the LDR group exhibited more persistent cognitive impairment than those in the HDR group. Furthermore, irradiated rats showed brain inflammation and a compromised BBB. Histologically, the number of hippocampal neurons were comparable in the LDR group but were markedly decreased in the HDR. Additionally, activated M1-like microglia and A1-like astrocytes were observed in the hippocampus of rats in the LDR group; however, only M1-like microglia were activated in the HDR group. Mechanistically, the PI3K–Akt signaling pathway contributed to the different cognitive function change between the LDR group and HDR group.ConclusionCompared with chronic low-dose γ-irradiation at HDR, LDR induced more severe cognitive impairment which might involve PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

BackgroundPatients with age-related hearing loss (ARHL) often struggle with tracking and locating sound sources, but the neural signature associated with these impairments remains unclear.Materials and methodsUsing a passive listening task with stimuli from five different horizontal directions in functional magnetic resonance imaging, we defined functional regions of interest (ROIs) of the auditory “where” pathway based on the data of previous literatures and young normal hearing listeners (n = 20). Then, we investigated associations of the demographic, cognitive, and behavioral features of sound localization with task-based activation and connectivity of the ROIs in ARHL patients (n = 22).ResultsWe found that the increased high-level region activation, such as the premotor cortex and inferior parietal lobule, was associated with increased localization accuracy and cognitive function. Moreover, increased connectivity between the left planum temporale and left superior frontal gyrus was associated with increased localization accuracy in ARHL. Increased connectivity between right primary auditory cortex and right middle temporal gyrus, right premotor cortex and left anterior cingulate cortex, and right planum temporale and left lingual gyrus in ARHL was associated with decreased localization accuracy. Among the ARHL patients, the task-dependent brain activation and connectivity of certain ROIs were associated with education, hearing loss duration, and cognitive function.ConclusionConsistent with the sensory deprivation hypothesis, in ARHL, sound source identification, which requires advanced processing in the high-level cortex, is impaired, whereas the right–left discrimination, which relies on the primary sensory cortex, is compensated with a tendency to recruit more resources concerning cognition and attention to the auditory sensory cortex. Overall, this study expanded our understanding of the neural mechanisms contributing to sound localization deficits associated with ARHL and may serve as a potential imaging biomarker for investigating and predicting anomalous sound localization.

Abstract Newborns can acquire immunological protection to SARS-CoV-2 through vaccine-conferred antibodies in human breast milk. However, there are some concerns around lactating mothers with regards to potential short- and long-term adverse events and vaccine-induced changes to their breast milk microbiome composition, which helps shape the early-life microbiome. Thus, we sought to explore if SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine could change breast milk microbiota and how the changes impact the levels of antibodies in breast milk. We recruited 49 lactating mothers from Hong Kong who received two doses of BNT162b2 vaccine between June 2021 and August 2021. Breast milk samples were self-collected by participants pre-vaccination, one week post-first dose, one week post-second dose, and one month post-second dose. The levels of SARS-CoV-2 spike-specific IgA and IgG in breast milk peaked at one week post-second dose. Subsequently, the levels of both antibodies rapidly waned in breast milk, with IgA levels returning to baseline levels one month post-second dose. The richness and composition of human breast milk microbiota changed dynamically throughout the vaccination regimen, but the abundances of beneficial microbes such as Bifidobacterium species did not significantly change after vaccination. Additionally, we found that baseline breast milk bacterial composition can predict spike-specific IgA levels at one week post-second dose (Area Under Curve: 0.72, 95% confidence interval: 0.58–0.85). Taken together, our results identified specific breast milk microbiota markers associated with high levels of IgA in the breast milk following BNT162b2 vaccine. Furthermore, in lactating mothers, BNT162b2 vaccines did not significantly reduce probiotic species in breast milk.

Abstract The role of gut microbiota in modulating the durability of COVID-19 vaccine immunity is yet to be characterised. In this cohort study, we collected blood and stool samples of 121 BNT162b2 and 40 CoronaVac vaccinees at baseline, 1 month, and 6 months post vaccination (p.v.). Neutralisation antibody, plasma cytokine and chemokines were measured and associated with the gut microbiota and metabolome composition. A significantly higher level of neutralising antibody (at 6 months p.v.) was found in BNT162b2 vaccinees who had higher relative abundances of Bifidobacterium adolescentis, Bifidobacterium bifidum, and Roseburia faecis as well as higher concentrations of nicotinic acid (Vitamin B) and γ-Aminobutyric acid (P

The effects of nonmetallic elements Sulfur (S), Phosphorus (P) and Carbon (C) on the decolorisation of azo dye direct blue 6 (DB6) by using ball-milled (BM) Co-free AlCrFeMn (S0) high-entropy alloy (HEA) are presented for the first time in this work. We report the approach of adding S, P and C into S0 HEA in a single step by ball milling, and it is environment friendly method. Moreover, HEAs added with S, P and C do not cause secondary pollution of water during decolorisation recation. DB6 dye solution (200 mg/L) can be fully decolorised in 0.3, 1.9 and 3.3 min with 0.5 g/L of BM AlCrFeMnS (SS), AlCrFeMnP (SP), and AlCrFeMnC (SC), which are about 42, 6.6 and 3.8 times faster than that of S0, respectively. The efficiency of SS for DB6 is 126,000 times that of commercially available pure iron powders. The activation energy of SS is 36.3 kJ/mol, which is lower than that of S0 (54.6 kJ/mol). The extremely high decolorisation efficiency is closely related with the formation of a large number of galvanic cells in SS, SP and SC between the metal and nonmetal elements, which greatly increases the amount and efficiency of electron transfer. The decolorisation efficiency of DB6 solution is assessed by ultraviolet–visible absorption spectrophotometry. The decolorisation rate follows pseudo-first-order reaction kinetics with respect to dye concentration. The results of this study provide some enlightenment for researchers in the application of HEAs in wastewater treatment.

Underground space development is a crucial approach to addressing traffic congestion in China’s cities, especially through underground construction. However, the traditional pit internal support system, particularly the concrete internal support system, has significant drawbacks. These include high energy consumption and carbon emissions, which are increasingly prominent issues. In this paper, a hollow precast concrete-filled steel tube (H-CFST) internal support system is proposed and a node connection scheme is designed. Through numerical simulation, the load-bearing characteristics of H-CFST with different aspect ratios, hollow ratios, hoop thicknesses, and hoop lengths are investigated, and the optimal design parameters are obtained. Finally, following a field application, monitoring data reveal that the precast H-CFST internal support demonstrates superior load-bearing capacity compared to the concrete internal support, successfully meeting the criteria for replacement of the concrete support.

The feasibility and performance of using calcined coal gangue (CCG) to substitute metakaolin (MK) as the precursor to prepare alkali-activated materials (AAMs) were thoroughly evaluated by conducting combined experiments of flowability test, mechanical measurement, calorimetry and microstructure analysis, etc. It was found that the increased substitution ratio of CCG to MK can increase the flowability of the prepared paste by up to 28.1% and decrease its viscosity by up to 55.8%. In addition, a prolonged setting time of up to 31.8% was found with the increased substitution amount of CCG to MK, which can be attributed to the low reactivity of CCG compared to that of MK. Lastly, even though the presence of CCG can lead to a decrease in the early compressive strength of the hardened paste, a highly recovered long-term mechanical property can be found due to the continuous reaction of CCG. All of these results prove the feasibility of using CCG as one co-blended precursor with MK to prepare alkali-activated materials.

Magnetic reconnection is well known as an efficient mechanism for transferring magnetic energy into plasma energy. However, how the energy conversion and partition between different species is influenced by the shear angle of the reconnecting magnetic component (i.e., the guide field strength) is not well understood. Using 2.5-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations, we investigated the energy conversion in reconnection with different guide fields. We found that the overall energy conversion first decreases steeply and then increases slowly when the guide field increases from \begin{document}$ {B}_{g} $\end{document} = 0 to \begin{document}$ {B}_{g} $\end{document} = 4. The increase in energy conversion in the large guide field regime is due to the electron energy gain through the perpendicular channel \begin{document}${\boldsymbol{J}}_{\perp }\cdot {\boldsymbol{E}}_{\perp }$\end{document}. The overall energy conversion is predominantly contributed by \begin{document}${\boldsymbol{J}}_{\perp }\cdot{ \boldsymbol{E}}_{\perp }$\end{document} rather than \begin{document}$ {J}_{\parallel }{E}_{\parallel } $\end{document}. We further find that energy conversion mainly occurs within the reconnection front and the flux pileup region. However, the contribution from the fore reconnection front becomes important in large guide field regimes (\begin{document}$ 3 < {B}_{g}\le 4 $\end{document}) because of the enhanced electron energy gain.

Mengtong Chen,1,2,&ast; Yuting Zhang,1,2,&ast; Yuqiao Mao,1 Yunwen Lian,1 Peng Ye,1 Chunlong Liu,2 Zhijie Zhang,3 Xihua Fu1 1Department of Infectious Diseases Unit, Panyu Central Hospital, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China; 2College of Acupuncture Moxibustion and Rehabilitation, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Rehabilitation, Luoyang Orthopedics Hospital of Henan Province, Luoyang, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Xihua Fu, Email 455170667@qq.comBackground: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is the leading cause of death in the world. Pulmonary rehabilitation includes, but is not limited to, exercise training and education, which aim to improve the physical and psychological conditions of patients with chronic respiratory diseases through self-management interventions.Objective: The aim of this study was to perform a bibliometric analysis of studies on exercise and COPD published from 2000 to 2021 using VOSviewer and CiteSpace.Methods: All included literature was obtained from the Web of Science core collection. VOSviewer was used to analyze country or region, institution, major co-cited journals, and keywords. CiteSpace was used to analyze centrality, author and co-cited authors, journals, the strongest citation bursts of references, and keywords.Results: A total of 1889 articles meeting the criteria were obtained. The United States has the largest number of publications. The American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine is the most influential in this field, and the most published research institution is Queen’s University. Denis E. O’Donnell has made significant contributions to exercise and COPD research. Association, impact, and statement are hot spots of research in this field.Conclusion: A bibliometric analysis of exercise interventions for COPD over the past 22 years provides direction for future research.Keywords: bibliometrics, visualization, exercise, COPD, research hotspots

Polybrominated biphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have been pervasively used as an additive flame retardant in various fields. The nature of environmental persistence, bioaccumulation, and potential toxicity attracted attention worldwide and became a threat to both the ecosystem and human health. Originally, PBDEs are produced in chemical factories. PBDEs exposure was mainly by ingestion of contaminated food products, followed by inhalation of particles containing deposited PBDEs. This review concluded the liver injuries, thyroid hormone disorder, neurotoxicity, genotoxicity and immune system disorders as five major toxicities via overexposure to PBDEs and their toxic mechanism. PBDEs can cause severe consequences by inducing mitochondria dysfunction and oxidative stress, disrupting neurotransmitter metabolism and compromising the integrity of DNA, etc. This review presented an in-depth analysis of the most recent toxicological evidence to offer suggestions for future studies to control human overexposure to PBDEs.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), encompassing ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease, entails chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. The pathogenesis of IBD implicates genetic factors, gut microbiome alterations, and immune dysregulation, contributing to its increasing global prevalence. The sturgeon-derived peptide, which exhibits promising anti-inflammatory effects, provides potential therapeutic insights for managing IBD symptoms. This study aims to elucidate the therapeutic mechanisms of novel sturgeon-derived peptide (LLLE, Leu-Leu-Leu-Glu) by investigating their effects on intestinal inflammation, gut microbiota composition, and fecal metabolites in a mouse model of IBD. LLLE administration alleviated weight loss and disease activity index (DAI) scores in dextran sulfate sodium salt (DSS)-induced colitis in mice. Histopathological examination showed LLLE pretreatment improved colon morphology and histopathological condition and decreased serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels. 16S rRNA sequencing indicated LLLE-modulation of gut microbiota, especially alleviated DSS-elevated Bacteroidetes. Fecal metabolomic analysis unveiled that LLLE restores critical metabolites such as indole-3-propionic acid, which is pivotal in anti-inflammatory responses. Altogether, sturgeon peptide exhibits considerable promise as a therapeutic agent for colitis, owing to its anti-inflammatory effects, modulation of gut microbiota, and restoration of essential fecal metabolites.

Traditional industrial heritage is a non-renewable resource with significant research value. In this paper, the features in traditional industrial heritage images are fused based on the YOLOv5s method driven by computer visual perception. The visual perception speed is improved by adjusting the scaling factor in the attention mechanism module of normalized weights, and the model is further enhanced by designing the lattice loss function. Furthermore, the research employs the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method to investigate the level of public visual perception of traditional industrial heritage. The results show that the frequency of public perception of the characteristic street category and macro-scale industrial heritage is higher, 25.38% and 40.11%, respectively, and there is a significant difference in terms of the public’s impression of traditional industrial heritage among different permanent residences (p=0.015

This study examines interior digital design and experience based on perceptual-behavioral associations, focusing on how users’ perceptual cognition affects the internal design experience. This study collects data on users’ physiological and psychological responses when observing interior design by combining eye movement and electroencephalography techniques. Morphological analysis was used to deconstruct and reorganize the interior design elements, while the Mixed Integer Quadratic Programming (MIQP) method was used to design the interior space layout. The experimental results show that subjects’ average perceptual imagery ratings of interior schemes in the internal design perception and behavioral experiments differed significantly, and the EEG data and eye movement data exhibited specific behavioral characteristics. For example, there were statistically significant differences in perceptual imagery ratings and physiological data across interior design schemes within a particular time window. Combining eye-movement and EEG data can capture users’ perceptual perceptions and behavioral responses.

The development and use of Internet technology have led to a reform of college physical education, which presents new difficulties for the study of the strategies for ideological and political education in this setting. This study examines the descriptive perspective encoder, structural perspective encoder, and knowledge graph comparison learning algorithm of the KGCL model, as well as the relevance analysis of correlation coefficients based on the Bayesian algorithm and KGCL model. Second, it concentrates on classifying the teaching methods for college physical education in the context of the Internet and on the online practical teaching interaction approach for this discipline. It is investigated how ideological and political education might be included in the online instruction of college athletics. Lastly, students’ cognitive analysis and students’ evaluative analysis of the application of ideological and political knowledge in college physical education are undertaken using Internet technology to integrate ideological and political education in college physical education. According to the study, 24.9% of respondents believe that the ideological and political information given in physical education fully satisfies student needs, 30.9% believe that it can only partially satisfy student requirements, and 8.8% believe that it cannot fully satisfies student needs. Internet technology can therefore further the study of political and ideological education strategies in college physical education.

Abstract Soil contamination soils of by heavy metals (HMs) poses serious threats to the soil environment and enters the human body through exposure pathways such as ingestion and skin contact, posing a threat to human health. The purpose of this study was to analyze the sources and contributions of soil HMs, and to quantitatively assess the human health risks of soil HMs to different populations (i.e. children, adult females and adult males), and to analyze the human health risks caused by various sources of sensitive populations. 170 topsoil (0–20 cm) were collected from Fukang, Jimsar and Qitai on the northern slope of Tianshan Mountains in Xinjiang, China, and the contents of Zn, Cu, Cr, Pb and Hg were determined. This study used the Unmix model and a health-risk assessment (HRA) model to assess the human health risks of five HMs. The results showed that: (1) The mean values of Zn and Cr were lower than the background values of Xinjiang, the mean values of Cu and Pb were slightly higher than the background values of Xinjiang but lower than the national standard, and the mean value of Hg and Pb was higher than the background value of Xinjiang and the national standard. (2) The sources of soil HMs in the region were mainly traffic, natural, coal, and industrial sources. Moreover, the HRA model combined with Monte Carlo simulation showed similar trends in the health-risk status of all population groups in the region. Probabilistic HRA revealed that noncarcinogenic risks were acceptable for all populations (HI

Abstract Background Cyanide is a toxic chemical that inhibits cellular respiration. In plants, cyanide can be produced by themselves, especially under stressful conditions. Cyanoalanine synthase (CAS) is a key enzyme involved in plant cyanide detoxification. There are three genes encoding CAS in Arabidopsis thaliana, but the roles of these genes in the plant’s response to stress are less studied. In addition, it is known that alternative oxidase (AOX) mediates cyanide-resistant respiration, but the relationship between CAS and AOX in regulating the plant stress response remains largely unknown. Results Here, the effects of the overexpression or mutation of these three CAS genes on salt stress tolerance were investigated. The results showed that under normal conditions, the overexpression or mutation of the CAS genes had no significant effect on the seed germination and growth of Arabidopsis thaliana compared with wild type (WT). However, under 50, 100, and 200 mM NaCl conditions, the seeds overexpressing CAS genes showed stronger salt stress resistance, i.e., higher germination speed than WT seeds, especially those that overexpressed the CYS-C1 and CYS-D1 genes. In contrast, the seeds with CAS gene mutations exhibited salt sensitivity, and their germination ability and growth were significantly damaged by 100 and 200 mM NaCl. Importantly, this difference in salt stress resistance became more pronounced in CAS-OE, WT, and mutant seeds with increasing salt concentration. The CAS-OE seeds maintained higher respiration rates than the WT and CAS mutant seeds under salt stress conditions. The cyanide contents in CAS mutant seeds were approximately 3 times higher than those in WT seeds and more than 5 times higher than those in CAS-OE seeds. In comparison, plants overexpressing CYS-C1 had the fastest detoxification of cyanide and the best salt tolerance, followed by those overexpressing CYS-D1 and CYS-D2. Furthermore, less hydrogen sulfide (H2S) was observed in CAS-OE seedlings than in WT seedlings under long-term salt stress conditions. Nonetheless, the lack of AOX impaired CAS-OE-mediated plant salt stress resistance, suggesting that CAS and AOX interact to improve salt tolerance is essential. The results also showed that CAS and AOX contributed to the reduction in oxidative damage by helping maintain relatively high levels of antioxidant enzyme activity. Conclusion In summary, the findings of the present study suggest that overexpression of Arabidopsis CAS family genes plays a positive role in salt stress tolerance and highlights the contribution of AOX to CAS-mediated plant salt resistance, mainly by reducing cyanide and H2S toxicity.

Abstract Background Spinopelvic dissociation (SPD) is generally caused by high-energy injury mechanisms, and, in the absence of timely diagnosis and treatment, it can lead to chronic pain and progressive deformity. However, SPD is difficult to manage because of its rarity and complexity. In this study, we re-defined SPD according to the mechanism of injuries and biomechanical characteristics of the posterior pelvic ring and developed new classification criteria and treatment principles based on the classification for SPD. Methods Between June 2015 and September 2020, 30 patients with SPD which were selected from 138 patients with pelvic fractures were enrolled. Physical examination was performed, classification criteria (301 SPD classification) were developed, and specific treatment standards were established according to the classifications. Results The injury mechanisms and co-existing injuries did not significantly differ between the classical SPD patients and expanded SPD patients. The 301 SPD classification criteria covered all the patients. Fixation by biplanar penetration screws was used in 7 patients, 11 patients received fixation by uniplanar penetration screws, 6 patients used sacroiliac compression screws, 3 patients received uniplanar screws combined with sacroiliac compression screws, and open spondylopelvic fixation was used in only 3 patients. According to the Matta criteria, 19, 7, and 4 patients achieved excellent, good, and fair reduction. The Majeed function score of the patients ranged from 9 to 96 points, and the mean score was 72.9 ± 24.6 points. Conclusion The expanded definition for SPD is particularly significant for definite diagnosis and prevention of missing diagnosis, based on which the 301SPD classification criteria can more systemically guide the clinical treatment of SPD, increase the treatment efficacy, and reduce surgical trauma. Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR-IPR-16009340.

A field experiment is conducted in Jianghan Plain using static chamber-gas chromatography method to monitor greenhouse gas emissions from 5 different rice cropping systems:Early rice, late rice, middle rice, rice-crayfish coculture and ratooning rice systems. The emission characteristics of methane and nitrous oxide fluxes, global warming potential and greenhouse gas emission intensity in different rice patterns are analyzed, aiming to provide scientific references for accurate estimates of greenhouse gas emissions from rice paddy. The results show that methane emissions are concentrated in the early flooding stage of rice paddy, with a flux peak of (85.7 mg·m-2·h-1) for rice-crayfish system, which is higher than those of other patterns by 71.7%-191.5%. Nitrous oxide emissions are mainly observed during mid-season drainage or after nitrogen fertilization, and the highest flux peak is found for ratooning rice (1100.7 μg·m-2·h-1), which is 16.8%-654.9% higher than other patterns. The sequence of accumulated methane emission from largest to smallest is rice-crayfish (541.1 kg·hm-2), ratooning rice (293.7 kg·hm-2), early rice (177.2 kg·hm-2), late rice (133.7 kg·hm-2), and middle rice (115.3 kg·hm-2). For nitrous oxide emission, the sequence is ratooning rice (5.1 kg·hm-2), early rice (2.1 kg·hm-2), late rice (1.0 kg·hm-2), middle rice (0.6 kg·hm-2), and rice-crayfish (0.4 kg·hm-2). As for total emission calculated by global warming potential, the value of rice-crayfish is 13657.7 kg·hm-2, followed by ratooning rice (8857.0 kg·hm-2), early rice (5067.3 kg·hm-2), late rice (3647.0 kg·hm-2), and middle rice (3053.8 kg·hm-2). Rice-crayfish is also accompanied by high greenhouse gas emission intensity reaching up to 1.4 kg·kg-1, followed by early rice (0.79 kg·kg-1), ratooning rice (0.57 kg·kg-1), late rice (0.53 kg·kg-1), and middle rice (0.34 kg·kg-1). The total emission and intensity of middle rice is significantly smaller than those of rice-crayfish system by 77.6% and 75.7%. It is notable that methane emission accounts for 82.9%-99.0% of total emission among different rice cropping patterns, indicating that controlling methane is key for low-carbon production. Due to water flooding in rice paddy, nitrous oxide emission is small. The high emissions from rice-crayfish paddy are mainly attributed to the long duration of flooding, straw returning and large amount of fodder input, which has led to a long period of soil anaerobic condition, and plenty of carbon substrate for methane production. Thus, it is important to explore methane reduction practices and strategies in rice-crayfish paddy. The emission intensity of middle rice is the lowest due to paddy-upland rotation and can be considered as a low-carbon rice cultivation pattern.

Abstract Background Minimally invasive treatments for calcaneous fractures have the same outcomes and fewer complications. However, they are technically demanding, and there are a lack reduction tools. To overcome these problems, a calcaneous interlocking nail system was developed that can make reduction and fixation minimally invasive and effective. We retrospectively studied the calcaneous fracture variables intraoperatively and followed up to evaluate the outcomes of patients treated with the calcaneous interlocking nail system. Methods All patients in 7 institutions between October 2020 and May 2021 who had calcaneous fractures treated with calcaneous interlocking nails were retrospectively analyzed. The patient characteristics, including age, sex, injury mechanism, Sanders type classification, smoking status, and diabetes were recorded. The calcaneous interlocking nail and standard surgical technique were introduced. The intraoperative variables, including days waiting for surgery, surgery time, blood loss, incision length, and fluoroscopy time, were recorded. The outcomes of complications, AOFAS scores and VAS scores were recorded and compared with other similar studies. Results Fifty-nine patients were involved in this study; 54 were male; 5 were female; and they had an average age of 47.5 ± 9.2 years (range 25–70). 2 of these fractures were Sanders type I, 28 of these fractures were Sanders type II, 27 of these fractures were Sanders type III, and 2 of these were Sanders type IV. The surgery time was 131.9 ± 50.5 (30–240) minutes on average. The blood loss was 36.9 ± 41.1 (1-250) ml. The average incision length was 3.5 ± 1.8 (1–8) cm; 57 were sinus tarsi incisions; and 2 were closed fixations without incisions. The average fluoroscopy time was 12.3 ± 3.6 (10–25) seconds during the surgery. The VAS score of patients on the day after surgery was 2.4 ± 0.7 (1–3). The AOFAS ankle-hindfoot score in patients who had a follow-up of at 12 months was 93.3 ± 3.6(85–99). During the follow-up, all patients’ functional outcomes were good. One patient had a superficial infection. The rate of complications of the 59 patients was 1.7% (1/59). Conclusion The calcaneous interlocking nail system can have satisfactory reduction and fixation in calcaneous fractures, even in Sanders type IV. The outcomes of follow-up showed good function. The calcaneous interlocking nail could be an alternative method for minimally invasive calcaneous fracture fixation.

IntroductionTo validate the effect of ethylene oxide sterilization of disposable electronic analgesia infusion pumps and determine the residual amount.MethodsAccording to ISO 11135：2014 Sterilization of Healthcare Products⁃Ethylene Oxide⁃Requirements for the Development， Validation and Routine Control of Sterilization Process for Medical Devices， qualification of physical cycle performance and microbial cycle performance were conducted on disposable electronic analgesia infusion pumps， and sterilization effect was then validated by using sterility test. According to ISO 10993⁃7：2008 Biological Evaluation of Medical Devices—Part 7： ethylene oxide sterilization residuals， the residual amount of ethylene oxide were further measured.ResultsThe sterilization effect fulfilled the requirements under the physical conditions of 38.0‒45.4 ℃ and 46%‒81% humidity. When the temperature was lower than 35 ℃ and the humidity was higher than 71%， the bacterial tablets remained fully activated after the sterilization with ethylene oxide. The shortest survival time without biological indicator after exposure to ethylene oxide was 8h. Furthermore， the residual amount of ethylene oxide after the sterilization was lower than the minimum detection limit.ConclusionAll tested products are sterilized. Sterilization equipment and sterilization process fulfilled the requirements of ISO 11135：2014. Additionally， the sterilization residual amount conforms to the limit values of ISO 10993⁃7：2008.

Abstract Background Skin tissue is vital in protecting the body from injuries and bacterial infections. Wound infection caused by bacterial colonization is one of the main factors hindering wound healing. Wound infection caused by colonization of a large number of bacteria can cause the wound to enter a continuous stage of inflammation, which delays wound healing. Hydrogel wound dressing is composed of natural and synthetic polymers, which can absorb tissue fluid, improve the local microenvironment of wound, and promote wound healing. However, in the preparation process of hydrogel, the complex preparation process and poor biological efficacy limit the application of hydrogel wound dressing in complex wound environment. Therefore, it is particularly important to develop and prepare hydrogel dressings with simple technology, good physical properties and biological effects by using natural polymers. Results In this study, a gelatin-based (Tsg-THA&Fe) hydrogel was created by mixing trivalent iron (Fe3+) and 2,3,4-trihydroxybenzaldehyde (THA) to form a complex (THA&Fe), followed by a simple Schiff base reaction with tilapia skin gelatin (Tsg). The gel time and rheological properties of the hydrogels were adjusted by controlling the number of complexes. The dynamic cross-linking of the coordination bonds (o-phthalmictriol-Fe3+) and Schiff base bonds allows hydrogels to have good self-healing and injectable properties. In vitro experiments confirmed that the hydrogel had good biocompatibility and biodegradability as well as adhesion, hemostasis, and antibacterial properties. The feasibility of Tsg-THA&Fe hydrogel was studied by treating rat skin trauma model. The results showed that compared with Comfeel® Plus Transparent dressing, the Tsg-THA&Fe hydrogel could obvious reduce the number of microorganisms, prevent bacterial colonization, reduce inflammation and accelerate wound healing. Local distribution of the Tsg-THA&Fe hydrogel in the skin tissue did not cause organ toxicity. Conclusions In summary, the preparation process of Tsg-THA&Fe hydrogel is simple, with excellent performance in physical properties and biological efficacy. It can effectively relieve inflammation and control the colonization of wound microbes, and can be used as a multi-functional dressing to improve wound healing. Graphical Abstract

BackgroundSurgically treated anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries may be a waivable condition and allow return to full flight status, but waivers are based on expert opinion rather than recent published data. The purpose of this study was to evaluate return to flight after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) in male military aircrews with ACL injuries and to identify factors that affect flight clearance.MethodA single-center retrospective review was conducted by the authors for all active-duty aircrew who underwent ACLR at an authorized military medical center from January 2010 to December 2019. Demographic characteristics, occupational information, surgical data, and flight readiness evaluation outcomes were collected. Based on the final medical evaluation, subjects were divided into a qualified group (N = 64) and a disqualified group (N = 9), and the difference in data collected between the two groups was then analyzed to identify factors affecting flight clearance.ResultsA total of 73 patients underwent successful ACLR with a mean age of 31.6 ± 5.6 years. Non-contact injury was the main type of ACL injury, accounting for 84.9% of the total injuries. 55 cases (75.3%) occurred during daily sports activities and 18 (24.7%) during military training. 64 of the 73 crewmembers (87.7%) were able to return to flight at their last follow-up evaluation. The preoperative interval time (PIT) was significantly less in the qualified group than in the disqualified group (P = 0.002). Patients who underwent ACLR within three months were more likely to return to flying than those who underwent the procedure three months later (97.4% vs. 76.5%, P = 0.010). The incidence of failure to return to flight duty was significantly higher in aircrews with ACL injuries combined with meniscal injuries than in aircrews with isolated ACL injuries (21.4% vs. 0.0%, P = 0.017).ConclusionACLR appears to be safe for military aircrew suffering ACL injuries with or without meniscal injury, and return to flight status is the most likely outcome for the majority of postoperative pilots. Prolonged PIT, PIT > 3 months, and ACL injury combined with meniscus injury had a negative impact on postoperative flight readiness.

Parathyroid adenomas are benign proliferative disorders of parathyroid glands. Patients typically exhibit hyperparathyroidism and elevated serum calcium levels due to elevated levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH). We report a newly diagnosed case of a rare pathological osteolytic lesion. Radiological evaluation revealed multiple bony lesions in multiple parts of the pelvis, vertebral body, and spinous process, suggesting hematological neoplasms or bone marrow metastatic carcinoma. The morphology revealed many abnormal cells in the bone marrow smear. Furthermore, serum calcium and PTH levels were significantly increased compared to normal levels. Doppler color ultrasound showed a thyroid mass (left), suspected parathyroid adenoma, thyroid, and isthmus nodular goiter (right). The patient underwent bilateral neck exploration with parathyroidectomy, and serum calcium and PTH levels significantly decreased on the second day after surgery and had a surgical cure.

Spermatogenesis is regulated by genetic and epigenetic factors. However, the genes and signaling pathways mediating human spermatogenesis remain largely unknown. Here, we have for the first time explored the expression, function, and mechanism of glutathione peroxidase 3 (GPx3) in controlling the proliferation and apoptosis of human spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs). We found that GPx3 was expressed in human SSCs. Notably, we revealed that GPx3 knockdown resulted in the decrease in the proliferation, DNA synthesis, and cyclin B1 level in human SSC lines, which possessed the phenotypic features of human primary SSCs. Flow cytometry and TUNEL assays showed that GPx3 silencing led to enhancement of early apoptosis of human SSC line. RNA sequencing was utilized to identify CXCL10 as a target of GPx3 in human SSCs, and notably, both double immunostaining and co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP) demonstrated that there was an association between GPx3 and CXCL10 in these cells. CXCL10-shRNA resulted in the reduction in the proliferation and DNA synthesis of human SSC line and an increase in apoptosis of these cells. Taken together, these results implicate that GPx3 regulates the proliferation, DNA synthesis, and early apoptosis of human SSC line via mediating CXCL10 and cyclin B1. This study, thus, offers a novel insight into the molecular mechanism regulating the fate determinations of human SSCs and human spermatogenesis.

Osteosarcoma (OS) is a highly heterogeneous malignant bone tumor, and its tendency to metastasize leads to a poor prognosis. TGFβ is an important regulator in the tumor microenvironment and is closely associated with the progression of various types of cancer. However, the role of TGFβ-related genes in OS is still unclear. In this study, we identified 82 TGFβ DEGs based on RNA-seq data from the TARGET and GETx databases and classified OS patients into two TGFβ subtypes. The KM curve showed that the Cluster 2 patients had a substantially poorer prognosis than the Cluster 1 patients. Subsequently, a novel TGFβ prognostic signatures (MYC and BMP8B) were developed based on the results of univariate, LASSO, and multifactorial Cox analyses. These signatures showed robust and reliable predictive performance for the prognosis of OS in the training and validation cohorts. To predict the three-year and five-year survival rate of OS, a nomogram that integrated clinical features and risk scores was also developed. The GSEA analysis showed that the different subgroups analyzed had distinct functions, particularly, the low-risk group was associated with high immune activity and a high infiltration abundance of CD8 T cells. Moreover, our results indicated that low-risk cases had higher sensitivity to immunotherapy, while high-risk cases were more sensitive to sorafenib and axitinib. scRNA-Seq analysis further revealed that MYC and BMP8B were strongly expressed mainly in tumor stromal cells. Finally, in this study, we confirmed the expression of MYC and BMP8B by performing qPCR, WB, and IHC analyses. To conclude, we developed and validated a TGFβ-related signature to accurately predict the prognosis of OS. Our findings might contribute to personalized treatment and making better clinical decisions for OS patients.

Magnetic reconnection and turbulence are two of the most significant mechanisms for energy dissipation in collisionless plasma. The role of turbulence in magnetic reconnection poses an outstanding problem in astrophysics and plasma physics. It is still unclear whether turbulence can modify the reconnection process by enhancing the reconnection rate or energy conversion rate. In this study, utilizing unprecedented high-resolution data obtained from the Magnetospheric Multiscale spacecraft, we provide direct evidence that turbulence plays a vital role in promoting energy conversion during reconnection. We reached this conclusion by comparing magnetotail reconnection events with similar inflow Alfvén speed and plasma β but varying amplitudes of turbulence. The disparity in energy conversion was attributed to the strength of turbulence. Stronger turbulence generates more coherent structures with smaller spatial scales, which are pivotal contributors to energy conversion during reconnection. However, we find that turbulence has negligible impact on particle heating, but it does affect the ion bulk kinetic energy in these two events. These findings significantly advance our understanding of the relationship between turbulence and reconnection in astrophysical plasmas.

In the petroleum industry, the casing steel is fixed with a cement sheath to ensure reliable service in demanding conditions characterized by high temperature, high pressure, and exposure to multiple types of media. After the hydration of the cement, a porous material is produced with a highly alkaline solution filling the pores, commonly referred to as the pore solution. The casing will form a protective passive film when in contact with a highly alkaline pore solution. Nevertheless, once the cement sheath cracks, chloride ions in the stratum will pass through the cement sheath to the surface of the casing. When chloride ions accumulate to a certain concentration, the passive film will be destroyed, without exerting a protective influence on the substrate. After chloride ions come into direct contact with the casing, the casing is prone to severe failure due to corrosion perforation. The casing failure can cause a blowout outside the casing and even scrapping of the oil well. Controlling casing corrosion and ensuring casing integrity relies on understanding the critical chloride ion concentration that can cause the degradation of the passive film. Therefore, to assess the electrochemical properties and analyze the damage process of the passive film under varying chloride ion concentrations, several characterization techniques were employed. These included potential–time curves (E-t), polarization curves, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and Mott–Schottky curves. In addition, the composition of the passive film on the surface of the P110 casing steel was qualitatively analyzed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). To further understand the surface morphology of the P110 casing steel, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used.