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Abstract Objective Our study focused on the effects and molecular mechanisms of kaempferol, a major active component of Eucommia ulmoides Oliver (EUO), on the osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). Methods Target molecules for EUO, osteoarthritis, and osteogenic differentiation were identified through network pharmacology analysis. BMSCs were isolated and treated with various concentrations of kaempferol. Optimal concentration was determined through MTT assays. Osteogenic differentiation was assessed using alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and Alizarin Red S staining, while osteogenic markers (Collagen I, RUNX2, and OPN) and CAV-1 expression were analyzed using RT-qPCR and Western blot. The effects of combined treatment with kaempferol and an overexpression vector for CAV-1 (oe-CAV-1) on osteogenic differentiation were also observed. Results Network pharmacology analysis identified kaempferol as the primary active component influencing CAV-1 targeted in subsequent experiments. It was found that 10 µM kaempferol was optimal for treating BMSCs. Post-treatment, significant increases in ALP activity and calcium deposition were observed, along with elevated expression of osteogenic markers, and decreased CAV-1. Overexpression of CAV-1 significantly reversed the promotive effects of kaempferol on BMSC osteogenic differentiation, effectively inhibiting the process. Conclusion Collectively, kaempferol promotes osteogenic differentiation in BMSCs by inhibiting CAV-1 expression.

Abstract Background Somatic mutations in the EGFR gene occur in about 50% of non-small cell lung cancers, with the T790M mutation significantly contributing to secondary resistance against EGFR-TKI drugs. However, EGFR T790M germline mutations rarely occur. Case presentation In this study, we report a case of a lung adenocarcinoma family lineage linked to a germline EGFR T790M mutation. The main subject was diagnosed with stage IV lung adenocarcinoma and experienced a 19-month period without disease progression while treated with Osimertinib. We collected both clinicopathological and familial data from a patient with lung adenocarcinoma. Next-generation sequencing of 40 key genes was performed on the proband’s tumor tissue. To detect EGFR germline mutations, Sanger sequencing was conducted on peripheral blood mononuclear cells from the proband and his two daughters. Mutations such as EGFR T790M, EGFR 19-Del, TP53, and PIK3CA were identified in the proband’s lung cancer tissue. Additionally, germline EGFR T790M mutations were confirmed in the proband and his daughters through sequencing of their peripheral blood samples. CT scans revealed multiple pulmonary nodules in both daughters. Conclusions These observations suggest that germline mutations in EGFR T790M could be strongly linked to a familial predisposition to lung cancer.

ObjectiveThis study focused on the analysis of the correlation between common gene mutation types and metastatic sites in NSCLC patients.MethodsWe retrospectively studied 1586 NSCLC patients and used fluorescence Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect EGFR, ALK, ROS1, RET, MET, BRAF, HER2, KRAS, NRAS, and PIK3CA gene mutations, and also investigated sex, smoking status, age at diagnosis, histological type and TNM stage. In addition, we analyzed the site of metastasis in patients with stage IV NSCLC.ResultsThe EGFR-mutation group more frequently metastasized to lung (18.9%, P = 0.004), brain (18.9%, P = 0.001) and bone (27.1%, P = 0.004) than wild-type patients. ALK-mutation group (71.0%, P < 0.001), BRAF-mutation group (82.4%, P = 0.005) and NRAS-mutation group (100%, P = 0.025) were more likely to metastasize than the wild-type group. In the ALK mutation, lung metastasis (24.2%, P = 0.013), brain (24.2%, P = 0.007), bone metastasis (32.3%, P = 0.024), liver metastasis (19.4%, P = 0.001), and pleural metastasis (29.0%, P = 0.021) were common. In the KRAS-mutation group, lung metastasis (21.7%, P = 0.012) and brain metastasis (23.3%, P = 0.001) were more common. Less metastasis occurred in the HER2-mutation group (28.3%, P = 0.014). There was no difference in the RET, MET and PIK3CA mutations.ConclusionPatients with ALK mutant, BRAF mutant or NRAS mutant were more prone to metastasis, while the HER 2 mutation group was less metastatic. Patients with EGFR mutant NSCLC are more likely to develop bone, lung, or brain metastasis.

Abstract Drought-induced osmotic stress severely affects the growth and yield of maize. However, the mechanisms underlying the different responses of young and old maize leaves to osmotic stress remain unclear. To gain a systematic understanding of age-related stress responses, we compared osmotic-stress-induced changes in maize leaves of different ages using multi-omics approaches. After short-term osmotic stress, old leaves suffered more severe water deficits than young leaves. The adjustments of transcriptomes, proteomes, and hormones in response to osmotic stress were more dynamic in old leaves. Metabolic activities, stress signaling pathways, and hormones (especially abscisic acid) responded to osmotic stress in an age-dependent manner. We identified multiple functional clusters of genes and proteins with potential roles in stress adaptation. Old leaves significantly accumulated stress proteins such as dehydrin, aquaporin, and chaperones to cope with osmotic stress, accompanied by senescence-like cellular events, whereas young leaves exhibited an effective water conservation strategy mainly by hydrolyzing transitory starch and increasing proline production. The stress responses of individual leaves are primarily determined by their intracellular water status, resulting in differential transcriptomes, proteomes, and hormones. This study extends our understanding of the mechanisms underlying plant responses to osmotic stress.

BackgroundMachine learning (ML) risk prediction models, although much more accurate than traditional statistical methods, are inconvenient to use in clinical practice due to their nontransparency and requirement of a large number of input variables. ObjectiveWe aimed to develop a precise, explainable, and flexible ML model to predict the risk of in-hospital mortality in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). MethodsThis study recruited 18,744 patients enrolled in the 2013 China Acute Myocardial Infarction (CAMI) registry and 12,018 patients from the China Patient-Centered Evaluative Assessment of Cardiac Events (PEACE)-Retrospective Acute Myocardial Infarction Study. The Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) model was derived from 9616 patients in the CAMI registry (2014, 89 variables) with 5-fold cross-validation and validated on both the 9125 patients in the CAMI registry (89 variables) and the independent China PEACE cohort (10 variables). The Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP) approach was employed to interpret the complex relationships embedded in the proposed model. ResultsIn the XGBoost model for predicting all-cause in-hospital mortality, the variables with the top 8 most important scores were age, left ventricular ejection fraction, Killip class, heart rate, creatinine, blood glucose, white blood cell count, and use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs). The area under the curve (AUC) on the CAMI validation set was 0.896 (95% CI 0.884-0.909), significantly higher than the previous models. The AUC for the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) model was 0.809 (95% CI 0.790-0.828), and for the TIMI model, it was 0.782 (95% CI 0.763-0.800). Despite the China PEACE validation set only having 10 available variables, the AUC reached 0.840 (0.829-0.852), showing a substantial improvement to the GRACE (0.762, 95% CI 0.748-0.776) and TIMI (0.789, 95% CI 0.776-0.803) scores. Several novel and nonlinear relationships were discovered between patients’ characteristics and in-hospital mortality, including a U-shape pattern of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). ConclusionsThe proposed ML risk prediction model was highly accurate in predicting in-hospital mortality. Its flexible and explainable characteristics make the model convenient to use in clinical practice and could help guide patient management. Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT01874691; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT01874691

Objective: This study presents a detailed analysis of the clinical and genetic characteristics of uterine leiomyoma associated with Hereditary Leiomyomatosis and Renal Cell Cancer (HLRCC), combined with exploration of family history, pathology, and management procedures, supported by thorough evidence collection. Methods: Blood samples were collected from the proband, and the pathogenic variant was verified using Sanger sequencing. A comprehensive review of family history, FH deficiency pathology, FH and 2SC immunohistochemistry staining was conducted. Functional evidence was derived from clinical and genetic information, supplemented by a literature collection and mutation was reclassified based on ACMG/AMP guidelines. Results: The study successfully identifies a novel missense mutation (c.1240A>G; p.Lys414Glu) in exon 9 of FH, with no prior reports in existing databases. The patient's phenotype and family history, coupled with evidence collected from the literature, contribute to the preliminary determination of the variant as likely pathogenic. We also emphasize that the importance of combining FH-deficient morphology and immunohistochemical staining with 2SC for enhanced sensitivity. Conclusion: This research adds a novel missense mutation to the repertoire of FH gene variants, emphasizing its likely pathogenic nature based on a multidimensional analysis of phenotype, family history, and literature evidence. The findings enhance our understanding of the genetic landscape associated with FH and underscore the importance of thorough characterization for accurate variant classification.

Endometrial cancer (EC) is the most common malignant tumor of the female reproductive system, and the majority of ECs are low histological grade and confined to the uterus, resulting in a good prognosis. However, metastasis to the lung from a low-grade and early-stage endometrial endometrioid carcinoma (EEC) is extremely rare. Therefore, it is crucial to accurately differentiate between primary pulmonary malignancy and extra-thoracic malignancy presenting as metastatic disease, and flexible bronchoscopy with tissue acquisition plays a key role in this process. Despite its importance, there is limited literature available on the cytology of metastatic endometrial carcinoma in liquid-based cytology of bronchial brush (BB). In this article, we present two rare cases of lung metastasis from low-grade and early-stage EEC, along with a detailed analysis of the cytologic features observed in BB samples. These cases highlight the significance of cytological and histological pathology, complemented by immunohistochemistry (ICH) analysis, in the diagnosis and management of EEC patients. Pathologists should pay close attention to these aspects, while gynecologists need to be mindful of the follow-up and management of early-stage, low-grade EEC patients. By focusing on these areas, healthcare professionals can effectively contribute to the improved care and outcomes of patients with EEC.

Abstract Background Leaves of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) are flue-cured to use as a key industrial supply in various parts of the world. The quality of tobacco leaves is dependent on chemical components and their proportions. Generally, the stem attached to tobacco leaf is detached before curing. However, the leaf stem remains green for an extended period of time (as compared to leaf) during flue-curing. Hence, it is expected to affect the quality of tobacco's final product. Results To understand the impact of the green stem of leaf on the metabolome of flue-cured tobacco, we employed a broad targeted metabolomics approach. We selected two tobacco cultivars (Yun87 and K326) and cultivated them in five geographic locations in China. For flue-curing, leaves were harvested without a stem (L) or with an attached stem (SPL). After metabolome analysis, a total of 1027 metabolites were annotated in these samples. A variable number of metabolites were differentially accumulated between both types of leaves (depending on geographic location or cultivar) representing an influence of environment or genotype. Interestingly, only 68 metabolites were differentially accumulated between L and SPL samples irrespective of the cultivar or geographic location. These differentially accumulated metabolites belonged to major groups of primary and secondary metabolites. We have discussed the importance of identified metabolites in terms of carbon, nitrogen, and polyphenolic metabolism. Conclusion The present research is the first comprehensive description of several metabolites in tobacco leaves related to the contribution of leaf stem. The current study opens novel prospects for investigating the potential of such metabolites in improving the quality of flue-cured tobacco.

Background The systemic inflammatory response index (SIRI), a novel inflammation maker, has proven to be associated with prognostic outcomes in various diseases. However, few studies have been conducted assessing how SIRI may influence outcomes of patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD). Herein, we assessed the predictive value of SIRI on mortality all-cause mortality, including cardiovascular disease (CVD) in PD patients.Methods A total of 646 PD patients were enrolled in this study. PD patients received regular PD treatments at the Zhujiang Hospital from 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2018. SIRI values could be computed as follows: neutrophil count × monocyte count/lymphocyte count. Patients were divided into two groups according to the median level of SIRI. Cox regression analysis and Kaplan–Meier methods were applied to analyze the relationship between SIRI and mortality outcomes in PD patients.Results During the median 31-month follow-up period, 97 (15.0%) PD patients died from all-causes, and 47 (49.0%) died of CVD. Kaplan–Meier analyses revealed that a high SIRI corresponded to the high mortality of all-cause deaths, including CVD (both p

Aucuba japonica Thunb is an evergreen woody ornamental plant with significant economic and ecological values. It also produces aucubin, showing a variety of biological activities. It is widely planted in the southwest region of China, including karst landscape areas in Guizhou Province. In January 2022, a serious leaf blight disease was observed on the leaves of A. japonica in the outdoor gardens of Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China. The causal agent was identified as Colletotrichum aenigma through amplification and sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, translation of the chitin synthase (CHS) and actin (ACT) genes, and morphological characterizations. Koch’s postulates were confirmed by its pathogenicity on healthy leaves, including re-isolation and identification. To our knowledge, this is the first report of C. aenigma causing leaf blight on A. japonica worldwide. To identify pathogen characteristics that could be utilized for future disease management, the effects of temperature and light on mycelial growth, conidia production, and conidial germination, and the effects of humidity on conidial germination were studied. Optimal temperatures for mycelial growth of C. aenigma BY827 were 25–30°C, while 15°C and 35°C were favorable for conidia production. Concurrently, alternating 10-h light and 14-h dark, proved to be beneficial for mycelial growth and conidial germination. Additionally, conidial germination was enhanced at 90% humidity. In vitro screenings of ten chemical pesticides to assess their efficacy in suppressing C. aenigma representative strain BY827. Among them, difenoconazole showed the best inhibition rate, with an EC50 (concentration for 50% of maximal effect) value of 0.0148 μg/ml. Subsequently, field experiment results showed that difenoconazole had the highest control efficiency on A. japonica leaf blight (the decreasing rate of disease incidence and decreasing rate of disease index were 44.60 and 47.75%, respectively). Interestingly, we discovered that C. aenigma BY827 may develop resistance to mancozeb, which is not reported yet among Colletotrichum spp. strains. In conclusion, our study provided new insights into the causal agent of A. japonica leaf blight, and the effective fungicides evaluated provided an important basis and potential resource for the sustainable control of A. japonica leaf blight caused by C. aenigma in the field.

With regard to the aims of achieving the “Dual Carbon” goal and addressing the significant greenhouse gas emissions caused by urban expansion, there has been a growing emphasis on spatial research and the prediction of urban carbon emissions. This article examines land use data from 2000 to 2020 and combines Grid and the PLUS model to predict carbon emissions in 2030 through a multi-scenario simulation. The research findings indicate the following: (1) Between 2000 and 2020, construction land increased by 95.83%, with carbon emissions also increasing. (2) By 2030, for the NDS (natural development scenario), carbon emissions are expected to peak at 6012.87 × 104 t. Regarding the ratio obtained through the EDS (economic development scenario), construction land is projected to grow to 3990.72 km2, with expected emissions of 6863.29 × 104 t. For the LCS (low-carbon scenario), the “carbon peak” is expected to be reached before 2030. (3) The intensity of carbon emissions decreases as the city size increases. (4) The shift of the center of carbon emission intensity and the center of construction land all indicate movement towards the southeast. Studying the trends of regional land use change and the patterns of land use carbon emissions is beneficial for optimizing the land use structure, thereby enabling us to achieve low-carbon emission reductions and sustainable urban development.

Abstract Background The diagnosis of endometriosis (EMs) is still based on laparoscopic observation. This study tries to verify whether exosomal tRNA-derived fragments (tRFs) in leucorrhea can be used as non-invasive diagnostic markers. Methods Endometrial tissues and leucorrhea were sampled from women hospitalized in Ningbo University Affiliated Hospital from January 2021 to July 2021 with (n = 26) and without endometriosis (n = 25). Exosomes were isolated from samples by differential centrifugation. The small RNA sequencing was performed to detect the exosomal tRNA halves (tiRNAs)&tRFs. RNA probe and immunofluorescence antibody were used to localize the origin of tRFs. From mast cell lines infected with tRF-Leu-AAG-001 siRNA, we observed the change in vascular capacity and expression of inflammatory factors. The specificity and sensitivity tRF were determined by receiver operating characteristic analyses. Results 63 up-regulated and 45 down-regulated tRFs&tiRNAs were identified in ectopic exosomes. We selected tRF-Leu-AAG-001 as a candidate marker through KEGG pathway enrichment and PCR verification. We found that mast cells highly expressed tRF-Leu-AAG-001 in ectopic foci by immunofluorescence staining. We used siRNA to silenced tRF-Leu-AAG-001 expression in luva, qPCR analysis showed IL-6, IL-10, IL-1β, and TNF-α were significantly decreased. Meanwhile, tRF-Leu-AAG-001 siRNA dramatically reduced the angiogenic ability of luva. Finally, we examined the expression of exosomal tRF-Leu-AAG-001 in the leucorrhea. It was found exosomal tRF-Leu-AAG-001 had high specificity and sensitivity for predicting the occurrence of ectopic disease. Conclusions Exosomal tRF-Leu-AAG-001 derived from mast cells in ectopic foci might promote inflammation and angiogenesis. Meanwhile, leucorrhea exosomal tRF-Leu-AAG-001 could be a potential diagnostic biomarker for endometriosis.

Objective To analyze the risk factors of postoperative complications after craniofacial flap repair, and to establish a risk prediction model. Methods A total of 120 patients who underwent skin flap repair from October 2017 to September 2020 were selected. Univariate and logistic multivariate regression analyses were used to screen the risk factors for complications after skin flap repair, and a personalized predictive nomogram model was established. Results The incidence of postoperative complications was 25.83%. The main complications were flap vascular crisis, infection, flap avulsion, subcutaneous hematoma and edema. Logistic multivariate regression analysis revealed that the risk factors for complications after skin flap repair included venous end-to-side anastomosis (OR=3.766, 95% CI: 1.587~8.938), excessive intraoperative blood loss (OR=2.889, 95% CI: 1.089~7.668), smoking history (OR=4.697), 95% CI: 1.558~14.161), physician′s surgical skill (OR=3.062, 95% CI: 1.183~7.922) and improper flap design (OR=2.399, 95% CI: 0.861~6.686) (P

The process of urbanization has deepened the contradiction between ecosystem services’ supply and demand, resulting in a significant risk to ecological security. Thus, it is imperative to conduct an analysis of the correlation between ecosystem services’ supply and demand to achieve sustainable urban growth. This study evaluated the supply, demand, coordination index, and matching types of ecosystem services’ supply and demand in 2000, 2010, and 2020 based on multisource data in Changchun City. The results showed that ecosystem services’ supply decreased overall, while their demand continued to increase from 2000 to 2020, together with their spatial heterogeneity. The regions characterized by a low supply of and high demand for ecosystem services mostly encompassed central urban regions that have undergone a substantial level of socioeconomic advancement. Conversely, the regions characterized by a high supply and low demand were primarily hilly regions with a sparse population that were situated at higher altitudes. There has been slight incoordination between ecosystem services’ supply and demand in Changchun. In the future, it is imperative for sustainable urban development strategies to protect cultivated and ecological lands, extensively enhance the benefits of the lands, and facilitate the coordinated development of cities, agriculture, and ecology.

Abstract The use of nanometre fiso interferometer to measure heterodyne interference signals at the same time for phase and phase element detection and phase‐locked frequency multiplication counting is employed here. After a certain logic mixing, a set of measurement results with a certain degree of redundancy can be obtained; the test results can be measured and resolved. The rate is better than 0.1 nm, and the measurement range is not limited by the λ/2 period, thus overcoming the previous problems that is the measurement range of the phase measurement method is limited to one period and the resolution of the phase‐locked frequency multiplication counting method is not easy to improve.

ABSTRACT Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is the leading cause of antibiotic-associated intestinal disease, resulting in severe diarrhea and fatal pseudomembranous colitis. TcdB, one of the essential virulence factors secreted by this bacterium, induces host cell apoptosis through a poorly understood mechanism. Here, we performed an RNA interference (RNAi) screen customized to Caco-2 cells, a cell line model of the intestinal epithelium, to discover host factors involved in TcdB-induced apoptosis. We identified plakoglobin, also known as junction plakoglobin (JUP) or γ-catenin, a member of the catenin family, as a novel host factor and a previously known cell death-related chromatin factor, high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1). Disruption of those host factors by RNAi and CRISPR resulted in resistance of cells to TcdB-mediated and mitochondrion-dependent apoptosis. JUP was redistributed from adherens junctions to the mitochondria and colocalized with the antiapoptotic factor Bcl-XL. JUP proteins could permeabilize the mitochondrial membrane, resulting in the release of cytochrome c. Our results reveal a novel role of JUP in targeting the mitochondria to promote the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. Treatment with glycyrrhizin, an HMGB1 inhibitor, resulted in significantly increased resistance to TcdB-induced epithelial damage in cultured cells and a mouse ligated colon loop model. These findings demonstrate the critical roles of JUP and HMGB1 in TcdB-induced epithelial cell apoptosis. IMPORTANCE Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is the leading cause of hospital-acquired diarrhea. Toxins, especially TcdB, cause epithelial cell apoptosis, but the underlying cell death mechanism is less clear. Through an apoptosis-focused RNAi screen using a bacterium-made small interfering (siRNA) library customized to a human colonic epithelial cell model, we found a novel host factor, plakoglobin (γ-catenin), as a key factor required for cell apoptosis induced by TcdB. Plakoglobin targets and permeabilizes mitochondria after stimulation by TcdB, demonstrating a hitherto underappreciated role of this catenin family member in the apoptosis of intestinal epithelial cells. We also found a previously known cell death-related chromatin factor, HMGB1, and explored the inhibition of HMGB1 for CDI therapy in vivo.

The stator winding insulation system is the most critical and weakest part of the EMU’s (electric multiple unit’s) traction motor. The effective diagnosis for stator ITSC (inter-turn short-circuit) faults can prevent a fault from expanding into phase-to-phase or ground short-circuits. The TCU (traction control unit) controls the traction inverter to output SPWM (sine pulse width modulation) excitation voltage when the traction motor is at a standstill. Three ITSC fault diagnostic conditions are based on different IGBTs’ control logics. The Goertzel algorithm is used to calculate the fundamental current amplitude difference Δi and phase angle difference Δθ of equivalent parallel windings under the three diagnostic conditions. The six parameters under the three diagnostic conditions are used as features to establish an ITSC fault diagnostic model based on the random forest. The proposed method was validated using a simulation experimental platform for the ITSC fault diagnosis of EMU traction motors. The experimental results indicate that the current amplitude features Δi and phase angle features Δθ change obviously with an increase in the ITSC fault extent if the ITSC fault occurs at the equivalent parallel windings. The accuracy of the ITSC fault diagnosis model based on the random forest for ITSC fault detection and location, both in train and test samples, is 100%.

Abstract Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2 has caused a global pandemics. To facilitate the detection of SARS-CoV-2 infection, various RT-LAMP assays using 19 sets of primers had been developed, but never been compared. We performed comparative evaluation of the 19 sets of primers using 4 RNA standards and 29 clinical samples from COVID-19 patients. Six of 15 sets of primers were firstly identified to have faster amplification when tested with four RNA standards, and were further subjected to parallel comparison with the remaining four primer sets using 29 clinical samples. Among these 10 primer sets, Set-4 had the highest positive detection rate of SARS-CoV-2 (82.8%), followed by Set-10, Set-11, and Set-13 and Set-17 (75.9%). Set-14 showed the fastest amplification speed (Tt value

Abstract Conductive fabrics are promising candidates for developing flexible, lightweight, and high conductivity electromagnetic (EM) shielding materials to meet the requirements of next‐generation flexible and wearable electronics. Herein, an effective strategy to construct a conductive titanium carbide (Ti3C2Tx)/Polyaniline (PANI) composite with 3D nanoflower structure by deposition of PANI on the surface of single‐layer Ti3C2Tx nanosheets through in situ and oxidant‐free polymerization of aniline monomer to avoid the restacking/aggregation and easy oxidation of Ti3C2Tx MXene is developed. In addition, GaIn liquid metal (LM) nanoparticles are also incorporated into the Ti3C2Tx/PANI microsphere to increase conductivity and stability. This method solves the existing problems of poor connectivity between LM nanoparticles and discontinuity of the Ti3C2Tx MXene nanosheets. Eventually, by using carbon fabrics (CF) as the substrate, a flexible, stable, and efficient electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding conductive composite fabric with an optimal EMI shielding efficiency (EMI SE) value of 52.0 dB in the range of 8.2–12.4 GHz at a thickness of 0.27 mm is developed. Meanwhile, the as‐prepared fabrics demonstrate superior Joule heating property, high mechanical flexibility, and excellent bending‐release stability. The study provides a simple and efficient method to fabricate multifunctional conductive textiles to meet the need for practical application in EMI shielding area.

A novel and efficient rearrangement of N-tosylhydrazones bearing allyl ethers into trans-olefin-substituted sulfonylhydrazones is proposed. The reaction involves breakage of the C-O bond and formation of the C-N bond. The reaction can be extended to a wide range of substrates, and the target products can be synthesized smoothly, regardless of the presence of electron-donating and electron-withdrawing groups. The proposed strategy is a new direction in the field of rearrangement reactions.

Gastric cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors, and early diagnosis will be of great significance to improve the survival quality and overall treatment outcome evaluation of patients. Nanoelectrochemical immunosensor is an emerging biosensor combining nanotechnology, electrochemical analysis method and immunological technology, which has simple operation, fast analysis speed, high sensitivity, and good selectivity. This mini-review summarized immunoassay techniques, nanotechnology and electrochemical sensing for the early detection of gastric cancer. In particular, we focus on the tension of carbon nanomaterials in this field, including the functionalized preparation of materials, signal enhancement and the construction of novel sensing interfaces. Currently, various tumor markers are being developed, but the more recognized gastric cancer tumor markers are carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen (CA), CD44V9, miRNAs, and programmed death ligand 1. Among them, the electrochemical immunosensor allows the detection of CEA, CA, and miRNAs. The mini-review focused on the development of using carbon based materials, especially carbon nanotubes and graphene for immunosensor fabrication and gastric cancer markers detection.

Objective Rapid, accurate identification of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) at high risk of in-hospital major adverse cardiac events (MACE) is critical for risk stratification and prompt management. This study aimed to develop a simple, accessible tool for predicting in-hospital MACE in Chinese patients with AMI.Design Retrospective review of deidentified medical records.Setting 38 urban and rural hospitals across diverse economic and geographic areas in China (Beijing, Henan Province and Jilin Province).Participants 15 009 patients discharged from hospital with a diagnosis of AMI.Main outcome measure The primary outcome was MACE occurrence during index hospitalisation. A multivariate logistic regression model (China AMI Risk Model, CHARM) derived using patient data from Beijing (n=7329) and validated with data from Henan (n=4247) and Jilin (n=3433) was constructed to predict the primary outcome using variables of age, white cell count (WCC) and Killip class. C-statistics evaluated discrimination in the derivation and validation cohorts, with goodness-of-fit assessed using Hosmer-Lemeshow statistics.Results The CHARM model included age (OR: 1.06 per 1-year increment, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.07, p

Bone regeneration is of interest for treating a wide range of medical conditions. Here, the authors report on bioinspired matrix vesicles loaded with black phosphorus nanosheets and cell-specific aptamers for bone regeneration and demonstrate bone defect repair in vivo.

Quantitative PCR (qPCR) is widely used to detect viruses. However, mismatches occurring in the 3′-end of the primers reduce amplification efficiency of qPCR and limit its capacity in detection of highly variable viruses. Here, we reported a mismatch-tolerant RT-qPCR with a small amount of additional high-fidelity DNA polymerase for simultaneous detection of RSV-A and RSV-B. The novel assay had higher amplification efficiency for various variants forming mismatches with the primers than the conventional RT-qPCR, and showed good specificity and sensitivity. It demonstrated a good correlation coefficient with a commercial RSV detection kit and had relatively lower Ct values than the kit for 16 of 20 RSV-positive samples. The mismatch-tolerant qPCR technique is a promising approach for sensitive detection of highly variable viruses.

A novel and efficient C3-H vinylation reaction with quinoxalin-2(1H)-one as the substrate, in the presence of alkenes, under metal-free conditions, is reported herein. The reaction leads to the formation of new carbon–carbon bonds that exhibit moderate to good reactivities. The vinylation of quinoxalin-2(1H)-ones, in the presence of alkenes, is an attractive process that can be potentially utilized to produce biologically active 3-vinylated quinoxalin-2(1H)-ones.

Land use change is an important reason for changes in carbon storage in terrestrial ecosystems. Therefore, analyzing the impact of land use change on carbon storage is important for exploring the sustainable development of cities and improving the value of ecosystem services. Taking Changchun City in the northeast of China as the research area, this paper simulates land use patterns under three scenarios up to 2030 using the FLUS model and assesses carbon storage from 2010 to 2030 using the InVEST model. It estimates the impact of land use change on carbon storage under several scenarios in Changchun. The results show that cultivated land plays an important role in carbon storage in Changchun. The transfer of cultivated land to construction land has been the main land use type conversion over the past decade, which has led to most of the carbon storage loss. In the natural growth scenario, the carbon storage would decline further. In the cultivated land protection scenario, meanwhile, this situation would be greatly improved. In the ecological protection scenario, the carbon storage would be increased due to the protection of ecological land. In the future, we should protect existing resources while simultaneously comprehensively improving the economic, social, and ecological benefits of the land.

ABSTRACT Antisense transcription is widespread in bacteria. By base pairing with overlapping sense RNAs, antisense RNAs (asRNA) can form double-stranded RNAs (dsRNA), which are cleaved by RNase III, a dsRNA endoribonuclease. The ectopic expression of plant Tombusvirus p19 in Escherichia coli stabilizes ∼21-nucleotide (nt) dsRNA RNase III decay intermediates, which enabled us to characterize otherwise highly unstable asRNA by deep sequencing of p19-captured dsRNA. RNase III-produced small dsRNA were formed at most bacterial genes in the bacterial genome and in a plasmid. We classified the types of asRNA in genomic clusters producing the most abundant p19-captured dsRNA and confirmed RNase III regulation of asRNA and sense RNA decay at three type I toxin-antitoxin loci and at a coding gene, rsd. Furthermore, we provide potential evidence for the RNase III-dependent regulation of CspD protein by asRNA. The analysis of p19-captured dsRNA revealed an RNase III sequence preference for AU-rich sequences 3 nucleotides on either side of the cleavage sites and for GC-rich sequences in the 2-nt overhangs. Unexpectedly, GC-rich sequences were enriched in the middle section of p19-captured dsRNA, suggesting some unexpected sequence bias in p19 protein binding. Nonetheless, the ectopic expression of p19 is a sensitive method for identifying antisense transcripts and RNase III cleavage sites in dsRNA formed by overlapping sense and antisense transcripts in bacteria.

To analyze the hyperspectral reflectance characteristics of rice canopies under changes in diffuse radiation fraction, experiments using different cover materials were performed in Nanjing, China, during 2016 and 2017. Each year, two treatments with different reduction ratios of diffuse radiation fraction but with similar shading rates were set in the field experiment: In T1, total solar radiation shading rate was 14.10%, and diffuse radiation fraction was 31.09%; in T2, total solar radiation shading rate was 14.42%, and diffuse radiation fraction was 39.98%, respectively. A non-shading treatment was included as a control (CK). Canopy hyperspectral reflectance, soil and plant analyzer development (SPAD), and leaf area index (LAI) were measured under shading treatments on different days after heading. The red-edge parameters (position, λ0; maximum amplitude, Dλ; area, α0; width, σ) were calculated, as well as the area, depth, and width of three absorption bands. The location of the first absorption band appeared in the range of 553–788 nm, and the second and third absorption bands appeared in the range of 874–1257 nm. The results show that the shading treatment had a significant effect on the rice canopy’s hyperspectral reflectance. Compared with CK, the canopy reflectance of T1 (the diffuse radiation fraction was 31.09%) and T2 (the diffuse radiation fraction was 39.98%) decreased in the visible light range (350–760 nm) and increased in the near-infrared range (800–1350 nm), while the red-edge parameters (λ0, Dλ, α0), SPAD, and LAI increased. On the other hand, under shading treatment, the increase in diffuse radiation fraction also had a significant impact on the hyperspectral spectra of the rice canopy, especially at 14 days after heading. Compared with T1, the green peak (550 nm) of T2 reduced by 16.12%, and the average reflectance at 800–900 nm increased by 10%. Based on correlation analysis, it was found that these hyperspectral reflectance characteristics were mainly due to the increase in SPAD (2.31%) and LAI (7.62%), which also led to the increase in Dλ (8.70%) and α0 (13.89%). Then, the second and third absorption features of T2 were significantly different from that of T1, which suggests that the change in diffuse radiation fraction could affect the process of water vapor absorption by rice.

Monoculture is common to meet commodity grain requirements in Northeast China. The effect of long-term monoculture on chemical composition of soil organic carbon (SOC) remains unclear. This study was done to evaluate how changes in chemical compositions of SOC responded to long-term monoculture. To achieve this objective, the chemical compositions of SOC in maize-soybean rotation, continuous soybean and continuous maize were characterized with the nuclear magnetic resonance technique. Two main components, O-alkyl and aromatic C, showed a wider range of relative proportion in monoculture than rotation system across soil profiles, but no difference was observed between two monoculture systems. Pearson's analysis showed a significant relationship between plant-C and OCH3/NCH, alkyl C or alkyl O-C-O, and the A/O-A was closely related to plant-C. The findings indicated a greater influence of monoculture on the chemical composition of SOC compared to rotation, but lower response to crop species.

Abstract The development of gastritis is associated with an increased risk of gastric cancer. Current invasive gastritis diagnostic methods are not suitable for monitoring progress. In this work based on 78 gastritis patients and 50 healthy individuals, we observed that the variation of tongue-coating microbiota was associated with the occurrence and development of gastritis. Twenty-one microbial species were identified for differentiating tongue-coating microbiomes of gastritis and healthy individuals. Pathways such as microbial metabolism in diverse environments, biosynthesis of antibiotics and bacterial chemotaxis were up-regulated in gastritis patients. The abundance of Campylobacter concisus was found associated with the gastric precancerous cascade. Furthermore, Campylobacter concisus could be detected in tongue coating and gastric fluid in a validation cohort containing 38 gastritis patients. These observations provided biological evidence of tongue diagnosis in traditional Chinese medicine, and indicated that tongue-coating microbiome could be a potential non-invasive biomarker, which might be suitable for long-term monitoring of gastritis.

The data presented in this data article are related to the research article entitled “Mesoporous activated carbon materials with ultrahigh mesopore volume and effective specific surface area for high performance supercapacitors” (Lu et al., 2017) [1]. The detailed structure data of the prepared mesoporous activated carbon materials with ultrahigh mesopore volume and effective specific surface area and the electrochemical performance data of the corresponding supercapacitors are described.

Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) has been widely used in the detection of pathogens. However, there are usually numerous variants in one viral pathogen and primers employed in LAMP can hardly match all these variants. The mismatches between the primers and the viral genomes, especially those at the 3′-end of the primers, hinder LAMP reactions, leading to failure of the detection. Here, we present a mismatch-tolerant RT-LAMP protocol, which utilizes the 3′-5′ exonuclease activity of the Q5 high-fidelity DNA polymerase to remove potential mismatched bases at the 3′-end of the primers during LAMP amplification. Using HIV-1 as a proof-of-principle, we showed that this protocol could represent a promising tool for accurate detection of genetically unstable viruses in laboratory, hospital and field.

Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) has been widely used in the detection of pathogens causing infectious diseases. However, mismatches between primers (especially in the 3′-end) and templates significantly reduced the amplification efficiency of LAMP, and limited its application to genetically diverse viruses. Here, we reported a novel mismatch-tolerant LAMP assay and its application in the detection of dengue viruses (DENV). The novel method features the addition of as little as 0.15 U of high-fidelity DNA polymerase to the standard 25 μl LAMP reaction mixture. This amount was sufficient to remove the mismatched bases at the 3′-end of primers, thereby resulting in excellent tolerance for various mismatches occurring at the 3′-end of the LAMP primers during amplification. This novel LAMP assay has a markedly improved amplification efficiency especially for the mutants forming mismatches with internal primers (FIP/BIP) and loop primers (FLP/BLP). The reaction time of the novel method was about 5.6–22.6 min faster than the conventional LAMP method regardless of the presence or absence of mismatches between primers and templates. Using the novel method, we improved a previously established pan-serotype assay for DENV, and demonstrated greater sensitivity for detection of four DENV serotypes than the previous one. The limit of detection (LOD) of the novel assay was 74, 252, 78, and 35 virus RNA copies per reaction for DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3, and DENV-4, respectively. Among 153 clinical samples from patients with suspected DENV infection, the novel assay detected 94.8% samples being DENV positive, higher than that detected by the commercial NS1 antigen assay (92.2%), laboratory-based RT-PCR method (78.4%), and the conventional RT-LAMP assay (86.9%). Furthermore, the novel RT-LAMP assay has been developed into a visual determination method by adding colorimetric dyes. Because of its simplicity, all LAMP-based diagnostic assays may be easily updated to the newly improved version. The novel mismatch-tolerant LAMP method represents a simple, sensitive and promising approach for molecular diagnosis of highly variable viruses, and it is especially suited for application in resource-limited settings.

Background:Targeting Streptococcus mutans, the principle cariogenic bacterium, could prove to be an effective means of preventing dental caries. A de novo designed antimicrobial peptide, GH12, has shown bactericidal effects on S. mutans and inhibitory effects on virulence and regulatory systems of S. mutans. However, the effects of GH12 on caries remain to be elucidated.Objectives: The objectives of this study were to evaluate the direct effects of GH12 on caries and numbers of S. mutansin vivo.Design: The Keyes score was evaluated in a rodent model and in vivo S. mutans was quantified by qPCR. To further interpret the in vivo anticaries efficacy, an in vitro biofilm model using short-term treatments with GH12 mimicked treatments in vivo was adopted. Results: In vivo data showed that GH12 at 8 mg/L reduced the incidence and severity of caries. Furthermore, GH12-treated animals had less S. mutans infection. In vitro data revealed that GH12 reduced the number of S. mutans within the biofilm, as well as reducing lactic acid and water-insoluble EPS synthesis of S. mutans biofilms. Afterwards, all rats showed no significant difference in weight gain, and no sign of harm to the mucosa, indicating that GH12 possessed good biocompatibility in vivo.Conclusion: Due to the combined inhibitory effects of GH12 on the biomass and cariogenic properties of S. mutans biofilms, the population of S. mutans in vivo was reduced, residual S. mutans biofilms were less acidic and compact, and thereby the onset and development of caries were arrested. Such findings collectively certified the clinical prospects for GH12.

In this paper, using the potter five models, from the buyers bargaining power, the bargaining power of suppliers, the threat of potential entrants, the threat of substitutes and industry competition ability five aspects of current competitors within the market competitiveness of dandong 99 strawberry is analyzed, on the basis of the existing problems and put forward the corresponding countermeasures and Suggestions, in order to enhance the competitiveness of the dandong 99 strawberry play a role in promoting.

As the blind detection algorithm has the shortcoming that they need information about the channel and more than two cognitive users to detect the primary user,a new blind detection algorithm based on eigenvector using the difference of correlation between the primary user signal and noise signal covariance matrix was presented,and a closed expression was derived for the probability of false alarm and threshold.The proposed method overcomes the noise uncertainty problem only with two cognitive relays and performs well without information about the channel,primary user and noise.Numerical simulations show that the new detector performs better than other detectors.

This study investigates the P and NO3− adsorption capacities of different biochars made from plant waste including rice straw (RSB), Phragmites communis (PCB), sawdust (SDB), and egg shell (ESB) exposed to a range of pyrolysis temperatures (300, 500 and 700 °C). Results indicate that the effect of pyrolysis temperature on the physiochemical properties of biochar varied with feedstock material. Biochars derived from plant waste had limited adsorption or even released P and NO3−, but adsorption of P capacity could be improved by adjusting pyrolysis temperature. The maximum adsorption of P on RSB700, PCB300, and SDB300, produced at pyrolysis temperature of 700, 300 and 300 °C, was 5.41, 7.75 and 3.86 mg g−1, respectively. ESB can absorb both P and NO3−, and its adsorption capacity increased with an increase in pyrolysis temperature. The maximum NO3− and P adsorption for ESB700 was 1.43 and 6.08 mg g−1, respectively. The less negative charge and higher surface area of ESB enabled higher NO3− and P adsorption capacity. The P adsorption process on RSB, PCB, SDB and ESB, and the NO3− adsorption process on ESB were endothermic reactions. However, the NO3− adsorption process on RSB, PCB and SDB was exothermic. The study demonstrates that the use of egg shell biochar may be an effective way to remove, through adsorption, P and NO3− from wastewater.

Equitable access to basic public health services is a priority in China. However, primary healthcare workers' competence to deliver public health services is relatively poor because they lack professional training. Since the availability of web-based training has increased in China, the current study explored stakeholders' perceptions of a web-based training program on basic public health services to understand their thoughts, experiences, and attitudes about it.Six focus group discussions with primary healthcare workers and three with directors of township hospitals, county-level Health Bureaus, and county-level Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were conducted in Yichang City during 2013. Semi-structured topic guides were used to facilitate qualitative data collection. Audio recordings of the sessions were transcribed verbatim and theme analysis was performed.Most of the study's participants, especially the village doctors, had insufficient knowledge of basic public health services. The existing training program for primary healthcare workers consisted of ineffective traditional face-to-face sessions and often posed accessibility problems for the trainees. Most of the study's participants had a positive attitude about web-based learning and expressed a strong desire to receive this novel training approach because of its flexibility and convenience. The perceived barriers to utilizing the web-based training method included poor computer literacy, lack of personal interaction, inadequate infrastructure, and lack of time and motivation. The facilitators of this approach included the training content applicability, the user-friendly and interactive learning format, and policy support.Web-based training on basic public health services is a promising option in rural China. The findings of the study will contribute knowledge to implementation of web-based training in similar settings.

The purpose of the study was to investigate the association between depression and/or depressive symptoms during pregnancy and the risk of an operative delivery or preeclampsia, and to quantify the strength of the association.A search of the PubMed, SCI/SSCI, Proquest PsycARTICLES and CINAHL databases was supplemented by manual searches of bibliographies of key retrieved articles and review articles. We aimed to include case control or cohort studies that reported data on antenatal depression and /or depressive symptoms and the risk of an operative delivery and/or preeclampsia.Twelve studies with self-reported screening instruments were eligible for inclusion with a total of 8400 participants. Seven articles that contained 4421 total participants reported the risk for an operative delivery, and five articles that contained 3979 total participants reported the risk for preeclampsia. The pooled analyses showed that both operative delivery and preeclampsia had a statistically significant association with antenatal depressive symptoms (RR = 1.24; 95% CI, 1.14 to 1.35, and OR = 1.63, 95% CI, 1.32 to 2.02, respectively). When the pre-pregnancy body mass indices were controlled in their initial design, the risk for preeclampsia still existed (OR = 1.48, 95% CI, 1.04 to 2.01), while the risk for an operative delivery became uncertain (RR = 1.01, 95% CI, 0.85 to 1.22).Antenatal depressive symptoms are associated with a moderately increased risk of an operative delivery and preeclampsia. An abnormal pre-pregnancy body mass index may modify this association.

A strain-type three-component table dynamometer is presented in this paper, which reduces output errors produced by cutting forces imposed on the different milling positions of a workpiece. A sensor structure with eight parallel elastic beams is proposed, and sensitive regions and Wheastone measuring circuits are also designed in consideration of eliminating the influences of the eccentric forces. To evaluate the sensor decoupling performance, both of the static calibration and dynamic milling test were implemented in different positions of the workpiece. Static experiment results indicate that the maximal deviation between the measured forces and the standard inputs is 4.58%. Milling tests demonstrate that with same machining parameters, the differences of the measured forces between different milling positions derived by the developed sensor are no larger than 6.29%. In addition, the natural frequencies of the dynamometer are kept higher than 2585.5 Hz. All the measuring results show that as a strain-type dynamometer, the developed force sensor has an improved eccentric decoupling accuracy with natural frequencies not much decreased, which owns application potential in milling process monitoring.

In high speed and high precision machining applications, it is important to monitor the machining process in order to ensure high product quality. For this purpose, it is essential to develop a dynamometer with high sensitivity and high natural frequency which is suited to these conditions. This paper describes the design, calibration and performance of a milling torque sensor based on piezoresistive MEMS strain. A detailed design study is carried out to optimize the two mutually-contradictory indicators sensitivity and natural frequency. The developed torque sensor principally consists of a thin-walled cylinder, and a piezoresistive MEMS strain gauge bonded on the surface of the sensing element where the shear strain is maximum. The strain gauge includes eight piezoresistances and four are connected in a full Wheatstone circuit bridge, which is used to measure the applied torque force during machining procedures. Experimental static calibration results show that the sensitivity of torque sensor has been improved to 0.13 mv/Nm. A modal impact test indicates that the natural frequency of torque sensor reaches 1216 Hz, which is suitable for high speed machining processes. The dynamic test results indicate that the developed torque sensor is stable and practical for monitoring the milling process.

This paper presents a three-component fixed dynamometer based on a strain gauge, which reduces output errors produced by the cutting force imposed on different milling positions of the workpiece. A reformative structure of tri-layer cross beams is proposed, sensitive areas were selected, and corresponding measuring circuits were arranged to decrease the inaccuracy brought about by positional variation. To simulate the situation with a milling cutter moving on the workpiece and validate the function of reducing the output errors when the milling position changes, both static calibration and dynamic milling tests were implemented on different parts of the workpiece. Static experiment results indicate that with standard loads imposed, the maximal deviation between the measured forces and the standard inputs is 4.87%. The results of the dynamic milling test illustrate that with identical machining parameters, the differences in output variation between the developed sensor and standard dynamometer are no larger than 6.61%. Both static and dynamic experimental results demonstrate that the developed dynamometer is suitable for measuring milling force imposed on different positions of the workpiece, which shows potential applicability in machining a monitoring system.